Negative Readings Research Articles

Posttherapy technetium-99m pentavalent dimercaptosuccinic acid brain single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography: diagnostic and prognostic values in patients with glioma.

To assess the value of posttherapy 99mTc-pentavalent dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA-V) brain SPECT/CT in patients with brain glioma. Patients with pathologically or radiologically proven glioma were prospectively enrolled in this study. 99mTc-DMSA-V brain SPECT/CT images were acquired at 120-180 min after i.v. injection of 555-740 MBq of 99mTc-DMSA-V. Three nuclear medicine physicians blindly interpreted the scans visually as positive or negative for residual/recurrent disease. Agreement between two or more readers was considered a consensus. The composite reference standard was considered based on subsequent clinical/neuroimaging follow-up or histopathology whenever available. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of initial diagnosis till the death or the date of last follow-up. Thirty-four patients (18 males and 16 females; mean age 37.7 ± 16 years) were enrolled in this study. Interreader agreement between the readers ranged from 0.71 to 0.82. Based on the composite reference standard, residual/recurrent disease was confirmed in 16 patients, whereas 18 patients were negative for disease. Consensus reading of 99mTc-DMSA-V SPECT/CT accurately diagnosed 13 true positive (sensitivity 81%) and 17 true negative scans (specificity 94%). After a median follow-up of 22.9 months, 7/14 patients with positive 99mTc-DMSA-V SPECT/CT brain readings died compared to 4/20 with negative readings. The median survival was 24.1 months for the positive group and was not reached for the negative group. Posttherapy brain SPECT/CT scanning with 99mTc-DMSA-V is a noninvasive, reliable, and specific tool for evaluation of patients with brain glioma after definitive therapy. Scan positivity was associated with poor OS.

ORP should not be used to estimate or compare concentrations of aqueous H2: An in silico analysis and narrative synopsis

Oxidation reduction potential (ORP) has become a commonly used measurement to characterize functional beverages, specifically alkaline ionized water and hydrogen water. Numerous health benefits including antioxidant effects have been attributed to a negative ORP value. A greater negative ORP value is often incorrectly interpreted to mean a greater degree of health benefits and/or a high concentration of H2. Some hydrogen meters use the Nernst equation to calculate the concentration of H2 based on the measured ORP value. Unfortunately, due to the fundamental issues with the ORP meter, the calculated H2 value may be very inaccurate. Using the Nernst equation, we performed an in silico analysis of the ORP as a function of pH, temperature, and H2 concentration. Our analysis shows that a one unit increase in pH (e.g., 7–8) influences the ORP by as much as increasing the H2 concentration by 100 times (e.g., 1–100 mg/L). Similarly, at a saturated H2 concentration (1.57 mg/L) and pH 7, every ∆T of 20 °C changes the ORP by ≈ 30 mV. This is comparable to changing the H2 concentration by a factor of 10 (0.1 mg/L to 1 mg/L). Finally, to measure H2 within 0.1 mg/L, ORP meters need to have an accuracy of about 0.8 mV. However, ORP meters have an error range of at least ±10 mV, which corresponds to a potential error in measured H2 concentration of nearly 2 mg/L (≈125% error). This analysis shows that pH, temperature, and the intrinsic ORP errors can individually influence the ORP greater than the entire contribution of dissolved H2 within normally used ranges. In fact, this can easily result in a water sample with a greater negative ORP than another despite having significantly less H2. This makes it impossible to consistently determine if one water sample has more H2 than another water sample. Therefore, we can only conclude, based on a negative ORP reading, that, excluding the possibility of other reductive redox couples, some level of dissolved H2 is present in the water. Accordingly, ORP and ORP-based H2 meters are not recommended for testing or comparing the concentration of H2 in water. Experimental studies are warranted to determine if the ORP error is as great as or greater than what is predicted via this in silico analysis.

