bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental study of the effects of deletion variant of hepatocyte growth factor on hepatic ischaemia—reperfusion injury
Authors: Ikegami T , Nishizaki T , Uchiyama H , Hashimoto K , Yanaga K , Sugimachi K
Published: March 2003

Background

Hepatic ischaemia–reperfusion (IR) injury is still a serious complication following liver surgery. The effect of the deletion variant of hepatocyte growth factor (dHGF) on hepatic IR injury was examined in rats.

Methods

Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups after 90 min of partial liver ischaemia: the dHGF group which was given dHGF 0·5 mg/kg intravenously immediately after reperfusion, followed by 0·5 mg/kg every 12 h, and the control group, which received vehicle buffer only. Serum chemistry, histopathological findings and liver weights were compared between the groups.

Results

In the dHGF group, the increase in serum alanine transaminase and hyaluronic acid levels was significantly reduced, and the serum albumin level increased after reperfusion. The extent of hepatic necrosis 24 h after reperfusion was decreased in the dHGF group. Moreover, the proportion of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated 2′-deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate nick end labelling-positive hepatocytes 6 h after reperfusion was reduced in the dHGF group. The non-ischaemic-, ischaemic- and whole-liver weight: body-weight ratio significantly increased in the dHGF group after reperfusion. The proportion of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive hepatocytes in the dHGF group markedly increased after 6 h after reperfusion in the non-ischaemic lobes, while in the ischaemic lobes it increased 24 h after reperfusion.

Conclusion

These data suggest that dHGF not only improves recovery from IR injury, but also accelerates recovery from these injuries. dHGF may be an effective pharmacological agent for prevention and treatment of hepatic IR injury.
Influence of gender on outcome from ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm
Authors: Semmens J B , Norman P E , Lawrence-Brown M M D , Holman C D'A J
Published: March 2003

Background

The aim of the present study was to compare outcomes following ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in men and women.

Methods

Overall mortality from ruptured AAA was compared in men and women using the Western Australia Health Services Research Database. The linked chains of de-identified hospital morbidity and death records were selected using the ICD-9-CM (International Classification of Diseases—Clinical Modification) diagnostic and procedure codes pertaining to AAA. Cases were divided into three groups for analysis: patients who died without admission to hospital, those admitted to hospital with a ruptured AAA but who did not undergo operation, and patients who underwent operation for ruptured AAA.

Results

Ruptured AAA occurred in 648 men and 225 women over the age of 55 years during the decade 1985–1994. Only 50 per cent of women, compared with 59 per cent of men, were admitted to hospital. Of those admitted to hospital only 37 per cent of women underwent operation, compared with 63 per cent of men. The overall mortality rate from ruptured AAA was 90 per cent in women and 76 per cent in men (χ2 = 50·34, 1 d.f., P < 0·0001). Although women were, on average, 6 years older than men, this unfavourable pattern occurred across all age groups.

Conclusion

Women with a ruptured AAA are more likely to die than men. More research is required to identify the causes of this sex difference.
Surgical management of intra-abdominal desmoid tumours
Authors: Smith A J , Lewis J J , Merchant N B , Leung D H Y , Woodruff J M , Brennan M F
Published: March 2003

Background

Intra-abdominal desmoids are uncommon neoplasms. The aggressive nature of these tumours and the potential for major morbidity secondary to resection can present a difficult surgical dilemma.

Methods

Patients with histologically confirmed intra-abdominal desmoid tumours undergoing laparotomy were identified from a prospective database. Clinical features and outcomes in this group were evaluated.

Results

The study group comprised 24 patients. Sixteen patients underwent complete resection of the tumour while eight had biopsy only, with or without intestinal bypass. Small intestinal resection was performed in 12 patients, including three who had a near-total enterectomy. Median follow-up was 62 months, with an actuarial overall survival rate of 73 per cent at 10 years. There was no difference in survival rate between completely resected and unresected patients (P = 0·73). There were seven deaths in the entire group, of which four were in those undergoing complete resection.

Conclusion

Operation can cure patients with intra-abdominal desmoid tumours, but may result in significant morbidity, especially from loss of small intestine. No other therapy is a predictably good alternative to operation but the natural history of desmoids is often characterized by prolonged periods of stability or even regression. A period of watchful waiting, until significant symptoms develop, may be the most appropriate course in patients who risk mesenteric vascular injury or substantial enterectomy with attempts at resection.
On-line quantitative analysis of surface electromyography of the pelvic floor in patients with faecal incontinence
Authors: Gee A S , Jones R S J , Durdey P
Published: March 2003

Background

Needle electromyography (EMG) remains the ‘gold standard’ for the assessment of external anal sphincter innervation. It is, however, an invasive and poorly tolerated technique. In this study a quantitative form of surface electromyography was compared with needle EMG of the external anal sphincter.

Methods

Invasive needle EMG to assess mean fibre density and neuromuscular jitter was compared directly with quantitative surface EMG in 37 patients with faecal incontinence and 12 age-matched controls.

