Magdalene, Mother, Martha’s Sister, or None of the Above? The Mary in the Dialogue of the Savior

This essay argues that the unspecified Mary in the Dialogue of the Savior does not refer to any of the specific Marys mentioned in the New Testament gospels

"Pray in the Place Where There is No Woman": Mary in the Dialogue of the Saviour

One of the Dialogue of the Saviour’s most prominent features is the female character Mary who participates with other disciples in a discussion with Jesus. Most texts in the Nag Hammadi codices including the Dialogue of the Saviour have been traditionally labeled as Gnostic. This study demonstrates the problems with the term, its influence on scholarship specifically on the so-called Gnostic Mary, and the ways in which it inevitably fails as a useful descriptive category, especially with respect to creating an artificial uniform character as the Gnostic Mary. This work then proceeds to consider a number of frequently overlooked issues including the unspecified identity of Mary in the Dialogue of the Saviour and the gender construction in the socio-historical context of the Dialogue of the Saviour

Contemporary principles of diagnostic and therapeutic management in cervical and ovarian neuroendocrine tumors

Enhancing knowledge about neuroendocrine neoplasms causes the need to improve management of these tumors. Althoughthese tumors are rare in clinical practice, their biological diversity makes both diagnostics and therapy a challengefor contemporary oncology. The article discusses the latest developments in the diagnostic procedures and methods oftreatment of the cervical and ovarian neuroendocrine tumors. Algorithms are presented to understand the differences intherapeutic management in these malignancies

Placeholders, Lessons, and Emasculators: The Literary Function of Women in Early Christian Texts

Scholarship on women in ancient Christian texts has primarily aimed to argue either that these texts were patriarchal and hostile to women or to show that on the contrary, women’s capabilities and roles were held in higher esteem than we might assume. This dissertation highlights the literary function of female characters—the roles they play for the aims of the texts where they appear—to offer a way to study them beyond the framework of critique or apologetics. While the study of women in early Christianity has generally categorized women by their biographical details, such as their marital status, I propose three new categories—placeholders, lessons, and emasculators—as a means of accounting for and organizing the data we have about these women. These categories are based on the literary function of the women within their respective texts. The discussion of each category features a main exemplum and text. The category of placeholders focuses on Mary in the Gospel of Thomas, lessons through women discusses Bilhah in the Testament of Reuben, and emasculators discusses Judith in the book of Judith. The character of Thecla from the Acts of Paul and Thecla is used throughout the dissertation as a recurring point of comparison for each category and woman. Overall, this study argues that understanding the literary function of these women is effective for identifying similarities among female characters from various corpora and traditions.Ph.D

Outcomes of Patients with Pulmonary Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma in I–IV Stage

Background and Objectives: Large cell neuroendocrine cancer is characterised by poor prognosis. The standard of treatment is still not established. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive factors of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and combined LCNEC. Materials and Methods: All patients had confirmed pathology stage I-IV disease recorded between period 2002–2018. Survival curves were estimated by Kaplan–Meier method. Uni- and multivariable analysis was conducted using Cox-regression analysis. Results: A total of 132 patients with LCNEC and combined LCNEC were included. Half of them had clinical stage IIIB/C-IV. Patients were treated with radical (n = 67, including surgery alone; resection with neo-adjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy, radiochemotherapy, or adjuvant radiotherapy; patients treated with radiochemotherapy alone), palliative (n = 41) or symptomatic (n = 24) intention. Seventeen patients were treated with resection margin R1 or R2. Non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC) chemotherapy (platinum-vinorelbine; PN schedule) and small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) chemotherapy approaches (platinum/carboplatinum-etoposide; PE/KE schedule) were administered in 20 and in 55 patients, respectively. The median (95% Confidence Interval (CI)) OS and PFS were 17 months (9.0–36.2 months) and 7 months (3.0–15.0 months), respectively. Patients treated with negative resection margin, with lower clinical stage, without lymph node metastasis, and with size of primary tumour ≤4 cm showed significantly better OS and PFS. The main risk factors with an adverse effect on survival were advanced CS and positive resection margin. Conclusions: Patients with LCNEC characterized poor prognosis. Independent prognostic factors influencing PFS were initial clinical stage and resection margin R0 vs. R1-2.</jats:p

Outcomes of Patients with Pulmonary Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma in I–IV Stage

Background and Objectives: Large cell neuroendocrine cancer is characterised by poor prognosis. The standard of treatment is still not established. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive factors of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and combined LCNEC. Materials and Methods: All patients had confirmed pathology stage I-IV disease recorded between period 2002&ndash;2018. Survival curves were estimated by Kaplan&ndash;Meier method. Uni- and multivariable analysis was conducted using Cox-regression analysis. Results: A total of 132 patients with LCNEC and combined LCNEC were included. Half of them had clinical stage IIIB/C-IV. Patients were treated with radical (n = 67, including surgery alone; resection with neo-adjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy, radiochemotherapy, or adjuvant radiotherapy; patients treated with radiochemotherapy alone), palliative (n = 41) or symptomatic (n = 24) intention. Seventeen patients were treated with resection margin R1 or R2. Non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC) chemotherapy (platinum-vinorelbine; PN schedule) and small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) chemotherapy approaches (platinum/carboplatinum-etoposide; PE/KE schedule) were administered in 20 and in 55 patients, respectively. The median (95% Confidence Interval (CI)) OS and PFS were 17 months (9.0&ndash;36.2 months) and 7 months (3.0&ndash;15.0 months), respectively. Patients treated with negative resection margin, with lower clinical stage, without lymph node metastasis, and with size of primary tumour &le;4 cm showed significantly better OS and PFS. The main risk factors with an adverse effect on survival were advanced CS and positive resection margin. Conclusions: Patients with LCNEC characterized poor prognosis. Independent prognostic factors influencing PFS were initial clinical stage and resection margin R0 vs. R1-2

