bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Environmentally induced variation in size, energy reserves and hydration of hatchling Painted Turtles, Chrysemys picta
Authors: Packard G. C. , Packard M. J. 
Published: March 2003

Summary

The contents of newly constructed nests of Painted Turtles, Chrysemys picta (Schneider 1783), were manipulated by reciprocal transplant so that each of several nests received a complement of eggs from each of several females. The eggs were recovered from nests after 8 weeks and allowed to complete their incubation under standard conditions in the laboratory. The design of the experiment enabled us to distinguish between environmental and maternal effects on attributes of hatchlings.
Several measures of body size and energy reserve varied among turtles hatching from eggs that incubated in different nests, and certain of these measures varied also among turtles hatching from eggs that incubated in different layers within nests. The effects of nest and layer were substantial. For example, fat‐free carcasses of hatchlings from one nest weighed 17% more than those of neonates from a second nest, but fat‐free yolks from the former weighed only 53% as much as yolks from the latter.
Stepwise linear regression indicated that the size of hatchlings and the hydration and fat content of their carcasses were positively correlated with the net change in mass of eggs (which is an index to net water‐exchange) while they incubated in the field. In contrast, both the fat and fat‐free components of unused yolk were negatively correlated with change in mass of eggs. Although the statistical procedure is only correlative, the findings accord well with results of laboratory studies documenting a relationship between uptake of water by eggs, metabolism and growth by embryos, and size and condition of hatchlings.
Variation among hatchlings representative of different nests accounted for 24% of the statistical variance in mass of dry, fat‐free carcasses; 29% of the variance in mass of dry, fat‐free yolks; 19% of the variance in mass of storage fat in yolks; and 11% of the variance in mass of storage fat in carcasses. Additional variation was detected between the upper and lower layers of nests. Such environmentally induced variation probably affects survival of neonatal animals in the field.
A standardized protocol for the determination of specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content
Authors: Garnier E. , Shipley B. , Roumet C. , Laurent G. 
Published: March 2003

Summary

The impact of sample preparation, rehydration procedure and time of collection on the determination of specific leaf area (SLA, the ratio of leaf area to leaf dry mass) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC, the ratio of leaf dry mass to fresh mass) of mature leaves was studied in three wild species growing in the field, chosen for their contrasting SLA and LDMC.
Complete rehydration was achieved 6 h after samples were placed into water, but neither of the procedures tested – preparation of samples before rehydration or temperature applied during rehydration – had a significant effect on the final values of SLA or LDMC.
As expected, water‐saturated leaves had a lower LDMC than non‐rehydrated leaves; more surprisingly, their SLA was also higher. The impact of rehydration on SLA was especially important when the SLA of the species was high.
There was no significant effect of time of sampling on either trait in any species over the time period covered (09·00–16·30 h).
These results suggest that SLA and LDMC obtained on water‐saturated leaves (SLASAT and LDMCSAT) can be used for species comparisons. We propose a standardized protocol for the measurement of these traits. This would allow for better consistency in data collection, a prerequisite for the constitution of large databases of functional traits.
Long‐term effects of lanreotide SR and octreotide LAR® on tumour shrinkage and GH hypersecretion in patients with previously untreated acromegaly
Authors: Amato Giovanni , Mazziotti Gherardo , Rotondi Mario , Iorio Sergio , Doga Mauro , Sorvillo Francesca , Manganella Giovanni , Di Salle Francesco , Giustina Andrea , Carella Carlo 
Published: March 2003

