Narrow Results

Background: OXYOP was a national multicenter (six participating centers) clinical study investigating the safety and performance of the oxygen carrier M101 (HEMO₂life^Ⓡ) used ex vivo as an additive to the preservation solution in kidney transplantation.

Methods: A total of 60 consecutive grafts treated with HEMO₂life^Ⓡ were included between March 3rd and December 8th, 2016. Grafts were preserved either in static cold storage (standard donor) or on machine perfusion (extended criteria donor). To evaluate the safety and performance of HEMO₂life^Ⓡ, we compared the experimental group with a control group consisting of the contralateral kidneys (the paired kidneys that did not receive HEMO₂life^Ⓡ).

Results: This study reports the follow-up results of OXYOP patients after 48 months. We found a statistical difference in terms of patient survival at 48-month post-transplantation (98.3% with HEMO₂life^Ⓡ vs 86% without HEMO₂life^Ⓡ, $p$ = 0.016). Importantly, more patients in the control group were converted from calcineurin inhibitors to belatacept because of poor renal function vs none in the HEMO₂life^Ⓡ group.

Conclusions: These results demonstrated the major benefit of HEMO₂life^Ⓡin renal transplant preservation. HEMO₂life^Ⓡis the first hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier whose beneficial effect in organ preservation was established after 1 year and this is confirmed at 4-year post-transplant.

In this paper, we present evidence that the red ginseng powder from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer inhibits the recurrence of AJCC stage III gastric cancer and shows immunomodulatory activities during postoperative chemotherapy, after a curative resection with D2 lymph node dissection. Flow cytometric analyses for peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets showed that the red ginseng powder restored CD4 levels to the initial preoperative values during postoperative chemotherapy. Depression of CD3 during postoperative chemotherapy was also inhibited by the red ginseng powder ingestion. This study demonstrated a five-year disease free survival and overall survival rate that was significantly higher in patients taking the red ginseng powder during postoperative chemotherapy versus control (68.2% versus 33.3%, 76.4% versus 38.5%, respectively, p < 0.05). In spite of the limitation of a small number of patients (n = 42), these findings suggest that red ginseng powder may help to improve postoperative survival in these patients. Additionally, red ginseng powder may have some immunomodulatory properties associated with CD3 and CD4 activity in patients with advanced gastric cancer during postoperative chemotherapy.

