bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementation of Free Text Format Nursing Diagnoses at a University Hospital’s Medical Department. Exploring Nurses’ and Nursing Students’ Experiences on Use and Usefulness. A Qualitative Study
Authors: Frigstad Sigrun Aasen , Nøst Torunn Hatlen , André Beate
Published: May 2015

Background. Nursing documentation has long traditions and represents core element of nursing, but the documentation is often criticized of being incomplete. Nursing diagnoses are an important research topic in nursing in terms of quality of nursing assessment, interventions, and outcome in addition to facilitating communication and continuity.Aim. The aim of this study was to explore the nurses’ and nursing students’ experiences after implementing free text format nursing diagnoses in a medical department.Method. The study design included educational intervention of free text nursing diagnoses. Data was collected through five focus group interviews with 18 nurses and 6 students as informants. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis.Results. The informants describe positive experiences concerning free text format nursing diagnoses’ use and usefulness; it promotes reflection and discussion and is described as a useful tool in the diagnostic process, though it was challenging to find the diagnosis’ appropriate formulation.Conclusion. Our findings indicate a valid usability of free text format nursing diagnoses as it promotes the diagnostic process. The use seems to enhance critical thinking and may serve as valuable preparation towards an implementation of standardized nursing diagnoses. Use and support of key personnel seem valuable in an implementation process.
Stabilization Methods for a Multiagent System with Complex Behaviours
Authors: Leon Florin
Published: May 2015

The main focus of the paper is the stability analysis of a class of multiagent systems based on an interaction protocol which can generate different types of overall behaviours, from asymptotically stable to chaotic. We present several interpretations of stability and suggest two methods to assess the stability of the system, based on the internal models of the agents and on the external, observed behaviour. Since it is very difficult to predict a priori whether a system will be stable or unstable, we propose three heuristic methods that can be used to stabilize such a system during its execution, with minimal changes to its state.
Intoxication due toPapaver rhoeas(Corn Poppy): Five Case Reports
Authors: Günaydın Yahya Kemal , Dündar Zerrin Defne , Çekmen Bora , Akıllı Nazire Belgin , Köylü Ramazan , Cander Başar
Published: May 2015

Introduction. In this paper, we aimed to present fivePapaver rhoeasintoxication cases, which is very rare in the literature.Case 1. A 35-year-old female patient was admitted to our emergency room with the complaints of nausea, restlessness, and dyspnea developing 3 hours after eatingPapaver rhoeas. On physical examination, her general condition was moderate; she was conscious and the vital findings were normal. The pupils were myotic. She was transferred to the toxicology intensive care unit as she experienced a generalized tonic clonic seizure lasting for three minutes.Case 2. A 41-year-old female patient was brought to our emergency room by 112 ambulance as she had contractions in her arms and legs, unconsciousness, and foam coming from her mouth two hours afterPapaver rhoeasingestion. On physical examination, she was confused, the pupils were myotic, and she was tachycardic. Arterial blood gases analysis revealed lactic acidosis.Case 3. A 38-year-old female patient was admitted to our emergency room with complaints of nausea and vomiting two hours after ingestion ofPapaver rhoeas. Her physical examination and tests were normal.Case 4. A 34-year-old male patient was admitted to our emergency room with complaints of numbness and loss of power in his arms and legs one hour afterPapaver rhoeasingestion. He was hospitalized at the toxicology intensive care unit for follow-up and treatment. Dyspnea and bradycardia developed on the follow-up. The oxygen saturation without oxygen support was 90%. ECG revealed sinus bradycardia. The cardiac enzymes did not increase.Case 5. A 42-year-old female patient was brought to our emergency room by 112 ambulance with contractions in her arms and legs and unconsciousness two hours afterPapaver rhoeasingestion. On her physical examination, she was confused and the pupils were myotic. Arterial blood gases analysis revealed lactic acidosis.Conclusion. All patients were followed up for a few days and then discharged from the hospital with recovery. Unconscious consumption ofPapaver rhoeasleads to a clinical condition resembling morphine intoxication, CNS depression, and epileptic seizures.
Application of Support Vector Machines for Estimating Wall Parameters in Through-Wall Radar Imaging
Authors: Zhang Hua-Mei , Zhang Ye-Rong , Wang Fang-Fang , An Jun-Lin
Published: May 2015

In through-wall radar imaging (TWRI), ambiguities in wall characteristics including the thickness and the relative permittivity will distort the image and shift the imaged target position. To quickly and accurately estimate the wall parameters, an approach based on a support vector machine (SVM) is proposed. In TWRI problem, the nonlinearity is embodied in the relationship between backscatter data and the wall parameters, which can be obtained through the SVM training process. Measurement results reveal that once the training phase is completed, the technique only needs no more than one second to estimate wall parameters with acceptable errors. Then through-wall images are reconstructed using a back-projection (BP) algorithm by a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. Noiseless and noisy measurements are discussed; the simulation results demonstrate that noisy contamination has little influence on the imaging quality. Furthermore, the feasibility and the validity are tested by a more realistic situation. The results show that high-quality and focused images are obtained regardless of the errors in the wall parameter estimates.
Magnetic Seizure Therapy for Unipolar and Bipolar Depression: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cretaz Eric , Brunoni André R. , Lafer Beny
Published: May 2015

