bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of withdrawing feed from swine on meat quality and prevalence of Salmonella colonization at slaughter
Authors: Morrow W. E. Morgan , See M. Todd , Eisemann Joan H. , Davies Peter R. , Zering Kelly
Published: December 2005

Objective—To determine whether withholding feed from pigs prior to slaughter had any effects on meat quality, percentage of pigs withSalmonellaspp in cecal contents during slaughter, or percentage of pigs with lacerations of the gastrointestinal tract during slaughter.

Design—Split-plot design.

Animals—873 pigs.

Procedures—At the finishing barn, pigs were assigned to 30 pens. Feed withdrawal times were assigned to pens at random, and pigs in each pen were marketed in 3 groups. The first marketing group consisted of the 10 heaviest pigs in each pen, the second consisted of the next 10 heaviest pigs, and the third consisted of all remaining pigs.

Results—Withdrawing feed improved the redness score assigned to the meat but did not have any other significant effects on carcass composition or meat quality. The percentage of pigs withSalmonellaspp in the cecal contents decreased from the first (73%) to the second (64%) to the third (52%) marketing group. However, isolation ofSalmonellaspp from cecal contents was not associated with feed withdrawal time or with pen prevalence ofSalmonellashedding during the 2 months prior to slaughter. Feed withdrawal time and marketing group did not have any significant effects on overall prevalence of gastrointestinal tract lacerations.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that withdrawal of feed from pigs prior to slaughter does not increase the prevalence ofSalmonellacolonization or the risk of carcass contamination associated with gastrointestinal tract lacerations during slaughter but only slightly enhances meat quality. (J Am Vet Med Assoc2002;220:497–502)
Effects of testicular biopsy in clinically normal bulls
Authors: Heath Allen M. , Carson Robert L. , Purohit Ram C. , Sartin Eva M. , Wenzel James G.W. , Wolfe Dwight F.
Published: December 2005

Objective—To determine whether testicular needle biopsy is detrimental to testicular function in clinically normal bulls.

Design—Prospective study.

Animals—6 mixed-breed mature bulls.

Procedure—A randomly selected testicle from each bull was biopsied with a 14-gauge needle biopsy instrument. Bulls were then evaluated over a 90-day period for changes in scrotal temperature and thermal patterns, ultrasonographic appearance, and quality of spermatozoa. At the end of the 90-day study, bulls were castrated, and testicles were examined grossly and histologically.

Results—Changes were detected in scrotal temperatures and thermal patterns and in the breeding soundness examination results during the first 2 weeks of the study. However, there were no long-term changes in semen quality over the course of the experiment. Hyperechoic areas were detected on ultrasonographic examination and corresponded to the areas of penetration by the biopsy instrument. Microscopic lesions that were indicative of testicular dysfunction were not found.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicate that testicular biopsy is a safe procedure in bulls. Testicular biopsy could possibly be used to further examine bulls that have less than satisfactory results for breeding soundness examinations. (J Am Vet Med Assoc2002;220:507–512)
Percutaneous ultrasound-guided radiofrequency heat ablation for treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats
Authors: Mallery Kevin F. , Pollard Rachel E. , Nelson Richard W. , Hornof William J. , Feldman Edward C.
Published: December 2005

Objective—To determine efficacy and safety of percutaneous radiofrequency heat ablation for treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats.

Design—Prospective study.

Animals—9 cats.

Procedure—Hyperthyroidism was diagnosed via clinical signs and high serum total (TT4) and free thyroxine (fT4) concentrations. One or 2 hyperfunctional cervical thyroid nodules were detected by use of scintigraphy and ultrasonography. If cats had 1 abnormal thyroid lobe, heat ablation was performed on that lobe; if cats had 2 abnormal lobes, heat ablation was applied to the larger lobe. Overall, heat ablation was performed 14 times in the 9 cats. Clinical signs and serum TT4, fT4, and calcium concentrations were monitored daily for 2 days after the procedure, weekly for the first month, and then monthly. Laryngeal function was evaluated and cervical ultrasonography and thyroid scintigraphy were also performed. Monitoring continued for as long as 9 months after heat ablation if a cat became euthyroid or until an owner chose an alternative treatment because of recurrence of hyperthyroidism.

Results—Serum TT4and fT4concentrations transiently decreased after all 14 heat ablation procedures (≤ reference range after 10 of 14 treatments) within 2 days after the procedure. Cats were euthyroid for 0 to 18 months (mean, 4 months). Hyperthyroidism recurred in all cats. Adverse effects included transient Horner's syndrome (2 cats) and laryngeal paralysis without clinical signs (1 cat).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Percutaneous heat ablation as a treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats is effective transiently but not permanently. (J Am Vet Med Assoc2003;223:1602–1607)
Analysis of risk factors for recurrent airway obstruction in North American horses: 1,444 cases (1990–1999)
Authors: Couëtil Laurent L. , Ward Michael P.
Published: December 2005

Objective—To identify risk factors for recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) among horses examined at veterinary teaching hospitals in North America.

Design—Retrospective case-control study.

Animals—1,444 horses with RAO and 1,444 control horses examined for other reasons.

Procedure—The Veterinary Medical Database was searched for records of horses in which RAO was diagnosed. A control group was identified by randomly selecting a horse with a diagnosis other than RAO that matched the institution and year of admission for each of the horses with RAO. Information obtained included hospital, admission year and month, age, sex, breed, and discharge status. The association between risk factors and diagnosis of RAO was estimated with logistic regression models.

