bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Persistent Scabious Nodules
Authors: Konstantinov D. , Stanoeva L.
Published: October 2009

The nature, pathogenesis and evolution of pruritical papules of 136 patients with scabies was studied.The papules appear in the course of the scabies and remain for weeks and months after its cure. Most often they were present in cases of children and young people. In the cases of young papules, scabious burrows were observed in which scabious elements were proved to occur microscopically. In the phase of regression, the papules turn into brown pigmented macules which continue to itch. The dominant and most constant histological finding is that of small cell infiltrates in all parts of the corium. They consist mostly of lymphocytes and eosinophils. The papules appear to be due to absorption of the dilapidated products of parasitic excrements which, through the widened intercellular spaces in the epidermis and the lymph vessels of the papillary body penetrate into the cutis to produce this peculiar reaction.
Zur Dermopathie bei Phenylketonurie
Authors: Exss R. , Weber H.-P.
Published: October 2009

Reticulosarcoma-like skin lesions are described in a boy with phenylketonuria (PKU) who was observed for 11 years. Association of the lesions with PKU is indicated by their dependence on the severity of the latter and their complete healing during treatment with low phenylalanine diet.
Reactions sérologiques croisées envers les chlamydiae et certains virus au cours de la syphilis
Authors: Laugier P. , Hunziker N. , Paccaud M.-F. , Brun R. , Orusco M. , Bezzola A.
Published: October 2009

Positive serological reactions for the Chlamidiae and for mumps virus were found among patients presenting a proven florid acquired syphilis; the fact that these patients had a positive syphilitic serological reaction lead us to a general study of the cross reaction between these various diseases. We examined 216 serums and found 37.3% had a positive ornithosic serological reaction in syphilis and only 13.5% had a positive syphilitic serological reaction among positive ornithosic serologies.
Cutaneous Hyperreactivity in Behçet’s Disease
Authors: Sobel J.D. , Haim S. , Shafrir A. , Gellei B.
Published: October 2009

Ten patients with active Behçet’s disease were studied to evaluate whether the cutaneous response to intracutaneous injection of autologous plasma differs from those known to occur in the disease following needle prick and injection of normal saline (pathergy). No specific response to plasma was noticed. 8 of the 10 patients tested reacted positively to all 3 stimuli, and the remaining 2 developed no reaction to any of them. The reaction to plasma in a given patient was clinically identical to those produced by normal saline and needle prick. The only histological difference noticed was the prevalence of acute inflammation and perivascular granulocytic infiltrate at the sites of plasma. None of the reactions revealed thrombosis or necrosis of the blood vessels, and those minor vascular affections noticed seem to be secondary to the inflammatory process.
Differentiation and Keratinization of Fetal Rat Skin
Authors: Bauer F.W.
Published: October 2009

Study of epidermis from fetal rats from 17 days until birth includes the whole keratinization process. In 18-day fetal skin, so-called ‘compound’ granules appear. These are different from keratohyalin granules. The layer containing these granules undergoes a flattening in 20-day fetal skin but the individual granules remain visible. On the 18th day of fetal life, the synthesis of keratohyalin granules starts. They seem to originate by the clumping of ribosomes. While growing larger (19-day fetal skin) they become patchy. Many of the granules are in contact with fibrillar material, in particular when the cells become filled with this fibrillar material (21-day skin). Whether this contact happens by accident or whether this material becomes incorporated in these granules is not yet resolved. In 20-day fetal skin a stratum corneum is present. In 17-day fetal skin cultured in vitro, differentiation to morphologically adult skin proceeds faster than in vivo. Already after 2 days in culture a stratum corneum is present which shows most of the ultrastructural characteristics present in vivo. However, at that time the scantiness of keratohyalin granules and of fibrillar material is striking. During the 3rd and 4th day in culture, the amount of fibrillar material increases, as do the number of keratohyalin granules. Our findings on keratohyalin granules are discussed in relation to the current ideas about the role of these keratohyalin granules.
Systemic Form of Weber-Christian Disease with Hepatic Enlargement
Authors: Stanoeva L. , Miovski D.
Published: October 2009

A case of systemic form of Weber-Christian disease is described. The patient, an 11-year-old boy, was admitted in July, 1969. His illness started at 2 years of age with an appearance of generalized and symmetrically-distributed subcutaneous nodules. Each new crop was accompanied by fever and temperature, leaving atrophic areas when the lesions regress. On examination the child showed subcutaneous nodular lesions of 1–2 cm, which were painful and red in colour; some were slightly mobile, and many atrophic areas were present. The liver was enlarged 8 cm below the right costal margin with a smooth surface, and liver tests were impaired. Corticosteroids and antibiotics in the therapy were of little help.
Mikrobiologische Evaluierung der Salizylsäure und anderer Breitspektrum-Antimikrobika
Authors: Knüsel F. , Weirich E.G.
Published: October 2009

