We describe a novel autosomal dominant myopathy presenting in mid-adult life with tibialis anterior weakness. We carried out a detailed clinical assessment of 24 individuals spanning three generations, documenting pathologic features of the muscles in 7 of the 11 affected individuals, including an autopsy study on one case. The second generation of affected individuals presented at an earlier age, and the disease progressed more rapidly than in the first generation. Lung function tests revealed progressive global respiratory muscle weakness detectable from the time of presentation, with preferential diaphragmatic involvement in some cases. Hip girdle and shoulder girdle weakness appeared later in the disease course. We observed a striking correlation between the clinical and pathological features. Clinically unaffected muscles had minimal pathologic change. Fiber splitting, eosinophilic inclusions, and vacuoles with basophilic rims were seen in moderately affected muscles, and fat and fibrous connective tissue replaced muscle fibers in the severely involved muscles. The inclusions were Congophilic and reacted with antibodies to desmin, beta-amyloid, and phosphorylated tau protein. The disease was not linked to any of the known loci associated with distal myopathies, confirming that the disorder in this family is both genetically and phenotypically distinct.

Data on 12 local chapters of a high status women's community service organization and their communities are used to assess the relative impact of community needs, members' perceptions and preferences, and interorganizational ties on decisions about how to allocate volunteers and funds among 17 community problem areas. Quantitative analysis indicates that the distribution of volunteer time and funds was unrelated to community needs as measured by objective indicators. Instead, members' and leaders' perceptions of the severity of community problems and their willingness to work in some problem areas more than others were the most important determinants of resource allocation. Qualitative evidence also suggests that members' ties to other organizations played a role in the chapters' decisions about project selection.

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Mitochondria are believed to be involved in human ageing. Whilst it is clear that various mitochondrial DNA mutations do accumulate in human tissues with age, whether or not they interfere with respiratory chain function is uncertain. We question the results of previous studies which have measured respiratory chain function in human skeletal muscle with age. Whilst cytochrome c oxidase deficient fibres are a real finding in skeletal muscle, the contribution of mitochondrial DNA mutations to human ageing is still controversial. Our results show for mitochondria to be involved in ageing then it must be through a more subtle mechanism than a global decline in respiratory chain function.

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