Results

There was a significant positive correlation between mean fibre density on needle EMG and maximum turns rate on surface EMG (rs = 0·48 (95 per cent confidence interval 0·28–0·76), P = 0·003). Furthermore, surface EMG was able to discriminate between patients with normal neuromuscular jitter and those with increased jitter, a measure of progressive denervation and reinnervation, on the basis of reduced rectified mean surface signal (P = 0·02, Fisher's exact test).

Conclusion

Quantitative surface EMG may potentially replace invasive needle EMG as the investigation of choice in the assessment of anal sphincter electrophysiology.
Changing pattern of histological type, location, stage and outcome of surgical treatment of gastric carcinoma
Authors: Borch K , Jönsson B , Tarpila E , Franzén T , Berglund J , Kullman E , Franzén L
Published: March 2003

Background

There are indications that some features of gastric carcinoma are changing, with a possible impact on prognosis. The aim of this study was to examine any changes in type, location, stage, resection rate, postoperative mortality rate or prognosis for patients with gastric carcinoma in a well defined population.

Methods

During 1974–1991, 1161 new cases of gastric adenocarcinoma were diagnosed in Östergötland County, Sweden. Tumour location, Laurén histological type, tumour node metastasis (TNM) stage, radicality of tumour resection and postoperative complications were recorded after histological re-evaluation of tissue specimens and examination of all patient records. Dates of death were obtained from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics. Time trends were studied by comparing the intervals 1974–1982 (period 1) and 1983–1991 (period 2).

Results

The proportion of diffuse type of adenocarcinoma increased (from 27 to 35 per cent), while that of mixed type decreased (from 16 to 9 per cent) and that of intestinal type was unchanged. The proportion of tumours located in the proximal two-thirds of the stomach increased (from 32 to 42 per cent) and the proportion of patients with tumours in TNM stage IV decreased (from 32 to 25 per cent). Overall tumour resection rates were unchanged, although the proportion of radical total gastrectomies increased (from 36 to 50 per cent). Excluding tumours of the cardia or gastric remnant after previous ulcer surgery, the 5-year relative survival rate after radical resection increased from 25 to 36 per cent and the postoperative mortality rate decreased for both radical (from 11 to 4 per cent) and palliative (from 18 to 6 per cent) resection.

Conclusion

The patterns of tumour histology, location and stage of gastric carcinoma have changed in the authors' region. These changes were paralleled by a significant improvement in survival and postoperative mortality rates.
Experimental study of a novel fibrin sealant for achieving haemostasis following partial hepatectomy
Authors: Davidson B R , Burnett S , Javed M S , Seifalian A , Moore D , Doctor N
Published: March 2003

Background

Ensuring adequate haemostasis is a major difficulty in the field of liver surgery. This study aimed to evaluate a novel fibrin sealant (Vivostat), designed for autologous preparation, in a porcine model of partial hepatectomy.

Methods

Thirty-six Large White Landrace pigs underwent partial left hepatectomy by finger fracture under portal vascular inflow occlusion. Animals were randomized to treatment of the resected surface with either fibrin sealant (Vivostat, n = 12) or regenerated oxidized cellulose gauze (Surgicel, n = 12), or were left untreated (controls, n = 12). Blood loss from the resection margin was measured at 2-min intervals for 10 min, and the time to haemostasis was recorded. Following complete haemostasis the animals recovered for 7 days.

Results

Median (range) blood loss in the control group was 94·3 (17·3–467·0) g, and was significantly reduced with Vivostat (13·8 (5·5–150·9) g) and Surgicel (22·8 (5·8–67·3) g). Median (range) time to haemostasis in controls (31 (12–52) min) was also significantly reduced by Vivostat (8 (0–32) min) and Surgicel (10 (0–19) min) (both P < 0·001 versus controls, Kruskal–Wallis test).

Conclusion

The novel fibrin sealant, Vivostat, is as effective as Surgicel cellulose gauze in achieving haemostasis after porcine partial hepatic lobectomy.
Impact of timing on completion thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer
Authors: Tan M P , Agarwal G , Reeve T S , Barraclough B H , Delbridge L W
Published: March 2003

Background

It has been stated that completion thyroidectomy for thyroid malignancy should be performed either within 10 days of the primary operation or after 3 months, to reduce the incidence of complications. The aim of this study was to review the impact of timing on the rate of complications following completion thyroidectomy.

Methods

Data were obtained retrospectively from the Endocrine Surgery Thyroid Data Base, to which the records of all patients have been entered since 1957. The patients who had the last 100 consecutive completion thyroidectomies for thyroid cancer comprised the study group.

Results

Sixty-three patients had the second operation performed within 10 days or more than 90 days after the initial operation (group 1). Thirty-seven patients had reoperation between 10 and 90 days after the first procedure (group 2). One patient (2 per cent) in group 1 and one patient (3 per cent) in group 2 suffered a permanent complication (P not significant).

Conclusion

There was no definite impact of the timing of surgery on the rate of complications after completion thyroidectomy.
Role of fine-needle aspiration biopsy and frozen-section evaluation in the surgical management of thyroid nodules
Authors: Caraci P , Aversa S , Mussa A , Pancani G , Ondolo C , Conticello S
Published: March 2003

Background

The role of routine frozen section (FS) in the surgical management of thyroid nodules remains uncertain. This study reviewed the role of FS in the presence of an adequate fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).

