bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Health behaviours and quality of life in independently living South Australians aged 75 years or older
Authors: Amarasena N , Keuskamp D , Balasubramanian M , Brennan DS 
Published: January 2018

AbstractBackgroundThis study evaluated the associations between oral and general health behaviours, self‐reported health and quality of life of adults aged 75 years or older living independently in South Australia.MethodsA cross sectional study based on a self‐report mailed questionnaire was conducted in 590 independently living adults aged 75 years or older. Self‐ratings of oral health and general health were assessed using single‐item global ratings. Quality of life was measured using the Oral Health Impact Profile and the EuroQol instrument for health utility.ResultsThe overall response rate was 78%. The current analyses were restricted to 354 dentate older adults. Increasing age and being female were negatively associated with EuroQol scores. Good self‐rated oral and general health were more prevalent in participants with higher social status who also had lower oral health impact and higher EuroQol scores. Good self‐rated oral and general health were less prevalent while oral health impact was greater in participants who ate few fruits, vegetables or dairy products.ConclusionsSelf‐rated health and quality of life were poor in older adults with inadequate fruit/vegetables/dairy intake and lower social status. These findings suggest that nutrition and socioeconomic factors may be important to the oral and general health of adults aged 75 years or older.
Different aberrant expression pattern of immune checkpoint receptors in patients with PTCL and NK/T‐CL
Authors: Liao Ziwei , Lv Xuewen , Liu Sichu , He Zifan , Chen Shaohua , Wang Liang , Li Wenyu , Li Yangqiu 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAimTo better understand the T‐cell immunodeficiency status in patients with peripheral T‐cell lymphomas (PTCLs) and NK/T‐cell lymphomas (NK/T‐CLs), the T‐cell inhibitory receptors expression pattern was investigated.MethodsThe expression levels of programmed death 1 (PD‐1), cytotoxic T lymphocyte‐associated antigen 4 (CTLA‐4), B/T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), lymphocyte‐activation gene 3 (LAG‐3), T‐cell immunoglobulin‐3 (TIM‐3), T‐cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT) genes were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients and healthy volunteers by quantitative real‐time‐PCR, the correlation between different gene expression levels was analyzed.ResultsSignificantly higher expression of PD‐1, CTLA‐4, BTLA, LAG‐3, TIM‐3 and TIGIT can be observed as a common characteristic in patients with PTCL or NK/T‐CL. However, the coexpression pattern seemed different between subtypes. Their overexpression is also related to disease progression stage.ConclusionWe first characterized the expression pattern of six T‐cell inhibitory receptor genes in PTCL and NK/T‐CL, which might work as immune biomarkers for evaluation the immunosuppression status and help to establish the precision targets of immunotherapy.
Age‐related change and sex difference over 60s in disc‐fovea angle in Japanese population: the Nagahama Study
Authors: Miyata Manabu , Yoshikawa Munemitsu , Ohtsuki Hiroshi , Muraoka Yuki , Hata Masayuki , Yokota Satoshi , Fujimoto Masahiro , Miyake Masahiro , Tabara Yasuharu , Matsuda Fumihiko , Yoshimura Nagahisa ,   Nagahama Study Group
Published: January 2018

AbstractPurposeTo analyse the disc‐fovea angle (DFA) by age group and to compare sex differences in each age group in a large cohort population.MethodsThis community‐based cross‐sectional cohort study included 9682 eyes of 9682 volunteers (aged 30–75 years). We measured the DFA, which is the angle between a horizontal line and a line connecting the fovea with the centroid of an optic disc on fundus photographs of the right eye. We manually marked the fovea and surrounded the optic disc. The centroid of an optic disc and the DFA was automatically calculated using originally developed software. We compared the DFA between age groups in 10‐year increments and investigated sex differences of DFA in each age group.ResultsOverall mean DFA was 6.32 ± 3.53°. The DFA of older subjects was significantly larger than that of younger subjects (p < 0.001). The DFA of women was larger than that of men in their 60s and 70s (p < 0.001 for both), but not in subjects in their 30s, 40s and 50s.ConclusionLarger DFA in women than in men in their 60s and 70s suggests the possibility that age‐related excyclo‐shift occurs more easily in postmenopausal women compared to men of the same age.
Increased endothelin‐1‐mediated vasoconstriction after organ culture in rat and pig ocular arteries can be suppressed with MEK/ERK1/2 inhibitors
Authors: Blixt Frank W. , Haanes Kristian Agmund , Ohlsson Lena , Tolstrup Christiansen Anders , Warfvinge Karin , Edvinsson Lars 
Published: January 2018

