bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
National and Regional Prevalence of Self‐reported Epilepsy in Canada
Authors: Tellez‐Zenteno José F. , Pondal‐Sordo Margarita , Matijevic Suzan , Wiebe Samuel 
Published: November 2004

Summary:  Purpose: To assess the point prevalence of self‐described epilepsy in the general population nationally, provincially, and in different groups of interest. Methods: We analyzed data from two national health surveys, the National Population Health Survey (NPHS, N = 49,000) and the Community Health Survey (CHS, N = 130,882). Both surveys captured sociodemographic information, as well as age, sex, education, ethnicity, household income, and labor force status of participants. Epilepsy was ascertained with only one question in both surveys. “Do you have epilepsy diagnosed by a health professional?” (NPHS) and “Do you have epilepsy?” (CHS). Prevalences were age‐adjusted by using national standard populations at the time of each survey. Exact 95% confidence intervals were obtained. Results: In the NPHS, 241 of 49,026 subjects described themselves as having been diagnosed with epilepsy, yielding a weighted point prevalence of 5.2 per 1,000 [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.9–5.4]. In the CHS, 835 of 130,822 subjects described themselves as having epilepsy, yielding a weighted point prevalence of 5.6 per 1,000 (95% CI, 5.1–6.0). Trends in differences in prevalence among some Canadian provinces were observed. Prevalence was statistically significantly higher in groups with the lowest educational level, lowest income, and in those unemployed in the previous year. Prevalence also was higher in nonimmigrants than in immigrants. Conclusions: The overall and group‐specific results are in keeping with those obtained in other developed countries by using different ascertainment methods. We discuss methodologic aspects related to the ascertainment of epilepsy in both surveys, and to the validity and implications of our findings.
Benign Focal Seizures of Adolescence: A Prospective Study
Authors: Horacio Caraballo Roberto , Cersósimo Ricardo Oscar , Fejerman Natalio 
Published: November 2004

Summary: Purpose:To characterize the clinical and EEG findings and evolution of the syndrome of benign focal seizures of adolescence (BFSA), as described by Loiseau et al.Methods:A prospective study was performed in adolescents with normal clinical and neurologic examinations and normal neuroradiologic studies who had focal seizures that occurred isolated or in a cluster, with or without secondary generalization in the first 24 to 48 h after onset. None of the patients was treated with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).Results:Between January 1996 and January 2002, 15 patients with BFSA were enrolled in the study. Median age at onset of BFSA was 14 years. Thirteen patients had focal sensory or motor seizures. In two patients, the ictal manifestation was motion arrest associated with oral automatisms. Eight of them evolved to generalized tonic–clonic seizures. Thirteen patients had seizures only when awake, and the other two, both when awake and during sleep. Repeated interictal EEGs were normal, but in four of the patients who had seizures in a cluster, we were able to record an EEG within 8 h after seizure onset. Two of these four patients had focal seizures, and their waking EEG showed focal centroparietal theta activities. The other two patients had secondarily generalized seizures, and their waking EEG showed bilateral theta activities instead. Prognosis was excellent.Conclusions:BFSA is a well‐defined seizure syndrome, recognizable by clinical and EEG features, as described by Loiseau et al. In teenagers with these electroclinical features with a normal neurologic examination and normal neuroradiologic findings, AEDs should be avoided.
Patients' Perceptions of Memory Functioning Before and After Surgical Intervention to Treat Medically Refractory Epilepsy
Authors: Lineweaver Tara T. , Naugle Richard I. , Cafaro Alyce M. , Bingaman William , Lüders Hans O. 
Published: November 2004

