bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“I live with other people and not alone”: a survey of the views and experiences of older people using Shared Lives (adult placement)
Authors: Brookes Nadia , Palmer Sinead , Callaghan Lisa
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on the views and experiences of older people using Shared Lives (adult placement) in 2012/2013.

Design/methodology/approach

As part of a survey collecting information about outcomes for older users of Shared Lives issues of whether it had made a difference to quality of life, and positive and negative experiences of support were explored.

Findings

Questionnaires were returned by 150 older people using Shared Lives services. Findings suggest that this model of community-based support has a number of advantages for some older people, such as reducing social isolation and loneliness, promoting independence, choice and control, providing emotional support and increased well-being.

Research limitations/implications

The questionnaire was self-completed and so responses were not followed up to provide deeper insights.

Practical implications

Shared Lives is not appropriate for everyone but it is suggested that this option should form part of local commissioning strategies, be part of a range of options for social care practitioners to consider in their work with older people and helps to meet various current policy imperatives.

Originality/value

The potential of Shared Lives for older people is under-researched and this paper contributes to the literature in exploring the views of older people about family-based support in the community.
Repertoires of responsibility for diabetes management by adults with intellectual disabilities and those who support them
Authors: Rouse Lorna , Finlay W.M.L.
Published: August 2016

The limited existing research on diabetes management and intellectual disabilities (ID) highlights the need for further exploration of the concept of responsibility. This study explored repertoires of responsibility in accounts of managing diabetes for adults with ID. Fourteen semi‐structured interviews were conducted in the UK with seven adults with mild/moderate ID and type 1 or 2 diabetes and seven people who they nominated as supporting their diabetes management. A discursive psychological analysis found that interpretative repertoires relating to competence, independence and accountability were drawn on to construct multiple and sometimes conflicting versions of responsibility. Within these repertoires people with ID were positioned in conflicting ways; as competent, personally responsible, and entitled to independence and choice, but as also lacking competence, dependent on others and incapable of overall accountability. People with ID often took up empowering positions defending against an incompetent identity. Supporters built accounts which negotiated dilemmatic repertoires on the dual responsibilities of empowering adults with ID to self‐manage and managing risk to support good and safe care. The implications of available discursive resources and the ways in which they are mobilised are considered.
Assembling the salon: Learning from alternative forms of body work in dementia care
Authors: Ward Richard , Campbell Sarah , Keady John
Published: August 2016

This article explores the labour and experiences of a hitherto entirely overlooked section of the dementia care workforce: care‐based hairdressers. Reporting on findings from the ESRC‐funded ‘Hair and Care’ project, the analysis and discussion focus upon the ‘doing of hair’ in the context of dementia care. The authors challenge existing assumptions and approaches to the management of appearance in dementia care, arguing for greater recognition of the subjective and culturally meaningful qualities of a visit to the salon. The article draws upon a wider debate on body work as a framework for the discussion, and considers the employment and working conditions of this largely hidden group of workers in the care system. The article offers an account of the praxis of care‐based hairdressing, with particular attention paid to narrative, intercorporeal and place‐making practices in the salon, showing how a particular approach to the body shapes the labour, relationships and activities that unfold within it. The authors argue that as an alternative form of body work much can be learned from hairdressing that can inform and enhance the provision of dementia care.
Biome engineering‐2020
Authors: Brüssow Harald
Published: August 2016

The gut microbiome research is going from a descriptive into an intervention phase. To optimize beneficial microbe–host interaction, we need to understand how to steer the system by modulating the nutrient input with which the system is literally fed (e.g. diets, fibres, prebiotics, human milk oligosaccharides), and we must learn how to modulate the composition of the gut microbiota by adding beneficial microbes (e.g. probiotics, faecal transplants) and by eliminating disturbing microbial members using, for example, bacteriophages in this highly complex ecosystem. The current status of the field is reviewed together with an outlook what might be expected until 2020, highlighting obstacles to progress and possible solutions to these problems.
Boosted Regression Tree Models to Explain Watershed Nutrient Concentrations and Biological Condition
Authors: Golden Heather E. , Lane Charles R. , Prues Amy G. , D'Amico Ellen
Published: August 2016

Boosted regression tree (BRT) models were developed to quantify the nonlinear relationships between landscape variables and nutrient concentrations in a mesoscale mixed land cover watershed during base‐flow conditions. Factors that affect instream biological components, based on the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), were also analyzed. Seasonal BRT models at two spatial scales (watershed and riparian buffered area [RBA]) for nitrite‐nitrate (NO2‐NO3), total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total phosphorus (TP) and annual models for the IBI score were developed. Two primary factors — location within the watershed (i.e., geographic position, stream order, and distance to a downstream confluence) and percentage of urban land cover (both scales) — emerged as important predictor variables. Latitude and longitude interacted with other factors to explain the variability in summer NO2‐NO3 concentrations and IBI scores. BRT results also suggested that location might be associated with indicators of sources (e.g., land cover), runoff potential (e.g., soil and topographic factors), and processes not easily represented by spatial data indicators. Runoff indicators (e.g., Hydrological Soil Group D and Topographic Wetness Indices) explained a substantial portion of the variability in nutrient concentrations as did point sources for TP in the summer months. The results from our BRT approach can help prioritize areas for nutrient management in mixed‐use and heavily impacted watersheds.
Peripartum cardiomyopathy: a systematic literature review
Authors: Ersbøll Anne S. , Damm Peter , Gustafsson Finn , Vejlstrup Niels G. , Johansen Marianne
Published: August 2016

