bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Long‐term follow‐up of patients undergoing percutaneous suprapubic tube drainage after robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP)
Authors: Sammon Jesse D. , Trinh Quoc‐Dien , Sukumar Shyam , Diaz Mireya , Simone Andrea , Kaul Sanjeev , Menon Mani 
Published: December 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)Level of Evidence 4What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?
Initial reports of percutaneous suprapubic tube (PST) drainage following RARP demonstrated feasibility and short‐term safety, while decreasing patient discomfort and utilization of anti‐cholinergic medication.
This study demonstrates the long‐term safety and efficacy of bladder drainage by PST; splinting the urethrovesical anastomosis is simply not essential if mucosal apposition is ensured.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the long‐term safety and functional outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous suprapubic tube (PST) drainage after robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Between January 2008 and October 2009, 339 patients undergoing RARP by one surgeon experienced in RA surgery (M.M.) had postoperative bladder drainage with PST and a minimum of 1‐year follow‐up for urinary function.
Functional outcomes were obtained via patient‐administered questionnaire.
Complications were captured by exhaustive review of multiple datasets, including our prospective prostate cancer database, claims data, as well as electronic medical and institutional morbidity and mortality records.
RESULTS
Urinary function assessed by patient‐administered questionnaire was analysed at a mean (sd) follow‐up of 11.5 (1.7) months; after RARP with PST placement, 293 patients (86.4%) had total urinary control and only nine (2.7%) required >1 pad/day.
In all, 86 patients (25.4%) never wore a pad; the median time to 0–1 pad/day was 2 weeks (interquartile range [IQR] 0,6); median time to total control was 6 weeks (IQR 1,22).
The mean (sd) follow‐up for complications was 23.7 (6.1) months. In all, 15 patients (4.4%) had a procedure‐specific complication, of which 13 were minor (Clavien Class I/II 3.8%); one patient had a bladder neck contracture.
In all, 16 patients (4.7%) required Foley placement after RARP for gross haematuria (two patients), urinary retention (three), tube malfunction (four) or need for prolonged Foley catheterization (seven).
CONCLUSIONS
PST placement after RARP is safe and efficacious on long‐term follow‐up.
Splinting of the urethrovesical anastomosis is not a critical step of RP if a watertight anastomosis and excellent mucosal apposition are achieved.
Sipuleucel‐T (Provenge®) for castration‐resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Di Lorenzo Giuseppe , Ferro Matteo , Buonerba Carlo 
Published: December 2011

