bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of painful procedures performed in neonates: A systematic review of observational studies
Authors: Cruz M.D. , Fernandes A.M. , Oliveira C.R.
Published: July 2015

Background and objective

Procedural pain in neonates has been a concern in the last two decades. The purpose of this review was to provide a critical appraisal and a synthesis of the published epidemiological studies about procedural pain in neonates admitted to intensive care units. The aims were to determine the frequency of painful procedures and pain management interventions as well as to identify their predictors.

Databases and data treatment

Academic Search, CINAHL, LILACS, Medic Latina, MEDLINE and SciELO databases were searched for observational studies on procedural pain in neonates admitted to intensive care units. Studies in which neonatal data could not be extracted from the paediatric population were excluded.

Results

Eighteen studies were included in the review. Six studies with the same study duration, the first 14 days of the neonate life or admission in the unit of care, identified 6832 to 42,413 invasive procedures, with an average of 7.5–17.3 per neonate per day. The most frequent procedures were heel lance, suctioning, venepuncture and insertion of peripheral venous catheter. Pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches were inconsistently applied. Predictors of the frequency of procedures and analgesic use included the neonate's clinical condition, day of unit stay, type of procedure, parental presence and pain assessment. The existence of pain protocols was not a predictor of analgesia.

Conclusions

Painful procedures were performed frequently and often with inadequate pain management. Unlike neonate clinical factors, organizational factors may be modified to promote a context of care more favourable to pain management.
Electrochemical Sensors Based on Molybdenum Disulfide Nanomaterials
Authors: Wang Tanyuan , Du Kuangzhou , Liu Wanglian , Zhang Jinxuan , Li Meixian
Published: July 2015

Nanostructured molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been arousing great research interest in many fields in recent years due to their peculiar properties. In this short review, we introduce recent advances in nanostructured MoS2 as potential materials for construction of electrochemical sensors. The potential application prospect of the electrochemical sensors based on MoS2 nanomaterials is proposed.
Influence of the Solvent on the “Casting” Methodology for MWCNT‐Modified Glassy Carbon and Platinum Electrodes
Authors: Dorim Ana Carolina Ângelo , Aleixo Herbert , de Souza Barcellos Edilton , Okumura Leonardo Luiz
Published: July 2015

The choice of electrode material and surface preparation method are usually dictated by the suitability of the electrode to observe an electrochemical parameter, such as heterogeneous electron transfer rate, surface coverage, or redox potential. Thus, the glassy carbon (GC) and platinum (Pt) electrodes were modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) by direct “casting” modification using nine different aliquots of solvents. After drying at room temperature, the modified electrode showed distinct redox peaks corresponding to ferrocyanide oxidation/reduction. Using chemometrics, the cyclic voltammograms with higher current intensity were obtained for those in which ethanol, water and acetone as dispersing agents were used for GCE and dimethylformamide, water and acetone for Pt electrode modification.
Study of a Novel Bisnaphthalimidopropyl Polyamine as Electroactive Material for Perchlorate‐selective Potentiometric Sensors
Authors: Gil Renato , Amorim Célia G. , Crombie Laura , Kong Thoo Lin Paul , Araújo Alberto , da Conceição Montenegro Maria
Published: July 2015

In this work, the new polyamine bisnaphthalimidopropyl‐4,4’‐diaminodiphenylmethane is proposed as a new ionophore for perchlorate potentiometric sensors. The optimal formulation for the membrane comprised of 12 mmol kg−1 of the ionophore, and 68 % (w/w) of 2‐nitrophenyl phenyl ether as plasticizer and 31 % (w/w) of high molecular weight PVC. The sensors were soaked in water for a week to allow leakage of anionic impurities and for one day in a perchlorate solution (10−4 mol L−1) to improve reproducibility due to its first usage. The stability constant for the ionophore‐perchlorate association in the membrane, log βIL1=3.18±0.04, ensured a performance characterized by the slope of 54.1 (±0.7) mV dec−1 to perchlorate solutions with concentrations between 1.24×10−7 and 1.00×10−3 mol L−1. The sensors are insensitive to pH between 3.5 to 11.0, they have a practical detection limit of 7.66 (±0.42) ×10−8 mol L−1 and a response time below 60 s for solutions with perchlorate concentrations above 5×10−6 mol L−1. The accuracy of the results was confirmed by the analysis of the contaminant in a certified reference water sample.
Electrochemical Biosensor for Organophosphate Pesticides and Huperzine‐A Detection Based on Pd Wormlike Nanochains/Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanocomposites and Acetylcholinesterase
Authors: Wang Bingxin , Ye Cui , Zhong Xia , Chai Yaqin , Chen Shihong , Yuan Ruo
Published: July 2015