Introduction

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare but potentially fatal disease defined by heart failure towards the end of pregnancy or in the months following delivery. We aim to raise awareness of the condition and give the clinician an overview of current knowledge on the mechanisms of pathophysiology, diagnostics and clinical management.

Material and methods

Systematic literature searches were performed in PubMed and Embase up to June 2016. Cohorts of more than 20 women with PPCM conducted after 2000 were selected to report contemporary outcomes and prognostic data. Guidelines and reviews that provided comprehensive overviews were included, too.

Results

New research on the pathophysiological mechanisms of PPCM points towards a two‐hit multifactorial cause involving genetic factors and an antiangiogenic hormonal environment of late gestation with high levels of prolactin and sFlt‐1. The prevalence of concomitant preeclampsia is high (often 30–45%) and symptoms can be similar, posing diagnostic difficulties. Most women (71–98%) present postpartum. Echocardiography is essential for diagnosis, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging may provide new insights to pathophysiology and prognosis. Management is multidisciplinary and involves advanced heart failure therapy. Treatment, timing and mode of delivery in pregnant women depend on disease severity. The risk of relapse in subsequent pregnancies is >20%, and women are often advised against a new pregnancy.

Conclusions

PPCM has a huge impact on cardiovascular health and reproductive life perspective. New insights into genetics, molecular pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical studies have resulted in potential disease‐specific therapies, but many questions remain unanswered.
Association of human papillomavirus type 16 and its genetic variants with cervical lesion in Korea
Authors: Park Jeong Su , Shin Sue , Kim Eui‐Chong , Kim Ji Eun , Kim Yong Beom , Oh Sohee , Roh Eun Youn , Yoon Jong Hyun
Published: August 2016

Persistent human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) is the major risk factor for cervical cancer. HPV16 intratypic variants differ in their geographical distribution and oncogenic potential. This study aimed to analyze the distribution of HPV16 variants and their association with cervical lesion histopathology in Korean women. In total, 133 HPV16‐positive cervical samples from women admitted to Seoul National University Boramae Hospital were analyzed by sequencing E6, E7, and L1 genes and the long control region (LCR), and the variant distribution according to cervical lesion grade was determined. Isolates were grouped into a phylogenetic lineage, and A1‐3, A4, C, and D sublineages were detected in 54.1, 37.8, 0.7, and 7.4% of samples, respectively. The most commonly observed LCR variations were 7521G>A (91.5%), 7730A>C (59.6%), and 7842G>A (59.6%). Furthermore, A4 or D sublineage‐positive women had a higher risk for cervical cancer than women who were positive for A1–3. Among HPV phylogenetic clusters, A1–3 was the predominant sublineage, and within A1–3, the 350G polymorphism was highly frequent. These results differed from those of previous studies in Korea and other Asian countries. The findings suggest that cervical neoplasia incidence in HPV16‐infected patients could be affected by the distribution of HPV16 variants in the population.
A Bayesian Hierarchical Model for Prediction of Latent Health States from Multiple Data Sources with Application to Active Surveillance of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Coley Rebecca Yates , Fisher Aaron J. , Mamawala Mufaddal , Carter Herbert Ballentine , Pienta Kenneth J. , Zeger Scott L.
Published: August 2016

In this article, we present a Bayesian hierarchical model for predicting a latent health state from longitudinal clinical measurements. Model development is motivated by the need to integrate multiple sources of data to improve clinical decisions about whether to remove or irradiate a patient's prostate cancer. Existing modeling approaches are extended to accommodate measurement error in cancer state determinations based on biopsied tissue, clinical measurements possibly not missing at random, and informative partial observation of the true state. The proposed model enables estimation of whether an individual's underlying prostate cancer is aggressive, requiring surgery and/or radiation, or indolent, permitting continued surveillance. These individualized predictions can then be communicated to clinicians and patients to inform decision-making. We demonstrate the model with data from a cohort of low-risk prostate cancer patients at Johns Hopkins University and assess predictive accuracy among a subset for whom true cancer state is observed. Simulation studies confirm model performance and explore the impact of adjusting for informative missingness on true state predictions. R code is provided in an online supplement and at http://github.com/rycoley/prediction-prostate-surveillance.
Mid‐ to late Holocene environmental separation of the northern and central Baltic Sea basins in response to differential land uplift
Authors: Häusler Katharina , Moros Matthias , Wacker Lukas , Hammerschmidt Lars , Dellwig Olaf , Leipe Thomas , Kotilainen Aarno , Arz Helge W.
Published: August 2016

