Some recent developments in psychology in Mexico.

Discusses educational, administrative, and research issues which have become important in Mexican psychology since 1968. Attempts to launch a scientific psychological journal are described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Historiography of psychology in Brazil: Pioneer works, recent developments.

The evolution of the historiography of psychology in Brazil is surveyed, to describe how the field has evolved from the seminal works of the pioneer, mostly self-taught, psychologists, to the now professional historians working from a variety of theoretical models and methods of inquiry. The first accounts of the history of psychology written by Brazilians and by foreigners are surveyed, as well as the recent works made by researchers linked to the Work Group on the History of Psychology of the Brazilian Association of Research and Graduate Education in Psychology and published in periodicals such as Memorandum and Mnemosine. The present historiography focuses mainly the relationship of psychological knowledge to specific social and cultural conditions, emphasizing themes such as women's participation in the construction of the field, the development of psychology as a science and as a profession in education and health, and the development of psychology as an expression of Brazilian culture and of the experience of resistance of local communities to domination. To reveal this process of identity construction, a cultural historiography is an important tool, coupled with methodological pluralism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A study on the venom yield of venomous snake species from Argentina

A study on the venom yield of snakes from Argentina over a three year period was carried out on adult specimens of Bothrops alternatus (n = 74); Bothrops neuwiedii (n = 127); Bothrops ammodytoides (n = 30); Bothrops moojeni (n = 14); Bothrops jararaca (n = 14); B. jararacussu (n = 6); Crotalus durissus terrificus (n = 120) and Micrurus spp. (n = 6) as well as with 12 specimens of newborn C. d. terrificus kept in captivity. While for each species there was a positive correlation between venom yield and number of snakes milked, the correlation with the snake's body weights after individual milkings was even better, suggesting that the size of the snakes is more important in determining the venom yield than the number of snakes milked or the specimen's sex. Individual milkings indicated that, in addition to the snake size, when the amount of venom is normalized per 100 g body weight there is a species specific difference in venom yield. It follows the order B. jararacussu > B. moojeni approximately = B. jararaca approximately = B. alternatus > B. neuwiedii> Micrurus spp approximately = B. ammodytoides> C. d. terrificus. Although the venom yield per 100 g body weight of newborn C. d. terrificus specimens is 2-fold higher than that of adults, no correlation was observed between venom yield and body weight.     

Pediatric psychopharmacology: A review of new developments and recent research.

Advances in psychopharmacology have revolutionalized the management of emotional and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents. Recent developments in pediatric psychopharmacology and the prevalence of pharmacotherapy for various psychological disorders in children are examined, and clinical updates for classes of psychotropics are provided. Issues including monitoring and assessing drug effects, acceptability and satisfaction, and the social, political, and cultural issues surrounding the use of psychotropics in children are discussed. The authors conclude that the current clinical use of psychotropics in children exceeds extant efficacy and safety data. The involvement of practicing psychologists in pediatric psychopharmacology and the need for a firm empirical foundation for pediatric psychopharmacology are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nuclear transfer in mammals: recent developments and future perspectives

A clone can be defined as a set of genetically identical animals. Small clones of two or occasionally up to four identical animals can be obtained by embryo splitting or blastomere separation. Embryo cloning by nuclear transfer involves the transfer of genetic material from a donor cell (karyoplast) to the cytoplasm of an oocyte or zygote from which the genetic material has been removed (cytoplast). In farm animals, metaphase II oocytes are most widely used as cytoplasts. There are now many factors known to influence the efficiency of embryo cloning by nuclear transfer. These include stage of development and cell cycle of donor cells, the choice of the recipient cell, the methods for activation of oocytes, the cell cycle coordination between donor cell and recipient cytoplast, and the method for fusion between nuclear donor and recipient cytoplast. Recent progress in cloning embryos and animals from cultured cells of embryonic, fetal, or adult origin offers a wide spectrum of potential applications of nuclear transfer, such as the unlimited multiplication of elite embryos or animals from selected matings and the potential for precise genetic modification of farm animals for gene farming or xenotransplantation.     

N-glycoprotein biosynthesis in plants: recent developments and future trends

This review summarizes the evolution of ideas concerning insulin signal transduction, the current information on protein ser/thr kinase cascades as signalling intermediates, and their status as participants in insulin regulation of energy metabolism. Best characterized is the Ras-MAPK pathway, whose input is crucial to cell fate decisions, but relatively dispensable in metabolic regulation. By contrast the effectors downstream of PI-3 kinase, although less well elucidated, include elements indispensable for the insulin regulation of glucose transport, glycogen and cAMP metabolism. Considerable information has accrued on PKB/cAkt, a protein kinase that interacts directly with Ptd Ins 3'OH phosphorylated lipids, as well as some of the elements further downstream, such as glycogen synthase kinase-3 and the p70 S6 kinase. Finally, some information implicates other erk pathways (e.g. such as the SAPK/JNK pathway) and Nck/cdc42-regulated PAKs (homologs of the yeast Ste 20) as participants in the cellular response to insulin. Thus insulin recruits a broad array of protein (ser/thr) kinases in its target cells to effectuate its characteristic anabolic and anticatabolic programs.     

