Janet H. Potvin

Decreased verbal memory associated with anticholinergic treatment in Parkinson's disease patients.

The effects of chronic administration of the anticholinergic agent, benztropine mesylate (CogentinTM), on specific verbal memory were investigated as part of a placebo-controlled randomized double-blind crossover study to determine the clinical efficiency of CogentinTM as an adjuvant therapy with SinemetTM in Parkinsons disease. Twenty-nine males with clinically definite idiopathic Parkinsons disease participated in the trial. They were tested for acquisition of new word lists, and on four other cognitive tests before, during, between, and after two 10-week trial periods when they received either increasing doses of CogentinTM (maximum 2 mg) or placebo while on a maintenance dose of SinemetTM. Patients showed a statistically significant decrease (5--10%) in word list acquisition while on CogentinTM. The anticholinergic memory effect was unrelated to the degree of improved clinical efficacy of CogentinTM for the Parkinsonism, and to initial word list acquisition ability. Verbal memory findings indicate that chronic administration of an anticholinergic in even low therapeutic dosage may play an important role in memory function.

Parkinson's disease: Cogentinr with sinemetr, a better response

1. A randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind cross-over study was conducted to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the anticholinergic agent, benztropine mesylate (CogentinR) in 29 patients with mild to moderate, idiopathic Parkinson disease. 2. Patients were maintained on a stable, therapeutically optimal dosage and schedule of levadopa-carbidopa (Sinemet) throughout the study. 3. Both the neurologists and the patients global assessments of treatment efficacy indicated that Sinemet plus benztropine mesylate resulted in significantly greater improvement than Sinemet plus placebo. 4. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations of relevant neurologic functions showed small, but statistically significant improvements for rigidity, finger tapping speed and activities of daily living in patients during the Sinemet plus benztropine mesylate treatment period. 5. At the completion of the study 16 patients chose to continue taking benztropine mesylate as an adjuvant to Sinemet. 6. No important adverse side effects occurred during the study.

Multiple Sclerosis De Novo Central Nervous System IgG Synthesis: Measurement, Antibody Profile, Significance, Eradication, and Problems

Three independent means may be used to detect and measure de novo central nervous system (CNS) IgG synthesis: the application of an empirical formula, the results of an IgG isotopic test, and the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for IgG oligoclones. The empirical formula and the isotope test provide a quantitative measure of the synthesis rate in mg per day. In contrast, the detection of CSF IgG oligoclones, presently a qualitative test, supports the presence of de novo CNS IgG synthesis, providing the serum does not contain IgG oligoclones and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to protein is not excessively damaged.

Planning and organizing an annual conference

Holding a successful conference year after year constitutes a hallmark of excellence for a professional society. While many factors contribute to the success of such a meeting, a key factor is careful planning and organization. To aid the first-time conference chairperson, this paper describes a systematic approach to conference planning and organization: (1) making preliminary analyses and assessments; (2) obtaining the agreement of cosponsors; (3) selecting key conference officers; (4) organizing conference committees; (5) selecting the conference site, hotel, and dates; (6) developing the conference master plan; (7) following through and implementing planning decisions; (8) anticipating and managing contingencies; and (9) coordinating post-conference activities. Using a systematic approach simplifies the task and makes it possible to run an annual meeting successfully.

Teaching Technical Communication at the Graduate Level: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Native and international science, engineering, and humanities graduate students at The University of Texas at Arlington experience real-world communication situations in an interdisciplinary, projected-oriented technical communication course team-taught by a technical writer and a mechanical engineer. The course simulates the writing requirements of industry and helps students prepare theses and dissertations. A special feature for international students is a supplementary weekly laboratory session devoted to intensive review of writing fundamentals. The course, which has been offered three times since 1976 with enrollments of eleven, five, and nine students, has been received well by science and engineering students for whom it was initially designed and by humanities students who now also enroll. Even though in some cases the progress that a foreign student makes in one semester is limited, all students have found the course of great benefit. The interdisciplinary team approach is an effective way of teaching graduate-level technical communication, providing engineers an opportunity to learn to express ideas to humanists and providing humanists an opportunity to learn to communicate effectively with engineers and scientists.

Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Trials: A Comprehensive System for the Measurement and Evaluation of Neurologic Function

Although many systems have been developed to measure the cognitive, sensory, and motor functions of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, few are as comprehensive as the Neurofunction Laboratory. Under development since 1960, the Neurofunction Laboratory presently consists of six different qualitative and quantitative evaluation systems for measuring and evaluating neurologic function. The Neurofunction Laboratory includes: (1) a quantitative neuropsychological examination; (2) an instrumented clinical quantitative neurologic examination; (3) a quantitative simulated activities of daily living examination; (4) a cerebral evoked response examination; (5) a video-neurologic assessment; and (6) a neurologist’s qualitative examination of neurologic function. In addition, a battery of clinical laboratory tests is included to evaluate organ systems and adversities. The instrumented tests have been evaluated for reliability and validity when administered by trained technicians, and for effects of motivation, learning, handedness, age, and sex. The Neurofunction Laboratory has been used in MS clinical trials to evaluate putative therapies. Methods have been developed to reduce data from clinical trials into composite neurologic functions vs time to facilitate the neurologist’s task of determining how near normal function a treatment brings a MS patient. In these ways, the Neurofunction Laboratory offers the neurologist a quantification of the nervous system that is not available with ordinal scale data and hence enables the clinician to assess more objectively the value of a therapeutic treatment.

The Simulated Professional Meeting: A Context for Teaching Oral Presentation in the Technical Communication Course

Each semester, undergraduate technical writing students at The University of Texas at Arlington learn to adapt and present written material orally and visually by participating in a three-or four-day simulated professional meeting. Each student gives a ten-minute oral presentation, followed by a five-minute question-and-answer period. Presentations are grouped in panels of five papers; each panel is moderated by a session chairperson. Students receive copies of the schedule and presentation abstracts prior to the opening sessions. Presentations are evaluated by the students and the instructor for technical content, visuals, and delivery using a standardized evaluation checklist. Students learn to analyze and speak to a heterogeneous audience; to distinguish the strengths and weaknesses of presentations and visuals; and to convey assessments to others in a professional manner.

Using team reporting projects to teach concepts of audience and written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills

A series of team reporting projects is used to teach concepts of audience and communication skills in technical and professional communication courses at the Univ. of Texas at Arlington. Supplemental to conventional reporting assignments, the projects range from short exercises done in a single class period to extended out-of-class projects involving both a literature review and primary research. In each, students work in small, interdisciplinary groups to solve a problem, prepare a team-written report, and deliver an oral presentation. Short exercises are graded by the instructor; the more extensive reporting projects are graded by peers and by the instructor using evaluation checklists.

Other papers: Eight steps to better newsletters

To the new or prospective editor, publishing a professional society newsletter can seem a formidable task. It need not be, however, with proper planning and organization. This paper describes a systematic approach to editing: (1) analyzing the editing task and assessing current publications; (2) considering costs and production alternatives; (3) formulating publication goals and an editorial philosophy; (4) planning a yearly calendar of issues and setting publication deadlines; (5) identifying critical issues and sources of information; (6) establishing methods for obtaining information; (7) creating a distinctive image; and (8) following through. Using a systematic approach simplifies the task of editing and makes it possible to publish newsletters that are accurate, attractive, authoritative, interesting, and readable as well as timely and informative.