bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A population‐based multistate model for diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma–specific mortality in older patients
Authors: Çağlayan Çağlar , Goldstein Jordan S. , Ayer Turgay , Rai Ashish , Flowers Christopher R. 
Published: February 2019

BackgroundDespite effective therapies, outcomes for diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLCBL) remain heterogeneous in older individuals due to comorbid diseases and variations in disease biology.MethodsUsing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)‐Medicare database, the authors conducted a multistate survival analysis of 11,780 patients with DLBCL who were aged ≥65 years at the time of diagnosis (2002‐2009). Cox proportional hazards models were used to specify the impact of prognostic factors on overall survival and cause‐specific deaths, and the Aalen‐Johansen estimator was used to project the course of DLBCL over time with or without standard therapy with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R‐CHOP).ResultsAdvanced age (hazard ratio [HR] for ages 71‐75 years: 1.25; HR for ages 76‐80 years: 1.46; HR for ages 81‐85 years: 1.88; and HR for age ≥86 years: 2.26), DLBCL stage (HR for Ann Arbor stage II: 1.28; HR for stage III: 1.54; and HR for stage IV: 1.95), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) ≥1 (HR for CCI of 1, 1.15; and HR for CCI >1, 1.37), and not being married (HR, 1.12) were associated with an increased risk of DLBCL‐specific death. Being female (HR, 0.91) and of higher socioeconomic status (HR, 0.91) were associated with a lower risk of DLBCL‐related mortality after therapy. For patients treated with R‐CHOP (3610 patients), the risk of death due to DLBCL was 14.0% and 18.6%, respectively, at 2 and 5 years of treatment and plateaued afterward, confirming a 5‐year “cure” point while receiving R‐CHOP among older patients.ConclusionsConducting a survival analysis over a large data set, the current study evaluated competing risks for death within a multistate modeling framework, and identified age, sex, and CCI as risk factors for DLBCL‐specific and other causes of death.
A new baseline for countrywide α‐diversity and species distributions: illustration using >6,000 plant species in Panama
Authors: Leung Brian , Hudgins Emma J. , Potapova Anna , Ruiz‐Jaen Maria C. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractEstimating α‐diversity and species distributions provides baseline information to understand factors such as biodiversity loss and erosion of ecosystem services. Yet, species surveys typically cover a small portion of any country's landmass. Public, global databases could help, but contain biases. Thus, the magnitude of bias should be identified and ameliorated, the value of integration determined, and application to current policy issues illustrated. The ideal integrative approach should be powerful, flexible, efficient, and conceptually straightforward. We estimated distributions for >6,000 species, integrating species sightings (S) from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), systematic survey data (S2), and “bias‐adjustment kernels” (BaK) using spatial and species trait databases (S2BaK). We validated our approach using both locational and species holdout sets, and then applied our predictive model to Panama. Using sightings alone (the most common approach) discriminated relative probabilities of occurrences well (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.88), but underestimated actual probabilities by ~4,000%, while using survey data alone omitted over three‐quarters of the >6,000 species. Comparatively, S2BaK had no systematic underestimation, and substantially stronger discrimination (AUC = 0.96) and predictive power (deviance explained = 47%). Our model suggested high diversity (~200% countrywide mean) where urban development is projected to occur (the Panama Canal watershed) and also suggested this is not due to higher sampling intensity. However, portions of the Caribbean coast and eastern Panama (the Darién Gap) were even higher, both for total plant biodiversity (~250% countrywide mean), and CITES listed species. Finally, indigenous territories appeared half as diverse as other regions, based on survey observations. However, our model suggested this was largely due to site selection, and that richness in and out of indigenous territories was roughly equal. In brief, we provide arguably the best estimate of countrywide plant α‐diversity and species distributions in the Neotropics, and make >6,000 species distributions available. We identify regions of overlap between development and high biodiversity, and improve interpretation of biodiversity patterns, including for policy‐relevant CITES species, and locations with limited access (i.e., indigenous territories). We derive a powerful, flexible, efficient and simple estimation approach for biodiversity science.
Wind speed variability study based on the Hurst coefficient and fractal dimensional analysis
Authors: Cadenas Erasmo , Campos‐Amezcua Rafael , Rivera Wilfrido , Espinosa‐Medina Marco Antonio , Méndez‐Gordillo Alma Rosa , Rangel Eduardo , Tena Jorge 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis paper presents a study of a wind speed time series from La Venta, Oaxaca, Mexico. The time series consists of anemometric measurements taken by the Federal Electricity Commission of Mexico throughout a little over 6 years. The study was conducted to calculate the Hurst correlation coefficient using: box counting, rescaled range, power spectrum, detrended fluctuation analysis, and multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis techniques. The main objective of this research is to know the correlation among wind speed data to obtain a better description of real conditions of the time series, which is not always available, and to define the structure of its behavior. In this way, more suitable wind speed prediction models can be achieved. Results obtained from techniques above were used to generate fractals time series for a typical month, using the Hurst coefficient and a self‐affine trace generator, which produces fractals time series whose probability distribution is always normal. These time series were compared against time series generated by using random numbers with Gaussian behavior and the characteristics of a typical month. Fractals time series highlight in the qualitative part regarding the modeling of wind speed variability and the descriptive statistics (average, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation), which is similar to the real series. Discordance tests were applied to the datasets to detect deviated values, and so ensure the normal behavior of the samples. These tests showed the existence of different populations with normal behavior in the samples that had bimodal characteristics. By separating the samples, it was possible to apply the self‐affine trace generator to each population found, to generate the fractal time series. An additional objective was to find the level of change in the structure of the original series concerning its statistical and fractal characteristics at different window widths of the time series (daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual) to identify either a specific tendency or dynamic behavior. The results showed a wind speed time series with a negative correlation (antipersistent), a high degree of scale invariance (homothetic), and a fractal dimension very close to 2, thus indicating that the time series is more irregular than a random process.
Cooperative non‐orthogonal multiple access with SWIPT over Nakagami‐m fading channels
Authors: Kader Md. Fazlul , Uddin Mohammed Belal , Islam Anik , Shin Soo Young 
Published: February 2019

