Software Implementation of Optimized Bicubic Interpolated Scan Conversion in Echocardiography

This paper presents the image-quality-guided strategy for optimization of bicubic interpolation and interpolated scan conversion algorithms. This strategy uses feature selection through line chart data visualization technique and first index of the minimum absolute difference between computed scores and ideal scores to determine the image quality guided coefficient k that changes all sixteen BIC coefficients to new coefficients on which the OBIC interpolation algorithm is based. Perceptual evaluations of cropped sectored images from Matlab software implementation of interpolated scan conversion algorithms are presented. Also, IQA metrics-based evaluation is presented and demonstrates that the overall performance of the OBIC algorithm is 92.22% when compared with BIC alone, but becomes 57.22% with all other methods mentioned.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, 6 table

An Experimental Examination of Activist Type and Effort on Brand Image and Purchase Intentions

In 2016, several prominent athletes kneeled or sat during the national anthem of their games to protest social injustice in America. For their activism, these athletes inconsistently experienced both positive and negative consequences from their sponsors and fans. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate this phenomenon more closely by examining the effect of activism type and activism effort on a sponsor’s brand image and purchase intention of a product the athlete endorses, when controlling for brand familiarity. Participants (N = 384) were randomly assigned into groups in a 2 (activism type: safe, risky) x 2 (activism effort: low, high) experimental study. Results indicated brand image and purchase intention were negatively impacted by risky activism compared to safe activism, but activism effort had no effect on the two variables. Further implications and future research are expanded upon in the discussion

Definition of Fiducial Points in the Normal Seismocardiogram

Abstract The purpose of this work is to define fiducial points in the seismocardiogram (SCG) and to correlate them with physiological events identified in ultrasound images. For 45 healthy subjects the SCG and the electrocardiogram (ECG) were recorded simultaneously at rest. Immediately following the SCG and ECG recordings ultrasound images of the heart were also obtained at rest. For all subjects a mean SCG signal was calculated and all fiducial points (peaks and valleys) were identified and labeled in the same way across all signals. Eight physiologic events, including the valve openings and closings, were annotated from ultrasound as well and the fiducial points were correlated with those physiologic events. A total of 42 SCG signals were used in the data analysis. The smallest mean differences (±SD) between the eight events found in the ultrasound images and the fiducial points, together with their correlation coefficients (r) were: atrial systolic onset: −2 (±16) ms, r = 0.75 (p < 0.001); peak atrial inflow: 13 (±19) ms, r = 0.63 (p < 0.001); mitral valve closure: 4 (±11) ms, r = 0.71 (p < 0.01); aortic valve opening: −3 (±11) ms, r = 0.60 (p < 0.001); peak systolic inflow: 13 (±23) ms, r = 0.42 (p < 0.01); aortic valve closure: −5 (±12) ms, r = 0.94 (p < 0.001); mitral valve opening: −7 (±19) ms, r = 0.87 (p < 0.001) and peak early ventricular filling: −18 (±28 ms), r = 0.79 (p < 0.001). In conclusion eight physiologic events characterizeing the cardiac cycle, are associated with reproducible, well-defined fiducial points in the SCG

The Phoenix Deep Survey: Extremely Red Galaxies and Cluster Candidates

We present the results of a study of a sample of 375 Extremely Red Galaxies (ERGs) in the Phoenix Deep Survey, 273 of which constitute a subsample which is 80% complete to K_s = 18.5 over an area of 1160 arcmin^2. The angular correlation function for ERGs is estimated, and the association of ERGs with faint radio sources explored. We find tentative evidence that ERGs and faint radio sources are associated at z > 0.5. A new overdensity-mapping algorithm has been used to characterize the ERG distribution, and identify a number of cluster candidates, including a likely cluster containing ERGs at 0.5 < z < 1. Our algorithm is also used in an attempt to probe the environments in which faint radio sources and ERGs are associated. We find limited evidence that the I - K_s > 4 criterion is more efficient than R - K_s > 5 at selecting dusty star-forming galaxies, rather than passively evolving ERGs.Comment: 14 emulateapj pages, 15 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Astronomical Journal. A version with full resolution figures is available at http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~asmith/research/ERGpaper.pd

The Ursinus Weekly, November 24, 1958

Y holds seminar Nov. 19; Marriage problem is topic • Fireside chats to be held Dec. 3 at prof\u27s home • C. Carpenter has poem published in anthology • Administrative regulation • Mayes, Francis \u2762 representatives to MSGA • New pledges announced by Alpha Psi Omega • De Gaulle and France topic at second Forum of Fall semester • Who\u27s who honors 12 leading Ursinus seniors • Senior Ball to be held at Sunnybrook Dec. 5 • W.S.G.A. presents plaque to winning frosh team • Editorial: Thanksgiving • Letters to the editor • Review: Joan of Lorraine • Slightly allegorical • U.C. soccermen lose last three games; Finish 2-6-1 • Prospects for U.C. basketball team looking up • Varsity hockey finishes with 4-2-1; J.V. is 6-0-1 • Football squad drops two games 12-0, 34-6 • Sorority bids • American hist. students begin tour program • Fine art of datinghttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1372/thumbnail.jp

Molecular Insights into Division of Single Human Cancer Cells in On-Chip Transparent Microtubes.

