bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prospective audit of carotid endarterectomy in Scotland
Authors: Bradbury A W , Cooper G , Dennis M , Engeset J , Holdsworth R , Pell J , Quin R , Ruckley C V , Slack R , Stonebridge P A , Welch G 
Published: July 2002

Abstract

Background
Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a proven means of stroke prevention provided it is performed in appropriate patients, soon after the index ischaemic event and with low perioperative morbidity and mortality rates. This study investigated how well these conditions are being met in Scotland.

Methods
This was a prospective study of all 485 CEAs performed in National Health Service hospitals between 1 September 1997 and 31 September 1998. Data collection was by four independent research nurses.

Results
The median patient age was 67 (interquartile range 61–73) years; 461 patients (95 per cent) were operated on for focal symptoms, 389 of whom had a stenosis of 70 per cent or more. Some 36 per cent of patients were seen by the operating surgeon within 2 weeks of referral and 35 per cent were operated on within 1 month thereafter. The perioperative combined major stroke and death rate was 3 per cent. Operations were performed by 30 surgeons in 13 hospitals. The number of CEAs per surgeon ranged from one to 49, with ten surgeons undertaking fewer than ten operations. The number of CEAs per hospital ranged from four to 99 with only three surgeons undertaking more than 50 operations. The number of CEAs per hospital ranged from four to 99 with three hospitals undertaking 50 or more operations in the study period.

Conclusion
Despite the ‘diffuse’ nature of vascular surgical services necessitated by the demography and geography of Scotland, CEA is currently being performed with a perioperative major stroke and death rate substantially lower than that reported from randomized controlled trials. However, the overall effectiveness of surgery might be improved by reducing the delays to surgery.
Natural history of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis
Authors: Crinnon J N , Stansby G P , Wolfe J H N 
Published: July 2002

Abstract

Background
Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) may result in hypertension and progressive renal failure culminating in dialysis. However, the natural history of ARAS is unclear, and the necessity and timing of intervention is not established. The effect of ARAS on renal function and the control of blood pressure has been investigated.

Methods
Forty-eight patients (median age 73 years) with haemodynamically significant stenosis (more than 50 per cent diameter narrowing) of one or both renal arteries were enrolled in a multicentre prospective study. The patients were divided into three groups: 50–69 per cent unilateral stenosis (n = 17; group 1), 70–99 per cent unilateral stenosis (n = 16; group 2) and bilateral disease (n = 15; group 3). Baseline measurements of serum creatinine, kidney length and diastolic blood pressure were recorded and these were repeated at every 6 months. Any intervention to revascularize the kidney was recorded. Follow-up was for at least 2 years.

Results
Results at 2 years are shown.
The mortality rate in all groups was significant. All patients in group 1 and 2 were managed conservatively whereas the majority with bilateral disease underwent angioplasty (n = 8) or surgery (n = 3). Despite intervention one patient became dialysis dependent and the creatinine level deteriorated in the remaining patients. In patients with unilateral disease there was no significant change in renal function or blood pressure. Furthermore, renal size (baseline: 102 (96–107) mm; follow-up 100 (96–108) mm) and the number of antihypertensive drugs per patient remained similar.

Conclusion
In patients with unilateral stenosis the effect on renal function and blood pressure seems to be benign and intervention is seldom indicated. Revascularization in patients with bilateral disease does not improve the dismal mortality rate and whether it reduces the requirement for haemodialysis remains unproven.
Raised levels of plasma big endothelin 1 in patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Simpson R A , Dickinson T , Porter K E , London N J M , Hemingway D M 
Published: July 2002

Abstract

Background
The aim was to assess the role of plasma Big Endothelin (ET) 1 levels as a marker of disease presence and stage in colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Methods
Big ET-1 was measured in the plasma of 37 patients with colorectal cancer. Preoperative systemic plasma levels of Big ET-1 in patients with cancer were compared with levels in 20 age- and sex-matched controls. Portal plasma samples were collected at operation in addition to peripheral venous samples. Immunohistochemical staining for Big ET-1 was performed on a selection of primary tumour specimens and liver metastases.

