bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
‘It's definitely not Alzheimer's’: Perceived benefits and drawbacks of a mild cognitive impairment diagnosis
Authors: Gomersall Tim , Smith Sarah Kate , Blewett Charlotte , Astell Arlene 
Published: June 2017

ObjectivesTo understand the perceived benefits and drawbacks of a mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis from the perspective of those living with the label.MethodsParticipants were included if they had recently (within 6 months) received a MCI diagnosis. We also recruited close family members to gain their perspectives. Each was interviewed separately with a semi‐structured topic guide covering three areas: (1) experience of cognitive impairments and changes in the individual; (2) impact of cognitive impairment(s) on daily activities and social relationships; and (3) experience of the diagnosis process and living with the label. Transcribed interviews were stored in Nvivo®. Grounded theory procedures of memo writing, open coding, constant comparison, and focused coding were used to derive conceptual themes.ResultsEighteen dyads were interviewed. The overarching themes surrounding diagnosis benefits and drawbacks were as follows: (1) emotional impact of the diagnosis; (2) practical benefits and limitations of the diagnosis, in terms of (a) understanding one's symptoms and (b) access to clinical support. Although participants were glad to have clinical support in place, they expressed frustration at the lack of clarity, and the lack of available treatments for MCI. Consequently, living with MCI can be characterized as an ambivalent experience.ConclusionAs a clinical label, MCI appears to have little explanatory power for people living with cognitive difficulties. Work is needed to clarify how clinicians and patients communicate about MCI, and how people can be helped to live well with the label. Despite an emerging body of prognostic studies, people with MCI are likely to continue living with significant uncertainty.
Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Mild cognitive impairment is a state of cognitive decline between normal cognitive ageing and dementia. This clinical category has been an important domain of academic debate over recent years. From a clinical perspective, diagnosing MCI is a helpful way to enable communication between health professionals, and a diagnosis can be important for patients in need of support and education. However, diagnosis can be fraught with difficulties, while patients have reported significant uncertainty about the label. This study aimed to examine the perceived benefits and drawbacks of receiving a MCI diagnosis.

What does this study add?

The emotional impact of a MCI diagnosis is complex and raised conflicting and fluctuating emotions in our participants’ accounts – most notably worry and relief.

Participants were glad to have clinical support available to call on; however, they were frustrated at the lack of ‘treatments’ available for MCI and were often anxious to slow any cognitive decline down

Health psychologists will have an important role to play in understanding and improving clinical communication about MCI
Outcomes and experiences of an adapted Dialectic Behaviour Therapy skills training group for people with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Crossland Tom , Hewitt Olivia , Walden Sarah 
Published: June 2017

Accessible summary

Some people who find it hard to manage their emotions can be helped by a therapy called Dialectic Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Some studies show that DBT might help people with an intellectual disability.

We ran a group to see if DBT helped people coming to the group to feel better and manage their difficult feelings more easily. Group members brought their support staff to the group.

We asked people what they thought about the group and asked them to fill in some questionnaires to see whether they felt better.

The group seemed to help people, even after the group ended.

We think DBT might be a useful treatment for people with intellectual disabilities.

AbstractBackgroundA growing body of evidence supports the use of Dialectic Behaviour Therapy with people with an intellectual disability. Various adaptation have been used in studies exploring the efficacy of this intervention.MethodA Dialectic Behaviour Therapy DBT skills training group was attended by people with an intellectual disability and their support staff. Standardised measures of psychological well‐being, overall functioning and psychological distress were taken before and after the group and at 4 months follow‐up. Qualitative interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsResults suggested an improvement in all areas for three of the four participants, which were largely maintained at follow‐up.ConclusionsThis study adds to the growing literature supporting the use of DBT with people with an intellectual disability. The role of support workers in supporting generalisation of skills is considered. Ideas for improving the quality of future studies are considered.
Glutamatergic regulation of cognition and functional brain connectivity: insights from pharmacological, genetic and translational schizophrenia research
Authors: Dauvermann Maria R , Lee Graham , Dawson Neil 
Published: June 2017