Results—The risk of RAO increased significantly with age, with horses ≥ 7 years old being 6 to 7 times as likely to have RAO as were horses ≤ 4 years old. Thoroughbreds were 3 times as likely to have RAO as were ponies. Horses were 1.6 and 1.5 times as likely to be examined because of RAO during winter and spring, respectively, than they were during summer.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that RAO was more likely to be diagnosed in females, horses ≥ 4 years old, and Thoroughbreds and that RAO has a seasonal distribution. (J Am Vet Med Assoc2003;223:1645–1650)
Evaluation of the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of two extended-release theophylline formulations in dogs
Authors: Bach Jonathan F. , Kukanich Butch , Papich Mark G. , McKiernan Brendan C.
Published: December 2005

Objective—To evaluate the bioavailability and pharmacokinetic
characteristics of 2 commercially available
extended-release theophylline formulations in
dogs.

Design—Randomized 3-way crossover study.

Animals—6 healthy adult dogs.

Procedure—A single dose of aminophylline (11 mg·kg–1
[5 mg·lb–1], IV, equivalent to 8.6 mg of theophylline/kg
[3.9 mg·lb–1]) or extended-release theophylline tablets
(mean dose, 15.5 mg·kg–1 [7.04 mg·lb–1], PO) or capsules
(mean dose, 15.45 mg·kg–1 [7.02 mg·lb–1], PO) was
administered to all dogs. Blood samples were obtained
at various times for 36 hours after dosing; plasma was
separated and immediately frozen. Plasma samples
were analyzed by use of fluorescence polarization
immunoassay.

Results—Administration of theophylline IV best fit a
2-compartment model with rapid distribution followed
by slow elimination. Administration of extended-release
theophylline tablets and capsules best fit a 1-
compartment model with an absorption phase. Mean
values for plasma terminal half-life, volume of distribution,
and systemic clearance were 8.4 hours, 0.546
L·kg–1, and 0.780 mL·kg–1·min–1, respectively, after IV
administration of theophylline. Systemic availability
was > 80% for both oral formulations. Computer simulations
predicted that extended-release theophylline
tablets or capsules administered at a dosage of 10
mg·kg–1 (4.5 mg·lb–1), PO, every 12 hours would maintain
plasma concentrations within the desired therapeutic
range of 10 to 20 µg·mL–1.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results of
these single-dose studies indicated that administration
of the specific brand of extended-release theophylline
tablets or capsules used in this study at a
dosage of 10 mg·kg–1, PO, every 12 hours would
maintain plasma concentrations within the desired
therapeutic range (10 to 20 µg·mL–1) in healthy dogs.
(J Am Vet Med Assoc 2004;224:1113–1119)
Evaluation of suspected pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in horses with laminitis
Authors: Donaldson Mark T. , Jorgensen Alec J. R. , Beech Jill
Published: December 2005

Objective—To determine prevalence and clinical features of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) in horses with laminitis.

Design—Case series.

Animals—40 horses with laminitis.

Procedures—Horses with laminitis that survived an initial episode of pain and were not receiving medications known to alter the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis were tested for PPID by evaluation of endogenous plasma ACTH concentration. Signalment, suspected cause, month of onset and duration of laminitis, Obel grade of lameness, pedal bone rotation, physical examination findings, results of endocrine function tests, treatment, outcome, and postmortem examination findings were recorded.

Results—Prevalence of PPID as defined by a single high plasma ACTH concentration was 70%. Median age of horses suspected of having PPID (n = 28) was 15.5 years, and median age of horses without PPID (12) was 14.5 years. Laminitis occurred most frequently in horses with and without suspected PPID during September and May, respectively. Chronic laminitis was significantly more common in horses suspected of having PPID. In horses suspected of having PPID, the most common physical examination findings included abnormal body fat distribution, bulging supraorbital fossae, and hirsutism. Five horses suspected of having PPID had no clinical abnormalities other than laminitis. Seventeen horses suspected of having PPID that were treated with pergolide survived, and 3 horses that were not treated survived.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Evidence of PPID is common among horses with laminitis in a primary-care ambulatory setting. Horses with laminitis may have PPID without other clinical signs commonly associated with the disease. (J Am Vet Med Assoc2004;224:1123–1127)
Evaluation of an epidemic of sporotrichosis in cats: 347 cases (1998–2001)
Authors: Schubach Tânia M. P. , Schubach Armando , Okamoto Thais , Barros Mônica B. L. , Figueiredo Fabiano Borges , Cuzzi Tullia , Fialho-Monteiro Paulo C. , Reis Rosani S. , Perez Mauricio A. , Wanke Bodo
Published: December 2005

Objective—To evaluate characteristics of a large epidemic
of sporotrichosis in cats.

Design-—Retrospective study.

Animals-—347 cats with naturally acquired infection
with Sporothrix schenckii.

Procedure—Medical records were reviewed for data
regarding clinical, mycologic, histopathologic, and routine
hematologic and serum biochemical findings;
assays for FIV-specific antibodies and FeLV antigen;
antifungal treatment; and follow-up.

