bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hair cycle‐dependent expression of heat shock proteins in hair follicle epithelium
Authors: Hashizume Hideo , Tokura Yoshiki , Takigawa Masahiro , Paus Ralf 
Published: November 2003

Abstract Background Heat shock proteins (HSPs) have a physiologic function in unstressed cells, which is believed to include a role as a “molecular chaperone.” The hair cycle is characterized by rhythmic tissue remodeling processes, and is an intriguing model for studying the relation between keratinocyte differentiation and HSP expression under physiologic circumstances. We have therefore studied, by immunofluorescence, the expression of selected HSPs during the murine hair cycle. Methods The association between hair follicle cycling and the expression of three selected HSPs (HSPs 27, 60, and 72) was examined by immunofluorescence, using the depilation‐induced hair cycle of C57BL76 mice. Results HSP expression was absent from telogen follicles, and was restricted predominantly to keratinocytes in the bulge and the cycling epithelial portion of the hair follicle during anagen and catagen. Immunoreactivity for HSPs 27, 60, and 72 in the hair bulb increased significantly during anagen VI and the catagen transformation of the follicle, and decreased again abruptly with completion of the catagen‐telogen transformation. The expression pattern of HSPs 60 and 72 in situ was cytoplasmic, whereas that of HSP 27 was both cytoplasmic and nuclear. Conclusions These observations suggest that the synthesis of HSPs by hair bulb keratinocytes is related to the anagen‐catagen transformation of the follicle, possibly reflecting keratinocyte apoptosis and/or terminal differentiation in the regressing, cycling portion of the follicle. In addition, the rather proximal localization of HSP expression makes it unlikely that the HSPs examined interact with the more distally located intrafollicular γ/δ T‐cell receptor‐positive lymphocytes.
Impact of patient information booklet on treatment decision – a randomized trial among women with heavy menstruation
Authors: Vuorma Sirkku , Rissanen Pekka , Aalto Anna‐Mari , Hurskainen Ritva , Kujansuu Erkki , Teperi Juha 
Published: November 2003

AbstractObjective  Does a patient information booklet influence treatment for menorrhagia?Design  Randomized trial and a pre‐trial prospective cohort study.Setting  Gynaecology outpatient clinics in 14 Finnish hospitals.Participants  A total of 363 (randomized trial) plus 206 (cohort study) patients with menorrhagia.Intervention  An information booklet about menorrhagia and treatment options, mailed before the first visit to the outpatient clinic.Main outcome measures  Distribution of treatment modalities, knowledge about treatment options, satisfaction with communication with personnel and anxiety.Results  Treatment decision within 3 months was made more often in the intervention group than in the control group (96% and 89% respectively, P = 0.02). Oral medication was more frequently chosen, and newly introduced treatments (minor surgery, hormonal intrauterine system) were less frequently used in the intervention group (at 3‐month follow‐up 21% and 29%, respectively). The differences persisted at the 12‐month follow‐up. In the pre‐trial group, new treatment methods were less frequently chosen and used than in the control group. Additional information did not increase the number of surgical procedures used, improve knowledge, or influence satisfaction or anxiety.Conclusion  Additional information led to an increase in specific treatment decisions and changed the distribution of used treatments without increasing the number of surgical procedures. The study suggests that well‐informed women adopting an active role may counteract physicians’ emphasis on newly introduced treatments.
Providing evidence‐based information to patients in general practice and pharmacies: what is the acceptability, usefulness and impact on drug use?
Authors: McCormack James P , Dolovich Lisa , Levine Mitch , Burns Sheri , Nair Kalpana , Cassels Alan , Mann Karen , Gray Jean 
Published: November 2003

