bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quality of life in group homes and older persons’ homes
Authors: Higgins Laura , Mansell Jim 
Published: May 2009

Accessible summaryWe wanted to know whether when you get old is it better to live in older people’s homes or a home just for people with intellectual disabilities. To know this could help people choose where they want to live when they get old.We learnt:

People who lived in intellectual disability homes did more activities in the home than people who lived in older people’s homes.
People who lived in intellectual disability homes went out of the home more than people who lived in older people’s homes.
Where people live when they get older makes a difference to their lives.

SummaryOlder people with intellectual disabilities sometimes live in older people’s homes rather than homes for people with intellectual disabilities. Little is known about their quality of life in these homes. A non‐equivalent comparison group design was used to compare the quality of life of 59 people in three groups; older people without an intellectual disability living in older people’s homes (n = 20), older people with an intellectual disability living in older people’s homes (n = 19) and older people with an intellectual disability living in intellectual disability homes (n = 20). Data were collected on participant characteristics, adaptive behaviour and three aspects of quality of life; community involvement, participation in domestic living and choice making. The three groups were comparable in terms of gender, ethnicity and additional impairments but the older people without an intellectual disability were older and had more adaptive skills than the other groups. Older people with an intellectual disability experienced better quality of life outcomes in terms of participation in meaningful activity and community access when they lived in intellectual disability homes compared with older people’s homes. It was not possible to achieve reliability on the measure of choice‐making. This study provides some evidence to suggest that older people with an intellectual disability may be best served in intellectual disability homes rather than older people homes and that it is an area of research which needs further exploration.
Lines of action and stabilizing potential of the shoulder musculature
Authors: Ackland David C. , Pandy Marcus G. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe objective of the present study was to measure the lines of action of 18 major muscles and muscle sub‐regions crossing the glenohumeral joint of the human shoulder, and to compute the potential contribution of these muscles to joint shear and compression during scapular‐plane abduction and sagittal‐plane flexion. The stabilizing potential of a muscle was found by assessing its contribution to superior/inferior and anterior/posterior joint shear in the scapular and transverse planes, respectively. A muscle with stabilizing potential was oriented to apply more compression than shear at the glenohumeral joint, whereas a muscle with destabilizing potential was oriented to apply more shear. Significant differences in lines of action and stabilizing capacities were measured across sub‐regions of the deltoid and rotator cuff in both planes of elevation (P < 0.05), and substantial differences were observed in the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi. The results showed that, during abduction and flexion, the rotator cuff muscle sub‐regions were more favourably aligned to stabilize the glenohumeral joint in the transverse plane than in the scapular plane and that, overall, the anterior supraspinatus was most favourably oriented to apply glenohumeral joint compression. The superior pectoralis major and inferior latissimus dorsi were the chief potential scapular‐plane destabilizers, demonstrating the most significant capacity to impart superior and inferior shear to the glenohumeral joint, respectively. The middle and anterior deltoid were also significant potential contributors to superior shear, opposing the combined destabilizing inferior shear potential of the latissimus dorsi and inferior subscapularis. As potential stabilizers, the posterior deltoid and subscapularis had posteriorly‐directed muscle lines of action, whereas the teres minor and infraspinatus had anteriorly‐directed lines of action. Knowledge of the lines of action and stabilizing potential of individual sub‐regions of the shoulder musculature may assist clinicians in identifying muscle‐related joint instabilities, assist surgeons in planning tendon reconstructive surgery, aid in the development of rehabilitation procedures designed to improve joint stability, and facilitate development and validation of biomechanical computer models of the shoulder complex.
Increase of retinal vessel width in ocular hypertensives with timolol therapy
Authors: Schwartz Bernard , Takamoto Takenori , Lavin Philip 
Published: May 2009

