| 1. |
- Cortés-González, Jeff R, et al.
(author)
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Early salvage radiation therapy combined with short-term hormonal therapy in recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy: Single-institution 4-year data on outcome, toxicity, health-related quality of life and co-morbidities from 184 consecutive patients treated with 70 Gy.
- 2013
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In: International journal of oncology. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1791-2423 .- 1019-6439. ; 42:1, s. 109-17
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study was to investigate the role of 70Gy salvage radiotherapy (SRT) combined with short-term neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) in the treatment of recurrent disease after radical prostatectomy (RP), and to consider quality of life (QoL), survival outcomes and impact of co-morbidities on treatment-related rectal-genitourinary toxicity. Electronic records of 184 SRT patients treated consecutively between October 2001 and February 2007 were analyzed. Median age was 64 years (median follow-up 48months). NHT was given to 165 patients (median 3 months). Pre-RP and pre-SRT PSA, PSA doubling time, Gleason score (GS), seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) and detectable post-SRT PSA were recorded. Any detectable PSA or PSA >0.1 ng/ml + nadir was considered biochemical failure (BcF). The Charlson co-morbidity index was used to correlate co-morbidities and rectal-genitourinary toxicity. Scores from the health-related QoL EORTC QLQ-C30 and PR-25 questionnaires were also evaluated. In 116 (63%) patients, a long-lasting curative effect was indicated by undetectable PSA levels. In univariate analysis, using BcF as an outcome variable, p<0.001 was found for GS, pre-SRT PSA, SVI and detectable post-SRT PSA. Multivariate analysis showed p=0.01 for SVI, p=0.09 for GS, and detectable post-SRT PSA (p=0.01); with metastases as an outcome variable, only SVI was significant (p=0.007). Cancer-specific and overall survival were 99 and 95%, respectively. Although microscopy showed SVI or GS 8-10 in the prostatectomy specimens 17/40(43%) and 13/29 (45%), respectively, of patients still showed undetectable PSA at long-term follow-up (median 55 months) after SRT. Likewise, 11/31 (36%) patients with pre-SRT PSA >1.0 ng/ml and 80/134 (60%) patients with PSA doubling time (PSADT) <10 still showed undetectable PSA after 50 months. Slightly elevated acute and late rectal-genitourinary grade 3-4 toxicity was observed. No association with co-morbidity/toxicity was found. EORTC QLQ-C30 scores were similar to or slightly better than reference values. SRT with 70 Gy combined with 3-month NHT results in long-term undetectable PSA in >50% of patients with recurrence after RP with acceptable rectal-genitourinary toxicity and without negatively affecting long-term QoL. Non-metastatic patients should not be disqualified from receiving SRT although presenting with poor prognostic factors at surgery.
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| 2. |
- Ladenson, Paul W, et al.
(author)
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Use of the Thyroid Hormone Analogue Eprotirome in Statin-Treated Dyslipidemia
- 2010
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In: NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE. - 0028-4793 .- 1533-4406. ; 362:10, s. 906-916
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND Dyslipidemia increases the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and is incompletely reversed by statin therapy alone in many patients. Thyroid hormone lowers levels of serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and has other potentially favorable actions on lipoprotein metabolism. Consequently, thyromimetic drugs hold promise as lipid-lowering agents if adverse effects can be avoided. METHODS We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial to assess the safety and efficacy of the thyromimetic compound eprotirome (KB2115) in lowering the level of serum LDL cholesterol in patients with hypercholesterolemia who were already receiving simvastatin or atorvastatin. In addition to statin treatment, patients received either eprotirome (at a dose of 25, 50, or 100 mu g per day) or placebo. Secondary outcomes were changes in levels of serum apolipoprotein B, triglycerides, and Lp(a) lipoprotein. Patients were monitored for potential adverse thyromimetic effects on the heart, bone, and pituitary. RESULTS The addition of placebo or eprotirome at a dose of 25, 50, or 100 mu g daily to statin treatment for 12 weeks reduced the mean level of serum LDL cholesterol from 141 mg per deciliter (3.6 mmol per liter) to 127, 113, 99, and 94 mg per deciliter (3.3, 2.9, 2.6, and 2.4 mmol per liter), respectively, (mean reduction from baseline, 7%, 22%, 28%, and 32%). Similar reductions were seen in levels of serum apolipoprotein B, triglycerides, and Lp(a) lipoprotein. Eprotirome therapy was not associated with adverse effects on the heart or bone. No change in levels of serum thyrotropin or triiodothyronine was detected, although the thyroxine level decreased in patients receiving eprotirome. CONCLUSIONS In this 12-week trial, the thyroid hormone analogue eprotirome was associated with decreases in levels of atherogenic lipoproteins in patients receiving treatment with statins.
