bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alterations of the fragile histidine triad gene in hepatitis C virus‐associated hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: ZEKRI ABDEL‐RAHMAN N , BAHNASSY ABEER A , HAFEZ MOHAMED , EL‐SHEHABY AMAL MR , SHERIF GHADA M , KHALED HUSSEIN M , ZAKHARY NADIA 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  The present study was conducted to address whether homozygous deletion (HZD) or transcriptional alterations of the fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene play a role in the development and progression of hepatitis C virus‐associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:  Homozygous deletion of the FHIT gene at exons 3–9 was assessed as well as mRNA FHIT expression using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The study included 23 samples of HCC, 11 on top of cirrhosis and 12 non‐cirrhotic, in addition to five cases with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), as well as seven morphologically normal tissues distant to the tumor (NDT) and 10 normal liver samples from liver transplantation donors.Results:  Homozygous deletion was found in 18 of 23 HCC cases. The highest incidence of deletion was detected in exon 9 (52.0%) and the lowest in exon 7 (4.3%). Ten of the 18 cases (55.5%) showed deletion in more than one exon, eight in two exons, one in three exons and one in five exons. There was a significant association between HZD of exons 5 and 9 and HCC arising on top of cirrhosis (P = 0.041 and 0.006, respectively) as well as between exons 8 and 9 and the presence of CAH (P = 0.029 and 0.034, respectively). Aberrant FHIT transcripts were detected in 15 HCC cases (65.2%), 13 of them showed complete reduction of the mRNA transcripts and two showed abnormal bands. Sequence analysis of abnormal‐sized transcripts revealed that they were generated by the fusion of exons 5 and 7 as well as exons 7 and 9. In contrast, six of the seven NDT samples tested (85.6%) showed HZD in one or more exons. None of the normal liver samples from liver transplantation donors showed any changes. The highest incidence of HZD was detected in exon 9 (five of six cases representing 83.3%) and the lowest was in exon 4 (one of six cases representing 16.7%). Four cases showed the same aberrant FHIT HZD in both NDT and matched HCC.Conclusions:  The results of the present study indicate that the FHIT gene is a frequent target in hepatitis C virus‐associated HCC and that alterations affecting this gene could be an early event in this type of neoplasm as they were detected in cirrhotic and CAH patients. However, this should be confirmed by a larger, extended study including more cases of cirrhotic and CAH patients as well as matched tumor and normal samples.
Indigenous transplant outcomes in Australia: What the ANZDATA Registry tells us
Authors: MCDONALD Stephen 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARY:  While the rates of renal replacement therapy for end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) among Aboriginal Australians have increased rapidly over the past 20 years, the chances of Aboriginal Australians receiving a kidney transplant are about one‐third those among non‐Aboriginal Australians. The lower percentage of transplants from living donors for Aboriginal recipients (14%) compared with non‐Aboriginal Australians (36%) since 1997 contributes to this. Furthermore, among recipients of grafts from cadaveric donors, waiting times are longer, the number of human leucocyte antigen mismatches is significantly greater among Aboriginal (4.11 (95% confidence interval 3.83–4.39)) vs non‐Aboriginal recipients (2.95 (95% CI 2.87–3.02); P < 0.001), and sensitised recipients are more common (peak panel reactive antibody ≥ 50%, 25% among Aboriginal vs 12% among non‐Aboriginal recipients (P < 0.001).Graft survival is poorer amongst Aboriginal Australians than non‐Aboriginal Australians – independent of whether the graft is from a living donor or deceased donor. Among primary deceased donor graft recipients, the hazard ratio (HR) for graft survival among Aboriginal recipients was 3.1 (95% CI 2.2–4.2), P < 0.001 and that for patient survival 3.6 (95% CI 2.5–5.1, P < 0.001) compared with non‐Aboriginal Australians. This higher graft‐loss rate among Aboriginal recipients of primary deceased donor grafts persists even after adjustment for the higher rate of comorbidity in this group (HR of 1.95 (1.22–3.11, P = 0.005). This is reflected in higher rates of vascular rejection among Aboriginal recipients, with a crude relative risk of 1.97 (95% CI 1.63–2.34) (P < 0.001), compared with non‐Aboriginal Australians. Despite the advantages in terms of morbidity and quality of life, it remains uncertain whether transplantation offers a mortality advantage among Aboriginal Australians.
How specialized is the plant–pollinator association betweenEucalyptus globulusssp.globulusand the swift parrotLathamus discolor?
Authors: HINGSTON ANDREW B. , GARTRELL BRETT D. , PINCHBECK GINA 
Published: December 2004

