bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Health inequalities
Authors: Scambler Graham 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe evidence bearing on the nature and extent of health inequalities documented globally and in the UK is addressed, twin foci within the UK being (a) associations between socioeconomic classification and health and longevity, and (b) the notion of a ‘social gradient’. A consideration of the various ‘models’ that have been developed by sociologists and their allies – most conspicuously social epidemiologists – to account for (a) and (b) is offered, drawing on government‐sponsored commissions and reviews as well as the peer‐reviewed literature. This is followed by a portrayal of specifically sociological theories of health inequalities, featuring those that hold social structures as well as cultural shifts in convention and behaviour to be causally efficacious for health inequalities. The summary and conclusions of the review incorporate an outline of pertinent questions the sociological community has so far been reluctant to address and an agenda for future research.
Expanded newborn screening: articulating the ontology of diseases with bridging work in the clinic
Authors: Timmermans Stefan , Buchbinder Mara 
Published: September 2011

AbstractPopulation screening follows the logic of secondary prevention: a population is screened to detect disease early and to initiate treatment before symptoms emerge. However, not all population screening is justifiable under all circumstances. In this article, we unpack Wilson and Jungner’s requirement that knowledge about the natural history of a disease must be ‘adequate’ for screening to proceed. We argue that any prior understanding of disease is inevitably found to be insufficient once population screening is instituted. Drawing upon ethnographic observations of clinical consultations and staff meetings conducted in a California regional clinical centre for metabolic‐genetic disorders, we introduce the notion of bridging work to draw attention to the collective activities of the genetics team to revise the ontological nature of conditions unsettled by population‐based newborn screening. Bridging work refers to the many activities required to reconcile the promise of technologies with the realities of their implementation. We illustrate how clinicians bridge the gap between what was known about a disease prior to screening and anomalous screening results, leading to an ontological transformation of disease categories.
Scripture as the Voice of God: The Continuing Importance of Autopistia
Authors: VAN DEN BELT HENK 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThis article argues that the concept of autopistia offers a helpful perspective for theological reflection on the authority of Scripture in the present context. It explains the concept by eliminating some misunderstandings and offering a definition of the autopistia of Scripture from its theological sources. It faces the objections that the idea is inutile because it is too specifically Protestant and outdated because it rests on pre‐modern presuppositions. Finally it draws some implications of this perspective for the role of the church, for the communication of the authority of Scripture in the postmodern context, and for the proper place of the doctrine of Scripture in systematic theology.
Revelation, Scripture and Tradition: Lessons from Vatican II's Constitution Dei verbum for Contemporary Theology
Authors: BOEVE LIEVEN 
Published: September 2011

AbstractFor Roman Catholic systematic theology, any reflection on the relation between revelation, Scripture and tradition has to take into account the dogmatic constitution of the Second Vatican Council concerning this theme: Dei verbum. In this document, the dialogical nature of these fundamental theological concepts has been accentuated. Revelation, but also Scripture and tradition, are historical dynamic givens that reveal a salvific God at work in our history, both through Christ and in the Spirit. In conversation with Joseph Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, both the coming into being of this document and its main assets are discussed. Moreover, it will be Dei verbum's reception, and especially the difficulties subsequently encountered to uphold and institutionally anchor the dialogical nature of revelation, tradition, theology and the magisterium that are also commented upon. Inasmuch, however, as Dei verbum has become a part of tradition for the Roman Catholic Church, a reading and rereading of this tradition requires the same dialogical hermeneutical principles which Dei verbum itself presents and requires.
Targeted Support and Telecare in Staffed Housing for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Impact on Staffing Levels and Objective Lifestyle Indicators
Authors: Perry Jonathan , Firth Caroline , Puppa Michael , Wilson Rick , Felce David 
Published: September 2011