Results
Median (range) preoperative systemic plasma levels of Big ET-1 were significantly higher in patients with cancer than in controls (1·0 (0·3–9·7) versus 0·2 (0·0–6·0) fmol/ml; P = 0·0001). Intraoperative portal plasma levels of Big ET-1 were significantly higher in patients with Dukes' ‘D’ disease than in patients with Dukes' A, B and C disease (2·1 (1·4–10·0) versus 1·2 (0·3–6·6) fmol/ml; P = 0·01). Similarly, systemic plasma levels were significantly higher in patients with Dukes' ‘D’ disease than in those with localized disease (1·9 (1·2–9·7) versus 1·2 (0·2–8·3) fmol/ml; P = 0·01). The presence of microvascular invasion in the tumour specimens was associated with a significantly raised portal plasma level of Big ET-1 (1·6 (1·5–2·1) versus 1·1 (0·8–1·3) fmol/ml; P = 0·04). Immunohistochemistry localized Big ET-1 to the cancer epithelial cells.

Conclusion
The plasma level of Big ET-1 is significantly raised in patients with colorectal cancer. Patients with liver metastases have significantly higher levels than those with localized disease.
Interleukin 10-deficient colitis: new similarities to human inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Kennedy R J , Hoper M , Deodhar K , Erwin P J , Kirk S J , Gardiner K R 
Published: July 2002

Abstract

Background
Interleukin (IL) 10 is a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine. Disruption of the IL-10 gene in C57/Black6 mice results in enterocolitis in the presence of intestinal bacteria. This study investigated gut mucosal barrier function sequentially during the development of colitis in this model.

Methods
Animals were bred in specific pathogen-free conditions and transferred to conventional housing at 4 weeks. Mice were evaluated at 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 15 weeks of age. Barrier function was assessed by measuring intestinal permeability and antibody response to systemic endotoxaemia (antibody to the core glycolipid region of lipopolysaccharide; EndoCAb). Colons were harvested and a histological injury score (HIS) was calculated.

Results
The HIS increased progressively until 12 weeks, with an associated increase in intestinal permeability, and immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG EndoCAb. The HIS correlated positively with both intestinal permeability and IgM and IgG EndoCAb. Intestinal permeability showed a positive correlation with EndoCAb.

Conclusion
IL-10 knockout mice develop colitis with an associated disturbance in gut mucosal barrier function, as measured by increased permeability and endotoxaemia. The colitis found in the IL-10 knockout mouse shares these histological, physiological and biochemical features with human inflammatory bowel disease and is therefore suitable for therapeutic trials. A measure of endotoxaemia correlated directly with intestinal permeability in this model.
Detection of thyroid stimulating (TSAB)‐ and thyrotropin stimulation blocking (TSBAB) antibodies with CHO cell lines expressing different TSH‐receptor numbers
Authors: Wallaschofski H. , Paschke R. 
Published: July 2002

