bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of the antioxidant ascorbic acid in the elicitation of contact allergic reactions to p‐phenylenediamine
Authors: Coenraads Pieter‐Jan , Vogel Tatiana A. , Blömeke Brunhilde , Goebel Carsten , Roggeband Robert , Schuttelaar M.L.A.
Published: February 2016

Background

An allergic contact reaction is accompanied by high oxidative stress in the skin. Pretreatment of the skin with antioxidative substances could reduce the elicitation reaction.

Objectives

To investigate, in a proof‐of‐principle study, whether pretreatment of the skin with the antioxidant ascorbic acid reduces the elicitation reaction to a p‐phenylenediamine (PPD)‐containing hair dye in sensitized subjects.

Methods

Twelve subjects with contact allergy to PPD, a documented skin reaction to a hair dye simulation exposure model and a history of hair dye‐related skin complaints were included in this study. Skin areas on the forearms were, in a left versus right design, exposed to an emulsion with ascorbic acid and an emulsion without ascorbic acid, and then to a 2% PPD‐containing hair dye testing formulation. In addition, control areas were exposed to the emulsions and to the PPD‐containing hair dye formulation without pretreatment. Skin reactions were graded on day (D)2 and D3.

Results

Pretreatment with ascorbic acid emulsion resulted in a reduction in the elicitation reaction in 7 of 12 subjects at D3 (p = 0.046). No statistically significant difference was observed at D2.

Conclusions

Pretreatment of the skin with the antioxidant ascorbic acid had an attenuating effect on the elicitation reaction to PPD in sensitized individuals.
The Image of theBedouin in Travel Literature and Western Researchers Who Visited Palestine in the Nineteenth Century
Authors: Suwaed Muhammad
Published: February 2016

With the weakening of the Ottoman government from the end of the sixteenth century onwards, the Bedouin took over the control of the entire Country of Palestine. As the Bedouin were present across the country, western travelers and researches visiting the Holy Land as tourists, visitors, and investigators often met the Bedouin, especially during the robbery and plunder executed by the Bedouin upon travelers, and when hiring them as tour guides, renting their camels, or employing them as guards. On their return to their countries, these travelers reported on their experiences in the East in the form of books. These western travelers and researchers, in their writings, dealt with the Bedouin. They described them as providers of services to caravans, transporters of luggage, tour guides, and robbers. The writers and researchers explicitly described the traits, characters, food habits, clothing, residences, and occupations of the Bedouin.
Social Media and Social Change
Authors: Miladi Noureddine
Published: February 2016

The growing impact of new media around the world has been the subject of study by scores of scientists in multidisciplinary fields. Satellite TV and the Internet have been viewed as instruments of social and political change — connecting communities, educating the youth, and creating social networks previously unaccounted for, like virtual groups. However, in the Arab World and the Middle East, such technological developments have been hailed as tools for the empowerment of marginalized communities such as women and the youth, also brought new opportunities that have resulted in the breaking of the communication monopoly by those in power and the creation of a new communication environment. Such environment has — as part of its manifestations — the current social transformations that the region is witnessing. Drawing on examples from social media networks used in Tunisia and Egypt, this article analyzes the extent to which new technologies have changed the rules of the game regarding public opinion construction and the communication flow traditionally monopolized by the hegemonic power structures in Arab society. This study not only reveals the decisiveness of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube in the Arab Spring countries’ revolutions, but also the extent to which their availability served in a complex manner the democratic transition that Tunisia have been undergoing and the political turmoil that Egypt is witnessing. Furthermore this study argues that such online spheres of communication mark the emergence of the virtual yet vibrant space of political campaigning and social empowerment, especially for the youth and marginalized communities.
Variation in leaf‐level photosynthesis among switchgrass genotypes exposed to low temperatures does not scale with final biomass yield
Authors: Cordero Ángel , Osborne Bruce A.
Published: February 2016

The effect of a 10‐day low‐temperature treatment and subsequent recovery of 13 genotypes of switchgrass, including upland and lowland types, resulted in significant variations in a number of leaf‐level photosynthetic parameters. Whilst the most resistant genotype (Blackwell) is an upland type, there was no clear separation of upland and lowland genotypes in terms of the resistance of leaf photosynthesis (Asat,ϕCO2max, Vpand Vpmax), respiration (Rd) or fluorescence (Fv/Fm) parameters to low temperatures, with lowland types also achieving higher biomass yields than upland types. Examination of the reason for differences in the impact of low temperatures on leaf photosynthesis indicated that this could be due to bothPEPcarboxylase activity and/orPEPregeneration, but with some support forPEPregeneration being the more important. However, variations in leaf photosynthesis were not related to the final biomass yield in either control or low‐temperature‐exposed plants, and the best correlation was found with leaf area. Low temperatures were found to have a post‐treatment impact on leaf area development through a reduction in the formation of new leaves. Overall, these results suggest that more attention should be directed at variations in the effect of low temperature on leaf initiation and emergence to exploit the wider use of switchgrass as a biomass–bioenergy crop.
A fluid inclusion record of magmatic/hydrothermal pulses in acid Salar Ignorado gypsum, northern Chile
Authors: Karmanocky F. J. , Benison K. C.
Published: February 2016