AbstractPurposeEven though retinal vascular changes following ischaemia have been poorly understood, the upregulation of vasoconstrictive endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) receptors (ETA/ETB) following global cerebral ischaemia has been described. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not the MEK/ERK1/2 pathway is involved in the observed upregulation and whether specific MEK/ERK1/2 inhibitors U0126 and trametinib can prevent it.MethodsThe aim was also to localize ETA and ETB receptors using immunohistochemistry in both fresh rat ophthalmic arteries and after 24‐hr organ culture and study the receptors functionally using myography. Pig retinal arteries also underwent 24‐hr organ culture to validate similar responses across species and the retinal vasculature.ResultsResults showed that following organ culture there is a significant increase in ET‐1‐mediated vasoconstriction, in particular via the ETB receptor. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry revealed a clear increase in pERK in the smooth muscle cells of rat ophthalmic artery. U0126 and trametinib were successful in attenuating the functional vasoconstriction in both rat and pig, as well as restoring immunofluorescence of pERK to fresh levels and counteracting ETB expression in the smooth muscle cells of the rat ophthalmic artery.ConclusionThis is the first study to show that the MEK/ERK1/2 pathway in responsible for the increase in functional vasoconstriction via ET‐1 receptor in rat ophthalmic and pig retinal arteries. Furthermore, this study is the first to suggest a way of inhibiting and preventing such an increase. With these results, we suggest a novel approach in retinal ischaemia therapy.
Autoimmunity in uveitis
Authors: ten Berge Josianne C. , Schreurs Marco W. J. , van Daele Paul L. A. , Rothova Aniki 
Published: January 2018

AbstractPurposeRecent insights into the pathogenesis of immune‐mediated diseases proposed a new classification, which includes autoimmune and auto‐inflammatory diseases. The prevalence of specific autoimmune and auto‐inflammatory diseases in uveitis and/or scleritis is not yet known. In this study, we examine the presence of systemic immune‐mediated diseases in patients with uveitis and/or scleritis and put a special emphasis on autoimmune disorders by reporting on their clinical manifestations and visual prognosis.MethodsIn this retrospective study, we reviewed data of 1327 patients presenting with uveitis and/or scleritis between January 2010 and July 2016 at the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. All patients with noninfectious uveitis and/or scleritis were classified according to novel criteria for immune‐mediated diseases. Various clinical data, including visual acuity (VA), of patients with uveitis of autoimmune origin were registered during 5‐year follow‐up.ResultsThe origin of uveitis was in 5% (62/1327) autoimmune, in 15% (197/1327) auto‐inflammatory and in 14% (180/1327) mixed autoimmune/auto‐inflammatory. Patients with classical autoimmune connective tissue disease (N = 17) suffered mostly from rheumatoid arthritis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis and exhibited predominantly scleritis (53%). After 5 years of follow‐up, none of the eyes of these patients developed legal blindness (VA of <0.1). The VA in patients with uveitis associated with autoimmune neuro‐ophthalmological diseases (multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica; N = 27) remained stable over time.ConclusionUveitis and scleritis of autoimmune origin were observed in 5% of the total series. The term autoimmune uveitis should not be used as a synonym for intraocular inflammation of noninfectious origin.
Prevalence of optical coherence tomography detected vitreomacular interface disorders: The Maastricht Study
Authors: Liesenborghs Ilona , De Clerck Eline E.B. , Berendschot Tos T.J.M. , Goezinne Fleur , Schram Miranda T. , Henry Ronald M.A. , Stehouwer Coen D.A. , Webers Carroll A.B. , Schouten Jan S.A.G. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractPurposeTo calculate the prevalence of all vitreomacular interface (VMI) disorders and stratify according to age, sex and (pre)diabetes status.MethodsThe presence of VMI disorders was assessed in 2660 participants aged between 40 and 75 years from The Maastricht Study who had a gradable macular spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) volume scan in at least one eye [mean 59.7 ± 8.2 years, 50.2% men, 1531 normal glucose metabolism (NGM), 401 prediabetes, 728 type 2 diabetes (DM2, oversampled)]. A stratified and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used.ResultsThe prevalence of the different VMI disorders for individuals with NGM, prediabetes and DM2 was, respectively, 5.7%, 6% and 6.7% for epiretinal membranes; 6%, 9.6% and 6.8% for vitreomacular traction; 1.1%, 0.7% and 0.3% for lamellar macular holes; 0.1%, 0% and 0% for pseudoholes; 1.1%, 1.9% and 5.5% for macular cysts. None of the participants was diagnosed with a macular hole. The prevalence of epiretinal membranes, vitreomacular traction and macular cysts was higher with age (p < 0.001). Vitreomacular traction and lamellar macular holes were more frequent in women (p < 0.01). DM2 is positively associated [OR = 3.9 (95% CI 2.11–7.22, p < 0.001)] with macular cysts and negatively associated with lamellar macular holes [OR = 0.2 (95% CI 0.04–0.9, p = 0.036)] after adjustment for age and sex. The calculated prevalence of VMI disorders was 15.9%.ConclusionsThe calculated prevalence of VMI disorders in individuals aged between 40 and 75 years is 15.9%. The prevalence depends on age, sex and glucose metabolism status for several types of VMI disorders.
Age‐related changes in with‐the‐rule and oblique corneal astigmatism
Authors: Næser Kristian , Savini Giacomo , Bregnhøj Jesper Flethøj 
Published: January 2018

