bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterizing the modulation transfer function (MTF) of proton/carbon radiography using Monte Carlo simulations
Authors: Seco Joao , Oumano Michael , Depauw Nicolas , Dias Marta F. , Teixeira Rui P. , Spadea Maria F. 
Published: September 2013

Purpose:To characterize the modulation transfer function (MTF) of proton/carbon radiography using Monte Carlo simulations. To assess the spatial resolution of proton/carbon radiographic imaging.Methods:A phantom was specifically modeled with inserts composed of two materials with three different densities of bone and lung. The basic geometry of the phantom consists of cube‐shaped inserts placed in water. The thickness of the water, the thickness of the cubes, the depth of the cubes in the water, and the particle beam energy have all been varied and studied. There were two phantom thicknesses considered 20 and 28 cm. This represents an average patient thickness and a thicker sized patient. Radiographs were produced for proton beams at 230 and 330 MeV and for a carbon ion beam at 400 MeV per nucleon. The contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) was evaluated at the interface of two materials on the radiographs, i.e., lung‐water and bone‐water. The variation in CNR at interface between lung‐water and bone‐water were study, where a sigmoidal fit was performed between the lower and the higher CNR values. The full width half‐maximum (FWHM) value was then obtained from the sigmoidal fit. Ultimately, spatial resolution was defined by the 10% point of the modulation‐transfer‐function (), in units of line‐pairs per mm (lp/mm).Results:For the 20 cm thick phantom, the FWHM values varied between 0.5 and 0.7 mm at the lung‐water and bone‐water interfaces, for the proton beam energies of 230 and 330 MeV and the 400 MeV/n carbon beam. For the 28 cm thick phantom, the FWHM values varied between 0.5 and 1.2 mm at the lung‐water and bone‐water interface for the same inserts and beam energies. For the 20 cm phantom the for lung‐water interface is 2.3, 2.4, and 2.8 lp/mm, respectively, for 230, 330, and 400 MeV/n beams. For the same 20 cm thick phantom but for the bone‐water interface the yielded 1.9, 2.3, and 2.7 lp/mm, respectively, for 230, 330, and 400 MeV/n beams. In the case of the thicker 28 cm phantom, the authors observed that at the lung‐water interface the is 1.6, 1.9, and 2.6 lp/mm, respectively, for 230, 330, and 400 MeV/n beams. While for the bone‐water interface the was 1.4, 1.9, and 2.9 lp/mm, respectively, for 230, 330, and 400 MeV/n beams.Conclusions:Carbon radiography (400 MeV/n) yielded best spatial resolution, with = 2.7 and 2.8 lp/mm, respectively, at the lung‐water and bone‐water interfaces. The spatial resolution of the 330 MeV proton beam was better than the 230 MeV proton, because higher incident proton energy suffer smaller deflections within the patient and thus yields better proton radiographic images. The authors also observed that submillimeter resolution can be obtained with both proton and carbon beams.
Chronic low-dose aspirin use does not alter colonic mucosa in asymptomatic individuals: a prospective cross-sectional study (STROBE 1a)
Authors: Zagorowicz Edyta , Mroz Andrzej , Kraszewska Ewa , Rupinski Maciej , Kaminski Michal F , Regula Jaroslaw 
Published: September 2013

ObjectivesAspirin may be involved in microscopic colitis (MC) development, but there are no data on colon histology in asymptomatic aspirin users. We prospectively assessed colonic and rectal mucosa from aspirin users, searching for MC features.MethodsFrom colonoscopy screenees, two biopsy samples were taken from each of three locations: ascending colon, transverse colon and rectum. A pathologist measured chronicity of inflammation and activity indicators, epithelial cell height and subepithelial collagen layer width. Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), intralaminal eosinophils and apoptotic cells/100 crypts were counted. Panel data models were used to analyse associations between aspirin use, biopsy location and microscopic parameters.ResultsOf 100 screenees (age: 40–65 years), 42 were current aspirin users. Median duration of aspirin usage was 48 months (range: 36–60) with dosage ranging from 75–325 mg/day. We observed reduced epithelium polymorphs in subjects who used aspirin for <48 months versus non-users (p=0.008). Paneth cell metaplasia was significantly less frequent in aspirin users versus non-users (p=0.006). Inflammatory cells in lamina propria (eosinophils) and epithelium (IELs) were most abundant in the ascending colon and decreased distally (ascending colon vs transverse colon and transverse colon vs rectum). Cryptitis was more frequent in the ascending colon vs the rectum.ConclusionsWe observed no specific MC features in asymptomatic chronic low-dose aspirin users. We found subtle physiological and histopathological differences between the bowel segments.
Research Dojo
Authors: Hunt Johanna , Wang Xiaofeng 
Published: September 2013

