An analysis-ready and quality controlled resource for pediatric brain white-matter research

We created a set of resources to enable research based on openly-available diffusion MRI (dMRI) data from the Healthy Brain Network (HBN) study. First, we curated the HBN dMRI data (N = 2747) into the Brain Imaging Data Structure and preprocessed it according to best-practices, including denoising and correcting for motion effects, susceptibility-related distortions, and eddy currents. Preprocessed, analysis-ready data was made openly available. Data quality plays a key role in the analysis of dMRI. To optimize QC and scale it to this large dataset, we trained a neural network through the combination of a small data subset scored by experts and a larger set scored by community scientists. The network performs QC highly concordant with that of experts on a held out set (ROC-AUC = 0.947). A further analysis of the neural network demonstrates that it relies on image features with relevance to QC. Altogether, this work both delivers resources to advance transdiagnostic research in brain connectivity and pediatric mental health, and establishes a novel paradigm for automated QC of large datasets

Plasma Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) in Relation to Human Pathophysiology

Plasma CETP was initially isolated as a highly purified 74 kD protein. The human CETP gene is located at chromosome 16q13, near the locus of the lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) gene. The CETP gene consists of 16 exons, spanning 25 kb. The CETP mRNA encodes 476 amino acids. The mature CETP contains four N-linked sugars with a variable glycosylation site of 341Asn. CETP mRNA is expressed in various tissues, but liver cells, adipocytes, and macrophages are abundant sources. One of the determinants of high density lipoprotein (HDL) neutral lipid composition is plasma CETP. In incubated human plasma, transfer and equilibration of (LCAT)-generated cholesteryl ester (CE) is found. Humans, hamsters, guinea pigs, and chickens belong to a group with intermediate CETP activity. Plasma CETP binds neutral lipids CE or triglyceride (TG), and phospholipid (PL) on HDL3, but CETP selectively promotes an exchange of CE and TG among lipoproteins. On the one hand, HDL-TG can be hydrolyzed by hepatic lipase, and on the other hand, plasma CETP decreases HDL particle size via CE/TG exchange between chylomicron/VLDL and HDL. Thus, CETP thereby accelerates the catabolic rate of HDL apolipoproteins. CETP enhances HDL remodeling from large HDL to small subclasses including pre-HDL. However, CETP deficiency would decrease cholesterol esterification rate, thereby inhibiting maturation of preb-HDL to α-migrating spherical HDL. Therefore, in CETP deficiency, large-to-small HDL remodeling is decreased and preb-HDL catabolism is also decreased. © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.[Book Chapter

An analysis-ready and quality controlled resource for pediatric brain white-matter research

We created a set of resources to enable research based on openly-available diffusion MRI (dMRI) data from the Healthy Brain Network (HBN) study. First, we curated the HBN dMRI data (N = 2747) into the Brain Imaging Data Structure and preprocessed it according to best-practices, including denoising and correcting for motion effects, susceptibility-related distortions, and eddy currents. Preprocessed, analysis-ready data was made openly available. Data quality plays a key role in the analysis of dMRI. To optimize QC and scale it to this large dataset, we trained a neural network through the combination of a small data subset scored by experts and a larger set scored by community scientists. The network performs QC highly concordant with that of experts on a held out set (ROC-AUC = 0.947). A further analysis of the neural network demonstrates that it relies on image features with relevance to QC. Altogether, this work both delivers resources to advance transdiagnostic research in brain connectivity and pediatric mental health, and establishes a novel paradigm for automated QC of large datasets. BárbaraAvelar-Pereira 9 , EthanRoy2 , Valerie J.Sydnor3,4,5, JasonD.Yeatman1,2, The Fibr Community Science Consortium*, TheodoreD.Satterthwaite3,4,5,88 & Ariel Roke

Shaping Monetary Constitutions for Developing Countries: Some Archival Evidence on the Bloomfield Missions to South Korea (1949-1950)

