bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A mechanistic review on medicinal plants used for rheumatoid arthritis in traditional Persian medicine
Authors: Farzaei Mohammad Hosein , Farzaei Fatemeh , Abdollahi Mohammad , Abbasabadi Zahra , Abdolghaffari Amir Hossein , Mehraban Bahman 
Published: July 2016

Abstract

Objectives
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease, which affects synovial tissue in multiple joints. Although conventional treatments of RA commonly alleviate the symptoms, high incidence of adverse reactions leads to research tendency towards complementary and alternative medicine. As various medicinal plants are traditionally used for the management of symptomatologies associated with RA in Persian medicine, we reviewed medicinal literature to confirm their efficacy in the management of RA.

Key findings
Scientific evidence revealed that traditional medicaments exert beneficial effects on RA through several cellular mechanisms including downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6 and NF-κB, suppression of oxidative stress, inhibition of cartilage degradation with destructive metalloproteinases and enhancement of antioxidant performance. Various active constituents from different chemical categories including flavonols, lignans, coumarins, terpenes, glycosylflavons, dihydroflavonols, phytoestrogens, sesquiterpene lactones, anthraquinones, alkaloids and thymoquinones have been isolated from the medicinal plants.

Summary
The pharmacological mechanisms of the medicinal plants traditionally used for RA in Persian medicine are discussed in the current review. Further investigations are mandatory to focus on bioefficacy of these phytochemicals for finding novel natural drugs.
Anatomical and functional deficiencies of the crural diaphragm in patients with esophagitis
Authors: e Souza M. Â. N. , Nobre R. A. , Bezerra P. C. , dos Santos A. A. , Sifrim D. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractBackgroundInspiratory esophagogastric junction (EGJ) pressure is lower in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and patients fail to increase EGJ pressure during the inspiratory effort. The aim of this study was to assess the EGJ activity during inspiratory maneuvers (high‐resolution manometry, HRM) and the crural diaphragm (CD) thickness (endoscopic ultrasound, EUS) in GERD.MethodsTwenty esophagitis patients (average age 45 years, 7 grade A, 13 grade B) had HRM and EUS. Forty‐three controls were recruited; 30 had HRM (average age 33 years), and 13 had EUS (average age 40 years). The EGJ contractility index (EGJ‐CI) (mm Hg×cm) was measured during normal respiration and two inspiratory maneuvers: without and with inspiratory loads of 12, 24, and 48 cmH2O (TH‐maneuvers). A composite metric for TH‐maneuvers (“EGJ total activity”) was defined as the product of the maximal EGJ pressure and the length of its aboral excursion during the maneuver (mm Hg×cm). The CD thickness (cm) was measured during expiration (12 MHz).Key ResultsExpiratory lower esophageal sphincter pressure and integrated relaxation pressure were lower in GERD. The EGJ‐CI and the “EGJ total activity” were lower in GERD during TH‐maneuvers (48‐cmH2O load: 168.4 ± 13.8 vs 114.8 ± 9.6, P=.006). Patients failed to sustain the inspiratory CD activity across the 12 and 48‐cmH2O efforts. The CD was thinner in GERD patients (0.37 ± 0.03 vs 0.49 ± 0.04, P=.02). The CD thickness correlated with the increment in the “EGJ total activity” in GERD without a hiatal hernia (r=.702, P=.016, n=11).Conclusions & InferencesThere are anatomical changes and functional failure of the CD in esophagitis patients supporting the possibility of a skeletal muscle deficiency in GERD.
Rapid Drink Challenge in high‐resolution manometry: an adjunctive test for detection of esophageal motility disorders
Authors: Ang D. , Hollenstein M. , Misselwitz B. , Knowles K. , Wright J. , Tucker E. , Sweis R. , Fox M. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractBackground/AimsThe Chicago Classification for diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders by high‐resolution manometry (HRM) is based on single water swallows (SWS). Emerging data suggest that a “Rapid Drink Challenge” (RDC) increases sensitivity for motility disorders. This study establishes normal values and diagnostic thresholds for RDC in clinical practice.MethodsTwo cohort studies were performed in patients with dysphagia or reflux symptoms (development and validation sets). Healthy subjects and patient controls provided reference values. Ten SWS and two 200‐mL RDC were performed. Primary diagnosis for SWS was established by the Chicago Classification. Abnormal RDC was defined by impaired esophagogastric junction (EGJ) function (elevated integrated relaxation pressure during RDC [IRP‐RDC]); incomplete inhibition of contractility during and ineffective contraction after RDC. Diagnostic thresholds identified in the development set were prospectively tested in the validation set.ResultsNormal values were determined in healthy (n=95; age 37.8 ± 12) and patient controls (n=44; age 46.4 ± 15). Development and validation sets included 178 (54 ± 17 years) and 226 (53 ± 16 years) patients, respectively. Integrated relaxation pressure during RDC was higher for SWS than RDC in all groups (overall P<.001), except achalasia. Rapid Drink Challenge suppressed contractility, except in achalasia type III, spasm, and hypercontractile motility disorders (P<.001). An effective after‐contraction was present more often in health than disease (P<.001). Optimal diagnostic thresholds identified in the development set (IRP‐RDC ≥12 mmHg achalasia, IRP‐RDC ≥ 8mmHg “all cause” EGJ dysfunction), were confirmed in the validation set (both, sensitivity ~85%, specificity >95%).ConclusionsRapid Drink Challenge contributes clinically relevant information to routine HRM studies, especially in patients with EGJ dysfunction.
Sleep quality and obesity in young subjects: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Fatima Y. , Doi S. A. R. , Mamun A. A. 
Published: July 2016