Effects of negative emotional valence on readers’ text processing and memory for text: an eye-tracking study

AbstractComprehension of stories requires readers to take the perspective of the story characters and imagine or feel their cognitive and affective states. The study investigated how variations in emotional valence within a literary text affected readers’ global text processing, as reflected in their eye movements during the first and second-pass reading, and their memory for text. Processes of reading were also examined in relation to readers’ dispositional empathy. Undergraduate students (N = 42) were assigned to an emotionally negative or neutral reading condition. They read a natural text passage from a suspense story while their ocular behavior was registered. After reading, they responded to multiple-choice questions assessing their memory of the text. Results revealed longer first-pass fixation times for content evoking negative emotions than for neutral content, which could be suggestive of a more analytical processing of the former. These effects were however local and did not impact the processing of the text at global level. Memory for the emotionally negative content was more accurate than memory for the neutral content. Dispositional empathy did not contribute to reading processes and outcome. Findings are discussed against the mixed results in the current literature and practical implications are also outlined.

On the interpretation of response particles méi(yǒu) and bù to negative polar questions in Mandarin Chinese

The interpretation of isolated response particles (méi(yǒu)/bù) in Mandarin Chinese, when used as fragment answers to negative polar questions, has traditionally been considered as conveying Double Negation. The present study shows that these response particles may express a Single Negation meaning in addition to a Rejection interpretation when specific contextual settings are considered. It is also shown that both Single Negation and Rejection readings are associated with specific prosodic and gestural cues at the time of production. In perception, gestural properties of silent videos are preferably interpreted as conveying Single Negation. In production and interpretation this study supports the conclusion that a Rejection meaning for méiyǒu/bù corresponds to a marked reading, and that Single Negation is produced and interpreted more readily and faster than Rejection. Native speakers of Mandarin Chinese rely on multimodal mechanisms (prosodic and gestural strategies) at the time of expressing both Single Negation and Rejection meanings by means of isolated response particles. We discuss the implications of this study beyond Mandarin Chinese.

Personalized Expert Guidance of Students’ Book Choices in Primary and Secondary Education

In many schools, independent silent reading of self-selected books is used to promote reading. However, self-selection may be insufficient to counter negative reading experiences, particularly when students choose books not attuned to their reading level and interest. Two studies experimentally tested whether personalized expert guidance when selecting books could prevent a reading attitude decline. Study 1 focused on readers in prevocational secondary education (Grades 7 and 8; N = 136). Study 2 included younger readers from primary education (Grades 4–6, N = 99). Students in the experimental condition met with a librarian to discuss book choices every two weeks for three months. In both studies, the intervention stabilized the reading attitude decline, although, in Study 1, only for more advanced readers. In Study 2, reading comprehension of the most proficient readers also improved. This indicates that guidance in selecting books can preserve students’ reading attitude and increase reading proficiency growth.

A software program for automated compressive vertebral fracture detection on elderly women's lateral chest radiograph: Ofeye 1.0.

BackgroundBecause osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) on chest radiographs is commonly missed in radiological reports, we aimed to develop a software program which offers automated detection of compressive vertebral fracture (CVF) on lateral chest radiographs, and which emphasizes CVF detection specificity with a low false positivity rate.MethodsFor model training, we retrieved 3,991 spine radiograph cases and 1,979 chest radiograph cases from 16 sources, with among them in total 1,404 cases had OVF. For model testing, we retrieved 542 chest radiograph cases and 162 spine radiograph cases from four independent clinics, with among them 215 cases had OVF. All cases were female subjects, and except for 31 training data cases which were spine trauma cases, all the remaining cases were post-menopausal women. Image data included DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) format, hard film scanned PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format, DICOM exported PNG format, and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) downloaded resolution reduced DICOM format. OVF classification included: minimal and mild grades with <20% or ≥20–25% vertebral height loss respectively, moderate grade with ≥25–40% vertebral height loss, severe grade with ≥40%–2/3 vertebral height loss, and collapsed grade with ≥2/3 vertebral height loss. The CVF detection base model was mainly composed of convolution layers that include convolution kernels of different sizes, pooling layers, up-sampling layers, feature merging layers, and residual modules. When the model loss function could not be further decreased with additional training, the model was considered to be optimal and termed ‘base-model 1.0’. A user-friendly interface was also developed, with the synthesized software termed ‘Ofeye 1.0’.ResultsCounting cases and with minimal and mild OVFs included, base-model 1.0 demonstrated a specificity of 97.1%, a sensitivity of 86%, and an accuracy of 93.9% for the 704 testing cases. In total, 33 OVFs in 30 cases had a false negative reading, which constituted a false negative rate of 14.0% (30/215) by counting all OVF cases. Eighteen OVFs in 15 cases had OVFs of ≥ moderate grades missed, which constituted a false negative rate of 7.0% (15/215, i.e., sensitivity 93%) if only counting cases with ≥ moderate grade OVFs missed. False positive reading was recorded in 13 vertebrae in 13 cases (one vertebra in each case), which constituted a false positivity rate of 2.7% (13/489). These vertebrae with false positivity labeling could be readily differentiated from a true OVF by a human reader. The software Ofeye 1.0 allows ‘batch processing’, for example, 100 radiographs can be processed in a single operation. This software can be integrated into hospital PACS, or installed in a standalone personal computer.ConclusionsA user-friendly software program was developed for CVF detection on elderly women’s lateral chest radiographs. It has an overall low false positivity rate, and for moderate and severe CVFs an acceptably low false negativity rate. The integration of this software into radiological practice is expected to improve osteoporosis management for elderly women.

