| 1. |
- Aad, G., et al.
(author)
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- 2013
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 2. |
- Ederle, Joerg, et al.
(author)
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Carotid artery stenting compared with endarterectomy in patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis (International Carotid Stenting Study): an interim analysis of a randomised controlled trial
- 2010
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In: The Lancet. - 1474-547X. ; 375:9719, s. 985-997
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Stents are an alternative treatment to carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis, but previous trials have not established equivalent safety and efficacy. We compared the safety of carotid artery stenting with that of carotid endarterectomy. Methods The International Carotid Stenting Study (ICSS) is a multicentre, international, randomised controlled trial with blinded adjudication of outcomes. Patients with recently symptomatic carotid artery stenosis were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive carotid artery stenting or carotid endarterectomy. Randomisation was by telephone call or fax to a central computerised service and was stratified by centre with minimisation for sex, age, contralateral occlusion, and side of the randomised artery. Patients and investigators were not masked to treatment assignment. Patients were followed up by independent clinicians not directly involved in delivering the randomised treatment. The primary outcome measure of the trial is the 3-year rate of fatal or disabling stroke in any territory, which has not been analysed yet. The main outcome measure for the interim safety analysis was the 120-day rate of stroke, death, or procedural myocardial infarction. Analysis was by intention to treat (ITT). This study is registered, number ISRCTN25337470. Findings The trial enrolled 1713 patients (stenting group, n=855; endarterectomy group, n=858). Two patients in the stenting group and one in the endarterectomy group withdrew immediately after randomisation, and were not included in the ITT analysis. Between randomisation and 120 days, there were 34 (Kaplan-Meier estimate 4.0%) events of disabling stroke or death in the stenting group compared with 27 (3.2%) events in the endarterectomy group (hazard ratio [HR] 1.28, 95% CI 0.77-2.11). The incidence of stroke, death, or procedural myocardial infarction was 8.5% in the stenting group compared with 5.2% in the endarterectomy group (72 vs 44 events; HR 1.69, 1.16-2.45, p=0.006), Risks of any stroke (65 vs 35 events; HR 1.92, 1.27-2.89) and all-cause death (19 vs seven events; HR 2.76, 1.16-6.56) were higher in the stenting group than in the endarterectomy group. Three procedural myocardial infarctions were recorded in the stenting group, all of which were fatal, compared with four, all non-fatal, in the endarterectomy group. There was one event of cranial nerve palsy in the stenting group compared with 45 in the endarterectomy group. There were also fewer haematomas of any severity in the stenting group than in the endarterectomy group (31 vs 50 events; p=0.0197). Interpretation Completion of long-term follow-up is needed to establish the efficacy of carotid artery stenting compared with endarterectomy. In the meantime, carotid endarterectomy should remain the treatment of choice for patients suitable for surgery.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Heywood, I., et al.
(author)
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Inflation of 430-parsec bipolar radio bubbles in the Galactic Centre by an energetic event
- 2019
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 573:7773, s. 235-237
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Galactic Centre contains a supermassive black hole with a mass of four million Suns1 within an environment that differs markedly from that of the Galactic disk. Although the black hole is essentially quiescent in the broader context of active galactic nuclei, X-ray observations have provided evidence for energetic outbursts from its surroundings2. Also, although the levels of star formation in the Galactic Centre have been approximately constant over the past few hundred million years, there is evidence of increased short-duration bursts3, strongly influenced by the interaction of the black hole with the enhanced gas density present within the ring-like central molecular zone4 at Galactic longitude |l| < 0.7 degrees and latitude |b| < 0.2 degrees. The inner 200-parsec region is characterized by large amounts of warm molecular gas5, a high cosmic-ray ionization rate6, unusual gas chemistry, enhanced synchrotron emission7,8, and a multitude of radio-emitting magnetized filaments9, the origin of which has not been established. Here we report radio imaging that reveals a bipolar bubble structure, with an overall span of 1 degree by 3 degrees (140 parsecs × 430 parsecs), extending above and below the Galactic plane and apparently associated with the Galactic Centre. The structure is edge-brightened and bounded, with symmetry implying creation by an energetic event in the Galactic Centre. We estimate the age of the bubbles to be a few million years, with a total energy of 7 × 1052 ergs. We postulate that the progenitor event was a major contributor to the increased cosmic-ray density in the Galactic Centre, and is in turn the principal source of the relativistic particles required to power the synchrotron emission of the radio filaments within and in the vicinity of the bubble cavities.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Ge, R, et al.
