bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydroquinone and its analogues in dermatology – a risk‐benefit viewpoint
Authors: O'Donoghue J L
Published: September 2006

Hydroquinone (HQ) has been used since the 1950s in commercially available over‐the‐counter skin lightener products and since the 1960s as a commercially available medical product. It is also used in cosmetic products such as hair dyes and products for coating finger nails. Beginning in 2001, HQ is no longer authorized for use in cosmetic skin lightening formulations in European Union countries, although products containing arbutin, an analogue of HQ, and botanicals, including plants that naturally contain HQ and arbutin, continue to remain available in European countries.

The potential toxicity of HQ is dependent on the route of exposure, and toxicity in rodents is highly sex‐, species‐, and strain‐specific. Subchronic and chronic toxicity in experimental animals is primarily limited to nephrotoxicity in male F‐344 rats. Dermal toxicity studies, even those conducted in the sensitive male F‐344 rat, are essentially devoid of systemic toxicity. Developmental and reproductive toxicity studies with HQ in rats and rabbits have not demonstrated significant effects. Cancer bioassay data for HQ demonstrate limited effects and are not sufficient to classify HQ for human carcinogenicity. Epidemiology and occupational studies of workers with extensive exposure to HQ have not reported any evidence of adverse systemic health effects or carcinogenicity. A risk‐benefit approach is recommended for assessing the available data for HQ, arbutin, and other materials in use as, or proposed for use as, skin lighteners to provide optimal therapeutic benefits to patients with pigmentary changes of the skin.
Superficial chemical peels
Authors: Zakopoulou N , Kontochristopoulos G
Published: September 2006

Superficial chemical peeling (SCP) involves the application of a peeling agent to the skin, resulting in destruction of part or all of the epidermis. SCP is mainly recommended for facial rejuvenation, photoaging and superficial rhytides, pigmentary dyschromias and acne. It can be used on all Fitzpatrick skin types, no sedation is needed, and the desquamation is usually well accepted. Overpeel and complications are very rare. The most commonly used SCP agents are glycolic acid 20–70%, trichloroacetic acid 10–35%, Jessner's solution, salicylic acid, pyruvic acid, resorcinol 30–50% preparations, and solid carbon dioxide. The careful selection of patients is critical for the outcome of a SCP and contraindications must be seriously considered. The peel procedure is generally common for all SCP agents but a good knowledge of the specific characters of each agent is of great importance in order to decide which to use for each individual patient.
Novel cutaneous uses for botulinum toxin type A
Authors: Bansal Cheryl , Omlin Kenny J , Hayes Christine M , Rohrer Thomas E
Published: September 2006

Botulinum toxin type A is a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum which causes a flaccid muscle paralysis. It has been used extensively in the field of dermatology for the treatment of dynamic rhytides and in the treatment of hyperhidrosis. Botulinum toxin has an excellent safety profile and few side effects when used for these purposes. Recently, botulinum toxin has also been used experimentally in a number of other dermatologic conditions with good results. These conditions include: persistent facial flushing, gustatory sweating and epiphora, anal fissures, familial benign pemphigus (Hailey‐Hailey disease), dyshidrotic eczema, and following surgical wound closures. While randomized, controlled prospective trials are still needed to further understand the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin in these conditions, anecdotal and case report data suggest that botulinum toxin is both safe and efficacious in these and many other procedures.
The combination of 2% 4‐hydroxyanisole (mequinol) and 0.01% tretinoin effectively improves the appearance of solar lentigines in ethnic groups
Authors: Draelos Zoe Diana
Published: September 2006

While the efficacy and safety of topical 4‐hydroxyanisole (mequinol) 2%/tretinoin 0.01% therapy has been established in Caucasian populations, those with skin types I–II, little research has focused on individuals with darker skin types. The purpose of this open‐label study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mequinol 2%/tretinoin 0.01% solution in the treatment of solar lentigines in Asian, Latin/Hispanic, and African American ethnic groups with skin types II–V. Subjects were required to have ≥ 10 solar lentigines on the dorsal forearms/hands and ≥ 3 on the face. One lesion was designated the target lesion, however, all lesions were treated. Patients were treated with topical mequinol 2%/tretinoin 0.01% and clinically evaluated at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks as well as 4 weeks following treatment cessation. At each visit, lesions were evaluated using Target and Overall Lesion Pigmentation Index scores ranging from 0 (lightest) to 8 (darkest), where 4 indicated equal pigment with surrounding skin. Efficacy was determined based on pigmentation index scores, and safety was assessed using laboratory monitoring and adverse event (AE) reporting. Over 80% of the 259 subjects completing this study responded to mequinol 2%/tretinoin 0.01% therapy, with a majority of subjects maintaining clinical benefit at 4 weeks post‐treatment. Most AEs reported were tolerable and overall mequinol 2%/tretinoin 0.01% therapy had a favorable benefit‐to‐risk ratio. This study therefore supports the theory that topical mequinol 2%/tretinoin 0.01% is an effective and safe treatment of solar lentigines in ethnic populations, and in those with dark skin types.
Skin tolerance, efficacy, and quality of life of patients with red facial skin using a skin care regimen containing Licochalcone A
Authors: Weber T M , Ceilley R I , Buerger A , Kolbe L , Trookman N S , Rizer R L , Schoelermann A
Published: September 2006

Background  Patients with rosacea and red facial skin often show sensitivity to skin care products which can exacerbate inflammation and subjective irritation. Besides pharmacologic management, special skin care is prudent to avoid cosmetically induced irritation and address cosmetic concerns. Appropriate skin care should provide gentle cleansing, UVA/UVB protection, effective moisturization, and concealing pigments to neutralize the appearance of redness.

