bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The fate of motoneurons in the spinal cord after peripheral nerve repair: a quantitative study using the neural tracer horseradish peroxidase
Authors: Gilmour Joyce A. , Myles Lynn M. , Glasby Michael A.
Published: February 2011

✓ This study assessed the changes that occurred in the spinal motoneuron pool after the repair of a specific peripheral nerve by means of several clinically appropriate surgical techniques: nerve graft, muscle graft, and epineurial suture. The motoneuron pool relating to a single muscle was assessed at 50, 100, 200, and 300 days after repair via retrograde axonal transport of the neural tracer horseradish peroxidase. The results indicate that although a small portion of the motoneuron population dies following peripheral nerve surgery, this is not a significant number. The majority of the anterior horn cells appear to have the ability to both survive nerve transection and form new functional connections with the regenerated nerve after repair. The degree of cell loss is influenced by the nature of the injury and the method of repair implemented. Injuries involving neurotmesis result in the loss of a greater proportion of the cell population than less severe injuries involving axonotmesis. A greater proportion of the motoneuron population is preserved when the severed nerve has been repaired using a direct epineurial suture than when repair is achieved by means of a graft. The two methods of grafting produced comparable results, although the muscle graft tended to result in the preservation of a greater number of cells than the nerve graft, making it an acceptable alternative method for the surgical repair of short gaps in peripheral nerves.
Analgesia induced by transplantation of encapsulated tumor cells secreting β-endorphin
Authors: Saitoh Youichi , Taki Takuyu , Arita Norio , Ohnishi Takanori , Hayakawa Toru
Published: February 2011

✓ The purpose of this study was to assess whether xenogeneic tumor cells immunologically isolated in polymer capsules could survive and continue to reduce pain when transplanted into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of rats. The mouse tumor cell lines AtT-20 and gene-transfected Neuro2A, which secrete β-endorphin, were enclosed in polymer capsules at a density of 5 × 106 cells/ml and transplanted into the spinal CSF space of the occipitoatlantal junction in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The analgesiometric tests (tail pinch, hot plate, and electrical stimulation) showed that the five rats with encapsulated AtT-20 or Neuro2A (eight rats) were significantly less sensitive to pain after transplantation than the eight control animals (analysis of variance; p < 0.05). The analgesia induced by encapsulated cells secreting β-endorphin could be attenuated by the opiate antagonist naloxone, which suggested the involvement of opiate in mediating this response. Morphological study revealed that the cells in polymer capsules survived 1 month after transplantation in the CSF space. In vitro experiments with cultured capsules showed that both encapsulated AtT-20 and Neuro2A secrete peptide for 1 month. The results of this study suggest that immunologically isolated xenogeneic tumor cells can secrete opiate in the CSF space, and this method may be applied to the treatment of cancer pain.
The role of minocycline in the treatment of intracranial 9L glioma
Authors: Weingart Jon D. , Sipos Eric P. , Brem Henry
Published: February 2011

✓ This study was designed to explore the question of whether minocycline, a semisynthetic tetracycline shown to inhibit tumor-induced angiogenesis, could control the growth of the rat intracranial 9L gliosarcoma. Minocycline was tested alone and in combination with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) in vivo. Treatment was started at the time of intracranial implantation of 9L gliosarcoma into male Fischer 344 rats, 5 days later, or after tumor resection.

Minocycline was delivered locally with a controlled-release polymer or systemically by intraperitoneal injection. Systemic minocycline did not extend survival time. Local treatment with minocycline by a controlled-release polymer implanted at the time of tumor implantation extended median survival time by 530% (p < 0.001) compared to treatment with empty polymer. When treatment was begun 5 days after tumor implantation, minocycline delivered locally or systemically had no effect on survival. However, after tumor resection, treatment with locally delivered minocycline resulted in a 43% increase in median survival time (p < 0.002) compared to treatment with empty polymer. Treatment with a combination of minocycline delivered locally in a controlled-release polymer and systemic BCNU 5 days after tumor implantation resulted in a 93% extension of median survival time compared to BCNU alone (p < 0.002). In contrast, treatment with a combination of systemic minocycline and BCNU did not increase survival time compared to systemic BCNU alone. These results demonstrate that minocycline affects tumor growth when delivered locally and suggest that minocycline may be a clinically effective modulator of intracranial tumor growth when used in combination with a chemotherapeutic agent and surgical resection.
Kernohan's notch in chronic subdural hematoma: findings on magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Itoyama Youichi , Fujioka Shodo , Ushio Yukitaka
Published: February 2011

✓ A 69-year-old man presented with mild left-sided hemiparesis of 2 years' duration. A computerized tomography scan revealed a left-sided chronic subdural hematoma and a midline shift to the right. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging obtained on admission to the hospital also disclosed a deformity of the right crus cerebri. After drainage and irrigation of the hematoma through a single burr hole, the left hemiparesis improved significantly. Magnetic resonance imaging performed 9 days after the operation revealed that the size of the subdural hematoma had diminished and the deformity of the crus cerebri had improved markedly. Kernohan's notch, caused by a supratentorial mass and producing ipsilateral hemiparesis or hemiplegia, is rarely demonstrated radiographically. This may be the first reported case in which Kernohan's notch in chronic subdural hematoma has been demonstrated on MR imaging.
Intradural cervical chordoma without bone involvement
Authors: Vaz Rui M. , Pereira Josué C. , Ramos Umbelina , Cruz Celso R.
Published: February 2011