The effects of long-term oral administration of Choto-san (Diao-Teng-San in Chinese) extract on the occurrence of stroke and life span were investigated in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SPs). Twenty-four rats were ramdomized into three groups. From 8 weeks of age, 0.1% and 0.3% Choto-san groups were given water containing 0.1% (150 mg/kg/day) and 0.3% (450 mg/kg/day) Choto-san extract, respectively. A control group was given only water. The mean survival times of the control group, 0.1% and 0.3% Choto-san groups were 122.1, 159.8 and 176.8 days, respectively. The percent survivals of both the 0.1% and 0.3% Choto-san groups were significantly enhanced compared to the control (Kaplan-Meier analysis followed by log-rank test; 0.1% Choto-san: p < 0.05; 0.3% Choto-san: p < 0.05). Furthermore, the cumulative percent occurrence of neurological and behavioral signs accompanying stroke in the 0.3% Choto-san group was significantly inhibited compared to the control (p < 0.05). These results suggested that Choto-san prevents the occurrence of stroke and prolongs the life span of SHR-SPs.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in treating people living with HIV (PLHIV) by comparing the survival of PLHIV treated with TCM and without TCM. To identify prognostic factors that affect the survival of PLHIV, patients who enrolled in the national TCM HIV treatment trial program (NTCMTP) in October 2004 and PLHIV in the same region who did not enroll in the NTCMTP were compared. Participants were followed up to October 2012. Survival time was estimated through the Kaplan–Meier method, and hazard ratios to identify prognostic factors were computed through Cox proportional hazard models. A total of 3,229 PLHIV (1,442 in the TCM therapy group and 1,787 in the non-TCM therapy group) were followed up for 21,876 person-years. In this time period, 751 (23.3%) died and 209 (6.5%) were lost to follow-up, for an overall mortality rate of 3.43/100 person-years. In the TCM therapy group, 287 (19.0%) died and 139 (9.7%) were lost to follow-up, and in the non-TCM therapy group, 464 (26.0%) PLHIV died and 70 (3.9%) were lost to follow-up. The mortality rate in the TCM therapy group was 2.97/100 person-years, which was lower than the rate of 3.79/100 person-years in the non-TCM therapy group. The 8-year cumulative survival in the TCM therapy group was 78.5%, lower than the 74.0% survival in the non-TCM therapy group. After adjusting for other factors, risk factors of death included male gender, older age, less education, taking combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) at enrollment, not taking cART at follow-up, and lower CD4 + T cell counts. Our retrospective cohort study indicates that TCM increased the survival and lengthened the lifetime of PLHIV in Henan Province of China. However, the limitations of a retrospective cohort could have biased the study, so prospective studies should be carried out to confirm our primary results.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of diosgenin on the D-galactose-induced cerebral cortical widely dispersed apoptosis. Male 12-week-old Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Control (1mg/kg/day of saline, i.p.), DD0 (150mg/kg/day of D-galactose, i.p.), DD10, and DD50 (D-galactose$+10$ or 50mg/kg/day of diosgenin orally). After eight weeks, histopathological analysis, positive TUNEL and Western blotting assays were performed on the excised cerebral cortex from all four groups. The TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells, the components of Fas pathway (Fas, FADD, active caspase-8 and active caspase-3), and mitochondria pathway (t-Bid, Bax, cytochrome $c$, active caspase-9 and active caspase-3) were increased in the DD0 group compared with the control group, whereas they were decreased in the DD50 group. The components of survival pathway (p-Bad, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, IGF-1, p-PI3K and p-AKT) were increased in the DD50 group compared to the control group, whereas the levels of Bcl-xL, p-PI3K, and p-AKT were also compensatorily increased in the DD0 group compared to the control group. Taken together, diosgenin suppressed D-galactose-induced neuronal Fas-dependent and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathways and enhanced the Bcl-2 family associated pro-survival and IGF-1-PI3K-AKT survival pathways, which might provide neuroprotective effects of diosgenin for prevention of the D-galactose-induced aging brain.

The shape of the hazard function is of great interest in studies of the efficacy of cancer treatment and post-treatment cancer surveillance. We present estimates of the hazard rates obtained from data on survival of patients with cervical cancer and discuss associated methodological problems. Our study was carried out on survival data for 1826 women with cancer of the cervix uteri stratified by clinical stage and tumor growth pattern. We used nonparametric and various smoothing techniques for estimating the hazard function from the data; these were a nonparametric estimator based on the Nelson-Aalen method and its kernel counterparts, the kernel local likelihood estimator with a data-adaptive bandwidth, and a parametric estimator specifically designed for two-component hazards. For all categories of patients, the estimated hazard functions pass through a clear-cut maximum, tending to zero as the follow-up time becomes sufficiently long. In one stratum of patients we observed a bimodal shape of the hazard function. There are two alternative models that provide equally plausible explanations of this observation; one of them attributes the observed pattern of the hazard function to a certain heterogeneity of tumor cell population, while the competing model refers to a heterogeneity of the subsample of patients under study. Providing the probability of cure is high, as is the case in our setting, there is no way to discriminate between the two models on the basis of survival data.

