bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
PLACID
Authors: Motamedi Mohammad , Gysel Philipp , Ghiasi Soheil 
Published: September 2017

Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) exhibit remarkable performance in a number of pattern recognition and classification tasks. Modern DCNNs involve many millions of parameters and billions of operations. Inference using such DCNNs, if implemented as software running on an embedded processor, results in considerable execution time and energy consumption, which is prohibitive in many mobile applications. Field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based acceleration of DCNN inference is a promising approach to improve both energy consumption and classification throughput. However, the engineering effort required for development and verification of an optimized FPGA-based architecture is significant.
In this article, we present PLACID, an automated PLatform for Accelerator CreatIon for DCNNs. PLACID uses an analytical approach to characterization and exploration of the implementation space. PLACID enables generation of an accelerator with the highest throughput for a given DCNN on a specific target FPGA platform. Subsequently, it generates an RTL level architecture in Verilog, which can be passed onto commercial tools for FPGA implementation. PLACID is fully automated, and reduces the accelerator design time from a few months down to a few hours. Experimental results show that architectures synthesized by PLACID yield 2× higher throughput density than the best competing approach.
Simplex Queues for Hot-Data Download
Authors: Aktas Mehmet Fatih , Najm Elie , Soljanin Emina 
Published: September 2017

In distributed systems, reliable data storage is accomplished through redundancy, which has traditionally been achieved by simple replication of data across multiple nodes [6]. A special class of erasure codes, known as locally repairable codes (LRCs) [7], has started to replace replication in practice [8], as a more storage-efficient way to provide a desired reliability. It has recently been recognized, that storage redundancy can also provide fast access of stored data (see e.g. [5,9,10] and references therein). Most of these papers consider download scenarios of all jointly encoded pieces of data, and very few [11,12,14] are concerned with download of only some, possibly hot, pieces of data that are jointly encoded with those of less interest. So far, only low traffic regime has been partially addressed.
In this paper, we are concerned with hot data download from systems implementing a special class of locally repairable codes, known as LRCs with availability [13,15]. We consider simplex codes, a particular subclass of LRCs with availability, because 1) they are in a certain sense optimal [2] and 2) they are minimally different from replication.
Movement-related activity in the periarcuate cortex of monkeys during coordinated eye and hand movements
Authors: Kurata Kiyoshi 
Published: September 2017

To determine the role of the periarcuate cortex during coordinated eye and hand movements in monkeys, the present study examined neuronal activity in this region during movement with the hand, eyes, or both as effectors toward a visuospatial target. Similar to the primary motor cortex (M1), the dorsal premotor cortex contained a higher proportion of neurons that were closely related to hand movements, whereas saccade-related neurons were frequently recorded from the frontal eye field (FEF). Interestingly, neurons that exhibited activity related to both eye and hand movements were recorded most frequently in the ventral premotor cortex (PMv), located between the FEF and M1. Neuronal activity in the periarcuate cortex was highly modulated during coordinated movements compared with either eye or hand movement only. Additionally, a small number of neurons were active specifically during one of the three task modes, which could be dissociated from the effector activity. In this case, neuron onset was either ahead of or behind the onset of eye and/or hand movement, and some neuronal activity lasted until reward delivery signaled successful completion of reaching. The present findings indicate that the periarcuate cortex, particularly the PMv, plays important roles in orchestrating coordinated movements from the initiation to the termination of reaching. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Movement-related neuronal activity was recorded throughout the periarcuate cortex of monkeys that performed a task requiring them to move their hand only, eyes only, or both hand and eyes toward visuospatial targets. Most typically, neurons were found that were commonly active regardless of different effectors, from movement initiation to completion of a successful outcome. The findings suggest that the periarcuate cortex as a whole plays a crucial role in initiating and completing coordinated eye-hand movements.
Feature-coding transitions to conjunction-coding with progression through human visual cortex
Authors: Cowell Rosemary A. , Leger Krystal R. , Serences John T. 
Published: September 2017