✓ The authors report a unique case of cervical chordoma in a 37-year-old woman without radiological evidence of bone involvement that was found to be totally intradural at surgery. Chordomas that are entirely extraosseous and intradural are extremely rare and in most of the cases described are located near the clivus. This is the first reported case of an intraspinal intradural chordoma.
Extreme lateral disc herniation manifesting as nerve sheath tumor
Authors: Cusimano Michael D. , Bukala Bernard P. , Bilbao Juan
Published: February 2011

This report discusses the clinical features of a patient who presented with an L-3 radiculopathy in whom magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated what appeared to be a nerve sheath tumor in an extraforaminal location on the L-3 nerve root. A lateral intermuscular approach to excise the lesion was used to preserve the facet joint. Histological examination of the intraneural lesion revealed degenerative disc fragments. The authors hypothesize that the structure of the annulus fibrosus in the upper lumbar region predisposes these regions to lateral herniation. Furthermore, it is proposed that the lateral disc herniation allowed the disc fragments to erode through the epineurium of the neural sheath. This case expands the differential diagnosis of fusiform enlargement of nerves to include disc herniation.
Phineas among the phrenologists: the American crowbar case and nineteenth-century theories of cerebral localization
Authors: Barker Fred G.
Published: February 2011

✓ In 1848, Mr. Phineas Gage suffered destruction of his left frontal lobe in a unique fashion: passage of a metal rod through his head after a freak explosion. His change in character after the accident is the index case for personality change due to frontal lobe damage. Yet, from 1848 to 1868, it was widely believed among American physicians that he was mentally intact. The case was used as evidence against phrenology, a crude precursor of modern cerebral localization theories.

The two original reports of the case by Drs. John Harlow (Gage's physician) and Henry J. Bigelow show subtle differences in attitude toward Gage's posttraumatic character change. In his 1848 report, Harlow promised a further communication that would address Gage's “mental manifestations.” Bigelow's article portrayed Gage as fully recovered. Although delayed by 20 years, Harlow's second report rapidly changed the perception of the case in the medical community, as reflected by contemporary citations.

The educational backgrounds of Harlow and Bigelow are examined to explain their differing attitudes toward the case. Harlow's interest in phrenology prepared him to accept the change in character as a significant clue to cerebral function which merited publication. Bigelow had learned that damage to the cerebral hemispheres had no intellectual effect, and he was unwilling to consider Gage's deficit significant. Although Bigelow's paradigm was initially more influential, Harlow's more closely matched emerging theories of cerebral localization. His version of the case was used by David Ferrier as the keystone in the first modern theory of frontal lobe function, and this is how the case is remembered today.
Neurosurgery, “neurospine,” and neuroscience: a vital synergy?
Authors: Nowitzke Adrian
Published: February 2011

A fundamental dilemma that faces both neurosurgery in general and the subspecialty field of spine surgery is the question of whether those who trained in the former and now work in the latter should maintain their links with their origins and remain under the broader umbrella of neurosurgery, or whether they should develop their own organizational structure and identity separate from organized neurosurgery. This challenge raises many questions with respect to future potential for growth and development, professional identity, and collegiality.

This paper is an edited version of an invited speech to the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. It uses the concept of synergy to review relevant history and explore possible future options for neurosurgery, neurospine, and neuroscience. An example from medical politics is used to illustrate the importance of perspective in approaching these questions, and examples of current therapeutic cutting-edge endeavors highlight the need for team-based behavior that takes a broad view.

The premise of the paper is that while individual and specialty aspirations need to be acknowledged, considered, and managed, the results from truly working together will be greater than the sum of the individual efforts—synergy.
Neurological symptoms and deficits in adults with scoliosis who present to a surgical clinic: incidence and association with the choice of operative versus nonoperative management
Authors: Smith Justin S. , Fu Kai-Ming , Urban Peter , Shaffrey Christopher I.
Published: February 2011

Object

Adults with scoliosis often present with neurological symptoms and deficits. However, the incidence of these findings and how they may affect treatment decisions have not been clearly defined. The purpose of this study was to quantify the prevalence of neurological symptoms and deficits in adults with scoliosis presenting to a surgical clinic, and to assess for an association between these factors and the decision to pursue operative treatment.

Methods

In this study, the authors document the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), radiographic findings, and the incidences of back pain, neurological symptoms (radiculopathy and claudication), and neurological deficits (weakness, myelopathy, and bowel/bladder dysfunction) and correlate these with operative versus nonoperative management. Pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) score. Of 207 patients, 25% underwent surgery.

