bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sibling Ties
Authors: Bedford Victoria Hilkevitch , Avioli Paula Smith
Published: December 2015

Sibling ties in adulthood are extremely diverse. They vary by genetic relatedness, by structural features (such as ordinal position and number of siblings), and by siblings' biological and legal relationship. Nonetheless, siblings have commonalities, including the lifelong adverse effects of parental favoritism on their relationship and the importance of egalitarianism in their exchanges of support. Compared to friends, affection is more important for exchange of support to occur, and it is siblings' differences, not similarities, that tend to promote these exchanges. Cultural variations are noteworthy; Filipino American siblings stay more in contact and have less conflict than any other siblings in the United States. Some cultures, such as Korean, have witnessed radical changes in the sibling relationship over time. Interventions are needed throughout life that promote sibling affection and support in later life.
Seattle Longitudinal Study Methods
Authors: Warner Schaie K.
Published: December 2015

The Seattle Longitudinal Study has charted the course of selected cognitive abilities from young adulthood through advanced old age, including individual differences, differential patterns of change, and cohort differences. Contextual, health, and personality variables have been identified that explain many of the individual differences in change and provide a basis for the investigation of interventions designed to slow cognitive aging. Normal cognitive aging has been related to issues of early diagnosis of dementia. Parent–offspring and sibling similarity have been studied, as have the influence of original and current family environments on adult cognitive performance. More recently the study has investigated the influence of the APOE gene and health behaviors on normal aging, as well as the relationship between brain changes studied by means of structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging of selected subsamples of normally aging individuals. Significant contributions have also been made to research methods for investigating aging and to theoretical conceptions of normal aging.
Cross‐lagged Panel Analysis
Authors: Newsom Jason T.
Published: December 2015

Models that examine the longitudinal effects of two or more variables are valuable for theory testing in adult development and aging research. Cross‐lagged panel models investigate questions about causal precedence by estimating the effects of a putative cause on a putative effect over some time interval while statistically controlling the value of the outcome variable measured at the initial time point. The goals of cross‐lagged panel models, their relationship to analysis of covariance, how they contrast with analysis of difference scores, and their implementation with structural equation modeling are considered.
Implicit Learning and Memory
Authors: Howard Darlene V. , Howard James H.
Published: December 2015

Implicitlearningrefers to acquiring information about structural relations among objects or events without intending to learn or being aware of what has been learned. Implicitmemoryrefers to instances where the effects of prior experience (usually individual items or events) are revealed even in the absence of conscious recollection of those experiences. Unlike their explicit counterparts, which typically show age‐related declines, age differences are sometimes reduced or eliminated entirely in situations meant to assess implicit learning and memory. Nonetheless, the evidence is mixed and has become increasingly so as studies of implicit learning and memory have increased in number and sophistication. There is growing evidence that there are various forms of implicit learning and memory and that these forms differ both in their neural substrates and in the extent to which they decline with age.
Labor Force Participation and Care Provision
Authors: Lottes Jost , Neal Margaret B.
Published: December 2015

The vast majority of care of elders is provided by family members, many of whom are also in the paid labor force. Combining work and caregiving responsibilities has both positive and negative physical and mental health outcomes for employees whereas caregiving can negatively affect organizations via productivity losses through employees. Organizations can assist employees who are informal caregivers by implementing various types of workplace supports, thereby increasing employee organizational commitment and job satisfaction as well as reducing work–family conflict and depression.
Emotional Labor
Authors: Zhan Yujie
Published: December 2015

The rise of the service sector has contributed to the growth of research attention and effort devoted to emotional labor. Since the first seminal work on emotional labor by Arlie Russell Hochschild, extensive research has been conducted to understand the nature, consequences, and antecedents of emotional labor. The conceptualizations of emotional labor have shifted from job‐centered characteristics and expectations to person‐centered intrapsychic processes. Emotion regulation theories have been applied to explain the emotional labor process. Various conceptualizations, theoretical perspectives, and major findings are reviewed and discussed in the entry.
Ethics of Aging
Authors: Faul Anna C. , D'Ambrosio Joseph G.
Published: December 2015

The ethics of aging has become a complex system using a variety of ethical approaches and requiring multifaceted analysis within a decision‐making framework. This entry reviews the ethics of aging exploring various models of ethical reasoning and current ethical aging issues. With advances in medical technology and the growing aging population, ethical reasoning has risen to a prominent place in the aging community. Issues include long‐term care arrangements, dementia care, guardianship, older adult suicide, euthanasia, and generational equity.
In‐Law Relationships
Authors: Jean Turner M.
Published: December 2015

