bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mobile Cloud Computing: Offloading Mobile Processing to the Cloud
Authors: Ahuja Sanjay P. , Zambrano Jesus
Published: February 2016

The current proliferation of mobile systems, such as smart phones and tablets, has let to their adoption as the primary computing platforms for many users. This trend suggests that designers will continue to aim towards the convergence of functionality on a single mobile device (such as phone + mp3 player + camera + Web browser + GPS + mobile apps + sensors). However, this conjunction penalizes the mobile system both with respect to computational resources such as processor speed, memory consumption, disk capacity, and in weight, size, ergonomics and the component most important to users, battery life. Therefore, energy consumption and response time are major concerns when executing complex algorithms on mobile devices because they require significant resources to solve intricate problems.

Offloading mobile processing is an excellent solution to augment mobile capabilities by migrating computation to powerful infrastructures. Current cloud computing environments for performing complex and data intensive computation remotely are likely to be an excellent solution for offloading computation and data processing from mobile devices restricted by reduced resources. This research uses cloud computing as processing platform for intensive-computation workloads while measuring energy consumption and response times on a Samsung Galaxy S5 Android mobile phone running Android 4.1OS.
A escola e a semiliberdade: a importância do diálogo
Authors: Moreira Jacqueline De Oliveira , Melgaço Paula , De Albuquerque Bruna Simões , Rocha Bianca Ferreira , Ribeiro Ana Carolina Ferreira
Published: February 2016

A relação do adolescente autor de ato infracional com o espaço escolar é otema central deste artigo. Procurou-se refletir sobre o eixo da escolarização namedida socioeducativa de semiliberdade, levando em conta as peculiaridadesde tal medida no que concerne aos impasses vividos com a escola. Para isso,realizou-se uma análise tanto da evasão escolar dos adolescentes, destacandosea função da escola em suas vidas e as dificuldades de permanecer no espaçoescolar, quanto dos problemas enfrentados por professores na inserção dessesalunos. Entender os desafios da escolarização na medida de semiliberdadecontribui para uma compreensão ampliada dos impasses na educação hoje,visto que isso demanda uma pesquisa que contemple os jovens e sua relaçãoconflituosa com a escola, a dificuldade dos educadores com a transmissão ea resistência das instituições. Finalmente, sugerem-se saídas para o trabalhoda semiliberdade com base no entendimento da escola como lugar de vida.
Corpo e psicologia: uma revisão da produção científica brasileira na primeira década dos anos 2000
Authors: De Lucas Freitas Joanneliese , Bevilacqua Caroline , De Castilhos Juliana Carolina , Michel Luís Henrique Fuck , Pértile Caroline
Published: February 2016

Este estudo teve como objetivo mapear as publicações científicas sobrecorpo na Psicologia brasileira na última década. Foram selecionados 126artigos nas bases de dados Pepsic e Scielo, buscados com os descritores“corpo” e “corporeidade”, publicados entre 2000 e 2009, em português.Os artigos foram agrupados em categorias de análise, assim distribuídas:(1) cita ou problematiza “corpo” ou “corporeidade”; (2) áreas de estudo;(3) teorias de base; (4) metodologia; e (5) concepções de corpo. Nota-seque a década foi marcada por um forte crescimento de publicações. A áreaque mais publicou sobre o tema foi a “clínica”, e a teoria, a “psicanálise”.Os estudos teóricos predominam sobre os empíricos e há uma incidênciarelevante de estudos multidisciplinares. O tema emerge como complexo,fortemente problematizado pela Psicologia. As análises também apontampara uma dispersão conceitual do problema e uma necessidade de avançonos estudos empíricos.
Los Mensajes Híbridos en el marketing postmoderno: una propuesta de taxonomía
Authors: Aguilera Moyano Joaquín de , Baños González Miguel , Ramírez Perdiguero Francisco Javier
Published: February 2016

