bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and characterization of two classes of hyperstar polymers bearing hyperbranched cores grafted with linear arms
Authors: Däbritz Frank , Lederer Albena , Komber Hartmut , Voit Brigitte 
Published: March 2012

AbstractNew hyperstar polymers (HSP) consisting of two different hyperbranched (hb) aromatic/aliphatic cores grafted with linear polymer arms were successfully synthesized. The hb cores were based on either hb poly(vinylbenzylchloride) synthesized by SCVP‐ATRP or hb polyester from a polycondensation reaction. For the core‐first approach, the hb cores have been modified to hb macroinitiators initiating either the cationic ring‐opening polymerization of oxazolines (Oxa) or the atom transfer radical polymerization of alkylmethacrylates. For potential use as reactive binders in epoxy coatings the HSPs were equipped with a defined amount of OH‐groups during arm growth via controlled block‐copolymerization with nonfunctionalized and OH‐functionalized monomers, either an oxazoline (OH)Oxa (2‐[1‐(hydroxymethyl)ethyl]‐oxazoline) or a methacrylate HEMA (2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate). The amount of OH‐groups could be well adjusted in this way. The hyperstars were comprehensively characterized with respect to chemical structure and molecule dimension. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 000: 000–000, 2012
Clickable amphiphilic triblock copolymers
Authors: Isaacman Michael J. , Barron Kathryn A. , Theogarajan Luke S. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractAmphiphilic polymers have recently garnered much attention due to their potential use in drug delivery and other biomedical applications. A modular synthesis of these polymers is extremely desirable, because it offers precise individual block characterization and increased yields. We present here for the first time a modular synthesis of poly(oxazoline)–poly(siloxane)–poly(oxazoline) block copolymers that have been clicked together using the copper‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition reaction. Various click methodologies for the synthesis of these polymers have been carefully evaluated and optimized. The approach using copper nanoparticles was found to be the most optimal among the methods evaluated. Furthermore, these results were extended to allow for a reactive SiH group‐based siloxane middle block to be successfully clicked. This enables the design of more complex amphiphilic block copolymers that have additional functionality, such as stimuli responsiveness, to be synthesized via a simple hydrosilylation reaction. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Antidepressants to cancer patients during the last year of life—a population‐based study
Authors: Brelin Siri , Loge Jon Håvard , Skurtveit Svetlana , Johannesen Tom Børge , Aass Nina , Ottesen Stig , Hjermstad Marianne Jensen 
Published: March 2012

AbstractObjectiveAlthough depression is common among incurable cancer patients, the prescription prevalence of antidepressants (ADs) to these patients is largely unknown. Aims were to examine the prescription prevalence of ADs in the last year of life in a 2‐year national cancer death cohort and to examine its associations with sociodemographic and medical variables.MethodsNationwide, 20,627 cancer deaths in adults were identified by combining the Norwegian Central Population and Cancer Registries. Individual prescriptions of ADs in the 12 months prior to death were identified in the Norwegian Prescription Database. The study population consisted of 17,753 patients who died from cancer in 2005 and 2006, after excluding patients assumed to be hospitalized whose prescriptions were not registered in the Norwegian Prescription Database.ResultsTwenty‐two percent (N = 3836) had at least one prescription of ADs in their last year of life (men 19%/women 25%), compared with 6% in the general population (men 4%/women 8%). Patients who died within 1 year from diagnosis had lower prescription prevalence (20%) than patients with longer disease duration (23%) (p < 0.001). Prescription prevalence increased toward death for both genders, but the prevalence of first‐time prescriptions in the last 6 months of life was similar across genders. About 10% of ADs were prescribed for the first time 30 days or less before death.ConclusionThe prescription prevalence among cancer patients in the last year of life was almost four times higher than in the general population. One of 10 patients was prescribed with ADs so close to death that the clinical effects can be questioned. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human prostate cancer initiating cells isolated directly from localized cancer do not form prostaspheres in primary culture
