bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-Resolution Audiometry: An Automated Method for Hearing Threshold Acquisition with Quality Control
Authors: Bian Lin
Published: January 2012

Background:In clinical practice, hearing thresholds are measured at only five to six frequencies at octave intervals. Thus, the audiometric configuration cannot closely reflect the actual status of the auditory structures. In addition, differential diagnosis requires quantitative
comparison of behavioral thresholds with physiological measures, such as otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) that are usually measured in higher resolution.Purpose:The purpose of this research was to develop a method to improve the frequency resolution of the audiogram.Research Design:A
repeated-measure design was used in the study to evaluate the reliability of the threshold measurements.Study Sample:A total of 16 participants with clinically normal hearing and mild hearing loss were recruited from a population of university students.Intervention:No intervention
was involved in the study.Data Collection and Analysis:Custom developed system and software were used for threshold acquisition with quality control (QC). With real-ear calibration and monitoring of test signals, the system provided accurate and individualized measure of hearing thresholds
that were determined by an analysis based on signal detection theory (SDT). The reliability of the threshold measure was assessed by correlation and differences between the repeated measures.Results:The audiometric configurations were diverse and unique to each individual ear. The accuracy,
within-subject reliability, and between-test repeatability are relatively high.Conclusions:With QC, the high-resolution audiograms can be reliably and accurately measured. Hearing thresholds measured as ear canal sound pressures with higher frequency resolution can provide more customized
hearing-aid fitting. The test system may be integrated with other physiological measures, such as OAEs, into a comprehensive evaluative tool.
Age Affects Responses on the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) by Adults with Minimal Audiometric Loss
Authors: Banh Jessica , Singh Gurjit , Pichora-Fuller M. Kathleen
Published: January 2012

Background:Age-related declines in auditory and cognitive processing may contribute to the difficulties with listening in noise that are often reported by older adults. Such difficulties are reported even by those who have relatively good audiograms that could be considered “normal”
for their age (ISO 7029-2000 [ISO, 2000]). The Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ; Gatehouse and Noble, 2004) is a questionnaire developed to measure a listener's self-reported ability to hear in a variety of everyday situations, such as those that are challenging for older
adults, and it can provide insights into the possible contributions of auditory and cognitive factors to their listening difficulties. The SSQ has been shown to be a sensitive and reliable questionnaire to detect benefits associated with the use of different hearing technologies and potentially
other forms of intervention. Establishing how age-matched listeners with audiograms “normal” for their age rate the items on the SSQ could enable an extension of its use in audiological assessment and in setting rehabilitative goals.Purpose:The main purpose of this study
was to investigate how younger and older adults who passed audiometric screening and who had thresholds considered to be “normal” for their age responded on the SSQ. It was also of interest to compare these results to those reported previously for older listeners with hearing loss
in an attempt to tease out the relative effects of age and hearing loss.Study Sample:The SSQ was administered to 48 younger (mean age = 19 yr; SD = 1.0) and 48 older (mean age = 70 yr, SD = 4.1) adults with clinically normal audiometric thresholds
below 4 kHz. The younger adults were recruited through an introductory psychology course, and the older adults were volunteers from the local community.Data Collection and Analysis:Both age groups completed the SSQ. The differences between the groups were analyzed. Correlations were
used to compare the pattern of results across items for the two age groups in the present study and to assess the relationship between SSQ scores and objective measures of hearing. Comparisons were also made to published results for older adults with hearing loss.Results:The pattern
of reported difficulty across items was similar for both age groups, but younger adults had significantly higher scores than older adults on 42 of the 46 items. On average, younger adults scored 8.8 (SD = 0.6) out of 10 and older adults scored 7.7 (SD = 1.2) out of 10.
By comparison, scores of 5.5 (SD = 1.9) have been reported for older adults (mean age = 71 yr, SD = 8.1) with moderate hearing loss (Gatehouse and Noble, 2004).Conclusions:By establishing the best scores that could reasonably be expected from younger and
older adults with “normal” hearing thresholds, these results provide clinicians with information that should assist them in setting realistic targets for interventions for adults of different ages.
The Words-in-Noise Test (WIN), List 3: A Practice List
Authors: Wilson Richard H. , Watts Kelly L.
Published: January 2012