Podemos entender un “mensaje híbrido” como todo intento pagado de influenciar a las audiencias para un objetivo comercial, utilizando comunicaciones que proyectan un carácter no-comercial (Balasubramanian, 1994). Durante las dos décadas transcurridas, los mensajes híbridos han crecido en importancia y presencia. Algunos de estos mensajes, como el patrocinio o el emplazamiento de producto, han sido ampliamente estudiados, no así formas más novedosas como el branded content, el content marketing o el branded entertainment. No existe consenso entre los diferentes autores sobre el alcance, naturaleza, definición y clasificación de estas nuevas formas de comunicación.  En este trabajo se ha realizado una exhaustiva revisión de las publicaciones aparecidas en los últimos años, lo que ha permitido clarificar los tres conceptos aludidos, así como realizar una propuesta de clasificación de los mensajes híbridos, en la que el principal factor de diferenciación es la intencionalidad en la creación del contenido.
El programa pictórico del Palau Palmerola en Barcelona. Interpretación de escenas mediante el archivo patrimonial familiar
Authors: Vallugera Fuster Anna
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT: The first Marquis of Palmerola, Francesc Xavier Despujol, remodelled his family residence in 1784, which included a large hall decorated with a pictorial program painted by Pere Pau Montaña. These historical paintings depicted episodes of war and peace, related to the family history of the owners, in order to show the importance and roots of their lineage, highlighting their illustrious role in their country’s history and commerce. This constitutes an outright justification of their power, an ostentatious display of their social status and their loyalty to the crown, following the trend amongst the nobility for building these cases grans during the last third of the eighteenth century in Barcelona, to set themselves apart from the parvenu, mostly the pre-industrial bourgeoisie. In order to interpret and understand Montaña’s pictorial program, I make use of the Despujol family Archive. KEYWORDS: Despujol, Cases grans, Pere Pau Montaña, Iconographical Programs, Baroque, Barcelona.  RESUMEN: El primer marqués de Palmerola, Francesc Xavier Despujol, mandó reformar su vivienda familiar en 1784, que incluía un gran salón decorado con un programa pictórico de Pere Pau Montaña. Éste representaba escenas históricas con episodios de guerra y paz, relacionados con la historia de la familia propietaria, como muestra de la importancia y orígenes de su linaje, señalando su papel destacado en la historia y el comercio del país. Se trata de una rotunda justificación de su poder, una ostentosa demostración de su estatus social y su fidelidad a la corona, respondiendo al fervor contructivo de cases grans del último tercio del siglo XVIII barcelonés, desmarcándose de los parvenus, mayormente burguesía pre-industrial. Para interpretar el programa de Montaña, recurriremos al archivo patrimonial de la familia Despujol. PALABRAS CLAVES: Despujol, Cases grans, Pere Pau Montaña, programa iconográfico, Barroco, Barcelona.
La obra Cor Iesv amanti sacrvm de Antonio Wierix: el religio cordis jesuita al inicio de la reforma católica y la promoción de la vía mística triple
Authors: Renders Helmut
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT: This article introduces the emblem book Cor Iesv amanti sacrvm by Antonius Wierix, written around 1586/87 with 18 engravings accompanied by brief Latin poems of two stanzas with three lines each. After a general introduction to the work, this study presents an iconographic analysis of the picturae, interpreted together with their corresponding subscriptiones. This text and image composition is then regarded as religious language, typical of Jesuit emblem books. By comparing different editions of this book, the order of the 18 emblems - suggested (but not explained) by Menon - is confirmed, and a new sequence is proposed, highlighting the main objective of this work, viz. the promotion of the triple mystic way. KEYWORDS: Emblem books; religio cordis; Jesuits; Antonius Wierix; Cor Iesv amanti sacrvm; triple mystical way.  RESUMEN: Este artículo presenta el libro emblemático Cor Iesv sacrvm amanti de Antonio Wierix, creado en torno a 1586-1587, con 18 grabados acompañados de breves poesías latinas de dos estrofas de tres versos cada una. Después de una introducción general, juga-se la iconografía da pictura junto a subscriptio como ejemplos de una lenguaje religiosa compuesta de elementos pictóricos y textuales, típicos para el género de libros emblemáticos jesuitas. Se confirma la secuencia sugerida pero no explicada por Megnon de los 18 emblemas por la comparación de varias ediciones de la obra y propone una nueva estructuración de la secuencia de los 18 emblemas destacando como el objetivo principal la promoción de la vía mística triple. PALABRAS CLAVES: Libros emblemáticos; religio cordis; jesuitas; Antonio Wierix; Cor Iesv sacrvm amanti; el camino místico triple.
Lyra Mixta
Authors: García Mahíques Rafael
Published: February 2016

Recensión del libro:INFANTES, Víctor [2015]. Lyra mixta. Silva ejemplar de artificios gráfico-literarios, Madrid, Turpin Editores, 2015.
The French Who Dont Go to the Movies: Government and Industry Assess the Audience, 1948–54
Authors: Smoodin Eric
Published: February 2016

Who were the French who wouldnt go to movies? The question was a vexing one in France after the Second World War, to which the film industry and the national government sought answers. In 1948 the Gaumont Film Company commissioned a survey of who went to the movies, who didnt, and why. In 1954, the Centre National de la Cinématographie, acknowledging La crise du cinéma, published an ominously titled Inquest about movies and the French public. Thus audience studies in France took on national importance, and created a sociological and psychological profile of viewers that could be used to enhance business practice and government policy.
Awakening from the European Dream: Eurimages and the Funding of Dystopia
Authors: Power Aidan
Published: February 2016

Since its inception by the Council of Europe in 1989, Eurimages has been to the fore in financing European co-productions with the aim of fostering integration and cooperation in artistic and industry circles and has helped finance over 1,600 feature films, animations and documentaries. Taking as its thesis the idea that the CoE seeks to perpetuate Europes utopian ideals, despite the dystopian realities that frequently undermine both the EU and the continent at large, this article analyses select Eurimages-funded dystopian films from industrial, aesthetic and socio-cultural standpoints with a view toward decoding institutionally embedded critiques of the European project.
Registered report: Diverse somatic mutation patterns and pathway alterations in human cancers
Authors: Sharma Vidhu , Young Lisa , Allison Anne B , Owen Kate ,   Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology
Published: February 2016

The Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology seeks to address growing concerns about reproducibility in scientific research by conducting replications of selected experiments from a number of high-profile papers in the field of cancer biology. The papers, which were published between 2010 and 2012, were selected on the basis of citations and Altmetric scores (Errington et al., 2014). This Registered Report describes the proposed replication plan of key experiments from "Diverse somatic mutation patterns and pathway alterations in human cancers" by Kan and colleagues published in Nature in 2010 (Kan et al., 2010). The experiments to be replicated are those reported in Figures 3D-F and 4C-F. Kan and colleagues utilized mismatch repair detection (MRD) technology to identify somatic mutations in primary human tumor samples and identified a previously uncharacterized arginine 243 to histidine (R243H) mutation in the G-protein α subunit GNAO1 in breast carcinoma tissue. In Figures 3D-F, Kan and colleagues demonstrated that stable expression of mutant GNAO1R243D conferred a significant growth advantage in human mammary epithelial cells, confirming the oncogenic potential of this mutation. Similarly, expression of variants with somatic mutations in MAP2K4, a JNK pathway kinase (shown in Figures 4C-E) resulted in a significant increase in anchorage-independent growth. Interestingly, these mutants exhibited reduced kinase activity compared to wild type MAP2K4, indicating these mutations impose a dominant-negative influence to promote growth (Figure 4F). The Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology is a collaboration between the Center for Open Science and Science Exchange and the results of the replications will be published in eLife.
A Literature Review: Modelling Dynamic Portfolio Strategy under Defaultable Assets with Stochastic Rate of Return, Rate of Inflation and Credit Spread Rate
Authors: Rizal N. A , Wiryono S.K
Published: February 2016

This research aims to find an optimal solution for dynamic portfolio in finite-time horizon under defaultable assets, which means that the assets has a chance to be liquidated in a finite time horizon, e.g corporate bond. Besides investing on those assets, investors will also have benefit in the form of consumption. As a reference in making investment decisions the concept of utility functions and volatility will play a role. Optimal portfolio composition will be obtained by maximizing the total expected discounted utility of consumption in the time span during the investment is executed and also to minimize the risk, the volatility of the investment. Further the reduced form model is applied since the assets prices can be linked with the market risk and the credit risk. The interest rate and the rate of inflation will be allowed as a representation of market risk, while the credit spread will be used as a representation of credit risk. The dynamic of asset prices can be derived analytically by using Ito Calculus in the form of the movement of the three risk factors above. Furthermore, this problem will be solved using the stochastic dynamic programming method by assuming that market is incomplete. Depending on the chosen utility function, the optimal solution of the portfolio composition and the consumption can be found explicitly in the form of feedback control. This is possible since the dynamic of the wealth process of the control variable is linear. To apply dynamic programming as well as to find solutions we use Backward Stochastic Differential Equation (BSDE) where the solution can be solved explicitly, especially where the terminal value of the investment target is chosen random. Further, it will be modeled with Monte Carlo simulation and, calibrated using Indonesia data of stock and corporate bond.
Implementation of the Innovation Development Process for the Certain Region in the Framework of Clusters
Authors: Sergeevna Tsertseil Juliya
Published: February 2016

The given work contains theoretical and practical aspects of innovation development at the enterprise within the frames of a cluster. The research in the field of innovation activities was carried out by such scientifical men as Igor H. Ansoff; J. Bailey, D. Bell, John Kenneth Galbraith, Peter Drucker; D. Swaim, N. Kelley, M. Porter, Douglass North, Oliver E. Williamson, etc. Innovation processes based on the staff’s intellectual activity and utilization of intellectual resources do not only increase balance sheet value and market price of enterprise assets but appears to be a key innovation factor of its functioning performance. The innovational character of the business processes implicates transition to the following relevant level of development determining a new structure of the enterprise manufacturing costs, optimization of its productive activity, increase in sales receipts as a result of amelioration of consumptive qualities of easy-to-sell goods, works and services what implies the utilization of the enterprise intellectual capital.
Novel verbal fluency scores and structural brain imaging for prediction of cognitive outcome in mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Clark David Glenn , McLaughlin Paula M. , Woo Ellen , Hwang Kristy , Hurtz Sona , Ramirez Leslie , Eastman Jennifer , Dukes Reshil‐Marie , Kapur Puneet , DeRamus Thomas P. , Apostolova Liana G.
Published: February 2016

Introduction

The objective of this study was to assess the utility of novel verbal fluency scores for predicting conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to clinical Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Method

Verbal fluency lists (animals, vegetables, F, A, and S) from 107 MCI patients and 51 cognitively normal controls were transcribed into electronic text files and automatically scored with traditional raw scores and five types of novel scores computed using methods from machine learning and natural language processing. Additional scores were derived from structural MRI scans: region of interest measures of hippocampal and ventricular volumes and gray matter scores derived from performing ICA on measures of cortical thickness. Over 4 years of follow‐up, 24 MCI patients converted to AD. Using conversion as the outcome variable, ensemble classifiers were constructed by training classifiers on the individual groups of scores and then entering predictions from the primary classifiers into regularized logistic regression models. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was measured for classifiers trained with five groups of available variables.

