bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Continuous Administration of Sorafenib in Combination with Transarterial Chemoembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Results of a Phase I Study
Authors: Dufour Jean-François , Hoppe Hanno , Heim Markus H. , Helbling Beat , Maurhofer Olivier , Szucs-Farkas Zsolt , Kickuth Ralph , Borner Markus , Candinas Daniel , Saar Bettina
Published: October 2010

Background and Aim.

It is unknown whether sorafenib can be combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. This study assesses the safety and tolerability of a continuous regimen of sorafenib combined with TACE.

Methods.

This was an open-label phase I study testing a continuous administration of sorafenib (dose escalation from 200 mg twice daily [bid] to 400 mg bid) starting 7 days prior to TACE with doxorubicin (50 mg).

Results.

Twenty-one patients were screened and 14 received sorafenib combined with TACE. Because there were no dose-limiting toxicities in the first three patients who received sorafenib at a dose of 200 mg bid, subsequent patients received 400 mg bid. Twenty-seven procedures were performed (median, two per patient) and two local therapy–related severe adverse events occurred. The median duration of sorafenib therapy was 246 days (range, 14–547 days). Sorafenib-related adverse events of grade ≥3 were hand–foot skin reaction (n = 3), weight loss (n = 2), diarrhea (n = 1), abdominal pain (n = 1), and thrombocytopenia (n = 3). After treatment with sorafenib and TACE, there was a significant decrease in the concentration of plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from 93 ng/l to 67 ng/l.

Conclusions.

Continuous administration of sorafenib at a dose of 400 mg bid combined with TACE was tolerable. The adverse event profile of this regimen was comparable with that of sorafenib monotherapy with the exception of thrombocytopenia, which may be more frequent. There were no increases in the circulating VEGF levels after TACE with this combined regimen. (Swiss Association for the Study of the Liver study number 25; ClinicalTrials.gov trial identifier, NCT00478374).
Crossing the Severn estuary, UK: challenges past and present
Authors: Bradley E. T.
Published: October 2010

Today the Severn estuary in the UK is increasingly a focus of discussion with the latest debate surrounding a potential barrage. The use of tidal power was a key issue with rising oil prices in the 1970s and it is now even more so in view of the threat from global climate change, consequential rising sea levels and the growing demand for increasingly scarce resources. This paper considers earlier experiences of crossing the Severn estuary. The paper looks at associated studies and, in particular, at experience from the Second Severn Crossing, to identify the challenges that were encountered, what may be learnt from them, and how the procurement and statutory process can assist. Issues that may be relevant to a Severn barrage and other mega projects are explored in the hope that the information provided might prove helpful.
Effectiveness of the Salivary Occult Blood Test as a Screening Method for Periodontal Status
Authors: Shimazaki Yoshihiro , Akifusa Sumio , Takeshita Toru , Shibata Yukie , Doi Yasufumi , Hata Jun , Ninomiya Toshiharu , Hirakawa Yoichiro , Kiyohara Yutaka , Yamashita Yoshihisa
Published: November 2010

Background: Community‐based periodontal examinations are not popular despite the high prevalence of periodontal disease among adults. This study examines the effectiveness of a novel salivary occult blood test (SOBT) as a screening method for periodontal status.

Methods: Comprehensive health examinations were conducted in adult residents aged ≥40 years in Hisayama, Fukuoka, Japan; 1,998 subjects, each with ≥20 teeth, were analyzed. A paper test strip was used to perform the SOBT and was followed by a periodontal examination. Results were ranked as negative or positive. Subjects with ≥15% of teeth with bleeding on probing (BOP) or ≥1 tooth with a probing depth (PD) ≥4 mm were defined as having a poor periodontal status. The relationship between the results of the SOBT and periodontal parameters and among other variables was examined.

Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the SOBT in screening for poor periodontal status were 0.72 and 0.52, respectively. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the results of the SOBT were significantly associated with the proportion of teeth with BOP and the proportion of teeth with PD ≥4 mm, independent of age, sex, use of antihypertensive medication, use of antidiabetic medication or insulin therapy, and the number of decayed or filled teeth.

Conclusion: The SOBT may offer a simple screening method for periodontal status when a thorough periodontal examination is not possible, although it is not sufficiently specific to be a reasonable substitute for a periodontal examination.
Benchmark Simulation Model No 2: finalisation of plant layout and default control strategy
Authors: Nopens I. , Benedetti L. , Jeppsson U. , Pons M.-N. , Alex J. , Copp J. B. , Gernaey K. V. , Rosen C. , Steyer J.-P. , Vanrolleghem P. A.
Published: November 2010

