Über den Einfluß des Filmerlebnisses auf das Pulsverhalten von Kindern

Zusammenfassung Es wird über kontinuierliche Pulsfrequenzzählungen an 74 Kindern im Alter von 6–12 Jahren während verschiedener Märchen-und Jugendfilme berichtet. Das Untersuchungsgut umfaßte 5200 Filmminuten, wovon 4200 Filmminuten auf 4 eingehend analysierte Filme entfielen. Die Pulsfrequenzzählung wurde auf photoelektrischem, elektrokardiographischem oder sphygmographischem Wege kontinuierlich während der gesamten Filmdauer durchgeführt. Die so gewonnenen Film-Pulsdiagramme zeigten erhebliche Pulsanstiege bis um 25 Schläge über den Ausgangswert bei verschiedenen affektbetonten Szenen. Als besonders kreislaufwirksam erwiesen sich hierbei Situationen, in denen die Kinder Verlassenheit, Spannung, Schreck, Freude oder Furcht erlebten.Die Pulsfrequenzsteigerungen traten im Gegensatz zur Pulsfrequenzveränderung während körperlicher Arbeit, ähnlich wie bei Erwachsenen, nach Einsetzen der verschiedenen affektbetonten Szenen übergangslos auf, um nach Abklingen des Affektes wieder ebenso plötzlich zurückzugehen. Die Labilität des Pulses stellt demnach kein Spezifikum des Kindesalters dar. Altersspezifisch sind lediglich die Situationen, welche die für psychogene Kreislaufreaktionen typischen Affekte hervorrufen.Diese Studie wurde auf Anregung und mit freundlicher Unterstützung des Studienbüros für Jugendfragen (Direktor: Prof. Dr. H. Mieskes) durchgeführt, dem auch an dieser Stelle hierfür besonders gedankt sei.     

Synthesen bicyclisch-heterocyclischer Ringsysteme, 3. Mitt. 1-(Halogenphenyl)substituierte 4,6-Diaminopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine

Syntheses of Bicyclic Heterocycles, III: 4,6-Diamino-1-halogenophenylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines The substituted 5-amino-4-cyanopyrazoles 4a-f react with guanidine ( 5 ) on heating in ethanolic solution and yield the 4,6-diamino-1-halogenophenylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines 6a-f . The 5-amino-1-bromophenyl-4-cyanopyrazoles 4a and b , which are described here for the first time, can be obtained by the reaction of ethoxymethylenemalononitrile ( 1 ) with the hydrazine derivatives 2a and b .     

Studies of plasma viscosity in primary hyperlipoproteinaemia.

Using an Ubbelohde capillary viscometer, viscosity was determined in the plasma of 39 patients with a primary hyperlipoproteinaemia (type IIa, n=13; type IV, n=12; type IIb, n=14), in isolated lipoprotein fractions as well as in sera which differed only in their lipoprotein concentration. Plasma viscosity of the patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia was compared to that of a normolipidaemic control group and correlated with the lipid fractions characteristic of the different hyperlipoproteinaemia types. Plasma viscosity in types IIa, IV and IIb was found to be significantly higher than in the control group. Of the different hyperlipoproteinaemia types, IIa exhibited the lowest and IIb the highest plasma viscosity levels. The elevation of plasma viscosity was correlated with the concentration of lipoproteins (lipid fractions). In viscosity measurements of sera which varied only in lipoprotein concentrations, a correlation between the increase of viscosity and lipoprotein concentration as well as a greater efficiency of VLDL fractions was observed, similar to the viscosity results from isolated lipoproteins.     

Don't worry 'B' happy!: a role for GABA(B) receptors in anxiety and depression

GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, regulates many physiological and psychological processes. Thus, dysfunction of the GABA system is implicated in the pathophysiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. However, the role of GABA(B) receptors in behavioural processes related to these disorders has not been resolved. GABA(B) receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors that function as heterodimers of GABA(B(1)) and GABA(B(2)) subunits. In addition to highly selective agonists and antagonists, novel GABA(B) receptor tools have been developed recently to further assist elucidation of the role of GABA(B) receptors in CNS function. These include mice that lack functional GABA(B) receptors, and novel positive modulators of the GABA(B) receptor. In this review, we discuss evidence that points to a role of GABA(B) receptors in anxiety and depression.     

