bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Levels of functional disability in elderly people in Tanzania with dementia, stroke and Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Kisoli Aloyce , Gray William K. , Dotchin Catherine L. , Orega Golda , Dewhurst Felicity , Paddick Stella-Maria , Longdon Anna , Chaote Paul , Dewhurst Matthew , Walker Richard W. 
Published: March 2015

BackgroundDisability is associated with increasing age and poverty, yet there are few reliable data regarding disability amongst the elderly in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to compare disability levels for three of the most common neurological, non-communicable diseases: dementia, stroke and Parkinson’s disease (PD).MethodsWe performed a community-based study of people aged 70 years and over in 12 randomly selected villages in the rural Hai district of Tanzania. Participants underwent disability assessment using the Barthel Index, and clinical assessment for dementia, stroke and PD.ResultsIn a representative cohort of 2232 people aged 70 years and over, there were 54 cases of stroke, 12 cases of PD and estimated (by extrapolation from a sub-sample of 1198 people) to be 112 cases of dementia. People with stroke were the most disabled, with 62.9% having moderate or severe disability. Levels of moderate or severe disability were 41.2% in people with dementia and 50.0% in people with PD. However, the higher prevalence of dementia meant that, at a population level, it was associated with similar levels of disability as stroke, with 18.5% of 249 people identified as having moderate or severe disability having dementia, compared to 13.7% for stroke and 2.4% for PD.ConclusionsLevels of disability from these conditions is high and is likely to increase with demographic ageing. Innovative, community-based strategies to reduce disability levels should be investigated.
Vestibular dysfunction in patients with post-mumps sensorineural hearing loss
Authors: El-Badry M M , Abousetta A , Kader R M A 
Published: March 2015

AbstractObjective:To study the possible damage to the vestibular system in patients with post-mumps sensorineural hearing loss.Methods:Nineteen patients with recent mumps infection participated in the study. All patients had unilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss or total hearing loss. Patients were subjected to video-nystagmography and vestibular-evoked myogenic potential testing.Results:Eight patients (42.1 per cent) had normal video-nystagmography results and intact vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials on both sides, whereas the other 11 patients (57.9 per cent) had vestibular lesions in the form of marked canal weakness and absent vestibular-evoked myogenic potential responses on the same side as hearing loss. The overall findings indicated a peripheral site for the lesions.Conclusion:The majority of patients with post-mumps sensorineural hearing loss had peripheral vestibular pathology in the same ear as hearing loss. Further research should be directed to saving the inner ear following mumps infection.
Bone-anchored hearing aids and unilateral sensorineural hearing loss: why do patients reject them?
Authors: Siau D , Dhillon B , Andrews R , Green K M J 
Published: March 2015

AbstractObjectives:This study aimed to report the bone-anchored hearing aid uptake and the reasons for their rejection by unilateral sensorineural deafness patients.Methods:A retrospective review of 90 consecutive unilateral sensorineural deafness patients referred to the Greater Manchester Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid Programme between September 2008 and August 2011 was performed.Results:In all, 79 (87.8 per cent) were deemed audiologically suitable: 24 (30.3 per cent) eventually had a bone-anchored hearing aid implanted and 55 (69.6 per cent) patients declined. Of those who declined, 26 (47.3 per cent) cited perceived limited benefits, 18 (32.7 per cent) cited reservations regarding surgery, 13 (23.6 per cent) preferred a wireless contralateral routing of sound device and 12 (21.8 per cent) cited cosmetic reasons. In all, 32 (40.5 per cent) suitable patients eventually chose the wireless contralateral routing of sound device.Conclusion:The uptake rate was 30 per cent for audiologically suitable patients. Almost half of suitable patients did not perceive a sufficient benefit to proceed to device implantation and a significant proportion rejected it. It is therefore important that clinicians do not to rush to implant all unilateral sensorineural hearing loss patients with a bone-anchored hearing aid.
The similarity of the structure of DSM-IV criteria for major depression in depressed women from China, the United States and Europe
Authors: Kendler K. S. , Aggen S. H. , Li Y. , Lewis C. M. , Breen G. , Boomsma D. I. , Bot M. , Penninx B. W. J. H. , Flint J. 
Published: March 2015