Abstract. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether timolol drops compared to placebo drops had a significant effect on retinal vessel width in ocular hypertensives.Methods: Thirty‐seven ocular hypertensives were randomly assigned to receive placebo or 0.5% timolol drops to both eyes for 18 to 24 months in a double masked clinical trial. Measurements of ocular pressure and retinal vessel width by computerized image analysis from fundus photographs were made at about 3 month intervals for 18 to 24 months of follow‐up.Results: None of the subjects developed visual field loss when tested with the Goldmann perimeter by kinetic and static means at six month intervals. Subjects treated with the placebo showed no change in ocular pressure and a significant decrease in retinal vessel width over time especially in the right eye. Subjects treated with timolol had an increase in retinal vessel width compared to the placebo group significant especially for the superior temporal vein. Multivariate analyses indicated that the increase of retinal vessel width was not associated mainly with the ocular pressure on treatment or decrease in ocular pressure on treatment.Conclusion: Timolol treatment was associated with an increase of retinal vessel width. The effect of timolol appears to be related primarily to mechanisms other than the decrease in ocular pressure.
Color doppler imaging and plasma levels of endothelin‐1 in low‐tension glaucoma
Authors: Cellini M. , Possati G. L. , Profazio V. , Sbrocca M. , Caramazza N. , Caramazza R. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractEndothelin‐1 (ET‐1) is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide produced by vascular endothelin cells. There are reports in the literature that ET‐1 plasma levels are raised in low tension glaucoma (LTG). ET‐1 plasma concentration and Color Doppler Imaging (CDI) evaluation in ophthalmic and posterior ciliary arteries were measured in 15 LTG patients and in 15 healthy subjects. The blood flow index recorded for the ophthalmic artery in normal subjects was a PSV of 36.646±6.611 cm/sec with RI of 0.717±0.019 while in the LTG patients it was 32.961±3.045 cm/sec (p<0.003) with RI of 0.789±0.018 (p<0.001).For the posterior ciliary arteries in the same two groups, we obtained a PSV of 13.878±4.149 cm/sec vs 8.720±1.645 cm/sec (p<0.001) and an RI of 0.679±0.039 vs 0.722±0.024 (p< 0.001).The plasma ET‐1 level in normal subjects was 1.720±0.174 pg while in LTG patients it was 2.947±0.217 pg (p<0.001).On the basis of our experience, we think that GON and the visual field damage found in LTG can be attributed to an alteration in the endothelial self‐regulating sections and consequent vascular insufficiency, particularly pronounced in the posterior ciliary arteries which, since it is these that provide the blood supply to the optic nerve head, leads to irreversible functional damage.
Diagnostic and prognostic indices in primary open angle glaucoma: A color doppler study
Authors: Cristini G. , Cellini M. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe authors compute a diagnostic (Di) and a prognostic (Pi) index in primary open angle glaucoma. Four groups of patients were studied. Group A consisted of subjects under 50 years of age, group B of subjects over 50 years of age, group C of patients with normal tension glaucoma and group D with high tension glaucoma. All patients underwent color doppler imaging of the ophthalmic, posterior ciliary and choroid arteries. The Di of the choroid vessels were 0.967±0.011 (gp. A), 1.112±0.010 (gp. B), 1.506±0.008 (gp.C) and 2.891±0.083 (gp. D). The Pi of the posterior ciliary arteries were 22.700±1.160 (gp. A), 20.000±0.943 (gp. B), 15.100±0.568 (gp. C) and 12.100±0.083 (gp. D). Confirmation of these data might validate them as a tool for preventing the evolution of glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
Ocular haemodynamics in some subgroups of normal pressure glaucoma
Authors: Galassi F. , Sodi A. , Rossi M. G. , Ucci F. , De Saint Pierre F. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe authors studied, by means of Color Doppler Imaging, a group of Normal Pressure Glaucoma subjects. They found some haemodynamic abnormalities in them which differed in the various subgroups. It would seem that, for each NPG subgroup, there are specific physiopathological and clinical features.
Trans‐scleral krypton laser cyclophotocoagulation: Our experience of its use on patients with neovascular glaucoma
Authors: Di Staso S. , Genitti G. , Verolino M. , Sepe M. , Scupola A. , Balestrazzi E. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryTrans‐scleral cyclophotocoagulation is an efficacious method in neovascular glaucoma (NVG) treatment. We have used it with krypton laser on 12 eyes of 12 patients affected by NVG with algetic symptoms. Six months after treatment, intraocular pressure was down enough for the pain to disappear. Executional simplicity and the possibility of modulating the intensity of the treatment are grounds for the encouragement of the technique's use in NVG.