BACKGROUNDWith the aim of assaying TSH‐receptor antibodies (TSHR AB) and to distinguish different TSHR AB activities, several in vitro bioassays for the determination of TSHR AB have been developed. The bioassay using the CHO cell line expressing the hTSH‐receptor (hTSHR) is the most sensitive and least cumbersome assay system. However, up to now, the CHO cell bioassay has been performed with cells expressing much higher TSHR numbers than normal thyroid epithelial cells and with variable assay conditions.DESIGN AND PATIENTSTo determine the optimal CHO cell bioassay conditions we therefore systematically investigated the influence of different assay parameters on the sensitivity of the CHO cell bioassay for the detection of TSHR antibodies in 197 patients with Graves' disease treated with antithyroid drugs and tried to define optimal assay conditions.RESULTSCompared to JP09 cells (90 000 hTSHR/cell), JP26 cells (2000 hTSHR/cell) exhibited a higher stimulation index (maximal bTSH‐stimulated cAMP production/cAMP production stimulated by pooled normal serum without bTSH) which is most likely due to the lower number of hTSHR expressed per JP26 cell compared to JP09 cells. Due to their low nonspecific stimulation by normal sera, 40 000 JP26 cells per well of a 96 well plate was found to be the optimal cell number. Moreover, a serum dilution of 1/10 yielded the highest stimulation results of bTSH and thyroid stimulating antibodies (TSAB). Applying these optimal conditions for the determination of TSH‐receptor antibodies only 10 of 34 TSBAB positive serum samples detected with JP26 cells were detectable with the JP09 cell line. In 197 patients with Graves' disease treated with antithyroid drugs 111 (56%) were TSAB positive. 34 (40%) of 86 TSAB negative patients were positive for thyrotropin stimulation blocking antibodies (TSBAB).CONCLUSIONImprovement of CHO bioassay conditions for the determination of TSH receptor antibodies leads to increased bioassay sensitivity which is most pronounced for the detection of TSBAB. Whether this increased sensitivity for the determination of TSBAB is of prognostic significance for detecting possible sequential changes in the individual TSHR AB profile of patients with Graves' disease, remains to be determined by further follow up studies.
Body composition in adults with Type 1 diabetes at onset and during the first year of insulin therapy
Authors: Rosenfalck A. M. , Almdal T. , Hilsted J. , Madsbad S. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractAims To describe body composition in patients with Type 1 diabetes at diagnosis and during the first year after initiation of insulin therapy.Research design and methods In 10 (eight male and two female) newly onset Type 1 patients, age 31.5 ± 3.2 years (27–37 years) (sd and range), body mass index (BMI) 20.8 ± 1.6 (19.2–23.4) kg/m2, body composition was estimated by means of dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) whole body scanning supplemented by estimation of total body water (TBW) (isotope dilution technique with 3H2O) at diagnosis and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of insulin therapy.Results During the first year after onset of diabetes body weight (BW) increased 4.3 ± 2.9 (0.1–8.3) kg (P = 0.0012) distributed as a 13.3% (1.6 kg) increase in total fat mass (FM) and 4.9% (2.5 kg) increase in lean body soft tissue mass (LBM). The self‐reported weight loss at onset was 6.3 ± 2.5 kg (1.5–10.0 kg). Compared with two reference populations the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and a healthy age and sex‐matched local DXA scanned group the initial body composition data demonstrated BW 6.2 kg below ideal weight and a significant reduction of the FM (25% or –0.87 sd), whereas LBM was within the expected range.Conclusions During the first year after onset of Type 1 diabetes the mean increase in BW is 6.5% with a 13.3% increase in FM and a 4.9% increase in LBM. Self‐reported data on premorbid BW suggest an approximately 10% reduction in BW at onset of Type 1 diabetes. Compared with a healthy reference population initial body composition data demonstrate a 25% reduction of the FM, whereas only a minor and non‐significant reduction in the LBM is encountered. These data indicate that uncontrolled diabetes is rather a fat catabolic state than, as previously believed, a protein catabolic state.
Site-dependent vibrational coupling of CO adsorbates on well-defined step and terrace sites of monocrystalline platinum: Mixed-isotope studies at Pt(335) and Pt(111) in the aqueous electrochemical environment
Authors: Kim Chung S. , Tornquist Wade J. , Korzeniewski Carol 
Published: July 2002

Infrared spectroscopy is applied to probe qualitative structural features of the adlayers formed by CO at step sites and on terrace planes of Pt(335){Pt(S)-[4(111)×(100)]} in the aqueous electrochemical environment. The C–O stretching vibrational features are reported for adlayers formed from 12CO/13CO isotopic mixtures over a wide range of CO surface coverages. At saturation, the predominant spectral features are associated with the vibrational modes of terrace-CO in terminal (atop) coordination environments. The position of the 12CO and 13CO spectral features and their relative intensity are examined for several 12CO/13CO fractions, and they are shown to display the characteristics of a strongly coupled system.
In comparison with corresponding mixed isotope spectra for CO at Pt(111) electrodes, intermolecular coupling for terrace-CO on the (111) surface planes of Pt(335) is observed to be significantly stronger, reflecting the higher CO surface coverages on the edge sites and the terrace sites of the Pt(335) surface plane. At low coverages, spectral features associated with edge-CO are discerned, and the intermolecular coupling for atop CO is weaker than for corresponding coverages of CO at Pt(111). The weak coupling at low coverages is attributed to the exclusive CO occupation at the step edges, which confines the intermolecular coupling to one dimension, in the direction along the step edges. For all coverages, values are determined for the dynamic dipole–dipole coupling parameter (Δνd) and the chemical (static–dipole) shift parameter (Δνs). Values for Δνs are generally small at all coverages. Values for Δνd are small (&lt;8 cm−1) at low coverages, where CO forms one-dimensional structures along the step edges, and they increase to large values (∼42 cm−1) at coverages that coincide with the growth of two-dimensional structures on the terrace planes. The majority of measurements were made for the Pt(335) electrode at potentials in the classical double-layer region, although dipole coupling parameters are also reported for Pt(335)/CO at potentials in the hydrogen adsorption region, where Δνd approaches zero at low coverages.
Understanding barriers to internal rotation in substituted toluenes and their cations
Authors: Lu Kueih-Tzu , Weinhold Frank , Weisshaar James C. 
Published: July 2002