BackgroundDo DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for major depression (MD) in Chinese and Western women perform in a similar manner?MethodThe CONVERGE study included interview-based assessments of women of Han Chinese descent with treated recurrent MD. Using Mplus software, we investigated the overall degree of between-sample measurement invariance (MI) for DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for MD in the CONVERGE sample and samples selected from four major Western studies from the USA and Europe matched to the inclusion criteria of CONVERGE. These analyses were performed one pair at a time. We then compared the results from CONVERGE paired with Western samples to those obtained when examining levels of MI between pairs of the Western samples.ResultsAssuming a single factor model for the nine diagnostic criteria for MD, the level of MI based on global fit indexes observed between the CONVERGE and the four Western samples was very similar to that seen between the Western samples. Comparable results were obtained when using a two-factor structure for MI testing when applied to the 14 diagnostic criteria for MD disaggregated for weight, appetite, sleep, and psychomotor changes.ConclusionsDespite differences in language, ethnicity and culture, DSM criteria for MD perform similarly in Chinese women with recurrent MD and comparable subjects from the USA and Europe. The DSM criteria for MD may assess depressive symptoms that are relatively insensitive to cultural and ethnic differences. These results support efforts to compare findings from depressed patients in China and Western countries.
Written and oral aspects of an early Wahhābī epistle
Authors: Cook Michael 
Published: March 2015

AbstractEpistles of Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb, the founder of the Wahhābī movement in eighteenth-century Najd, are preserved in profusion in Wahhābī sources. One of them is a short epistle, clearly intended for a lay audience, that sets out basic Wahhābī dogma in terms of four principles (qawāʿid). This epistle is preserved by Wahhābī sources in several different versions; none of them are dated, making it hard to establish how the text evolved over time. The present study is based on two dated external witnesses to the text of the epistle. One is taken from an unpublished Baṣran refutation of 1745, and is translated here. The other is found in a Yemeni chronicle under the events of the year 1212/1797f. Thanks to these two fixed points, it is possible to construct a plausible account of the evolution of the text over the intervening decades. From this it is clear that while written transmission played a significant part in the evolution of the text, some of the more dramatic changes are the result of oral intervention. Moreover the role of orality is confirmed by evidence suggesting the extensive use of the epistle in oral settings, an illustration of the strong concern of Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb to spread his message among the laity.
The significance of theḥadīthof the position of Aaron for the formulation of the Shīʿī doctrine of authority
Authors: Miskinzoda G. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractFrom quite early on, the Shīʿa endeavoured to provide both historical and rational arguments for their central claim that ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (d. 40/661), the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muḥammad (d. 11/632), was not only his legitimate successor but also the person best qualified to lead theumma. In particular, there are several statements attributed to the Prophet Muḥammad which are used as evidence of the special position of ʿAlī and his family. One of these is a report known in the Muslim tradition as theḥadīth manzilat Hārūn(ḥadīthof the position of Aaron). According to this report, cited by such eminent authorities onḥadīthas Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj (d. 261/875), al-Tirmidhī (d. 279/892) and Ibn Ḥanbal (d. 241/855), Muḥammad said to ʿAlī: “Are you not content to be with respect to me as Aaron was to Moses, except that after me there shall be no other Prophet?” Theḥadīthalludes to the parallels and similarities between the status of Muḥammad and ʿAlī and their close relationship, and that of Moses and Aaron in the Jewish tradition. The article examines the significance of this report for the formulation of the doctrine of the special status of ʿAlī in Shīʿī Islam through its use and interpretation in the Muslim literary and historical tradition.
Beyond theology: Muʿtazilite scholars and their authority in al-Rummānī'stafsīr
Authors: Kulinich Alena 
Published: March 2015

