bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Beneficial Effects of a Combined Navigator/Promotora Approach for Hispanic Women Diagnosed with Breast Abnormalities
Authors: Dudley Donald J. , Drake Joan , Quinlan Jennifer , Holden Alan , Saegert Pam , Karnad Anand , Ramirez Amelie 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Background: Patient navigation (PN) is an emerging strategy to overcome barriers to cancer care. We evaluated the efficacy of PN in improving time of key events in cancer care, including positive screening tests, definitive diagnosis, initiation of therapy, and completion of initial therapy.
Methods: We evaluated PN in a prospective observational study of predominantly poor Hispanic women with an abnormal breast cancer screening or untreated biopsy proven breast cancer (control = 200, intervention = 260). Controls were contemporary record-based patients with positive screening. Analyses were conducted for the entire cohort and separately by ethnic strata. We used χ2 tests to compare differences in proportions and Kaplan–Meier followed by Cox regression to compare time-to-event curves of the intervention and control groups.
Results: The average days from definitive diagnosis to initiation of therapy was significantly reduced overall with PN (PN vs. control, 57 vs. 74 days, P = 0.04). This effect was more pronounced in the Hispanic strata (56 vs. 81 days, P = 0.02). More navigated Hispanic women were diagnosed within 60 days of abnormal screening (62.6% vs. 47.5%, P &lt; 0.01) and more began treatment within 60 days of diagnosis (80% vs. 56.3%, P &lt; 0.01). Navigated Hispanic and other ethnic minority women had a shorter time from positive screening test to definitive diagnosis (16 and 32 days, respectively).
Conclusions: Minority women may have benefited from navigation with shorter times from definitive diagnosis to initiation of therapy.
Impact: PN intervention may show promise in decreasing some delays that contribute to health disparities among minority women with breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(10); 1639–44. ©2012 AACR.
Lung Cancer Survival among Black and White Patients in an Equal Access Health System
Authors: Zheng Li , Enewold Lindsey , Zahm Shelia H. , Shriver Craig D. , Zhou Jing , Marrogi Aizen , McGlynn Katherine A. , Zhu Kangmin 
Published: October 2012

AbstractBackground: Racial disparities in lung cancer outcomes have been observed in the general population. However, it is unclear whether survival differences persist when patients have equal access to health care. Our objective was to determine if lung cancer survival differed among black and white patients in the U.S. Military Health System (MHS), an equal access health care system.Methods: The study subjects were 10,181 black and white patients identified through the Department of Defense's Automated Central Tumor Registry, who were 20 years old or more and diagnosed with lung cancer between 1990 and 2003. Racial differences in all-cause survival were examined using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression models stratified by histology. For comparison, survival rates in the general population were calculated using Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-9 data.Results: Analyses included 9,154 white and 1,027 black patients: 1,834 small cell lung cancers, 3,876 adenocarcinomas, 2,741 squamous cell carcinomas, and 1,730 large cell carcinomas. Although more favorable crude survival was observed among black patients than white patients with small cell lung cancer (P = 0.04), survival was similar between the two groups after covariate adjustment. Racial differences in survival were nonsignificant for adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and large cell carcinomas. Survival rates appeared to be better in the MHS than in the general population.Conclusions and Impact: All-cause survival was similar among black and white lung cancer patients in the MHS. Providing equal access to health care may eliminate racial disparities in lung cancer survival while improving the outcome of all cases. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(10); 1841–7. ©2012 AACR.
Estimated Mean Sojourn Time Associated with Hemoccult SENSA for Detection of Proximal and Distal Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zheng Wenying , Rutter Carolyn M. 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Background: Sojourn time is the length of the preclinical screen-detectable phase, a period when a test can detect asymptomatic disease. Mean sojourn time (MST) is an important factor in determining appropriate screening intervals. Available estimates of MST for colorectal cancer (CRC) are imprecise and are associated with the older Hemoccult II test. This article presents MST estimates associated with the newer Hemoccult SENSA test and describes differences in MST by the location of cancer in the colorectum and age at the time of screening.