SummaryObjectivesTo assess the effect of poor sleep quality on Overweight/Obesity (Ow/Ob) in young subjects, and explore if this association is independent of sleep duration.MethodsPubmed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases were searched for papers on sleep quality and overweight/obesity, focusing on children, adolescents, and young adults. Studies based on subjects with medical/psychological problems or published in languages other than English were excluded. Quality effects model was used to pool studies for meta‐analysis.ResultsFindings from the systematic review suggest a link between poor sleep quality and Ow/Ob in young subjects. Pooled estimate (from 26,553 subjects) suggest a role of inadequate sleep (including both short duration and poor quality) in Ow/Ob (OR: 1.27 95% CI: 1.05‐1.53). Sub‐group‐analyses suggest considerably higher odds of Ow/Ob (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.24‐1.72) in young subjects with poor sleep quality (independent of duration).ConclusionsPoor sleep quality seems to be associated with Ow/Ob, and some studies indicate this association to be independent of duration. Therefore, considering only sleep duration might not help in disentangling sleep‐obesity association. However, this review is mostly composed of cross‐sectional studies. Therefore, a causal link or the stability of the sleep quality and Ow/Ob association could not be established.
The effects of customised brainwave music on orofacial pain induced by orthodontic tooth movement
Authors: Huang R , Wang J , Wu D , Long H , Yang X , Liu H , Gao X , Zhao R , Lai W 
Published: July 2016

ObjectivesTo evaluate the effects of listening to brainwave music (BWM), which is composed by individual electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, in relieving orthodontic pain, compared to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), an established psychotherapy in pain management.MethodsThirty‐six participants matched for age, gender and anxiety/pain levels were randomly assigned to the BWM group (n = 12), the CBT group (n = 12) or the control group (n = 12). Baseline resting EEG data were fabricated into BWM for the BWM group. EEG signals and pain perception [assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS)] of participants were recorded for the first week after orthodontic appliances placement. EEG data were analysed by multiple approaches.ResultsBrainwave music and CBT groups presented significantly lower pain perception than the control group on days 1–4. According to EEG analysis outcomes, the BWM group showed improved functional connectivity among different brain regions, lower EEG complexity and enhanced power in theta and alpha bands, compared to CBT and control groups, especially on day 2. Differences were clustered in the prefrontal, frontal, parietal and occipital regions, whilst the EEG parameters had negligible linear association with VAS scores.ConclusionsBrainwave music is effective in controlling orthodontic pain, possibly via restoring functional connectivity and brain regularity influenced by pain.
Rhythm Control and Its Relation to Symptoms during the First Two Years after Radiofrequency Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: BJÖRKENHEIM ANNA , BRANDES AXEL , CHEMNITZ ALEXANDER , MAGNUSON ANDERS , EDVARDSSON NILS , POÇI DRITAN 
Published: July 2016

