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Selected AbstractsVietnam Veterans Three Years after Vietnam: How Our Study Changed Our View of HeroinTHE AMERICAN JOURNAL ON ADDICTIONS, Issue 3 2010Lee N. Robins PhD First page of article [source] The Effect of Weather on HeadacheHEADACHE, Issue 6 2004Patricia B. Prince MD Objectives.,To assess headache patients' beliefs about how strongly weather affects their headaches; To objectively investigate the influence of multiple weather variables on headache. Design and Methods.,Our sample consisted of 77 migraineurs seen in a headache clinic, who provided headache calendars for a period ranging from 2 to 24 months. Our study was divided into two phases. First, each patient was given a questionnaire assessing their beliefs about how strongly (if so) weather affected their headaches. Second, weather data were collected from the National Weather Service, from three reporting stations central to the residences of the study participants. Analysis was performed on 43 variables to generate three meteorological factors. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between headache and these three factors. Factor 1 represents a function of absolute temperature and humidity. Factor 2 represents a changing weather pattern. Factor 3 represents barometric pressure. Results.,Of the 77 subjects in the study, 39 (50.6%), were found to be sensitive to weather, but 48 (62.3%) thought they were sensitive to weather conditions (P < 0.05). Thirty (38.9%) were sensitive to one weather factor and 9 (11.7%) to two factors. Twenty-six (33.7%) were sensitive to factor 1; 11 (14.3%) to factor 2; 10 (12.9%) to factor 3. Conclusions.,Our study supports the influence of weather variables on headache. We showed that patients are susceptible to multiple weather variables and that more patients thought weather was a trigger than was the case. [source] Analysis of carotenoids in ripe jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) kernel and study of their bioconversion in ratsJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 2 2005UG Chandrika Abstract Vitamin A deficiency is of public health importance in Sri Lanka. Carotenoids are a significant source of provitamin A. The objective of this study was to analyse the carotenoid composition of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus sinhala: Waraka) kernel using MPLC and visible spectrophotometry and to determine the bioavailability and bioconversion of carotenoids present in jackfruit kernel by monitoring (i) the growth and (ii) levels of retinol and carotenoids in the liver and serum of Wistar rats provided with jackfruit incorporated into a standard daily diet. Carotenoid pigments were extracted using petroleum ether/methanol and saponified using 10% methanolic potassium hydroxide. Six carotenoids were detected in jackfruit kernel. The carotenes ,-carotene, ,-carotene, ,-zeacarotene, ,-zeacarotene and ,-carotene-5,6-epoxide and a dicarboxylic carotenoid, crocetin, were identified, corresponding theoretically to 141.6 retinol equivalents (RE) per 100 g. Our study indicated that jackfruit is a good source of provitamin A carotenoids, though not as good as papaya. Serum retinol concentrations in rats supplemented with jackfruit carotenoids were significantly higher (p = 0.008) compared with the control group. The same was true for liver retinol (p = 0.006). Quantification was carried out by RP-HPLC. These results show that the biological conversion of provitamin A in jackfruit kernel appears satisfactory. Thus increased consumption of ripe jackfruit could be advocated as part of a strategy to prevent and control vitamin A deficiency in Sri Lanka. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Generational differences in soft knowledge situations: status, need for recognition, workplace commitment and idealismKNOWLEDGE AND PROCESS MANAGEMENT: THE JOURNAL OF CORPORATE TRANSFORMATION, Issue 1 2008Peter Busch Much knowledge management (KM) literature is focused on the improvements that can be made to organisations if they use their knowledge resource effectively. A great deal of knowledge rests in the heads of employees. Little to date has discussed the differences in soft knowledge utilisation amongst different generations of employees particularly in the IT sector. By generations we refer to the Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y. Our study establishes that there were a number of differences between how the three Generations would deal with certain IT soft knowledge situations. These differences were along the following lines; issues of status in the workplace; need for recognition, typically by younger employees; issues of commitment to the workplace and finally idealism in the place of work. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Equivalence of Three Allocation Currencies as Estimates of Reproductive Allocation and Somatic Cost of Reproduction in Pinguicula vulgarisPLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2007M. Méndez Abstract: Which is the most appropriate currency (biomass, energy, water, or some mineral nutrient) for expressing resource allocation in plants has been repeatedly discussed. Researchers need to assess to which extent interindividual, interpopulational, or interspecific comparisons of resource allocation could be affected by the allocation currency chosen. The "currency issue" is relevant to at least three related aspects of resource allocation to reproduction: (a) reproductive allocation (RA), (b) size-dependence of reproductive allocation, and (c) somatic cost of reproduction (SCR). Empirical tests have mostly dealt with the first aspect only. We examined the equivalence of estimates for the three aspects above across three different allocation currencies (dry mass, N, P) in 11 populations of Pinguicula vulgaris. For RA we studied the equivalence of