Abstract The swift parrotLathamus discolor(Shaw) (Psittacidae) evolved from granivorous ancestors to become a specialized flower‐feeder in a monotypic genus. Its reproduction is dependent largely on flowers ofEucalyptus globulusLabill. ssp.globulus(Myrtaceae),the birds migrating to breed within the natural distribution of this tree. This paper investigates the extent to which this dependence ofL. discoloronE. globulusis mirrored by dependence of the tree on the bird. It was found thatL. discolorcarried significantly more eucalypt pollen within 22 mm of its bill tip than did the New Holland honeyeater,Phylidonyris novaehollandiae(Latham) (Meliphagidae), and that pollen was concentrated on the regions of the head ofL. discolorthat consistently contact stigmas. Larger pollen loads onL. discolorcan be attributed to it consuming both pollen and nectar, while honeyeaters take nectar only. The short thick bill ofL. discolornecessitates regular stigmatic contact while the long slender bills of honeyeaters are unlikely to contact stigmas as often in these bowl‐shaped flowers. These factors suggest thatL. discolorhas a greater capacity to deposit pollen on stigmas ofE. globulusthan do honeyeaters. However, the characteristics ofL. discolorthat make it such an effective pollinator ofE. globulusare also exhibited by a lorikeet (Psittacidae) that feeds on flowers ofE. globulus. The association betweenE. globulusandL. discoloris therefore only moderately specialized because the flowers are also adapted to the more recently associated lorikeet and are almost certainly also pollinated by honeyeaters.
Penile cancer in the UK: clinical presentation and outcome in 1998/99
Authors: Ritchie Alastair W.S. , Foster Paul W. , Fowler Sarah 
Published: December 2004

OBJECTIVETo use the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) Cancer Registry data to audit a cohort of patients with penile cancer, and thus evaluate current management practices in the UK.PATIENTS AND METHODSIn all, 243 patients were registered over an 18‐month period shortly before the publication of the UK National Institute of Clinical Excellence cancer guidelines. Clinical data, including preceding skin disorders, the clinical presentation, management, treatment‐related complications and the outcome in terms of local, nodal or distant disease recurrence, survival and cause of death, were sought from the originating clinician.RESULTSData were obtained on 193 patients (79% of the initial population). One consultant reported five patients and the most from one centre was eight. A painless lump or ulcer was the commonest presentation; 45 patients had pre‐existing skin disorders. The median age was 65.5 years and 67 patients were aged < 60 years. Squamous cell carcinoma accounted for 94% of the pathology. There were wide variations in treatment for patients of similar disease stage. Twenty‐six patients had palpable regional nodes and 44 had a lymph node dissection; complications were reported in 43, including 18 of 44 having node dissection. The median follow–up was 27.7 months from the date of diagnosis. Death from penile cancer was recorded in one of 22 patients with stage 0 disease and seven of nine with stage IV disease. Positive lymph nodes had a detrimental effect on survival.CONCLUSIONExperience in the management of penile cancer is shared by many urological surgeons in the UK. These data provide a ‘baseline’ against which to measure the outcome of specialist multidisciplinary team activity.
Hyperbaric oxygen does not accelerate latent in vivo prostate cancer: implications for the treatment of radiation‐induced haemorrhagic cystitis
Authors: Chong Kian Tai , Hampson Neil B. , Bostwick David G. , Vessella Robert L. , Corman John M. 
Published: December 2004

