What we know and understand about presbyopia

The major theories for presbyopia are reviewed. These date from the very earliest hypotheses to current ideas and encompass both rheological (mechanical or elastic) and optical factors. Experimental findings are presented to support or refute the theories. The onset and rate of progression of presbyopia is shown to have multifactorial influences and a substantial contribution comes from an age-related change in the refractive index gradient of the lens cortex. (Clin Exp Optom 1993; 76: 3: 83–90)     

Visual hallucinosis in non-delusional elderly

The goal of this article was to review the literature on visual hallucinations (VH) and, more specifically, the association of visual perceptual disorders with age, specific pathologies that are etiologically related to the VH, the anatomical location of the pathology, and the relation of the characteristics of the VH to the pathology and location of the lesions and, in addition, the importance of insight in the differential diagnosis of the VH. A total of 45 articles, representing 117 cases dating from 1940 to 1991, were reviewed. This review, although relying on information provided retrospectively, includes cases of VH from all disciplines and attempts to identify characteristics associated with this disorder. Our review does show an increased frequency of VH in the elderly, with almost 50% of the case reports in the past 50 years occurring in patients in their seventh and eighth decades. There was a large differential diagnosis of VH and there may be multifactorial causality. Eye pathology was the most frequent association with VH in patients over age 60 in our review, with cataracts accounting for over half of the cases reported within this group. Our review confirms that VH can occur as a result of a lesion anywhere within the visual perceptual system—from the lens to the association cortex.     

一株新型侵袭性大肠杆菌O144：H^—的鉴定

本文报告一株新型侵袭性大肠杆菌O_(144):H~-的分离与鉴定。该菌株虽不发酵卫矛醇而致病力很强,说明该项试验并不是判断致病力强弱的唯一标准。鸟氨酸脱羧酸和鼠李糖这二项生化反应对EIEC O_(144):H~-血清型也不具有特异性。该菌的检出证实可以形成健康带菌。     

青少年学生无症状性心律失常临床意义探讨

对５１例青少年学生无症状性心律失常进行临床意义分析，结果：患有病毒性心肌炎６例，占１１．８８％，中度以上心律失常１５例，占２９．７％，给与抗心律失常治疗，１４例治愈，一例因间断给药再次复发，其余３０例为单纯性室早占５９．４％。     

Familial resemblance of radial bone mass between premenopausal mothers and their college-age daughters

Summary The influences of heredity and environmental factors on radial bone mass were evaluated in 84 premenopausal mothers with their biological daughters (ages 18–22). Mid- and distal radial bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) were assessed using single-photon absorptiometry. As a group, the daughters (mean age 18.6 years) had 5–10% less bone mass at both the distal and midradial sites than their mothers (mean age 44.2 years). Familial resemblance estimates showed significant relationships between mothers and daughters for mid-and distal BMC and BMD after considering the influence of body mass index (BMI). Daughters with a maternal family history of osteoporosis had 6–7% lower but nonsignificant values of mid- (P=0.086) and distal BMC (P=0.075) compared to values of women with a negative family history, whereas mothers with a positive family history had 3–4% lower (NS) values of distal and mid-BMC compared to those of mothers with a negative family history after adjustment for BMI. Multiple regression analyses showed BMI to be the most important determinant of the bone values of the mothers, and both BMI and dietary calcium intake were found to be significant for the daughters. The findings of this study suggest that hereditary contributions from the mothers play an overwhelmingly critical role in the accrual of bone mass by their daughters by ages 18–22, but that environmental influences on bone consolidation during the premenopausal decades may be more important in promoting optimal (peak) bone mass and thereby may help to delay the postmenopausal onset of osteoporotic fractures.     

维生素E对老化肝脏枯否细胞能量代谢改变的防治研究

测定了不同月龄组（６、１２、１８和２４）大鼠离体肝脏枯否细胞（ＫＣ）葡萄糖利用能力和线粒体的能量代谢状态，以及维生素Ｅ（ＶＥ）对这种状态的影响。结果表明，１８月龄组和２４月龄组肝脏ＫＣ葡萄糖利用能力和线粒体能量代谢明显低于６月龄组，前者分别为６月龄组的８０．７％和６４．９％，后者分别为８０．５％和６７．９％。１８月龄和２４月龄ＶＥ治疗组葡萄糖利用能力和线粒体能量代谢状态均有明显改善，并以１８月龄组最明显，两者分别为正常对照的９４．７％和９７．３％。结果提示，老化对ＫＣ葡萄糖利用能力和线粒体能量代谢具有明显的负影响，ＶＥ对这种影响具有较好的预防作用。     

Towards a Better Understanding of Elderly Migrants

Occupational therapists are currently refining their skills in order to meet the needs of the growing aged population. However, it is necessary to develop even more specialised skills with respect to effective service delivery for those increasing numbers of elderly people whose first language is not English. This paper offers a demographic picture of aged migrants and attempts to describe some of the differences in lifestyle, culture and health beliefs. With this background it is possible to consider ways in which occupational therapists can offer more effective intervention.     