allocation currencies at three scales: among individuals of the same population, between populations of the same species, and among species. Equivalence of currencies in the ranking of RA for individuals within populations was high (Rs 0.43) and did not strongly decrease when comparing populations or species. Excepting for size-dependence of RA, ranking of RA, or SCR between populations was equivalent for biomass and N, but not for P. Our study gives two positive guidelines for empirical plant reproductive ecologists facing the "currency issue": (1) become increasingly concerned about the "currency issue" as you increase the scale of your comparison from individuals to populations to species, and (2) avoid estimating allocation in redundant currencies (biomass and N in our case) and choose preferentially "complementary" currencies that provide a broader view of allocation patterns (biomass and P in our case). [source] Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge in Cystic Fibrosis Female Patients and Their ParentsTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009Aleksandra Korzeniewska MD ABSTRACT Introduction., The changing outcomes for young cystic fibrosis (CF) patients means that reproductive health issues have become an integral part of CF management. Aim., The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and experiences of reproductive and sexual health issues in women with CF and to investigate the knowledge and reproductive health attitudes of their parents. Main Outcome Measures., Assessment of reproductive and sexual health knowledge in female CF patients and their parents. Methods., A questionnaire study directed to 120 Polish women with CF aged 16 years and older and their parents. Results., Sixty-four patients and their parents responded to the questionnaire. Sixty-eight percent of the patients started sexual intercourse at a mean age of 19.2 years. Eighty-four percent of all sexually active women reported that they did not use any form of contraception. Only 32.8% of women understood the problems connected with their own and male fertility in CF. Popular scientific publications and other CF patients were identified as the most important source of information. Only 23% of parents understood the problems connected with female fertility in CF; 44% of parents thought that man with CF had normal fertility. Seventy-five percent of the women and 40% of the parents felt that sexual health discussions should begin between age 12 and 14 years with a CF doctor and the mother. Conclusions., Our study showed that significant knowledge gaps exist regarding fertility issues in both CF patients and CF parents. Women with CF have some general knowledge about sexual issues but insufficient knowledge to have a safe sexual life. The results helped us to develop the educational program for CF patients. Korzeniewska A, Grzelewski T, Jerzy,ska J, Majak P, So,oniewicz A, Stelmach W, and Stelmach I. Sexual and reproductive health knowledge in cystic fibrosis female patients and their parents. J Sex Med 2009;6:770,776. [source] Adherence level of antihypertensive agents in coronary artery diseaseBRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Sylvie Perreault WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT , Non-adherence is probably an important source of preventable cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. , However, until now there have been very few large effectiveness studies assessing the relationship between adherence levels to antihypertensive medication and major cardiovascular outcomes for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS , The study results suggest that there is an association between better adherence to antihypertensive agents and a relative risk reduction of coronary artery disease. , Adherence to antihypertensive agents needs to be improved so that patients can benefit from the full protective effects of antihypertensive therapies. AIMS Antihypertensive (AH) agents have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, including coronary artery disease (CAD). Previous surveys have shown that a substantial number of patients with diagnosed hypertension remain uncontrolled. Non-adherence to AH agents may reduce the effectiveness. The aim was to evaluate the impact of better adherence to AH agents on the occurrence of CAD in a real clinical setting. METHODS A cohort of 83 267 patients was reconstructed using the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec databases. Patients were eligible if they were between 45 and 85 years of age without indication of cardiovascular disease, and had been newly treated with AH agents between 1999 and 2004. A nested case,control design was used to study the incidence of CAD. Every case of CAD was matched for age and duration of follow-up to up to 15 randomly selected controls. The adherence level was measured by calculating the medication possession ratio. Cases' adherence was calculated from the start of follow-up to the time of the CAD (index date). For controls, adherence was calculated from the start of follow-up to the time of selection (index date). Rate ratios of CAD were estimated by conditional logistic regression adjusting for covariables. RESULTS The mean patient age was 65 years, 37% were male, 8% had diabetes and 18% had dyslipidaemia. High adherence level (96%) to AH therapy compared with lower adherence level (59%) was associated with a relative risk reduction of CAD events (rate ratios 0.90; 0.84, 0.95). Risk factors for CAD were male gender, diabetes, dyslipidaemia and developing a cardiovascular condition disease during follow-up. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that better adherence to AH agents is associated with a risk reduction of CAD. Adherence to AH agents needs to be improved so that patients can benefit from the full protective effects of AH therapies. [source] |