Antibacterial, antidermatophytic and anticandidal agents can be employed, alone or in suitable combinations, for the topical treatment of skin infections and infected dermatoses. For various reasons, however, it is preferable to use broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Important aspects of their therapeutic activity can be assessed by improved microbiological tests in vitro, including comparisons with clinically accepted reference substances; examples of such tests with some relevant compounds are given.
Les basophiles dans le lupus érythémateux et certaines dermatoses
Authors: Hunziker N. , Brun R.
Published: October 2009

With the method of Cooper and Cruikshank (1966), we have counted the number of basophils in healthy subjects and in some patients suffering from certain dermatoses. We showed that in drug eruptions the basophil count is markedly diminished (Djalali et al., 1967). In patients suffering from chronic discoid lupus erythematosis the basophil count is also diminished. The mean absolute basophil count is lower than in the cases of toxicodermatosis. This difference of basophils is statistically significant. In patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosis the basophil count is even more markedly reduced, in some cases it is nearly zero. In 6 cases of melanoma with generalised metastases the absolute basophil count varied between 0 and 10/mm3.
A Peculiar Cutaneous Pigmentation from Cordarone
Authors: Vos A.K. , van Ramshorst A.G.S. , Grosfeld J.C.M. , Goossens J.P.
Published: October 2009

Prolonged use of cordarone in an excessive dosage gives rise to a striking photosensitivity of light-exposed skin areas, followed by a slate-like pigmentation. The case report concerns a 54-year-old woman. We could prove that pigment accumulation took place in the light-exposed areas as well as in the not-light-exposed skin areas. Histochemically and electronmicroscopically, this pigment was interpreted as lipofuscin.
Invasion of a House by the Dog Parasite Cheyletiella yasguri (Smiley 1965), a Mite Causing Prurigo in Man
Authors: van Bronswijk J.E.M.H. , Jansen L.H. , Ophof A.J.
Published: October 2009

A case of prurigo parasitaria was studied together with the microfauna of the house inhabited by the patient. It appeared that furniture and floor of the living room were infested with high numbers of Cheyletiella yasguri. The family pet, a dog, seemed to be the source of the infestation. It was highly infested but showed no symptoms. Treatment of the dog with derrisroot powder killed the mites, and at the same time cleared up the symptoms of the patient.
Chromates as the Cause of Contact Dermatitis in Housewives
Authors: Feuerman E.
Published: October 2009

This study showed that 229 (91.6%) of 250 patients with housewives’ eczema tested positive or strongly positive to a patch test with potassium dichromate. The possible relationship between this finding and the use of detergents was investigated by making a quantitative determination of the chromate content of 14 detergents widely used in Israel. A method found by the author to give very reliable results was used for this purpose (full details are presented). All the detergents tested were found to contain chromates in varying amounts, with the largest amounts present in bleaching solutions. It is postulated that the relatively high incidence of chromate sensitivity among women with housewives’ eczema living in this region is related to the photosensitizing properties of chromates.
Is a Mite the Producer of the House Dust Allergen?
Authors: Young E. , Bangma P.J.
Published: October 2009

A survey is given of a number of investigations concerning the question of identity or non-identity of housedust and D.pteronyssinus mite allergen. Skin tests show a correlation of the reactions to these allergens in about 90% of patients. Inhalation provocation tests with these allergens, however, fail to show such a high degree of correlation. Skin tests with the culture medium of the mites were compared to those with the mite culture. In this latter series of experiments clearly positive reactions were to be found also to the culture medium, provided the latter had been tested in a higher concentration. This finding cannot be explained by the content of human dandruff in the culture medium, but might be ascribed to an internal reaction taking place in the culture medium, with or without the presence of mites.
On Benign Intra-Epidermal Follicular Acanthomas
Authors: Oswald F.H.
Published: October 2009

In 3 patients with clinically not very characteristic small skin tumours on the face the histological examination showed in all cases an intra-epidermal epithelial proliferation, characterised among other things by variable papillomatosis, and a more or less distinct relation to the hair follicles. In the first 2 patients the histological picture corresponded to that of inverted follicular keratosis [Helwig, 1955] and a ‘porome folliculaire’ [Duperrat and Mascaro, 1963] respectively. The microscopic changes observed in the 3rd patient conformed to those of tricholemmoma described in 1962 by Headington and French. In 1 of the patients besides a ‘porome folliculaire’ a very characteristic inverted follicular keratosis (IFK) was found. From serial sections histological similarities between lhese 2 epidermal tumours were also brought to light. The same was the case with tricho-temmona and ‘porome folliculaire’. The author wonders if the epidermal tumours discussed, all probably originating from the hair follicle, may represent varieties of one and the same epithelial new-growth.
The Werner Syndrome
Authors: Degreef H.
Published: October 2009

The symptoms of Werner’s Syndrome are reported by means of 2 cases. The importance of an endocrinological and ophthalmological examination of patients with ‘systemic sclerosis’ is demonstrated.
Multiple Sebaceous Gland Tumours, with Multiple Tumours of Internal Organs
Authors: Bakker P.M. , Tjon A Joe S.S.
Published: October 2009

