bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pesticides and brain cancer linked in orchard farmers of Kashmir
Authors: Bhat Abdul Rashid , Wani Muhammed Afzal , Kirmani A R , Raina T H 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
Background: The atmosphere of valley of Kashmir is ideal for fresh and dry fruit production. Millions of tons of pesticides, insecticides and fungicides (chemicals like chlorpyriphos, mancozeb, captan, dimethoate, phosalone, etc.) are being used by the orchard farmers to spray the plants, fruits and the leaves every year. The increasing trend in the incidence of primary malignant brain tumors in orchard farmers of Kashmir is alarming. Aim: To determine the relationship between the patients of primary malignant brain tumors and their occupation. Materials and Methods: Retrospectively case files along with death certificates of 432 patients of primary malignant brain tumors and 457 controls (non-tumor neurologic diseases), admitted for treatment simultaneously over a period of 4 years from January 2005 to December 2008, to the Department of Neurosurgery, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Kashmir, were studied. Follow-up and family contact was established. The serum cholinesterase activity was measured by kinetic/DGKC calorimetric method and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) samples were sent to the laboratory. The results are expressed in U/l which is U/l×1000. The laboratory at SKIMS, Srinagar, and Dr Lal PathLabs at New Delhi used a reference range for serum cholinesterase as 3167-6333 U/l. Results: Analysis revealed that 90.04% (389 out of 432) patients were orchard-farm workers, orchard residents and orchard playing children exposed to the high levels of multiple types of neurotoxic and carcinogenic (chlorpyriphos, dimethoate, mancozeb and captan) chemicals for more than 10-20 years. About 31.9% (124 out of 389) of these from both sexes were younger than 40 years beginning exposure at an early age and had higher (<6334 U/l) serum cholinesterase (SCE) levels. The 9.96% (43 out of 432) patients were not exposed to pesticides. On the other hand, only 119 patients out of 457 controls had recorded history of pesticide exposure and 338 were unrelated to pesticides. Out of 389 patients, 71.7% (279 out of 389) were males and 28.3% (110 out of 389) including 7 members of three families, 6 were females and 1 male. Conclusion: All orchard-related 389 patients had high grade tumors as compared to the non-pesticide tumors. Mortality in pesticide exposed tumors was 12%. Higher levels of SCE were found in 31.9% (124 out of 389) patients and decreased levels in only 45.3% (176 out of 389) orchard-related patients. The significantcase/control odds ratio (OR) of 0.28, hospital control SCE OR of 1.1 and family control SCE OR of 1.5, points the finger of suspicion toward the link between pesticides and brain cancer.
Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancer
Authors: Bisht Manisha , Bist S S , Dhasmana D C , Saini Sunil 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
Background and Objective: Though well recognized in the West, palliative care and quality of life are relatively newer concepts in a developing country like India. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of palliative care on pain and quality of life and to identify the association between the two. Study Design: Observational prospective study. Materials and Methods: Patients with advanced cancer, receiving palliative drug therapy, were recruited from a tertiary care hospital. City of Hope Medical Center Quality of Life Survey and visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess the quality of life and cancer pain severity, respectively. Results: A total of 100 patients were included in the study. Palliative drug therapy produced a significant reduction in pain scores expressed as mean±SD in VAS [7.13±2.2 vs. 2.62±2.1 (P<0.001) after 1 month in 93 patients; 7.06±2.1 vs. 2.47±2.1 (P<0.001) after 1 month and 2.02±1.9 (P<0.001) after 2 months in 51 patients]. Also, significant improvement in the quality of life scores [919.78±271.3 vs. 1280.65±306.8 (P<0.01) after 1 month in 93 patients; 950.39±238.2 vs. 1336.67±291 (P<0.01) after 1 month and 1405.49±368.3 (P<0.01) after 2 months in 51 patients] was obtained. There was a high correlation between the average change of pain intensity and quality of life scores (r=−0.53, P<0.02). Overall, a reduction in pain resulted in significant improvement in the quality of life (P<0.001). Conclusion: This study emphasizes the role of palliative care and, more importantly, pain management in improving the quality of life of advanced cancer patients.
Scope and limitations of minimal invasive surgery in practice of pediatric surgical oncology
Authors: Bhatnagar Sushmita , Sarin Yogesh Kumar 
Published: February 2011

