bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of the Scandinavian Stroke Scale in a Multicultural Population in Brazil
Authors: Luvizutto Gustavo José , Monteiro Tamiris Aparecida , Braga Gabriel , Pontes-Neto Octavio Marques , de Lima Resende Luiz Antônio , Bazan Rodrigo
Published: December 2012

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the consistency, coherence, and interobserver reliability of the Portuguese version of the Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) in a multicultural population of stroke. Methods: The SSS was translated, culturally adapted, and applied by two independent investigators. This was a randomized transverse study involving two groups: group 1 included 20 patients in the acute phase and group 2 included 20 patients in the subacute phase after stroke was confirmed by computed tomography with a pre-stroke modified Rankin Scale score of 0. Each patient also underwent National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) evaluation at hospital entry and at the time of the SSS evaluation for correlation with our current standard hospital practice. Consistency and coherence were analyzed by Cronbach’s α and interobserver reliability by ĸ. Results: Forty patients were evaluated with 0.88 consistency and coherence in both stroke phases. Mean interobserver ĸ was 0.76, with reliability considered excellent and good for most scale items, and moderate for only the facial palsy item. Conclusion: The SSS is adequate and validated to study post-stroke patients in a multicultural Brazilian population and in the Portuguese language.
Reasons for Extraction of Permanent Teeth in General Dental Practices in Tehran, Iran
Authors: Jafarian M. , Etebarian A.
Published: December 2012

Objectives: The aim of this survey was to investigate the primary reason for extraction of permanent teeth, its correlations with age, gender and education level, as well as identify the important predictors for dental caries in general dental centers in Tehran, Iran. Subjects and Methods: The study was conducted over a period of 6 months; its population consisted of 1,382 patients, aged 9-95 years, who underwent tooth extraction. There were 673 (47.8%) male and 709 (51.3%) female patients. The frequency distribution was calculated using the χ2 test, ANOVA and t test for differences in mean number of extracted teeth and the logistic regression model to evaluate the variables associated with reasons for tooth extraction. Results: A total of 2,620 teeth were extracted from the 1,382 patients. The highest rate (36.9%) of extraction occurred for those 41-60 years old. Males comprised 48.7% of patients but had more teeth (1,470, 55.3%) extracted than females (1,150, 43.9%). Nine hundred and thirty-six (67.7%) patients had incomplete secondary education or less. Tooth loss due to caries was 51%; periodontal disease was 14.4%; supernumerary and tooth impaction 13.9%. There was a significant association between patient characteristics (age, gender and education level) and number of teeth extracted. Conclusion: Dental caries and periodontal disease were the main reasons for tooth extraction in Tehran, Iran.
Fluoride Gastrointestinal Absorption from Na2FPO3/CaCO3- and NaF/SiO2-Based Toothpastes
Authors: Falcão A. , Tenuta L.M.A. , Cury J.A.
Published: December 2012

Depending on toothpaste formulation, part of the fluoride is insoluble and would not be totally absorbable in the gastrointestinal tract, thus changing dental fluorosis risk estimation. This hypothesis was tested with formulations with either all fluoride in a soluble form (NaF/SiO2-based toothpaste, 1,100 µg F/g as labeled, 1,129.7 ± 49.4 µg F/g soluble fluoride as analyzed) or with around 20% of insoluble fluoride (Na2FPO3/CaCO3-based toothpaste, 1,450 µg F/g as labeled, 1,122.4 ± 76.4 µg F/g soluble fluoride as analyzed). Toothpastes were evaluated either fresh or after accelerated aging, which increased insoluble fluoride to 40% in the Na2FPO3/CaCO3-based toothpaste. In a blind, crossover clinical trial conducted in five legs, 20 adult volunteers ingested 49.5 µg of total fluoride/kg body weight from each formulation or purified water (control). Whole saliva and urine were collected as bioavailability indicators, and pharmacokinetics parameters calculated showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower fluoride bioavailability for Na2FPO3/CaCO3 toothpaste, which was reduced further after aging. A significant correlation between the amount of soluble fluoride ingested, but not total fluoride, and fluoride bioavailability was found (r = 0.57, p < 0.0001). The findings suggest that the estimated fluorosis risk as a result of ingestion of Na2FPO3/CaCO3-based toothpastes should be calculated based on the toothpaste’s soluble rather than total fluoride concentration.
The Impact of a Statewide Pre-Hospital STEMI Strategy to Bypass Hospitals Without Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Capability on Treatment Times
Authors: Fosbol Emil L. , Granger Christopher B. , Jollis James G. , Monk Lisa , Lin Li , Lytle Barbara L. , Xian Ying , Garvey J. Lee , Mears Greg , Corbett Claire C. , Peterson Eric D. , Glickman Seth W.
Published: December 2012

Background—

The ultimate treatment goal for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is rapid reperfusion via primary percutaneous intervention (PCI). North Carolina has adopted a statewide STEMI referral strategy that advises paramedics to bypass local hospitals and transport STEMI patients directly to a PCI-capable hospital, even if a non-PCI-capable hospital is closer.