Salar Ignorado is a shallow acid saline lake hosted by a small intervolcanic basin high in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile. Modern surface waters have 3.3–4.1 pH, 0.5–3% total dissolved solids (TDS) and are actively precipitating gypsum crystals. The gypsum crystals trap the acid saline water as fluid inclusions, providing a record of recent surface water characteristics. Salar Ignorado gypsum contains three distinct types of primary fluid inclusions, which result from growth of the gypsum from surface waters. Petrography and microthermometry were performed on 27 gypsum crystals from Salar Ignorado to gain an understanding of recent water chemistry of the salar. One 18.3‐cm‐long gypsum crystal, hosting primary fluid inclusions along 28 successive growth bands, was the focus for fluid inclusion studies and allowed a record of high‐resolution chemical trends. This crystal showed a change in parent fluids during growth, from low salinity, to high salinity, back to low salinity. At the bottom of the crystal, the lowest six fluid inclusion assemblages have salinities of 1.7–5.1 eq. wt. % NaCl. The next nine fluid inclusion assemblages have significantly higher salinity (18.6–27.4 eq. wt. % NaCl) inclusions. The twelve fluid inclusion assemblages near the top of the crystal have low salinity (0.9–8.3 eq. wt. % NaCl) like those at the bottom of the crystal. The high‐salinity fluid inclusions in the middle of this gypsum crystal are interpreted to have formed during a pulse of magmatic/hydrothermal fluids to the surface, perhaps during local active volcanism. Secondary evidence of a magmatic influence on surface waters includes hydrogen sulfide and high molecular weight solid hydrocarbons within some fluid inclusions. This study is among the first detailed fluid inclusion studies of gypsum and suggests that fluid inclusions in gypsum can be paleo‐hydrogeologic proxies.
Imbalance of Gastrointestinal Microbiota in the Pathogenesis ofHelicobacter pylori‐Associated Diseases
Authors: He Cong , Yang Zhen , Lu Nonghua
Published: February 2016

The development of new nucleotide sequencing techniques and advanced bioinformatics tools has opened the field for studying the diversity and complexity of the gastrointestinal microbiome independent of traditional cultural methods. Owing largely to the gastric acid barrier, the human stomach was long thought to be sterile. The discovery ofHelicobacter pylori, the gram‐negative bacterium that infects upwards of 50% of the global population, has started a major paradigm shift in our understanding of the stomach as an ecologic niche for bacteria. Recent sequencing analysis of gastric microbiota showed thatH. pyloriwas not alone and the interaction ofH. pyloriwith those microorganisms might play a part inH. pylori‐associated diseases such as gastric cancer. In this review, we summarize the available literature about the changes of gastrointestinal microbiota afterH. pyloriinfection in humans and animal models, and discuss the possible underlying mechanisms including the alterations of the gastric environment, the secretion of hormones and the degree of inflammatory response. In general, information regarding the composition and function of gastrointestinal microbiome is still in its infancy, future studies are needed to elucidate whether and to what extentH. pyloriinfection perturbs the established microbiota. It is assumed that clarifying the role of gastrointestinal communities inH. pylori‐associated diseases will provide an opportunity for translational application as a biomarker for the risk of seriousH. pyloridiseases and perhaps identify specific organisms for therapeutic eradication.
Murine Sertoli cells promote the development of tolerogenic dendritic cells: a pivotal role of galectin‐1
Authors: Gao Jianxin , Wang Xujie , Wang Yunchuan , Han Fu , Cai Weixia , Zhao Bin , Li Yan , Han Shichao , Wu Xue , Hu Dahai
Published: February 2016

Sertoli cells (SCs) possess inherent immunosuppressive properties and are major contributors to the immunoprivileged status of mammalian testis. SCs have been reported to inhibit the activation of B cells, T cells and natural killer cells but not dendritic cells (DCs). Herein, we present evidence that co‐culture with SCs results in a persistent state of DC immaturity characterized by down‐regulation of the surface molecules I‐A/E, CD80, CD83, CD86, CCR7 and CD11c, as well as reduced production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines. SC‐conditioned DCs (SC‐DCs) displayed low immunogenicity and enhanced immunoregulatory functions, including the inhibition of T‐cell proliferation and the promotion of Foxp3+ regulatory T‐cell development. Mechanistically, the activation of p38, extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 was suppressed in SC‐DCs. More importantly, we demonstrate that galectin‐1 secreted by SCs plays a pivotal role in the differentiation of functionally tolerogenic SC‐DCs. These findings further support the role of SCs in maintaining the immunoprivileged environment of the testis and provide a novel approach to derive tolerogenic DCs, which may lead to alternative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of immunopathogenic diseases.
Sensory rooms in psychiatric inpatient care: Staff experiences
Authors: Björkdahl Anna , Perseius Kent‐Inge , Samuelsson Mats , Lindberg Mathilde Hedlund
Published: February 2016

