bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mutational analysis of PPARG as a candidate tumour suppressor gene in enteropancreatic endocrine tumours
Authors: Costa‐Guda Jessica , Rosen Evan D. , Jensen Robert T. , Chung Daniel C. , Arnold Andrew 
Published: April 2005

SummaryObjectives  Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) or deletion of chromosome 3p is a frequent finding in enteropancreatic endocrine tumours (EPETs), suggesting the pathogenetic involvement of one or more tumour suppressor genes on 3p. PPARG, the gene encoding the gamma isoform of the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPARγ), is highly expressed in normal human pancreatic islet cells, is located at 3p25, and has been reported to sustain loss‐of‐function mutations in human colorectal carcinomas. Additionally, the development of islet cell hyperplasia in an islet cell‐specific pparg knockout mouse has further emphasized the attractiveness of PPARG as a candidate gene important in the pathogenesis of EPETs. Therefore, we sought to examine PPARG for intragenic inactivating mutations, the evidence needed to rigorously establish it as a tumour suppressor in EPETs.Patients and design  Twenty‐three EPETs from 20 patients were examined for coding region mutations in PPARG and for LOH on 3p at microsatellite markers flanking PPARG.Results  LOH on 3p was detected in tumours from six patients (30%), but no intragenic mutations were detected in PPARG, whether or not LOH was present.Conclusion  These findings strongly suggest that PPARG does not commonly function as a classical tumour suppressor gene in the pathogenesis of EPETs.
Glycodelin responses to hyperinsulinaemic clamp vary according to basal serum glycodelin concentration
Authors: Seppälä Markku , Mandelin Erik , Koistinen Riitta , Bergholm Robert , Tiikkainen Mirja , Yki‐Järvinen Hannele 
Published: April 2005

SummaryObjective Treatment with metformin, an insulin‐lowering agent, increases serum glycodelin, a progesterone‐regulated lipocalin protein of the reproductive axis that may play a role in foeto‐maternal defence mechanisms. This finding led to the hypothesis that insulin might decrease serum glycodelin concentration.Design, patients and measurements Euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp experiments (n = 50) were carried out on 28 women of reproductive age (range 25–47 years; mean ± SEM 39 ± 1·0 years), and the results were analysed with respect to their baseline serum progesterone (< 10 or ≥ 10 nmol/l) and glycodelin (< 10 or ≥ 10 µg/l, equivalent to < 357 or ≥ 357 pmol/l) concentrations at the onset of the clamp. Ten clamp experiments were performed on five women wearing a levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine device (IUD), and these were analysed as a separate group.Results Contrary to the hypothesis, no acute glycodelin‐lowering effect of insulin was found in any of the groups studied. All the small rises in glycodelin levels detected during acute hyperinsulinaemia occurred in the comparisons of medians and not means, and all such changes took place within the limits seen in the women with no progesterone exposure. In the group with low progesterone/low glycodelin (n = 21), glycodelin showed a small but significant increase at 30 and 90 min of the clamp (P < 0·01). In the group with elevated progesterone/low glycodelin (n = 11), there was a slight glycodelin increase at 30 min (P < 0·05), whereas no increase was found in the group with elevated glycodelin levels (n = 8). In the clamp experiments on women with levonorgestrel‐releasing IUD, the basal glycodelin level was low in all cases and, as in the other women with low glycodelin levels, glycodelin was slightly increased at 30, 60 and 90 min of hyperinsulinaemia (P < 0·01).Conclusions The results rule out any acute glycodelin‐reducing effects of insulin, although indirect long‐term effects mediated by insulin on glycodelin secretion cannot be excluded.
Growth hormone releasing hormone plus arginine stimulation testing in young adults treated in childhood with cranio‐spinal radiation therapy
Authors: Ham J. Nina , Ginsberg Jill P. , Hendell Christine D. , Moshang Thomas 
Published: April 2005

