bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of immune disturbances and chronic liver disease in family members of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
Authors: BITTENCOURT PAULO LISBOA , FARIAS ALBERTO QUEIROZ , ABRANTES‐LEMOS CLARICE PIRES , GONCALVES LUCIANA LOFEGO , GONCALVES PATRICIA LOFEGO , MAGALHÃES EMILIA PEREIRA , CARRILHO FLAIR JOSÉ , LAUDANNA ANTONIO ATÍLIO , CANÇADO EDUARDO LUIZ RACHID 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aims:  Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has been reported in up to 4–6% of first degree relatives of patients with the disease. In addition, immune abnormalities, including hypergammaglobulinemia, autoantibodies and increased frequency of autoimmune disorders, were reported in family members of PBC patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of PBC in relatives of patients with PBC, and to investigate the occurrence of chronic liver disease (CLD) and immune abnormalities in these subjects.Methods:  One‐hundred first degree relatives of 26 patients with PBC were interviewed and submitted to physical examination and determination of liver enzymes, γ‐globulin, bilirubin and auto‐antibodies, including antinuclear (ANA), antismooth muscle (SMA), antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and anti‐M2 antibody by immunoblotting (IB).Results:  Immune disturbances were rarely observed in relatives of PBC patients. Higher γ‐globulin levels, SMA and ANA were detected in four, eight and two family members, respectively. In most subjects, these autoantibodies were either in low titers or associated with concurrent diseases. Only four relatives had extrahepatic autoimmune diseases and another eight exhibited other CLD. Primary biliary cirrhosis was detected in a sister of one patient. Additionally, two other relatives of PBC patients who tested negative for AMA by IIF showed reactivity for anti‐M2 by IB.Conclusions:  Immune disturbances, including ANA and SMA, are uncommon in family members of PBC patients. Conversely, anti‐M2 antibodies and overt PBC do occur in relatives of PBC patients, even in Brazil where the disease is quite rare.
Induction of a 72‐kDa heat shock protein and protection against lipopolysaccharide‐induced liver injury in cirrhotic rats
Authors: MIKAMI KEN‐ICHIRO , OTAKA MICHIRO , GOTO TAKASHI , MIURA KOUICHI , OHSHIMA SHIGETOSHI , YONEYAMA KAZUO , LIN JIUN‐GUEY , WATANABE DAISUKE , SEGAWA DAISUKE , KATAOKA EI , ODASHIMA MASARU , WATANABE SUMIO 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  A 70‐kDa heat shock protein (stress‐inducible HSP70, HSP72) has been reported to be a cytoprotectant in a variety of organs. It has been reported that HSP72 protected non‐cirrhotic rats against endotoxemia. However, its cytoprotective effect against endotoxemia in cirrhotic rats has not yet been studied. In this study, we investigated the cytoprotective effect of HSP72 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced liver injury in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‐induced cirrhotic rats.Methods:  Liver cirrhosis was produced by an 8‐week intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 in male Sprague–Dawley rats. Expression of HSP72 was investigated using western blot analysis. Cirrhotic rats were given an intraperitoneal injection of LPS (10 mg/kg) with or without hyperthermia (42.5°C, 15 min) preconditioning. Liver injury was assessed biochemically (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine) and histologically. The plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α level was determined.Results:  Hyperthermia preconditioning induced a 4‐fold increase in HSP72 in the cirrhotic rat liver. Pre‐induction of HSP72 prevented LPS‐induced liver injury, as evaluated using serum biochemical parameters and histology with reduced TNF‐α response.Conclusion:  These findings suggest that pre‐induction of HSP72 may provide therapeutic strategies for Gram‐negative sepsis‐induced liver injury in liver cirrhosis.
Kupffer cell depletion attenuates superoxide anion release into the hepatic sinusoids after lipopolysaccharide treatment
Authors: FUKUDA MASAHIKO , YOKOYAMA HIROKAZU , MIZUKAMI TAKESHI , OHGO HIDEKI , OKAMURA YUKISHIGE , KAMEGAYA YOSHITAKA , HORIE YOSHINORI , KATO SHINZO , ISHII HIROMASA 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  The mechanisms involved in the beneficial effect of gadolinium chloride against endotoxin‐induced liver damage were studied.Methods:  Superoxide anions released into the hepatic sinusoids were examined in a liver perfusion model using the cytochrome C method.Results:  Gadolinium chloride treatment fully depleted ED2‐positive cells from the liver and significantly attenuated superoxide anion release after a lipopolysaccharide or tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) challenge. Moreover, gadolinium chloride treatment resulted in a significant decline in endothelial cell damage in the hepatic sinusoids as assessed by the purine nucleoside phosphorylase/glutamic–pyruvic transaminase ratio in the liver perfusate. Although gadolinium chloride treatment did not affect the level of serum TNF‐α, it significantly reduced that of interleukin (IL)‐8 and neutrophil migration in the hepatic sinusoids after the lipopolysaccharide challenge.Conclusion:  These data suggest that a reduction of the superoxide anion level in the hepatic sinusoids in acute endotoxemia and subsequent reduction of neutrophil migration into the liver may indicate that gadolinium chloride treatment suppresses the progression of liver damage in acute endotoxemia.
