bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Cancer Survival Query System: Making survival estimates from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program more timely and relevant for recently diagnosed patients
Authors: Feuer Eric J. , Lee Minjung , Mariotto Angela B. , Cronin Kathy A. , Scoppa Steve , Penson David F. , Hachey Mark , Cynkin Laurie , Carter Ginger A. , Campbell David , Percy‐Laurry Antoinette , Zou Zhaohui , Schrag Deborah , Hankey Benjamin F.
Published: May 2012

BACKGROUND:

Population‐based cancer registries that include patient follow‐up generally provide information regarding net survival (ie, survival associated with the risk of dying of cancer in the absence of competing risks). However, registry data also can be used to calculate survival from cancer in the presence of competing risks, which is more clinically relevant.

METHODS:

Statistical methods were developed to predict the risk of death from cancer and other causes, as well as natural life expectancy if the patient did not have cancer based on a profile of prognostic factors including characteristics of the cancer, demographic factors, and comorbid conditions. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database was used to calculate the risk of dying of cancer. Because the risks of dying of cancer versus other causes are assumed to be independent conditional on the prognostic factors, a wide variety of independent data sources can be used to calculate the risk of death from other causes. Herein, the risk of death from other causes was estimated using SEER and Medicare claims data, and was matched to the closest fitting portion of the US life table to obtain a “health status‐adjusted age.”

RESULTS:

A nomogram was developed for prostate cancer as part of a Web‐based Cancer Survival Query System that is targeted for use by physicians and patients to obtain information on a patient's prognosis. More nomograms currently are being developed.

CONCLUSIONS:

Nomograms of this type can be used as one tool to assist cancer physicians and their patients to better understand their prognosis and to weigh alternative treatment and palliative strategies. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Dynamic Response of Thin‐Film Semiconductors to AC Voltage Perturbations
Authors: La Mantia Fabio , Stojadinović Jelena , Santamaria Monica , Di Quarto Francesco
Published: May 2012

A theoretical treatment of a Schottky barrier dynamic response is developed on the basis of a general model of a semiconductor with thickness comparable in length to the space charge region width. It is shown that, when the space charge region approaches the metal/semiconductor interface, the electric field at this interface, induced by the charge accumulated on the metal, becomes significant with respect to the electric field induced by the charge accumulated on the semiconductor. Under this condition, the total capacitance of the Schottky barrier becomes independent of the polarization potential and tends to the value ε/L, like in a pure dielectric insulator. The term thin film is intended to be with respect to the screening length, which is a function of the volumetric charge density. In amorphous materials the transition potential at which the semiconducting to insulating behaviour is observed is dependent on the frequency. An approximated analytical solution for the capacitance of the junction is calculated. The model for finite thickness semiconductors is successfully applied to the study of anodic Nb2O5, formed in phosphate buffer 0.5 M aqueous solution up to different formation potentials (namely 5, 10 and 20 V vs. Ag/AgCl). The finite thickness semiconductor model permits extrapolation to a general behaviour of the oxide in a wide range of frequencies, potentials and thicknesses, and identification of the electron transfer between adsorbed surface species and the conduction band of Nb2O5 at potentials near to the flat band value.
The Effect of Solvent on the Phase of Titanium Dioxide Deposited by Aerosol‐assisted CVD
Authors: Edusi Cynthia , Sankar Gopinathan , Parkin Ivan P.
Published: May 2012

Titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) in methanol, ethanol, hexane, dichloromethane, and isopropanol solvents is used to deposit titanium dioxide thin films on glass and steel substrates at 550 °C using aerosol‐assisted (AA)CVD. X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectra of the as‐deposited films show that using methanol as the carrier solvent produces exclusively rutile films on steel, and predominantly rutile on glass substrates, while the use of the other solvents produces exclusively anatase phase on the steel under the same conditions. TiO2 is also deposited by AACVD from a mixture of ethanol and methanol solvents. As little as 15% of methanol in ethanol produces rutile as the predominant phase. Using a dye‐ink test, the titanium dioxide thin films produced with ethanol are shown to be more active photocatalysts than films produced with methanol. All the films show photo‐induced superhydrophilicity but, surprisingly, films stored in the dark have a water contact angle above 100°.
Antimicrobial Activity Against Hospital‐related Pathogens of Dual Layer CuO/TiO2 Coatings Prepared by CVD
Authors: Foster Howard A. , Sheel David W. , Evans Philip , Sheel Paul , Varghese Sajnu , Elfakhri Souad O. , Hodgkinson John L. , Yates Heather M.
Published: May 2012

Photocatalytically active films of TiO2/CuO grown by atmospheric pressure thermal (APT)CVD are investigated for activity against multiple antibiotic‐resistant pathogens namely, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE), and a recent isolate of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), that have been shown to persist in the hospital environment. The bacteria are killed by UVA irradiation of the photocatalyst with a >5 log kill within 4–6 h except for the MRSA where a 2–3 log kill is obtained after 6 h increasing to >5 log after 24 h. There is antimicrobial activity in the dark which is enhanced by irradiation with fluorescent light. There is also activity at 5 °C under UVA, but activity is lower when fluorescent light is used for illumination.
Three novel simple beamforming algorithms for CDMA communication systems
Authors: Tavassoli Farhad , Abolhassani Bahman , Oraizi Homayoon , Zhou Chi
Published: May 2012

