bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transurethral endoscopic treatment of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinomas using neodymium‐YAG and/or holmium‐YAG laser ablation
Authors: Tada Yasuhiro , Yokomizo Akira , Koga Hirohumi , Seki Naruhito , Kuroiwa Kentaro , Tatsugami Katsunori , Yamaguchi Akito , Naito Seiji 
Published: March 2010

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4OBJECTIVETo report our experience of treating patients with original and recurrent upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UC) using endoscopic lasers, with holmium‐YAG and/or neodymium‐YAG laser ablation, and for whom tumour stage and grade were obtained by endoscopic biopsy.PATIENTS AND METHODSFrom March 2003 to March 2007, 15 patients with upper tract UC were treated with endoscopic laser ablation as the primary management. Patients were followed up by intravenous urography, computed tomography, urine cytology and/or ureteroscopic surveillance at 3‐ to 12‐month intervals. The median (range) follow‐up was 25.5 (13–51) months.RESULTSOf the 15 patients, five had an upper tract recurrence during the follow‐up. Three of these were treated with total nephroureterectomy and two had a progression in tumour stage or grade. Three patients had residual tumours; they were treated with repeated endoscopic laser treatments and had no recurrence over a median (range) of 24 (13–26) months. The renal preservation rate was 12/15 and the local recurrence rate was six/15 after the initial endoscopy. The median operative duration and tumour size were 60 min and 10 mm, respectively.CONCLUSIONPatients with low‐grade and ‐stage disease and normal contralateral kidneys also benefit from this approach, if there is an adequate endoscopic biopsy. As the operative duration tended to be associated with the maximum tumour size, this treatment is potentially available for a maximum tumour size of <4 cm; if the tumour is <4 cm surgery will require <120 min.
Cytotoxicity and apoptosis by survivin small interfering RNA in bladder cancer cells
Authors: Ku Ja H. , Seo Soo Y. , Kwak Cheol , Kim Hyeon H. 
Published: March 2010

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of survivin gene RNA interference on cell growth and the cell cycle in the human bladder cancer cell line T24.MATERIALS AND METHODSA small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting survivin was transfected into T24 cells using a liposome approach. Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis were used to examine survivin gene expression in T24 cells. Cells densities were determined by haematocytometer counts and flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis. Caspase‐3 activity was quantified.RESULTSAfter treatment with survivin siRNA, the survivin gene expression in T24 cells was almost completely absent. The survivin siRNA treatment caused a profound decrease in survivin protein, which was correlated with a decrease in cell growth, G2/M arrest, and an increase in the fraction of cells undergoing apoptosis. The inhibition of survivin expression increased caspase‐3 activity in T24 cells, which led to apoptosis.CONCLUSIONSRNA interference can efficiently suppress survivin expression in T24 cells. Targeting survivin by siRNA may be a promising approach to block proliferation of bladder cancer cells and may provide a suitable adjuvant therapy for treatment of bladder cancer.
A comparison of efficacy and safety of vildagliptin and gliclazide in combination with metformin in patients with Type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin alone: a 52‐week, randomized study
Authors: Filozof C. , Gautier J.‐F. 
Published: March 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 318–326 (2010)AbstractAim  To demonstrate non‐inferiority of vildagliptin compared with gliclazide, as an add‐on therapy, in patients with Type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin in a 52‐week, randomized, double‐blind, active‐controlled study.Methods  Patients receiving a stable dose of metformin (≥ 1500 mg) were randomized (1 : 1) to receive vildagliptin (50 mg twice daily; n = 513) or gliclazide (up to 320 mg/day; n = 494).Results  Non‐inferiority of vildagliptin was demonstrated (95% confidence interval −0.11%, 0.20%) with a mean change (se) from baseline glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (∼ 8.5% in both groups) to a 52‐week endpoint of −0.81% (0.06) with vildagliptin and −0.85% (0.06) with gliclazide. Although a similar proportion of patients reached HbA1c < 7.0%, the total number of hypoglycaemic events was lower in the vildagliptin group (6 vs. 11 events). Vildagliptin was non‐inferior (margin 0.6 mmol/l) to gliclazide in reducing fasting plasma glucose (1.31 vs. 1.52 mmol/l, P = 0.257). The overall incidence of any adverse events was similar in both groups (∼ 61%), but the number of serious adverse events was higher in the gliclazide group (8.7 vs. 6.7%). The number of patients who discontinued as a result of an unsatisfactory effect was higher in the vildagliptin group (n = 22 vs. 13, respectively) compared with gliclazide, but vildagliptin did not induce weight gain.Conclusion  In patients with Type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin, addition of vildagliptin provided similar HbA1c‐lowering efficacy compared with gliclazide after 52 weeks of treatment. Although both treatments were well tolerated, vildagliptin‐treated patients had fewer hypoglycaemic events and did not gain weight.