Methods: MST was estimated from a cohort of 42,079 patients who underwent Hemoccult SENSA between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2010. The precision of MST estimates was improved by incorporating information from a meta-analysis of the sensitivity of Hemoccult SENSA into the analytic model.
Results: Estimated MST for cancers in the proximal and distal colorectum, with 95% credible intervals (CrI) in years, were: 3.86 (1.55–6.91) and 3.35 (2.11–4.93) among 45- to 54-year olds; 3.78 (2.18–5.77) and 2.24 (1.48–3.17) among 55- to 64-year olds; and 2.70 (1.41–4.31) and 2.10 (1.34–3.04) among 65- to 74-year olds.
Conclusions: MST associated with Hemoccult SENSA was longer for CRC in the proximal versus distal colon. We found no evidence that MST increases with age and some evidence that it may decrease.
Impact: These results add new information about the natural history of CRC and information about the performance of Hemoccult SENSA. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(10); 1722–30. ©2012 AACR.
A Prospective Study of Total and Ionized Serum Calcium and Time to Fatal Prostate Cancer
Authors: Schwartz Gary G. , Skinner Halcyon G. 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Background: Higher levels of total and ionized serum calcium have been shown to predict fatal prostate cancer in prospective studies. Because the follow-up time in these studies was relatively short, these associations could reflect the effect of clinically significant but occult prostate tumors on serum calcium levels. If this were true, prostate cancer mortality rates among men with higher levels of serum calcium should be higher during the early follow-up period and should decline thereafter.
Methods: We tested this hypothesis by estimating the relative risk of death from prostate cancer in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III for incremental increases in total and ionized serum calcium using Cox proportional hazards regression with time-dependent effects.
Results: Forty-nine (49) fatal prostate cancers occurred over 204 months of follow-up and 1,069,327 person–months of observation. Men with higher total serum calcium and higher serum ionized calcium had increased risks of fatal prostate cancer during the first 96 months of follow-up [Relative Hazard (RH) = 1.50 per 0.1 mmol/L total serum calcium, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04–2.17; RH = 1.72 per 0.05 mmol/L ionized calcium, 95% CI = 1.11–2.66]. Evidence of an association between total and ionized serum calcium and prostate cancer deaths was not significant after 96 months.
Conclusions: Our analyses support the hypothesis that the elevated risk for fatal prostate cancer observed in men with high serum calcium is because of the presence of extant, but occult prostate cancer.
Impact: These findings have implications for the potential use of serum calcium in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(10); 1768–73. ©2012 AACR.
BRAF Mutation Status and Survival after Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis According to Patient and Tumor Characteristics
Authors: Phipps Amanda I. , Buchanan Daniel D. , Makar Karen W. , Burnett-Hartman Andrea N. , Coghill Anna E. , Passarelli Michael N. , Baron John A. , Ahnen Dennis J. , Win Aung Ko , Potter John D. , Newcomb Polly A. 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Background:BRAF mutations in colorectal cancer (CRC) are disproportionately observed in tumors exhibiting microsatellite instability (MSI) and are associated with other prognostic factors. The independent association between BRAF mutation status and CRC survival, however, remains unclear.
Methods: We evaluated the association between the BRAF c.1799T&gt;A (p.V600E) mutation and survival in individuals with incident invasive CRC diagnosed between 1997 and 2007 in Western Washington State. Tumor specimens were tested for this BRAF mutation and MSI status. We used Cox regression to estimate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between BRAF mutation status and disease-specific and overall survival. Stratified analyses were conducted by age, sex, tumor site, stage, and MSI status.
