bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fetal Cardiac Functional Assessment by Fetal Heart Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Tsuritani Mitsuhiro , Morita Yoshiaki , Miyoshi Takekazu , Kurosaki Kenichi , Yoshimatsu Jun 
Published: August 2018

Objective
We attempted to evaluate fetal cardiac activity of congenital heart disease (CHD) and normal heart fetuses by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods
We evaluated the fetal cardiac functional assessment and the blood flow of descending aorta at 34 weeks' gestation or more by MRI and compared the results with ultrasonography findings. We measured 6 normal heart fetuses and 14 CHD fetuses.

Results
The ejection fraction (EF) and descending aorta blood flow in the CHD group were 76.4% ± 11.9%, 687.5 ± 303.8 mL/min by ultrasonography and 48.3% ± 7.1%, 711.4 ± 273.1 mL/min by MRI; those in the normal group were 66.9% ± 12.2%, 898.1 ± 245.9 mL/min by ultrasonography and 51.3% ± 4.2%, 911.9 ± 223.1 mL/min by MRI.

Conclusions
There was no significant difference in descending aorta blood flow measurements between ultrasonography and MRI, but the EF showed a significant between-group difference. In the normal group, the variation of EF and blood flow measured by MRI was significantly smaller compared with those of ultrasonography.
Dual-Energy Spectral Computed Tomography With Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction for Improving Image Quality of Portal Venography
Authors: Wang Weibing , Huang Jinbai , Wang Ai , Li Yun , Peng Jie , Hu Xinjie , Liu Yingjun , Zhang Haiyan , Li Xiaohu 
Published: August 2018

Objective
The aim of the study was to investigate whether spectral computed tomography (CT) plus adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) could improve imaging quality of computed tomography portal venography (CTPV).

Methods
Sixty-four patients underwent CTPV, with CT number of portal vein (PV) less than 150 HU in portal phase, were divided into 2 groups A (n = 31), using standard 120-kVp protocol. group B (n = 33), using spectral CT protocol. Standard 120-kVp images were reconstructed with 40% ASIR, and monochromatic images at 60 keV were reconstructed with the following 4 ASIR percentages: 0%, 20%, 40%, and 60%. The CT number, image noise, and contrast-to-noise ratio in main PV were measured. The maximum intensity projection and volume-rendering images were used for subjective evaluation. These 2 kinds of results were statistically analyzed.

Results
The contrast-to-noise ratio and subjective scoring of PV increased gradually from 120-kVp images to 60% weight ASIR (3.44 ± 0.95, 4.58 ± 1. 59, 5.26 ± 1.85, 6.18 ± 2.18, and 7.39 ± 2.65 and 4.35 ± 1.17, 6.21 ± 1.29, 6.48 ± 1.35, 6.85 ± 1.28, and 7.00 ± 1.19). There were statistically different for the 5 groups (P < 0.001). The CT number of the PV in the 60-kiloelectron volt spectral images had higher than the 120-kVp images (P < 0.001). The noise of 120 kVp was significantly higher than those of 60% ASIR and significantly lower than those of 0% ASIR (both P < 0.001), and there were no significant differences between 120-kVp, 20% ASIR, and 40% ASIR (P = 0.107 and 1.000, respectively). The diagnostic acceptability was highest at 40% ASIR.

Conclusions
Forty-percent ASIR addition to the 60-kiloelectron volt monochromatic image could improve image quality of CTPV comparing with conventional 120-kVp images.
Evaluation of a Computer-Aided Diagnosis System for Automated Bone Age Assessment in Comparison to the Greulich-Pyle Atlas Method: A Multireader Study
Authors: Booz Christian , Wichmann Julian L. , Boettger Sabine , Al Kamali Ahmed , Martin Simon S. , Lenga Lukas , Leithner Doris , Albrecht Moritz H. , Ackermann Hanns , Vogl Thomas J. , Bodelle Boris , Kaltenbach Benjamin 
Published: August 2018

Objective
The aim of this study was to investigate a novel version of a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system developed for automated bone age (BA) assessment in comparison to the Greulich and Pyle method, regarding its accuracy and the influence of carpal bones on BA assessment.