There is an increased interest in exploring the use of sensory rooms in psychiatric inpatient care. Sensory rooms can provide stimulation via sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste in a demand‐free environment that is controlled by the patient. The rooms may reduce patients’ distress and agitation, as well as rates of seclusion and restraint. Successful implementation of sensory rooms is influenced by the attitudes and approach of staff. This paper presents a study of the experiences of 126 staff members who worked with sensory rooms in a Swedish inpatient psychiatry setting. A cross‐sectional descriptive survey design was used. Data were collected by a web based self‐report 12‐item questionnaire that included both open‐ and closed‐ended questions. Our findings strengthen the results of previous research in this area in many ways. Content analyses revealed three main categories: hopes and concerns, focusing on patients’ self‐care, and the room as a sanctuary. Although staff initially described both negative and positive expectations of sensory rooms, after working with the rooms, there was a strong emphasis on more positive experiences, such as letting go of control and observing an increase in patients’ self‐confidence, emotional self‐care and well‐being. Our findings support the important principals of person‐centred nursing and recovery‐oriented mental health and the ability of staff to implement these principles by working with sensory rooms.
Género y trabajo en tiempos de austeridad. Análisis comparado de Irlanda, Italia y Portugal
Authors: ADDABBO Tindara , BASTOS Amélia , FALCÃO CASACA Sara , DUVVURY Nata , NÍ LÉIME Áine
Published: February 2016

Con datos de Eurostat de 2007, 2010 y 2012, se examinan los efectos de la crisis de 2008 en Irlanda, Italia y Portugal respecto de las pautas de empleo de mujeres y hombres y su repercusión en los modelos de sostén familiar y los ingresos de los hogares. Las brechas de empleo, desempleo y empleo precario se reducen sin avance hacia la igualdad, por la mayor vulnerabilidad de los hombres en el mercado laboral. Crece el riesgo de pobreza (sobre todo en hogares donde la mujer es el sostén, en aumento), riesgo que podría afectar desigualmente a los miembros del hogar, dependiendo del régimen patrimonial.
La tasa de actividad femenina cae en Kerala. ¿Hay evidencia de desaliento?
Authors: MATHEW Shalina Susan
Published: February 2016

Las tasas femeninas de actividad y empleo caen desde mediados del decenio de 2000 en toda la India, y en particular en Kerala, que era históricamente el estado con mejores resultados. Se analiza la evolución de estas tasas en Kerala entre 2004 y 2012, según ingresos de los hogares, edad, nivel de instrucción y categoría ocupacional. Las jóvenes más calificadas abandonan la vida activa, lo que hace pensar en un desaliento exacerbado por el aumento de la brecha salarial de género en las ocupaciones de más alto nivel. Estos cambios están eliminando algunos de los logros que hasta ahora distinguían al mercado de trabajo de Kerala.
Efectos de las variables socioeconómicas en las jerarquías de esferas vitales de mujeres y hombres en Israel
Authors: SHARABI Moshe
Published: February 2016

Con datos de la encuesta «Meaning of Work» de 2006, se examina la centralidad relativa del trabajo, la familia, el ocio, la comunidad y la religión en una muestra representativa de la población activa israelí de 463 hombres y 446 mujeres. La centralidad de la familia siguió siendo más frecuente entre las mujeres, pero ambos sexos situaron el trabajo en posición igualmente elevada, lo que marca el fin de la menor inclinación femenina tradicional por esta esfera vital. Un análisis de regresión permite identificar factores socioeconómicos que inciden en las diferencias entre hombres y mujeres. Globalmente, se observa mayor riesgo de conflicto trabajo‐familia entre las mujeres israelíes.
News/Interview
Authors: Kennedy Helen , Kirk Andy , Stander Julian , Dalla Valle Luciana , Borja Mario Cortina
Published: February 2016

News

Another record-breaking year for global temperatures?

Missing millions

The Census Bureau's 2016 budget is $130 million less than requested

Election polls

The nefarious effect of sample bias

Visualisation

Helen Kennedy and Andy Kirk discuss the Seeing Data project

Statistically speaking

How long can Pope Francis expect to live?

Interview

David Trafimow on a year without the null hypothesis significance test

Ask a statistician

What is the calorific cost of McDonald's revenue growth?
Old and New Ideas about the Human Sex Ratio
Authors: Orzack Steven Hecht
Published: February 2016

The human sex ratio – the ratio of males to females – has long fascinated biologists and statisticians alike. Steven Hecht Orzack presents a potted history, from the earliest interpretations to the most recent – and surprising – conclusions

The sex ratio

Understanding the ratio of males to females has long fascinated biologists and statisticians, says Steven Hecht Orzack
Reverse Engineering Ancient Greek Ceramics: Morphological and Spectral Characterization of Replicates
Authors: Cianchetta Ilaria , Trentelman Karen , Walton Marc Sebastian , Maish Jeffrey , Mehta Apurva , Foran Brendan
Published: February 2016

