Aphasia and the CNS from Imhotep to Broca.

Reviews work related to speech disorders and the central nervous system (CNS) before P. Broca's (1861) discovery of a center for articulate language in the patient Tan. Literature before 1861 indicates that Broca was not the first to write about an association between frontal lobe damage and aphasia and that the case of Tan is a confirmation of a recurrent idea. This review shows that the study of the aphasias and the brain began at least with the ancient Egyptians. The idea of speech centers in the cortex was a recurrent topic debated by physicians and scientists before Broca presented the case of Tan. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ultrasound biomicroscopy in the diagnosis and management of anterior segment tumors

BACKGROUND: High-frequency ultrasound biomicroscopy has allowed eye care specialists to evaluate posterior extension of anterior segment tumors. This article evaluates the role of ultrasound biomicroscopy for the diagnosis and management of anterior segment tumors. METHODS: Fourteen patients with anterior segment tumors were selected for evaluation. Each patient underwent a complete clinical examination followed by slit-lamp photography and ultrasound biomicroscopy. RESULTS: Unlike standard ultrasonography of anterior segment tumors, high-frequency ultrasound biomicroscopy allowed quantitative measurements of tumor size, extension within and posterior to the iris, as well as differentiation of solid and cystic lesions. These characteristics were used to differentially diagnose anterior segment tumors and document the response of iridociliary body melanomas to radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates how ultrasound biomicroscopy has become an effective and necessary procedure, used for both the diagnosis and management of anterior segment tumors.     

Microwave thermoradiotherapy for uveal melanoma: results of a 10-year study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study is to evaluate clinically the use of microwave-heating (hyperthermia) as an adjuvant to ophthalmic plaque irradiation for treatment of patients with uveal melanoma. Hyperthermia was also used as a radiation sensitizer, allowing for significant dose reductions during ophthalmic plaque radiation therapy. PARTICIPANTS: In this case series, 48 patients were treated with microwave plaque thermotherapy for uveal melanoma. INTERVENTION: Microwave treatment, which involved affixing a miniature microwave dish antenna on the sclera beneath the tumor after completion of plaque brachytherapy, was performed. During hyperthermia treatment, the tumor's apex was targeted to receive a minimum of 42 degrees C for a 45-minute duration. A subset of 38 (79%) were given reduced apical doses of ophthalmic plaque radiation (radioactive isotope of iodine [125I] or palladium-103 [103Pd]) to an average of 52.6 Gy. MAIN OUTCOME PARAMETERS: Patients were evaluated for visual function, microwave toxicity, radiation oculopathy, eye retention, local tumor control, and metastatic disease. RESULTS: Patients have been observed for up to 10 years and for an average of 60 months (5 years). To date, there have been 3 cases of postoperative tumor enlargement (growth) for a 93.8% local control rate. Two patients were lost to follow-up. Seven eyes have been enucleated: three due to neovascular glaucoma, one due to uveitic neovascular glaucoma, and three due to progressive tumor enlargement. Although 15 patients have died, only 4 deaths were because of metastatic choroidal melanoma. Of the original 48 patients, 33 (69%) have maintained within 2 lines or have better than their preoperative visual acuity. Side effects attributable to heating have included decreased intraocular pressure without hypotony as well as chorioretinal scar formation within and around the targeted zone. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this series suggest that adjuvant microwave thermotherapy can be used with reduced doses of ophthalmic plaque radiation therapy to control the growth of uveal melanomas. Although the incidence of neovascular glaucoma, enucleation, and tumor regrowth is comparable to that of other series evaluating radiation alone, the visual acuities of microwave plaque thermotherapy-treated eyes were found to be superior.     

Using item response theory to understand comorbidity among anxiety and unipolar mood disorders.