Methods
Total BA, BA of the left distal radius, and BA of carpal bones in 305 patients were determined independently by 3 blinded radiologists and assessed by the CAD system. Pearson product-moment correlation, Bland-Altman plot, root-mean-square deviation, and further agreement analyses were computed.

Results
Mean total BA and BA of the distal radius showed high correlation between both approaches (r = 0.985 and r = 0.963). There was significantly higher correlation between values of total BA and BA of the distal radius (r = 0.969) compared with values of total BA and BA of carpal bones (r = 0.923). The assessment of carpal bones showed significantly lower interreader agreement compared with measurements of the distal radius (κ = 0.79 vs κ = 0.98).

Conclusion
A novel version of a CAD system enables highly accurate automated BA assessment. The assessment of carpal bones revealed lower precision and interreader agreement. Therefore, methods determining BA without analyzing carpal bones may be more precise and accurate.
Preservation of muscle mass as a strategy to reduce the toxic effects of cancer chemotherapy on body composition
Authors: Pin Fabrizio , Couch Marion E. , Bonetto Andrea 
Published: August 2018

Purpose of review
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy often experience very debilitating side effects, including unintentional weight loss, nausea, and vomiting. Changes in body composition, specifically lean body mass (LBM), are known to have important implications for anticancer drug toxicity and cancer prognosis. Currently, chemotherapy dosing is based on calculation of body surface area, although this approximation does not take into consideration the variability in lean and adipose tissue mass.

Recent findings
Patients with depletion of muscle mass present higher chemotherapy-related toxicity, whereas patients with larger amounts of LBM show fewer toxicities and better outcomes. Commonly used chemotherapy regimens promote changes in body composition, primarily by affecting skeletal muscle, as well as fat and bone mass. Experimental evidence has shown that pro-atrophy mechanisms, abnormal mitochondrial metabolism, and reduced protein anabolism are primarily implicated in muscle depletion. Muscle-targeted pro-anabolic strategies have proven successful in preserving lean tissue in the occurrence of cancer or following chemotherapy.

Summary
Muscle wasting often occurs as a consequence of anticancer treatments and is indicative of worse outcomes and poor quality of life in cancer patients. Accurate assessment of body composition and preservation of muscle mass may reduce chemotherapy toxicity and improve the overall survival.
Optimized cross-linking mass spectrometry for in situ interaction proteomics
Authors: Ser Zheng , Cifani Paolo , Kentsis Alex 
Published: August 2018

AbstractRecent development of mass spectrometer cleavable protein cross-linkers and algorithms for their spectral identification now permits large-scale cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS). Here, we optimized the use of cleavable disuccinimidyl sulfoxide (DSSO) cross-linker for labeling native protein complexes in live human cells. We applied a generalized linear mixture model to calibrate cross-link peptide-spectra matching (CSM) scores to control the sensitivity and specificity of large-scale XL-MS. Using specific CSM score thresholds to control the false discovery rate, we found that higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD) and electron transfer dissociation (ETD) can both be effective for large-scale XL-MS protein interaction mapping. We found that the density and coverage of protein-protein interaction maps can be significantly improved through the use of multiple proteases. In addition, the use of sample-specific search databases can be used to improve the specificity of cross-linked peptide spectral matching. Application of this approach to human chromatin labeled in live cells recapitulated known and revealed new protein interactions of nucleosomes and other chromatin-associated complexes in situ. This optimized approach for mapping native protein interactions should be useful for a wide range of biological problems.
Supervised machine learning to decipher the complex associations between neuro-immune biomarkers and quality of life in schizophrenia
Authors: Kanchanatawan Buranee , Maes Michael 
Published: August 2018

