bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Management patterns and predictors of mortality among US patients with cancer hospitalized for malignant bowel obstruction
Authors: Alese Olatunji B. , Kim Sungjin , Chen Zhengjia , Owonikoko Taofeek K. , El‐Rayes Bassel F. 
Published: March 2015

BACKGROUNDMalignant bowel obstruction affects an estimated 3% to 15% of patients with cancer, with a mean survival of <4 weeks reported in patients with inoperable malignant bowel obstruction. In the current study, the authors assessed predictors of survival and the influence of treatment modality in US patients with cancer who were hospitalized for malignant bowel obstruction.METHODSAll the US cancer patients hospitalized with malignant bowel obstruction in 2006 and 2010 were included. Data were obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample provided by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Malignant bowel obstruction diagnoses and treatment variables were identified using Clinical Classifications Software codes based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with a logistic model, weighted chi‐square test, and a generalized linear model.RESULTSThe authors identified 942,014 and 1,103,528 hospitalizations for malignant bowel obstruction in 2006 and 2010, respectively. Medical management, upper gastrointestinal obstruction, health insurance coverage, and obesity were found to be significantly associated with better hospital survival. Multivariate analysis also demonstrated significantly increased odds of death with male sex, advanced age, AJCC stage IV disease, multiple comorbid conditions (except acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), and weight loss. There were no significant differences with stratification based on the location and etiology of the obstruction (primary tumor vs metastatic).CONCLUSIONSMalignant bowel obstruction is a common cause of death in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer in the United States. The odds of death are especially high in older patients and those with concurrent medical illnesses. Lack of insurance coverage, significant weight loss, and surgical management also appear to be associated with higher mortality in this population. Cancer 2015;121:1772–1778. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Three‐arm, randomized, phase 2 study of carboplatin and paclitaxel in combination with cetuximab, cixutumumab, or both for advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who will not receive bevacizumab‐based therapy: An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) study (E4508)
Authors: Hanna Nasser H. , Dahlberg Suzanne E. , Kolesar Jill M. , Aggarwal Charu , Hirsch Fred R. , Ramalingam Suresh S. , Schiller Joan H. 
Published: March 2015

