The cerebellum has classically been linked to motor learning and coordination. However, there is renewed interest in the role of the cerebellum in non-motor functions such as cognition and in the ...context of different neuropsychiatric disorders. The contribution of neuroimaging studies to advancing understanding of cerebellar structure and function has been limited, partly due to the cerebellum being understudied as a result of contrast and resolution limitations of standard structural magnetic resonance images (MRI). These limitations inhibit proper visualization of the highly compact and detailed cerebellar foliations. In addition, there is a lack of robust algorithms that automatically and reliably identify the cerebellum and its subregions, further complicating the design of large-scale studies of the cerebellum. As such, automated segmentation of the cerebellar lobules would allow detailed population studies of the cerebellum and its subregions. In this manuscript, we describe a novel set of high-resolution in vivo atlases of the cerebellum developed by pairing MR imaging with a carefully validated manual segmentation protocol. Using these cerebellar atlases as inputs, we validate a novel automated segmentation algorithm that takes advantage of the neuroanatomical variability that exists in a given population under study in order to automatically identify the cerebellum, and its lobules. Our automatic segmentation results demonstrate good accuracy in the identification of all lobules (mean Kappa κ=0.731; range 0.40–0.89), and the entire cerebellum (mean κ=0.925; range 0.90–0.94) when compared to “gold-standard” manual segmentations. These results compare favorably in comparison to other publically available methods for automatic segmentation of the cerebellum. The completed cerebellar atlases are available freely online (http://imaging-genetics.camh.ca/cerebellum) and can be customized to the unique neuroanatomy of different subjects using the proposed segmentation pipeline (https://github.com/pipitone/MAGeTbrain).
•High resolution MRI atlases of the human cerebellum were developed at 3T.•The segmentation protocol performs very well in reliability assessments.•Atlases were used for automatic segmentation within the MAGeT Brain framework.•MAGeT Brain produced accurate segmentations comparable to previous methods.•The full atlases and the code for MAGeT Brain are publicly available online.
Luther appropriated much of the Medieval “just war” tradition, although he also reduced the legitimate grounds for war and made original contributions, including a rejection of crusades and an ...assertion of the right of conscientious objection. His critical reception and contributions emanated from his distinction between the two kingdoms as well as his teaching on the three orders of creation. Luther has been portrayed by scholars, especially post-war Anglo-American scholars, as an absolute supporter of governmental power and obedience to it. These claims are mistaken considering statements scattered throughout his huge corpus and even in several locations in his few treatises written on these topics. He significantly added to Medieval justifications for resisting political power. While Luther originally denied that evangelical princes had legitimate grounds for resisting the emperor, he later reversed course. Luther’s reversal was based on positive law that he did not previously understand, namely, the imperial constitution. His contributions were refined by subsequent Lutherans, especially those who resisted the emperor in Magdeburg, and found their way into Calvinism and Anglo-Saxon traditions.
Biologics such as rituximab are an important component of oncology treatment strategies, although access to such therapies is challenging in countries with limited resources. This study examined ...access to rituximab and identified potential barriers to its use in the United States, Mexico, Turkey, Russia, and Brazil. The study also examined whether availability of a biosimilar to rituximab would improve access to, and use of, rituximab. Overall, 450 hematologists and oncologists completed a survey examining their use of rituximab in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Less than 40% of physicians considered rituximab as easy to access from a cost perspective. Furthermore, many physicians chose not to treat, were unable to treat, or had to modify treatment with rituximab despite guidelines recommending its use in NHL and CLL patients. Insurance coverage, reimbursement, and cost to patient were commonly reported as barriers to the use of rituximab. Across all markets, over half of physicians reported that they would increase use of rituximab if a biosimilar was available. We conclude that rituximab use would increase across all therapy types and markets if a biosimilar was available, although a biosimilar would have the greatest impact in Brazil, Mexico, and Russia.
Physics at the e+e- linear collider Moortgat-Pick, G.; Baer, H.; Battaglia, M. ...
The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields,
08/2015, Letnik:
75, Številka:
8
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
A comprehensive review of physics at an
e
+
e
-
linear collider in the energy range of
s
=
92
GeV–3 TeV is presented in view of recent and expected LHC results, experiments from low-energy as well ...as astroparticle physics. The report focusses in particular on Higgs-boson, top-quark and electroweak precision physics, but also discusses several models of beyond the standard model physics such as supersymmetry, little Higgs models and extra gauge bosons. The connection to cosmology has been analysed as well.
The cerebellum has been associated with timing on the millisecond scale and with musical rhythm and beat processing. Early musical training (before age 7) is associated with enhanced rhythm ...synchronization performance and differences in cortical motor areas and the corpus callosum. In the present study, we examined the relationships between regional cerebellar volumes, early musical training, and timing performance. We tested adult musicians and non-musicians on a standard finger tapping task, and extracted cerebellar gray and white matter volumes using a novel multi-atlas automatic segmentation pipeline. We found that early-trained musicians had reduced volume in bilateral cerebellar white matter and right lobules IV, V and VI, compared to late-trained musicians. Strikingly, better timing performance, greater musical experience and an earlier age of start of musical training were associated with smaller cerebellar volumes. Better timing performance was specifically associated with smaller volumes of right lobule VI. Collectively, these findings support the sensitivity of the cerebellum to the age of initiation of musical training and suggest that lobule VI plays a role in timing. The smaller cerebellar volumes associated with musical training and timing performance may be a reflection of more efficiently implemented low-level timing and sensorimotor processes.
