bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histamine H1-receptor blockade in humans affects psychomotor performance but not memory
Authors: van Ruitenbeek P. , Vermeeren A. , Riedel WJ
Published: January 2008

Results from recent animal studies suggest an important role for histamine in memory functioning. Histaminergic drugs might prove beneficial for people suffering from memory impairment. To determine if histamine is involved in memory functioning this study evaluates the effects of histaminergic dysfunction on memory performance by administrating a H1-antagonist to humans. The study was conducted according to a 4-way, double-blind, crossover design in 20 healthy female volunteers, aged 18—45 years. On each test day subjects completed three test sessions: before and around 2 and 4 h after administration of single oral doses of dexchlorpheniramine 2 mg or 4 mg, scopolamine 1 mg or placebo. Drug effects were assessed using tests of memory, psychomotor and attention performance, and subjective alertness. Results showed that dexchlorpheniramine impaired performance in tests of spatial learning, reaction time, tracking and divided attention but showed no effects on working memory, visual memory, word learning or memory scanning. Scopolamine induced a similar pattern of effects. In addition, both drugs decreased subjective alertness. In conclusion results show that dexchlorpheniramine and scopolamine clearly impaired performance on psychomotor and attention tasks but do not suggest a specific role of the histaminergic system in learning and memory in humans.
A prospective study of glycaemic status in anti-psychotic-treated patients
Authors: Mackin P. , Bishop D. , Watkinson HM , Ferrier IN
Published: January 2008

Anti-psychotic drugs, particularly the second generation, or `atypical' agents, have been implicated in the development of metabolic dysfunction such as diabetes mellitus. There is a paucity of longitudinal data on the natural history of glucose homeostasis in anti-psychotic-treated patients, and there are no universally accepted strategies for managing worsening glycaemic control in this population. Notwithstanding, several guidelines recommend switching to a `lower risk' agent if patients develop worsening glycaemic control during anti-psychotic treatment. We prospectively followed a cohort of 106 anti-psychotic-treated patients from across the diagnostic spectrum, and investigated changes in glycaemic status. Between baseline and follow-up assessment (mean follow-up time, 599.3 [SD ± 235.4] days glycaemic status was unchanged in 78 (86.7%) patients; 5 (5.6%) reverted from impaired fasting glucose (IFG) to normoglycaemia in the absence of any pharmacological or lifestyle intervention and all were taking a `high risk' drug (clozapine or olanzapine). These preliminary data suggest that progression to overt diabetes mellitus is not inevitable in patients who develop IFG during anti-psychotic treatment. Switching to another agent simply on the basis of the development of IFG may not offer any advantage, especially if the mental state is stable.
Cognitive performance in recreational ecstasy polydrug users: a two-year follow-up study
Authors: de Sola LLopis S. , Miguelez-Pan M. , Peña-Casanova J. , Poudevida S. , Farré M. , Pacifici R. , Böhm P. , Abanades S. , Verdejo García A. , Langohr K. , Zuccaro P. , de la Torre R.
Published: January 2008

There is important preclinical evidence of long lasting neurotoxic and selective effects of ecstasy MDMA on serotonin systems in non-human primates. In humans long-term recreational use of ecstasy has been mainly associated with learning and memory impairments. The aim of the present study was to investigate the neuropsychological profile associated with ecstasy use within recreational polydrug users, and describe the cognitive changes related to maintained or variable ecstasy use along a two years period. We administered cognitive measures of attention, executive functions, memory and learning to three groups of participants: 37 current polydrug users with regular consumption of ecstasy and cannabis, 23 current cannabis users and 34 non-users free of illicit drugs. Four cognitive assessments were conducted during two years. At baseline, ecstasy polydrug users showed significantly poorer performance than cannabis users and non-drug using controls in a measure of semantic word fluency. When ecstasy users were classified according to lifetime use of ecstasy, the more severe users (more than 100 tablets) showed additional deficits on episodic memory. After two years ecstasy users showed persistent deficits on verbal fluency, working memory and processing speed. These findings should be interpreted with caution, since the possibility of premorbid group differences cannot be entirely excluded. Our findings support that ecstasy use, or ecstasy/cannabis synergic effects, are responsible for the sub-clinical deficits observed in ecstasy polydrug users, and provides additional evidence for long-term cognitive impairment owing to ecstasy consumption in the context of polydrug use.
Metamemory in recreational ecstasy polydrug users: what do self-reports of memory failures mean?
Authors: Bedi G. , Redman J.
Published: January 2008