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| 3. |
- Ladenson, Paul W, et al.
(author)
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Use of the Thyroid Hormone Analogue Eprotirome in Statin-Treated Dyslipidemia
- 2010
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In: Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 0029-7828 .- 1533-9866. ; 65:8, s. 512-513
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Statins effectively reduce levels of serum cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, but have limited effectiveness if stringent goals for serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels are not met or adverse effects develop, requiring a dose reduction or drug discontinuation. Previous studies have shown that thyroid hormone and some of its metabolites reduce levels of serum LDL cholesterol and have potentially favorable actions on other lipoproteins. The studies were discontinued because of reports of adverse effects on heart and bone, and possible deaths. In a recent report, eprotirome, a thyromimetic compound with minimal uptake in nonhepatic-tissues, was shown to reduce levels of serum total and LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B without apparent side effects in patients not receiving statin therapy. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial investigated the safety and efficacy of eprotirome in lowering the level of serum LDL cholesterol in patients with hypercholesterolemia who already were receiving simvastatin or atorvastatin. The aim of the study was to determine whether adding eprotirome to statin therapy would provide additional lipid-lowering actions without producing adverse extrahepatic thyromimetic effects. Patients were randomly assigned to receive daily oral doses of 25, 50, or 100 mcg of eprotirome or a placebo for 12 weeks. The primary study outcome was changes in serum LDL cholesterol. The potential adverse thyromimetic effects on the heart, bone, and pituitary were examined. Treatment of patients for 12 weeks already receiving statins with either placebo or eprotirome at a dose of 25, 50, or 100 mu g reduced the mean level of serum LDL cholesterol from 141 mg per deciliter (3.6 mmol per liter) at baseline to 127, 113, 99, and 94 mg per deciliter (3.3, 2.9, 2.6, and 2.4 mmol per liter), respectively; this represented a mean reduction from baseline of 7%, 22%, 28%, and 32%, respectively. Similar reductions were found in the secondary study outcomes, which included serum levels of apolipoprotein B, triglycerides, and Lp(a) lipoprotein. No evidence of adverse effects of eprotirome on the heart, bone, or pituitary was noted. Although reductions in serum levels of thyroxine occurred in some patients who received eprotirome, there were no changes in levels of thyrotropin or triiodothyronine. These findings demonstrate that the addition of eprotirome to statin therapy produces substantial further reductions in serum LDL cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B. The drug appears to have an excellent safety profile.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Aagergaard, Sine, et al.
(author)
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Scandinavian women’s football in world : migration, management and mixed identity
- 2013
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In: Soccer & Society. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1466-0970 .- 1743-9590. ; 14:6, s. 769-780
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This special issue has grown out of an ongoing Nordic collaborative research project (Nordcorp) using Scandinavian women’s football as a strategically selected extreme case (of organizational development) to study a Nordic sport model in transition. The common point of interest for the project group, which overlaps with the editors and authors in this issue of Soccer and Society, is a fascination with the current development of Scandinavian women’s football that stands out as an intriguing subject for bothsports research and the social sciences.
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| 6. |
- Abrahamsson, Christina, et al.
