bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Current controversies in high‐dose‐rate versus low‐dose‐rate brachytherapy for cervical cancer
Authors: Stewart Alexandra J. , Viswanathan Akila N. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe use of brachytherapy in the treatment of cervical cancer has increased worldwide since its initial introduction over 100 years ago. However, certain aspects of the use of high‐dose‐rate (HDR) versus low‐dose‐rate (LDR) brachytherapy continue to be controversial, particularly the role of HDR in FIGO Stage III cervical cancer and the use of HDR with concurrent chemotherapy. This study represents a systematic literature review of prospective and retrospective series of patients with cervical carcinoma treated with external‐beam radiation (EBRT) followed by either HDR or LDR radiation. The local control rates, survival rates, and treatment‐related complications in patients with Stage III cervical cancer treated with HDR or LDR and those treated with concomitant chemotherapy are examined. Patients with Stage III cervical cancer treated with EBRT and brachytherapy have a local control rate of >50% in most series. Randomized prospective and retrospective studies show overall statistically equivalent local control, overall survival, and complication rates between HDR and LDR. However, LDR may be preferable for large, bulky tumors at the time of brachytherapy. Retrospective studies of HDR and concurrent chemotherapy are limited but have demonstrated toxicity rates similar to those with LDR. Selected patients with Stage III cervical carcinoma who have an adequate response to EBRT and concomitant chemotherapy may be treated with HDR brachytherapy. The existing literature shows no significant increase in complications in patients treated with HDR and concurrent chemotherapy; however, sufficient tumor shrinkage prior to HDR and careful monitoring of the dose to the normal tissues are imperative. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Neuronal expression and interaction with the synaptic protein CASK suggest a role for Neph1 and Neph2 in synaptogenesis
Authors: Gerke Peter , Benzing Thomas , Höhne Martin , Kispert Andreas , Frotscher Michael , Walz Gerd , Kretz Oliver 
Published: July 2006

AbstractFormation, differentiation, and plasticity of synapses require interactions between pre‐ and postsynaptic partners. Recently, it was shown that the transmembrane immunoglobulin superfamily protein SYG‐1 is required for providing synaptic specificity in C. elegans. However, it is unclear whether the mammalian orthologs of SYG‐1 are also involved in local cell interactions to determine specificity during synapse formation. We used in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and immunogold electron microscopy to study the temporal and spatial expression of Neph1 and Neph2 in the developing and adult mouse brain. Both proteins show similar patterns with neuronal expression starting around embryonic days 12 and 11, respectively. Expression is strongest in areas of high migratory activity. In the adult brain, Neph1 and Neph2 are predominantly seen in the olfactory nerve layer and the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb, in the hippocampus, and in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. At the ultrastructural level, Neph1 and Neph2 are detectable within the dendritic shafts of pyramidal neurons. To a lesser extent, there is also synaptic localization of Neph1 within the stratum pyramidale of the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 region on both pre‐ and postsynaptic sites. Here it colocalizes with the synaptic scaffolder calmodulin‐associated serin/threonin kinase (CASK), and both Neph1 and Neph2 interact with the PDZ domain of CASK via their cytoplasmic tail. Our results show that Neph proteins are expressed in the developing nervous system of mammals and suggest that these proteins may have a conserved function in synapse formation or neurogenesis.