Aims  To evaluate skin compatibility and efficacy of a skin care regimen containing licochalcone A (Lic A), an anti‐irritant from the licorice plant Glycyrrhiza inflata, for subjects with mild to moderate facial redness.

Patients/methods  Sixty‐two patients with mild to moderate red facial skin used a four‐product skin care regimen for 8 weeks. Clinical assessments of erythema and subjective irritation, cross‐polarized photography, and self‐assessment questionnaires were completed at baseline, and after 4 and 8 weeks of use. A quality of life questionnaire was given at baseline and week 8.

Results  Clinical evaluations, subject response, and photography confirmed very good tolerability of the regimen and effective neutralization of redness by the pigmented products. Significant improvements in average erythema scores were observed at 4 and 8 weeks (P < 0.05), and an improvement in quality of life was confirmed by the patient questionnaires.

Discussion  The skin care regimen containing Lic A was found to be compatible with the sensitive facial skin of patients with rosacea and improved the appearance of persistent facial redness. The products were also observed to be compatible with daily metronidazole treatment.
Rediscovering Difference?: Nations, Peoples and Politics in the British Civil Wars
Authors: Bowen Lloyd
Published: September 2006

This article considers some of the ways in which the ‘New British History’ has influenced the study of the civil wars in Britain and Ireland during the mid‐seventeenth century. It examines the genesis and influence of the ‘three kingdoms’ model for civil war studies and the ways in which this has privileged a statist interpretation of the conflicts, often glossing over the cultural and ethnic subdivisions which influenced and inflected the course of the wars within their British theatres. This article considers the ongoing refinement and complication of the ‘British’ approach to the 1640s by scholars such as Mark Stoyle who have explored the particularist politics of ethnicitywithinEngland and Wales, normally considered as an undifferentiated unitary kingdom in most ‘New British History’ narratives.
What's in a Word? (… and Why it Matters)
Authors: Hermann Bruce
Published: September 2006

Brain Stimulation Reveals Critical Auditory Naming Cortex

Hamberger MJ, Seidel WT, McKhann GM 2nd, Perrine K, Goodman RR

Brain 2005;128(Pt 11):2742–2749.

One challenge in dominant temporal lobe epilepsy surgery is to remove sufficient epileptogenic tissue without compromising postoperative language functioning. Preresection electrical stimulation mapping enables identification of language areas that can be spared from resection, and also provides a unique opportunity to investigate brain–language relationships. Visual object naming is the gold standard for identifying “essential” language cortex; however, sparing visual naming (VN) sites has not reliably prevented postoperative language decline. In addition to visual object naming, we included a more “ecologically valid” auditory description naming task in our preresection cortical mapping protocol. Of the seven patients who had auditory naming (AN) sites removed, six declined postoperatively, whereas of the 12 patients who did not have AN sites removed, only 3 declined postoperatively ( p = 0.02), suggesting an association between AN site removal and postoperative naming decline. Interestingly, although VN sites were preserved in all patients, AN site removal resulted in decline in both auditory and VN tasks. These findings not only have potentially critical clinical significance, but also argue for modality specificity, with considerable integration within the semantic system.
Implicating A-Current in a Hereditary Partial Epilepsy
Authors: Mathews Gregory C.
Published: September 2006

The Epilepsy-Linked Lgi1 Protein Assembles into Presynaptic Kv1 Channels and Inhibits Inactivation by Kvβ1

Schulte U, Thumfart JO, Klocker N, Sailer CA, Bildl W, Biniossek M, Dehn D, Deller T, Eble S, Abbass K, Wangler T, Knaus HG, Fakler B

Neuron 2006;49:697–706

The voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel subunit Kv1.1 is a major constituent of presynaptic A-type channels that modulate synaptic transmission in CNS neurons. Here, we show that Kv1.1-containing channels are complexed with Lgi1, the functionally unassigned product of the leucine-rich glioma inactivated gene 1 (LGI1), which is causative for an autosomal dominant form of lateral temporal lobe epilepsy (ADLTE). In the hippocampal formation, both Kv1.1 and Lgi1 are coassembled with Kv1.4 and Kv β1 in axonal terminals. In A-type channels composed of these subunits, Lgi1 selectively prevents N-type inactivation mediated by the Kv β1 subunit. In contrast, defective Lgi1 molecules identified in ADLTE patients fail to exert this effect resulting in channels with rapid inactivation kinetics. The results establish Lgi1 as a novel subunit of Kv1.1-associated protein complexes and suggest that changes in inactivation gating of presynaptic A-type channels may promote epileptic activity.
A Thalamic Sleep Tonic
Authors: Staley Kevin J. , Huguenard John R.
Published: September 2006