The in‐law relationship is an extremely complex relationship in the family network effecting individual development and quality of life across the adult lifespan. The multifaceted developmental dimensions of these relationships, which usually begin in early adulthood, become a central component of family interactions across the rest of life. Generally, a minimum of four primary and at least two peripheral individuals begin in‐law relationships following marriage of a younger couple. The in‐law relationships primarily considered in this entry are between daughters/daughters‐in‐law, mothers/mothers‐in‐law, sons/sons‐in‐law, and fathers/fathers‐in‐law. Peripheral relationships include each partner's grandparents and siblings or steprelations on either side of the newly formed family. No other family relationship has received so much negative attention and carries so many negative expectations. Yet, less than 1% of the research about family relationships has examined in‐law relationships.
Gender and Physical Health in Later Life
Authors: Deeg Dorly J. H.
Published: December 2015

The existence of gender differences in health at older ages has been well established in reports from single countries as well as from cross‐national research and can be summarized as “women are sicker but live longer than men.” The gender gap in health is pervasive affecting most aspects of health. This entry reviews the gender gap in the respective stages of the disablement process and explanations for it, as well as differences in the rate of development of disability in individual men and women. Women's greater longevity is believed to drive much of the gender difference in health.
Delirium
Authors: Fleet James , Martin Finbarr C.
Published: December 2015

Delirium is a neuropsychiatric condition characterized by an acute and fluctuating disorder of attention and cognition, linked to one or more triggering factors. It is particularly common in older people and those with dementia and, in frail older people, may be the only indicator of a serious underlying disorder. Delirium remains underrecognized despite the development of robust tools used for recognition and is associated with an increased risk of death, institutionalization, and cognitive decline, even in those without prior cognitive impairment. Up to a third of cases are preventable through tailored multicomponent nonpharmacological interventions, with education playing a key role. Implementation of effective interventions across healthcare environments is a considerable challenge. Recent advances have furthered our still nascent understanding of the pathophysiology of delirium and provided paradigms for the use of drugs in treatment and prevention.
Longevity, Social Determinants
Authors: Tufan Ismail
Published: December 2015

Life expectancy is one of the principal concepts of gerontology. Opportunities enabling continuation of life into middle and advanced older ages reflect the experience of personal aging along a life‐course trajectory within a specific sociocultural context. While we are all living longer there are some who are livingmuchlonger, which in essence is a reflection of life expectancy inequalities. While this entry presents information about social determinants of longevity, the primary focus is on human longevity in relation to social class status. Improving life expectancy across all societies is deemed to be a matter of social justice as well as an ethical and moral imperative.
Marital Relationships and Quality
Authors: Bookwala Jamila
Published: December 2015

Although diverse partnered relationships are increasingly prevalent in today's society, marriage remains perhaps the most intimate and important relationship in middle and late adulthood. Spousal relationships during this period can be marked by both happiness and conflict. Health and life transitions are linked with changes in the marital relationship. Sexual intimacy remains an important component of marriage during these years. Being married is associated with significant psychological and physical benefits, especially for men; however, the quality of the marital relationship is also critical in the benefits accrued. Spouses remain a key source of support during the middle and late adulthood years, especially in the domains of health promotion and cognitive function.
Adult Protective Services
Authors: Teaster Pamela B. , Duke Joy O. , Lipke Ciana
Published: December 2015

Adult protective services (APS) are provided to older people and people with disabilities in danger of being mistreated or neglected, unable to protect themselves, and with no one to assist them. In most states, APS programs respond to the reports people make concerning the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults. These programs exist in all 50 US states but serve different age groups and provide different types of services. Each APS social worker walks a line between a commitment to the safety and well‐being of the client and a commitment to the client's liberty. Created by state statutes and regulations, APS were included in the Elder Justice Act (2010). Though unfunded, the potential exists to bring APS under the aegis of a federal umbrella and to provide more secure funding and uniformity of practice.
Multilevel Modeling
Authors: Walters Ryan W. , Hoffman Lesa
Published: December 2015

Multilevel models (MLM) for longitudinal data have become one of the most important analytic tools for examining individual change in research on aging and adult development. This entry introduces the primary rationale for and concerns in estimating an MLM for longitudinal outcomes. It highlights the benefits of MLM over repeated‐measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), builds an example two‐level MLM for individual change over time, describes the intricacies of modeling time‐varying predictors, and discusses several considerations for estimating MLMs using accelerated time metrics. Researchers willing to learn and implement MLMs for longitudinal data will find their efforts to be more than worthwhile given the capacity of these models to not only provide the most rigorous answers to age‐old questions but also generate new avenues for aging research.
Practice, Expertise, and Aging
Authors: Dyson Benjamin J.
Published: December 2015

Expertise as a potential insulating factor against cognitive decline in older adults has been explored in a number of domains. Some of the main foci of the literature revolve around the magnitude of the effect (criterion effects), the possibility that such exposure may transfer to other domains (near‐ and far‐transfer effects), and persistence across time. Despite concerns regarding the quality of comparison with control groups, the inevitably nonblind nature of studies, and the ultimate contributions of nature and nurture, expertise appears to preserve specific pockets of cognitive excellence in older adults.
Intergenerational and Family Ties of Baby Boomers
Authors: Mitchell Barbara A.
Published: December 2015