The COST/IWA Benchmark Simulation Model No 1 (BSM1) has been available for almost a decade. Its primary purpose has been to create a platform for control strategy benchmarking of activated sludge processes. The fact that the research work related to the benchmark simulation models has resulted in more than 300 publications worldwide demonstrates the interest in and need of such tools within the research community. Recent efforts within the IWA Task Group on “Benchmarking of control strategies for WWTPs” have focused on an extension of the benchmark simulation model. This extension aims at facilitating control strategy development and performance evaluation at a plant-wide level and, consequently, includes both pretreatment of wastewater as well as the processes describing sludge treatment. The motivation for the extension is the increasing interest and need to operate and control wastewater treatment systems not only at an individual process level but also on a plant-wide basis. To facilitate the changes, the evaluation period has been extended to one year. A prolonged evaluation period allows for long-term control strategies to be assessed and enables the use of control handles that cannot be evaluated in a realistic fashion in the one week BSM1 evaluation period. In this paper, the finalised plant layout is summarised and, as was done for BSM1, a default control strategy is proposed. A demonstration of how BSM2 can be used to evaluate control strategies is also given.
Quantification of organic and nitrogen removal in downflow hanging sponge (DHS) systems as a post-treatment of UASB effluent
Authors: Wichitsathian B. , Racho P.
Published: November 2010

The aim of this research was to investigate the nature and composition of organic substrate in two down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) systems using mixed fungal (FDHS) and bacterial (BDHS) cultures treatment for UASB effluent of tapioca starch wastewater, evaluated by COD fractionations and two material balances. The random type DHS reactors were operated as modular columns consisting of four identical segments connected vertically. Results of the wastewater characterization showed that carbonaceous fractions were varied on a function of DHS height. Two balances applied to experimental data were for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrogen (N). Results of mass balance calculations can also be used to examine the process behavior of two DHS systems to improve the organic and nitrogen removal mechanisms.
Membrane foulants and fouling mechanisms in microfiltration and ultrafiltration of an activated sludge effluent
Authors: Nguyen S. T. , Roddick F. A. , Harris J. L.
Published: November 2010

Membrane fouling in microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) of an activated sludge (AS) effluent was investigated. It was found that the major membrane foulants were polysaccharides, proteins, polysaccharide-like and protein-like materials and humic substances. MF fouling by the raw effluent was governed by pore adsorption of particles smaller than the pores during the first 30 minutes of filtration and then followed the cake filtration model. UF fouling could be described by the cake filtration model throughout the course of filtration. Coagulation with alum and (poly)aluminium chlorohydrate (ACH) altered the MF fouling mechanism to follow the cake filtration model from the beginning of filtration. The MF and UF flux improvement by coagulation was due to the removal of some of the foulants in the raw AS effluent by the coagulants. The MF flux improvement was greater for alum than for ACH whereas the two coagulants performed equally well in UF. Coagulation also reduced hydraulically irreversible fouling on the membranes and this effect was more prominent in MF than in UF. The unified membrane fouling index (UMFI) was used to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of coagulation on membrane flux enhancement.
How Old Am I? Perceived Age in Middle and Later Life
Authors: Ward Russell A.
Published: November 2010

Literatures on perceived age and developmental issues in middle and later life are joined in analyzing perceived age and its implications for well-being. Respondents aged 40–74 ( N = 2,696) are drawn from the national MIDUS survey, containing developmental variables such as personal growth and insight into past. People generally “feel” ( felt age) and would “like” ( ideal age) to be younger, but these exhibit different predictors and outcomes. Younger felt age is associated with positive developmental assessments and enhanced well-being, whereas younger ideal age is associated with less positive assessments and lower well-being. The association between felt age and well-being is moderated by developmental assessments. The contrasting patterns exhibited by felt age and ideal age reflect the complexities of age perceptions. It is suggested that felt age entails perceptions of current circumstances as they relate to expectations about aging, whereas ideal age reflects a comparative overview of the life cycle.
Optimal Farmer Choice of Marketing Channels in the Ethiopian Banana Market
Authors: Woldie Getachew Abebe
Published: October 2010

In this paper, we propose an optimal marketing decision model in the context of poor agrarian economies. We consider a risk averse banana producer who faces an optimal allocation decision on how much to sell to a cooperative vis-à-vis private traders. To validate the model, a numerical exercise was undertaken using farm-gate transaction data. The overall result suggests that under different risk scenarios, an optimal earning is obtained if a farmer allocates 70 to 85 percent of his produce to a cooperative and the rest in the private market. Any allocation more than 85 percent or less than 70 percent is likely to result in a sub-optimal solution given the current market structure and price setting.
An Exploratory Study of Spiritual Dimensions Among Nursing Students
Authors: Wehmer Mary A , Quinn Griffin Mary T , White Ann H. , Fitzpatrick Joyce J.
Published: October 2010