Background  Increased provision of out‐of‐family residential support is required because of demographic changes within the intellectual disabilities population. Residential support now has to be provided in a climate requiring both financial constraint and high quality service outcomes. The aim was to evaluate the quality of life consequences of living with less intensive staff support, resulting from the introduction of more targeted staff allocation coupled with telecare.Methods  The study comprised 91 participants who lived in 33 settings. The targeted support/telecare intervention was implemented at staggered intervals in 25 of these settings (63 participants). Data on a range of participant and setting descriptors, quality of care, and a range of objective lifestyle indicators were collected at four points in time over 2 years. Impact of the intervention was evaluated using within‐group comparisons over time.Results  Comparison between pre‐ and post‐intervention showed that staffing levels were significantly reduced by 23%, whereas they were constant in the absence of intervention. One health indicator improved in the absence of intervention and another improved following intervention. There were no significant changes in any other lifestyle indicators (safety, money, social and community activity, independence or choice).Conclusions  A combination of targeted support and telecare had no adverse short‐term affect on participants’ quality of life, but reduced staff input so it seems that they have a role to play in the strategic development of out‐of‐family placements for adults with intellectual disabilities. Further research is needed to explore in more detail how efficiency is achieved in practice.
Eyeblink conditional discrimination learning in healthy young men is impaired after stress exposure
Authors: Wolf Oliver T. , Bauser Denise Soria , Daum Irene 
Published: September 2011

AbstractStress is known to influence the hippocampus. Eyeblink conditional discrimination learning is dependent on the hippocampus, but the effects of stress on the task are unknown. Male participants were allocated to a psychosocial stress condition (Trier Social Stress Test) or a control condition. Afterwards, a conditional discrimination task was performed. A tone (the CS) predicted an airpuff (the US) only when preceded by a specific visual stimulus (a red or a green colored square, the S+ and S−). Stressed participants showed a rise in cortisol and an increase in negative affect. Stressed participants also failed to acquire the conditional discrimination. They responded to all of the presented CS irrespective of the preceding occasion setter (S+ or S−). Controls, in contrast, acquired the discrimination rapidly. The present study provides further evidence for an impairing effect of acute stress on tasks relying on the hippocampal formation.
Is the P3 amplitude reduction seen in externalizing psychopathology attributable to stimulus sequence effects?
Authors: Gilmore Casey S. , Malone Stephen M. , Iacono William G. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractP3 amplitude reduction (P3‐AR) is associated with biological vulnerability to a spectrum of externalizing (EXT) disorders, such as conduct disorder, antisocial behavior, and substance use disorders. P3 amplitude, however, can be affected by the context within which it is measured, for example, by the position of the target in the sequence of stimuli during an oddball task. We hypothesized that EXT‐related P3‐AR may be due to attention or working memory deficits in EXT that would weaken these stimulus sequence effects. Using a community‐based sample of adolescent males, we examined the relationship between P3 and EXT as a function of the number of standards preceding the target. Higher EXT was associated with significantly smaller P3 amplitude, regardless of the number of standards preceding the target. These results suggest that P3‐AR in EXT does not vary as a function of stimulus sequence, further supporting P3‐AR as an endophenotype for EXT disorders.
Altered Functional Connectivity Between the Insula and the Cingulate Cortex in Patients With Temporomandibular Disorder: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ichesco Eric , Quintero Andres , Clauw Daniel J. , Peltier Scott , Sundgren Pia M. , Gerstner Geoffrey E. , Schmidt‐Wilcke Tobias 
Published: September 2011

