bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Process for Measuring the Quality of Cancer Care: The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative
Authors: Neuss Michael N. , Desch Christopher E. , McNiff Kristen K. , Eisenberg Peter D. , Gesme Dean H. , Jacobson Joseph O. , Jahanzeb Mohammad , Padberg Jennifer J. , Rainey John M. , Guo Jeff J. , Simone Joseph V. 
Published: August 2005

Purpose The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) is a practice-based system of quality self-assessment sponsored by the participants and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The process of quality evaluation, development of the pilot questionnaire, and preliminary results are reported. Methods Physicians from seven oncology groups developed medical record abstraction measures based on practice guidelines and consensus-supported indicators of quality care. Each practice completed two rounds of records review and received practice and aggregate results. Mean frequencies of responses for each indicator were compared among practices. Results Participants universally, if informally, find QOPI helpful, and results show statistically significant variation among practices for several indicators, including assessing pain in patients close to death, documentation of informed consent for chemotherapy, and concordance with granulocytic and erythroid growth factor administration guidelines. Measures with universally high concordance include the use of serotonin antagonist antiemetics according to the ASCO guideline; the presence of a pathology report in the record; the use of chemotherapy flow sheets; and adherence to standard chemotherapy recommendations for patients with certain stages of breast, colon, and rectal cancer. Concordance with quality indicators significantly changed between survey rounds for several measures. Conclusion Pilot results indicate that the QOPI process provides a rapid and objective measurement of practice quality that allows comparisons among practices and over time. It also provides a mechanism for measuring concordance with published guidelines. Most importantly, it provides a tool for practice self-examination that can promote excellence in cancer care.
Associations Between Drug Metabolism Genotype, Chemotherapy Pharmacokinetics, and Overall Survival in Patients With Breast Cancer
Authors: Petros William P. , Hopkins Penelope J. , Spruill Susan , Broadwater Gloria , Vredenburgh James J. , Colvin O. Michael , Peters William P. , Jones Roy B. , Hall Jeff , Marks Jeffrey R. 
Published: August 2005

Purpose To evaluate associations between patient survival, pharmacokinetics, and drug metabolism–related genetic polymorphisms in patients receiving a combination chemotherapy regimen for breast cancer. Patients and Methods A genotype association study was conducted on 85 chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic or inflammatory breast cancer that were evaluated for an extended period after receiving standard-dose chemotherapy followed by high-dose cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, and carmustine. Blood pharmacokinetics were evaluated, and DNA was genotyped for 29 polymorphisms in 17 drug metabolism genes. Results Patients with cyclophosphamide plasma exposures above the median (implying slower metabolic activation) had a shorter survival than those below the median (1.8 v 3.8 years, respectively; P = .042). Patients having a variant genotype of cytochrome P450 3A4 displayed higher blood concentrations of parent (inactive) cyclophosphamide with the second and third doses (P = .024 and .028, respectively) in addition to slower cyclophosphamide activation over the three doses (P = .031). Median survival for these patients was 1.3 years compared with 2.7 years for those without the variant (P = .043). Similar results were observed for patients carrying a genetic variant of P450 3A5. Median survival for patients with deletions of glutathione-S-transferase M1 gene was 3.5 v 1.5 years for patients with one or both copies (P = .041). Patients with a polymorphism in a gene regulating metallothionein had lower platinum concentrations and shorter survival (P = .033). Conclusion These data suggest that pretreatment evaluation of drug metabolism genes may explain some interindividual differences in both anticancer drug pharmacokinetics and response. The correlations found here may have implications for other commonly used anticancer drugs.
Autoimmunity Correlates With Tumor Regression in Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Treated With Anti–Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen-4
Authors: Attia Peter , Phan Giao Q. , Maker Ajay V. , Robinson Michael R. , Quezado Martha M. , Yang James C. , Sherry Richard M. , Topalian Suzanne L. , Kammula Udai S. , Royal Richard E. , Restifo Nicholas P. , Haworth Leah R. , Levy Catherine , Mavroukakis Sharon A. , Nichol Geoff , Yellin Michael J. , Rosenberg Steven A. 
Published: August 2005