Methods and Results—

We assessed the adherence of emergency medical services to this STEMI protocol, as well as subsequent associations with patient treatment times and outcomes by linking data from the Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry
®
—Get With the Guidelines
™
and a statewide emergency medical services data system from June 2008 to September 2010 for all patients with STEMI. Patients were divided into those (1) transported directly to a PCI hospital, thereby bypassing a closer non-PCI hospital and (2) first taken to a closer non-PCI center and later transferred to a PCI hospital. Among 6010 patients with STEMI, 1288 were eligible and included in our study cohort. Of these, 826 (64%) were transported directly to a PCI facility, whereas 462 (36%) were first taken to a non-PCI hospital and later transferred. In a multivariable model, increase in differential driving time and cardiac arrest were associated with a lesser likelihood of being taken directly to a PCI center, whereas a history of PCI was associated with a higher likelihood of being taken directly to a PCI center. Patients sent directly to a PCI center were more likely to have times between first medical contact and PCI within guideline recommendations.

Conclusions—

We found that patients who were sent directly to a PCI center had significantly shorter time to reperfusion.
Risk Stratification and Outcome of Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy ≥60 Years of Age
Authors: Maron Barry J. , Rowin Ethan J. , Casey Susan A. , Haas Tammy S. , Chan Raymond H.M. , Udelson James E. , Garberich Ross F. , Lesser John R. , Appelbaum Evan , Manning Warren J. , Maron Martin S.
Published: December 2012

Background—

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is prominently associated with risk for sudden death and disease progression, largely in young patients. Whether patients of more advanced age harbor similar risks is unresolved, often creating clinical dilemmas, particularly in decisions for primary prevention of sudden death with implantable defibrillators.

Methods and Results—

We studied 428 consecutive HCM patients presenting at ≥60 years of age and followed for 5.8±4.8 years; 53% were women. Of the 428 patients, 279 (65%) survived to 73±7 years of age (range, 61–96 years), most (n=245, 88%) with no/mild symptoms, including 135 with ≥1 conventional sudden death risk factors and 50 (37%) with late gadolinium enhancement. Over follow-up, 149 (35%) died at 80±8 years of age, mostly from non–HCM-related causes (n=133, 31%), including a substantial proportion from noncardiac disease (n=54). Sixteen patients (3.7%) had HCM-related mortality events (0.64%/y), including embolic stroke (n=6), progressive heart failure or transplantation (n=3), postoperative complications (n=2), and arrhythmic sudden death events (n=5, 1.2% [0.20%/y]). All-cause mortality was increased in HCM patients ≥60 years of age compared with an age-matched US general population, predominantly as a result of non–HCM-related diseases (
P
<0.001; standard mortality ratio, 1.5).

Conclusions—

HCM patients surviving into the seventh decade of life are at low risk for disease-related morbidity/mortality, including sudden death, even with conventional risk factors. These data do not support aggressive prophylactic defibrillator implantation at advanced ages in HCM. Other cardiac or noncardiac comorbidities have a greater impact on survival than HCM in older patients.
Breastfeeding Twins after Mastectomy
Authors: Michaels Allyson M. , Wanner Helen
Published: December 2012

With the increased use of fertility treatments, more women are having multiple births. The purpose of this case study is to describe the efforts of a woman who had undergone a single mastectomy to provide all the breast milk her twins would need with her 1 functioning breast. A review of the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and PubMed confirmed that this situation has not been previously discussed in the current literature. The mother worked with International Board Certified Lactation Consultants and other health care professionals to reach her goal. With active participation and planning, close follow-up after discharge, and support at home, this mother achieved her goal by 3 months and continued for over 2 years. International Board Certified Lactation Consultants should have early, open conversations with the woman with a mastectomy and actively support her with information and strategies to meet her goals.
Infant Feeding Buddies
Authors: Andreson Jennifer , Dana Nobanzi , Hepfer Barbara , King’ori Eugenia , Oketch Jecinter , Wojnar Danuta , Cowgill Karen , Israel-Ballard Kiersten
Published: December 2012

Background:

Prior to 2010, the World Health Organization recommended that HIV-positive mothers exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months of life unless replacement feeding was acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable, and safe. Community pressure to practice mixed feeding, lack of knowledge on safe feeding, and shame regarding HIV status discourage mothers from breastfeeding exclusively and contribute to South Africa’s low exclusive breastfeeding prevalence of 7% for infants under 6 months.

Objective:

This pilot study explored the feasibility of implementing a feeding buddy system to provide a mother with support to achieve her infant feeding goal.

Methods:

A convenience sample of 14 HIV-positive mothers and their buddies was recruited from the Butterworth Gateway Clinic in South Africa. HIV-positive mothers selected a buddy who accompanied them on clinic visits and counseling sessions on safe infant feeding. The research team conducted in-depth interviews to gather qualitative information on participants’ experiences at 3 points in time.

