bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association between Nuchal Nevus Flammeus and Alopecia Areata: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Akhyani Maryam , Farnaghi Farshad , Seirafi Hassan , Nazari Rahman , Mansoori Parisa , Taheri Arash
Published: November 2005

Background: The association of alopecia areata (AA) with nuchal nevus flammeus (NNF) has been demonstrated by previous studies. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether AA is associated with NNF. Methods: 199 AA patients and 215 controls without AA were examined for the presence of NNF. Results: 35 patients (17.6%) in the AA group had NNF. In the control group, 20 patients (9.3%) had NNF (odds ratio = 2.08, 95% confidence interval 1.43–2.73; p = 0.013). A statistically significant association was found between the presence of NNF and duration of the AA (p < 0.001). The presence of NNF was associated with severity of AA (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The results of our study suggest a link between NNF and AA especially in severer and more chronic forms.
A Case of Amicrobial Pustulosis of the Folds Associated with Neutrophilic Gastrointestinal Involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Kerl K. , Masouyé I. , Lesavre P. , Saurat J.-H. , Borradori L.
Published: November 2005

Background: Amicrobial pustulosis of the folds is a recently described entity characterized by relapsing pustular lesions involving predominantly the cutaneous folds and the scalp. The disease typically occurs in the context of an autoimmune or systemic disease and should be included within the spectrum of neutrophilic dermatoses. Observation: We describe a patient with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus, who developed amicrobial pustulosis of the folds. Strikingly, the patient also exhibited recurrent oral and gastrointestinal manifestations that paralleled the course of the cutaneous signs. Conclusions: Our observation indicates that, in analogy to the other neutrophilic dermatoses, amicrobial pustulosis of the folds can also be complicated by the development of extracutaneous neutrophilic involvement, knowledge of which is critical for its diagnosis and proper management.
Topical Methimazole as a New Treatment for Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation: Report of the First Case
Authors: Kasraee Behrooz , Handjani Farhad , Parhizgar Amin , Omrani Gholamhosein R. , Fallahi Mohammad Reza , Amini Mitra , Nikbakhsh Mohammad , Tran Christian , Hügin Ambros , Sorg Olivier , Saurat Jean-Hilaire
Published: November 2005

We have previously shown that the peroxidase inhibitor methimazole (1-methyl-2-mercapto imidazole; MMI) is a noncytotoxic inhibitor of melanin production in cultured B16 melanocytes. It was further demonstrated that the topical application of 5% MMI on brown guinea pig skin for 6 weeks causes a significant reduction in the amount of epidermal melanin, resulting in visually recognizable cutaneous depigmentation. Herein, we report a 27-year-old male with postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (due to acid burn), successfully treated with topical MMI as a new skin depigmenting agent. Topical 5% MMI caused a moderate to marked improvement of the hyperpigmented lesions within 6 weeks of once-daily application. Topical MMI was well tolerated by the patient and did not affect the level of serum thyroid hormones (free thyroxin, free triiodothyronine and the thyroid-stimulating hormone). Unlike most known depigmenting agents, such as hydroquinone and kojic acid, MMI is a noncytotoxic, nonmutagenic compound, and it is possible that MMI could serve as a novel agent for the treatment of hyperpigmentary disorders in human.
Resveratrol, a Polyphenolic Phytoalexin, Attenuates Diabetic Nephropathy in Rats
Authors: Sharma Sameer , Anjaneyulu Muragundla , Kulkarni S.K. , Chopra Kanwaljit
Published: November 2005

Diabetic nephropathy is a serious microvascular complication and one of the main causes of end-stage renal disease. Various studies have revealed that increased oxidative stress is a major pathophysiological mechanism which is involved in the etiology of diabetic nephropathy. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic phytoalexin present in red wine, is known to possess potent antioxidant properties and thus we aimed to examine its effect on renal function and oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (65 mg/kg) in rats. After 4 weeks of STZ injection, rats were divided into four groups: the control rats, diabetic rats and diabetic rats treated with resveratrol (5 and 10 mg/kg, orally) respectively from week 4 up till week 6. At the termination of the experiments, urine albumin excretion, urine output, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and urea clearance were measured. The levels of the renal oxidative stress markers malonaldehyde and glutathione and the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase were measured in kidney homogenate. STZ-injected rats showed significant increases in blood glucose, polyuria, proteinuria and a decrease in body weight compared with age-matched control rats. After 6 weeks, diabetic rats exhibited renal dysfunction, as evidenced by reduced creatinine and urea clearance, and proteinuria along with a marked increase in oxidative stress, as determined by lipid peroxidation and activities of key antioxidant enzymes. Treatment with resveratrol significantly attenuated renal dysfunction and oxidative stress in diabetic rats. The present study reinforces the important role of oxidative stress in diabetic kidney and points towards the possible antioxidative mechanism being responsible for the renoprotective action of resveratrol.
The Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Causes Constitutive Growth of Cardiomyocytes and Does Not Antagonize Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor–Mediated Hypertrophy
Authors: D’Amore Angelo , Black M. Jane , Thomas Walter G.
Published: November 2005