The intergenerational and family ties of baby boomers (born 1946 to 1965) remain important throughout the life course and are becoming increasingly important as life expectancy rises. These relationships refer to the links between baby boomers and individuals or groups of different ages and generations. The nature and quality of intergenerational ties reflect cultural norms and preferences and/or economic need and affect key aspects of family life such as family structure, living arrangements, and exchanges of affective and instrumental support. These ties also have implications for the development and health and well‐being of family members. Intergenerational and family ties of baby boomers are highly diverse and mirror significant sociodemographic and political change (e.g., due to population aging) and socioeconomic inequities in family life.
Fictive Kin
Authors: Allen Katherine R.
Published: December 2015

Fictive kin refers to the creation or substitution of family‐like relations among individuals who are not related by blood, marriage, or adoption. The purpose of fictive kin is to expand social support networks through a system of reciprocity among nonrelatives or very distant relations. Families who have used fictive kin strategies have often experienced social marginalization or economic hardships due to racism, ageism, homophobia, and other sources of stratification. Fictive kin is an adaptive strategy for dealing with family diversity and social change.
Seattle Longitudinal Study Findings
Authors: Warner Schaie K.
Published: December 2015

The Seattle Longitudinal Study has charted the course of selected cognitive abilities from young adulthood through advanced old age. It has investigated individual differences and differential patterns of change. Contextual, health, and personality variables have been identified that explain many of the individual differences in change and provide a basis for interventions designed to slow cognitive aging. Major findings regarding five major questions related to normal cognitive aging are reported here: Does intelligence change uniformly throughout adulthood, or are there different life‐course ability patterns? At what age is there a reliably detectable decrement in ability, and what is its magnitude? What are the patterns of generational differences, and what are their magnitudes? What accounts for individual differences in age‐related cognitive changes in adulthood? Can intellectual decline with increasing age be reversed by educational intervention?
Nursing Home Deficiencies
Authors: Hyer Kathryn , Caudron Alexandre
Published: December 2015

In the United States, deficiencies are issued to nursing homes that have failed to comply with the minimum published federal and state requirements for operating a nursing home. Generally, deficiencies are found during routine inspections conducted by trained surveyors employed by the state's nursing home regulatory agency but who also act on behalf of the federal government. Deficiencies are rated on both scope (number of residents affected) and severity (level of harm). Scope and severity are reported as deficiency scores that are publically reported on the website Nursing Home Compare and are one component of the federal nursing homes quality star rating. Facilities found deficient must provide evidence that they will remedy the deficiency in order to continue to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid nursing home program.
Physical Health and Marital Status
Authors: Yorgason Jeremy B. , Stott Kevin L.
Published: December 2015

Health declines have been linked in reciprocal ways with marital status. On one hand, health declines can have an impact on getting married, on remaining married, and on marital quality. On the other hand, marital status and marital quality have been linked in research to future health. Research findings connecting health and marital status shed light on these associations, yet further study is warranted to better understand the age‐associated complexities of how health and marital status are related during later life.
Stress
Authors: Yancura Loriena A.
Published: December 2015

Stress is an inherent part of adult development. Current scholarly definitions of the stress process view it as resulting from transactions between individuals and their environments. Stressors are classified as belonging within one of four main categories: hassles, life events, chronic stressors, and trauma. Because psychological stressors are associated with physiological responses, a large body of research has documented relationships between stress and health outcomes ranging from the cellular level to chronic disease. However, individuals vary greatly in what they perceive to be stressful and how they respond to stress. Therefore, stress is associated with both negative and positive development.
Bone
Authors: Gold Deborah T.
Published: December 2015

Although the human skeleton seems rigid and unchanging, it is actually undergoing change constantly. The skeleton's primary purposes are to protect the body and provide mobility and structural support. In childhood, the skeleton undergoes a process called
modeling
, the primary purpose of which is to build new bone. In adulthood, a different strategy begins as damage occurs. Damaged bone is removed and replaced at the same site in a process called
remodeling
. In fact, the skeleton replaces itself every 10 years via this remodeling process. As long as bone remodeling remains balanced (i.e., as long as old bone is removed and new bone is laid down at the same rate), the skeleton remains healthy. However many factors can upset this balance, and, when they do, bone disease may occur.
Discourse Processing and Memory
Authors: Stine‐Morrow Elizabeth A. L. , Giffin Laura B. , Liu Xiaomei
Published: December 2015

Our ability to process and remember discourse is relatively spared with aging but can be compromised when the number of items in focus exceeds working memory so as to tax the ability to create a coherent mental model of the situation. Age differences in the use of contextual support, managing discourse focus, and situation model construction are considered.
Central Nervous System
Authors: Fiocco Alexandra J. , Peck Katlyn , Mallya Sasha
Published: December 2015

