bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characteristics preserving racer animation: a data‐driven race path synthesis in formation space
Authors: Tan Charlie Irawan , Tai Wen Kai 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACTWe propose a race path synthesis framework based on a data‐driven approach that provides good controllability for synthesizing race paths with characteristics preserved for racer animations. We introduce formation field, a data structure that samples regions in formation space that contains formations of exciting and realistic race paths, generated using a set of collected race paths in a path database. By traversing the regions according to a given constraint, we generate a path in formation space that defines how to synthesize the desired race path by interpolation. Because the new race path is synthesized from existing paths with quality guaranteed, it also provides the same level of quality. As the experimental and user study results show, our framework produces good results effectively and is suitable for both real‐time applications such as horse racing games and race‐path‐generating tools. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Examining stage IIB survival in a population‐based cohort of patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Urquhart Robin , Bu Jingyu , Grunfeld Eva , Dewar Ron , MacIntyre Maureen , Porter Geoffrey A. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:In Nova Scotia, Canada, a previous study of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases diagnosed between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2005, found that patients with stage IIB CRC had similar 5‐year overall survival (OS) to those with stage IIIC cancer. This study sought to examine factors contributing to the observed stage IIB outcome, specifically nodal harvest, receipt of chemotherapy, and use of a new coding system to derive stage.METHODS:The provincial cancer registry identified all CRC cases diagnosed during the study period and staged this cohort using the Collaborative Stage (CS) Data Collection System. All patients with stage II and III cancer in the cohort were examined. Kaplan‐Meier (KM) survival curves compared 5‐year OS for patients with stage IIB cancer based on the factors of interest, and compared patients with stage IIB cancer to those with stage IIA and III cancer.RESULTS:OS for patients with stage IIB cancer (n = 187) was 44.7%, and differed depending on adequacy of nodal harvest (P = .005) and whether pathological or clinical/mixed evidence was used to derive stage (P = .013). Pathologically‐staged patients with stage IIB cancer who had adequate nodal harvest had marginally improved OS compared to pathologically‐staged patients who had inadequate nodal harvest (P = .07), and improved survival compared to patients with clinical/mixed stage (P = .004). Pathologically‐staged patients with stage IIB cancer with adequate nodal harvest demonstrated similar 5‐year OS to those with stage IIA and III cancer (P = .52 and P = .25, respectively). Cox proportional hazards models supported these findings.CONCLUSIONS:The inclusion of clinical/mixed evidence into staging classification and, perhaps to a lesser extent, the adequacy of nodal harvest appear to contribute to the observed worse survival for patients with stage IIB versus stage III cancer. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Influence of health insurance coverage on breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening in rural primary care settings
Authors: Carney Patricia A. , O'Malley Jean , Buckley David I. , Mori Motomi , Lieberman David A. , Fagnan Lyle J. , Wallace James , Liu Betty , Morris Cynthia 
Published: May 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:The current study was performed to determine, in rural settings, the relation between the type and status of insurance coverage and being up‐to‐date for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening.METHODS:Four primary care practices in 2 rural Oregon communities participated. Medical chart reviews that were conducted between October 2008 and August 2009 assessed insurance coverage and up‐to‐date status for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. Inclusion criteria involved having at least 1 health care visit within the past 5 years and being aged ≥ 55 years.RESULTS:The majority of patients were women aged 55 years to 70 years, employed or retired, and who had private health insurance and an average of 2.5 comorbid conditions. The overall percentage of eligible women who were up‐to‐date for cervical cancer screening was 30%; approximately 27% of women were up‐to‐date for clinical breast examination, 37% were up‐to‐date for mammography, and 19% were up‐to‐date for both mammography and clinical breast examination. Approximately 38% of men and 35% of women were up‐to‐date for colorectal cancer screening using any test at appropriate screening intervals. In general, having any insurance versus being uninsured was associated with undergoing cancer screening. For each type of screening, patients who had at least 1 health maintenance visit were significantly more likely to be up‐to‐date compared with those with no health maintenance visits. A significant interaction was found between having health maintenance visits, having any health insurance, and being up‐to‐date for cancer screening tests.CONCLUSIONS:Overall, the percentage of patients who were up‐to‐date for any cancer screening, especially cervical cancer screening, was found to be very low in rural Oregon. Patients with some form of health insurance were more likely to have had a health maintenance visit within the previous 2 years and to be up‐to‐date for breast, cervical, and/or colorectal cancer screening. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Comparative effectiveness and cost of adding rituximab to first‐line chemotherapy for elderly patients diagnosed with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Griffiths Robert I. , Gleeson Michelle L. , Mikhael Joseph , Dreyling Martin H. , Danese Mark D. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:Clinical trials indicate that rituximab improves the survival of patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Economic models using multiple data sources, including clinical trials for survival outcomes, have projected cost offsets/savings and favorable cost‐effectiveness associated with rituximab. In this study, the authors evaluated survival and cost impacts of adding rituximab to first‐line chemotherapy for DLBCL using a single database that reflects routine clinical practice among elderly patients in the United States.METHODS:By using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data linked to Medicare, the authors identified 5484 elderly patients who were diagnosed with DLBCL between January 1999 and December 2005 who had claims through December 2007. Included patients began chemotherapy with or without rituximab within 180 days of diagnosis. Multivariate analyses were conducted to estimate the impact of rituximab on mortality and costs to Medicare. The cost per life‐year gained of rituximab was calculated using cost and survival estimates from the multivariate analyses.RESULTS:The mean patient age was 76 years, 43% of patients had stage III or IV disease, and 64% received rituximab. In a Cox regression model, rituximab resulted in lower 4‐year all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61‐0.74) and cancer mortality, and the incremental cumulative survival was 0.37 years. In least‐squares regression, rituximab resulted in higher 4‐year total costs ($23,097; 95% CI, $19,129‐$27,298), immunochemotherapy costs ($12,069; 95% CI, $10,687‐$13,634), other cancer costs ($7655; 95% CI, $5067‐$10,489), and noncancer costs ($3461; 95% CI, $1319‐$5650). The cost per life‐year gained was $62,424.CONCLUSIONS:In routine clinical practice, rituximab was associated with survival benefits comparable to those observed in clinical trials. However, these benefits did not translate into the previously reported cost savings. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Long‐term results (>25 years) of a randomized, prospective clinical trial evaluating chemotherapy in patients with high‐grade, operable osteosarcoma
Authors: Bernthal Nicholas M. , Federman Noah , Eilber Frederick R. , Nelson Scott D. , Eckardt Jeffrey J. , Eilber Fritz C. , Tap William D. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:The authors present the long‐term follow‐up (>25 years) data from 1 of the original prospective, randomized trials that compared adjuvant chemotherapy with expectant management in patients with high‐grade, localized osteosarcoma. In addition, the value of pathologic necrosis induced by a single cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was analyzed as a predictive marker of disease‐free and overall survival.METHODS:Fifty‐nine patients with high‐grade, localized osteosarcoma were enrolled in a prospective trial that was performed between 1981 and 1984 at the University of California‐Los Angeles (UCLA). Patients were randomized to receive either adjuvant chemotherapy or observation after surgical resection. Long‐term outcomes, follow‐up, and pathologic review of all available histologic sections were performed.RESULTS:The 25‐year disease‐free survival rate was 28% for patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy compared with 15% for the untreated patients (P = .02). The overall survival rate at 25 years was also significantly higher for treated patients versus untreated patients (38% vs 15%; P = .02). Tumor necrosis >90% after a single round of chemotherapy was a statistically significant predictor of overall survival and disease‐free survival for patients who received adjuvant therapy (164 months vs 65 months [P = .04] and 141 months vs 14 months [P < .01], respectively).CONCLUSIONS:Patients with high‐grade, localized osteosarcoma who received adjuvant chemotherapy after undergoing definitive surgical resection had a statistically significant benefit in disease‐free and overall survival that was maintained through 25 years. Tumor necrosis after just 1 cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation was predictive of overall survival and disease‐free survival in patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Should LSIL‐H be a distinct cytology category?