J. Comp. Neurol. 498:466–475, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Temporal relations between meander deformation, water discharge and sediment fluxes in the floodplain of the Rio Beni (Bolivian Amazonia)
Authors: Gautier E. , Brunstein D. , Vauchel P. , Roulet M. , Fuertes O. , Guyot J. L. , Darozzes J. , Bourrel L. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe Andean Cordillera and piedmont significantly influence river system and dynamics, being the source of many of the important rivers of the Amazon basin. The Beni River, whose upper sub‐catchments drain the Andean and sub‐Andean ranges, is a major tributary of the Madeira River. This study examines the river in the south‐western Amazonian lowlands of Bolivia, where it develops mobile meanders. Channel migration, meander‐bend morphology and ox‐bow lakes are analysed at different temporal and spatial scales. The first part of this study was undertaken with the aim to link the erosion–deposition processes in the active channel with hydrological events. The quantification of annual erosion and deposition areas shows high inter‐annual and spatial variability. In this study, we investigate the conditions of sediment exportation in the river in relation to three hydrological parameters (flood intensity, date of discharge peak and duration of the bank‐full stage level). The second part of this study, focusing on the abandoned meanders, analyses the cutoff processes and the post‐abandonment evolution during 1967–2001. This approach shows the influence of the active channel behaviour on the sediment diffusion and sequestration of the abandoned meanders and allows us to build a first model of the contemporary floodplain evolution. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Temporal aggregation of an ESTAR process: some implications for purchasing power parity adjustment
Authors: Paya Ivan , Peel David A. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractNonlinear models of deviations from PPP have recently provided an important, theoretically well motivated, contribution to the PPP puzzle. Most of these studies use temporally aggregated data to empirically estimate the nonlinear models. As noted by Taylor (2001), if the true DGP is nonlinear, the temporally aggregated data could exhibit misleading properties regarding the adjustment speeds. We examine the effects of different levels of temporal aggregation on estimates of ESTAR models of real exchange rates. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modelling firm‐size distribution using Box–Cox heteroscedastic regression
Authors: Yang Z. L. , Tse Y. K. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractUsing the Box–Cox regression model with heteroscedasticity (BCHR), we re‐examine the size distribution of the Portuguese manufacturing firms studied by Machado and Mata (2000) using the Box–Cox quantile regression (BCQR) method. We show that the BCHR model compares favourably against the BCQR method. In particular, the BCHR model can answer the key questions addressed by the BCQR method, with the advantage that the estimated quantile functions are monotonic. Furthermore, estimation of the BCHR model is straightforward and the confidence intervals of the BCHR regression quantiles are easy to compute. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of sodium concentration and anion gap to improve correlation between serum chloride and bicarbonate concentrations
Authors: Feldman Mark , Soni Nilam J. , Dickson Beverly 
Published: July 2006

AbstractAlthough most acid‐base disorders cause opposite and equal changes in serum chloride and bicarbonate concentrations, this inverse relationship can be distorted by changes in the anion gap and/or water balance. Therefore, we examined the relationship between chloride and bicarbonate before and after adjusting for anion gap and serum sodium concentration. Patients with abnormal electrolytes were grouped by chloride and bicarbonate concentrations (low, normal, and high). Then, chloride and anion gap‐adjusted bicarbonate were adjusted for water excess (or deficit), manifesting as hyponatremia (or hypernatremia), after which patients were reclassified. Classification by chloride and bicarbonate changed in 82% of the 135 patients after adjustment for anion gap and sodium. Serum chloride and bicarbonate were each low (concordant) in 23 patients, while 18 had discordant chlorides and bicarbonates (9 low/high, 9 high/low). After adjustments, chloride and bicarbonate were discordant in 40 patients (31 low/high, 9 high/low) and concordant in none. The correlation between serum chloride and bicarbonate improved from −0.459 to –0.998 after adjustments for sodium and anion gap. A very close inverse relationship between serum chloride and bicarbonate concentrations is commonly distorted by concomitant water disturbances and anion gap acidoses in internal medicine patients admitted with electrolyte disorders. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 20:154–159, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Evaluation of Parkinson's Disease in entrants on the Nebraska State Parkinson's Disease Registry