AbstractTo meet with both the energy and spectral efficiency, cooperative non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) (termed as CNOMA) and simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) are integrated in this paper. Two different protocols such as CNOMA‐SWIPT‐PS and CNOMA‐SWIPT‐TS are proposed, by employing power‐splitting (PS) and time‐switching (TS) energy harvesting (EH) techniques, respectively. In the proposed protocols, a base station (BS) directly communicates with a NOMA near user, whereas the communication with a NOMA far user is performed with the assistance of an energy‐constrained relay node. The relay node harvests energy from the transmitted signal by the BS, employing PS or TS EH technique. We investigate ergodic sum capacity and outage probability of the proposed protocols along with analytical derivations over Nakagami‐m fading channels. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed schemes over existing strategy and conventional multiple access is demonstrated through analysis and simulation.
Acute leukemias harboring KMT2A/MLLT10 fusion: a 10‐year experience from a single genomics laboratory
Authors: Peterson Jess F. , Sukov William R. , Pitel Beth A. , Smoley Stephanie A. , Pearce Kathryn E. , Meyer Reid G. , Williamson Cynthia M. , Smadbeck James B. , Vasmatzis George , Hoppman Nicole L. , Greipp Patricia T. , Baughn Linda B. , Ketterling Rhett P. 
Published: February 2019

ABSTRACTThe MLLT10 (formerly AF10) gene is the fourth most common KMT2A fusion partner across all acute leukemias and requires at least 3 breaks to form an in‐frame KMT2A/MLLT10 fusion due to the opposite orientation of each gene. A 10‐year retrospective review was performed to identify individuals from all age groups that harbor KMT2A/MLLT10 fusion obtained by our KMT2A/MLLT10 dual‐color dual‐fusion fluorescence in situ hybridization (D‐FISH) assay. Of the 60 unique individuals identified, 31 were male and 29 were female (M:F ratio, 1.1:1) with ages ranging from 3 days to 86 years (mean 21.5 years, median 5.5 years). The diagnoses included acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (49 patients, 82%), B‐ or T‐lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (7 patients, 12%), myeloid sarcoma (3 patients, 5%), and a single case (2%) of undifferentiated leukemia. Twenty‐seven of 49 patients (55%) with AML were in the infant or pediatric age group. Fifty‐three of 60 patients (88%) had KMT2A/MLLT10 D‐FISH signal patterns mostly consisting of single fusions. In addition, 10 (26%) of 38 patients with conventional chromosome studies had “normal” (5 patients) or abnormal (5 patients) chromosome studies that lacked structural or numeric abnormalities involving chromosomes 10 or 11, implying cryptic cytogenetic mechanisms for KMT2A/MLLT10 fusion. Lastly, mate‐pair sequencing was performed on 4 AML cases, 2 of which had “normal” chromosome studies and cryptic KMT2A/MLLT10 fusion as detected by KMT2A/MLLT10 D‐FISH studies, and verified the multiple breaks required to generate KMT2A/MLLT10 fusion.
Social networks and loneliness in people with Alzheimer's dementia
Authors: Balouch Sara , Rifaat Enas , Chen Henglien Lisa , Tabet Naji 
Published: February 2019

