bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
No evidence for association of NOD2 R702W and G908R with colorectal cancer
Authors: Tuupanen Sari , Alhopuro Pia , Mecklin Jukka‐Pekka , Järvinen Heikki , Aaltonen Lauri A. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractPolymorphisms in nucleotide oligomerization domain 2 gene (NOD2) have been associated with increased susceptibility to Crohn's disease. Recently, possible association of the NOD2 variants R702W, G908R and 3020insC with colorectal cancer (CRC) has been studied among Polish, Greek, Finnish and New Zealand Caucasian CRC patients, but the results have been controversial. In the Polish study, 3020insC alone, and in the Greek study all the 3 variants, showed association with CRC. In a study from New Zealand, R702W appeared to increase CRC risk. In addition, the combined frequencies of the 3 variants were significantly elevated in CRC patients compared with healthy controls. We have previously shown that NOD2 3020insC is not associated with increased CRC risk in Finland. In the current study, we have genotyped the R702W and G908R in a population‐based series of 1,042 CRC patients and in 508 healthy controls to study the possible contribution of these variants to CRC predisposition. Of the CRC patients, 953 were successfully analyzed. R702W and G908R were equally, frequently seen in CRC patients and controls (R702W: 2.2% vs. 2.1%; G908R: 0.3% vs. 0.2%). No associations between NOD2 variants and clinical characteristics were observed. Our results indicate that NOD2 variants R702W, G908R and 3020insC do not predispose to CRC in Finland. Environmental or additional genetic factors may play a role in CRC development in NOD2 variant carriers. Further work is necessary to establish the possible role of NOD2 variants in CRC predisposition. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The advantage of tying one's hands: revisited
Authors: Soffritti Mirco , Zanetti Francesco 
Published: March 2007

AbstractFixing the exchange rate is often seen as an appealing strategy to gain credibility and keep inflation under control. But what is the impact of this policy on welfare? We answer this question using a microfounded, New Keynesian monetary model for a small open economy, to study the outcome of three alternative strategies for a central bank that targets both output and inflation: a policy of pure commitment; a discretionary policy where the exchange rate is free to fluctuate; and a strategy that pegs the nominal exchange rate. We first compare their impact on the policymaker's rule‐of‐thumb, quadratic objective and then on the agent's utility. In contrast to previous work, in which the policymaker maximizes a rule‐of‐thumb function, time‐consistent monetary policy leads to a lower loss than a policy that ties the policymaker's hands by stabilizing the exchange rate. However, the strategy that fixes the exchange rate is ranked first when the policymaker maximizes the agent's utility. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using matching distance in size theory: A survey
Authors: d'Amico Michele , Frosini Patrizio , Landi Claudia 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIn this survey we illustrate how the matching distance between reduced size functions can be applied for shape comparison. We assume that each shape can be thought of as a compact connected manifold with a real continuous function defined on it, that is a pair (ℳ︁,φ : ℳ︁ → ℝ), called size pair. In some sense, the function φ focuses on the properties and the invariance of the problem at hand. In this context, matching two size pairs (ℳ︁, φ) and (𝒩, ψ) means looking for a homeomorphism between ℳ︁ and 𝒩 that minimizes the difference of values taken by φ and ψ on the two manifolds. Measuring the dissimilarity between two shapes amounts to the difficult task of computing the value δ = inff maxP∈ℳ︁ |φ(P) − ψ(f(P))|, where f varies among all the homeomorphisms from ℳ︁ to 𝒩. From another point of view, shapes can be described by reduced size functions associated with size pairs. The matching distance between reduced size functions allows for a robust to perturbations comparison of shapes. The link between reduced size functions and the dissimilarity measure δ is established by a theorem, stating that the matching distance provides an easily computable lower bound for δ. Throughout this paper we illustrate this approach to shape comparison by means of examples and experiments. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 16, 154–161, 2006
Image registration methods in high‐dimensional space
Authors: Neemuchwala Huzefa , Hero Alfred , Zabuawala Sakina , Carson Paul 
Published: March 2007

