The evaluation of the 1001.03 keV gamma emission absolute intensity using fundamental parameter method

Publication date: December 2017
Source:Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Volume 180
Author(s): A.E.M. Khater, Y.Y. Ebaid
The accurate evaluation of the absolute intensity of the gamma-ray transition 1001.03 keV of ^234mPa is crucial for accurate determination of ²³⁸U in nuclear material and environmental samples. Over the last decades, a wide range of 1001.03 keV absolute intensity values were published by different researchers and ranged from 0.59 to 1.12%. Nowadays, one of the most commonly used values is 0.847 ± 0.008% that seems not accurate and would eventually lead to an overestimation of ²³⁸U activity concentration. The absolute intensity of 1001.03 keV gamma transition was re-evaluated using different fundamental parameter method (FPM) modes, uranium ore and granite samples, samples' geometries, sample-to-detectors' geometries and gamma ray spectrometers. The mean ± standard deviation of newly optimized absolute intensity value is 1.067 ± 0.084% with an average relative bias of - 20% from the commonly used value.



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Using verbal instructions to influence lifting mechanics – Does the directive “lift with your legs, not your back” attenuate spinal flexion?

Publication date: Available online 31 October 2017
Source:Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology
Author(s): Tyson A.C. Beach, Tatjana Stankovic, Danielle R. Carnegie, Rachel Micay, David M. Frost
"Use your legs" is commonly perceived as sound advice to prevent lifting-related low-back pain and injuries, but there is limited evidence that this directive attenuates the concomitant biomechanical risk factors. Body segment kinematic data were collected from 12 men and 12 women who performed a laboratory lifting/lowering task after being provided with different verbal instructions. The main finding was that instructing participants to lift "without rounding your lower back" had a greater effect on the amount of spine flexion they exhibited when lifting/lowering than instructing them to lift "with your legs instead of your back" and "bend your knees and hips". It was concluded that if using verbal instructions to discourage spine flexion when lifting, the instructions should be spine- rather than leg-focused.



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Power Frequency Spectrum Analysis of Surface EMG Signals of Upper Limb Muscles During Elbow Flexion – A Comparison Between Healthy Subjects And Stroke Survivors

Publication date: Available online 31 October 2017
Source:Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology
Author(s): Silvija Angelova, Simeon Ribagin, Rositsa Raikova, Ivanka Veneva
After a stroke, motor units stop working properly and large, fast-twitch units are more frequently affected. Their impaired functions can be investigated during dynamic tasks using electromyographic (EMG) signal analysis. The aim of this paper is to investigate changes in the parameters of the power/frequency function during elbow flexion between affected, non-affected, and healthy muscles.Fifteen healthy subjects and ten stroke survivors participated in the experiments. Electromyographic data from 6 muscles of the upper limbs during elbow flexion were filtered and normalized to the amplitudes of EMG signals during maximal isometric tasks. The moments when motion started and when the flexion angle reached its maximal value were found. Equal intervals of 0.3407 s were defined between these two moments and one additional interval before the start of the flexion (first one) was supplemented. For each of these intervals the power/frequency function of EMG signals was calculated. The mean (MNF) and median frequencies (MDF), the maximal power (MPw) and the area under the power function (APw) were calculated.MNF was always higher than MDF. A significant decrease in these frequencies was found in only three post-stroke survivors. The frequencies in the first time interval were nearly always the highest among all intervals. The maximal power was nearly zero during first time interval and increased during the next ones. The largest values of MPw and APw were found for the flexor muscles and they increased for the muscles of the affected arm compared to the non-affected one of stroke survivors.



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Scholar : These new articles for International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Research Paper A mindfulness training program based on brief practices (M-PBI) to reduce stress in the workplace: a randomised controlled pilot study M. Arredondo , M. Sabaté , N. Valveny , M. Langa , R. Dosantos , J. Moreno & L. Botella Pages: 1-12 | DOI: 10.1080/10773525.2017.1386607 Hoping to have your article read by anyone, anywhere and at any time? Find out more about publishing open access with Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

New Year’s greetings

Publication date: Available online 27 October 2017
Source:Brain and Development
Author(s): Masashi Mizuguchi




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A de novo p.Arg756Cys mutation in ATP1A3 causes a distinct phenotype with prolonged weakness and encephalopathy triggered by fever

