Do phonologic and rapid automatized naming deficits differentially affect dyslexic children with and without a history of language delay? A study of Italian dyslexic children.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to verify whether phonologic and rapid automatized naming (RAN) deficits are present and associated in Italian dyslexic children and whether they differentially affect dyslexics with and without a history of previous language delay (LD). BACKGROUND: According to the phonologic core deficit hypothesis, dyslexia may stem from impairment of the representation and manipulation of phonemes and may be closely associated with oral language deficits. However, deficits in tasks not requiring fine-grained phonologic representations, such as RAN, have also been described in dyslexic children. METHODS: Thirty-seven children were selected on the basis of a reading deficit and were assigned to 2 groups according to whether or not they had a history of early LD as determined retrospectively by parental report. A battery of reading and writing, verbal working memory, metaphonologic, RAN, and visual search tests were administered. RESULTS: RAN deficits were shared by most dyslexics (with and without a history of LD), whereas phonologic deficits were mainly associated with a previous LD. This last condition did not result in a more profound impairment of reading and writing decoding skills. CONCLUSION: In a shallow orthography such as Italian, RAN, not phonologic deficits, may represent the main cognitive marker of developmental dyslexia.     

Plasma levels of neuropeptides in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: In the central nervous system, several neuropeptides are believed to be involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Indeed, previous studies have documented that glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) possesses neurotropic properties and can reduce amyloid-beta peptide levels in the brain in vivo. Moreover, the concentrations of neuropeptide Y (NPY) seem to be altered in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with AD and in subjects with major depression. Finally, among the modifications induced by aging, a dysregulation of the ghrelin-growth hormone (GH) system has been reported. METHODS: We investigated the plasma concentrations of these neuropeptides in 14 subjects with AD. Data obtained from these patients were compared with data from an age- and weight-matched healthy group. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the two groups in relation to plasma levels of GLP-1, NPY, ghrelin and GH. Peripheral NPY concentrations were positively correlated with ghrelin levels in both groups, and with plasma GLP-1 concentration only in controls. CONCLUSION: On the basis of our results, peripheral levels of these neuropeptides seem not to serve as biochemical markers of AD.     

糖化血红蛋白及糖化血清蛋白与糖尿病肾功能衰竭患者的血糖监测

糖化血红蛋白(Hb)A1c是血糖监测的苇要指标,反映检测前2～3个月的平均血糖水平.慢性肾功能衰竭(CRF)患者存在贫血、酸中毒、氧化应激、胰岛素抵抗、血液透析及促红细胞生成素(EPO)的应用等因素,对HbA1c的测定会造成影响.糖化血清蛋白(GSP)反映检测前2～3周的平均血糖水平,仅受血浆蛋白的影响,几乎不受血红蛋白和EPO治疗等以上因素的影响,且对短时间内的血糖变化更为敏感.将GSP作为糖尿病肾功能衰竭患者血糖监测指标可能比HbA1c更理想.     

Intracranial tumors of the first year of life

The introduction of new diagnostic tools for neuroimaging has resulted in the early recognition of congenital brain tumors. In the present report we describe a personal series of 39 children and an International Multicenter Series of 876 children with brain tumors, in whom the diagnosis was obtained during the first 12 months of life. Most of the tumors were located within the supratentorial compartment. In spite of a relatively high operative mortality, surgery still appears to be the more effective therapy. Radiotherapy in this age group is of a scarce value, due to the vulnerability of the infantile brain. At the present time, chemotherapy still plays a controversial role.     

A Clinical Study of Reversing Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Hypertensive Patients by Adalat

ＡＣｌｉｎｉｃａｌＳｔｕｄｙｏｆＲｅｖｅｒｓｉｎｇＬｅｆｔＶｅｎｔｒｉｃｕｌａｒＨｙｐｅｒｔｒｏｐｈｙｉｎＨｙｐｅｒｔｅｎｓｉｖｅＰａｔｉｅｎｔｓｂｙＡｄａｌａｔＺｈａｎｇＦｕｍｉｎ（张馥敏）ＸｕＤｉ（许迪）ＹｏｎｇＹｏｎｇｈｏｎｇ（雍永宏）Ｃｈｅｎ...     

Role of cellular retinoic acid binding protein (cRABP) in patients with large bowel cancer

The presence of cellular retinoic acid binding protein (cRABP) was analyzed in 13 consecutive patients with large bowel cancer (one right colon and 12 rectum-sigmoid, classified as three Duke B, eight C, and two D). Specimens of neoplastic tissue and of adjacent mucosa were obtained at surgery, and cRABP was determined by an assay based on incubation of partially purified cytosol with labeled retinoic acid and ultracentrifugation in sucrose density gradients. Sixty-one percent of tumors contained detectable levels of cRABP, whereas 58.3% of normal mucosal specimens were positive for cRABP. Among the positive tumors 62.5% contained cRABP also in the corresponding mucosa; in the group of cRABP-negative tumors, 40% showed cRABP in the adjacent mucosa. No correlation could be established with the grading or the stage of the tumors; however, interestingly, 100% (three cases) of gelatinous carcinomas were cRABP positive. Since cRABP seems to be a character of neoplastic cells contrary to normal ones, it would be interesting to investigate the conditions that influence the presence of this protein in normal appearing mucosa adjacent to carcinoma.