This exploratory descriptive study of spiritual experiences, well-being, and practices was conducted among 126 nursing students. Participants reported a higher level of spiritual well-being and life scheme than self-efficacy for well-being and life-scheme. Thus, students appeared to view the world and their role in it slightly more positively than their ability to affect their lives and make decisions. The students reported the most frequent spiritual experiences as being thankful for blessings; the next most frequent spiritual experiences having a desire to be close to God, feeling a selfless caring for others, and finding comfort in ones religion and spirituality. Students used both conventional and unconventional spiritual practices. Further study is necessary to study the relationship among spiritual practices, daily spiritual experiences, and spiritual well-being among nursing students and to evaluate these before and after implementation of specific educational offerings focused on spirituality and spiritual care in nursing.
Anticancer Activity of Guava (Psidium guajava) Extracts
Authors: Sato Ryan , Dang Karen M. , McPherson Bernard G. , Brown Amy C.
Published: November 2010

A literature search was conducted on Medline for research articles relating guava (Psidium guajava) to cancer, in order to determine any potential anticancer activity. The keyword "guava was used in combination with cross-referencing (1952 to September, 2010). A total of 373 articles on guava resulted of which 12 were related to cancer. These were then categorized into 1) seven studies on in vitro cancer cell line studies with leaf extracts, 2) five studies on in vitro studies with fruit extract, and 3) one in vivo mouse study. The majority of remaining articles covered chemical constituents and potential bioactives related to anticancer activity found in guava leaves, fruit and bark. Our review revealed that guava extracts (primarily leaf) may have anti-cancer activity, but this is based on a very limited number studies. There was only one study testing guava fruit extract against the proliferation of cancer cell lines. The one in vivo study on mice suggested that a combination bark, leaf and root extract inhibited growth of B16 melanoma cells. Further studies need to confirm the potential antiproliferative activity of guava leaf (or its oil) extracts, but more importantly, if such activity exists in the fruit, which is the part of the plant that is consumed.
Bio-Evaluation of Two Red Seaweeds for Their Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activities In Vitro
Authors: Vinayak Rashmi C , A.S. Sabu , Chatterji Anil
Published: November 2010

This article evaluates the cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of the seaweeds Amphiroa fragilissima and Asparigopsis taxiformis methanolic extracts in-vitro. The aim of this study was to test the selected red seaweed extracts for their cytotoxic activity by Brine shrimp lethality assay and antioxidant properties by in-vitro free radical scavenging assays such as, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, reducing power assay, and metal ion chelating assay. Also, the total phenolic content (TPC) of the seaweed extracts was also determined. In the brine shrimp lethality test, A. fragilissima and A. taxiformis demonstrated mild cytotoxic activity of 53.33 ± 2.58 and 58.33 ± 2.58 % at the highest concentration of 0.5mg/ml and 24 h incubation time. The total phenolic content of both the seaweed extracts were expressed as mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/ gram dry seaweed extract and consecutively decreased as follows: A. taxiformis (8.521 ± 0.284) > A. fragilissima (8.220 ± 0.214). Percent DPPH radical scavenging activities of the two studied red seaweed extracts were dose dependant and was highest in the extract of A. fragilissima (IC50 2.89 ± 0.061 mg/ml) when compared to A. taxiformis (IC50 3.38 ± 0.042 mg/ml), although none showed comparable activity to the standard ascorbic acid (ICM50 0.07 ± 0.002 mg/ml). Reducing power in seaweed methanolic extracts at all concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 and 2.0 mg/ml decreased in the order of BHT > A. fragilissima > A. taxiformis. The metal ion chelating efficacy was the highest in A. fragilissima (IC501.27 ± 0.018 mg/ml) followed by A. taxiformis (IC50 2.37 ± 0.172 mg/ml), respectively. The present study exemplifies that the methanolic extracts of Amphiroa fragilissima and Asparigopsis taxiformis have notable cytotoxic and antioxidant activities in in-vitro assay systems.
The Idea of Socratic Contestation and the Right to Justification: The Point of Rights-Based Proportionality Review
Authors: Kumm Mattias
Published: October 2010

The institutionalization of a rights-based proportionality review shares a number of salient features and puzzles with the practice of contestation that the Socrates of the early Platonic dialogues became famous for. Understanding the point of Socratic contestation, and its role in a democratic polity, is also the key to understanding the point of proportionality based rights review. To begin with, when judges decide cases within the proportionality framework they do not primarily interpret authority. They assess reasons. Not surprisingly, they, like Socrates, have been prone to the charge that they offend the values and traditions of the community.The article discusses four types of pathologies that occasionally infect democratic decision-making that rights-based proportionality review is particularly suited to identify. But more basic and equally important is a second kind of justification: Proportionality-based judicial review institutionalizes a right to contest the acts of public authorities and demand a public reasons-based justification. Having a legal remedy that allows for the contestation of acts by public authorities before an impartial and independent court and demanding its justification in terms of public reason is as basic a commitment of liberal democracy as the right to vote. The real question is not whether judicial review is democratically legitimate, but how judicial institutions ought to be structured to best serve their democracy-enhancing and rights protecting purpose. If Socrates was right to insist that the practice of contestation he engaged in deserves the highest praise in a democratic polity, it is equally true that a well structured and appropriately embedded court engaged in rights based proportionality review deserves to be embraced as a vital element of liberal constitutional democracy.
Incommensurability, Proportionality, and Rational Legal Decision-Making
Authors: Veel Paul-Erik N
Published: October 2010

