An analysis of MRI derived cortical complexity in premature-born adults : regional patterns, risk factors, and potential significance

Premature birth bears an increased risk for aberrant brain development concerning its structure and function. Cortical complexity (CC) expresses the fractal dimension of the brain surface and changes during neurodevelopment. We hypothesized that CC is altered after premature birth and associated with long-term cognitive development. One-hundred-and-one very premature-born adults (gestational age <32 weeks and/or birth weight <1500 ​g) and 111 term-born adults were assessed by structural MRI and cognitive testing at 26 years of age. CC was measured based on MRI by vertex-wise estimation of fractal dimension. Cognitive performance was measured based on Griffiths-Mental-Development-Scale (at 20 months) and Wechsler-Adult-Intelligence-Scales (at 26 years). In premature-born adults, CC was decreased bilaterally in large lateral temporal and medial parietal clusters. Decreased CC was associated with lower gestational age and birth weight. Furthermore, decreased CC in the medial parietal cortices was linked with reduced full-scale IQ of premature-born adults and mediated the association between cognitive development at 20 months and IQ in adulthood. Results demonstrate that CC is reduced in very premature-born adults in temporoparietal cortices, mediating the impact of prematurity on impaired cognitive development. These data indicate functionally relevant long-term alterations in the brain’s basic geometry of cortical organization in prematurity

Neural Network Analysis of the Effects of Rainfall Variability and Groundwater Usage on the Hydrologic System in a Karst Terrain, Central Florida, USA

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

Sequelae of premature birth in young adults

Background and Purpose Qualitative studies about the abnormalities appreciated on routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences in prematurely born adults are lacking. This article aimed at filling this knowledge gap by (1) qualitatively describing routine imaging findings in prematurely born adults, (2) evaluating measures for routine image interpretation and (3) investigating the impact of perinatal variables related to premature birth. Methods In this study two board-certified radiologists assessed T1-weighted and FLAIR-weighted images of 100 prematurely born adults born very preterm (VP <32 weeks) and/or at very low birth weight (VLBW <1500 g) and 106 controls born at full term (FT) (mean age 26.8 ± 0.7 years). The number of white matter lesions (WML) was counted according to localization. Lateral ventricle volume (LVV) was evaluated subjectively and by measurements of Evans’ index (EI) and frontal-occipital-horn ratio (FOHR). Freesurfer-based volumetry served as reference standard. Miscellaneous incidental findings were noted as free text. Results The LVV was increased in 24.7% of VP/VLBW individuals and significantly larger than in FT controls. This was best identified by measurement of FOHR (AUC = 0.928). Ventricular enlargement was predicted by low gestational age (odds ratio: 0.71, 95% CI 0.51–0.98) and presence of neonatal intracranial hemorrhage (odds ratio: 0.26, 95% CI 0.07–0.92). The numbers of deep and periventricular WML were increased while subcortical WMLs were not. Conclusion Enlargement of the LVV and deep and periventricular WMLs are typical sequelae of premature birth that can be appreciated on routine brain MRI. To increase sensitivity of abnormal LVV detection, measurement of FOHR seems feasible in clinical practice

Data Mining to Predict Climate and Groundwater Use Impacts on the Hydrology of Central Florida

2012 S.C. Water Resources Conference - Exploring Opportunities for Collaborative Water Research, Policy and Managemen

Uso da terra da região das nascentes do rio Araguaia - GO/MT com base em imagem TM-Landsat 5.

A situação atual de ocupação agrícola intensiva e o manejo agrícola inadequado em áreas frágeis como são as áreas de recarga do Sistema Aqüífero Guarani é preocupante em todo o País. A região das nascentes do rio Araguaia situa-se nessas áreas de recarga do Aqüífero Guarani. Este trabalho apresenta resultados parciais e preliminares do projeto em andamento na Embrapa Meio Ambiente, intitulado ?Manejo agro-ecológico das áreas de recarga do Aqüífero Guarani na região das nascentes do rio Araguaia, GO/MT? ? PRODETAB. Os mapas de uso da terra e o mapa de declividade, cuja metodologia e resultados são aqui apresentados, são informações básicas para o subprojeto ?Desenvolvimento de critérios agroecológicos para a tomada de decisão na ocupação racional de áreas agrícolas?

Harmonization of brain PET images in multi-center PET studies using Hoffman phantom scan

Background: Image harmonization has been proposed to minimize heterogeneity in brain PET scans acquired in multi-center studies. However, standard validated methods and software tools are lacking. Here, we assessed the performance of a framework for the harmonization of brain PET scans in a multi-center European clinical trial. / Method: Hoffman 3D brain phantoms were acquired in 28 PET systems and reconstructed using site-specific settings. Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) of the Effective Image Resolution (EIR) and harmonization kernels were estimated for each scan. The target EIR was selected as the coarsest EIR in the imaging network. Using “Hoffman 3D brain Analysis tool,” indicators of image quality were calculated before and after the harmonization: The Coefficient of Variance (COV%), Gray Matter Recovery Coefficient (GMRC), Contrast, Cold-Spot RC, and left-to-right GMRC ratio. A COV% ≤ 15% and Contrast ≥ 2.2 were set as acceptance criteria. The procedure was repeated to achieve a 6-mm target EIR in a subset of scans. The method’s robustness against typical dose-calibrator-based errors was assessed. / Results: The EIR across systems ranged from 3.3 to 8.1 mm, and an EIR of 8 mm was selected as the target resolution. After harmonization, all scans met acceptable image quality criteria, while only 13 (39.4%) did before. The harmonization procedure resulted in lower inter-system variability indicators: Mean ± SD COV% (from 16.97 ± 6.03 to 7.86 ± 1.47%), GMRC Inter-Quartile Range (0.040–0.012), and Contrast SD (0.14–0.05). Similar results were obtained with a 6-mm FWHM target EIR. Errors of ± 10% in the DRO activity resulted in differences below 1 mm in the estimated EIR. / Conclusion: Harmonizing the EIR of brain PET scans significantly reduced image quality variability while minimally affecting quantitative accuracy. This method can be used prospectively for harmonizing scans to target sharper resolutions and is robust against dose-calibrator errors. Comparable image quality is attainable in brain PET multi-center studies while maintaining quantitative accuracy