Results

Classifiers trained with novel scores outperformed those trained with raw scores (AUC 0.872 vs 0.735; P < .05 by DeLong test). Addition of structural brain measurements did not improve performance based on novel scores alone.

Conclusion

The brevity and cost profile of verbal fluency tasks recommends their use for clinical decision making. The word lists generated are a rich source of information for predicting outcomes in MCI. Further work is needed to assess the utility of verbal fluency for early AD.
Mexican Telecom Reform: Private Interest First?
Authors: Clara Luz Álvarez
Published: February 2016

Telecommunications reform, one of the pillars of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s highly-publicized structural reforms, was enacted to recognize as human rights access to: (i) information and communications technology; and (ii) broadcasting and telecommunications services, including broadband and the Internet. The reform also gave the Mexican government the authority to sanction or even split up companies engaged in monopolistic practices, and to establish ad hoc restrictions to minimize undue market advantages for dominant industry players – defined as companies that capture 50 percent market share measured by number of users/audience, capacity or network infrastructure. This article explores several aspects of this new legislation, including regulatory agencies; media and plurality; audience and users’ rights; restrictions to minimize market manipulation; mergers; data retention and geo-localization; and access for persons with disabilities. It also examines various aspects of the legislative process, as well as some broader implications of the new law.
Mexican Administrative Law Against Corruption: Scope and Future
Authors: Daniel Márquez
Published: February 2016

This work gives a synopsis of the evolution of public administration control mechanisms in Mexico. It highlights the instrumental nature of oversight, as well as regulatory and assessment aspects, and discusses issues like the historical design of the control instruments used in Mexican public administration. Certain social and political aspects from a legal perspective of administrative anti-corruption regulations are then underscored. The article concludes by drawing attention to the fact that neither the newly designed political-administrative anti-corruption structure in Mexico (the National AntiCorruption Commission) nor the new mechanism to emerge from draft legislation (the National Anti-Corruption and Oversight Institute) will not eliminate corruption in the country because they replicate the same model established for reforming legal institutions. This article aims to show how the Mexican model has repeatedly designed administrative rules and structures that are unable to rise above the political and social spheres in which the complex phenomenon of corruption is deeply entrenched and creates a schism between legislative development and Mexico’s social-political experiences in its fight against corruption. These observations can serve to help other countries design anti-corruption instruments. China is cited in this article because this article was presented as a speech regarding the Mexican experience in that country. It should be noted that the intention of this study was not to make a comparison of corruption or of the legal structures in these countries, but to analyze the case of Mexico.
Taking Action Against Victimisation: Australian Middle School Students’ Experiences
Authors: Didaskalou Eleni , Skrzypiec Grace , Andreou Eleni , Slee Phillip
Published: February 2016

Victimisation among students has been identified as a serious problem in Australian schools. This study investigated approaches taken by South Australian middle school students for dealing with victimisation. Over 170 students (aged 11–16) described how they coped with bullying and situations where they needed to take action against bullying. A content analysis of their responses found that students used coping strategies, including: (a) seeking social support, (b) standing up for peers/friends, (c) externalising, (d) nonchalance, (e) sticking up for oneself, (f) problem-solving, (g) submission, (h) reducing tense emotions/assertiveness, and (i) escape. One of the significant findings was that students did not identify school counsellors as a source of coping support, which has implications for their role in addressing incidents of victimisation.
Comparing Strategies for Estimating Constituency Opinion from National Survey Samples
Authors: Hanretty Chris , Lauderdale Benjamin E. , Vivyan Nick
Published: February 2016

Political scientists interested in estimating how public opinion varies by constituency have developed several strategies for supplementing limited constituency survey data with additional sources of information. We present two evaluation studies in the previously unexamined context of British constituency-level opinion: an external validation study of party vote share in the 2010 general election and a cross-validation of opinion toward the European Union. We find that most of the gains over direct estimation come from the inclusion of constituency-level predictors, which are also the easiest source of additional information to incorporate. Individual-level predictors combined with post-stratification particularly improve estimates from unrepresentative samples, and geographic local smoothing can compensate for weak constituency-level predictors. We argue that these findings are likely to be representative of applications of these methods where the number of constituencies is large.
Law and the Kibbutz in Process: Adapting Liability Rules to Communal Society
Authors: Kestenbaum Lionel , Shapiro Allan E.
Published: February 2016

More than twenty years ago, a study of the legal status of the kibbutz pointed out the shortcomings of the existing legal framework and its failure to deal with distinctive features of kibbutz society. The study cited a 1960 District Court decision in a tort case which expressed surprise and dismay that, “in the twelfth year of Israel's independence … it is still necessary to decide matters concerning the unique way of life of the kibbutz and the norms governing it – as well as the legal consequences of a conflict between the kibbutz world and the ‘outside’ world – according to law that did not take into account the possibility of the existence of an entity like the kibbutz and pursuant to criteria that are not at all appropriate”. In 1984, Justice Barak quoted that passage to the same effect and we can do the same today.
Response to the Comments of Igor Primoratz
Authors: Flew Antony
Published: February 2016

1) Just so soon as I was asked to send in a final, revised version of my “Retrospect and Prospect, Retribution and Deterrence” for eventual publication, it became obvious to me that all the alterations or additions which I wanted to make were alterations or additions in response to the “Comments” by Igor Primoratz. But, if I were to make the changes which I now believe to be necessary, in that original paper, then those Comments would be left in the air — apparently provoked by nothing at all. So instead I present my afterthoughts here, appropriately, as what they are, Responses to his Comments.