A new electrochemical biosensor was developed for organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) and huperzine‐A (hupA) detection based on Pd wormlike nanochains/graphitic carbon nitride (Pd WLNCs/g‐C3N4) nanocomposites and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The morphologies and components of the nanocomposites were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Pd WLNCs/g‐C3N4 nanocomposites could effectively immobilize enzymes and promote the signal amplification. Under the optimum condition, the proposed biosensor displayed well performance. The linear response ranges for the determination of OPs and hupA were 1.00 nM to 14.96 µM and 3.89 nM to 20.80 µM, respectively. The corresponding detection limits were 0.33 nM and 1.30 nM (S/N=3). Meanwhile, the biosensor owned good reproducibility and stability, and could also be applied to analyze practical samples, which would be a new hopeful method for pesticide analysis.
Voltammetric Determination of Folic Acid Using Adsorption of Methylene Blue onto Electrodeposited of Reduced Graphene Oxide Film Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode
Authors: Zhang Dongdong , Ouyang Xiaoyan , Ma Weina , Li Lingzhi , Zhang Yanmin
Published: July 2015

This work presents a sensitive voltammetric method for determination of folic acid by adsorbing methylene blue onto electrodeposited reduced graphene oxide film modified glassy carbon electrode (MB/ERGO/GCE) in 100 mM KCl‐10 mM sodium phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.40). The surface morphology of the MB/ERGO/GCE modified electrode was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, displays that both MB and ERGO distributed homogeneously on the surface of GCE. The MB/ERGO/GCE modified electrode shows more favorable electron transfer kinetics for potassium ferricyanide and potassium ferrocyanide probe molecules, which are important electroactive compounds, compared with bare GCE, MB/GCE, and ERGO/GCE. The electrochemical behaviors of folic acid at MB/ERGO/GCE were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, suggesting that the modified electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards folic acid compared with other electrodes. Under physiological condition, the MB/ERGO/GCE modified electrode showed a linear voltammetric response from 4.0 μM to 167 μM for folic acid, and with the detection limit of 0.5 μM (S/N=3). The stability, reproducibility and anti‐interference ability of the modified electrode were examined. The developed method has been successfully applied to determination of FA in tablets with a satisfactory recovery from 96 % to 100 %. The work demonstrated that the electroactive MB adsorbing onto graphene modified electrode showed an enhanced electron transfer property and a high resolution capacity to FA.
The Influence of Different Carbon Sources on Li3V2(PO4)3/C Synthesized by a Hybrid Sol–Gel Method as Cathode for Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Li Lingfang , Fan Changling , Huang Xiaobing , Zhang Xiang , Han Shaochang
Published: July 2015

Using cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as the surfactant, here we present the synthesis of lithium vanadium phosphate (LVP) Li3V2(PO4)/C by using a hybrid sol–gel method. Glucose, phenolic resin, and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are respectively used as the carbon sources for the three final products, LVP@GC, LVP@PR, LVP@PF. In addition, pure Li3V2(PO4), which is marked as LVP@0, was synthesized under the same conditions for comparison. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results indicate that LVP@PR and LVP@PF have particle sizes less than 0.5 μm. Li‐cycling studies are preformed in half‐cell over the potential range of 3.0–3.4 V. All four samples exhibited outstanding cycle performance, but the rate performances of LVP@0 and LVP@GC are worse than the other two. LVP@0 only delivers a discharge capacity of 40 mAh g−1 and LVP@GC delivers 70 mAh g−1 at 15 C [Li3V2(PO4) theoretical capacity=132 mAh g−1 over 3.0–3.4 V). LVP@PR and LVP@PF showed impressive electrochemical performance. LVP@PF delivered a near‐theoretical capacity at ≤2 C rate. At rates of 10 C and 15 C, the capacities of LVP@PR and LVP@PF are both above 90 mAh g−1 and LVP@PF is slightly higher than LVP@PR.
Stability of the time‐domain analysis method including a frequency‐dependent soil–foundation system
Authors: Duarte Laudon Alex , Kwon Oh‐Sung , Ghaemmaghami Amir Reza
Published: July 2015

