bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The first episode of psychosis: the experience of relatives
Authors: Addington J. , Coldham E. L. , Jones B. , Ko T. , Addington D. 
Published: September 2003

Objective: The aim was to determine the extent of and the correlates of the distress and impact of care families of patients with first episode psychosis were experiencing when they first came for treatment.Method: Subjects were 238 individuals who had presented with a first episode of psychosis and their family members. Family members were assessed with the Psychological General Well‐Being Scale, and the Experience of Caregiving Inventory. Patient data included assessment of positive and negative symptoms, depression, quality of life, and substance use.Results: Family members of these first‐episode patients were experiencing distress and difficulties. It was the family's appraisal of the impact of the illness that was associated with their psychological well‐being.Conclusion: As the majority of these first episode families are keen to be involved early and have engaged in an intervention programme, the next step should be an evaluation of their involvement to determine if it is effective.
The Family Questionnaire (FQ): a scale for measuring symptom appraisal in relatives of schizophrenic patients
Authors: Quinn J. , Barrowclough C. , Tarrier N. 
Published: September 2003

Objective: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Family Questionnaire (FQ): a self‐report measure of relatives’ perceptions of the behaviours and symptoms of schizophrenic patients in terms of three dimensions: the frequency of symptoms, the relatives’ concern (primary appraisal) and their ability to cope (secondary appraisal) with the symptoms.Method: Factor analysis of the FQ, test–retest and inter‐rater reliability, and measures of validity were examined.Results: Factor analysis supported the validity of five subscales labelled negative symptoms, antisocial behaviours, interpersonal problems, affective symptoms and psychotic symptoms. Test–retest reliability for all scales was good and the prediction that there would be limited correspondence between two different relatives’ scores was supported for the subscales of negative symptoms and affective symptoms. Concurrent measures of relatives’ distress, burden and patients’ symptomatology indicated that the FQ showed acceptable validity. In particular, the study showed that high expressed emotion relatives have higher scores on the appraisal dimensions of some subscales.Conclusion: The study provides evidence that the FQ is a useful tool for measuring relatives’ perceptions of schizophrenic illness, particularly within the context of family interventions where it may be utilized to help to understand the factors mediating relatives’ burden and distress.
Behavioural management of antipsychotic‐induced weight gain: a review
Authors: Werneke U , Taylor D , Sanders T.A.B. , Wessely S 
Published: September 2003

Objective: Although psychiatrists are aware of weight gain induced by atypical antipsychotics, only few studies on behavioural interventions in this patient group are published. This review aims to summarize the evidence on effectiveness of behavioural interventions for weight gain in the general population and in‐patients treated with atypical antipsychotics.Method: Medline and Cochrane databases search for evidence on effectiveness of behavioural interventions.Results: In general, behavioural approaches including, diet, exercise and drug treatments may be effective. There were only 13 studies of behavioural interventions for patients taking antipsychotic medication. No study met the criteria for a RCT. Calorie restriction in a controlled ward environment, structured counselling combined with cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling on life style and provision of rewards may potentially lead to weight loss.Conclusion: Currently only limited, methodologically flawed, evidence is available that behavioural interventions in overweight patients treated with antipsychotics, although intuitively appealing, actually work.
Long‐term inter‐episode stability of syndromes underlying mania
Authors: Sato T. , Bottlender R. , Sievas M. , Schröter A. , Hecht S. , Möller H.‐J. 
Published: September 2003

Objective: To explore the stability of diverse manic presentations across manic recurrences.Method: A total of 253 bipolar patients who experienced two or more hospitalizations, because of consecutive manic (or mixed) episodes, during a 20‐year period were included. All patients had second hospitalizations with an mean interval of 773 days, while 126 and 91 patients had third and fourth hospitalizations with mean intervals of 1559 and 2237 days from the index hospitalization, respectively. Seven symptom scores, previously factor‐validated, were calculated.Results: Depressive mood, irritable aggression, psychomotor/thought inhibition, mania, emotional lability/agitation and psychosis were moderately correlated across the index and subsequent hospitalizations.Conclusion: A majority of diverse manic presentations were stable across manic recurrences. The stability was not restricted to two consecutive recurrences but appeared widespread over the long‐term course of bipolar disorder. The finding may serve for the development of more effective long‐term treatment strategies and a clinically more reasonable subtyping of mania.
An unusual case of CD4+ CD7+ CD56+ acute leukemia with overlapping features of type 2 dendritic cell (DC2) and myeloid/NK cell precursor acute leukemia
Authors: Anargyrou K. , Paterakis G. , Boutsis D. , Politou M. , Papadhimitriou S. I. , Siakandaris M. , Vassiliadis J. , Androulakis A. , Meletis J. , Rombos J. , Tassiopoulou A. , Vaiopoulos G. 
Published: September 2003

