bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exercise programmes to prevent falls among older adults: modelling health gain, cost-utility and equity impacts
Authors: Deverall Eamonn , Kvizhinadze Giorgi , Pega Frank , Blakely Tony , Wilson Nick 
Published: January 2018

BackgroundSome falls prevention interventions for the older population appear cost-effective, but there is uncertainty about others. Therefore, we aimed to model three types of exercise programme each running for 25 years among 65+ year olds: (i) a peer-led group-based one; (ii) a home-based one and (iii) a commercial one.MethodsAn established Markov model for studying falls prevention in New Zealand (NZ) was adapted to estimate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in cost per quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained. Detailed NZ experimental, epidemiological and cost data were used for the base year 2011. A health system perspective was taken and a discount rate of 3% applied. Intervention effectiveness estimates came from a Cochrane Review.ResultsThe intervention generating the greatest health gain and costing the least was the home-based exercise programme intervention. Lifetime health gains were estimated at 47 100 QALYs (95%uncertainty interval (UI) 22 300 to 74 400). Cost-effectiveness was high (ICER: US$4640 per QALY gained; (95% UI US$996 to 10 500)), and probably more so than a home safety assessment and modification intervention using the same basic model (ICER: US$6060). The peer-led group-based exercise programme was estimated to generate 42 000 QALYs with an ICER of US$9490. The commercially provided group programme was more expensive and less cost-effective (ICER: US$34 500). Further analyses by sex, age group and ethnicity (Indigenous Māori and non-Māori) for the peer-led group-intervention showed similar health gains and cost-effectiveness.ConclusionsImplementing any of these three types of exercise programme for falls prevention in older people could produce considerable health gain, but with the home-based version being likely to be the most cost-effective.
Prison environment and non-communicable chronic disease modifiable risk factors: length of incarceration trend analysis in Mexico City
Authors: Silverman-Retana Omar , Servan-Mori Edson , Bertozzi Stefano Michele , Orozco-Nuñez Emanuel , Bautista-Arredondo Sergio , Lopez-Ridaura Ruy 
Published: January 2018

BackgroundThere is a lack of evidence regarding chronic disease modifiable risk factors among prisoner populations in Latin America. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases and to assess their relationship with length of incarceration.MethodsWe analysed data from a cross sectional study in which 4241 prisoners were randomly selected to answer a questionnaire with socio-demographic and health behaviour content using an audio computer-assisted self-interview format. Physical activity (PA), low-quality diet, current smoking and alcohol or cocaine use during the last month in prison were our main outcomes. Quantile regression models and logistic regression models were performed.ResultsOur final analytical sample consisted of 3774 prisoners from four Mexico City prisons. PA was estimated as 579 median metabolic equivalents-min/week, prevalence of alcohol use was 23.4%, cocaine use was 24.2% and current smoking was 53.2%. Our results suggest that, as length of incarceration increased, PA as well as alcohol and cocaine use increased, whereas the quality of diet decreased.ConclusionThis study supports the hypothesis that exposure to prison environment (measured by length of incarceration) fosters modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases, particularly diet quality and cocaine use.
Effect of experimental muscle pain on the acquisition and retention of locomotor adaptation: different motor strategies for a similar performance
Authors: Bouffard Jason , Salomoni Sauro E. , Mercier Catherine , Tucker Kylie , Roy Jean-Sébastien , van den Hoorn Wolbert , Hodges Paul W. , Bouyer Laurent J. 
Published: January 2018

As individuals with musculoskeletal disorders often experience motor impairments, contemporary rehabilitation relies heavily on the use of motor learning principles. However, motor impairments are often associated with pain. Although there is substantial evidence that muscle pain interferes with motor control, much less is known on its impact on motor learning. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of muscle pain on locomotor learning. Two groups (Pain and Control) of healthy participants performed a locomotor adaptation task (robotized ankle-foot orthosis perturbing ankle movements during swing) on two consecutive days. On day 1 (acquisition), hypertonic saline was injected in the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of the Pain group participants, while Control group participants were pain free. All participants were pain free on day 2 (retention). Changes in movement errors caused by the perturbation were assessed as an indicator of motor performance. Detailed analysis of kinematic and electromyographic data provided information about motor strategies. No between-group differences were observed on motor performance measured during the acquisition and retention phases. However, Pain group participants had a residual movement error later in the swing phase and smaller early TA activation than Control group participants, thereby suggesting a reduction in the use of anticipatory motor strategies to overcome the perturbation. Muscle pain did not interfere with global motor performance during locomotor adaptation. The different motor strategies used in the presence of muscle pain may reflect a diminished ability to anticipate the consequences of a perturbation.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study shows that experimental muscle pain does not influence global motor performance during the acquisition or next-day retention phases of locomotor learning. This contrasts with previous results obtained with cutaneous pain, emphasizing the risk of directly extrapolating from one pain modality to another. Muscle pain affected motor strategies used when performing the task, however: it reduced the ability to use increased feedforward control to overcome the force field.
Non-gait-specific intervention for the rehabilitation of walking after SCI: role of the arms
Authors: Zhou Rui , Alvarado Laura , Ogilvie Robert , Chong Su Ling , Shaw Oriana , Mushahwar Vivian K. 
Published: January 2018