The study explored the secrets of success described by Chinese apparel new ventures. Barney's (1991) resource-based view of the firm helped the researchers understand secrets to success from the firm's internal perspective, and the social network theory informed key secrets from the external perspective (Ahuja, 2000). In-depth interviews with open-ended questions were employed with sixteen top apparel companies in China. Results revealed that having the first successful store is the symbol of success and that success is a never-ending goal. The key secrets to success were described as the founders' ability to find the niche market, their down-to-earth attitude, unique branding position and products, and, finally, external relationships. The study will help Chinese apparel new ventures in realizing the secrets of surviving the initial stage. Academic organizations and governments may want to utilize the study findings to develop more curricula and policies that may be more fruitful for small businesses' success in the long term.

In replantation surgery, the use of continuous brachial plexus blockade (CBPB) is popular as it improves postoperative analgesia and vascular flow. The aim of our study was to determine whether CBPB may affect the odds of survivability of replanted digit(s).

A four-year retrospective chart review was performed and various parameters affecting replant survival were examined. Outcome was recorded as successful if the transplanted digit(s) survived six months after discharge. All the independent variables were forced into a regression model without using a specific variable selection algorithm.

The data for 146 patients was obtained from our chart review. The success rate of replanted digits in the patients reviewed was 65.8%. The logistic regression model showed a relation between the number of digits injured and replanted digit(s) survival.

Our study showed that CBPB has no effect on the survivability of the replanted digit(s) till six months after hospital discharge.

This study examines the impact of investor attention on the fund inflows and survival of newly issued equity and bond funds. We employ the residual search volume index (RSVI) from Google Trends to directly measure investor attention to a mutual fund. We find that the RSVI is positively related to fund inflows for both new equity and bond funds. However, the RSVI is only positively related to the probability of survival for new equity funds, not for new bond funds. These results suggest that in addition to traditional channels such as advertising and sales forces, the Internet can serve as an alternative and effective tool for marketing and product distribution in the mutual fund industry.

The development of prognostic molecular signatures considering the inter-patient heterogeneity is a key challenge for the precision medicine. We propose a joint model of this heterogeneity and the patient survival, assuming that tumor expression results from a mixture of a subset of independent signatures. We deconvolute the omics data using a non-parametric independent component analysis with a double sparseness structure for the source and the weight matrices, corresponding to the gene-component and individual-component associations, respectively. In a simulation study, our approach identified the correct number of components and reconstructed with high accuracy the weight ($>$0.85) and the source ($>$0.75) matrices sparseness. The selection rate of components with high-to-moderate prognostic impacts was close to 95%, while the weak impacts were selected with a frequency close to the observed false positive rate ($<$25%). When applied to the expression of 1063 genes from 614 breast cancer patients, our model identified 15 components, including six associated to patient survival, and related to three known prognostic pathways in early breast cancer (i.e. immune system, proliferation, and stromal invasion). The proposed algorithm provides a new insight into the individual molecular heterogeneity that is associated with patient prognosis to better understand the complex tumor mechanisms.

Gastric cancer is the second most common cancer in the world. It is also the second most common cause of death from cancer. It has an uneven geographical distribution with incidence and mortality rates that vary greatly from high risk to low risk areas. Even within the same country, there may be variations associated with regional differences or ethnic composition. Time trends over the last few decades reveal a decreasing incidence and mortality. All these, together with incidence and mortality patterns in migrant populations, point to a predominantly environmental etiology in gastric cancer. Gastric cancer carries a poor prognosis with global 5-year survival of less than 20%. Gastric cancer will remain a sizeable healthcare problem for many more years.

This empirical study explores first the relationship between operating years and entry strategies based on wholly-owned and joint venture companies. Second, we examine the effects of equity ownership, size, entry strategy and subsidiary age on the sales growth ratio and the subsidiary's survival. Our findings show that in recent periods, the multi-national companies (MNCs) prefer to acquire high levels of equity ownership, including full ownership subsidiaries, especially when the subsidiary is in the manufacturing industry. Our results imply that capital, the age of the venture, the number of employees and full equity ownership affect survival. Finally, we find that subsidiaries with a small number of employees are likely to have a superior sales growth ratio and are more likely to survive.

