bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for medial meniscal injury in association with cranial cruciate ligament rupture
Authors: Hayes G. M. , Langley‐Hobbs S. J. , Jeffery N. D. 
Published: December 2010

Objectives:To determine the significant risk factors for medial meniscal injury in naturally occurring cranial cruciate ligament rupture and to quantify the risk using multivariate analysis.Methods:A retrospective case control study was performed of dogs that had undergone surgery for cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Data recorded included patient signalment (age, breed and sex), the duration of the lameness, the extent of the cranial cruciate ligament rupture (complete or partial) and the condition of the medial meniscus. Logistic regression was used to analyse the relationship between these variables and tears in the medial meniscus.Results:One hundred and sixty‐one of 443 stifles (36·3%) in 366 dogs had a medial meniscal tear. The risk of a medial meniscal tear was increased by 12·9 times in association with complete cranial cruciate ligament rupture (OR 12·9; 95% CI 6·8 to 24·2), by approximately 2·6% for each additional week of lameness (OR 1·026; 95% CI 1·009 to 1·043) and by approximately 1·4% for each additional kilogram of bodyweight (OR 1·014; 95% CI 1·000 to 1·028). Golden retrievers and Rottweilers were at increased risk and West Highland white terriers were at reduced risk of medial meniscal tears compared with Labrador retrievers.ClinicalSignificance:To minimise the risk of medial meniscal tears, surgical stabilisation should not be unnecessarily delayed.
Third tarsal bone fractures in the greyhound
Authors: Guilliard M. J. 
Published: December 2010

Objective:To describe the signalment, morphology, response to treatment and prognosis of third tarsal bone fractures in the racing greyhound.Methods:All third tarsal bone fractures seen by the author over a ten year period were included in the study. Diagnosis was by radiography. Treatments were reconstruction with a lag screw, fragment removal, centrodistal joint arthrodesis or conservative management.Results:Twenty‐three cases were included in the study of which 16 cases were recent and seven cases chronic fractures. The chronic cases had been rested from between three and six months before an examination for recurrent lameness. There were five concomitant second tarsal bone fractures. Partial dorsal collapse was present in four cases. Thirteen dogs had lag screw fixation; three were lost to follow‐up, seven returned to racing and three, all with partial tarsal collapse, failed to return to racing. Two dogs that had a centrodistal joint arthrodesis and one dog treated by rest alone raced again. Two dogs that had fragment removal failed to return to racing.Clinical significance:Veterinary examination of greyhounds with third tarsal bone fractures is often not sought at the time of the initial injury due to the benign presenting signs. Recurrence of lameness after rest is common. The prognosis for a successful return to racing would appear to be good following fragment fixation in both acute and chronic cases without dorsal tarsal collapse. Centrodistal joint arthrodesis may encourage bone union. The prognosis for conconservatively treated cases is guarded. Fragment removal is not recommended as a treatment.
Retrospective evaluation of the effect of trilostane on insulin requirement and fructosamine concentration in eight diabetic dogs with hyperadrenocorticism
Authors: McLauchlan G. , Knottenbelt C. , Augusto M. , Helm J. , McGrotty Y. , Ramsey I. 
Published: December 2010

