Prevalence of migraine in a sample population of school children

INTRODUCTION: The object of this study was to determine the prevalence of migraine in school children in our area, since few such studies have been done. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out by means of a questionnaire given to school children aged between 6 and 14. We selected a representative sample of the population, the size of which was determined by accepting as a reference value the 4% mentioned by Bille. The questionnaire was drawn up after a search of the literature for similar questionnaires and a preliminary trial on children known to suffer from migraine (giving a specificity of 96.6% and a sensitivity of 96.5%). RESULTS: Using the criteria of Vahlquist there was a prevailence of 7.0% and with IHS of 6.7%. There was a predominance (not significant) of females (54.4%). In 89.1% there was a positive family history (parents and/or siblings) of migraine.     

Prevalence of migraine headache in Canada: a population-based survey

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of migraine headache among Canadian adults (aged > or = 18 years) and analyse variation by age, gender, household income and province of residence. METHODS: A population-based survey was undertaken using telephone interviews with 2922 adults who were randomly selected from households across Canada by stratified regional sampling. The questionnaire asked about frequency and characteristics of headaches experienced and other symptoms. The diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society were used to classify people as migraineurs (with or without aura), headachers or non-headachers. RESULTS: Of 8921 random calls to households, 4235 were eligible and 2922 interviews were successfully completed (response rate 66%). The prevalence of migraineurs, headachers and non-headachers among males was 7.8%, 76.1%, 16.1% and among females was 24.9%, 65.6%, 9.4%. For females prevalence appears to increase with age, peaking at 40-44 years and declining thereafter. Sex-specific prevalence for males and females, controlling for age, was significantly lower in the province of Quebec compared to other provinces. We found no association between migraine prevalence and household income. Of 500 people classified by IHS criteria as migraineurs only 232 (46%) reported any migraine diagnosis by a physician. CONCLUSION: We estimate that 2.6 million adult females and 0.8 million adult males in Canada are migraineurs, but only half are likely to have been diagnosed by a physician. Contrary to a recent US survey, people from lower income households in Canada are not at greater risk of migraine. The lower prevalence of migraine in Quebec was unexpected and remains unexplained, but it may be influenced by language/translation problems.     

Prevalence of daytime sleepiness in a population of drivers

Adult Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks collected near Ljubljana, Slovenia, were tested for the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) by using PCR assays based on the 16S rRNA gene. Three (3.2%) of 93 ticks were found to contain granulocytic ehrlichiae. Nucleotide sequences of portions of the bacterial groESL heat shock operon amplified from these ticks were identical or nearly (99.8%) identical to those previously determined for human patients with HGE from Slovenia, providing additional evidence that the ticks were infected with the HGE agent. This study identified I. ricinus as the likely vector for these ehrlichial pathogens of humans in this part of Europe.     

Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in a French population

STUDY ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS: Identification of cardiovascular risk factors and the estimation of their prevalence in different populations is an important aim of preventive medicine. We analysed the data from 58,803 volunteers who were subjected to systematic health examinations in the Centre d'Investigations Préventives et Cliniques in Paris during the period January 1991 to December 1993. In this report we present some results concerning the prevalence of the major cardiovascular risk factors and their associations with sex, age and the presence of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: The present study clearly shows that before the age of 55 years, the prevalence of risk factors is higher in men than in women, whereas in postmenopausal women the risk-profile increases rapidly, reaching the level of men after the age of 65 years. The presence of multiple risk factors is much higher in hypertensive than in normotensive individuals. We also observed that more than two-thirds of the treated hypertensives had systolic/diastolic blood pressure levels of > 140/90 mmHg. These observations could contribute to the debate regarding the evaluation of global risk and therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular disease prevention.     

Prevalence and correlates of dating violence in a Canadian university sample.

Assessed the prevalence and correlates of dating violence among 116 female and 50 male undergraduates. Ss responded to the Conflict Tactics Scale, a self-esteem inventory, and questions regarding their course major, demographic characteristics, and current or most recent dating relationship. 52 women and 24 men reported having experienced physical violence in their current or most recent dating relationship. Ss who reported dating violence also reported greater relationship commitment, longer relationship durations, and higher levels of reasoning and verbal aggression strategies than did Ss who did not report dating violence. Women reported more frequent expressions of physically and verbally aggressive conflict resolution tactics than did men. Men were more likely than women to report being the targets of verbal and physical aggression by their partners. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus among food handlers from a metropolitan university in Chile