This study identified 14 adjustment strategies employed by household and business managers to cope with overlapping work and family demands using data from 1997 and 2000 versions of the National Family Business Survey (NFBS). Significant differences were found between surviving small family firms by managerial role (single or dual) regarding gross income, gender, number of children under age 18, community size and trade sector. Both surviving and non-surviving enterprises tended to bring household work to the business field when times were hectic and demanding, and took care of family responsibilities while at the business. However, in non-surviving businesses, business managers reported a greater tendency to bring work home, demonstrating that work entered the family field more frequently than in surviving businesses. Managers of surviving businesses were more likely to make financial adjustments by hiring temporary help for the business or home, and less likely to ask others to help in the business without pay. Significant differences were also noted regarding the use of non-financial adjustments; managers of surviving family businesses were able to shift away from business work to spend time on family aspects, and to spend less time sleeping to help the business.

In spite of their significance, the analyses of public subsidies for startups have been scant in the scientific literature. The focus has been more on justifying or arguing against the state's intervention through the granting of subsidies. The main aim of these public policies is to create companies by disadvantaged groups. Looking at the data we observe that the aim was achieved. Given this evidence, this paper analyzes how public programs that promote the creation of companies affect those companies' survival and net profits over a period of five years. Using a bivariate probit econometric model for a sample of businesses in a particular region of Spain, the results do not reveal the existence of differences, in terms of survival and profits, between companies created with and without public subsidies. The results do not support the arguments for or against the effectiveness of public programs, because subsidized companies neither survive longer nor have less net profits than unsubsidized companies.

Many companies have created corporate incubators to deal with the increasing pace of innovation and to foster innovation activities beyond their current business. Since these corporate incubators demand considerable resources, the parent companies continuously evaluate the incubators’ performance and then decide on their survival. This decision depends on the balance between incubator’s contributions and the hosting company’s financial investment (top-level), while the incubator’s contributions again depend on the balance between incubator investment and the supported new business contributions (bottom-level). We apply the Barnard–Simon theory of organisational equilibrium to investigate the resource flow balance on both levels and to predict the resulting incubators’ performance, which determines their future survival. The analysis is based on a sample of corporate incubators surveyed in 2019. Results show that incubators with a top-level equilibrium and a bottom-level disequilibrium perform better. These counterintuitive yet insightful results are discussed in detail.

Background: Traumatic digital amputations require early replantation, and proper surgical technique is a critical factor for a successful digital replantation. Non-surgical factors can also effect the digital survival rate. Previous studies have used univariate analysis and logistic regression which could not identify the various complex associations of patient-related and digit-related factors. This study aimed to identify the determinants of digital survival after replantation, using multi-level analysis.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 209 patients with 272 finger revascularizations and replantations performed from the metacarpophalangeal joint to the end of the finger. Demographic data, place of injury, mechanism of injury, level of amputation, and success rate were examined.

Results: The overall survival rate of digital replantation during the study period January 2004–December 2017 was 64%. Surgeon’s experience 3–5 years (OR 13.04), type of injury as guillotine (OR 6.79) and number of venous anastomoses for two veins (OR 6.83) were the most important pre-operative and intra-operative factors affecting the survival rate as clarified by a multi-level hierarchical model.

Conclusions: Although successful replantation involved many factors, the most important factors that directly affected the survival of the amputated digit were surgeon’s experience, venous anastomosis and type of injury.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) may benefit local firms in the host country through various kinds of spillovers, but it may also raise competition and result in the crowding out of domestic firms. Using detailed firm-level data for the period 2001–2008, this paper examines the aggregate effect of FDI on the survival of domestic private firms in Viet Nam. We estimate the impact of both horizontal and vertical FDI and explore how the presence of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) influences the exit hazard for private firms. The results suggest that horizontal and upstream FDI raise the exit hazard significantly, while downstream FDI may reduce the hazard. The presence of SOEs has a direct negative effect on the survival odds of local private firms in the same industry, but there is also an indirect impact on the exit hazard from FDI. Local firms are more vulnerable to foreign entry in sectors with high SOE shares. Looking at the net effects of FDI during the period 2001–2008, we find that results vary between sectors and over time but that the overall impact has been surprising small. The paper also discusses policy conclusions and implications for empirical analyses of spillovers from FDI.

