bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aggressivere Therapie verlängert Überleben
Authors: Krome Susanne
Published: March 2018

Patienten mit Grad-II-Gliomen erhielten in einer Studie postoperativ entweder eine Bestrahlung oder eine Radiochemotherapie. Langzeitauswertungen zeigen, dass Vorteile der Kombinationstherapie beim Gesamtüberleben (OS) erst ab dem 4. Jahr nach Randomisierung deutlich wurden. Beim progressionsfreien überleben (PFS) war dies bereits ab dem 2. Jahr der Fall.
Research on the discharge characteristics for water tree in crosslinked polyethylene cable based on plasma-chemical model
Authors: Fan Yang , Qi Yang , Bing Gao , Rong Xia , Yanjie Le , Iroegbu Paul Ikechukwu
Published: March 2018

Water tree is the predominant defect in high-voltage crosslinked polyethylene cables. The microscopic mechanism in the discharge process is not fully understood; hence, a drawback is created towards an effective method to evaluate the insulation status. In order to investigate the growth of water tree, a plasma-chemical model is developed. The dynamic characteristics of the discharge process including voltage waveform, current waveform, electron density, electric potential, and electric field intensity are analyzed. Our results show that the distorted electric field is the predominant contributing factor of electron avalanche formation, which inevitably leads to the formation of pulse current. In addition, it is found that characteristic parameters such as the pulse width and pulse number have a great relevance to the length of water tree. Accordingly, the growth of water tree can be divided into the initial stage, development stage, and pre-breakdown stage, which provides a reference for evaluating the deteriorated stages of crosslinked polyethylene cables.
Enhanced electrocaloric effect in La-based PZT antiferroelectric ceramics
Authors: Mendez-González Y. , Peláiz-Barranco A. , Yang Tongqing , Guerra J. D. S.
Published: March 2018

The electrocaloric effect (ECE) has been investigated in (Pb0.98La0.02)(Zr0.95Ti0.05)0.995O3 antiferroelectric ceramics obtained via the solid-state reaction method. The results from indirect measurements across the temperature range considered reveal a large electrocaloric temperature change (ΔT) of approximately 5 K at 373 K. The enhanced ECE, which is significantly higher than those reported for some lead-free and lead-based electro-ceramics, was obtained by applying an electric field of 60 kV/cm lower than what has been reported for commonly studied ceramic systems. This result suggests that this system is a potential candidate for practical electrocaloric device applications.
Communication: Observation of ultra-slow relaxation in supercooled selenium and related glass-forming liquids
Authors: Zhu W. , Aitken B. G. , Sen S.
Published: March 2018

The rheological behavior of supercooled Se, As10Se90, and As20Se80 liquids is studied in the linear regime as a function of frequency, extending over nearly 11 orders of magnitude, using oscillatory parallel plate rheometry. While the viscoelastic response of the As20Se80 liquid is characterized by a single relaxation time scale, the Se and the As10Se90 liquids display two distinct relaxation processes, both of which are coupled to viscosity, although their time scales differ by nearly 3–5 orders of magnitude. The ultra-slow relaxation process appears to be related to the dynamics of –Se–Se–Se– chain segments in the structure of these liquids, with characteristic time scale and shear modulus that are dependent on the average chain length. The fast mode, on the other hand, is associated with the glassy modulus and is tentatively assigned to a Johari-Goldstein β-process. These results, when taken together, are consistent with the presence of a hierarchical free energy landscape that characterizes the dynamics of the fragile Se and As10Se90 liquids.
Effect of pelleted total mixed rations with different levels of intact rapeseed on performance, carcass traits, serum biochemical indices and meat quality of Boer goats
Authors: Chen Fang , Wei Jin-tao , Yang Xue-hai , Zhao Na , Zhang Wei , Huang Shao-wen , Yan Nian-dong , Guo Wan-zheng
Published: March 2018

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of intact rapeseed (IR) supplementation in goat total mixed ration (TMR) pellets on performance, carcass traits, serum biochemical indices and meat quality. Forty-eight healthy Boer goats with similar initial bodyweight (12.52 ± 1.48 kg) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, dietary containing 0%, 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5% IR, respectively. The results showed that IR had no significant effect on weight gain and average daily feed intake, but 7.5% IR significantly decreased F/G (P<0.05). There were no significant difference among all groups in carcass weight, dressing percentage, visceral fat, liver, kidney and rumen weight, but IR significantly increased the rumen index (P<0.05). IR supplementation significantly increased serum total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and triglyceride level (P<0.05), but had no effect on serum free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase level. In meat quality, IR had no significant influence on meat colour value, pH, water loss rate, cooked meat rate, crude protein, crude ash, total cholesterol content and amino acid composition, but could increase the meat fat content and the relative content of linolenic acid (C18:3, cis-9, 12, 15), eicosenoic acid (C20:1, cis-11) and decrease the relative content of palmitic acid (C16:0), margaric acid (C17:0) and heptadecenoic acid (C17:1, cis-10) (P<0.05). In conclusion, when adding amount in TMR pellets reached 7.5%, IR had almost no adverse effects on growth performance, carcass traits, liver and thyroid function of Boer goats. Conversely, it could reduce F/G and improve ruminal development and the meat quality to some extent.
Linearly Coupled Anharmonic Oscillators and Integrability
Authors: Steeb W-H , Louw JA , Villet CM
Published: March 2018

