bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nine‐year follow‐up of 86 consecutive patients treated with methadone in general practice, Sydney, Australia
Authors: BYRNE ANDREW 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe status of 86 consecutive heroin addicted patients who presented for methadone treatment to an inner‐city Sydney general practice in 1987 and 1988 was sought in 1996, using patients' files and official records; follow‐up information was obtained for 79 patients (92%) after a mean period of 8.6 ± 0.5 years. The mean age at intake was 29 years, patients having used heroin for a mean of 8.5 ± 5.1 years (range 1–25). By 1996, 35 (41%) of the 86 patients had remained in continuous treatment. Successful withdrawal from opioids including methadone for a period of 3 months or more was reported by 31 patients (36%) for a mean of 36 months (range 3–84) with 10 of these returning to methadone treatment after prolonged periods of abstinence. Eight patients (9%) died, four from drug overdose. Five patients (6%) who had left treatment were reportedly using street heroin. Seven patients (8%) could not be traced. The most conservative interpretation of these patients' reports is that 56% of the original 86 were well and functional at follow‐up. The most optimistic interpretation was that 81% of patients were doing well 9 years later. This study confirms the benefits of methadone maintenance while also demonstrating the serious nature of heroin addiction.
GP attitudes to managing drug‐ and alcohol‐dependent patients: a reluctant role
Authors: ABOUYANNI GEORGE , STEVENS LEONIE J. , HARRIS MARK F. , WICKES WENDY A. , RAMAKRISHNA SMTA S. , TA ENG , KNOWLDEN SHEILA M 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe aim of this study was to determine the experience, confidence and views of GPs in South West Sydney towards managing drug and alcohol dependence and their interest in participating in shared care methadone prescribing. Five hundred and forty‐eight GPs were mailed a self complete questionnaire. Non‐responders were followed‐up by telephone. Seventy‐six per cent of GPs responded; 52% considered methadone maintenance to be effective. GPs were more confident managing smoking than alcohol and benzodiazepine dependence and least confident in illicit drug dependence. Fifty per cent reported having no patients on methadone and 40% between one and five patients. GPs in Fairfield and Liverpool reported having most patients; 25% were interested in prescribing methadone for patients in their own practice and 17% for patients referred to them. GPs who had more patients on methadone in their practice (especially those in Fairfield and Liverpool) considered methadone effective and were more likely to be interested in having patients referred to them. The most frequent reasons for not being interested were concerns about patients being demanding or aggressive or the impact on their practice. The most frequently requested support for shared care prescribing was for 24‐hour back‐up from specialist services, especially requested by those with less experience with patients on methadone. A shared‐care approach to facilitating greater GP involvement in prescribing appears feasible, especially among GPs with some previous experience with patients on methadone.
Heroin hell their own making‘: construction of heroin users in the Australian press 1992–97
Authors: ELLIOTT AMANDA J. , CHAPMAN SIMON 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe ACT heroin trial was a proposal to evaluate the efficacy of prescription heroin as a treatment for heroin‐dependent people. The trial was actively debated within the press by proponents and opponents but ultimately did not proceed due to a lack of required political support. Previous research indicates that public perceptions of the nature of drug users can influence the direction of policy responses. This paper analyses the construction of heroin users within press debate about the proposed ACT heroin trial, comparing and contrasting trial proponent and opponent views. The primary constructions of the user embraced models of users as people with health problems who were dying; who were criminals; classic deviance distinctions between us and them; that users posed costs and a threat to society; that users were victims; and discourse about ‘ruined’ selves. Despite attempts by trial proponents to construct the user as an ‘ill us’, the cultural value of abstinence from drug use and the ideology of individualism with its connotations of heroin use as a choice that required punishment rather than help were rarely challenged, reinforcing the view of drug use as a problem of individual morality.
