bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How negative contact and positive contact with Whites predict collective action among racial and ethnic minorities
Authors: Hayward Lydia E. , Tropp Linda R. , Hornsey Matthew J. , Barlow Fiona Kate
Published: September 2017

Positive contact with advantaged group members can improve disadvantaged group members’ attitudes towards them, yet it may also lower perceptions of group discrimination and consequent collective action. Little is known, however, about how negative contact with the advantaged predicts collective action among members of disadvantaged groups. With samples of Black and Hispanic Americans, we tested positive and negative contact with White Americans as predictors of self‐reported collective action behaviour and future intentions. Across both samples, negative contact with White Americans predicted greater collective action, largely through the mechanisms of perceived discrimination and intergroup anger. Simultaneously, positive contact showed a negative indirect effect on collective action primarily through reduced anger. These findings suggest that negative contact may be a potential driver of social change among racial minorities. Implications of these findings for the contact and collective action literatures are discussed.
Guideline of guidelines: asymptomatic microscopic haematuria
Authors: Linder Brian J. , Bass Edward J. , Mostafid Hugh , Boorjian Stephen A.
Published: September 2017

The aim of the present study was to review major organizational guidelines on the evaluation and management of asymptomatic microscopic haematuria (AMH). We reviewed the haematuria guidelines from: the American Urological Association; the consensus statement by the Canadian Urological Association, Canadian Urologic Oncology Group and Bladder Cancer Canada; the American College of Physicians; the Joint Consensus Statement of the Renal Association and British Association of Urological Surgeons; and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. All guidelines reviewed recommend evaluation for AMH in the absence of potential benign aetiologies, with the evaluation including cystoscopy and upper urinary tract imaging. Existing guidelines vary in their definition of AMH (role of urine dipstick vs urine microscopy), the age threshold for recommending evaluation, and the optimal imaging method (computed tomography vs ultrasonography). Of the reviewed guidelines, none recommended the use of urine cytology or urine markers during the initial AMH evaluation. Patients should have ongoing follow‐up after a negative initial AMH evaluation. Significant variation exists among current guidelines for AMH with respect to who should be evaluated and in what manner. Given the patient and health system implications of balancing appropriately focused and effective diagnostic evaluation, AMH represents a valuable future research opportunity.
Elemental geochemistry of freshwater snail shells: palaeolimnology of a Holsteinian (MIS 11) deposit from eastern Poland
Authors: Szymanek Marcin
Published: September 2017

The elemental shell chemistry of two freshwater snails, Viviparus diluvianus (Kunth) and Valvata piscinalis (Müller) was studied for palaeoenvironmental purposes. The shells were collected from lake sediments from five Holsteinian (Marine Isotope Stage 11) sites in eastern Poland (Ossówka, Hrud II, Roskosz, Ortel Królewski and Szymanowo) and analysed for Ca, Mg, Sr, Mn and Fe. The Fe/Mn molar ratio was used as a redox indicator, with lower values (and high Mn concentrations) pointing to suboxic conditions. These occurred in the beginning of the Taxus zone and during the transition between the Taxus and Pinus‐Larix zones at Ortel Królewski, and in the Holsteinian thermal maximum (Carpinus‐Abies zone) at Roskosz Lake. Strongly reducing conditions, indicated by increased Fe and Fe/Mn values, prevailed at Ortel Królewski palaeolake in the middle of the Taxus zone, in the Pinus‐Larix zone and in the upper part of the Roskosz sequence. Indicators of anoxia correlate with eutrophic conditions, enhanced productivity and oxygen consumption due to organic matter decay. The most distinct environmental changes in the records are comparable to other central and northern European records and to the main climatic oscillations during the Holsteinian, inferred from palynological, malacological and isotopic data.
Children's Theories of the Self
Authors: Starmans Christina
Published: September 2017

This article provides a theoretical review of the developmental origins of children's “folk theories” about the nature of the self, linking theoretical developments in philosophy with empirical discoveries from developmental psychology. The article first reviews children's views about the material nature of the self, outlining evidence that children naturally think about the self as distinct from the body. It then discusses children's understanding of the persistence of the self over time and, finally, explores children's views about conflict within the self. Together, these findings suggest that preschoolers possess stable, coherent, and predictive theories about the nature of the self that are stable across individuals, early emerging, and in some cases undergo interesting developmental change.
The vicious circle of patient–physician mistrust in China: health professionals’ perspectives, institutional conflict of interest, and building trust through medical professionalism
Authors: Nie Jing‐Bao , Cheng Yu , Zou Xiang , Gong Ni , Tucker Joseph D. , Wong Bonnie , Kleinman Arthur
Published: September 2017