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?Sipuleucel‐T is known to be very well tolerated and to prolong overall survival, but not progression‐free survival, measured according to prostate‐specific antigen variations and radiographic progression. Its exact mechanism is unknown.Although the article does not present new data, a new way of assessing immunotherapy efficacy is proposed. This involves measuring ‘consecutive’ times to progression, in an attempt to capture the delayed effects of immunotherapy.OBJECTIVE
To propose a new way of assessing immunotherapy efficacy. Since 2010, the therapeutic armamentarium for prostate cancer has expanded to include the potent taxane agent cabazitaxel, the CYP17A1 inhibitor abiraterone and the novel immunotherapy agent sipuleucel‐T (Provenge®. Demdreon, Seattle, WA, USA).
Sipuleucel‐T is an antigen‐specific active immunotherapy agent, which is not designed to be directly toxic to tumour cells, but to help the immune system to selectively attack cancerous cells. We aimed to provide a comprehensive review of available safety and efficacy data about Sipuleucel‐T.
METHODS
A systematic analysis of the literature was conducted using the terms ‘Sipuleucel‐T’ and ‘Provenge’. PUBMED was the main search engine, but abstracts published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the European Society of Medical Oncology, as well as press releases and product monographs, were also considered for inclusion.
Reference lists of key articles were searched for further leads. Articles providing safety and efficacy data were included in this review.
RESULTS
Sipuleucel‐T is based on autologous dendritic cells, which are collected by leukapheresis of peripheral blood, co‐cultured with a modified PAP protein, and then re‐injected intravenously. It is the first agent of its kind to obtain Food and Drug Administration approval for any kind of malignant tumour.
Its approval was determined by the results of a placebocontrolled, randomized trial (the IMPACT trial), conducted in 512 asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic mean with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer.
Although no difference in time to progression or PSA response rate was reported, a statistically meaningful 4.1‐month improvement in median survival was achieved in the active arm with respect to the placebo arm (25.8 months vs 21.7 months).
After Food and Drug Administration approval in April 2010, in view of the high economic cost of sipuleucel‐T and the not completely flawless study design of the IMPACT trial, a national coverage analysis of sipuleucel‐T was conducted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Such analysis has recently concluded that sipuleucel‐T is a ‘necessary and reasonable’ treatment.
CONCLUSION
Sipuleucel‐T is an effective treatment for prostate cancer, although its widespread use is uncertain for complex social and economic reasons.
The Influence of Collusion on Price Changes: New Evidence from Major Cartel Cases
Authors: Blanckenburg Korbinian von , Kholodilin Konstantin A. , Geist Alexander 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
In this article, we compare the distribution of price changes between collusive and non-collusive periods for 11 major cartels. Based on the theoretical and empirical results from previous research, we discuss the four moments with respect to price changes (mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis). However, none of the above descriptive statistics can be considered as a robust test allowing a differentiation between competition and cartel. Therefore, we implement the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. According to our results, 9 of 11 cartels were successful in controlling the market price for a number of years. The proposed methodology may be used for antitrust screening and regulatory purposes.
Informal Caregiving and the Retirement Decision
Authors: Meng Annika 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThe probability of providing informal care grows with one’s own age. While labor market effects due to caregiving are moderate, they could be concentrated in the years close to retirement. Therefore, I investigate whether care in the previous year leads to retirement in the year after by using German Socio-Economic Panel data from 2001 to 2009 and discrete-time hazard models. The effect of care on the retirement decision is indeed much higher than its effect on the labor or working hours of middleaged individuals. Women are affected to a larger extent but the retirement decision of men also reacts to their caregiving obligations.
Alteration of endocannabinoid system in human gliomas
Authors: Wu Xiyue , Han Lijun , Zhang Xiaolin , Li Long , Jiang Changzhen , Qiu Yan , Huang Rui , Xie Baoying , Lin ZhiXiong , Ren Jie , Fu Jin 
Published: December 2011

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 842–849.AbstractEndocannabinoids are neuromodulatory lipids that mediate the central and peripheral neural functions. Endocannabinoids have demonstrated their anti‐proliferative, anti‐angiogenic and pro‐apoptotic properties in a series of studies. In the present study, we investigated the levels of two major endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2‐arachidonylglycerol (2‐AG), and their receptors, CB1 and CB2, in human low grade glioma (WHO grade I‐II) tissues, high grade glioma (WHO grade III‐IV) tissues, and non‐tumor brain tissue controls. We also measured the expressions and activities of the enzymes responsible for anandamide and 2‐AG biosynthesis and degradation, that is, N‐acylphosphatidylethanolamine‐hydrolysing phospholipase D (NAPE‐PLD), fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL), and diacylglycerol lipase‐alpha (DGL), in the same samples. Liquid chromatography–mass spectometry analysis showed that the levels of anandamide decreased, whereas the levels of 2‐AG increased in glioma tissues, comparing to the non‐tumor controls. The expression levels and activities of NAPE‐PLD, FAAH and MGL also decreased in glioma tissues. Furthermore, quantitative‐PCR analysis and western‐blot analysis revealed that the expression levels of cananbinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, were elevated in human glioma tissues. The changes of anandamide and 2‐AG contents in different stages of gliomas may qualify them as the potential endogenous biomarkers for glial tumor malignancy.
Mapping of quantitative trait loci controlling lifespan in the short‐lived fish Nothobranchius furzeri– a new vertebrate model for age research
Authors: Kirschner Jeanette , Weber David , Neuschl Christina , Franke Andre , Böttger Marco , Zielke Lea , Powalsky Eileen , Groth Marco , Shagin Dmitry , Petzold Andreas , Hartmann Nils , Englert Christoph , Brockmann Gudrun A. , Platzer Matthias , Cellerino Alessandro , Reichwald Kathrin 
Published: December 2011

