bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity to the Aromatase Inhibitor Letrozole Is Prolonged After a “Break” in Treatment
Authors: Sabnis Gauri , Goloubeva Olga , Gilani Rabia , Macedo Luciana , Brodie Angela 
Published: January 2010

AbstractUsing a hormone-dependent xenograft model, we established that loss of response to letrozole was accompanied by upregulation of the Her-2/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and downregulation of estrogen receptor α (ERα) and aromatase activity. In our previous study, we showed that stopping letrozole treatment or adding trastuzumab could reverse acquired resistance. In this study, we compared the effects of intermittent letrozole treatment and switching treatment between letrozole and trastuzumab on tumor growth in an attempt to optimize discontinuous letrozole treatment. The mice were treated with letrozole until the tumors developed resistance and then were divided into three groups: (a) letrozole, (b) trastuzumab, and (c) “off” (Δ4A supplement only); tumors were collected every week to examine changes in tumor protein expression and activity. In off group tumors, Her-2/p-MAPK activation gradually decreased and ERα and aromatase protein (and activity) increased. Within the first week of trastuzumab treatment, Her-2 and MAPK were downregulated and ERα was upregulated. When letrozole-resistant MCF-7Ca tumors were taken off treatment for 4 weeks, the second course of letrozole treatment provided a much longer duration of response (P = 0.02). However, switching treatment to trastuzumab for 4 weeks did not provide any inhibition of tumor growth. Our studies revealed that the adaptation of cells to a low-estrogen environment by upregulation of Her-2/MAPK and downregulation of ERα/aromatase was reversed on letrozole withdrawal. The tumors once again became responsive to letrozole for a significant period. These results suggest that response to letrozole can be prolonged by a short “break” in the treatment. Mol Cancer Ther; 9(1); 46–56
Glioblastoma Cancer-Initiating Cells Inhibit T-Cell Proliferation and Effector Responses by the Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 Pathway
Authors: Wei Jun , Barr Jason , Kong Ling-Yuan , Wang Yongtao , Wu Adam , Sharma Amit K. , Gumin Joy , Henry Verlene , Colman Howard , Priebe Waldemar , Sawaya Raymond , Lang Frederick F. , Heimberger Amy B. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractGlioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a lethal cancer that responds poorly to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Glioma cancer-initiating cells have been shown to recapitulate the characteristic features of GBM and mediate chemotherapy and radiation resistance. However, it is unknown whether the cancer-initiating cells contribute to the profound immune suppression in GBM patients. Recent studies have found that the activated form of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a key mediator in GBM immunosuppression. We isolated and generated CD133+ cancer-initiating single colonies from GBM patients and investigated their immune-suppressive properties. We found that the cancer-initiating cells inhibited T-cell proliferation and activation, induced regulatory T cells, and triggered T-cell apoptosis. The STAT3 pathway is constitutively active in these clones and the immunosuppressive properties were markedly diminished when the STAT3 pathway was blocked in the cancer-initiating cells. These findings indicate that cancer-initiating cells contribute to the immune evasion of GBM and that blockade of the STAT3 pathway has therapeutic potential. Mol Cancer Ther; 9(1); 67–78
Why do institutions matter? Global competitiveness and the politics of policies in Latin America
Authors: Charnock Greig 
Published: January 2010

This paper subjects to critique the ‘new institutionalism’ in development policy literature. It highlights the way ‘second generation’ institutional reform processes in the Latin American region are to be engineered through a politics of global competitiveness while their success is to be gauged, first and foremost, in capital-functional terms. The paper culminates in the focused critique of an Inter-American Bank flagship report, The Politics of Policies, which demonstrates the new institutionalism's prejudice against any form of political leadership that does not seek to guarantee a competitive investment climate as well as an uncompromising commitment to a politics of global competitiveness. Over the past decade, a broad consensus has emerged that ‘institutions matter’. (Fukuyama, 2007: xv)
Social Clubs, Policy-Planning Groups, and Corporations
Authors: Domhoff G. William 
Published: January 2010