In substituted toluenes, the potential energy barrier to internal methyl rotation and the preferred methyl conformation depend on the position of the fluorine, amino, or methyl substituents and also on the electronic state, either S0, S1, or ground state cation. We present a unified picture of the electronic factors controlling these effects. In S0 and cation, ab initio electronic structure calculations of modest scale produce rotor potentials in good agreement with experiment. The methyl group provides a sensitive probe of local ring geometry. When the geometry of the ring in the vicinity of the rotor has good local C2v symmetry, the barrier is invariably small. In S0 ortho-substituted toluenes, we use natural steric analysis to show that repulsive steric interactions between the halogen lone pair and the methyl CH bonds dominate over attractive donor–acceptor interactions to favor the pseudo-trans conformation. When steric interactions are unimportant, the key determinant of rotor barrier height is the difference in π-bond order between the two ring CC bonds nearest methyl.
The barrier height is proportional to the calculated bond order difference, with slope of 950 cm−1 per bond. Attractive donor–acceptor interactions favor the conformation that places the rotor CH bond cis to the ring CC bond of higher order, analogous to the localized case of 2-methylpropene. In toluene cations, π-ionization creates a pattern of long and short ring CC bonds. Simple molecular orbital theory readily explains the coarse bond-order patterns calculated for ortho- and meta-substituted toluene cations. A localized picture of π-bonding from natural resonance theory explains more subtle details of the distribution of CC bond orders about the ring. When π-ionization places the methyl group between ring CC bonds of quite different order, a substantial barrier results. This explains the strong preference of m-fluorotoluene+ for the pseudo-cis conformation and contributes to the preference of o-fluorotoluene+ for the pseudo-trans conformation. Finally, we speculate that a similar molecular orbital argument applied to S1 might explain the observed characteristic changes in barrier height on S1–S0 excitation of ortho- and meta-substituted toluenes.
Association analysis of a PAX‐6 gene promoter‐associated polymorphic repeat with alcohol dependence
Authors: SAMOCHOWIEC JERZY , ROTTMANN MATTHIAS , OKLADNOVA OLGA , SYAGAILO YANA , STÖBER GERALD , SANDER THOMAS , MÜHLBAUER ECKHARD , SMOLKA MICHAEL , TRANITZ MICHAEL , WINTERER GEORG , ROMMELSPACHER HANS , SCHMIDT LUTZ G. , LESCH KLAUS‐PETER 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThe human paired box‐containing gene PAX‐6 participates in the development and plasticity of the brain including the limbic system, the neural system that plays a crucial role in reward processes. We have reported recently a polymorphic dinucleotide repeat sequence with the structure (AC)m(AG)n, which is located ∼ 1 kb upstream of the transcription initiation site associated with promoter B and confers allelic variation of PAX‐6 expression in the human brain. In the present association study we tested whether length variation of PAX‐6 gene‐linked polymorphic region (PAX‐6 LPR) influences susceptibility to alcohol dependence.The repeat length of the PAX‐6 LPR was assessed in 354 control subjects and 328 alcohol‐dependent patients, including four subgroups with a presumed substantial genetic predisposition: (a) with a history of withdrawal complications (n=100); (b) with a history of parental alcoholism (n=115); (c) with early onset (n=67) and (d) with dissocial personality disorders (n=54). Allelic distribution of the PAX‐6 LPR did not differ significantly between the controls and the entire group of alcohol‐dependent patients (χ2=0.015, df 1, p=0.904), or any of the subgroups of patients with severe alcoholism. Our results do not provide evidence that length variation of the PAX‐6 LPR contributes to the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence.
Book and Media Reviews
Authors: COOK CHRIS 
Published: July 2002

Book reviewed in this article:Book reviews in this column will primarily be of titles focusing completely, or in part, on biolog ical aspects of addiction. However, significant titles of general relevance to the addictions field will also be included, even if they are not “biological”, as will titles of general methodological and clinical relevance, even if they are not on “addictions”. Similar considerations will apply to other media (software, audio tapes and CDs, videos, etc). However, specific “addictions” software applications seem to be relatively uncommon and, as these items are rarely reviewed elsewhere, we will endeavour to include reviews of some of the older programmes that are still useful, as well as new titles that appear. I would appreciate suggestions of any items suitable for reviews, but especially software and other media of specific relevance to the addictions. Please contact: Professor Chris Cook, Kent Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kent at Canterbur y, Kent CT2 7NR, UK. Email: c.c.h.cook@ukc.ac.uk Drugs and Drug Abuse: a reference text, 3rd Edition B. BRANDS, B. SPROULE & J. MARSHMAN (Eds) Illegal Leisure ‐ the normalization of adolescent recreational drug use H. PARKER, J. ALDRIDGE & F. MEASHAM The Love Drug: marching to the beat of Ecstasy RICHARD S. COHEN From Local Prevention to European Approach (English Section) An Introduction to Therapeutic Communities DAVID KENNARD Mechanisms of Disease: an introduction to clinical sciences S. TOMLINSON, A. M. HEAGERTY & A. P. WEETMAN (Eds) I Wish I'd Made You Angry Earlier Essays on Science, Scientists, and Humanity MAX PERUTZ Statistics for the Biosciences W. P. GARDINER Software An Electronic Companion to Genetics PHILIP ANDERSON & BARRY GANETZKY
A formula for 𝑘-hyponormality of backstep extensions of subnormal weighted shifts
Authors: Jung Il , Li Chunji 
Published: July 2002