To apply a beamforming algorithm with a linear array ofNantennas in real wireless communication systems, two main issues should be addressed: Algorithm complexity and number of antennas. In this paper, we propose three simple beamforming algorithms for direct sequence code division multiple access systems. We first propose a new framework to obtain the updating equation for the weight vector using PCA. Then, using this framework, four different objective functions are used as examples to illustrate how to obtain new adaptive algorithms. We demonstrate that these objective functions lead to three novel blind algorithms, with two of them resulting in the same algorithm. Moreover, they have considerably low complexities, requiring only 2N–1 complex additions and either 2N+1 or 2Ncomplex multiplications for a single run. We evaluate the performances of these algorithms in estimating the angle‐of‐arrival of the desired signal and in producing the array beam pattern, and in alleviating the BER in Rayleigh fading and AWGN channels. In summary, these new beamforming algorithms obtained based on the proposed framework operate as blind algorithms, have low computational complexities, and offer desirable performances even ifNis restricted.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders among emergency department patients aged 14–20 years
Authors: Dooley‐Hash Suzanne , Banker Judith D. , Walton Maureen A. , Ginsburg Yarden , Cunningham Rebecca M.
Published: May 2012

Objective:

This study describes the rates of eating disorders in patients who present to the emergency department (ED) for any reason and examines the relationship between eating disorders, depression, and substance use in these patients.

Method:

ED patients aged 14–20 years (n = 942) completed a computerized questionnaire. Analyses were conducted comparing individuals who screened positive for an eating disorder with those who did not based on demographics (gender, age, race, and public assistance), body mass index, substance use, and depression.

Results:

Sixteen percent of patients screened positive for an eating disorder. These patients were more likely to also screen positive for depression and substance use. Males accounted for 26.6% of all eating disorders, and no difference was seen in rates across ethnic or income groups.

Discussion:

Eating disorders are common amongst all patients aged 14–20 years presenting to the ED and are associated with high rates of psychiatric comorbidity. © 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2012;45:883–890)
Tetra‐N‐silylated Bis(borylene)tetraaminoperylenes (“DIBOTAPs”): Synthesis, Structures and Photophysics
Authors: Martens Susanne C. , Riehm Till , Wadepohl Hubert , Gade Lutz H.
Published: May 2012

Silylated N,N′;N″,N″′‐diborylene‐3,4,9,10‐tetraaminoperylenes (DIBOTAPs, compounds 1–4) were synthesized by treating 4,9‐diaminoperylenequinone‐3,10‐diimine (DPDI, 1 equiv.) with BH3–THF (2 equiv.), lithiation with n‐butyllithium (4 equiv.), and subsequent addition of the corresponding silyl chloride (4 equiv.). The structures of all compounds were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. In all cases, the perylene backbones are not completely planar. In general, local deviations from planarity are smallest within the central C6 ring [root‐mean‐square deviations (rmsd) range from 0.002 Å for 4 to 0.027 Å for 2·C6D6] and largest within the C3N2B rings [rmsd range from 0.05 Å for 4 to 0.096 Å for 2·C6D6]. The emission spectra of the DIBOTAP derivatives 1–4 in hexane as well as in THF are mirror images of the absorption spectra with Stokes shifts of about 10 nm. By variation of the steric demand of the silyl groups, the luminescence quantum yields could be further influenced. The exchange of all three methyl groups with ethyl (compound 1) or isopropyl (compound 2) substituents resulted in a significant increase in quantum yields with values of 92 % and 89 %, respectively. The observed fluorescence decay is monoexponential for all dyes with typical lifetimes of 5.5–6.6 ns.
A Facile, Versatile, and Mild Morita–Baylis–Hillman‐Type Reaction for the Modular One‐Pot Synthesis of Highly Functionalized MBH Adducts
Authors: Sousa Bruno A. , Dos Santos Alcindo A.
Published: May 2012

Morita–Baylis–Hillman derivatives have been extensively investigated as intermediates in the preparation of important classes of compounds. However, there are intrinsic limitations regarding the structure of the Michael electrophile acceptors, the aldehydes, and the catalysts. Therefore, this transformation has several drawbacks, including, for example, its long reaction times. Herein we present a simple, general, fast, and high‐yielding protocol for the one‐pot synthesis of Morita–Baylis–Hillman derivatives. Our approach is driven by a lithium selenolate Michael/aldol operation with concomitant O‐functionalization/selenoxide elimination cascade sequences.
Uncovering the source of new benzodiazepine prescriptions in community‐dwelling older adults’
Authors: Halme Alex S. , Beland Sarah‐Gabrielle , Preville Michel , Tannenbaum Cara
Published: May 2012

Objective

Initiatives to reduce benzodiazepine use have been largely unsuccessful despite strong associations with adverse outcomes. Curtailing incident use of benzodizepines is an alternate strategy that has yet to be explored. This study aims to determine the source of incident benzodiazepine prescriptions by comparing the risk of receiving a new prescription upon hospital discharge versus after an ambulatory care clinic visit.