Results—Lesions varied from small papules to extensive
zones of necrosis. Ten cats had no skin lesions, 114
had skin lesions at a single site, 86 had skin lesions in
2 sites, and 137 had skin lesions in 3 or more sites.
Respiratory tract signs were observed in 154 cats and
were the most frequent extracutaneous sign. Anemia,
leukocytosis with neutrophilia, hypoalbuminemia, and
hyperglobulinemia were the main blood abnormalities.
Antibodies against FIV were detected in 28 cats, FeLV
antigen was detected in 2 cats, and both were detected
in 1 cat among 142 cats tested. During the study,
118 cats were lost to follow-up and 124 died. Of 266
cats that were treated, 68 were cured. Complete healing
of the lesions was observed regardless of the presence
of extracutaneous signs, general condition, treatment
schedule, or coinfection with FIV.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Feline
sporotrichosis was evident in subclinical to severe
forms; however, cats can respond well to regular and
prolonged antifungal treatment. (J Am Vet Med Assoc
2004;224:1623–1629)
Evaluation of owner education as a component of obesity treatment programs for dogs
Authors: Yaissle Jill E. , Holloway Cheryl , Buffington C. A. Tony
Published: December 2005

Objective—To compare results of a conventional obesity treatment program with those of an obesity treatment program that included education of owners of obese dogs.

Design—Nonblinded prospective clinical trial.

Animals—60 obese dogs with a body condition score (BCS) of 8/9 or 9/9.

Procedure—Dogs were randomly assigned to control or owner education (EDU) treatment groups. A 6- month weight loss period was followed by an 18- month weight maintenance period. Daily caloric intake to induce loss of 1% of body weight/wk was calculated for each dog after assessment of prior diet history. The daily caloric intake for weight maintenance was estimated to be 20% greater than that calculated for weight loss with adjustments of ± 5% as required. Weight and BCS were recorded monthly for each dog. Owners of dogs in the EDU group were required to attend monthly classes that addressed nutrition-related topics during the 6-month weight loss period.

Results—Dogs in both treatment groups had significantly lower weight at the end of the weight loss period, compared with initial weight. Mean weight loss at 6 months was 14.7% in the control group and 15% in the EDU group; this difference was not significant. During the weight maintenance period, percentage weight loss was maintained in both treatment groups. Mean changes in BCS at 6 months (relative to time 0) were –1.5 in the control group and –1.7 in the EDU group. At 24 months, mean changes in BCS (relative to time 0) were –2.1 in the control group and –2.2 in the EDU group. No significant differences in BCS were identified between treatment groups at either 6 or 24 months.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Mean decrease in BCS of 2 and mean weight loss of 15% were achieved and maintained in all dogs. An obesity treatment program that included dietary changes and monthly weight checks during the weight loss and weight maintenance periods was sufficient to achieve these results. (J Am Vet Med Assoc2004;224:1932–1935)
Evaluation of techniques and outcomes of mitral valve repair in dogs
Authors: Griffiths Leigh G. , Orton E. Christopher , Boon June A.
Published: December 2005

Objective—To describe surgical techniques for and assess outcome of treatment of mitral regurgitation in dogs.

Design—Uncontrolled prospective study.

Animals—18 dogs with naturally occurring mitral regurgitation.

Procedure—All dogs weighed > 5 kg (11 lb) and had severe mitral regurgitation, congestive heart failure (CHF), and no serious noncardiac disease. Left ventricular volume indices, left atrial size, and degree of mitral regurgitation were determined echocardiographically before and after surgery. Repair techniques included circumferential annuloplasty, placement of artificial chordae, chordal fenestration and papillary muscle splitting, and edge-to-edge repair. Factors predictive for surgery survival and resolution of CHF were determined.

Results—12 dogs survived surgery. Factors predictive for surgery survival included weight > 10 kg (22 lb) and CHF of less than 6 months' duration. In 9 dogs, CHF resolved for a median period of 1 year (range, 4 months to 3 years) after surgery. One dog had stable CHF at 12 months. One dog died as a result of progressive CHF; another was euthanatized for a noncardiac reason. Left ventricular diastolic volume index was 226.9 ± 117.7 cm3/m2before surgery and 134.9 ± 70.4 cm3/m2at 6 months after surgery (n = 10). Factors predictive for resolution of CHF included left ventricular diastolic volume index < 250 cm3/m2and systolic volume index < 70 cm3/m2.

Conclusion and Clinical Relevance—Mitral valve repair may resolve CHF in dogs with severe mitral regurgitation, particularly in dogs that weigh > 10 kg and are treated within 6 months of the onset of CHF. (J Am Vet Med Assoc2004;224:1941–1945)
Idiopathic lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis in dogs: 37 cases (1997–2002)
Authors: Windsor Rebecca C. , Johnson Lynelle R. , Herrgesell Eric J. , De Cock Hilde E. V.
Published: December 2005

Objective—To determine clinical signs and rhinoscopic, computed tomographic, and histologic abnormalities in dogs with idiopathic lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—37 dogs.

Procedure—Clinical information was obtained from medical records. Nasal computed tomographic images and histologic slides of biopsy specimens were reviewed.