Angiotensin II (Ang II) has important actions on the heart via type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) receptors. The link between AT1receptor activation and the hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes is accepted, whereas the contribution of the AT2receptor, which reportedly antagonizes the AT1receptor, is contentious. This ambiguity is primarily based on in vivo approaches, in which the direct effect of the AT2receptor and its modulation of the AT1receptor (at the level of the cardiomyocyte) are difficult to establish. In this study, we used adenoviruses encoding AT1and AT2to coexpress these receptors in isolated cardiomyocytes, allowing a direct examination of the consequence of varying AT1/AT2stoichiometry on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In myocytes expressing only the AT1receptor, Ang II stimulation promoted robust hypertrophy (increased protein:DNA ratio and phenotypic changes) via activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Titration of the AT2receptor against the AT1receptor did not inhibit Ang II–mediated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Instead, basal and Ang II–mediated hypertrophy was increased in line with the amplified expression of the AT2receptor, indicating a capacity for the AT2receptor to enhance basal cardiomyocyte growth. Indeed, expression of the AT2receptor alone resulted in hypertrophy; remarkably, this was unaffected by Ang II stimulation or the AT2receptor–specific ligands PD123319 and CGP42112. Although previous studies have indicated that the AT2receptor can antagonize MAPK activation via the AT1receptor, we found no evidence for this in cardiomyocytes. Thus, the AT2receptor promotes ligand-independent, constitutive cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and does not directly antagonize the AT1receptor in this setting.
The Prothrombotic Paradox of Hypertension
Authors: Dielis Arne W.J.H. , Smid Machiel , Spronk Henri M.H. , Hamulyak Karly , Kroon Abraham A. , ten Cate Hugo , de Leeuw Peter W.
Published: November 2005

Despite increased pulsatile stress, thrombotic rather than hemorrhagic events represent a major complication of hypertension. The pathophysiology of thrombosis in hypertension involves the interaction among vascular endothelium and particularly the renin-angiotensin and kallikrein-kinin systems. Because hypertension is often associated with some degree of inflammation, the combination of chronic inflammation and chronic shear stress may convert the normal anticoagulant endothelium into a procoagulant surface, expressing tissue factor. Activation of the renin-angiotensin system leads to activation of nuclear factor κB–dependent proinflammatory genes, also accelerating the expression of tissue factor. Renin-angiotensin and kallikrein-kinin systems interact at several levels to modulate coagulation, fibrinolysis, and vasodilatation in such a way that these 2 systems could have a major influence on the occurrence of thrombotic complications. Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists may favorably influence the balance between the renin-angiotensin and kallikrein-kinin axis, regulating blood pressure as well as reducing the risk of thrombosis, which may explain part of the clinical efficacy of these drugs.
Oxidative Stress by Monoamine Oxidase Mediates Receptor-Independent Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis by Serotonin and Postischemic Myocardial Injury
Authors: Bianchi Pascale , Kunduzova Oxana , Masini Emanuela , Cambon Claudie , Bani Daniele , Raimondi Laura , Seguelas Marie-Helene , Nistri Silvia , Colucci Wilson , Leducq Nathalie , Parini Angelo
Published: November 2005

Background—

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]), released by activated platelets during cardiac ischemia, is metabolized by the mitochondrial enzyme monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). Because hydrogen peroxide is one of the byproducts of 5-HT degradation by MAO-A, we investigated the potential role of reactive oxygen species generated by MAOs in 5-HT-dependent cardiomyocyte death and post-ischemia-reperfusion cardiac damage.

Methods and Results—

Treatment of isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes with 5-HT induced intracellular oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. The apoptotic cascade triggered by 5-HT involves release of cytochrome c, upregulation of proapoptotic Bax protein, and downregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. These effects were prevented by inhibition of amine transporter or MAO, antioxidants, or iron chelation. In contrast, cardiomyocyte apoptosis was only slightly affected by the 5-HT
2B
receptor antagonist SB 206553. In vivo, inhibition of MAO-A largely reduced myocardial ultrastructural damage induced by 30 minutes of ischemia followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion in the rat heart. Cardioprotective effects of MAO inhibitors were associated with the prevention of postischemic oxidative stress, neutrophil accumulation, and mitochondrial-dependent cell death and were not reverted by SB 206553. Administration of MAO-A inhibitors during ischemia was still effective in preventing cardiac damage.

Conclusions—

Our results supply the first direct evidence that oxidative stress induced by MAO is responsible for receptor-independent apoptotic effects of 5-HT in cardiomyocytes and postischemic myocardial injury. These findings provide new insight into the mechanisms of 5-HT action in the heart and may constitute the basis for novel therapies.
Myocardial Ischemia Induces Interleukin-6 and Tissue Factor Production in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Ikonomidis Ignatios , Athanassopoulos George , Lekakis John , Venetsanou Kyriaki , Marinou Margarita , Stamatelopoulos Kimon , Cokkinos Dennis V. , Nihoyannopoulos Petros
Published: November 2005

Background—

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and macrophage colony stimulating factor plasma levels are elevated in acute coronary syndromes. IL-6 has an inherent negative inotropic action and, with tissue factor (TF), mediates the ischemia-reperfusion myocardial injury. We hypothesized that inducible ischemia leads to cytokine production, TF expression, and consequently persistent left ventricular dysfunction after dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in coronary artery disease patients.