Authors: Bertoni John M. , Sprenkle Pamela M. , Strickland Daniel , Noedel Nancy 
Published: July 2006

AbstractWe examined a sample of individuals in the Nebraska State Parkinson's Disease Registry (NSPDR) to determine what proportion meets standard criteria for Parkinson's disease (PD). The NSPDR was established in 1996 in an effort to understand the high prevalence of PD in Nebraska. Only minimal demographic data are included for each entrant. Subjects enter the NSPDR by means of diagnosing physicians, pharmacists dispensing anti‐PD medications and the patients themselves. A series of 356 registrants diagnosed between 1997 and 2001 were contacted and invited to participate in a case–control study. Medical records were reviewed by a single abstractor in a standard manner. When patients consented, history was filled in by interview. A subset of patients were examined by a movement disorders specialist, who assigned all patients a probability of PD. Where sufficient information was available, 78% of registrants were confirmed to have PD (i.e., percent probability > 50%), including 83% of the patients previously diagnosed by a neurologist. Tremor was an initial symptom in 72% of confirmed versus 39% of excluded cases, and resting tremor was present in 86% of those that were confirmed. The most frequent reasons for exclusion were drug‐induced Parkinsonism, multiple systems atrophy, vascular disease, and essential tremor. Use of the NSPDR for epidemiologic study requires careful review of the data set before assignment of cases. When histories are compiled in a standardized, comprehensive manner, the necessity for actual patient examinations can be minimized. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Ropinirole is effective in the long‐term management of restless legs syndrome: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Montplaisir Jacques , Karrasch Jeff , Haan Jean , Volc Dieter 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate the long‐term efficacy of ropinirole in patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and to assess the potential for relapse after the discontinuation of active treatment. Patients with primary RLS (n = 202) received single‐blind ropinirole for 24 weeks. Patients meeting treatment continuation criteria were randomized to double‐blind treatment with ropinirole or placebo for a further 12 weeks. The primary efficacy variable was the proportion of patients relapsing during double‐blind treatment. Additional efficacy measures included time to relapse, withdrawals due to lack of efficacy, improvement on the Clinical Global Impression–Improvement (CGI‐I) scale, change in International Restless Legs Scale (IRLS) score during double‐blind treatment, and changes in sleep and quality of life (QoL) parameters. Significantly fewer patients relapsed on ropinirole than on placebo (32.6% vs. 57.8%; P = 0.0156). Time to relapse was longer with ropinirole and more patients withdrew due to lack of efficacy with placebo. Patients showed improvements in IRLS and CGI‐I scores, sleep and QoL parameters with single‐blind ropinirole, which were better maintained when ropinirole was continued during the double‐blind phase, but reduced with placebo. Ropinirole was well tolerated; adverse events were typical for dopamine agonists. Ropinirole was highly effective and well tolerated in the long‐term management of RLS, with pharmacological effect over 36 weeks. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Olivopontocerebellar atrophy: Toward a better nosological definition
Authors: Berciano José , Boesch Sylvia , Pérez‐Ramos José M. , Wenning Gregor K. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractOlivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) is a pathological label implying not only olivopontocerebellar changes, but also cases with more widespread lesions involving the CNS. This polytopic pathological background accounts for clinical complexity, essentially defined as cerebellar‐plus syndrome. The term “OPCA” is applicable to an increasing number of neurodegenerative syndromes, including autosomal dominant ataxia, complicated spastic paraplegia, multiple‐system atrophy (MSA), and many cases of idiopathic late‐onset cerebellar ataxia (ILOCA), some of whom also turn out to have MSA. OPCA may also be part of the pathological hallmark of other disorders, such as prion disorders, mitochondrial encephalomyopathies, and hereditary metabolic diseases. Sporadic OPCA and ILOCA with cerebellar‐plus presentation and neuroimaging evidence of brainstem and cerebellar atrophy may represent interchangeable eponyms. Just a quarter of such cases evolve to MSA within 5 years of the onset of symptoms. Therefore, the assumption that MSA and sporadic OPCA necessarily are one and the same disease is no longer tenable. Our review suggests that the label “OPCA” is useful to designate a clinicopathological syndrome that has a variety of etiologies carrying a poor prognosis, particularly if associated with autonomic failure as occurs in MSA. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Atypical phenotypes and clinical variability in a large Italian family with DYT1–primary torsion dystonia