AbstractMuʿtazilite exegetical tradition has been defined primarily by reference to the theological dimensions of thetafsīrworks authored by the Muʿtazila. This article is an attempt to go beyond this focus by exploring the significance of an exegete's affiliation to the tradition that is implicit in his selection of interpretations and his references to authorities. Focusing on thetafsīrof the tenth-century Muʿtazilite scholar ʿAlī ibn ʿĪsā al-Rummānī, the article analyses al-Rummānī's references to his three Muʿtazilite predecessors: Abū ʿAlī al-Jubbāʾī, Abū l-Qāsim al-Balkhī and Ibn al-Ikhshīd. The content of these references indicates that, for al-Rummānī, the authority of these Muʿtazilite scholars extended beyond their views on the theological implications of the Quranic verses. The context suggests that the scholars were part of a distinct exegetical tradition that allowed for certain differences of opinion.
‘Since My Part has Been Well Played’: Conflicting Evaluations of Augustus
Authors: Davis P.J. 
Published: March 2015

In hisLife of AugustusSuetonius records that just before his death the emperor requested that his appearance be made right, and that he then spoke some lines of Greek verse:petito speculo capillum sibi comi ac malas labantes corrigi praecepit et admissos amicos percontatus, ecquid iis uideretur mimum uitae commode transegisse, adiecit et clausulam:ἐπεὶ δὲ πάνυ καλῶς πέπαισται, δότε κρότονκαὶ πάντες ἡμᾶς μετὰ χαρᾶς προπέμψατε(Suet.Div. Aug.99)Asking for a mirror, he ordered that his hair be done and that his drooping jaws be set straight. And having summoned his friends, he asked whether he seemed to them to have played life's farce adequately and added this ending:Since my part has been well played, give me applauseAnd all of you dismiss us with a kind farewell.
Spatio-temporal patterns of leptospirosis in Thailand: is flooding a risk factor?
Authors: SUWANPAKDEE S. , KAEWKUNGWAL J. , WHITE L. J. , ASENSIO N. , RATANAKORN P. , SINGHASIVANON P. , DAY N. P. J. , PAN-NGUM W. 
Published: March 2015

SUMMARYWe studied the temporal and spatial patterns of leptospirosis, its association with flooding and animal census data in Thailand. Flood data from 2010 to 2012 were extracted from spatial information taken from satellite images. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) was used to determine the relationship between spatio-temporal flooding patterns and the number of human leptospirosis cases. In addition, the area of flood coverage, duration of waterlogging, time lags between flood events, and a number of potential animal reservoirs were considered in a sub-analysis. There was no significant temporal trend of leptospirosis over the study period. Statistical analysis showed an inconsistent relationship between IRR and flooding across years and regions. Spatially, leptospirosis occurred repeatedly and predominantly in northeastern Thailand. Our findings suggest that flooding is less influential in leptospirosis transmission than previously assumed. High incidence of the disease in the northeastern region is explained by the fact that agriculture and animal farming are important economic activities in this area. The periodic rise and fall of reported leptospirosis cases over time might be explained by seasonal exposure from rice farming activities performed during the rainy season when flood events often occur. We conclude that leptospirosis remains an occupational disease in Thailand.
IFITM3 rs12252 T>C polymorphism is associated with the risk of severe influenza: a meta-analysis
Authors: XUAN Y. , WANG L. N. , LI W. , ZI H. R. , GUO Y. , YAN W. J. , CHEN X. B. , WEI P. M. 
Published: March 2015

SUMMARYThe interferon-inducible transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3), as one of the key genes involved in the interferon pathway, is critical for defending the host against influenza virus, and the rs12252 T>C variant in IFITM3 might be associated with susceptibility to severe influenza. Owing to contradictory and inconclusive results, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the association between rs12252 T>C polymorphism and severe influenza risk. A comprehensive literature search up to 1 August 2014 was conducted in EMBASE, Pubmed, Web of Science, VIP, Wanfang and CNKI databases. Four eligible studies with a total of 445 influenza patients and 3396 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, our results demonstrated a significant association between the IFITM3 rs12252 T>C polymorphism and influenza risk [C vs. T: odds ratio (OR) 1·68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·32–2·13; CC vs. CT+TT: OR 2·38, 95% CI 1·52–3·73; CC+CT vs. TT: OR 1·62, 95% CI 1·18–2·22]. Stratification by ethnicity indicated that the variant C allele was associated with an 88% increased risk of influenza in Asians (C vs. T: OR 1·88, 95% CI 1·34–2·62). Moreover, subjects carrying the variant C allele had an increased risk of developing severe illness upon influenza infection (C vs. T: OR 2·70, 95% CI 1·86–3·94). However, no significant association was observed in patients with mild infection (C vs. T: OR 1·26, 95% CI 0·93–1·71). Our meta-analysis suggests that IFITM3 rs12252 T>C polymorphism is significantly associated with increased risk of severe influenza but not with the chance of initial virus infection.
Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C in China
Authors: SHAN X. Y. , ZHOU H. J. , ZHANG J. , ZHU B. Q. , XU L. , XU Z. , HU G. C. , BAI A. Y. , SHI Y. W. , JIANG B. F. , SHAO Z. J. 
Published: March 2015

