bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expression and localization of cyclooxygenase‐1 and ‐2 in human sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Maihöfner Christian , Probst‐Cousin Stefan , Bergmann Markus , Neuhuber Winfried , Neundörfer Bernhard , Heuss Dieter
Published: September 2003

Prostaglandins (PGs) are critical mediators of physiologic processes and inflammation. They are produced by two different isoforms of the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme, namely COX‐1 and COX‐2. In particular COX‐2 was demonstrated to be crucial for PG‐synthesis in inflammation. Recently, inhibition of COX‐2 was shown to prevent the loss of motor neurons in a model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Furthermore, spinal COX‐2 expression was shown to be increased in transgenic mice that produce an ALS–like syndrome. Therefore, we investigated the expression of COX‐1 and COX‐2 in the spinal cord of seven human sporadic ALS patients by means of immunohistochemistry. Specimens from seven patients without any neurological disease served as controls. COX‐2 expression was dramatically increased in the spinal cord of patients with ALS. Its protein was found in motor neurons, interneurons and glial cells. Statistical analysis showed a significantly higher expression of COX‐2 in ALS for both neurons and glia. In contrast, COX‐1 expression was predominantly confined to microglia and no apparent difference was detected between controls and ALS. In addition, we studied the concentration of prostaglandin E2 (PG E2) as a marker for COX activity in the cerebrospinal fluid of nine patients diagnosed for ALS and compared the results with those from nine patients without motor neuron disease. PG E2 levels were markedly increased in ALS cases (45.8 ± 35.1 pg/mL) compared to the non‐ALS specimens (15.8 ± 3.7 pg/mL). The results of our study corroborate a potential role for COX‐2 in the pathogenesis of motor neuron death in ALS. Selective COX‐2 inhibition might therefore offer a new possibility in the treatment of human ALS. However, to determine the exact role of COX‐2 in human ALS will require further research.
Neurotrophin‐3 down‐regulates trkA mRNA, NGF high‐affinity binding sites, and associated phenotype in adult DRG neurons
Authors: Gratto Kelly A. , Verge Valerie M. K.
Published: September 2003

Neurotrophin‐3 (NT‐3) binds to multiple trks, not only its initially identified receptor trkC. Recent studies in our laboratory show that NT‐3 negatively regulates nociceptive phenotype associated with the trkA subpopulation. Due to the extensive overlap in trkA and trkC expression it is uncertain whether there is a direct influence of NT‐3 on trkA in adult sensory neurons. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine whether NT‐3 might alter trkA and associated neuronal phenotype outside of the trkC subpopulation. The effect of a seven‐day intrathecal infusion of NT‐3 on intact, uninjured adult rat dorsal root ganglion neurons was investigated. Serial sections were processed for receptor radioautography or in situ hybridization to identify and colocalize neurons expressing high‐affinity nerve growth factor (NGF) binding sites, substance P (SP), trkC, or trkA mRNAs and to examine the influence of NT‐3 on these populations. NT‐3 does not appear to alter trkC expression, but evokes a notable reduction in trkA, high‐affinity NGF binding sites, and SP levels. It is unlikely that signalling by trkC greatly influences this response because the down‐regulation of SP occurs most notably in trkA neurons that lack trkC. Moreover, we have shown here that message levels of two trkA isoforms are differentially modulated by NT‐3; infusion results in greater down‐regulation of the noninsert containing isoform. These findings suggest a clinically relevant role for NT‐3 as an antagonist to NGF, but also raise the caution that not just trkC‐positive neurons are influenced following exposure to the neurotrophin.
Relationship between cyclooxygenase‐2 and nitric oxide synthase‐2 in rat cortex after stress
Authors: Madrigal José L. M. , García‐Bueno Borja , Moro María A. , Lizasoain Ignacio , Lorenzo Pedro , Leza Juan C.
Published: September 2003

Many studies have focused on the relationships between distinct enzymatic sources of oxidative mediators. Recently, we have shown that cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS‐2) isoforms are up‐regulated and account for oxidative damage in brain after stress. To assess the time course of these events, we have used adult male Wistar rats, some of which were immobilized for 6 h. Whereas pretreatment with the specific COX‐2 inhibitor NS‐398 (5 mg/kg i.p.) decreased Ca2+‐independent NOS activity after 6 h of stress, pretreatment with the specific NOS‐2 inhibitor 1400 W (4 mg/kg i.p.) did not decrease prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) accumulation induced by stress after 6 h. The observed effects of NS‐398 and 1400 W were independent of the general response to stress – neither drug modified stress‐induced corticosterone response – which might indicate a possible adaptive role for COX‐2 and NOS‐2 pathways in this situation. These findings are discussed as possible therapeutic targets in the context of neuropsychiatric disorders related to stress.
Learning and memory impairments in Kvβ1.1‐null mutants are rescued by environmental enrichment or ageing
Authors: Need Anna C. , Irvine Elaine E. , Giese K. Peter
Published: September 2003

