bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cytological assessment of conventional transbronchial fine needle aspiration of lymph nodes
Authors: Rakha E. A. , Naik V. , Chaudry Z. , Baldwin D. , Soomro I. N. 
Published: August 2008

E. A. Rakha, V. Naik, Z. Chaudry, D. Baldwin and I. N. Soomro Cytological assessment of conventional transbronchial fine needle aspiration of lymph nodesObjectives:  Transbronchial fine needle aspiration (TBNA) is a minimally invasive bronchoscopic technique that allows pathological examination of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. The aim of this study was to assess the cytopathological outcome of TBNA.Methods:  One hundred and eighty‐seven patients who underwent TBNA of mediastinal and hilar lesions from May 2000 to June 2007 were reviewed.Results:  TBNA results were considered to be adequate if the cytological material revealed a malignant lesion or sufficient number of benign lymphoid cells. In the current study, 40 cases (21.9%) were reported as inadequate. When inadequate tests were excluded, the overall sensitivity and accuracy of TBNA in the diagnosis of malignant lesions were 83.5% and 88.0% respectively. The lowest sensitivity was noted in lymph node involvement by lymphoma. Regarding the workload associated with TBNA cytology, we found that the average number of conventionally prepared cytological slides per case was high (17 slides per case).Conclusion:  Our results confirm that conventional TBNA is a sensitive and useful technique but it is relatively expensive and the protocols should be adapted to allow appropriate material to be collected for ancillary diagnostic tests.
Diagnostic pitfalls in the evaluation of fine needle aspiration cytology of the thyroid: correlation with histopathology in 260 cases
Authors: Haberal A. N. , Toru S. , Özen Ö. , Arat Z. , Bilezikçi B. 
Published: August 2008

Objectives:  Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the thyroid is a non‐invasive, cost‐effective screening procedure that is valuable for distinguishing neoplastic lesions from non‐neoplastic nodules. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of FNACs performed at our institution by correlating FNAC results with histopathological diagnoses.Methods:  Two hundred and seventy‐one aspiration cytology specimens followed by thyroidectomy were included in the study, and the results of 260 adequate FNACs were compared with their histological diagnoses.Results:  The sensitivity and specificity of thyroid FNAC for detecting neoplasia were 92.6% and 91.6%, respectively. There were 15 (5.7%) false positives and six (2.3%) false negatives.Conclusions:  The results showed that follicular cells that exhibit some of the features of papillary carcinoma could be observed in a cytology slide of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, leading to a diagnostic pitfall. In addition, cellularity and overlapping cytological criteria in hyperplasia might lead to a false diagnosis.
Effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on oncogenes and cell proliferation
Authors: Zhu Y. , Shu X. , Chen J. , Xie Y. , Xu P. , Huang D.‐Q. , Lu N.‐H. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractBackground  Helicobacter pylori , the main cause of chronic gastritis, is a class 1 gastric carcinogen. However, it remains unclear whether H. pylori affects molecular alterations in chronic gastritis. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the effect of H. pylori eradication on the expression of human telomerase RNA (hTR), human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), c‐myc and proliferation nuclear cell antigen (PCNA) in H. pylori associated chronic gastritis.Materials and methods  hTR was determined by in situ hybridization, hTERT, c‐myc and PCNA were detected by immunohistochemistry using stomach tissues obtained from 39 H. pylori‐infected and 21 H. pylori‐negative patients with chronic gastritis before and after H. pylori eradication therapy or treatment for symptom relief only.Results  Levels of hTR, hTERT, c‐myc and PCNA were significantly higher in H. pylori‐infected mucosa (51·3%, 53·8%, 53·8% and 16·8 ± 5·8, respectively) when compared to H. pylori‐negative mucosa before therapy (19·0%, 23·8%, 28·6%, 8·8 ± 3·4, respectively; P < 0·05 in all cases). In patients with successful eradication of H. pylori the levels of hTR, hTERT, c‐myc and PCNA (55·5%, 59·3%, 59·3%, 16·8 ± 5·8, respectively) were significantly reduced after the therapy (22·2%, 22·2%, 14·8%, 7·0 ± 5·0, respectively; P < 0·05 in all cases). In the H. pylori failed eradication and H. pylori‐negative groups, there was no statistical difference in all four measurements.Conclusions  H. pylori infection may induce the overexpression of hTR, hTERT, c‐myc and stimulate cell proliferation. Eradication of H. pylori may reverse the aberrant expression of these oncoproteins and thus correct the abnormal cell proliferation.
Anti‐oxidized low‐density lipoprotein antibody levels are associated with the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Garrido‐Sánchez L. , Cardona F. , García‐Fuentes E. , Rojo‐Martínez G. , Gómez‐Zumaquero J. M. , Picón M. J. , Soriguer F. , Tinahones F. J. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractBackground  Anti‐oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) antibodies are associated with the oxidative capacity of plasma, but whether they protect or promote diabetes is unknown. We undertook a prospective study to determine the predictive capacity of anti‐oxidized LDL antibodies for the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Materials and methods  We selected 391 non‐diabetic women aged 18–65 years. The subjects were classified as being normal (oral glucose test tolerance normal, OGTT‐N), or having impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or T2DM according to their baseline glucose levels and after an OGTT. The same subjects were studied six years later. The levels of anti‐oxidized LDL antibodies were classified as above or below the 50th percentile.Results  Of the women who were OGTT‐N at the start of the study and who had anti‐oxidized LDL antibody levels below the 50th percentile, only 65·1% were still OGTT‐N after 6 years versus 79·5% of those who had anti‐oxidized LDL antibody levels above the 50th percentile (P = 0·015). Women who had IGT or IFG at the start of the study whose anti‐oxidized LDL antibody levels were below the 50th percentile had a relative risk of 9·79 (95% confidence interval, 1·40–68·45) of developing diabetes (P < 0·001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the variables predicting the development of a carbohydrate metabolism disorder in the women after 6 years were body mass index (P < 0·001) and the levels of anti‐oxidized LDL antibodies (P = 0·042).Conclusions  Levels of anti‐oxidized LDL antibodies are independent predictors for the development of T2DM in women.
Growth hormone and changes in energy balance in growth hormone deficient adults
Authors: Deepak D. , Daousi C. , Boyland E. , Pinkney J. H. , Wilding J. P. H. , MacFarlane I. A. 
Published: August 2008

