bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
T1 and T2 estimation in complex domain: First results on clinical data
Authors: Baselice Fabio , Caivano Rocchina , Cammarota Aldo , Ferraioli Giampaolo , Pascazio Vito 
Published: March 2015

PurposeThe article provides a practical method for generating T1 and T2 maps from multiple, sequentially acquired Spin Echo images. First results on real data for diagnostic purposes are presented and discussed in order to investigate the possible clinical usages of the proposed technique. The main advantage of the method is its ability in identifying even very small variation in one or both relaxation time maps, allowing a more clear differentiation of tissues across the whole image, instead of highlighting only high vascularized regions, such as in contrast medium based images.Theory and MethodsFor the joint estimation of relaxation time maps, the method exploits the full complex acquired data instead of amplitude acquisitions. This allows having an estimator able to provide unbiased results even in case of tissues characterized by weak Signal to Noise Ratio.ResultsThe effectiveness of the proposed approach is shown on different real case studies: a phantom dataset for quantitative analysis and three human brain datasets for diagnostic purposes.ConclusionThe proposed method shows very interesting and promising results when applied to clinical datasets. The innovative technique is able to evaluate the biological topography and highlight lesions not otherwise easily distinguishable with standard examinations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part A 43A: 166–176, 2015.
The Predictive Performance Evaluation of Biased Regression Predictors With Correlated Errors
Authors: Dawoud Issam , Kaçiranlar Selahattin 
Published: March 2015

AbstractWhen the interdependence of disturbances is present in a regression model, the pattern of sample residuals contains information which is useful in the prediction of post‐sample drawings and when multicollinearity among regressors is also present, it is useful to use biased regression estimators. This information is exploited in the biased predictors derived here. Also, the predictive performance of various biased predictors with correlated errors is discussed and all pair‐wise comparisons are made among these predictors. The theoretical results are illustrated by a numerical example. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incident Vertebral Fractures and Risk Factors in the First Three Years Following Glucocorticoid Initiation Among Pediatric Patients With Rheumatic Disorders
Authors: LeBlanc Claire MA , Ma Jinhui , Taljaard Monica , Roth Johannes , Scuccimarri Rosie , Miettunen Paivi , Lang Bianca , Huber Adam M , Houghton Kristin , Jaremko Jacob L , Ho Josephine , Shenouda Nazih , Matzinger Mary Ann , Lentle Brian , Stein Robert , Sbrocchi Anne Marie , Oen Kiem , Rodd Celia , Jurencak Roman , Cummings Elizabeth A , Couch Robert , Cabral David A , Atkinson Stephanie , Alos Nathalie , Rauch Frank , Siminoski Kerry , Ward Leanne M ,   the Canadian STeroid-Associated Osteoporosis in the Pediatric Population (STOPP) Consortium
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACT

Vertebral fractures are an important yet underrecognized manifestation of osteoporosis in children with chronic, glucocorticoid-treated illnesses. Our goal was to determine the incidence and clinical predictors of vertebral fractures in the 3 years following glucocorticoid initiation among pediatric patients with rheumatic disorders. Incident vertebral fractures were evaluated according to the Genant semiquantitative method on lateral radiographs at baseline and then annually in the 3 years following glucocorticoid initiation. Extended Cox models were used to assess the association between vertebral fractures and clinical risk predictors. A total of 134 children with rheumatic disorders were enrolled in the study (mean ± standard deviation (SD) age 9.9 ± 4.4 years; 65% girls). The unadjusted vertebral fracture incidence rate was 4.4 per 100 person-years, with a 3-year incidence proportion of 12.4%. The highest annual incidence occurred in the first year (6.