bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Raloxifene reduces atherosclerosis: studies of optimized raloxifene doses in ovariectomized, cholesterol‐fed rabbits
Authors: Bjarnason Nina Hannover , Haarbo Jens , Byrjalsen Inger , Kauffman Raymond F. , Knadler Mary Pat , Christiansen Claus 
Published: July 2002

OBJECTIVEWe have previously shown that raloxifene, a selective oestrogen receptor modulator, 35 mg/day inhibits atherosclerosis in ovariectomized, cholesterol‐fed rabbits. This effect was only partial as compared to 17β‐oestradiol 4 mg/day; however, plasma raloxifene concentrations were low relative to those obtained in raloxifene‐treated women. We therefore investigate the effects of raloxifene at higher doses.DESIGNThe study on atherosclerosis in ovariectomized, cholesterol‐fed rabbits (n = 80) compared raloxifene 70 mg/day and 210 mg/day to 17β‐oestradiol 4 mg/day and placebo.RESULTSAfter 48 weeks of therapy, the aortic cholesterol content in the 70 mg/day and 210 mg/day raloxifene treatment groups were 471 ± 56 nmol/mg protein and 456 ± 56 nmol/mg protein, respectively. This was significantly less than in the placebo group (654 ± 69 nmol/mg protein; P < 0.05). In the oestrogen‐treated group, the aortic cholesterol content was 357 ± 62 nmol/mg protein (P < 0.01 as compared to placebo). Differences in serum lipids between the treatment groups could only partly explain the effect on aortic cholesterol content, indicating that additional anti‐atherogenic mechanisms may contribute to the decrease in aortic atherosclerosis. This anti‐atherosclerotic activity of raloxifene was observed at plasma concentrations comparable to those in postmenopausal women during raloxifene treatment.CONCLUSIONSWe conclude that clinically relevant raloxifene treatment inhibits aortic atherosclerosis in ovariectomized, cholesterol‐fed rabbits.
Changes as the result of ageing in extraocular muscles: a post‐mortem study
Authors: Frcpa P McKelvie , Md R Friling , Frcs K Davey , Fraco L Kowal 
Published: July 2002

Background: Extraocular muscles differ from typical skeletal muscle in many respects such as smaller fibre size, high mitochondrial content, unusual contractile/innervation patterns and highly developed microvascular bed. Changes in typical skeletal muscle with ageing have been well documented yet the reports on ageing changes in extraocular muscles is limited. The aim of this study was to examine these changes. Methods: The right inferior and medial rectus muscles were removed at post‐mortem from patients with no history of prior ocular or neuromuscular disease. These included 25 patients aged between 23 and 88 years (14 male, 11 female). The median age of the patients was 69 years and 72% of patients were aged older than 66 years. The median post‐mortem interval was 28 h. Results: In young adults between 20 and 30 years of age, the muscle fibres were regular, of fairly uniform size with minimal endomysial connective tissue and no lipofuscin was detected in fibres. In adults between 40 and 50 years of age, a small amount of subsarcolemmal lipofuscin was detected. Between 50 and 60 years of age, a few fibres with reduced density of myofibrils were noted. All patients over 65 years had definite changes of ageing and those between 70 and 80 years of age showed similar features to those between 60 and 80 years of age. These changes included variation in fibre size, increased endomysial fibrous tissue and increased endomysial adipose tissue, and loss of myofibrils with some fibres devoid of fibrils and comprising ‘bags’ of mitochondria. There was increased lipofuscin in a number of fibres; increased ‘degenerative’ changes such as vacuolation of fibres, scattered ‘eosinophilic intracytoplasmic bodies’ and increased numbers of ‘ringbinden’.
Tolterodine, a new antimuscarinic agent: as effective but better tolerated than oxybutynin in patients with an overactive bladder
Authors: Abrams  , Freeman  , AnderstrÖM  , Mattiasson  
Published: July 2002

