bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measurement of health‐related quality of life with glaucoma: validation of the Glau‐QoL© 36‐item questionnaire
Authors: Béchetoille Alain , Arnould Benoit , Bron Alain , Baudouin Christophe , Renard Jean‐Paul , Sellem Eric , Brouquet Yves , Denis Philippe , Nordmann Jean‐Philippe , Rigeade Marie‐Claude , Bassols Ana , Benmedjahed Khadra , Guillemin Isabelle , Rouland Jean‐François 
Published: August 2007

Abstract.Purpose:  To validate a glaucoma‐specific health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire: the Glau‐QoL©.Methods:  Patients with ocular hypertension (OHT) or glaucoma took part in a cross‐sectional psychometric validation study (n = 573) and a separate reproducibility study (n = 244). Patients answered the 36‐item Glau‐QoL©, designed from in‐depth patient interviews.Results:  The clinical validity of the Glau‐QoL© was excellent and clearly demonstrated that as disease severity and visual field impairment increased, HRQoL scores for the Psychological Wellbeing, Self‐image, Daily Life, Driving, Anxiety and Burden of Treatment domains were negatively affected. Increased age and lower visual acuity were also associated with lower HRQoL scores, although to a lesser extent than the previously mentioned criteria. Worsening of HRQoL domains correlated with the clinical stage of glaucoma: Anxiety and Burden of Treatment scores dropped noticeably when patients were first diagnosed and started treatment, followed by a decrease in scores for Driving, Daily Life, Psychological Wellbeing, and Self‐image as clinical conditions worsened. Psychometric validation showed acceptable convergent and discriminant validity of the Glau‐QoL©, and good reproducibility, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) ≥ 0.69. Internal consistency reliability was high (Cronbach's α coefficients > 0.70) for the Daily Life, Psychological Wellbeing, Burden of Treatment and Driving domains; acceptable (coefficients of 0.65 and 0.68, respectively) for the Self‐image and Anxiety domains; and weak (coefficient = 0.58) for the Confidence in Health Care domain.Conclusions:  The Glau‐QoL© questionnaire is a valid and specific HRQoL instrument that demonstrates excellent correlations with disease progression in patients with glaucoma and/or OHT.
Visual recovery after vitrectomy for macular hole using 25‐gauge instruments
Authors: Shinoda Hajime , Shinoda Kei , Satofuka Shingo , Imamura Yutaka , Ozawa Yoko , Ishida Susumu , Inoue Makoto 
Published: August 2007

Abstract.Purpose:  To determine whether vitrectomy with 25‐gauge instruments contributes to better postoperative visual recovery after macular hole (MH) surgery.Methods:  The medical records for 46 consecutive eyes operated for MH by a single surgeon were retrospectively examined. Vitrectomy had been performed with a 25‐gauge instrument in 23 eyes (25‐G group) and with a 20‐gauge instrument in 23 eyes (20‐G group). Postoperative visual acuity (VA) in logMAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) units after 1 week and 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, operating time, and volume of intraocular irrigating fluid were compared between the two groups.Results:  Mean preoperative logMAR VA was 0.72 in the 25‐G group and 0.68 in the 20‐G group (p = 0.282, unpaired t‐test). One week after surgery, VA was significantly better in the 25‐G group (0.40 ± 0.34) than in the 20‐G group (0.58 ± 0.30) (p = 0.020). This significant difference was maintained until 9 months after surgery, but was no longer evident at 12 months (p = 0.182). Operating time was significantly shorter in the 25‐G group (56 ± 16 mins) than in the 20‐G group (85 ± 28 mins) (p = 0.003, unpaired t‐test). The volume of intraocular irrigating fluid was significantly less in the 25‐G group (244 ± 72 ml) than in the 20‐G group (416 ± 113 ml) (p < 0.0001).Conclusions:  The use of 25‐gauge vitrectomy instruments leads to better postoperative visual recovery following surgery for MH during the first 9 months, probably as a result of shorter surgical time and a lower volume of intraocular irrigating fluid.
A dual concept of nevogenesis:Theoretical considerations based on dermoscopic features of melanocytic nevi
Authors: Zalaudek Iris , Hofmann‐Wellenhof Rainer , Kittler Harald , Argenziano Giuseppe , Ferrara Gerardo , Petrillo Luca , Kerl Helmut , Soyer H. Peter 
Published: August 2007