ObjectivesModifiable lifestyle risk factors are of great interest in the prevention and management of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Loneliness and social networks may influence onset of AD, but little is known about this relationship in people with AD. The current study aimed to explore the relationship between loneliness and social networks (social measures) and cognitive and psychopathology decline (AD outcomes) in people with AD.MethodsNinety‐three participants with mild to moderate AD were recruited from memory clinics, in a cross‐sectional study. Social networks (measured by the Lubben Social Network Scale‐6), feelings of loneliness (measured by De Jong Loneliness Scale), cognition (measured by the Standardized Mini‐Mental State Examination), and psychopathology (measured by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory) were assessed in an interview setting. Two multiple regressions with bootstrap were conducted on cognition and psychopathology as outcome variables. Family and friends subsets of social networks and loneliness were entered as predictors and age, gender, and depression as covariates.ResultsThe friendship subset of social networks was significantly related to cognition (independent of age, gender, depression, loneliness, and family subset of social network): B = 0.284, P = 0.01. Neither loneliness nor social networks predicted psychopathology (Ps > 0.05).ConclusionsMaintaining or developing a close friendship network could be beneficial for cognition in people with AD. Alternatively, greater dementia severity may lead to fewer friends. More research on the direction of this relationship in people with AD is needed.
A Randomized, Controlled, Phase 2 Study of Maralixibat in the Treatment of Itching Associated With Primary Biliary Cholangitis
Authors: Mayo Marlyn J. , Pockros Paul J. , Jones David , Bowlus Christopher L. , Levy Cynthia , Patanwala Imran , Bacon Bruce , Luketic Velimir , Vuppalanchi Raj , Medendorp Sharon , Dorenbaum Alejandro , Kennedy Ciara , Novak Patricia , Gu Joan , Apostol George , Hirschfield Gideon M. 
Published: February 2019

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is typically associated with elevated serum bile acid levels and pruritus, but pruritus is often refractory to treatment with existing therapies. This phase 2 study assessed the efficacy and safety of maralixibat, a selective, ileal, apical, sodium‐dependent, bile acid transporter inhibitor, in adults with PBC and pruritus. Adults with PBC and pruritus who had received ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for ≥6 months or were intolerant to UDCA were randomized 2:1 to maralixibat (10 or 20 mg/day) or placebo for 13 weeks in combination with UDCA (when tolerated). The primary outcome was change in Adult Itch Reported Outcome (ItchRO™) average weekly sum score (0, no itching; 70, maximum itching) from baseline to week 13/early termination (ET). The study enrolled 66 patients (maralixibat [both doses combined], n = 42; placebo, n = 24). Mean ItchRO™ weekly sum scores decreased from baseline to week 13/ET with maralixibat (–26.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], –31.8, –21.2) and placebo (–23.4; 95% CI, –30.3, –16.4). The difference between groups was not significant (P = 0.48). In the maralixibat and placebo groups, adverse events (AEs) were reported in 97.6% and 70.8% of patients, respectively. Gastrointestinal disorders were the most frequently reported AEs (maralixibat, 78.6%; placebo, 50.0%). Conclusion: Reductions in pruritus did not differ significantly between maralixibat and placebo. However, a large placebo effect may have confounded assessment of pruritus. Lessons learned from this rigorously designed and executed trial are indispensable for understanding how to approach trials assessing pruritus as the primary endpoint and the therapeutic window of bile acid uptake inhibition as a therapeutic strategy in PBC.
Histological, immunohistochemical, and genomic evaluation of excisional and diabetic wounds treated with human Wharton’s jelly stem cells with and without a nanocarrier
Authors: Raj Vaishnevi , Claudine Stephanie , Subramanian Arjunan , Tam Kimberley , Biswas Arijit , Bongso Ariff , Fong Chui‐Yee 
Published: February 2019

