bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sleep disorders and their clinical significance in children with Down syndrome
Authors: STORES GREGORY , STORES REBECCA 
Published: September 2012

Aim  Our aim was to review basic aspects of sleep disorders in children with Down syndrome in the light of present‐day findings of such disorders in children in general, including other groups of children with developmental disabilities.Methods  A literature search of adverse developmental effects of sleep disturbance, types of sleep disturbance in children with Down syndrome, their aetiology, including possible contributions of physical and psychiatric comorbidities and medication effects, principles of assessment and diagnosis, and treatment issues, was carried out.Results  Sleep disturbance is particularly common in children with developmental disorders including Down syndrome. Although there are just three basic sleep problems (sleeplessness or insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, and parasomnias) there are many possible underlying causes (sleep disorders), the nature of which dictates the particular treatment required. In children with Down syndrome, in addition to the same influences in other children, various comorbid physical and psychiatric conditions are capable of disturbing sleep. Possible adverse medication effects also need to be considered.Interpretation  Screening for sleep disorders and their causes should be routine; positive findings call for detailed diagnosis. Management should acknowledge the likely multifactorial aetiology of the sleep disorders in Down syndrome. Successful treatment can be expected to alleviate significantly the difficulties of both child and family.
Increased blood pressure reactions to acute mental stress are associated with 16‐year cardiovascular disease mortality
Authors: Carroll Douglas , Ginty Annie T. , Der Geoff , Hunt Kate , Benzeval Michaela , Phillips Anna C. 
Published: September 2012

AbstractExaggerated cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress may be involved in the etiology of cardiovascular pathology. The present analysis examined the association between the magnitude of systolic and diastolic blood pressure reactions to stress and cardiovascular disease mortality. Participants were 431 (229 women) from the West of Scotland Twenty‐07 Study, aged 63 years at the time of stress testing, where blood pressure was measured during resting baseline and mental arithmetic stress. Participants' vital status was tracked for the next 16 years, during which time 38 had died of cardiovascular disease. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure reactions were positively associated with cardiovascular disease mortality. This association could reflect the long‐term erosive effects of exaggerated reactivity on the vasculature as well as its short‐term capacity to trigger acute cardiovascular events.
ERP correlates of dual mechanisms of control in the counting Stroop task
Authors: West Robert , Bailey Kira 
Published: September 2012

AbstractEvent‐related brain potentials (ERPs) were used to examine the neural correlates of proactive and reactive cognitive control within the context of the Dual Mechanisms of Control theory. Individuals performed the counting Stroop task and the proportion of congruent and incongruent trials was varied across blocks. The Stroop effect was smaller in the mostly incongruent block than in the mostly congruent block. The ERP data revealed a double dissociation between the medial frontal negativity (MFN) and the medial posterior negativity (MPN), where the amplitude of the MFN was greater in the mostly incongruent block and the amplitude of the MPN was greater in the mostly congruent block. The ERP data also revealed slow wave activity that distinguished the mostly incongruent and mostly congruent blocks. These findings support the idea that different regions of the cingulate and anterior frontal cortex underpin proactive and reactive control.
Hair weathering and hair capacitance mapping: a pilot study
Authors: Piérard‐Franchimont Claudine , Piérard Gérald E. 
Published: September 2012

SummaryBackground  Currently, there is no reported objective method allowing confident assessment of hair hydration mapping. Thus, assessing hair moisture kinetics and versatility according to hair shaft damages and hair care products is difficult to perform.Aim  To explore a new method for assessing hair moisture.Method  A new method of hair capacitance mapping (HCM) is introduced for monitoring hair surface damage and hydration. This study was performed on intact and weathered hair locks. Samples were soaked in 10% solutions of regular shampoos or in tap water alone. HCM was performed using the SkinChip® device based on a semiconductor image sensor technology. Time to complete water desorption from cuticular cells was recorded.Results  Hair surface moisture was increased for <30 min after soaking in the shampoos or water alone. The method was sensitive enough to disclose a gradient of moisture from the base to the tip of the hair shafts. Weathered hairs lost their moisture more rapidly than intact hairs.Conclusion  Hair capacitance mapping appears to be a promising method in the assessment of the dynamics of hair surface moisture.
Associations of systemic diseases, smoking and contact lens wear with severity of dry eye
Authors: Lee Sze‐Yee , Petznick Andrea , Tong Louis 
Published: September 2012