Identifying an object and distinguishing it from similar items depends upon the ability to perceive its component parts as conjoined into a cohesive whole, but the brain mechanisms underlying this ability remain elusive. The ventral visual processing pathway in primates is organized hierarchically: Neuronal responses in early stages are sensitive to the manipulation of simple visual features, whereas neuronal responses in subsequent stages are tuned to increasingly complex stimulus attributes. It is widely assumed that feature-coding dominates in early visual cortex whereas later visual regions employ conjunction-coding in which object representations are different from the sum of their simple feature parts. However, no study in humans has demonstrated that putative object-level codes in higher visual cortex cannot be accounted for by feature-coding and that putative feature codes in regions prior to ventral temporal cortex are not equally well characterized as object-level codes. Thus the existence of a transition from feature- to conjunction-coding in human visual cortex remains unconfirmed, and if a transition does occur its location remains unknown. By employing multivariate analysis of functional imaging data, we measure both feature-coding and conjunction-coding directly, using the same set of visual stimuli, and pit them against each other to reveal the relative dominance of one vs. the other throughout cortex. Our results reveal a transition from feature-coding in early visual cortex to conjunction-coding in both inferior temporal and posterior parietal cortices. This novel method enables the use of experimentally controlled stimulus features to investigate population-level feature and conjunction codes throughout human cortex. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We use a novel analysis of neuroimaging data to assess representations throughout visual cortex, revealing a transition from feature-coding to conjunction-coding along both ventral and dorsal pathways. Occipital cortex contains more information about spatial frequency and contour than about conjunctions of those features, whereas inferotemporal and parietal cortices contain conjunction coding sites in which there is more information about the whole stimulus than its component parts.
Evidence for the representation of movement kinematics in the discharge of F5 mirror neurons during the observation of transitive and intransitive actions
Authors: Papadourakis Vassilis , Raos Vassilis 
Published: September 2017

Mirror neurons (MirNs) are sensorimotor neurons that fire both when an animal performs a goal-directed action and when the same animal observes another agent performing the same or a similar transitive action. It has been claimed that the observation of intransitive actions does not activate MirNs in a monkey’s brain. Prompted by recent evidence indicating that the discharge of MirNs is modulated also by non-object-directed actions, we investigated thoroughly the efficacy of intransitive actions to trigger MirNs’ discharge. Using representational similarity analysis, we also studied whether the elements constituting the visual scene presented to the monkey during the observation of actions (both transitive and intransitive) are represented in the discharge of MirNs. For this purpose, the moving hand was modeled by its kinematics and the object by features of its geometry. We found that MirNs respond to the observation of both transitive and intransitive actions and that the discharge differences evoked by the observation of object- and non-object-directed actions are correlated more with the kinematic differences of these actions than with the differences of the objects’ features. These findings support the view that observed action kinematics contribute to action mirroring. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Mirror neurons in the monkey brain are thought to respond exclusively to the observation of object-directed actions. Here, we show that mirror neurons also respond to the observation of intransitive actions and that the kinematics of the observed movements are represented in their discharge. This finding supports the view that mirror neurons provide also a kinematics-based representation of actions.
Evaluation of image quality and radiation dose of abdominal dual-energy CT
Authors: Schmidt David , Söderberg Marcus , Nilsson Mats , Lindvall Håkan , Christoffersen Christina , Leander Peter 
Published: September 2017