Methods

Data were derived from 1189 community‐dwelling adults aged 65 years naive to benzodiazepine consumption, enrolled in the Étude sur la Santé des Ainés, a prospective 3‐year cohort study conducted in Québec, Canada. Health survey questionnaires were linked with provincial administrative databases of prescription and health service claims. Analysis with multivariate Poisson regression models compared the risk of incident benzodiazepine use post‐hospitalization versus after an ambulatory care visit. Models were adjusted for sex, age, antidepressant use, and concomitant drugs. Sub‐analyses were conducted for chronic prescriptions.

Results

Incident benzodiazepine use was 11% over a 2‐year period, with 18.3% of prescriptions leading to chronic use (> 90 days). Hospitalization conferred a 2.7‐fold greater risk of incident use than an outpatient visit (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.78–3.98) and a 4.7‐fold (OR 4.74, 95% CI 1.63–13.78) increased risk of chronic use, after adjusting for potential confounders. Despite the increased risk, only 13% of new prescriptions originated post‐hospital discharge, with the remainder prescribed during outpatient visits.

Conclusion

Interventions are required to curb incident benzodiazepine prescriptions at their source both in hospitals and in ambulatory care settings. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Driver and Secondary Task Characteristics on Lane Change Test Performance
Authors: Rodrick David , Bhise Vivek , Jothi Vaithianathan
Published: May 2012

The main objective of this study was to examine the sensitivity of the Lane Change Test (LCT) as proposed by International Organization of Standardization by evaluating LCT performance between primary and dual‐task conditions in simulated driving conditions. The study involved four different secondary tasks that involved tracking, visual search, memory, and data entry, each under two different difficulty levels. The primary task involved a series of lane changes on a three‐lane straight roadway where the actual lane change trajectory was compared with a normative model of the trajectory. Thus, the lane change performance was measured by the mean deviation of the actual driving trajectory from the normative trajectory. Twenty‐four participants within three age groups (25–34, 35–45, and >55 years) and equally distributed between male and female took part in the study. Thus, the study also investigated the effect of age and gender on driving performance. The results showed that secondary tasks that require visual attention and psychomotor coordination deteriorated driving performance the most, whereas tasks that required memory scanning and utilization of the auditory modality least affected driving performance. The study also found differences in LCT performances with respect to three different age categories and gender. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interplay between grain structure and protein adsorption on functional response of osteoblasts: Ultrafine‐grained versus coarse‐grained substrates
Authors: Misra R. D. K. , Nune C. , Pesacreta T. C. , Somani M. C. , Karjalainen L. P.
Published: May 2012

The rapid adsorption of proteins is the starting and primary biological response that occurs when a biomedical device is implanted in the physiological system. The biological response, however, depends on the surface characteristics of the device. Considering the significant interest in nano‐/ultrafine surfaces and nanostructured coatings, we describe here, the interplay between grain structure and protein adsorption (bovine serum albumin: BSA) on osteoblasts functions by comparing nanograined/ultrafine‐grained (NG/UFG) and coarse‐grained (CG: grain size in the micrometer range) substrates by investigating cell–substrate interactions. The protein adsorption on NG/UFG surface was beneficial in favorably modulating biological functions including cell attachment, proliferation, and viability, whereas the effect was less pronounced on protein adsorbed CG surface. Additionally, immunofluorescence studies demonstrated stronger vinculin signals associated with actin stress fibers in the outer regions of the cells and cellular extensions on protein adsorbed NG/UFG surface. The functional response followed the sequence: NG/UFGBSA > NG/UFG > CGBSA > CG. The differences in the cellular response on bare and protein adsorbed NG/UFG and CG surfaces are attributed to cumulative contribution of grain structure and degree of hydrophilicity. The study underscores the potential advantages of protein adsorption on artificial biomedical devices to enhance the bioactivity and regulate biological functions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 101A:1–12, 2013.
Iron overload potentiates diet‐induced hypercholesterolemia and reduces liver ppar‐α expression in hamsters
Authors: Bonomo Larissa de Freitas , Silva Maísa , Oliveira Riva de Paula , Silva Marcelo Eustáquio , Pedrosa Maria Lucia
Published: May 2012

Iron stores and lipids are related to the development of cardiovascular disease. Given that peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor alpha (PPAR‐α) regulates important physiological processes that impact lipid and glucose homeostasis, we decided to investigate the effects of iron overload on serum lipids and the liver expression of PPAR‐α, 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, and cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylase. Hamsters were divided into four groups. The standard group (S) was fed the AIN‐93M diet, the SI group was fed the diet and iron injections, the hypercholesterolemic group (H) was fed a standard diet containing cholesterol, and the HI group was fed a high‐cholesterol diet and iron injections. Serum cholesterol in the HI group was higher than in the H group. Gene expression analysis of PPAR‐α showed that the HI group had a lower PPAR‐α expression than H. These data show that iron, when associated with a high‐fat diet, can cause increased serum cholesterol levels, possibly due to a reduction in PPAR‐α expression. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 26:224–229, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/jbt.21410
Molecule‐specific determination of atomic polarizabilities with the polarizable atomic multipole model
Authors: Woo Kim Hyun , Rhee Young Min
Published: May 2012