Mice with a null mutation of the K+ channel regulatory subunit Kvβ1.1 have altered excitability in hippocampal neurons and are impaired in the social transmission of food preferences (STFP) task. It was previously unclear whether this impairment is related to learning and memory (L & M) deficits or to developmental abnormalities. In this study we show that rearing the Kvβ1.1 mutants in an enriched environment rescues the impairment in the STFP task. Furthermore, we found that STFP performance was impaired in 12‐month‐old wild‐type mice, but not in the Kvβ1.1 mutants at this age, indicating that the Kvβ1.1 mutants show an age‐related rescue of the deficits observed in the young mutants. Ibotenic acid lesions of the hippocampus in the 12‐month‐old Kvβ1.1 mutants caused an impairment in the STFP task. Our findings indicate that performance in the STFP task is age‐dependent and involves the hippocampus. Furthermore, we have established that the impairments in the Kvβ1.1 mutants are related to L & M and not to performance disabilities. Finally, we suggest that the loss of Kvβ1.1 function is beneficial for L & M in middle age.
Rhinal–hippocampal EEG coherence is reduced during human sleep
Authors: Fell Juergen , Staedtgen Mario , Burr Wieland , Kockelmann Edgar , Helmstaedter Christoph , Schaller Carlo , Elger Christian E. , Fernández Guillén
Published: September 2003

The deficiency of declarative memory compared with waking state is an often overlooked characteristic of sleep. Here, we investigated whether rhinal–hippocampal coherence, an electrophysiological correlate of declarative memory formation, is significantly altered during sleep as compared with waking state. For this purpose, we analysed recordings of intracranial EEG activity during sleep obtained directly from within the medial temporal lobe in patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy. We found a general reduction of rhinal–hippocampal EEG coherence during sleep compared with waking state, which was most pronounced within the upper gamma bands (average decrease up to 56%). The observed coherence changes clearly differ from findings reported for surface EEG data and thus appear to be specific for the medial temporal lobe. The decrease of rhinal–hippocampal EEG coherence from waking state towards sleep may yield an electrophysiological explanation for the sleep‐related deficiency of declarative memory.
Familial Partial Epilepsy with Variable Foci in a Dutch Family: Clinical Characteristics and Confirmation of Linkage to Chromosome 22q
Authors: Callenbach Petra M. C. , Van Den Maagdenberg Arn M. J. M. , Hottenga Jouke J. , Van Den Boogerd Eelke H. , De Coo René F. M. , Lindhout Dick , Frants Rune R. , Sandkuijl Lodewijk A. , Brouwer Oebele F.
Published: September 2003

Summary:  Purpose: Three forms of idiopathic partial epilepsy with autosomal dominant inheritance have been described: (a) autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE); (b) autosomal dominant lateral temporal epilepsy (ADLTE) or partial epilepsy with auditory features (ADPEAF); and (c) familial partial epilepsy with variable foci (FPEVF). Here we describe linkage analysis in a Dutch four‐generation family with epilepsy fulfilling criteria of both ADNFLE and FPEVF.

Methods: Clinical characteristics and results of EEG, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were evaluated in a family with autosomal dominantly inherited partial epilepsy with apparent incomplete penetrance. Linkage analysis was performed with markers of the ADNFLE (1p21, 15q24, 20q13.3) and FPEVF (2q, 22q11‐q12) loci.

Results: Epilepsy was diagnosed in 10 relatives. Age at onset ranged from 3 months to 24 years. Seizures were mostly tonic, tonic–clonic, or hyperkinetic, with a wide variety in symptoms and severity. Most interictal EEGs showed no abnormalities, but some showed frontal, central, and/or temporal spikes and spike–wave complexes. From two patients, an ictal EEG was available, showing frontotemporal abnormalities in one and frontal and central abnormalities in the other. Linkage analysis with the known loci for ADNFLE and FPEVF revealed linkage to chromosome 22q in this family.

Conclusions: The clinical characteristics of this family fulfilled criteria of both ADNFLE and FPEVF. The frequent occurrence of seizures during daytime and the observation of interictal EEG abnormalities originating from different cortical areas were more in agreement with FPEVF. The observed linkage to chromosome 22q supported the diagnosis of FPEVF and confirmed that this locus is responsible for this syndrome.
How Cities in California Have Responded to Fiscal Pressures Since Proposition 13
Authors: Reid Gary J.
Published: September 2003

Fiscal pressures on California cities have been severe since the passage of Proposition 13. Federal and state aid policies have, in fact, exacerbated an already wrenching pattern of revenue losses since FY 77‐78. State aid, in particular, has perversely dropped the most for those cities hit hardest by reductions in other revenues outside their direct control. Despite this, California cities have kept total real per capita revenues and expenditures constant over this period by increasing revenues from a variety of local sources—and especially from current service charges for enterprise activities. Furthermore, cities hit hardest by exogenous revenue losses have increased locally raised revenues the most. In short, cities in California have responded to reductions in revenues outside their direct control by increasing revenues from sources within their direct control, rather than by reducing expenditures and their revenue‐increasing responses have tended to be in proportion to the losses they have faced in exogenous revenues.
Budgetary Cutback and Transit System Performance: The Case of MARTA
Authors: Guess George M.
Published: September 2003

