bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diabetes and Cause-Specific Mortality in a Prospective Cohort of One Million U.S. Adults
Authors: Campbell Peter T. , Newton Christina C. , Patel Alpa V. , Jacobs Eric J. , Gapstur Susan M. 
Published: June 2012

OBJECTIVEDiabetes is a major predictor of death from heart disease and stroke; its impact on nonvascular mortality, including specific cancers, is less understood. We examined the association of diabetes with cause-specific mortality, including deaths from specific cancers.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSA prospective cohort of 1,053,831 U.S. adults, without cancer at baseline, enrolled in the Cancer Prevention Study-II in 1982 and was followed for mortality until December 2008. At baseline, participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that included information on diabetes, smoking, physical activity, height, and weight. Multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RRs) (95% CI) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression.RESULTSDuring 26 years of follow-up, 243,051 men and 222,109 women died. In multivariable models that controlled for age, BMI, and other variables, diabetes was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality (women RR 1.90 [95% CI 1.87–1.93]; men 1.73 [1.70–1.75]). Among women, diabetes was associated with higher risk of death from cancers of the liver (1.40 [1.05–1.86]), pancreas (1.31 [1.14–1.51]), endometrium (1.33 [1.08–1.65]), colon (1.18 [1.04–1.33]), and breast (1.16 [1.03–1.29]). Among men, diabetes was associated with risk of death from cancers of the breast (4.20 [2.20–8.04]), liver (2.26 [1.89–2.70]), oral cavity and pharynx (1.44 [1.07–1.94]), pancreas (1.40 [1.23–1.59]), bladder (1.22 [1.01–1.47]), colon (1.15 [1.03–1.29]), and (inversely) prostate (0.88 [0.79–0.97]). Diabetes was also associated with higher risks of death involving the circulatory system, respiratory system, digestive system, genitourinary system, and external causes/accidental deaths.CONCLUSIONSDiabetes is associated with higher risk of death for many diseases, including several specific forms of cancer.
NH2-Terminal Probrain Natriuretic Peptide Is Associated With Diabetes Complications in the EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study
Authors: Gruden Gabriella , Barutta Federica , Chaturvedi Nish , Schalkwijk Casper , Stehouwer Coen D. , Pinach Silvia , Manzo Maria , Loiacono Maria , Tricarico Marinella , Mengozzi Giulio , Witte Daniel R. , Fuller John H. , Perin Paolo Cavallo , Bruno Graziella 
Published: June 2012

OBJECTIVE
Circulating levels of NH2-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a marker of acute heart failure, are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population. However, there is little information on the potential role of NT-proBNP as a biomarker of vascular complications in type 1 diabetic patients. We investigated whether serum NT-proBNP levels were associated with micro- and macrovascular disease in type 1 diabetic subjects.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
A cross-sectional nested case-control study from the EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study of 507 type 1 diabetic patients was performed. Case subjects (n = 345) were defined as those with one or more complications of diabetes; control subjects (n = 162) were those with no evidence of any complication. We measured NT-proBNP levels by a two-site sandwich electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and investigated their associations with complications.

RESULTS
Mean NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in case than in control subjects. In logistic regression analyses, NT-proBNP values &gt;26.46 pg/mL were independently associated with a 2.56-fold increased risk of all complications. Odds ratios of CVD (3.95 [95% CI 1.26–12.35]), nephropathy (4.38 [1.30–14.76]), and distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (4.32 [1.41–13.23]) were significantly increased in patients with NT-proBNP values in the highest quartile (&gt;84.71 pg/mL), independently of renal function and known risk factors. These associations were no longer significant after inclusion of TNF-α into the model.