Human endogenous retrovirus (HERV)-W ENV and GAG proteins: Physiological expression in human brain and pathophysiological modulation in multiple sclerosis lesions

Antigen expression of a human endogenous retrovirus family, HERV-W, in normal human brain and multiple sclerosis lesions was studied by immunohistochemistry by three independent groups. The HERV-W multicopy family was identified in human DNA from the previously characterized multiple sclerosis-associated retroviral element (MSRV). A panel of antibodies against envelope (ENV) and capsid (GAG) antigens was tested. A physiological expression of GAG proteins in neuronal cells was observed in normal brain, whereas there was a striking accumulation of GAG antigen in axonal structures in demyelinated white matter from patients with MS. Prominent HERV-W GAG expression was also detected in endothelial cells of MS lesions from acute or actively demyelinating cases, a pattern not found in any control. A physiological expression of ENV proteins was detected in microglia in normal brain; however,a specific expression in macrophages was apparently restricted to early MS lesions. Thus, converging results from three groups confirm that GAG and ENV proteins encoded by the HERV-W multicopy gene family are expressed in cells of the central nervous system under normal conditions. Similar to HERV-W7q ENV (Syncitin), which is expressed in placenta and has been shown to have a physiological function in syncytio-trophoblast fusion, HERV-W GAG may thus also have a physiological function in human brain. This expression differs in MS lesions, which may either reflect differential regulation of inherited HERV-W copies, or expression of "infectious" MSRV copies. This is compatible with a pathophysiological role in MS, but also illustrates the ambivalence of such HERV antigens, which can be expressed in cell-specific patterns, under physiological or pathological conditions.     

Allocentric and egocentric spatial impairments in a case of topographical disorientation

We describe a patient with a topographical disorientation after a stroke of the right mediotemporooccipital lobe including the parahippocampal cortex (PHC). Clinical observations and neuropsychological testing reveal an impairment of allocentric spatial representations as well as impairments of visuospatial learning and memory. These findings are in accordance with the well-known function of the PHC in topographical disorientation. As a new finding, results from oculomotor tasks show additional impairments of the egocentric spatial coordinate frame suggesting that in topographical disorientation due to a lesion of the right mediotemporooccipital lobe not only allocentric but also egocentric visuospatial functions are disturbed.     

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff

BACKGROUND: Low-energy extracorporeal shock wave therapy is an alternative treatment, with limited evidence for effectiveness, for calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff. HYPOTHESIS: Objective localization of the calcium deposit by 3-dimensional, computer-assisted navigation reveals superior clinical and radiographic outcomes compared to localization through patient-to-therapist feedback. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial; Level of evidence, 1. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, single-blind study was carried out on 50 patients. The population was divided into 2 groups of equal numbers (navigation group and feedback group). In all patients, treatment-resistant pain was evident for longer than 6 months. A total of 3 therapy sessions of constant low-energy focused shock wave therapy was administered in weekly intervals in both groups. Local anesthesia was not applied. Radiographs and clinical assessment, including the Constant and Murley shoulder scoring system and the visual analog scale for pain, were performed both before therapy and after 12 weeks. In the navigation group, the calcium deposit was localized using a radiographically guided, 3-dimensional, computer-assisted device. The feedback group was treated after locating the point of maximum tenderness through palpation by the therapist with feedback from the patient. RESULTS: Both groups had significant improvements in the Constant and Murley score and the visual analog scale after 12 weeks. The results from the navigation group were statistically significantly superior to those of the feedback group. In the navigation group, 6 calcium deposits disappeared and 9 altered, compared to 1 disappearance and 12 alterations in the feedback group. No severe complications occurred. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional, computer-assisted navigation reveals significantly better results and is therefore recommended when extracorporeal shock wave therapy is used in the treatment of calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff.     

Lack of association between Connexin 31 (GJB3) alterations and sensorineural deafness in Austria

Mutations in the gap junction protein beta 3 (GJB3) gene encoding Connexin 31 (Cx31) are known to cause autosomal inherited sensorineural deafness, erythrokeratodermia and neuropathy. The role of Cx31 mutations has not been described in familial cases of non-syndromic hearing impairment (NSHI) in central European populations. To identify mutations in the Austrian population, highly selected familial (n=24) and sporadic (n=21) cases of isolated NSHI were screened by analysis of the complete coding sequence of Cx31, after exclusion of a common Cx26 causing deafness. Three different variations occurring in a total of 37% of all cases were identified. A C94T (R32W) missense mutation was seen in 4.4% of cases and two silent alterations C357T and C798T were detected in 8.9% and 24.4% of cases exclusively in a heterozygous pattern. No correlation between Cx31 alterations and deafness was found. To investigate the role of heterozygous Cx31 variations for a possibly combination allelic disease inheritance with Cx26 mutations as shown for Connexin 30 and Connexin 26, patients with Cx26 variations were tested. Our data suggest that Cx31 alterations are common but have no or a low genetic relevance in the Austrian hearing impaired population with or without Cx26 alterations.     

A novel connexin 26 mutation associated with autosomal recessive sensorineural deafness

Mutations in the connexin 26 (Cx26) gene (GJB2) are a common cause of hereditary hearing impairment which affects approximately 1 in 2000 newborn children. We report the identification of a novel Cx26 point mutation (439 G-->A) linked to familial, autosomal recessive, sensorineural hearing loss. This missense mutation (E147K) is located in the highly conserved, putative K(+) channel lining sequence of the third transmembrane domain (TM3) of Cx26. Hearing impairment associated with this mutation was congenital, moderate to profound and showed no signs of progressive deterioration.     

Author Index

Authors Index

Author Index