Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Next Day (next + day)
Selected AbstractsP44 A case of contact dermatitis caused by a NSAID's soluble agentCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 3 2004Yoshimi Kato A fifty five year-old man had experienced itching sensation when he applied analgesic plasters for his lumbago. He tried to use several kinds of analgesic plasters, however he felt itching sensation whenever he used them. He applied a plaster containing ferbinac for his left elbow joint's pain on April 2003. On the next day, an itching erythema developed on the area where the plaster was applied. He was treated with a difluprednate ointment, and his dermatitis gradually improved. He visited our clinic for precise medical examination for finding out the causative agent of his dermatitis on May 13, 2003. We conducted 48 hours closed patch testing with the plaster he used and it's ingredients. He reacted positively to the plaster containing ferbinac and crotamiton 5%p that was used for dissolute the active drug. He also reacted positively to a cream containing ketoprofen, however he reacted negatively to ketoprofen 1%p. Crotamoton was also used in the ketoprofen cream. [source] Photorejuvenation for Asian Skin by Intense Pulsed LightDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 7 2001Kei Negishi MD Background. Dermabrasion and deep chemical peeling are used in the treatment of photoaged skin. These ablative procedures are effective enough to produce a certain improvement but have often caused postinflammatory hyperpigmentation among Asian patients. To avoid such adverse effects, a new, nonablative procedure has been sought. Objective. To determine the effectiveness of photorejuvenation for Asian skin using intense pulsed light (IPL). The specific parameters used, improvement ratios, side-effects, and downtime required are also discussed. Methods. Ninety-seven patients were treated for photoaging using IPL. The cutoff filters of 550 nm and 570 nm were utilized for three to six treatments at intervals of 2 to 3 weeks. Results. Treatment results were evaluated and rated by both patients and physicians at the end of the third treatment based on improvement in pigmentation, telangiectasia, and skin texture. A combined rating of "good" or "excellent" was given to more than 90% of the patients for pigmentation, more than 83% for telangiectasia, and more than 65% for skin texture. There were some minor complications in four cases: one had erythema that continued to the next day and three had minor blisters leaving no marks. Conclusion. Photorejuvenation using IPL is a completely safe and effective procedure even for Asian skin. It will be increasingly used for skin rejuvenation in the future. [source] Pseudoxanthoma elasticum with recurrent gastric hemorrhage managed by endoscopic mechanical hemostasisDIGESTIVE ENDOSCOPY, Issue 2 2004Hitoshi Nishiyama A 24-year-old-woman was admitted to our hospital for further examination of recurrent upper gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage. The characteristic xanthomatous papular rash, retinal angioid streaks, and stenosis of cardiac coronary artery confirmed the diagnosis of pseudoxanthoma elasticum. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed vascular dilation in the gastric body to fornix. The vessel showing conspicuous dilation covered with the discolored mucosa was suspected as the source of the bleeding. The vessel was identified as a dilated vein located in the submucosa by endoscopic ultrasonography and pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasonography. Abdominal angiography demonstrated aneurysmal dilation in the splenic artery, but not in the gastric artery. Endoscopic band ligation was chosen as an initial treatment for the prevention of recurrent bleeding. The procedure seemed to be successful, but rebleeding occurred on the next day, which was again treated with hemostatic clipping. There have been no further episodes of gastrointestinal hemorrhage during the 15-month follow up. [source] An operational algorithm for residential cogeneration systems based on the monitored daily-basis energy demandELECTRICAL ENGINEERING IN JAPAN, Issue 2 2010Yuka Yamagishi Abstract Residential cogeneration systems with PEFC are promising as distributed power system resources with the ability to improve energy system efficiency. However, it is important to develop an efficient algorithm for operation because the energy demand at each house differs greatly from day to day. In this paper, we propose an operational algorithm and evaluate it from the viewpoint of energy conservation and economic effectiveness based on the energy demand characteristics. In the algorithm, the hot water and electricity demand on the next day are estimated based on the average of past data. The results of simulations using actually monitored energy demand data indicate that (1) the greater the electrical demand of a household, the more effective this algorithm becomes with respect to energy conservation; (2) the greater the hot water demand of a household, the more effective this algorithm becomes with respect to economic effectiveness. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 170(2): 37,45, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley. com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20892 [source] Influence of in-stream diel concentration cycles of dissolved trace metals on acute toxicity to one-year-old cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi)ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2007David A. Nimick Abstract Extrapolating results of laboratory bioassays to streams is difficult, because conditions such as temperature and dissolved metal concentrations can change substantially on diel time scales. Field bioassays conducted for 96 h in two mining-affected streams compared the survival of hatchery-raised, metal-näive westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) exposed to dissolved (0.1-,m filtration) metal concentrations that either exhibited the diel variation observed in streams or were controlled at a constant value. Cadmium and Zn concentrations in these streams increased each night by as much as 61 and 125%, respectively, and decreased a corresponding amount the next day, whereas Cu did not display a diel concentration cycle. In High Ore Creek (40 km south of Helena, MT, USA), survival (33%) after exposure to natural diel-fluctuating Zn concentrations (range, 214,634 ,g/L; mean, 428 ,g/L) was significantly (p = 0.008) higher than survival (14%) after exposure to a controlled, constant Zn concentration (422 ,g/L). Similarly, in Dry Fork Belt Creek (70 km southeast of Great Falls, MT, USA), survival (75%) after exposure to diel-fluctuating Zn concentrations (range, 266,522 ,g/L; mean, 399 ,g/L) was significantly (p = 0.022) higher than survival (50%) in the constant-concentration treatment (392 ,g/L). Survival likely was greater in these diel treatments, both because the periods of lower metal concentrations provided some relief for the fish and because toxicity during periods of higher metal concentrations was lessened by the simultaneous occurrence each night of lower water temperatures, which reduce the rate of metal uptake. Based on the present study, current water-quality criteria appear to be protective for streams with diel concentration cycles of Zn (and, perhaps, Cd) for the hydrologic conditions tested. [source] High-frequency Oscillations after Status Epilepticus: Epileptogenesis and Seizure GenesisEPILEPSIA, Issue 9 2004Anatol Bragin Summary:,Purpose: To investigate the temporal relation between high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in the dentate gyrus and recurrent spontaneous seizures after intrahippocampal kainite-induced status epilepticus. Methods: Recording microelectrodes were implanted bilaterally in different regions of hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. A guide cannula for microinjection of kainic acid (KA) was implanted above the right posterior CA3 area of hippocampus. After recording baseline electrical activity, KA (0.4 ,g/0.2 ,l) was injected. Beginning on the next day, electrographic activity was recorded with video monitoring for seizures every day for 8 h/day for ,30 days. Results: Of the 26 rats studied, 19 revealed the appearance of sharp-wave activity and HFOs in the frequency range of 80 to 500 Hz in the dentate gyrus ipsilateral to the KA injection. In the remaining seven rats, no appreciable activity was noted in this frequency range. In some rats with recurrent seizures, HFOs were in the ripple frequency range (100,200 Hz); in others, HFOs were in the fast ripple frequency range (200,500 Hz), or a mixture of both oscillation frequencies was found. The time of detection of the first HFOs after status epilepticus varied between 1 and 30 days, with a mean of 6.3 ± 2.0 (SEM). Of the 19 rats in which HFO activity appeared, all later developed recurrent spontaneous seizures, whereas none of the rats without HFOs developed seizures. The sooner HFO activity was detected after status epilepticus, the sooner the first spontaneous seizure occurred. A significant inverse relation was found between the time to the first HFO detection and the subsequent rate of spontaneous seizures. Conclusions: A strong correlation was found between a decreased time to detection of HFOs and an increased rate of spontaneous seizures, as well as with a decrease in the duration of the latent period between KA injection and the detection of spontaneous seizures. Two types of HFOs were found after KA injection, one in the frequency range of 100 to 200 Hz, and the other, in the frequency range of 200 to 500 Hz, and both should be considered pathological, suggesting that both are epileptogenic. [source] Male Performance and Body Size Affect Female Re-Mating Occurrence in the Orb-Web Spider Leucauge mariana (Araneae, Tetragnathidae)ETHOLOGY, Issue 12 2009Anita Aisenberg Females can affect male probabilities of paternity success through behavioural, morphological and/or physiological processes occurring during or after copulation. These processes under female-control include the acceptance or rejection of mating attempts by subsequent males. Leucauge mariana is an orb weaving spider that shows male mate guarding of penultimate females, male,male competition on female webs and copulatory plugs, suggesting a polyandric mating system. The aim of the present study was to ascertain whether male behaviour during courtship and copulation in L. mariana relate with female re-mating decisions. Forty-three virgin females were exposed to up to three males until they mated. In 24 cases, the copulatory plug was absent after mating and females were exposed the next day to up to three other males. Eighteen females accepted a second mating. Relatively larger females were more receptive to second matings and were more likely to copulate if the second male was smaller. Longer duration of female tapping and abdominal bobbing during courtship, and first copulations with less short insertions and more flubs, were associated with increased female acceptance to second matings. The results indicate cryptic female choice on male courtship and copulatory performance and suggest female-control over the determination of male mating success in this spider species. [source] Blockade of NMDA receptors in the dorsomedial striatum prevents action,outcome learning in instrumental conditioningEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 2 2005Henry H. Yin Abstract Although there is consensus that instrumental conditioning depends on the encoding of action,outcome associations, it