bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Puffy hand syndrome due to drug addiction: a case–control study of the pathogenesis
Authors: Andresz Valérie , Marcantoni Nicolas , Binder Florence , Velten Michel , Alt Martine , Weber Jean‐Christophe , Stephan Dominique 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTAim  We studied the pathogenesis of puffy hand syndrome of intravenous drug use. We hypothesized that injections of high‐dose sublingual buprenorphine, instead of the recommended sublingual administration, could play an important role in lymphatic obstruction and destruction.Design and participants  We set up a case–control study in substitution centres, recruiting intravenous drug addicts with and without puffy hands, respectively. The subjects were asked to answer anonymously a questionnaire of 40 items comprising social and demographic status, history of illicit drugs use, buprenorphine misuse and injection practices.Findings  We included 33 cases and 33 controls, mean age of 34 years. They were past heroin users, mainly methadone‐substituted. In multivariate analysis, sex (women) (OR = 8.9, P = 0.03), injections in the hands (OR = 5.9, P = 0.03), injections in the feet (OR = 6.5, P = 0.01) and the absence of tourniquet (OR = 7.0, p = 0.02) were significant risk factors for puffy hand syndrome. In 69.7% of the cases and 59.4% of the controls, respectively, there was a high‐dose sublingual buprenorphine misuse, although it appeared not to be a significant risk factor for puffy hand syndrome.Conclusions  Injection practices are likely to cause puffy hands syndrome, but buprenorphine misuse should not be considered as a significant risk factor. However, intravenous drug users must still be warned of local and systemic complications of intravenous drug misuse.
Use of crystal methamphetamine among gay men in London
Authors: Bolding Graham , Hart Graham , Sherr Lorraine , Elford Jonathan 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTAim  To examine the use of crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth) and its association with high‐risk sexual behaviour among gay men in London.  Design  Cross‐sectional surveys using self‐administered questionnaires.Settings  National Health Service (NHS) out‐patient human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment clinic in London; NHS HIV testing/sexual health clinics in London; central London gyms. Participants  HIV‐positive gay men attending the HIV treatment clinic in 2002–03 (n = 388); HIV‐negative gay men attending the HIV testing/sexual health clinics in 2002–03 (n = 266); gay men using the gyms between January and March 2003 (n = 445), 2004 (n = 653) and 2005 (n = 494).Measurements  Percentage of gay men who reported: (i) using crystal meth in the previous 12 months; (ii) using other recreational drugs (e.g. cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine); (iii) high‐risk sexual behaviour in the previous 3 months.Findings  The percentage of gay men who had used crystal meth in the previous year varied by sample (HIV treatment clinic, 12.6%; HIV testing/sexual health clinics, 8.3%; gyms, 19.5%; P < 0.001) but did not change over time in the gyms (19.8%, 20.7%, 17.8%; P = 0.5). In all samples, the majority of men used crystal meth only once or twice a year. Most crystal meth users (> 80%) had taken other recreational drugs. Crystal meth and other drug users were more likely to report high‐risk sexual behaviour than other men, e.g. HIV treatment clinic sample: crystal meth users, 34.7%; other drug users, 18.9%, non‐users, 10.6%, P < 0.001. Cause and effect could not be established.Conclusion  Among gay men in London surveyed in clinics, approximately one in 10 reported using crystal meth in the previous 12 months (HIV‐positive men 12.6%; HIV‐negative men 8.3%). Most men used it infrequently—only once or twice a year. There was no evidence of increasing use of crystal meth between 2003 and 2005.
Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia: a retrospective clinical analysis of 20 patients
Authors: King Stephanie , Germeshausen Manuela , Strauss Gabriele , Welte Karl , Ballmaier Matthias 
Published: July 2006

SummaryCongenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (CAMT) is a rare bone marrow failure syndrome characterised by isolated thrombocytopenia because of ineffective megakaryocytopoiesis at birth. In the last 10 years, we collected data from 20 patients diagnosed with CAMT based on a severe thrombocytopenia since birth and absent or markedly decreased numbers of megakaryocytes in the bone marrow. Fanconi's anaemia and thrombocytopenia absent radii syndrome were ruled out for all patients. We retrospectively compared the clinical courses, laboratory findings and treatment outcome. Development of pancytopenia was observed in 14 of the patients, only one patient presented with an isolated thrombocytopenia over a period of over 14 years. One boy died from bleeding complications. We defined two groups of patients according to the course of platelet counts during the first year of life, which also differed in the course of development of pancytopenia. Physical anomalies in addition to haematopoiesis were found in a number of patients: two children presented with cardiac defects, six with growth abnormalities, and four with retardation of psychomotor development. Fifteen patients were treated with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, four of whom died of transplantation‐related events.