BACKGROUNDPreclinical evidence supports the clinical investigation of inhibitors to the insulin‐like growth factor receptor (IGFR) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) either alone or in combination as treatment for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).METHODSPatients with chemotherapy‐naïve, advanced NSCLC who had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 were eligible. Patients were randomized to receive carboplatin intravenously at an area under the plasma drug concentration‐time curve of 6.0 plus paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1 every 3 weeks combined with either intravenous cetuximab weekly (arm A), intravenous cixutumumab every 2 weeks (arm B), or both (arm C). Patients who had nonprogessing disease after 12 weeks of therapy were permitted to continue on maintenance antibody therapy until they developed progressive disease. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS). The study design required 180 eligible patients and had 88% power to detect a 60% increase in median PFS for either comparison (arm A vs arm C or arm B vs arm C) using the log‐rank test.RESULTSFrom September 2009 to December 2010, 140 patients were accrued. The study was closed to accrual early because of an excessive number of grade 5 events reported on arms A and C. Thirteen patients died during treatment (6 patients on arm A, 2 patients on arm B, and 5 patients on arm C), including 9 within approximately 1 month of starting therapy. The estimated median PFS for arms A, B, and C were similar at 3.4 months, 4.2 months, and 4 months, respectively.CONCLUSIONSOn the basis of the apparent lack of efficacy and excessive premature deaths, the current results do not support the continued investigation of carboplatin, paclitaxel, and cixutumumab either alone or in combination with cetuximab for patients with advanced NSCLC. Cancer 2015;121:2253–2261. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
2‐Heteroaryl‐[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐c]quinazoline‐5(6 H)‐thiones and Their S‐Substituted Derivatives: Synthesis, Spectroscopic Data, and Biological Activity
Authors: Bilyi Andrii K. , Antypenko Lyudmyla M. , Ivchuk Vitalii V. , Kamyshnyi Oleksandr M. , Polishchuk Natalya M. , Kovalenko Sergiy I. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIn the continuing search for novel, biologically effective heterocyclic agents, several methods for the synthesis of 2‐heteroaryl‐[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐c]quinazoline‐5(6 H)‐thiones have been developed: thiolation of oxo derivatives, [5+1] cyclocondensation of [2‐(3‐heteroaryl‐[1,2,4]triazol‐5‐yl)phenyl]amines with carbon disulfide, potassium ethyl xanthogenate, or aryl isothiocyanates, and in situ reaction of 2‐isothiocyanatobenzonitrile with hydrazides. A series of N‐R‐2‐[(2‐heteroaryl‐[1,2,4]triazole‐[1,5‐c]quinazoline‐5‐yl)thio]acetamides were obtained by aminolysis of the corresponding acetic acids and alkylation of potassium thiolates with N‐R‐2‐chloroacetamides. It was established that some potassium thiolates, 4 a–4 d, 4 h, and 4 i, had high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 12.5 μg mL−1 and minimum bactericidal concentration of 25 μg mL−1, which exceeded the values for trimethoprim. In addition, {2‐[3‐(1 H‐indole‐2‐yl)‐1 H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐yl]phenyl}amine 2 i was investigated in the concentration range 100–0.01 μM at 59 lines of nine cancer cell types, and showed a mean effective concentration at 3.12–7.03 μM and cytotoxic effect at 15.56–67.38 μM. The possible mechanisms of activity were predicted by molecular docking studies to S. aureus dihydrofolate reductase and epidermal growth factor receptor kinase.
An inducible offense: carnivore morph tadpoles induced by tadpole carnivory
Authors: Levis Nicholas A. , de la Serna Buzón Sofia , Pfennig David W. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractPhenotypic plasticity is commonplace, and plasticity theory predicts that organisms should often evolve mechanisms to detect and respond to environmental cues that accurately predict future environmental conditions. Here, we test this prediction in tadpoles of spadefoot toads, Spea multiplicata. These tadpoles develop into either an omnivore ecomorph, which is a dietary generalist, or a carnivore ecomorph, which specializes on anostracan shrimp and other tadpoles. We investigated a novel proximate cue – ingestion of Scaphiopus tadpoles – and its propensity to produce carnivores by rearing tadpoles on different diets. We found that diets containing tadpoles from the genus Scaphiopus produced more carnivores than diets without Scaphiopus tadpoles. We discuss why Scaphiopus tadpoles are an excellent food source and why it is therefore advantageous for S. multiplicata tadpoles to produce an inducible offense that allows them to better utilize this resource. In general, such inducible offenses provide an excellent setting for investigating the proximate and evolutionary basis of phenotypic plasticity.
Dispersive Raman spectroscopy allows the identification and quantification of melanin types
Authors: Galván Ismael , Jorge Alberto 
Published: March 2015

AbstractMelanins are the most prevalent pigments in animals and are involved in visual communication by producing colored traits that often evolve as intraspecific signals of quality. Identifying and quantifying melanins are therefore essential to understand the function and evolution of melanin‐based signals. However, the analysis of melanins is difficult due to their insolubility and the lack of simple methods that allow the identification of their chemical forms. We recently proposed the use of Raman spectroscopy as a simple, noninvasive technique that can be used to identify and quantify melanins in feathers and hairs. Contrarily, other authors later stated that melanins are characterized by a lack of defined Raman signals. Here, we use confocal Raman microscopy to confirm previous analyses showing that the two main chemical forms of melanins (eumelanin and pheomelanin) exhibit distinct Raman signal and compare different excitation wavelengths to analyze synthetic pheomelanin and natural melanins in feathers of different species of birds. Our analyses indicate that only laser excitation wavelengths below 1064 nm are useful for the analysis of melanins by Raman spectroscopy, and only 780‐nm laser in the case of melanins in feathers. These findings show that the capacity of Raman spectroscopy to distinguish different chemical forms of melanins depends on laser power and integration time. As a consequence, Raman spectroscopy should be applied after preliminar analyses using a range of these parameters, especially in fragile biological tissues such as feathers.
Glaciokarst landforms and processes of the southern Dinaric Alps
Authors: Žebre Manja , Stepišnik Uroš 
Published: March 2015

