bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Neuropsychological correlates of mild to severe hallucinations in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Llebaria Gisela , Pagonabarraga Javier , Martínez‐Corral Mercè , García‐Sánchez Carmen , Pascual‐Sedano Berta , Gironell Alexandre , Kulisevsky Jaime 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe development of visual hallucinations (VH) is a frequent complication of Parkinson's disease (PD). Presence of hallucinations is one of the main risk factors associated with dementia, and severity progression of VH mainly contributes to impaired quality of life in PD. The neuropsychological features associated with severity progression of VH are unknown and might help to detect patients at risk of a more severe outcome. We aimed to explore the neuropsychological deficits associated with the different types of VH observed in PD, from minor hallucinations to well‐formed VH with loss of insight. Prospective study of 57 PD patients with (n = 29) and without VH (n = 28) matched for age, education, antiparkinsonian medications, and disease duration. Description of VH was assessed by the Hallucinations and Psychosis item of the MDS‐UPDRS. Cognition was assessed with the Parkinson's Disease‐Cognitive Rating Scale (PD‐CRS) and the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS). Patients with minor VH did not differ from patients without VH in any cognitive domain. PD patients with major VH and insight retained performed worse on the action verbal fluency task (P < 0.04), and patients with VH and loss of insight showed a greater impairment on the PD‐CRS posterior cortical score (P = 0.021) and the clock copying item (P = 0.01). A double dissociation was found in the neuropsychological profile of patients with VH with and without loss of insight. While the presence of major VH with insight retained appeared related to a predominant frontal‐striatal impairment, loss of insight was characterized by further impairment of cognitive functions related to posterior cortical areas. A comprehensible continuum pattern of clinical relationships emerged among VH and cognitive functioning in PD. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society.
Dopamine boosts memory for angry faces in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Subramanian Leena , Hindle John Vincent , Jackson Margaret Cecilia , Linden David E. J. 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe influence of emotional context on cognitive operations is of fundamental importance for the evolution of higher cognitive functions and their disturbance in neuropsychiatric disorders. The dopamine pathways projecting to prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia are assumed to play a major role in such emotion‐cognition interactions. Here we provide evidence for such a role by studying working memory for emotional faces in patients with Parkinson's Disease. We studied 25 patients with Parkinson's disease during their on and off medication states. Faces with emotional expressions (happy, angry, sad, neutral or fearful) were shown and the participants had to remember and later recall the identity of the faces ignoring the expressions. We found that dopaminergic medication enhances working memory for angry faces and suppresses it for sad faces. The results elucidate neurochemical mechanisms for the saliency of threatening information and support cognitive explanations of the antidepressant effects of dopamine. They also suggest a role for dopamine in changing emotional‐cognitive biases rather than as a generic cognitive enhancer. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society.
Fall risk assessment using the Tinetti mobility test in individuals with Huntington's disease
Authors: Kloos Anne D. , Kegelmeyer Deb A. , Young Gregory S. , Kostyk Sandra K 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT) is a clinical balance and gait test that predicts fall risk in the elderly. This study examined the concurrent validity, usefulness of the TMT as a fall risk screening tool, and the potential ability of the TMT to predict falls in individuals with Huntington's disease (HD). Data from a retrospective review of 94 patient records were used. TMT scores were correlated with Unified Huntington Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) motor scores. The ability of the TMT to accurately assess fall risk was determined using validity index measures. Logistic regression was used to assess the ability of the TMT to predict falls. TMT scores correlated with UHDRS motor scores (rs = −0.751, P < 0.0001). Using a cutoff value of 21, the TMT had a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 60% to identify fallers. Lower TMT scores and younger age were significant predictors of falls. The TMT is a valid tool for assessing balance and gait status and fall risk of individuals with HD. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society.
Breaking communication barriers for RA patients of south Asian origin: the use of a bilingual educational audio CD and linguistically appropriate peer support and education
Authors: Kumar Kanta , John Holly , Gordhan Chandrika , Situnayake Deva , Raza Karim , Bacon Paul A. 
