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.     

Mindestmengen

BACKGROUND: Consequences of the volume outcome relationship are controversial. Objectification based on data analysis is strongly needed. The aim of this publication was to analyse the effects of volume outcome reallocations based on German inpatient data. METHOD: The analysis based on inpatient data of the Krankenhauszweckverband Koeln, Bonn und Region (Hospital Association of the Cologne and Bonn Region) of 2002 and 2005. Relevant data sets were identified according to the effects of current German regulations on volume outcome on the special fields liver transplant, kidney transplant, complex pancreatic surgery, and complex oesophageal surgery. RESULTS: The effects of current German regulations on volume outcome results differed greatly between the four surgical specialities. There were fewer effects on kidney transplant, but due to an already very high level of centralisation 34% (oesophagus) and 8% (pancreas) of the hospitals stopped related surgery. This affected 8.9% (oesophagus) and 2.2% (pancreas) of related cases. CONCLUSION: Concentration and the formation of specialised medical centres are results of the implementation of volume outcome relationships. The quality of medical treatment does not automatically improve from this development. It is necessary to analyse any correlation between quality and frequency of treatment or other criteria such as know-how, structure and process management, and multidisciplinarity.     

Procedures for the quantitative follow-up control of computerized perimetric findings in glaucoma

A statistical model for long-term follow-up of glaucomatous visual fields is described. Using an analysis of individual testpoints, a statistical evaluation of visual field change is done by the Bowker symmetry test. Eccentricity of test points in the visual field, density of scotomas and number of defective test points were used as parameters. The authors demonstrate that evaluation with this method is superior to methods using total sensitivity loss or mean sensitivity of the visual field. This model is currently being used in a retrospective and a prospective glaucoma study.     

Disposition in humans of racemic picenadol, an opioid analgesic

Racemic picenadol is being tested clinically as an analgesic. The (+)-enantiomer of picenadol is an opioid agonist and the (-)-enantiomer is a weak agonist/antagonist. The disposition of racemic [14C] picenadol was studied in healthy men after a single dose was administered im (N = 3) and orally (N = 5). After the dose, virtually none of the radioactivity that appeared in blood was associated with the red cells. In plasma, approximately 4% of the radioactivity was attributable to the parent drug, the remainder being picenadol glucuronide (approximately 35%) and other metabolites. The t1/2 for total radioactivity was 6 hr, that for the unchanged drug was 3.5 hr. Picenadol was present in plasma almost exclusively as the (+)-enantiomer. However, after incubation with glucuronidase and sulfatase, plasma contained 2 to 4 times more (-)- than (+)-picenadol, indicating that more conjugated (-)-picenadol than conjugated (+)-picenadol was in the plasma. After im and oral administration of [14C]picenadol, plasma levels of radioactivity were generally 10 and 70 times higher than those in saliva, respectively. More than 90% of the administered radioactivity was excreted in the urine, mostly as picendol glucuronide, and lesser amounts of picenadol sulfate and N-desmethylpicenadol sulfate. Only about 1% of the administered dose of picenadol appeared unchanged in urine. The disposition of racemic picenadol in humans was stereoselective, the (-)-picenadol apparently being metabolized preferentially over the (+)-enantiomer. This finding was of particular interest in view of the dissimilar pharmacologic activities of the enantiomers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Limbus-based versus Fornix-based conjunctival flap in filtering surgery

Summary A randomized prospective study was performed to compare the results of filtering surgery using a Limbusbased versus a Fornix-based conjunctival flap. The wound closure of the Fornix-based flap was performed using a running 10/0 nylon suture at the limbus. No statistical significant difference of IOP regulation was found between the two groups. There was a tendency of reduced occurrence of shallow anterior chamber and of less vascularized filtering blebs in the Fornix-based technique.