The authors present a case of multiple sebaceous tumours and kerato acanthomata of the skin in a man who in a period of 21 years was also treated twice for a carcinoma of the colon and once for a carcinoma of the stomach. In the literature only two comparable cases have been found. It is suggested that these three cases represent examples of a rare syndrome.
Über den DNS-Gehalt von Epidermiszellen unbefallener Psoriatikerhaut
Authors: Wohlrab W.
Published: October 2009

The epidermal DNA has been determinated cytophotometrically in clinically not-involved psoriatic skin, separate in stratum basale, the lowest three layers and the upper part of stratum spinosum. 1. The DNA patterns differ in all layers from those in normal epidermis. 2. The number of nuclei with hyperdiploid values is in all the stratum spinosum higher than in normal skin. 3. The importance, possible due to these findings, for the run down of the psoriatic reaction is discussed.
Urinary Acid Mucopolysaccharide Excretion in Skin Disease
Authors: Mier P.D. , Urselmann E.
Published: October 2009

The urinary output of non-sulphated and sulphated acid mucopolysaccharides was measured in a group of psoriatic patients, a group of patients with other dermatoses, and a group of healthy controls. The total excretion of acid mucopolysaccharides was raised in both groups of patients, the increment being equally distributed between the non-sulphated and the sulphated fractions.
The Water-Barrier of Stripped and Normal Skin
Authors: Spruit D.
Published: October 2009

Water transport through the stratum corneum has been treated using the theoretical considerations established by previous workers for transport through monomolecular layers. The values obtained for the resistance of normal human forearm skin to water transport were in the range 150–600 sec/cm. The resistance of the same ‘stripped’ skin was in the range 0.4–1.25 sec/cm; the latter are typical values for aqueous protein solutions.
Cutaneous Amyloidosis Associated with Atopic Disorders
Authors: Shanon J.
Published: October 2009

A study of 24 patients suffering from cutaneous amyloidosis was made. In 9 cases of 13 studied, an association with diseases of a constitutional or allergic nature such as asthma, neurodermatitis, vasomotor rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis was found. Family studies of 13 of the cases showed the occurrence of diseases of constitutional and allergic nature in the members of 7 families. The findings suggest that cutaneous amyloidosis may be regarded as a constitutional disorder belonging to the group of atopic diseases.
The Sweat Gland as a Mucous Gland
Authors: Seutter E. , Trijbels J.M.F. , Sutorius Annelies H.M. , Urselmann Elly J.M.
Published: October 2009

Human crude sweat and sweat from a rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta), obtained from the skin after thermal stimulation, were compared with human saliva and skin mucus from the frog (Rana temporaria) and eel (Anguilla). Mucin from all samples contained sialic acid and small amounts of lipids and protein; the polysaccharide part was essentially sulfated and contained but little hexuronic acid and hexosamine. Hydrolysed mucin fractions from all materials showed a similar amino acid composition. The skin mucins differed from other mucins in amino acid composition by the absence of threonine. Human crude sweat from the chest contained acid phosphatase, monkey sweat acid and alkaline phosphatase, frog skin mucus alkaline phosphatase and eel skin mucus acid phosphatase. Human axillar crude sweat showed a considerable alkaline phosphatase activity in addition to a stronger acid phosphatase activity than that from the chest. In atopic dermatitis no difference appeared in sialic acid content with a control group and a difference in protein content of mucin was unlikely. In this disease the significantly larger variability in free phosphate content was presumably from intra-cellular origin and that in the results of a reaction employing sulfite and heptazine indicated the importance of an investigation into lipids, containing carbonyl groups, in skin mucin.
High Levels of Acetylated Low-Density Lipoprotein Uptake and Low Tyrosine Kinase With Immunoglobulin and Epidermal Growth Factor Homology Domains-2 (Tie2) Promoter Activity Distinguish Sinusoids From Other Vessel Types in Murine Bone Marrow
Authors: Li Xiao-Miao , Hu Zhongbo , Jorgenson Marda L. , Slayton William B.
Published: October 2009

Background—

The bone marrow contains a variety of blood vessels that have different functions in bone marrow maintenance and hematopoiesis. Arterioles control the flow of blood into bone marrow compartments, and sinusoids serve as a conduit to the bloodstream and as niches for megakaryocyte development. Most studies of bone marrow vasculature, including studies quantifying changes in the marrow vascular by microvascular density, do not differentiate between different types of marrow vessels. Recognizing changes in different types of blood vessels after chemotherapy exposure or during leukemia development has important physiological implications. We hypothesized that the functional heterogeneity of marrow vasculature could be recognized through the use of functional markers such as tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor homology domains-2 (Tie2) expression or 1,1-dioctadecyl -3,3,3,3-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanine perchlorate with acetylated low-density lipoprotein (DiI-Ac-LDL) uptake.