Over 95% of all oesophageal cancers are either adeno- or squamous cell carcinomas. With increasing growth they cause dysphagia, weight loss and bleeding. Diagnosis is made with endoscopy and biopsy, and staging is completed by endoscopic ultrasound, abdomino-thoracic CT scan and PET. The UICC TNM classification is used to stage oesophageal tumours, and in gastro-oesophageal junction tumours the anatomical classification described by Siewert is commonly used when planning surgical resection.

Patients with locally resectable tumours and no distant metastases are classified as curative candidates. For these patients the gold standard for treatment is surgery with or without neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy. Tumours stage T2 or higher and/or N1 are usually considered for neoadjuvant treatment. Additional to the oncological staging, a risk analysis for each individual patient should be performed as oesophagectomy is associated with significant risks of morbidity and mortality. Co-morbidity, age and the number of surgical procedures performed by the treating institution are important predictors of outcome. Surgery is performed either with open, or minimal invasive techniques. The stomach is most commonly used conduit to replace the oesophagus, with a segment of large bowel an alternative in some individuals. Post-operative morbidity includes anastomotic leak, empyaema, chylothorax, and most importantly respiratory complications. After multimodal treatment, survival is between 20% and 40% at five years.

In patients with locally advanced tumours, metastases, or who are unfit for surgery, definitive radio-chemotherapy is the treatment of choice. Standard treatment regimens include radiotherapy (50 to 60 Gy) and chemotherapy with 5-FU and Cisplatin. If stenosis or obstruction is present, adjuvant interventions such as stent placement, dilatation and argon plasma ablation may be used.

In emerging and developing countries, the development of soft skills has been less emphasized. Attempts were made to get funding on the seed rounds by the founders, investors care the most to get the desired return on their investment, and employees are interested in securing their job compensation with minimum effort level. As a part of a firm’s culture, there are essential soft factors which can establish a strong drive for succeeding and creating a high-commitment culture between founders, investors, employees, which can shape a vibrant culture of survival, growth, and success in a firm. The present study aimed to evaluate financial toughness, share option, networking, and performance management. In fact, the main hypothesis is whether startups with these attributes rely less on external funding or not. After collecting data from active startups in the Iranian startup ecosystem, no evidence was available regarding a strong association between the existence of these soft factors in the firm and the firm’s survival/success rate.

The role of development in the evolution of postponed senescence is poorly understood despite the existence of a major gerontological theory connecting developmental rate to aging. We investigate the role of developmental rate in the laboratory evolution of aging using 24 distinct populations of Drosophila melanogaster. We have found a significant difference between the larval developmental rates of our Drosophila stocks selected for early (B) and late-life (O) fertility. This larval developmental time difference of approximately 12% (O > B) has been stable for at least 5 yr, occurs under a wide variety of rearing conditions, responds to reverse selection, and is shown for two other O-like selection treatments. Emerging adults from lines with different larval developmental rates show no significant differences in weight at emergence, thorax length, or starvation resistance. Long-developing lines (O, CO, and CB) have greater survivorship from egg to pupa and from pupa to adult, with and without strong larval competition. Crosses between slower developing populations, and a variety of other lines of evidence, indicate that neither mutation accumulation nor inbreeding depression are responsible for the extended development of our late-reproduced selection treatments. These results stand in striking contrast to other recent studies. We argue that inbreeding depression and inadvertent direct selection in other laboratories' culture regimes explain their results. We demonstrate antagonistic pleiotropy between developmental rate and preadult viability. The absence of any correlation between longevity and developmental time in our stocks refutes the developmental theory of aging.