Results

Incidences of back pain (VAS score > 0 points) and radiculopathy (VAS score > 0) were 99 and 85%, respectively. The incidences of severe (VAS score > 5) back pain and radiculopathy were 66 and 47%, respectively. Neurological symptoms and deficits included weakness in 8% of patients, claudication in 9%, myelopathy in 1%, and bowel/bladder dysfunction in 3%. Patients with severe radiculopathy had greater mean ODI scores (p < 0.001) and reduced lumbar lordosis (p = 0.04) and were more likely to have de novo scoliosis (p = 0.009). Patients who underwent surgery had higher ODI scores (p < 0.001) and a greater incidence of severe radiculopathy (p = 0.006), weakness (p < 0.001), and neurogenic claudication (p = 0.003). Factors associated with operative management on multivariate analysis included weakness (p < 0.001), severe radiculopathy (p = 0.02), and sagittal imbalance (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Neurological symptoms and deficits are common among adults with scoliosis. Development of neurological symptoms and/or deficits is strongly associated with the decision to pursue operative treatment.
An unusual case of spinal column metastasis after orthotopic transplantation for cardiac sarcoma
Authors: McLoughlin Gregory S. , Sciubba Daniel M. , Ali S. Kaiser , Weinkauf Justin G. , Fourney Daryl R.
Published: February 2011

The authors describe a patient who underwent orthotopic cardiac transplantation after an undifferentiated cardiac sarcoma was diagnosed. While receiving immunosuppressive therapy, the patient developed spinal column metastases and cauda equina syndrome requiring surgical decompression and stabilization. This occurred despite an exhaustive search for metastatic disease prior to the transplantation. To the authors' knowledge, this represents the first reported case of an undifferentiated cardiac sarcoma metastasis to the spine.

This previously healthy 18-year-old woman presented with a myocardial infarction. Investigations revealed a left atrial tumor, which was resected. Following local recurrence, the patient underwent extensive studies to rule out systemic disease. Orthotopic heart–lung transplantation was then performed. While receiving postoperative immunosuppressive therapy the patient presented with cauda equina syndrome secondary to metastatic tumor compression at the L-5 level.

Despite a comprehensive screening process to exclude metastatic disease prior to transplantation, spinal metastases occurred while this patient was receiving immunosuppressive therapy. This represents a previously unreported and clinically significant complication for undifferentiated cardiac sarcoma.
Stem cell delivery by lumbar puncture as a therapeutic alternative to direct injection into injured spinal cord
Authors: Neuhuber Birgit , Barshinger Alissa L. , Paul Courtney , Shumsky Jed S. , Mitsui Takahiko , Fischer Itzhak
Published: February 2011

Object

Using cellular transplants to treat spinal cord injury is a promising therapeutic strategy, but transplants grafted directly into the injury site can further damage the already compromised cord. To avoid additional trauma and to simplify translation to the clinic, it is advantageous to use less invasive delivery methods.

Methods

The authors compared the efficacy of intrathecal cell delivery at the lumbar region (lumbar puncture [LP]) to direct injection into a thoracic contusion injury using a mixed population of lineage-restricted neural precursor cells.

Results

Direct injection resulted in a higher volume of neural precursor cells located throughout the injury site, whereas fewer LP-delivered cells accumulated at the dorsal aspect of the injured cord. Both grafting methods were neuroprotective, resulting in reduction of injury size and greater tissue sparing compared with controls. Functional recovery was evaluated by assessing motor and bladder function. Animals that received cells via direct injection performed significantly better in the open-field locomotor test than did operated controls, while LP-treated animals showed intermediate recovery of function that did not differ statistically from that of either operated controls or directly injected animals. Bladder function, however, was significantly improved in both directly injected and LP-treated animals.

Conclusion

Grafting of stem cells via LP resulted in localized accumulation of cells at the injury site, neuroprotection, and modest recovery of function. Further optimization of the LP procedure by increasing the number of cells that are delivered and determining the optimal delivery schedule may further improve recovery to levels comparable to direct injection.
Surgical management of primary and metastatic sarcoma of the mobile spine
Authors: Rao Ganesh , Suki Dima , Chakrabarti Indro , Feiz-Erfan Iman , Mody Milan G. , McCutcheon Ian E. , Gokaslan Ziya , Patel Shreyaskumar , Rhines Laurence D.
Published: February 2011

Object

Sarcomas of the spine are a challenging problem due to their frequent and extensive involvement of multiple spinal segments and high recurrence rates. Gross-total resection to negative margins, with preservation of neurological function and palliation of pain, is the surgical goal and may be achieved using either intralesional resection or en bloc excision. The authors report outcomes of surgery for primary and metastatic sarcomas of the mobile spine in a large patient series.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients undergoing resection for sarcomas of the mobile spine between 1993 and 2005 was undertaken. Sarcomas were classified by histology study results and as either primary or metastatic. Details of the surgical approach, levels of involvement, and operative complications were recorded. Outcome measures included neurological function, palliation of pain, local recurrence, and overall survival.

