Suffolk University

About: Suffolk University is a education organization based out in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Sugar beet. The organization has 6462 authors who have published 9321 publications receiving 235328 citations.

Olfactory evoked responses and identification tests in neurological disease.

Abstract: UNLABELLED To assess the value of smell testing we used olfactory evoked potentials (OEP) and an identification test in multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, motor neuron disease and Alzheimer's disease. METHODS The OEP to H2S (20 ppm) was obtained using an olfactometer designed to stimulate olfactory nerve endings only. Odor recognition was assessed by the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT). In all instances the disease was 'definite' based on standard diagnostic criteria. Controls were derived from 156 healthy people. RESULTS 1) Multiple Sclerosis: 11/72 patients (15%) were abnormal on UPSIT. For OEP there was significant increase of latency and decrease in amplitude in 6/26 patients (23%). 2) Parkinson's Disease: 126/155 (81%) patients had an abnormal UPSIT score. 12/37 (32%) had prolonged latency with normal amplitude measurement on OEP, but 27 had absent or unclear readings. 4/10 with normal UPSIT displayed abnormality on OEP. 3) Motor Neuron Disease: 9/58 (16%) were abnormal on UPSIT. There was significant delay in 1/10 (10%) patients on OEP. 4) Alzheimer's Disease: UPSIT scores were abnormal in all 8 patients examined. OEP was normal in 4 of these who could be tested. CONCLUSION Smell dysfunction was found in all 4 conditions but most severely in Parkinson's Disease (over 80%). The UPSIT in general showed abnormality more frequently than OEP. The olfactory defect probably involves peripheral structures in all diseases tested except Alzheimer's. A patient with normal olfaction is unlikely to have idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Stressful Life Events and with Seizure Frequency in Patients Epilepsy

Abstract: Summary: We tested whether unpleasant life events increased seizure occurrence in persons with epilepsy. Forty-six subjects maintained daily diaries for 10–36 weeks in which they recorded seizures and life events. Mean age of subjects was 39 years; 78% were female; 83% had complex partial seizures (CPS). On the average, subjects reported 3.3 seizures a week. Analyses first were conducted within each subject and then in the sample overall. For each person, we tested whether seizure frequency increased within 24 h of the occurrence of unpleasant events, using Poisson regression analyses that adjusted for daily antiepileptic medication, sleep duration and quality, alcohol intake, menstrual status, and pleasant events. Rarity of events precluded analyses in 9 subjects. Events increased seizure frequency in 5 subjects (14%) (p < 0.05). Events decreased seizure frequency in 2 subjects (p < 0.05). When individual risk ratios were aggregated across subjects, unpleasant events were significantly associated with seizure increase only in men (RR = 1.67, 95% Confidence interval 1.09, 2.54). However, this finding must be interpreted with caution because of the limited number of men in the sample. In other aggregate analyses, events and seizures were not associated in subjects grouped by seizure type, age of seizure onset, current age, ethnicity, educational level, or marital status. Identification of factors that distinguish patients with and without event-triggered seizures requires further study. ReSUMe Les auteurs ont rechercht si la survenue d'tvenements vitaux dtsagrdables augmentait la frtquence des crises chez les patients epileptiques. Quarante-six sujets ont effectue un releve quotidien des crises pendant 10 B 36 semaines, en notant les crises et les tvenements vitaux. L'fige moyen des sujets ttait de 39 ans; 78%etaient des femmes; 83% avaient des crises partielles complexes. Les patients ont rapporte en moyenne 3.3 crises par semaine. Les analyses ont 6te conduites pour chaque sujet, et ensuite pour l'ensemble de l'Cchantillon. Pour chaque sujet, les auteurs ont teste l'augmentation tventuelle de la frequence des crises dans les 24 heures suivant la survenue d'un evenement vital desagreable au moyen d'une analyse de regression selon le patient ajustte en fonction du traitement antibpileptique quotidien, de la duree et de la qualitt du sommeil, de la consommation d'alcool, de l'ttat menstruel et de la survenue d'evenements agrtables. La rarett des evenements a empeche l'analyse chez 9 sujets. Les tvenements augmentaient la frequence des crises chez 5 sujets (14%) (p < 0.05). Les tvenements diminuaient la frequence des crises chez 2 sujets (p < 0.05). Lorsque les taux de risques individuels ont ete rassembles pour tous les sujets, les evenements desagrdables etaient associes avec une augmentation de la frequence des crises seulement chez les hommes. Cependant, cette constatation doit etre temperte par le fait qu'il n'y avait que peu d'hommes dans cet tchantillon. Dans d'autres analyses d'agrtgats, les evenements et les crises n'etaient pas associ's chez des sujets que l'on regroupait par type des crises, âge de debut des crises, Pge actuel, appartenance ethnique, niveau d'education et statut marital. L'identification de facteurs qui distinguent les patients avec ou sans crises declenchees par les evhements devrait faire l'objet d'autres travaux. RESUMEN Los autores han estudiado si los acontecimientos cotidianos desagradables pueden incrementar la frecuencia de los ataques en personas con epilepsia. Cuarenta y seis individuos completaron notas diarias durante 10–36 semanas en las cuales se registraron los ataques y los acontecimientos cotidianos. La edad media de los sujetos fue de 39 afios; 78% fueron hembras y el 83% tenian ataques parciales complejos. Los individuos registraron un promedio de 3.3 ataques por semana. Los analisis se realizaron, en primer lugar, en cada sujeto individualizado y, posteriormente, en la muestra general. Para cada persona se comprobe si la frecuencia de los ataques se incrementaba durante las 24 horas que siguieron a acontecimientos desagradables utilizando el anBlisis regresivo de Poisson que se ajusta para la medicacion diaria antiepXptica, la duracion y calidad del suefio, la ingesta de alcohol, el status menstrual y los acontecimientos placenteros. La ausencia de acontecimientos especificos excluyo del analisis a 9 sujetos. Este tipo de acontemiento incremento la frecuencia de ataques en 5 sujetos (14%) (p < 0.05). Los acontemientos registrados redujeron la frecuencia de ataques en 2 sujetos (p < 0.05). Cuando la proporcion de riesgo individual se agrego a1 resto de los sujetos, los acontemientos desagradables se asociaron con un incremento de los ataques solamente en hombres. Sin embargo, este hallazgo debe ser interpretado con precaucion teniendo en cuenta el limitado numero de hombres en la muestra. En otros analisis de agregacion los acontecimientos y los ataques no mostraron asociacidn alguna en los sujetos agrupados segun el tip0 de ataques, la edad de cornienzo de los ataques, la edad actual de los individuos, las caracteristicas Clinicas, el nivel educacional o el estado matrimonial. La identificacion de factores que distingan a los enfermos con o sin ataques precipitados por acontecimientos requiere estudios adicionales. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Wir gingen der Frage nach, ob negative Lebensereignisse die Anfallshaufigkeit von Epilepsie-Patienten vergroβern. 46 Patienten fuhrten fur 10–36 Wochen Tagebucher uber Anfalle und Lebensereignisse. Das mittlere Alter lag bei 39 Jahren. 78% waren weiblich, 83% hatten komplexe Partialanfalle. Die Patienten berichteten im Mittel uber 3.3 Anfalle pro Woche. Es folgte eine Analyse der Ergebnisse. Zunachst bei jedem Patienten und dann fur die Gesamtgruppe. Wir testeten, ob bei der Einzelperson innerhalb von 24 Stunden nach einem negativen Ereignis die Anfallsfrequenz zunahm (Poisson Regressionsanalyse mit Berucksichtigung der taglichen antiepileptischen Medikation, Schlafdauer und Schlafqualitat, AlkoholgenuB, Menstruationszyklus und positiven Ereignissen). Wegen rnangelnder negativer Ereignisse muβten funf Patienten ausgeschlossen werden. Bei 5 Patienten erhohte sich die Anfallshaufigkkeit bei negativen Ereignissen bei 14% (p < 0.05). Bei zwei Patienten nahm darunter die Anfallsfrequenz ab. (p < 0.05). Negative Ereignisse gingen nur bei Mannern mit Anfallserhohung einher-jedoch muβ diese Aussage relativiert werden aufgrund der kleinen Anzahl mannlicher Anfallskranker. Die anderen Analyseverfahren zeigten keine Korrelation zwischen negativen Ereignissen und Anfallstyp, Alter bei erstem Anfall, Lebensalter, ethnischer Zugehorigkeit, Bildungsstand oder Zivilstand. In weiteren Studien muβ untersucht werden, bei welchen Patienten negative Lebensereignisse Anfalle provozieren.

