bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reduction of Coronary Motion Artifacts in Prospectively Electrocardiography-Gated Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Using Monochromatic Imaging at Various Energy Levels in Combination With a Motion Correction Algorithm on Single-Source Fast Tube Voltage Switching Dual-Energy Computed Tomography
Authors: Machida Haruhiko , Fukui Rika , Gao Jianbo , Tanaka Isao , Shen Yun , Suzuki Shigeru , Ishikawa Takuya , Ueno Eiko 
Published: February 2016

Objectives
The aim of this study was to assess the effect of monochromatic imaging at various energy levels in combination with a motion correction algorithm (MCA) in single-source dual-energy coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with fast switching of tube voltage on the reduction of coronary motion artifacts (CMA) in a phantom setting.

Materials and Methods
Using this dual-energy computed tomography technique with a phantom comprising models of coronary vessels filled with contrast medium and pulsating at constant heart rates of 60 to 100 beats per minute, we reconstructed monochromatic images of CCTA obtained at 50 to 90 keV with and without use of MCA. Cardiac motion was modeled by simulating the in vivo time-volume curve of the left ventricle. Two independent readers graded CMA in 9 coronary segments using a 5-point scale (1, poor; 3 to 5, interpretable; 5, excellent). At each heart rate, we compared the average score of CMA between images obtained at 50 to 90 keV with and without use of MCA using Wilcoxon signed rank test, and we compared the score among images obtained at 50 to 90 keV with use of MCA using Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc tests. We also compared the percentages of image interpretability and improvement in image interpretability among images obtained at 50 to 90 keV with use of MCA.

Results
With the use of MCA, the average score of CMA was significantly higher for images obtained at each energy level from 50 to 70 keV (P < 0.05) and was comparable at 80 and 90 keV, and it was comparable among those obtained at 50 to 70 keV. With its use, the percentages of image interpretability were similarly high at 50 to 70 keV at 60 to 80 beats per minute (78%–100%), and they were higher at 50 to 60 keV (72%–83%) than at 70 keV at 90 to 100 beats per minute (50%–56%). The percentages of improved image interpretability with MCA were similarly high at 50 to 70 keV at 60 to 80 beats per minute (56%–100%), and they were higher at 50 to 60 keV (62%–77%) than at 70 keV at 90 to 100 beats per minute (36%–43%). The percentages of image interpretability and improved image interpretability with MCA were insufficient at 80 and 90 keV.

Conclusions
Coronary motion artifacts were significantly reduced in images of monochromatic CCTA obtained at 50 to 70 keV in combination with MCA compared with those obtained without MCA, and the percentages of image interpretability and improved image interpretability with use of MCA were relatively high at 50 to 70 keV, and particularly at 50 to 60 keV, even at 90 to 100 beats per minute.
The importance of key supplier relationship management in supply chains
Authors: Teller Christoph , Kotzab Herbert , Grant David B. , Holweg Christina 
Published: February 2016

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of key supplier relationship management (KSRM) – understood as an aggregated supply chain management (SCM) process in the upstream direction – on the overall level of the execution of SCM within organizations.Design/methodology/approach– A conceptual model is developed from a theoretical framework and proposes the capability to do KSRM as a mediator between internal and external SCM resources and SCM execution. A survey of 174 managers representing different supply chain stages is used to test the model through variance-based structural equation modelling.Findings– The findings reveal that external SCM resources directly affect the capability to do KSRM. Nevertheless, internal resources show a considerable indirect impact through external resources and can thus be considered an indirect determinant. The capability to do KSRM in turn impacts upon the level of SCM execution, measured in terms of the integration of business processes, directly and substantially, as well as mediating the effect between SCM resources and the level of SCM execution.Originality/value– The main contribution of this paper is to empirically demonstrate the potential of KSRM for enhancing the level of SCM execution within organizations and consequently the level of integration in supply chains, leading to higher customer and shareholder value.
A phase I pharmacokinetics trial comparing PF‐05280586 (a potential biosimilar) and rituximab in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Cohen Stanley , Emery Paul , Greenwald Maria , Yin Donghua , Becker Jean‐Claude , Melia Lisa Ann , Li Ruifeng , Gumbiner Barry , Thomas Dolca , Spencer‐Green George , Meng Xu 
Published: February 2016