SummaryThe dermoscopic features of melanocytic nevi in children are clearly different from those in adults. While nevi in children show almost exclusively globular patterns, those in adults usually exhibit reticular patterns. These remarkable differences could be explained by a dual concept of nevogenesis, based on current clinico‐epidemiologic, dermoscopic, histopathologic and genetic data.
Peripheral blood culture contamination in adults and venepuncture technique: prospective cohort study
Authors: Qamruddin A , Khanna N , Orr D 
Published: August 2007

Aims:To test the hypothesis that compliance with a hospital protocol on peripheral blood culture (PBC) collection in adults is associated with a reduction in PBC contamination, and to investigate likely contributing factors for contamination.Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted, utilising data collection by participant questionnaire completion, and utilising bacteriology laboratory results on PBCs. Participants were all healthcare workers involved in obtaining PBCs from adults.Results:1460 PBCs with questionnaires were received. Contamination among the 1460 PBCs as a whole was 8.8%. 766 of the questionnaires were sufficiently complete to allow analysis of blood culture contamination in relation to protocol compliance. Among these, protocol compliance was 30% and contamination was 8.0%. When the protocol was complied with, 2.6% of PBCs were contaminated, but when the protocol was not followed, contamination was significantly higher at 10.3% (OR 4.35, 95% CI 1.84 to 12.54). Univariate analysis on all 1460 PBCs suggested that the site for blood collection, and disinfection of the venepuncture site were important factors in PBC contamination: when no venepuncture site disinfection was performed, contamination was significantly higher than when alcohol was used (5.1% versus 15.8%, OR 3.46, 95% CI 2.01 to 5.97); when a PBC collection site other than a fresh peripheral vein was used, contamination was significantly higher (7.3% versus 12.0%, OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.96).Conclusions:Compliance with a hospital protocol on PBC collection technique in adults significantly reduces blood culture contamination.
RELIABILITY OF A k-OUT-OF-n SYSTEM WITH REPAIR BY A SERVICE STATION ATTENDING A QUEUE WITH POSTPONED WORK
Authors: KRISHNAMOORTHY A. , NARAYANAN VISWANATH C. , DEEPAK T. G. 
Published: August 2007

In this paper the reliability of a repairable k-out-of-n system is studied. Repair times of components follow a phase type distribution. In addition, the service facility offers service to external customers which arrive according to a MAP. An external customer, who finds an idle server on its arrival, is immediately selected for service. Otherwise, the external customer joins the queue in a pool of postponed work of infinite capacity with probability 1 if the number of failed components in the system is < M (M ≤ n - k + 1) and if the number of failed components ≥ M it joins the pool with probability γ or leaves the system forever. Repair times of components of the system and that of the external customers have independent phase type distributions. At a service completion epoch if the buffer has less than L customers, a pooled customer is taken for service with probability p, 0 < p < 1 If at a service completion epoch no component of the system is waiting for repair, a pooled customer, if any waiting, is immediately taken for service. We obtain the system state distribution under the condition of stability. A number of performance characteristics are derived. A cost function involving L, M, γ and p is constructed and its behaviour investigated numerically.
Analysis of a Reconstructed Oceanic Kelvin Wave Dynamic Height Dataset for the Period 1974–2005
Authors: Roundy Paul E. , Kiladis George N. 
Published: August 2007