Outcome of autologous stem cell transplantation for AL amyloidosis in the UK
Authors: Goodman Hugh J. B. , Gillmore Julian D. , Lachmann Helen J. , Wechalekar Ashutosh D. , Bradwell Arthur R. , Hawkins Philip N. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryHigh‐dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) is widely used as a treatment for systemic AL amyloidosis, but its efficacy has not been proved and it has substantial toxicity in this setting. We report here the outcome of 92 patients evaluated at the UK National Amyloidosis Centre who underwent SCT for AL amyloidosis between 1994 and 2004 in various British centres. Median age was 53 years and median of two organs were affected by amyloidosis. All‐cause day 100 mortality [treatment‐related mortality (TRM)] was 23% for the entire cohort, although this was substantially greater for patients treated from 1994 to 1998 (15/47, 32%) than subsequently (6/45, 13%). Independent factors significantly associated with TRM on multivariate analysis were: number of affected organs, performance status, serum albumin and age. Response of the underlying clonal disease, defined by ≥50% reduction in the aberrant serum‐free light chain concentration, occurred in 83% of evaluable patients. Overall median survival was 5·3 years, and was 8·5 years among patients who survived beyond day 100. Despite recent refinements in patient selection, TRM remains substantial during SCT for systemic AL amyloidosis, and its place in the therapeutic armamentarium for this disease needs to be defined in randomised controlled clinical studies.
Calcium salicylate‐mediated apoptosis in human HT‐1080 fibrosarcoma cells
Authors: Mahdi J. G. , Alkarrawi M. A. , Mahdi A. J. , Bowen I. D. , Humam D. 
Published: July 2006

Abstract.  Salicylates are novel biologically active compounds that exhibit multiple therapeutic activities. The anti‐cancer effectiveness of calcium salicylate has been investigated on human HT‐1080 fibrosarcoma cell lines at relatively low concentrations (predominantly 0.4 mm) compared to those previously reported. Although low calcium salicylate concentrations did not retard tumour growth progression significantly, as measured by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and time‐lapse assays, its cytotoxic characteristics were proven to be prominent by various morphological and immunocytological techniques. The results here demonstrate evidence for approximately 25% apoptosis after treatment with calcium salicylate, which up‐regulatd the expression of p53, p21 and Bax, and down‐regulated Bcl‐2 in HT‐1080 cells.
Identification of jack‐jumper ant (Myrmecia pilosula) venom allergens
Authors: FORD S. A. , BALDO B. A. , WEINER J. , SUTHERLAND S. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryJack‐jumper ant venom proteins were etectrophoretically separated on SDS‐polyacry‐lamide gels, transferred to nitrocellulose and probed with sera from subjects who had experienced an allergic reaction after being bitten by a jack‐jumper ant. Ant venom components that bound IgE antibodies were detected by addition of 125I‐anti‐human IgE followed by autoradiography. Of the 17 polypeptides resolved by electrophoresis only three, of molecular weights approximately 14 kD, 12 kD and 10 kD, bound IgE antibodies from the panel of 50 sera examined. There was a marked similarity in the binding patterns by individual sera with almost all of the sera recognizing the 14 kD and 12 kD components. IgE‐binding profiles of separated ant venoms from ants collected in different regions of Australia appeared to be very similar if not identical. Identification of the ant allergens is a necessary prelude to the preparation of standardized venom sac extracts suitable for safe and effective diagnostic and therapeutic use.
Selenium status in relation to reduced glutathione peroxidase activity in aspirin‐sensitive asthma
Authors: PEARSON D. J. , SUAREZ‐MENDEZ V. J. , DAY J. P. , MILLER P. F. 