CONCLUSIONS
In this large cohort of type 1 diabetic subjects, we found an association between NT-proBNP and diabetic micro- and macrovascular complications. Our results suggest that the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α may be involved in this association.
Aortic and Mitral Annular Calcifications Are Predictive of All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Rossi Andrea , Targher Giovanni , Zoppini Giacomo , Cicoira Mariantonietta , Bonapace Stefano , Negri Carlo , Stoico Vincenzo , Faggiano Pompilio , Vassanelli Corrado , Bonora Enzo 
Published: June 2012

OBJECTIVE
To examine the association of aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) and mitral annulus calcification (MAC) with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in type 2 diabetic individuals.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the data from 902 type 2 diabetic outpatients, who had undergone a transthoracic echocardiography for clinical reasons during the years 1992–2007. AVS and MAC were diagnosed by echocardiography, and a heart valve calcium (HVC) score was calculated by summing up the AVS and MAC variables. The study outcomes were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

RESULTS
At baseline, 477 (52.9%) patients had no heart valves affected (HVC-0), 304 (33.7%) had one valve affected (HVC-1), and 121 (13.4%) had both valves affected (HVC-2). During a mean follow-up of 9 years, 137 (15.2%) patients died, 78 of them from cardiovascular causes. Compared with patients with HVC-0, those with HVC-2 had the highest risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, whereas those with HVC-1 had an intermediate risk (P &lt; 0.0001 by the log-rank test). After adjustment for sex, age, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diabetes duration, A1C, LDL cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate, smoking, history of myocardial infarction, and use of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drugs, the hazard ratio of all-cause mortality was 2.3 (95% CI 1.1–4.9; P &lt; 0.01) for patients with HVC-1 and 9.3 (3.9–17.4; P &lt; 0.001) for those with HVC-2. Similar results were found for cardiovascular mortality.

CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that AVS and MAC, singly or in combination, are independently associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in type 2 diabetic patients.
Kinematic, Muscular, and Metabolic Responses During Exoskeletal-, Elliptical-, or Therapist-Assisted Stepping in People With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Hornby T. George , Kinnaird Catherine R. , Holleran Carey L. , Rafferty Miriam R. , Rodriguez Kelly S. , Cain Julie B. 
Published: June 2012

BackgroundRobotic-assisted locomotor training has demonstrated some efficacy in individuals with neurological injury and is slowly gaining clinical acceptance. Both exoskeletal devices, which control individual joint movements, and elliptical devices, which control endpoint trajectories, have been utilized with specific patient populations and are available commercially. No studies have directly compared training efficacy or patient performance during stepping between devices.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate kinematic, electromyographic (EMG), and metabolic responses during elliptical- and exoskeletal-assisted stepping in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) compared with therapist-assisted stepping.DesignA prospective, cross-sectional, repeated-measures design was used.MethodsParticipants with incomplete SCI (n=11) performed 3 separate bouts of exoskeletal-, elliptical-, or therapist-assisted stepping. Unilateral hip and knee sagittal-plane kinematics, lower-limb EMG recordings, and oxygen consumption were compared across stepping conditions and with control participants (n=10) during treadmill stepping.ResultsExoskeletal stepping kinematics closely approximated normal gait patterns, whereas significantly greater hip and knee flexion postures were observed during elliptical-assisted stepping. Measures of kinematic variability indicated consistent patterns in control participants and during exoskeletal-assisted stepping, whereas therapist- and elliptical-assisted stepping kinematics were more variable. Despite specific differences, EMG patterns generally were similar across stepping conditions in the participants with SCI. In contrast, oxygen consumption was consistently greater during therapist-assisted stepping.LimitationsLimitations included a small sample size, lack of ability to evaluate kinetics during stepping, unilateral EMG recordings, and sagittal-plane kinematics.ConclusionsDespite specific differences in kinematics and EMG activity, metabolic activity was similar during stepping in each robotic device. Understanding potential differences and similarities in stepping performance with robotic assistance may be important in delivery of repeated locomotor training using robotic or therapist assistance and for consumers of robotic devices.
Internal cranial expansion surgery for the treatment of refractory idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Authors: Ellis Jason A. , Anderson Richard C. E. , O'Hanlon Jonathan , Goodman Robert R. , Feldstein Neil A. , Ghatan Saadi 
Published: June 2012

Object
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) may be refractory to available medical and surgical therapies. Patients with this condition may suffer from intractable headaches, experience visual deterioration, or have other symptoms related to elevated intracranial pressure. Internal cranial expansion (ICE) is a novel surgical procedure that the authors have developed for the treatment of patients with this condition. Here, they describe ICE and present their initial experience in using this surgical procedure for the treatment of patients with refractory IIH.