A number of methods have been proposed that utilize the time‐domain transformations of frequency‐dependent dynamic impedance functions to perform a time‐history analysis. Though these methods have been available in literature for a number of years, the methods exhibit stability issues depending on how the model parameters are calibrated. In this study, a novel method is proposed with which the stability of a numerical integration scheme combined with time‐domain representation of a frequency‐dependent dynamic impedance function can be evaluated. The method is verified with three independent recursive parameter models. The proposed method is expected to be a useful tool in evaluating the potential stability issue of a time‐domain analysis before running a full‐fledged nonlinear time‐domain analysis of a soil–structure system in which the dynamic impedance of a soil–foundation system is represented with a recursive parameter model. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Low concentrations of dihydrotestosterone induce female-to-male sex reversal in the frog Pelophylax nigromaculatus
Authors: Xu Wei , Li Yuan-Yuan , Lou Qin-Qin , Chen Xiao-Ran , Qin Zhan-Fen , Wie Wu-Ji
Published: July 2015

Previous studies have demonstrated that some amphibian species can be sex-reversed by high concentrations of androgens. Little attention has focused on the effects of androgenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on amphibians. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of lower concentrations of the androgenic EDC 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on gonadal differentiation and development in Pelophylax nigromaculatus, a true frog distributed widely in East Asia. Tadpoles at Gosner stage 24/25 were exposed to nominal concentrations of 40 ng/L, 400 ng/L, and 4000 ng/L DHT to complete metamorphosis. In all DHT treatment groups, males and ambiguous sexes were identified based on gonadal morphology, whereas no females were found; thus, all treatment groups exhibited male-skewed ratios compared with the control group. Gonadal histological examination revealed that ambiguous sexes displayed overall testicular structure with certain ovarian characteristics, demonstrating that DHT-induced sex-ambiguous gonads were incomplete ovary-to-testis reversals (IOTTRs). The expression levels of some ovary-biased genes in the IOTTRs were significantly higher than in the control testes but lower than in the control ovaries. These results show that low concentrations of DHT induced complete or incomplete female-to-male sex reversal in P. nigromaculatus, and incomplete sex reversal retained certain ovarian characteristics not only at gonadal morphological and histological levels but also at the molecular level. They present study highlights potential risks of DHT and other androgenic EDCs for P. nigromaculatus. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:2370–2377. © 2015 SETAC
A Study of the Influence of the New Careers in Nursing Program on the Culture of Participating Schools of Nursing
Authors: Millett Catherine M. , Kevelson Marisol J. C.
Published: July 2015

In 2014, ETS conducted a study investigating how the New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) program may have influenced the culture of participating schools of nursing. Select schools of nursing received grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide scholarships and support services for students in accelerated nursing programs. Case studies involving multiple interviews and focus groups were conducted in 8 NCIN schools of nursing chosen to represent public and private schools from all US regions. Results suggested that, in addition to benefiting accelerated nursing program students through the financial support of scholarships, the NCIN program may have increased the enrollment of male and minority students in accelerated nursing programs. Furthermore, the orientation, mentoring, and leadership supports provided with NCIN resources may have contributed to positive program and career outcomes for participating students, and in many cases the supports will be extended to all nursing students after the NCIN program ends. Lessons learned for the field include the potential for schools of nursing to employ strategies used by NCIN grantees to increase the diversity of their incoming cohorts and the ongoing need for financial supports for accelerated nursing students.
Agents collaboration‐based service provisioning strategy for large enterprise business in hybrid cloud
Authors: Chunlin Li , Xin Yan , LaYuan Li
Published: July 2015

