bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Brain Natriuretic Peptide and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients With Mildly Symptomatic Heart Failure
Authors: Brenyo Andrew , Barsheshet Alon , Rao Mohan , Huang David T. , Zareba Wojciech , McNitt Scott , Hall W. Jackson , Peterson Derick R. , Solomon Scott D. , Moss Arthur J. , Goldenberg Ilan 
Published: June 2013

Background—
There are limited data on the prognostic implications of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) assessment in patients with mildly symptomatic heart failure (HF) who receive cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D).

Methods and Results—

The effect of elevated baseline and 1-year BNP levels (dichotomized at the upper tertile BNP of 120 pg/mL) on the risk of HF or death was assessed among the cohort of 1197 patients with baseline BNP data enrolled in MADIT (Multicenter Automated Defibrillator Implantation Trial)-CRT. Elevated baseline BNP was associated with a significant 68% (
P
=0.007) and 58% (
P
=0.02) increase in the risk of HF or death among MADIT-CRT patients allocated to CRT-D and implantable cardioverter defibrillator-only therapy, respectively. At 1 year of follow-up, patients allocated to CRT-D displayed significantly greater reductions in BNP (26% reduction) levels compared with implantable cardioverter defibrillator-only patients (8% increase;
P
=0.005). Patients with CRT-D in whom 1-year BNP levels were reduced or remained low experienced a significantly lower risk of subsequent HF or death as compared with patients in whom 1-year BNP levels were high. Similarly, the echocardiographic response to CRT-D was highest among those who maintained low BNP levels or in whom BNP level at 1-year was reduced.

Conclusions—
Our findings suggest that assessment of baseline and follow-up BNP provides important prognostic implications in patients with mildly symptomatic HF who receive CRT.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00180271.
Finland on a Road towards a Modern Legal Biobanking Infrastructure
Authors: Soini Sirpa 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Finland has enacted a Biobank Act that will come into force on 1 September 2013. Finland is regarded as a highly successful environment for medical research using population samples and data for many reasons. One of the rationales behind the new legislation was to solve the problems due to the overly strict informed consent doctrine hindering access to old samples and data and asking for multi-purpose consents. Yet although consent is the primary justification to use biobank samples and data, the Biobank Act allows asking for a consent for several unspecified future research purposes. The guiding principles of the Biobank Act are promotion of trust, equal access to data and samples, protection of privacy, acceleration of innovation activities, and bringing biobank activities under public scrutiny. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first “all purpose” Biobank Act in Europe applied to all biobanks in one country.
Heavy Rainfall Induced by Tropical Cyclones across Northern Taiwan and Associated Intraseasonal Oscillation Modulation
Authors: Chen Jau-Ming , Tan Pei-Hua , Shih Ching-Feng 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Tropical cyclones (TCs) moving northwestward/westward across northern Taiwan are defined to have a type-2 track. This study aims to analyze heavy rainfall associated with type-2 TCs in Taiwan, focusing on the modulation processes of the intraseasonal oscillation (ISO). During 1958–2011, 21 summer type-2 TCs are separated into three rainfall types: strong, moderate, and weak. For the strong rainfall type, both 30–60-day and 10–24-day ISOs propagate northwestward across Taiwan. During landfall and the ensuing two days, both ISOs exhibit a cyclonic anomaly centering northwest of Taiwan that causes anomalous westerly flows (or enhance seasonal southwesterly flows) from the South China Sea (SCS) onto Taiwan. Persistent moisture supply and strong moisture convergence result in prolonged heavy rainfall on the windward side over western Taiwan. TCs with weak rainfall are accompanied by a northward-propagating 30–60-day ISO from the tropical western Pacific toward Japan and a westward-propagating 10–24-day ISO along 20°N latitude. During the landfall stage both ISOs have a cyclonic anomaly with its center south of Taiwan. Major anomalous westerly flows are displaced southward across the central SCS, leading to a weak moisture supply and rainfall in Taiwan. The moderate rainfall type features a 30–60-day (10–24 day) ISO resembling that of the weak (strong) rainfall type. The amount of rainfall thus ranges between the strong and weak rainfall types. Major processes regulating the rainfall of type-2 TCs relate to the intensity of the moisture supply associated with anomalous westerly flows from the SCS onto Taiwan, which is jointly modulated by 30–60-day and 10–24-day ISOs.
Eddy Shape, Orientation, Propagation, and Mean Flow Feedback in Western Boundary Current Jets
Authors: Waterman Stephanie , Hoskins Brian J. 
Published: June 2013

