Epilepsy among elderly Sudanese patients

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical presentation and characteristics of elderly Sudanese patients with epilepsy. Methodology: This is a prospective study (from Feb. 2005 to Jun 2008). The study population included 240 elderly epileptic patients (age 60 years or above). Results: Cerebrovascular accident was found to be the most common cause of secondary epilepsy (31%).Generalize epilepsy was seen in 120 (50%) of patients. Abnormal neurological findings were more common (49%) among patients with partial epilepsy. Fifty percent of our patients showed abnormal EEG. Abnormal CT brain findings were common among patients with partial epilepsy. Conclusion: The pattern of clinical presentation of epilepsy among elderly Sudanese epileptic patients is similar to what was mentioned in the literature except that the percentage of epilepsy following infections was more among our studied group (6%Keywords: Cerebrovascular, EEG, seizure

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Structural and electrical properties of y(Ni_0.7Co_0.2Cd_0.1Fe₂O₄) + (1-y)Ba_0.9Sr_0.1TiO₃ magnetoelectric composite</span>

279-283<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">Magnetoelectric (ME) composites of ferrite and ferroelectric phase with y(Ni0.7Co0.2Cd0.1Fe2O4) + (1-y)Ba0.9Sr0.1TiO3 with y=0.15, 0.30 and 0.45, respectively were prepared by standard double sintering ceramic method. The constituent phases, i.e., ferrite and ferroelectric phase presence were confirmed by X-ray diffraction pattern. Scanning electron micrographs were studied to understand microstructure of the prepared samples. The dielectric constant (έ) and loss tangent (tanδ) were measured as a function of frequency and also function of temperature at the fixed frequencies 1, 10, 100 kHz and 1 MHz. The AC conductivity was studied to understand conduction mechanism.</span

Prevalence and clinical significance of anti-ribosomal P antibody in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Objective: To investigate the prevalence of the anti-ribosomal P (anti-P) antibodies in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients (cSLE), healthy controls and first degree relatives. To elucidate the association between anti-P and disease activity, laboratory and treatment features in cSLE patients. Methods: We included consecutive SLE patients with disease onset before 16 years. Controls were age- and sex-matched. SLE patients were assessed for clinical and laboratory SLE manifestations, disease activity (SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI)), damage (Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI)) and current drug exposures. Mood disorders were determined through Becks Depression and Becks Anxiety Inventory. Anti-P measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: We included 50 consecutive cSLE patients (mean age of 16.82 +/- 3.46 years), 35 first degree relatives (mean age of 38.73 +/- 3.89 years) and 20 health control (mean age of 18.3 +/- 4.97 years). Anti-P was observed in 13 (26%) cSLE patients and in no first-degree relative (p < 0.01) or control (p < 0.01). Anti-P was more frequently observed in patients with anxiety (p < 0.002). No other clinical, laboratory or treatment features, including SLEDAI and SDI scores were associated with the presence of anti-P in cSLE patients. Conclusion: Anti-P is frequently observed in cSLE patients and was associated with the presence of anxiety in this cohort of cSLE. Lupus (2012) 21, 1225-1231.211112251231Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPESP [FAPESP 2008/02917-0, 2009/06049-6, 2009/13046-3]CNPq [300447/2009-4

The Last Permafrost Maximum (LPM) map of the northern hemisphere: permafrost extent and mean annual air temperatures, 25-17 ka BP

This paper accompanies a map that shows the extent of permafrost in the Northern Hemisphere between 25 and 17 thousand years ago. The map is based upon existing archival data, common throughout the Northern Hemisphere, that include ice-wedge pseudomorphs, sand wedges and large cryoturbations. Where possible, a distinction is made between areas with continuous permafrost and areas where permafrost is either spatially discontinuous or sporadic. The associated mean annual palaeo-temperatures that are inferred on the basis of present-day analogues increase understanding of the possible changes in permafrost extent that might accompany current global warming trends. Areas with relict permafrost and areas that were formerly exposed due to lower sea level (submarine permafrost) are also mapped. Mapping is mostly limited to lowland regions (areas approximately <1000m a.s.l.). Striking features that appear from the map are (i) the narrow permafrost zone in North America, which contrasts with the broader LPM permafrost zone in Eurasia (that may be related to different snow thickness or vegetation cover), (ii) the zonal extent of former LPM permafrost (that may reflect sea-ice distribution), which contrasts with the present-day pattern of permafrost extent (especially in Eurasia) and (iii) the relatively narrow zones of LPM discontinuous permafrost (that may indicate strong temperature gradients). © 2014 Collegium Boreas. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

A security framework for privacy-preserving data aggregationin wireless sensor networks

10.1145/1921621.1921623ACM Transactions on Sensor Networks7