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Selected AbstractsInfertility and assisted reproductive technologies: Bright and dark sidesCONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 3 2001Kaoru Suzumori ABSTRACT, Infertility is defined as a couples failure to conceive following 2 years of unprotected sexual intercourse, affects 10% of reproductive age couples in Japan. There are 3 main causes: (1) ovarian failure-anovulation (29%); (2) tubal factor-anatomic defects of the female genital tract (36%); (3) male factor-abnormal spermatogenesis (31%). The goal of the infertility evaluation are to determine the probable cause of infertility regarding prognosis and to provide guidance regarding options for treatment In the event an obstruction of the fallopian tubes is discovered or spermatogenesis cannot be improved, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as gamete intrafallopian tube transfer (GIFT) and in vitro fertilization with embryo transfer (IVF-ET) are recommended. Since the successful birth of Louise Brown by this IVF-ET, an explosion of ART has occurred all over the world in the last decade. In this review we discuss the revolution brought about by ART focusing on results in Japan, and clarify ethical issues that must be resolved. [source] Cytosolic protein-protein interactions that regulate the amyloid precursor proteinDRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 2 2002Shasta L. Sabo Abstract Alzheimer disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disease, is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly and is among the leading causes of death in adults. AD is characterized by two major pathological hallmarks, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. For a number of reasons, amyloid plaque accumulation is widely thought to be the probable cause of AD. The amyloid plaque core is largely composed of an approximately 4-kDa peptide referred to as A,. A, is derived from its precursor, the Alzheimer amyloid protein precursor (APP), by endoproteolytic processing. APP is a type I integral membrane protein, with a long extracellular domain, one transmembrane domain, and a short (,50 amino acid) cytoplasmic tail. Despite intense efforts to decipher the function of APP, its normal physiological role has remained elusive. The carboxy-terminus of APP contains the sequence YENPTY, which is absolutely conserved across APP homologues and across species. The YENPTY sequence is important for regulation of APP processing and trafficking. Given the importance of the cytoplasmic domain in APP physiology, a number of laboratories have hypothesized that proteins that bind to the YENPTY sequence in the cytoplasmic domain of APP might regulate APP processing, trafficking, and/or function. In this article, we will discuss data revealing which proteins bind to the cytoplasmic domain of APP, how these binding-proteins regulate APP metabolism and function, and why such protein-protein interactions provide an exciting new target for therapeutic intervention in AD. Drug Dev. Res. 56:228,241, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] CASE REPORTS: Trepopnea Associated with Paroxysmal Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation Triggered at Left Lateral Decubitus PositionECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 8 2010David Wolf M.D. A 78-year-old male patient was referred cardiovascular risk evaluation before elective resection of a bronchial carcinoma. A myocardial infarction with a subsequent coronary artery bypass revascularization and a mitral prosthetic valve surgery were known. Left lateral decubitus (LLD) was permanently avoided because of significant trepopnea since several years. No signs of heart failure were found in the physical examination. A mitral valve prosthesis presented normal characteristics at examination. Left ventricular dimensions and function were normal. A severe tricuspid regurgitation could be documented during examination in the LLD, with changing characteristics in dorsal decubitus, when it could be graded as moderate. Trepopnea associated with severe paroxysmal tricuspid regurgitation was never described before in the literature. Sympathetic/parasympathetic modulation of papillary muscles of the tricuspid valve can be proposed as a probable cause of this dynamic valvular dysfunction. (Echocardiography 2010;27:E77-E79) [source] Obesity as a cause of "false-positive" alcohol misuse laboratory investigationsADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2002T. J. Peters Three patients are reported with a prior history of alcohol misuse accompanied by abnormal liver toxicity tests and other indices of alcohol misuse. A decreased but persistently raised serum , -glutamyl transferase activity during subsequent abstinence or controlled drinking was interpreted incorrectly as due to continued alcohol misuse whereas obesity-related fatty liver was the probable cause. The value of serum carbohydrate deficient transferrin assays in the differential diagnosis of abnormal liver toxicity tests is emphasized. [source] The induction of HIF-1 reduces astrocyte activation by amyloid beta peptideEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 7 2009David Schubert Abstract Reduced glucose metabolism and astrocyte activation in selective areas of the brain are pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The underlying mechanisms of low energy metabolism and a molecular basis for preventing astrocyte activation are not, however, known. Here we show that amyloid beta peptide (A,)-dependent astrocyte activation leads to a long-term decrease in hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1, expression and a reduction in the rate of glycolysis. Glial activation and the glycolytic changes are reversed by the maintenance of HIF-1, levels with conditions that prevent the proteolysis of HIF-1,. A, increases the long-term production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the activation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and reduces the amount of HIF-1, via the activation of the proteasome. ROS are not required for glial activation, but are required for the reduction in glycolysis. These data suggest a significant role for HIF-1,-mediated transcription in maintaining the metabolic integrity of the AD brain and identify the probable cause of the observed lower energy metabolism in afflicted areas. They may also explain the therapeutic success of metal chelators in animal models of AD. [source] A 10-year decrease in plant species richness on a neotropical inselberg: detrimental effects of global warming?GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 10 2009EMILE FONTY Abstract The census of vascular plants across a 10-year interval (1995,2005) at the fringe of a neotropical rainforest (Nouragues inselberg, French Guiana, South America) revealed that species richness decreased, both at quadrat scale (2 m2) and at the scale of the inselberg (three transects, embracing the whole variation in community composition). Juvenile stages of all tree and shrub species were most severely affected, without any discrimination between life and growth forms, fruit and dispersion types, or seed sizes. Species turnover in time resulted in a net loss of biodiversity, which was inversely related to species occurrence. The most probable cause of the observed species disappearance is global warming, which severely affected northern South America during the last 50 years (+2 °C), with a concomitant increase in the occurrence of aridity. [source] Development and utility of a multi-dimensional grid to assess individual mineral metabolism control in hemodialysis patients: A potential aid for therapeutic decision making?HEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2010A. Ross MORTON Abstract A grid was developed to evaluate control of serum calcium, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone levels in hemodialysis patients, based on guideline recommendations (National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative and Canadian Society of Nephrology), and its face validity was examined in a representative sample of Canadian patients. A retrospective chart review was undertaken in hemodialysis patients from 7 Canadian units. Patients >18 years, on hemodialysis for ,12 months, and ,3 parathyroid hormone levels measured ,1 month apart were included. The grid classified mineral metabolism control as optimal, suboptimal, or poor (mean of 3 measurements). Medication use, hospitalization, and Emergency Department visits were evaluated in relation to grid occupancy. A second comparative analysis of grid occupancy was undertaken on prevalent hemodialysis cases in British Columbia in 2008. Data from 268 patients (mean age 62.3 years) were analyzed. Using National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines, 17.5%, 28.8%, and 53.7% of patients had optimal, suboptimal, and poor control, respectively, of all 3 parameters (calcium, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone). Using Canadian Society of Nephrology criteria, optimal, suboptimal, and poor control rates were 6.3%, 4.2%, and 89.5%, respectively. Poor control was a possible or a probable cause of hospitalization or Emergency Department attendance in 8 patients. Data from British Columbia in 2008 (n=1858) show optimal, suboptimal, and poor control rates of 15.8%, 24.5%, and 59.7%, respectively. Poor mineral metabolism control among Canadian hemodialysis patients is not showing improvement. The therapeutic grid is a valid tool and may help guide therapeutic decisions, quality control initiatives, and patient counseling. http://www.ukidney.com/bone-and-mineral-metabolism-resource. [source] Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis: an exercise in differential diagnosis in palaeopathologyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 1 2009S. A. Mays Abstract Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis (calcification of intervertebral discs and associated structures) may arise from a variety of causes. This work presents a discussion of intervertebral chondrocalcinosis and the identification of its most probable cause in skeletal remains, using as a case study a skeleton of an elderly male from medieval Ipswich, UK. The skeleton is examined using gross observation and radiography, and the intervertebral calcifications are subject to chemical analysis. In addition to intervertebral chondrocalcinosis (which has resulted in ankylosis of lumbo-sacral segments), lesions identified include chondrocalcinosis at some synovial joints, various soft tissue calcified bodies, and severe osteoarthritis particularly at the gleno-humeral joints. Interpretation of the results of the chemical analysis of the calcified deposits is complicated by diagenesis, but they are most consistent with apatite and/or whitlockite. Arriving at a most probable cause of the lesions in this case is difficult, but it is tentatively suggested that ochronosis may be the best diagnostic option. