Epilepsy: accuracy of patient seizure counts.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a daily patient reminder on seizure documentation accuracy.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Monitoring unit of an academic department of epileptology.

Effect of magnetic field strength on NMR-based metabonomic human urine data. Comparative study of 250, 400, 500, and 800 MHz.

Metabonomic analysis of urine utilizing high-resolution NMR spectroscopy and chemometric techniques has proven valuable in characterizing the biochemical response to an intervention. To assess the effect of magnetic field strength on information contained in NMR-based metabonomic data sets, 1H NMR spectra were acquired on 250-, 400-, 500-, and 800-MHz instruments, respectively, on the same set of human urine samples collected before and after dietary interventions with milk and with meat proteins. Partial least-squares regression discriminant analyses (PLS-DA) were performed in order to elucidate the ability of the 1H spectra acquired at various field strengths to identify possible spectral differences and discriminate between pre- and postintervention samples.

Whole cow's milk: why, what and when?

There are differences between at what age industrialized countries recommend that cow's milk can be introduced to infants. Most countries recommend waiting until 12 months of age, but according to recommendations from some countries (e.g.

Dietary protein intake and bone mineral content in adolescents-The Copenhagen Cohort Study.

Unlabelled: Data indicate that various protein sources may exhibit a differential effect on bone metabolism. We investigated associations of milk and meat protein intake with bone mineral content (BMC) in adolescents. Milk, but not meat, protein intake was positively associated with size-adjusted BMC.

Neuropsychological performance in partly remitted unipolar depressive patients: focus on executive functioning.

Background: Only few studies have investigated executive impairment in the euthymic phase of unipolar affective disorders, yielding diverging results. The role of impulsivity/orbitofrontal associated executive functioning in remitted depression has not yet been examined.

Methods: Partly remitted male out-patients (n = 15) with non-psychotic major depression (MDD) were compared with healthy males (n = 15) on several neuropsychological tests.

Application of flow cytometry-based genotyping for rapid detection of hemoglobin variants.

The hemoglobinopathies represent a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders. Clinically important hemoglobin variants have been increasingly reported in the USA. Consequently, rapid and accurate testing methods are needed to address the growing diagnostic challenges of identifying these variants.

Confirmation of an association between the TNF(-308) promoter polymorphism and stroke risk in children with sickle cell anemia.

Background And Purpose: The etiology of stroke in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) is complex and poorly understood. Growing evidence suggests that genetic factors beyond the sickle cell mutation influence stroke risk in SCA. We previously reported risk associations with polymorphisms in several proinflammatory genes in SCA children with ischemic stroke.

Three new beta-globin gene promoter mutations identified through newborn screening.

We report three new beta-globin gene promoter mutations identified in newborns with hemoglobin (Hb) profiles consistent with Hb S/beta(+)-thalassemia (thal) (Hbs FSA). All three mutations are in close proximity to the conserved ATAA sequence located at positions -31 to -28 relative to the mRNA Cap site. Two cases involved single base substitutions at positions -25 (G-->C) and -32 (C-->T).

Associations of total, dairy, and meat protein with markers for bone turnover in healthy, prepubertal boys.

We previously reported that high intake of milk, but not meat, equal in protein content, increased serum insulin-like growth factor-I (sIGF-I) in prepubertal boys. sIGF-I plays a key role in bone metabolism. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate associations of total, dairy, and meat protein intake with markers for bone turnover and sIGF-I in prepubertal, healthy boys (n = 81).

An NMR-based metabonomic investigation on effects of milk and meat protein diets given to 8-year-old boys.

The objective of the study was to investigate the ability of an NMR-based metabonomic approach, applied to biofluids, to explore and identify overall exogenous and endogenous biochemical effects of a short-time high intake of milk protein or meat protein given to prepubertal children, the aim being to compare relative differences and not an absolute quantification. A total of twenty-four 8-year-old boys were asked to take 53 g protein as milk (n 12) or meat daily (n 12). At baseline and after 7 d, urine and serum samples were collected and high-resolution 1H NMR spectra were acquired on these using a 800 MHz spectrometer.

Effects of dietary protein restriction on nephron number in the mouse.

In rats, maternal protein restriction reduces nephron endowment and often leads to adult hypertension. Sex differences in these responses have been identified. The molecular and genetic bases of these phenomena can best be identified in a mouse model, but effects of maternal protein restriction on kidney development have not been examined in mice.

Fate and transport of N-nitrosamines under conditions simulating full-scale groundwater recharge operations.

The key objective of this study was to investigate the attenuation mechanisms of seven N-nitrosamine compounds at environmental concentrations and under conditions relevant to groundwater recharge operations. The study used a combination of controlled laboratory-scale soil-column experiments and groundwater monitoring at a full-scale river-bank filtration facility. Findings of the controlled column experiments suggest that N-nitrosodimethylamine and six other N-nitrosamines (N-nitrosodiethylamine, N-nitrosomethylethylamine, N-nitroso-n-propylamine, N-nitrosodi-n-butylamine, N-nitrosopiperidine, and N-nitrosopyrrolidine) are biodegradable under oxic and anoxic oxidation-reduction conditions.

High intake of milk, but not meat, decreases bone turnover in prepubertal boys after 7 days.

Objective: To compare the short-term effect of a high milk and a high meat intake, identical in protein amount, on bone turnover during prepuberty.