To investigate the phenomenon of patient–physician mistrust in China, a qualitative study involving 107 physicians, nurses and health officials in Guangdong Province, southern China, was conducted through semi‐structured interviews and focus groups. In this paper we report the key findings of the empirical study and argue for the essential role of medical professionalism in rebuilding patient‐physician trust. Health professionals are trapped in a vicious circle of mistrust. Mistrust (particularly physicians’ distrust of patients and their relatives) leads to increased levels of fear and self‐protection by doctors which exacerbate difficulties in communication; in turn, this increases physician workloads, adding to a strong sense of injustice and victimization. These factors produce poorer healthcare outcomes and increasingly discontented and angry patients, escalate conflicts and disputes, and result in negative media coverage, all these ultimately contributing to even greater levels of mistrust. The vicious circle indicates not only the crisis of patient‐physician relationship but the crisis of medicine as a profession and institution. Underlying the circle is the inherent conflict of interest in the healthcare system by which health professionals and hospitals have become profit‐driven. This institutional conflict of interest seriously compromises the fundamental principle of medical professionalism—the primacy of patient welfare—as well as the traditional Chinese ideal of “medicine as the art of humanity”. Patient trust can be restored through rectifying this institutional conflict of interest and promoting medical professionalism via a series of recommended practical measures.
Aid and its impact on domestic change: The case of police reforms in Macedonia
Authors: Jusufi Islam
Published: September 2017

This article examines the role that aid from the European Union (EU) has played in leading to change in non‐EUMember States. It particularly explores whether theEU's financial assistance has led to change in Macedonia. The question of police reforms in Macedonia, and of theEU's impact on these, are complex because of the sensitivity of such reforms in terms of the functioning of the country's multi‐ethnic democracy. Using the institutionalism approach, the article argues that the police reforms have indeed been heavily dependent onEUfunding and traces theEU's role in the implementation of police reforms in Macedonia.
Decline in effort capacity with age: Echocardiographic stress analysis in the elderly
Authors: Milman Anat , Keren Gad , Topilsky Yan
Published: September 2017

Background

The present study was designed to assess the underlying mechanism of decline in effort capacity seen with aging.

Methods

We analyzed 250 healthy senior patients (≥65 years) with an ejection fraction ≥60% who underwent a stress echocardiogram test. The seniors (aged 65–94) were divided into 3 equal age groups (groups 1, 2, and 3), and their echo characteristics at rest and peak exercise (measured and calculated) were compared.

Results

Diastolic function at rest declined significantly (E lateral, E septal, E/E′, A) with age, while other rest parameters were similar. There was a significant reduction in peak cardiac output (CO) associated with age (time × age group interaction; P < .05), which was attributed to the combination an attenuated stroke volume (SV) and heart rate (HR) response. The decline in effort capacity with age was the product of the combined effect of cardiac (reduced LVEDV and HR response) and noncardiac (reduction in arteriovenous difference; P = .02 for interaction) causes.

Conclusion

The cardiovascular system undergoes several age‐related changes. Decline in effort capacity is an ongoing process of aging and consists of several changes in the cardiac and noncardiac systems, comprising a decline in CO and its components, specifically the peak exercise LVEDV, peak heart rate, and the ability of the muscles to extract enough oxygen for the necessary effort.
Infant mortality decline in rural and urban Bavaria: fertility, economic transformation, infant care, and inequality in Bavaria and Munich, 1825–1910†
Authors: Brown John C. , Guinnane Timothy W.
Published: September 2017

During most of the nineteenth century, Bavaria was notorious for infant mortality rates that were among the highest in Europe. After 1870, infant mortality in Bavaria began a sustained decline. This decline, which was impressive in urban areas, was even more dramatic in Bavaria's capital, Munich. From a peak of 40 deaths per 100 births in the 1860s, infant mortality had fallen two‐thirds by 1914. This article examines the causes of infant mortality in rural and urban districts of Bavaria from 1880 to 1910 and in Munich from 1825 up to shortly before the First World War. In rural Bavaria, structural change in agriculture lowered infant mortality, even as stark differences in infant survival driven by income gaps and deficient infant care remained. In urban areas, high fertility was strongly associated with high infant mortality. Individual‐level data from Munich reveal that infant care, fertility, and incomes mattered. Even prior to industrialization, occupational status influenced infant survival. Munich's growth into a leading industrial centre after 1875 apparently widened the gap between rich and poor. Families at the top of the occupational distribution and couples able to acquire real property saw the steepest declines in infant mortality. The poorest one‐third without property saw little improvement.
Modulating vicarious tactile perception with transcranial electrical current stimulation
Authors: Bowling Natalie C. , Banissy Michael J.
Published: September 2017

Our capacity to share the experiences of others is a critical part of social behaviour. One process thought to be important for this is vicarious perception. Passively viewing touch activates some of the same network of brain regions as the direct experience of touch. This vicarious experience is usually implicit, but for some people, viewing touch evokes conscious tactile sensations (mirror‐touch synaesthesia). Recent work has attempted to induce conscious vicarious touch in those that do not normally experience these sensations, using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Anodal tDCS applied to primary somatosensory cortex (SI) was found to induce behavioural performance akin to mirror‐touch synaesthesia on a visuotactile interference task. Here, we conducted two experiments that sought to replicate and extend these findings by examining: (i) the effects of tDCS and high‐frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) targeted at SI and temporo‐parietal junction (TPJ) on vicarious tactile perception, (ii) the extent to which any stimulation effects were specific to viewing touch to humans vs. inanimate agents and (iii) the influence of visual perspective (viewing touch from one's own vs. another's perspective) on vicarious perception. In Experiment 1, tRNS targeted at SI did not modulate vicarious perception. In Experiment 2, tDCS targeted at SI, but not TPJ, resulted in some modulation of vicarious perception, but there were important caveats to this effect. Implications regarding mechanisms of vicarious perception are discussed. Collectively, the findings do not provide convincing evidence for the potential to modulate vicarious tactile perception with transcranial electrical current stimulation.
Three shades of grey: detecting brain abnormalities in children with autism using source‐, voxel‐ and surface‐based morphometry
Authors: Pappaianni Edoardo , Siugzdaite Roma , Vettori Sofie , Venuti Paola , Job Remo , Grecucci Alessandro
Published: September 2017

Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interactions, communication and stereotyped behaviour. Recent evidence from neuroimaging supports the hypothesis that ASD deficits in adults may be related to abnormalities in a specific frontal–temporal network [Autism‐specific Structural Network (ASN)]. To see whether these results extend to younger children and to better characterize these abnormalities, we applied three morphometric methods on brain grey matter (GM) of children with and without ASD. We selected 39 sMRI images of male children with ASD and 42 typically developing (TD) from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange database. We used source‐based morphometry (SoBM), a whole‐brain multivariate approach to identify GM networks, voxel‐based morphometry (VBM), a voxel‐wise comparison of the local GM concentration and surface‐based morphometry (SuBM) for the estimation of the cortical parameters. SoBM showed a bilateral frontal–parietal–temporal network different between groups, including the inferior–middle temporal gyrus, the inferior parietal lobule and the postcentral gyrus; VBM returned differences only in the right temporal lobe; SuBM returned a thinning in the right inferior temporal lobe thinner in ASD, a higher gyrification in the right superior parietal lobule in TD and in the middle frontal gyrus in ASD. For the first time, we investigated the brain abnormalities in children with ASD using three morphometric techniques. The results were relatively consistent between methods, stressing the role of an Autism‐specific Structural Network in ASD individuals. We also make methodological speculations on the relevance of using multivariate and whole‐brain neuroimaging analysis to capture ASD complexity.
Ipsilateral corticotectal projections from the primary, premotor and supplementary motor cortical areas in adult macaque monkeys: a quantitative anterograde tracing study
Authors: Fregosi Michela , Rouiller Eric M.
Published: September 2017

The corticotectal projection from cortical motor areas is one of several descending pathways involved in the indirect control of spinal motoneurons. In non‐human primates, previous studies reported that cortical projections to the superior colliculus (SC) originated from the premotor cortex (PM) and the primary motor cortex, whereas no projection originated from the supplementary motor area (SMA). The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the properties of corticotectal projections originating from these three cortical motor areas in intact adult macaques (n = 9). The anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine was injected into one of these cortical areas in each animal. Individual axonal boutons, both en passant and terminaux, were charted and counted in the different layers of the ipsilateral SC. The data confirmed the presence of strong corticotectal projections from the PM. A new observation was that strong corticotectal projections were also found to originate from the SMA (its proper division). The corticotectal projection from the primary motor cortex was quantitatively less strong than that from either the premotor or SMAs. The corticotectal projection from each motor area was directed mainly to the deep layer of the SC, although its intermediate layer was also a consistent target of fairly dense terminations. The strong corticotectal projections from non‐primary motor areas are in position to influence the preparation and planning of voluntary movements.
Low‐dose fractionated irradiation promotes axonal regeneration beyond reactive gliosis and facilitates locomotor function recovery after spinal cord injury in beagle dogs
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Xiong Ying , Zhu Bo , Zhu Bifeng , Tian Daishi , Wang Wei
Published: September 2017

Injury to the adult central nervous system (CNS) results in the formation of glial scar tissues. Glial scar‐induced failure of regenerative axon pathfinding may limit axon regrowth beyond the lesion site and cause incorrect reinnervation and dystrophic appearance of stalled growth after CNS trauma. Glial scars also upregulate chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs) and expression of proinflammatory factor(s) that form a barrier to axonal regeneration. Therefore, interventions for glial scarring are an attractive strategy for augmenting axonal sprouting and regeneration and overcoming the physical and molecular barriers impeding functional repair. The glial reaction occurs shortly after spinal cord injury (SCI) and can persist for days or weeks with upregulation of cell cycle proteins. In this study, we utilised Beagle dogs to establish a preclinical SCI model and examine the efficacy of low‐dose fractionated irradiation (LDI) treatment, which was performed once a day for 14 days (2 Gy per dose, 28 Gy in total). Low‐dose fractionated irradiation is a stable method for suppressing cell activation and proliferation through interference in the cell cycle. Our results demonstrated that LDI could reduce astrocyte and microglia activation/proliferation and attenuate CSPGs and IL‐1β expression. Low‐dose fractionated irradiation also promoted and provided a pathway for long‐distance axon regeneration beyond the lesion site, induced reinnervation of axonal targets and restored locomotor function after SCI in Beagle dogs. Taken together, our findings suggest that LDI would be a promising therapeutic strategy for targeting glial scarring, promoting axon regeneration and facilitating reconstruction of functional circuits after SCI.
Power and coherence of cortical high‐frequency oscillations during wakefulness and sleep
Authors: Cavelli Matías , Rojas‐Líbano Daniel , Schwarzkopf Natalia , Castro‐Zaballa Santiago , Gonzalez Joaquín , Mondino Alejandra , Santana Noelia , Benedetto Luciana , Falconi Atilio , Torterolo Pablo
Published: September 2017