(author)
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Normative Modeling of Brain Morphometry Across the Lifespan Using CentileBrain: Algorithm Benchmarking and Model Optimization
- 2023
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In: bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology. - : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background: Normative modeling is a statistical approach to quantify the degree to which a particular individual-level measure deviates from the pattern observed in a normative reference population. When applied to human brain morphometric measures it has the potential to inform about the significance of normative deviations for health and disease. Normative models can be implemented using a variety of algorithms that have not been systematically appraised. Methods: To address this gap, eight algorithms were compared in terms of performance and computational efficiency using brain regional morphometric data from 37,407 healthy individuals (53% female; aged 3-90 years) collated from 87 international MRI datasets. Performance was assessed with the mean absolute error (MAE) and computational efficiency was inferred from central processing unit (CPU) time. The algorithms evaluated were Ordinary Least Squares Regression (OLSR), Bayesian Linear Regression (BLR), Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape (GAMLSS), Parametric Lambda, Mu, Sigma (LMS), Gaussian Process Regression (GPR), Warped Bayesian Linear Regression (WBLG), Hierarchical Bayesian Regression (HBR), and Multivariable Fractional Polynomial Regression (MFPR). Model optimization involved testing nine covariate combinations pertaining to acquisition features, parcellation software versions, and global neuroimaging measures (i.e., total intracranial volume, mean cortical thickness, and mean cortical surface area). Findings: Statistical comparisons across models at PFDR<0.05 indicated that the MFPR-derived sex- and region-specific models with nonlinear polynomials for age and linear effects of global measures had superior predictive accuracy; the range of the MAE of the models of regional subcortical volumes was 70-520 mm3 and the corresponding ranges for regional cortical thickness and regional cortical surface area were 0.09-0.26 mm and 24-560 mm2, respectively. The MFPR-derived models were also computationally more efficient with a CPU time below one second compared to a range of 2 seconds to 60 minutes for the other algorithms. The performance of all sex- and region-specific MFPR models plateaued at sample sizes exceeding 3,000 and showed comparable MAEs across distinct 10-year age-bins covering the human lifespan. Interpretation: These results provide an empirically benchmarked framework for normative modeling of brain morphometry that is useful for interpreting prior literature and supporting future study designs. The model and tools described here are freely available through CentileBrain (https://centilebrain.org/), a user-friendly web platform.
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| 7. |
- Power, M. J., et al.
(author)
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Changes in fire regimes since the Last Glacial Maximum : an assessment based on a global synthesis and analysis of charcoal data
- 2008
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In: Climate Dynamics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0930-7575 .- 1432-0894. ; 30:7-8, s. 887-907
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fire activity has varied globally and continuously since the last glacial maximum (LGM) in response to long-term changes in global climate and shorter-term regional changes in climate, vegetation, and human land use. We have synthesized sedimentary charcoal records of biomass burning since the LGM and present global maps showing changes in fire activity for time slices during the past 21,000 years (as differences in charcoal accumulation values compared to pre-industrial). There is strong broad-scale coherence in fire activity after the LGM, but spatial heterogeneity in the signals increases thereafter. In North America, Europe and southern South America, charcoal records indicate less-than-present fire activity during the deglacial period, from 21,000 to ∼11,000 cal yr BP. In contrast, the tropical latitudes of South America and Africa show greater-than-present fire activity from ∼19,000 to ∼17,000 cal yr BP and most sites from Indochina and Australia show greater-than-present fire activity from 16,000 to ∼13,000 cal yr BP. Many sites indicate greater-than-present or near-present activity during the Holocene with the exception of eastern North America and eastern Asia from 8,000 to ∼3,000 cal yr BP, Indonesia and Australia from 11,000 to 4,000 cal yr BP, and southern South America from 6,000 to 3,000 cal yr BP where fire activity was less than present. Regional coherence in the patterns of change in fire activity was evident throughout the post-glacial period. These complex patterns can largely be explained in terms of large-scale climate controls modulated by local changes in vegetation and fuel load.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Bard-Chapeau, Emilie A, et al.
(author)
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Transposon mutagenesis identifies genes driving hepatocellular carcinoma in a chronic hepatitis B mouse model.
- 2014
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 46:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The most common risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV). To better understand the evolutionary forces driving HCC, we performed a near-saturating transposon mutagenesis screen in a mouse HBV model of HCC. This screen identified 21 candidate early stage drivers and a very large number (2,860) of candidate later stage drivers that were enriched for genes that are mutated, deregulated or functioning in signaling pathways important for human HCC, with a striking 1,199 genes being linked to cellular metabolic processes. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the genetic landscape of HCC.
