Young children's knowledge of morphological and phonological rules

Twenty preschool children were given tests of their implicit knowledge of morphological and phonological rules. Scores on the two tests were not correlated, and subjects with differing knowledge of phonological rules did not differ significantly in articulatory proficiency. Children's responses and test behavior are described and discussed.     

Lipids and fatty acids and their relationship to restenosis.

One hundred consecutive patients had fasting lipids and percutaneous fat biopsy performed at the time of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty to determine if there was an association between restenosis and lipids or fatty acids. Angiographic follow-up and complete lipid and fatty acid results were available in 82 patients. Restenosis occurred in 37/82 (45%). Total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, and apolipoproteins A1 and B were not associated with restenosis. There was a significantly lower level of the monounsaturated fat palmitoleic acid (p less than 0.02), a trend towards a lower level of the monounsaturated fat oleic acid (p less than 0.09), and a trend towards a higher level of the saturated fat palmitic acid (p less than 0.08) in the restenosis group. The polyunsaturated fatty acids were not associated with restenosis. We conclude that lipids are not significantly associated with restenosis, and that lower levels of monounsaturated fatty acids may increase the risk of restenosis.     

控制和影响神经干细胞增殖分化为神经元细胞的途径及因素

目的:探讨控制和影响神经干细胞向神经元细胞转化途径的因素。资料来源:应用计算机检索Medline和cnki数据库1990-01/2006-06期间的有关神经干细胞和增殖与分化关系的文献,检索词“NSC,proliferation,differentiation”,并限定文章语言种类为English。同时计算机检索中国生物医学文献数据库1990-01/2006-06期间的相关文献,限定文章语言种类为中文,检索词“神经干细胞、增殖、分化”。资料选择:选取关于影响神经干细胞增殖与分化特别是机制方面的相关文献,删除未进行对照的试验研究的文章,然后查余下的文献全文,进一步判断是否采用对照。纳入标准:平行对照组,即未采用影响神经干细胞增殖与分化的因素或正常对照;实验组为采用干扰神经干细胞增殖与分化的因素。排除明显不随机的试验。质量评价主要考察资料的真实性,调查设计是否严密,实施过程是否严格,统计学处理是否合理。资料提炼:共检索43篇关于神经干细胞增殖与分化分别与基因调控、生长因子、细胞因子及微环境信号等因素密切相关文章,31编符合纳入标准。排除的12篇试验中,8篇是因重复的同一研究,4篇是Meta分析研究。资料综合:神经干细胞是一种具有强大的自我更新能力和多向分化潜能的细胞,它具有分化为中枢神经系统内神经元、星形胶质细胞和少突胶质细胞的能力;其增殖与分化与基因调控、生长因子、细胞因子及微环境信号等因素密切相关,基本螺旋-环-螺旋基因、凋亡相关基因Bc1-XL、sox2等参与了神经干细胞的定向分化机制,notch信号通路、过氧化物酶体增殖分化激活受体Y信号通路也影响神经干细胞的分化方向。结论:神经干细胞的增殖与分化机制尚不十分清楚,其分化及调控机制是多因素调节和多因素相互作用的结果。     

Intrinsic factors influencing post stroke brain reorganization

Reorganization of the brain, specifically the motor cortex surrounding the stroke, accounts for much of the observed neurological recovery following stroke. Not surprisingly, size of the stroke lesion has the greatest impact on neurological recovery in both animal and clinical research studies. Spontaneous recovery of lost function is possible after a cortical lesion, particularly if the lesion is small. Age correlates negatively with recovery; older individuals generally demonstrate slower and less complete recovery. However, age by itself is a poor predictor of functional recovery.     

Experimental and empirical approaches in the study of aging

Two approaches to the study of aging are contrasted. The results and implications of the gene-by-gene, hypothetico-deductive molecular genetic approach are compared with studies engendered by uniqueempirical findings. The former hypothesis-testingapproach examines the changing phenotype that resultsfrom alterations of the genome and measures therelevance of a gene by the effectiveness with which italters life-span. Investigations of empiricaldemographic and physiological puzzles that have cometo light in aging studies, examine these phenomena forthe broader understanding they bring rather than theknowledge of specific causative genetic elements.While the former hypothesis testing method requirescaution in interpretation of results and conclusions,it has been highly informative. Studies ofempirical phenomena have necessarily progressed moreslowly, but have also yielded substantial gains. Both approaches have advanced the understanding ofthe aging process from distinctly different butcomplementary viewpoints.     