The pharmacological modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission to improve cognitive function has been a focus of intensive research, particularly in relation to the cognitive deficits seen in schizophrenia. Despite this effort, there has been little success in the clinical use of glutamatergic compounds as procognitive drugs. Here, we review a selection of the drugs used to modulate glutamatergic signalling and how they impact on cognitive function in rodents and humans. We highlight how glutamatergic dysfunction, and NMDA receptor hypofunction in particular, is a key mechanism contributing to the cognitive deficits observed in schizophrenia and outline some of the glutamatergic targets that have been tested as putative procognitive targets for this disorder. Using translational research in this area as a leading exemplar, namely, models of NMDA receptor hypofunction, we discuss how the study of functional brain network connectivity can provide new insight into how the glutamatergic system impacts on cognitive function. Future studies characterizing functional brain network connectivity will increase our understanding of how glutamatergic compounds regulate cognition and could contribute to the future success of glutamatergic drug validation.Linked ArticlesThis article is part of a themed section on Pharmacology of Cognition: a Panacea for Neuropsychiatric Disease? To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.19/issuetoc
Oleanolic acid derivative DKS26 exerts antidiabetic and hepatoprotective effects in diabetic mice and promotes glucagon‐like peptide‐1 secretion and expression in intestinal cells
Authors: Chen Fei‐Fei , Wang Jian‐Ta , Zhang Li‐Xia , Xing Shu‐Fang , Wang Yun‐Xia , Wang Kai , Deng Shu‐Li , Zhang Ji‐Quan , Tang Lei , Wu Hao‐Shu 
Published: June 2017

Background and PurposeGlucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) is an important target for diabetes therapy based on its key role in maintaining glucose and lipid homeostasis. This study was designed to investigate antidiabetic and hepatoprotective effects of a novel oleanolic acid derivative DKS26 in diabetic mice and elucidate its underlying GLP‐1 related antidiabetic mechanisms in vitro and in vivo.Experimental ApproachThe therapeutic effects of DKS26 were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced and db/db diabetic mouse models. Levels of plasma glucose, glycosylated serum protein (GSP), lipid profiles, insulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), oral glucose tolerance (OGT), pancreatic islets and hepatic histopathological morphology, liver lipid levels and expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines were assessed. Intestinal NCI‐H716 cells and diabetic models were used to further validate its potential GLP‐1‐related antidiabetic mechanisms.Key ResultsDKS26 treatment (100 mg·kg−1·day−1 ) decreased plasma levels of glucose, GSP, ALT and AST; ameliorated OGT and plasma lipid profiles; augmented plasma insulin levels; alleviated islets and hepatic pathological morphology; and reduced liver lipid accumulation, inflammation and necrosis in vivo. Furthermore, DKS26 enhanced GLP‐1 release and expression, accompanied by elevated levels of cAMP and phosphorylated PKA in vitro and in vivo.Conclusion and ImplicationsDKS26 exerted hypoglycaemic, hypolipidaemic and islets protective effects, which were associated with an enhanced release and expression of GLP‐1 mediated by the activation of the cAMP/PKA signalling pathway, and alleviated hepatic damage by reducing liver lipid levels and inflammation. These findings firmly identified DKS26 as a new viable therapeutic option for diabetes control.
Evidence for facilitation among avian army‐ant attendants: specialization and species associations across elevations
Authors: O'Donnell Sean 
Published: June 2017