The influence of diabetes mellitus on primary open angle glaucoma perimetry
Authors: Zucca I. , Tanda A. , Piras V. , Mulas S. , Mureddu E. , Lecis F. , Sulis R. , Palmas M. C. , Fossarello M. , Serra A. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryWe have carried out a study into retinal sensitivity alterations in the course of primary open angle glaucoma to see if their appearance and evolution might be influenced by concomitant diabetes mellitus. The visual field examination (Perimeter Octopus 500 EZ, programme G1) indicated prevalent sensitivity defects in the superior hemifield, both in glaucoma only subjects and in those with diabetes as well. As to the inferior hemifield, a greater, statistically significant, retinal sensitivity defect was found in the inferior temporal quadrant of the left eye in the group of diabetics.
Induced acute ocular hypertension: mode of retinal cell degeneration
Authors: Pescosolido N. , Del Bianco G. , De Feo G. , Madia F. , Risuleo G. , Scarsella G. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe effects of experimental hypertension on retinal cells were studied. Evaluation was made of IOP levels and degree of cell damage by cytochemical and DNA analysis, and degeneration modes: necrosis and apoptosis.
The nerve fibre layer in ocular hypertention. Preliminary results
Authors: Marraffa M. , Perfetti S. , Morbio R. , Bonomi L. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryA group of healthy subjects (IOP < 22 mmHg) and a simple ocular hypertension group (IOP≥22 mmHg) were examined with a view to checking if there were any differences between their nerve fibre layers. Results indicate thinner fibres in the ocular hypertensives significantly correlative with pressure increase. Among the two groups, some corresponding fibre thicknesses were found.
Effects of brimonidine 0.2% on blue‐yellow perimetry of glaucomatous patients
Authors: Mastropasqua L. , Ciancaglini M. , Carpineto P. , Zuppardi E. , Falconio G. , Gallenga P. E. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryA cross‐over double‐blind study was performed to evaluate the effect of acute administration of brimonidine on the blue‐yellow perimetry. Thirty patients with primary open‐angle glaucoma were admitted. After brimonidine administration, IOP and pupil diameter showed a significant reduction (p<0.01) without modification in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Blue‐on‐yellow perimetry showed a significant reduction in CPSD from 3.81 ±1.60 to 2.71 ±1.92 (p<0.05). This result suggests that brimonidine improves ocular perfusion via a reduction of IOP.
Sympathetic use of latanoprost 0.005% in 30 eyes
Authors: Montrone F. , Macinagrossa G. , Tenerelli F. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryIn this study, the authors report their experience with latanoprost after a year's treatment of patients with various forms of glaucoma at various stages of progression. The new drug was associated also with different beta‐blockers. The case file reported includes 30 eyes of 18 patients treated with latanoprost once a day in the evening. Follow‐up varied from 6 months to 1 year. Except for 2 patients (3 eyes) receiving only latanoprost therapy, all the others received latanoprost in association with their on‐going therapy.Results are equivalent to those described in the literature. The authors also consider the results in two groups; chronic simple glaucoma and other forms of glaucoma. From their own experience and from what is reported in the literature, the authors conclude by stressing the pressure reducing efficacy of this drug.
Fatty acid use in glaucomatous optic neuropathy treatment
Authors: Cellini M. , Caramazza N. , Mangiafico P. , Possati G. L. , Caramazza R. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe authors have studied the efficacy of an association of DHA, vitamin E and vitamin B complex (TROFINERV) in glaucomatous patients.The parameters evaluated were computerized visual field (CVF) and retinal contrast sensitivity (RCS).Thirty chronic simple glaucoma patients in good tensional compensation with local therapy were given TROFINERV oral therapy. The results show significant differences after 90 days of treatment both in the perimetric indices (MD, SF, CPSD; p<0.05) and in the RCS frequency values (p<0.05).In the light of the results obtained, the authors consider the use of such association to be a useful support in glaucomatous patient therapy for preventing or delaying the progress of damage.
Early predictors of antisocial developmental pathways among boys and girls
Authors: Pitzer M. , Esser G. , Schmidt M. H. , Laucht M. 
Published: May 2009

