bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pseudohypoparathyroidism – epidemiology, mortality and risk of complications
Authors: Underbjerg Line , Sikjaer Tanja , Mosekilde Leif , Rejnmark Lars 
Published: September 2015

SummaryObjectivePseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is caused by a mutation within the GNAS gene or upstream of the GNAS complex locus. It is characterized by target organ resistance to PTH, resulting in hypocalcaemia and hyperphosphataemia. Studies in patients with PHP are limited. We sought to identify all patients in Denmark with PHP and access their mortality data and risk of complications.DesignPatients were identified through the Danish National Patient Registry and a prescription database, with subsequent validation by investigation of patient charts.MethodsFor each case, three age‐ (±2 years) and gender‐matched controls were randomly selected from the general background population. We identified a total of 60 cases, equal to a prevalence of 1·1/100 000 inhabitants. The average age at diagnosis was 13 years (range 1–62 years), and 42 were women. Only 14 patients had an identified mutation in the GNAS1 gene.ResultsCompared with controls, patients with PHP had an increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders (P < 0·01), infections (P < 0·01), seizures (P < 0·01) and cataract (P < 0·01), whereas their risk of renal, cardiovascular, malignant disorders and fractures was compatible with the general background population. The same tendencies were found in a subgroup analysis in cases with genetically verified PHP.ConclusionPatients with PHP have an increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders, infections, cataract and seizures, whereas mortality among PHP patients is compatible with that in the background population.
Serum vascular endothelial growth factor B is elevated in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and can be decreased with metformin treatment
Authors: Cheng Feifei , Zhao Lu , Wu Yuanyuan , Huang Tiantian , Yang Gangyi , Zhang Zhanyu , Wu Yijia , Jia Fang , Wu Jinlin , Chen Chen , Liu Dongfang 
Published: September 2015

SummaryObjectiveTo determine serum vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF‐B) levels in polycystic ovary syndrome, their association with insulin resistance and β‐cell dysfunction, and the effect of metformin on serum VEGF‐B levels.DesignA cross‐sectional, interventional study.PatientsWe recruited 103 women with polycystic ovary syndrome and 96 age‐matched healthy controls. Serum VEGF‐B levels were determined in all participants, and 44 polycystic ovary syndrome patients randomly received metformin.MeasurementsWe measured VEGF‐B levels in healthy controls and women with polycystic ovary syndrome before and after metformin treatment.ResultsWomen with polycystic ovary syndrome had higher serum VEGF‐B levels, which decreased with metformin treatment. In the lean and overweight/obese groups, patients with polycystic ovary syndrome had higher plasma VEGF‐B levels than did healthy controls (P < 0·05). VEGF‐B levels were correlated with body mass index, body fat percentage, M values, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and β‐cell function indices. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that VEGF‐B level was associated with M values after adjusting for age, body mass index, serum sex hormones and serum lipids in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.ConclusionsSerum VEGF‐B is significantly higher in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and is closely and positively related to insulin resistance. Metformin treatment reduces VEGF‐B levels and ameliorates insulin resistance.
How Can China Avoid the Middle Income Trap?
Authors: Yao Zhizhong 
Published: September 2015

AbstractMany middle income economies have been unable to advance to become high income economies over a period of 50 years or longer, not due to the existence of middle income traps, but because of the overly broad income range in the definition of middle income economies. The middle income trap is, in essence, a growth trap, and refers to the situation in which a middle income economy experiences growth stagnation or a growth rate that is lower than that of high income economies. Nonetheless, it is hard to fully comprehend the formation of the trap solely based on growth theories. Historical data indicate that the middle income economies do not lack growth potential, and the real problem is that although their long‐term average growth rates are higher than those of the high income economies, their average growth rates over a business cycle or an even longer period of time often fall below those of the high income economies. The cause of this phenomenon is neither short‐term macroeconomic fluctuations nor long‐term growth potential, but the frequent occurrence of financial crises in middle income economies. As a middle income economy, China is also facing the risk of a financial crisis, and the key to avoiding the middle income trap is to guard against future financial crises, preventing unsound financial liberalization and mismanagement of the corporate debt ratio.
Inflammatory focal bone destruction in femoral heads with end‐stage haemophilic arthropathy: a study on clinic samples with micro‐CT and histological analyses
Authors: Zhang S. , Lu C. , Ying J. , Wang P. , Xu T. , Chen D. , Jin H. , Tong P. 
Published: September 2015