Methods

FNAB and FS were evaluated in 206 patients who had surgery for a thyroid nodule. Cytological specimens were classified as benign, malignant or suspicious. The FS diagnoses were benign, malignant or deferred.

Results

A cytological diagnosis was obtained in 93 nodules; the remaining 113 were classified as suspicious, of which 21 were malignant on definitive examination. The overall accuracy of FNAB was 53 per cent. FS evaluation identified 165 lesions as benign; the diagnosis was deferred until definitive histological evaluation in only eight. The overall accuracy, therefore, was 96 per cent. Routine use of FS was cost-effective; lowering the number of reoperations led to an estimated saving of about 40 per cent.

Conclusion

These data suggest that FS remains an important tool in the surgical management of thyroid nodules and can reduce the number of patients requiring reoperation.
Impact of socioeconomic deprivation on outcome after surgery for colorectal cancer
Authors: Hole D J , McArdle C S
Published: March 2003

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated that socioeconomic deprivation is associated with poorer survival in patients with colorectal cancer. These differences have been attributed to more advanced disease at presentation.

Methods

A total of 2269 patients undergoing resection for colorectal cancer in hospitals in central Scotland between 1991 and 1994 were studied. Socioeconomic status was defined using the Carstairs deprivation index. The impact of deprivation on case mix, treatment and outcome was analysed.

Results

There were no significant differences in mode of presentation, extent of disease at presentation, type of resection and postoperative mortality rate among the socioeconomic groups. Following curative resection, the overall survival rate at 5 years was 47·0 per cent in deprived patients, compared with 55·4 per cent in affluent patients (P = 0·05); the cancer-specific survival rate was 62·6 per cent in the deprived and 68·1 per cent in the affluent (P = 0·05). Compared with the affluent, the adjusted hazard ratios for the deprived were 1·36 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 1·09 to 1·69) for overall mortality and 1·26 (95 per cent c.i. 0·95 to 1·67) for cancer-specific mortality. Following palliative resection, there was no difference in survival between the affluent and deprived for either overall (P = 0·27) or cancer-specific (P = 0·89) mortality.

Conclusion

These findings confirm that the cancer-specific survival rate following surgery for colorectal cancer is lower in deprived patients. Stage of disease at presentation and type of operation did not account for this difference. The excess mortality was confined to patients undergoing apparently curative resection.
Surgical anatomy of segmental liver transplantation
Authors: Deshpande R R , Heaton N D , Rela M
Published: March 2003

Background

The emergence of split and living donor liver transplantation has necessitated re-evaluation of liver anatomy in greater depth and from a different perspective than before. Early attempts at split liver transplantation were met with significant numbers of vascular and biliary complications. Technical innovations in this field have evolved largely by recognizing anatomical anomalies and variations at operation, and devising novel ways of dealing with them. This has led to increasing acceptance of these procedures and decreased morbidity and mortality rates, similar to those observed with whole liver transplantation.

Methods and results

The following review is based on clinical experience of more than 180 split and living related liver transplantations in adults and children, performed over a 7-year period from 1994 to 2001.

Conclusion

A comprehensive understanding and application of surgical anatomy of the liver is essential to improve and maintain the excellent results of segmental liver transplantation.
Experimental study of large-volume microwave ablation in the liver
Authors: Strickland A D , Clegg P J , Cronin N J , Swift B , Festing M , West K P , Robertson G S M , Lloyd D M
Published: March 2003

Background

Microwave coagulation therapy is useful in the destruction of small, irresectable liver tumours of primary and secondary origin. Unfortunately, the small lesion size produced by currently available equipment makes it difficult and time consuming completely to ablate lesions larger than 3 cm in diameter. A microwave system capable of producing large-volume ablations in very short periods of time has been developed. Using a large-animal model the ability of the equipment to produce large-volume lesions in a safe, predictable and dose-dependent manner was tested.

Methods

Fourteen large white pigs were anaesthetized and underwent multiple microwave treatments. The animals were killed at different timepoints to investigate lesion size and evolution.

Results

The microwave system was able to generate large-volume ablations of up to 6·5 cm in diameter in a controlled and dose-dependent manner.

Conclusion

This novel microwave system allows the ablation of large volumes of liver tissue in a short period of time. The ability to produce lesions reproducibly and safely highlights the potential of this system in the future treatment of irresectable liver tumours.
Modelling molecular mechanisms controlling sequential gene expression in differentiating mammalian enterocytes
Authors: Brown D. , Smith M. W. , Collins A. J.
Published: March 2003

Abstract.The gut epithelium represents a continuous developmental system in which cell proliferation in intestinal crypts is followed by the sequential expression of digestive and absorptive functions as enterocytes migrate out of crypts to the tips of intestinal villi. We have developed a mathematical model in the present work to mimic these sequential aspects of enterocyte differentiation. Using this model allows the characteristics of lactase expression to be ascribed to transcriptional control. In the case of a glucose transporter, however, it became necessary to assume an additional translational control that decreased exponentially as enterocytes migrated along villi. The suggestion that this type of modelling is useful in predicting which set of enterocytes is likely to use translation or transcription to control gene expression is also discussed.
Aberrant crypt foci in colorectal carcinogenesis. Cell and crypt dynamics
Authors: Roncucci L. , Pedroni M. , Vaccina F. , Benatti P. , And L. Marzona , De Pol A.
Published: March 2003

Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) have been identified on the colonic mucosal surface of rodents treated with colon carcinogens and of humans after methylene‐blue staining and observation under a light microscope. Several lines of evidence strongly suggest that ACF with certain morphological, histological, cell kinetics, and genetic features are precursor lesions of colon cancer both in rodents and in humans. Thus, ACF represent the earliest step in colorectal carcinogenesis. This paper has the main purpose of reviewing the evidence supporting this view, with particular emphasis on cell and crypt dynamics in ACF. ACF have been used as intermediate biomarkers of cancer development in animal studies aimed at the identification of colon carcinogens and chemopreventive agents. Recently, evidence has also shown that ACF can be effectively employed in chemopreventive studies also in humans.
Tuning in the transcriptome: basins of attraction in the yeast cell cycle
Authors: Klevecz R. R. , Dowse H. B.
Published: March 2003

Image processing techniques and wavelet analyses have been applied to the yeast cell cycle expression microchip data to reveal large‐scale temporally coherent structures and high frequency oscillations in mRNA levels through the cycle. Because transitions in expression frequently occur in phase, they appear as peaks or troughs in colour maps and contour plots of expression levels. Although apparent in the untreated data, these transitions were identified and enhanced by convolution of a Laplacian kernel with the expression arrays of the first 4096 genes. Transitions associated with maximum up‐ or down‐regulation of mRNA levels appear as bands at 30–40 min intervals through two cell cycles. Time‐frequency analyses using wavelet transforms support these visualization techniques and lead to the conclusion that, with respect to gene expression, the dominant period is not the cell cycle (90–120 min) but, more commonly, the higher frequency 30–40 minute submultiple of the cycle period.
Induction of differentiation of leukaemic (HL‐60) or prostate cancer (LNCaP, JCA‐1) cells potentiates apoptosis triggered by onconase
Authors: Halicka H.D. , Murakami T. , Papageorgio C.N. , Mittelman A. , Mikulski S.M. , Shogen K. , Darzynkiewicz Z.
Published: March 2003

Onconase (Onc) is a ribonuclease from amphibian oocytes that is cytostatic and cytotoxic to many tumour lines. It shows in vivo antitumour activity in mouse tumour models and is currently in Phase III clinical trials. The present study was designed to test whether cytotoxic effects of ONC can be modulated by differentiating agents. Human leukaemic HL‐60 and prostate cancer LNCaP and JCA‐1 cells were treated with Onc in the absence and presence of several inducers of differentiation and frequency of apoptosis was assessed using three different cytometric methods and confirmed by analysis of cell morphology. A moderate degree of apoptosis observed after 48–72 h incubation of HL‐60 cells in the presence of 0.42 µM Onc alone was markedly potentiated by administration of retinoic acid (all trans), sodium butyrate or dimethylsulfoxide at concentrations known to induce differentiation but be minimally cytotoxic. Likewise, the frequency of apoptosis of LNCaP and JCA‐1 cells treated with Onc was increased in the cultures to which phenylbutyrate was added. Although cell treatment with Onc alone, with each of the differentiating agents alone or with Onc in combination with the differentiating agents led to an increase in the proportion of G1 cells, no specific cell cycle phase preference in induction of apoptosis was observed. The data suggest that cells undergoing differentiation are particularly vulnerable to Onc; a combination of Onc and differentiating agents should be considered for further in vivo tests to assess its possible usefulness in the clinic.
A study of death by anoikis in cultured epithelial cells
Authors: Bretland A. J. , Lawry J. , Sharrard R. M.
Published: March 2003

Background: Epithelial cells are critically dependent upon cell‐matrix and cell‐cell adhesion for growth and survival. Anoikis is programmed cell death caused by disruption of cell‐substrate adhesion in normal epithelial cells.

Methods: We studied the induction of anoikis in vitro in two cell lines; HaCaT and SW742. PI3K, JAK2 and PKC are key elements in signalling pathways regulating cell survival, and using specific inhibitors we also examined their potential role in the induction of anoikis.

Results: When prevented from adhesion by culture on polyHEMA, HaCaT cells underwent apoptosis selectively from the proliferating population; surviving cells underwent cell cycle arrest. In SW742 cells anoikis also occurred, but was balanced by increased cycling. The effects of specific kinase inhibitors indicated that both Janus kinase 2 and protein kinase C partially protect HaCaT cells from anoikis through inducing cell cycle arrest of surviving nonadherent cells; inhibition of Phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase did not induce cycling in HaCaTs prevented from adhesion but did stimulate anoikis. SW742 cells showed markedly different responses: Janus kinase 2 inhibition activated apoptosis directly, Phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase inhibition stimulated both cell cycling and apoptosis, while protein kinase C inhibition stimulated cycling but inhibited apoptosis.