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.9% to 11.7%). Almost one-half of the patients with fractures were asymptomatic. Every 0.5 mg/kg increase in average daily glucocorticoid (prednisone equivalents) dose was associated with a twofold increased fracture risk (hazard ratio (HR) 2.0; 95% CI 1.1 to 3.5). Other predictors of increased vertebral fracture risk included: (1) increases in disease severity scores between baseline and 12 months; (2) increases in body mass index Z-scores in the first 6 months of each 12-month period preceding the annual fracture assessment; and (3) decreases in lumbar spine bone mineral density Z-scores in the first 6 months of glucocorticoid therapy. As such, we observed that a clinically significant number of children with rheumatic disorders developed incident vertebral fractures in the 3 years following glucocorticoid initiation. Almost one-half of the children were asymptomatic and thereby would have been undiagnosed in the absence of radiographic monitoring. In addition, discrete clinical predictors of incident vertebral fractures were evident early in the course of glucocorticoid therapy. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Adverse Fat Depots and Marrow Adiposity Are Associated With Skeletal Deficits and Insulin Resistance in Long-Term Survivors of Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Mostoufi-Moab Sogol , Magland Jeremy , Isaacoff Elizabeth J , Sun Wenli , Rajapakse Chamith S , Zemel Babette , Wehrli Felix , Shekdar Karuna , Baker Joshua , Long Jin , Leonard Mary B 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACT

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (alloHSCT) survivors treated with total body irradiation (TBI) exhibit bone deficits and excess adiposity, potentially related to altered mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into osteoblasts or adipocytes. We examined associations among fat distribution, bone microarchitecture, and insulin resistance in alloHSCT survivors after TBI. This was a cross-sectional observational study of 25 alloHSCT survivors (aged 12 to 25 years) a median of 9.7 (4.3 to 19.3) years after alloHSCT compared to 25 age-, race-, and sex-matched healthy controls. Vertebral MR spectroscopic imaging and tibia micro-MRI were used to quantify marrow adipose tissue (MAT) and trabecular microarchitecture. Additional measures included DXA whole-body fat mass (WB-FM), leg lean mass (Leg-LM), trunk visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and CT calf muscle density. Insulin resistance in alloHSCT survivors was estimated by HOMA-IR. AlloHSCT survivors had lower Leg-LM (p &lt; 0.001) and greater VAT (p &lt; 0.01), MAT (p &lt; 0.001), and fat infiltration of muscle (p = 0.04) independent of WB-FM, versus matched controls; BMI did not differ. Survivors had lower bone volume fraction and abnormal microarchitecture including greater erosion and more rod-like structure versus controls (all p = 0.04); 14 had vertebral deformities and two had compression fractures. Greater WB-FM, VAT, MAT, and muscle fat infiltration were associated with abnormal trabecular microarchitecture (p &lt; 0.04 for all). AlloHSCT HOMA-IR was elevated, associated with younger age at transplantation (p &lt; 0.01), and positively correlated with WB-FM and VAT (both p &lt; 0.01). In conclusion, the markedly increased marrow adiposity, abnormal bone microarchitecture, and abnormal fat distribution highlight the risks of long-term treatment-related morbidity and mortality in alloHSCT recipients after TBI. Trabecular deterioration was associated with marrow and visceral adiposity. Furthermore, long-term survivors demonstrated sarcopenic obesity, insulin resistance, and vertebral deformities. Future studies are needed to identify strategies to prevent and treat metabolic and skeletal complications in this growing population of childhood alloHSCT survivors. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Estimating China's Foreign Aid 2001–2013
Authors: Kitano Naohiro , Harada Yukinori 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThis paper aims to estimate China's net foreign aid from 2001 to 2013 as compared with net official development assistance (ODA) figures, which the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) customarily uses. First, a practical definition to capture China's foreign aid activities as a proxy for China's ODA was proposed. Second, both net and gross disbursements of China's foreign aid were estimated. Third, the results were compared with DAC members' ODA; China's donor ranking has moved up from 16th in 2001 to 6th in 2012 and 2013. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal FCFS allocation rules for periodic‐review assemble‐to‐order systems