In this paper we analyse the scientific contributions of the New York Fed economist Arthur I. Bloomfield. A Canadian born economist, in 1941 Bloomfield took his PhD in economics at the University of Chicago, under the supervision of Jacob Viner and then joined the staff of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as a Research Economist and stayed there until 1958. In this position, Bloomfield combined scholarly research on recent economic history and international financial and banking problems with active service as a member of various committees and commissions, both in the United States and abroad. While on leave from the Fed, he accepted appointments as a consultant and advisor to various central banks and institutions. Its most challenging task was the drafting of the new Statute of the Bank of Korea in 1950. During his stay at the New York FED he also served on several governmental commissions, the most noteworthy being the Wilbur Commission to Indo-China and the Randall Commission on the US Foreign Trade Policy. The paper aims to address the following issues: after a brief reconstruction of Bloomfield’s intellectual biography (Section 2), we try to illustrate his most original scientific contributions to the interpretation and the understanding of the international monetary system as it drastically evolved from the heyday of the classical gold standard to the interwar collapse and subsequent reconstruction (Section 3). Then, in Section 4 we analyze the major achievements of Bloomfield’s advisory activities. To a significant extent they coincided with a number of overseas missions which regarded the framing of new central banks statutes and other reforms of the currency system and financial markets of developing countries. Specific attention will be devoted to Bloomfield’s role in the establishment of a new monetary authority in South Korea, as the South Korean mission was the most influential episode of Bloomfield’s career as an economic advisor. The paper ends with a brief Section of conclusions

Chromosomal abnormalities identify high-risk and low-risk patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract The importance of banded chromosome analyses in predicting long-term outcome in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was evaluated in this follow-up study of 329 patients from the Third International Workshop on Chromosomes in Leukemia. Patients were divided into ten groups according to pretreatment karyotype: no abnormalities, one of the following structural abnormalities [the Philadelphia chromosome, translocations involving 8q24,t(4;11), 14q+, 6q-] or, in the remaining cases, modal number [less than 46, 46, 47 to 50, greater than 50]. Achievement and duration of complete remission (CR) and survival differed among chromosome groups (P less than .0001). Karyotype was an independent prognostic factor for duration of first CR and survival, even when age, initial leukocyte count (WBC), French-American-British (FAB) type, and immunologic phenotype were considered. Among adults, prolonged remission and survival were uncommon in all chromosome groups. Only in the normal karyotype group was median survival even two years. Among children, striking differences in long-term remission and survival were seen depending upon karyotype. Children in the greater than 50 group did best, with 70% remaining in first CR for a median duration in excess of five years. Children in the 47–50, 6q-, and normal karyotype groups also had prolonged survivals. In contrast, certain translocations [t(9;22)(q34;q11), t(4;11)(q21;q14–23), t(8;14)(q24;q32)] identified children who had short survivals, even in the presence of favorable prognostic factors including a low WBC, L1 morphology, and non-T, non-B immunologic phenotype. We conclude that chromosome analysis is required at diagnosis in patients with ALL, and that children with these specific translocations should be managed as having high-risk ALL.</jats:p

Chromosomal abnormalities identify high-risk and low-risk patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The importance of banded chromosome analyses in predicting long-term outcome in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was evaluated in this follow-up study of 329 patients from the Third International Workshop on Chromosomes in Leukemia. Patients were divided into ten groups according to pretreatment karyotype: no abnormalities, one of the following structural abnormalities [the Philadelphia chromosome, translocations involving 8q24,t(4;11), 14q+, 6q-] or, in the remaining cases, modal number [less than 46, 46, 47 to 50, greater than 50]. Achievement and duration of complete remission (CR) and survival differed among chromosome groups (P less than .0001). Karyotype was an independent prognostic factor for duration of first CR and survival, even when age, initial leukocyte count (WBC), French-American-British (FAB) type, and immunologic phenotype were considered. Among adults, prolonged remission and survival were uncommon in all chromosome groups. Only in the normal karyotype group was median survival even two years. Among children, striking differences in long-term remission and survival were seen depending upon karyotype. Children in the greater than 50 group did best, with 70% remaining in first CR for a median duration in excess of five years. Children in the 47–50, 6q-, and normal karyotype groups also had prolonged survivals. In contrast, certain translocations [t(9;22)(q34;q11), t(4;11)(q21;q14–23), t(8;14)(q24;q32)] identified children who had short survivals, even in the presence of favorable prognostic factors including a low WBC, L1 morphology, and non-T, non-B immunologic phenotype. We conclude that chromosome analysis is required at diagnosis in patients with ALL, and that children with these specific translocations should be managed as having high-risk ALL.</jats:p