[Assessment of cognitive abilities of mentally retarded children: applying the Kaufman-Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) with children with Down's syndrome].

Standardized tests only give limited information on the intellectual competencies of children with learning difficulties due to problems such as the "floor effect", poor differentiation in the lower range of functioning and flat profiles. Therefore, Reynolds and Clark (1985) suggested supplementing the standard analysis on the basis of chronological age with an alternative form of analysis on the basis of the developmental age level. The present study compares both forms of analysis for a group of 15 children with Down's syndrome tested with the Kaufman-Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC).

Endothelin and atrial natriuretic peptide in non-insulin-dependent diabetic versus nondiabetic patients on chronic hemodialysis.

Plasma levels of endothelin (ET) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are known to be elevated in patients on chronic hemodialysis. Since ET and ANP plasma levels are found to be raised in nonuremic diabetic versus nondiabetic subjects, we wanted to detect a possible difference in plasma levels of these hormones in diabetic versus nondiabetic patients who were on chronic renal replacement therapy. ET is a possible marker of increased vascular atherogenic activity.