STeP-CiM: Strain-Enabled Ternary Precision Computation-In-Memory Based on Non-Volatile 2D Piezoelectric Transistors

We proposed 2D piezoelectric FET (PeFET)–based compute-enabled non-volatile memory for ternary deep neural networks (DNNs). PeFETs hinge on ferroelectricity for bit storage and piezoelectricity for bit sensing, exhibiting inherently amenable features for computation-in-memory of dot products of weights and inputs in the signed ternary regime. PeFETs consist of a material with ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties coupled with a transition metal dichalcogenide channel. We utilized (a) ferroelectricity to store binary bits (0/1) in the form of polarization (−P/+P) and (b) polarization-dependent piezoelectricity to read the stored state by means of strain-induced bandgap change in the transition metal dichalcogenide channel. The unique read mechanism of PeFETs enables us to expand the traditional association of +P (−P) with low (high) resistance states to their dual high (low) resistance depending on read voltage. Specifically, we demonstrated that +P (−P) stored in PeFETs can be dynamically configured in (a) a low (high) resistance state for positive read voltages and (b) their dual high (low) resistance states for negative read voltages, without afflicting a read disturb. Such a feature, which we named as polarization-preserved piezoelectric effect reversal with dual voltage polarity (PiER), is unique to PeFETs and has not been shown in hitherto explored memories. We leveraged PiER to propose a Strain-enabled Ternary Precision Computation-in-Memory (STeP-CiM) cell with capabilities of computing the scalar product of the stored weight and input, both of which are represented with signed ternary precision. Furthermore, using multi-word line assertion of STeP-CiM cells, we achieved massively parallel computation of dot products of signed ternary inputs and weights. Our array-level analysis showed 91% lower delay and improvements of 15% and 91% in energy for in-memory multiply-and-accumulate operations compared to near-memory design approaches based on 2D FET–based SRAM and PeFET, respectively. We also analyzed the system-level implications of STeP-CiM by deploying it in a ternary DNN accelerator. STeP-CiM exhibits 6.11× to 8.91× average improvement in performance and 3.2× average improvement in energy over SRAM-based near-memory design. We also compared STeP-CiM to near-memory design based on PeFETs showing 5.67× to 6.13× average performance improvement and 6.07× average energy savings.

The Syntax of Negation of Serial Verbs in Urdu

The focus of this study is to highlight the syntax of the negation marker in Urdu serial verbs. There are two types of serial verb constructions (SVCs) in Urdu. In SVC 1, negation marker either precedes both verbs or it comes in between SVC, whereas in SVC 2 single negation marker either comes in between SVC or double negation precedes both verbs in sequence. The insertion of single negation marker in SVC does not affect the agreement phenomenon in Urdu and it merely adds supplementary negation reading in the sentence. However, the double negation affects the agreement i.e. the basic construction of SVC-1 where the first verb remains frozen and the last verb shows agreement in terms of number, person, and gender but when double negation comes in SVC- 1 it converts the construction into SVC-2 where both verbs show agreement, and negation marker shows agreement in terms of aspect on first verb. Under the Minimalist Program, both negation markers originate under TP which is similar to Chomsky’s representation of negation in clause. First negation marker in double negation constituent takes the frozen verb as its compliment and becomes cause of its inflection, whereas the second negation marker is the specifier of the second verb which is similar to Bukhari’s analysis

Diagnostic Accuracy for Periprosthetic Joint Infection Does Not Improve by a Combined Use of Glucose and Leukocyte Esterase Strip Reading as Diagnostic Parameters.