AbstractMixed‐species assemblages can involve positive and negative interactions, but uncertainty about high‐value patchy resources can increase the value of information sharing among heterospecific co‐foragers. I sampled species composition of bird‐flocks attending army‐ant raids in three adjacent elevation zones in Costa Rica, across multiple years, to test for positive and negative associations among raid‐attending bird species. My goal was to test whether the most frequent and specialized raid‐attending species showed evidence of facilitating or excluding other bird species. I quantified elevational variation in avian community composition at raids, then asked whether species composition was associated with variation in flock characteristics (flock size and species richness). I identified the most frequent raid‐attending species (those that attended raids most frequently relative to their mist‐net capture rates), and bird species that performed specialized army ant‐following behavior (bivouac‐checking, which allows birds to memorize and track mobile army‐ant colonies). There was significant turnover of bird species among zones (including the frequent and specialized attendants); patterns of species overlap suggested a gradual transition from a Pacific‐slope to an Atlantic‐slope raid‐attending bird fauna. Raid‐attendance frequency was positively correlated with bivouac‐checking behavior. With few exceptions, the most frequent raid‐attending bird species, and the bivouac‐checking species, also participated in the most species‐rich flocks. High species‐gregariousness suggests many of the frequently attending and/or bivouac‐checking species functioned as core flock members. However, some bird species pairs were significantly negatively associated at raids. Despite species turnover, per‐flock numbers of birds at raids did not differ among geographic zones, but flocks on the Pacific‐slope were heavier because larger bodied bird species attended raids. Previous studies showed that the size (biomass) of bird‐flocks corresponds to the amount of food the birds kleptoparasitize from ant raids, and the heavier Pacific‐slope bird‐flocks could have greater negative kleptoparasitic impacts.
Adaptation During a Great Economic Recession: A Cohort Study of Greek and Immigrant Youth
Authors: Motti‐Stefanidi Frosso , Asendorpf Jens B. 
Published: June 2017

This study examined how Greek and immigrant youth adapted to school life during the economic recession in Greece. Two cohorts of adolescents (Mage = 12.6 years) were compared, one assessed before the crisis and the other during the crisis (N = 1,057 and 1,052, respectively). Cohort findings were disaggregated by immigrant status, generation, and ethnic group. Crisis‐cohort youth experienced more economic problems, displayed worse conduct, higher levels of absenteeism, and lower self‐efficacy than precrisis youth. The cohorts did not differ in well‐being, school engagement, and academic achievement. Most crisis‐cohort groups showed a pervasive increase in conduct problems compared to the precrisis cohort. However, some of these groups also showed an increase in academic achievement.
Neurological safety of fingolimod: An updated review
Authors: Yoshii Fumihito , Moriya Yusuke , Ohnuki Tomohide , Ryo Masafuchi , Takahashi Wakoh 
Published: June 2017

AbstractFingolimod (FTY) is the first oral medication approved for treatment of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Its effectiveness and safety were confirmed in several phase III clinical trials, but proper evaluation of safety in the real patient population requires long‐term post‐marketing monitoring. Since the approval of FTY for RRMS in Japan in 2011, it has been administered to approximately 5000 MS patients, and there have been side‐effect reports from 1750 patients. Major events included infectious diseases, hepatobiliary disorders, nervous system disorders and cardiac disorders. In the present review, we focus especially on central nervous system adverse events. The topics covered are: (i) clinical utility of FTY; (ii) safety profile; (iii) post‐marketing adverse events in Japan; (iv) white matter (tumefactive) lesions; (v) rebound after FTY withdrawal; (vi) relationship between FTY and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy; (vii) FTY and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy‐related immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome; and (viii) neuromyelitis optica and leukoencephalopathy.
Surgical treatment of trans‐sphincteric anal fistulas with the Fat GRAFT technique: a minimally invasive procedure
Authors: Stroumza N. , Fusco G. , Laporte J. , Nail Barthelemy R. , Houry S. , Atlan M. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAimAnal fistulas are common pathologies with a significant social impact; however, their treatment is often complex and the recurrence rate can be significant. Some surgical treatments for fistula are also associated with the risk of sphincter injury. In this technical note, we aim to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the Fat GRAFT technique (Fat Grafting in Anal Fistula Treatment) in the treatment of recurrent anal fistulas.MethodAll patients presenting with recurrent trans‐sphincteric anal fistulas over an 18‐month period were included. After abdominal fat harvesting and fat preparation, fat grafting was performed in the track and peripheral area of the fistula. The internal and external openings of the fistula were closed to maximally preserve the retention of the adipocyte graft in the fistula.ResultsEleven patients underwent the Fat GRAFT procedure (seven men, four women). The average re‐injected volume for each fistula was 21 ml (range 10–30 ml). The postoperative course was uneventful. At 6 months three patients developed recurrence (73% healed). There were no postoperative complications.ConclusionThe Fat GRAFT technique appears to be a promising technique with a low risk of anal incontinence, in contrast to other techniques. This method was effective in > 70% of patients in a single session.
Can tissue dielectric constant measurements assess circulating blood volume changes in patients undergoing haemodialysis?
Authors: Toyooka Ken‐Taro , Niwa Hidetomo , Hashiba Eiji , Hirota Kazuyoshi 
Published: June 2017