AimsPharmacokinetic (PK) similarity was assessed among PF‐05280586 (a proposed biosimilar) vs. rituximab sourced from the European Union (rituximab‐EU) and the United States (rituximab‐US). Pharmacodynamics (PD), overall safety and immunogenicity were also evaluated.MethodsPatients with active rheumatoid arthritis on a background of methotrexate and inadequate response to one or more tumour necrosis factor antagonist therapies were randomized to intravenous PF‐05280586, rituximab‐EU or rituximab‐US 1000 mg doses on study days 1 and 15.ResultsA total of 220 patients were randomized to receive study treatment as assigned. Of these, 198 met per‐protocol population criteria for inclusion in the PK data analysis. PF‐05280586, rituximab‐EU and rituximab‐US exhibited similar PK profiles following administration of assigned study drug on days 1 and 15. The 90% confidence intervals of test‐to‐reference ratios for Cmax, AUCT, AUC0–∞ and AUC2‐week were within the bioequivalence margin of 80.00–125.00% for comparisons of PF‐05280586 with rituximab‐EU, PF‐05280586 with rituximab‐US, and rituximab‐EU with rituximab‐US. All treatments resulted in a rapid and profound reduction in CD19+ B cells and sustained profound B cell suppression up to week 25. The incidence of antidrug antibody (ADA) response (n = 7, 10 and 9 for PF‐05280586, rituximab‐EU and rituximab‐US, respectively), time to ADA emergence and ADA titres were similar across treatments. None of the ADA‐positive samples was positive for neutralizing activity. No clinically meaningful differences in adverse events were identified.ConclusionsThe study demonstrated PK similarity among PF‐05280586, rituximab‐EU and rituximab‐US. In addition, all treatments showed comparable CD19+ B cell depletion PD responses, as well as safety and immunogenicity profiles.
Fused Lasso with the Adaptation of Parameter Ordering in Combining Multiple Studies with Repeated Measurements
Authors: Wang Fei , Wang Lu , Song Peter X.-K. 
Published: February 2016

Summary
Combining multiple studies is frequently undertaken in biomedical research to increase sample sizes for statistical power improvement. We consider the marginal model for the regression analysis of repeated measurements collected in several similar studies with potentially different variances and correlation structures. It is of great importance to examine whether there exist common parameters across study-specific marginal models so that simpler models, sensible interpretations, and meaningful efficiency gain can be obtained. Combining multiple studies via the classical means of hypothesis testing involves a large number of simultaneous tests for all possible subsets of common regression parameters, in which it results in unduly large degrees of freedom and low statistical power. We develop a new method of fused lasso with the adaptation of parameter ordering (FLAPO) to scrutinize only adjacent-pair parameter differences, leading to a substantial reduction for the number of involved constraints. Our method enjoys the oracle properties as does the full fused lasso based on all pairwise parameter differences. We show that FLAPO gives estimators with smaller error bounds and better finite sample performance than the full fused lasso. We also establish a regularized inference procedure based on bias-corrected FLAPO. We illustrate our method through both simulation studies and an analysis of HIV surveillance data collected over five geographic regions in China, in which the presence or absence of common covariate effects is reflective to relative effectiveness of regional policies on HIV control and prevention.
Kinematic gait deficits at the trunk and pelvis: characteristic features in children with hereditary spastic paraplegia
Authors: Adair Brooke , Rodda Jillian , McGinley Jennifer L , Graham H Kerr , Morris Meg E 
Published: February 2016