The Painleve test for a linearly coupled anharmonic oscillator is performed. We show that this system does not pass the Painleve test. This suggests that this system is not integrable. Moreover, we apply Ziglin's (1983) theorem which provides a criterion for non-existence of first integrals besides the Hamiltonian. Calculating numerically the maximal one-dimensional Lyapunov exponent, we find regions with positive exponents. Thus, the system can show chaotic behaviour. Finally we compare our results with the quartic coupled anharmonic oscillator.
D State Effects in the 11B(d, n)12C Reaction at 79 Me V
Authors: Foot PB , Shute GG , Spicer BM
Published: March 2018

Vector analysing powers have been measured for the 11 B(d, n) 12C reaction at 79 MeV for the 0�00,4.44,9�64,12�71 and 15�11 MeV states of 12C. The effects on DWBA calculations of exact finite range and the D state of the deuteron are investigated for this reaction. Compared with approximate finite range calculations, it is found that inclusion of exact finite range and D state in the calculations generally improves the agreement with the experimental data, for both the analysing powers and also the differential cross sections which have been previously reported for these five states.
Genetic mapping of species differences via in vitro crosses in mouse embryonic stem cells
Authors: Lazzarano Stefano , Kučka Marek , Castro João P. L. , Naumann Ronald , Medina Paloma , Fletcher Michael N. C. , Wombacher Rebecka , Gribnau Joost , Hochepied Tino , Van Montagu Marc , Libert Claude , Chan Yingguang Frank
Published: March 2018

Significance

How species differ from each other is a key question in biology. However, genetic mapping between species often fails because of sterile hybrid crosses. Here, we have developed a technique called in vitro recombination to circumvent breeding. We induced genetic reshuffling through mitotic recombination with the drug ML216 and mapped trait variations in a dish. Starting with hybrid embryonic stem cells between the
Mus musculus
laboratory mouse and
Mus spretus
spanning ∼1.5 million years of divergence, we show that it is possible to map the gene responsible for differential resistance to the drug tioguanine in as few as 21 days. Our technique opens up experimental avenues in genetic mapping of various traits and diseases across mouse species.
Data-driven model for the assessment of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
transmission in evolving demographic structures
Authors: Arregui Sergio , Iglesias María José , Samper Sofía , Marinova Dessislava , Martin Carlos , Sanz Joaquín , Moreno Yamir
Published: March 2018

Significance

Even though tuberculosis (TB) is acknowledged as a strongly age-dependent disease, it remains unclear how TB epidemics would react, in the following decades, to the generalized aging that human populations are experiencing worldwide. This situation is partly caused by the limitations of current transmission models at describing the relationship between demography and TB transmission. Here, we present a data-driven epidemiological model that, unlike previous approaches, explicitly contemplates relevant aspects of the coupling between age structure and TB dynamics, such as demographic evolution and contact heterogeneities. Using our model, we identify substantial biases in epidemiological forecasts rooted in an inadequate description of these aspects, at the level of both aggregated incidence and mortality rates and their distribution across age strata.
Schema learning for the cocktail party problem
Authors: Woods Kevin J. P. , McDermott Josh H.
Published: March 2018

Significance

The “cocktail party problem” is encountered when sounds from different sources in the world mix in the air before arriving at the ear, requiring the brain to estimate individual sources from the received mixture. Sounds produced by a given source often exhibit consistencies in structure that might be useful for separating sources if they could be learned. Here we show that listeners rapidly learn the abstract structure shared by sounds from novel sources and use the learned structure to extract these sounds when they appear in mixtures. The involvement of learning and memory in our ability to hear one sound among many opens an avenue to understanding the role of statistical regularities in auditory scene analysis.
The editor’s invisibility
Authors: Bisiada Mario
Published: March 2018

Most corpus-based studies of translation use published texts as the basis for their corpus. This overlooks interventions by other agents involved in translation such as editors, who may have significant influence on the translated text. In order to study editors’ influence on the translation product, this paper presents a comparative analysis of manuscript and published translations, which allows a differentiation of actual translated language and edited translated language. Based on a tripartite parallel corpus of English business articles and their translations into German, I analyse translators’ and editors’ influence on grammatical metaphoricity of the text, specifically on the use of nominalisations. One finding is that a significant amount of nominalisation is re-verbalised by editors. The results show that translated language may often be the result of significant editorial intervention. Thus, by just considering source text and published translation, our picture of what translators actually do may be significantly distorted.
A comparative study of the biomass properties ofErianthusand sugarcane: lignocellulose structure, alkaline delignification rate, and enzymatic saccharification efficiency
Authors: Miyamoto Takuji , Yamamura Masaomi , Tobimatsu Yuki , Suzuki Shiro , Kojima Miho , Takabe Keiji , Terajima Yoshifumi , Mihashi Asako , Kobayashi Yoshinori , Umezawa Toshiaki
Published: March 2018