Objectives: To describe the effect of trilostane on insulin requirements and serum fructosamine in dogs with diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperadrenocorticism (HAC).Methods: Observational retrospective study of eight dogs.Results: Median fructosamine concentration at presentation was 401 μmol/L (range 244 to 554 μmol/L). Median insulin dose at presentation was 1·1 IU/kg/dose (0·4 to 2·1 IU/kg/dose) administered twice daily in five animals and once in three. Four dogs had their insulin dose prospectively reduced at the start of trilostane therapy. The HAC was controlled within 28 days in seven dogs. The remaining case was controlled by 17 weeks. Two dogs died within 40 days of starting trilostane. The median fructosamine concentration was 438 μmol/L (range 325 to 600 μmol/L) after stabilisation of the HAC. One case had a consistent reduction in serum fructosamine concentration over the first four months. The median insulin dose after stabilisation of HAC was 1·5 IU/kg dose (range 0·25 to 3·0 IU/kg/dose). Insulin requirements were reduced in two cases after treatment with trilostane. Four dogs required increased insulin doses.ClinicalSignificance: Insulin requirements and fructosamine concentrations do not consistently reduce during trilostane treatment for HAC. Prospective studies are required to provide recommendations regarding reductions in insulin doses with trilostane treatment.
Applying molecular genetic tools to tiger conservation
Authors: LUO Shu‐Jin , JOHNSON Warren E. , O'BRIEN Stephen J. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractThe utility of molecular genetic approaches in conservation of endangered taxa is now commonly recognized. Over the past decade, conservation genetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA sequencing and microsatellite genotyping have provided powerful tools to resolve taxonomy uncertainty of tiger subspecies, to define conservation units, to reconstruct phylogeography and demographic history, to examine the genetic ancestry of extinct subspecies, to assess population genetic status non‐invasively, and to verify genetic background of captive tigers worldwide. The genetic status of tiger subspecies and populations and implications for developing strategies for the survival of this charismatic species both in situ and ex situ are discussed.
Effect of Blending and Emulsification on Thermal Behavior, Solid Fat Content, and Microstructure Properties of Palm Oil‐Based Margarine Fats
Authors: Saadi S. , Ariffin A.A. , Ghazali H.M. , Miskandar M.S. , Abdulkarim S.M. , Boo H.C. 
Published: December 2010

Abstract:  The ability of palm oil (PO) to crystallize as beta prime polymorph has made it an attractive option for the production of margarine fat (MF). Palm stearin (PS) expresses similar crystallization behavior and is considered one of the best substitutes of hydrogenated oils due to its capability to impart the required level of plasticity and body to the finished product. Normally, PS is blended with PO to reduce the melting point at body temperature (37 °C). Lipid phase, formulated by PO and PS in different ratios were subjected to an emulsification process and the following analyses were done: triacylglycerols, solid fat content (SFC), and thermal behavior. In addition, the microstructure properties, including size and number of crystals, were determined for experimental MFs (EMFs) and commercial MFs (CMFs). Results showed that blending and emulsification at PS levels over 40 wt% significantly changed the physicochemical and microstructure properties of EMF as compared to CMF, resulting in a desirable dipalmitoyl‐oleoyl‐glycerol content of less than 36.1%. SFC at 37 °C, crystal size, crystal number, crystallization, and melting enthalpies (ΔH) were 15%, 5.37 μm, 1425 crystal/μm2, 17.25 J/g, and 57.69J/g, respectively. All data reported indicate that the formation of granular crystals in MFs was dominated by high‐melting triacylglycerol namely dipalmitoyl‐oleoyl‐glycerol, while the small dose of monoacylglycerol that is used as emulsifier slowed crystallization rate.Practical Application:  Most of the past studies were focused on thermal behavior of edible oils and some blends of oils and fats. The crystallization of oils and fats are well documented but there is scarce information concerning some mechanism related to crystallization and emulsification. Therefore, this study will help to gather information on the behavior of emulsifier on crystallization regime; also the dominating TAG responsible for primary granular crystal formations, as well as to determine the best level of stearin to impart the required microstructure properties and body to the finished products.
Control of Listeria Monocytogenes on Cold‐Smoked Salmon Using Chitosan‐Based Antimicrobial Coatings and Films
Authors: Jiang Zheng , Neetoo Hudaa , Chen Haiqiang 
Published: December 2010