Background Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has conceptually been known since the late 1970s and commercially available as dual-source CT (DSCT) systems since 2006; however, the technique has not yet seen widespread implementation in routine protocols. Part of the cause for this is likely due to misconceptions about radiation dose and/or image quality when using DECT. Purpose To compare image quality and radiation dose of single-energy CT (SECT) and DECT abdominal examinations obtained in clinical practice on a second generation DSCT. Material and Methods A total of 495 included patients (mean age = 70.9 years) were retrospectively analyzed after undergoing either SECT (120 kVp and age-based mAs) or DECT examinations (80/Sn140 kVp and age-based mAs). The patients were divided into two groups based on examination type (247 SECT, 248 DECT), which were then subdivided into two groups, each based on age. Image noise was measured in the liver and image quality was subjectively assessed in 100 randomly selected patients. Results Noise levels were significantly lower in DECT (13.9 HU) compared with SECT (14.7 HU) ( P < 0.05). No significant differences in subjective image quality were found between DECT and SECT, except for one criterion in the 50–74-year age group. The mean dose-length product (DLP) (376 mGy-cm) and effective dose (6.1 mSv) of DECT were significantly lower than the DLP (513 mGy-cm) and effective dose (8.4 mSv) of SECT ( P < 0.05). Conclusion DECT can be implemented in routine clinical use without negatively impacting image quality while lowering radiation dose to the patient.
Time Trends in Concussion Symptom Presentation and Assessment Methods in High School Athletes
Authors: Currie Dustin W. , Kraeutler Matthew J. , Schrock John B. , McCarty Eric C. , Comstock R. Dawn 
Published: September 2017

Background:Concussion rates have increased significantly over the past decade. This may reflect an increase in the knowledge and diagnosis of the symptoms of a concussion rather than a true increase in the incidence. Assessing trends in the way that concussions are presenting to and being identified by clinicians over the same period may provide additional insight into the apparent rise in concussions.Purpose:To evaluate patterns of change in concussion symptom presentation, diagnostic/evaluation methods, and symptom resolution time reported for United States high school athletes from the 2007-2008 through 2014-2015 academic years.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Methods:This study is a retrospective analysis of a web-based longitudinal high school sports injury surveillance database (High School RIO [Reporting Information Online]) collected from 2007-2008 through 2014-2015. For each concussion, athletic trainers entered data regarding symptom presentation, resolution time, and diagnostic/evaluation tools utilized. Academic year was the primary exposure in assessing each aim. Time trends were then assessed using linear regression or the Cochran-Armitage test for trends, depending on the outcome distribution.Results:The proportion of concussed athletes presenting with amnesia, loss of consciousness (LOC), and tinnitus significantly decreased from 2007-2008 through 2014-2015, while the proportion presenting with drowsiness, irritability, light sensitivity, and noise sensitivity increased significantly. The use of diagnostic radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography all significantly decreased during the study period, while the use of computerized neurocognitive tests increased. Concussion symptoms took significantly longer to resolve in more recent years.Conclusion:The decrease in what have traditionally been considered severe symptoms (LOC, amnesia) and the increase in what were traditionally considered minor symptoms (drowsiness, irritability, light sensitivity) suggest that clinicians may have a lower threshold in diagnosing sports-related concussions in more recent years. The significant reduction in the use of all forms of diagnostic head imaging demonstrates an increased recognition of concussions as functional disturbances rather than structural abnormalities. Improved concussion education and the nationwide passage of state-level concussion legislation have likely led to the increased recognition of lingering symptoms in athletes with a diagnosed concussion, thereby leading to a longer symptom resolution time.
Evaluation of xenogeneic extracellular matrix fabricated from CuCl2-conditioned mesenchymal stem cell sheets as a bioactive wound dressing material
Authors: Du Hui-Cong , Jiang Lin , Geng Wen-Xin , Li Jing , Zhang Rui , Dang Jin-Ge , Shu Mao-Guo , Li Li-Wen 
Published: September 2017