Apoptotic pathway related to oval cell proliferation
Authors: YANO YOSHIHIKO , HAYASHI YOSHITAKE , TERAMOTO TADAHISA , NAKAJI MIYUKI , NAGY PETER , NINOMIYA TOSHIAKI , WADA ATSUSHI , HIRAI MIDORI , KIM SOO RYANG , SEO YASUSHI , YOON SEITETSU , KASUGA MASATO 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Oval cells, liver stem cell‐derived cells, are generated from the liver periportal region and spread into the parenchyma by an autocrine signaling pathway. The mechanism behind how oval cells take their place among packed silent hepatocytes, however, is not well understood. We hypothesized that apoptosis involves a decrease in hepatocytes surrounding oval cells.Methods:  Male Fisher rats were treated using the AAF/PH protocol to induce oval cells in the liver. Apoptosis was assessed by measuring the activity of caspase‐3, ‐8 and ‐9, and apoptosis‐related molecules such as caspase‐3, Fas, Fas‐L and Bax were also assessed by immunohistochemical analysis and reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR). Apoptosis was confirmed by TUNEL staining. Regarding antiapoptotic factors, nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) DNA binding activity and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression were examined.Results:  NF‐κB elevated at the early stage of oval cell proliferation. Conversely, caspase activity increased after NF‐κB elevation. The mRNA of caspase‐3, Fas, Fas‐L and Bax was induced during and after AAF/PH treatment. Immunohistochemically, oval cells lacked the expression of these proteins, whereas the hepatocytes, particularly those surrounding oval cells, expressed strongly.Conclusions:  The present study suggests that the apoptosis in hepatocytes through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways mediates oval cell proliferation.
Expression of the HFE hemochromatosis gene in a community‐based population of elderly women
Authors: ROSSI ENRICO , KUEK CONCHITA , BEILBY JOHN P , JEFFREY GARY P , DEVINE AMANDA , PRINCE RICHARD L 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Recent studies suggest that the clinical penetrance of associated hereditary hemochromatosis, defined as either the C282Y homozygote or compound heterozygote HFE genotype status, is much lower than previously thought.Methods:  We investigated the clinical penetrance and phenotypic expression of HFE‐associated hereditary hemochromatosis in a community‐based population of 1352 elderly female subjects with a mean age of 75 years. Serum transferrin saturation and ferritin levels were determined on all subjects bearing a C282Y mutation and a subset of wild‐type C282Y subjects.Results:  The prevalences of the C282Y homozygous and compound heterozygous HFE genotypes were 0.15% (2/1352) and 2.0% (27/1352), respectively. The observed prevalence of 0.15% for C282Y homozygotes borders on significance (P = 0.054) for deviation from the Hardy–Weinberg population equilibrium calculations, which predict a prevalence of 0.49%, whereas the observed and predicted compound heterozygote prevalences were not significantly different. Clinical symptoms of hemochromatosis were absent in both the C282Y homozygote subjects. Of the compound heterozygous subjects, 2/27 (7%) had elevated serum transferrin saturation and ferritin values; however, clinical symptoms of hemochromatosis were absent in both. Considered as a whole, the compound heterozygous subjects had markedly elevated means for serum iron (19.4 vs 16.0 µmol/L, P = 0.0008), transferrin saturation (34.8% vs 25.2%, P < 0.0001) and ferritin (157 vs 92 µg/L, P = 0.002) compared with the wild‐type subjects.Conclusion:  The C282Y homozygous HFE hereditary hemochromatosis genotype was under‐represented in this elderly cohort, whereas the compound heterozygous genotype was not. None of the homozygous or compound heterozygous subjects expressed the phenotype of iron overload disease.© 2004 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd
Risk behaviors and antibody hepatitis B and C prevalence among injecting drug users in south‐western Sydney, Australia
Authors: MAHER LISA , CHANT KERRY , JALALUDIN BIN , SARGENT PENNY 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is now the leading notifiable disease in Australia. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of HCV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and associated risk behaviors among injecting drug users (IDUs) screened in south‐western Sydney as part of a multisite prospective cohort study.Methods:  Using a combination of snowball sampling and word‐of‐mouth recruitment strategies, 377 IDUs were interviewed using a structured questionnaire and tested for exposure to HCV and HBV. Entry criteria were injecting drug use in the previous 6 months and antibody HCV serostatus not known to be positive.Results:  More than one‐third (36.6%) tested HCV antibody positive and one‐quarter (28%) had been exposed to HBV. Independent predictors of HCV seropositivity were HBV core antibody positive serostatus, incarceration in the past year, injecting in public, Asian ethnicity and duration of injecting. Individual risk behaviors, including sharing needles and syringes, sharing other injecting equipment and being injected by others, were not significant in either bivariate or multivariate models.Conclusions:  Results indicate an urgent need for structural interventions designed to reduce the exposure of IDUs, particularly indigenous Australian and Asian injectors, to risk environments. Structural interventions, including population‐based hepatitis B immunization, expanded access to needle and syringe programs and drug treatment, prison diversion programs and medically supervised injecting facilities, should be incorporated into existing blood‐borne virus prevention efforts.
Argon plasma coagulation as first‐line treatment for chronic radiation proctopathy
Authors: SEBASTIAN SHAJI , O'CONNOR HUMPHREY , O'MORAIN COLM , BUCKLEY MARTIN 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Chronic radiation proctopathy is a troublesome complication of radiotherapy to the pelvis, for which current treatment modalities are unsatisfactory. The present prospective study was designed to determine the usefulness and safety of argon plasma coagulation in the management of chronic radiation proctopathy.Methods:  Twenty‐five consecutive patients (M:F 24:1, mean age: 69 years) with radiation proctopathy were prospectively included. All patients received argon plasma coagulation by a standard protocol. Response to treatment was assessed by symptom response, bleeding severity score, hematological parameters and transfusion requirements over a median 14‐month follow up.Results:  Patients received a median of one treatment session with argon plasma coagulation. There was significant improvement in rectal bleeding in all patients, with complete cessation of bleeding in 21 (81%) of the patients. The median bleeding severity score fell from 3 to 0 (P < 0.0005). The mean hemoglobin level rose from 10.05 ± 2.21 g/dL before treatment to 12.44 ± 1.09 g/dL at 6 months following treatment (P < 0.002). There was also improvement in other symptoms such as urgency and diarrhea. Over the period of follow up, there was no recurrence of anemia and no complications were noted.Conclusion:  These results suggest that argon plasma coagulation is a safe and effective modality in the treatment of chronic radiation proctopathy.© 2004 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd
Effect of mesalazine, metronidazole and gentamicin on bacterial translocation in experimental colitis
Authors: YIGITLER CENGIZHAN , GULEC BULENT , AYDOGAN HAKAN , OZCAN AYHAN , KILINC METIN , YIGIT TANER , KOZAK ORHAN , PEKCAN MESUT 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  In inflammatory bowel disease it has been established that enteric microorganisms are present in the final stage of the active inflammatory process. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of mesalazine, and metronidazole–gentamicin combination, on bacterial translocation in an animal colitis model.Methods:  Fifty rats were stratified into five groups. The control group (group NC) was given only 2 mL saline enema and the remaining four groups were given 2 mL acetic acid enema. Group CC was the diseased control group. The treatment regimens started on the fifth day: mesalazine enema in group MesC, metronidazole–gentamicin in group MGC, and mesalazine + metronidazole + gentamicin in group MesMGC. After death on day 10, 2.5‐cm colonic segments from all groups were weighed separately. In all rats, histopathological scoring was done, and samples from feces, blood, liver and spleen underwent microbiological analyses.Results:  For all diseased rats, both mean weight loss and colonic segment weight/bodyweight ratio was significantly higher than that in the sham group. As compared with other groups, body and colonic segment changes as well as histopathological scoring in rats receiving mesalazine enema either solely or in combination with the antibiotics were lower. No bacterial growth was found in the blood, liver and spleen of the rats in the control group while enteric bacteria, mainly Escherichia coli (35%) were the most common bacteria translocated to that in the latter. Antibiotic combination, alone or in combination with mesalazine was effective in reducing the bacterial translocation while mesalazine administration did not properly influence its regression.Conclusions:  Gram‐negative enteric bacteria, predominantly E. coli, was the most common bacteria isolated in bacterial translocation occurring in acetic acid‐induced colitis. This trial showed that mesalazine alone did not incorporate the reduction of infectious events, despite its beneficial effect on inflammatory changes in experimental colitis. Metronidazole and gentamicin combination given intraperitoneally was more effective than topical mesalazine in decreasing bacterial translocation.