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| 10. |
- Carney, J., et al.
(author)
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Development of the International Spinal Cord Injury/Dysfunction Education Basic Data Set
- 2019
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In: Spinal cord series and cases. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2058-6124. ; 5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Study design:Consensus among international experts.Objectives: The objective of this project was to develop the International Spinal Cord Injury/Dysfunction (SCI/D) Education Basic Data Set. Setting: International expert working group.Methods: The published guidelines for developing the International SCI Basic Data Sets were used to develop the International SCI/D Education Basic Data Set. Existing measures and literature on education and disability were reviewed to develop a preliminary draft of the basic education data set through iterative modifications via biweekly conference calls and email communication. The draft was disseminated to the larger International Workgroup for Development of Pediatric SCI/D Basic Data Sets and then to the members of the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS), American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA), and relevant expert groups and interested individuals for comments. All feedback received was taken into consideration before the final data set was approved by ISCoS and ASIA.Results: The finalized version of the International SCI/D Education Basic Data Set Version 1.0 contains 16 items divided into three domains: school setting/therapeutic services, school participation/academic success, and barriers/attitudes. Most of the variables have been adapted from established measures. This data set is intended for children and youth up to and including high school, but not for emerging adults in higher education or postsecondary vocational training or trade schools.Conclusion: The International SCI/D Education Basic Data Set has been developed for collection of a minimal amount of highly relevant information on the education experience in children and youth with SCI/D. Further validation work is needed.Sponsorship: This project was funded by the Rick Hansen Institute, Research Award #G2015-27 (Mulcahey, PI).
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Lim, H. D., et al.
(author)
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Short-time proper orthogonal decomposition of time-resolved schlieren images for transient jet screech characterization
- 2020
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In: Aerospace Science and Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1270-9638 .- 1626-3219. ; 107
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Short-time Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) is proposed as an image-based technique to study the transient jet screech characteristics of moderately under-expanded supersonic jets emanating from a circular baseline and two bevelled nozzles. Time-resolved schlieren imaging of turbulent flow structures were performed with an ultrahigh-speed schlieren setup. Short-time POD was performed by systematically sampling image-series with a short time delay, performing PODs and applying spectral analyses on the first POD mode coefficients, and plotting the peak frequencies from the resulting PSDs into a peak frequency-occurrence count histogram. The results are in good agreement with the near-field noise spectra and wavelet transform analysis of the microphone measurements, which revealed intermittent jet screech occurrences at St=0.25 for both baseline and 30 degrees bevelled jets, while none was detected for the 60 degrees bevelled jet. In particular, the occurrence counts of the frequency bins is proposed as a suitable parameter to characterize the intermittent nature of jet screech, with the frequency bin revealing the jet screech frequency if present. The present study demonstrates the advantage of short-time POD analysis on time-resolved schlieren images over traditional image-based POD methods, which includes computational gains from parallelization, the ability to handle much larger datasets and revealing insights into a transient flow and noise phenomenon.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Niederberger, C., et al.
(author)
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Forty years of IVF
- 2018
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In: Fertility and Sterility. - : Elsevier BV. - 0015-0282. ; 110:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This monograph, written by the pioneers of IVF and reproductive medicine, celebrates the history, achievements, and medical advancements made over the last 40 years in this rapidly growing field.
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| 16. |
- Scrivens, A, et al.
(author)
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Survey of transfusion practices in preterm infants in Europe
- 2023
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In: Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition. - : BMJ. - 1468-2052 .- 1359-2998. ; 108:4, s. 360-366
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Preterm infants commonly receive red blood cell (RBC), platelet and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusions. The aim of this Neonatal Transfusion Network survey was to describe current transfusion practices in Europe and to compare our findings to three recent randomised controlled trials to understand how clinical practice relates to the trial data.MethodsFrom October to December 2020, we performed an online survey among 597 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) caring for infants with a gestational age (GA) of <32 weeks in 18 European countries.ResultsResponses from 343 NICUs (response rate: 57%) are presented and showed substantial variation in clinical practice. For RBC transfusions, 70% of NICUs transfused at thresholds above the restrictive thresholds tested in the recent trials and 22% below the restrictive thresholds. For platelet transfusions, 57% of NICUs transfused at platelet count thresholds above 25×109/L in non-bleeding infants of GA of <28 weeks, while the 25×109/L threshold was associated with a lower risk of harm in a recent trial. FFP transfusions were administered for coagulopathy without active bleeding in 39% and for hypotension in 25% of NICUs. Transfusion volume, duration and rate varied by factors up to several folds between NICUs.ConclusionsTransfusion thresholds and aspects of administration vary widely across European NICUs. In general, transfusion thresholds used tend to be more liberal compared with data from recent trials supporting the use of more restrictive thresholds. Further research is needed to identify the barriers and enablers to incorporation of recent trial findings into neonatal transfusion practice.
