bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clofarabine plus low‐dose cytarabine followed by clofarabine plus low‐dose cytarabine alternating with decitabine in acute myeloid leukemia frontline therapy for older patients
Authors: Faderl Stefan , Ravandi Farhad , Huang Xuelin , Wang Xuemei , Jabbour Elias , Garcia‐Manero Guillermo , Kadia Tapan , Ferrajoli Alessandra , Konopleva Marina , Borthakur Gautam , Burger Jan , Feliu Jennie , Kantarjian Hagop M.
Published: January 2012

BACKGROUND:

Standard therapy for older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has a poor outcome. The authors have designed a combination of clofarabine plus low‐dose cytarabine followed by a prolonged consolidation alternating with decitabine.

METHODS:

Sixty patients with a median age of 70 years (range, 60‐81 years) with newly diagnosed AML were included. They received clofarabine 20 mg/m2intravenously daily for 5 days plus cytarabine 20 mg subcutaneously twice daily for 10 days. Responding patients continued for up to 17 courses of consolidation therapy including decitabine.

RESULTS:

Forty of 59 evaluable patients responded (66%). Complete remission rate was 58%. Median relapse‐free survival (RFS) was 14.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.9 to not estimable), and median overall survival (OS) was 12.7 months (95% CI, 8.8 to not estimable). Median OS of responding patients (complete response [CR]/CR with platelet count <100 × 109/L) was 24.2 months (95% CI, 17 to not estimable). Compared with a historical group of patients who received clofarabine plus low‐dose cytarabine with a shorter consolidation, RFS was not statistically different. Induction mortality was low (7% at 8 weeks) and toxicities manageable.

CONCLUSIONS:

Clofarabine plus low‐dose cytarabine alternating with decitabine in consolidation is active in older patients with newly diagnosed AML. The benefits of a prolonged consolidation remain unproven. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Effects of ghrelin administration during chemotherapy with advanced esophageal cancer patients
Authors: Hiura Yuichiro , Takiguchi Shuji , Yamamoto Kazuyoshi , Takahashi Tsuyoshi , Kurokawa Yukinori , Yamasaki Makoto , Nakajima Kiyokazu , Miyata Hiroshi , Fujiwara Yoshiyuki , Mori Masaki , Kangawa Kenji , Doki Yuichiro
Published: January 2012

BACKGROUND:

Cisplatin reduces plasma ghrelin levels through the 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) receptor. This may cause cisplatin‐induced gastrointestinal disorders and hinders the continuation of chemotherapy. The authors of this report conducted a prospective, randomized phase 2 trial to evaluate the effects of exogenous ghrelin during cisplatin‐based chemotherapy.

METHODS:

Forty‐two patients with esophageal cancer who were receiving cisplatin‐based neoadjuvant chemotherapy were assigned to either a ghrelin group (n = 21) or a placebo group (n = 21). They received either intravenous infusions of synthetic human ghrelin (3 μg/kg) or saline twice daily for 1 week with cisplatin administration. The primary endpoint was changes in oral calorie intake, and the secondary endpoints were chemotherapy‐related adverse events; appetite visual analog scale (VAS) scores; changes in gastrointestinal hormones and nutritional status, including rapid turnover proteins, and quality of life (QoL) estimated with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL core questionnaire (QLQ‐C30).

RESULTS:

Two patients were excluded from the final analysis: One patient suspended ghrelin administration because of excessive diaphoresis, and another patient in the placebo group failed to monitor the self‐questionnaire. Food intake and appetite VAS scores were significantly higher in the ghrelin group than in the placebo group (18.2 ± 5.2 kcal/kg/day vs 12.7 ± 3.4 kcal/kg/day [P = .001] and 6.2 ± 0.9 vs 4.1 ± 0.9 [P < .0001], respectively). Patients in the ghrelin group had fewer adverse events during chemotherapy related to anorexia and nausea than patients in the control group. Significant deterioration was noted after chemotherapy in the placebo group in QoL scores, appetite, nausea and vomiting, and global health status.

CONCLUSIONS:

Short‐term administration of exogenous ghrelin at the start of cisplatin‐based chemotherapy stimulated food intake and minimized adverse events. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Influence of surface roughness on the diffuse to near‐normal viewing reflectance factor of coatings and its consequences on color measurements
Authors: Cuppo F. L. S. , García‐Valenzuela A. , Olivares J. A.
Published: January 2012

In this work, we discuss the effect of surface roughness on the measurement of the diffuse to near‐normal viewing reflectance factor of coatings and evaluate its impact on the corresponding color coordinates. We compare specular component included (SCI) and excluded measurements. We introduce a gloss‐factor to account for surface roughness in specular component excluded measurements. We present experimental results on samples with different degrees of surface roughness. Samples in this study were chosen to expose the contribution of the surface in the reflectance factor. For slightly rough surfaces, the influence on the measured reflectance factor depends on whether the specular‐component is included or excluded. As the surface roughness increases, the specular‐excluded reflectance factor increases approaching its value with the SCI further roughness lead to similar measurement results in both configurations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 38, 177–187, 2013.
Fabrication of Soft Submicrospheres by Sequential Boronate Esterification and Their Dynamic Behavior
Authors: Nishiyabu Ryuhei , Teraoka Shiori , Matsushima Yusuke , Kubo Yuji
Published: January 2012