Previous research has found relationships between self-rated memory and ecstasy use, such that heavier users report worse function. These findings have been interpreted in terms of objective memory capacity. However, research on metamemory suggests that self-reported memory may be only weakly related to objective function, with demographics, mood, and memory-related beliefs and feelings also contributing to ratings. This study examined relationships between ecstasy/other drug use and self-reported memory, controlling for effects of demographic factors and mood. Associations between self-reported memory, memory-related beliefs and feelings, and objectively-measured cognitive function were also examined. Forty-five ecstasy polydrug, 48 cannabis polydrug, and 40 legal drug users completed a battery of neuropsychological tests and questionnaire measures of metamemory, including memory-related control beliefs, memory-related anxiety, and self-reported prospective and general/retrospective memory. The combined polydrug groups reported more general/retrospective memory failures. Covariance analysis, however, suggested that this finding was confounded by general anxiety levels. A combination of objective cognitive measures contributed to prediction of self-rated prospective memory, with demographics, mood, and memory-related anxiety also contributing to variability. However, associations between objective and self-reported memory were not strong. Self-report may not be a specific methodology with which to assess objective memory capacities in ecstasy and other drug users.
Influence of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine lesions of the rat fornix—fimbria and cingulum bundles on spontaneous activity in an aversive maze
Authors: Robertson DAF , Beattie JE , Reid IC , Balfour DJK
Published: January 2008

Exposure to aversive environmental stimuli stimulates the serotonergic neurones that project to the forebrain and inhibit spontaneous activity when studied in a simple maze. This study explored the putative role of the principal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurones that project to the hippocampus from the median raphe nucleus in this response to an aversive environment by lesioning the 5-HT fibres that project through the fornix/fimbria and cingulum bundles. The effects of the lesions were investigated in independent groups of animals tested in an enclosed four-arm maze and a more aversive elevated maze of the same dimensions composed entirely of four open arms. The rats were significantly less active in the open maze, the principal effect of maze design being observed during the first 5 min sub-trial of a 15 min trial. This response to the more aversive environment was totally abolished by the lesion. It is concluded that exposure to an explicitly aversive environment elicits a brief stimulation of the 5-HT neurones that project to the hippocampus from the median raphe nucleus and that this stimulation inhibits the initial burst of exploratory activity that is observed in animals placed in a less aversive novel environment.
A case of mirtazapine-induced spontaneous orgasms in a female patient
Authors: Shalev H. , Ben-Zion I. , Shiber A.
Published: January 2008

This is a case report of a 51-year-old woman admitted as a psychiatric outpatient with symptoms of moderate to severe depression and anxiety. She had received anti-depressants prior to her admission. The patient did not have a medical history of mania or hypomania, and did not complain of any sexual side-effects when taking prior medications. She was diagnosed in our clinic with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder. Due to lack of improvement she was commenced on mirtazapine and after three days complained of spontaneous orgasms and increased libido. The sexual symptoms resolved gradually after a few days and reappeared upon every dosage increase. On discontinuation of mirtazapine the side effects subsided. To the best of the author's knowledge this is the first report of spontaneous orgasms following treatment with mirtazapine.
Possible involvement of μ-opioid receptors in effect of lithium on inhibitory avoidance response in mice
Authors: Zarrindast M-R. , Lahmi A. , Ahamadi S.
Published: January 2008

In the present study, effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of μ-opioid receptor agonist and antagonist on lithium state-dependency were investigated. For memory assessment, a one-trial step-down inhibitory avoidance task was used in adult male NMRI mice. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of lithium (10 mg/kg) after training impaired memory when retrieval was tested 24 h later. The memory impairment was reversed by pretest administration of the same dose of lithium, suggesting state-dependency induced by lithium. In addition, i.c.v. administration of both lithium (2 and 4 μg/mouse, i.c.v.) and morphine (3 and 6 μg/mouse, i.c.v.) before the test reversed memory impairment induced by post-training lithium (10 mg/kg, i.p.). On the other hand, pretest administration of naloxone (1 and 2 mg/kg) which had no effects alone on inhibitory avoidance response, prevented the improving effects of both morphine (3 μg/mouse, i.c.v.) and lithium (2 μg/mouse, i.c.v.) on memory retrieval. The results suggest that the μ-opioid receptors in the central nervous system may be involved in the retrieval of lithium state-dependent learning.
Real-world memory and executive processes in cannabis users and non-users
Authors: Fisk JE , Montgomery C.
Published: January 2008

The relationships between executive processes, associative learning and different aspects of real world memory functioning were explored in a sample of cannabis users and nonusers. Measures of executive component processes, associative learning, everyday memory, prospective memory, and cognitive failures were administered. Relative to nonusers, cannabis users were found to be impaired in several aspects of real world memory functioning. No other group differences were apparent. The absence of cannabis related deficits in those executive component processes and aspects of learning that are believed to support real world memory processes is surprising given that cannabis related deficits were obtained in real world memory. The present results are discussed within the context of neuroimaging evidence which suggests that cannabis users may exhibit different patterns of neural activation when performing executive tasks while not always exhibiting deficits on these tasks.
Reconsidering the Right to Privacy in Canada
Authors: Shade Leslie Regan
Published: January 2008