AbstractManagement of Solid tumors in children needs a comprehensive multimodality protocol based treatment plan. Open surgical removal of the tumors occurring in any of the sites such as abdomen, thorax, chest wall, HFN (head, face, neck), brain and extremities, is the option which has been traditionally practiced even in the present era and in most of the centers. Nevertheless with the advances in science and technology and with ever increasing usage and expertise of laparoscopy in children, it′s application has extended to treatment of solid tumors in children. A review of the scope of such intervention as well as the limitations of minimal invasive surgery in this specialized field of pediatric surgery has been attempted in this article.
On Best Proximity Points in Metric and Banach Spaces
Authors: Espínola Rafa , Fernández-León Aurora 
Published: February 2011

Abstract In this paper we study the existence and uniqueness of best proximity points of cyclic contractions as well as the convergence of iterates to such proximity points. We take two different approaches, each one leading to different results that complete, if not improve, other similar results in the theory. Results in this paper stand for Banach spaces, geodesic metric spaces and metric spaces. We also include an appendix on CAT(0) spaces where we study the particular behavior of these spaces regarding the problems we are concerned with.
AV-Courant Algebroids and Generalized CR Structures
Authors: Li-Bland David 
Published: February 2011

Abstract We construct a generalization of Courant algebroids that are classified by the third coho- mology group H3(A , V), where A is a Lie Algebroid, and V is an A-module. We see that both Courant algebroids and structures are examples of them. Finally we introduce generalized CR structures on a manifold, which are a generalization of generalized complex structures, and show that every CR structure and contact structure is an example of a generalized CR structure.
On Higher Moments of Fourier Coefficients of Holomorphic Cusp Forms
Authors: Lü Guangshi 
Published: February 2011

Abstract Let be the space of holomorphic cusp forms of even integral weight k for the full modular group. Let and be the n-th normalized Fourier coefficients of two holomorphic Hecke eigencuspforms , respectively. In this paper we are able to show the following results about higher moments of Fourier coefficients of holomorphic cusp forms.(i)For any , we have(ii)If , then for any , we haveIf , then for any , we haveIf and , then for any , we havewhere P(x) is a polynomial of degree 3.
Survival Interval in Earthquake Entrapments: Research Findings Reinforced During the 2010 Haiti Earthquake Response
Authors: Macintyre Anthony G. , Barbera Joseph A. , Petinaux Bruno P. 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACTEarthquakes can result in collapsed structures with the potential to entrap individuals. In some cases, people can survive entrapment for lengthy periods. The search for and rescue of entrapped people is resource intensive and competes with other postdisaster priorities. The decision to end search and rescue activities is often difficult and in some cases protracted. Medical providers participating in response may be consulted about the probability of continued survival in undiscovered trapped individuals. Historically, many espouse a rigid time frame for viability of entrapped living people (eg, 2 days, 4 days, 14 days). The available medical and engineering data and media reports demonstrate a wide variety in survival “time to rescue,” arguing against the acceptance of a single time interval applicable to all incidents. This article presents historical evidence and reports from the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Factors that may contribute to survival after entombment are listed. Finally, a decision process for projecting viability that considers the critical factors in each incident rather than adhering to a single time frame for ceasing search and rescue activities is proposed. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2011;5:13–22)
Ovonic Memory Switching in Multimaterial Fibers
Authors: Danto Sylvain , Ruff Zachary , Wang Zheng , Joannopoulos John D. , Fink Yoel 
Published: February 2011