Recently, many polarizable force fields have been devised to describe induction effects between molecules. In popular polarizable models based on induced dipole moments, atomic polarizabilities are the essential parameters and should be derived carefully. Here, we present a parameterization scheme for atomic polarizabilities using a minimization target function containing both molecular and atomic information. The main idea is to adopt reference data only from quantum chemical calculations, to perform atomic polarizability parameterizations even when relevant experimental data are scarce as in the case of electronically excited molecules. Specifically, our scheme assigns the atomic polarizabilities of any given molecule in such a way that its molecular polarizability tensor is well reproduced. We show that our scheme successfully works for various molecules in mimicking dipole responses not only in ground states but also in valence excited states. The electrostatic potential around a molecule with an externally perturbing nearby charge also exhibits a near‐quantitative agreement with the reference data from quantum chemical calculations. The limitation of the model with isotropic atoms is also discussed to examine the scope of its applicability. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spinor product computations for protein conformations
Authors: Chys Pieter , Chacón Pablo
Published: May 2012

Spinor operators in geometric algebra (GA) can efficiently describe conformational changes of proteins by ordered products that act on individual bonds and represent their net rotations. Backward propagation through the protein backbone yields all rotational spinor axes in advance allowing the efficient computation of atomic coordinates from internal coordinates. The introduced mathematical framework enables to efficiently manipulate and generate protein conformations to any arbitrary degree. Moreover, several new formulations in the context of rigid body motions are added. Emphasis is placed on the intimate relationship between spinors and quaternions, which can be recovered from within the GA approach. The spinor methodology is implemented and tested versus the state of the art algorithms for both protein construction and coordinate updating. Spinor calculations have a smaller computational cost and turn out to be slightly faster than current alternatives. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the Choice Number of Packings
Authors: Omidi G. R. , Shahsiah M.
Published: May 2012

In this note, we show that for positive integers s and k, there is a function such that every t‐ packing with at least edges, , has choice number greater than s. Consequently, for integers s, k, t, and λ there is a such that every t‐ design with has choice number greater than s. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Combin. Designs 20: 504‐507, 2012
Generating Uniformly Distributed Random 2‐Designs with Block Size 3
Authors: Drizen Andy L.
Published: May 2012

Jacobson and Matthews introduced the most hopeful method known for efficiently generating uniformly distributed random Latin squares. Cameron conjectures that the same Markov chain will also generate all of the other generalized 2‐designs with block size 3 uniformly at random. For a generalization of Latin squares, we give an affirmative result for any admissible parameter values. We also give the first insight and analysis into a generalization of the 1‐factorization of the complete graph by giving an affirmative result for some admissible parameter values. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Combin. Designs 20: 368–380, 2012
Average Degree in Graph Powers
Authors: DeVos Matt , McDonald Jessica , Scheide Diego
Published: May 2012

The kth power of a simple graph G, denoted by , is the graph with vertex set where two vertices are adjacent if they are within distance k in G. We are interested in finding lower bounds on the average degree of . Here we prove that if G is connected with minimum degree and , then G4 has average degree at least . We also prove that if G is a connected d‐regular graph on n vertices with diameter at least , then the average degree of is at least

urn:x-wiley:03649024:jgt21628:equation:jgt21628-math-0009Both these results are shown to be essentially best possible; the second is best possible even when is arbitrarily large.
Antimagic Properties of Graphs with Large Maximum Degree
Authors: Yilma Zelealem B.
Published: May 2012

An antimagic labeling of a graph with m edges and n vertices is a bijection from the set of edges to the integers such that all n vertex sums are pairwise distinct, where a vertex sum is the sum of labels of all edges incident with the same vertex. A graph is called antimagic if it has an antimagic labeling. In this article, we discuss antimagic properties of graphs that contain vertices of large degree. We also show that graphs with maximum degree at least are antimagic.
Role of the apparent diffusion coefficient in the differential diagnosis of gastric wall thickening
Authors: Onur Mehmet Ruhi , Ozturk Fatma , Aygun Cem , Poyraz Ahmet Kursad , Ogur Erkin
Published: May 2012

Purpose:

To evaluate the role of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurement made using diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWMRI) in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant gastric wall thickening.

Materials and Methods:

Axial T2‐weighted and DWMRI at b 600 and b 1000 s/mm2 gradients were performed in 94 patients (44 patients with gastric malignancy and 50 patients with benign gastric diseases) with gastric wall thickening which was detected by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). The ADC values of the gastric lesions and healthy gastric walls in patients with gastric malignancies and in patients with benign gastric diseases were used in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions of the stomach.