A comprehensive understanding of the structure and properties of gramineous lignocelluloses is needed to facilitate their uses in biorefinery. In this study, lignocelluloses from fractionated internode tissues of two taxonomically close species, Erianthus arundinaceus and sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), were characterized. Our analyses determined that syringyl (S) lignins were predominant over guaiacyl (G) or p-hydroxyphenyl (H) lignins in sugarcane tissues; on the other hand, S lignin levels were similar to those of G lignin in Erianthus tissues. In addition, tricin units were detected in sugarcane tissues, but not in Erianthus tissues. Distributions of lignin inter-monomeric linkage types were also different in Erianthus and sugarcane tissues. Alkaline treatment removed lignins from sugarcane tissues more efficiently than Erianthus tissues, resulting in a higher enzymatic digestibility of sugarcane tissues compared with Erianthus tissues. Our data indicate that Erianthus biomass displayed resistance to alkaline delignification and enzymatic digestion.
Metabolic engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum for production of sunscreen shinorine
Authors: Tsuge Yota , Kawaguchi Hideo , Yamamoto Shogo , Nishigami Yoshiko , Sota Masahiro , Ogino Chiaki , Kondo Akihiko
Published: March 2018

Ultraviolet-absorbing chemicals are useful in cosmetics and skin care to prevent UV-induced skin damage. We demonstrate here that heterologous production of shinorine, which shows broad absorption maxima in the UV-A and UV-B region. A shinorine producing Corynebacterium glutamicum strain was constructed by expressing four genes from Actinosynnema mirum DSM 43827, which are responsible for the biosynthesis of shinorine from sedoheptulose-7-phosphate in the pentose phosphate pathway. Deletion of transaldolase encoding gene improved shinorine production by 5.2-fold. Among the other genes in pentose phosphate pathway, overexpression of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase encoding gene further increased shinorine production by 60% (19.1 mg/L). The genetic engineering of the pentose phosphate pathway in C. glutamicum improved shinorine production by 8.3-fold in total, and could be applied to produce the other chemicals derived from sedoheptulose-7-phosphate.
Proceed with Caution: Research Production and Uptake in Conflict-Affected Countries
Authors: Thiessen Chuck , Byrne Sean
Published: March 2018

The effectiveness of (neo)liberal intervention in conflict zones remains ambiguous, with supportive and critical camps of scholars and practitioners embracing disparate viewpoints that are each propped up by rigorous empirical analysis. The consequences of this empirical ambiguity have deeply permeated international intervention organisations, who use these unsettled findings for decision- and policy-making. This article argues that the promotion of disparate intervention methodologies is entirely predictable given the existence of contested relationships between prominent underlying themes to the debates around peacebuilding and development intervention: globalisation, development aid, inequality, and poverty, and their roles in inciting or preventing violence. These contested relationships justify the cautious selection and interpretation of research findings by decision- and policy-makers. The concluding discussions explore the impact of biased research production and uptake processes that bolster self-interested intervention practices and outline several recommendations for better aligning evidence-based decision- and policy-making with the needs of conflict-affected populations.
EB1 binding restricts STIM1 translocation to ER–PM junctions and regulates store-operated Ca2+ entry
Authors: Chang Chi-Lun , Chen Yu-Ju , Quintanilla Carlo Giovanni , Hsieh Ting-Sung , Liou Jen
Published: March 2018

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ sensor STIM1 forms oligomers and translocates to ER–plasma membrane (PM) junctions to activate store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) after ER Ca2+ depletion. STIM1 also interacts with EB1 and dynamically tracks microtubule (MT) plus ends. Nevertheless, the role of STIM1–EB1 interaction in regulating SOCE remains unresolved. Using live-cell imaging combined with a synthetic construct approach, we found that EB1 binding constitutes a trapping mechanism restricting STIM1 targeting to ER–PM junctions. We further showed that STIM1 oligomers retain EB1 binding ability in ER Ca2+-depleted cells. By trapping STIM1 molecules at dynamic contacts between the ER and MT plus ends, EB1 binding delayed STIM1 translocation to ER–PM junctions during ER Ca2+ depletion and prevented excess SOCE and ER Ca2+ overload. Our study suggests that STIM1–EB1 interaction shapes the kinetics and amplitude of local SOCE in cellular regions with growing MTs and contributes to spatiotemporal regulation of Ca2+ signaling crucial for cellular functions and homeostasis.
Phosphorylation of MCAD selectively rescuesPINK1deficiencies in behavior and metabolism
Authors: Course Meredith M. , Scott Anna I. , Schoor Carmen , Hsieh Chung-Han , Papakyrikos Amanda M. , Winter Dominic , Cowan Tina M. , Wang Xinnan
Published: March 2018

PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) is a mitochondria-targeted kinase whose mutations are a cause of Parkinson’s disease. We set out to better understand PINK1’s effects on mitochondrial proteins in vivo. Using an unbiased phosphoproteomic screen in Drosophila, we found that PINK1 mediates the phosphorylation of MCAD, a mitochondrial matrix protein critical to fatty acid metabolism. By mimicking phosphorylation of this protein in a PINK1 null background, we restored PINK1 null’s climbing, flight, thorax, and wing deficiencies. Owing to MCAD’s role in fatty acid metabolism, we examined the metabolic profile of PINK1 null flies, where we uncovered significant disruptions in both acylcarnitines and amino acids. Some of these disruptions were rescued by phosphorylation of MCAD, consistent with MCAD’s rescue of PINK1 null’s organismal phenotypes. Our work validates and extends the current knowledge of PINK1, identifies a novel function of MCAD, and illuminates the need for and effectiveness of metabolic profiling in models of neurodegenerative disease.
Dietary Protein and Preservation of Physical Functioning Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in the Framingham Offspring Study
Authors: Mustafa Jabed , Ellison R Curtis , Singer Martha R , Bradlee M Loring , Kalesan Bindu , Holick Michael F , Moore Lynn L
Published: March 2018

Dietary protein may help prevent age-related declines in strength and functional capacity. This study examines the independent relationship between dietary protein and longitudinal changes in physical functioning among adults participating in the Framingham Offspring Study from examination 5 (1991–1995) to examination 8 (2005–2008). Protein intakes were derived from 3-day diet records during examinations 3 and 5; functional status was determined over 12 years using 7 items selected from standardized questionnaires. Multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, education, physical activity, smoking, height, and energy intake. Functional tasks that benefitted most from a higher-protein diet (≥1.2 g/kg/day vs. <0.8 g/kg/day) were doing heavy work at home, walking 1/2 mile (0.8 km), going up and down stairs, stooping/kneeling/crouching, and lifting heavy items. Those with higher protein intakes were 41% less likely (95% CI: 0.43, 0.82) to become dependent in 1 or more of the functional tasks over follow-up. Higher physical activity and lower body mass index were both independently associated with less functional decline. The greatest risk reductions were found among those with higher protein intakes combined with either higher physical activity, more skeletal muscle mass, or lower body mass index. This study demonstrates that dietary protein intakes above the current US Recommended Daily Allowance may slow functional decline in older adults.
Implementing STEADI in Academic Primary Care to Address Older Adult Fall Risk
Authors: Eckstrom Elizabeth , Parker Erin M , Lambert Gwendolyn H , Winkler Gray , Dowler David , Casey Colleen M
Published: March 2018

Background and Objectives

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in older adults. Objectives include describing implementation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) initiative to help primary care providers (PCPs) identify and manage fall risk, and comparing a 12-item and a 3-item fall screening questionnaire.

Design and Methods

We systematically incorporated STEADI into routine patient care via team training, electronic health record tools, and tailored clinic workflow. A retrospective chart review of patients aged 65 and older who received STEADI measured fall screening rates, provider compliance with STEADI (high-risk patients), results from the 12-item questionnaire (Stay Independent), and comparison with a 3-item subset of this questionnaire (three key questions).

Results

Eighteen of 24 providers (75%) participated, screening 773 (64%) patients over 6 months; 170 (22%) were high-risk. Of these, 109 (64%) received STEADI interventions (gait, vision, and feet assessment, orthostatic blood pressure measurement, vitamin D, and medication review). Providers intervened on 85% with gait impairment, 97% with orthostatic hypotension, 82% with vision impairment, 90% taking inadequate vitamin D, 75% with foot issues, and 22% on high-risk medications. Using three key questions compared to the full Stay Independent questionnaire decreased screening burden, but increased the number of high-risk patients.

Discussion and Implications

We successfully implemented STEADI, screening two-thirds of eligible patients. Most high-risk patients received recommended assessments and interventions, except medication reduction. Falls remain a substantial public health challenge. Systematic implementation of STEADI could help clinical teams reduce older patient fall risks.
$H_{2}$
model order reduction based on gramians of discrete-time bilinear systems
Authors: Li Yan-peng , Jiang Yao-lin
Published: March 2018

In this paper, on the basis of gramians, $H_{2}$-optimal model order reduction of discrete-time bilinear dynamic systems is investigated. First, based on the reachability gramian and the observability gramian, the $H_{2}$-optimal necessary conditions of the discrete-time bilinear system are derived and the corresponding algorithm is proposed. When the algorithm is convergent, the resulting reduced system satisfies the necessary conditions. Then, for the single-input and single-output system, the $H_2$-optimal necessary conditions based on the generalized cross gramian are presented and the related algorithm is accordingly generated. Similarly, the convergent algorithm can make the reduced system satisfy the necessary conditions. Finally, two numerical examples are employed to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Plancherel Distribution of Satake Parameters of Maass Cusp Forms on GL3
Authors: Buttcane Jack , Zhou Fan
Published: March 2018

We prove an equidistribution result for the Satake parameters of Maass cusp forms on $\operatorname{GL}_{3}$ with respect to the p-adic Plancherel measure by using an application of the Kuznetsov trace formula. The techniques developed in this paper deal with the removal of arithmetic weight $L(1,F,\operatorname{Ad})^{-1}$ in the Kuznetsov trace formula on $\operatorname{GL}_{3}$.
Bridging the Gaps by Including the Police Officer Perspective? A Study of the Design and Implementation of an RCT in Police Practice and the Impact of Pracademic Knowledge
Authors: Magnusson Mia-Maria
Published: March 2018

