bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells proliferation and Th1/Th2 cytokine production in response to streptococcal M protein in psoriatic patients
Authors: Pérez‐Lorenzo Rolando , Núñez‐Oreza Luis Alberto , Garma‐Quen Patricia Margarita , López‐Pacheco Eduardo , Bricaire‐Bricaire Guadalupe 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackground  Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that is probably a T cell‐mediated autoimmune condition which is strongly associated with streptococcal throat infections. Although some groups have associated the involved response with different streptococcal antigens, M protein has been described as the major virulence factor of Streptococcus pyogenes. Thus, it is necessary to describe some features of the cellular responses to this streptococcal antigen.Methods  Proliferation and Th1/Th2 cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in response to total soluble extracts from type M5 S. pyogenes with (TSE37Sp) and without (M−TSESp) M protein were analyzed in 10 psoriatic patients and 10 healthy controls.Results  PBMC from both patients and controls proliferated to both extracts. Responses to M−TSESp were significantly lower than those to TSE37Sp (P < 0.05). PBMC IL‐2 and γIFN production after TSE37Sp stimulus was much higher than after M−TSESp antigenic stimulation in both groups (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, IL‐4 production was quite low in both groups and in response to both extracts. We found a differential production of IL‐10 between groups. PBMC from healthy controls responded to TSE37Sp with a much higher production of this cytokine as compared to the responses showed to M−TSESp while the cells from psoriatic patients responded without differences in the production of IL‐10.Conclusion  Results obtained suggest an important Th1 response to M protein in psoriatic patients which could be associated with the cellular responses involved in psoriasis, while healthy subjects respond in a probably non‐Th2 IL‐10 producing regulatory T cells fashion.
Attitudes of Iranian patients with skin problems towards using the Internet as a medical resource
Authors: Zargari Omid , Kimyai‐Asadi Arash 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackground  Internet use has grown rapidly in Iran, but there is no information about how Iranian Internet users gather medical information through this medium.Objective  To study the use of the Internet as a medical resource by Iranian patients with chronic dermatologic problems.Methods  We carried out a structured interview of all patients 20–40 years of age attending a private dermatology clinic between July and September 2003 for chronic skin disease.Results  Of the 205 patients enrolled in the study, 104 (50.8%) had computer access and 74 (36.1% of the total) had Internet access. Nine patients (4.4%) had performed a search on the Internet for their skin condition, but only one had used an academic website.Conclusion  Despite the significant growth in Internet use in Iran, it appears that the Internet is not a significant medical resource for patients in Iran.
Two cases of generalized lichen nitidus treated successfully with narrow‐band UV‐B phototherapy
Authors: Kim You Chan , Shim Sang Dae 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackground  Narrow‐band ultraviolet (UV) phototherapy has not been used in the treatment of lichen nitidus.Aim  To report two cases of generalized lichen nitidus successfully treated with narrow‐band UV‐B phototherapy.Methods  A 7‐year‐old girl presented with a persisting, asymptomatic, papular eruption refractory to topical steroid for 3 months. Another 10‐year‐old boy presented with an asymptomatic papular eruption present for 6 months. The histopathologies of both lesions were consistent with lichen nitidus. The lesions were treated with narrow‐band UV‐B phototherapy.Results  The lesions of the patients were almost completely cleared after the 30th and the 17th irradiation, respectively.Conclusions  Narrow‐band UV‐B may be an effective alternative therapy for the treatment of generalized lichen nitidus unresponsive to common therapies.