AbstractWe showed in previous studies that human umbilical cord Wharton’s jelly stem cells (hWJSCs) improved the healing rates of excisional and diabetic wounds in the mouse model. As an extension of those studies, we report here the more detailed quantitative histological, immunohistochemical, and genomic evaluation of biopsies from those excisional and diabetic wounds in an attempt to understand the mechanisms of the enhanced wound healing aided by hWJSCs. Bright‐field microscopic observations and ImageJ software analysis on histological sections of the excisional and diabetic wound biopsies collected at different time points showed that the thickness of the epidermis and dermis, and positive picrosirius‐red stained areas for collagen, were significantly greater in the presence of hWJSCs compared with controls (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry of the diabetic wound biopsies showed increased positive staining for the vascular endothelial marker CD31 and cell proliferation marker Ki67 in the presence of hWJSCs and its conditioned medium (hWJSC‐CM). Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction showed upregulation of groups of genes involved in extracellular matrix regulation, collagen biosynthesis, angiogenesis, antifibrosis, granulation, and immunomodulation in the presence of hWJSCs. Taken together, the results demonstrated that hWJSCs and hWJSC‐CM that contains the paracrine secretions of hWJSCs, enhance the healing of excisional and diabetic wounds via re‐epithelialization, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and immunomodulation. The inclusion of an
Aloe vera‐polycaprolactone (AV/PCL) nanocarrier did not significantly change the effect of the hWJSCs. However, the topical application of an AV/PCL nanocarrier impregnated with hWJSCs is convenient and less invasive than the administration of hWJSC injections into wounds.
Group divisible designs with block size four and type —II
Authors: Forbes A. D. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractWe show that the necessary conditions for the existence of group divisible designs with block size four (4‐GDDs) of type are sufficient for (mod ),  = 39, 51, 57, 69, 87, 93, 111, 123 and 129, and for  = 13, 17, 19, 23, 25, 29, 31 and 35. More generally, we show that for (mod 6), the possible exceptions occur only when , and there are no exceptions at all if has a divisor such that (mod 4) or is a prime not greater than 43. Hence, there are no exceptions when (mod 12). Consequently, we are able to extend the known spectrum for and 5 (mod 6). Also, we complete the spectrum for 4‐GDDs of type .
SPARC promotes the proliferation and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma by PI3K/AKT/PDGFB/PDGFRβ axis
Authors: Jing Yue , Jin Yue , Wang Yujia , Chen Sheng , Zhang Xiaoxin , Song Yuxian , Wang Zhiyong , Pu Yumei , Ni Yanhong , Hu Qingang 
Published: February 2019

AbstractOral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a highly lethal cancer in the world, and the prognosis of OSCC is poor with a 60% 5‐year survival rate in recent decades. Here, we introduced a novel secretory and acid glycoprotein with cysteine rich (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine, SPARC), which is correlated with the worst pattern of invasion (WPOI) and prognosis of OSCC. SPARC expression levels were measured in OSCC tissues and normal tissues using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. The influence of SPARC on cell proliferation was examined by cell counting kit‐8, colony formation, and Edu tests. Then, the effect of SPARC on the metastasis of OSCC cells was detected by wound healing and transwell migration assays. Next, the biologic characteristics of SPARC shared by STRING were analyzed. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms were confirmed by western blot analysis. SPARC revealed higher expression in OSCC tissues than nontumor tissues. Higher SPARC expression was correlated with poorer tumor differentiation, poorer WPOI pattern, and significantly and shorter overall survival. Knockdown SPARC significantly restrained OSCC cell growth, migration, and invasion. In addition, bioinformatics analysis found SPARC had a coexpression network with the platelet‐derived growth factor‐B (PDGFB) and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways with minimal false discovery rate. Furthermore, SPARC promotes OSCC cells metastasis by regulating the expressions of PDGFB, PDGFRβ, p‐PDGFRβ , and the PI3K/AKT pathway. Higher SPARC expression was positively correlated with poor WPOI and differentiation in OSCC. SPARC activates the PI3K/AKT/PDGFB/PDGFRβ axis to promote proliferation and metastasis by OSCC cell lines. Therefore, SPARC may be a potential therapeutic target for patients with OSCC.
Investigation on the Properties of Aqueous Foams Stabilized by Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide in Terms of Free Drainage and Bubble Size
Authors: Wang Junchao , Cao Yijun , Li Guosheng , Li Shulei , Wang Yingwei , Ma Zilong , Xing Yaowen 
Published: February 2019