The paper proposes agent collaboration‐based service provisioning strategy for large enterprise business in hybrid cloud environment. The proposed service provisioning model is constructed by the agents, which include hybrid cloud user agent, hybrid cloud service agent and hybrid cloud provider agent. Hybrid cloud user agents adjust needed service according to the prices of hybrid cloud services. Hybrid cloud service agents compete actively for the requests from hybrid cloud user agents and execute them for gaining profits. Hybrid cloud service agents dynamically change cloud services' prices and send updated prices to all hybrid cloud user agents. Hybrid cloud services' prices are adjusted to accommodate the service demands from hybrid cloud user agents. Hybrid cloud provider agent tries to maximise its profit based on its resource capability and energy consumption. The paper also presents an agent collaboration‐based service provisioning algorithm. The simulations are designed to compare the performance of the proposed algorithm with the other related works. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Controlled release of an anthrax toxin‐neutralizing antibody from hydrolytically degradable polyethylene glycol hydrogels
Authors: Liang Yingkai , Coffin Megan V. , Manceva Slobodanka D. , Chichester Jessica A. , Jones R. Mark , Kiick Kristi L.
Published: July 2015

In this study, hydrophilic and hydrolytically degradable poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels were formed via Michael‐type addition and employed for sustained delivery of a monoclonal antibody against the protective antigen of anthrax. Taking advantage of the PEG‐induced precipitation of the antibody, burst release from the matrix was avoided. These hydrogels were able to release active antibodies in a controlled manner from 14 days to as long as 56 days in vitro by varying the polymer architectures and molecular weights of the precursors. Analysis of the secondary and tertiary structure and the in vitro activity of the released antibody showed that the encapsulation and release did not affect the protein conformation or functionality. The results suggest the promise for developing PEG‐based carriers for sustained release of therapeutic antibodies against toxins in various applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 113–123, 2016.
A deeper insight into strain for the sila‐bi[6]prismane () cluster with its endohedrally trapped silicon atom,
Authors: Vach Holger , Ivanova Lena V. , Timerghazin Qadir K. , Jardali Fatme , Le Ha‐Linh Thi
Published: July 2015

A new family of over‐coordinated hydrogenated silicon nanoclusters with outstanding optical and mechanical properties has recently been proposed. For one member of this family, namely the highly symmetric Si19H12 nanocrystal, strain calculations have been presented with the goal to question its thermal stability and the underlying mechanism of ultrastability and electron‐deficiency aromaticity. Here, the invalidity of these strain energy (SE) calculations is demonstrated mainly based on a fundamentally wrong usage of homodesmotic reactions, the miscounting of atomic bonds, and arithmetic errors. Since the article in question is entirely anchored on those erroneous SE values, all of its conclusions and predictions become without meaning. We provide evidence here that the nanocrystal in question suffers from such low levels of strain that its thermodynamical stability should be largely sufficient for device fabrication in a realistic plasma reactor. Most remarkably, the two “alternative,” irregular isomers explicitly proposed in the aforementioned article are also electron‐deficient, nontetrahedral, ultrastable, and aromatic nicely underlining the universality of the ultrastability concept for nanometric hydrogenated silicon clusters. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A new QM/MM method oriented to the study of ionic liquids
Authors: Sánchez M. Luz , Corchado José C. , Martín M. Elena , Galván Ignacio Fdez. , Barata‐Morgado Rute , Aguilar Manuel A.
Published: July 2015

The interest on room temperature ionic liquids has grown in the last decades because of their use as all‐purpose solvent and their low environmental impact. In the present work, a new theoretical procedure is developed to study pure ionic liquids within the framework of the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics method. Each type of ion (cation or anion) is considered as an independent entity quantum mechanically described that follows a differentiated path in the liquid. The method permits, through an iterative procedure, the full coupling between the polarized charge distribution of the ions and the liquid structure around them. The procedure has been tested with 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate. It was found that, similar to non‐polar liquids and as a consequence of the low value of the reaction field, the cation and anion charge distributions are hardly polarized by the rest of molecules in the liquid. Their structure is characterized by an alternance between anion and cation shells as evidenced by the coincidence of the first maximum of the anion–anion and cation–cation radial distribution functions with the first minimum of the anion‐cation. Some degree of stacking between the cations is also found. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Magnesium Halide‐promoted Ring‐opening Reaction of Cyclic Ether in the Presence of Phosphine Halide
Authors: Chang Yu‐Chang , Weng Chia‐Ming , Shaikh Tanveer M. , Hong Fung‐E
Published: July 2015