IntroductionFocal bone destruction has a high prevalence in haemophilic arthropathy (HA) affected joints, but the mechanism remains unclear.AimWe undertook this study on clinic samples to explore the focal bone destruction in femoral heads suffered with end‐stage HA.MethodsTwenty‐one femoral heads from HA patients and 19 femoral heads from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were scanned by micro‐CT. Histological analysis, including TRAP staining of subchondral bone were performed to evaluate the bone destruction and osteoclasts activity. RANKL, OPG as well as pro‐inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF‐α and IL‐1β in subchondral bone were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) method.ResultsSevere focal lesion was observed in all the HA and RA femoral heads by micro‐CT imaging and histological analysis. The mean percentage of lesion volume to total volume of the femoral heads from HA patients was significantly higher than those from RA patients. There was no significant difference in osteoclasts numbers in subchondral bone between HA and RA groups. By IHC analysis, high expression of RANKL, TNF‐α, IL‐1β and low expression of OPG and RANK were observed in subchondral bone, and there were no significant differences in the expression of RANKL, OPG, RANK, TNF‐α and IL‐1β in femoral heads derived from HA and RA patients.ConclusionOur findings demonstrated the focal bone destruction coupled with inflammatory osteoclastogenesis at subchondral bone in femoral heads from patients with end‐stage HA, and that was similar to the changes in the femoral heads of RA patients.
Cuba's Cold War Foreign Policy in the Middle East: From Agitator to Mediator
Authors: Grantham David 
Published: September 2015

AbstractCuba's Cold War policy in the Middle East embodies the Third World undercurrents that played an important role in shaping the international order beyond the U.S.–Soviet binary. Castro believed that his revolution would inspire a coalition of developing nations from among the Arab World bound together by past experiences of imperialism. The experiment, however, was far less glorious. Contradiction and complication plagued Cuba's Cold War policies in the Middle East. Castro, inspired by the ideals of nationalism yet handicapped by Soviet dependency, enacted rather convoluted, seemingly hypocritical foreign policies in the Middle East. Broader still, Castro's inability to secure cooperation with the Arab World during the Cold War exemplified the fractionalization that plagued Third World relations. The failures in Cuba's Middle East relations reflected the failure of unity that contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Empire and ultimately the Cold War.
Soul Mates and Collaborators: Spiritual Direction in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe
Authors: Hillman Jennifer 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe 15th century is often regarded by scholars as a turning point in the history of spiritual direction, marking the beginning of a “Golden Age,” which lasted well into the 18th century. The “confessor‐spiritual director” emerged as one who fulfilled the role of spiritual counsellor as well as granting the forgiveness of sins after confession. Over the past two decades, historians have become increasingly interested in the dynamics of the relationships between confessors and their penitents, both inside and outside of the cloister. Scholars of both late medieval and early modern Europe have traced the ties that these spiritual relationships could create between the sexes, particularly where male clerics directed the souls of holy women (lay and religious). Within the scholarship, a new attentiveness to the complexities of these encounters has challenged the traditional conception of male–female, confessor‐penitent relationships as repressive and controlling. This article seeks to explore this recent shift in the historiography, before offering some new perspectives on future directions the field may take.
Political Violence in Colombia: Dirty Wars Since 1977
Authors: Sherman John W. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractInfamous for its political violence, Colombia has weathered a distinctive period of turmoil from roughly 1977 to 2005. This wave of political violence, defined by guerrilla and paramilitary strife, is already being studied by a range of interdisciplinary scholars and non‐academics, especially within Colombia. Their work provides a welcoming base for an increased engagement by historians. This article introduces the topic of political violence in Colombia in the late 20th century, along with the broad nature of publications already in place, while providing a narrative framework that makes the topic accessible to undergraduate students and relative newcomers.
New Paths of the History of Justice and Security Institutions in Latin America
Authors: Barreneche Osvaldo , Casagrande Agustín 
Published: September 2015

