bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Active surveillance; a reasonable management alternative for patients with prostate cancer: the Miami experience
Authors: Soloway Mark S. , Soloway Cynthia T. , Williams Steve , Ayyathurai Rajinikanth , Kava Bruce , Manoharan Murugesan 
Published: September 2007

OBJECTIVETo examine the outcome of patients diagnosed with ‘low‐risk’ prostate cancer managed by active surveillance (AS).PATIENTS AND METHODSIn all, 157 men with localized prostate cancer were followed on AS. The inclusion criteria for AS included: Gleason score of ≤ 6, a serum prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level of ≤15 ng/mL, stage ≤ T2, low‐volume disease and >12 months of follow‐up. The follow‐up was rigorous, with PSA tests and a digital rectal examination every 3 months for 2 years, and a repeat biopsy 6–12 months after the initial diagnosis and yearly when indicated. Continuance of AS was based on the PSA doubling time, re‐biopsy score, Gleason score, tumour volume, stage progression and patient preference.RESULTSIn all 99 patients met the inclusion criteria; their mean age at diagnosis was 66 years, their mean PSA level 5.77 ng/mL and the mean follow‐up 45.3 months. On initial repeat biopsy, 63% had no cancer and 34% had a Gleason sum of ≤ 6. Eight patients were treated (three with hormones; five with curative intent); two had radical prostatectomy (one had pT2c pNO Gleason 7 disease); three had radiotherapy. The probability is that 85% would remain treatment‐free at 5 years; no patient died from prostate cancer. The PSA doubling time and clinical stage at diagnosis were predictive of progression.CONCLUSIONPatients who are followed on AS must be selected using narrowly defined inclusion criteria and closely followed with a standard regimen of PSA testing, digital rectal examination and repeat biopsy.
Bladder carcinoma among live‐donor renal transplant recipients: a single‐centre experience and a review of the literature
Authors: Kamal Mohamed M. , Soliman Shady M. , Shokeir Ahmed A. , Abol‐Enein Hassan , Ghoneim Mohamed A. 
Published: September 2007

OBJECTIVESTo present our experience with bladder cancer among a renal transplant population and to review critically the relevant literature.PATIENTS AND METHODSIn all, 1865 renal graft recipients were followed for a mean (sd) of 6.5 (5) years. Seven recipients (all men) developed a urothelial bladder tumour. The stage and grade of the tumours were determined. The method of the treatment was selected on the basis of the tumour characteristics and graft function. Patients were regularly followed; the endpoints were cancer‐specific survival, recurrence or metastasis.RESULTSAll patients presented with gross haematuria. There was non‐muscle‐invasive disease in two patients who were treated by transurethral resection and adjuvant intravesical bacille Calmette‐Guérin immunotherapy. One patient died 24 months later due to complications of end‐stage renal disease. To date the second patient is alive and free of the recurrence. Five recipients with muscle‐invasive disease had a radical cystectomy and orthotopic bladder substitution. The mean (sd) time to the last follow‐up or death was 14.6 (3.1) months. Three patients died with stable graft function; two from distant metastasis and one from a cerebrovascular stroke. The remaining two patients are still alive, free of disease and with good graft function.CONCLUSIONSUrothelial bladder tumours are generally uncommon. The presence of haematuria in renal allograft recipients should be thoroughly investigated. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are required for managing such tumours, because they are aggressive. Orthotopic bladder substitution is feasible with a good functional outcome for patients in whom cystectomy is indicated.
Macroscopic, but not microscopic, perivesical fat invasion at radical cystectomy is an adverse predictor of recurrence and survival
Authors: Bastian Patrick J. , Hutterer Georg C. , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Rogers Craig G. , Palapattu Ganesh S. , Lotan Yair , Vazina Amnon , Amiel Gilad E. , Gupta Amit , Sagalowsky Arthur I. , Lerner Seth P. , Schoenberg Mark P. , Karakiewicz Pierre I. ,   from the Bladder Cancer Research Consortium
Published: September 2007

