bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
New Agents for the Management of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Cersosimo Robert J 
Published: November 2012

OBJECTIVE: To review the activity of 3 new agents approved for the management of advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC): sipuleucel-T, cabazitaxel, and abiraterone acetate. DATA SOURCES: Literature was accessed through MEDLINE (1977-June 2012) and abstracts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (2000–2012) using the terms castration-resistant and hormone-refractory prostate cancer, sipuleucel-T, cabazitaxel, abiraterone, Provenge, Jevtana, and Zytiga. Reference citations from publications identified were also reviewed. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Articles identified from the data sources in English on human subjects were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS: Options for patients with CRPC have been limited, with little to offer those who failed or could not tolerate docetaxel-based therapy. Three new drugs, with very different mechanisms of action, have changed that and will undoubtedly change the treatment paradigm for these patients. Each agent has demonstrated an impact on patient survival. Sipuleucel-T, the first immunotherapy approved for treatment of CRPC, improved median overall survival by 4.1 months and reduced the risk of death by 22% in a placebo-controlled trial of asymptomatic patients. Sipuleucel-T can be administered prior to docetaxel-based therapy. Cabazitaxel, a taxane chemotherapy agent, improved median overall survival by 2.4 months and reduced the risk of death by 30% in a Phase 3 trial of patients whose cancer progressed during or after docetaxel-based therapy. Abiraterone acetate, a hormonal therapy, improved median overall survival by 3.9 months and reduced the risk of death by 35% in patients with relapse during or after docetaxel-based therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The advent of new agents for the management of advanced CRPC has increased the choices for patients whose options were limited. Additional experience will determine the optimal sequencing of these agents, their roles in combination therapy, and their activity in patients with earlier disease.
Thiazide Diuretics as Chronic Antihypertensive Therapy in Patients with Severe Renal Disease—Is There a Role in the Absence of Diuresis?
Authors: Chan Cynthia Y , Peterson Evan J , Ng Tien MH 
Published: November 2012

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether thiazides have a chronic antihypertensive effect, in the absence of diuresis, in patients with severe renal disease (creatinine clearance <30 mL/min) or in those receiving dialysis. DATA SOURCES: A search was performed in PubMed, CENTRAL, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, using MeSH terms and/or key words. MeSH terms included kidney failure, chronic and exploded terms hydrochlorothiazide, renal dialysis, and thiazides. Key words included thiazide*, hydrochlorothiazide, chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, indapamide, metolazone, methyclothiazide, bendroflumethiazide, hemodialysis, dialysis, kidney failure, renal failure, renal insufficiency, hypertension, vasodilation, vascular, and diuretics. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All relevant English-language publications were evaluated. Studies evaluating the efficacy of thiazides in renal insufficiency or dialysis were limited to those that included blood pressure measurements. Studies were included only if treatment duration was at least 4 weeks to evaluate chronic antihypertensive effects. DATA SYNTHESIS: Thiazide diuretics are associated with a chronic reduction in peripheral vascular resistance secondary to a purported vasodilatory effect. However, few clinical studies have evaluated the chronic antihypertensive efficacy of thiazide and thiazide-like diuretics in patients with severe renal disease or those on dialysis. Agents studied include hydrochlorothiazide, chlorothiazide, indapamide, and metolazone, with results varying by drug and patient population. Hydrochlorothiazide 25–200 mg daily, chlorothiazide 500 mg twice daily, and indapamide 2.5 mg daily provided long-term blood pressure reduction in patients with severe renal disease who were not on dialysis. In studies involving patients on dialysis, hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg daily and metolazone 5 mg daily did not affect blood pressure; however, 1 study suggested that indapamide 2.5 mg daily may confer an antihypertensive effect. All studies were small (≤12 subjects) and had methodological limitations. CONCLUSIONS: Thiazide diuretics may decrease peripheral vascular resistance independent of natriuresis. However, because current clinical data are inconclusive as to the efficacy of these agents at chronically lowering blood pressure in patients with severe renal disease or in those on dialysis, thiazide diuretics cannot be routinely recommended for this indication.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist Interventions for Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Positive Blood Cultures Using Rapid Polymerase Chain Reaction
Authors: Wong Jordan R , Bauer Karri A , Mangino Julie E , Goff Debra A 
Published: November 2012