Abstract:  The relatively high incidence of Listeria monocytogenes in ready‐to‐eat (RTE) products such as cold‐smoked salmon is of serious concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of chitosan‐based edible coatings and films incorporating 3 generally recognized as safe (GRAS) antimicrobials, sodium lactate (SL), sodium diacetate (SD), and potassium sorbate (PS), against L. monocytogenes on cold‐smoked salmon. Salmon samples were surface‐inoculated with a 5‐strain cocktail of Listeria monocytogenes to a final concentration of 4.4 log CFU/cm2 and then either coated with chitosan solutions or wrapped with chitosan films with or without the 3 antimicrobials. The samples were then vacuum packaged and stored at 4 °C for 30 d. The chitosan coatings with or without the antimicrobials consistently showed higher efficacy against L. monocytogenes than chitosan films having the same compositions. The most effective film treatments, chitosan films containing 1.2% SL/0.25% SD or 2.4% SL, achieved ≥ 1.3 log reductions of L. monocytogenes during the 30 d of refrigerated storage, while the most effective coating treatments, chitosan coatings containing 1.2% SL/0.25% SD or 0.15% PS/0.125% SD, achieved ≥ 2.8 log reductions.Practical Application:  This study shows that chitosan‐based edible coatings and films hold promise and can potentially assist fishery industries in their efforts to control L. monocytogenes.
BsaXI/RFLP analysis of initial or selectively reamplified PCR product is unreliable in detecting the V617F mutation in JAK2
Authors: SHEPARD G. C. , LAWSON H. L. , HAWKINS G. A. , OWEN J. 
Published: December 2010

SummaryIntroduction: Laboratory testing for the presence of the V617F mutation in JAK2 has taken on great importance in the diagnosis of myeloproliferative disorders. The availability of a facile detection method would bring this testing into greater clinical use. The polymerase chain reaction coupled with restriction fragment length polymorphisms is such a facile method. BsaXI cleaves the normal sequence but does not cleave the sequence leading to the V617F mutation.Methods: We have examined the use of selective PCR reamplification with BsaXI cleavage to enrich the fraction of V617F and compared the assignment of mutation with an established qPCR method.Results: We found that BsaXI fails to completely cleave normal sequence PCR product, leading to false positivity, particularly at low mutation levels. We also found that first‐round standard PCR introduces new mutations in which subsequent reamplification and digestion cannot distinguish from the V617F mutation.Conclusion: This combination of problems effectively combines to render selective reamplification and redigestion unsuitable for detecting low fractions of the V617F mutation.
Follow‐Up of Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Hypertensive Patients Treated With Irbesartan: Results of the i‐SEARCH Plus Registry
Authors: Tebbe Ulrich , Bramlage Peter , Lüders Stephan , Cuneo Alessandro , Sistig Peter , Haan Fokko de , Schmieder Roland , Böhm Michael , Paar W. Dieter , Schrader Jochen 
Published: December 2010

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich).Microalbuminuria (MAU), high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP), and N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) are risk markers used to predict the prognosis of hypertensive patients; however, they have not been prospectively evaluated in primary care. An investigation was conducted using i‐SEARCH Plus, a registry documenting 1649 patients with hypertension who received irbesartan at office‐based cardiologists over 12 months. Mean age at baseline was 61.4±11.3 years, 43.2% were women, and blood pressure was 159.8±20.1/93.4±11.9 mm Hg. Median albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) at baseline was 9.90 (interquartile range [IQR], 5.76‐‐25.52) mg/g, hsCRP 2.46 (IQR, 1.16‐‐5.14) mg/L, and NT‐proBNP 89.28 (IQR, 38.63‐‐203.40) pg/mL. In patients with MAU (ACR ≥20 mg/g), the age‐adjusted risk of a combined end point of newly diagnosed coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction, stroke/transitory ischemic attack, and death at 12‐month follow‐up was increased (odds ratio [OR], 2.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.49–4.76), as was the incidence of CAD (OR, 3.27; 95%CI, 1.39–7.68) and death (OR, 4.63; 95%CI, 1.44–14.94). No correlations with end points were found for hsCRP or NT‐proBNP after adjusting for age and the presence of MAU. MAU is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients. These findings confirm previous reports on the prognostic value of MAU and establish its incremental value over hsCRP and NT‐proBNP. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2010;12:909–916. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
General Method for Modeling Slope Discontinuities and T-Sections Using ANCF Gradient Deficient Finite Elements
Authors: Shabana Ahmed A. 
Published: December 2010