The Littorina Sea stage (past c. 7000 years) development of the northern, and its interactions with the central Baltic Sea have been influenced by spatially different but in the north very strong glacio‐isostatic uplift. Here we investigate the impact of the isostatic readjustment on the northern Baltic Sea environment and on the water exchange with the central Baltic Sea using geochemical and microfossil records from well‐dated sediment cores of the Bothnian Sea/Bay that are compared to sedimentary records of the Gotland Basin and Landsort Deep. Benthic foraminifera and manganese carbonate layers in the sediments from northern Baltic Sea sub‐basins imply oxic marine intrusions from c. 7.0 cal. ka BP. Related water‐column stratification together with enhanced primary productivity caused oxygen‐depleted bottom waters and deposition of organic‐rich laminated sediments during the Holocene Thermal Maximum. Comparable sedimentary/geochemical records in early Littorina Sea sediments of e.g. the eastern Gotland Basin therefore imply a low impact of isostatic uplift on the northern Baltic Sea environment. A climate‐controlled decline in hypoxia induced a gradual deposition of rather homogenous sediments in the central and northern Baltic Sea during the mid‐Littorina Sea stage. Progressive isostatic uplift caused a diverging environmental development in both basins during the mid‐ to late Littorina Sea stage. The Åland sill shoaled markedly allowing only strong inflows to enter the northern Baltic Sea as late as 2.3 cal. ka BP. The restricted deep‐water exchange with the central Baltic Sea probably resulted in a pronounced freshening and oxic bottom waters. This, together with an uplift‐related sediment re‐deposition induced accumulation of rather homogenous sediments throughout the remaining Littorina Sea stage. By contrast, a climate‐controlled depositional environment in the central Baltic Sea during this time caused the formation of homogeneous sediments during cold phases and laminated sediments during warm phases.
Timing of menarche in girls adopted from China: a cohort study
Authors: Hayes P. , Tan T. X.
Published: August 2016

Background

Girls adopted internationally from some states have been found to have high rates of early puberty, including early menarche. Explanations for the link between international adoption and early puberty include post‐adoption catch‐up growth triggering puberty, and under‐recorded age.

Methods

We compared menarcheal age in a cohort of 814 girls adopted from China into North America against menarcheal ages in girls in China. Adoptive parents provided survey data on their daughters′ weight in 2005 and on menarcheal status and age at menarche in 2011.

Results

Estimated median age at menarche for adopted Chinese girls is 12.37 years (95% CI: 11.84–13.00 years). Estimated prevalence of menarcheal age ≤10.00 years for adopted girls is 3%. These findings are similar to published findings on non‐adopted Chinese girls. The distribution of menarche of adopted girls and non‐adopted girls at the estimated incidence rates P3–P97 are also similar. Among the 609 girls whose parents reported on their weight shortly after adoption, 148 (24.3%) were −2SD or more below the median weight in the WHO weight‐for‐age tables. The proportion of these girls who had attained menarche was not statistically different from other girls.

Conclusions

For girls adopted from China, the age of menarche, the percentage of girls attaining menarche <10 years and the distribution of menarcheal age are all similar to Chinese girls growing up in China.
HIV‐associated neurodevelopmental delay: prevalence, predictors and persistence in relation to antiretroviral therapy initiation and viral suppression
Authors: Strehlau R. , Kuhn L. , Abrams E. J. , Coovadia A.
Published: August 2016

Context

HIV infection in infancy may influence the developing brain, leading to adverse neurodevelopmental consequences.

Objective

We aim to describe neurodevelopmental characteristics of a cohort of HIV‐infected infants and young children prior to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and after achieving viral suppression.

Methods

As part of the Neverest 2 trial, 195 HIV‐infected children under 2 years of age were assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) prior to ART initiation and at subsequent age‐appropriate time points after ART had been started. The ASQ is a simple screening questionnaire used to identify children at risk of neurodevelopmental delays. Questionnaires completed by the parent/caregiver assess neurodevelopmental functioning in five domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving and personal–social.

Results

Median age pre‐ART was 8.8 months (range 2.2–24.9) and 53.9% were male. Mean time to viral suppression was 9.4 months (range 5.9–14.5). Compared with pre‐ART better outcomes were reported at time of viral suppression with a lower proportion of children failing the gross motor (31.5% vs. 13%, p = 0.0002), fine motor (21.3% vs. 10.2%, p = 0.017), problem solving (26.9% vs. 9.3%, p = 0.0003) and personal–social (19.6% vs. 7.4%, p = 0.019) domains. However, there was no change in the communication domain (14.8% vs. 12.0%, p = 0.6072).