BACKGROUND: No studies exist regarding the value of pharmacist interventions using rapid identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) by rapid polymerase chain reaction (rPCR) from blood cultures. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of interventions by infectious diseases pharmacists (ID PharmDs) on blood cultures positive for CoNS using rPCR and assess the duration of antistaphylococcal antibiotic therapy, hospital length of stay (LOS), and related costs. METHODS: A quasi-experimental, pre- and postintervention study of patients with positive blood cultures for CoNS, identified using rPCR, was conducted. Patients were included if there was a blood culture for CoNS from January 1, 2011, to March 31, 2011 (preintervention), or October 1, 2011, to January 18, 2012 (post-intervention). Exclusion criteria included age younger than 18 years or 89 years or older, neutropenia, incomplete records, and duplicate or mixed blood cultures. The setting was a 1200-bed academic medical center. The ID PharmD intervened on blood cultures identified in the postintervention group as CoNS after notification from the microbiology laboratory. The pre- and postintervention groups were compared to analyze the effect of the intervention. The primary outcome was time to discontinuation of antistaphylococcal antibiotics by the pharmacist intervention in patients with a positive blood culture for CoNS that was determined to be a contaminant. RESULTS: We analyzed 53 patients (31 preintervention, 22 postintervention) with CoNS blood culture contaminants. In the postintervention group, antistaphylococcal antibiotics were discontinued 32.0 hours sooner from time of rPCR result (median 57.7 vs 25.7 hours; p = 0.005), total antibiotic exposure decreased 43.5 hours (97.6 vs 54.1 hours; p = 0.011), infection-related LOS decreased 4.5 days (10 vs 5.5 days; p = 0.018), and infection-related costs decreased $8338 ($28,973 vs $20,635; p = 0.144). The pharmacist initiated vancomycin in 7 (21.9%) patients with CoNS bloodstream infections. CONCLUSIONS: Timely interventions by ID PharmDs using rPCR are required to impact the outcomes of patients with positive blood cultures for CoNS.
GALNT9 Gene Expression Is a Prognostic Marker in Neuroblastoma Patients
Authors: Berois Nora , Gattolliat Charles-Henry , Barrios Enrique , Capandeguy Laura , Douc-Rasy Sétha , Valteau-Couanet Dominique , Bénard Jean , Osinaga Eduardo 
Published: November 2012

BACKGROUND
The enzymes encoded by the GALNT [UDP-N-acetyl-α-d-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GALNAC-T)] gene family catalyze the first step of O-glycosylation. Little is known about the link between expression of the genes encoding GALNAC-T enzymes and tumor progression in neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer that can be classified as either low or high risk. We assessed the expression of genes in the GALNT family in a large cohort of neuroblastoma patients and characterized members of this family that might be used as new prognostic markers.

METHODS
Reverse-transcription PCR analysis of 14 GALNT genes with a panel of neuroblastoma cell lines identified the GALNT9 gene as playing a potential role in disease progression. We used the log-rank test and the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model with a cohort of 122 neuroblastoma patients to analyze the relationship between GALNT9 expression and overall survival or disease-free survival.

RESULTS
In the high-risk neuroblastoma experimental model IGR-N-91, GALNT9 expression was present in neuroblasts derived from primary tumors but not in neuroblasts from metastatic bone marrow. Moreover, GALNT9 in neuroblastoma cell lines was expressed in substrate adherent (S)-type cell lines but not in neuronal (N)-type lines. In the tumor cohort, GALNT9 expression was associated with high overall survival, independent of the standard risk-stratification covariates. GALNT9 expression was significantly associated with disease-free survival for patients currently classified as at low risk (P &lt; 0.0007).