PurposePreviously, we reported our experience treating 14 patients with metastatic melanoma using a fully human antibody to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (anti–CTLA-4) in conjunction with peptide vaccination. We have now treated 56 patients to evaluate two different dose schedules of anti–CTLA-4 and to explore the relationship between autoimmunity and tumor regression.Patients and MethodsA total of 56 patients with progressive stage IV melanoma were enrolled onto the study. All had Karnofsky performance status ≥ 60% with no prior history of autoimmunity. Twenty-nine patients received 3 mg/kg anti–CTLA-4 every 3 weeks, whereas 27 received 3 mg/kg as their initial dose with subsequent doses reduced to 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks. In both cohorts patients received concomitant vaccination with two modified HLA-A*0201-restricted peptides from the gp100 melanoma-associated antigen, gp100:209-217(210M) and gp100:280-288(288V).ResultsTwo patients achieved a complete response (ongoing at 30 and 31 months, respectively) and five patients achieved a partial response (durations of 4, 6, 25+, 26+, and 34+ months, respectively), for an overall objective response rate of 13%. Tumor regression was seen in lung, liver, brain, lymph nodes, and subcutaneous sites. Of 14 patients with grade 3/4 autoimmune toxicity, five (36%) experienced a clinical response compared with only two responses in the 42 patients (5%) with no autoimmune toxicity (P = .008). There were no significant differences in response rate or toxicity between the two dose schedules.ConclusionAdministration of anti–CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody plus peptide vaccination can cause durable objective responses, which correlate with the induction of autoimmunity, in patients with metastatic melanoma.
Weekly Paclitaxel Improves Pathologic Complete Remission in Operable Breast Cancer When Compared With Paclitaxel Once Every 3 Weeks
Authors: Green Marjorie C. , Buzdar Aman U. , Smith Terry , Ibrahim Nuhad K. , Valero Vicente , Rosales Marguerite F. , Cristofanilli Massimo , Booser Daniel J. , Pusztai Lajos , Rivera Edgardo , Theriault Richard L. , Carter Cynthia , Frye Debra , Hunt Kelly K. , Symmans W. Fraser , Strom Eric A. , Sahin Aysegul A. , Sikov William , Hortobagyi Gabriel N. 
Published: August 2005

Purpose To determine the impact a change in schedule of paclitaxel administration from once every 3 weeks to frequent administration would have on the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in the breast and lymph nodes for patients with invasive breast cancer treated with primary systemic chemotherapy (PST). Patients and Methods Patients with clinical stage I-IIIA breast cancer were randomly assigned to receive PST of paclitaxel doses administered either weekly (for a total of 12 doses of paclitaxel) or once every 3 weeks (four cycles), followed by four cycles of fluorouracil/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (FAC) in standard doses every 3 weeks. Two different doses of paclitaxel were used based on lymph node status defined by ultrasound and fine needle aspiration. Clinical response and extent of residual disease in the breast and lymph nodes was assessed after completion of all chemotherapy. Results A total of 258 patients were randomly assigned to receive doses of paclitaxel administered either weekly or once every 3 weeks, followed by FAC. Of these 258 patients, 110 patients had histologic lymph node involvement and 148 patients had clinical N0 disease. Weekly paclitaxel followed by FAC was administered to 127 patients and once-every-3-weeks paclitaxel followed by FAC was administered to 131 patients. Clinical response to treatment was similar between groups (P = .25). Patients receiving weekly paclitaxel had a higher pCR rate (28.2%) than patients treated with once-every-3-weeks paclitaxel (15.7%; P = .02), with improved breast conservation rates (P = .05). Conclusion The change in schedule of paclitaxel from once every 3 weeks to a more frequent administration significantly improved the ability to eradicate invasive cancer in the breast and lymph nodes.
Fractographic Reassessment of the Significance of Fatigue Crack Closure
Authors: Sunder R 
Published: August 2005