Recently, a novel type of fast cortical oscillatory activity that occurs between 110 and 160 Hz (high‐frequency oscillations (HFO)) was described. HFO are modulated by the theta rhythm in hippocampus and neocortex during active wakefulness and REM sleep. As theta‐HFO coupling increases during REM, a role for HFO in memory consolidation has been proposed. However, global properties such as the cortex‐wide topographic distribution and the cortico‐cortical coherence remain unknown. In this study, we recorded the electroencephalogram during sleep and wakefulness in the rat and analyzed the spatial extent of the HFO band power and coherence. We confirmed that the HFO amplitude is phase‐locked to theta oscillations and is modified by behavioral states. During active wakefulness, HFO power was relatively higher in the neocortex and olfactory bulb compared to sleep. HFO power decreased during non‐REM and had an intermediate level during REM sleep. Furthermore, coherence was larger during active wakefulness than non‐REM, while REM showed a complex pattern in which coherence increased only in intra and decreased in inter‐hemispheric combination of electrodes. This coherence pattern is different from gamma (30–100 Hz) coherence, which is reduced during REM sleep. This data show an important HFO cortico‐cortical dialog during active wakefulness even when the level of theta comodulation is lower than in REM. In contrast, during REM, this dialog is highly modulated by theta and restricted to intra‐hemispheric medial‐posterior cortical regions. Further studies combining behavior, electrophysiology and new analytical tools are needed to plunge deeper into the functional significance of the HFO.
A review of joint attention and social‐cognitive brain systems in typical development and autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Mundy Peter
Published: September 2017

This article provides a review of the increasingly detailed imaging literature on the neurodevelopment of joint attention. Many findings from this literature support and inform the hypothesis that the neurodevelopment of joint attention contributes to the functional development of neural systems for human social cognition. Joint attention begins to develop by 5 months of age and is tantamount to the ability to adopt a common perspective with another person. It involves a whole‐brain system with nodes in the: (a) dorsal and medial frontal cortex, (b) orbital frontal/insula cortex, (c) anterior/posterior cingulate cortex, (d) superior temporal cortex, (e) precuneus/parietal cortex, and (f) amygdala and striatum. This system integrates triadic information processing about (a) self‐attention/action, (b) information about others’ attention/action during social interactions that involve, (c) coordinated attention as well as processing a common referent in space. The results of this new imaging literature have the potential to advance current models of social cognition and the social brain, which rarely consider the contribution of the cognitive neurodevelopment of joint attention. The new neuroscience of joint attention is also extremely valuable for clinical research on social‐cognitive neurodevelopmental disorders. This is most clearly the case for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because it is consistent with the hypothesis of substantial functional neurodevelopmental continuity between the preschool impairments of joint attention, and childhood theory of mind ability that characterizes the development of ASD.
Neural responses to linguistic stimuli in children with and without autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Finch Kayla H. , Tager‐Flusberg Helen , Nelson Charles A.
Published: September 2017

Atypical neural responses to language have been found in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and in their unaffected siblings. However, given that language difficulties are often seen in these children, it is difficult to interpret whether these neural differences are a result of the diagnosis of ASD or impairments in their language abilities. In this study, we recorded event‐related potentials (ERPs) from four groups of 36‐month‐olds: low‐risk control (LRC), high risk for ASD defined as having an older sibling with ASD (HRA) but who do not have ASD or milder autism‐like symptoms (HRA‐Typ), HRA children who do not have ASD but exhibit milder autism‐like symptoms (HRA‐Atyp) and HRA children diagnosed with ASD (ASD). Children listened to words expected to be acquired early (e.g. ball) and words expected to be acquired late (e.g. calf). ERPs were analysed over time windows sensitive to word processing as well as frontal and temporo‐parietal sites over the left and right hemispheres. When controlling for language abilities, there were group differences within the temporo‐parietal sites. Specifically, the HRA‐Atyp group showed a different timed response to late words compared to the ASD and LRC groups. In addition, we found a relation between neural responses in the left frontal sites and ASD severity. Our results suggest that both language abilities and ASD diagnoses are important to consider when interpreting neural differences in lexical processing.
Non‐stick properties of thin‐film coatings on dental‐restorative instruments
Authors: Leppäniemi Jarmo , Hoshian Sasha , Suomalainen Kimmo , Luoto Toni , Jokinen Ville , Koskinen Jari
Published: September 2017