Conclusions: Susceptibility to cell death in adhesion‐prevented epithelial cells may thus be regulated by signalling pathways involving Phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase, Janus kinase 2 and protein kinase C. The ability of epithelial tumour cells to invade and metastasize may therefore result from disruption of these pathways.
Nitric oxide induces apoptosis in NALM‐6, a leukaemia cell line with low cyclin E protein levels
Authors: Mozart M. , Scuderi R. , Celsing F. , Aguilar‐Santelises M.
Published: March 2003

Intracellular nitric oxide levels may differ in resting and stimulated cells and contribute to the regulation of cell survival and proliferation through a variety of mechanisms and effects. We exposed two B‐cell lines to a range of S‐nitroso‐N‐acetyl‐d,l‐penicillamine (SNAP) concentrations in order to examine their susceptibility to exogenous nitric oxide and the participation of nitric oxide as modulator of cell proliferation. Although both FLEB and NALM‐6 decreased their levels of thymidine incorporation, only NALM‐6 cells were induced to undergo G1 arrest, phosphatidyl serine exposure and DNA fragmentation when cultured in the presence of 250 µm SNAP. This higher sensitivity of NALM‐6 coincided with initially low cyclin E protein levels which were increased 7.8‐fold after culture for 24 h with 250 µm SNAP. In contrast, there was no difference in cyclins A and D3, Bcl‐2 and actin levels, neither at the beginning nor at the end of the 24 h culture. Our study reveals that FLEB and NALM‐6 exhibit different response to the same concentration of nitric oxide, that nitric oxide can simultaneously induce cell cycle alterations and apoptosis, and further suggests an association between these two processes, with the involvement of cell cycle regulatory molecules.
Inhibition of human neuroblastoma cell proliferation and EGF receptor phosphorylation by gangliosides GM1, GM3, GD1Aand GT1B
Authors: Mirkin B. L. , Clark S. H. , Zhang C.
Published: March 2003

Abstract. The inhibitory action of gangliosides GT1B, GD1A, GM3and GM1on cell proliferation and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) phosphorylation was determined in the N‐myc amplified human neuroblastoma cell line NBL‐W. The IC50of each ganglioside was estimated from concentration‐response regressions generated by incubating NBL‐W cells with incremental concentrations (5–1000 µm) of GT1B, GD1A, GM3or GM1for 4 days. Cell proliferation was quantitatively determined by a colourimetric assay using tetrazolium dye and spectrophotometric analysis, and EGFR phosphorylation by densitometry of Western blots. All gangliosides assayed, with the exception of GM1, inhibited NBL‐W cell proliferation in a concentration‐dependent manner. The IC50s for gangliosides GT1B[molecular weight (MW) 2129], GM3(MW 1236), and GD1A(MW 1838) were (mean ± SEM) 117 ± 26, 255 ± 29, and 425 ± 44 m, respectively. In contrast, the IC50for GM1(MW 1547) could not be determined. Incubation of NBL‐W cells with epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1000 ng/ml progressively increased cell proliferation rate, but it plateaued at concentrations above 10 ng/ml. EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation, however, was incrementally stimulated by EGF concentrations from 1 to 100 ng/ml. The suppression of EGF‐induced EGFR phosphorylation differed for each ganglioside, and their respective inhibitory potencies were as follows: EGFR phosphorylation [area under curve (+ EGF)/area under curve (– EGF)]: control (no ganglioside added) = 8.2; GM1 = 8.3; GD1A = 6.7; GM3 = 4.87, and GT1B = 4.09. The lower the ratio, the greater the inhibitory activity of the ganglioside. Gangliosides GD1Aand GT1B, which have terminal N‐acetyl neuraminic acid moieties, as well as one and two N‐acetyl neuraminic acid residues linked to the internal galactose, respectively, both inhibited cell proliferation and EGFR phosphorylation. However, GD1Awas a more potent suppressor of cell proliferation and GT1Bmost effective against EGFR phosphorylation. GM3, which only has a terminal N‐acetyl neuraminic acid, inhibited cell proliferation and EGFR phosphorylation almost equivalently. These data suggest that gangliosides differ in their potency as inhibitors of NBL‐W neuroblastoma cell proliferation and EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation, and that perturbations in the differential expression of membrane glycosphingolipids may play a role in modulating neuroblastoma growth.
G2‐phase radiation response in lymphoblastoid cell lines from Nijmegen breakage syndrome
Authors: Antoccia A. , Di Masi A. , Maraschio P. , Stumm M. , Ricordy R. , Tanzarella C.
Published: March 2003