Summary:  Purpose: One risk associated with epilepsy surgery is memory loss, but perhaps more important is how patients perceive changes in their memories. This longitudinal study evaluated changes in memory self‐reports and investigated how self‐reports relate to changes on objective memory measures in temporal or extratemporal epilepsy patients who underwent surgery. Methods: Objective memory (Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised) and subjective memory self‐reports (Memory Assessment Clinics Self‐Rating Scale) were individually assessed for 136 patients ∼6 months before and 6 months after surgery. A measure of depressive affect (Beck Depression Inventory–2nd Edition) was used to control variance attributable to emotional distress. Results: Despite a lack of significant correlational relationships between objective and subjective memory for the entire sample, significant correlations between objective memory scores and self‐reports did emerge for a subset of patients who evidenced memory decline. Differences also were found in the subjective memory ratings of temporal lobe versus extratemporal patients. Temporal lobe patients rated their memories more negatively than did extratemporal patients and were more likely to report significant improvements in their memory after surgery. Conclusions: In general, patients were not accurate when rating their memories compared to other adults. However, patients with significant declines in their memories were sensitive to actual changes in their memories over time relative to their own personal baselines.
Hypotonic stress activates an intermediate conductance K+ channel in human colonic crypt cells
Authors: Sand P. , Anger Å. , Rydqvist B. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractAim:  To investigate the effect of hypotonic stress on human colonic crypts cells in terms of ion channel activity and intracellular Ca2+ concentration.Methods:  Single crypts were isolated from biopsies taken during colonoscopy. The patch clamp technique was used (in the cell‐attached mode) to observe the activity of ion channels during hypotonic stress. Calcium measurements were made using the fluophores Fluo 3 or 4.Results:  The intermediate conductance (29 pS), Ca2+‐sensitive, K+ channel (also known as KCNN4) previously described (Sandle et al. 1994) was seen in 54 of 149 patches (36%) when the crypts were bathed in normal extracellular solution (290 mOsm kg−1). Forty‐one patches could be used for further analysis. Activation of one or several 29 pS channels was seen in 15 of 41 patches (39%) after 30 s to 4 min of exposure to hypotonic solution (160 mOsm kg−1). The open probability increased from 0.0043 in control solution to 0.44 at 5 min of hypotonic stress. When the crypts were exposed to hypotonic solution, an increase in intracellular Ca2+ could be seen. The increase in intracellular Ca2+ emanates mainly from intracellular stores.Conclusion:  The 29 pS K+ channel takes part in volume regulation in human colonic crypt cells. The activation of this channel is mediated through an increase in intracellular Ca2+.
Quantitative trait loci for male reproductive traits in beef cattle*
Authors: Casas E. , Lunstra D. D. , Stone R. T. 
Published: November 2004

SummaryThe objective of the present study was to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for male reproductive traits in a half‐sib family from a Bos indicus (Brahman) × Bos taurus (Hereford) sire. The sire was mated with MARC III (1/4 Hereford, 1/4 Angus, 1/4 Red Poll and 1/4 Pinzgauer) cows. Testicular traits were measured from 126 male offspring born in 1996 and castrated at 8.5 months. Traits analysed were concentration of follicle stimulating hormone in peripheral blood at castration (FSH), paired testicular weight (PTW) and paired testicular volume (PTV) adjusted for age of dam, calculated age at puberty (AGE), and body weight at castration (BYW). A putative QTL was observed for FSH on chromosome 5. The maximum F‐statistic was detected at 70 cM from the beginning of the linkage group. Animals inheriting the Hereford allele had a 2.47‐ng/ml higher concentration of FSH than those inheriting the Brahman allele. Evidence also suggests the existence of a putative QTL on chromosome 29 for PTW, PTV, AGE and BYW. The maximum F‐statistic was detected at cM 44 from the beginning of the linkage group for PTW, PTV and AGE, and at cM 52 for BYW. Animals that inherited the Brahman allele at this chromosomal region had a 45‐g heavier PTW, a 42‐cm3 greater PTV, a 39‐day younger AGE and a 22.8‐kg heavier BYW, compared with those inheriting the Hereford allele. This is the first report of QTL for male reproductive traits in cattle.
Cloning and characterization of myogenic regulatory genes in three Ictalurid species
Authors: Gregory D. J. , Waldbieser G. C. , Bosworth B. G. 
Published: November 2004