Offences under the Cannabis Expiation Notice schemein South Australia
Authors: CHRISTIE PAUL , ALI ROBERT 
Published: June 2007

AbstractSince the introduction of the Cannabis Expiation Notice (CEN) schemein South Australia in April 1987, the number of minor cannabis offences for which CENs have been issued has increased from 6231 expiable offences in the 1987/88 financial year to a peakof over 18000 offences in 1996/97. This ‘net‐widening’ appears unrelated to prevalence of cannabis use. The rate of expiation of issued CENs has remained below 50%. Of those CENs that are not expiated, the vast majority was forwarded for prosecution and result in a conviction for the offender. Overall, around 46% of total CENs issued between 1991/92 and 1995/96 resulted in a conviction, or around 90% of all CENs forwarded for prosecution. This net‐widening and the low rate of expiation may have resulted in more convictions than would have occurred had the system not been introduced. The low expiation rate may relate to difficulties faced by offenders in paying expiation fees. Changes to the payment options for expiation offences in the last few years have led to a minor increase in the proportion cleared by expiation. Further education on the consequences of failure to expiate may improve the situation.
Opioid dependence and driving ability: a review in the context of proposed legislative change in Victoria
Authors: LENNÉ MICHAEL G. , DIETZE PAUL , RUMBOLD GREG , REDMAN JENNIFER R. , TRIGGS THOMAS J. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThere is debate in Victoria, Australia concerning the effects of various drugs, including opioids, on driving skills and accident rates, and the development of appropriate legislative responses. There are legislative difficulties around drugs and driving because of the lack of adequate epidemiological and performance‐based studies. In relation to opioids, although there are studies that have shown the prevalence of opioids in both non‐fatal and fatal crashes, these studies do not demonstrate that the use of opioids is associated with any elevated crash risk and they fail to take into account issues regarding tolerance. A review of the performance studies, including only a small number of driving studies, suggests that opioids, and in particular methadone, have limited effects on driving skills. None the less, recommendations have been made in other countries, such as Germany, that place driving restrictions upon methadone clients. This paper reviews the available evidence concerning the effects of opioids on driving skills and accident risk, with reference to the proposed changes to legislation in the area of drugs and driving in Victoria.
Drug users' experiences of witnessing overdoses: what do they know and what do they need to know?
Authors: BEST DAVID , MAN LAN‐HO , GOSSOP MICHAEL , NOBLE ALISON , STRANG JOHN 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe study investigated overdose attitudes and experiences among 155 attenders at an out‐patient drug clinic in south London. Almost half the sample (46.8%) had ever overdosed while 82.6% had witnessed overdoses, of whom 43 had witnessed overdose fatalities. However, this does not appear to have been a consequence of inaction, with most users reporting that they had attempted to resuscitate or assist the victim in a number of ways. Most participants also reported a reasonable awareness of the appropriate actions to take, were not deterred by fear of police sanction and managing reported that they would be willing to intervene in the future. Over a third were keen to receive training on managing overdose and that the majority would be willing to keep naloxone at home. This evidence supports previous research suggesting that addicts may be a valuable resource in strategies for reducing overdose fatalities through training and the dissemination of new drug technologies such as naloxone.
Patients in methadone maintenance treatment who inject methadone syrup: a preliminary study
Authors: ROBINSON GEOFFREY M. , KEMP ROBERT , LEE COLIN , CRANSTON DAVID 
Published: June 2007

AbstractAn increased awareness of the injection of methadone syrup has been appreciated by methadone treatment clinicians and Needle Exchange outlets which distribute large‐volume syringes. This study aimed to identify patterns of use by methadone injectors, and the reasons and perceived risks of this behaviour. Nineteen of 36 attendees at a needle exchange who stated they had injected methadone over the previous 3 months completed a structured interview. Results found a majority were methadone clinic patients. Forty‐two percent injected three times a week or more. This practice continued in 58%, despite reported difficult venous access. Subjects' concerns included accelerating vein damage and possible toxicity of syrup additives. Reasons for injecting included immediate drug effect (80%) and ‘needle‐fixation’ (47%). It is concluded that methadone clinic staff need to be aware of such patients who may require additional treatment approaches, and that methadone formulations should minimize harmful consequences if injected.