Results

Eighty patients underwent 110 resections of either primary or metastatic sarcomas of the mobile spine. Twenty-nine lesions were primary sarcomas (36%) and 51 were metastatic sarcomas (64%). Intralesional resections were performed in 98 surgeries (89%) and en bloc resections were performed in 12 (11%). Median survival from surgery for all patients was 20.6 months. Median survival for patients with a primary sarcoma of the spine was 40.2 months and was 17.3 months for patients with a metastatic sarcoma. Predictors of improved survival included a chondrosarcoma histological type and a better preoperative functional status, whereas osteosarcoma and a high-grade tumor were negative influences on survival. Multivariate analysis showed that only a high-grade tumor was an independent predictor of shorter overall survival. American Spinal Injury Association scale grades were maintained or improved in 97% of patients postoperatively, and there was a significant decrease in pain scores postoperatively. No significant differences in survival or local recurrence rates between intralesional or en bloc resections for either primary or metastatic spine sarcomas were found.

Conclusions

Surgery for primary or metastatic sarcoma of the spine is associated with an improvement in neurological function and palliation of pain. The results of this study show a significant difference in patient survival for primary versus metastatic spine sarcomas. The results do not show a statistically significant benefit in survival or local recurrence rates for en bloc versus intralesional resections for either metastatic or primary sarcomas of the spine, but this may be due to the small number of patients undergoing en bloc resections.
Chronic venous congestion following embolization of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula
Authors: Ohta Tsuyoshi , Gomi Masanori , Oowaki Hisayuki , Ishikawa Masatsune
Published: February 2011

The authors present a case of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula with fluctuations in symptoms following embolization. Superselective injection of 33% N-butyl cyanoacrylate into the feeding vessel resulted in the complete occlusion of the fistula with traversal of the nidus. The subsequent venous congestion was progressive and treatable with anti-thrombin therapy. Extended medication with dual antiplatelet therapy was required because dose reduction to aspirin monotherapy worsened symptoms. In this case, it took > 2 months for the patient's symptoms to stabilize. The duration of progressive venous thrombosis after embolization of a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula is not well known, nor is the most adequate treatment. Although it is presumed that prevention of venous thrombosis is best achieved with anticoagulation, dual antiplatelet therapy can be a substitute for patients with poor compliance.
Reduction of hypoxia by perfluorocarbon emulsion in a traumatic spinal cord injury model
Authors: Schroeder Jason L. , Highsmith Jason M. , Young Harold F. , Mathern Bruce E.
Published: February 2011

Object

Few therapies have consistently demonstrated effectiveness in preserving O2 delivery after spinal cord injury (SCI). Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) offer great promise to carry and deliver O2 more efficiently than conventional measures. The authors investigated the use of Clark-type microelectrodes to monitor spinal cord oxygenation directly (intraparenchymal [IP] recording) and indirectly (cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] recording) in the context of SCI, O2 therapy, and PFC treatment.

Methods

After placement of a subdural/CSF Licox probe in rats, incremental increases in the fraction of inspired O2 (FiO2) up to 100% were administered to establish a dose-response curve. The probe was then placed in the parenchyma of the same animals for a second dose-response curve. In a second study, rats with CSF or IP probes underwent SCI with the NYU Impactor and treatment with O2, followed by administration of PFC, or saline in the control group.

Results

All animals in the first experiment responded to the FiO2 dose increase, with changes in PO2 evident in both CSF and IP levels. The SCI in the second experiment caused a marked drop in PO2 from a mean of 21.4 to 10.4 mm Hg, with most animals dropping to less than half their preinjury value. All animals responded to 100% O2 treatment. Every animal that received PFCs showed significant improvement, with a mean increase in PO2 of 23.3 mm Hg. Only 1 saline-treated animal showed any benefit. Oxygen values in the PFC treatment group reached up to 6 times the normal level.

Conclusions

Oxygen levels in SCI show a profound drop almost immediately postinjury. Administration of PFCs combined with 100% O2 therapy can reverse tissue hypoxia and holds promise for reducing ischemic injury.
Clinical Correlations of Cervical Myelopathy and the Hoffmann Sign
Authors: Houten John K. , Noce Louis A.
Published: February 2011

Object

The Hoffmann sign is commonly used in clinical practice to assess cervical spine disease. It is whether the sign correlates with the severity of myelopathy, and no consensus exists regarding the significance a positive sign in asymptomatic individuals.

Methods

In a retrospective review of cervical spine surgeries for myelopathy due to cervical spondylosis, fication of the posterior longitudinal ligament, or disc herniation performed at a tertiary center, the authors data on the presence of hyperreflexia, the Hoffmann and Babinski signs, and modified Japanese Orthopaedic ciation (mJOA) scale scores. Then, in a prospective evaluation, new patients with lumbar spine complaints examined for the presence of a Hoffmann sign, and, if present, a cervical MR imaging study was assessed for compression.

Results

Of the 225 surgically treated patients, a Hoffmann sign occurred in 68%, hyperreflexia in 60%, and Babinski sign in 33%. In patients with milder disability (mJOA Scores 14–16), the Hoffmann sign was present 46%, whereas a Babinski sign occurred in 10%; in those with severe myelopathy and mJOA scores of ≤ 10, Hoffmann sign was present in 81% and the Babinski sign in 83%. Of 290 patients presenting exclusively with bar spine–related complaints, 36 (12%) had a positive Hoffmann sign. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated spinal cord compression in 91% when the sign was present bilaterally and 50% when positive unilaterally.

