bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association Between Age and Patient‐Reported Changes in Voice and Swallowing After Thyroidectomy
Authors: Sahli Zeyad , Canner Joseph K. , Najjar Omar , Schneider Eric B. , Prescott Jason D. , Russell Jonathon O. , Tufano Ralph P. , Zeiger Martha A. , Mathur Aarti
Published: September 2018

Objectives

Despite intact recurrent laryngeal nerves, patient‐reported voice and swallowing changes are common after thyroidectomy. The association between patient age or frailty status and these changes is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of age and frailty on the incidence of voice and swallowing alterations after thyroidectomy.

Methods

We performed an institutional review board (IRB)‐approved retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) monitoring at a single institution between January 2014 and September 2016. Patients with RLN injury were excluded. After data extraction, a modified frailty index (mFI) was calculated for each patient. The association among risk factors, including age, mFI, prior history of neck surgery, frequent voice use, presence of malignancy or gastroesophageal reflux disease, and smoking status and reported voice and/or swallowing changes was examined.

Results

Of 924 patients undergoing thyroidectomy, 148 (16.0%) reported only changes in voice; 52 (5.6%) reported only difficulty in swallowing; and 26 (2.8%) reported changes with both voice and swallowing. On multivariate analysis, we found a significant increase in voice or swallowing alterations up to the age of 50 years (5% increased odds per year), after which these changes plateaued. We found that mFI was not associated with voice or swallowing changes.

Conclusion

Age ≥ 50 years is independently associated with the development of voice or swallowing changes after thyroidectomy, despite intact RLN. Additional prospective studies are needed to validate these findings, further define this association, and identify risk factors for developing these changes.

Level of Evidence

2b Laryngoscope, 129:519–524, 2019
Irradiated ears in nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors: A review
Authors: Young Yi‐Ho
Published: September 2018

This article reviews the literature on otological complications in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) survivals after irradiation during the past three decades. Symptoms of the irradiated ears were assessed from the external ear canal, through the middle ear cavity including the Eustachian tube, and to the inner ear compartments. The development of radioimaging diagnostic techniques, the introduction from adjuvant chemotherapy to concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and the invention of radiotherapeutic equipment to intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) have increased the survival rate of NPC patients during the past 30 years. The prevalence of cochlear and vestibular deficits has decreased a lot, whereas middle ear complications (i.e., otitis media with effusion and radiation‐induced otitis media) do not decline in NPC survivors even in the IMRT era, probably because the medial half of the Eustachian tube receives > 95% of the total dose despite 2DRT or IMRT. Laryngoscope, 129:637–642, 2019
Extended high‐frequency hearing loss following the first episode of otitis media
Authors: Cordeiro Francisco Polanski , da Costa Monsanto Rafael , Kasemodel Ana Luiza Papi , de Almeida Gondra Luiza , de Oliveira Penido Norma
Published: September 2018

Objectives/Hypothesis

Otitis media has been associated with several auditory and developmental sequelae. Here, the results of auditory tests were evaluated in patients who had a first episode of unilateral otitis media and compared with the contralateral healthy ear.

Study Design

Cohort study.

Methods

This study was undertaken from 2015 to 2016, with a follow‐up period of 6 months.

Results

A total of 41 patients who had been diagnosed with unilateral acute otitis media were selected. Standard (250 Hz–8 kHz) and extended high‐frequency (8 kHz–16 kHz) audiometry was performed within 5 days of the beginning of the clinical symptoms, and then in defined time frames for a period of 6 months. The results of the contralateral healthy ears were used as individual controls. After closure of the initial air‐bone gap, the results of the standard audiometry did not demonstrate significant differences in the thresholds of diseased ears compared with controls. A significant elevation of the mean extended high‐frequency thresholds in the ears affected by otitis media was observed at the first and subsequent appointments within the 6‐month follow‐up period. Diseased ears from patients who experienced tinnitus during the 6‐month follow‐up period had significantly higher thresholds in the extended high frequencies than diseased ears from patients without residual tinnitus.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the first episode of otitis media may lead to persistent elevation of the mean thresholds of extended high‐frequencies, whereas persistent tinnitus after 6 months of the acute infection is associated with more severe hearing loss.

Level of Evidence

2b Laryngoscope, 128:2879–2884, 2018
Changing prognosis of oral cancer: An analysis of survival and treatment between 1973 and 2014
Authors: Cheraghlou Shayan , Schettino Amy , Zogg Cheryl K. , Judson Benjamin L.
Published: September 2018

Objectives/Hypothesis

Oral cavity cancer is the most commonly occurring malignancy of the head and neck. There are limited data suggesting a change in prognosis of oral cavity cancers. We aimed to evaluate temporal trends in demographics, treatment, and prognosis of oral cavity cancer diagnosed between 1973 and 2014 inclusive.

Study Design

Retrospective database analysis.

Methods

A retrospective study of 16,030 adult patients diagnosed with oral cavity cancer between 1973 and 2014 inclusive and treated surgically in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 9 registry was conducted. A supplemental analysis was conducted using data from the National Cancer Database. Multivariate Cox survival regressions and univariate Kaplan‐Meier analyses were conducted.