In the context of diminishing availability of transit revenue, an important question for transit managers is what kind of information system or format should be used to signal costs and benefits of each required cut in the budget? Should the present MARTA process of negotiated across‐the‐board cuts in line item accounts be replaced by a formal results‐oriented system that could tie marginal cutback decisions to changes in operating and maintenance performance? In order to develop a preliminary answer, this article attempts first to measure managerial and service performance of line‐item cut;. Then, based on the FY 84‐87 MARTA experience, it argues that transit systems, should avoid the considerable costs of developing a comprehensive results‐oriented alternative to the line‐item method by using operations and management experience to trace only selected performance‐resource linkages.
U.S. Customs Service User Fees: A Variety of Charges and Counter‐Charges
Authors: Kaiser Frederick M.
Published: September 2003

User charges, which have become an important revenue enhancement device during the 1980s, have also raised a variety of counter‐charges. This study examines three new mandatory Customs Service fees—for processing passengers, conveyances, and merchandise entering the United States and for special services at small airports—along with their differences and changes over time (in rate structure, exemptions, dedicated accounts, and disposition of funds). Despite support for the charges, opposition to some has arisen because of their cost to the private sector, violation of certain assumptions behind user fees, competing international obligations and policies, rival institutional interests and powers of Congress and the presidency, and changing fiscal conditions.
Appropriating Vs. Budgeting: A Comparison of Municipal Fiscal Processes
Authors: Ervin Osbin L.
Published: September 2003

Conceptual and operational differences between the municipal fiscal processes of appropriating and budgeting are examined. Examination is within the framework of Illinois practice, in which some cities prepare an operating budget while others prepare only an appropriation ordinance. The author finds that there are indeed conceptual and operational differences; budgeting is conceptually a more formal and multi‐dimensional process than appropriating, and such differences are reflected in the practices of Illinois cities. However, the operational differences are generally of small magnitude. The author recommends that initiation of a budget system be accompanied by programs for infusing fiscal decision making with new concepts and skills.
The Reagan Deficit
Authors: Miner Jerry
Published: September 2003

This paper analyzes the U.S. federal budget deficit during the Reagan administration and its short‐ and longer‐term consequences for the aggregate economy. While budget policies of the Reagan administration do not account for all of the increases in annual deficits or in outstanding federal debt during the Reagan era, an analysis indicates that the administration's program of tax reduction and defense spending build‐up were the major sources of deficit growth after the recovery from the recession of 1981‐82. For the near‐term future, the legacy of the Reagan deficits includes (1) the failure of domestically owned capital formation to expand at rates comparable to our major trading partners, (2) the necessity of diverting U.S. products and income to servicing foreign creditors, and (3) the need for rates of interest and profits to be high enough to induce foreigners to retain their holdings of U.S. assets lest divestiture cause a virtual collapse in the exchange rate. The final evaluation of the impact of the Reagan deficit hinges on whether the Reagan era of high consumption prosperity proves a good trade‐off with the consequences of attenuated macropolicy responses to recession, lower levels of U.S. owned capital stock, and remittances to foreign creditors.
Fiscal Capacity and Tax Effort of the American States: Trends and Issues
Authors: Kincaid John
Published: September 2003

The author examines the historic context of state taxing power and fiscal capacity, and the current efforts of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations to measure fiscal capacity and tax effort using a Representative Tax System (RTS). The two most commonly used methods of distributing federal aid to states are population and personal income, both incomplete measures of fiscal capacity. RTS estimates how much revenue each state and its localities would raise if it levied the national average tax rate for commonly used state and local taxes. The author considers the strengths and weakness of RTS as a measure of fiscal capacity and examines state rankings and trends since 1975.
Trends and Developments in Budgeting and Financial Management in Large Cities of the United States
Authors: Botner Stanley B.
Published: September 2003

Revenue constraints, demands for increased services, and rapidly increasing utilization of data processing have led large municipalities to effect significant changes in their budgeting/financial management processes and procedures. Based upon results from a survey of all cities in the United States with a population of 100,000 or greater, the author discusses the impact of such changes.
A Test of a Buying Rule for “Underpriced” Apartment Buildings
Authors: Londerville Jane
Published: September 2003

Apartment‐building repeat‐sales data are used to test a trading rule. Property values are estimated through regression; if the actual price is less than the estimated value, the property may be “undervalued.” Returns are calculated for these “undervalued” properties and adjusted for risk using the Sharpe ratio. A test is done of whether these ratios are significantly different for different portfolios. The “undervalued” properties have higher appreciation returns, but once these are adjusted for risk, the differences in returns are not significant. The paper contributes to the real estate efficiency literature and suggests a workable method for comparing the performance of real estate portfolios on a risk‐adjusted basis.
Is the Information Deficiency in Real Estate Evident in Public Market Trading?
Authors: Downs David H. , Güner Z. Nuray
Published: September 2003

This paper examines the summary informativeness of trading in real estate securities. Prior literature on publicly traded real estate securities suggests that the information deficiency associated with local economies and unique rent dynamics will manifest itself as severe information asymmetry. To date, most studies concerned with these issues have focused on the conventional measures of liquidity (serial correlations, bid—ask spreads, etc.). However, the conventional measures have several shortcomings as pure measures of trading information. To address this issue, we use a vector autoregressive methodology pioneered by Hasbrouck. We examine the empirical proposition that information‐gathering activities are related to trade informativeness. The evidence is consistent with a theoretical model in which traders are risk‐averse and the number of information gatherers is small.
The Role of Uncertainty in Investment: An Examination of Competing Investment Models Using Commercial Real Estate Data
Authors: Holland A. Steven , Ott Steven H. , Riddiough Timothy J.
Published: September 2003