This report summarizes key findings from a workshop held at the 14th International Conference on Agile Software Development (XP2013) called "Research Dojo: Collaborative Approaches for our Agile Community".
Both software development and research are knowledge-intensive endeavors. While agile approaches have been increasingly adopted in software development projects, whether such approaches can beneficially be applied to conducting research is a phenomenon yet to be fully explored.
The objective of the workshop was to gain a deeper understanding of the similarities and differences between academic research and agile software development, in order to explore whether agile practices can also be used for collaboratively conducted research. The opinions of the workshop participants are summarized and observations of the research dojo session carried out by the participants are reported. We conclude by identifying further areas for investigation.
Atrial Fibrillation Patterns and Risks of Subsequent Stroke, Heart Failure, or Death in the Community
Authors: Lubitz Steven A. , Moser Carlee , Sullivan Lisa , Rienstra Michiel , Fontes João D. , Villalon Mark L. , Pai Manju , McManus David D. , Schnabel Renate B. , Magnani Jared W. , Yin Xiaoyan , Levy Daniel , Pencina Michael J. , Larson Martin G. , Ellinor Patrick T. , Benjamin Emelia J. 
Published: September 2013

Background

Atrial fibrillation (
AF
) patterns and their relations with long‐term prognosis are uncertain, partly because pattern definitions are challenging to implement in longitudinal data sets. We developed a novel
AF
classification algorithm and examined
AF
patterns and outcomes in the community.

Methods and Results

We characterized
AF
patterns between 1980 and 2005 among Framingham Heart Study participants who survived ≥1 year after diagnosis. We classified participants based on their pattern within the first 2 years after detection as having
AF
without recurrence, recurrent
AF
, or sustained
AF
. We examined associations between
AF
patterns and 10‐year survival using proportional hazards regression. Among 612 individuals with
AF
, mean age was 72.5±10.8 years, and 53% were men. Of these, 478 participants had ≥2 electrocardiograms (median, 3; limits 2 to 23) within 2 years after initial
AF
and were classified as having
AF
without 2‐year recurrence (n=63, 10%), recurrent
AF
(n=162, 26%) or sustained
AF
(n=207, 34%), although some (n=46, 8%) were indeterminate. Of 432 classified participants, 363 died, 75 had strokes, and 110 were diagnosed with heart failure during the next 10 years. Relative to individuals without
AF
recurrence, the multivariable‐adjusted mortality was higher among people with recurrent
AF
(hazard ratio [
HR
], 2.04; 95% confidence interval [
CI
], 1.26 to 3.29) and sustained
AF
(
HR
, 2.36; 95%
CI
, 1.49 to 3.75).