Methods
The authors conducted a retrospective review of 10 consecutive patients who underwent ICE for the treatment of IIH during a 5-year period. Preoperative and postoperative clinical parameters including patient symptoms, presence of papilledema, and available ICP or CSF opening pressures were compared. Procedural details and complications were noted. Intracranial volume increases were calculated using available pre- and postoperative CT scans.

Results
Follow-up for the 10 patients in this series ranged from 1 to 39.6 months (mean 15.5 months). Technically successful ICE was performed in all patients within the cohort. Surgical complications included a single postoperative seizure in one patient and a sagittal sinus tear with no clinical sequelae in another patient. At the time of last follow-up, 7 (70%) of 10 patients were either symptomatically improved or asymptomatic. Six (67%) of 9 patients with preoperative headaches had reduction or resolution of this symptom, and all patients (4 of 4) with preoperative papilledema had a reduction in or complete resolution of this sign. Postoperative ICP or CSF opening pressures were normal in all patients (4 of 4) tested. Postoperative intracranial volume expansion ranged between 3.8% and 12%.

Conclusions
Internal cranial expansion is a safe and effective surgery for the treatment of patients with refractory IIH. This surgery expands the intracranial volume and thus promotes ICP normalization, which may lead to the reduction or complete resolution of the signs and symptoms of IIH. Internal cranial expansion may be used as part of a multidisciplinary management approach in the treatment of refractory IIH.
Intraventricular hemorrhage on computed tomography and corpus callosum injury on magnetic resonance imaging in patients with isolated blunt traumatic brain injury
Authors: Matsukawa Hidetoshi , Shinoda Masaki , Fujii Motoharu , Takahashi Osamu , Murakata Atsushi , Yamamoto Daisuke , Sumiyoshi Sosuke , Ishikawa Ryoichi 
Published: June 2012

Object
Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is widely regarded as one element of a complex involving severe blunt traumatic brain injury (TBI); corpus callosum injury (CCI) is recently considered to be one factor associated with poor outcome in patients with TBI. Although postmortem studies have focused on the relationship between IVH and CCI, there have been few investigations of IVH evidenced on CT scans as a predictor of CCI evidenced on MRI.

Methods
The authors retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected data from 371 patients with blunt TBI, without trauma to the face, chest, abdomen, extremities, or pelvic girdle, requiring immediate therapeutic intervention. Their aim was to investigate whether IVH found on CT predicts CCI on MRI. Clinical and radiological data were collected between June 2003 and February 2011. First, the authors classified patients into groups of those with CCI and those without CCI, and they compared clinical and radiological findings between them. Then, they investigated prognostic factors that were related to the development of disability at 6 months after injury. The outcomes at 6 months after injury were evaluated using the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E). Finally, the authors evaluated the correlation between the severity of the IVH on CT and the number of CCI lesions on MRI. The severity of the IVH was defined by the number of ventricles in which IVH was seen, and the number of CCI lesions was counted on the MRI study.

Results
On multivariate logistic regression analysis, Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 9 (OR 2.70 [95% CI 1.10–6.27]), traffic accident (OR 2.59 [95% CI 1.37–4.93]), and IVH on CT (OR 3.31 [95% CI 1.25–8.49]) were significantly related to CCI. Multivariate analysis also showed that older age (p = 0.0001), male sex (OR 3.26 [95% CI 1.46–8.08], p = 0.0065), Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 9 (OR 8.27 [95% CI 3.39–21.4], p < 0.0001), evidence of IVH on CT (OR 4.09 [95% CI 1.45–11.9], p = 0.0081), and evidence of CCI on MRI (OR 8.32 [95% CI 3.89–18.8], p < 0.0001) were associated with future development of disability (GOS-E score ≤6). Furthermore, simple regression analysis revealed the existence of a strong correlation between the severity of IVH and the number of CCI lesions (r = 0.0668, p = 0.0022).