Objective. Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is a novel, experimental therapeutic intervention, which combines therapeutic aspects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation, in order to achieve the efficacy of the former with the safety of the latter. MST might prove to be a valuable tool in the treatment of mood disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder. Our aim is to review current literature on MST.Methods. OVID and MEDLINE databases were used to systematically search for clinical studies on MST. The terms “magnetic seizure therapy,” “depression,” and “bipolar” were employed.Results. Out of 74 studies, 8 met eligibility criteria. There was considerable variability in the methods employed and samples sizes were small, limiting the generalization of the results. All studies focused on depressive episodes, but few included patients with bipolar disorder. The studies found reported significant antidepressant effects, with remission rates ranging from 30% to 40%. No significant cognitive side effects related to MST were found, with a better cognitive profile when compared to ECT. Conclusion. MST was effective in reducing depressive symptoms in mood disorders, with generally less side effects than ECT. No study focused on comparing MST to ECT on bipolar depression specifically.
A Cubic Set Theoretical Approach to Linear Space
Authors: Vijayabalaji S. , Sivaramakrishnan S.
Published: May 2015

The main motivation of this paper is to introduce the notion of cubic linear space. This inspiration is received from the structure of cubic sets. The notions ofR-intersection,R-union,P-intersection, andP-union of cubic linear spaces are defined and we provide some results on these. We further introduce the notion of internal cubic linear space and external cubic linear space and establish some results on them.
A Two-Stage Method for Structural Damage Prognosis in Shear Frames Based on Story Displacement Index and Modal Residual Force
Authors: Rasouli Asghar , Kourehli Seyed Sina , Ghodrati Amiri Gholamreza , Kheyroddin Ali
Published: May 2015

A two-stage method is proposed to properly identify the location and the extent of damage in shear frames. In the first stage, a story displacement index (SDI) is presented to precisely locate the damage in the shear frame which is calculated using the modal analysis information of the damaged structure. In the second stage, by defining a new objective function, the extent of the actual damage is determined via an imperialist competitive algorithm. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated by implementing the technique to three examples containing five-, ten-, and twenty-five-story shear frames with noises and without them in modal data. Moreover, the performance of the proposed method has been verified through using a benchmark problem. Numerical results show the high efficiency of the proposed method for accurately identifying the location and the extent of structural damage in shear frames.
Feasibility Study on the Use of the Seeding Growth Technique in Producing a Highly Stable Gold Nanoparticle Colloidal System
Authors: Tan Kim Han , Tajuddin Hairul Anuar , Johan Mohd Rafie
Published: May 2015

Stable colloidal gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) are synthesized successfully using a seeding growth technique. The size of the nanoparticles is determined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and it is observed that the size of the nanoparticles ranges from 7 to 30 nm. The TEM images and optical absorption spectra of the Au NPs reveal that the suspension is well dispersed and consistent with the particle size. The feasibility of the seeding growth technique is investigated using Turbiscan Classic MA 2000 screening stability tester. Based on the peak thickness kinetics and mean value kinetics, the backscattered light profiles indicate that the suspension is highly stable without particle sedimentation as well as negligible agglomeration. In addition, the Au NPs are proven to remain stable over a period of 2 months. Particle sedimentation eventually occurs due to the weight of nanoparticles. It is concluded that the seeding growth technique is feasible in synthesizing stable Au NPs. Controlling the stability, size and shape of Au NPs are technologically important because of the strong correlation between these parameters and the optical, electrical, and catalytic properties of the nanoparticles.
Diabetes and Insulin Therapy, but Not Metformin, Are Related to Hepatocellular Cancer Risk
Authors: Miele Luca , Bosetti Cristina , Turati Federica , Rapaccini Gianlodovico , Gasbarrini Antonio , La Vecchia Carlo , Boccia Stefania , Grieco Antonio
Published: May 2015

Introduction. Metabolic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, have been related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk. We have further analyzed the role of diabetes and antidiabetic treatments on HCC.Methods. Data derived from a hospital-based case-control study (Italy, 2005–2012) on 224 HCC patients and 389 controls. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using multiple logistic regression models.Results. Sixty-nine (30.9%) cases versus 52 (13.5%) controls reported a diabetes diagnosis, corresponding to a multivariate OR of 2.25 (95% confidence interval, CI = 1.42–3.56). A stronger excess risk emerged for a longer time since diabetes diagnosis (OR = 2.96 for <10 years and 5.33 for ≥10 years). Oral therapies were inversely, though not significantly, related to HCC risk, OR being 0.44 for metformin and 0.88 for sulfonylureas; conversely, insulin was nonsignificantly directly associated (OR = 1.90). Compared to nondiabetic subjects who were never smokers, those who were diabetics and ever smokers had an OR of 6.61 (95% CI 3.31–13.25).Conclusion. Our study confirms an over 2-fold excess HCC risk in diabetics, with a stronger excess risk in diabetic subjects who are also tobacco smokers. Metformin may decrease the risk of HCC, whereas insulin may increase the risk.
Archaeal Communities in a Heterogeneous Hypersaline-Alkaline Soil
Authors: Navarro-Noya Yendi E. , Valenzuela-Encinas César , Sandoval-Yuriar Alonso , Jiménez-Bueno Norma G. , Marsch Rodolfo , Dendooven Luc
Published: May 2015

