bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Achilles foot‐screening project: background, objectives and design
Authors: Haneke E.
Published: September 2006

Objective A description of the background‐; objectives and design of the Achilles foot screening project.

Subject Foot diseases, especially tinea pedis and onychomycosis.

Methods Literature review and description of the Achilles set‐up.

Results The prevalence of tinea pedis and onychomycosis has sharply increased since 1950. Tinea pedis is one of the most common mycological diseases and onychomycosis is the most frequent nail disorder. They occur mainly in adults with an estimated overall prevalence of 10–20%, although epidemiological data are limited. The pan‐European Achilles foot‐screening project was undertaken to gather basic information on foot diseases, using a survey by questionnaire and a mycological assessment study.

Conclusion The prevalence of foot mycoses, particularly onychomycoses, is much higher than anticipated.
Glycolic acid peeling in the treatment of acne
Authors: Atzori L. , Brundu M.A. , Orru A. , Biggio P.
Published: September 2006

Background

Glycolic acid chemical peels have been widely accepted as a useful modality in many cutaneous conditions characterized by abnormalities of keratinization.

Objective

The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of glycolic peels in the main clinical forms of acne.

Methods

Between January 1995 and December 1996, 80 women, aged 13–40 years, were visited for acne and selected for the study at the Cagliari University Dermatology Department (Italy). The type and severity of acne in each patient was assessed following the Leeds technique. The chemical peels were performed with a 70% glycolic acid solution, for times that varied in a range between 2 and 8 minutes. The number and frequency of the applications depended on the intensity of the clinical response.

Results

The main clinical forms were comedonic acne in 32 cases, papulo‐pustolar acne in 40 cases and nodule‐cystic acne in the remaining eight cases The most rapid improvement was observed in comedonic acne. In the papulo‐pustular forms an average of six applications was necessary. Although nodular‐cystic forms required eight to ten applications, a significant improvement of the coexisting post‐acne superficial scarring was noted. The procedure was well tolerated and patient compliance was excellent.

Conclusion

Glycolic acid chemical peels are an effective treatment for all types of acne, inducing rapid improvement and restoration to normal looking skin.
The risk of coronary heart disease in men with androgenetic alopecia
Authors: Sasmaz S. , Senol M. , Ozcan A. , Dogan G. , Tuncer C. , Akyol O. , Sener S.
Published: September 2006

Background

The meaningful association of androgenetic alopecia and coronary heart disease has been well documented, but few studies have focused on the importance of lipid parameters, such as total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein‐cholesterol, low density lipoprotein‐cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), apolipoprotein Al and apolipoprotein B in patients with androgenetic alopecia.

Objective

The aim of this study is to investigate the relation between androgenetic alopecia and coronary heart disease and to determine the significance of certain lipid parameters on this relationship.

Subjects

Forty‐one men with vertex type androgenetic alopecia (study group) and 36 men, age‐matched, with normal hair status (control group) were the subjects of this study.

Results

We found significant differences in serum lipoprotein (a) and triglyceride levels between the study and control groups (P < 0.05). Forty‐seven percent of patients and 30% of controls had a lipoprotein (a) level more than 30 mg/dl higher than the level critical for atherosclerotic heart disease.

Conclusion

Dermatologists should investigate lipid profile, especially lipoprotein (a), of patients with androgenetic alopecia and refer to a cardiologist if necessary.
Risk factors of non‐melanoma skin cancer in United States veterans patients: a pilot study and review of literature
Authors: Chuang Tsu‐Yi , Brashear Ryan
Published: September 2006

Objective

To identify risk factors of non‐melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in US veterans patients.

Background

There are an estimated one million new NMSC cases annually in the United States alone. While other studies with varying foci have evaluated risk factors in different subsets of the general populace, none have examined veterans as a group with potentially unique exposures and risks.

Methods

An investigation of risk factors for skin cancer through questionnaire and physical examination on 145 veteran patients with skin cancer and 59 veteran patients without a history of skin cancer was conducted.

Results

Parents' ethnicity, actinic keratosis on the face or other anatomic sites, solar elastosis of the neck, facial telangiectasias, age of first sunburn, and residency in Indiana were risk factors significantly associated with the development of skin cancer. Other possible risk factors included smoking and radiation therapy.

Conclusions

We documented several risk factors which significantly increased the chance of developing skin cancer among veterans. These included ethnic background and solar damage of the skin among others. A review of the literature confirms these risks in the general population, but also further study is warranted to address risk factors like smoking and radiation, particularly in veterans populations. Identification of pertinent risk factors will help to identify high risk individuals, allow detection of new skin cancer at its earliest stage, and develop a profile of favorable lifestyle characteristics that reduce NMSC risk.
Asthma induced by allergy to Trichophyton rubrum
Authors: Elewski Boni E. , Schwartz Howard J.
Published: September 2006

