Diabetic thoracic polyradiculopathy: ten patients with abdominal pain

OBJECTIVES: Abdominal pain caused by diabetic thoracic polyradiculopathy is unfamiliar to many gastroenterologists. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of the disorder. METHODS: Ten patients (six women) with diabetic thoracic polyradiculopathy were cared for in 20 yr. Electromyographic evidence of nerve root denervation was found in seven patients. Nine patients were followed-up at least until recovery, including four until death. RESULTS: The patients were 42-79 yr of age, had diabetes of various duration, and often had other diabetic complications, including two with previous polyradiculopathy. Pain of various types occurred. It was often worse at night and aggravated by light pressure. Pain was either unilateral or bilateral and was often accompanied by weight loss. All patients had a cutaneous sensory abnormality, and four had localized abdominal wall paresis with protrusion. Spontaneous recovery was documented in nine patients, but two had recurrent polyradiculopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Gastroenterologists should be familiar with diabetic thoracic polyradiculopathy, because its early recognition may prevent unnecessary and expensive diagnostic evaluation for a visceral cause of pain.     

Separation of home intellectual environment and maternal IQ as determinants of child IQ.

Measured both parental and child IQs with the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; Ss included 80 mothers, 35 fathers, and 80 children (mean age 12 yrs). Home intellectual environment was assessed through a 2-hr interview with the mother. Multiple regression analyses showed that for each IQ test and for the 2 scores combined, the addition of home environment ratings to the regression equations did not add a significant increment to the prediction of child IQ from that provided by maternal IQ, whereas the addition of maternal IQ to the regression equation did add a significant increment to that provided by home environment ratings. Thus, the correlation of home environment and child IQ is considerably overestimated when maternal IQ is allowed to covary. When maternal IQ was statistically controlled, the correlation between home environment ratings and child IQ was attenuated to nonsignificance. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hick's Law versus a power law: Reply to Welford.

In this reply, we address Welford's (1987) criticisms of our article on exceptions to Hick's Law (Longstreth, El-Zahhar, & Alcorn, 1985). Welford argues that our power law is not a good replacement for Hick's law. We address each of hs criticisms in turn and conclude that the power law remains viable. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)