Methods and Results—

DSE was performed in 103 patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease. Blood samples were obtained at rest, at peak stress, and 30 minutes after cessation of dobutamine infusion for measurement of macrophage colony stimulating factor, IL-6, and TF. New or worsening wall motion abnormalities at peak stress and their duration into recovery were noted. Median IL-6 and TF levels were increased at peak stress and at 30 minutes into recovery compared with rest (2.7 and 2.4 versus 2.1 pg/mL for IL-6, 310 and 385 versus 266 pg/mL for TF [
P
<0.01] in patients with an ischemic response; n=55). Compared with rest, a greater release of IL-6 at peak stress and recovery was observed in patients with increasing number of ischemic segments at peak DSE (2 versus 3 to 4 versus 5 to 6 versus 7 to 8 segments;
P
=0.03). The time to recovery of wall motion abnormalities was also associated with IL-6 levels at peak stress and recovery (
r
=0.51 and
r
=0.39,
P
<0.05). Macrophage colony stimulating factor levels remained unchanged throughout DSE.

Conclusions—

Reversible ischemia induced during DSE increases IL-6 and TF plasma levels. IL-6 is related to the extent of left ventricular dysfunction at peak stress and to persistent LV dysfunction during recovery.
Resting Myocardial Blood Flow Is Impaired in Hibernating Myocardium
Authors: Selvanayagam Joseph B. , Jerosch-Herold Michael , Porto Italo , Sheridan David , Cheng Adrian S.H. , Petersen Steffen E. , Searle Nick , Channon Keith M. , Banning Adrian P. , Neubauer Stefan
Published: November 2005

Background—

Although impairment in perfusion reserve is well recognized in hibernating myocardium, there is substantial controversy as to whether resting myocardial blood flow (MBF) is reduced in such circumstances. Quantitative first-pass cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) perfusion imaging allows absolute quantification of MBF. We hypothesized that MBF assessed at rest by quantitative CMR perfusion imaging is reduced in hibernating myocardium.

Methods and Results—

Twenty-seven patients with 1 or 2-vessel coronary disease and at least 1 dysfunctional myocardial segment undergoing PCI were studied with preprocedure, early (24 hours), and late (9 months) postprocedure CMR imaging. First-pass perfusion images at rest were acquired in 3 short-axis planes by use of a T1-weighted turboFLASH sequence. In each slice, MBF was determined for 8 myocardial segments in mL · min
−1
· g
−1
by deconvolution of signal intensity curves with an arterial input function measured in the left ventricular blood pool. Cine MRI for assessment of global and segmental function and delayed enhancement MRI for detection of viability were also obtained. All coronary lesions were 80% to 95% stenosis in severity. Over all segments, mean MBF normalized by rate-pressure product (“corrected MBF”) was 1.2±0.3 mL · min
−1
· g
−1
· (mm Hg · bpm/10
4
)
−1
in segments without significant coronary stenosis and 0.7±0.2 mL · min
−1
· g
−1
· (mm Hg · bpm/10
4
)
−1
in segments with coronary stenosis before PCI (mixed model controlling for slice and segment
z
=−23.9,
P
<0.001). Early after the procedure, the MBF was 1.2±0.2 mL · min
−1
· g
−1
· (mm Hg · bpm/10
4
)
−1
in revascularized segments and 1.3±0.2 mL · min
−1
· g
−1
· (mm Hg · bpm/10
4
)
−1
in nondiseased segments (
z
=−6.1,
P
<0.001). Late after PCI, the systolic wall thickening and end-diastolic wall thickness both increased significantly more (both
P
<0.001) in the myocardial segments subtended by severe coronary stenosis (8±17% to 40±19% and 6.5±1.1 to 9.3±2 mm, respectively) than in the myocardial segments supplied by nondiseased vessels. Mean MBF in dysfunctional segments with significantly improved contraction after revascularization was 0.8±0.2 mL · min
−1
· g
−1
· (mm Hg · bpm/10
4
)
−1
before PCI and 1.2±0.2 mL · min
−1
· g
−1
· (mm Hg · bpm/10
4
)
−1
after PCI (
z
=2.0,
P
=0.04).

Conclusions—

CMR perfusion imaging detects impaired resting MBF in hibernating myocardial segments.
Gregor Schneider and the Flattering Performance Installation
Authors: Westcott James
Published: November 2005

Gregor Schneider's performance installation, “Die Familie Schneider”, which took place in the East End of London in 2004, masterfully evoked family trauma and repression through its expertly evil feng shui and morose—and perverse—cast of actors
Breeding behaviour and reproduction in the Pampa de Achala toad, Bufo achalensis
Authors: Jofré G.M. , Reading C.J. , di Tada L.E.
Published: November 2005

During 1999 and 2000 the reproductive behaviour, breeding site characteristics and reproduction of Bufo achalensis were studied mainly at La Ciénaga stream, Pampa de Achala, Argentina, using capture-recapture and skeletochronology methods. Breeding activity occurred from mid-August to mid-September and was explosive. Males and females congregated at night at selected, but scarce, breeding sites, resulting in a patchy distribution of small breeding populations near to the stream source. The sex ratio (♂ : ♀) of the breeding population ranged between 0.65 : 1 and 1.16 : 1. On average, breeding males were larger and older than breeding females. Although most females and males reached sexual maturity at four and five years of age, some bred for the first time at the ages of three and four years respectively. Neither size dependent nor size assortative pairings were found. Male reproductive success was not related to body size (SVL) but was related to the number of nights spent at a breeding site. Females laid between 700-2,390 eggs. Eggs hatched approximately nine days after deposition and larval development was completed in about two months.
A new species of tree frog from the Andes of southeastern Peru (Anura: Hylidae: Hyla)
Authors: De la Riva Ignacio , Chaparro Juan Carlos
Published: November 2005

