bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Recovery after Stroke with Noradrenergic Pharmacotherapy: A New Frontier?
Authors: Gladstone David J. , Black Sandra E. 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACT:Despite much progress in stroke prevention and acute intervention, recovery and rehabilitation have traditionally received relatively little scientific attention. There is now increasing interest in the development of stroke recovery drugs and innovative rehabilitation techniques to promote functional recovery after completed stroke. Experimental work over the past two decades indicates that pharmacologic intervention to enhance recovery may be possible in the subacute stage, days to weeks poststroke, after irreversible injury has occurred. This paper discusses the concept of “rehabilitation pharmacology” and reviews the growing literature from animal studies and pilot clinical trials on noradrenergic pharmacotherapy, a new experimental strategy in stroke rehabilitation. Amphetamine, a monoamine agonist that increases brain norepinephrine levels, is the most extensively studied drug shown to promote recovery of function in animal models of focal brain injury. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms and clinical efficacy of amphetamine and other novel therapeutic interventions on the recovery process.
Are the Triptans for Migraine Therapy Worth the Cost?
Authors: Becker W.J. 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACT:The triptans represent a major advance in migraine therapy but their cost per dose greatly exceeds that of many older treatments. There is evidence that for a significant proportion of migraine patients these new drugs can show a positive cost benefit and also improve quality of life. Cost benefit would be expected to be greatest in patients with more severe migraine attacks.
Attitudes of Canadian and U.S. Neurologists Regarding Carotid Endarterectomy for Asymptomatic Stenosis
Authors: Chaturvedi Seemant , Meinke Jody L. , Pierre Ellen , Bertasio Bryan 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACT:Background:The American Heart Association carotid endarterectomy (CE) guidelines endorse CE for asymptomatic carotid stenosis if the procedure can be performed with low morbidity. However, the Canadian Stroke Consortium has published a consensus against CE for asymptomatic stenosis. The views of practicing neurologists in the two countries on this subject are unclear.Methods:A survey was undertaken of 270 neurologists from either Florida or Indiana and 180 neurologists from either Ontario or Quebec.Results:The survey was returned by 36% of neurologists. Both Florida (65%) and Indiana neurologists (35%) were significantly more likely than Canadian neurologists (11%) to sometimes/often refer patients for surgery(p<0.001). Neurologists from Florida relied more on noninvasive methods of carotid stenosis assessment (36%) than Canadian neurologists (12%, p=0.003), who preferred angiography. Neurologists from Florida more often cited medicolegal concerns as a reason for referring patients for surgery (27%), compared to Canadian neurologists (3%, p=0.0001).Conclusions:Practices pertaining to carotid stenosis evaluation and management differ both regionally and by country. Canadian neurologists refer fewer asymptomatic patients for CE and rely more on angiography as a preoperative diagnostic tool. The potential of medicolegal liability is a greater force in clinical decision-making for certain U.S. neurologists, compared to their Canadian counterparts. These differences may partly explain the variations in CE utilization in the two countries.
