2,241 research outputs found
Improved detection of cortical MS lesions with phase-sensitive inversion recovery MRI.
No full textOBJECTIVE: Cortical grey matter lesions are common in multiple sclerosis (MS), but usually not seen on MRI. The authors compared the performance of double inversion recovery (DIR, currently considered the best available imaging sequence for detecting cortical lesions) with phase-sensitive inversion recovery (PSIR, a sequence allowing much higher resolution scans to be obtained in a clinically feasible time). METHODS: Sixty MS patients and 30 healthy controls underwent MRI scanning on a 3 Tesla scanner. The authors compared intracortical (IC) and leucocortical (LC) lesion counts obtained with a standard DIR sequence (1×1×3 mm resolution, obtained in 4 min) and a PSIR sequence (0.5×0.5×2 mm, 11 min). Lesions were marked separately on DIR and PSIR scans. RESULTS: In the whole MS cohort, more cortical lesions were seen on the higher-resolution PSIR than the DIR scans (IC mean±SD: 18.1±9.8 vs 5.9±4.5,
Commentary on Al Hussona et al. 'New-onset seizures as a sole clinical presentation of multiple sclerosis'
No full textDespite the now significant contribution of magnetic resonance imaging, the accurate and timely diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is still clinically challenging. Al Hussona et al., with their case series, highlight the complexities of attributing paroxysmal, and in particular cortical, symptoms such as epileptic seizures to inflammatory demyelinating lesions, and establishing a diagnosis of MS based on them. In such circumstances an MS diagnosis is likely to be more tentative than for more typical MS presentations, and treatment choices should be weighed accordingly
Self-archiving practice and the influence of publisher policies in the social sciences
No full textAuthors in different disciplines exhibit very different behaviours on the so-called ‘green’ road to open access, i.e. self-archiving. This study looks at the self-archiving behaviour of authors publishing in leading journals in six social science disciplines. It tests the hypothesis that authors are self-archiving according to the norms of their respective disciplines rather than following self-archiving policies of publishers, and that, as a result, they are self-archiving significant numbers of publisher PDF versions. It finds significant levels of
self-archiving, as well as significant self-archiving of
the publisher PDF version, in all the disciplines
investigated. Publishers’ self-archiving policies have
no influence on author self-archiving practice
Digital twin application in heritage facilities management: systematic literature review and future development directions
No full textThis paper aims to investigate the theoretical and practical links between digital twin (DT) application in heritage facilities management (HFM) from a life cycle management perspective and to signpost the future development directions of DT in HFM.This state-of-the-art review was conducted using a systematic literature review method. Inclusive and exclusive criteria were identified and used to retrieve relevant literature from renowned literature databases. Shortlisted publications were analysed using the VOSviewer software and then critically reviewed to reveal the status quo of research in the subject area.The review results show that DT has been mainly adopted to support decision-making on conservation approach and method selection, performance monitoring and prediction, maintenance strategies design and development, and energy evaluation and management. Although many researchers attempted to develop DT models for part of a heritage building at component or system level and test the models using real-life cases, their works were constrained by availability of empirical data. Furthermore, data capture approaches, data acquisition methods and modelling with multi-source data are found to be the existing challenges of DT application in HFM.In a broader sense, this study contributes to the field of engineering, construction and architectural management by providing an overview of how DT has been applied to support management activities throughout the building life cycle. For the HFM practice, a DT-cum-heritage building information modelling (HBIM) framework was developed to illustrate how DT can be integrated with HBIM to facilitate future DT application in HFM. The overall implication of this study is that it reveals the potential of heritage DT in facilitating HFM in the urban development context.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Design & Construction Managemen
Managing HKU author reputations, enhancing HKU's reputation
No full textThe HKU "Knowledge Exchange" initiative has launched many separate projects that aim to make HKU researchers and their research highly visible. One of these projects is the creation of HKU ResearcherPages in HKU's institutional repository, that highlight the research and achievements of each professoriate staff at HKU, including their authored publications which are freely available in open access. These pages show download counts of these publications, and paper and citations metrics from Scopus and Thomson Reuter's ResearcherID These pages also allow the HKU author to manage, control, and take charge of how his or her digital presence, or reputation, is shown to the world. Newly aware of their digital presence, HKU authors now have the incentive and tools to correct errors, add missing publications, and otherwise burnish their reputation as shown in these HKU ResearcherPages, Scopus, and ResearcherID. The renown of their sponsoring university correspondingly shines brighter; as HKU paper and citation counts are positively amended, offers of contract research and research collaboration increase, and, invitations to speak and consult, appear as if by.., magic.published_or_final_versionThe World 100 Conference: Managing University Reputation in a Competitive World, Hong Kong, 22-23 June 2010
Diffusion MRI-based cortical complexity alterations associated with executive function in multiple sclerosis.