Authors: Huang Kai , de Kok Ton 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIn Assemble‐To‐Order (ATO) systems, situations may arise in which customer demand must be backlogged due to a shortage of some components, leaving available stock of other components unused. Such unused component stock is called remnant stock. Remnant stock is a consequence of both component ordering decisions and decisions regarding allocation of components to end‐product demand. In this article, we examine periodic‐review ATO systems under linear holding and backlogging costs with a component installation stock policy and a First‐Come‐First‐Served (FCFS) allocation policy. We show that the FCFS allocation policy decouples the problem of optimal component allocation over time into deterministic period‐by‐period optimal component allocation problems. We denote the optimal allocation of components to end‐product demand as multimatching. We solve the multi‐matching problem by an iterative algorithm. In addition, an approximation scheme for the joint replenishment and allocation optimization problem with both upper and lower bounds is proposed. Numerical experiments for base‐stock component replenishment policies show that under optimal base‐stock policies and optimal allocation, remnant stock holding costs must be taken into account. Finally, joint optimization incorporating optimal FCFS component allocation is valuable because it provides a benchmark against which heuristic methods can be compared. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 158–169, 2015
Antibiotic use from conception to diagnosis of child leukaemia as compared to the background population: A nested case–control study
Authors: Gradel Kim Oren , Kærlev Linda 
Published: March 2015

BackgroundThe role of infection in the aetiology of childhood leukaemia is unknown. We used prescriptions of antibiotics from Danish pharmacies as a proxy measure for the occurrence of infections.ProcedureWe investigated the association between exposure to antibiotics, from conception to leukaemia diagnosis, and the risk of leukaemia. Incident cases of leukaemia among children in Denmark, 1995–2008, with mothers having their earliest conception date in 1995, were individually matched to population controls by age, sex and municipality. Conditional logistic regression analyses assessed antibiotic redemptions in different time periods from conception up to 6 months before the diagnoses of all leukaemia types, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia [ALL] and ALL in 2‐ to 5‐year‐old children, adjusting for several potential confounders.ResultsA total of 120/360 (33.3%) leukaemia mothers and 1,081/3,509 (30.8%) control mothers redeemed antibiotics during pregnancy (P = 0.32). For children, the equivalent numbers were 276 (76.7%) and 2,665 (75.9%) (P = 0.76). Histograms of antibiotic redemptions showed no temporal differences between leukaemia mothers/children and controls, which was confirmed in adjusted regression analyses (OR [95% CI]: 1.02 [0.75–1.38]). Only antibiotics redeemed during the first year after birth differed from this (OR [95% CI] for ALL diagnosed in 2‐ to 5‐year‐old children: 0.46 [0.31–0.66]).ConclusionsIn this hypothesis generating study, the similar amount and pattern of antibiotic redemptions in children with and without leukaemia indicate that infections play a minor role in the aetiology of childhood leukaemia. However, less antibiotic redemptions during the first year of life conform to Greaves' ‘delayed infection hypothesis’. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:1155–1161. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A longitudinal study of cannabis use initiation among high school students: Effects of social anxiety, expectancies, peers and alcohol
Authors: Schmits Emilie , Mathys Cécile , Quertemont Etienne 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTThis study identified protective and risk factors of cannabis use initiation, including expectancies and social anxiety. A questionnaire was completed twice by 877 teenagers. Logistic regressions, mediation and moderation analyses were performed. Significant risk factors were alcohol use, peer users, perceptual enhancement, and craving expectancies. Protective factors were negative behavior expectancies and social anxiety. Social anxiety protected from initiation through the mediating role of perceptual enhancement and craving expectancies, whatever the role of peer users and alcohol use. Findings are discussed in terms of risk and protection, in an overall approach including internalizing factors. Results support the identification of an internalizing profile of adolescents for prevention or treatment and the importance of social anxiety and expectancies in intervention.