Eberconazole 1% cream is an effective and safe alternative for dermatophytosis treatment: multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, comparative trial with miconazole 2% cream
Authors: Repiso Montero Trinidad , López Sara , Rodríguez Carmen , Del Rio Ruben , Badell Anna , Gratacós M. Rosa 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackground  Eberconazole is a topical, broad‐spectrum imidazole derivative, effective in dermatophytoses, candidiasis, and pityriasis treatment. In previous trials, it showed a higher efficacy than clotrimazole in the treatment of dermatophytoses. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy of eberconazole 1% cream compared with miconazole 2% cream in the treatment of dermatophytoses.Methods  A multicenter, double‐blind, randomized trial was performed in 653 patients with dermatophytoses, randomized to eberconazole 1% cream every 12 h or miconazole 2% cream every 12 h for 4 weeks. Treatment efficacy was assessed on the basis of the percentage of effective response after 4 weeks through mycologic and clinical assessment.Results  Of the 653 patients included in the trial, 360 produced positive baseline mycologic cultures and were included in the efficacy assessment. Clinical efficacy was shown in 76.1% of patients receiving eberconazole and in 75.0% of patients receiving miconazole. The incidence of adverse events related to treatment was 0.91% for eberconazole and 0.92% for miconazole, none being serious, and all being local and transient.Conclusions  Eberconazole 1% cream is an effective treatment for fungal infections produced by dermatophytes, with a good safety and tolerability profile, and can be considered a good alternative for the treatment of dermatophytoses.
The frequency of scarring after genital ulcers in Behçet's syndrome: a prospective study
Authors: Mat M. Cem , Goksugur Nadir , Engin Burhan , Yurdakul Sabahattin , Yazici Hasan 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackground  Although genital ulceration with or without scar formation is an important manifestation of Behçet's syndrome, formal data on the rate of genital scarring are lacking.Objective  To study prospectively the frequency of genital scar formation after genital ulcers in patients with Behçet's syndrome.Methods  One hundred and two patients (72 males and 30 females) with fresh genital ulcers presenting at a dedicated Behçet's syndrome outpatient clinic were followed for 6 weeks. The ulcer location, size, and frequency of scar formation were noted. All patients were treated with similar topical therapy.Results  Two hundred and ten genital ulcers were followed in both sexes. The rate of scar formation was 66.2% (102/154) in male patients and 60.7% (34/56) in female patients. When genital ulcers were stratified as a function of size, large genital ulcers (≥ 1 cm in diameter) developed scars more frequently than did smaller ulcers (< 1 cm). The rate of scar formation in male patients with large genital ulcers was 89.4% (59/66) and with small ulcers was 48.9% (43/88) (P < 0.001). In females, all 19 large ulcers healed with scarring, and the same was true for 40.5% (15/37) of the small ulcers (χ2 = 18.61, P < 0.001).Conclusion  About two‐thirds of genital ulcers in Behçet's syndrome leave scars. The rate of scar formation depends on the ulcer size.
Promotion of flowering in the Pinaceae by gibberellins
Authors: WHEELER N. C. , WAMPLE R. L. , PHARIS R. P. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractSignificant female flowering of 6‐ to 11‐year‐old seedlings and grafted ramets of sexually mature scions of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl.) was promoted by both topical and spray applications of a gibberellin (GA) A4/7 mixture (1.6 to c. 5 mg per plant in total) during that period (June to September) when sexual differentiation of lateral primordia would be expected to take place. Girdling was used in most experiments to enhance the GA4/7 effect, as was the auxin, naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Average frequency of flowering branches on treated plants over all experiments ranged from 27 to 59% (control ranged from 0 to 36%) and average number of female strobili was increased from 2‐ to 6‐fold by growth regulator treatment, relative to controls. Within an experiment, clonal or family frequency of flowering for treated plants ranged from 11 to 67% (controls were 0 to 28%), and number of female strobili was increased from 2‐ to 14‐fold by growth regulator treatment, relative to controls. Movement of the flowering stimulus from the point of application was apparent in several experiments, the response in adjacent branches being correlated positively with increasing dosage of GA4/7. Significant male flowering occurred only in one experiment, girdling and GA4/7 treatment being promotive factors. The use of spray applications of GA4/7+ NAA is warranted to induce early and enhanced flowering in lodgepole pine seedlings and vegetative propagules for genetic improvement programs.