Abstract: Type 2 dendritic cell (DC2) acute leukemia has been recently described. We report here an unusual case of a 17‐yr‐old adolescent with overlapping features of DC2 and myeloid/NK cell precursor acute leukemia as defined by Suzuki et al. The patient presented with lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly without extranodal manifestations in skin or elsewhere. The morphologic, cytochemical and immunophenotypic features were compatible with those described in DC2 acute leukemia, with co‐expression of CD4, CD56 and CD123 antigens. The novel markers BDCA‐4 and BDCA‐2 considered specific for DC2s were co‐expressed. However, bright CD7 positivity along with a dim expression of CD33 (57%) and CD117 (27%) were also noted. Additionally, there was bright expression of NG2 monoclonal antibody 7.1, a frequent finding in myeloid/NK cell precursor acute leukemia. The interpretation of the immunophenotypic profile leads to the hypothesis on the existence of borderline cases between DC2 and myeloid/NK cell precursor acute leukemia. Still, other hypotheses can not be overlooked, such as the possibility for a kind of variant monoblastic leukemia or of another rare entity of acute unclassified leukemia.
Collagen metabolism and enzymes of the urokinase plasminogen activator system in chronic myeloproliferative disorders: correlation between plasma‐soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor and serum markers for collagen metabolism
Authors: Jensen Morten Krogh , Riisbro Rikke , Holten‐Andersen Mads N. , Brown Peter de Nully , Junker Peter , Brünner Nils , Hasselbalch Hans C. 
Published: September 2003

Abstract:  Extracellular proteolytic enzymes of the urokinase‐type plasminogen activator (uPA) system and the family of metalloproteinases (MMPs) catalyse the matrix degradation and remodelling processes characteristic of invasive malignant disorders. In a cohort of 50 patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) serum markers for collagen metabolism were compared to plasma levels of enzymes of the uPA and MMP system. Serum aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (S‐PIIINP) (P < 0.0001) concentration was significantly higher in the patients (median 3.7 μg/L vs. 2.5 μg/L) compared with controls. In a subgroup analysis comprising patients with myelofibrosis (MF), polycythaemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythaemia (ET), respectively, S‐PIIINP levels differed significantly with the highest values found in patients with MF (MF vs. PV vs. ET; P = 0.0027). Serum concentration of carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (S‐ICTP) (P = 0.0006), reflecting type I collagen degradation, was significantly higher in patients compared with controls (median 4.0 μg/L vs. 2.7 μg/L). When comparing S‐ICTP measurements between patient subgroups and controls there were only significantly higher values among MF and PV patients (MF vs. controls; P < 0.0001, PV vs. controls; P = 0.0016). A significant correlation between the marker for collagen synthesis (S‐PIIINP) and degradation (S‐ICTP) (r = 0.59; P < 0.0001) was demonstrated. A correlation analysis between serum markers for bone marrow remodelling processes (S‐PIIINP, S‐ICTP and S‐hyaluronan) and plasma‐soluble urokinase plasminogen receptor (suPAR) disclosed a significant relationship between suPAR and S‐PIIINP (r = 0.48; P = 0.0009), S‐hyaluronan (r = 0.56; P < 0.0001) and S‐ICTP (r = 0.47; P = 0.0013), respectively. Plasma levels of MMP‐2 and ‐9 were not correlated to serum markers for collagen metabolism. These findings suggest that enzymes of the uPA system might participate in the bone marrow remodelling processes characteristic of MPD.
Clinical features in T‐cell vs. natural killer‐cell variants of large granular lymphocyte leukemia
Authors: Neben Michelle A. , Morice William G. , Tefferi Ayalew 
Published: September 2003

