Segmental reflex sympathetic dystrophy: clinical and scintigraphic criteria

Clinical and scintigraphic criteria are proposed for the diagnosis of segmental reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Eight patients met previously described clinical criteria for reflex sympathetic dystrophy with involvement limited to only a portion of the hand. The delayed phase of the three-phase radionuclide bone scan was found to be highly sensitive (100%) for this small group of patients. Consecutive bone scans (n = 127) performed during a 6-month period for a variety of upper extremity problems were reviewed, and a segmentally diffuse pattern of tracer uptake was found to be highly specific (98%) for segmental reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Recognition and documentation of a more localized form of reflex sympathetic dystrophy will allow earlier recognition and treatment, which is an important factor in a successful outcome for managing pain dysfunction disorders.     

Evaluation of the aortic root by MRI: insights from patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

Hepatitis C chronically infects approximately 1.5% of Americans and is the most common clinical problem facing hepatologists. Since the virus was initially described in 1989, development of an effective therapy has been challenging. Although several different therapeutic agents have been used, no therapy has been shown to reliably eradicate the virus. Interferon-alpha, a cytokine with immunostimulatory and anti-viral properties, has become the therapy of choice for patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. Trials assessing the efficacy of interferon-alpha have characterized host and viral factors predictive of responses to treatment. A thorough understanding of these predictive factors is requisite to providing cost-effective therapeutic decisions for the patient with chronic hepatitis C infection.     

A review of numerically controlled methods for finish-sculptured-surface machining

This paper presents a mathematical review of methods and algorithms used to compute milling cutter placement for multi-axis finished-surface machining. In general, these methods and algorithms compute tool path points based on tangent-plane contact between the milling cutter and the surface while maintaining a fixed tool orientation. This tangent-plane method of tool positioning and orientation is examined by discussing its strengths and weaknesses. Errors resulting from the tangent-plane approach are typically determined using a posteriori cutter path checking and graphic visualization techniques. Although these checking techniques have proved useful in identifying the tool path errors before actual machining, the problem of generating an error-free tool path remains. In this paper, we discuss the analysis of tool path position and orientation data as they are generated. This a priori analysis method is used to show error locations along the lateral face of the tool. The conclusion is reached that additional research is needed in the area of simultaneous multi-axis tool path planning, if errors are to be eliminated and the efficiency of the milling machine is to be improved. The reader is referred to research efforts that extend beyond the traditional or computer-aided design (CAD, vendor supplied) tool path planning methods. Some of these efforts show great promise in eliminating gouging and improves machine tool efficiency.     

Activation of auditory cortex during silent lipreading

Watching a speaker's lips during face-to-face conversation (lipreading) markedly improves speech perception, particularly in noisy conditions. With functional magnetic resonance imaging it was found that these linguistic visual cues are sufficient to activate auditory cortex in normal hearing individuals in the absence of auditory speech sounds. Two further experiments suggest that these auditory cortical areas are not engaged when an individual is viewing nonlinguistic facial movements but appear to be activated by silent meaningless speechlike movements (pseudospeech). This supports psycholinguistic evidence that seen speech influences the perception of heard speech at a prelexical stage.     

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised in a sample of clients with alcohol dependency

Previous analyses of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R; Wechsler, 1987) have reported one-, two-, and three-factor solutions and raised questions about the validity of the visual memory subtests. These various findings may stem in part from different methods of analysis, and from the study of different participant samples. To address these issues, we analysed data from the WMS-R and a spatial maze test administered to 154 participants with a history of alcohol dependence. Results from confirmatory factor analysis supported the interpretation of three factors underlying the WMS-R subtests and the spatial maze score in this sample, namely, attention-concentration, immediate memory, and delayed recall. This result held despite the inclusion of the maze score which is a well-validated measure of visuo-spatial memory.     

Crystal structure of ICAM-2 reveals a distinctive integrin recognition surface

Recognition by integrin proteins on the cell surface regulates the adhesive interactions between cells and their surroundings. The structure of the 'I' domain that is found in some but not all integrins, has been determined. However, the only integrin ligands for which structures are known, namely fibronectin and VCAM-1, are recognized by integrins that lack I domains. The intercellular adhesion molecules ICAM-1, 2 and 3 are, like VCAM-1, members of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF), but they are recognized by an I domain-containing integrin, lymphocyte-function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1, or CD11a/CD18). Here we present the crystal structure of the extracellular region of ICAM-2. The glutamic acid residue at position 37 is critical for LFA-1 binding and is proposed to coordinate the Mg2+ ion in the I domain; this Glu 37 is surrounded by a relatively flat recognition surface and lies in a beta-strand, whereas the critical aspartic acid residue in VCAM-1 and fibronectin lie in protruding loops. This finding suggests that there are differences in the architecture of recognition sites between integrins that contain or lack I domains. A bend between domains 1 and 2 of ICAM-2 and a tripod-like arrangement of N-linked glycans in the membrane-proximal region of domain 2 may be important for presenting the recognition surface to LFA-1. A model of ICAM-1 based on the ICAM-2 structure provides a framework for understanding its recognition by pathogens.