The non‐stick properties of thin‐film coatings on dental‐restorative instruments were investigated by static contact‐angle measurement using dental filler resin as well as by scanning electron microscopy of the amount of sticking dental restorative material. Furthermore, using a customized dipping measurement set‐up, non‐stick properties were evaluated by measuring force‐by‐time when the instrument was pulled out of restorative material. Minor improvements in non‐stick properties were obtained with commercial diamond‐like carbon and commercial polytetrafluoroethylene‐based coatings. Major improvements were obtained with an in‐house fabricated superhydrophobic coating prepared by a multistep process consisting of surface microstructuring by etching in hydrogen fluoride (HF): hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (1:1; vol/vol), atomic layer deposition of a 7 nm coating of aluminium oxide and titanium oxide, and a self‐assembled monolayer of fluorinated organosilicon. Superhydrophobic coatings provide a possible future solution to prevent unwanted adnerence of composite restorative material to dental instruments.
Global patterns of β‐diversity along the phylogenetic time‐scale: The role of climate and plate tectonics
Authors: Mazel Florent , Wüest Rafael O. , Lessard Jean‐Philippe , Renaud Julien , Ficetola Gentile Francesco , Lavergne Sébastien , Thuiller Wilfried
Published: September 2017

Aim

We aimed to assess the relative influence of the historical and contemporary processes determining global patterns of current β‐diversity. Specifically, we quantified the relative effects of contemporary climate and historical plate tectonics on β‐diversity at different phylogenetic scales.

Location

Global.

Time Period

Contemporaneous.

Major taxa studied

Mammals and birds.

Methods

We analysed the current β‐diversity patterns of birds and mammal assemblages at sequential depths in the phylogeny, that is, from the tips to deeper branches. This was done by slicing bird and mammal phylogenetic trees into 66 time slices of 1 Ma (from 0 to 65 Ma) and recording the branches within each slice. Using global distribution data, we defined the branches’ geographical distribution as the union of the corresponding downstream species distributions. For each time slice, we (a) computed pairwise β‐diversity across all the grid cells for the whole world and (b) estimated the correlation between this β‐diversity matrix and contemporary climatic and geographical distances, and past geological distances, a proxy for plate tectonics.

Results

Contemporary climate best explained the β‐diversity of shallow branches (i.e., species). For mammals, the geographical isolation of landmasses generated by plate tectonics best explained the β‐diversity of deeper branches, whereas the effect of past isolation was weaker for birds.

Main conclusions

Our study shows that the relative influence of contemporary climate and plate tectonics on the β‐diversity of bird and mammal assemblages varies along the phylogenetic time‐scale. Our phylogenetic time‐scale approach is general and flexible enough to be applied to a broad spectrum of study systems and spatial scales.
Effectiveness of a new tool for self‐evaluation of adherence to antimuscarinic drug treatment in older patients of both sexes with urge incontinence
Authors: Kosilov Kirill , Loparev Sergay , Kuzina Irina , Kosilova Liliya , Ivanovskaya Marina , Prokofyeva Alexandra
Published: September 2017

Aim

The present study was a comparison of the validity of the Medication Adherence Self‐Report Inventory (MASRI) questionnaire with other methods of assessing adherence to antimuscarinic drugs treatment in older patients with urge incontinence.

Methods

The experiment involved 733 men and women aged >65 years who had noted no less than one urge incontinence episode per day. At the beginning of the experiment, and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks, their adherence to treatment was monitored using the MASRI.

Results

The construct validity of the tool was confirmed by data on the correlation of the percentage of non‐adherent patients according to the MASRI and the percentage of patients having a belief barrier on the Brief Medication Questionnaire screen (r= 0.89,P≤ 0.01;r= 0.91,P≤ 0.01; andr= 0.91,P≤ 0.05 at the 4th, 8th and 12th week of the follow up). The hypothesis of competitive validity was supported by comparing the percentage of non‐adherent patients according to the MASRI and the number of missed doses on the Brief Medication Questionnaire screen (r= 0.94,P≤ 0.01;r= 0.85,P≤ 0.05; andr= 0.7,P≤ 0.05), and according to a visual count of pills. The area under the curve at the 4th, 8th, and 12th week was 0.95 ± 0.04, 0.92 ± 0.03 and 0.94 ± 0.04, respectively.

Conclusion

The MASRI questionnaire has high validity, and is effective for evaluating adherence to treatment among older patients with urge incontinence taking antimuscarinic drugs. Using the MASRI would imply lower costs and greater availability of diagnostics, and it is the tool of choice in clinical practice.Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 115–122.
A Raman spectroscopic investigation of the mechanism of the reduction in hair with thioglycerol and the accompanying disulphide conformational changes
Authors: Kuzuhara A.
Published: September 2017

Objective

The objective of our research was to investigate the reduction mechanism of thioglycerol (TG) on hair keratin fibres.

Methods

The structure of cross‐sections at various depths of virgin white human hair resulting from the permanent waving process with TG was directly analysed at the molecular level using Raman spectroscopy. Also, the penetration of TG for the cross‐sectional samples dyed with methylene blue was observed by optical microscopy.

Results

The gauche–gauche–gauche (GGG) and gauche–gauche–trans (GGT) conformations of disulphide (–SS–) groups remarkably decreased, while the trans–gauche–trans (TGT) conformation increased by performing the reduction process with TG. In addition, the disconnected –SS– content at various depths of the hair sample reduced with TG adjusted to pH 9.0 with ammonia solution was clearly increased compared with that of the hair sample reduced with TG adjusted to pH 9.0 with monoethanolamine. In the case of adjusting to pH 9.0 with ammonia solution, the tensile strength of the waved hair treated with TG was strong compared with that of the waved hair treated with thioglycolic acid (TGA), but the waving efficiency of the waved hair treated with TG was nevertheless higher than that of the waved hair treated with TGA.