Simian virus 40, poliovaccines and human tumors: a review of recent developments

Recently, wild-type SV40 and/or DNA sequences indistinguishable from SV40 have been detected in specific types of human tumors: ependymoma and choroid plexus tumors, mesothelioma, osteosarcoma and sarcoma. The same tumor types will develop in hamsters after injection with SV40. These findings are interesting in themselves for they could shed light on the pathogenesis of these tumors. These findings also have public health implications. SV40 was found to have contaminated the poliovaccines and the adenovaccines from 1955 until 1963, therefore resulting in the inadvertent injection of millions of people with this tumor virus. Moreover, our society pays a high cost for asbestos causality, a carcinogen associated with the development of mesothelioma. In addition to asbestos, the potential impact of finding another possible cause for mesothelioma (i.e., SV40), as well as the possible pathogenic role of the contaminated poliovaccines, has generated considerable public interest and concern. To discuss these recent findings, the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), organized an International Conference at the NIH, Bethesda, MD, January 27-28, 1997. The association of SV40 with human mesothelioma was also discussed in a special session at the IV International Mesothelioma Conference that was held at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, May 13-16, 1997. The purpose of this review is to summarize data, from the discovery of the contaminated poliovaccines, to the most recent findings presented at the meetings in Bethesda and Philadelphia, to discuss technical and other problems associated with this research, and the potential for using these findings to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for SV40-associated malignancies.     

Overview No. 87 Solidification microstructures: Recent developments and future directions

During solidification a great variety of microstructures can form. These are plane front (and its related instabilities), cells, densrites and eutectic. Recent progress and future directions of research in this rapidly moving field are summarized. This overview is based on the critical assessment of the field made at an interdisciplinary workshop held in Zermatt during July 1988.     

Diagnosis of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia: problems and recent developments

While it is easy to diagnose contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in an animal in the acute clinical stage, subacute and chronic forms are more difficult to diagnose. Recourse to laboratory tests is essential to confirm any suspicion of CBPP. As standard diagnostic procedures (isolation, culture, biochemical tests, serological tests) are lacking in specificity and sensitivity, improvements are needed. Progress in molecular biology techniques has led to new tests, among which are the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies. Application of these techniques to CBPP offers a number of advantages, and has considerably enhanced the specificity and sensitivity of diagnosis.     

Amyloidosis: a review of recent diagnostic and therapeutic developments

Amyloid deposition is associated with a diverse range of disorders that includes Alzheimer's disease, type II diabetes mellitus and dialysis arthropathy. Although less common, systemic AA and AL amyloidosis remain important because effective treatments have increasingly become available. The pathology in all forms of amyloidosis involves the extracellular deposition of protein as characteristic fibrillar aggregates which interfere with tissue structure and function. Amyloid fibrils are derived from different unrelated proteins in the different forms of the disease but share many common properties, including the capacity to bind the normal plasma protein serum amyloid P component (SAP). This is the basis for our development of radiolabelled SAP as a nuclear medicine tracer for the diagnosis and quantitative monitoring of amyloid. Serial studies have shown that the deposits are far from inert but are actually turned over quite rapidly in many patients. The treatment of amyloidosis involves supportive measures whilst every effort is made to reduce the supply of the respective fibril precursor protein. Under favourable circumstances further amyloid deposition will be prevented. existing deposits will regress and improvement of organ function will occur. Since this strategy is not always possible or may fail, new approaches to inhibit fibril formation and promote regression of amyloid are being pursued.     

巴西GA公司2号高炉开炉实践

巴西GA公司2号高炉(1750m3)采用了胶带机上料、并罐无料钟炉顶、铸铁冷却壁和铜冷却壁相结合的冷却结构、软水密闭循环冷却、内燃式热风炉以及环缝洗涤塔式煤气洗涤系统等先进实用技术,并采用全焦、全开风口的方式开炉,开炉及达产顺利.     

Comments on the historical vignette in Vol. 134, No. 2

To evaluate the effect of isolated left bundle branch block (LBBB) on diastolic filling patterns, we evaluated 14 subjects with isolated LBBB and 16 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects with normal ventricular conduction by echocardiography. Maximum E-wave velocity, E/A ratio, deceleration time of E wave, and the slope of deceleration of the E wave were lower in subjects with LBBB compared with subjects with normal ventricular conduction. Doppler filling patterns were significantly altered in subjects with isolated LBBB.     

Formal complaints and disciplinary proceedings involving medical practitioners: recent developments in New South Wales, Australia

Complaints against medical practitioners are of interest to all the stakeholders in health care who are concerned with quality assurance and its definition, implementation and monitoring. New South Wales,Australia, has recently made statutory provision for independent structures of complaint investigation and resolution, including revised disciplinary proceedings to protect the public interest and regulate the conduct of the state's medical profession. This article discusses the new mechanisms and recent experience of them. They are intended to offer independence and an integrated and comprehensive system of grievance procedures but there remains a need for disciplinary procedures that afford lay control over the regulation of medical conduct.