Results—Dogs ranged from 1.5 to 14 years old (mean, 8 years); most (28) were large-breed dogs. Nasal discharge was unilateral in 11 of 26 (42%) dogs and bilateral in 15 of 26 (58%) dogs. In dogs with unilateral disease, duration of clinical signs ranged from 1.5 to 36 months (mean, 8.25 months; median, 2 months), and in dogs with bilateral disease, duration of signs ranged from 1.25 to 30 months (mean, 6.5 months; median, 4 months). Computed tomography (n = 33) most often revealed fluid accumulation (27/33 [82%]), turbinate destruction (23/33 [70%]), and frontal sinus opacification (14/33 [42%]). Rhinoscopy (n = 37) commonly demonstrated increased mucus and epithelial inflammation; turbinate destruction was detected in 8 of 37 (22%) dogs. Bilateral biopsy specimens from all 37 dogs were examined. Four dogs had only unilateral inflammatory changes. The remaining 33 dogs had bilateral lesions; in 20, lesions were more severe on 1 side than the other.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Findings suggest that idiopathic lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis is a key contributor to chronic nasal disease in dogs and may be more common than previously believed. In addition, findings suggest that idiopathic lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis is most often a bilateral disease, even among dogs with unilateral nasal discharge. (J Am Vet Med Assoc2004; 224:1952–1957)
Serovar-specific prevalence and risk factors for leptospirosis among dogs: 90 cases (1997–2002)
Authors: Ward Michael P. , Guptill Lynn F. , Prahl Annalisa , Ching Wu Ching
Published: December 2005

Objective—To estimate serovar-specific prevalence of leptospirosis by use of veterinary teaching hospital and laboratory submission data; describe annual and seasonal patterns of leptospirosis; and identify risk factors for age, sex, and breed.

Design—Retrospective study.

Animals—90 dogs with leptospirosis.

Procedures—Hospital records of dogs examined at Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital with a diagnosis of leptospirosis and laboratory records of dogs from which sera were tested for antibodies againstLeptospiraspp at Purdue University Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory from 1997 through 2002 were reviewed. The likely infectingLeptospiraserovar was identified. Seasonal and annual prevalences were calculated by use of hospital population at risk (hospital cases) or serologic testing submissions (diagnostic laboratory cases). Age-, sex-, and breed-specific risk factors for hospital cases were estimated by odds ratios.

Results—Of the 39 hospitalized dogs identified, 34 had been serologically tested, and 22 of those were infected withLeptospira kirschneriserovar grippotyphosa. Of the 51 diagnostic laboratory cases, 59% had a reciprocal titer ≥ 800 against serovar grippotyphosa. Diagnostic laboratory cases were more common in summer, whereas hospital cases of leptospirosis were more common in fall. Male dogs were at significantly greater risk of leptospirosis than female dogs; and dogs 4 to 6.9 years old were at significantly greater risk than dogs < 1 year old.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—L kirschneriserovar grippotyphosa infection was associated with most cases of leptospirosis in dogs. Use of an effective vaccine that includes this serovar is advisable for dogs at risk of leptospirosis. (J Am Vet Med Assoc2004;224:1958–1963)
Bacterial meningitis and brain abscesses secondary to infectious disease processes involving the head in horses: seven cases (1980–2001)
Authors: Smith Jennifer J. , Provost Patricia J. , Paradis Mary Rose
Published: December 2005

Objective—To determine clinical features of horses
with bacterial meningitis or brain abscesses secondary
to infectious disease processes involving the
head.

Design—Retrospective study.

Animals—7 adult horses.

Procedure—Medical records of Tufts University, the
University of Pennsylvania, and the Livestock Disease
Diagnostic Center (Lexington, Ky) were reviewed to
identify adult (> 12 months old) horses in which a
postmortem diagnosis of bacterial meningitis or brain
abscess had been made. Horses were included in the
study if an intracranial infection was confirmed, the
horse had a primary infectious disease process involving
the head, and there were no signs of systemic
infection.

Results—23 adult horses with bacterial meningitis or
a brain abscess were examined during the study period,
but only 7 met the criteria for inclusion in the
study. Primary sites of infection included the
paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity, periocular tissues,
and submandibular lymph nodes. Three horses died
suddenly prior to hospitalization, and 1 horse was
hospitalized but died 7 days after the onset of neurologic
abnormalities. The remaining 3 horses were
euthanatized because of a rapid deterioration in clinical
status.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Although
rare, fatal intracranial complications can develop in
horses with infectious diseases involving the head.
(J Am Vet Med Assoc 2004;224:739–742)
Risk factors for recurrence of clinical signs associated with thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation in dogs: 229 cases (1994–2000)
Authors: Mayhew Philipp D. , McLear Robert C. , Ziemer Lisa S. , Culp William T. N. , Russell Kelli N. , Shofer Frances S. , Kapatkin Amy S. , Smith Gail K.
Published: December 2005

Objective—To assess risk factors for recurrence of
clinical signs associated with thoracolumbar intervertebral
disk disease (IVDD) in dogs that had decompressive
laminectomy without attempted prophylactic
treatment of other disk spaces.

Design—Retrospective study.

Animals—229 dogs.

Procedure—Medical records of dogs that had
decompressive laminectomy without prophylactic
fenestration for a first episode of IVDD and were available
for follow-up were reviewed. Information on 7
clinical and 8 radiographic potential risk factors were
recorded.