No Evidence for Female Association with High‐Performance males in the Green Anole Lizard, Anolis carolinensis
Authors: Lailvaux Simon P. , Irschick Duncan J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractSexual selection theory suggests that females may gain significant indirect fitness benefits from mating with males expressing good genes, particularly in animal species where the males provide no parental care. Whole‐organism performance abilities have previously been shown to enhance both survival and reproductive success in a range of taxa, and females who mate with high‐performance males might therefore gain significant indirect performance benefits. We tested the hypothesis that females associate preferentially with high‐performance males in the green anole lizard Anolis carolinensis in laboratory trials using multivariate statistical techniques. Our results indicate that male performance abilities do not influence female mating preferences, either in isolation or as a combined suite of traits. Thus, any indirect performance benefits that a female might gain for her offspring are likely not a result of a female choice process.
The Effects of Experimentally Induced Polyandry on Female Reproduction in a Monandrous Mating System
Authors: Arnqvist Göran , Andrés José A. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractFemales of most insect species maximize their fitness by mating more than once. Yet, some taxa are monandrous and there are two distinct scenarios for the maintenance of monandry. While males should always benefit from inducing permanent non‐receptivity to further mating in their mate, this is not necessarily true for females. Since females benefit from remating in many species, cases of monandry may reflect successful male manipulation of female remating (i.e. sexual conflict). Alternatively, monandry may favor both mates, if females maximize their fitness by mating only once in their life. These two hypotheses for the maintenance of monandry make contrasting predictions with regards to the effects of remating on female fitness. Here, we present an experimental test of the above hypotheses, using the monandrous housefly (Musca domestica) as a model system. Our results showed that accessory seminal fluid substances that males transfer to females during copulation have a dual effect: they trigger female non‐receptivity but also seem to have a nutritional effect that could potentially enhance female fitness. These results suggest that monandry is maintained in house flies despite potential benefits that females would gain by mating multiply.
SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF CAROTID BODY TUMOURS: A 24‐YEAR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE
Authors: Atefi Sohrab , Nikeghbalian Saman , Yarmohammadi Hooman , Assadi‐Sabet Ania 
Published: April 2006

Background:  Carotid body tumours (CBT) are rare tumours, best treated by complete surgical resection. However, there is no uniform agreement on the method of resection. The aim of this study was to review our 24 years’ experience of meticulous subadventitial excision of CBT.Methods:  A retrospective study, from March 1980 to September 2004 of patients with CBT was undertaken, detailing presentation, diagnosis and treatment and postoperative complications.Results:  Twenty‐five patients (six men and 19 women) with an age range of 23–72 years had been operated on, and all were treated by surgical excision. All patients had neck mass. No patient had a positive family history. Angiography was the main method of diagnosis. All of the patients had unilateral tumours. There was no postoperative permanent neurological deficit. Temporary neurological problems developed in only four patients. External carotid artery was ligated in three patients to facilitate excision of the tumour. Surgical care limited blood loss to an average of 480 mL.Conclusions:  Subadventitial excision, carried out meticulously, allowed complete resection to be achieved in all of the patients with minimal morbidity and no surgical mortalities. This method is therefore recommended. Facilities for shunting and arterial repair should always be available.
Re‐reading Castells: Indifference or Irrelevance Twenty Years On?
Authors: STAEHELI LYNN A. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThis essay considers the relevance of The City and the Grassroots to contemporary debates within critical urban analysis. It argues that the book addresses many of the same empirical topics as more recent scholarship, but that shifts in the kinds of questions asked about those topics may make the book seem less relevant to contemporary debates. In particular, Castells’ attempt to abstract from local experience to understand the process of political and social change in something specifically ‘urban’ may be at odds with the goals of contemporary research and of researchers outside Europe, many of whom attempt to provide a differentiated analysis attuned to context and the positionality of agents within social movements. So, while the book makes important contributions to theoretical and empirical arguments because of its deep and rich comparative analysis, intellectual debates and approaches over the past 20 years may have shifted focus.