Authors: Zhou Haijun , Schwartz Mary R. , Coffey Donna , Smith Debora , Mody Dina R. , Ge Yimin 
Published: May 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:The 2001 Bethesda System for gynecologic cervical cytology reporting classifies squamous intraepithelial lesions into low‐grade (LSIL) and high‐grade (HSIL) lesions. An intermediate term, “low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, cannot exclude high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL‐H),” has been used in a small percentage of LSIL cases. To the authors' knowledge, little is known regarding the human papillomavirus (HPV) status in patients with LSIL‐H.METHODS:A total of 808 SurePath specimens obtained between December 2009 and April 2011 were tested for 40 HPV genotypes using DNA microarray, followed by a confirmatory DNA sequencing assay.RESULTS:The infection rate for high‐risk HPV in women with LSIL‐H (92%) was strikingly close to that for women with HSIL (91%), which was higher than that for those with LSIL (74%); atypical squamous cells, cannot rule out high‐grade lesion (ASC‐H) (78%); or LSIL and ASC‐H combined (74%). HPV type 16, the most common carcinogenic HPV genotype, was detected in 36% of women with LSIL‐H, which was significantly higher than that in women with LSIL and ASC‐H combined (13.8%), but less than that in women with HSIL (44.6%). Patients with LSIL‐H and HSIL had similar infection rates for low‐risk/intermediate‐risk HPV genotypes, which were lower than those in LSIL or LSIL and ASC‐H combined.CONCLUSIONS:Women found to have LSIL‐H on a Papanicolaou test appear to have a unique HPV distribution pattern that clearly differs from LSIL and is comparable to that for HSIL, suggesting an increased risk of high‐grade lesions over that of women with LSIL. Recognizing LSIL‐H as an independent diagnostic category may help in the early identification of the high‐risk subgroup that may require a management algorithm comparable to that for patients with HSIL. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Evaluating the effectiveness of the abstract transaction model in testing Web services transactions
Authors: Casado Rubén , Tuya Javier , Younas Muhammad 
Published: May 2012

SummaryWeb services transactions are used to build efficient and reliable Web applications that are distributed across the Internet and are accessed by multiple simultaneous users. Current research develops various models and protocols to improve the performance and reliability of Web services transactions. However, there is little research on testing the different models and protocols of Web services transactions. This paper presents an abstract transaction model that patterns different Web services transactions standards. This model is capable of deriving concrete models to automatically generate test cases for different Web services transactions standards. The proposed model is implemented as a prototype system and is evaluated using a case of the Jboss Transaction. The evaluation shows that the proposed system has the capability to automatically generate test cases and detect possible failures of transactions running under different Web services transactions standards. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scattering of Light by Plasmonic Nanoparticles on a Silicon Substrate
Authors: Yang Meng , Li Jie , Li Jiaming , Zhu Xing 
Published: May 2012

AbstractWe introduce an effective refractive‐index model to predict the spectral positions of localized surface plasmon (LSP) modes of a silver nanoparticle on a thin‐film silicon substrate using a semi‐analytical method. The enhanced scattering into the substrate caused by the nanoparticle dipole and quadrupole modes is verified by comparing theoretical and simulation results. We suggest that the LSP modes can be tuned linearly with the thickness of the silicon substrate and the size of the nanoparticles. These findings provide simple and important physical insights for optimizing the absorption in a thin‐film silicon solar cell by tuning the LSP modes of the nanoparticles deployed on the surface.