Published: July 2006

SummarySelenium status and its relationship to lowered platelet glutathione peroxidase activity was investigated in 18 subjects with aspirin (ASA)‐induced asthma and in asthmatic and non‐asthmatic ASA‐tolerant subjects. Mean serum selenium concentration in ASA‐toleranl asthmatics (1.25 μm; 98.5 μg/1) was significantly higher than that in ASA‐induced asthma subjects (1.14μm/l; 89.7μg/1) and than that in healthy controls (1.15 μm/1.91 μg/1). Although there was a correlation between serum selenium concentration and platelet glutathione peroxidase activity, enzyme activity was significantly lower in the ASA‐induced asthma group compared to other groups even after correcting for selenium status. These results indicate that lowered platelet glutathione peroxidase activity in ASA‐induced asthma is a product of both selenium availability and an unidentified syndrome‐specific (possibly genetic) factor.
Relationship of total serum IgE levels in cord and 9‐month sera of infants
Authors: HALONEN M. , STERN D. , LYLE S. , WRIGHT A. , TAUSSIG L. , MARTINEZ F. D. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryTo characterize IgE levels at birth and changes in those levels during the first year of life and to identify Factors that might influence IgE levels in infancy, we measured IgE levels in 1074 umbilical cord sera and in 697 sera obtained at 9 months of age in a healthy population of infants enrolled at birth into the Children's Respiratory Study in Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A. Serum IgE levels at birth and 9 months were log normally distributed with geometric means of 0.09 and 3.87 IU/ml, respectively. Cord serum IgE levels were unaffected by maternal smoking. Levels varied according to month of birth with a nadir in September. Cord and 9‐month serum IgE levels were higher in boys than in girls, Hispanics compared with Anglos, and infants who developed eczema compared with those who did not, but the mean increases in log IgE from birth to 9 months were not significantly affected by these factors. A significant correlation between IgE levels at cord and 9 months was observed (r= 0.44; P < 0.0001). Also, mean log IgE levels at 9 months in infants grouped according to cord serum IgE levels maintained the same rank order of mean values as the cord groups. These data indicate that 9‐month IgE levels are influenced by cord serum IgE levels and that the main influence of gender, ethnicity and susceptibility to eczema on IgE levels occurs before birth.
The effect of zardaverine, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase isoenzymes III and IV, on endotoxin‐induced airway changes in rats
Authors: KIPS J. C. , JOOS G. F. , PELEMAN R. A. , PAUWELS R. A. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryZardaverine is a novel phosphodiesterase III/IV inhibitor, developed as a potential therapeutic agent for asthma. In this study we evaluated the effect of zardaverine in an in vivo animal model of airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness. Endotoxin exposure in rats causes a transient increase in airway responsiveness and a neutrophilic inflammation of the bronchi, which are both at least partly mediated through the secondary release of tumour necrosis factor a (TNFα), Groups of 10 animals each were pretreated with placebo or zardaverine (1, 10, 30μmol/kg) i.p., 30 min prior to exposure to aerosolized endotoxin (LPS) or saline. Ninety minutes later, airway responsiveness to 5‐HT was assessed and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) performed. Zardaverine did not influence basehne lung resistance (RL), but inhibited dose dependently the 5‐HT induced increase in RL in control animals. In placebo pretreated animals LPS exposure caused a signiflcant decrease in PC50RL5‐HT (provocative concentration of 5‐HT causing a 50% increase in RL), compared to the saline exposed control group (1.1 ± 0.1 vs 2.7± 0.4μg/kg) (P<0.01). This decrease in PC50RL‐HT was significantly inhibited by zardaverine 30μmol/kg (5.4 ± 1.8 vs 1.1 ± 0.1μg/kg) (P<0.05). Compared to placebo pre‐treated, LPS exposed animals, zardaverine 30 μmol/kg also significantly inhibited to LPS induced neutrophil increase (193.0 ± 50.0 vs 915.6± 181.3 × 103) (P < 0.05), increase in elastase activity (23 ± 11 vs 54 ± 9 nmol substrate/h/ml) (P<0.05) and TNFα release in BAL fluid (93.1 ± 19.5 vs 229.5 ± 24.8 U/ml BAL fluid) (P<0.01).These results indicate that zardaverine suppresses the endotoxin indueed airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in rats. Protection against the increase in responsiveness can be attributed both to inhibition of TNFα release and to functional antagonism towards 5‐HT induced bronehoconstriction.