SummaryWe report sequence, tissue expression and map‐position data for myogenin, MYOD1, myostatin and follistatin in three Ictalurid catfish species: channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (I. furcatus) and white catfish (Ameiurus catus). These genes are involved in muscle growth and development in mammals and may play similar roles in catfish. Amino acid sequences were highly conserved among the three Ictalurid species (>95% identity), moderately conserved among catfish and zebrafish (approximately 80% identity), and less conserved among catfish and humans (approximately 40–60% identity) for all four genes. Gene structure (number of exons and introns and exon–intron boundaries) was conserved between catfish and other species for all genes. Myogenin and MYOD1 expression was limited to skeletal muscle in juvenile channel catfish, similar to expression patterns for these genes in other fish and mammalian species. Myostatin was expressed in a variety of tissues in juvenile channel catfish, a pattern common in other fish species but contrasting with data from mammals where myostatin is primarily expressed in skeletal muscle. Follistatin was expressed in juvenile catfish heart, testes and spleen. All four genes contained polymorphic microsatellite repeats in non‐coding regions and linkage analysis based on inheritance of these microsatellite loci was used to place the genes on the channel catfish linkage map. Information provided in this study will be useful in further studies to determine the role these genes play in muscle growth and development in catfish.
Identification of a mutation associated with factor XI deficiency in Holstein cattle
Authors: Marron B. M. , Robinson J. L. , Gentry P. A. , Beever J. E. 
Published: November 2004

SummaryAn autosomal recessive deficiency of blood coagulation factor XI (FXI) has been described in Holstein cattle. Current testing methods are unsuitable for accurately identifying carriers (heterozygotes) of the disease. To identify the molecular basis of this deficiency, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based strategy was implemented to clone and sequence the bovine FXI gene (F11) from animals of different genotypes. Approximately 14 kb of genomic DNA sequence and 1.8 kb of cDNA sequence, corresponding to exon 3 through the 3′‐UTR, of the bovine gene were obtained. Comparison of sequences derived from homozygous normal and deficient individuals revealed that FXI deficiency in Holsteins is associated with the insertion of a 76 bp segment [AT(A)28TAAAG(A)26GGAAATAATAATTCA] within exon 12. This insertion introduces a stop codon that results in a mature FXI protein lacking the functional protease domain encoded by exons 13, 14 and 15. Based on these data, a DNA‐based diagnostic test has been developed for accurate genotyping. Using this method, the frequency of the mutated allele has been determined to be 1.2% in a contemporary population of the USA Holstein sires.
PRNPpolymorphisms in Chinese ovine, caprine and bovine breeds1
Authors: Zhang L. , Li N. , Fan B. , Fang M. , Xu W. 
Published: November 2004

SummaryTransmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) is a neurodegenerative disorder in humans and animals. Polymorphisms and mutations in the prion protein (PRNP) gene have been associated with the incidence of natural and experimental TSE and the incubation period length. In this study, we determinedPRNPpolymorphisms in Chinese ovine, caprine and bovine breeds using 400 samples from 13 ovine and caprine breeds and 250 samples from nine bovine breeds. In the ovine and caprinePRNPgene, we found five previously unreported amino acid polymorphisms and two silent nucleotide alterations. In bovinePRNP, we found eight previously unreported amino acid polymorphisms and six silent nucleotide alterations.
Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma: a comparative study of histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features using high throughput tissue microarray
Authors: Abrahams N A , MacLennan G T , Khoury J D , Ormsby A H , Tamboli P , Doglioni C , Schumacher B , Tickoo S K 
Published: November 2004