•Novel multi-atlas automatic segmentation of the human cerebellum•Early-trained (before age 7) adult musicians had smaller regional cerebellar volume.•Better timing performance associated with smaller volume of right lobule VI•The cerebellum is sensitive to the age of initiation of musical training.•Smaller cerebellar volumes may reflect greater efficiency of sensorimotor processes.
SQUARE-PEG FRAUDS Baer, Miriam H
Northwestern University law review,
01/2023, Letnik:
118, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The square-peg fraud is a kind of case that until very recently enjoyed the widespread support of prosecutors, jurists, and the general public. Rather than punishing a scheme that rids a victim of ...her money or property, the square-peg prosecution has long focused on deprivations of intangible property. For years, enforcement actors have employed this concept to pursue innumerable varieties of corruption. Nowhere has the square peg been more essential than in the government's prosecution of higher education scandals. From the Varsity Blues parents who wrongfully secured elite college slots for their children, to the business school dean who shaped certain facts to inflate his school's U.S. News ranking, the government has relied on various intangible property "hooks" to shove highly specific fact patterns within fraud law's boundaries. The aim of this Essay is to explore this square-peg phenomenon and highlight one of the less-explored reasons for being wary of it, which is its expressive effect. Whatever its benefits, the square-peg prosecution conveys counterproductive signals about victimhood, which stymie the movement towards deeper, systemic reforms. One of criminal law's strongest justifications is that it conveys a moral lesson. In the higher education context, however, the square peg perverts that lesson. To show a loss of property in the Varsity Blues cases, prosecutors denominated universities and standardized testing companies as "victims," notwithstanding their moral complicity in an admissions system that is only superficially meritocratic. To establish an actionable property loss in the rankings fraud case, the government's case treated the U.S. News graduate school rankings as a reliable arbiter of value. Not only are these narratives questionable, but they also promote the very competitive, winner-take-all attitude that undergirds higher education's corruption problem. Recent decisions by the Supreme Court and First Circuit might well dampen the appetite for intangible property fraud prosecutions. But there will always be new theories and new square pegs. Accordingly, we would all do well to take note of the square peg's drawbacks. Using higher education as its exemplar, this Essay sets us on that path.
Background
Over the last decade there has been escalating concern regarding the increasing radiation exposure stemming from CT exams, particularly in children. Adaptive statistical iterative ...reconstruction (ASIR) is a relatively new and promising tool to reduce radiation dose while preserving image quality. While encouraging results have been found in adult head and chest and body imaging, validation of this technique in pediatric population is limited.
Objective
The objective of our study was to retrospectively compare the image quality and radiation dose of pediatric head CT examinations obtained with ASIR compared to pediatric head CT examinations without ASIR in a large patient population.
Materials and methods
Retrospective analysis was performed on 82 pediatric head CT examinations. This group included 33 pediatric head CT examinations obtained with ASIR and 49 pediatric head CT examinations without ASIR. Computed tomography dose index (CTDI
vol
) was recorded on all examinations. Quantitative analysis consisted of standardized measurement of attenuation and the standard deviation at the bilateral centrum semiovale and cerebellar white matter to evaluate objective noise. Qualitative analysis consisted of independent assessment by two radiologists in a blinded manner of gray-white differentiation, sharpness and overall diagnostic quality.
Results
The average CTDI
vol
value of the ASIR group was 21.8 mGy (SD = 4.0) while the average CTDI
vol
for the non-ASIR group was 29.7 mGy (SD = 13.8), reflecting a statistically significant reduction in CTDI
vol
in the ASIR group (
P
< 0.01). There were statistically significant reductions in CTDI for the 3- to 12-year-old ASIR group as compared to the 3- to 12-year-old non-ASIR group (21.5 mGy vs. 30.0 mGy;
P
= 0.004) as well as statistically significant reductions in CTDI for the >12-year-old ASIR group as compared to the >12-year-old non-ASIR group (29.7 mGy vs. 49.9 mGy;
P
= 0.0002). Quantitative analysis revealed no significant difference in the homogeneity of variance in the ASIR group compared to the non-ASIR group. Radiologist assessment of gray-white differentiation, sharpness and overall diagnostic quality in ASIR examinations was not substantially different compared to non-ASIR examinations.
Conclusion
The use of ASIR in pediatric head CT examinations allows for a 28% CTDI
vol
reduction in the 3- to 12-year-old age group and a 48% reduction in the >12-year-old age group without substantially affecting image quality.
Recovering Christian Realism develops an account of just war theory as a political ethic grounded explicitly in a Christian theory of political authority. It advances a defense of Christian realism, ...explains the role played by power in peacemaking, and suggests the outlines for a Christian theory of international relations.
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