AbstractWe demonstrate the first rewritable memory in thermally drawn fibers. A high tellurium‐content chalcogenide glass, contacted by metallic electrodes internal to the fiber structure, is drawn from a macroscopic preform. An externally applied voltage is utilized to switch between a high resistance (OFF) and a low resistance (ON) state; this in turn allows the fibers to function as a memory device reminiscent of the ovonic switch. The difference between the ON and OFF states is found to be four orders of magnitude. The glass–crystal phase transition is localized to micrometer‐wide filaments, whose position can be optically controlled along the fiber axis. An architecture that enabled the encoding of multiple bits per fiber is described.
Wafer‐Level Self‐Organized Copolymer Templates for Nanolithography with Sub‐50 nm Feature and Spatial Resolutions
Authors: Krishnamoorthy Sivashankar , Manipaddy Krishna Kumar , Yap Fung Ling 
Published: February 2011

AbstractRobust lithographic templates, with sub‐50 nm feature and spatial resolutions, that exhibit high patterning integrity across a full‐wafer are demonstrated using self‐organized copolymer reverse micelles on 100 mm Si wafers. A variation of less than 5% in the feature size and periodicity of polymeric templates across the entire wafer is achieved simply by controlling the spin‐coating process. Lithographic pattern transfer using these templates yields Si nanopillar arrays spanning the entire wafer surface and exhibiting high uniformity inherited from the original templates. The variation in geometric characteristics of the pillar arrays across the full‐wafer surface is validated to be less than 5% using reflectance spectroscopy. The physical basis of the change in reflectance with respect to sub‐10 nm variations in geometric parameters of pillar arrays is shown by theoretical modelling and simulations. Successful fabrication of highly durable TiO2 masks for nanolithography with sub‐50 nm feature width and spatial resolutions is achieved through highly controlled vapour phase processing of reverse micelle templates. This allows lithographic pattern‐transfer of organic templates with a feature thickness and separation of less than 10 nm, which is otherwise not possible through other approaches reported in literature.
Circular Nanomagnets: Enhanced Nucleation of Vortices in Soft Magnetic Materials Prepared by Silica Nanosphere Lithography (Adv. Funct. Mater. 5/2011)
Authors: Martin N. , Bigall N. C. , Mönch I. , Gemming T. , Eychmüller A. , Mattheis R. , Schäfer R. , Schultz L. , McCord J. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractMagnetic vortices show promise as data storage structures, however the vortex formation process imposes a lower limit on the element’s size. In this article a technique is presented, which application increases the probability of nucleating of magnetic vortices in sub‐micrometer sized soft magnetic thin film elements. By tailoring the edge geometry of the elements, the symmetry of their magnetic configuration is broken in a manner which favors vortex nucleation. Micromagnetic simulations are presented, which demonstrate this effect in soft‐magnetic disks with beveled edges. The favored edge geometry is realized by applying nanosphere lithography directly on top of a ferromagnetic thin film material. In this process, the film is masked with a self assembled monolayer of SiO2‐nanospheres and subsequently ion‐etched. The resulting magnetic reversal loops show that in both magnetically isolated as well as in closely packed arrays of beveled disks, vortex formation takes place. The technique presented facilitates the vortex formation even in closely packed and small elements. The lowering of the minimum critical diameter for vortex formation enables a significant increase of data storage density in devices based on magnetic vortices.
Ferroelectric Materials: Probing Local and Global Ferroelectric Phase Stability and Polarization Switching in Ordered Macroporous PZT (Adv. Funct. Mater. 5/2011)