The authors hypothesized that anxiety and unipolar mood disorders are often comorbid because each disorder indicates a broad, higher order factor. In a clinical subsample of the nationally representative National Comorbidity Survey participants (N?=?251), a one-factor model fit the correlations among 7 dichotomous anxiety and unipolar mood diagnoses. Following the lead provided by literature on the structure of emotional and behavioral problems in children, we labeled this factor internalizing. Item response theory was used to explore how each diagnosis mapped onto the internalizing factor. The test information function derived from the 7 diagnoses suggested that they measure primarily the higher end of the factor. In addition, very high scores on internalizing (meeting criteria for 6–7 disorders) were associated with increased social costs, a phenomenon not well captured by the "comorbidity" concept. The results underscore the need to develop clinical assessment instruments that span the full range of the internalizing factor and measure both the shared and distinctive features of anxiety and unipolar mood disorders in a graded, continuous fashion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some features of mass-exchange processes in processing single complex viscose yarns

Conclusions Processes of mass-exchange in the inner and outer regions of single complex viscose yarns during their treatment have been examined.It has been shown that in complex yarns under tension, the rate of mass-exchange and of mass-transfer is reduced with increase in yarn tension and in the number of elementary filaments.Translated from Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 2, pp. 46–48, March–April, 1985.     

In vivo antitumoural activity and composition of an oil extract of Brazilian propolis

The present study aimed to evaluate in vivo and in vitro the antitumoural activity of a propolis extract obtained with edible vegetable oil and its fractions and also to investigate its chemical composition by LC–MS and LC–MS/MS. To evaluate the toxicological aspects related to the propolis extract treatment, hematological, biochemical, histopathological and morphological analyses of treated animals were performed. All propolis extracts showed an in vivo antitumour activity in the experimental model with a moderate toxicity effect at experimental exposure levels. The oil extract was as effective as the ethanolic extract at inhibiting tumour growth. In vitro assays showed that the whole oil extract produced better inhibition of tumour cells than its fractions. LC–MS and LC–MS/MS identified four phenolic acids and three flavonoids. The anticancer potential of the oil extract of propolis has been demonstrated and the edible vegetable oil was shown as an attractive alternative solvent to extract bioactive natural propolis components.     

Exoglucanase‐encoding genes from three Wickerhamomyces anomalus killer strains isolated from olive brine

Wickerhamomyces anomalus killer strains are important for fighting pathogenic yeasts and for controlling harmful yeasts and bacteria in the food industry. Targeted disruption of key genes in β‐glucan synthesis of a sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain conferred resistance to the toxins of W. anomalus strains BS91, BCA15 and BCU24 isolated from olive brine. Competitive inhibition of the killing activities by laminarin and pustulan refer to β‐1,3‐ and β‐1,6‐glucans as the main primary toxin targets. The extracellular exoglucanase‐encoding genes WaEXG1 and WaEXG2 from the three strains were sequenced and were found to display noticeable similarities to those from known potent W. anomalus killer strains. Accession Nos for WaEXG1 genes for the strains in brackets are JQ734563 (BS91), JQ734564 (BCA15) and JQ734565 (BCU24); for WaEXG2 genes JQ734566 (BS91), JQ734567 (BCA15) and JQ734568 (BCU24), respectively. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparison of two variations of a pebble game on graphs

The number of pebbles used in the black [black-white] pebble game corresponds to the storage requirement of the deterministic [non-deterministic] evaluation of a straight line program. Suppose a distinguished vertex of a directed acyclic graph can be pebbled with k pebbles in the black-white pebble game. Then it can be pebbled with k′≤1/2k(k?1)+1 pebbles in the black pebble game.     

Effect of the orientation stretch conditions for viscose textile yarn on its dyeing uniformity

Conclusions The tension of viscose textile yarn in the orientation stretching zone depends on the viscose parameters and the spinning conditions.A decrease in tension in orientation of yarn arriving at the centrifugal can increases the dyeing uniformity of the finished yarn.Translated from Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 3, pp. 35–36, May–June, 1983.     

Some features of contact-convective drying of viscose yarn

Conclusions Expenditures of heat in drying individual viscose textile yarns have been studied as a function of the construction of the device for condensated withdrawal from the type PNSh machines.It has been shown experimentally that a drying cylinder with siphon condensate withdrawal and a gas removal tube for removal of gases which are insoluble in the condensate reduces the consumption of heat in drying, increases the temperature of the contact surface, and aids in a more uniform temperature distribution.Translated from Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 4, pp. 35–37, July–August, 1988.