Aims:  In some cases distinction between chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CRCC), oncocytoma and clear cell (conventional) renal cell carcinoma (eosinophilic variant) using routine light microscopy remains problematic. The present study investigates the level of agreement in the diagnosis of CRCC, as well as the histological features most frequently used for this diagnosis by two pathologists with a special interest in renal neoplasia. The sensitivity and specificity of immunohistochemical markers in cases with overlapping histological features in the diagnosis of CRCC were also studied. Electron microscopy was performed, as a diagnostic gold standard, on all of the cases.Methods and results:  Thirty‐two renal tumours with predominantly eosinophilic cytoplasm were reviewed in a blinded fashion by two pathologists. The diagnosis and morphological features used to render each diagnosis were tabulated. Validation of the utility of keratin 7 and 20, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), vimentin, CD10, parvalbumin, RCC antigen, antimitochondrial antibody and Hale's colloidal iron was performed by the construction of a tissue microarray (TMA) master block. Based on histological criteria alone, overall agreement on the diagnosis of these tumours was reached in 69% of the cases, while there was total disagreement in 12%. In 59% of the cases, total agreement was reached in classifying the case as a CRCC based on histology alone. Kappa statistics for interobserver variability were calculated as only slight agreement (κ = 0.3). The histological features most frequently associated with a diagnosis of CRCC were accentuated cell borders (87%) and a combination of hyperchromatic wrinkled nuclei (79%) and perinuclear halos (74%). The most sensitive and specific marker for CRCC was parvalbumin (sensitivity 0.91; specificity 1.0). The immunohistochemical profile of EMA+/ vimentin– was useful but had low specificity (sensitivity 0.75; specificity 0.4). CD10 had the highest sensitivity (1.0) but worst specificity (0.25) for CRCC. Keratin 7 had high sensitivity (0.83) but fairly low specificity (0.37) for CRCC. Hale's colloidal iron and the RCC antigen marker were not contributory. Finally, the antimitochondrial antibody was found to be fairly sensitive (0.83) for excluding CRCC.Conclusions:  A small but significant proportion of renal tumours with cells having eosinophilic cytoplasm cannot be classified, even by experienced pathologists, based on histology alone. In these cases it is imperative to use markers with known sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of CRCC.
Savannah: mobile gaming and learning?
Authors: Facer K. , Joiner R. , Stanton D. , Reid J. , Hull R. , Kirk D. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractThis paper reports a study that attempts to explore how using mobile technologies in direct physical interaction with space and with other players can be combined with principles of engagement and self‐motivation to create a powerful and engaging learning experience. We developed a mobile gaming experience designed to encourage the development of children's conceptual understanding of animal behaviour. Ten children (five boys and five girls) aged between 11 and 12 years played and explored the game. The findings from this study offer interesting insights into the extent to which mobile gaming might be employed as a tool for supporting learning. It also highlights a number of major challenges that this format raises for the organisation of learning within schools and the design of such resources.
Psychological Factors in Risk Assessment and Management of Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour by Men with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Smith Mark , Willner Paul 
Published: November 2004

Aim  This study examined the responses of care managers and direct care staff to vignettes of inappropriate sexual behaviour (ISB) by a man with an intellectual disability. The aim was to identify psychological factors that influenced their assessment of risk and the perceived need for risk management strategies.Method  The vignettes varied in response topography and the age of the victim. Regression analysis was used to examine the effect of three sets of psychological factors (causal explanations, causal attributions and emotional responses) on perceptions of risk, seriousness and appropriate service level responses to the ISB, and the inter‐relationships between these outcome variables.Results  Behaviours involving intimate sexual contact or a child victim were rated as more serious, and more in need of supervision and management, than vignettes describing non‐contact behaviours or in which the victim was another adult with an intellectual disability. Levels of concern were generally lower for care managers than for direct care staff. The study cast little light on how care staff make decisions concerning the risk of recurrence of ISB. For care managers, high levels of concern were associated with the perception that the ISB was sexually motivated or was triggered by a negative emotional state, and with high levels of anger. Care managers appeared to make decisions about the appropriate intensity of service response based on an evaluation of the seriousness of the ISB, which was informed by the topography of the ISB and the identity of the victim. For direct care staff, high levels of concern were associated primarily with the perception that the cause of the behaviour was poor management; other factors associated with high levels of concern were the perception that the ISB was sexually motivated, and attributions that the ISB was controllable and stable. The central constructs in the decision making of direct care staff appeared to be the perceptions that, for it to have occurred, the behaviour must have been badly managed, and that offences against children require a response.Implications  These differing approaches to decision making by care managers and care staff may lead to conflict in the implementation of care plans for men with intellectual disabilities who display ISB.
BREADTH AND DEPTH GRAMMARS AND DEQUE AUTOMATA
Authors: CHERUBINI ALESSANDRA , CITRINI CLAUDIO , REGHIZZI STEFANO CRESPI , MANDRIOLI DINO 
Published: November 2004