Objective To compare the efficacy and tolerability of tolterodine with that of oxybutynin in patients with an overactive bladder.Patients and methods A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel group, multinational phase‐III study was conducted in urology and gynaecology clinics in the UK, Republic of Ireland and Sweden. The study enrolled 293 patients with urodynamically confirmed bladder overactivity, increased frequency of micturition (≥8 micturitions/24 h) and symptoms of urgency and/or urge incontinence (≥1 episode/24 h). Patients received either tolterodine (2 mg twice daily) or oxybutynin (5 mg three times daily) or placebo. Doses could be reduced, to prevent withdrawal, to 1 mg or 2.5 mg, respectively. The main outcome measures were the mean change from baseline in frequency of micturition/24 h, the number of incontinent episodes/24 h and volume voided per micturition.Results After 12 weeks’ treatment, the mean frequency of micturition decreased by 21% and 19.5% in those receiving tolterodine (n=118) and oxybutynin (n=118), respectively, and by 10.5% in those on placebo (n=57). Among those with urge incontinence at baseline (75% of patients), the mean number of incontinent episodes decreased by 47%, 71% and 19%, respectively, in those receiving tolterodine, oxybutynin and placebo. The effect of tolterodine and oxybutynin on these two micturition variables was statistically equivalent. There was also a comparable increase in mean volume voided per micturition in the tolterodine (27%) and oxybutynin groups (31%), compared with 7% in the placebo group. Dry mouth was the most common adverse event and was reported with greater frequency and intensity among patients receiving oxybutynin than among those receiving either tolterodine or placebo. In the oxybutynin group, more patients also withdrew because of adverse events and a greater proportion required dose reduction as a result of adverse events. Despite dose reduction, the frequency of adverse events and the intensity of dry mouth remained higher among those receiving oxybutynin (2.5 mg three times daily) than in patients who remained on tolterodine 2 mg twice daily.Conclusion Tolterodine 2 mg twice daily is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of bladder overactivity. Tolterodine was better tolerated than oxybutynin, particularly with respect to the frequency and intensity of dry mouth, but had comparable clinical efficacy. The superior tolerability of tolterodine therefore allows more patients to remain on effective therapy than the current most commonly prescribed agent for the treatment of the overactive bladder.
Angiographic distribution of lower extremity atherosclerosis in patients with and without diabetes
Authors: Van Der Feen C. , Neijens F. S. , Kanters S. D. J. M. , Mali W. P. Th. M. , Stolk R. P. , Banga J. D. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractAims To determine differences in the anatomic site of atherosclerosis in the lower extremity between patients with and patients without diabetes.Design Cross‐sectional study of patients who underwent angiography of both legs because of symptoms of intermittent claudication, rest and/or night pain, ulceration or gangrene.Methods The angiographies of 37 patients with diabetes and 37 patients without diabetes, matched for age, sex and smoking behaviour, were evaluated using the Bollinger scoring system.Results The mean (sd) Bollinger score in the upper leg (from the abdominal aorta to and including the superficial femoral artery) was higher (P = 0.01) for patients without diabetes (35.3 (22.8)) than for patients with diabetes (23.3 (16.1)). In the lower leg (from the popliteal artery to the posterior tibial artery) patients with diabetes tended to have a higher score than patients without diabetes: 47.4 (34.2) and 37.6 (32.9), respectively (P = 0.22).Conclusion This angiographic study confirms the clinical notion that lower limb atherosclerosis in diabetes is more severe in distal segments of the lower extremity, while the proximal segments remain less attenuated compared with patients without diabetes.Diabet. Med. 19, 366–370 (2002)
Transvaginal color Doppler studies in gestational trophoblastic disease
Authors: Kawano M. , Masuzaki H. , Ishimaru T. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThree women with gestational trophoblastic disease were examined using transvaginal color Doppler at the initial diagnosis and after each course of chemotherapy. In all cases, the examination before chemotherapy revealed hypoechoic areas surrounded by irregular echogenic areas and numerous intramyometrial flow signals. Pulsed Doppler examination revealed a low pulsatility index (PI) in the uterine arteries. After the completion of chemotherapy, a decrease in the vascularity and increase in the PI of the uterine arteries were demonstrated in two cases. These findings were closely consistent with the decrease in serum levels of β‐human chorionic gonadotropin. However, in the patient who developed permanent arteriovenous communication, hypervascularity persisted and the PI of the uterine arteries remained low, even after clinical remission was achieved. The present study indicates that transvaginal color Doppler ultrasonography is useful for the evaluation of gestational trophoblastic disease, both at the time of diagnosis and after chemotherapy. Copyright © 1996 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Indigenous Australians who inject drugs: results from a Brisbane study
Authors: LARSON ANN , SHANNON CINDY , ELDRIDGE CHRIS 
Published: July 2002