SummaryObjective  Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) secondary to cranio‐spinal radiation therapy (CSRT) is a complication seen in medulloblastoma survivors. The standard for diagnosis of adult GHD is a peak GH < 3 µg/l by the insulin tolerance test (ITT). However, insulin tolerance testing exposes patients to the risks of hypoglycaemia. Recent studies suggest that the GH releasing hormone + arginine (GHRH + ARG) test can identify GHD in cranially irradiated patients at longer time intervals after radiation. We evaluated the GHRH + ARG stimulation test compared to the ITT in young adults diagnosed with medulloblastoma during childhood.Patients  We evaluated 10 young adult patients (age range 17–26 years) who were treated with CSRT during childhood for medulloblastoma, and who had resultant childhood‐onset GHD.Measurements  Subjects underwent GH provocative testing with the ITT and the GHRH + ARG test. IGF‐I and IGFBP3 levels were also measured at baseline.Results  Insulin tolerance testing and GHRH + arginine stimulation were performed at a mean ± SD 14 ± 4·4 years after cranial radiation. All patients failed the ITT with median peak GH 0·40 µg/l (range < 0·05–2·2). GHRH + arginine gave higher peak GH levels with a mean of 7·9 ± 5·7 µg/l (P = 0·003). Four patients had peak GH > 9 µg/l and were between 7·8 and 19·6 years from cranial radiation. There was no correlation of peak GH levels with time interval since CSRT. Thirty‐three per cent of subjects had normal IGF‐I; neither IGF‐I nor IGFBP3 standard deviation scores (SDS) correlated with ITT results.Conclusions  Using a GHRH + arginine cut‐off for GHD of 9 µg/l, four patients would have been misclassified as GH sufficient, despite being > 7 years (with two patients being nearly 20 years) out from CSRT. These findings suggest that the pituitary GH‐producing cells of young adults continue to maintain responsiveness to GHRH + arginine more than 5–10 years after cranial irradiation.
Could Species Segregation be a Consequence of Aggregation Processes? Example ofPeriplaneta americana(L.) andP. fuliginosa(Serville)
Authors: Leoncini Isabelle , Rivault Colette 
Published: April 2005

AbstractOur aim was to show how interindividual interactions, based on specific recognition signals that induce aggregation, can lead to the emergence of a segregation pattern between species. Groups including two cockroach species,Periplaneta americana(L.) (P.a.) andPeriplaneta fuliginosa(Serville) (Dictyoptera: Blattidae) (P.f.) were tested. Behavioural choice tests between two resting sites demonstrated aggregation behaviour in the two species. Aggregation in both species is based on chemical cues.Periplaneta fuliginosahas a higher aggregation level thanP.a.and responds only to its conspecific odour.Periplaneta americanais attracted by the odour of both species presented alone. In the presence of the odours of both species,P.f.selects its own odour, butP.a.neither selects its own odour, nor aggregates under these conditions. This could mean that the perceived chemical signals impair the aggregation process. In mixed groups including larvae of these two species, segregation between species occurs. We assumed that the first species that happened to form an aggregate on one of the resting sites induced the other species to occupy the remaining site. The emergence of a segregation pattern between the two species could be a consequence of the aggregation processes.
Sex, Rank and Age Differences in the Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata yakui) Participation in Inter‐Group Encounters
Authors: Majolo Bonaventura , Ventura Raffaella , Koyama Nicola F. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractIn many species interactions among group are often characterized by agonistic behaviour. Although animals may participate in inter‐group encounters in different ways, depending on their energetic requirements, reproductive tactics, and/or developmental stage, the proximate causes affecting an animal's participation in inter‐group encounters are still poorly understood. Indeed, many studies have analysed the behaviour of males and females during inter‐group encounters without considering the importance of additional factors (e.g. rank). This study focuses on wild non‐provisioned Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui) living on Yakushima Island, Japan. It aims to determine how monkeys of different sex, age, and rank behave during inter‐group encounters and it discusses the implications and consequences of their behaviour on group composition and male dispersal. Males participated significantly more than females in inter‐group encounters, by displaying more aggressive or affiliative behaviour. High‐ranking and/or adult males were more aggressive than low‐ranking and/or subadult males during encounters occurring in the mating season and they also showed more herding behaviour. This trend was not found in inter‐group encounters occurring during the non‐mating season. Finally, males which then emigrated to new groups were low‐ranking and/or subadult individuals. Those males displayed more affiliative behaviour towards foreign males than males which did emigrate. These data indicate that in non‐territorial species with male dominance over female and high competition for mating partners males play an active, and often aggressive, role during inter‐group encounter while female participation is scarce. Factors such as age, rank and period of the year (in seasonally breeding species) have to be taken into considerations when analysing interactions between groups and their effects on group composition and social behaviour.
Double‐chambered right ventricle: Magnetic resonance imaging findings
Authors: Puvaneswary M , Indira N , Sreedhar M , Barooah B 
Published: April 2005