AbstractBackground  A common and often integral method of delivering patient information is the use of patient guides. However, the acceptability, utility and impact of evidence‐based therapeutic guides on physicians, pharmacists and patients have not been well evaluated.Methods  This study was a prospective evaluation of 53 general practitioners' offices and 30 community pharmacies from three locations in Canada. Evidence‐based guides were provided to 1176 patients who presented to either a general practitioner or a community pharmacist and were interested in receiving information about sore throat, heartburn, or osteoporosis (http://www.ti.ubc.ca/canadadrugguide). The acceptability, utility and impact of the guides were assessed via structured patient telephone interviews, structured health professional interviews, and patient chart audits.Results  Eighty to 90% of patients reported that the guides were ‘very easy’ to understand. Fifty six per cent/47%/38% (sore throat/heartburn/osteoporosis) of patients rated the guides as ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ useful. Seventy‐two per cent/67%/58% of respondents reported that the information helped them make decisions about their treatment. Ninety eight per cent of physicians and 92% of pharmacists reported that the guides helped their patients understand the issues involved in their treatment. None of the analyses showed any significant differences in prescribing of medications between the intervention and control groups.Interpretations  Patients found these evidence‐based guides to be useful, easy to understand, and that they helped them in their understanding of treatment options and the decision‐making process. Physicians and pharmacists reported that the guides helped their patients understand the issues involved in their treatment. Further research is required to determine the degree to which providing evidence‐based guides to patients can impact on prescribing and patient outcomes.
‘Follow the Fish’: involving young people in primary care in Midlothian
Authors: Jackson Angela M. 
Published: November 2003

AbstractObjective  The project aims were to enable young people to contribute their views about health services, to encourage professionals and policy makers to listen to the young people and to stimulate action to address the issues raised.Design  Peer interviews were undertaken by a team of five young people to identify the experience and views of young people of various ages about health services. Drama workshop sessions were conducted with 10–15 young people, encompassing initial issue‐identifying activities and group discussion about their own experience of, and views about health services, followed by role‐play and improvisation to construct drama scenarios about the issues gathered from the interviews and discussions.Setting and participants  Twenty young people aged 12–16 years from the Mayfield and Gorebridge areas of Midlothian were recruited from Newbattle Community High school. The project was conducted as a voluntary after‐school activity for 12 weeks.Results  A drama was constructed from research conducted by young people into the experiences and views of their peer group about health services. A cast of young people performed the drama to an invited audience of 30 health and education professionals and held a post‐performance question and answer session with the audience to explore the issues raised. The drama engendered a number of practical outcomes related to improving the usage and experience of health services of young people.Conclusions  Drama can offer a means to encourage participation, facilitate participants’ self‐expression and explore health/health service themes and issues. In conjunction with conventional techniques such as interviews and group discussions, a drama project can also be used to communicate the experience, views and needs of the wider client group to service providers and planners. Such initiatives can generate outcomes to improve service users’ experience of health services.
Influence of Nutrition on Courtship and Mating in the ScorpionflyPanorpa cognata(Mecoptera, Insecta)
Authors: Engqvist Leif , Sauer Klaus Peter 
Published: November 2003

AbstractScorpionflies have been used as model organisms for the study of alternative male mating tactics as well as sexual conflict and coercive mating. Here we describe the courtship and mating behaviour of the scorpionflyPanorpa cognataat different levels of nutrition. Alternative mating tactics in scorpionflies involve nuptial food gifts, and we expected an effect of nutrient availability and male individual condition on the relative frequency of these mating tactics. Subsequent to female attraction by means of male pheromonal emission (calling) and a conspicuous pairing prelude, the majority of matings were initiated by male secretion of one relatively large salivary mass on which females feed during copulation. Usually, males produced only a single salivary mass per mating, and the copulation was terminated after the female had consumed the salivary mass. Alternatively, in 40% of the copulations, males offered females a dead arthropod as nuptial gift. However, these matings were neither preceded by male calling nor by the pairing prelude. Copulations with no gifts were extremely rare, and forced copulations were absent. The manipulation of the clamp‐like notal organ used by male scorpionflies in coercive matings had no effect on the duration of copulation, suggesting thatP. cognatamales are not able to enforce longer matings. Copulations involving salivary mass gifts were significantly longer than copulations with prey provided as gifts. Although contrary to our expectations, nutrition had no effect on the relative frequency of the different male mating tactics, it had several effects on courtship and mating. First, well‐fed individuals copulated significantly more often, both with prey and salivary secretions, than individuals with limited nutrient resources available. This was true for both sexes, although the effect was stronger for males. Higher availability of nutrients decreased the time until male and female sexual maturity and increased male calling duration per day. Furthermore, high nutrient availability decreased the duration of the pairing prelude, and consequently pairs started copulating earlier at night in the high nutrient treatment.
Lichen sclerosus und Vulvakarzinom
Authors: Hagedorn Manfred , Golüke Timm , Mall Gerhard 
Published: November 2003