Publication date: Available online 21 October 2017
Source:Brain and Development
Author(s): Yuji Nakamura, Ayako Hattori, Mitsuko Nakashima, Daisuke Ieda, Ikumi Hori, Yutaka Negishi, Naoki Ando, Naomichi Matsumoto, Shinji Saitoh
Patients with a mutation at Arg756 in ATP1A3 have been known to exhibit a distinct phenotype, characterized by prolonged weakness and encephalopathy, triggered by febrile illness. With only eight reports published to date, more evidence is required to correlate clinical features with a mutation at Arg756. Here we report an additional case with an Arg756Cys mutation in ATP1A3. A four-year-old boy showed mild developmental delay with recurrent paroxysmal episodes of weakness and encephalopathy from nine months of age. Motor deficits, which included bilateral hypotonia, ataxia, dysmetria, limb incoordination, dysarthria, choreoathetosis, and dystonia, were observed from one year and three months. Whole-exome sequencing detected a heterozygous de novo variant at c.2266C>T (p.Arg756Cys) in ATP1A3. The episodic course and clinical features of this case were consistent with previously reported cases with mutations at Arg756. Furthermore, his phenotype of marked ataxia was more similar to that of an Arg756Cys patient with relapsing encephalopathy and cerebellar ataxia syndrome, than to those with Arg756His and Arg756Leu mutations. This report therefore provides evidence of genotype-phenotype correlations in ATP1A3-related disorders as well as in patients with mutations at Arg756 in ATP1A3.



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GRIN2A mutations in epilepsy-aphasia spectrum disorders

Publication date: Available online 19 October 2017
Source:Brain and Development
Author(s): Xiaoling Yang, Ping Qian, Xiaojing Xu, Xiaoyan Liu, Xiru Wu, Yuehua Zhang, Zhixian Yang
ObjectiveEpilepsy-aphasia spectrum (EAS) are a group of epilepsy syndromes denoting an association between epilepsy, speech disorders and the EEG signature of centrotemporal spikes. Mutations in the GRIN2A gene, encoding the NMDA glutamate receptor α2 subunit were reported in focal epilepsy with speech disorder. We aimed to explore the role of GRIN2A mutations in patients with centrotemporal spikes related epileptic syndromes in a Chinese cohort.MethodsPatients with Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS), epileptic encephalopathy with continuous spike-and-wave during sleep (ECSWS), atypical benign partial epilepsy (ABPE), and benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) were recruited. GRIN2A mutation screening was performed using PCR and Sanger sequencing.Results122 patients, including 9 LKS, 26 ECSWS, 42 ABPE and 45 BECTS were enrolled. The mean age of seizure or aphasia onset was 5 years, ranging from 10 months to 11 years. Heterozygous GRIN2A mutations were detected in four patients (G760S, D1385Y, C455Y and C231R) GRIN2A mutation was found in 11.1% (1 out of 9 cases) of LKS, and in 7.1% (3 out of 42 cases) of ABPE, but in none with ECSWS and BECTS. No GRIN2A mutation was found in patients with a family history of febrile seizures or epilepsy.ConclusionGRIN2A mutation is a genetic cause in less than 11% patients with LKS or ABPE. GRIN2A gene is a rare causative gene in Chinese patients with EAS, suggesting the possibility of other gene involved in the pathogenesis.



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Is vatiquinone truly beneficial for Leigh syndrome?

Publication date: Available online 18 October 2017
Source:Brain and Development
Author(s): Josef Finsterer, Sinda Zarrouk-Mahjoub




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Developmental trend of children with Down’s syndrome – How do sex and neonatal conditions influence their developmental patterns?