Conclusion

The author concluded that the waved virgin human hair treated with TG adjusted to pH 9.0 with ammonia solution was less damaged as compared with the waved hair treated with TGA, despite its good waving efficiency, as not only were the GGG and GGT conformations disconnected, but they were also changed to the TGT conformation by performing the reduction process with TG.
Maca (Lepidium meyenii) as a source of macamides and polysaccharide in combating of oxidative stress and damage in human erythrocytes
Authors: Lin Lianzhu , Huang Jiayi , Sun‐Waterhouse Dongxiao , Zhao Mouming , Zhao Kun , Que Junjie
Published: September 2017

Maca is known to be rich in macamides. The objective of this study was to analyse macamide profiles of macas with different colours cultivated in Yunnan, China, and commercial Peru maca by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The antioxidant activities of water, citric acid and alkali‐extracted polysaccharides from Yunnan and Peru macas were evaluated via DPPH radical scavenging activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity and erythrocyte haemolysis inhibition effect assays. Six major macamides present in Peru maca were also found dominant in Yunnan maca at comparable concentrations. Maca polysaccharide effectively scavenging DPPH and peroxyl radicals protected the erythrocytes against H2O2‐induced haemolysis by inhibition of malondialdehyde (MDA) generation. Citric acid extraction was found the most suitable preparation method for generating heteropolysaccharide with strong antioxidant activity. Black maca cultivated in Yunnan possessing the most abundant macamides and polysaccharide with strong antioxidant activity could be developed as functional foods.
In vitro regulation of enzymatic release of glucose and its uptake by Fenugreek microgreen and Mint leaf extract
Authors: Wadhawan Surbhi , Tripathi Jyoti , Gautam Satyendra
Published: September 2017

Fenugreek microgreen and mint leaf displayed antidiabetic potential during in vitro assays including cell line‐based analysis. Aqueous fenugreek microgreen extract (FME) (2 mg mL−1) inhibited α‐amylase by 70%. It also enhanced glucose uptake in L6 cells by 25% at 10 mg mL−1 which further improved to 44% in the presence of insulin. On the other hand, fresh mint leaf extract (MLE) inhibited α‐glucosidase up to 90% and increased glucose uptake by 15% in HepG2 cells. Besides, both these extracts also inhibited nonenzymatic glycation of protein. FME and MLE were also found to have high levels of total phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidants which could play a possible role in the observed antidiabetic activity. As blood glucose levels in diabetes can be regulated by inhibition of enzymes regulating carbohydrate metabolism and improving glucose uptake in cells, the findings indicate a complimentary therapeutic role of these two dietary herbs in diabetes.
MILD HÆMOPHILIA‐A CLINICAL AND LABORATORY STUDY
Authors: PITNEY W. R.
Published: September 2017

In a series of 65 patients suffering from hæmophilia (AHG deficiency), 19 (29%) were found to have a normal whole‐blood coagulation time. These patients suffered from a mild form of the disease as assessed clinically and on the results of laboratory tests. Ages ranged from nine to sixty‐seven years. Seventeen families were involved; in eight of these other members were affected.

Hæmorrhagic episodes were mostly related to periods when the hæmostatic mechanism was placed under stress, as after tooth extraction or surgical procedures. Spontaneous hæmorrhages and hæmarthroses were uncommon symptoms.

The whole blood coagulation time was normal in all 19 patients. The prothrombin consumption index was normal (0% to 40%) in 13 patients and borderline (20% to 40%) in seven. The result of the thrombin generation test was normal in to of 15 patients tested. The most reliable method for diagnosis was the thromboplastin‐generation test. This test gave abnormal findings in 15 patients, and with a modification involving use of a greater dilution of plasma gave an abnormal result in all patients.

Plasma AHG concentrations have been measured in these patients, and the results confirm that at least 30% AHG is necessary for normal hæmostasis.
AUTOERYTHROCYTE SENSITIZATION WITH A CIRCULATING FIBRINOLYTIC FACTOR
Authors: REED C. S. H. , FIRKIN B. G.
Published: September 2017

A woman, aged forty years, had suffered painful spontaneous bruising from the time of the menarche at the age of fourteen years. Prior to this and subsequently she had suffered a number of episodes of severe bleeding, usually two or three days after minor surgery or confinement. At the time of study she had suffered an intracranial hemorrhage.

Autoerythrocyte sensitization and also a circulating fibrinolytic factor were demonstrated. This factor was thought to be associated with her red cells. Infusion of human serum albumin was associated with subjective and objective improvement.
THE MECHANISM OF SODIUM RETENTION IN CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER WITH ASCITES: THE EFFECT OF ACETAZOLAMIDE (“DIAMOX”) ON URINARY ELECTROLYTES
Authors: HECKER R.
Published: September 2017

Acetazolamide is shown to increase the urinary excretion of sodium and the sodium to potassium ratio in seven normal subjects and five cirrhotic patients without ascites. In seven cirrhotic patients with ascites the urinary output of sodium and the sodium to potassium ratio were low initially, and were unchanged by acetazolamide.