Results

The prognosis of both early‐ and late‐stage disease has significantly improved between 1973 and 2014. Among patients with early‐stage disease, 3‐year survival increased from 78.0% (standard error [SE] = 1.3) for those diagnosed from 1973 to 1980 to 92.2% (SE = 1.1) for those diagnosed from 2011 to 2014. Among patients with late‐stage disease, 3‐year survival ranged from 51.9% (SE = 1.5) for those diagnosed from 1973 to 1980 to 70.3% (SE = 1.9) for those diagnosed from 2011 to 2014. For patients with late‐stage disease, this improved prognosis occurred in tandem with increasing usage of chemoradiotherapy as adjuvant therapy. There has also been increasing utilization of neck dissection for early‐ and late‐stage disease, along with higher nodal yields from performed dissections.

Conclusions

The prognosis of oral cavity cancer has improved significantly from the early 1970s to recent years. In late‐stage oral cancer, this change has been associated with an increased use of adjuvant therapy and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy in particular.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 128:2762–2769, 2018
Lacrimal Sac Rhinosporidiosis and Surgical Management by Transnasal Endoscopic Excision: A Case Series
Authors: Rajesh Raju George , Sandeep Suresh
Published: September 2018

Objectives

To study the clinical profile and the route of spread of lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis. To device a standard transnasal endoscopic surgical procedure in the treatment of lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis.

Methods

This is a retrospective analysis of a case series on lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis. Thirteen cases of lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis reported in our institution from July 2003 to July 2016 were included. Workup included diagnostic nasal endoscopy and lacrimal syringing. All patients underwent transnasal endoscopic excision of rhinosporidiosis.

Results

Lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis was more prevalent among males and in the 31 to 40 years age group. All patients had a history of bathing in stagnant water bodies. The most common clinical presentation was a doughy swelling medial to the medial canthus. Lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis invariably presented with involvement of the nasolacrimal duct. Following the endoscopic excision of lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis, all patients were followed up for a mean period of 16 months, and only one patient had recurrence.

Conclusion

A unique aspect of our case series is that patients presented with features pertaining to isolated lacrimal system involvement rather than sinonasal involvement. Involvement of the nasolacrimal duct and nasal cavity without involvement of the eyes in all cases confirms the retrograde spread of rhinosporidiosis from the nasal cavity into the lacrimal sac via the nasolacrimal duct as the most common route of spread of infection. We recommend that endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy, along with nasolacrimal duct excision used for surgical management in our case series with superior results, must become the standard of care in treatment of this condition.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 128:2693–2696, 2018
Development and evaluation of rhinoplasty spreader graft suture simulator for novice surgeons
Authors: Oh Connie J. , Tripathi Prem B. , Gu Jeffrey T. , Borden Pamela , Wong Brian J‐F.
Published: September 2018

Objective

Surgical simulators aimed at mimicking elements of rhinoplasty surgery, specifically those aimed at improving cartilage suturing, are not available. Here, we present a surgical simulator for spreader graft placement that uses cartilage rather than synthetic materials and gauge improvement using objective measures for suture placement accuracy, speed, and efficiency of hand motion.

Methods

Twenty‐two otolaryngologists in two groups (residents [10] and experts [12]) were instructed to secure the two spreader graft specimen into position with three mattress sutures on a nose model that used porcine septal cartilage as a proxy for the human counterpart. Hand motion was tracked using an electromagnetic position sensing device. The time required to complete the suture task, total hand displacement, cumulative number of hand motion direction changes, and accuracy of suture insertion were measured. These measurements were compared between the two cohort groups for construct validity. The subjects completed a survey to evaluate realism and value of the model.

Results

The expert group had a lower mean time required to complete the task (P < 0.05), total hand displacement (P < 0.01), and number of hand motion direction changes (P < 0.001). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in suture precision measurement. The subjects agreed on the face validity and usefulness of the trainer.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that the simulator may be a useful tool to objectively gauge suturing efficiency. Devices such as this may be useful for developing skill with suturing cartilage tissue and potentially be used to assess resident acquisition of surgical skill.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 129:344–350, 2019
Pathophysiology of sensorineural hearing loss in jugular foramen paraganglioma
Authors: Isaacson Brandon , Wick Cameron C. , Perez Carlos , Cantrell Sarah C. , Killeen Daniel E.
Published: September 2018

Objectives/Hypothesis

Pathologic involvement of the inferior cochlear vein is a mechanism of sensorineural hearing loss in patients with jugular foramen paraganglioma.

Study Design

Retrospective case‐control study.

Methods

The presenting audiograms, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography were reviewed in 46 subjects with jugular foramen paragangliomas. Four‐frequency bone conduction average was compared between the tumor and nontumor ears in each subject to establish the presence of sensorineural hearing loss. Imaging findings for each subject were recorded. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to determine which radiographic features were associated with sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing data were analyzed as a continuous variable and as a categorical variable.

Results

Twenty subjects (43.4%) had a bone‐conduction pure‐tone asymmetry of greater than 15 dB. Inferior cochlear vein involvement was identified in 19 of the 20 (95%) subjects with sensorineural hearing loss. Inferior cochlear vein involvement was found to be a statistically significant predictor of sensorineural hearing loss using univariate and multivariate analyses. Other imaging findings that were statistically significant predictors of sensorineural hearing loss include Glasscock‐Jackson stage, Fisch‐Mattox stage, hypoglossal canal involvement, jugulo‐carotid spin erosion, and petrous carotid canal erosion.