Pyridine‐assisted sequential boronate esterification of benzene‐1,4‐diboronic acid and 1,2,4,5‐tetrahydroxybenzene has induced hierarchical molecular self‐assembly, and in turn producing well‐defined submicrospheres. Spectroscopic analyses such as FE‐SEM, TEM, DLS, NMR, XRD, and IR absorption spectroscopy indicates that the particles are composed of lamellar structures of sp2‐hybridized trigonal planar poly(dioxaborole). The spontaneous self‐organization is ascribable to reactive layer‐by‐layer assembly through sequential boronate esterification of the diboronic acid and the tetrahydroxybenzene whereby initially formed oligo(dioxaborole) may provide a platform for further reactions, thus resulting in the production of submicrospheres. It is interesting to note that the dynamic covalent functionality as a result of the dioxaborole linkage induced a stimuli‐responsive change in morphology by not only a pH switch but also the exchange reaction with pentaerythritol. Further, a selective saccharide‐induced change in the submicrosphere morphology was observed through a simple exchange reaction of dynamic covalent boronate esters with saccharides in THF; the selective change in morphology is visually detected through the color change in the solution. These findings can provide a useful insight into the design of stimuli‐responsive hierarchical architectures based on boron‐containing dynamic covalent bond.
Spatial patterns, processes and predictions in ecohydrology: integrating technologies to meet the challenge
Authors: Vivoni Enrique R.
Published: January 2012

Spatial organization is the pre‐eminent challenge of ecohydrology as a geospatial science. Ecohydrological patterns emerge as a result of interactions of fine‐scale processes and functions that are difficult to observe, quantify and predict. As a result, an integrated approach to the study of spatial patterns in ecohydrology requires a more focused engagement of sampling, sensing and computational tools that are presently available to the scientific community. Here, an incremental and iterative process is proposed consisting of field experiments sequenced with distributed ecohydrological modelling aimed at identifying emergent spatial patterns. In this commentary, three case studies are presented that illustrate how the integration of spatial technologies can provide new insights into the ecohydrological patterns of arid and semiarid ecosystems. The search for emergent ecohydrological behaviour arising from cross‐scale interactions can also yield improved process understanding, predictive capabilities and relevance to societal needs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural Conformation and Optical and Electrochemical Properties of Imidazolyl‐Substituted Naphthalenediimide and Its HgII, CdII, and CuII Halide Complexes
Authors: Jiang Jia‐Jian , Yan Cheng , Pan Mei , Wang Zi , Deng Hai‐Ying , He Jian‐Rong , Yang Qing‐Yuan , Fu Lei , Xu Xian‐Fang , Su Cheng‐Yong
Published: January 2012

A new end–core–end naphthalenediimide‐based ligand N,N′‐bis(3‐imidazol‐1‐yl‐propyl)naphthalene diimide (3‐imntd) was synthesized. Single crystals of the free ligand and its HgII, CdII, and CuII halide complexes were obtained. All the compounds were fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, single‐crystal XRD, and DFT studies. The XRD and DFT calculations revealed three different kinds of conformations for 3‐imntd (cis, trans, and L). The variation in the ligand conformation and the resulting final structures of the coordination assemblies, M2L2 metallacycle, 1D zigzag chain, or ML metallacycle, seem to be induced by the different geometric characters of the coordination tetrahedra around the metal centers. The optical and electrochemical properties of the compounds were also investigated.
Synthesis, Reactivity and Ring‐Opening Polymerization of a Tin‐Bridged ansa‐Cycloheptatrienyl‐Cyclopentadienyl Titanium Sandwich Complex
Authors: Tagne Kuate Alain C. , Daniliuc Constantin G. , Jones Peter G. , Tamm Matthias
Published: January 2012

The tBu2Sn‐bridged [1]troticenophane [(η7‐C7H6)Ti(η5‐C5H4)]SntBu2 (2) has been synthesized by low‐temperature salt elimination reaction between stoichiometric amounts of the dilithiated troticene [(η7‐C7H6Li)Ti(η5‐C5H4Li)]·pmdta (1; pmdta = N,N′,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyltriethylenetriamine) and tBu2SnCl2. Compound 2 was isolated as a blue‐green crystalline solid in moderate yield and characterized by multinuclear 1H, 13C and 119Sn NMR spectroscopy, UV/Vis spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Compound 2 and the co‐crystal 2·[(pmdta)LiCl] were characterized in the solid state by X‐ray diffraction analyses. The dihedral angles between the planes of the C5H4 and C7H6 rings are 16.3(3) and 17.2(1)°, respectively, for 2 and its co‐crystal. Compound 2 is the first monocrystalline structurally characterized heteroleptic stanna[1]troticenophane. The reaction of 2 with [Pt(PEt3)3] afforded the platinastanna[2]troticenophane 3, in which the Pt0 fragment was inserted by regioselective cleavage of the ipso‐C7H6–Sn bond, as evidenced by 13C NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis. Compound 2 underwent thermal ring‐opening polymerization in the solid state to form poly(troticenylstannane) 4. In solution and in the presence of nBuLi as initiator, 2 opens and reassembles to form the metallopolymer 5. The polymeric nature of both 4 and 5 was determined by gel permeation chromatography.
Glaser Coupling of 4‐Ethynyl[2.2]paracyclophane: The Formation of Two Diastereomers
Authors: Hopf Henning , Dix Ina , Raev Vitaly , Ernst Ludger
Published: January 2012