In this study the archaeal communities in extreme saline-alkaline soils of the former lake Texcoco, Mexico, with electrolytic conductivities (EC) ranging from 0.7 to 157.2 dS/m and pH from 8.5 to 10.5 were explored. Archaeal communities in the 0.7 dS/m pH 8.5 soil had the lowest alpha diversity values and were dominated by a limited number of phylotypes belonging to the mesophilic CandidatusNitrososphaera. Diversity and species richness were higher in the soils with EC between 9.0 and 157.2 dS/m. The majority of OTUs detected in the hypersaline soil were members of the Halobacteriaceae family. Novel phylogenetic branches in the Halobacteriales class were detected in the soil, and more abundantly in soil with the higher pH (10.5), indicating that unknown and uncharacterized Archaea can be found in this soil. Thirteen different genera of the Halobacteriaceae family were identified and were distributed differently between the soils.Halobiforma,Halostagnicola,Haloterrigena, andNatronomonaswere found in all soil samples. Methanogenic archaea were found only in soil with pH between 10.0 and 10.3. Retrieved methanogenic archaea belonged to the Methanosarcinales and Methanomicrobiales orders. The comparison of the archaeal community structures considering phylogenetic information (UniFrac distances) clearly clustered the communities by pH.
Collision Tolerance: Improving Channel Utilization with Correlatable Symbol Sequences in Wireless Networks
Authors: Zhao Jumin , Fan Shaolei , Li Deng-ao , Zhao Baofeng
Published: May 2015

Packet corruption caused by collision is a critical problem that damages the performance of wireless networks. Traditional medium access control (MAC) protocols resort to collision avoidance to improve the efficiency of channel utilization. According to our investigation, however, collision avoidance causes time delay, which also hurts channel utilization, especially in the dense networks or intensive traffic. Discovering the ability to tolerate collisions with the correlatable preamble at the physical layer implementations of wireless networks, we propose CWM in this paper, a MAC protocol that advocates simultaneous accesses from multiple senders to a shared channel, allowing collisions instead of avoiding them. With the correlatable sequences, CWM addresses the challenges in achieving collision tolerance, such as precise sender alignment and control of the transmission concurrency. We implement the experiments on USRP verifying the feasibility of our protocol and implement CWM in 802.15.4 networks and evaluate its performance with 100 nodes on MATLAB. The results demonstrate that our protocol significantly improves the spatial reuse of the wireless channel by at least 23% compared with the state-of-the-art protocols.
Disruption in the Blood-Brain Barrier: The Missing Link between Brain and Body Inflammation in Bipolar Disorder?
Authors: Patel Jay P. , Frey Benicio N.
Published: May 2015

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) regulates the transport of micro- and macromolecules between the peripheral blood and the central nervous system (CNS) in order to maintain optimal levels of essential nutrients and neurotransmitters in the brain. In addition, the BBB plays a critical role protecting the CNS against neurotoxins. There has been growing evidence that BBB disruption is associated with brain inflammatory conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Considering the increasing role of inflammation and oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD), here we propose a novel model wherein transient or persistent disruption of BBB integrity is associated with decreased CNS protection and increased permeability of proinflammatory (e.g., cytokines, reactive oxygen species) substances from the peripheral blood into the brain. These events would trigger the activation of microglial cells and promote localized damage to oligodendrocytes and the myelin sheath, ultimately compromising myelination and the integrity of neural circuits. The potential implications for research in this area and directions for future studies are discussed.
A Hybrid Search Algorithm for Midterm Optimal Scheduling of Thermal Power Plants
Authors: Liao Shengli , Cheng Chuntian , Wang Jing , Feng Zhongkai
Published: May 2015

A hybrid search algorithm consisting of three stages is presented to solve the midterm schedule for thermal power plants (MTSFTPP) problem, where the primary objective is to achieve equal accumulated operating hours of installed capacity (EAOHIC) for all thermal power plants during the selected period. First, feasible spaces are produced and narrowed based on constraints on the number of units and power load factors. Second, an initial feasible solution is obtained by a heuristic method that considers operating times and boundary conditions. Finally, the progressive optimality algorithm (POA), which we refer to as the vertical search algorithm (VSA), is used to solve the MTSFTPP problem. A method for avoiding convergence to a local minimum, called the lateral search algorithm (LSA), is presented. The LSA provides an updated solution that is used as a new feasible starting point for the next search in the VSA. The combination of the LSA and the VSA is referred to as the hybrid search algorithm (HSA), which is simple and converges quickly to the global minimum. The results of two case studies show that the algorithm is very effective in solving the MTSFTPP problem accurately and in real time.
Evidence for a Specific Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: An Observational Retrospective Echocardiographic Study in 656 Asymptomatic Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Pham Isabelle , Cosson Emmanuel , Nguyen Minh Tuan , Banu Isabela , Genevois Isabelle , Poignard Patricia , Valensi Paul
Published: May 2015