Authors: McLachlan Martyn A. , McComb David W. , Ryan Mary P. , Morozovska Anna N. , Eliseev Eugene A. , Payzant E. Andrew , Jesse Stephen , Seal Katyayani , Baddorf Arthur P. , Kalinin Sergei V. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractWe describe the characterization, ferroelectric phase stability and polarization switching in strain‐free assemblies of PbZr0.3Ti0.7O3 (PZT) nanostructures. The 3‐dimensionally ordered macroporous structures present uniquely large areas and volumes of PZT where the microstructure is spatially modulated and the composition is homogeneous. Variable temperature powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) studies show that the global structure is crystalline and tetragonal at room temperature and undergoes a reversible tetragonal to cubic phase transition on heating/cooling. The measured phase‐transition temperature is 50–60 °C lower than bulk PZT of the same composition. The local ferroelectric properties were assessed using piezoresponse force spectroscopy that reveal an enhanced piezoresponse from the nanostructured films and demonstrate that the switching polarization can be spatially mapped across these structures. An enhanced piezoresponse is observed in the nanostructured films which we attribute to the formation of strain free films, thus for the first time we are able to assess the effects of crystallite‐size independently of internal stress. Corresponding polarization distributions have been calculated for the bulk and nanostructured materials using a direct variational method and Landau‐Ginzburg‐Devonshire (LGD) theory. By correlating local and global characterization techniques we have for the first time unambiguously demonstrated the formation of tetragonal and ferroelectric PZT in large volume nanostructured architectures. With the wide range of materials available that can be formed into such controlled architectures we conclude that this study opens a pathway for the effective studies of nanoscale ferroelectrics in uniquely large volumes.
Nanomaterials: Applications in Cancer Imaging and Therapy
Authors: Barreto José A. , O’Malley William , Kubeil Manja , Graham Bim , Stephan Holger , Spiccia Leone 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThe application of nanomaterials (NMs) in biomedicine is increasing rapidly and offers excellent prospects for the development of new non‐invasive strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In this review, we provide a brief description of cancer pathology and the characteristics that are important for tumor‐targeted NM design, followed by an overview of the different types of NMs explored to date, covering synthetic aspects and approaches explored for their application in unimodal and multimodal imaging, diagnosis and therapy. Significant synthetic advances now allow for the preparation of NMs with highly controlled geometry, surface charge, physicochemical properties, and the decoration of their surfaces with polymers and bioactive molecules in order to improve biocompatibility and to achieve active targeting. This is stimulating the development of a diverse range of nanometer‐sized objects that can recognize cancer tissue, enabling visualization of tumors, delivery of anti‐cancer drugs and/or the destruction of tumors by different therapeutic techniques.
Deactivation kinetics of a HZSM‐5 zeolite catalyst treated with alkali for the transformation of bio‐ethanol into hydrocarbons
Authors: Gayubo Ana G. , Alonso Ainhoa , Valle Beatriz , Aguayo Andrés T. , Bilbao Javier 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThe kinetics of deactivation by coke of a HZSM‐5 zeolite catalyst in the transformation of bioethanol into hydrocarbons has been studied. To attenuate deactivation, the following treatments have been carried out: (i) the zeolite has been subjected to a treatment with alkali to reduce the acid strength of the sites and (ii) it has subsequently been agglomerated into a macro and meso‐porous matrix of bentonite and alumina. The experimental study has been conducted in a fixed bed reactor under the following conditions: temperature, between 300 and 400°C; pressure, 1 atm; space‐time, up to 1.53 (g of catalyst) h (g of ethanol)−1; particle size of the catalyst, between 0.3 and 0.6 mm; feed flowrate, 0.16 cm3 min−1 of ethanol+water and 30 cm3 (NC) min−1 of N2; water content in the feed, up to 75 wt %; time on stream, up to 31 h. The expression for deactivation kinetics is dependent on the concentration of hydrocarbons and water in the reaction medium (which attenuates the deactivation) and, together with the kinetics at zero time on stream, allows the calculation of the evolution with time on stream of the yields and distribution of products (ethylene, propylene and butenes, C1‐C3 paraffins, and C4‐C12). By increasing the temperature in the 300–400°C range the role of ethylene on coke deposition is more significant than that of the other hydrocarbons (propylene, butenes and C4‐C12), which contribute to a greater extent to the formation of coke at 300°C. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 526–537, 2012.
Sleep problems and psychosocial work environment among Swedish commercial pilots
Authors: Runeson Roma , Lindgren Torsten , Wahlstedt Kurt 
Published: February 2011