Results:

Buddy selection was influenced by the mother’s relationship to the buddy, trust, and previous disclosure of HIV status. The 3 most cited forms of support were the buddy’s accountability, teaching, and help in feeding the infant correctly.

Conclusions:

Buddies were successfully integrated into routine Prevention of Maternal-to-Child Transmission visits. Study participants confirmed that having a buddy was a helpful support for HIV-positive mothers.
PyMS: a Python toolkit for processing of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) data. Application and comparative study of selected tools
Authors: O'Callaghan Sean , De Souza David P , Isaac Andrew , Wang Qiao , Hodkinson Luke , Olshansky Moshe , Erwin Tim , Appelbe Bill , Tull Dedreia L , Roessner Ute , Bacic Antony , McConville Malcolm J , Likić Vladimir A
Published: December 2012

Background

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is a technique frequently used in targeted and non-targeted measurements of metabolites. Most existing software tools for processing of raw instrument GC-MS data tightly integrate data processing methods with graphical user interface facilitating interactive data processing. While interactive processing remains critically important in GC-MS applications, high-throughput studies increasingly dictate the need for command line tools, suitable for scripting of high-throughput, customized processing pipelines.

Results

PyMS comprises a library of functions for processing of instrument GC-MS data developed in Python. PyMS currently provides a complete set of GC-MS processing functions, including reading of standard data formats (ANDI- MS/NetCDF and JCAMP-DX), noise smoothing, baseline correction, peak detection, peak deconvolution, peak integration, and peak alignment by dynamic programming. A novel common ion single quantitation algorithm allows automated, accurate quantitation of GC-MS electron impact (EI) fragmentation spectra when a large number of experiments are being analyzed. PyMS implements parallel processing for by-row and by-column data processing tasks based on Message Passing Interface (MPI), allowing processing to scale on multiple CPUs in distributed computing environments. A set of specifically designed experiments was performed in-house and used to comparatively evaluate the performance of PyMS and three widely used software packages for GC-MS data processing (AMDIS, AnalyzerPro, and XCMS).

Conclusions

PyMS is a novel software package for the processing of raw GC-MS data, particularly suitable for scripting of customized processing pipelines and for data processing in batch mode. PyMS provides limited graphical capabilities and can be used both for routine data processing and interactive/exploratory data analysis. In real-life GC-MS data processing scenarios PyMS performs as well or better than leading software packages. We demonstrate data processing scenarios simple to implement in PyMS, yet difficult to achieve with many conventional GC-MS data processing software. Automated sample processing and quantitation with PyMS can provide substantial time savings compared to more traditional interactive software systems that tightly integrate data processing with the graphical user interface.
Bringing scientific rigor to community-developed programs in Hong Kong
Authors: Fabrizio Cecilia S , Hirschmann Malia R , Lam Tai Hing , Cheung Teresa , Pang Irene , Chan Sophia , Stewart Sunita M
Published: December 2012

Background

This paper describes efforts to generate evidence for community-developed programs to enhance family relationships in the Chinese culture of Hong Kong, within the framework of community-based participatory research (CBPR).

Methods

The CBPR framework was applied to help maximize the development of the intervention and the public health impact of the studies, while enhancing the capabilities of the social service sector partners.

Results

Four academic-community research teams explored the process of designing and implementing randomized controlled trials in the community. In addition to the expected cultural barriers between teams of academics and community practitioners, with their different outlooks, concerns and languages, the team navigated issues in utilizing the principles of CBPR unique to this Chinese culture. Eventually the team developed tools for adaptation, such as an emphasis on building the relationship while respecting role delineation and an iterative process of defining the non-negotiable parameters of research design while maintaining scientific rigor. Lessons learned include the risk of underemphasizing the size of the operational and skills shift between usual agency practices and research studies, the importance of minimizing non-negotiable parameters in implementing rigorous research designs in the community, and the need to view community capacity enhancement as a long term process.

Conclusions

The four pilot studies under the FAMILY Project demonstrated that nuanced design adaptations, such as wait list controls and shorter assessments, better served the needs of the community and led to the successful development and vigorous evaluation of a series of preventive, family-oriented interventions in the Chinese culture of Hong Kong.
Short term serum pharmacokinetics of diammine silver fluoride after oral application
Authors: Vasquez Elsa , Zegarra Graciela , Chirinos Edgar , Castillo Jorge L , Taves Donald R , Watson Gene E , Dills Russell , Mancl Lloyd L , Milgrom Peter
Published: December 2012

Background

There is growing interest in the use of diammine silver fluoride (DSF) as a topical agent to treat dentin hypersensitivity and dental caries as gauged by increasing published research from many parts of the world. While DSF has been available in various formulations for many years, most of its pharmacokinetic aspects within the therapeutic concentration range have never been fully characterized.

Methods

This preliminary study determined the applied doses (3 teeth treated), maximum serum concentrations, and time to maximum serum concentration for fluoride and silver in 6 adults over 4 h. Fluoride was determined using the indirect diffusion method with a fluoride selective electrode, and silver was determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The mean amount of DSF solution applied to the 3 teeth was 7.57 mg (6.04 μL).