One means of advancing police research is to examine the implementation of studies conducted in the field of police practice. The design and implementation of experiments in police practice is complex because they require the two often separate worlds of research and practice to work together. One way to move forward towards evidence-based policing would be to bridge the gap between research and practice, while also bridging the gap between practice and policy. This article analyses how a randomized controlled trial was designed and implemented in the field of drug policing in Sweden. The analysis is done by comparing the drug enforcement trial to the experimental guidelines presented by Sherman (2010) and by exploring survey responses provided by participating police officers. The study identifies three themes with special relevance for the pracademic perspective; frustration, credibility, and officer perspective. The study concludes that the involvement of pracademic researchers may facilitate better communication between practitioners and police management, enhance evaluation, and improve the chances of changing police practice.
Anti-Money Laundering Law in India: A ‘Glocalization’ Model
Authors: Narayan Shannu
Published: March 2018

The move towards harmonization of International Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regimes has attained importance during the last two decades and has been almost universally adopted by the international community. Member States of the United Nations, and Inter-governmental Organizations like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), have criminalized money laundering, and many of them have set up specialized agencies to combat it. Money laundering is the life blood of all transnational crimes. Illicit/illegitimate money is integrated and reinvested into the legitimate financial system, which in turn facilitates commission of further transnational crimes. The term ‘glocalization’ describes the locally embedded nature of transnational crime. India’s AML law regime is a perfect example of adopting a glocalization model which is manifested through various amendments carried out to the principal Act to align it with international standards and policies.
Genome-Based Discovery of Polyketide-Derived Secondary Metabolism Pathways in the Barley PathogenRamularia collo-cygni
Authors: Dussart F. , Douglas R. , Sjökvist E. , Hoebe P. N. , Spoel S. H. , McGrann G. R. D.
Published: March 2018

Ramularia collo-cygni causes Ramularia leaf spot (RLS) disease of barley. The fungus develops asymptomatically within its host until late in the growing season, when necrotic lesions become visible on upper leaves. Fungal secondary metabolites (SM) have been proposed as important factors in RLS lesion formation but the biosynthetic pathways involved remain largely unknown. Mining the R. collo-cygni genome revealed the presence of 10 polyketide synthases (PKS), 10 nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS), and 3 hybrid PKS-NRPS (HPS) identified within clusters of genes with predicted functions associated with secondary metabolism. SM core genes along with their predicted transcriptional regulators exhibited transcriptional coexpression during infection of barley plants. Moreover, their expression peaked during early stages of host colonization and preceded or overlapped with the appearance of disease symptoms, suggesting that SM may manipulate the host to promote colonization or protect R. collo-cygni from competing organisms. Accordingly, R. collo-cygni inhibited the growth of several fungi in vitro, indicating that it synthesized and excreted antifungal agents. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the R. collo-cygni genome contains the genetic architecture to synthesize a wide range of SM and suggests that coexpression of PKS and HPS is associated with competitive colonization of the host and early symptom development.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .
The Management of Critically Colonized and Locally Infected Leg Ulcers with an Acid-Oxidizing Solution: A Pilot Study
Authors: Strohal Robert , Mittlböck Martina , Hämmerle Gilbert
Published: March 2018

OBJECTIVE:

Critical colonization or local infection is very common in chronic wounds, but clinically problematic. Because therapeutic options for these conditions are limited in number and efficacy, the study authors tested a new acid-oxidizing solution (AOS [Nexodyn]; APR Applied Pharma Research S.A., Balerna, Switzerland) to determine its ancillary antimicrobial properties and potential support for wound healing.

DESIGN AND SETTING:

This open-label clinical case series was conducted with a prospective, single-arm design at the Federal County Hospital in Bregenz, Austria.

PATIENTS:

In the study, 30 patients with critically colonized or locally infected chronic leg ulcers of any origin were included.

INTERVENTIONS:

The AOS was applied on each leg ulcer at every dressing change for 35 days.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

The tolerability and performance of the AOS were assessed by evaluating the ulcer characteristics and comparing them with those at baseline. The clinical course of wounds was analyzed using standard measures for bioburden, local infection, pain, pH, and wound healing.

MAIN RESULTS:

Application of the solution was well tolerated, and no adverse events were recorded. In all patients, local infection was overcome, and wound bed pH and wound area decreased significantly. In addition, patient pain levels decreased to a level where interventions were not required after study day 7. In 37% of all patients, a complete resolution of chronic ulcers was achieved by the end of the study period.

CONCLUSION:

According to these results, the AOS seems to be a valid and highly tolerable treatment to support wound healing in locally infected ulcers. Nevertheless, larger controlled cohort studies are needed to substantiate these findings.
Prevalence of Preoperative Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Patients Undergoing Elective Lumbar Spine Surgery
Authors: Lieberman Elizabeth G. , Boone Ryan M. , Radoslovich Stephanie , Haj Valentina , Hiratzka Jayme , Marshall Lynn M. , Yoo Jung U.
Published: March 2018

Study Design.

Cross-sectional cohort study.

Objective.

To determine the prevalence of moderate-to-severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery, and to describe associations between prevalence, severity of symptoms, demographic variables, and spine pathology.

Summary of Background Data.

