| 116781. |
- van Gijn, Willem, et al.
(författare)
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Preoperative radiotherapy combined with total mesorectal excision for resectable rectal cancer : 12-year follow-up of the multicentre, randomised controlled TME trial
- 2011
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Ingår i: The Lancet Oncology. - 1470-2045 .- 1474-5488. ; 12:6, s. 575-582
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background The TME trial investigated the value of preoperative short-term radiotherapy in combination with total mesorectal excision (TME). Long-term results are reported after a median follow-up of 12 years. Methods Between Jan 12, 1996, and Dec 31, 1999, 1861 patients with resectable rectal cancer without evidence of distant disease were randomly assigned to TME preceded by 5 x 5 Gy radiotherapy or TME alone (ratio 1:1). Randomisation was based on permuted blocks of six with stratification according to centre and expected type of surgery. The primary endpoint was local recurrence, analysed for all eligible patients who underwent a macroscopically complete local resection. Findings 10-year cumulative incidence of local recurrence was 5% in the group assigned to radiotherapy and surgery and 11% in the surgery-alone group (p<0.0001). The effect of radiotherapy became stronger as the distance from the anal verge increased. However, when patients with a positive circumferential resection margin were excluded, the relation between distance from the anal verge and the effect of radiotherapy disappeared. Patients assigned to radiotherapy had a lower overall recurrence and when operated with a negative circumferential resection margin, cancer-specific survival was higher. Overall survival did not differ between groups. For patients with TNM stage III cancer with a negative circumferential resection margin, 10-year survival was 50% in the preoperative radiotherapy group versus 40% in the surgery-alone group (p=0.032). Interpretation For all eligible patients, preoperative short-term radiotherapy reduced 10-year local recurrence by more than 50% relative to surgery alone without an overall survival benefit. For patients with a negative resection margin, the effect of radiotherapy was irrespective of the distance from the anal verge and led to an improved cancer-specific survival, which was nullified by an increase in other causes of death, resulting in an equal overall survival. Nevertheless, preoperative short-term radiotherapy significantly improved 10-year survival in patients with a negative circumferential margin and Trim stage III. Future staging techniques should offer possibilities to select patient groups for which the balance between benefits and side-effects will result in sufficiently large gains.
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| 116782. |
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| 116783. |
- van Groenigen, Kees-Jan, et al.
(författare)
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Abundance, production and stabilization of microbial biomass under conventional and reduced tillage
- 2010
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Ingår i: Soil Biology & Biochemistry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0038-0717. ; 42:1, s. 48-55
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Soil tillage practices affect the soil microbial community in various ways, with possible consequences for nitrogen (N) losses, plant growth and soil organic carbon (C) sequestration. As microbes affect soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics largely through their activity, their impact may not be deduced from biomass measurements alone. Moreover, residual microbial tissue is thought to facilitate SOM stabilization, and to provide a long term integrated measure of effects on the microorganisms. In this study, we therefore compared the effect of reduced (RT) and conventional tillage (CT) on the biomass, growth rate. and residues of the major microbial decomposer groups fungi and bacteria. Soil samples were collected at two depths (0-5 cm and 5-20 cm) from plots in an Irish winter wheat field that were exposed to either conventional or shallow non-inversion tillage for 7 growing seasons. Total soil fungal and bacterial biomasses were estimated using epifluorescence microscopy. To separate between biomass of saprophytic fungi and arbuscular mycorrhizae, samples were analyzed for ergosterol and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers. Growth rates of saprophytic fungi were determined by [C-14]acetate-in-ergosterol incorporation, whereas bacterial growth rates were determined by the incorporation of H-3-leucine in bacterial proteins. Finally, soil contents of fungal and bacterial residues were estimated by quantifying microbial derived amino sugars. Reduced tillage increased the total biomass of both bacteria and fungi in the 0-5 cm soil layer to a similar extent. Both ergosterol and PLFA analyses indicated that RT increased biomass of saprophytic fungi in the 0-5 cm soil layer. In contrast, RT increased the biomass of arbuscular mycorrhizae as well as its contribution to the total fungal biomass across the whole plough layer. Growth rates of both saprotrophic fungi and bacteria on the other hand were not affected by soil tillage, possibly indicating a decreased turnover rate of soil microbial biomass under RT. Moreover, RT did not affect the proportion of microbial residues that were derived from fungi. In summary, our results suggest that RT can promote soil C storage without increasing the role of saprophytic fungi in SOM dynamics relative to that of bacteria. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 116784. |
- Van Guelpen, Bethany, et al.