The worldwide incidence of asthma and of allergic respiratory diseases is increasing (Akiyama K.‘Environmental allergens and allergic diseases.’Rinsho Byori 1997;45(1):13. D'Amato G, Liccardi G, D'Amato M. Environment and development of respiratory allergy. II. Indoors. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis 1994;49(5):412. Weeke AR. Epidemiology of allergic diseases in children. Rhinol Suppl 1992;13:5. Ulrik CS, Backer V, Hesse B, Dirksen A. Risk factors for development of asthma in children and adolescents: findings from a longitudinal population study. Respir Med 1996;90(10):623.) This has been attributed to several factors, including lifestyle changes and an expanding variety of potential causative allergens. Management of asthma entails preventive and acute medications, immunologic therapies, and removal of the identified allergen(s) from the patient's environment. Without the latter, patients may not experience full symptomatic relief. This case report describes a patient who developed bronchial asthma subsequent to an infection of tinea pedis and pedal onychomycosis; antifungal management resulted in full resolution of his tinea pedis, onychomycosis and asthma.
Broad‐band ultraviolet B phototherapy is associated with elevated serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substance and nitrite‐nitrate levels in psoriatic patients
Authors: Kilinc Karaarslan I , Girgin Sagin F , Ertam I , Alper S , Ozturk G , Yildirim Sozmen E
Published: September 2006

Background  Although the local anti‐inflammatory, immunosuppressive and oxidative activity of UVB is known, the systemic effect of UVB phototherapy in dermatological patients has not been investigated.

Objective  We aimed to investigate the lipid peroxidation status (as represented by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, TBARS) and nitrite‐nitrate levels in psoriatic patients under broad‐band ultraviolet B (BB‐UVB) phototherapy in order to determine the systemic effects of UVB.

Subjects and methods  Thirty‐two psoriatic patients and 20 healthy controls were included. Blood samples were obtained at the beginning, after 6–10 exposures to BB UVB phototherapy (mean 5 weeks) and at the end of the therapy period (mean 21 weeks). Serum TBARS and nitrite‐nitrate levels were evaluated.

Results  There was no statistically significant difference in serum TBARS and nitrite‐nitrate levels between psoriatic patients (basal) and healthy volunteers. There was no statistically significant correlation between disease duration, disease severity, or the total cumulative dose of UVB and serum levels of TBARS and nitrite‐nitrate in psoriatic patients. Total nitrite levels in samples obtained during and at the end of therapy were significantly higher than basal levels (P = 0.033 and P = 0.005, respectively). TBARS levels in samples obtained during and at the end of therapy were significantly higher than basal levels (P = 0 and P = 0.026, respectively). There was a negative correlation (r =–0.576, P = 0.039) between the total nitrite and TBARS levels in psoriatic patients at the end of therapy.

Conclusion  Our study showed that chronic exposure to UV irradiation may lead to a systemic effect on lipid peroxidation and NO levels, which are shown by a significant elevation in TBARS and nitrite‐nitrate levels in serum.
Chronic Binge Ethanol Consumption Accelerates Progression of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Disease
Authors: Bagby Gregory J. , Zhang Ping , Purcell Jeanette E. , Didier Peter J. , Nelson Steve
Published: September 2006

Background: While alcohol consumption is known to increase the incidence and severity of infections, the impact of alcohol consumption on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression has been difficult to assess. Therefore, we examined the effect of ethanol on simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) disease progression in a well‐defined model utilizing rhesus macaques.

Methods: Alcohol was administered for 5 hours via an indwelling intragastric catheter to achieve an alcohol concentration of 50 to 60 mM for 4 consecutive days per week for the duration of the study. Control animals received isocaloric sucrose. After 3 months, animals were inoculated intravenously with 10,000 times the ID50 of SIVDeltaB670 and followed to end‐stage disease.

Results: Plasma SIV ribonucleic acid (RNA) was higher in alcohol‐consuming animals compared with sucrose‐treated animals during the early asymptomatic stage of disease but not at later time points. This increase in viral set point was associated with more rapid progression to end‐stage disease in macaques administered alcohol (median=374 days) compared with sucrose (median=900 days). The decline in blood CD4+ cells was similar in both groups of animals.

Conclusions: This study indicates that frequent episodes of alcohol intoxication in SIV+ macaques increase viral set point in association with more rapid development of end‐stage disease.
Maternal Oral Intake Mouse Model for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Ocular Defects as a Measure of Effect
Authors: Parnell Scott E. , Dehart Deborah B. , Wills Tiffany A. , Chen Shao‐yu , Hodge Clyde W. , Besheer Joyce , Waage‐Baudet Heather G. , Charness Michael E. , Sulik Kathleen K.
Published: September 2006

Background: This work was conducted in an effort to establish an oral intake model system in which the effects of ethanol insult that occur during early stages of embryogenesis can be easily examined and in which agents that may modulate ethanol's teratogenicity can be readily tested in vivo. The model system described utilizes the alcohol deprivation effect to obtain teratogenic levels of maternal ethanol intake on days 7 and 8 of pregnancy in C57Bl/6J mice. Ocular defects including microphthalmia and uveal coloboma, which have previously been shown to result from ethanol administered by gavage or via intraperitoneal injection on these days, served as the developmental end point for this study. The ocular defects are readily identifiable and their degree of severity is expected to correlate with concurrently developing defects of the central nervous system (CNS).