Characterization of microsatellite markers for rough fescue species (Festuca spp.)
Authors: FU YONG‐BI , QIU JIE , PETERSON GREGORY W. , WILLMS WALTER D. , WILMSHURST JOHN F. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractOne major challenge in genetic diversity analysis of minor grass species is the lack of informative molecular markers. A set of 210 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers developed from wheat and barley were evaluated for their transferability to three rough fescue species [Festuca altaica Trinius, F. campestris (Rydb.) and F. hallii (Vassey) Piper]. Twelve SSR primer pairs displayed scorable polymorphism among and within the species. The number of alleles per primer pair ranged from three to 17 with an average of 8.3 for all the species and greatly varied for each species. About 82% of SSR variation resided within the species. Festuca hallii was genetically most distinct among the three species.
BRONZE AGE CHILDHOOD MIGRATION OF INDIVIDUALS NEAR STONEHENGE, REVEALED BY STRONTIUM AND OXYGEN ISOTOPE TOOTH ENAMEL ANALYSIS*
Authors: EVANS J. A. , CHENERY C. A. , FITZPATRICK A. P. 
Published: April 2006

Contrasting lifestyles are recorded by the isotope composition of Bronze Age Beaker people (c. 2500–2000 bc) from three burial sites (Boscombe Down, Normanton Down and the ditch around Stonehenge) at or near to the Stonehenge monument in Wiltshire, southern England. Seven individuals (three adults, a sub‐adult, two juveniles and an infant) were recovered from a single grave at Boscombe Down. Strontium and oxygen isotope analysis of tooth enamel from two teeth (a premolar and third molar) from each of three of the adults in this grave (referred to as Boscombe Bowmen) show that they had all shared a pattern of mobility and migration during their lives. The three adult males spent their early childhood (as represented by data from the premolar teeth) in an area with a radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr isotope signature of around 0.7135. They each then moved, during early adolescence (as represented by the third molar results), to a less radiogenic area, where they acquired an 87Sr/86Sr signature of around 0.7112. This implies that they must then have travelled to the Stonehenge area of Wiltshire at a later time in their lives. Wales provides the closest area with rocks that supply suitable 87Sr/86Sr ratios and δ18O isotope compositions for these individuals, although other areas of Palaeozoic rock, such as Scotland and parts of Europe, cannot be ruled out. Enamel from the two juveniles from the Boscombe Down burial yields 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.7098 and 0.7099, and strontium concentrations for both of 55 ppm. The very close match of the data for the two juveniles supports the possibility that they were raised in the same environment. The difference in strontium isotope data between the juveniles and three adult males described above shows that the children did not come from the same homeland as the adults with whom they share a grave. The two adult males from the single burials at Normanton Down, and from Stonehenge itself, had static lifestyles and show no evidence of migration, in contrast to the Boscombe Bowmen. Their oxygen and strontium data are consistent with a childhood in the Stonehenge area.
Architectural Design Education: Designing a Library, Public Communication and Information Center in the Manufacturing Zone of Central Eskis, Ehir Turkey, a Case Study
Authors: Caglar Nur , Uludag Zeynep 
Published: April 2006

AbstractIt is a fact that architectural design education has become the focus of an extremely complicated set of issues and conscientious debates. Therefore, to extend and challenge educational understanding in architecture it becomes crucial to exchange pedagogical practices. In this article, a specific theoretical approach and teaching methodology, which supports the necessity of contextual study in the architectural design studio, is presented. The article presents an overview of the design studio process by illustrating the case study “Library and Public Communication and Information Center Design in the Manufacturing Zone of Central Eskis,ehir” in Turkey.