Abstract.The relationship between G2‐phase checkpoint activation, cytoplasmic cyclin‐B1 accumulation and nuclear phosphorylation of p34CDC2was studied in Nijmegen breakage syndrome cells treated with DNA damaging agents. Experiments were performed on lymphoblastoid cell lines from four Nijmegen breakage syndrome patients with different mutations, as well as on cells from an ataxia telangiectasia patient. Lymphoblastoid cell lines were irradiated with 0.50–2 Gy X‐rays and the percentage of G2‐phase accumulated cells was evaluated by means of flow cytometry in samples that were harvested 24 h later. The G2‐checkpoint activation was analysed by scoring the mitotic index at 2 and 4 h after treatment with 0.5 and 1 Gy X‐rays and treatment with the DNA double‐strand break inducer calicheamicin‐γ1. Cytoplasmic accumulation of cyclin‐B1 was evaluated by means of fluorescence immunostaining or Western blotting, in cells harvested shortly after irradiation with 1 and 2 Gy. The extent of tyrosine 15‐phosphorylated p34CDC2was assessed in the nuclear fractions. Nijmegen breakage syndrome cells showed suboptimal G2‐phase checkpoint activation respect to normal cells and were greatly different from ataxia telangiectasia cells. Increased cytoplasmic cyclin‐B1 accumulation was detected by both immunofluorescence and immunoblot in normal as well as in Nijmegen breakage syndrome cells. Furthermore, nuclear p34CDC2. phosphorylation was detected at a higher level in Nijmegen breakage syndrome than in ataxia telangiectasia cells. In conclusion, our data do not suggest that failure to activate checkpoints plays a major role in the radiosensitivity of Nijmegen breakage syndrome cells.
The expression of HIV‐1 tat and nef genes induces cell‐specific changes in growth properties and morphology of different types of rat cells
Authors: Shugurova Irina , Bobrisheva Irina , Surkova Irina , Grivennikov Igor , Tarantul Vyacheslav
Published: March 2003

Abstract.  Among the viral regulatory genes the tat and nef genes of HIV‐1 encode the proteins playing a central role in viral replication and exerting pleiotropic effects on the survival and growth of the cells. These effects differ in various cell types, possibly due to the use of genes from different HIV‐1 isolates. In this work, we studied the effects of the tat and nef genes on three types of cultured rat cells: primary embryo fibroblasts, pseudonormal Rat‐2, and pheochromocytoma PC12. Both genes affected growth properties and morphology of cells, the effects being cell‐specific. The proliferative activity of both Rat‐2 and PC12 cells was considerably increased after transfection with the tat gene. In primary rat embryo fibroblasts the tat gene induced multilayered foci. More importantly, it was shown that the efficiency of transformation was higher in cells coexpressing tat and nef. The nef gene caused considerable suppression of Rat‐2 cell proliferation, but no changes in their morphology. The nef gene transfection of PC12 cells also led to suppression of their proliferative activity. In addition, cellular agglomerates which were morphologically similar to multinuclear syncytial cells were detected in these cells for the first time.
Tuning the cell cycle: a model based on averaging
Authors: Frankel Paul
Published: March 2003

Abstract. The ability of intercellular communication and the basement membrane to revert the phenotypic behaviour of malignant cells suggests that such cells can be tuned to behave more benignly. In addition, the large variation in cell doubling times observed in tumour cells poses the question of whether or not cell doubling times, and hence, patient survival, can be lengthened by therapeutic intervention. In both cases, the understanding may be enhanced by obtaining a parsimonious and tractable model of the cell cycle which behaves appropriately and suggests a philosophical framework for addressing these complex issues. We introduce a simple two‐dimensional model based on averaging cyclin and maturation promotion factor over a fast oscillating subsystem that exhibits the basic features of cellular division, and discuss the ramifications of the model.
Establishment of a triploid V79 cell line from tetraploid cells obtained through polyploidization using K‐252a
Authors: Fujikawa‐Yamamoto Kohzaburo , Yamagishi Hiroko , Miyagoshi Minoru
Published: March 2003

Abstract. Triploid V79 cells were established from tetraploid cells. Diploid V79 cells were polyploidized by K‐252a, an inhibitor of protein kinases, and then released from the drug for 10 days. At that time, the cell population was a mixture of diploid and tetraploid cells. Triploid cells were obtained through the cloning of tetraploid cells. They had 33 chromosomes (1.5 times the diploid number) and showed a karyotype of three homologueous chromosomes. The duration of the G1, S and G2/M phases was almost the same as for diploid cells. The cell volume of triploid V79 cells was about two times that of the diploid cells. An explanation for the diploid‐tetraploid‐triploid transition is proposed.
Epithelial cell proliferative activity and oral cancer progression
Authors: Thomson P. J. , Soames J. V. , Booth C. , O'Shea J. A.
Published: March 2003

Abstract. Accurate, predictive assessment of the behaviour and progression of oral cancers and precancers remains elusive in clinical practice. Archival tissue specimens from 10 previously treated patients with oral lesions of known clinical outcome (3 years post‐treatment) were re‐examined histopathologically, and proliferative cell labelling indices (LIs) determined for Ki67, cyclin A and histone mRNA cell cycle markers. While histone mRNA labelling ultimately proved unreliable, both Ki67 and cyclin A LIs demonstrated a clear trend for enhanced labelling to occur in increasingly dysplastic and neoplastic tissue, with particular emphasis on suprabasal labelling in abnormal tissue. Perhaps of greatest significance was the observation of increased LIs and suprabasal labelling in lesions with poor clinical outcome, such as patients developing recurrent disease or cervical lymph node metastasis. Measurement of cell proliferative activity in individual oral epithelial dysplastic lesions or invasive squamous cell carcinomas may thus provide unique, predictive information on clinical outcome.
Professionals’ attitudes about victims of child sexual abuse: implications for collaborative child protection teams
Authors: Hicks Cynthia , Tite Rosonna
Published: March 2003

