bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Targeting Tumor-Initiating Cancer Cells with dCD133KDEL Shows Impressive Tumor Reductions in a Xenotransplant Model of Human Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Waldron Nate N. , Kaufman Dan S. , Oh Seunguk , Inde Zintis , Hexum Melinda K. , Ohlfest John R. , Vallera Daniel A. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractA novel anticancer agent was constructed by fusing a gene encoding the scFV that targets both glycosylated and unglycosylated forms of CD133 to a gene fragment encoding deimmunized PE38KDEL. The resulting fusion protein, dCD133KDEL, was studied to determine its ability to bind and kill tumor-initiating cells in vitro and in vivo. The anti-CD133 scFV selectively bound HEK293 cells transfected with the CD133 receptor gene. Time course viability studies showed that dCD133KDEL selectively inhibited NA-SCC and UMSCC-11B, 2 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas that contain a CD133 expressing subpopulation. Importantly, the drug did not inhibit the viability of hematopoietic lineages measured by long-term culture-initiating cell and colony-forming assays from sorted human CD34+ progenitor cells. In addition to in vitro studies, in vivo tumor initiation experiments confirmed that CD133-sorted cells implanted into the flanks of nude mice grew faster and larger than unsorted cells. In contrast, cells that were pretreated with dCD133KDEL before implantation showed the slowest and lowest incidence of tumors. Furthermore, UMSCC-11B-luc tumors treated with multiple intratumoral injections of dCD133KDEL showed marked growth inhibition, leading to complete degradation of the tumors that was not observed with an irrelevant control-targeted toxin. Experiments in immunocompetent mice showed that toxin deimmunization resulted in a 90% reduction in circulating antitoxin levels. These studies show that dCD133KDEL is a novel anticancer agent effective at inhibiting cell proliferation, tumor initiation, and eliminating established tumors by targeting the CD133 subpopulation. This agent shows significant promise for potential development as a clinically useful therapy. Mol Cancer Ther; 10(10); 1829–38. ©2011 AACR.
Use of Hundreds of Electrocardiographic Biomarkers for Prediction of Mortality in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Gorodeski Eiran Z. , Ishwaran Hemant , Kogalur Udaya B. , Blackstone Eugene H. , Hsich Eileen , Zhang Zhu-ming , Vitolins Mara Z. , Manson JoAnn E. , Curb J. David , Martin Lisa W. , Prineas Ronald J. , Lauer Michael S. 
Published: August 2011

Background—
Simultaneous contribution of hundreds of electrocardiographic (ECG) biomarkers to prediction of long-term mortality in postmenopausal women with clinically normal resting ECGs is unknown.

Methods and Results—
We analyzed ECGs and all-cause mortality in 33 144 women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative trials who were without baseline cardiovascular disease or cancer and had normal ECGs by Minnesota and Novacode criteria. Four hundred and seventy-seven ECG biomarkers, encompassing global and individual ECG findings, were measured with computer algorithms. During a median follow-up of 8.1 years (range for survivors, 0.5 to 11.2 years), 1229 women died. For analyses, the cohort was randomly split into derivation (n=22 096; deaths, 819) and validation (n=11 048; deaths, 410) subsets. ECG biomarkers and demographic and clinical characteristics were simultaneously analyzed using both traditional Cox regression and random survival forest, a novel algorithmic machine-learning approach. Regression modeling failed to converge. Random survival forest variable selection yielded 20 variables that were independently predictive of long-term mortality, 14 of which were ECG biomarkers related to autonomic tone, atrial conduction, and ventricular depolarization and repolarization.

Conclusions—
We identified 14 ECG biomarkers from among hundreds that were associated with long-term prognosis using a novel random forest variable selection methodology. These biomarkers were related to autonomic tone, atrial conduction, ventricular depolarization, and ventricular repolarization. Quantitative ECG biomarkers have prognostic importance and may be markers of subclinical disease in apparently healthy postmenopausal women.