OBJECTIVETo examine whether the presence of microscopic (pT3a) or macroscopic (pT3b) disease worsens the prognosis relative to pT2 disease at radical cystectomy, as the prognostic significance of pT3a vs pT3b perivesical fat invasion (pT3) is controversial.PATIENTS AND METHODSIn all, 242 patients with pT3 disease (pT3a in 88, pT3b in 121) had radical cystectomy and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy for transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder; they were compared with 172 who had organ‐confined muscle‐invasive disease (pT2). For the analyses we used univariable and multivariable Cox regression models of recurrence and cancer‐specific survival, adjusted for age, tumour grade, lymphovascular invasion and the presence of lymph node metastases.RESULTSIn multivariable analyses, microscopic perivesical fat extension (pT3a) was not associated with higher recurrence (P = 0.3) or the mortality rate (P = 0.06) vs pT2 disease. Conversely, the presence of deep perivesical fat extension (pT3b) was associated with 1.8 times the rate of recurrence (P = 0.002) and with twice the rate of death (P = 0.001) vs pT2 disease.CONCLUSIONThese findings imply that a detailed assessment of the cystectomy specimen for the presence of microscopic perivesical fat invasion might not be necessary, as the presence of pT3a disease has no strong effect on recurrence or mortality. Moreover, patients with pT3a disease might not require more aggressive therapy than their counterparts with pT2 disease. However, further validation of our data is required.
The antibody response to Propionibacterium acnes is an independent predictor of serum prostate‐specific antigen levels in biopsy‐negative men
Authors: Shannon Beverley A. , Cohen Ronald J. , Garrett Kerryn L. 
Published: September 2007

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the serum titres of Propionibacterium acnes antibodies in patients undergoing prostate biopsy are associated with prostate cancer or markers of prostate disease, including serum prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels.PATIENTS AND METHODSThe cell wall‐associated proteins from P. acnes types IA, IB and II were extracted and characterized by Western blotting and immunoblotting. We developed an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on extracted proteins to determine the anti‐P. acnes antibody titres in the sera of 68 patients undergoing prostate biopsy. Correlations between these titres and multiple markers of prostate disease were investigated.RESULTSIn patients with biopsies negative for cancer, a high anti‐P. acnes antibody titre was associated with high serum PSA levels (≥10.0 ng/mL, P = 0.04), and multiple linear regression analysis identified antibody titre as the predominant independent predictor of serum PSA level (P = 0.03). The titre was positively correlated with patient age, prostate volume and aggressive inflammation, suggesting an involvement with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However in patients with histologically detected cancer, the volume of cancer in the biopsy cores was the predominant independent predictor of serum PSA (P = 0.01).CONCLUSIONSThese results support our hypothesis that P. acnes might be involved in the development of inflammation‐related prostate diseases, in particular with BPH. Our ELISA might be valuable for identifying P. acnes infection of the prostate gland in patients with elevated serum PSA levels but a negative biopsy, and might identify men at risk of developing clinical BPH. However, an investigation with more patients is needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
The Value Relevance of Accounting Income Reported by DAX‐30 German Companies
Authors: Jermakowicz Eva K. , Prather‐Kinsey Jenice , Wulf Inge 
Published: September 2007

AbstractInternational Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are required for consolidated financial statements of all European Union (EU) publicly traded companies starting from the December 2005 fiscal year end [Regulation (EC)]; and endorsed by the International Organization of Securities Commission (IOSCO) for its member countries beginning in 2000. We examine the challenges and benefits, including value relevance, of the adoption of IFRS by DAX‐30 companies, the German premium stock market. Based on a survey sent to DAX‐30 company executives, we find most companies agreeing that implementing IFRS should improve the comparability of financial statements. The complex nature, high cost of adopting and lack of guidance for implementing IFRS, as well as increased volatility of earnings after adopting IFRS, are listed among the most important challenges of conversion to IFRS. We use regression to measure another benefit: the value relevance of book values of earnings and equity in explaining market values of DAX‐30 companies during the period 1995–2004. Using 265 observations, we find that adopting IFRS or US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or cross‐listing on the New York Stock Exchange significantly increases the value relevance of earnings relative to market prices.
Insider Trading, Earnings Management and Corporate Governance: Empirical Evidence Based on Hong Kong Firms
Authors: Jaggi Bikki , Tsui Judy 
Published: September 2007