Percutaneous Radiofrequency Facet Rhizotomy – Experience with 118 Procedures and Reappraisal of its Value
Authors: Tzaan Wen-Ching , Tasker Ronald R. 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACT:Background:There have been many reports of percutaneous radiofrequency facet rhizotomy, perhaps better referred to as facet denervation, usually performed under general anaesthesia, with inconsistent success rates.Objectives:To report the authors' outcome data using both general and local anaesthesia and to reassess the value of this controversial procedure.Methods:Our experience with 118 consecutive percutaneous radiofrequency facet rhizotomies performed on 90 patients in the Toronto Western Hospital was analyzed. Sixty percent of the procedures were performed under general anaesthesia, 40% under local anaesthesia. All patients had been temporarily virtually relieved of pain after local anaesthetic blockade of the subject facets by an independent radiologist.Results:The patients were monitored from 1 - 33 (mean 5.6) months after surgery, with complete elimination or a greater than 50% subjective reduction of pain considered the criteria for success. For the first or only procedure this was 41% overall, 37% in cases done under local anaesthesia, 46% in cases done under general anaesthesia (difference not statistically significant p=0.52). There was no statistically significant difference in success rates for procedures performed in the cervical, thoracic or lumbosacral facets, with unilateral versus bilateral denervations, when two to three as compared with more than three facets were denervated, nor for operations done in patients who had had previous spinal surgery compared with those who had not. Results were not better regardless of whether hyperextension of the spine aggravated the patient's preoperative pain or not, and when the procedures were repeated in the same patient outcomes tended to be consistent, arguing against repetition of failed facet denervations. The morbidity was low, the chief problem being sensory loss and transient neuropathic pain in the distribution of cutaneous branches of posterior rami in the cervical and thoracic areas; mortality was zero.Conclusions:Percutaneous radiofrequency facet denervation is simple and safe, still worth considering in patients with disabling spinal pain that fails to respond to conservative treatment. The use of general anaesthesia shortens the operating time and the patient's discomfort without impairing success rate.
Cognitive Function in Nigerians with Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy
Authors: Ogunrin Olubunmi , Adamolekun B. , Ogunniyi A. O. , Aldenkamp A. P. 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACT:Objective:The objective of this study was to evaluate the pattern of cognitive disturbances in Nigerian Africans with newly diagnosed epilepsy, prior to onset of drug therapy.Methods:A total of 60 consecutive patients (mean age 31.6 ± 17.4, range 14 - 55 years) presenting with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy were recruited for the study. Sixty healthy volunteers without a history of epilepsy and who were age-, sex- and level of education matched with the epileptic patients, were recruited as controls. The administration of cognitive tests was done with the FePsy computerized neuropsychological test battery. The tests administered were the visual and auditory reaction times, the continuous performance test and the recognition memory tests to assess mental speed, attention and memory respectively. The means of the cognitive performances of the epileptic patients and controls were statistically compared.Results:Epileptic patients performed worse than the controls across the spectrum of cognitive tasks assessed (P = 0.00001; P < 0.025), with the exception of the β parameter (response bias) of the vigilance test (P = 0.488; P> 0.025).Conclusions:The cognitive impairments of short-term memory, psychomotor speed and sustained attention observed in this study are similar to those reported in the literature for patients with epilepsy. The results of this study will be useful in the counseling of patients on their educational, social and vocational needs.
Plasma homovanillic acid, noradrenaline and psychotic symptoms in chronically medicated schizophrenic in patients
Authors: Kaneda Y. , Fujii A. 
Published: May 2019

SummaryObjective:The authors investigated plasma homovanillic acid (HVA) levels and noradrenaline (NA) in chronically medicated schizophrenic inpatients.Methods:The subjects were 55 inpatients who were diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia. Nine normal subjects were compared to the patient group. Each patient gave informed consent for the research involved in this study. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the BPRS.Results:(1) The medicated schizophrenic inpatients had significantly greater plasma NA levels, and higher but nonsignificant plasma HVA levels than the normal subjects.(2) In patients, there was a positive but nonsignificant correlation between the plasma NA levels and positive symptomatology. In contrast, plasma HVA levels were not correlated with either positive or negative symptomatology.Conclusion:On the basis of these results, we hypothesize that, mainly because of their catecholaminergic dysfunction, there is an increase in plasma NA and a tendency for increased plasma HVA in patients with chronic schizophrenia, regardless of long-term neuroleptic medication.