Clinical Trial RegistrationURL:
http://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique Identifier: NCT00697359.ObjectivesTo evaluate rhythm control up to two years after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation and its relation to reported symptoms.BackgroundThe implantable loop recorder (ILR) continuously records the electrocardiogram (ECG), has an automatic AF detection algorithm, and has a possibility for patients to activate an ECG recording during symptoms.MethodsFifty‐seven patients (mean age 57 ± 9 years, 60% male, 88% paroxysmal AF) underwent AF ablation following ILR implantation. Device data were downloaded at the ablation and three, six, 12, 18, and 24 months after ablation.ResultsFifty‐four patients completed the two‐year follow‐up. Thirteen (24%) patients had no AF episodes detected by ILR during follow‐up. Ten of 41 patients (24%) with AF recurrence were only detected by ILR and AF recurrences were detected earlier by ILR (P < 0.001). The median AF burden in patients with AF recurrence was 5.7% (interquartile range 0.4–14.4) and was even lower in patients with AF only detected by ILR (P = 0.001). Forty‐eight % of the patients indicated symptoms via the patient activator but 33% of those recordings were not due to AF. Early AF recurrence (within 3 months) was highly associated with later AF recurrence (P < 0.001). AF burden >0.5% and longest AF episode >6 hours before the ablation were independent predictors of AF recurrence during intermittent but not continuous monitoring.ConclusionsAfter AF ablation, the AF burden was low throughout the 24 months follow‐up. Nevertheless, symptoms were commonly indicated but one‐third of patient‐activated recordings did not show AF. Continuous monitoring was superior to intermittent follow‐up in detecting AF episodes and assessing the AF burden.
Comparison of Edwards Sapien XT versus Lotus Valve Devices in Terms of Electrophysiological Study Parameters in Patients Undergoing TAVI
Authors: EKSIK ABDURRAHMAN , YILDIRIM AYDIN , GUL MEHMET , ASLAN SERKAN , TOSU AYDIN RODI , SURGIT OZGUR , CAKMAK HUSEYIN ALTUG , SATILMISOGLU MUHAMMET HULUSI , AKKAYA EMRE , BAKIR IHSAN 
Published: July 2016

BackgroundThe purpose of this study is to assess the electrocardiographic and electrophysiological parameters of conduction abnormalities in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) due to severe aortic valve stenosis.MethodsThe study included 55 patients who underwent TAVI using either the Boston Scientific Lotus (n:25) (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA, USA) or Edwards Sapien XT (n:30) (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) prostheses. An electrophysiological study (EPS) was performed in the catheterization room immediately before the initial balloon valvuloplasty and immediately after prosthesis implantation.ResultsQRS duration and His‐bundle to His‐ventricle (HV) intervals, which were similar between the two groups before the procedure, were found to be significantly higher in the Lotus valve group postprocedure. Permanent pacemakers (PPMs) were required more frequently in the Lotus group than in the Sapien XT group at discharge (24.0% vs 6.7%, P = 0.07). With the exception of a higher prevalence of paravalvular leakage (P < 0.001) in patients undergoing Sapien XT implantation, other clinical outcomes were similar between the two groups. Multiple regression analysis revealed that baseline atrioventricular (AV) conduction disorders and HV intervals after the procedure were independently associated with PPM implantation after TAVI.ConclusionIn this first study comparing the findings of EPS and electrocardiography, the impact of the Lotus valve on AV conduction systems was greater than that of the Sapien XT. However, the need for PPM was higher in the Lotus valve than in the Sapien XT. PPM requirement is related to valve design; it may decrease with reduced frame height and metal burden in novel valve systems.
Successful umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in pediatric patients with MDS/AML associated with underlying GATA2 mutations: two case reports and review of literature
Authors: Mallhi Kanwaldeep , Dix David B. , Niederhoffer Karen Y. , Armstrong Linlea , Rozmus Jacob 
Published: July 2016