OBJECTIVETo assess the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2; often used to treat haemorrhagic cystitis, a known side‐effect after radiation therapy for prostate cancer and with the potential to induce tumour angiogenesis and stimulate latent recurrence) on indolent in vivo prostate cancer in a murine model.MATERIALS AND METHODSHuman prostate LNCaP cells were injected into 60 severe combined‐immunodeficient mice; of these 24 (40%) did not develop palpable tumours after 6 weeks. They were randomized to undergo 20 sessions of either HBO2 or normobaric air in standardized conditions, and observed for another 4 weeks before the histological assessment of any palpable tumours that developed. Analysis of developed LNCaP tumours included tumour volume, microvessel density, MIB‐1, p53, p27 and racemase staining intensity.RESULTSHBO2 was associated with less prostate tumour progression than normobaric air (P = 0.26). During HBO2 therapy, 10 mice remained free of palpable tumours, compared with seven controls (P = 0.30). On evaluation during the 4 weeks after therapy, six mice treated with HBO2 remained free of palpable tumours, vs eight of the controls (P = 0.17). There was tumour invasion and necrosis in a two of six and four of the HBO2 group during and after therapy, respectively, vs five and seven of the controls. Tumour microvessel density, proliferative index, differentiation and apoptosis markers were similar in both groups.CONCLUSIONSHBO2 does not accelerate the growth of indolent prostate cancer in a murine model, suggesting that it does not increase the risk of residual prostate cancer reactivation when it is used to manage radiation‐induced haemorrhagic cystitis in patients treated by pelvic radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
Predictors of quality of life and pain in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: findings from the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Cohort Study
Authors: Tripp Dean A. , Curtis Nickel J. , Landis J. Richard , Wang Yan Lin , Knauss Jill S. ,   THE CPCRN STUDY GROUP
Published: December 2004

OBJECTIVESTo examine the cross‐sectional relationship of age, urinary and depressive symptoms and partner status on pain intensity and quality of life (QoL) in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS).PATIENTS AND METHODSIn all, 463 men enrolled in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Chronic Prostatitis Cohort Study from seven clinical centres (six in the USA and one in Canada) reported baseline screening symptoms using the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (CPSI). The CPSI provides scores for pain, urinary symptoms and QoL. In addition, a demographic profile, including age and partner (living with another) status, and a depressive symptom score were obtained. Regression modelling of QoL, adjusting for between‐centre variability, examined the unique effects of age, partner status, urological symptoms, depressive symptoms and pain.RESULTSUrinary scores, depressive symptoms and pain intensity scores significantly predicted QoL for patients with CP/CPPS (higher CPSI QoL scores indicated more impairment; median 8.0, range 0–12). On average, for every 1‐point increase in urinary scores, there was a corresponding increase in QoL score of 0.118 points (P = 0.001); for every 1‐point increase in pain intensity score, there was a corresponding increase in QoL score of 0.722 points (P < 0.001); and for every 1‐point decrease in depressive symptoms (lower scores equal poorer mood), the QoL score increased (poorer quality of life) by 0.381 points (P < 0.001). Age and partner status did not significantly contribute to poorer QoL. Urinary scores and depressive symptoms were significant predictors (P < 0.001) of pain in patients with CP/CPPS.CONCLUSIONSThese data show that depressive symptoms and pain intensity significantly predict a poorer QoL in patients with CP/CPPS, and that these effects are independent of partner status, age and urinary status. In particular, pain intensity was the most robust predictor of a poorer QoL. Further data relating pain and psychological factors to CP/CPPS are highly recommended, to aid in determining specific factors for pain and its impact on QoL. These data are essential if empirically guided efforts to manage pain are to progress.
Do cigarette smokers with erectile dysfunction benefit from stopping?: a prospective study
Authors: Pourmand Gholamreza , Alidaee Mohammad Reza , Rasuli Sohrab , Maleki Ameneh , Mehrsai Abdolrasoul 
Published: December 2004

OBJECTIVETo assess whether stopping smoking can improve erectile dysfunction (ED) in smokers, as cigarette smoking is a known risk factor for ED.PATIENTS AND METHODSSmokers who requested nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and complained of ED were first evaluated for hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, psychiatric disorders and drug history. The grade of ED in smokers with none of these risk factors was then determined using the five‐item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF‐5) before NRT, and the grading repeated after 1 year of follow‐up. The correlation between the exposure to smoking (pack‐years) and severity of ED was assessed before the follow‐up. The ED status between patients who stopped smoking after NRT and those who continued during the follow‐up was then compared before and after the follow‐up.RESULTSThe severity of ED correlated significantly with the level of exposure to smoking. Age and ED status before the follow‐up were not significantly different between 118 patients who stopped (ex‐smokers) and 163 who continued smoking (current smokers). After 1 year the ED status improved in ≥ 25% of ex‐smokers but in none of the current smokers; 2.5% of ex‐smokers and 6.8% of current smokers had a deterioration in ED. Ex‐smokers had a significantly better ED status after the follow‐up (P = 0.009). Among ex‐smokers, patients with advanced ED and those who were older had less improvement.CONCLUSIONThere is a strong association between the intensity of cigarette smoking and degree of ED. Stopping cigarette smoking can improve ED in a considerable proportion of smokers. Age and the severity of ED before stopping are inversely related to the chance of improvement.
Clinical and hormonal findings in testicular maturation arrest
Authors: Ishikawa Tomomoto , Fujioka Hitoshi , Fujisawa Masato 
Published: December 2004