This article argues that post—September 11 political debates and legislation around security necessitate a reconsideration of a right to privacy in Canada. It looks at the proposal for a Canadian Charter of Privacy Rights promoted by Senator Sheila Finestone in the late 1990s and the current challenges of emergent material technologies accelerated by digitization and political technologies of regulation and governance.
Can You See Me Now? Audience and Disclosure Regulation in Online Social Network Sites
Authors: Tufekci Zeynep
Published: January 2008

The prevailing paradigm in Internet privacy literature, treating privacy within a context merely of rights and violations, is inadequate for studying the Internet as a social realm. Following Goffman on self-presentation and Altman's theorizing of privacy as an optimization between competing pressures for disclosure and withdrawal, the author investigates the mechanisms used by a sample (n = 704) of college students, the vast majority users of Facebook and Myspace, to negotiate boundaries between public and private. Findings show little to no relationship between online privacy concerns and information disclosure on online social network sites. Students manage unwanted audience concerns by adjusting profile visibility and using nicknames but not by restricting the information within the profile. Mechanisms analogous to boundary regulation in physical space, such as walls, locks, and doors, are favored; little adaptation is made to the Internet's key features of persistence, searchability, and cross-indexability. The author also finds significant racial and gender differences.
Parents, Friends, and Serious Delinquency
Authors: Ingram Jason R. , Patchin Justin W. , Huebner Beth M. , McCluskey John D. , Bynum Timothy S.
Published: January 2008

Family context has been identified as a central domain in the study of delinquency, particularly during early childhood. As youth enter adolescence peer associations become a much stronger influence. Using a sample of preadolescent youth, this research examines the effect of family and peer relationships on delinquency. Specifically, path analysis is used to test the effects of family structure, parental supervision, and parental attachment on serious delinquent behavior to determine if a youth's family life has a unique effect on serious delinquent behavior, or if familial relationships are mediated by peer associations. Findings suggest that parental variables are indirectly related to subsequent, serious delinquency, whereas delinquent peer association exerts a strong, direct effect. The study offers insight into the roles that a youth's family life and peer associations play in explaining delinquent behavior. In addition, the findings highlight the need for interventions that encourage pro-social relationships among youth.
Schools as Criminal “Hot Spots”
Authors: Kautt Paula M. , Roncek Dennis W.
Published: January 2008

Americans are deeply concerned about crime. Increasing crime problems in America's schools and expanding youth involvement in crime are two reasons. These trends should be linked to criminological developments regarding crime incidents and the places where they occur. Routine Activities Theory emphasizes the conditions and locations where crime occurs. Research also indicates crime is concentrated in small areas called “hot spots,” often centered on locations integral to the offender's routine activities. Schools are one focal point for the routine activities of youth. Accordingly, using Tobit analysis of block-level burglary rates, this research examines the importance of different types of schools as focal points of acquisitive crime.
The Effectiveness of School-Based Anti-Bullying Programs
Authors: Ferguson Christopher J. , Miguel Claudia San , Kilburn John C. , Sanchez Patricia
Published: January 2008

Youth violence, including bullying and other serious violent behaviors, has received increased political and scientific attention over the past several decades. Although violent behavior among youth and in the schools has declined over the past decade, the victimization of children by other children in school settings remains a major issue of concern. In response, a number of prevention and intervention programs have been developed to reduce the incidence of bullying and violence in schools. This meta-analysis attempted to examine the effect of school-based anti-bullying programs. Results suggested a significant effect for anti-bullying programs ( r = .12). However, this result seemed to be slightly influenced by publication bias and did not meet the adopted threshold for “practical significance.” The effect for programs targeted specifically at at-risk youth was slightly better, but overall, anti-bullying programs produce little discernible effect on youth participants. Reasons that anti-bullying programs may produce little effective change are discussed.
Misbehavior at School and Delinquency Elsewhere
Authors: Weerman Frank M. , Harland Paul , van der Laan Peter H.
Published: January 2008

This article addresses the relationship between problem behaviors inside school (misbehavior) and outside school (delinquency). Self-report data about 12 types of misbehavior and 9 types of delinquency were collected among 1,978 secondary school students in The Netherlands of which 1,385 were followed up one year later. The relationship between misbehavior and delinquency was not studied before in such detail. The findings show that there is a general relationship between misbehavior inside school and delinquency elsewhere; however, this relationship appears to be less strong than suggested by earlier studies. Also the predictive value of misbehavior for later delinquency is limited because one half of the respondents who misbehave at school are not involved in delinquency one year later. However, serious forms of misbehavior do seem to increase the risk of later delinquency considerably. These findings nuance conclusions of earlier studies on the misbehavior-delinquency relationship.
“Not Blending In”
Authors: Marx Sherry
Published: January 2008