Conclusion

Although achieving viral suppression on ART resulted in significant improvements in markers of neurodevelopmental function of young HIV‐infected children, potential neurodevelopmental delays still persisted in a large proportion. Further interventions are needed to limit potential disabilities and maximize developmental outcomes.
Lack of evidence of rotavirus-dependent molecular mimicry as a trigger of coeliac disease
Authors: Ziberna F , De Lorenzo G , Schiavon V , Arnoldi F , Quaglia S , De Leo L , Vatta S , Martelossi S , Burrone O R , Ventura A , Not T
Published: August 2016

New data suggest the involvement of rotavirus (RV) in triggering autoimmunity in coeliac disease (CD) by molecular mimicry between the human-transglutaminase protein and the dodecapeptide (260-271 aa) of the RV protein VP7 (pVP7). To assess the role of RV in the onset of CD, we measured anti-pVP7 antibodies in the sera of children with CD and of control groups. We analysed serum samples of 118 biopsy-proven CD patients and 46 patients with potential CD; 32 children with other gastrointestinal diseases; 107 no-CD children and 107 blood donors. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay, we measured immunoglobulin (Ig)A–IgG antibodies against the synthetic peptides pVP7, the human transglutaminase-derived peptide (476–487 aa) which shows a homology with VP7 protein and a control peptide. The triple-layered RV particles (TLPs) containing the VP7 protein and the double-layered RV-particles (DLPs) lacking the VP7 protein were also used as antigens in ELISA assay. Antibody reactivity to the RV-TLPs was positive in 22 of 118 (18%) CD patients and in both paediatric (17 of 107, 16%) and adult (29 of 107, 27%) control groups, without showing a statistically significant difference among them (P = 0·6, P = 0·1). Biopsy-proven CD patients as well as the adult control group demonstrated a high positive antibody reactivity against both pVP7 (34 of 118, 29% CD patients; 66 of 107, 62% adult controls) and control synthetic peptides (35 of 118, 30% CD patients; 56 of 107, 52% adult controls), suggesting a non-specific response against RV pVP7. We show that children with CD do not have higher immune reactivity to RV, thus questioning the molecular mimicry mechanism as a triggering factor of CD.
Eighteen‐month‐old infants show distinct electrophysiological responses to their own faces
Authors: Stapel Janny C. , van Wijk Ilse , Bekkering Harold , Hunnius Sabine
Published: August 2016

Infants attain the developmental milestone of self‐recognition around 18 to 24 months of age. At 18 months of age, half of the infant population typically shows signs of self‐recognition in the classic mirror test. The current study examined the functional neural correlates of the perception of self in infancy. Eighteen‐month‐old infants observed photographs of their own face, the face of an unfamiliar infant, the face of their caregiver, and the face of an unfamiliar caregiver, while their EEG was registered. The results show that infants show an enhanced response to their own face compared to other faces. The N290, an established face‐selective ERP component in infants, was larger for observation of their own face compared to others’ faces. In addition to the EEG task, the mirror test was administered. Half of the infants in our sample recognized themselves in the mirror. However, there were no differences in the ERP responses between the infants who did and did not recognize themselves in the mirror. This suggests that a distinction between the neural response to self and to others does not necessarily express itself in self‐recognition behavior.
Growth-Friendly Tax Structures: An Indicator-Based Approach
Authors: Wöhlbier Florian , Mourre Gilles , Astarita Caterina
Published: August 2016

This paper designs a horizontal indicator-based assessment methodology aimed at identifying those EU countries presenting a potential need and scope for shifting taxation away from labour to other tax bases less detrimental to growth. The assessment methodology, as a first step, selects a set of indicators measuring specific aspects of tax policy. Subsequently, for each individual indicator, performance thresholds are calculated based on a benchmarking approach. Finally, a screening algorithm based on commonly accepted findings from the relevant economic literature is used to assess the overall performance of a country in two policy areas, namely the need for a tax shift and the scope for it. Various robustness checks are performed.
Phantosmia and Migraine With and Without Headache
Authors: Jion Yasmin I. , Grosberg Brian M. , Evans Randolph W.
Published: August 2016

Phantosmia is a rare migraine aura. We present two cases of phantosmias occurring before migraine headaches and also without headaches. To our knowledge, these are the third and fourth cases of phantosmias ever reported due to migraine aura without headache.
A review of the impact of processing on nutrient bioaccessibility and digestion of almonds
Authors: Grundy Myriam Marie‐Louise , Lapsley Karen , Ellis Peter Rory
Published: August 2016

Almond kernels contain phytochemicals and nutrients that potentially have positive health benefits in relation to heart disease, diabetes and obesity. One important mechanism associated with these benefits is an imposed limit on bioaccessibility (release) of nutrients, such as lipids, from almond tissue during mastication and digestion. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of food structure during the digestion of plant foods. In particular, in the almond kernel, depending on its structure and degree of processing, the amount of lipid released from the almond tissue matrix and the fatty acids produced from lipolysis has been found to vary substantially. This review aims at discussing the commercial methods of almond processing and the different almond forms produced for human consumption, mainly with respect to their impact on nutrient composition, digestion and metabolism.
External stent versus double J drainage in patients with radical cystectomy and orthotopic urinary diversion: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Osman Yasser , Harraz Ahmed M , Barakat Tamer S , El‐Halwagy Samer , Mosbah Ahmed , Abol‐Enein Hassan , Shaaban Atallah A
Published: August 2016

Objectives

To compare treatment‐related outcomes of ureteral stenting with an external versus double J stent in patients with orthotopic reservoirs after radical cystectomy.