Methods: Female C57Bl/6J mice were maintained on an ethanol‐containing (4.8% v/v) liquid diet for 14 days and then mated during a subsequent abstinence period. Mice were then reexposed to ethanol on days 7 and 8 of pregnancy only. Control as well as ethanol‐exposed dams were killed on their 14th day of pregnancy. Fetuses were then weighed, measured for crown rump length, photographed, and analyzed for ocular abnormalities. Globe size, palpebral fissure length, and pupil size and shape were noted for both the right and left eyes of all fetuses and informative comparisons were made.

Results: This exposure paradigm resulted in peak maternal blood alcohol concentrations that ranged from 170 to 220 mg/dL on gestational day (GD) 8. Compared with the GD 14 fetuses from the normal control group, the pair‐fed, acquisition controls, as well as the ethanol‐exposed fetuses, were developmentally delayed and had reduced weights. Confirming previous studies, comparison of similarly staged control and treated GD 8 embryos illustrated reductions in the size of the forebrain in the latter. Subsequent ocular malformations were noted in 33% of the right eyes and 25% of the left eyes of the 103 GD 14 ethanol‐exposed fetuses examined. This incidence of defects is twice that observed in the control groups. Additionally, it was found that the palpebral fissure length is directly correlated with globe size.

Conclusions: The high incidence of readily identifiable ocular malformations produced by oral ethanol intake in this model and their relevance to human fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) makes this an excellent system for utilization in experiments involving factors administered to the embryo that might alter ethanol's teratogenic effects. Additionally, the fact that early ethanol insult yields ocular and forebrain abnormalities that are developmentally associated allows efficient specimen selection for subsequent detailed analyses of CNS effects in this in vivo mammalian FASD model.
Association Between Gene Polymorphisms of SLC22A3 and Methamphetamine Use Disorder
Authors: Aoyama Nagisa , Takahashi Nagahide , Kitaichi Kiyoyuki , Ishihara Ryoko , Saito Shinichi , Maeno Nobuhisa , Ji Xiaofei , Takagi Kenji , Sekine Yoshimoto , Iyo Masaomi , Harano Mutsuo , Komiyama Tokutaro , Yamada Mitsuhiko , Sora Ichiro , Ujike Hiroshi , Iwata Nakao , Inada Toshiya , Ozaki Norio
Published: September 2006

Background: Methamphetamine (MAP) is one of the most frequently used illegal substances in Japan, and family and twin studies have suggested that genetic factors contribute to psychostimulant dependence, including MAP dependence. Organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3) has been reported to be involved in the disposition of MAP as well as MAP‐induced behavioral changes in animals. Moreover, SLC22A3 (which encodes OCT3) is a candidate gene for MAP dependence because it is located within a chromosomal region associated with substance dependence.

Methods: Using 96 healthy control subjects, linkage disequilibrium (LD) within the SLC22A3 was investigated, and 5 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as haplotype tag SNPs to search for an association with MAP dependence. Single‐marker analyses and haplotype analyses of these SNPs were performed in 213 subjects with MAP dependence and 443 healthy controls.

Results: SLC22A3 polymorphisms were not significantly associated with MAP dependence in any of the single‐marker and haplotype analyses. When subjects with MAP dependence were divided into polysubstance and single‐MAP users, genotype and allele frequency of SNP2 (p=0.024, p=0.011, respectively), allele frequency of SNP3 (p=0.037), and haplotypic frequencies for these 2 SNPs (p=0.0438) differed significantly between groups.

Conclusions: These results suggest that polymorphisms of SLC22A3 are related to the development of polysubstance use in Japanese patients with MAP dependence.
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Versus Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Status of the Trials
Authors: KING SPENCER B.
Published: September 2006

Trials of balloon angioplasty versus bypass surgery for coronary artery disease showed essential equivalent survival except in diabetic patients. Reintervention following percutaneous coronary intervention was much more frequent and was reduced in subsequent stent trials. Drug‐eluting stents now promise to reduce reintervention even further and therefore reassessment of percutaneous intervention versus coronary artery bypass graft surgery is required. Several current trials are evaluating these two revascularization methods in complex multivessel disease patients, diabetics, and left main disease. The results of these trials are expected to guide practice in the future.
Drug‐Eluting Stent Restenosis: Incidence, Predictors, Mechanisms, and Treatment
Authors: COWLEY MICHAEL J.
Published: September 2006