GABAA Receptor-Mediated Tonic Inhibition in Thalamic Neurons

Cope DW, Hughes SW, Crunelli V

J Neurosci 2005;25:11553–11563

Tonic GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition is typically generated by δ subunit-containing extrasynaptic receptors. Because the δ subunit is highly expressed in the thalamus, we tested whether thalamocortical (TC) neurons of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and ventrobasal complex exhibit tonic inhibition. Focal application of gabazine (GBZ) (50 μM) revealed the presence of a 20 pA tonic current in 75 and 63% of TC neurons from both nuclei, respectively. No tonic current was observed in GABAergic neurons of the nucleus reticularis thalami (NRT). Bath application of 1 μM GABA increased tonic current amplitude to 70 pA in 100% of TC neurons, but it was still not observed in NRT neurons. In dLGN TC neurons, the tonic current was sensitive to low concentrations of the δ subunit-specific receptor agonists allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (100 nM) and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]-pyridin-3-ol (THIP) (100 nM) but insensitive to the benzodiazepine flurazepam (5 μM). Bath application of low concentrations of GBZ (25–200 nM) preferentially blocked the tonic current, whereas phasic synaptic inhibition was primarily maintained. Under intracellular current-clamp conditions, the preferential block of the tonic current with GBZ led to a small depolarization and increase in input resistance. Using extracellular single-unit recordings, block of the tonic current caused the cessation of low-threshold burst firing and promoted tonic firing. Enhancement of the tonic current by THIP hyperpolarized TC neurons and promoted burst firing. Thus, tonic current in TC neurons generates an inhibitory tone. Its modulation contributes to the shift between different firing modes, promotes the transition between different behavioral states, and predisposes to absence seizures.
New Data Suggest that Discontinuation of Status Epilepticus is Not Necessary for Antiepileptogenic Effect in Immature Brain
Authors: Pitkänen Asla
Published: September 2006

Treatment of Experimental Status Epilepticus in Immature Rats: Dissociation between Anticonvulsant and Antiepileptogenic Effects

Suchomelova L, Baldwin RA, Kubova H, Thompson KW, Sankar R, Wasterlain CG

Pediatr Res 2006;59:237–243

We studied the effects of treating status epilepticus (SE) induced by lithium and pilocarpine at postnatal day 15 (P15) or 28 (P28), on the severity of acute SE and of SEinduced epileptogenesis. Rats received topiramate (10 or 50 mg/kg, IP) or diazepam (5 mg/kg, IP) 20, 40 or 70 min after pilocarpine, and three months after SE 24-h video/EEG recordings were obtained for one (P28) or two weeks (P15) continuously.

In P15 rats, topiramate did not modify the course of SE, yet treatment at 20 or 40 min completely prevented the development of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) while later treatment (70 min) was partially effective in reducing the severity and frequency of SRS. Diazepam was effective against acute SE at all time points tested. Early (20 min) but not late treatment with diazepam had the effect of reducing the frequency and severity of SRS.

In P28 rats, both drugs reduced the cumulative seizure time. Early treatment (20 min) with either drug reduced the incidence of chronic epilepsy. Late treatment (40/70 min) did not alter the incidence of SRS, but decreased their frequency. This study demonstrates that, in the treatment of SE, anticonvulsant and antiepileptogenic effects can be dissociated in a development-specific manner: topiramate was antiepileptogenic without being an effective anticonvulsant in P15 animals at the doses tested. Diazepam, on the other hand, was a better anticonvulsant than an antiepileptogenic agent in the P15 animals at the dose tested. Such effects were not seen in the older animals.
Precursor B‐cell lymphoblastic lymphoma involving the skin
Authors: Kim Ji‐Yeon , Kim You Chan , Lee Eun‐So
Published: September 2006

Precursor B‐cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (B‐LBL) is a rare neoplasm composed of immature lymphocytes that demonstrate lymphoblastic morphology and express precursor and B‐cell marker. It usually affects people of younger age group and causes multiple nodules on the head and neck area. The neoplasm is rare in old age. We report a case of B‐LBL occurring in a 65‐year‐old man. He presented with multiple skin nodules on the scalp, the neck and the arm for 2 months. Histopathologic examination demonstrated diffuse dermal and subcutaneous monotonous infiltrates of medium‐sized lymphoid cells with starry‐sky pattern. Immunohistochemical study showed that the lymphoid cells of infiltrate showed precursor B‐cell type. The patient has received combination chemotherapy three times and is being followed‐up at the outpatient clinic.
Diffuse dermal angiomatosis
Authors: Draper Bradley K. , Boyd Alan S.
Published: September 2006

Abstract:  Diffuse dermal angiomatosis (DDA) is an acquired, benign vascular proliferation characterized clinically by poorly circumscribed, violaceous, livedoid plaques with frequent ulceration. Histologically, a diffuse interstitial proliferation of CD31‐positive endothelial cells is present within the papillary and reticular dermis. Endothelial atypia, atypical mitoses, and vasculitis are lacking. We describe a case of DDA in a 53‐year‐old man with peripheral vascular atherosclerosis that resolved following revascularization. Early correction of the associated ischemic peripheral vascular disease promotes resolution of this unusual clinicopathologic entity.
Overexpression ofMLH‐1andpsoriasingenes in cutaneous angiofibromas from tuberous sclerosis complex patients
Authors: La Placa Michelangelo , Gibellini Davide , Bianchi Tommaso , Patrizi Annalisa
Published: September 2006

Background: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is associated with mutations in two likely tumor‐suppressor genes (TSC1andTSC2) and characterized by the development of tumor‐like growths (angiofibromas) in a variety of tissues and organs, particularly brain and skin.

