bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic kidney disease, and its effect on the QT interval
Authors: Samson Wilner , Winston Jonathan , Krishnaswamy Jayapriya , Uribarri Jaime
Published: March 2010

BACKGROUND

Prolongation of corrected QT interval (QTcp) can result in arrhythmias, which may, in part, be responsible for the increased cardiovascular mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Since hypocalcemia can cause QTcp, we postulated a link between QTcp and disturbances in divalent ions seen in CKD patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT).

METHODS

We prospectively determined the prevalence of sHPT, hypocalcemia, and QTcp in 97 CKD patients. Patients with a parathyroid hormone (PTH) level ≥200 pg/mL were initiated on a vitamin D protocol for 1 year. QTc was measured at baseline and follow‐up using an electrocardiogram (ECG) recorder.

RESULTS

The initial mean value for PTH was 343 ± 334 pg/mL. Nearly two‐thirds of the patients had PTH values >200 pg/mL. The mean QTc was 441 ± 41.9 msec. There was no significant change in the QTc for treated and untreated patients. PTH had a significant decrease in the treated patients, from 522 ± 379 to 312 ± 244 pg/mL. The mean PTH significantly increased in the untreated patients from 227 ± 197 to 302 ± 322 pg/mL. The corrected calcium non‐significantly decreased from 9.4 ± 1.0 to 9.0 ± 2.2. At 5 years follow‐up, nearly half of this cohort had died; however we did not observe any significant difference in mortality between treated and untreated patients.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a 44.7% prevalence of prolonged QTc in an unselected population of CKD patients. This cohort had a high prevalence of sHPT. Treatment of sHPT did not appear to have an effect on QTc or mortality.
Tissue plasminogen activator infusion as a treatment for hemodialysis catheter dysfunction
Authors: Ariyachaipanich Aekarach , Oyejola Olatokunbo , Melhem Arafat , Soundararajan Vinaya , Lerma Edgar , Atassi Wadah , Soundararajan Ramesh
Published: March 2010

BACKGROUND

The formation of a fibrin sheath thrombus is the most common cause of hemodialysis catheter dysfunction (HCD). The infusion of a low‐dose recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) has been shown to be safe and effective. However, there is no consensus as to the optimum amount of rtPA.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a low‐dose rtPA infusion for the treatment of fibrin sheath thrombus.

METHODS

We did a retrospective review of patients with HCD who were treated with rtPA infusion between August 2006 and August 2007. Each patient had a radiographic evaluation to rule out malposition before administering 1 mg rtPA in 50 mL of normal saline over a 1‐hour period per port (total of 2 mg).

RESULTS

A total of 74 patients had a total of 86 infusions administered. Their mean age was 62 years, and 52% were male. The clinical success rate, defined as an ability to support at least 1 successful dialysis session, was 95.3%. No major procedure‐related complications occurred. The median catheter patency was 40.5 days.

CONCLUSION

RtPA, administered at current study dose, safely and effectively restores catheter function. To our knowledge, this is the lowest dose and shortest infusion time that has been studied.
Breastfeeding patterns of mothers with type 1 diabetes: results from an infant feeding trial
Authors: Sorkio Susa , Cuthbertson David , Bärlund Sonja , Reunanen Antti , Nucci Anita M. , Berseth Carol L. , Koski Katriina , Ormisson Anne , Savilahti Erkki , Uusitalo Ulla , Ludvigsson Johnny , Becker Dorothy J. , Dupré John , Krischer Jeffrey P. , Knip Mikael , Åkerblom Hans K. , Virtanen Suvi M. ,   TRIGR Study Group
Published: March 2010

Background

Both the initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding have been reported to be negatively affected by maternal type 1 diabetes (T1D). The aim of this study was to prospectively examine the breastfeeding patterns among mothers with and without T1D participating in a large international randomized infant feeding trial (TRIGR).

Methods

Families with a member affected by T1D and with a newborn infant were invited into the study. Those who had HLA‐conferred genetic susceptibility for T1D tested at birth with gestation > 35 weeks and were healthy were eligible to continue in the trial. Among the 2160 participating children, 1096 were born to women with T1D and 1064 to unaffected women. Information on infant feeding was acquired from the family by frequent prospective dietary interviews.

Results

Most (>90%) of the infants of mothers with and without T1D were initially breastfed. Breastfeeding rates declined more steeply among mothers with than without T1D being 50 and 72% at 6 months, respectively. Mothers with T1D were younger, less educated and delivered earlier and more often by caesarean section than other mothers (p < 0.01). After adjusting for all these factors associated with the termination of breastfeeding, there was no difference in the duration of breastfeeding among mothers with and without T1D.