Abstract
Intraseasonal oceanic Kelvin waves are the dominant mode of variability in the thermocline of the equatorial Pacific. Dynamic height data from the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) Array of buoys moored in the tropical Pacific offer a convenient grid on which to study the waves but can only be effectively applied to study basinwide wave activity since about 1988 because of insufficient data at earlier times. Kelvin wave signals are also present in sea level data from island and coastal sites from the University of Hawaii Sea Level Center, some of which are available from before 1970 and up to 2003. This work describes a technique for reconstructing equatorial dynamic height data back to 1974, by utilizing regression relationships between the TAO data and daily sea level time series from 11 stations in the tropical Pacific. The reconstructed data are analyzed for skill in approximating Kelvin wave signals when TAO data are available. Reconstructed Kelvin wave signals prior to the TAO period are then analyzed for consistency with the wind stress anomalies that are responsible for generating the waves.
A regression analysis showing intraseasonal patterns of convection and winds that occur during periods of adjustment toward El Niño conditions is applied during the period 1974–87 for comparison with an earlier result calculated from TAO data for 1988–2005. Systematic changes in Kelvin wave phase speed with respect to ENSO documented for the latter period are confirmed in the earlier reconstructed dataset.
Evaluation of Cirrus Parameterizations for Radiative Flux Computations in Climate Models Using TOVS–ScaRaB Satellite Observations
Authors: Stubenrauch C. J. , Eddounia F. , Edwards J. M. , Macke A. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractCombined simultaneous satellite observations are used to evaluate the performance of parameterizations of the microphysical and optical properties of cirrus clouds used for radiative flux computations in climate models. Atmospheric and cirrus properties retrieved from Television and Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS-N) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) observations are given as input to the radiative transfer model developed for the Met Office climate model to simulate radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). Simulated cirrus shortwave (SW) albedos are then compared to those retrieved from collocated Scanner for Radiation Budget (ScaRaB) observations. For the retrieval, special care has been given to angular direction models. Three parameterizations of cirrus ice crystal optical properties are represented in the Met Office radiative transfer model. These parameterizations are based on different physical approximations and different hypotheses on crystal habit. One parameterization assumes pristine ice crystals and two ice crystal aggregates. By relating the cirrus ice water path (IWP) retrieved from the effective infrared emissivity to the cirrus SW albedo, differences between the parameterizations are amplified. This study shows that pristine crystals seem to be plausible only for cirrus with IWP less than 30 g m−2. For larger IWP, ice crystal aggregates lead to cirrus SW albedos in better agreement with the observations. The data also indicate that climate models should allow the cirrus effective ice crystal diameter (De) to increase with IWP, especially in the range up to 30 g m−2. For cirrus with IWP less than 20 g m−2, this would lead to SW albedos that are about 0.02 higher than the ones of a constant De of 55 μm.
Comparison of the Stability of the Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation in Two Coupled Atmosphere–Ocean General Circulation Models
Authors: Yin Jianjun , Stouffer Ronald J. 
Published: August 2007

Abstract
Two coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation models developed at GFDL show differing stability properties of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC) in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project/Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project (CMIP/PMIP) coordinated “water-hosing” experiment. In contrast to the R30 model in which the “off” state of the THC is stable, it is unstable in the CM2.1. This discrepancy has also been found among other climate models. Here a comprehensive analysis is performed to investigate the causes for the differing behaviors of the THC. In agreement with previous work, it is found that the different stability of the THC is closely related to the simulation of a reversed thermohaline circulation (RTHC) and the atmospheric feedback. After the shutdown of the THC, the RTHC is well developed and stable in R30. It transports freshwater into the subtropical North Atlantic, preventing the recovery of the salinity and stabilizing the off mode of the THC. The flux adjustment is a large term in the water budget of the Atlantic Ocean. In contrast, the RTHC is weak and unstable in CM2.1. The atmospheric feedback associated with the southward shift of the Atlantic ITCZ is much more significant. The oceanic freshwater convergence into the subtropical North Atlantic cannot completely compensate for the evaporation, leading to the recovery of the THC in CM2.1. The rapid salinity recovery in the subtropical North Atlantic excites large-scale baroclinic eddies, which propagate northward into the Nordic seas and Irminger Sea. As the large-scale eddies reach the high latitudes of the North Atlantic, the oceanic deep convection restarts. The differences in the southward propagation of the salinity and temperature anomalies from the hosing perturbation region in R30 and CM2.1, and associated different development of a reversed meridional density gradient in the upper South Atlantic, are the cause of the differences in the behavior of the RTHC. The present study sheds light on important physical and dynamical processes in simulating the dynamical behavior of the THC.
An Assessment of the Southern Ocean Mixed Layer Heat Budget
Authors: Dong Shenfu , Gille Sarah T. , Sprintall Janet 
Published: August 2007