Athenian pottery, the ceramics produced in the Attica region of Greece between the 6th and 4th centuries B.C., is considered a benchmark technological achievement of the preindustrial world. This work advances our understanding of the firing protocols employed by the ancient Greeks to produce their black‐on‐red designs by characterizing replicates painted with a refined illite clay and fired under oxidizing/reducing/reoxidizing conditions (three‐stage firing). Systematically varying the temperature, atmosphere, and duration of each firing stage within the three‐stage firing scheme allowed the conditions necessary to obtain black and red gloss, both of which are observed on ancient vessels, to be determined. The morphology and elemental distribution of particles formed within the gloss thus formed were characterized using transmission electron microscopy and spectrocolorimetric measurements. Comparison of the results obtained from ancient sherds with those obtained from the replicate samples provides a means of estimating the firing conditions used to create the ancient vessels.
Conversion of Alumina to Aluminum Nitride Using Polymeric Carbon Nitride as a Nitridation Reagent
Authors: Jung Woo‐Sik
Published: February 2016

Polymeric carbon nitride, which was synthesized by polymerization of dicyandiamide at 500°C, was used as a nitridation reagent in the conversion of δ‐alumina (δ‐Al2O3) to aluminum nitride (AlN). The products obtained at various reaction temperatures were characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction, 27Al magic‐angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). δ‐Al2O3 began to convert to AlN at 900°C, which is the lowest temperature reported for the formation of AlN from Al2O3, and completely converted to AlN at 1400°C. The occurrence of reaction intermediates during nitridation was confirmed by 27Al MAS NMR and XPS. The change in Raman spectra with reaction temperatures indicated that lattice defects in AlN were reduced by calcining at higher reaction temperatures.
Disease progression in aggressive periodontitis patients. A Retrospective Study
Authors: Dopico José , Nibali Luigi , Donos Nikos
Published: February 2016

Aim

The primary aim of this study was to retrospectively ascertain disease progression in a cohort of aggressive periodontitis patients (AgP).

Materials and Methods

Patients treated at a specialist setting and referred back to general practice for periodontal maintenance were recalled and examined in a single visit. Disease progression during follow‐up was assessed and historical data collected from the patient's records. Factors that could potentially influence tooth loss rates at the patient level were explored by linear regression analysis. At the tooth level, chi‐square test and OR for tooth loss were calculated.

Results

Sixty‐six subjects completed the study. The mean follow‐up was 6.97 years (95% CI 6.25–7.69). The mean annual tooth loss rate was 0.27 teeth per patient/year (95% CI 0.17–0.36). At the patient level, having received surgical treatment and the performance of interproximal cleaning were found to significantly reduce the annual tooth loss rates. At the tooth level, deep probing depths after treatment were significantly associated with increased tooth loss rates (OR 4.39 for PPD 5–6 mm and OR 11.68 for PPD >6 mm, respectively, compared with PPD <5 mm).

Conclusions

In this sample of patients, the annual tooth loss rates were found to be higher than previously described.
Trophic segregation of a fish assemblage along lateral depth gradients in a subtropical coastal lagoon revealed by stable isotope analyses
Authors: Mont'Alverne R. , Pereyra P. E. R. , Garcia A. M.
Published: February 2016

Stable isotopes were used to evaluate the hypothesis that fish assemblages occurring in shallow and deep areas of a large coastal lagoon are structured in partially segregated trophic modules with consumers showing contrasting reliance on benthic or pelagic food sources. The results revealed that fishes in deep areas were mainly dependent on particulate organic matter in the sediment (SOM), whereas emergent macrophytes were as important as SOM to fish consumers in shallow areas. Conceptual trophic diagrams depicting relationships among basal food sources and consumers in different regions of the lagoon highlighted the greater use of multiple basal food sources by more feeding mode functional guilds in shallow water compared with the use of predominantly benthic resources (SOM) in deep areas. The findings appear to corroborate the initial hypothesis and offer complementary perspectives in understanding the role of spatial ecology in structuring coastal ecosystem function and productivity.
Hepatitis B virus full‐length genomic mutations and quasispecies in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhang An‐Ye , Lai Ching‐Lung , Poon Ronnie Tung‐Ping , Huang Fung‐Yu , Seto Wai‐Kay , Fung James , Wong Danny Ka‐Ho , Yuen Man‐Fung
Published: February 2016

Background and Aim

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) full‐length genomic mutations and quasispecies characteristics in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were investigated.

Methods

Hepatitis B virus DNA was extracted from the tumor and non‐tumor tissues of 16 HCC patients. Overlapping DNA fragments covering the entire HBV genome were amplified and sequenced. To study HBV sequence at the quasispecies level, the preS region was amplified and clonally sequenced. HBV mutation profiles, quasispecies complexity and diversity, and phylogenetic characteristics were assessed.