Conclusions

Involvement of the inferior cochlear vein appears to be a plausible mechanism for sensorineural hearing loss in patients with jugular foramen paraganglioma.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 129:67–75, 2019
Decreased intramuscular calcium hydroxyapatite implant resorption in a murine model of osteoporosis
Authors: Randall Derrick R. , Nativ‐Zeltzer Nogah , Cates Daniel J. , Tinling Steve P. , Belafsky Peter C.
Published: September 2018

Objective

Calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) is a common material for vocal fold injection augmentation. Durability is variable, and factors involved in implant longevity are not understood. Animal models of osteoporosis show decreased bone density and increased mineral liberation, suggesting CaHA retention may be altered in these conditions.

Study Design

Prospective murine investigation.

Methods

Fourteen skeletally mature, 10‐month‐old female Sprague‐Dewley rats were treated by one of three interventions: oophorectomy, laparotomy without oophorectomy (sham), or monthly risedronate injection (90 μg/kg, subcutaneous). CaHA was implanted into the right lateral thigh muscle in all animals at the time of procedure or first risedronate injection. After 17 weeks, all rats were sacrificed, and the residual CaHA isolated from excised lateral thigh muscle through incubation in a 900 °C calcinator for 9 hours.

Results

Mean CaHA mass remaining in the oophorectomy group was 65.9 (standard deviation ± 16.1) mg, compared to 44.4 ± 10.0 mg CaHA in the risedronate group and 48.6 ± 7.5 mg in the sham group. One‐way analysis of variance found a statistically significant difference between the oophorectomy and risedronate groups but not between the sham and other groups, F(2,11) = 4.404, P = 0.039.

Conclusion

Persistent estrogen deficiency in a murine model of osteoporosis demonstrated decreased rate of CaHA resorption. This suggests that hormone alterations associated with osteoporosis may alter the longevity of CaHA implant resorption through an uncertain mechanism.

Level of Evidence

NA. Laryngoscope, 2576–2580, 2018
Diagnostic Accuracy of Dysphonia Classification of DSI and AVQI
Authors: Barsties v. Latoszek Ben , Ulozaitė‐Stanienė Nora , Petrauskas Tadas , Uloza Virgilijus , Maryn Youri
Published: September 2018

Objective

The Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) and the Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) have been successfully investigated to quantify voice quality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of both measurements in comparison with the dysphonia classification.

Methods

In total, 264 subjects with vocally healthy voices (n = 105) and with various voice disorders (n = 159) were included in the study. To determine the dysphonia classification, all subjects underwent a videolaryngostroboscopy and, if necessary, a direct microlaryngoscopy plus a clinical examination to diagnose a voice disorder. Patients with a vocally healthy voice had no actual voice complaints, no history of chronic laryngeal diseases or voice disorders, no hearing problems and were determined as healthy voices by clinical voice specialists. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, receiver operating characteristic statistics and correct classification rate (CCR) were used.

Results

The diagnostic accuracy of DSI and AVQI showed strong sensitivity and specificity in the determination of dysphonia classification. A DSI threshold of 3.05 obtained a high sensitivity of 94.3% and specificity of 84.3%. An CCR of 88% was determined for DSI. Also, an AVQI threshold of 3.31 showed reasonable sensitivity of 71.7% and specificity of 88%. The CCR for AVQI was 79%.

Conclusion

Although DSI and AVQI were developed to quantify voice quality, the present results showed that both measurements can evaluate the dysphonia classification as well. Particularly, the DSI might have higher potential in the evaluation of dysphonia classification.

Level of Evidence

2C Laryngoscope, 129:692–698, 2019
Short‐term carbon emissions: Effect of various tree harvesting, transport, and tillage methods under a eucalyptus plantation
Authors: Fialho Ricardo Cardoso , da Silva Teixeira Rafael , Teixeira Ana Paula Mendes , da Silva Ivo Ribeiro
Published: September 2018

Eucalyptus forests stand out for their potential to sequestrate atmospheric CO2 in soil organic matter throughout their growth. Our study evaluated the harvesting and tillage effect in eucalyptus plantations to the soil CO2, 13C–CO2, and CH4 fluxes. This study was carried out in a eucalyptus plantation, on Typic Haplustox soil. The study used stands cultivated with eucalyptus at the end of the first rotation (7 years), established over degraded pastures. The effect of harvesting was assessed through comparisons of samples taken before and after harvesting with Feller + Skidder (F + S) and Harvester + Forwarder (H + F) methods and separate samples of plant rows (R) and plant interrows (IR). The effect of tillage was assessed through comparisons of R and IR samples taken before and after subsoiling tillage in areas harvested with F + S and H + F methods. A nested experimental design was used with eight replicates. The harvest operation (F + S and H + F methods) in eucalyptus plantations increased soil CO2 fluxes, which were primarily derived from eucalyptus materials (‘new C’). The F + S harvesting method resulted in the highest soil density and soil moisture reduction in the IR. The tillage operation (subsoiling) resulted in higher soil CO2 fluxes in eucalyptus plantations harvest with F + S and H + F methods. However, the H + F method preserved the older soil organic carbon (40.8% in R and 50.4% IR of C4–CO2). The soil in the eucalyptus plantations showed soil CH4 influxes, and the harvest and tillage (subsoiling) operations did not negatively affect the net soil CH4 influx in the studied eucalyptus plantations.
Current Status and Future Challenges of Liver Transplantation Programs in Chile
Authors: Benítez Carlos , Wolff Rodrigo
Published: September 2018

