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Item Metadata only Sonographically demonstrated thickening of the renal pelvis in children(Springer Verlag, 1992) Alton, D.J.; Lequesne, G.W.; Gent, R.; Siegmann, J.W.; Byard, R.Thickening of the wall of the renal pelvis has been attributed to infection, to rejection in allografts and to non-specific causes by different authors. We reviewed the clinical data, imaging studies and pathology of 35 patients with sonographically demonstrable thickening in 41 renal pelves of native kidneys. Our findings are that less than 50% of the patients had infection. The others had a wide variety of apparent causes for the thickening which include obstruction, surgery, edema induced by chemicals and other processes. Vesicoureteral reflux was demonstrated in 50% of the patients studied by cystography. We concluded that renal pelvic thickening is a non-specific finding.Item Metadata only Deciding about drinking - an existential approach to alcohol dependence(Wiley, 1998) Wurm, C.; du Plock, S.Item Metadata only Phylogenetic relationships of human populations in sub-Saharan Africa(Wayne State Univ Press, 2000) Weber, W.; Nash, D.; Motulsky, A.; Henneberg, M.; Crawford, M.; Martin, S.; Goldsmid, J.; Spedini, G.; Glidewell, S.; Schanfield, M.This study utilizes the GM/KM immunoglobulin allotype system to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of sub-Saharan Africans. The importance of understanding the relatedness of these peoples stems from the sub-Saharan region being the possible birthplace of humans. Haplotype distributions were determined for 19 populations and compared using chi-square analysis. Published data of other sub-Saharan Africans and representative populations worldwide were also added for comparison. Genetic distances between populations were calculated based on haplotype frequencies, and genetic relationships were observed through principal components analysis. Data from the GM/KM system showed a genetic homogeneity of the Bantu populations, with some exceptions, supporting the possibility of a common origin of these peoples. The Malagasy appeared as a divergent population, most likely due to Southeast Asian/Austronesian admixture, as indicated by the presence of the GM*AF B haplotype. The Cape Coloured also showed a divergence, with their genetic structures containing Caucasoid and Khoisan contributions. Finally, the Mbuti Pygmies appeared genetically isolated and had the highest frequency of the GM*A B haplotype out of all studied populations.Item Metadata only Postnatal human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in vitro and in vivo(National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2000) Gronthos, S.; Mankani, M.; Brahim, J.; Robey, P.G.; Shi, S.Dentinal repair in the postnatal organism occurs through the activity of specialized cells, odontoblasts, that are thought to be maintained by an as yet undefined precursor population associated with pulp tissue. In this study, we isolated a clonogenic, rapidly proliferative population of cells from adult human dental pulp. These DPSCs were then compared with human bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), known precursors of osteoblasts. Although they share a similar immunophenotype in vitro, functional studies showed that DPSCs produced only sporadic, but densely calcified nodules, and did not form adipocytes, whereas BMSCs routinely calcified throughout the adherent cell layer with clusters of lipid-laden adipocytes. When DPSCs were transplanted into immunocompromised mice, they generated a dentin-like structure lined with human odontoblast-like cells that surrounded a pulp-like interstitial tissue. In contrast, BMSCs formed lamellar bone containing osteocytes and surface-lining osteoblasts, surrounding a fibrous vascular tissue with active hematopoiesis and adipocytes. This study isolates postnatal human DPSCs that have the ability to form a dentin/pulp-like complex.Item Metadata only Analysis of human skeletal and dental remains from Metaponto (7th - 2nd c. B.C.)(2001) Henneberg, M.; Henneberg, R.; Convegno di studi sulla Magna Grecia (40th : 2000 : Taranto, Italy)Item Metadata only Causes and Effects of Human Variation(Australasian Society for Human Biology, 2001) Henneberg, M.; Kilgariff, J.Item Metadata only Variation in the Infectivity of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates following Intragastric Inoculation of Mice(American Society for Microbiology, 2001) Barbour, Angela Helen; Rampling, Anita; Hormaeche, Carlos E.; School of Medical Sciences : PathologyThe infectivities of 66 Listeria monocytogenes isolates were assessed by intragastric inoculation of mice. Eight were poorly infective. Serovars 4b and 1/2 were more infective than serovars 3 and 4nonb. A noninfective isolate was cleared more rapidly from the cecum than were infective isolates, suggesting that survival in the gut may relate to infectivity.Item Metadata only Tuberculosis among Tibetan refugees in India(Elsevier, 2002) Bhatia, Shushum; Dranyi, Tsegyal; Rowley, Derrick; Research BranchItem Metadata only Mediation of circadian rhythms(2002) Kennaway, D.; Luminis Pty LimitedMethod for mediating the effects of light on melatonin rhythmicity in mammals and a method of mediating circadian rhythms, effected by the administration of a compound or compounds effective at a 5-HT2c serotonin receptor site. By administration of selected doses of the 5-HT2c receptor active compound it is possible to advance