Aim. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of subclinical diabetic cardiomyopathy, occurring among diabetic patients without hypertension or coronary artery disease (CAD).Methods. 656 asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes for 14 ± 8 years (359 men, 59.7 ± 8.7 years old, HbA1c 8.7 ± 2.1%) and at least one cardiovascular risk factor had a cardiac echography at rest, a stress cardiac scintigraphy to screen for silent myocardial ischemia (SMI), and, in case of SMI, a coronary angiography to screen for silent CAD.Results. SMI was diagnosed in 206 patients, and 71 of them had CAD. In the 157 patients without hypertension or CAD, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH: 24.1%) was the most frequent abnormality, followed by left ventricular dilation (8.6%), hypokinesia (5.3%), and systolic dysfunction (3.8%). SMI was independently associated with hypokinesia (odds ratio 14.7 [2.7–81.7],p<0.01) and systolic dysfunction (OR 114.6 [1.7–7907],p<0.01), while HbA1c (OR 1.9 [1.1–3.2],p<0.05) and body mass index (OR 1.6 [1.1–2.4],p<0.05) were associated with systolic dysfunction. LVH was more prevalent among hypertensive patients and hypokinesia in the patients with CAD.Conclusion. In asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients, diabetic cardiomyopathy is highly prevalent and is predominantly characterized by LVH. SMI, obesity, and poor glycemic control contribute to structural and functional LV abnormalities.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of BiOBr/ZnO Heterojunction Semiconductors Prepared by Facile Hydrothermal Method
Authors: Meng Xiangchao , Jiang Lingyun , Wang Weiwen , Zhang Zisheng
Published: May 2015

Hexagonal wurtzite pure ZnO and BiOBr-ZnO composites were synthesized by facile hydrothermal method. The amount of BiOBr as dopant was adjusted from 5 wt.% to 75 wt.%, and correspondingly the morphologies and crystal structures of the as-prepared composites were measured and discussed. Specifically, according to XRD patterns and SEM images, the main crystalline structure of ZnO was not destroyed after doping, but growth of ZnO crystals was inhibited by doping BiOBr. Meanwhile, the optical properties of the composites were measured by the diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The band gap of composites was also calculated using the classical Tauc equation and it was found to be around 3.0 eV. In the test of photocatalytic activation, the ZnO-BiOBr photocatalysts exhibited high photocatalytic efficiencies in the degradation ofRhodamine B(RhB) under visible-light irradiation. It was ascribed to not only the small size of crystalline, but also the reduction in the recombination rate of the photogenerated carriers for the enhancement effect of p-n heterojunction. This work sheds light on improving the photocatalytic performance by establishing the heterojunction and contributes to the development of a commercially competitive photocatalyst.
The Mechanical Aspects of Formation and Application of PDMS Bilayers Rolled into a Cylindrical Structure
Authors: Kang Dongwon , Yu Hyeonji , Kim Jungwook
Published: May 2015

A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film with its surface being oxidized by a plasma treatment or a UV-ozone (UVO) treatment, that is, a bilayer made of PDMS and its oxidized surface layer, is known to roll into a cylindrical structure upon exposure to the chloroform vapor due to the mismatch in the swelling ratio between PDMS and the oxidized layer by the chloroform vapor. Here we analyzed the formation of the rolled bilayer with the mechanical aspects: how the mismatch in the swelling ratio of the bilayer induces rolling of the bilayer, why any form of trigger that breaks the symmetry in the in-plane stress level is needed to roll the bilayer uniaxially, why the rolled bilayer does not unroll in the dry state when there is no more mismatch in the swelling ratio, and how the measured curvature of rolled bilayer matches well with the prediction by the theory. Moreover, for the use of the rolled bilayer as the channel of the microfluidic device, we examined whether the rolled bilayer deforms or unrolls by the flow of the aqueous solution that exerts the circumferential stress on the rolled bilayer.
Physical, Physicochemical, Mechanical, and Structural Characterization of Films Based on Gelatin/Glycerol and Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Sifuentes-Nieves Israel , Rendón-Villalobos Rodolfo , Jiménez-Aparicio Antonio , Camacho-Díaz Brenda Hildeliza , Gutiérrez López Gustavo Fidel , Solorza-Feria Javier
Published: May 2015

A new method to prepare glycerol/gelatin based films, by doping the film with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was proposed. SDS was used to disperse CNTs in gelatin/glycerol films as follows: gelatin/glycerol (GG) incubated with equal concentrations of CNT and SDS; GG with 0.001% w/w CNT/SDS; GG with 0.002% CNT/SDS and GG with 0.004% CNT/SDS. Diffractograms of CNT/SDS /glycerol films showed an amorphous structure, being consistent with thermograms involving temperature and fusion enthalpy. Mechanical tests showed 30% increase in elongation at break of GG with 0.004% CNT/SDS, with respect to gelatin/glycerol/SDS control. Samples with CNT had increased water vapor permeability (WVP). The film fractal dimension indicated that, with the addition of the highest concentration of CNT, films with a homogeneous surface were obtained, with probable nanotube inclusion in the protein matrix. According to the results, the easy method used to prepare gelatin composite materials gave place to films with better physical, mechanical, and thermal properties.
ARS: An Adaptive Retransmission Scheme for Contention-Based MAC Protocols in Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks
Authors: Nguyen Thi-Tham , Yoon Seokhoon
Published: May 2015