Neoclassical investment decision criteria suggest that only the systematic component of total risk affects the rate of investment, as channeled through the built‐asset price. Alternatively, option‐based investment models suggest a direct role for total uncertainty in investment decisionmaking. To sort out uncertainty's role in investment, we specify and empirically estimate a structural model of asset‐market equilibrium. Commercial real estate time‐series data with two distinct measures of asset price and uncertainty are used to assess the competing investment models. Empirical results generally favor predictions of the option‐based model and hence suggest that irreversibility and delay are important considerations to investors. Our findings also have implications for macroeconomic policy and for forecasts of cyclical investment activity.
Narrative Patterns: Uses of Story in the Third Age of Knowledge Management
Authors: Snowden David
Published: September 2003

This paper draws on a six-year programme of research and practice, in IBM Institute for Knowledge Management, which has been recently patented and is shortly to be offered under licence as a body of method to practitioners in the field of knowledge management. It argues that we are entering a third age of knowledge management in which the focus on tacit–explicit conversions, exemplified by the SECI model of Nonaka and Takeuchi, is no longer adequate, and leads to an excessive focus on codification, or disembodiment of knowledge from the knowledge holder. In the third generation, we recognise that people always know more than they can say, and will always say more than they can write down. This leads to a separation of context from content management and a new focus on the management of narrative, or colloquially, story. This paper summarises ways in which narrative databases can be constructed, and more critically indexed, using high-abstraction emergent properties such as archetypes and myth objects. In addition to established uses of narrative in communication management, radical new work in the application of narrative techniques to decision support, partially replacing scenario planning through the creation of context filters is also described. While some aspects are explored in depth, others are summarised and references provided by the author to other papers where more details can be found.
Using Competence Systems: Adoption Barriers and Design Suggestions
Authors: Lindgren Rikard , Henfridsson Ola
Published: September 2003

This paper examines barriers to adopting competence systems in knowledge work practice. On the basis of a technology review and a user site investigation, the paper relates the technical features of the investigated competence systems to the adoption barriers identified in six user organizations. The multiple-case study shows that the competence systems can be described as merely traditional personnel administration systems complemented by features that passively archive formalized descriptions of competencies. Building on this observation, the general objective of the paper is to provide design suggestions that facilitate successful integration of competence systems in organizations. The main conclusion of this paper is that competence systems need to have features conveying a technology spirit more in line with the knowledge work practice found in organizations. By researching competence systems and their features specifically, this paper contributes technology-specific knowledge within the area of knowledge management systems.
A spectral mapping theorem for semigroups solving PDEs with nonautonomous past
Authors: Fragnelli Genni
Published: September 2003

We prove a spectral mapping theorem for semigroups solving partial differential equations with nonautonomous past. This theorem is then used to give spectral conditions for the stability of the solutions of the equations.
Mesoscale Modeling for Mountain Weather Forecasting Over the Himalayas
Authors: Das Someshwar , Singh S. V. , Rajagopal E. N. , Gall Robert
Published: September 2003

Severe weather has a more calamitous effect in the mountainous region because the terrain is complex and the economy is poorly developed and fragile. Such weather systems occurring on a small spatiotemporal scale invite application of models with fine-grid resolution and observations from radars and satellites besides the conventional observations for forecasting and disaster mitigation.
Large Enantiomeric Excesses of l-Form Amino Acids in Deep-sea Hydrothermal Sub-vent of 156 °C Fluids at the Suiyo Seamount, Izu–Bonin Arc, Pacific Ocean
Authors: Takano Yoshinori , Horiuchi Tsukasa , Kobayashi Kensei , Marumo Katsumi , Urabe Tetsuro
Published: September 2003

The present report describes the stereochemistry of amino acids under extreme conditions of 156 °C and greater than 140 atmospheres in a submarine volcanic hydrothermal sub-vent. The lack of evidence of abiotically synthesized amino acids such as ω-amino acid specimens and unexpected large enantiomeric excesses of l-form amino acids support the existence of a vigorous subjacent microbial oasis, which extends the known terrestrial habitable zone.
Electrochemical Properties of Ar+ Sputtered Polycrystalline Diamond Electrodes with Smoothed Surfaces
Authors: Sato Rika , Kondo Takeshi , Shimizu Kenichi , Honda Kensuke , Shibayama Yoshiyuki , Shirahama Keiya , Fujishima Akira , Einaga Yasuaki
Published: September 2003

The initial rough, faceted surfaces of boron-doped conductive polycrystalline diamond electrodes were smoothed by Ar+ ion sputtering at very low energy (50 eV). A lower background current was measured at the modified electrodes with a mirror-like appearance than at the initial polycrystalline electrodes. The electrochemical responses to several redox systems also showed a morphological-dependence in some cases. Here, we discuss the electrochemical properties of the diamond electrodes with the smoothed surfaces from the point of view of a novel electrode material.
Hydroxyurea‐induced splenic regrowth in an adult patient with severe hemoglobin SC disease
Authors: Huang Yiwu , Ananthakrishnan Thyagarajan , Eid Joseph E.
Published: September 2003