A new species of Hyla is described from cloud forests of the Cosñipata Valley in southern Peru. The new species lacks webbing in hands and has vestigial webbing between toes III and IV, is readily distinguished from any other species of Andean Hyla, and is not clearly assignable to any species group. The new species seems to be a secretive, bromeliad-dweller.
A new species of Diurnal Frog in the genus Crossodactylus Duméril and Bibron, 1841 (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from Southeastern Brazil
Authors: Nascimento Luciana B. , Cruz Carlos A.G. , Feio Renato N.
Published: November 2005

A new species of Crossodactylus, belonging to the C. gaudichaudii species
group, was described from the Municipality of Santa Maria do Salto, in the
Atlantic Rain Forest of the State of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The
new species was characterised by its: small size; slender body; head being
longer than its width; snout rounded in dorsal view and protruding in
lateral view; skin very granulated on sacral region; males having four to
six keratinized conical spines arranged in a circle on their thumb; inner
tarsal fringe extensively developed; toes extensively fringed on both edges;
and ventral body surface with brownish blotches and short stripes. The
descriptions of advertisement calls and tadpoles are included. Uma nova
espécie de Crossodactylus, pertencente ao grupo de C. gaudichaudii, é
descrita do município de Santa Maria do Salto, na Mata Atlântica do Estado
de Minas Gerais, sudeste do Brasil. A nova espécie é caracterizada pelo
corpo esbelto, cabeça mais longa que larga, focinho arredondado em vista
dorsal e protuso em vista lateral, pele bastante granulada na região sacral,
machos possuindo de quatro a seis espinhos córneos cônicos, dispostos em
círculo no polegar, fimbria tarsal interna bastante desenvolvida, artelhos
bastante fimbriados em ambas as margens e superfície ventral do corpo com
manchas e pequenas faixas amarronzadas. Descrições do canto de anúncio e do
girino são apresentadas.
Efficacy of inguinal palpation for detecting oviductal eggs in Hermann's tortoise, Testudo hermanni
Authors: Bertolero Albert , Marín Aurelio
Published: November 2005

For the first time, inguinal palpation effectively detected calcified
oviductal eggs in a tortoise species. Inguinal palpations for 36 Hermann's
tortoises, from six samples during spring 1999 and spring 2000, were
verified with X-ray radiography. Palpation results did not differ
significantly from radiography results and did not differ between two
independent observers. A logistic regression analysis indicated that
palpation success depended on the presence of oviductal eggs, and not on
observer, year (1999 or 2000) or tortoise age class (young adult or old
adult). The probability of correctly classifying females as gravid or
nongravid through palpation was 78.4%. Although inguinal palpation did not
allow detection of all clutches, it is a simple, inexpensive and effective
means to determine the breeding status of Hermann's tortoise
populations.
Relationships of scincid lizards (Mabuya spp.) from the islands of the Gulf of Guinea based on mtDNA sequence data
Authors: Jesus José , Brehm António , Harris D. James
Published: November 2005

Relationships of Mabuya lizards from the islands of the Gulf of Guinea where estimated using partial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and cytochrome b mitochondrial gene sequences. Mabuya maculilabris from São Tomé and Principe are discreet monophyletic units, highly divergent from each other and from mainland populations, indicating M. maculilabris may be a species complex. Mabuya affinis from Principe is similarly distinct from mainland populations of this species. The relationships of Mabuya ozorii from Annobon are unclear, but the three species in the Gulf of Guinea islands are not closely related, indicating multiple independent colonization events. The recent proposal to partition Mabuya into four genera is premature, since at least five distinct genetic lineages can be identified.
ScoreRel CI: An Excel Program for Computing Confidence Intervals for Commonly Used Score Reliability Coefficients
Authors: Barnette J. Jackson
Published: November 2005

An Excel program developed to assist researchers in the determination and presentation of confidence intervals around commonly used score reliability coefficients is described. The software includes programs to determine confidence intervals for Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson r-based coefficients such as those used in test-retest and alternate forms situations, split-half, and Cohen’s 2 × 2 unweighted Kappa. The general basis for the confidence interval computations and the program features are presented. Availability, at no cost, and conditions of use are described.
Pharmacokinetics of Sirolimus (Rapamycin) in Subjects With Mild to Moderate Hepatic Impairment
Authors: Zimmerman James J. , Lasseter Kenneth C. , Lim Heng‐Keang , Harper Dawn , Dilzer Stacey C. , Parker Vernon , Matschke Kyle
Published: November 2005