Methods and Results—

When transgenic mice with green fluorescent protein (GFP) expressed downstream of the Tie2 promoter were injected with Ac-LDL, Ac-LDL was specifically endocytosed by sinusoids, and Tie2 expression was more pronounced in the arteries, arterioles, and transitional capillaries. Combining these 2 functional endothelial markers and using confocal microscopy to obtain 3-dimensional images, we identified transitional zones where arterioles emptied into the sinusoids. Alternatively, coinjection of lectin with DiI-Ac-LDL has a similar result in normal mice, as seen in Tie2/GFP mice, and can be used to differentiate vessel types in nontransgenic mice.

Conclusions—

These results demonstrate that bone marrow vasculature is functionally heterogeneous. Methods to study changes in the marrow vasculature using microvascular density or quantifying changes in the vascular niche need to take this heterogeneity into account.
Three-Year Outcomes After Sirolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation for Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Toyofuku Mamoru , Kimura Takeshi , Morimoto Takeshi , Hayashi Yasuhiko , Ueda Hiroaki , Kawai Kazuya , Nozaki Yoichi , Hiramatsu Shinichi , Miura Akira , Yokoi Yoshiaki , Toyoshima Shinichiro , Nakashima Hitoshi , Haze Kazuo , Tanaka Masaru , Take Shunsuke , Saito Shigeru , Isshiki Takaaki , Mitsudo Kazuaki
Published: October 2009

Background—

Long-term outcomes after stenting of an unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) with drug-eluting stents have not been addressed adequately despite the growing popularity of this procedure.

Methods and Results—

j-Cypher is a multicenter prospective registry of consecutive patients undergoing sirolimus-eluting stent implantation in Japan. Among 12 824 patients enrolled in the j-Cypher registry, the unadjusted mortality rate at 3 years was significantly higher in patients with ULMCA stenting (n=582) than in patients without ULMCA stenting (n=12 242; 14.6% versus 9.2%, respectively;
P
<0.0001); however, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the adjusted risk of death (hazard ratio 1.23, 95% confidence interval 0.95 to 1.60,
P
=0.12). Among 476 patients whose ULMCA lesions were treated exclusively with a sirolimus-eluting stent, patients with ostial/shaft lesions (n=96) compared with those with bifurcation lesions (n=380) had a significantly lower rate of target-lesion revascularization for the ULMCA lesions (3.6% versus 17.1%,
P
=0.005), with similar cardiac death rates at 3 years (9.8% versus 7.6%,
P
=0.41). Among patients with bifurcation lesions, patients with stenting of both the main and side branches (n=119) had significantly higher rates of cardiac death (12.2% versus 5.5%;
P
=0.02) and target-lesion revascularization (30.9% versus 11.1%;
P
<0.0001) than those with main-branch stenting alone (n=261).

Conclusions—

The higher unadjusted mortality rate of patients undergoing ULMCA stenting with a sirolimus-eluting stent did not appear to be related to ULMCA treatment itself but rather to the patients’ high-risk profile. Although long-term outcomes in patients with ostial/shaft ULMCA lesions were favorable, outcomes in patients with bifurcation lesions treated with stenting of both the main and side branches appeared unacceptable.
Volumetric Intravascular Ultrasound Analysis of Paclitaxel-Eluting and Bare Metal Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Maehara Akiko , Mintz Gary S. , Lansky Alexandra J. , Witzenbichler Bernhard , Guagliumi Giulio , Brodie Bruce , Kellett Mirle A. , Parise Helen , Mehran Roxana , Stone Gregg W.
Published: October 2009

Background—

Vascular responses to drug-eluting stents in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction are unknown. In the prospective, multicenter Harmonizing Outcomes With Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction (HORIZONS-AMI) trial, patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction within 12 hours of symptom onset were randomized 3:1 to TAXUS EXPRESS paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) or EXPRESS bare metal stents (BMS).

Methods and Results—

A formal intravascular ultrasound substudy enrolled 464 patients with baseline and 13-month follow-up imaging at 36 centers. Overall, 446 lesions in 402 patients were suitable for standard qualitative and quantitative analyses, which were performed at an independent blinded core laboratory. The primary prespecified end point was the in-stent percent net volume obstruction at follow-up. Median stent length measured 23.4 mm (first and third quartiles, 18.5 and 31.9 mm). PES compared with BMS significantly reduced 13-month percent net volume obstruction (6.5% [first and third quartiles, 2.2% and 10.8%] versus 15.6% [first and third quartiles, 7.2% and 28.8%];
P
<0.0001). PES compared with BMS also resulted in more late-acquired stent malapposition (29.6% versus 7.9%;
P
=0.0005) resulting from positive vessel remodeling. Plaque and/or thrombus protrusion through stent struts was initially present in 70.4% of PES and 64.8% of BMS; all resolved during follow-up. New aneurysm formation, stent fracture, and subclinical thrombus were uncommon, although seen only in PES.