The subjects with ascites had no evidence of renal disease, and the failure to excrete sodium must be attributed to an extrarenal factor. These observations are compatible with the hypothesis that there is an excessive secretion of aldosterone, though they do not indicate the cause. It is not necessarily lowering of plasma sodium level, as the abnormality of sodium and potassium excretion was also noted in one subject with a high normal plasma level. Liver disease also is not essential, as similar sodium retention occurred in one subject whose ascites was due to extrahepatic portal hypertension.

Acetazolamide is found not to be a good diuretic in patients suffering from liver disease.
THE LIMITING TEMPERATURE FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF DENGUE
Authors: DERRICK E. H. , BICKS VALERIE A.
Published: September 2017

As Aëdes ægypti is susceptible to dryness as well as to cold, the wet‐bulb scale is more suitable than the dry‐bulb to define the temperature associations of a dengue epidemic.

Epidemics of dengue in Brisbane in 1942 and 1943 ceased when, at the approach of winter, the mean wet‐bulb temperature fell to about 14° to 15° C (57° to 59° F).

The line in New South Wales where the 1926 invasion of dengue halted can be represented approximately, but not exactly, by the mean annual wet‐bulb isotherm of 14.2° C.

A coastal strip across the north of Australia meets the temperature requirements for the endemicity of dengue. However, the paucity of sufficient concentrations of population in this strip and the explosive character of Australian outbreaks make the existence of any endemic foci in Australia very unlikely.
AORTIC VALVOTOMY FOR AORTIC STENOSIS : THE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT
Authors: HALL GEORGE V.
Published: September 2017

A clinical study of fifty consecutive cases of aortic stenosis has been made with the object of assessing their suitability for aortic valvotomy.

It is pointed out that severe symptoms develop late in the disease, and that at this stage operation may be an extremely hazardous procedure. Symptoms of severe effort dyspnœa, paroxysmal dyspnœa, angina pectoris and sometimes effort syncope are of grave prognostic significance irrespective of the patient's age. Early symptoms of moderate exertional dyspnoœ, fatigue and consciousness of the heart's action in a patient with aortic stenosis should not be regarded too lightly. They should draw attention to the necessity for more careful study of the case by other methods, so that the need for operation or otherwise can be assessed at an early stage.

It is stressed that clinical and electrocardiographic signs often precede these symptoms and allow of early assessment. The pulse wave, assessed clinically and if necessary from an arterial pulse trace, is of important prognostic significance. A pulse pressure of 40 millimetres or below suggests severe aortic stenosis. Auscultatory signs are important in diagnosis but not so much in prognosis.

The importance of careful radiological study of each case is emphasized. The presence or absence of calcium in the valve and the degree of calcification are fundamental considerations in diagnosis and in the decision on surgical methods of treatment.

The presence and degree of left ventricular hypertrophy in the electrocardiogram is a vital consideration in all cases.

Hæmodynamic studies with calculation of the systolic gradient across the valve and technical assessment of the degree of aortic incompetence are mentioned as being of value in doubtful cases.
DIABETIC MORTALITY IN AUSTRALIA
Authors: LANCASTER H. O. , MADDOX J. KEMPSON
Published: September 2017

Of 3140 patients (1040 males and 2100 females) admitted to the clinic (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney) between 1932 and 1947, 894 have died. Coma was the cause of death in 43, of whom 11 were under the age of 25 years. The major cause of death was arterial degeneration (131 males and 308 females). Gangrene (48), cancer of the pancreas (15) and other causes (74) were important causes of death. Cancer of the pancreas and, to a lesser extent, cancers of the female genital organs were significantly more common in the diabetics than in the general population.

The series was used to study the age of onset and the sex incidence of diabetes. Mortality rates were computed for each age group. Mortality was particularly heavy at ages under 25 and over 55 years.

The death certificates showed that the official statistics assign only a small proportion of the deaths of diabetics to the title “Diabetes”. In 60% of the 894 clinic patients dying, diabetes was not counted by the statistician as a cause of death.
Chronic kidney disease and incident apparent treatment‐resistant hypertension among blacks: Data from the Jackson Heart Study
Authors: Tanner Rikki M. , Shimbo Daichi , Irvin Marguerite R. , Spruill Tanya M. , Bromfield Samantha G. , Seals Samantha R. , Young Bessie A. , Muntner Paul
Published: September 2017