Results—Clinical signs associated with recurrence of
IVDD developed in 44 (19.2%) dogs. Ninety-six percent
of recurrences developed within 3 years after
surgery. Recurrence developed in 25% of Dachshunds
and 15% of dogs of other breeds combined. Number
of opacified disks was a significant risk factor for recurrence.
Risk increased with number of opacified disks
in an almost linear manner; each opacified disk
increased risk by 1.4 times. Dogs with 5 or 6 opacified
disks at the time of first surgery had a recurrence rate
of 50%.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—When all likely
episodes of recurrence are considered and a long
follow-up period is achieved, true rate of recurrence of
IVDD appears to be higher than in many previous
reports. Dogs with multiple opacified disks at the
time of first surgery should be considered a high-risk
subpopulation. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2004;225:
1231–1236)
Evaluation of early fetal loss induced by gavage with eastern tent caterpillars in pregnant mares
Authors: Bernard William V. , LeBlanc Michelle M. , Webb Bruce A. , Stromberg Arnold J.
Published: December 2005

Objective—To determine whether gavage of pregnant
mares (housed without access to pasture) with
starved eastern tent caterpillars (ETCs) or their excreta
is associated with early fetal loss (EFL), panophthalmitis,
or pericarditis.

Design—Randomized clinical trial.

Animals—15 mares.

Procedure—15 mares with fetuses from 40 to 80
days of gestation (dGa) were randomly assigned to
1 of 3 groups and received 2.5 g of ETC excreta, 50
g of starved ETCs, or 500 mL of water, respectively,
once daily for 10 days. Mares were housed in
box stalls, walked twice daily, and not allowed
access to pasture for 12 days before or during the
21-day trial.

Results—4 of 5 mares gavaged with starved ETCs
(group 2) aborted on trial days 8 (2 mares), 10, and
13. No control mares or mares that received excreta
aborted. Differences between the ETC group and
other groups were significant. Abortion occurred on
49, 64, 70, and 96 dGa. Allantoic fluids became
hyperechoic the day before or the day of fetal death.
Alpha streptococci were recovered from 1 fetus and
Serratia marcescens from 3 fetuses. Neither
panophthalmitis nor pericarditis was seen. The abortifacient
component of the ETCs was not elucidated.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—These findings
suggest that mares with fetuses from 40 to 120 days
of gestation should not be exposed to ETCs because
they may induce abortion. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2004;
225:717–721)
The Dental Anxiety Scale and Effects of Dental Fear on Salivary Cortisol
Authors: Krueger Tillmann H. C. , Heller Heinz-Werner , Hauffa Berthold P. , Haake Philip , Exton Mike S. , Schedlowski Manfred
Published: December 2005

Only a few studies have investigated use of the Dental Anxiety Scale in dental fear-induced neuroendocrine changes. The present study examined 19 female patients, each at two timepoints across an educational and a treatment session within a periodontitis therapy. Subjective measures included a visual analogue scale, the STAI State scale, and the Dental Anxiety Scale. Salivary cortisol was measured in parallel across all four timepoints. Although patients were significantly more aroused and anxious prior to the treatment session, salivary cortisol remained unchanged. However, patients with high Dental Anxiety were significantly more aroused and anxious and showed significantly higher salivary cortisol during the educational session than those with low scores on Dental Anxiety. In conclusion, the Dental Anxiety Scale differentiated mean neuroendocrine change between patients scoring low and high for Dental Anxiety and its use as an accurate tool to identify patients with high dental anxiety should be further studied predictively.
An ERP Study on Facial Expression of Emotion: Comparison of Linguistic and Visual Semantic Decoding
Authors: Balconi Michela
Published: December 2005

The present research compared the semantic information processing of linguistic stimuli with semantic elaboration of nonlinguistic facial stimuli. To explore brain potentials (ERPs, event-related potentials) related to decoding facial expressions and the effect of semantic valence of the stimulus, we analyzed data for 20 normal subjects ( M age = 23.6 yr., SD = 0.2). Faces with three basic emotional expressions (fear, happiness, and sadness from the 1976 Ekman and Friesen database), with three semantically anomalous expressions (with respect to their emotional content), and the neutral stimuli (face without an emotional content) were presented in a random order. Differences in peak amplitude of ERP were observed later for anomalous expressions compared with congruous expressions. In fact, the results demonstrated that the emotional anomalous faces elicited a higher negative peak at about 360 msec., distributed mainly over the posterior sites. The observed electrophysiological activity may represent specific cognitive processing underlying the comprehension of facial expressions in detection of semantic anomaly. The evidence is in favour of comparability of this negative deflection with the N400 ERP effect elicited by linguistic anomalies.
Coping Responses and Problem Appraisal in Spanish Adolescents
Authors: Zanini Daniela S. , Forns Maria , Kirchner Teresa
Published: December 2005

This study uses Moos's Coping Responses Inventory (Youth Form, 1993) to examine coping behavior in Spanish adolescents. 1,362 adolescents were recruited from the metropolitan area of Barcelona, Spain. All subjects were in high school and ages 12 to 16 years. The socio-economic status was primarily middle class. Adolescents' coping behaviors were examined by sex and age, and the relationship between problem appraisal and choice of coping strategy was analyzed. Girls used more approach, avoidance, and behavioral responses than boys, especially Logical Analysis, Seeking Guidance and Support, and Emotional Discharge strategies. At older ages, Logical Analysis and Emotional Discharge became more frequent in girls and Cognitive Avoidance less frequent in boys. The results also suggest that problem appraisal has only a limited effect on the selection of coping strategies and that only few strategies are related to the problems' outcomes.
Short-Term Effects of Using Verbal Instructions and Demonstration at the Beginning of Learning a Complex Skill in Figure Skating
Authors: Haguenauer Marianne , Fargier Patrick , Legreneur Pierre , Dufour Anne-Béatrice , Cogerino Geneviéve , Begon Mickaël , Monteil Karine M.
Published: December 2005