Results

Over the 4 hour observation period, the mean maximum serum concentrations were 1.86 μmol/L for fluoride and 206 nmol/L for silver. These maximums were reached 3.0 h and 2.5 h for fluoride and silver, respectively.

Conclusions

Fluoride exposure was below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oral reference dose. Silver exposure exceeded the EPA oral reference dose for cumulative daily exposure over a lifetime, but for occasional use was well below concentrations associated with toxicity. This preliminary study suggests that serum concentrations of fluoride and silver after topical application of DSF should pose little toxicity risk when used in adults.

Clinical trials registration

NCT01664871.
Pain when walking: individual sensory profiles in the foot soles of torture victims - a controlled study using quantitative sensory testing
Authors: Prip Karen , Persson Ann L , Sjölund Bengt H
Published: December 2012

Background

With quantitative sensory testing (QST) we recently found no differences in sensory function of the foot soles between groups of torture victims with or without exposure to falanga (beatings under the feet). Compared to matched controls the torture victims had hyperalgesia to deep mechano-nociceptive stimuli and hypoesthesia to non-noxious cutaneous stimuli. The purpose of the present paper was to extend the group analysis into individual sensory profiles of victims’ feet to explore possible relations between external violence (torture), reported pain, sensory symptoms and QST data to help clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Methods

We employed interviews and assessments of the pain and sensory symptoms and QST by investigators blinded to whether the patients, 32 male torture victims from the Middle East, had (n=15), or had not (n=17) been exposed to falanga. Pain intensity, area and stimulus dependence were used to characterize the pain. QST included thresholds for touch, cold, warmth, cold-pain, heat-pain, deep pressure pain and wind-up to cutaneous noxious stimuli. An ethnically matched control group was available.The normality criterion, from our control group data, was set as the mean +/− 1.28SD, thus including 80% of all values.QST data were transformed into three categories in relation to our normality range; hypoesthesia, normoesthesia or hyperesthesia/hyperalgesia.

Results

Most patients, irrespective of having been exposed to falanga or not, reported severe pain when walking. This was often associated with hyperalgesia to deep mechanical pressure. Hypoesthesia to mechanical stimuli co-occurred with numbness, burning and with deep mechanical hyperalgesia more often than not, but otherwise, a hypoesthesia to cutaneous sensory modalities did not co-occur systematically to falanga, pain or sensory symptoms.

Conclusion

In torture victims, there seem to be overriding mechanisms, manifested by hyperalgesia to pressure pain, which is usually considered a sign of centralization. In addition there was cutaneous hypoesthesia, but since there was no obvious correlation to the localization of trauma, these findings may indicate centrally evoked disturbances in sensory transmission, that is, central inhibition. We interpret these findings as a sign of changes in central sensory processing as the unifying pathological mechanism of chronic pain in these persons.
School related factors and 1yr change in physical activity amongst 9–11 year old English schoolchildren
Authors: Mantjes Joyce A , Jones Andrew P , Corder Kirsten , Jones Natalia R , Harrison Flo , Griffin Simon J , van Sluijs Esther MF
Published: December 2012

Background

Activity levels are known to decline with age and there is growing evidence of associations between the school environment and physical activity. In this study we investigated how objectively measured one-year changes in physical activity may be associated with school-related factors in 9- to 10-year-old British children.

Methods

Data were analysed from 839 children attending 89 schools in the SPEEDY (Sport, Physical Activity, and Eating behaviours: Environmental Determinants in Young People) study. Outcomes variables were one year changes in objectively measured sedentary, moderate, and vigorous physical activity, with baseline measures taken when the children were 9–10 years old. School characteristics hypothesised to be associated with change in physical activity were identified from questionnaires, grounds audits, and computer mapping. Associations were examined using simple and multivariable multilevel regression models for both school (9 am – 3 pm) and travel (8–9 am and 3–4 pm) time.

Results

Significant associations during school time included the length of the morning break which was found to be supportive of moderate (β coefficient: 0.68 [p: 0.003]) and vigorous (β coefficient: 0.52 [p: 0.002]) activities and helps to prevent adverse changes in sedentary time (β coefficient: -2.52 [p: 0.001]). During travel time, positive associations were found between the presence of safe places to cross roads around the school and changes in moderate (β coefficient: 0.83 [p:0.022]) and vigorous (β coefficient: 0.56 [p:0.001]) activity, as well as sedentary time (β coefficient: -1.61 [p:0.005]).