Conclusions

Maternal diabetes status per se was not associated with shorter breastfeeding. The lower duration of breastfeeding in mothers with T1D is largely explained by their more frequent caesarean sections, earlier delivery and lower age and education. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Organometallic Synthesis of β‐CoAl Nanoparticles and β‐CoAl/Al Nanoparticles and Their Behaviour upon Air Exposure (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 11/2010)
Authors: Cokoja Mirza , Parala Harish , Birkner Alexander , Fischer Roland A. , Margeat Olivier , Ciuculescu Diana , Amiens Catherine , Chaudret Bruno , Falqui Andrea , Lecante Pierre
Published: March 2010

The cover picture shows the reaction path followed to produce bimetallic CoAl nanoparticles (background image). Organometallic precursors such as AlCp* and [Co(η3‐C8H13)(η4‐C8H12) offer the unique advantage of being easily reduced under dihygrogen, thus enabling access to alloyed β‐CoAl nanoparticles as evidenced by X‐ray absorption and diffusion techniques. As expected, these nanoparticles are highly reactive towards oxygen. The reaction starts with the selective oxidation of Al, with simultaneous segregation of Co. Known in the bulk, this phenomenon is studied for the first time on the nanometer scale. It is clearly evidenced by SQUID measurements: an increase in the ratio of segregated Co atoms is accompanied by an increase in the magnetization of the nanoparticles. To passivate the system, excess aluminum must be decomposed on top of the CoAl nanoparticles. This study evidences the relevance of organometallic chemistry for nanoalloy engineering. Details are discussed in the Short Communication by C. Amiens et al. on p. 1599.
Development of a PDMS‐based microchip electrophoresis device for continuous online in vivo monitoring of microdialysis samples
Authors: Nandi Pradyot , Desai Dhara P. , Lunte Susan M.
Published: March 2010

A PDMS‐based microfluidic system for online coupling of microdialysis sampling to microchip electrophoresis with fluorescence detection for in vivo analysis of amino acid neurotransmitters using naphthalene‐2,3‐dicarboxaldehyde and sodium cyanide as the derivatization reagents is described. Fabricating chips from PDMS rather than glass was found to be simpler and more reproducible, especially for chips with complex designs. The microchip incorporated a 20‐cm serpentine channel in which sample plugs were introduced using a “simple” injection scheme; this made fluid handling and injection on‐chip easier for the online system compared with gated or valve‐based injection. The microchip was evaluated offline for the analysis of amino acid standards and rat brain microdialysis samples. Next, precolumn derivatization was incorporated into the chip and in vivo online microdialysis‐microchip electrophoresis studies were performed. The system was employed for the continuous monitoring of amino acid neurotransmitters in the extracellular fluid of the brain of an anesthetized rat. Fluorescein was dosed intravenously and monitored simultaneously online as a marker of in vivo blood–brain barrier permeability. The microdialysis‐microchip electrophoresis system described here will be employed in the future for simultaneous monitoring of changes in blood–brain barrier permeability and levels of amino acid neurotransmitters in the rat stroke model.
Maleopimaric acid anhydride‐bonded silica monolith as chiral stationary phase for separations of phenylthiocarbamyl amino acids by CEC
Authors: Ye Fanggui , Wang Hengshan , Huang Baojun , Zhao Shulin
Published: March 2010

A new type of chiral silica monolith was successfully developed for the enantioseparation of phenylthiocarbamyl amino acids (PTC‐D/L‐AAs) by CEC. The bare monolithic silica column was prepared by a sol–gel process and has been modified chemically with aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, followed by immobilization of a chiral selector maleopimaric acid anhydride. Eight pairs of tested amino acids enantiomers including PTC‐D/L‐arginine, PTC‐D/L‐valine, PTC‐D/L‐leucine, PTC‐D/L‐4‐methylphenylalanine, PTC‐D/L‐phenylalanine, PTC‐D/L‐β‐phenylalanine, PTC‐D/L‐tryptophan and PTC‐D/L‐kynurenine were well resolved with high column efficiencies. The influences of organic modifier in mobile phase on apparent retention factor, enantioselectivity factor and resolution were also investigated.
CE assay for simultaneous determination of charged and neutral impurities in dexamphetamine sulfate using a dual CD system
Authors: Wongwan Sudaporn , Sungthong Bunleu , Scriba Gerhard K. E.
Published: March 2010

A CE assay for the simultaneous determination of charged and uncharged potential impurities (1S,2S‐(+)‐norpseudoephedrine, 1R,2S‐(−)‐norephedrine, phenylacetone and phenylacetone oxime) of dexamphetamine sulfate including the stereoisomer levoamphetamine was developed and validated. The optimized background electrolyte consisted of a 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 3.0, containing 80 mg/mL sulfobutylether‐β‐CD and 25 mg/mL sulfated β‐CD. Separations were performed in 40.2/35 cm, 50 μm id fused‐silica capillaries at a temperature of 20°C and an applied voltage of –10 kV. 1R,2S‐(−)‐ephedrine was used as internal standard. The assay was validated in the range of 0.05–1.0% for the related substances and in the range of 0.05–5.0% for levoamphetamine. The LOD was 0.01–0.02% depending on the analyte. The assay also allowed the separation of the E,Z‐stereoisomers of phenylacetone oxime. The effect of the degree of substitution of sulfobutylether‐β‐CD was investigated. In commercial samples of dexamphetamine sulfate between 3.2 and 3.7% of levoamphetamine were found. Furthermore, phenylacetone and phenylacetone oxime could be observed at the LOD, indicating the synthetic origin of the investigated samples.
A coupling strategy based on anisotropic mesh adaptation for solving two‐fluid flows
Authors: Bui Thi Thu Cuc , Frey P. , Maury B.
Published: March 2010