In vivo, mammalian cells proliferate within 3D environments consisting of numerous microcavities and channels, which contain a variety of chemical and physical cues. External environments often differ between normal and pathological states, such as the unique spatial constraints that metastasizing cancer cells experience as they circulate the vasculature through arterioles and narrow capillaries, where they can divide and acquire elongated cylindrical shapes. While metastatic tumors cause most cancer deaths, factors impacting early cancer cell proliferation inside the vasculature and those that can promote the formation of secondary tumors remain largely unknown. Prior studies investigating confined mitosis have mainly used 2D cell culture systems. Here, we mimic aspects of metastasizing tumor cells dividing inside blood capillaries by investigating single-cell divisions of living human cancer cells, trapped inside 3D rolled-up, transparent nanomembranes. We assess the molecular effects of tubular confinement on key mitotic features, using optical high- and super-resolution microscopy. Our experiments show that tubular confinement affects the morphology and dynamics of the mitotic spindle, chromosome arrangements, and the organization of the cell cortex. Moreover, we reveal that membrane blebbing and/or associated processes act as a potential genome-safety mechanism, limiting the extent of genomic instability caused by mitosis in confined circumstances, especially in tubular 3D microenvironments. Collectively, our study demonstrates the potential of rolled-up nanomembranes for gaining molecular insights into key cellular events occurring in tubular 3D microenvironments in vivo.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC grant agreement no. 311529 (S.S.) and the Volkswagen Foundation no. 86 362 (S.S. and W.X.), a FEBS Return-to-Europe fellowship (C.K.S.), the Wellcome Trust (092096/Z/10/Z for N.L.; 094587/Z/10/Z for R.B.), and a European Research Council (ERC) Starting Researcher Grant (R.E.C.-S.; SYSGRO). O.G.S. acknowledges financial support from the DFG Research Unit 1713 “Sensorische Mikro und Nanosysteme”. D.H.G. acknowledges funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grants: CMMI 1200241 and CBET-1442014). Research in the S.P.J. laboratory is funded by Cancer Research U.K., the ERC, and the European Community Seventh Framework Programme (DDResponse), with core infrastructure provided by Cancer Research U.K. and the Wellcome Trust.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from the American Chemical Society via http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.6b0046

Osteoconductive protamine-based polyelectrolyte multilayer functionalized surfaces

The integration of orthopedic implants with host bone presents a major challenge in joint arthroplasty, spinal fusion and tumor reconstruction. The cellular microenvironment can be programmed via implant surface functionalization allowing direct modulation of osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation at the implant–bone interface. The development of layer-by-layer assembled polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) architectures has greatly expanded our ability to fabricate intricate nanometer to micron scale thin film coatings that conform to complex implant geometries. The in vivo therapeutic efficacy of thin PEM implant coatings for numerous biomedical applications has previously been reported. We have fabricated protamine-based PEM thin films that support the long-term proliferation and differentiation of pre-osteoblast cells on non-cross-linked film-coated surfaces. These hydrophilic PEM functionalized surfaces with nanometer-scale roughness facilitated increased deposition of calcified matrix by osteoblasts in vitro, and thus offer the potential to enhance implant integration with host bone. The coatings can make an immediate impact in the osteogenic culture of stem cells and assessment of the osteogenic potential of new therapeutic factors.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (National Institute on Aging Grant 5R01AG029601)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Graduate Research Fellowshi

External validation of novel clinical likelihood models to predict obstructive coronary artery disease and prognosis

Objectives The risk factor-weighted and coronary artery calcium score-weighted clinical likelihood (RF-CL and CACS-CL, respectively) models improve discrimination of patients with suspected obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). However, external validation is warranted. Compared to the 2019 European Society of Cardiology pretest probability (ESC-PTP) model, the aims were (1) to validate the RF-CL and CACS-CL models for identification of obstructive CAD and revascularisation, and (2) to investigate prognosis by CL thresholds. Methods Stable de novo chest pain patients (n=1585) undergoing coronary CT angiography (CTA) were investigated. Obstructive CAD was defined as &gt;70% diameter stenosis in a major epicardial vessel on CTA. Decision of revascularisation within 120 days was based on onsite judgement. The endpoint was non-fatal myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death. The ESC-PTP was calculated based on age, sex and symptom typicality, the RF-CL additionally included number of risk factors, and the CACS-CL incorporated CACS to the RF-CL. Results Obstructive CAD was present in 386/1585 (24.4%) patients, and 91/1585 (5.7%) patients underwent revascularisation. Both the RF-CL and CACS-CL classified more patients to very-low CL (&lt;5%) of obstructive CAD compared with the ESC-PTP model (41.4% and 52.2% vs 19.2%, p&lt;0.001). In very-low CL patients, obstructive CAD and revascularisation prevalences (≤6% and &lt;1%) remained similar combined with low event risk during 5.0 years follow-up. Conclusion In an external validation cohort, the novel RF-CL and CACS-CL models improve categorisation to a very-low CL group with preserved prevalences of obstructive CAD, revascularisation and favourable prognosis.</p