Glaser coupling of 4‐ethynyl[2.2]paracyclophane (1) led to a mixture of dimers that could not be separated by either chromatographic or chemical methods. That two diasteromers of the dimer 2 were produced in a 7:3 ratio was demonstrated by the resolving power of modern NMR spectroscopy.
Aptamers as detection molecules on reverse phase protein microarrays for the analysis of cell lysates
Authors: Lübbecke Miriam , Walter Johanna‐Gabriela , Stahl Frank , Scheper Thomas
Published: January 2012

This study presents and discusses the application of Cy3‐labeled aptamers (where Cy3 is indocarbocyanine) directed against the his‐tag (where his is histidine) for the detection of his‐tagged proteins on microarrays in a so‐called reverse phase assay. These types of assays are widely used tools in protein microarray technology. Up to now antibodies are usually applied as detection molecules. Here, two different spotting techniques, contact and noncontact spotting, as well as different types of slides, aldehyde‐modified glass slides and nitrocellulose membrane coated slides, were examined and compared. Through this study, we validated the importance of a high protein‐binding capacity of the microarray, and the labeling position of the fluorophore within the aptamer. Purified his‐tagged PFEI (Pseudomonas fluorescence esterase I) was used as a model system. Concentrations of PFEI‐his as low as 30 nM were detectable. These results demonstrate the applicability of aptamers as stable detection molecules in protein assays. Additionally, the reverse phase assay was found to be suitable for the detection of PFEI‐his in cell lysates. This might be of further interest in monitoring of protein production and purification processes.
Psychometric Properties of the Questionnaire of Sociocultural Influences on the Aesthetic Body Shape Model (CIMEC‐26) in Female Spanish Adolescents
Authors: Jorquera Mercedes , Baños Rosa María , Cebolla Ausiàs , Rasal Paloma , Etchemendy Ernestina
Published: January 2012

The purpose of the present study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the ‘Questionnaire of Sociocultural Influences on the Aesthetic Body Shape Model’ (CIMEC‐26) in a Spanish adolescent population. This questionnaire measures the influence of agents and situations that transmit the current aesthetic model, and assesses environmental influences favouring thinness. The CIMEC‐26 was administered to a sample of 4031 female primary and secondary school students ranging in age from 10 to 17 years (M = 14, SD = 1.34). Results suggested that the CIMEC‐26 has acceptable internal consistency (α = .93). The oldest group (15–17 years) had the highest scores on all factors and the highest total scores, suggesting greater influence of the aesthetic body shape model and higher vulnerability to social pressure to achieve it. Factor analysis suggested three moderately interrelated components of the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that both the three‐factor solution and the original five‐factor structure had good fit indices, although the latter showed the best fit. The CIMEC‐26 proved to be an effective instrument for research on the social influence on the aesthetic body model in female adolescents. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Efficient generation of adaptive Cartesian mesh for computational fluid dynamics using GPU
Authors: Park Seyoun , Shin Hayong
Published: January 2012

Mesh generation has been frequently the most time consuming step in typical CFD analysis studies. In the past two decades, adaptive Cartesian mesh methods have gained increasing popularity among CFD researches, mainly because of its simplicity and the possibility of automating mesh generation step. In contrast to body‐fitted mesh, cells in Cartesian mesh are aligned with coordinate axes. In adaptive Cartesian mesh, cells near the objects’ boundary are recursively refined using quad‐tree (two‐dimensional) or octree (three‐dimensional). Then, cells intersecting the objects’ boundary are clipped by the surfaces, leaving numerous small irregular shaped cells, called cut‐cells. Most of the computational efforts required to generate adaptive Cartesian mesh is concentrated on the cut‐cell clipping operation. To achieve the computational accuracy in the subsequent numerical solver, the number of cut‐cells can be easily over millions, demanding substantial amount of computation time. Reducing mesh generation time matters more especially for unsteady flow simulation involving moving objects, which requires frequent regeneration of meshes for varied postures of the object. In this paper, we report an efficient novel approach to generating adaptive Cartesian mesh by parallelization using the graphics processing unit. The proposed method consists of the following three steps: (1) computing cross‐sectional curves of object boundary, (2) octree refinement based on the section curves, and (3) cut‐cell clipping. Because each step is designed to be highly parallelizable, we also implemented it on a graphics processing unit, showing orders of magnitude faster performance than the CPU version. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lattice‐Boltzmann and meshless point collocation solvers for fluid flow and conjugate heat transfer
Authors: Kalarakis A.N. , Bourantas G.C. , Skouras E.D. , Loukopoulos V.C. , Burganos V.N.
Published: January 2012