Biliary microlithiasis in patients with idiopathic acute pancreatitis and unexplained biliary pain: Response to therapy
Authors: SARASWAT VIVEK A , SHARMA BARJESH C , AGARWAL DEEPAK K , KUMAR RAKESH , NEGI TAJESHWAR S , TANDON RAKESH K 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aims:  Microlithiasis has been suspected to cause acute pancreatitis and biliary pain. We studied the frequency of microlithiasis and response to treatment in recurrent idiopathic acute pancreatitis (RIAP) and unexplained biliary pain.Methods:  Gallbladder bile was examined microscopically for cholesterol monohydrate crystals (CMC) and calcium bilirubinate granules (CBG) in patients with RAIP (n = 24; mean age 36 years, range 18–56 years; 14 men), unexplained biliary pain (n = 12; mean age 32 years, range 22–55 years; six men), gallstones (n = 22; mean age 40 years, range 30–58 years; 12 men) and patients without clinical or imaging evidence of gallstone disease (n = 12; mean age 32 years, range 14–54 years; six men). The presence of a single CMC or >25 CBG/slide was considered abnormal.Results:  Bile microscopy was abnormal in 75% patients with RAIP (18/24; CMC in 10, CBG in six, CMC and CBG in two), 83.3% patients with unexplained biliary pain (10/12; CMC in seven, CBG in one, CMC and CBG in two) and 95.4% patients with gallstones (21/22; CMC in 12, CBG in one, CMC and CBG in eight). None of the controls without gallstone disease had CMC while three patients had low counts of CBG. Twenty‐eight patients with RAIP and biliary pain having microlithiasis agreed to be treated with cholecystectomy (n = 2), endoscopic sphincterotomy (n = 21) or ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA; n = 5). The 23 patients treated with cholecystectomy or sphincterotomy remained asymptomatic during follow up (mean 23 months, range 6–48 months). Four of five patients treated with UDCA remained asymptomatic for a follow‐up period of 9, 10, 11 and 18 months, respectively. One patient who had refused cholecystectomy or sphincterotomy continued to experience pain at the same frequency as before during a follow‐up period of 12 months. One patient, who was asymptomatic on UDCA for 9 months, agreed to undergo sphincterotomy and remained asymptomatic over a follow‐up period of 14 months.Conclusions:  Microlithiasis is a common cause for idiopathic acute pancreatitis and unexplained biliary pain. Lasting relief is obtained in most patients after treatment with UDCA, cholecystectomy or sphincterotomy.
Decreased expression of B7 costimulatory molecules and major histocompatibility complex class‐I in human hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: FUJIWARA KEISHI , HIGASHI TOSHIHIRO , NOUSO KAZUHIRO , NAKATSUKASA HARUSHIGE , KOBAYASHI YOSHIYUKI , UEMURA MASAYUKI , NAKAMURA SHIN‐ICHIRO , SATO SHUICHIRO , HANAFUSA TADASHI , YUMOTO YASUHIRO , NAITO ICHIRO , SHIRATORI YASUSHI 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  We analyzed the expression of antigen‐processing and antigen‐presenting molecules in surgically resected fresh samples of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue to elucidate a mechanism of immune escape. We also examined the expression of interleukin (IL)‐10 protein, which might act to downregulate expression of antigen‐processing and antigen‐presenting molecules.Methods:  Twenty‐eight HCC samples obtained by surgical resection were analyzed for the expression of β2‐microglobulin, heat‐shock protein (HSP)‐70, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class‐I, CD80 (B7‐1), CD86 (B7‐2) and IL‐10 by immunostaining.Results:  β2‐Microglobulin and HSP‐70 were preserved in all samples. In contrast, the expression of HLA class‐I molecules was significantly reduced according to lowering in the histological grading of tumor differentiation (P = 0.024). Furthermore, B7‐1 and B7‐2 expression was reduced in tumor cells compared with corresponding areas of liver tissue without malignant involvement irrespective of the histological grading of tumors (21% and 36%, respectively). Although IL‐10 protein was expressed in 54% of HCC, no relationship between the expression of IL‐10 and downregulation of B7‐1, B7‐2, and HLA class‐I was evident.Conclusion:  These findings suggest the potential role of B7 co‐stimulatory molecules and HLA class‐I molecules in facilitating HCC escape from immune surveillance without the involvement of IL‐10.