ABSTRACTBackground  Adults with growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) have an adverse body composition with an increased prevalence of obesity. It is not known whether growth hormone replacement (GHR) results in alterations in energy intake (EI) and/or energy expenditure (EE). The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of GHR on EI and EE.Materials and methods  Nineteen hypopituitary adults (14 males, 5 females, mean age 46·2 years) with severe GHD (peak GH response to glucagon ≤ 9 mU L−1) were studied. All patients self‐injected recombinant human GH starting with 0·3 mg s.c. daily. The following were measured before and following 6 months of stable maintenance of GHR: food intake during a test meal, appetite ratings, resting EE (indirect calorimetry) and voluntary physical activity (accelerometry).Results  GHR nearly doubled voluntary physical activity (mean activity units 3319 vs. 1881, P = 0·007) and improved quality of life score (mean score 9·1 vs. 16·5, P < 0·0001). Subjects reported higher fasting hunger ratings (mean 64·8 vs. 49·6, P = 0·02) but ad libitum energy intake remained unchanged. Eating behavioural traits were favourably altered with lower disinhibition (mean 6·0 vs. 7·2, P = 0·02) and lower susceptibility to hunger ratings (4·6 vs. 6·8, P = 0·001) after GHR. Additionally, GHR did not result in significant changes in resting EE, body weight and body mass index.Conclusions  GHR in AGHD significantly improves voluntary physical activity and quality of life. Following GHR, subjects experience greater ‘state’ (physiological) hunger, reductions in eating disinhibition and hunger susceptibility, but no effects on calorie intake or macronutrient choice were detected.
High HDL‐cholesterol in women with rheumatoid arthritis on low‐dose glucocorticoid therapy
Authors: García‐Gómez C. , Nolla J. M. , Valverde J. , Narváez J. , Corbella E. , Pintó X. 
Published: August 2008