SUMMARYThis study characterized Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C strains in China in order to establish their genetic relatedness and describe the use of multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) to provide useful epidemiological information. A total of 215 N. meningitidis serogroup C strains, obtained from 2003 to 2012 in China, were characterized by MLVA with different published schemes as well as multilocus sequence typing. (i) Based on the MLVA scheme with a combination of five highly variable loci, 203 genotypes were identified; this level of discrimination supports its use for resolving closely related isolates. (ii) Based on a combination of ten low variable loci, clear phylogenetic relationships were established within sequence type complexes. In addition, there was evidence of microevolution of VNTR loci over the decade as strain lineages spread from Anhui to other provinces, the more distant the provinces from Anhui, the higher the genetic variation.
Anomalous left pulmonary artery origin from internal carotid artery: prospective echocardiographic diagnosis of a previously unknown variant
Authors: Thankavel Poonam P. , Martho Laura C. , Zeltser Ilana 
Published: March 2015

AbstractWe present a neonate with dextrocardia, tetralogy of Fallot, right arch, and aberrant left subclavian artery with left pulmonary artery origin from the left internal carotid artery, which is previously unreported.
A Model Ni–Al–Mo Superalloy Studied by Ultraviolet Pulsed-Laser-Assisted Local-Electrode Atom-Probe Tomography
Authors: Tu Yiyou , Plotnikov Elizaveta Y. , Seidman David N. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThis study investigates the effects of the charge-state ratio of evaporated ions on the accuracy of local-electrode atom-probe (LEAP) tomographic compositional and structural analyses, which employs a picosecond ultraviolet pulsed laser. Experimental results demonstrate that the charge-state ratio is a better indicator of the best atom-probe tomography (APT) experimental conditions compared with laser pulse energy. The thermal tails in the mass spectra decrease significantly, and the mass resolving power (m/Δm) increases by 87.5 and 185.7% at full-width half-maximum and full-width tenth-maximum, respectively, as the laser pulse energy is increased from 5 to 30 pJ/pulse. The measured composition of this alloy depends on the charge-state ratio of the evaporated ions, and the most accurate composition is obtained when Ni2+/Ni+ is in the range of 0.3–20. The γ(f.c.c.)/γ'(L12) interface is quantitatively more diffuse when determined from the measured concentration profiles for higher laser pulse energies. Conclusions of the APT compositional and structural analyses utilizing the same suitable charge-state ratio are more comparable than those collected with the same laser pulse energy.
Dispensing doctor practices and community pharmacies: exploring the quality of pharmaceutical services
Authors: Weiss Marjorie C. , Grey Elisabeth , Harris Michael , Rodham Karen 
Published: March 2015