(author)
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DeltaT50 - a new method to assess temporal ventricular repolarization variability
- 2011
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In: Journal of Electrocardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1532-8430 .- 0022-0736. ; 44:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Increased beat-to-beat variability in cardiac repolarization time is a tentative risk marker of drug-induced torsades de pointes. We developed a new, automatic method based on the temporal variability of the T-wave down slope to assess this variability. Method and Results Leads V1 to V6 of resting electrocardiograms were recorded in 42 healthy subjects (18-68 years, 22 men). The temporal variability at 50% of the T-wave down slope, deltaT50 (1.5 ± 0.41 milliseconds; range, 0.86-2.66 milliseconds), was measured with an accuracy of 1 millisecond on at least 9 pairs of electrocardiogram complexes with a signal-to-noise ratio more than 10 and changes in the R-R interval less than 150 milliseconds. The correlation between repeated measurements of deltaT50 was high. DeltaT50 was measured without corrections for age, sex, heart rate, T-wave amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio, R-R variability, and QTcF because none of these factors explained more than 4% of the within-subject deltaT50 variability. Conclusion The beat-to-beat repolarization variability was measured with high fidelity with the deltaT50 method and was a robust measure in healthy volunteers.
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| 7. |
- Acs, Zoltan J., et al.
(author)
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Growth and entrepreneurship
- 2012
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In: Small Business Economics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0921-898X .- 1573-0913. ; 39:2, s. 289-300
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper we suggest that the spillover of knowledge may not occur automatically as typically assumed in models of endogenous growth. Rather, a mechanism is required to serve as a conduit for the spillover and commercialization of knowledge from the source creating it, to the firms actually commercializing the new ideas. In this paper, entrepreneurship is identified as one such mechanism facilitating the spillover of knowledge. Using a panel of entrepreneurship data from 18 countries, we provide empirical evidence that, in addition to measures of Research & Development and human capital, entrepreneurial activity also serves to promote economic growth.
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| 8. |
- Andersson, Bo
(author)
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Harnessing Handheld Computing - Framework, Toolkit and Design Propositions
- 2012
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The rapid development of handheld technologies such as smartphones and personal digital assistants in recent years has created opportunities for the mobile workforce to take advantage of computerised information systems. To apprehend and harness the opportunities of computerised information systems implemented on handheld devices it is crucial to fully understand the user group and the handheld technology. However, there is a lack of comprehensive frameworks and toolkits supporting designers of computerised handheld information systems for the mobile workforce. The aim of this dissertation is to address this issue by developing both a framework and a toolkit for use early in the design process. To develop and evaluate the framework and the toolkit, various qualitative methods such as interviews, artefact studies, and experiments were applied for assessing both users’ and designers’ views on handheld computing. The analysis is made from a designers’ perspective and based on the entities, user, application, context and technologies. The proposed accentuated factors framework is a comprehensive framework of fifteen factors, evaluated and approved by experienced practitioners. The HISD Toolkit presented is based on the accentuated factors framework and supported by the design propositions Least Common Denominator, Flexible Forms, Tune-In and Defensive Design, which are also presented in this dissertation. The main implication for research is the use of the accentuated factors framework in analysis of handheld computing. The main implications in practice are the use of the HISD Toolkit in the design of handheld information systems, in the teaching of handheld computing, and in the evaluation of existing systems as in the procurement of computerised handheld information systems. The study has been supported by the Swedish Research School of Management and Information Technology (MIT)
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| 9. |
- Andersson, Torbjörn, et al.
(author)
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A diagnosis of the commercial immaturity of Swedish club football
- 2011
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In: Soccer & Society. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1466-0970 .- 1743-9590. ; 12:6, s. 754-773
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article presents a critical diagnosis of Swedish club football, in light of its current shortcomings on the European football market, and in comparison with the other Scandinavian leagues. The article highlights the commercial immaturity of the Swedish clubs, in addition to the context of historical and cultural values, restricted association forms, the emphasis on internationalism, the fixed tax system, the standards of the arenas, the lack of patronage and the migration of talents. The analysis closes with a depressed depiction of Swedish club football, in relation to development in Europe, as well as in Scandinavia. Still, in a dialectical reasoning this situation is, finally, evaluated as a valuable development in relation to fairness, internal sports logics as well as ecological values.
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| 10. |
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