Courts frequently engage in the weighing of competing values; perhaps most obviously, such balancing constitutes an integral aspect of proportionality analysis in many states constitutional law. However, such balancing raises a difficult theoretical question: What does it mean that one value outweighs another in any particular case? If the values at issue are incommensurable  as they often will be  such balancing may appear to break down. As Justice Scalia has stated, balancing in the presence of incommensurable values is more like judging whether a particular line is longer than a particular rock is heavy. It may appear that if a judge is asked in a particular case to decide, for example, whether a state interest is sufficiently strong to justify the limitation of a constitutional right, he will be forced to a) either abandon the notion of a genuine plurality of values, or b) make an arbitrary decision.This article argues that neither of these options need be accepted and that rational choice is indeed possible in the presence of incommensurable values. Specifically, it contends that the Nash bargaining solution provides a means, at least in certain circumstances, of rationally understanding and undertaking the weighing of distinct and mutually irreducible values which adjudication frequently requires. The Nash framework can both elucidate proportionality analysis by providing a social choice-based framework for understanding the structure of proportionality analysis and also justify proportionality analysis by demonstrating that the weighing of competing values is not necessarily mere judicial hand-waving.
Proportionality in International Law
Authors: Franck Thomas M.
Published: October 2010

Across a broad range of subjects, there is now wide agreement that the principle of proportionality governs the extent to which a provocation may lawfully be countered by what might otherwise be an unlawful response. That is the central role assigned to proportionality in international law and it is deeply rooted in the cultural history of societies. However, if the core institutions of a legal system are too weak to be relied upon to take remedial action against wrongdoers, then they must at least be authorized to license appropriate action by the wronged party and to insure that its response remains within prescribed parameters.The practice described in this essay demonstrates that a high degree of accord is emerging across a broad range of issues to the appropriate standards by which the proportionality of countermeasures can be assessed. The practice of various institutions authorized to render second opinions as to the compliance with those standards is gradually narrowing the range of indeterminacy inherent in the term proportionality. Some of this case law has been disappointingly episodic. The well-crafted second opinion, through its precision, its invocation of precedent, and its careful weighing of the probity of the facts presented to it, deepens and narrows the jurisprudential stream while strengthening its embankments.If applied in practice through second opinions rendered by legitimate institutions, proportionality is an example of an indeterminate principle becoming gradually empowered to provide persuasive answers to difficult questions and, thereby, case by case, building the objective determinacy of the principle.
Thin or Thick? The Principle of Proportionality and International Humanitarian Law
Authors: Nolte Georg
Published: October 2010

Proportionality, as a concept, does not contain any inherent standards, but rather refers to a proper balance between all relevant factors. It is nevertheless necessary to make analytical distinctions that help identify the premises of its application within different contexts. This is particularly true for an area like international humanitarian law in which a proper focusing of the principle of proportionality is crucial. This article suggests that the distinction between a thin and a thick approach is a helpful analytical tool depending on the number and the character of factors to be taken into account in the application of the principle of proportionality. The judgment of the Supreme Court of Israel on the permissibility of targeted killings is used to exemplify the drawbacks and advantages of both approaches.
Citizenship and Its Erosion: Transfer of Populated Territory and Oath of Allegiance in the Prism of Israeli Constitutional Law
Authors: Saban Ilan
Published: October 2010

This article discusses two issues of majority-minority relations in deeply divided societies. The first is the legitimacy of the transfer of a homeland minority (or a part of it)  along with the territory it inhabits  to a neighboring kin-state against the will of the minority or most of its members. The second is the constitutional validity of legislation that renders citizenship or the right to vote contingent upon an oath of allegiance to the state or to its fundamental attributes. These two interrelated steps, advanced by a central partner in the current government coalition in Israel, are aimed at the Arab-Palestinian minority. This articles main focus is the examination of Israeli constitutional law safeguards that may prevent the implementation of these initiatives, which I find to be very dangerous.
Digital Divides in Urban E‐Government in South Korea: Exploring Differences in Municipalities' Use of the Internet for Environmental Governance
Authors: Lim Joon Hyoung
Published: October 2010

The digital divide eclipses the innovative potential of Internet technologies for environmental governance. This study explores the determinants of discrepancies across city government websites in their capability to support environmental information and communication. Drawing insights from prior research, hypotheses were developed to examine the effects of organizational factors and community characteristics on the adoption of website features addressing environmental issues. A multiple regression analysis was conducted on data collected from South Korean municipalities. The urban e‐government divide was significantly associated with senior officials' innovative leadership, the size of available financial and human resources, and the richness of environmental groups. To bridge the e‐government divide at the local level, this study underlines the need for a collaborative partnership between the central and local governments and community efforts in the cultivation of social capital.
E‐Governance Policies for Interoperability and Open Standards
Authors: DeNardis Laura
Published: October 2010