or delay circadian rhythms as measured by the rate of melatonin production or moderation of core body temperature rhythms.Item Metadata only Meeting report: 10th international magnesium symposium(John Libbey & Co Ltd, 2004) Vink, R.Item Metadata only Recombinant expression of βig-h3 domains for identification of binding sites for collagen type VI and SLRPs(Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand, 2005) Gibson, M.; Hanssen, E.; Reinboth, B.; Annual Meeting of the Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand (29th : 2005 : Victor Harbor, S. Aust.)Item Metadata only Irritable bowel syndrome(Georg Thieme Verlag, 2005) Adam, Birgit; Liebregts, Tobias; Holtmann, Gerald Johannes; Health Sciences Faculty OfficePatients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are highly prevalent among subjects seeking medical attention at the general practitioner or specialist level. While IBS lacks any disease associated excess mortality, this disorders is relevant to the affected subjects due to the considerable burden with regard to the symptoms and an impaired quality of life. Furthermore, this disease has a substantial impact on society due to the economical consequences. In recent years substantial progress has been achieved regarding our pathophysiological understanding. However, as usual, there has been a substantial delay between the discovery of disease mechanisms and its translation into improved patient care. For diagnosing IBS standardized criteria have been established (i. e. Rome II- or the DGVS-criteria). Regarding treatment, life style advice such as avoidance of specific nutrients that precipitate or aggravate or the "little psychotherapy" (addressing patients concerns and anxiety regarding the symptoms) are considered essential. However, the overall response rate is disappointing. Evidence-based pharmacological interventions include herbal preparations, spasmolytics, low dose tricyclic antidepressants and 5-HT-3-receptor antagonists and 5-HT-4-receptor agonists. At present no cure for patients with IBS exists. Thus, all currently available treatments target palliation of symptoms. This, however, may change in the future.Item Metadata only Molecular analysis of homotypic aggregates of βig-h3 found in tissues(Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand, 2005) Gibson, M.; Hanssen, E.; Annual Meeting of the Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand (29th : 2005 : Victor Harbor, S. Aust.)Item Metadata only LTBP-2 competes with LTBP-1 for binding to fibrillin-1 and interacts with basement membrane collagen-IV(Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand, 2005) Gibson, M.; Hirani, R.; Hanssen, E.; Annual Meeting of the Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand (29th : 2005 : Victor Harbor, S. Aust.)Item Metadata only Return to work after coronary artery bypass surgery in a population of long-term survivors(Blackwell Publishing Asia, 2005) Bradshaw, P.; Jamrozik, K.; Gilfillan, I.; Thompson, P.Background: Return to paid employment may be facilitated by coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. We assessed work status in a population-based study of long-term outcomes of CABG. Aim: To determine the association between returning to work after CABG and clinical and socio-demographic factors. Methods: A postal survey of 2500 randomly selected patients 6–20 years post-CABG. The outcomes assessed were work status in the year before and after CABG and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measured with SF-36. Results: Response was 82% (n = 2061). Employment fell from 56% in the year prior to CABG to 42% in the year after. Workers in ‘blue-collar’ occupations were more likely to reduce their work status than those in ‘white collar’ occupations (46% versus 29%, p < 0.001). Independent predictors of reducing employment were increasing age (9% per year, 99% CI: 1.06–1.11, p < 0.001), ‘blue-collar’ versus ‘white collar’ occupation (OR: 2.1, 99% CI: 1.4–3.1) and female sex (OR: 2.1, 99% CI: 1.1–3.6). HRQOL among participants under 60 years of age at follow-up was better for those who returned to work after CABG surgery. Conclusion: CABG surgery is followed by a net loss to paid employment of working age patients which increases with age, and is more likely for those in blue-collar occupations and women.Item Metadata only A proteomic approach to identifying matrix proteins interacting with transforming growth factor-β-inducible gene h-3 (βig-h3)(Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand, 2005) Gibson, M.; Kamkar Parsi, M.; Hanssen, E.; Annual Meeting of the Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand (29th : 2005 : Victor Harbor, S. Aust.)Item Metadata only Tegaserod is effective in the initial and retreatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2005) Muller-Lissner, S.; Holtmann, G.; Rueegg, P.; Weidingers, G.; Lofflers, H.SummaryBackground : Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are often cyclical and thus may require repeated rather than continuous therapy. Tegaserod is effective and well‐tolerated for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation but data on retreatment are lacking.Aim : To assess whether tegaserod retreatment is as efficacious and well‐tolerated as initial treatment in a primary care setting.Methods : This open‐label trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of tegaserod under real‐life conditions. Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation patients received tegaserod 6 mg b.d. for 12 weeks; response was assessed at weeks 4 and 12. Responders (those achieving satisfactory relief for at least 2 of the previous 4 weeks) at weeks 4 and/or 12 entered an 8‐week withdrawal period where symptom recurrence was assessed. Patients experiencing recurrence could receive tegaserod 6 mg b.d. for another 4 weeks (retreatment phase) and on completion, could choose to continue tegaserod in a 6‐month extension study.Results : A total of 513 patients received initial treatment with tegaserod; 85.0% (436 of 513) responded. 403 responders entered the withdrawal period; symptoms recurred in 83.9% (338 of 403) after a mean of 38 days. Of the 307 patients who subsequently entered retreatment 89.3% (274 of 307) responded. Among patients entering the retreatment period, 269 (87.6%) had responded within the first 4 weeks of initial treatment. Of these, 243 (90.3%) responded to tegaserod retreatment. Adverse events were infrequent and similar during 4 weeks of the initial treatment period (11.1%) and on retreatment (10.4%). The extension study, completed by 188 of 232 (81.0%) patients, demonstrated good long‐term tolerability of tegaserod.Conclusions : Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation patients can be successfully treated, and retreated, with tegaserod 6 mg b.d. Tegaserod was well‐tolerated during initial and retreatment periods.Item Metadata only The intermediate lactotroph: A morphologically distinct, ghrelin-responsive pituitary cell in the dwarf (dw/dw) Rat(Endocrine Soc, 2005) Huerta-Ocampo, I.; Christian, H.; Thompson, N.; El-Kasti, M.; Wells, T.Profound somatotroph hypoplasia in the dwarf (dw/dw) rat is accompanied by an estrogen-dependent induction of prolactin secretion by the GH secretagogue, GHRP-6. Using electron microscopy, we demonstrated that the reduction in the somatotroph population in the dw/dw pituitary is accompanied by the presence of a morphologically distinct lactotroph subpopulation. In these cells, which did not coexpress GH, the size, shape, and number of the secretory granules were between those of the type I and type II lactotrophs. We therefore called these cells intermediate lactotrophs. The intermediate lactotrophs accounted for up to 30% of the total prolactin-positive cell population in dw/dw males and up to 12% in females. Using tannic acid to quantify the fusion of secretory granules, we have shown that the intermediate lactotrophs are unresponsive to either GH-releasing factor (GRF) or TRH but exhibit a sexually dimorphic secretory response to acute ghrelin treatment, granular fusions being 4-fold higher in females. No cell matching the morphology of the novel lactotroph subpopulation was observed in the pituitary of the GRF-insensitive lit/lit mouse. However, ablation of GRF neurons with neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment had no effect on the population of intermediate lactotrophs in the dw/dw rat. Thus, the presence of the intermediate lactotrophs in the dw/dw pituitary appears to be independent of the function of the GRF neurons.Item Metadata only Image processing of finite size rat retinal ganglion cells using multifractal and local connected fractal analysis(Springer, 2005) Jelinek, H.; Cornforth, D.; Roberts, A.; Landini, G.; Bourke, P.; Iorio, A.; Webb, G.; Yu, X.Automated image processing aids in classification of biological images. Many natural structures such as neurons may be multifractal and therefore not analyzable using current methods. The multifractal spectrum proposed here may mitigate this, Here we report the outcome of applying three methods that elucidate the variation within 16 rat retinal ganglion cells using the local connected fractal dimension (LCFD), mass-radius (MR) and maximum likelihood multifractal (MLM) analyses. Our results based on LCFD indicate that the neurons studied are possibly multifractal. However utilizing the MR method provided inconclusive results due to the finite size of the cells and the density variation throughout their structure. This has been addressed by utilizing a novel unbiased method - the MLM method. To improve the our results we are now aiming to use AI algorithms to optimize the selection of parameter values associated with the MLM method.Item Metadata only Constructing the hero: nationalistic news narratives in contemporary China(University of Westminster, 2006) Pugsley, P.This article explores how, in times of crisis, Chinese journalism is still heavily influenced by the Maoist era in which the news media served as the mouthpiece for government propaganda. From the seasonal flooding of China’s great rivers to international controversies such as the 2001 US Spy-Plane incident, China’s state-controlled media has called upon a complex interweaving of Chinese ‘values’ incorporating them into a patriotic narrative of nation-building. In times of adversity these familiar narratives operate within conceptual frameworks that serve to mobilise the masses and, ultimately, present a positive outcome in which ‘the enemy’ (a foreign aggressor, corrupt official or Mother Nature) is defeated. China’s struggle against its foes becomes embodied in the heroic actions of a select individual or group. This article proposes that despite indications of a move from ideology to profit, the Chinese media returns to such ‘hero narratives’ in emergencies as a deliberate and considered means of operationalising existing frameworks for the control of mass audiences.