Published: October 2010

AbstractBackground. People from the Indian subcontinent represent one of the largest ethnic groups in the UK. Patient education resources are required to address language barriers, poor literacy and (potentially discordant) cultural beliefs. We have investigated a novel strategy to meet this need.Methods. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of South Asian origin who prefer to communicate in a South Asian language were invited to a face‐to‐face interaction with a trained patient volunteer to provide linguistically appropriate peer support and education, and given a bilingual educational audio CD. Qualitative methods were used to assess this approach; three focus groups were held and 15 patients participated in total.Results. Four important themes were identified: (1) The need for information about RA; all patients agreed that this was vital to learn how to live with their chronic disease. (2) Currently available approaches to education; particular concerns related to a lack of time in clinic, language barriers, difficulties in communicating via interpreters and that most written information was available only in English. (3) Support provided by a trained patient volunteer; patients appreciated that they were listened to, and were motivated by the volunteers' positive attitude. (4) The usefulness of the audio CD; patients appreciated that information was presented in a language they could understand, via a convenient medium and which offered a helpful perspective on their illness.Conclusions. This approach is a successful way of delivering information and encouraged patients from a difficult‐to‐reach community to become more involved in their disease management. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of various types of interaction on the stability of some ternary interpolymer complexes involving poly(ethylene imine), poly(acrylic acid) and poly(ethylene glycol)
Authors: Vasheghani F Bahman , Rajabi Farzaneh Hosseinpour , Ahmadi Mohammad Hossein , Zenooz Nasaer 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe effect of various types of interaction on the stability of multi‐component interpolymer complexes was studied for some three‐component interpolymer complexes involving poly(ethylene imine), poly(acrylic acid) and poly(ethylene glycol). The degree of linkage (θ), stability constant (K) and related thermodynamic parameters (e.g. ΔH0 and ΔS0) of these complexes were determined at several temperatures and compared for various complexation systems. The comparative study indicated considerable difference in the values of these parameters, which is explained in terms of various modes of interaction between the components. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Synthesis of i‐PP‐based functional block copolymer by a facile combination of styryl‐capped i‐PP and ATRP
Authors: Huang Huahua , Niu Hui , Dong Jin‐Yong 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThis article demonstrates a facile and efficient method to combine olefin coordination polymerization with atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) for the synthesis of isotactic polypropylene (i‐PP)‐based functional diblock copolymers. The chemistry involves a styryl‐capped i‐PP precursor prepared through the controlled consecutive chain transfer reaction, first to 1,2‐bis(4‐vinylphenyl)ethane and then to hydrogen in propylene polymerization mediated by an isospecific metallocene catalyst. The i‐PP precursor can be quantitatively transformed into i‐PP terminated with a 1‐chloroethylbezene group (i‐PP‐t‐Cl) by a straightforward hydrochlorination process using hydrogen chloride. With the resultant i‐PP‐t‐Cl as a macroinitiator of ATRP, methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization was exemplified in the presence of CuBr/pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, preparing i‐PP‐b‐PMMA copolymers of different PMMA contents. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010
Investigating the effect of nanolayered silicates on blend segmental dynamics and minor component relaxation behavior in poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(methyl methacrylate) miscible blends
Authors: Jeddi Kazem , Qazvini Nader Taheri , Hassan Jafari Seyed , Ali Khonakdar Hossein , Seyfi Javad , Reuter Uta 
Published: October 2010