AbstractInjecting drug use by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has recently generated considerable concern in communities and by public health services and planners. However, there has been almost no research on the use of illicit drugs by indigneous people. This study is the first step in filling this information gap. Through a process of extensive community consultation the important issues were identified and a culturally appropriate research method was developed. A questionnaire was administered by peer interviewers to 77 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who had injected an illegal drug in the past 12 months and who lived in the Brisbane metropolitan area. Speed is the most commonly injected drug but 56% had tried heroin and for about one‐third of the sample it was the last drug injected. Sharing injecting equipment is common in this group, with 39% reporting that they had shared a needle in the past month; among participants under 20 years old the percentage rises to 63. Youth and/or inexperience is also associated with unsafe needle disposal and having never personally obtained injecting equipment from a chemist or needle exchange. There is widespread ignorance about safe procedures for cleaning needles. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS is not universal and less than one‐quarter personally know someone living with HIV/AIDS; 67% rank their own chances of becoming infected with HIV as very low or low. The results have been used to develop programmes and strategies for harm reduction locally.
Hepatic haemodynamics and reticuloendothelial function in the rat in response to chronic ethanol administration
Authors: PREEDY V. R. , NOTT D. M. , YATES J. , VENKATESAN S. , JENKINS S. A. , PETERS T. J. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractAbstract This study investigated the effects of chronic ethanol intake on hepatic haemodynamics and reticuloendothelial system function in the rat. Comparisons were also made with blood flow to pancreas, kidney, spleen, lung and skin. Male Wistar rats, approximately 0.15 kg initial body weight, were fed a diet containing 35% of the total calories as ethanol. Controls were pair‐fed identical amounts of the same diet in which ethanol was replaced by isocaloric glucose. The hepatic perfusion index and reticuloendothelial function was determined with [99m Tc]‐labelled sulphur colloid [99m Tc]‐SC) and blood flow with radiolabelled microspheres under anaesthesia. After 4‐5 weeks the weights of liver and skin of alcohol fed rats decreased by 10% (p= 0.040) and 23% (p= 0.024), respectively, compared to controls and there was a small increase in kidney weight (15%, p = 0.001). Blood flow to liver, pancreas, kidney, spleen, lung and skin was not altered significantly by chronic alcohol administration, irrespective of whether the data were expressed as a percentage of cardiac output, blood flow per minute per organ or blood flow per minute per g tissue weight (p > 0.113 in all instances). However, there was a significant increase in splenic reticuloendothelial system activity (+ 121%, p = 0.018). Hepatic reticuloendothelial system activity was also increased (+ 22%, p = 0.061). Chronic alcohol administration resulted in significant increases in portal pressure (+ 55%, p = 0.042) and portal venous resistance (+ 66%, p = 0.001), but portal venous inflow and hepatic perfusion index were not altered compared to controls The results of this study indicated that chronic alcohol administration did not alter visceral blood flow significantly, but did increase portal pressure, portal vascular resistance and reticuloendothelial system activity.
Effect of cessation of drug misuse on the immune status of HIV‐infected injecting drug users
Authors: RADKOWSKI MAREK , WEREZYNSKA TERESA , LASKUS TOMASZ , KAMINSKA EWA , KULIGOWSKI STANISLAW 
Published: July 2002