Parsing neurodevelopmental features of irritability and anxiety: Replication and validation of a latent variable approach
Authors: Cardinale Elise M. , Kircanski Katharina , Brooks Julia , Gold Andrea L. , Towbin Kenneth E. , Pine Daniel S. , Leibenluft Ellen , Brotman Melissa A. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractIrritability and anxiety are two common clinical phenotypes that involve high-arousal negative affect states (anger and fear), and that frequently co-occur. Elucidating how these two forms of emotion dysregulation relate to perturbed neurodevelopment may benefit from alternate phenotyping strategies. One such strategy applies a bifactor latent variable approach that can parse shared versus unique mechanisms of these two phenotypes. Here, we aim to replicate and extend this approach and examine associations with neural structure in a large transdiagnostic sample of youth (N= 331;M= 13.57,SD= 2.69 years old; 45.92% male). FreeSurfer was used to extract cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and subcortical volume. The current findings replicated the bifactor model and demonstrate measurement invariance as a function of youth age and sex. There were no associations of youth's factor scores with cortical thickness, surface area, or subcortical volume. However, we found strong convergent and divergent validity between parent-reported irritability and anxiety factors with clinician-rated symptoms and impairment. A general negative affectivity factor was robustly associated with overall functional impairment across symptom domains. Together, these results support the utility of the bifactor model as an alternative phenotyping strategy for irritability and anxiety, which may aid in the development of targeted treatments.
Early life stress, cortisol, frontolimbic connectivity, and depressive symptoms during puberty
Authors: Kircanski Katharina , Sisk Lucinda M. , Ho Tiffany C. , Humphreys Kathryn L. , King Lucy S. , Colich Natalie L. , Ordaz Sarah J. , Gotlib Ian H. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractEarly life stress (ELS) is a risk factor for the development of depression in adolescence; the mediating neurobiological mechanisms, however, are unknown. In this study, we examined in early pubertal youth the associations among ELS, cortisol stress responsivity, and white matter microstructure of the uncinate fasciculus and the fornix, two key frontolimbic tracts; we also tested whether and how these variables predicted depressive symptoms in later puberty. A total of 208 participants (117 females;Mage = 11.37 years;MTanner stage = 2.03) provided data across two or more assessment modalities: ELS; salivary cortisol levels during a psychosocial stress task; diffusion magnetic resonance imaging; and depressive symptoms. In early puberty there were significant associations between higher ELS and decreased cortisol production, and between decreased cortisol production and increased fractional anisotropy in the uncinate fasciculus. Further, increased fractional anisotropy in the uncinate fasciculus predicted higher depressive symptoms in later puberty, above and beyond earlier symptoms. In post hoc analyses, we found that sex moderated several additional associations. We discuss these findings within a broader conceptual model linking ELS, emotion dysregulation, and depression across the transition through puberty, and contend that brain circuits implicated in the control of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis function should be a focus of continued research.
Accumulation of sugars during the onset and development of desiccation tolerance in immature seeds of Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) stored moist
Authors: Hong T.D. , Gedebo A. , Ellis R.H. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe viability of Norway maple seeds collected 21 d before mass maturity (68%moisture content, wet basis) and at mass maturity (56% moisture content) was reduced from 52–85% to 0–7% if dried rapidly (at 10–12% r.h. and 15–17°C for 3 d, then 3 d over silica gel) to 4–5% moisture content. Moist storage of the fruits at 15°C improved the ability of the seeds to tolerate rapid desiccation considerably: 10 and 21 d of moist storage enabled seeds collected at mass maturity or 21 d earlier, respectively, to attain maximum desiccation tolerance to 4–5% moisture content. Moist storage and/or subsequent desiccation affected stachyose, sucrose, and to a lesser extent raffinose, concentrations. The oligosaccharide:total sugar ratio showed a similar pattern in relation to ability to germinate after desiccation to 4–5% moisture content among seeds collected on both dates: desiccation tolerance developed from nil to maximal in these seed populations between threshold oligosaccharide:total sugar values of just less than 0.3 and about 0.4.
