bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quality of end‐of‐life care in low‐income, uninsured men dying of prostate cancer
Authors: Bergman Jonathan , Chi Amanda C. , Litwin Mark S. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractBACKGROUND:The quality of end‐of‐life care was assessed in disadvantaged men prospectively enrolled in a public assistance program. That end‐of‐life care would be aggressive, moreso than recommended by quality‐of‐care guidelines, was hypothesized.METHODS:Included in the study were all 60 low‐income, uninsured men in a state‐funded public assistance program who had died since its inception in 2001. To measure quality of end‐of‐life care, information was collected regarding timing of the institution of new chemotherapeutic regimens, time from administration of last chemotherapy dose to death, the number of inpatient admissions and intensive care unit stays made in the 3 months preceding death, and the number of emergency room visits made in the 12 months before dying. Also noted were hospice use and the timing of hospice referrals.RESULTS:Eighteen men (30%) enrolled in hospice before death and the average hospice stay lasted 45 days (standard deviation, 32; range, 2‐143 days; median, 41 days). Two patients (11%) were enrolled for fewer than 7 days, and none were enrolled for more than 180 days. The average time from administration of the last dose of chemotherapy to death was 104 days. Chemotherapy was never initiated within 3 months of death, and in only 2 instances (6%) was the final chemotherapeutic regimen administered within 2 weeks of dying. Use of hospital resources (emergency room visits, inpatient admissions, and intensive care unit stays) was uniformly low (mean, 1.0 ± 1.0, 0.65 ± 0.82, and 0.03 ± 0.18, respectively).CONCLUSIONS:End‐of‐life care in disadvantaged men dying of prostate cancer, who enroll in a comprehensive statewide assistance program, is high‐quality. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Gaussian curvature estimates for the convex level sets of p‐harmonic functions
Authors: Ma Xi‐Nan , Ou Qianzhong , Zhang Wei 
Published: March 2010

AbstractWe give a positive lower bound for the Gaussian curvature of the convex level sets of p‐harmonic functions with the Gaussian curvature of the boundary and the norm of the gradient on the boundary. Combining the deformation process, this estimate gives a new approach to studying the convexity of the level sets of the p‐harmonic function. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Influence of Radiation‐Induced Grafting Process on Mechanical Properties of ETFE‐Based Membranes for Fuel Cells
Authors: Ben youcef H. , Alkan Gürsel S. , Buisson A. , Gubler L. , Wokaun A. , Scherer G. G. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe mechanical stability is, in addition to thermal and chemical stability, a primary requirement of polymer electrolyte membranes in fuel cells. In this study, the impact of grafting parameters and preparation steps on stress–strain properties of ETFE‐based proton conducting membranes, prepared by radiation‐induced grafting and subsequent sulphonation, was studied. No significant change in the mechanical properties of the ETFE base film was observed below an irradiation dose of 50 kGy. It was shown that the elongation at break decreases with increasing both the crosslinker concentration and graft level (GL). However, the tensile strength was positively affected by the crosslinker concentration. Yield strength and modulus of elasticity are almost unaffected by the introduction of crosslinker. Interestingly, yield strength and modulus of elasticity increase gradually with GL without noticeable change of the inherent crystallinity of grafted films. The most brittle membranes are obtained via the combination of high GL and crosslinker concentration. The optimised ETFE‐based membrane (GL of ∼25%, 5% DVB v/v), shows mechanical properties superior to those of Nafion® 112 membrane. The obtained results were correlated qualitatively to the other ex situ properties, including crystallinity, thermal properties and water uptake of the grafted membranes.
New synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol using sulfur‐assisted carbonylation with carbon monoxide
Authors: Mizuno Takumi , Nakai Takeo , Mihara Masatoshi 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe glycerol carbonate synthesis from glycerol, which is an inevitable by‐product of biodiesel production, was established. By combined sulfur‐assisted carbonylation of glycerol under 1.0 MPa of carbon monoxide at 80°C in DMF with oxidation by copper bromide(II), a facile synthetic method for glycerol carbonate in good yield was developed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 21:99–102, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20583
Association between plasma nitric oxide metabolites levels and negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a pilot study
Authors: Nakano Yuichiro , Yoshimura Reiji , Nakano Hideki , Ikenouchi‐Sugita Atsuko , Hori Hikaru , Umene‐Nakano Wakako , Ueda Nobuhisa , Nakamura Jun 
Published: March 2010

AbstractNitric oxide (NO) is involved in pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. We hypothesize that plasma levels of NO and its metabolites (NOx) are decreased in patients with schizophrenia. To examine the hypothesis, we compared plasma NOx levels between 30 schizophrenic patients (M/F: 18/12, age: 38 ± 15 years) and age‐ and sex‐matched 30 healthy controls (M/F: 18/12, age: 41 ± 19 years), and we also examined the effects of risperidone on plasma NOx levels in schizophrenic patients. The baseline plasma NOx levels were significantly lower in the schizophrenia group (1.85 ± 0.70 µM) than those in control group (3.37 ± 2.27 µM). A significantly negative correlation was found between plasma NOx levels and PANSS‐N scores before risperidone administration (ρ = −0.385, p = 0.0416). Treatment with risperidone significantly increased the plasma NOx levels by 8 weeks (before; 1.85 ± 0.70 µM, after; 2.25 ± 1.00 µM, p = 0.0491). These results suggest that NO might be one of the candidates factors which are associated with the pathophysiology of negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Similarity search and pattern discovery in hydrological time series data mining
Authors: Ouyang Rulin , Ren Liliang , Cheng Weiming , Zhou Chenghu 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe rapid development of data mining provides a new method for water resource management, hydrology and hydroinformatics research. In the paper, based on data mining theory and technology, we analyse hydrological daily discharge time series of the Shaligunlanke Station in the Tarim River Basin in China from the year 1961 to 2000. Firstly, according to the four monthly statistics, namely mean monthly discharge, monthly maximum discharge, monthly amplitude and monthly standard deviation, K‐mean clustering was used to segment the annual process of the daily discharge. The clustering result showed that the annual process of the daily discharge can be divided into five segments: snowmelt period I (April), snowmelt period II (May), rainfall period I (June–August), rainfall period II (September) and dry period (October–December and January–March). Secondly, dynamic time warping (DTW), which is a different distance metric method from the traditional Euclidian distance metric, was used to look for similarities in the discharge process. On the basis of the similarity matrix, the similar discharge processes can be mined in each period. Thirdly, agglomerative hierarchical clustering was used to cluster and discover the discharge patterns in terms of the autoregressive model. It was found that the discharge had a close relationship with the temperature and the precipitation, and the discharge processes were more similar under the same climatic condition. Our study shows that data mining is a feasible and efficient approach to discover the hidden information in the historical hydrological data and mining the implicative laws under the hydrological process. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impacts of uncertain river flow data on rainfall‐runoff model calibration and discharge predictions
Authors: McMillan Hilary , Freer Jim , Pappenberger Florian , Krueger Tobias , Clark Martyn 
Published: March 2010

AbstractIn order to quantify total error affecting hydrological models and predictions, we must explicitly recognize errors in input data, model structure, model parameters and validation data. This paper tackles the last of these: errors in discharge measurements used to calibrate a rainfall‐runoff model, caused by stage–discharge rating‐curve uncertainty. This uncertainty may be due to several combined sources, including errors in stage and velocity measurements during individual gaugings, assumptions regarding a particular form of stage–discharge relationship, extrapolation of the stage–discharge relationship beyond the maximum gauging, and cross‐section change due to vegetation growth and/or bed movement. A methodology is presented to systematically assess and quantify the uncertainty in discharge measurements due to all of these sources. For a given stage measurement, a complete PDF of true discharge is estimated. Consequently, new model calibration techniques can be introduced to explicitly account for the discharge error distribution. The method is demonstrated for a gravel‐bed river in New Zealand, where all the above uncertainty sources can be identified, including significant uncertainty in cross‐section form due to scour and re‐deposition of sediment. Results show that rigorous consideration of uncertainty in flow data results in significant improvement of the model's ability to predict the observed flow. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hospitalizations among children of survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer: A population‐based cohort study