is not known where this learning process is localized in the brain. Recent research suggests that the posterior dorsomedial striatum (pDMS) may be the critical locus of these associations. We tested this hypothesis by examining the contribution of N -methyl- d -aspartate receptors (NMDARs) in the pDMS to action,outcome learning. Rats with bilateral cannulae in the pDMS were first trained to perform two actions (left and right lever presses), for sucrose solution. After the pre-training phase, they were given an infusion of the NMDA antagonist 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (APV, 1 mg/mL) or artificial cerebral spinal fluid (ACSF) before a 30-min session in which pressing one lever delivered food pellets and pressing the other delivered fruit punch. Learning during this session was tested the next day by sating the animals on either the pellets or fruit punch before assessing their performance on the two levers in extinction. The ACSF group selectively reduced responding on the lever that, in training, had earned the now devalued outcome, whereas the APV group did not. Experiment 2 replicated the effect of APV during the critical training session but found no effect of APV given after acquisition and before test. Furthermore, Experiment 3 showed that the effect of APV on instrumental learning was restricted to the pDMS; infusion into the dorsolateral striatum did not prevent learning. These experiments provide the first direct evidence that, in instrumental conditioning, NMDARs in the dorsomedial striatum are involved in encoding action,outcome associations. [source] REM sleep: a sensitive index of fear conditioning in ratsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 4 2005Sushil K. Jha Abstract To examine the influence of conditioned fear stimuli on sleep-wake states, we recorded sleep in Sprague,Dawley rats after exposure to tones previously paired with footshock. After habituation to a recording chamber and the recording procedure, a baseline sleep recording was obtained the next day. One day later, experimental animals were exposed to shock training designed to induce conditioned fear (FC), consisting of five tone-footshock pairings. The 5-s tones (conditioned stimuli; CS) co-terminated with 1-s footshocks (unconditioned stimuli; US). The next day sleep was recorded for 4 h in the recording chamber after presentation of five CSs alone. Sleep efficiency (total sleep time/recording period) and REM sleep (REM) and non-REM (NREM) measures were determined. While sleep efficiency was not significantly changed after CS presentation, the percentage of total sleep time spent in REM (REM percentage) was reduced in the FC animals. The reduction in REM percentage in the FC animals was due to a decrease in the number of REM bouts. In a separate experiment, we repeated the procedures, except the tones and shocks were presented in an explicitly unpaired (UP) fashion. The next day, presentation of the tones increased REM percentage in the UP group. Results are discussed in terms of the decreases in REM as a response to conditioned fear, and the relevance of these findings to the sleep changes seen in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). [source] Short-term electric power load forecasting using feedforward neural networksEXPERT SYSTEMS, Issue 3 2004Heidar A. Malki Abstract: This paper presents the results of a study on short-term electric power load forecasting based on feedforward neural networks. The study investigates the design components that are critical in power load forecasting, which include the selection of the inputs and outputs from the data, the formation of the training and the testing sets, and the performance of the neural network models trained to forecast power load for the next hour and the next day. The experiments are used to identify the combination of the most significant parameters that can be used to form the inputs of the neural networks in order to reduce the prediction error. The prediction error is also reduced by predicting the difference between the power load of the next hour (day) and that of the present hour (day). This is a promising alternative to the commonly used approach of predicting the actual power load. The potential of the proposed method is revealed by its comparison with two existing approaches that utilize neural networks for electric power load forecasting. [source] The economics and practicality of t-PA vs tunnel catheter replacement for hemodialysisHEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2005Cairoli O. Kaiser Permanente Introduction:,Thrombolytic therapy is an important treatment modality for thrombosis-related catheter occlusion. Central venous access devices (CAVDs) are essential tools for the administration of many therapeutic modalities, especially for patients requiring lifetime therapy like hemodialysis. There are several reasons to salvage the occluded catheter. Catheter replacement results in an interruption of therapy delivery. This interruption may result in complications such as life-threatening metabolic and physiologic states. In addition, the patient's future access sites for CAVDs may be affected. The data released in the 2001 Annual Report , ESRD Clinical Performance Measures Project (Department of Health and Human Services, December 2001) shows 17% of prevalent patients were dialyzed with a chronic catheter continuously for 90 days or longer. In the pediatric population the data shows that 31% were dialyzed with a chronic catheter. The most common reasons for catheter placement included: no fistula or graft created (42%) and fistula and graft were maturing, not ready to cannulate (17%). Five percent of patients were not candidates for fistula or graft placement as all sites had been exhausted. Methods:,A short study was done in our medical center to evaluate