Results

Fourteen patients had full‐length HBV amplification. Hot‐spot mutations at HBx aa130–131 and pre‐S deletions were detected in 13 (93%) and 6 (43%) patients, respectively. Deletions in the X/preC/C regions were more frequently detected in the tumor than in the non‐tumor tissues (P = 0.031). Compared with the non‐tumor tissues, the tumor tissues had a lower quasispecies complexity (P = 0.014 and 0.043, at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively) and diversity (P = 0.048 and 0.022, at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis showed that HBV sequences derived from tumor and non‐tumor tissues were separately clustered, suggesting the occurrence of compartmentalization, which was confirmed by the correlation coefficient testing on both the number and length of branches of viral populations (all P < 0.02).

Conclusions

Hepatitis B virus mutation patterns in HCC tumor tissues and non‐tumor tissues were different. HBV quasispecies within the preS region were compartmentalized, and tumor tissues had a lower genome complexity and diversity. Our study suggests HBV evolution is conditioned by the differential host cellular environment in HCC tumors.
Qualitative Comparison of Women's Perspectives on the Functions and Benefits of Group and Individual Prenatal Care
Authors: Heberlein Emily C. , Picklesimer Amy H. , Billings Deborah L. , Covington‐Kolb Sarah , Farber Naomi , Frongillo Edward A.
Published: February 2016

Introduction

Women's definitions and experiences of the functions and benefits of their routine prenatal care are largely absent from research and public discourse on prenatal care outcomes. This qualitative study aimed to develop a framework of women's prenatal care experiences by comparing the experiences of women in individual and group prenatal care.

Methods

We conducted serial qualitative interviews with racially diverse low‐income women receiving individual prenatal care (n = 14) or group prenatal care (n = 15) through pregnancy and the early postpartum period. We completed 42 second‐trimester, 48 third‐trimester, and 44 postpartum interviews. Using grounded theory, the semistructured interviews were coded for themes, and the themes were integrated into an explanatory framework of prenatal care functions and benefits.

Results

Individual and group participants described similar benefits in 3 prenatal care functions: confirming health, preventing and monitoring medical complications, and building supportive provider relationships. For the fourth function, educating and preparing, group care participants experienced more benefits and different benefits. The benefits for group participants were enhanced by the supportive group environment. Group participants described greater positive influences on stress, confidence, knowledge, motivation, informed decision making, and health care engagement.

Discussion

Whereas pregnant women want to maximize their probability of having a healthy newborn, other prenatal care outcomes are also important: reducing pregnancy‐related stress; developing confidence and knowledge for improving health; preparing for labor, birth, and newborn care; and having supportive relationships. Group prenatal care may be more effective in attaining these outcomes. Achieving these outcomes is increasingly relevant in health care systems prioritizing woman‐centered care and improved birth outcomes. How to achieve them should be part of policy development and research.
Neural plasticity and behavior – sixty years of conceptual advances
Authors: Sweatt J. David
Published: February 2016

This brief review summarizes 60 years of conceptual advances that have demonstrated a role for active changes in neuronal connectivity as a controller of behavior and behavioral change. Seminal studies in the first phase of the six‐decade span of this review firmly established the cellular basis of behavior – a concept that we take for granted now, but which was an open question at the time. Hebbian plasticity, including long‐term potentiation and long‐term depression, was then discovered as being important for local circuit refinement in the context of memory formation and behavioral change and stabilization in the mammalian central nervous system. Direct demonstration of plasticity of neuronal circuit function in vivo, for example, hippocampal neurons forming place cell firing patterns, extended this concept. However, additional neurophysiologic and computational studies demonstrated that circuit development and stabilization additionally relies on non‐Hebbian, homoeostatic, forms of plasticity, such as synaptic scaling and control of membrane intrinsic properties. Activity‐dependent neurodevelopment was found to be associated with cell‐wide adjustments in post‐synaptic receptor density, and found to occur in conjunction with synaptic pruning. Pioneering cellular neurophysiologic studies demonstrated the critical roles of transmembrane signal transduction, NMDA receptor regulation, regulation of neural membrane biophysical properties, and back‐propagating action potential in critical time‐dependent coincidence detection in behavior‐modifying circuits. Concerning the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, regulation of gene transcription was found to serve as a bridge between experience and behavioral change, closing the ‘nature versus nurture’ divide. Both active DNA (de)methylation and regulation of chromatin structure have been validated as crucial regulators of gene transcription during learning. The discovery of protein synthesis dependence on the acquisition of behavioral change was an influential discovery in the neurochemistry of behavioral modification. Higher order cognitive functions such as decision making and spatial and language learning were also discovered to hinge on neural plasticity mechanisms. The role of disruption of these processes in intellectual disabilities, memory disorders, and drug addiction has recently been clarified based on modern genetic techniques, including in the human.

image

The area of neural plasticity and behavior has seen tremendous advances over the last six decades, with many of those advances being specifically in the neurochemistry domain. This review provides an overview of the progress in the area of neuroplasticity and behavior over the life‐span of the Journal of Neurochemistry. To organize the broad literature base, the review collates progress into fifteen broad categories identified as ‘conceptual advances’, as viewed by the author. The fifteen areas are delineated in the figure above.