AbstractGlaciokarst is a landscape which combines karst features and hydrology as well as inherited glacial features. It is a result of glaciation upon a karst geomorphological system. The relationship between glaciers and karst is rather poorly known and inadequately recognized. This research focuses on three distinct karst areas along the Adriatic coast in the southern Dinaric Alps that were affected by the Quaternary glaciations. An insight into specific glaciokarst processes and surface features was provided through the study of the areas of the Lovćen, Orjen and Velež Mountains. A glaciokarst geomorphology is in general well preserved due to the prevailing vertically oriented chemical denudation following de‐glaciation and almost the entire absence of other surface processes. Typical glacial erosional features are combined by a variety of depressions which are the result of a karstic drainage of sub‐glacial waters. The majority of glacial deposits occur as extensive lateral‐terminal moraine complexes, which are often dissected by smaller breach‐lobe moraines on the external side of the ridge. Those moraine complexes are likely to be a product of several glacial events, which is supported by complex depositional structures. According to the type of glacial depositional features, the glaciers in the study areas were likely to have characteristics of moraine‐dammed glaciers. Due to vertical drainage ice‐marginal fluvial processes were unable to evacuate sediment. Fluvial transport between glacial and pro‐glacial systems in karst areas is inefficient. Nevertheless, some sediment from the glacier margin is washed away by the pro‐glacial streams, filling the karst depressions and forming piedmont‐type poljes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Behavior of beams in bolted column‐tree frames at elevated temperature
Authors: Yahyai Mahmood , Rezaeian Abbas 
Published: March 2015

SummaryColumn‐tree moment resisting frames, as the efficient shop‐welded and field‐bolted structural systems, are used in many countries. Very limited research has been carried out on such systems under fire conditions. This paper presents experimental and numerical investigations of the behavior of beam and bolted splice connections in steel column‐tree moment resisting frames exposed to fire. Two full‐scale steel sub‐frames with different splice connections were tested under International Organization for Standardization (ISO 834) fire. The observation of thermal and structural fire behaviors including temperature histories, temperature deflection of the beam, temperature rotation of splice connections, and failure modes was investigated. The beam splice connection failed because of shear fracture of top bolts at temperatures beyond 750 °C, while beam underwent large deflections of more than span/20. In addition, detailed 3‐D finite element models were developed to simulate the structural behavior of the specimens in fire. Obtained numerical results from the finite element analysis successfully simulated the experimental fire test results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Risk of sensitization to fragrances estimated on the basis of patch test data and exposure, according to volume used and a sample of 5451 cosmetic products
Authors: Schnuch Axel , Uter Wolfgang , Lessmann Holger , Geier Johannes 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe risk of sensitization cannot be derived from the frequency of sensitization to allergens alone, as exposure also should be considered. The occurrence of 26 fragrances in 5451 products based on the labelling of the ingredients was documented. Use volumes were provided by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). Frequency of sensitization to fragrances was analysed based on IVDK data from September 2007 to December 2009. As an estimate of sensitization risk, the sensitization exposure quotient (SEQ) was calculated as the quotient of the relative frequency of sensitization and the relative frequency of use/labelling. The SEQs (the risk) varied greatly, offering a ranking regarding risk of sensitization: oak moss, tree moss, farnesol, methyl 2‐octynoate (methyl heptine carbonate) and isoeugenol at the top of the list indicating a (very) high risk of sensitization, butylphenyl methylpropional (Lilial ®), hexyl cinnamal, citronellol, linalool and limonene at the bottom, indicating a (very) low risk of sensitization. Compounds with a high risk were found to be classified as potent allergens according to the LLNA. High frequencies of sensitization may be put into perspective by the frequent use of certain fragrances. Despite infrequent use, others (with higher potencies or too high use concentrations) may turn out to be associated with an increased risk. Hazard assessment should be supplemented by risk assessment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulation of viscoelastic fluids in a 2D abrupt contraction by spectral element method
Authors: Jafari Azadeh , Fiétier Nicolas , Deville Michel O. 
Published: March 2015

