bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survival and toxicity in patients with disseminated germ cell cancer aged 40 years and older
Authors: Thomsen Frederik B. , Bandak Mikkel , Thomsen Maria F. , Lauritsen Jakob , Christensen Ib J. , Daugaard Gedske
Published: October 2013

BACKGROUND

Germ‐cell cancer (GCC) patients aged ≥40 years have a two‐fold higher GCC‐specific mortality. It has been hypothesized that reduced treatment intensity combined with increased treatment related toxicity could be the explanation. The objective was to analyze chemotherapy intensity, treatment related toxicity and survival in patients aged ≥40 years treated with standard chemotherapy for GCC compared with a younger control group that received similar treatment during the same period.

METHODS

From 1984 to 2011, 135 patients aged ≥40 years with disseminated GCC treated with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP). A control‐group of 135 patients aged 18–35 years was randomly selected matched on year of BEP treatment. Cumulated doses of BEP as well as bone marrow toxicity, renal‐ and lung functions were recorded before, during and after termination of treatment. All patients were followed until death or October 1, 2011.

RESULTS

The cumulated doses of BEP were comparable between the two groups, however, more patients aged ≥40 years were reduced in bleomycin doses based on a decrease in carbon monoxide diffusion capacity corrected for haemoglobin (P = 0.03). No differences between the two groups were found regarding bone marrow toxicity or mean percentage changes in lung‐ or renal function. Patients aged ≥40 year had increased cancer specific mortality, HR = 4.8 (P = 0.005). In particular patients with disease progression after first line chemotherapy had increased mortality (P = 0.015). Moreover, the 5‐year overall survival for patients aged ≥40 years was 82.5% compared to the expected 5‐year survival of the background population of 96.3% (P <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment related toxicity could not explain the increased cancer specific mortality in patients aged ≥40 years compared to a younger control‐group, and while there were no differences in the administrated doses of cisplatin/etoposide, a decreased number of bleomycin doses were administered in the older patients. Apart from this, the inferior prognosis could be related to tumour biology, increased co‐morbidity, or more severe toxicity in relation to second line treatment. Cancer 2014;120:43–51. © 2013 American Cancer Society.
The men who coloured Britain
Authors: Allan Whitfield T. W.
Published: October 2013

Colour standards, initially for specification purposes (e.g., the Post Office, Railways, and the Military), were transformed in Britain during the 1970s into instruments for the pursuit of a Modernist agenda. Extolling a rational approach to colour, a master standard and a set of derived standards were devised at the British Standards Institution that would provide a colour palette covering the entire built environment of Britain. These revolutionized colour standards and were a unique venture in any country. This article charts the development of these standards, the problems to be overcome, and the role of their originators, Gloag, Hardy, and Medd. These little known figures had—and continue to have—a unique influence upon the colour of the built environment. Literally, they coloured Britain. And their standards remain in force today. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 39, 535–539, 2014
Evaluation of the effect of mericitabine at projected therapeutic and supratherapeutic doses on cardiac repolarization in healthy subjects: A thorough QT/QTc study
Authors: Chen Ya‐Chi , Haznedar Joshua , Kulkarni Rohit , Vistuer Christelle , Washington Carla , Liu Mei , Smith Patrick
Published: October 2013

Mericitabine, the di‐isobutyl ester prodrug of the cytidine nucleoside analog, is a potent and selective hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase inhibitor. This thorough QT/QTc study evaluated the effect of mericitabine on cardiac repolarization in healthy subjects. This was a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐ and active‐controlled, 4‐way crossover study. A total of 60 subjects were enrolled and randomized to receive a single dose of mericitabine 1,500 mg, 9,000 mg, moxifloxacin 400 mg and placebo in randomly assigned treatment sequences, with at least 14 days between doses. The primary endpoint was the mean difference in baseline‐adjusted QT interval using a study‐specific correction method (QTcS) between mericitabine and placebo. The upper one‐sided 95% confidence interval for the placebo‐subtracted change from baseline in QTcS was <10 milliseconds and the mean difference from placebo was <5 milliseconds at all time points for both mericitabine doses. The positive control moxifloxacin caused a pronounced increase in QTcS that peaked 4 hours after oral administration. Furthermore, there was no trend of a concentration‐dependent effect of mericitabine on QTcS. In conclusion, mericitabine does not have a clinically or statistically significant effect on cardiac repolarization in healthy subjects at single doses up to 9,000 mg.
Dynamic Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access resource management for downlink interference avoidance in two‐tier networks
Authors: Kao Shang‐Juh , Wang Hsiu‐Lang
Published: October 2013