Following in mother’s footsteps? Mother–daughter risks for insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease 15 years after gestational diabetes
Authors: Egeland G. M. , Meltzer S. J. 
Published: March 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 257–265 (2010)AbstractAims  To determine effects on mothers and daughters of gestational diabetes mellitus/gestational impaired glucose tolerance (GDM/GIGT) on their future metabolic and cardiovascular risks.Methods  Case mothers who had GDM/GIGT in pregnancy (cases; n = 90) and normoglycaemic control women (n = 99) and their daughters underwent lifestyle assessment and metabolic tests 15‐years post‐partum.Results  Prevalence of glucose intolerance (GI) in daughters was 1.1%. Maternal prevalence was 44.4% in cases compared to 13.1% in controls, with conversion best predicted by weight gain. Case daughters had higher insulin resistance (IR) and greater waist circumference (WC) (51.2%) relative to control daughters (36.4%, p < 0.05) made worse if case mothers became GI at follow‐up (65%) (relative risk =1.8; 95% confidence interval 1.2–2.9). In multivariable linear regression analyses adjusting for daughters’ birthweight, maternal obesity (> 30.0 kg/m2) at 15years and mothers’ case‐control status were strong predictors of daughters’ WC (p < 0.01; P < 0.01, respectively). For daughters’ body mass index (BMI) percentile and percentage of body fat, maternal obesity was a stronger predictor (p < 0.01; p < 0.001)) than mothers’ case‐control status (p < 0.01; P = 0.09).Conclusions  GDM/GIGT pregnancies led to increased conversion to GI in mothers, minimal in daughters. Case daughters have increased risk of central adiposity and insulin resistance, whereas maternal obesity strongly predicted daughters’ BMI percentile and per cent of body fat. Controlling hyperglycaemia in pregnancy and family weight management may provide the key to preventing offspring obesity and glucose intolerance post GDM/GIGT.
Socio‐economic and ethnic inequalities in diabetes retinal screening
Authors: Gulliford M. C. , Dodhia H. , Chamley M. , McCormick K. , Mohamed M. , Naithani S. , Sivaprasad S. 
Published: March 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 282–288 (2010)AbstractObjective  We aimed to quantify socio‐economic and ethnic inequalities in diabetes retinal screening.Methods  Data were analysed for the retinal screening programme for three South London boroughs for the 18‐month period to February 2009. Sight‐threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) was defined as the occurrence of diabetic maculopathy, severe non‐proliferative or proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Odds ratios were adjusted for sex, age group, duration and type of diabetes, self‐reported ethnicity and deprivation quintile by participant postal code.Results  There were 76 351 records obtained but, after excluding duplicate and ineligible records, data were analysed for 59 495 records from 31 484 subjects. There were 7026 (22%) subjects called for appointments who were not screened in the period, with 24 458 (78%) having one or more screening episodes. Non‐attendance for screening was highest in young adults aged 18–34 years (32%) and in those aged 85 years or greater (28%). In the most deprived quintile, non‐attendance was 23% compared with 21% in the least deprived quintile [odds ratio (OR) 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16–1.61, P < 0.001]. There were 2819 (11.5%) participants with STDR, including 10.8% in the least deprived quintile and 12.2% in the most deprived quintile (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.95–1.16, P = 0.196). Compared with white Europeans (9.4%), STDR was higher in Africans (15.2%) and African Caribbeans (14.7%), resulting from a higher frequency of diabetic maculopathy.Conclusion  Socio‐economic inequality in diabetes retinal screening may be smaller than reported in earlier studies. This study suggested an increased frequency of diabetic maculopathy among participants of African origins.