the results of t-PA vs. changing the tunnel catheter. On an average a catheter costs about $400.00. If you add the cost of specialty personnel such as an interventional radiologist, radiology technician, radiology nurse, and the ancillaries such as the room, sutures, gauze, and tape, the total could reach $2000.00 easily. CathfloÔ Activase® costs around $60.00 for a single dose. T-PA was reconstituted by pharmacy personnel in single vials containing 2 mg/2 ml. Now with Cathflo, vials are stored in the renal clinic's refrigerator and when the need arises, the RN reconstitutes the medication. The RN, using established protocols, will instill Cathflo in the catheter following the volume requirements of the various tunnel catheters. After the t-PA is placed, the patient is sent home with instructions to return to their dialysis center the next day (arrangements are made by the RN as needed). In seventeen patients (17) with tunnel catheter malfunctions due to inadequate flow, not related to placement, t-PA was used. Of those 17 patients 2 were unable to use their catheter on their next dialysis treatment date, yielding an 88% success rate. This compares with clinical trials in which there is an 83% success rate with a dwell time of 4 hours, or an 89% rate on patients having a 2 hour dwell time (t-PA was repeated a second time if flow was not successfully restored. Results:,15/17 patients in our retrospective study showed that Cathflo worked successfully in restoring blood flow. Two catheters needed to be exchanged. The cost savings were significant when we compared the average cost of an exchange ($2000) versus using t-PA ($170 including nursing time). Conclusion:,Cathflo is not just safe and practical to use but also cost effective. [source] A grey-box model of next-day building thermal load prediction for energy-efficient controlINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 15 2008Qiang Zhou Abstract Accurate building thermal load prediction is essential to many building energy control strategies. To get reliable prediction of the hourly building load of the next day, air temperature/relative humidity and solar radiation prediction modules are integrated with a grey-box model. The regressive solar radiation module predicts the solar radiation using the forecasted cloud amount, sky condition and extreme temperatures from on-line weather stations, while the forecasted sky condition is used to correct the cloud amount forecast. The temperature/relative humidity prediction module uses a dynamic grey model (GM), which is specialized in the grey system with incomplete information. Both weather prediction modules are integrated into a building thermal load model for the on-line prediction of the building thermal load in the next day. The validation of both weather prediction modules and the on-line building thermal load prediction model are presented. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Intoxication With Bourbon Versus Vodka: Effects on Hangover, Sleep, and Next-Day Neurocognitive Performance in Young AdultsALCOHOLISM, Issue 3 2010Damaris J. Rohsenow Background:, This study assessed the effects of heavy drinking with high or low congener beverages on next-day neurocognitive performance, and the extent to which these effects were mediated by alcohol-related sleep disturbance or alcoholic beverage congeners, and correlated with the intensity of hangover. Methods:, Healthy heavy drinkers age 21 to 33 (n = 95) participated in 2 drinking nights after an acclimatization night. They drank to a mean of 0.11 g% breath alcohol concentration on vodka or bourbon one night with matched placebo the other night, randomized for type and order. Polysomnography recordings were made overnight; self-report and neurocognitive measures were assessed the next morning. Results:, After alcohol, people had more hangover and more decrements in tests requiring both sustained attention and speed. Hangover correlated with poorer performance on these measures. Alcohol decreased sleep efficiency and rapid eye movement sleep, and increased wake time and next-day sleepiness. Alcohol effects on sleep correlated with hangover but did not mediate the effects on performance. No effect of beverage congeners was found except on hangover severity, with people feeling worse after bourbon. Virtually no sex differences appeared. Conclusions:, As drinking to this level affects complex cognitive abilities, safety could be affected, with implications for driving and for safety-sensitive occupations. Congener content affects only how people feel the next day so does not increase risk. The sleep disrupting effects of alcohol did not account for the impaired performance so other mechanisms of effect need to be sought. As hangover symptoms correlate with impaired performance, these might be contributing to the impairment. [source] Seasonality of psychopathology and circannual melatonin rhythmJOURNAL OF PINEAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2006A.L. Morera Abstract:, The association of seasonal changes in health and disease has been known for centuries. The prevalence of psychopathological symptoms with seasonal fluctuations and the use of melatonin as a biological marker of circadian and circannual rhythms is well documented. The aim of this work was to study the variability of melatonin secretion between summer and winter in our geographical area (28°N, 16°W) and relate the changes to the level of psychopathology. Ten drug-free, nonsmoker, healthy subjects were studied in summer (August) and winter (December). Blood samples for melatonin assays were collected every hour at night for 5 hr, from 22:00 to 02:00 hr, and next day at noon. Melatonin was assayed by an ELISA technique. Psychopathology was evaluated by means of the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). All subjects