Results: Among 1,980 cases tested, 12% were BRAF c.1799T&gt;A (p.V600E) mutation–positive (n = 247). BRAF-mutated CRC was associated with poorer disease-specific survival adjusting for age, sex, time from diagnosis to enrollment, stage, and MSI status (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.05–1.95). This association was limited to cases diagnosed at ages &lt;50 (HR, 3.06; 95% CI, 1.70–5.52) and was not evident in cases with MSI-high tumors (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.44–2.03). Associations with overall survival were similar.
Conclusions: Our results show that the prevalence of BRAF mutations in CRC differs by patient and tumor characteristics and suggest that the association between BRAF status and CRC survival may differ by some of these factors.
Impact: The presence of a BRAF c.1799T&gt;A (p.V600E) mutation is associated with significantly poorer prognosis after CRC diagnosis among subgroups of patients. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(10); 1792–8. ©2012 AACR.
A Two-Stage Evaluation of Genetic Variation in Immune and Inflammation Genes with Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Identifies New Susceptibility Locus in 6p21.3 Region
Authors: Cerhan James R. , Fredericksen Zachary S. , Novak Anne J. , Ansell Stephen M. , Kay Neil E. , Liebow Mark , Dogan Ahmet , Cunningham Julie M. , Wang Alice H. , Witzig Thomas E. , Habermann Thomas M. , Asmann Yan W. , Slager Susan L. 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Background: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a malignancy of lymphocytes, and there is growing evidence for a role of germline genetic variation in immune genes in NHL etiology.
Methods: To identify susceptibility immune genes, we conducted a 2-stage analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) from 1,253 genes using the Immune and Inflammation Panel. In Stage 1, we genotyped 7,670 SNPs in 425 NHL cases and 465 controls, and in Stage 2 we genotyped the top 768 SNPs on an additional 584 cases and 768 controls. The association of individual SNPs with NHL risk from a log-additive model was assessed using the OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Results: In the pooled analysis, only the TAP2 coding SNP rs241447 (minor allele frequency = 0.26; Thr655Ala) at 6p21.3 (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.17–1.53) achieved statistical significance after accounting for multiple testing (P = 3.1 × 10−5). The TAP2 SNP was strongly associated with follicular lymphoma (FL, OR = 1.82, 95%CI 1.46–2.26; p = 6.9 × 10−8), and was independent of other known loci (rs10484561 and rs2647012) from this region. The TAP2 SNP was also associated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL, OR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.08–1.77; P = 0.011), but not chronic lymphocytic leukemia (OR = 1.08; 95% CI 0.88–1.32). Higher TAP2 expression was associated with the risk allele in both FL and DLBCL tumors.
Conclusion: Genetic variation in TAP2 was associated with NHL risk overall, and FL risk in particular, and this was independent of other established loci from 6p21.3.
Impact: Genetic variation in antigen presentation of HLA class I molecules may play a role in lymphomagenesis. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(10); 1799–806. ©2012 AACR.
Secondary Eyewall Formation and Eyewall Replacement Cycles in a Simulated Hurricane: Effect of the Net Radial Force in the Hurricane Boundary Layer
Authors: Wang Xingbao , Ma Yimin , Davidson Noel E. 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Multiple secondary eyewall formations (SEFs) and eyewall replacement cycles (ERCs) are simulated with the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University (PSU)–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) at horizontal grid spacing of 0.67 km. The simulated hurricane is initialized from a weak, synthetic vortex in a quiescent environment on an f plane. After spinup and rapid intensification, the hurricane enters a mature phase during which the intensity change is relatively slow. Convective clouds then organize into a ring with a secondary tangential wind maximum at radii beyond the hurricane’s primary eyewall. This secondary eyewall (SE) then contracts and strengthens. The primary eyewall weakens and is eventually replaced by the SE. The hurricane grows in size and the radius of maximum wind (RMW) increases as similar ERCs repeat 5 times during the simulation.