BACKGROUND: An important agent of food intoxication is Staphylococcus aureus, that is able to produce enterotoxins. AIM: To detect Staphylococcus aureus contamination in cafeteria food handlers of a Chilean University. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Nose, throat, hands and nail samples from 87 food handlers were obtained for microbiological examination. RESULTS: Fifty seven subjects (65.5%) were carriers of Staphylococcus aureus. Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus was found in 36 subjects (41%). The most frequently found enterotoxin was type B (18 samples) followed by type D (12 samples). Men bad a higher frequency of contamination than women (83 and 57% of positive samples respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of Staphylococcus aureus contamination among food handlers is high and should prompt personal and environmental hygienic measures.     

Frequency and intensity of anxiety in university students

One thousand and ninety-seven university students (455 males; 642 females) named, "...three situations that make you anxious..." and rated the intensity of the anxiety in each situation. Correlations between frequency of occurrence and rated intensity for situations named more than once were negligible for both sexes. While the intensity rating of 62 situations occurring common between sexes was significantly greater for females, there was no difference in frequency of occurrence; however, both the correlations between male and female frequency and male and female intensity were positive and significant for the shared items, indicating that their experiences of these anxiety situations vary in similar ways. Analysis was also completed for three types of situations: interpersonal--ego threat, physical threat, and ambiguous.     

Prevalence of factor V Leiden in a Canadian blood donor population

A histopathological evaluation was performed on liver of rats treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and 25,50 and 100 mg/kg of Cuban red propolis (RP) extract. Additionally, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum and liver triglycerides were determined in all animals. The morphometric study included the count of ballooned cells at the zone III of the Rappaport acini and the assessment of a software program to estimate the extension of steatosis area. A significant reduction of ballooned cells count in liver was observed at three dose levels of RP extract with respect to rats treated only with CCl4. Also, a certain reduction of steatosis degree as well as decreased concentration of liver triglycerides and ALT activity were found in three groups of rats treated with RP extract and CCl4 in relation to those treated with the hepatotoxin. Taken together, the histopathological and biochemical findings show hepatoprotective effects of RP extract in CCl4-induced liver damage in rats, probably due to the antioxidant effect of RP.     

Troubled Spirits: Prevalence and predictors of religious and spiritual concerns among university students and counseling center clients.

The authors conducted a study of 5,472 university students to identify the prevalence and predictors of religious and spiritual concerns. Approximately 25% of the sample reported considerable distress related to such concerns. Logistic regression analyses revealed that students with considerable distress related to religious or spiritual concerns also tended to be distressed about the loss of a relationship, sexual assault, confusion about values, homesickness, and suicidal ideation. These students were especially likely to seek psychological help when they also had problematic relationships with peers. Among all students who sought help, considerable distress about religious or spiritual concerns was predicted by confusion about values, problematic relationships with peers, sexual concerns, and thoughts of being punished for one's sins. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depression and general psychopathology in university students.

Examined the relationship between self-reported depression and a number of self-report measures of other forms of maladaptive functioning in a subclinical population. Seven questionnaires, including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory—Form Y, completed by 443 undergraduates yielded 17 different pathology scales. All of the scales were significantly intercorrelated. Furthermore, a factor analysis yielded a 2-factor solution with the 1st factor, composed of all but 3 scales, accounting for 50% of the total variance. Chi-square analyses revealed that only 5–20% of the Ss were cross classified as high on one measure and low on another. Results are discussed with reference to the ability of self-report measures to differentiate discrete forms of psychopathology in both subclinical and psychiatric populations. It is concluded that caution is needed in extrapolating findings from studies with students scoring high on the BDI. (85 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-talk and emotional intelligence in university students.

The purpose of this study was to examine self-talk, year of university study, and gender as predictors of emotional intelligence in a diverse sample of 126 undergraduate participants (42 male, 84 female). Self-talk has been discussed in the literature as a means of enhancing self-awareness and self-regulation, both of which are considered important in the construct of emotional intelligence. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on self-talk and emotional intelligence. The results indicated that year of study and self-talk were significant predictors of emotional intelligence and were associated with emotional intelligence in a positive direction. Contrary to expectation, gender was not a significant predictor. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of potential future research directions for the study of self-talk and emotional intelligence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

大学生的思想道德建设

大学生所处的年龄段正是世界观形成的重要时期,也是良好的社会公德、行为习惯和健全人格形成的重要时期.社会主义市场经济体制的建立、国际交流带来不同文化的碰撞、现代化技术的迅猛发展,以及大众传播手段的广泛运用等等,这些剧烈的变化正在猛烈地撞击着学生的思想和心灵,深刻影响着学子们的行为.因此加强当前大学生的思想道德建设,是关系到二十一世纪国家前途和命运的大事,是社会主义精神文明建设的一项战略任务.     

