Brainwave signatures--an index reflective of the brain's functional neuroanatomy: further findings on the effect of EEG sensorimotor rhythm biofeedback training on the neurologic precursors of learning disabilities.

Eight boys, ages 7 years 11 months to 15 years 3 months, were provided with long-term--symptom duration--sensorimotor rhythm biofeedback training for the remediation of their learning disabilities. Concurrently, the simultaneous recording of five frequency bands of brainwave activity (5 Hz, 7 Hz, 10 Hz, 12 Hz and 14 Hz), from one active electrode equidistant from reference and ground, was intended to provide a glimpse of the 'brainwave signature' reflective of the dynamic and synergistic processes involved in such cerebro-neural activation and the brain's global response to such an alteration in the sensorimotor subnetwork. Overall, the main effect of this procedure, for the biofeedback and subsequent conditioning of increased 14 Hz neural discharge patterns over the central Rolandic cortex in a clinical office setting, seems to be to increase bilateral sensorimotor transactions resulting in substantive remediation of the learning disabilities of the recipients of such training--by way of internally exercising of, and/or recruitment of additional neural activation within, the sensorimotor subnetwork/matrix.

The response of a case of petit mal epilepsy to EEG sensorimotor rhythm biofeedback training.

A 14-year-old girl, with a long history of absence seizures, sudden rages, spatial disorientation, and academic difficulties received long-term (33 sessions) EEG sensorimotor rhythm biofeedback training. Operantly conditioned increases in the average amplitude of the 14 Hz neural discharge rhythm, over the central Rolandic cortex and cerebrolongitudinal fissure, resulted in a total cessation of her absence seizures; which had, prior to the EEG sensorimotor rhythm biofeedback training, occurred at the rate of 4-5 absences per hour. Concurrently, her sudden rages, spatial disorientation, and academic functioning all evidenced significant remediation.

The effect of the converting enzyme inhibitor HOE 498 on the renin angiotensin system of normal volunteers.

The converting enzyme inhibitor HOE 498 was evaluated in 12 normotensive male volunteers aged 21 to 26. The efficacy of single 5, 10 or 20 mg oral doses in blocking the pressor response to exogenous angiotensin I was tested in 3 of the subjects. All 3 doses of HOE 498 reduced the pressor response to exogenous angiotensin I to below 50% of control within 1,5 h following administration of the drug.

EEG sensorimotor rhythm biofeedback training: some effects on the neurologic precursors of learning disabilities.

This study presents a clinical treatment regime for pathological interhemispheric dysfunction with respect to a population of learning disabled boys. The results obtained replicate and extend earlier findings with respect to operantly conditioned increases in amplitude of sensorimotor transactions and its positive effect on learning disability. Specifically, the biofeedback, and subsequent conditioning, of increased 14 Hz neural discharge patterns (sensorimotor rhythm-SMR) over the central Rolandic cortex, appeared to increase bilateral sensorimotor transactions resulting in substantive reduction/remediation in the learning disabilities of the recipients of such EEG biofeedback training.

Relation between plasma free fatty acids and arrhythmias within the first twelve hours of acute myocardial infarction.

The relation between arrhythmias and plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels measured every hour in the first 12 h after acute myocardial infarction was studied in thirty-five patients admitted 4.5 h (range 1-9 h) after the onset of symptoms. There was a significant relation between arrhythmias and high mean FFA levels in the first 12 h after acute myocardial infarction.

EMG and EEG biofeedback training in the treatment of a 10-year-old hyperactive boy with a developmental reading disorder.

The serial application of electromyographic (EMG) and sensorimotor (SMR) biofeedback training was attempted with a 10-year-old boy presenting a triad of symptoms: an attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, developmental reading disorder, and ocular instability. Symptom elimination was achieved, for all three aspects of the triad, following the procedure of first conditioning a decrease in EMG-monitored muscle tension and then conditioning increases in the amplitude of sensorimotor rhythm over the Rolandic cortex. The learned reduction of monitored EMG levels was accompanied by a reduction in the child's motoric activity level to below that which had been achieved by past administration of Ritalin.

Plasma pancreatic polypeptide and gastrin in the assessment of autonomic activity in acute myocardial infarction.

Measurements of plasma pancreatic polypeptide and gastrin are reported for the first time in patients with acute myocardial infarction and compared with clinical signs of vagal or sympathetic overactivity. Pancreatic polypeptide concentrations were assessed as an index of vagal activity, but elevated values of pancreatic polypeptide found in 7 of the 13 patients on admission did not correlate with clinical evidence of vagal overactivity. The mean pancreatic polypeptide concentrations were not higher in patients with clinical vagal overactivity than in patients with clinical sympathetic overactivity during the 12 h after the onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction.

The heart in diabetes mellitus. Part I. Biochemical basis for myocardial dysfunction.

The heart in acutely diabetic animals is subject to multiple inhibitions of glucose metabolism caused by enhanced metabolism of free fatty acids (FFA) and ketone bodies. Such metabolic changes may impair the reaction of the diabetic heart to oxygen lack. In chronically diabetic hearts the increased deposition of triglycerides in the heart and the formation of glycoproteins may underlie the newly recognized clinical entity of diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Proposed metabolic vicious circle in patients with large myocardial infarcts and high plasma-free-fatty-acid concentrations.

The relation between peak plasma-free-fatty-acid (F.F.A) concentration and size of infarct--as estimated by the plasma-creatine-kinase technique--was investigated in twenty patients with acute myocardial infarction.

High mortality in obese women diabetics with acute myocardial infarction.

The factors associated with mortality in 89 diabetics and 793 non-diabetics with acute myocardial infarction who were initially admitted to a coronary care unit were analysed retrospectively. During their stay in hospital diabetics had twice the mortality of non-diabetics. The higher mortality among diabetics was largely accounted for by obese women, who had a hospital mortality of 43%.

Isolation of thermophilic fungi from snuff.

Fourteen samples of retail purchases of snuff were examined for the presence of viable thermophilic fungi; four species were found.

The upper temperature limit for eukaryotic organisms.

An upper temperature limit near 60 degrees for eukaryotic organisms is documented by results of a systematic search for fungi able to grow at higher temperatures. Samples from hot springs, thermal soils, self-heating coal waste piles, and other natural and man-made heated habitats did not yield fungi when enrichments were done at 62 degrees , whereas fungi able to grow at 55-60 degrees can be readily isolated from such habitats. Earlier work had shown that eukaryotic algae are also absent from environments with temperatures above 55-60 degrees .