Protective roles of selenium and zinc against postnatal protein‐undernutrition‐induced alterations in Ca2+‐homeostasis leading to cognitive deficits in Wistar rats
Authors: Adebayo Olusegun L. , Sandhir Rajat , Adenuga Gbenga A. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractPostnatal protein‐undernutrition impacts on mental development and cognition in children and can lead to problem with attention and unresponsiveness which compromise children's ability to learn. These behavioral disorders might be due to alteration in calcium homeostasis as calcium plays critical roles in fundamental functions of neuron. The role of low protein diet as well as Se and Zn supplementation on intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), Ca2+‐ATPase, Na+‐K+‐ATPase, calpain and caspase‐3 activities from rat cortex and cerebellum were investigated. Well‐fed (WF) and low protein diet‐fed (LPDF) rats were given diets containing 16% and 5% casein, respectively, for a period of 10 weeks. Then, the rats were supplemented with Se and Zn at a concentration of 0.15 mg L−1 and 227 mg L−1, respectively, in drinking water for 3 weeks. The results obtained from the study showed a significant increase in [Ca2+]i; calpain and caspase‐3 activities as well as increase transfer latency in water maze study and reductions in Ca2+‐ATPase and Na+‐K+‐ATPase activities for LPDF rats compared to WF rats. Se and Zn supplementation to LPDF rats reversed the elevation in [Ca2+]i, calpain and caspase‐3 activities and restored the cognitive deficits and the activities of Ca2+‐ATPase and Na+‐K+‐ATPase. Conclusively, protein‐undernutrition results in the accumulation of synaptosomal calcium and inhibition of calcium transporters presumably via free radical generations and results in cognitive impairment which also probably results from neuronal death in rats through calpain activation and the caspase cascade mechanisms. However, Se and Zn supplementations ameliorated the anomalies observed.
Phanerozoic diversity and neutral theory
Authors: Holland Steven M. , Sclafani Judith A. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractAlthough Phanerozoic increases in the global richness, local richness, and evenness of marine invertebrates are well documented, a common explanation for these patterns has been difficult to identify. Evidence is presented here from marine invertebrate communities that there is a Phanerozoic increase in the fundamental biodiversity number (θ), which describes diversity and relative abundance distributions in neutral ecological theory. If marine ecosystems behave according to the rules of Hubbell’s Neutral Theory of Biodiversity and Biogeography, the Phanerozoic increase inθsuggests three possible mechanisms for the parallel increases in global richness, local richness, and evenness: (1) an increase in the per-individual probability of speciation, (2) an increase in the area occupied by marine metacommunities, and (3) an increase in the density (per-area abundance) of marine organisms. Because speciation rates have declined over time and because there is no clear evidence for an increase in metacommunity area through the Phanerozoic, the most likely of these is an increase in the spatial density of marine invertebrates over the Phanerozoic, an interpretation supported by previous studies of fossil abundance. This, coupled with a Phanerozoic rise in body size, suggests that an increase in primary productivity through time is the primary cause of Phanerozoic increases inθ, global richness, local richness, local evenness, abundance, and body size.
Dietary linoleic acid requirements in the presence of α-linolenic acid are lower than the historical 2 % of energy intake value, study in rats
Authors: Choque Benjamin , Catheline Daniel , Delplanque Bernadette , Guesnet Philippe , Legrand Philippe 
Published: March 2015

Previous studies on rats and human subjects have established that the linoleic acid (LA) requirement is 2 % of the total energy intake (en%), but is obtained in the absence of α-linolenic acid (ALA) and consequently appear to be overestimated. This raises questions since a recent study including ALA has suggested to divide the historical value by four. However, this recent study has remained inconclusive because the animals used were not totally LA-deficient animals. For the first time, the present study was especially designed using physiological and biochemical markers and performed in two steps: (1) to achieve a specificn-6 fatty acid deficiency model using growing male rats fed either a 0 en% from LA/0 en% from ALA (0LA/0ALA), 0LA/0·5ALA or 2LA/0·5ALA diet, born from female rats fed a 0LA/0·5ALA diet; and (2) to refine the required level of LA in the presence of ALA using rats fed either a 0LA/0ALA, 0·5LA/0·5ALA, 1LA/0·5ALA, 1·5LA/0·5ALA diet, born from female rats fed a 0LA/0·5ALA diet. The first step shows that the best LA deficiency model was obtained using rats fed the 0LA/0ALA diet, born from female rats fed the 0LA/0·5ALA diet. The second step demonstrates that in growing rats, LA deficiency was corrected with an intake of 1–1·5 en% from LA and 0·5 en% from ALA. These data suggest that the requirements in humans should be revisited, considering the presence of ALA to set up the recommendation for LA.
