11 research outputs found
Comparison of the collagen haemostat Sangustop(R) versus a carrier-bound fibrin sealant during liver resection; ESSCALIVER-study
No full textBackground: Haemostasis in liver surgery remains a challenge despite improved resection techniques. Oozing from blood vessels too small to be ligated necessitate a treatment with haemostats in order to prevent complications attributed to bleeding. There is good evidence from randomised trials for the efficacy of fibrin sealants, on their own or in combination with a carrier material. A new haemostatic device is Sangustop(R). It is a collagen based material without any coagulation factors. Pre-clinical data for Sangustop(R) showed superior haemostatic effect. This present study aims to show that in the clinical situation Sangustop(R) is not inferior to a carrier-bound fibrin sealant (Tachosil(R)) as a haemostatic treatment in hepatic resection. Methods: This is a multi-centre, patient-blinded, intra-operatively randomised controlled trial. A total of 126 patients planned for an elective liver resection will be enrolled in eight surgical centres. The primary objective of this study is to show the non-inferiority of Sangustop(R) versus a carrier-bound fibrin sealant (Tachosil(R)) in achieving haemostasis after hepatic resection. The surgical intervention is standardised with regard to devices and techniques used for resection and primary haemostasis. Patients will be followed-up for three months for complications and adverse events. Discussion: This randomised controlled trial (ESSCALIVER) aims to compare the new collagen haemostat Sangustop(R) with a carrier-bound fibrin sealant which can be seen as a "gold standard" in hepatic and other visceral organ surgery. If non-inferiority is shown other criteria than the haemostatic efficacy (e.g. costs, adverse events rate) may be considered for the choice of the most appropriate treatment. Trial Registration: NCT0091861
"Joining the End to the Beginning" Divine Providence and the Interpretation of Scripture in the Teaching of Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons
No full textIn this dissertation, the author argues that Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons in the second century, reads the scriptures as the living proclamation of the Creator by which he creates and forms human flesh and blood. The scriptural narrative originates in God’s creation of all things ex nihilo and traces the movement of humanity toward its eschatological perfection in the incarnate, crucified, and risen Christ. Thus, the author argues that, for Irenaeus, the scriptures are as anthropological as they are theological. The biblical narrative possesses a continuity that is rooted in the substance of the human body. The very body that was created out of the dust in Adam, preserved from the flood in Noah, catechized by the law in Abraham and Moses, and became accustomed to the Spirit in the prophets is assumed by the Son of God from the Virgin Mary, crucified on the tree of the cross, and raised from the grave. The author maintains that Irenaeus views the scriptures as a single narrative describing precisely that flesh and blood given at the eucharistic altar in the fellowship of the church. Irenaeus reads the scriptures, not only in an intimate relationship with the creation of all things in the beginning and their recapitulation in Christ, but also in accord with an ecclesial dimension. The biblical narrative describes the identity of the baptized, who are joined to the body of Jesus through the baptismal and eucharistic life of the church. From this perspective, the author insists that the meaning of the scriptures, for the second century bishop, is not merely rational, moral or mystical, but truly ontological
Echinacea Reduces Antibiotics by Preventing Respiratory Infections: A Meta-Analysis (ERA-PRIMA)
No full textRespiratory tract infections (RTIs) are the leading cause of antibiotic prescriptions, primarily due to the risk for secondary bacterial infections. In this study, we examined whether Echinacea could reduce the need for antibiotics by preventing RTIs and their complications, and subsequently investigated its safety profile. A comprehensive search of EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane DARE and clinicaltrials.gov identified 30 clinical trials (39 comparisons) studying Echinacea for the prevention or treatment of RTIs in 5652 subjects. Echinacea significantly reduced the monthly RTI occurrence, risk ratio (RR) 0.68 (95% CI 0.61–0.77) and number of patients with ≥1 RTI, RR = 0.75 [95% CI 0.69–0.81] corresponding to an odds ratio 0.53 [95% CI 0.42–0.67]. Echinacea reduced the risk of recurrent infections (RR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.46–0.80), RTI complications (RR = 0.44; 95% CI 0.36–0.54) and the need for antibiotic therapy (RR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.39–0.93), with total antibiotic therapy days reduced by 70% (IRR = 0.29; 95% CI 0.11–0.74). Alcoholic extracts from freshly harvested Echinacea purpurea were the strongest, with an 80% reduction of antibiotic treatment days, IRR 0.21 [95% CI 0.15–0.28]. An equal number of adverse events occurred with Echinacea and control treatment. Echinacea can safely prevent RTIs and associated complications, thereby decreasing the demand for antibiotics. Relevant differences exist between Echinacea preparations.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCPathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department ofReviewedFacultyResearche
Echinacea Reduces Antibiotics by Preventing Respiratory Infections : a meta-analysis (ERA-PRIMA)
No full textAbstract: Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are the leading cause of antibiotic prescriptions, primarily due to the risk for secondary bacterial infections. In this study, we examined whether Echinacea could reduce the need for antibiotics by preventing RTIs and their complications, and subsequently investigated its safety profile. A comprehensive search of EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane DARE and clinicaltrials.gov identified 30 clinical trials (39 comparisons) studying Echinacea for the prevention or treatment of RTIs in 5652 subjects. Echinacea significantly reduced the monthly RTI occurrence, risk ratio (RR) 0.68 (95% CI 0.61-0.77) and number of patients with >= 1 RTI, RR = 0.75 [95% CI 0.69-0.81] corresponding to an odds ratio 0.53 [95% CI 0.42-0.67]. Echinacea reduced the risk of recurrent infections (RR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.46-0.80), RTI complications (RR = 0.44; 95% CI 0.36-0.54) and the need for antibiotic therapy (RR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.39-0.93), with total antibiotic therapy days reduced by 70% (IRR = 0.29; 95% CI 0.11-0.74). Alcoholic extracts from freshly harvested Echinacea purpurea were the strongest, with an 80% reduction of antibiotic treatment days, IRR 0.21 [95% CI 0.15-0.28]. An equal number of adverse events occurred with Echinacea and control treatment. Echinacea can safely prevent RTIs and associated complications, thereby decreasing the demand for antibiotics. Relevant differences exist between Echinacea preparations
Echinacea Reduces Antibiotics by Preventing Respiratory Infections: A Meta-Analysis (ERA-PRIMA)
No full textRespiratory tract infections (RTIs) are the leading cause of antibiotic prescriptions, primarily due to the risk for secondary bacterial infections. In this study, we examined whether Echinacea could reduce the need for antibiotics by preventing RTIs and their complications, and subsequently investigated its safety profile. A comprehensive search of EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane DARE and clinicaltrials.gov identified 30 clinical trials (39 comparisons) studying Echinacea for the prevention or treatment of RTIs in 5652 subjects. Echinacea significantly reduced the monthly RTI occurrence, risk ratio (RR) 0.68 (95% CI 0.61–0.77) and number of patients with ≥1 RTI, RR = 0.75 [95% CI 0.69–0.81] corresponding to an odds ratio 0.53 [95% CI 0.42–0.67]. Echinacea reduced the risk of recurrent infections (RR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.46–0.80), RTI complications (RR = 0.44; 95% CI 0.36–0.54) and the need for antibiotic therapy (RR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.39–0.93), with total antibiotic therapy days reduced by 70% (IRR = 0.29; 95% CI 0.11–0.74). Alcoholic extracts from freshly harvested Echinacea purpurea were the strongest, with an 80% reduction of antibiotic treatment days, IRR 0.21 [95% CI 0.15–0.28]. An equal number of adverse events occurred with Echinacea and control treatment. Echinacea can safely prevent RTIs and associated complications, thereby decreasing the demand for antibiotics. Relevant differences exist between Echinacea preparations
RETRACTED: Vascularised human tissue models. A new approach for the refinement of biomedical research
No full textS.56-63This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).
This article has been retracted at the request of the Author(s).