AbstractThis manuscript revisits a study of eddy–mean flow interactions in an idealized model of a western boundary current extension jet using properties of the horizontal velocity correlation tensor to diagnose characteristics of average eddy shape, orientation, propagation, and mean flow feedback. These eddy characteristics are then used to provide a new description of the eddy–mean flow interactions observed in terms of different ingredients of the eddy motion. The diagnostics show patterns in average eddy shape, orientation, and propagation that are consistent with the signatures of jet instability in the upstream region and wave radiation in the downstream region. Together they give a feedback onto the mean flow that gives the downstream character of the jet and drives the jet's recirculation gyres. A breakdown of the eddy forcing into contributions from individual terms confirms the expected role of cross-jet gradients in meridional eddy tilt in stabilizing the jet to its barotropic instability; however, it also reveals important roles played by the along-jet evolution of eddy zonal–meridional elongation. It is the mean flow forcing derived from these patterns that acts to strengthen and extend the jet downstream and forces the time-mean recirculation gyres. This understanding of the dependence of mean flow forcing on eddy structural properties suggests that failure to adequately resolve eddy elongation could underlie the weakened jet strength, extent, and changed recirculation structure seen in this idealized model for reduced spatial resolutions. Further, it may suggest new ideas for the parameterization of this forcing.
Adjoint-Derived Observation Impact Using WRF in the Western North Pacific
Authors: Jung Byoung-Joo , Kim Hyun Mee , Auligné Thomas , Zhang Xin , Zhang Xiaoyan , Huang Xiang-Yu 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
An increasing number of observations have contributed to the performance of numerical weather prediction systems. Accordingly, it is important to evaluate the impact of these observations on forecast accuracy. While the observing system experiment (OSE) requires considerable computational resources, the adjoint-derived method can evaluate the impact of all observational components at a lower cost. In this study, the effect of observations on forecasts is evaluated by the adjoint-derived method using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model, its adjoint model, and a corresponding three-dimensional variational data assimilation system in East Asia and the western North Pacific for the 2008 typhoon season. Radiance observations had the greatest total impact on forecasts, but conventional wind observations had the greatest impact per observation. For each observation type, the total impact was greatest for radiosonde and each Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU)-A satellite, followed by surface synoptic observation from a land station (SYNOP), Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT), atmospheric motion vector (AMV) wind from a geostationary satellite (GEOAMV), and aviation routine weather reports (METARs). The fraction of beneficial observations was approximately 60%–70%, which is higher than that reported in previous studies. For several analyses of Typhoons Sinlaku (200813) and Jangmi (200815), dropsonde soundings taken near the typhoon had similar or greater observation impacts than routine radiosonde soundings. The sensitivity to the error covariance parameter indicates that reducing (increasing) observation (background) error covariance helps to reduce forecast error in the current analysis framework. The observation impact from OSEs is qualitatively similar to that from the adjoint method for major observation types. This study confirms that radiosonde observations provide primary information on the atmospheric state as in situ observations and that satellite radiances are an essential component of atmospheric observation systems.
The Impact of Temperature on Major League Baseball
Authors: Koch Brandon Lee D. , Panorska Anna K. 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Major League Baseball is played from the beginning of April through the end of October each year, encompassing three of the four meteorological seasons: spring, summer, and fall. The 30 teams play in cities across the United States and Canada in many types of weather. This work studies the impact of temperature on a Major League Baseball game by examining the association between temperature and several Major League Baseball game statistics, including runs scored, batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, home runs, walks, strikeouts, hit-batsmen, stolen bases, and errors. Data from 22 215 games, spanning the 2000–11 regular seasons, were studied. Temperature was categorized as “cold,” “average,” and “warm.” Analyses were performed on the following populations: all Major League Baseball games, games played in the National League, games played in the American League, and games played in 23 different stadiums that are currently being used by Major League Baseball teams. Home and away teams' performances were analyzed separately for each population of games. The results of this study show that runs scored, batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and home runs significantly increase while walks significantly decrease in warm weather compared to cold weather.
Mental health of Latin Americans in Canada: A literature review
Authors: Ginieniewicz Jorge , McKenzie Kwame 
Published: June 2013