Drug‐eluting stents (DES) represent a major advance in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Clinical trials have shown significant reductions in restenosis with both sirolimus‐ and paclitaxel‐eluting stents, with subsequent revascularization rates in the single digit range in most studies. Predictors of restenosis and target lesion revascularization include diabetes, prior restenosis, smaller post‐PCI minimal lumen diameter and complex lesion features, such as long lesions, smaller vessels, ostial lesions, and bifurcations. DES restenosis is most commonly focal (or multifocal) within the stent and less commonly is manifest as a diffuse or proliferative narrowing. The mechanisms of DES include stent under‐expansion, nonuniform stent strut distribution or stent malapposition, polymer disruption due to difficult stent delivery, stent fracture, and possibly drug resistance or failure. Although only limited data are available regarding treatment of DES restenosis, reintervention appears to be associated with relatively low subsequent recurrence rates and repeat DES implantation is generally accepted as the treatment of choice for DES restenosis.
Percutaneous Closure of Postmyocardial Infarction Ventricular Septal Defect
Authors: GARAY FRANCISCO , CAO QI‐LING , HIJAZI ZIYAD M.
Published: September 2006

Postinfarction ventricular septal defect remains an important complication for myocardial infarction. It is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Despite early surgical closure attempts, mortality remains about 19–49%. Percutaneous approach, especially in high surgical risk patients is a promising alternative to traditional surgical closure, thus avoiding the deleterious effects of cardiopulmonary bypass and the ventriculotomy. The Amplatzer P.I. Ventricular Septal Defect Occluder is a device specifically designed to percutaneously close these defects in adult patients. The results reported using this device are comparable (if not better) to those for surgical closure. Here, we review the experience using this device and depict in detail the technical aspects of the procedure.
Percutaneous Closure of Paravalvular Leaks
Authors: HEIN RALPH , LANG KLAUS , WUNDERLICH NINA , WILSON NEIL , SIEVERT HORST
Published: September 2006

Paravalvular leak occurs in about 2–3% of patients after surgical valve replacement. The leak may cause heart failure, arrhythmias, or hemolysis. Patients who have had multiple operations or who have significant comorbidity constituting a contraindication to surgery might be considered candidates for transcatheter closure. In the past, occluding paravalvular leaks has been attempted using coils or double umbrella devices; defect specific devices are under development. Interventional experiences with various Amplatzer occluders are described.
Percutaneous Implantation of Aortic Valve Prosthesis in Patients with Calcific Aortic Stenosis: Technical Advances, Clinical Results and Future Strategies
Authors: CRIBIER ALAIN , ELTCHANINOFF HELENE , TRON CHRISTOPHE , BAUER FABRICE , GERBER LOWELL
Published: September 2006

To date, one third of patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis are not operated on because of advanced age, depressed left ventricular function, or comorbidities. Whereas balloon aortic valvuloplasty can be used as a palliative treatment in this population, the hemodynamic and clinical benefits of the procedure are only temporary. With the goal of offering to this subset of patients a nonsurgical therapeutic option with improved results and longer term positive outcomes, we developed a percutaneous implantable bioprosthetic heart valve able to be inserted within the native diseased aortic valve using cardiac catheterization techniques. The first human implant was performed by our group in April 2002 using the antegrade transeptal approach. Since then, we have implanted the valve on compassionate basis in a series of nonsurgical elderly patients with end‐stage aortic stenosis and multiple comorbidities, all declined by cardiac surgeons for valve replacement. This article describes the technical improvements of the device and implantation protocols, provides clinical results of the first series of patients, and outlines strategies for future development of the percutaneous heart valve.
Profiles of inflammatory cytokines following colorectal surgery: Relationship with wound healing and outcome
Authors: Baker Elizabeth A. , El‐Gaddal Sanaa , Williams Lynne , Leaper David J.
Published: September 2006

Inflammation is an essential component of normal wound healing. This study has correlated systemic (plasma) and local (wound fluid) concentrations of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]‐6, tumor necrosis factor‐α [TNF‐α], and IL‐1β) with wound healing and surgical outcome following elective colorectal surgery. Paired plasma and wound fluid samples were collected (n=44) postoperatively (days 1, 3, 5, 7) and analyzed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (pg/mL). Cytokine levels were significantly greater in drain fluid than plasma on each postoperative day (POD); e.g., POD 1 : IL‐6; drain fluid, median, 77,050 pg/mL (range 9,928–456,408); plasma, 241 pg/mL (22–1,333). Daily profiles of IL‐6 and TNF‐α were similar in drain fluid and plasma; IL‐6 levels peaked on POD 1 decreasing to POD 7, and TNF‐α levels increased from PODs 1 to 7. However, IL‐1β in plasma peaked on POD 1 and plateaued, whereas drain fluid showed two peaks (PODs 1 and 7). Only plasma levels of cytokines correlated to clinical parameters; IL‐6 levels significantly correlated with postoperative complications; e.g., POD 5, complications 92(1–597) and no complications, 14(2–217). IL‐6 also correlated with tumor pathology (Dukes stage, tumor depth, vascular invasion), and TNF‐α levels correlated with the estimated blood loss during surgery. We conclude that local wound levels of cytokines correlated with the stage of wound healing, whereas systemic levels correlated with postoperative complications and tumor pathology.
Influence of vascularized transplant bed on fat grafting
Authors: Yazawa Masaki , Mori Taisuke , Tuchiya Kouhei , Nakayama Yasuhide , Ogata Hisao , Nakajima Tatsuo
Published: September 2006