Evaluation of fattening performances and carcass characteristics of purebred, first and second cross lambs between Moroccan Timahdite, D’man and improved meat rams
Authors: M. El Fadili  , Michaux C. , Detilleux J. , Leroy P.L. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractFattening performance and carcass characteristics were evaluated in 202 lambs sired by D’man (D), Timahdite (T) and terminal sires of the Ile-de-France (IF), Lacaune (L), and Mérinos Précoce (MP) breeds. Previous results had suggested that the three latter improved breeds had relatively similar growth and carcass performance in crossbreeding. They were, therefore, pooled in this study into one meat group breed (M) to facilitate comparisons between the five genotypes of interest: two purebreds (T, D), two single crosses (D ✕ T (DT), M ✕ T), and one three-breed cross (M ✕ DT). Results showed important improvements of performance in crossbred lambs especially those sired by meat breed rams. M ✕ T and M ✕ DT lambs grew fastest (238 and 256 g/day, respectively) and showed the best food conversion ratio. D purebred lambs realized the lowest fattening gains (196 g/day) while, T and D ✕ T lambs were intermediate (209 and 218 g/day, respectively). The D lambs deposited relatively more internal fat and relatively less subcutaneous backfat, and their carcasses had the lowest conformation score and smallest longissimus muscle area (11·23 cm2). The carcasses of M ✕ T and M ✕ DT crossbred lambs had larger longissimus muscle areas 13·97 and 13·88 cm2, respectively, thicker subcutaneous fat cover and better conformation scores than other genotypes. The effects of M as a terminal sire breed were favourable for the majority of fattening and carcass characteristics. The absence of differences between M ✕ T and M ✕ DT genotypes on post-weaning growth, food conversion ratio and on objective and subjective measurements of carcass conformation indicated that the infusion of 25% of D genes in M ✕ DT lambs did not affect post-weaning growth and carcass traits. The results on the use of M sires and DT dams, which have above average reproductive rates, in M ✕ DT crossbreeding indicate that a two-stage crossbreeding system could enhance the quantity and the quality of meat sheep production in Morocco.
Factors influencing beef eating quality 2. Effects of nutritional regimen and genotype on muscle fibre characteristics
Authors: Maltin C.A. , Lobley G.E. , Grant C.M. , Miller L.A. , Kyle D.J. , Horgan G.W. , Matthews K.R. , Sinclair K.D. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractEighteen purebred steers of three genotypes, Aberdeen Angus (AA), Charolais (CH) and Holstein (HO), were divided within genotype into three groups of six animals and offered one of three different levels of feeding either moderate (M/M) or high (H/H) both for 20 weeks or moderate for the first 10 weeks followed by high for the remaining 10 weeks (M/H). Growth rates during the final 10 weeks of the experimental period differed between dietary regimen (M/M = 0·87; M/H = 1·25; and H/H = 1·02 kg/day; s.e.d. = 0·08;P< 0·001). Over the entire 20 week experimental period animals offered the M/M level of feeding grew more slowly (0·97 kg/day) than those offered the M/H and H/H level of feeding (1·20 kg/day; s.e.d. = 0·06;P< 0·001). Mean growth rates for CH, HO and AA steers were 1·21, 1·13 and 1·03 kg/day (s.e.d. = 0·06;P< 0·05). The animals were all slaughtered at a fixed age of 18 months, according to the Meat and Livestock Commission Blueprint for beef and, 48 h post mortem, samples of m. longissimus lumborum (LL) and m. vastus lateralis (VL) were removed for analyses.Muscle fibres were classified histochemically, according to their contractile and metabolic properties, and muscle fibre size was measured. Fibre type frequency was calculated and, in LL, the total fibre number of the muscle was estimated. There was little impact of feeding level, or consequentially growth rate, on muscle fibre frequency and size. The effects seen were confined mainly to LL where there were significant differences between the M/M and H/ H groups with respect to fast twitch glycolytic fibres (mean % frequency (M/M = 40·1 and H/H = 44·3; s.e.d. = 1·4;P< 0·01); mean % area (M/M = 51·9 and H/H 56·0; s.e.d. = 1·5;P< 0·05)) and apparent total fibre number (M/ M = 35·0; and H/H = 41·9 ✕ 104; s.e.d. = 1·7;P< 0·05) which were greater in H/H than in M/M groups. However, in both LL and VL the predominant differences were related to genotype; in particular, overall fibre size was smallest in CH, while slow oxidative (SO; type I) fibre area was highest in AA. For LL, analysis across all animals showed a positive relationship between SO area, % area, % frequency and overall acceptability of meat at 14 days as evaluated by a trained sensory panel. No such relationship was observed for VL. The data suggest that in this study manipulation of feeding level has only a small impact on muscle fibre characteristics and that the differences between genotype and muscle type may be more important in determining the variability of overall acceptability than growth rate.