AbstractIn the research carried out in Latin America, the history of justice, on the one hand, and the history of security or law enforcement institutions, on the other, often failed to find common grounds in terms of focus, approach, problems, methodologies and even historical periods around which they mostly centered. After several years each current's searching and making contributions on its own, today, a new coincidence takes place within the sphere of Latin American political history, as renewed in turn by recent contributions, which finds in the 19th century the right spot for thematic crossovers. This article focuses around this specific aspect of the field: surveying the thematic contributions and convergence which, within the historiography, signalize a new meeting point. We would like to argue that it is precisely from here that thematic and research lines are developed and that we will witness the next contributions arise from them.
A medication review and deprescribing method for hospitalised older patients receiving multiple medications
Authors: McKean M. , Pillans P. , Scott I. A. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractBackgroundPrescribing of multiple medications in older patients poses risk of adverse drug events.AimTo determine whether a structured approach to deprescribing – identifying and discontinuing unnecessary medications – in the inpatient setting is feasible and reduces medication burden.MethodsProspective pilot study of a convenience sample of patients aged ≥65 years admitted acutely to general medicine units in a tertiary hospital and receiving eight or more regular medications on presentation. The intervention comprised an education programme and a paper‐based or computerised proforma listing clinical and medication data linked with a five‐step decision support tool for selecting drugs eligible for discontinuation, which were then ceased or were being weaned by the time of discharge.ResultsAmong 50 patients of median age 82.5 years and six co‐morbidities, 186 of 542 (34.3%) regular medications were discontinued, representing a significant decrease in the median (interquartile range) number of medications per patient at discharge compared with presentation (7 (5–9) vs 10 (9–12), P < 0.001). Medication lists were reduced by at least two medications in 84% of patients, and by four or more in 50%. Statins, gastric acid suppressive agents, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor antagonists and inhaled bronchodilators were the most frequently ceased medications. Of 39 patients in whom follow‐up status at a median of 78 days was ascertained, only 5 of 413 (1.2%) ceased medications were recommenced among three patients because of symptom relapse.ConclusionA standardised method of medication review and deprescribing may significantly reduce medication burden in a cohort of older hospitalised patients.
Phytogeography of New Guinean orchids: patterns of species richness and turnover
Authors: Vollering Julien , Schuiteman André , de Vogel Ed , van Vugt Rogier , Raes Niels 
Published: September 2015