AbstractQuantitative evaluation of similarity between feature densities of images is an important step in several computer vision and data‐mining applications such as registration of two or more images and retrieval and clustering of images. Previously we had introduced a new class of similarity measures based on entropic graphs to estimate Rènyi's α‐entropy, α‐Jensen difference divergence, α‐mutual information, and other divergence measures for image registration. Entropic graphs such as the minimum spanning tree (MST) and k‐Nearest neighbor (kNN) graph allow the estimation of such similarity measures in higher dimensional feature spaces. A major drawback of histogram‐based estimates of such measures is that they cannot be reliably constructed in higher dimensional feature spaces.In this article, we shall briefly extrapolate upon the use of entropic graph based divergence measures mentioned above. Additionally, we shall present estimates of other divergence viz the Geometric‐Arithmetic mean divergence and Henze–Penrose affinity. We shall present the application of these measures for pairwise image registration using features derived from independent component analysis of the images. An extension of pairwise image registration is to simultaneously register multiple images, a challenging problem that arises while constructing atlases of organs in medical imaging. Using entropic graph methods we show the feasibility of such simultaneous registration using graph based higher dimensional estimates of entropy measures. Finally we present a new nonlinear correlation measure that is invariant to nonlinear transformations of the underlying feature space and can be reliably constructed in higher dimensions. We present an image clustering experiment to demonstrate the robustness of this measure to nonlinear transformations and contrast it with the clustering performance of the linear correlation coefficient. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 16, 130–145, 2006
Bayesian approach to change points detection in time series
Authors: Mohammad‐Djafari Ali , Féron Olivier 
Published: March 2007

AbstractChange points detection in time series is an important area of research in statistics, has a long history and has many applications. However, very often change point analysis is only focused on the changes in the mean value of some quantity in a process. In this work we consider time series with discrete point changes which may contain a finite number of changes of probability density functions (pdf). We focus on the case where the data in all segments are modeled by Gaussian probability density functions with different means, variances and correlation lengths. We put a prior law on the change point occurances (Poisson process) as well as on these different parameters (conjugate priors) and give the expression of the posterior probability distributions of these change points. The computations are done by using an appropriate Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique.The problem as we stated can also be considered as an unsupervised classification and/or segmentation of the time serie. This analogy gives us the possibility to propose alternative modeling and computation of change points. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 16, 215–221, 2006
Bayesian inference for inverse problems in signal and image processing and applications
Authors: Mohammad‐Djafari Ali 
Published: March 2007

AbstractProbability theory and statistics are two main tools in signal and image processing. Bayesian inference has a privileged place in developing methods for inverse problems arising in signal and image processing, which can be applied in real world applications. In this tutorial presentation, first I will briefly present the Bayesian estimation approach in signal and image processing. Then, I will show a few examples of inverse problems, such as signal deconvolution, image restoration, and tomographic image construction, and then show how the Bayesian estimation approach can be used to give solutions for these problems. Finally, I will focus on two recent research domain, which are blind sources separation and data fusion problems, and present new methods we developed recently and their applications. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 16, 209–214, 2006
A method for eye detection based on SVD transforms
Authors: Danafar Somayeh , Sheikh Leila Taghavi , Targhi Alireza Tavakoli 
Published: March 2007