This article reports the findings of a study on the experiences of a small but growing population of Latino students in a small-town secondary school. All teachers and administrators were surveyed regarding their impressions of Latino students. All students in the school (95% White, 5% Latino) were surveyed regarding their impressions of ethnicity, culture, and language in their own school experiences. In all, 26 adults, 25 of whom were White, and 800 students participated in the surveys. Ethnographic data augment survey findings. White students responded more positively than did Latino students, with more positive thoughts about the school and their own experiences in the school, for every survey question. Responses of White school personnel are contrasted to those of the only Latino teacher.
ATSDR evaluation of potential for human exposure to tungsten
Authors: Keith L. Samuel , Wohlers David W. , Moffett Daphne B. , Rosemond Zemoria A.
Published: January 2008

As part of its mandate, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry prepares toxicological profiles on hazardous chemicals found at Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, National Priorities List sites that have the greatest public health impact. These profiles comprehensively summarize toxicological and environmental information. This article constitutes the release of portions of the Toxicological Profile for Tungsten. The primary purpose of this article is to provide interested individuals with environmental information on tungsten that includes production data, environmental fate, potential for human exposure, analytical methods and a listing of regulations and advisories. Toxicology and Industrial Health 2007; 23: 309—345
ATSDR evaluation of potential for human exposure to zinc
Authors: Roney Nickolette , Osier Mark , Paikoff Sari J. , Smith Cassandra V. , Williams Malcolm , De Rosa Christopher T.
Published: January 2008

As part of its mandate, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) prepares toxicological profiles on hazardous chemicals found at Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) National Priorities List (NPL) sites that have the greatest public health impact. These profiles comprehensively summarize toxicological and environmental information. This article constitutes the release of portions of the toxicological profile for zinc. The primary purpose of this article is to provide interested individuals with environmental information on zinc that includes production data, environmental fate, potential for human exposure, analytical methods and a listing of regulations and advisories. Toxicology and Industrial Health 2007; 23: 247—308
Eluding Exit and Entry Controls: Romanian and Moldovan Immigrants in the European Union
Authors: Culic Irina
Published: January 2008

This study intends to show how politics and policies of immigration articulate on multiple layers of agency: supranational and transnational bodies, states, local networks, and migrants. Examining migration patterns of Romanian and Moldovan citizens in the European Union, the article suggests that to understand the course of immigration policies, students of immigration need to include accounts of the practices of knowledgeable migrants, as actors who enact, in both senses of the word, the authorities' rules and regulations.
Finite Element Charts and Active Vibration Suppression Schemes for Smart Structures Design
Authors: Ghasemi-Nejhad Mehrdad N. , Russ Richard , Kougen Ma
Published: January 2008

This article employs a finite element method to introduce Displacement-Load-Sensor voltage-Actuator voltage (DLSA) Design Charts and associated vibration suppression schemes; namely, Constant Voltage (CV), Optimum Voltage (OV), Corresponding Voltage (COV), and Truncated Corresponding Voltage (TCOV), to develop actuator control voltages with amplitude and phase information for the design of smart structures with piezoelectric sensors and actuators for active vibration suppression. These techniques can be used to (a) design the location, size, and number of actuators without resorting to complex control strategies or formal optimization techniques, (b) investigate the actuation effectiveness of surface-mounted versus embedded piezoelectric patches in similar composite structures, and (c) determine actuator control voltages analogous to a feedforward open-loop control technique. Guidelines are presented for the development of DLSA Design Charts. In addition, closed form analytical equations that can replace DLSA Design Charts, are developed and presented due to their ease of use. An Active Composite Panel (ACP) with a surface-mounted piezoelectric patch actuator for lateral vibration suppression and an Active Composite Strut (ACS) with a piezoelectric stack actuator for axial vibration suppression are considered. The ACP and ACS are employed to demonstrate the applications of the introduced DLSA Design Charts and the vibration suppression schemes for vibration suppression and actuator placement optimization. The vibration suppression of both ACP and ACS is significant over a frequency range encompassing several resonances, and is indicated by the Suppressed Vibration Energy (SVE) index. This investigation shows that the optimum location of the actuator depends on the structural mode shape, based on the criteria of maximum SVE and minimum actuator power. In general, the actuator should be placed on the panel on a sub-area, where the sum of normal strains is maximum. However, a preferred location can be determined over a range of frequencies that encompass more than one natural frequency.
Synchronized Switched Shunt Control Technique Applied on a Cantilevered Beam: Numerical and Experimental Investigations
Authors: Ciminello Monica , Calabrò Antonio , Ameduri Salvatore , Concilio Antonio
Published: January 2008