AbstractWe document positive association between earnings management and insider selling after the fiscal year‐end for Hong Kong firms. This positive association is especially evident before the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. Our findings suggest that Hong Kong executives manage reported earnings to maximize their private benefits from insider selling. Additionally, we find that a higher proportion of independent directors (INED) on corporate boards moderate the positive association between insider selling and earnings management. Stricter monitoring of earnings management by INED is especially evident when no member of the family with majority ownership is present on corporate boards as a director. This suggests that the presence of family members with majority ownership on corporate boards significantly reduces INED's monitoring effectiveness. Our findings suggest that strict regulations are needed to control insider trading, and independence of corporate boards is important for monitoring of earnings management associated with insider trading. Furthermore, appointment of family members with majority shareholdings should be avoided to enhance independence and to monitor effectiveness of corporate boards.
Ownership Structure and Accounting Information Content: Evidence from France
Authors: Zhao Ronald , Millet‐Reyes Benedicte 
Published: September 2007

AbstractThis paper investigates how family and bank ownership affect the accounting information content of French firms. In Continental Europe, the existence of block‐holders triggers specific corporate governance issues, including the transparency of financial reporting. Our test results for the clean surplus model show that book value carries a significantly greater weight for family‐controlled firms. This finding is attributed to their lack of incentive to report timely and relevant earnings to outside (minority) investors. In contrast, bank owners are under more market pressure to achieve earnings persistence through the use of accounting accruals. Bank ownership is also associated with higher levels of debt. These results are consistent with findings that in code law countries, insiders dominate as a source of finance, and financial reporting is aimed at creditor protection.
What did Simon say? Revisiting the bilingual advantage
Authors: Morton J. Bruce , Harper Sarah N. 
Published: September 2007

Abstract Bilingual children often outperform monolingual children in tasks of cognitive control. This advantage may be a consequence of the fact that bilinguals have more practice controlling attention due to an ongoing need to manage two languages. However, existing evidence is limited because possible differences in ethnicity and socioeconomic status have not been properly controlled. To address this issue, we administered the Simon task to bilingual and monolingual children of identical ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Bilingual and monolingual children performed identically, whereas children from higher SES families were advantaged relative to children from lower SES families. Controlling differences in SES and ethnicity may attenuate the bilingual advantage in cognitive control.
The influence of action perception on object recognition: a developmental study
Authors: Mounoud Pierre , Duscherer Katia , Moy Guénaël , Perraudin Sandrine 
Published: September 2007

Abstract Two experiments explored the existence and the development of relations between action representations and object representations. A priming paradigm was used in which participants viewed an action pantomime followed by the picture of a tool, the tool being either associated or unassociated with the preceding action. Overall, we observed that the perception of an action pantomime can facilitate the recognition of a corresponding tool. Experiment 1 was based on a naming task and was conducted with 9‐ to 12‐year‐old children and a group of young adults. While substantial priming effects were obtained for all age groups, they were especially important for the youngest participants. Smaller priming effects were obtained in Experiment 2, using a categorization task and conducted on 5‐ to 11‐year‐old children and young adults, but again the results suggest that these action priming effects diminish with increasing age. Implications of these results for the organization and development of conceptual knowledge are discussed.
Young children's use of scale models: testing an alternative to representational insight
Authors: Troseth Georgene L. , Bloom Pickard Megan E. , DeLoache Judy S. 
Published: September 2007