OBJECTIVETo clarify the pathophysiology of maturation arrest (MA), one of the most important causes of male infertility, by examining testicular morphology and biophysical and endocrine profiles of azoospermic patients with MA.PATIENTS AND METHODSThirty azoospermic men were assessed; 10 were found to have Sertoli‐cell only syndrome or chromosomal abnormalities, and 20 to have MA on biopsy. The second group had their clinical variables and findings analysed retrospectively after the diagnosis of MA (mean age 32.1 years, sd 5.2). Johnsen's score, serum hormone levels (follicle stimulating hormone, FSH, luteinizing hormone, LH, testosterone, prolactin and oestradiol), testicular volume, and the diameter of the seminiferous tubules, were evaluated. Patients were categorized into groups according to Johnsen score, i.e. group 1 (<4), group 2 (≥4 and <6) or group 3 (≥6). The clinical variables were compared in each group.RESULTSHormone levels in almost all patients were in the normal range. FSH was related to the stage of MA; the difference in FSH between groups 1 and 3 was significant (P = 0.006). Serum levels of LH, testosterone, prolactin or oestradiol were similar in all groups. The diameter of the seminiferous tubules was less in group 1 than in group 3 (r = 0.881, P < 0.001) and there was an inverse and linear correlation between the FSH concentration and the diameter of the seminiferous tubules (r = −0.661, P = 0.0028).CONCLUSIONSFSH is the most useful variable for evaluating the severity of MA, even when it is within the normal range. The finding that gonadal hormone concentrations are normal in patients with MA suggests that an abnormality other than a disturbance in the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐testicular axis is responsible for MA.
Partial nephrectomy for patients with a solitary kidney: the Memorial Sloan‐Kettering experience
Authors: Saranchuk Jeffery W. , Touijer A. Karim , Hakimian Payam , Snyder Mark E. , Russo Paul 
Published: December 2004

A careful analysis of 54 patients with a solitary kidney and who had a partial nephrectomy is reported by authors from New York. They found it to be a safe procedure with an acceptable decline in renal function which stabilised during the first year. The requirement for temporary haemodialysis was low.Authors from China report on the use of a retroperitoneoscopic approach to subcapsular nephrectomy in patients with infective or adhesive non‐functioning kidneys. Their results were excellent and they showed this to be an acceptable technique, with minimal trauma and blood loss and a quick recovery.OBJECTIVETo report the experience of partial nephrectomy in patients with a solitary kidney at one institution, with analysis of renal function, complications, oncological efficacy and survival.PATIENTS AND METHODSWe identified 54 consecutive patients with a solitary kidney who had a partial nephrectomy between December 1989 and July 2003. Variables examined included patient age and gender, renal function, renal ischaemia time, surgical margin status and complications. Pathological features, e.g. tumour size, histological subtype and tumour stage, were also assessed. Disease‐free probability and overall and cancer‐specific survivals were determined.RESULTSThe histological subtype was clear cell in 35 cases (65%), papillary in 10 (19%), oncocytoma in four (7%), chromophobe in two (4%), unclassified in one (2%) and multiple subtypes in two (2%). The median creatinine level before surgery was 14 mg/L, which increased to 16 mg/L 6 months afterward, and at 1 and 2 years after surgery it was 15 mg/L. Two patients developed end‐stage renal disease requiring haemodialysis, one soon after surgery and another 8 years after nephron‐sparing surgery. In all, 26% of patients developed at least one perioperative complication, with acute renal failure and urinary fistula being the most common. At 5 years the overall and cancer‐specific survival, and disease‐free probability were 68%, 88% and 73%, respectively.CONCLUSIONSPartial nephrectomy is safe in patients with a solitary kidney, with an acceptable decline in renal function and low likelihood of requiring temporary or permanent haemodialysis. After an initial decline, renal function appears to stabilize during the first year.
Can computed tomography in the protocol for renal colic be interpreted by urologists?
Authors: Connolly Stephen S. , Younis Choudhry , Meade William , Gallagher Ruth , Lovett Raymond , Brady Adrian , Fitzgerald Edward , Rogers Eamonn , Sweeney Paul 
Published: December 2004

