bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nonstationary extreme flood/rainfall frequency analysis informed by large‐scale oceanic fields for Xidayang Reservoir in North China
Authors: Zeng Hang , Sun Xun , Lall Upmanu , Feng Ping 
Published: December 2016

ABSTRACTClimate is a primary driver for extreme rainfall and flood events. In this paper, the temporally changing flood risk associated with the annual maximum 30‐day rainfall (30‐day AMR) and the annual maximum daily inflow (AMDI) related to the Xidayang Reservoir catchment is analysed from a climatic context. This is the largest catchment in Daqing River Basin in North China and is highly prone to floods related to the East Asian summer monsoon. Two climate factors, the average May‐June‐July sea surface temperature anomalies in areas of the northern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, are identified. They show a high negative correlation with the AMDI and 30‐day AMR. Bayesian nonstationary models are then developed for the AMDI and 30‐day AMR using the climate predictors identified as covariates. We compared three types of models of AMDI and 30‐day AMR: (1) time‐invariant, (2) linear temporal trend and (3) climate informed, and found that the climate‐informed models exhibit the best performance according to Deviance Information Criterion (DIC) and 90th percentile Bayesian coverage rate for both AMDI and 30‐day AMR. A significant decreasing trend is identified in the AMDI and the 30‐day AMR, which is found to be associated with the climate predictors. Leave one out cross validation (LOOCV) is used to demonstrate that these models have decent skill in predicting year‐to‐year variability in flood risk. This can help to provide flood/rainfall dynamic management measures for reservoirs in Daqing River Basin using information from before the beginning of monsoon season, thus facilitating adaptation to a changing climate.
Gogadget: An R Package for Interpretation and Visualization of GO Enrichment Results
Authors: Nota Benjamin 
Published: December 2016

AbstractGene expression profiling followed by gene ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis can generate long lists of significant GO terms. To interpret these results and get biological insight in the data, filtering and rearranging these long lists of GO terms might be desirable. The R package gogadget provides functions to modify GO analysis results, with a simple filter strategy. Furthermore, it groups redundant GO terms with hierarchical clustering and presents the results in a colorful heatmap. The filtered GO term enrichment results can also be exported by the package for subsequent analysis in Cytoscape Enrichment Map. The R package is freely available under the terms of the GNU GPLv3 at https://sourceforge.net/projects/gogadget/.
Ion recombination and polarity corrections for small‐volume ionization chambers in high‐dose‐rate, flattening‐filter‐free pulsed photon beams
Authors: Hyun Megan A. , Miller Jessica R. , Micka John A. , DeWerd Larry A. 
Published: December 2016

PurposeTo investigate ion recombination and polarity effects in scanning and microionization chambers when used with digital electrometers and high‐dose‐rate linac beams such as flattening‐filter‐free (FFF) fields, and to compare results against conventional pulsed and continuous photon beams.MethodsSaturation curves were obtained for one Farmer‐type ionization chamber and eight small‐volume chamber models with volumes ranging from 0.01 to 0.13 cm3 using a Varian TrueBeam™ STx with FFF capability. Three beam modes (6 MV, 6 MV FFF, and 10 MV FFF) were investigated, with nominal dose‐per‐pulse values of 0.0278, 0.0648, and 0.111 cGy/pulse, respectively, at dmax. Saturation curves obtained using the Theratronics T1000 60Co unit at the UWADCL and a conventional linear accelerator (Varian Clinac iX) were used to establish baseline behavior. Jaffé plots were fitted to obtain Pion, accounting for exponential effects such as charge multiplication. These values were compared with the two‐voltage technique recommended in TG‐51, and were plotted as a function of dose‐per‐pulse to assess the ability of small‐volume chambers to meet reference‐class criteria in FFF beams.ResultsJaffé‐ and two‐voltage‐determined Pion values measured for high‐dose‐rate beams agreed within 0.1% for the Farmer‐type chamber and 1% for scanning and microionization chambers, with the exception of the CC01 which agreed within 2%. With respect to ion recombination and polarity effects, the Farmer‐type chamber, scanning chambers and the Exradin A26 microchamber exhibited reference‐class behavior in all beams investigated, with the exception of the IBA CC04 scanning chamber, which had an initial recombination correction that varied by 0.2% with polarity. All microchambers investigated, with the exception of the A26, exhibited anomalous polarity and ion recombination behaviors that make them unsuitable for reference dosimetry in conventional and high‐dose‐rate photon beams.ConclusionsThe results of this work demonstrate that recombination and polarity behaviors seen in conventional pulsed and continuous photon beams trend accordingly in high‐dose‐rate FFF linac beams. Several models of small‐volume ionization chambers used with a digital electrometer have been shown to meet reference‐class requirements with respect to ion recombination and polarity, even in the high‐dose‐rate environment. For such chambers, a two‐voltage technique agreed well with more rigorous methods of determining Pion. However, the results emphasize the need for careful reference detector selection, and indicate that ionization chambers ought to be extensively tested in each beam of interest prior to their use for reference dosimetry.
Heterogeneous multiscale Monte Carlo simulations for gold nanoparticle radiosensitization
Authors: Martinov Martin P. , Thomson Rowan M. 
Published: December 2016