Two existing hypotheses on SEF are evaluated using the simulation output. Then, model diagnostics are used to reveal that crucial linked components of SEF are (i) a broadening of the swirling flow, (ii) the structure of the evolving secondary circulation, and (iii) the structure of the net radial force (NRF) in the boundary layer (with largest contributions from the agradient and frictional forces). During SEF, there exists strong positive NRF in the region of the primary eyewall, a secondary positive maximum over the SEF region, and a minimum between the two. As a response of the boundary layer depth–integrated radial flow to the NRF, a secondary maximum convergence zone (SMCZ) in the boundary layer develops at the SEF radii. Eventually moist convection in the SMCZ becomes active as the SEF develops.
A Gridded Reconstruction of Warm Season Precipitation for Asia Spanning the Past Half Millennium
Authors: Feng Song , Hu Qi , Wu Qianru , Mann Michael E. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe authors reconstructed May–September precipitation over the Asian continent (5°–55°N, 60°–135°E) back to AD 1470 on the basis of tree-ring data, historical documentary records, ice core records, and the few long-term instrumental data series available in the region. They employed the method of Regularized Expectation Maximization (RegEM) and applied it to 44 subregions within the continent. Verification exercises demonstrate that the reconstruction is skillful over most of the study domain, with eastern China, India, and other regions of humid climate displaying the greatest skill. Lower reconstruction skill is observed in semiarid and arid regions, which was attributable at least in part to the scarcity of observations available for calibration/validation. The precipitation reconstructions agree well with previous reconstructions, where they are available. The explanatory value of the reconstruction is illustrated using five historically documented severe droughts in north-central China during the past half millennium. The reconstructions both validate and provide a larger-scale context for understanding these past climate events and their relationship with the Asian summer monsoons.
Sensitivity of Global Tropical Climate to Land Surface Processes: Mean State and Interannual Variability
Authors: Ma Hsi-Yen , Xiao Heng , Mechoso C. Roberto , Xue Yongkang 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
This study examines the sensitivity of the global climate to land surface processes (LSP) using an atmospheric general circulation model both uncoupled (with prescribed SSTs) and coupled to an oceanic general circulation model. The emphasis is on the interactive soil moisture and vegetation biophysical processes, which have first-order influence on the surface energy and water budgets. The sensitivity to those processes is represented by the differences between model simulations, in which two land surface schemes are considered: 1) a simple land scheme that specifies surface albedo and soil moisture availability and 2) the Simplified Simple Biosphere Model (SSiB), which allows for consideration of interactive soil moisture and vegetation biophysical process. Observational datasets are also employed to assess the extent to which results are realistic.
The mean state sensitivity to different LSP is stronger in the coupled mode, especially in the tropical Pacific. Furthermore, the seasonal cycle of SSTs in the equatorial Pacific, as well as the ENSO frequency, amplitude, and locking to the seasonal cycle of SSTs, is significantly modified and more realistic with SSiB. This outstanding sensitivity of the atmosphere–ocean system develops through changes in the intensity of equatorial Pacific trades modified by convection over land. The results further demonstrate that the direct impact of land–atmosphere interactions on the tropical climate is modified by feedbacks associated with perturbed oceanic conditions (“indirect effect” of LSP). The magnitude of such an indirect effect is strong enough to suggest that comprehensive studies on the importance of LSP on the global climate have to be made in a system that allows for atmosphere–ocean interactions.
Influence of Tropical Tropopause Layer Cooling on Atlantic Hurricane Activity
Authors: Emanuel Kerry , Solomon Susan , Folini Doris , Davis Sean , Cagnazzo Chiara 
Published: October 2012

AbstractVirtually all metrics of Atlantic tropical cyclone activity show substantial increases over the past two decades. It is argued here that cooling near the tropical tropopause and the associated decrease in tropical cyclone outflow temperature contributed to the observed increase in tropical cyclone potential intensity over this period. Quantitative uncertainties in the magnitude of the cooling are important, but a broad range of observations supports some cooling. Downscalings of the output of atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs) that are driven by observed sea surface temperatures and sea ice cover produce little if any increase in Atlantic tropical cyclone metrics over the past two decades, even though observed variability before roughly 1970 is well simulated by some of the models. Part of this shortcoming is traced to the failure of the AGCMs examined to reproduce the observed cooling of the lower stratosphere and tropical tropopause layer (TTL) over the past few decades. The authors caution against using sea surface temperature or proxies based on it to make projections of tropical cyclone activity as there can be significant contributions from other variables such as the outflow temperature. The proposed mechanisms of TTL cooling (e.g., ozone depletion and stratospheric circulation changes) are reviewed, and the need for improved representations of these processes in global models in order to improve projections of future tropical cyclone activity is emphasized.
