Parents' Views about Special Provision for their Child with Severe or Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

This paper reports on the findings of a research study, conducted via a postal questionnaire, which aimed to elicit the wishes, needs and satisfaction with special educational provision of parents of children with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties. Parents' views regarding services received, type of housing and employment preferred for their child, present and future concerns are also reported. The results indicated that the majority of parents in the sample are generally satisfied with their child's current special school placement and do not want a change of placement. However, one in five parents did indicate a desire for a change of placement, with the preferred option being a special class in an ordinary school. A priority for their child's learning is communication skills. A desire for a high level of involvement in their child's education was indicated but, on the whole, parents did not achieve as high a level as they would wish. Parents were generally satisfied with services received but a significant proportion expressed a desire for additional services. In terms of the future, the majority of parents expect that their child is unlikely to live or work independently or semi-independently as an adult. The paper concludes by discussing ways of enhancing parents' involvement in the decision-making process regarding special provision for their child.     

Percutaneous management of lymphatic fluid collections

Eight lymphatic fluid collections were drained percutaneously. There were no immediate or late complications. Seven patients had follow-up; 1 required surgical drainage of a residual or recurrent lymphocele, and another had reaccumulated fluid in a lymphocele which was detected on autopsy. The remaining lymphatic collections responded to percutaneous drainage. Percutaneous drainage is safe and can be an effective tool in the management of lymphatic collections.     

Neuropeptide levels in the basal ganglia of aged common marmosets following prolonged treatment with MPTP

Summary Aged common marmosets were treated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP; 0.5–2.0 mg/kg/week i.p.) for 16 or 24 weeks, observed for a total of 30 weeks and then killed for measurement of biochemical pramaters in basal ganglia. The MPTP treatment induced a marked depletion in dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid levels in the caudate nucleus and putamen. In contrast, the concentrations of five neuropeptides: [Met⁵]-enkephalin, [Leu⁵]-enkephalin, cholecystokinin, substance P and neurotensin as measured by a combined HPLC/RIA method, remained unaltered in all basal ganglia regions examined. Enkephalin precursor levels, as reflected by cryptic [Met⁵]-enkephalin content, were increased in the putamen, but not in the caudate nucleus, as a consequence of MPTP administration. Cryptic [Leu⁵]-enkephalin content remained unchanged in the striatum of MPTP treated marmosets. Overall, these results suggest an increase in striatal [Met⁵]-enkephalin release following chronic MPTP treatment of aged marmosets. However, the chronic treatment of aged marmosets with MPTP does not reproduce the neuropeptide alterations characteristic of Parkinson's disease.     

外伤性延迟性脾破裂的诊断和治疗（附21例报告）

目的探讨外伤性延迟性脾破裂的发病规律、临床特点、诊断和治疗方法。方法结合国内外资料及本组病例进行回顾性分析。结果明确诊断16例，误诊为肝破裂2例，宫外孕破裂2例，脾肿瘤1例。21例均手术治疗，行脾切除14例，其中保留副脾2例；脾切除加自体脾组织网膜内移植术3例；脾缝合修补术3例；脾部分切除术1例。死亡1例，原因有就诊晚、失血性休克。结论本病由于腹腔内出血与受伤时间间隔长，容易误诊。诊断除依靠病史、临床表现外，应及时进行腹腔穿刺、B超及CT检查。治疗以脾切除为主，可根据病情、脾破裂的程度以及是否有合并伤等情况采取保脾手术。     

Cross-cultural invariance of the Academic Expectations Stress Inventory: Adolescent samples from Canada and Singapore

We provide further evidence for the two-factor structure of the 9-item Academic Expectations Stress Inventory (AESI) using confirmatory factor analysis on a sample of 289 Canadian adolescents and 310 Singaporean adolescents. Examination of measurement invariance tests the assumption that the model underlying a set of scores is directly comparable across groups. This study also examined the cross-cultural validity of the AESI using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis across both the Canadian and Singaporean adolescent samples. The results suggested cross-cultural invariance of form, factor loadings, and factor variances and covariances of the AESI across both samples. Evidence of AESI's convergent and discriminant validity was also reported. Findings from t-tests revealed that Singaporean adolescents reported a significantly higher level of academic stress arising from self expectations, other expectations, and overall academic stress, compared to Canadian adolescents. Also, a larger cross-cultural effect was associated with academic stress arising from other expectations compared with academic stress arising from self expectations.     

食盐对普通玉米杂交种淀粉糊化性质的影响

采用快速粘度分析仪（RVA）研究了食盐对18种普通玉米杂交种淀粉糊化性质的影响。结果表明：食盐显著降低了所有普通玉米杂交种淀粉的峰值、破损值和回生值;提高了谷值、终粘度、出峰时间和成糊温度。但对不同的普通玉米杂交种淀粉的糊化性质的影响程度有显著差别。随着食盐溶液质量分数的增加,普通玉米杂交种淀粉的谷值、终粘度、出峰时间和成糊温度也逐渐增加,破损值和回生值则显著降低,峰值受食盐溶液质量分数的影响很小。     

Choreoacanthocytosis in a Chinese patient--a case report

A 50-year old Chinese woman with the rare neurological disorder of Choreoacanthocytosis is described. Her illness is characterised by seizures, buccolingual dyskinesia, choreiform movements, arreflexia and mild sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Acanthocytes were present in her peripheral blood in large numbers but the serum lipid profile was normal. Her features are consistent with those so far described in Caucasian and Japanese patients. The disease differs from Huntington's chorea in that there are acanthocytes, peripheral neuropathy, and metal function remains relatively intact.