ABC Test Research Articles

Detection of antibodies against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1, 2, 5 and 7 using the immunohistochemical staining.

Whole cells of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pleuropneumoniae) serotype 1, 2, 5 or 7 attached to fibrins were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. The sections on a slide glass were stained by the avidin-biotin complex immunoperoxidase (ABC) method. Test sera were applied to sections as primary antibodies. The serum antibodies against A.pleuropneumoniae (serotypes 1, 2, 5 and 7) were measured by the ABC method and complement fixation (CF) test. There was good correlation between the ABC and CF tests. The present results indicate that the immunohistochemical staining is as useful as the CF test for the detection and quantification of antibody in swine sera.

The Movement Assessment Battery for Children: A preliminary investigation of its usefulness in Japan

The aim of this study was to examine the suitability of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children ( Henderson and Sugden, 1992) for use with Japanese children. One hundred and thirty three Japanese children aged seven to eleven years participated in the study. Their performance was compared to the American children of the same age on whom the 1992 standardisation was based. Analysis of the individual test items revealed a number of significant differences between the samples, some favouring Japanese children others favouring American. Post hoc examination of those test items that best distinguished Japanese from American children showed that the items favouring the Japanese children tended to be in the dynamic balance section of the test and those favouring American in the manual dexterity section. Approximately nineteen percent of children in the Japanese sample obtained total scores lying two or more standard deviations below the American means. It would be premature to ascribe all the obtained differences to cultural factors. Data from a larger and more broadly based sample of Japanese children will be necessary to provide a more appropriate basis for making decisions about the usefulness of the Movement ABC test items and published norms. PsycINFO classification: 2221; 2330

UM ESTUDO DAS POTENCIALIDADES E HABILIDADES NO NÍVEL DA PRÉ-ESCOLARIDADE E SUA POSSÍVEL INTERFERÊNCIA NA CONCEPÇÃO QUE A CRIANÇA CONSTRÓI SOBRE A ESCRITA

Este artigo é um " recorte" de uma pesquisa desenvolvida em 1992 com 80 crianças, sendo 20 de 4 anos, 30 de 5 anos e 30 de 6 anos da Creche Central/ COSEAS- USP. Serão apresentados os resultados obtidos com crianças de 6 anos, destacando: a linguagem oral, a formação de histórias, as concepções sobre a escrita, as produções escritas e os resultados do Teste ABC. Foram desenvolvidas entrevistas individuais sempre valorizando as justificativas infantis. Entre as conclusões, destaca-se a de que a classe social não foi causa suficiente para explicar positiva ou negativamente o desempenho infantil. O nível de auto-estima, as condições do processo de socialização, a idade, o trabalho pedagógico da creche, todos estes fatores , interaginndo, mostraram-se responsáveis pelos desempenhos das crianças.

How local is the impact of a specific learning difficulty on premature children's evaluation of their own competence?

The aim of this study was to determine whether children's perceptions of their own competence levels reflected their actual strengths and weaknesses (Specificity Hypothesis) or transcended these (Generality Hypothesis). Harter and Pike's measure of self-perception was administered to 163 prematurely born 6-year-olds with or without motor co-ordination and/or reading problems. Associations between children's self-perceptions and their scores on standardised tests of motor co-ordination and reading were assessed in three distinct ways. These analyses produced converging results: self-perceptions of physical competence were associated specifically with performance on the Movement ABC Test, and self-perceptions of cognitive competence were associated specifically with performance on the BAS Word Reading Scale. Our results support the Specificity Hypothesis.

