bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Integration of ERG gene mapping and gene‐expression profiling identifies distinct categories of human prostate cancer
Authors: Jhavar Sameer , Brewer Daniel , Edwards Sandra , Kote‐Jarai Zsofia , Attard Gerhardt , Clark Jeremy , Flohr Penny , Christmas Timothy , Thompson Alan , Parker Matthew , Shepherd Christopher , Stenman Ulf‐Hakan , Marchbank Tania , Playford Raymond J. , Woodhouse Christopher , Ogden Christopher , Fisher Cyril , Kovacs Gyula , Corbishley Cathy , Jameson Charles , Norman Andy , De‐Bono Johann , Bjartell Anders , Eeles Rosalind , Cooper Colin S. 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVETo integrate the mapping of ERG alterations with the collection of expression microarray (EMA) data, as previous EMA analyses have failed to consider the genetic heterogeneity and complex patterns of ERG alteration frequently found in cancerous prostates.MATERIALS AND METHODSWe determined genome‐wide expression levels with GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST arrays (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA, USA) using RNA prepared from 35 specimens of prostate cancer from 28 prostates.RESULTSThe expression profiles showed clustering, in unsupervised hierarchical analyses, into two distinct prostate cancer categories, with one group strongly associated with indicators of poor clinical outcome. The two categories are not tightly linked to ERG status. By analysis of the data we identified a subgroup of cancers lacking ERG rearrangements that showed an outlier pattern of SPINK1 mRNA expression. There was a major distinction between ERG rearranged and non‐rearranged cancers that involves the levels of expression of genes linked to exposure to β‐oestradiol, and to retinoic acid.CONCLUSIONSExpression profiling of prostate cancer samples containing single patterns of ERG alterations can provide novel insights into the mechanism of prostate cancer development, and support the view that factors other than ERG status are the major determinants of poor clinical outcome.
Oncological control after radical prostatectomy in men with clinical T3 prostate cancer: a single‐centre experience
Authors: Xylinas Evanguelos , Drouin Sarah J. , Comperat Eva , Vaessen Christophe , Renard‐Penna Raphaële , Misrai Vincent , Bitker Marc‐Olivier , Chartier‐Kastler Emmanuel , Richard François , Cussenot Olivier , Roupret Morgan 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVETo determine the effectiveness of cancer control afforded by radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with clinical stage T3 prostate cancer.PATIENTS AND METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed data for patients treated by RP for clinical stage T3 prostate cancer between 1995 and 2005. The following case characteristics were analysed: patient age, clinical presentation, preoperative prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level, Gleason score, tumour stage (2002 Tumour‐Node‐Metastasis), surgical procedure, pathological data, margin and lymph node status, and recurrence. Biochemical recurrence was defined as an increase in PSA level of >0.2 ng/mL after surgery. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves were generated, and prognostic factors were evaluated.RESULTSOverall, 100 patients were included; only 79% of them had pT3 disease based on the pathological specimen. The median follow‐up after RP was 69 months. The RP was open in 77 and laparoscopic in 23, with no significant difference between these approaches (P = 0.38). The 5‐year PSA‐free survival after surgery was 45%, and 5‐year cancer‐specific survival was 90%. On univariable analysis, Gleason score >7 (P = 0.01), pathological stage (pT2‐T3a vs T3b) (P < 0.001), positive lymph node (P < 0.001), and positive margin (P < 0.001) were associated with recurrence. On multivariable analysis, lymph node, margin status and Gleason score were also significant (P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONSRP can be recommended as an alternative primary treatment that results in acceptable cancer control for clinical stage T3 prostate cancer in selected cases. However, the patient should be warned that surgery alone might not be sufficient to control the cancer, and that adjuvant therapy might be needed during the course of the disease.
Urinary insulin‐like growth factor 2 identifies the presence of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder
Authors: Watson Jenny A. , Burling Keith , Fitzpatrick Patricia , Kay Elaine , Kelly John , Fitzpatrick John M. , Dervan Peter A. , McCann Amanda 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVETo examine urinary insulin‐like growth factor 2 (IGF‐2) levels in patient urine samples and determine the potential of IGF‐2 as a marker for the presence of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB).PATIENTS AND METHODSThe current gold standard for diagnosis of UCB is cystoscopy and cytological analysis. The identification of an accurate urine marker for UCB with the potential to replace unnecessary cystoscopy would benefit patients with UCB and others investigated after detecting haematuria. In the present study, we analysed 65 urine samples, and optimized an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay‐based approach to measure urinary levels of IGF‐2.RESULTSBased on a threshold of 5.4 ng/mL, patients with UCB have significantly elevated levels of urinary IGF‐2 (P = 0.009) and this difference remained significant after adjustment for age and sex (P = 0.04). Sensitivity and specificity values of 80% and 52%, respectively, were determined for urinary IGF‐2 alone and when combined with nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22; an approved biomarker for detection of UCB). There was a positive correlation between urinary IGF‐2 levels and NMP22 levels in patient urine samples and the combined assay improved the detection of UCB (sensitivity 85% and specificity 52%).CONCLUSIONSubstantiated evidence has identified IGF‐2 as a valuable marker for UCB. In addition, the novel observations of the present study have shown that aberrant levels of IGF‐2 occurring in the presence of UCB, can now be determined through a simple and inexpensive urine assay.