Citation information: Lee S‐Y, Petznick A & Tong L. Associations of systemic diseases, smoking and contact lens wear with severity of dry eye. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2012, 32, 518–526. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2012.00931.xAbstractPurpose:  Systemic diseases, smoking, ocular surgeries and contact lens wear have been linked with dry eye but it is not known if these factors are also associated with severity of dry eye. A cross‐sectional investigation was conducted on the effect of various systemic and ocular conditions with respect to the severity of dry eye in Asian patients.Methods:  Prospective recruitment of consecutive new referral patients from a dry eye clinic was performed. Medical history, dry eye symptoms and clinical assessment were coded in a standardised form and analysed.Results:  Out of 510 patients (25% men), mean ± S.D. age 53.0 ± 14.1 years, 25 had previous diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, 30 had diabetic mellitus, 41 had thyroid disease, and 33 were current smokers; 23 and 41 patients had previous LASIK and cataract surgery respectively and 90 were current contact lenses wearers. A previous diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was associated with more severe superior corneal fluorescein staining (OR = 11.2, 95% CI 4.6–27.4).Conclusion:  Generally, with the exception of rheumatoid arthritis, there were no associations between dry eye severity and systemic diseases, smoking, previous ocular surgeries and contact lens wear. Dry eye patients with rheumatoid arthritis tend to have more severe ocular surface damage in the superior cornea.
Optical modelling of the possible origins of transient refractive changes in diabetic patients
Authors: Charman William Neil 
Published: September 2012

Citation information:Charman WN. Optical modelling of the possible origins of transient refractive changes in diabetic patients.Ophthalmic Physiol Opt2012,32, 485–491. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2012.00935.xAbstractPurpose: To explore theoretically the ocular components that might be responsible for the transient refractive changes observed in the eyes of diabetic patients, particularly during intensive glycaemic control.Methods: Paraxial ray tracing with a model eye having a lens with a single equivalent refractive index was used to determine the sensitivity of refraction to change in the values of each biometric component. The changes required to produce a refractive change of 0.50 D were compared with the reliability of current instrumentation to measure each parameter.Results: If transient shifts of 0.50 D or more were caused by changes in surface curvatures or separations, the latter would easily be detectable by available measurement techniques. The fact that such parameter changes have not been reliably detected in clinical studies supports the concept that changes in refractive index cause the refractive changes. The most probable site of such index changes is the lens, a change of about 0.003 in equivalent index being required to produce a 0.50 change in refractive error.Conclusion: This analysis supports the concept that transient changes in refraction in diabetics are due to changes in the lens. It is likely that changes in the gradients of refractive index lens within the lens, and in their associated contribution to the overall power of the lens, play the key role, rather than changes in surface powers.
CC4, a dimer of cytisine, is a selective partial agonist at α4β2/α6β2 nAChR with improved selectivity for tobacco smoking cessation
Authors: Sala Mariaelvina , Braida Daniela , Pucci Luca , Manfredi Irene , Marks Michael J , Wageman Charles R , Grady Sharon R , Loi Barbara , Fucile Sergio , Fasoli Francesca , Zoli Michele , Tasso Bruno , Sparatore Fabio , Clementi Francesco , Gotti Cecilia 
Published: September 2012