A Strengthened Influence of ENSO on August High Temperature Extremes over the Southern Yangtze River Valley since the Late 1980s
Authors: Hu Kaiming , Huang Gang , Wu Renguang 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe present study investigates the decadal change in the relationship between China high temperature extremes (HTEs) and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It is found that the relationship between the August HTEs in the southern Yangtze River valley (SYRV) and ENSO has strengthened since the late 1980s. Before the late 1980s, the relationship is weak, whereas, after the late 1980s, the August hot-day numbers in the SYRV region tend to be more than normal during El Niño decaying years. During 1988–2008, El Niño–induced August warm SST anomalies are mainly located in the eastern tropical and north Indian Ocean. As a response to the north Indian Ocean warming, the South Asia high extends eastward, and the SYRV is overlain by upper-level easterly anomalies. The cold horizontal temperature advection induced by upper-level easterly anomalies leads to anomalous descent, which is conducive to the occurrence of HTEs through adiabatic warming. During 1966–86, El Niño–induced August warm SST anomalies are mainly distributed in the equatorial central and southwest tropical Indian Ocean. Corresponding to the equatorial Indian Ocean warming, the ascending motion over the Arabian Sea is enhanced, which leads to an anomalous anticyclone over the Middle East through a Rossby wave–type response and in turn an anomalous cyclone over China through a midlatitude wave pattern. The SYRV is controlled by upper-level westerly anomalies, which is not conducive to the occurrence of HTEs since the corresponding horizontal temperature advection and anomalous vertical motion are weak. As such, the impact of ENSO on August SYRV HTEs is weak before the late 1980s.
Observation-Based Estimates of Surface Cooling Inhibition by Heavy Rainfall under Tropical Cyclones
Authors: Jourdain Nicolas C. , Lengaigne Matthieu , Vialard Jérome , Madec Gurvan , Menkes Christophe E. , Vincent Emmanuel M. , Jullien Swen , Barnier Bernard 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Tropical cyclones drive intense ocean vertical mixing that explains most of the surface cooling observed in their wake (the “cold wake”). In this paper, the authors investigate the influence of cyclonic rainfall on the cold wake at a global scale over the 2002–09 period. For each cyclone, the cold wake intensity and accumulated rainfall are obtained from satellite data and precyclone oceanic stratification from the Global Eddy-Permitting Ocean Reanalysis (GLORYS2). The impact of precipitation on the cold wake is estimated by assuming that cooling is entirely due to vertical mixing and that an extra amount of energy (corresponding to the energy used to mix the rain layer into the ocean) would be available for mixing the ocean column in the hypothetical case with no rain. The positive buoyancy flux of rainfall reduces the mixed layer depth after the cyclone passage, hence reducing cold water entrainment. The resulting reduction in cold wake amplitude is generally small (median of 0.07 K for a median 1 K cold wake) but not negligible (&gt;19% for 10% of the cases). Despite similar cyclonic rainfall, the effect of rain on the cold wake is strongest in the Arabian Sea and weak in the Bay of Bengal. An analytical approach with a linearly stratified ocean allows attributing this difference to the presence of barrier layers in the Bay of Bengal. The authors also show that the cold wake is generally a “salty wake” because entrainment of subsurface saltier water overwhelms the dilution effect of rainfall. Finally, rainfall temperature has a negligible influence on the cold wake.