This study examined whether providing verbal instructions plus demonstration and task repetition facilitates the early acquisition of a sport skill for which learners had a prior knowledge of the individual motor components. After one demonstration of the task by an expert, 18 novice skaters practiced a figure skating jump during a 15-min. period. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: a group provided with a verbal instruction that specified the subgoals of the task (Subgoals group), a group provided with a verbal instruction that used a metaphor (Metaphoric group), and a group not receiving any specific instruction during training (Control group). Subjects were filmed prior to and immediately following the practice session. Analysis indicated that the modifications of performance were related to the demonstration and the subsequent task repetitions only. Providing additional verbal instructions generated no effect. Therefore, guiding the learner toward a solution to the task problem by means of verbal instruction seems to be ineffective if done too early in the course of learning.
The Brain-Sex Theory of Occupational Choice: A Counterexample
Authors: Esgate Anthony , Flynn Maria
Published: December 2005

The brain-sex theory of occupational choice suggests that males and females in male-typical careers show a male pattern of cognitive ability in terms of better spatial than verbal performance on cognitive tests with the reverse pattern for females and males in female-typical careers. These differences are thought to result from patterns of cerebral functional lateralisation. This study sought such occupationally related effects using synonym generation (verbal ability) and mental rotation (spatial ability) tasks used previously. It also used entrants to these careers as participants to examine whether patterns of cognitive abilities might predate explicit training and practice. Using a population of entrants to sex-differentiated university courses, a moderate occupational effect on the synonym generation task was found, along with a weak ( p<.10) sex effect on the mental rotation task. Highest performance on the mental rotation task was by female students in fashion design, a female-dominated occupation which makes substantial visuospatial demands and attracts many students with literacy problems such as dyslexia. This group then appears to be a counterexample to the brain-sex theory. However, methodological issues surrounding previous studies are highlighted: the simple synonym task appears to show limited discrimination of the sexes, leading to questions concerning the legitimacy of inferences about lateralisation based on scores from that test. Moreover, the human figure-based mental rotation task appears to tap the wrong aspect of visuospatial skill, likely to be needed for male-typical courses such as engineering. Since the fashion-design career is also one that attracts disproportionately many male students whose sexual orientation is homosexual, data were examined for evidence of female-typical patterns of cognitive performance among that subgroup. This was not found. This study therefore provides no evidence for the claim that female-pattern cerebral functional lateralisation is likely in gay males.
Discrepancies between Premorbid and Current IQ as a Function of Progressive Mental Deterioration
Authors: McCarthy Francis , Burns William J. , Sellers Alfred H.
Published: December 2005

The declining cognitive functioning typically found in patients with Alzheimer's disease presents an opportunity to study that decline. The changing magnitude of ever widening discrepancies between premorbid estimators of IQ and observed IQ increases as severity of the disease increases. Premorbid IQs estimated by these scores (the National Adult Reading Test–Revised, the reading tests of the Revised and Third Editions of the Wide Range Achievement Test, and a demographically based regression index for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–Revised) had relatively similar discrepancies from obtained WAIS–R Full Scale IQs in samples of normal elderly ( n = 30), and elderly patients diagnosed with mild ( n = 30) and moderate Alzheimer's disease ( n = 30) dementia. The discrepancies became larger, regardless of premorbid estimator, as disease severity progressed from none to mild to moderate across the samples.
Self-Efficacy in Mastery Learning to Apply a Therapeutic Psychomotor Skill
Authors: Mann Douglas D. , Eland David C.
Published: December 2005

This study assessed changes in Self-efficacy scores produced by each of the four steps of instruction used to teach students a therapeutic psychomotor skill used by osteopathic physicians. Volunteering subjects were an entire class of 83 first-year osteopathic medical students (40 men, 43 women, M age = 25.1 yr.). Self-reported Self-efficacy to perform the skill was sampled: (1) after an instructor's demonstration of the skill during a laboratory session, (2) after paired students practiced during the laboratory session, (3) after independent self-paced practice outside class using an instructional handout and videotape, and (4) after receiving individualized feedback on skill performance from an instructor acting as the “patient.” The first two steps, representing typical skill instruction, produced mean Self-efficacy scores of 18% and 30%, respectively. On the last two steps, added to implement mastery learning, mean Self-efficacy scores increased to 75% and 85%, respectively. The instructors confirmed that all students mastered performance of the skill. Mastery learning was effective in developing both the therapeutic skill and high Self-efficacy to utilize the skill.
Short-Term Effect of Physical Exercise at Lactate Threshold on Choice Reaction Time
Authors: Kashihara Koji , Nakahara Yoshibumi
Published: December 2005