Conclusions—

PES compared with BMS significantly reduce neointimal hyperplasia in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction but also result in a high frequency of late-acquired stent malapposition as a result of positive vessel remodeling. Ongoing long-term follow-up is required to establish the clinical significance of these findings.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00433966.
Another Look at Interannual-to-Interdecadal Variations of the East Asian Winter Monsoon: The Northern and Southern Temperature Modes
Authors: Wang Bin , Wu Zhiwei , Chang Chih-Pei , Liu Jian , Li Jianping , Zhou Tianjun
Published: October 2009

This study investigates the causes of interannual-to-interdecadal variability of the East Asian (EA; 0°–60°N, 100°–140°E) winter monsoon (EAWM) over the past 50 yr (1957–2006). The winter mean surface air temperature variations are dominated by two distinct principal modes that together account for 74% of the total temperature variance. The two modes have notably different circulation structures and sources of variability. The northern mode, characterized by a westward shift of the EA major trough and enhanced surface pressure over central Siberia, represents a cold winter in the northern EA resulting from cold-air intrusion from central Siberia. The southern mode, on the other hand, features a deepening EA trough and increased surface pressure over Mongolia, representing a cold winter south of 40°N resulting from cold-air intrusion from western Mongolia. The cold northern mode is preceded by excessive autumn snow covers over southern Siberia–Mongolia, whereas the cold southern mode is preceded by development of La Niña episodes and reduced snow covers over northeast Siberia. These remarkably different spatiotemporal structures and origins are primarily associated with interannual variations. On the decadal or longer time scale their structures are somewhat similar and are preceded by similar autumn sea surface temperature anomalies over the North Atlantic and tropical Indian Ocean. The two modes found for the EA region also represent the winter temperature variability over the entire Asian continent. Thus, study of the predictability of the two modes may shed light on understanding the predictable dynamics of the Asian winter monsoon.
Acute Psychiatric Disorders in Foreign Domestic Workers in Hong Kong: a Pilot Study
Authors: Lau Phyllis W.L. , Cheng Judy G.Y. , Chow Dickson L.Y. , Ungvari G.S. , Leung C.M.
Published: October 2009

Aim: To explore the psychopathology of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) who had an acute psychiatric disorder in Hong Kong.

Method: This was a retrospective chart review. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from case records of FDWs who were admitted for the first time as inpatients for psychiatric treatment to three regional hospitals of the same catchment area in Hong Kong between 2000 and 2004. Relevant socio-demographic data on local FDWs and the general population of Hong Kong were obtained from local government departments.

Results: Twenty-seven Filipino and 14 Indonesian FDWs presenting with their first and so far only psychiatric admission were identified. There were significantly more FDWs who were single or never married in the sample. Filipino FDWs tended to fall ill after 4 years of service in Hong Kong while the corresponding figure for Indonesian FDWs was 2 years. Indonesian FDWs were older and had less access to social and medical services than their Filipino counterparts. Home sickness and marital problems were more commonly identified as stressors rather than workrelated difficulties. Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder (ICD-10) was diagnosed in over 60% of the subjects, making FDWs two times more vulnerable than local women of similar age for this illness.

Conclusions: FDWs constitute a vulnerable group in terms of psychiatric morbidity. Concerted political, social and psychological efforts would be require to alleviate the distress faced by this particularly disadvantaged subset of female expatriates.
Heuristics for the Maximization of Operating Rooms Utilization Using Simulation
Authors: Arnaout Jean-Paul
Published: October 2009

This paper addresses the problem of maximizing the utilization of operating rooms, which is translated to jobs scheduling in an identical parallel machine environment with sequence-dependent setup times and an objective of minimizing the makespan. The jobs’ processing times and setup times are stochastic for better depiction of the real world. This is a non-deterministic polynomial time (NP)-hard problem, and in this paper a new heuristic is developed and compared to existing ones using simulation and optimization. The results and analysis obtained from the computational experiments proved the superiority of the proposed algorithm Longest Expected Processing with Setup Time (LEPST) over the other algorithms presented.
Landscapes of Memory
Authors: Kenny Mary Lorena
Published: October 2009

Concentration camps were established in the Northeastern Brazilian state of Ceará in 1932 as a response to the displacement of thousands by severe drought. The experience of the camps, as reported by those who survived them, was one of privation and death. Residents of Senador Pompeu, the site of one such camp, commemorate the experience with an annual procession to the cemetery and are attempting to have the ruins of the camp declared “heritage.” Marking such places as heritage is in many ways an intervention not only economically, as heritage tourism, but through the active critical processes of conscientization, communicating the violence that persists in contemporary society.
Violence and Silence in Dictatorial and Postdictatorial Chile
Authors: Waldman M. Gilda
Published: October 2009

The new Chilean narrative’s noir genre, exemplified in the work of Ramón Díaz Eterovic, is an allusive and tangential exposé of recent national history. Implicit in the detective stories of this genre are a critical approach and an attempt at reconstruction of the political and social conflicts of dictatorial and postdictatorial Chile through a criminological narrative. Situated between the authoritarianism of the dictatorial regime and the ambiguities of the transition, the noir genre enables engagement with the subject of memory as a possible tool for the strengthening of civil society.
Customers, Citizens, and Residents
Authors: Lucio Joanna
Published: October 2009

