bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Survival and toxicity in patients with disseminated germ cell cancer aged 40 years and older
Authors: Thomsen Frederik B. , Bandak Mikkel , Thomsen Maria F. , Lauritsen Jakob , Christensen Ib J. , Daugaard Gedske 
Published: October 2013

BACKGROUNDGerm‐cell cancer (GCC) patients aged ≥40 years have a two‐fold higher GCC‐specific mortality. It has been hypothesized that reduced treatment intensity combined with increased treatment related toxicity could be the explanation. The objective was to analyze chemotherapy intensity, treatment related toxicity and survival in patients aged ≥40 years treated with standard chemotherapy for GCC compared with a younger control group that received similar treatment during the same period.METHODSFrom 1984 to 2011, 135 patients aged ≥40 years with disseminated GCC treated with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP). A control‐group of 135 patients aged 18–35 years was randomly selected matched on year of BEP treatment. Cumulated doses of BEP as well as bone marrow toxicity, renal‐ and lung functions were recorded before, during and after termination of treatment. All patients were followed until death or October 1, 2011.RESULTSThe cumulated doses of BEP were comparable between the two groups, however, more patients aged ≥40 years were reduced in bleomycin doses based on a decrease in carbon monoxide diffusion capacity corrected for haemoglobin (P = 0.03). No differences between the two groups were found regarding bone marrow toxicity or mean percentage changes in lung‐ or renal function. Patients aged ≥40 year had increased cancer specific mortality, HR = 4.8 (P = 0.005). In particular patients with disease progression after first line chemotherapy had increased mortality (P = 0.015). Moreover, the 5‐year overall survival for patients aged ≥40 years was 82.5% compared to the expected 5‐year survival of the background population of 96.3% (P <0.001).CONCLUSIONSTreatment related toxicity could not explain the increased cancer specific mortality in patients aged ≥40 years compared to a younger control‐group, and while there were no differences in the administrated doses of cisplatin/etoposide, a decreased number of bleomycin doses were administered in the older patients. Apart from this, the inferior prognosis could be related to tumour biology, increased co‐morbidity, or more severe toxicity in relation to second line treatment. Cancer 2014;120:43–51. © 2013 American Cancer Society.
The men who coloured Britain
Authors: Allan Whitfield T. W. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractColour standards, initially for specification purposes (e.g., the Post Office, Railways, and the Military), were transformed in Britain during the 1970s into instruments for the pursuit of a Modernist agenda. Extolling a rational approach to colour, a master standard and a set of derived standards were devised at the British Standards Institution that would provide a colour palette covering the entire built environment of Britain. These revolutionized colour standards and were a unique venture in any country. This article charts the development of these standards, the problems to be overcome, and the role of their originators, Gloag, Hardy, and Medd. These little known figures had—and continue to have—a unique influence upon the colour of the built environment. Literally, they coloured Britain. And their standards remain in force today. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 39, 535–539, 2014
Evaluation of the effect of mericitabine at projected therapeutic and supratherapeutic doses on cardiac repolarization in healthy subjects: A thorough QT/QTc study
Authors: Chen Ya‐Chi , Haznedar Joshua , Kulkarni Rohit , Vistuer Christelle , Washington Carla , Liu Mei , Smith Patrick 
Published: October 2013

AbstractMericitabine, the di‐isobutyl ester prodrug of the cytidine nucleoside analog, is a potent and selective hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase inhibitor. This thorough QT/QTc study evaluated the effect of mericitabine on cardiac repolarization in healthy subjects. This was a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐ and active‐controlled, 4‐way crossover study. A total of 60 subjects were enrolled and randomized to receive a single dose of mericitabine 1,500 mg, 9,000 mg, moxifloxacin 400 mg and placebo in randomly assigned treatment sequences, with at least 14 days between doses. The primary endpoint was the mean difference in baseline‐adjusted QT interval using a study‐specific correction method (QTcS) between mericitabine and placebo. The upper one‐sided 95% confidence interval for the placebo‐subtracted change from baseline in QTcS was <10 milliseconds and the mean difference from placebo was <5 milliseconds at all time points for both mericitabine doses. The positive control moxifloxacin caused a pronounced increase in QTcS that peaked 4 hours after oral administration. Furthermore, there was no trend of a concentration‐dependent effect of mericitabine on QTcS. In conclusion, mericitabine does not have a clinically or statistically significant effect on cardiac repolarization in healthy subjects at single doses up to 9,000 mg.
Dynamic Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access resource management for downlink interference avoidance in two‐tier networks
Authors: Kao Shang‐Juh , Wang Hsiu‐Lang 
Published: October 2013