Arm movements modulate leg activity and improve gait efficiency; however, current rehabilitation interventions focus on improving walking through gait-specific training and do not actively involve the arms. The goal of this project was to assess the effect of a rehabilitation strategy involving simultaneous arm and leg cycling on improving walking after incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). We investigated the effect of 1) non-gait-specific training and 2) active arm involvement during training on changes in over ground walking capacity. Participants with iSCI were assigned to simultaneous arm-leg cycling (A&L) or legs only cycling (Leg) training paradigms, and cycling movements were assisted with electrical stimulation. Overground walking speed significantly increased by 0.092 ± 0.022 m/s in the Leg group and 0.27 ± 0.072m/s in the A&L group after training. Whereas the increases in the Leg group were similar to those seen after current locomotor training strategies, increases in the A&L group were significantly larger than those in the Leg group. Walking distance also significantly increased by 32.12 ± 8.74 m in the Leg and 91.58 ± 36.24 m in the A&L group. Muscle strength, sensation, and balance improved in both groups; however, the A&L group had significant improvements in most gait measures and had more regulated joint kinematics and muscle activity after training compared with the Leg group. We conclude that electrical stimulation-assisted cycling training can produce significant improvements in walking after SCI. Furthermore, active arm involvement during training can produce greater improvements in walking performance. This strategy may also be effective in people with other neural disorders or diseases.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This work challenges concepts of task-specific training for the rehabilitation of walking and encourages coordinated training of the arms and legs after spinal cord injury. Cycling of the legs produced significant improvements in walking that were similar in magnitude to those reported with gait-specific training. Moreover, active engagement of the arms simultaneously with the legs generated nearly double the improvements obtained by leg training only. The cervico-lumbar networks are critical for the improvement of walking.
Regulation of Eag by Ca2+/calmodulin controls presynaptic excitability inDrosophila
Authors: Bronk Peter , Kuklin Elena A. , Gorur-Shandilya Srinivas , Liu Chang , Wiggin Timothy D. , Reed Martha L. , Marder Eve , Griffith Leslie C. 
Published: January 2018

Drosophila ether-à-go-go ( eag) is the founding member of a large family of voltage-gated K+channels, the KCNH family, which includes Kv10, 11, and 12. Concurrent binding of calcium/calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM) to NH2- and COOH-terminal sites inhibits mammalian EAG1 channels at submicromolar Ca2+concentrations, likely by causing pore constriction. Although the Drosophila EAG channel was believed to be Ca2+-insensitive (Schönherr R, Löber K, Heinemann SH. EMBO J 19: 3263–3271, 2000.), both the NH2- and COOH-terminal sites are conserved. In this study we show that Drosophila EAG is inhibited by high Ca2+concentrations that are only present at plasma membrane Ca2+channel microdomains. To test the role of this regulation in vivo, we engineered mutations that block CaM-binding to the major COOH-terminal site of the endogenous eag locus, disrupting Ca2+-dependent inhibition. eag CaMBD mutants have reduced evoked release from larval motor neuron presynaptic terminals and show decreased Ca2+influx in stimulated adult projection neuron presynaptic terminals, consistent with an increase in K+conductance. These results are predicted by a conductance-based multicompartment model of the presynaptic terminal in which some fraction of EAG is localized to the Ca2+channel microdomains that control neurotransmitter release. The reduction of release in the larval neuromuscular junction drives a compensatory increase in motor neuron somatic excitability. This misregulation of synaptic and somatic excitability has consequences for systems-level processes and leads to defects in associative memory formation in adults.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Regulation of excitability is critical to tuning the nervous system for complex behaviors. We demonstrate in this article that the EAG family of voltage-gated K+channels exhibit conserved gating by Ca2+/CaM. Disruption of this inhibition in Drosophila results in decreased evoked neurotransmitter release due to truncated Ca2+influx in presynaptic terminals. In adults, disrupted Ca2+dynamics cripples memory formation. These data demonstrate that the biophysical details of channels have important implications for cell function and behavior.
Methods for chair restraint and training of the common marmoset on oculomotor tasks
Authors: Johnston Kevin D. , Barker Kevin , Schaeffer Lauren , Schaeffer David , Everling Stefan 
Published: January 2018