Background:The Words-in-Noise Test (WIN) was developed as an instrument to quantify the ability of listeners to understand monosyllabic words in background noise using multitalker babble (Wilson, 2003). The 50% point, which is calculated with the Spearman-Kärber equation
(Finney, 1952), is used as the evaluative metric with the WIN materials. Initially, the WIN was designed as a 70-word instrument that presented ten unique words at each of seven signal-to-noise ratios from 24 to 0 dB in 4 dB decrements. Subsequently, the 70-word list was parsed into two 35-word
lists that achieved equivalent recognition performances (Wilson and Burks, 2005). This report involves the development of a third list (WIN List 3) that was developed to serve as a practice list to familiarize the participant with listening to words presented in background babble.Purpose:To
determine—on young listeners with normal hearing and on older listeners with sensorineural hearing loss—the psychometric properties of the WIN List 3 materials.Research Design:A quasi-experimental, repeated-measures design was used.Study Sample:Twenty-four young adult
listeners (M = 21.6 yr) with normal pure-tone thresholds (≤20 dB HL at 250 to 8000 Hz) and 24 older listeners (M = 65.9 yr) with sensorineural hearing loss participated.Data Collection and Analysis:The level of the babble was fixed at 80 dB SPL with
the level of the words varied from 104 to 80 dB SPL in 4 dB decrements.Results:For listeners with normal hearing, the 50% points for Lists 1 and 2 were similar (4.3 and 5.1 dB S/N, respectively), both of which were lower than the 50% point for List 3 (7.4 dB S/N). A similar relation
was observed with the listeners with hearing loss, 50% points for Lists 1 and 2 of 12.2 and 12.4 dB S/N, respectively, compared to 15.8 dB S/N for List 3. The differences between Lists 1 and 2 and List 3 were significant. The relations among the psychometric functions and the relations among
the individual data both reflected these differences.Conclusions:The significant ∼3 dB difference between performances on WIN Lists 1 and 2 and on WIN List 3 by the listeners with normal hearing and the listeners with hearing loss dictates caution with the use of List 3. The use
of WIN List 3 should be reserved for ancillary purposes in which equivalent recognition performances are not required, for example, as a practice list or a stand alone measure.
Patient Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Tinnitus Treatments
Authors: Tyler Richard S.
Published: January 2012

Purpose:There will likely be several different tinnitus treatments necessary, and it is important to understand patient preferences and factors that might contribute to treatment acceptability. This study explores the acceptability of a wide range of different tinnitus treatments,
from noninvasive wearable devices to surgically implanted devices in the brain. Understanding how tinnitus sufferers consider and rank such options and how they might be influenced by their own perception of the severity of their tinnitus could help clinicians, researchers, and companies plan
future efforts for approaching new treatments.Data Collection and Analysis:197 tinnitus self-help group attendees rated their acceptance of treatments on a scale from 0 (not acceptable) to 100 (fully acceptable). The treatments included external devices, medications, cochlear implants,
an implant on the brain surface, and an implant in the brain. They were also asked how much they would pay for successful treatments.Results:There was a significant correlation between loudness and annoyance (r = .78). To reduce tinnitus by half, an “acceptable” response
between 91 and 100 was reported by 30% of the respondents for devices, by 52% for pills, by 25% for cochlear implants, by 13% for implants on the brain surface, and by 13% for implants in the brain. To reduce tinnitus completely, a 91‐100 acceptable response was reported by 42% for
devices, by 62% for pills, by 38% for cochlear implants, by 21% for implants on the brain surface, and by 19% for implants in the brain. To reduce tinnitus completely, participants most commonly selected to pay at least $5000, and 20.3% were willing to pay as much as $25,000.
The ratings of tinnitus loudness and annoyance were positively correlated with the likelihood of using any treatment. Surprisingly, there was a weak relationship between annoyance and the amount they were willing to pay.Conclusions:Tinnitus patients are prepared to accept a wide variety
of treatments. Medications are the most acceptable. Invasive procedures can also be acceptable to many, particularly if they provide complete relief.
A Comparison of Benefit and Economic Value between Two Sound Therapy Tinnitus Management Options
Authors: Newman Craig W. , Sandridge Sharon A.
Published: January 2012

Background:Sound therapy coupled with appropriate counseling has gained widespread acceptance in the audiological management of tinnitus. For many years, ear level sound generators (SGs) have been used to provide masking relief and to promote tinnitus habituation. More recently,
an alternative treatment device was introduced, the Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment (NTT), which employs spectrally-modified music in an acoustic desensitization approach in order to help patients overcome the disturbing consequences of tinnitus. It is unknown, however, if one treatment plan
is more efficacious and cost-effective in comparison to the other. In today's economic climate, it has become critical that clinicians justify the value of tinnitus treatment devices in relation to observed benefit.Purpose:To determine perceived benefit from, and economic value associated
with, two forms of sound therapy, namely, SGs and NTT.Research Design:Retrospective between-subject clinical study.Study Sample:A sample of convenience comprised of 56 patients drawn from the Tinnitus Management Clinic at the Cleveland Clinic participated. Twenty-three patients
selected SGs, and 33 patients selected NTT as their preferred sound therapy treatment option.Data Collection and Analysis:Sound therapy benefit was quantified using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). The questionnaire was administered before and 6 mo after initiation of tinnitus
treatment. Prior to device fitting, all patients participated in a 1.5 hr group education session about tinnitus and its management. Economic value comparisons between sound therapy options were made using a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) and cost-utility analysis (CUA).Results:THI
scores indicated a significant improvement (p < 0.001) in tinnitus reduction for both treatment types between a pre- and 6 mo postfitting interval, yet there were no differences (p > 0.05) between the treatment alternatives at baseline or 6 mo postfitting. The magnitude
of improvement for both SGs and NTT was dependent on initial perceived tinnitus handicap. Based on the CEA and CUA economic analyses alone, it appears that the SGs may be the more cost-effective alternative; however, the magnitude of economic value is a function of preexisting perceived tinnitus
activity limitation/participation restriction.Conclusions:Both SGs and NTT provide significant reduction in perceived tinnitus handicap, with benefit being more pronounced for those patients having greater tinnitus problems at the beginning of therapy. Although the economic models favored
the SGs over the NTT, there are several other critical factors that clinicians must take into account when recommending a specific sound therapy option. These include initial tinnitus severity complaints and a number of patient preference variables such as sound preference, listening acceptability,
and lifestyle.
Les enjeux politiques dans la colonie du Niger (1944-1960)
Authors: Djibo Mamoudou
Published: January 2012