Impact of clinical variables on predicting disease‐free survival of patients with surgically resected renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Brookman‐Amissah Sabine , Kendel Friederike , Spivak Inna , Pflanz Sandra , Roigas Jan , Klotz Theodor , May Matthias 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE To determine the value of particular clinical variables for the preoperative prognostic Cindolo formula (PPCF) to predict disease‐free survival (DFS) of patients with surgically treated renal cell carcinoma (RCC).PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 771 consecutive patients (T1‐4NxM0) who had radical or partial nephrectomy were reviewed retrospectively. For each patient with RCC, PPCF was constructed according to clinical size and clinical presentation. On the basis of PPCF, patients were divided into Cindolo good prognosis (CGP) and Cindolo poor prognosis (CPP) groups. We also analysed further clinical variables (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, body mass index, hepatic dysfunction, night sweat, fever, value of blood platelets, leukocytes, haemoglobin level, gender, age and location). DFS was estimated using the Kaplan‐Meier method. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models were fitted to determine associations between the PPCF, measured clinical features, and DFS.RESULTS Four of the variables emerged as statistically significant for DFS from the univariable analysis (P < 0.001), i.e. clinical presentation, clinical tumour size, haemoglobin level and blood platelet count. In the multivariable analysis, only clinical tumour size and blood platelet count remained significant for DFS. By contrast, clinical presentation, used in the PPCF, had no significant influence. According to the PPCF we developed the preoperative Amissah Prognosis Score (PAPS) calculated as (0.19 × clinical size) + (0.492 × platelet count (≤400/nL = 0, >400/nL = 1) with a threshold between the two resulting prognosis groups at 1.76. The multivariable hazard ratio (95% confidence interval, CI) for the PAPS was 2.98 (2.15–4.12) (P < 0.001) compared to a hazard ratio for the PPCF of 1.36 (0.99–1.87) (P = 0.061). Furthermore, the predictive ability was greater when using the PAPS (area under the curve 0.721; 95% CI, 0.680–0.763; P ≤ 0.001) than the PPCF (0.690; 0.647–0.734; P ≤ 0.001).CONCLUSIONS Using preoperative prognostic models is reasonable to provide patients with pertinent information about their prognosis, and for tailoring the treatment to each patient’s needs. Applying the PPCF allows a prediction of the outcome of patients with surgically treated RCC on the basis of preoperatively available variables. However, clinical presentation, included in this model, had no significant influence on DFS in the present patients. By contrast, using the PAPS resulted in an improvement in the predictive value and in a greater discrimination between patients subdivided into a good and a poor prognosis group and hence is suitable for preoperative risk assignment.
Human activities alter biogeographical patterns of reptiles on Mediterranean islands
Authors: Ficetola Gentile Francesco , Padoa‐Schioppa Emilio 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTAim The theory of island biogeography predicts species richness based on geographical factors that influence the extinction–colonization balance, such as area and isolation. However, human influence is the major cause of present biotic changes, and may therefore modify biogeographical patterns by increasing extinctions and colonizations. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of human activities on the species richness of reptiles on islands.Location Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and Macaronesia.Methods Using a large data set (n = 212 islands) compiled from the literature, we built spatial regression models to compare the effect of geographical (area, isolation, topography) and human (population, airports) factors on native and alien species. We also used piecewise regression to evaluate whether human activities cause deviation of the species–area relationship from the linear (on log–log axes) pattern, and path analysis to reveal the relationships among multiple potential predictors.Results The richness of both native and alien species was best explained by models combining geographical and human factors. The richness of native species was negatively related to human influence, while that of alien species was positively related, with the overall balance being negative. In models that did not take into account human factors, the relationship between island area and species richness was not linear. Large islands hosted fewer native species than expected from a linear (on log–log axes) species–area relationship, because they were more strongly affected by human influence than were small islands. Path analysis showed that island size has a direct positive effect on reptile richness. However, area also had a positive relationship with human impact, which in turn mediated a negative effect on richness.Main conclusion Anthropogenic factors can strongly modify the biogeographical pattern of islands, probably because they are major drivers of present‐day extinctions and colonizations and can displace island biodiversity from the equilibrium points expected by theory on the basis of geographical features.