Cigarette smoking and proteinuria in Taiwanese men with Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Hsu C. C. , Hwang S. J. , Tai T. Y. , Chen T. , Huang M. C. , Shin S. J. , Wen C. P. , Shih Y. T. , Yang H. J. , Chang C. T. , Chang C. J. , Loh C. H. , Fuh M. T. , Li Y. S. , Chang H.‐Y. 
Published: March 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 295–302 (2010)AbstractAims  Cigarette smoking is a well‐known risk factor associated with diabetic nephropathy. The objective of this study was to further investigate the dose–response effect of tobacco exposure on proteinuria in males with Type 2 diabetes.Methods  Five hundred and nine males with Type 2 diabetes were selected from a cohort participating in a glucose control study in Taiwan. Pack‐years of cigarette smoking were calculated to define tobacco exposure. Proteinuria was identified if albumin‐to‐creatinine ratio was ≥ 30 mg/g in at least two of three consecutive urine tests. Logistic regression and trend tests were used to delineate the association between smoking status and proteinuria.Results  Compared with non‐smokers, those who had smoked 15–30 or more than 30 pack‐years were respectively 2.78 (95% CI 1.34–5.76, P < 0.01) and 3.20 (95% CI 1.74–5.86, P < 0.001) times more likely to develop proteinuria. The dose–response effect of tobacco exposure on the development of proteinuria is highly significant in all subjects (P = 0.001) and in subgroups with relatively short duration of diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001), good blood pressure control (P = 0.001) and those of young age (P = 0.007).Conclusions  The current study shows a clear dose–response effect of cigarette smoking on development of proteinuria in male Type 2 diabetic patients. These findings reinforce the urgent need to encourage diabetic patients to stop smoking regardless of age, duration of diabetes mellitus or status of blood pressure control.
Ramadan Education and Awareness in Diabetes (READ) programme for Muslims with Type 2 diabetes who fast during Ramadan
Authors: Bravis V. , Hui E. , Salih S. , Mehar S. , Hassanein M. , Devendra D. 
Published: March 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 327–331 (2010)AbstractBackground and Aims  During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk for one lunar month. The majority of Muslim diabetic patients are unaware of complications such as hypoglycaemia during fasting. The safety of fasting has not been assessed in the UK Muslim population with diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of Ramadan‐focused education on weight and hypoglycaemic episodes during Ramadan in a Type 2 diabetic Muslim population taking oral glucose‐lowering agents.Methods  We retrospectively analysed two groups. Group A attended a structured education programme about physical activity, meal planning, glucose monitoring, hypoglycaemia, dosage and timing of medications. Group B did not. Hypoglycaemia was defined as home blood glucose < 3.5 mmol/l.Results  There was a mean weight loss of 0.7 kg after Ramadan in group A, compared with a 0.6‐kg mean weight gain in group B (P < 0.001). The weight changes observed were independent of the class of glucose‐lowering agents used. There was a significant decrease in the total number of hypoglycaemic events in group A, from nine to five, compared with an increase in group B from nine to 36 (P < 0.001). The majority were in patients treated with short‐acting sulphonylureas (group A—100%, group B—94%). At 12 months after attending the programme, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) reduction were sustained in group A.Conclusions  Ramadan‐focused education in diabetes can empower patients to change their lifestyle during Ramadan. It minimizes the risk of hypoglycaemic events and prevents weight gain during this festive period for Muslims, which potentially benefits metabolic control.
Daytime variability of postprandial glucose tolerance and pancreatic B‐cell function using 12‐h profiles in persons with Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Peter R. , Dunseath G. , Luzio S. D. , Chudleigh R. , Roy Choudhury S. , Owens D. R. 