had a circadian rhythm of melatonin secretion in summer and winter. There was a seasonal rhythm with melatonin levels being significantly higher at night in winter than in summer. Melatonin levels at 22:00, 23:00, 24:00 and 01:00 hr and mean melatonin area under the curve (AUC) were significantly higher in winter than in summer. Melatonin AUC increased 80% in winter compared with summer. The GHQ-28 somatic and anxiety subscales and the total GHQ-28 score were significantly higher in winter than summer. Psychopathology scores were significantly and negatively correlated with melatonin production in summer and winter. Our data strongly suggest that melatonin production and psychopathology levels present seasonal fluctuations and these variations should be taken into account when conducting research in this field. [source] Increased Cortisol Response to Surgery in Patients With Alcohol Problems Who Developed Postoperative ConfusionALCOHOLISM, Issue 8 2004Akira Kudoh Background: Patients with alcohol problems often develop postoperative confusion and have impaired cortisol, ACTH, and norepinephrine. However, the relationship between neuroendocrine responses to surgical stress and postoperative confusion remains unclear in patients with alcohol problems. Methods: Plasma cortisol, ACTH, and norepinephrine concentrations during and after surgery in 30 patients with alcohol problems and 30 control patients who underwent lower abdominal surgery were measured before the induction of anesthesia, 15 and 60 min after skin incision, 60 min after the end of surgery, the next day, and the second day after the operation. Results: Plasma cortisol concentrations (21.2 ± 4.7 ,g·dl,1) of patients with alcohol problems before anesthesia were significantly higher than 15.6 ± 4.8 ,g·dl,1 of control patients. Plasma cortisol and ACTH responses to surgery in patients with alcohol problems were not significantly increased compared with preoperative values. The incidence of postoperative confusion was significantly higher in patients with alcohol problems than that of control patients (33% vs. 3%). Plasma cortisol concentrations (29.7 ± 7.0, 31.2 ± 6.6, 30.3 ± 8.0, and 28.4 ± 6.2 ,g·dl,1) 15 and 60 min after the skin incision, 60 min after the end of surgery, and the next day after operation in postoperatively confused patients with alcohol problems were significantly higher than those of nonconfused patients with alcohol problems (23.0 ± 5.8, 22.7 ± 4.1, 22.4 ± 7.2, and 21.9 ± 5.5 ,g·dl,1). Conclusion: The cortisol response to surgical stress increases in patients with alcohol problems who develop postoperative confusion, although cortisol response to surgical stress decreases in patients with alcohol problems without postoperative confusion. [source] In vitro analysis of cryopreserved alginate,poly- l -lysine,alginate-microencapsulated human hepatocytesLIVER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2010Hualian Hang Abstract Background: The availability of well-characterized human hepatocytes that can be frozen and thawed will be critical for cell therapy. We addressed whether human hepatocytes can recover after microencapsulated cryopreservation and investigated whether these cryopreserved microencapsulated hepatocytes can be used for clinical applications. Methods: Adult hepatocytes of 18 separate donors were isolated with a two-step extracorporeal collagenase perfusion technique. After pre-incubation at 4 °C for 12,24 h in HepatoZYME-SFM, hepatocytes were microencapsulated using alginate,poly- l -lysine,alginate microcapsules. The microencapsulated hepatocytes were transferred to a complete medium containing 10% dimethyl sulphoxide. They were immediately placed into an isopropanol progressive freezing container at ,80 °C overnight and immersed in liquid nitrogen the next day. During the post-thawing culture period, albumin secretion, urea synthesis, cell cycle, mRNA and protein levels, as well as the morphology and pathology structure of pre-incubation before microencapsulated cryopreservation (PMC) groups were analysed. Results: Compared with the immediate cryopreservation (IC) groups, we found significant improvement in the mRNA and protein levels in the attached cells, and higher secretion of albumin and urea levels after thawing. In the attached cultured human cryopreserved/thawed hepatocytes from the PMC group, albumin production was not significantly different from those of the direct culture groups on days 2, 3 and 4. The preserved morphology in the PMC group compared with the IC group was obvious. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggested recovery of the functional and morphological integrity of human hepatocytes after pre-incubation at 4 °C for 12,24 h before microencapsulated cryopreservation. These studies offer the possibility for clinical applications in pharmacotoxicology, bioartificial liver and cell therapy in humans. [source] Short-term effects of tetrabenazine on chorea associated with Huntington's diseaseMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 1 2007Christopher Kenney MD Abstract We sought to assess the short-term clinical effects of tetrabenazine (TBZ) on choreic movements in Huntington's disease patients. A total of 10 patients on stable doses of TBZ were enrolled in this observational study. Patients took their evening dose of TBZ and presented the next day to the Baylor College of Medicine Movement Disorders Clinic without taking the usual morning dose. They were assessed using the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) motor assessment and Beck Depression Inventory. The usual morning dose of TBZ was then administered and patients were followed with serial UHDRS motor examinations approximately every 2 hours until choreic movements subsided and then returned. TBZ decreased the UHDRS chorea score on average 42.4% ± 17.8%. The duration of effect varied from a minimum of 3.2 hours to a maximum of 8.1 hours (mean = 5.4 ± 1.3). No patient experienced an adverse event related to TBZ or its withdrawal. During short-term follow-up after a single dose, TBZ improves chorea for approximately 5 hours. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society [source] Circadian patterns of gastric electrical and mechanical activity in dogsNEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY & MOTILITY, Issue 1 2008R. Aviv Abstract, Gastric motor function assessment, in humans and animals, is typically performed for short recording periods. The aim of this article was to monitor gastric electrical and motor activity in the antrum and fundus simultaneously, for long periods, using a new implantable system. Ten dogs were implanted with fundic and antral electrodes for assessment of impedance and electrical activity. Dogs were studied while in cages, for periods of 22,26 h. From late evening and until feeding on the next day, slow wave (SW) rhythm demonstrated a distinct pattern of intermittent pauses (mean duration = 22.8 ±4.1 s) that delineated groups of SW's. Phasic increases in fundic tone were seen mostly in association with SW pauses, and were highly correlated with antral contractions, R2 = 0.652, P < 0.05. The SW rate (events per minute) in the postprandial period, fasting and night time was 4.2 ± 0.2, 5 ± 0.2 and 4.7 ± 0.3, respectively, P < 0.05 postprandial vs other periods. Antral and fundic mechanical activities were highly correlated during fasting, particularly at night. This novel method of prolonged gastric recording provides valuable data on the mechanical and electrical activity of the stomach, not feasible by current methods of recording. During fasting, fundic and antral motor activities are highly correlated and are associated with periodic pauses in electrical activity. [source] Heart Rate Variability Fraction,A New Reportable Measure of 24-Hour R-R Interval VariationANNALS OF NONINVASIVE ELECTROCARDIOLOGY, Issue 1 2005Maciej Sosnowski M.D. Background: The scatterplot of R-R intervals has several unique features. Its numerical evaluation may produce a new useful index of global heart rate variability (HRV) from Holter recordings. Methods: Two-hundred and ten middle-aged healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The study was repeated the next day in 165 subjects. Each subject had a 24-hour ECG recording taken. Preprocessed data were transferred into a personal computer and the standard HRV time-domain indices: standard deviation of total normal R-R intervals (SDNN), standard deviation of averaged means of normal R-R intervals over 5-minute periods (SDANN), triangular index (TI), and pNN50 were determined. The scatterplot area (0.2,1.8 second) was divided into 256 boxes, each of 0.1-second interval, and the number of paired R-R intervals was counted. The heart rate variability fraction (HRVF) was calculated as the two highest counts divided by the number of total beats differing from the consecutive beat by <50 ms. The HRVF was obtained by subtracting this fraction from 1, and converting the result to a percentage. Results: The normal value of the HRVF was 52.7 ± 8.6%. The 2,98% range calculated from the normal probability plot was 35.1,70.3%. The HRVF varied significantly with gender (female 48.7 ± 8.4% vs male 53.6 ± 8.6%, P = 0.002). The HRVF correlated with RRI (r = 0.525) and showed a similar or better relationship with SDNN (0.851), SDANN (0.653), and TI (0.845) than did the standard HRV measures with each other. Bland-Altman plot showed a good day-by-day reproducibility of the HRVF, with the intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.839 and a low relative standard error difference (1.8%). Conclusion: We introduced a new index of HRV, which is easy for computation, robust, reproducible, easy to understand, and may overcome the limitations that belong to the standard HRV measures. This index, named HRV fraction, by combining magnitude, distribution, and heart-rate influences, might become a clinically useful index of global HRV. [source] The effect of a prior cognitive interview on children's acceptance of misinformationAPPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Robyn E. Holliday This research examined whether a Cognitive interview facilitates correct recall in children aged 4 to 5 and 9 to 10 years, and whether a Cognitive interview given before post-event misinformation reduces children's reporting of suggestions on subsequent memory tests. Children were presented with an event followed the next day by a Cognitive or a Memorandum interview. Children were then read a post-event summary containing misleading suggestions. The next day all children were given both standard test and modified forced-choice cued-recall tests. The free recall phase of the Cognitive interview elicited the greatest number of correct details. Age differences were found such that 9- to 10-year-old children's reports were more accurate and more complete than those of the 4- to 5-year-olds. More correct person, action and object details were reported in a Cognitive interview. Misinformation effects were found in both age groups on the standard test whereas on the modified test such an effect was only found in the 4- to 5-year-olds. Children's reporting of suggestions was unaffected by prior interview. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Anticipation of Acute Stress in Isoprenaline-Sensitive and , Resistant Rats: Strain and Gender DifferencesBASIC AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2000Anna Yamamotová The effect of stress anticipation was studied in two inbred Wistar rat strains with high and low sensitivity to isoprenaline. The animals were exposed to tail-flick and 4-hr water immersion restraint stress on two consecutive days. On the first day stress was applied to one group and the next day to the anticipation group. The changes in adrenal, heart and spleen weights, tail-flick latency, incidence of gastric ulcers, and the antioxidant defense system in the sensorimotor cortex were compared with two non-stressed control groups. Anticipatory stress decreased adrenal weights. The content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was increased both in acute and anticipatory stress; superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and antioxidative capacity were increased in anticipatory stress only. Stress anticipation decreased the pain threshold in the isoprenaline-sensitive and increased in the isoprenaline-resistant rats and led to more frequent gastric ulcers in the isoprenaline-resistant group. Significant sex differences were observed both in adrenal weights and TBARS content. The relative adrenal weights were negatively correlated with the TBARS content. We suggest that the outcome of anticipatory stress may depend upon the relation between the hormonal and antioxidant functions of the adrenals and that anticipation-induced activation of antioxidant enzymes may ameliorate the acute stress response. Anticipation itself was found to be a stronger stressor than physical acute stress. [source] LUTS/BPH in clinical practice: the importance of nocturia and quality of sleepBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2006EMMANUEL CHARTIER-KASTLER Various studies indicate that nocturia is one of the most bothersome of lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). Nocturia has a negative impact on quality of sleep (QoS), which might lead to daytime fatigue, reduced performance the next day and might ultimately affect the patient's overall quality of life (QoL). However, the evaluation of a patient with LUTS/BPH and assessment of benefits of LUTS/BPH treatment are mainly focused on voiding symptoms or flow rate, and the impact of nocturia on the patient's QoL is often neglected. At the Sixth International Consultation on Prostate Cancer and Prostate Diseases in 2005, a discussion forum about nocturia and its impact on QoS and QoL was organized, followed by a meeting of an expert consensus panel. Both recognized the importance of assessing nocturia and its impact on QoS and QoL in the initial evaluation of patients with LUTS/BPH, and in assessing the benefits of (new) LUTS/BPH treatments. However, currently used instruments that measure the severity of nocturia and its impact on QoS and QoL were not specifically designed for this purpose and lack sensitivity. At the expert consensus meeting, the expert panel stated that new instruments are required that can fully monitor the impact of nocturia on QoS and QoL. Potential new instruments that address these requirements are nocturia-specific questionnaires such as the Nocturia QoL questionnaire. Furthermore, the expert panel acknowledged the assessment of ,hours of undisturbed sleep' (HUS) as a potential new method to evaluate the impact of nocturia on QoS and QoL. HUS refers to the time from falling asleep to the first awakening to void. Sleep assessment tools such as sleep diaries and actigraphy are potential instruments to measure HUS. [source] Die Chemie des Katers: Alkohol und seine FolgenCHEMIE IN UNSERER ZEIT (CHIUZ), Issue 1 2007Klaus Roth Prof. Das Überfluten jeder einzelnen Zelle unseres Körpers mit einer großen Menge Ethanol führt zu Störungen im Stoffwechsel aller Organe. Dies erklärt die große Variationsbreite der Symptome nach zu großer Ethanolaufnahme. Gegen den Kater gibt es keine echte Heilung. "Chemie in unserer Zeit" empfiehlt: Viel reines Wasser gegen den Wasserverlust, eine Aspirin oder Ibuprofen gegen die pochenden Kopfschmerzen, Fruchtsaft gegen den Glucosemangel, Muttis kräftige Hühnerbrühe gegen den Elektrolytverlust, eine Vitamintablette wegen ihres sehr wirksamen Placebo-Effekts, Zuspruch und Mitleidsbekundungen der Lieben und dann , wenn der Kreislauf und die Kontrolle der unteren Extremitäten den aufrechten Gang es zulassen, einen Spaziergang an der frischen Luft. Dabei sollte man intensiv über die Sinnlosigkeit übermäßigen Trinkens nachdenken. Das hilft, und am nächsten Tag ist alles vorbei , zumindest bis zum nächsten Mal. Na dann: Helau und Alaaf! Flooding of every cell in our body with a huge amount of ethanol affects the entire metabolism of all organs. This explains the broad variation of symptoms after drinking to much. There is no real cure für hangover. "Chemie in unserer Zeit" recommends much pure water against the dehydration, aspirin or ibuprofen against the throbbing headaches, fruit juice against hypoglycemia, Mom's powerful chicken soup to compensate for electrolyte losses, a vitamine pill because of its powerful placebo-effect, compassion and words of comfort of the loved ones and finally , if blood circulation and control of the lower extremities admit an upright walk , a long stroll in fresh air. Meanwhile one should think deeply about the pointlessness of excessive drinking. This all helps and on the next day it will all be over , at least until next time. Well then: Cheers and Bottoms up! [source] 2322: Reproducibility of retinal vessel hemoglobin oxygenation saturation in healthy subjectsACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2010M LASTA Purpose Only recently systems for the measurement of hemoglobin oxygenation saturation in retinal vessels became commercially available. In the present study a fundus camera equipped with a dual wavelength transmission filter and a CCD camera was used (Imedos, Jena, Germany). Two monochromatic fundus images at 548 and 610 nm were recorded simultaneously and the oxygen saturation (SaO2) was calculated based on the optical density ratio. Methods A study on test/retest, short-term and day-to-day reproducibility of the technique