The applicability and performance of the lattice‐Boltzmann (LB) and meshless point collocation methods as CFD solvers in flow and conjugate heat transfer processes are investigated in this work. Lid‐driven cavity flow and flow in a slit with an obstacle including heat transfer are considered as case studies. A comparison of the computational efficiency accuracy of the two methods with that of a finite volume method as implemented in a commercial package (ANSYS CFX, ANSYS Inc., Canonsburg, PA) is made. Utilizing the analogy between heat and mass transfer, an advection–diffusion LB model was adopted to simulate the heat transfer part of the slit flow problem followed by a rigorous mapping of the mass transfer variables to the heat transfer quantities of interest, thus circumventing the need for a thermal LB model. Direct comparison among the results of the three methods revealed excellent agreement over a wide range of Reynolds and Prandtl number values. Furthermore, an integrated computational scheme is proposed, utilizing the rapid convergence of the LB model in the flow part of the conjugate heat transfer problem with that of the meshless collocation method for the heat transfer part. The meshless treatment remains sufficiently rapid even for conduction‐controlled processes in contrast to the LB method, which is very rapid in the convection‐controlled case only. A single, common computational grid, composed of regularly distributed nodes is used, saving significant computational and coding time and ensuring convergence of the discrete Laplacian operator in the heat transfer part of the computations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
THE PRICE SENSITIVITY OF MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES: A REGRESSION DISCONTINUITY APPROACH
Authors: Buchmueller Thomas C. , Grazier Kyle , Hirth Richard A. , Okeke Edward N.
Published: January 2012

We use 4 years of data from the retiree health benefits program of the University of Michigan to estimate the effect of price on the health plan choices of Medicare beneficiaries. During the period of our analysis, changes in the University's premium contribution rules led to substantial price changes. A key feature of this ‘natural experiment’ is that individuals who had retired before a certain date were exempted from having to pay any premium contributions. This ‘grandfathering’ creates quasi‐experimental variation that is ideal for estimating the effect of price. Using regression discontinuity methods, we compare the plan choices of individuals who retired just after the grandfathering cutoff date and were therefore exposed to significant price changes to the choices of a ‘control group’ of individuals who retired just before that date and therefore did not experience the price changes. The results indicate a statistically significant effect of price, with a $10 increase in monthly premium contributions leading to a 2 to 3 percentage point decrease in a plan's market share. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
TESTING PROCEDURAL INVARIANCE IN THE CONTEXT OF HEALTH
Authors: Oliver Adam
Published: January 2012

Violations of procedural invariance, epitomised by ‘classic’ preference reversals, have been observed for more than 40 years, and yet the study of this phenomenon in health remains nascent. This is an oversight because such violations pose a challenge to health economics, where choice and valuation methodologies often are used interchangeably. This article reports two experiments that aim to test for preference reversals over outcomes defined by health status, using both ‘open’ and ‘assisted’ valuation procedures. Although systematic preference reversals in the direction generally reported in the literature were not observed, the rates of non‐systematic reversal were substantial, measuring 35–40%. By analysing the respondents’ explanations for their answers, it is clear that many of them used heuristics to answer the questions, and they may have good reasons to do so, which undermines the notion that preferences are always fixed and stable. These results, and others like it, pose a challenge to those who unquestioningly assume procedural invariance and maintain that population preferences should be used to inform health policy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring supportive and developmental career management through business strategies and coaching
Authors: Segers Jesse , Inceoglu Ilke
Published: January 2012

The shift toward individualistic career management requires a supportive and developmental career approach. Using coaching practices as a manifestation of such an approach, this study reports on coaching and other career practices that are part of supportive and developmental career management in a Belgium sample (n = 154). Three other types of career management were identified as well. Supportive and developmental career management was most present in organizations that had a past or current prospector strategy, and was the least present in past or current defenders. The type of business strategy organizations indicated to pursue in the future did not have an influence on the type of career management they currently had. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Retracted: Effect of blonanserin on cognitive function in antipsychotic‐naïve first‐episode schizophrenia
Authors: Tenjin Tomomi , Miyamoto Seiya , Miyake Nobumi , Ogino Shin , Kitajima Rei , Ojima Kazuaki , Arai Jun , Teramoto Haruki , Tsukahara Sachiko , Ito Yukie , Tadokoro Masanori , Anai Kiriko , Funamoto Yasuyuki , Kaneda Yasuhiro , Sumiyoshi Tomiki , Yamaguchi Noboru
Published: January 2012

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of blonanserin, a novel antipsychotic, on cognitive function in first‐episode schizophrenia.

Methods

Twenty‐four antipsychotic‐naïve patients with first‐episode schizophrenia participated in the study. Blonanserin was given in an open‐label design for 8 weeks. The Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia—Japanese language version (BACS‐J) was administered as the primary outcome measure at baseline and 8 weeks. Clinical evaluation included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale—Japanese language version (SQLS‐J), and the Clinical Global Impression—Severity of Illness Scale (CGI‐S). To exclude the possibility of retest effects on the BACS‐J, 10 age‐matched patients with chronic schizophrenia treated with blonanserin were tested at baseline and after an 8‐week interval.

Results

Twenty first‐episode patients completed the study. Repeated measures analysis of covariance revealed a significant group‐by‐time interaction effect on the letter fluency task due to better performance in the first‐episode group, but not in the control group. Main effect of time or group‐by‐time interaction effect on the Tower of London task was not significant; however, the first‐episode group, but not the control group, showed substantial improvement with a moderate effect size. All items on the PANSS, SQLS‐J, and CGI‐S significantly improved after 8 weeks of treatment.