Liver transplantation (LT) was performed for the first time in Chile in 1969, but only since the 1990s has it been systematically performed. Our health system is strongly centralized, which is a severe limitation for the patients who need to be evaluated and subsequently listed. Although proper human and technological resources are available and our results are comparable to international outcomes (overall patient survival at 1, 5, and 10 years of 82%, 70%, and 64%, respectively), we are limited because of a severe scarcity of grafts, which translates into an availability of approximately 7 organs per million persons and a wait‐list dropout rate of 40% every year. Thus, our main challenge for the next few years is to improve access to LT among the populations from the extreme regions of the country and overall to improve the availability of grafts by increasing the awareness of physicians in intensive care units and emergency departments, to develop living donor LT programs, to educate the population in order to decrease family refusal, and to reinforce the system of potential donor detection. Although hard work is mandatory for these improvements, none of these tasks seem to be unreachable in the midterm.
Bobble‐Head Doll Syndrome in a Child with Suprasellar Arachnoid Cyst
Authors: Saracoglu Mehmet , Kazan Mehmet Saim , Ozak Ahmet , Haspolat Senay
Published: September 2018

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Roles of microRNAs in T cell immunity: Implications for strategy development against infectious diseases
Authors: Giri Bikash R. , Mahato Ram I. , Cheng Guofeng
Published: September 2018

T cell immunity plays a vital role in pathogen infections. MicroRNA (miRNAs) are small, single‐stranded noncoding RNAs that regulate T cell immunity by targeting key transcriptional factors, signaling proteins, and cytokines associated with T cell activation, differentiation, and function. The dysregulation of miRNA expression in T cells may lead to specific immune responses and can provide new therapeutic opportunities against various infectious diseases. Here, we summarize recent studies that focus on the roles of miRNAs in T cell immunity and highlight miRNA functions in prevalent infectious diseases. Additionally, we also provide insights into the functions of extracellular vesicle miRNAs and attempt to delineate the mechanism of miRNA sorting into extracellular vesicles and their immunomodulatory functions. Moreover, methodologies and strategies for miRNA delivery against infectious diseases are summarized. Finally, potential strategies for miRNA‐based therapies are proposed.
Visualization of cerebrospinal fluid dynamics using multi‐spin echo acquisition cine imaging (MUSACI)
Authors: Wada Tatsuhiro , Tokunaga Chiaki , Togao Osamu , Funatsu Ryohei , Yamashita Yasuo , Kobayashi Kouji , Yoneyama Masami , Honda Hiroshi
Published: September 2018

Purpose

To evaluate the visualization of CSF dynamics using the novel method multi‐spin echo acquisition cine imaging (MUSACI).

Methods

MUSACI is based on multi‐echo volume isotropic turbo spin‐echo acquisition (VISTA) with pulse gating. MUSACI images were acquired in 11 healthy volunteers (7 men, 4 women; age range, 24–46 y, mean age, 31.9 ± 5.51 y). We compared the CSF signal intensities (SIs) at multiple values of the effective echo time (TEeff) at the lateral ventricle, the foramen of Monro, the third ventricle, and the fourth ventricle. We compared the CSF SI changes in MUSACI at multiple TEeff and the mean velocities in phase contrast (PC) at each trigger delay at the foramen of Monro, the third ventricle, and the fourth ventricle.

Results

The anterograde CSF motion from the aqueduct to the fourth ventricle, the retrograde motion from the aqueduct to the third ventricle, and the retrograde motion from the foramen of Monro to the lateral ventricle were observed with MUSACI. The CSF SIs at each TEeff in the foramen of Monro, the third ventricle, and the fourth ventricle were significantly lower than that at each TEeff in the lateral ventricle (P < 0.05). The CSF SI in MUSACI changed with the TEeff, and the CSF movements were observed at each trigger delay in PC.

Conclusion

MUSACI can provide both high‐resolution anatomical detail of the CSF passageways and physiologic information regarding CSF dynamics in a single scan.
Brain active transmembrane water cycling measured by MR is associated with neuronal activity
Authors: Bai Ruiliang , Springer Charles S. , Plenz Dietmar , Basser Peter J.
Published: September 2018

Purpose

fMRI is widely used to study brain activity. Unfortunately, conventional fMRI methods assess neuronal activity only indirectly, through hemodynamic coupling. Here, we show that active, steady‐state transmembrane water cycling (AWC) could serve as a basis for a potential fMRI mechanism for direct neuronal activity detection.

Methods

AWC and neuronal actitivity in rat organotypic cortical cultures were simultaneously measured with a hybrid MR‐fluorescence system. Perfusion with a paramagnetic MRI contrast agent, Gadoteridol, allows NMR determination of the kinetics of transcytolemmal water exchange. Changes in intracellular calcium concentration, [Cai2+] were used as a proxy of neuronal activity and were monitored by fluorescence imaging.