Methods: Employing a DNA‐microarray assay, able to detect mRNA production from 1176 different basic genes, we analyzed the gene‐expression levels in a cutaneous hamartoma sample from a TSC patient. Altered gene expressions detected by microarray technology were further checked by quantitative reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) in the same material and in cutaneous hamartoma samples obtained from five other TSC patients.

Results: The results obtained by the microarray technology in one hamartoma specimen, confirmed by the RT‐PCR results obtained in the same material and in five other hamartoma specimens, demonstrated that TSC‐related angiofibromas exhibit significant mRNA overexpression of two genes, represented byMLH‐1andpsoriasin.

Conclusions: The overexpression ofMLH‐1, which codes for a DNA mismatch repair protein, andpsoriasin, which codes for a specific chemoattractant factor for CD4+T cells, implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin disease, and expressed in excess during abnormal pathways of cell growth, may shed light on the pathogenesis of the proliferative skin lesion.
Cutaneous leiomyosarcoma with myxoid alteration arising in a setting of multiple cutaneous smooth muscle neoplasms
Authors: Utikal Jochen , Haus Georg , Poenitz Nina , Koenen Wolfgang , Back Walter , Dippel Edgar , Gratchev Alexei , Goerdt Sergij
Published: September 2006

Background:  Cutaneous leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas are rare tumors that originate from the arrector muscle of hair follicles or the smooth muscle of blood vessels.

Case report:  A 74‐year‐old male presented with a single, erythematous nodule on the left upper arm. This lesion developed within the excision scar of a piloleiomyoma that had been excised 3 years ago. Additionally, physical examination revealed a tender nodule on the right ear.

Results:  Histological examination showed a cutaneous leiomyosarcoma with myxoid alteration on the upper arm and an angioleiomyoma on the right ear.

Conclusion:  Myxoid leiomyosarcomas have exclusively been reported in the uterus and gastrointestinal tract, but not in the skin. Here, we describe a case of cutaneous leiomyosarcoma with myxoid alteration that developed in the excision scar of a piloleiomyoma and was accompanied by a cutaneous angioleiomyoma in a different location.
No evidence of Epstein–Barr virus association with Merkel cell carcinoma
Authors: Shaw Maren , Warren Simon , Groben Pamela , Gulley Margaret L.
Published: September 2006

Background:  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive tumor of cutaneous neuroendocrine cells with a reported 13‐fold increased incidence in immunocompromised patients, raising the possibility that it is driven by an oncogenic virus. Additionally, Merkel cell hyperplasia is seen in the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)‐driven process oral hairy leukoplakia, and EBV is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of several other malignancies.

Objective:  We tested the hypothesis that EBV is involved in MCC.

Methods:  We employed EBV‐encoded RNA in situ hybridization (ISH), lytic EBV ISH, latent membrane protein 1 immunohistochemistry, and BamH1Z leftward reading frame 1 immunohistochemistry to detect and localize EBV in paraffin sections of MCC from five patients as well as seven other cutaneous tumors and positive controls for EBV infection.

Results:  Positive controls reacted appropriately. However, there was no evidence of latent or lytic EBV in any of the MCC biopsies or other cutaneous tumors.

Conclusion:  Our findings suggest that EBV is not associated with MCC.
Cytokeratin 15 expression in neoplasms with sebaceous differentiation
Authors: Misago Noriyuki , Narisawa Yutaka
Published: September 2006

Background:  Recent studies have demonstrated that the cytokeratin 15 (CK15)‐positive stem cells located in the hair follicle bulge are also involved in sebaceous gland renewal. No previous studies have dealt with the CK15 expression in sebaceous neoplasms.

Methods:  We studied the CK15 expression in 30 sebaceous neoplasms including 10 sebaceomas (sebaceoma defined as a distinct benign neoplasm with sebaceous differentiation), 10 sebaceous neoplasms of Muir–Torre syndrome, and 10 sebaceous carcinomas, in addition to that in the mantles of normal hair follicles.

Results:  CK15 was positive in the undifferentiated sebocytes of the mantles. All 10 sebaceomas showed CK15 expression in the basaloid, germinative cells. Both sebaceous neoplasms in Muir–Torre syndrome and sebaceous carcinomas demonstrated negative or only a focal positive reaction, including the occasional aberrant expression in matured sebocytes, to CK15.

Conclusions:  CK15 may be a useful marker for stem cells with a sebaceous fate, and a constant CK15 expression in sebaceomas supported the hypothesis that sebaceoma is a benign neoplasm of sebaceous germinative cells in the mantles. The similar staining pattern of CK15 between sebaceous neoplasms in Muir–Torre syndrome and sebaceous carcinomas may be one piece of evidence supporting the hypothesis that most sebaceous neoplasms in Muir–Torre syndrome are low‐grade sebaceous carcinomas.
Chromogenic in situ hybridization analysis of melastatin mRNA expression in melanomas from American Joint Committee on Cancer stage I and II patients with recurrent melanoma
Authors: Hammock L. , Cohen C. , Carlson G. , Murray D. , Ross J. S. , Sheehan C. , Nazir T. M. , Carlson J. A.
Published: September 2006

Objective:  To determine whether loss of melastatin (MLSN) is a universal phenomenon in American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage I and II melanoma patients who experienced recurrence.

