bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pathological findings and prostate‐specific antigen outcomes after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for high‐risk prostate cancer
Authors: Ploussard Guillaume , Salomon Laurent , Allory Yves , Terry Stéphane , Vordos Dimitri , Hoznek Andreas , Abbou Claude‐Clément , Vacherot Francis , De La Taille Alexandre 
Published: November 2009

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4OBJECTIVETo review the biochemical recurrence‐free survival (RFS) rates of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) in patients with a high risk of disease progression as defined by preoperative criteria of D’Amico et al.PATIENTS AND METHODSBetween October 2000 and May 2008, 110 patients had extraperitoneal LRP and bilateral pelvic lymph node sampling for high‐risk prostate cancer in our department. High‐risk prostate cancer was defined as a prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level of >20 ng/mL, and/or a biopsy Gleason score ≥8, and/or a clinical stage of T2c–T4 stage. The median follow‐up was 37.6 months. Risk factors for time to biochemical recurrence were tested using log‐rank survivorship analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression.RESULTSProstate cancer was organ‐confined in 36% of patients; the Overall RFS was 79.4% and 69.8% at 1 and 3 years, respectively. The 3‐year RFS rates for organ‐confined cancer vs extracapsular extension were 100% and 54.3%, respectively (P < 0.001). The 3‐year RFS rates for tumour‐free seminal vesicle vs seminal vesicle invasion were 81.8% and 33.6%, respectively (P < 0.001). The 3‐year RFS rates for negative surgical margins vs positive were 85.2% and 47.3%, respectively (P = 0.001). Compared with men with any single pathological risk factor or any two risk factors, men with all three risk factors had a significantly shorter time to PSA failure after LRP (log‐rank test, P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONAmong patients at increased risk of disease progression as defined by preoperative criteria, a third of men with organ‐confined disease have a favourable prognosis. Men at high risk for early PSA failure could be better identified by pathological assessment of RP specimens, and selected for phase III randomized trials investigating adjuvant systemic treatment.
IMMIGRATION, TRANSNATIONALISM AND ‘FLEXIBLE CITIZENSHIP’ IN CANADA: AN EXAMINATION OF ONG'S THESIS TEN YEARS ON
Authors: WATERS JOHANNA L. 
Published: November 2009

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the relationship between transnationalism and belonging, with particular reference to Ong's concept of ‘flexible citizenship’, ten years after it was first articulated. It asks ‘to what extent is Ong's work still relevant for the contemporary experiences of transnational migrants?’ With a focus on research in Canada, I argue that, contrary to their ‘flexible’ intentions, transnational immigrants often demonstrate a high level of local civic involvement and a localised sense of identity in the ‘new’ country, even when continuing to practice transnationalism on a daily basis. In addition, the paper contributes to debates around the relationship between transnationalism and integration over time. It draws upon an indepth qualitative study of immigrant women over eight years to examine the extent of their transnational activities and feelings of belonging. It concludes that while the notion of flexible citizenship would in many cases seem to describe accurately the objectives of Chinese immigrants to Canada, it is perhaps less salient in relation to some of their experiences.
ARGUMENTS FROM NOTHING: GOD AND QUANTUM COSMOLOGY
Authors: Cahoone Lawrence 
Published: November 2009

Abstract.This essay explores a simple argument for a Ground of Being, objections to it, and limitations on it. It is nonsensical to refer to Nothing in the sense of utter absence, hence nothing can be claimed to come from Nothing. If, as it seems, the universe, or any physical ensemble containing it, is past‐finite, it must be caused by an uncaused Ground. Speculative many‐worlds, pocket universes and multiverses do not affect this argument, but the quantum cosmologies of Alex Vilenkin, and J. B. Hartle and Stephen Hawking, which claim that the universe came from literally nothing, would. I argue that their novel project cannot work for reasons both physical (their “nothing” is actually a vacuum state governed by eternal physical laws) and methodological (physical theory cannot explain the emergence of the physical per se). Thus my argument stands. However, as David Hume showed, a posteriori arguments like mine infer a creation, and Creator, of a certain character, namely, a stochastic concept of creation and a panentheistic, partly physical Creator lacking omniscience and omnipotence. Rather than undermining the cosmological argument, as Hume intended, these limitations liberate the concept of the Ground from unnecessary problems, as Hartshorne suggested.
BIOTECHNOTHEOLOGY AND DEMYTHOLOGIZATION OF STEM‐CELL RESEARCH
Authors: Strehovec Tadej 
Published: November 2009