AbstractExperiments were performed on Al-alloy test coupons under specially programmed variable amplitude load sequences to assess crack closure as well as actual microscopic crack extension. Quantitative fractography of the fractures suggests that closure can account for only a fraction of observed load interaction effects. Much of the observed retardation may be attributed to the shielding effect of the overload plastic zone, which can occur even if the crack is fully open. The study also indicates that load sequence effects attributed to notch root stress-strain hysteresis can occur only if closure is absent.
A New Method for Opening Load Determination from Compliance Measurements
Authors: Kujawski D , Stoychev S 
Published: August 2005

Abstract
A brief review of the most popular compliance based methods for determination of the crack opening load is included in the introduction. This review reveals the demand for a noise resistant method that is especially needed in the near-threshold region where a partial crack closure prevails and the existing ASTM method does not calculate the correct opening load. With this in mind, a new technique was developed (‘Q’ method). It uses integration instead of differentiation of the compliance data. It also accounts for the partial crack closure situations. The derivation of the Q method is discussed together with its relation to the ASTM procedure, and both methods were used to analyze experimental data of 2324-T39 and 7475-T7351 Al alloys tested at 0.1 and 0.9 load ratios. On average the crack opening load values from the Q method are smaller by the factor of about 2/π in comparison to those obtained from the ASTM procedure.
Use of ACR Method to Estimate Closure and Residual Stress Free Small Crack Growth Data
Authors: Zonker HR , Bray GH , George K , Garratt MD 
Published: August 2005

AbstractLife predictions for small cracks emanating from material inhomogeneities or small flaws caused by manufacturing or corrosion damage are becoming increasingly important for several reasons, including: concerns over widespread fatigue damage; a shift in philosophy for fatigue initiation design from stress-life (S-N) to the equivalent initial flaw size (EIFS) approach, and the greater usage of unitized structure. For these reasons, development of accurate fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) data in the near threshold region is needed, which is not influenced by closure or residual stress. Threshold data ARE often generated from long crack specimens by load shedding as outlined in ASTM E 647. However, this data can be non-conservative and variable due to load history effects caused by crack closure. Generating closure-free short crack FCGR data requires much more sophisticated instrumentation and testing techniques than long crack testing, making it prohibitively expensive to perform on a routine basis. Small crack tests also sample only a small volume of material and typically exhibit large scatter, so multiple tests must be performed in order to determine the typical or average behavior of the material. As a result of these disadvantages, use of long crack tests to estimate short crack behavior is the preferred approach.The objective of this study was to evaluate the adjusted compliance ratio (ACR) method for obtaining residual stress and closure-free data from long crack tests and to compare the ACR method against the current ASTM opening load method. The ACR method was developed by Donald for estimating the closure-free ΔKeff FCGR curve from standard long crack tests. To evaluate the method's ability to estimate closure-free data, standard ASTM long crack tests and short corner crack tests were conducted on 7075-T651 and 2324-T39 alloys. The ΔKeff FCGR data resulting from the application of the ACR method to the ASTM long crack test results were then compared with the closure-free short corner crack data. Additionally, to assess the method's ability to account for residual stresses, long crack tests using ASTM standard middle crack and compact tension specimens, prepared from alloy 7055-T74511, were conducted, and the resulting ΔKapplied and ΔKeff FCGR data were compared.
Assessment for Decrease in Threshold Stress Intensity Factor (SIF) Range Due to High Maximum SIF
Authors: Meshii T , Ishihara K , Watanabe K 
Published: August 2005