In two‐tier networks, which consist of macrocells and femtocells, femtocells can offload the traffic from macrocells thereby improving indoor signal coverage. However, the dynamic deployment feature of femtocells may result in signal interference due to limited frequency spectrum. The tradeoff between broad signal coverage and increased signal interference deserves further exploration for practical network operation. In this paper, dynamic frequency resource management is proposed to avoid both co‐tier and cross‐tier Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access downlink interference and increase frequency channel utilization under co‐channel deployment. A graph‐based non‐conflict group discovery algorithm is proposed to discover the disjoint interference‐free groups among femtocells in order to avoid the co‐tier interference. A macrocell uses the femtocell gateway for frequency resource allocation among femtocells to avoid cross‐tier interference. We formulate the optimized frequency resource assignment as a fractional knapsack problem and solve the problem by using a greedy method. The simulation results show that the average data transfer rate can be increased from 21% to 60%, whereas idle rate and blocking rate are decreased in the range of and , respectively, as compared with conventional graph coloring and graph‐based dynamic frequency reuse schemes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Congruent morphological and genetic differentiation as a signature of range expansion in a fragmented landscape
Authors: Ledevin Ronan , Millien Virginie
Published: October 2013

Phenotypic differentiation is often interpreted as a result of local adaptation of individuals to their environment. Here, we investigated the skull morphological differentiation in 11 populations of the white‐footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). These populations were sampled in an agricultural landscape in the Montérégie region (Québec, Canada), at the northern edge of the distribution of the white‐footed mouse. We found a strong pattern of phenotypic differentiation matching the genetic structure across these populations. Landscape fragmentation and the presence of geographic barriers, in particular north–south oriented rivers, contribute to this differentiation and modulate the pattern of rapid ongoing northward range expansion of the white‐footed mouse in response to climate warming. We conclude that while large rivers and postglacial recolonization routes have shaped the current pattern of distribution and differentiation of white‐footed mouse populations, further local differentiation is occurring, at the scale of the landscape. We posit that the northern expansion of the white‐footed mouse is achieved through successive independent founder events in a fragmented landscape at the northern range edge of the species. The phenotypic differentiation we observe is thus a result of a number of mechanisms operating at different spatial and temporal scales.
Renewable co‐polymers derived from castor oil and limonene
Authors: Firdaus Maulidan , Meier Michael A. R. , Biermann Ursula , Metzger Jürgen O.
Published: October 2013

Biobased monomers derived from castor oil as well as from limonene suitable for thiol–ene copolymerization were synthesized. Di‐10‐undecenylether 2 was obtained via GaBr3‐catalyzed reduction of 10‐undecenyl 10‐undecenoate 1. Diene ether 2 and (R)‐limonene 5 were reacted in two steps using radical thiol–ene addition reactions to dithiol ether 4 and dithiol 7, respectively. Diene ether 2 and dithiols 4 and 7 were copolymerized using thermal initiation with AIBN and photochemically initiated thiol–ene reaction, respectively. DSC characterization revealed that these monomers can be used to synthesize polyether polysulfides with good and adjustable thermal properties. Moreover, the synthesized polymers P1 and P2 have successfully been transformed into polyether polysulfones P3 and P4 by oxidation with H2O2. An increase of the melting transition of 40–50°C was observed after oxidation.
From micellar electrokinetic chromatography to liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry: Revisiting the way of analyzing human fluids for the search of desmosines, putative biomarkers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Viglio Simona , Stolk Jan , Luisetti Maurizio , Ferrari Fabio , Piccinini Paolo , Iadarola Paolo
Published: October 2013

Desmosine (DES) and isodesmosine are two isomer amino acids unique‐to‐mature, cross‐linked elastin. Based on this feature, they have been discussed as surrogate markers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a disorder characterized by progressive degradation of lung elastin. Despite the development of numerous protocols, detection of DESs in body fluids is still considered to be technically challenging. In fact, owing to the minute concentration of these circulating cross‐links, their accurate measurement may be provided only by sophisticated and sensitive techniques. Aim of this article is to present the “history” of the two techniques (MEKC and LC‐MS) that, better than others, allowed scientists to “bring their best to the table” in this area. Both of them meet the criteria of (almost) complete automation of the procedure and of the use of more selective and sensitive detection systems. The substantial advantages in terms of precision and accuracy provided by such measurements suggest that the science of DESs is eventually catching up with its promise and the assumption that these candidate biomarkers can be associated to clinical variables holds true.
A highly sensitive CE‐chemiluminescence method for the determination of sympathomimetic drugs in urine samples by a facile precolumn derivatization using acridinium ester
Authors: Wang Zuorong , Yue Huan , Wang Yonghong , Wang Lin , Fu Zhifeng
Published: October 2013

As one of the most sensitive detection mode for CE, chemiluminescence (CL) detection is less developed compared to some other detection modes such as MS and LIF, despite its low equipment cost and simple design. The fact is partly due to the limitation of CL systems suitable for CE. In this paper, a highly sensitive CE‐CL strategy was established for the determination of dopamine (DA) and cimbuterol (CM) using acridinium ester as derivatization reagent. Catalyst was not required in this CL detection system. Also, a good sensitivity was obtained due to its quite low background and strong signal. Under the optimal conditions, the presented method has been successfully applied to analyze DA and CM with LODs (S/N = 3) of 2.0 and 0.50 ng/mL, respectively. The linear ranges were 5.0–1500 ng/mL and 2.0–1000 ng/mL for DA and CM, respectively. To validate our method, the levels of DA in human urine samples were detected by this method, and the results showed acceptable accordance with those of ELISA. All the analysis procedure could be completed in 400 s, and the results showed satisfactory sensitivity and selectivity. The approach could also be further extended to rapid analysis of many other compounds including primary and second amines in clinical medicine and biopharmaceutical analysis using acridinium ester as CL derivatization reagent.
Development of a method for urine bikunin/urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) quantitation and structural characterization: Application to type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Authors: Lepedda Antonio Junior , Nieddu Gabriele , Rocchiccioli Silvia , Fresu Pietro , De Muro Pierina , Formato Marilena
Published: October 2013