Eighteen adult subjects with mild to moderate hepatic impairment and 18 healthy control subjects were given a single 15‐mg dose of sirolimus by oral solution. Mean whole‐blood sirolimus weight‐normalized oral‐dose clearances (CL/F) were significantly decreased(P=.02)in subjects with mild to moderate hepatic impairment by −31.8% and −36.0%, respectively, compared with controls. There were no significant differences in mean sirolimus Cmaxand tmaxvalues among groups. The observed decreases in CL/F may be relevant in renal transplant patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment, based on the close similarity of sirolimus CL/F in controls and previously studied stable renal transplant patients receiving multiple‐dose administration of sirolimus and cyclosporine. There was considerable overlap in the CL/F values of hepatic‐impaired subjects and controls, suggesting that whole‐blood sirolimus trough concentrations in renal transplant patients exhibiting mild to moderate hepatic impairment be initially monitored to assess the need for dose adjustments.
Use of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (Insulin Pump) Therapy in the Hospital Setting
Authors: Cook Curtiss B. , Boyle Mary E. , Cisar Nancy S. , Miller-Cage Victoria , Bourgeois Peggy , Roust Lori R. , Smith Steven A. , Zimmerman Richard S.
Published: November 2005

Purpose

Individuals whose diabetes is being treated in the outpatient setting via an insulin pump often wish to maintain this therapy during hospitalization. The authors propose guidelines for management of patients on insulin pumps who require a hospital admission.

Methods

A collaborative interinstitutional task force reviewed current available information regarding the use of insulin pumps in the hospital.

Results

There was little information in the medical literature on how to manage individuals on established insulin pump therapy during a hospital stay. The task force believed that a policy that promotes patient independence through continuation of insulin pump therapy while ensuring patient safety was possible. A set of contraindications for continued use of pump therapy in the hospital are proposed. A sample patient consent form and order set are presented. Finally, measures that can be used to assess effectiveness of an inpatient insulin pump policy are outlined.

Conclusions

Patients on established insulin pump therapy do not necessarily have to discontinue treatment while hospitalized. However, clear policies and procedures should be established at the institutional level to guide continued use of the technology in the acute care setting.
I Help You, and You Help Me
Authors: Heisler Michele , Piette John D.
Published: November 2005

Purpose

The feasibility and acceptability of using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)–based platform to facilitate peer support among older adults with diabetes was evaluated.

Methods

Diabetes patients with poor glycemic control receiving care at a Veterans' Affairs medical center completed a baseline survey, received rudimentary training, and were matched based on their diabetes-related self-management needs. They were asked to contact their partner weekly using the toll-free IVR calling line. At the completion of the 6-week period, participants completed follow-up surveys and brief telephone interviews.

Results

Forty of 76 patients screened for eligibility by telephone agreed to participate, and 38 completed the 6-week intervention (50% of eligible patients). More than 80% of the pairs spoke at least once a week for 2 of the 6 weeks of the intervention. A total of 79% of the participants reported that the IVR system was easy to use, and 90% stated that they would be more satisfied with their health care if this type of peer support service were available. Of the participants, 70% found the calls helpful in managing diabetes symptoms, 73% reported that their partner helped them improve their self-care, and 70% stated that they helped their partner do things to stay healthy. There were significant improvements in participants' reported diabetes self-care self-efficacy between baseline and follow-up assessments (P< .01). Qualitative assessments suggested that participants found meaning and positive reinforcement for their own self-care through supporting their partner's efforts to manage diabetes.

Conclusions

An IVR peer support intervention is feasible, acceptable to patients, and may have positive effects on patients' diabetes self-management and health outcomes that warrant more rigorous evaluation in a randomized trial.
Institutions and Development: Electronic Commerce and Economic Growth
Authors: Lund Mark J. F. , McGuire Steven
Published: November 2005

Trade in e-commerce is well known to have benefited individuals, firms and countries in the developed world. However, according to organizations including the WTO, OECD and UNCTAD, as well as the USA and EU, trade in e-commerce is also a means of improving the overall economic growth and performance of less developed nations. In fact, the WTO considers e-commerce to be the key force in integrating LDCs into the multilateral trading system. This paper sets out to problematize this view, not by arguing that e-commerce cannot make an important contribution to development, but by querying the assumptions that underpin current thinking. We start by repairing these defects: the absence of any role for the state; the underestimation of polarization in society and its effect on economic growth; and the failure to distinguish between types of e-commerce. Employing the participation and enhancement classification of e-commerce adoption, we consider whether developing states are ready for the participation phase of e-commerce, if developing countries have the kinds of industries that might act as demand-pull sectors for e-commerce growth, and whether social, political and institutional arrangements are in place to encourage and sustain e-commerce.
Connecting users with their information
Authors: Burton Barbara
Published: November 2005

The article counters the popular claims that librarians and information professionals are threatened by the continued expansion of the quantity of information that is available on the World Wide Web, by noting that many of their skills, such as classification and taxonomy, will be increasingly demanded by the information services that are available online. The author discusses the issues involved in the work of librarians/information professionals in online information services in the context of her experiences at Factiva, a provider of current and archival business and news information, with thousands of newspapers, magazines and newswires searchable by a web interface, which is staffed by traditional library and information science (LIS) or Master of Library Science degrees. The important role of librarians/information professionals at Factiva is further illustrated by a listing of the job titles of staff in the main departments of: Content Services; Customer Service and Sales; and Marketing. The author concludes that the continued expansion of information on the web and the need to understand what information is needed by various user groups will ensure that the traditional skills of librarianship and information science will always be in great demand.
Time to get wired: Using web-based corpora in critical discourse analysis
Authors: Mautner Gerlinde
Published: November 2005