ABSTRACTBackground  Dyslipidaemia has been described in non‐treated rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and improves after therapy with disease modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs or glucocorticoids; however, it has generally been perceived that glucocorticoids adversely affect lipid metabolism. The association of low dose glucocorticoid therapy with plasma lipid levels was evaluated in female RA patients.Materials and methods  A cross‐sectional study was conducted in 78 female RA patients [mean age: 60 (12) years; mean disease duration: 13 (9) years]. Sixty‐five (83%) were on glucocorticoid therapy [total equivalent mean prednisone dose: 5·1 (1·7) mg d−1]. Each patient was assessed through a self‐reported questionnaire, structured interview and physical examination. Blood samples were obtained for routine biochemistry, lipid profile and haematological tests. Lipid profiles of RA patients who were and were not on glucocorticoid therapy were compared.Results  Clinical and laboratory features of the two groups of patients were similar, except for the Health Assessment Questionnaire and body mass index, which were significantly higher in the patients on glucocorticoid therapy. These patients had 14·7% higher serum high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐c) levels than untreated patients (P = 0·043), mainly at the expense of HDL2 subfraction, which was 24·4% higher (P < 0·039), whereas HDL3‐c was only 7·4% higher (P = 0·219). Serum levels of glucose and total cholesterol, triglyceride, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL ‐c), very low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoproteins A‐I and B were not increased in patients on glucocorticoid therapy.Conclusions  Low dose glucocorticoid therapy in RA patients is associated with an increase in HDL‐c, without increasing LDL‐c or triglyceride. These lipid changes may overall be considered favourable.
Ursodeoxycholic acid reduces lipid peroxidation and mucin secretagogue activity in gallbladder bile of patients with cholesterol gallstones
Authors: Jüngst C. , Sreejayan N. , Zündt B. , Müller I. , Spelsberg F. W. , Hüttl T. P. , Kullak‐Ublick G. A. , Del Pozo R. , Jüngst D. , Von Ritter C. 
Published: August 2008

ABSTRACTBackground  Recently it has been postulated that gallbladder mucin hypersecretion observed in the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstone disease may be induced by biliary lipid peroxidation. Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment reduces mucin concentration and the formation of cholesterol crystals in the gallbladder bile of patients with cholesterol gallstones and this effect might be mediated by a decrease of biliary lipid peroxidation.Material and methods  In a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial patients with symptomatic cholesterol gallstones received either ursodeoxycholic acid (750 mg daily) (n = 10) or placebo (n = 12) 10–12 days prior to cholecystectomy. As a marker for lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde was measured in bile together with mucin concentration. In addition, the mucin secretagogue activity of the individual bile samples was assessed in cultured dog gallbladder epithelial cells.Results  Ursodeoxycholic acid therapy resulted in a significant reduction of lipid peroxidation in bile as determined by the biliary malondialdehyde concentration (1·36 ± 0·28 vs. 2·05 ± 0·38 µmol L−1; P < 0·005) and the malondialdehyde (µmol L−1)/total bile acid (mmol L−1) ratio (0·02 ± 0·005 vs. 0·06 ± 0·01; P < 0·001). Furthermore, a decrease in mucin concentrations (0·7 ± 0·3 vs. 1·3 ± 0·5 mg mL−1; P < 0·005) and of the mucin secretagogue activity of gallbladder bile (0·9 ± 0·2 vs. 2·2 ± 0·3 times control; P < 0·001) was observed.Conclusions  The reduction of lipid peroxidation and mucin secretagogue activity of gallbladder bile induced by ursodeoxycholic acid treatment may contribute to the beneficial effects of this drug on gallbladder bile composition and symptoms in cholesterol gallstone patients.
New evidence for the role of TNF‐α in liver ischaemic/reperfusion injury
Authors: Pevni D. , Frolkis I. , Schwartz D. , Schwartz I. , Chernichovski T. , Kramer A. , Ben‐Gal Y. , Uretzky G. , Shapira I. , Weinbroum A. 
Published: August 2008