This article is part of the 60th Anniversary special issue.
Effects of Multivitamin Supplements on Cognitive Function, Serum Homocysteine Level, and Depression of Korean Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment in Care Facilities
Authors: Lee Hye Kyung , Kim So Young , Sok Sohyune R.
Published: February 2016

Purpose

To examine effects of multivitamin supplements on cognitive function, serum homocysteine level, and depression of Korean older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in care facilities.

Design

A quasi‐experimental pretest‐posttest control group design was employed.

Methods

Forty‐eight adults 65 years of age and older with MCI (experimental,n= 24; control,n= 24) who were living in care facilities in Gyeong‐gi‐do, Korea, were recruited. Multivitamin supplements as experimental treatment consisted of vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid. Multivitamin supplements were taken at a dosage of one pill every day for 12 weeks through the oral route. Measures were Mini Mental State Examination‐Korean, serum homocysteine level, and Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea Version. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 statistical software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

Findings

There were significant effects of multivitamin supplements on cognitive function (F = 3.624,p= .021), serum homocysteine level (F = 6.974,p= .001), and depression (F = 10.849,p= .001).

Conclusions

Multivitamin supplements increased cognitive function, and decreased serum homocysteine level and depression of Korean older adults with MCI in care facilities.

Clinical Relevance

Multivitamin supplements can be utilized for improving cognitive ability and for decreasing depression of Korean older adults with MCI in care facilities.
Revolution and the Whip of Reaction: Technicians of Power and the Dialectic of Radicalisation
Authors: Mulholland Marc
Published: February 2016

This article argues that sociologically informed studies of revolution tend to underestimate the importance of counter‐revolution and ‘reaction’ in generating radicalisation. Revolutions are inherently political. Most accounts recognise this, but emphasise the executive organs of state – such as monarch, cabinet or ministers – at the expense of the intermediary ‘technicians of power’. Revolutions, however, typically seek to refashion an entire technocracy of power, and in so doing struggle against embedded and powerful sites of reaction. Central to the dynamic of revolution is the ‘purge’ of the technocracy of power. As governing structures are not easily transformed at a stroke, revolutions may be seen as punctuating long processes of struggle. Historically, the governing apparatus has been most effectively revolutionised under conditions of military occupation. The thesis is illustrated here by a narrative of revolution in Europe from the English Civil War to the Liberation of the 1940s, with a coda on ’68.
Cell phone use is associated with an inflammatory cytokine profile of parotid gland saliva
Authors: Siqueira Elisa Carvalho , de Souza Fabrício Tinôco Alvim , Ferreira Efigênia , Souza Renan Pedra , Macedo Samuel Costa , Friedman Eitan , Gomez Marcus Vinícius , Gomes Carolina Cavaliéri , Gomez Ricardo Santiago
Published: February 2016

Background

There is controversy on the effects of the non‐ionizing radiation emitted by cell phones on cellular processes and the impact of such radiation exposure on health. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether cell phone use alters cytokine expression in the saliva produced by the parotid glands.

Methods

Cytokine expression profile was determined by enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) in the saliva produced by the parotid glands in healthy volunteers, and correlated with self‐reported cell phone use and laterality.

Results

The following parameters were determined, in 83 Brazilian individuals in saliva produced by the parotid glands comparing the saliva from the gland exposed to cell phone radiation (ipsilateral) to that from the contralateral parotid: salivary flow, total protein concentration, interleukin 1 β (IL‐1 β), interleukin 6 (IL‐6), interleukin 10 (IL‐10), interferon γ (IFN‐γ), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) salivary levels by ELISA. After multiple testing correction, decreased IL‐10 and increased IL‐1β salivary levels in the ipsilateral side compared with the contralateral side (P < 0.05) were detected. Subjects who used cell phones for more than 10 years presented higher differences between IL‐10 levels in ipsilateral versus contralateral parotids (P = 0.0012). No difference was observed in any of the tested parameters in correlation with cell phone monthly usage in minutes.

Conclusion

The exposure of parotid glands to cell phones can alter salivary IL‐10 and IL‐1β levels, consistent with a pro‐inflammatory microenvironment that may be related to heat production.
Some Properties of Local Gaussian Correlation and Other Nonlinear Dependence Measures
Authors: Berentsen Geir Drage , Cao Ricardo , Francisco‐Fernández Mario , TjØstheim Dag
Published: February 2016

This article consists of two parts. The first one contains a brief review of global and local dependence measures, including the local Gaussian correlation. For this, the local correlation at a pointxis obtained by approximating the given bivariate densityfatxby a bivariate Gaussian and then taking the correlation of that bivariate Gaussian as the definition of local Gaussian correlation. The second part consists in a bias study of the local Gaussian correlation. A small simulation experiment is performed. In the Appendix, the possibility of a neighbourhood‐free definition of local Gaussian correlation is explored.
Adverse effects of a 10‐day course of ibuprofen inHolstein calves
Authors: Walsh P. , Carvallo Chaigneau F. R. , Anderson M. , Behrens N. , McEligot H. , Gunnarson B. , Gershwin L. J.
Published: February 2016

Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are recommended for various conditions in cattle. Ibuprofen is an inexpensive short‐actingNSAIDand is readily available in liquid formulation for administration to bottle‐fed calves. We compared the adverse effects of a 10‐day course of ibuprofen and placebo in 16 five‐ to six‐week‐old Holstein bull calves that were being treated for experimentally induced bovine respiratory syncytial virus infection. Ibuprofen was administered as a liquid in milk replacer at 30 mg/kg divided three times daily. We found an increased prevalence of abomasal ulceration 5 of 8 in the ibuprofen compared to placebo group 2 of 6 (P = NS). There was one (1 of 8) case of mild interstitial nephritis in the ibuprofen and none (0 of 8) in the placebo group (P = NS). Renal function as measured by serumBUNand creatinine levels was not different between groups; no animal demonstrated an increase in creatinine.
Studying auditory verbal hallucinations using the RDoC framework
Authors: Ford Judith M.
Published: February 2016

In this paper, I explain why I adopted a Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) approach to study the neurobiology of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH), or voices. I explain that the RDoC construct of “agency” fits well with AVH phenomenology. To the extent that voices sound nonself, voice hearers lack a sense of agency over the voices. Using a vocalization paradigm like those used with nonhuman primates to study mechanisms subserving the sense of agency, we find that the auditory N1 ERP is suppressed during vocalization, that EEG synchrony preceding speech onset is related to N1 suppression, and that both are reduced in patients with schizophrenia. Reduced cortical suppression is also seen across multiple psychotic disorders and in clinically high‐risk youth, but it is not related to AVH. The motor activity preceding talking and connectivity between frontal and temporal lobes during talking have both proved sensitive to AVH, suggesting neural activity and connectivity associated with intentions to act may be a better way to study agency and predictions based on agency.
Using the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) in human and nonhuman primate research
Authors: Maestripieri Dario , Lilienfeld Scott O.
Published: February 2016

In this article, we provide a commentary on Kozak and Cuthbert ()'s theoretical paper discussing the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative and on Latzman et al. (2016)'s empirical investigation of the RDoC negative valence systems domain in chimpanzees, conducted with experimental procedures across genetic, neurobiological, and behavioral levels of analysis. We discuss the pros and cons of the RDoC approach to research on mental illness as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the implementation of this approach in the chimpanzee study.
The NIMH Research Domain Criteria initiative and error‐related brain activity
Authors: Hanna Gregory L. , Gehring William J.
Published: February 2016

Research on the neural response to errors has an important role in the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project, since it is likely to link psychopathology to the dysfunction of neural systems underlying basic behavioral functions, with the error‐related negativity (ERN) appearing as a unit of measurement in three RDoC domains. A recent report builds on previous research by examining the ERN as a measure of the sustained threat construct and providing evidence that the ERN may reflect sensitivity more specifically to endogenous threat. Data from 515 adolescent females indicate that the ERN was enlarged primarily in older adolescents with self‐reported checking behaviors, although it was blunted in adolescents with depressive symptoms regardless of age. Potential future studies for replicating and extending the research on the ERN and obsessive‐compulsive (OC) behaviors are discussed, including studies that more fully characterize OC symptom dimensions, studies that integrate other measures of error‐related brain activity and use computational modeling, studies that combine longitudinal, family, and molecular genetic measures, and interventional studies that specifically modulate error‐related brain activity in individuals with OC behaviors.
Psychobiological operationalization of RDoC constructs: Methodological and conceptual opportunities and challenges
Authors: MacNamara Annmarie , Phan K. Luan
Published: February 2016

NIMH's Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project seeks to advance the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders by promoting psychobiological research on dimensional constructs that might cut across traditional diagnostic boundaries (Kozak & Cuthbert, ). At the core of this approach is the notion that these dimensional constructs can be assessed across different units of analysis (e.g., genes, physiology, behavior), enriching the constructs and providing more complete explanations of clinical problems. While the conceptual aspects of RDoC have been discussed in several prior papers, its methodological aspects have received comparatively less attention. For example, how to integrate data from different units of analysis has been relatively unclear. Here, we discuss one means of psychobiologically operationalizing RDoC constructs across different units of analysis (the psychoneurometric approach; Yancey et al., ), highlighting ways in which this approach might be refined in future iterations. We conclude that there is much to be learned from this technique; however, greater attention to scale‐development methods and to psychometrics will likely benefit this and other methodological approaches to combining measurements across multiple units of analysis.
Taking an RDoC lens to the study of panic disorder: A commentary on Hamm et al. and other thoughts on RDoC
Authors: Shankman Stewart A. , Katz Andrea C. , Langenecker Scott A.
Published: February 2016

