bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Infraorbital eyelid edema as the presenting sign of bronchogenic carcinoma
Authors: Wenzel Joerg , Gerdsen Rainer , Christ Stephanie , Bieber Thomas , Uerlich Manfred 
Published: March 2003

A 59‐year‐old man presented at our department with a 4‐week history of persisting and therapy‐refractory infraorbital edema (Fig. 1). There was no previous history of eyelid edema, allergic reactions, autoimmune diseases, or new medications. Earlier therapy with corticosteroids and antihistamines was ineffective.Persistent swelling of both infraorbital foldsimageThe patient suffered from coronary heart disease and long‐standing chronic bronchitis presenting with dyspnea on exertion. He had smoked 50 cigarettes per day since early youth. There was no history of worsening of his bronchogenic symptoms, weight loss, or night sweats over the last 3 months.Initial physical examination revealed marked infraorbital edema, enlarged liver, and decreased breath sounds in the left lung field. Moreover, there was a minor telangiectatic erythema localized to the periumbilical area and to the anterior chest. There was no suffusion of the neck and no remarkable peripheral edema.Laboratory parameters, including electrolytes, blood cell count, creatinine, transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, protein electrophoresis, C1‐esterase inhibitor, C‐reactive protein, immunoglobulin E, and thyroid parameters, were within normal limits.X‐Ray of the chest detected a mediastinal widening. Computed tomography was performed and revealed a mediastinal tumor, 7 cm in diameter, reaching from the aortic arch to the heart. This tumor was compressing the superior vena cava, resulting in stasis of the leading vessels followed by infraorbital edema. Histopathologic examination of tumor biopsies led to the diagnosis of a bronchogenic small‐cell carcinoma.Six cycles of polychemotherapy with doxorubicin, ifosfamide, and vincristine, radiation therapy (50 Gy), and intravascular stenting of the vena cava superior were performed.Following this treatment, regression of the tumor and a distinct decline in infraorbital edema were observed.
Treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis with botulinum‐A toxin
Authors: Salmanpoor Rahmat , Rahmanian Mohammad Javad 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground Severe axillary hyperhidrosis is a source of great embarrassment and considerable emotional stress to individuals afflicted with this condition. Existing topical and surgical therapies are either ineffective or associated with unacceptable morbidity. We attempt to determine the effect of botulinum‐A toxin (Dysport) in the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis.Patients and methods After visualization of hyperhidrosis using the iodine–starch test, 10 patients with axillary hyperhidrosis underwent intradermal injection with 125 units of Dysport on each axilla. Patients were observed for 7 months after treatment.Results The treatment was well tolerated without side‐effects. All patients experienced relatively complete anhidrosis of the axillary skin after about 1 week for periods ranging from 4 to 7 months.Conclusions Botulinum‐A toxin may offer a fast, safe, and highly effective therapeutic option for severe hyperhidrosis.
Multiple eruptive dermatofibromas in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with prednisone
Authors: Massone C. , Parodi A. , Virno G. , Rebora A. 
Published: March 2003

Solitary dermatofibromas are a common occurrence, especially on the lower limbs of young women, while multiple dermatofibromas (MDF) are rare, accounting for less than 0.3% of all dermatofibromas1 and may suddenly develop in immunosuppressed patients. We report a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who developed MDF while she was taking oral prednisone.A 46‐year‐old woman presented in 1989 complaining of photosensitivity, arthralgias, fatigue, malaise and dyspepsia. The patient denied fever, Raynaud's phenomenon, oral ulcer and hair loss.On examination she presented a typical SLE malar rash. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was elevated (54 mm/h). Speckle patterned IgG/IgM antinuclear antibodies were present at 1/1280 titer. Antibodies anti Ro/SSA were detected by counterimmunelectrophoresis up to 1/8 titer. Other laboratory findings were negative or within normal limits.Systemic lupus erythematosus was diagnosed and the patient given 50 mg/day prednisone. After a few months, both clinical symptoms and immunologic parameters improved. Eighteen months later, prednisone was replaced by 500 mg/day hydroxychloroquine.In 1994, she presented again with malar rash, arthralgias and facial hyperpigmentation. Prednisone 15 mg/day was reintroduced and hydroxychloroquine stopped being a possible cause of the facial hyperpigmented macules.In 1996, while she was taking 5 mg/day prednisone, several nodules developed on her limbs within a few months.On examination we observed 16 firm, slightly elevated 3–15‐mm wide brown nodules on her arms, legs and trunk.A biopsy specimen of a lesion of the trunk revealed an epidermal seborrheic‐keratosis‐like hyperplasia with dermal fibrosis and fibroblastic proliferation (Fig. 1). Dermatofibroma was diagnosed.Hyperplasia of epidermis and fibrosis with fibroblastic proliferationimage
A case of basal cell carcinoma arising in epidermal nevus
Authors: Ceylan Can , Özdemir Fezal , Öztürk Günseli , Akalın Taner 
Published: March 2003