PurposeTo introduce the heterogeneous multiscale (HetMS) model for Monte Carlo simulations of gold nanoparticle dose‐enhanced radiation therapy (GNPT), a model characterized by its varying levels of detail on different length scales within a single phantom; to apply the HetMS model in two different scenarios relevant for GNPT and to compare computed results with others published.MethodsThe HetMS model is implemented using an extended version of the EGSnrc user‐code egs_chamber; the extended code is tested and verified via comparisons with recently published data from independent GNP simulations. Two distinct scenarios for the HetMS model are then considered: (a) monoenergetic photon beams (20 keV to 1 MeV) incident on a cylinder (1 cm radius, 3 cm length); (b) isotropic point source (brachytherapy source spectra) at the center of a 2.5 cm radius sphere with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) diffusing outwards from the center. Dose enhancement factors (DEFs) are compared for different source energies, depths in phantom, gold concentrations, GNP sizes, and modeling assumptions, as well as with independently published values. Simulation efficiencies are investigated.ResultsThe HetMS MC simulations account for the competing effects of photon fluence perturbation (due to gold in the scatter media) coupled with enhanced local energy deposition (due to modeling discrete GNPs within subvolumes). DEFs are most sensitive to these effects for the lower source energies, varying with distance from the source; DEFs below unity (i.e., dose decreases, not enhancements) can occur at energies relevant for brachytherapy. For example, in the cylinder scenario, the 20 keV photon source has a DEF of 3.1 near the phantom's surface, decreasing to less than unity by 0.7 cm depth (for 20 mg/g). Compared to discrete modeling of GNPs throughout the gold‐containing (treatment) volume, efficiencies are enhanced by up to a factor of 122 with the HetMS approach. For the spherical phantom, DEFs vary with time for diffusion, radionuclide, and radius; DEFs differ considerably from those computed using a widely applied analytic approach.ConclusionsBy combining geometric models of varying complexity on different length scales within a single simulation, the HetMS model can effectively account for both macroscopic and microscopic effects which must both be considered for accurate computation of energy deposition and DEFs for GNPT. Efficiency gains with the HetMS approach enable diverse calculations which would otherwise be prohibitively long. The HetMS model may be extended to diverse scenarios relevant for GNPT, providing further avenues for research and development.
Adiabatic excitation for 31P MR spectroscopy in the human heart at 7 T: A feasibility study
Authors: Valkovič Ladislav , Clarke William T. , Purvis Lucian A.B. , Schaller Benoit , Robson Matthew D. , Rodgers Christopher T. 
Published: December 2016

PurposePhosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P‐MRS) provides a unique tool for assessing cardiac energy metabolism, often quantified using the phosphocreatine (PCr)/adenosine triphosphate (ATP) ratio. Surface coils are typically used for excitation for 31P‐MRS, but they create an inhomogeneous excitation field across the myocardium, producing undesirable, spatially varying partial saturation. Therefore, we implemented adiabatic excitation in a 3D chemical shift imaging (CSI) sequence for cardiac 31P‐MRS at 7 Tesla (T).MethodsWe optimized an adiabatic half passage pulse with bandwidth sufficient to excite PCr and γ‐ATP together. In addition, the CSI sequence was modified to allow interleaved excitation of PCr and γ‐ATP, then 2,3‐DPG, to enable PCr/ATP determination with blood correction. Nine volunteers were scanned at 2 transmit voltages to confirm that measured PCr/ATP was independent of
(i.e. over the adiabatic threshold). Six septal voxels were evaluated for each volunteer.ResultsPhantom experiments showed that adiabatic excitation can be reached at the depth of the heart using our pulse. The mean evaluated cardiac PCr/ATP ratio from all 9 volunteers corrected for blood signal was 2.14 ± 0.16. Comparing the two acquisitions with different voltages resulted in a minimal mean difference of
0.005.ConclusionAdiabatic excitation is possible in the human heart at 7 T, and gives consistent PCr/ATP ratios. Magn Reson Med 78:1667–1673, 2017. © 2016 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Multifocal sensory demyelinating neuropathy: Report of a case
Authors: Oh Shin J. 
Published: December 2016

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Multifocal sensory demyelinating neuropathy has not been adequately reported in the literature. Methods: A 42‐year‐old man with numbness of the left hand for 3 years and of the right hand for 6 months had a pure multifocal sensory neuropathy involving both hands, most prominently affecting 2‐point discrimination, number writing, and object recognition of the left hand. Near‐nerve needle sensory and mixed nerve conduction studies were performed on the left ulnar nerve. Results: Studies of the left ulnar nerve documented a demyelinating neuropathy characterized by temporal dispersion and marked decrease in the amplitudes of the sensory and mixed compound nerve potentials in the above‐elbow‐axilla segment. With intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, there was improvement in his neuropathic condition. Conclusion: In this study I describe a case of multifocal sensory demyelinating neuropathy as a counterpart of multifocal motor neuropathy. Muscle Nerve 56: 825–828, 2017
Head‐drop: A frequent feature of late‐onset myasthenia gravis
Authors: Sih Marvin , Soliven Betty , Mathenia Nicholas , Jacobsen John , Rezania Kourosh 
Published: December 2016

ABSTRACTIntroductionHead‐drop is often encountered in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients, but its frequency and clinical course have not been studied systematically.MethodsIn a retrospective study of a cohort of MG patients seen over a period of 11 years in a tertiary medical center, we assessed the clinical characteristics of patients who had head‐drop.ResultsOf 146 generalized MG patients, 15 had head‐drop during the course of their disease. Head‐drop patients had older age of onset than those who did not have head‐drop (mean age of onset 59.1 vs. 42.3 years) and were predominantly men. Head‐drop was present in 23% of patients > 60 versus 6% of those < 60 years, and it improved in 9 of 11 patients with treatment directed to generalized MG.ConclusionsHead‐drop is a common, treatment‐responsive manifestation of late‐onset MG. Muscle Nerve 56: 441–444, 2017
The role of radiation therapy in palliative care of children with advanced cancer: Clinical outcomes and patterns of care
Authors: Varma Sumeeta , Friedman Debra L. , Stavas Mark J. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractBackgroundThere are few published data to guide the use and timing of palliative radiation therapy (RT) in children. We aimed to determine the clinical outcomes of palliative RT in children and the relationship with palliative care and hospice referrals.ProcedureA retrospective chart review was performed on all patients younger than 18 years who received palliative RT in our clinic from January 2005 to January 2015.ResultsIn the specified time period, 50 children underwent 83 courses of palliative RT. Median survival after treatment was 124 days (range, 1–1141 days). Fifteen courses were delivered to children in the last 30 days of life (dol). Palliative RT was successful in 89% of courses delivered before the last 30 dol versus 28% of courses delivered in the last 30 dol (p < 0.0001, Fisher's exact test). At the time of data collection, 43 children were deceased. Altogether, 88% of children who received palliative RT were also referred to our institution's pediatric palliative care team or to hospice at some time in their course. Of the children who died, 74% were referred to hospice and 34% were on hospice while receiving palliative RT. For children not already on hospice, the median time to hospice referral was 96 days after the last fraction (range, 0–924 days).ConclusionsPalliative RT is effective in children with advanced cancer, although less so in the last 30 dol. With careful care coordination and multidisciplinary collaboration, RT can be successfully integrated into supportive and end‐of‐life care for children with advanced cancer.
A Phase II feasibility study of oral etoposide given concurrently with radiotherapy followed by dose intensive adjuvant chemotherapy for children with newly diagnosed high‐risk medulloblastoma (protocol POG 9631): A report from the Children's Oncology Group
Authors: Esbenshade Adam J. , Kocak Mehmet , Hershon Linda , Rousseau Pierre , Decarie Jean‐Claude , Shaw Susan , Burger Peter , Friedman Henry S. , Gajjar Amar , Moghrabi Albert 
Published: December 2016

