E.E.G. preprocessing by an on-line amplitude-and-frequency analyser

A four-channel e.e.g. preprocessing device is described, based on the signal's wave durations and amplitude measurement and their classification into four frequency and three amplitude bands. The analysis results are ordinarily written back on the e.e.g. machine for visual interpretation, in an appropriate polarity-and-amplitude coded form, occupying two channels per each processed channel. Outputs are provided for oscilloscope monitoring, further computer processing, etc. The possibilities of this device are discussed and examples of humans' and cats' e.e.g. analysis are given. About 10 devices of this type have been built and used for the last two years in several laboratories dealing with e.e.g. monitoring methods for experimental purposes.     

Results of technical and statistical analyses of electroencephalograms with regard to objectivity in clinical diagnosis

In automatic e.e.g. evaluation, relationships between medical, technical and statistical problems must be studied. On the basis of this principle, a technical method of analysis is presented following the visual-manual principles of clinical evaluation of frequency and amplitude. Examples demonstrate the application to clinical e.e.g. curves. The examinations of interval spectra with statistical functions reveals new facts and knowledge as regards the interval structures and the necessity of reconsidering the problem of the clear characterisation of interval spectra with the usual clinical evaluation parameters.     

E.coli临床分离株的基因组结构分型

目的：通过基因组结构分析对临床分离的Escherichia coli(E.coli)进行分型，并探讨分型与临床疾病的关系。方法：取临床不同疾病病人的痰、尿、血、分泌物等标本，分离E.coli。用I-Ceu Ⅰ酶切全基因组DNA，用脉冲场凝胶电泳分离DNA片段后，根据酶切图谱的异同进行分型。结果：从临床上分离的64株E.coli中，62株有7个I-Ceu Ⅰ酶切位点，2株有8个I-Ceu Ⅰ酶切位点。菌株间I-Ceu Ⅰ酶切图谱差异明显。这些菌株根据基因组结构的差异分为32个型，分型与疾病之间的对应关系分散。结论：临床分离的E.coli基因组结构存在多样性，其与临床疾病之间的关系有待进一步探讨。     

Status of high level aminoglycoside resistant Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis in a rural hospital of central India

Considering the emergence of high level aminoglycoside resistance (HLAR) in enterococci this study was undertaken to determine their status in a rural setting. HLAR by disc diffusion and agar dilution, beta lactamase by nitrocefin disc and vancomycin resistance by agar dilution was determined in 150 enterococcal isolates, as per NCCLS guidelines. Only two species, Enterococcus faecalis (85.5%) and Enterococcus faecium (14.7%) were recovered, mostly from blood. Forty six percent showed HLAR. Multi drug resistance and concomitant resistance of HLAR strains to beta lactams were quite high. None showed beta lactamase activity or vancomycin resistance.     

Changes of the e.e.g. during a c.n.v. paradigm

An experimental set-up and a method of analysis are described which permit the performance of e.e.g. analysis under contingent negative variation (c.n.v.) conditions with repeated stimulation. Investigations of six subjects showed a significant reduction in the average power in the alpha band immediately after the imperative stimulus, which lasted only about 1 second. In the interstimulus interval during the c.n.v. a less marked power reduction could be observed. Since the reduction of the average power in the alpha band was approximately the same for both hemispheres and since it was also dependent on the modality of the stimulus, an interrelation-ship is assumed between the directed attention and the reduction observed. This appears to allow the possibility of objectively analysing cortical functions by means of an analysis of scalp recordings under c.n.v. conditions.     