The oculomotor system is the most thoroughly understood sensorimotor system in the brain, due in large part to electrophysiological studies carried out in macaque monkeys trained to perform oculomotor tasks. A disadvantage of the macaque model is that many cortical oculomotor areas of interest lie within sulci, making high-density array and laminar recordings impractical. Many techniques of molecular biology developed in rodents, such as optogenetic manipulation of neuronal subtypes, are also limited in this species. The common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus) possesses a smooth cortex, allowing easy access to frontoparietal oculomotor areas, and may bridge the gap between systems neuroscience in macaques and molecular techniques. Techniques for restraint, training, and neural recording in these animals have been well developed in auditory neuroscience. Those for oculomotor neuroscience, however, remain at a relatively early stage. In this article we provide details of a custom-designed restraint chair for marmosets, a combination head restraint/recording chamber allowing access to cortical oculomotor areas and providing stability suitable for eye movement and neural recordings, as well as a training protocol for oculomotor tasks. We additionally report the results of a psychophysical study in marmosets trained to perform a saccade task using these methods, showing that, as in rhesus and humans, marmosets exhibit a “gap effect,” a decrease in reaction time when the fixation stimulus is removed before the onset of a visual saccade target. These results are the first evidence of this effect in marmosets and support the common marmoset model for neurophysiological investigations of oculomotor control. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The ability to carry out neuronal recordings in behaving primates has provided a wealth of information regarding the neural circuits underlying the control of eye movements. Such studies require restraint of the animal within a primate chair, head fixation, methods of acclimating the animals to this restraint, and the use of operant conditioning methods for training on oculomotor tasks. In contrast to the macaque model, relatively few studies have reported in detail methods for use in the common marmoset. In this report we detail custom-designed equipment and methods by which we have used to successfully train head-restrained marmosets to perform basic oculomotor tasks.
Dietary Sodium/Potassium Intake Does Not Affect Cognitive Function or Brain Imaging Indices
Authors: Nowak Kristen L. , Fried Linda , Jovanovich Anna , Ix Joachim , Yaffe Kristine , You Zhiying , Chonchol Michel 
Published: January 2018

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Dietary sodium may influence cognitive function through its effects on cerebrovascular function and cerebral blood flow. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of dietary sodium intake with cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults. We also evaluated the associations of dietary potassium and sodium:potassium intake with cognitive decline, and associations of these nutrients with micro- and macro-structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indices. In all, 1,194 participants in the Health Aging and Body Composition study with measurements of dietary sodium intake (food frequency questionnaire [FFQ]) and change in the modified Mini Mental State Exam (3MS) were included. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The age of participants was 74 ± 3 years with a mean dietary sodium intake of 2,677 ± 1,060 mg/day. During follow-up (6.9 ± 0.1 years), 340 (28%) had a clinically significant decline in 3MS score (≥1.5 SD of mean decline). After adjustment, dietary sodium intake was not associated with odds of cognitive decline (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.50–1.84 per doubling of sodium). Similarly, potassium was not associated with cognitive decline; however, higher sodium:potassium intake was associated with increased odds of cognitive decline (OR 2.02 [95% CI 1.01–4.03] per unit increase). Neither sodium or potassium alone nor sodium:potassium were associated with micro- or macro-structural brain MRI indices. These results are limited by the use of FFQ. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> In community-dwelling older adults, higher sodium:potassium, but not sodium or potassium intake alone, was associated with decline in cognitive function, with no associations observed with micro- and macro-structural brain MRI indices. These findings do not support reduction dietary sodium/increased potassium intake to prevent cognitive decline with aging.
Exploring Guanxi in a Cross-Cultural Context
Authors: _ _ 
Published: January 2018

Abstract
Using a case study of recently arrived Cantonese-speaking migrants, this article examines the role of guanxi in shaping Chinese newcomers’ economic activities and opportunities in South Africa. In Johannesburg, Cantonese-speaking migrants tend to be employed in restaurant and fahfee (gambling) sectors, which are partially inherited from the early generations of South African Chinese. Through narratives and stories, this article reveals that Cantonese newcomers often strengthen personal and employment relationships through the practice of guanxi, but that doing so can also constrain their employment decisions. Moreover, the ambiguous boundary between the act of bribery and the practice of guanxi may facilitate Chinese participation but can also result in the victimization of the newcomers.
Carbon Flux Phenology from the Sky: Evaluation for Maize and Soybean
Authors: McCombs Alexandria G. , Hiscox April L. , Wang Cuizhen , Desai Ankur R. , Suyker Andrew E. , Biraud Sebastien C. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractCarbon flux phenology is widely used to understand carbon flux dynamics and surface exchange processes. Vegetation phenology has been widely evaluated by remote sensors; however, very few studies have evaluated the use of vegetation phenology for identifying carbon flux phenology. Currently available techniques to derive net ecosystem exchange (NEE) from a satellite image use a single generic modeling subgroup for agricultural crops. But, carbon flux phenological processes vary highly with crop types and land management practices; this paper reexamines this assumption. Presented here are an evaluation of ground-truth remotely sensed vegetation indices with in situ NEE measurements and an identification of vegetation indices for estimating carbon flux phenology metrics by crop type. Results show that the performance of different vegetation indices as an indicator of phenology varies with crop type, particularly when identifying the start of a season and the peak of a season. Maize fields require vegetation indices that make use of the near-infrared and red reflectance bands, while soybean fields require those making use of the shortwave infrared (IR) and near-IR bands. In summary, the study identifies how to best utilize remote sensing technology as a crop-specific measurement tool.
The Witch, the Goat and the Devil: A Discussion of Scapegoating and the Objectification of Evil in Robert Eggers’ The Witch
Authors: McGill Alan Bernard 
Published: January 2018