Abstract:Objective: Standard clinical and laboratory evaluations and novel laboratory techniques were used to identify patients with T‐cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia (LGLL) and those with natural killer‐cell variants of LGLL for comprehensive clinical evaluation.Methods: We used bone marrow histologic analysis, immunophenotypic markers of clonality, and T‐cell–receptor gene rearrangement studies to identify patients.Results: The study identified 44 patients with T‐cell LGLL and 14 with natural killer‐cell LGLL. The two disorders were similar in sex and age distribution of patients; peripheral blood lymphocyte, neutrophil, and platelet counts; and incidence of rheumatoid arthritis. Among the two groups, patients with the T‐cell LGLL presented with significantly lower hemoglobin concentrations (P < 0.04) and a higher frequency of palpable splenomegaly (P < 0.01).Conclusion: Overall disease progression and response to immunosuppressive therapy are similar between T‐cell and natural killer‐cell variants of LGLL.
Treatment of patients with advanced mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome with alemtuzumab
Authors: Kennedy G. A. , Seymour J. F. , Wolf M. , Januszewicz H. , Davison J. , McCormack C. , Ryan G. , Prince H. M. 
Published: September 2003

Abstract:  Objectives: Alemtuzumab (anti‐CD52, Campath‐1H) has recently been shown to be effective in the treatment of a range of hematological malignancies, including B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and T‐cell prolymphocytic leukemia. We undertook a phase II study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of alemtuzumab in patients with relapsed or refractory advanced stage cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma.Patients and methods: A total of eight patients were enrolled, seven with mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome (MF/SS) and one with large‐cell transformation of MF. Seven patients had disease refractory to multiple previous therapies. Alemzumab (30 mg) was administered intravenously three times per week for 12 wk or until maximum response.Results: The overall response rate was 38%, with three patients achieving partial remission, two patients with stable disease and three patients with progressive disease (PD) during treatment. The time to progression was short, with all patients developing PD within 4 months of starting alemtuzumab. Response duration in the three PR patients was also brief, with responses lasting less than 3 months in all three cases. Significant hematological and immunosuppressive toxicity was observed, with both grade 3–4 cytopenias and significant infectious complications occurring in a majority of cases.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in heavily pretreated, refractory, advanced stage MF/SS, although alemtuzumab has biological activity, it is associated with significant toxicity and only modest clinical utility. As such, combination regimens incorporating alemtuzumab merit further investigation in this difficult to treat patient group.
In vivo temperature response functions of parameters required to model RuBP‐limited photosynthesis
Authors: BERNACCHI C. J. , PIMENTEL C. , LONG S. P. 
Published: September 2003

ABSTRACTThe leaf model of C3 photosynthesis of Farquhar, von Caemmerer & Berry (Planta 149, 78–90, 1980) provides the basis for scaling carbon exchange from leaf to canopy and Earth‐System models, and is widely used to project biosphere responses to global change. This scaling requires using the leaf model over a wider temperature range than that for which the model was originally parameterized. The leaf model assumes that photosynthetic CO2 uptake within a leaf is either limited by the rate of ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate (RuBP) regeneration or the activity of RuBP carboxylase‐oxygenase (Rubisco). Previously we reported a re‐parameterization of the temperature responses of Rubisco activity that proved robust when applied to a range of species. Herein this is extended to re‐parameterizing the response of RuBP‐limited photosynthesis to temperature. RuBP‐limited photosynthesis is assumed to depend on the whole chain electron transport rate, which is described as a three‐parameter non‐rectangular hyperbolic function of photon flux. Herein these three parameters are determined from simultaneous measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence and CO2 exchange of tobacco leaves, at temperatures from 10 to 40 °C. All varied significantly with temperature and were modified further with variation in growth temperature from 15 to 35 °C. These parameters closely predicted the response of RuBP‐limited photosynthesis to temperature measured in both lemon and poplar and showed a significant improvement over predictions based on earlier parameterizations. We provide the necessary equations for use of the model of Farquhar et al. (1980) with our newly derived temperature functions for predicting both Rubisco‐ and RuBP‐limited photosynthesis.
Carbon use efficiency depends on growth respiration, maintenance respiration, and relative growth rate. A case study with lettuce
Authors: VAN IERSEL M. W. 
Published: September 2003