Does Model Parameter Error Cause a Significant “Spring Predictability Barrier” for El Niño Events in the Zebiak–Cane Model?
Authors: Yu Yanshan , Mu Mu , Duan Wansuo 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
Within the framework of the Zebiak–Cane model, the approach of conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation (CNOP) is used to study the effect of model parameter errors on El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) predictability. The optimal model parameter errors are obtained within a reasonable error bound (i.e., CNOP-P errors), which have the largest effect on the results of El Niño predictions. The resultant prediction errors were investigated in depth. The CNOP-P errors do not cause a noticeable prediction error of the sea surface temperature anomaly averaged over the Niño-3 region and do not show an obvious season-dependent evolution of the prediction errors. Consequently, the CNOP-P errors do not cause a significant spring predictability barrier (SPB) for El Niño events. In contrast, the initial errors that have the largest effect on the results of the predictions (i.e., the CNOP-I errors) show a season-dependent evolution, with the largest error increase in spring, and also cause a large prediction error, thereby generating a significant SPB. The initial errors play a more important role than the parameter errors in generating a significant SPB for El Niño events. To further validate this result, the authors investigated the situation in which CNOP-I and CNOP-P errors are simultaneously superimposed in the model, which may be a more credible approach because the initial errors and model parameter errors coexist under realistic predictions. The combined mode of CNOP-I and CNOP-P errors shows a similar season-dependent evolution to that of CNOP-I errors and yields a large prediction error, thereby inducing a significant SPB. The inference, therefore, is that initial errors play a more important role than model parameter errors in generating a significant SPB for El Niño predictions of the Zebiak–Cane model. This result helps to clarify the roles of the initial error and parameter error in the development of an SPB, and highlights the role of initial errors, which demonstrates that the SPB could be markedly reduced by improving the initial conditions. The results provide a theoretical basis for improving data assimilation in ENSO predictions.
Pathways for Communicating the Effects of Stratospheric Ozone to the Polar Vortex: Role of Zonally Asymmetric Ozone
Authors: Albers John R. , Nathan Terrence R. 
Published: September 2011

Abstract
A mechanistic model that couples quasigeostrophic dynamics, radiative transfer, ozone transport, and ozone photochemistry is used to study the effects of zonal asymmetries in ozone (ZAO) on the model’s polar vortex. The ZAO affect the vortex via two pathways. The first pathway (P1) hinges on modulation of the propagation and damping of a planetary wave by ZAO; the second pathway (P2) hinges on modulation of the wave–ozone flux convergences by ZAO. In the steady state, both P1 and P2 play important roles in modulating the zonal-mean circulation. The relative importance of wave propagation versus wave damping in P1 is diagnosed using an ozone-modified refractive index and an ozone-modified vertical energy flux. In the lower stratosphere, ZAO cause wave propagation and wave damping to oppose each other. The result is a small change in planetary wave drag but a large reduction in wave amplitude. Thus in the lower stratosphere, ZAO “precondition” the wave before it propagates into the upper stratosphere, where damping due to photochemically accelerated cooling dominates, causing a large reduction in planetary wave drag and thus a colder polar vortex. The ability of ZAO within the lower stratosphere to affect the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere is discussed in light of secular and episodic changes in stratospheric ozone.
Quantifying the Predictive Skill in Long-Range Forecasting. Part II: Model Error in Coarse-Grained Markov Models with Application to Ocean-Circulation Regimes
Authors: Giannakis Dimitrios , Majda Andrew J. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractAn information-theoretic framework is developed to assess the predictive skill and model error in imperfect climate models for long-range forecasting. Here, of key importance is a climate equilibrium consistency test for detecting false predictive skill, as well as an analogous criterion describing model error during relaxation to equilibrium. Climate equilibrium consistency enforces the requirement that long-range forecasting models should reproduce the climatology of prediction observables with high fidelity. If a model meets both climate consistency and the analogous criterion describing model error during relaxation to equilibrium, then relative entropy can be used as an unbiased superensemble measure of the model’s skill in long-range coarse-grained forecasts. As an application, the authors investigate the error in modeling regime transitions in a 1.5-layer ocean model as a Markov process and identify models that are strongly persistent but their predictive skill is false. The general techniques developed here are also useful for estimating predictive skill with model error for Markov models of low-frequency atmospheric regimes.