A new route to the direct preparation of H‐phosphinate esters has been explored. The ring‐opening reaction of cyclic ether (tetrahydrofuran or tetrahydropyrane) was carried out with magnesium halide in the presence of phosphine halide (PRCl2 or PCl3). The process is straightforward and all the reagents are relatively cheap and readily available. Magnesium halide‐mediated THF ring‐opening (SN2@C) and the subsequent SN2@P elementary reactions that giving rise to the intermediate of haloalkyl phosphinates have been discussed based on our experimental findings (Path I: SN2@C−+SN2@P). Another possible route, the direct SN2 between THF (nucleophile) and phosphine halide (electrophile) that followed by THF ring opening by halide dissociated from phosphine halide (Path II: SN2@P−+SN2@C), was also proposed. However, path II is the least likely reaction path because neutral THF is not a good nucleophile. H‐phosphinate esters could be readily available in the subsequent hydrolysis process. Considering the ionic bond strength in magnesium halides and the nucleophilicity of halides dissociated from MgX2 in protic solvents like water, MgBr2 is recommended for ring‐opening reactions of cyclic ethers.
Mannose‐Binding Lectin and Diabetic Nephropathy in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Zhao Shi‐qi , Hu Zhao
Published: July 2015

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of mannose‐binding lectin (MBL) in type 1 diabetes with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and persistent normoalbuminuria (PN).

Method

Serum MBL levels were determined in 224 type 1 diabetes with overt nephropathy and 224 type 1 diabetes with PN matched for sex, age, and duration of diabetes The prediction value of MBL was compared with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (Hs‐CRP) and other known predictors. Multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression models.

Results

The serum MBL levels were significantly higher in diabetes with DN as compared to with PN (P < 0.0001). Based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cutoff value of serum MBL levels as an indicator for diagnosis of DN was projected to be 1,680 μg/l, which yielded a sensitivity of 75.4% and a specificity of 78.8%, with the area under the curve at 0.768 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.724–0.815). Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for common factors showed that serum MBL level ≥ 1,680 μg/l was an independent indictor of DN (odds ratio [OR] = 6.99; 95% CI: 2.83–17.15).

Conclusion

In type 1 diabetic patient, evaluated serum levels of MBL can be seen as an independent marker of DN even after correcting for possible confounding factors.
Biomimetic phantom for cardiac diffusion MRI
Authors: Teh Irvin , Zhou Feng‐Lei , Hubbard Cristinacce Penny L. , Parker Geoffrey J.M. , Schneider Jürgen E.
Published: July 2015

Purpose

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used to characterize cardiac tissue microstructure, necessitating the use of physiologically relevant phantoms for methods development. Existing phantoms are generally simplistic and mostly simulate diffusion in the brain. Thus, there is a need for phantoms mimicking diffusion in cardiac tissue.

Materials and Methods

A biomimetic phantom composed of hollow microfibers generated using co‐electrospinning was developed to mimic myocardial diffusion properties and fiber and sheet orientations. Diffusion tensor imaging was carried out at monthly intervals over 4 months at 9.4T. 3D fiber tracking was performed using the phantom and compared with fiber tracking in an ex vivo rat heart.

Results

The mean apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy of the phantom remained stable over the 4‐month period, with mean values of 7.53 ± 0.16 × 10‐4 mm2/s and 0.388 ± 0.007, respectively. Fiber tracking of the 1st and 3rd eigenvectors generated analogous results to the fiber and sheet‐normal direction respectively, found in the left ventricular myocardium.

Conclusion

A biomimetic phantom simulating diffusion in the heart was designed and built. This could aid development and validation of novel diffusion MRI methods for investigating cardiac microstructure, decrease the number of animals and patients needed for methods development, and improve quality control in longitudinal and multicenter cardiac diffusion MRI studies. J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2016;43:594–600.
Aroma volatiles obtained at harvest by HS‐SPME/GC‐MS and INDEX/MS‐E‐nose fingerprint discriminate climacteric behaviour in melon fruit
Authors: Chaparro‐Torres Libia A , Bueso María C , Fernández‐Trujillo Juan P
Published: July 2015

BACKGROUND

Melon aroma volatiles were extracted at harvest from juice of a climacteric near‐isogenic line (NIL) SC3‐5‐1 with two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) introgressed which produced climacteric behaviour and its non‐climacteric parental (PS) using two methodologies of analysis: static headspace solid phase micro‐extraction (HS‐SPME) by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) and inside needle dynamic extraction (INDEX) by MS‐based electronic nose (MS‐E‐nose).