During the last decades, some research interest in noise and vibration suppression has been focused on a specific control typology, based on semi-active architectures. Related advantages, like low or absent external power supply and intrinsic adaptive capacities, constitute an acceptable compromise between passive and active systems. Among the proposed ones, the so-called Synchronized Switched Shunt Architecture (SSSA) has shown good potential. Theoretical and numerical models able to describe simple systems (concentrated DOFs), controlled by an SSSA were already implemented. Anyway, these models are not immediately applicable to continuous structures (beams, plates, etc.). For this reason, and taking advantage of the previous works, a dedicated simulation code was ideated and implemented. In this article, the cited code was used to predict the benefits due to an SSSA device, applied on a beam element; later on, an experimental campaign was carried out on a dedicated prototype; finally, numerical and experimental results were compared in order to point out eventual discrepancies and assess the modeling capabilities. Sine signals were used to excite the beam resonance frequencies. Both numerical and experimental outcomes were expressed in time domain because of the unsteady nature (and consequent nonlinearity) of the examined semi-active control system.
Study of RAINBOW Actuator and its Intergation with SMA
Authors: Xing Shen  , Yang Yu  , Yun Li
Published: January 2008

A new kind of large-displacement piezoelectric actuator — reduced and internally biased oxide wafer (RAINBOW) actuator composed of reduced and unreduced layers, is prepared from PZT (Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O 3) by chemical reduction. Its phase components, microstructure, and actuating properties are also researched. It is found that the displacement of reduced RAINBOW PZT is three times larger than that of the traditional PZT; however, re-oxide phases are found in the reduced layer of composite PZT, showing that the reduction procedure needs to be improved. Furthermore, the possibility of the integration between PZT and shape memory alloy (SMA) is explored. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) method is applied to depose SMA films on the reduced layer of RAINBOW PZT patches. Results of mechanical and actuating experiments show that this kind of integration is a reasonable idea to manufacture actuators with better performance.
Toward a Fundamental Understanding of the Hilbert-Huang Transform in Nonlinear Structural Dynamics
Authors: Kerschen G. , Vakakis A.F. , Lee Y.S. , McFarland D.M. , Bergman L.A.
Published: January 2008

The Hilbert—Huang transform (HHT) has been shown to be effective for characterizing a wide range of nonstationary signals in terms of elemental components through what has been called the empirical mode decomposition (EMD). The HHT has been utilized extensively despite the absence of a serious analytical foundation, as it provides a concise basis for the analysis of strongly nonlinear systems. In this paper, an attempt is made to provide the missing theoretical link, showing the relationship between the EMD and the slow-flow equations of a system. The slow-flow reduced-order model is established by performing a partition between slow and fast dynamics using the complexification-averaging technique in order to derive a dynamical system described by slowly-varying amplitudes and phases. These slow-flow variables can also be extracted directly from the experimental measurements using the Hilbert transform coupled with the EMD. The comparison between the experimental and analytical results forms the basis of a novel nonlinear system identification method, termed the slow-flow model identification (SFMI) method. Through numerical and experimental application examples, we demonstrate that the proposed method is effective for characterization and parameter estimation of multi-degree-of-freedom nonlinear systems.
Non-linear Systems Under Poisson White Noise Handled by Path Integral Solution
Authors: Di Paola M. , Santoro R.
Published: January 2008

An extension of the path integral to non-linear systems driven by a Poissonian white noise process is presented. It is shown that at the limit when the time increment becomes infinitesimal the Kolmogorov— Feller equation is fully restored. Applications to linear and non-linear systems with different distribution of the Dirac's deltas occurrences are performed and results are compared with analytical solutions (when available) and Monte Carlo simulation.
On the Optimal Motion of a Body with an Internal Mass in a Resistive Medium
Authors: Chernousko F.L.
Published: January 2008

The motion of a system consisting of a rigid body and an internal movable mass is considered. As a result of special periodic motions of the internal mass, the system as a whole can move in a resistive medium. These motions are analyzed for the cases of piecewise linear and quadratic resistance forces acting upon the body. Optimal parameters of the periodic motions are found that correspond to the maximal average speed of the system as a whole.
Adomian Decomposition Method Applied to Nonlinear Normal Modes of an Inertially Coupled Conservative System
Authors: Fengxia Wang  , Bajaj Anil K.
Published: January 2008

In this work, the nonlinear normal modes (NNMs) of a conservative spring—mass—pendulum system with quadratic inertial nonlinearity are determined by applying the Adomian decomposition method. The technique is applied to the governing boundary value problem that determines the nonlinear normal modes of the two degrees-of-freedom system in configuration space. The NNMs of this system are non-similar and such that the modal curves do not pass through the origin in the configuration space. Both the low energy and the high energy cases are considered, and nonlinear normal modes near 1:2 and 1:1 internal resonances in the two linear modes of vibration of the system are developed. It is seen that the ADM polynomial approximation approach, where the model nonlinearities are approximated by polynomials in the neighborhood of center—center equilibrium, greatly reduces algebraic calculations, and improves the convergence speed and the accuracy of the results obtained. The method also captures the possible multiple nonlinear normal modes that exist near internal resonance conditions. The advantages and disadvantages in using the Adomian decomposition method to construct the nonlinear normal modes of the system are discussed.
How to Improve Confidence in Calculations for Non-smooth Dynamical Systems
Authors: Schmidt F. , Lamarque C.-H.
Published: January 2008