Effect of cetirizine, a potent H1 antagonist, on platelet activating factor induced bronchoconstriction in asthma
Authors: Ghosh S. K. , Rafferty P. , VOS C. De , Patel K. R. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryEffect of eetirizine. a potent and specific H1 receptor antagonist, was examined on platelet activating factor‐induced bronchoconstrietion in 10 patients (5 male, mean [s.e.m.] aged 37 4 [3–6] years) with mild asthma in a placebo controlled, double‐blind cross‐over study. Airway responses were assessed by measuring specific airway conductance (SGaw). Patients were challenged with a single dose (12–96 μG) of PAF that had previously produced a 35% fall in SGaw. PAF challenges were performed after single dose (15 mg) and I week's treatment (15mg twice daily) of cetirizine. There was no significant difference in pre‐and post‐treatment baseline values of SGaw on different study days and the percentage changes after cetirizine were 38 7 (701) and 45–6 (5–52) eompared to 50 2 (2–89) and 43–9 (7–26) with placebo respectively. Similarly mean (s.e.m.) area under eurve (AUC‐SGaw/time course response) was 391 (143) and 514 (85) with cetirizine compared to 565 (37) and 461 (94) with placebo respectively. The difference was not statistically significant. There was no difference in facial flushing and feeling of warmth between cetirizine and placebo. We conclude that PAF induced bronehoconstriction in humans is not mediated by histamine release and that H1 receptor antagonists do not modify PAF indueed bronehoeonstriction.
Local nasal immunotherapy for birch allergic rhinitis with extract in powder form
Authors: ANDRI L. , SENNA G. , ANDRI G. , DAMA A. , GIVANNI S. , BETTELI C. , DIMITRI G. , FALAGIANI P. , MEZZEKANI P. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryBackground
Traditional subeutaneous immunotherepy has been proved effective in birch pollenosis. It has, however, some drawbacks as systeic reactions, which are rare but important. Local nasal immunotherapy (LNIT)represents a potential safer route of allergen administration.Objective
To study the clinical efficacy and safety of local nasal immunotherapy by means of an extract in powder form as treatment of birch allergic rhinitis.Methods
Thirty birch allergic patients have been selected on the basis of a positive history, skin test, radioalllergosorbent test assay (RAST)and specific nasal challange. Two 15 patient groups were randomly assigned to the active treatment or to the placebo one. Treatment lasted 22 weeks (14 for the build‐up phase and eight for the maintenance period)and symptoms were recorded during the treatment and the birch pollen season.Results
The clinical efficacy of LNIT is suggested by a significant reduction of medication score only in the treated group during the pollen season, although the symptom score was significant increase of specific nasal thereshold dose was obserbved after treatment only in the active treated group. Mild adverse reaction to LNIT, limited to the upper respiratory tract, were reported during the treatment in the active group, but they did not interface with LNIT schedule. No asthmatic or systemic reaction were observed.Conclusions
This Study Indicates that LNIT with allergen in powder form has proven clinically effective in the treatment of birch allergic rhinitis. Further studies are needed to establish weather this treatment can be considered a real alternative to the traditional subeutaneous immunotherapy in birch allergic rhinitis.
Iodine intake and incidence of thyroid cancer in Denmark
Authors: Sehestedt Thomas , Knudsen Nils , Perrild Hans , Johansen Christoffer 
Published: July 2006

SummaryObjective  Iodine intake is suspected to be a risk factor for thyroid cancer. Eastern Denmark is characterized by mild and western Denmark by moderate iodine deficiency, and this difference is associated with a 50% difference in the occurrence of goitre and thyrotoxicosis. The objective of the study was to determine whether the incidence of thyroid cancer differs between these two regions, as any difference would have important safety implications for the national iodine supplementation programme.Design and Methods  We studied all thyroid cancers notified to the Danish Cancer Registry in the period 1973–1997, focusing on the four most frequent subtypes: papillary, follicular, anaplastic and medullary thyroid cancer. A Poisson regression model was used with models of goodness‐of‐fit for age, period, sex.Results  No regional difference was found in the overall incidence of follicular (0·3% 100 000 person‐years) or papillary (0·7% 100 000 person‐years) thyroid cancer. A slight but nonsignificant increase in total incidence, resulting mainly from a significant increase in the incidence for the papillary subtype, was observed in both regions.Conclusion  The results suggest that modest differences in iodine intake do not affect thyroid cancer incidence or the distribution of subtypes.
Pleomorphic adenoma of salivary gland: to what extent does fine needle aspiration cytology reflect histopathological features?
Authors: Das D. K. , Anim J. T. 