Conclusions

In patients surgically treated for cervical myelopathy, the Hoffmann sign is more prevalent more likely to be seen in individuals with less severe neurological deficits than the Babinski sign. In patients lumbar symptoms, a bilateral Hoffmann sign was a highly sensitive marker for occult cervical cord compression, whereas a unilateral Hoffmann sign correlated with similar disease in about one-half of patients.
Spinal epidural abscess associated with infliximab treatment for psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Smith Adam P. , Musacchio Michael J. , O'toole John E.
Published: February 2011

Tumor necrosis factor–α inhibitors are used to treat numerous chronic inflammatory and rheumatological diseases, such as Crohn disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis. Because the mechanism of these inhibitors is to decrease the body's inflammatory response, the primary complication of treatment is infection. The authors present the first case of a spinal epidural abscess in a patient receiving long-term infliximab therapy for severe psoriatic arthritis. Infliximab and its side-effect profile are discussed, along with other associated complications.
Giant sacral meningeal diverticulum containing a thickened filum with lipoma in an adult with spinal cord tethering
Authors: Feigenbaum Frank
Published: February 2011

An unusual case of a patient with a giant intrasacral meningeal diverticulum and spinal cord tethering with a thickened filum is presented. Instead of being empty as is typical, the meningeal diverticulum in this case contained a segment of the thickened tethering filum, which entered from the thecal sac through an ostium. A search of the literature revealed no prior description of a meningeal diverticulum containing a portion of tethered filum or any other structure. Only 2 previous cases of intrasacral meningeal cyst and spinal cord tethering with a thickened filum were found, both in the non-English literature.
Magnetic resonance imaging versus histological assessment for estimation of lesion volume after experimental spinal cord injury
Authors: Ditor David S. , John Sunil , Cakiroglu Jason , Kittmer Colin , Foster Paula J. , Weaver Lynne C.
Published: February 2011

Object

The purpose of this study was to compare measures of lesion volume obtained by means of 1.5-T MR imaging to those obtained by the Cavalieri method, 6 weeks after experimental spinal cord injury.

Methods

Nine male Wistar rats were subjected to spinal cord injury by clip compression (50 g) at the T-4 level. Six weeks postinjury, the rats were sacrificed, and spinal cords were analyzed ex vivo for lesion volume by means of 1.5-T MR imaging and subsequently, by the Cavalieri method. In the latter method, cords were cut longitudinally in 25-μm sections and stained with solochrome cyanin for myelin. The area of the lesion was determined for each serial section, and the distance-weighted sum of all area measures was then calculated to estimate the total lesion volume.

Results

Bland–Altman analysis showed that the 2 methods had an acceptable level of agreement for lesion volume estimation, but the Cavalieri method was prone to an overestimation bias. The MR imaging estimates of lesion volume were greater than the Cavalieri method estimates in 3 spinal cords, but the difference between measures was within 1 standard deviation of perfect agreement in these 3 lesions, and the mean difference between measures was 18.3%. In contrast, in those lesions in which the Cavalieri method yielded larger lesion volumes (5 lesions), the difference between measures was 2 standard deviations away from perfect agreement for 2 animals and the mean difference between measures was 72.4%.

Conclusions

The results illustrate that the overestimation bias of the Cavalieri method is due, in part, to artifacts produced during processing of the spinal cord tissue.
Nature, poetry and medicine in late 18th century England: a unified perspective of Erasmus Darwin
Authors: McNEIL M.
Published: February 2011

Erasmus Darwin was the focus and embodiment of provincial England in his day. Renowned as a physician, he spent much of his life at Lichfield. He instigated the founding of the Lichfield Botanic Society, which provided the first English translation of the works of Linnaeus, and established a botanic garden; the Lunar Society of Birmingham; the Derby Philosophical Society; and two provincial libraries. A list of Darwin's correspondents and associates reads like a "who's who" of eighteenth century science, industry, medicine and philosophy. His poetry was also well received by his contemporaries and he expounded the evolutionary principles of life. Darwin can be seen as an English equivalent of Lamarck, being a philosopher of nature and human society. His ideas have been linked to a multitude of movements, including the nosological movement in Western medicine, nineteenth century utilitarianism, Romanticism in both Britain and Germany, and associationist psychology.

The relationships between various aspects of Darwin's interests and the organizational principles of his writings were examined. His poetical form and medical theory were not peripheral to his study of nature but intrinsically linked in providing his contemporaries with a panorama of nature. A richer, more integrated comprehension of Erasmus Darwin as one of the most significant and representative personalities of his era was presented.
The Intelligible as a New World? Wikipedia versus the Eighteenth-Century Encyclopédie
Authors: Perovic Sanja
Published: February 2011

For some time now, certain theorists have been urging us to move beyond text-based understandings of culture to consider the impact of new media on the structure and organization of knowledge. This article, however, reconsiders the usual priority given to digital media by comparing Wikipedia, the free, user-led online Encyclopedia, with Diderot and D'Alembert's eighteenth-century Encyclopédie. It begins by suggesting that the dichotomy between information system and text is not sufficient for describing the differences between the two. It then considers more closely the type of critical thinking presupposed by the Encyclopédie. It concludes by raising the question of the role of judgement in making sense of any encyclopedia in a modern world in which knowledge systems only coexist on the condition of being partially blind to one another.
Slavery's Bestiary: Joel Chandler Harris's Uncle Remus Tales
Authors: Peterson Christopher
Published: February 2011