Rethinking attentional development: reflexive and volitional orienting in children and adults
Authors: Ristic Jelena , Kingstone Alan 
Published: November 2008

Abstract It is thought that a child takes the first 8 years of life to develop an adult‐like volitional attention system. The data that support this belief, however, are based on studies that inadvertently measured a combination of volitional and reflexive attention, rather than volitional attention alone. What is immature then in children that are younger than 8 years of age? The volitional attention system or the manner that volitional and reflexive attention systems combine? We investigated this issue, with preschool and adult populations, by first isolating and then combining volitional and reflexive attention systems. Our results indicate that both volitional attention, and the way it combines with reflexive orienting, are immature in preschool children. We suggest that when volitional attention becomes adult‐like its combination with reflexive attention will also become mature.
Electrophysiological indices of memory for temporal order in early childhood: implications for the development of recollection
Authors: Riggins Tracy , Miller Neely C. , Bauer Patricia J. , Georgieff Michael K. , Nelson Charles A. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe ability to recall contextual details associated with an event begins to develop in the first year of life, yet adult levels of recall are not reached until early adolescence. Dual‐process models of memory suggest that the distinct retrieval process that supports the recall of such contextual information is recollection. In the present investigation, we used both behavioral and electrophysiological measures to assess the development of memory for contextual details, as indexed by memory for temporal order, in early childhood. Results revealed age‐related improvements in memory for temporal order despite similar levels of memory for the individual items themselves. Furthermore, this pattern of recall was associated with specific components in the electrophysiological response. Consistent with electrophysiological research in adults, distributed, positive‐going activity late in the waveform was associated with increases in recall of contextual details and the development of recollective processes.
Anticipatory concern: a study in autism
Authors: Hobson Jessica A. , Harris Ruth , García‐Pérez Rosa , Hobson R. Peter 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThere has been substantial research on children's empathic responsiveness towards distressed people, and on the limited responsiveness of children with autism. To date, however, there have not been experimental studies to test how far children show concern towards someone who might beexpectedto feel badly, when that person hasnot(yet) expressed any negative feelings. We tested matched groups of children with autism and learning disability, and typically developing children of similar verbal mental age (approximately 6 years), with a novel procedure in which participants witnessed one person (E1) tearing the drawing of another (E2). In a comparison condition, a blank card was torn. In the torn‐drawing condition, as predicted, fewer participants with autism orientated towards E2 with an immediate look, and as a group, they were rated as showing less concern for, and fewer concerned looks towards, E2. We discuss possible implications for theoretical perspectives on the early development of empathy in typically as well as atypically developing children.
Computer‐mediated discussion, self‐efficacy and gender
Authors: Lin ShinYi , Overbaugh Richard C. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractIn the context of hybrid instruction, this study was designed to explore whether gender has an influence on learners' preferences for synchronous or asynchronous modes of computer‐mediated communication, and whether this decision impacts learners' self‐efficacy (SE) towards knowledge acquisition. The participants were 180 teacher‐education students (151 females and 29 males) enrolled in a hybrid (blend of traditional classroom instruction and online learning activities) foundations course at a United States research university with a proportionally high percentage of full‐time commuters and/or distance enrolees. The findings showed that, regardless of gender, two‐thirds of the participants preferred asynchronous modes over synchronous ones. In addition, gender was weakly related to the participants' SE in both modes. Linear regression indicated that SE, in turn, was weakly related to academic performance. The implications of these findings for instructional practice are discussed.
Design of blended training for transfer into the workplace
Authors: Lee Jieun 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBlended learning, mixing online and face‐to‐face learning modes, has been increasingly adopted in training with the expectation that it will help solve transfer problems and will lend other educational benefits. While there is a set of knowledge about design for facilitating transfer, it has not been investigated in a blended environment context. In response, this study investigated training design related factors that facilitated and hindered transfer in a blended‐training context. The case program was a 6‐week management leadership development program offered by a corporate university in Korea. Both facilitating and hindering design factors at each learning node were investigated by conducting a literature review, document analyses, focus group interviews, one‐on‐one interviews and an online survey. In addition to descriptive analysis, a smaller number of factors were drawn as salient design factors having predictability for transfer by using stepwise multiple regression. For the online module, the facilitating factors in ‘demonstration’ and ‘activation’ were best predictors for transfer. As a predictor among the hindering factors in the online module, the factors in ‘demonstration’ were yielded. For the off‐line module, the factors in ‘application’ were drawn as predictor factors. However, no single hindering variable resulted from the multiple regressions related to this module. By integrating the descriptive and predictive statistical analysis with qualitative data analysis, specific design guidelines for blended training to ensure transfer were presented.