Due to the limited capacity and high propagation delay of underwater communication channels, contention-based media access control (MAC) protocols suffer from a low packet delivery ratio (PDR) and a high end-to-end (E2E) delay in underwater acoustic sensor networks due to the reliance on packet retransmission for reliable data delivery. In order to address the problem of low performance, we propose a novel adaptive retransmission scheme, named ARS, which dynamically selects an optimal value of the maximum number of retransmissions, such that the successful delivery probability of a packet is maximized for a given network load. ARS can be used for various contention-based protocols and hybrid MAC protocols that have contention periods. In this paper, ARS is applied to well-known contention-based protocols, Aloha and CSMA. Simulation results show that ARS can achieve significant performance improvement in terms of PDR and E2E delay over original MAC protocols.
Pfaffosidic Fraction fromHebanthe paniculataInduces Cell Cycle Arrest and Caspase-3-Induced Apoptosis in HepG2 Cells
Authors: da Silva Tereza Cristina , Cogliati Bruno , Latorre Andréia Oliveira , Akisue Gokithi , Nagamine Márcia Kazumi , Haraguchi Mitsue , Hansen Daiane , Sanches Daniel Soares , Dagli Maria Lúcia Zaidan
Published: May 2015

Hebanthe paniculataroots (formerlyPfaffia paniculataand popularly known as Brazilian ginseng) show antineoplastic, chemopreventive, and antiproliferative properties. Functional properties of these roots and their extracts are usually attributed to the pfaffosidic fraction, which is composed mainly by pfaffosides A–F. However, the therapeutic potential of this fraction in cancer cells is not yet entirely understood. This study aimed to analyze the antitumoral effects of the purified pfaffosidic fraction or saponinic fraction on the human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line. Cellular viability, proliferation, and apoptosis were evaluated, respectively, by MTT assay, BrdU incorporation, activated caspase-3 immunocytochemistry, and DNA fragmentation assay. Cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry and the cell cycle-related proteins were analyzed by quantitative PCR and Western blot. The cells exposed to pfaffosidic fraction had reduced viability and cellular growth, induced G2/M at 48 h or S at 72 h arrest, and increased sub-G1 cell population via cyclin E downregulation,p27KIP1overexpression, and caspase-3-induced apoptosis, without affecting the DNA integrity. Antitumoral effects of pfaffosidic fraction fromH. paniculatain HepG2 cells originated by multimechanisms of action might be associated with cell cycle arrest in the S phase, by CDK2 and cyclin E downregulation andp27KIP1overexpression, besides induction of apoptosis through caspase-3 activation.
A Case of Biphasic Pulmonary Blastoma Treated with Carboplatin and Paclitaxel plus Bevacizumab
Authors: Sakata Shinya , Saeki Sho , Hirooka Sayuri , Hirosako Susumu , Ichiyasu Hidenori , Kohrogi Hirotsugu
Published: May 2015

Background. Pulmonary blastoma is a rare lung tumor similar to fetal lung tissues. Surgical resection at early stage is more curative than other treatments, but there is no standard treatment in unresectable cases. We show a case treated with carboplatin and paclitaxel plus bevacizumab.Case. A 68-year-old man received surgical resection and was diagnosed with biphasic pulmonary blastoma (pT3N0M0 stage IIB). Metastasis to the spleen was detected six weeks after the surgery. Carboplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab were administered and showed an effect on the metastasis. Four courses of the chemotherapy were completed, but a metastasis was found and the metastatic tumor in the spleen was enlarged. After that, chemotherapy was not effective afterward and he died of the progression of biphasic pulmonary blastoma on the 292nd day of illness.Conclusion. In this case, chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel plus bevacizumab was temporarily efficacious for biphasic pulmonary blastoma.
Scheduling with Collaborative Mobile Chargers Inter-WSNs
Authors: Zhao Jidong , Dai Xili , Wang Xiaomin
Published: May 2015

Mobile charge problem describes a fleet of mobile chargers delivers energy to the sensor nodes periodically in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In it, every sensor node has an asynchronous rest working time during a charging round. We consider the asynchronous rest working time and give the lower and upper bounds of the recharging cycle by the suitable total serving rate, to give the definition of time windows for the sensor nodes. In this paper, we model this problem in 2-dimensional WSNs as a vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRPTW). For solving the problem of multiple mobile chargers with different routing paths, we propose to transform the multiple routing problems into a single routing problem, by duplicating the sink into multiple virtual sinks. To optimize the routing path, we propose a local optimization algorithm by considering the collaborative charging among the mobile chargers. Through the simulations, we compare our proposed algorithm with the [Formula: see text] algorithm. We demonstrate the advantages of our collaborative scheduling algorithm in this problem.
Breast Cancer Mortality in African-American and Non-Hispanic White Women by Molecular Subtype and Stage at Diagnosis: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Tao Li , Gomez Scarlett Lin , Keegan Theresa H.M. , Kurian Allison W. , Clarke Christina A.
Published: May 2015

Background: Higher breast cancer mortality rates for African-American than non-Hispanic White women are well documented; however, it remains uncertain if this disparity occurs in disease subgroups defined by tumor molecular markers and stage at diagnosis. We examined racial differences in outcome according to subtype and stage in a diverse, population-based series of 103,498 patients.

Methods: We obtained data for all invasive breast cancers diagnosed between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2012, and followed through December 31, 2012, among 93,760 non-Hispanic White and 9,738 African-American women in California. Molecular subtypes were categorized according to tumor expression of hormone receptor (HR, based on estrogen and progesterone receptors) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate relative hazard (RH) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for breast cancer–specific mortality.