This article illustrates how customer and citizen can be exclusive in the current context in which governance exists and proposes a shift in public administration’s conception of citizenship. An examination of the impact of public administration vernacular on society is used to provide insight into how to make public service more inclusive in an increasingly dynamic and diverse world. Global citizenship, one based in residency, is explored as a useful concept for public administration at the local level. Finally, the article discusses how local public administrators and public administration scholars can reinforce residency‐based citizenship to promote collaborative governance.
Family Involvement and Helping Behavior in Teams
Authors: ten Brummelhuis Lieke L. , van der Lippe Tanja , Kluwer Esther S.
Published: October 2009

Helping behavior at work has become increasingly important, with organizations making more and more use of cooperative work practices. The difficulty is that employees are facing growing demands beyond the workplace. This study investigates the mechanisms by which family involvement (family structure, family tasks, family support) affects helping behavior in teams. Based on a sample of 495 team members, the results show that having a supportive partner and performing care tasks increase helping behavior via enhanced fulfillment and skills. Having young children is directly and negatively related to helping behavior. The authors also conducted separate analyses for men and women.
Warrior, Untouchable, Courtesan
Authors: Purkayastha Prarthana
Published: October 2009

This article analyses the intimate links between dance and the processes of national and postcolonial identity formation in India, particularly in Bengal, in the twentieth century. It examines alternative, non-classical artistic experiments in the realm of theatre dance spawned by twentieth century cultural nationalism in India, focusing on dancing bodies that actively engaged with, and wrote different meanings for, the socio-political space they inhabited. Dance-dramas written by Rabindranath Tagore in the 1930s are used as points of entry into a discourse on South Asian modernism and feminism, opening up a space in which the twentieth century representation of Indian women through bodily performance troubles notions of cultural purity and origin and offers instead ‘impure’ but nevertheless powerful cultural texts.
Social and Attitudinal Change in Medieval India
Authors: Chandra Satish
Published: October 2009

There has been a discussion whether medieval Indian society was feudal or not, but very little discussion on the processes of social and attitudinal change following the advent of the Turks. State efforts at maximising revenue collection and improvement of cultivation by emphasising jins-i-kamil helped in the emergence of a new class of rich farmers among the khud-kasht. The khud-kasht was the social basis of Mughal peace based on a tripartite alliance between the state, the zamindars and khud-kasht. However, the growing aspirations of the zamindars and the khud-kasht led to dissident movements and political instability. The process of urbanisation and growth of foreign trade led to the strengthening of the merchants and financiers and the growth of a money economy. They interacted with the state and sought to extend their control on the country side, and also the growing class of artisans through a process of dadni. The composite ruling class, which emerged under the Mughals was more bureaucratic and commercial in nature and promoted mercantilism. The writings of the various bhakti and Sufi saints help in understanding the contemporary ethos and attitudes. While some of them emphasise human equality, some regard social inequality as God given. A more thorough-going attitudinal change was resisted, however, due to deep-seated social, intellectual and religious constraints.
Historia Elastica
Authors: Kar Bodhisattva
Published: October 2009

From scattered references in government documents and contemporary academic articles, this paper constructs a rough history of the wide and largely paralegal trade in Ficus elastica, or India-rubber, across the north-eastern frontier of British India. In order to avail of the resources beyond the revenue line, nearly every rubber firm operative in the area struck numerous informal arrangements with the chiefs of the local communities through a network of Marwari shops, which became public only after legal complications arose during community skirmishes or transfer of mahals.While evidences survive to suggest that these firms often enjoyed tacit support from the government, the firms’ indirect recognition of the territorial rights of these communities was also a constant source of irritation to the British administration, which deeply mourned the loss of revenue duties on the unregistered products. Confused discussions and half-hearted legal actions followed, entailing a peculiar legal regime and culture of extraction. The empirical details of this history may be helpful in rethinking the general nature of joint-stock capitalism in a ‘savage’ frontier.
Good Young Nostalgia
Authors: Schwarz Ori
Published: October 2009

The nostalgic consumption of images, which only a few years ago was practised mainly by adults, has lately become prevalent among Israeli teenage girls. Girls often describe themselves as ‘nostalgic’ and nostalgia has become a desired emotion. Unlike the nostalgia of former generations, this nostalgia is cumulative and not necessarily based on a strong dichotomous contrast between past and present. The transformation of nostalgia is closely related to developments in technology (the camera-phone and the internet) and in the possession-patterns of devices. Personal mobile phones are used by teenagers for production, archiving and consumption of documentary images on a daily basis. These images, not unrelated to those of mass media, are consumed by teenagers in order to evoke nostalgia and other emotions, as a technology of self. This trend also contributes to blur the ontic distinction between events and their representations.
Emotions, Imagination and Consumption
Authors: Illouz Eva
Published: October 2009