was done in 14 healthy subjects. To assess test/retest variability fundus images were taken at each measurement cycle. To assess short-term reproducibility 2 such cycles of 3 fundus images were done within 15 minutes. Finally, this cycle of measurements was done on the next day to assess day-to-day reproducibility. Data were evaluated separately for retinal branch arteries and branch veins. The reproducibility was calculated using the standard deviation (SD) of the measurements. Results In retinal branch veins the SaO2 was 49±9% (range 32-69%, 38 vessels) and in retinal branch arteries 91±8% (range 77-112%, 40 vessels). The test/retest SD was 5.4±3.7% in retinal veins and 3.0±2.3% in retinal arteries. The short term SD was 4.7±3.7% in retinal veins and 2.9±2.1% in retinal arteries. The day-to-day SD was 6.2±4.1% in retinal veins and 4.0±2.8% in retinal arteries. Conclusion Our data indicate that the test/retest, short-term and day-to-day reproducibility of the technique is acceptable. Hence, the system may be adequate to follow oxygen saturation during disease processes. The data obtained in retinal branch arteries indicates, however, that the validity of measurements requires further studies. [source] Time Of Day And Access To Food Alter Water Intake In Rats After Water DeprivationCLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 9 2001Kooi K Ang SUMMARY 1. Drinking behaviour after water deprivation is one of the standard tests used to study thirst in humans and animals. Diurnal cycle and food availability are known to influence water intake, but have not been considered in previous studies of thirst after water deprivation. In the present study, we examined the effects of diurnal variation and food availability on water intake after 24 h water deprivation in rats. 2. All rats cycled through four treatments in varying order. These treatments were: (i) 24 h water deprivation with free access to food from 1900 h one day to 1900 h the next day, followed by free access to both food and water (Night-with-Food); (ii) 24 h water deprivation with free access to food from from 1900 h one day to 1900 h the next day, followed by free access to water but not food (Night-without-Food); (iii) 24 h water deprivation with free access to food from 0700 h one day to 0700 h the next day, followed by free access to both food and water (Day-with-Food); or (iv) 24 h water deprivation with free access to food from 0700 h one day to 0700 h the next day, followed by free access to water but not food (Day- without-Food). The amount of water consumed during the first 6 h, post-24 h water deprivation, was examined under each condition. 3. There was a significant diurnal effect (P < 0.001) and a significant food availability effect (P = 0.007) on the water consumed in the 6 h period after water deprivation. Most water was consumed by the Night-with-Food group and the least amount of water was consumed by the Day-without-Food group. These effects persisted after correction for water intake during 6 h periods from 0700 and 1900 h with and without food but without previous water deprivation. The diurnal and food availability effects on water consumption were independent (P = 0.5). 4. The coefficient of variability for each group suggests that the most sensitive measurements of water intake are obtained during the day in the absence of food. 5. We conclude that both the time of day and access to food independently alter water intake in rats subjected to a previous 24 h water deprivation. Our study also supports the validity of performing water intake measurements in thirst studies in rats during the day. [source] Daily and developmental modulation of "premotor" activity in the birdsong system,DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 12 2009Nancy F. Day Abstract Human speech and birdsong are shaped during a sensorimotor sensitive period in which auditory feedback guides vocal learning. To study brain activity as song learning occurred, we recorded longitudinally from developing zebra finches during the sensorimotor phase. Learned sequences of vocalizations (motifs) were examined along with contemporaneous neural population activity in the song nucleus HVC, which is necessary for the production of learned song (Nottebohm et al. 1976: J Comp Neurol 165:457,486; Simpson and Vicario 1990: J Neurosci 10:1541,1556). During singing, HVC activity levels increased as the day progressed and decreased after a night of sleep in juveniles and adults. In contrast, the pattern of HVC activity changed on a daily basis only in juveniles: activity bursts became more pronounced during the day. The HVC of adults was significantly burstier than that of juveniles. HVC bursting was relevant to song behavior because the degree of burstiness inversely correlated with the variance of song features in juveniles. The song of juveniles degrades overnight (Deregnaucourt et al. 2005: Nature 433:710,716). Consistent with a relationship between HVC activity and song plasticity (Day et al. 2008: J Neurophys 100:2956,2965), HVC burstiness degraded overnight in young juveniles and the amount of overnight degradation declined with developmental song learning. Nocturnal changes in HVC activity strongly and inversely correlated with the next day's change, suggesting that sleep-dependent degradation of HVC activity may facilitate or enable subsequent diurnal changes. Collectively, these data show that HVC activity levels exhibit daily cycles in adults and juveniles, whereas HVC burstiness and song stereotypy change daily in juveniles only. In addition, the data indicate that HVC burstiness increases with development and inversely correlates with song variability, which is necessary for trial and error vocal learning. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2009 [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||