Outcomes of Patients with Pulmonary Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma in I–IV Stage

Background and Objectives: Large cell neuroendocrine cancer is characterised by poor prognosis. The standard of treatment is still not established. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive factors of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and combined LCNEC. Materials and Methods: All patients had confirmed pathology stage I-IV disease recorded between period 2002–2018. Survival curves were estimated by Kaplan–Meier method. Uni- and multivariable analysis was conducted using Cox-regression analysis. Results: A total of 132 patients with LCNEC and combined LCNEC were included. Half of them had clinical stage IIIB/C-IV. Patients were treated with radical (n = 67, including surgery alone; resection with neo-adjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy, radiochemotherapy, or adjuvant radiotherapy; patients treated with radiochemotherapy alone), palliative (n = 41) or symptomatic (n = 24) intention. Seventeen patients were treated with resection margin R1 or R2. Non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC) chemotherapy (platinum-vinorelbine; PN schedule) and small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) chemotherapy approaches (platinum/carboplatinum-etoposide; PE/KE schedule) were administered in 20 and in 55 patients, respectively. The median (95% Confidence Interval (CI)) OS and PFS were 17 months (9.0–36.2 months) and 7 months (3.0–15.0 months), respectively. Patients treated with negative resection margin, with lower clinical stage, without lymph node metastasis, and with size of primary tumour ≤4 cm showed significantly better OS and PFS. The main risk factors with an adverse effect on survival were advanced CS and positive resection margin. Conclusions: Patients with LCNEC characterized poor prognosis. Independent prognostic factors influencing PFS were initial clinical stage and resection margin R0 vs. R1-2

Long-term survival and clinical efficacy in patients with advanced pancreatic and small bowel metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET) after I.V. 90Y DOTATATE.

e15045 Background: Current therapeutic options for patients with progressive metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumour/neoplasm (GEP-NET/NEN) are limited. Treatment with SST analogues is method of choice, due to good symptoms control. [DOTA0, D-Phe1,Tyr3] octreotate[DOTATATE] has a higher affinity for SST2 receptors and thus is able to achieve longer disease control. The aim of this study was to evaluate long term radiological and clinical therapeutic effect of 90Y-DOTATATE in patients with progressive somatostatin receptor–positive small bowel and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour/neoplasm (GEP-NET/NEN).The primary end point was assessing OS and PFS in long term follow-up. Methods: 67 patients progressing after treatment with SST analogues were inlcuded in the study. The mean treatment activity was 3.8GBq. The mean interval between therapies was 7 weeks (range 6 -9 weeks). Patients were treated up to mean a cumulative activity of 11.2 GBq. Due to pure beta emission (90Y) internal dosimetry was evaluated. Results: Median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) are shown in the Table. In univariate analysis Ki-67 (p=0.048) was the only significant factor influencing OS in pancreatic tumors. That was not confirmed in multivariate analysis. In small bowel tumors we defined three factors influencing survival in univariate analysis. These were: female gender (p=0.023), performance status at the beginning of therapy (p=0.031) and presence of liver metastases (p=0.026). Female gender (HR=0.30, 95% CI 0.11-0.81; p=0.018) was confirmed as positive prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. Factos influencing PFS were also assessed and will be presented as well. Conclusions: 90Y DOTATATE PRRT is effective in long term outcome (OS and PFS) in patient with advances progressive pancreatic and small bowel GEP-NET. This therapy is relatively safe as initial systemic therapy and after previous treatment with chemotherapy or somatostatine analogues as well. [Table: see text] </jats:p

Radiosynovectomy in Children with Congenital Haemostatic Defects

Abstract Aims: To evaluate the clinical benefits of radiosynovectomy (RS) in children with congenital coagulative disorders, reduce bleeds and improve progression free survival (PFS). Methods: 35 patients aged 7 to 17 yrs, (mean age 12.6 yrs) were included in the study. 29 had haemophilia A, (4 with inhibitor factor VIII), 3 had haemophilia B (1 with inhibitor factor IX) and 3 had von Willebrand’s disease. There were 43 therapies including injections into the followed joints: knee 21, elbow 13, ankle 6 and shoulder 3. In 30 cases this was initial therapy and in 5 cases repeat therapy due to recurrence or deterioration. Injected activity of 186Re colloid was dependent on type and size of joints, range: 60–180 MBq. Post therapy imaging was performed in each case 1 h after injection of radioisotopes, and then on day 2 and 3. The number of bleedings into joints per month, improvement of joint movements, and other clinical changes were evaluated before and after therapy in 3 month intervals. US images were used to assess changes in joint effusion and synovial overgrowth. PFS in terms of significant clinical improvement within joints was assessed using standard Kaplan Meier methods. The prognostic significance of selected parameters was tested using discriminate function analysis. Results: After injection of 186Re into joints, post-therapeutic images showed intraarticular distribution of tracer and there was no leakage. A significant reduction in bleeds into joints was noted (before therapy mean 1.8 per month and after treatment mean 0.3 per month, p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusions: This study suggests that use of 186Re in early stages of arthropatic haemophilia reduces the number of bleeds into joints and improves PFS.</jats:p