AbstractGermline GATA2 mutations have been associated with a vast array of clinical manifestations, as well as hematological deficiencies and a propensity to AML or MDS. We present two cases of pediatric AML/MDS with underlying GATA2 mutations who underwent a successful umbilical cord hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using two different conditioning regimens. These cases illustrate the importance of recognizing the clinical features associated with GATA2 mutations and performing the appropriate molecular testing. Diagnosis of heritable gene mutations associated with familial AML/MDS has significant clinical implication for the patients and affected families.
Corporate Finance in Africa: The Interactive Impact of Firm Nationality and Characteristics
Authors: Ezeoha Abel Ebeh 
Published: July 2016

AbstractUsing a balance panel data of 351 publicly quoted firms in eleven major African stock exchanges, I investigated the impact of the differences in the internal structures of domestic and foreign firms on corporate financial decisions in Africa. I also analyzed the sensitivity of the impact of the internal firm characteristic on changes in the level of exogenous factors such as marginal tax structure and financial system development. The arising results showed that among the selected key internal characteristics of firms, only the impact of profitability and tangibility on financial structure was significantly sensitive to the proportion of domestic/foreign shareholding and that, consistent with capital structure theories, corporate financing decisions in Africa were significantly sensitive to marginal tax policies and the degree of financial system development prevailing in a country. The results suggest that by investing in assets that are acceptable to lenders and investors as collaterals and maintaining reasonable stability in their cash flow positions, domestic firms can in practice enhance their access to strategic investment capital.
Reference Pricing with Elastic Demand for Pharmaceuticals
Authors: Gonçalves Ricardo , Rodrigues Vasco 
Published: July 2016

AbstractIn this paper, we re‐examine the properties of two commonly adopted government reimbursement schemes for pharmaceuticals: reference pricing and fixed percentage reimbursement. We depart from the previous literature by assuming that the individual demand is price‐sensitive and depends on the copayment rate (i.e., the part paid by each consumer). We obtain two novel results under reference pricing: first, as the copayment rate increases, so do pharmaceutical prices; second, this increase in pharmaceutical prices reduces social welfare. Whilst reference pricing does emerge as a preferable reimbursement scheme, demand elasticities and the copayment rate interact in complex ways. This leads (unexpectedly) to the possibility that a higher copayment rate (lower reimbursement rate) results in higher government expenditure.
Looking Back on Self‐Poisoning: The Relationship between Depressed Mood and Reporting of Suicidal Intent in People Who Deliberately Self‐Poison
Authors: Gjelsvik Bergljot , Heyerdahl Fridtjof , Holmes Jane , Lunn Daniel , Hawton Keith 
Published: July 2016

Lifetime worst‐point suicidality is associated with risk of subsequent death by suicide. Yet little is known about how people who deliberately self‐poison (DSP) change their appraisal of suicidal intent of a single DSP episode over time. We assessed whether suicidal intent for a single index episode of DSP changed over time and factors associated with such change. We studied 202 patients admitted for DSP (66.3% female, all Caucasian), 18–85 years old (M = 37.8, SD = 14.8), using a longitudinal design (0, 3, and 12 months). The primary outcome measure was change in suicidal intent for a single index DSP episode, analyzed using multilevel modeling. Wish to die and whether the episode was considered a suicide attempt increased significantly with depressed mood. Wish to die associated with the index episode also increased over time independently of depressed mood. No association with time or depressed mood was found for perceived likelihood of dying. Depressed mood was strongly associated with appraisal of suicidal intent associated with a DSP episode. In suicide risk assessment, reports of the nature and severity of past DSP should be interpreted in light of current mood.
Framing Child Nutrition Programs: The Impact of Party and District Characteristics on Elite Framing*
Authors: Brock Clare 
Published: July 2016

ObjectiveThe objective of this article is to determine whether district characteristics impact the framing choices made by members of Congress. Certain frameworks may be more effective for creating policy change, and given that framing shapes the way humans conceptualize a problem space, framing should be a deliberate tool used in order to constrain the debate around certain problems. However, the actual details of debate shifts and issue framing often become a “black box” in theories of policy change.MethodsThe study uses content analysis of floor statements made over a 16‐year period regarding the National School Lunch Program, the results of which are analyzed using a multinomial logistic regression.ResultsThe results indicate that policy framing is highly dependent on district characteristics, but that language use itself does not appear to have changed significantly in the time period studied.ConclusionsThe evidence presented here indicates that legislators are, at least through floor statements, engaging in delegate representation of their district interests.
Encountering Difference in the Workplace: Superficial Contact, Underlying Tensions and Group Rights
Authors: Harris Catherine , Valentine Gill 
Published: July 2016