The diagnosis of periprosthetic infections (PJI) can be challenging in clinical practice because the clinical presentations of aseptic loosening and low-grade infections are similar. Semiquantitative evaluation of leukocyte esterase (LE) in synovial fluid using a urine strip test has already established itself as a diagnostic method over the past decade. The analysis of LE in synovial fluid leads to a high number of false-positive test results. In the present study, the value of a combined semiquantitative determination of glucose and LE in synovial fluid to improve the diagnosis of PJI was investigated. Over a 4-year period, 145 synovial samples were collected from patients who developed joint effusion after arthroplasty. LE and glucose test strips were considered as an index test for the diagnosis of PJI. A ++ or +++ LE and a negative glucose test strip reading were considered as positive test results. Modified diagnostic criteria for PJI as recommended by the Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) served as the reference test, except that intraoperative findings were excluded. Forty-six out of 145 samples were classified as septic complication according to the reference test. In regard to PJI, our data showed that combined use of LE and glucose strip test reading displayed a 98.0% specificity (95% confidence interval (CI): 95.2% to 100%), a 50% sensitivity (95% CI: 35.6% to 64.4%), a 92% positive predictive value (95% CI: 81.4% to 100.0%), and an 80.3% negative predictive value (95% CI: 73.2% to 87.4%). In contrast, the exclusive analysis of LE on the urine strip to diagnose PJI demonstrated a 90.9% specificity (95% CI: 85.2% to 96.6%), a 67.4% sensitivity (95% CI: 53.8% to 80.9%), a 77.5% positive predictive value (95% CI: 64.6% to 90.4%), and an 85.7% negative predictive value (5% CI: 79.0% to 92.4%). A combination of LE and glucose test pad reading is considered superior as a potential “rule-in” method for the diagnosis of PJI compared with LE test pad analysis alone. However, combined LE and glucose synovial fluid testing also demonstrated lower test sensitivity and thus diagnostic accuracy compared with LE analysis alone. Therefore, combined glucose and LE test pad analysis does not represent a sufficient diagnostic standard to exclude PJI with certainty.

Systemic resistance induction of tomato plants against tomato mosaic virus by microalgae

BackgroundTomato mosaic virus (ToMV) is a dangerous disease of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) that reduces dramatically the yield. To reduce ToMV infection, microalgal isolates were utilized. Microalgal species (Chlorella vulgaris, Anabaena oryzae, Spirulina platensis, Nostoc linckia and Dunaliella salina) were shown to be responsible for the stimulation of tomato resistance against ToMV.ResultsInitial signs of discoloration and mosaic in ToMV-inoculated plants were detected and identified on inoculated leaves at 6 and 12 dpi in control and treated plants, respectively, suggesting that microalgae may inhibit ToMV growth. Treatment with microalgae resulted in a significant decrease in symptoms (up to 63% reduction in disease severity) and negative ELISA readings, indicating that the microalgae induced resistance in tomato against ToMV infection. The isolates also enhanced the activity of pathogenesis-related enzymes (PPO and POX reaching to 0.033 and 0.054 in D. salina, respectively), as well as tomato growth characters in comparison with the control. Microalgal treatments demonstrated that the salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) pathways were involved in tomato plant defense responses. The relative gene expressions of PR1 and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), which are involved in the SA and JA pathways, respectively, were improved in treated plants compared to the control.ConclusionThe findings indicated that algal-induced ToMV resistance was mediated via several defense pathways in tomato. The antiviral mechanism was described, which provides a light on the potential of algae in plant viral disease management.

From Latin to Modern Italian: Some Notes on Negation

This article aims at investigating some diachronic aspects of the Italian negative system, considering a time span ranging from Old Latin to Modern Italian. Most of the negative polarity phenomena populating the Modern Italian system are consequences of a crucial change that occurred in Old Latin: The Latin negative morpheme nōn (“not”), which initially displayed a maximal projection status, and became a syntactic (negative) head. This change caused the shift from a double negation system to a negative concord one, which affects many Romance languages (and their dialects). It also determines the availability of the expletive reading of negation in Italian, as well as in other Romance languages (ex. French), calling for a new generalization: only languages (and structures) displaying a negative head allow the expletive interpretation of negation, languages displaying a maximal projection status do not.