Dans son introduction et à partir du compte rendu de la littérature existante, l'auteur présente les diverses critiques des thèses de C. Wright Mills sur l'existence d'une élite aux commandes du pouvoir politique et économique des Etats-Unis. Si ces critiques ne contestent pas l'existence d'une telle élite, elles mettent en question son emprise sur le pouvoir en affirmant que sa cohérence n'est pas établie. Le travail de l'auteur a été largement consacré à la démonstration de la cohésion de cette élite par le biais de l'analyse de membres des clubs sociaux et des groupes de planification et de discussion fréquentés par cette élite. La méthode utilisée était l'analyse des réseaux. Son intention était de démontrer que les mêmes hommes politiques et hommes d'affaires puissants fréquentaient les mêmes clubs en dehors de leurs fonctions officielles, confirmant ainsi un comportement social de groupe cohérent. Parmi les clubs étudiés se trouvent le "Bohemian Grove" et le "Ranchero Visitadores", tous deux en Californie. Les groupes de planification étudiés comprenaient le "Council on Foreign Relations", le "Committee for Economic Development", le "Business Council" et le "Brookings Institute". L'étude présentée ici poursuit dans la même voie tout en prenant une base de données plus large (30 clubs, groupes de planification ou fondations) et une méthode d'analyse des réseaux qui fait ressortir non seulement la distribution des liens entre les individus, mais aussi le dégre d'enchevêtrement entre les divers clubs, groupes et fondations (voir "Table 1"). Cette méthode détermine aussi la centralité de chaque club, groupe et fondation par rapport à la population totale (voir "Table 2"). La centralité et le degré d'enchevêtrement indiquent que les clubs sociaux jouent un rôle fondamental dans l'univers social de cette élite et témoignent d'une très forte cohésion à l'intérieur de cette même élite. L'auteur termine en suggèrant d'autres pistes de recherche pour poursuivre l'étude du fonctionnement de cette élite tant d'un point de vue sociologique qu'éthnologique.
The Illogic of Statistical Inference for Cumulative Science
Authors: Guttman Louis 
Published: January 2010

Entre les mathématiciens, les statisticiens et les chercheurs en sciences sociales il y a une communication volumineuse de connaissances et d'outils conceptuels, d'habitude dans le sens des premiers vers les derniers. Mais cette communication est loin d'être parfaite, engendrant ainsi des lacunes plus ou moins importantes à chacune des étapes et cumulant surtout à la dernière étape : celle de l'utilisation des outils mathématiques et statistiques en sciences sociales. Après une première analyse de fond de cette question, le premier texte présente six classes de problèmes statistiques, communs mais non encore résolus, suivies d'une cinquantaines de notes brèves, mais détaillées, sur des malentendus particuliers et des moyens de les éviter en sciences sociales. Ce premier texte est suivi de deux mises à jour récentes par l'auteur et un listing d'ordinateur montrant l'opérationalisation d'une partie de ses remarques sur les tests d'hypothèses
EU accession - chance for gender equality in CEE countries
Authors: Šašić Šilović Daša 
Published: January 2010

Does accession to the European Union offer a chance to promote equality between men and women in societies in transition? What challenges does this process raise and how are they to be addressed? What is the role of trade unions and other social actors? The article attempts to open up a debate on these issues and to provide a positive matrix for influencing the empowerment of women and gender equality in the course of the accession procedure. Gender inequalities, it is pointed out, are not specific to applicant countries, but exist in most EU Member States. This offers an opportunity to initiate political, economic and social measures relating to gender equality throughout Europe, and to create an environment conducive to sustainable human development. Unfortunately, cases of positive social action are rare and gender issues are taken for granted, rendered invisible by neutral legislation and partial measures, and marginalised. The activities of trade unions in CEECs provide examples of such problems. Therefore, political action, the sharing of information, knowledge and lessons learned, as well as concerted action between trade unions from EU Member States and those in CEEC have the potential to radically change the map of gender inequalities to the benefit of all.
A European project for employee board-level representatives: issues, roles and responsibilities
Authors: O'Kelly Kevin P. 
Published: January 2010

With the adoption of the Directive on employee involvement in the European Company (SE), the topic of employees' representation on the boards of companies has become an important element in the debate on employee participation. To study this issue, a European project is bringing together employee board-level representatives from ten Member States to exchange experiences and information, to identify issues of common concern, to learn from each other and to compare the different systems of employee involvement in place in the participating countries. The project is also addressing the challenge posed by changes in corporate governance and how the role and the responsibilities of employee board-level representatives, as company directors, are changing. This article outlines the objectives of the project, the progress to date and, in particular, the key concerns that have emerged from the work on the project to date.
Wage bargaining and industrial relations under the single European currency. The problem of the relationships between EMU and non-EMU countries
Authors: Bordogna Lorenzo 
Published: January 2010

