Contributions of occipital and temporal brain regions to visual and acoustic imagery--a spect study

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was assessed by means of HMPAO-SPECT in two experimental groups. In a control condition both groups listened to abstract words, in the experimental condition they heard five names of objects. One group was advised to form visual images of the objects, the other group was advised to form acoustic images of the sounds made by these objects. Post-experimental questionnaires revealed that most of the subjects in the acoustic imagery condition had had visual images in addition to the acoustic ones. Both imagery conditions lead to approximately equal increases of rCBF in the left inferior occipital region and in the left thalamus. Flow increases in both hippocampal regions and the right inferior and superior temporal regions were larger in the acoustic than in the visual imagery condition. It is concluded that only the activation of left inferior occipital and left thalamic regions can be interpreted as being related to modality-specific visual aspects of imagery.     

用混合粘合剂碳糊电极测定丁螺环酮

用混合粘合剂碳糊电极测定丁螺环酮张正奇，曾鸽鸣，刘传桂，黎艳飞（湖南大学化学化工系，长沙４１００８２）碳糊电极无毒，制作方便，表面更新容易，应用电位范围广，在药物分析中已有应用［１～５］。我们在液体石腊中加入添加剂，组成混合粘合剂，可显著改善电极的检...     

Neuropsychological function in restrained versus unrestrained motor vehicle occupants who suffer Closed Head Injury

It is known that using seatbelts reduces the incidence and severity of closed head injury CHI from motor vehicle crashes. One would expect unrestrained occupants in motor vehicle crashes to suffer more severe CHIs than restrained occupants, as reflected by Glasgow Coma Scale GCS scores. One might also expect an increased risk of focal injury due to contact forces in unrestrained occupants. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that failure to use seatbelts results in increased severity of neuropsychological sequelae, even with GCS controlled. We also examined the impact of demo graphic variables on seatbelt use. Subjects included patients admitted to a hospital trauma service who were suspected of having suffered CHI. All patients completed neuropsychological testing, which was entered into a data base along with demographic and clinical information. People who had docu mented use of seatbelt restraints were compared with those who were unrestrained. Results confirmed that certain demographic variables are associated with the use of seatbelts. Results also suggested that failure to use seatbelt restraints is associated with more severe impairment on tests that are sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction.     

Viral infections in the mouth

Oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL) and Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) are commonly encountered in the HIV-infected patient. A unique feature of OHL is non-cytolytic high level of replication of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) in the glossal epithelium. The expression of viral-encoded anti-apoptotic proteins concomitant to replicative proteins probably underlies this phenomenon. The question of whether OHL arises from activation of EBV latent in the tongue, or from superinfection by endogenous EBV shed via non-glossal sites or by exogenous EBV remains unresolved. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) is now seen as necessary but not sufficient cause of KS. Expression of HHV8-encoded oncogenic proteins in endothelial cells probably explains the aberrant proliferation of these cells in KS lesions. Studies into why KS is so commonly observed at the palate in HIV-infected patients may provide important clues to its pathogenesis.     

Endocarditis caused by Gemella haemolysans

Summary Gemella haemolysans, a coccus related to theStreptococcaceae, was isolated from the blood of a patient with endocarditis. The patient was successfully treated with a combination of penicillin G and tobramycin, followed by clindamycin. The taxonomy of this organism, especially its relationship toStreptococcus morbillorum is discussed and previously reported cases ofGemella infections are reviewed.

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Endokarditis durch Gemella haemolysans

Zusammenfassung Aus Blutkulturen einer Patientin mit einer Endokarditis wurde einGemella haemolysans-Stamm angezüchtet, ein zu denStreptococcaceae gehöriges Bakterium. Die Patientin konnte mit einer Kombination von Penicillin G und Tobramycin sowie anschließender Clindamycin-Therapie erfolgreich behandelt werden. Die Taxonomie des Erregers, insbesondere seine Verwandtschaft zuStreptococcus morbillorum, wird diskutiert und eine Übersicht über kürzlich beschriebeneGemella-Infektionen gegeben.

     

Blinded, Externally Controlled Multicenter Evaluation of Light Microscopy and PCR for Detection of Microsporidia in Stool Specimens

The quality parameters for the detection of microsporidia in identical sets of 50 stool samples were determined for six laboratories where technicians used light microscopy and for six laboratories where technicians used PCR. The average overall sensitivities were 67% (89% for patient samples only) for the PCR laboratories and 54% (80% for patient samples only) for the light microscopy laboratories. Specificities were 98 and 95%, respectively. Differences in results were most apparent between the individual laboratories rather than between the two major methods used.     

Ribosomal RNA of Nosema algerae and phylogenetic relationship to other microsporidia

Microsporidia are intracellular parasites that are common in invertebrates. Taxonomic classification is mostly restricted to morphologic and physiologic data. Limited data are available about taxonomic classification using DNA-sequence data for analysis. We examined the small-subunit (SSU) rDNA, the intergenic spacer (ITS) region, and a part of the large-subunit (LSU) rDNA of Nosema algerae, a parasite of mosquitoes, taken from a laboratory colony of Anopheles stephensi. Target gene amplifications were done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and, after cloning, DNA fragments were sequenced. The SSU-rDNA sequence obtained was aligned with several other microsporidian SSU-rDNA sequences available from the GenBank or EMBL data bases and was analyzed by different methods. On the basis of the results of our phylogenetic analysis, we suggest that our N. algerae isolate is not closely related to other microsporidia belonging to the genus Nosema. Received: 31 May 1999 / Accepted: 27 July 1999