Authors: Winther Jeanette F. , Boice John D. , Christensen Jane , Frederiksen Kirsten , Mulvihill John J. , Stovall Marilyn , Olsen Jørgen H. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractCurative but potentially mutagenic cancer therapy might lead to untoward disorders and increased hospitalization among the offspring of childhood cancer survivors. Hospitalizations in childhood were evaluated in a population‐based cohort of 1,920 offspring of 3,963 childhood cancer survivors, 6,394 offspring of 5,657 siblings and 9,594 population‐based comparisons. The Danish Cancer Registry, Central Population Register and National Hospital Register were used to identify study subjects and hospitalizations. The probability for children in the offspring cohorts of being hospitalized before a given age was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Hospitalization rate ratios (HRRs) were calculated using a Cox proportional hazards model with population comparisons as referent. Little differences in hospitalization histories were seen among offspring in the 3 cohorts. HRRs of overall hospitalization was 1.05 (95% CI, 0.98–1.12) for offspring of survivors and 1.01 (95% CI, 0.97–1.05) for offspring of siblings, neither of which was significantly different from that of population comparisons. No significant associations were seen for most of the main diagnostic groups of diseases including infections and perinatal disorders. A 6‐fold excess risk of hospitalization for malignant tumors in survivors' offspring, however, could largely be explained by hereditary cancer syndromes, and part of the 2‐fold excess hospitalization for benign tumors might similarly be explained by an underlying genetic susceptibility or by increased surveillance of children born to survivors. Assuming that hospitalization is an indicator of multifactorial genetic disease, the findings provide further reassurance that cancer therapies do not confer a high risk of such conditions in offspring born after treatments.
Nasopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma risk among immigrants in Sweden
Authors: Mousavi Seyed Mohsen , Sundquist Jan , Hemminki Kari 
Published: March 2010

AbstractEnvironmental exposures, particularly infection with Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) and tobacco, are known risk factors for oral cancer. Studies in migrants may provide valuable insight into the environmental and genetic etiology of cancer. We wanted to define nasopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma among immigrants in Sweden. The nationwide Swedish Family‐Cancer Database (FCD) was used to calculate standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for nasopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas among the first‐generation immigrants compared to the native Swedes. The FCD included 1969 and 691 cases of nasopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma in the male and female Swedes and 178 and 65 cases in immigrants, respectively. The median age at diagnosis (years) was 63 among Swedes and 55 among immigrants. The risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was significantly higher in male (SIR = 35.6) and female (24.6) Southeast Asians, male (12.4) and female (34.7) North Africans, male (4.9) and female (10.9) Asian Arabs and some other male Asians immigrants (6.2 to 6.7). Among immigrants from European countries, only the men from former Yugoslavian showed an elevated risk (2.7). Hypopharyngeal carcinoma risk was only increased among the male immigrants from the Indian Subcontinent (5.4). Early life infection with EBV in countries of origin and probably a minor contribution by tobacco smoking may be the main environmental exposures influencing nasopharyngeal carcinoma risks among immigrants to Sweden. The high rates of hypopharyngeal carcinoma among Indian immigrants may point to a continued using of smokeless tobacco.
Tissue‐engineered matrices as functional delivery systems: Adsorption and release of bioactive proteins from degradable composite scaffolds
Authors: Cushnie Emily K. , Khan Yusuf M. , Laurencin Cato T. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractA tissue‐engineered bone graft should imitate the ideal autograft in both form and function. However, biomaterials that have appropriate chemical and mechanical properties for grafting applications often lack biological components that may enhance regeneration. The concept of adding proteins such as growth factors to scaffolds has therefore emerged as a possible solution to improve overall graft design. In this study, we investigated this concept by loading porous hydroxyapatite‐poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide) (HA‐PLAGA) scaffolds with a model protein, cytochrome c, and then studying its release in a phosphate‐buffered saline solution. The HA‐PLAGA scaffold has previously been shown to be bioactive, osteoconductive, and to have appropriate physical properties for tissue engineering applications. The loading experiments demonstrated that the HA‐PLAGA scaffold could also function effectively as a substrate for protein adsorption and release. Scaffold protein adsorptive loading (as opposed to physical entrapment within the matrix) was directly related to levels of scaffold HA‐content. The HA phase of the scaffold facilitated protein retention in the matrix following incubation in aqueous buffer for periods up to 8 weeks. Greater levels of protein retention time may improve the protein's effective activity by increasing the probability for protein–cell interactions. The ability to control protein loading and delivery simply via composition of the HA‐PLAGA scaffold offers the potential of forming robust functionalized bone grafts. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010