Central-West Argentina Summer Precipitation Variability and Atmospheric Teleconnections
Authors: Agosta Eduardo A. , Compagnucci Rosa H. 
Published: September 2011

The interannual-to-multidecadal variability of central-west Argentina (CWA) summer (October–March) precipitation and associated tropospheric circulation are studied in the period 1900–2010. Precipitation shows significant quasi cycles with periods of about 2, 4–5, 6–8, and 16–22 yr. The quasi-bidecadal oscillation is significant from the early 1910s until the mid-1970s and is present in pressure time series over the southwestern South Atlantic. According to the lower-frequency spectral variation, a prolonged wet spell is observed from 1973 to the early 2000s. The precipitation variability shows a reversal trend since then. In that wet epoch, the regionally averaged precipitation has been increased about 24%. The lower-frequency spectral variation is attributed to the climate shift of 1976/77. From the early twentieth century until the mid-1970s, the precipitation variability is associated with barotropic quasi-stationary wave (QSW) propagation from the tropical southern Indian Ocean and the South Pacific, generating vertical motion and moisture anomalies at middle-to-subtropical latitudes east of the Andes over southern South America. The QSW propagation could be related to anomalous convection partly induced by tropical anomalous SSTs in the western Indian Ocean (WIO). It could also be linked to another midlatitude source along the storm tracks, to the east of New Zealand. After 1976/77, the precipitation variability is associated with equatorial symmetric circulation anomalies linked to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-like warmer conditions. Positive moisture anomalies are consistently observed at lower latitudes in association with inflation of the western flank of the South Atlantic anticyclone. Outside of this, the precipitation variability is unrelated to ENSO.
An Assessment of the Climatology of Florida Hurricane-Induced Tornadoes (HITs): Technology versus Meteorology
Authors: Agee Ernest M. , Hendricks Alyssa 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
The placement of operational Doppler radar at National Weather Service offices in Florida in 1994 and 1995 has produced a distinct climatological discontinuity in archived records of hurricane-induced tornado (HIT) events. During the period of this study (1979–2010), Florida experienced 91 named tropical cyclones (omitting years 1994 and 1995) that produced a total of 300 HITs, as recorded in the NOAA Storm Data climatological publication. The 30 years of records examined for 1979–2010 consisted of 15 years as the pre-Doppler period (1979–93) and 15 years as the Doppler period (1996–2010) and produced an average of 1.92 HITs per tropical cyclone for the pre-Doppler period and 3.85 HITs per tropical cyclone for the Doppler period. Additionally, the HIT statistics were further compiled as the number of HITs per potential HIT day, which yielded values of 0.52 and 1.14, respectively, for the pre-Doppler and Doppler periods. Normalized statistics are based on the total accumulated number of potential HIT days for each period (96 for pre-Doppler and 219 for Doppler). Further, it has been determined that (a) no HITs were recorded in the pre-Doppler period for hurricanes greater than category-2 intensity, ostensibly because of the inability to separate hurricane wind damage from tornado damage, whereas (b) the Doppler period averaged 5.0 and 11.7 HITs per category-3 and category-4 storms, respectively. Finally, this study has clearly documented the magnitude (and effect) of Doppler technology on HITs reported in Florida Storm Data archives. The Doppler era is much more accurate, whereas the pre-Doppler era HIT occurrences are severely underestimated.