It is unclear whether black patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) vs those without CKD who take antihypertensive medication have an increased risk for apparent treatment‐resistant hypertension (aTRH). The authors analyzed 1741 Jackson Heart Study participants without aTRH taking antihypertensive medication at baseline. aTRH was defined as uncontrolled blood pressure while taking three antihypertensive medication classes or taking four or more antihypertensive medication classes, regardless of blood pressure level. CKD was defined as an albumin to creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g or estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Over 8 years, 20.1% of participants without CKD and 30.5% with CKD developed aTRH. The multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratio for aTRH comparing participants with CKD vs those without CKD was 1.45 (95% CI, 1.12–1.86). Participants with an albumin to creatinine ratio ≥30 vs <30 mg/g (hazard ratio, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.04–2.00) and estimated glomerular filtration rate of 45 to 59 mL/min/1.73 m2 and <45 vs ≥60mL/min/1.73 m2 (hazard ratio, 1.60 [95% CI, 1.16–2.20] and 2.05 [95% CI, 1.28–3.26], respectively) were more likely to develop aTRH.
LncRNA PLAC2 down‐regulates RPL36 expression and blocks cell cycle progression in glioma through a mechanism involving STAT1
Authors: Hu Yan‐Wei , Kang Chun‐Min , Zhao Jing‐Jing , Nie Ying , Zheng Lei , Li Hai‐Xia , Li Xin , Wang Qian , Qiu Yu‐Rong
Published: September 2017

Current glioma therapies allow in situ delivery of cytotoxic drugs to the tumour; however, gliomas show early recurrence due to their highly proliferative character. Long non‐coding (lnc)RNAs play critical roles in tumorigenesis by controlling cell proliferation and cycling. However, the mechanism of action of lncRNAs in glioma development remains unclear. Here, we report that the lncRNA PLAC2 induces cell cycle arrest by targeting ribosomal protein (RP)L36 in glioma. RPL36 promoted cell proliferation and G1/S cell cycle progression. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)1 interacted with both lncRNA PLAC2 and the RPL36 promoter. We also found that the nucleus PLAC2 bind with STAT1 and interact with RPL36 promoters but the cytoplasmic lncRNA PLAC2 inhibited STAT1 nuclear transfer, thereby decreasing RP36 expression, inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing cell cycle arrest. These results provide evidence for a novel cell cycle regulatory network in glioma comprising the lncRNA PLAC2 along with STAT1 and RPL36 that can serve as a therapeutic target for glioma treatment.
Editorial: New frontiers in the scientific study of developmental language disorders
Authors: Norbury Courtenay Frazier , Sonuga‐Barke Edmund
Published: September 2017

Developmental language disorders (DLD) are common and have far‐reaching developmental consequences. Nevertheless, public awareness of DLD is poor, and one goal of this special issue is to showcase a set of papers that provide a clear and coherent message about the nature and impact of DLD, and the potential of intervention to mitigate these impacts. In this editorial, we highlight seminal papers JCPP has published on language disorders over the last 40 years. Many of the issues raised then are still relevant now; however, the papers that comprise this special issue exemplify how far the field has come in achieving consensus on terminology and diagnostic criteria, and producing highly consistent findings on the stability and impact of DLD, and the potential for language change in response to targeted interventions. The editorial concludes with a road map for future research and clinical priorities that includes the need for randomised controlled trials that specifically address the impact of co‐morbidities on response to treatment, impacts of intervention on broader developmental outcomes, and the experiences of adults with DLD.
Oral glucose lowering with linagliptin and metformin compared with linagliptin alone as initial treatment in Asian patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and marked hyperglycemia: Subgroup analysis of a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Ma Ronald CW , Del Prato Stefano , Gallwitz Baptist , Shivane Vyankatesh K , Lewis‐D'Agostino Diane , Bailes Zelie , Patel Sanjay , Lee Jisoo , von Eynatten Maximilian , Di Domenico Maximiliano , Ross Stuart A
Published: September 2017

Aims/Introduction

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an epidemic in Asia, yet clinical trials of glucose‐lowering therapies often enroll predominantly Western populations. We explored the initial combination of metformin and linagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor, in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Asia with marked hyperglycemia.

Materials and Methods

This was a post‐hoc subgroup analysis of a multinational, parallel‐group clinical trial in which 316 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 8.5–12.0% were randomized to double‐blind oral treatment with linagliptin/metformin or linagliptin monotherapy. The primary end‐point was the change from baseline in HbA1c at week 24. We evaluated data for the 125 participants from Asian countries.

Results

After 24 weeks, the mean ± standard error reduction from baseline in HbA1c (mean 10.0%) was −2.99 ± 0.18% with linagliptin/metformin and −1.84 ± 0.18% with linagliptin; a treatment difference of −1.15% (95% confidence interval −1.65 to −0.66, P < 0.0001). HbA1c <7.0% was achieved by 60% of participants receiving linagliptin/metformin. The mean bodyweight change after 24 weeks was −0.45 ± 0.41 kg and 1.33 ± 0.45 kg in the linagliptin/metformin and linagliptin groups, respectively (treatment difference −1.78 kg [95% confidence interval −2.99 to −0.57, P = 0.0043]). Drug‐related adverse events occurred in 9.7% of participants receiving linagliptin/metformin and 4.8% of those receiving linagliptin. Hypoglycemia occurred in 6.5% and 4.8% of the linagliptin/metformin and linagliptin groups, respectively, with no severe episodes. Gastrointestinal disorders occurred in 12.9% and 12.7% of the linagliptin/metformin and linagliptin groups, respectively, with no associated treatment discontinuations.

Conclusions

In people from Asia with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus and marked hyperglycemia, the initial combination of linagliptin and metformin substantially improved glycemic control without weight gain and with infrequent hypoglycemia. Initial oral combination therapy might be a viable treatment for such individuals.