Results:

The mean ADC values were lower in patients with gastric malignancies (1.62 ± 0.57 and 1.40 ± 0.33 at b 600 and b 1000, respectively) compared to those with healthy gastric walls (2.95 ± 0.59 and 2.18 ± 0.48) and benign gastric diseases (3.08 ± 0.52 and 2.34 ± 0.42) at b 600 and b 1000 gradients (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion:

The ADC measurement on DWMRI may be used to differentiate between benign and malignant gastric diseases. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;36:672–677. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
In vivo high‐resolution localized 1H MR spectroscopy in the awake rat brain at 7 T
Authors: Xu Su , Ji Yadong , Chen Xi , Yang Yihong , Gullapalli Rao P. , Masri Radi
Published: May 2012

In vivo localized high‐resolution 1H MR spectroscopy was performed in multiple brain regions without the use of anesthetic or paralytic agents in awake head‐restrained rats that were previously trained in a simulated MRI environment using a 7T MR system. Spectra were obtained using a short echo time single‐voxel point‐resolved spectroscopy technique with voxel size ranging from 27 to 32.4 mm3 in the regions of anterior cingulate cortex, somatosensory cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus. Quantifiable spectra, without the need for any additional postprocessing to correct for possible motion, were reliably detected including the metabolites of interest such as γ‐aminobutyric acid, glutamine, glutamate, myo‐inositol, N‐acetylaspartate, taurine, glycerophosphorylcholine/phosphorylcholine, creatine/phosphocreatine, and N‐acetylaspartate/N‐acetylaspartylglutamate. The spectral quality was comparable to spectra from anesthetized animals with sufficient spectral dispersion to separate metabolites such as glutamine and glutamate. Results from this study suggest that reliable information on major metabolites can be obtained without the confounding effects of anesthesia or paralytic agents in rodents. Magn Reson Med 69:937–943, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interrater reliabilities for two measures of nursing care quality
Authors: Ventura Marlene R. , Hageman Paul T. , Slakter Malcolm J. , Fox Richard N.
Published: May 2012

The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to estimate the interrater reliability for two instruments designed to measure the quality of nursing care. The two instruments tested were the Quality Patient Care Scale (QualPacs) and the Methodology for Monitoring Quality of Nursing Care (Rush‐Medicus instrument). The following minimal standards were proposed for evaluating the results of interrater reliability: (a) the ICC estimate obtained must have a value of at least .75, and (b) the 95% confidence interval should not include zero, in order to ensure that the obtained value differs from zero in a nonchance fashion. The results demonstrated that the QualPacs instrument did not meet these criteria in any instance for the six subscales and one total‐scale score for two sets of observers in two replications. The Rush‐Medicus instrument met the criteria in only 12 of 20 instances of testing (five of the six subscales for two sets of observers in two replications). The authors highly recommend the routine performance of interrater reliability testing using the ICC prior to and during data collection and acceptance of the minimal standards of empirical verification suggested previously.
Elements and outcomes of a postpartum support group program
Authors: Cronenwett Linda R.
Published: May 2012

Questionnaires were sent to 90 women who had participated in a lay postpartum support group program to determine (a) the characteristics of the women who used this form of support, (b) the needs met by the group, (c) the types of discussions most meaningful to group members, and (d) the factors that influenced the group's effectiveness in providing support. Sixty‐six questionnaires were returned. The respondents were older, better educated, and more affluent than a random sample of childbearing women. They joined the group primarily to meet other women going through the same experience with whom they could share ideas and feelings. The most meaningful discussions for these women focused on personal issues rather than infant‐related issues. The presence of babies at group meetings adversely affected the regularity of attendance. Women who worked outside the home were significantly more likely to continue meeting with the group for over a year. Only 7 women thought the group would have been better for them if their husbands had been present.
Comparative analysis of nonverbal interpersonal communication of schizophrenics and normals
Authors: Hardin Sally Brosz
Published: May 2012

The nonverbal communications of schizophrenics and normals in dyadic interactions were analyzed and compared. Twelve purposively selected women were videotaped in normal‐normal, normal‐schizophrenic, and schizophrenic‐schizophrenic communication acts for 30 minutes. Using a PLATO IV computer program and a modified Kendon Kinesic Notation System, a priori sets of nonverbal behaviors were recorded at 1‐second intervals. Frequency and duration scores for the sets of nonverbal behaviors with corresponding communication meanings were totaled. A nested analysis of variance showed that the three groups differed significantly (p < .05) in engagement and defensiveness and that the normal interactors were the least imitative of the three groups. An analysis and description of the patterns of nonverbal communication also revealed differences, lending support to the theory of dysjunctive schizophrenic communication.
Cycle‐phase changes in perceived stress in women with varying levels of premenstrual symptomatology
Authors: Brown Marie Annette , Lewis Linda L.
Published: May 2012

Stress has been documented as a critical factor in understanding a variety of health problems. This study was designed to examine the relationships between symptom severity and perceived stress in women with varying severity levels of premenstrual symptoms. Perceived stress was evaluated before and after menstruation in 104 women. Women who had high levels of premenstrual symptomatology demonstrated significantly greater perceived stress in the premenstrual phase compared to the postmenstrual phase, while women with low levels of premenstrual symptomatology showed no cycle‐phase difference.
Mothers' self‐reports of parenthood across the first 6 months postpartum
Authors: Grace Jeanne T.
Published: May 2012