We propose a coupling strategy for solving efficiently bifluid flows based on the Stokes equations. Our approach relies on a level set formulation of the interface‐capturing problem, and involves a finite element discretization for the fluid resolution, the method of characteristics for solving the advection of the interface and the anisotropic mesh adaptation of the computational domain in the vicinity of the interface for better accuracy. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Three‐dimensional automatic local remeshing for two or more hybrid meshes
Authors: Ito Yasushi , Shih Alan M. , Soni Bharat K.
Published: March 2010

In this paper, an automatic local remeshing method is proposed for merging two or more hybrid meshes consisting of prisms, hexahedra, pyramids and tetrahedra to reduce users' efforts and turnaround time for mesh generation as an extension of the local remeshing method for small devices by Ito et al. (AIAA J. 2009; 47(5):1270–1276. DOI: 10.2514/1.40875). Two types of relationships between two volume meshes are considered: (1) a volume mesh containing the other smaller volume mesh inside (parent–child relationship) and (2) a volume mesh connecting to the other volume mesh (sibling relationship). The primary advantage of the proposed method over the existing ones is that it can handle the geometries in the two hybrid meshes intersecting each other. Two examples are shown to demonstrate the local remeshing method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Voice‐related quality of life (V‐RQOL) outcomes in laryngectomees
Authors: Moukarbel Roger V. , Doyle Philip C. , Yoo John H. , Franklin Jason H. , Day Adam M. B. , Fung Kevin
Published: March 2010

Background.

Laryngeal cancer has a significant impact on patients. This study compared the Voice‐Related Quality of Life (V‐RQOL) outcomes specific to 3 different postlaryngectomy voice rehabilitation methods.

Methods.

We conducted a retrospective review of 75 patients with laryngectomy from our V‐RQOL questionnaire database.

Results.

The database included 18 electrolaryngeal speech (ELS), 15 esophageal speech (ES), and 42 tracheoesophageal speech (TES) patients. Pairwise comparisons of V‐RQOL outcomes showed that TES was perceived to be better than ELS (p < .001). ES was perceived as better than ELS, but this was driven by a difference in the total and social–emotional V‐RQOL scores (p < .05). There was no difference between TES and ES groups. Only ELS showed a positive correlation with time after surgery and older age.

Conclusions.

Patients using TES had similar V‐RQOL outcomes compared to ES and both performed significantly better than ELS. For ELS, the total V‐RQOL score was better with longer time after surgery and older age. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011
Expression and function of iron‐regulatory proteins in retina
Authors: Gnana‐Prakasam Jaya P. , Martin Pamela M. , Smith Sylvia B. , Ganapathy Vadivel
Published: March 2010

Iron is essential for cell survival and function; yet excess iron is toxic to cells. Therefore, the cellular and whole‐body levels of iron are regulated exquisitely. At least a dozen proteins participate in the regulation of iron homeostasis. Hemochromatosis, a genetic disorder of iron overload, is caused by mutations in at least five genes, namely HFE, hemojuvelin, Transferrin receptor 2, ferroportin, and hepcidin. Retina is separated from systemic circulation by inner and outer blood‐retinal barriers; therefore it is widely believed that this tissue is immune to changes in systemic circulation. Even though hemochromatosis is associated with iron overload and dysfunction of a variety of systemic organs, little is known on the effects of this disease on the retina. Recent studies have shown that all five genes that are associated with hemochromatosis are expressed in the retina in a cell type‐specific manner. The retinal pigment epithelium, which forms the outer blood‐retinal barrier, expresses all of these five genes. It is therefore clearly evident that iron homeostasis in the retina is maintained locally by active participation of various iron‐regulatory proteins. Excess iron is detrimental to the retina as evidenced from human studies and from mouse models of iron overload. Retinal iron homeostasis is disrupted in various clinical conditions such as hemochromatosis, aceruloplasminemia, age‐related macular degeneration, and bacterial and viral infections. © 2010 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 62(5): 363–370, 2010
Modification of polymer networks with bone sialoprotein promotes cell attachment and spreading
Authors: Chan Wailen D. , Goldberg Harvey A. , Hunter Graeme K. , Dixon S. J. , Rizkalla Amin S.
Published: March 2010

Biomaterials used for tissue engineering scaffolds act as temporary substrates, on which cells deposit newly synthesized extracellular matrix. In cartilage tissue engineering, polycaprolactone/poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PCL/pHEMA) polymer blends have been used as scaffold materials, but their use in osseous tissue engineering has been more limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate modification of PCL/pHEMA surfaces with bone sialoprotein (BSP), an extracellular matrix protein important in regulating osseous tissue formation. Modification of surfaces with BSP significantly enhanced osteoblastic cell attachment and spreading, without compromising proliferation. Thus, BSP‐immobilization may be a useful strategy for optimizing scaffolds for skeletal tissue engineering. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010
Carboxymethyl‐chitin promotes chondrogenesis by inducing the production of growth factors from immune cells
Authors: Kariya Hiroyuki , Yoshihara Yusuke , Nakao Yumiko , Sakurai Nobuko , Ueno Masaru , Hashimoto Masahito , Suda Yasuo
Published: March 2010

