bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Book Reviews
Authors: Ekberg Olle , Kløw Nils-Einar
Published: December 2009

Normal and Abnormal Swallowing. Imaging in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2nd Edn. Edited by B. Jones. Springer-Verlag 2003. ISBN 0-387-95194-6. Hardcover 287 pages, with 164 figures (4 in full color).

Venous Catheters. A Practical Manual. Edited by P. C. Pieters, J. Tisnado and M. A. Mauro. Thieme Medical Publishers 2002. ISBN 3-13-124821-1. Price: €59.95.
Complications associated with percutaneous nephrolithotripsy: supra- versus subcostal access: A retrospective study
Authors: Radecka E. , Brehmer M. , Holmgren K. , Magnusson A.
Published: December 2009

Purpose: Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy is an essential procedure for treating complex urinary calculi. To achieve optimal access to a large and complicated stone, an upper calyx puncture is often preferable. However, when performing a puncture above the 12th rib there is risk of an increased number of complications. In this retrospective study, we assessed the kind and frequency of complications after sub- and supracostal punctures of the collecting system of the kidney.

Material and Methods: Between 1996 and 2001, 85 patients were treated with percutaneous nephrolithotripsy. In 63 patients a subcostal track, below the 12th rib was established. Puncture was performed under ultrasonic or fluoroscopic guidance in 61 patients and CT-guided in 2 patients. In 17 patients a supracostal puncture, above the 12th rib, was performed under CT guidance and in 5 patients with US or fluoroscopic guidance.

Result: The main difference regarding preoperative complications was the number of patients complaining of respiratory correlated pain, 7 (32%) in the supracostal puncture group compared with 3 (5%) in the subcostal puncture group. No significant difference regarding peroperative complications was found. Postoperatively, there were 2 major bleedings, one in each group, which had to be treated with arterial embolization. In the supracostal puncture group there were 2 patients with pleural effusion and 2 patients with pneumothorax.

Conclusion: The complication rate was slightly higher after supracostal puncture as compared with a subcostal approach, especially regarding respiratory correlated pain. When performing a supracostal puncture there is an increased risk that the track passes through the pleural space, which might explain the difference in the panorama of complications.
Dynamic MR imaging of the breast: Analysis of kinetic and morphologic diagnostic criteria
Authors: Szabó B. K. , Aspelin P. , Kristoffersen Wiberg M. , Boné B.
Published: December 2009

Purpose: To assess the value of kinetic and architectural diagnostic criteria on dynamic MR breast imaging, and to construct a scoring system for lesion characterization.

Material and Methods: A total of 92 women with 109 histopathologically verified breast lesions were included in this retrospective study. The patients were examined by a 1.5 T system using a dedicated double breast coil. A dynamic examination with one precontrast and seven postcontrast series was performed, using a T1-weighted 3D FLASH sequence. Thirty lesions (15 malignant and 15 benign) were randomly chosen for the validation set, and the remaining 79 lesions (62 malignant and 17 benign) formed the estimation set, in which multivariate analysis was performed in order to select the most important features. These parameters were then used for constructing the scoring system, which was tested on the validation set. The scoring system was compared with the routine standard evaluation that used all established diagnostic criteria. ROC curves were generated to assess the diagnostic accuracy of different approaches.

Results: In the multivariate analysis of the 79 lesions, time-to-peak enhancement and the descriptor of margins were found to be the most important independent factors for distinguishing benign from malignant lesions, and formed the basis of the scoring system. The areas under the ROC curves for the standard evaluation, and the scoring system were 0.813 and 0.880 in the 30 lesions.

Conclusion: Time-to-peak enhancement and the descriptor of margins appear to be the most important diagnostic criteria for mass lesions in dynamic breast MR imaging.
MR imaging of ventriculus terminalis of the conus medullaris: A report of two operated patients and review of the literature
Authors: Dullerud R. , Server A. , Berg-Johnsen J.
Published: December 2009

We report on 2 patients in whom a cystic dilation of the conus medullaris was incidentally found at MR imaging carried out in the work-up for sciatica. The cysts were well circumscribed and had signal intensity identical to the CSF on both T1- and T2-weighted images. There was no evidence of contrast enhancement. None of the patients had specific symptoms related to the spinal cord. At surgery, no evidence of malignancy was seen in any of the patients. A benign cystic dilation, also called dilated ventriculus terminalis, occasionally can be seen in the conus medullaris as an incidental finding at thoracolumbar MR imaging. Unless the expansion per se indicates cyst drainage, these patients may be monitored by clinical and MR follow-up, avoiding surgery in a substantial number of cases.
Cerebral hemodynamics in a healthy population measured by dynamic susceptibility contrast MR imaging
Authors: Helenius J. , Perkiö J. , Soinne L. , Østergaard L. , Carano R. A. D. , Salonen O. , Savolainen S. , Kaste M. , Aronen H. J. , Tatlisumak T.
Published: December 2009

Purpose: To establish reference data and to study age-dependency for cerebral perfusion in various regions of the brain in a healthy population.