SummaryThe African annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri emerged as a new model for age research over recent years. Nothobranchius furzeri show an exceptionally short lifespan, age‐dependent cognitive/behavioral decline, expression of age‐related biomarkers, and susceptibility to lifespan manipulation. In addition, laboratory strains differ largely in lifespan. Here, we set out to study the genetics of lifespan determination. We crossed a short‐ to a long‐lived strain, recorded lifespan, and established polymorphic markers. On the basis of genotypes of 411 marker loci in 404 F2 progeny, we built a genetic map comprising 355 markers at an average spacing of 5.5 cM, 22 linkage groups (LGs) and 1965 cM. By combining marker data with lifespan values, we identified one genome‐wide highly significant quantitative trait locus (QTL) on LG 9 (P < 0.01), which explained 11.3% of the F2 lifespan variance, and three suggestive QTLs on LG 11, 14, and 17. We characterized the highly significant QTL by synteny analysis, because a genome sequence of N. furzeri was not available. We located the syntenic region on medaka chromosome 5, identified candidate genes, and performed fine mapping, resulting in a c. 40% reduction of the initial 95% confidence interval. We show both that lifespan determination in N. furzeri is polygenic, and that candidate gene detection is easily feasible by cross‐species analysis. Our work provides first results on the way to identify loci controlling lifespan in N. furzeri and illustrates the potential of this vertebrate species as a genetic model for age research.
The Protective Effect of Cerebralcare Granule® on Brain Edema, Cerebral Microcirculatory Disturbance, and Neuron Injury in a Focal Cerebral Ischemia Rat Model
Authors: WANG FANG , HU QIN , CHEN CHUN‐HUA , XU XIANG‐SHUN , ZHOU CHANG‐MAN , ZHAO YA‐FANG , HU BAI‐HE , CHANG XIN , HUANG PING , YANG LEI , LIU YU‐YING , WANG CHUAN‐SHE , FAN JING‐YU , ZHANG KE , LI GUO‐YU , WANG JING‐HUI , HAN JING‐YAN 
Published: December 2011

Please cite this paper as: Wang F, Hu Q, Chen C‐H , Xu X‐S, Zhou C‐M, Zhao Y‐F, Hu B‐H, Chang X, Huang P, Yang L, Liu Y‐Y, Wang C‐S, Fan J‐Y, Zhang K, Li G‐Y, Wang J‐H, Han J‐Y. The protective effect of cerebralcare granule® on brain edema, cerebral microcirculatory disturbance and neuron injury in a focal cerebral ischemia rat model. Microcirculation 19: 260–272, 2012.AbstractObjective:  The purpose of the present study was to explore the protective effects of CG on rat cerebral injury after focal cerebral I /R.Methods:  Male Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to right middle cerebral artery occlusion for 60 minutes followed by reperfusion for 60 minutes or 24 hours. CG (0.4 or 0.8 g/kg) was administrated 90 minutes before ischemia. Brian edema was evaluated by Evan’s blue dye extravasations and brain water content, leukocyte adhesion, and albumin leakage were determined with an upright fluorescence microscope, and neuron damage was assessed by 2,3,5‐triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP nick end labeling, and immunohistochemistry of caspase‐3, p53, p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis.Results:  Focal cerebral I/R elicited a prominent brain edema, an increase in leukocyte adhesion, and albumin leakage, as well as neuron damage. All the insults after focal cerebral I/R were significantly attenuated by pretreatment with CG.Conclusions:  Pretreatment with CG significantly reduced focal cerebral I/R‐induced brain edema, cerebral microcirculatory disturbance, and neuron damage, suggesting the potential of CG as a prophylactic strategy for patients in danger of stroke.
Intrapulmonary lipopolysaccharide exposure upregulates cytokine expression in the neonatal brainstem
Authors: Balan Kannan V , Kc Prabha , Mayer Catherine A , Wilson Christopher G , Belkadi Abdelmadjid , Martin Richard J 
Published: December 2011