The central nervous system (CNS) is a complex structure consisting of the brain and spinal cord. From conception to the end of life, the CNS is a dynamic system that develops and changes in response to genetic programming, time, and environmental change. This entry will discuss the CNS, its development, and the normal and pathological changes that may occur during adulthood and aging.
Adaptive Testing in Aging Populations
Authors: McArdle John J.
Published: December 2015

This entry discusses computerized adaptive tests (CATs). The entry shows the need to conduct CATs in aging research because of the prevalence of refusals due to length, fatigue near the end of testing, and persistent practice effects. The concepts of a shortened test have been studied by many before. But the concepts of a CAT are slightly newer and rely on principles from item response theory. McArdle, Fisher, and Kadlec's (2007) adaptation of the classical Number Series test for the Health and Retirement Study is used and described as a demonstration here.
Death With Dignity Movement
Authors: Liaschenko Joan , Peter Elizabeth
Published: December 2015

The death with dignity movement is a cultural response to the problems of illness, dying, and death. At the core of the movement is the belief that human dignity and autonomy are honored when people with a terminal illness have control over the circumstances of their death. The movement has a long history but can be traced to the early 1900s, when Ohio became the first US state to propose legislation. The legislation failed but there are now four US states where physician‐assisted dying is legal, with another one pending, and seven more with proposed legislation. It is not possible to predict whether the movement will spread or be limited to a few states. Regardless, there are important ethical issues to take into account.
Psychobiology of Stress
Authors: Savla Jyoti , Granger Douglas A.
Published: December 2015

Biological measures, also known as biomarkers, that reflect individual differences in the psychobiology of stress and the stress response have become increasingly popular tools for connecting emotional, behavioral, and social factors to health and well‐being in aging research. The hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are two of the main physiological components of the psychobiology of the stress response. Advances in technology that allows measurement of physiological stress responses noninvasively, such as in saliva, have opened windows of opportunity to study relationships between context, biology, behavior, and health. This entry highlights research on salivary analytes, specifically cortisol and alpha‐amylase, that index the activity, reactivity, and regulation of the HPA axis and the ANS, respectively.
Interview Methods (Structured, Semistructured, Unstructured)
Authors: Wethington Elaine , McDarby Meghan L.
Published: December 2015

Interviews are a favored method for studying the attitudes, behaviors, and well‐being of adults in middle and old age. The personal interview is a flexible means of data collection, ranging from structured, close‐ended questions with predetermined response options to unstructured forms that explore new research questions. Semistructured methods occupy a middle ground for use in situations where there are open research questions but where preexisting theory can strongly guide an inquiry. Contemporary research projects often blend structured and less structured interviews to address complex questions about adult development and aging.
End‐of‐Life Care in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living
Authors: Friedman James
Published: December 2015

There are more persons in the United States than ever before who are over 65 years of age. Many of America's elders will age and die in settings outside their homes, such as nursing homes or assisted living facilities. How nursing homes and assisted living facilities care for older persons over time has evolved to meet the needs of their residents. With people living longer and experiencing multiple and complex chronic conditions, providing late‐life supportive care and end‐of‐life care that are individualized and at the same time meet the needs of entire communities and populations is challenging. End‐of‐life care in residential facilities is often influenced by organizational and governmental bureaucracies, differing understandings and perspectives surrounding life‐prolonging treatment, the quality of palliative care and hospice care, and the individuality of the dying experience. Research into and study of late life and death in the community offers insights into what is foundational for best practices in end‐of‐life care.
Item Response Theory
Authors: Templin Jonathan
Published: December 2015

Item response theory (IRT) is the name for a collection of psychometric methods that are used for the analysis of test, questionnaire, and survey data with categorical or discrete item responses. In this entry, a brief overview of the logic that underlies IRT is provided. The entry begins by linking IRT with factor analysis, a psychometric method that is currently more prevalent in aging research. Following that, the basics of unidimensional IRT models are detailed, culminating with a short discussion of topics typically discussed in IRT research, such as equating and multidimensional IRT.
Autobiographical Memory
Authors: Lodi‐Smith Jennifer , Goodsell Charles A.
Published: December 2015

Autobiographical memory is long‐term episodic memory for personal life experiences. Both detail and neural specificity of autobiographical memory become more diffuse with age. Autobiographical memory is characterized by different key features across the lifespan including the phenomenon of infantile amnesia, the reminiscence bump, flashbulb memories, and the positivity effect. While research into false memory suggests that autobiographical memory may not always be accurate, the connection of autobiographical memories to identity concerns suggests that complete accuracy may not always be essential and, instead, that the interpretation of experience is more important to understanding individual identity. Autobiographical memory is also inherently social and, as such, important for interpersonal experience and contingent upon sociocultural norms and expectancies.
Differential Diagnosis
Authors: Shah Avani , Anderson Kimberly Granda
Published: December 2015

