Presurgical functional localization of primary somatosensory cortex by dipole tracing method of scalp-skull-brain head model applied to somatosensory evoked potential

Glutathione S-transferase activity of both the microsomal and soluble fractions was determined in a variety of aquatic macrophytes. The examined enzyme extract was prepared from a combination of leaves and shoots. Four different model substrates were used. The highest conjugation rate was obtained for 1-iodo-2,4-dinitrobenzene, followed by 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, p-nitrobenzoyl chloride, and 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene. Comparison of several samples of Nuphar lutea L. from two different lake areas revealed increased glutathione S-transferase activity in plants from the site contaminated with polyaromatic hydrocarbons.     

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with troublesome hypoglycemia: management by cytoreduction using percutaneous ethanol injection

Hypoglycemia is a well-known paraneoplastic manifestation of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, hypoglycemia as the first presentation is extremely uncommon. We herein report a case of HCC presenting with severe, uncontrollable hypoglycemia that was managed with percutaneous ethanol injection therapy.     

An investigation of clinical judgment: A study in method.

To investigate the accuracy of judgment in the use of cues in a perceptual discrimination task, 2 sets of cards were constructed: 1 where the relevant cue was color; the other, size. Ss were required to identify the cue dimension. Some Ss were given prior training in cue-identification, some not. In a 2nd reported experiment a spatial task was constructed. Ss had to make judgments and predict how other Ss would perform on a task after receiving certain information about them. Both experiments intended to explore the nature of the judgmental process as it may be understood from a laboratory experiment, and in both, accuracy of judgment was improved when the judge could use more than 1 cue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clonality and specificity of cryoglobulins associated with HCV: pathophysiological implications

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection plays a central role in the pathogenesis of mixed cryoglobulinemia through molecular mechanisms which remain to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of antibody responses to HCV in the pathogenesis of cryoglobulinemia through characterization of the anti-HCV specificity and immunochemical characteristics of the immunoglobulins involved in cryoprecipitation. METHODS: Sera from 50 consecutive patients with chronic HCV infection (RNA positive) were screened for the presence of cryoglobulins. The two major components of cryoprecipitates, IgM rheumatoid factors and IgG, were separated by high performance liquid chromatography and analyzed for immunochemical composition by immunoblotting and antibody specificity by ELISA and immunoblotting using recombinant HCV proteins and synthetic peptides as antigens. RESULTS: Cryoprecipitates were observed in 27 patients and characterized by immunofixation: 13 (48%) were classified as type II and 14 (52%) as type III. Monoclonal immunoglobulins were detected by immunoblotting in 20 cryoprecipitates: IgM in 14 samples and IgG in 14, with a clear preponderance of IgG3 (12/14). Specificity studies on sera and purified IgM and IgG fractions from cryoprecipitates revealed enrichment in cryoglobulins, predominantly polyclonal IgG1, reactive with the HCV structural proteins, whereas specificities for nonstructural viral proteins were relatively less represented compared to whole serum. No restricted pattern of fine specificity was observed. IgG3 subclass was apparently not involved in HCV nucleoprotein binding. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not support a direct link between monoclonal cryoglobulins and immune response to HCV According to the proposed pathogenetic model, HCV infection can induce the formation of cryoprecipitable rheumatoid factors, sustain their production, and eventually lead to monoclonal B-cell expansion through several cooperative mechanisms.     

A method for recording the respiratory and hatching movements of the chick embryo

1. An artificial air space was made in the narrow end of the pipped egg by separating the shell membranes from the shell. The respiratory and hatching movements of the embryo set up pressure changes within the artificial air space and these were recorded up until the moment when the chick emerged from the shell. 3. Random movements appeared to be inhibited during the period of hatching. 4. The ways in which the presence of the artificial air space might affect the embryo have been discussed.     