The duration of the enhancement of choice reaction task efficiency by physical exercise at lactate threshold was studied. After healthy male students completed the exercise or nonexercise (control) period for 10 min., they performed a three-choice reaction task for 20 min. The mean heart rate during the choice reaction task after the exercise was higher than that after the control period ( p<.05). For average percentage of correct answers, there were no significant differences between the exercise and control conditions. The reaction time during the first 8 min. of the 20-min. choice reaction task after the exercise period was less than that after the control period and increased gradually thereafter. In conclusion, whereas the choice reaction time was improved by physical exercise at around lactate threshold, the positive effects were seen mainly in the early stages of the task.
Ratings of Speech Naturalness of Children Ages 8–16 Years
Authors: Coughlin-Woods Suzanne , Lehman Mark E. , Cooke Paul A.
Published: December 2005

The focus of this cross-sectional study was the investigation of Speech Naturalness (speech that sounds normal or natural to the listener) of 60 normal speaking children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 16 years. 26 naive adult listeners rated the naturalness of videotaped and computer-presented speech samples, using a 9-point-Likert rating scale (1: highly natural sounding speech and 9: highly unnatural sounding speech). The children and adolescents who participated as speakers were distributed among 5 age groups (8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 yr.) with 6 boys and 6 girls in each group. Each child demonstrated normal articulation, language, voice, and speech fluency skills. Age and sex comparisons indicated boys' and girls' speech was rated comparably; however, 8-yr.-olds' speech was rated as significantly less natural than those of 12-, 14-, and 16-yr.-olds. Preliminary ratings of Speech Naturalness for normal speaking children were presented. Suggestions for the clinical application of the findings as a target criterion in treatment programs with communicatively impaired children were suggested. Replication with a larger and more representative sample is in order.
Effects of Display Characteristics and Individual Differences on Preferences of VDT Icon Design
Authors: Shieh Kong-King , Ko Ya-Hsien
Published: December 2005

This study explored the effects of display characteristics such as target/background color combination, single/simultaneous presentation, and individual differences by sex, and design specialty on preferences of VDT icon design. The results indicated black targets (black-on-white, black-on-yellow) and black backgrounds (red-on-black, yellow-on-black) were the most popular and white targets (white-on-red, white-on-black) and white backgrounds (blue-on-white, red-on-white) were the second most popular. As for the chromatic color combinations, yellow-on-blue was the most favored. Subjects rated color combinations under single presentation higher than those under simultaneous presentation. Women rated purplish targets and rated purplish and blue backgrounds higher than men. Subjects with design background favored black more either as a target or background, but they favored turquoise less than those without design background.
Relationship of Perceived Physical Self-Concept and Physical Activity Level and Sex among Young Children
Authors: Planinšec Jurij , Fošnarič Samo
Published: December 2005

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between level of physical activity and perceived physical self-concept of young children. The sample comprised 364 children from Slovenia, aged 6.4 yr. ( SD = 0.3), of which 179 were boys and 185 girls. Parents and teachers reported children's physical activity using the Harro questionnaire. We divided children into Low and High Activity groups based on their mean scores. The children completed Stein's Children's Physical Self-concept Scale, which assesses Global Physical Self-concept and the subdomains of Physical Performance, Physical Appearance, and Weight Control behavior. Two-way analysis of variance with both sex and physical activity levels, and their interaction were used to examine differences in Physical Self-concept. There were significant differences between the Low and High Activity groups on scores for global Physical Self-concept Scale, Physical Performance, and Weight Control, on which children from the High Activity group scored higher; whereas on the subscale Physical Appearance, there were no significant differences. There were no significant sex differences on the Physical Self-concept Scale. The most important conclusion of this research indicates the theoretical assumptions that Physical Activity and perceived Physical Self-concept are related. Direction of the relationship remains unclarified.
Effect of Reading with Reversed Speech on Frequency of Stuttering in Adults
Authors: Rami Manish K. , Diederich Elisa
Published: December 2005

This study explored the effect of reading with reversed speech on the frequency of stuttering. Eight adults who stutter served as participants and read four 300-syllable passages while listening to three types of speech stimuli: normal speech (choral reading), reversed speech at normal speed, reversed speech at half speed, and a control condition of no auditory feedback. A repeated-measures analysis of variance showed a significant decrease in stuttering frequency in the choral reading condition but not in reversed speech at normal and half speed. However, the reversed speech at half-speed condition showed a large effect size (ω2 = 0.32). Data suggest that a forward moving speech feedback is not essential to decrease the frequency of stuttering in adults who stutter.
Correlates of Children's Eating Attitude Test Scores among Primary School Children
Authors: Shariff Zalilah Mohd , Yasin Zaidah Mohamed
Published: December 2005

A total of 107 Malay primary school girls (8–9 yr. old) completed a set of measurements on eating behavior (ChEAT, food neophobia scales, and dieting experience), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, body shape satisfaction, dietary intake, weight, and height. About 38% of the girls scored 20 and more on the ChEAT, and 46% of them reported dieting by reducing sugar and sweets (73%), skipping meals (67%), reducing fat foods (60%) and snacks (53%) as the most frequent methods practiced. In general, those girls with higher ChEAT scores tended to have lower self-esteem ( r = .39), indicating they were more unwilling to try new foods (food neophobic) ( r = .29), chose a smaller figure for desired body size ( r = −.25), and were more dissatisfied with their body size ( r = .31).
Effects of Caffeine on the Trigeminal Blink Reflex
Authors: Schicatano Edward J.
Published: December 2005