SUMMARYIn two‐tier networks, which consist of macrocells and femtocells, femtocells can offload the traffic from macrocells thereby improving indoor signal coverage. However, the dynamic deployment feature of femtocells may result in signal interference due to limited frequency spectrum. The tradeoff between broad signal coverage and increased signal interference deserves further exploration for practical network operation. In this paper, dynamic frequency resource management is proposed to avoid both co‐tier and cross‐tier Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access downlink interference and increase frequency channel utilization under co‐channel deployment. A graph‐based non‐conflict group discovery algorithm is proposed to discover the disjoint interference‐free groups among femtocells in order to avoid the co‐tier interference. A macrocell uses the femtocell gateway for frequency resource allocation among femtocells to avoid cross‐tier interference. We formulate the optimized frequency resource assignment as a fractional knapsack problem and solve the problem by using a greedy method. The simulation results show that the average data transfer rate can be increased from 21% to 60%, whereas idle rate and blocking rate are decreased in the range of and , respectively, as compared with conventional graph coloring and graph‐based dynamic frequency reuse schemes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Congruent morphological and genetic differentiation as a signature of range expansion in a fragmented landscape
Authors: Ledevin Ronan , Millien Virginie 
Published: October 2013

AbstractPhenotypic differentiation is often interpreted as a result of local adaptation of individuals to their environment. Here, we investigated the skull morphological differentiation in 11 populations of the white‐footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). These populations were sampled in an agricultural landscape in the Montérégie region (Québec, Canada), at the northern edge of the distribution of the white‐footed mouse. We found a strong pattern of phenotypic differentiation matching the genetic structure across these populations. Landscape fragmentation and the presence of geographic barriers, in particular north–south oriented rivers, contribute to this differentiation and modulate the pattern of rapid ongoing northward range expansion of the white‐footed mouse in response to climate warming. We conclude that while large rivers and postglacial recolonization routes have shaped the current pattern of distribution and differentiation of white‐footed mouse populations, further local differentiation is occurring, at the scale of the landscape. We posit that the northern expansion of the white‐footed mouse is achieved through successive independent founder events in a fragmented landscape at the northern range edge of the species. The phenotypic differentiation we observe is thus a result of a number of mechanisms operating at different spatial and temporal scales.
Intellectual Function in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
Authors: Weider Siri , Indredavik Marit Sæbø , Lydersen Stian , Hestad Knut 
Published: October 2013

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to examine cognitive function in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) on the basis of IQ measures, indexes and subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Third Edition (WAIS‐III).MethodsA total of 41 patients with AN, 40 patients with BN and 40 healthy controls (HC), matched for sex, age and education, were recruited consecutively to complete the WAIS‐III.ResultsThe AN group showed a significantly lower performance than the HC group on most global measures and on eight of the 13 administered subtests. Minor differences in verbal function were detected between the BN group and the HC group.ConclusionThe patients with eating disorders showed normal intellectual functions compared with the normative population. However, the AN group displayed a consistently lower performance than the matched HC group, which performed above normative means. The BN group performed at a level between that of the AN and HC groups. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Pricing Bounds on Barrier Options
Authors: Tsuzuki Yukihiro 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThis article proposes the optimal pricing bounds on barrier options in an environment where plain‐vanilla options and no‐touch options can be used as hedging instruments. Super‐ and sub‐hedging portfolios are derived without specifying any underlying processes, which are static ones consisting of not only plain‐vanilla options but also cash‐paying no‐touch options and/or asset paying no‐touch options that pay one cash or one underlying asset, respectively, if the barrier has not been hit. Moreover, the prices of these portfolios turn out to be the optimal pricing bounds through finding risk‐neutral measures under which the barrier option price is equal to the hedging portfolio's value. The model‐independent pricing bounds are useful because the price of a barrier option is significantly dependent on a model. It is demonstrated through numerical examples that prices outside the pricing bounds can be produced by models that are calibrated to market prices of plain‐vanilla options, but not to that of a no‐touch option. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 34:1170–1184, 2014
A stand‐alone tree demography and landscape structure module for Earth system models
Authors: Haverd Vanessa , Smith Benjamin , Cook Garry D. , Briggs Peter R. , Nieradzik Lars , Roxburgh Stephen H. , Liedloff Adam , Meyer Carl P. , Canadell Josep G. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractWe propose and demonstrate a new approach for the simulation of woody ecosystem stand dynamics, demography, and disturbance‐mediated heterogeneity suitable for continental to global applications and designed for coupling to the terrestrial ecosystem component of any earth system model. The approach is encoded in a model called Populations‐Order‐Physiology (POP). We demonstrate the behavior and performance of POP coupled to the Community Atmosphere Biosphere Land Exchange model (CABLE) applied along the Northern Australian Tropical Transect, featuring gradients in rainfall and fire disturbance. The model is able to simultaneously reproduce observation‐based estimates of key functional and structural variables along the transect, namely gross primary production, tree foliage projective cover, basal area, and maximum tree height. Prospects for the use of POP to address current vegetation dynamic deficiencies in earth system modeling are discussed.
Separating the thermal fingerprints of lava flows and simultaneous lava fountaining using ground‐based thermal camera and SEVIRI measurements
Authors: Ganci Gaetana , James Mike R. , Calvari Sonia , Negro Ciro Del 
Published: October 2013