AimTo examine the kinematic gait deviations at the trunk and pelvis of children with hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP).MethodThis exploratory observational study quantified gait kinematics for the trunk and pelvis from 11 children with HSP (7 males, 4 females) using the Gait Profile Score and Gait Variable Scores (GVS), and compared the kinematics to data from children with typical development using a Mann–Whitney U test.ResultsChildren with HSP (median age 11y 4mo, interquartile range 4y) demonstrated large deviations in the GVS for the trunk and pelvis in the sagittal and coronal planes when compared to the gait patterns of children with typical development (p=0.010–0.020). Specific deviations included increased range of movement for the trunk in the coronal plane and increased excursion of the trunk and pelvis in the sagittal plane. In the transverse plane, children with HSP demonstrated later peaks in posterior pelvic rotation.InterpretationThe kinematic gait deviations identified in this study raise questions about the contribution of muscle weakness in HSP. Further research is warranted to determine contributing factors for gait dysfunction in HSP, especially the relative influence of spasticity and weakness.
Free radicals induced by sunlight in different spectral regions – in vivo versus ex vivo study
Authors: Lohan Silke B. , Müller Robert , Albrecht Stephanie , Mink Kathrin , Tscherch Kathrin , Ismaeel Fakher , Lademann Jürgen , Rohn Sascha , Meinke Martina C. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSunlight represents an exogenous factor stimulating formation of free radicals which can induce cell damage. To assess the effect of the different spectral solar regions on the development of free radicals in skin, in vivo electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) investigations with human volunteers and ex vivo studies on excised human and porcine skin were carried out. For all skin probes, the ultraviolet (UV) spectral region stimulates the most intensive radical formation, followed by the visible (VIS) and the near infrared (NIR) regions. A comparison between the different skin models shows that for UV light, the fastest and highest production of free radicals could be detected in vivo, followed by excised porcine and human skin. The same distribution pattern was found for the VIS/NIR spectral regions, whereby the differences in radical formation between in vivo and ex vivo were less pronounced. An analysis of lipid composition in vivo before and after exposure to UV light clearly showed modifications in several skin lipid components; a decrease of ceramide subclass [AP2] and an increase of ceramide subclass [NP2], sodium cholesterol sulphate and squalene (SQ) were detectable. In contrast, VIS/NIR irradiation led to an increase of ceramides [AP2] and SCS, and a decrease of SQ. These results, which are largely comparable for the different skin models investigated in vivo and ex vivo, indicate that radiation exposure in different spectral regions strongly influences radical production in skin and also results in changes in skin lipid composition, which is essential for barrier function.
India's Groundwater Storage Trends Influenced by Tube Well Intensification
Authors: Chinnasamy Pennan , Agoramoorthy Govindasamy 
Published: February 2016