Recent advances in regenerative medicine have opened up the option of materials used for transplantation. However, only a few studies have examined the take of transplanted tissues. We attempted to establish a functional bed for transplanted tissues using growth factors. A cylinder‐type silicone substrate (spacer) was coated with a photoreactive gelatin containing basic fibroblast growth factor. This spacer was transplanted into the dorsal subdermal layer in a rabbit. After 2 and 4 weeks, the capsule formed around the spacer was histologically assessed for use as a transplant bed. In addition, after 2–4 weeks of spacer grafting, autologous fat was transplanted into the capsule. After 4 more weeks, the grafted fat was assessed immunohistochemically to evaluate the capsule as a functional bed for transplantation. In the groups pretreated with growth factors, proliferation of blood vessels was observed in the capsules. After fat grafting, a pattern of overall necrosis was observed in controls. However, good proliferation of blood vessels and favorable fat take were observed in the groups pretreated with growth factors. Necrosis, however, was found at the center of the grafted fat. We conclude that a vascularized transplant bed was useful for promoting take of the grafted fat.
Elucidating the mechanism of wound contraction: Rapid versus sustained myosin ATPase activity in attached‐delayed‐released compared with free‐floating fibroblast‐populated collagen lattices
Authors: Paul Ehrlich H. , Sun Bonnie , Kainth Koijan S. , Kromah Fatuma
Published: September 2006

Wound contraction closes open wounds by the generation of contractile forces within granulation tissue. We investigated the mechanism of wound contraction using the in vitro fibroblast‐populated collagen lattice (FPCL) contraction model. The contraction of the free‐floating (FF)‐FPCL is through rapid myosin ATPase activity, while the contraction of the attached‐delayed‐released (ADR)‐FPCL is through sustained myosin ATPase activity. All FPCLs were cast identically and the contraction of FF‐FPCLs was recorded daily for 4 days and the contraction of ADR‐FPCLs was recorded 1 hour after release on day 4. At day, 4 cell numbers were determined and cells undergoing apoptosis were identified and counted. Differences in sustained and rapid myosin ATPase activity were shown by added inosine triphosphate‐induced cell contraction in permeabilized fibroblast monolayer preparations. At 2 days, the FF‐FPCLs were mostly contracted, while an ADR‐FPCL completed contraction 1 hour after release at day 4. Contracted myofibroblasts, identified by α‐smooth muscle actin‐stained stress fibers, were identified in contracted ADR‐FPCL, whereas elongated fibroblasts were identified in contracted FF‐FPCLs. Vanadate inhibited both inosine triphosphate‐induced cell contraction and ADR‐FPCL contraction, but neither inhibited ATP‐induced cell contraction or FF‐FPCL contraction. Genistein inhibited FF‐FPCL contraction, but not ADR‐FPCL contraction. Advancing tyrosine phosphorylation in fibroblasts promotes rapid myosin ATPase activity, while advancing tyrosine dephosphorylation in myofibroblasts promotes sustained myosin ATPase. The ADR‐FPCL had a reduced cell count and a greater proportion of cells had entered apoptosis compared with FF‐FPCL. These experiments show that FF‐FPCL contraction is through elongated fibroblasts and rapid myosin ATPase, requiring tyrosine phosphorylation. In contrast, the mechanism for ADR‐FPCL contraction is through cell contraction by sustained myosin ATPase, involving tyrosine dephosphorylation.
HD 3651 B: the first directly imaged brown dwarf companion of an exoplanet host star
Authors: Mugrauer M. , Seifahrt A. , Neuhäuser R. , Mazeh T.
Published: September 2006

In the course of our ongoing multiplicity study of exoplanet host stars we detected a faint companion located at ∼43 arcsec (480 au physical projected separation) north-west of its primary – the exoplanet host star HD 3651 at 11 pc. The companion, HD 3651 B, clearly shares the proper motion of the exoplanet host star in our four images, obtained with the European Southern Observatory New Technology Telescope and the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, spanning three years in epoch difference. The magnitude of the companion is H= 16.75 ± 0.16 mag, the faintest co-moving companion of an exoplanet host star imaged directly. HD 3651 B is not detected in the POSS-II B-, R- or I-band images, indicating that this object is fainter than ∼20 mag in the B- and R-band and fainter than ∼19 mag in the I-band. With the Hipparcos distance of HD 3651 of 11 pc, the absolute magnitude of HD 3651 B is about 16.5 mag in the H band. Our H-band photometry and the Baraffe et al. (2003) evolutionary models yield a mass of HD 3651 B to be 20 to 60 MJup (Jupiter masses) for assumed ages between 1 and 10 Gyr. The effective temperature ranges between 800 and 900 K, consistent with a spectral type of T7 to T8. We conclude that HD 3651 B is a brown dwarf companion, the first of its kind directly imaged as a companion of an exoplanet host star, and one of the faintest T dwarfs found in the solar vicinity (within 11 pc).
Challenges to Humanitarian Action
Authors: de Torrenté Nicolas
Published: September 2006

It is a commonplace to say that the world has changed since the tragic events of September 11. This also holds true for those dedicated to humanitarian action—to the prevention of death and the alleviation of suffering during crisis and conflict, irrespective of any consideration other than need. The cause of the change for us, however, is not so much the attacks themselves or their vicious character. Sadly, such great loss of life and willingness to inflict death indiscriminately upon innocent civilians is nothing new, as those of us who have worked in areas of conflict know only too well.