Many techniques have been tested for their ability to restore cartilage defects, but several problems still remain in the complete healing of injured cartilage. In our previous study, we found that a carboxymethyl‐chitin/β‐tricalcium phosphate (CM‐chitin/β‐TCP) composite induced cartilage regeneration in the osteochondral defects of rabbits in vivo. We also found that CM‐chitin stimulated peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) in mice and induced several kinds of inflammatory cytokines and transforming growth factor beta‐1 (TGF‐β1). In this study, we examined whether CM‐chitin is responsible for the induction of chondrogenesis via the production of TGF‐β1 in vitro. The murine pluripotent cell line C3H10T1/2 was maintained as a micromass culture in conditioned medium prepared from PEC stimulated with and without CM‐chitin. CM‐chitin–conditioned medium induced RNA expression of the chondrogenic‐factor Sox9 and the matrix proteins aggrecan, Col2a1, and Comp. Their expression levels were decreased in the presence of anti‐TGF‐β1 antibody. The micromass tissues cultured in CM‐chitin conditioned medium at day 21 were clearly stained by Toluidine blue or Alcian blue (histological staining) and collagen II antibody (immunohistological staining), showing the expression of acidic glycosaminoglycan and type II collagen. Similar results were observed in micromass tissue stimulated with TGF‐β1 as a positive control. However, no chondrogenesis occurred when CM‐chitin was added directly to a C3H10T1/2 cell culture. These results indicated that CM‐chitin is a potent inducer of chondrogenesis via the induction of TGF‐β1 in immune cells. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010.
Concentrated collagen‐chondroitin sulfate scaffolds for tissue engineering applications
Authors: Liang Wan‐Hsiang , Kienitz Brian L. , Penick Kitsie J. , Welter Jean F. , Zawodzinski Thomas A. , Baskaran Harihara
Published: March 2010

Collagen‐chondroitin sulfate biomaterial scaffolds have been used in a number of tissue‐engineered products under development or in the clinics. In this article, we describe a new approach based on centrifugation for obtaining highly concentrated yet porous collagen scaffolds. Water uptake, chondroitin sulfate retention, morphology, mechanical properties, and tissue‐engineering potential of the concentrated scaffolds were investigated. Our results show that the new approach can lead to scaffolds containing four times as much collagen as that in conventional unconcentrated scaffolds. Further, water uptake in the concentrated scaffolds was significantly greater while chondroitin sulfate retention in the concentrated scaffolds was unaffected. The value of mean pore diameter in the concentrated scaffolds was smaller than that in the unconcentrated scaffolds and the walls of the pores in the former comprised of a continuous sheet of collagen. The mechanical properties measured as moduli of elasticity in compression and tension were improved by as much as 30 times in the concentrated scaffolds. In addition, our tissue culture results with human mesenchymal stem cells and foreskin keratinocytes show that the new scaffolds can be used for cartilage and skin tissue–engineering applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010.
Characterization of the chemotactic and mitogenic response of SMCs to PDGF‐BB and FGF‐2 in fibrin hydrogels
Authors: Ucuzian Areck A. , Brewster Luke P. , East Andrea T. , Pang Yongang , Gassman Andrew A. , Greisler Howard P.
Published: March 2010

The delivery of growth factors to cellularize biocompatible scaffolds like fibrin is a commonly used strategy in tissue engineering. We characterized smooth muscle cells (SMC) proliferation and chemotaxis in response to PDGF‐BB and FGF‐2, alone and in combination, in 2D culture and in 3D fibrin hydrogels. While both growth factors induced an equipotent mitogenic response in 2D culture, only FGF‐2 was significantly mitogenic for SMCs in 3D culture. Only PDGF‐BB was significantly chemotactic in a modified Boyden chamber assay. In a 3D assay of matrix invasion, both growth factors induced an invasive response into the fibrin hydrogel in both proliferating and nonproliferating, mitomycin C (MMC) treated cells. The invasive response was less attenuated by the inhibition of proliferation in PDGF‐BB stimulated cells compared with FGF‐2 stimulated cells. We conclude that SMCs cultured in fibrin hydrogels have a more robust chemotactic response to PDGF‐BB compared with FGF‐2, and that the response to FGF‐2 is more dependent on cell proliferation. Delivery of both growth factors together potentiates the chemotactic, but not mitogenic response to either growth factor alone. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010
Endothelialization of PVA/gelatin cryogels for vascular tissue engineering: Effect of disturbed shear stress conditions
Authors: Vrana Nihal Engin , Cahill Paul A. , McGuinness Garrett B.
Published: March 2010

Mechanically, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)‐based cryogels are extremely well suited for vascular tissue engineering applications. However, their surface properties lead to a slow rate of endothelialization, and the mode of cell attachment leaves the endothelium susceptible to removal under physiological shear stress conditions. In this study, abrupt and ramped disturbed shear stress conditions created by a turbulent orbital flow were used to examine endothelialization on PVA/gelatin cryogels. Cell proliferation rate and apoptosis were evaluated by fluorescent activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis, and the expression of cell‐adhesion molecules was used to evaluate the response of cells on cryogels to static and shear conditions by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Application of a ramped shear stress had a profound effect on endothelial cell proliferation (22.30 ± 0.20‐fold increase), necrosis (eliminated), apoptosis (1.04 ± 0.18 increase), and overall facilitation of endothelialization while concomitantly increasing nitric oxide (NO) synthesis levels. Ramped shear stress was also effective in helping the retention of the endothelial cells on the cryogel surface, whereas abrupt application caused widespread removal. Under static conditions, Selectin‐P expression decreased, whereas both inter‐cellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM)‐I expression increased on cryogels over a 10‐day culture period. Under both shear stress conditions, Selectin‐P expression was decreased both on cryogels and tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS). Controlled application of disturbed shear stress shortens endothelialization times on cryogel surfaces, in contrast to the established antiproliferative effect of shear stress caused by laminar flow, without compromising their functionality. This demonstrates how such mechanical stimuli can be exploited to alter cellular behavior and facilitate the required outcomes for tissue engineering applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010.
Sonography of the normal greater occipital nerve and obliquus capitis inferior muscle
Authors: Suk Cho John Chin , Haun Daniel W. , Kettner Norman W. , Scali Frank , Clark Thomas B.
Published: March 2010

Background.