We introduce BD (Breadth-Depth) grammars which extend context-free grammars by allowing breadth-first derivations. Their languages are recognized by Deque (double ended queue) automata having a single state. BD languages also include languages recognized by monostatic queue automata. It is shown that the commutative image of BD languages is semilinear, that they have a periodicity (pumping) property, and can be homomorphically characterized as h(DAD∩R), where DAD is the Dyck-AntiDyck language, and R a regular set. Non-autoinclusive BD grammars coincide in power with breadth-first grammars with regular right parts.
Effects of the First (Ether) Extract of Ginseng on the Cardiovascular Dynamics of Dogs During Halothane Anesthesia
Authors: LEE MYUNG O. , CLIFFORD DONALD H. , KIM CHONG YUL , LEE DO CHIL 
Published: November 2004

An electromagnetic flowmeter probe was chronically implanted around the ascending aorta in ten dogs. Subsequently, these animals were maintained under halothane (0.75%) anesthesia during the intravenous administration of an ether extract (40 mg/kg) of ginseng. Five other dogs were anesthesized without injecting ginseng. Eleven cardiovascular variables including cardiac output, stroke volume, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, central venous pressure, total peripheral resistance, pH, PaCO, PaO and base deficit were compared during tthe ensuing 120 minutes. The heart rate was significantly decreased and central venous pressure increased significantly following ginseng. There were no other meaningful changes in either group.
Experience With Therapeutic Abortion By D&C Suction Type Under Acupuncture Analgesia
Authors: Dinh De Tran 
Published: November 2004

This is preliminary report on the use of acupuncture-analgesia in a small series of cases of therapeutic abortion done by suction curettage. It is the author's intention to arouse the interest of anesthesiologists and obstetrician-gynecologists in the procedure. Out of 14 cases, acupuncture-analgesia was satisfactory on 7 cases: 4 cases were partially successful and 3 were failures. In the successful cases, the procedure is simple, cheap and innocuous.
Therapeutic Effect of Acupuncture for Chronic Pain
Authors: Chen Gregory S. , Hwang Yeou-Cheng 
Published: November 2004

The purpose of this report concerned with the activities of the acupuncture clinic at UAB during the past 2 years and 3 months, is to objectively assess the role of acupuncture in the treatment of various pain disorders for which conventional pain relieving methods had failed to yield satisfactory results. In carefully analyzing the data provided by the patients through completed questionnaires, an attempt was made to look at the results obtained as unbiased as possible and to determine whether it is justified to continue the acupuncture activities at UAB or terminate them. From the data presented it appears that acupuncture helped in more than 50 percent of the patients by either completely or partially controlling the suffering from painful disorders. Patients helped by acupuncture received 8.55 treatments on the average, while patients not helped by acupuncture only recieved 4.75 treatments. There is little difference between the male and female patients as to the response to acupuncture. However, we noticed that the younger the patient and the shorter the duration of their problems, the better the response. Patients who had not had surgery to treat the pain syndrome responded better than those who had previous surgery. Patients with backache who had previously had laminectomy showed better response to acupuncture than the patients who had spinal fusion. It appears that good general health plays an important role in favorably responding to acupuncture treatment. It is apparent from this survey that acupuncture may be a valuable extension of a conventional pain clinic and an alternative in patients who are desperate in their desire to get relief from pain which they failed to obtain from other methods.
ON THE GEOMETRY OF GRADED CONSTRAINT ALGEBRAS: VIELBEINS, METRIC TENSORS AND THE STRING VERTEX SUPEROPERATORS
Authors: ARATYN HENRIK 
Published: November 2004

The geometric interpretation of the vertex superoperators in the Neveu-Schwarz-Ramond (NSR) model is provided by associating them with a canonical mapping between abelian operators and generators of the super-Virasoro algebra. In this setting, the moments of the vertex superoperators are the corresponding vielbiens carrying graded indices. This geometric construction defines a natural metric tensor associated with the graded constraint algebra. Consequently, our approach yields the simple Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky Hamiltonian for the NSR model as the “square” of a graded vector, manifestly invariant under OSP (1, 1|2).