Summarybackground and objective The therapeutic efficacy of lanreotide SR and octreotide LAR® has been studied widely in patients treated previously with neurosurgery and/or radiotherapy. These therapies limit the evaluation of the long‐term effects of somatostatin analogues on tumour shrinkage. Neurosurgical and radiotherapy treatments cause irreversible anatomical changes in pituitary morphology, which can make accurate evaluation of tumour shrinkage difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of lanreotide SR and octreotide LAR® in previously untreated patients with acromegaly. We aimed to investigate the long‐term effects of these drugs on tumour shrinkage and growth hormone (GH) hypersecretion without the confounding influences of previous therapy.patients and methods Twenty‐three newly diagnosed patients with acromegaly (14 women, nine men) with active disease began the study; of these, three were lost for follow‐up, leaving a total of 20 patients to complete the study. Patients were assigned randomly to lanreotide SR (12 patients) and octreotide LAR® (eight patients), and the randomization stratified patients to assure a balance between the groups with respect to baseline tumour dimension, age and sex. Tumour volume was evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging of the sella, and calculated with the rotating ellipsoid formula. A morphological and biochemical evaluation was performed at baseline, 12 and 24 months after beginning lanreotide SR and octreotide LAR® treatment. A reduction of tumour volume of at least 10% was considered significant.results Biochemical control increased progressively throughout the study in patients with microadenomas more than in patients with macroadenomas (70%vs. 10%; P < 0·05) and without a difference between lanreotide SR and octreotide LAR® (41·0%vs. 37·5%; P not significant). After 12 months of treatment, mean tumour shrinkage was 28·3 ± 18·0%. A greater reduction was observed in macro‐ vs. microadenomas (40·5 ± 17·0%vs. 16·1 ± 8·0%, respectively; P < 0·05). No statistical difference in the tumour shrinking effects of lanreotide SR vs. octreotide LAR® was observed (26·5 ± 17·3%vs. 31·1 ± 16·1%, respectively). At the 24th month of therapy, no further overall shrinkage was observed, compared to the 12‐month evaluation (31·9 ± 17·2%vs. 28·3 ± 18·0%) at which there was no difference between lanreotide SR and octreotide LAR® (30·0 ± 17·2%vs. 34·8 ± 16·5%, respectively).conclusions This study showed that the new long‐acting somatostatin analogues, lanreotide SR and octreotide LAR®, cause significant shrinkage of pituitary GH‐secreting adenomas in previously untreated patients with acromegaly. This effect was more marked in macroadenomas than microadenomas, and did not correlate with control of GH hypersecretion.
Severe impairment of bone mass and turnover in Cushing’s disease: comparison between childhood‐onset and adulthood‐onset disease
Authors: Di Somma Carolina , Pivonello Rosario , Loche Sandro , Faggiano Antongiulio , Marzullo Paolo , Di Sarno Antonella , Klain Michele , Salvatore Marco , Lombardi Gaetano , Colao Annamaria 
Published: March 2003

Summarybackground Osteoporosis is an important, frequently unrecognized consequence of hypercortisolism.objective To evaluate whether the age of onset of hypercortisolism influences its effects on bone mass and turnover.subjects  10 with childhood‐onset (co) and 18 with adulthood‐onset (ao) Cushing’s disease (CD); 28 age‐, sex‐ and body mass index (BMI)‐matched healthy subjects served as controls.study design Open, cross‐sectional controlled.measurements Bone mineral density (BMD) at lumbar spine, serum osteocalcin (OC), and urinary N‐telopeptides of type I collagen (Ntx) levels.results  BMD at lumbar spine was significantly lower in all CD patients than in controls (Z score, −2·3 ± 0·1 vs.−0·2 ± 0·01; P < 0·001). co‐CD and ao‐CD patients had similar values of bone mass when expressed as Z score (−2·6 ± 0·4 vs.−2·1 ± 0·2; P = 0·27) or as BMD (0·728 ± 0·03 vs. 0·78 ± 0·03 g/cm2; P = 0·25). In particular, osteoporosis was observed in 16 patients (57·1%) [eight adolescents (80%) and eight adults (44·4%)] and none of the controls; osteopenia was found in two co‐CD patients (20%) and none of the healthy adolescents, 10 ao‐CD patients (55·6%) and four healthy adults (14·3%) (χ2 = 7·87, P < 0·01; χ2 = 2·99, P = 0·09, respectively). In co‐CD and ao‐CD patients, serum OC levels were similar and significantly lower than in controls (P < 0·01); urinary Ntx levels were significantly higher than in controls (P < 0·001) and were significantly higher in co‐CD than in ao‐CD patients (P < 0·001). No significant correlation was found between urinary cortisol levels, serum cortisol and age and lumbar Z score values, while a significant correlation was found between Ntx levels and disease duration (r = 0·434; P = 0·021) and plasma cortisol (r = 0·440; P = 0·019).conclusions  Cushing’s disease causes bone loss and abnormalities of bone turnover both in childhood‐onset and in adulthood‐onset patients. A strict follow‐up of bone mass and turnover is mandatory in all patients with Cushing’s disease to prevent fractures later in life and specific treatment for bone loss is strongly suggested.
Genetic and clinical characterization of sporadic cystic parathyroid tumours
Authors: Villablanca Andrea , Farnebo Filip , Teh Bin Tean , Farnebo Lars‐Ove , Höög Anders , Larsson Catharina 
Published: March 2003