To use sonography to measure the cross‐sectional area (CSA) of the greater occipital nerve (GON) and the adjacent obliquus capitis inferior muscle (OCI) in normal subjects.

Methods.

Data from 30 asymptomatic subjects between the ages of 22 and 35 were collected. CSA and circumference of the GON and CSA of OCI were measured using sonography. Interexaminer reliability analysis was performed using the intraclass correlation coefficient.

Results.

The CSA of the GON and OCI were 2 mm2 ± 1 mm2 and 1.86 cm2 ± 0.51 cm2, respectively. The average circumference of the GON was 4.8 mm ± 1.3 mm. The interexaminer reliability of the measurements was excellent with intraclass correlation coefficient coefficients of 0.91, 0.84, and 0.73 for the GON CSA, GON circumference, and OCI CSA, respectively.

Conclusion.

We report the normal values of the CSA of the GON and OCI. Knowledge of these normal values may facilitate the diagnosis of GON entrapment and provide outcome measures in therapeutic interventions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2010
Synthesis of 14‐aryl‐14H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes catalyzed by acyclic acidic ionic liquids
Authors: Fang Dong , Liu Zu‐Liang
Published: March 2010

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Some recyclable acyclic SO3H‐functionalized ionic liquids have been used as novel catalysts for the synthesis of 14‐aryl‐14H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes via the one‐pot condensation of β‐naphthol and aromatic aldehydes in aqueous medium. The condensation reaction was accomplished successfully with various aromatic aldehydes with good to excellent yields ranged from 86 to 96% within 5–30 min. After the reaction, the products could simply be separated from the catalysts by filtration. When separated from the reaction mixture, the catalysts could be recycled and reused for several times without noticeably reducing catalytic activity. The methodology gives the advantages of high yields, short reaction time, and easy work‐up procedure. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2010).
Precipitation characteristics and its impact on vegetation restoration in Minqin County, Gansu Province, northwest China
Authors: Du Jianhui , Yan Ping , Dong Yuxiang
Published: March 2010

Annual, seasonal, monthly and daily precipitation records of Minqin County over 1953–2007 were analysed. In addition, the effects of changing precipitation patterns on vegetative restoration in this area were examined. Annual average precipitation in this area showed a non‐significant (p > 0.05) increasing trend, and 76.9% of the rainfall occurred from June to September. Light rain events accounted for a large percentage of the total rainfall event frequency and total annual precipitation. Rainy days have increased by 5.2 days over the past 55 years, with rainfall events of 0–5 and 5–10 mm showing an increasing trend. The 0–5‐mm rainfall events contributed 82.3% of the annual precipitation events from 1953 to 2007. These events occurred consistently across different years and gradually became the dominant precipitation type in the study region. Other higher precipitation size classes did not show any apparent trend across the months or years studied, occurring 0–2 times per year. Precipitation in the spring, autumn and winter showed an increasing trend, while a decreasing trend was observed in the summer. The number of 1‐ and 2‐day and longer than 2‐day rainfall events showed an increasing trend, with the 1‐ and 2‐day events being more frequent. In addition, the number of short and long drought periods also increased, with the number of long droughts showing an increasing trend. Precipitation variation patterns had a great impact on vegetative succession in this area. Species that mainly use topsoil water may be more adaptive future light precipitation patterns. Thus, plants with shallow roots, especially with adventitious roots, and resistant to sand burial should be used for future ecological restoration in this area. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
Children's mental health care following Hurricane Katrina: A field trial of trauma‐focused psychotherapies
Authors: Jaycox Lisa H. , Cohen Judith A. , Mannarino Anthony P. , Walker Douglas W. , Langley Audra K. , Gegenheimer Kate L. , Scott Molly , Schonlau Matthias
Published: March 2010

New Orleans school children participated in an assessment and field trial of two interventions 15 months after Hurricane Katrina. Children (N = 195) reported on hurricane exposure, lifetime trauma exposure, peer and parent support, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depressive symptoms. Teachers reported on behavior. At baseline, 60.5% screened positive for PTSD symptoms and were offered a group intervention at school or individual treatment at a mental health clinic. Uptake of the mental health care was uneven across intervention groups, with 98% beginning the school intervention, compared to 37% beginning at the clinic. Both treatments led to significant symptom reduction of PTSD symptoms, but many still had elevated PTSD symptoms at posttreatment. Implications for future postdisaster mental health work are discussed.
Optimal Bayesian Design of Experiments Applied to Nitroxide‐Mediated Radical Polymerization
Authors: Nabifar Afsaneh , McManus Neil T. , Vivaldo‐Lima Eduardo , Reilly Park M. , Penlidis Alexander
Published: March 2010

Bayesian design of experiments is a powerful method which offers several distinct benefits over standard experimental designs. The basics of the method are briefly described, followed by four case studies giving a step‐by‐step illustration of its application to both bimolecular and unimolecular NMRP. Firstly, the Bayesian design is an improvement with respect to information content retrieved from process data. It allows one to change the levels of factors with relative ease and is flexible and “cost”‐effective with respect to the number of experiments. More importantly, the method has the ability to incorporate into the design prior knowledge coming from a variety of sources. Diagnostic criteria can shed more light on the quality of prior knowledge and the significance of estimated effects.