Background and PurposeMany of the addictive and rewarding effects of nicotine are due to its actions on the neuronal nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) subtypes expressed in dopaminergic mesocorticolimbic cells. The partial agonists, cytisine and varenicline, are helpful smoking cessation aids. These drugs have a number of side effects that limit their usefulness. The aim of this study was to investigate the preclinical pharmacology of the cytisine dimer1,2‐bisN‐cytisinylethane (CC4).Experimental ApproachThe effects of CC4 on nAChRs were investigated using in vitro assays and animal behaviours.Key ResultsWhen electrophysiologically tested using heterologously expressed human subtypes, CC4 was less efficacious than cytisine on neuronal α4β2, α3β4, α7 and muscle‐type receptors, and had no effect on 5‐hydroxytryptamine3 receptors. Acting through α4β2 and α6β2 nAChRs, CC4 is a partial agonist of nAChR‐mediated striatal dopamine release and, when co‐incubated with nicotine, prevented nicotine's maximal effect on this response. In addition, it had low affinity for, and was less efficacious than nicotine and cytisine on the α3β4 and α7‐nAChR subtypes. Like cytisine and nicotine, CC4‐induced conditioned place preference (CPP), and its self‐administration shows an inverted‐U dose–response curve. Pretreatment with non‐reinforcing doses of CC4 significantly reduced nicotine‐induced self‐administration and CPP without affecting motor functions.Conclusion and ImplicationsOur in vitro and in vivo findings reveal that CC4 selectively reduces behaviours associated with nicotine addiction consistent with the partial agonist selectivity of CC4 for β2‐nAChRs. The results support the possible development of CC4 or its derivatives as a promising drug for tobacco smoking cessation.
Cross‐talk between toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and proteinase‐activated receptor 2 (PAR2) is involved in vascular function
Authors: Bucci M , Vellecco V , Harrington L , Brancaleone V , Roviezzo F , Mattace Raso G , Ianaro A , Lungarella G , De Palma R , Meli R , Cirino G 
Published: September 2012

Background and PurposeProteinase‐activated receptors (PARs) and toll‐like receptors (TLRs) are involved in innate immune responses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible cross‐talk between PAR2 and TLR4 in vessels in physiological condition and how it varies following stimulation of TLR4 by using in vivo and ex vivo models.Experimental ApproachThoracic aortas were harvested from both naïve and endotoxaemic rats for in vitro studies. Arterial blood pressure was monitored in anaesthetized rats in vivo. LPS was used as a TLR4 agonist while PAR2 activating peptide (AP) was used as a PAR2 agonist. Aortas harvested from TLR4–/– mice were also used to characterize the PAR2 response.Key ResultsPAR2, but not TLR4, expression was enhanced in aortas of endotoxaemic rats. PAR2AP‐induced vasorelaxation was increased in aortic rings of LPS‐treated rats. TLR4 inhibitors, curcumine and resveratrol, reduced PAR2AP‐induced vasorelaxation and PAR2AP‐induced hypotension in both naïve and endotoxaemic rats. Finally, in aortic rings from TLR4–/– mice, the expression of PAR2 was reduced and the PAR2AP‐induced vasodilatation impaired compared with those from wild‐type mice and both resveratrol and curcumine were ineffective.Conclusions and ImplicationsCross‐talk between PAR2 and TLR4 contributes to vascular homeostasis.
Regime Shifts in the Fish Meal/Soybean Meal Price Ratio
Authors: Asche Frank , Oglend Atle , Tveteras Sigbjørn 
Published: September 2012

AbstractAquaculture growth has led to worries about overfishing and reduction in wild‐caught food fish supply because of increased demand for fish meal. As such, the price ratio between fish meal and soybean meal has received much attention as an indicator of changing market conditions. In recent years, the price ratio between these two commodities has become more volatile. Several authors have suggested that the traditional relationship between fish meal and soybean meal has broken down and that this is evidence of increased demand pressure on fish meal. In this article, we investigate the hypothesis that there are two regimes for the relative price between fish meal and soybean meal. The empirical results support this hypothesis, with the low‐price regime representing the traditional stable relative price. The continued linkages between the fish meal and the soybean meal markets indicate that aquaculture is reducing its dependency on marine proteins in favour of vegetable proteins.
Production Risk and Technical Efficiency in Organic and Conventional Agriculture – The Case of Arable Farms in Germany
Authors: Tiedemann Torben , Latacz‐Lohmann Uwe 
Published: September 2012