Authors: Gambarin Mattia , Valente Enza Maria , Liberini Paolo , Barrano Giuseppe , Bonizzato Alberto , Padovani Alessandro , Moretto Giuseppe , Fiorio Mirta , Dallapiccola Bruno , Smania Nicola , Fiaschi Antonio , Tinazzi Michele 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe GAG deletion in the DYT1 gene usually causes a typical form of primary torsion dystonia (PTD) with early onset in a limb, rapid generalization, and sparing of cranial–cervical muscles, but atypical phenotypes have often been reported. Here, we describe a large DYT1 Italian family with phenotypically heterogeneous PTD that recapitulates all the atypical features associated with the DYT1 mutation, including late age at onset, focal or segmental phenotypes, onset or spreading of dystonia to the cranial–cervical muscles. Of 38 healthy family members, 15 also carried the DYT1 mutation, with an estimated penetrance of 21%. A literature review of atypical familial cases of DYT1‐PTD showed that late onset, cervical involvement, and limited progression of dystonia are features frequently seen in DYT1 families. However, nearly all of these atypical patients fall within at least one of the clinical categories that best predict the DYT1 carrier status, namely, early onset, onset in a limb, and family history positive for early‐onset dystonia. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Relationship between classic Hodgkin lymphoma and overlapping large cell lymphoma investigated by comparative expressed sequence hybridization expression profiling
Authors: Vanhentenrijk V , Vanden Bempt I , Dierickx D , Verhoef G , Wlodarska I , De Wolf‐Peeters C 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThere is a diagnostic grey zone between classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and some non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), including primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, and anaplastic large cell lymphoma. They all have some morphological and/or phenotypic features in common. To investigate this, we undertook an expression profiling study of these lymphomas using comparative expressed sequence hybridization. This technique detects chromosomal regions that are differentially expressed between a test and a reference tissue in a manner similar to comparative genomic hybridization, and is particularly suitable when the number of informative biopsies is limited. Using this approach, we identified a unique expression profile for all lymphoma types investigated. Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis of the acquired data showed that cHL separates from all investigated NHLs, including ALCL‐like HL. Moreover, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)‐negative ALCL clustered in a separate branch together with ALCL‐like HL. Thus, analysing the neoplastic cells concurrently with their microenvironment, ALK‐negative ALCL and ALCL‐like HL seem to be related to each other, while cHL constitutes a separate lymphoma entity. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pericardial involvement at diagnosis in pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma patients
Authors: Bashir Hamid , Hudson Melissa M. , Kaste Sue C. , Howard Scott C. , Krasin Matthew , Metzger Monika L. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractBackgroundBecause most cases are clinically silent, the incidence, clinical course, and outcome of pericardial involvement in Hodgkin lymphoma are unknown.MethodsRecords of all patients with newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma treated at our institution between 1991 and 2004 were reviewed. Pericardial involvement was identified by computerized tomography (CT) as focal thickening or nodularity present at the time of diagnosis, and by echocardiography as pericardial effusion. Outcomes measured were incidence of pericardial involvement, relapse‐free survival, and overall survival.ResultsThirteen of 273 patients (5%) had pericardial involvement. All patients with pericardial involvement had nodular sclerosing tumors versus 183 of 260 patients without pericardial involvement (P = 0.02); 9 (67%) had a bulky mediastinal mass versus 27% (P = 0.002). Two patients required pericardial drainage to drain very large effusions (n = 2). Both patients were symptomatic with either shortness of breath or superior vena cava syndrome. In the 11 cases that did not undergo surgical drainage, the effusion resolved within days after starting chemotherapy. Two patients experienced distant relapse but underwent successful salvage therapy. All 13 patients remain alive and free of disease at a median follow‐up of 9.7 years (range, 1.7–12.9 years) with normal cardiac function.ConclusionsPericardial involvement by lymphoma is usually asymptomatic unless accompanied by substantial pericardial effusion. In most cases, pericardial involvement resolves with treatment of the underlying malignancy, but close observation for hemodynamic complications is required. A symptomatic effusion, once treated, does not affect survival. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007;49:666–671. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A variety of poly(m‐benzamide)s with low polydispersities from inductive effect‐assisted chain‐growth polycondensation