What has changed is that, as a result of these attacks, the leading international power, the United States, has declared a new global war on terrorism. This war, as it has been defined, pits terrorism against freedom, and those who would imperil humanity against those who stand to defend it. While the main focus, thus far, has been on Afghanistan, the repercussions have swiftly embraced the entire planet. Like the Cold War, this is an open-ended, global fight defined to uphold both interests and values. Yet unlike the Cold War, it is one in which alliances are constantly shifting, the enemy consists primarily of an ill-defined set of nonstate actors as well as their purported state sponsors, and territorial control is not necessarily an aim.

The U.S.–led war on terrorism poses a number of challenges for independent humanitarian action and the principles that underpin it. First, it seeks to subordinate humanitarianism to its broader purpose, undermining the ability of humanitarian actors to impartially reach out to all victims. Second, by questioning the applicability of international humanitarian law, the antiterrorism campaign could well threaten the fundamental restraints on the conduct of warfare, thus weakening the protection and assistance to which civilians are entitled. Third, there is a shift in attention to conflicts worldwide, and the victims they generate, making it more difficult to respond to crises at the margins of current priorities.
Human Rights and the Politics of Victimhood
Authors: Meister Robert
Published: September 2006

In the lexicon of rights, the concept ofhumanrights can play a wide variety of roles. Human rights can be defined as substantive natural rights that transcend politics and culture or as the rights that underlie political and cultural differences. They can be defined narrowly as rights that could be asserted against enemies in war or, more broadly, as the aspirational goals to which governments are held accountable by their citizens and the world. Despite their lack of recognition in covenant and positive law through much of the twentieth century, human rights are increasingly asserted on the basis of such recognition. To some, human rights are simply the sine qua non (procedural? biological?) for asserting other rights, whatever these may be. In this paper I do not choose among these uses of the concept of human rights by propounding a single definition; neither do I defend or criticize human rights in general.
The Liberalism of Fear and the Counterrevolutionary Project
Authors: Meister Robert
Published: September 2006

Much of Catherine Lu's response resonates in tone and substance with my article. Like me, Lu speaks in the language of moral psychology and relies heavily on the later work of that preeminent moral psychologist among liberal theorists, Judith Shklar. She agrees, moreover, with both Shklar and me that victimhood (and the fear it produces) is morally damaging more often than not, and that the recent literature on human rights, which focuses on the relation of victim and perpetrator, tends to let the beneficiaries of systemic injustice off the hook. Lu and I, thus, share much common ground that other respondents might have contested, and I am grateful that her perceptive criticisms focus on points within my argument that I am pleased to elaborate.
Evaluating the Preemptive Use of Force
Authors: Lang Anthony F.
Published: September 2006

In soliciting these articles, the editors of Ethics & International Affairs asked authors to respond to several questions. First, preemptive and preventive uses of force are often justified by claiming either that there is substantial risk of a future attack or that it is difficult to ascertain how dangerous the target is. Under what conditions does the existence of risk and uncertainty about possible threats license the use of military force? Second, what consultative procedures should be required in order to legitimate the preventive or preemptive use of force? There exist both domestic and international institutions that constrain the use of military force, but which, if any, should be granted authority to block or authorize military actions of these kinds? Third, if preemptive or preventive military action is taken, what jus in bello criteria apply? Are there different and perhaps more stringent jus in bello criteria if states act preemptively?
Just War, Not Prevention
Authors: Nichols Thomas M.
Published: September 2006

The debate over going to war in Iraq has in many quarters become a debate about the ethical implications of preemption and prevention rather than about the war itself. But neither prevention nor preemption can have any moral standing in the abstract, since it is the circumstances, not the concepts, that inform their qualities as strategies. The question, rather, is whether the decision to engage in a new war against the Iraqi regime is just.

Indeed, it is surprising to find that so much less has been said about basic principles of just war—that is, a just cause, a right intention, proportionality, and so on—than about the largely legal questions of preemption and prevention. But concepts like preemption and prevention are really about the timing and method of war; they say nothing about the moral content of the conflict itself, and in the end an emphasis on them obscures the fundamental question of justice. Put another way, if a particular military action, including launching war, is just and proper, then the means and scheduling are subject, like anything else, to scrutiny under the guidance of the principles of just war. But they are not separate questions in and of themselves.
Holding Intergovernmental Institutions to Account
Authors: Woods Ngaire
Published: September 2006

How can governments and peoples better hold to account international economic institutions, such as the WTO, the World Bank, and the IMF? This article proposes an approach based on public accountability, advocating improvements in four areas: constitutional, political, financial, and internal accountability.

