Expressed emotion in children: associations with sibling relationships

Objective   To investigate the reliability and validity of the expressed emotion (EE) measure, the Pre-school Five Minute Speech Sample (PFMSS), in child-to-child sibling relationships.
Method   A total of 106 boys aged 7–11 were recruited from 12 mainstream primary schools in North Wales. The children completed the PFMSS regarding their sibling and two self-report measures of sibling relationship: the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (SRQ) and a Child Visual Analogue Scale (CVAS). The parents of 60 participants completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire regarding the behavioural problems of the participating child and his younger sibling.
Results   The PFMSS demonstrated good inter-rater and code–recode reliability. The significant associations between EE dimensions such as relationship, positive comments and critical comments with various components of the SRQ and CVAS provided support for the concurrent validity of the PFMSS. Significantly higher levels of Conflict and Rivalry and significantly lower levels of Warmth/Closeness on the SRQ were reported by children with high EE, demonstrating good discriminant validity for the PFMSS. There was no significant association between the child's EE profile and the behavioural difficulties of both siblings as reported by parents.
Conclusions   The study found that the PFMSS is a valid and reliable measure of child EE. Future research is needed to clarify the concurrent validity of the warmth and initial statement components of the measure as well as the association between EE dimensions and behaviour.     

The effects of a low dose of caffeine on cognitive performance

There is little evidence concerning the effects of caffeine in doses typical of one cup of tea. The present study investigated the effect of 60 mg caffeine, consumed in either tea or hot water, on performance on a subset of the CANTAB test battery. Eight males participated in a practice session and four test sessions. In each test session, the participant consumed a different hot beverage and then, over approximately 90 min, completed nine tests from the CANTAB battery. The four beverages were created by crossing beverage identity (tea or hot water) and caffeine dose (0 or 60 mg). Significant speeding of reaction time by caffeine consumption was found in pattern recognition, delayed match to sample, and match to sample visual search. The effect on reaction time of 60 mg caffeine can be detected, and may be evident within minutes of consumption. Received: 16 March 1998/Final version: 27 July 1998     

Origin of efferent fibers of the vestibular apparatus in goldfish. A horseradish peroxidase study

After injecting a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) solution into the vestibular apparatus in goldfish (Carassius auratus), cells in the medulla oblongata exhibited retrogradely transported HRP reaction product. These labeled cells were confined to 3 nuclei, i.e. the nucleus motorius tegmenti of Bartelmez (with the most prominent labeled cell groups), the ventral vestibular nucleus (Dieter's nucleus) and the medial vestibular nucleus. We consider these labeled cells to be the origin of the efferent innervation to the vestibular apparatus in goldfish. Neurons providing efferent innervation to the sensory periphery in the nucleus motorius tegmenti have, as yet, not been described.     

Inhibitory effects of rat alpha2 macroferoprotein (alphaMFP), an acute phase globulin, on galactosamine hepatitis.

Refractoriness to Gal N toxicity occurs especially in fetal rats, newborn rats, and in rats after partial hepatectomy. An injury however (laparotomy, incision on the back or ip BaSO₄ suspension), prior to Gal N administration, also inhibits Gal N toxicity. In all these circumstances high levels of rat α₂-macrofetoprotein (α_MFP) occur. This protein is an acute phase reactant and is identical to rat α₂-macroglobulin. α_MFP isolated from the serum of injured rats and then administered to normal rats strongly inhibits Gal N toxicity. When time interval between the preceding injury, provoking α_MFP production and Gal N administration shortens, the inhibiting effects are less and α_MFP production remains low.During resistance to Gal N, the primary and secondary biochemical lesions of Gal N persist and the protecting effect of α_MFP must be due to another mechanism, operating in later phases of cell injury. Very probably this is attributable to the stabilizing effect on membranes of hepatocytic organelles and the plasma membranes. As α_MFP is an acute phase reactant the importance of these proteins to the course of hepatitis must be considered.     

A system for interactive film analysis.