AbstractAbstract The effects of cessation of i.v. drug use on CD4 lymphocyte count and serum levels of beta2 ‐microglobulin (beta2 m) and soluble interleukin‐2 receptor (sIL‐2R) were prospectively investigated in 41 HIV‐positive drug users enrolled in a methadone treatment programme. Fifteen HIV‐positive matched non‐abstainers served as controls. During the follow‐up of 12 months the mean CD4 lymphocyte count remained unchanged in the methadone‐treated group but fell significantly in controls. beta2 m and sIL‐2R values decreased in abstainers at the beginning of the treatment but rose in non‐abstaining group. We conclude that cessation of illicit drug abuse and methadone treatment in HIV‐infected injecting drug users may exert a beneficial effect on the immune status.
Continuous cocaine treatment and monoamine transmission measured by microdialysis in the rat ventral tegmental area
Authors: Li Ming‐YA , Reith Maarten E. A. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractRats were treated on a continuous cocaine administration schedule (85 mumol/kg/day s.c. by osmotic minipumps for 2 weeks followed by a 1‐week drug‐free period) that makes them tolerant to the locomotor‐activating effect of cocaine. Subsequently, extracellular serotonin (5‐HT) and dopamine (DA) were assayed in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) by microdialysis in the awake animal. Local infusion of the 5‐HT 1A, B, D, 2, 6, 7 receptor antagonist methiothepin (50 muM for 3 hours) into the VTA caused a smaller increase in dialysate 5‐HT in cocaine‐ than saline‐pretreated rats (902±189 versus 1630±210%; area under the curve, p<0.02), whereas the increase in DA was small and unchanged (281±50 versus 290±76%; area under the curve, p=0.09). The results provide preliminary support for a cocaine‐induced subsensitivity of 5‐HT 1B autoreceptors in the VTA in agreement with our previous results obtained ex vivo.
Expression of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in rat retrosplenial cortex following administration of phencyclidine
Authors: HASHIMOTO KENJI , MINABE YOSHIO , IYO MASAOMI 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThe non‐competitive NMDA receptor antagonists such as phencyclidine (PCP) cause neurotoxicity in the retrosplenial cortex of rat brain. However, the precise mechanism(s) underlying the neurotoxicity of NMDA receptor antagonists is currently unclear. Using an in situ hybridization technique, we studied the effects of PCP on expression of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in the rat brain. No expression of BDNA mRNA was observed in the retrosplenial cortex of rats treated with vehicle, although a high basal level of BDNF mRNA was detected in the hippocampus of control rats. Administration of PCP (12.5, 25 or 50 mg/kg, i.p., 6 hours) caused marked induction of BDNF mRNA in the retrosplenial cortex, in a dosedependent manner. These results suggest that the expression of BDNF mRNA may occur as a trophic response to the neurotoxicity of NMDA receptor antagonists such as PCP.
Periosteal Ewing′s Sarcoma: Report of Two New Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Kollender Yehuda , Shabat Shay , Nirkin Alexander , Issakov Josephine , Flusser Gideon , Merimsky Ofer , Meller Isaac 
Published: July 2002

Background. The origin of Ewing′s sarcoma in a periosteal location is
rare and not clearly documented. Other malignant bone tumors appear to have a
somewhat better prognosis when confined between periosteum and bone. Is it the
same for periosteal Ewing′s sarcoma?Methods. We describe two new cases and comprehensively
review the literature consisting of 18 documented cases since the condition was first
described in 1986 (S.M. Bator.Cancer 58:1781– 4).Results. Periosteal Ewing′s sarcoma differs from the other forms
of Ewing′s sarcoma in terms of sex predominance, location of tumor, surgical stage at
presentation and typical imaging studies. Eighteen out of the 20 patients were
reported to be alive with no evidence of disease.Conclusions. It seems that the prognosis of this rare variant of
Ewing′s sarcoma family of tumors might be better but the small number of cases
precludes such a firm conclusion.
Speech and language therapy provision for bilingual children: aspects of the current service
Authors: Winter Kirsten 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThe findings are presented here of a questionnaire survey which asked speech and language therapy managers in England about the caseloads of the therapists in their trust as regards bilingual children. The survey was the first part of a larger research project aiming to explore why there appears to be overrepresentation of bilingual children in speech and language therapy in some areas and under‐representation in others (compared to the proportion of bilingual children in the population). This main research question is discussed in relation to the literature and to the survey aims. The results describe aspects of the context in which the speech and language therapy service for bilingual children is operating: the lack of information about bilingual children is highlighted. The staffing and training implications of bilingual clients' distribution over therapists' caseloads in areas with different levels of minority ethnic population are also considered. The finding that the majority of speech and language therapists in England who work with children (59%) see at least one bilingual child speaks of the extent to which issues relating to bilingualism affects therapists.
Values of Gaussian hypergeometric series
Authors: Ono Ken 
Published: July 2002

Let

p
p

be prime and let

G
F
(
p
)

GF(p)

be the finite field with

p
p

elements. In this note we investigate the arithmetic properties of the Gaussian hypergeometric functions

2

F

1

(
x
)

=

2

F

1

(

ϕ
,

a
m
p
;
ϕ

a
m
p
;
ϵ

|

x
)

and

3

F

2

(
x
)

=

3

F

2

(

ϕ
,

a
m
p
;
ϕ
,

a
m
p
;
ϕ

a
m
p
;
ϵ
,

a
m
p
;
ϵ

|

x
)