The argument for more accountability is made with two caveats: more accountability is not always good–it can be distorting and costly; and, enhancing the accountability of international institutions should not justify increasing their jurisdiction for the sake of reducing the role of national governments. Constitutional accountability poses limits on how the institutions expand their activities, requiring the active consent of all members and particularly those most affected by their activities. Political accountability requires that those who make decisions in the organizations are directly answerable to all member governments and not just to the most powerful ones. The institutions' uneven record and structure of financial accountability is addressed through a model of mutual restraint. Finally, the internal accountability should ensure that technical decisions are distinguishable from political decisions. A better matching of the right kinds of accountability to the activities of the organizations would improve both their effectiveness and legitimacy.
Lessons from History: Why Race and Ethnicity Have Played a Major Role in Biomedical Research
Authors: Duster Troy
Published: September 2006

Perhaps it has always been so, but certainly in the post-Enlightenment era there are inevitable linkages between the fields of law, medicine, and science. Each of these realms of activity is embedded in the social milieu of the era, with practitioners emerging from families, communities, regions, and nations bearing deep unexamined assumptions about what is natural and normal. Equally important, these fields’ theoretical accounts of natural behavior will tend to dovetail and fit each other's – most especially as they pertain to the grand social issues of the period.

For the last century and a half, a conversation with a cross-section of lawyers, scientists, and physicians at any given historical juncture would produce a remarkable pattern, consistently repeated: There would be strong enthusiasm for the idea that the “current state of knowledge and practice” is both objective and transcends the current social milieu.
Legal Regulation of the Use of Race in Medical Research
Authors: Lillquist Erik , Sullivan Charles A.
Published: September 2006

We have previously addressed the use of race in health care generally. Subsequent developments have made the issue even more pointed. Given the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of BiDil as a result of a clinical trial limited to participants identifying themselves as African-American, this Symposium could not be more timely as an effort to further advance the dialogue on the issue of race in medical research. While this dialogue has informed our own analysis, we believe our distinctive contribution concerns the extent to which the law does and should constrain such use of race. Even in legal academic circles – somewhat notorious for considering problems of little practical significance – the issue has been given little thought. This piece, therefore, attempts to analyze extant legal regimes against the backdrop of medical and scientific developments.
The Use of Race and Ethnicity in Medicine: Lessons from the African-American Heart Failure Trial
Authors: Cohn Jay N.
Published: September 2006

The practice of using race or ethnic origin as a distinguishing feature of populations or individuals seeking health care is a universal and well-accepted custom in medicine. Although the origin of this practice may, in part, reflect past prejudicial attitudes, its use today can certainly be defended as a useful means of improving diagnostic and therapeutic efforts. Indeed, the tradition of dividing populations by some racial distinction in clinical research has nearly always revealed differences in mechanisms of disease and disease frequency that can enhance diagnostic and therapeutic precision.

At the conference occasioning this symposium, Professors Duster and Rotimi provided persuasive evidence that so-called race is not an accurate way to distinguish populations and that identification by race has led to serious prejudice. Professor Cho pleaded that race should never be used to characterize population differences.
The Devil's Choice: Re-Thinking Law, Ethics, and Symptom Relief in Palliative Care
Authors: Magnusson Roger S.
Published: September 2006

In 1982, cinemas around the world screened Sophie's Choice, a film starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline, adapted from the book by William Styron. The film opens with Stingo, a young journalist from the South, who arrives in New York in 1947 and rents a room in Brooklyn. Stingo is drawn into a relationship with Sophie and Nathan, the couple who live upstairs. Sophie is a Polish concentration camp survivor; Nathan is the man who saved her when she arrived in America. Nathan is charismatic, schizophrenic, and violent.

In one of the film's flashbacks, a German soldier imposes a terrible choice on Sophie, a young mother who arrives at Auschwitz with other prisoners from Krakow. Sophie is ordered to choose which of her two children will be sent to the ovens, and which will live.
The Limits of Disclosure: What Research Subjects Want to Know about Investigator Financial Interests
Authors: Grady Christine , Horstmann Elizabeth , Sussman Jeffrey S. , Hull Sara Chandros
Published: September 2006

Concerns about the influence of financial interests on research have increased, along with research dollars from pharmaceutical and other for-profit companies. Researchers’ financial ties to industry sponsors of research have also increased. Financial interests in biomedical research could influence research design, conduct, or reporting, and could compromise data integrity, participant safety, or both. Investigators’ financial ties with for-profit companies may influence reported scientific results, and may have compromised research participant safety.