Authors: Chen Shuangling , Principessa Lorenzo , Isaacs John T. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBACKGROUNDRecent experimental studies suggest that hierarchical expansion from a minor population of cancer cells with an unlimited self‐renewal capacity, termed cancer initiating cells (CICs), drives both lethality and heterogeneity of prostate cancer. Human prostate CICs have been established from only two primary prostate cancer patients, with the remaining established CIC lines being derived from metastatic sites from <10 patients. This suggests that the established CIC lines are significant “outliers” and may not be representative of the prostate CICs seen clinically. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new approaches to achieve the “routine” establishment of CIC containing lines, particularly derived from primary prostate cancers.METHODSIn the present studies, we confirmed that in serum free, high Ca2+ (i.e., DMEN: F12) growth factor defined (GFD) media plus androgen, a large (n = 10) series of established human prostate cancer cell lines derived from both localized and metastatic sites characteristically self‐associate in suspension and grow as unattached spheroids, termed prostaspheres which contain CICs based upon their self‐renewal in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo.RESULTSUnfortunately, however, while dissociated single cells from human primary prostate cancer tissues are viable, contain CICs as documented by their ability to take and proliferate as xenografts, and produce prostaspheres when plated with serum free, high Ca2+/GFD‐media plus androgen onto standard tissue culture flask, these prostasphere do not contain CICs.CONCLUSIONThe development of reproducibly methods to culture CICs isolated directly from localized cancers is still an urgent unmeet need of the prostate cancer research community. Prostate 72:1478–1489, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of abamectin on root‐knot nematodes and tomato yield
Authors: Qiao Kang , Liu Xia , Wang Hongyan , Xia Xiaoming , Ji Xiaoxue , Wang Kaiyun 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND: Tomato growers in Shandong Province, China, commonly face heavy root‐knot nematode infestations. Current methods of control include cadusafos and methyl bromide (MeBr), but alternative methods are required because of the high toxicity of these pesticides and the ecological risk of their use. Therefore, abamectin soil applications were evaluated for their potential to control soil nematodes in a series of laboratory tests, greenhouse pot experiments and field trials.RESULTS: Laboratory tests showed that abamectin exhibited rapid knockdown of Meloidogyne incognita, with LC50 and LC90 values that were superior to those of cadusafos and averaged 7.06 and 21.81 mg L−1. In the greenhouse pot experiment, soil applications of abamectin provided significant M. incognita control similar to that provided by cadusafos while maintaining excellent plant height and vigour. In the field trials, abamectin exhibited excellent control effects to nematodes while giving a higher tomato yield. There was a 19.3–39.0% yield increase from the various treatments compared with the control, and the best results were obtained from the highest dose of abamectin.CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that abamectin has the potential to be used as an effective alternative to MeBr and cadusafos for nematode control in tomato production in Shandong Province. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Tropical cyclone track analog ensemble forecasting in the extended Australian basin: NWP combinations
Authors: Langmack Hans , Fraedrich Klaus , Sielmann Frank 
Published: March 2012

AbstractEnsemble‐Weighted Analogs (EWA) are introduced as an empirical forecast model for tropical cyclone (TC) tracks in the Australian basin extending to the Indian Ocean. The input requires only the 6 h positions of the preceding 24 hours to estimate the actual TC's future locations (up to 48 hours ahead) using optimally weighted ensemble members (analogs) from sections of historic cyclone tracks. They are determined as nearest neighbours of the actual track positions. After model calibration, independent forecasts are evaluated (2001–2007). The forecast analysis shows an error of about 140 km (for the 24 h prediction), which is better than the CLIPER reference forecast (161 km) and comparable to a numerical weather‐prediction model (NWP of the UK Met Office). Intensity estimates and the forecast error‐spread relation are discussed. Error‐minimizing forecast combinations are also analysed: the EWA–NWP combination improves the individual 24 h NWP forecasts by about 25 km. Track cluster conditioned 24 h EWA forecasts are introduced providing probability estimates of hazardous areas. Finally, two cases of sudden track changes and their forecasts are presented with fields of position probabilities derived from the analog ensemble members and their clusters. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Time‐reversal symmetry in molecular rovibronic states and in second‐order processes
Authors: Chiu Ying‐Nan 
Published: March 2012

AbstractA unified treatment of time‐reversal symmetry is given for molecular systems. The treatment allows for interconversion of electronic, rotational, and vibrational angular momenta on equal footing because of a coherent phase choice. It also allows for correlation from a continuous group (of spherical or cylindrical symmetry) to lower point groups (such as C3, C4, C6, S4, Sg, T, etc.). General, many‐electron molecular states that form time‐reversal degenerate components are constructed. Attention is called to the Kramers' doublets as the special odd‐electron case of such double degeneracy. Specific examples of a spiropentane and a 5‐azoniaspiro(4.4) nonane with S4 symmetry and possible time‐reversal degeneracy are given. The optical rotation due to a time‐odd polarizability tensor in one of the two time‐degenerate components is shown to be of an opposite sign to that in the other component. The above result is from a second‐order matrix element (over the polarizability tensor) and is proved to be independent of even‐ or odd‐number of electron spins. It is shown to hold also for Kramers' doubly degenerate components. This result is contrasted with that of a first‐order Jahn‐Teller effect which depends on the number of electron spins.