It is often pointed out that the creation of the single European market represents in itself a challenge for national European trade unions and industrial relations systems. A challenge for what, from Commons on, is considered the main task of trade union action: that is, to "take wages out of competition" and to offer workers a shelter against "the increased competitive menace" . To these challenges, the process towards the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the creation of a single European currency, as it has been envisaged by the Maastricht Treaty, will add new, specific effects. Indeed, this is already occurring, as 1999 gets closer and closer, with the certainty that, despite the severe and politically divisive budget policies that all European governments are forced to adopt, only a small group of countries will qualify from the beginning for the third stage, opening up the problem of the relationships between EMU and non-EMU countries. In the following pages I will consider the specific problems implied by EMU for trade union action. They can be divided into two groups: one is related to the process, now underway, conducive to the creation of the single currency itself, and derives from the costs of meeting the Maastricht requirements (section 2); the second is connected with the consequences of EMU once the process has been accomplished and the single currency established, and with the new scenario that will then be open to economic and social actors (section 3 and 4).
Prospects for social dialogue in the public sector - European confederations, sectoral federations and forms of interest intermediation
Authors: Keller Berndt , Henneberger Fred 
Published: January 2010

The article represents - in the form of a case study of the public services - an empirical contribution on the opportunities for and constraints upon interest intermediation at the sectoral level in the European Union. On the one hand, our results show that the transnational organisation of interests has made more progress on the employees' than on the employers' side. On the other hand, none of the corporate protagonists have any serious intention of transferring national authority to transnational associations. Different strategies of interest representation will have different time horizons. In the short run, lobbying will remain the most efficient strategy for exerting influence. In the medium term, highly decentralised social dialogues in those parts of the public sector performing transnational tasks might become more important. Only in the long term, if at all, can collective bargaining - first of all on qualitative issues - be envisaged. Pragmatically oriented steps towards reconciliation between different employees' organisations contribute to a striking reduction in the interest differences which, at the national level, have long been considered impossible to eradicate.
The implementation of EU directives in national systems - lessons from the Danish case
Authors: Knudsen Herman , Lind Jens 
Published: January 2010

Labour market regulation in Denmark is traditionally considered as characterised by bipartite voluntarism dominated by centralised organisations of labour and capital interests supplemented and supported by state legislation. This system is undergoing some changes and, especially in relation to the implementation of EU-directives, it seems that it might come under severe pressure. In the Danish debate it is usually assumed that the answer to this pressure is to “defend the Danish model”. In this paper we challenge this strategy and argue that state regulation should not be considered as hostile to trade union interests. The defence of the present voluntarism in Denmark has problematic consequences for Danish workers as well as the Danish trade unions’ influence on European trade unionism. Au Danemark, la réglementation du marché du travail est caractérisée traditionnellement par un volontarisme bipartite dominé par les organisations centralisées du travail et les intérêts du capital complétés et appuyés par la législation de l'Etat. Ce système est en train de subir des changements et, tout particulièrement en ce qui concerne la mise en oeuvre des directives européennes, il semble qu'il pourrait subir une pression énorme. Les discussions portant sur ce thème au Danemark admettent généralement que la réponse à cette pression est de « défendre le modèle danois ». Dans cet article, nous remettons en question cette stratégie et mettons en avant que la réglementation légale ne devrait pas être considérée comme hostile aux intérêts des syndicats. Actuellement la défense du volontarisme au Danemark a des conséquences problématiques à la fois pour les travailleurs danois et l'influence des syndicats danois sur le syndicalisme européen. Die dänische Form der Arbeitsmarktregulierung wurde traditionell charakterisiert als System, das auf freiwilligen Vereinbarungen basiert und in dem die Spitzenorganisationen von Arbeitgebern und Gewerkschaften den Ton angeben. Die Gesetzgebung wirkt dabei ergänzend und unterstützend. Dieses Modell macht nun Veränderungen durch, wobei es aussieht, als könnte es vor allem im Zusammenhang mit der Umsetzung von EU-Richtlinien, unter starken Druck geraten. Gemeinhin wird in Dänemark davon gesprochen, dass man als Antwort auf diesen Druck das dänische Modell verteidigen müsse. Die Autoren wenden sich gegen diese Betrachtungsweise und argumentieren, dass staatliche Intervention sich nicht von vornherein gegen Gewerkschaftsinteressen richte. Das starre Festhalten am dänischen System, so ihre These, habe dagegen problematische Folgen für die dänischen Arbeitnehmer und den Einfluss der dänischen Gewerkschaften in der europäischen Gewerkschaftsbewegung.
Very long-term eradication of minimal residual disease in patients with hairy cell leukemia after a single course of cladribine
Authors: Sigal Darren S. , Sharpe Robert , Burian Carol , Saven Alan 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Cladribine induces protracted remissions in patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL). However, many long-term responders ultimately relapse. We sought to determine whether long-term complete responders subsequent to a single 7-day course of cladribine were without minimal residual disease (MRD) and potentially cured of HCL. From the 358-person Scripps Clinic cladribine database, we identified 19 patients in continuous and complete hematologic response (median age, 75 years; median time from diagnosis, 18 years; and median time from cladribine, 16 years). Nine of 19 (47%) patient samples had no evidence of residual disease; 7 of 19 (37%) samples had MRD; and 3 of 19 (16%) had morphologic evidence of HCL in hematoxylin and eosin–stained bone marrow sections. These results indicate that HCL is potentially curable after cladribine treatment. In addition, patients with MRD and even gross morphologic disease can live many years without manifesting hematologic relapses.
Influenza virus infection among pediatric patients reporting diarrhea and influenza-like illness
Authors: Dilantika Charisma , Sedyaningsih Endang R , Kasper Matthew R , Agtini Magdarina , Listiyaningsih Erlin , Uyeki Timothy M , Burgess Timothy H , Blair Patrick J , Putnam Shannon D 
Published: January 2010