Information and communication technology standards are increasingly intertwined with functions that are paradigmatic responsibilities of governments. The degree of openness in technical standards can have public policy implications in several areas: a nation's innovation and competition policy; the ability of governments to efficiently and cost effectively perform services such as national security, disaster response, and e‐Health administration; and the ways in which standards serve as a form of regulation making decisions such as the extent of user privacy on the Internet. Because of these possible policy implications, governments have a vested interest in promoting open technical standards adhering to principles of transparency, cost efficiency, and interoperability. This paper examines various possibilities for governments to engage with information and communication technology standardization (e.g., development, regulation, funding, adoption) and ultimately recommends that governments, as significant parts of technology markets, can exert market influence, as well as provide efficient e‐Governance functions, through procurement policies that promote open standards, often through electronic government interoperability frameworks (e‐GIFs) specifying information technology standards for e‐Governance infrastructures. These procurement policies are the least interventionist of possible roles for governments in standardization because they do not mandate that private industry adopt particular standards and do not intervene directly in the standards‐development process. Drawing from roundtable discussions with government officials at the United Nations Development Programme's Global Meeting on Government Interoperability Frameworks in Brazil, this paper surveys a number of existing government interoperability frameworks (Brazil, the European Union, Japan, and South Africa) and recommends best practices for these emerging e‐Governance frameworks.
A New Frontier in Digital Content Policy: Case Studies in the Regulation of Virtual Goods and Artificial Scarcity
Authors: Lehdonvirta Vili , Virtanen Perttu
Published: October 2010

Millions of people around the world are spending billions of euros per year on virtual items, characters and currencies in online games, social networking sites, and other digital hangouts. In this paper, we examine this shift in consumer behavior and business models from a public policy perspective. We present three case studies to examine the key policy issues that virtual goods are giving rise to, and analyze some of the regulatory responses that have been effected so far: judicial protection of the possession of virtual goods in Finland and the Netherlands, statutory regulation of virtual goods trade in Korea, and application of consumer protection law to virtual goods sales in Finland. As with the debate over copyright, the first big content policy debate of the digital era, this new digital policy debate tends to pit individual consumers and entrepreneurs against the interests of publishers and established public policy. However, the roles are curiously reversed: it is not the publishers but the consumers who demand that pieces of digital content be respected as property, and turn to courts to enforce their view. While copyright and virtual goods both aim to impose artificial scarcity on non‐rivalrous matter, copyright is designed to provide economic incentives to producers, while in virtual goods scarcity provides benefits to consumers directly.
Regulatory Federalism in the Age of Broadband: A U.S. Perspective
Authors: Santorelli Michael J.
Published: October 2010

Broadband is poised to transform many sectors of the economy in the United States. Indeed, the federal government, via the President, Congress, and the Federal Communications Commission, has identified this technology as a key tool for realizing an array of “national purposes,” including fundamental changes to how healthcare, energy, education, and an array of other services are delivered to and consumed by citizens. However, as broadband begins to inure itself into the business models of services that are largely regulated by the states, novel questions regarding the proper scope of regulatory federalism—that is, the ways in which federal and state government share oversight of a wide range of industries, from telecommunications to energy to healthcare—are likely to arise. This article examines the historical balance of federalism in the regulation of communications services, healthcare, and energy, identifies novel issues that have arisen and that are likely to arise as broadband is used to transform these services, and proposes a framework for efficiently and effectively addressing these issues.
Editorial
Authors: Margetts Helen Z
Published: October 2010

This editorial introduces the articles in the third issue of volume two of Policy & Internet.
Endoscopic treatment for early stage colorectal tumors: The comparison between EMR with small incision, simplified ESD, and ESD using the standard Flush knife and the ball tipped Flush knife
Authors: Toyonaga T. , Man-i M. , Chinzei R. , Takada N. , Iwata Y. , Morita Y. , Sanuki T. , Yoshida M. , Fujita T. , Kutsumi H. , Hayakumo T. , Inokuchi H. , Azuma T.
Published: November 2010