Material and Methods: Eighty healthy subjects of both genders from 22 to 85 years of age were studied with spin echo echo-planar dynamic susceptibility contrast MR imaging (DSC MRI) at 1.5 T. Cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), and contrast agent mean transit time (MTT) were calculated bilaterally for 20 distinct neuroanatomic structures.

Results: In gray matter, the following values were found (mean ± SD): CBV (4.6 ± 1.0 ml/100 g), CBF (94.2 ± 23.0 ml/100 g/min), and MTT (3.0 ± 0.6 s), and in white matter: CBV (1.3 ± 0.4 ml/100 g), CBF (19.6 ± 5.8 ml/100 g/min), and MTT (4.3 ± 0.7 s). The perfusion parameters did not change with age, except for a tendency to an increase in gray matter MTT and CBV. Males exhibited higher MTT and CBV than females. No hemispheric difference was found in either gender.

Conclusion: Cerebral hemodynamics can be assessed with DSC MRI. Age itself seems to have only a marginal effect on cerebral perfusion in healthy population.
Value of micro-CT as an investigative tool for osteochondritis dissecans: A preliminary study with comparison to histology
Authors: Mohr A. , Heiss C. , Bergmann I. , Schrader C. , Roemer F. W. , Lynch J. A. , Muhle C. , Genant H. K. , Heller M.
Published: December 2009

Purpose: To evaluate micro computed tomography (micro-CT) for the assessment of osteochondritis dissecans in comparison with histology.

Material and Methods: Osteochondritis dissecans lesions of 3 patients were evaluated using micro-CT (0.125 mA, 40 keV, 60 μm slice thickness, 60 μm isotropic resolution, entire sample) and light microscopy (toluidine blue, 3–5 μm slice thickness). The methods were compared regarding preparation time, detectability of tissue types and morphologic features of bone and cartilage.

Results: Non-destructive micro-CT imaging of the entire sample was faster than histologic preparation of a single slice for light microscopy. Morphologic features of bone and cartilage could be imaged in a comparable way to histology. It was not possible to image cells or different tissue types of bone and cartilage with micro-CT.

Conclusion: Micro-CT is a fast, non-destructive tool that may be a supplement or, if detailed histologic information is not necessary, an alternative to light microscopy for the investigation of osteochondritis dissecans.
An Herbal Nasal Drop Enhanced Frontal and Anterior Cingulate Cortex Activity
Authors: Chan Agnes S. , Cheung Mei-chun , Sze Sophia L. , Leung Winnie W. , Shi Dejian
Published: December 2009

The present study examined the neuro‐electrophysiological activity of the brain associated with the application of a herbal remedy developed by a Shaolin monk based upon the Chan healing principle of clearing the orifices (i.e., the nasal cavities). A repeated‐measures design was used. Fourteen normal adults were administered herbal remedy and saline solution intranasally on separate sessions. Two intervals of eyes‐closed resting EEG data were obtained individually before and after each administration. Results showed that only the herbal remedy but not the saline solution induced elevation in cordance, an index correlated with cerebral perfusion, in the anterior brain region. In addition, the activity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), as examined by the LORETA analysis, was also increased after the application of the herbal remedy but not saline solution. The present study provided some preliminary evidence suggesting that the herbal nasal drop enhanced the activity of the frontal lobe and ACC. Implications for the potential clinical application of the herbal remedy to treat patients with frontal lobe disorders were discussed.
Genistein synergizes with arsenic trioxide to suppress human hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Jiang Hongchi , Ma Yong , Chen Xiaoning , Pan Shangha , Sun Bei , Krissansen Geoffrey W. , Sun Xueying
Published: December 2009

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is of limited therapeutic benefit for the treatment of solid tumors. Genistein exhibits anticancer and pro‐oxidant activities, making it a potential candidate to enhance the efficacy of ATO whose cytotoxicity is oxidation‐sensitive. This study sought to determine whether genistein synergizes with ATO to combat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Three human HCC cell lines, namely HepG2, Hep3B, and SK‐Hep‐1, were incubated with ATO, genistein, or ATO + genistein. The cells were also pretreated with antioxidant agents N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (NAC) or butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). Cell viability, apoptosis, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), expression of Bcl‐2, Bax, caspase‐9, and ‐3, and release of cytochromecinto the cytosol were examined. The synergistic effect of ATO and genistein was also assessed using HepG2 xenografts subcutaneously established in BALB/c nude mice. The results show that genistein synergized with ATO to reduce viability, induce apoptosis, and diminish the ΔΨm of cells. The combination therapy down‐regulated Bcl‐2 expression, up‐regulated Bax expression, enhanced the activation of caspase‐9 and ‐3, and increased the release of cytochromec. The synergistic effect of ATO and genistein was diminished by pretreatment with NAC or BHA. Genistein increased the production of intracellular ROS, while ATO had little effect. Genistein synergized with a low dose of ATO (2.5 mg/kg) to significantly inhibit the growth of HepG2 tumors, and suppress cell proliferation and induce apoptosisin situ. There were no obvious side effects, as seen with a high dose of ATO (5 mg/kg). Combining genistein with ATO warrants investigation as a therapeutic strategy to combat HCC.