Conclusion

This study suggests that having longer morning school breaks and providing road safety features such as cycling infrastructure, a crossing guard, and safe places for children to cross the road may have a role to play in supporting the maintenance of moderate and vigorous activity behaviours, and preventing the development of sedentary behaviours in children.
Modified wound dressing with phyto-nanostructured coating to prevent staphylococcal and pseudomonal biofilm development
Authors: Anghel Ion , Holban Alina Maria , Grumezescu Alexandru Mihai , Andronescu Ecaterina , Ficai Anton , Anghel Alina Georgiana , Maganu Maria , Lazǎr Veronica , Chifiriuc Mariana Carmen
Published: December 2012

This paper reports a newly fabricated nanophyto-modified wound dressing with microbicidal and anti-adherence properties. Nanofluid-based magnetite doped with eugenol or limonene was used to fabricate modified wound dressings. Nanostructure coated materials were characterized by TEM, XRD, and FT-IR. For the quantitative measurement of biofilm-embedded microbial cells, a culture-based method for viable cell count was used. The optimized textile dressing samples proved to be more resistant to staphylococcal and pseudomonal colonization and biofilm formation compared to the uncoated controls. The functionalized surfaces for wound dressing seems to be a very useful tool for the prevention of wound microbial contamination on viable tissues.
Determination of lead, cadmium and arsenic in infusion tea cultivated in north of Iran
Authors: Shekoohiyan Sakine , Ghoochani Mahboobeh , Mohagheghian Azita , Mahvi Amir Hossein , Yunesian Masoud , Nazmara Shahrokh
Published: December 2012

Tea is one of the most common drinks in all over the world. Rapid urbanization and industrialization in recent decades has increased heavy metals in tea and other foods. In this research, heavy metal contents such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) were determined in 105 black tea samples cultivated in Guilan and Mazandaran Provinces in north of Iran and their tea infusions. The amount of heavy metals in black tea infusions were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP - AES).

The mean ± SD level of Pb in 5, 15 and 60 min in infusion tea samples were 0.802 ± 0.633, 0.993 ± 0.667 and 1.367 ± 1.06 mg/kg of tea dry weight, respectively. The mean level of Cd in 5, 15 and 60 min in infusion tea samples were 0.135 ± 0.274, 0.244 ± 0.46 and 0.343 ± 0.473 mg/kg of tea dry weight, respectively. The mean level of As in 5, 15 and 60 min in infusion tea samples were 0.277 ± 0.272, 0.426 ± 0.402 and 0.563 ± 0.454 mg/kg of tea dry weight, respectively. Also, the results showed that the locations and the infusion times influenced upon the amount of these metals (P < 0.05).
Feasibility and effects of patient-cooperative robot-aided gait training applied in a 4-week pilot trial
Authors: Schück Alex , Labruyère Rob , Vallery Heike , Riener Robert , Duschau-Wicke Alexander
Published: December 2012

Background

Functional training is becoming the state-of-the-art therapy approach for rehabilitation of individuals after stroke and spinal cord injury. Robot-aided treadmill training reduces personnel effort, especially when treating severely affected patients. Improving rehabilitation robots towards more patient-cooperative behavior may further increase the effects of robot-aided training. This pilot study aims at investigating the feasibility of applying patient-cooperative robot-aided gait rehabilitation to stroke and incomplete spinal cord injury during a therapy period of four weeks. Short-term effects within one training session as well as the effects of the training on walking function are evaluated.

Methods

Two individuals with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury and two with chronic stroke trained with the Lokomat gait rehabilitation robot which was operated in a new, patient-cooperative mode for a period of four weeks with four training sessions of 45 min per week. At baseline, after two and after four weeks, walking function was assessed with the ten meter walking test. Additionally, muscle activity of the major leg muscles, heart rate and the Borg scale were measured under different walking conditions including a non-cooperative position control mode to investigate the short-term effects of patient-cooperative versus non-cooperative robot-aided gait training.

Results

Patient-cooperative robot-aided gait training was tolerated well by all subjects and performed without difficulties. The subjects trained more actively and with more physiological muscle activity than in a non-cooperative position-control mode. One subject showed a significant and relevant increase of gait speed after the therapy, the three remaining subjects did not show significant changes.

Conclusions

Patient-cooperative robot-aided gait training is feasible in clinical practice and overcomes the main points of criticism against robot-aided gait training: It enables patients to train in an active, variable and more natural way. The limited number of subjects in this pilot trial does not permit valid conclusions on the effect of patient-cooperative robot-aided gait training on walking function. A large, possibly multi-center randomized controlled clinical trial is required to shed more light on this question.
Subtypes of primary colorectal tumors correlate with response to targeted treatment in colorectal cell lines
Authors: Schlicker Andreas , Beran Garry , Chresta Christine M , McWalter Gael , Pritchard Alison , Weston Susie , Runswick Sarah , Davenport Sara , Heathcote Kerry , Castro Denis Alferez , Orphanides George , French Tim , Wessels Lodewyk FA
Published: December 2012

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous and biologically poorly understood disease. To tailor CRC treatment, it is essential to first model this heterogeneity by defining subtypes of patients with homogeneous biological and clinical characteristics and second match these subtypes to cell lines for which extensive pharmacological data is available, thus linking targeted therapies to patients most likely to respond to treatment.

Methods

We applied a new unsupervised, iterative approach to stratify CRC tumor samples into subtypes based on genome-wide mRNA expression data. By applying this stratification to several CRC cell line panels and integrating pharmacological response data, we generated hypotheses regarding the targeted treatment of different subtypes.