Let

α

:

α

0

,

α

1

,
⋯

{\alpha }: {\alpha }_{0}, {\alpha }_{1}, \cdots

be a weight sequence of positive real numbers and let

W

α

W_{{\alpha }}

be a subnormal weighted shift with a weight sequence

α
\alpha

. Consider an extended weight sequence

α

(
x
)
:
x
,

α

0

,

α

1

,
⋯

{\alpha }(x) : x, {\alpha }_{0}, {\alpha }_{1}, \cdots

with

0
>
x
≤

α

0

0>x \le \alpha _{0}

and let

H
E
(

α
,
k

)
:=
{
x
>
0
:

W

α
(
x
)

is

k
-hyponormal
}

HE({\alpha ,k}):= \{ x >0: W_{\alpha (x)}\ \text {is} \ k \text {-hyponormal}\}

for

k
∈

N

∪
{
∞
}

k \in {\mathbb {N}}\cup \{\infty \}

, where

N

\mathbb {N}

is the set of natural numbers. We obtain a formula to find the interval

H
E
(

α
,
k

)
∖
H
E
(

α
,
k
+
1

)

HE({\alpha ,k})\setminus HE({\alpha ,k+1})

, which provides several examples to distinguish the classes of

k
k

-hyponormal operators from one another.
On translations of subsets of the real line
Authors: Cichoń Jacek , Jasiński Andrzej , Kamburelis Anastasis , Szczepaniak Przemysław 
Published: July 2002

In this paper we discuss various questions connected with translations of subsets of the real line. Most of these questions originate from W. Sierpiński. We discuss the number of translations a single subset of the reals may have. Later we discuss almost invariant subsets of Abelian groups.
Lower estimate for the integral means spectrum for 𝑝=-1
Authors: Kayumov Ilgiz 
Published: July 2002

In this paper we show that there exists a function

f
f

bounded and univalent in the unit disk, such that

∫

|

f
′

(
r

e

i
θ

)

|

−
1

d
θ
≥
C
(
1
−
r

)

−
0.127

\int |f’(re^{i\theta })|^{-1}d\theta \ge C(1-r)^{-0.127}

,

0
≤
r
>
1.

0 \leq r >1.
Inversion formula and singularities of the solution for the backprojection operator in tomography
Authors: Ramm A. 
Published: July 2002

Let

R
∗

μ
:=

∫

S
2

μ
(
α
,
α
⋅
x
)
d
α

R^\ast \mu := \int _{S^2} \mu (\alpha , \alpha \cdot x) d\alpha

,

x
∈

R

n

x \in {\mathbb {R}}^n

, be the backprojection operator. The range of this operator as an operator on non-smooth functions

R
∗

:
X
:=

L
0
∞

(

S

n
−
1

×

R

)
→

L

l
o
c

2

(

R

n

)

R^\ast : X:=L^\infty _0 (S^{n-1} \times {\mathbb {R}}) \to L_{\mathrm {loc}}^2 ({\mathbb {R}}^n)

is described and formulas for

(

R
∗

)

−
1

(R^\ast )^{-1}

are derived. It is proved that the operator

R
∗

R^\ast

is not injective on

X
X

but is injective on the subspace

X
e

X_e

of

X
X

which consists of even functions

μ
(
α
,
p
)
=
μ
(
−
α
,
−
p
)

\mu (\alpha , p) = \mu (-\alpha , -p)

. Singularities of the function

(

R
∗

)

−
1

h

(R^\ast )^{-1} h

are studied. Here

h
h

is a piecewise-smooth compactly supported function. Conditions for

μ
\mu

to have compact support are given. Some applications are considered.