Hydroxyurea has been extensively used in patients with sickle cell anemia and severe sickle cell‐hemoglobin C (SC) disease to reduce the severity of their diseases. We report here our experience with an adult patient with severe SC disease who developed symptomatic splenomegaly requiring splenectomy while being treated with hydroxyurea. This case suggests that hydroxyurea might restore some splenic function in functionally asplenic patients with sickle cell anemia or SC disease, but also raises the clinical concern that hydroxyurea may induce splenic regrowth, resulting in symptomatic splenomegaly. With the increasing use of hydroxyurea in the management of SS disease or other hemoglobinopathies, the importance of spleen monitoring must be further emphasized in these patients. Am. J. Hematol. 74:125–126, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss Inc.
Cyclooxygenase‐2 in oligodendroglial neoplasms
Authors: Castilla Elias A. , Prayson Richard A. , Kanner Andrew A. , Rybicki Lisa A. , Tubbs Raymond R. , Vogelbaum Michael A. , Barnett Gene H.
Published: September 2003

BACKGROUND

Although increased expression of cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) has been described in association with a variety of neoplasms, including tumors of astrocytic derivation, limited data are available on COX‐2 expression in oligodendrogliomas.

METHODS

The current study retrospectively reviewed 53 oligodendrogliomas and 7 oligodendroglioma‐predominant oligoastrocytomas (mixed gliomas) for COX‐2 expression and MIB‐1 proliferative index (by immunohistochemistry) and for chromosome 1p status (by fluorescence in situ hybridization).

RESULTS

Patients included 35 males and 25 females, with a mean age of 41 years (range, 12–73 years) at the time of surgery. Forty‐four tumor specimens were classified as World Health Organization (WHO) Grade II neoplasms and 16 as WHO Grade III tumors. MIB‐1 labeling indices (marker of cell proliferation) ranged from 0 to 22.3 (mean 4.5). Twenty‐eight tumor specimens demonstrated allelic loss on chromosome 1p. Positive staining was observed in 17 tumor specimens with COX‐2 antibody. COX‐2–positive tumor specimens were also evaluated with CD68 (macrophage/microglial cell marker) by coimmunolabeling to confirm that the observed COX‐2 immunostaining was not due to immunoreactive macrophages or microglial cells. COX‐2 expression, lack of allelic loss at chromosome 1p, and high proliferation indices were associated with decreased survival (P = 0.002, P = 0.009, and P = 0.015, respectively). No correlation with outcome was found with patient gender, age at diagnosis, or histologic grade.

CONCLUSIONS

Chromosome 1p, COX‐2 immunoreactivity, and MIB‐1 labeling indices correlated with outcome and were associated with decreased survival. There was not a one‐to‐one correspondence between COX‐2 immunoreactivity and lack of allelic loss at chromosome 1p. Tumors with expression of COX‐2 by immunohistochemistry may, in theory, benefit from treatment with therapeutic agents that inhibit COX‐2. Cancer 2003;98:1465–72. © 2003 American Cancer Society.

DOI 10.1002/cncr.11632
Radiofrequency ablation of invasive breast carcinoma followed by delayed surgical excision
Authors: Burak William E. , Agnese Doreen M. , Povoski Stephen P. , Yanssens Tamara L. , Bloom Kenneth J. , Wakely Paul E. , Spigos Dimitrios G.
Published: September 2003

BACKGROUND

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is gaining acceptance as a treatment modality for several tumor types. However, its use in patients with breast carcinoma remains investigational. The current study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of treating small breast malignancies with RFA and to evaluate the postablation magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRI) and histologic findings.

METHODS

Patients with core‐needle biopsy–proven invasive carcinoma (< 2 cm in greatest dimension) underwent ultrasound‐guided RFA under local anesthesia. Surgical excision was undertaken 1–3 weeks later. All patients had breast MRI scans performed before ablation and repeated within 24 hours of surgery.

RESULTS

Ten patients completed the treatment and experienced minimal or no discomfort. The mean tumor size was 1.2 cm (range, 0.8–1.6 cm). The mean time required for ablation was 13.8 minutes (range, 7–21 minutes). There were no treatment‐related complications other than minimal breast ecchymosis. A pre‐RFA MRI scan showed enhancing tumors in 9 of 10 (90%) patients. A post‐RFA MRI scan revealed no residual lesion enhancement in 8 of these 9 patients (89%), and the zone of ablation was demonstrated in all patients. One patient had residual enhancement anteriorly consistent with residual tumor, which was confirmed histologically. Evaluation of the remaining ablated lesions revealed a spectrum of changes ranging from no residual tumor to coagulation necrosis with recognizable malignant cells. Immunostains for cytokeratin 8/18 were negative in these recognizable malignant cells.

CONCLUSIONS

RFA of small breast malignancies can be performed under local anesthesia in an office‐based setting. A postablation MRI scan appears to predict histologic findings, although tumor viability needs to be assessed in a long‐term study. Cancer 2003;98:1369–76. © 2003 American Cancer Society.