AbstractPolymer–silicate nanocomposites based on poly (ethylene oxide), PEO, poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, and sodium montmorillonite clay were fabricated and characterized to investigate the effect of nanolayered silicates on segmental dynamics of PEO/PMMA blends. X‐ray results indicate the formation of an exfoliated morphology in the nanocomposites. At low silicate contents, an enhancement in segmental dynamics of blend nanocomposites and also PEO, minor component in blend, is observed at temperature region below blend glass transition. This result can be attributed to the improvement of the confinement effect of rigid PMMA matrix on the PEO chains by introducing a low amount of layered silicates. On the other hand, at high silicate contents, an enhancement in segmental dynamics of blend nanocomposites and PEO is observed at temperature region above blend glass transition. This behavior could be interpreted based on the reduction of monomeric friction between two polymer components, which can facilitate segmental motions of blend components in nanocomposite systems. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011
Structures of parasitic CDPK domains point to a common mechanism of activation
Authors: Wernimont Amy K. , Amani Merhnaz , Qiu Wei , Pizarro Juan C. , Artz Jennifer D. , Lin Yu‐Hui , Lew Jocelyn , Hutchinson Ashley , Hui Raymond 
Published: October 2010

AbstractWe recently determined the first structures of inactivated and calcium‐activated calcium‐dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) from Apicomplexa. Calcium binding triggered a large conformational change that constituted a new mechanism in calcium signaling and a novel EF‐hand fold (CAD, for CDPK activation domain). Thus we set out to determine if this mechanism was universal to all CDPKs. We solved additional CDPK structures, including one from the species Plasmodium. We highlight the similarities in sequence and structure across apicomplexan and plant CDPKs, and strengthen our observations that this novel mechanism could be universal to canonical CDPKs. Our new structures demonstrate more detailed steps in the mechanism of calcium activation and possible key players in regulation. Residues involved in making the largest conformational change are the most conserved across Apicomplexa, leading us to propose that the mechanism is indeed conserved. CpCDPK3_CAD and PfCDPK_CAD were captured at a possible intermediate conformation, lending insight into the order of activation steps. PfCDPK3_CAD adopts an activated fold, despite having an inactive EF‐hand sequence in the N‐terminal lobe. We propose that for most apicomplexan CDPKs, the mode of activation will be similar to that seen in our structures, while specific regulation of the inactive and active forms will require further investigation. Proteins 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Role of conformational sampling in computing mutation‐induced changes in protein structure and stability
Authors: Kellogg Elizabeth H. , Leaver‐Fay Andrew , Baker David 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe prediction of changes in protein stability and structure resulting from single amino acid substitutions is both a fundamental test of macromolecular modeling methodology and an important current problem as high throughput sequencing reveals sequence polymorphisms at an increasing rate. In principle, given the structure of a wild‐type protein and a point mutation whose effects are to be predicted, an accurate method should recapitulate both the structural changes and the change in the folding‐free energy. Here, we explore the performance of protocols which sample an increasing diversity of conformations. We find that surprisingly similar performances in predicting changes in stability are achieved using protocols that involve very different amounts of conformational sampling, provided that the resolution of the force field is matched to the resolution of the sampling method. Methods involving backbone sampling can in some cases closely recapitulate the structural changes accompanying mutations but not surprisingly tend to do more harm than good in cases where structural changes are negligible. Analysis of the outliers in the stability change calculations suggests areas needing particular improvement; these include the balance between desolvation and the formation of favorable buried polar interactions, and unfolded state modeling. Proteins 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus infection on susceptibility of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, to selected insecticides
Authors: Tiwari Siddharth , Pelz‐Stelinski Kirsten , Stelinski Lukasz L 
Published: October 2010