On the prosody of French ambiguous multiple negative sentences.

While it has long been assumed that prosody can help resolve syntactic and semantic ambiguities, empirical evidence has shown that the mapping between prosody and meaning is complex (Hirschberg &amp;amp; Avesani 2000; Jackendoff 1972). This paper investigates the prosody of ambiguous French sentences with multiple potentially negative terms that allow two semantically very distinct interpretations—a single negation reading involving negative concord (NC), and a double negative reading (DN) with a positive meaning reflecting a strictly compositional interpretation— with the goal to further research on the role of prosody in ambiguities by examining whether intonation can be recruited by speakers to signal distinct interpretations of these sentences to hearers. Twenty native speakers produced transitive sentences with potentially negative terms embedded in contexts designed to elicit single-negation or double-negation readings. Analysis regarding the F0 and the duration of the utterances revealed distinct prosodic profiles for the two readings, confirming previous evidence that speakers can produce characteristic acoustic cues to signal intended distinctive meanings (Kraljic &amp;amp; Brennan 2005; Syrett, Simon &amp;amp; Nisula 2014). Our results reveal that the NC readings feature a focused subject and a post-focally more compressed object, in contrast to the DN readings where both the subject and the object were independently focused. They do not relate DN to contradiction but link negative meaning with focus on French negative concord items (NCI). The paper discusses broad implications of these findings for theoretical approaches to NC and outlines further questions for the syntax-prosody interface of these constructions.

Pre‐service teachers' reader profiles: stability and change throughout teacher education

BackgroundConsidering (1) that reading proficiency is fundamental for educational success, (2) the reciprocal relationship between affective aspects of reading (e.g., reading attitude and motivation) and reading behaviour and ability, (3) the alarming decline in students' reading attitude throughout primary and secondary education and (4) the rather large group of pre‐service teachers starting teacher education with a negative reading attitude, this study used a person‐centred approach to examine the development of pre‐service teachers' reading attitude throughout teacher education and how it relates to their perceived reading ability and reading behaviour.MethodsIn a sample of 128 pre‐service teachers, cluster (movement) analysis was executed at the start of teacher education and near graduation to identify different reading attitude clusters and possible changes throughout teacher education. A distinction between purpose (recreational vs academic) and context (personally vs socially oriented) was made when assessing reading attitude components.ResultsThree reading attitude profiles (i.e., personally oriented, socially oriented and low attitude) were corroborated at both measurement occasions. Cluster movement analysis identified that the majority remained in the same profile over time (53–62%). When pre‐service teachers did switch profile, they most likely evolved towards the personally‐ or socially‐oriented profile (reading as a mere personal activity vs willing to interact about reading, respectively). Convergent validity evidence was found in that pre‐service teachers in the low‐attitude profile (24%) were least likely to read and perceived themselves as least competent in reading. They further appeared to be least willing to invest in reading promotion in their future school(s) of all profiles.ConclusionsIt may be worrisome that about one fourth of the pre‐service teachers in this sample enters the profession with a rather negative reading attitude. Encouragingly, the majority of pre‐service teachers either retained or increased their positive reading attitude throughout teacher education.HighlightsWhat is already known about this topic Differences in reading attitude are related to differences in reading behaviour and perceived reading ability. There is a declining trend in primary and secondary school students' reading attitude, starting at the end of primary school. Nearly half of all pre‐service teachers start teacher education with a negative reading attitude. What this paper adds Person‐centred movement analysis provided a basis to map the stability and change of pre‐service teachers' reading attitude profiles' throughout teacher education. Pre‐service teachers' reading attitude remains rather stable throughout teacher education and is related to reading behaviour and perceived reading ability. Almost one fourth of the pre‐service teachers graduate with a quite negative reading attitude. Implications for theory, policy or practice The urgency to address reading attitude more adequately in teacher education and to attend more closely to pre‐service teachers' individual differences in reading attitude. The importance of using a longitudinal approach to gain insight into reading attitude development throughout teacher education and preferably also during the first crucial years in the profession. This longitudinal study could be a possible step in the process of (re)designing teacher education programs and continuing professional development trajectories in relation to reading attitude.