Methods

Patients undergoing radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder were randomized into two groups; group I patients received external stents, whereas group II received double J stents. In both groups, preoperative parameters were recorded, and patients were assessed regarding urinary tract infection, urinary leakage, upper tract deterioration, readmission and hospital stay.

Results

A total of 48 and 45 patients were randomized in the external stent group and double J group, respectively. Both groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, associated comorbidity and oncological status. Early urinary leak was observed in two patients (4.2%) in the external stent group, and in two patients (4.4%) in the double J group (P = 0.95). None of our patients developed ureteral strictures in the external stent group, and one patient did in the double J group (P = 0.3). Positive urine culture (58.3%, 51.1%) as well as febrile urinary tract infections (2.1%, 6.7%) were comparable between both groups, respectively (P = 0.43, 0.28). Wound complications (12.5%, 8.9%) and stent‐related complications (2.1%, 0%) were comparable between both groups, respectively (P = 0.57, 0.33). The mean hospital stay was 17.5 days (range 14–32 days) and 14.6 days (range 10–42 days) in both groups, respectively (P = 0.001), with comparable re‐admission rates (P = 0.95).

Conclusions

Incorporation of double J stents in orthotopic urinary diversion is a safe alternative to the routinely used external stenting.
Use of advanced technologies across the wound care spectrum: prologue
Authors: Kirsner Robert S , Romanelli Marco
Published: August 2016

Abstract

The growing trends of ageing populations and increasing prevalence of diabetes have given rise to an expanding number of problematic acute and chronic wounds. Over the past two decades, the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) with and without instillation of topical wound solutions has expanded to include treatment of a large variety of wounds. Additionally, the use of NPWT specifically designed for use over closed surgical incisions has been associated with favourable results. The recent introduction of an automated epidermal harvesting system, which neither creates a donor site wound nor requires the use of a surgeon, operating room or anaesthesia, has facilitated the use of epidermal grafting. This supplement highlights some of the advanced wound approaches that have been developed to address challenging wounds and the growing burden of wound care affecting both the patient and the health care system.
Preparation and Characterization of UltraHigh‐Temperature Ternary Ceramics Ta4HfC5
Authors: Jiang Jinming , Wang Song , Li Wei
Published: August 2016

Tantalum hafnium carbide (Ta4HfC5) powders were synthesized by solvothermal treatment and carbothermal reduction reactions from an inorganic hybrid. Tantalum pentachloride, hafnium chloride, and phenolic resin were used as the sources of tantalum, hafnium, and carbon, respectively. Pyrolysis of the complexes at 1000°C/1 h initiated the carbothermal reduction to result in multiplex phases including tantalum carbide and hafnium oxide which after heat treatment at 1400°C–1600°C transformed to single‐phase solid solution Ta4HfC5 by solid solution reaction. The mean crystallite size of Ta4HfC5 particles was less than 80 nm, and the composition of Ta, Hf, and C elements was near stoichiometric and homogeneously distributed in the powder samples. XRD pattern for Ta4HfC5 powders was analyzed.
Familial aggregation of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Chen Qi , Brikell Isabell , Lichtenstein Paul , Serlachius Eva , Kuja‐Halkola Ralf , Sandin Sven , Larsson Henrik
Published: August 2016

Background

Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) aggregates in families. To date, the strength, pattern, and characteristics of the familial aggregation have not been thoroughly assessed in a population‐based family sample.

Methods

In this cohort study, we identified relative pairs of twins, full and half‐siblings, and full and half cousins from 1,656,943 unique individuals born in Sweden between 1985 and 2006. The relatives of index persons were followed from their third birthday to 31 December 2009 for ADHD diagnosis. Birth year adjusted hazard ratio (HR), that is, the rate of ADHD in relatives of ADHD‐affected index persons compared with the rate of ADHD in relatives of unaffected index persons, was estimated in the different types of relatives using Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

During the follow‐up, 31,865 individuals were diagnosed with ADHD (male to female ratio was 3.7). The birth year adjusted HRs were as follows: 70.45 for monozygotic twins; 8.44 for dizygotic twins; 8.27 for full siblings; 2.86 for maternal half‐siblings; 2.31 for paternal half‐siblings; 2.24 for full cousins; 1.47 for half cousins. Maternal half‐siblings had significantly higher HR than in paternal half‐siblings. The HR did not seem to be affected by index person's sex. Full siblings of index persons with ADHD diagnosis present at age 18 or older had a higher rate of ADHD (HR: 11.49) than full siblings of index persons with ADHD diagnosis only before age 18 (HR: 4.68).