The prevalence of LUTS is unknown in patients with lumbar spine disease. Furthermore, the extent of LUTS severity and the relationship between spine pathology and LUTS is not well documented.

Methods.

We used the validated International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) to assess LUTS severity among elective lumbar spine surgery patients from October 2015 to April 2017 at a single academic institution. Moderate-to-severe LUTS was defined as IPSS score of 8 or more. The IPSS also includes a question to assess urinary bother, for which a score of 4 or more indicates clinically significant bother. Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were computed in the sample overall, and according to sex, age, and lumbar spine diagnosis.

Results.

IPSS data were obtained from 373 patients (97% of those eligible) undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery. Moderate-to-severe urinary symptoms were reported by 46% of these patients, and by 51% of women and 42% of men. Prevalence of moderate-to-severe urinary symptoms increased with age, rising from 38% in patients younger than 40 years to 57% in patients 70 years or older. LUTS prevalence according to spondylolisthesis, stenosis, scoliosis, and herniated nucleus pulposus diagnostic groups were 51%, 50%, 50%, and 31%, respectively. Clinically significant urinary bother was reported by 14% overall, 10% of men, and 18% of women, and prevalence also increased with age.

Conclusion.

Moderate-to-severe LUTS were highly prevalent in this sample. Urinary symptoms are more prevalent with increasing age, in women, and in patients with stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and scoliosis. Proportionally, fewer patients reported clinically significant urinary bother, which may impact patient reporting and physician identification of urinary symptoms.

Level of Evidence: 3
Behavioral effects of toll-like receptor-4 antagonist ‘eritoran’ in an experimental model of depression: role of prefrontal and hippocampal neurogenesis and γ-aminobutyric acid/glutamate balance
Authors: Aboul-Fotouh Sawsan , Habib Mohamed , Asaad Tarek , Kassim Samar K. , Ghanem Mohamed H.
Published: March 2018

Depression is the disease of the modern era. The lack of response to the available antidepressants, which were developed on the basis of the monoaminergic deficit hypothesis of depression, has encouraged scientists to think about new mechanisms explaining the pathogenesis of depression. In this context, the inflammatory theory has emerged to clarify many aspects of depression that the previous theories have failed to explain. Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) has a regulatory role in the brain’s immune response to stress, and its activation is suggested to play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of depression. In this study, we tested eritoran (ERI), a TLR-4 receptor-4 antagonist, as a potential antidepressant. We investigated the effect of long-term administration of ERI in three different doses on behavioral changes, hippocampal and prefrontal cortex (PFC) neurogenesis, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)/glutamate balance in male Wistar rats exposed to chronic restraint stress (CRS). Long-term administration of ERI ameliorated CRS-induced depressive-like symptoms and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis hyperactivity alongside reducing levels of hippocampal and PFC inflammatory cytokines, restoring GABA and glutamate balance, and enhancing PFC and hippocampal neurogenesis, by increasingBDNFgene and protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. The results demonstrate an antidepressant-like activity of ERI in Wistar rats exposed to CRS, which may be largely mediated by its ability to reduce neuroinflammation, increase BDNF, and restore GABA/glutamate balance in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Nonetheless, further studies are needed to characterize the mechanism of the antidepressant effect of ERI.
SILICONE MICROTUBE–ASSISTED SCLERAL FIXATION OF A POSTERIOR CHAMBER INTRAOCULAR LENS
Authors: Kataoka Takuya , Kamei Motohiro
Published: March 2018

Purpose:

To report a novel technique for intrascleral fixation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens using a silicone microtube to manipulate the haptics into position.

Methods:

Intrascleral fixation was performed in six eyes and the results evaluated in this retrospective case series. A silicone microtube with a 0.2-mm external diameter was passed from a sclerocorneal incision through the chamber and a sclerotomy made using a 30-gauge needle. The tips of the intraocular lens haptics were connected to the silicone microtube outside the eye. After the intraocular lens was injected into the posterior chamber, the haptics were drawn through the scleral incision through their attachment to the silicone microtube.

Results:

The mean postoperative corrected visual acuity was 0.62 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/43) with a mean refraction error of −0.06 ± 0.4 diopter, which did not differ significantly (P = 0.53) from the expected value. The postoperative complications included transient ocular hypotension, vitreous hemorrhage, and choroidal detachment.

Conclusion:

Our technique using a silicone microtube reduces the number of intraocular procedures compared with previous methods using forceps or needles for moving the intraocular lens haptics from the posterior chamber to the outside through sclerotomies.
OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY OF ACUTE MACULAR NEURORETINOPATHY REVEALS DEEP CAPILLARY ISCHEMIA
Authors: Nemiroff Julia , Sarraf David , Davila Juan Pablo , Rodger Damien
Published: March 2018

Purpose:

To present the multimodal retinal imaging findings, including optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography, of an atypical case of acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN).

Methods:

The multimodal retinal imaging findings, including structural OCT and OCT angiography, of an atypical case of AMN are presented.