Objective:  We investigated in a high‐risk sample the differential impact of biological and psychosocial risk factors on antisocial behaviour pathways.Method:  One hundred and thirty‐eight boys and 155 girls born at differing degrees of obstetric and psychosocial risk were examined from birth until adolescence. Childhood temperament was assessed by a highly‐structured parent‐interview and standardized behavioural observations, adolescent temperament was measured by self‐report. Neurodevelopmental variables were assessed by age‐specific developmental tests. Emotional and behaviour problems were measured at the ages of 8 and 15 by the Achenbach scales.Results:  In both genders, psychosocial adversity and early self‐control temperament were strongly associated with early‐onset persistent (EOP) antisocial behaviour. Psychosocial adversity and more severe externalizing problems differentiated the EOP from childhood‐limited (CL) pathway. In girls, adolescent‐onset (AO) antisocial behaviour was strongly associated with novelty seeking at 15 years.Conclusion:  Our findings emphasize the need for early support and intervention in psychosocially disadvantaged families.
Testing a passive tracking index for monitoring the endangered Ethiopian wolf
Authors: EVANGELISTA Paul , ENGEMAN Richard , TALLENTS Lucy 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe endangered Ethiopian wolf is considered the rarest canid in Africa. The species faces many threats and is particularly vulnerable to diseases such as rabies. A simple, low‐technology means to monitor populations would greatly facilitate conservation efforts, through early detection of population changes and behavior, and signaling a need for intervention. We tested a passive tracking index methodology, which has been a valuable tool for indexing canids and other species around the world. The method uses counts of track intrusions into plots placed in the animals' routes of travel as the basis for calculating an index. Unlike for other species, for which the placement of tracking plots on dirt roads has been extremely successful, we found in our first trial that this approach did not adequately intersect the wolves' activity patterns. The low vegetation associated with Afro‐alpine habitats offered little benefit for the wolves to travel roads. However, in our second trial among molerat colonies, a focus of wolf foraging activity, we found plot placement on molerat mounds was efficient for collecting Ethiopian wolf plot intrusions for index calculations. This plot placement method coupled with the passive tracking index calculations might offer resource managers a cost efficient tool that requires minimal equipment to monitor Ethiopian wolf populations on the Sanetti Plateau and other Afro‐alpine habitats. Plot placement on roads in other Ethiopian wolf habitats where cross‐country travel is more difficult might still be a viable means to collect track data, but would require further testing.
Quantitative study on socioeconomic determinants of life expectancy in Beijing, China
Authors: Lei Haichao , Li Liqiu , Liu Xiuying , Mao Ayan 
Published: May 2009