The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative put forth by the National Institute of Mental Health represents an exciting new framework in which to study psychopathology. The article by Hamm et al. (2016) is an interesting application of an “RDoC lens” toward a program of research on panic disorder. This commentary highlights the many strengths of the Hamm et al. (2016) study—most notably the article's application of a well‐studied animal model of anxiety (Fanselow's, , threat imminence model) to humans, utilization of an interesting behavioral paradigm (as an analog for avoidance behaviors in panic disorder), and using RDoC to examine predictors of treatment response. This commentary also discusses several questions about RDoC that arise out of Hamm et al. For example, (a) How should participants be selected for RDoC studies? (b) Are RDoC constructs risk factors (and risk factors for what)? (c) Besides Hamm et al.'s, approach, how else can RDoC be used in treatment studies? In sum, Hamm et al. is a very good example of an RDoC study, and in this early phase of the initiative, more examples for how the approach plays out are needed.
RDoC: Translating promise into progress
Authors: Patrick Christopher J. , Hajcak Greg
Published: February 2016

As highlighted by articles in the current special issue, the RDoC initiative holds promise for advancing understanding of mental health problems. However, the initiative is at its early stages and it remains unclear what level of progress can be achieved and how quickly. In this closing article, we identify major challenges facing RDoC and propose concrete approaches to addressing these challenges, including (a) clearer specification of clinical problems for study, with use of symptom dimensions from integrative dimensional models of psychopathology as provisional, modifiable referents; (b) encouragement of research on a distinct set of traits corresponding to process constructs from the RDoC matrix—those represented across animal, child temperament, and adult personality literatures—to serve as interfaces between matrix constructs and clinical problems; (c) an emphasis in the near term on use of proximal units of analysis in RDoC studies—in particular, on physiological, behavioral, and self‐report measures of matrix constructs (examined as states or traits, or both); (d) inclusion of a clear ontogenetic‐developmental component in RDoC research projects; (e) routine analysis of the psychometric properties of nonreport (e.g., physiological, task‐behavioral) variables, including systematic evaluation of their reliability and convergent‐discriminant validity; (f) modification of existing grant review criteria to prioritize replication and synergy in RDoC investigative work; and (g) creation of a cumulative data network system (RDoC–DataWeb) to encourage and facilitate coordination of research efforts across RDoC research groups.
Reshaping clinical science: Introduction to the Special Issue on Psychophysiology and the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative
Authors: Patrick Christopher J. , Hajcak Greg
Published: February 2016

The National Institute of Mental Health's (NIMH) Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative seeks to establish new dimensional conceptions of mental health problems, through the investigation of clinically relevant “process” constructs that have neurobiological as well as psychological referents. This special issue provides a detailed overview of the RDoC framework by NIMH officials Michael Kozak and Bruce Cuthbert, and spotlights RDoC‐oriented investigative efforts by leading psychophysiological research groups as examples of how clinical science might be reshaped through application of RDoC principles. Accompanying commentaries highlight key aspects of the work by each group, and discuss reported methods/findings in relation to promises and challenges of the RDoC initiative more broadly.
DIFFERENTIATION OF FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF BUTTER ADULTERATED WITH LARD USING GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS SPECTROMETRY COMBINED WITH PRINCIPAL COMPONENET ANALYSIS
Authors: Ahmad Fadzlillah Nurrulhidayah , Rohman Abdul , Rosman Arieff Salleh , Mohd Yusof Farahwahida , Ismail Amin , Mustaffa Shuhaimi , Minhat Ade Erawan , Khatib Alfi
Published: February 2016

Butter is high priced product; as a consequence, butter can be subjected for adulteration with low price components such as lard. The presence of lard in any products is not allowed for Muslim and Jewish, therefore, its presence must be identified. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was successfully used to detect and discriminate butter from adulterated with lard. Results were presented in the form of chromatogram. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to interpret the data and provided a good grouping of samples with 55.8% of the variation accounted for by PC 1 and 21.5% were accounted for by PC 2. All the lard containing samples formed a separate group from the samples that were free of lard. This method can be developed into a rapid method for detecting the presence of lard in food samples for Halal authentication.
EEG SUB-BAND SPECTRAL CENTROID FREQUENCY AND AMPLITUDE RATIO FEATURES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY IN LEARNING STYLE CLASSIFICATION
Authors: Megat Ali Megat Syahirul Amin , Jahidin Aisyah Hartini , Taib Mohd Nasir , Md Tahir Nooritawati
Published: February 2016

Learning styles are critical element in constructivism that facilitates the process of knowledge creation. Conventional methods to evaluate the psychological trait however are exposed to reliability issues which stem from cultural and language barriers. Hence, a new assessment approach based on the resting EEG is proposed. The paper presents a comparative study between EEG spectral centroid frequency and ratio features in learning style classification. A total of 68 university students have participated in the study. Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory has been implemented to establish the control groups. EEG is then recorded from the antero-frontal region and preprocessed for noise removal. Subsequently, the spectral centroid frequency and amplitude features are extracted. The amplitude component is further normalized via the ratio method. Synthetic EEG is implemented for dataset enhancement. In general, separate investigation via k-nearest neighbor classifier has shown that the spectral centroid frequency outperforms the amplitude ratio components. Alternatively, combination of both features concurrently can effectively improve the overall classification performance.