BACKGROUND: Early stage colorectal tumors can be removed by endoscopic mucosal resection but larger such tumors (>20mm) may require piecemeal resection. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) using newly developed endoknives has enabled en-block resection of lesions regardless of size and shape. However ESD for colorectal tumor is technically difficult. Therefore, we performed EMR with small incision (EMR with SI) for more reliable EMR, ESD with snaring (simplified ESD) and ESD using thestandard Flush knife and the novel ball tipped Flush knife (Flush knife BT) for easier and safer colorectal ESD. AIMS: The aims of our study were 1) to compare the treatment results of the following 3 methods (EMR with SI/simplified ESD/ ESD) for early stage colorectal tumors, and 2) to assess the performance of Flush knife BT in colorectal ESD. METHODS: We treated 24/44/468 colorectal tumors and examined the clinicopathological features and treatment results such as tumor size, resected specimen size, procedure time, en-bloc resection rate, complication rate. We also treated 58 colorectal tumors (LST-NG:20, LST-G:36, other:2) using standard Flush knife and 80 colorectal tumors (LST-NG:32, LSTG: 44, other:2) using Flush knife BT, and examined the clinicopathological features and treatment results mentioned above and also the procedure speed. RESULT: The median tumor size (mm) (EMR with SI/ simplified EMR/ESD) was 20/17/30 (EMR with SI vs. simplified ESD:p=n.s, simplified ESD vs. ESD:p< 0.0001). The median resected specimen size (mm) was 22.5/26 /41 (EMR with SI vs. simplified ESD: p=0.0018, simplified ESD vs. ESD: p<0.0001). The procedure time (min.) was 19/27/60 (EMR with SI vs. simplified ESD: p=n.s, simplified ESD vs. ESD: p< 0.0001) The en-block resection rate (%) was 83.3/90.9 /98.9. The complication rate (post-operative bleeding rate/perforation rate) was 0/0, 2.3/4.5, 1.5/1.5 (simplified ESD vs. ESD : p=n.s). In the treatment results of ESD for LSTs by knives, there was no difference between standard Flush knife and Flush knife BT for clinicopathological features and treatment results (procedure time, complication rate and en bloc R0 resection rate). However, procedure speed (cm2/min.) of LST-G was significantly faster in the Flush knife BT than in standard Flush knife. (standard Flush knife: 0.21 vs. Flush knife BT: 0.27, p= 0.034). CONCLUSION: EMR with small incision (EMR with SI) and ESD with snaring (simplified ESD) are good option to fill the gap between EMR and ESD in the colorectum, and also considered to become the nice training for the introduction of ESD. Flush knife BT appears to improve procedure speed compared with standard Flush knife, especially for LST-G in colorectal ESD.
Association of a Fasting Glucose Genetic Risk Score With Subclinical Atherosclerosis
Authors: Rasmussen-Torvik Laura J. , Li Man , Kao Wen H. , Couper David , Boerwinkle Eric , Bielinski Suzette J. , Folsom Aaron R. , Pankow James S.
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVE

Elevated fasting glucose level is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis. It is unclear if this association is causal. Using the principle of Mendelian randomization, we sought to explore the causal association between circulating glucose and IMT by examining the association of a genetic risk score with IMT.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The sample was drawn from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and included 7,260 nondiabetic Caucasian individuals with IMT measurements and relevant genotyping. Components of the fasting glucose genetic risk score (FGGRS) were selected from a fasting glucose genome-wide association study in ARIC. The score was created by combining five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs780094 [GCKR], rs560887 [G6PC2], rs4607517 [GCK], rs13266634 [SLC30A8], and rs10830963 [MTNR1B]) and weighting each SNP by its strength of association with fasting glucose. IMT was measured through bilateral carotid ultrasound. Mean IMT was regressed on the FGGRS and on the component SNPs, individually.

RESULTS

The FGGRS was significantly associated (P = 0.009) with mean IMT. The difference in IMT predicted by a 1 SD increment in the FGGRS (0.0048 mm) was not clinically relevant but was larger than would have been predicted based on observed associations between the FFGRS, fasting glucose, and IMT. Additional adjustment for baseline measured glucose in regression models attenuated the association by about one third.

CONCLUSIONS

The significant association of the FGGRS with IMT suggests a possible causal association of elevated fasting glucose with atherosclerosis, although it may be that these loci influence IMT through nonglucose pathways.
Treatment of adverse drug reactions in a dermatology department
Authors: Ganeva Maria , Gancheva Tanya , Baldaranov Ivan , Troeva Jeni , Hristakieva Evgenya
Published: November 2010

The aim of the study was to evaluate the pattern of utilization of systemic drugs used in the management of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) leading to hospitalization. A prospective pharmacovigilance study was carried out among patients admitted to the Clinic of Dermatology and Venereology in Stara Zagora (July 1999–June 2009). ADRs were classified by type, severity and causality. Casecausality was scored according to Naranjo et al. (1981). Drug utilization was measured in defined daily doses (DDDs) per 100 hospital bed days. A total of 144 cutaneous ADRs, predominantly “type B” were the reason for hospitalization. Highest utilization for the management of ADRs was found for the drug groups “Blood and blood forming organs” (406.08 DDDs/100 bed days) and “Respiratory system” (111.15 DDDs/100 bed days). The use of DDD for measuring drug utilization reveals the importance of drug-induced exacerbations of chronic skin diseases like psoriasis which were associated with significant utilization of drugs belonging to the group “Blood and blood forming organs”. Considering the low preventability of “type B” ADRs, our findings suggest that potential reduction of drug-related hospitalizations may be achieved through the rational use of drugs in patients with comorbidities.
Barriers and Benefits of Investments into Enterprise Content Management Systems
Authors: Kunstová Renáta
Published: October 2010