Results

When we alter neuronal activity by titrating with extracellular [K+] near the normal value, we see an AWC response resembling Na+‐K+‐ATPase (NKA) Michaelis‐Menten behavior. When we treat with the voltage‐gated sodium channel inhibitor, or with an excitatory postsynaptic inhibitor cocktail, we see AWC decrease by up to 71%. AWC was found also to be positively correlated with the basal level of spontaneous activity, which varies in different cultures.

Conclusions

These results suggest that AWC is associated with neuronal activity and NKA activity is a major contributor in coupling AWC to neuronal activity. Although AWC comprises steady‐state, homeostatic transmembrane water exchange, our analysis also yields a simultaneous measure of the average cell volume, which reports any slower net transmembrane water transport.
Real‐time cardiovascular MR with spatio‐temporal artifact suppression using deep learning–proof of concept in congenital heart disease
Authors: Hauptmann Andreas , Arridge Simon , Lucka Felix , Muthurangu Vivek , Steeden Jennifer A.
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Real‐time assessment of ventricular volumes requires high acceleration factors. Residual convolutional neural networks (CNN) have shown potential for removing artifacts caused by data undersampling. In this study, we investigated the ability of CNNs to reconstruct highly accelerated radial real‐time data in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods

A 3D (2D plus time) CNN architecture was developed and trained using synthetic training data created from previously acquired breath hold cine images from 250 CHD patients. The trained CNN was then used to reconstruct actual real‐time, tiny golden angle (tGA) radial SSFP data (13 × undersampled) acquired in 10 new patients with CHD. The same real‐time data was also reconstructed with compressed sensing (CS) to compare image quality and reconstruction time. Ventricular volume measurements made using both the CNN and CS reconstructed images were compared to reference standard breath hold data.

Results

It was feasible to train a CNN to remove artifact from highly undersampled radial real‐time data. The overall reconstruction time with the CNN (including creation of aliased images) was shown to be >5 × faster than the CS reconstruction. In addition, the image quality and accuracy of biventricular volumes measured from the CNN reconstructed images were superior to the CS reconstructions.

Conclusion

This article has demonstrated the potential for the use of a CNN for reconstruction of real‐time radial data within the clinical setting. Clinical measures of ventricular volumes using real‐time data with CNN reconstruction are not statistically significantly different from gold‐standard, cardiac‐gated, breath‐hold techniques.
Body composition and body mass index in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Role of dietary intake
Authors: Bernabe‐García Mariela , Rodríguez‐Cruz Maricela , Atilano Salvador , Cruz‐Guzmán Oriana del Rocío , Almeida‐Becerril Tomás , Calder Philip C. , González Julia
Published: September 2018

Introduction: In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) muscle is replaced by adipose tissue. The role of dietary intake (DI) in DMD has not been evaluated. In this study we examined body composition, body mass index (BMI), and adequacy of DI in patients with DMD and evaluated the influence of DI on body composition. Methods: Patients (n = 101; age 3–18 years; BMI 11.8–29.5 kg/m2) completed a dietary recall to determine DI and then underwent dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry to determine body composition. Results: Preschool‐age and school‐age boys with DMD had high total energy intake. Protein intake per kilogram exceeded recommendations. As age increased, the percentage of boys with abnormal BMI and fat mass increased, while lean mass decreased. Dietary intake did not predict body fat or lean mass. Discussion: Age‐dependent changes in BD in boys with DMD may be due to endogenous metabolic factors related to the underlying disease process and to disease‐related mobility impairments. Muscle Nerve 59:295–302, 2019
Inflammatory myopathies after allogeneic stem cell transplantation
Authors: New‐Tolley Julia , Smith Caroline , Koszyca Barbara , Otto Sophia , Maundrell Adam , Bardy Peter , Hiwase Devendra , Yong Agnes S. M. , Lewis Ian , Limaye Vidya
Published: September 2018

Introduction,: Graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) is a recognized complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo‐SCT) and may affect muscle. We investigated the incidence and subtypes of inflammatory myopathy (IM) in South Australian recipients of allo‐SCT. Methods: Recipients of allo‐SCT from 2004 to 2014 at the Royal Adelaide Hospital were identified. Records were reviewed to identify patients with weakness, creatine kinase (CK) elevation, and muscle biopsy confirming IM. Results: Weakness was present in 32 of 224 patients who received allo‐SCT patients reviewed, and CK was raised in 7 of 20 patients with weakness. Six patients developed biopsy‐confirmed IM; 3 patients had chronic GVHD‐related myopathy, 2 had necrotizing myopathy, and 1 had dermatomyositis (DM) associated with anti–melanoma differentiation associated protein 5 (MDA5) antibodies. The incidence of IM was calculated to be 2 cases per thousand annually. Discussion: Among recipients of allo‐SCT, weakness is common, and the incidence of IM is increased. Histopathological diagnoses are varied, and we report findings of necrotizing myopathy and anti‐MDA5‐associated DM. Muscle Nerve 58:790–795, 2018
Activation of the Oxidative Pentose Phosphate Pathway is Critical for Photomixotrophic Growth of a hik33‐Deletion Mutant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Authors: Ge Haitao , Fang Longfa , Huang Xiahe , Wang Jinlong , Chen Weiyang , Zhang Yuanya , Wang Xiaorong , Sui Na , Xu Wu , He Qingfang , Wang Yingchun
Published: September 2018