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Diagnosis and treatment of post-herniorrhaphy vas deferens obstructionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 2000Tadashi Matsuda Childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy (IH) is one of the most frequent causes of seminal tract obstruction. The incidence of vasal obstruction was found to be as high as 26.7% in subfertile patients with a history of childhood IH. The distal end of the vas deferens was found at the internal inguinal ring or in the pelvic cavity in 56.7% of cases, more than 3 cm of the vas deferens had been resected in 37.9% of cases, and sperm was found in vasal fluid in 45.5% of cases during corrective surgery. Microsurgical two-layer vasovasostomy resulted in the postoperative appearance of sperm in 39% of patients. In patients with postoperative azoospermia, a secondary epididymal obstruction caused by a long-term vasal obstruction is a highly probable cause. Ipsilateral epididymovasostomy following successful inguinal vasovasostomy results in the postoperative appearance of sperm in the ejaculate in 100% of the patients and a subsequent natural pregnancy rate of 50%. The overall pregnancy rate among couples, following surgery in 18 patients, was 43%, excluding pregnancies achieved by in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Microsurgical reanastomosis of the seminal tract resulted in high impregnation rates among partners of patients with seminal tract obstruction caused by childhood IH. After receiving sufficient information on each treatment modality, patients can choose their preferred treatment, either reanastomosis of the seminal tract or assisted reproductive technology using epididymal or testicular sperm. [source] Age-related change in breeding performance in early life is associated with an increase in competence in the migratory barn swallow Hirundo rusticaJOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2007JAVIER BALBONTÍN Summary 1We investigated age-related changes in two reproductive traits (laying date and annual fecundity) in barn swallows Hirundo rustica L. using a mixed model approach to di-stinguish among between- and within-individual changes in breeding performance with age. 2We tested predictions of age-related improvements of competence (i.e. constraint hypothesis) and age-related progressive disappearance of poor-quality breeders (i.e. selection hypothesis) to explain age-related increase in breeding performance in early life. 3Reproductive success increased in early life, reaching a plateau at middle age (e.g. at 3 years of age) and decreasing at older age (> 4 years). Age-related changes in breeding success were due mainly to an effect of female age. 4Age of both female and male affected timing of reproduction. Final linear mixed effect models (LME) for laying date included main and quadratic terms for female and male age, suggesting a deterioration in reproductive performance at older age for both males and females. 5We found evidence supporting the constraints hypothesis that increases in competence within individuals, with ageing being the most probable cause of the observed increase in breeding performance with age in early life. Two mechanisms were implicated: (1) advance in male arrival date with age provided middle-aged males with better access to mates. Yearling males arrived later to the breeding grounds and therefore had limited access to high-quality mates. (2) Breeding pairs maintaining bonds for 2 consecutive years (experienced pairs) had higher fecundity than newly formed inexperienced breeding pairs. 6There was no support for the selection hypothesis because breeding performance was not correlated with life span. 7We found a within-individual deterioration in breeding and migratory performance (arrival date) in the oldest age-classes consistent with senescence in these reproductive and migratory traits. [source] Contrasting interference functions and foraging dispersion in two species of shorebird (Charadrii)JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2000Michael G. Yates Summary 1.,Above a threshold density of , 100 birds ha -1, strong interference occurred between redshank Tringa totanus (Linnaeus) feeding by sight on the amphipod crustacean Corophium volutator (Pallas). No aggressive interactions occurred between the birds and the probable cause was prey depression. 2.,Redshank fed in a square metre of mud that had recently been exploited by another redshank much less often than would be expected by chance. By avoiding areas where prey would have been recently exploited, the feeding rate of redshank was up to three times faster than it would have been had they not avoided other foraging redshank. 3.,Bar-tailed godwit fed in a square metre of mud that had been recently exploited by another godwit much more often than would be expected by chance in randomly moving birds. They tended to flock while foraging and showed no tendency to avoid areas where prey would have been recently exploited. 4.,There was no evidence that interference occurred between bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica (Linnaeus) feeding on the polychaete lugworm Arenicola marina (Linnaeus) at densities below 300 birds ha -1, even though aggressive interactions occurred between birds. [source] A comparison of regeneration dynamics following gap creation at two geographically contrasting heathland sitesJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2000A.J. Britton 1.,Lowland Calluna -dominated heathlands are a high priority for conservation in Europe. As an anthropogenic subclimax community they require regular management intervention to maintain their conservation interest. 2.,Increasingly, Calluna is disappearing from lowland heathlands and being replaced by grasses, especially in the Netherlands and more recently in south-east England. While Calluna is highly competitive over much of its life cycle, its competitive ability is reduced during the regeneration phase that follows the death of stands or results from management activity. 