Although the world wide web has become a popular object of and tool for different kinds of semiotic and linguistic investigation, critical discourse analysis (CDA) does not seem to share this enthusiasm in equal measure. The contemporary relevance of the web as a key site for the articulation of social issues should make it a prime target for critical discourse analysts with a political and emancipatory brief. Nonetheless, CDA publications are still predominantly based on conventional, non-electronic sources of data. This article discusses the analytic potential that web-based data opens up and also identifies the specific challenges that arise as a result. These are linked to the size of the web, its diversity, ephemeral quality, interactivity, and multimodality. Indicating directions in which future research might proceed, the article makes a plea for more critical discourse analysts to work with web-based corpora.
The Woman who Anoints Jesus (Mk 14.3-9): A Prophetic Sign of the New Creation
Authors: Miller Susan
Published: November 2005

The woman who anoints Jesus is unique within Mark’s Gospel, since her action is to be remembered wherever the Gospel is proclaimed. She is portrayed as a prophetic figure because her act of anointing points to Jesus’ kingship, which is revealed at the time of his death. Her critics condemn her gift as wasteful, arguing that the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor. The Greek term ap ōa leia, however, may be translated as ‘waste’ or ‘loss’. In the literary context of Mark’s Gospel the ‘waste’ of the perfume corresponds to the ‘loss’ of Jesus’ life, since it recalls the teaching of Jesus on discipleship in which the use of the cognate verb apollumi (lose) is used to show that only those willing to lose life will save life (8:35). The woman’s action of breaking the jar and pouring out the perfume foreshadows the Last Supper in which Jesus identifies the bread with his body, and refers to the cup of wine as his blood which is poured out for many. Her prophetic action aligns her with Jesus’ suffering and death, and her extravagance affirms the preciousness of life in the midst of death. The woman’s gift encapsulates the message of the Gospel because it foreshadows the new creation that comes about through Jesus’ death.
Feminist Liberation Theology and the Rise of the Celtic Tiger
Authors: Sainsbury Gail
Published: November 2005

This article takes as its starting point the work of Irish feminist theologian Mary Condren. Her book, The Serpent and the Goddess, offers a thought-provoking treatment of the Irish situation and provides a solid starting point for the consideration of my topic, which is the potential for liberative responses to the rise of the Celtic Tiger—the economic boom that Ireland underwent during the 1990s. Ireland is interestingly placed as a country with a firm Catholic identity, a repressive history of conquest, a history of widespread poverty, a rich cultural heritage and now a strong economic life. These factors are analysed in the context of feminist liberation theology.
Bodies, Schizo Vibes and Hallucinatory Desires – Sexualities in Movement
Authors: Lambevski Sasho Alexander
Published: November 2005

The essay is a philosophical meditation on some of the limitations of contemporary cultural and social theory of sexuality, which views it as a subject-position(ality), nicely and relatively stably wrapped under the epidermal cover of an individual human body. Through a Deleuzean reading of two liminal sexual experiences, the essay urges to rethink human corporeality, gender, sexuality, desire and pleasure along the lines of a vocabulary and epistemology that is sensitive to (affective) intensity, flux, and the sensual assembling of human and non-human elements into a pleasure machine.
New Research Directions: The Cultural Study of Commercial Sex
Authors: Agustín Laura María
Published: November 2005

A paradoxical combination of moral revulsion and resigned tolerance has permitted the sex industry’s uncontrolled development in the underground economy and also impeded research on the phenomena involved. The gaze of researchers as well as government and non-governmental actors remains fixed on individual women who sell sex, while a range of other issues is neglected. In this article, ethnographic material from Spain illustrates how commercial sex is tangled up in culture, suggests a number of issues that open up once the field is defined as cultural and argues that efforts to propose new models of governance on ‘prostitution’ need the benefit of much more information than is now available.
Story-telling at work: a complex discursive resource for integrating personal, professional and social identities
Authors: Holmes Janet
Published: November 2005

Workplace narratives are one means of satisfying the complex demands of identity construction at work. Following reference to the relevant literature, this article discusses the range of narratives identified in our extensive New Zealand corpus of workplace interactions, distinguishing between more socially-oriented ‘workplace anecdotes’, and more transactionally-oriented ‘working stories’. While both orientations are often relevant, the distinction is useful in examining how different types of narratives function in the construction of diverse facets of an individual's identity. In the final section, one particular workplace narrative illustrates the complexities involved in accomplishing a narrative in a formal meeting, and the analysis explores how two members of a senior management team use the narrative to negotiate contrasting aspects of their professional and social workplace identities.
Nailing down an answer: participations of power in trial talk
Authors: Matoesian Gregory
Published: November 2005

This article examines a questioning strategy in trial crossexamination designed to control an evasive witness, and how that control functions through the interactive contours of verbal and visual conduct to index identity, construct multidimensional forms of participation and project intertextual relations. In the process of nailing down an answer, attorney and witness manipulate linguistic ideologies and project participations of power to calibrate the epistemological criteria for determining the legitimacy of legal realities. I demonstrate how indexical iconicities of trial dialogic form emerge as a contested ritual of truth in the situated details of multimodal discursive practices.
‘Incommensurable’ studies of mobile phone conversation: a reply to Ilkka Arminen
Authors: Hutchby Ian
Published: November 2005