AbstractA set of transforms (SVD transforms) were introduced in (Shahshahani and Tavakoli Targhi) for understanding images. These transforms have been applied to some problems in computer vision including segmentation, detection of objects in a texture environment, classification of textures, detection of cracks or other imperfections, etc. This technique is shown to be applicable to determination of the location of eyes in a facial image. This method makes no use of color cues, prior geometric knowledge or other assumptions and does not require training. It is also insensitive to local perturbations in lighting, change of orientation and pose, scaling, and complexity of the background including indoor and outdoor environments. The method can be used for eye tracking and has applications to face recognition. It has also been used in animal eye detection and differentiation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 16, 222–229, 2006
Bounded BCK‐algebras and their generated variety
Authors: Gispert Joan , Torrens Antoni 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIn this paper we prove that the equational class generated by bounded BCK‐algebras is the variety generated by the class of finite simple bounded BCK‐algebras. To obtain these results we prove that every simple algebra in the equational class generated by bounded BCK‐algebras is also a relatively simple bounded BCK‐algebra. Moreover, we show that every simple bounded BCK‐algebra can be embedded into a simple integral commutative bounded residuated lattice. We extend our main results to some richer subreducts of the class of integral commutative bounded residuated lattices and to the involutive case. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Presidential address medical governance: Are we ready to prescribe?
Authors: Weimer David L. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractFederal and state governments in the United States play substantial and complex roles in promoting, subsidizing, regulating, and even providing health care in the United States. Financial pressures on Medicare and Medicaid, concerns about the translation of evidence‐based findings into medical practice, and efforts to reduce the number of people without any health insurance are likely to expand governments' roles even further in the future. Although a large body of research seeks ways to improve the delivery of medical services, relatively little research addresses the advantages and disadvantages of the various governance arrangements that are or could be used to make better collective decisions about the allocation of medical resources. Assessments of the many types of governance arrangements already employed—advisory committees such as those employed by the Food and Drug Administration, menu‐creating commissions with narrow mandates such as the Oregon Health Plan, and stakeholders trusteeships such as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network—should be an important topic for health policy research pursued by public policy and management scholars. Absent these efforts, the policy community may not be able to offer good advice about medical governance. © 2007 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Anomeric sugar configuration of anthocyanin O‐pyranosides determined from heteronuclear one‐bond coupling constants
Authors: Pedersen Atle T. , Andersen Øyvind M. , Aksnes Dagfinn W. , Nerdal Willy 
Published: March 2007

AbstractUsing the nuclear magnetic resonance technique, two‐dimensional inverse heteronuclear shift correlation through multiple quantum coherence (HMQC), the one‐bond coupling constants between the carbon atoms and protons (1J(C, H)) have been measured for a number of anthocyanins represented by 6‐hydroxydelphinidin and all the common aglycones (except peonidin) and monosaccharides found as building blocks of anthocyanins. The large anomeric 1J(C, H) values of rhamnopyranosyls (168‐170 Hz) show that these protons are in equatorial positions while the smaller 1J(C, H) values of the other anomeric protons (162‐165 Hz) correspond to axial positions, thus assigning the anomeric configurations of the examined anthocyanins to be β for the gluco‐, galacto‐ and xylopyranosyls and α for the rhamno‐ and arabinopyranosyls. In the pentoses, xylo‐ and arabinopyranosyls, it was found that the 1J(C, H) couplings for the equatorial H‐5 protons (149‐150 Hz) are larger than for the corresponding axial H‐5 protons (140‐143 Hz).
Entomopathogenicity of native bacteria from Anastrepha fraterculus and Ceratitis capitata against the pest Phyllocnistis citrella
Authors: Campos Yany , Sepúlveda Bernardo , Tume Pedro 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIn Piura (Peru), the pest Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton damages the photosynthetic rate and new bud production of Citrus aurantiifolia Swingle (sweet lemon), decreasing the yield, productivity and commercial price of its fruit. Biological control was evaluated through the crossed effect of bacteria obtained from pests (Anastrepha fraterculus Wied., Ceratitis capitata Wied. and Rhynchophorus palmarum L.) that are pathogenic against their original host species. Enterobacter cloacae (Jordan) Hormaeche & Edwards and Serratia marcescens Bizio (from A. fraterculus and C. capitata) and Pseudomonas mendocina Palleroni (from R. palmarum) were used against P. citrella. The bacterial strains were inoculated into its food and the accumulated mortality was evaluated. Larvae of P. citrella treated with P. mendocina had the highest mortality (66.7%). These bacterial species were entomopathogenic against the original source pest in laboratory and greenhouse bioassays, and this result widens the pathological activity range of these bacterial species. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Allelopathy—a natural alternative for weed control
Authors: Macías Francisco A , Molinillo José MG , Varela Rosa M , Galindo Juan CG 
Published: March 2007