Abstract
The mixed layer heat balance in the Southern Ocean is examined by combining remotely sensed measurements and in situ observations from 1 June 2002 to 31 May 2006, coinciding with the period during which Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-Earth Observing System (EOS) (AMSR-E) sea surface temperature measurements are available. Temperature/salinity profiles from Argo floats are used to derive the mixed layer depth. All terms in the heat budget are estimated directly from available data. The domain-averaged terms of oceanic heat advection, entrainment, diffusion, and air–sea flux are largely consistent with the evolution of the mixed layer temperature. The mixed layer temperature undergoes a strong seasonal cycle, which is largely attributed to the air–sea heat fluxes. Entrainment plays a secondary role. Oceanic advection also experiences a seasonal cycle, although it is relatively weak. Most of the seasonal variations in the advection term come from the Ekman advection, in contrast with western boundary current regions where geostrophic advection controls the total advection. Substantial imbalances exist in the regional heat budgets, especially near the northern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The biggest contributor to the surface heat budget error is thought to be the air–sea heat fluxes, because only limited Southern Hemisphere data are available for the reanalysis products, and hence these fluxes have large uncertainties. In particular, the lack of in situ measurements during winter is of fundamental concern. Sensitivity tests suggest that a proper representation of the mixed layer depth is important to close the budget. Salinity influences the stratification in the Southern Ocean; temperature alone provides an imperfect estimate of mixed layer depth and, because of this, also an imperfect estimate of the temperature of water entrained into the mixed layer from below.
Evaluation of a Long-Term (1882–2005) Equivalent Temperature Time Series
Authors: Rogers Jeffrey C. , Wang Sheng-Hung , Coleman Jill S. M. 
Published: August 2007

Abstract
A 124 (1882–2005) summer record of total surface energy content consisting of time series of surface equivalent temperature (TE) and its components T (mean air temperature) and Lq/cp (moist enthalpy, denoted Lq) is developed, quality controlled, and analyzed for Columbus, Ohio, where long records of monthly dewpoint temperature are available. The analysis shows that the highest TE occurs during the summer of 1995 when both T and Lq were very high, associated with a severe midwestern heat wave. That year contrasts with the hot summers of 1930–36, when Lq and TE had relatively low or negative anomalies (low humidity) compared to those of T. Following the 1930–36 summers, T and Lq departures are much more typically the same sign in individual summers, and the two parameters develop a statistically significant high positive correlation into the twenty-first century. Mean T and Lq departures from the long-term normal have opposite signs, however, when summers are stratified either by seasonal total rainfall amounts or by the Palmer drought severity soil moisture index. Normalized trends of T, Lq, and TE are downward from 1940 to 1964 with those of TE exceeding T. Since 1965, however, significant positive T trends slightly exceed TE in magnitude and those of dewpoint temperature and Lq are comparatively lower. A highly significant upward trend in minimum temperatures especially dominates the T variability, creating a significant downward trend in the temperature range that dominates recent summer climate variability more than moisture trends. Regional moisture flux variations are largest away from Columbus, over the upper Midwest and western Atlantic Ocean, during its seasonal extremes in total surface energy.
Most CML patients who have a suboptimal response to imatinib have low OCT-1 activity: higher doses of imatinib may overcome the negative impact of low OCT-1 activity
Authors: White Deborah L. , Saunders Verity A. , Dang Phuong , Engler Jane , Venables Amity , Zrim Stephanie , Zannettino Andrew , Lynch Kevin , Manley Paul W. , Hughes Timothy 
Published: August 2007

AbstractInterpatient variability in intracellular uptake and retention (IUR) of imatinib may be due to variable function of the OCT-1 influx pump. OCT-1 activity was measured in pretherapy blood from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients by calculating the difference in IUR of [14C]-imatinib with and without OCT-1 inhibition. Of patients with higher than median (high) OCT-1 activity, 85% achieved major molecular response (MMR) by 24 months, versus 45% with no more than a median (low) OCT-1 activity. Assessing patients receiving 600 mg imatinib per day and those averaging fewer than 600 mg over 12 months of therapy revealed patients with high OCT-1 activity achieved excellent molecular response regardless of dose, whereas response of patients with low OCT-1 activity was highly dose dependent. Of patients with low OCT-1 activity who received fewer than 600 mg, 45% failed to achieve a 2-log reduction by 12 months, and 82% failed to achieve a MMR by 18 months, compared with 8% and 17% in the cohort with high OCT-1 activity and dose less than 600 mg/day (P = .017 and P = .022). OCT-1 activity is an important determinant of molecular response to imatinib, with predictive value closely linked to dose. This pretherapy assay identifies patients at greatest risk of suboptimal response where dose intensity is critical, and those likely to respond equally well to standard dose imatinib.
Educational intervention decreases exhaled nitric oxide in farmers with occupational asthma
Authors: Dressel H. , Gross C. , de la Motte D. , Sültz J. , Jörres R. A. , Nowak D. 
Published: August 2007