Abstract.Biotechnology deals not only with new types of therapies for preventing and curing diseases but also with the creation of new technologies for the production of human flesh. Its ultimate aim is to create a new human body, a new person. Biotechnology wears the cloak not only of a new scientific paradigm but also of a kind of messianic religion. To develop new therapies, to destroy illnesses, to transform the human body into a nonmortal one—these are some of the promises it makes. In time, many of these promises will undoubtedly prove to be illusory, but they will nevertheless continue to have a significant impact on the way people think. Through a process that I call biotechnotheological analysis I show that biotechnology could eventually become not only a type of secular religion but even a type of mythic para‐Christian religion, one that incorporates the two most significant processes at work in every mythical religion: the process of mimesis and the ritual of the scapegoat. The essay is an attempt to understand biotechnological achievements, especially in stem‐cell research, in this new biotechnotheological way.
ON EVOLUTION AND CREATION: PROBLEM SOLVED? THE POLISH EXAMPLE
Authors: Tomczyk Jacek , Bugajak Grzegorz 
Published: November 2009

Abstract.We present the results of research carried out as a part of the project Current Controversies about Human Origins: Between Anthropology and the Bible, which focused on the supposed conflict between natural sciences and some branches of the humanities, notably philosophy and theology, with regard to human origins. One way to tackle the issue was to distribute a questionnaire among students and teachers of the relevant disciplines. Teachers of religion and the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics) and students of theology, philosophy, and the natural sciences (specializing in biology and/or anthropology) were asked to answer eleven questions concerning the perception of the conflict between evolutionism and creationism, the definitions of creation and evolution, the existence of a human spiritual element, and the ways of interpreting the Bible, especially the first chapters of the book of Genesis. We present selected results of this questionnaire.
THERE'S MORE TO TIME THAN TICKING AWAY
Authors: Raman Varadaraja V. 
Published: November 2009

Abstract.Time is an element that each of us experiences in the core of our being. Yet it also is one of the great mysteries in our conceptual grasp of reality. The notion of time has therefore been reflected upon and explored by thinkers and scientists since ancient times. In this essay I relate the multiple ways in which Antje's Jackelén's scholarly and stimulating work Time and Eternity analyzes the historical, philosophical, theological, and scientific perspectives on the notion of time lived and its relation to the conceptual endless time that we call eternity, and offer some of my own contextual reflections on the topic.
THE RHYTHM OF GOD'S ETERNAL MUSIC: ON ANTJE JACKELÉN'S TIME AND ETERNITY
Authors: Meisinger Hubert 
Published: November 2009

Abstract.Antje Jackelén's book Time and Eternity is a thorough and carefully presented theology of time and, by its very essence, an incomplete and open thought model because time will always be dynamic and relational. This approach is an excellent example for the dialogue between science and religion because it uses resources not tapped in the dialogue so far: hymn‐books stemming from Germany, Sweden, and the English‐speaking world published between 1975 and 1995. They are taken as resources for a critical investigation on the meaning and importance of the notion of eternity for the interdisciplinary dialogue, which is characterized not as a synthesis but as holding a beneficial tension, or “eutonia.” I suggest that this approach can be taken even further by merging it with a model of time developed by the German mathematician A. M. Klaus Müller: The crossing over of time modes in a relational matrix of time also gives clear insights into the time of God not only as futurum—time as extrapolation of the past and present—but also as adventus—time which is to come.
TIME AND ETERNITY: HYMNIC, BIBLICAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND THEOLOGICAL VIEWS
Authors: Albright John R. 
Published: November 2009

Abstract.The book Time and Eternity, the English version of Zeit und Ewigkeit, by Antje Jackelén, contains scientific and theological treatments of these two topics, starting with the usage of such ideas in German, Swedish, and English hymns. This essay describes her work and explains how the scientific ideas provide a coherent framework for understanding the place of time.
Efficacy of narrowband UVB vs. PUVA in patients with early‐stage mycosis fungoides
Authors: Ponte P , Serrão V , Apetato M 
Published: November 2009

AbstractIntroduction  Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a non‐Hodgkin’s T‐cell lymphoma of the skin that often begins as limited patches and plaques with slow progression to systemic involvement. Narrowband ultraviolet (UV) B therapy has been proven to be an effective short‐term treatment modality for clearing patch‐stage MF. The effect of psoralen plus long‐wave ultraviolet A (PUVA) in the treatment of patch‐ and plaque‐type MF has also been thoroughly documented.Objectives  The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of narrowband UVB and PUVA in patients with early‐stage MF.Methods  We analysed the response to treatment, relapse‐free survival and irradiation dose in 114 patients with histologically confirmed early‐stage MF (stage IA, IB and IIA).Results  A total of 95 patients were treated with PUVA (83.3%) and 19 with narrowband UVB (16.7%). With PUVA, 59 patients (62.1%) had a complete response (CR), 24 (25.3%) had a partial response (PR) and 12 (12.6%) had a failed response. Narrowband UVB led to CR in 12 (68.4%) patients, PR in 5 (26.3%) patients and a failed response in 1 (5.3%) patient. There were no differences in terms of time to relapse between patients treated with PUVA and those treated with narrowband UVB (11.5 vs. 14.0 months respectively; P = 0.816). No major adverse reactions were attributed to the treatment.Conclusions  Our results confirm that phototherapy is a safe, effective and well‐tolerated, first‐line therapy in patients with early‐stage cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma, with prolonged disease‐free remissions being achieved. It suggests that narrowband UVB is at least as effective as PUVA for treatment of early‐stage MF.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Making a difference. Visual health needs of people with a learning disability
Authors: McGlade Anne , Bickerstaff David , Lindsay Jennifer , McConkey Roy , Jackson Jonathan 
Published: November 2009