SummaryPrimary double‐chambered right ventricle is an uncommon congenital anomaly that presents with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction in childhood or adolescence. A search of the literature revealed only a few documented case reports with MRI findings. We present a case with mixed lesions, and with anomalous muscle bundles located both in the middle portion of the right ventricular sinus and at the subinfundibular level.
Successful medical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms in a patient with Behçet's disease: Imaging findings
Authors: Yekeler E , Tunaci A , Tunaci M , Kamali S , Gul A , Acunas B 
Published: April 2005

SummaryArterial manifestations of Behçet's disease consist of aneurysm formation, stenosis and occlusion. Aneurysms in Behçet's disease most commonly involve the pulmonary arteries and have been shown to resolve with medical treatment. However, this regression pattern with medical therapy has not been reported for aortic aneurysms to date. We present a 43‐year‐old man with bilateral abdominal aortic aneurysms resulting from Behçet's disease resolving with medical therapy.
Castleman's disease with isolated extensive cervical involvement
Authors: Yildirim H , Cihangiroglu M , Ozdemir H , Kabaalioglu A , Yekeler H , Kalender O 
Published: April 2005

SummaryCastleman's disease is a lymphoproliferative disorder of uncertain cause characterized by a distinctive pattern of hypervascular lymphoid hyperplasia. Computed tomography and MRI can be used to define the extent of disease. The latter may be used to detect curvilinear hypointensities within the abnormal node. Symmetrical involvement of nasopharyngeal and parapharyngeal regions in our case without disease elsewhere is considered to be an unusual presentation.
Evaluation of the use of computed tomography versus conventional orthogonal X‐ray simulation in the treatment of rectal cancer
Authors: Chao M , Gibbs P , Tjandra J , Darben P , Lim‐Joon D , Jones IT 
Published: April 2005

SummaryThe aim of this study is to compare and contrast the treatment fields designed using CT versus conventional orthogonal X‐ray simulation in the treatment of patients with rectal cancer given preoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Nine patients participated in this study. The coverage of treatment fields, the volume of treatment fields, and the position of the anorectal junction in relation to the inferior border of the obturator foramen as the delineator of the pelvic floor were evaluated in each patient using CT and conventional orthogonal X‐ray simulation. The results demonstrated undercoverage of the anterior border of the lateral fields of up to 2.5 cm in seven of nine patients when conventional orthogonal X‐ray simulation was compared to CT simulation. In addition, the inferior border of the obturator foramen proved to be a poor delineator of the pelvic floor with the anorectal junction situated up to 2 cm superiorly in seven of nine patients. In conclusion, CT simulation is superior to conventional orthogonal X‐ray simulation when designing treatment fields for patients with rectal cancer.
How far does a doctor's ‘duty of care’ go?
Authors: Torda A. 
Published: April 2005