Model Selection for Nested and Overlapping Nonlinear, Dynamic and Possibly Mis‐specified Models*
Authors: Marcellino Massimiliano , Rossi Barbara 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe literature on model comparison often requires the assumption that the true conditional distribution corresponds to that of one of the competing models. This strong assumption has been extended by the notion of encompassing and in likelihood based model comparisons. This paper takes the latter approach and develops tests for the comparison of competing nonlinear dynamic models, focusing on the nested and overlaping cases. The null hypothesis is that the models are equally close to the data generating process (DGP), according to a certain measure of closeness. The alternative is that one model is closer to the DGP. The models can be correctly specified or not. Their parameters can be estimated by a variety of methods, including (pseudo) maximum likelihood and ordinary least squares. The tests are symmetric and directional. Their asymptotic distribution under the null is either normal or a weighted sum of chi‐squared distributions, depending on the nesting characteristics of the competing models. The comparison of nested AR models, and of nested ARMA models with GARCH errors and exogenous forcing variables (ARMAX‐GARCH) are discussed as examples.
The beneficial effect of statins treatment by stroke subtype
Authors: Martínez‐Sánchez P. , Rivera‐Ordóñez C. , Fuentes B. , Ortega‐Casarrubios M. A. , Idrovo L. , Díez‐Tejedor E. 
Published: November 2008

Background and purpose:  Statins have shown some protective effect after ischaemic stroke in observational studies. However, this effect has never been assessed by etiological subtypes.Methods:  Observational study using data from the Stroke Unit Data Bank from consecutive patients with cerebral infarction. Variables analyzed: demographic data, cardiovascular risk factors, treatment with statins at stroke onset, stroke severity, stroke subtype, in‐hospital complications, length of stay, and functional status at discharge (modified Rankin Scale).Results:  A total of 2742 patients were included, 1539 were men. Mean age was 69.17 years (SD 12.19). Of these, 281 patients (10.2%) were receiving statins when admitted. The logistic regression analyses showed that previous treatment with statins was an independent predictor for better outcome at discharge among all strokes (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.39 to 3.1) as well as for the atherothrombotic (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.33 to 5.84) and lacunar strokes (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.15 to 4.52) after adjustment for demographic data, risk factors, previous treatments, stroke subtypes, stroke severity, in‐hospital complications and length of stay. This benefit was not observed either in cardioembolic or in other etiology strokes.Conclusions:  Previous treatment with statins is an independent factor associated with good outcomes in patients with ischaemic stroke. Atherothrombotic and small vessel strokes show the greatest benefit.
The experiences of children with learning disablilities, their carers and staff during a hospital admission
Authors: Brown Freddy Jackson , Guvenir Jane 
Published: November 2008

Accessible summary

Disabled children and their carers were asked what it was like to stay in hospital.
They said they felt worried and the hospital was not always ready for them.
They also said it was helpful if the child’s carer could be there during a hospital stay and it is better when the child has their own room.
This research will help hospital make changes to make staying in hospital as positive as possible.

SummaryGovernment policy is that people with learning disabilities should have their healthcare needs met by mainstream services. This study interviewed the carers of 13 children with learning disabilities admitted to hospital for a period longer than 24 h. Nursing staff and two children were also interviewed. Five themes were identified as having a significant impact: (i) child, carer and staff anxiety, (ii) preparedness for the admission, (iii) difficulties managing the child’s behaviour, (iv) carer presence during the admission and (v) ward environment. This study presents edited responses from children, their carers and ward staff and identifies areas for service improvement. These include an emphasis on the value of emotional support, ensuring staff are prepared for hospital admission, agreeing strategies for supporting the child’s behaviour, clarifying carers and staff roles during an admission, ensuring the child has an individual room if required. Study limitations are discussed and directions for future research recommended.
Timbre‐independent extraction of pitch in newborn infants
Authors: Háden Gábor P. , Stefanics Gábor , Vestergaard Martin D. , Denham Susan L. , Sziller István , Winkler István 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe ability to separate pitch from other spectral sound features, such as timbre, is an important prerequisite of veridical auditory perception underlying speech acquisition and music cognition. The current study investigated whether or not newborn infants generalize pitch across different timbres. Perceived resonator size is an aspect of timbre that informs the listener about the size of the sound source, a cue that may be important already at birth. Therefore, detection of infrequent pitch changes was tested by recording event‐related brain potentials in healthy newborn infants to frequent standard and infrequent pitch‐deviant sounds while the perceived resonator size of all sounds was randomly varied. The elicitation of an early negative and a later positive discriminative response by deviant sounds demonstrated that the neonate auditory system represents pitch separately from timbre, thus showing advanced pitch processing capabilities.