AbstractStable phase schizophrenia is characterized by altered patterning in tryptophan catabolites (TRYCATs) and memory impairments, which are associated with PHEMN (psychosis, hostility, excitation, mannerism and negative) and DAPS (depression, anxiety and physio-somatic) symptoms. This study was carried out to examine the association between TRYCAT patterning, memory impairments, psychopathological features and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in schizophrenia.The World Health Organization (WHO) QoL instrument-Abbreviated version (WHO-QoL-BREF), IgA/IgM responses to TRYCATs, cognitive tests, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), Hamilton and Depression (HAMD) and Anxiety (HAMA) Rating Scales and the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Rating Scale (FF) were measured in 80 schizophrenia patients and 40 controls.Neural Network analysis shows that the total HR-Qol score is best predicted by (in descending order) FF, HAMA and SANS scores, Mini Mental State examination, hostility, ratio noxious/protective TRYCATs and HAMD score. Partial least Squares (PLS) analysis shows that 55.1% of the variance in Domain1 (physical) is predicted by PHEMN and DAPS latent vector (LV) scores, while 57.9% of domain2 (psychological), 32.7% of domain3 (social) and 55.0% of domain4 (environment) are explained by DAPS LV scores. TRYCATs and episodic/semantic memory impairments have specific indirect effects on domains 2, 3 and 4, which are mediated by DAPS symptoms, while the effects of TRYCATs on domain1 are mediated by PHEMN and DAPS symptoms. Picolinic acid, xanthurenic acid and 3-hydroxy-kynurenine decrease WHO-QoL scores, whilst anthranilic acid is protective.The results show that lowered HR-Qol in schizophrenia is strongly predicted by noxious TRYCATs, impairments in episodic and semantic memory and DAPS symptoms, especially physio-somatic symptoms and anxiety. Neuro-immune pathways and the consequent cognitive impairments determine to a great extent lowered HR-QoL in schizophrenia.
Genome-wide characterization deciphers distinct properties of major intrinsic proteins in six Phytophthora species
Authors: Azad Abul Kalam , Ahmed Jahed , Hakim Al , Hasan Md. Mahbub , Alum Md. Asraful , Hasan Mahmudul , Ishikawa Takahiro , Sawa Yoshihiro 
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTMajor intrinsic proteins (MIPs), commonly known as aquaporins, facilitate the membrane diffusion of water and some other non- polar solutes. MIPs might be involved in host-pathogen interactions. Herein, we identified 17, 24, 27, 19, 19, and 22 full-length MIPs, respectively, in the genomes of six Phytophthora species, P. infestans, P. parasitica, P. sojae, P. ramorum, P. capsici, and P. cinnamomi. These Phytophthora species are devastating plant pathogens and members of oomycetes, a distinct lineage of fungus-like eukaryotic microbes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Phytophthora MIPs (PMIPs) formed a completely distinct clade from their counterparts in other taxa and were clustered into nine subgroups. Sequence and structural properties indicated that the primary selectivity-related constrictions, including aromatic arginine (ar/R) selectivity filter and Froger’s positions in PMIPs were distinct from those in other taxa. The substitutions in the conserved Asn-Pro-Ala motifs in loops B and E of many PMIPs were also divergent from those in plants. We further deciphered group-specific consensus sequences/motifs in different loops and transmembrane helices of PMIPs, which were distinct from those in plants, animals, and microbes. The data collectively supported the notion that PMIPs might have novel functions.
North Cumbria and North East Transforming Care, transforming lives case study
Authors: Turner Ursula 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe how, as part of a national initiative led by NHS England and key partners, it is transforming lives by helping people with a learning disability, autism or both to live more independent and better quality lives in their own home rather than spending many years in hospital unnecessarily.

Design/methodology/approach
The methodology applied was to capture the real experience of a person with a learning disability, autism or both who successfully moved from long-term hospital care to home. This was achieved through developing a narrative story by capturing their experiences in their own words and the words of the individual’s support team who made this life changing event possible.

Findings
This story shows how with the right planning and support, people with a learning disability can live in their own homes, gain their independence and be supported to take risks.