First, and urgently, we need to introduce a distinction between justifying (in general) and justicizing (in particular).
Proportionality in the Philosophy of Punishment: From “Why Punish?” to “How Much?”
Authors: von Hirsch Andrew
Published: February 2016

Recent philosophical writing about punishment has been devoted mainly to the “why punish?” question. While a variety of theories — utilitarian, reciprocity based, and expressive — have been put forward to answer this question, there has been wide agreement among philosophers that the institution of legal punishment should be retained. Proponents of the various theories disagree chieflywhyinstitutionalized punishment is necessary.

The philosophical writings have paid comparatively little attention to the criteria for distributing punishments — particularly to the criteria for deciding how much to penalize convicted offenders.
The Quest for Equality in Sentencing
Authors: Frankel Marvin E.
Published: February 2016

Any system of justice purporting to be civilized must pursue two basic principles: (1) that people similarly circumstanced are to be treated equally under the law; (2) that people administering the law are not permitted to act arbitrarily or to prescribe individually the rules governing their actions and decisions. Both of these principles were persistently violated through well over half the twentieth century in the sentencing of people for crimes in the United States. The steady violations were produced by a combination of sentimental good intentions, puritanical severity and irrational misconceptions concerning the effects of punishment and the capacity of those commissioned to administer punishment. As the century wanes, the long course of error has been identified. This is a time of intensive sentencing reform. We are vexed now in a familiar way by doubts about the efficacy and the side effects of the reforms.
Making Sentencing Policy More Rational and More Effective
Authors: Blumstein Alfred
Published: February 2016

In thinking about the sentence-setting process, it is important to recognize the different perspectives associated with the two different levels at which sentencing questions must be addressed. The first is the macro policy level. This is the level of issues faced by a judicial council, a legislature, or a sentencing commission. Such a body must establish a range of permissible sentences from which the individual judge chooses the sentence for any particular case. The policy body must develop principles for establishing those ranges. Most of the discussion in this paper appeals to this policy level.

The second level is the micro level of the individual judge who must choose, from the range of sentences that the policy permits, the particular sentence that is most appropriate for the particular case. As part of its policy, the policy body may also provide guidance to the individual judge on how to choose a particular sentence from within the available range.
The Abolitionist Case: Alternative Crime Policies
Authors: Hulsman Louk
Published: February 2016

We are inclined to consider “criminal events” as exceptional, events which differ to an important extent from other events which are not defined as criminal. In the conventional view, criminal conduct is considered to be the most important cause of these events. Criminals are — in this view — a special category of people, and the exceptional nature of criminal conduct, and/or the criminal, justify the special nature of the reaction against it.

People who are involved in “criminal” events, however, do not in themselves appear to form a special category. Those who are officially recorded as “criminal” constitute only a small part of those involved in events that legally permit criminalisation. Among them, young men from the most disadvantaged sections of the population are heavily overrepresented.
Lamotrigine – An Update
Authors: Brodie Martin J.
Published: February 2016

Lamotrigine (LTG) inhibits repetitive high frequency firing in depolarised neurones by selectively prolonging slow inactivation of the sodium channel, thereby suppressing the release of excitatory amino acids. It has been shown to be effective in 11 pivotal double-blind add-on trials in patients with refractory partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation. Subsequent anecdotal data support its efficacy for typical and atypical absences, myoclonic jerks, tonic or clonic seizures, Lennox- Gastaut syndrome and infantile spasms. Most recently LTG has been compared with carbamazepine and phenytoin in double-blind trials in patients with newly diagnosed partial and primary and secondary generalised tonic-clonic seizures. At the doses used, its efficacy was similar to the older agents for all seizure types, but LTG was better tolerated than both of the older agents. The commonest sideeffects with LTG include headache, nausea, diplopia, dizziness, ataxia and tremor. Rash occurs in fewer than 5% patients. Its incidence can be reduced by starting treatment with a low dose, particularly in patients receiving concomitant sodium valproate which inhibits LTG metabolism. Enzyme inducers, such as carbamazepine, phenytoin and phenobarbital, accelerate its elimination, but LTG itself has no effect on hepatic metabolic processes. A pharmacodynamic interaction with carbamazepine necessitates a dosage reduction in some patients when LTG is introduced. LTG is a new antiepileptic agent with a long elimination half-life, a broad spectrum of activity, and a wide therapeutic ratio.
Gabapentin
Authors: Bruni J.
Published: February 2016