Arminen(2005) claimsthattworecentstudiesof mobilephone conversation (Hutchby and Barnett, 2005 and Arminen and Leinonen, forthcoming) come up with incommensurate findings. He relates this to two distinct approaches to the methodology of conversation analysis. In this reply I show that the two studies in question are not incommensurate and argue that Arminen's account is based on a partial description of the findings in Hutchby and Barnett (2005). I go on to show how the latter study presents an approach to the problematic relationship in CA between talk and extraneous contingencies that goes further than Arminen's own proposals.
Global Migration and Social Protection Rights
Authors: Deumert Ana , Marginson Simon , Nyland Chris , Ramia Gaby , Sawir Erlenawati
Published: November 2005

A growing number of students cross national borders for their studies. An expanding global market in higher education has been created. Yet significant gaps exist in the governance of international students' rights. As well as being educational service beneficiaries, cross-border students are migrants, workers, consumers and human beings. A broader view of students, as individuals deserving of ‘social and economic security’, is superior to that which treats them as social protection subjects. Recognizing this multiple status, and utilizing in-depth data from 200 interviews with international students in Australia, the article finds that the existing social protection regime falls significantly short of recognizing students' rights. Problems are located in relation to language acquisition, social integration, finances, work and personal safety. The article argues that, as well as law and policy, a student security regime should incorporate better university practices and more integrated civil society networks and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and intergovernmental organization (IGO) coverage.
Partiality to Conationals or Solidarity with the Oppressed?
Authors: Glaser Daryl
Published: November 2005

A number of liberals defend nationalism as compatible with, even an aid in realizing, the values of liberty, democracy and social justice. In the process, they also defend the doctrine that it is legitimate to grant moral priority to conationals or compatriots. While not hostile to national attachment in all circumstances, and conceding a limited universalist case for prioritizing fellow group members, this article argues that even liberal nationalism is liable to be found wanting in situations where dominant-group nationals are called upon to show fulsome solidarity with their oppressed national ‘other’. It focuses on the way liberal nationalism and sentimental partiality to conationals can distort moral judgement, rendering it difficult for dominant-group nationalists to recognize and fight oppression. The case is illustrated by way of a critical discussion of the reaction of liberal Zionists to the second or Al Aqsa Intifadain Israel–Palestine.
Granulocyte heterochromatin: defining the epigenome
Authors: Olins Donald E , Olins Ada L
Published: November 2005

Background

Mammalian blood neutrophilic granulocytes are terminally differentiated cells, possessing extensive heterochromatin and lobulated (or ring-shaped) nuclei. Despite the extensive amount of heterochromatin, neutrophils are capable of increased gene expression, when activated by bacterial infection. Understanding the mechanisms of transcriptional repression and activation in neutrophils requires detailing the chromatin epigenetic markers, which are virtually undescribed in this cell type. Much is known about the heterochromatin epigenetic markers in other cell-types, permitting a basis for comparison with those of mature normal neutrophilic granulocytes.

Results

Immunostaining and immunoblotting procedures were employed to study the presence of repressive histone modifications and HP1 proteins in normal human and mouse blood neutrophils, and in vitro differentiated granulocytes of the mouse promyelocytic (MPRO) system. A variety of repressive histone methylation markers were detectable in these granulocytes (di- and trimethylated H3K9; mono-, di- and trimethyl H3K27; di- and trimethyl H4K20). However, a paucity of HP1 proteins was noted. These granulocytes revealed negligible amounts of HP1 α and β, but exhibited detectable levels of HP1 γ. Of particular interest, mouse blood and MPRO undifferentiated cells and granulocytes revealed clear co-localization of trimethylated H3K9, trimethylated H4K20 and HP1 γ with pericentric heterochromatin.

Conclusion

Mature blood neutrophils possess some epigenetic heterochromatin features that resemble those of well-studied cells, such as lymphocytes. However, the apparent paucity of HP1 proteins in neutrophils suggests that heterochromatin organization and binding to the nuclear envelope may differ in this cell-type. Future investigations should follow changes in epigenetic markers and levels of HP1 proteins during granulopoiesis and bacterial activation of neutrophils.
Molecular and cytological features of the mouse B-cell lymphoma line iMycEμ-1
Authors: Su Han Seong , Shaffer Arthur L , Peng Liangping , Chung Seung Tae , Lim Jae Hwan , Maeng Sungho , Su Kim Joong , McNeil Nicole , Ried Thomas , Staudt Louis M , Janz Siegfried
Published: November 2005

Background

Myc-induced lymphoblastic B-cell lymphoma (LBL) in iMycEμ mice may provide a model system for the study of the mechanism by which human MYC facilitates the initiation and progression of B cell and plasma cell neoplasms in human beings. We have recently shown that gene-targeted iMycEμ mice that carry a His6-tagged mouse Myc cDNA, Myc
His, just 5' of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer, Eμ, are prone to B cell and plasma cell tumors. The predominant tumor (~50%) that arose in the iMycEμ mice on the mixed genetic background of segregating C57BL/6 and 129/SvJ alleles was LBL. The purpose of this study was to establish and characterize a cell line, designated iMycEμ-1, for the in-depth evaluation of LBL in vitro.