3.,We examined the influence of five factors on regeneration of vegetation in gaps in two broadly similar lowland dry heaths over a 3-year period. These were: geographical location (combining a variety of environmental contrasts); dominant species (Calluna or grasses); management techniques; gap size; and seed source availability. 4.,Site location had the greatest effect on patterns of regeneration. Regeneration on the Wirral (north-west England) was faster and more dominated by Calluna than regeneration in Breckland (south-east England), which was dominated by other species including grasses and annual plants. Addition of Calluna seed at the Breckland site failed to increase Calluna cover. It was concluded that climatic or other environmental factors were the most probable cause of poor regeneration. 5.,Cover of grasses in regenerating areas was greatest in Breckland, where Deschampsia was able to establish in all gaps where there was a seed source (either in the surrounding vegetation or applied as a treatment). On the Wirral, Deschampsia establishment was limited, even in gaps where a seed source was applied. 6.,This work has implications for the conservation management of heathlands, which currently follows a standard prescription throughout the UK. It is suggested that management regimes should be tailored to suit the conditions prevailing at individual sites as regeneration dynamics may be extremely variable. [source] Coagulation dynamics and platelet functions in obstructive jaundiced patientsJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Tebessüm Çak Abstract Background:, All of the body systems are affected by increased levels of bilirubin. The aim of this study is to investigate the function of platelets and clotting dynamics in patients with obstructive jaundice. Methods:, Liver function tests, serum CRP, PT, PTT and hemogram were measured in 23 patients with obstructive jaundice. Thromboelastography (TEG) was done for the evaluation of coagulation dynamics, while platelet function assay (PFA 100) was used to evaluate platelet functions. Blood samples were obtained at two occasions, before the drainage and 3 weeks after the relief of the obstruction. Results:, Hypercoagulation was detected in 80% of patients. Maximum strength, elasticity, coagulation indices of the clot were correlated with increased concentrations of direct bilirubin. Although maximum strength of coagulum usually represents increased activity of platelet function, membrane closure times with PFA 100 were found to be prolonged in 30% of patients, reduced values were determined in 17% of patients. No demonstrable effect on coagulation parameters and platelet function were detected after drainage procedures regardless of modality. Conclusions:, Even though there is a general assumption about the increased bleeding tendency in obstructive jaundiced patients, we could not demonstrate reduced clotting activity by measuring with either PFA or TEG. On the contrary we observed tendency for hypercoagulation independent of increased prothrombin times. The most probable cause of this effect is the increased activity of fibrin polymers on platelet membrane. [source] Are repeat upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy necessary within six months of capsule endoscopy in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding?JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 12 2008David Gilbert Abstract Background and Aim:, Medicare reimbursement for capsule endoscopy for the investigation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding in Australia requires endoscopy and colonoscopy to have been performed within 6 months. This study aims to determine the diagnostic yield of repeating these procedures when they had been non-diagnostic more than 6 months earlier. Methods:, Of 198 consecutive patients who were referred for the investigation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, 50 underwent repeat endoscopy and colonoscopy solely to enable reimbursement (35 females and 15 males; mean age 59.4 [range: 21,82] years). The average duration of obscure bleeding was 50.16 (range: 9,214) months. The mean number of prior endoscopies was 3 (median: 2) and 2.8 colonoscopies (median: 2). The most recent endoscopy had been performed 18.9 (median: 14; range: 7,56) months, and for colonoscopy, 19.1 (median 14; range 8-51) months earlier. Results:, A probable cause of bleeding was found at endoscopy in two patients: gastric antral vascular ectasia (1) and benign gastric ulcer (1). Colonoscopy did not reveal a source of bleeding in any patient. Capsule endoscopy was performed in 47 patients. Twenty four (51%) had a probable bleeding source identified, and another five (11%) a possible source. These included angioectasia (17 patients), mass lesion (2), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug enteropathy (2), Cameron's erosions (2), and Crohn's disease (1). Four patients undergoing repeat capsule endoscopy had a probable bleeding source detected. Conclusion:, The yield of repeat endoscopy and colonoscopy immediately prior to capsule endoscopy is low when these procedures have previously been non-diagnostic. Such an approach is also not cost-effective. [source] Can the Mediterranean diet prevent prostate cancer?MOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH (FORMERLY NAHRUNG/FOOD), Issue 2 2009Catherine Itsiopoulos Abstract Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. Despite the global importance of this cancer, until recently little