Background: Latin Americans represent one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in Canada. But very little is known about their mental health. Aims: This paper reviews the literature on the mental health of Latin American immigrants to Canada. The paper also identifies potential areas to expand the research agenda. Method: Twenty-five papers were identified by a comprehensive electronic search undertaken in medical- and humanities-related databases. Results: Results are reported in three sections: (1) the rates of mental illness; (2) the risk factors that affect mental health; and (3) the access and barriers to care and services. Findings indicate that despite the diversity of immigration from Latin America to Canada, much of the information on mental health focuses on Central American refugees. The most frequently examined risk factor is displacement as a consequence of political persecution and torture in the home country. Access to mental health services in this population seems to be limited by cultural differences and language barriers. Conclusion: New research on this topic should reflect the growing diversity and heterogeneity of the Latin American population in Canada.
Implementing patient-reported outcome measures in palliative care clinical practice: A systematic review of facilitators and barriers
Authors: Antunes Bárbara , Harding Richard , Higginson Irene J ,   on behalf of EUROIMPACT
Published: June 2013

Background: Many patient-reported outcome measures have been developed in the past two decades, playing an increasingly important role in palliative care. However, their routine use in practice has been slow and difficult to implement. Aim: To systematically identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation of patient-reported outcome measures in different palliative care settings for routine practice, and to generate evidence-based recommendations, to inform the implementation process in clinical practice. Design: Systematic literature review and narrative synthesis. Data Sources: Medline, PsycInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase and British Nursing Index were systematically searched from 1985. Hand searching of reference lists for all included articles and relevant review articles was performed. Results: A total of 3863 articles were screened. Of these, 31 articles met the inclusion criteria. First, data were integrated in the main themes: facilitators, barriers and lessons learned. Second, each main theme was grouped into either five or six categories. Finally, recommendations for implementation on outcome measures at management, health-care professional and patient levels were generated for three different points in time: preparation, implementation and assessment/improvement. Conclusions: Successful implementation of patient-reported outcome measures should be tailored by identifying and addressing potential barriers according to setting. Having a coordinator throughout the implementation process seems to be key. Ongoing cognitive and emotional processes of each individual should be taken into consideration during changes. The educational component prior to the implementation is crucial. This could promote ownership and correct use of the measure by clinicians, potentially improving practice and the quality of care provided through patient-reported outcome measure data use in clinical decision-making.
Historical use of x-rays
Authors: Calabrese EJ , Dhawan G 
Published: June 2013

Purpose: This article provides an historical assessment of the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of inner ear infections. Materials and methods: The research utilized a literature-based evaluation of the use of x-rays during the first half of the 20th century on the treatment of otitis media (OM), mastoiditis, and cervical adenitis and their impact on the occurrence of deafness. Results: X-Rays were consistently found to be effective as a treatment modality at relatively low doses, in the range of 10–20% of the skin erythema dose, rapidly reducing inflammation, and accelerating the healing process. The mechanistic basis of the clinical successes, while addressed by contemporary researchers, is evaluated in the present article in light of current molecular biology advances, which indicate that clinically effective low doses of ionizing radiation act via the creation of an anti-inflammatory phenotype in highly inflamed tissue. Conclusions: X-Ray treatment of OM, mastoiditis, and cervical adenitis was widely accepted in the first half of the 20th century by clinicians as an effective treatment when administered within an appropriate dosage range.
The Influence of Tree Allocation and Tree Transpiration on the Urban Microclimate: An Analysis of a Subtropical Urban Park
Authors: Jan Feng-Chun , Hsieh Chun-Ming , Ishikawa Mikiko , Sun Yin-Hsuan 
Published: June 2013