,

\begin{equation*} _{2}F_{1}(x) = _{2}F_{1} \left ( \begin {matrix}\phi , & \phi \\ & \epsilon \end{matrix} | x \right ) \;\;\text {and}\;\; _{3}F_{2}(x)= _{3}F_{2} \left ( \begin {matrix}\phi , & \phi , & \phi \\ & \epsilon , & \epsilon \end{matrix} | x \right ), \end{equation*}

where

ϕ
\phi

and

ϵ
\epsilon

respectively are the quadratic and trivial characters of

G
F
(
p
)

GF(p)

. For all but finitely many rational numbers

x
=
λ

x=\lambda

, there exist two elliptic curves

2

E

1

(
λ
)

_{2}E_{1}(\lambda )

and

3

E

2

(
λ
)

_{3}E_{2}(\lambda )

for which these values are expressed in terms of the trace of the Frobenius endomorphism. We obtain bounds and congruence properties for these values. We also show, using a theorem of Elkies, that there are infinitely many primes

p
p

for which

2

F

1

(
λ
)

_{2}F_{1}(\lambda )

is zero; however if

λ
≠
−
1
,
0
,

1
2

\lambda \neq -1,0, \frac {1}{2}

or

2
2

, then the set of such primes has density zero. In contrast, if

λ
≠
0

\lambda \neq 0

or

1
1

, then there are only finitely many primes

p
p

for which

3

F

2

(
λ
)
=
0

_{3}F_{2}(\lambda ) =0

. Greene and Stanton proved a conjecture of Evans on the value of a certain character sum which from this point of view follows from the fact that

3

E

2

(
8
)

_{3}E_{2}(8)

is an elliptic curve with complex multiplication. We completely classify all such CM curves and give their corresponding character sums in the sense of Evans using special Jacobsthal sums. As a consequence of this classification, we obtain new proofs of congruences for generalized Apéry numbers, as well as a few new ones, and we answer a question of Koike by evaluating

3

F

2

(
4
)

_{3}F_{2}(4)

over every

G
F
(
p
)

GF(p)

.
Bayesian adaptive sequence alignment algorithms.
Authors: Zhu J , Liu J S , Lawrence C E 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
The selection of a scoring matrix and gap penalty parameters continues to be an important problem in sequence alignment. We describe here an algorithm, the 'Bayes block aligner, which bypasses this requirement. Instead of requiring a fixed set of parameter settings, this algorithm returns the Bayesian posterior probability for the number of gaps and for the scoring matrices in any series of interest. Furthermore, instead of returning the single best alignment for the chosen parameter settings, this algorithm returns the posterior distribution of all alignments considering the full range of gapping and scoring matrices selected, weighing each in proportion to its probability based on the data. We compared the Bayes aligner with the popular Smith-Waterman algorithm with parameter settings from the literature which had been optimized for the identification of structural neighbors, and found that the Bayes aligner correctly identified more structural neighbors. In a detailed examination of the alignment of a pair of kinase and a pair of GTPase sequences, we illustrate the algorithm's potential to identify subsequences that are conserved to different degrees. In addition, this example shows that the Bayes aligner returns an alignment-free assessment of the distance between a pair of sequences.
Identifying good diagnostic gene groups from
gene expression profiles using the concept of
emerging patterns
Authors: Li Jinyan , Wong Limsoon 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
Motivations and Results: Gene groups that are significantly related to a disease can be detected by conducting a series of gene expression experiments. This work is aimed at discovering special types of gene groups that satisfy the following property. In each group, its member genes are found to be one-to-one contained in pre-determined intervals of gene expression level with a large frequency in one class of cells but are never found unanimously in these intervals in the other class of cells. We call these gene groups emerging patterns, to emphasize the patterns' frequency changes between two classes of cells. We use effective discretization and gene selection methods to obtain the most discriminatory genes. We also use efficient algorithms to derive the patterns from these genes. According to our studies on the ALL/AML dataset and the colon tumor dataset, some patterns, which consist of one or more genes, can reach a high frequency of 90%, or even 100%. In other words, they nearly or fully dominate one class of cells, even though they rarely occur in the other class. The discovered patterns are used to classify new cells with a higher accuracy than other reported methods. Based on these patterns, we also conjecture the possibility of a personalized treatment plan which converts colon tumor cells into normal cells by modulating the expression levels of a few genes.
Contact: jinyan@krdl.org.sg; limsoon@krdl.org.sg
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.