‘To mask, by slight differences in the manner, a virtual identity in the substance’: Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique and De Quincey's ‘Confessions of an English Opium-Eater’

De Quincey's ‘Confessions of an English Opium-Eater’ (1821) and Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique (1830) both take an unusual form in which seemingly digressive wanderings coalesce around an obsessively repeated motif: in both cases, an idealized young woman whose evasive near-presence is continually suggested through minimally varied repetitions of formal elements the artist associates with her. Although others have noted similarities between the two works – chiefly that both foreground a young artist-protagonist's opium visions – the works' structural parallels have been little discussed. This essay argues that an analysis of the commonalities between these strikingly similar formal innovations supplements previous arguments in significant ways, illuminating the oeuvres of both Berlioz and De Quincey as well as aspects of Romantic formal experimentation in general.

Logistics in the system of total knowledge

In the monograph, logistics is presented in an unusual form - as an element of a system of general, aggregate knowledge. This allowed the authors to reach new levels of knowledge and solve a number of complex problems. The scientific theory of logistics is presented as a system of laws, categories and principles ordered according to internal causal necessity and explaining the nature of economic flows. The scientific substantiation of the complete logistics system as a set of complexes of activities and resistances is given. Using the example of the functioning of logistics flows, the effect of the law of selection and the law of measure is shown in the form of a struggle of forms, in which more perfect forms survive, and less perfect forms are destroyed. A strict scientific approach, the richness of the text with information are combined with an accessible way of presentation, which allows the book to be addressed to a wide range of readers.

Atypical is the new norm, for B cells and the rest of us

An unusual form of activated B cells in adults is described, called atypical B cells, both in the steady state and after vaccination.

Necrotic plaques in an elderly male

Reactive perforating collagenosis is commonly recognised as an unusual form of transepithelial elimination of collagen and elastin fibres which are extruded through the epidermis in patients with a genetic predisposition or underlying diseases, such as diabetes mellitus or renal diseases. We present the unusual case of an 87-year-old diabetic male with a giant form of reactive perforating collagenosis and review the available literature.

Trichobezoar in young Nepalese girl with Rapunzel syndrome: A case report

Trichobezoar is a gastric foreign body that is composed of the patient’s own hair in the stomach. Rapunzel syndrome is an unusual form of trichobezoar in stomach,which extends into any part of the small intestine.We are reporting the case of gastric trichobezoar with thin tail extending into the duodenum in a twenty year oldgirl. She had a history of trichophagia. She presented with epigastric pain and vomiting. Endoscopic removal was attempted but this was unsuccessful. Subsequently the patient underwent exploratory laparotomy and gastrotomy.She recovered well and was discharged with advice for psychiatric consultation. Bangladesh J Medicine January 2021; 32(1) : 69-72