A postpartum measure, What Being the Parent of a New Baby is Like, was administered to explore the development of maternal role for mothers (N = 76) at 1, 3, 4 1/2, and 6 months postpartum. Individual differences were relatively stable across time and accounted for much more variance than time effects. Mean scores on the Centrality (of baby) and Help (with parenting tasks) subscales decreased over time, and Evaluation (satisfaction with role performance) and Lifechange subscale scores increased. Primiparas demonstrated the steepest mean increase in Evaluation scores over time. Mean Evaluation scores for first‐(n = 29) and second‐time mothers (n = 33) were similar, but mothers of three or more children (n = 14) had significantly higher scores. Parity was also related inversely to amount of life change, and maternal education was related inversely to Evaluation and Centrality scores. Demographic, subscale, and contextual variable interrelationships were generally consistent with maternal role adaptation theory. Findings also suggest that parity effects are more complex than a dichotomous primipara/multipara representation.
The moderating effects of dispositional affectivity on relationships between job characteristics and nurses' job satisfaction
Authors: Agho Augustine O.
Published: May 2012

Using the job satisfaction model embedded in the Price‐Mueller nurse turnover model, the moderating effects of positive affectivity (PA) and negative affectivity (NA) on the relationships between the seven independent variables in the model and job satisfaction were examined. Multiple regression procedure was used to analyze data collected from 162 nursing employees of a 327‐bed Veterans Administration Medical Center. The major determinants of job satisfaction were found to be routinization, instrumental communication, and PA. The impact of participation, instrumental communication, integration, distributive justice on job satisfaction were found to be moderated by PA. NA moderated the impact of promotional opportunity on job satisfaction. These predictors, in conjunction with demographic variables, explained 45% of the variance of job satisfaction.
A structural perspective to advancing complex social outcomes
Authors: Thomas Keith
Published: May 2012

A key question in advancing sustainability outcomes is how to devise a system of incentive structures that can improve capacity to guide interactions towards more sustainable trajectories. This paper examines incentives and associated rules from a structural perspective, highlighting social dynamics and workplace realities that shape actual practice. Understanding and using these hidden forces will be necessary, if policy is to successfully shape local and organisational processes in order to advance desired social outcomes. The social landscape model illustrated provides a framework to consider the effect of structural and social influences. Managed suitably, there is potential for positive shifts with suitable social triggers. This is a leadership challenge, and the necessary steps to achieving sustainability outcomes are identified as symbolic and procedural, shaped by local context and ultimately determined by agency that stimulates consciousness and uses hidden social forces to pull collective behaviour in the desired directions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How Dispositional Optimists and Pessimists Evaluate their Past, Present and Anticipated Future Life Satisfaction: A Lifespan Approach
Authors: Busseri Michael A.
Published: May 2012

Dispositional optimism is typically conceptualized with respect to generalized positive expectancies for personal future outcomes. The present work draws on lifespan development theory to evaluate how dispositional optimists and pessimists from across the lifespan evaluate their past, present and anticipated future life satisfaction (LS). Using data from an American probability sample (n = 3871, ages = 30–84 years, 55% female), I compared dispositional optimists and pessimists across six age decades. Subjective LS trajectories reflected in mean trends in ratings of past, present and future LS were contoured by lifestage, revealing inclining trajectories among young dispositional optimists and pessimists and declining trajectories among older optimists and pessimists. After adjusting for age–specific normative trends, however, differences between dispositional optimists and pessimists in subjective LS trajectories were consistent across lifestage, revealing a single dissociative pattern wherein optimists rated their past, present and anticipated future LS more positively than did pessimists. Of the three temporal perspectives, evaluations of present (rather than past or future) LS were most consistently related to dispositional optimism. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Men in academic school psychology: A national survey
Authors: Little Steven G. , Akin‐Little Angeleque , Palomares Ronald S. , Eckert Tanya L.
Published: May 2012

There is a paucity of research examining the experiences and perceptions of men employed as school psychology academicians. The purpose of this investigation was to ascertain male school psychology academicians' perceptions of their respective academic climates, levels of support, incidences of harassment, and levels of stress, and to compare these results with a previous survey conducted with women in similar positions. A total of 146 male school psychology academicians (41% response rate) completed the 48‐item survey entitled, “Men in School Psychology: Academia Questionnaire.'' The findings suggested that men were more likely than women to indicate that climate and opportunities within their department were equal, whereas women indicated that the climate and opportunities tend to favor men. When men indicated that inequalities exist, they reported believing that women were favored. Results are discussed in terms of implications for faculty in school psychology. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tracheostomy placement in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: Safety and outcomes
Authors: Mandy George , Malkar Manish , Welty Stephen E. , Brown Rachel , Shepherd Edward , Gardner William , Moise Alicia , Gest Alfred
Published: May 2012