(Cancer Sci2010; 101: 975–983)
Effect of axitinib (AG‐013736) on fatigue, thyroid‐stimulating hormone, and biomarkers: A phase I study in Japanese patients
Authors: Mukohara Toru , Nakajima Hikaru , Mukai Hirofumi , Nagai Shunji , Itoh Kuniaki , Umeyama Yoshiko , Hashimoto Junichi , Minami Hironobu
Published: December 2009

Axitinib is an oral, potent, and selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 1, 2, and 3. This phase I study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, antitumor activity, and recommended starting dose of axitinib in patients with advanced solid tumors. Twelve patients received single‐dose axitinib 5 mg and were monitored for ≥48 h. Continuous 5 mg twice‐daily dosing was then initiated. One patient had dose‐limiting toxicity (grade 3 proteinuria and fatigue). Common treatment‐related adverse events were anorexia, fatigue, and diarrhea. Grade 3 treatment‐related adverse events were fatigue and hypertension. Maximum axitinib plasma concentration occurred 1–4 h after steady‐state dosing. Eleven patients experienced thyroid‐stimulating hormone elevation; time‐course change and fatigue onset appeared to be related in some patients. Significant correlation was observed between thyroid‐stimulating hormone change and area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC; r = 0.80, P = 0.005). Axitinib decreased plasma soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (s‐VEGFR2), with significant correlation between change in s‐VEGFR2 and AUC (r = −0.92, P < 0.0001). Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography revealed a substantial decrease in tumor metabolic activity associated with axitinib. Tumor size decreased in nine patients. The time‐course of thyroid‐stimulating hormone change appeared correlated with fatigue. There were significant correlations between thyroid‐stimulating hormone or s‐VEGFR2 and axitinib exposure. Axitinib 5 mg twice‐daily is the recommended starting dose for Japanese patients. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT00447005. (Cancer Sci 2010)

(Cancer Sci 2010; 101: 963–968)
Heavy smoking history interacts with chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer prognosis: A retrospective study
Authors: Shitara Kohei , Matsuo Keitaro , Hatooka Shunzo , Ura Takashi , Takahari Daisuke , Yokota Tomoya , Abe Tetsuya , Kawai Hiroki , Tajika Masahiro , Kodaira Takeshi , Shinoda Masayuki , Tajima Kazuo , Muro Kei , Tanaka Hideo
Published: December 2009

Smoking is a well‐known risk factor for esophageal cancer. However, there are few reports that directly evaluate smoking as a prognostic factor for esophageal cancer. Moreover, scarce evidence is available on whether smoking interacts with major treatment modalities of esophageal cancer. In this study we retrospectively analyzed 364 patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer who were treated between 2001 and 2005 at our institution. Background characteristics, including smoking history, were analyzed as potential prognostic factors. Of the 363 patients, 76 patients (20.9%) were non‐smokers or light smokers (non‐heavy), whereas 287 patients (79.1%) were heavy smokers. The 5‐year survival rate for non‐heavy smokers and heavy smokers was 61.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 49.1–72.2) vs 44.6% (95% CI: 38.2–50.9), respectively. In a multivariate Cox model (adjusted for age, gender, performance status, alcohol consumption, histology, tumor length, International Union Against Cancer [UICC] stage, and treatment), the hazard ratio for heavy smokers in comparison with non‐heavy smokers was 1.73 (95% CI: 1.12–2.68; P = 0.013). When we stratified by treatment method, heavy smoking was significantly associated with poor survival only in patients treated by chemoradiotherapy (hazard ratio, 2.43; 95% CI: 1.38–4.27; P = 0.002). More importantly, a statistically significant interaction between heavy smoking history and treatment modality was observed (P = 0.041). Our results indicated that smoking history is strongly associated with poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer, especially those treated by chemoradiotherapy. Further investigation is warranted to explain this different prognosis.

(Cancer Sci 2010; 101: 1001–1006)
The acute hypoxic ventilatory response under halothane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane anaesthesia in rats*
Authors: Karanovic N. , Pecotic R. , Valic M. , Jeroncic A. , Carev M. , Karanovic S. , Ujevic A. , Dogas Z.
Published: December 2009

The relative order of potency of anaesthetic agents on the hypoxic ventilatory response has been tested in humans, but animal data are sparse. We examined the effects of 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, and 2.0 MAC halothane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane on phrenic nerve activity in euoxia (baseline) and during acute normocapnic hypoxia (inspired oxygen fraction 0.09) in adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats. With halothane, all animals became apnoeic even in euoxia, and the hypoxic response was completely abolished at all anaesthetic levels. With isoflurane, 5 of 14 animals exhibited phrenic nerve activity in euoxia at 1.4 MAC and demonstrated a hypoxic response (302% of baseline activity), but all became apnoeic and lost the hypoxic response at higher doses. With sevoflurane, phrenic nerve activity and a hypoxic response was preserved in at least some animals at all doses (i.e. even the highest dose of 2.0 MAC). Similar to the rank order of potency previously observed in humans, the relative order of potency of depression of the hypoxic ventilatory response in rats was halothane (most depressive) > isoflurane > sevoflurane (p = 0.01 for differences between agents).
Determination of standard times of nursing activities based on a Nursing Minimum Dataset
Authors: Myny Dries , Van Goubergen Dirk , Limère Veronique , Gobert Micheline , Verhaeghe Sofie , Defloor Tom
Published: December 2009

myny d., van goubergen d., limère v., gobert m., verhaeghe s. & defloor t. (2010) Determination of standard times of nursing activities based on a Nursing Minimum Dataset.Journal of Advanced Nursing66(1), 92–102.