In this paper we define an “indicator of tangent variation” that makes it possible to estimate the divergence between pathes starting from different initial conditions and/or parameters. First we work out theoretically this indicator; then we consider two examples: for the first one this indicator is well adapted. The second one corresponds to the case of an impact oscillator. In this case, grazing bifurcations can occur and prevent direct use of the defined indicator.
Findings From an Outcome Examination of Rhode Island's Specialized Domestic Violence Probation Supervision Program
Authors: Klein Andrew R. , Crowe Ann
Published: January 2008

An examination of specialized domestic violence probation supervision compared to traditional mixed case supervision of domestic violence probationers finds significant differences in several areas, including victim satisfaction, probationer accountability, and reabuse and rearrest rates. Lower-risk abusers, constituting almost half of the probation abuser caseload supervised by the specialized unit, were significantly less likely to be rearrested for domestic violence and nondomestic violence crimes than were those supervised in the traditional mixed caseloads. Victims' satisfaction appeared to be higher, and abusers were held more accountable. Researchers suggest what may account for these different outcomes and the limits of the specialized supervision program in affecting the behavior of high-risk abusers.
Ehlers—Danlos syndrome and multiple sclerosis: a possible association
Authors: Vilisaar J. , Harikrishnan S. , Suri M. , Constantinescu CS
Published: January 2008

Ehlers—Danlos syndrome (EDS) has various neurological manifestations. Here we present an association of EDS with multiple sclerosis (MS). Four MS patients from a total of 1892 followed up at our MS outpatient clinics had EDS. This frequency suggests 10—11 times increased prevalence of EDS in MS patients compared with the general population ( P = 0.02). Suggested implications include a possible causal relationship on a connective tissue level with a higher susceptibility to MS in EDS. Diagnostic and management considerations are important in coexisting MS and EDS. Our patients had relatively florid lesions on brain MRIs and typical course and features of MS. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14 : 567—570. http://msj.sagepub.com
Baló's disease showing benign clinical course and co-existence with multiple sclerosis-like lesions in Chinese
Authors: Chaodong Wang  , Zhang Kun-Nan , Wu Xiao-Mu , Gang Huang  , Xie Xu-Fang , Qu Xin-Hui , Xiong Ying-Qiong
Published: January 2008

Baló's concentric sclerosis (BCS) is a rare demyelinating disorder usually considered a variant of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, its pathogenesis and its correlation with MS remains unclear and controversial. This report presents seven Hans Chinese subjects diagnosed as BCS on the basis of the pathognomonic MR (magnetic resonance) findings. Upon diagnosis, all the cases displayed good responses to corticosteroids and showed an overall benign prognosis during a follow-up period of 4—13.5 years, although three relapsed later. MR findings suggest that the characteristic concentric lesions of BCS frequently (5/7) coexist with multiple sclerosis-like lesions. During follow-up, the Baló-like lesions may either dissolve over time or transform into an MS-like lesion. Moreover, the Balóand MS-like lesions occurred one after another at the onset and relapse phases of the same patient in two cases. These clinical features suggest that Baló's disease showing benign clinical course and co-existence of multiple sclerosis (MS)-like lesion is not rare among the Chinese, and strengthens the notion that BCS correlates intrinsically with MS. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 418—424. http://msj.sagepub.com
Anterior periventricular linear lesions in optic-spinal multiple sclerosis: a combined neuroimaging and neuropathological study
Authors: Matsushita Takuya , Matsuoka Takeshi , Ishizu Takaaki , Kikuchi Hitoshi , Osoegawa Manabu , Kawano Yuji , Mihara Futoshi , Ohyagi Yasumasa , Kira Jun-ichi
Published: January 2008

There are two distinct subtypes of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Asians, optic-spinal (OSMS) and conventional (CMS). In OSMS, severe spinal cord lesions are characteristic while brain lesions are scant. We sought to clarify atypical brain lesions in OSMS by neuroimaging and pathological studies. For brain MRI, 124 consecutive Japanese patients with clinically definite MS based on Poser criteria were enrolled, 57 with OSMS and 67 with CMS. Ten autopsied cases (seven OSMS and three CMS) were studied pathologically. Although the frequency of brain lesions fulfilling Barkhof criteria was significantly higher in CMS than in OSMS, periventricular linear lesions along with the anterior portion of the corpus callosum and the lateral ventricles were significantly more common in OSMS than in CMS. Pathologically, periventricular lesions in CMS extended deeply into the white matter, while those in OSMS were confined to periventricular areas. T cell infiltration in lesions was prominent in CMS but not in OSMS. Although severe axonal loss and cavity formation were commonly seen in periventricular and spinal cord lesions in OSMS, lymphocytic infiltrates and vessel wall thickening were observed only in the latter. Thus, we suggested that anterior periventricular linear lesions without ovoid ones are characteristic of OSMS. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 343—353. http://msj.sagepub.com
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome
Authors: Mehta Lahar R , Samuelsson Melissa K , Kleiner Anatole K , Goodman Andrew D , Anolik Jennifer H , Looney R John , Schwid Steven R
Published: January 2008