Bikunin is a plasma proteinase inhibitor often associated with inflammatory conditions. It has a half‐life of few minutes and it is rapidly excreted into urine as urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI). UTI levels are usually low in healthy individuals but they can increase up to tenfold in both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. This article describes a sensitive method for both direct UTI quantitation and structural characterization. UTI purification was performed by anion exchange micro‐chromatography followed by SDS‐PAGE. A calibration curve for protein quantitation was set up by using a purified UTI fraction. UTI identification and structural characterization was performed by Nano‐LC‐MS/MS analysis. The method was applied on urine samples from 9 patients with type 1 diabetes, 11 patients with type 2 diabetes, and 28 healthy controls, matched for age and sex with patients, evidencing higher UTI levels in both groups of patients with respect to controls (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Spearman's correlation tests highlighted no association between UTI levels and age in each group tested. Owing to the elevated sensitivity and specificity, the described method allows UTI quantitation from very low quantities of specimen. Furthermore, as UTI concentration is normalized for creatinine level, the analysis could be also performed on randomly collected urine samples. Finally, MS/MS analysis prospects the possibility of characterizing PTM sites potentially able to affect UTI localization, function, and pathophysiological activity. Preliminary results suggest that UTI levels could represent a useful marker of chronic inflammatory condition in type 1 and 2 diabetes.
Intellectual Function in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
Authors: Weider Siri , Indredavik Marit Sæbø , Lydersen Stian , Hestad Knut
Published: October 2013

Objective

This study aimed to examine cognitive function in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) on the basis of IQ measures, indexes and subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Third Edition (WAIS‐III).

Methods

A total of 41 patients with AN, 40 patients with BN and 40 healthy controls (HC), matched for sex, age and education, were recruited consecutively to complete the WAIS‐III.

Results

The AN group showed a significantly lower performance than the HC group on most global measures and on eight of the 13 administered subtests. Minor differences in verbal function were detected between the BN group and the HC group.

Conclusion

The patients with eating disorders showed normal intellectual functions compared with the normative population. However, the AN group displayed a consistently lower performance than the matched HC group, which performed above normative means. The BN group performed at a level between that of the AN and HC groups. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Pricing Bounds on Barrier Options
Authors: Tsuzuki Yukihiro
Published: October 2013

This article proposes the optimal pricing bounds on barrier options in an environment where plain‐vanilla options and no‐touch options can be used as hedging instruments. Super‐ and sub‐hedging portfolios are derived without specifying any underlying processes, which are static ones consisting of not only plain‐vanilla options but also cash‐paying no‐touch options and/or asset paying no‐touch options that pay one cash or one underlying asset, respectively, if the barrier has not been hit. Moreover, the prices of these portfolios turn out to be the optimal pricing bounds through finding risk‐neutral measures under which the barrier option price is equal to the hedging portfolio's value. The model‐independent pricing bounds are useful because the price of a barrier option is significantly dependent on a model. It is demonstrated through numerical examples that prices outside the pricing bounds can be produced by models that are calibrated to market prices of plain‐vanilla options, but not to that of a no‐touch option. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 34:1170–1184, 2014
The influence of high‐latitude flux lobes on the Holocene paleomagnetic record of IODP Site U1305 and the northern North Atlantic
Authors: Stoner Joseph S. , Channell James E. T. , Mazaud Alain , Strano Sarah E. , Xuan Chuang
Published: October 2013

Paleomagnetic analysis and radiocarbon dating of an expanded Holocene deep‐sea sediment sequence recovered by Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 303 from Labrador Sea Site U1305 (Lat.: 57°28.5 N, Long.: 48°31.8 W, water depth 3459 m) provides insights into mechanisms that drive both paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV) and magnetization acquisition in deep‐sea sediments. Seventeen radiocarbon dates on planktonic foraminifera define postglacial (ca. 8 ka) sedimentation rates as ranging from 35 to > 90 cm/kyr. Alternating field (AF) demagnetization of u‐channel samples show that these homogeneous sediments preserve a strong, stable, and consistently well‐defined component magnetization. Normalized remanence records pass reliability criteria for relative paleointensity (RPI) estimates. Assuming that the age of magnetization is most accurately defined by well dated PSV records with the highest sedimentation rates, allows us to estimate and correct for temporal offsets at Site U1305 interpreted to result from postdepositional remanence acquisition at a depth of ∼20 cm. Comparisons indicate that the northern North Atlantic PSV and RPI records are more consistent with European than North American records, and the evolution of virtual geomagnetic poles (VGP) are temporally and longitudinally similar to global reconstructions, though with much larger latitudinal variation. The largest deviations from a geocentric axial dipole (GAD) are observed during times of the highest intensities, in contrast to the usual assumption. These observations are consistent with the idea that PSV in the North Atlantic and elsewhere during the Holocene results from temporal oscillations of high‐latitude flux concentrations at a few recurrent locations.
A stand‐alone tree demography and landscape structure module for Earth system models
Authors: Haverd Vanessa , Smith Benjamin , Cook Garry D. , Briggs Peter R. , Nieradzik Lars , Roxburgh Stephen H. , Liedloff Adam , Meyer Carl P. , Canadell Josep G.
Published: October 2013