Results: After adjustment for patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics, outcomes were comparable by race for stage I or IV cancer regardless of subtype, and HR+/HER2+ or HR−/HER2+ cancer regardless of stage. We found substantially higher hazards of breast cancer death among African-American women with stage II/III HR+/HER2− (RH, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.03–1.65; and RH, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.10–1.75, respectively) and stage III triple-negative cancers relative to Whites.

Conclusions: There are substantial racial/ethnic disparities among patients with stages II/III HR+/HER2− and stage III triple-negative breast cancers but not for other subtype and stage.

Impact: These data provide insights to assess barriers to targeted treatment (e.g., trastuzumab or endocrine therapy) of particular subtypes of breast cancer among African-American patients. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(7); 1039–45. ©2015 AACR.
TLR9-Targeted STAT3 Silencing Abrogates Immunosuppressive Activity of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells from Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Hossain Dewan M. S. , Pal Sumanta K. , Moreira Dayson , Duttagupta Priyanka , Zhang Qifang , Won Haejung , Jones Jeremy , D'Apuzzo Massimo , Forman Stephen , Kortylewski Marcin
Published: May 2015

Purpose: Recent advances in immunotherapy of advanced human cancers underscored the need to address and eliminate tumor immune evasion. The myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are important inhibitors of T-cell responses in solid tumors, such as prostate cancers. However, targeting MDSCs proved challenging due to their phenotypic heterogeneity.

Experimental Design: Myeloid cell populations were evaluated using flow cytometry on blood samples, functional assays, and immunohistochemical/immunofluorescent stainings on specimens from healthy subjects, localized and metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.

Results: Here, we identify a population of Lin−CD15HICD33LO granulocytic MDSCs that accumulate in patients' circulation during prostate cancer progression from localized to metastatic disease. The prostate cancer–associated MDSCs potently inhibit autologous CD8+ T cells' proliferation and production of IFNγ and granzyme-B. The circulating MDSCs have high levels of activated STAT3, which is a central immune checkpoint regulator. The granulocytic pSTAT3+ cells are also detectable in patients' prostate tissues. We previously generated an original strategy to silence genes specifically in Toll-like Receptor-9 (TLR9) positive myeloid cells using CpG-siRNA conjugates. We demonstrate that human granulocytic MDSCs express TLR9 and rapidly internalize naked CpG-STAT3siRNA, thereby silencing STAT3 expression. STAT3 blocking abrogates immunosuppressive effects of patients-derived MDSCs on effector CD8+ T cells. These effects depended on reduced expression and enzymatic activity of Arginase-1, a downstream STAT3 target gene and a potent T-cell inhibitor.

Conclusions: Overall, we demonstrate the accumulation of granulocytic MDSCs with prostate cancer progression and the feasibility of using TLR9-targeted STAT3siRNA delivery strategy to alleviate MDSC-mediated immunosuppression. Clin Cancer Res; 21(16); 3771–82. ©2015 AACR.
CD24+ Ovarian Cancer Cells Are Enriched for Cancer-Initiating Cells and Dependent on JAK2 Signaling for Growth and Metastasis
Authors: Burgos-Ojeda Daniela , Wu Rong , McLean Karen , Chen Yu-Chih , Talpaz Moshe , Yoon Euisik , Cho Kathleen R. , Buckanovich Ronald J.
Published: May 2015

Ovarian cancer is known to be composed of distinct populations of cancer cells, some of which demonstrate increased capacity for cancer initiation and/or metastasis. The study of human cancer cell populations is difficult due to long requirements for tumor growth, interpatient variability, and the need for tumor growth in immune-deficient mice. We therefore characterized the cancer initiation capacity of distinct cancer cell populations in a transgenic murine model of ovarian cancer. In this model, conditional deletion of Apc, Pten, and Trp53 in the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) results in the generation of high-grade metastatic ovarian carcinomas. Cell lines derived from these murine tumors express numerous putative stem cell markers, including CD24, CD44, CD90, CD117, CD133, and ALDH. We show that CD24+ and CD133+ cells have increased tumor sphere-forming capacity. CD133+ cells demonstrated a trend for increased tumor initiation while CD24+ cells versus CD24− cells had significantly greater tumor initiation and tumor growth capacity. No preferential tumor-initiating or growth capacity was observed for CD44+, CD90+, CD117+, or ALDH+ versus their negative counterparts. We have found that CD24+ cells, compared with CD24− cells, have increased phosphorylation of STAT3 and increased expression of STAT3 target Nanog and c-myc. JAK2 inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation preferentially induced cytotoxicity in CD24+ cells. In vivo JAK2 inhibitor therapy dramatically reduced tumor metastases, and prolonged overall survival. These findings indicate that CD24+ cells play a role in tumor migration and metastasis and support JAK2 as a therapeutic target in ovarian cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 14(7); 1717–27. ©2015 AACR.
Preexisting Levels of CD4 T Cells Expressing PD-1 Are Related to Overall Survival in Prostate Cancer Patients Treated with Ipilimumab
Authors: Kwek Serena S. , Lewis Jera , Zhang Li , Weinberg Vivian , Greaney Samantha K. , Harzstark Andrea L. , Lin Amy M. , Ryan Charles J. , Small Eric J. , Fong Lawrence
Published: May 2015