Summaryobjective  The hyperparathyroidism–jaw tumour (HPT–JT) syndrome is one of the familial disorders characterized by primary hyperparathyroidism and has been linked to the chromosomal region of 1q32–q21. The parathyroid tumours related to this syndrome have shown loss of wild‐type alleles at this locus suggesting that inactivation of a tumour suppressor gene might be responsible for the disease. In the majority of these tumours cysts are a prominent feature. By loss of heterozygosity (LOH) studies, we investigated the region of interest in an attempt to clarify its possible role in a series of cystic sporadic parathyroid adenomas.design and subjects  A total of 30 patients diagnosed with sporadic hyperparathyroidism were included in the study, genotyped with 17 polymorphic microsatellite markers at chromosome 1q, and additional markers from 1p and 11q13 which are commonly involved in sporadic parathyroid tumours. The cystic parathyroid tumours were characterized clinically, and immunohistochemistry against PTH was carried out to confirm the parathyroid origin of the cysts.results  LOH was found in six of 30 tumours (20%) on 1q, six of 30 tumours (20%) on 1p and five of 30 tumours (17%) on 11q13. We found a significant correlation between allelic alterations and the clinical parameters, tumour weight and PTH. Furthermore, we found a significant difference between tumour weight and PTH in cases of cystic parathyroid tumours compared with unselected sporadic cases.conclusions  These results suggest that cystic parathyroid tumours might represent a new subgroup among parathyroid tumours based on the genetic and clinical findings. Loss of heterozygosity at 1q further supports the presence of a tumour suppressor gene at this locus.
Continuing Medical Education in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics: report of a questionnaire survey
Authors: Mucklow J. C. 
Published: March 2003

Aims  To seek the views of medically qualified members of the Clinical Section of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) on their perceived needs for Continuing Medical Education (CME); on how and by whom these needs should be addressed; and on how the outcome of any educational intervention might best be assessed.
Methods
A structured questionnaire.
Results
Of 233 recipients, 140 (60%) responded, but only 123 of these fulfilled the criteria for analysis. A large majority of respondents were clinicians, most of whom devoted at least 25% of their working week to their NHS commitment. There was widespread reliance on textbooks and journals as sources of CME, supplemented by discussions with specialist peers at national and international meetings. Many felt that fulfilling even this agenda was stretching their commitment to the limit, and their greatest need was for protected time in which to learn. There was a desire among 49% of all respondents for the BPS Clinical Section to take some responsibilty for addressing the future needs of its members, and 75% took the view that academic departments should contribute to the development and updating of materials. There was no clear agreement about what these should comprise, but around half of all respondents favoured web‐based, journal‐based or computer‐assisted educational material offering self‐assessment opportunities; and CME symposia or workshops at BPS meetings. Almost half (46%) felt that assessment of CME should be integrated with a well‐organized appraisal system and the use of portfolios. Six out of 10 respondents were already, or were about to be, regularly appraised at their place of work.
Conclusions
The questionnaire survey revealed a broad canvas of views and little evidence of consensus except for a general plea for more time in which to learn. The aim of the Clinical Section should be to facilitate and help its members to organize their learning, in a way that is consistent with national trends in Continuing Professional Development. The Clinical Section should co‐ordinate the setting up of an electronic library of appropriate published material, compiled by academic and industrial sources, that would guide members seeking up‐to‐date knowledge of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (BJCP) should commission review articles on recent developments where no suitable published material exists. Academic departments should also be invited to identify or develop self‐assessment material that members could use to reinforce their learning, and demonstrate their knowledge to relevant professional bodies. The Clinical Section should organize Symposia and Workshops at which contentious issues in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics can be discussed and resolved.
Statins for primary prevention: at what coronary risk is safety assured?
Authors: Jackson Peter R. , Wallis Erica J. , Haq Ifti U. , Ramsay Lawrence E. 
Published: March 2003