AbstractDuring effusive eruptions, thermal satellite monitoring has proved well suited to map the thermal flux from lava flows. However, during lava fountaining events, thermal contributions from active flows and from the fountain itself cannot be separated in low resolution satellite data. Here using photogrammetry and atmospheric modeling techniques, we compare radiance estimates from long‐range ground‐based thermal camera data (from which the fountain can be excluded) with those from SEVIRI satellite images for a fountaining event at Mount Etna (12 August 2011). The radiant heat flux determined from the ground‐based camera showed similar behavior to values retrieved from Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI); thus the SEVIRI signal is interpreted to be dominated by the lava flows, with minimal contribution from the fountain. Furthermore, by modeling the cooling phase of each pixel inundated by lava, the mean thickness and lava volume (~2.4 × 106 m3) derived from camera images are comparable with those calculated from SEVIRI (~2.8 × 106 m3).
Evaluating the impact a proposed family planning model would have on maternal and infant mortality in Afghanistan
Authors: Rahmani Ahmad Masoud , Wade Benjamin , Riley William 
Published: October 2013

SummaryObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the potential impact a proposed family planning model would have on reducing maternal and infant mortality in Afghanistan.BackgroundAfghanistan has a high total fertility rate, high infant mortality rate, and high maternal mortality rate. Afghanistan also has tremendous socio‐cultural barriers to and misconceptions about family planning services.MethodsWe applied predictive statistical models to a proposed family planning model for Afghanistan to better understand the impact increased family planning can have on Afghanistan's maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate. We further developed a sensitivity analysis that illustrates the number of maternal and infant deaths that can be averted over 5 years according to different increases in contraceptive prevalence rates.ResultsIncrementally increasing contraceptive prevalence rates in Afghanistan from 10% to 60% over the course of 5 years could prevent 11 653 maternal deaths and 317 084 infant deaths, a total of 328 737 maternal and infant deaths averted.ConclusionAchieving goals in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in Afghanistan requires a culturally relevant approach to family planning that will be supported by the population. The family planning model for Afghanistan presents such a solution and holds the potential to prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using hydrochemical tracers to assess impacts of unsewered urban catchments on hydrochemistry and nutrients in groundwater
Authors: Nyenje P. M. , Foppen J. W. , Uhlenbrook S. , Lutterodt G. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractWe applied graphical methods and multivariate statistics to understand impacts of an unsewered slum catchment on nutrients and hydrochemistry of groundwater in Kampala, Uganda. Data were collected from 56 springs (groundwater), 22 surface water sites and 13 rain samples. Groundwater was acidic and dominated by Na, Cl and NO3. These ions were strongly correlated, indicating pollution originating from wastewater infiltration from on‐site sanitation systems. Results also showed that rain, which was acidic, impacted on groundwater chemistry. Using Q‐mode hierarchical cluster analysis, we identified three distinct water quality groups. The first group had springs dominated by Ca‐Cl‐NO3, low values of electrical conductivity (EC), pH and cations, and relatively high NO3 values. These springs were shown to have originated from the acidic rains because their chemistry closely corresponded to ion concentrations that would occur from rainfall recharge, which was around 3.3 times concentrated by evaporation. The second group had springs dominated by Na‐K‐Cl‐NO3 and Ca‐Cl‐NO3, low pH but with higher values of EC, NO3 and cations. We interpreted these as groundwater affected by both acid rain and infiltration of wastewater from urban areas. The third group had the highest EC values (average of 688 μS/cm), low pH and very high concentrations of NO3 (average of 2.15 mmol/l) and cations. Since these springs were all located in slum areas, we interpreted them as groundwater affected by infiltration of wastewater from poorly sanitized slums areas. Surface water was slightly reducing and eutrophic because of wastewater effluents, but the contribution of groundwater to nutrients in surface water was minimal because o‐PO4 was absent, whereas NO3 was lost by denitification. Our findings suggest that groundwater chemistry in the catchment is strongly influenced by anthropogenic inputs derived from nitrogen‐containing rains and domestic wastewater. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Extended‐release opioids in the management of cancer pain: A systematic review of efficacy and safety