Abstract It is a long‐standing tradition in medicine that doctors have an ethical duty to care for all patients who fall within the scope of their skill base. This duty reflects the value system of many doctors and the type of typical dedication to their craft that has long been expected and given. The modern doctor, however, may have other additional roles – such as those of parent, researcher, businessperson and many others. What about the duties that accompany these other activities and what if these duties come into conflict with the duty to care for patients? How does a doctor decide how far the duty to care for patients extends? This article explores this question of duty and discusses how the notion of the traditional doctor's duty to care may need to be amended in light of the kinds of lives that doctors now lead. (Intern Med J 2005; 35: 295–296)
Intra‐arterial thrombolysis in acute ischaemic stroke
Authors: Jones M. M. , Nogajski J. H. , Faulder K. , Harrington T. , Ng P. , Storey C. E. 
Published: April 2005

Abstract Several thrombolytic agents for the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke have been examined; however, to date, only the i.v. administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator is licensed in Australia. Although no trials directly comparing intra‐arterial and i.v. delivery of thrombolytics exist, intra‐arterial thrombolysis has several potential advantages, including angiographic assessment of the thrombus and the site of occlusion and collateral circulation, improved recanalization, and delivery of higher local concentrations of thrombolytic agents and extending the therapeutic time window for treatment. We conducted a retrospective audit of our experience with the use of intra‐arterial urokinase to treat acute ischaemic stroke at an Australian tertiary‐care hospital between June 1993 and June 2003. We examined time from stroke onset to assessment, computerized tomography scan, cerebral angiography and thrombolysis, anatomical classification of intra‐arterial thrombus, rates of symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage, and clinical outcome at 3 months. We believe that in carefully selected individuals in appropriate centres of expertise, intra‐arterial thrombolytic therapy holds great promise. (Intern Med J 2005; 35: 300–302)
Services Trade Liberalisation Strategies for APEC Member Economies
Authors: McGuire Greg , Findlay Christopher 
Published: April 2005

A tribute to a member of our team The work on measuring restrictions on trade in services would not have been possible without Kaleeswaran Kalirajan. KK, as he was known, was an extremely talented and energetic econometrician who worked tirelessly to develop new methodologies to measure the price and cost effects of restrictions on trade in services. KK died unexpectedly in 2003. He, and his pioneering contribution to this work, will not be forgotten.APEC member economies are moving forward with liberalising their services markets. They have agreed to free and open trade and investment by 2020. In achieving this goal, APEC member economies can benefit greatly from understanding the effects of removing certain types of restrictions. This article brings together, for the first time, comprehensive measures of restrictions on trade in services and their liberalisation effects. APEC member economies can use these measures and analysis to devise strategies to pursue further services trade liberalisation.
Literacy difficulties and psychiatric disorders: evidence for comorbidity
Authors: Carroll Julia M. , Maughan Barbara , Goodman Robert , Meltzer Howard 
Published: April 2005

Background:  Literacy difficulties show high levels of comorbidity with both disruptive and emotional disorders, but questions remain over the nature and specificity of these links.Method:  Relationships between specific literacy difficulties and psychiatric disorder were investigated in a large‐scale national sample of children aged 9 to 15 years.Results:  Specific literacy difficulties were more common in children from lower socio‐economic backgrounds, and were significantly associated with increased risks of Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (especially inattentive symptomatology), Conduct Disorder and anxiety disorders in both girls and boys, and with self‐reports of depressed mood in boys. Associations between literacy difficulties and diagnoses of both Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) were mediated by inattentiveness, as were links with low mood. Links between specific literacy difficulties and anxiety were of a different nature, suggestive of a direct impact of literacy problems on risk for anxiety disorders.Conclusions:  Literacy difficulties are significantly associated with externalising disorders via inattention, but may constitute a more immediate risk factor for naturally anxious children to develop clinically significant levels of anxiety.
Participation in power sports and antisocial involvement in preadolescent and adolescent boys
Authors: Endresen Inger M. , Olweus Dan 
Published: April 2005