Title. Determination of standard times of nursing activities based on a NursingMinimum Dataset.

Aim. This paper is a report of a study conducted to determine the standard time per nursing activity and the proportion of nursing time covered by the nursing activities of the Belgian Nursing Minimum Dataset compared to the total time of a nurse shift, and to evaluate the correlation between hospital size and standard times of nursing activities.

Background. Because of a shrinking workforce and rising workload, nursing managers need tools that help them to allocate their staff to the wards. Such tools should be based on objective time measurements.

Methods. The study was performed in surgical, internal medicine and elder care wards in an acute hospital care setting. In the first phase, a two‐round Delphi‐procedure was used to operationalize the definitions of nursing activities. In the second phase, the standard time for each nursing activity was determined, based on data collected over a 6‐month period during 2006–2007. A combination of 13,292 work sampling observations by external observers, 3000 recordings of direct time measurement by self‐recording and subjective time assessments yielded times that were used to analyse the duration of the nursing activities.

Results. A standard time for 102 nursing activities was established. The coverage of the Belgian Nursing Minimum Dataset in the surgical, internal medicine and elder care wards was 47·5%, 46·4% and 51·0% respectively. The Belgian Nursing Minimum Dataset was found to cover almost 70% of direct and indirect nursing care.

Conclusion. Further research is needed to assess the impact on the standard times of nursing activities of inefficient organizational structures and different cultural interpretations of the way an activity is conducted.
Language consistency: a missing link in theory, research and reasoning?
Authors: Webber Pamela B.
Published: December 2009

webber p.b. (2010) Language consistency: a missing link in theory, research and reasoning? Journal of Advanced Nursing66(1), 218–227.

Title.  Language consistency: a missing link in theory, research and reasoning?

Aim.  This paper is a report of a study conducted to determine if there is a lack of language consistency in nursing texts and among nursing educators related to theory, research and reasoning.

Background.  Analysis of international language, communication and nursing literature revealed the essential role language consistency plays in promoting competency and desirable behavioural outcomes. It also revealed the difficulty nursing has had in gaining consistency of language associated with theory, research and reasoning.

Method.  Six nursing theory, research and terminology texts with international circulation were analysed to identify key words related to theory, research and reasoning and to determine consistency of definitions among texts. Next, 97 nursing educators were surveyed to determine their ability to define the same key words. Educators were recruited during three national nursing education meetings in the United States of America between 2006 and 2007.

Findings.  Analysis revealed significant variability in definitions of key words among texts and in nursing educators’ ability to match any defining words used by the texts and by each other.

Conclusion.  Epistemologically, the use of inconsistent language among texts and educators may be playing a role in the continuing marginalization of theory, research and reasoning in nursing education and practice; ultimately, hindering the profession’s epistemological growth. Recommendations include a call for consensus of key words and meanings associated with theory, research and reasoning and the development of a language essentials document to support development of competency.
Critical care nurses’ experiences of grief in an adult intensive care unit
Authors: Shorter Melanie , Stayt Louise Caroline
Published: December 2009

shorter m. & stayt l.c. (2010) Critical care nurses’ experiences of grief in an adult intensive care unit. Journal of Advanced Nursing66(1), 159–167.

Title.  Critical care nurses’ experiences of grief in an adult intensive care unit.

Aim.  This paper is a report a study of critical care nurses’ experiences of grief and their coping mechanisms when a patient dies.

Background.  The goal of patients entering critical care is survival and recovery. However, despite application of advanced technologies and intensive nursing care, many patients do not survive their critical illness. Nurses experience death in their everyday work, exposing them to the emotional and physical repercussions of grief.

Method.  This study adopted a Heideggerian phenomenological approach, interviewing eight critical care nurses. Data collection occurred in 2007/8. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and themes generated through Colaizzi’s framework.

Findings.  Participants reported feelings of grief for patients they had cared for. The death of a patient was reported as being less traumatic if the participant had perceived the death to be a ‘good death’, incorporating expectedness and good nursing care. They described how a patient’s death was more significant if it ‘struck a chord’, or if they had developed ‘meaningful engagement’ with the patient and relatives. They denied accessing formal support: however, informal conversations with colleagues were described as a means of coping. Participants exhibited signs of normalizing death and described how they disassociated themselves emotionally from dying patients.