AbstractBackgroundInfluenza is a major cause of morbidity and hospitalization among children. While less often reported in adults, gastrointestinal symptoms have been associated with influenza in children, including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.MethodsFrom September 2005 and April 2008, pediatric patients in Indonesia presenting with concurrent diarrhea and influenza-like illness were enrolled in a study to determine the frequency of influenza virus infection in young patients presenting with symptoms less commonly associated with an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). Stool specimens and upper respiratory swabs were assayed for the presence of influenza virus.ResultsSeasonal influenza A or influenza B viral RNA was detected in 85 (11.6%) upper respiratory specimens and 21 (2.9%) of stool specimens. Viable influenza B virus was isolated from the stool specimen of one case. During the time of this study, human infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus were common in the survey area. However, among 733 enrolled subjects, none had evidence of H5N1 virus infection.ConclusionsThe detection of influenza viral RNA and viable influenza virus from stool suggests that influenza virus may be localized in the gastrointestinal tract of children, may be associated with pediatric diarrhea and may serve as a potential mode of transmission during seasonal and epidemic influenza outbreaks.
Plasmodium falciparum resistance to anti-malarial drugs in Papua New Guinea: evaluation of a community-based approach for the molecular monitoring of resistance
Authors: Marfurt Jutta , Smith Thomas A , Hastings Ian M , Müller Ivo , Sie Albert , Oa Olive , Baisor Moses , Reeder John C , Beck Hans-Peter , Genton Blaise 
Published: January 2010

Abstract

Background
Molecular monitoring of parasite resistance has become an important complementary tool in establishing rational anti-malarial drug policies. Community surveys provide a representative sample of the parasite population and can be carried out more rapidly than accrual of samples from clinical cases, but it is not known whether the frequencies of genetic resistance markers in clinical cases differ from those in the overall population, or whether such community surveys can provide good predictions of treatment failure rates.

Methods
Between 2003 and 2005, in vivo drug efficacy of amodiaquine or chloroquine plus sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine was determined at three sites in Papua New Guinea. The genetic drug resistance profile (i.e., 33 single nucleotide polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum crt, mdr1, dhfr, dhps, and ATPase6) was concurrently assessed in 639 community samples collected in the catchment areas of the respective health facilities by using a DNA microarray-based method. Mutant allele and haplotype frequencies were determined and their relationship with treatment failure rates at each site in each year was investigated.

Results
PCR-corrected in vivo treatment failure rates were between 12% and 28% and varied by site and year with variable longitudinal trends. In the community samples, the frequencies of mutations in pfcrt and pfmdr1 were high and did not show significant changes over time. Mutant allele frequencies in pfdhfr were moderate and those in pfdhps were low. No mutations were detected in pfATPase6. There was much more variation between sites than temporal, within-site, variation in allele and haplotype frequencies. This variation did not correlate well with treatment failure rates. Allele and haplotype frequencies were very similar in clinical and community samples from the same site.

Conclusions
The relationship between parasite genetics and in vivo treatment failure rate is not straightforward. The frequencies of genetic anti-malarial resistance markers appear to be very similar in community and clinical samples, but cannot be used to make precise predictions of clinical outcome. Thus, indicators based on molecular data have to be considered with caution and interpreted in the local context, especially with regard to prior drug usage and level of pre-existing immunity. Testing community samples for molecular drug resistance markers is a complementary tool that should help decision-making for the best treatment options and appropriate potential alternatives.