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system characterized by severe episodes of optic nerve and spinal cord inflammation. NMO-IgG (anti-aquaporin-4) has been recently described as a sensitive and specific marker for NMO. As there have been prior published reports of an association between NMO and systemic autoimmune diseases, the prognostic value of the antibody test in these cases is uncertain. We describe a 47-year old woman with recurrent transverse myelitis and a long-standing history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLS). While she did not have a history of optic neuritis, serological testing for the NMO-IgG was positive when she was admitted for her second episode of transverse myelitis. Testing for the NMO-IgG in cases of isolated or recurrent transverse myelitis attributed to current SLE and APLS may help clarify the diagnosis of a distinct disease process likely to cause recurrent and severe disability, warranting more aggressive immunotherapy. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 425—427. http://msj.sagepub.com
A longitudinal fMRI study of the paced auditory serial addition task
Authors: Cardinal KS , Wilson SM , Giesser BS , Drain AE , Sicotte NL
Published: January 2008

The paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT) is a test of working memory and attention that is frequently abnormal in MS and is used serially to assess cognitive dysfunction as part of the MS Functional Composite in clinical trials. Previous studies using functional MRI (fMRI) during PASAT performance have shown significant differences in activation patterns between healthy controls and MS patients matched for performance, but serial fMRI measures have not been reported. A confound is that learning effects are common with repeated PASAT testing, diminishing over successive trials. After measuring PASAT performance weekly for four weeks in 10 healthy controls to eliminate practice effects, we assessed brain activity using fMRI at baseline and after six months to determine the reproducibility of activation patterns in healthy controls during PASAT performance. Results showed that scores improved during the first three testing trials and stabilized subsequently. Brain activation during PASAT performance was seen in left frontal and parietal regions consistent with previous reports. After a six-month interval, PASAT performance and fMRI activity were stable, suggesting that serial fMRI during PASAT performance could be used as an outcome measure in trials assessing cognitive decline in clinical populations once practice effects are eliminated. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 465—471. http://msj.sagepub.com
Linkage disequilibrium analyses within chromosome 19p in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Vyshkina T. , Kalman B.
Published: January 2008

Objective The aim of this study was to determine if multiple sclerosis (MS) shows association with variants of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) within chromosome 19p, where previous studies resulted in conflicting observations.

Subjects and methods The transmissions of 569 SNP variants and 608 haplotypes from unaffected parents to their affected children were tested in 257 Caucasian families by using the pedigree disequilibrium test (PDT), the TRANSMIT version 2.5 program and the family- and haplotype-based association tests (FBAT and HBAT). The distribution of linkage disequilibrium (LD) among SNPs in 19p was assessed by ldmax and correlated with the location of MS-associated haplotypes.

Results Individual SNP alleles did not show association after correction for multiple testing in PDT. Several marker haplotypes within potential candidate genes of intracellular enzymes, transmembrane proteins and receptors and signaling and adhesion molecules appeared to be weakly associated with the disease in both TRANSMIT and HBAT. However, none of the associations was strong enough to survive correction for multiple testing.

Conclusions The present study is in the line of previous studies with negative conclusions concerning the role of the 19p region in MS. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 433—439. http://msj.sagepub.com
Cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis correlate with changes in fronto-subcortical tracts
Authors: Roca M. , Torralva T. , Meli F. , Fiol M. , Calcagno ML , Carpintiero S. , De Pino G. , Ventrice F. , Martín ME , Vita L. , Manes F. , Correale J.
Published: January 2008

Cognitive function and diffusion tensor imaging were assessed in a group of 12 patients with early relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis (disease duration ≤3 years), and mild clinical disability (expanded disability status scale ≤2), as well as in 12 control subjects. Patients showed impairment in immediate logical memory and delayed recall with the Rey auditory verbal learning test. No significant differences in classical executive tests were observed. In contrast, differences were found for specific executive tests including IOWA Gambling Task, multiple errands test hospital version (MET) and Hotel Task, as well as in Paced-Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT). Significant correlation was found between PASAT performance and FA measures ( r = 0.64, P = 0.03), the apparent diffusion coefficients and the MET ( r = 0.72, P = 0.01), as well as in one subtask of Hotel ( r = -0.68, P = 0.02). Thus, executive deficits can best be appreciated at early stages of MS when a more specific battery of tests is used for patient evaluation. In this series, test failures observed correlated with changes in fronto-subcortical fiber tracts. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 364—369. http://msj.sagepub.com
At the heart of primary progressive multiple sclerosis: three cases with diffuse MRI abnormalities only
Authors: Zwemmer JNP , Bot JCJ , Jelles B. , Barkhof F. , Polman CH
Published: January 2008