We propose and demonstrate a new approach for the simulation of woody ecosystem stand dynamics, demography, and disturbance‐mediated heterogeneity suitable for continental to global applications and designed for coupling to the terrestrial ecosystem component of any earth system model. The approach is encoded in a model called Populations‐Order‐Physiology (POP). We demonstrate the behavior and performance of POP coupled to the Community Atmosphere Biosphere Land Exchange model (CABLE) applied along the Northern Australian Tropical Transect, featuring gradients in rainfall and fire disturbance. The model is able to simultaneously reproduce observation‐based estimates of key functional and structural variables along the transect, namely gross primary production, tree foliage projective cover, basal area, and maximum tree height. Prospects for the use of POP to address current vegetation dynamic deficiencies in earth system modeling are discussed.
Magnetospheric “magic” frequencies as magnetopause surface eigenmodes
Authors: Archer M. O. , Hartinger M. D. , Horbury T. S.
Published: October 2013

The persistent so‐called “magic” magnetospheric frequencies are thought to be either directly driven by monochromatic solar wind pressure fluctuations or resonantly excited global (cavity/waveguide) or magnetopause surface eigenmodes. We distinguish between these cases by statistically investigating, using simultaneous observations, the magnetospheric response to jets in the subsolar magnetosheath. The broadband jets do not exhibit discrete frequencies but do drive waves at the discrete magic frequencies, with both direct and resonant driving. We show that the expected fundamental frequencies of magnetopause surface eigenmodes have two preferential values over a wide range of upstream conditions, corresponding to fast and slow solar wind, and that their harmonics are in good agreement with the magic frequencies. We also show that the waves are largely inconsistent with global modes outside the plasmasphere. Thus, we conclude that these magic frequencies are most likely due to magnetopause surface eigenmodes.
Separating the thermal fingerprints of lava flows and simultaneous lava fountaining using ground‐based thermal camera and SEVIRI measurements
Authors: Ganci Gaetana , James Mike R. , Calvari Sonia , Negro Ciro Del
Published: October 2013

During effusive eruptions, thermal satellite monitoring has proved well suited to map the thermal flux from lava flows. However, during lava fountaining events, thermal contributions from active flows and from the fountain itself cannot be separated in low resolution satellite data. Here using photogrammetry and atmospheric modeling techniques, we compare radiance estimates from long‐range ground‐based thermal camera data (from which the fountain can be excluded) with those from SEVIRI satellite images for a fountaining event at Mount Etna (12 August 2011). The radiant heat flux determined from the ground‐based camera showed similar behavior to values retrieved from Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI); thus the SEVIRI signal is interpreted to be dominated by the lava flows, with minimal contribution from the fountain. Furthermore, by modeling the cooling phase of each pixel inundated by lava, the mean thickness and lava volume (~2.4 × 106 m3) derived from camera images are comparable with those calculated from SEVIRI (~2.8 × 106 m3).
Evaluating the impact a proposed family planning model would have on maternal and infant mortality in Afghanistan
Authors: Rahmani Ahmad Masoud , Wade Benjamin , Riley William
Published: October 2013

Objective

This study aimed to assess the potential impact a proposed family planning model would have on reducing maternal and infant mortality in Afghanistan.

Background

Afghanistan has a high total fertility rate, high infant mortality rate, and high maternal mortality rate. Afghanistan also has tremendous socio‐cultural barriers to and misconceptions about family planning services.

Methods

We applied predictive statistical models to a proposed family planning model for Afghanistan to better understand the impact increased family planning can have on Afghanistan's maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate. We further developed a sensitivity analysis that illustrates the number of maternal and infant deaths that can be averted over 5 years according to different increases in contraceptive prevalence rates.

Results

Incrementally increasing contraceptive prevalence rates in Afghanistan from 10% to 60% over the course of 5 years could prevent 11 653 maternal deaths and 317 084 infant deaths, a total of 328 737 maternal and infant deaths averted.

