Influence of indenyl ligand substitution pattern on metallocene-catalyzed propene copolymerization with 1-octene

Copolymerization of propene with 1-octene (1 mol/1 mol) was performed in toluene at 40°C in the presence of homogeneous methylaluminoxane (MAO)-activated ansa-metallocenes in order to study the role of benzannelation and 2-methyl-substitution of the silylene-bridged bisindenyl ligand on comonomer incoporation, molecular mass, molecular mass distribution, and end groups. While 2-methyl-substitution promoted higher degree of polymerization without affecting copolymerization parameters, benzannelation improved markedly 1-octene incorporation. Only with MAO-activated rac-Me₂Si(2-MeBenz[e]Ind)₂ZrCl₂ catalysts vinylidene end groups were formed exclusively. Molecular weight distribution remains narrow in all experiments.     

Mortality patterns among hypertensives by reported level of caffeine consumption

The effect of caffeine consumption on mortality was evaluated in a historical cohort study of 10,064 diagnosed hypertensive individuals participating in the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program from 1973 to 1979. Total caffeine intake level from beverages (coffee and tea) and certain medications, was estimated at the 1-year visit. No evidence was found supporting an association between increased level of caffeine consumption and increased all-cause mortality or cardiovascular disease mortality during the following 4 years. Cigarette smoking was significantly associated with mortality; the association being more pronounced among non- and low-caffeine consumers for all-cause mortality and among non-caffeine consumers for all cardiovascular mortality except cerebrovascular mortality.     

Laboratory diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. 2. Comparison of methods for the direct detection of specific antigen or nucleic acid sequences in respiratory exudates

The efficiency of the direct detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in respiratory exudates by an antigen capture, indirect enzyme immunoassay (Ag-EIA), has been compared with its detection with a cDNA probe ('Gen-Probe assay') directed against the specific ribosomal RNA sequences of the organism ('Mycoplasma pneumoniae Rapid Diagnostic System', Gen-Probe, San Diego, California). Both assays showed excellent specificity against a range of mycoplasma species suspended in negative nasopharyngeal aspirates; only M. pneumoniae and M. genitalium reacted. In experiments with graded doses of viable M. pneumoniae cells suspended in negative nasopharyngeal aspirate, the Gen-Probe assay was more sensitive than Ag-EIA; detection limits were respectively 2 X 10(3) c.f.u./ml (3.2 X 10(5) genomes) and 2.5 X 10(4) c.f.u./ml (4 X 10(6) genomes); detection levels 10-100 times less sensitive than culture. The two assays were also tested on nasopharyngeal aspirates or sputum specimens from 90 patients with respiratory infection; 67 of these were culture- or seronegative for M. pneumoniae and 23 were culture- or seropositive. Ag-EIA detected 21 (91%) of the latter but the Gen-Probe assay detected only 5 (22%). Both assays were negative with the 67 culture-/sero-negatives; there were no Gen-Probe assay positive/Ag-EIA negatives. Overall, it is concluded that although Ag-EIA and the Gen-Probe assay are effective substitutes for culture as a diagnostic procedure, there is a significant problem with samples which are culture-negative and from patients who have good serological evidence of current infection. Possible reasons for the disparity between the two assays are advanced.     

Clinical features of bipolar disorder with and without comorbid diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Several papers have reported higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2 in patients suffering from bipolar disorder (BD). The possible links between these 2 disorders include treatment, lifestyle, alterations in signal transduction, and possibly, a genetic link. To study this relation more closely, we investigated whether there are any differences in the clinical characteristics of BD patients with and without DM. METHOD: We compared the clinical data of 26 diabetic and 196 nondiabetic subjects from The Maritime Bipolar Registry. Subjects were aged 15 to 82 years, with psychiatric diagnoses of BD I (n = 151), BD II (n = 65), and BD not otherwise specified (n = 6). The registry included basic demographic data and details on the clinical course of bipolar illness, its treatment, and physical comorbidity. In a subsequent analysis using logistic regression, we examined the variables showing differences between groups, with diabetes as an outcome variable. RESULTS: The prevalence of DM in our sample was 11.7% (n = 26). Diabetic patients were significantly older than nondiabetic patients (P < 0.001), had higher rates of rapid cycling (P = 0.02) and chronic course of BD (P = 0.006), scored lower on the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (P = 0.01), were more often on disability for BD (P < 0.001), and had higher body mass index (P < 0.001) and increased frequency of hypertension (P = 0.003). Lifetime history of treatment with antipsychotics was not significantly associated with an elevated risk of diabetes (P = 0.16); however, the data showed a trend toward more frequent use of antipsychotic medication among diabetic subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the diagnosis of DM in BD patients is relevant for their prognosis and outcome.     