This article has three objectives. The first calls on vigorously injecting the notion of emotion in the sociology of consumption. In particular, I show that the former has much to contribute to the latter, especially when consumption is conceived as inherent in the process of identity building and maintaining. In this respect, and this is the second goal of this article, I argue not only that the category of ‘emotion’ can be heuristic for a sociology of consumption, but also that the sociology of consumption has long been, albeit unknowingly, dealing with emotions. Making explicit this analytical category helps strengthen, conceptually, much of the sociology of consumption. The third purpose of this article is to offer preliminary thoughts on the ways in which consumers’ volatile desires and emotions are mediated by culture. For the category of ‘emotion’ not to be psychological or individualistic, we need to understand just how it is infused by cultural meaning through and through. The conceptual link explaining the articulation between emotion and consumption is to be found in the notion of ‘imagination’, understood as the socially situated deployment of cultural fantasies.
Opening Wedge Osteotomies for Correction of Hallux Valgus
Authors: Smith W. Bret , Hyer Christopher F. , DeCarbo William T. , Berlet Gregory C. , Lee Thomas H.
Published: October 2009

Osteotomy of the proximal metatarsal for the correction of moderate to severe hallux valgus deformity is commonly performed. The purpose of this study is to review the early results of a technique for the correction of hallux valgus, an opening wedge osteotomy of the proximal first metatarsal with opening wedge plate fixation. A review was performed of the results of 47 patients (49 feet) who underwent correction of hallux valgus with proximal metatarsal opening wedge osteotomy. All osteotomies were secured with plate fixation on the medial side. Evaluation consisted of preoperative and postoperative radiographic as well as clinical evaluations. Mean corrections of 7° were achieved for the 1-2 intermetatarsal angles. Fourteen complications occurred, 6 of which involved mild hardware irritation and did not affect outcome. Four nonunions or delayed unions were identified. The authors find the opening wedge osteotomy of the proximal first metatarsal to be a technically straightforward procedure for correcting moderate to severe hallux valgus. The correction obtained is comparable to other described techniques.
Developing a set of ancestry-sensitive DNA markers reflecting continental origins of humans
Authors: Kersbergen Paula , van Duijn Kate , Kloosterman Ate D , den Dunnen Johan T , Kayser Manfred , de Knijff Peter
Published: October 2009

Background

The identification and use of Ancestry-Sensitive Markers (ASMs), i.e. genetic polymorphisms facilitating the genetic reconstruction of geographical origins of individuals, is far from straightforward.

Results

Here we describe the ascertainment and application of five different sets of 47 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) allowing the inference of major human groups of different continental origin. For this, we first used 74 cell lines, representing human males from six different geographical areas and screened them with the Affymetrix Mapping 10K assay. In addition to using summary statistics estimating the genetic diversity among multiple groups of individuals defined by geography or language, we also used the program STRUCTURE to detect genetically distinct subgroups. Subsequently, we used a pairwise FST ranking procedure among all pairs of genetic subgroups in order to identify a single best performing set of ASMs. Our initial results were independently confirmed by genotyping this set of ASMs in 22 individuals from Somalia, Afghanistan and Sudan and in 919 samples from the CEPH Human Genome Diversity Panel (HGDP-CEPH)

Conclusion

By means of our pairwise population FST ranking approach we identified a set of 47 SNPs that could serve as a panel of ASMs at a continental level.
Tetrapisispora phaffii killer toxin is a highly specific β-glucanase that disrupts the integrity of the yeast cell wall
Authors: Comitini Francesca , Mannazzu Ilaria , Ciani Maurizio
Published: October 2009

Background

Killer yeasts have been used to combat contaminating wild yeasts in food, to control pathogenic fungi in plants, and in the medical field, to develop novel antimycotics for the treatment of human and animal fungal infections. Among these killer yeasts,Tetrapisispora phaffii(formerly known asKluyveromyces phaffii) secretes a glycoprotein known as Kpkt that is lethal to spoilage yeasts under winemaking conditions. In the present study, the mode of action of Kpkt, and the specific damage produced by this toxin on sensitive yeasts is investigated.

Results

The use of castanospermine, a β-glucanase inhibitor, demonstrated that β-glucanase activity is essential for the Kpkt killer activityin vivo. Accordingly, Kpkt has no killer activity on either sensitive yeast spheroplasts or whole sensitive cells in the presence of isosmothic medium (0.8 molar sorbitol). Kpkt induces ultrastructural modifications in the cell wall of sensitive strains, as shown by confocal microscopy, laser-scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The Kpkt killer action is mediated by the glucidic portion of the toxin. This, in turn, appears to be involved both in the stronger cytocidal activity and in the selectivity for the sensitive strain shown by Kpkt compared to laminarinase.

Conclusion

Collectively, these data indicate that the mode of action of Kpkt is directed towards the disruption of cell-wall integrity, and that this is mediated by a highly specific β-glucanase activity. In this, Kpkt differs from other microbial β-glucanases that do not show killer activities.
Influence of the calcium concentration in the presence of organic phosphorus on the physicochemical compatibility and stability of all-in-one admixtures for neonatal use
Authors: Ribeiro Daniela de Oliveira , Lobo Bianca Waruar , Volpato Nádia Maria , da Veiga Venício Féo , Cabral Lúcio Mendes , de Sousa Valeria Pereira
Published: October 2009

Background

Preterm infants need high amounts of calcium and phosphorus for bone mineralization, which is difficult to obtain with parenteral feeding due to the low solubility of these salts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical compatibility of high concentrations of calcium associated with organic phosphate and its influence on the stability of AIO admixtures for neonatal use.

