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OBJECTIVE: To investigate feasibility of the quantitative parameters of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) to assess therapy response in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared with the traditional enhanced CT parameters based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) guidelines. METHODS: Forty-five patients with unresectable locally advanced NSCLC who underwent DECT before and after chemotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) were prospectively enrolled. By comparing baseline studies with follow-up, patients were divided into two groups according to RECIST guidelines as follows: disease control (DC, including partial response and stable disease) and progressive disease (PD). The diameter (D), attenuation, iodine concentration and normalized iodine concentration of arterial and venous phases (ICA, ICv, NICA, NICv) and the percentage of these changes pre- and post-therapy were measured and calculated. The Pearson correlation was used to analyze correlation between various quantitative parameters. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate accuracy of therapy response prediction. RESULTS: The change percentages of Attenuation (Δ-Attenuation-A and Δ-Attenuation-V), IC (ΔICA and ΔICV) and NIC (ΔNICA and ΔNICV) pre- and post-therapy correlate with the change percentage of D (ΔD). Among these, ΔICA strongly correlates with ΔD (r = 0.793, P

The CLAVATA3/endosperm surrounding region-related (CLE) small peptides are a group of C-terminally encoded and post-translationally modified signal molecules involved in regulating the growth and development of various plants. However, the function and evolution of these peptides have so far remained elusive in cotton. In this study, 55, 56, and 86 CLE genes were identified in the Gossypium raimondii, Gossypium arboreum, and Gossypium hirsutum genomes, respectively, and all members were divided into seven groups. These groups were distinctly different in their protein characteristics, gene structures, conserved motifs, and multiple sequence alignment. Whole genome or segmental duplications played a significant role in the expansion of the CLE family in cotton, and experienced purifying selection during the long evolutionary process in cotton. Cis-acting regulatory elements and transcript profiling revealed that the CLE genes of cotton exist in different tissues, developmental stages, and respond to abiotic stresses. Protein properties, structure prediction, protein interaction network prediction of GhCLE2, GhCLE33.2, and GhCLE28.1 peptides were, respectively, analyzed. In addition, the overexpression of GhCLE2, GhCLE33.2, or GhCLE28.1 in Arabidopsis, respectively, resulted in a distinctive shrub-like dwarf plant, slightly purple leaves, large rosettes with large malformed leaves, and lack of reproductive growth. This study provides important insights into the evolution of cotton CLEs and delineates the functional conservatism and divergence of CLE genes in the growth and development of cotton.

Right atrial appendage aneurysms (RAAAs) are rare heart malformations, presenting as isolated anomalies or co-existing with other structural heart diseases. We describe a rare case of RAAA complicated with an atrial septal defect (ASD). The diagnosis was established using transthoracic echocardiography and confirmed using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. To treat the ASD and reduced right atrium volume load, ASD transcatheter closure was performed. On echocardiography performed 3 months post discharge, the RAAA was observed to have reduced in size compared to that presurgery. Six years later, she was in good condition without any adverse events.

BACKGROUND Acute pulmonary embolism is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases. Computer-aided technique is widely used in chest imaging, especially for assessing pulmonary embolism. The reliability and quantitative analyses of computer-aided technique are necessary. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of geometry-based computer-aided detection and quantification for emboli morphology and severity of acute pulmonary embolism. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty patients suspected of acute pulmonary embolism were analyzed by both manual and computer-aided interpretation of vascular obstruction index and computer-aided measurements of emboli quantitative parameters. The reliability of Qanadli and Mastora scores was analyzed using computer-aided and manual interpretation. RESULTS The time costs of manual and computer-aided interpretation were statistically different (374.90±150.16 versus 121.07±51.76, P

This paper provides a general framework for testing instrument validity in heterogeneous causal effect models. The generalization includes the cases where the treatment can be multivalued ordered or unordered. Based on a series of testable implications, we propose a nonparametric test which is proved to be asymptotically size controlled and consistent. Compared to the tests in the literature, our test can be applied in more general settings and may achieve power improvement. Refutation of instrument validity by the test helps detect invalid instruments that may yield implausible results on causal effects. Evidence that the test performs well on finite samples is provided via simulations. We revisit the empirical study on return to schooling to demonstrate application of the proposed test in practice. An extended continuous mapping theorem and an extended delta method, which may be of independent interest, are provided to establish the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic under null., Comment: A revised version

Coronary artery fistula (CAF) is a congenital disease in which a communication forms between one or more coronary arteries and a cardiac chamber or great vessel. We describe an infrequent case of right coronary artery (RCA) fistula into the right ventricle (RV) complicated by infective endocarditis in a child. The patient received echocardiography and contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Surgical treatment was performed after management of the infection. Unfortunately, a residual fistula formed after surgery. However, interestingly, the residual fistula spontaneously resolved at one year after surgery. He is now in good condition and totally asymptomatic.

Electric boiler and the combined heat and power (CHP) unit with thermal energy storage (TES) as the main means to solve the problem of wind curtailment into the micro-grid. In order to further eliminate wind curtailment, the wind curtailment coordination scheduling model with the lowest economic cost is established. Considering the influence of the electric boiler on the working state of CHP unit with TES, analyzing the operating characteristics of electric boiler and CHP with TES, calculating the wind power accommodating space for better eliminate wind curtailment, constraint on the maximum elimination of wind curtailment, the storage heat release power incremental model and the heating power model of the electric boiler is proposed. Taking differential evolution (DE) algorithm to solve the dispatch model. The results show that micro-grid scheduling model of electric boiler and CHP with TES can completely eliminate the wind and reduce the operating cost.