Aims  Increasingly HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are being used for primary prevention of vascular disease in patients with a raised cholesterol but at low absolute risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). This study uses clinical trial results to explore the limits of absolute safety for statin use in such patients.Methods  The major placebo controlled statin outcome trials were identified by automated and manual literature searches. Principal results including all cause mortality in placebo and intervention groups and baseline values of standard coronary risk factors were abstracted for each trial. For the trials identified the reduction in overall mortality with statin treatment for each study was regressed against the underlying CHD risk of the population recruited into that trial using a statistically robust method.Results  The regression line describing the relationship between mortality benefit and risk suggests that statin use could be associated with an increase in mortality of 1% in 10 years. This would be sufficiently large to negate statin's beneficial effect on CHD mortality in patients with a CHD event risk less than 13% over 10 years.Conclusions  Absolute safety of statins has not been demonstrated for patients at low risk of CHD. Patients absolute risk of CHD should be calculated before starting statin treatment for primary prevention. Extensions of such treatment to low risk patients should await further evidence of safety.
The pharmacokinetic properties of intramuscular artesunate and rectal dihydroartemisinin in uncomplicated falciparum malaria
Authors: Ilett Kenneth F. , Batty Kevin T. , Powell Shane M. , Binh Tran Quang , Thu Le Thi Anh , Phuong Hoang Lan , Hung Nguyen Canh , Davis Timothy M. E. 
Published: March 2003

Aims  To obtain pharmacokinetic data for artesunate (ARTS) and its active metabolite dihydroartemisinin (DHA) following i.m. ARTS and rectal DHA administration.Methods  Twelve Vietnamese patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria were randomized to receive either i.v. or i.m. ARTS (120 mg), with the alternative preparation given 8 h later in an open crossover design. A further 12 patients were given i.v. ARTS (120 mg) at 0 h and rectal DHA (160 mg) 8 h later.Results  Following i.v. bolus, ARTS had a peak concentration of 42 µm (16 mg l−1), elimination t1/2 = 3.2 min, CL = 2.8 l h−1 kg−1 and V = 0.22 l kg−1. The Cmax for DHA was 9.7 µm (2.7 mg l−1), t1/2 = 59 min, CL = 0.64 l h−1 kg−1 and V =  0.8 l kg−1. Following i.m. ARTS, Cmax was 2.3 µm (3.7 mg l−1), the apparent t1/2 = 41 min, CL = 2.9 l h−1 kg−1 and V = 2.6 l kg−1. The relative bioavailability of DHA was 88%, Cmax was 4.1 µm (1.16 mg l−1) and t1/2 = 64 min. In the rectal DHA study, relative bioavailability of DHA was 16%.Conclusions  For patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria i.m. ARTS is a suitable alternative to i.v. ARTS, at equal doses. To achieve plasma DHA concentrations equivalent to parenteral administration of ARTS, rectal DHA should be given at approximately four‐fold higher milligram doses. Further studies are needed to determine whether these recommendations can be applied to patients with severe malaria.
5‐HT1B‐receptors and vascular reactivity in human isolated blood vessels: assessment of the potential craniovascular selectivity of sumatriptan
Authors: Razzaque Z. , Pickard J. D. , Ma Q.‐P. , Shaw D. , Morrison K. , Wang T. , Longmore J. 
Published: March 2003

Aims  5‐HT1B‐receptor mediated vasoconstriction of cranial arteries is a potential mechanism by which 5‐HT1B/1D‐receptor agonists such as sumatriptan produce their antimigraine effects. 5‐HT1B‐receptors exist in other blood vessels which may give rise to unwanted vascular effects. Therefore we examined the distribution of 5‐HT1B‐receptor immunoreactivity (i.r.) in human blood vessels (including target and nontarget vessels) and confirmed the functionality of this receptor protein, by comparing the vasoconstrictor effects of sumatriptan and 5‐HT (the endogenous ligand) in isolated vessels.Methods  Blood vessels (middle meningeal, pial, temporal and uterine arteries and saphenous veins) were obtained from surgical patients (with consent). Sections of the vessels were prepared for routine immunohistochemical studies using specific 5‐HT1B‐ and 5‐HT1D‐receptor antibodies. For functional studies, ring segments of the vessels were mounted in organ baths for isometric tension recording.Results  5‐HT1B‐receptor i.r. was detected on the smooth muscle layer in middle meningeal, pial and uterine arteries and in saphenous vein and sumatriptan produced contractions in these vessels with potency values (mean pEC50) of 7.00, 7.08, 6.44 and 6.61, respectively, the magnitude of contraction was greatest in the cranial arteries with Emax values of 100.7, 60.3, 23.0 and 35.9%, respectively (expressed as a percentage of the reference agonist 45 mm KCl). 5‐HT1B‐receptor i.r. was not detected in temporal artery and sumatriptan had no effect in this artery. 5‐HT1D‐receptor i.r. was not detected in any of the vessels studied.Conclusions  Sumatriptan can evoke vasoconstriction in antimigraine target vessels and also in nontarget vessels through an action at 5‐HT1B‐rcceptors. Sumatriptan acts preferentially to cause contraction in human cranial arteries compared with the other blood vessels we examined and this effect is likely to be shared by other drugs of this class.
Adrenomedullin (ADM) in the human forearm vascular bed: effect of neutral endopeptidase inhibition and comparison with proadrenomedullin NH2‐terminal 20 peptide (PAMP)
Authors: Wilkinson Ian B. , McEniery Carmel M. , Bongaerts Katherine H. , MacCallum Helen , Webb David J. , Cockcroft John R. 
Published: March 2003

