| 1. |
- Yang, Lie, et al.
(författare)
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Efficacy of Surgery and Adjuvant Therapy in Older Patients With Colorectal Cancer A STROBE-compliant article
- 2014
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Ingår i: Medicine. - : Lippincott, Williams andamp; Wilkins. - 0025-7974 .- 1536-5964. ; 93:28
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of surgery and adjuvant therapy in older patients (age greater than= 70 years) with colorectal cancer (CRC). Older CRC patients are under-represented in available clinical trials, and therefore their outcomes after receiving surgery and adjuvant therapy are unclear. From two prospective Swedish databases, we assessed a cohort of 1021 patients who underwent curative surgery for stage I, II, or III primary CRC, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy/ radiotherapy. Of the patients with colon cancer (n = 467), 182 (39%) were aged less than70 years, 162 (35%) aged 70 to 80 years, and 123 (26%) were aged greater than= 80 years. Of rectal cancer patients (n = 554), 264 (48%) were aged less than70 years, 234 (42%) aged 70 to 80 years, and 56 (10%) aged greater than= 80 years. Older patients with either colon or rectal cancer had higher comorbidity than did younger patients. Older patients with colon cancer had equivalent postoperative morbidity and 30-day mortality to younger patients. Rectal cancer patients aged greater than= 80 years had a higher 30-day mortality than younger patients (odds ratio OR], 2.37; 95% confidence interval CI], 1.6-4.55; P = 0.03). For either colon or rectal cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy compromised the 5-year overall survival (OS) of older patients with stage II disease and had no effect on those with stage III disease. Receiving adjuvant chemotherapy was a poor factor of OS for older patients with either colon (HR 1.88, 95% CI: 1.20-4.35, P = 0.03) or rectal cancer (HR 1.72, 95% CI: 1.052.26, P = 0.004). Preoperative short-course radiotherapy improved both OS and local control for older patients with stage III rectal cancer and had no effect on those with stage II disease. Radiotherapy was a favorable factor for the OS of the older patients with rectal cancer (HR 0.42, 95% CI: 0.21-3.57, P = 0.01). In conclusion, Older CRC patients had equal safety of surgery as younger patients, except rectal cancer patients aged greater than= 80 years that had a higher mortality. Adjuvant 5FU-based chemotherapy did not benefit older CRC patient, while neoadjuvant radiotherapy improved the prognosis of older patients with stage III rectal cancer.
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| 2. |
- Angst, Jules, et al.
(författare)
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Hypomania : a transcultural perspective
- 2010
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Ingår i: World Psychiatry. - : Elsevier. - 1723-8617 .- 2051-5545. ; 9:1, s. 41-49
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study examined the transcultural robustness of a screening instrument for hypomania, the Hypomania Checklist-32, first revised version (HCL-32 R1). It was carried out in 2606 patients from twelve countries in five geographic regions (Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe, South America and East Asia). In addition, GAMIAN Europe contributed data from its members. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the transregional stability of the measurement properties of the HCL-32 R1, including the influence of sex and age as covariates. Across cultures, a two-factor structure was confirmed: the first factor (F1) reflected the more positive aspects of hypomania (being more active, elated, self-confident, and cogni-tively enhanced); the second factor (F2) reflected the more negative aspects (being irritable, impulsive, careless, more substance use). The measurement properties of the HCL-32 R1 were largely invariant across cultures. Only few items showed transcultural differences in their relation to hypomania as measured by the test. F2 was higher among men and in more severe manic syndromes; F1 was highest in North and East Europe and lowest in South America. The scores decreased slightly with age. The frequency of the 32 items showed remarkable similarities across geographic areas, with two excep-tions: South Europeans had lower symptom frequencies in general and East Europeans higher rates of substance use. These findings support the interna-tional applicability of the HCL-32 R1 as a screening instrument for hypomania.