AbstractPerinatal inflammation and neonatal sepsis trigger lung and brain injury. We hypothesized that endotoxin exposure in the immature lung upregulates proinflammatory cytokine expression in the brainstem and impairs respiratory control. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline was administered intratracheally to vagal intact or denervated rat pups. LPS increased brainstem IL‐1β and vagotomy blunted this response. There was an attenuated ventilatory response to hypoxia and increased brainstem IL‐1β expression after LPS.Conclusion:  Intratracheal endotoxin exposure in rat pups is associated with upregulation of IL‐1β in the brainstem that is vagally mediated and associated with an impaired hypoxic ventilatory response.
Three‐Dimensional Accuracy of Guided Implant Placement: Indirect Assessment of Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Platzer Susanne , Bertha Georg , Heschl Alexander , Wegscheider Walther A. , Lorenzoni Martin 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTPurpose: Precise preoperative implant planning and its exact intraoperative transfer are crucial for successful implant‐supported rehabilitation of partially or completely edentulous patients. In the present pilot study, optical laser scanning was used to evaluate deviations between three‐dimensonal computer‐assisted planned and actual implant positions by indirect methods.Material and Methods: Five patients receiving a total of 15 implants were included in this study. The used planning software was SimPlant 12.0 (Materialise Dental, Leuven, Belgium) to visualize the implant positions, and with an appropriate guided surgery protocol (Navigator™, Biomet 3i, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA) implant positions were implemented via tooth‐supported stereolithografic surgical guides. All implants (Osseotite™, Biomet 3i) were inserted in a flapless approach and immediately provided with prefabricated temporary splinted restorations. Intraoral pickup impressions were taken postoperatively, and the implant positions of the master casts were compared with presurgical casts. Implant replica deviations were evaluated by three‐dimensional optical laser scanning providing distances and angulations between implant replicas.Results: Overall, the postsurgical implant replica positions were found to deviate from the positions in the preoperative cast by a mean of 0.46 ± 0.21 mm (range: 0.09–0.85 mm). Positional deviations were 0.27 ± 0.19 mm (range: 0.04–0.60 mm) along the x‐axis representing the buccal‐lingual directions, 0.15 ± 0.13 mm (range: 0.0–0.34 mm) along the y‐axis representing the ventrodorsal direction, and 0.28 ± 0.19 mm (range: 0.02–0.59 mm) along the z‐axis representing cranial and apical directions. Rotational deviations amounted to 14.04 ± 11.6° (range: 0.09–36.47°).Conclusions: The results of this pilot study demonstrate precise transfer of implant replica position by means of simulated guided implant insertion into a preoperative cast and a postoperative cast obtained from impressioning. Further studies are needed to identify appropriate evaluation techniques and mechanisms to increase the transfer precision of three‐dimensional planning and guiding systems.
Preservation of Sexual Function with the Prostatic Urethral Lift: A Novel Treatment for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Authors: Woo Henry H. , Bolton Damien M. , Laborde Eric , Jack Greg , Chin Peter T. , Rashid Prem , Thavaseelan Jeffrey , McVary Kevin T. 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACT

Introduction
We investigated the prostatic urethral lift, a novel, minimally invasive treatment for symptomatic lower urinary tract complaints presumed to be from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which aims to mechanically open the prostatic urethra without ablation or resection. We hypothesized that this novel approach would not degrade erectile or ejaculatory function.

Aims
We sought to determine the effect of the prostatic urethral lift procedure on erectile and ejaculatory function.

Methods
The procedure was performed on 64 men in Australia with an average age of 66.9 years and an average duration of lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) of 4.7 years. Primary inclusion criteria included International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) &gt; 13, Qmax of 5–12 mL/second, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) &lt; 10 ng/mL. Baseline IPSS was 22.9 ± 5.4 (N = 64). There were no inclusion criteria for sexual function. Baseline Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) was 11.7 ± 8.6 (N = 58); baseline Male Sexual Health Questionnaire for Ejaculatory Dysfunction (MSHQ-EjD) function score was 9.0 ± 3.7 (N = 46); and lack of sexual activity or unwillingness to answer sexual function questionnaires accounted for the reduced sample size in the sexual function instruments. Implants were placed to separate encroaching lateral prostatic lobes.