Predictors of functional status at service entry and discharge among young people with first episode psychosis

Objective

Most patients with first episode psychosis (FEP) are neither studying nor employed (have a poor functional status) when first accessing care. Knowledge of the characteristics of patients with poor functioning and the features influencing functional status over time may pave the way to better treatment.

Method

A medical file audit was used to collect data on premorbid, entry, treatment and 18-month outcome characteristics on 661 FEP patients who consecutively attended the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre, Melbourne, Australia, between 1998 and 2000. Functional status was ascertained using the modified vocational status index and was rated at baseline (poor or good) and according to its evolution over the treatment period (stable good, stable poor, deteriorating or improved functional status).

Results

52.0% of patients had a poor functional status at service entry. They were more likely to be male with a non-affective psychosis. They also had lower levels of premorbid global functioning and education, and were more likely to have self-reported histories of learning disability, forensic issues, traumatic experiences and substance use. At service entry, they had more severe symptoms and poorer global functioning. 37% of these patients maintained a poor functional status at discharge, and 18% of those with a good functional status at service entry experienced a decline.

Conclusions

Although psychosocial interventions might assist a young person with FEP with working towards functional goals, for some, the impact of factors such as ongoing substance use and forensic issues on functional status needs to be addressed.

     

Longitudinal association of vascular and Alzheimer's dementias, diabetes, and glucose tolerance

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between impaired glucose tolerance and both vascular dementia and AD. BACKGROUND: Diabetes and abnormalities of glucose metabolism have been associated with stroke and poor cognitive function. In addition, glycoproteins and glycosylation have been postulated to be associated with the development of neuritic plaques characteristic of AD. METHODS: A historical prospective cohort study of Japanese-American men (n = 3,774), who were examined at ages 45 to 68 (1965 through 1968) and again at ages 71 to 93 (1991 through 1993). Measurements were obtained by clinical and home examinations: assessment of glucose intolerance (nonfasting 1 hour after glucose load) from 1965 through 1968 and history of diabetes diagnosed by a physician at examinations given from 1965 through 1968 and from 1976 through 1978. At the 1991 through 1993 examinations, the Cognitive Assessment Screening Instrument (CASI)-an instrument designed for use in cross-cultural settings combining features of the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination, the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Hasegawa Dementia Screening Scale-was used. Diagnosis and classification of AD and vascular dementia were made by a consensus panel using neuropsychologic assessment data, a neurologist's evaluation, and information from a family informant. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd ed., revised criteria were used to establish dementia, and subclassification by cause was based on other published criteria. RESULTS: No association between AD and diabetes, present either 25 or 15 years previously, was found after adjustment for age and education in a multiple regression model. A significant association was found between impaired glucose tolerance at baseline and vascular dementia (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm expected relationships between impaired glucose tolerance and stroke-related dementia but do not support an association of disordered glucose metabolism with AD.     

Discovery of novel targets of quinoline drugs in the human purine binding proteome

The quinolines have been used in the treatment of malaria, arthritis, and lupus for many years, yet the precise mechanism of their action remains unclear. In this study, we used a functional proteomics approach that exploited the structural similarities between the quinoline compounds and the purine ring of ATP to identify quinoline-binding proteins. Several quinoline drugs were screened by displacement affinity chromatography against the purine binding proteome captured with gamma-phosphate-linked ATP-Sepharose. Screening of the human red blood cell purine binding proteome identified two human proteins, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) and quinone reductase 2 (QR2). In contrast, no proteins were detected upon screening of the Plasmodium falciparum purine binding proteome with the quinolines. In a complementary approach, we passed cell lysates from mice, red blood cells, or P. falciparum over hydroxychloroquine- or primaquine-Sepharose. Consistent with the displacement affinity chromatography screen, ALDH and QR2 were the only proteins recovered from mice and human red blood cell lysate and no proteins were recovered from P. falciparum. Furthermore, the activity of QR2 was potently inhibited by several of the quinolines in vitro. Our results show that ALDH1 and QR2 are selective targets of the quinolines and may provide new insights into the mechanism of action of these drugs.     

Overview of recent literature on undergraduate ambulatory care education and a framework for future planning.

This study provides an interpretive overview of ambulatory care undergraduate education from 1979 to 1991 and identifies two major problems for medical education: (1) the difficulties inherent in the transfer of educational techniques from the hospital to the ambulatory care setting; and (2) the misuse of and lack of agreement on definitions of ambulatory care, primary care, and community-oriented primary care. The authors distinguish various types of ambulatory care and examine factors that differentiate ambulatory care and hospital sites for educating medical students, including the setting, program management, curriculum issues, evaluation, cost, faculty time, and space. Based on concepts and issues identified in the study, the authors propose a framework for planning future ambulatory care education and research.