AbstractBACKGROUND: In the present investigation, the effect of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), a bacterium considered to be responsible for causing huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus, on the physiology of its vector, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, was determined. Specifically, the effects of Las infection on the susceptibility of ACP to selected insecticides were determined. Furthermore, total protein content and general esterase activity were quantified in Las‐infected and uninfected ACP to gain insight into the possible mechanism(s) responsible for altered susceptibility to insecticides owing to Las infection.RESULTS: LC50 values were significantly lower in Las‐infected than in uninfected ACP adults for chlorpyrifos and spinetoram. Furthermore, there was a general trend towards lower LC50 values for three other insecticides for Las‐infected ACP; however, the differences were not statistically significant. Total protein content (µg mL−1) was significantly lower in Las‐infected (23.5 ± 1.3 in head + thorax; 27.7 ± 1.9 in abdomen) than in uninfected (29.7 ± 2.1 in head + thorax; 35.0 ± 2.3 in abdomen) ACP. Likewise, general esterase enzyme activity (nmol min−1 mg−1 protein) was significantly lower in Las‐infected (111.6 ± 4.5 in head + thorax; 109.5 ± 3.7 in abdomen) than in uninfected (135.9 ± 7.5 in head + thorax; 206.1 ± 23.7 in abdomen) ACP.CONCLUSION: Susceptibility of ACP to selected insecticides from five major chemistries was greater in Las‐infected than in uninfected ACP. The lower total protein content and reduced general esterase activity in Las‐infected than in uninfected ACP may partly explain the observed higher insecticide susceptibility of Las‐infected ACP. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of pymetrozine, an antifeedant of Hemiptera, on Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, feeding behavior, survival and transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus
Authors: Raj Boina Dhana , Youn Youngnam , Folimonova Svetlana , Stelinski Lukasz L 
Published: October 2010

AbstractBACKGROUND: Vector‐borne plant disease management can be enhanced by deployment of antifeedants in addition to the use of broad‐spectrum neurotoxic insecticides. The effects of pymetrozine on Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, feeding behaviour, survival and transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), the presumed causal pathogen of huanglongbing, were investigated.RESULTS: Pymetrozine applied at 52 and 104 µg mL−1 to citrus plants [Swingle citrumelo (X Citroncirus webberi Ingram and Moore)] modified the feeding behavior of ACP and increased the amount of time spent performing non‐penetration behaviors while decreasing the time spent performing ingestion behaviors compared with the controls 1 day after treatment. However, the antifeedant effect of pymetrozine subsided 5 days after application. Pymetrozine reduced the survival of both adults and nymphs on treated plants compared with the control. However, it had a greater impact on survival of nymphs than on survival of adults. Pymetrozine applied at 52 and 104 µg mL−1 on Las‐infected ‘Valencia’ sweet orange plants [Citrus sinensis L. (Osbeck)] reduced acquisition (12 and 21% respectively) and transmission (11 and 18% respectively) of Las by feeding ACP adults compared with the controls; however, these reductions were not statistically significant.CONCLUSIONS: Pymetrozine exhibited moderate antifeedant effects by modifying the feeding behavior of ACP adults with short residual activity. The impact of pymetrozine on survival of nymphs was greater than on adults at the higher concentrations tested. Pymetrozine also reduced the acquisition and transmission of Las by feeding ACP adults up to 21 and 18%, respectively, compared with untreated controls. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Bound polarons in wurtzite GaN/AlxGa1‐xN quantum well
Authors: Zhao F. Q. , Zhang M. 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe influences of the electron‐phonon interaction as well as impurity‐phonon interaction including the confined optical phonon mode, interface‐optical phonon modes, half‐space phonon modes and the anisotropy of the electron effective band mass as well as phonons frequency have been considered to investigate the bound polaron binding energy in wurtzite GaN/AlxGa1‐xN quantum well. And the results have been compared with zinc‐blende structure. It is found from the numerical result that phonons give the larger negative contribution to the binding energy and the ground state energy of the bound polaron in wurtzite quantum wells. There are obvious contributions of the interaction between the electron and interface‐optical phonons as well as half‐space phonons for the narrow well, but the total contribution of phonons mainly comes from the confined optical phonon modes for the wide well. The electron‐phonon interaction is bigger in wurtzite quantum well than that in zinc‐blende quantum well. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Scintillation properties of (Na0.425Lu0.575‐xNdx)F2.15 and its comparison with (Ca1‐xNdx)F2+x and NdF3