This entry discusses use of the differential diagnostic process with older adults. It outlines a series of steps to follow specific to the diagnostic assessment of older adults that can simplify decision making. Several types of disorder are briefly discussed: neurocognitive, sleep, mood, anxiety, schizophrenia, psychotic, somatic, and sexual.
Mindfulness
Authors: Hsu Laura M. , Bercovitz Katherine , Langer Ellen J.
Published: December 2015

Mindfulness is a state of open awareness where one is in the present. There are two ways of becoming mindful: indirect and direct. The former relies on meditation to achieve postmeditative mindfulness. Langer has demonstrated that mindfulness can also be achieved directly. Research has shown that, regardless of how one gets there, when people are mindful, they are more open to experience and tend to be nonjudgmental. Moreover, regardless of the route taken, mindfulness has clear health benefits.
Terminal Decline
Authors: Cowl Andrielle
Published: December 2015

Terminal decline (or terminal cognitive decline) is the gradual decline in cognitive function that occurs as a function of time before death. The onset and severity of terminal decline vary greatly between individuals. It is thought that a certain degree of cognitive decline occurs due to biological changes in the aging human brain, but evidence suggests that more abrupt and perceptible decline is often associated with an underlying death process or disease pathology. Decline is often gradual and relatively imperceptible for a period of several years, then increases dramatically in closer proximity to death. Future investigations are necessary to characterize disease‐specific decline trajectories and understand how specific areas of cognition (i.e., memory, vocabulary) are affected by terminal decline.
Pathogenic mechanism of recurrent mutations of SCN8A in epileptic encephalopathy
Authors: Wagnon Jacy L. , Barker Bryan S. , Hounshell James A. , Haaxma Charlotte A. , Shealy Amy , Moss Timothy , Parikh Sumit , Messer Ricka D. , Patel Manoj K. , Meisler Miriam H.
Published: December 2015

Objective

The early infantile epileptic encephalopathy type 13 (EIEE13, OMIM #614558) results from de novo missense mutations of SCN8A encoding the voltage‐gated sodium channel Nav1.6. More than 20% of patients have recurrent mutations in residues Arg1617 or Arg1872. Our goal was to determine the functional effects of these mutations on channel properties.

Methods

Clinical exome sequencing was carried out on patients with early‐onset seizures, developmental delay, and cognitive impairment. Two mutations identified here, p.Arg1872Leu and p.Arg1872Gln, and two previously identified mutations, p.Arg1872Trp and p.Arg1617Gln, were introduced into Nav1.6 cDNA, and effects on electrophysiological properties were characterized in transfected ND7/23 cells. Interactions with FGF14, G‐protein subunit Gβγ, and sodium channel subunit β1 were assessed by coimmunoprecipitation.

Results

We identified two patients with the novel mutation p.Arg1872Leu and one patient with the recurrent mutation p.Arg1872Gln. The three mutations of Arg1872 and the mutation of Arg1617 all impaired the sodium channel transition from open state to inactivated state, resulting in channel hyperactivity. Other observed abnormalities contributing to elevated channel activity were increased persistent current, increased peak current density, hyperpolarizing shift in voltage dependence of activation, and depolarizing shift in steady‐state inactivation. Protein interactions were not affected.

Interpretation

Recurrent mutations at Arg1617 and Arg1872 lead to elevated Nav1.6 channel activity by impairing channel inactivation. Channel hyperactivity is the major pathogenic mechanism for gain‐of‐function mutations of SCN8A. EIEE13 differs mechanistically from Dravet syndrome, which is caused by loss‐of‐function mutations of SCN1A. This distinction has important consequences for selection of antiepileptic drugs and the development of gene‐ and mutation‐specific treatments.
Work organization, exposure to workplace hazards and sickness presenteeism in the European employed population
Authors: d'Errico Angelo , Ardito Chiara , Leombruni Roberto
Published: December 2015

Background

Aim of the study was to identify work organization features and workplace hazards associated with sickness presenteeism (SP) among European workers.

Methods

The study was conducted on data from the European Working Conditions Survey 2010 and included a study population of 30,279 employees. The relationship between work‐related factors and SP was assessed through Poisson multivariate robust regression models, adjusting for significant (P < 0.05) individual and work‐related characteristics.

Results

SP for at least 2 days in the previous year was reported by 35% of the workers. In fully adjusted model, several psychosocial (decision authority, skill discretion, reward, abuse; psychological, cognitive, and emotional demand), and organizational factors (shift work, working with clients, long work hours) were positively associated with SP, whereas job insecurity and exposure to physical factors (lifting or moving people, vibration) decreased SP risk.