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| 17. |
- Wei, X. F., et al.
(author)
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Experimental Investigations of Screech Mitigation and Amplification by Beveled and Double-Beveled Nozzles
- 2022
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In: Journal of Aerospace Engineering. - : American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). - 0893-1321 .- 1943-5525. ; 35:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An experimental study was conducted to investigate and compare the effects of beveled and double-beveled circular nozzles on supersonic jet screech at a nozzle pressure ratio of 5. In particular, near- and far-field microphone measurements and schlieren visualizations were utilized to look into selected acoustic and flow features associated with jet screech radiation. Results show that beveled nozzles eliminate jet screech by producing asymmetric shock structures and instability waves that are mismatched in phase and amplitude. In contrast, double-beveled nozzles produce symmetric shock structures and amplify screech intensity, even when jet mixing effects have been significantly enhanced. It is further observed that amplified jet screeches produced by double-beveled nozzles are highly unsteady and undergo nonperiodic and stochastic temporal variations. Last but not least, double-beveled nozzles also significantly impact screech peak noise locations and confer different changes along different measurement planes. The present study demonstrates that not all beveled-type nozzles are able to mitigate jet screech, with nonoptimal designs amplifying it instead.
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| 18. |
- Wei, X. F., et al.
(author)
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Mitigation of under-expanded supersonic jet noise through stepped nozzles
- 2019
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In: Journal of Sound and Vibration. - : Academic Press. - 0022-460X .- 1095-8568. ; 459
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An experimental investigation into noise reduction of supersonic jets through nozzle trailing-edge modifications was conducted, whereby far-field acoustic measurements were captured for two different stepped nozzles under two distinct under-expanded conditions. When compared to a baseline nozzle, results show that stepped nozzles lead to significant noise reductions at certain polar and azimuthal angles. In particular, a maximum noise reduction of 6 dB is observed for the longest stepped nozzle at a nozzle-pressure-ratio of 4 and 0 degrees azimuthal angle. Spectral analysis shows that the noise reduction is mainly due to reduction in broadband shock associated noise and elimination of jet screech phenomenon. Abrupt changes in nozzle lip lengths of the stepped nozzles appear to disrupt acoustic feedback loop, thus resulting in screech cessation. Qualitative schlieren imaging and quantitative schlieren measurements were subsequently performed to correlate the shock structures and density gradient fields with the resulting noise components. Unlike those produced by the baseline nozzle, shock structures generated by the stepped nozzles are highly irregular and the jet plumes undergo discernible deflections. Lastly, the reduction in broadband shock associated noise is related to the lower shock strengths, as demonstrated by the density gradient profiles.
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| 19. |
- Wei, X. F., et al.
(author)
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Near- and Far-Field Acoustic Measurements for Stepped Nozzles at Over- and Perfectly-Expanded Supersonic Jet Flow Conditions
- 2020
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In: Journal of Fluids Engineering. - : ASME International. - 0098-2202 .- 1528-901X. ; 142:11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Detailed near- and far-field acoustic measurements were conducted for two circularstepped nozzles with 30 deg and 60 deg design inclinations at over- and perfectlyexpandedsupersonic jet flow conditions and compared to those for a circular nonsteppednozzle. Far-field acoustic results show that stepped nozzles play an insignificant role inaltering noise emissions at perfectly expanded condition. At an over-expanded condition,however, the longer stepped nozzle produces significant noise reductions at the sidelineand upstream quadrants, while the shorter stepped nozzle does not. Noise spectra analysisand Schlieren visualizations show that noise reduction can be primarily attributed tomitigations in the broadband shock-associated noise (BSAN), due to the ability of the longerstepped nozzle in suppressing shock strengths at downstream region. Near-fieldacoustic measurements reveal that the source region, as well as the intensity of turbulentand shock noises, are highly sensitive to the stepped nozzle configuration. Furthermore,BSAN seems to be eliminated by the longer stepped nozzle in near-field region due to theshock structure modifications.
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