Conclusion

Achieving goals in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in Afghanistan requires a culturally relevant approach to family planning that will be supported by the population. The family planning model for Afghanistan presents such a solution and holds the potential to prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using hydrochemical tracers to assess impacts of unsewered urban catchments on hydrochemistry and nutrients in groundwater
Authors: Nyenje P. M. , Foppen J. W. , Uhlenbrook S. , Lutterodt G.
Published: October 2013

We applied graphical methods and multivariate statistics to understand impacts of an unsewered slum catchment on nutrients and hydrochemistry of groundwater in Kampala, Uganda. Data were collected from 56 springs (groundwater), 22 surface water sites and 13 rain samples. Groundwater was acidic and dominated by Na, Cl and NO3. These ions were strongly correlated, indicating pollution originating from wastewater infiltration from on‐site sanitation systems. Results also showed that rain, which was acidic, impacted on groundwater chemistry. Using Q‐mode hierarchical cluster analysis, we identified three distinct water quality groups. The first group had springs dominated by Ca‐Cl‐NO3, low values of electrical conductivity (EC), pH and cations, and relatively high NO3 values. These springs were shown to have originated from the acidic rains because their chemistry closely corresponded to ion concentrations that would occur from rainfall recharge, which was around 3.3 times concentrated by evaporation. The second group had springs dominated by Na‐K‐Cl‐NO3 and Ca‐Cl‐NO3, low pH but with higher values of EC, NO3 and cations. We interpreted these as groundwater affected by both acid rain and infiltration of wastewater from urban areas. The third group had the highest EC values (average of 688 μS/cm), low pH and very high concentrations of NO3 (average of 2.15 mmol/l) and cations. Since these springs were all located in slum areas, we interpreted them as groundwater affected by infiltration of wastewater from poorly sanitized slums areas. Surface water was slightly reducing and eutrophic because of wastewater effluents, but the contribution of groundwater to nutrients in surface water was minimal because o‐PO4 was absent, whereas NO3 was lost by denitification. Our findings suggest that groundwater chemistry in the catchment is strongly influenced by anthropogenic inputs derived from nitrogen‐containing rains and domestic wastewater. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Extended‐release opioids in the management of cancer pain: A systematic review of efficacy and safety
Authors: Mesgarpour B. , Griebler U. , Glechner A. , Kien C. , Strobelberger M. , Van Noord M.G. , Michalek‐Sauberer A.
Published: October 2013

Despite the increased availability of strong analgesics and evidence‐based recommendations for pain management, under‐treatment of cancer‐related pain is still common. Extended‐release (ER) opioids, in contrast to immediate‐release opioids, provide prolonged analgesia. In this review, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of ER opioid analgesics in managing moderate‐to‐severe pain in patients with cancer. We identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled observational studies that compared ER opioids in cancer pain by searching several databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. Two independent reviewers screened and evaluated retrieved records to select relevant studies. We dually assessed the risk of bias for included studies and evaluated the overall strength of evidence for six critical outcomes using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation level of evidence. A total of three double‐blind RCTs (comparative efficacy and adverse events), two non‐blinded RCTs and four observational studies (comparative adverse events) were included in this review. All randomized trials and one observational study were of high risk of bias, and three observational studies of unclear risk of bias. The level of evidence for the selected efficacy and safety outcomes was low and very low. We synthesized the findings qualitatively because of the paucity of relevant studies as well as variable study design and quality. This systematic review indicates no substantial differences in efficacy and frequent adverse events among ER opioids for cancer pain. The body of evidence, however, is limited to few comparisons and fraught with methodological shortcomings.
The climate time scale in the approach to radiative‐convective equilibrium
Authors: Cronin Timothy W. , Emanuel Kerry A.
Published: October 2013

In this paper, we discuss the importance of the surface boundary condition (fixed versus interactive surface temperature) for the long time scale of approach to Radiative‐Convective Equilibrium (RCE). Using a simple linearized two‐variable model for surface‐atmosphere interaction, we derive an analytic expression for τC, a long climate relaxation time scale that remains well defined and much longer than either mixing time scale of Tompkins and Craig (1998b), even in the limit that the heat capacity of the surface vanishes. We show that the size of τC is an intrinsic property of the coupling between the atmosphere and surface, and not a result of the thermal inertia of the surface alone. When the surface heat capacity is low, τC can be several times longer than expected, due to the effects of moisture on the effective heat capacity of the atmosphere. We also show that the theoretical expression for τC is a good predictor of best fit exponential relaxation time scales in a single‐column model with full physics, across a range of surface temperatures and surface heat capacities.
Gene expression profile study on osteoinductive effect of natural hydroxyapatite
Authors: Lü Xiaoying , Wang Jiandan , Li Bin , Zhang Zhiwei , Zhao Lifeng
Published: October 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the osteoinductive effect of natural hydroxyapatite (NHA). NHA was extracted from pig bones and prepared into disk‐like samples. Then, proliferation of mouse bone mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cultured on NHA was assessed by the methylthiazoltetrazolium (MTT) assay. Furthermore, microarray technology was applied to obtain the gene expression profiles of MSCs cultured on NHA at 24, 48, and 72 h. The gene expression profile was then comprehensively analyzed by clustering, Gene Ontology (GO), Gene Microarray Pathway Profiler (GenMAPP) and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). According to the results of microarray experiment, 8992 differentially expressed genes were obtained. 90 differential expressed genes related to HA osteogenic differentiation were determined by GO analysis. These genes included not only 6 genes related to HA osteogenic differentiation as mentioned in the literatures but also newly discovered 84 genes. Some important signaling pathways (TGF‐β, MAPK, Wnt, etc.) were influenced by these genes. Gene interaction networks were obtained by IPA software, in which the scoring values of two networks were highest, and their main functions were related to cell development. The comprehensive analysis of these results indicate that NHA regulate some crucial genes (e.g., Bmp2, Spp1) and then activate some pathways such as TGF‐β signaling pathway, and ultimately osteogenic differentiation was induced. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 2833–2841, 2014.
Temporal Trends in Obesity, Osteoporosis Treatment, Bone Mineral Density, and Fracture Rates: A Population-Based Historical Cohort Study
Authors: Leslie William D , Lix Lisa M , Yogendran Marina S , Morin Suzanne N , Metge Colleen J , Majumdar Sumit R
Published: October 2013