Results:

A 23-year old woman, with a history of an unrelenting sinusitis treated with prednisone therapy and decongestants, presented with an acute scotoma of the right eye. Structural OCT illustrated an area of hyperreflectivity in the outer plexiform and outer nuclear layers nasal to the fovea, with associated disruption of the inner segment ellipsoid band consistent with AMN. At the 2-week follow-up visit, intraretinal fluid was noted with repeat OCT, with spontaneous resolution of the fluid at the 2-month follow-up visit. Optical coherence tomography angiography illustrated a flow void in the deep retinal capillary plexus associated with the AMN lesion.

Conclusion:

Atypical findings of AMN are presented in this case report including the presence and spontaneous resolution of intraretinal fluid. Although OCT angiography illustrated a flow deficit within the deep retinal capillary plexus, the cause of AMN remains elusive.
Comparison of the Lubricity and Surface Roughness of 5 Cosmetic Contact Lenses
Authors: Lau Charis , Tosatti Samuele , Mundorf Michelle , Ebare Kingsley , Osborn Lorenz Kathrine
Published: March 2018

Objectives:

Cosmetic contact lenses are increasingly popular because of their eye enhancing cosmetic benefits. The pigment particles used in these lenses can impact lens surface characteristics. This article examines the surface characteristics and the differences between the clear and the pigmented regions among five limbal ring design lenses.

Methods:

Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the location and depth of the pigment particles from the lens surface. The coefficient of friction (CoF) was determined with a Basalt-MUST microtribometer at clear and pigmented regions on either the front or the back surface. Atomic force microscopy was used to determine the surface roughness of each lens in root-mean-square (RMS) units at clear and pigmented regions. A linear mixed model for repeated measures was used for the analysis of the CoF and RMS roughness to compare all lenses.

Results:

Four lens types had pigments exposed on the surface and one lens type had pigment fully enclosed. The CoF difference between clear and pigmented regions were similar and not statistically significant (P=0.0124) for the lens type with pigments enclosed, whereas the CoF difference for the other four lens types showed statistically significant difference (P<0.0001).

Conclusions:

Of the lenses tested here, cosmetic contact lenses with pigments enclosed in the lens matrix provided a more consistent surface between clear and pigmented regions compared with lenses that had exposed pigments.
Comparative transcriptome profiling of the human and mouse dorsal root ganglia: an RNA-seq–based resource for pain and sensory neuroscience research
Authors: Ray Pradipta , Torck Andrew , Quigley Lilyana , Wangzhou Andi , Neiman Matthew , Rao Chandranshu , Lam Tiffany , Kim Ji-Young , Kim Tae Hoon , Zhang Michael Q. , Dussor Gregory , Price Theodore J.
Published: March 2018

Molecular neurobiological insight into human nervous tissues is needed to generate next-generation therapeutics for neurological disorders such as chronic pain. We obtained human dorsal root ganglia (hDRG) samples from organ donors and performed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to study the hDRG transcriptional landscape, systematically comparing it with publicly available data from a variety of human and orthologous mouse tissues, including mouse DRG (mDRG). We characterized the hDRG transcriptional profile in terms of tissue-restricted gene coexpression patterns and putative transcriptional regulators, and formulated an information-theoretic framework to quantify DRG enrichment. Relevant gene families and pathways were also analyzed, including transcription factors, G-protein-coupled receptors, and ion channels. Our analyses reveal an hDRG-enriched protein-coding gene set (∼140), some of which have not been described in the context of DRG or pain signaling. Most of these show conserved enrichment in mDRG and were mined for known drug–gene product interactions. Conserved enrichment of the vast majority of transcription factors suggests that the mDRG is a faithful model system for studying hDRG, because of evolutionarily conserved regulatory programs. Comparison of hDRG and tibial nerve transcriptomes suggests trafficking of neuronal mRNA to axons in adult hDRG, and are consistent with studies of axonal transport in rodent sensory neurons. We present our work as an online, searchable repository (https://www.utdallas.edu/bbs/painneurosciencelab/sensoryomics/drgtxome), creating a valuable resource for the community. Our analyses provide insight into DRG biology for guiding development of novel therapeutics and a blueprint for cross-species transcriptomic analyses.
The Incidence of Cranial Arteriovenous Shunts in Patients With Pulsatile Tinnitus: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: in ’t Veld Matthijs , Fronczek R. , de Laat J. A. , Kunst Henricus P. M. , Meijer Frederick J. A. , Willems Peter W. A.
Published: March 2018

Objectives:

Finding the underlying cause for pulsatile tinnitus can be challenging. We aimed to determine the incidence of arteriovenous shunts, i.e., arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) or dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs), in patients referred for catheter angiography (digital subtraction angiography [DSA]). Furthermore, we assessed which clinical features were predictive for the presence of such a lesion.

Study Design and Methods:

Fifty-one patients with pulsatile tinnitus, who were referred to us for DSA to exclude an arteriovenous shunt, were enrolled, prospectively.

Main Outcome Measures:

DSA determined the presence of a dAVF or AVM. Clinical characteristics were recorded systematically and all patients underwent a physical examination.