ABSTRACTBackground  Tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) plays a key role in causing ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. I/R also causes activation of xanthine oxidase and dehydrogenase (XDH + XO) system that, via generated free radicals, causes organ damage. We investigated the effect of ischaemia, reperfusion and non‐ischaemic prolonged perfusion (NIP) on TNF‐α and XDH + XO production in an isolated perfused rat liver model.Materials and methods  Rat livers underwent 150 min NIP (control group) or two hours of ischaemia followed by reperfusion (I/R group). TNF‐α (TNF‐α mRNA and protein level), XDH + XO production and bile secretion were determined in tissue and effluent at baseline, at 120 min of ischaemia, after 30 min of reperfusion (I/R group) and after 120 and 150 min of prolonged perfusion (control).Results  Unexpectedly, neither ischaemia nor reperfusion had any effect on TNF‐α production. TNF‐α in effluent was 11 ± 4·8 pg mL−1 at baseline, 7 ± 3·2 pg mL−1 at the end of ischaemia, and 13 ± 5·3 pg mL−1 after 30 min of reperfusion. NIP, however, caused a significant increase of TNF‐α synthesis and release. TNF‐α effluent level after 120 and 150 min of perfusion was 392 ± 78·7 pg mL−1 and 408 ± 64·3 pg mL−1, respectively. TNF‐α mRNA in tissue was also significantly elevated compared to baseline levels (1·31 ± 0·2 P < 0·001 and 1·38 P < 0·002, respectively). Decrease of liver function (expressed by bile secretion) during I/R and NIP was accompanied by significant XDH + XO elevation.Conclusion  This is the first evidence that NIP, and not I/R, is the decisive trigger for TNF‐α production. This study leads to a better understanding of pathogenesis of liver I/R and perfusion damage.
Sirtuin gene expression in human mononuclear cells is modulated by caloric restriction
Authors: Crujeiras A. B. , Parra D. , Goyenechea E. , Martínez J. A. 
Published: August 2008

ABSTRACTBackground  Sirtuins may provide novel targets for treating some diseases associated with oxidative stress, such as obesity and its comorbidities. However, there are a few in vivo studies in humans about the potential role of sirtuins as therapeutic targets among obese patients undergoing caloric restriction. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess if the gene expression of sirtuins is modulated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by a hypocaloric diet devised to lose weight in humans.Materials and methods  Gene expression of two sirtuins (SIRT1 and SIRT2) in the PBMC of obese subjects (32·3 ± 5·5 kg m−2) before and following an 8‐week hypocaloric diet was investigated. NADH‐coenzyme Q reductase (NDUFS2) and cytochrome c oxidase assembly protein (COX15) gene expression was selected together with plasma antioxidant power and nitric oxide as markers of antioxidant status. A quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction approach was performed to assess the nutrigenomics outcome. Moreover, 2‐keto[1‐13C]isocaproate breath test (KICA‐BT) parameters were evaluated to study mitochondrial oxidation in vivo.Results  The intervention up‐regulated the expression of both sirtuins, being inversely associated with total antioxidant capacity and directly related to nitric oxide, mitochondrial oxidation assessed by the KICA‐BT and the expression of the mitochondrial proteins COX15 and NDUFS2.Conclusion  SIRT1 and SIRT2 may serve as key regulators for some obesity comorbidities related to antioxidant status, while PBMC could be a model to study the effect of the sirtuin response in obesity therapy.
Estimated liver weight is directly related to hepatic very low‐density lipoprotein–triglyceride secretion rate in men
Authors: Tsekouras Y. E. , Magkos F. , Kavouras S. A. , Panagiotakos D. B. , Sidossis L. S. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractBackground  Animal studies suggest that liver weight is directly related to hepatic very low‐density lipoprotein–triglyceride (VLDL‐TG) secretion, independently of body size. This relationship has never been examined in humans.Materials and methods  We measured VLDL‐TG secretion rate by using stable isotope‐labelled tracers in 21 healthy, non‐obese men (age: 25 ± 3 years; body mass index: 24·8 ± 1·6 kg m−2), and evaluated the relationship between VLDL‐TG secretion and indices of total and regional adiposity (body mass index, total body fat, trunk fat), metabolic parameters (free fatty acid, glucose, and insulin concentrations, homeostasis model assessment index of insulin resistance, resting energy expenditure), and estimated liver weight.Results  Correlation analysis showed that estimated liver weight was positively associated with total VLDL‐TG secretion rate (r = 0·722, P < 0·001), VLDL‐TG secretion rate per liter of plasma (r = 0·562, P = 0·008), VLDL‐TG secretion rate per kilogram of body weight (r = 0·555, P = 0·009), and VLDL‐TG secretion rate per kilogram of liver weight (r = 0·620, P = 0·003). In multiple regression analysis, estimated liver weight was the only significant predictor of VLDL‐TG secretion rate regardless of units of expression, explaining 31–52% of total variance; none of the metabolic parameters and indices of body fatness entered the regression models.Conclusions  We conclude that estimated liver weight is directly related to hepatic VLDL‐TG secretion rate in healthy non‐obese men; this relationship is likely not mediated by interindividual variation in body size.
Strong genetic impoverishment from the centre of distribution in southern Europe to peripheral Baltic and isolated Scandinavian populations of the pearly heath butterfly
Authors: Besold Joachim , Schmitt Thomas , Tammaru Toomas , Cassel‐Lundhagen Anna 
Published: August 2008

