An isocratic high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay for moxifloxacin, a new 8-methoxyquinolone

OBJECTIVE: Studies have shown memory deficits among combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, high rates of comorbid conditions, including alcoholism, make it difficult to definitively associate these findings with the PTSD diagnosis. In this study the authors examined memory functioning among rape survivors without alcoholism or substance abuse but with PTSD. METHOD: Rape victims with (N = 15) and without (N = 16) PTSD were compared to age- and education-matched nontraumatized comparison subjects (N = 16) on measures of learning and memory. RESULTS: The subjects with PTSD performed significantly worse than the other groups on delayed free recall. The deficits were ameliorated by cueing and recognition testing. CONCLUSIONS: Recall deficits in noncombat PTSD patients strengthen the theory that memory deficits are associated with the PTSD diagnosis. The deficits were mild and were not attributable to comorbid depression, anxiety, or substance abuse.     

Clonal distribution of invasive Neisseria meningitidis isolates from the Norwegian county of Telemark, 1987 to 1995

Forty-two Neisseria meningitidis isolates were obtained from patients with meningococcal disease in the Norwegian county of Telemark (January 1987 to March 1995), and all were compared by PCR amplicon restriction endonuclease analysis (PCR-AREA) of the dhps gene, chromosomal DNA fingerprinting, and serological analysis. PCR-AREA divided the isolates into 11 classes, of which 4, comprising 15, 8, 6, and 2 isolates, were clonal while the remaining 8 classes were genetically heterogeneous or contained only 1 isolate. Three of the four clonal classes could be tentatively equated with recognized epidemic clones (ET5, ET37, and cluster A4) on the basis of their phenotypic characteristics, while the remaining clone appears to be new. There were significant differences in the geographical distribution of clones, with class 1 (ET5-like) isolates significantly overrepresented in rural parts of Telemark. Class 1 (ET5-like) isolates occurred throughout the study period and were dominant in 1987. Class 2 (ET37-like) isolates occurred from 1988 to 1992, and class 3 isolates (with no recognizable ET affinities) were found only in 1991 and 1992.