Cytopathology: A useful technique for diagnosing oral lesions?: A systematic literature review
Authors: Dolens Eder da Silva , Nakai Fabrícia Venâncio Dolens , Santos Parizi José Luiz , Alborghetti Nai Gisele 
Published: May 2012

AbstractOropharyngeal cancer is the 11th most common cancer worldwide. The diagnostic method of choice for oral cavity lesions is biopsy and pathological examination. Cytopathology is a simple and inexpensive method, but it is not yet widespread among dental professionals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of cytopathology in diagnosing oral lesions. We conducted a systematic literature review of randomized clinical trials that compared the diagnostic accuracies of oral lesion cytology and histopathology. We used the following search terms: cytology, oral lesions, and oral cancer. The meta‐analysis was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. Between 1967 and 2010, there were 80 relevant articles in the literature, 14 of which were included in this study. The I‐square for sensitivity was 80.2%, and the specificity value was 96.7%. The pooled sensitivity was 0.942 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.926–0.955], and the pooled specificity was 0.970 (95% CI: 0.963–0.975). The area under the curve was 0.9901. Our study suggests that cytology has good sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of oral lesions and allows the use of other associated techniques, such as DNA analysis, which may improve the accuracy of cytology. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Relationship between biodegradation and sorption of phthalate esters and their metabolites in natural sediments
Authors: Kickham Peter , Otton S. Victoria , Moore Margo M. , Ikonomou Michael G. , Gobas Frank A.P.C. 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Regulatory evaluations of commercial chemicals in Canada, the United States, the European Union, and other countries aim to identify biodegradation rates of chemicals in natural soils and sediments. However, commonly used biodegradation testing methods are limited in their capacity to determine biodegradation rates under natural environmental conditions. As a result, widely varying biodegradation rates have been reported for many very hydrophobic substances. This variability causes difficulties in regulatory evaluations, potentially leading to chemical misclassification. In the present study, the authors developed a model of the relationship between biodegradation, sorption, and hydrophobicity, and tested the model in experiments that measured the biodegradation rates of a range of di-phthalate esters (DPEs) and mono-phthalate esters (MPEs) in natural sediments. The results indicate that DPEs and MPEs have the inherent capacity to be quickly degraded by microbes in sediments at a common rate, but that DPE biodegradation rates in natural sediments decrease with increasing phthalate ester sorption to sediments. The results show that inherently biodegradable substances that are subject to a high degree of sorption can be expected to exhibit long half-lives in natural sediments. The model provides a potential methodology for assessing biodegradation rates in natural sediments from inherent biodegradation rates measured in screening tests by accounting for chemical sorption. The present study indicates that a reduced rate of biodegradation is due to a reduced fraction of freely dissolved chemical concentration in the interstitial water, and that the environmental significance of sorption-reduced biodegradation rates needs to be viewed in the context of risk in chemical evaluations. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 1730–1737. © 2012 SETAC
Comparing soil chemistries of leached and nonleached copper-amended soils
Authors: Schwertfeger D.M. , Hendershot W.H. 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Leaching metal-spiked samples has been proposed as a means to reduce the artifacts of the spiking procedure (e.g., salt effect, increased metal solubility) that can artificially increase metal bioaccessibility and toxicity in laboratory ecotoxicity tests. The effects on soil chemistry from leaching Cu-spiked samples were investigated by comparing chemistries of freshly spiked samples to samples that underwent the spike/leach procedure. Chemical parameters investigated included electrical conductivity (EC), pH, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid- and CaCl2-extractable Cu, soil-solution Cu, Cu2+ activity (estimated using Visual MINTEQ), and other solution parameters (dissolved organic carbon [DOC], Ca, Mg, Al). In leached samples, the electrical conductivity values of the spiked samples did not vary significantly from those of the control samples (p &gt; 0.05), confirming that the leaching procedure had sufficiently minimized the salt effect. In the range of soil Cu concentrations where Cu ecotoxicity is expected, the pH in freshly spiked samples was as much as 0.52 units lower than the pH from leached samples at the same total-soil Cu concentration. The CaCl2-extractable fraction was up to 2.3-fold smaller in leached samples and inversely related to the pH of the spiked soil. Despite little to no difference in soil-solution Cu, up to 100-fold less Cu2+ activity was observed in leached samples. Reduced Cu2+ activity was related to less Al3+ competition for DOC. Leaching resulted in solution chemistries that were more consistent with those of the control samples and reduced the artifacts of traditional soil-spiking procedures. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 2253–2260. © 2012 SETAC