AbstractAimThe aims of this study were (1) to assess the spatial distribution of orchid species richness in New Guinea, and (2) to examine patterns of species turnover in the orchid community through phytogeographical regionalization. We aimed to achieve these goals using botanical collection records, species distribution models (SDMs) and partitioning around medoids (PAM) clustering.LocationNew Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and surrounding islands.MethodsWe combined 6760 collection records of 532 orchid species with 16 uncorrelated environmental predictor variables, to model species distributions at 5 arc‐min resolution, using the presence‐only modelling algorithm, Maxent. All SDMs were tested for significant deviation from random expectation using bias‐corrected null models. The results from significant SDMs were stacked to create a map of orchid species richness. The same significant SDMs were used to derive phytogeographical regions through a PAM cluster analysis.ResultsOf the 532 modelled species distributions, 283 showed significantly stronger correlation with environmental conditions than expected by chance alone. It is inferred that the central mountain ranges of eastern New Guinea, including part of the Papuan Peninsula, harbour the highest levels of orchid species richness. The study area was divided into eight phytogeographical regions that maximized internal community similarity among orchids. Two of these regions are found almost exclusively in western New Guinea, while the remainder are more evenly distributed.Main conclusionsOur study provides an objective assessment of the distribution of relative orchid species richness in New Guinea. The eight derived phytogeographical regions are largely consistent with existing knowledge of the island's internal biogeography. These findings give insight into one of the global hotspots of orchid diversity, and improve our understanding of the phytogeography of New Guinea.
Formulation and Evaluation of Coating Content and Their Distribution on Chips Products by Automated Inspection Using Fuzzy‐Based Image Processing
Authors: Abu‐Ghoush M. , Samhouri M. , Al‐Holy M. , Abashir A. , Abdelhafez E. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThis study proposed a method to develop an intelligent system using an adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)‐based image processing which predicts the flavor distribution of the chips ring. This study was divided into three stages and different variables in each stage to obtain the best combination. These variables were the number of nozzles employed (one, two and three nozzles), flavor solution temperature (4, 50 and 60C) and the flavor spraying air flow rate (2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 psi). The results showed that the chips rings produced by the combinations of the three nozzles, 50C and with different air flowing rates exhibited significantly higher color distribution, flavor and overall acceptance compared with all other treatments (P < 0.05). These results were supported by the flavor distribution images that were taken for each combination. The ANFIS predicted the experimental results with 100% accuracy. ANFIS processing indicated that the best treatment was the one that was produced by using three nozzles for spraying the flavor under 50C with 2.5 psi air flow rate.Practical ApplicationsThis system was developed by using an adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)‐ based image processing to rapidly predict the flavor distribution of the chips ring for accepting or rejecting defects.
Flow Characterization of Ambiently and Cryogenically Ground Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) Powder as a Function of Varying Moisture Content
Authors: Meghwal Murlidhar , Goswami Tridib Kumar 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe knowledge about flow properties of powders is important in case of developing powder processes and handling procedures, packaging practices and transporting the processed powders. Major flow‐characterizing parameters such as angle of slide, apparent and tapped volume, poured and compacted densities, Hausner ratio, Carr index, compressibility index, different angle of repose and particle size distribution for black pepper powder (BPP) under ambient and cryogenic grinding conditions for different moisture contents (MC) were studied. Angle of slide was found to increase from 39° to 51° with increasing MC. Bulk density of porous and compacted BPP was found to decrease with increasing MC. The powder porosity was found to increase with increasing MC (25.9–27.4% for ambient grinding and 23.2–25.8% for cryogenic grinding). Hausner ratio and Carr index were higher in case of ambiently ground BPP as compared with cryogenically ground BPP. Static angle of repose was found to be higher for ambiently ground powder than for cryogenically ground powder, and showed an increasing trend in both the cases of ambient (65.85–70.25°) and cryogenic grinding (62.78–69.34°) with increasing MC. The flow characteristics of BPP as a function of MC may aid in better selection/design of appropriate handling, transportation, packaging and processing practices for BPP.Practical ApplicationsThe flow properties of ambiently and cryogenically ground black pepper powder will be useful to have control over processing parameters and will lead to improved quality and output of the black pepper powder. The study on flow properties of black pepper powder facilitates the reliable information for design of equipments for handling, processing, packaging and transportation of ground powder spices, which will in turn be economically helpful for powder‐processing industries. Powder sticking on the surface of processing equipments and agglomeration of powder particles creates problem in processing and also leads to loss of economy. Such type of difficulties can be handled with the help of present studies.
Examining the psychometric properties of the brief ‘Menopausal Symptoms Distress Affecting Sleep Quality Scale’
Authors: Hsu Hsiu‐Chin , Lin Mei‐Hsiang , Shih Whei‐Mei , Tsao Lee‐Ing 
Published: September 2015