Conclusions

These results suggest that blonanserin improves some types of cognitive function associated with prefrontal cortical function. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Manso Glacier drainage system in the northern Patagonian Andes: an overview of its main hydrological characteristics
Authors: Pasquini Andrea I. , Lecomte Karina L. , Depetris Pedro J.
Published: January 2012

The Manso Glacier (~41°S, 72°W), in the northern Patagonian Andes of Argentina, is a regenerated glacier that, like many other glaciers in the region and elsewhere, has been showing a significant retreat. Glacial melt water feeds the Manso Superior River, which, before crossing the Andes to reach a Pacific outfall, flows through the Mascardi (a deep, oligotrophic and monomictic lake) and significantly smaller Hess and Steffen lakes. Harmonic analysis of Mascardi's lake level series suggests that the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation signal has been strong during the 1985–1995 decade but has grown weaker during the initial decade of the 21st century. Hydrological trend analyses applied in data recorded in the uppermost reaches show a monthly and annual decreasing trend in the Manso Superior River discharge series and Mascardi's lake level, which are connected with both, decreasing melt water discharge and (austral) wintertime atmospheric precipitation. Downstream, the decreasing signal initially looses statistical significance and then, when flowing through Steffen Lake, reverses the lake level trend that becomes significantly positive. This suggests that, on its way to the Pacific Ocean, the Manso River receives abundant Andean snow melt water and atmospheric precipitation, which are sufficient to obliterate the negative trend recorded in the uppermost reaches. The reason for this local phenomenon is that the Manso is an antecedent river (aka superposed stream), and hence, the valley crossing the Andes allows the incursion of Pacific humidity that modifies the hydrological regime several hundred kilometres inland. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of hydrologic impacts of climate change in Tunga–Bhadra river basin, India with HEC‐HMS and SDSM
Authors: Meenu R. , Rehana S. , Mujumdar P. P.
Published: January 2012

Climate change would significantly affect many hydrologic systems, which in turn would affect the water availability, runoff, and the flow in rivers. This study evaluates the impacts of possible future climate change scenarios on the hydrology of the catchment area of the Tunga–Bhadra River, upstream of the Tungabhadra dam. The Hydrologic Engineering Center's Hydrologic Modeling System version 3.4 (HEC‐HMS 3.4) is used for the hydrological modelling of the study area. Linear‐regression‐based Statistical DownScaling Model version 4.2 (SDSM 4.2) is used to downscale the daily maximum and minimum temperature, and daily precipitation in the four sub‐basins of the study area. The large‐scale climate variables for the A2 and B2 scenarios obtained from the Hadley Centre Coupled Model version 3 are used. After model calibration and testing of the downscaling procedure, the hydrological model is run for the three future periods: 2011–2040, 2041–2070, and 2071–2099. The impacts of climate change on the basin hydrology are assessed by comparing the present and future streamflow and the evapotranspiration estimates. Results of the water balance study suggest increasing precipitation and runoff and decreasing actual evapotranspiration losses over the sub‐basins in the study area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Loss of HLA class I and mismatch repair protein expression in sporadic endometrioid endometrial carcinomas
Authors: de Jong Renske A. , Boerma Annemarie , Boezen H. Marike , Mourits Marian J.E. , Hollema Harry , Nijman Hans W.
Published: January 2012

Tumor cells can escape from cytotoxic T‐cell responses by downregulation of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules expressed at the cell surface which has been associated with a deficient mismatch repair (MMR) system in colorectal carcinomas. Our study investigated the association between expression of MMR proteins and HLA class I in sporadic endometrioid endometrial carcinomas (EC). In a consecutively selected cohort of 486 EC patients, MMR proteins (MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6) and HLA class I (HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C or β2m) were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Expression levels of MMR proteins and HLA class I were compared between low‐grade and high‐grade ECs. HLA class I expression was compared between tumors with loss (negative immunostaining of ≥1 MMR protein) and expression of MMR proteins. Associations between previously determined numbers of intratumoral CD8+ T‐lymphocytes and expression of MMR proteins and HLA class I and the influence on survival was determined. ECs with loss of MMR protein expression (33.5%) more frequently have loss of HLA‐B/C (37.3%), compared to ECs with MMR protein expression (25.5%, p = 0.007). Patients with loss of MMR proteins have a worse disease‐specific survival compared to patients with expression (p = 0.039). CD8+ T‐lymphocytes have a positive influence on disease‐free and disease‐specific survival in the total EC cohort but not in patients with loss of MMR protein expression. In conclusion, our results indicate that loss of MMR protein expression is related to selective downregulation of HLA class I which contributes to immune escape in EC with an abnormal MMR system.
COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR THE VALUATION OF IRRIGATION WATER: CASE STUDY FROM QAZVIN, IRAN
Authors: Jaghdani Tinoush Jamali , Brümmer Bernhard , Barkmann Jan
Published: January 2012