was known about risk factors apart from the well-established factors: age, family history and country of birth. The large worldwide variation in prostate cancer risk and increased risk in migrants moving from low to high risk countries provides strong support for modifiable environmental factors. We have based our review on the findings of a systematic review undertaken by an expert panel on behalf of the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, and new data since then, linking identified foods and nutrients with prostate cancer. Evidence indicates that foods containing lycopene, as well as selenium and foods containing it, probably protect against prostate cancer, and excess consumption of foods or supplements containing calcium are a probable cause of this cancer. The expert panel also concluded that it is unlikely that ,-carotene (whether from foods or supplements) has a substantial effect on the risk of this cancer. A recent review on environmental factors in human prostate cancer also found that there were protective effects of vitamin E, pulses, soy foods and high plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels. The Mediterranean diet is abundant in foods that may protect against prostate cancer and is associated with longevity and reduced cardiovascular and cancer mortality. Compared with many Western countries Greece has lower prostate cancer mortality and Greek migrant men in Australia have retained their low risk for prostate cancer. Consumption of a traditional Mediterranean diet, rich in bioactive nutrients, may confer protection to Greek migrant men, and this dietary pattern offers a palatable alternative for prevention of this disease. [source] Biases in the polarization position angles in the NRAO-VLA sky survey point source catalogueMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 1 2008R. A. Battye ABSTRACT We have examined the statistics of the polarization position angles determined for point sources in the NRAO-VLA Sky Survey (NVSS), and find that there is a statistically significant bias towards angles which are multiples of 45°. The formal probability that the polarization angles are drawn from a uniform distribution is exponentially small. When the sample of those NVSS sources with polarizations detected with a signal-to-noise ratio ,3 is split either around the median polarized flux density or the median fractional polarization, the effect appears to be stronger for the more highly polarized sources. Regions containing strong sources and regions at low-Galactic latitudes are not responsible for the non-uniform distribution of position angles. We identify clean bias as the probable cause of the dominant effect, coupled with small multiplicative and additive offsets on each of the Stokes parameters. Our findings have implications for the extraction of science, such as information concerning galactic magnetic fields, from large-scale polarization surveys. [source] Subacute axonal neuropathy in Parkinson's disease with cobalamin and vitamin B6 deficiency under duodopa therapyMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 11 2010Peter P. Urban MD Abstract We describe two patients who developed subacute axonal peripheral neuropathy under duodopa treatment. Comprehensive diagnostic workup including muscle and sural nerve biopsy revealed that the most probable cause of subacute axonal peripheral neuropathy was cobalaminand vitamin B6 deficiency in both the patients. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society [source] The causes of porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia: A reappraisal of the iron-deficiency-anemia hypothesisAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Phillip L. Walker Abstract Porosities in the outer table of the cranial vault (porotic hyperostosis) and orbital roof (cribra orbitalia) are among the most frequent pathological lesions seen in ancient human skeletal collections. Since the 1950s, chronic iron-deficiency anemia has been widely accepted as the probable cause of both conditions. Based on this proposed etiology, bioarchaeologists use the prevalence of these conditions to infer living conditions conducive to dietary iron deficiency, iron malabsorption, and iron loss from both diarrheal disease and intestinal parasites in earlier human populations. This iron-deficiency-anemia hypothesis is inconsistent with recent hematological research that shows iron deficiency per se cannot sustain the massive red blood cell production that causes the marrow expansion responsible for these lesions. Several lines of evidence suggest that the accelerated loss and compensatory over-production of red blood cells seen in hemolytic and megaloblastic anemias is the most likely proximate cause of porotic hyperostosis. Although cranial vault and orbital roof porosities are sometimes conflated under the term porotic hyperostosis, paleopathological and clinical evidence suggests they often have different etiologies. Reconsidering the etiology of these skeletal conditions has important implications for current interpretations of malnutrition and infectious disease in earlier human populations. Am J Phys Anthropol 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Antibody response to the patient's own Haemophilus influenzae isolate can support the aetiology in lower respiratory tract infectionsAPMIS, Issue 4-5 2004Brief report In order to understand the clinical importance of Haemophilus influenzae isolated from sputum samples, an indirect immunofluorescence (IF) assay was developed, using the patient's own isolate as the antigen. The method was tested on samples from six patients