Seasonal migration of thornback rays and implications for closure management

Abstract: Sharks and rays are vulnerable to fisheries exploitation because of late maturation and low fecundity, highlighting the need for effective conservation strategies. Area closures have been proposed as an appropriate management option for thornback rays in the southern North Sea, where they appear to form local subpopulations between which there is limited mixing. To gain a fishery-independent estimation of stock distribution, 197 thornback rays Raja clavata tagged with electronic data storage tags (DST) were released in the Thames Estuary in 1999 and 2000. The tidal location method was used to estimate the positions of individual fish between time of release and recapture. The fishery-independent seasonal stock distributions were integrated with landings data and a simple model was developed to estimate monthly fishing effort per International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) rectangle by different fleets and gear types. The potential impacts of closed area management, in terms of reducing thornback ray mortality in the southern North Sea, were calculated. Spatial closures were applied either (i) as permanent closures of individual ICES rectangles or (ii) seasonally, at the level of the Thames Estuary. Catch reductions were calculated allowing for the redistribution of fishing effort. The results confirmed the importance of the Thames Estuary for thornback rays. However, 77% of rays moved outside the estuary over winter, with seasonal migration into the Thames to spawn between March and August. The effects of closures varied between areas and gear types. Permanent closures of individual ICES rectangles were less effective at reducing fishing mortality on rays than a spring or summer closure of the Thames Estuary as a whole, which would have a major impact on the commercially more valuable sole fishery. Synthesis and applications. The results presented illustrate the potential impacts of a range of closure scenarios, prior to their implementation, as a basis for advice on sustainable exploitation of thornback rays. These models could be further refined by additional studies of juvenile behaviour and of other ray subpopulations in the southern North Sea.

Metabolic aspects of antioxidants and preservatives

Abstract: The use of chemical preservatives serves to ensure the nutritional adequacy, palatability and safety of processed foods and beverages. The toxicity of some of the more ubiquitous antimicrobial agents (sorbic acid, p-hydroxybenzoates, sulphur dioxide) and antioxidants (propyl gallate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT] is reviewed together with the role of metabolic data in assessing the 'safety-in-use' of these and other food-additives.