ABSTRACTCarbon use efficiency (CUE, the ratio between the amount of carbon incorporated into dry matter to the amount of carbon fixed in gross photosynthesis) is an important parameter in estimating growth rate from photosynthesis data or models. It previously has been found to be relatively constant among species and under different environmental conditions. Here it is shown thatCUEcan be expressed as a function of the relative growth rate (rGR) and the growth (gr) and maintenance respiration coefficients (mr): 1/CUE = 1 + gr + mr/rGR. Net daily carbon gain (Cdg),rGR, andCUEwere estimated from whole‐plant gas exchange measurements on lettuce (Lactuca sativaL.) ranging from 24 to 66 d old. Carbon use efficiency decreased from 0.6 to 0.2 with increasing dry mass, but there was no correlation betweenCUEandCdg. The decrease inCUEwith increasing dry mass was correlated with a simultaneous decrease inrGR. From the above equation,grandmrwere estimated to be 0.48 mol mol−1and 0.039 g glucose g–1 dry matter d−1, respectively. Based on thegrestimate, the theoretical upper limit forCUEof these plants was 0.68. The importance of maintenance respiration in the carbon balance of the plants increased with increasing plant size. Maintenance accounted for 25% of total respiration in small plants and 90% in large plants.
Expansion dynamics, metabolite composition and substance transfer of the primary root growth zone ofZea maysL. grown in different external nutrient availabilities
Authors: WALTER A. , FEIL R. , SCHURR U. 
Published: September 2003

ABSTRACTA combined analysis of growth and metabolite composition was performed in primary roots ofZea maysL. (Var. Alexander). The seedlings were hydroponically cultivated either in pure water or in complete nutrient solution. The overall root growth performance was similar in both treatments. Yet, digital image sequence processing methods resolved, that growth distribution and oscillatory movements within the growth zone depended strongly on external nutrient availability. Metabolite concentration profiles were similar in both treatments for most investigated metabolites, indicating a thorough mobilization of nutrient resources from the seed, but concentrations of glutamine, glutamic acid, NO3–, NH4+, malate and citrate showed pronounced differences between treatments. No diurnal variations in metabolite concentrations were found. Deposition rate profiles were in general more similar to relative elemental growth rate profiles than concentration profiles and were not affected by the treatment. Major ions were deposited maximally in front of the centre of growth activity, while greatest hexose deposition was found behind that. Relative to their abundance in the root growth zone, net rates of transfer from mature tissue were highest for sucrose, glutamic acid and aspartic acid, whereas glucose, fructose and most amino acids inversely showed high net rates of transfer out of the root growth zone, indicating a high catabolic rate for those substances there. NO3–, but not other nutrients, was transferred to a great extent from the root growth zone to the mature tissue in nutrient solution. Overall, the results show, that a careful analysis of growth dynamics allows quantifying and interpreting a number of important flux parameters in the growing organ and that the performance of the primary root does not depend strongly on external nutrient availability.
Transport and metabolism of free cyanide and iron cyanide complexes by willow
Authors: EBBS S. , BUSHEY J. , POSTON S. , KOSMA D. , SAMIOTAKIS M. , DZOMBAK D. 
Published: September 2003