Published: March 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 266–273 (2010)AbstractAims  To study the variation in daytime glucose tolerance and pancreatic B‐cell function at different levels of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in subjects with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM).Methods  T2DM subjects (n = 49; 34 men) had 12‐h daytime plasma glucose (PG), insulin (PI), total (PTp) and intact proinsulin (PIp) profiles determined in response to three identical test meals at 4‐h intervals. Subjects were divided into three groups according to HbA1c—group 1: < 7.3% (n = 18); group 2: 7.3–8.0% (n = 17); group 3: > 8.0% (n = 14). Fasting and preprandial (prior to meals 2 and 3) concentrations, total area under the curve (AUC), AUC above fasting (dAUC) and maximum postprandial metabolic concentrations (Cmax) were compared between the three meals and across the groups.Results  Subjects in group 1 had significantly higher fasting plasma glucose (FPG) compared with preprandial PG concentrations (7.1 ± 0.2 vs. 5.9 ± 0.3 vs. 5.4 ± 0.2; P < 0.01). Subjects in groups 2 and 3 had significantly higher FPG compared with preprandial PG levels prior to meal 3. PG.dAUC was highest in response to meal 1 and lowest following meal 2 (P < 0.05). FPI concentrations were significantly lower compared with preprandial PI concentrations. Subjects in group 1 had significantly higher PI prior to meal 2 compared with meal 3. PI.dAUC was highest in response to meal 1. Subjects in group 1 had lowest PI.dAUC following meal 2. FTp and FIp concentrations were also significantly lower compared with preprandial concentrations. PTp.dAUC and PIp.dAUC was highest in response to meal 1.Conclusions  There appears to be a shift in diurnal variation in glucose homeostasis and pancreatic B‐cell function. Subjects had decreased glucose tolerance in response to the first and third meal of the day irrespective of glycaemic control. The variability in glucose tolerance was reflected by both quantitative and qualitative dysfunction of the pancreatic B‐cell.
Improvements in glycaemic control and cholesterol concentrations associated with the Quality and Outcomes Framework: a regional 2‐year audit of diabetes care in the UK
Authors: Oluwatowoju I. , Abu E. , Wild S. H. , Byrne C. D. 
Published: March 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 354–359 (2010)AbstractAims  To determine whether there have been changes in glycaemic control and lipids in a cohort of people with repeated glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) measurements since the implementation of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for diabetes care.Methods  Retrospective retrieval of computer‐held biochemical measurements of glycaemic control (HbA1c) and lipid profiles in adults in Hampshire, UK between 2006 and 2008. Routine data on age, sex, HbA1c and plasma lipids were available on an NHS database on 8997 adults with data available for HbA1c in both 2006 and 2008.Results  In 2006, 39.7% of adults had glycaemic control within the QOF threshold (HbA1c < 7.5%); by 2008, this proportion had risen to 52.1% (P < 0.001). In 2006, 11.8% of subjects had poor glycaemic control (HbA1c > 10.0%); by 2008, this proportion had decreased to 10.1% (P < 0.001). The proportion of subjects achieving HbA1c and cholesterol targets (both HbA1c < 7.5% and total cholesterol ≤ 5.0 mmol/l) was 30.2% in 2006; in 2008, this proportion had increased to 43.7% (P < 0.001). Individuals with poorer glycaemic control (HbA1c > 10.0%) were younger and had higher cholesterol concentrations than people with good (HbA1c < 7.5%) or moderate (HbA1c 7.5–10.0%) glycaemic control (P value for trend, both P < 0.001).Conclusion  Since the introduction of performance indicators for primary care and the incorporation of pay for performance in 2004, there has been marked improvement in the management of hyperglycaemia and hypercholesterolaemia among people with diabetes with data available in 2006 and 2008. It remains to be seen whether the new HbA1c audit target (HbA1c < 7.0%) introduced in 2009 will result in a further improvement in glycaemic control.
PLANNING FOR DECLINE: ANTICIPATING ON POPULATION DECLINE IN THE NETHERLANDS
Authors: HAARTSEN TIALDA , VENHORST VIKTOR 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACTSome regions in The Netherlands have been experiencing population decline in the last decade(s). Although decline figures are much lower than in more traditional areas of decline in Europe, Dutch planners and policy‐makers feel the need to develop several strategies of planning for decline. This paper gives an overview of regional population trends in the Netherlands up to 2040, showing that at the regional level, population growth and decline can occur next to each other in both urban and rural areas. The number of single‐person households is expected to continue growing. However, single households form a varied group, and population trends differ substantially between urban and rural areas. The strategies applied by policy‐makers who focus, so far, on accommodating decline through measures on the housing market are analysed. Next to this, some additional policy alternatives are discussed.