Diverging international trends in fracture rates have been observed, with most reports showing that fracture rates have stabilized or decreased in North American and many European populations. We studied two complementary population-based historical cohorts from the Province of Manitoba, Canada (1996–2006) to determine whether declining osteoporotic fracture rates in Canada are attributable to trends in obesity, osteoporosis treatment, or bone mineral density (BMD). The Population Fracture Registry included women aged 50 years and older with major osteoporotic fractures, and was used to assess impact of changes in osteoporosis treatment. The BMD Registry included all women aged 50 years and older undergoing BMD tests, and was used to assess impact of changes in obesity and BMD. Model-based estimates of temporal changes in fracture rates (Fracture Registry) were calculated. Temporal changes in obesity and BMD and their association with fracture rates (BMD Registry) were estimated. In the Fracture Registry (n = 27,341), fracture rates declined 1.6% per year (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3% to 2.0%). Although osteoporosis treatment increased from 5.6% to 17.4%, the decline in fractures was independent of osteoporosis treatment. In the BMD Registry (n = 36,587), obesity increased from 12.7% to 27.4%. Femoral neck BMD increased 0.52% per year and lumbar spine BMD increased 0.32% per year after covariate adjustment (p < 0.001). Major osteoporotic fracture rates decreased in models that did not include femoral neck BMD (fully adjusted annual change –1.8%; 95% CI, –2.9 to –0.5), but adjusting for femoral neck BMD accounted for the observed reduction (annual change –0.5%; 95% CI, –1.8 to +1.0). In summary, major osteoporotic fracture rates declined substantially and linearly from 1996 to 2006, and this was explained by improvements in BMD rather than greater rates of obesity or osteoporosis treatment. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
GalaxyDock2: Protein–ligand docking using beta‐complex and global optimization
Authors: Shin Woong‐Hee , Kim Jae‐Kwan , Kim Deok‐Soo , Seok Chaok
Published: October 2013

In this article, an enhanced version of GalaxyDock protein–ligand docking program is introduced. GalaxyDock performs conformational space annealing (CSA) global optimization to find the optimal binding pose of a ligand both in the rigid‐receptor mode and the flexible‐receptor mode. Binding pose prediction has been improved compared to the earlier version by the efficient generation of high‐quality initial conformations for CSA using a predocking method based on a beta‐complex derived from the Voronoi diagram of receptor atoms. Binding affinity prediction has also been enhanced by using the optimal combination of energy components, while taking into consideration the energy of the unbound ligand state. The new version has been tested in terms of binding mode prediction, binding affinity prediction, and virtual screening on several benchmark sets, showing improved performance over the previous version and AutoDock, on which the GalaxyDock energy function is based. GalaxyDock2 also performs better than or comparable to other state‐of‐the‐art docking programs. GalaxyDock2 is freely available at http://galaxy.seoklab.org/softwares/galaxydock.html. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Global hybrid simulation of mode conversion at the dayside magnetopause
Authors: Shi Feng , Lin Yu , Wang Xueyi
Published: October 2013

Mode conversion at the magnetopause has been suggested to lead to the generation of kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) and effective mass transport from the solar wind into the magnetosphere. To investigate the mode conversion process in the dynamic dayside system, a 3‒D global hybrid simulation associated with a quasi‒parallel shock under a radial interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is carried out, in which the foreshock compressional pulses are self‒consistently generated by the interaction between the solar wind and the geomagnetic field. The results show that as the compressional pulses propagate from the magnetosheath to the magnetopause, short‒wavelength structures of k⊥ρi∼0.5–1 with enhanced parallel electric field E∥ are excited in the subsolar magnetopause boundary layer (MPBL), where k⊥≃kx is the perpendicular waves number nearly along the GSE x direction, and ρi is the ion Larmor radius. The wave‒phase relationship between the magnetic field and the density changes from in‒phase in the magnetosheath to antiphase in the short‒wavelength MPBL perturbations. The wave polarization is predominantly compressive in the magnetosheath, whereas strong transverse wave powers appear abruptly around the MPBL. The mode conversion from the compressional pulses to KAWs is identified around the predicted Alfvén resonance surface in the MPBL. As these KAWs evolve, KAW modes dominated by azimuthal wave number with kyρi∼1 are also generated. The KAWs in the MPBL are identified by the sharp increases in E∥ and the electromagnetic field polarization relations of Alfvén mode, as well as a spectral analysis. The KAW perturbations propagate poleward into the cusps along the MPBL. Due to the differential flow convection speeds at various latitudes, the KAW packets expand along the north‒south direction, while they may also merge with newly‒formed KAWs due to newly‒arrived compressional waves.
Los Angeles Basin airborne organic aerosol characterization during CalNex
Authors: Craven J. S. , Metcalf A. R. , Bahreini R. , Middlebrook A. , Hayes P. L. , Duong H. T. , Sorooshian A. , Jimenez J. L. , Flagan R. C. , Seinfeld J. H.
Published: October 2013