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| 3. |
- Chen, Geng, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental Test of the State Estimation-Reversal Tradeoff Relation in General Quantum Measurements
- 2014
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Ingår i: Physical Review X. - 2160-3308. ; 4:5, s. 021043-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- When a measurement has limited strength, only partial information, regarding the initial state, is extracted, and, correspondingly, there is a probability to reverse its effect on the system and retrieve the original state. Recently, a clear and direct quantitative description of this complementary relationship, in terms of a tradeoff relation, was developed by Y. K. Cheong and S. W. Lee. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 150402 (2012)]. Here, this tradeoff relation is experimentally verified using polarization-encoded single photons from a quantum dot. Measurement operators representing a complete range, from not affecting the system to a projection to a single polarization state, are realized. In addition, for each measurement operator, an optimal reversal operator is also implemented. The upper bound of the tradeoff relation is mapped to experimental parameters representing the measurement strength. Our results complement the theoretical work and provide a hands-on characterization of general quantum measurements.
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| 4. |
- Li, Zhong-Yu, et al.
(författare)
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Restricted Rotation of sigma-Bonds through a Rigidified Donor Structure to Increase the ICT Ability of Platinum-Acetylide-Based DSSCs
- 2013
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Ingår i: Chemistry - An Asian Journal. - : Wiley. - 1861-4728 .- 1861-471X. ; 8:11, s. 2660-2669
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A series of new triarylamine-based platinum-acetylide complexes (WYs) have been designed and synthesized as new sensitizers for applications in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). With the aim of investigating the effect of a rigidifying donor structure on the photoelectrical parameters of the corresponding DSSCs, two new sensitizers, WY1 and WY2, with rigid and coplanar fluorene units as an electron donor, were prepared. Moreover, two sensitizers that contained triphenylamine units as an electron donor, WY3 and WY4, were also synthesized for comparison. The photo- and electrochemical properties of all of these new complexes have been extensively explored. We found that the dimethyl-fluorene unit exhibited a stronger electron-donating ability and better photovoltaic performance compared to the triphenylamine unit, owing to its rigidifying structure, which restricted the rotation of sigma bonds, thus increasing the conjugation efficiency. Furthermore, WY2, which contained a dimethyl-fluorene unit as an electron donor and bithiophene as a bridge, showed a relatively high open-circuit voltage (V-oc) of 640mV and a PCE of 4.09%. This work has not only expanded the choice of platinum-acetylide sensitizers, but also demonstrates the advantages of restricted rotation of donor sigma bonds for improved behavior of the corresponding DSSCs.
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| 5. |
- Wei, Tao, et al.
(författare)
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Molecular and catalytic characterization of a phi class glutathione transferase from Cathaya argyrophylla
- 2012
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Ingår i: Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. - Oxford : Pergamon Press. - 0305-1978 .- 1873-2925. ; 40, s. 75-85
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plant phi class glutathione transferases (GSTs) play important roles in stress tolerance and detoxification metabolism. This study reports the cloning, expression and biochemical characteristics of a phi GST gene (CaGSTF) from the endemic and endangered conifer Cathaya argyrophylla. The recombinant CaGSTF showed GSH-conjugating activity towards the substrate NED-Cl and CDNB. Kinetic analysis revealed low catalytic efficiency with a k(cat)/K-m(GSH) value of 9.82 mM(-1)S(-1). The CaGSTF proved to be a thermolabile enzyme, at 40 degrees C the enzyme's activity was nearly abolished. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that Ser12, Lys42, Ile55, Glu67 and Ser68 of CaGSTF are critical components of glutathione-binding sites that contribute to the enzyme's catalytic activity. Compared to other plant phi GSTs and conifer tau GSTs, CaGSTF showed a narrow substrate spectrum, low catalytic efficiency and thermolability. These atypical properties suggest the enzyme may have a limited functional role in the organism's adaptation to environmental stresses in the subtropical regions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 6. |
- Wu, Jing-Fang, et al.