DOI 10.1002/cncr.11642
Radiotherapy alone or after subtotal resection for benign skull base meningiomas
Authors: Mendenhall William M. , Morris Christopher G. , Amdur Robert J. , Foote Kelly D. , Friedman William A.
Published: September 2003

BACKGROUND

The objective of the current study was to analyze the long‐term local control and complications in a series of patients who were treated with radiotherapy for benign skull base meningiomas.

METHODS

Between January 1984 and July 2001, 101 patients were treated with radiotherapy alone (n= 66) or after undergoing subtotal resection (n= 35). Sixty‐one patients had previously untreated tumors, and 40 patients had tumors that were recurrent after prior surgery. Patients had follow‐up from 0.6 years to 19 years (median, 5.1 years). The follow‐up of living patients ranged from 1.3 years to 19 years (median, 5.4 years).

RESULTS

The long‐term local control rates were 95% at 5 years, 92% at 10 years, and 92% at 15 years. Multivariate analysis of local control revealed that none of the parameters evaluated significantly influenced this endpoint. The cause‐specific survival rates were 97% at 5 years, 92% at 10 years, and 92% at 15 years; and the absolute survival rates were 86% at 5 years, 71% at 10 years, and 62% at 15 years. Multivariate analysis of cause‐specific survival revealed that only gender significantly influenced this endpoint (P= 0.0185). Severe complications were observed in eight patients, and three patients experienced complications that were fatal.

CONCLUSIONS

The probability of long‐term progression‐free survival after radiotherapy exceeded 90% and was comparable to the results of complete resection and radiosurgery. Subtotal resection was useful for decompressing the tumor if improvement in neurologic function was anticipated after surgery. Extensive subtotal resection may result in permanent neurologic deficits and did not improve long‐term local control. Cancer 2003;98:1473–82. © 2003 American Cancer Society.

DOI 10.1002/cncr.11645
Relation between use of antihypertensive medications and risk of breast carcinoma among women ages 65–79 years
Authors: Li Christopher I. , Malone Kathleen E. , Weiss Noel S. , Boudreau Denise M. , Cushing‐Haugen Kara L. , Daling Janet R.
Published: September 2003

BACKGROUND

Limited data are available regarding the incidence of breast carcinoma among users of relatively recently introduced forms of antihypertensive therapy. Although it has been suggested that women who have taken calcium channel blockers (CCBs) have an increased risk and that women who have taken angiotensin‐I‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have a decreased risk, currently, no conclusions can be drawn.

METHODS

A population‐based case–control study of women ages 65–79 years was conducted in western Washington State. The responses of 975 women who were diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma during 1997–1999 were compared with the responses of 1007 women in a control group. Associations between use of different types of antihypertensive medications and breast carcinoma incidence were evaluated using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Overall, women who had ever used CCBs, β‐blockers, or ACE inhibitors did not have an altered risk of breast carcinoma relative to women who had never used antihypertensive medications. Although the use of immediate‐release CCBs, thiazide diuretics, and potassium‐sparing diuretics was associated with modestly increased risks of breast carcinoma (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.0–2.1; OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1–1.8; and OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2–2.1, respectively), the absence of any trend in the size of excess risk with increasing duration or with current versus former use of these agents argues for a cautious interpretation.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of particular types of antihypertensive medications, including immediate‐release CCBs and certain diuretics, may increase the risk of breast carcinoma among older women. Additional studies are warranted to clarify these potential associations. Cancer 2003;98:1504–13. © 2003 American Cancer Society.

DOI 10.1002/cncr.11663
The potential consequences of alternative exchange rate regimes: A study of three candidate regions
Authors: Hochreiter Eduard , Korinek Anton , Siklos Pierre L.
Published: September 2003

This paper examines the macroeconomic consequences of selecting alternative exchange rate regimes of countries in three regions. In particular, it studies whether Austria, the Netherlands, Canada and New Zealand made the right monetary regime choices between 1970 and 2000. We focus on the role of asymmetric shocks as a core determinant for the evaluation of various monetary regimes by studying the impact of a hard peg, a full monetary union, or floating exchange rates (with or without inflation targeting) on selected macroeconomic variables. Estimates of structural VARs are used to ascertain if the countries under review meet the essential ingredients of an Optimum Currency Area (OCA) and thus are candidates for a monetary union. Counterfactual experiments help to study economic outcomes had these countries pursued alternative monetary strategies. We conclude that a floating regime with inflation targeting is best for Canada, a monetary union with Australia is the best course of action for New Zealand, and monetary union is the appropriate choice for the Netherlands while there are reasons to believe that Austria might have been better off with a floating regime, at least for a time. We also find that good monetary policy is not confined to any particular exchange rate regime and that political and institutional factors weigh heavily in this decision. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Functional magnetic resonance cholangiography (fMRC) of the gallbladder and biliary tree with contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiography
Authors: Fayad Laura M. , Holland George A. , Bergin Diane , Iqbal Nasir , Parker Laurence , Curcillo Paul G. , Kowalski Thomas E. , Park Pauline , Intenzo Charles , Mitchell Donald G.
Published: September 2003

Purpose

To determine the diagnostic performance of functional magnetic resonance cholangiography (fMRC) for the evaluation of anatomic and functional biliary disorders.