Gabapentin is a novel antiepileptic drug that has recently been introduced in Canada. Although its mechanism of action remains to be defined gabapentin is effective in a number of seizure models which predict its efficacy in partial and tonic-clonic seizures. Clinical studies support the clinical efficacy of gabapentin as adjunctive therapy in adults with epilepsy with partial and secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Gabapentin has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile and is generally well tolerated. More clinical data are required on the role of gabapentin in children and additional monotherapy experience is required before the role of gabapentin in the overall treatment of epilepsy can be better defined.
Vigabatrin
Authors: Guberman A.
Published: February 2016

Vigabatrin (VGB) is a recently-released antiepileptic drug which works by a clearlydefined mechanism of action: inhibition of GABA transaminase leading to an elevation of brain GABA concentration. It has been proven effective, mainly as an add-on agent, in complex partial and secondarily generalized seizures in both adults and children as well as in infantile spasms in both short and long-term controlled studies. World-wide experience now includes over 150,000 patients exposed to the drug. VGB has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile since it has little protein-binding, is mainly excreted unchanged by the kidney and has a long effective half-life allowing once or twice daily dosing. It is generally well-tolerated with very few cognitive effects but may cause significant behavioral side effects such as agitation, irritability, depression or psychosis in approximately 2-4% of cases. Mild weight gain and possible exacerbation of absence and myoclonic seizures are other reported adverse effects. The role of VGB in other childhood epileptic syndromes apart from West syndrome is still being defined.
Alfentanil Mediated Activation of Epileptiform Activity in the Electrocorticogram During Resection of Epileptogenic Foci
Authors: Daniel L. Keene , Roberts David , William M. Splinter , Higgin Michael , Ventureyra Enrique
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT:

Purpose:

Alfentanil is a potent, short-acting opioid agent which has been used during balanced anaesthesia in children undergoing the surgical excision of epileptic foci. After the observation that this agent had the potential to induce epileptic seizures, we questioned the frequency of this occurrence in this group of patients.

Method:

Twelve patients (6 males, 6 females) undergoing surgical excision of an epileptic foci were prospectively followed. For each patient an electrocorticogram was recorded for 30 minutes before and after receiving alfentanil 20 pg/kg intravenously. The frequency of epileptiform abnormalities before and after drug administration was evaluated. When the electrocorticogram no longer showed the effects of alfentanil administration, methohexital 0.5 ug/kg was given intravenously.

Results:

Alfentanil induced significant activation of epileptiform discharges among 83% of these patients. Twenty-five per cent had an electrographic seizure. In comparison, methohexital induced significant activation of epileptiform discharges in 50% of these patients. None experienced electrographic seizures.

Conclusions:

As alfentanil can induce electrographic seizures in patients known to have epilepsy, caution is advised in its use in this group of patients.
Responses to Dynamic Head-and-Body Tilts are Enhanced in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Paquet Nicole , Hui-Chan Christina W.Y.
Published: February 2016

Background:

Previous studies demonstrated that destabilizing responses to slow perturbations were enhanced in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Our objectives were to investigate the influence of PD on responses to faster whole head-and-body tilts in the standing position, and to establish whether any modification of tilt-evoked responses in PD patients was related to possible changes in the modulation of soleus (SO) H-reflex.

Methods:

Ten PD patients and 10 age-matched normal subjects assumed a standing position on an L-shaped tilting apparatus. Their head and shoulders were firmly attached to the back support of the apparatus, while their feet were fixated to the standing platform. With their vision occluded, the subject's whole head-and-body was suddenly tilted forward to 20°, at a peak head acceleration of 0.7g ± 0.lg. Tilt-evoked responses were recorded from the lower limb muscles bilaterally. In addition, 40 H-reflexes were elicited in the SO muscle at 30-190 ms intervals after the onset of head acceleration. The M response amplitude was kept within ±15% of its control value.

Results:

PD patients demonstrated an abnormally high responsiveness to whole head-and-body tilts in comparison with age-matched normal subjects. This was shown by the significantly larger proportion of PD patients manifesting responses in the SO, biceps femoris and vastus lateralis muscles (p<0.05), as well as their significantly larger SO response area (413%; p<0.01). In contrast, the amplitude of the SO H-reflex was significantly increased by only 14% (p<0.05) in these patients, and only at 30-70 ms after head acceleration onset.

Conclusion:

The overexcitable tilt-evoked responses of PD patients could originate from a reduced ability to suppress responses when the body is supported. This enhanced excitability of tilt-evoked responses was probably not due to motoneuronal hyperexcitability or decreased presynaptic inhibition of the group la terminals involved in the mainly monosynaptic H-reflex pathway. Thus, we hypothesize that the control of spinal interneurons involved in the tilt-evoked responses may be defective in PD.
Basal Ganglia Herniation into the Fourth Ventricle
Authors: Altumbabic Mensura , Del Bigio Marc R. , Sutherland Scott
Published: February 2016

Background:

Transtentorial herniation of large cerebral fragments is a rare phenomenon.