AbstractEmployment, demographic, cultural, and legal changes in Europe over the past 40 years have brought unprecedented numbers of minority groups into organisations at all levels, and research suggests that most workplaces are likely to become even more diverse in the future. While much attention has been paid to negative experiences of minorities in the workplace, it also has the potential to be an important site of prejudice reduction. In response, drawing on original quantitative and qualitative data, this article explores the encounters of socially different groups in the workplace. It demonstrates that workplaces can promote meaningful encounters. However, cases of positive encounter with difference were often discussed at the level of the individual, with reference to specific people and friendships, rather than towards the minority group to which the individual belonged. As such, these positive encounters were often superficial with underlying tensions still existing between different groups in the workplace.
The Neo‐Westphalian Public Sphere of Luxembourg: The Rebordering of a Mediated State Democracy in a Cross‐Border Context
Authors: Lamour Christian 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe mediatised public sphere in Europe seems to be put at risk by the growing importance attached to commercial values in the Media. At the same time, the Westphalian framework of political publicity is said to be diminishing in scale due to globalisation. However, both affirmations are not necessarily true in cross‐border metropolitan regions. As suggested in this paper, based on a quantitative and a qualitative analysis of a free daily publication located in the cross‐border urban region of Luxembourg, commercial media can help to reconfigure a neo‐Westphalian and territorial public sphere made of linear and network‐like borders. It is not so much the source of income of the media and the functional dynamics of international urban areas which determine the future of the mediatised public sphere and its territorial background in borderlands Europe but the values of plural reporters in a changing economic and cultural context.
Size of Town, Level of Education and Life Satisfaction in Western Europe
Authors: Migheli Matteo 
Published: July 2016

AbstractI analyse the effect of living in settlements of different sizes on individual life satisfaction. The literature usually finds a negative correlation between life satisfaction and size of town. Here I cluster the population by level of education; the results show that people get dissatisfaction from living in large centres and that both education and income attenuate this effect. In particular, high education renders the cities and their features more enjoyable.
GhJAZ2 negatively regulates cotton fiber initiation by interacting with the R2R3‐MYB transcription factor GhMYB25‐like
Authors: Hu Haiyan , He Xin , Tu Lili , Zhu Longfu , Zhu Sitao , Ge Zonghe , Zhang Xianlong 
Published: July 2016

SummaryJasmonic acid (JA) signaling has been well studied in Arabidopsis. Most reports focus on the role of JA in biological pathways, such as stress resistance, trichome initiation and anthocyanin accumulation. The JASMONATE ZIM‐DOMAIN (JAZ) protein is one of the important repressors in the JA signaling pathway. Previous studies showed that JA functions in fiber initiation and elongation, but little is known about how JAZ genes function in fiber development. In this study, a cotton JAZ protein (GhJAZ2) containing a highly conserved TIFY motif and a C‐terminal Jas domain was identified, and its function during cotton fiber development was analysed. Gene expression analysis showed that GhJAZ2 was preferentially expressed in the root, hypocotyl, flower and ovule 1 day before anthesis. Overexpression of GhJAZ2 inhibited both lint and fuzz fiber initiation, and reduced the fiber length. Yeast two‐hybrid assays showed that GhJAZ2 interacted with the R2R3‐MYB transcription factors GhMYB25‐like and GhGL1, the bHLH transcription factor GhMYC2, the WD repeat protein GhWD40 and the unknown protein GhJI1. Among these transcription factors, previous studies showed that downregulation of GhMYB25‐like leads to a fiberless phenotype in cotton seeds. Molecular and genetic evidence showed that the GhJAZ2 protein suppresses fiber initiation in the overexpressing lines by interacting with GhMYB25‐like and suppressing GhMYB25‐like activity. Our results suggested that GhJAZ2 functions as a primary transcription repressor during lint and fuzz fiber initiation by interacting with GhMYB25‐like, GhGL1, GhMYC2, GhWD40 and GhJI1 to regulate the JA signaling pathway.