Conclusion.  There are many predisposing factors and circumstantial occurrences that shape both the nature of care of the dying and subsequent grief. Repeated exposure to death and grief may lead to occupational stress, and ultimately burn out. Emotional disengagement from caring for the dying may have an impact on the quality of care for both the dying patient and their family.
Prevalence of intellectual disabilities in Norway: Domestic variance
Authors: Søndenaa E. , Rasmussen K. , Nøttestad J. A. , Lauvrud C.
Published: December 2009

Background  Based on national registers, the prevalence of intellectual disability (ID) in Norway is estimated to be 0.44 per 100 inhabitants. This study aimed to examine geographic and urban–rural differences in the prevalence of ID in Norway.

Methods  A survey based on the national register. Financial transfers intended to provide equal services to people with ID are based on these reports.

Results  A higher prevalence was found in the North region of Norway. A negative correlation between the population density and the prevalence of ID was also found.

Conclusion  There was considerable geographic and urban–rural differences in the prevalence of ID, which may be attributable to not only the large diversity of services, but also some other factors. The results were discussed with respect to the deinstitutionalisation progress, resource‐intensive services and costs. Differences also reflect some problems in diagnosing ID in people having mild ID.
Exploration of basal immune parameters in healthy infants receiving an infant milk formula supplemented with prebiotics
Authors: Raes M. , Scholtens P. A. M. J. , Alliet Ph. , Hensen K. , Jongen H. , Boehm G. , Vandenplas Y. , Rummens J. L.
Published: December 2009

Raes M, Scholtens PAMJ, Alliet Ph, Hensen K, Jongen H, Boehm G, Vandenplas Y, Rummens JL. Exploration of basal immune parameters in healthy infants receiving an infant milk formula supplemented with prebiotics. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: e377–e385. © 2009 Jon Wiley & Sons A/S

This double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study, aimed to explore the effect of an infant milk formula (IMF) with 6 g/l short‐chain galacto‐ and long‐chain fructo‐oligosaccharides (scGOS/lcFOS, ratio 9:1) on basal immune parameters in 215 healthy, term infants during the first 26 wk of life. After birth, the infants received breast milk or were randomized to receive an IMF with or without scGOS/lcFOS. Blood samples were collected at the age of 8 wk and 26 wk for the analysis of serum immunoglobulins, lymphocyte subpopulations, and cytokines. The scGOS/lcFOS group and the control group were compared in the statistical analysis. A breast fed group was included as a reference. In total, 187 Infants completed the study. No significant differences were observed between both formula groups in the different studied immune parameters at weeks 8 and 26. This explorative study indicates that supplementation of infant formula with a mixture of prebiotic oligosaccharides did not change the basal level of the measured parameters of the developing immune system in healthy infants with a balanced immune system during the first 6 months of life in comparison to feeding a standard infant formula and in comparison to exclusive breastfeeding.
Thymic mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with immunoglobulin‐storing histiocytosis in Sjögren's syndrome
Authors: Kurabayashi Atsushi , Iguchi Mitsuko , Matsumoto Manabu , Hiroi Makoto , Kume Motohiko , Furihata Mutsuo
Published: December 2009

Mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma arising from the thymus is extremely rare. Only 33 cases of thymic MALT lymphoma have been reported to date. We present the case of a 53‐year‐old Japanese woman with Sjögren's syndrome who was diagnosed with thymic MALT lymphoma. In addition, the patient had the characteristic clinical and pathological features of thymic MALT lymphoma, as found in most of the 33 previous cases, except that there was an immunoglobulin G (IgG) phenotype, i.e. Sjögren's syndrome, epithelial cysts, lymphoepithelial lesions, and marked plasmacytic differentiation. The serum IgA levels were also elevated with IgA kappa M protein. This hypergammaglobulinemia remained unchanged after operation. The serological abnormalities may not arise from MALT lymphoma itself and may arise from the immune system hyper‐reactivity evoked by Sjögren's syndrome. Of further interest were marked accumulations of CD68‐positive histiocytes containing abundant eosinophilic globular inclusions in their cytoplasm. These inclusions were immunopositive for IgG‐kappa, suggesting immunoglobulin inclusion bodies. The globular immunoglobulin inclusion bodies have been reported in non‐crystallized immunoglobulin‐storing histiocytosis in only one patient with multiple myeloma. To our knowledge, this is the first case of thymic MALT lymphoma with marked accumulation of histiocytes with immunoglobulin inclusions in a patient with Sjögren's syndrome.
Non‐specific interstitial pneumonia as a manifestation of graft‐versus‐host disease following pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Miyagawa‐Hayashino Aya , Sonobe Makoto , Kubo Takeshi , Yoshizawa Akihiko , Date Hiroshi , Manabe Toshiaki
Published: December 2009

Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is generally believed to be a marker of pulmonary manifestation of graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) in patients who have undergone bone marrow transplantation for hematological malignancy. Pulmonary manifestations reported as GVHD (other than BO) include lymphocytic bronchiolitis with cellular interstitial pneumonia, lymphoid interstitial pneumonia, veno‐occlusive disease, and diffuse alveolar damage. Morphological reactions in the lungs of bone marrow transplant recipients associated with interstitial pneumonia have not been described systematically. Reported herein is a fibrosing non‐specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) pattern together with BO in both lungs in an 8‐year‐old girl following a second allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for relapsed neuroblastoma of adrenal origin. The course was complicated by bilateral pneumothoraces, and the patient underwent lung transplantation 3 years after the second stem cell transplantation. Because the patient had chronic GVHD of the skin and the liver preceeded by the development of pulmonary involvement, NSIP may represent one of the facets of pulmonary GVHD.
Monoterpene engineering in a woody plant Eucalyptus camaldulensis using a limonene synthase cDNA
Authors: Ohara Kazuaki , Matsunaga Etsuko , Nanto Kazuya , Yamamoto Kyoko , Sasaki Kanako , Ebinuma Hiroyasu , Yazaki Kazufumi
Published: December 2009

Metabolic engineering aimed at monoterpene production has become an intensive research topic in recent years, although most studies have been limited to herbal plants including model plants such as Arabidopsis. The genus Eucalyptus includes commercially important woody plants in terms of essential oil production and the pulp industry. This study attempted to modify the production of monoterpenes, which are major components of Eucalyptus essential oil, by introducing two expression constructs containing Perilla frutescens limonene synthase (PFLS) cDNA, whose gene products were designed to be localized in either the plastid or cytosol, into Eucalyptus camaldulensis. The expression of the plastid‐type and cytosol‐type PFLS cDNA in transgenic E. camaldulensis was confirmed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector analyses of leaf extracts revealed that the plastidic and cytosolic expression of PFLS yielded 2.6‐ and 4.5‐times more limonene than that accumulated in wild‐type E. camaldulensis, respectively, while the ectopic expression of PFLS had only a small effect on the emission of limonene from the leaves of E. camaldulensis. Surprisingly, the high level of PFLS in Eucalyptus was accompanied by a synergistic increase in the production of 1,8‐cineole and α‐pinene, two major components of Eucalyptus monoterpenes. This genetic engineering of monoterpenes demonstrated a new potential for molecular breeding in woody plants.
Agricultural Strategy Development in West Africa: The False Promise of Participation?
Authors: Resnick Danielle , Birner Regina
Published: December 2009

Participatory approaches are an increasingly prominent technique for designing agricultural strategies in sub‐Saharan Africa. However, they are frequently criticised for either not involving enough stakeholders or limiting the scope of their participation. This article concludes from a study of the situation in West Africa that a lack of broad‐based participation in these strategies is not a major problem; rather, the real challenge lies in transforming the outcomes of participatory processes into policies that can be feasibly implemented. It highlights why an emphasis on participation can sometimes result in disappointment amongst stakeholders and discusses a range of measures to help overcome this dilemma.
Bounding Volume Hierarchies of Slab Cut Balls
Authors: Larsson T. , Akenine‐Möller T.
Published: December 2009

We introduce a bounding volume hierarchy based on the Slab Cut Ball. This novel type of enclosing shape provides an attractive balance between tightness of fit, cost of overlap testing, and memory requirement. The hierarchy construction algorithm includes a new method for the construction of tight bounding volumes in worst case O(n) time, which means our tree data structure is constructed in O(n log   n) time using traditional top‐down building methods. A fast overlap test method between two slab cut balls is also proposed, requiring as few as 28–99 arithmetic operations, including the transformation cost. Practical collision detection experiments confirm that our tree data structure is amenable for high performance collision queries. In all the tested benchmarks, our bounding volume hierarchy consistently gives performance improvements over the sphere tree, and it is also faster than the OBB tree in five out of six scenes. In particular, our method is asymptotically faster than the sphere tree, and it also outperforms the OBB tree, in close proximity situations.
Learning‐by‐Exporting Revisited: The Role of Intensity and Persistence*
Authors: Andersson Martin , Lööf Hans
Published: December 2009

Two non‐mutually exclusive hypotheses can explain the empirically established export premium: self‐selection of more productive firms into export markets and learning‐by‐exporting. This paper focuses on how the temporal dimension of firms' exporting activities and the intensity of exports influence the scope of learning effects. Using a panel of Swedish firms and dynamic generalized method of moments estimation, we find a learning effect among persistent exporters with high export intensity, but not among temporary exporters or persistent exporters with low export intensity. For small firms, exports boost productivity among persistent exporters with both high and low export intensity, but the effect is stronger for persistent export‐intensive small firms.
Tough Love: Do Czech Suppliers Learn from their Relationships with Multinationals?*
Authors: Javorcik Beata S. , Spatareanu Mariana
Published: December 2009

Countries strive to attract foreign direct investment hoping that knowledge brought by multinationals will spill over to domestic producers. While the literature has cast doubt on the existence of spillovers within industries, it has found evidence of spillovers from multinationals to the supplying sectors. However, the existing studies rely on industry‐level proxies rather than information on actual relationships between suppliers and multinationals. This study goes one step further by employing a unique dataset from the Czech Republic where such relationships can be identified. It finds evidence consistent with both high productivity firms having a higher probability of supplying multinationals as well as suppliers learning from their relationships with multinationals.
Housing Inequality in Transitional Beijing
Authors: HUANG YOUQIN , JIANG LEIWEN
Published: December 2009