(a) The authors have duplicated at least one figure from a paper that had already appeared in:
• Engineered Liver-Like Tissue on a Capillarized Matrix for Applied Research. TISSUE ENGINEERING; Volume 13, Number 11, 2007 Engineered Liver-Like Tissue on a Capillarized Matrix for Applied Research. KIRSTIN LINKE, JOHANNA SCHANZ, JAN HANSMANN, THORSTEN WALLES, HERWIG BRUNNER, & HEIKE MERTSCHING
Apparently, no permission was obtained to re-publish the image, as the authors did not provide us with a copy of a release issued by Mary Ann Liebert Inc. with an authorization to re-publish the figure initially published in Linke et al. (2007) in J. Biotechnology. In this case, this infringes on the copyright of Mary Ann Liebert Inc.
The authors stated on Feb. 11 2017 in an email to the Editor in Chief: “Between 2007 and 2010 we modified the culture conditions in out (Chief Editor comment: this means “our”) tissue models. These changes did not influence the morphology and 3 D arrangement of the cells. However, they changed the long term function of out (Chief Editor comment: this means “our”) tissue models.” Therefore, they implied that the figures shown in the 2010 paper demonstrate that there were no changes in the “morphology and 3 D arrangement of the cells” when comparing the culture conditions. It would, in our opinion, be impossible to demonstrate the similarities in the two different culture conditions by using the same figures as in the 2007 article, as both instances only show the result of the original culture condition.
(b) The authors have also (self)plagiarized significant text sections from:
• Genes Nutr. 2009 September; 4(3): 165-172 Penza, Jeremic, Montani, Unkila, Caimi, Mazzoleni, Diego Di Lorenzo PMCID: PMC2745740 DOI: 10.1007/s12263-009-0214-7
Springer-Verlag 2009
• Van den Belt K, Berckmans P, Vangenechten C, Verheyen R, Witters H (2004) Comparative study on the in vitro/in vivo estrogenic potencies of 17beta-estradiol, estrone, 17alpha-ethynylestradiol and nonylphenol. Aquat Toxicol 66(2):183–195
• Generation and Transplantation of an Autologous Vascularized Bioartificial Human Tissue. (2009) Clinical and Translational Research Transplantation; 27 July 2009 - Volume 88 - Issue 2 - pp 203-210 Heike Mertsching, Johanna Schanz, Volker Steger, Markus Schandar, Martin Schenk, Jan Hansmann, Iris Dally, Godehard Friedel, & Thorsten Walles
One of the conditions of submission of a paper for publication is that authors declare explicitly that their work is original and has not appeared in a publication elsewhere. Re-use of any data and text should be appropriately cited. As such this article represents a severe abuse of the scientific publishing system. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process.148Nr.
Retraction notice to: Vascularised human tissue models: A new approach for the refinement of biomedical research Journal of Biotechnology 148 (2010) 56-63 (Journal of Biotechnology (2010) 148(1) (56–63), (S0168165610001604), (10.1016/j.jbiotec.2010.03.015))
No full text140This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Author(s). (a) The authors have duplicated at least one figure from a paper that had already appeared in:• Engineered Liver-Like Tissue on a Capillarized Matrix for Applied Research. TISSUE ENGINEERING; Volume 13, Number 11, 2007 Engineered Liver-Like Tissue on a Capillarized Matrix for Applied Research. KIRSTIN LINKE, JOHANNA SCHANZ, JAN HANSMANN, THORSTEN WALLES, HERWIG BRUNNER, & HEIKE MERTSCHINGApparently, no permission was obtained to re-publish the image, as the authors did not provide us with a copy of a release issued by Mary Ann Liebert Inc. with an authorization to re-publish the figure initially published in Linke et al. (2007) in J. Biotechnology. In this case, this infringes on the copyright of Mary Ann Liebert Inc. The authors stated on Feb. 11 2017 in an email to the Editor in Chief: “Between 2007 and 2010 we modified the culture conditions in out (Chief Editor comment: this means “our”) tissue models. These changes did not influence the morphology and 3 D arrangement of the cells. However, they changed the long term function of out (Chief Editor comment: this means “our”) tissue models.” Therefore, they implied that the figures shown in the 2010 paper demonstrate that there were no changes in the “morphology and 3 D arrangement of the cells” when comparing the culture conditions. It would, in our opinion, be impossible to demonstrate the similarities in the two different culture conditions by using the same figures as in the 2007 