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Ghost forces and spurious effects in atomic‐to‐continuum coupling methods by the Arlequin approach
Authors: Chamoin Ludovic , Prudhomme Serge , Ben Dhia H. , Oden Tinsley
Published: March 2010

The main objective of this work is to identify spurious effects and propose a corrective method when coupling a particle model involving long–range interaction potentials with a first gradient homogenized model using the Arlequin framework. The most significant spurious effects are generally created by the so‐called ghost forces that arise in coupling methods based on the minimization of a global energy functional. They depend as well on the coupling formulation itself, on the notion of representative volume element, and on the discretization of the continuum model. The proposed corrective technique is based on post‐processing of the approximate solution by introducing dead forces that can be systematically evaluated and consistently inserted within the Arlequin formulation. Efficiency of the corrective procedure is demonstrated on 1D and 2D examples. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular diagnosis of Shwachman–Diamond syndrome in a child with incomplete clinical disease phenotype
Authors: Linden Tobias , Ehlert Karoline , Niemeyer Charlotte M. , Fleischhack Gudrun , Jürgens Heribert , Rossig Claudia
Published: March 2010

We report a 6‐year‐old female with congenital bone marrow failure, who was referred for allogeneic stem cell transplantation. An initial work‐up in infancy had not revealed any consistent symptoms associated with an inherited syndrome. Computed tomography of her abdomen for gastrointestinal bleeding after transplantation incidentally revealed a fat‐replaced pancreas and led to the molecular diagnosis of Shwachman–Diamond syndrome (SDS) in the absence of clinical exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. We conclude that SDS may escape the clinical consensus criteria for the disease. Increased awareness of unusual presentations may allow confirming the suspected diagnosis by molecular analysis and ensure optimal management. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2010;55:177–179. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Predictors of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
Authors: ElAlfy Mohssen , Farid Samar , Maksoud Abeer Abdel
Published: March 2010

Background

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is a hematological disorder with heterogeneous manifestation and unpredictable outcome. This study reviewed the pattern of presentation and response to therapy in patients with ITP, in order to identify risk factors for chronic disease.

Procedure

The study included all patients diagnosed as ITP between January1998 and December 2007.

Results

Sixty‐five percent of the patients had acute and 34.9% had chronic ITP. Patients with chronic ITP had a higher mean age at diagnosis (P = 0.0000003). Females more than 10 years of age were more susceptible than males to follow a chronic course (P = 0.031). Febrile illness preceded the onset of ITP in 167 patients, 76.0% of them had an acute course (P = 0.000037). Moderate and severe bleeding occurred in 11.34% and 7.27% of the patients, respectively. Fifty‐four patients (15.7%) improved without any specific treatment. Corticosteroids were used as a first‐line treatment in 209 patients and showed a total response of 76.6% compared to 85.7% and 84% for IVIG and anti‐D immunoglobulin treated patients, respectively.

Conclusion

The most relevant risk factors for the development of chronic ITP included a gradual mode of onset of symptoms over more than 2 weeks period, initial platelet count >20 × 109/L, and age more than 10 years at presentation. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2010;54:959–962 © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Long‐term survivors of childhood cancer report quality of life and health status in parity with a comparison group
Authors: Sundberg Kay K. , Doukkali Eva , Lampic Claudia , Eriksson Lars E. , Arvidson Johan , Wettergren Lena
Published: March 2010

Background

There is a need for more knowledge about how survivors of childhood cancer perceive their lives and what influence current health status has on their quality of life. The purpose was to describe this among a group of long‐term survivors and among a comparison group.

Procedure

Telephone interviews were performed with a cohort of 246 long‐term survivors and 296 randomly selected from the general population using the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life—Direct Weighting (SEIQoL‐DW). The participants nominated the areas they considered to be most important in life and rated the current status of each area on a seven‐point category scale. An overall individual index score was calculated as a measure of quality of life. Self‐reported health status was assessed using the Short Form Health Survey (SF‐36).

Results

Long‐term survivors rated their overall quality of life and self‐reported health status almost in parity with the comparison group. In both groups, family life, relations to other people, work and career, interests and leisure activities were the areas most frequently reported to influence quality of life. The survivors only differed from the comparison group on one of eight SF‐36 scales reflecting problems with daily activities owing to physical health.

Conclusions

Health status was not shown to have a major impact on overall quality of life, indicating that health and quality of life should be evaluated distinctively as different constructs. This should be taken in consideration in clinical care of children with childhood cancer and long‐term survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:337–343. © 2010 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
Infant leukemia and congenital abnormalities: A Children's Oncology Group study
Authors: Johnson Kimberly J. , Roesler Michelle A. , Linabery Amy M. , Hilden Joanne M. , Davies Stella M. , Ross Julie A.
Published: March 2010

Background

Leukemia in infants is rare and has not been well studied apart from leukemia in older children. Differences in survival and the molecular characteristics of leukemia in infants versus older children suggest a distinct etiology, likely involving prenatal factors.