Effect of supplemental levels of chromium picolinate on the growth performance, serum traits, carcass characteristics and lipid metabolism of growing-finishing pigs
Authors: Lien T.-F. , Wu C.-P. , Wang B.-J. , Shiao M.-S. , Shiao T.-Y. , Lin B.-H. , Lu J.-J. , Hu C.-Y. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis study investigated the effect of chromium picolinate supplementation on growth performance, carcass characteristics and lipid metabolism of growing-finishing pigs. Sixty Landrace ✕ Yorkshire ✕ Duroc (LYD) pigs with a mean initial body weight of 46·65 (s.e. 6·72) kg were randomly allocated into three groups with two replicates. They were supplemented with 0 , 200, or 400 μg/kg (ppb) chromium in the organic form of chromium picolinate for 90 days. Supplementation with chromium picolinate in the pigs’ ration improved their growth performance, enhanced average daily gain (P< 0·05), and increased their food consumption, especially in the 200 ppb group (P> 0·05). Chromium picolinate supplementation also improved carcass characteristics, as the average back fat thickness was reduced and the loin-eye area was enhanced (P< 0·05). The serum chromium concentration in the chromium picolinate supplemented groups was approximately twice that of the controls (P< 0·05). Supplementation with chromium also markedly reduced serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TG) and urea concentrations in the pig serum (P< 0·05). Serum insulin was significantly decreased in the 400 ppb group, while serum glucose was decreased in the 200 ppb group (P< 0·05). Very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) was reduced and low density lipoprotein (LDL) was increased in the chromium supplementation group. Meanwhile, the high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and VLDL-cholesterol were markedly increased, while LDL-cholesterol was significantly diminished (P< 0·05) in the 200 ppb group. The adipocyte diameter and volume in the chromium-supplemented groups tended to be larger than in the control (P= 0·07). In vitro studies indicated that incorporation of [u,14C]glucose into total lipids (P< 0·05) was increased by chromium supplementation. However, there were no lipolysis differences among the groups (P> 0·05). The carcasses of the pigs that received the chromium supplemented ration contained less oleic acid (C18 : 1) and total unsaturated fatty acids (P< 0·05). On the other hand, the total saturated fatty acid content was higher than that of the controls (P< 0·05). Results in this study demonstrate that chromium picolinate supplementation in pigs has several beneficial effects.
Blood leptin concentrations in Japanese Black cattle
Authors: Tokuda T. , Yano H. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe objective of this study was to examine the changes of serum leptin levels in heifers and steers during fattening. Seven steers and seven heifers at 14 months of age were used in the experiment. Live weight and serum leptin levels were determined at 2-month intervals. Initial live weight was greater in steers than heifers and a similar trend of growth was recorded during the experiment. As a result, live weight was higher in the steers than in the heifers during the experiment. Serum leptin concentration in both groups increased during the experiment and reached optimum level at 22 months of age and did not change thereafter. The increase in serum leptin level was more marked in heifers and leptin level was higher (P < 0·05) in heifers than steers between 18 and 26 months of age. The results suggest that serum leptin level increases during fattening in cattle and the trend is possibly affected by gender.