Wideband Waveform Design Principles for Solid-State Weather Radars
Authors: Bharadwaj Nitin , Chandrasekar V. 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
The use of solid-state transmitters is becoming increasingly viable for atmospheric radars and is a key part of the strategy to realize any dense network of low-powered radars. However, solid-state transmitters have low peak powers and this necessitates the use of pulse compression waveforms. In this paper frequency diversity in a wideband waveform design is proposed to mitigate the low sensitivity of solid-state transmitters. In addition, the waveforms mitigate the range-eclipsing problem associated with long pulse compression. An analysis of the performance of pulse compression using mismatched compression filters designed to minimize sidelobe levels is presented. The impact of the range sidelobe level on the retrieval of Doppler moments is discussed. Realistic simulations are performed based on both the Colorado State University–University of Chicago–Illinois State Water Survey (CSU–CHILL) and the Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) Integrated Project I (IP1) radar data.
A Deterministic Rapid Intensification Aid
Authors: Sampson Charles R. , Kaplan John , Knaff John A. , DeMaria Mark , Sisko Chris A. 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
Rapid intensification (RI) is difficult to forecast, but some progress has been made in developing probabilistic guidance for predicting these events. One such method is the RI index. The RI index is a probabilistic text product available to National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasters in real time. The RI index gives the probabilities of three intensification rates [25, 30, and 35 kt (24 h)−1; or 12.9, 15.4, and 18.0 m s−1 (24 h)−1] for the 24-h period commencing at the initial forecast time. In this study the authors attempt to develop a deterministic intensity forecast aid from the RI index and, then, implement it as part of a consensus intensity forecast (arithmetic mean of several deterministic intensity forecasts used in operations) that has been shown to generally have lower mean forecast errors than any of its members. The RI aid is constructed using the highest available RI index intensification rate available for probabilities at or above a given probability (i.e., a probability threshold). Results indicate that the higher the probability threshold is, the better the RI aid performs. The RI aid appears to outperform the consensus aids at about the 50% probability threshold. The RI aid also improves forecast errors of operational consensus aids starting with a probability threshold of 30% and reduces negative biases in the forecasts. The authors suggest a 40% threshold for producing the RI aid initially. The 40% threshold is available for approximately 8% of all verifying forecasts, produces approximately 4% reduction in mean forecast errors for the intensity consensus aids, and corrects the negative biases by approximately 15%–20%. In operations, the threshold could be moved up to maximize gains in skill (reducing availability) or moved down to maximize availability (reducing gains in skill).
Application of a Medium-Range Global Hydrologic Probabilistic Forecast Scheme to the Ohio River Basin
Authors: Voisin Nathalie , Pappenberger Florian , Lettenmaier Dennis P. , Buizza Roberto , Schaake John C. 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
A 10-day globally applicable flood prediction scheme was evaluated using the Ohio River basin as a test site for the period 2003–07. The Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrology model was initialized with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analysis temperatures and winds, and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) precipitation up to the day of forecast. In forecast mode, the VIC model was then forced with a calibrated and statistically downscaled ECMWF Ensemble Prediction System (EPS) 10-day ensemble forecast. A parallel setup was used where ECMWF EPS forecasts were interpolated to the spatial scale of the hydrology model. Each set of forecasts was extended by 5 days using monthly mean climatological variables and zero precipitation in order to account for the effects of the initial conditions. The 15-day spatially distributed ensemble runoff forecasts were then routed to four locations in the basin, each with different drainage areas. Surrogates for observed daily runoff and flow were provided by the reference run, specifically VIC simulation forced with ECMWF analysis fields and TMPA precipitation fields. The hydrologic prediction scheme using the calibrated and downscaled ECMWF EPS forecasts was shown to be more accurate and reliable than interpolated forecasts for both daily distributed runoff forecasts and daily flow forecasts. The initial and antecedent conditions dominated the flow forecasts for lead times shorter than the time of concentration depending on the flow forecast amounts and the drainage area sizes. The flood prediction scheme had useful skill for the 10 following days at all sites.
Emerging World Order? From Multipolarity to Multilateralism in the G20, the World Bank, and the IMF
Authors: Wade Robert H. 