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) blockade can induce tumor regression and improved survival in cancer patients. This treatment can enhance adaptive immune responses without an exogenous vaccine, but the immunologic biomarkers associated with improved clinical outcome in cancer patients are not fully established. A phase Ib trial in patients with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer was performed combining ipilimumab with sargramostim (GM-CSF). In addition to evaluating ipilimumab dose, patients were followed clinically for response and overall survival, and for immunomodulation of circulating T cells. PSA declines of ≥50% and radiographic responses were observed at doses of ≥3 mg/kg/dose. Timing of clinical responses could be either immediate or delayed. Durable responses were also observed off treatment. A subset of patients experienced long-term survival with or without objective clinical responses. The relationship between T-cell phenotype in peripheral blood and overall survival was examined retrospectively. We found that the treatment induced an increase in the levels of CD4+ effector T (Teff) cells, regulatory T cells, PD-1+ CD4 Teff cells, and PD-1+ CD8 T cells. However, these increased levels were not associated with overall survival. Instead, low pretreatment baseline levels of PD-1+ CD4 Teff cells were found to correlate with longer overall survival. Furthermore, baseline levels of PD-1+ CD4 Teff cells from patients with shorter overall survival were higher than from cancer-free male control subjects. These results suggest that preexisting expression of immunologic checkpoint marker PD-1 on CD4 Teff cells may help identify patients that may benefit from ipilimumab treatment. Cancer Immunol Res; 3(9); 1008–16. ©2015 AACR.
Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy: A New Chapter
Authors: Byrne Katelyn T. , Vonderheide Robert H. , Jaffee Elizabeth M. , Armstrong Todd D.
Published: May 2015

The overall objective of the fifth American Association for Cancer Research Special Conference, “Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy: A New Chapter,” organized by the Cancer Immunology Working Group, was to highlight multidisciplinary approaches of immunotherapy and mechanisms related to the ability of immunotherapy to fight established tumors. With the FDA approval of sipuleucel-T, ipilimumab (anti–CTLA-4; Bristol-Myers Squibb), and the two anti–PD-1 antibodies, pembrolizumab (formerly MK-3475 or lambrolizumab; Merck) and nivolumab (Bristol-Myers Squibb), immunotherapy has become a mainstream treatment option for some cancers. Many of the data presented at the conference and reviewed in this article showcase the progress made in determining the mechanistic reasons for the success of some treatments and the mechanisms associated with tolerance within the tumor microenvironment, both of which are potential targets for immunotherapy. In addition to combination and multimodal therapies, improvements in existing therapies will be needed to overcome the numerous ways that tumor-specific tolerance thwarts the immune system. This conference built upon the success of the 2012 conference and focused on seven progressing and/or emerging areas—new combination therapies, combination therapies and vaccine improvement, mechanisms of antibody therapy, factors in the tumor microenvironment affecting the immune response, the microbiomes effect on cancer and immunotherapy, metabolism in immunotherapy, and adoptive T-cell therapy. Cancer Immunol Res; 3(6); 590–7. ©2015 AACR.
A Functional Variant at the miR-214 Binding Site in the Methylenetetrahydrofolatereductase Gene Alters Susceptibility to Gastric Cancer in a Chinese Han Population
Authors: Chen Qiaoyun , Qin Rong , Fang Yue , Li Hao , Liu Yangchen
Published: May 2015

Background and Aims: Single nucleotide polymorphisms in miRNA binding sites, which are located in mRNA 3' untranslated regions (3'-UTRs), were recently found to influence microRNA-target interactions. Specifically, such polymorphisms can modulatebinding affinity or create or destroy miRNA-binding sites; such variants have also been found to be associated with cancer risk. In this study, we explored the effect of a functional variant at the miR-214 binding site in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (rs114673809) on gastric cancer (GC) risk in a hospital-based case-control study in a Chinese Han population. Methods and Results: We genotyped the rs114673809 polymorphism in 345 gastric cancer patients and 376 cancer-free controls using the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. The functions of rs114673809 were investigated using a luciferase activity assay and validated by immunoblotting. We found that participants carrying the rs114673809 AA genotype or A allele had a significantly increased risk of gastric cancer (OR = 1.667, 95% CI = 1.044-2.660, P = 0.034; OR = 1.261, 95% CI = 1.017-1.563, P = 0.037, respectively) compared to those carrying the GG genotype and G allele. In addition, rs114673809 modified the binding of hsa-miR-214 to MTHFR as well as MTHFR protein levels in gastric cancer patients. Conclusion: Our data suggested that rs114673809, which is located at the miR-214 binding site in the 3'-UTR of MTHFR, may play an important role in the development of gastric cancer in a Chinese Han population.
Association of Smoking Status With Health-Related Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Jang Jae-Sik , Buchanan Donna M. , Gosch Kensey L. , Jones Philip G. , Sharma Praneet K. , Shafiq Ali , Grodzinsky Anna , Fendler Timothy J. , Graham Garth , Spertus John A.
Published: May 2015

Background—

Patients who smoke at the time of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) would ideally have a strong incentive to quit, but most do not. We sought to compare the health status outcomes of those who did and did not quit smoking after PCI with those who were not smoking before PCI.