Aims  To compare the haemodynamic responses of proadrenomedullin N‐terminal 20 peptide (PAMP) and adrenomedullin (ADM) in the forearm vascular bed of healthy male volunteers, and to investigate the role of neutral endopeptidase (NEP) in the metabolism of ADM.Methods  On two separate occasions, ADM (1–30 pmol min−1) and PAMP (100–3000 pmol min−1) were infused into the brachial artery of eight male subjects, and forearm blood flow (FBF) assessed using venous occlusion plethysmography. In a second study, eight male subjects received the same doses of ADM, co‐infused with either the NEP inhibitor thiorphan (30 nmol min−1) or the control vasoconstrictor noradrenaline (120 pmol min−1), on separate occasions. Both studies were conducted in a double‐blind, randomized manner.
Results
ADM and PAMP produced a dose‐dependent increase in FBF (P ≤ 0.002). Based on the dose producing a 50% increase in FBF, ADM was ∼60 times more potent than PAMP. Thiorphan and noradrenaline produced similar reductions in FBF of 14 ± 4% (mean ± s.e. mean) and 22 ± 6%, respectively (P = 0.4). However, the area under the dose–response curve was significantly greater during co‐infusion of ADM with thiorphan than with noradrenaline (P = 0.028), as was the maximum increase in FBF ratio (2.1 ± 1.0 vs 1.2 ± 0.2; P = 0.030).
Conclusions
ADM and PAMP both produce a local dose‐related vasodilatation in the human forearm, but PAMP is ∼60 times less potent than ADM. In addition, NEP inhibition potentiates the haemodynamic effects of ADM. These findings suggest that PAMP may not play a role in the physiological regulation of blood flow. However, in pathophysiological conditions such as hypertension and heart failure, NEP inhibition may exert a beneficial effect by increasing the biological activity of ADM.
Analysis of the association between diabetic nephropathy and polymorphisms in the aldose reductase gene in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Neamat‐Allah M. , Feeney S. A. , Savage D. A. , Maxwell A. P. , Hanson R. L. , Knowler W. C. , El Nahas A. M. , Plater M. E. , Shaw J. , Boulton A. J. M. , Duff G. W. , Cox A. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAims  To investigate the association between polymorphisms of the aldose reductase gene and diabetic nephropathy in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to carry out a meta‐analysis of published results.Methods  We have investigated the role of two aldose reductase polymorphisms in four independent cohorts of cases and controls (two each with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes) drawn from two ethnic populations, including 471 patients with nephropathy and 494 control diabetic patients without nephropathy. A C/T transition at position −106, and a (CA)n microsatellite marker 2.1 kb from the start site of the aldose reductase gene were genotyped in nephropathic patients and non‐nephropathic controls from each cohort.Results  Carriage of the −106 T allele was significantly associated with diabetic nephropathy in three of the four study groups. The Mantel‐Haenszel combined odds ratio was 2.22 (95% CI 1.69, 2.94), P = 1.05 × 10−8. We found no evidence for association of the microsatellite marker with nephropathy, despite moderate levels of disequilibrium between the two markers. Meta‐analysis of published data yielded no evidence for association of the microsatellite marker with diabetic nephropathy in Type 2 diabetes, but varying degrees of association with diabetic nephropathy in Type 1 diabetes.Conclusions  Meta‐analyses provide more convincing evidence of a role for the ALR2–106 marker than for the microsatellite marker in diabetic nephro pathy (DN). More studies are now required to confirm these results and to establish whether the ALR2–106 polymorphism has a functional role in DN.Diabet. Med. 18, 906–914 (2001)