Kindergarten children's representation and understanding of written number symbols

Two samples of kindergarten children's representation and understanding of written number symbols were examined in two time points in one academic year. About 85% of Chinese five year olds (mean = 5 years 10 months) were able to use conventional number symbols to represent the quantity of 30 or larger. At the end of the kindergarten year, 94% of Chinese six year olds (mean = 6 years 4 months) were able to use conventional number symbols to represent the quantity of 100 or larger. Some Chinese six year olds had problems in representing written addition and subtraction tasks. Children's ability to represent written number symbols, ability to represent written addition and subtraction formula and their performance on written addition and subtraction were closely related. The performance of children in a university-affiliated childcare center was better than that of the center serving working-class families in Time 1, but the performance reversed at the end of the kindergarten year.     

Counterfactual (‘if only’) thinking in women with chronic widespread pain

The study explored the counterfactual thinking that women with chronic and widespread pain showed in response to what they themselves considered to be particularly stressful situations. Counterfactual thinking in 125 women sick‐listed due to chronic and widespread pain was investigated in terms of structure, function and control focus. The women were asked, for each of three types of problems that they indicated in a questionnaire to affect them most strongly, to describe a typical occurrence of it and to complete a counterfactual sentence in connection with it of the type ‘If only . . .’. The majority of counterfactuals pertained to predominantly somatic problems (e.g. musculo‐skeletal problems, pain and fatigue) classified as being affective rather than preparative and self‐focused rather than external, whereas in counterfactuals relating to predominantly psychological/psychosocial problems a preparative function and an external focus were more prominent. The numbers of problems listed and the numbers of situations responded to counterfactually were positively correlated. The counterfactuals, although often related to somatic problems, generally concerned psychological or psychosocial matters such as finances and paid or unpaid work. A contextual approach to elucidating counterfactual thinking based on subjects' own experiences is seen as providing valuable insight into what bothers them most. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pathophysiological aspects of brain edema

Summary Two mayor types of brain edema, related to two different pathomechanisms, can be recognized: 1)cytotoxic type-where the main feature is the swelling of cellular elements of brain parenchyma and 2)vasogenic type-where an increased vascular permeability leading to accumulation of edema fluid inthe extracellular spaces plays the principal role. In this type of edema, there is a close interrelationship between extravasation of serum proteins and retention of water in the brain tissue. In theischemic brain edema both cytotoxic and vasogenic mechanisms are involved. A biphasic opening of the blood-brain barrier, associated with vasogenic edema, is observed following release of major cerebral artery occlusion. The first opening of the barrier is related to a reactive hyperemia which follows promptly recirculation. The second opening, recognizable after a delay, is associated with a severe ischemic brain tissue injury.Dedicated to Prof. F. Seitelberger on the occasion of his seventieth birthday     

Perugia urodynamic method of analysis (PUMA): a new advanced method of urodynamic analysis applied clinically and compared with other advanced methods.

AIMS: The aim of this study is to compare PUMA curves with different pathologic conditions causing bladder dysfunction in 158 men and 83 women. METHODS: PUMA results in terms of bladder outlet obstruction and detrusor contractility were compared in 92 men with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and p(ves) congruent with p(det) (i.e., p(abd) congruent with 0) with the results of the urodynamics operator's opinion, the provisional International Continence Society method, Abrams and Griffith's diagram, urethral resistence factor (URA), Sch?fer's diagram, and Watt factor. PUMA curves correlated reliably with different pathologic conditions such as obstructive BPH, orthotopic bladder, cystocele, the neurological bladder, and bladder diverticulum. Statistical analysis indicated excellent agreement between PUMA and URA; agreement with other methods was good in cases of obstruction and nonobstruction. In doubtful cases, as diagnosed by standard methods, PUMA agreed only with the Abrams and Griffith's diagram. PUMA and Wmax were in good agreement on detrusor con traction force. Agreement between PUMA and Sch?fer's diagram was excellent for patients with detrusor hypercontractility and good for patients with detrusor hypocontractility and normocontractility. PUMA is the only method applicable to women. It is easy to perform. When integrated with other diagnostic tests, it provides realistic data for diagnosis, medical or surgical therapy, and outcome.     

Fat and water separation in balanced steady-state free precession using the Dixon method.

In this work the feasibility of separating fat and water signals using the balanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) technique is demonstrated. The technique is based on the observation (Scheffler and Hennig, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2003;49:395-397) that at the nominal values of TE = TR/2 in SSFP imaging, phase coherence can be achieved at essentially only two orientations (0 degrees and 180 degrees ) relative to the RF pulses in the rotating frame, under the assumption of TR < T2, and independently of the SSFP angle. This property allows in-phase and out-of-phase SSFP images to be obtained by proper choices of the center frequency offset, and thus allows the Dixon subtraction method to be utilized for effective fat-water separation. The TR and frequency offset for optimal fat-water separation are derived from theories. Experimental results from healthy subjects, using a 3.0 Tesla system, show that nearly complete fat suppression can be accomplished.     

TEN YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN LOW VISION PRACTICE

The Low Vision Clinic at the Palmerston North Hospital has now been oerating for 70 years. Over the course of these ten years a number of factors have emerged which can be as readily applied to general ophthalmological practice as to low vision practice. The philosophy of low vision care is one of which all ophthalmologists should be aware and includes factors to be taken into account when dealing with children, people in the workplace, and everyday factors involved in daily living activities, all of which are equally relevant in routine ophthalmological practice. This paper endeavours to share some thoughts on these factors and also discusses means by which the visually handicapped can be helped in areas where specialist low vision services are not readily available.     

老年人急性阑尾炎的腹腔镜手术治疗

目的 探讨老年人急性阑尾炎的临床特点，更好地把握腹腔镜阑尾切除（LA）术的方法和特点。方法 回顾分析50例老年人急性阑尾炎LA的临床资料。结果 LA均获成功，患者全部治愈，无严重的并发症发生，肠功能恢复时间及住院时间均缩短。结论 老年人反应迟钝，阑尾炎进展快，易发生坏疽及穿孔，合并症多，手术风险较高，LA是安全、可行的，除个别腹膜后阑尾炎外，其余均可施行LA。