RESULTS

Of the 137 volatiles compounds identified, most were found at significantly higher concentrations in SC3‐5‐1 than in PS in both seasons. These volatiles were mostly esters, alcohols, sulfur‐derived esters and even some aldehydes and others. The number of variables with high correlation values was reduced by using correlation network analysis. Partial least squares‐discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) achieved the correct classification of PS and SC3‐5‐1. The ions m/z 74, 91, 104, 105, 106 and 108, mainly volatile derivatives precursor phenylalanine, were the most discriminant in SC3‐5‐1 and PS. As many as 104 QTLs were mapped in season 1 and at least 78 QTLs in each season with an effect above the PS mean.

CONCLUSION

GC‐MS gave better discrimination than E‐nose. Most of the QTLs that mapped in both seasons enhanced aroma volatiles associated with climacteric behaviour. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Heuristic approach to selecting a color appearance model for hue‐preserved wide‐color gamut mapping
Authors: Masaoka Kenichiro , Yamashita Takayuki , Nishida Yukihiro , Sugawara Masayuki
Published: July 2015

With the advent of wide‐gamut system colorimetry for ultra‐high definition television, the development of a gamut mapping algorithm for wide to standard gamuts is greatly needed. Most gamut mapping techniques have been developed to retain the perceived hues of the source as predicted by a color appearance model. However, some color appearance models erroneously predict the saturated colors, generating a serious hue discontinuity in wide‐color gamut mapping onto the Rec. 709 gamut boundary. This paper presents a heuristic approach to determining whether a color appearance model may create such artifacts when used in hue‐preserved gamut mapping algorithms.
Pediatric endoscopic ear surgery in clinical practice: Lessons learned and early outcomes
Authors: Cohen Michael S. , Landegger Lukas D. , Kozin Elliott D. , Lee Daniel J.
Published: July 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

Only a few reports describe the outcomes following endoscopic ear surgery (EES) in children for chronic ear disease. We differentiate between transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES), where the case is performed with only endoscopic visualization, from non‐TEES, where the endoscope is not used at all or used as an adjunct to the microscope. We hypothesize that EES is an effective approach to manage middle ear pathology using a transcanal approach in most cases, and can be incorporated into a pediatric otology practice with a neutral or positive effect on outcomes. Lessons learned during this process are analyzed and discussed.

Study Design

Single‐institution, retrospective chart review of outcomes following TEES and non‐TEES in children from January 1, 2013 through July 1, 2014.

Methods

Procedures included tympanoplasty, ossiculoplasty, and cholesteatoma resection. Primary outcome measures included closure rate of tympanic membrane perforations, audiometric outcomes, and complications. Surgical times were reported as secondary measures.

Results

Ninety‐four patients underwent 121 middle ear procedures. TEES was performed in 51/121 of cases (42.1%). Comparison of TEES versus non‐TEES cases showed no significant difference in rate of tympanoplasty closure (P > .99). The mean pure‐tone improvement following TEES tympanoplasty was −7.8 dB versus −1.33 dB for non‐TEES cases (P = .03). Surgical times were similar between groups.

Conclusions

EES techniques were readily incorporated into a pediatric otology practice. A standardized EES classification system is useful for analyzing utilization patterns and results across institutions. Tympanic membrane closure rates and hearing outcomes were similar in TEES and non‐TEES cases.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 126:732–738, 2016
Sinonasal malignancies: A population‐based analysis of site‐specific incidence and survival
Authors: Dutta Rahul , Dubal Pariket M. , Svider Peter F. , Liu James K. , Baredes Soly , Eloy Jean Anderson
Published: July 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

Sinonasal malignancies vary in behavior according to histology and anatomical location. Incidence, survival, and optimal treatment for these lesions are thus uncertain in various cases. Our objective was to utilize a national population‐based registry to identify the most common sinonasal histopathologies by anatomical site, and subsequently analyze the data by incidence trends, survival rates, patient demographics, and treatment modalities.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis of the United States National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry.

Methods

The SEER database was examined for patients diagnosed with sinonasal malignancies between 1973 and 2011. Data were stratified according to anatomical site, incidence, survival, histology, staging, and patient demographics. Therapy‐based outcomes were analyzed for cases from 1983 to 2011.