SummaryBackgroundThe tissue dielectric constant (TDC) method uses an open‐ended coaxial probe to achieve non‐invasive measurement of water content in skin. The aim of our study was to test the hypothesis that the changes in circulating blood volume would be associated with the changes in TDC values in patients undergoing haemodialysis.MethodsIn this prospective descriptive study, TDC measurements were performed for three parts of the body (the face, shin and hand) before and after patients underwent haemodialysis (N = 83). The primary outcome measure was the correlation between the amount of water removal and ΔTDC at each body site measured (ΔTDC = posthaemodialysis TDC–prehaemodialysis TDC). The secondary outcome measure was the mean difference in TDC value before and after haemodialysis.ResultsThe TDC values measured at each part of the body were significantly reduced after haemodialysis, but the percentage difference between pre‐ haemodialysis and posthaemodialysis was small for the face, shin and hand, with %mean ± SE values of −4.4 ± 0.70, −3.2 ± 0.98 and −6.0 ± 1.6; 95 per cent confidence intervals (lower bound to upper bound) of 3.0–5.8, 1.3–5.2 and 2.7–9.2; and P values of P = 0.000, P = 0.000 and P = 0.000, respectively. The inverse correlation between ΔTDC and the amount of water removal was also weak (correlation at the face, r = −0.25, P = 0.028; at the shin, r = −0.26, P = 0.018; and at the hand, no significant correlation).ConclusionOur results indicate that TDC measurement can be used to assess the changes in local oedema, but may be unlikely to evaluate real‐time changes in the circulating blood volume in a clinical setting.
Urban poverty, economic restructuring and poverty reduction policy in urban China: Evidence from Shanghai, 1978–2008
Authors: Yan Fei 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThis article uses the city of Shanghai as a case study to analyze the changing institutional mechanisms for the new urban poverty stratum in China. Specifically, the article examines urban poverty in relation to economic restructuring and the transformation of the welfare provision system in three stages of market reforms. The article first examines the overall economic growth strategies at the national level, and then examines local government policy outcomes at the city level. The impacts of institutional changes on urban poverty and social inequality are subsequently. Finally, the article assesses the current poverty reduction policies and proposes a “social inclusion” framework to alleviate urban poverty in China.
Heartbeats classification using QRS and T waves autoregressive features and RR interval features
Authors: Adnane Mourad , Belouchrani Adel 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThis paper describes a method for the classification of heartbeats based on electrocardiogram QRS complex and T wave autoregressive (AR) features and interbeat distance (RR interval) features. The QRS complex (length n samples) is modelled using AR model of order P. A second AR model of order P1 is applied to the electrocardiogram segment including ST segment and T wave (ST/T segment) with a length of n1 samples. In addition, RR interval features such as the distance between one heartbeat and its preceding (pre‐RR) and following (post‐RR) heartbeats are extracted. The use of AR modelling is motivated by the fact that QRS complex and ST/T segment corresponding to normal beats present different patterns (in shapes and amplitudes) than those corresponding to ventricular ectopic beats. Lengths and AR model orders that minimize the number of misclassifications are determined. Obtained features are used to train and test support vector machine classifier. The proposed method is tested on MIT/BIH Arrhythmia Database and it is compared to state of the art methods. Overall classification accuracy reached 97.02%, whereas it reached 98.86% in the case of subject‐specific scheme. Results are better or comparable to those obtained by state of the art methods.
European Flagship universities: Autonomy and change
Authors: Gornitzka Åse , Maassen Peter 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe article introduces this special issue of Higher Education Quarterly in which results of a research project on 'European Flagship Universities: Balancing Academic Excellence and Socio‐economic Relevance' are presented and discussed. The Flagship project aimed at contributing to a better understanding of the relationship between university reform agendas, with their underlying ideologies, and university practices, especially at the departmental level. The project focused on how selected Flagship universities in continental Europe interpret and use their institutional autonomy in two areas, research management and personnel policies. For this purpose an analytical framework was developed for studying how autonomy is interpreted and used inside the university.
Quality and biochemical changes of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour cv. Daw) fruit under different controlled atmosphere conditions
Authors: Khan Muhammad Rafiullah , Suwanamornlert Panitee , Leelaphiwat Pattarin , Chinsirikul Wannee , Chonhenchob Vanee 
Published: June 2017

