University of Saskatchewan

About: University of Saskatchewan is a education organization based out in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 25021 authors who have published 52579 publications receiving 1483049 citations. The organization is also known as: USask.

Epidemiology of parkinsonism: Incidence, classification, and mortality

Abstract: An epidemiological study of parkinsonism over a 13-year period (1967 through 1979) is presented, updating previous reports on incidence and trend in the population of Rochester, Minnesota. The overall average annual incidence of parkinsonism per 100,000 population was 20.5, adjusted to the 1970 total United States population, which is virtually unchanged from previous observations. Incidences calculated for each calendar year (1967 through 1979) revealed no remarkable change following the 1976 swine flu vaccination program. There was no sex difference and the peak incidence occurred between ages 75 and 84 years. Idiopathic Parkinson's disease was the most common variant (86%), followed by drug-induced parkinsonism (7%). There were no new cases of postencephalitic parkinsonism diagnosed during the study period. Relative frequency of other types of Parkinson's disease as identified by practicing neurologists is presented. For each case two age- and sex-matched controls were selected from the Rochester population. The survival rates in the controls were comparable to the general population of the west north central region of the United States. The mortalities in the patients were significantly higher (p = 0.001) than the controls and were unchanged from previous rates reported from the same community. In the 69 (50%) patients treated with levodopa, the mortality was comparable to that in controls. The favorable outcome in these cases is attributed to bias resulting from selection of healthier patients for treatment.

Teaching distribution system reliability evaluation using Monte Carlo simulation

Abstract: Analytical techniques for distribution system reliability assessment can be effectively used to evaluate the mean values of a wide range of system reliability indices. This approach is usually used when teaching the basic concepts of distribution system reliability evaluation. The mean or expected value, however, does not provide any information on the inherent variability of an index. Appreciation of this inherent variability is an important parameter in comprehending the actual reliability experienced by a customer and should be recognized when teaching distribution system reliability evaluation. This paper presents a time sequential Monte Carlo simulation technique which can be used in complex distribution system evaluation, and describes a computer program developed to implement this technique. General distribution system elements, operating models and radial configurations are considered in the program. The results obtained using both analytical and simulation methods are compared. The mean values and the probability distributions for both load point and system indices are illustrated using a practical test system.

Identifying emotional states using keystroke dynamics

Abstract: The ability to recognize emotions is an important part of building intelligent computers. Emotionally-aware systems would have a rich context from which to make appropriate decisions about how to interact with the user or adapt their system response. There are two main problems with current system approaches for identifying emotions that limit their applicability: they can be invasive and can require costly equipment. Our solution is to determine user emotion by analyzing the rhythm of their typing patterns on a standard keyboard. We conducted a field study where we collected participants' keystrokes and their emotional states via self-reports. From this data, we extracted keystroke features, and created classifiers for 15 emotional states. Our top results include 2-level classifiers for confidence, hesitance, nervousness, relaxation, sadness, and tiredness with accuracies ranging from 77 to 88%. In addition, we show promise for anger and excitement, with accuracies of 84%.

Inorganic phosphate solubilization by two Penicillium species in solution culture and soil

Abstract: Summary-Two fungal isolates, Penicillium bihji and Peniciflium cf. fuscum were found to solubilize different amounts of rock phosphate in liquid culture. Inorganic P solubilization was directly related to the pH drop generated by each isolate. Nitrogen in the ammonium form in the medium was necessary for increased P solubilization by P. bifuji. Penicillium isolates and the form of nitrogen affected the duration of the lag before each isolate began to solubilize P, the rate at which inorganic P was solubilized and the net amount of P solubilized and maintained in solution. In a greenhouse experiment, wheat, Triticum aesrivum L. cv. Neepawa, was grown in a calcareous Chemozemic soil which had low available P. When this soil was inoculated with P. biluji, plant dry matter yield increased by 16%, and total plant P uptake by 14%. P. bilaji also increased the proportion of P derived from native P sources by 1 I % even in the presence of added rock phosphate.

Corticosterone in feathers is a long-term, integrated measure of avian stress physiology

Abstract: 1. Stress has pervasive consequences for the well-being of animals. Currently, understanding how individuals cope with stressors is typically accomplished via short-term quantification of blood glucocorticoids released after activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. 2. We investigated whether the amount of corticosterone (CORT) deposited in growing feathers provides a long-term, integrated measure of HPA activity in birds using captive red-legged partridges Alectoris rufa as a model species. 3. We examined CORT levels in primary feathers induced to grow at the same time as stress series were performed with a capture and restraint protocol. Plasma CORT titres after stress-induced stimulation, but not baseline values, correlated with feather CORT. Feather levels showed the same pattern as plasma of decline across the breeding season, but more severely. 4. For females, CORT in naturally moulted flank feathers was highly and positively correlated with the number of eggs laid in the previous few months, but not clutch size of the following year. For males, the amount of black on a feather, known to be a social signal, was positively correlated with its CORT level. 5. The analysis of feather CORT is a novel methodology that allows for meaningful interpretations of how individuals respond to environmental perturbations and adjust to life-history stages. 6. The analysis of feather hormones has the unique advantages of allowing for experimentation and sampling at any time of the year with minimal investigator-induced impacts and artefacts, and shows the HPA activity of an individual with a flexible time frame from days to months depending on the length of time taken to grow the feather. As this technique can be applied to living or dead birds, or feathers picked up after moult, it provides the ultimate non-invasive physiological measure of considerable benefit in terms of animal welfare and sampling effort.