Background.— Among the most common chronic pain conditions, yet poorly understood, are temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), with a prevalence estimate of 3‐15% for Western populations. Although it is increasingly acknowledged that central nervous system mechanisms contribute to pain amplification and chronicity in TMDs, further research is needed to unravel neural correlates that might abet the development of chronic pain.Objective.— The insular cortex (IC) and cingulate cortex (CC) are both critically involved in the experience of pain. The current study sought specifically to investigate IC–CC functional connectivity in TMD patients and healthy controls (HCs), both during resting state and during the application of a painful stimulus.Methods.— Eight patients with TMD, and 8 age‐ and sex‐matched HCs were enrolled in the present study. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data during resting state and during the performance of a pressure pain stimulus to the temple were acquired. Predefined seed regions were placed in the IC (anterior and posterior insular cortices) and the extracted signal was correlated with brain activity throughout the whole brain. Specifically, we were interested whether TMD patients and HCs would show differences in IC–CC connectivity, both during resting state and during the application of a painful stimulus to the face.Results.— As a main finding, functional connectivity analyses revealed an increased functional connectivity between the left anterior IC and pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in TMD patients, during both resting state and applied pressure pain. Within the patient group, there was a negative correlation between the anterior IC–ACC connectivity and clinical pain intensity as measured by a visual analog scale.Conclusions.— Since the pregenual region of the ACC is critically involved in antinociception, we hypothesize that an increase in anterior IC–ACC connectivity is indicative of an adaptation of the pain modulatory system early in the chronification process.(Headache 2012;52:441‐454)
Bismuth Zinc Niobate Pyrochlore, a Relaxor‐Like Non‐Ferroelectric
Authors: Osman Rozana A. M. , Masó Nahum , West Anthony R. 
Published: September 2011

Fixed frequency plots of ε′ and tan δ versus temperature for (Bi1.5Zn0.5)(Zn0.5Nb1.5)O7 (BZN) ceramics with the pyrochlore structure show relaxor‐like response below ~180 K with frequency‐independent permittivity of ~130 above ~180 K and over the frequency range of 103–106 Hz. Impedance data in the range, 10–180 K fit an equivalent circuit derived from the classic dielectric relaxation circuit in which the relaxation resistance is replaced by a constant phase element (CPE). Temperature dependence of the circuit parameters shows that BZN is not ferroelectric; the CPE, which is responsible for the relaxor‐like behavior, gradually changes from primarily capacitive to primarily resistive with increasing temperature.
Color Charts, Esthetics, and Subjective Randomness
Authors: Sanderson Yasmine B. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractColor charts, or grids of evenly spaced multicolored dots or squares, appear in the work of modern artists and designers. Often the artist/designer distributes the many colors in a way that could be described as “random,” that is, without an obvious pattern. We conduct a statistical analysis of 125 “random‐looking” art and design color charts and show that they differ significantly from truly random color charts in the average distance between adjacent colors. We argue that this attribute generalizes results in subjective randomness in a black/white setting and gives further evidence supporting a connection between subjective randomness and what is esthetically pleasing.
The Treg/Th17 Imbalance in Toxoplasma gondii‐Infected Pregnant Mice
Authors: Zhang Haixia , Hu Xuemei , Liu Xianbing , Zhang Ruijin , Fu Qiang , Xu Xiaoyan 
Published: September 2011