with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and H. influenzae isolated from blood (n=2), sputum (n=3) or both (n=1), and on two healthy adults with H. influenzae isolated from the nasopharynx. Between acute and convalescent sera, a four-fold IgG antibody increase was achieved in five of six LRTI patients, including the three blood culture-positive patients. One LRTI patient and the two asymptomatic carriers showed stable antibody levels against their own isolate. Although small, the study indicates that indirect IF can be a promising tool for determining whether a H. influenzae strain represents the probable cause of infection or just a strain colonising the airways. More extensive studies should be performed in order to establish the usefulness of the assay. [source] Asylum-seeking children with severe loss of activities of daily living: clinical signs and course during rehabilitationACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 12 2009B Aronsson Abstract Aim:, To investigate whether severe loss of activities of daily living (ADL) in asylum-seeking children is associated with physical disease or toxic influences and to describe the clinical course during the recovery process. Methods:, A total of 29 asylum-seeking children with severe loss of ADL were regularly assessed by physical examinations, laboratory tests and a structured evaluation of their ADL status during rehabilitation. Results:, A total of 12 children had previously recorded suicide attempts and 21 were recorded to have experienced traumatic events in their country of origin. The mean time from turning point to recovery was 6 months. Of the study participants, 22 needed enteral feeding and 18 gained weight during recovery. All children had a pulse rate and systolic blood pressure within the normal range. No sign of intoxication or physical disease was identified in laboratory tests or clinical examinations, with the exception of one case of epilepsy. Conclusion:, Physical disease, pharmacological sedation or anorexia nervosa was not considered to be a probable cause of the loss of ADL in these children. The high rate of psychosocial risk factors and the stressful event of being in an asylum-seeking process call for further investigation of psychosomatic mechanisms. [source] Dynamics of an introduced population of mouflon Ovis aries on the sub-Antarctic archipelago of KerguelenECOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2010Renaud Kaeuffer A commonly reported pattern in large herbivores is their propensity to irrupt and crash when colonizing new areas. However, the relative role of density-dependence, climate, and cohort effects on demographic rates in accounting for the irruptive dynamics of large herbivores remains unclear. Using a 37-yr time series of abundance in a mouflon Ovis aries population located on Haute Island, a sub-Antarctic island of Kerguelen, 1) we investigated if irruptive dynamics occurred and 2) we quantified the relative effects of density and climate on mouflon population dynamics. Being released in a new environment, we expected mouflon to show rapid growth and marked over-compensation. In support of this prediction, we found a two-phase dynamics, the first phase being characterised by an irruptive pattern best described by the , -Caughley model. Parameter estimates were rm=0.29±0.005(maximum growth rate), K=473±45 (carrying capacity) and S=2903±396 (surplus) mouflon. With a ,=3.18±0.69 our model also supported the hypothesis that density dependence is strongest at high density in large herbivores. The second phase was characterised by an unstable dynamics where growth rate was negatively affected by population abundance and winter precipitation. Climate, however, did not trigger population crashes and our model suggested that lagged density-dependence and over-grazing were the probable causes of mouflon irruptive dynamics. We compare our results with those of Soay sheep and discuss the possibility of a reversible alteration of the island carrying capacity after the initial over-grazing period. [source] Expert system for nuclear power plant accident diagnosis using a fuzzy inference methodEXPERT SYSTEMS, Issue 4 2002rey Lee Huge and complex systems such as nuclear power generating stations are likely to cause the operators to make operational mistakes for a variety of inexplicable reasons and to produce ambiguous and complicated symptoms in the case of an emergency. Therefore, a safety protection system to assist the operators in making proper decisions within a limited time is required. In this paper, we develop a reliable and improved diagnosis system using the fuzzy inference method so that the system can classify accident symptoms and identify the most probable causes of accidents in order for appropriate actions to be taken to mitigate the consequences. In the computer simulation, the proposed system proved to be able to classify accident types within only 20,30 s. Therefore, the corresponding operation guidelines can be determined in a very short time to put the nuclear power plant in a safe state immediately after the accident. [source] Lake restoration: successes, failures and long-term effectsJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2007MARTIN SØNDERGAARD Summary 1Eutrophication constitutes a serious threat to many European lakes and many approaches have been used during the past 20,30 years to improve lake water quality. Results from the various lake restoration initiatives are diverse and the long-term effects are not well described. 