The histidine kinase Hik33 plays a central role in acclimation to changing environments in cyanobacteria. Deletion of hik33 induces a strong stress‐like response in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Synechocystis) as represented by repressed photoautotrophic growth and photosynthesis, and differential expression of stress‐responsive proteins. In contrast, the photomixotrophic growth of the hik33‐deletion mutant (Δhik33) with glucose as the exogenous carbon source is only marginally repressed. To investigate how glucose rescues the growth of Δhik33, the proteomes of the photomixotrophically growing wild‐type (WT) and the mutant strains of Synechocystis are quantitatively analyzed. It is found that glucose induces upregulation of the oxidative pentose phosphate (OPP) pathway. Depletion of glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), which catalyzes the first and the rate‐limiting step of the OPP pathway, significantly inhibits the photomixotrophic growth of Δhik33 but not of the WT. The result suggests that the OPP pathway, which is usually nonfunctional in the photomixotrophically growing WT, plays a major role in the photomixotrophic growth of Δhik33.
miR‐21‐5p, miR‐141‐3p, and miR‐205‐5p levels in urine—promising biomarkers for the identification of prostate and bladder cancer
Authors: Ghorbanmehr Nassim , Gharbi Sedigheh , Korsching Eberhard , Tavallaei Mahmood , Einollahi Behzad , Mowla Seyed Javad
Published: September 2018

Background

Early detection of cancers improves patients’ survival and decreases the treatment cost. Unfortunately, the current methods for diagnosis of bladder and prostate cancers, two most common urothelial malignancies, suffer from a low sensitivity and specificity. MicroRNAs, as a group of endogenously produced non‐coding RNAs, regulate gene expression and their expression is observed to be altered in many cancers and cancer progression phenomena. The remarkable stability of microRNAs in biofluids and their unique expression pattern in different pathological conditions make them an appealing, noninvasive diagnostic method in cancer diagnosis. Our objective is to identify microRNAs as biomarkers in urine samples of bladder and prostate cancers to improve the existing diagnostic methods in this field.

Materials and Methods

In this study, urine samples from 110 men with either bladder (n = 45) or prostate (n = 23) cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (n = 22) and healthy controls (n = 20) were collected. qPCR was used to evaluate the expression level of miR‐21‐5p, miR‐141‐3p, and miR‐205‐5p in these samples. The sensitivity and specificity of these microRNAs were determined using ROC curve analysis.

Results

The analysis of the data revealed that miR‐21‐5p, miR‐141‐3p, and miR‐205‐5p are differentially expressed in urine of bladder and prostate cancer patients. All these three microRNAs were upregulated in these samples and they were also able to differentiate benign prostatic hyperplasia from malignant cases. The statistical analyses revealed a good specificity for each individual microRNA.

Conclusion

The results show that these three urine‐based microRNAs might be a good choice to implement a specific and non‐invasive diagnostic tool for bladder and prostate cancer. The expression pattern of all three microRNAs was particularly useful to distinguish benign and invasive tumors in prostate cases. From the patients’ perspective the improvement of the diagnostic situation is awaited eagerly.
Back Cover: Cover Image, Volume 74, Issue 10
Authors: Pettinga Dean J , Ou Junjun , Patterson Eric L , Jugulam Mithila , Westra Philip , Gaines Todd A
Published: September 2018

The back cover image Kochia scoparia, by Dean J Pettinga et al., is based on the Research Article Increased chalcone synthase (CHS) expression is associated with dicamba resistance in Kochia scoparia, DOI: 10.1002/ps.4778

image
Packing and counting arbitrary Hamilton cycles in random digraphs
Authors: Ferber Asaf , Long Eoin
Published: September 2018

We prove packing and counting theorems for arbitrarily oriented Hamilton cycles in (n, p) for nearly optimal p (up to a factor). In particular, we show that given t = (1 − o(1))np Hamilton cycles C1,…,Ct, each of which is oriented arbitrarily, a digraph ∼(n, p) w.h.p. contains edge disjoint copies of C1,…,Ct, provided . We also show that given an arbitrarily oriented n‐vertex cycle C, a random digraph ∼(n, p) w.h.p. contains (1 ± o(1))n!pn copies of C, provided .
A two‐wave panel study on teachers' emotions and emotional‐labour strategies
Authors: Burić Irena , Slišković Ana , Penezić Zvjezdan
Published: September 2018

The aim of this study was to examine the reciprocal relations between discrete emotions that teachers typically experience while teaching and interacting with students (i.e., joy, love, anger, and hopelessness) and emotional labour strategies (i.e., deep acting and two forms of surface acting—hiding feelings and faking emotions) over time. To address these research aims, two‐wave panel design and cross‐lagged structural equation modeling were implemented. An initial sample of 2,022 teachers filled in questionnaires with a time lag of 6 months. The results showed that teachers' emotions and emotional labour are related to each other over time. Love positively predicted deep acting and anger positively predicted hiding feelings and faking emotion over time. The opposite direction of association was also established—deep acting positively predicted joy, whereas hiding feelings positively predicted hopelessness. The results highlight the importance of taking a discrete approach to emotions and triadic approach to emotional labour when examining their reciprocal relations and may have important practical implications in promoting teachers' emotional well‐being.
Unveiling the transcriptional control of pleiotropic drug resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Contributions of André Goffeau and his group
Authors: Balzi Elisabetta , Moye‐Rowley W. Scott
Published: September 2018