AbstractAllelopathy studies the interactions among plants, fungi, algae and bacteria with the organisms living in a certain ecosystem, interactions that are mediated by the secondary metabolites produced and exuded into the environment. Consequently, allelopathy is a multidisciplinary science where ecologists, chemists, soil scientists, agronomists, biologists, plant physiologists and molecular biologists offer their skills to give an overall view of the complex interactions occurring in a certain ecosystem. As a result of these studies, applications in weed and pest management are expected in such different fields as development of new agrochemicals, cultural methods, developing of allelopathic crops with increased weed resistance, etc. The present paper will focus on the chemical aspects of allelopathy, pointing out the most recent advances in the chemicals disclosed, their mode of action and their fate in the ecosystem. Also, attention will be paid to achievements in genomics and proteomics, two emerging fields in allelopathy. Rather than being exhaustive, this paper is intended to reflect a critical vision of the current state of allelopathy and to point to future lines of research where in the authors' opinion the main advances and applications could and should be expected. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Chemical cotton stalk destruction for maintenance of host‐free periods for the control of overwintering boll weevil in tropical and subtropical climates
Authors: Greenberg Shoil M , Sparks Alton N , Norman John W , Coleman Randy , Bradford Joe M , Yang Chenghai , Sappington Thomas W , Showler Allan 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIn the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas, cotton regrows and produces fruit from undestroyed stalks throughout the winter, and in spring weevils from such locations become a serious threat. The success of the boll weevil eradication program, which was reintroduced in the LRGV in 2005, will be dependent on thorough stalk destruction following harvest. However, adverse weather conditions and conservation tillage often impede immediate and complete stalk destruction using typical tool implements, and alternative stalk control methods are needed. This study provides an examination of the efficacy for cotton stalk destruction of different herbicides (thifensulfuron‐methyl + tribenuron‐methyl, dicamba‐diolamine, 2,4‐D‐dimethylammonium, flumioxazin, 2,4‐DB‐dimethylammonium and carfentrazone‐ethyl) and their rates, spray volumes and application timings on shredded or standing cotton stalks after stripper or picker harvest. None of the tested herbicides, except 2,4‐D‐dimethylammonium, stopped post‐harvest cotton regrowth and fruiting. 2,4‐D‐dimethylammonium sprayed once (0 or 7 days) after cotton was harvested at 1 lb AE acre−1 (1.12 kg ha−1), in a spray volume of 10 gal water acre−1 (93.5 L ha−1) with 5 mL L−1 surfactant, was highly effective in stalk destruction (72–90%). The best results were achieved when the herbicide was applied immediately after the cotton was shredded, followed by standing stripper‐harvested and standing picker‐harvested cotton. 2,4‐D‐dimethylammonium applied twice, 0 and 14 (or 21) days after cotton harvest, was 100% effective in killing stalks, regardless of whether they were shredded or standing, or whether harvest was by stripper or picker. These findings showed that 2,4‐D‐dimethylammonium cotton stalk destruction eliminated food and reproductive opportunities for managing overwintering boll weevils [Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)]. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Binding energy of a hydrogenic donor impurity in an ellipsoidal finite‐potential quantum dot
Authors: Barati M. , Rezaei G. , Vahdani M. R. K. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIn this article, the binding energy of a hydrogenic donor impurity in weakly oblate Ellipsoidal Quantum Dot (EQD), using the perturbation theory within the framework of effective mass approximation, is investigated. In this regard, the binding energies of 1S, 2S and 2P0 states for GaAs/Alx Ga1–x As structures, as functions of the dot radius and ellipticity constant, are calculated. Results show that variations of binding energies of a hydrogenic impurity with respect to the dot dimension are similar to the case of Spherical Quantum Dot (SQD). In addition, it is found that the binding energy is inversely proportional to the ellipticity constant. This behavior is more profound for 2P0 state, where, depending on the dot's dimensionality and ellipticity, the binding energy may become negative. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Third‐order optical nonlinearity of azobenzene side‐chain polymer thin film
Authors: He Tingchao , Cheng Yongguang , Wang Changshun , Jia Tingjian , Li Pengwei , Mo Yujun 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThis paper reports both the nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficient of an azobenzene side‐chain polymer measured by a single‐beam Z ‐scan technique under 532 nm and 1064 nm excitation. Experimental results at 532 nm excitation show large optical nonlinearity and nonlinear absorption coefficient induced by the trans–cis transition in the dye molecule with γ being –9.46 × 10–12 cm2/W with β = –285.29 cm/GW, respectively. Under 1064 nm excitation, the large nonlinearity induced by the nonresonant electronic effect with γ = 4.57 × 10–12 cm2/W is obtained. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Electron capture atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry: analysis of fullerenes, perfluorinated compounds, and pentafluorobenzyl derivatives
Authors: Song Liguo , Wellman Amber D. , Yao Huifang , Adcock Jamie 
Published: March 2007