Conclusions

Familial aggregation of ADHD increases with increasing genetic relatedness. The familial aggregation is driven by not only genetic factors but also a small amount of shared environmental factors. Persistence of ADHD into adulthood indexes stronger familial aggregation of ADHD.
Chemical Deterioration of Lotus Seeds During Storage
Authors: Luo Huo‐Lin , Liu Xing‐Xing , Huang Xue‐Yong , Dai Xi‐Mo , Zhang Min , Fang Fei‐Fei , Luo Li‐Ping
Published: August 2016

Starch, protein and lipids, the major components in lotus seeds, affected taste and cooking properties of the food. The chemical compositions, gelatinization properties, crystal structure of the starch, compositions of fatty acids and soluble protein of lotus seeds, stored for 24 months, 12 months and as fresh were studied. The overall starch, protein and lipid contents in lotus seeds remained unchanged during storage, but structural changes occurred. The contents of amylose and free fatty acid increased significantly during prolonged storage, but the solubility of protein decreased dramatically. The increases of onset temperature, peak temperature and gelatinization enthalpy of lotus seed starch were also studied by a differential scanning calorimetry. Its content especially for disulfide bonds, increased from 63.24 to 95.59 μ mol/g. All changes had significant correlation with storage time and ultimately denatured the sensory quality of selected aged lotus seeds. The study could be conductive to fresh lotus seed discrimination from stale seed, and dynamic monitoring of lotus seed, by determination chemical deterioration of lotus seeds during storage.

Practical Applications

This study is helpful to discriminate fresh lotus seed from stale seed, and explain aging mechanism, and put forward the improvement measures of lotus seed storage conditions.
Mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Bose Anindita , Beal M. Flint
Published: August 2016

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. About 2% of the population above the age of 60 is affected by the disease. The pathological hallmarks of the disease include the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the presence of Lewy bodies that are made of α‐synuclein. Several theories have been suggested for the pathogenesis of PD, of which mitochondrial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in both sporadic and familial forms of the disease. Dysfunction of the mitochondria that is caused by bioenergetic defects, mutations in mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA gene mutations linked to mitochondria, and changes in dynamics of the mitochondria such fusion or fission, changes in size and morphology, alterations in trafficking or transport, altered movement of mitochondria, impairment of transcription, and the presence of mutated proteins associated with mitochondria are implicated in PD. In this review, we provide a detailed overview of the mechanisms that can cause mitochondrial dysfunction in PD. We bring to the forefront, new signaling pathways such as the retromer‐trafficking pathway and its implication in the disease and also provide a brief overview of therapeutic strategies to improve mitochondrial defects in PD.

image

Bioenergetic defects, mutations in mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA gene mutations, alterations in mitochondrial dynamics, alterations in trafficking/transport and mitochondrial movement, abnormal size and morphology, impairment of transcription and the presence of mutated proteins associated with mitochondria are implicated in PD. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms underlying mitochondrial dysfunction in PD and bring to the forefront new signaling pathways that may be involved in PD. We also provide an overview of therapeutic strategies to improve mitochondrial defects in PD.

This article is part of a special issue on Parkinson disease.
Approaches to daily body condition management in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Kawada Terue
Published: August 2016

Aim and objective

To clarify the characteristics of sub‐groups of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease having similar approaches to daily body condition management.

Background

Prior literature has shed light on the experience of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and revealed that these patients engage in many activities and try different things in their daily lives to regulate and manage their body condition. The research so far has all been qualitative, comprising mostly interviews, and no quantitative studies have been performed. In this study, cluster analysis was used to show that subgroups of patients with similar characteristics undertake similar approaches to body condition management.

Design

Descriptive, correlational study.

Methods

Invitations to participate in the survey were extended to patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cluster analysis was performed on the basis of questionnaire scores relating to nine different categories of daily body condition management actions. The characteristics of the body condition management approaches, in each subgroup, were investigated using analysis of variance and multiple comparisons.

Results

The cluster analysis produced six subgroups, each defined by the effort expended as part of their body condition management. The subgroups also differed depending on patient age and disease severity.

Conclusion

Body condition management approaches taken by patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are overall, comprehensive approaches.

Relevance to clinical practice

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were subgrouped based on their engagement in body conditioning. Relationships between the subgroups and the engagement in body conditioning, age and shortness of breath severity were observed. The care of patient support should be comprehensive and depend on their age and the duration of the disease. In addition, it should be long term and recognise that the patients are living their own respective lives. Such considerations and focused perspectives are what we think will lead to an improvement in patients' quality of life and prevent their condition from worsening.
CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE? THE ECONOMICS OF MIDDLE‐INCOME TRAPS
Authors: Agénor Pierre‐Richard
Published: August 2016