Materials and Methods

At 1.5 T, 39 MR examinations with conventional MRC and mangafodipir trisodium‐enhanced fMRC were retrospectively reviewed by three observers who recorded anatomic (duct dilation, stricture, filling defects) and functional (cholecystitis, obstruction) abnormalities in three modes: MRC alone, fMRC alone, and MRC and fMRC images together (combined‐MRC). Performance was determined by comparing findings with each mode to findings of invasive cholangiography (IC) and surgery.

Results

Among 75 biliary segments (correlated with IC), the sensitivity/specificity for diagnosing dilation (N = 41) with MRC was 95%/97%; with fMRC, 90%/100%; with combined‐MRC, 100%/97%. For stricture (N = 7), the sensitivity/specificity of MRC was 86%/98%; of fMRC, 43%/100%; of combined‐MRC, 86%/100%. For filling defects (N = 9), the sensitivity/specificity of MRC was 91%/98%; of fMRC, 82%/100%; of combined‐MRC, 91%/100%. For diagnosing obstruction (N = 9), the sensitivity/specificity of MRC, fMRC, and combined‐MRC were 89%/100%, 100%/100%, and 100%/100%, respectively. For surgically proven cholecystitis (N = 13), positive predictive values for diagnosing acute/chronic cholecystitis for MRC were 33%/40%; for fMRC, 100%/50%; for combined‐MRC, 100%/50%.

Conclusion

Although single‐shot fast spin echo (SSFSE)‐MRC is valuable, the addition of fMRC increased diagnostic performance for functional biliary disorders. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;18:449–460. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Directional diffusion in relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis: A possible in vivo signature of Wallerian degeneration
Authors: Henry Roland G. , Oh Joonmi , Nelson Sarah J. , Pelletier Daniel
Published: September 2003

Purpose

To examine the role of directional dependence of the apparent diffusion coefficients in the evaluation of normal‐appearing brain regions of patients with relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis.

Materials and Methods

The role of diffusion tensor eigenvalues was investigated in the normal‐appearing brain regions for 18 patients with relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis and 15 age‐matched normal controls.

Results

The isotropic apparent diffusion was increased in all regions. However, reduced anisotropy was significant only in regions with high anisotropy, including the corpus callosum and the internal capsule, and was due to increased diffusion tensor eigenvalues corresponding to diffusion transverse to the fibers without significant increase along the fibers. This characteristic pattern of changes in diffusion tensor eigenvalues has been observed previously in cases of Wallerian degeneration. Low‐anisotropy regions corresponded to gray matter and gray/white interface regions. Since fiber tract orientations are not determined for regions of low anisotropy, this characteristic pattern of diffusion change is not detectable in these regions.

Conclusion

Examination of diffusion tensor eigenvectors may provide insight into the changes observed in diffusion and a signature of Wallerian degeneration in the normal‐appearing white matter of relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis patients. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;18:420–426. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Correlation of dynamic contrast enhancement MRI parameters with microvessel density and VEGF for assessment of angiogenesis in breast cancer
Authors: Su Min‐Ying , Cheung Yun‐Chung , Fruehauf John P. , Yu Hon , Nalcioglu Orhan , Mechetner Eugene , Kyshtoobayeva Ainura , Chen Shin‐Cheh , Hsueh Swei , McLaren Christine E. , Wan Yung‐Liang
Published: September 2003

Purpose

To investigate the association between parameters obtained from dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI) of breast cancer using different analysis approaches, as well as their correlation with angiogenesis biomarkers (vascular endothelial growth factor and vessel density).

Materials and Methods

DCE‐MRI results were obtained from 105 patients with breast cancer (108 lesions). Three analysis methods were applied: 1) whole tumor analysis, 2) regional hot‐spot analysis, and 3) intratumor pixel‐by‐pixel analysis. Early enhancement intensities and fitted pharmacokinetic parameters were studied. Paraffin blocks of 71 surgically resected specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining to measure microvessel counts (with CD31) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression levels.

Results

MRI parameters obtained from the three analysis methods showed significant correlations (P < 0.0001), but a substantial dispersion from the linear regression line was noted (r = 0.72–0.97). The entire region of interest (ROI) vs. pixel population analyses had a significantly higher association compared to the entire ROI vs. hot‐spot analyses. Cancer specimens with high VEGF expression had significantly higher CD31 microvessel densities than did specimens with low VEGF levels (P < 0.005). No significant association was found between MRI parameters obtained from the three analysis strategies and IHC based measurements of angiogenesis.

Conclusion

A consistent analysis strategy was important in the DCE‐MRI study. In this series, none of these strategies yielded results for MRI based quantitation of tumor vascularity that were associated with IHC based measurements. Therefore, different analyses could not account for the lack of association. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;18:467–477. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Implementation of helical computed tomography in magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Azhari Haim , Rosenthal Shirrie , Montag Avram
Published: September 2003

Purpose

To provide a rapid sequence for volumetric imaging of large fields of view.