Authors: Mesgarpour B. , Griebler U. , Glechner A. , Kien C. , Strobelberger M. , Van Noord M.G. , Michalek‐Sauberer A. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractDespite the increased availability of strong analgesics and evidence‐based recommendations for pain management, under‐treatment of cancer‐related pain is still common. Extended‐release (ER) opioids, in contrast to immediate‐release opioids, provide prolonged analgesia. In this review, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of ER opioid analgesics in managing moderate‐to‐severe pain in patients with cancer. We identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled observational studies that compared ER opioids in cancer pain by searching several databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. Two independent reviewers screened and evaluated retrieved records to select relevant studies. We dually assessed the risk of bias for included studies and evaluated the overall strength of evidence for six critical outcomes using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation level of evidence. A total of three double‐blind RCTs (comparative efficacy and adverse events), two non‐blinded RCTs and four observational studies (comparative adverse events) were included in this review. All randomized trials and one observational study were of high risk of bias, and three observational studies of unclear risk of bias. The level of evidence for the selected efficacy and safety outcomes was low and very low. We synthesized the findings qualitatively because of the paucity of relevant studies as well as variable study design and quality. This systematic review indicates no substantial differences in efficacy and frequent adverse events among ER opioids for cancer pain. The body of evidence, however, is limited to few comparisons and fraught with methodological shortcomings.
Gene expression profile study on osteoinductive effect of natural hydroxyapatite
Authors: Lü Xiaoying , Wang Jiandan , Li Bin , Zhang Zhiwei , Zhao Lifeng 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the osteoinductive effect of natural hydroxyapatite (NHA). NHA was extracted from pig bones and prepared into disk‐like samples. Then, proliferation of mouse bone mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cultured on NHA was assessed by the methylthiazoltetrazolium (MTT) assay. Furthermore, microarray technology was applied to obtain the gene expression profiles of MSCs cultured on NHA at 24, 48, and 72 h. The gene expression profile was then comprehensively analyzed by clustering, Gene Ontology (GO), Gene Microarray Pathway Profiler (GenMAPP) and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). According to the results of microarray experiment, 8992 differentially expressed genes were obtained. 90 differential expressed genes related to HA osteogenic differentiation were determined by GO analysis. These genes included not only 6 genes related to HA osteogenic differentiation as mentioned in the literatures but also newly discovered 84 genes. Some important signaling pathways (TGF‐β, MAPK, Wnt, etc.) were influenced by these genes. Gene interaction networks were obtained by IPA software, in which the scoring values of two networks were highest, and their main functions were related to cell development. The comprehensive analysis of these results indicate that NHA regulate some crucial genes (e.g., Bmp2, Spp1) and then activate some pathways such as TGF‐β signaling pathway, and ultimately osteogenic differentiation was induced. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 2833–2841, 2014.
Temporal Trends in Obesity, Osteoporosis Treatment, Bone Mineral Density, and Fracture Rates: A Population-Based Historical Cohort Study
Authors: Leslie William D , Lix Lisa M , Yogendran Marina S , Morin Suzanne N , Metge Colleen J , Majumdar Sumit R 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Diverging international trends in fracture rates have been observed, with most reports showing that fracture rates have stabilized or decreased in North American and many European populations. We studied two complementary population-based historical cohorts from the Province of Manitoba, Canada (1996–2006) to determine whether declining osteoporotic fracture rates in Canada are attributable to trends in obesity, osteoporosis treatment, or bone mineral density (BMD). The Population Fracture Registry included women aged 50 years and older with major osteoporotic fractures, and was used to assess impact of changes in osteoporosis treatment. The BMD Registry included all women aged 50 years and older undergoing BMD tests, and was used to assess impact of changes in obesity and BMD. Model-based estimates of temporal changes in fracture rates (Fracture Registry) were calculated. Temporal changes in obesity and BMD and their association with fracture rates (BMD Registry) were estimated. In the Fracture Registry (n = 27,341), fracture rates declined 1.6% per year (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3% to 2.0%). Although osteoporosis treatment increased from 5.6% to 17.4%, the decline in fractures was independent of osteoporosis treatment. In the BMD Registry (n = 36,587), obesity increased from 12.7% to 27.4%. Femoral neck BMD increased 0.52% per year and lumbar spine BMD increased 0.32% per year after covariate adjustment (p &lt; 0.001). Major osteoporotic fracture rates decreased in models that did not include femoral neck BMD (fully adjusted annual change –1.8%; 95% CI, –2.9 to –0.5), but adjusting for femoral neck BMD accounted for the observed reduction (annual change –0.5%; 95% CI, –1.8 to +1.0). In summary, major osteoporotic fracture rates declined substantially and linearly from 1996 to 2006, and this was explained by improvements in BMD rather than greater rates of obesity or osteoporosis treatment. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.