AbstractAgriculture is a major occupation for people who inhabit the state of West Bengal in India. In order to boost irrigation, 570 tube wells per year were installed during 2002‐2008, and 12,000 wells per year were installed during 2009‐2013, contributing to higher groundwater (GW) withdrawal. However, the impact of tube wells on GW storage levels has not been well‐studied, both spatially and temporally. Hence, this study used remote sensing data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment and the Global Land Data Assimilation Systems to assess change in GW storage. Results showed that GW is being depleted at 8, 5.3, and 14.7 cm (Billion Cubic Meters)/year during the study period. After tube well intensification, the state‐wide average net GW recharge was 15.33 BCM/year, while the net GW discharge was at 19 BCM/year. The spatiotemporal GW storage data presented in this paper will benefit managers and policymakers in identifying suitable mitigation plans for future management of GW resources.
Growth Effects of Remittances in Bangladesh: Is there a U‐shaped Relationship?
Authors: Hassan Gazi M. , Chowdhury Mamta , Bhuyan Mohammed 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis article shows that the effect of remittances on economic growth involves a U‐shaped pattern, which is negative initially but later becomes positive. The analysis differs significantly from earlier studies in that it examines important methodological issues on the specification and estimation of the long‐run growth effects of remittances by estimating their impact on total factor productivity (TFP) rather than on the growth rate of GDP, using time series data from Bangladesh. The use of single‐equation cointegration methods shows that remittances’ effect on long‐run growth in Bangladesh is negative and falling until the remittances‐to‐GDP ratio is roughly eight per cent. The benefits of remittances receipts outweigh their costs and their net effects start to become positive when the ratio exceeds 14 per cent.
Matched population‐based study examining the risk of type 2 diabetes in people with and without diagnosed hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Schnier C. , Wild S. , Kurdi Z. , Povey C. , Goldberg D. J. , Hutchinson S. J. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryMeta‐analyses have found hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Here, we examine this association within a large population‐based study, according to HCV RNA status. A data‐linkage approach was used to examine the excess risk of diagnosed T2DM in people diagnosed with antibodies to HCV (anti‐HCV) in Scotland (21 929 anti‐HCV+ves; involving 15 827 HCV RNA+ves, 3927 HCV RNA−ves and 2175 with unknown RNA‐status) compared to that of a threefold larger general population sample matched for gender, age and postcode (65 074 anti‐HCV−ves). To investigate effects of ascertainment bias the following periods were studied: up to 1 year before (pre‐HCV)/within 1 year of (peri‐HCV)/more than 1 year post (post‐HCV) the date of HCV‐diagnosis. T2DM had been diagnosed in 2.9% of anti‐HCV+ves (including 3.2% of HCV RNA+ves and 2.3% of HCV RNA−ves) and 2.7% of anti‐HCV−ves. A higher proportion of T2DM was diagnosed in the peri‐HCV period (i.e. around the time of HCV‐diagnosis) for the anti‐HCV+ves (22%) compared to anti‐HCV−ves (10%). In both the pre‐HCV and post‐HCV periods, only those anti‐HCV+ves living in less deprived areas (13% of the cohort) were found to have a significant excess risk of T2DM compared to anti‐HCV−ves (adjusted odds ratio in the pre‐HCV period: 4.0 for females and 2.3 for males; adjusted hazard ratio in the post‐HCV period: 1.5). These findings were similarly observed for both HCV RNA+ves (chronic) and HCV RNA−ves (resolved). In the largest study of T2DM among chronic HCV‐infected individuals to date, there was no evidence to indicate that infection conveyed an appreciable excess risk of T2DM at the population level.
Path‐dependency versus Reform in Pensions and Family Policy Re‐examined: Dual Trajectories of the Polish Welfare State since the 1990s
Authors: Inglot Tomasz 
Published: February 2016

AbstractMany studies of the welfare state in Poland underestimate continuity in pension policy and overlook evidence of change in family policy. I argue that each of these policies evolves historically along dual trajectories. One trajectory represents a set of constantly reproduced and politically reinforced norms and structures, and the other exemplifies cyclical, emergency adjustments and innovations, enabling incremental and cumulative change that may potentially produce path‐departure. Even though the paradigms which guide the two policy areas originate in the same period of the golden age of the European welfare state, pensions, which more closely resemble the overall development of Polish social policy as a whole, are likely to remain path‐dependent more consistently into the future, whereas family policy exhibits clear signs of change, indicating a gradual but significant break with the past.
Herpes Simplex Virus and Interferon Signaling Induce Novel Autophagic Clusters in Sensory Neurons
Authors: Katzenell Sarah , Leib David A. 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) establishes lifelong infection in the neurons of trigeminal ganglia (TG), cycling between productive infection and latency. Neuronal antiviral responses are driven by type I interferon (IFN) and are crucial to controlling HSV-1 virulence. Autophagy also plays a role in this neuronal antiviral response, but the mechanism remains obscure. In this study, HSV-1 infection of murine TG neurons triggered unusual clusters of autophagosomes, predominantly in neurons lacking detectable HSV-1 antigen. Treatment of neurons with IFN-β induced a similar response, and cluster formation by infection or IFN treatment was dependent upon an intact IFN-signaling pathway. The autophagic clusters were decorated with both ISG15, an essential effecter of the antiviral response, and p62, a selective autophagy receptor. The autophagic clusters were not induced by rapamycin or starvation, consistent with a process of selective autophagy. While clusters were triggered by other neurotropic herpesviruses, infection with unrelated viruses failed to induce this response. Following ocular infection
in vivo
, clusters formed exclusively in the infected ophthalmic branch of the TG. Taken together, our results show that infection with HSV and antiviral signaling in TG neurons produce an unorthodox autophagic response. This autophagic clustering is associated with antiviral signaling, the presence of viral genome, and the absence of HSV protein expression and may therefore represent an important neuronal response to HSV infection and the establishment of latency.