Abstract Using a symbolic object such as a model as a source of information about something else requires some appreciation of the relation between the symbol and what it represents. Representational insight has been proposed as essential to success in a symbolic retrieval task in which children must use information from a hiding event in a scale model to find a toy hidden in a room. The two studies reported here examine and reject a proposed alternative account for success in the model task. The results with 2.5‐year‐olds and 3‐year‐olds show that children's successful use of a scale model cannot be attributed to the simple detection of the correspondences between the objects in the two spaces. A higher‐level representation of the model–room relation (i.e. representational insight) is required. The results are discussed with respect to the coalescence of multiple factors in determining performance in the model task.
Nature and nurture: Williams syndrome across cultures
Authors: Zitzer‐Comfort Carol , Doyle Teresa , Masataka Nobuo , Korenberg Julie , Bellugi Ursula 
Published: September 2007

AbstractThis study is concerned with ways in which children with Williams syndrome (WS), a rare neurodevelopmental disorder arising from a hemizygous deletion in chromosome band 7q11.23 including the gene for elastin (ELN) and approximately 20 surrounding genes, are affected by social mores of vastly differing cultures: the United States and Japan. WS presents a compelling model for the investigation because its genetic phenotype is well defined and results in an uneven cognitive profile as well as a social phenotype typical of the syndrome including overt over‐friendliness toward strangers. While a number of research groups have been studying the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of individuals with WS in various countries, there have not been studies to date that explore the social phenotype in WS across different cultures. This study examines the ways in which social behavior in WS, stemming from specific genetic underpinnings, might be mediated by cultural expectations. We conducted a cross‐cultural study using an instrument that measures aspects of sociability commonly found among people with WS. Quantitative analyses revealed a significant effect of diagnostic category in that in both countries, children with WS were rated as significantly higher in global sociability and more likely to approach strangers than were their normal counterparts. There was also an effect of culture, in that regardless of category, WS and normal children in Japan were rated lower than their counterparts in the US. We suggest that the excessively social phenotype of children with Williams syndrome, although markedly present across cultures, appears to vary in its intensity by culture. This is an intriguing illustration of interactions between nature and nurture.
Visual processing speed: effects of auditory input on visual processing
Authors: Robinson Christopher W. , Sloutsky Vladimir M. 
Published: September 2007

AbstractThe ability to process simultaneously presented auditory and visual information is a necessary component underlying many cognitive tasks. While this ability is often taken for granted, there is evidence that under many conditions auditory input attenuates processing of corresponding visual input. The current study investigated infants’ processing of visual input under unimodal and cross‐modal conditions. Results of the three reported experiments indicate that different auditory input had different effects on infants’ processing of visual information. In particular, unfamiliar auditory input slowed down visual processing, whereas more familiar auditory input did not. These results elucidate mechanisms underlying auditory overshadowing in the course of cross‐modal processing and have implications on a variety of cognitive tasks that depend on cross‐modal processing.
The development of sentence interpretation: effects of perceptual, attentional and semantic interference
Authors: Leech Robert , Aydelott Jennifer , Symons Germaine , Carnevale Julia , Dick Frederic 
Published: September 2007

