We conclude that this new non-invasive method, named 'Frequency Analysis of Fibrillatory ECG' (FAF-ECG), is capable of assessing both the magnitude and the dynamics of the atrial fibrillation cycle length in man.

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Objective: The prevalence and types of various cardiovascular diseases in different age groups as well as the outcomes of cardiac surgery and other interventions were assessed in a population of 75 Williams syndrome (WS) patients aged 4 months to 76 years (median 22.7 years). Study design: The diagnosis of WS was in each case confirmed by the clinical phenotype and by a FISH test showing elastin hemizygosity. Clinical and operative data were collected from all hospitals where the patients had been treated. Results: Cardiovascular symptoms were evident in 35 of 75 (47%) WS children at birth. During follow up, 44 of 75 (53%) WS patients were found to have cardiovascular defects. Among them, the definitive diagnosis was made before 1 year of age in 23 (52%) infants, between 1 year and 15 years of age in 14 (32%) children, and older than 15 years of age in 7 (16%) adults. Multiple obstructive cardiovascular diseases were found in six infants. Supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) was diagnosed in 32/44 (73%), pulmonary arterial stenosis (PAS) in 18/44 (41%), aortic or mitral valve defect in 5/44 (11 %) of cases, and tetralogy of Fallot in one (2%) case. Altogether, 17/44 (39 %) underwent surgery or intervention. Surgery was most frequently performed in the infant group (6% v 21% v 0%, p=0.004). After 1 year of age, seven patients underwent SVAS relief and two cases PAS relief. Postoperatively there was no mortality (median follow up time 6.9 years). Arterial hypertension was found in 55% of adults. In three adults, arterial vasculopathy was not diagnosed until necropsy. Conclusions: Our data indicate the following in WS. Cardiac symptoms are common in neonates. Heart disease diagnosed in infancy frequently requires operation. After 1 year of age, PAS tends to improve and SVAS to progress. Life long cardiac follow up is necessary because of the risks of developing vasculopathy or arterial hypertension.

This study investigated whether human postural stability and adaptation were affected by sleep deprivation and the relationship between motor performance and subjective scores of sleepiness (visuo-anlogue sleepiness scores, VAS). Postural stability and subjective sleepiness were examined in 18 healthy subjects (mean age 23.8 years) following 24 and 36 h of continued wakefulness, ensured by portable EEG recordings, and compared to a control test where the assessments were made after a normal night of sleep. The responses were assessed using posturography with eyes open and closed, and vibratory proprioceptive stimulations were used to challenge postural control. Postural control was significantly affected after 24 h of sleep deprivation both in anteroposterior and in lateral directions, but less so after 36 h. Subjective VAS scores showed poor correlation with indicators of postural control performance. The clearest evidence that sleep deprivation decreased postural control was the reduction of adaptation. Also several near falls after 2-3 min during the posturographic tests showed that sleep deprivation might affect stability through momentary lapses of attention. Access to vision, somewhat, but not entirely reduced the effect of sleep deprivation. In conclusion, sleep deprivation can be a contributing factor to decreased postural control and falls.

In this study we investigated the phylogenetic relationships within the ‘higher land birds’ by parsimony analysis of nucleotide DNA sequences obtained from the two nuclear, protein‐coding genes, c‐myc and RAG‐1. Nuclear genes have not previously been used to address this phylogenetic question. The results include high jackknife support for a monophyletic Apodiformes (including the Trochilidae). This arrangement was further supported by the observation of an insertion of four amino acids in the c‐myc gene in all apodiform taxa. Monophyly was also inferred for each of the two piciform groups Galbulae and Pici. Within Pici, the Capitonidae was found to be paraphyletic, with the New World barbets more closely related to the Ramphastidae than to the Old World barbets. Another clade with high jackknife support consists of the Upupidae, Phoeniculidae and Bucerotidae. The families Momotidae and Todidae, and Coraciidae and Brachypteraciidae, respectively, also form well supported monophyletic clades. The results are inconclusive regarding the monophyly of the orders Coraciiformes and Piciformes, respectively.