AbstractPurposeTo describe the age‐related changes in with‐the‐rule (WTR) and oblique keratometric astigmatism (KA), posterior corneal astigmatism (PCA) and total corneal astigmatism (TCA).MethodsWe used a Pentacam HR (high‐resolution) rotating Scheimpflug camera to determine the KA, PCA and TCA in the right eyes of 710 patients, aged from 20 to 88 years. The age‐related changes along the vertical, horizontal and oblique meridians were analyzed with Næser′s polar value method in a cross‐sectional study.ResultsIn the whole group, all meridional astigmatic powers and polar values were stable in the age groups from 20 to 49 years, followed by a 1.0 dioptre (D) against‐the‐rule (ATR) change in KA and TCA, and a 0.12 D reduction in against‐the‐rule PCA. A nasal rotation of the steep meridian in KA and TCA was noted in the 70–88 years old. The PCA averaged approximately 0.25 D ATR in all age groups. Females displayed the same early astigmatic stability as in the whole group, while male eyes demonstrated a linear decay from 1.5 D WTR at 20 years to 0.5 D ATR astigmatism for the oldest patients.ConclusionCorneal astigmatism is stable until the age of 50 years; thereafter both keratometric and total corneal astigmatism show a 0.25 D ATR change per 10 years. The average 0.25 D ATR PCA compensates the predominant keratometric WTR astigmatism in the younger patients and increases the TCA in the elderly with keratometric ATR astigmatism. The gender‐based differences in age‐related astigmatism require further studies.
Pharmacogenetics of Risperidone‐Induced Insulin Resistance in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Sukasem Chonlaphat , Vanwong Natchaya , Srisawasdi Pornpen , Ngamsamut Nattawat , Nuntamool Nopphadol , Hongkaew Yaowaluck , Puangpetch Apichaya , Chamkrachangpada Bhunnada , Limsila Penkhae 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to explore the association of genetic polymorphism of genes related to pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics with insulin resistance in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and treated with risperidone. All 89 subjects underwent measurement of fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, body‐weight and height. Genotyping was performed by TaqMan real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (pharmacokinetics genes: cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) *4 (rs3892097), *5 (gene deletion), *10 (rs1065852) and *41 (rs28371725), ATP‐binding cassette transporter B1 (ABCB1) 2677 G>T/A (rs2032582) and 3435C>T (rs1045642) and pharmacodynamics genes: dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) Tag‐SNP (C>T) (rs4436578), DRD2 Tag1A (C>T) (rs1800497), leptin gene (LEP) ‐2548G>A (rs7799039), ghrelin gene (GHRL) ‐604G>A (rs27647) and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) 196G>A (rs6265)). Drug levels were analysed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). The results revealed that 5 (5.62%) patients presented with hyperglycaemia. Insulin resistance was detected in 15 (16.85%) patients. Insulin resistance was associated with LEP 2548 G>A and BDNF 196 G>A polymorphism (p = 0.051 and p = 0.03). There was no association of pharmacokinetic gene polymorphisms (CYP2D6 and ABCB1) and risperidone levels with insulin resistance. Multiple regression analysis indicated that BDNF 196 G>A polymorphism was significantly associated with insulin resistance (p = 0.025). This finding suggested that BDNF 196 G>A polymorphism may be a genetic marker for predicting insulin resistance before initiating treatment in patients treated with risperidone. Because of the small sample size, further studies are needed to confirm these results.
Brief Challenges on Medicinal Plants: An Eye‐Opening Look at Ageing‐Related Disorders
Authors: Bjørklund Geir , Dadar Maryam , Martins Natália , Chirumbolo Salvatore , Goh Bey Hing , Smetanina Kateryna , Lysiuk Roman 
Published: January 2018