Publication date: Available online 18 October 2017
Source:Brain and Development
Author(s): Sayaka Aoki, Yuko Yamauchi, Keiji Hashimoto
ObjectiveThis study investigated factors that would influence developmental trend of children with Down's syndrome (DS) in three different domains (motor, cognitive, language), specifically focusing on the effect of sex and neonatal conditions, including preterm birth, low birth weight, and congenital heart disease (CHD).MethodsThe participants were 158 children with DS (mean age at the initial test = 25.5 months) receiving clinical service at a rehabilitation center in Yokohama, Japan. Kyoto Scale of Psychological Development was used to measure developmental level, which derive total developmental age (DA), Posture-motor DA, Cognitive-adaptive DA, and Language-social DA. For the analyses, a multilevel model for change was adopted, as the model allowed us to investigate intrapersonal growth and the between-personal factors that are associated with individual differences in the pattern of growth.ResultsThe developmental speed of children with DS was found to be slower than that of typical children in all the three developmental domains assessed (i.e., the estimated coefficient of the slope for chronological age on DA was less than 1). DS Girls developed significantly faster than boys in non-verbal cognitive and language abilities. Low birth weight and CHD had a significant negative impact on development of non-verbal cognitive abilities for boys, but had a somewhat positive effect for girls.ConclusionAs was shown in previous studies, the result of this study indicated that the children with DS develop slower than non-disabled children. Low birth weight and CHD were found to influence developmental trend of children with DS, differently for boys and girls.



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Three children of meningoencephalitis with Kikuchi necrotizing lymphadenitis

Publication date: Available online 16 October 2017
Source:Brain and Development
Author(s): Joung-Hee Byun, Su Eun Park, Sang Ook Nam, Young A Kim, Young Mi Kim, Gyu Min Yeon, Yun-Jin Lee
BackgroundKikuchi necrotizing lymphadenitis (KNL) is a rare and benign cause of lymphadenopathy, most often cervical. The etiology of KNL remains unknown. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement, such as in meningoencephalitis, is a very rare clinical manifestation of KNL, especially in children.Case reportsA 12-year-old boy presented with unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy and fever. Histopathological findings led to the diagnosis of KNL. He revisited due to severe headache and vomiting one week later. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis demonstrated pleocytosis (lymphocytic 57%), high protein (312 mg/dL) and low CSF/serum glucose ratio (52/121 mg/dL.) The next day, he had a seizure. Brain MRI revealed increased signal involving posterior area of both hemisphere. Another 17-year-old boy presented with headache for 7 days and behavioral and personality changes. He had a history of cervical lymphadenopathy two weeks ago. CSF analysis demonstrated lymphocytosis, high protein and low glucose ratio. MRI revealed the involvement of right cerebellum and posterior brainstem. A biopsy of one cervical lymphadenopathy demonstrated the findings of KNL. A 15-year-old girl presented with fever, headache, and cervical pain lasting 10 days. CSF analysis demonstrated pleocytosis (lymphocytic 95%), high protein and low CSF/serum glucose ratio. Histopathological findings of lymph node were suggestive of KNL. Above three patients were undertaken the steroid therapy and recovered fully without neurological dysfunction.ConclusionsRecognition of CNS involvement in KNL may help evaluate the patients of acute meningitis/encephalitis with regional lymphadenopathy, thereby avoiding unnecessary treatment.



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New Neandertal wrist bones from El Sidrón, Spain (1994–2009)

Publication date: January 2018
Source:Journal of Human Evolution, Volume 114
Author(s): Tracy L. Kivell, Antonio Rosas, Almudena Estalrrich, Rosa Huguet, Antonio García-Tabernero, Luis Ríos, Marco de la Rasilla
Twenty-nine carpal bones of Homo neanderthalensis have been recovered from the site of El Sidrón (Asturias, Spain) during excavations between 1994 and 2009, alongside ∼2500 other Neandertal skeletal elements dated to ∼49,000 years ago. All bones of the wrist are represented, including adult scaphoids (n = 6), lunates (n = 2), triquetra (n = 4), pisiforms (n = 2), trapezia (n = 2), trapezoids (n = 5), capitates (n = 5), and hamates (n = 2), as well as one fragmentary and possibly juvenile scaphoid. Several of these carpals appear to belong to the complete right wrist of a single individual. Here we provide qualitative and quantitative morphological descriptions of these carpals, within a comparative context of other European and Near Eastern Neandertals, early and recent Homo sapiens, and other fossil hominins, including Homo antecessor, Homo naledi, and australopiths.Overall, the El Sidrón carpals show characteristics that typically distinguish Neandertals from H. sapiens, such as a relatively flat first metacarpal facet on the trapezium and a more laterally oriented second metacarpal facet on the capitate. However, there are some distinctive features of the El Sidrón carpals compared with most other Neandertals. For example, the tubercle of the trapezium is small with limited projection, while the scaphoid tubercle and hamate hamulus are among the largest seen in other Neandertals. Furthermore, three of the six adult scaphoids show a distinctive os-centrale portion, while another is a bipartite scaphoid with a truncated tubercle. The high frequency of rare carpal morphologies supports other evidence of a close genetic relationship among the Neandertals found at El Sidrón.