Accessible summary

We wanted to find out if having an eye test helped people with a learning disability see better.
People with a learning disability and their family carers helped in the design of the study.
The findings showed that good eye sight is important to people with a learning disability.
People told us that when they got their glasses it helped them to do simple daily things.
These things were watching television, seeing the football score, seeing the computer, going to the park and seeing small print to read.
People told us that being able to see better helps them to feel better.

SummaryThis article discusses the findings from a study to assess the impact of corrective eye treatment in adults with a learning disability. The Special Visual Assessment Clinic (SVAC) is an optometry led multi professional service delivered in a Resource Centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The study, which included user and carer input in its design, involved people with a learning disability (15), their family carers (21) and staff (12) in interviews, group discussions, completion of checklists and clinical audit. Findings revealed that prior to the SVAC taking place there was limited awareness of vision related problems amongst all these groups. Following assessment and corrective treatment which, in the main included the provision of glasses, there was a heightened awareness of visual needs and of the benefits of eye examinations which included some tentative links to quality of life.
Alien invaders and reptile traders: what drives the live animal trade in South Africa?
Authors: Van Wilgen N. J. , Wilson J. R. U. , Elith J. , Wintle B. A. , Richardson D. M. 
Published: November 2009

AbstractThe global trade in reptiles for pets has grown rapidly in recent decades. Some species introduced by the pet trade have established and become invasive, for example the Burmese python in Florida. Although there are currently no invasive alien reptiles in South Africa, the last 30 years has seen an exponential increase in the number of introductions of an increasing number of species from an increasing number of countries. We determine and analyse the presence and abundance of species in the South African reptile trade. This serves as a background to efforts to overhaul the management and regulation of this trade, particularly given the need for increasingly objective risk‐assessment protocols. We show that introduced species tend to come from specific families including Boidae, Chameleonidae, Elapidae, Pythonidae, Testudinidae and Viperidae. Moreover, within specific families (e.g. chameleons), species of larger body size are more likely to be introduced. As the risk of a species becoming invasive may be increased by higher propagule pressure, it is also important to characterize the volume of trade. Here we analyse data on the abundance of reptiles in South Africa using generalized, additive models and show that venomous and expensive species are traded in low numbers, whereas species that are easy to breed and handle or are large, colourful or patterned are preferred. These human imposed preferences have the potential to cause significant taxonomic changes to the reptile fauna of South Africa, which still largely reflects natural biogeographic and evolutionary processes. Elucidation of import and trade patterns enables us to estimate the probable propagule pressure of any particular species. Because the dispersal pathway defined by trade influences the likelihood of invasion, this information is important for informing policy development and directing management efforts.
Attributing Hardy‐Weinberg Disequilibrium to Population Stratification and Genetic Association in Case‐Control Studies
Authors: Grover Vaneeta K. , Cole David E. C. , Hamilton David C. 
Published: November 2009

SummaryLoci exhibiting Hardy‐Weinberg disequilibrium (HWD) are often excluded from association studies, because HWD may indicate genotyping error, population stratification or selection bias. For case‐control studies, HWD can result from a genetic effect at the locus. We extend the modelling to accommodate both stratification and genetic effects. Theoretical genotype frequencies and HWD coefficients are derived under a general genetic model for a population with two strata. Maximum likelihood is used to estimate model parameters and a test for lack of fit identifies the models most consistent with the data. Simulations were used to assess the method.The technique was applied to a group of ethnically and clinically heterogeneous kidney stone formers and controls, both exhibiting HWD for the R990G SNP of the CASR gene. Results indicate the best fitting model incorporates both stratification and genetic association. The ability of our method to apportion HWD to stratification and genetic effects may well be a significant advance in dealing with heterogeneity in case‐control genetic association studies.
BLOOD COMPONENTS: Meta‐analysis of clinical studies of the purported deleterious effects of “old” (versus “fresh”) red blood cells: are we at equipoise?
Authors: Vamvakas Eleftherios C. 
Published: November 2009