Methods and Results—

A cohort of 2765 PCI patients from 10 US centers were categorized into never, past (smoked in the past but had quit before PCI), quitters (smoked at time of PCI but then quit), and persistent smokers. Health status was measured with the disease-specific Seattle Angina Questionnaire and the EuroQol 5 dimensions, adjusted for baseline characteristics. In unadjusted analyses, persistent smokers had worse disease-specific and overall health status when compared with other groups. In fully adjusted analyses, persistent smokers showed significantly worse health-related quality of life when compared with never smokers. Importantly, of those who smoked at the time of PCI, quitters had significantly better adjusted Seattle Angina Questionnaire angina frequency scores (mean difference, 2.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.13–5.33) and trends toward higher disease specific (Seattle Angina Questionnaire quality of life mean difference, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, −1.24 to 5.18), and overall (EuroQol 5 dimension visual analog scale scores mean difference, 2.45; 95% confidence interval, −0.58 to 5.49) quality of life when compared with persistent smokers at 12 months.

Conclusions—

Smokers at the time of PCI have worse health status at 1 year than those who never smoked, whereas smokers who quit after PCI have less angina at 1 year than those who continue smoking.
Angiographic and Optical Coherence Tomography Insights Into Bioresorbable Scaffold Thrombosis
Authors: Karanasos Antonios , Van Mieghem Nicolas , van Ditzhuijzen Nienke , Felix Cordula , Daemen Joost , Autar Anouchska , Onuma Yoshinobu , Kurata Mie , Diletti Roberto , Valgimigli Marco , Kauer Floris , van Beusekom Heleen , de Jaegere Peter , Zijlstra Felix , van Geuns Robert-Jan , Regar Evelyn
Published: May 2015

Background—

As bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVSs) are being increasingly used in complex real-world lesions and populations, BVS thrombosis cases have been reported. We present angiographic and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings in a series of patients treated in our center for definite bioresorbable scaffold thrombosis.

Methods and Results—

Up to June 2014, 14 patients presented with definite BVS thrombosis in our center. OCT was performed in 9 patients at the operator’s discretion. Angiographic and OCT findings were compared with a control group comprising 15 patients with definite metallic stent thrombosis. In the BVS group, time interval from index procedure to scaffold thrombosis ranged from 0 to 675 days. Incomplete lesion coverage by angiography was identified in 4 of 14 cases, malapposition by OCT in 5 of 9 cases, strut discontinuity in 2 of 9 cases, and underexpansion in 2 of 9 cases. Five patients had discontinued dual antiplatelet therapy, and in 3 of them discontinued dual antiplatelet therapy discontinuation had occurred the week preceding the event. There were no significant differences in angiographic or OCT findings between BVS and metallic stent thrombosis.

Conclusions—

Suboptimal implantation with incomplete lesion coverage, underexpansion, and malapposition comprises the main pathomechanism for both early and late BVS thrombosis, similar to metallic stent thrombosis. Dual antiplatelet therapy discontinuation seems to also be a secondary contributor in several late events. Our observations suggest that several potential triggers for BVS thrombosis could be avoided.
Time-Dependent Thrombus Resolution After Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator in Patients With Stroke and Mice
Authors: Kim Young Dae , Nam Hyo Suk , Kim Seo Hyun , Kim Eung Yeop , Song Dongbeom , Kwon Il , Yang Seung-Hee , Lee Kijeong , Yoo Joonsang , Lee Hye Sun , Heo Ji Hoe
Published: May 2015

Background and Purpose—

We investigated the relationship between the degree of thrombus resolution and the time from stroke onset or thrombus formation to intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment.

Methods—

In patients with stroke, we measured thrombus volume on thin-section noncontrast brain computed tomographic scans taken at baseline and 1 hour after tPA administration. We determined the association between the time from symptom onset to tPA treatment and the degree of thrombus resolution. In a C57/BL6 mouse model of FeCl
3
-induced carotid artery thrombosis, we investigated the effect of tPA administered at different time intervals after thrombus formation, using Doppler-based blood flow measurement.

Results—

Of 249 patients enrolled, 171 showed thrombus on baseline computed tomography. Thrombus was resolved by ≥50% in 43 patients (25.1%, good volume reduction) and by <50% in 94 patients (55.0%, moderate volume reduction) 1 hour after tPA treatment. In 34 patients (19.9%, nonvolume reduction; either no change or thrombus volume increased), overall thrombus volume increased. The probability of thrombus resolution decreased as the time interval from symptom onset to treatment increased. On multivariate analysis, good volume reduction was independently related with shorter time intervals from symptom onset to tPA treatment (odds ratio, 0.986 per minute saved; 95% confidence interval, 0.974–0.999). In the mouse model, as the interval between thrombus formation and tPA treatment increased, the initiation of recanalization was delayed (
P
=0.006) and the frequency of final recanalization decreased (
P
for trends=0.006).

Conclusions—

Early administration of tPA after stroke onset is associated with better thrombus resolution.
Biopoiesis: Electrochemical Media
Authors: Castellanos Carlos
Published: May 2015

The author discusses Biopoiesis, a cybernetic art project that explores the relationships between structure, matter and self-organization. Based on the work of cyberneticist Gordon Pask, the project features the construction of simple computational devices that harness an electrochemical reaction. The design and construction of the system is discussed, as well as its conceptual underpinnings and historical context. The relevance of Pask’s electrochemical works to artmaking is also explored.