Method:

Case Study

Results:

Examination of the brain of a 35-year-old male showed massive intracerebral hemorrhage resulting in displacement of basal ganglia components into the fourth ventricle.

Conclusions:

Sufficiently rapid intracerebral bleeding can dissect fragments of cerebrum and displace them long distances across the tentorial opening.
Hyperglycemia, Lumbar Plexopathy and Hypokalemic Rhabdomyolysis Complicating Conn's Syndrome
Authors: Chow Chi-Ping , Symonds Christopher J. , Zochodne Douglas W.
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT:

Background:

Lumbosacral plexopathy is a complication of diabetes mellitus. Conn's syndrome from an aldosterone secreting adenoma may be associated with hypokalemia and rhabdomyolysis but mild hyperglycemia also usually occurs.

Methods:

Case description.

Results:

A 70-year-old male diagnosed as having Conn's syndrome, hypokalemia and mild hyperglycemia developed rhabdomyolysis and lumbar plexopathy as a presenting feature of his hyperaldosteronism. His rhadbdomyolysis rapidly cleared following correction of hypokalemia but recovery from the plexopathy occurred slowly over several months. Definite resection of the aldosterone secreting adenomas reversed the hyperglycemia.

Conclusion:

Our patient developed lumbar plexopathy resembling that associated with diabetes mellitus despite the presence of only mild and transient hyperglycemia.
Musical Auditory Hallucinosis from Listeria Rhombencephalitis
Authors: Douen Andre G. , Bourque Pierre R.
Published: February 2016

Background:

Complex auditory hallucinations have rarely been reported in cases of brainstem stroke or tumor.

Methods:

Case study.

Results:

A patient with acute Listeria rhombencephalitis complained of formed musical auditory hallucinations on the side of recent sensorineural deafness. MRI revealed an abscess in the middle cerebellar peduncule with extensive surrounding edema.

Conclusion:

Disruption of brainstem auditory pathways may cause complex auditory hallucinations. Potential pathogenetic mechanisms are discussed and a diagnostic approach is proposed.
Proximal Neuropathy in Colles' Fracture
Authors: Rubin Michael , Heise Carl W.
Published: February 2016

Background:

Peripheral nerve injury at the wrist following Colles' fracture is rare and usually located in the region of the fracture. Mononeuropathies in the proximal forearm have not been reported.

Method:

We present two patients with Colles' fracture with proximal forearm neuropathies.

Results:

Both cases were associated with mononeuropathies in the forearm as proximal as the elbow, involving the median, ulnar and radial nerves in one, and the median and ulnar nerves in the other.

Conclusion:

Following Colles' fracture proximal nerve involvement may occur and, with increased awareness, this lesion may be identified more frequently.
Prediction of Obliteration of Arteriovenous Malformations after Radiosurgery: the Obliteration Prediction Index
Authors: Schwartz Michael , Sixel Katharina , Young Charlene , Kemeny Andras , Forster David , Walton Lee , Franssen Edmee
Published: February 2016

Objective:

To describe the response to single dose photon stereotactic radiosurgery of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) so that the probability of success or failure of treatment may be predicted for the individual patient.

Method:

The obliteration prediction index (OPI) was calculated for AVMs by dividing the marginal dose of radiation in Gray (Gy) by the lesion diameter in centimetres in cohorts of 42 patients treated with the modified linear accelerator at Toronto-Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre and 394 patients treated with the gamma unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, United Kingdom. Patients were grouped into ranges by OPI and the proportion of success and failure was calculated for each group. An exponential function [P = 1-A•e(-B-OPI)] was fitted to the data by the least squares method.

Results:

Despite systematic differences in radiation treatment, that is, marginal doses of 15 and 20 Gy in Toronto and most Sheffield patients with a marginal dose of 25 Gy, the resultant data points exhibited similar behaviour.

Conclusion:

The function [P = 1-A•e(-B-OPI)] partly describes the biological effect of radiation and is independent of the radiation device used. Radiosurgery centres can use this model to facilitate predictions of successful treatment for individual patients.
Radiosurgery and Accelerated Radiotherapy for Patients with Glioblastoma
Authors: Shenouda G. , Souhami L. , Podgorsak E.B. , Bahary J.P , . Villemure J.G. , Caron J.L. , Mohr G.
Published: February 2016

Objective:

To assess the feasibility, toxicity, and local control of stereotactic radiosurgery followed by accelerated external beam radiotherapy (AEBR) for patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

Materials and methods:

Six males and eight females, with a median age of 67.5 years (range 45-78 years), entered the study. Karnofsky performance status was 90 for five, 80 for six, and 60 for three patients. Following surgery, the patients were left with a residual mass 4 cm. Radiosurgery was delivered with a single dose of 20 Gy to the 90% isodose surface corresponding to the contrast-enhancing edge of the tumour. A total AEBR dose of 60 Gy in 30 fractions was delivered using a concomitant boost technique over four weeks.