No full textPurpose: To report a novel magnetic resonance imaging
measure (diffusion orientational complexity [DOC]) in a
study of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy
controls and to determine patterns of abnormality, correlations
with conventional diffusion measures, and associations
with cognitive function.
Materials and Methods: We performed high angular resolution
diffusion imaging (HARDI) and measured DOC, mean
diffusivity (MD), and fractional anisotropy (FA) in 51 MS
patients and 28 healthy controls. All subjects had a 2-mm
isotropic HARDI scan on a 3 T scanner using a 32-channel
head receiver coil. DOC, MD, and FA were measured in
three regions of interest (ROIs) in frontal cortex linked to
executive function, two ROIs in occipital cortex thought
unlikely to affect cognition, and in the whole cortex.
Results: Frontal cortex DOC was significantly decreased
in MS patients. DOC correlated mostly with FA but not MD
in controls and with MD but not FA in people with MS. In
regression models that included all three diffusion-based
measures, frontal cortex DOC and frontal cortex FA
independently predicted executive function scores.
Conclusion: DOC is a new useful measure of functionally
relevant cortical pathology in MS, providing information
that complements conventional diffusion measures
Relationships' sustainability: the case of German wheat-to-bread chain
No full textIn recent years there has been a shift in emphasis from transaction-based to more co-operative relationships, as chain members have recognised the need to invest in their supply chain relationships in order to protect their businesses. These non-arm’s-length relationships are capable of generating relational rents for chain partners. The main aim of this paper is to investigate why, in spite of the advantages of the non-arm’s-length relationships, some relationships do not continue. To enhance the understanding of the termination process, we identify and analyse the factors inducing relationship sustainability (continuation) as well as termination in the case of the German wheat-to-bread chain. The study built on the findings of relationship marketing approach that stresses the importance of building longer-term relationships with customers rather than carrying out individual transactions. In addition, the findings of modern microeconomic theories including transaction costs theory and industrial theory are taken into consideration. The empirical analysis is based on two data sets: First, a quantitative questionnaire survey and second, interviews with stakeholders of the wheat-to-bread chain were conducted, aiming at identifying the role of economic and behavioral dimensions of relationships for their termination. The questionnaire survey provides that businesses assess the relationships in the wheat-to-bread chain, being of high quality and long term duration. The results show that trust, satisfaction and commitment - the behavioural dimensions of relationships quality - are very high in the considered chain. Competitive price, competitive quality and supply continuity were identified as determinants mostly important for buyers’ satisfaction as directly influencing relationships’ performance. In addition, the results demonstrate that lack of trust is the reason why relationships do not develop or are terminated in the early phases of the relationship. In the long lasting relationships on the other hand, the reasons for termination are mostly of economic nature. The paper shows why sustainable relationships may enhance business’ competitiveness and analyses why in spite of it the relationships terminate. As the result of the research we understand the sustainable relationships as those relationships in that the costs for starting the relationship are exceeded by returns gained from the cooperation in time.economic relationships, sustainability, termination, Agribusiness,
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