Studies in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have provided much of the basic detail underlying the organization and regulation of multiple or pleiotropic drug resistance gene network in eukaryotic microbes. As with many aspects of yeast biology, the initial observations that drove the eventual molecular characterization of multidrug resistance gene were provided by genetics. This review focuses on contributions from the laboratory of Dr. André Goffeau that uncovered key aspects of the transcriptional regulation of these multidrug resistance genes. André's group made many seminal discoveries that helped lead to the current picture we have of how eukaryotic microbes respond to and deal with a variety of antifungal agents. The importance of the transcriptional contribution to antifungal drugs is illustrated by the large number of drug resistant mutants found in several yeast species that lead to increased activity of transcriptional regulators. The characterization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae PDR1 gene by the Goffeau group provided the first molecular basis explaining the link between this hyperactive transcription factor and drug resistance.
Monovalent cation transporters at the plasma membrane in yeasts
Authors: Ariño Joaquín , Ramos José , Sychrova Hana
Published: September 2018

Maintenance of proper intracellular concentrations of monovalent cations, mainly sodium and potassium, is a requirement for survival of any cell. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, monovalent cation homeostasis is determined by the active extrusion of protons through the Pma1 H+‐ATPase (reviewed in another chapter of this issue), the influx and efflux of these cations through the plasma membrane transporters (reviewed in this chapter), and the sequestration of toxic cations into the vacuoles. Here, we will describe the structure, function, and regulation of the plasma membrane transporters Trk1, Trk2, Tok1, Nha1, and Ena1, which play a key role in maintaining physiological intracellular concentrations of Na+, K+, and H+, both under normal growth conditions and in response to stress.
All about CDR transporters: Past, present, and future
Authors: Prasad Rajendra , Balzi Elisabetta , Banerjee Atanu , Khandelwal Nitesh Kumar
Published: September 2018

Drug resistance mechanisms in human pathogenic Candida species are continually evolving. Over the time, Candida species have acquired diverse strategies to vanquish the effects of various classes of drugs thereby, emanating as a serious life threat. Apart from the repertoire of well‐established strategies, which predominantly comprise alteration, overexpression of drug targets, and chromosome duplication, Candida species have evolved a number of permeability constraints for antifungal drugs, via compromised drug import or increased drug efflux. For the latter, genome of Candida species harbour battery of exporters designated as Candida drug resistance genes. These genes predominantly encode membrane efflux transporters, which expel the incoming drugs and thus prevent toxic intracellular accumulation of drugs to manifest multidrug resistance. Such a phenomenon is restricted not only to Candida species but has been observed among many other pathogenic fungal species as well. Notably, the existence of large number of drug exporters in genomes of Candida species posits other pivotal roles for these efflux transporter proteins. The brief review discusses as to how the whole gamut of antifungal research has since been changed to include these new observations wherein reduced permeability of azoles across cell membrane of Candida cells is being implicated as one of the major determinants of antifungal susceptibilities, which all began with the identification of the first multidrug resistance gene CDR1, in Andre Goffeau's laboratory back in 1995.
Bottom-quark effects in Higgs production at intermediate transverse momentum
Authors: Caola Fabrizio , Lindert Jonas M. , Melnikov Kirill , Monni Pier Francesco , Tancredi Lorenzo , Wever Christopher
Published: September 2018

Abstract

We provide a precise description of the Higgs boson transverse momentum distribution including top and bottom quark contributions, that is valid for transverse momenta in the range m

b
 ≲ p
⊥ ≲ m

t
, where m

b
and m

t
are the bottom and top quark masses. This description is based on a combination of fixed next-to-leading order (NLO) results with next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic (NNLL) transverse momentum resummation. We show that ambiguities in the resummation procedure for the b-quark loops are of the same order as the related fixed-order uncertainties. We conclude that the current uncertainty in the top-bottom interference contribution to the Higgs transverse momentum spectrum is

$$ \mathcal{O}\left(20\%\right) $$

O

20
%

.
Understanding the degeneracies in NOνA data
Authors: Bharti Suman , Prakash Suprabh , Rahaman Ushak , Sankar S. Uma
Published: September 2018