One tone, two ears, three dimensions: a robotic investigation of pinnae movements used by rhinolophid and hipposiderid bats

Bats, which echolocate using broadband calls, are believed to employ the passive acoustic filtering properties of the head and pinnae to provide spectral cues which encode 3-D target angle. Microchiropteran species whose calls consist of a single, constant frequency harmonic (i.e., some species in the families Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae) may create additional acoustic localization cues via vigorous pinna movements. In this work, two types of echolocation cues generated by moving a pair of receivers aboard a model sensor head are investigated. In the first case, it is supposed that a common 3-D echolocation principle employed by all bats is the creation of alternative viewing perspectives, and that constant frequency (CF) echolocators use pinna movement rather than morphology to alter the acoustic axes of their perceptual systems. Alternatively, it is possible rhinolophids and hipposiderids move their ears to create dynamic cues--in the form of frequency and amplitude modulations--which vary systematically with target elevation. Here the use of binaural and monaural timing cues derived from amplitude modulated echo envelopes are investigated. In this case, pinna mobility provides an echolocator with a mechanism for creating dramatic temporal cues for directional sensing which, unlike interaural timing differences, do not degrade with head size.     

Influence of overt head movements on memory for valenced words: A case of conceptual-motor compatibility.

The present article reports 3 studies that demonstrate the influence of overt behavior on recognition and elucidates the theoretical basis for such an influence. In 2 experiments it was found that participants who were induced to nod while incidentally encoding positive and negative adjectives were more likely to recognize positive adjectives, whereas participants who were induced to shake their heads were more likely to recognize negative words. In a third experiment, with a double-task procedure, it was shown that when encoding was accompanied by head movements that were compatible with words, participants were better at performing the secondary task than when words and head movements were incompatible. These findings suggest that performing incompatible motoric and conceptual tasks concurrently requires more cognitive capacity. Where this capacity is allocated and when it is withdrawn depends on the characteristics of the task. Implications of this mechanism for different phenomena in social psychology (e.g., facial feedback and masking of emotional displays) are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A study on disclosure by HIV positives by use of simulation using case vignettes

AIDS patients/HIV positives have been increasing in Japan, but a large proportion of university students, who have high risk sexual behavior, are not aware of the danger of HIV infection. Because of little disclosure by AIDS patients/HIV positives in Japan, the students have a poor chance of knowing of their risk in sexual behavior situations. Discrimination or prejudice toward AIDS patients/HIV positives has suppressed disclosure. However, as the real risk changes of disclosure is unknown, a simulation study, using case vignettes, was carried out to measure risks. A total of 1,128 university students (487 male and 641 female) were asked to read one of six vignettes describing HIV positives, that consisted of three infection routes (one by blood preparation and two by sexual intercourse) with disclosure or without disclosure. After reading a vignette, they answered questions about the images of HIV positives and their attitudes to him or her. As a result of reading these vignettes, friendly images were enhanced and the disagreeable images were decreased, but students' attitudes were unchanged. Significant differences were recognized in attitudes concerning responsibility for the infection and sympathy toward HIV positives, depending on the infection routes (blood preparation or sexual intercourse). Female students had a tendency to be more favorable to HIV positives than the male students. This simulation study showed the difficulty of changing students' attitudes regardless of the image of HIV positives, and demonstrated the need for effective action toward reducing discrimination or prejudice.     

Rehabilitation planned in accordance with the Luria neuropsychological investigation: A case history of a patient with left sided aneurysm.

After suffering a rupture of a left-sided aneurysm on the middle cerebral artery with prolonged arterial spasms, the prognosis for recovery of speech and motor functions of a 27-yr-old male patient was considered to be poor. Based on a Luria neuropsychological investigation that revealed many areas of preserved brain functions, rehabilitation efforts were directed toward training of specific abilities as well as compensatory skills using intact functions. This case demonstrates the interaction between the training program and the levels of motivation and persistence of the S and his family necessary to produce optimal rehabilitation outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The association of complete laryngotracheoesophageal cleft with left lung agenesis: pathophysiological clues provided by an experiment of nature

The authors present a patient with complete laryngotracheoesophageal cleft and concurrent left lung agenesis and microgastria. Prenatal ultrasound scan showed polyhydramnios and a hypertrophic right lung. The authors propose that the combination of right lung hypertrophy, polyhydramnios, and microgastria in the absence of a competent laryngeal mechanism may suggest that the preferential path for swallowed amniotic fluid was into the lung, rather than the normal route through the stomach. This case illustrates the prenatal findings suggestive of complete laryngotracheoesophageal cleft and lung agenesis, and suggests a potential causal relationship between shunting of swallowed amniotic fluid into the bronchial tree and prenatal lung hypertrophy and microgastria.     