(författare)
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One-carbon metabolism and CpG island methylator phenotype status in incident colorectal cancer : a nested case-referent study
- 2010
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Ingår i: Cancer Causes and Control. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0957-5243 .- 1573-7225. ; 21:4, s. 557-566
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: We related prediagnostic plasma folate, vitamin B12, and total homocysteine concentrations, and the MTHFR 677C>T and 1298A>C polymorphisms, to the risk of colorectal cancer with and without the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP). METHODS: This was a nested case-referent study of 190 cases and double, matched referents from the large, population-based Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study. Using archival tumor tissue, promoter methylation in an eight-gene panel was analyzed by MethyLight. RESULTS: A reduced risk of CIMP-low/CIMP-high CRC (>/=1 gene methylated) was observed in subjects with very low plasma folate concentrations [multivariate odds ratio 2.96 (95% CI 1.24-7.08) for quintiles two to five versus one (lowest)]. With the exception of a reduced risk in MTHFR 677 TT-homozygotes, none of the other one-carbon variables were associated with the risk of CIMP-low/CIMP-high CRC. For CIMP-negative CRC, only the MTHFR polymorphisms were statistically significantly related to risk, inversely for 677C>T and positively for 1298A>C, but a tendency toward a reduced risk was observed in subjects with an adequate methyl availability, combining the plasma variables [multivariate odds ratio 0.61 (95% CI 0.32-1.15)]. CONCLUSION: Though limited by low power, these findings suggest the possibility of different roles for one-carbon metabolism in different pathways of colorectal tumorigenesis.
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| 116785. |
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| 116786. |
- van Heerden, Gené
(författare)
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Collaborating and communicating in new media - wiki's, social networks and blogs : a qualitative and quantitative approach
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Web 2.0 environment has created a platform where the power and voice have shifted from organization to market. Communities, networks and the developments in information communication technologies have enabled the average consumer to become an active participant in creating and recreating value. This thesis identified three categories of the Web 2.0 environment Open Source, social networks and blogs to illustrate that valuable information exists in these platforms. This information is at the core of the collaboration activities and provides opportunities to develop competence in market knowledge. New ways of doing research and creating dialogue are needed in these collaborative platforms. This thesis reports on the five studies conducted in the Web 2.0 environment and the impact on collaboration and communication with the market. In the first instance, the nature of Open Source projects creates opportunities for organizations to collaborate and create value. Secondly, networks provide organizations with valuable information specifically with regards to structure and relationships. Lastly, this thesis discusses the importance of learning about blogs and the collaborative nature of these tools by including the perceptions of both blog readers and bloggers. Furthermore organizations need to understand the structure of such tools in order to leverage on its collaborative capabilities. The thesis concludes with the insights gained from these issues to provide organizations the opportunity to listen to the voice of the market in an attempt to optimize on the opportunities that exist.
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| 116787. |
- van Heerden, Gené, et al.
(författare)
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Do b2b bloggers believe blogs? : PR insights on blogger skepticism
- 2010
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Ingår i: Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal. - 1440-4389 .- 1839-8227. ; 10, s. 123-132
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Research and practice have given a lot of attention to blogs which illustrates that it is increasingly becoming an important PR tool. When blogs comment on the activities, products, services and technologies of organisations it becomes an important communications tool. Blogs can be used as credible professional communication but it can also be subject to the same type of skepticism that traditional mass media encounters. This article presents the responses of 333 international active bloggers in the business-to-business (B2B) environment. The responses to blogging ethics as well as their skepticism towards blogging are discussed. We adapted a skepticism scale initially used to measure skepticism towards advertising to reflect skepticism towards blogging. We then relate skepticism towards blogging with the blogger’s view on ethical issues. We also determine if skepticism varies among bloggers from different regions. The article concludes by identifying managerial implications and avenues for future research.
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| 116788. |
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| 116789. |
- van Heerden, Gené
(författare)
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Product, services and technology review blogs : a proposed model to explain consumer scepticism
- 2010
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Ingår i: Communicare. - 0259-0069. ; 29:2, s. 69-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- While much research has been conducted on consumer skepticism about advertising, limited attention has been focused on the relationship between gender and scepticism. As the Internet and new technologies continuously transform corporate communications, the relationship between gender and scepticism in new media such as the blogosphere begs further research. This article focuses on consumer scepticism of blogs that review products, services and technologies. Demographic variables - and particularly gender - are commonly employed to segment target audiences in an attempt to fit appeals specifically directed at males or females, or both. This article investigates three associated relationships: first, when gender is a significant predictor of consumer scepticism of blogs; second, when a relationship exists between scepticism as a predictor of the frequency of blogs accessed; and lastly, when scepticism is a predictor of the number of blogs visited. Data from Australia and South Africa provide the findings and offer guidance to practitioners for their new media selection and gender-based communication messages
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| 116790. |
- Van Hees, Patrick, et al.
(författare)
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Bränder i boendemiljö - En förstudie från BRANDFORSK
- 2010
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Swedish Board of Fire Research has initiated a pre-study to investigate the possibility to setup a larger research project that would deal with residential fires. Through interviews, literature studies and an initial statistical study, it is clear that there is a need for an umbrella project that focuses on residential fires. The major reason for doing this it that the costs of residential fires are high and that most fire fatalities happen in residential fires. A special effort is needed to be able to reduce the number of fatal fires and the total number of residential fires. The project defines two themes as very important. The first theme deals with fire safety for people with reduced capacity for action in case of fire and the other theme deals with fire safety in the future living environments. There is a need for funding from several contributors in addition to the Swedish Fire Research Board, i.e. from the responsible authorities, other public and private research funders and industry. Two different ways to carry out the project are proposed. Either a form analogous with the special initiative regarding arson fires initiated by the Fire Research Board or through a center of competence; "BIB - Fires in Housing environment" that would include all major stakeholders and anchored within the organization of the Fire Research Board. The direct benefit of this pre-study is the compilation of the current knowledge within the area and the research presented.
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