Beta-amino acid transport in pig small intestine in vitro by a high-affinity, chloride-dependent carrier

This study describes unidirectional influx of amino acids and d-glucose across the small intestinal brush-border membrane of fully weaned eight week old pigs. Influx is minimal in the duodenum and maximal in the distal and/or mid small intestine. Influx of β-alanine, taurine and N-ethyl-aminoisobutyric acid is chloride-dependent. The activation stoichiometry for taurine influx is 1.0 ± 0.2 chloride/2.4 ± 0.3 sodium/ 1 taurine. Influx of D-glucose, lysine, glycine and glutamate is chloride-independent. An ABC test demonstrates a common β-amino acid carrier: (a) the apparent affinity constant K 1 2 Taurine is 44 ± 13 μM (means ± S.D.) and the inhibitory constant ( K i Taurine) against β-alanine influx is 41 ± 5 μM (means ± S.E.). (b) K 1 2 β- alanine is 97 ± 23 μM and K i β-alanine against taurine influx is 160 ± 22 μM. (c) K i Hypotaunne against taurine and β-alanine influx is 43 ± 4 ( n = 7) and 22 ± 5 μM ( n = 7), respectively. In conclusion, a high affinity, low capacity, sodium- and chloride-dependent carrier of β-amino acids is present in pig small intestine.

RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED TO LOW SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

In orden to evaluate risk factors associated to low school performance (LSP) in students of the basic cycle in Sao Paulo, 99 children attending peripheral schools of the municipality were studied: 48 with low and 51 with high school performance (assigned by teachers). The following aspects were analysed: anthropometry, visual acuity, screening for speech and hearing problems, learning maturity (ABC Test), socio-economic level (GRAFFAR) and some personal and familiar basic information. Results showed strong and significant association between low school performance and: alcoholism, marginality, low socio economic indexes and family problems. The malnutrition prevalence was higher in this group as compared to the controls. The LSP students presented 5 fold maturity learning problems and 25 fold phonoaudiological difficulties more than the control group. It is concluded that for the studied population, school difficulties are related to may risk factors acting simultaneously, which must be taken into account for planning purposes. * fellows PIBIC - CNPq

173 MOTOR FUNCTION IN A VERY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT POPULATION AT EIGHT YEARS OF WGE WILL THEY EVER CATCH UP?

AIMS: To assess the motor functioning of a geographically defined cohort of children born in Scotland with birthweights <1500g (VLBW) in comparison with two classroom peers of heavier birthweights.METHODS: 324 children (96%) of the target population of 339 VLBW children still resident in Scotland, were assessed in school, along With two classmates of the same sex and age (n=588). For those 24 children who were in special schools, no suitable comparison children were available. The Movement ABC Test comprising tasks of gross motor function, manual dexterity, and balance and the Quick Neurological Screening Test (QNST) designed to detect children with a neurological basis for their learning problems, were administered.RESULTS: Having excluded the 23 (7%) children with frank cerebral palsy (CP), 103 (36%) of the VLBW children performed below the 10th centile of the comparison population on the Movement ABC Test. Of these, 72% had high or suspicious scores on the QNST; of the poorly performing control children (<10th centile) 52% also had abnormal scores on the QNST. Overall 197 (59%) of the VLBW and 215 (23%) of the comparison children had QNST scores outside the normal range.CONCLUSIONS: At 8 years, VLBW children without CP still perform poorly as a group, compared to their normal birthweight peers. Some of them (28%) did not appear to have associated neurological problems. It is possible that this group of children could catch up with educational programmes designed to improve their fine and gross motor skills.

Identification of Children with Movement Problems in Singapore: Usefulness of the Movement ABC Checklist

This investigation is concerned with the identification and assessment of Singaporean primary school children who have developmental coordination disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 1987). The present study forms part of a larger project concerned with the suitability of currently available assessment techniques and intervention programs for use in Singapore. In this paper the usefulness of the Movement ABC Checklist and Test as an assessment instrument is explored. The data on a sample of 212 7- and 8-year-olds compared favorably with data from the standardized sample in the United Kingdom. Age and gender differences were similar, and the effects of increasing task difficulty within the checklist were generally confirmed. The checklist identified 15.6% of children as having movement problems or being at risk, which was close to the value obtained in the U.K. The Movement ABC Test provided evidence of the validity of this figure as it successfully differentiated the selected children from age-matched controls who scored well on the checklist. Although some of the items in both instruments need modification, the results suggest that the Movement ABC package is a workable research tool in the Singaporean context.