Abstract
Slope discontinuities and T-sections can be modeled in a straight forward manner using fully parameterized absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) finite elements that have a complete set of gradient vectors. Linear transformations that define the element connectivity can always be obtained and used to preserve ANCF desirable features that include constant mass matrix and zero Coriolis and centrifugal forces in the case of spinning structures. The objective of this paper is to develop a general method that allows for modeling slope discontinuities and T-sections using gradient deficient ANCF finite elements that do not have a complete set of coordinate lines and gradient vectors. Linear connectivity conditions that preserve all the ANCF desirable features including the constant mass matrix are developed at the nodes of slope discontinuities. At these nodes of discontinuity, one can always define a complete set of independent coordinate lines that lie on the structure. These coordinate lines can be used to define a complete set of independent gradient vectors at these nodes. Since the proposed method is based on linear coordinate transformations, the method can be implemented in a preprocessor computer program. The application of the proposed general method is demonstrated using ANCF gradient deficient beam element example.
TRENDZ: Identifying Online Job Seekers' Behavior with Respect to Global Slump
Authors: Almazyad Abdulaziz S. , Khan Zafar Iqbal , Siddiqui Mohammad Khubeb 
Published: December 2010

Internet is the biggest source of information which is easily accessible but unstructured. Web mining - is the application of data mining techniques to discover patterns from the Web. According to analysis targets, web mining can be divided into three different types, which are Web usage mining, Web content mining and Web structure mining. [3]
Web usage mining reveals about user's navigation pattern at any website through analyzing web logs.
In this study we have tried to analyze the users online job seeking tendency pattern through two available web-based tools viz. Google Trends and Google Zeitgeist.
An Automatic Speaker Recognition System
Authors: Akrouf Samir , Mehamel Abbas , Benhamouda Nacéra , Mostefai Messaoud 
Published: December 2010

Speech is becoming the privileged mean of communication. With the advent of computers, researchers and industrials are using it like a mean of communication in the Human Machine Interface domain.
All the current systems, based on the natural language, are far from assimilating all the characteristics of the language. Nowadays The Automatic Treatment of speech is progressing, in particular in the fields of Automatic Speech Recognition “ASR” and Speech Synthesis.
The automatic speaker recognition is represented like a particular pattern recognition task. It associates the problems relating to the speaker identification or verification using information found in the acoustic signal: we have to recognize a person by using his voice. ASR is used in many fields, like domestic, military or jurisprudence applications.
In this work we explore the automatic speaker recognition and present an Automatic Speaker Recognition System. We will use speaker recognition in text independent mode since we dispose of very few training data. We have to estimate with few data a robust speaker model to allow the recognition of the speaker.
Quantitative breast tomosynthesis: From detectability to estimability
Authors: Richard Samuel , Samei Ehsan 
Published: December 2010

Purpose: This work aimed to extend Fourier‐based imaging metrics for modeling and predicting quantitative imaging performance. The new methodology was applied to the platform of breast tomosynthesis for investigating the influence of acquisition parameters (e.g., acquisition angle and dose) on quantitative imaging performance.Methods: Two quantitative imaging tasks were considered: Area estimation and volume estimation of a 4 mm diameter spherical target. The maximum likelihood estimator yielded training data to generate a size estimation task function, which was combined with the MTF and NPS to predict estimation performance by computing an “estimability index” analogous to the detectability index. Estimation performance for the two tasks was computed as a function of acquisition angle and dose. The results were used for system optimization in terms of quantitation performance and further compared to the detectability index for the detection of the same spherical target.Results: The estimability index computed with the size estimation tasks correlated well with precision measurements for area and volume estimation over a broad range of imaging conditions and provided a meaningful figure of merit for quantitative imaging performance and optimization. The results highlighted that optimal breast tomosynthesis acquisition parameters depend significantly on imaging task and dose. At nominal dose (1.5 mGy), mass detection was optimal at an acquisition angle of 85°, while area and volume estimation for the same mass were optimal at and 164° acquisition angles, respectively.Conclusions: These findings provide an initial validation that the Fourier‐based metrics extended to estimation tasks can represent a meaningful metric and predictor of quantitative imaging performance. The optimization framework also revealed trade‐off between anatomical noise and system noise in volumetric imaging systems potentially identifying different optimal acquisition parameters than currently used in breast tomosynthesis and CT.
Reduction of dental filling metallic artifacts in CT‐based attenuation correction of PET data using weighted virtual sinograms optimized by a genetic algorithm
Authors: Abdoli Mehrsima , Ay Mohammad Reza , Ahmadian Alireza , Dierckx Rudi A. J. O. , Zaidi Habib 
Published: December 2010