article, as both instances only show the result of the original culture condition. (a) The authors have also (self)plagiarized significant text sections from:• Genes Nutr. 2009 September; 4(3): 165-172 Penza, Jeremic, Montani, Unkila, Caimi, Mazzoleni, Diego Di Lorenzo PMCID: PMC2745740 DOI: 10.1007/s12263-009-0214-7 Springer-Verlag 2009• Van den Belt K, Berckmans P, Vangenechten C, Verheyen R, Witters H (2004) Comparative study on the in vitro/in vivo estrogenic potencies of 17beta-estradiol, estrone, 17alpha-ethynylestradiol and nonylphenol. Aquat Toxicol 66(2):183–195• Generation and Transplantation of an Autologous Vascularized Bioartificial Human Tissue. (2009) Clinical and Translational Research Transplantation; 27 July 2009 - Volume 88 - Issue 2 - pp 203-210 Heike Mertsching, Johanna Schanz, Volker Steger, Markus Schandar, Martin Schenk, Jan Hansmann, Iris Dally, Godehard Friedel, & Thorsten WallesOne of the conditions of submission of a paper for publication is that authors declare explicitly that their work is original and has not appeared in a publication elsewhere. Re-use of any data and text should be appropriately cited. As such this article represents a severe abuse of the scientific publishing system. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process.35
Survival and prognosis with osteosarcoma: outcomes in more than 2000 patients in the EURAMOS-1 (European and American Osteosarcoma Study) cohort
No full textBackground: High-grade osteosarcoma is a primary malignant bone tumour mainly affecting children and young adults. The European and American Osteosarcoma Study (EURAMOS)-1 is a collaboration of four study groups aiming to improve outcomes of this rare disease by facilitating randomised controlled trials. Methods: Patients eligible for EURAMOS-1 were aged ≤40 years with M0 or M1 skeletal high-grade osteosarcoma in which case complete surgical resection at all sites was deemed to be possible. A three-drug combination with methotrexate, doxorubicin and cisplatin was defined as standard chemotherapy, and between April 2005 and June 2011, 2260 patients were registered. We report survival outcomes and prognostic factors in the full cohort of registered patients. Results: For all registered patients at a median follow-up of 54 months (interquartile range: 38–73) from biopsy, 3-year and 5-year event-free survival were 59% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 57–61%) and 54% (95% CI: 52–56%), respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that the most adverse factors at diagnosis were pulmonary metastases (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.95–2.81), non-pulmonary metastases (HR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.38–2.73) or an axial skeleton tumour site (HR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.10–2.13). The histological subtypes telangiectatic (HR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.33–0.80) and unspecified conventional (HR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.52–0.88) were associated with a favourable prognosis compared with chondroblastic subtype. The 3-year and 5-year overall survival from biopsy were 79% (95% CI: 77–81%) and 71% (95% CI: 68–73%), respectively. For patients with localised disease at presentation and in complete remission after surgery, having a poor histological response was associated with worse outcome after surgery (HR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.76–2.58). In radically operated patients, there was no good evidence that axial tumour site was associated with worse outcome. Conclusions: In conclusion, data from >2000 patients registered to EURAMOS-1 demonstrated survival rates in concordance with institution- or group-level osteosarcoma trials. Further efforts are required to drive improvements for patients who can be identified to be at higher risk of adverse outcome. This trial reaffirms known prognostic factors, and owing to the large numbers of patients registered, it sheds light on some additional factors to consider. © 2018 The Author
Una Interpretación Informacional de la “Ley de Conformidad a Plan” de Uexküll
No full textUexküll proposes the existence of a functional law according to which cells in organisms, and these in the global system of nature, are articulated with each other through invisible threads given by signification. This law of conformity to a plan -lcp- (Planmäßigkeit), is at odds with the vision of a mechanical world composed of independent units that move driven by external forces.
