First reported cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Canada.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
C Stephen
Publications and source records attributed to C Stephen.
A comparison of two methods for surveying mortality of beached birds in British Columbia.
Systematic surveys of beached birds are often limited in their ability to classify the causes of death of the carcasses recovered. Two methods of determining the cause of death of seabirds encountered during surveys of beaches of southwestern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, are compared. Birds were either subjected to external visual examinations by volunteer beach surveyors or submitted for gross postmortem examination by a veterinarian. The reliance on external examination of birds on beaches often prevented the accurate classification of the reproductive status and cause of death of the birds collected, but was valuable for describing the species, locations, and numbers of birds affected. The use of gross postmortem examinations of carcasses allowed for a more refined classification of the cause of death, as well as providing reliable descriptions of the bodily condition and sex of the birds examined. However, almost one half of the carcasses encountered were unsuitable for necropsy because of scavenging and decomposition. It is concluded that a combination of field and necropsy observations provides a useful method with which to monitor the pattern of mortality of beached seabirds.
Animals↗
Children's understanding of number words.
This research notes gives details of an atypical response to a 'give a number' task by a 34-month-old child. The child clearly demonstrated that he understood the word 'two' to refer to an object rather than to a quantity. This incident offers support to Fuson's (1988) theory of the functionally specific initial acquisition of number word meanings and suggests that Gelman & Meck's (1983) 'principles first' account of the development of counting gives insufficient weight to the role of language and social interaction in the development of early number understanding. The incident also shows that our knowledge of this area of development would benefit from a greater emphasis on longitudinal studies, studies of social context and studies of individual differences in the processes of acquisition.
Child Development↗
Hiatal hernia in a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).
We observed the displacement of the first compartment of the stomach through the diaphragmatic hiatus into the thoracic cavity in an immature harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). This hiatal hernia, coupled with a severe pneumonia, contributed to the emaciation and death of the animal.
Animals↗
Effect of chronic caffeine administration on monoamine and monoamine metabolite concentrations in rat brain.
Caffeine was chronically administered in four doses (0, 10, 25, and 50 mg/kg/day) to rats via twice-daily intraperitoneal injections for 30 days. Concentrations of brain tissue monoamines, dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5HT), and monoamine metabolites, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA), were determined. At the 10 mg/kg/day dose, no significant changes were found compared with controls. At 25 mg/kg/day and 50 mg/kg/day significant changes were observed within each monoamine system. In striatum, DA and 5HT were increased, while DOPAC was decreased. In frontal cortex, NE was increased. In cerebellum, 5HT and MHPG were increased.
Animals↗
Direct determination of unconjugated HVA in human plasma filtrates by HPLC coupled with dual-electrode coulometric electrochemical detection.
We report a procedure for the rapid determination of unconjugated homovanillic acid (HVA) in human plasma by cartridge filtration followed by direct injection into an isocratic HPLC system coupled with dual-electrode coulometric electrochemical detection. Sample preparation is rapid and more than 72 samples can be studied in 24 h using an automated HPLC system. The intra- and interassay precisions of the assay equal or exceed previously reported methods. While this methodology has been employed to study plasma free HVA, the concept of the technique may be applicable to other compounds, as well as different assay procedures, to greatly decrease sample preparation time.
Autoanalysis↗
Factors associated with fatal cases of measles. A retrospective autopsy study.
Clinical and laboratory records at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, for the period 1976-1982 were reviewed to determine factors associated with fatal cases of measles. Pneumonia was found to be the commonest lethal complication of measles. Supervening infections by both viral (especially adenovirus and herpesvirus) and bacterial (especially Klebsiella species and Pseudomonas) agents played a prominent role in causing the deaths of children who had recently been infected with measles. Severe malnutrition was present with almost equal frequency among those dying of measles and those dying from other causes, but was significantly (P less than 0,02) less common in measles patients who survived. Peripheral lymphopenia and depletion of T-cell zones in the lymph nodes and spleen were more common in those who died from measles than in others.
Body Height↗