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess relationships between sleeping problems and the psychosocial work situation based on the job‐strain and iso‐strain models among Swedish commercial pilots.MethodsThree hundred fifty‐four pilots participated (61%), who are in 2008 responded to a questionnaire concerning sleep problems, the psychosocial work situation, personal factors, and flight length.ResultsLow social support was associated with sleep problems for pilots. High demands were associated with sleep problems among captains and long‐haul flights were associated with sleep problems among first officers. Low skill discretion was associated with less sleep problems among first officers.ConclusionsPsychosocial climate at work such as low social support affects negatively sleep for both captains and for first officers. More research on what creates a best social support for pilots and cabin crew is needed. Adjusting scheduling work crew teams could increase social support at work and contribute to a better sleep quality. Am. J. Ind. Med. 54:545–551, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
PARK2 copy number aberrations in two children presenting with autism spectrum disorder: Further support of an association and possible evidence for a new microdeletion/microduplication syndrome
Authors: Scheuerle Angela , Wilson Kathleen 
Published: February 2011

AbstractMicrodeletions of PARK2 have been reported previously in seven patients with autism spectrum disorder. There are no reports of PARK2 microduplications in this population. Presented are two patients, one with deletion and the other with duplication, both with autism spectrum disorder, though their syndromic phenotypes vary. The deletion patient is cognitively normal and ectomorphic: the duplication patient is cognitively impaired, underweight and short. Further, the microduplication patient has demonstrated adverse medication reactions to psychotropic medications active in the dopamine metabolic pathway: cyclopentolate, lisdexamfetamine, methylphenidate. These patients support an association between PARK2 mutations and autism spectrum disorder and suggest that duplications may be equally causative. It is hypothesized that the disparate patient phenotypes may represent a deletion/duplication syndrome and that the adverse medication reactions may be a pharmacogenetic phenomenon. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Application of immunosignatures to the assessment of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Restrepo Lucas , Stafford Phillip , Magee D. Mitch , Johnston Stephen Albert 
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjective:Accurate assessment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), both presymptomatically and at different disease stages, will become increasingly important with the expanding elderly population. There are a number of indications that the immune system is engaged in AD. Here we explore the ability of an antibody‐profiling technology to characterize AD and screen for peptides that may be used for a simple diagnostic test.Methods:We developed an array‐based system to profile the antibody repertoire of transgenic mice with cerebral amyloidosis (TG) and elderly individuals with or without AD. The array consists of 10,000 random sequence peptides (20‐mers) capable of detecting antibody binding patterns, allowing the identification of peptides that mimic epitopes targeted by a donor's serum.Results:TG mice exhibited a distinct immunoprofile compared to nontransgenic littermates. Further, we show that dementia patients, including autopsy‐confirmed AD subjects, have distinguishable profiles compared to age‐matched nondemented people. Using antibodies to different forms of Aβ peptide and blocking protocols, we demonstrate that most of this signature is not due to the subject's antibodies raised against Aβ.Interpretation:We propose that “immunosignaturing” technology may have potential as a diagnostic tool in AD. ANN NEUROL 2011;
In Vivo Incorporation of Multiple Noncanonical Amino Acids into Proteins
Authors: Hoesl Michael G. , Budisa Nediljko 
Published: February 2011

AbstractExpansion of the standard genetic code enables the design of recombinant proteins with novel and unusual properties. Traditionally, such proteins have contained only a single type of noncanonical amino acid (NCAA) in their amino acid sequence. However, recently reported initial efforts demonstrate that it is possible with suppression‐based methods to translate two chemically distinct NCAAs into a single recombinant protein by combining the suppression of different termination codons and nontriplet coding units (such as quadruplets). The possibility of expanding the code with various NCAAs simultaneously further increases the toolkit for the generation of multifunctionalized proteins.