This paper provides an overview of the recent analytical and empirical literature on middle‐income traps. The first part examines the descriptive and statistical evidence on these traps. The second discusses the various arguments that have been put forward to explain the existence, and persistence, of middle‐income traps. These arguments include diminishing returns to physical capital, exhaustion of cheap labor and imitation gains, insufficient quality of human capital, inadequate contract enforcement and intellectual property protection, distorted incentives and misallocation of talent, lack of access to advanced infrastructure, and lack of access to finance, especially in the form of venture capital. The third part considers public policies aimed at avoiding, and escaping from, middle‐income traps. The concluding part identifies a number of directions in which the empirical and theoretical literature could fruitfully evolve.
Impact of prenatal and postnatal exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos on the contraction of rat ileal muscle strips: involvement of an inducible nitric oxide synthase‐dependent pathway
Authors: Darwiche W. , Delanaud S. , Dupont S. , Ghamlouch H. , Ramadan W. , Joumaa W. , Bach V. , Gay‐Quéheillard J.
Published: August 2016

Background

Prenatal/postnatal exposure to insecticides has been linked to developmental disorders in adulthood. Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is a widely used organophosphorus acetylcholinesterase (AChE)‐inhibiting insecticide. The present study established whether prenatal and postnatal exposure to CPF is associated with intestinal motor dysfunction in adult rats.

Methods

Three groups of pregnant rats were exposed to either CPF (1 or 5 mg/kg/day; the CPF1 and CPF5 groups) or vehicle (the control group) by gavage from gestational day 1 until weaning. At weaning, the pups were separated from their dams and individually gavaged (with the same dose) until postnatal day 60. We then measured in vivo intestinal transit and the in vitro contractile responses of ileal smooth muscle strips to electrical field stimulation. Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the ileum was determined using qRT‐PCR and immunoblots. Morphometry and AChE assays were also performed.

Key Results

At adulthood, the mean body mass was lower in the CPF1 and CPF5 groups than in controls. CPF5 exposure was associated with weaker in vitro contraction of ileal muscle strips, which was reversed by adding the NOS inhibitor (L‐NAME). There was no significant intergroup difference in the mean in vivo transit time. Exposure to CPF was associated with greater iNOS expression, lower AChE activity and reduced circular and longitudinal smooth muscle thickness.

Conclusions & Inferences

Prenatal and postnatal exposure to CPF in the rat is associated with weaker contraction of ileal longitudinal smooth muscle via a nitrergic mechanism with increased iNOS expression.
Highly efficient gene tagging in the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens using the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Tnt1 retrotransposon
Authors: Vives Cristina , Charlot Florence , Mhiri Corinne , Contreras Beatriz , Daniel Julien , Epert Aline , Voytas Daniel F. , Grandbastien Marie‐Angèle , Nogué Fabien , Casacuberta Josep M.
Published: August 2016

Because of its highly efficient homologous recombination, the moss Physcomitrella patens is a model organism particularly suited for reverse genetics, but this inherent characteristic limits forward genetic approaches.

Here, we show that the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) retrotransposon Tnt1 efficiently transposes in P. patens, being the first retrotransposon from a vascular plant reported to transpose in a bryophyte. Tnt1 has a remarkable preference for insertion into genic regions, which makes it particularly suited for gene mutation.

In order to stabilize Tnt1 insertions and make it easier to select for insertional mutants, we have developed a two‐component system where a mini‐Tnt1 with a retrotransposition selectable marker can only transpose when Tnt1 proteins are co‐expressed from a separate expression unit.

We present a new tool with which to produce insertional mutants in P. patens in a rapid and straightforward manner that complements the existing molecular and genetic toolkit for this model species.
Severe West Nile virus meningoencephalitis in a pediatric renal transplant recipient: successful recovery and long‐term neuropsychological outcome
Authors: Lambert S. L. , Aviles D. , Vehaskari V. M. , Ashoor I. F.
Published: August 2016

West Nile Virus is an arbovirus that has rapidly spread throughout the United States since the first case was described in Queens, New York in 1999. There has been increasing reports of both community‐acquired and organ‐derived infections in renal transplant recipients. In immunocompromised individuals, WNV infection is a life‐threatening disease with significant neurological morbidity. We report the only pediatric case of community‐acquired WNV disease in a renal transplant recipient to undergo detailed long‐term neuropsychological assessment. Increased surveillance and prompt treatment of WNV meningoencephalitis is critical, and our report highlights the effectiveness of immunosuppression reduction without compromising allograft outcomes.
The Effects of Agglomeration and National Property Rights on Digital Confidentiality Performance
Authors: Massimino Brett , Gray John V. , Boyer Kenneth K.
Published: August 2016