Résumé Comme toutes les anciennes colonies françaises d’Afrique noire, le Niger est entré dans l’ère de la politique moderne au lendemain de la seconde guerre mondiale. Son évolution est intimement liée au débat politique de l’ensemble colonial français. Il a cependant la particularité d’avoir été le seul territoire d’outre-mer à avoir inauguré l’autonomie interne conférée par la loi de réforme institutionnelle dite loi-cadre (ou loi Gaston Defferre) avec une majorité parlementaire et gouvernementale MSA ; de même, il est le seul à avoir échoué dans son choix pour l’« indépendance immédiate » ; il est enfin le premier territoire français où les enjeux politiques de la Ve République française naissante ont conduit à un coup d’État politique, à travers l’« opération Colombani », du nom du gouverneur chargé de faire changer le cours des choses à Niamey. Ce coup d’État politique a entraîné la mise en place d’une équipe plus acquise aux objectifs politiques de Paris et à qui l’indépendance, refusée en 1958, sera octroyée le 3 août 1960.
« L'art de couper les oignons pour qu'un bébé advienne »
Authors: Dugravier Franck
Published: January 2012

Lorsque les pédiatres interviennent auprès des familles, les oignons sont coupés, les bébés sont nés, les questions qui surgissent ne sont plus celles que se posaient les parents auparavant. Leur tâche est de participer, dans la mesure de la demande qui leur est faite, à la continuité qui s’instaure, clé de la « familiarité » qui peu à peu bouleversera la notion de filiation. Il s’agira moins de la question de l’origine que d’une « liaison entre des choses qui naissent les unes des autres. »
Transmission de vie, trace d'existence à l'adolescence
Authors: Ayoun Patrick
Published: January 2012

Il est devenu banal et évident de tenir compte de la vie périnatale pour comprendre les troubles graves de la subjectivation à l’adolescence. Mais de quelle façon ? Ce texte tente de répondre à cette question en évoquant une situation clinique et en discutant quelques concepts théoriques : théorie de la séduction généralisée, violence de l’interprétation, clinique de l’hypothèse.
Transmission de vie et rêve thérapeutique en psychothérapie transculturelle
Authors: Mestre Claire
Published: January 2012

Aïcha est suivie brièvement en psychothérapie transculturelle pour stérilité. La jeune femme, algérienne et parlant l’arabe, est venue en France après la mort d’une soeur aînée dont elle a épousé le mari. Le cadre pluridisciplinaire de la consultation et sa méthodologie permettent d’accueillir ses propos et ses rêves. L’analogie explicitée entre le monde des morts et le rêve permettra l’expression d’un deuil compliqué. L’annonce singulière de la grossesse au sein de sa famille impliquera l’analyse de la dynamique familiale.
Cruauté et transmission de vie. Les contes de fées de Charles Perrault et des Frères Grimm
Authors: Chaudoye Guillemine , Cupa Dominique , Marcovici Maud
Published: January 2012

Cet article, construit à la manière d’un conte, a pour origine la question de la cruauté infantile. Partant des représentations, des angoisses et des désirs les plus archaïques, du côté d’une cruauté de mort, ce travail chemine vers des préoccupations constituantes, du côté d’une cruauté de vie, ouvrant ainsi la voie à l’éventualité d’une résolution oedipienne et d’une transmission de vie. La particularité du conte est de raconter à l’enfant son propre parcours et de faire résonner par la voix de l’adulte qui en fait lecture et donc transmet, les grands remaniements psychiques ainsi mis en sens.
Transformative Occupation in Practice: Changing Media Images and Lives of People with Disabilities
Authors: Breeden Lori
Published: January 2012