Recently, because of the growing importance of issues such as global warming and the heat island effect, maintenance of trees and the design of planting on green land have become increasingly significant. This article focuses on variation in sap flow in, and transpiration of, Araucaria heterophylla in Tainan Park. In order to understand the relationship between the allocation of plantings and the physiological functions of trees, the influence of cover conditions and meteorological conditions related to insolation were taken into consideration. First, under the same allocating conditions, the amount of transpiration was affected by differences on the ground (grassy and sandy). The differences in cover conditions have a lot to do with the water physiology of the tree. In addition, other factors such as insolation and changes in the speed of sap flow during a day are positively correlated. The results of this study are the main factors for evaluating the allocation and density of tree plantings and also for analysing the relationship between microclimatic environments and the physiological characteristics of trees. [Formula: see text]
Street Vendors, their Contested Spaces, and the Policy Environment: A View from Caloócan, Metro Manila
Authors: Recio Redento B. , Gomez José Edgardo A 
Published: June 2013

In developing states of Southeast Asia, street vendors play a significant but frequently unappreciated role in both the vibrancy of public spaces as well as the informal economy. Yet, they are subject to indiscriminate purges from sidewalks and other contested territories, which they occupy for lack of provision of spaces in which they could otherwise do business. But such occurrences, and the conflicts that may follow, can be addressed by revisiting policies, which seem anti-vendor or which fail to comprehend their presence and needs. This research studied street vendors of one of the active commuter interchanges of Metro Manila, the Monumento Station area in Caloócan City, framing their needs, issues and aspirations against existing laws. Simultaneously examined were typical uses of shifting, often contested stretches of roads, corners, and easements where hawkers, among other users, daily negotiate a claim to the city’s space. [Formula: see text]
Influence of alkaline (pH 8.3–12.0) and saline solutions on chemical, mineralogical and physical properties of two different bentonites
Authors: Heikola T. , Kumpulainen S. , Vuorinen U. , Kiviranta L. , Korkeakoski P. 
Published: June 2013

AbstractThe interaction of two different bulk bentonites (Na- and Ca-types) with three types of simulated cement waters (pH 9.7, 11.3 and 12.0) and one saline groundwater simulate (pH 8.3) as a reference, was studied in batch reactors at 25°C. The solution pH was monitored in order to keep the pH as steady as possible by replacing the leaching solution with fresh one when needed. After 554 days, one set of parallel samples was removed from the experiment in order to investigate the possible changes in the bentonite materials.The buffering capacity of bentonite was clearly observed, especially at the beginning of the high-pH experiments, as the pH of the leaching solutions decreased quite dramatically due to interaction with bentonite. The solution chemistry results showed a decrease of Ca content in all leachate samples, but especially in pH 12.0 experiments. Small amounts of silica were released throughout the experiment. Both bentonites in pH 12.0 experiments also released detectable amounts of Al, while in the lower pH experiments the levels were below detection limit. These observations were also supported by chemical analyses of the bentonite materials. Only minor changes were detected in the mineralogy, and they were mainly concentrated on experiments at pH 11.3 and pH 12.0. The measured swelling pressure showed an increase in pH 12.0 experiments. The results obtained in this research may facilitate modelling of bentonite interaction with high-pH solutions.
Coupled chemical-hydraulic-mechanical modelling of long-term alteration of bentonite
Authors: Ishii T. , Yahagi R. , Owada H. , Kobayashi I. , Takazawa M. , Yamaguchi K. , Takayama Y. , Tsurumi S. , Iizuka A. 
Published: June 2013