Conclusions
The authors' results suggest that evidence of IVH on CT may indicate CCI, which can lead to disability in patients with isolated blunt TBI.
Honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) guarding behaviour may not be a rare task
Authors: Unger Peter , Guzman-Novoa Ernesto 
Published: June 2012

AbstractNewly emerged honey bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae) of four strains were placed into observation hives and observed for guarding behaviour. Significant differences were found between strains for guarding propensity. The proportion of introduced bees observed guarding was significantly higher in all strains (41% of bees that were alive at the time of observations) than proportions reported in earlier studies. This discrepancy is likely due to methodological differences and also to the fact that in this study, living bees were counted when calculating proportions, whereas other studies have used the total number of introduced bees. Further studies on the proportion of honey bees performing guarding behaviour are warranted.
Virologic, clinical and immunologic responses following failure of first‐line antiretroviral therapy in Haiti
Authors: Charles Macarthur , Leger Paul D , Severe Patrice , Guiteau Colette , Apollon Alexandra , Gulick Roy M , Johnson Warren D , Pape Jean W , Fitzgerald Daniel W 
Published: June 2012

BackgroundSince HIV‐1 RNA (viral load) testing is not routinely available in Haiti, HIV‐infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) are monitored using the World Health Organization (WHO) clinical and/or immunologic criteria. Data on survival and treatment outcomes for HIV‐1 infected patients who meet criteria for ART failure are limited. We conducted a retrospective study to compare survival rates for patients who experienced failure on first‐line ART by clinical and/or immunologic criteria and switched to second‐line ART vs. those who failed but did not switch.MethodsPatients receiving first‐line ART at the GHESKIO Center in Port‐au‐Prince, Haiti, who met WHO clinical and immunologic criteria for failure were identified. Survival and treatment outcomes were compared in patients who switched their ART regimen and those who did not. Cox regression analysis was used to determine predictors of mortality after failure of first‐line ART.ResultsOf 3126 patients who initiated ART at the GHESKIO Center between 1 March 2003 and 31 July 2008, 482 (15%) met WHO immunologic and/or clinical criteria for failure. Among those, 195 (41%) switched to second‐line ART and 287 (59%) did not. According to Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, the probability of survival to 12 months after failure of first‐line ART was 93% for patients who switched to second‐line ART after failure and 88% for patients who did not switch. Predictors of mortality after failure of first‐line ART were weight in the lowest quartile for sex, CD4 T cell count ≤ 100, adherence < 90% at the time of failure and not switching to second‐line ART.ConclusionsPatients who failed first‐line ART based on clinical and/or immunologic criteria and did not switch to second‐line therapy faced a higher mortality than those who switched after failure. To decrease mortality, interventions to identify patients in whom ART may be failing earlier are needed urgently. In addition, there is a major need to optimize second‐line antiretroviral regimens for improved potency, lower toxicity and greater convenience for patients.
Gradient Elution Chromatography
Authors: Dolan J.W. , Snyder L.R. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractElution chromatography can be carried out in either isocratic or gradient modes. In isocratic elution, the mobile‐phase composition is held constant during separation of the sample, e.g. 60% v acetonitrile–water. In gradient elution, the mobile‐phase composition will be varied during sample separation, e.g. changing from 0 to 100% v acetonitrile–water. Gradient elution requires special chromatographic equipment, as well as somewhat greater care on the part of the operator, but it has important advantages for many separations. Thus, in isocratic elution, sample peaks tend to ‘bunch up’ at the beginning of the chromatogram (often with decreased resolution) and to broaden at the end of the chromatogram (with reduced detection sensitivity). Gradient elution, on the other hand, provides a more even spacing of peaks, similar widths throughout the chromatogram, and often a shorter run time. For these and other reasons, gradient elution is preferred for the separation of many samples.
Zinc‐Binding Domain Junín Virus Arenavirus Envelope Glycoprotein
Authors: Briknarová Klára 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
Arenaviruses are endemic in rodent populations, and several arenavirus species can be transmitted to humans and cause life‐threatening hemorrhagic fevers. Entry of arenaviruses into the host cells is mediated by the viral envelope glycoprotein, GPC. Unlike other viral envelope glycoproteins, mature GPC contains a cleaved stable signal peptide (SSP) in addition to the canonical receptor‐binding (G1) and transmembrane fusion (G2) subunits. SSP is essential for GPC function and is retained in the complex primarily through interaction with a cytoplasmic zinc‐binding domain (ZBD) in G2. The structure of the ZBD from one arenavirus species, Junín, is currently available. The ZBD displays a novel fold and contains two bound zinc ions that are coordinated by four and three residues. The zinc ion that is coordinated by three residues mediates the interaction with the SSP subunit, accepting an invariant cysteine from the cytoplasmic C‐terminal tail of SSP as the fourth ligand.
Interface and Surface Cation Stoichiometry Modified by Oxygen Vacancies in Epitaxial Manganite Films
Authors: Li Zhipeng , Bosman Michel , Yang Zhen , Ren Peng , Wang Lan , Cao Liang , Yu Xiaojiang , Ke Chang , Breese Mark B. H. , Rusydi Andrivo , Zhu Weiguang , Dong Zhili , Foo Yong Lim 
Published: June 2012