OBJECTIVETo examine the ability of urologists to independently (with no radiology consultation) interpret non‐contrast‐enhanced spiral computed tomography (CT) in patients with acute renal colic.PATIENTS AND METHODSOne hundred consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department with suspected renal colic and evaluated with non‐contrast spiral CT were retrospectively reviewed. The CT films of each patient were assessed separately by a first‐year urology registrar and by a consultant urologist (neither of whom were subspecialized in uroradiology or endourology). The acute presentation details were provided to mimic the emergency situation.RESULTSUreteric calculi causing acute renal colic were evident in 54 patients. The consultant radiologist reported 51 ureteric calculi, and had a sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of 94.5%, 100% and 100%, respectively. The consultant urologist correctly identified 52 calculi, with sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values of 96.3%, 82.7% and 86.7%. The urology registrar detected 51 stones with sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values of 94.5%, 93.5% and 94.5%, respectively.CONCLUSIONNon‐contrast spiral CT in patients with acute renal colic is an effective diagnostic tool which allows rapid and accurate evaluation of the urinary tract, thereby facilitating the acute management of patients with renal colic.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in children before school age: experience of a Pakistani centre
Authors: Mahmud Mamun , Zaidi Zafar 
Published: December 2004

OBJECTIVETo review our experience of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in children before school age, and determine its efficacy and safety in this age group.PATIENTS AND METHODSThe records of children aged ≤ 5 years undergoing PCNL were reviewed. Variables assessed included stone number, size, location and type. The PCNL puncture site and number were also recorded. We reviewed stone clearance with PCNL, ancillary procedures used, complication rates and follow‐up status of the children.RESULTSThere were 30 renal units in 29 children (median age 3.8 years, range 1.4–5). Because of poor growth the mean (sd) body weight of the children was only 12.2 (2.8) kg, which is near the 50th percentile for children of mean age 3.5 years. The median (range) stone burden was 2.35 (1.3–6) cm; 60% of the patients had single stones while 28% had more than five. There were five staghorn stones. All PCNL was primary and with one puncture, using a 17 F angled nephroscope; stones were fragmented using a pneumatic lithoclast. After PCNL stones were completely cleared in 60% of the renal units, which increased to 100% after combining it with extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy. The median (range) follow‐up was 24.9 (4–51) months; the overall complication rate was 6%. In the long follow‐up hypertension was not detected in any child and isotopic renograms in 17 kidneys detected no new scarring or loss of renal function.CONCLUSIONPCNL is a safe and effective for treating renal stones in very young children.
The inhibitory role of melatonin on isolated guinea‐pig urinary bladder: an endogenous hormone effect
Authors: Semerciöz Atilla , Onur Rahmi , Ayar Ahmet , Orhan Irfan 
Published: December 2004

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of melatonin, an endogenous hormone, on acetylcholine and KCl‐induced contractions of isolated guinea‐pig detrusor muscle.MATERIALS AND METHODSDetrusor smooth muscle strips isolated from guinea‐pig bladders were placed in an organ bath containing physiological saline at 37 °C and pH 7.4, constantly bubbled with 95% oxygen and 5% CO2. The effects of cumulatively applied melatonin on the acetylcholine‐ and KCl‐induced contractions of isolated bladder strips were examined using isometric contraction measurements.RESULTSMelatonin (100 and 300 µmol/L) significantly inhibited the peak amplitude of both acetylcholine (10 µmol/L) and KCl (30 mmol/L)‐induced contraction of the isolated bladder strips (P < 0.05). Similarly, melatonin caused a significant reduction in the contractile frequency induced by KCl (eight strips) in a concentration‐dependent manner, while having no significant effect on the frequency of contractile response to acetylcholine, even at the highest concentration (300 µmol/L) used (P = 0.58, 14 strips).CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that melatonin inhibits acetylcholine‐ and KCl‐induced contractions in isolated bladder strips from guinea pigs. The endogenous nature of melatonin, with its low side‐effect profile, makes it a potentially useful agent to be considered in the medical management of the overactive bladder.