We report airborne organic aerosol (OA) measurements over Los Angeles carried out in May 2010 as part of the CalNex field campaign. The principal platform for the airborne data reported here was the CIRPAS Twin Otter (TO); airborne data from NOAA WP‐3D aircraft and Pasadena CalNex ground‐site data acquired during simultaneous TO flybys are also presented. Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer measurements constitute the main source of data analyzed. The increase in organic aerosol oxidation from west to east in the basin was sensitive to OA mass loading, with a greater spatial trend in O:C associated with lower mass concentration. Three positive matrix factorization (PMF) components (hydrocarbon‐like organic aerosol (HOA), semi‐volatile oxidized organic aerosol (SVOOA), and low volatility oxidized organic aerosol (LVOOA)) were resolved for the one flight that exhibited the largest variability in estimated O:C ratio. Comparison of the PMF factors with two optical modes of refractory black carbon (rBC)‐containing aerosol revealed that the coating of thinly coated rBC‐containing aerosol, dominant in the downtown region, is likely composed of HOA, whereas more thickly coated rBC‐containing aerosol, dominant in the Banning pass outflow, is composed of SVOOA and LVOOA. The correlation of water‐soluble organic mass to oxidized organic aerosol (OOA) is higher in the outflows than in the basin due to the higher mass fraction of OOA/OA in the outflows. By comparison, the average OA concentration over Mexico City MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations) campaign was ∼7 times higher than the airborne average during CalNex.
Varying roles of ENSO and SAM on the Antarctic Peninsula climate in austral spring
Authors: Clem Kyle R. , Fogt Ryan L.
Published: October 2013

Recent studies have identified a significant warming trend across West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula, which is likely linked to tropical forcing. Here we investigate temporal variations in El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)–related tropical forcing and Southern Annular Mode (SAM)–related forcing on the Amundsen‐Bellingshausen Seas Low and the regional climate during austral spring. We find a spatial dependency regarding the impacts each of these climate modes have on the Antarctic Peninsula: relationships with ENSO and Antarctic Peninsula climate are persistent and significant across the western Peninsula, while relationships with the SAM are persistent and significant across the northeastern Peninsula. Other ENSO/SAM–Peninsula temperature correlations appear weak since 1957 as they vary temporally, fluctuating in response to changing correlations between the SAM index and the Southern Oscillation Index in austral spring. Changes in the ENSO‐SAM correlations are due primarily to the 1988 La Niña/SAM negative event, which significantly altered the location of the ENSO teleconnection in the South Pacific Ocean and, therefore, its influence on the regional climate. Whether or not there is decadal variability in the ENSO‐SAM relationship remains unclear; however, it is evident that the influence across the Peninsula varies in both space and time, related to the strength and spatial extent of the response in the Amundsen‐Bellingshausen Seas. This suggests that in order to accurately attribute the warming to ENSO‐related tropical forcing, it is necessary to consider the role of the regional circulation manifested by the phase of each climate mode together.
Dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A preliminary study of the correlations between quantitative parameters and clinical stage
Authors: Zheng Dechun , Chen Yunbin , Chen Ying , Xu Luying , Chen Weibo , Yao Yiqi , Du Zhongshi , Deng Xiaohong , Chan Queenie
Published: October 2013

Purpose

To evaluate the relationship between quantitative parameters of dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI) and clinical stage of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Materials and Methods

Fifty‐one newly diagnosed NPC patients received MRI examination on Philips Achieva 3.0 Tesla TX MR system. We used DCE‐Tool (Philips Healthcare, Best, The Netherlands) to investigate parameters from primary tumors. Tumor/node/metastasis and corresponding clinical stages were determined based on 2009 UICC 7th edition. The correlations between quantitative parameters and clinical stage were correlated using Pearson correlation analysis.

Results

Mean Ktrans, Kep, ve, and vp for primary tumors were 0.500 ± 0.188/min, 0.744 ± 0.273/min, 0.986 ± 0.595, and 0.052 ± 0.071, respectively. Both Ktrans and Kep of tumors showed moderate negative correlation with clinical stage, T stage and N stage (P < 0.05), while ve showed moderate positive correlation with them (P < 0.05). vp revealed a moderate negative correlation with T stage (r = −0.369; P < 0.004). Kep and ve have significant differences between many early and advanced stages patients.

