The Ukraine crisis so far. [EPC SPECIAL COLLECTION]

Collection of papers recently published by the European Policy Centre on the crisis involving Ukraine, Russia and the European Unio

Efficient deformable motion correction for 3-D abdominal MRI using manifold regression

We present a novel framework for efficient retrospective respiratory motion correction of 3-D abdominal MRI using manifold regression. K-space data are continuously acquired under free breathing using the stack-of-stars radial gold-en-angle trajectory. The stack-of-profiles (SoP) from all temporal positions are embedded into a common manifold, in which SoPs that were acquired at similar respiratory states are close together. Next, the SoPs in the manifold are clustered into groups using the k-means algorithm. One 3-D volume is reconstructed at the central SoP position of each cluster (a.k.a. key-volumes). Motion fields are estimated using deformable image registration between each of these key-volumes and a reference end-exhale volume. Subsequently, the motion field at any other SoP position in the manifold is derived using manifold regression. The regressed motion fields for each of the SoPs are used to deter-mine a final motion-corrected MRI volume. The method was evaluated on realistic synthetic datasets which were generated from real MRI data and also tested on an in vivo dataset. The framework enables more accurate motion correction compared to the conventional binning-based approach, with high computational efficiency

Exploring colors from the past: in the steps of eighteenth-century dryers from France and England

No abstract available

High-resolution self-gated dynamic abdominal MRI using manifold alignment

We present a novel retrospective self-gating method based on manifold alignment (MA), which enables reconstruction of free-breathing, high spatial and temporal resolution abdominal MRI sequences. Based on a radial golden-angle (RGA) acquisition trajectory, our method enables a multi-dimensional self-gating signal to be extracted from the k-space data for more accurate motion representation. The k-space radial profiles are evenly divided into a number of overlapping groups based on their radial angles. MA is then used to simultaneously learn and align the low dimensional manifolds of all groups, and embed them into a common manifold. In the manifold, k-space profiles that represent similar respiratory positions are close to each other. Image reconstruction is performed by combining radial profiles with evenly distributed angles that are close in the manifold. Our method was evaluated on both 2D and 3D synthetic and in vivo datasets. On the synthetic datasets, our method achieved high correlation with the ground truth in terms of image intensity and virtual navigator values. Using the in vivo data, compared to a state-of-the-art approach based on centre of k-space gating, our method was able to make use of much richer profile data for self-gating, resulting in statistically significantly better quantitative measurements in terms of organ sharpness and image gradient entropy

Haemophilus influenzae type b reemergence after combination immunization

An increase in Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in British children has been linked to the widespread use of a diphtheria/tetanus/acellular pertussis combination vaccine (DTaP-Hib). We measured anti-polyribosyl-ribitol phos- phate antibody concentration and avidity before and after a Hib booster in 176 children 2–4 years of age who had received 3 doses of DTP-Hib (either DT whole cell pertus- sis-Hib or DTaP-Hib) combination vaccine in infancy. We also measured pharyngeal carriage of Hib. Antibody con- centrations before and avidity indices after vaccination were low (geometric mean concentration 0.46μg/mL, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.36–0.58; geometric mean avidity index 0.16, 95% CI 0.14–0.18) and inversely related to the number of previous doses of DTaP-Hib (p = 0.02 and p<0.001, respectively). Hib was found in 2.1% (95% CI 0.7%–6.0%) of study participants. Our data support an association between DTaP-Hib vaccine combinations and clinical Hib disease through an effect on antibody concen- tration and avidit

TLR5-Mediated Sensing of Gut Microbiota Is Necessary for Antibody Responses to Seasonal Influenza Vaccination

SummarySystems biological analysis of immunity to the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) in humans revealed a correlation between early expression of TLR5 and the magnitude of the antibody response. Vaccination of Trl5−/− mice resulted in reduced antibody titers and lower frequencies of plasma cells, demonstrating a role for TLR5 in immunity to TIV. This was due to a failure to sense host microbiota. Thus, antibody responses in germ-free or antibiotic-treated mice were impaired, but restored by oral reconstitution with a flagellated, but not aflagellated, strain of E. coli. TLR5-mediated sensing of flagellin promoted plasma cell differentiation directly and by stimulating lymph node macrophages to produce plasma cell growth factors. Finally, TLR5-mediated sensing of the microbiota also impacted antibody responses to the inactivated polio vaccine, but not to adjuvanted vaccines or the live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine. These results reveal an unappreciated role for gut microbiota in promoting immunity to vaccination

Challenges and new beginnings: Priorities for the EU’s new leadership. EPC Challenge Europe Issue 22, September 2014

Table of contents - State of the Union and key challenges for Europe's future, Janis A. Emmanouilidis and Paul Ivan; Europe’s economic challenges and the importance of ideas and innovation, Herman Van Rompuy; The growth challenge for Europe and the EMU, George Pagoulatos; Strengthening the euro area, Daniela Schwarzer; Social Europe. Can the EU again improve people's life prospects?, László Andor; Solidarity and cohesion, Pawel Swieboda; The single market and competitiveness – the challenges for the Juncker team, Malcolm Harbour; A European response to the resource and climate challenge, Jo Leinen; Renewal through international action? Options for EU foreign policy, Rosa Balfour; EU migration policy – new realities, new opportunities, Cecilia Malmström; Freedom of movement of persons – the building-block of European growth, Radoslaw Sikorski; Building up European leadership – an assessment of the recent process, Maria João Rodrigues; Populism in the EU: new threats to the open society?, Heather Grabbe; Differentiated Europe needs strong institutions, Alexander Stubb; Improving decision-making in the EU, Fabian Zuleeg; The need for a New Pact, Janis A. Emmanouilidis