Autoimmune Hepatitis in Brazil: An Overview
Authors: Goldberg A. C. , Bittencourt P. L. , Oliveira L. C. , Ramasawmy R. , Marin M. L. C. , Palacios S. A. , Kalil J. , Porta G. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractAutoimmune hepatitis is an immune cell‐mediated chronic liver disease of unknown cause that leads, when untreated, to cirrhosis and liver failure. Importantly, this disease affects not only adults but children as well. Genetic susceptibility is clearly important and the major susceptibility factor identified up to now is the HLA‐DRB1 locus, but other genes may play a role as well. HLA‐DRB1 alleles present in South American patients differ from those found in patients in other parts of the world. In addition, we have recently identified two chromosomal regions where additional susceptibility factors may be found in Brazilian patients, namely, the class III MHC region and the 5q31 region where the IL‐4 and IL‐13 genes are located. This review discusses the current knowledge of the pathogenesis of this autoimmune disease occurring in the setting of an immune‐privileged organ, the liver, and compares the data on gene polymorphisms studied in Brazil and in other parts of the world.
Public views on priority setting for High Cost Medications in public hospitals in Australia
Authors: Gallego Gisselle , Taylor Susan J. , McNeill Paul , Brien Jo‐anne E. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractObjective  To gather information about views of members of the general public about access to High Cost Medications (HCMs) in public hospitals.Methods  A structured questionnaire was administered to members of the general public. Individuals were approached in train stations, shopping centres and different venues in the Sydney metropolitan area. People were eligible to answer the survey if they were: over 18 years of age, Australian permanent residents and able to complete the questionnaire in English.Results  Two hundred people completed the survey. Of these 56% were females, 47% were married, 84% spoke English at home, 88% were working either full‐time or part‐time, 61% had a university degree, 27% had a household annual income greater than $100 000 and 68% had private health insurance. Participants considered factors such as treatment outcomes, quality of life and current health status when determining who should have access to HCMs. Participants wanted resources to be allocated to provide the ‘greatest benefit to the greatest number of people’. Almost half the respondents did not want direct involvement in decision‐making, however, 38% did.Conclusions  The results offered support for indirect involvement through the development of a process to involve community members in discussion on policy on the provision of treatment and services within health‐care institutions and specifically, to seek the views of members of the public on the provision of HCMs and expensive services within public hospitals.
Promoting academic writing/referencing skills: Outcome of an undergraduate e‐learning pilot project
Authors: Brown Cary A. , Dickson Rumona , Humphreys Anne‐Louise , McQuillan Vicky , Smears Elizabeth 
Published: June 2007

AbstractFuture health care professionals will require self‐directed learning skills. e‐Learning is a tool to assist in this process and therefore there is a need to develop the capacity and readiness to utilise e‐learning within educational programmes. The aim of this study was to determine if extra‐curricular online referencing and anti‐plagiarism lectures would be utilised and would ultimately improve 1st‐year undergraduate health sciences students’ performance in written assessments. A series of six online archived multimedia lectures (asynchronous) were offered. Adult learning theory principles guided the resource design. Pre‐ and post‐testing of knowledge, attitudes and computer skills was carried out. In‐person tutorials and online email support were also offered. Less than 36% (self‐report) of students accessed the online resources. The poor uptake revealed in this study is consistent with a number of other studies. These findings indicate the need for more careful scrutiny of the learning theory applied in e‐learning design. Prochaska's transtheoretical model is suggested as a framework with strong potential for e‐learning initiatives.
MDM2 Antagonist Nutlin-3 Suppresses the Proliferation and Differentiation of Human Pre-Osteoclasts Through a p53-Dependent Pathway
Authors: Zauli Giorgio , Rimondi Erika , Corallini Federica , Fadda Roberto , Capitani Silvano , Secchiero Paola 
Published: June 2007

Abstract
Exposure of human pre-osteoclasts to the MDM2 antagonist Nutlin-3 activated the p53 pathway and significantly decreased the entry of pre-osteoclasts in the S phase in response to RANKL. Moreover, repeated exposure to Nutlin-3 suppressed osteoclastic differentiation, without affecting cell survival at any culture time.