Meteorite traces on a shatter cone surface from the Agoudal impact site, Morocco
Authors: SCHMIEDER M. , CHENNAOUI AOUDJEHANE H. , BUCHNER E. , TOHVER E. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe recently discovered Agoudal impact site in Morocco is a small, eroded impact structure with well-developed shatter cones. A scanning electron microscopic study of a shatter cone surface has revealed the presence of schreibersite – a phosphide very rare on Earth but common in iron meteorites – and Fe–Ni oxides. This is the first reported evidence for primary meteoritic matter adherent to shatter cones and suggests that the Agoudal crater was formed by the impact of an iron meteorite, probably the Agoudal IIAB iron. Shatter cones from other terrestrial impact structures might also hold valuable information about the nature of the impacting projectiles.
Principles-Based Regulations: A Model for Legal Reform in the Nigerian Insurance Industry
Authors: Oyetayo Yeside 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe development of global standards has led to a convergence in domestic regulations in the financial services sectors. Principles-based regulations (PBRs) have become essential for effective regulatory efforts in insurance and other financial services because of their flexibility, support for regulatory efficiency and the development of a good compliance culture amongst the regulated. The legal framework of the Nigerian insurance industry mainly contains prescriptive and performance-based regimes that have become ineffective as regulatory strategies. This article recommends the adoption of PBRs from available models found in international standard setting organizations such as the International Association of Insurance Supervisors, other jurisdictions such as the UK's Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority, together with international trade regimes such as the General Agreement on Trade in Services. It reviews aspects of Nigerian insurance industry regulations supporting PBRs and highlights laws not supportive of PBRs and therefore requiring reform.
Sphingolipid transfer proteins defined by the GLTP-fold
Authors: Malinina Lucy , Simanshu Dhirendra K. , Zhai Xiuhong , Samygina Valeria R. , Kamlekar RaviKanth , Kenoth Roopa , Ochoa-Lizarralde Borja , Malakhova Margarita L. , Molotkovsky Julian G. , Patel Dinshaw J. , Brown Rhoderick E. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractGlycolipid transfer proteins (GLTPs) originally were identified as small (~24 kDa), soluble, amphitropic proteins that specifically accelerate the intermembrane transfer of glycolipids. GLTPs and related homologs now are known to adopt a unique, helically dominated, two-layer ‘sandwich’ architecture defined as the GLTP-fold that provides the structural underpinning for the eukaryotic GLTP superfamily. Recent advances now provide exquisite insights into structural features responsible for lipid headgroup selectivity as well as the adaptability of the hydrophobic compartment for accommodating hydrocarbon chains of differing length and unsaturation. A new understanding of the structural versatility and evolutionary premium placed on the GLTP motif has emerged. Human GLTP-motifs have evolved to function not only as glucosylceramide binding/transferring domains for phosphoinositol 4-phosphate adaptor protein-2 during glycosphingolipid biosynthesis but also as selective binding/transfer proteins for ceramide-1-phosphate. The latter, known as ceramide-1-phosphate transfer protein, recently has been shown to form GLTP-fold while critically regulating Group-IV cytoplasmic phospholipase A2activity and pro-inflammatory eicosanoid production.
Plasma expansion dynamics in the presence of a relativistic electron beam
Authors: Benkhelifa El-Amine , Djebli Mourad 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe dynamics of an electron–ion plasma is studied when a mono-energetic relativistic electron beam penetrates the expanding plasma. Combined effects of thermal pressure and ambipolar electrostatic potential are considered for fully relativistic multi-fluids model where the quasi-neutrality assumption is used for a beam–plasma system. Relativistic effects are considered for both density and velocity of the beam fluid. Ion acceleration is depicted through a spike-like structure resulting from non-local charge separation and associated with the beak-down of quasi-neutrality. The beam initial speed is found to enhance the spike amplitude and change its position. Moreover, relativistic effects are particularly found significant for a non-thermal plasma.