Performers with disabilities in the entertainment industry of Southern California work together as a cohesive force for change, challenging common misconceptions about disability reflected in television and movies. This qualitative study was based on videotaped interviews with a cohort of actors and media activists with physical disabilities working in television and film. Narratives, field notes, and reflexive journal entries were coded, analyzed, and interpreted using qualitative methods. Ethnography and grounded theory approaches were combined, offering a conceptual framework suggesting that, for the participants in this study, performance is a transformative occupation or of such primary importance as to substantially organize their lives. A love of acting appears to inspire the creativity, adaptiveness, and motivation necessary to advance their careers despite significant personal challenges and social barriers inhibiting participation within the industry. This study provides evidence of the potential for occupational engagement to change people's lives while also changing society.
Striving for Shared Understandings: Therapists' Perspectives of the Benefits and Dilemmas of Using a Child Self-Assessment
Authors: Kramer Jessica , Walker Rosa , Cohn Ellen S. , Mermelstein Michelle , Olsen Sarah , O'Brien Jane , Bowyer Patricia
Published: January 2012

Pediatric client-centered intervention planning is particularly complex because children, parents, and professionals must form a “tridactic” partnership and reach a shared understanding for therapy. Therapists may use child self-reports to facilitate children's involvement in this process. The purpose of this study was to understand how therapists used and interpreted a child self-report to achieve a shared understanding in the context of a tridactic relationship, using the Children's Occupational Self-Assessment (COSA) as an exemplar. Thirty-three pediatric therapists participated in five focus groups and qualitative analysis was conducted in four iterative phases. Therapists' decision to use the COSA led to either “good” responses or unexpected tensions between the therapist's, child's, and parent's perspectives. Therapists used demonstration, negotiation, or reflection to shift beliefs to achieve a shared understanding for therapy. Findings suggest that although therapists valued children's voices, professional knowledge usually took precedence over child and parent self-knowledge during intervention planning.
Kangxi/Engke Amuγulang, un empereur mongol ? Sur quelques légendes mongoles et chinoises
Authors: Charleux Isabelle
Published: January 2012

Cet article étudie la perception que les Mongols ont de Kangxi (Mong. Engke Amuγulang r. 1662-1722), deuxième empereur de la dynastie mandchoue des Qing, à travers des histoires et des représentations visuelles. Loin de le présenter en despote étranger opprimant son peuple, les Mongols le considéraient comme un souverain parfaitement légitime, voire même, comme un empereur mongol. Bien que la plupart de ces légendes, collectées par des ethnographes et des folkloristes dans la deuxième moitié du xxe siècle, ne puissent généralement pas être datées, cet article tente de comprendre d’où viennent ces histoires, comment et dans quel milieu elles ont circulé, et quelle est la responsabilité du pouvoir impérial dans la transmission d’images positives de Kangxi. La comparaison avec des histoires semblables qui circulaient en Chine, et en particulier sur la montagne bouddhique du Wutaishan, permettra de montrer dans quelle mesure les Mongols les ont reprises, transformées, amalgamées et prolongées.
Le chamanisme aujourd’hui : constructions et déconstructions d’une illusion scientifique
Authors: Rydving Håkan
Published: January 2012

Les mots « chamane » et « chamanisme » s’emploient couramment comme concepts, mais ils sont utilisés de multiples façons, souvent dans un sens si général qu’ils ne définissent rien de précis. D’après l’auteur, la question est de savoir si « chamane » et « chamanisme » sont véritablement utiles comme concepts comparatifs. Il conclut que le temps est venu d’abandonner ces termes, à l’exception des contextes où ils sont utilisés comme auto-désignation.
The Horse-Riding and Target-Shooting Contest for Lay Officials (drung ’khor rtsal rgyugs): Reflections on the Military Identity of the Tibetan Aristocracy at the Beginning of the 20th Century
Authors: Travers Alice
Published: January 2012

Based on autobiographical written and oral accounts by Tibetan aristocrats, this article aims to discuss the Horse-Riding and Target-Shooting Contest for Lay Officials (drung ’khor rtsal rgyugs). Its origins, its evolutions during the first half of the 20th century, and its significance help to understand the link between the Tibetan aristocracy and the military domain. Though the Tibetan aristocracy was mainly an administrative elite and can therefore not be described as exercising a “defensive function” during this period, there are elements indicating a privileged relationship with the army. The permanence of this compulsory contest in the 20th century might be explained by its symbolic efficiency in linking the aristocracy to Tibet’s military glorious past and to a past probably, more warlike identity.
Remarks concerning the Methodology and Symbolism of Bon Pebble Divination
Authors: Smith Alexander K.
Published: January 2012

This article will discuss the performance of lde’u ‘phrul, a variant of Himalayan pebble divination, as it is practiced in the Bon community surrounding sMan ri monastery near Solan, Sirmour District (H.P.), India. Drawing from several divination texts and fieldwork conducted at sMan ri monastery, this article will discuss the methods of casting and the symbolism evoked in supplying the divination’s clients with prognostications.
IMPACTS OF LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN ON ADHESIVE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF ENDOTHELIAL CELLS AND COLLAGEN IV
Authors: Huang Hua , Ye Linqi , Tang Chaojun , Sun Tin , Wang Guixue
Published: January 2012

