Fall-predicting score is useful as a screening test to predict future falls in patients with cognitive decline.

Demethylallosamidin (DMA, Fig. 1) was isolated as an insect chitinase inhibitor from the mycelia of Streptomyces sp. which is a producer of allosamidin (6). This new compound was also found to inhibit the Saccharomyces chitinase and the inhibitory activity on this enzyme was 100 times stronger than that of allosamidin ( Fig. 1) (8, 9). The yeast cells cultured with DMA were reported to show a clustered form compared with the cells grown without DMA. This observation supports a speculation that chitinase plays a role in the final fission of the septum that leads to cell separation. It has been speculated that fungal chitinase plays an important role in the growth and differentiation of all chitin-containing fungi (4, 5) . This communication deals with biological activities of DMA against a fungus, Geotrichum candidum which is known to show varied morphological changes during cultivation (1,2).A fungus, G. candidum AJ14212 (IFO 4597) was used throughout this work. For slide culture, 2% agar powder (pH 6.1) (Junsei Chemical Co., Tokyo, Japan) was used. For shake culture, Bacto YM Broth (pH 7.0 with NaOH or HCl) (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.) was used. DMA was added to the above media at the concentration of 0.1, 1, 10, and 100,ug/ml respectively.One milliliter of the spore suspension prepared ordinarily was put in each vial and the vials were stocked in a refrigerator at -80°C as a seed culture. For agar slide culture, spore suspension was streaked on a thin agar gel and the agar was covered with a cover glass and this was incubated at 25°C for 2-6 days. For liquid

The formula of Cockcroft and Gault is the best predictive equation of creatinine clearance, except in the extremely elderly women.

An 81-year-old woman with Graves' disease and osteoporosis was referred to the hospital because of anorexia over one month and impaired consciousness. She also presented with low-grade fever and emaciation. Laboratory tests revealed marked hypercalcemia (corrected serum calcium level of 12.4 mg/dL), which was initially suspected to result from vitamin D toxicity, because she had been taking vitamin D3 (alphacalcidol of 0.5 µg/day) for the treatment of osteoporosis. However, discontinuation of vitamin D3 and fluid infusion did not ameliorate hypercalcemia one week later. After excluding hyperparathyroidism and malignancy-related hypercalcemia, hypercalcemia was considered to be attributable to the exacerbation of hyperthyroidism (free T4 of 6.69 ng/dL, free T3 of 13.27 pg/mL and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) <0.015 µIU/mL) with increased bone resorption. Finally, the increased dose of thiamazole (30 mg/day) normalized serum calcium level and thyroid function three months later. Laboratory tests suggested that normal bone formation in spite of increased bone resorption contributed to hypercalcemia in hyperthyroid state.

No abstract