Spousal Effect and Timing of Retirement
Authors: Väre Minna 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe retirement decisions of individuals are strongly influenced by spousal retirement, financial incentives and institutional constraints such as access to early retirement benefits. In the European Union (EU), farm retirement is encouraged by early retirement provisions for farmers. As exit from farming determines the characteristics of structural change in agriculture, it is important to find out how spousal retirement and economic incentives affect the timing and type of retirement decisions among elderly farmers. This paper analyses the timing of early retirement decisions of farming couples using duration analysis and different exit channels. The empirical analysis is based on Finnish farm‐level panel data for the period 1993–1998. The results suggest that an expected pension particularly advances farm transfers. Farming couples are found to co‐ordinate their early retirement decisions. However, farmers are not found to co‐ordinate their early retirement according to spousal retirement under other pension schemes.
How Big Is a Policy Network? An Assessment Utilizing Data From Canadian Royal Commissions 1970–2000
Authors: Howlett Michael , Maragna Anthony 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe subsystem approach to policy studies is now well established in theory. Despite many applications to empirical cases, however, many elements of the operationalization of this approach have remained problematic, prompting some critics to reject it as “unscientific.” Although the approach has been defended as “more than a metaphor,” it is certainly apparent that additional work is required to address fundamental aspects of the model and ensure that its application to specific cases is done in such a way as to meet basic methodological prerequisites of consistency and replication. This article builds on earlier work by one of the authors attempting to address some of these concerns. Specifically, it addresses issues surrounding the methods through which subsystem membership can be identified and attempts some preliminary conclusions with respect to the estimation of average subsystem size in contemporary advanced liberal democracies.
The Rise and Fall of Power Line EMFs: The Anatomy of a Magnetic Controversy
Authors: Palfreman Jon 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe suggestion that power line electromagnetic fields (EMFs) cause diseases like cancer has generated dozens of popular articles and television news segments, hundreds of scientific studies, and numerous consensus reports; it has attracted the attention of epidemiologists, biologists, physicists, policymakers and lawyers. This article will examine the evolution of this controversy through a detailed analysis of the arguments that have been used for and against the hypothesis that power line EMFs have adverse health effects. This article argues that the power line EMF issue provides a classic case study for exploring the challenges citizens, scientists, and policymakers face in sorting out a complex science‐based controversy. This story not only brings together many different perspectives and—from popular notions of cancer clusters to complex epidemiological arguments, from to state‐of‐the‐art animal studies to policy instruments such as the precautionary principle—but also reveals the manner in which a heated controversy can be effectively resolved over time.
Judicious Incentives: International Public Policy Responses to the Globalization of Environmental Management
Authors: Raines Susan Summers 
Published: April 2006

AbstractPublic policymakers and regulators worldwide are grappling with the desire to improve environmental quality through appropriate regulation of business, while also streamlining government. Concurrently, environmentally conscience consumers are calling for improved environmental performance by industry. As a result of these pressures, regulators and lawmakers worldwide are attempting to craft effective policies that create adequate incentives for environmental protection on the part of firms, in the face of decreasing budgets and an increased demand for the use of market‐based incentives. To aid decision makers as they struggle with these concerns, this study provides a detailed case examination of the dilemmas and responses of national‐level regulators as they try to develop appropriate responses to the rise of international and “voluntary” management regimes. To accomplish these goals, this article compares the public policy responses of governments around the world to one such voluntary international environmental regime: ISO 14001. ISO 14001 is a form of industry self‐regulation in response to market forces calling for harmonization in environmental management and as a result of consumer and trade‐partner demands. This study examines the relationships between regulators and the regulated in order to understand if ISO 14001 certified firms are receiving regulatory relief or other forms of public policy/regulatory benefits as a result of their certification. It will also examine the impact that government incentives (or their absence) are having on the certification decisions of firms around the world. This information helps us to begin to understand how the trends toward smaller government and voluntary environmental regimes are affecting one another.