Barriers and Benefits of Investments into Enterprise Content Management Systems

This paper reviews the development and changes in the processing of large volumes of unstructured information. Author focuses on Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system and identifies three periods of its evolution. During this time ECM evolved to be high-quality and widely available technology, but many organisations have still not implemented ECM systems. The paper contains findings of a survey about the barriers and benefits of adoption of ECM systems, conducted in February 2010 in various organisations in Czech Republic.
Authentic Leadership in Contemporary Slovenian Business Environment: Explanatory Case Study of HERMES SoftLab
Authors: Dimovski Vlado , Grah Barbara , Penger Sandra , Peterlin Judita
Published: October 2010

Authentic Leadership in Contemporary Slovenian Business Environment: Explanatory Case Study of HERMES SoftLab

The paper explores the authentic leadership in learning organization in Slovenian business environment. The purpose of the paper is to present relationship between authentic leadership and learning organization. Main research thesis is focused on characteristics of authentic leadership in company HERMES SoftLab. The main thesis of this paper is that authentic leadership in learning organization enables the growth of leaders in organizational surroundings through a constant dedication to authenticity and organizational learning that will be explored through the qualitative research method of case study research approach. Key research finding is that authentic leaders can be identified in company HERMES SoftLab and that there is a mutual influence between learning organization and authentic leadership. Therefore, the main research finding is that the learning organization leverages the authentic leadership, which in turn leverages the learning organization.
Providing the Success of Six Sigma by Proper Project Identification and Selection: Comparison Study between Slovenia and the UK
Authors: Gošnik Dušan , Bertoncelj Andrej
Published: October 2010

Providing the Success of Six Sigma by Proper Project Identification and Selection: Comparison Study between Slovenia and the UK

Results of Six Sigma projects are related to company performance. Successful Six Sigma projects increase customer satisfaction and have many other positive effects on organisations. Success of Six Sigma projects is related to key management decision about how to identify potential projects and which projects to select for final implementation. This research is oriented toward the study of tools used in the phase of Six Sigma project identification and criteria used in the phase of Six Sigma project selection. The purpose of this research is to compare results from manufacturing sector in Slovenia and the UK. Results of this study indicate that management within the organisations tend to identify potential Six Sigma projects with the use of different tools, such as: brainstorming (Slovenia and UK.), followed by Critical To Quality tree (UK.), and interviews and customer visits (Slovenia). Further, the results show that the final decision about Six Sigma projects selection in the UK and Slovenia include different criteria, such as: customer benefit (Slovenia and UK), finance impact (UK) and connection to business strategy (Slovenia). Many companies in the UK as well in Slovenia combine the use of tools and balanced selection criteria at the same time.
Product Safety in the European Union
Authors: Gondárová Jana , Kováčová Natália , Štefaňák Peter
Published: October 2010

Product Safety in the European Union

In the field of product safety, common Community rules are designed, part of which is also a rapid exchange of information on consumer products that threaten health and safety of consumers - RAPEX. This thesis explains working of RAPEX and analyzes the data of the annual reports of 2008 and 2009. The next part of thesis describes The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed that is actually one of the most important tools in ensuring food and feed safety. Its main purpose is to inform members of the system if there are products dangerous for human health on the market, to ensure a rapid action.
The Benefits of Applying CRM Systems in Manufacturing Enterprises - Lessons from Practice
Authors: Oreský Milan
Published: October 2010

The Benefits of Applying CRM Systems in Manufacturing Enterprises - Lessons from Practice

Article contribution is to present in compound form results of survey about CRM systems performance, with orientation to exploitation of CRM software solutions, their assets towards development of relationships with customers and impact on company economic results. We state, how perceive CRM concept personnel within several companies also reasons of CRM system implementation and what are expectations. Major part of article is valuation of CRM system and its performance in production companies.
Pancreatic Cancer Biomarkers and Their Implication in Cancer Diagnosis and Epidemiology
Authors: Verma Mukesh
Published: November 2010

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Biomarkers are needed to detect this cancer early during the disease development and for screening populations to identify those who are at risk. In cancer, “biomarker” refers to a substance or process that is indicative of the presence of cancer in the body. A biomarker might be either a molecule secreted by a tumor or it can be a specific response of the body to the presence of cancer. Genetic, epigenetic, proteomic, glycomic, and imaging biomarkers can be used for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and epidemiology. A number of potential biomarkers have been identified for pancreatic cancer. These markers can be assayed in non-invasively collected biofluids. These biomarkers need analytical and clinical validation so that they can be used for the purpose of screening and diagnosing pancreatic cancer and determining disease prognosis. In this article, the latest developments in pancreatic cancer biomarkers are discussed.
Elevated Oestrogen Receptor Splice Variant ERαΔ5 Expression in Tumour-adjacent Hormone-responsive Tissue
Authors: Taylor Siân E. , Patel Imran I. , Singh Paras B. , Nicholson Caroline M. , Stringfellow Helen F. , Krishna R. K. Gopala , Matanhelia Shyam S. , Martin-Hirsch Pierre L. , Martin Francis L.
Published: November 2010