(författare)
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Extracranial and intracranial complications of otitis media : 22-year clinical experience and analysis
- 2012
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Ingår i: Acta Oto-Laryngologica. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0001-6489 .- 1651-2251. ; 132:3, s. 261-265
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Conclusion: The morbidity of the complications has had a decreased tendency in recent decades, but the category of the complications was rather diverse. There are still many serious complications that require our attention. Surgery is still the most important treatment option. Objective: To investigate otogenic extracranial and intracranial complications in patients with acute and chronic otitis media. Methods: A retrospective study investigated 285 patients with extracranial and intracranial complications among the 2346 inpatients with acute or chronic otitis media with or without cholesteatoma admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology, AnHui Medical University Hospital between 1987 and 2008. Results: In the 285 patients with cranial complications, 253 had a single complication, 29 had two complications, and 3 had more than two complications. Intracranial complications included meningitis (16 cases), brain abscess (42 cases), sigmoid sinus involvement (29 cases), extradural abscess (8 cases), subdural abscess (1 case), and hydrocephalus (2 cases). Extracranial complications included labyrinthitis (90 cases), mastoid abscess (79 cases), facial paralysis (47 cases), Bezold abscess (5 cases), and apicitis pyramidalis (1 case). In all, 267 patients were cured or improved without recurrence. Five patients died from complications, of whom four died of cerebral hernia and one died of multiple abscesses.
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| 7. |
- Yang, Zhi-Ling, et al.
(författare)
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Molecular evolution and expression divergence of the Populus polygalacturonase supergene family shed light on the evolution of increasingly complex organs in plants
- 2013
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Ingår i: New Phytologist. - : Wiley. - 0028-646X .- 1469-8137. ; 197:4, s. 1353-1365
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plant polygalacturonases (PGs) are involved in cell separation processes during many stages of plant development. Investigation into the diversification of this large gene family in land plants could shed light on the evolution of structural development. We conducted whole-genome annotation, molecular evolution and gene expression analyses of PG genes in five species of land plant: Populus, Arabidopsis, rice, Selaginella and Physcomitrella. We identified 75, 44, 16 and 11 PG genes from Populus, rice, Selaginella and Physcomitrella genomes, respectively, which were divided into three classes. We inferred rapid expansion of class I PG genes in Populus, Arabidopsis and rice, while copy numbers of classes II and III PG genes were relatively conserved in all five species. Populus, Arabidopsis and rice class I PG genes were under more relaxed selection constraints than class II PG genes, while this selective pressure divergence was not observed in Selaginella and Physcomitrella PG families. In addition, class I PG genes underwent marked expression divergence in Populus, rice and Selaginella. Our results suggest that PG gene expansion occurred after the divergence of the lycophytes and euphyllophytes, and this expansion was likely paralleled by the evolution of increasingly complex organs in land plants.
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| 8. |
- Yuan, Ke-Hai, et al.
(författare)
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ML Versus MI for Missing Data With Violation of Distribution Conditions
- 2012
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Ingår i: Sociological Methods & Research. - : SAGE Publications. - 0049-1241 .- 1552-8294. ; 41:4, s. 598-629
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Normal-distribution-based maximum likelihood (ML) and multiple imputation (MI) are the two major procedures for missing data analysis. This article compares the two procedures with respects to bias and efficiency of parameter estimates. It also compares formula-based standard errors (SEs) for each procedure against the corresponding empirical SEs. The results indicate that parameter estimates by MI tend to be less efficient than those by ML; and the estimates of variance -covariance parameters by MI are also more biased. In particular, when the population for the observed variables possesses heavy tails, estimates of variance -covariance parameters by MI may contain severe bias even at relative large sample sizes. Although performing a lot better, ML parameter estimates may also contain substantial bias at smaller sample sizes. The results also indicate that, when the underlying population is close to normally distributed, SEs based on the sandwich-type covariance matrix and those based on the observed information matrix are very comparable to empirical SEs with either ML or MI. When the underlying distribution has heavier tails, SEs based on the sandwich-type covariance matrix for ML estimates are more reliable than those based on the observed information matrix. Both empirical results and analysis show that neither SEs based on the observed information matrix nor those based on the sandwich-type covariance matrix can provide consistent SEs in MI. Thus, ML is preferable to MI in practice, although parameter estimates by MI might still be consistent.
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