Citation Zhang H, Hu X, Liu X, Zhang R, Fu Q, Xu X. The Treg/Th17 Imbalance in Toxoplasma gondii‐Infected Pregnant Mice. Am J Reprod Immunol 2012; 67: 112–121Aim  To evaluate whether impaired Treg/Th17 balance exists in the pregnant mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii.Method of Study  Regulatory T (Treg) and T‐helper type 17 (Th17) cells were measured in both placenta and spleens of the pregnant mice infected with and without T. gondii by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein expression levels of transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) and interleukin‐17A (IL‐17A) were analyzed using real‐time PCR and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expression levels of forkhead box P3 (Foxp3), retinoic acid–related orphan receptor γt (RORγt), and IL‐6 were also analyzed using real‐time PCR. The correlations of the ratio of Treg/Th17 to the mRNA or protein expression level of those factors were analyzed by Spearman’s correlation analysis. Data were analyzed by unpaired t‐test and paired t‐test.Results  The proportion of Tregs or Th17 cells in the placenta and spleens of the T. gondii‐infected pregnant mice was significantly lower or higher than in those of non‐infected mice, respectively. Upregulation of TGF‐β and downregulation of IL‐17A were found in the placenta of T. gondii‐infected pregnant mice. The ratio of Treg to Th17 was significantly lower in the infected mice than that in the non‐infected mice (P < 0.01).The ratio of Treg to Th17 positively or negatively correlated with the protein expression level of TGF‐β (r = 0.6204, P < 0.05) or IL‐17A (r = −0.6296, P < 0.05), respectively. The ratio also positively correlated with the mRNA expression level of Foxp3 (r = 0.7985, P < 0.01), but negatively correlated with the mRNA expression level of RORγt (r = −0.6153, P < 0.05), and IL‐6 (r = −0.7492, P < 0.01).Conclusion  TheTreg/Th17 imbalance exists in the pregnant mice infected with T. gondii, which is associated with the expression of related cytokine and key transcription factors. This result suggests that the embryo loss caused by this parasite may be associated with a reduced ratio of Treg to Th17 cell number.
Formative research for the development of a market‐based home fortification programme for young children in Niger
Authors: Tripp Katie , Perrine Cria G. , de Campos Pascal , Knieriemen Marily , Hartz Rebecca , Ali Farah , Jefferds Maria Elena D. , Kupka Roland 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe objective of this formative research was to assess the acceptability of a micronutrient powder (Sprinkles®) and a lipid‐based nutrient supplement (Nutributter®), and to explore people's willingness to pay for these products in a resource‐poor context like Niger. In four sites, 84 focus group discussions among mothers, fathers and grandmothers of children 6–23 months were conducted, as well as 80 key informant interviews of mothers who participated in a home study where their children 6–23 months were given either Sprinkles® or Nutributter® to use either for a period of 4 weeks, or they were given both products over the 4‐week period, i.e. Sprinkles® for 2 weeks and Nutributter® for an additional 2 weeks. The mothers understood how to use the products and generally used the products correctly. Both products were highly acceptable to adults and most children. In Niamey, where the 4‐week home study used both products for 2 weeks each, the mothers tended to prefer Nutributter®. The mothers who used either product were pleased with the improvements they saw in their children's health, including increased appetite, weight gain and increased energy and activity. A few mothers were concerned with how they would be able to provide for their child's increased appetite. Most participants across all four sites reported that they would be willing and able to afford to buy a single sachet of either Sprinkles® at a cost of US$0.03 or Nutributter® at a cost of US$0.08 several times a week. This study provides evidence that both of these products were are highly acceptable in different settings in Niger and suggests that delivery of Nutributter® or Sprinkles® at a low or subsidized cost through a market‐based system may be possible in Niger, if an appropriate distribution system can be identified.
Fortifying complementary foods with NaFeEDTA – considerations for developing countries
Authors: Yang Zhenyu , Siekmann Jonathan , Schofield Dominic 
Published: September 2011