A 24‐year‐old man was admitted to our outpatient clinic with lesions in a linear configuration. On dermatologic examination, widespread, dark brown, warty papules and plaques over an erythematous base, following Blaschko"s lines, extended from the middle of the chest to the right arm. These lesions had been present on the chest since birth and had gradually extended during childhood. Recently, a nodular lesion had appeared in the pre‐existing epidermal nevus in the middle part of the chest (Fig. 1). The nodular lesion was totally excised by a plastic surgeon.Basal cell carcinoma (white arrow) appearing on the epidermal nevus in the middle part of the chestimagePathologic examination of a section stained with hematoxylin and eosin revealed acanthosis and papillomatosis, as well as numerous sebaceous glands connected to the epidermis (Fig. 2). This histologic feature was compatible with nevus sebaceous. In addition, in the middle of the section, there was a tumor connected to the epidermis. Histologically, the tumor islands, composed of basaloid cells with mostly solid growth pattern, were compatible with basal cell carcinoma. There were also some features of nevus sebaceous, characterized by papillomatosis, and sebaceous glands attached to the epidermis were seen at the edge (Fig. 3).Acanthosis and papillomatosis, as well as numerous sebaceous glands connected to the epidermis (hematoxylin and eosin stain; original magnification, × 40)imageBasal cell carcinoma characterized by tumor islands composed of basaloid cells, and a component of nevus sebaceous, the sebaceous glands being attached to the epidermis (hematoxylin and eosin stain; original magnification, × 40)imageOn systemic examination, there was no other developmental abnormality, except that the patient was mildly mentally retarded. There was no family history of a neurocutaneous disorder. All laboratory analyses were within normal limits.
Advances in the management of psoriasis: monoclonal antibody therapies
Authors: Mehrabi Don , DiCarlo Joshua B. , Soon Seaver L. , McCall Calvin O. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractPsoriasis is a common skin disorder characterized by erythematous, scaling plaques. Until recently, therapies for this disease have been aimed at reducing keratinocyte proliferation. We have learned that psoriasis is not primarily a disorder of keratinocyte hyperproliferation, but is an inflammatory disease. This knowledge, especially our current understanding of the role of activated T cells in psoriasis, has led to new therapeutic options and new areas of research. Immunosuppressive agents such as cyclosporine have proven very useful in the treatment of psoriasis, but their use is limited by toxicity. Monoclonal antibodies directed against key components of the inflammatory process have been studied in an attempt to produce safer, more selective immunosuppressive agents. This review summarizes much of the available literature describing the use of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of psoriasis.
Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from impetigo patients between 1994 and 2000
Authors: Nishijim Setsuko , Ohshima Shigeo , Higashida Toshiaki , Nakaya Hideo , Kurokawa Ichiro 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground The incidence of strains of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to the antimicrobial agents used in treating impetigo has been increasing.Aim To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of S. aureus in impetigo.Methods We measured the antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from impetigo patients between 1994 and 2000.Results The MIC50 of gentamicin was always higher than that of other antimicrobial agents until 1999. In isolates obtained since 1996, the MIC90 of gentamicin was over 12.5 µg/mL, which is markedly higher than that found for other skin infections (folliculitis, furuncles, paronychia, phlegmone, secondary infection of eczema, dermatitis, ulcer and decubitus). There were no strains of S. aureus resistant to vancomycin and fusidic acid. After 2000, we could find only one strain resistant to minocycline and ofloxacin.Conclusion Clindamycin has shown excellent activity against most S. aureus isolates between 1994 and 2000. The incidence of methicillin‐resistant S. aureus was always below 20%.
Determinants of sex allocation in a gynodioecious wild strawberry: implications for the evolution of dioecy and sexual dimorphism
Authors: Ashman  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
One evolutionary pathway from plants with combined male and female functions (hermaphroditism) to those with separate sexes (dioecy) involves females coexisting with hermaphrodites (gynodioecy). The research presented here explores sex allocation in Fragaria virginiana (a gynodioecious wild strawberry), within the context of theory on the gynodioecy–dioecy transition. By growing clonally replicated plants in the greenhouse and surveying six populations in situ, I evaluated the effects of plant size, genotype, sexual identity, population of origin and female frequency on sex allocation. I found significant positive effects of plant size on most sex allocation traits studied. In addition to strong sex-specific allocation patterns, I found significant broad-sense heritabilities for all traits, suggesting that plants could respond to selection. Moreover, there was a negative genetic correlation between pollen production and fruit set per flower within hermaphrodites, lending support to a basic assumption of sex allocation theory. On the other hand, several sex allocation traits, namely pollen and ovules per flower in hermaphrodites, were positively genetically correlated, suggesting that they may act to constrain the evolution of sexual dimorphism. Populations differed in the frequency of females, and females were more prevalent on sites with lower soil moisture and where hermaphrodites were least likely to produce fruit, suggesting that females’ seed fitness relative to that of hermaphrodites may be strongly environment-dependent in this species.