Abstract Objective To explore the socioeconomic factors associated with life expectancy in Beijing, and to predict future trends. Methods The linear stepwise regression model was used to construct the relationship between life expectancy and socioeconomic factors. Results The model showed that there were four factors associated with life expectancy in Beijing. Floor space available per rural resident (P = 0.000) and GDP per capita (P = 0.022) correlated positively with life expectancy, while the rural population proportion (P = 0.010) and illiteracy rate (P = 0.001) correlated negatively with life expectancy. Conclusion There is a close relationship between life expectancy and socioeconomic factors. The constructed model can be used as a rapid tool to project life expectancy in Beijing. It is possible to improve life expectancy continuously with sustained development of socioeconomic conditions in Beijing, China.
Divergent diversity patterns of NBS and LRR domains of resistance gene analogs in wild emmer wheat populations
Authors: Sela Hanan , Cheng Jianping , Jun Yan , Nevo Eviatar , Fahima Tzion 
Published: May 2009

Disease resistance (R) genes are intriguing in their evolution and diversity patterns because of their constant interactions with evolving pathogens. In this study, we demonstrate the use of resistance gene analog (RGA) markers to estimate genetic diversity among 13 populations (118 genotypes) of Triticum dicoccoides collected along a natural aridity gradient in Israel. The diversity patterns of 204 markers derived from two R-gene domains, nucleotide binding site (NBS) and leucine-rich repeat (LRR), were compared and contrasted. Diversity patterns of NBS domain markers differed significantly from those of the LRR domain. NBS markers showed higher between-population diversity (Fst= 0.58), while LRR markers showed higher within-population diversity (Fst= 0.35). Gene diversity (He) values were twofold higher in the LRR domain than in the NBS domain (0.144 vs. 0.067). LRR Hevalues were correlated with precipitation in the spring (r = 0.8, p = 0.01), while NBS Hevalues showed no correlation with any ecogeographical variable. The evolutionary and applicative inferences of these findings are discussed. The current study demonstrates that RGA profiling is an excellent tool for studying diversity of R genes in natural plant populations.
Identification, characterization, and overexpression of a phytase with potential industrial interest
Authors: Shi Xiao-Wei , Sun Ming-Lv , Zhou Bo , Wang Xiao-Yun 
Published: May 2009

A high phytase-producing strain of Aspergillus niger N-3 was identified by screening 104 microbial strains. The gene for A. niger N-3 was cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris . The coding region without the introns and putative signal sequence was comprised of 1347 nucleotides. It encoded a polypeptide of 448 amino acids, exhibiting high amino acid sequence homologies (94.87%) with the typical phytase of A. niger NRRL 3135. The molecular mass of the recombinant phytase as determined by SDS–PAGE was 60–70 kDa, with maximum activity at ~55 °C (after incubation at 10 min). The phytase retained about 45% of its enzymatic activity under heat treatment at 90 °C for 5 min. It showed a greater affinity for sodium phytate than for p-nitrophenyl phosphate. Dual optima pH (2.0 and 5.5) was gained. The activity at pH 2.0 was about 30% higher than at pH 5.5, which was more suitable to the circumstance of the stomachs of monogastric animals. The extent of glycosylation influenced the characterization of phytase. The deglycosylated phytase showed pH optima at 3.5 and 5.5, and the molecular mass had dropped to 50 kDa.
EVOLVING MORE REPRESENTATIVE PROGRAMS WITH GENETIC PROGRAMMING
Authors: MCGAUGHRAN DANIEL , ZHANG MENGJIE 
Published: May 2009

This paper describes a new representation of tree-based genetic programs in Genetic Programming, an approach of artificial intelligence and knowledge engineering, in order to adopt a form more conducive to imperative functions as developed by human programmers. This representation incorporates the Abstract Syntax Tree form into a larger tree structure based on a Control Flow Graph, thereby causing statements to be chained together sequentially and allowing genetic programs to be output as (non-object-oriented) C++ code fragments. Maintaining or improving the evolutionary performance has been a key priority in this development. These prompt additional genetic operators to be defined to better preserve chains of statements than the traditional Mutation and Crossover operators, thereby encouraging a more efficient evolution of genetic programs. Experimental results suggest that adopting a chained approach can make a significant improvement in evolutionary performance over using ProgN functions that evaluate their children sequentially. The introduction of additional operators can improve the evolutionary performance even further. This approach can automatically generate computer programs for a particular problem using artificial intelligence and knowledge engineering approaches. In particular, the newly developed operators in the chained approach have great potential for generating human competitive programs in commonly used imperative programming languages such as C++.
The medieval jurists in Schedel's Weltchronik (1493) Immediate and remote sources
Authors: Bezemer Kees 
Published: May 2009

AbstractHartmann Schedel's Weltchronik (1493), also known as 'The Nuremberg Chronicle', contains 31 items on medieval jurists. These items are interesting because, through an intermediate source, they go for the larger part back to Caccialupi, the first serious historiographer of medieval jurisprudence (first edition 1472). This intermediate source, Jacobus Philippus Foresti of Bergamo (1434–1520), did more than passing on Caccialupi's knowledge, which was based essentially on manuscripts. Foresti, not formally trained in law, in particular used information about recently printed editions to update his own chronicle (first edition 1483). His role in legal historiography is more important than has been acknowledged so far.