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs

Motivated Moral Outrage Among Meat-Eaters

Many meat-eaters experience cognitive dissonance when aware that their eating behaviors contradict their moral values, such as desires to protect the environment or animals from harm. One way in which people morally disengage from their behaviors—and thus avoid dissonance—is to displace responsibility onto others. Aligning with this notion, results of three studies (total N = 1,501) suggest that expressing moral outrage at third-party transgressors reduces dissonance and preserves moral identity among meat-eaters. When participants understood their in-group as responsible for factory farming’s negative impact or read about factory farming’s harms to animals, expressing moral outrage at third-party transgressors reduced guilt and elevated self-rated moral character. Moreover, reflecting on the morally troublesome nature of meat-eating led participants to express more moral outrage at a third-party organization responsible for animal abuse, an effect eliminated by self-affirmation. These findings substantiate moral outrage as a new mechanism to justify meat consumption.

Hepatitis E Virus Persistence and/or Replication in the Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Acute HEV-Infected Patients.

BackgroundHepatitis E virus (HEV) causes about 14 million infections with 300,000 deaths and 5,200 stillbirths worldwide annually. Extrahepatic manifestations are reported with HEV infections, such as renal, neurological, and hematological disorders. Recently, we reported that stool-derived HEV-1 replicates efficiently in human monocytes and macrophages in vitro. However, another study reports the presence of viral RNA but no evidence of replication in the PBMCs of acute hepatitis E (AHE) patients. Therefore, the replication of HEV in PBMCs during AHE infection is not completely understood.MethodsPBMCs were isolated from AHE patients (n = 17) enrolled in Assiut University Hospitals, Egypt. The viral load, positive (+) and negative (−) HEV RNA strands and viral protein were assessed. The gene expression profile of PBMCs from AHE patients was assessed. In addition, the level of cytokines was measured in the plasma of the patients.ResultsHEV RNA was detected in the PBMCs of AHE patients. The median HEV load in the PBMCs was 1.34 × 103 IU/ml. A negative HEV RNA strand and HEV open reading frame 2 protein were recorded in 4/17 (23.5%) of the PBMCs. Upregulation of inflammatory transcripts and increased plasma cytokines were recorded in the AHE patients compared with healthy individuals with significantly elevated transcripts and plasma cytokines in the AHE with detectable (+) and (−) RNA strands compared with the AHE with the detectable (+) RNA strand only. There was no significant difference in terms of age, sex, and liver function tests between AHE patients with detectable (+) and (−) RNA strands in the PBMCs and AHE patients with the (+) RNA strand only.ConclusionOur study shows evidence for in vivo HEV persistence and replication in the PBMCs of AHE patients. The replication of HEV in the PBMCs was associated with an enhanced immune response, which could affect the pathogenesis of HEV.

Recurrent SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Case Reports and Review of the Literature

We describe a 37-year-old woman who became infected with SARS-CoV-2. Over time, 4 other members in her family unit became infected, with 3/5 developing 2-3 separate clinical syndromes over two months. It is possible that each person had a single prolonged infection, with the literature reporting RNA detection for as long as 83 days in some cases. Syndromes of relapsing/remitting infection have also been well described. Intermittent negative RNA readings may represent “false negative” results with intermittent levels of viremia that occasionally fall below the limit of detection of the assay. An alternative explanation may be multiple episodes of infection, clearance, and re-infection within the family unit. Preliminary reports in the literature suggest onward transmission after recurrent infection in 3 reported cases. An understanding of the prevalence of cases series such as ours and their pathophysiologic and immunologic significance will improve our knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 infection and strategies to control it.