Authors: Furuya Yuki , Tanaka Hidehiko , Fukuda Kentaro , Kawaguchi Noriaki , Yokota Yuui , Yanagida Takayuki , Pejchal Jan , Chani Valery , Nikl Martin , Yoshikawa Akira 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe optical and scintillation properties of (Ca1‐xNdx)F2+x, NdF3 and (Na0.425Lu0.575‐xNdx)F2.15 single crystals grown from the melt by the Micro‐Pulling‐Down (μ‐PD) method were compared. The grown crystals except NdF3 were single‐phase materials with fluorite‐type structure (Fm‐3m, Z = 4). Lattice constants of both grown crystals increased proportionally with Nd concentration. The Nd3+ 5d‐4f absorption wavelength of (Na0.425Lu0.575‐xNdx)F2.15shifted to longer wavelength region when content of Nd in the crystals increased, while that of (Ca1‐xNdx)F2+x shifted to shorter wavelength region. Nd3+ 5d‐4f luminescence was observed for all the samples under X‐ray excitation. The maximum of the luminescence peak of (Na0.425Lu0.575‐xNdx)F2.15 was also shifted to longer wavelength region, while that of (Ca1‐xNdx)F2+x shifted to shorter wavelength region with increasing of Nd content. From these results, the effect of interstitial F‐ on optical properties of rare‐earth doped CaF2 was considered (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Vibration analyses and rapid energy transfer in π‐conjugated dendrimers having oligo phenylenevinylene antennas
Authors: Shimamoto Tomoshige , Miyanari Kuniaki , Fujii Atsuhiro , Akai Ichiro , Kimura Mutsumi 
Published: October 2010

AbstractFrom analyses of molecular vibrations, we have studied rapid energy transfer (ET) process in a series of star‐shaped stilbenoid phthalocyanines (SSSnPc;n=1,2) having π‐conjugated light harvesting antennas. In SSSnPc, the highly efficient ET occurs through a π‐conjugation network between the core and the antenna. However, a different temperature dependency of the ET efficiencies were found between SSS1Pc and SSS2Pc.In this report, molecular structures and torsional vibrations of the antenna subunits were analyzed in model molecules for SSSnPc. Consequently, it was found that the co‐planarities between the core and the antenna sub‐unit are different between SSS1Pc and SSS2Pc, and the variance in the temperature dependence of the ET efficiency in these dendrimers is originated from such difference of the co‐planarity (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Luminescence and X‐ray phosphor properties of samarium and lanthanum‐doped cubic barium chloride
Authors: Dixie Laura , Edgar Andrew , Bartle Murray 
Published: October 2010

AbstractLanthanum and samarium‐doped barium chloride samples with composition of the form Ba1‐x‐yLaxSmyCl2+x+y with x = 0.125 and 0 < y < 0.01 have been prepared in transparent ceramic form. X‐ray diffraction confirms that the material adopts the high temperature cubic (fluorite) phase of barium chloride. The photoluminescence spectrum shows a combination of broad band 5d and narrow 4f transitions. The broad band can be decomposed into strong and weak components which we attribute to Sm2+ ions with and without an adjacent interstitial Cl‐ ion respectively. The temperature dependence of the strongest broad band indicates that the lowest 5d level is 800 cm‐1 above the 5D0 level. The X‐ray induced fluorescence spectrum shows an additional blue emission band for Sm concentrations y < 0.01 centred at around 420 nm which is ascribed to excitonic processes involving H centres. This emission band coincides with a photoluminescence excitation band for Sm2+ in this material, and so it is likely that the X‐ray induced luminescence from Sm2+ arises via an energy transfer process. Scintillation arising from the blue band can be observed, but is characterised by a long tail extending over hundreds of microseconds. The relative efficiency of the material as an X‐ray phosphor compared to commercial terbium‐doped gadolinium oxysulphide is around 11%. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The formation of a mentoring program as a mechanism to increase the knowledge of SQA members
Authors: Eitzen Melissa , Cunningham Janet 
Published: October 2010

AbstractStarting a career in the Quality Assurance (QA) field is often an intimidating endeavor, and over time, building a career can present challenges and introduce obstacles. While education and training can provide a solid foundation, a mentor can help a less experienced QA professional to determine career direction, build confidence, and enhance performance by increasing knowledge. Volunteers from the Society of Quality Assurance (SQA) have established a Mentoring Program in order to provide members with opportunities to be mentored in areas of the field new to them and to enhance their leadership skills by serving as mentors. The program was developed over three years and resulted in the launch of a formal Mentoring Program in the summer of 2009. This article discusses the inception of the idea and describes the processes used to build the program currently offered to the members of SQA. Included in the article are survey results collected during a pilot mentoring program used to test the program framework. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.