AbstractIn order to evaluate the long-term behaviour of the engineered barriers in geological disposal sites for transuranic element-bearing (TRU) waste, an evaluation by numerical analysis is required. Although chemical and hydraulic/mechanical analyses have been conducted independently until now, essentially both type of phenomena occur simultaneously and produce synergistic effects. Therefore, we focused attention on the buffer (bentonite) engineered barrier and conducted a study of which involved incorporating hydraulic/mechanical phenomena into the chemical analysis of bentonite alteration. The simulations employed weakly-coupled chemical and hydraulic/mechanical effects to study the behaviour in one dimension.The results showed that the dissolution of the montmorillonite is suppressed in the buffer section nearest the cement material. Moreover, in order to achieve a fully coupled analysis in future, the present study also identifies issues that need to be resolved.
Elucidating the role of interleukin-17F in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
Authors: Krejsgaard Thorbjørn , Litvinov Ivan V. , Wang Yang , Xia Lixin , Willerslev-Olsen Andreas , Koralov Sergei B. , Kopp Katharina L. , Bonefeld Charlotte M. , Wasik Mariusz A. , Geisler Carsten , Woetmann Anders , Zhou Youwen , Sasseville Denis , Odum Niels 
Published: June 2013

Key PointsThe Jak/Stat3 pathway promotes the expression of IL-17F in malignant CTCL cells. IL-17F is highly expressed in a subset of CTCL patients and associated with progressive disease.
Potent inhibition of DOT1L as treatment of MLL-fusion leukemia
Authors: Daigle Scott R. , Olhava Edward J. , Therkelsen Carly A. , Basavapathruni Aravind , Jin Lei , Boriack-Sjodin P. Ann , Allain Christina J. , Klaus Christine R. , Raimondi Alejandra , Scott Margaret Porter , Waters Nigel J. , Chesworth Richard , Moyer Mikel P. , Copeland Robert A. , Richon Victoria M. , Pollock Roy M. 
Published: June 2013

Key Points
EPZ-5676 is a potent DOT1L inhibitor that causes tumor regressions in a rat xenograft model of MLL-rearranged leukemia.
Study of surgical indication for knee arthroplasty by cartilage analysis in three compartments using data from Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI)
Authors: Yamabe Eiko , Ueno Teruko , Miyagi Ryo , Watanabe Atsuya , Guenzi Christine , Yoshioka Hiroshi 
Published: June 2013

AbstractBackgroundBicompartmental or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (BKA, UKA) is currently advocated as an alternative solution to conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in order to preserve bone stock and ligaments for limited osteoarthritis (OA) with intact anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments (ACL, PCL). However, the actual rate of UKA or BKA compared to TKA procedures in OA patients has not been reported. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed preoperative MRI of the knee in subjects who underwent knee arthroplasty and assessed the potential for UKA or BKA as an alternative treatment.MethodsData were extracted from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) public use data set, which included 4,796 subjects, ages 45–79. 3.0 Tesla MRI scanners were dedicated to imaging the knees of OAI participants annually from February 2004 to March 2010. Extensive quantitative measurements of the knee MRI were performed on 87 patients who underwent knee arthroplasty during follow-up visits. We assessed the cartilage thickness and defect size in the medial femorotibial joint (FTJ), lateral FTJ, and patellofemoral joint (PFJ) as well as ligamentous injury, bone marrow edema, and subchondral cyst size from 2D coronal turbo spin echo (TSE), 2D sagittal TSE, 3D coronal T1-weighted water-excitation fast low angle shot (FLASH), and 3D sagittal water-excitation double echo steady-state (DESS) with axial and coronal reformat images.ResultsEighty-five subjects (97.7%) were subjected to TKA, while only 2 subjects (2.3%) received UKA from the OAI database. Based on the preoperative MRI findings criteria, 51 of 87 subjects (58.6%) met the indication for TKA including the 2 UKA subjects above. This rate was significantly lower (p<0.001) than the actual TKA rate received. Among 85 subjects who actually underwent TKA, 31 subjects (36.5%) and 5 subjects (5.9%) met the indication for BKA and UKA, respectively.ConclusionsMany medial or lateral compartmental OA subjects, with or without patellar compartment defects have undergone TKA. The results of this study suggest the indication for partial arthroplasty, such as UKA or BKA, may increase when cartilage in each compartment, as well as ligaments and subchondral bone status are comprehensively evaluated.