Procedure

We examined the association between eight categories of maternally reported congenital abnormalities (CAs) (cleft lip or palate, spina bifida or other spinal defect, large or multiple birthmarks, other chromosomal abnormalities, small head or microcephaly, rib abnormalities, urogenital abnormalities, and other) and infant leukemia in a case–control study. The study included 443 cases diagnosed at <1 year of age at a Children's Oncology Group Institution in the United States or Canada from 1996 to 2006 and 324 controls. Controls were recruited from the cases' geographic area either by random digit dialing (1999–2002) or through birth certificates (2003–2008) and were frequency‐matched to cases on birth year. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression after adjustment for birth year and a measure of follow‐up time to account for differences in the CA observation period.

Results

No statistically significant associations were observed between infant leukemia and any CA (OR = 1.2; 95% CI: 0.8–1.9), birthmarks (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.7–2.5), urogenital abnormalities (OR = 0.7; 95% CI: 0.2–2.0), or other CA (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.7–2.8). Results were similar for acute lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemia cases. Fewer than five subjects were in the remaining CA categories precluding analysis.

Conclusions

Overall, we did not find evidence to support an association between CAs and infant leukemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2010;55:95–99. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The effect of warfarin use on clinical stage and histological grade of prostate cancer
Authors: Tagalakis V. , Tamim H.
Published: March 2010

Purpose

Prolonged warfarin use may decrease the risk of prostate cancer. We aimed to assess the effect of warfarin on histological grade and clinical stage of prostate cancer at diagnosis.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective population‐based cohort study of men older than 50 years of age diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1985 and 2002 and registered with the Saskatchewan Cancer Registry. We compared a composite score of histological grade and clinical stage of prostate cancer at diagnosis according to warfarin use in the 5 years preceding the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Results

Compared with non‐users, men with at least 2 years of cumulative warfarin use in the 5 year period preceding the diagnosis of prostate cancer were at a lower risk of a poor prognosis composite score at the time of their prostate cancer diagnosis (OR 0.40, 95%CI (0.19–0.83)), and when intermediate and poor prognosis scores were combined, a similar estimate of association was observed (OR 0.55, 95%CI (0.33–0.91)), adjusted for age at diagnosis and year of diagnosis. However, an increased risk of poor prognosis disease was observed with 4 years of cumulative warfarin use compared to never use (OR 2.2, 95%CI (1.03–4.81)).

Conclusions

There is a suggestion that at least 2 years of warfarin use is associated with a more favourable prognosis but that extended duration of use beyond 2 years may be associated with poor prognosis disease. Further investigation with a more complete assessment of confounders and that addresses potential detection biases is warranted. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Worldviews and Individual Vulnerability to Suicide: The Role of Social Axioms
Authors: Lam Ben C. P. , Bond Michael Harris , Chen Sylvia Xiaohua , Wu Wesley C. H.
Published: March 2010

Research investigating the role of generalized beliefs about the world or worldviews is relatively scarce in the suicide literature. Two studies, using Hong Kong Chinese samples, examined how worldviews, as assessed by the Social Axioms Survey (SAS), were linked with individual vulnerability to suicide. In Study 1, we investigated the relationships of social axioms with various suicide indicators in cognitive, emotional and interpersonal domains, viz., suicidal ideation, negative self–esteem, psychache, burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Results from canonical correlation analysis showed that beliefs along the axiom dimensions of social cynicism, reward for application, and social complexity were linked to these suicide indicators. In Study 2, we tested the interplay of worldviews and personality traits in the prediction of suicidal thoughts. Hierarchical regression results demonstrated the predictive power of social axioms over and above that provided by the Big Five personality dimensions. Moreover, a significant interaction was observed between belief in reward for application and negative life events in predicting suicidal ideation, showing that reward for application buffered the effect of negative life events on suicidal ideation. Based on these results, we discussed the significance of worldviews as a consideration in suicide research and their implications for clinical assessment and intervention. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chiral recognition in self‐complexes of diketopiperazine derivatives
Authors: Blanco Fernando , Alkorta Ibon , Rozas Isabel , Elguero Jose
Published: March 2010

The chiral discrimination in the self‐association of 2,5‐diketopiperazines derivatives has been studied using density functional theory (DFT) methods. Hence, clusters from dimers to tetramers have been considered. We have found a variety of linear and cyclic structures depending on the geometry of the monomers. In general, the heterochiral dimers (RR:SSorSS:RR) are more stable than the homochiral ones (RR:RRorSS:SS) with slight energetic differences. Nevertheless, most of the larger clusters (trimers and tetramers) show changes in stability, the homochiral cyclic structures being favored due to the better geometry of the hydrogen bond and/or the higher number of interactions. Some interesting correlations between the hydrogen bond geometrical descriptors and theoretical parameters obtained from theNatural Bond Orbitalanalysis (NBO),Natural energy decomposition analysis(NEDA), and theAtoms in Moleculestheory (AIM) have been found. The chiral discrimination in the recognition process of these self‐complexes has been evaluated. In addition, evidence of cooperative effects has been observed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Patient and oncologist estimates of survival in advanced cancer patients
Authors: Kao Steven C. H. , Butow Phyllis , Bray Victoria , Clarke Stephen J. , Vardy Janette
Published: March 2010

Objective: There is little information about the accuracy of patient perceptions of their life expectancy. Here, we compare patient perceptions of their outlook and their oncologist's estimates of life expectancy to actual survival.