Conclusions

Our results support the importance of work‐related factors, especially psychosocial exposures and organizational features, in determining workers' SP. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:57–72, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Conceptualizing a quality of life framework for girls with Rett syndrome using qualitative methods
Authors: Epstein Amy , Leonard Helen , Davis Elise , Williams Katrina , Reddihough Dinah , Murphy Nada , Whitehouse Andrew , Downs Jenny
Published: December 2015

Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder mainly affecting females and associated with a mutation on the MECP2 gene. There has been no systematic evaluation of the domains of quality of life (QOL) in Rett syndrome. The aims of this study were to explore QOL in school‐aged children with Rett syndrome and compare domains with those identified in other available QOL scales. The sample comprised 21 families registered with the Australian Rett Syndrome Database whose daughter with Rett syndrome was aged 6–18 years. Semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted with each parent caregiver (19 mothers, 2 fathers) to investigate aspects of their daughter's life that were satisfying or challenging to her. Qualitative thematic analysis using a grounded theory framework was conducted, and emerging domains compared with those in two generic and three disability parent‐report child QOL measures. Ten domains were identified: physical health, body pain, and discomfort, behavioral and emotional well‐being, communication skills, movement and mobility, social connectedness, variety of activities, provision of targeted services, stability of daily routines, and the natural environment. The two latter domains were newly identified and each domain contained elements not represented in the comparison measures. Our data articulated important aspects of life beyond the genetic diagnosis. Existing QOL scales for children in the general population or with other disabilities did not capture the QOL of children with Rett syndrome. Our findings support the construction of a new parent‐report measure to enable measurement of QOL in this group. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A 44‐year‐old man with eye, kidney, and brain dysfunction
Authors: Vodopivec Ivana , Oakley Derek H. , Perugino Cory A. , Venna Nagagopal , Hedley‐Whyte E. Tessa , Stone John H.
Published: December 2015

Retinal vasculopathy with cerebral leukodystrophy (RVCL) is a rare, autosomal dominant condition caused by mutations of TREX1 (3‐prime repair exonuclease‐1). The phenotypic expressions range from isolated retinal involvement to varying degrees of retinopathy, cerebral infarction with calcium depositions, nephropathy, and hepatopathy. We report a case of RVCL caused by a novel TREX1 mutation. This patient's multisystem presentation, retinal involvement interpreted as “retinal vasculitis,” and improvement of neuroimaging abnormalities with dexamethasone led to the accepted diagnosis of a rheumatologic disorder resembling Behçet disease. Clinicians should consider RVCL in any patient with retinal capillary obliterations associated with tumefactive brain lesions or nephropathy. Ann Neurol 2016;79:507–519
A DNA–Fullerene Conjugate as a Template for Supramolecular Chromophore Assemblies: Towards DNA‐Based Solar Cells
Authors: Ensslen Philipp , Gärtner Stefan , Glaser Konstantin , Colsmann Alexander , Wagenknecht Hans‐Achim
Published: December 2015

A fullerene was covalently attached to a (dA)20 template that serves as structural scaffold to self‐assemble an ordered and mixed array of ethynyl‐pyrene‐ and ethynyl‐Nile‐red‐nucleoside conjugates. Fluorescence spectroscopy revealed evidence for energy transfer between the two different chromophores. Moreover, fluorescence quenching is significantly enhanced by the attached fullerene in mixed assemblies of different chromophore ratios. This indicates exciton dissociation by electron transfer from the photo‐generated exciton on the chromophore stack to the fullerene. The fullerene–DNA‐conjugate was integrated as a photo‐active layer in solar cells that showed charge‐carrier generation in the spectral regime of all three components of the conjugate. This work clearly demonstrates that DNA is suitable as structural element for chromophore assemblies in future organic optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells.
Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of 1,4‐Dioxanes and Other Oxa‐Heterocycles by Oxetane Desymmetrization
Authors: Yang Wen , Sun Jianwei
Published: December 2015

A new asymmetric synthesis of chiral 1,4‐dioxanes and other oxa‐heterocycles has been developed by means of organocatalytic enantioselective desymmetrization of oxetanes. This mild process proceeds with exceedingly high efficiency and enantioselectivity to establish the quaternary stereocenters. This method complements the existing, yet limited, strategies for the synthesis of these oxa‐heterocycles.
Whole‐Cell Biocatalysts for Stereoselective C−H Amination Reactions
Authors: Both Peter , Busch Hanna , Kelly Paul P. , Mutti Francesco G. , Turner Nicholas J. , Flitsch Sabine L.
Published: December 2015

Enantiomerically pure chiral amines are ubiquitous chemical building blocks in bioactive pharmaceutical products and their synthesis from simple starting materials is of great interest. One of the most attractive strategies is the stereoselective installation of a chiral amine through C−H amination, which is a challenging chemical transformation. Herein we report the application of a multienzyme cascade, generated in a single bacterial whole‐cell system, which is able to catalyze stereoselective benzylic aminations with ee values of 97.5 %. The cascade uses four heterologously expressed recombinant enzymes with cofactors provided by the host cell and isopropyl amine added as the amine donor. The cascade presents the first example of the successful de novo design of a single whole‐cell biocatalyst for formal stereoselective C−H amination.
Joint flame‐retardant effect of triazine‐rich and triazine/phosphaphenanthrene compounds on epoxy resin thermoset
Authors: Qiu Yong , Qian Lijun , Xi Wang , Liu Xinxin
Published: December 2015