Change in hip bone mineral density and risk of subsequent fractures in older men
Authors: Cawthon Peggy M , Ewing Susan K , Mackey Dawn C , Fink Howard A , Cummings Steven R , Ensrud Kristine E , Stefanick Marcia L , Bauer Doug C , Cauley Jane A , Orwoll Eric S ,   for the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Research Group
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Low bone mineral density (BMD) increases fracture risk; how changes in BMD influence fracture risk in older men is uncertain. BMD was assessed at two to three time points over 4.6 years using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for 4470 men aged ≥65 years in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study. Change in femoral neck BMD was estimated using mixed effects linear regression models. BMD change was categorized as “accelerated” (≤−0.034 g/cm2), “expected” (between 0 and −0.034 g/cm2), or “maintained” (≥0 g/cm2). Fractures were adjudicated by central medical record review. Multivariate proportional hazards models estimated the risk of hip, nonspine/nonhip, and nonspine fracture over 4.5 years after the final BMD measure, during which time 371 (8.3%) men experienced at least one nonspine fracture, including 78 (1.7%) hip fractures. Men with accelerated femoral neck BMD loss had an increased risk of nonspine (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4–2.8); nonspine/nonhip (HR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.1–2.3); and hip fracture (HR = 6.3; 95% CI 2.7–14.8) compared with men who maintained BMD over time. No difference in risk was seen for men with expected loss. Adjustment for the initial BMD measure did not alter the results. Adjustment for the final BMD measure attenuated the change in BMD-nonspine fracture and the change in BMD-nonspine/nonhip relationships such that they were no longer significant, whereas the change in the BMD-hip fracture relationship was attenuated (HR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.1–6.4). Total hip BMD change produced similar results. Accelerated decrease in BMD is a strong, independent risk factor for hip and other nonspine fractures in men. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Negative predictive value for cancer in patients with “Gray‐Zone” PSA level and prior negative biopsy: Preliminary results with multiparametric 3.0 tesla MR
Authors: Girometti Rossano , Bazzocchi Massimo , Como Giuseppe , Brondani Giovanni , Del Pin Matteo , Frea Bruno , Martinez Guillermo , Zuiani Chiara 
Published: May 2012

AbstractPurpose:To investigate the negative predictive value (NPV) for malignancy of 3.0 Tesla (T) MRI in patients with “gray zone” PSA level and prior negative biopsies.Materials and Methods:We enrolled 26 patients with PSA level between 2.5 and 10 ng/mL and no cancer at previous biopsies. Examinations were performed on a 3.0T system using T2‐weighted imaging, diffusion‐weighted imaging, spectroscopy, and postcontrast dynamic study. A regional scheme was used to record MRI findings and to perform subsequent transrectal‐ultrasonography‐guided biopsy. Based on the matching between imaging and biopsy findings we estimated MRI predictive values, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy on a per‐patient and per‐region basis.Results:On a per patient basis, MRI had five true‐positive (5/26; 19.2%), eight true‐negative (8/26; 30.8%) and no false‐negative cases, corresponding to a NPV and sensitivity of 100% each. Thirteen patients were assessed as false‐positive cases (13/26; 50.0%) (specificity of 38.1%). Five of them (5/26; 19.2%) showed high‐grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and atypical small‐acinar proliferation (ASAP) at biopsy. T2‐weighted imaging alone showed per‐region NPV (96.8%).Conclusion:Because of the high NPV, MRI had the potential to avoid unnecessary biopsy in approximately one‐third of “gray‐zone” patients with a negative examination. Additionally, MRI was useful to address to biopsy more than one‐third of patients with cancer or high‐risk lesions as HGPIN and ASAP. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;36:943–950. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.