Do children with autism have March birthdays?

One hundred people with autistic disorder (DSM-III-R) without a known cause who comprised a total population of children with autism were compared with "autistic-like" children, Asperger syndrome and age-matched comparison children from the general population and were examined with regard to month of birth. There was an excess of March birth in the group of children with autism. The possible reasons for this finding are discussed.     

Selective Mutistn: A Population-based Study: A Research Note

Seven-year-olds to 15-year-olds in 2 school districts of Göteborg, Sweden, were screened for selective mutism by their teachers and follow-up was achieved for a full school year. Three girls and 2 boys met DSM-IV criteria for selective mutism and a further 25 had a combination of shyness and reticence that did not amount to clinical disorder. The rate of typical selective mutism was 18 in 10,000 children. Shyness/reticence occurred in 89 in 10,000 children. Selective mutism was more common than suggested by earlier studies. Teachers of school age children need to be better informed about its existence.     

Heterogeneity in the ultrastructure of the mucous (goblet) cells of the rabbit palpebral conjunctiva

Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess objectively the ultrastructure of the secretory granules in rabbit conjunctival mucin‐producing ‘goblet’ cells. Method: The upper eyelids from five young adult dioestrous female rabbits were dissected out, stretched onto a cardboard support and prepared for transmission electron microscopy by repeated application of an isotonic two per cent glutaraldehyde fixative at room temperature. Post‐fixation treatment included osmium tetroxide and staining with uranyl acetate and lead citrate. Low magnification micrographs were taken of the goblet cells of the conjunctiva, printed at a magnification of approximately 6,000 and the number, size and features of the secretory granules assessed. Results: Across the entire palpebral conjunctiva of ail five rabbits, the majority of mucous cells displayed a goblet shape and the secretory granules were uniformly pale in staining. The average width of the goblet cells was 10.8 ± 1.1 μm and the diameter of the secretory granules was 0.82 ± 0.16 μm. However, in localised regions across the palpebral conjunctiva of two of the rabbits, some goblet cells were different in that the secretory granules had either a denser‐staining core, in which some of the granules were densely staining (while others were pale) or most of the granules were densely staining. These mucous cells had an average diameter of 10.3 ± 1.7 μm and the granule diameters averaged 0.88 ± 0.01 μm. For these abnormal goblet cells, inflammatory cells were found in their immediate vicinity. Occasionally, goblet cells were seen to be in the process of degranulation with associated apparent cell necrosis and the mucin granule diameter was close to 1 μm. Conclusions: The ultrastructure of the mucin‐containing secretory granules of the conjunctival mucous cells is not necessarily homogeneous in character and further attention needs to be given to the effects of localised inflammation in the tissue and to possible hormonal influences.     

Selectivity of oxymetazoline for urethral pressure vs blood pressure in the anaesthetized female rabbit

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test alpha-adrenergic reference agonists for tissue selectivity in the urethra and to pharmacologically characterize the functional alpha-adrenoceptor type of the female rabbit urethra in vivo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The effect of alpha-adrenergic agonists and antagonists on the urethral pressure was compared with that on blood pressure and heart rate measured simultaneously in the anaesthetized female rabbit. RESULTS: Oxymetazoline, NS-49, phenylephrine and phenylpropanolamine enhanced the urethral pressure in a dose-dependent manner. Phenylephrine and phenylpropanolamine also enhanced the blood pressure with significantly lower ED50 (dose that gives half of the maximal enhancing effect) values than for the urethral pressure. This was in contrast to oxymetazoline and NS-49. The ED50 values for oxymetazoline on urethral pressure, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 0.00067, 0.0030 and 0.0020 mg/kg, respectively. The ED50 values for NS-49 on urethral pressure, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 0.019, 0.21 and 0.18 mg/kg, respectively. Clonidine and UK 14,304 had no effect on urethral or blood pressure. The oxymetazoline-evoked increase in urethral pressure was inhibited by WB-4101 with an ID50 (dose that gives half of the inhibitory effect) significantly lower than that for rauwolscine. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that in the female rabbit in vivo activation of alpha1-adrenoceptors increased the urethral pressure. Phenylephrine and phenylpropanolamine, in contrast to oxymetazoline and NS-49, selectively enhanced blood pressure as compared with urethral pressure. Provided that the present results also have validity in humans, it would seem possible to develop urethra-selective drugs for treatment of stress incontinence with few or no cardiovascular side-effects.     

γ-去氢骆驼蓬碱等咔啉类生物碱的辐射防护作用

γ- Harmine(Ⅰ),’harmine(Ⅱ )and harmaline(Ⅲ )were isolated from PeganumHarmala L.( Zygophylaceae).Tests were conducted with mice to detect whether γ- harmine( a newcompound), harmine,harmof(Ⅳ)and harmalol(Ⅴ) are effective radioprotective compounds againstγ-ray irradiation, Intraperitoneal injection of the hydrochlorides of the four alkaloids 50～80mg·kg^-1×1 in NIH male mice 30～45 minutes before 8.6～9. 7 Gy whole body ⁶⁰Co irradiationsignificantly increased the survival effects(1. 33～2. 61)and 30-day survivai rate in comparison withcontrol mice.The results indicatethat γ- harmine exhibited relatively good radioprotective effect.γ-harmine is the first alkaloid isolated from a plant having ptotective effects against whole-body lethal irradiation in mice.