Authors: Ohishi Tomoyuki , Sugi Ryuji , Yokoyama Akihiro , Yokozawa Tsutomu 
Published: July 2006

AbstractChain‐growth polycondensation of 3‐(alkylamino)benzoic acid alkyl esters 1 was investigated for obtaining poly(m‐benzamide)s with defined molecular weights and low polydispersities. Polymerization conditions were first studied to find that ethyl 3‐(octylamino)benzoate (1b) polymerized in a chain polymerization manner in the presence of lithium 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexamethyldisilazide (LiHMDS) as a base and phenyl 4‐methylbenzoate (2b) as an initiator in THF at 0 °C. The molecular weight of the polymer was controlled by the feed ratio of monomer to initiator. The polymerization of 1c–i with a variety of N‐alkyl groups was then carried out under the established conditions to yield well‐defined poly(m‐benzamide)s, which showed higher solubility than those of the corresponding poly(p‐benzamide)s. Furthermore, the 4‐octyloxybenzyl group on the amide nitrogen in poly1i was removed by treatment with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to give N‐unsubstituted poly(m‐benzamide) (poly1j) with a low polydispersity, which is soluble in DMAc and DMSO, contrary to the para‐substituted counterpart. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4990–5003, 2006
Supramolecular polymers based on cyclodextrins
Authors: Harada Akira 
Published: July 2006

AbstractTwo types of supramolecular polymers based on cyclodextrins were prepared. One was a host–guest type, and the other was a polyrotaxane type. When a guest part was covalently attached to cyclodextrin, they formed supramolecular dimers, a cyclic daisy chain, supramolecular oligomers, and polymers. t‐Boc‐cinnamamide‐α‐cyclodextrin was found to form chiral supramolecular polymers in aqueous solutions. Supramolecular poly[2]rotaxane polymers and supramolecular α,β‐cyclodextrin copolymers were obtained. Polyrotaxanes containing β‐cyclodextrin or γ‐cyclodextrin were prepared. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5113–5119, 2006
Telling children and adolescents about their cancer diagnosis: cross‐cultural comparisons between pediatric oncologists in the US and Japan
Authors: Parsons Susan K. , Saiki‐Craighill Shigeko , Mayer Deborah K. , Sullivan Amy M. , Jeruss Stefanie , Terrin Norma , Tighiouart Hocine , Nakagawa Kaoru , Iwata Yoko , Hara Junichi , Grier Holcombe E. , Block Susan 
Published: July 2006

AbstractPurpose: Over the last 50 years, direct communication about cancer with adults has shifted from an approach of not telling to one of telling. Less is known about communication practices with children. The purpose of this study is to (1) describe patterns of communication at diagnosis between pediatric oncologists and children with cancer and (2) compare cultural differences in these practices in the US and Japan.Methods: This 2003 survey, developed in English and translated into Japanese was mailed to members of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and the two Japanese Societies of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology; there were 350 US and 362 Japanese respondents. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were performed.Results: US physicians had a consistent pattern of telling children (65% always told the child; less than 1% rarely or never told). Japanese physicians had greater variability in their patterns of telling (with only 9.5% always telling, 34.5% rarely or never telling). Direct communication with the child was influenced by personal attitudes, patient factors, and work culture in both countries. Many more variables emerged as influencing Japanese physicians' communication practices than for US physicians. US physicians were influenced by their own sense of responsibility for telling, while Japanese physicians were more influenced by personal attitudes, patient factors, and work culture.Conclusions: US and Japanese physicians differed when communicating directly with the child about his or her cancer. The impact of these practices on children and their parents should be explored and the parent and child's perspectives elicited. This information will help facilitate culturally sensitive patient and family centered communication. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.