Size Sequencing as a Window on Executive Control in Children with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome

A study is reported in which size sequencing on a touch screen is used as a measure of executive control in 20 high-functioning children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The data show a significant and age-independent effect of the length of sequence that can be executed without errors by these children, in comparison with a chronologically age-matched group of children with normal development. Error data and reaction times are analysed and are interpreted as revealing a constraint on the prospective component of working memory in children on the autistic spectrum even when there is no change in goal or perceptual set. It is concluded that the size sequencing paradigm is an effective measure of executive difficulties associated with autism.     

Purification of human intestinal diamine oxidase

Inflammation Research -     

Acquired infundibular stenosis

Acquired infundibular stenosis is an unusual complication resulting in pancalyceal obstruction. We have cared for 6 patients with acquired infundibular stenosis not associated with tuberculosis. All patients had urinary diversion with ileal conduits for a minimum of eleven years and documented ileal-ureteral reflux and chronic urinary tract infections. The clinical, radiographic, and pathologic characteristics of this syndrome are described and therapeutic guidelines suggested.     

Mortality among chemical workers at Texas City plant: 1940–2001

Objectives  To evaluate the mortality experience of workers at a major chemical manufacturing site and to examine brain and liver cancers excesses reported at this site in previous studies. Methods  This study included 9,730 employees at the Texas City location who worked between 1940 and 2001. Standardized mortality ratios and confidence intervals were calculated. Results  There was less than expected deaths due to all cause mortality and no increase in all cancer mortality. Brain tumor mortality, which did exceed expected rates in past years, was at expected levels in recent years. Liver cancer mortality was greater than expected. Conclusion  Brain tumor mortality was either due to chance in the early years or the cause of the brain tumors has been eliminated. Mortality due to liver cancer is higher than expected but only among men hired before 1950. Eugenio Salazar is deceased.     

Body mass index, weight loss, and mortality in community-dwelling older adults

BACKGROUND: The relationship between body mass index (BMI), weight loss, and mortality in older adults is not entirely clear. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the associations between BMI, weight loss (either intentional or unintentional), and 3-year mortality in a cohort of older adults participating in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Study of Aging. METHODS: This article reports on 983 community-dwelling older adults who were enrolled in the UAB Study of Aging, a longitudinal observational study of mobility among older African American and white adults. RESULTS: In both raw and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models, unintentional weight loss and underweight BMI were associated with elevated 3-year mortality rates. There was no association with being overweight or obese on mortality, nor was there an association with intentional weight loss and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that undernutrition, as measured by low BMI and unintentional weight loss, is a greater mortality threat to older adults than is obesity or intentional weight loss.     

Sonographic investigation of the temporomandibular joint in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether there are any correlations between the clinical parameters of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthritis and pathologic ultrasound (US) findings of the TMJ in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: We conducted prospective clinical and US investigations of the TMJs of 48 patients with JIA. The US investigation was performed by a 12-MHz high-resolution transducer, which was positioned parallel to the ramus of the mandible overlying the zygomatic arch in a closed-mouth position and maximum open-mouth position. RESULTS: Patients with > or = 5 peripheral affected joints showed significantly more sonographically diagnosed destructive changes in the TMJ than did patients with <5 affected joints. There was no significance between the number of affected peripheral joints and disc dislocation in the closed-mouth position. In the maximum open-mouth position, there was a significant correlation between the number of affected peripheral joints and disc dislocation. Patients with a JIA duration >23 months had a significantly higher rate of disc dislocation and destructive changes. Patients with a JIA duration >60 months had a significantly higher rate of destructive changes of the TMJ than patients with a disease duration <60 months, but no statistical significance was found concerning disc dislocation. CONCLUSION: The significant correlation between pathologic sonographic findings, duration of JIA, and the number of affected peripheral joints make the technique interesting for use as a diagnostic screening method.     

Effect of donor age on cultivation of human oral mucosal keratinocytes

Cultured mucosal grafts (CMG) are among recently developed biological grafting materials to cover large oral mucosal defects following resection of mucosal pathology. This study evaluates the effect of donor's age on the cultivation process of oral mucosal keratinocytes for grafting. Human mucosal epithelial cells were utilized and classified into three donor age groups: 3-30 years (14 patients); 31-60 years (9 patients); and >60 years (6 patients) (11 males and 18 females). Isolation and cultivation of oral mucosal keratinocytes were according to Rheinwald and Green [Cell 6 (1975) 331], originally developed for epidermal keratinocytes. Isolated primary cell lines were seeded and cultivated. Propagation of cell lines ("passages"), time period required to reach confluence, yield of cells and plating efficiency were recorded. All cells propagated well up to the fourth passage. Thereafter, a decline was observed and was more distinct with age. Period to confluence was longer among the old age group. Yield of cells in fourth passage was high among the young age group and decreased with age. Plating efficiency in passages 4-6 decreased with age. These results suggest that age-related changes in cultivation of oral keratinocytes are not general phenomena, but rather limited to the donor age of 60 years and above. In this age group all the parameters studied were adversely affected. Oral mucosal keratinocytes may be a useful model for oral aging.