Abstract

The combined analysis of ν

μ
disappearance and ν

e
appearance data of NOνA experiment leads to three nearly degenerate solutions. This degeneracy can be understood in terms of deviations in νe appearance signal, caused by unknown effects, with respect to the signal expected for a reference set of oscillations parameters. We define the reference set to be vacuum oscillations in the limit of maximal θ
23 and no CP-violation. We then calculate the deviations induced in the ν

e
appearance signal event rate by three unknown effects: (a) matter effects, due to normal or inverted hierarchy (b) octant effects, due to θ
23 being in higher or lower octant and (c) CP-violation, whether δ
CP ∼ −π/2 or δ
CP ∼ π/2. We find that the deviation caused by each of these effects is the same for NOνA. The observed number of ν

e
events in NOνA is equivalent to the increase caused by one of the effects. Therefore, the observed number of ν

e
appearance events of NOνA is the net result of the increase caused by two of the unknown effects and the decrease caused by the third. Thus we get the three degenerate solutions. We also find that further data by NOνA can not distinguish between these degenerate solutions but addition of one year of neutrino run of DUNE can make a distinction between all three solutions. The distinction between the two NH solutions and the IH solution becomes possible because of the larger matter effect in DUNE. The distinction between the two NH solutions with different octants is a result of the synergy between the anti-neutrino data of NOνA and the neutrino data of DUNE.
Wall crossing from Dirac zeromodes
Authors: Brennan T. Daniel , Moore Gregory W. , Royston Andrew B.
Published: September 2018

Abstract

We explore the physics of two-body decay of BPS states using semiclassical analysis to construct explicit solutions that illustrate the main features of wall crossing, for both ordinary and framed BPS states. In particular we recover the primitive wallcrossing formula from an asymptotic analysis of certain Dirac-type operators on monopole moduli spaces. Along the way we give an asymptotic metric for the moduli space of singular monopoles, analogous to the Gibbons-Manton and Lee-Weinberg-Yi metrics for the moduli space of smooth monopoles, and we find evidence for the existence of stable non-BPS boundstates. Our discussion applies to four-dimensional

$$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$

N
=
2

super-Yang-Mills theories with general gauge group and general ’t Hooft defects.
AdS weight shifting operators
Authors: Costa Miguel S. , Hansen Tobias
Published: September 2018

Abstract

We construct a new class of differential operators that naturally act on AdS harmonic functions. These are weight shifting operators that change the spin and dimension of AdS representations. Together with CFT weight shifting operators, the new operators obey crossing equations that relate distinct representations of the conformal group. We apply our findings to the computation of Witten diagrams, focusing on the particular case of cubic interactions and on massive, symmetric and traceless fields. In particular we show that tree level 4-point Witten diagrams with arbitrary spins, both in the external fields and in the exchanged field, can be reduced to the action of weight shifting operators on similar 4-point Witten diagrams where all fields are scalars. We also show how to obtain the conformal partial wave expansion of these diagrams using the new set of operators. In the case of 1-loop diagrams with cubic couplings we show how to reduce them to similar 1-loop diagrams with scalar fields except for a single external spinning field (which must be a scalar in the case of a two-point diagram). As a bonus, we provide new CFT and AdS weight shifting operators for mixed-symmetry tensors.
Is there a Relation Between Ecological Practices and Spirituality? The Case of Benedictine Monasteries
Authors: Freyer Bernhard , Aversano-Dearborn Valentina , Winkler Georg , Leipold Sina , Haidl Harald , Brand Karl Werner , Rosenberger Michael , Wallnig Thomas
Published: September 2018

For decades there has been a controversial debate over how far religious faith communities are specifically engaged in ecological practices (EP). Therefore we studied four Austrian and two German Benedictine monasteries religious ethics and spirituality as a means of a driving force for initiating EP. We draw upon theories of organizational learning processes and capacity-building of sustainability to interpret our empirical findings. The majority of monasteries are highly engaged in EP, initiated either as an outcome of individual activities or through a specific mostly informally acting group, but rarely an organizationally or systematically integrated goal of the monasteries, or a focus of capacity building. Monasteries follow a technical and economic decision-making process in implementing EP. Spirituality plays a limited role in the initiation of EP. The environment of monasteries–acceptance or critique against ecological practices–influences the monasteries decisions. Institutionalization of ecological practices into the monasteries organizational structure is rare.
The Enduring Effects of Early-Learned Ideas and Local Folklore on Children’s Astronomy Knowledge
Authors: Blown Eric J. , Bryce Tom G. K.
Published: September 2018

The research described here examined the sources of knowledge of astronomy of children (age 3–18) in China and New Zealand, together with the development of their awareness of competing sources, ranging from everyday language, childhood literature and folklore to the scientific accounts prevalent in schools. The authors cite examples of thebootstrappingencountered during these years, where children’s expanding knowledge and how they process questions intended to probe their understandings—their metacognitive strategies—are mutually beneficial. The semi-structured interviews utilising three modalities (verbal language, drawing and play-dough modelling) carried out with pupils (n = 358), and questionnaires administered to their parents (n = 80), teachers (n = 65) and local librarians (n = 5), focused on young people’s understanding of daytime and night-time and the roles played by the Sun and Moon in creating familiar events. The findings underscore the arguments put forward by the authors in a recent article in this journal concerning theco-existenceof everyday and scientific concepts. The influence of early-learned ideas deriving from pre-school experiences, recalled by children and largely corroborated by family members, was found to be extensive. Evidence of themigration of folklorein one of the two settings investigated (on the North East China Plain) and therefore its continuing influence on children’s comprehension is provided. With respect to teaching, the authors argue the benefits to be had in making more explicit with young students the differences between early-learned (everyday-cultural) ideas—particularly local community knowledge and folklore—and the scientific content found in the school curriculum.