Metastatic meningioma of the scalp.

Meningiomas generally present as slow-growing, expanding intracranial lesions and are the most common benign intracranial tumor in adults. Rarely, meningiomas can exhibit malignant potential and present as extracranial soft-tissue masses through extension or as primary extracranial cutaneous neoplasms. Although they are uncommonly encountered by dermatologists, it is important to include meningioma in the differential diagnosis for scalp neoplasms. We present a rare case of a 68-year-old woman with scalp metastasis of meningioma 11 years after initial resection of the primary tumor.

Aggressive Merkel cell carcinoma in a liver transplant recipient.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare aggressive cutaneous tumor that commonly occurs in sun-exposed sites. It has a tendency for rapid growth, local recurrence, lymph node invasion, and distant metastases. Risk factors include immunosuppression, advanced age, exposure to UV radiation, and infection with the Merkel cell polyomavirus. We report a case of a 67-year-old woman with rapidly aggressive MCC 6 years after liver transplantation.

VARIATIONS IN GROWTH, EROSION, PRODUCTIVITY, AND MORPHOLOGY OF ECKLONIA RADIATA (ALARIACEAE; LAMINARIALES) ALONG A FJORD IN SOUTHERN NEW ZEALAND1.

Spatial and temporal patterns of growth, erosion, productivity, and morphology of the dominant habitat-forming kelp Ecklonia radiata (C. Agardh) J. Agardh were studied bimonthly over 1.5 years in a southern New Zealand fjord characterized by strong gradients in light and wave exposure. Spatial differences in growth were observed with rates at two outer coast, high-light, wave-exposed sites reaching 0.42 and 0.45 cm · d-1 , respectively, compared to 0.27 cm · d-1 at an inner, more homogeneous site. Sporophyte productivity was similar among sites, although population productivity was greater at the outer sites due to population density being 5-fold greater than at the inner site. It was expected that the inner site would have no pronounced seasonal pattern in growth and productivity due to its homogeneity; however, all three sites displayed maximum rates in late winter/spring and minimal in autumn. Growth rates were 2-fold greater during the first growth period than the following year. This discrepancy was not correlated to inorganic nitrogen (N) levels, which remained low year-round (<4 µM), and is likely a result of an interaction between light and temperature, and the photosynthetic capability of E. radiata. Variable pigment content indicated photoacclimation at the inner site. Morphological differences were observed between sites, with E. radiata from the inner site having longer, wider, thinner blades and longer stipes. While E. radiata displayed spatial differences in growth, erosion, productivity, and morphology, populations displayed no temporal differences. These results highlight the need for greater understanding of the mechanisms influencing kelp growth and productivity in a unique marine environment.

Paraneoplastic dermatoses associated with gynecologic and breast malignancies.

UNLABELLED: Paraneoplastic dermatoses are a heterogeneous group of skin disorders that manifest an underlying internal malignancy. Early recognition of these cutaneous hallmarks offers an opportunity for early diagnosis, treatment of the internal malignancy and monitoring for tumor recurrence. The 9 most common paraneoplastic and metastatic cutaneous manifestations of malignancies found in women with gynecologic or breast disease are reviewed including a review of multicentric reticulohistiocytosis, dermatomyositis, malignant acanthosis nigricans, erythema gyratum repens, hypertrichosis lanuginosa acquisita, Sweet syndrome, Paget disease, extramammary Paget disease, and Sister Mary Joseph nodule. TARGET AUDIENCE: General obstetricians & gynecologists, reproductive endocrinology & infertility specialists, radiologists. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completion of this educational activity, the participant should be better able to identify cutaneous manifestations of gynecologic malignancies, evaluate patients with a thorough workup to screen those who have dermatoses suggestive of malignancy and assess patients with malignancy for the opportunity of early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Role of LRP in TGFbeta2-mediated neuronal uptake of Abeta and effects on memory.

There is increasing evidence that soluble amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) uptake into neurons is an early event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Identification of the early events leading to neuronal dysfunction is key to developing therapeutic strategies, but relative roles of receptors and factors modulating uptake are poorly understood. Studies have shown that transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta), particularly TGFbeta2, can influence the targeting of Abeta to cells in vitro. TGFbeta2 can target Abeta to neurons in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSC). We examine a specific mechanism for TGFbeta2-mediated targeting of Abeta to neurons. The receptor-associated protein (RAP), a low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) antagonist, can attenuate the cellular targeting of Abeta both in vitro and in vivo and prevent Abeta/TGFbeta2-induced memory retention deficits. Using both in vitro and in vivo methods, we identify LRP as playing a role in TGFbeta2-mediated Abeta uptake, neurodegeneration, and spatial memory impairment.

Using Brunswikian theory and a longitudinal design to study how hierarchical teams adapt to increasing levels of time pressure.

Brunswikian theory and a longitudinal design were used to study how three-person, hierarchical teams adapted to increasing levels of time pressure and, thereby, try to understand why previous team research has not necessarily found a direct relationship between team processes and performance with increasing time pressure. We obtained four principal findings. First, team members initially adapted to increasing time pressure without showing any performance decrements by accelerating their cognitive processing, increasing the amount of their implicit coordination by sending more information without being asked and, to a lesser extent, filtering (omitting) certain activities. Second, teams began and continued to perform the task differently with increasing time pressure, yet often achieved comparable levels of performance. Third, time pressure did affect performance because there was a level of time pressure beyond which performance could not be maintained, although that level differed for different teams. And, fourth, some adaptation strategies were more effective than others at the highest time pressure level. Taken together, these findings support the Brunswikian perspective that one should not necessarily expect a direct relationship between team processes and performance with increasing time pressure because teams adapt their processes in different, yet often equally effective ways, in an effort to maintain high and stable performance.