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The easternmost Middle Paleolithic (Mousterian) from Jinsitai Cave, North China

Publication date: January 2018
Source:Journal of Human Evolution, Volume 114
Author(s): Feng Li, Steven L. Kuhn, Fuyou Chen, Yinghua Wang, John Southon, Fei Peng, Mingchao Shan, Chunxue Wang, Junyi Ge, Xiaomin Wang, Tala Yun, Xing Gao
The dispersal of Neanderthals and their genetic and cultural interactions with anatomically modern humans and other hominin populations in Eurasia are critical issues in human evolution research. Neither Neanderthal fossils nor typical Mousterian assemblages have been reported in East Asia to date. Here we report on artifact assemblages comparable to western Eurasian Middle Paleolithic (Mousterian) at Jinsitai, a cave site in North China. The lithic industry at Jinsitai appeared at least 47–42 ka and persisted until around 40–37 ka. These findings expand the geographic range of the Mousterian-like industries at least 2000 km further to the east than what has been previously recognized. This discovery supplies a missing part of the picture of Middle Paleolithic distribution in Eurasia and also demonstrates the makers' capacity to adapt to diverse geographic regions and habitats of Eurasia.



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Scaling of bony canals for encephalic vessels in euarchontans: Implications for the role of the vertebral artery and brain metabolism

Publication date: January 2018
Source:Journal of Human Evolution, Volume 114
Author(s): Doug M. Boyer, Arianna R. Harrington
Supplying the central nervous system with oxygen and glucose for metabolic activities is a critical function for all animals at physiologic, anatomical, and behavioral levels. A relatively proximate challenge to nourishing the brain is maintaining adequate blood flow. Euarchontans (primates, dermopterans and treeshrews) display a diversity of solutions to this challenge. Although the vertebral artery is a major encephalic vessel, previous research has questioned its importance for irrigating the cerebrum. This presents a puzzling scenario for certain strepsirrhine primates (non-cheirogaleid lemuriforms) that have reduced promontorial branches of the internal carotid artery and no apparent alternative encephalic vascular route except for the vertebral artery. Here, we present results of phylogenetic comparative analyses of data on the cross-sectional area of bony canals that transmit the vertebral artery (transverse foramina). These results show that, across primates (and within major primate subgroups), variation in the transverse foramina helps significantly to explain variation in forebrain mass even when variation in promontorial canal cross-sectional areas are also considered. Furthermore, non-cheirogaleid lemuriforms have larger transverse foramina for their endocranial volume than other euarchontans, suggesting that the vertebral arteries compensate for reduced promontorial artery size. We also find that, among internal carotid-reliant euarchontans, species that are more encephalized tend to have a promontorial canal that is larger relative to the transverse foramina. Tentatively, we consider the correlation between arterial canal diameters (as a proxy for blood flow) and brain metabolic demands. The results of this analysis imply that human investment in brain metabolism (∼27% of basal metabolic rate) may not be exceptional among euarchontans.



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Magnitude estimation of respiratory resistive loads in Parkinson's disease

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Biological Psychology, Volume 129
Author(s): Karen W. Hegland, Michelle S. Troche, Alexandra Brandimore




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Inside front cover continued (editorial board members)

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Biological Psychology, Volume 129





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Editorial board

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Biological Psychology, Volume 129





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Urge-to-cough as a clinical predictor of dysphagia in Parkinson's disease

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Biological Psychology, Volume 129
Author(s): Michelle S. Troche, Karen W. Hegland, Alexandra Brandimore, Beate Schumann




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Introduction to the abstracts of the 22nd annual meeting of the International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology (ISARP), October 9–11, in Seville, Spain

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Biological Psychology, Volume 129
Author(s): Thomas Janssens, Thomas Ritz




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The effect of restrictive breathing devices on perception and exercise performance

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Biological Psychology, Volume 129
Author(s): Loren Touma, Jordan Smith, Hsui-Wen Tsai, Paul W. Davenport




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An investigation of interoceptive processes across the senses

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Biological Psychology, Volume 129
Author(s): Sarah N. Garfinkel, Miranda F. Manassei, Miriam Engels, Cassandra Gould, Hugo D. Critchley




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