CONCLUSIONS
GALNT9 expression correlates with both improved overall survival in low- and high-risk groups and an improved clinical outcome (overall and disease-free survival) in low-risk patients. Thus, the GALNT9 expression may be a prognostic marker for personalized therapy.
Lens centering of aspheres for high-quality optics
Authors: Beier Matthias , Gebhardt Andreas , Eberhardt Ramona , Tünnermann Andreas 
Published: November 2012

Abstract
The assembly effort of optical systems can be reduced immensely by the use of appropriate manufacturing technologies. For refractive optical systems with a common axis of symmetry, lens centering allows a final system assembly with high accuracy and minimal effort, but is today mostly limited to spherical optical elements only. To overcome the current restrictions, a lens centering process for one-sided aspherical lenses was investigated both in theory and practice. The deviation of the rotational aspheric axis from a reference spindle axis is measured precisely with an electronic autocollimator and an additional distance sensor at the same time. Displacements can be minimized by a combination of lateral and rotational alignment motions, aiming at a coaxiality of both axes. In order to achieve a high performance of the entire optical system, the centered lens housings are machined with a diamond tool at their outer diameter, ground, and top surfaces. The feasibility of the complete process was proved by machining several aspherical lenses and measuring the final assemblies with a coordinate measuring machine. Thereby, a residual decenter <1 μm for the aspheric vertex and a tilt <0.5 arcmin between the aspheric axis and the axis of symmetry of the lens housing could be verified. The achievable manufacturing tolerances prove the practicability of the proposed lens-centering process for a majority of high-quality optical applications.
Plasma long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) concentration is a novel marker of disease activity in patients with community-acquired pneumonia
Authors: Kao Shang-Jyh , Yang Hui-Wen , Tsao Shih-Ming , Cheng Chao-Wen , Bien Mauo-Ying , Yu Ming-Chih , Bai Kuan-Jen , Yang Shun-Fa , Chien Ming-Hsien 
Published: November 2012

AbstractBackground:Long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute-phase protein secreted by various cells, including leukocytes and endothelial cells. Like C-reactive protein (CRP), it belongs to the pentraxin superfamily. The aim of this study was to investigate the differential changes in plasma levels of PTX3 between before and after antibiotic treatment in hospitalized adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).Methods:Plasma PTX3 levels were measured in 61 adult patients with CAP and 60 healthy controls using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Upon initial hospitalization, APACHE II, CURB-65, and pneumonia severity index (PSI) scores were determined to assess CAP severity in patients.Results:The results showed a decline in the number of white blood cells (WBCs) and neutrophils, and decreases in the concentrations of CRP and PTX3 observed after antibiotic treatment. The plasma concentration of PTX3, but not CRP, was correlated with the severity of CAP based on the PSI (r=0.290, p=0.023), CURB-65 (r=0.312, p=0.015), and APACHE II scores (r=0.427, p=0.001). The PTX3 level also exhibited a significant correlation with the length of hospital stay (r=0.500, p<0.0001).Conclusions:PTX3 may be able to play a role in the diagnosis and clinical assessment of the severity of CAP, which could potentially guide the development of treatment strategies.
Time for a conceptual shift in assessment of internal quality control for whole blood or cell-based testing systems? An evaluation using platelet function and the PFA-100 as a case example
Authors: Favaloro Emmanuel J. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractInternal quality control (IQC) is essential to good laboratory practice. IQC for certain tests are, however, limited due to inherent problems in providing stabilized IQC material, as applicable to many whole-blood and cell-based systems. Paradigmatic in the hemostasis field is platelet function testing, where IQC processes remain at their infancy, despite such tests being undertaken for decades. One example is the PFA-100, a popular primary hemostasis screening system used to evaluate pre-surgical bleeding risk, screen for possible von Willebrand disease and/or platelet function disorders, and assess desmopressin and anti-platelet therapy; whatever application, laboratories are required to ensure instruments are in optimal working condition, but currently available IQC is limited. Accordingly, a novel test process for IQC of the PFA-100 is explored as an example of potential development. In brief, IQC test systems were prepared to yield prolonged PFA closure times (CTs) (‘pathological QC’) after the addition of normal whole blood (which provided ‘normal QC’). Inter-run test systems coefficients of variation (CVs; range 3.1%–26.2%) were typically similar or better than normal baseline CTs (16.1%–19.2%). There was no evidence of deterioration in CTs over time, indicating at least several years test system stability, and Levey-Jennings plots, typically applied to IQC monitoring, could also be devised. This provides the first evidence of feasibility, or proof of concept, for IQC testing for the PFA-100 incorporating pathological test findings and Levey-Jennings plots. Such a concept is also potentially more broadly applicable to other platelet function, or whole blood or cell-based test systems.
The proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1α and tumor necrosis factor α promote the expression and secretion of proteolytically active cathepsin S from human chondrocytes
Authors: Caglič Dejan , Repnik Urška , Jedeszko Christopher , Kosec Gregor , Miniejew Catherine , Kindermann Maik , Vasiljeva Olga , Turk Vito , Wendt K. Ulrich , Sloane Bonnie F. , Goldring Mary B. , Turk Boris 
Published: November 2012