Optimizing the timing and safety for the placement of a tracheostomy in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) has not been determined. The purpose of the present study was to describe the data from a single institution about the efficacy and safety of tracheostomy placement in infants with BPD needing long‐term respiratory support. We established a service line for the comprehensive care of infants with BPD and we collected retrospective clinical data from this service line. We identified patients that had a trachostomy placed using the local Vermont‐Oxford database, and obtained clinical data from chart reviews. We identified infants who had a tracheostomy placed for the indication of severe BPD only. Safety and respiratory efficacy was assessed by overall survival to discharge and the change in respiratory supportive care from just before placement to 1‐month post‐placement. Twenty‐two patients (750 ± 236 g, 25.4 ± 2.1 weeks gestation) had a tracheostomy placed on day of life 177 ± 74 which coincided with a post‐conceptual age of 51 ± 10 weeks. At placement these infants were on high settings to support their lung disease. The mean airway pressure (MAP) was 14.3 ± 3.3 cmH2O, the peak inspiratory pressure was 43.7 ± 8.0 cmH2O, and the FiO2 was 0.51 ± 0.13. The mean respiratory severity score (MAP × FiO2) 1 month after tracheostomy was significantly (P = 0.03) lower than prior to tracheostomy. Survival to hospital discharge was 77%. All patients with tracheostomies that survived were discharged home on mist collar supplemental oxygen. In conclusion, the high survival rate in these patients with severe BPD and the decreased respiratory support after placement of a tracheostomy suggests that high ventilatory pressures should not be a deterrent for placement of a tracheostomy. Future research should be aimed at determining optimal patient selection and timing for tracheostomy placement in infants with severe BPD. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:245–249. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Longitudinal lung function and structural changes in children with primary ciliary dyskinesia
Authors: Magnin Marie Lémery , Cros Pierrick , Beydon Nicole , Mahloul Malika , Tamalet Aline , Escudier Estelle , Clément Annick , Le Pointe Hubert Ducou , Blanchon Sylvain
Published: May 2012

Background and Objectives

Functional and structural lung evaluations are part of the follow‐up of patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). We aimed to evaluate transversal and longitudinal relationships between lung function test (LFT) and chest computed tomography (CT) in children with PCD, in stable clinical condition.

Materials and Methods

Data from children followed in the French National Center were retrospectively collected. Inclusion criteria were (i) definitive diagnosis of PCD, (ii) age less than 15 years at the beginning of follow‐up, (iii) at least 8 years of follow‐up, (iv) at least two couples of concurrent CT and LFT available in a phase of clinical stability of the lung disease without modification of the treatment regimen in the last 4 weeks. Twenty children (median age at entry 4.6 years, median follow‐up 15.4 years) were included. Concurrent LFT (blood gas and spirometry) and CT (score) results were recorded.

Results

LFT indices (PaO2 (n = 210), FVC, FEV1, FEF2575% (n = 195)) significantly decreased with age, and the mean annual decrease (z‐score (% predicted)) was −0.17 (−0.49%), −0.09 (−0.50%), −0.10 (−0.89%), and −0.07 (−1.73%), respectively. First CT (median age 8.7 years) revealed bronchiectasis (70%), mucous plugging (70%), peribronchial thickening (90%), parenchymal abnormalities (65%), and hyperinflation (50%). CT scores (n = 74) significantly increased with age, and was negatively correlated to PaO2, FVC, FEV1, and FEF2575% longitudinal changes.

Conclusion

In stable clinical condition, functional, and structural progressive impairments significantly correlated in children with PCD. Further prospective studies, including large populations of patients with various levels of disease severity, are needed to confirm whether lung function follow‐up can be used to adjust CT frequency and help at minimizing the radiation burden in children with a good life expectancy. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012. 47:816–825. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Intractable cough in a preterm infant with ventriculoperitoneal shunt
Authors: Bar‐Yoseph Ronen , Livnat Galit , Guilburd Joseph , Vachyan Arcady , Ilivitzky Anat , Bentur Lea
Published: May 2012

We describe the case of an 8‐month‐old preterm female with a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt who had an intractable resistant cough of three months duration without any identifiable cause. Reposition of the abdominal part of the VP shunt resulted in an immediate and lasting resolution of the cough. This is the first case report describing an infradiaphragmatic irritation as an etiology for persistent cough with ultimate resolution upon reposition of the shunt. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:405–407. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optical characterization of Zn0.35Cd0.44Mg0.21Se crystalline alloy by polarization‐dependent contactless electroreflectance measurements
Authors: Dumcenco Dumitru , Levcenco Sergiu , Huang Ying‐Sheng , Hsu Hung‐Pin , Firszt Franciszek , Tiong Kwong‐Kau
Published: May 2012