TEMPORARY INTRINSICS AND RELATIVIZATION
Authors: FIOCCO M. ORESTE 
Published: March 2010

AbstractSome have concluded that the only appropriate response to the problem of temporary intrinsics is the view that familiar, concrete objects persist through time by perduring, that is, by having temporal parts. Many, including myself, believe this view of persistence is false, and so reject this conclusion. However, the most common attempts to resolve the problem and yet defend the view that familiar, concrete objects endure are self‐defeating. This has heretofore gone unnoticed. I consider the most familiar such attempts, based on a strategy called tensing the copula, and present a general argument to demonstrate why this strategy – and any strategy based on relativization– fails. I then show how the considerations raised in this general argument undermine other attempts to resolve the problem while denying perdurance. All these attempts are undermined by an assumption essential to the problem of temporary intrinsics, to wit, that there are many moments of time and all have the same ontological status. As long as this assumption is maintained, the only solution to the problem is that familiar, concrete objects perdure. Thus, in order to defend the view that objects persist through time by enduring, one must adopt a different metaphysics of time (viz., presentism). I conclude that it is neither unreasonable nor impracticable to do so.
The Stochastic Seasonal Behaviour of Natural Gas Prices
Authors: Mirantes Andrés García , Población Javier , Serna Gregorio 
Published: March 2010

AbstractPrevious studies have explored the seasonal behaviour of commodity prices as a deterministic factor. This paper goes further by proposing a general (n+2m)‐factor model for the stochastic behaviour of commodity prices, which nests the deterministic seasonal model by Sorensen (2002). We consider seasonality as a stochastic factor, with n non‐seasonal and m seasonal factors. The non‐seasonal factors are as defined in Schwartz (1997), Schwartz and Smith (2000) and Cortazar and Schwartz (2003). The seasonal factors are trigonometric components generated by stochastic processes. The model has been applied to the Henry Hub natural gas futures contracts listed by NYMEX. We find that models allowing for stochastic seasonality outperform standard models with deterministic seasonality. We obtain similar results with other energy commodities. Moreover, we find that stochastic seasonality implies that the volatility of futures returns follows a seasonal pattern. This result has important implications in terms of option pricing.
Sexually transmitted infections and infectiousness beliefs among people living with HIV/AIDS: implications for HIV treatment as prevention
Authors: Kalichman SC , Eaton L , Cherry C 
Published: March 2010

ObjectivesSexually transmitted infections (STIs) significantly impact the health of people living with HIV/AIDS, increasing HIV infectiousness and therefore transmissibility. The current study examined STIs in a community sample of 490 HIV‐positive men and women.MethodsAssessments were performed using confidential computerized interviews in a community research setting.ResultsFourteen per cent of the people living with HIV/AIDS in this study had been diagnosed with a new STI in a 6‐month period. Individuals with a new STI had significantly more sexual partners in that time period, including non‐HIV‐positive partners. Participants who had contracted an STI were significantly more likely to have detectable viral loads and were less likely to know their viral load than participants who did not contract an STI. Multivariate analysis showed that believing an undetectable viral load leads to lower infectiousness was associated with contracting a new STI.ConclusionsIndividuals who believed that having an undetectable viral load reduces HIV transmission risks were more likely to be infectious because of STI coinfection. Programmes that aim to use HIV treatment for HIV prevention must address infectiousness beliefs and aggressively control STIs among people living with HIV/AIDS.
Skill Formation and Utilisation in the Post‐Soviet Transition: Higher Education Planning in Post‐Soviet Georgia
Authors: Gvaramadze Irakli 
Published: March 2010

AbstractChanges in the former Soviet system had a dramatic influence on higher education in Georgia. The main objective of the current article is to analyse implications of the post‐Soviet transition for the skill formation and skill utilisation system in Georgia. In particular, the study analyses recent trends in Georgian higher education including privatisation and economic liberalisation. The discussion builds upon theories of transition and relevance of skill formation theories to the post‐Soviet transition. The article argues that increasing competition among public universities and newly emerged private universities has not improved the quality of higher education provision. On the contrary, it has contributed to an imbalance between the labour market's demand for skills and awarded qualifications, a mismatch and irrelevance of skills and high unemployment rates among university graduates. The article demonstrates that economic approaches in the transition context could not explain the complex logic between the skill formation and skill utilisation mechanisms. It further concludes that the discrepancies between the skill formation and skill utilisation systems had a negative impact upon skill modernisation in Georgia.