Effects of environmental stress on leaf hair density and consequences for selection
Authors: Roy  , Stanton  , Eppley  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
We explored how five different environmental stresses and a benign environment affect the phenotypic expression of leaf hairs, and the potential for evolutionary response in this trait. To address these questions we planted full-sib families that had been selected for stress tolerance in a factorial design in which selection history was fully crossed with the current environment (eight families × six selection histories × six current environments × three blocks=864 plants). Our data suggest that leaf hair density is a complex character composed of two separable traits: leaf area and the number of hairs initiated per leaf. Leaf size is primarily controlled by the growth environment, whereas leaf hair initiation shows more genetically based variation. In the control and low water environments there was a negative linear relationship between leaf size and leaf hair density. However, within the low light and high boron treatments, leaf hair density remained constant across a range of leaf sizes, suggesting that these stresses disrupt normal leaf hair development. Selection gradient analysis showed that leaf hair density and leaf size were significantly positively associated with fitness in 4/6 of our environments. Our results suggest that environmental variation may diminish the ability of herbivores and pathogens to cause directional selection on leaf hair density.
No evidence for Wolbachia-induced parthenogenesis in the social Hymenoptera
Authors: Wenseleers  , Billen  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
In some parasitoid wasps, infection by the micro-organism Wolbachia leads to asexual reproduction. Within the Hymenoptera, the limits of distribution of parthenogenesis inducing Wolbachia have not yet been established. To address this issue, we screened all known thelytokous social hymenopteran species using a PCR assay. None was infected, and therefore we conclude that worker thelytoky evolves independently of Wolbachia in ants and bees. This supports the previously proposed hypothesis that a sex determining system based on heterozygosity may form a proximate limitation to Wolbachia-induced parthenogenesis.
Maintenance of a genetic polymorphism by fluctuating selection on sex-limited traits
Authors: Reinhold K. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Fluctuating selection is often thought to be ineffective in maintaining a genetic polymorphism except when generations overlap, for example when a seed bank causes a storage effect. Here, I demonstrate that fluctuating selection on sex-limited traits automatically includes such a ‘storage effect’ because sex-limited alleles are shielded from selection in the sex where they are not expressed. With analytical calculations and numerical simulations I show that fluctuating selection can maintain a genetic polymorphism in sex-limited traits. Such a protected polymorphism can reduce the cost of sex when female-limited traits are involved. But, this effect will probably be small compared to the two-fold advantage of asexual reproduction unless many polymorphic loci interact or exceptionally strong environmental fluctuations are present. It is argued that genetic polymorphisms maintained by fluctuating selection on sex-limited traits may partly explain the large genetic variance of traits under strong sexual selection.
Evolutionary importance of parental care performance, food resources, and direct and indirect genetic effects in a burying beetle
Authors: Rauter C. M. , Moore A. J. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Indirect genetic effects (IGE) of parental care performance and the direct–indirect covariance contribute substantially to total heritability in domesticated and laboratory mammals. For animals from natural populations empirical estimates of IGE are sparse. Thus, despite recent models relating IGE to evolution, evolutionary interpretations of IGE are limited. To address this deficit, we used a reciprocal cross-fostering breeding design to estimate environmental influences, direct and indirect genetic effects, and direct–indirect genetic covariances in the burying beetle Nicrophorus pustulatus to determine the evolutionary importance of IGE arising from variation in parental care performance. Carrion size positively affected adult mass and time on carrion, but had no effect on total development time. Males were slightly larger than females. For both mass and development, independent of these environmental influences, direct and indirect genetic effects were of moderate magnitude. Total genetic effects explained 36–50% of the phenotypic variance in mass and size and 27–37% of phenotypic variance in development time. Direct–indirect genetic covariances were zero or close to zero. Thus, for both mass and development time, the response to natural selection arising from environmental variation may be accelerated by the presence of IGE in N. pustulatus. The generality of this pattern and the evolutionary significance of IGE arising from parental care awaits further study of natural populations.