AbstractSulphur dioxide has been used to control pericarp browning in longan fruit. However, due to health and regulatory concerns, alternative treatments should be tested. The objective of this study was to find the tolerance levels of longan fruit to low O2 (2%, 5%, 10% and 15%) and elevated CO2 (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) at 2 °C. According to the tolerance study, controlled atmospheres (CA) of 5% O2 + 5% CO2, 5% O2 + 10% CO2 and 5% O2 + 15% CO2 were compared with normal air (control) at 2 °C. Pericarp browning and decay incidence of longan were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher in control than all the CA treatments. CA storage reduced polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, maintained L* value and slowed down a decrease in total phenolic contents (TPC). Pericarp browning was highly correlated with PPO, L* and TPC.
Protein‐loaded sodium alginate and carboxymethyl cellulose beads for controlled release under simulated gastrointestinal conditions
Authors: Bannikova Anna , Rasumova Ludmila , Evteev Aleksandr , Evdokimov Ivan , Kasapis Stefan 
Published: June 2017

AbstractNetwork characteristics of sodium alginate and carboxymethyl cellulose, in relation to the controlled release of bovine serum albumin under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, have been examined. Small‐deformation dynamic oscillation in‐shear, compression testing and optical microscopy were employed to monitor the structural characteristics of polysaccharide beads as excipients for protein entrapment. Work focused on gastrointestinal functionality and controlled release utilising variable acidity and counterion addition in preparations. Beads were found to shrink in gastric and swell in intestinal conditions, thus emphasising the disparate effect of experimental conditions. Changes in mechanical properties reflected alterations in gel microstructure, with beads becoming relatively strong in the gastric environment. In contrast, networks were weakened in the intestinal environment resulting in bead disintegration towards the end of digestion time. This type of structural behaviour allows the controlled delivery of the protein, as a model bioactive, in a particular part of the gastrointestinal tract.
Analysis of PTPN22, ZFAT and MYO9B polymorphisms in Turner Syndrome and risk of autoimmune disease
Authors: Villanueva‐Ortega E. , Ahedo B. , Fonseca‐Sánchez M. A. , Pérez‐Durán J. , Garibay‐Nieto N. , Macías‐Galavíz M. T. , Trujillo‐Cabrera Y. , García‐Latorre E. , Queipo G. 
Published: June 2017

SummaryTurner syndrome (TS) is one of the most common sexual chromosome abnormalities and is clearly associated with an increased risk of autoimmune diseases, particularly thyroid disease and coeliac disease (CD). Single‐nucleotide polymorphism analyses have been shown to provide correlative evidence that specific genes are associated with autoimmune disease. Our aim was to study the functional polymorphic variants of PTPN22 and ZFAT in relation to thyroid disease and those of MYO9B in relation to CD. A cross‐sectional comparative analysis was performed on Mexican mestizo patients with TS and age‐matched healthy females. Our data showed that PTPN22 C1858T (considered a risk variant) is not associated with TS (X2 = 3.50, p = .61, and OR = 0.33 [95% CI = 0.10–1.10]). Also, ZFAT was not associated with TS (X2 = 1.2, p = .28, and OR = 1.22 [95% CI = 0.84–1.79]). However, for the first time, rs2305767 MYO9B was revealed to have a strong association with TS (X2 = 58.6, p = .0001, and OR = 10.44 [95% C = 5.51–19.80]), supporting a high level of predisposition to CD among TS patients. This report addresses additional data regarding the polymorphic variants associated with autoimmune disease, one of the most common complications in TS.