AbstractAlthough foams stabilized by surfactants have been the subject of massive investigations and great achievements were made over the past few years, many questions concerning their properties are still not well understood. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) concentration on the foam properties and illustrate the interaction between liquid drainage and bubble size evolution. Experiments were carried out at varying CTAB concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 5.0 times the critical micelle concentration (CMC), where the variation of the liquid content of foam and bubble size was simultaneously determined using a commercially available FoamScan device. The results showed that the foam properties (both foamability and foam stability) of CTAB were largely dependent on the surfactant concentration when concentrations c < CMC but this effect did not scale linearly with concentration. When c ≥ CMC, both foamablity and foam stability were nearly concentration independent, while the latter showed a small decrease due to the formation of micelles. In addition, the correlation between free drainage and bubble size evolution indicated that the increase of bubble size could indeed enhance the foam drainage.
Ab initio thermal rate coefficients for H + NH3 ⇌ H2 + NH2
Authors: Nguyen Thanh Lam , Stanton John F. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe reversible reaction NH3 + H ⇌ H2 + NH2, which plays an important role in NH3 fuel combustion, is studied with a theoretical approach that combines the high‐accuracy extrapolated ab initio thermochemistry (HEAT) protocol with semiclassical transition state theory (SCTST). The calculated forward reaction is endothermic by 11.8 ± 1 kJ/mol, in nearly perfect agreement with the active thermochemical tables (ATcT) value of 11.5 ± 0.2 kJ/mol. Using this improved thermochemistry yields better rate constants, especially at low temperatures. Experimental rate constants available from 400 to 2000 K for the forward and reverse reaction pathways can be reproduced (within 20%) by the calculations from first principles.
Long‐term quality of life after definitive treatment of sinonasal and nasopharyngeal malignancies
Authors: Tyler Matthew A. , Mohamed Abdallah S.R. , Smith Joshua B. , Aymard Jeremy M. , Fuller Clifton D. , Phan Jack , Frank Steven J. , Ferrarotto Renata , Kupferman Michael E. , Hanna Ehab Y. , Gunn Gary B. , Su Shirley Y. 
Published: February 2019

ObjectiveTo evaluate long‐term global and site‐specific health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients treated for sinonasal and nasopharyngeal malignancies.Study DesignCross‐sectional.MethodsOne hundred fourteen patients with sinonasal and nasopharyngeal malignancies received surgery, radiation, systemic chemotherapy, or a combination thereof, with curative intent. Validated global ([EuroQol‐5D] Visual Analogue Scale [EQ‐5D VAS]) and disease‐specific instruments (MD Anderson Symptom Inventory–Head and Neck [MDASI‐HN], Anterior Skull Base Questionnaire [ASBQ]) were administered to patients who were both free of disease and had completed treatment at least 12 months previously. Associations between instruments, instrument domains, and specific clinical parameters were analyzed.ResultsThe median age was 55 years. The mean EQ‐5D VAS, MDASI‐22 composite score, and ASBQ score were 74 (standard deviation [SD] 21), 48 (SD 36), and 130 (SD 27), respectively. The most frequently reported high‐severity items in MDASI‐HN were dry mouth and difficulty tasting food. The most frequently reported high‐severity items in ASBQ were difficulty with smell and nasal secretions. Advanced Tumor (T) classification was associated with worse overall ASBQ sum score (P = 0.02). ASBQ performance at home and MDASI‐HN drowsy symptom items independently predicted worse global HRQoL as measured by the EQ‐5D VAS (P < 0.001).ConclusionGlobal HRQoL for survivors of sinonasal and nasopharyngeal malignancies after multimodality treatment approximates that of the U.S. population for the same age group. ASBQ and MDASI‐HN correlate well with global HRQoL outcomes as measured by EQ‐5D VAS. MDASI‐HN and ASBQ elicited unique symptoms, highlighting the complex symptom burden experienced by these patients. Further studies should identify patients predisposed to reduced long‐term QOL.Level of Evidence3 Laryngoscope, 130:86–93, 2020