AbstractIn this paper, we consider the decrease in threshold stress intensity factor (SIF) range ΔKth due to high maximum SIF K, which is observed for several materials in the tests with the Kmax constant method when closure-free conditions are realized. We proposed an assessment criterion to predict this phenomenon from the past data for Al and Ti and showed that the criterion is valid also for steels. Finally, we proposed a simplified model to explain the phenomenon, considering the fact that marks of static fracture are observed on the fracture surface.
Notch-Root Elastic-Plastic Strain-Stress in Particulate Metal Matrix Composites Subjected to General Loading Conditions
Authors: Owolabi GM , Singh MNK 
Published: August 2005

Abstract
Determining the stress and strain history at the point of highest stress concentration in particulate metal matrix composites (PMMCs) is complicated, particularly when they have a finite concentration of inclusions, the matrix material in the vicinity of the notch is elastic-plastic, and when multiaxial cyclic loads are applied to the component. In this paper, an analytical tool is developed to approximate notch root elastic-plastic strains and stresses in PMMC components subjected to multiaxial cyclic loads. The model consists of a set of linear relations that can be solved to estimate a notch root elastic-plastic strain and stress history in PMMCs from an elastic analysis. The model is developed using assumptions about notch root behavior, the incremental mean field theory, and the endochronic theory of plasticity. The model presented provides an easy to implement approximation to the otherwise rather complex non-linear problem. The analytical results are compared to the local strains, obtained using 3D image correlation technology, at the depth of a circumferential notch in a PMMC bar subjected to proportional and non-proportionally applied monotonic and cyclic axial-torsional loads. The results of the comparison show that the proposed model works well for the geometry and load paths considered.
Assessment of Plane Stress Tearing in Terms of Various Crack Driving Parameters
Authors: Naumenko VP , Volkov GS 
Published: August 2005

Abstract
The important role of mechanical parameters characterizing the global fracture behavior of a thin rectangular plate is demonstrated through comparison of various approaches to the investigation of ductile tearing at large amounts of stable crack extension. Tensile tests have been performed on middle-cracked specimens at different in-plane constraint states and on cruciform specimens. The latter geometry is treated as a physical counterpart of the basic structural element usually considered in model descriptions of tension- and/or compression-dominant crack geometries. Attention is focused on the simplest practical problem, namely, assessing the critical states of a center through crack under remote uniaxial tension. The case in point is a comprehensive assessment of the structural behavior of a thin-wall component where failure loads, displacements, and subcritical crack extensions must all be predicted from the crack growth data for a laboratory-size specimen of standard geometry.
Methods for Improving the Efficiency of Alpine Ski Equipment Rental Operations
Authors: Ettlinger CF , Shealy J , Johnson RJ 
Published: August 2005

Abstract
The objective of this study was to develop principles and practices which could improve the efficiency and reliability of alpine ski equipment rental facilities operating in compliance with ASTM or ISO rental standards.
Tests were conducted using a commercially available device to measure the release moments of boot/binding combinations, with contact areas between boot and binding alternately in clean and lubricated conditions. Bindings were also tested in combination with a test sole adjustable for length. The study provided a measure of the variability of the components of the release system and an estimate of the system variability experienced by rental facilities using various inspection, maintenance, and dispatch procedures. It also produced guidelines for reducing the need for applying correction factors to the release indicator scales of bindings in the rental inventory.
Among 60 boot/binding combinations the study found that the difference between clean and lubricated tests ranged from 0% to 34% with an overall average difference of 7%, half that observed twenty years ago. The difference in tests comparing actual boots in a lubricated condition with a test sole of the same length in a lubricated condition ranged from +3 Nm to −3 Nm with a mean and standard deviation of less than 1 Nm, a fraction of differences noted in years past. However, release value selection tables currently in common use do not accurately reflect the relationship between boot sole length, release indicator value, and the target release torque. The study found the indicator value displayed in 64 % of the most commonly used cells in these charts varied from the optimal by release indicator increments ranging from −0.5 to +2.5.
The release characteristics of modern alpine rental boot/binding combinations are more predictable and reliable than ten or twenty years ago. However, inspection, maintenance, and dispatch procedures currently in use do not take full advantage of these capabilities. A simple procedure exists for the routine documentation of boot/binding compatibility so that rental procedures can be updated to reflect the true characteristics of contemporary rental products and thereby minimize the potential for time-consuming correction procedures and improve the release retention performance of equipment dispatched to the rental customer.
Development of Electronic Textiles to Transport Data and Power in Future U.S. Military Protective Clothing Systems
Authors: Winterhalter CA , Teverovsky J , Wilson P , Slade J , Farell B , Horowitz W , Tierney E 
Published: August 2005