Methods

Three TPN admixture formulas were prepared in multilayered bags. The calcium content of the admixtures was adjusted to 0, 46.5 or 93 mg/100 ml in the presence of a fixed organic phosphate concentration as well as lipids, amino acids, inorganic salts, glucose, vitamins and oligoelements at pH 5.5. Each admixture was stored at 4°C, 25°C or 37°C and evaluated over a period of 7 days. The physicochemical stability parameters evaluated were visual aspect, pH, sterility, osmolality, peroxide formation, precipitation, and the size of lipid globules.

Results

Color alterations occurred from the first day on, and reversible lipid film formation from the third day of study for the admixtures stored at 25°C and 37°C. According to the parameters evaluated, the admixtures were stable at 4°C; and none of them presented precipitated particles due to calcium/phosphate incompatibility or lipid globules larger than 5 μm, which is the main parameter currently used to evaluate lipid emulsion stability. The admixtures maintained low peroxide levels and osmolarity was appropriate for parenteral administration.

Conclusion

The total calcium and calcium/phosphorus ratios studied appeared not to influence the physicochemical compatibility and stability of AIO admixtures.
Combined treatment with lexatumumab and irradiation leads to strongly increased long term tumour control under normoxic and hypoxic conditions
Authors: Marini Patrizia , Junginger Dorothea , Stickl Stefan , Budach Wilfried , Niyazi Maximilian , Belka Claus
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The combination of ionizing radiation with the pro-apoptotic TRAIL receptor antibody lexatumumab has been shown to exert considerable synergistic apoptotic effects in vitro and in short term growth delay assays. To clarify the relevance of these effects on local tumour control long-term experiments using a colorectal xenograft model were conducted.

Materials and methods

Colo205-xenograft bearing NMRI (nu/nu) nude mice were treated with fractionated irradiation (5× 3 Gy, d1-5) and lexatumumab (0.75 mg/kg, d1, 4 and 8). The tumour bearing hind limbs were irradiated with graded single top up doses at d8 under normoxic (ambient) and acute hypoxic (clamped) conditions. Experimental animals were observed for 270 days. Growth delay and local tumour control were end points of the study. Statistical analysis of the experiments included evaluation of tumour regrowth and local tumour control.

Results

Combined treatment with irradiation and lexatumumab led to a pronounced tumour regrowth-delay when compared to irradiation alone. The here presented long-term experiments revealed a highly significant rise of local tumour control for normoxic (ambient) (p = 0. 000006) and hypoxic treatment (p = 0. 000030).

Conclusion

Our data show that a combination of the pro-apoptotic antibody lexatumumab with irradiation reduces tumour regrowth and leads to a highly increased local tumour control in a nude mouse model. This substantial effect was observed under ambient and more pronounced under hypoxic conditions.
Prognostic and Predictive Value of HER2 Extracellular Domain in Metastatic Breast Cancer Treated With Lapatinib and Paclitaxel in a Randomized Phase III Study
Authors: Finn Richard S. , Gagnon Robert , Di Leo Angelo , Press Michael F. , Arbushites Michael , Koehler Maria
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The HER2 extracellular domain (ECD) is enzymatically cleaved from the cell membrane. Shed ECD in serum has been studied as both prognostic and predictive markers. Lapatinib is a dual inhibitor of HER2 and epidermal growth factor receptor kinases. We examined the prognostic and predictive role of HER2 ECD in a randomized trial of paclitaxel with placebo or lapatinib in women with HER2-negative or -unknown breast cancer.

Patients and Methods

Patients (n = 579) with newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer (MBC) were randomly assigned to paclitaxel with placebo or lapatinib. HER2 status was determined centrally. ECD was centrally measured by enzyme linked immunoassay in available samples at baseline (b; n = 472), week 9, and every 12 weeks thereafter. Results were correlated to overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

Elevated baseline ECD (bECD) levels (≥ 16 ng/mL) did not predict HER2 tumor status (sensitivity, 62%; specificity, 75%). In HER2-negative tumors, elevated bECD was not correlated with improved efficacy for lapatinib plus paclitaxel versus placebo plus paclitaxel (ORR: odds ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.1 to 3.8; P = .365; PFS: hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.60 to 1.47; P = .797). ECD levels tended to decrease over time when bECD was elevated. ECD conversion from low to high was associated with worse PFS. Converting from high to low was associated with a better PFS. A consistently low ECD level had better PFS than a consistently elevated ECD. All associations were found to be independent of lapatinib.

Conclusion

HER2 bECD does not predict lapatinib benefit in patients with HER2-negative MBC. Changes in ECD status correlates with patient outcome regardless of treatment given. Measuring HER2 ECD is not currently recommended for predicting benefit to lapatinib.