Background:  A limited number of mostly cross‐sectional studies have examined the possible effects of power sports on aggressive and antisocial involvement in children and youth. The majority of these studies have serious methodological limitations, and results are partly contradictory. Longitudinal studies with representative, reasonably large samples and adequate dependent variables are lacking.Methods:  The relationship between participation in power or fight and strength sports (boxing, wrestling, weightlifting, and oriental martial arts) and violent and antisocial behaviour was examined in a sample of 477 boys, aged 11 to 13 years at Time 1, over a two‐year period. Making use of information about different participation patterns over time, the longitudinal design provided an opportunity to examine specified hypotheses about possible causal effects of power sports.Results:  The total pattern of results strongly suggests that participation in power sports actually leads to an increase or enhancement of antisocial involvement in the form of elevated levels of violent as well as non‐violent antisocial behaviour outside sports. In addition, there were no indications of selection effects; the presence of such effects would imply that boys who started with power sports were characterised by already elevated levels of antisocial involvement.Conclusions:  The results provide strong support for the ‘enhancement hypothesis’. The negative effects in boys seemed to stem from both the practice of power sports itself and from repeated contact with ‘macho’ attitudes, norms, and ideals. The negative effects of participation in power sports represent a societal problem of considerable dimensions which has been largely neglected up to now.
How Do Any Species Persist? Lessons for Conservation Biology
Authors: GOODMAN DANIEL 
Published: April 2005

Abstract: Recent reformulation of the birth‐and‐death process model to include the effects of environmental variation on stochastic demography presents a pessimistic view of the prospects for persistence of small populations. The models indicate that modest increases in population size, or in the mean (positive) growth rate of the population, do not dramatically increase the mean persistence time. The key to long‐term persistence seems to lie in reducing the variance in the population growth rate.Natural populations, of those species that are not numerous, achieve their persistence through a variety of variance‐reduction mechanisms. These notably include: I) risk‐averaging by wide geographic distribution over areas that experience mutually independent environmental variation, and 2) reliance on restricted “hot spots” of especially favorable habitat where the local population growth rate is almost invariably strongly positive when the population is not crowded.These natural mechanisms depend on a spatial scale, and on species‐specific richness of habitat, which is not readily attained for many species on biological reserves with a “hamis‐off” management policy. However, these mechanisms can be mimicked by management intervention strategies‐particularly by reintroduction programs in an “archipelago” of geographically dispersed reserves that are otherwise mutually isolated and by resource augmentation, predator and disease control, and other survival‐and‐reproduction enhancement programs implemented specifcally at times when the population is at a low ebb.
Area Requirements for the Conservation of Rain Forest Raptors and Game Birds in French Guiana
Authors: THIOLLAY J.M. 
Published: April 2005

Abstrack:The distribution and density of diurnal raptors and large game birds were studied in the vast unbroken rain forest of French Guiana to bring some concrete data to the design of a national park Mainly by mapping the movements of raptors displaying over the canopy and estimating densities on understory strip transects, I tried to assess the species composition of I 1 2,500–ha plots of primary forest then to determine the actual population of a 10,000–ha area including all the major forest habitats Among 27 primary forest raptors 7 were recorded in all plots and 4 in only I or 2 plots. There was a near doubling of species with a tenfold increase in area but no 10,000–ha area and few 100,000–ha quadrats would include the full regional set of forest raptors A 10,000–ha plot included less than 100 pairs of diurnal raptors and only 23 species, 21 of which were represented by a mere I to 8 pairs. The three rarest species (harpy eagle, black caracara and orange‐breasted falcon) have extremely low densities and patchy distributions (on average 1 pair for 10,000 to 300,000‐ha), but narrow habitat selection or specialized diet are not the sole correlates of rarity. The dispute o w the best conservation strategy cannot be settled without a knowledge of the species' ecology that is currently lacking. Local patchiness and low dispersal ability usually argue for single large reserves, whereas some widely scattered species may be better protected in a network of smaller reserves According to the results and the (still unsupported) minimum size estimates of a viable population, the smallest Guianan rain forest reserve including a complete bird community should be somewhere between I and 10 million hectares Moreover, the large game birds were found to be high sensitive to hunting pressure even when it occurs around the protected area. Their seasonal movements make them especially vulnerable.