AbstractAn electron capture (EC) ionization mechanism has been found to be highly efficient in negative‐ion atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) for the analysis of compounds with positive electron affinity (EA). Using negative‐ion APPI, we first report the sensitive detection of natural electrophores with limited polarity, such as fullerenes and perfluorinated compounds, by mass spectrometry (MS). Using direct infusion on a quadrupole time‐of‐flight (QTOF) mass spectrometer, the limits of detection (LODs) for C60 and perfluoromethylcyclohexane were determined to be 0.15 pg (0.2 fmol) and 1 femtoliter (fL) (∼1.5 pg or 4.3 fmol), respectively. As the EA of the analyte increases, the detection sensitivity is enhanced. Making use of the accurate mass measurement capability of the QTOF mass spectrometer, we were able to investigate the elemental composition of the ions in each spectrum and attribute the observed high sensitivity to an EC‐initiated ionization process. The proposed EC ionization mechanism is further supported by the observation of a dissociative EC reaction of pentafluorobenzyl (PFB)‐derivatized phenols. The analysis of phenols by EC‐APPI of their PFB derivatives resulted in very high sensitivity, with the lowest reported LOD of ∼0.17 pg (0.5 fmol) being for 2,4‐dinitrophenol. For future LC/EC‐APPI‐MS applications, the effect of additives and solvents on sensitivity was also tested and reported. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Study of bis(bibenzyls) in bryophytes using electron ionization time‐of‐flight and electrospray ionization triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometry
Authors: Guo Huaifang , Xing Jie , Xie Chunfeng , Qu Jianbo , Gao Yanhui , Lou Hongxiang 
Published: March 2007

AbstractA detailed analysis of mass spectra generated from bis(bibenzyl) compounds in bryophytes under electron ionization time‐of‐flight (EI‐TOF) and electrospray ionization triple‐quadrupole (ESI‐TQ) mass spectrometry conditions is reported. Proposed structures of the fragment ions were obtained by tracking the functional groups of 15 bis(bibenzyls), the structures of which are similar except for some alkoxyl substituents and linkage sites of biphenyl ether bonds. The elucidation was aided by the use of accurate mass measurements. Attempts have been made to provide rational pathways for the formation of these fragment ions, and a generalized fragmentation mechanism is proposed. The bis(bibenzyls) mentioned in this study include three types according to their structure characteristics, i.e. one biphenyl ether bond (A‐type), two biphenyl ether bonds (B‐type), one biphenyl ether and one biphenyl bond (C‐type). The three types display different EI‐MS and ESI‐MS/MS product profiles, by which the bis(bibenzyl) type and the number of alkoxyl substituents can be identified. Isomers of bis(bibenzyls) can be differentiated to some extent, while the linkage sites of biphenyl ether bonds are difficult to identify. The structure‐fragmentation relationships will facilitate the characterization of other bis(bibenzyls) and this will be of value for the high‐throughput screening of novel bis(bibenzyls) in bryophytes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.