Material and methods:  Paraffin blocks of primary melanomas (PMs) were retrieved from 30 patients who had a negative sentinel lymph node biopsy and developed recurrent melanoma (AJCC stage I and II). Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) methods were utilized to evaluate the expression of MLSN mRNA. These results were correlated with clinicopathologic data.

Results:  Variable, heterogeneous expression of MLSN mRNA was identified in normal, in situ and invasive melanocytes within and between cases. For the invasive PM component, 24 (80%) had focal, regional or complete loss of MLSN mRNA. The remaining 20% had either regional or total partial downregulation of MLSN mRNA. Intact MLSN mRNA expression was present regionally in 14/30 (47%), with mean relative tumor area of 38%, range 5–85%. Increasing loss of MLSN mRNA significantly correlated with increasing tumor depth and microsatellites (r = 0.1/0.4, p = 0.04). However, thin, AJCC T stage 1a PM had higher relative mean loss than intermediate AJCC T stage 2a/2b/3a thickness PM (65% vs. 34%/48%/25%). Increasing loss of MLSN mRNA significantly impacted on disease free survival (DFS) by multivariate analysis (58 vs. 0% 2 years DFS, ≤ 75 vs. >75% mRNA loss, p = 0.02). Decreased overall survival significantly correlated with increasing age and vascular invasion on multivariate analysis.

Conclusion:  Extensive loss of MLSN in PM correlated with aggressive metastatic melanoma. Ancillary testing for MLSN mRNA expression by CISH could offer a means to more accurately identify AJCC stage I and II patients at risk for metastatic disease, who could benefit from adjuvant therapy.
Calcinosis cutis: a complication of intravenous administration of calcium glucanate
Authors: Moss Jeremy , Syrengelas Athanasia , Antaya Richard , Lazova Rossitza
Published: September 2006

Calcinosis cutis, the deposition of calcium in the dermis, can be dystrophic, metastatic, iatrogenic, or idiopathic. Here, we describe a case of iatrogenic calcinosis cutis secondary to extravasation of an intravenous calcium‐containing solution in a child. We also review the literature regarding the pathogenic mechanisms involved in the development of calcinosis cutis after extravasation injuries. While iatrogenic calcinosis cutis is generally a benign entity, it is important to recognize its unique clinical and histopathologic presentation to avoid complications from misdiagnosis.
Lymphocytoma cutis due to pierced earrings
Authors: Watanabe Rei , Nanko Hiroko , Fukuda Satoru
Published: September 2006

Abstract:  We report two cases of lymphocytoma cutis caused by pierced earrings, with the results of patch tests and X‐ray microanalyses on electron microscopy. We detected zinc through scanning electron microscopy from the specimen of Case 1 and gold and titanium through transmission electron microscopy from Case 2. This is the first report to demonstrate the presence of metal fragments in the lesion, which may suggest the remanence of metal for 20 years, bringing about persistent allergic reaction.
Desmoplastic cutaneous leiomyosarcoma: case report and review of the literature
Authors: Berzal‐Cantalejo Fernanda , Sabater‐Marco Vicente , Pérez‐Vallés Ana , Martorell‐Cebollada Miquel
Published: September 2006

We report the case of a 51‐year‐old man with an asymptomatic indurated plaque on the chest wall that was surgically excised and submitted for histopathological examination. Microscopically, the dermis was occupied by a neoplastic process with spindle‐shaped cells arranged in longitudinal fascicles with cytologic atypia; the abundant sclerotic stroma was composed of hyaline material. Tumoral cells showed immunohistochemical reactivity to smooth muscle markers. The diagnosis was desmoplastic leiomyosarcoma of the skin. This unusual entity is identified and discussed, and we review the literature.
Dense fimbrial meshwork enhances Porphyromonas gingivalis adhesiveness: a scanning electron microscopic study
Authors: Hongo H. , Takano H. , Morita M.
Published: September 2006

Background and Objective:  The aim of this study was to determine how the fimbriae of Porphyromonas gingivalis function in plaque formation.

Material and Methods:  We used scanning electron microscopy to examine aggregates and hemaggregates of fimbria‐rich ATCC33277 (parent) and fimbra‐poor OZ6301C (pgmA‐knockout, mutant) strains of P. gingivalis. We also assessed the hemagglutination activity of the two strains as an indicator of P. gingivalis adhesiveness.

Results:  Aggregates of P. gingivalis were composed of bacterial chains and clusters. Rich fimbriae projecting from cells of the parent strain tended to bunch and form a dense meshwork among bacterial cells. In contrast, cells of the mutant strain projected fewer fimbriae and the meshwork was looser. Hemaggregates including cells of the parent strain contained a detached, dense fimbrial meshwork that adhered to erythrocytes. Hemaggregates comprising cells of the mutant strain included bacterial chains and clusters that adhered to erythrocytes by shorter fimbriae than those of the parent strain. The hemagglutination titer of the parent strain was 10‐fold higher than that of the mutant strain, although the number of fimbriae per cell of the parent strain was only double that of the mutant strain.