Methods: The Unmet Needs Study recruited patients with metastatic cancer. Oncologists were asked to estimate patient survival as: (1) weeks; (2) months; (3) <1 year; (4)<2 years; and (5) >2 years. Patients were asked to estimate their outlook on a numerical scale from 1–7. Patient and oncologist estimates were compared with actual survival.

Results: Complete survival data were available for 50 patients: median age 63.5 years; 48% male; tumor types: 32% colorectal, 24% lung, 10% upper gastrointestinal cancer, 12% unknown primary; and median survival 6.8 months. The oncologists were 32% accurate in predicting survival and overestimated survival 42% of the time (weighted kappa=0.34). The correlation between self‐reported patient outlook and survival was modest (Spearman's rho=0.36, p=0.01). The median survival for categories of outlook of 1–3, 4–5, and 6–7 were 4.4, 5.4, and 14.8 months, respectively (p=0.01). Overseas‐born patient was the only independent predictor for the oncologists' accurate estimates (p=0.01).

Conclusions: Oncologists were relatively poor at predicting survival and tended to be optimistic in their prognostication. The probability of survival significantly decreased with worse self‐reported patient outlook. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Poor physical health predicts time to additional breast cancer events and mortality in breast cancer survivors
Authors: Saquib Nazmus , Pierce John P. , Saquib Juliann , Flatt Shirley W. , Natarajan Loki , Bardwell Wayne A. , Patterson Ruth E. , Stefanick Marcia L. , Thomson Cynthia A. , Rock Cheryl L. , Jones Lovell A. , Gold Ellen B. , Karanja Njeri , Parker Barbara A.
Published: March 2010

Background: Health‐related quality of life has been hypothesized to predict time to additional breast cancer events and all‐cause mortality in breast cancer survivors.

Methods: Women with early‐stage breast cancer (n=2967) completed the SF‐36 (mental and physical health‐related quality of life) and standardized psychosocial questionnaires to assess social support, optimism, hostility, and depression prior to randomization into a dietary trial. Cox regression was performed to assess whether these measures of quality of life and psychosocial functioning predicted time to additional breast cancer events and all‐cause mortality; hazard ratios were the measure of association.

Results: There were 492 additional breast cancer events and 301 deaths occurred over a median 7.3 years (range: 0.01–10.8 years) of follow‐up. In multivariate models, poorer physical health was associated with both decreased time to additional breast cancer events and all‐cause mortality (p trend=0.005 and 0.004, respectively), while greater hostility predicted additional breast cancer events only (p trend=0.03). None of the other psychosocial variables predicted either outcome. The hazard ratios comparing persons with poor (bottom two quintiles) to better (top three quintiles) physical health were 1.42 (95% CI: 1.16, 1.75) for decreased time to additional breast cancer events and 1.37 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.74) for all‐cause mortality. Potentially modifiable factors associated with poor physical health included higher body mass index, lower physical activity, lower alcohol consumption, and more insomnia (p<0.05 for all).

Conclusion: Interventions to improve physical health should be tested as a means to increase time to additional breast cancer events and mortality among breast cancer survivors. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structure and DNA binding characteristics of the three‐Cys2His2 domain of mouse testis zinc finger protein
Authors: Chou Chun‐Chi , Lou Yuan‐Chao , Tang Tang K. , Chen Chinpan
Published: March 2010

The C‐terminal three‐Cys2His2 zinc‐finger domain (TZD) of mouse testis zinc‐finger protein binds to the 5′‐TGTACAGTGT‐3′ at the Aie1 (aurora‐C) promoter with high specificity. Interestingly, the primary sequence of TZD is unique, possessing two distinct linkers, TGEKP and GAAP, and distinct residues at presumed DNA binding sites at each finger, especially finger 3. A Kd value of ∼10−8
M was obtained from surface plasmon resonance analysis for the TZD‐DNA complex. NMR structure of the free TZD showed that each zinc finger forms a typical ββα fold. On binding to DNA, chemical shift perturbations and the R2 transverse relaxation rate in finger 3 are significantly smaller than those in fingers 1 and 2, which indicates that the DNA binding affinity in finger 3 is weaker. Furthermore, the shift perturbations between TZD in complex with the cognate DNA and its serial mutants revealed that both ADE7 and CYT8, underlined in 5′‐ATATGTACAGTGTTAT‐3′, are critical in specific binding, and the DNA binding in finger 3 is sequence independent. Remarkably, the shift perturbations in finger 3 on the linker mutation of TZD (GAAP mutated to TGEKP) were barely detected, which further indicates that finger 3 does not play a critical role in DNA sequence‐specific recognition. The complex model showed that residues important for DNA binding are mainly located on positions −1, 2, 3, and 6 of α‐helices in fingers 1 and 2. The DNA sequence and nonsequence‐specific bindings occurring simultaneously in TZD provide valuable information for better understanding of protein–DNA recognition. Proteins 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.