Physical availability and adequate distribution of irrigation water are two globally pressing resource management issues. In the long run, the design of irrigation infrastructure should be based on the economic value of irrigation water, taking into account a full analysis of all associated costs and benefits. In the absence of water markets, non‐market valuation methods need to be employed to assess the economic value of irrigation water. A multitude of valuation methods are available, which often differ substantially in their results. We compare three different methods using primary data collected from the Qazvin irrigation network in Iran. We compare economic values based on contingent valuation (197 rial m‾3), the value of marginal product (430/476 rial m‾3 depending on functional form assumptions), and change in net rent (1080 rial m‾3). The hypothetical nature of the contingent valuation and the presence of strategic responses may have resulted in understatements of the true water values. Thus, a stochastic frontier analysis was used to correct for undervaluation bias, which is estimated at 272 rial m‾3. Our results suggest that actual water prices fall substantially short of the estimated economic values in the Qazvin irrigation network: higher water prices would hence improve the allocation of water. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The role of PGC‐1 coactivators in aging skeletal muscle and heart
Authors: Dillon Lloye M. , Rebelo Adriana P. , Moraes Carlos T.
Published: January 2012

Aging is the progressive decline in cellular, tissue, and organ function. This complex process often manifests as loss of muscular strength, cardiovascular function, and cognitive ability. Mitochondrial dysfunction and decreased mitochondrial biogenesis are believed to participate in metabolic abnormalities and loss of organ function, which will eventually contribute to aging and decreased lifespan. In this review, we discuss what is currently known about mitochondrial dysfunction in the aging skeletal muscle and heart. We focused our discussion on the role of PGC‐1 coactivators in the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and function and possible therapeutic benefits of increased mitochondrial biogenesis in compensating for mitochondrial dysfunction and circumventing aging and aging‐related diseases. © 2012 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 2012
Collaboration in Experiential Therapy
Authors: Berdondini Lucia , Elliott Robert , Shearer Joan
Published: January 2012

We offer a view of the nature and role of client‐therapist collaboration in experiential psychotherapy, focusing on Gestalt and emotion‐focused therapy (EFT). We distinguish between the necessary condition of mutual trust (the emotional bond between client and therapist) and effective collaboration (regarding the goals and tasks of therapy). Using a case study of experiential therapy for social anxiety, we illustrate how the development of collaboration can be both complex and pivotal for therapeutic success, and how it can involve client and therapist encountering one another through taking risks by openly and nonjudgementally disclosing difficult experiences in order to enrich and advance the work.
Collaboration in Cognitive‐Behavioral Therapy
Authors: Dattilio Frank M. , Hanna Michelle A.
Published: January 2012

Collaborative empiricism, which involves a systemic process of therapist and patient working together to establish common goals in treatment, has been found to be one of the primary change agents in cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT). This article focuses on the development of a therapeutic relationship and implementation of collaborative empiricism along with the elements that lead to success in treatment. This method is used to uncover patients’ automatic thoughts and underlying beliefs in treating an array of emotional and behavioral disorders. The role of the therapist is discussed in developing, promoting, and maintaining therapeutic collaboration and what is constituted by the empirical process. A case study illustrates the use of collaborative empiricism with a patient suffering from panic disorder. The article concludes with a series of clinical practices that will enhance collaborative empiricism and collaboration in CBT, and thereby treatment outcomes.
Collaboration in Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy
Authors: Felder Jennifer N. , Dimidjian Sona , Segal Zindel
Published: January 2012

In this article, we describe the nature of therapeutic collaboration between psychotherapist and group participants in mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which occurs in a group format and incorporates cognitive therapy and mindfulness practices with the aim of preventing depression relapse. Collaboration is a central part of two components of MBCT: inquiry and leading mindfulness practices. During the process of inquiry, the therapist‐initiated questions about the participant's moment‐to‐moment experience of the practice occurs in a context of curious, open, and warm attitudes. In addition, collaboration is maintained through co‐participation in mindfulness practices. We provide a case illustration of collaboration in these contexts and conclude with recommendations for clinical practice.
Collaboration in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Authors: Wiseman Hadas , Tishby Orya , Barber Jacques P.
Published: January 2012

The concept of the collaborative relationship between patient and therapist has its roots in the psychodynamic literature. We trace the concept of collaboration in psychodynamic psychotherapy from classical psychoanalysis to contemporary psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies. The active collaboration between the participants central to Bordin's pan‐theoretical perspective on the alliance is highlighted. Developments in alliance‐fostering techniques and in relational therapy offer the clinician innovative ways to enhance the collaboration and to repair strained or ruptured collaboration. A case study illustrates how the collaborative work in psychodynamic therapy serves as both a means of productive work and as an arena for exploring the evolving here‐and‐now matrix of the relationship.
Practice‐Friendly Research Review: Collaboration in Routine Care
Authors: Lambert Michael J. , Cattani Kara
Published: January 2012

This article examines the research on patient‐psychotherapist collaboration in ways that can inform and improve clinical practice. Clinical wisdom suggests and research supports the importance of goal consensus and collaboration; empirical support for this assertion is summarized and the implications for practice are provided. Then, we present a method of heightening collaboration through the use of assessment and feedback. Systematically monitoring psychological functioning, client perceptions of the therapeutic relationship, motivation and expectations of therapy, social support network, and untoward life events can enhance collaboration and ultimately treatment outcomes.
Collaboration in Psychopharmacotherapy
Authors: Simos Gregoris
Published: January 2012