The critical reception of Joel Chandler Harris's Uncle Remus Tales has often interpreted these animal fables as allegories of American slavery. Such an approach, however, risks what Steve Baker calls the ‘denial of the animal’, which displaces animal signifiers onto human signifieds. Through readings of ‘The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story’ and ‘How the Birds Talk’, I ask what it might mean to take seriously the numerous historical, political and philosophical questions posed by the animal ‘form’ that these characters assume, including Heidegger's ontological differentiation between thing, animal and human, and Derrida's displacement of the conventional Cartesian distinction between animal reaction and human response. I argue that the racist equation of blacks with mimicry relies precisely on this dubious opposition. Remus's stories thus challenge our understandings of both race and language by showing how repetition and mimicry condition every ‘human’ response.
Masculinity, Scatology, Mooning and the Queer/able Art of Gilbert & George: On the Visual Discourse of Male Ejaculation and Anal Penetration
Authors: Çakirlar Cüneyt
Published: February 2011

The aim of this essay is to investigate the intersections between masculinity, shame, art, anality, the abject and embodiment by focusing on a particular period of the British art duo Gilbert & George's work in the 1990s. In their series The Naked Shit Pictures (1994), The Fundamental Pictures (1996) and The Rudimentary Pictures (1999), the duo's artistic self-performance opens a scatological narrative territory where the male body encounters its own abject fluids strategically magnified. Situating itself within the boundary between queer theory and Lacanian psychoanalysis with a particular focus on the phallus and the abject, this essay argues that Gilbert & George's art-works mentioned above could be regarded as visual commentaries on and queer interventions into bodily anxieties of normative masculinities. It thus reads the artists’ visual discourse of performative hypervisibility as a queer/ing one where the conventional male masculinity confronts simultaneously its ejaculatory bliss and its fear of anal penetration.
A Methodological Framework for Evaluating the Evidence for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for Cancer
Authors: Zachariae Robert , Johannessen Helle
Published: February 2011

In spite of lacking evidence for effects on cancer progression itself, an increasing number of cancer patients use various types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). There is disagreement between CAM practitioners, researchers and clinical oncologists, as to how evidence concerning effects of CAM can and should be produced, and how the existing evidence should be interpreted. This represents a considerable challenge for oncologists; both in terms of patient needs for an informed dialogue regarding CAM, and because some types of CAM may interact with standard treatments. There is a need for insight into which kinds of CAM may work, for whom they work, what the possible effects and side-effects are, and in what ways such effects may come about. The present article presents a framework for evaluating effects of CAM by suggesting a taxonomy of different levels of evidence related to different types of research questions and discussing the relevance of different research methodologies for different types of effects.
Early Postnatal Protein-Calorie Malnutrition and Cognition: A Review of Human and Animal Studies
Authors: Laus Maria Fernanda , Duarte Manhas Ferreira Vales Lucas , Braga Costa Telma Maria , Sousa Almeida Sebastião
Published: February 2011

Malnutrition continues to be recognized as the most common and serious form of children’s dietary disease in the developing countries and is one of the principal factors affecting brain development. The purpose of this paper is to review human and animal studies relating malnutrition to cognitive development, focusing in correlational and interventional data, and to provide a discussion of possible mechanisms by which malnutrition affects cognition.
Comparison of Free Energy Surfaces Calculations from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamic Simulations at the Example of Two Transition Metal Catalyzed Reactions
Authors: Brüssel Marc , Di Dio Philipp J. , Muñiz Kilian , Kirchner Barbara
Published: February 2011

We carried out ab initio molecular dynamic simulations in order to determine the free energy surfaces of two selected reactions including solvents, namely a rearrangement of a ruthenium oxoester in water and a carbon dioxide addition to a palladium complex in carbon dioxide. For the latter reaction we also investigated the gas phase reaction in order to take solvent effects into account. We used two techniques to reconstruct the free energy surfaces: thermodynamic integration and metadynamics. Furthermore, we gave a reasonable error estimation of the computed free energy surface. We calculated a reaction barrier of ΔF = 59:5 ± 8:5 kJ mol-1 for the rearrangement of a ruthenium oxoester in water from thermodynamic integration. For the carbon dioxide addition to the palladium complex in carbon dioxide we found a ΔF = 44:9 ± 3:3 kJ mol-1 from metadynamics simulations with one collective variable. The investigation of the same reactions in the gas phase resulted in ΔF = 24:9 ± 6:7 kJ mol-1 from thermodynamic integration, in ΔF = 26:7 ± 2:3 kJ mol-1 from metadynamics simulations with one collective variable, and in ΔF = 27:1 ± 5:9 kJ mol-1 from metadynamics simulations with two collective variables.
Anchoring Intrinsically Disordered Proteins to Multiple Targets: Lessons from N-Terminus of the p53 Protein
Authors: Huang Yongqi , Liu Zhirong
Published: February 2011