Disturbed behaviour in dementia sufferers: A comparison of three nursing home settings

In order to determine whether a specialist psychogeriatric nursing home was fulfilling its intended role of caring for the most behaviourally disturbed dementia sufferers, 24 of its demented residents were compared with 28 demented individuals discharged from a psychiatric unit to ordinary nursing homes and 30 mobile dementia sufferers in nursing home wards of a geriatric centre. Those in the psychogeriatric nursing home showed more disturbed behaviours than those in the other two settings. Scores on the Rating Scale for Aggressive Behaviour in the Elderly were compared with degree of cognitive impairment for the first time in the literature and showed no correlation with degree of cognitive impairment for the first time in the literature and showed no correlation with congnitive performance.     

Alzheimer's disease: identical phenotype of familial and non-familial cases

Summary Ninety outpatients with Alzheimer's disease according to ICD-10 diagnostic draft criteria were studied to test the hypothesis that cases with a familial aggregation are different from cases without such an aggregation with respect to cognitive impairment. In all cases the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease was confirmed by prospective observation within 12 months of initial evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups: one consisting of 23 patients with a familial aggregation, the other consisting of 67 patients without secondary cases among first-degree relatives. By means oft-tests differences in impairment of cognitive functions between the groups were calculated. The results did not yield statistically significant differences between the groups for any of the neuropsychologically investigated cognitive deficits. Thus the hypothesis that the presence of a familial aggregation may lead to a distinct phenotype in Alzheimer's disease was not confirmed.     

Compound (primordial) adnexal carcinoma arising in a systematized compound epithelial nevus.

A distinctive systematized epithelial nevus and associated multifocal carcinomas of the microcystic and sclerosing sweat duct type affected the lower extremities of a 9-year-old girl. The carcinomas were well differentiated and were both adenosyringomatous and microcystic. They qualify as microcystic and compound. In both the epithelial nevi and the carcinoma, primordial potentials are recapitulated.     

Evidence that the earliest generated cells of the murine cerebral cortex form a transient population in the subplate and marginal zone.

We used bromodeoxyuridine to label the earliest generated cells of the murine cerebral cortex while they were dividing, and then observed their distributions at several instances later in development. Shortly before birth, many of the labelled cells were either above the cortical plate, in the marginal zone, or below it, in the region known as the subplate in other species. These cells had disappeared by postnatal day 21.     

Unusual presentation and clinical variability in Belgian pedigrees with progressive external ophthalmoplegia and multiple deletions of mitochondrial DNA

We studied 14 patients from three unrelated Belgian pedigrees with a familial mitochondrial disorder and multiple deletions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In one family with an oculopharyngeal presentation there is a clear autosomal dominant inheritance. Progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO), “ragged red fibres” (RRF) and multiple deletions of mtDNA are common to all three families. Therefore a diagnosis of autosomal dominant progressive ophthalmoplegia with multiple deletions of mtDNA (adPEO) was made in one family at least. Our data confirm the previous observations that adPEO is a systemic disorder rather than a pure myopathy. In our pedigrees frequently associated features include axonal peripheral neuropathy, dysphagia, psychiatric illness, and sudden death. Mild ataxia, pes cavus and mitral valve prolapse with associated mitral insufficiency also occur. In some cases onset is atypical with neuropathy, adolescent onset myopathy or psychiatric illness. In such cases the common features of PEO and muscle weakness always complete the clinical phenotype later during the course of the disease. Biochemical studies on mitochondrial fractions prepared from one patient's muscle, revealed no abnormalities of respiratory chain enzyme activities.