AbstractAs a highly bioavailable iron compound, sodium iron (iii) ethylenediaminetetraacetate (NaFeEDTA) has been recommended as a food additive for fortification. The amount of a food additive that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk is termed the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The ADI for NaFeEDTA is based on body weight. For complementary foods and food supplements for infants and young children in low‐income countries, where prevalence of underweight is high yet nutrient needs are also high, it is not clear which doses might be appropriate. The objective is to calculate the dosage of NaFeEDTA for fortifying complementary foods assuming different population prevalences of underweight. Mathematical models were used to simulate the dosage of NaFeEDTA for 6‐ to 8‐month‐old infants under different prevalences of underweight ranging from 5% to 40%. In order to keep NaFeEDTA intake below the ADI for ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) recommended by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives for 95% of 6‐ to 8‐month‐old infants, the daily iron dose from NaFeEDTA in fortified complementary foods should be set between 2.2 mg and 1.8 mg in countries with a prevalence of underweight among 6‐ to 8‐month‐old infants between 5% and 40%, respectively. If 2 mg of iron is given to all 6‐ to 8‐month‐old infants, the percentage exceeding the ADI for EDTA would be <10% for populations with <30% of children who are underweight, which is the case for many countries. In conclusion, 2 mg of iron from NaFeEDTA could be used for fortifying one daily serving of complementary food to ensure EDTA levels are below the ADI for infants 6–8 months of age. An additional source of iron (such as ferrous sulfate) should be included to increase the iron dose to desired fortification levels.
Early child growth: how do nutrition and infection interact?
Authors: Dewey Kathryn G. , Mayers Daniel R. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractIt is well known that the relationship between child nutrition and infection is bidirectional, i.e. frequent illness can impair nutritional status and poor nutrition can increase the risk of infection. What is less clear is whether infection reduces the effectiveness of nutrition interventions or, vice versa, whether malnutrition lessens the impact of infection control strategies. The objective of this paper is to review the evidence regarding this interaction between nutrition and infection with respect to child growth in low‐income populations. Even when there are no obvious symptoms, physiological conditions associated with infections can impair growth by suppressing appetite, impairing absorption of nutrients, increasing nutrient losses and diverting nutrients away from growth. However, there is little direct evidence that nutrition interventions are less effective when infection is common; more research is needed on this question. On the other hand, evidence from four intervention trials suggests that the adverse effects of certain infections (e.g. diarrhoea) on growth can be reduced or eliminated by improving nutrition. Interventions that combine improved nutrition with prevention and control of infections are likely to be most effective for enhancing child growth and development.
Synergistic activity between Bacillus thuringiensis Cry6Aa and Cry55Aa toxins against Meloidogyne incognita
Authors: Peng Donghai , Chai Lujun , Wang Fenshan , Zhang Fengjuan , Ruan Lifang , Sun Ming 
Published: September 2011

SummaryPlant‐parasitic nematodes are the most destructive group of plant pathogens worldwide and are extremely challenging to control. Some Bacillus thuringiensis crystal proteins are highly toxic to the plant‐parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita. In this study, the nematicidal crystal proteins Cry6Aa, Cry5Ba and Cry55Aa were tested against M. incognita to select the best toxin combination for its management. The results showed that a combination of Cry6Aa and Cry55Aa showed significant synergistic toxicity against M. incognita, and the highest synergistic effect (five times the expected toxicity of the two toxins calculated from their separate toxicities) was observed when they were combined in a 1:1 ratio. Furthermore, ligand blot analyses of the interaction between total proteins of M. incognita and the three toxins showed many different signal bands, indicating that there is a range of host proteins with which the toxins can interact. One explanation of the observed synergism is that the toxins damage the host in diverse ways, and they may thus act cooperatively and thereby show greater toxicity in combination. Our discovery provides an effective strategy for controlling M. incognita by using a combination of Cry6Aa and Cry55Aa.
High‐Resolution Melting technology: a new tool for studying the Wolbachia endosymbiont diversity in the field
Authors: HENRI H. , MOUTON L. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractStable infections by maternally transmitted symbionts are frequently found in field populations, especially in arthropods. Many questions remain regarding their contribution to host biology and ecology, and especially on environmental adaptation of their host. Wolbachia is one of the most common endosymbiont of invertebrates. This cytoplasmically inherited endocellular bacterium induces number of reproductive alterations in its arthropod hosts and various fitness effects that allow it to spread in host populations. To better understand the influence of Wolbachia on host phenotypes and consequences of the manipulation of reproduction on the host genetic differentiation, it is crucial to be able to discriminate Wolbachia strains and determine their prevalence, which requires exhaustive screening. In the present report, we proposed the use of a new tool for the population studies, based on the high resolution melting (HRM) analysis, less expensive and faster than the ‘classical’ methods for large‐scale studies. We investigated the effectiveness of HRM to explore and characterize the diversity of Wolbachia strains. Results obtained showed that HRM is a powerful tool to identify strains and detect polymorphism in singly infected hosts. When individuals harboured a mixture of Wolbachia strains (multiple infections), there is a risk of underestimation of the diversity if the proportions of the strains are highly different. However, the same limitations exist for the other techniques commonly used. Overall, this study demonstrated that HRM analysis is a rapid and reliable technique useful for studying, without a priori, Wolbachia strains diversity in field populations.