Published: September 2011

Many developing and transitional countries have grown faster than advanced countries in the past decade, resulting in a shift in the distribution of world income in their favor. China is now the second largest economy in the world, behind the United States and ahead of Japan. As the relative economic weight of China and several others has come to match or exceed that of the middle-ranking G7 economies, the world economy has shifted from “unipolar” toward “multipolar,” less dominated by the G7. How is this change being translated into changes in authority and influence within multilateral organizations like the G20, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)? Alarm bells are ringing in G7 capitals about G7 loss of influence. According to a WikiLeaks cable from the senior U.S. official for the G20 process, from January 2010, “It is remarkable how closely coordinated the BASIC group of countries [Brazil, South Africa, India, China] have become in international fora, taking turns to impede US/EU initiatives and playing the US and EU off against each other.” This essay suggests that the shift in power is much smaller than the headlines or private alarm bells suggest. The United States remains the dominant state, and the G7 states together continue to exercise primacy, but now more fearfully and defensively. China is split between asserting itself as “the wave of the future” and defending itself as too poor to take on global responsibilities (it is roughly 100th in the per capita income hierarchy). The combination of G7 defensiveness and emerging states’ jealous guarding of sovereignty produces a spirit of Westphalian assertion in international fora, or “every state for itself.” On the assumption that the world economy is in a transitional period, the article suggests reforms in the G20 and the World Bank that would boost their role and legitimacy as multilateral organizations in a more multipolar world.
Multiple-test assessment of devices to protect healthcare workers when administering cytotoxic drugs to patients
Authors: Queruau Lamerie Thomas , Carrez Laurent , Décaudin Bertrand , Bouchoud Lucie , Goossens Jean-François , Barthélémy Christine , Bonnabry Pascal , Odou Pascal 
Published: August 2011

Purpose: Evaluation of containment safety devices designed and introduced to protect preparers and administrators of hazardous drugs, through a multiple-test assessment. Methods: Six devices were compared: (1) Kis1 gravity-fed infusion set (Doran International, France), (2) Tevadaptor Spike Port Adapter (Teva Pharma AG, France), (3) Phaseal Infusion Adapter C100 (Carmel Pharma AB, France), (4) Codan Connect Z (Codan, France), (5) Pchimx with or without a cap (Doran International, France), and (6) Clave extension set 011-H1225 with or without Spiros (Hospira, France). Assessment of exposure to hazardous drugs was performed using quinine as fluorescent marker. Mechanical tests included tightness, tension tests, and estimation of the force required to connect the infusion device to the bag. Ergonomic tests were performed by six pharmaceutical technicians. Microbiological contamination was tested with media-fill, on connected bag. Results: No cytotoxic contamination was detected when using Phaseal, Tevadaptor or the Clave extension set with Spiros, Pchimx with a cap or Connect Z devices. For mechanical tests, all devices complied with the norm. Microbiological growth was observed neither in bags nor in tubings. The ergonomic study revealed differences between the devices for potential cytotoxic contamination risk only, but not for handling. Conclusions. The use of containment safety devices offers improved handling conditions of hazardous compounds. As this study takes various selection criteria into account, its results offer assistance in choosing the most suitable device.
Emerging potential treatments: new hope for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients?
Authors: Costabel U. 
Published: September 2011

Currently, there are no approved pharmacological treatments for the management of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in the USA or Europe. Pirfenidone is an orally bio-available small molecule that exhibits antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties in a variety ofin vitroand animal models.Pirfenidone has been evaluated in four randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials conducted in Japan, North America and Europe. The totality of the data from these trials indicates that pirfenidone is able to reduce the rate of decline in lung function, measured as change in per cent predicted forced vital capacity (FVC) or vital capacity. There was also an effect on secondary end-points of progression free survival, categorical change in per cent predicted FVC, and the 6-min walk test.A recent meta-analysis of the three phase III studies in IPF demonstrated that pirfenidone significantly reduced the risk of disease progression by 30%. The efficacy of pirfenidone is associated with an acceptable tolerability and safety profile.