On the electronic structure of transition metal complexes. I. An INDO‐MO investigation of some octahedral complex ions
Authors: Hilal Rifaat 
Published: March 2012

AbstractMolecular‐orbital calculations within the INDO framework are reported for the hexafluoro, hexachloro, and hexaaquo metallate (II) ions of the first transition series. The parameterization scheme and choice of orbital exponents have been detailed. The results indicate that the method in its present form gives fairly satisfactory predictions of molecular properties.
The pseudo‐polarization tensor mutually consistent field (PPT‐MCF) method: A new approach to study intermolecular interactions and its application to dimeric and trimeric water configurations
Authors: Otto P. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractA new method is proposed for the treatment of systems consisting of many interacting molecules. Properties of the individual molecules are computed and their response to the influence of external electric fields generated by the partner systems is determined. The necessary quantities are the point charges representing the electronic distribution and the pseudo‐polarization tensors for these point charges which are easily obtained with the help of optimization and iterative procedures, respectively. Thus information is then used in a mutually consistent iteration process to calculate the interaction energy. In this way, not only the pairwise additive energy terms but, in addition, the nonadditive contributions are obtained. The ρ1/3 approximation is used for the exchange energy and the dispersion energy is taken into account employing a London‐type expression, together with empirical parameters. The results of applying this approach to the sensitive systems of two and three interacting water molecules are compared with ab initio supermolecule results. Equilibrium geometries, total binding energies, and nonadditive contributions are in excellent agreement.
Angular‐momentum quantization applied to the Thomas‐Fermi atom
Authors: Olszewski S. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe Fermi momentum of an electron in a statistical atom can be considered as a vector sum of two components. The first represents the orbital movement of an electron and can be calculated from the quantum levels of the angular momentum. The second is the maximum progressive momentum of the same electron and can be obtained from the variational procedure given by Gombas. A new expression for the Fermi momentum leads to the modification of the Thomas‐Fermi statistical equation given by Barnes and Cowan.
The influences of being acquired on subsidiary innovation adoption
Authors: Barden Jeffrey Q. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractReceived research suggests that a firm subsidiary's acquisition by a new owner has countervailing effects on the subsidiary's innovation adoption behavior. On one hand, ownership change can make a subsidiary more receptive to innovation by reducing some inertial forces and introducing new resources to overcome others. Alternatively, the costs and demands of an acquisition can draw decision makers' attention away from important innovations in the technological environment. This event history study disentangles these countervailing influences by examining the influences of radio station ownership change on stations' adoptions of HD Radio®technology. The study finds that a change in ownership control does have a positive direct influence on the likelihood of technology adoption, but that it also curtails tendency for subsidiaries to subsequently mimic others' technology adoptions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Update on Breast Reconstruction Techniques and Indications
Authors: Petit Jean‐Yves , Rietjens Mario , Lohsiriwat Visnu , Rey Piercarlo , Garusi Cristina , De Lorenzi Francesca , Martella Stefano , Manconi Andrea , Barbieri Benedetta , Clough Krishna B. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBreast reconstruction is considered as part of the breast cancer treatment when a mastectomy is required. Implants or expanders are the most frequent techniques used for the reconstructions. Expander provides usually a better symmetry. A contralateral mastoplasty often is required to improve the symmetry. The nipple areola complex, which can be preserved in certain conditions, is usually removed and can be reconstructed in a second stage under local anesthesia. In case of radical mastectomy and/or radiotherapy, a musculocutaneous flap, such as rectus abdominis or latissimus dorsi autologous flaps, is required. When microsurgical facilities are available, free or perforator flaps respecting the muscle are preferred to decrease the donor site complications. In situ carcinomas or prophylactic mastectomy can be reconstructed immediately as well as invasive carcinoma according to the recent literature. Locally advanced breast cancer can be reconstructed after complete oncologic treatment. Radiotherapy of the thoracic wall is proposed in case of lymph node metastases, raising the discussion about the technique choice and the timing of the reconstruction. Plastic surgery procedures can improve the cosmetic results of the conservative surgery, also extending its indications and reducing both mastectomy and reexcision rates. Oncoplasty techniques are becoming more and more sophisticated, requiring the skill of trained plastic surgeons. Numerous publications confirm the psychosocial benefit resulting from the breast reconstruction.