AbstractAim Climatic changes and fluctuations in the past have strongly influenced the distribution of animal and plant species. Such fluctuations are also reflected in the patterns of genetic diversity on both local and global scales. The genetic pattern of the pearly heath butterfly,Coenonympha arcania, was used to evaluate the genetic differentiation of isolated (in north‐western Europe), peripheral (in north‐eastern Europe) and central (in southern Europe) populations in the context of post‐glacial distributional changes of the species.Location Europe (Sweden, Germany, the Baltic states, Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria). Thus, samples were collected from large parts of the species’ distribution representing the three categories mentioned above.Methods We analysed 18 loci of 569 individuals from 28 populations by allozyme electrophoresis. We used both individual‐based and population‐based analyses, includingF‐statistics, various clustering methods and Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations.Results All loci, exceptFum, were polymorphic. The meanFSTfor all samples was 0.18. The mean genetic distance among populations was 0.046. Two major genetic lineages were distinguished. Populations from the centre of the distributional range in southern Europe and the northern periphery of the distributional range differed significantly in their level of genetic variability. The central populations of south‐eastern Europe showed high levels of genetic diversity and no differentiation among populations.Main conclusions Most probably the two major genetic lineages evolved during glacial isolation in two disjunct Mediterranean refugia. The lack of genetic differentiation across south‐eastern Europe implies a continuous Würm ice age distribution in this area, thus supporting the functional existence of steppe forests throughout this region. The peripheral‐isolated populations in Sweden seem to have suffered from one or more severe bottlenecks, resulting in substantial genetic impoverishment. The peripheral‐connected eastern Baltic populations, on the other hand, are affected by post‐glacial and possibly recurrent gene flow from more central parts of the distribution.
Ants and people: a test of two mechanisms potentially responsible for the large‐scale human population–biodiversity correlation for Formicidae in Europe
Authors: Schlick‐Steiner Birgit C. , Steiner Florian M. , Pautasso Marco 
Published: August 2008

AbstractAim:  Recent coarse‐scale studies have shown positive relationships between the biodiversity of plants/vertebrates and the human population. Little is known about the generality of the pattern for invertebrates. Moreover, biodiversity and human population might correlate because they both covary with other factors such as energy availability and habitat heterogeneity. Here we test these two non‐mutually exclusive mechanisms with ant species‐richness data from the Fauna Europaea.Location  Forty‐three European countries/regions.Methods  We derived mixed models of total, native and exotic ant species richness as a function of human population size/density, controlling for country area, plant species richness (as a proxy for habitat heterogeneity), and mean annual temperature and precipitation (variables related to energy availability).Results  Ant species richness increased significantly with increasing human population. This result was confirmed when controlling for variations in country area. Both for human population size/density and for ant species richness, there were positive correlations with temperature but not with precipitation. This finding is in agreement with the energy‐availability hypothesis. However, we observed a negative latitudinal gradient in ant and plant species richness, although not in human population size/density. Plant species richness was positively correlated with ant species richness but not with human population size/density. Thus, there is evidence that this type of habitat heterogeneity can play a role in the observed latitudinal gradient of ant species richness, but not in the positive correlation between ant species richness and human population. The results were confirmed for the 545 native and the 32 exotic ant species reported, and we observed a good correlation between exotic and native ant species richness.Main conclusions  Ant species richness in European countries conforms to six macroecological patterns: (1) a negative latitudinal gradient; and a positive (2) species–energy relationship, (3) species–area relationship, (4) correlation with plant species richness, (5) exotic–native species richness correlation, and (6) species–people correlation. There is some evidence for the energy‐availability hypothesis, but little evidence for habitat heterogeneity as an explanation of the large‐scale human population–ant biodiversity correlation. This correlation has implications for the conservation of ant diversity in Europe.