SummaryThis study presents the vortex structure and numerical instability increase occurring when the level of elasticity is enhanced in inertial flows in planar contraction configuration for finitely extensible nonlinear elastic model by Peterlin (FENE‐P) fluid . The re‐entrant corner effect on corner vortices is also considered. The calculations are performed using extended matrix logarithm formulation described in a previous paper: A. Jafari et al. A new extended matrix logarithm formulation for the simulation of viscoelastic fluids by spectral elements. Computer & Fluids 2010; 39(9):1425–1438. In that reference, the proposed algorithm has been tested for simple geometry such as Poiseuille flow. In this study, we are interested in the capability of this algorithm for more complex geometry. This formulation helps to reach higher values of the Weissenberg number when compared with the classical one. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
World Health Organization Reform: Lessons Learned from the Ebola Epidemic
Authors: Gostin Lawrence O. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIt was October 2014, and Ebola was raging out of control in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Margaret Chan, the World Health Organization's director‐general, defended the organization against charges that its response was late and ineffective: “We are a technical agency, with governments having first priority to take care of their people.” In January 2015, the WHO executive board undertook a systematic reform of the agency's performance, and Chan again offered a defense: I followed protocol, leaving it to the Africa office (AFRO) to respond. Yet the three nations could not possibly have stemmed the outbreak alone, and AFRO was known to be dysfunctional.Ebola represents an inflection point requiring fundamental reform for the WHO. A failure of leadership will impact its status and legitimacy for a generation. Here, I offer five reforms that would transform it and ensure that it fulfills its constitutional mission as “the directing and coordinating authority on international health work.”
Temporizing after Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Volpe Rebecca L. , Crites Joshua S. , Kirschner Kristi L. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractMr. C is a twenty‐two‐year‐old who was flown to a level‐1 trauma center after diving headfirst into shallow water. Prior to this accident, he was in excellent health. At the scene, he had been conscious but was paralyzed and had no sensation below his neck. The emergency medical services team immobilized Mr. C's neck with a cervical collar and intubated him for airway protection before transport. As Mr. C's medical care proceeds, he expresses a desire for extubation, although it was not clear that he had the capacity to make this (or any other) decision. It also was unclear whether this desire reflected his authentic wishes to be allowed to die or stemmed from feelings of discomfort and agitation. Over a period of several days, Mr. C's sedation was lightened, and the psychiatry service conducted a formal decision‐making capacity assessment. Mr. C continues to express a desire to withdraw life‐sustaining medical treatment. However, the psychiatry service is concerned that Mr. C seems to lack adequate insight into what it would mean to die.What does it mean to respect Mr. C's autonomy?
Why It's Not Time for Health Care Rationing
Authors: Ubel Peter A. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIn the last few years, the U.S. health care system has seemingly been gripped by “back to the nineties” fever. But there is a notable change in professional debates about how to better control health care costs. Discussion of health care rationing, which was hotly debated in the nineties, has become much more muted.Is health care rationing passé? I contend that debates about health care rationing have waned not because the need to ration has dwindled nor because ethical debates about how or whether to ration have been resolved. They have declined because the word “rationing,” and unrelated concepts such as cost‐effectiveness analysis, have been replaced by terms—“parsimony,” “value,” and “CER”—that are not burdened by emotional and historical baggage.Sometimes the best way to promote healthy moral debate is to turn to new words that don't carry the burden of past debates.
Translational Research May Be Most Successful When It Fails
Authors: Ioannidis John P. A. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIn this issue of the Hastings Center Report, Jonathan Kimmelman and Alex London argue that in assessing the success of clinical translation, it is narrow‐minded to focus only on how many new drugs get licensed and how quickly they achieve licensure. Kimmelman and London show that clinical translation should be judged on its ability to generate as comprehensive an intervention ensemble as possible for the tested interventions. I would like to extend Kimmelman and London's position in two ways. First, I would argue that in the current environment, failures should be seen not just as acceptable, but probably as the most useful outcomes that translational research efforts can offer. Second, an intervention ensemble probably cannot be generated with information only about the drug or drugs produced by a single company. For most conditions and diseases, there are already a large number of other interventions whose use is supported or contradicted by various levels of evidence.
Thiophosphate/Phosphonate‐Containing Cross‐Linked PEGs and Their Use for the Stabilization of Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Hameau Aurélien , Collière Vincent , Glaria Arnaud , Caminade Anne‐Marie , Turrin Cédric‐Olivier 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTA simple strategy was developed to obtain poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐based materials incorporating phosphonate functions and thiophosphate groups from readily accessible symmetrical PEG compounds and trifunctional thiophosphates. These materials are obtained in a two‐step procedure, via the formation of THF soluble, hyperbranched PEG‐based polyazomethines that are subsequently functionalized with dimethylphosphite. The resulting materials are hydrolytically degradable, and upon exposure to aqueous solutions of silver acetate they afford stable colloidal solutions of silver.
Investigations of uncertainty in SWAT hydrologic simulations: a case study of a Canadian Shield catchment
Authors: Fu Congsheng , James April L. , Yao Huaxia 
Published: March 2015