Abstract
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are destructive joint diseases that involve the loss of articular cartilage. Degradation of cartilage extracellular matrix is believed to occur due to imbalance between the catabolic and anabolic processes of resident chondrocytes. Previous work has suggested that various lysosomal cysteine cathepsins participate in cartilage degeneration; however, their exact roles in disease development and progression have not been elucidated. In order to study degradation processes under conditions resembling the in vivo milieu of the cartilage, we cultivated chondrocytes on a type II collagen-containing matrix. Stimulation of the cultivated chondrocytes with interleukin-1α and/or tumor necrosis factor α resulted in a time-dependent increase in cathepsin S expression and induced its secretion into the conditioned media. Using a novel bioluminescent activity-based probe, we were able to demonstrate a significant increase in proteolytic activity of cathepsin S in the conditioned media of proinflammatory cytokine-stimulated chondrocytes. For the first time, cathepsin S was demonstrated to be secreted from chondrocytes upon stimulation with the proinflammatory cytokines, and displayed proteolytic activity in culture supernatants. Its stability at neutral pH and potent proteolytic activity on extracellular matrix components mean that cathepsin S may contribute significantly to cartilage degradation and may thus be considered a potential drug target in joint diseases.
Magnetic plasmon induced transparency in three-dimensional metamolecules
Authors: Wu Pin Chieh , Chen Wei Ting , Yang Kuang-Yu , Hsiao Chih Ting , Sun Greg , Liu Ai Qun , Zheludev Nikolay I. , Tsai Din Ping 
Published: November 2012

AbstractIn a laser-driven atomic quantum system, a continuous state couples to a discrete state resulting in quantum interference that provides a transmission peak within a broad absorption profile the so-called electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). In the field of plasmonic metamaterials, the sub-wavelength metallic structures play a role similar to atoms in nature. The interference of their near-field coupling at plasmonic resonance leads to a plasmon induced transparency (PIT) that is analogous to the EIT of atomic systems. A sensitive control of the PIT is crucial to a range of potential applications such as slowing light and biosensor. So far, the PIT phenomena often arise from the electric resonance, such as an electric dipole state coupled to an electric quadrupole state. Here we report the first three-dimensional photonic metamaterial consisting of an array of erected U-shape plasmonic gold nanostructures that exhibits PIT phenomenon with magnetic dipolar interaction between magnetic metamolecules. We further demonstrate using a numerical simulation that the coupling between the different excited pathways at an intermediate resonant wavelength allows for a π phase shift resulting in a destructive interference. A classical RLC circuit was also proposed to explain the coupling effects between the bright and dark modes of EIT-like electromagnetic spectra. This work paves a promising approach to achieve magnetic plasmon devices.
Compatibilization and toughening of immiscible ternary blends of polyamide 1010, polypropylene, and ABS resin
Authors: Zhang Jiamin , Li Yongfang , Zhu Yong , Cui Maojin , Jiang Xiaoying 
Published: November 2012