In responding to victims of child sexual abuse, considerable attention has been given to multidisciplinary collaborative response teams. Recent evidence, however, suggests that team members may be divided by differences in attitudes towards victims and offenders and about the causes and consequences of abuse. This paper draws on a larger study of the various professionals who make up one child abuse response system in Newfoundland, Canada. In particular, the paper focuses on social workers, teachers and the police, and their views about the characteristics and credibility of sexual abuse victims, and the extent to which they attribute to the victim some responsibility for the abuse. Data for the study were collected in two stages: key informant interviews; and a survey of social workers, teachers and police. The analysis includes an interpretation of the role of gender, professional group membership and experience with cases. The most striking finding is the extent to which the child's age and behaviour appears to influence differentially attitudes about the victims’ credibility. These differences complicate multidisciplinary collaborative initiatives since it would appear that those with the least real case experience, and the least knowledge about the relationship between abuse and behaviour, are the ones most likely to be the first point of contact for reports or disclosures.
Psychosocial treatment and relations between children in residential boarding schools and their parents
Authors: Bar‐Nir  , Schmid
Published: March 2003

The present study examined the impact of psychosocial treatment for children in residential boarding schools on relations with their parents and family, and on the extent of the children's satisfaction with the boarding school. Fifty‐one boarding schools (91% of the boarding institutions in Israel) participated in the longitudinal study. The sample consisted of 418 respondents, including boarding school directors, social workers, psychologists, programme directors, counsellors, therapists, and house mothers. The findings reveal that the children maintained a moderate level of contact with their parents and families. The children's overall level of satisfaction with the boarding school was found to be moderate, and increased to the extent that they received more hours of psychosocial and therapeutic care.
Assessment issues in working with mothers who induce illness in their children
Authors: Precey
Published: March 2003

Mothers who induce illness in their children are abusing them. What must be uppermost in the mind of the child protection worker is the effect of the mother’s behaviour on the child. A good assessment of the mother is essential in making decisions about the child’s safety. Schreier & Libow (1993) estimate that nearly 10% of mothers who deliberately induce illness in their children ultimately kill them. The construction with the mother of a comprehensive genogram is an essential tool for assessment. Denial by the mother is usual and overt confrontation is usually not a helpful technique. Key assessment questions are: What are the mother’s real feelings about this child? Can the mother imagine what life will be like with a well child? Is this mother more than extremely anxious or overprotective towards her child? This difficult, complex work can arouse intense feelings in individual workers and within the assessment team. Good supervision is essential.
From Children's Departments to Family Departments
Authors: Holman Bob
Published: March 2003

Drawing upon his own experience as a child care officer, the author draws attention to the local authority Children's Departments which were established 50 years ago in 1948. To mark the anniversary, interviews were held with 20 former children's officers. From these, it was possible to identify three major achievements of the Children's Departments, namely the restoration of natural parents to child care, the promotion of child care skills, and the formation of a highly committed staff force. The Children's Departments were abolished over a quarter of a century ago and amalgamated into the Social Services Departments (Social Work Departments in Scotland). Despite some notable advances, it is argued that, under these departments, preventative work with children, child care skills and staff morale have declined. As a way forward, the author proposes the formation of a local authority Family Department which would consist of family workers equipped with child care skills, a facility approach which offers open services, and backing for locally run neighbourhood groups. It is contended that this service would be acceptable to and particularly helpful to parents and children living in conditions of social deprivation.
Avoidance and confrontation: social work practice in relation to domestic violence and child abuse
Authors: Humphreys
Published: March 2003

Action on the relationship between domestic violence and child abuse has been slow to emerge in mainstream child protection agencies. This paper reports a qualitative study of child protection files. Particular attention was given to the issues for Asian families. Initially the numerous strategies which social workers and other professionals at child protection conferences used to avoid the issue of domestic violence are explored. However, there was also a small, but emerging, pattern of child abuse in the context of domestic violence being taken seriously. In each of these cases strong expectations were placed on women to separate from or remain separated from men who were violent. These expectations were backed by ‘threats’ or the actual accommodation of children often with little interagency support for women undertaking this difficult and dangerous task, or before women were ready to undertake this separation. Suggestions are made about aspects of the organizational context which need to change if good child protection is also to include appropriate protection and support for the child’s mother.
The nature of child protection practices: an Irish case study
Authors: Skehill  , O’Sullivan  , Buckley
Published: March 2003