The market transition in China has resulted in significant social inequality, including housing inequality, in a formerly egalitarian society. This article provides both a conceptual framework and an empirical analysis of housing inequality in transitional urban China. Using the 1995 1% Population Survey and the 2000 Census data for Beijing, it shows that there was significant housing inequality between different socio‐economic and institutional groups, and that the reforms in the late 1990s aggravated it. While emerging market mechanisms began to contribute to housing inequality, socialist institutions such as the household registration (hukou) system continued to be significant in the late 1990s, although there is evidence of the declining importance of other institutional factors such as political status. This study contributes to the market transition debate by arguing that different elements of the socialist institutions follow different paths in the reform and thus have different impacts on social inequality.

En Chine, le marché de transition s’est traduit par une inégalité sociale considérable, y compris en matière de logement, dans une société autrefois égalitaire. Cet article fournit un cadre conceptuel et une analyse empirique de l’inégalité du logement dans la Chine urbaine en transition. Exploitant les données de l’enquête sur 1% de la population nationale de 1995 et celles du recensement de 2000 pour Beijing, il montre qu’il existait une nette inégalité de logement entre différents groupes socio‐économiques et institutionnels, laquelle a été aggravée par les réformes de la fin des années 1990. Tandis que les mécanismes d’un marchéémergent se sont mis à alimenter l’inégalité de logement, des institutions socialistes telles que le système d’enregistrement des ménages (hukou) ont gardé leur prépondérance, même si on peut démontrer le recul d’autres facteurs institutionnels comme la position politique. Cette étude s’inscrit dans le débat sur le marché de transition en affirmant que différents éléments des institutions socialistes suivent des trajectoires différentes dans le cadre de la réforme, ayant donc des impacts différents sur l’inégalité sociale.
Characterization of Ca2+ signaling pathways in mouse adrenal medullary chromaffin cells
Authors: Wu Pei‐Chun , Fann Ming‐Ji , Kao Lung‐Sen
Published: December 2009

J. Neurochem. (2010) 112, 1210–1222.

In the present study, we characterized the Ca2+ responses and secretions induced by various secretagogues in mouse chromaffin cells. Activation of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) by carbachol induced a transient intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) increase followed by two phases of [Ca2+]i decay and a burst of exocytic events. The contribution of the subtypes of AChRs to carbachol‐induced responses was examined. Based on the results obtained by stimulating the cells with the nicotinic receptor (nAChR) agonist, 1,1‐dimethyl‐4‐phenylpiperazinium iodide, high K+ and the effects of thapsigargin, it appears that activation of nAChRs induces an extracellular Ca2+ influx, which in turn activate Ca2+‐induced Ca2+ release via the ryanodine receptors. Muscarine, a muscarinic receptor (mAChRs) agonist, was found to induce [Ca2+]i oscillation and sustained catecholamine release, possibly by activation of both the receptor‐ and store‐operated Ca2+ entry pathways. The RT‐PCR results showed that mouse chromaffin cells are equipped with messages for multiple subtypes of AChRs, ryanodine receptors and all known components of the receptor‐ and store‐operated Ca2+ entry. Furthermore, results obtained by directly monitoring endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration and by disabling mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake suggest that the ER acts as a Ca2+ source, while the mitochondria acts as a Ca2+ sink. Our results show that both nAChRs and mAChRs contribute to the initial carbachol‐induced [Ca2+]i increase which is further enhanced by the Ca2+ released from the ER mediated by Ca2+‐induced Ca2+ release and mAChR activation. This information on the Ca2+ signaling pathways should lay a good foundation for future studies using mouse chromaffin cells as a model system.
Generation of pluripotent stem cells from eggs of aging mice
Authors: Huang Junjiu , Okuka Maja , Wang Fang , Zuo Bingfeng , Liang Ping , Kalmbach Keri , Liu Lin , Keefe David L.
Published: December 2009

Oocytes can reprogram genomes to form embryonic stem (ES) cells. Although ES cells largely escape senescence, oocytes themselves do senesce in the ovaries of most mammals. It remains to be determined whether ES cells can be established using eggs from old females, which exhibit reproductive senescence. We attempted to produce pluripotent stem cell lines from artificial activation of eggs (also called pES) from reproductive aged mice, to determine whether maternal aging affects pES cell production and pluripotency. We show that pES cell lines were generated with high efficiency from reproductive aged (old) mice, although parthenogenetic embryos from these mice produced fewer ES clones by initial two passages. Further, pES cell lines generated from old mice showed telomere length, expression of pluripotency molecular markers (Oct4, Nanog, SSEA1), alkaline phosphatase activity, teratoma formation and chimera production similar to young mice. Notably, DNA damage was reduced in pES cells from old mice compared to their progenitor parthenogenetic blastocysts, and did not differ from that of pES cells from young mice. Also, global gene expression differed only minimally between pES cells from young and old mice, in contrast to marked differences in gene expression in eggs from young and old mice. These data demonstrate that eggs from old mice can generate pluripotent stem cells, and suggest that the isolation and in vitro culture of ES cells must select cells with high levels of DNA and telomere integrity, and/or with capacity to repair DNA and telomeres.
Match Madness: Probability Matching in Prediction of the NCAA Basketball Tournament1
Authors: McCrea Sean M. , Hirt Edward R.
Published: December 2009