One income or wealth distribution is said to Lorenz dominate another when the Lorenz curve for the former is nowhere below that of the latter, indicating a (weakly) more equitable allocation of resources. Existing tests of the null of Lorenz dominance based on pairs of samples of income or wealth achieve the nominal rejection rate asymptotically when the two Lorenz curves are equal, but are conservative at other null configurations. We propose new nonparametric bootstrap tests of Lorenz dominance based on preliminary estimation of a contact set. Our tests achieve the nominal rejection rate asymptotically on the boundary of the null; that is, when Lorenz dominance is satisfied, and the Lorenz curves coincide on some interval. Numerical simulations indicate that our tests enjoy substantially improved power compared to existing procedures at relevant sample sizes. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.

Partial coating of insulators with semiconductive silicone rubber has proved to be a potential method for reducing ice accretion on insulators. The performance of the coated insulator strings is mainly determined by the insulator parameters, the coating resistance, and the coating area covering the insulator surface. This research is to investigate the effect of using semiconductive silicone rubber coating on the anti-icing performance of ceramic insulators, considering the coating resistance and the coating area. A series of icing tests was carried out in a climate room and the results obtained from tests on a single insulator unit were extended to short insulator strings. The experimental results showed that the magnitude of the appropriate coating resistance was below $0.3 ~{\rm M}\Omega$ in the freezing condition recommended, and that the suitable width of the band of the uncoated area was about 5 to 8 cm. Since the main heating power was consumed in the region of the uncoated band, the uncoated area should better be close to the edge of the top surface of the insulator, in which case the icicles could fall off more easily.

Anti- and de-icing techniques for the power systems have been attractive topics in recent years. Semiconductive silicone rubber coatings have been considered and applied in a few regions of China. This paper focuses on the problem of selecting semiconductive coatings under different ambient temperatures. In order to select the semiconductive coatings, the volume resistivity of the coatings doped with various carbon black concentrations was first tested. Then a series of icing/anti-icing tests on bottom-coated insulator strings were carried out in a climate room, where their antiicing performance was studied in terms of icing appearance, ice accretion weight, leakage current and surface temperature. The results show that when the ambient temperature is -2, -4 and -6 °C, the coating resistivities required to prevent ice accretion on the insulator strings tested are presented in this paper.

Icing of transmission lines due to extreme weather conditions has caused many failures in power networks worldwide [1]. As China has much of its land 2,000 m above sea level, intense snow and ice storms at this altitude have caused significant losses to the economy, and the harsh conditions have made life very difficult in these regions [2]. The winter of 2008/2009 was particularly harsh with freezing rain, which continued for more than three weeks in the central provinces, causing 218 ice flashovers. In particular, Hunan and Jiangxi Provinces experienced the severest storms resulting in damage to 37% of the 500-kV power transmission towers, collapsing many towers. Considerable work has been done in China on understanding the reasons for, and preventing, the icing flashover of insulators [3]-[10], but in this article the various anti-icing and de-icing methods for insulators currently being investigated in China are discussed with particular reference to the application of semiconductive silicone rubber coatings on insulators.

Prevention of icing flashover on transmission lines has become an important problem. A new method for mitigating effects of glaze ice on energized insulators has been developed. Semiconductive silicone rubber was painted on the bottom of suspension disc insulators, while the upper ceramic surface was untreated. An electrically conductive path was formed when supercooled water or droplets bridged the uncoated areas. The power loss was limited when there was no precipitation. The heat and partial discharge energy generated by the leakage current melted the original ice accretion on the insulator surface. The electrical performance of the insulator string with this kind of coating under freezing rain conditions was comparable with that of a clean insulator string. The impact of the ambient temperature on the anti-icing performance was also evaluated. In addition, the performance of the insulator with bottom surface semiconductive coating under fog conditions was compared with an uncoated string.

Investigations have been made of the performance of composite insulators because of the repeated flashover accidents on the lightly iced insulators in winter in the north of China. Based on the field research, a new test method was developed by taking into account the combined influences of the light ice accumulation and the secondary contamination deposition on the ice surface, and a different view of reproducing the atmospheric and environmental conditions in laboratory was provided accordingly. The test results confirmed that the icing flashover voltages of composite insulators with secondary contamination deposition were considerably lower than the contamination flashover voltage when the insulators were both precontaminated with the same equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD). In these areas where similar accidents happened, the increase in the insulation strength should be considered.

Some improvement on the icing flashover test procedures by taking into account the combined influences of the heavy ice accumulation was made. The test results demonstrated that the icing flashover voltages of the composite insulators with secondary contamination gave considerably lower values than the other two types of flashover voltages, namely the contamination flashover voltage obtained in the conventional clean-fog and the icing flashover voltage without secondary contamination, all the insulators being pre-contaminated with the same degree of equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD).

Ice accumulation on insulator surface imposes serious problems on power systems. One approach is to develop a hydrophobic coating with semiconducting characteristic resulting in heat generation, which is only coated on the bottom side. This paper focuses on the performance of the insulators treated with semiconductive coating during fog and pollution conditions. Three kinds of samples were tested, including insulator without any coating, insulator coated with normal RTV coatings and the one with semiconductive coatings. The artificial pollution tests were carried out in a fog chamber. The leakage current and the flashover voltage during the fog and polluted conditions were investigated. FEM calculation was also used to help understand the anti-contaminate performance. Test results indicate that the pollution flashover voltage of the semiconductive ones is almost twice of the pure ones, but a little lower than the RTV ones. The primary causes of high pollution flashover voltage are the joint action of the hydrophobicity of the coating and the drying effect generated by the leakage current.