The acoustic startle and trigeminal blink reflexes share the same motor output. Since caffeine has been shown to augment the startle reflex, it was proposed that caffeine would also increase the trigeminal blink reflex. In 6 humans, the effects of caffeine (100 mg) on the trigeminal blink reflex were investigated. Reflex blinks were elicited by stimulation of the supraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve. Following ingestion of caffeinated coffee, reflex blinks increased in amplitude and duration and occurred at a shorter latency than reflex blinks following ingestion of decaffeinated coffee. Since the blink reflex is a brainstem reflex, these results suggest that the psychomotor effects of caffeine facilitate brainstem processing.
Detection of Invariants by Haptic Touch across Age Groups: Rod Length Perception
Authors: Shimizu Takeshi , Norimatsu Hiroko
Published: December 2005

This study examined the development in the detection of maximum eigenvalues and static moment as invariants, through a task of perceiving rod length without visual information by haptic touch. 34 participants ages 6 to 83 years participated in the experiment. Their exploratory behavior and perceptions of rod length were analyzed by age group (Children: 6 to 12 years old; Young Adult: 21 to 25 years old; Middle Age: 31 to 56 years old; and Older: 65 to 83 years old). A behavior analysis indicated that use of vertical swinging increased for the Young Adult group and decreased with age for the Older group, whereas Children frequently held the rod without wielding. Analysis showed that, by age, differences in coefficients on the maximum eigenvalue and static moment were parallel with an exploratory behavioral change. Finally, the effect of different exploratory behaviors on length perception was discussed.
Using the Alphabet Task to Differentiate between Proficient and Nonproficient Handwriters
Authors: Rosenblum Sara
Published: December 2005

From 10 to 30% of elementary school-aged children have handwriting difficulties. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the Alphabet Task performed on a computerized digitizer system may be used as a screening tool in order to differentiate between nonproficient and proficient writers. Performance on the Alphabet Task was compared for 50 third grade students defined by their teachers as nonproficient writers ( M age = 8.7 yr., SD = 0.3) and 50 age- and sex-matched classmates defined as proficient writers ( M age = 8.6 yr., SD = 0.4). Analysis indicated significant differences between the two groups in temporal and spatial measures of the Alphabet Task performance, supporting its use in screening for handwriting difficulties. Possible implications of the results for intervention with children with handwriting difficulties are discussed.
Tapping and Anticipation Performance in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Toplak M. E. , Tannock R.
Published: December 2005

The objective of this study was to examine the precise timing of a motor response in a sample of adolescents with ADHD and comparison participants. 46 participants with ADHD ( M age = 15.6, SD = 1.4; 40 boys) and 44 control participants ( M age = 15.3, SD = 1.4; 40 boys) were recruited through a metropolitan hospital. Participants were administered a tapping task and an anticipation task. Adolescents with ADHD displayed significantly more intra-individual variability on the visual 1000-msec. frequency interval of the tapping task and displayed lower accuracy on the cued and uncued trials of the anticipation task than comparison participants. Intra-individual variability on the tapping task was correlated with intra-individual variability on the anticipation task within both the ADHD and control groups. These findings suggest that adolescents with ADHD have impairments in both the cognitive representation and motor production of the precise timing of a motor response.
Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the 12-Item General Health Questionnaire in Adolescents
Authors: López-Castedo Antonio , Fernández Luis
Published: December 2005

The internal consistency, test-retest reliability and factor structure of the Castilian Spanish version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were studied with a sample of 1930 Spanish adolescents ( M age = 15.9 yr., SD = 2.1). Cronbach α for the whole sample was .85 (.81 for boys, .87 for girls). Test-retest reliability was also satisfactory: r = .75 for boys, .81 for girls, .79 for the whole sample. After applying principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation, two factors were identified that jointly accounted for 46.8% of the total variance, Anxiety and Social Dysfunction. The results suggest that the GHQ-12 items is a questionnaire with some satisfactory psychometric properties.
A Critique of Venkatagiri's Hypothesis (2004) about the Cause of Stuttering
Authors: Onslow Mark
Published: December 2005

This paper critiques a recent proposed causal hypothesis of stuttering. It is argued that the proposal is a classic example of the misuse of the representativeness heuristic in the search for the cause of the disorder.
Mood Alterations following an Indoor and Outdoor Exercise Program in Healthy Elderly Women
Authors: Matsouka O. , Kabitsis C. , Harahousou Y. , Trigonis I.
Published: December 2005

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 12-wk. recreational exercise program on mood state of 55 sedentary elderly women, ages 60 to 75 years, as well to examine the minimal amount of weekly exercise needed to produce these changes. The variables comprising mood state were Positive Engagement, Revitalization, Tranquility, and Physical Exhaustion. Subjects were allocated to three exercise groups ( n = 15 each) and one control group ( n = 10). Exercise was performed for 45 min. three times, twice, or once a week by one group each. Subjects were pre-and posttested on the selected variables. Those who participated three times a week had significantly more positive mood profiles than nonexercisers and those who exercised once a week, but profiles for those who exercised three or two times a week were similar. It is concluded that the group's improvement in both positive and negative affect corresponded to the frequency of exercise in their program. However, participation at least two times a week is necessary for significant mood alterations. Findings are discussed in terms of improvements in design and measurement and the need to focus research on multiple components of fitness in relation to mood state in an elderly sample.