Published: July 2006

Objective:  The histological diversity encountered in pleomorphic adenoma may cause diagnostic difficulty in fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology due to limited and selective sampling. The present study based on 25 histologically confirmed pleomorphic adenoma cases attempts to find out to what extent FNA cytology reflects the histopathological features.Methods:  May‐Grünwald‐Giemsa and Papanicolaou stained smears, and haematoxylin and eosin stained paraffin sections of 25 pleomorphic adenomas of parotid and submandibular glands were reviewed. The cellularity, which was assessed in a sliding scale of 1+ to 4+, and proportions of epithelial to mesenchymal components in FNA smears and histology was determined and compared. The frequency of morphological features such as squamous metaplastic cells, cells with oncocytic change, acinus formation, mucus globules, papilla formation, giant cells, myxoid and chondroid matrix as well as specific nuclear features was compared between the two diagnostic methods, and the statistical significance was determined using Fisher's exact test of probability.Results:  There was complete concordance between cytology and histology with respect to overall cellularity in 14 (56.0%) cases and in the proportions of epithelial to mesenchymal components in 13 (52.0%). Epithelial cells and myxoid matrix were present in all cases. There was no significant difference between smear and tissue section with respect to frequency of squamous metaplasia, oncocytic change, acinus formation, papilla formation, mucus globules, giant cells, nuclear pleomorphism, nuclear chromatin pattern, and mitotic figures. Morphological parameters that were significantly higher in FNAC compared with histology included intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions (36.0% versus 8.0%, p = 0.0374), nuclear grooves (84.0% versus 48.0%, p = 0.0090), and reniform nuclei (20.0% versus 0.0%, p = 0.0502). Chondroid matrix was the only parameter which was significantly more common in histology than in cytology (44.0% versus 4.0%, p = 0.019).Conclusion:  FNA cytology demonstrates well most of the histological features of pleomorphic adenoma of salivary gland and may be considered a useful tool in initial assessment of the tumour.
P‐cadherin expression in glandular lesions of the uterine cervix detected by liquid‐based cytology
Authors: Longatto Filho A. , Albergaria A. , Paredes J. , Moreira M. A. R. , Milanezi F. , Schmitt F. C. 
Published: July 2006

Objective:  To study P‐cadherin aberrant expression as a possible marker for cervical adenocarcinomas in cytological samples.Methods:  We studied P‐cadherin immunoexpression in liquid‐based cervical cytology samples of biopsy‐proven cervical lesions.Results:  We found a statistically significant correlation between P‐cadherin expression and a cytological diagnosis of malignancy, either glandular or squamous (P < 0.0001). Twenty‐two of 33 malignant cases showed P‐cadherin membrane staining. None of the 30 benign cases tested showed membrane staining, but three of them displayed an aberrant nuclear P‐cadherin expression.Conclusions:  We concluded that P‐cadherin can be used to discriminate between malignant and benign cervical cytological specimens, but not to discriminate glandular from squamous lesions.
Laboratory performance measures: evidence against low‐risk women explaining low detection rates of high‐grade abnormalities
Authors: Mitchell H. S. 
Published: July 2006

Objective:  When a laboratory has a low reporting rate of high‐grade abnormality for its cervical cytology specimens, the question arises whether this is due to the laboratory screening a low‐risk group of women. This study was undertaken to explore the hypothesis that a low‐risk group of women were screened by Victorian laboratories not meeting the recommended minimum standard for the detection of high‐grade abnormalities.Methods:  A cohort of 28 094 women was established comprising women whose cervical cytology was reported in 2000 by laboratories not meeting the recommended standard of 0.5% high‐grade abnormalities in their reporting of community smears. Outcome measures included the prevalence of high‐grade abnormality on the next cytology test for the women, the positive predictive value of the cytology reports of high‐grade abnormality, and the standardized incidence ratio for a later diagnosis of cervical cancer.Results:  The prevalence of high‐grade abnormality was 0.36% on the index cytology compared with 0.68% on the first subsequent cytology report. Sixty‐nine per cent (60/87) of the index cytology reports of high‐grade abnormality were confirmed as high‐grade abnormalities on histology, compared with 70.8% (121/171) for the first subsequent reports of high‐grade abnormality. During 70 015 person‐years at risk, nine cases of cervical cancer were observed compared with 5.21 expected cases, giving a standardized incidence ratio of 1.73 (95% CI 0.79–3.28).Conclusions:  These results do not support a hypothesis that the low detection rate for high‐grade abnormalities is due to the women comprising a low‐risk group for cervical neoplasia.