Robot‐assisted Thoracoscopic Lymphadenectomy Along the Left Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the Prone Position: Technical Report and Short‐term Outcomes
Authors: Suda Koichi , Ishida Yoshinori , Kawamura Yuichiro , Inaba Kazuki , Kanaya Seiichiro , Teramukai Satoshi , Satoh Seiji , Uyama Ichiro 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBackgroundMeticulous mediastinal lymphadenectomy frequently induces recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (RLNP). Surgical robots with impressive dexterity and precise dissection skills have been developed to help surgeons perform operations. The objective of this study was to determine the impact on short‐term outcomes of robot‐assisted thoracoscopic radical esophagectomy performed on patients in the prone position for the treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, including its impact on RLNP.MethodsA single‐institution nonrandomized prospective study was performed. The patients (n = 36) with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were divided into two groups: patients who agreed to robot‐assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy with total mediastinal lymphadenectomy performed in the prone position (n = 16, robot‐assisted group) without insurance reimbursement, and those who agreed to undergo the same operation without robot assistance but with health insurance coverage (n = 20, control group). These patients were observed for 30 days following surgery to assess short‐term surgical outcomes, including the incidence of vocal cord palsy, hoarseness, and aspiration.ResultsRobot assistance significantly reduced the incidence of vocal cord palsy (p = 0.018) and hoarseness (p = 0.015) and the time on the ventilator (p = 0.025). There was no in‐hospital mortality in either group. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to patient background, except for the use of preoperative therapy (robot‐assisted group <control, p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in estimated blood loss, operating time, number of dissected lymph nodes, completeness of resection, or the incidence of the other complications, except for anastomotic leakage (p = 0.038).ConclusionRobot‐assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy with total mediastinal lymphadenectomy is feasible and safe. This method shows promise in preventing RLNP.
Is There any Benefit from Expanding the Criteria for the Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Cirrhotic Liver? Experience from a Developing Country
Authors: Galun Danijel A. , Bulajic Predrag , Zuvela Marinko , Basaric Dragan , Ille Tatjana , Milicevic Miroslav N. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBackgroundPatients with large‐size (>10 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Child B cirrhosis are usually excluded from curative treatment, i.e., hepatic resection, because of marginal liver function and poor outcome. This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of the radiofrequency (RF)‐assisted sequential “coagulate‐cut liver resection technique” in expanding the criteria for resection of large HCC in cirrhotic livers with impaired liver function.MethodsForty patients with Child‐Pugh A or B cirrhosis underwent liver resection from December 1, 2001 to December 31, 2008. Of these, 20 patients (13 Child‐Pugh A and 7 Child‐Pugh B) with advanced stage HCC (stage B and C according to Barcelona‐Clinic Liver Cancer Group) underwent major liver resection. The two groups were comparable in terms of patient age, liver cirrhosis etiology, tumor number, and size.ResultsAll resections were performed without the Pringle maneuver. There was no significant difference found between the two groups regarding resection time, perioperative transfusion, postoperative complications, hospital stay, and day 7 values of hemoglobin and liver enzymes. Likewise, there was no significant difference found in the overall survival between Child A and Child B patients who underwent major liver resectionConclusionsRF‐assisted sequentional “coagulate‐cut liver resection technique“ may be a viable alternative for management of patients with advanced HCC in cirrhotic liver with impaired function.
Single‐Incision Transperitoneal Laparoscopic Left Adrenalectomy
Authors: Vidal Óscar , Astudillo Emiliano , Valentini Mauro , Ginestà Cesar , García‐Valdecasas Juan C. , Fernandez‐Cruz Laureano 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBackgroundLaparoscopic adrenalectomy via three or four trocars is a well‐established procedure. This report describes the initial experience with single‐incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) using the transperitoneal approach for left adrenalectomy.MethodsBetween April 2010 and August 2011, all consecutive patients with adrenal masses, including Conn’s syndrome, Cushing’s adenoma, and nonfunctional adrenal tumors, who agreed to undergo SILS adrenalectomy were included in a prospective study. The left 2.5‐cm subcostal incision was the sole point of entry. Data of patients who underwent SILS adrenalectomy were compared with those from an uncontrolled group of patients who underwent conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy during the same study period.ResultsThere were 20 patients in each study group (20 men, 20 women; mean age [SD] = 50 [6.5] years). SILS was successfully performed and none of the patients required conversion to an open procedure. In one case of SILS procedure, an additional lateral 5‐mm port was needed for retraction of the kidney. The mean (SD) duration of the operation was 95 (20) min in the SILS group and 80 (8) min in the conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy group (p = 0.052). There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. There were no differences between the two study groups with respect to postoperative pain, number of patients who resumed oral intake within the first 24 h, final pathologic diagnosis, and length of hospital stay.ConclusionSILS left adrenalectomy is a technically feasible and safe procedure in carefully selected patients. The definitive clinical, aesthetic and functional advantages of this technique require further analysis.