Results:

Fifty patients were included in the final analyses. While no AVMs were found, a dAVF was found in 12 cases (24%). Three of these demonstrated cortical venous reflux, thus requiring treatment due to the risk of hemorrhage. In three cases (6%), DSA demonstrated a non-arteriovenous-shunt abnormality, likely causing the tinnitus. The odds of having a dAVF were significantly raised by unilaterality, objective bruit, and the ability to influence the tinnitus with compression. Unilaterality even had a negative predictive value of 1 and, if used as selection criterion, would have raised dAVF prevalence from 24 to 32%.

Conclusion:

In a tertiary care setting, the prevalence of dAVFs in patients with pulsatile tinnitus is not negligible. Thus, patients with unilateral pulsatile tinnitus should be offered dynamic vascular imaging to rule out a dAVF. Especially, since some of these patients are at risk of intracranial hemorrhage and treatment options exist.
Taste Changes in Patients With Middle Ear Surgery by Intraoperative Manipulation of Chorda Tympani Nerve
Authors: Choi Nayeon , Ahn Jungmin , Cho Yang-Sun
Published: March 2018

Objectives:

The aim of study was to evaluate the subjective changes of taste and salivation after middle ear surgery according to chorda tympani nerve (CTN) injury.

Study design:

Prospective cohort study.

Setting:

Tertiary referral center.

Patients:

We enrolled 180 patients older than 13 years old who received middle ear surgery.

Interventions:

The patients were classified into cut, manipulated, and intact groups according to intraoperative assessments of the CTN. The patients responded taste and salivation surveys preoperatively, and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively.

Main Outcome Measures:

We analyzed results of questionnaires including disturbance rates, severity and character to evaluate taste and salivation functions.

Results:

Taste disturbance rate was significantly improved in all groups during follow-up (p < 0.05). The incidence of taste disturbance did not differ significantly between the three groups at each follow-up (p > 0.05). The taste disturbance score improved gradually in the cut and intact groups (p < 0.001), but not in the manipulated group (p = 0.067). Among the patients with taste disturbance, hypoguesia was most common symptom. Incidence of salivation disturbance did not differ between the three groups (p = 0.298). However, this symptom improved significantly only in the intact group (p < 0.001). The taste and salivation disturbance rate was not different between patients with and without chronic otitis media at 3 and 6 months, and both groups showed significant improvement.

Conclusions:

Prevalence of taste and salivation disturbance was similar between three groups until 6 months. However, taste disturbance did not improve in the manipulated group and salivation disturbance improved only in the intact group.
Convectively Dominated Heparin Leakage From Multiple Catheter Designs: An In Vitro Experimental Study
Authors: Barbour Michael Coleman , Gow Kenneth W. , Aliseda Alberto
Published: March 2018

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are routinely filled with a heparin lock while not in use to avoid thrombus formation near the tip. However, heparin leakage is known to occur, and the lock effectiveness remains in question. It was recently shown that convective fluxes from the blood flow in the host vein transport the majority of locking solution away from the tip of hemodialysis catheters immediately after instillation. Combined with the low diffusivity of heparin, this results in concentrations of heparin at the catheter tip that are orders of magnitude lower than at instillation for the majority of the interdialytic phase, diminishing the antithrombotic effectiveness of the lock. In this study, heparin losses from three different CVCs with different tip designs are measured in a pulsatile flow loop. Planar laser-induced fluorescence and particle image velocimetry measurements of heparin concentration and fluid velocity are recorded downstream of the catheters and combined to evaluate heparin losses from each of the different catheter designs. Additionally, locking solution losses are measured from one catheter (Hickman) subjected to three different flow conditions. Heparin losses are shown to depend weakly on flow condition but be highly dependent on catheter design. Convective losses from the Hickman catheter, with no side holes, are minimal (1–2%), although losses from the other two catheter types, both with a number of side holes, are significantly higher (7%). These results indicate the potential to maintain a high concentration of locking solution during the interdialytic phase with proper catheter design, particularly focusing on side hole distribution and shape.
Low-Dose Prothrombin Complex Concentrate in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices
Authors: Brown Caitlin S. , Zemrak Wesley R. , Dyer Kaitlin J. , Rolfe Stephen
Published: March 2018

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have become an important advancement for patients with end-stage heart failure. Left ventricular assist devices come with the risk of stroke and pump thrombosis, and to mitigate these risks, anticoagulation is given to these patients. With anticoagulation comes increased bleeding risk, and urgent reversal may be necessary. Reports have shown that the risk of thrombosis with prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) does exist, especially in patients with baseline risk factors for thrombosis. We describe two cases of warfarin reversal with low-dose 4-factor PCC (4F-PCC) in two different LVAD patient scenarios. Low-dose 4F-PCC was administered to one patient with a Heart Mate II (HM II) LVAD, international normalized ratio (INR) of 4.7 on admission and in need of an urgent procedure. He received approximately 16 units/kg of 4F-PCC with reversal of his INR to 2.3 within 45 minutes. The second patient also had a HM II LVAD and presented with a right occipital intraparenchymal hemorrhage and subdural hematoma with an INR of 3.7. He received approximately 11 units/kg of 4F-PCC with INR reversal to 1.6 within 1 hour. Both of these patients had no thrombotic complications and successful reversal of their INR with low-dose 4F-PCC. Further investigation into low-dose 4F-PCC dosing strategies is warranted.