AbstractBackgroundChildren with high‐risk medulloblastoma historically have had a poor prognosis. The Children's Oncology Group completed a Phase II study using oral etoposide given with radiotherapy followed by intensive chemotherapy.ProcedurePatients enrolled in the study had high‐risk disease defined as ≥1.5 cm2 of residual disease postsurgery or definite evidence of central nervous metastasis. All patients underwent surgery followed by radiotherapy. During radiation, the patients received oral etoposide (21 days on, 7 off) at an initial dose of 50 mg/m2 per day (treatment 1), which was reduced to 35 mg/m2 per day (treatment 2) due to toxicity. After radiotherapy, the patients received chemotherapy with three cycles of cisplatin and oral etoposide, followed by eight courses of cyclophosphamide and vincristine.ResultsBetween November 1998 and October 2002, 53 patients were accrued; 15 received treatment 1 and 38 treatment 2. Forty‐seven patients (89%) were eligible. Response to radiation was excellent, with 19 (40.4%) showing complete response, 24 (51.1%) partial response, and four (8.5%) no recorded response. The overall 2‐ and 5‐year progression‐free survival (PFS) was 76.6 ± 6% and 70.2 ± 7%, respectively. The 2‐ and 5‐year overall survival (OS) was 80.9 ± 6% and 76.6 ± 6%, respectively. Clinical response postradiation and PFS/OS were not significantly different between the treatment groups. There was a trend toward a difference in 5‐year PFS between those without and with metastatic disease (P = 0.072).ConclusionsOral etoposide was tolerable at 35 mg/m2 (21 days on and 7 days off) when given during full‐dose irradiation in patients with high‐risk medulloblastoma with encouraging survival data.
Emergency department utilization by Californians with sickle cell disease, 2005–2014
Authors: Paulukonis Susan T. , Feuchtbaum Lisa B. , Coates Thomas D. , Neumayr Lynne D. , Treadwell Marsha J. , Vichinsky Elliott P. , Hulihan Mary M. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractBackgroundClinical care for children and adults living with sickle cell disease (SCD) is often provided in the emergency department (ED). Population‐based surveillance data can be used to describe the ED utilization patterns of this patient population.ProcedureA cohort of pediatric and adult California patients with SCD was identified from multiple data sources, and 10 years (2005–2014) of their treat‐and‐release ED utilization data were analyzed.ResultsAmong a cohort of 4,636 patients with SCD, 4,100 (88%) had one or more treat‐and‐release ED visits. There were 2.1 mean annual visits per person for the cohort (median 0.7; range 0–185). In a single year (2005), 53% had 0 treat‐and‐release ED visits, 35% had 1–3 visits, 9% had 4–10 visits, and 3% had 11 or more visits; this highest utilization group accounted for 45% of all patients’ ED visits. ED utilization in this cohort was highest among young adults and also higher among older adults than pediatric patients.ConclusionThe majority of identified patients in each of the 10 years did not go to the ED, but nearly all had one or more such visits over the full span of time. This study highlights the power and utility of a multisource longitudinal data collection effort for SCD. Further study of the segment of the population with highest ED utilization may highlight areas where changes in healthcare and health policy could improve and extend the lives of patients with SCD.
Incidence and survival of childhood leukemia in Recife, Brazil: A population‐based analysis
Authors: Lins Mecneide Mendes , Santos Marceli de Oliveira , de Albuquerque Maria de Fátima Pessoa Militão , de Castro Claudia Cristina Lima , Mello Maria Julia Gonçalves , de Camargo Beatriz 
Published: December 2016