AbstractThis paper quantifies the importance of production risk and technical efficiency as two possible sources of production variability in German organic and conventional farming. Determinants of production risk and inefficiency are investigated based on a combination of Just and Pope’s stochastic production framework and a Stochastic Frontier Analysis. The empirical analysis is conducted using a balanced panel of farm records from 1999/2000 to 2006/2007 on 37 organic and conventional arable farms, respectively. Euclidian‐Distance‐Matching is used to identify for each organic farm a conventional counterpart with similar structural features. Results indicate that output variability in both production technologies is mainly caused by production risk. Land and labour are identified as risk‐increasing inputs in both farm types whereas higher capital endowment, seed costs and soil quality have risk‐reducing effects.
The Maternal Self‐efficacy Scale for Preventing Early Childhood Diarrhea: Validity and Reliability
Authors: Joventino Emanuella S. , Ximenes Lorena B. , Almeida Paulo C. , Oria Monica O. B. 
Published: September 2012

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to develop and validate a psychometric scale for preventing early childhood diarrhea in endemic areas.Design and SampleBefore applying to the field, the scale was subjected to content validity by a panel of experts and piloting. The final version was applied to 448 mothers of children 0‐ to 5‐year‐olds, living in Fortaleza, northeast Brazil. Structured interviews were conducted to identify diarrheal episodes in the study children.ResultsSignificant negative correlations were found between higher maternal self‐efficacy scores and previous childhood diarrhea (p = .001). In addition, positive correlations were found with maternal age (p = .018). The frequency of children (6–36 months old) with diarrhea was significantly lower when scale scores were higher (p = .015). The predictive validity revealed that high levels of maternal self‐efficacy were a protective factor against childhood diarrhea. Cronbachs alpha was .84.ConclusionsThe scale was found reliable. Cultural adjustments may be needed to extrapolate the scale to other endemic areas worldwide.
Application and Modification of the Integrative Model for Environmental Health
Authors: Polivka Barbara J. , Chaudry Rosemary , Crawford J. Mac , Wilson Robyn , Galos Dylan 
Published: September 2012

AbstractThe Integrative Model for Environmental Health (IMEH) has guided research, literature reviews, and practice initiatives since 2002. This article presents the Modified IMEH that was developed based on using the IMEH as a guiding conceptual framework in a community‐based participatory research environmental health project. Concepts from the Model of Risk Information Seeking and Processing as well as emergent themes from the data analysis were instrumental in this process. The Modified IMEH alters the structure of the IMEH in that the Vulnerability and Epistemological Domains are more prominent and feedback between domains is included.
Bone mineral density in a population of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy and mental retardation with or without epilepsy
Authors: Coppola Giangennaro , Fortunato Delia , Mainolfi Ciro , Porcaro Francesco , Roccaro Davide , Signoriello Giuseppe , Operto Francesca Felicia , Verrotti Alberto 
Published: September 2012

SummaryPurpose:  The present study aimed to assess bone mineral density (BMD) in a population of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy and mental retardation with or without epilepsy.Methods:  One hundred thirteen patients (63 male and 50 female) were recruited for evaluation. Patients were divided in three groups: 40 patients (group 1) were affected by cerebral palsy and mental retardation; 47 (group 2) by cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and epilepsy; and 26 (group 3) by epilepsy. The control group consisted of 63 healthy children and adolescents. Patients underwent a dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan of the lumbar spine (L1–L4), and z‐score was calculated for each patient; t‐score was considered for patients 18 years of age and older.Key Findings:  Abnormal BMD by DEXA was found in 17 patients (42.5%) in group 1, in 33 (70.2%) in group 2, and in 3 (11.5%) in group 3. In groups 1 and 2, tetraparesis and severe/profound mental retardation were related to a significantly abnormal BMD (p = 0.003). The multivariate analysis of independent factors on BMD (z‐score) revealed a significant correlation between BMD (z‐score) and age (p = 0.04), body mass index (BMI; p = 0.002), severe/profound mental retardation (p = 0.03), and epilepsy (p = 0.05).Significance:  A significantly lower BMD z‐score value was found in patients with cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and epilepsy compared with those without epilepsy. The epileptic disorder appears to be an aggravating factor on bone health when comorbid with cerebral palsy and mental retardation.
Seizure worsening and its predictors after epilepsy surgery
Authors: Sarkis Rani A. , Jehi Lara , Bingaman William , Najm Imad M. 
Published: September 2012