Anchor residues, which are deeply buried upon binding, play an important role in protein–protein interactions by providing recognition specificity and facilitating the binding kinetics. Up to now, studies on anchor residues have been focused mainly on ordered proteins. In this study, we investigated anchor residues in intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) which are flexible in the free state. We identified the anchor residues of the N-terminus of the p53 protein (Glu17–Asn29, abbreviated as p53N) which are involved in binding with two different targets (MDM2 and Taz2), and analyzed their side chain conformations in the unbound states. The anchor residues in the unbound p53N were found to frequently sample conformations similar to those observed in the bound complexes (i.e., Phe19, Trp23, and Leu26 in the p53N-MDM2 complex, and Leu22 in the p53N-Taz2 complex). We argue that the bound-like conformations of the anchor residues in the unbound state are important for controlling the specific interactions between IDPs and their targets. Further, we propose a mechanism to account for the binding promiscuity of IDPs in terms of anchor residues and molecular recognition features (MoRFs).
Three New Steroidal Glycosides from the Roots of Cynanchum auriculatum
Authors: Lu Yu , Teng Hong-Li , Yang Guang-Zhong , Mei Zhi-Nan
Published: February 2011

Three new steroidal glycosides, cyanoauriculosides F, G and H (1-3), were isolated from the roots of Cynanchum auriculatum (Asclepiadaceae) along with two known steroidal derivatives. On the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods, their structures were identified as 20-O-acetyl-8,14-seco-penupogenin-8-one 3-O-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-diginopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside (1), 2′,3′-Z-gagaminine 3-O-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaro-pyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-diginopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside (2), 17-O-acetyl-kidjoranin 3-O-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-cymaro-pyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-digitoxopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-digitoxopyranoside (3), gagaminine 3-O-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-digino-pyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside (4) and wilfoside D1N (5).
La sociologie et l'empire : Richard Thurnwald et la question de l'autonomie scientifique
Authors: Steinmetz George
Published: February 2011

Résumé Pourquoi certains sociologues cherchent-ils à maximiser leur autonomie, tandis que d’autres alignent leur travail sur le « principe de réalité » des puissances séculières ? Les sociologues qui étudient le colonialisme et l’empire sont souvent la cible de pressions plus ou moins directes qui les incitent à ajuster leur travail aux besoins et aux présupposés des maîtres d’œuvre de la politique impériale. Dans le but de répertorier les principales formes d’hétéronomisation de la sociologie coloniale, cet article analyse la vie de Richard Thurnwald (1869-1954), un ethno-sociologue et professeur à l’université de Berlin de 1923 à 1949. À plusieurs reprises au cours de sa carrière, Thurnwald a aligné ses recherches sur des forces extérieures au champ scientifique de l’ethnologie, révélant ainsi une forme extrême et polymorphe d’auto-hétéronomisation. Ses premières publications sur le colonialisme visaient des acteurs impliqués dans le domaine de la gouvernance coloniale de l’outre-mer. Au cours des années 1920, son attention s’est déplacée vers le champ en plein essor de la sociologie universitaire, dans lequel il s’est efforcé de pénétrer de façon oblique, en cherchant la reconnaissance du champ sociologique américain. Après 1936, Thurnwald a réorienté son travail vers les programmes coloniaux et impériaux du régime nazi. Cette recherche de reconnaissance en-dehors du champ scientifique auquel appartenait Thurnwald et sa collaboration avec les nazis ne sont pas le résultat d’une position marginale au sein de l’ethnologie, ni d’un simple opportunisme, mais d’une incapacité fondamentale à développer un habitus ou un sens de l’identité scientifique intégré.
Mélancolie postcoloniale ?
Authors: Ducournau Claire
Published: February 2011

Résumé La notion de « mélancolie postcoloniale » permet de caractériser le traitement que les instances littéraires françaises (maisons d’édition, presse, prix littéraires, réception critique) réservèrent à un ouvrage portant sur la période coloniale, comme le montre l’étude sociologique des conditions de production et de réception du roman Monnè, outrages et défis , de l’auteur ivoirien Ahmadou Kourouma. Alors que l’écrivain voulait, avec ce livre, dénoncer le colonialisme, il a souffert de sa réception immédiate et a modifié par la suite l’orientation de son écriture, en se tournant vers des sujets plus actuels. Prêter attention à l’espace des possibles de la représentation littéraire de la colonisation par des romanciers originaires d’Afrique subsaharienne francophone, des années 1950 jusqu’en 1990, permet de mettre en évidence des effets de champs ayant agi sur le projet originel de Kourouma. La dépendance de la littérature africaine de langue française publiée en France vis-à-vis d’un champ littéraire français où la conception de la littérature engagée a fait son temps, a ainsi été intériorisée et transmuée par l’écrivain, à travers l’élaboration d’une forme littéraire originale.
Modèles économiques d'un marché naissant : le livre numérique
Authors: Benhamou Françoise , Guillon Olivia
Published: February 2011