Abstract
The focus of this paper is on the development of textile-based wearable electronics that can be integrated into military protective clothing. A materials and manufacturing survey was conducted to determine the best performing and most durable materials to withstand the rigors of textile manufacturing and potential military use. Narrow woven technology was selected as the most appropriate manufacturing method. A working wearable narrow fabric version of the Universal Serial Bus (USB), as well as a radiating conductor, were successfully developed and fabricated. Military products developed include components of a personal area network providing data and power transport and a body borne antenna integrated into a load-bearing vest.
The Effect of Dispersant Solubility, Dispersant Dosage, Granule Diameter, and Dome Versus Radial Extrusion on Granule Spontaneity of Disintegration and Resistance to Attrition
Authors: Winowiski T , Lebo S , Gustafsson J 
Published: August 2005

Abstract
Dissolution rate of 16 sulfonated dispersants was measured in both water and 32-0-0 liquid fertilizer. Two dispersants, BNA and UCA, having different dissolution rates, were used to granulate a 70 % Amicarbazone formulation. Extrusions were made on a MG-55 Multigranulator using both the dome and radial modes with 0.8 mm and 1.0 mm screens. BNA and UCA were included at levels of 5, 10, and 15 % of the formulation. The remaining 14 dispersants were compared at fixed levels of 10 % using only the 0.8 mm screen and dome mode. Premix water requirements varied according to dispersant chemistry. Granule disintegration was measured in hard water by number of inversions, ASTM E1945, and CIPAC MT-174. High level of dispersant, slow dissolution rate of dispersant, and larger diameter granules lead to reduced disintegration rate in water. In addition to these factors, disintegration in 32-0-0 was further affected by porosity of the granule.
Determining Nitriding Parameters with Neural Networks
Authors: Filetin T , Žmak I , Novak D 
Published: August 2005

Abstract
The choice of correct plasma nitriding parameters is usually experience-based. There are no successful mathematical models for the nitriding process simulation. An attempt has been made to accurately determine required nitriding time for the specified effective nitriding layer thickness, sum of weight contents of nitride forming elements in steel, and nitriding temperature. Two methods were used to solve this problem: the statistical multiple regression and the artificial neural network. It is not possible to find a regression model that would relate the three variables to nitriding time, whereas good results were achieved with neural networks. The second problem that was investigated was the determination of post-nitriding surface hardness on the basis of three known parameters: nitriding time and temperature, and the sum of weight contents of nitride forming elements in steel. Again, a general regression model was not found, and the neural networks produced very good results.
An Overview of Fundamental and Simulative Performance Tests for Hot Mix Asphalt
Authors: Zhang J , Ray Brown E , Kandhal PS , West R 
Published: August 2005

Abstract
Numerous fundamental and simulative test methods are being used to evaluate the performance of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). Permanent deformation, fatigue cracking, thermal cracking, loss of surface friction, and stripping are the five main distress types for HMA pavements. All of these distresses can result in loss of performance, but rutting is the one distress that is most likely to be a sudden failure as a result of unsatisfactory HMA. Other distresses are typically long term and show up after a few years of traffic.
This paper provides a general overview of the fundamental, empirical, and simulative tests for HMA corresponding to each of these five distresses. All test methods have been evaluated in terms of advantages and disadvantages. However, major emphasis has been placed on tests for evaluating permanent deformation.