Results

In agreement with earlier studies, the two dominant CRC subtypes are highly correlated with a gene expression signature of epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT). Notably, further dividing these two subtypes using iNMF (iterative Non-negative Matrix Factorization) revealed five subtypes that exhibit activation of specific signaling pathways, and show significant differences in clinical and molecular characteristics. Importantly, we were able to validate the stratification on independent, published datasets comprising over 1600 samples. Application of this stratification to four CRC cell line panels comprising 74 different cell lines, showed that the tumor subtypes are well represented in available CRC cell line panels. Pharmacological response data for targeted inhibitors of SRC, WNT, GSK3b, aurora kinase, PI3 kinase, and mTOR, showed significant differences in sensitivity across cell lines assigned to different subtypes. Importantly, some of these differences in sensitivity were in concordance with high expression of the targets or activation of the corresponding pathways in primary tumor samples of the same subtype.

Conclusions

The stratification presented here is robust, captures important features of CRC, and offers valuable insight into functional differences between CRC subtypes. By matching the identified subtypes to cell line panels that have been pharmacologically characterized, it opens up new possibilities for the development and application of targeted therapies for defined CRC patient sub-populations.
Clinical application of exhaled nitric oxide measurement in pediatric lung diseases
Authors: Manna Angelo , Caffarelli Carlo , Varini Margherita , Dascola Carlotta Povesi , Montella Silvia , Maglione Marco , Sperlì Francesco , Santamaria Francesca
Published: December 2012

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a non invasive method for assessing the inflammatory status of children with airway disease. Different ways to measure FeNO levels are currently available. The possibility of measuring FeNO levels in an office setting even in young children, and the commercial availability of portable devices, support the routine use of FeNO determination in the daily pediatric practice. Although many confounding factors may affect its measurement, FeNO is now widely used in the management of children with asthma, and seems to provide significantly higher diagnostic accuracy than lung function or bronchial challenge tests. The role of FeNO in airway infection (e.g. viral bronchiolitis and common acquired pneumonia), in bronchiectasis, or in cases with diffuse lung disease is less clear. This review focuses on the most recent advances and the current clinical applications of FeNO measurement in pediatric lung disease.
The impact of minimum age of employment regulation on child labor and schooling
*
Authors: Edmonds Eric V , Shrestha Maheshwor
Published: December 2012

Promoting minimum age of employment regulation has been a centerpiece in child labor policy for the last 15 years. If enforced, minimum age regulation would change the age profile of paid child employment. Using micro-data from 59 mostly low-income countries, we observe that age can explain less than one percent of the variation in child participation in paid employment. In contrast, child-invariant household attributes account for 63 percent of the variation in participation in paid employment. While age may explain little of the variation in paid employment, minimum age of employment regulation could simultaneously impact time allocation. We do not observe evidence consistent with enforcement of minimum age regulation in any country examined, although light work regulation appears to have been enforced in one country.

JEL Codes

J22, O15, J88, K42
Ethnic discrimination in China's internet job board labor market
Authors: Maurer-Fazio Margaret
Published: December 2012

We conduct a large-scale field experiment to investigate how Chinese firms respond to Internet job board applications from ethnic minority and Han applicants. We signal ethnicity by using names that are typically Han Chinese and distinctively Mongolian, Tibetan, and Uighur. We find significant differences in callback rates by ethnicity. These differences vary systematically across ethnic groups. Not all firms discriminate—approximately half treat all candidates equally. State-owned firms are much less likely than others to discriminate in favor of Han candidates and both state- and foreign-owned firms are significantly more likely to treat candidates equally than do privately owned firms.

JEL Codes

J71, J23, J15, O52, P25
President's Page
Authors: Graul Mike
Published: December 2012

For many years, the SEG Council appeared to its few and infrequent observers as if it were striving for obscurity. Little-known activities at a once-a-year, scarcely publicized, poorly attended meeting, on a Sunday afternoon in a sub-rosa setting. Few geophysicists could tell you the group's purpose, constituency, or accomplishments (if any). But that is about to change. Faced with self-extinction in 2010, the Council asserted its authority in declining to approve an SEG constitutional change that would have essentially eliminated the Council. A new ad-hoc committee for constitutional revision was formed by President-elect Bob Hardage and, with the persistence and aid of SEG stalwarts Joe Reilly and Council champion Lee Lawyer, new Bylaws, with built-in acceptability to the Council, were approved at the 2011 Annual Meeting.
An introduction to this special section: Applications and challenges in shear-wave exploration
Authors: Bansal Rishi , Gaiser James
Published: December 2012