BACKGROUND: A meta‐analysis examined whether the available data support an adequate suspicion that transfusion of old red blood cells (RBCs) is associated with increased mortality, organ failure, infection, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and prolonged stay in the hospital or the intensive care unit. Such suspicion is required for intentionally exposing patients enrolled in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to the known or probable—but rare—risks of old RBCs, to document (and prevent) purported common adverse effects of old RBCs.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Observational studies presenting adjusted results were eligible for analysis if the adequacy of the adjustment for confounding factors could be assessed. Three RCTs and 24 observational studies were retrieved. Medically and statistically homogeneous studies were integrated by fixed‐effects methods. Otherwise homogeneous studies conducted in different clinical settings were integrated by random‐effects methods.RESULTS: Based on “as‐treated” analysis, transfusion of old RBCs was associated with a significant reduction in mortality (summary odds ratio, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.14‐0.99; p < 0.05) across two small RCTs. Integration of adjusted findings on the same outcome, from observational studies conducted in the same setting, produced summary results that were either negative (in six analyses) or impossible to evaluate owing to uncontrolled confounding by the number of transfused RBCs (in two analyses).CONCLUSION: The available data do not support an adequate suspicion that old RBCs may be associated with common adverse morbidity and/or mortality outcomes, so as to justify exposing experimental subjects to the other known or probable—but rare—risks of old RBCs.
Efficacy and safety of exchange transfusion as an adjunct therapy for severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in nonimmune travelers: a 10‐year single‐center experience with a standardized treatment protocol
Authors: Van Genderen Perry J.J. , Hesselink Dennis A. , Bezemer Jacob M. , Wismans Pieter J. , Overbosch David 
Published: November 2009

BACKGROUND: Even in circumstances where optimal antimalarial and supportive treatment is available, severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria is still associated with a significant case fatality. Although exchange transfusion (ET) has been considered as a controversial adjunct therapy, we have not encountered any case fatality since ET was introduced as a standard adjunct therapy for patients with severe malaria.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study of 25 patients with severe malaria, the efficacy and safety of ET as an adjunct to parenteral antimalarial treatment (which was implemented in our hospital starting in 1998) were evaluated and compared with 31 historical control patients who were treated with conventional parenteral antimalarial treatment in the period before ET was added to the standard of care for severe malaria (generally before 1997).RESULTS: The parasite clearance times (PCT)25%, PCT50%, PCT75% and PCT90% were all significantly shorter for patients treated with ET than for patients treated with parenteral quinine only. The shorter PCTs in the ET group were the result of a more rapid parasite clearance in the early phases after initiation of ET.CONCLUSION: No case fatalities were observed in the ET group. The complications that were observed with ET were more likely related either to the multiorgan dysfunction associated with severe malaria or to side effects of parenteral quinine rather than to the ET procedure. ET may be safely executed in a setting with intensive care facilities and availability of safe blood products and should be considered as a beneficial adjunct treatment to parenteral antimalarial therapy.
Risk behaviors in volunteer blood donors who seroconverted for HIV, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire 1997 to 2005
Authors: Minga Albert , Dohoun Lambert , Abo Yao , Coulibaly Ali , Konaté Seidou , Ouattara Hervé Penan , N'Guessan Bath K. , Dabis François , Salamon Roger , Lewden Charlotte 
Published: November 2009

BACKGROUND: The residual risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission from blood products in the Abidjan National Blood Transfusion Center was estimated to be 1 in 5780 blood donations over the period 2002 through 2004. We aimed at describing risk behaviors in blood donors who seroconverted for HIV in Abidjan to improve the pre–blood donation selection.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We investigated the behavioral profile of HIV seroconverters assessed before their HIV diagnosis, during the blood donation selection at the blood bank of Abidjan, and compared it to the profile documented after this HIV diagnosis, at enrollment in the PRIMO‐CI cohort. Since 1997, enrollment in this cohort is offered to every blood donor whose delay since HIV seroconversion was 36 months or less.RESULTS: Among the 418 blood donors who seroconverted for HIV between 1997 and 2005, 241 were enrolled in the cohort. Median age was 28 years and 63% were men. The median time between the last HIV‐negative test and the first positive test was 7 months. Since the last blood donation, 29% of donors reported unprotected sexual intercourse with multiple casual sexual partners, 55% unprotected sexual intercourse with one casual sexual partner, and 36% sharing of nail clippers. During the pre–blood donation questionnaire, 69% of HIV seroconverters had reported unprotected sexual intercourse since the last blood donation (vs. 89% reported after donation), and 7% had had multiple casual sexual partners (vs. 32%).CONCLUSION: Volunteer blood donors who seroconverted for HIV in Abidjan reported a high proportion of unprotected sexual intercourse with casual sexual partners.