The impact of sparse millet crops on evaporation from soil in semi-arid Niger

Direct evaporation from soil is an important component of crop water balances in semi-arid environments. The effects of a crop and of crop management on this water loss from the soil have been estimated in the past using combinations of field measurement and simple models, but there are inconsistencies in the conclusions reached. This paper presents data from water balance studies on millet crops in Niger during the 1991 and 1993 seasons. Evaporation from soil (Es) was measured under two contrasting cropping intensities in both years using the microlysimeter method. small seasonal reductions in Es from the higher intensity crop were recorded (12% and 16% in 1991 and 1993, respectively). significant reductions in daily Es were: (1) nearly all recorded within a limited period in the season when there were large differences in transpiring leaf area; (2) recorded for both high ( > =2 mm day−1) and low ( < 0.8 mm day−1) values of Es. These data indicate that soil drying by root water uptake contributed to the reduction of Es. Increased shading of the soil by the crop canopy does not result in a proportional reduction of Es. Two simple models for estimating ES beneath crops (Ritchie, 1972; Cooper et al., 1983) are compared with field data and an improvement to the Ritchie model is suggested. Two new parameters are introduced to estimate the relative importance of (1) the atmospheric vapour pressure deficit to potential evaporation and (2) root water uptake to soil drying. The brief description of environment and crop included in the new approach allows identification of the environments in which there is scope for substantial reduction in Es through crop managemen

Population-based screen-detected type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with less need for insulin therapy after 10 years

INTRODUCTION: With increased duration of type 2 diabetes, most people have a growing need of glucose-lowering medication and eventually might require insulin. Presumptive evidence is reported that early detection (eg, by population-based screening) and treatment of hyperglycemia will postpone the indication for insulin treatment. A treatment legacy effect of population-based screening for type 2 diabetes of about 3 years is estimated. Therefore, we aim to compare insulin prescription and glycemic control in people with screen-detected type 2 diabetes after 10 years with data from people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes seven (treatment legacy effect) and 10 years before during care-as-usual. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Three cohorts were compared: one screen-detected cohort with 10 years diabetes duration (Anglo-Danish-Dutch study of Intensive Treatment in People with Screen-Detected Diabetes in Primary care (ADDITION-NL): n=391) and two care-as-usual cohorts, one with 7-year diabetes duration (Groningen Initiative to Analyze Type 2 Diabetes Treatment (GIANTT) and Zwolle Outpatient Diabetes project Integrating Available Care (ZODIAC): n=4473) and one with 10-year diabetes duration (GIANTT and ZODIAC: n=2660). Insulin prescription (primary outcome) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of people with a known diabetes duration of 7 years or 10 years at the index year 2014 were compared using regression analyses. RESULTS: Insulin was prescribed in 10.5% (10-year screen detection), 14.7% (7-year care-as-usual) and 19.0% (10-year care-as-usual). People in the 7-year and 10-year care-as-usual groups had a 1.5 (95% CI 1.0 to 2.1) and 1.8 (95% CI 1.3 to 2.7) higher adjusted odds for getting insulin prescribed than those after screen detection. Lower HbA1c values were found 10 years after screen detection (mean 50.1 mmol/mol (6.7%) vs 51.8 mmol/mol (6.9%) and 52.8 mmol/mol (7.0%)), compared with 7 years and 10 years after care-as-usual (MDadjusted: 1.6 mmol/mol (95% CI 0.6 to 2.6); 0.1% (95% CI 0.1 to 0.2) and 1.8 mmol/mol (95% CI 0.7 to 2.9); and 0.2% (95% CI 0.1 to 0.3)). CONCLUSION: Population-based screen-detected type 2 diabetes is associated with less need for insulin after 10 years compared with people diagnosed during care-as-usual. Glycemic control was better after screen detection but on average good in all groups

Perception of Nuclear Energy and Coal in France and the Netherlands

This study focuses on the perception of large scale application of nuclear energy and coal in the Netherlands and France. The application of these energy-sources and the risks and benefits are judged differently by various group in society. In Europe, France has the highest density of nuclear power plants and the Netherlands has one of the lowest. In both countries scientists and social scientists completed a questionnaire assessing the perception of the large scale application of both energy sources. Furthermore, a number of variables relating to the socio cultural and political circumstances were measured. The results indicate that the French had a higher risk perception and a more negative attitude toward nuclear power than the Dutch. But they also assess the benefits of the use of nuclear power to be higher. Explanations for these differences are discussed