An interactive, minicomputer system has been constructed for analyzing dynamic phenomena recorded on movie film in a developmental biology laboratory. The minicomputer interfaces a stop-motion, variable speed projector, a digitizing pen, and real-time graphics display equipment. An analyst uses the pen to digitize features in a film, e.g. by following a cell. A computer-generated animation portraying all data entered is superimposed on the film image and synchronized with it. Noteworthy system features include: image overlays on a large screen, data entry with the projector running, large data capacity, computer control of the projector, and convenient data entry tools.     

Isolation and characterization of entomopox virions from virus-containing inclusions of Amsacta moorei (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)

Preparations of Amsacta moorei entomopox virions were obtained from virus-containing inclusions (VCI) by using a carbonate-thioglycolate solution (pH 10.7–11.5). The virions possessed a uniform coat (“halo”) surrounding the viral envelope and exhibited an RNA polymerase activity. The “halo” could be removed by prolonged exposure to the carbonate-thioglycolate solution. Virions obtained by this treatment, however, possessed low infectivity and no detectable RNA polymerase activity. Removal of the “halo” by trypsin resulted in virions which possessed RNA polymerase activity and relatively high infectivity.Preparations of particles with and without the “halo” were similar in percent DNA, protein per OD₂₆₀, number of particles per OD₂₆₀, and RNA polymerase activity. Particles without the “halo,” however, were less dense (1.262 g/cm³) in CsCl than those with the “halo” (1.282 g/cm³) and 15–45 times more infective.Parallel studies of “nonhaloed” Amsacta virions (trypsin-treated) and vaccinia virions showed that both viruses contained similar amounts of protein per OD₂₆₀, but Amsacta virions contained only 36% of the DNA found in vaccinia.     

Chronic myelogenous leukemia in the monosomic cell line of a fertile turner syndrome mosaic (45,X/46,XX)

Malignancy in patients with constitutional chromosome abnormality is of interest not only because it permits insights into the relationship between chromosome abnormality and cancer, but also because it provides opportunities to address such questions as the clonality and evolution of tumors. We report Ph¹-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in a 50-year-old mosaic (45,X/46,XX) Turner syndrome patient whose leukemia was restricted to the monosomic cell line. Our extensive cytogenetic studies of this patient demonstrated that non-leukemic normal cells persisted in the marrow and were able to proliferate during a period of temporary suppression of the leukemic clone following aggressive treatment.     

The parent-physician relationship in pediatric asthma care

OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility of using a behavioral coding system, the Five Minute Speech Sample (FMSS), to estimate the prevalence of relationship difficulties between parents and physicians in a pediatric asthma care setting. METHOD: The FMSS was administered to 20 parents of children with severe, chronic asthma and to the physicians they worked with during a brief day program admission. RESULTS: Rates of relationship difficulties between parents and physicians ranged from 15% to 40%, comparable to those previously identified in patient-therapist relationships in psychiatric populations. CONCLUSIONS: Although further information is needed about validity and reliability, the FMSS appears to provide clinically relevant information about the parent-physician relationship in the context of pediatric chronic illness.     

The cholinergic nervous system and immediate hypersensitivity: I. Eccrine sweat responses in allergic patients

The cholinergically innervated human eccrine sweat gland is a readily available organ permitting the assessment in allergic patients of cholinergic reactivity with few or no adrenergic influences. The sweat responses of four matched groups (male allergic, female allergic, male control, and female control) to intradermal Mecholyl from 0.1 μg to 100 μg was compared; the 45 male and 45 female allergic patients demonstrated statistically significant increases in sweat responses to essentially all concentrations of Mecholyl examined. No difference in the sweat responses of patients with allergic rhinitis alone as compared with patients with both allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma was noted. Five patients with intrinsic asthma most closely resembled the allergic groups in their responses and 8 patients with vasomotor rhinitis sweated at or below the control groups. The increased sensitivity of allergic patients to cholinergic stimulation as measured by eccrine sweat responses suggests that this hyperresponsiveness may be one of the underlying defects in allergic disease.