Introduction: The p53 oncosuppressor coordinates an intracellular network involved in protection from malignant transformation and cell cycle control; its activation is tightly regulated by the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) gene and p53-MDM 2 interaction can be disrupted by selective small molecule inhibitors, the Nutlins. Although the ability of Nutlins to suppress the growth of wildtype p53 tumors has been clearly established, their biological activity in normal cells and tissues has not been extensively studied.
Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cell pre-osteoclasts were cultured with macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF ) + RANKL or co-cultured with SaOS-2 osteosarcoma cells in the presence of IL-1β to induce osteoclastic differentiation. Cell cycle was analyzed by BrdU incorporation. The degree of osteoclastic differentiation was monitored at different culture times by TRACP and DAPI staining, as well as by TRACP-5b ELISA. Finally, the role of p53 in mediating the biological activity of Nutlin-3 was studied using specific siRNA.
Results: Exposure of human pre-osteoclasts to RANKL induced an early (24 h) increase in the percentage of cells in the S phase, followed by the exit from the cell cycle at later time-points. The simultaneous addition of Nutlin-3 and RANKL dose-dependently decreased the percentage of pre-osteoclasts in the S phase and induced a rapid accumulation of p53 protein coupled with the induction of p53 target genes. Unexpectedly, the administration of Nutlin-3 to pre-osteoclasts at early culture times significantly suppressed the final output of osteoclasts at day 14 of culture. The role of p53 in mediating this biological activity of Nutlin-3 was underscored by gene knockdown experiments, in which the anti-osteoclastic activity of Nutlin-3 was significantly counteracted by siRNA specific for p53. Nutlin-3 also significantly decreased the formation of osteoclasts in a co-culture system of SaOS-2 osteosarcoma and pre-osteoclastic cells.
Conclusions: These findings indicate that Nutlin-3 abrogates both pre-osteoclastic proliferation and differentiation through a p53-dependent pathway and may have therapeutic implications for those neoplastic diseases characterized by an abnormal osteoclastic activity.
HIF-1α Is a Regulator of Galectin-3 Expression in the Intervertebral Disc
Authors: Zeng Yan , Danielson Keith G , Albert Todd J , Shapiro Irving M , Risbud Makarand V 
Published: June 2007

Abstract
The regulation of galectin-3 expression in skeletal tissues is not completely understood. Our studies indicate that HIF-1α regulates galectin-3 expression by interacting with hypoxia regulatory elements in the promoter region. Finally, we show that galectin-3 serves a prosurvival role in the intervertebral disc.
Introduction: Earlier reports indicated that galectin-3 (gal-3) is highly expressed in the epiphyseal growth plate cartilage and the intervertebral disc. Because these skeletal tissues have a limited vascular supply and the cells reside in a low O2 environment, we determined if the oxemic status modulates gal-3 expression.
Materials and Methods: Cells were cultured in normoxia (21% O2) or hypoxia (2% O2), and gal-3 expression and promoter activity were evaluated. Interaction of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α with the gal-3 promoter was confirmed by gel shift and site-directed mutagenesis.
Results: There was minimal oxygen-dependent change in HIF-1α levels and no change in gal-3 expression and promoter activity in nucleus pulposus cells. In contrast, hypoxia induced gal-3 mRNA, protein, and promoter activity in HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) from HIF-1α wildtype but not HIF-1–null mice. To evaluate the importance of HIF-1 in regulation of gal-3 expression, we overexpressed HIF-1α or constitutively active-HIF-1α in null MEF. An increase in gal-3 promoter activity was observed in both normoxia and hypoxia. Similarly, suppression of HIF-1α in nucleus pulposus cells, and wildtype MEF, using siRNA and pharmacological inhibitors resulted in suppression of gal-3 promoter activity and mRNA levels. Analysis of the gal-3 promoter indicated that it contained two hypoxia response elements (HREs). Gel-shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed that there was binding of HIF-1α to the gal-3 HRE. Furthermore, site-directed mutagenesis of HRE completely blocked hypoxic induction of gal-3 promoter activity. In nucleus pulposus cells, suppression of gal-3 expression promoted FasL-mediated apoptosis.