Conclusions

In our community‐based
AF
sample, only 10% had
AF
without early‐term (2‐year) recurrence. Compared with individuals without 2‐year
AF
recurrences, the 10‐year prognosis was worse for individuals with either sustained or recurrent
AF
. Our proposed
AF
classification algorithm may be applicable in longitudinal datas ets.
Subliminal Semantic Priming Changes the Dynamic Causal Influence between the Left Frontal and Temporal Cortex
Authors: Matsumoto Atsushi , Kakigi Ryusuke 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Recent neuroimaging experiments have revealed that subliminal priming of a target stimulus leads to the reduction of neural activity in specific regions concerned with processing the target. Such findings lead to questions about the degree to which the subliminal priming effect is based only on decreased activity in specific local brain regions, as opposed to the influence of neural mechanisms that regulate communication between brain regions. To address this question, this study recorded EEG during performance of a subliminal semantic priming task. We adopted an information-based approach that used independent component analysis and multivariate autoregressive modeling. Results indicated that subliminal semantic priming caused significant modulation of alpha band activity in the left inferior frontal cortex and modulation of gamma band activity in the left inferior temporal regions. The multivariate autoregressive approach confirmed significant increases in information flow from the inferior frontal cortex to inferior temporal regions in the early time window that was induced by subliminal priming. In the later time window, significant enhancement of bidirectional causal flow between these two regions underlying subliminal priming was observed. Results suggest that unconscious processing of words influences not only local activity of individual brain regions but also the dynamics of neural communication between those regions.
Unconscious Automatic Brain Activation of Acoustic and Action-related Conceptual Features during Masked Repetition Priming
Authors: Trumpp Natalie M. , Traub Felix , Pulvermüller Friedemann , Kiefer Markus 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Classical theories of semantic memory assume that concepts are represented in a unitary amodal memory system. In challenging this classical view, pure or hybrid modality-specific theories propose that conceptual representations are grounded in the sensory–motor brain areas, which typically process sensory and action-related information. Although neuroimaging studies provided evidence for a functional–anatomical link between conceptual processing of sensory or action-related features and the sensory–motor brain systems, it has been argued that aspects of such sensory–motor activation may not directly reflect conceptual processing but rather strategic imagery or postconceptual elaboration. In the present ERP study, we investigated masked effects of acoustic and action-related conceptual features to probe unconscious automatic conceptual processing in isolation. Subliminal feature-specific ERP effects at frontocentral electrodes were observed, which differed with regard to polarity, topography, and underlying brain electrical sources in congruency with earlier findings under conscious viewing conditions. These findings suggest that conceptual acoustic and action representations can also be unconsciously accessed, thereby excluding any postconceptual strategic processes. This study therefore further substantiates a grounding of conceptual and semantic processing in action and perception.
Reaction Time for Object Categorization Is Predicted by Representational Distance
Authors: Carlson Thomas A. , Ritchie J. Brendan , Kriegeskorte Nikolaus , Durvasula Samir , Ma Junsheng 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
How does the brain translate an internal representation of an object into a decision about the object's category? Recent studies have uncovered the structure of object representations in inferior temporal cortex (IT) using multivariate pattern analysis methods. These studies have shown that representations of individual object exemplars in IT occupy distinct locations in a high-dimensional activation space, with object exemplar representations clustering into distinguishable regions based on category (e.g., animate vs. inanimate objects). In this study, we hypothesized that a representational boundary between category representations in this activation space also constitutes a decision boundary for categorization. We show that behavioral RTs for categorizing objects are well described by our activation space hypothesis. Interpreted in terms of classical and contemporary models of decision-making, our results suggest that the process of settling on an internal representation of a stimulus is itself partially constitutive of decision-making for object categorization.
Polymorphisms in the Dopamine Receptor 2 Gene Region Influence Improvements during Working Memory Training in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Söderqvist Stina , Matsson Hans , Peyrard-Janvid Myriam , Kere Juha , Klingberg Torkel 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Studying the effects of cognitive training can lead to finding better treatments, but it can also be a tool for investigating factors important for brain plasticity and acquisition of cognitive skills. In this study, we investigated how single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and ratings of intrinsic motivation were associated to interindividual differences in improvement during working memory training. The study included 256 children aged 7–19 years who were genotyped for 13 SNPs within or near eight candidate genes previously implicated in learning: COMT, SLC6A3 (DAT1), DRD4, DRD2, PPP1R1B (DARPP32), MAOA, LMX1A, and BDNF. Ratings on the intrinsic motivation inventory were also available for 156 of these children. All participants performed at least 20 sessions of working memory training, and performance during the training was logged and used as the outcome variable. We found that two SNPs, rs1800497 and rs2283265, located near and within the dopamine receptor 2 (DRD2) gene, respectively, were significantly associated with improvements during training (p &lt; .003 and p &lt; .0004, respectively). Scores from a questionnaire regarding intrinsic motivation did not correlate with training outcome. However, we observed both the main effect of genotype at those two loci as well as the interaction between genotypes and ratings of intrinsic motivation (perceived competence). Both SNPs have previously been shown to affect DRD2 receptor density primarily in the BG. Our results suggest that genetic variation is accounting for some interindividual differences in how children acquire cognitive skills and that part of this effect is also seen on intrinsic motivation. Moreover, they suggest that dopamine D2 transmission in the BG is a key factor for cognitive plasticity.
Spider and Fly: The Leninist Philosophy of Georg Lukács
Authors: Le Blanc Paul 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
From 1919 to 1929, the great Hungarian Marxist philosopher Georg Lukács was one of the leaders of the Hungarian Communist Party, immersed not simply in theorising but also in significant practical-political work. Along with labour leader Jenö Landler, he led a faction opposing an ultra-left sectarian orientation represented by Béla Kun (at that time also associated with Comintern chairman Zinoviev, later aligning himself with Stalin).
If seen in connection with this factional struggle, key works of Lukács in this period – History and Class Consciousness (1923), Lenin: A Study in the Unity of His Thought (1924), Tailism and the Dialectic (1926) and ‘The Blum Theses’ (1929) – can be seen as forming a consistent, coherent, sophisticated variant of Leninism. Influential readings of these works interpret them as being ultra-leftist or proto-Stalinist (or, in the case of ‘The Blum Theses’, an anticipation of the Popular Front perspectives adopted by the Communist International in 1935). Such readings distort the reality. Lukács’s orientation and outlook of 1923–9 are, rather, more consistent with the orientation advanced by Lenin and Trotsky in the Third and Fourth Congresses of the Communist International.
After his decisive political defeat, Lukács concluded that it was necessary to renounce his distinctive political orientation, and completely abandon the terrain of practical revolutionary politics, if he hoped to remain inside the Communist movement. This he did, adapting to Stalinism and shifting his efforts to literary criticism and philosophy. But the theorisations connected to his revolutionary politics of the 1920s continue to have relevance for revolutionary activists of the twenty-first century.
Can Southern Ocean Eddy Effects Be Parameterized in Climate Models?
Authors: Bryan Frank O. , Gent Peter R. , Tomas Robert 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Present-day control and 1% yr−1 increasing carbon dioxide runs have been made using two versions of the Community Climate System Model, version 3.5. One uses the standard versions of the ocean and sea ice components where the horizontal resolution is 1° and the effects of mesoscale eddies are parameterized, and the second uses a resolution of 1/10° where the eddies are resolved. This is the first time the parameterization has been tested in a climate change run compared to an eddy-resolving run. The comparison is made not straightforward by the fact that the two control run climates are not the same, especially in their sea ice distributions. The focus is on the Antarctic Circumpolar Current region, where the effects of eddies are of leading order. The conclusions are that many of the differences in the two carbon dioxide transient forcing runs can be explained by the different control run sea ice distributions around Antarctica, but there are some quantitative differences in the meridional overturning circulation, poleward heat transport, and zonally averaged heat uptake when the eddies are parameterized rather than resolved.
A Framework for Interpreting Regularized State Estimation
Authors: Sugiura Nozomi , Masuda Shuhei , Fujii Yosuke , Kamachi Masafumi , Ishikawa Yoichi , Awaji Toshiyuki 
Published: September 2013