Conclusion

DCE‐MRI is feasible to assess vascular permeability of NPC patients. Our results first revealed that the quantitative parameters were significantly related to clinical stage of NPC. Thus, DCE‐MRI may be valuable to add noninvasive prognostic indicators in evaluating NPC. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;39:940–948. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Automatic segmentation of invasive breast carcinomas from dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI using time series analysis
Authors: Jayender Jagadaeesan , Chikarmane Sona , Jolesz Ferenc A. , Gombos Eva
Published: October 2013

Purpose

To accurately segment invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs) from dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI) using time series analysis based on linear dynamic system (LDS) modeling.

Materials and Methods

Quantitative segmentation methods based on black‐box modeling and pharmacokinetic modeling are highly dependent on imaging pulse sequence, timing of bolus injection, arterial input function, imaging noise, and fitting algorithms. We modeled the underlying dynamics of the tumor by an LDS and used the system parameters to segment the carcinoma on the DCE‐MRI. Twenty‐four patients with biopsy‐proven IDCs were analyzed. The lesions segmented by the algorithm were compared with an expert radiologist's segmentation and the output of a commercial software, CADstream. The results are quantified in terms of the accuracy and sensitivity of detecting the lesion and the amount of overlap, measured in terms of the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC).

Results

The segmentation algorithm detected the tumor with 90% accuracy and 100% sensitivity when compared with the radiologist's segmentation and 82.1% accuracy and 100% sensitivity when compared with the CADstream output. The overlap of the algorithm output with the radiologist's segmentation and CADstream output, computed in terms of the DSC was 0.77 and 0.72, respectively. The algorithm also shows robust stability to imaging noise. Simulated imaging noise with zero mean and standard deviation equal to 25% of the base signal intensity was added to the DCE‐MRI series. The amount of overlap between the tumor maps generated by the LDS‐based algorithm from the noisy and original DCE‐MRI was DSC = 0.95.

Conclusion

The time‐series analysis based segmentation algorithm provides high accuracy and sensitivity in delineating the regions of enhanced perfusion corresponding to tumor from DCE‐MRI. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;40:467–475. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Recombination and evolutionary dynamics of human echovirus 6
Authors: Cabrerizo María , Trallero Gloria , Simmonds Peter
Published: October 2013

Enterovirus (EV) infections are associated with a wide array of often severe disease presentations including aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, and acute flaccid paralysis. Surveillance for polioviruses and other EVs is therefore important as a public health measure both for patient management and epidemiological studies. From 1988 to 2008, echovirus (E) 30 was the predominant genotype in Spain (33.7% of the total typed EVs). E6 was also endemic throughout this period although isolated less frequently (12.5%). In 2009, however, a substantial increase in the incidence of E6 was detected (60%), displacing E30 type (2%). To investigate the evolution and recombination in the epidemiology and transmission of E6 in Spain, a genetic analysis in VP1 and 3Dpol regions of 67 Spanish strains collected during the period 2004–2010 was performed. All VP1 sequences clustered monophyletically in the assigned genogroup C, subgroup 9, currently the predominant circulating strains identified in Europe and elsewhere in the last 10 years. 3Dpol sequences were interspersed with other species B EVs resulting from several recombination events that generated at least 12 different recombinant forms (RFs) among study samples. These showed typically minimal divergence in VP1. The co‐circulation of different lineages of E6 in the same geographical area associated with its mainly endemic pattern of transmission may have contributed to the extremely short estimated half‐life of E6 RFs (0.87 years). This pattern contrasts markedly with other species B EVs and EV71 where VP1 lineage expansion and extinction occurred in step with defined recombination events and periodic changes in incidence. J. Med. Virol. 86:857–864, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus hemagglutinin specific polyclonal antibodies for biosensor applications
Authors: Athmaram T.N. , Saraswat Shweta , Sikarwar Bhavna , Verma Shailendra Kumar , Singh Anil K. , Boopathi M.
Published: October 2013

In this study, recombinant hemagglutinin protein (rH1N1HA) of Pandemic influenza virus and polyclonal antibodies against it for biosensor applications have been characterized. For rapid and high sensitive detection of H1N1 virus or its antibodies, PCR‐free and label free detection method based on a surface plasmon resonance technique has been proposed. The glycosylated H1N1HA protein was expressed in yeast and the authenticity of the expressed protein was confirmed by Western blotting. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies developed against rH1N1HA protein were evaluated for their ability to neutralize H1N1 virus through plaque reduction neutralization test and indirect ELISA. Affinity purified anti‐H1N1HA IgG were characterized further for their specificity, affinity of interaction, the association and dissociation rates at which they interact through surface plasmon resonance technique. The equilibrium constant and maximum binding capacity of analyte was found to be 49.7 nM and 47.28m°, respectively. The assay could detect a lowest IgG of 0.5 ng on a rH1N1HA coated chip. Combined with the high sensitivity of surface plasmon resonance technique and specificity of the reagents, it is possible to develop a rapid detection assay for monitoring influenza infections. J. Med. Virol. 86:363–371, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.