Main Outcome Measures
Patients were evaluated at 6 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months postprocedure via the SHIM and MSHQ-EjD instruments.

Results
There was no evidence of degradation in sexual function after treatment for LUTS with the prostatic urethral lift procedure. Erectile function, as measured by SHIM, was slightly increased at all time points as compared with baseline. No patient reported retrograde ejaculation at any follow-up visit.

Conclusions
We demonstrated significant improvement in LUTS with no evidence of degradation in erectile or ejaculatory function after treatment with the prostatic urethral lift procedure. This procedure warrants further study as a new option for patients underserved by current treatments for LUTS/BPH.
The predatory snail Euglandina rosea successfully follows mucous trails  of both native and non‐native prey snails
Authors: Davis‐Berg Elizabeth C. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractMucous trail following is a primary means by which many predatory snails locate prey. I compared the ability of individuals of Euglandina rosea to follow mucous trails of two groups of gastropods: those found within its native habitat (southeastern USA), and those found outside its native range (Kansas). Members of E. rosea followed trails for both species found inside and outside its native range equally well. In contrast to previous studies, I found that the predatory snails consistently followed trails in the direction in which they were laid. I quantified the kinematics of trail‐following behavior using inter‐tentacle angle as the primary metric. In both prey groups, there were significant differences in the predator's inter‐tentacle angle when tracking a trail versus not, and when successfully following (in the direction the trail was laid) versus unsuccessfully following (opposite the direction that the trail was laid) trails. In addition, in both prey groups, there were significant differences in the predator's velocity when tracking a trail versus not, and when successfully versus unsuccessfully following trails. This study confirmed that members of E. rosea are robust generalist predators, capable of successfully tracking native and non‐native snails, and should not be introduced as biologic control agents. These results may be useful to managers, as they provide insight into how trail following could be used to trap members of this invasive species.
EATING QUALITY OF “FUJI” APPLES AFFECTED BY A PERIOD OF COLD AIR AFTER ULO STORAGE
Authors: ALTISENT R. , GRAELL J. , LARA I. , LÓPEZ L. , ECHEVERRÍA G. 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTOver two subsequent seasons, emission of volatile compounds, consumer acceptability and quality parameters were analyzed in “Fuji” apples. In both seasons, apples were harvested at the same maturity stage and stored for 19 or 30 weeks at 1C and 92% relative humidity under an ultralow oxygen (ULO) atmosphere (1% O2 + 1% CO2) or under an ULO atmosphere followed by different periods (2 or 4 weeks) in cold air. The results revealed, for both seasons, that 4 weeks of cold air storage after ULO storage helped to increase the emission of some volatile compounds for both storage period, including characteristic volatile compounds for the variety, and did not have a negative effect on quality parameters. Additionally, the consumer acceptability was superior for those fruits.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSIt is well known for various apple varieties that long‐term storage under ULO conditions reduces volatile production resulting in poor flavor and aroma compared with fruits stored in air. Consequently, there is often dissatisfaction among consumers with the flavor of fruits which have been subjected to cold storage. The strategy that is proposed in the present work could be recommended to enhance the aromatic quality of fruit provided by the apple industry and, in consequence, increase its acceptability by consumers.
Correlates of Mental Health Among Latino Farmworkers in North Carolina
Authors: Crain Rebecca , Grzywacz Joseph G. , Schwantes Melody , Isom Scott , Quandt Sara A. , Arcury Thomas A. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractPurpose: Latino farmworkers are a vulnerable population who confront multiple threats to their mental health. Informed by the stress‐process model of psychiatric disorder, the goal of this paper is to determine primary and context‐specific stressors of poor mental health among Latino farmworkers.Methods: Structured interview data were obtained from farmworkers (N = 69) in 6 counties in eastern and western North Carolina.Findings: Results indicated that a substantial number of farmworkers have poor mental health, as indicated by elevated depressive symptoms (52.2%) and anxiety (16.4%). Results also indicated that each mental health outcome had different predictors.Conclusion: Addressing the mental health issues of farmworkers requires a comprehensive, multifaceted approach.