Halbquantitative histochemische Aktivitätsbestimmung von Enzymen des energieliefernden Stoffwechsels in Knochenmarkszellen von Diabetikern

Zusammenfassung In Knochenmarkszellen von insulinbedürftigen Diabetikern werden 11 Enzyme des energieliefernden Stoffwechsels (PGluM, HK, G6PDH, GDH, GAPH, LDH, ME, MDH, GluDH, SuDH, GPOx) halbquantitativ bestimmt. In den Zellen der Erythropoese sind die Enzymaktivitäten höher als bei Kontrollen. Es lassen sich 3 Typen von Enzymen herausstellen, und zwar Enzyme, die in den ersten Vorstufen in ihrer Aktivität erhöht sind, später erst ansteigen, und solche, die immer höher sind als die Enzymaktivitäten von Kontrollen. Die Granulopoese und die Megakaryocyten zeigen nur geringe Unterschiede.Demnach gibt es offenbar Effekte des Insulinmangels oder Auswirkung der diabetischen Stoffwechselstörung, die bereits im Knochenmark und andere, die erst in der Peripherie im Stoffwechsel der Blutzellen nachweisbar werden.     

Simple detection of the lupus erythematosus cell phenomenon

Summary A method for the detection of the Lupus erythematosus (L. E.) cell phenomenon is described. The simple diagnostic aid is based on the principle of the application of 1–2 drops of the patient's own serum on the surface skin lesion (skin window) of the patient's forearm at the second hour and the presence of a relatively large amount of L. E. cells in preparations from the 4th hour of observation.     

抑郁症患者EPQ测试结果分析

用艾森克个性问卷，对８０例抑郁症患者进行测验，并与常模进行对照。发现女性抑郁症患者具有内向性、精神质及情绪不稳定性的个性特征：男性患者具有精神质和情绪不稳定笥的个性特征。Ｅ维度个性分布，提示内向型频度高，中间型次之，三档性格在男女性间无差异。     

Physiological characterisation of the ‘meditative state’ during intuitional practice (the Ananda Marga system of mediation) and its therapeutic value

Intuitional practice (i.p.), the Ananda Marga system of meditation, is a scientific mediative technique in which the subject concentrates on a particular gland and mentally incantates a 2-syllable ‘mantra’ synchronous with his breathing, the glandular site of concentration as well as the mantra are specific for a subject. The physiological responses of subjects performing i.p. are characterised in order to qualify the efficacy and benefits of i.p. on ‘normal’ nonadept individuals. During i.p., the percentage of waves in the alpha and theta bands increases; also the signal amplitude in this band increases markedly. The transformation of the e.e.g., state, resulting in an energy predominance at a lower frequency band, is an index of the therapeutic value of i.p. Further, the blood levels of glucose, lactate and pyruvate are reduced considerably during i.p. from their normal premediative values; the meditative state during i.p. can thus be-characterised as a wakeful hypometabolic physiological state. Long-term follow-ups on some regular practitioners of i.p. indicate that (i) chronic hypertensive subjects have been able to bring down and maintain their blood pressure at a normal value (ii) cigarette and drug addicts voluntarily gave up their addictions.     

Analogue preprocessor for the measurement by a digital computer of R-R intervals and R wave widths

The circuitry is presented for an analogue preprocessor to measure R-R intervals and R wave widths from an analogue e.c.g. signal in conjunction with a digital computer. The circuit will handle both positive- and negative-going R waves, and will cope with e.c.g. baseline shifts due to respiration. Examples are given of the use of the preprocessor and its associated computer programs.     

Identification of serotypes and virulence markers of Escherichia coli isolated from human stool and urine samples in Egypt

Purpose: Haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic-uremic syndrome are associated with Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). There are others DEC (Diarrhoeagenic E. coli) pathotypes responsible for outbreaks and others toxins associated to these. Most clinical signs of disease arise as a consequence of the production of Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1), Stx2 or combinations of these toxins. Other major virulence factors include E. coli haemolysin (hlyA), and intimin, the product of the eaeA gene that is involved in the attaching and effacing adherence phenotype. Materials and Methods: In this study, the PCR assay was used to detect 12 E. coli genes associated with virulence (stx1, stx2, hylA, Flic h7 , stb, F41, K99, sta, F17, LT-I, LT-II and eaeA). Results: A total of 108 E. coli strains were serotyped into 64 typable strains. The investigated strains from the stool, 8/80 (10%) strains were O 164:K, while the 56/110 strains isolated from the urine were O126:K71 (44/110, 40%) and O 86:K 61 (12/110, 11%). The distribution pattern of the detected virulence genes was observed to be in the following order: F17 (10% from the stool and 44% from the urine), Sta (10% from the stool), hylA (10% from the stool and 44% from the urine), Stb (44% from the urine) and stx1 (27% from the urine). The 8 faecal strains encoded a combination of the F17, Sta and hylA genes, while the 56 urine strains encoded a combination of the F17 0+ Stb + hylA (44/110, 40%) and Stx1 only (12/60, 20%). Conclusion: This is the first report on the molecular characterization of E. coli diarrhoeagenic strains in Egypt and the first report on the potential role of E. coli in diarrhoea and urinary tract infections in a localized geographic area where the people engage in various occupational activities.     