PHBV and predifferentiated human adipose‐derived stem cells for cartilage tissue engineering
Authors: Liu Jiong , Zhao Bin , Zhang Yunqiang , Lin Yunfeng , Hu Ping , Ye Chuan 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis study was conducted to investigate whether in vitro chondrogenic differentiated human adipose‐derived stem cells (hASCs) can maintain the chondrogenic phenotype in (3‐hydroxybutrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) scaffolds and whether differentiated hASCs/PHBV construct can produce neocartilage in a heterotopic animal model. hASCs were cultured with or without chondrogenic media in vitro and then seeded on PHBV foams. Differentiated cell/PHBV constructs were subcutaneously implanted in nude mice for 8 or 16 weeks; nondifferentiated cell/PHBV constructs were implanted in the control group. The results in the control group showed no cartilage formation and the disappearance of the scaffold at 8 weeks. Conversely, all differentiated hASCs/PHBV implants kept their original shape throughout 16 weeks. These implants at 16 weeks had stronger chondrocytes‐specific histochemical staining than those at 8 weeks, with GAG, total collagen, and compressive moduli increased with implantation time. Cartilage lacunae were observed in all retrieved implants at 16 weeks. The chondrocytes‐specific genes were detected by RT‐PCR at 16 weeks. The remnants of PHBV were observed in the implants throughout 16 weeks. This study demonstrates that chondrogenic predifferentiated hASCs have the ability to maintain a chondrogenic phenotype in PHBV and that cell/PHBV constructs can produce neocartilage in a heterotopic site, but the degradation rates of PHBV in different environments needs more investigation. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010
Modification of titanium alloy surfaces for percutaneous implants by covalently attaching laminin
Authors: Gordon David J. , Bhagawati Dimpu D. , Pendegrass Catherine J. , Middleton Claire A. , Blunn Gordon W. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractPercutaneous implants require a seal at the skin interface. Laminin (L‐332) is a component of the basement membrane, integral to epidermal attachment. To enhance the attachment of keratinocytes onto the surface of titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V), we attached L‐332 onto the surface using silanization (L‐332Ti6Al4V). Iodinated L‐332 was used to investigate protein attachment kinetics. L‐332Ti6Al4V remained attached after immersion in serum compared with adsorbed L‐332. Cells from a keratinocyte line (HaCaT) grown on L‐332Ti6Al4V were significantly smaller (p < 0.05) with over a 20‐fold increase in the number of adhesion plaques compared with nontreated Ti6Al4V control discs or with adsorbed L‐332 surfaces. We have shown that it is possible to augment the surface of Ti6Al4V with L‐332 and that this significantly increases the attachment of keratinocytes. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 2010
Cationic copolymers nanoparticles for nonviral gene vectors: Synthesis, characterization, and application in gene delivery
Authors: d'Ayala Giovanna Gomez , Calarco Anna , Malinconico Mario , Laurienzo Paola , Petillo Orsolina , Torpedine Angela , Peluso Gianfranco 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe major aim of nonviral delivery systems for gene therapy is to mediate high levels of gene expression with low toxicity. Nowadays, one of the most successful synthetic polycations used in gene delivery research is poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) in its high‐molecular weight (HMW) branched form. However, PEI is not the ideal transfection agent in vivo because of its overwhelming cytotoxicity. To overcome its toxic effects with a minimal impact on transfection efficiency, PEI has been conjugated with several nonionic biocompatible polymers. Here, we describe the synthesis of nanosized particles consisting of HMW PEI (25 kDa) crosslinked with poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL, 50–60 kDa), a biodegradable aliphatic polyester. PCL was modified by the insertion of glycidyl groups able to condense with the amines of PEI to chemically bind PEI onto PCL. The nanoparticles obtained have been characterized in relation to their physicochemical and biological properties, and the results are extremely promising in terms of low cell toxicity and high transfection efficiency. These biological effects might be related to the peculiar DNA binding to covalently connected polymeric nanoparticles, without the formation of entangled DNA/polymer‐soluble aggregates. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010
One pot synthesis of spiro pyrimidinethiones/spiro pyrimidinones, quinazolinethiones/quinazolinones, and pyrimidopyrimidines
Authors: Gupta Poonam , Gupta Shallu , Sachar Anand , Kour Daljeet , Singh Jasbir , Sharma Rattan L. 