2In this study we evaluated data from more than 70 restoration projects conducted mainly in shallow, eutrophic lakes in Denmark and the Netherlands. Special focus was given to the removal of zooplanktivorous and benthivorous fish, by far the most common internal lake measure. 3In more than half of the biomanipulation projects, Secchi depth increased and chlorophyll a decreased to less than 50% within the first few years. In some of the shallow lakes, total phosphorus and total nitrogen levels decreased considerably, indicating an increased retention or loss by denitrification. The strongest effects seemed to be obtained 4,6 years after the start of fish removal. 4The long-term effect of restoration initiatives can only be described for a few lakes, but data from biomanipulated lakes indicate a return to a turbid state within 10 years or less in most cases. One of reasons for the lack of long-term effects may be internal phosphorus loading from a mobile pool accumulated in the sediment. 5Synthesis and applications. Lake restoration, and in particular fish removal in shallow eutrophic lakes, has been widely used in Denmark and the Netherlands, where it has had marked effects on lake water quality in many lakes. Long-term effects (> 8,10 years) are less obvious and a return to turbid conditions is often seen unless fish removal is repeated. Insufficient external loading reduction, internal phosphorus loading and absence of stable submerged macrophyte communities to stabilize the clear-water state are the most probable causes for this relapse to earlier conditions. [source] Ammonia leakage from refrigeration plant and the management practicePROCESS SAFETY PROGRESS, Issue 1 2008R.K. Gangopadhyay Abstract This article deals with the two incidents of ammonia leakage in industries situated in West Bengal, India, and the probable causes of the accident and the ensuing sequence of events. Emergency procedures are also discussed. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2007 [source] Specific reading disability (dyslexia): what have we learned in the past four decades?THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 1 2004Frank R. Vellutino We summarize some of the most important findings from research evaluating the hypothesized causes of specific reading disability (,dyslexia') over the past four decades. After outlining components of reading ability, we discuss manifest causes of reading difficulties, in terms of deficiencies in component reading skills that might lead to such difficulties. The evidence suggests that inadequate facility in word identification due, in most cases, to more basic deficits in alphabetic coding is the basic cause of difficulties in learning to read. We next discuss hypothesized deficiencies in reading-related cognitive abilities as underlying causes of deficiencies in component reading skills. The evidence in these areas suggests that, in most cases, phonological skills deficiencies associated with phonological coding deficits are the probable causes of the disorder rather than visual, semantic, or syntactic deficits, although reading difficulties in some children may be associated with general language deficits. Hypothesized deficits in general learning abilities (e.g., attention, association learning, cross-modal transfer etc.) and low-level sensory deficits have weak validity as causal factors in specific reading disability. These inferences are, by and large, supported by research evaluating the biological foundations of dyslexia. Finally, evidence is presented in support of the idea that many poor readers are impaired because of inadequate instruction or other experiential factors. This does not mean that biological factors are not relevant, because the brain and environment interact to produce the neural networks that support reading acquisition. We conclude with a discussion of the clinical implications of the research findings, focusing on the need for enhanced instruction. [source] Why Is Late-Life Disability Declining?THE MILBANK QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2008ROBERT F. SCHOENI Context: Late-life disability has been declining in the United States since the 1980s. This study provides the first comprehensive investigation into the reasons for this trend. Methods: The study draws on evidence from two sources: original data analyses and reviews of existing studies. The original analyses include trend models of data on the need for help with daily activities and self-reported causes of such limitations for the population aged seventy and older, based on the National Health Interview Surveys from 1982 to 2005. Findings: Increases in the use of assistive and mainstream technologies likely have been important, as have declines in heart and circulatory conditions, vision, and musculoskeletal conditions as reported causes of disability. The timing of the improvements in these conditions corresponds to the expansion in medical procedures and pharmacologic treatment for cardiovascular disease, increases in cataract surgery, increases in knee and joint replacements, and expansion of medications for arthritic and rheumatic conditions. Greater educational attainment, declines in poverty, and declines in widowhood also appear to have contributed. Changes in smoking behavior, the population's racial/ethnic composition, the proportion of foreign born, and several specific conditions were eliminated as probable causes. Conclusions: The substantial reductions in old-age disability between the early 1980s and early 2000s are likely due to advances in medical care as well as changes in socioeconomic factors. More research is needed on the influence of health behaviors, the environment, and early- and midlife factors on trends in late-life disability. [source] | ||||||||||||||||