Urinary tract infections: from pathogenesis to treatment.

Community-acquired urinary tract infections in young sexually active women are discussed with respect to classification etiology pathogenesis both host and bacterial factors and treatment. About 6-7 million physician office visits and 250000 hospitalizations occur annually in the U.S. in this group. 20% of women have 3-6 re-infections. Those with over 10 cfu/ml are called acute cystitis and those with lower counts are referred to as acute urethral syndrome. Clinical presentation is often identical in the 2 subgroups. 10-50% also have occult pyelonephritis evidenced by positive ABC test. The acute dysuria cases are most common in women with more than 1 partner. E. coli strains originating from fecal contamination typically cause the infection; anatomic abnormalities occur in <5%. E. coli strains with bacterial virulence factors such as fimbrial adhesions hemolysin and aerobactin tend to be found in normal women with no predisposing host factors. E. coli without virulence factors are more often isolated from women who are compromised urologically or immunologically and those using vaginal diaphragms and spermicides or spermicides alone. Possibly spermicides raise the pH of the vaginal fluid destroy normal protective bacterial flora or affect the uroepithelial cell surfaces facilitating adhesion of E. coli. The only inherited host-specific factor associated with increased infection was non-blood-group-secretor status; secretors seem to resist adherence of E. coli to uroepithelium. Treatment is intended to reach therapeutic concentrations of antimicrobial in the urine for sufficient time without affecting the vaginal flora unless the vagina is also colonized by the organism. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 10 days was more effective than single dose therapy. Treatment failure was correlated with diaphragm use and history of urinary infection within the preceding 6 weeks. 3 days of iv therapy initially in a 2-week course of therapy was effective for pyelonephritis.

Fluctuations and stable elements in the visual field in glaucoma

In glaucomatous visual fields there are more fluctuations than stable elements. High-amplitude fluctuations of stimulus threshold values are characteristic of glaucoma. The correlation between sensitivity and the mean loss can be demonstrated by the ABC test. The structure of scotomas is explained. There is a stable, relatively small nucleus (a) of individual defects which stay in the same location for three years and mainly have the most severe loss (greater than or equal to 2.0 logE). However, accompanying and border fluctuations (b and c) predominate. They are detected by recording individual defects. The results of a study lasting several years are communicated, in which 1124 visual field examinations were performed in 146 patients using the Peritest computer-controlled perimeter.

Characterization of cognitive functioning in a subgroup of children with congenital HIV infection

The cognitive status of 12 clinically stable children with congenital HIV infection, nine of whom were neurologically impaired, age three to nine years, was assessed using the Kaufman ABC test. Seven of the children had ARC; five were diagnosed as having AIDS. The same children were evaluated by standard neurologic examinations with Characterization of tone and fine motor functioning. Two were diagnosed as being mildly retarded; six were borderline; and four tested as being of average intelligence. Visual-spatial perceptual based functioning was found to be more impaired than were abstract reasoning and verbally mediated skills in six (50%) of the patients. This pattern of impaired information processing was found irrespective of overall cognitive status. On neurological and physiatric examination abnormal developmental histories were obtained, or poor fine motor coordination, abnormal tone and gait, and impaired rapidly alternating movements were found in 9 of the 12 subjects. These findings suggest selective impairment in distinct areas of neurologic and neuropsychological functioning during stable phases of HIV infection in a select group of children. These patterns appear to persist over time. They differ from the clustering of impaired skills seen in children of comparable socio-cultural backgrounds without HIV infection. Similarities in functioning are noted between this subgroup of children with AIDS and ARC and comparable groups with cerebral palsy.