Conclusions: Together, these studies showed that gal-3 is a HIF-1–regulated lectin that plays an important role in nucleus pulposus cell survival.
Morphological Differences Between Adult Wild and First‐Generation Hatchery Upper Yakima River Spring Chinook Salmon
Authors: Busack Craig , Knudsen Curtis M. , Hart Germaine , Huffman Paul 
Published: June 2007

AbstractFour‐year‐old adult wild spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha at a supplementation hatchery were compared morphologically with their first‐generation hatchery counterparts over three consecutive brood years (BYs) using thin‐plate spline analysis on 12 digitized landmarks and an analysis of 27 truss characters based on the landmarks. Canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) of sex‐specific partial warp scores correctly classified females to origin (hatchery or wild) with 75% accuracy (up to 84% accuracy for one BY) and males to origin with 65% accuracy (up to 89% accuracy for one BY). Classification to BY using sex‐ and BY‐specific partial warps was 62% accurate for both females and males. The results of the truss analysis were very close to those from the thin‐plate spline analysis. Sex‐specific CDAs correctly classified 75% of females and 68% of males to origin. Correct classification to BY was 61% for females and 58% for males. Consensus shapes based on partial warps suggested that hatchery fish of both sexes have longer and deeper heads and shallower midbodies than wild fish. They also appear to be somewhat shorter in the posterior body. Analysis of variance of individual truss characters led to the same general conclusion but also provided evidence that hatchery fish have wider anal fins. There was no evidence of sex‐specific differences between hatchery and wild fish. Body proportion differences between hatchery and wild fish at the eight most diagnostic truss characters averaged 0.31 standard deviations in females and 0.35 standard deviations in males. In terms of actual measurement, these differences amounted to an average of 1.4% of the wild mean, providing little discriminatory power.
Ligand and Substrate Effects in Gas‐Phase Reactions of NiX+/RH Couples (X=F, Cl, Br, I; R=CH3, C2H5, nC3H7, nC4H9)
Authors: Schlangen Maria , Schröder Detlef , Schwarz Helmut 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe reactions of small saturated hydrocarbons by gaseous nickel cations NiX+ (X=F, Cl, Br, I) are investigated by means of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The halide cations are obtained from solutions of the corresponding NiII salts in water or methanol as solvents. NiF+ is the only NiII halide complex that brings about thermal activation of methane. The branching ratios of the observed reactions with C2H6, C3H8, and nC4H10 are shifted systematically by changing the nature of both the ligand X and the substrate RH. In the elimination of HX (X=F, Cl, Br, I), the formal oxidation state of the metal ion appears to be conserved, and the importance of this reaction channel decreases in going from NiF+ to NiI+. A reversed trend is observed in the losses of small closed‐shell neutral molecules, that is, H2, CH4 and C2H6, which dominate the gas‐phase ion chemistry of NiI+/RH couples. Additionally, inner‐sphere electron‐transfer reactions take place for a few systems, that is, the delivery of hydride or methanide ions from the hydrocarbon to NiX+ in the course of which the hydrocarbon is converted to a carbenium ion and the cationic metal complex gives rise to a neutral RNiX molecule (R=H, CH3). This process gains importance with decreasing atomic number of the halides and with increasing the size of the alkane. Thus, it constitutes the major pathway in the reactions of NiF+ with propane and n‐butane, whereas it is not observed for any of the NiI+/RH couples investigated. Concerning the regioselectivity of the reactions with propane and n‐butane, heterolytic cleavage of secondary carbonhydrogen bonds is clearly preferred compared to that of primary ones, as revealed by deuterium labeling studies. For the NiF+/C3H8 couple, the selectivity of the hydride transfer is as large as 360 in favor of the secondary positions. Though smaller, large preferences for the activation of secondary CH bonds are also operative in homolytic bond activation of RH (R=nC3H7, nC4H9).