Heterotopic gastric mucosa in the cervical esophagus (inlet patch): Endoscopic prevalence, histological and clinical characteristics
Authors: AKBAYIR NİHAT , ALKIM CANAN , ERDEM LEVENT , SÖKMEN H MEHMET , SUNGUN AYŞİM , BAŞAK TÜLAY , TURGUT SUAT , MUNGAN ZEYNEL 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Heterotopic gastric mucosal patch, which has a 0.1–10% frequency, is encountered when the cervical esophagus is examined carefully during endoscopy. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of the patch in the cervical esophagus, to identify its macroscopic and histological characteristics and to evaluate demographic and clinical features.Methods:  Six hundred and sixty patients (317 male, 343 female; mean age 50.28 years, range 14–90) with upper gastrointestinal symptoms had elective esophagogastroduodenoscopy and the cervical esophagus was examined for the patch during withdrawal of the endoscope. Biopsies were obtained from the antrum and the patch. Helicobacter pylori was assessed using an immunohistochemical method.Results:  The patch was found in 11 patients of 660, with a prevalence of 1.67%. Patch size ranged between 5 and 30 mm, appeared as a single patch in nine patients and as twin patches in two patients. Mean age and male : female ratio were not significantly different from the patient population without patches, but the female sex was predominant (three men, eight women; mean age 43.6 years, range 32–64). In five of 11 patients, the upper esophageal and laryngopharyngeal symptoms were remarkable. Eight patients in whom histological confirmation was carried out showed three fundic and five antral‐type mucosa. Two of five patients with antral H. pylori also had the bacteria in the patch. H. pylori prevalence in the patch was 25%.Conclusion:  Heterotopic gastric mucosal patches in the proximal esophagus should not be overlooked during endoscopy because they may lead to important complications in relation to their acid secretion, which may vary according to their parietal cell mass.
Estimation of the location and exponent of the spectral singularity of a long memory process
Authors: Hidalgo Javier , Soulier Philippe 
Published: December 2004

Abstract.  We consider the estimation of the location of the pole and memory parameter ω0 and d of a covariance stationary process with spectral density
image
We investigate optimal rates of convergence for the estimators of ω0 and d, and the consequence that the lack of knowledge of ω0 has on the estimation of the memory parameter d. We present estimators which achieve the optimal rates. A small Monte‐Carlo study is included to illustrate the finite sample performance of our estimators.
EYES WIDE SHUT: A RESPONSE TO JEAN‐LUC MARION's ACCOUNT OF THE JOURNEY TO EMMAUS
Authors: MACKINLAY SHANE 
Published: December 2004

AbstractIn “ ‘They Recognised Him; and He Became Invisible to Them’ ” (Modern Theology, Vol. 18 no. 2 April 2002, pp. 145–152), Marion uses the gospel account of the journey to Emmaus to argue that faith provides a conceptual interpretation of revelation after it has occurred. This response to Marion argues that what he describes is only a derivative sense of faith. In its primary sense, faith is hermeneutic; faith is an existential commitment that makes it possible for revelation to be made manifest. Contra Marion, revelation does not simply impose itself on us; rather, it must be actively received and recognised in the meaning‐filled world of a recipient's faith.
Apology and Retraction: Questioning Fundamentals: Leyland Daf and the “Ownership” of Charged Property
Authors: Selvam Vijay S. V. 
Published: December 2004

Abstract
Forward Links to Citing Articles

Retraction. Modern Law Review 67: 5, 832‐843. Online publication date: 1‐Sept‐2004. The note entitled ‘Questioning Fundamentals: Leyland Daf and the “Ownership” of Charged Property’,1 which appeared in the September issue of the Review has, through the sole fault of the author, failed to acknowledge the use of an article written by Dr Riz Mokal entitled ‘Liquidation Expenses and Floating Charges: The Separate Funds Fallacy’2 posted on the SSRN Electronic Library in April 2004. Any views that appear similar between these articles belong to Dr Mokal. It is sincerely hoped that Dr Mokal will accept this apology for the lapse in properly acknowledging his views.