Cell adhesion refers to the adhesion between cells and cells, cells and extracellular matrices (ECMs). Adhesion is a main communication pathway in cell–cell and cell–ECM interactions. Higher concentrations of low density lipoprotein (LDL) may decrease the adhesive forces between endothelial cells and ECMs in blood vessels. This study aimed to investigate the influence of LDL on the adhesive mechanical properties between endothelial cells (ECs) and ECMs by using the micropipette aspiration technique and flow chambers. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used in this study and the LDL was obtained from fresh human plasma. For micropipette aspiration experiments, ECs were digested into single-cell suspensions and were inoculated in the flow chamber, which was coated with 2 μg/ml of Collagen IV (Col IV) mixed with LDL at four concentrations of 0, 50, 100 and 150 μg/ml, respectively. The micropipette aspiration experiment started 30 min after incubation. For flow chamber experiments, the same mixture was applied on the coverslips. ECs were perfused by three different kinds of shear stress in the flow chamber of 12.0, 24.0, 36.0 dynes/cm2, respectively. The results indicated that the adhesive force of ECs on Col IV-coated chamber decreased as LDL concentration increased (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in the flow conditions, the adhesive-retention ratio of cells was significantly decreased as shear stress and LDL concentration increased (P < 0.05). The results indicated that the adhesive force between ECs and ECMs was dependent on LDL concentration. Higher LDL concentration results in lower adhesive force. The adhesive-retention ratio of cells was relevant to the effect of shear stress and the alteration of shear stress that could influence the adhesion of cells. Similar study may potentially aid to understand the results of future pharmacological studies in atherosclerosis.
METHYL CELLULOSE ENHANCE GELATIN MEMBRANE AS GUIDANCE CHANNELS FOR PERIPHERAL NERVE REGENERATION
Authors: Chang Kuo-Chi , Tang Tzu-Piao , Hsu Chung-King , Soung Hung-Sheng , Wang Mao-Hsien
Published: January 2012

Background: The methyl cellulose could successfully be transferred into 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose by using sodium periodate as an oxidant. 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose can cross-link gelatin without adding any other cross-linking agent. We hope the dialdehyde cellulose-gelatin membrane could enhance the physical properties of gelatin membrane by using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker.

Methods: The methyl cellulose could be successfully transferred into 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose by using sodium periodate as an oxidant. The biological stability of 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose was improved by cross-linking with gelatin. To estimate the properties of the DAC-Gel membrane with different conditions, the methyl cellulose was oxidized by different concentration of sodium periodate. After oxidized, the dialdehyde cellulose with different degree of oxidation was fabricated. FTIR could further confirm the formation of aldehyde group and the quantification of aldehyde group showed that the concentration of sodium periodate was the dominant factor to the degree of oxidation. Assessment of cross-linking degree helped us to observe the reaction between aldehyde group and amine group. The degradation test was estimated by two methods to confirm the accuracy of experiment. The hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface after cross-linking was evaluated by water contact angle test. The wettability of membrane influenced the growth of PC-12 cell. After the physical properties of membrane were established, the bio-compatibility was measured by two different methods. One of the methods based on ISO 10993. The other method is that cell seeding on the membrane. The bio-compatibility was evaluated by WST-1 and LDH.

Result: Methyl cellulose was successfully converted into 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose by sodium periodate and the concentration of oxidant was the most important factor to the formation of aldehyde group. The formation of aldehyde group was directly proportional to the concentration of oxidant. Basic assessment of cross-linking degree showed that steric hindrance could be the factor to hinder cross-linking. The 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose/gelatin membrane could prolong the degradation time in 37°C. According to water contact test, the dialdehyde cellulose/gelatin membrane showed a more hydrophilic than gelatin membrane using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker and the hydrophilic surface provided a better place for the growth of PC-12 cell. The dialdehyde cellulose/gelatin membrane using glycine to block the residual aldehyde group showed a low cytotoxicity.

Conclusion: This study indicates that 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose/gelatin membrane could prolong the degradation time in 37°C and the 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose/gelatin membrane provide a better place for the growth of PC-12.
Human NK Cells Induce Neutrophil Apoptosis via an NKp46- and Fas-Dependent Mechanism
Authors: Thorén Fredrik B. , Riise Rebecca E. , Ousbäck Jenny , Della Chiesa Mariella , Alsterholm Mikael , Marcenaro Emanuela , Pesce Silvia , Prato Carola , Cantoni Claudia , Bylund Johan , Moretta Lorenzo , Moretta Alessandro
Published: January 2012

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) are potent inflammatory effector cells essential to host defense, but at the same time they may cause significant tissue damage. Thus, timely induction of neutrophil apoptosis is crucial to avoid tissue damage and induce resolution of inflammation. NK cells have been reported to influence innate and adaptive immune responses by multiple mechanisms including cytotoxicity against other immune cells. In this study, we analyzed the effect of the interaction between NK cells and neutrophils. Coculture experiments revealed that human NK cells could trigger caspase-dependent neutrophil apoptosis in vitro. This event was dependent on cell–cell contact, and experiments using blocking Abs indicated that the effect was mediated by the activating NK cell receptor NKp46 and the Fas pathway. CD56-depleted lymphocytes had minimal effects on neutrophil survival, suggesting that the ability to induce neutrophil apoptosis is specific to NK cells. Our findings provide evidence that NK cells may accelerate neutrophil apoptosis, and that this interaction may be involved in the resolution of acute inflammation.
Comparison of Auditory Brainstem Response Peak Measures Using Ear Lobe, Mastoid, and Custom Ear Canal Reference Electrodes
Authors: Atcherson Samuel R. , Lim Timothy J. , Moore Page C. , Minaya Carlos P.
Published: January 2012