Conclusion:  The results indicate that P. gingivalis adhesiveness is prominently enhanced by the dense fimbrial meshwork. Thus, the virulence of P. gingivalis is increased by the presence of rich fimbriae.
Market Funds and Trust-Investment Law
Authors: Langbein John H. , Posner Richard A.
Published: September 2006

There is growing interest within the investment community in what are known as “index” or “market” funds. These are mutual or other investment funds that have abandoned the traditional attempt to “beat the market” by picking and choosing among securities-buying stocks or bonds that they believe to be undervalued and selling those they believe to be overvalued. Instead, they create and hold essentially unchanged a portfolio of securities that is designed to approximate some index of market performance such as the Standard & Poor's 500. The S&P 500 is a hypothetical portfolio consisting of 500 major nonfinancial companies on the New York Stock Exchange weighted by the market value of each company's total outstanding shares. Batterymarch Financial Management Corporation in its Market Portfolio holds a 250-stock selection from the S&P 500 designed to track the performance of the S&P 500 very closely. Two major banks, American National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago and Wells Fargo Bank, have created market funds in their trust departments. And several large pension funds, including those of several Bell Telephone Companies and of Exxon, have recently placed a portion of their assets in such funds.
Medical Malpractice: The Case for Contract
Authors: Epstein Richard A.
Published: September 2006

Medical malpractice, a subject that once languished in comparative obscurity, has in recent years become one of the most hotly debated topics of our time. The reasons for its surge to prominence, not only in medical and legal circles but also in the public eye, are not difficult to detect. Vast increases, slow at first but more rapid of late, have been evident in the number of medical malpractice actions; in the number of actions in which the plaintiffs have recovered; in the average size of their recovery; and, as a consequence, in the cost of medical malpractice insurance. In and of itself the unmistakable trend in the figures need not be a source of public concern. We could simply wash our hands of the whole affair and indulge in the happy assumption that the matter eventually will sort itself out in the marketplace. The cost of malpractice awards could be treated as just another cost of providing medical care that will, in the long run at least, be passed on to either taxpayer or consumer.
The Jury Selection in the Mitchell-Stans Conspiracy Trial
Authors: Zeisel Hans , Diamond Shari Seidman
Published: September 2006

This is a study of the voir dire proceedings in the trial of the United States v. John Mitchell and Maurice Stans in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in the spring of 1974 (docket no. 73 Cr. 439). The major charge was conspiracy to impede a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation of Robert L. Vesco, a financier, a fugitive at the time of the trial, in return for a $200,000 cash contribution to President Nixon's reelection campaign.
Computer-Assisted Legal Research—An Analysis of Full-Text Document Retrieval Systems, Particularly the LEXIS System
Authors: Sprowl James A.
Published: September 2006

Computerized document retrieval systems are now a commercial reality; they enable attorneys and other researchers to search quickly through large collections of judicial decisions and statutes for those containing words pertinent to their inquiries. While these systems can free the researcher from the constraints of formal indexing, they leave him enslaved to a different master-word usage in the documents through which he is searching With these new systems, the retrievability of a document is determined by its word content, and that in turn is determined by the vocabulary and stylistic habits of the document's author. Thus, judges and other document authors unwittingly serve as the indexers of these systems.
The Principle, Politics, and Finances of Introducing Academic Merit as the Standard of Hiring for “the teaching of law as a career,” 1870–1900
Authors: Kimball Bruce A.
Published: September 2006

Compared to the practice in other professional schools and academic fields at universities, law professors are hired at a young age based primarily upon their academic merit determined through grades, class rank, and school rank. This emphasis upon narrowly defined academic merit—apart from achievement demonstrated through original scholarship or experience in professional practice—first emerged during “the professionalization of the American law professor” between 1870 and 1900 at Harvard Law School (HLS). Though normative today, this outcome was neither necessary nor uncontested. In the late nineteenth century the new standard of hiring faculty according to their academic merit was energetically opposed by those favoring the antecedent standard of professional experience and reputation. Only when financial considerations counterbalanced that traditional standard did hiring decisions tip in favor of the new principle. Not until the early 1900s, when the second generation of academic meritocrats dominated the HLS faculty, did the new hiring standard become unequivocally established as policy in the school and, by extension, in legal education.
Hegel's Metaphysics: Changing the Debate
Authors: Kreines James
Published: September 2006

There are two general approaches to Hegel's theoretical philosophy which are broadly popular in recent work. Debate between them is often characterized, by both sides, as a dispute between those favoring a more traditional “metaphysical” approach and those favoring a newer “non‐metaphysical” approach. But I argue that the most important and compelling points made by both sides are actually independent of the idea of a “non‐metaphysical” interpretation of Hegel, which is itself simply unconvincing. The most promising directions for future research, for those on both sides of recent debates, will require recognizing that Hegel's theoretical philosophy includes a metaphysics, and engaging new debates about the specific character of that metaphysics.
Echinococcus granulosus in northern Queensland
Authors: BANKS DJD , COPEMAN DB , SKERRATT LF , MOLINA EC
Published: September 2006

Objective  To determine the prevalence and geographical distribution of hydatidosis and investigate factors that might be expected to influence the prevalence of hydatids in cattle in Queensland north of the Tropic of Capricorn. To determine the effect of natural levels of infection on carcase weight and subsequent economic loss.

Procedure  An abattoir survey conducted in 1981 provided information on the distribution, prevalence and viability of hydatid cysts in cattle from all shires north of the Tropic of Capricorn in Queensland.