Originality/value
This is an original case study that has not been published previously and has been written for the sole purpose of this journal.
Internationally educated nurses’ competency assessment and registration outcomes
Authors: Nordstrom Pamela M. , Kwan Jennifer A. , Wang Mengzhe , Qiu Zhenguo (Winston) , Cummings Greta G. , Giblin Cathy 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine relationships between internationally educated nurses’ (IENs’) performance in a registered nurse competency assessment process and the outcomes of their nursing registration applications. Assessments of nursing practice competencies, IEN applicant characteristics and registration outcomes were explored.

Design/methodology/approach
This is a secondary statistical analysis of a subset of IEN application data from a previous study in combination with assessment data from an additional database. Application data between 2008 and 2011 were analyzed using univariate/bivariate analyses and regression models to explore the relationship of performance in the assessment process and outcomes of the registration process.

Findings
Competency categories IEN applicants had difficulties with (from least to most) were Professional Responsibility and Accountability, Ethical Practice, Self-Regulation, Service to the Public, Knowledge-Based Practice: Specialized Body of Knowledge and Knowledge-Based Practice: Competent Application of Knowledge. IENs educated in the UK and USA had the highest scores and odds of meeting competencies. Applicants educated in India and Asia had lower scores and odds ratios. All national entry-to-practice examination and registration eligibility competencies were significantly related to registration outcomes. Applicants passing the exam had higher competency scores while applicants ineligible for registration had lower competency scores.

Research limitations/implications
Limitations include integrity of data extracted from active databases, IEN motivation to complete the RN registration process and conversion of assessment scales for research analysis.

Originality/value
Results inform regulation policies that improve IEN registration processes and may be informative to regulators, assessment centers, educational institutions and IENs.
Armed Conflict and Food Security in West Africa: Socioeconomic Perspective
Authors: Ujunwa Augustine , Okoyeuzu Chinwe , Kalu Ebere Ume 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
West Africa represents a very good case of a sub-region currently plagued with the problem of food insecurity. Traditional theories have attributed the increasing food insecurity in the region to problems of poor governance, corruption and climate change. In view of the persistent and increasing nature of armed conflict in the sub-region, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of increasing armed conflict on food security in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member countries.

Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized the dynamic generalized method of moments (GMM) to investigate the effect of conflict intensity on food security in the 14 member states of the ECOWAS using annualized panel data from 2005 to 2015.

Findings
The findings reveal that armed conflict is a significant predictor of food security in West Africa.

Research limitations/implications
The findings of the study bring to fore, the urgent need to rethink global initiative for combating food insecurity. The effort must also identify the causes of armed conflicts and design sound strategies for de-escalating the armed conflicts. Resolving the escalating armed conflict entails developing a conflict resolution framework that is extremely sensitive to the causes of conflict in Africa and adopting localized ex ante institutional diagnostics that would help in understanding the nature of the conflicts.

Originality/value
Traditional theory perceives climate change, social injustices, property right, food insecurity, religious extremism and bad governance as the predictors of armed conflicts. In this study, the authors departed from the traditional theory by demonstrating that the nature and trend of armed conflict could also pose a serious threat to food security.
Effect of two-phase flow on transmission torque of oil film at high rotational speeds
Authors: Xie Fangwei , Zheng Xudong , Tong Yaowen , Zhang Bing , Guo Xinjian , Wang Dengshuai , Wang Yun 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the working characteristics of hydro-viscous clutch at high rotational speeds and obtain the trend of flow field variation of oil film.

Design/methodology/approach
The FLUENT simulation model of the oil film between the friction disks is built. The effect of variation of working parameters such as input rotational speed, oil flow rate and film thickness on two-phase flow regime and transmission torque is studied by using the volume of fluid model.

Findings
The results show that the higher the rotational speed, the severer the cavitation is. In addition, the two-phase flow region makes the coverage of oil film over the friction pairs’ surface reduce, which results in a decrease in transmission torque for the hydro-viscous clutch.