Résumé Alors que le marché du livre numérique est encore balbutiant en France et représente moins de 1 % du chiffre d’affaires des éditeurs, les stratégies commerciales mises en œuvre par les acteurs traditionnels de la chaîne du livre et par de nouveaux entrants permettent d’esquisser différentes configurations des marchés du livre numérique. La dématérialisation induit des mutations qui auront des conséquences sur l’ensemble de la filière : disparition et apparition d’acteurs, perte, création et déplacement de valeur, restructuration industrielle. Les enjeux de marché, soumis à certaines contraintes techniques comme celle de l’interopérabilité entre normes de fichiers et matériels de lecture, dépendent aussi du maintien ou de l’évolution de la législation régissant le commerce du livre en France : droits de propriété intellectuelle, fiscalité, mode de fixation du prix. Cette photographie cherche à synthétiser les futurs possibles de l’économie du livre numérique.
L'expérience émotionnelle dans la relation psychomotrice
Authors: Boscaini Franco , Saint-Cast Alexandrine
Published: February 2011

Résumé S’il est vrai que chaque émotion correspond à une modification de l’organisation chimique cérébrale, il faut aussi préciser qu’elle est liée à la manière dont le monde est perçu par le sujet, à sa mémoire, à sa personnalité, à sa maturation psychoaffective et à ses compétences relationnelles. Un des buts de la thérapie psychomotrice est de proposer des expériences corporelles qui font émerger, vivre, extérioriser et partager les émotions du patient pour l’aider à les reconnaître et à les accepter, au lieu de les subir et de subir les conséquences de ces souffrances sur son développement. Aborder les émotions dans une optique psychomotrice, c’est aussi rechercher le lien entre l’émotion et les troubles psychomoteurs, dans une prise en charge basée sur le dialogue corporel.
Les mutations de l'identité professionnelle des enseignants
Authors: Rayou Patrick
Published: February 2011

Alors que de nombreux travaux témoignent d’une réelle souffrance au travail pour les enseignants, la question de l’identité professionnelle peut expliquer pour une bonne part ce malaise. S’il faut bien évidemment s’intéresser au contexte politique global où cette identité professionnelle est mise à l’épreuve, il faut s’intéresser aussi à la réalité du métier et à l’évolution des missions de l’école. À l’heure où un relativisme social des connaissances remet en cause le statut de l’enseignant comme passeur privilégié du savoir, l’école, qui a réussi à imposer ses normes et ses contraintes à la société, se voit-elle chargée de régler des problèmes que les autres institutions n’arrivent plus à résoudre. De plus la massification du système éducatif a provoqué une grande hétérogénéité des publics : de nombreux bacheliers ne maitrisent plus tous les savoirs implicites nécessaires à la réussite scolaire. Face à ces bouleversements du métier d’enseignant, il faut renforcer et repenser la professionnalisation.
Enseigner le français en lycée professionnel : quels changements dans le métier ?
Authors: Lopez Maryse
Published: February 2011

En 1969, l’enseignement professionnel constitue, malgré un début d’alignement, un ordre parallèle. Dans ce contexte, la question des contours et des enjeux de la discipline français dans l’enseignement professionnel n’est pas évoquée dans le manifeste de Charbonnières. Mais les changements qui ont depuis touché la voie professionnelle ont eu des incidences sur l’évolution de la discipline. Selon les acteurs impliqués, enseignants, formateurs et inspecteurs, la discipline s’est bien renouvelée. Cela étant, ses référents habituels que sont la littérature et la langue obéissent à des enjeux qui tiennent à la dimension professionnelle de la formation autant qu’au profil des élèves. Il est essentiel, selon les acteurs interrogés, de se dégager d’un modèle trop centré sur les savoirs, modèle qui a mis les élèves en échec. Malgré ces changements le lycée professionnel reste avant tout, pour les acteurs interrogés, un lieu d’innovations pédagogiques dont la formation s’est pendant longtemps fait l’écho.
Les enseignants de l'école primaire : une identité professionnelle originale
Authors: Bishop Marie-France
Published: February 2011

Les instituteurs n’ont jamais été très nombreux à adhérer à l’AFEF. Différentes raisons peuvent être évoquées, mais elles manifestent surtout des différences d’identités professionnelles. Historiquement ces deux métiers, enseignants de français du second degré et instituteurs, ont connu des parcours très différents. De même, leurs actions militantes n’ont pas porté sur les mêmes combats et ont parfois été antagonistes. Si le rapprochement des statuts semble créer actuellement un effacement des particularités, on peut s’interroger sur la persistance de cultures différentes entre ces deux corps d’enseignants.
Au-delà de l'hygiénisme : l'activité délibérée
Authors: Clot Yves
Published: February 2011

Résumé L’article est une critique de l’approche des questions de santé mentale en termes d’exposition à des risques psychosociaux. Il définit cette approche comme un hygiénisme qui peut déboucher sur une police sanitaire. Cette situation est ensuite mise en rapport avec le positivisme qui la complète toujours. À l’aide de quelques exemples historiques l’article cherche aussi à montrer comment on peut faire autrement dès lors qu’on prend au sérieux l’activité réelle de ceux qui travaillent. Elle est à la fois le signe de leur vitalité inéliminable et un concept dans le champ de la clinique du travail. En critiquant une certaine culture psychanalytique l’article se conclut sur la proposition de développer, contre l’hygiénisme, une « activité délibérée ».