A Combined Semi-Supervised Deep Learning Method for Oil Leak Detection in Pipelines Using IIoT at the Edge.

Pipelines are integral components for storing and transporting liquid and gaseous petroleum products. Despite being durable structures, ruptures can still occur, resulting not only in financial losses and energy waste but, most importantly, in immeasurable environmental disasters and possibly in human casualties. The objective of the ESTHISIS project is the development of a low-cost and efficient wireless sensor system for the instantaneous detection of leaks in metallic pipeline networks transporting liquid and gaseous petroleum products in a noisy industrial environment. The implemented methodology is based on processing the spectrum of vibration signals appearing in the pipeline walls due to a leakage effect and aims to minimize interference in the piping system. It is intended to use low frequencies to detect and characterize leakage to increase the range of sensors and thus reduce cost. In the current work, the smart sensor system developed for signal acquisition and data analysis is briefly described. For this matter, two leakage detection methodologies are implemented. A 2D-Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model undertakes supervised classification in spectrograms extracted by the signals acquired by the accelerometers mounted on the pipeline wall. This approach allows us to supplant large-signal datasets with a more memory-efficient alternative to storing static images. Second, Long Short-Term Memory Autoencoders (LSTM AE) are employed, receiving signals from the accelerometers, and providing an unsupervised leakage detection solution.

Hyperthermia During Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy With Paclitaxel or Docetaxel for Ovarian Cancer: Is There Any Benefit?

BACKGROUND/AIM: Intraperitoneal chemotherapy with taxanes provides high locoregional drug concentrations. Regarding their synergy with hyperthermia, results have been inconclusive. In this in vitro study, the thermal enhancement of the effect of paclitaxel and docetaxel on ovarian cancer cells under conditions mimicking those during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cisplatin-resistant SKOV-3 and OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells were exposed for 2 h to 0.1, 1 and 3 µΜ of paclitaxel and docetaxel at 37°C (normothermia) and 41.5°C (hyperthermia). Cell proliferation and cell-cycle distribution were evaluated after 24 h, 3 days and 7 days. RESULTS: A concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect on cell proliferation was observed. Concurrent hyperthermia caused an increased arrest of cells in the G2/M phase. At 7 days, thermal enhancement of drug effect was shown only for treatment of OVCAR-3 cells with 1 µM paclitaxel. CONCLUSION: The concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect of paclitaxel and docetaxel supports their intraperitoneal use. Due to the lack of or only minimal thermal enhancement, normothermic may be as effective as hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy with taxanes, avoiding, however, potential oncological and treatment-related adverse effects of concurrent hyperthermia.

Treatment of ovarian cancer using intraperitoneal chemotherapy with taxanes: from laboratory bench to bedside.

The combination of a taxane, paclitaxel or docetaxel, and a platinum compound has become the systemic chemotherapy of choice for primary ovarian cancer and has demonstrated high efficacy. However, ultimately most patients will die from this disease. Hence, there is a need for even more effective systemic chemotherapy or different treatment strategies. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy with taxanes is such an alternative treatment option. Ovarian cancer is theoretically an attractive malignancy for this regional treatment, because the disease remains largely confined to the peritoneal cavity. The choice of taxanes for this kind of chemotherapy is rational, because of its high activity against ovarian cancer cells and expected favourable pharmacokinetics because of limited absorption from the peritoneal cavity due to their large molecular weight and first-pass effect in the liver. In animal model and human pharmacokinetic studies, very high intraperitoneal drug concentrations and exposure and high peritoneal tumour concentrations were achieved, while systemic drug levels were low. The combination of intraperitoneal chemotherapy with hyperthermia enhances the penetration and cytotoxic activity of many drugs. Although data concerning thermal enhancement of taxane cytotoxicity are inconsistent, experimental studies show that at high locoregional concentrations there seems to be such an effect. Recently, feasibility and efficacy of this treatment have evidently been demonstrated in various clinical studies. A large randomized trial revealed improvement of outcome by intraperitoneal instillation chemotherapy with paclitaxel and cisplatin as first-line treatment. Moreover, promising results have been observed after intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy with docetaxel for recurrent disease.