To obtain a more efficient flame‐retardant system, the extra‐triazine‐rich compound melamine cyanurate (MCA) was coworked with tri(3‐9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phosphaphenanthrene‐10‐oxide‐2‐hydroxypropan‐1‐yl)−1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4,6‐trione (TGIC–DOPO) in epoxy thermosets; these were composed of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin and 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM). The flame‐retardant properties were investigated by limited oxygen index measurement, vertical burning testing, and cone calorimeter testing. In contrast to the DGEBA/DDM (EP for short) thermoset with a single TGIC–DOPO, a better flame retardancy was obtained with TGIC–DOPO/MCA/EP. The 3% TGIC–DOPO/2% MCA/EP thermoset showed a lower peak heat‐release rate value, a lower effective heat of combustion value, fewer total smoke products, and lower total yields of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in comparison with 3% TGIC–DOPO/EP. The results reveal that MCA and TGIC–DOPO worked jointly in flame‐retardant thermosets. The dilution effect of MCA, the quenching effect of TGIC–DOPO, and their joint action inhibited the combustion intensity and imposed a better flame‐retardant effect in the gas phase. The 3% TGIC–DOPO/2% MCA/EP thermoset also exhibited an increased residue yield, and more compositions with triazine rings were locked in the residues; this implied that MCA/TGIC–DOPO worked jointly in the condensed phase and promoted thermoset charring. The results reveal the better flame‐retardant effect of the MCA/TGIC–DOPO system in the condensed phase. Therefore, the joint incorporation of MCA and TGIC–DOPO into the EP thermosets increased the flame‐retardant effects in both the condensed and gas phases during combustion. This implied that the adjustment to the group ratio in the flame‐retardant group system endowed the EP thermoset with better flame retardancy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43241.
Preparation of magnetic poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) microspheres with a controllable particle size based on a composite emulsion and their release properties for curcumin loading
Authors: Hu Lili , Huang Ming , Wang Jiaoning , Zhong Yi , Luo Yan
Published: December 2015

Because of their unique magnetic features and good biocompatibility, magnetic poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres have great application potential in magnetic targeted drug‐delivery systems. In this research, magnetic PLGA microspheres with controllable particle sizes were successfully prepared from a composite emulsion with a T‐shaped microchannel reactor. A water‐in‐oil‐in‐water composite emulsion was generated by the injection of a dichloromethane/gelatin water‐in‐oil initial emulsion into the microchannel together with a coating aqueous phase, that is, the aqueous solution of glucose and poly(vinyl alcohol). The mean particle size of the microspheres could be controlled by the manipulation of the osmotic pressure difference between the internal and external aqueous phases via changes in the glucose concentration. Curcumin, a drug with an inhibitory effect on tumor cells, was used to exemplify the release properties of the magnetic PLGA microspheres. We found that the mean particle size of the microspheres ranged from 16 to 207 μm with glucose concentrations from 0 to 20 wt %. The resulting microspheres showed a rapid magnetic response, good superparamagnetism, and a considerable magnetocaloric effect, with a maximum magnetic entropy of 0.061 J·kg−1·K−1 at 325 K. An encapsulation efficiency of up to 77.9% was achieved at a loading ratio of 3.2% curcumin. A release ratio of 72.4% curcumin from the magnetic PLGA microspheres was achieved within 120 h in a phosphate‐buffered solution. The magnetic PLGA microspheres showed potential to be used as drug carriers for magnetic targeted tumor therapy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43317.
Examination of Factors Potentially Influencing Osteon Size in the Human Rib
Authors: Dominguez Victoria M. , Agnew Amanda M.
Published: December 2015

Previous research demonstrates that the size of secondary osteons varies considerably between individuals, though what factors act in the delineation of osteon size remain uncertain. This study explores the influence of age, sex, percent cortical area (%Ct.Ar), percent cortical porosity (%Po.Ar), and loading environment on osteon area (On.Ar) in human ribs. The sample consisted of midshaft 6th ribs from 80 individuals, 6–94 years of age. T‐tests demonstrated no significant differences in On.Ar between the sexes (P=0.383). Age showed a significant correlation with both %Ct.Ar and %Po.Ar, so a hierarchical regression model was used to control for the effects of age on the other variables. Results indicate that age is the most significant factor of those tested in this study (P=0.004), with %Ct.Ar playing a much smaller but still significant role (P=0.014), while %Po.Ar had no significant influence on On.Ar (P=0.443). Age demonstrates an inverse relationship with On.Ar, while %Ct.Ar has a direct relationship with On.Ar. Significant differences in On.Ar between the pleural and cutaneous cortices are attributed to variation in %Ct.Ar of each cortex. Therefore, age and %Ct.Ar account for the majority of osteon size variability in this study, although it is likely genetics play an important role as well. Understanding the biological mechanisms that act in remodeling and determine osteon size is essential for accurately addressing and interpreting histological findings, work that is invaluable in its implications for bone biology. Anat Rec, 299:313–324, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hybrid Model Predictive Power Management of a Battery‐Supercapacitor Electric Vehicle
Authors: Meyer Richard T. , DeCarlo Raymond A. , Pekarek Steve
Published: December 2015