Published: March 2010

Abstract
magnified image Condensation of cyclohexane‐1,3‐dione/barbituric acid, thiourea/urea, and aromatic aldehyde in the mole ratio of 1:1:3 in solventless reaction in presence of NiCl2/KI afforded 1,5‐diaryl‐3‐thioxo‐2,4‐ diazaspiro[5.5]undecane‐7,11‐dione/1,5‐diaryl‐2,4‐diazaspiro[5.5]undecane‐3,7,11‐trione analogues and 7,11‐diaryl‐9‐thioxo‐2,4,8,10‐tetraazaspiro[5.5]undecane‐1,3,5,‐trione/7,11‐diaryl‐2,4,8,10‐tetraazaspiro[5.5] undecane‐1,3,5,9‐tetraone analogues, respectively. The similar condensation of cyclohexane‐1,3‐dione/cyclohexanone, thiourea/urea, and aromatic aldehyde/heteroaromatic aldehyde in the mole ratio of 1:1:1 in refluxing methanol afforded 4‐aryl/heteroaryl‐2‐thioxo‐1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8‐octahydroquinazolin‐5‐one, 4‐aryl/heteroaryl‐1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8‐octahydroquinazoline‐2,5‐dione analogues and 4‐aryl/heteroaryl‐1,2,3,4,5, 6,7,8‐octahydroquinazoline‐2‐thione, 4‐aryl/heteroaryl‐1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8‐octahydroquinazolin‐2‐one analogues, respectively. Condensation of heterocyclic active methylene compound, barbituric acid, thiourea/urea, and aromatic aldehydes under similar set of conditions in 1:1:1 mole ratio was carried which afforded 5‐aryl‐7‐thioxo‐1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8‐octahydropyrimido[4,5‐d]pyrimidine‐2,4‐dione/5‐aryl‐1,2,3,4,5, 6,7,8‐octahydropyrimido[4,5‐d]pyrimidine‐2,4,7‐trione analogues. Similar condensation of an active methine compound, 2‐acetylcyclohexanone, thiourea/urea, and aromatic aldehydes in the mole ratio of 1:1:1 produced 5‐aryl‐1‐methyl‐3‐thioxo‐2,4‐diazaspiro[5.5]undec‐1‐en‐7‐one/5‐aryl‐1‐methyl‐2, 4‐diazaspiro[5.5]undec‐1‐ene‐3, 7‐dione analogues, the spiro compounds of entirely different kind. All these identifications and characterizations have been based on the elemental analysis and spectral data. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2010).
An efficient synthesis of 5,6‐dihydrobenzo[h]quinazoline derivatives under solvent‐free conditions
Authors: Gao Lijiu , Ji Honglou , Rong Liangce , Han Hongxia , Shi Yanhui , Tu Shujiang 
Published: March 2010

Abstract
magnified image An efficient and convenient method for the preparation of 5,6‐dihydrobenzo[h]quinazoline derivatives by the multicomponent reactions of aromatic aldehydes, 3,4‐dihydronaphthalen‐1(2H)‐one and urea or acetamidine hydrochloride, in the presence of sodium hydroxide under solvent‐free conditions was reported. This method has the advantages of excellent yields, mild reaction conditions, easy work‐up, and environmentally friendly procedure. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2010).
Efficient microwave‐assisted synthesis of ellipticine through N‐(1,4‐dimethyl‐9H‐carbazol‐3‐ylmethyl)‐N‐ tosylaminoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal
Authors: Lee Hsueh‐Yun , Chen Grace Shiahuy , Chen Chien‐Shu , Chern Ji‐Wang 
Published: March 2010

Abstract
magnified image The long‐lasting problematic low yield in the D‐ring cyclization of ellipticine (1a) was dramatically improved through N‐(1,4‐dimethylcarbazol‐3‐ylmethyl)‐N‐tosylaminoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal with microwave irradiation. The overall yield of 1a starting from indole was significantly increased by 25‐fold. This new approach is superior to reported methods in yields and, reaction time, and it provides efficient access to a broad spectrum of ellipticine derivatives. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2010).