The extracellular matrix has drawn considerable interest in tissue engineering not only acts as a bioactive three-dimensional scaffold but also regulates cell behaviors through providing biochemical signals. Extracellular matrix-based biomaterials, mainly derived from xenogeneic tissues, have shown positive outcomes in promoting cutaneous wound healing. However, such extracellular matrices only contain low doses of growth factors, which limit their therapeutic efficiency. Recent reports demonstrated that cell sheets made from mesenchymal stem cell can accelerate wound repair through enhanced re-epithelialization and angiogenesis, but its clinical translation is hindered by several limitations, such as the risk of aberrant immune responses and cost implications. In this study, acellular extracellular matrices were prepared from CuCl2-conditioned mesenchymal stem cell sheets and their in vivo wound healing properties were evaluated in a mouse model of full-thickness skin defect. We found that extracellular matrices derived from CuCl2-conditioned mesenchymal stem cell sheets have a compact surface with thick solid-like cross-sectional structure. Moreover, CuCl2 dramatically enriched the extracellular matrices with collagen I, collagen III, transforming growth factor-β1, vascular endothelial growth factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor via hypoxia-inducible factor-1α activation. And as a consequence, the resulting extracellular matrices showed markedly improved in vivo wound healing potency through early adipocyte mobilization, enhanced granulation tissues formation, rapid re-epithelialization, and augmented angiogenesis. Therefore, we consider that the extracellular matrix derived from CuCl2-conditioned mesenchymal stem cell sheets has the potential for clinical translation and may lead to a novel strategy for wound management.
Family Centered Treatment, Juvenile Justice, and the Grand Challenge of Smart Decarceration
Authors: Bright Charlotte Lyn , Farrell Jill , Winters Andrew M. , Betsinger Sara , Lee Bethany R. 
Published: September 2017

Purpose: Responding to social work’s grand challenge of smart decarceration, this study investigated whether Family Centered Treatment (FCT), a home-based service for juvenile court-involved youth, is more effective than group care (GC) in reducing recidivism. Outcomes are juvenile readjudication and commitment to placement, and adult conviction and sentence of incarceration. Method: Data were drawn from service provider and state administrative databases. Propensity score matching was used to create a sample of 1,246 FCT youth and 693 GC youth. Cox proportional hazard models estimated time to the four outcomes. Results: FCT participants had a significantly lower risk of adult conviction and adult incarceration relative to youth who received GC. The findings for juvenile outcomes were nonsignificant. Discussion: FCT shows more favorable adult criminal justice outcomes than GC, making it a potentially effective community-based service to support smart decarceration for juvenile court-involved youth.
The Violin Heart
Authors: Ker James 
Published: September 2017

Left ventricular false tendons are thin, fibromuscular structures which traverse the left ventricular cavity. They are thought to be intracavitary radiations of the bundle of His. Usually these tendons span between the interventricular septum and the lateral wall or a papillary muscle. They have been known to be a source of innocent and musical murmurs. In this case report a peculiar left ventricular false tendon is shown—one extending between the two papillary muscles, giving the appearance of a musical note. During ventricular diastole the tendon is pulled taut between the two heads of the papillary muscles and during ventricular systole the tendon relaxes. The echocardiographic characteristics and possible long term implications are discussed.
The Accuracy of the Computed Tomography Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis: Does the Experience of the Radiologist Matter?
Authors: Lietzén E. , Salminen P. , Rinta-Kiikka I. , Paajanen H. , Rautio T. , Nordström P. , Aarnio M. , Rantanen T. , Sand J. , Mecklin J.-P. , Jartti A. , Virtanen J. , Ohtonen P. , Ånäs N. , Grönroos J. M. 
Published: September 2017