Allergic occupational asthma is frequent in farming populations. As educational interventions can improve disease management, the short-term effect of an educational intervention in asthmatic farmers was evaluated on the basis of spirometric indices and exhaled nitric oxide fraction (FeNO).Farmers with occupational asthma (n = 81), mostly sensitised against cow dander and storage mites, participated in a 1-day educational programme. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and after 4–6 weeks, usingFeNO, lung function and a questionnaire. Results were compared with those of a control group without intervention (n = 24).In the educational group, the proportion of subjects reporting work-related symptoms was reduced after the intervention. TheFeNOdecreased from a geometric mean of 28.2 to 25.7 ppb, and, in subjects with an elevated (>35 ppb) baselineFeNO(n = 32), from 59.7 to 49.2 ppb. The corresponding changes in the control group were 25.6versus27.7 ppb and 49.5versus48.1 ppb. Spirometric results were unaltered in the two groups.Thus exhaled nitric oxide fraction, a marker of allergic airway inflammation, indicated a beneficial effect of a short-term educational intervention in farmers with occupational asthma. This suggests a potential for exhaled nitric oxide fraction in assessing the efficacy of preventive measures within a short time with higher sensitivity than spirometry.
Unusual cystic presentation of pulmonary nodular amyloidosis associated with MALT-type lymphoma
Authors: Lantuejoul S. , Moulai N. , Quetant S. , Brichon P. Y. , Brambilla C. , Brambilla E. , Ferretti G. R. 
Published: August 2007

The case reported herein consists of nodular pulmonary amyloidosis presenting with unusual cystic radiological features which reveal a pulmonary localisation of an extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma).The present case is the first to report a radiological presentation of nodular pulmonary amyloidosis in the absence of Sjögren's syndrome.Although transthoracic fine-needle biopsy was helpful for the diagnostic of amyloidosis, final diagnosis of associated MALT-type lymphoma required an open lung biopsy.This emphasises the importance of performing surgical investigations in pulmonary nodular amyloidosis in order to depict the presence of underlying lung tumours or lymphoproliferative disorders.
Optimization of filtering criterion for SEQUEST database searching to improve proteome coverage in shotgun proteomics
Authors: Jiang Xinning , Jiang Xiaogang , Han Guanghui , Ye Mingliang , Zou Hanfa 
Published: August 2007

Abstract

Background
In proteomic analysis, MS/MS spectra acquired by mass spectrometer are assigned to peptides by database searching algorithms such as SEQUEST. The assignations of peptides to MS/MS spectra by SEQUEST searching algorithm are defined by several scores including Xcorr, ΔCn, Sp, Rsp, matched ion count and so on. Filtering criterion using several above scores is used to isolate correct identifications from random assignments. However, the filtering criterion was not favorably optimized up to now.

Results
In this study, we implemented a machine learning approach known as predictive genetic algorithm (GA) for the optimization of filtering criteria to maximize the number of identified peptides at fixed false-discovery rate (FDR) for SEQUEST database searching. As the FDR was directly determined by decoy database search scheme, the GA based optimization approach did not require any pre-knowledge on the characteristics of the data set, which represented significant advantages over statistical approaches such as PeptideProphet. Compared with PeptideProphet, the GA based approach can achieve similar performance in distinguishing true from false assignment with only 1/10 of the processing time. Moreover, the GA based approach can be easily extended to process other database search results as it did not rely on any assumption on the data.

Conclusion
Our results indicated that filtering criteria should be optimized individually for different samples. The new developed software using GA provides a convenient and fast way to create tailored optimal criteria for different proteome samples to improve proteome coverage.