A γ-aminobutyric acid-specific transport mechanism in mammalian kidney

We describe high-affinity, sodium-dependent transport of gamma-aminobutyric acid in slices exposing basal lateral membranes and brush-border membrane vesicles prepared from rat renal cortex. In the presence of aminooxyacetic acid, to block γ-aminobutyric acid oxidation, uptake into the intracellular space of slices was saturable (apparent K t , 26±4 μ M , mean and S.E.) and concentrative (steady-state distribution ratio at 50 μM γ-aminobutyric acid, 47.7±2.4, mean and S.E.). Brush-border membrane vesicles accumulated γ-aminobutyric acid in the presence of an inward-directed sodium chloride gradient, (apparent K t , 30–36 μ M ) with the peak of ‘overshoot’ at 10 min. Uptake by vesicles responded to manipulation of the transmembrane potential gradient with valinomycin or impermeant anion, β-Alanine inhibited γ-aminobutyric acid transport by slices and brush-border membrane vesicles; inhibitors of neuronal-type γ-aminobutyric acid transport (e.g., nipecotic and diaminobutyric acids) did not. An ‘ABC test’ indicated that γ-aminobutyric acid and β-alanine do not share a single carrier in either the brush-border or basal-lateral membrane of renal cortex. Influx of γ-aminobutyric acid into brush-border membrane vesicles, at transequilibrium NaCl, was stimulated by trans-γ-aminobutyric acid but not by trans-taurine. Ion gradient-driven γ-aminobutyric acid co-transport was unaffected in freeze-thawed brush-border membrane vesicles; this treatment abolished β-alanine and taurine co-transport. We conclude that rat kidney membranes (brush-border and basal-lateral) possess a γ-aminobutyric acid-preferring, high-affinity transport mechanism.

Competition of some biogenic amines for uptake into synaptic vesicles of the striatum.

Synaptic vesicles were isolated from the caudate nucleus of the pigs by differential centrifugation and incubated with labelled monoamines in the absence or in the presence of ATP-Mg(2+). Addition of ATP-Mg(2+) enhanced the uptake of (14)C-dopamine into the vesicles. Serotonin competitively inhibited the ATP-Mg(2+)-dependent uptake of (14)C-dopamine without influencing the uptake which took place in the absence of ATP-Mg(2+). Likewise, dopamine caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the ATP-Mg(2+)-dependent uptake of (14)C-serotonin without inhibiting the uptake in the absence of ATP-Mg(2+). Incubation of the vesicles with equal concentrations of(3)-dopamine and (14)C-serotonin revealed that the presence of the one amine competitively inhibited the ATP-Mg(2+)-dependent uptake of the other. Tyranimine competitively inhibited the ATP-Mg(2+)-dependent uptake of (14)C-dine, (14)C-serotonin and (14)C-noradrenaline into the vesicles; the uptake of the amines which took place in the absence of ATP-Mg(2+) was not impairedby tyramine. Analysis of the amine uptake by the ABC test showed that a mutual inhibition exists between dopamine and serotonin for the uptake into the synaptic vesicles. GABA did not influence the uptake of (14)C-dopamine either in the absence, or in the presence of ATP-Mg(2+)...

Recruitment A to Z; the ABC test for recruitment (bilateral), the XYZ test for recruitment (unilateral).

The purpose of this article is to give the practicing otolaryngologist an understanding of recruitment and a rapid screening test to determine the presence or absence of recruitment. First let me say that recruitment is that characteristic of the nerve deafness in Meniere's disease which makes these ears sensitive to loud sounds. These ears are so sensitive that the patient cannot understand loud voices. Furthermore, these ears are sensitive to minute changes in intensity of sound, and the pitch becomes distorted. Recruitment may be better understood if one visualizes the endolymphatic hydrops of Meniere's disease, producing dilatation of the aqueduct of the cochlea. This dilatation stretches the fibers of the basilar membrane. In the piano theory of hearing, these fibers of the basilar membrane have been compared to the strings of a piano. Continuing the comparison, when the fibers are stretched in Meniere's disease, the nerves are on edge; the

The Abc Tests: A Method of Verifying the Maturity Necessary to Learn how to Read and Write

The Abc Tests: A Method of Verifying the Maturity Necessary to Learn how to Read and Write