Shear-wave (S-wave) technology has been investigated for about half as long as P-waves as an exploration tool, beginning in the mid-1960s with field experiments and vertical seismic profiles (VSP) to assist interpretation. Although it was immediately recognized that the relative quality of S-wave data was unpredictable, early processing and analysis did not consider the effects of birefringence or splitting. This unpredictable behavior, along with dynamic mis-ties, observed at intersections of 2D lines, was shown in the 1980s to be a result of S-wave splitting in azimuthally anisotropic media. In addition, 20 years of the early effort were devoted to developing S-wave sources. However, ironically, it turned out that conventional P-wave sources were best; P-waves convert to S-wave (PS-wave) reflections at layer interfaces with nearly the same strength as P-wave reflections.
The signature of shear-wave splitting: Theory and observations on heavy oil data
Authors: Bale Richard , Marchand Tobin , Wilkinson Keith , Wikel Kurtis , Kendall Robert
Published: December 2012

The use of shear-wave splitting analysis as a tool for fracture analysis is well established. In this article, we discuss the analysis of shear-wave splitting in a relatively new context—shallow heavy oil plays where we believe stress is the dominant cause of the shear-wave splitting, rather than macroscale fracturing. There is clear laboratory evidence in the literature for shear-wave splitting caused by differential stress, which we believe supports this viewpoint. We are particularly interested in the use of shear-wave splitting technology for monitoring reservoir stress changes which correlate with thermal production for heavy oil reservoirs. This article also takes a fresh look at some well-established characteristics of split shear waves as they appear in wide-azimuth multicomponent data, and in particular the relative merits of the radial and transverse amplitude signatures. We describe a recently developed method, which combines both radial and transverse analysis to improve the effective azimuthal coverage. This approach is beneficial when the survey has been coarsely acquired, as we demonstrate on a heavy oil example. The article concludes with a case study at Kerrobert, a reservoir in the Canadian heavy oil region where thermal recovery methods are in use, and where shear-wave splitting is being utilized to help characterize the resulting stress changes in the reservoir.
Prediction of residual oil saturation and cap-rock integrity from time-lapse, multicomponent seismic data, Delhi Field, Louisiana
Authors: Davis Thomas L. , Bibolova Assem , O'Brien Sean , Klepacki Doug , Robinson Holly
Published: December 2012

Time-lapse, multicomponent seismic data acquired during the CO2 flood at Delhi Field, Louisiana are used to identify zones containing high residual bulk oil volume and to target the location of new injection wells in the field. The data are used to monitor the reservoir and to see if the predicted zones of high residual oil are contacted by the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process. Because the reservoir is shallow and injection pressures are relatively high, the cap rock is monitored. Stresses associated with injection induce observable shear-wave splitting anomalies in the cap rock. Stresses transmitted into the shale-confining layer by the injection process are not believed indicative of rupturing and CO2 leakage. The ability to monitor geomechanical changes through shear-wave splitting is an important new use of multicomponent seismic data.
Integration of multicomponent time-lapse processing and interpretation: Focus on shear-wave splitting analysis
Authors: Grossman Jeff P. , Popov Gulia , Steinhoff Chris
Published: December 2012

Multicomponent seismic processing and interpretation have become disconnected in industry practice, hindering the ability to extract meaningful reservoir characterization conclusions. Integrating seismic processing with the final interpretation goals elevates the overall characterization that can be performed, and drives advancements in processing algorithms. The focus of this study is on converted-waves because of their high sensitivity to the azimuthal anisotropy caused by preferential fractures and differential stress, and ultimately because they provide a method of correlating hydraulic stimulation success to the enhanced permeability pathways created in the hydraulic completion process.
Using converted-wave seismic data for lithology discrimination in a complex fluvial setting: Tenerife oil field, Middle Magdalena Valley, Colombia
Authors: Agudelo William , Pineda Edgar , Gómez Ricardo , Guerrero Jairo , Rojas Nelson , Stewart Rob , van de Coevering Norbert
Published: December 2012

The Middle Magdalena Basin is an actively producing region in Colombia, which in recent years has been chosen for development by means of water and steam flooding. However, complex stratigraphy has challenged the development of a detailed reservoir static model. The Tenerife 3C-3D experimental survey was conducted in 2009 as an integrated application (from acquisition design to interpretation) of multicomponent technology to differentiate lithology (sand and clay) in a Colombian field. The Tenerife 3C-3D survey was twice as expensive as conventional surveys in the same region, so a requirement was to evaluate its added value. The acquisition design resulted in a 22.3 km2 survey with a trace density of 480,000 traces/km2. After careful processing, the PP and PS data were jointly inverted for elastic properties. Even though density is the best discriminator for clay volume in this area, it was not possible to obtain a reliable estimate. Density log data were unavailable for all Tenerife wells, and shear sonic was available for only one well. However, it was possible to derive sand and shale probability volumes using the output elastic attributes from PP and PS joint inversion.
A multicomponent seismic framework for estimating reservoir oil volume
Authors: Fraquelli Henrique A. , Stewart Robert R.
Published: December 2012