Design and Analysis of SRAM Cell using Negative Bit-Line Write Assist Technique and Separate Read Port for High-Speed Applications

The present day electronic gadgets have semiconductor memory devices to store data. The static random access memory (SRAM) is a volatile memory, often preferred over dynamic random access memory (DRAM) due to higher speed and lower power dissipation. However, at scaling down of technology node, the leakage current in SRAM often increases and degrades its performance. To address this, the voltage scaling is preferred which subsequently affects the stability and delay of SRAM. This paper therefore presents a negative bit-line (NBL) write assist circuit which is used for enhancing the write ability while a separate (isolated) read buffer circuit is used for improving the read stability. In addition to this, the proposed design uses a tail (stack) transistor to decrease the overall static power dissipation and also to maintain the hold stability. The comparison of the proposed design has been done with state-of-the-art work in terms of write static noise margin (WSNM), write delay, read static noise margin (RSNM) and other parameters. It has been observed that there is an improvement of 48%, 11%, 19% and 32.4% in WSNM while reduction of 33%, 39%, 48% and 22% in write delay as compared to the conventional 6T SRAM cell, NBL, [Formula: see text] collapse and 9T UV SRAM, respectively.

Accommodation and binocular vision changes after wearing orthokeratology lens in 8- to 14-year-old myopic children

The study aimed to observe and analyze the dynamic accommodation and binocular vision changes in myopic children after they switched from spectacles to orthokeratology (ortho-k) lenses. Thirty-six myopic children aged 8-14 years were enrolled in this prospective, self-controlled study from West China Hospital. General information was gathered, and examinations were performed at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after switching to ortho-k lenses. The examination included assessments of distance/near visual acuity, distance/near horizontal and vertical ocular alignment, distance/near horizontal vergence range, accommodative amplitude, monocular/binocular accommodative facility, accommodative response, positive and negative relative accommodation (PRA/NRA), accommodation convergence/accommodation (AC/A), stereopsis, and reading ability. After the children switched to ortho-k lenses, distance and near ocular alignment showed an exophoric shift (distance: p = 0.001, near: p = 0.002), and the horizontal vergence range decreased by different degrees (convergence: distance blur point (p = 0.002), distance break point (p = 0.005), near blur point (p = 0.011), near break point (p = 0.043); divergence: distance break point (p < 0.001), distance recover point (p < 0.001), near recover point (p = 0.005)). The stereopsis ability (p < 0.001), monocular/binocular accommodative facility (p < 0.001), and PRA (p = 0.010) increased. The accommodative lag (p < 0.001), accommodative amplitude (p < 0.001), and calculated and gradient AC/A (calculated: p = 0.001, gradient: p = 0.025) decreased. The adjusted horizontal and vertical reading times and their ratio decreased (all p < 0.001). The subjects showed distance and near exophoric shifts after switching to ortho-k lenses; improvements in accommodative function, stereopsis, and ocular motility; and a decrease in the binocular horizontal vergence range. The relationships between these changes and the ortho-k myopic control effects require further investigation.

Surgical Margins Status Assessment After Breast Conserving Surgery: Is There a Difference Between Surgeon and Radiologist Evaluation?

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of intra-operative specimen mammography (ISM) in surgical margins status assessment and highlight the concordance between the interpretations of the surgeon and the radiologist. Methods: Our cross-sectional study included 130 patients with early breast cancer, surgically treated between October 2013 and September 2017 in the multidisciplinary breast center of the A.O.U. City of Health and Science (which is a complex of several hospitals) in Turin, Italy. All recruited patients underwent breast conservative surgery. Surgical margins were evaluated intraoperatively, using intra-operative specimen mammography. A standard compression intra-operative specimen mammography was obtained by the surgeon using the dedicated radiological equipment (Faxitron®, BioVision). After the surgeon’s evaluation of the margins, Faxitron images were sent to PACS. All ISMs images were analyzed by the same specialized radiologist in remote access to confirm the surgeon evaluation. We used kappa formula to report concordance. Results: The discordance rate of positive readings between the surgeon and the radiologist was 5.3% while that of negative readings was 6.9%. The concordance rate between radiologist and pathologist assessments was 100%. Intra-operative specimen mammography specificity was 94% (95% CI: 88–97), and sensitivity was 47% (95% CI: 38–56), with PPV found to be 53% (95% CI: 95% 44-62) and NPV determined to be 92% (95% CI: 86–96), when the assessment was made by the surgeon. Conclusion: Intra-operative specimen mammography is a helpful tool to identify infiltrated margins and to reduce the rate of secondary surgeries by recommending targeted re-excisions of corresponding orientations in order to obtain a final negative margin status. In our experience, not only radiologists but also surgeons could correctly read Faxitron® intra-operative specimen mammography.