Aims and objectivesTo examine the psychometric properties of the Menopausal Symptoms Distress Affecting Sleep Quality Scale.BackgroundSleep disturbances are an extensive and common problem among menopausal women. However, no unique and specific scale has yet been developed to detect the inductive symptoms distresses that cause poor sleep quality for menopausal women.DesignA cross‐sectional design.MethodsThe Menopausal Symptoms Distress Affecting Sleep Quality Scale was based on in‐depth interviews with menopausal women and literature review. Convenience sampling was employed. One hundred and fifty three women participated in this study. Exploratory factor analysis, concurrent validity and contrasting group validity were used to examine the validity of the Menopausal Symptoms Distress Affecting Sleep Quality Scale. Cronbach's α was conducted to test the reliability. The accuracy of the scale was analysed with the receiver operating characteristic from med calc version 10.4.8.0 software. The scale's sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value were analysed to locate the best cut‐off point.ResultsOne factor was generated by Exploratory factor analysis, and this factor explained 49·07% of total variance. In addition, the Menopausal Symptoms Distress Affecting Sleep Quality Scale had significant positive correlations with the Greene Climacteric Scale and the self‐evaluation of menopausal symptoms scale. Cronbach's α of the Menopausal Symptoms Distress Affecting Sleep Quality Scale was 0·89. Moreover, the diagnostic accuracy probability of the scale's receiver operating characteristic curve was 0·85. The best cut‐off point was three with a sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 87%.ConclusionsThe Menopausal Symptoms Distress Affecting Sleep Quality Scale had good reliability and validity, as well as refined indicators for assessing the tool's accuracy.Relevance to clinical PracticeThe Menopausal Symptoms Distress Affecting Sleep Quality Scale is easy to use, can quickly detect the sleep conditions of menopausal women who suffer from menopausal symptom distress, and provide efficient nursing interventions to relieve menopausal symptom distresses, and then improve sleep quality.
THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF AUTHIGENIC CHLORITE AND RELATED CEMENTS IN OLIGO–MIOCENE RESERVOIR SANDSTONES, TAPTI GAS FIELDS, SURAT DEPRESSION, OFFSHORE WESTERN INDIA
Authors: Huggett J. M. , Burley S.D. , Longstaffe F. J. , Saha S. , Oates M. J. 
Published: September 2015

Reservoir sandstones in the Mid‐ and South Tapti gas fields in the Surat Depression (Mumbai Offshore Basin, western India) have been investigated using a range of petrographic techniques, isotope geochemistry and basin modelling. Authigenic chlorite is abundant in the shallow‐marine sandstones of the Miocene Mahim Formation, a major reservoir rock in the Mid‐ and South Tapti fields, which are described here in terms of their quality and diagenetic characteristics. The sandstones are currently at burial depths of between ∼1500 and 2800m. The authigenic chlorite has had a significant impact on the resulting reservoir quality of the sandstones and is interpreted to have originated as odinite clay of the verdine facies that replaced faecal or pseudo‐faecal pellets, together with volumetrically small but abundant grain coatings and grain rims, and formed at the site of major riverine iron influx onto the shallow‐marine shelf during periods of relatively low sea level. Pellets have been variably compacted to form pseudomatrix. Reservoir sandstones from similar depositional settings on the west coast of India or other sub‐tropical settings are likely to exhibit comparable diagenetic effects on reservoir quality.Compositionally, the chlorite is the iron‐rich form known as chamosite. The chemistry of all the chlorite morphologies is the same in all studied samples. Oxygen isotope analyses of carbonate cements in the Mahim Formation sandstones have provided an approximate temperature framework for diagenesis of the non‐carbonate cements. Oxygen isotope results for the chlorite, however, suggest much higher temperatures than its position in the paragenetic sequence would warrant. These results suggest that the clay formed first as 1:1 layer clays, in this case odinite, which were then transformed to Fe‐chlorite as burial depths and temperatures increased.Reservoirs in the Mahim, Daman and Mahuva Formation sandstones are thus greatly influenced by the diagenesis of authigenic chlorite and locally by the precipitation of carbonate cements. Reservoir quality is good where thick, continuous chlorite rim cements are present and where chlorite pellets are sufficiently indurated for them not to be compacted. Chlorite rim cements have reduced the extent of quartz overgrowth cementation in the sandstones.