Materials and Methods

The volumetric imaging principles of x‐ray helical computed tomograpy (CT) were implemented here on an MRI scanner. However, using the advantages offered by MRI, spiral trajectories in K‐space were incorporated to make the helical scan more efficient. Thus, data acquisition and interpolations were conducted in K‐space and images reconstructed by gridding and applying the inverse Fourier transform. The rapid spiral helical (RASH) imaging method was evaluated by computer simulations, by scanning phantoms and an in vitro heart, and by comparison to conventional multislice interleaved spirals (MSIS) imaging.

Results

A significant time saving (61.4% to 85.9%) relative to MSIS was achieved without significant degradation in image quality. Volume assessment and in‐plane resolution by RASH were almost identical to the MSIS pulse sequence. The corresponding increase in effective slice width was estimated to range (for the values studied here) from 1.31 to 2.5 according to the selection of the helical pitch and the slice thickness used for imaging.

Conclusion

The suggested method offers the advantages provided by x‐ray helical CT and can be useful in MRI volumetric scanning of large objects. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;18:478–486. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Learning from your comrade’s mistakes: the impact of the Soviet past on China’s future
Authors: Marsh Christopher
Published: September 2003

While the Soviet Union imploded in the midst of its attempt to reform itself, more than a decade later China stands as a testament to the resilience of Communist rule. I suggest that one reason China has been able to stave off a regime collapse is that Chinese leaders have sought to learn from the collapse of the Soviet Union and are seeking to adjust their policies to buttress their political power. I present evidence in support of this position including statements of political leaders and party insiders, internal government documents, and Chinese scholarshipon the Soviet collapse.
Polishlocal elites and democratic change, 1990–2002
Authors: Wiatr Jerzy J.
Published: September 2003

Do leaders make a differenceŒ Do they actually leadŒ There is a rich body of theoretical literature in which one can find many different responses.1 The question can be dealt with on the level of the philosophy of history as well as on the basis of empirical political sociology. The present paper takes the second road. Using data from the behavioral research conducted in Poland since 1966,1 particularly from the four studies conducted since the beginning of democratic reforms, I shall try to illustrate the importance of reformist leadership in Poland’s local politics.
Tagging juvenile seabass and sole with telemetry transmitters: medium-term effects on growth
Authors: Bégout Anras M.L , Covés D , Dutto G , Laffargue P , Lagardère F
Published: September 2003

The effects of tagging with acoustic transmitters on the growth of juvenile seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L.) (initial mean mass±SD, 173 g ± 23.4) in a 47 d tank experiment, and sole, Solea solea (L.) (103.2 g ± 14.8) in a 72 d tank experiment and (104.0 g ± 18.4) in a 58 d salt marsh mesocosm experiment were examined. Twenty externally tagged seabass grew more slowly than the 20 with surgically implanted tags, which reached the same mass as nine control fish. Movements of the external transmitter's harness caused abrasions of the skin and loss of the tag in 60% of the cases. We thus recommend implanting transmitters for telemetry studies of juvenile seabass weighing between 120 and 214 g and carrying a tag that represents 2.2–2.5% of body mass. Both tank and mesocosm experiments conducted on juvenile sole concluded that the externally attached tag retention rate was good, but at the expense of the fish growth rate.
SENSIBILITY AND GENEALOGY IN THE EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY FAMILY PORTRAIT: THE COLLECTION AT KEDLESTON HALL
Authors: RETFORD KATE
Published: September 2003

This article analyses Nathaniel Hone's portrait of Lord and Lady Scarsdale (1761) and the significance that such images have for our understanding of the eighteenth-century family. It first discusses the imagery of the painting and places it in the context of the shift that occurred in family portraiture between 1740 and 1760. Whilst earlier images presented stiffly posed figures, later portraits such as that by Hone came to focus on the sitters' affective relationships. The article argues that, whilst aesthetic influences played a part in this transition, it was chiefly prompted by the sentimentalization of familial ideals. Such ‘promenade portraits’ encapsulated the companionate marriage, hailed as a blend of masculine rationality and feminine tenderness. However, once contextualized within the state rooms for which it was conceived, the Hone portrait also reveals more ‘traditional’ concerns. It makes formal references to accompanying portraits of Stuart monarchs and dignitaries, emphasizing the tory affiliations of the Scarsdales and their loyalty to the Stuart dynasty. The state rooms also contain a portrait of Lord Scarsdale as a baby with his parents and his deceased elder brother. This image affirms the continuation of the male line in the face of high infant mortality rates, a statement that is confirmed in the Hone painting.
THE RESPONSE OF THE MODERATE WING OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT TO THE WAR IN VIETNAM
Authors: HALL SIMON
Published: September 2003

This article explores the response of the moderate wing of the civil rights movement to the war in Vietnam. The moderates, made up of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Urban League, and leaders such as Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph, were initially opposed to the civil rights movement taking a stand against the war. This reluctance was the result of a number of factors, including anti-communism and their own closeness with the administration of President Lyndon Johnson. Crucially, it also resulted from their own experiences of the black freedom struggle itself. The article also documents and analyses the growing anti-war dissent amongst the moderates, culminating in the decision of both the NAACP and the Urban League to adopt an anti-war stance at the end of the 1960s. Despite this, they remained unenthusiastic about participating in peace movement activities, and the reasons for this are explained. Finally, the article suggests that the war was important in exposing existing divisions within the civil rights movement, as well as in generating new ones.