Collaboration in pharmacotherapy implies a professional willing to prescribe an effective medication and a patient willing to adhere to the therapeutic regimen in order for both to achieve their common goal. This relationship requires trust in the relationship, collaboration in goal setting, and effective means for promoting and restoring mental health. Variables like illness insight and patients’ attitudes towards medication should be dealt within a collaborative relationship. Several methods of shared decision making, culled from the research literature and clinical experience, promote such prescriber‐patient collaboration and, even more specifically, medication adherence. Detailed physician‐patient interactions in 2 cases, one of a depressed patient and one of a patient suffering from schizophrenia, serve to highlight common difficulties in the management of pharmacotherapy in the context of a collaborative relationship.
A Special Feature on Collaboration in Psychotherapy
Authors: Kazantzis Nikolaos , Kellis Elke
Published: January 2012

Collaboration between a psychotherapist and a patient occurs at the intersection of the therapeutic relationship and treatment method. Many methods contribute to collaboration, which is then experienced as a respectful, mutual, cooperative relationship. Despite its noble history and its empirical evidence as an important attribute in psychotherapy, collaboration has rarely been operationalized and illustrated in ways that might concretely guide clinical practice. This article introduces an issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session designed to describe and illustrate the role of the psychotherapist in facilitating collaboration. Expert practitioners present case examples of collaboration in psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive‐behavioral therapy, experiential therapy, family therapy, mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy, multicultural therapy, and in the context of pharmacotherapy. In the final article, a practitioner‐friendly review of empirical research on collaboration is offered.
Influence of acute preload changes on mitral annulus velocity measured by tissue Doppler echocardiography in critically ill patients
Authors: Quintard Hervé , Muller Laurent , Philip Ivan , Lena Pierre , Ichai Carole
Published: January 2012

Aim.

The assessment of diastolic function remains difficult in critical care patients because of unstable preload conditions. Described as fairly insensitive to preload changes, tissue Doppler velocity measurement at the lateral mitral annulus (e′ lat) may help evaluate diastolic function. Our aim was to prospectively evaluate e′ lat changes in relation to fluid expansion in critically ill patients.

Methods.

This prospective observational study was conducted in critically ill, mechanically ventilated, patients in sinus rhythm without previously known cardiac disease. Echocardiography was performed before and 1 hour after a fluid challenge (infusion of Gelofusine 500 ml in 30 minutes). Conventional pulsed wave Doppler indices of left ventricular diastolic function and tissue Doppler velocity lateral (e′ lat) and septal (e′ sept) mitral annulus velocity were measured, whereas hemodynamic data were simultaneously collected.

Results.

Twenty patients (age, 55 ± 15 years; Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, 45 ± 10) were enrolled. Systolic function was preserved in all patients. Cardiac index increased (p < 0.05), as did early diastolic mitral velocity (E wave) (p = 0.001), and e′ lat and e′ sept (p = 0.02) after fluid challenge.

Conclusions.

This study confirms the preload dependence and limited clinical usefulness of most Doppler variables, such as e′ lat, to evaluate diastolic function in intensive care unit patients. Indices, such as E/e′, may be of interest in these cases. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 40:419–423, 2012
Black‐blood steady‐state free precession (SSFP) coronary wall MRI for cardiac allografts: A feasibility study
Authors: Lin Kai , Bi Xiaoming , Liu Ying , Taimen Kirsi , Lu Biao , Li Debiao , Carr James
Published: January 2012

Purpose:

To assess the hypothesis that steady‐state free procession (SSFP) allows for imaging of the coronary wall under the conditions of fast heart rate in heart transplantation (HTx) patients.

Materials and Methods:

With the approval of our Institutional Review Board, 28 HTx patients were scanned with a 1.5T scanner. Cross‐sectional black‐blood images of the proximal portions of the left main artery, left anterior descending artery, and right coronary artery were acquired with both a 2D, double inversion recovery (DIR) prepared turbo (fast) spin echo (TSE) sequence and a 2D DIR SSFP sequence. Image quality (scored 0–3), vessel wall area, thickness, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR, vessel wall), and contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR, wall‐lumen) were compared between TSE and SSFP.

Results:

The overall image quality of SSFP was higher than TSE (1.23 ± 0.95 vs. 0.88 ± 0.69, P < 0.001). SSFP had a higher coronary wall SNR (20.1 ± 8.5 vs. 14.9 ± 4.8, P < 0.001) and wall‐lumen CNR (8.2 ± 4.6 vs. 6.8 ± 3.7, P = 0.005) than TSE.

Conclusion:

Black‐blood SSFP coronary wall MRI provides higher image quality, SNR, and CNR than traditional TSE does in HTx recipients. It has the potential to become an alternative means to noninvasive imaging of cardiac allografts. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:1210‐1215. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High‐grade bladder cancer: Association of the apparent diffusion coefficient with metastatic disease: Preliminary results
Authors: Rosenkrantz Andrew B. , Mussi Thais C. , Spieler Bradley , Melamed Jonathan , Taneja Samir S. , Huang William C.
Published: January 2012

Purpose:

To assess the utility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values obtained from diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) in distinguishing high‐grade bladder cancer with and without metastatic disease.