Evidence for cryptic hybridization between different evolutionary lineages of the invasive clam genus Corbicula (Veneroida, Bivalvia)
Authors: Pfenninger M. , Reinhardt F. , Streit B. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
We studied two Corbicula morphotypes in a syntopic population in the Rhine River in order to reveal their taxonomic, reproductive and phylogenetic relationship, using morphometrics, DAF-fingerprinting, mitochondrial COI and nuclear ITS1 sequence variation. Morphometric analysis showed that two statistically distinguishable morphotypes with few intermediates were present.Mitochondrial sequence analysis detected two divergent clades. DAF-fingerprinting revealed three highly distinctive multilocus genotypes. Two of the multilocus genotypes were significantly associated with different morphotypes and mitochondrial lineages. The third genotype B, however, was found in both morphotypes, intermediates and mitochondrial lineages. Conclusive evidence for hybridization came from RFLP analysis of the nuclear ITS1 locus. We interpret the hybrids as F1 hybrids between different evolutionary lineages. Integration of Corbicula sequences from all over the world into Maximum Parsimony analysis suggested a simultaneous radiation resulting in several evolutionary lineages whose species status remained doubtful. An unequivocal taxonomic assignment of the two evolutionary lineages in the Rhine population was therefore not possible.
Population divergence of genetic (co)variance matrices in a subdivided plant species, Brassica cretica
Authors: Widén B. , Andersson S. , Rao G-Y. , Widén M. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
The present study of Brassica cretica had two objectives. First, we compared estimates of population structure (Qst) for seven phenotypic characters with the corresponding measures for allozyme markers (Fst) to evaluate the supposition that genetic drift is a major determinant of the evolutionary history of this species. Secondly, we compared the genetic (co)variance (G) matrices of five populations to examine whether a long history of population isolation is associated with large, consistent differences in the genetic (co)variance structure. Differences between estimates of Fst and Qst were too small to be declared significant, indicating that stochastic processes have played a major role in the structuring of quantitative variation in this species. Comparison of populations using the common principal component (CPC) method rejected the hypothesis that the G matrices differed by a simple constant of proportionality: most of the variation involved principal component structure rather than the eigenvalues. However, there was strong evidence for proportionality in comparisons using the method of percentage reduction in mean-square error (MSE), at least when characters with unusually high (co)variance estimates were included in the analyses. Although the CPC and MSE methods provide different, but complementary, views of G matrix variation, we urge caution in the use of proportionality as an indicator of whether genetic drift is responsible for divergence in the G matrix.
Levels of selection in positive-strand virus dynamics
Authors: Krakauer D. C. , Komarova N. L. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Conflicting selection pressures occurring over the life cycle of an organism constitute serious challenges to the robustness of replication. Viruses present a credible model system for analysing problems that arise through evolutionary conflicts of interest. We present a multi-level selection model for the life cycle of positive-strand RNA viruses. The model combines within-cell replication kinetics and protein synthesis, and between-cell population dynamics of virion production and transmission. We show how these two levels of within-host selection interact to produce tradeoffs in the life history strategy of a virus without consideration of host mortality. We find that viruses evolve towards intermediate rather than maximum encapsidation rates. This can be interpreted as selection for intermediate virulence through cellular persistence. We characterize a theoretical persistence threshold arising from the trade-off between genome replication and genetic translation within the cell. We present counter-intuitive relationships whereby increasing genome decay rates and rates of encapsidation lead to increases in the abundance of virus-encoded proteins. Data from poliovirus suggest that viruses might be unable to resolve the vertical conflicts of interests among different levels of selection.
Monitoring transfusion practices at two university hospitals
Authors: Titlestad K. , Georgsen J. , Jorgensen J. , Kristensen T. 
Published: March 2003

Background and ObjectivesConsidering the clinical importance of blood transfusions, the limited knowledge of transfusion practices is remarkable. New methods are needed to elucidate the observed variation of transfusion practices.Materials and methodsAll patients transfused or pretransfusion tested (i.e. at risk for blood transfusion) at two tertiary teaching hospitals during the full years of 1997 and 1998 were included in the study.ResultsThe observed practices contained substantial variance at the level of hospitals. The contributions to the total variance of the different specialities were highly significant, as was the contribution of hospitals to the variance in plasma and platelet transfusions. Significant interactions between hospitals and specialities were observed in transfusion of red cells, plasma and platelets.ConclusionTo our knowledge this is the first survey of this size to combine transfusions, diagnoses and biochemical tests, exclusively based on an existing computerized register. The aim is to establish a basis for comparison of local transfusion practices with other commensurate hospitals and regions at a national (and international) level.