AimsThis research sought (a) to investigate the similarities and differences in how pharmaceutical services are provided by community pharmacies (CPs) and dispensing doctor practices (DPs) and (b) to identify the issues relevant to determining the quality of pharmaceutical services in these settings.BackgroundUK pharmaceutical services, including dispensing prescriptions and public health advice, can be provided from both (CP) and, in rural areas, (DP). While there is much similarity between CPs and DPs in the types of services provided, there is also the potential for variation in service quality across settings.MethodsA postal questionnaire of DPs and CPs in South West England was conducted to provide a descriptive overview of pharmaceutical services across the settings. A subsection of questionnaire respondent sites were selected to take part in case studies, which involved documentary analyses, observation and staff interviews.FindingsSurvey response was 39% for CPs (52/134) and 48% (31/64) for DPs. There were three CP and four DP case study sites, with 17 staff interviews. More pharmacies than practices were open at the weekend and they had more staff trained above NVQ level 2. Both doctors and pharmacists saw themselves as medicines experts, as being accessible and having good relationships with patients. Workplace practices and organisational ethos varied both within and across settings, with good practice observed in both. Overall, CPs and DPs have much in common. Workplace culture and an evidence-based approach to checking prescriptions and error reporting need to be considered in future assessments of service quality.
Cold ice in the ablation zone: Its relation to glacier hydrology and ice water content
Authors: Ryser C. , Lüthi M. , Blindow N. , Suckro S. , Funk M. , Bauder A. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractCold ice within a polythermal ice body controls its flow dynamics through the temperature dependence of viscosity, and affects glacier hydrology by blocking water flow paths. Lakes on the surface, linked by persistent, deeply incised meltwater streams, are hallmark features of cold ice in the ablation zone of a glacier or ice sheet. Ice radar is a convenient method to map scattering from internal water bodies present in ice at the pressure melting temperature (PMT). Consequently, lack of internal scatters is indicative of cold ice. We use a helicopter‐borne 30 MHz ice radar to delineate the extent of cold ice within Grenzgletscher (Zermatt, Swiss Alps). The inferred thermal structure is validated with temperature measurements in 15 deep boreholes, showing excellent agreement. The cold ice occupies 80–90 % of the total ice thickness in a 400 m wide flow band along the central flow line. Quantitative interpretation of ice radar scattering power indicates a decrease of ice water content between PMT and 0.5 K below PMT, as predicted by theory, and observed in the laboratory. The cold ice which emerges at the surface in the lower ablation zone is impermeable to water, and is thus devoid of moulins if not crevassed. The surface water from melt and rain is routed through deeply incised, persistent streams and lakes, and cryoconite holes are frequent, in stark contrast to the adjacent temperate ice from other tributaries. The cold ice thus has a strong control on glacier hydrology, but is likely to change due to continued warming.
Erratum: The host metabolite D-serine contributes to bacterial niche specificity through gene selection
Authors: Connolly James P R , Goldstone Robert J , Burgess Karl , Cogdell Richard J , Beatson Scott A , Vollmer Waldemar , Smith David G E , Roe Andrew J 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
Correction to: The ISME Journal advance online publication, 19 December 2014; doi: 10.1038/ismej.2014.242 Since the publication of this article, the publishers have identified that the sentence ‘We found that D-serine alone caused repression of the Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS) and induced the SOS response is not an acronym’ is incorrect and should be ‘We found that D-serine alone caused repression of the Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS) and induced the SOS’.
High performing and stable supported nano-alloys for the catalytic hydrogenation of levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone
Authors: Luo Wenhao , Sankar Meenakshisundaram , Beale Andrew M. , He Qian , Kiely Christopher J. , Bruijnincx Pieter C. A. , Weckhuysen Bert M. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe catalytic hydrogenation of levulinic acid, a key platform molecule in many biorefinery schemes, into γ-valerolactone is considered as one of the pivotal reactions to convert lignocellulose-based biomass into renewable fuels and chemicals. Here we report on the development of highly active, selective and stable supported metal catalysts for this reaction and on the beneficial effects of metal nano-alloying. Bimetallic random alloys of gold-palladium and ruthenium-palladium supported on titanium dioxide are prepared with a modified metal impregnation method. Gold-palladium/titanium dioxide shows a marked,~27-fold increase in activity (that is, turnover frequency of 0.1 s−1) compared with its monometallic counterparts. Although ruthenium-palladium/titanium dioxide is not only exceptionally active (that is, turnover frequency of 0.6 s−1), it shows excellent, sustained selectivity to γ-valerolactone (99%). The dilution and isolation of ruthenium by palladium is thought to be responsible for this superior catalytic performance. Alloying, furthermore, greatly improves the stability of both supported nano-alloy catalysts.