A. Weismann's germ-plasma theory: a new methodological approach to the problems of general biology

A. Weismann's theory of germ plasm is of special importance in the history of theoretical biology. Its meaning was not confined by presenting of neoperformistic ideas on the new level of science. In fact it predicted reduction division, the continuing of germ plasm and the significance of chromosomes in heredity. For the first time it brought a new methodology to the experimental genetics and the idea of interdisciplinary synthesis.     

Role of mechanics in composing of elementary school students: A new methodological approach.

The authors used multiple-group structural equation modeling to analyze structural relationships between latent factors underlying separate measures of handwriting, spelling, and composing in Grades 1–6. For compositional fluency, the paths from both handwriting and spelling were significant in the primary grades, but only the path from handwriting was significant in the intermediate grades. For compositional quality, only the path from handwriting was significant at the primary and intermediate grades. The contribution of spelling to compositional quality was indirect through its correlation with handwriting. Handwriting and spelling accounted for a sizable proportion of the variance in compositional fluency (41% to 66%) and compositional quality (25% to 42%). These findings show that the mechanical skills of writing may exert constraints on amount and quality of composing. Theoretical and educational implications of the findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A methodological approach for estimating turbidity in a river

During the operations of purging and disposal of sediments of a reservoir it is necessary to know the values of turbidity in the river downstream in natural condition, in the absence of dams or river training works. The paper shows that under these conditions the ratio of the average values of sediment discharge to the annual maximum value of water discharge is a function of the average annual turbidity. Turbidity can be considered as representative synthetic index of the climatic conditions, the lithological features and the land cover of the basin, and the geometric characteristics of the river network. The proposed relationship of sediment discharge as a function of water discharge were validated on the basis of data collected from different Italian regions that have very different morphological, geo-lithological and rainfall features and that are characterised by a basin area changing between a few dozen and thousands of square kilometres. The results can be considered satisfying.     

Interaction of cognitive balance and mood induction on self-descriptions: a Q methodological approach

Several neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, are characterized by sensorimotor gating deficits. Prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response is an operational measure assessing sensorimotor gating and has been found to be reduced in schizophrenic patients. Much attention has therefore been paid to the neuronal mechanisms underlying the disruption of prepulse inhibition. The activity of limbic forebrain structures such as the septohippocampal system, the prefrontal cortex, and the nucleus accumbens has been the main focus of recent research into the regulation of prepulse inhibition in rats. We here provide a functional anatomical picture of forebrain structures probably involved in the regulation of prepulse inhibition. Stimulation of the ventral hippocampus with a subconvulsive dose of N-methyl-D-aspartate caused a significant and long-lasting disruption of prepulse inhibition. Immunostaining of the c-Fos protein revealed a characteristic pattern of neuronal activity in various forebrain areas, including the nucleus accumbens and different frontal cortical areas after hippocampal stimulation. Based on the present findings, we conclude that the overactivity within a network of cortico-limbic forebrain structures compromises the normal processing of sensory stimuli by disrupting a neuronal filter mechanism. Interestingly, there is a considerable overlap between the pattern of neuronal activity observed in our study and the brain pathology in schizophrenics reported in the literature.     

Transdiaphragmatic pericardial window: a new approach

A new transdiaphragmatic laparoscope technique is proposed which provides a large window for drainage that is rapid, safe and eliminates the need for one lung ventilation, drainage tubes, and painful incisions.     

Paradigm as a methodological approach to analyzing Russia's public health system

A concept of paradigm is applied to the analysis of the national public health system. Whether it can be used as a methodological regulator in public health management is considered. Evidence is provided for the theoretical premises of constructing a paradigm of the public health system, its philosophical bases, the notional system, methodology, and the technological framework. The theoretical and practical aspects of public health paradigm, such as identification, interpretation, and rationalization are used to analyze at the conceptual and practical level, as well as search for new ways of reforming the public health system by the paradigm approach as a deeper development of the existing paradigm or its modification. This can become a foundation for the realignments of the theoretical and practical bases of the national public health system. The formation of the new paradigm of the public health system is to take place not in a revolutionary, but in a developmental mode. Priority should be given not to radical transformations and drastic changing of the key concepts, but to the fluent increasing of new knowledge and their inclusion of the theory and practice of public health. The promises of using the paradigm methodology, allowing the internal and external principles of the operation and function of the public health system to be integrated. In this context, the paradigm approach may be used as a methodological tool for analyzing person-society-state-economy-management relations within the framework of the public health system.     

Revascularization of distal arteriopathies: a new approach

The diffuse nature of arterial occlusions in Buerger's disease compromises the effect of revascularization. Nevertheless, the muscle branches are quite often unaffected by the occlusive disease making revascularization of collateral arterial branches a promising alternative to conventional procedures. Revascularization by a short autologous venous graft from the grand anastomotic or gastrocnemius artery can be an alternative technique. Advances in microsurgery have made such revascularizations possible.     