Abstract How does the development and consolidation of perceptual, attentional, and higher cognitive abilities interact with language acquisition and processing? We explored children's (ages 5–17) and adults’ (ages 18–51) comprehension of morphosyntactically varied sentences under several competing speech conditions that varied in the degree of attentional demands, auditory masking, and semantic interference. We also evaluated the relationship between subjects’ syntactic comprehension and their word reading efficiency and general ‘speed of processing’. We found that the interactions between perceptual and attentional processes and complex sentence interpretation changed considerably over the course of development. Perceptual masking of the speech signal had an early and lasting impact on comprehension, particularly for more complex sentence structures. In contrast, increased attentional demand in the absence of energetic auditory masking primarily affected younger children's comprehension of difficult sentence types. Finally, the predictability of syntactic comprehension abilities by external measures of development and expertise is contingent upon the perceptual, attentional, and semantic milieu in which language processing takes place.
Rendering Plasma Phenomena: Applications and Challenges
Authors: Baranoski G.V.G. , Rokne J.G. 
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACTPlasmas are ubiquitous in the Universe. An understanding of plasma phenomena is therefore of importance in almost every area of astrophysics, from stellar atmospheres to star clusters. Plasmas also occur in daily life both in industrial processes and in consumer products. Recent groundbreaking data is making this the golden age of plasma science. Although direct observations and analysis of data provide important physical evidence for plasma phenomena, they do not necessarily explain the phenomena. Hence, recent discoveries in this area might not only arise out of observations, but also from visual simulations of the phenomena supported by advanced rendering technologies. This report describes the state of art of such simulations, and examines practical issues often overlooked in the literature. Educational and public outreach applications are also discussed. Although the emphasis is on the predictive rendering of plasma processes, the simulation guidelines and trade‐offs addressed in this report can be extended to other types of natural phenomena. The report closes with a discussion of further avenues of research involving the visual simulation of plasma phenomena.
Gender Bias in Education: the Role of Inter‐household Externality, Dowry and other Social Institutions
Authors: Lahiri Sajal , Self Sharmistha 
Published: September 2007

AbstractWe analyze gender bias in school enrollment by developing a two‐period model where women become part of extended families of their in‐laws. Each family decides how many sons and daughters are sent to school and thus become skilled. Gender bias occurs due to failure of the families to internalize inter‐household externalities. “Groom‐specific” dowry worsens the situation. Under “bride‐specific” dowry, bias exists if and only if the skill premium in the labor market is bigger than that in the marriage market. A specific discriminatory “food‐for‐education” policy is shown to reduce bias, but increase total enrollment.
Inference by Eye: Pictures of Confidence Intervals and Thinking About Levels of Confidence
Authors: Cumming Geoff 
Published: September 2007

SummaryA picture of a 95% confidence interval (CI) implicitly contains pictures of CIs of all other levels of confidence, and information about the p‐value for testing a null hypothesis. This article discusses pictures, taken from interactive software, that suggest several ways to think about the level of confidence of a CI, p‐values, and what conclusions can be drawn from inspecting a CI.
Pedagogical Simulation of Sampling Distributions and the Central Limit Theorem
Authors: Hagtvedt Reidar , Jones Gregory Todd , Jones Kari 
Published: September 2007

SummaryStudents often find the fact that a sample statistic is a random variable very hard to grasp. Even more mysterious is why a sample mean should become ever more Normal as the sample size increases. This simulation tool is meant to illustrate the process, thereby giving students some intuitive grasp of the relationship between a parent population and the distribution of a sample mean.
THE PARADOX OF SLOW‐GROWTH HIGH‐INCOME REGIONS
Authors: Migué Jean‐Luc , Bélanger Gérard 
Published: September 2007

We attempt to provide an economic theory and the empirical evidence to explain why slow‐growth regions, like Quebec in Canada, enjoy as high living standards as rapidly growing regions. In the long term quantities not prices adjust (except for the price of land, a resource in fixed supply). Despite variations in regional growth rates, real per capita income adjusted for housing costs converge in all regions. The analysis offers important insights into regional development and has far‐reaching implications for federalism.
Timing and Wealth Effects of German Dual Class Stock Unifications
Authors: Dittmann Ingolf , Ulbricht Niels 
Published: September 2007

Abstract This paper studies the reasons and the costs of separating ownership from control by analysing the decision of German dual class firms to consolidate their share structure from dual to single class equity between 1990 and 2001. We find that the firm value increases significantly by an average 4% on the announcement day. A significant part of the variation in abnormal returns can be explained by the ownership structure and by changes in liquidity. A logit analysis of the unification decision yields that firms are more likely to unify if their controlling shareholder loses only little voting power in a stock unification. Also, firms that are financially constrained are more likely to abolish dual class shares; these firms often issue additional shares after the stock unification.