The capacity to distinguish short durations of time intervals in children and adults]

Two groups of children (5-6-year-old and 7-8-year-old) were presented with pairs of sound signals of the same or different durations. Sound signal durations in pairs could be 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, and 2.0 sec. The children had to detect the difference between the sounds in a pair. The obtained data were compared to the analogous results shown by the 18-39-year-old subjects. It was found out that the ability to discriminate intervals of short duration substantially improved with age. This phenomenon in presumably connected with perfection of the short-term memory. Independently of the subject's age, the order of presentation of signals in a pair influences the ability to discriminate between their durations.     

The functional status of arrhythmia patients in the late period after the radical correction of tetralogy of Fallot

OBJECTIVE: To assess the cognitive performance of elderly patients referred to the memory clinic. DESIGN: The patients were interviewed using the computerised mental state programme, GMS-AGECAT, and assessed on the Cognitive Assessment Scale (CAS) which includes the Elderly Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire (ECAQ) and the Cambridge Memory Test (CMT), modified for Chinese elderly. SUBJECTS: There were 72 Chinese elderly subjects aged 65 years and above, referred to the NUH Memory Clinic in the first year. RESULTS: Only 45 (62.5%) of the 72 subjects were diagnosed to have dementia using DSM III R criteria. There were 25 cases of Alzheimer's Disease and 20 multi-infarct dementia. In the non-demented group, 15 (20.8%) had depression or anxiety disorders and 12 (16.7%), had no mental disorders but had physical illness which could affect memory. There was a highly significant difference in the ECAQ, CMT and CAS scores of demented and non-demented elderly. There was also a significant difference in the cognitive performance of elderly with mild dementia and those with no mental disorder. CONCLUSION: The memory clinic is a useful facility for the diagnosis and management of dementia. The Cognitive Assessment Scale provides a valid and reliable battery of tests for dementia.     

Comparison of three DNA extraction methods on bone and blood stains up to 43 years old and amplification of three different gene sequences

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of cellobiose and monensin on the in vitro fermentation of organic acids (L-aspartate, fumarate, and DL-malate) by mixed ruminal bacteria. Ruminal fluid was collected from a steer fed 36.7 kg of forage and 4.5 kg of concentrate supplement once per day. Ruminal fluid was centrifuged to sediment feed particles and protozoa, and the resulting supernatant, which contained bacteria, was added (33%, vol/vol) to anaerobic media (500 ml). Incubations (n = 2) were performed in batch culture at 39 degrees C and sampled at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 h. Organic acids were added to achieve a final concentration of 7.5 mM. Cellobiose was added to obtain a final concentration of 5 mM, and monensin dissolved in ethanol was included at concentrations of 0 or 5 ppm. Addition of cellobiose to organic acid fermentations increased the rate of organic acid utilization by the mixed bacterial population. Total concentrations of volatile fatty acids were increased by the addition of cellobiose to all fermentations. A lag period (< or = 8 h) occurred in fermentations that were treated with monensin before organic acids were utilized. Total concentrations of volatile fatty acids were increased, and the acetate to propionate ratio was decreased, by monensin treatment. When cellobiose and monensin were added together, propionate production and organic acid utilization were increased. Both cellobiose and monensin affected the in vitro fermentation of organic acids by mixed ruminal bacteria by providing a carbon and energy source and by influencing electron disposal.     

Laparoscopy for the impalpable testes. Initial experience of one center

Endoscopic treatment of acute pancreatitis has been proposed in different conditions: acute biliary pancreatitis, pancreatitis related to pancreas divisum or in case of pseudocysts. The efficacy of such endoscopic procedure is discussed.     

The effect of a preparation from the horns of the saiga antelope on the goal-directed drinking behavior of rats

We analyzed 79 consecutive patients with aneurysms and found a patient who lacked type III collagen. Collagen was extracted from the skin, and the lack of type III collagen was determined by means of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Only 1 of the 79 patients was found to lack type III collagen. This patient was a 55-year-old man who had sustained an abdominal aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection. He did not show any of the typical clinical symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV, such as hyperextensible skin and joints. He had none of the usual risk factors nor any clear family history of the syndrome. Furthermore, his collagen fibrils demonstrated a homogeneous appearance. This case may represent a new form of type III collagen deficiency.     

The changes of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in plasma in ischemic stroke

Contents of lipids (cholesterol CS, triglycerides) as well as levels of CS of lipoproteins of different density and of apolipoproteins A1 and B were measured in blood serum of 31 patients in different periods after of ischemic stroke. The majority of the indices studied were significantly decreased in men in acute periods of the stroke, especially in 8-21 days after the stroke development. Meanwhile, the levels of lipids, CS lipoproteins of both low and very low densities were increased later. Contents of CS of antiatherogenic lipoproteins of high density (HDLP) was low in different periods after the development of disorders of cerebral circulation. This confirms the concept that low level of HDLP is one of the risk factors of ischemic stroke. Decrease of the levels of both lipids and CS of lipoproteins of different density was more pronounced in patients with more severe atherosclerotic damages of the main cerebral arteries. Disorders of metabolism of lipoproteins in ischemic disorders of cerebral circulation are discussed with reference to literary data taking into consideration their heterogeneity. Genetically determined pathology of certain apolipoproteins plays a key role factor in the development of early atherosclerosis and in the elucidation of biochemical markers of the primary damages of cerebral vessels.     

Amino acid decarboxylation by bacteria of the genus erwinia under aerobic conditions]

The expression of membrane immunoglobulin (mIg) was examined in three cloned MPC11-derived mouse myeloma cell lines. Membrane immunofluorescence studies demonstrated that IgG2b producer cells (P1) had complete IgG molecules, L-chain producer (L1) had only L-chain determinants and nonproducer (NP2) did not have any Ig determinants on the cell surface. An Ig receptor, with characteristics different from B lymphocyte Fc receptor, has been found to be present on secreting cells (P1 or L1), but not on the NP2 cell variant. The data reported in the present paper indicate that the expression of mIg and of the Ig receptor molecule is clearly correlated with the process of secretion. In the light of previous data reported on Ig secretion, a model is proposed which correlates the process of secretion with the expression not only of mIg, but also of the receptor for Ig.