Abstract
The ternary blends of three versatile polymers of polyamide 1010 (PA1010), polypropylene (PP), and ABS resin (ABS) were studied. As a compatibilizer, PP was multimonomer melt grafted in the presence of maleic anhydride (MAH), styrene (St), and dicumyl peroxide. The effects of multimonomers melt grafting blends of MAH and St on the crystallization behavior, morphology, and mechanical properties of PA1010/ABS/PP blends were investigated. The results showed that the graft copolymer generated in situ by the anhydride groups of grafted PP (g-PP) and the amino end of PA1010 has reduced the interfacial tension of blends efficiently. The interaction of St groups of the graft copolymer with ABS was helpful to improve the compatibility of the three components during melt blending process. The size of dispersed phases in the blends was reduced remarkably and the mechanical pro­perties were greatly improved when the content of g-PP in PA1010/ABS/PP blends is increased to 10%. The tensile strength of the compatibilized PA1010/ABS/PP blends was improved by a factor of 11.7, whereas the impact strength and elongation at break were increased by 4 and 4.9 times, respectively. The introduction of multimonomer melt g-PP is shown to be an effective approach to modifying immiscible multipolymer blends, which have many potential applications.
Thermooxidative degradation and its kinetics of natural rubber coagulated by microwave radiation
Authors: Liao Lu-Sheng , Liao Jian-He , Li Yi-Min , Chen Yong-Ping , Zhao Yan-Fang , He Can-Zhong 
Published: November 2012

Abstract
The thermooxidative degradation of natural rubber (NR) coagulated by microwave radiation (NR-m) was investigated by thermogravimetry (TG) analysis, and compared with NR coagulated by acid (NR-a). It was found that the degradation process is not a one-step reaction, the main degradation process occurs at 300–400ºC, and the equilibrium degradation temperatures of NR-m are higher than those of NR-a. Different methods were used to find the most probable kinetic model and the Arrhenius para­meters (activation energy E and preexponential factor A) for the main stage of thermooxidative degradation of NR-m. The results show that the values of E and A, obtained from the Coats-Redfern method, are highly variable with the kinetic model chosen and the heating rate (β), and the apparent activation energy (E0) when β approaches zero for the Dn type kinetic model is in the range of 96.7–106.4 kJ ∙ mol-1. The mean values of E, calculated by the Friedman and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) methods, are 113.8 and 83.3 kJ ∙ mol-1, respectively, suggesting E in the range of 83.3–113.8 kJ ∙ mol-1. Comparison of these two ranges indicates the most probable kinetic model to be Dn type kinetic models, corresponding to a diffusion-controlled mechanism.
Maternal Occupational Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Risk of Oral Cleft-Affected Pregnancies
Authors: Langlois Peter H. , Hoyt Adrienne T. , Lupo Philip J. , Lawson Christina C. , Waters Martha A. , Desrosiers Tania A. , Shaw Gary M. , Romitti Paul A. , Lammer Edward J. 
Published: November 2012

Objective To evaluate whether there is an association between maternal occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and oral clefts in offspring. This is the first human study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and clefts of which the authors are aware. Design Case-control study. Setting, Participants Data for 1997 to 2002 from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a large population-based case-control study in the United States, were analyzed. Maternal telephone interviews yielded information on jobs held in the month before through 3 months after conception. Two industrial hygienists independently assessed occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; all jobs rated as exposed or with rating difficulty were reviewed with a third industrial hygienist to reach consensus on all exposure parameters. Logistic regression estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for cleft lip with or without cleft palate and cleft palate alone. Results There were 2989 controls (3.5% exposed), 805 cases of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (5.8% exposed), and 439 cases of cleft palate alone (4.6% exposed). The odds of maternal occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (any versus none) during pregnancy was increased for cleft lip with or without cleft palate cases as compared with controls (odds ratio, 1.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.18 to 2.40); the odds ratio was 1.47 (95% confidence interval 1.02 to 2.12) when adjusted for maternal education. There was a statistically significant adjusted exposure-response relationship for cleft lip with or without cleft palate ( Ptrend = .02). Odd ratios for cleft palate alone were not statistically significant. Conclusions Maternal occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was associated with increased risk of cleft lip with or without cleft palate in offspring.