Treatment of malignant gliomas: a new approach

The etiology of seizures associated with cocaine use is unclear. Because cocaine seizures are relatively uncommon, they should be diagnosed by exclusion and a neurological workup to rule out central nervous system (CNS) catastrophe should be made. This report describes the clinical findings, treatment, and blood cocaine and metabolite concentrations in a patient who, on two separate occasions, had seizures associated with crack cocaine ingestion. Approximately 1 hour after the ingestion incidents, the patient had multiple, generalized seizures that abated spontaneously. His workup for CNS bleeding, infection, and trauma was negative. Cocaine concentrations on the first incident peaked at 2.48 mg/L and on the second incident peaked at 3.9 mg/L. Other clinical findings included tachycardia, hypertension, diaphoresis, and disorientation. Blood cocaine and metabolite analysis revealed extremely high concentrations. Other than the incident of seizures and transient cardiovascular aberrations, these high concentrations were tolerated by the patient without further sequelae. A review of cocaine-induced seizures and treatment is included.     

Stress-induced hyperthermia in mice: a methodological study

When the rectal temperature of group-housed mice is measured sequentially, the temperature of the last measured mouse is higher than that of the first mouse. This phenomenon is called stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH). We varied several experimental parameters to elucidate the mechanism behind this SIH. SIH was stable and found by all technicians performing the experiments. The large intertechnician difference in the mean rectal temperature could be eliminated by training in an identical fixation and handling technique. SIH was both independent of the number of handling days preceding the experiment and of the number of disturbances (0, 1, 2, or 5) implied on the mice per minute. The percentage of hyperthermic mice in 10-mice cages increased when the time interval between the individual measurements increased from 1 to 2, 5 or 10 min. In all groups the maximum increase was reached after an interval of approximately 10 min. SIH of mouse 10 returned time dependently in approximately 60 min to basal temperature. When SIH was tested on 2 or 5 successive days no tolerance developed. When animals were reused after 7 or 14 days SIH did not differ from day 1, implying that animals can be reused. When the number of mice was decreased from 10 to 5 mice per cage, the SIH of vehicle-treated mice was slightly lower in 5-mice cages compared to 10-mice cages. The blocking effects on SIH by anxiolytics was also less clear in 5-mice cages compared to 10-mice cages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Whisky: a new provacative test for calcitonin secretion

Oral whisky is a potent stimulus of calcitonin secretion. Peak increments of immunoreactive calcitonin are observed within 15 min after the ingestion of 50 ml of whisky; the magnitude of the response is similar to that observed during a four-hour calcium infusion. This procedure has several advantages over standard methods of stimulating calcitonin release in patients at risk of developing medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, and this is shown by a study in a large family with familial chromaffinomatosis.     

Functional cerebral imaging in psychiatry: a new approach in research

The data on cerebral physiology accumulated over the last decade, and also the ideas of cognitive psychology affect the way studies of mental disorders are modelized through the cerebral functional imaging techniques. Present aspects of these relations are considered and highlighted by recent results of this type of research. The contribution of these techniques for a better understanding of the cerebral neuro-transmission and of the mechanism of action of psychotropic drugs is also reported.     

Estimating a population in need of alcoholism services: a new approach

A new approach for estimating a population at risk of alcoholism and problem drinking is discussed. Its advantages include specification of planning-relevant social-demographic characteristics of a population at risk and the identification of a population base in terms of which alcoholism programs, services, and resources can be comparatively evaluated.     

RigFit: a new approach to superimposing ligand molecules

If structural knowledge of a receptor under consideration is lacking, drug design approaches focus on similarity or dissimilarity analysis of putative ligands. In this context the mutual ligand superposition is of utmost importance. Methods that are rapid enough to facilitate interactive usage, that allow to process sets of conformers and that enable database screening are of special interest here. The ability to superpose molecular fragments instead of entire molecules has proven to be helpful too. The RIGFIT approach meets these requirements and has several additional advantages. In three distinct test applications, we evaluated how closely we can approximate the observed relative orientation for a set of known crystal structures, we employed RIGFIT as a fragment placement procedure, and we performed a fragment-based database screening. The run time of RIGFIT can be traded off against its accuracy. To be competitive in accuracy with another state-of-the-art alignment tool, with which we compare our method explicitly, computing times of about 6 s per superposition on a common day workstation are required. If longer run times can be afforded the accuracy increases significantly. RIGFIT is part of the flexible superposition software FLEXS which can be accessed on the WWW [http:/(/)cartan.gmd.de/FlexS].     

Surgical treatment of Peyronie's disease: a new approach

We treated 12 patients with intractable Peyronie's disease with a new approach based on simple incision of the fibrotic plaque(s) and stenting of the corpora with penile implants. Infection in 1 case necessitated removal of the prostheses, while the remaining 11 patients had satisfactory functional and anatomical results. The procedure is indicated for patients with 1) Peyronie's disease and impotency, 2) normal potency and extensive disease and 3) normal potency and localized disease in selective cases. In this series insertion of the penile prostheses did not change sexual prowess in previously potent patients.     

MULTIFIT: a new approach to risk factor modification

The MULTIFIT system provides an infrastructure for the management of coronary risk factors and associated conditions. It is well integrated into standard medical practice, relying on existing personnel, facilities, and equipment. It integrates cognitive, executive, and organizational aspects of medical care delivery. It addresses an important national health goal: how to substitute relatively inexpensive preventive care for expensive palliative care for patients with established vascular disease.