In recent years, instances of organizations failing to maintain digital confidentiality performance have greatly increased in frequency and monetary damage. While the global sourcing of activities in the development of digital assets is widespread, very little is known about how location‐related factors may affect confidentiality outcomes. Addressing this, we empirically investigate two factors with rich theoretical bases and logical linkages to confidentiality: industrial agglomeration and national property rights protections. We conduct a large‐scale, empirical study at the product level of analysis, and treat the confidentiality of a digital product as a performance outcome that is affected by the locations of the two key organizational entities involved in the product's development. We leverage modern, web‐crawling methods to harvest secondary data from a major, illicit distribution channel for these products and combine these data with other secondary data involving legitimate commerce to derive a secondary measure of confidentiality performance. We find robust results, and demonstrate practical significance of our findings through scenario analyses based on actual data from our sample.
Dynamics of sperm DNA fragmentation in raw boar semen and fertility
Authors: Batista C , van Lier E , Petrocelli H
Published: August 2016

Contents

The aims were to evaluate sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) in boars through the dispersion of their chromatin in raw semen samples, quantifying the extent of SDF, and to assess dynamic aspects of sperm DNA damage after incubation to obtain the rate of sperm DNA fragmentation (rSDF) under thermal conditions similar to the uterus (37°C) over a period of up to 24 hr and to correlate the reproductive outcome of the sows with the SDF of the boars at ejaculation. The study was performed on a pig‐breeding farm in southern Uruguay. Sixty‐one ejaculates from five of the most frequently used hybrid boars were evaluated. Semen was collected weekly from each of the boars, using the gloved‐hand technique and discarding the jelly‐like fraction of the ejaculate. Fresh semen was kept in a water bath at 37°C and protected from light, and was thereafter processed with Sperm‐Sus‐Halomax® to evaluate SDF. The smears for time 0 (T0) were made on farm, and thereafter smears were made at the laboratory at 4 hr of obtaining the semen (T4), then every 2 hr (T6, T8, T10, T12) and a final fixation at 24 hr (T24). Differences in SDF were observed among exposure times for all boars (p < .05), but not between T10 and T12 (p = .7751) nor T4 and T24 (p = .9113). In none of the T24 samples, sperm heads could be seen with chromatin dispersion halos. Furthermore, there were differences among boars when comparing sperm rSDF (p < .05). Farrowing rate was not affected by SDF at T0 (r = .38, p = .75), nor was litter size (r = .16, p = .70). With the present experimental conditions, we have not been able to show a relationship between sperm DNA fragmentation at ejaculation and reproductive performance. However, this could be a result of the low number of ejaculates and boars used.
Systematic review of evidence on the effectiveness of safe child faeces disposal interventions
Authors: Morita Tomohiko , Godfrey Samuel , George Christine Marie
Published: August 2016

Objectives

To review and synthesise the available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions targeting unsafe child faeces disposal in reducing this behaviour and improving child health in low‐ and middle‐income countries.

Methods

PubMed and EMBASE were systematically searched. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were reviewed and key information on study methodologies and outcomes were extracted.

Results

A total of 1048 articles were screened, and eight studies representing five countries were included for the review. Three were randomised controlled trials, and five were prospective cohort studies. There was wide variability across studies in the definition of ‘safe disposal’ of child faeces. Six studies reported the change in child faeces disposal practices associated with safe child faeces disposal interventions. However, only one study found a significant improvement in this behaviour. Two of the six studies that evaluated the health impact of delivered interventions found significant reductions in childhood diarrhoea associated with safe faeces disposal practices, and one study reported a positive effect on child growth and ascariasis. Only one study was identified that delivered a single intervention solely focused on safe child faeces disposal. Unfortunately, this study did not investigate the impact of this intervention on child health.

Conclusions

There are major methodological limitations in studies that assessed the impact of safe child faeces disposal interventions. The health impact of these interventions is inconclusive because the quality of the current evidence is poor. Randomised controlled trials are urgently needed to assess the impact of safe faeces disposal interventions on child health.
A novel ABO O allele caused by a large deletion covering two exons of the ABO gene identified in a Caucasian family showing discrepant ABO blood typing results
Authors: Matzhold Eva M. , Drexler Camilla , Wagner Thomas
Published: August 2016

BACKGROUND

The presence of ABO subgroup alleles and unusual O alleles often is associated with discrepant serologic findings in ABO blood group typing. In the ABO gene of a Caucasian female and her daughters who had aberrant ABO phenotypes, a novel ABO O allele characterized by a large deletion that included two exons was identified.

METHODS

ABO phenotypes were determined by standard agglutination tests and adsorption‐elution studies. Allele‐specific sequencing analyses of the ABO gene as well as messenger RNA transcripts were carried out.

RESULTS

All three samples showed the same discrepant ABO blood typing results lacking A and B antigens, indicating Blood Group O, whereas anti‐A1 and anti‐A2 isoagglutinins were not detectable in reverse typing. Analyses of the ABO gene revealed a novel allele characterized by a deletion of 2169 base pairs, including sequences of Intron 1, Exon 2, Intron 2, Exon 3, and Intron 3. Exon 1 was directly joined to Exon 4 in the ABO transcript.

CONCLUSION

Because the novel allele was associated with a well‐described O allele, the absence of A‐antigens in the inherited ABO subtype phenotype may be due to the identified mutation affecting the transmembrane‐spanning domain of the encoded protein and impairing the transferase activity.