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) peak measures were compared for a custom ear canal electrode and traditional mastoid and ear lobe reference electrode sites with the assumption that the ear canal electrode would yield larger Wave I amplitudes. In this study, Waves I, III, and V latencies and amplitudes were measured and compared in twenty participants between the ages of 18 and 50, with particular interest in a potential Wave I advantage using the custom ear canal reference electrode. The statistical analysis suggested that all reference electrode sites yielded comparable results with no statistical differences in peak latency or peak-to-trough amplitude for Waves I, III, and V. Although the custom ear canal electrode did not produce larger Wave I amplitudes over the other two references, a deeper placement of the ear canal electrode might have yielded different results.
Using Facebook to Maximize Follow-Up Response Rates in a Longitudinal Study of Adults who use Methamphetamine
Authors: Bolanos Franklin , Herbeck Diane , Christou Dayna , Lovinger Katherine , Pham Aurora , Raihan Adnan , Rodriguez Luz , Sheaff Patricia , Brecht Mary-Lynn
Published: January 2012

This study examines the process and effects of using facebook (FB) to locate and re-contact study participants targeted for follow up in a longitudinal study of adult methamphetamine users (N = 649). A follow-up interview was conducted in 2009–11 approximately 8 years after previous study participation. Our paper describes re-contact efforts involving FB, including IRB regulatory issues and the effectiveness of using FB compared to mailings and phone calls. A total of 48 of the 551 surviving non-incarcerated participants who agreed to be contacted for follow up studies were contacted via FB, of whom 11 completed the follow-up interview. Those contacted through FB were more likely to be younger, female, relocated out-of-state, and reported somewhat higher rates of anxiety and cognitive problems compared to those not located on FB. Although participants contacted through FB are likely to differ demographically from those contacted by phone or mail, FB provides a potentially effective means to expand conventional methods of correspondence for contacting hard to reach participants.
Mapping tropical forest biomass with radar and spaceborne LiDAR in Lopé National Park, Gabon: overcoming problems of high biomass and persistent cloud
Authors: Mitchard E. T. A. , Saatchi S. S. , White L. J. T. , Abernethy K. A. , Jeffery K. J. , Lewis S. L. , Collins M. , Lefsky M. A. , Leal M. E. , Woodhouse I. H. , Meir P.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. Spatially-explicit maps of aboveground biomass are essential for calculating the losses and gains in forest carbon at a regional to national level. The production of such maps across wide areas will become increasingly necessary as international efforts to protect primary forests, such as the REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) mechanism, come into effect, alongside their use for management and research more generally. However, mapping biomass over high-biomass tropical forest is challenging as (1) direct regressions with optical and radar data saturate, (2) much of the tropics is persistently cloud-covered, reducing the availability of optical data, (3) many regions include steep topography, making the use of radar data complex, (5) while LiDAR data does not suffer from saturation, expensive aircraft-derived data are necessary for complete coverage. We present a solution to the problems, using a combination of terrain-corrected L-band radar data (ALOS PALSAR), spaceborne LiDAR data (ICESat GLAS) and ground-based data. We map Gabon's Lopé National Park (5000 km2) because it includes a range of vegetation types from savanna to closed-canopy tropical forest, is topographically complex, has no recent contiguous cloud-free high-resolution optical data, and the dense forest is above the saturation point for radar. Our 100 m resolution biomass map is derived from fusing spaceborne LiDAR (7142 ICESat GLAS footprints), 96 ground-based plots (average size 0.8 ha) and an unsupervised classification of terrain-corrected ALOS PALSAR radar data, from which we derive the aboveground biomass stocks of the park to be 78 Tg C (173 Mg C ha−1). This value is consistent with our field data average of 181 Mg C ha−1, from the field plots measured in 2009 covering a total of 78 ha, and which are independent as they were not used for the GLAS-biomass estimation. We estimate an uncertainty of ±25% on our carbon stock value for the park. This error term includes uncertainties resulting from the use of a generic tropical allometric equation, the use of GLAS data to estimate Lorey's height, and the necessity of separating the landscape into distinct classes. As there is currently no spaceborne LiDAR satellite in operation (GLAS data is available for 2003–2009 only), this methodology is not suitable for change-detection. This research underlines the need for new satellite LiDAR data to provide the potential for biomass-change estimates, although this need will not be met before 2015.
Investigating patterns and controls of groundwater up-welling in a lowland river by combining fibre-optic distributed temperature sensing with observations of vertical head gradients
Authors: Krause S. , Blume T. , Cassidy N. J.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. This paper investigates the patterns and controls of aquifer-river exchange in a fast-flowing lowland river by the conjunctive use of streambed temperature anomalies identified with Fibre-optic Distributed Temperature Sensed (FO-DTS) and observations of vertical hydraulic gradients (VHG). FO-DTS temperature traces along this lowland river reach reveal discrete patterns with "cold spots" indicating groundwater up-welling. In contrast to previous studies using FO-DTS for investigation of groundwater-surface water exchange, the fibre-optic cable in this study was buried in the streambed sediments, ensuring clear signals despite fast flow and high discharges. During the observed summer baseflow period, streambed temperatures in groundwater up-welling locations were found to be up to 1.5 °C lower than ambient streambed temperatures. Due to the high river flows the cold spots were sharp and distinctly localized without measurable impact on downstream surface water temperature. VHG patterns along the stream reach were highly variable in space, revealing strong differences even at small scales. VHG patterns alone are indicators of both, structural heterogeneity of the stream bed as well as of the spatial heterogeneity of the groundwater-surface water exchange fluxes and are thus not conclusive in their interpretation. However, in combination with the high spatial resolution DTS data we were able to separate these two influences and clearly identify locations of enhanced exchange, while also obtaining information on the complex small-scale streambed transmissivity patterns responsible for the very discrete exchange patterns.
Totally Implantable Central Venous Access Ports in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Dal Molin Alberto , Di Massimo Dino Stefano , Braggion Cesare , Bisogni Sofia , Rizzi Elena , D'Orazio Ciro , Di Toppa Maria Vittoria , Alghisi Federico , Cristadoro Simona , Carnovale Vincenzo , Festa Gabriella , Rampini Serena , Colombo Carla , Oneta Anna , Furnari Maria Lucia , Calamia Maria Antonietta , Zunino Maria Luisa , Tuccio Giuseppe , Spadea Vincenzo , Messore Barbara , Grosso Bianca , Festini Filippo
Published: January 2012