Purpose:The presence of metallic dental fillings is prevalent in head and neck PET/CT imaging and generates bright and dark streaking artifacts in reconstructed CT images. The resulting artifacts would propagate to the corresponding PET images following CT‐based attenuation correction (CTAC). This would cause over‐ and/or underestimation of tracer uptake in corresponding regions thus leading to inaccurate quantification of tracer uptake. The purpose of this study is to improve our recently proposed metal artifact reduction (MAR) approach and to assess its performance in a clinical setting.Methods:The proposed MAR algorithm is performed in the virtual sinogram space to overcome the challenges associated with manipulating raw CT data. The corresponding bins of the virtual sinogram affected by metallic objects are obtained by forward projection of segmented metallic objects in the original CT image. These bins are then substituted by weighted values of three estimates: the affected bins in the original sinogram, the bins in the corrected sinogram using spline interpolation, and the sinogram bins in the neighboring column of the sinogram matrix. The optimized weighting factors (,, and) were estimated using a genetic algorithm (GA). The optimized combination of weighting coefficients was obtained using the GA applied to 24 clinical CT data sets. The proposed MAR method was then applied to 12 clinical head and neck PET/CT data sets containing dental artifacts. Analysis of the results was performed using Bland and Altman plots and a method allowing analysis in the absence of gold standard called regression without truth (RWT). The proposed method was also compared to an image‐based MAR method.Results:Optimization of the weighting coefficients using the GA resulted in an optimum combination of parameters of,, and. According to Bland and Altman plots generated for both CT and PET images of the clinical data, the proposed MAR algorithm is efficient for reduction of streak artifacts in CT images and such reduce the over‐ and/or underestimation of tracer uptake. The RWT method also confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed MAR method. The obtained figures of merit revealed that attenuation corrected PET data corrected using CTAC after applying the MAR algorithm are more similar to the assumed gold standard. Comparison with the knowledge‐based method revealed that the proposed method mainly corrects the artifactualregions without modifying the unaffected regions. The knowledge‐based method globally modifies the images including those that do not include metallic artifacts.Conclusions:The proposed MAR algorithm improves the quality and quantitative accuracy of clinical head and neck PET/CT images and could be easily integrated in clinical setting.
Optimal shielding design for bunkers of compact cyclotrons used in the production of medical radionuclides
Authors: Facure A. , França W. F. 
Published: December 2010

Purpose:There are several options to consider in the design of a vault that will house a cyclotron for radioisotopes production with regards to the door entrance. Alternatives are a direct‐shielded door, a simple maze, or a double‐legged maze. In this work, the impact of the neutron and photon doses at the vault entrance was evaluated for these options.Methods:Monte Carlo simulations were carried out in order to assess photon and neutron ambient dose equivalents. Simulations results were compared to experimental measurements taken inside a vault with a direct‐shielded door.Results:The double‐legged maze is the configuration that provides the higher degree of radiological protection at the vault entrance. In addition, the fact of the location of the cyclotron target plays an important role in the ambient dose equivalents.Conclusions:The comparison performed between measurements and results ofMCNP simulations confirmed a favorable agreement; maze legs reduce the neutron energies at the entrances of the vault. However, a degree of dose reduction similar to the one obtained for a two‐legged maze can be achieved with the addition of shielding against neutrons in the inner maze entrance to act as a second door. A choice of a vault design is more evident by comparing the results of this study.