AbstractSeveral studies have reported that nature‐derived antioxidants may prevent free radicals over‐production and therefore control the onset and prevent the exacerbation of different kinds of diseases caused by oxidative stress and redox‐derived stressors, including ageing, fundamentally by suppressing the oxidative by‐products‐mediated degradation. Naturally derived antioxidants exert their anti‐ageing action via a panoply of signalling systems, many of which engaging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species scavenging, with the Nrf2/Keap1‐ARE system and improving the many survival genes and functions (such as the pathway mTOR/Foxo/SIRT1) able to slow cellular senescence. Most of the research in this field has evaluated the regulative effects and even pathways of herbal extracts with antioxidant property in the ageing process, and various age‐related disorders such as cardiovascular disease, ischaemia‐reperfusion injury, coronary and myocardial circulatory perfusion, peripheral vascular resistance, and even neurodegenerative disorders are prevented plant phytochemicals often via their antioxidant potential. A much more complex ability to interact with survival functions makes these compounds successfully active in preventing ageing‐related disorders. This report aimed to discuss in more detail some selected medicinal plants including Allium sativum, Aloe vera, Crataegus spp., Cynara scolymus, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Ginkgo biloba, Hippophae rhamnoides, Panax ginseng, Rosmarinus officinalis, Schizandra chinensis, Vitis vinifera and seaweeds in the prevention of ageing‐related pathologies. A systematic overview of the relevant information in the antioxidant function of the many herbal products reviewed here for the control of the ageing process is proposed, to provide a new horizon on the design of anti‐ageing herbal medicines.
Why arguments against infanticide remain convincing: A reply to Räsänen
Authors: Rodger Daniel , Blackshaw Bruce P. , Wilcox Clinton 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIn ‘Pro‐life arguments against infanticide and why they are not convincing’ Joona Räsänen argues that Christopher Kaczor's objections to Giubilini and Minerva's position on infanticide are not persuasive. We argue that Räsänen's criticism is largely misplaced, and that he has not engaged with Kaczor's strongest arguments against infanticide. We reply to each of Räsänen's criticisms, drawing on the full range of Kaczor's arguments, as well as adding some of our own.
Using public surveys to reliably and rapidly estimate the distributions of multiple invasive species on the Andaman archipelago
Authors: Mohanty Nitya Prakash , Sachin Anand , Selvaraj Gayathri , Vasudevan Karthikeyan 
Published: January 2018