Livers, lungs and spleens from 10,382 cattle were palpated at abattoirs in Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton to detect hydatid cysts. Prevalence of infection in cattle in each shire was estimated from results of the abattoir study together with reports of infection in a further 22,185 cattle obtained from abattoir records. Linear modelling was used to define the effect of geographical origin, age, breed and sex on prevalence of infection. Differences in the weights of carcases between infected and non‐infected cattle of the same age, sex, breed and property of origin were examined. The economic loss to the beef industry in the region surveyed was estimated.

Results  Cattle infected with hydatids originated almost entirely from regions to the east of the Great Dividing Range. The mean prevalence inside this zone was 28% compared with 3% in other areas. Viable protoscoleces were found in 0.7% of cysts. Geographical origin and age of the cattle were the most significant factors influencing prevalence. Infection with hydatids had no effect on carcase weight. Economic loss was limited to that associated with condemnations of organs at meat inspection, estimated to be $0.5 million per annum in 1981 and $6 million in 2004. The distribution of hydatids in Queensland north of the Tropic of Capricorn corresponded most closely with the distribution of small wallabies such as Macropus dorsalis (black‐striped wallaby), M parryi (whiptail wallaby) and M rufogriseus (red‐necked wallaby).

Conclusions  It was concluded that cattle are not an important part of maintaining the life‐cycle of E granulosus in Queensland north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Within the endemic zone, which is almost all to the east of the Great Dividing Range, the local pattern of bovine echinococcosis is most likely to be determined by the presence or absence of small species of wallaby such as M dorsalis, M parryi and M rufogriseus.
Serum and plasma cardiac troponin I concentrations in clinically normal Thoroughbreds in training in Australia
Authors: BEGG LM , HOFFMANN KL , BEGG AP
Published: September 2006

Cardiac troponin I is a potentially useful test to identify cardiac muscle damage in the horse. Measurements of cardiac troponin I from serum or heparinised plasma samples from 23 clinically normal Thoroughbred horses in race training were analysed through a standard Australian commercial laboratory using the ADVIA Centaur® Assay. The cardiac troponin I concentrations were < 0.15 µg/L from all samples. The test was then validated using macerated equine myocardium. Cardiac troponin I concentration may be useful in determining whether poor performance in Thoroughbred horses is related to active myocardial disease.
Tachycardia‐induced cardiomyopathy in a young Boxer dog with supraventricular tachycardia due to an accessory pathway
Authors: FOSTER SF , HUNT GB , THOMAS SP , ROSS DL , PEARSON MRB , MALIK R
Published: September 2006

A 1‐year‐old male Boxer dog presented with sustained supraventricular tachycardia and tachycardia‐induced cardiomyopathy. Conversion to sinus rhythm was achieved initially with intravenous lignocaine and subsequently with oral procainamide. Oral procainamide treatment was relatively successful in maintaining normal sinus rhythm with no side effects apart from a reversible change in coat colour. Electrophysiological studies demonstrated the presence of an accessory pathway connecting the right atrium to the right ventricle and confirmed the diagnosis of orthodromic atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia. Radiofrequency catheter ablation of the accessory pathway led to permanent resolution of the supraventricular tachycardia and for 9.5 years the dog has had no further signs of cardiac disease. The successful treatment of this condition highlights the importance of differentiating tachycardia‐induced cardiomyopathy from dilated cardiomyopathy.
Quantitative Detection of the Free-Living Amoeba
Hartmannella vermiformis
in Surface Water by Using Real-Time PCR
Authors: Kuiper Melanie W. , Valster Rinske M. , Wullings Bart A. , Boonstra Harry , Smidt Hauke , van der Kooij Dick
Published: September 2006

A real-time PCR-based method targeting the 18S rRNA gene was developed for the quantitative detection of
Hartmannella vermiformis
, a free-living amoeba which is a potential host for
Legionella pneumophila
in warm water systems and cooling towers. The detection specificity was validated using genomic DNA of the closely related amoeba
Hartmannella abertawensis
as a negative control and sequence analysis of amplified products from environmental samples. Real-time PCR detection of serially diluted DNA extracted from
H. vermiformis
was linear for microscopic cell counts between 1.14 × 10
−1
and 1.14 × 10
4
cells per PCR. The genome of
H. vermiformis
harbors multiple copies of the 18S rRNA gene, and an average number (with standard error) of 1,330 ± 127 copies per cell was derived from real-time PCR calibration curves for cell suspensions and plasmid DNA. No significant differences were observed between the 18S rRNA gene copy numbers for trophozoites and cysts of strain ATCC 50237 or between the copy numbers for this strain and strain KWR-1. The developed method was applied to water samples (200 ml) collected from a variety of lakes and rivers serving as sources for drinking water production in The Netherlands. Detectable populations were found in 21 of the 28 samples, with concentrations ranging from 5 to 75 cells/liter. A high degree of similarity (≥98%) was observed between sequences of clones originating from the different surface waters and between these clones and the reference strains. Hence,
H. vermiformis
, which is highly similar to strains serving as hosts for
L. pneumophila
, is a common component of the microbial community in fresh surface water.
Selecting Lactic Acid Bacteria for Their Safety and Functionality by Use of a Mouse Colitis Model
Authors: Daniel Catherine , Poiret Sabine , Goudercourt Denise , Dennin Veronique , Leyer Gregory , Pot Bruno
Published: September 2006