Radionuclide cisternography and computed tomography in 30 healthy volunteers

Summary Radiological assessments of patients with symptoms of impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation are usually based on observations of anatomical and functional alterations using computed tomography (CT) and radionuclide cisternography (RC). In order to define criteria of normality for these two techniques, 30 healthy volunteers have been studied. In the studies of CSF flow the radiopharmaceutical ^99mTc-DTPA was used and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed as a complement to planar scintigraphy. In 16 of the 30 volunteers the pattern of CSF flow was normal according to conventional criteria. In these subjects the radioactivity was symmetrically located over the parietal cortex 24 h after the injection and no intraventricular activity could be recorded. In 11 (41%) of the subjects, radioactivity could be observed in the lateral ventricles 6 h after injection. One of these subjects had a reflux of radioactivity into the lateral ventricles. The intraventricular radioactivity persisted for at least 24 h. This subject also had signs of obstruction of CSF flow over the convexities. Asymmetric distribution of radioactivity within the CSF spaces was observed in the images obtained after 6 but not 24 h in two cases. One of those also demonstrated transient intraventricular radioactivity. The results of the computed tomography were interpreted to be normal in 19 (63%) of the 30 volunteers. One subject had an asymmetric ventricular system. The CT scans of six subjects (20%) differed considerably from the others as they displayed wide cortical or vermian sulci at the borderline of normal variations. The case with the pathological RC belonged to the group of subjects who had wide sulci. He also had a wide third ventricle. No subject had dilated lateral ventricles on CT. It is concluded that transient but not persistent (up to 24 h) intraventricular reflux should be interpreted as a normal finding in radionuclide cisternography. The probable mechanism for this reflux is discussed.     

Fertilization and early embryology: Consequences of non-extrusion of the first polar body and control of the sequential segregation of homologues and chromatids in mammalian oocytes

Absence of polar body formation, or premature chromatin condensation(PCC) in human oocytes can cause infertility. We studied in-vitromaturing mouse oocytes in order to identify risk factors forsuch conditions, and for the precocious segregation of homologuesor chromatids. Treatment with the actin-binding drug cytochalasinD (10 µg/ ml) arrested oocytes in metaphase I. Upon exposureto Ca²⁺-ionophores, anaphase I was triggered in the absenceof cytokinesis. Chiasmata resolved and homologues separatedinstantaneously. In some oocytes predivision of all chromatidsoccurred. Homologues or chromatids never separated even afterexposure to Ca²⁺-ionophores when microtubules were depolymerized,although bivalents could eventually decondense. Thus, in meiosisI checkpoints exist which ensure that homologue separation onlytakes place when a metaphase I spindle is present but cytokinesisand anaphase progression can be uncoupled. Cycloheximide induceda sequential separation of homologues in oocytes with intactmetaphase I spindle, resulting in metaphase II chromosomes andbivalents in individual cells as also found in some human oocytesof aged females. In oocytes which progressed to metaphase IIbut failed to extrude a first polar body, the two sets of chromosomeseventually aligned on a common spindle (‘diploid’metaphase II). PCC of one set was never observed. Ageing invitro of cytochalasin D-blocked metaphase I oocytes had no pronouncedeffect on chromosome segregation.     

健康长寿与经济发展

健康长寿是人类社会共同的理想和追求。实现健康长寿有诸多因素，其中最为重要的是经济发展。从另一方面看，实现经济发展电需要诸多资源因素，其中包括健康长寿。劳动力是发展经济最重要的资源，劳动力资源量的多寡受人口数量和人口质量的影响，其中健康长寿可以增加劳动力资源量，有利于经济发展。分利用健康长寿与经济发展相互促进作用，不但可以促进人口与社会经济的协调发展，而且有利于应对人口老龄化挑战和实现老龄社会的可持续发展。