AbstractTo effectively manage multiple biological invasions, information on their distributions must be generated rapidly and over large spatial scales. Using public surveys in a false‐positive occupancy framework, we reliably estimate the distributions of three synanthropic invasive species on the Andaman Islands.
Development of Parent–Adolescent Relationships: Conflict Interactions as a Mechanism of Change
Authors: Branje Susan 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAdolescence is a period of rapid biological and psychosocial changes, which have a salient impact on parent–child relationships. Parents and adolescents have to reorganize responsibilities and move toward a more egalitarian relationship. Although conflicts between parents and children become more frequent and more intense during adolescence, these conflicts are also thought to be a means to negotiate relational changes. The short‐term dyadic processes that occur during conflict interactions are important in the development of parent–adolescent relationships. Parent–adolescent dyads with more emotional variability during conflict interactions tend to adapt effectively and reorganize their relationships in response to the developmental needs of adolescents. Thus, parent–adolescent conflicts are adaptive for relational development when parents and adolescents can switch flexibly between a range of positive and negative emotions.
Birth order and paediatric allergic disease: A nationwide longitudinal survey
Authors: Kikkawa T. , Yorifuji T. , Fujii Y. , Yashiro M. , Okada A. , Ikeda M. , Doi H. , Tsukahara H. 
Published: January 2018

SummaryBackgroundEnvironmental factors seem to be related to the incidence of allergic disease. Children with a later birth order are often exposed to environments, where pathogens and endotoxins can be found, and thus have a higher risk of developing infectious diseases. Therefore, birth order is regarded as an indicator that reflects post‐natal environment. However, longitudinal studies are limited on this subject. This study sought to elucidate the relationships between birth order and allergic disease.MethodsFrom a nationwide longitudinal study that followed children born in 2001 (n = 47 015), we selected doctors’ visits for 3 types of allergic disease—bronchial asthma, food allergy and atopic dermatitis—from infancy to 12 years of age and conducted binomial log‐linear regression analysis to evaluate the associations between birth order and these diseases. We adjusted for the child and parental factors and estimated risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each outcome.ResultsThe associations between birth order and bronchial asthma were diverse; later birth order increased the risk in early childhood, but decreased the risks during school age. For example, the adjusted RR comparing third‐born or higher and first‐born children was 1.19 (95% CI, 1.05‐1.35) between 30 and 42 months of age, but was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.65‐0.89) between 10 and 11 years. Later birth order was generally protective for food allergy but increased the risk of atopic dermatitis.ConclusionThe influence of birth order depended on the type of allergic disease and the childhood period. Childhood is unique in terms of physical and immunological development, and the immune response to the post‐natal environment in childhood appears to be heterogeneous.
Improved insulin sensitivity and secretion in prediabetic patients with adrenal insufficiency on dual‐release hydrocortisone treatment: a 36‐month retrospective analysis
Authors: Guarnotta Valentina , Ciresi Alessandro , Pillitteri Giuseppe , Giordano Carla 
Published: January 2018

SummaryObjectiveDual‐release hydrocortisone (DR‐HC) provides physiological cortisol exposure, leading to an improvement of anthropometric and metabolic parameters. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of DR‐HC on insulin secretion and sensitivity and cardiometabolic risk, indirectly expressed by the visceral adiposity index (VAI).Design and PatientsRetrospective analysis of 49 patients, 13 with primary and 36 with secondary adrenal insufficiency (AI), respectively, on conventional glucocorticoid treatment at baseline and switched to DR‐HC for 36 months. Overall, 24 patients had AI‐pre–diabetes (impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and the combination), and 25 had AI‐normal glucose tolerance (NGT).MeasurementsClinical and metabolic parameters, including VAI, insulin secretion and sensitivity indexes (fasting insulinaemia, AUC2 h insulinaemia, oral disposition index [Dio] and ISI‐Matsuda), were evaluated.ResultsIn patients with AI‐NGT and AI‐prediabetes, a significant decrease in BMI (P = .017 and P < .001), waist circumference (P = .008 and P < .001), HbA1c (P = .034 and P = .001) and a significant increase in HDL‐C (P = .036 and P = .043) was, respectively, observed. In addition, in prediabetic patients, only we found a significant decrease in insulinaemia (P = .014), AUC2 h insulinaemia (P = .038) and VAI (P = .001), in concomitance with a significant increase in DIo (P = .041) and ISI‐Matsuda (P = .038).ConclusionsLong‐term DR‐HC therapy is associated with an improvement in insulin secretion and sensitivity in patients with prediabetes. However, all patients appear to benefit from the treatment in terms of improvement of metabolic and anthropometric parameters. Larger studies are required to confirm our preliminary data.