ZusammenfassungDas Krankheitsbild des genitalen Lichen sclerosus der Frau ist sowohl klinisch als auch histologisch eindeutig definiert. Dabei bleibt festzustellen, daß neben dem häufigeren klassischen Lichen sclerosus, der zu einer straffen Atrophie führt, auch eine Form mit persistierenden Plaques existiert, welche histologisch durch eine Stachelzellhyperplasie gekennzeichnet ist. Die Ätiologie ist bis heute nicht geklärt, wobei eine Autoimmunkrankheit am wahrscheinlichsten ist, während infektiöse und hormonelle Faktoren wohl keine Rolle spielen.Die Beschreibung eines Stachelzellkarzinoms im Bereich eines genitalen Lichen sclerosus wirft erneut die Frage auf, inwieweit der Lichen sclerosus als Präkanzerose zu werten ist.Aufgrund dieser doch selten in der dermatologischen Literatur beschriebenen Assoziation, muß ein Zusammenhang eher verneint werden. Im gynäkologischen Krankengut werden allerdings wesentlich höhere Zahlen angegeben, weil die Autoren von Patientinnen mit Vulvakarzinomen ausgehen und nach histologischen Kriterien des Lichen sclerosus gefahndet haben. Ohne entsprechendes klinisches Korrelat des Lichen sclerosus ist eine derartige Assoziation aber nicht zulässig, so daß der klassische genitale Lichen sclerosus nicht als Präkanzerose bezeichnet werden kann.Auf dem Boden der hypertrophen Form des Lichen sclerosus ist die Entstehung von Stachelzellkarzinomen mit einer Häufigkeit von 3 – 5 % allerdings möglich.
Effect of Collection Rhythms and Season on Rabbit Semen Production
Authors: Nizza A , Di Meo C , Taranto S 
Published: November 2003

ContentsThe effects of collection regimen and time of year on rabbit semen production were determined in this study. A total of 14 crossbreed Hyla bucks were used in winter and summer. In each season, rabbits were assigned to two groups. In group 1, (n = 7) rabbits were subjected to an extensive collection regimen (two ejaculates per male, once daily/week) and in group 2, (n = 7) a semi‐intensive semen collection regimen was performed (two ejaculates per male, twice weekly). The traits recorded for each sample were libido, volume, pH, motility, sperm concentration, percentage of alive spermatozoa and sperm abnormalities. The results obtained in this study indicate that when increasing collection frequency, the rate of useful collections decreased (from 0.81 ± 0.017 to 0.69 ± 0.016; p < 0.01). The rate of useful collection also decreased in the transition from winter to summer (from 0.79 ± 0.018 to 0.70 ± 0.017; p < 0.01). Among the ejaculate characteristics studied, only volume/ejaculate (from 0.64 ± 0.015 to 0.53 ± 0.017; p < 0.01) and spermatozoa/ml (from 406 ± 15 to 359 ± 13 million; p < 0.01) appeared negatively affected by collection. In winter fewer volume/ejaculates were produced (0.55 ± 0.015 vs 0.60 ± 0.016 ml; p < 0.01) and fewer spermatozoa/ml (360 ± 14 vs 394 ± 16 million; p < 0.01) than in summer. The doses produced per ejaculate decreased as collection frequency increased, but the number of doses produced per week was higher in the semi‐intensive than the extensive rhythm (26.5 ± 2.1 vs 20.9 ± 1.5; p < 0.01). The results suggest that a semi‐intensive rhythm may be viewed favourably.
Short‐course therapy with imiquimod 5% cream for solar keratoses: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chen Keng , Yap Lee Mei , Marks Robin , Shumack Stephen 
Published: November 2003