Child protection social work in Ireland has been expanding at a significant pace over the past decade, particularly since the implementation of the 1991 Child Care Act and the emergence of a number of child abuse ‘scandals’ since the early 1990s. One health board area in Ireland, itself subject to one of the most controversial child abuse inquiries, commissioned a research study into the nature of child protection practices in the area. The aim of the research was to evaluate the overall child protection system and to consider what impact, if any, new practice guidelines and procedures, implemented in the aftermath of the inquiry, had made on the service. This paper considers some of the key findings from the research and considers these in the context of the overall Irish child protection system. Three particular aspects of the research are focused on: the use of procedures and guidelines, the nature of interagency cooperation and the position of social workers within this, and the overall nature and direction of the child care system.
Investing in children’s futures: enhancing the educational arrangements of ‘looked after’ children and young people
Authors: Francis
Published: March 2003

This paper reports on selected findings of a small‐scale study which examined the educational experiences of a group of children ‘looked after’ away from home in the former Lothian Regional Council. While it is claimed that the advent of a new Scottish parliament heralds an opportunity to construct a more inclusive society in Scotland, it is clear from all the research conducted to date that one excluded group, children who are in public care, experience significant educational disadvantages and that both the scale and persistence of the problem demand urgent measures. A brief review of the literature is offered and a number of explanations for the poor educational performance of this group of children are considered. It is argued that the difficulties experienced by looked after children arise from the interplay of a variety of social, structural and professional factors and that efforts to redress the disadvantages must take account of all these factors. The paper briefly considers the origins and philosophy of the Scottish Children’s Hearings System and argues that it could fulfil a more proactive role in safeguarding and promoting looked after children’s educational interests. Finally, the key features of a strategic approach are outlined, highlighting the need for effective collaboration in policy and practice.
Department of Health Research Overviews – Past, Present and Future: An evaluation of the dissemination of the Blue Book, Child Protection: Messages from Research
Authors: Weyts  , Morpeth  , Bullock
Published: March 2003

Since 1985 the Department of Health has been providing child care research overviews as a means of bringing together the findings of its funded research programmes. With each successive publication a pattern of design and dissemination has emerged. This is illustrated by Child Protection: Messages from Research (
Department of Health 1995), an overview of 20 studies of child protection. It included an introductory essay, summaries of each project and a set of ‘True for Us’ exercises. Publication was followed by national seminars and widespread distribution of free copies. Given the substantial investment, it seems timely to assess the impact of the dissemination process in terms of reaching and affecting practice. The survey sought to assess awareness, use and opinions of the report from social services, education and health professionals. It consisted of questionnaires administered by post and telephone calls to a representative sample of 600 professionals working in child protection, 292 of whom replied. The results demonstrate that the book is very well known among most professionals working in child welfare, particularly in social services, and is perceived to have affected the practice of over half of the respondents. The study supports the structure adopted for the report but suggests further benefits in employing a variety of dissemination strategies for different professional groups. Finally, the paper discusses the relationship between overviews and evidence‐based services.
Helping parents by working with their children in individual child therapy
Authors: Wilson Kate , Ryan Virginia
Published: March 2003

The paper describes a small scale pilot process and outcome study that was undertaken at the University of York. The study is based on accounts of treatment interventions with children conducted by trainee play therapists studying on the University's programme in non‐directive play therapy. These are being used to develop a methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of non‐directive play therapy as an intervention for distressed and maltreated children. The focus of this paper is on one finding of the study, namely that play therapy undertaken with individual children, in addition to bringing about improvements in the children's problems, may improve their parents’ parenting behaviour if they are appropriately involved in the therapy. The paper describes the cases and their outcomes at a 6‐month follow‐up. It illustrates the finding of changes in parenting behaviour through three case studies, and discusses the kinds of changes, possible reasons for them, and necessary practice requirements if these changes are to take place. The paper concludes that engaging parents in a broadly collaborative effort may be facilitated by a primary initial focus on their children.
Family budgets and public money: spending fostering payments
Authors: Kirton Derek
Published: March 2003

In this second of two papers based on a study of payment issues within foster care, the focus is on expenditure. It is argued that the hybrid public/private nature of fostering gives rise to contradictory pressures for carers, including the status of maintenance payments as both part of family budgets and a form of delegated public expenditure. For example, carers are required in principle both to spend fixed amounts upon foster children and to treat them in like fashion to their own children. In this paper, the issue of ‘like treatment’ is explored, along with the significance of payment for ‘children who foster’ and for relationships between carers and foster children. Also examined are the challenges presented by differences between carers’ material circumstances and those of birth families, especially when reunification is planned. Overall, the paper seeks to show how the handling of expenditure becomes closely entwined with inter‐personal dynamics within foster care.
Play therapy: the children's views
Authors: Carroll Jo
Published: March 2003

This paper describes my efforts, as a practising play therapist, to listen to children’s opinions about the play therapy experience. There has been ongoing interaction between this project and my clinical work. Previous research has attended to adult agendas, and I have tried to give children a voice. There have been methodological challenges. However, data from the children confirm the overriding importance of the relationship, providing the context for the therapeutic experience. Within the playroom, children distinguish between talking and playing, and both have a role. However, while therapists ascribe meaning to play, most children see it as ‘just fun’. For some children having fun, in the context of a thoughtful and sustaining relationship, was the most significant aspect of the therapeutic process. Others were able to reflect more deeply and recognize the value of having difficult feelings thought about and understood.