Setting: A University department.

Design And Subjects: From 28, randomly recruited, 8-year-old boys, first 14 were assigned to the milk group and next 14 to the meat group.

Formation of fractal-like structures driven by carbon nanotubes-based collapsed hollow capsules.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based hollow capsules were obtained by degradation under acidic conditions of core-shell nanocomposites build up upon adsorption of multilayers of CNTs (shell) onto melamine-formaldehyde (MF) spheres (core). By evaporation of the dispersions obtained, polymeric fractal patterns from the degradation products of the MF core were formed onto silicon wafers. The proposed mechanism for the formation of these structures is based on the role of the capsules as arrangements of heterogeneities that facilitate the dewetting of the liquid polymeric films.

[NeuroCogFX--a computer-based neuropsychological assessment battery for the follow-up examination of neurological patients].

Many neurological therapeutic trials require a longitudinal assessment of cognitive functions. An ideal instrument for that purpose should be in accordance to the criteria of classical testing theory and, furthermore, it should be repeatable and economic in administration and interpretation. We developed NeuroCogFX, a computerized assessment battery, according to these criteria.

An institutional approach to maintenance of excellent outcomes for carotid endarterectomy in a setting with moderate-to-low procedure volume.

Background: Institutions and surgeons with high procedure volumes have been reported to have lower morbidity and mortality rates for patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. Demonstrating comparable results is essential for centers with moderate or low volume. If comparable results cannot be demonstrated, a low- to moderate-volume center should not perform the procedure.

Structural analysis and prediction of protein mutant stability using distance and torsion potentials: role of secondary structure and solvent accessibility.

Analyzing the factors behind protein stability is a key research topic in molecular biology, and has direct implications on protein structure prediction and protein-protein interactions. We have analyzed protein stability upon point mutations using a distance-dependant pair potential representing mainly through-space interactions, and torsion angle potential representing mainly neighboring effects as a basic statistical mechanical setup for the analysis. The synergetic effect of accessible surface area and secondary structure preferences was used as a classifier for the potentials.

Combined prenatal and postnatal protein restriction influences adult kidney structure, function, and arterial pressure.

The effects of prenatal protein restriction on adult renal and cardiovascular function have been studied in considerable detail. However, little is known about the effects of life-long protein restriction, a common condition in the developing world. Therefore, we determined in rats the effects of combined pre- and postnatal protein restriction on adult arterial pressure and renal function and responses to increased dietary sodium.

One-step synthesis of gold and silver hydrosols using poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) as a reducing agent.

Synthesis of gold and silver hydrosols was carried out in a one-step process by reduction of aqueous solutions of metal salts using poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP). Both kinds of metal nanoparticles were obtained without the addition of any other reducing agent, at low temperatures and using water as the synthesis solvent. Shape, size, and optical properties of the particles could be tuned by changing the employed PVP/metal salt ratio.

Prevalence of HFE mutations in California newborns.

Advances in molecular diagnostics have led to an increased interest in expanding population-based screening to include genetic diseases that occur outside the newborn period. Hereditary hemochromatosis may be a candidate for large-scale screening in populations with a high prevalence of the common HFE mutations. To determine race-specific frequencies of the HFE mutations, C282Y and H63D, the authors applied an automated, high-throughput genotyping method to dried blood spot samples from a representative population of California newborns.

Cow's milk and linear growth in industrialized and developing countries.

The strongest evidence that cow's milk stimulates linear growth comes from observational and intervention studies in developing countries that show considerable effects. Additionally, many observational studies from well-nourished populations also show an association between milk intake and growth. These results suggest that milk has a growth-stimulating effect even in situations where the nutrient intake is adequate.

Three new alpha-thalassemia point mutations ascertained through newborn screening.

We report three new alpha-thalassemia (thal) point mutations detected during newborn screening for hemoglobinopathies. The first mutation is a single nucleotide deletion (-A) that abolishes the translation initiation codon of the alpha2-globin gene, detected in a newborn of Hmong ethnicity who carried the Southeast Asian alpha(0)-thal deletion (alpha(T)alpha/- -(SEA)). The second mutation, a frameshift caused by a single nucleotide deletion in exon 2 of the alpha1-globin gene [codon 78 (-C)], was detected in a Black/Chinese newborn who also carried the Southeast Asian alpha0-thal deletion (alphaalpha(T)/- -(SEA)).

Recent developments of the chemistry development kit (CDK) - an open-source java library for chemo- and bioinformatics.

The Chemistry Development Kit (CDK) provides methods for common tasks in molecular informatics, including 2D and 3D rendering of chemical structures, I/O routines, SMILES parsing and generation, ring searches, isomorphism checking, structure diagram generation, etc. Implemented in Java, it is used both for server-side computational services, possibly equipped with a web interface, as well as for applications and client-side applets. This article introduces the CDK's new QSAR capabilities and the recently introduced interface to statistical software.

Discontinuation of anticonvulsant medication after epilepsy surgery in children.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term outcome of medication-reduction/discontinuation trials after epilepsy surgery in pediatric patients.

Methods: Of the total Bonn pediatric surgical sample (1988-2001; n=251), we were able to obtain postsurgical follow-up data for 232 patients. We surveyed 140 of these patients by using a standardized telephone interview that addressed medication-reduction/discontinuation trials.