SUMMARYA dual‐centre, randomized, double‐blind, vehicle‐controlled study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of short courses of therapy with imiquimod 5% cream in clearing ≥75% of baseline solar keratoses (SK) within a field of treatment. Subjects with 5–15 baseline SK within one treatment area (scalp, forehead and temples, or both cheeks) were randomized to apply imiquimod or vehicle cream to the entire treatment area three times a week for 3 weeks. Subjects were assessed 4 weeks after completing the first course for clearance of lesions. Subjects with <75% clearance were commenced on a second 3‐week course of study cream. Subjects with ≥75% clearance were followed up until study completion without further therapy. All subjects were evaluated at the study endpoint of 14 weeks after initiating therapy for assessment of the primary outcome (≥75% clearance of baseline solar keratoses). Twenty‐one out of 29 (72%) imiquimod‐treated subjects cleared ≥75% of baseline lesions compared with 3/10 (30%) subjects using the vehicle cream (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.027). Imiquimod was well tolerated. The present study has a short follow‐up endpoint, but suggests that imiquimod is a potential therapeutic alternative in patients with SK.
Chronic actinic dermatitis: A retrospective analysis of 44 cases referred to an Australian photobiology clinic
Authors: Yap Lee Mei , Foley Peter , Crouch Rohan , Baker Christopher 
Published: November 2003

SUMMARYA retrospective study was performed to analyse the clinical and photobiological features and therapeutic outcomes of 44 patients with chronic actinic dermatitis who were evaluated over an 8.3‐year period. The study population comprised 37 men and seven women with a mean age of 62.7 years (range 26–85 years). The most common abnormal phototest results were decreased minimal erythema doses to both UVA and ‐B (73.8%), and to UVA alone (14.3%). Twenty‐six patients (78.8%) had at least one allergic, photoallergic or combined allergic/photoallergic reaction. A total of 139 positive contact or photocontact reactions were recorded (mean 4.2 per patient). Most commonly, treatment consisted of photoprotection, topical corticosteroids and episodic use of systemic agents, in particular azathioprine.
Cutaneous angiosarcoma of the face and scalp presenting as alopecia
Authors: Murray Stuart , Simmons Ivan , James Craig 
Published: November 2003

SUMMARYAn 83‐year‐old woman presented with a 6‐month history of hair loss and painless bruising involving her forehead and scalp. She was otherwise well. Skin biopsy of her scalp confirmed angiosarcoma with a significant increase in miniaturized and telogen hair follicles and some tumour‐associated scarring hair loss. She was commenced on the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel and then subsequently the semi‐synthetic taxane docetaxol. Treatment was terminated because of lack of response and adverse effects.Alopecia is an uncommon presentation in angiosarcoma and in this case there was a mixed pattern of focal scarring and follicular miniaturization. The latter was present only in areas of tumour involvement and not in a typical pattern distribution for androgenetic alopecia.The direct role of tumour in follicular miniaturization and alopecia is speculated and the implications of this for novel future treatment strategies is discussed.
Phenytoin‐induced linear IgA dermatosis mimicking toxic epidermal necrolysis
Authors: Tran Diana , Kossard Steven , Shumack Stephen 
Published: November 2003

SUMMARYA 60‐year‐old woman developed a severe widespread blistering eruption that also involved the palms and soles, but spared the mucosae, approximately 7 days after starting phenytoin. Phenytoin was commenced postoperatively after a craniotomy resection of a glioblastoma multiforme. The clinical features resembled that seen in toxic epidermal necrolysis. However, the patient was systemically well and the histology and immunofluorescence revealed linear IgA dermatosis. The skin lesions began to slowly heal 2 weeks after discontinuation of the phenytoin.
Alopecia neoplastica caused by desmoplastic melanoma
Authors: Crotty Kerry , McCarthy William , Quinn Michael , McCarthy Stanley 
Published: November 2003