Defective interfering particles in monolayer-propagated Newcastle disease virus.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) serially passaged in chick embryo fibroblasts (M-NDV) gives rise to defective interfering (NDV-DI) particles, while NDV passaged in embryonated eggs (E-NDV) does not. Co-infection with these particles and infectious virions results in a 99% reduction in yield. Interference is not due to interferon or to prevention of absorption of infectious virions and is specific for NDV. The particles mediating interference sediment at the same velocity as infectious virions. The accumulation of NDV-DI particles in monolayers but not in eggs may be a consequence of the fact that M-NDV virions are larger and probably contain more RNA, or it may reflect differences in NDV replicative processes in eggs and monolayers, or both.     

IPSI- and contralateral changes in acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase activities in the hippocampus following unilateral septal lesions in the rat

Unilateral, left electrocoagulative septal lesions of the rat brain were performed. Acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase activities in the left and right hippocampi were measured 6–8 and 14–17 days postoperatively.Small lesions, damaging mainly the nucleus lateralis evoked a small (10–20%) decrease in the activity of both enzymes on the ipsilateral and side a tendency to an increase in the enzymatic activity on the contralateral side. No differences were observed between values obtained on the sixth-eighth and the fourteenth-seventeenth days after the operation. Larger lesions, including the nucleus fimbriatus and the nucleus of the diagonal band evoked on the sixth-eighth day a decrease (40–50%) in the activity of both enzymes on the ipsilateral side, but on the fourteenth-seventeenth day a significant recovery in the enzymatic activity was noted. Contralaterally, following larger lesions, an initial decrease on the sixth-eighth day in choline acetyltransferase activity was followed by an overshoot in comparison to controls on the fourteenth-seventeenth day; acetylcholinesterase activity remained unchanged on the sixth-eighth day, but also surpassed the control value on the fourteenth-seventeenth day.It is suggested that the post-lesion changes in enzyme activity in the ipsilateral hippocampus occur mainly within the cholinergic system, while in the contralateral hippocampus they may be the result of damage to non-cholinergic fibres followed by sprouting of cholinergic axons.     

Designation of O174 and O175 to temporary O groups OX3 and OX7, and six new E. coli O groups that include Verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC): O176, O177, O178, O179, O180 and O181

Two temporary Escherichia coli O group strains OX3 and OX7 are given permanent status as O174 and O175, respectively. Both these test strains were originally isolated from cases of human diarrhoea. Whereas the O174 strain is negative for known virulence genes, the O175 strain is positive with the probe derived from the CVD432 plasmid associated with the aggregative adherence phenotype, the Enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin 1 gene (astA) and daaC (F1845 afimbrial adhesin) associated with the diffuse adherence (DA) phenotype. Additionally, six E. coli strains are established as antigenic test strains for six new O groups, designated O176, O177, O178, O179, O180 and O181. All six strains produced Verocytotoxin and were positive for vtx1, vtx2, or both genes. Additional virulence genes associated with diarrhoeal disease in humans were found in four of the strains. O176 and O177 strains were isolated from calves, O178 and O181 strains from meat, the O179 strain was from human bloody diarrhoea, and the O180 strain from swine. Preliminary data on the occurrence and epidemiology of these eight new O groups amongst groups of diarrhoeagenic E. coli are reviewed.