Defining the volume of hydrocarbons in a reservoir is a key aspect of resource estimation. Subsequently, determining the likelihood of this volume is critical for reserve evaluation. We outline a geophysical framework using multicomponent (3C) 3D seismic data, well logs, and geostatistics to assist in this assessment. The use of converted-waves (P-to-S) is a significant and integral part of the process, especially in estimating the reservoir sand thickness and its porosity. This procedure is applied to data from the Blackfoot oil field, Alberta. The predicted original oil in place and its likelihood (90% probability of 4.5 MMbbl computed from 1996 geophysical data) compares reasonably well with that inferred from actual cumulative production up to 2011 (5.5 MMbbl)
Robust rock properties through PP-PS processing and interpretation—Marcellus Shale
Authors: Chaveste Alvaro , Zhao Zhiyong , Altan Suat , Gaiser Jim
Published: December 2012

The estimation of reservoir properties from seismic amplitude is, generally, an underdetermined problem, which can result in ambiguous estimation of the sought-for properties. Although seismic reflectivity is dependent upon formation P- and S-wave velocities and density, it is common practice to estimate only two attributes from prestack P-wave data because of data limitations at far offsets and instabilities of inversion. On the other hand, the number of petrophysical properties that determine reservoir storability and production are four, in the simplest of cases: porosity, lithology, pore fluids (type and amount), and permeability. Ambiguity and risk reduction require the inclusion of additional, robust information into the estimation of reservoir properties. This is particularly true in formations where reservoir storability and production depend on additional petrophysical properties, as would be the case of unconventional plays where brittleness and vertical fracture density and orientation are factors that determine reservoir performance. In this study, rock properties are estimated through PP-PS joint inversion and estimation of S-wave anisotropy. Data from the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania are used to illustrate risk reduction in qualitative estimation of total organic content (TOC) and fractures characterization.
Pressure prediction implications of a Miocene pressure regression
Authors: Hauser Matt R. , Petitclerc Tim , Braunsdorf Neil R. , Winker Charles D.
Published: December 2012

Pore fluid pressures encountered in the deep-water Gulf of Mexico typically exceed hydrostatic pressures shortly below the mudline. While pore pressures often become quite high at depth, the overall pressure trend usually falls within a fairly narrow window and—more importantly—the pressures display a rather consistent relationship with measurable rock properties such as velocity, resistivity, and density. The consistency of these trends follows directly from two conditions: the dominance of disequilibrium compaction as the primary source of geopressures in this basin (Osborne et al., 1997, Swarbrick et. al. 2002), and that most parts of the basin are currently at or near their maximum historical effective stress. Disequilibrium compaction leads to a direct relationship between maximum effective stress and porosity; thus, having present day effective stress near its maximum value implies that current porosities indicate current effective stresses and hence current pore fluid pressures. This generally stable behavior has allowed the development and application of a number of pressure-prediction transforms which have facilitated improvements in the safety and efficiency of deepwater drilling (e.g., Eaton, 1975, Gutierrez et al., 2006). (Effective stress is assumed to be the stress acting on the rock frame; in this work, it is taken as equal to the difference between total stress and pore-fluid pressure as proposed by Terzaghi, 1923.)
Sections/Associated Societies Focus
Authors: Checa Jamie
Published: December 2012

The 11th Bolivarian Symposium of Exploration in Sub Andean Basins, the main event of the Colombian Association of Petroleum Geologists and Geophysicists, took place in the beautiful city of Cartagena, Colombia between 28 July and 1 August 2012. Members of the leaderships of SEG, AAPG, and EAGE were present and participated actively throughout the week. A total of 1262 participants, representing 19 different countries, benefited from a varied agenda that covered technical and commercial aspects, social activities, student programs, and business development opportunities.
Biophysical interactions in the plankton: A cross‐scale review
Authors: Prairie Jennifer C. , Sutherland Kelly R. , Nickols Kerry J. , Kaltenberg Amanda M.
Published: December 2012

Lay Abstract

The study of plankton ecology is by nature interdisciplinary, since both biology and physics interact to shape plankton distributions and population dynamics. Small‐scale turbulence affects how plankton feed and grow, while kilometer‐scale physical features can form large plankton patches. Recent findings also show that, in addition to physics affecting plankton dynamics, plankton may be able to influence ocean physics as well. For example, the fluid motion produced from a copepod swimming in pursuit of food can be detected by nearby organisms and might make it more vulnerable to its predators. The field of plankton biophysics has advanced rapidly in the past several decades, due in large part to technological advances that allow the study of interactions between fluid flow and plankton in their natural environment at smaller scales than ever before. Biophysical interactions in plankton ecology can occur at a wide range of scales: from the scale of individual organisms up to the scale of the world's oceans. In this article, we review biophysical interactions in plankton across a wide range of scales, focusing on the most recent research in the field. In addition, we discuss how these processes are linked with other processes that occur at smaller and larger scales. For example, plankton patches formed by ocean eddies can provide feeding grounds for other organisms, thus influencing global ocean food web dynamics. Finally, we discuss some of the potential effects of long‐term changes in global climate, which will affect ocean temperature and stratification, thus regulating the occurrence and intensity of biophysical plankton processes.