AbstractFour-dimensional variational data assimilation (4D-Var) on a seasonal-to-interdecadal time scale under the existence of unstable modes can be viewed as an optimization problem of synchronized, coupled chaotic systems. The problem is tackled by adjusting initial conditions to bring all stable modes closer to observations and by using a continuous guide to direct unstable modes toward a reference time series. This interpretation provides a consistent and effective procedure for solving problems of long-term state estimation. By applying this approach to an ocean general circulation model with a parameterized vertical diffusion procedure, it is demonstrated that tangent linear and adjoint models in this framework should have no unstable modes and hence be suitable for tracking persistent signals. This methodology is widely applicable to extend the assimilation period in 4D-Var.
The impact of sexual dysfunction on health-related quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Schairer Laura C , Foley Frederick W , Zemon Vance , Tyry Tuula , Campagnolo Denise , Marrie Ruth Ann , Gromisch Elizabeth S , Schairer David 
Published: September 2013

Background: Sexual dysfunction is a prevalent symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) that may affect patients’ health-related quality of life (HrQoL). Objective: The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of sexual dysfunction on HrQoL in a large national sample using The Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire-19 (MSISQ-19). Methods: Participants were recruited from a large MS registry, the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) Registry. Participants self-reported demographic information and completed the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS), MSISQ-19, and the Short Form-12 (SF-12). Results: The study population included 6183 persons (mean age: 50.6, SD = 9.6; 74.7% female, 42.3% currently employed). Using multivariate hierarchical regression analyses, all variables excluding gender predicted both the physical component summary (PCS-12) and the mental component summary (MCS-12) of the SF-12. Scores on the MSISQ-19 uniquely accounted for 3% of the variance in PCS-12 scores while disability level, as measured by PDDS, accounted for 31% of the variance. Conversely, MSISQ-19 scores uniquely accounted for 13% of the variance in MCS-12 scores, whereas disability level accounted for less than 1% of the variance. Conclusion: In patients with MS, sexual dysfunction has a much larger detrimental impact on the mental health aspects of HrQoL than severity of physical disability.
Total endovascular management of ruptured aortocaval fistula: Technical challenges and case report
Authors: ElKassaby Mohammed , Alawy Mahmoud , Zaki Mohamed , Hynes Niamh , Tawfick Wael , Sultan Sherif 
Published: September 2013

Purpose Primary aortocaval fistula (ACF) is a rare complication of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA). Endovascular repair for rAAA (REVAR) provides an efficient, elegant and safe option, minimizing the risk of massive bleeding with open repair. Case report Case 1: An 84-year-old man presented with a rAAA and ACF. He exhibited manifestations of congestive heart failure, pulmonary and renal impairment. An endovascular aortic aneurysm repair was undertaken and a bifurcated stent graft was deployed to treat the aneurysm and a second stent graft was deployed within the inferior vena cava to simultaneously seal the rAAA and the ACF. Case 2: A 73-year-old male patient presented with a rAAA and ACF. He exhibited manifestations of congestive heart failure and renal impairment with haematuria. REVAR was the plan for management. A bifurcated stent graft was used to treat the aneurysm and another bifurcated stent graft was placed within the inferior vena cava to seal the rAAA and the ACF. Conclusion Here in, we report the first two cases in the English literature of rAAA with ACF successfully managed with simultaneous endovascular stent-grafting of both the aorta and the inferior vena cava.