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of late onset complications of totally implantable venous access devices (TIVAD) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to investigate possible associations between the rate of complications and different policies of TIVAD management.

Methods

A multicenter prospective cohort study was performed in 11 Italian CF Centers. Patients with CF and a TIVAD were recruited and followed-up.

Results

The study commenced on May 2008 and ended on September 2010. Eighty subjects were studied (77.5% women - mean age 27.2 years). Eighteen late complications of ports were observed (22.5%; incidence 0.96 per 1000 days of observation): three lumen occlusions, seven catheter-related infections, three port-related venous thrombosis, in addition to five other complications. A statistically significant association was found between the onset of catheter-related infection and the presence of CF-related diabetes (CFRD) (P=.0064)

Conclusions

Our data suggest that TIVADs represent a safe and effective device for the intermittent IV administration of drugs in people with CF. However, people with CFRD have a higher risk of developing TIVAD-related infection.
Poetryand Displacement
Authors: Smith Stan
Published: January 2012

The paradigmatic figure of twentieth-century history is the displaced person, a concept which emerged from the demographic migrations, deportations and genocidal purges that accompanied two world wars, the destruction and construction of nation states and the restructuring of the global order which they occasioned. These processes almost inevitably fostered a poetry of exile and expatriation intimately bound up with the experience of modernity and the culture of modernism, culminating, in the postcolonial era, with the globalisation of displacement as the determining condition of postmodernity. In this timely new volume renowned poetry critic Stan Smith examines a number of poets  Plath, Larkin, Heaney, Walcott, Middleton, Fisher, Duffy  through the lens of displacement.
Taking Context Seriously: A Review of Six Recent Books on Issues of Equity and Diversity
Authors: Gholson Maisie L. , Martin Danny Bernard
Published: January 2012

Six books on equity and diversity are explored.
Retrograde popliteal access as bail‐out strategy for challenging occlusions of the superficial femoral artery: A multicenter registry
Authors: Sangiorgi Giuseppe , Lauria Giulia , Airoldi Flavio , Godino Cosmo , Politi Luigi , Colombo Antonio , Clerici Giacomo , Modena Maria Grazia , Biondi‐Zoccai Giuseppe
Published: January 2012

