Book Reviews

Abstract

Hart, S. &; Semple, J.M. (1990). Neuropsychology and the dementias. Hove: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Pp. 343. ISBN 0-86377-196-3. £29.95 (hardback). ISBN 0-86377-197-1. $14.95 (paperback).

Forchhammer, H. (Ed.) (1990). Luria lectures: Soviet contributions of 1990. Copenhagen: Hans Reitzels Forlag. Pp. 100. ISBN 87-412-2992-3. DKK 143,44.

Katz, S., &; Florian, V. (Eds.). (1990). Returning the individual with traumatic brain injury to the community. International Exchange of Experts and Information in Rehabilitation, Monograph 50. Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire Press. Pp. 81. US$10.OO.     

Study of 40-year glacier retreat in the northern region of the Cordillera Vilcanota,Peru, using satellite images: preliminary results

In this article, the possibility of using a Landsat image series to calculate the decadal changes in the area of mountain glaciers in the eastern cordillera of Peru is explored. In the pilot study site, changes in the glacier area at different elevation ranges to understand the altitudinal gradients and the directional properties of glacier retreat during the period 1975–2015 were calculated. This approach can be used in the entire tropical Andes, particularly in the outer tropics, depending on the availability of cloud-free images during the dry season. Similar to other regions in the tropical Andes, glaciers situated below 5000 m a.s.l. have lost nearly 81% of the initial area. It is observed that those glaciers directed towards north-east and east shows higher retreat and this may influence the glacier-fed rivers in the Amazon Basin. Future research will estimate the glacier variations in the entire eastern cordilleras and the corresponding changes in the water discharge volume in the Amazon Basin.     

Effect of Isomorphous Substitution on the Thermal Decomposition Mechanism of Hydrotalcites

Hydrotalcites have many important applications in catalysis, wastewater treatment, gene delivery and polymer stabilization, all depending on preparation history and treatment scenarios. In catalysis and polymer stabilization, thermal decomposition is of great importance. Hydrotalcites form easily with atmospheric carbon dioxide and often interfere with the study of other anion containing systems, particularly if formed at room temperature. The dehydroxylation and decomposition of carbonate occurs simultaneously, making it difficult to distinguish the dehydroxylation mechanisms directly. To date, the majority of work on understanding the decomposition mechanism has utilized hydrotalcite precipitated at room temperature. In this study, evolved gas analysis combined with thermal analysis has been used to show that CO₂ contamination is problematic in materials being formed at RT that are poorly crystalline. This has led to some dispute as to the nature of the dehydroxylation mechanism. In this paper, data for the thermal decomposition of the chloride form of hydrotalcite are reported. In addition, carbonate-free hydrotalcites have been synthesized with different charge densities and at different growth temperatures. This combination of parameters has allowed a better understanding of the mechanism of dehydroxylation and the role that isomorphous substitution plays in these mechanisms to be delineated. In addition, the effect of anion type on thermal stability is also reported. A stepwise dehydroxylation model is proposed that is mediated by the level of aluminum substitution.     

Age-related differences in distractor interference on line bisection

Using a bisection paradigm, we investigated age-related differences in susceptibility to distractor interference. Older and younger participants were asked to bisect a horizontal line flanked by a pair of distractors, placed in either left or right hemispace. The results showed that (1) in both groups the distractors interfered with line bisection so that the localization of subjective midpoint was selectively shifted away from their position; (2) the shifting of subjective midpoint was greater in the older than in the younger group when the distractors were placed in the left hemispace. We suggest that the increase of the bisection bias in the older group depends on changes in attentional mechanisms involved in inhibiting irrelevant information.     

The Role of Optical Coherence Tomography in Clarifying the Mechanisms for Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography‐Induced Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a clinical disorder characterized by a transient dilatation and akynesis or dyskinesis of the left ventricular (LV) apex, mimicking an anterior wall acute myocardial infarction in the absence of significant coronary artery disease (CAD). It typically occurs during an episode of severe emotional or physical stress. Recent reports suggested the potential of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in inducing the aforementioned syndrome. The transient dysfunction of the LV does not fit any known coronary distribution. Furthermore, there is no obstructive CAD demonstrated at angiography to account for the observed dysfunction. Consequently, the pathophysiology of this syndrome is still undetermined. Here, we report a case of DSE‐induced Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in which high‐resolution intracoronary imaging was utilized to exclude possible vessel alterations to help provide potential mechanistic explanations for the development of this condition.