Materials and Methods:

Seventeen patients with histologically confirmed high‐grade bladder cancer who underwent pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1.5T including DWI using b‐values of 0, 400, and 800 sec/mm2 were assessed. Histologic findings and follow‐up imaging were used to establish the reference standard in terms of metastatic disease. Two radiologists independently recorded ADC of all lesions following a training session, with their results averaged. Mann–Whitney U‐test, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used for data analysis.

Results:

Metastatic disease was characterized as present or absent in eight and nine patients, respectively. ADC was significantly lower among cases with metastatic disease than among cases without metastatic disease, both within the entire cohort (1.07 ± 0.18 × 10−3 mm2/s vs. 1.45 ± 0.22 × 10−3 mm2/s; P = 0.002) and within the subset of patients with muscle‐invasive tumor (1.06 ± 0.19 × 10−3 mm2/s vs. 1.45 ± 0.23 × 10−3 mm2/s; P = 0.017). Area under the ROC curve for identifying metastatic disease using ADC was 0.944, with optimal threshold of 1.21 × 10−3 mm2/s, which was associated with a sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 90.0%. Interreader agreement for ADC was excellent (ICC = 0.91).

Conclusion:

In this preliminary study, ADC was significantly different between cases of high‐grade urothelial carcinoma of the bladder with and without metastatic disease. These results may have value in assessing the metastatic potential of patients with localized high‐grade tumors of the bladder. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:1478–1483. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Contrast‐enhanced MRI index of diffuse myocardial fibrosis is increased in primary aldosteronism
Authors: Su Mao‐Yuan M. , Wu Vin‐Cent , Yu Hsi‐Yu , Lin Yen‐Hung , Kuo Chin‐Chi , Liu Kao‐Lang , Wang Shuo‐Meng , Chueh Shih‐Chieh , Lin Lian‐Yu , Wu Kwan‐Dun , Tseng Wen‐Yih I.
Published: January 2012

Purpose:

To assess the degree of myocardial fibrosis in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA).

Materials and Methods:

Twenty‐five patients with PA and 12 age‐matched healthy volunteers underwent cine and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on a 1.5 T MR system. From volume–time curves of cine MRI, the time for deceleration (Tdec) was determined to assess the left ventricle (LV) chamber stiffness. Based on phase‐sensitive reconstructed LGE images, a fibrosis index called enhancement value (EV) was computed as the signal intensity change in the myocardium over blood before and after contrast. Both Tdec and EV were compared between patients and controls. The association between Tdec and EV was investigated.

Results:

Patients showed a significantly higher EV (0.43 ± 0.05 vs. 0.36 ± 0.07; P = 0.002) and a significantly shorter Tdec (11.5 ± 3.5 %RR vs. 15.3 ± 2.4 %RR; P = 0.004) than controls. Significant correlations between EV and Tdec were observed in patients (r = −0.46, P = 0.018), in controls (r = −0.68, P = 0.015) and in all subjects (r = −0.63, P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The fibrosis index is increased in patients with PA and the increase imposes an adverse effect on LV diastolic function. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:1349–1355. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
3D‐liver perfusion MRI with the MS‐325 blood pool agent: A noninvasive protocol to asses liver fibrosis
Authors: Leporq Benjamin , Dumortier Jérôme , Pilleul Frank , Beuf Olivier
Published: January 2012

Purpose:

To evaluate a 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol, including a dedicated acquisition sequence and a postprocessing tool for the quantitative analysis of hepatic tissue perfusion. Estimated perfusion parameters and histological results based on the METAVIR classification were prospectively compared for hepatic fibrosis assessment.

Materials and Methods:

The study protocol was approved by the experimentation Ethics Committee and informed consent was obtained. Sixteen patients (6 women, 10 men; average age, 52.4 ± 14.8 years) with chronic liver diseases were prospectively enrolled after a liver biopsy. MS‐325 (paramagnetic blood pool agent)‐enhanced MRI was performed using a free‐breath 3D‐VIBE T1w sequence. Image volumes were registered by an automatic rigid method. Liver perfusion was modeled by a dual‐input‐one‐compartment model and quantitative perfusion parameters such as arterial, portal, and total perfusion mean transit time (MTT) and hepatic perfusion index (HPI) were obtained using in‐house developed software.

Results:

Arterial perfusion increased with METAVIR stage, whereas portal perfusion decreased leading to an HPI increase with fibrosis stage. MTT increased with F3, F4. A nonparametric Mann–Whitney test demonstrated that HPI and portal perfusion were relevant in discriminating between advanced and nonadvanced fibrosis, between fibrosis and cirrhosis, then between nonfibrosis and fibrosis (P < 0.01). A strong correlation was found between portal perfusion fall‐off and HPI increase (r = −0.97; P < 0.001). HPI and portal perfusion were strongly correlated with fibrosis stage (r = 0.83 and −0.88; P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion:

HPI and portal perfusion could be relevant indicators for the clinical follow‐up in patients with chronic liver diseases. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:1380–1387. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.