I will begin by showing how this author naturalizes the Kantian subject, showing that the categories of space-time that make knowledge possible are due to the organizational structure of the living being, which also requires the a priori inclusion quality of content such as chromatic and tonal scales, tactile, olfactory, etc. Thesis that places the subject's body at the center of a perceptual and operational space described by functional circles (cf). But, in addition, Uexküll postulates the lcp that ensures an harmonious correspondence between the different environments experienced by the great diversity of subjects enclosed within the logic of its own fc.
I will show that the notion of functional circles (cf) of perception (p) and action (a) can be interpreted as information processing. The perceptions will be considered as the inputs dependent on the sense organs, and the responses (outputs) as adjustments and actions, dependent on an information processing system -the body plan of the organism- that mediates between them according to the meaning (semantics) and the value of information regarding use and utility (pragmatic). The experienced environment (Umwelt) is analogous to the interface between the subject and the external environment that allows to operate correctly, though providing a limited and restricted perspective of the external objective world. In this way, the body of the subject as a user and creator of information, corelates input and outputs, and adjust itself contrapuntally with others in the great "musical composition" of nature.
I will show how the lcp allowed to conceive the role of genes and protoplasm within a scheme in which epigenetic information coordinates and regulates the expression of genetic information. Finally, I will show how this vision supports a neutral monistic holism where mind and matter merge in a dynamic and changing process, in which the various agents generate an interactive network in accordance with non-mechanical functional laws. To conclude, I suggest that this informational interpretation approximates the biological and physical visions that Uexküll considered as antagonistic.Uexküll propone la existencia de una ley funcional de acuerdo con la cual las células en los organismos y estos, en el sistema global de la naturaleza, se articulan entre sí mediante hilos invisibles dados por la significación. Esta ley, conformidad a plan -lcp- (Planmäßigkeit), riñe con la visión de un mundo mecánico compuesto por unidades independientes que se mueven impulsadas por fuerzas externas.
Comenzaré por mostrar como Uexküll naturaliza al sujeto kantiano, mostrando que las categorías de espacio tiempo que posibilitan el conocimiento, se deben a la estructura organizacional del ser vivo, la cual exige además la inclusión de los a priori de contenido como escalas cromáticas, tonales, táctiles, olfativas, etcétera. Tesis que coloca al cuerpo del sujeto en el centro de un espacio perceptivo y operativo descrito mediante los círculos funcionales (cf). Pero, además, Uexküll postula una lcp que asegura una correspondencia armoniosa entre los distintos medioambientes experimentados por la gran diversidad de sujetos encerrados dentro de la lógica de su cf.
Mostraré que la noción de círculos funcionales (cf) de percepción (p) y acción (a) puede ser interpretada como procesamientos de información. Las percepciones serán consideradas como las entradas (inputs) dependientes de los órganos de los sentidos, y las respuestas (outputs) como ajustes y acciones, dependientes del plan corporal del organismo que media entre ellas de acuerdo con el significado (semántica) y valor de uso de la información (pragmática). El medio ambiente experimentado (Umwelt) es análogo a la interfaz entre el sujeto y el medio externo que permite operar acertadamente, proporcionando una perspectiva incompleta y parcial de la realidad objetiva. De esta manera, el cuerpo organizado del sujeto en cuanto usuario y creador de información, correlaciona inputs y outputs, encaja contrapuntísticamente con otros en la gran “composición musical” de la naturaleza.
Así mismo, mostraré como la lcp permitió concebir el papel de los genes y del protoplasma dentro de un esquema en el que la información epigenética coordina y regula la expresión de la información genética. Por último, mostraré como esta visión sustenta a un holismo monista neutral donde mente y materia se funden en un proceso dinámico y cambiante, en el que los diversos agentes generan una red interactiva en conformidad a leyes funcionales no mecánicas. Para terminar, sugiero que esta interpretación informacional aproxima las visiones biológicas y físicas que Uexküll consideraba como antagónicas