Methods

The morphological features and the surface marker expression profile of the iMycEμ-1 cells were evaluated using cytological methods and FACS, respectively. The cytogenetic make-up of the iMycEμ-1 cells was assessed by spectral karyotyping (SKY). The expression of the inserted Myc
His gene was determined using RT-PCR and qPCR. Clonotypic immunoglobulin gene arrangements were detected by Southern blotting. The global gene expression program of the iMycEμ-1 cells and the expression of 768 "pathway" genes were determined with the help of the Mouse Lymphochip© and Superarray© cDNA micro- and macroarrays, respectively. Array results were verified, in part, by RT-PCR and qPCR.

Results

Consistent with their derivation from LBL, the iMycEμ-1 cells were found to be neoplastic IgMhighIgDlow lymphoblasts that expressed typical B-cell surface markers including CD40, CD54 (ICAM-1), CD80 (B7-1) and CD86 (B7-2). The iMycEμ-1 cells harbored a reciprocal T(9;11) and three non-reciprocal chromosomal translocations, over-expressed Myc
His at the expense of normal Myc, and exhibited gene expression changes on Mouse Lymphochip© microarrays that were consistent with Myc
His-driven B-cell neoplasia. Upon comparison to normal B cells using eight different Superarray© cDNA macroarrays, the iMycEμ-1 cells showed the highest number of changes on the NFκB array.

Conclusion

The iMycEμ-1 cells may provide a uniquely useful model system to study the growth and survival requirements of Myc-driven mouse LBL in vitro.
Aberrant E-cadherin staining patterns in invasive mammary carcinoma
Authors: Harigopal Malini , Shin Sandra J , Murray Melissa P , Tickoo Satish K , Brogi Edi , Rosen Paul Peter
Published: November 2005

Background

E-cadherin, a cell surface protein involved in cell adhesion, is present in normal breast epithelium, benign breast lesions, and in breast carcinoma. Alterations in the gene CDH1 on chromosome 16q22 are associated with changes in E-cadherin protein expression and function. Inactivation of E-cadherin in lobular carcinomas and certain diffuse gastric carcinomas may play a role in the dispersed, discohesive "single cell" growth patterns seen in these tumors. The molecular "signature" of mammary lobular carcinomas is the loss of E-cadherin protein expression as evidenced by immunohistochemistry, whereas ductal carcinomas are typically E-cadherin positive.

Patients and methods

We report on E-cadherin immunostaining patterns in five cases of invasive mammary carcinoma

Results

These were five exceptional instances in which the E-cadherin immunophenotype did not correspond to the apparent histologic classification of the lesion. These cases which are exceedingly rare in our experience are the subject of this report.

Conclusion

Findings such as those illustrated in this study occur in virtually all biologic phenomena and they do not invalidate the very high degree of correlation between the expression of E-cadherin and the classification of breast carcinomas as ductal or lobular type on the basis of conventional histologic criteria.
Colovaginal anastomosis: an unusual complication of stapler use in restorative procedure after Hartmann operation
Authors: Yan Zhongshu , Liao Guoqing
Published: November 2005

Background

Rectovaginal fistula is uncommon after lower anterior resection for rectal cancer. The most leading cause of this complication is involvement of the posterior wall of the vagina into the staple line when firing the circular stapler.

Case presentation

A 50-year-old women underwent resection for obstructed carcinoma of the sigmoid colon with Hartmann procedure. Four months later she underwent restorative surgery with circular stapler. Following which she developed rectovaginal fistula. A transvaginal repair was performed but stool passing from vagina not per rectum. Laporotomy revealed colovaginal anastomosis, which was corrected accordingly. Patient had an uneventful recovery.

Conclusion

Inadvertent formation of colovaginal anastomosis associated with a rectovaginal fistula is a rare complication caused by the operator's error. The present case again highlights the importance of ensuring that the posterior wall of vagina is away from the staple line.
Subcutaneously administered Menopur(R), a new highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin, causes significantly fewer injection site reactions than Repronex(R) in subjects undergoing in vitro fertilization
Authors: Keye William R , Webster Bobby , Dickey Richard , Somkuti Stephen , Crain Jack , Scobey M Joseph
Published: November 2005

Background

The safety and tolerability of a new highly purified, urine-derived human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) preparation [Menopur(R)] was compared with a currently available hMG [Repronex (R)] in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Methods

This was a randomized, open-label, parallel-group, multicenter study conducted in subjects undergoing IVF. Women (N = 125), 18–39 years of age, underwent pituitary down-regulation with leuprolide acetate beginning 7 days prior to onset of menses and continuing up to the day before hCG administration. Subjects were randomized to receive subcutaneous (SC) Menopur (R) (n = 61) or Repronex (R) SC (n = 64) for a maximum of 12 days. All adverse events (AEs) were recorded and subject self-assessments of injection site reactions were recorded in a daily diary.

Results

Significantly fewer subjects in the Menopur (R) group reported injection site reactions (P < 0.001) compared to the Repronex (R) group. Overall, there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of AEs between the two treatment groups.

Conclusion

Menopur (R) SC offers a greater safety and tolerability profile compared to Repronex (R) SC.