AbstractPerovskite manganites are viewed as one of the key building blocks of oxide spintronics devices due to their attractive physical properties. However, cation off‐stoichiometry at epitaxial interfaces between manganites and other materials can lead to interfacial dead layers, severely reducing the device performance. Here, transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron‐based spectroscopy are used to demonstrate that oxygen vacancies during growth serve as a critical factor for modifying the cation stoichiometry in pulsed laser deposited La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 films. Near the film/substrate (SrTiO3) interface, A‐site cations (La/Sr) are in excess when oxygen vacancies are induced during film growth, partially substituting Mn. Simultaneously, Sr cations migrate towards the film surface and form a SrO rock‐salt monolayer. Consequentially, a gradient of the Mn nominal valence is observed along the film growth direction, leading to anomalous magnetic properties. The results narrow the selection range of useful oxygen pressures during deposition and demonstrate that accurate cation stoichiometry can only be achieved after oxygen vacancies are eliminated during growth. This finding suggests that the oxygen pressure serves as a tuning parameter for the interfacial dead layers and, hence, for control over device properties.
Planning interactive task for intelligent characters
Authors: Zong Dan , Li Chunpeng , Xia Shihong , Wang Zhaoqi 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACTMotion planning is an important problem in character animation and interactive simulation. However, few planning methods have considered domain‐specific knowledge that governs the agent's behaviors, and none of them is capable of planning the interactive task in which the agent interacts with the objects in the virtual environment. This paper presents a novel method to plan the interactive task based on Q‐learning for intelligent characters. The approach can be described as a three‐phase framework: data preprocessing phase, controller learning phase, and motion‐synthesis phase. In the data preprocessing phase, we abstract the motion clips as high‐level behaviors and construct the interactive behavior graph (IBG) to define the interactive capabilities of the agent in terms of interactive features. For the controller training phase, with IBG, Q‐learning algorithm is employed to train the control policy in the discrete domain with interactive features. In the motion‐synthesis phase, the optimal motion sequences can be generated by following the policy to accomplish the interactive task finally. The experimental results demonstrate that the uniform framework can generate reasonable and realistic motion sequences to plan interactive task in complex environment. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis of a Natural Chalcone and Its Prenyl Analogs – Evaluation of Tumor Cell Growth‐Inhibitory Activities, and Effects on Cell Cycle and Apoptosis
Authors: Neves Marta P. , Lima Raquel T. , Choosang Kanthima , Pakkong Panee , de São José Nascimento Maria , Vasconcelos M. Helena , Pinto Madalena , Silva Artur M. S. , Cidade Honorina 
Published: June 2012

AbstractSix prenyl (=3‐methylbut‐2‐en‐1‐yl) chalcones (=1,3‐diphenylprop‐2‐en‐1‐ones), 2–7, and one natural non‐prenylated chalcone, 1, have been synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro growth‐inhibitory activity against three human tumor cell lines. A pronounced dose‐dependent growth‐inhibitory effect was observed for all prenylated derivatives, except for 7. The chalcone possessing one prenyloxy group at C(2′), i.e., 2, was the most active derivative against the three human tumor cell lines (5.9<GI50<7.7 μM). The majority of compounds caused an increase in percentage of apoptotic cells and/or they interfered with cell cycle distribution in the MCF‐7 cell line.