Every year, billions of dollars are spent gambling on the outcomes of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. This study examines how individuals make predictions for tournament pools, one of the most popular forms of betting, in which individuals must correctly predict as many games in the tournament as possible. We demonstrate that individuals predict more upsets (i.e., wins by a higher seeded team) than would be considered rational by a normative choice model, and that individuals are no better than chance at doing so. These predictions fit a pattern of probability matching, in which individuals predict upsets at a rate equal to past frequency. This pattern emerges because individuals believe the outcomes of the games are nonrandom and, therefore, predictable.
Fragrance contact allergic patients: strategies for use of cosmetic products and perceived impact on life situation
Authors: Lysdal Susan Hovmand , Johansen Jeanne Duus
Published: December 2009

Background: Fragrance ingredients are a common cause of contact allergy. Very little is known about these patients' strategies to manage their disease and the effect on their daily lives.

Objectives: To investigate if patients with diagnosed fragrance contact allergy used scented products, how they identified tolerated products, and if fragrance allergy affected their daily living.

Method: One hundred and forty‐seven patients diagnosed with fragrance contact allergy in a 20‐month period were included and received a postal questionnaire concerning the subjects of the study. One hundred and seventeen (79.6%) replied.

Results: In total, 53/117 (45.3%) responded that they had found some scented products that they could tolerate. Thirty‐seven (31.6%) had not tried to find any scented products and 26 (22%) had tried but could not find any. The methods most often used were trying different products and reading the ingredient label. Of the total respondents, 17.1% reported sick‐leave due to fragrance allergy and 45.3% found that fragrance allergy significantly affected their daily living.

Conclusion: Many patients with fragrance contact allergy succeeded in finding some scented products, which they could tolerate, e.g. by use of ingredient labelling, but a significant proportion had continued skin problems. Almost half of the patients perceived that fragrance allergy significantly affected their daily lives.
Contact allergens and irritants in household washing and cleaning products
Authors: Magnano Michela , Silvani Simonetta , Vincenzi Colombina , Nino Massimiliano , Tosti Antonella
Published: December 2009

Background: Household cleaning products often contain potential allergens and irritants but allergic contact dermatitis from these products in general consumers is rarely reported in the literature.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of irritants and allergens as indicated on the labels or on the product information found on the website of household cleaning products marketed in Italy.

Material/Methods: We examined the labels and the product information of 291 liquid household washing and cleaning products, including 43 washing‐up liquids, 63 laundry detergents, 61 fabric conditioners, 47 spray detergents, and 77 hard surface cleaning products. We obtained the data from the product information found on the websites for 263 products and directly on the product packages for 28 products. For each product we specifically recorded the presence of surfactants, preservatives, and fragrances listed in Annex III of Directive 76/768/EEC.

Results: The websites of two Italian brands do not respect EU regulations as they provide product information only with bar codes of the products. Preservatives and fragrances are the main allergens declared in the label of household cleaning products with methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) listed in 35.7% and limonene in 43.6% of the products. Surfactants were listed in 16.5% of the studied products.

Conclusions: Our study shows that household cleaning products in Italian market contain several allergens, particularly preservatives and fragrances. For consumers, at least in Italy, it may not be easy to retrieve product information from the website for two widely sold brands. The information had to be taken from the actual package.
Including Adults With Intellectual Disabilities in Research: Scientists' Perceptions of Risks and Protections
Authors: McDonald Katherine E. , Kidney Colleen A. , Nelms Sandra L. , Parker Michael R. , Kimmel Ali , Keys Christopher B.
Published: December 2009

Social and cognitive characteristics of adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) place them at risk for inappropriate inclusion in or exclusion from research participation. As we grapple with how to include adults with ID in research in order to secure their right to contribute to scientific advancements and be positioned to derive benefit from ensuing knowledge, it is critical to consider scientific gatekeepers' perspectives on risks of and protections for including adults with ID in research. We surveyed 199 Institutional Review Board members and intellectual disability researchers in the United States to identify their perceptions of specific risks and necessary protections in (hypothetical) research studies. The research studies varied as to whether they included adults with ID in the research sample and the level of harm to which research participants were exposed. Results suggest that identification of psychological, social, and legal risks and necessary protections varied by the disability status of the sample, the level of risk, and the role of the person reviewing the study. For example, participants identified more psychological, information control, legal, and social risks in higher harm research studies. Participants reported a need for more protections in high‐harm studies as well as studies that included adults with ID. In some instances the nature of identified risks and protections and respondents' characterization of these risks and necessary protections suggested concerns related specifically to adults with ID. Implications for practice, policy, and future research related to access to research participation are discussed.