Susceptibility to prostate or endometrial cancer is linked with obesity, a state of oestrogen excess. Oestrogen receptor (ER) splice variants may be responsible for the tissue-level of ER activity. Such micro-environmental regulation may modulate cancer initiation and/or progression mechanisms. Real-time reverse transcriptase (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to quantitatively assess the levels of four ER splice variants (ERαΔ3, ERαΔ5, ERβ2 and ERβ5), plus the full-length parent isoforms ERα and ERβ1, in high-risk [tumour-adjacent prostate (n = 10) or endometrial cancer (n = 9)] vs. low-risk [benign prostate (n = 12) or endometrium (n = 9)], as well as a comparison of UK (n = 12) vs. Indian (n = 15) benign prostate. All three tissue groups expressed the ER splice variants at similar levels, apart from ERαΔ5. This splice variant was markedly raised in all of the tumour-adjacent prostate samples compared to benign tissues. Immunofluorescence analysis for ERβ2 in prostate tissue demonstrated that such splice variants are present in comparable, if not greater, amounts as the parent full-length isoform. This small pilot study demonstrates the ubiquitous nature of ER splice variants in these tissue sites and suggests that ERαΔ5 may be involved in progression of prostate adenocarcinoma.
Relationships among the A Genomes of Triticum L. Species as Evidenced by SSR Markers, in Iran
Authors: Ehtemam Mohammad Hosein , Rahiminejad Mohammad Reza , Saeidi Hojjatollah , Tabatabaei Badraldin Ebrahim Sayed , Krattinger Simon G. , Keller Beat
Published: November 2010

The relationships among 55 wheat accessions (47 accessions collected from Iran and eight accessions provided by the Institute of Plant Biology of the University of Zurich, Switzerland) belonging to eight species carrying A genome (Triticum monococcum L., T. boeoticum Boiss., T. urartu Tumanian ex Gandilyan, T. durum Desf., T. turgidum L., T. dicoccum Schrank ex Schübler, T. dicoccoides (Körn. ex Asch. & Graebner) Schweinf. and T. aestivum L.) were evaluated using 31 A genome specific microsatellite markers. A high level of polymorphism was observed among the accessions studied (PIC = 0.77). The highest gene diversity was revealed among T. durum genotypes, while the lowest genetic variation was found in T. dicoccoides accessions. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed a significant genetic variance (75.56%) among these accessions, representing a high intra-specific genetic diversity within Triticum taxa in Iran. However, such a variance was not observed among their ploidy levels. Based on the genetic similarity analysis, the accessions collected from Iran were divided into two main groups: diploids and polyploids. The genetic similarity among the diploid and polyploid species was 0.85 and 0.89 respectively. There were no significant differences in A genome diversity from different geographic regions. Based on the genetic diversity analyses, we consider there is value in a greater sampling of each species in Iran to discover useful genes for breeding purposes.
Effect of Elatol, Isolated from Red Seaweed Laurencia dendroidea, on Leishmania amazonensis
Authors: Santos Adriana Oliveira dos , Veiga-Santos Phercyles , Ueda-Nakamura Tânia , Filho Benedito Prado Dias , Sudatti Daniela Bueno , Bianco Éverson Miguel , Pereira Renato Crespo , Nakamura Celso Vataru
Published: November 2010

In the present study, we investigated the antileishmanial activity of sesquiterpene elatol, the major constituent of the Brazilian red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea (Hudson) J.V. Lamouroux, against L. amazonensis. Elatol after 72 h of treatment, showed an IC50 of 4.0 µM and 0.45 µM for promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms of L. amazonensis, respectively. By scanning and transmission electron microscopy, parasites treated with elatol revealed notable changes compared with control cells, including: pronounced swelling of the mitochondrion; appearance of concentric membrane structures inside the organelle; destabilization of the plasma membrane; and formation of membrane structures, apparently an extension of the endoplasmic reticulum, which is suggestive of an autophagic process. A cytotoxicity assay showed that the action of the isolated compound is more specific for protozoa, and it is not toxic to macrophages. Our studies indicated that elatol is a potent antiproliferative agent against promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms, and may have important advantages for the development of new anti-leishamanial chemotherapies.
α-Lithiation and Electrophilic Substitution of 1,4,4-Trimethyl-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2-one
Authors: Sébastien Bouclé , Jérôme Guillard , Marie-Claude Viaud-Massuard
Published: November 2010

Treatment of 1,4,4-trimethyl-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one (2) with lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) followed by a wide range of electrophiles give the corresponding 4,4-dimethyl-3-substituted-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2-ones 3-13, providing a very mild electrophilic substitution of the 4,4-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline core.