ABSTRACTCyanide compounds are contaminants of growing importance that could be remediated biologically via phytoremediation, provided the plants possess suitable mechanisms for managing these pollutants without toxicity. The transport and metabolism of two cyanide compounds, potassium cyanide and potassium ferrocyanide, by willow (Salix eriocephala L. var. Michaux) were compared using a hydroponic system that preserved cyanide speciation and solubility. The cyanide compounds were labelled with 15N to quantify transport while a novel tissue extraction procedure was used to relate tissue 15N to cyanide content and speciation. These analyses revealed that although little free cyanide was detected in the aerial tissues of plants exposed to either of these two cyanide compounds, significant enrichments in 15N were observed, suggesting transport and subsequent metabolism of free cyanide as well as ferrocyanide. The results for ferrocyanide are of interest because this molecule is resistant to microbial degradation and if oxidized to ferricyanide is purportedly membrane impermeable. Nevertheless, these results and mass balance calculations for tissue 15N and solution cyanide confirming 100% recovery for the added ferrocyanide are suggestive of ferrocyanide uptake and metabolism. This study provides new information describing the biological transport and metabolism of these two cyanide compounds in plants. Moreover, the data also suggest that phytoremediation of cyanide may be possible and ecologically safe due to the lack of cyanide bioaccumulation in aerial tissues.
Lack of effficacy of botulinum toxin in chronic anal fissure
Authors: Siproudhis L. , Sébille V. , Pigot F. , Hémery P. , Juguet F. , Bellissant E. 
Published: September 2003

SummaryBackground and aim:  Hypertonicity of internal anal sphincter plays a major role in the persistence of chronic anal fissure. Botulinum toxin could induce internal anal sphincter relaxation without the adverse effects of surgery (long‐term faecal incontinence) or topical nitrates (anal burning, headaches, hypotension).Methods:  We conducted a placebo‐controlled, randomised, double‐blind study to assess the efficacy of a single injection of botulinum toxin in the internal anal sphincter of patients with chronic anal fissure in six ambulatory care clinics. Eligibility criteria included a mean value of post‐defecation anal pain ≥ 30 mm on a 100 mm visual analogue scale over the week preceding inclusion. Main endpoint was the proportion of patients with symptomatic improvement during the fourth week after inclusion (post‐defecation anal pain below 10 mm).Results:  Forty‐four patients (22 in each group) were included. At inclusion, there was no significant difference between groups on age, sex ratio, pain duration, post‐defecation anal pain, analgesic consumption and stool frequency. Ten (45%) and 11 (50%) patients reported symptomatic improvement on the main endpoint (P=0.76) in placebo and botulinum toxin groups, respectively. Ten patients (five in each group) had healed fissure at week 4 and ten patients (five in each group) required surgical treatment between weeks 4 and 12. Similarly, there was no significant difference between groups on other variables between weeks 4 and 12.Conclusions:  The efficacy of a single injection of botulinum toxin in the internal anal sphincter does not differ from that of a placebo in patients with chronic anal fissure.
Effects of asimadoline, a κ‐opioid agonist, on satiation and postprandial symptoms in health
Authors: Delgado‐Aros S. , Chial H. J. , Cremonini F. , Ferber I. , Mckinzie S. , Burton D. D. , Camilleri M. 
Published: September 2003

SummaryAim:  To evaluate the effect of single administrations of asimadoline, a κ‐opioid agonist, on satiation volume, postprandial symptoms and gastric volumes.Methods:  Healthy subjects received oral placebo, or 0.5 or 1.5 mg asimadoline in a randomized, double‐blind fashion 1 h prior to testing. We assessed effects on the volume of Ensure to achieve full satiation and postprandial symptoms 30 min after meal, and on gastric volume (fasting and postprandial) measured by 99mTc‐single photon emission tomography (SPECT) imaging.Results:  Thirteen healthy subjects were studied in each treatment arm. Compared to placebo, asimadoline 0.5 mg decreased postprandial fullness (P = 0.027) without affecting the volume ingested at full satiation (P = 0.6). Asimadoline 1.5 mg decreased satiation during meal, allowing increased satiation volumes (P = 0.008) and tended to decrease postprandial fullness (P = 0.067), despite higher volumes ingested. There was a significant treatment–gender interaction in the effect of asimadoline on gastric volumes (P < 0.05). Asimadoline 0.5 mg (not 1.5 mg) increased fasting (P = 0.047) and postprandial (P = 0.009) gastric volumes in females but decreased fasting volumes in males (P = 0.008). The effect of asimadoline on gastric volume did not explain the effect observed on satiation volume (P = 0.371) or postprandial fullness (P = 0.399).Conclusion:  A single oral administration of asimadoline decreases satiation and postprandial fullness in humans independently of its effects on gastric volume.