Background: The concomitant use of femoral and popliteal accesses has been recommended for challenging superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusions, but no comprehensive comparison of this approach to a strategy of femoral access only is available. We thus aimed to appraise the risk‐benefit balance of retrograde popliteal access as bail‐out strategy for SFA occlusions. Methods: Consecutive patients with symptomatic SFA occlusion and undergoing percutaneous revascularization were enrolled. We distinguished patients in whom retrograde popliteal access was required as bail‐out strategy versus those not requiring such access. The primary end‐point was procedural success. Results: A total of 130 patients (152 limbs) were included, with 23 patients (25 limbs) requiring retrograde popliteal access. Occlusion length was 20.6 ± 8.8 cm in those requiring popliteal access versus 18.5 ± 8.5 cm in those without popliteal access, with TASC C/D lesions in 23 (92%) versus 106 (83%). Procedural success was achieved in 92 out of 107 patients (86.0%) treated with a standard approach and 22 out of 23 patients (95.7%) treated with retrograde popliteal access (total 114 out of 130 [87.7%]) and 112 out of 127 limbs (88.2%) and 24 out of 25 limbs (96.0%), respectively (total 136 out of 152 [89.5%]). No significant increase in early or long‐term adverse events was associated with retrograde popliteal access. Conclusions: Whenever standard access sites do not enable successful recanalization of SFA occlusions, retrograde popliteal access can be safely and effectively envisioned as bail‐out strategy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Association of coronary lipid core plaque with intrastent thrombus formation
Authors: Papayannis Aristotelis C. , Abdel‐Karim Abdul‐Rahman R. , Mahmood Arif , Rangan Bavana V. , Makke Lorenza B. , Banerjee Subhash , Brilakis Emmanouil S.
Published: January 2012

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) allow assessment of the anatomy (OCT) and composition (NIRS) of coronary lesions. We sought to examine the association between pre‐stenting lipid core plaque (LCP), as assessed by NIRS and post‐stenting thrombus formation, as assessed by OCT. Methods: We reviewed the angiograms of nine patients who underwent coronary stenting in association with NIRS and OCT imaging. A large LCP by NIRS was defined as at least three 2‐mm yellow blocks on the NIRS block chemogram with >200° angular extent. Intracoronary thrombus was defined as a mass of medium reflectivity protruding into the vessel lumen, discontinuous from the surface of the vessel wall. Results: Mean age was 67 ± 7 years, and all patients were men, presenting with stable angina (56%), unstable angina (11%), or acute myocardial infarction (33%). The mean vessel lipid core burden index (LCBI) was 120 ± 45, and the mean highest 6‐mm LCBI was 386 ± 190. Three patients had a large LCP and two of them (66%) developed intrastent thrombus after stent implantation compared to none of six patients without large LCPs (0%, P = 0.02). The thrombus resolved after intracoronary glycoprotein IIb/IIIa administration and balloon postdilation. Postprocedural myocardial infarction occurred in 33% versus 17% of patients with and without large LCP, respectively (P = 0.57). Conclusion: Stenting of large LCPs may be associated with intrastent thrombus formation, suggesting that more intensive anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet therapy may be beneficial in such lesions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transient kinetics of n‐butane partial oxidation at elevated pressure
Authors: Shekari Ali , Patience Gregory S.
Published: January 2012

A transient Mars‐van Krevelen type kinetic model was developed for n‐butane partial oxidation over vanadyl pyrophosphate (VPP) catalyst. The model validity was verified over a relatively wide range of redox feed compositions as well as higher reactor pressure (410 kPa). Oxygen and n‐butane conversion increased with higher pressure while maleic anhydride (MA) selectivity decreased by as much as 20%. However, the overall MA yield was enhanced by up to 30%. High pressure maintains the catalyst in a higher oxidation state (as long as there is sufficient oxygen in the gas phase) and as a consequence, the catalytic activity is improved together with MA yield. High pressure also affects the redox reaction rates and activation energies. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
A nonlinear filtered‐x prediction error method algorithm for digital predistortion in digital subscriber line systems
Authors: Abd‐Elrady Emad , Gan Li , Kubin Gernot
Published: January 2012

Digital predistortion of nonlinear systems is an important topic in many practical applications. This paper considers direct predistortion of a Volterra system by connecting in tandem an adaptive Volterra predistorter. The coefficients of the predistorter can be recursively estimated using the nonlinear filtered‐x least mean squares (NFxLMS) algorithm. In this paper, the prediction error method (PEM) is used to derive a novel nonlinear filtered‐x PEM (NFxPEM) algorithm. A simulation study on Volterra systems shows that the NFxPEM algorithm more significantly suppresses spectral regrowth and converges much faster than the NFxLMS algorithm. Also, the NFxPEM algorithm is used in this paper to design more efficient digital predistorter—as compared with the NFxLMS algorithm—for digital subscriber line systems. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Summary of ‘Mass media interventions for preventing smoking in young people’
Authors: Editorial Office Evidence‐Based Child Health
Published: January 2012

This is a summary of Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Brinn MP, Carson KV, Esterman AJ, Chang AB, Smith BJ. Mass media interventions for preventing smoking in young people. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 11. Art. No.: CD001006. DOI: 10.1002/ 14651858.CD001006.pub2. Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The Cochrane Collaboration
Summary of ‘Adjusting the pH of lidocaine for reducing pain on injection’
Authors: Editorial Office Evidence‐Based Child Health
Published: January 2012

This is a summary of Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Cepeda MS, Tzortzopoulou A, Thackrey M, Hudcova J, Arora Gandhi P, Schumann R. Adjusting the pH of lidocaine for reducing pain on injection. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 12. Art. No.: CD006581. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006581.pub2. Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The Cochrane Collaboration