Background and Aims: To assess the accuracy of computed tomography in diagnosing acute appendicitis with a special reference to radiologist experience. Material and Methods: Data were collected prospectively in our randomized controlled trial comparing surgery and antibiotic treatment for uncomplicated acute appendicitis (APPAC trial, NCT01022567). We evaluated 1065 patients who underwent computed tomography for suspected appendicitis. The on-call radiologist preoperatively analyzed these computed tomography images. In this study, the radiologists were divided into experienced (consultants) and inexperienced (residents) ones, and the comparison of interpretations was made between these two radiologist groups. Results: Out of the 1065 patients, 714 had acute appendicitis and 351 had other or no diagnosis on computed tomography. There were 700 true-positive, 327 true-negative, 14 false-positive, and 24 false-negative cases. The sensitivity and the specificity of computed tomography were 96.7% (95% confidence interval, 95.1–97.8) and 95.9% (95% confidence interval, 93.2–97.5), respectively. The rate of false computed tomography diagnosis was 4.2% for experienced consultant radiologists and 2.2% for inexperienced resident radiologists (p = 0.071). Thus, the experience of the radiologist had no effect on the accuracy of computed tomography diagnosis. Conclusion: The accuracy of computed tomography in diagnosing acute appendicitis was high. The experience of the radiologist did not improve the diagnostic accuracy. The results emphasize the role of computed tomography as an accurate modality in daily routine diagnostics for acute appendicitis in all clinical emergency settings.
Percutaneous transesophageal gastro-tubing (PTEG) as an alternative long-term tube feeding procedure when gastrostomy is not feasible
Authors: Toh Yoon Ezekiel Wong , Nishihara Kazuki 
Published: September 2017

Background: Percutaneous transesophageal gastro-tubing (PTEG) is a minimally invasive technique to access the gut via an esophagostomy. However, this procedure is not well known and the literature available is still fairly limited. This observational study was conducted to evaluate our experience using this method as an alternative long-term tube feeding procedure when gastrostomy is not suitable. Methods: A total of 15 patients (10 males and 5 females) who underwent PTEG at our institution from 2012 to 2016 were observed and analyzed in this study. Results: The average age was 80.1 (71–93) years. Underlying conditions that required PTEG were previous gastric resection in 11 patients, left diaphragm disorder in 2 patients, interposing transverse colon between the abdominal wall and anterior gastric wall in 1 patient, and severe gastrostomy site leakage in 1 patient. Tube placement was successful in all patients by approaching the left side of the neck, using a 15 Fr size tube. The mean postoperative length of stay was 22 (8–48) days. Postoperative adverse events included accidental tube dislodgement in three patients, tracheoesophageal fistula in one patient, inferior thyroid artery injury in one patient and thyroid gland mispuncture in one patient. There was no procedure-related mortality nor mortality at 30 days. Eight patients were discharged with some oral intake. Conclusions: PTEG is feasible in patients requiring long-term tube feeding for whom gastrostomy is unsuitable. It is an effective long-term tube feeding procedure and should be offered as a more comfortable alternative to nasogastric tubing.
Is de novo hepatocellular carcinoma after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt increased?
Authors: Hüsing-Kabar A , Meister T , Köhler M , Domschke W , Kabar I , Wilms C , Hild B , Schmidt HH , Heinzow HS 
Published: September 2017

Background Portal hypertension is a major complication of liver cirrhosis. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt is effective in treatment of portal hypertension. However, decreased parenchymal portal venous flow after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt insertion favours ischaemic liver injury which has been discussed to induce hepatocarcinogenesis causing hepatocellular cancer. Aim This study aimed to explore the association between transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement and the development of hepatocellular cancer. Methods A total of 1338 consecutive liver cirrhosis patients were included in this retrospective study between January 2004–December 2015. Data were analysed with regard to development of hepatocellular cancer during follow-up. Binary logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were conducted for the assessment of risk factors for hepatocellular cancer development. In a second step, to rule out confounders of group heterogeneity, case-control matching was performed based on gender, age, model of end-stage liver disease score and underlying cause of cirrhosis (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic liver disease and viral hepatitis). Results Besides established risk factors such as older age, male gender and underlying viral hepatitis, statistical analysis revealed the absence of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt insertion as a risk factor for hepatocellular cancer development. Furthermore, matched-pair analysis of 432 patients showed a significant difference ( p = 0.003) in the emergence of hepatocellular cancer regarding transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement versus the non-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt cohort. Conclusion In patients with end-stage liver disease, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt insertion is significantly associated with reduced rates of hepatocellular cancer development.