AbstractBackgroundLeukemia is the most common pediatric cancer with incidence rates of around 48 per million for children under 15 years of age. The median age‐adjusted incidence rate (AAIR) in children aged 0–14 years in Brazil is 53.3 per million. While overall survival rates for children with leukemia have improved significantly, data for incidence, trends, and relative survival among children and adolescents with leukemia in Recife, Brazil, remain incomplete, which hampers our analyses and provision of the best healthcare. The objective of this report is to provide that data.MethodsData from the Population‐Based Cancer Registry of Recife were analyzed from 1998 to 2007. Our analyses included frequencies and AAIR, together with age‐specific incidence rates for all leukemias, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and acute myeloid leukemia. To evaluate incidence trends, joinpoint regression, including annual average percent change, were analyzed. Relative survival was calculated using the life‐table method.ResultsOne hundred seventy‐five cases were identified, 51% in females. The review reduced the not otherwise specified (NOS) leukemia category by 50% and diagnosis by death certificate only from 5.7% to 1.1%. The AAIR for leukemia was 41.1 per million, with a peak among children aged 1–4 (78.3 per million). Incidence trends during the period were stable. The five‐year relative survival rate was 69.8%.ConclusionsThese data represent the incidence rate and survival of childhood leukemia in Recife, located in the northeast region of Brazil, using a high‐quality database.
Intraindividual variability in reaction time before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in women diagnosed with breast cancer
Authors: Yao Christie , Rich Jill B. , Tirona Kattleya , Bernstein Lori J. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractObjectiveWomen treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer experience subtle cognitive deficits. Research has focused on mean performance level, yet recent work suggests that within‐person variability in reaction time performance may underlie cognitive symptoms. We examined intraindividual variability (IIV) in women diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.MethodsPatients (n = 28) were assessed at baseline before chemotherapy (T1), approximately 1 month after chemotherapy but prior to surgery (T2), and after surgery about 9 months post chemotherapy (T3). Healthy women of similar age and education (n = 20) were assessed at comparable time intervals. Using a standardized regression‐based approach, we examined changes in mean performance level and IIV (eg, intraindividual standard deviation) on a Stroop task and self‐report measures of cognitive function from T1 to T2 and T1 to T3.ResultsAt T1, women with breast cancer were more variable than controls as task complexity increased. Change scores from T1 to T2 were similar between groups on all Stroop performance measures. From T1 to T3, controls improved more than women with breast cancer. IIV was more sensitive than mean reaction time in capturing group differences. Additional analyses showed increased cognitive symptoms reported by women with breast cancer from T1 to T3. Specifically, change in language symptoms was positively correlated with change in variability.ConclusionsWomen with breast cancer declined in attention and inhibitory control relative to pretreatment performance. Future studies should include measures of variability, because they are an important sensitive indicator of change in cognitive function.
Acute Toxicity Resulting from Human Exposures to Military Smokes
Authors: van Hulst Monique , Langenberg Jan P. , de Klerk Wim P. C. , Alblas Marcel J. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe toxicity of smoke‐generating ammunition can be established by looking at the complete hand grenade or only at the smoke composition. In this paper both approaches are described. The toxicity of a signalling smoke was assessed as a complete smoke hand grenade whereas for a 76 mm screening smoke canister only a red phosphorus (RP) pellet was studied. For both smokes the particle size distribution and the toxic effect of the smoke on A549 lung cells in culture in an Air‐Liquid Interface (ALI) system were determined. The assessment of the complete smoke hand grenades also included the determination of the mutagenicity using an Ames test. RP pellets are destined to be burnt on the surface and for this reason the influence of small sand particles on the acute toxicity was also investigated. For both types of smoke the majority of the formed particles were smaller than 2.1 μm, which means that they are capable to penetrate deep into the airways after inhalation. The complete hand grenade approach showed that smoke grenade design can have influence on the final toxicity and mutagenicity of the formed smoke. Sand upon which an RP pellet is burnt can function as a carrier material resulting in an indirect exposure.