An optical study of wurtzite Zn0.35Cd0.44Mg0.21Se crystalline alloy grown by the modified high‐pressure Bridgman method was carried out by polarization‐dependent contactless electroreflectance (CER) and temperature‐dependent photoluminescence (PL) in the temperature range of 10–300 K. The CER experiment revealed three well known wurtzite crystal lattice related excitonic features A, B, and C in the vicinity of band edge. The excitonic features A and B showed polarization‐dependent character, where both A and B excitons are present for E⊥c polarization and only B exciton is observed for E‖c polarization. Low temperature PL spectra of the investigated sample consisted of the excitonic line, the “edge emission” due to radiative recombination of shallow donor‐acceptor pairs and a broad band related to recombination through deep level defects. In addition, the transition energies and broadening parameters of the band‐edge excitonic transitions were evaluated and discussed. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Fabrication of radiation imaging detector arrays using MOVPE grown thick single crystal CdTe layers on Si substrate
Authors: Yasuda K. , Niraula M. , Tachi T. , Fujimura N. , Inuzuka H. , Kondo T. , Namba S. , Muramatsu S. , Agata Y.
Published: May 2012

We present fabrication process of two‐dimensional (2D) energy discriminating pixel‐type imaging arrays. Each pixel in the array possesses a p‐CdTe/n‐CdTe/n+‐Si heterojunction diode structure. The array is fabricated using metalorganic vapour‐phase epitaxy grown thick layers of single crystal CdTe on (211)Si substrates. In order to avoid the charge sharing problem among the adjacent pixels, we used a mechanical saw based pixel pattering technique, which produced pixels that are isolated from each other by narrow vertical trenches. Preliminary evaluation with room‐temperature reverse biased dark current values exhibited uniform response from the entire pixels in the array. This opens a new possibility for developing large‐area imaging arrays in a simple and efficient way. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Photoluminescence studies of CdS layers for solar cells
Authors: Gemain Frédérique , Robin Ivan‐Christophe , Renet Sébastien , Bernardi Sergio
Published: May 2012

Photoluminescence (PL) measurements were performed on polycrystalline CdS films grown by close space sublimation (CSS) or by chemical bath deposition (CBD) in order to observe the evolution of emission features according to the deposition technique and post‐deposition treatments. CdS is naturally n‐type because of the presence of sulphur vacancies and in most of the observed samples, a donor‐acceptor pair involving the sulfur vacancies could be identified at 1.65 eV. Different complexes emissions could be identified depending on the deposition technique and post‐growth treatment. The best efficiencies were measured on CdTe/CdS based solar cells for which the CdS layer presents an excitonic donor bound PL peak as well as an emission corresponding to interstitial cadmium (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Antidiabetic Effects of a Standardized Egyptian Rice Bran Extract
Authors: Kaup Rebecca M. , Khayyal Mohamed T. , Verspohl Eugen J.
Published: May 2012

An extract was prepared from Egyptian stabilized rice bran and standardized to contain 2% γ‐oryzanol in addition to its content of other bioactives, notably tocotrienol and policosanol. The standardized extract was found to have a concentration‐dependent effect on insulin release in vitro, which, however, is not mediated by γ‐tocotrienol in rice bran (detected by HPLC) as could have been expected. Policosanol and γ‐oryzanol have insulinotropic effects. The in vitro data of rice bran directly translate into in vivo data of rats by using a glucose tolerance test (increase in plasma insulin). Tocotrienols are well known for their apoptotic effect on tumor cells; nevertheless, an attempt was made to study glucose uptake in HEP‐G2 cells, which needs to induce an insulin‐resistant state by TNF‐α. The Egyptian rice bran extract has an antidiabetic effect. γ‐Oryzanol, which is a possible precursor of the insulinotropic compound ferulic acid, is a candidate for this effect. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the prevalence of diabetes or at least a prediabetic (type 2) situation can be ameliorated by the investigated rice bran extract. The potential usefulness of the extract as a nutraceutical is currently undergoing more thorough investigations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Synergistic Apoptotic Interaction of Panaxadiol and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Du Guang‐Jian , Wang Chong‐Zhi , Qi Lian‐Wen , Zhang Zhi‐Yu , Calway Tyler , He Tong‐Chuan , Du Wei , Yuan Chun‐Su
Published: May 2012

Panaxadiol (PD) is a purified sapogenin of ginseng saponins, which exhibits anticancer activity. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major catechin in green tea, is a strong botanical antioxidant. In this study, we investigated the possible synergistic anticancer effects of PD and EGCG on human colorectal cancer cells and explored the potential role of apoptosis in the synergistic activities. Effects of selected compounds on HCT‐116 and SW‐480 human colorectal cancer cells were evaluated by a modified trichrome stain cell proliferation analysis. Cell cycle distribution and apoptotic effects were analyzed by flow cytometry after staining with PI/RNase or annexin V/PI. Cell growth was suppressed after treatment with PD (10 and 20 µm) for 48 h. When PD (10 and 20 µm) was combined with EGCG (10, 20, and 30 µm), significantly enhanced antiproliferative effects were observed in both cell lines. Combining 20 µm of PD with 20 and 30 µm of EGCG significantly decreased S‐phase fractions of cells. In the apoptotic assay, the combination of PD and EGCG significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic cells compared with PD alone (p < 0.01). The synergistic apoptotic effects were also supported by docking analysis, which demonstrated that PD and EGCG bound in two different sites of the annexin V protein. Data from this study suggested that apoptosis might play an important role in the EGCG‐enhanced antiproliferative effects of PD on human colorectal cancer cells. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.