AbstractUncertainty analysis is an integral part of hydrological modelling. We investigated uncertainty from model structure and parameters in the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) hydrologic simulations for a Canadian Shield catchment (5.4 km2) in south central Ontario. We investigated influences of model structure on parameter identifiability and prediction uncertainty by comparing model performance of SWAT (version 2009.10.1 Beta3) and SWAT‐CS (a version representing hydrological processes in Canadian Shield catchments). Equifinality was found to exist for many parameters in process modules of snow water equivalent (SWE), streamflow and lake outflow. For SWAT, there are clearly identifiable parameters from process modules of snowmelt, overland flow, lateral flow and groundwater flow, while snowmelt parameters and lateral flow travel time are the only clearly identifiable parameters in SWAT‐CS. Model structure also notably influenced the optimum parameter values. Only 50–55% of observed SWE and 27–43% of observed streamflow were bracketed by the corresponding 95% confidence interval. The prediction uncertainty for SWE was mainly caused by the inaccuracy in timing of simulated snowmelt. This, along with use of a daily time step that is not able to capture the subdaily rainfall on snow pack, the limited capability of simulating groundwater by SWAT and the close‐to‐zero streamflow during dry seasons at the study catchment, could all contribute to the prediction uncertainty in streamflow. Comparatively, more reasonable model structure (SWAT‐CS) was shown to reduce prediction uncertainty. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Co-administration of Antiresorptive and Anabolic Agents: A Missed Opportunity
Authors: Seeman Ego , Martin T John 
Published: March 2015

Abstract

Co-administration of antiresorptive and anabolic therapies has appeal because these treatments target the two main abnormalities in bone remodeling responsible for bone loss and microstructural deterioration. Antiresorptives reduce the number of basic multicellular units (BMUs) remodeling bone and reduce the volume of bone each BMU resorbs. Intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH) increases the volume of bone formed by existing BMUs and those generated by PTH administration. PTH also increases bone formation by stimulating the differentiation, maturation, and longevity of osteoblast lineage cells residing upon quiescent bone surfaces. Despite these rationally targeted actions, enthusiasm for this approach waned when combined therapy blunted the increase in areal bone mineral density (aBMD) relative to that produced by PTH. Although many studies have since reported additive effects of combined therapy, whatever the aBMD result (blunting, additive, or null), these outcomes give little, if any, insight into changes in bone's material composition or microstructure and give misleading information concerning the net effects on bone strength. Combined therapy remains a potentially valuable approach to therapy. Because studies of antifracture efficacy comparing combined with single therapy are unlikely to be performed in humans, efforts should be directed toward improving methods of quantifying the net effects of combined therapy on bone's material composition, microarchitecture, and strength. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.