Age determines memory for face identity and expression

Background: The recognition of facial expressions is an important component of emotion processing which contributes to interactional behavior. One of the factors highly associated with potential decline of ability in behavioral tasks is age. Methods: We have investigated age‐related changes in facial identity and expression memory of healthy subjects in three age groups: young adults (20–40 years), elderly adults (60–80 years) and, for the first time in the literature, very old adults (over 80 years of age). Using a picture test, photographs of faces with happy or angry expressions were presented to study participants during the encoding task, and the memory for identity and emotional facial expression was investigated in a subsequent recognition task showing emotionally neutral faces. Half of the faces presented in the recognition task were initially shown in the encoding task. Results: Age interacted with the memory process: the ability to recognize both facial identity and emotional expression declined with advanced age. Happy facial expressions were better recognized in all age groups. Although there was a continuous overall decrease in recognition of both happy and angry expressions with advanced age, the effect favoring happy facial expressions was stable also in very old adults. Other factors such as gender or educational level did not affect the memory process for facial expressions. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that age is a significant determinant of memory for facial identity and emotional expression, and that, similar to younger adults, the recognition process of the elderly favors happy emotional facial expressions.     

A case of multiple primary tumors of the anterior skull base.

We report a case of synchronous olfactory bulb meningioma and undifferentiated carcinoma of the nose and paranasal sinuses that involved and destroyed the anterior skull base and mimicked intracranial invasion by a carcinoma. The heterogeneity of tissue types in the skull base gives rise to a diverse variety of benign and malignant neoplasms which have totally different prognoses. Synchronous development of benign and malignant primary tumors both originating from and involving the skull base at the same location is very rare and may cause confusion for both the skull base surgeon and neuroradiologist.     

Negative symptoms in schizophrenia: considerations for clinical trials

There is little agreement about the methodology of clinical trials of antipsychotic drugs in patients with negative symptoms. A literature review revealed wide variation in experimental design, rating scales and study duration. This reflects differing views as to the definition and response to treatment of negative symptoms. Some degree of standardization would improve comparability of studies and aid the development of new compounds. Patients included in such studies should have displayed negative symptoms for at least 6 months. Depressive symptoms, positive schizophrenic symptoms and extrapyramidal signs may all influence or be confused with negative symptoms and may respond to treatment; they should be at a low level at baseline and should be measured during the study period. Studies should last at least 8 weeks. Several scales are available for measuring negative symptoms and are reviewed; a global impression score should be used additionally.     

股骨干骨折--逆行穿钉与顺行穿钉的探讨

在对股骨骨折进行逆行和顺行置入髓内钉治疗时,两种治疗方法产生很高的愈合率和相近的畸形愈合率。虽然未经过一致的认定,但那些接受顺行穿钉治疗的患者愈合较快。患者在接受逆行穿钉治疗后膝关节疼痛频繁出现,然而髋关节疼痛和异位骨化现象却在接受顺行穿钉治疗的患者中存在。患其它并发症的几率也无显著增长。因此不能决定功能结果。     

Interdisziplin?re Leitlinien zur Diagnostik und Therapie der extrazerebralen Amyloidosen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Role of angiotensin II in dynamic renal blood flow autoregulation of the conscious dog

The influence of angiotensin II (ANGII) on the dynamic characteristics of renal blood flow (RBF) was studied in conscious dogs by testing the response to a step increase in renal artery pressure (RAP) after a 60 s period of pressure reduction (to 50 mmHg) and by calculating the transfer function between physiological fluctuations in RAP and RBF. During the RAP reduction, renal vascular resistance (RVR) decreased and upon rapid restoration of RAP, RVR returned to baseline with a characteristic time course: within the first 10 s, RVR rose rapidly by 40 % of the initial change (first response, myogenic response). A second rise began after 20–30 s and reached baseline after an overshoot at 40 s (second response, tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF)). Between both responses, RVR rose very slowly (plateau). The transfer function had a low gain below 0.01 Hz (high autoregulatory efficiency) and two corner frequencies at 0.026 Hz (TGF) and at 0.12 Hz (myogenic response). Inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) lowered baseline RVR, but not the minimum RVR at the end of the RAP reduction (autoregulation-independent RVR). Both the first and second response were reduced, but the normalised level of the plateau (balance between myogenic response, TGF and possible slower mechanisms) and the transfer gain below 0.01 Hz were not affected. Infusion of ANGII after ramipril raised baseline RVR above the control condition. The first and second response and the transfer gain at both corner frequencies were slightly augmented, but the normalised level of the plateau was not affected. It is concluded that alterations of plasma ANGII within a physiological range do not modulate the relative contribution of the myogenic response to the overall short-term autoregulation of RBF. Consequently, it appears that ANGII augments not only TGF, but also the myogenic response.     

No regression of renal AL amyloid in monoclonal gammopathy after successful autologous blood stem cell transplantation and significant clinical improvement.

BACKGROUND: High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous blood stem cell transplantation induces remission of plasma cell dyscrasia in patients with AL amyloidosis. The impact of this treatment on the glomerular amyloid mass is still unknown. METHODS: In the present study, the quantity of the renal amyloid mass before and more than 3 years after high-dose melphalan treatment and autologous blood stem cell transplantation was assessed in two patients. At the time of the second renal biopsy, both patients were in complete remission without detectable serum and urinary monoclonal IgA-lambda and a normal percentage of plasma cells in the bone marrow. RESULTS: In both patients with biopsy-proven AL amyloidosis, urinary protein excretion decreased from 7 g/24 h to <2 g/24 h more than 3 years after autologous blood stem cell transplantation. In contrast, glomerular amyloid deposits persisted, as shown in the second biopsy. CONCLUSION: Despite complete remission of the plasma cell dyscrasia and improvement of glomerular permeability, the amount of glomerular amyloid mass did not regress.     

Treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer with cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin

Based on in vitro studies that have demonstrated synergy between 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), leucovorin (LV), and cisplatin (CDDP) against human colon cancer cell lines, a clinical trial was initiated to determine the effects of this combination in patients with advanced unresectable colorectal carcinoma. Fifty-nine patients were enrolled in the study and 12 of them had received prior conventional 5-FU chemotherapy. Treatment consisted of 4 weekly courses of high-dose LV (200 mg/m2) administered by intravenous (IV) bolus, followed by 5-FU (550 mg/m2) and CDDP (20 mg/m2) each administered as a 2-hour infusion on 4 consecutive days. After a median of 5.5 treatment cycles, objective tumor response was seen in 20 of 59 patients (34%) (this included 3 complete remissions). The response rate in the 47 previously untreated patients was 38% (95% confidence limits, 26% to 53%). Stable disease occurred in 16 (27%) patients, whereas the tumor progressed in 23 (39%) patients. The median survival time was 11.5 months, with 15% of the patients alive at 2 years. The regimen was well tolerated and the primary side effects were mild and reversible gastrointestinal symptoms and myelosuppression. There was no episode of life-threatening toxicity. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Grade III adverse reactions that required 25% dose reductions occurred in only 14% of the patients. The results of this trial suggest that 5-FU, LV, and CDDP is an active, safe, and well-tolerated combination regimen in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.