The demise of a child, a tragedy that occurs every few seconds on the face on this planet, marred by starvation and abject poverty, always constitutes a grim mystery, challenging every religious outlook and philosophy. Robert Eggers’ 2015 movie, The Witch, depicts the tragic loss of a baby, in this case posing the additional mystery as to exactly how it occurred. Though the specters of malnutrition and malady haunt this film, the precise circumstances surrounding the child’s fate are left largely to the viewer’s imagination. The film explores the question as to where we can lay blame for ostensibly senseless tragedy. Within its narrative world, and arguably, within the worldview of the religious imagination more broadly, humanity seeks someone or something to blame for horrific events. Recent tragedies and world history attest to the human tendency, in the face of immense suffering, to scapegoat some alleged culprit, perhaps going so far as to allege their complicity with the devil, to directly identify them as Satan—or to more subtly demonize them. No single religion or worldview can boast sole claim to this propensity that to this present day claims lives. The Witch raises the question as to whether culpability for evil resides ultimately with the self, with social structures, with humanity as a whole, with inhuman forces of nature, or within the supernatural realm. The mystery is at its most agonizing when conventional moralizing is befuddled and there is no obvious culprit, no free-willed villain caught with a smoking gun. Eggers’ screenplay sustains the ambiguity that can enshroud tragedy such as the unresolved abduction of a child or sudden infant death, blurring the line between facticity and the archetypal imagery through which the psyche seeks to express that which it cannot explain.
Agency and Restraint in Interpretation
Authors: Brueggemann Walter 
Published: January 2018

With the work of Theodore Ziolkowski as a model, this article probes the work of biblical interpretation with reference to both agency and restraint. The exercise of interpretive agency means the interpreter has immense freedom. We are able to see how that interpretive freedom has played out in creedal readings, in scholastic interpretation, and in the work of historical criticism. At the same time, however, it is clear that restraints of method and perspective cannot contain all of the richness of scripture. Thus after creedal reading, there is still evidence of the quixotic in the narrative of God. In the midst of scholastic reductionism there is still an inexplicable dynamism, and in the work of historical criticism, there is still testimony to the Holy One that will not be contained in the modes of Enlightenment rationality. Responsible interpretation must at the same time recognize certain restraints and allow for surges in the textual testimony that move against such restraints.
Correlation of Inflammatory Markers, Survival, and COX2 Expression in Oral Cancer and Implications for Prognosis
Authors: Sano Yoshie , Kogashiwa Yasunao , Araki Ryuichiro , Enoki Yuichiro , Ikeda Tetsuya , Yoda Tetsuya , Nakahira Mitsuhiko , Sugasawa Masashi 
Published: January 2018

ObjectivePeripheral blood–derived inflammation‐based scores, such as the neutrophil‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and the combination of platelet count and NLR, have recently been proposed as prognostic markers in solid tumors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of inflammatory markers as predictive prognostic factors for locally advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In addition, we evaluated the potential correlation between systemic inflammation and local expression of COX2.Study DesignRetrospective chart review and histologic analysis.SettingTertiary referral academic center.Subjects and MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of 94 patients with advanced OSCC treated with surgery at our hospital between 2007 and 2015. The relationship among patient survival, systemic inflammatory markers, and local COX2 expression was evaluated. Local COX2 expression in surgical specimens was measured by immunohistochemistry.ResultsHigh NLR and high PLR were associated with significantly shorter overall survival and cancer‐specific survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that cN stage, NLR, and postoperative radiation/chemoradiation were significantly associated with overall survival and cancer‐specific survival. PLR and combination of platelet count and NLR were significantly correlated with tumor expression of COX2. Finally, patients with cN2 stage disease and high local COX2 expression had a significantly worse prognosis than other patient groups.ConclusionPretreatment inflammatory markers are useful as prognostic factors in advanced OSCC. Our study suggests that local COX2 may be affected by systemic inflammation and that the prognostic impact of COX2 expression depends on host factors and tumor characteristics.