新时期的大学生评价观

通过分析大学生评价实践中存在的弊端和新时期大学生评价的社会背景,认为新时期大学生评价应坚持导向性、形成性、多元性、定性化、人性化的评价观。     

Prevalence of vision and ocular disease conditions in a clinical pediatric population

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to fill a significant void in the ophthalmic literature by performing a large scale, comprehensive, prospective study of the prevalence of vision disorders and ocular pathology in a clinical pediatric population using well-defined diagnostic criteria. METHODS: A prospective study was performed on 2,023 consecutive patients between the ages of 6 months and 18 years presenting for an initial comprehensive examination at the Eye Institute of The Pennsylvania College of Optometry. There were 373 subjects between 6 months and 5 years, 11 months of age, and 1,650 subjects between 6 years and 18 years of age. RESULTS: The most important finding from this study is that other than refractive anomalies, the most common conditions optometrists are likely to encounter in a pediatric population are binocular vision and accommodative disorders. The prevalence of accommodative and binocular (strabismic and non-strabismic) vision disorders is 9.7 times greater than the prevalence of ocular disease in children 6 months to 5 years of age, and 8.5 times greater than the prevalence of ocular disease in children 6 to 18 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: The data from this study has great significance for clinicians, optometric educational institutions, health care planners, and administrators. This data suggests that other than refractive anomalies, the most prevalent conditions in the clinical pediatric population are binocular and accommodative disorders. Clinicians should use a minimum data base that includes assessments of accommodation and binocular vision that will allow them to detect conditions with the highest prevalence.     

Prevalence and nature of allergy and chemical sensitivity in a general population

Two hybridoma clones have been produced by hybridization of murine myeloma cell line PAI and splenocytes from BALB/c mice immunized with cells from a transplantable sarcoma induced in rat by SR-RSV. The antibody produced by hybridoma clone 2C2 was of subclass IgG3 and recognized a cell surface antigen of 52 kD. It only cross-reacted with cells from SR-RSV-induced sarcoma in hamster, but not with cells from the chicken RSV-induced sarcoma, nor with a number of methylcholanthrene sarcomas and various other tumors of viral or other etiology developed in rats, mouse, hamsters or chickens. The antibody produced by hybridoma clone 5G2 was of subclass IgG2A and recognized an antigen of 28 kD which was located under the plasma membrane, particularly in the cell protrusions and microvilli. Cross-reactions were found with all sarcoma cells tested, indicating that this antigen might represent a common sarcoma antigen of comparatively low molecular mass.     

Prevalence and clinical picture of adult gluten-induced enteropathy in a Norwegian population

Peroral jejunal biopsies were performed in 63 adult patients from a population of 40,000. Twenty-two patients had definite pathologic biopsy findings; 20 of these had gluten-induced enteropathy. With the 15 previously known patients in the region, this makes a minimum prevalence of 1 per 1,143. Subtotal villous atrophy was found in 8 patients, whereas partial villous atrophy was found in 12 patients. The clinical picture varied considerably, borborygmia, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and psychiatric symptoms being the most commonly encountered symptoms. Steatorrhoea was found in only two patients with subtotal villous atrophy. In all the remaining patients, including six with subtotal villous atrophy, the faecal fat excretion was normal. A low whole blood folic acid concentration was the most consistent laboratory finding, although some patients had values slightly above the lower normal limit. Anaemia was not pronounced. Iron deficiency, as measured by the erythrocyte protoporphyrin IX concentration, was not common. A high degree of clinical awareness and broad indications for jejunal biopsy-taking is recommended.     

Comprehensive provision of psychological services to students on a university campus.

A conceptual framework for a total delivery system of psychological services on a University Campus was proposed. In relation to the implementation of the Kirk Committee Report on "Standards for University Counseling Services," the objectives of intervention by provision of service were described as a) achievement by the student of a developmentally more mature level of homeostatic relationship with his environment or b) returning the student to autonomous functioning. Some of the issues involved in implementing such a system were considered, and the provision of trained staff capable of operating such a system discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)