Mental imagery as revealed by eye movements and spoken predicates: A test of neurolinguistic programming.

Tested R. Bandler and J. Grinder's (1975, 1979) neurolinguistic programming theory that eye movement direction and spoken predicates are indicative of sensory modality of imagery. 39 undergraduates reported on modality, sequence, and vividness of images to questions that evoked either no images or visual, auditory, or kinesthetic images. Eye movement direction and spoken predicates were matched with sensory modality of the questions. Ss reported images in the 3 modes, but no relation between imagery and eye movements or predicates was found. The visual modality was dominant. Visual images were most vivid and often reported. Most Ss rated themselves as visual, and most spoken predicates were visual. Data are discussed in the context of an ever-growing literature that does not support Bandler and Grinder's model and in the context of the difficulties in interpreting the model itself. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trigeminal neuropathic pain: pathophysiological mechanisms examined by quantitative assessment of abnormal pain and sensory perception

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to examine the pathophysiological characteristics of trigeminal neuropathic pain. METHODS: The study included 23 consecutive patients with trigeminal neuropathic pain (15 patients with pain after nerve injury and 8 patients with pain of spontaneous origin). For each patient, quantitative examination of sensory and pain perception was performed in the painful facial skin area, and results were compared with the findings for the contralateral nonpainful facial skin area. RESULTS: In the painful facial skin area of patients with neuropathic pain after nerve injury, we demonstrated increased temperature and tactile thresholds, as well as abnormal temporal summation of pain (i.e., repetitive nonpainful skin stimulation produced an abnormal progressive increase of pain intensity, with abnormal radiation of pain and aftersensation). In the painful skin area of patients with pain of spontaneous origin, temperature and tactile thresholds were not increased, but heat pain and cold pain thresholds were significantly reduced, indicating heat and cold hyperalgesia. The characteristics of temporal summation of pain were not significantly altered in the painful facial skin area in this group of patients. CONCLUSION: This clinical study provides evidence that the pathophysiological mechanisms of trigeminal neuropathic pain after nerve injury involve impaired function of both small unmyelinated fibers and large myelinated fibers. An explanation for the finding of abnormal temporal summation of pain may involve hyperexcitability of central wide-dynamic range neurons. The results suggest that other mechanisms are involved in trigeminal neuropathic pain of spontaneous origin. Reduced heat and cold pain thresholds indicate heat and cold hyperalgesia, which possibly may be explained by sensitization of peripheral C nociceptors.     

Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency: enzyme studies on a further case and a method of diagnosis using plasma enzyme ratios

The activities of the urea cycle enzymes in the liver of a female patient with hyperammonemia were determined (Table 1). Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC, EC. 2.1.3.3) was reduced to 5-10% of normal and the residual enzyme showed an apparent Kmorn of 0.69 (normal 0.37 +/- 0.10) mmol liter. The pH dependence was normal. The patient's mother also showed hyperammonemia but was not clinically affected. Consideration of the genetics of the disease suggested that many female patients should have a mixture of normal and mutant enzymes. Electrophoresis of the patient's liver extract showed an additional band of OTC activity probably due to this mutant enzyme. The ratio of plasma glutamate-pyruvate transaminase to OTC was abnormal in four clinically affected patients with OTC deficiency (Fig. 4B) but not in two of their mothers without clinical signs.     

Hysterical blindness: A case report and study using a modern psychophysical technique.

Investigated a 16-yr-old girl with constricted tubular visual fields and a presumptive diagnosis of hysterical blindness, to determine if she could see in the claimed blind field. Using a modified Goldmann perimeter and 2-alternative forced-choice procedure, evidence was obtained strongly suggesting sight where the S claimed she was blind. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)