Disclosure is one commonly accepted method of managing financial relationships in order to minimize possible threats to scientific objectivity, the safety of research participants, or public trust in the integrity of clinical research. Disclosure is presumed useful to the extent that “it gives those who would be affected, or who are otherwise in a good position to assess the risks, information they need to make their own decision.”
The Marginally Viable Newborn: Legal Challenges, Conceptual Inadequacies, and Reasonableness
Authors: Sayeed Sadath A.
Published: September 2006

In the past few years, medical practices surrounding the decision to resuscitate marginally viable newborns have received a fair amount of attention. Baroness Warnock, of the UK Nuffield Council on Bioethics, has recently suggested that Britain follow the recommended practice in Holland of setting a gestational age limit below which marginally viable newborns should not be routinely resuscitated, despite reported statistical probabilities of raw survival approaching twenty percent. In the US, a highly publicized case from Texas came to a controversial legal conclusion, permitting physicians to disregard parental preference for palliative care and unilaterally initiate resuscitation when faced with the birth of an extremely premature baby.
The Ethical Health Lawyer
Authors: Schwartz Robert
Published: September 2006

What happens when being a good doctor requires being a bad citizen? What should a doctor do when living up to the requirements of a professional code of ethics or staying true to deeply held personal values requires breaking the law? What should a health care professional do when the appropriate conduct in a particular case is inconsistent with a more generalized principle that has been incorporated into law? Further, what is the role of the ethical health lawyer who advises a health care provider facing such a dilemma?

As health care lawyers advising individuals and institutions, is it our job to advise our clients of all the options available to them, and all the potential legal consequences, or is our role simply to keep our clients acting within the law? Are we information providers, policy counselors, risk managers, or some combination of these?
Heart repair and stem cells
Authors: Van Laake Linda W. , Hassink Rutger , Doevendans Pieter A. , Mummery Christine
Published: September 2006

Of the medical conditions currently being discussed in the context of possible treatments based on cell transplantation therapy, few have received more attention than the heart. Much focus has been on the potential application of bone marrow‐derived cell preparations, which have already been introduced into double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trials. The consensus is that bone marrow may have therapeutic benefit but that this is not based on the ability of bone marrow cells to transdifferentiate into cardiac myocytes. Are there potential stem cell sources of cardiac myocytes that may be useful in replacing those lost or dysfunctional after myocardial infarction? Here, this question is addressed with a review of the recent literature.
The ionic stoichiometry of the GLAST glutamate transporter in salamander retinal glia
Authors: Owe Simen Gylterud , Marcaggi Païkan , Attwell David
Published: September 2006

Maintaining a low extracellular glutamate concentration in the central nervous system is important for terminating synaptic transmission and preventing excitotoxic cell death. The stoichiometry of the most abundant glutamate transporter, GLT‐1, predicts that a very low glutamate concentration, ∼2 nm, should be reached in the absence of glutamate release, yet microdialysis measurements give a value of ∼1 μm. If other glutamate transporters had a different stoichiometry, the predicted minimum glutamate concentration could be higher, for example if those transporters were driven by the cotransport of 2 Na+ (rather than of 3 Na+ as for GLT‐1). Here we investigated the ionic stoichiometry of the glutamate transporter GLAST, which is the major glutamate transporter expressed in the retina and cerebellum, is expressed in other adult brain areas at a lower level than GLT‐1, and is present throughout the brain early in development when expression of GLT‐1 is low. Glutamate transport by GLAST was found to be driven, as for GLT‐1, by the cotransport of 3 Na+ and 1 H+ and the counter‐transport of 1 K+, suggesting that the minimum extracellular glutamate concentration should be similar during development and in the adult brain. A less powerful accumulation of glutamate by GLAST than by GLT‐1 cannot be used to explain the high glutamate concentration measured by microdialysis.
Activation of protein kinase C augments T‐type Ca2+ channel activity without changing channel surface density
Authors: Park Jin‐Yong , Kang Ho‐Won , Moon Hyung‐Jo , Huh Sung‐Un , Jeong Seong‐Woo , Soldatov Nikolai M. , Lee Jung‐Ha
Published: September 2006

T‐type Ca2+ channels play essential roles in numerous cellular processes. Recently, we reported that phorbol‐12‐myristate‐13‐acetate (PMA) potently enhanced the current amplitude of Cav3.2 T‐type channels reconstituted in Xenopus oocytes. Here, we have compared PMA modulation of the activities of Cav3.1, Cav3.2 and Cav3.3 channels, and have investigated the underlying mechanism. PMA augmented the current amplitudes of the three T‐type channel isoforms, but the fold stimulations and time courses differed. The augmentation effects were not mimicked by 4α‐PMA, an inactive stereoisomer of PMA, but were abolished by preincubation with protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, indicating that PMA augmented T‐type channel currents via activation of oocyte PKC. The stimulation effect on Cav3.1 channel activity by PKC was mimicked by endothelin when endothelin receptor type A was coexpressed with Cav3.1 in the Xenopus oocyte system. Pharmacological studies combined with fluorescence imaging revealed that the surface density of Cav3.1 T‐type channels was not significantly changed by activation of PKC. The PKC effect on Cav3.1 was localized to the cytoplasmic II–III loop using chimeric channels with individual cytoplasmic loops of Cav3.1 replaced by those of Cav2.1.