Studies showed that specific probiotics might provide therapeutic benefits in inflammatory bowel disease. However, a rigorous screening of new probiotics is needed to study possible adverse interactions with the host, particularly when intended for administration to individuals with certain health risks. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate the role of three lactobacilli (LAB) on intestinal inflammation and bacterial translocation using variations of the mouse model of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced acute colitis. We first compared the in vitro ability of LAB to survive gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions and their ability to persist in the GIT of mice following daily oral administration. As a control, we included a nonprobiotic
Lactobacillus paracasei
strain, previously isolated from an endocarditis patient. Feeding high doses of LAB strains to healthy and to TNBS-treated mice did not induce any detrimental effect or abnormal translocation of the bacteria. Oral administration of
Lactobacillus salivarius
Ls-33 had a significant preventive effect on colitis in mice, while
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lp-115 and
Lactobacillus acidophilus
NCFM did not. None of the three selected LAB strains translocated to extraintestinal organs of TNBS-treated mice. In contrast,
L. paracasei
exacerbated colitis under severe inflammatory conditions and translocated to extraintestinal organs. This study showed that evaluations of the safety and functionality of new probiotics are recommended. We conclude that not all lactobacilli have similar effects on intestinal inflammation and that selected probiotics such as
L. salivarius
Ls-33 may be considered in the prevention or treatment of intestinal inflammation.
Molecular Monitoring of the Fecal Microbiota of Healthy Human Subjects during Administration of Lactulose and
Saccharomyces boulardii
Authors: Vanhoutte Tom , De Preter Vicky , De Brandt Evie , Verbeke Kristin , Swings Jean , Huys Geert
Published: September 2006

Diet is a major factor in maintaining a healthy human gastrointestinal tract, and this has triggered the development of functional foods containing a probiotic and/or prebiotic component intended to improve the host's health via modulation of the intestinal microbiota. In this study, a long-term placebo-controlled crossover feeding study in which each subject received several treatments was performed to monitor the effect of a prebiotic substrate (i.e., lactulose), a probiotic organism (i.e.,
Saccharomyces boulardii
), and their synbiotic combination on the fecal microbiota of three groups of 10 healthy human subjects differing in prebiotic dose and/or intake of placebo versus synbiotic. For this purpose, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicons was used to detect possible changes in the overall bacterial composition using the universal V
3
primer and to detect possible changes at the subpopulation level using group-specific primers targeting the
Bacteroides fragilis
subgroup, the genus
Bifidobacterium
, the
Clostridium lituseburense
group (cluster XI), and the
Clostridium coccoides-Eubacterium rectale
group (cluster XIVa). Although these populations remained fairly stable based on DGGE profiling, one pronounced change was observed in the universal fingerprint profiles after lactulose ingestion. Band position analysis and band sequencing revealed that a band appearing or intensifying following lactulose administration could be assigned to the species
Bifidobacterium adolescentis
. Subsequent analysis with real-time PCR (RT-PCR) indicated a statistically significant increase (
P
< 0.05) in total bifidobacteria in one of the three subject groups after lactulose administration, whereas a similar but nonsignificant trend was observed in the other two groups. Combined RT-PCR results from two subject groups indicated a borderline significant increase (
P
= 0.074) of
B. adolescentis
following lactulose intake. The probiotic yeast
S. boulardii
did not display any detectable universal changes in the DGGE profiles, nor did it influence the bifidobacterial levels. This study highlighted the capacity of an integrated approach consisting of DGGE analysis and RT-PCR to monitor and quantify pronounced changes in the fecal microbiota of healthy subjects upon functional food administration.
Capture and Retention of
Cryptosporidium parvum
Oocysts by
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Biofilms
Authors: Searcy Kristin E. , Packman Aaron I. , Atwill Edward R. , Harter Thomas
Published: September 2006

The association of
Cryptosporidium
oocysts with biofilm communities can influence the propagation of this pathogen through both environmental systems and water treatment systems. We observed the capture and retention of
C. parvum
oocysts in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
biofilms using laboratory flow cells. Biofilms were developed in two different growth media using two different strains of
P. aeruginosa
, a wild-type strain (PAO1) and a strain that overproduces the exopolysaccharide alginate (PDO300). Confocal laser-scanning microscopy was used in conjunction with image analysis to assess the structure of the biofilms prior to introducing oocysts into the flow cells. More oocysts were captured by the biofilm-coated surfaces than the abiotic glass surface in both media. There was no significant difference in capture across the two strains of
P. aeruginosa
biofilm, but the fraction of oocysts captured was positively related to biofilm roughness and surface-area-to-volume ratio. Once captured, oocysts were retained in the biofilm for more than 24 h and were not released after a 40-fold increase in the system flow rate. We believe the capture and retention of oocysts by biofilm communities can impact the environmental transmission of
C. parvum
, and this interaction should be taken into consideration when predicting the migration of pathogens in the environment.
Removal and Inactivation of
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Biofilms by Electrolysis
Authors: Rabinovitch Christine , Stewart Philip S.
Published: September 2006

Bacterial biofilms were exposed to electrolysis by making the steel substratum an electrode in a circuit including a 6-V battery. These treatments resulted in killing (2.1-log reduction) and removal (4.0-log reduction) of viable cells at the anode and cathode, respectively, within a few minutes.