Recently, battery powered electric vehicles (EV), such as the Tesla Model S, have reached commercialization. Future EVs will likely pair the battery with a supercapacitor to extend battery life by minimizing the effects of high power and rapidly fluctuating loads. As such, this paper investigates optimal power management of an EV powertrain with both a battery pack and a supercapacitor as energy sources. The battery‐supercapacitor‐based powertrain has four distinct controllable modes, each with a unique set of dynamics and constraints. Unique power flow expressions for the supercapacitor, vehicle motion, and drive system induction motor are presented. The overall powertrain is represented as a switched interconnected dynamical system having both differential and algebraic constraints in each mode of operation. Constrained by this model, this paper sets forth a hybrid model predictive control strategy for minimizing velocity tracking error and frictional braking (to encourage regenerative braking) while encouraging fast recharge of the supercapacitor. The optimization is performed using a relaxed representation of the control problem (termed the embedding method), collocation for discretization, and traditional nonlinear programming to compute the mode and continuous control inputs. The methodology avoids the computational complexity associated with alternative approaches such as mixed‐integer programming. The developed optimization methodology is shown to be useful as a rapid iterative prototyping tool by varying vehicle mass and electric drive maximum power to find combinations that result in satisfactory tracking performance of a trapezoidal drive profile. Performance of the originally specified powertrain and a first design iteration are compared using simulations of the EPA highway and urban drive profiles and the new European drive cycle to verify the first design iteration gives improvement.
Expression of rabies virus glycoprotein in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris
Authors: Ben Azoun Safa , Ben Zakour Meriem , Sghaier Soufien , Kallel Héla
Published: December 2015

Rabies is a fatal disease that can be prevented by vaccination. Different approaches were investigated to develop novel human rabies vaccines with improved features compared to the current available vaccines, among them is the use of heterologous gene expression technology. Here, we describe the expression of the surface rabies virus glycoprotein (RABV‐G), which is the major antigen responsible for the induction of protective immunity, in Pichia pastoris. Six transformants were selected according to their gene copy number as determined by real time qPCR. Upon induction by methanol, low level of RABV‐G was secreted into the culture medium, around 60 ng/mL. To understand the effect of foreign gene dosage on cellular physiology of P. pastoris, transcriptional analysis of key genes involved in unfolded protein response (UPR) and endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation (ERAD) pathway was performed. Results showed that these pathways were highly activated; misfolded RABV‐G was degraded in the cytosol via the ERAD mechanism. To study the functionality of the secreted RABV‐G, in vitro competitive neutralizing assay was conducted. Data showed the secreted recombinant RABV‐G had enabled a reduction of the neutralizing activity of human immune rabies serum, indicating that the secreted recombinant protein had reached its correct conformational form.
Pflege‐ und intensivmedizinische Bereiche im EnEV‐Bewertungsverfahren
Authors: Puff Simone , Seidel Uwe , Steffens Oliver
Published: December 2015

Die Anwendbarkeit des derzeit gültigen Verfahrens zur energetischen Bewertung von Nichtwohngebäuden gemäß aktueller Energieeinsparverordnung (EnEV 2014) in Verbindung mit DIN V 18599 als Planungs‐ und Bewertungstool auf Pflege‐ und intensiv‐medizinische Bereiche von Krankenhäusern wird an einem beispielhaften, mittelgroßen Krankenhaus untersucht. Der Fokus liegt dabei auf der Praktikabilität der Abbildung von thermischen Lasten und Raumzuständen durch die Normnutzungsprofile aus DIN V 18599 Teil 10 im Vergleich zu realen, vor Ort erfassten Nutzungsbedingungen. Weitere Betrachtungen in einer einfachen thermischen Simulation (TRNSYSlite) erlauben eine methodische Kritik in Bezug auf die Aussagekraft der nach Norm berechneten EnEV‐Ergebnisse. Es werden Empfehlungen für Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der energetischen Performance und der Behaglichkeit in Krankenhäusern im Bereich der Planung erarbeitet.

Energetic Evaluation of care and critical care units of hospitals according to EnEV 2014. The applicability of the procedure for energetic evaluation of non‐residential buildings according to the German Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV 2014) and DIN V 18599 as a planning tool for care and critical care units of hospitals is examined, using the example of an average, medium‐sized hospital. The focus is on the practicality of applying thermal loads and conditions from DIN V 18599 part 10 standard profiles compared to real constraints, recorded on site. The validity of the standard EnEV calculation is additionally tested in a thermal simulation model. Recommendations for measures to improve the energy performance and comfort of health care facilities during the planning process are worked out.