SUMMARYA 50‐year‐old man presented with a 6‐month history of localized alopecia on the left frontal area of the scalp. Biopsy revealed desmoplastic melanoma with associated neurotropism. Wide excision was performed and showed desmoplastic melanoma extending to excision margins. Hair follicles were focally reduced in number and were infiltrated by melanoma cells. He has subsequently required multiple wide excisions, exenteration of the left eye and radiotherapy. He has had multiple recurrences and has developed involvement of the first division of the trigeminal nerve intracranially. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of desmoplastic melanoma presenting as alopecia.
Perinatal Mental Health: Opportunities and Challenges for Psychiatry
Authors: Austin Marie-Paule 
Published: November 2003

Objective: Developments in public mental health policy in Australia and a renewed focus on the preventative importance of the early postnatal years have recently brought perinatal mental health to the fore. The present paper aims to explore the meaning of ‘perinatal mental health’ and its relevance to psychiatry, and to examine the opportunities and challenges currently facing Australian psychiatrists in the provision of services in the perinatal period. Methods: The definition of ‘perinatal mental health’ is discussed and the impact of maternal mental illness arising in the ‘perinatal’ period on offspring outcomes and early intervention endeavours are reviewed. Recent Australian developments in public health policy are outlined. Results: The use of the term ‘perinatal’ highlights the importance of considering the mental health needs of both parents and infants from conception and through the developmentally critical first 2 years of life. The relevance of a perinatal approach is supported by a literature demonstrating that maternal mental illness arising at this time can adversely affect offspring mental health outcomes. Early intervention programmes targeted at well-defined ‘high risk’ families in the perinatal period may be of value in terms of reducing this morbidity but remain to be replicated. Although the 2nd National Mental Health Plan and other recent Australian health policy initiatives support the belief that good mental health care in the perinatal period is critical to the mental health of future generations, such care provision remains fragmented and often difficult to access. Innovative developments in public health policy and models of service provision are beginning to address these shortcomings. Conclusions: An understanding of the conceptual and empirical underpinnings of ‘perinatal mental health’ is essential if there is to be a shift towards an integrated approach to mental health service provision and better access for vulnerable families at this time. As psychiatrists, we have much to contribute to early identification and intervention strategies and the integration of these services with those provided by primary health-care professionals in the perinatal period.
The ‘Out of House’ Solution to Boundary Violations
Authors: Canaris Christopher 
Published: November 2003

Objective: To comment on professional boundary violations within psychiatry and other settings while exploring an ‘out of house’ solution to this long-standing problem. Conclusions: Boundary violations within psychiatry and other professions have a long history and have generated an extensive literature in Australia. Meaningful measures to address the problem barring expulsion of offenders from professional practice have been hitherto lacking. An independent evaluation and treatment programme addressing the needs of clergy, however, is now available. Parallel models of care focused on education around boundaries may be of value to psychiatrists.
Staying Tuned to Developments in Indigenous Health: Reflections on a Decade of Change
Authors: Hunter Ernest 
Published: November 2003

Objective: Reflecting on a paper published in Australasian Psychiatry one decade ago, the author identifies that in terms of gross indices of morbidity and mortality little has changed despite what appears to be substantial activity and effort. To explain this apparent paradox, the author examines a number of specific areas of change: critical issues, services, language, research, and health ‘players’. These are put in a historical context. Conclusions: Given the enormity of social disadvantage and the deplorable state of health resources available to Indigenous Australians three decades ago, significant preconditions for health advancement have been required, which are themselves intermediate or process outcomes. In relation to a range of these including Indigenous workforce participation and research capacity, there have been very substantial developments in the last decade. This effort will need to be sustained in the long term to realize reductions in health differentials.