Results:

Median survival time was 40 weeks (range 17-80 weeks). Actuarial survivals at 12 and 18 months were 43% and 14%, respectively. The median time to progression was 25 weeks (range 2-77 weeks). One patient developed a seizure on the day of stereotactic radiosurgery. Two patients experienced somnolence at 47 and 67 days post-radiotherapy. Eight patients remained steroid-dependent. Radiological evidence of leukoencephalopathy was observed in one patient, and brain necrosis in two additional patients at 30 and 63 weeks. One of these two patients with brain necrosis developed complete loss of vision in one eye, and decreased vision in the contralateral eye at 63 weeks.

Conclusion:

Stereotactic radiosurgery followed by AEBR was feasible but was associated with late complications. The use of such radiosurgical boost for patients with glioblastoma multiforme should be reserved for those patients entering controlled clinical trials.
Pallidotomy Increases Cortical Inhibition in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Strafella A. , Ashby P. , Lozano A. , Lang A.E.
Published: February 2016

Background:

Pallidotomy helps parkinsonian symptoms. We tested the hypothesis that this might be due to changes in inhibition in the motor cortex.

Methods:

We examined 15 patients with parkinsonism before and after posteroventral pallidotomy. Magnetic stimuli were delivered over the motor cortex, while subjects maintained a 30% maximum voluntary contraction of the contralateral first dorsal interosseus (FDI).

Results:

Weak stimuli inhibited voluntary muscle activity, while slightly stronger stimuli caused short latency facilitation from activation of the corticospinal neurons. After pallidotomy magnetic stimulation, at the threshold for the short latency facilitation, resulted in more inhibition than before.

Conclusions:

Pallidotomy increases cortical inhibition. This may be associated with improved control of movements.
Diaschisis and Neurobehavior
Authors: Nguyen Dang Khoa , Botez M.I.
Published: February 2016

We review forms of diaschisis and their relationship with neurobehavioral and neuropsychological findings. The following forms of diaschisis are discussed: (1) cortico-cerebellar diaschisis; (2) cerebello-cortical diaschisis; (3) transhemispheric diaschisis; (4) cortico-thalamic diaschisis; (5) thalamo-cortical diaschisis; and (6) basal ganglia-cortical diaschisis. For each form, the neurobehavioral and neuropsychological findings are discussed. Diaschisis can be classified from the behavioral point of view as follows: (1) forms in which the metabolic effect at distance is not followed by neurobehavioral impairment; (2) forms in which the remote metabolic impairment could induce neurobehavioral and neuropsychological disorders; and (3) forms in which the role of the lesion itself and its remote metabolic effects on the production of neurobehavioral and neuropsychological abnormalities cannot be disentangled.
Increased Basal Ganglia Iron in Striatonigral Degeneration: In Vivo Estimation with Magnetic Resonance
Authors: Martin W.R. Wayne , Roberts Ted E. , Ye Frank Q. , Allen Peter S.
Published: February 2016

Background:

As many as 20% of individuals with the clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) do not have the characteristic neuropathologic features of PD at post mortem. The striatonigral degeneration (SND) subtype of multiple system atrophy is one of the categories of pathology which may be incorrectly diagnosed as PD on the basis of clinical presentation. SND may be associated with increased iron deposition in the putamen which can be detected with magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods:

We have estimated regional brain iron content in a patient with probable SND, using a novel imaging method developed in our laboratory, and have compared the results in this patient to those which we have previously reported in patients with PD and in age-matched controls.

Results:

We observed that putamenal iron content was increased in our SND patient, beyond the 95% confidence limit for inclusion in the PD group, even when considering clinical severity. In contrast, pallidal and thalamic iron were within the PD range.

Conclusions:

The demonstration of increased putamenal iron content may be a useful adjunctive investigative procedure in patients with suspected SND.
Correlation of Peripheral Nerve Fiber Loss and Trinucleotide Repeats in Machado-Joseph Disease
Authors: Soong Bing-wen , Lin Kon-ping
Published: February 2016

Background:

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is a dominantly inherited cerebellar ataxia associated with spasticity, ophthalmoplegia and dystonia. There has been no report of electrophysiological or histological alterations of the peripheral nervous system in patients with MJD.

Methods:

Four patients with MJD were identified by polymerase chain reaction. The peripheral nerves of these patients were subjected to electrophysiological testing and histological study. Correlation analyses were made between various clinical parameters and the electrophysiological and histological changes.

Results:

Electrophysiological studies demonstrated a marked reduction of sensory action potential, acute denervation changes on needle EMG, as well as mild decrease in the compound motor action potential. Light microscopy of the sural nerves revealed clear loss of myelinated fibers, and morphometry studies showed a loss of large myelinated fibers. Moreover, the severity of these pathological changes was found to be related to the CAG repeat length in the MJD gene.

Conclusion:

Our findings indicated that the peripheral nervous system was frequently affected in patients with MJD. These findings were similar to those seen in Friedreich's ataxia, suggesting a loss of sensory and motor fibers probably following a lesion of the dorsal root ganglion and the anterior horns in the spinal cord. Furthermore, the number of CAG repeats seems to have an inverse relationship to the extent of pathological changes of the peripheral nerves.