SummaryPurpose:  This study aims to investigate seizure worsening and its predictors after epilepsy surgery.Methods:  A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent unilobar epilepsy surgery between 1990 and 2007 and had recurrence of at least one seizure was performed. Seizure worsening was defined as an increase in total average monthly seizure frequency, average monthly generalized tonic–clonic seizures (GTCS), new‐onset GTCS, or new‐onset status epilepticus. The occurrence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) was captured. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of worsening.Key Findings:  A total of 276 patients with postoperative seizure recurrence were identified. Monthly average seizure frequency worsening occurred in 9.8%, GTC worsening in 8.0%, new‐onset GTCs in 1.4%, new‐onset status epilepticus in 2.2%, and death from SUDEP in 1.4%. A higher risk of worsening was seen with extratemporal resections as compared to temporal lobe surgeries (odds ratio [OR] 3.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21–7.95; p = 0.018), and in patients with low preoperative seizure frequency <30 seizures/month (OR 14.82, 95% CI 2.81–275.41; p = 0.0003). Predictors of increased GTCs included an incomplete resection (OR 3.98, 95% CI 1.39–12.59; p = 0.010) and multiple recorded ictal patterns (OR 5.91, 95% CI 1.20–26.96; p = 0.030). Multiple seizure semiologies correlated with worsening after temporal lobe resections.Significance:  The most vulnerable patients for seizure worsening following epilepsy surgery include those with extratemporal resections, incomplete resections, and multiple recorded ictal patterns.
Transparency Built‐in
Authors: Baumers Martin , Tuck Chris , Wildman Ricky , Ashcroft Ian , Rosamond Emma , Hague Richard 
Published: September 2012

SummaryThe supply chains found in modern manufacturing are often complex and long. The resulting opacity poses a significant barrier to the measurement and minimization of energy consumption and therefore to the implementation of sustainable manufacturing. The current article investigates whether the adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) technology can be used to reach transparency in terms of energy and financial inputs to manufacturing operations.AM refers to the use of a group of electricity‐driven technologies capable of combining materials to manufacture geometrically complex products in a single digitally controlled process step, entirely without molds, dies, or other tooling. The single‐step nature affords full measurability with respect to process energy inputs and production costs. However, the parallel character of AM (allowing the contemporaneous production of multiple parts) poses previously unconsidered problems in the estimation of manufacturing resource consumption.This research discusses the implementation of a tool for the estimation of process energy flows and costs occurring in the AM technology variant direct metal laser sintering. It is demonstrated that accurate predictions can be made for the production of a basket of sample parts. Further, it is shown that, unlike conventional processes, the quantity and variety of parts demanded and the resulting ability to fully utilize the available machine capacity have an impact on process efficiency. It is also demonstrated that cost minimization in additive manufacturing may lead to the minimization of process energy consumption, thereby motivating sustainability improvements.
Effects of Familiarity and Feeding on Newborn Speech–Voice Recognition
Authors: Valiante A. Grace , Barr Ronald G. , Zelazo Philip R. , Brant Rollin , Young Simon N. 
Published: September 2012

Newborn infants preferentially orient to familiar over unfamiliar speech sounds. They are also better at remembering unfamiliar speech sounds for short periods of time if learning and retention occur after a feed than before. It is unknown whether short‐term memory for speech is enhanced when the sound is familiar (versus unfamiliar) and, if so, whether the effect is further enhanced by feeding. We used a two‐factorial design and randomized infants to one of four groups: prefeed‐unfamiliar, prefeed‐familiar, postfeed‐unfamiliar, and postfeed‐familiar. Memory for either familiar or unfamiliar speech (the infant's mother saying “baby” versus a female stranger saying “beagle”) was assessed using head turning to sound in an habituation–recovery paradigm and a retention delay of 85 sec either before or after a typical milk feed. Memory for the familiar speech–voice was enhanced relative to the unfamiliar speech–voice, expressed by significantly less head turning toward the habituated sound stimulus when it was re‐presented after the delay. Memory for familiar or unfamiliar speech was not significantly enhanced from pre‐ to postfeeding, nor was there a significant interaction. This is the first demonstration in newborns that familiarity enhances short‐term memory for speech–voice sound.