We present three patients with a clinical course and cerebrospinal fluid findings consistent with a diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). Extensive and repeated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations showed only diffuse abnormality in brain and spinal cord, but no focal lesions. We propose that these cases represent the most pure form of PPMS, even though according to currently applied criteria this diagnosis can not be made in the absence of focal lesions on MRI. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 428—430. http://msj.sagepub.com
T-1237C polymorphism of TLR9 gene is not associated with multiple sclerosis in the Portuguese population
Authors: Carvalho A. , Santos M. , Maciel P. , Rodrigues F.
Published: January 2008

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, with disturbances of the immunological balance. As TLR9-null mice showed increased resistance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and recent genetic investigations showed that T-1237C promoter polymorphism of TLR9, commonly implicated in autoimmune diseases, induces a deregulation of its expression, we performed an association study in a Portuguese population of 165 MS patients and unrelated healthy controls. Our results show no significant association with MS and no protective effect of T-1237C concerning age of onset, disease severity or disease subtype in MS patients. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14 : 550—552. http://msj.sagepub.com
Factors predicting incomplete recovery from relapses in multiple sclerosis: a prospective study
Authors: Leone MA , Bonissoni S. , Collimedaglia L. , Tesser F. , Calzoni S. , Stecco A. , Naldi P. , Monaco F.
Published: January 2008

Objective To prospectively evaluate predictors of incomplete recovery after the first attacks in a cohort of patients with clinically isolated syndrome or relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis.

Methods Seventy-two consecutive patients recruited from January 2001 to December 2003, evaluated every six months or at any relapse up to 31 July 2005. Relapse intervals were calculated from the date of onset, nadir, onset of improvement and maximum improvement. Predictive factors analysed were relapse-related (age at relapse onset, season and severity of the relapse, type of symptoms, speed of onset, plateau and total duration, number of affected Functional systems, preceding infections) and individual-related (gender, age at first attack, season of birth and first attack, characteristics of first brain MRI and cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands, Link Index, IgG).

Results We counted 209 attacks: 44 (21%) left mild sequelae, and 27 (13%) severe. The highest probability of sequelae was associated with sphincteric symptoms (9/20; 45%), followed by sensitive (38/113; 34%), motor (20/84; 24%), visual (13/61; 21%), cerebellar (4/24; 17%), brainstem (5/44; 11%) and others (0/6) ( P 0.005). Four variables were still relevant to predict sequelae after multivariate analysis: mild, moderate or severe relapses versus very mild (Odds ratio = 17.2, 95% confidence limits = 2.2—136.4), intermediate or long relapses versus short (3.2, 1.5—6.9), age ≥ 30 at relapse onset (2.9, 1.5—5.7) and bi-polysymptomatic versus monosymptomatic (2.2, 1.1—4.3).

Conclusions Factors predicting incomplete recovery are more closely linked to the characteristics of the single relapse (extension and duration of tissue damage) than to the patient's genetic and environmental background. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 485—493. http://msj.sagepub.com
Predictive role of evoked potential examinations in patients with clinically isolated optic neuritis in light of the revised McDonald criteria
Authors: Simó Magdolna , Barsi Péter , Arányi Zsuzsanna
Published: January 2008

To analyse the sensitivity and role of somatosensory and motor evoked potentials (EP) in patients with a first episode of clinically isolated optic neuritis (ON) in predicting the development and course of multiple sclerosis (MS), 27 patients with ON underwent EP and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations at presentation. Follow-up MRI scans were also performed (mean: 20, range: 4—48 months). It was found that 2/27 patients did not fulfill the MRI (McDonald) and clinical criteria of MS upon follow-up and also had normal EP results. Abnormal EP results were found in 6/27 patients and all of them had follow-up MRI results fulfilling the revised McDonald criteria of MS; 4/6 patients in this group were also diagnosed as clinically definitive MS. The majority, 19/27 patients had normal EP results, but went on to develop MS based on follow-up MRI results and McDonald criteria. Of these patients, however, only 3/19 converted to clinically definitive MS as well. The baseline MRI was abnormal in similar proportions (4/6 and 12/19) in these last two groups of patients. Thus, abnormal EP examinations at the first episode of ON can be considered as a predictive factor only for the earlier clinical conversion to MS — in this respect, however, being more sensitive than the initial MRI — and as such they may contribute to the delineation of the patient group who may benefit from early immunomodulatory treatment. They do not however have a predictive value for the development of MS itself as diagnosed by the McDonald criteria. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 472—478. http://msj.sagepub.com