IMPORTANCE
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a ubiquitous virus and a significant cause of morbidity and some mortality. It is the causative agent of benign cold sores, but it can also cause blindness and life-threatening encephalitis. The success of HSV-1 is largely due to its ability to establish lifelong latent infections in neurons and to occasionally reactivate. The exact mechanisms by which neurons defend against virus infection is poorly understood, but such defense is at least partially mediated by autophagy, an intracellular pathway by which pathogens and other unwanted cargoes are degraded. The study demonstrates and investigates a new autophagic structure that appears to be specific to the interaction between neurotropic herpesviruses and murine primary sensory neurons. This work may therefore have important implications for our understanding of latency and reactivation.
An FLRW cosmology with a chameleon field
Authors: Karchi Amir Pouyan Khosravi , Shojaie Hossein 
Published: February 2016

In this paper, the field equations of a chameleon field in which the matter Lagrangian term is a general function of the scalar field as well as matter field, are derived. The equations are then expressed in Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker (FLRW) framework and the associated phase portraits and a power law solution are discussed in details. It is shown that why nonminimal coupling between the chameleon and matter fields leads to an energy transfer between the fields, which consequently affects the expansion rate of the universe. The transfer direction is determined by the second law of thermodynamics. The solution indicates that an accelerating expansion of the universe can be described as a result of the energy flow from the chameleon field to matter field.
Quinoline-annulated chlorins and chlorin-analogs
Authors: Akhigbe Joshua , Yang Mengxi , Luciano Michael , Brückner Christian 
Published: February 2016

The OsO4-mediated dihydroxylation of quinoline-annulated porphyrin generates a quinoline-annulated dihydroxychlorin in a regioselective fashion. Its dihydroxypyrroline moiety, located at the opposite of the annulated pyrrole, is susceptible to the same functional group interconversions we previously demonstrated for non-annulated dihydroxychlorins: oxidations to the corresponding dione, lactone, and dialkoxymorpholine derivatives. The quinoline-annulated chlorin and derivatives are all characterized by absorption spectra that are much broadened and between 130 and 220 nm red-shifted compared to their non-annulated analogs. Absorbance maxima in the NIR up to well above 800 nm were recorded. We attribute the bathochromic shift to their extended [Formula: see text]-systems and inferred non-planarity, highlighting that quinoline-annulation is a particularly effective and simple strategy to red-shift the absorption spectra of chlorins and chlorin analogs.
Relationships between duplex findings and quality of life in long-term follow-up of patients treated for chronic venous disease
Authors: Huang Ying , Gloviczki Peter 
Published: February 2016

Objective Relationships between duplex findings and data on health-related quality of life (QoL) to assess long-term results of treatment of varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) are not well known. The goal of this review was to correlate duplex findings and QoL assessments in clinical studies with long-term follow-up. Methods A review of the English language literature on PUBMED revealed 17 clinical studies, including 9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 6 prospective, and 2 retrospective studies that included patients with at least 5-year follow-up after endovenous laser ablation (EVLA), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS), and traditional superficial venous surgery. Results At 5 years, great saphenous vein (GSV) occlusion rate on duplex ultrasound ranged from 66% to 82% for EVLA, from 62% to 92% for RFA, from 41% to 58% for UGFS and from 54% to 85% for surgery. Freedom from GSV reflux rates were 82% and 84%, respectively for EVLA and surgery, and ranged between 84% and 95% for RFA. Significant improvements were observed in several domains of generic QoL and in most domains of venous disease-specific QoL, irrespective of the treatment. In at least one RCT, CIVIQ scores correlated well with abnormal duplex findings in patients who underwent treatment with UGFS. In another RCT, long-term AVVQ was significantly better after surgery as compared with UGFS similar to results of duplex findings. Conclusions Analysis of the available literature confirmed that all four techniques were effective in the abolishment of reflux or obliteration of the GSV. Moreover, well-designed RCTs with large sample size are needed to produce robust long-term data on clinical outcome after treatment of varicose veins and CVI and to better understand the relationships between duplex-derived data and QoL assessments.