Originality/value
These simulation results are of interest for the study of hydro-viscous drive and its applications. This study can also provide a theoretical basis for power transmission mechanism of oil film by considering the existence of a two-phase flow regime consisting of oil and air.
How do knowledge spillover and access in supply chain network enhance SMEs’ credit quality?
Authors: Song Hua , Lu Qiang , Yu Kangkang , Qian Cheng 
Published: August 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand how knowledge spillover and access in a supply chain network enhance the credit quality in supply chain finance (SCF) of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachDrawing on network theory and a knowledge-based view (KBV) of SCF, this paper proposes a theoretical model and tests it using survey data from a sample of 248 SMEs in China.FindingsThe main finding is that both strong ties and dense ties within a supply chain network have positive effects on SMEs’ credit quality, and these effects are mediated by knowledge spillover and knowledge access. Interestingly, knowledge spillover is found to have a positive effect on knowledge access.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to investigate the relationship between supply chain network and supply chain financing from a KBV. The proposed model captures the complexity in the interaction among different attributes of supply chain networks (i.e. strong ties and dense ties), different aspects of knowledge transfer (i.e. knowledge spillover and knowledge access) and SMEs’ credit quality in SCF. The results not only show the importance of SMEs’ supply chain networks to SMEs’ credit quality but also contribute to the understanding of the KBV in SCF.
Challenges to and opportunities for establishing a qualitative approach to Built Environment research in higher education institutions
Authors: Umeokafor Nnedinma , Windapo Abimbola 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
There are serious implications for adopting inappropriate research strategies and methods, and this is evident in the Built Environment (BE) given the under adoption of qualitative strategies in some countries. Therefore, based on empirical evidence from Nigeria, the purpose of this study is to examine the challenges to and opportunities for establishing Qualitative Approach (QA) to BE research in higher education institutions (HEIs) and to develop an improvement framework for QA.

Design/methodology/approach
Academics and research students in the BE research of Nigerian HEIs were interviewed and the data analysed thematically. Based on the findings, including recommendations from the respondents, a framework for improving the use of QA in BE research was developed and academics evaluated it for workability.

Findings
This study reveals that the challenges to QA in BE research include information constraints, socio-cultural issues and the negative attitudes of senior academics to QA. The opportunities include the realisation for a paradigm shift, the characteristics of the socio-cultural context and features of BE and the general potentials of QA. The proposed framework encompasses encouraging and providing a platform for international collaboration between academics in developing and developed countries, and preferential treatment for QA. It also enables regulatory and incentive mechanisms, which will act as drivers.

Practical implications
This study provides stakeholders in academia with knowledge and a detailed guideline for establishing QA to research in the BE.

Originality/value
This study provides a country context-based detailed guide for establishing QA in HEIs BE research towards ensuring that research strategies adopted in BE research are fit for purpose, in turn are aligned to addressing problems in the society. There is little or no study of this nature in BE.
Macroeconomic drivers of London house prices
Authors: Sivitanides Petros Stavrou 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to validate and quantify the effect of key macroeconomic drivers on London house prices using annual data over the period 1983–2016.

Design/methodology/approach
Within this context, the authors estimate alternative error-correction and partial-adjustment models (PAMs), which have been widely used in the empirical literature in modelling the slow adjustments of house prices to demand and supply shocks.

Findings
The results verify the existence of a strong long-term relationship between London house prices and key macroeconomic variables, such as UK GDP, London population and housing completions. A key finding of the study relevant to the debate on the causes of the housing affordability crisis is that the results provide little evidence in support of the argument that user demand, which is captured in the author’s model by Greater London population, may have had a diminished role in driving house price inflation in London.

Practical implications
The practical and policy implications of the results are that increased homebuilding activity in London will undoubtedly help limit house price increases. Also, any potential reduction of immigration and economic growth due to Brexit will also have a similar effect.

Originality/value
The originality of this research lies in the use of annual data that may better capture the long-term effect of macroeconomic drivers on house prices and the estimation of such effects through both error-correction and partial-adjustment models.