Results

A total of 13,295 patients were identified, with an incidence of 0.83 per 100,000 people. Males comprised 58.6% of cases. Whites represented 81.5% of cases, while blacks comprised 8.7%. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common histology (41.9%) across all sites of the sinonasal tract. The most common anatomical site of malignancy was the nasal cavity (45.7%), and least common was the frontal sinus (1.2%). For single sites, 5‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) was highest for nasal cavity tumors (67.1%) and lowest for overlapping sinus malignancies (37.6%). The overall 5‐year DSS for all sinonasal malignancies was 53.7%.

Conclusion

Sinonasal malignancies are rare entities with poor overall prognosis. By anatomical site, prognosis is best for nasal cavity cancers and worst for overlapping lesions.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 125:2491–2497, 2015
Retropharyngeal lymph node involvement in human papillomavirus–associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Baxter Michael , Chan Jason Y. K. , Mydlarz Wojciech K. , Labruzzo Salvatore V. , Kiess Ana , Ha Patrick K. , Nafi Aygun , Nishant Agrawal
Published: July 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively review patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)–associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) for the presence of retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLNs) prior to treatment using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), and to determine if the presence of RPLNs is of utility in predicting outcomes.

Study Design

Retrospective review of patient data from a single institution.

Methods

Two hundred thirty patients with a diagnosis of HPV‐associated OPSCC were identified from 2002 to 2013. The presence of RPLNs was determined primarily from findings on PET/CT as reviewed in a standardized fashion by two neuroradiologists.

Results

Of the 230 patients, 165 had pretreatment PET/CT imaging available for review. There were a total of 16 patients (9.70%) with evidence of RPLNs. Among patients positive for RPLNs pretreatment, with an average follow‐up of 2 years, there was a 5.2‐times greater odds of having recurrence or death (31.3% vs. 8.1%, P = .004). When T and N stage were adjusted for with multiple regression, there was no significant association between RPLN status and recurrence free survival.

Conclusions

This is a unique investigation utilizing PET/CT to classify RPLN status in HPV‐associated OPSCC. RPLNs were relatively common in our HPV‐associated OPSCC cohort at 9.70%, at the low end of the quoted positivity of 10% to 27% in all OPSCC. A combination of PET/CT is useful in identifying RPLNs. Prospective investigation will be needed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of PET/CT in identifying RPLNs, and the precise impact of RPLNs on HPV‐associated OPSCC treatment and outcomes.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 125:2503–2508, 2015
Normative data for rotational chair stratified by age
Authors: Chan Fung M. , Galatioto Jessica , Amato Michael , Kim Ana H.
Published: July 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

The purpose of this study is to examine the range of vestibulo‐ocular reflex (VOR) gain on rotary chair (RC) testing in subjects without ear and vestibular problems stratified by age and gender.

Study Design

Prospective cross‐sectional study.

Methods

One hundred subjects ranging in age from 6 to 78 years underwent RC testing. VOR gains at frequencies ranging from 0.01 to 0.64 Hz were recorded. The PROC MIXED procedure in SAS was used to analyze differences in VOR gain between gender and the following age groups: group 1 (6–12 years), group 2 (13–17 years), group 3 (18–30 years), group 4 (31–50 years), and group 5 (>50 years).

Results

Twenty subjects were recruited for each of the five groups. Group 1 showed the highest average VOR gain compared to all other age groups (P < .05). There was an inverse correlation between VOR gain and age (P < .05). The lowest frequency (0.01 Hz) had the highest correlation between VOR gain and age (r = −0.425; P < .0001).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates VOR gain differences with age, especially in the preadolescent and geriatric groups. The current manufacturer‐provided normative data do not serve as an accurate reference, especially for these two age groups. A larger population of all age groups should be compared to the current RC manufacturer normative values to ensure that they accurately reflect the true normative data.

Level of Evidence

2. Laryngoscope, 126:460–463, 2016
Effectiveness of mandibular advancement appliances in treating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: A systematic review
Authors: Serra‐Torres Sara , Bellot‐Arcís Carlos , Montiel‐Company José M. , Marco‐Algarra Jaime , Almerich‐Silla José M.
Published: July 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

Mandibular advancement devices are an alternative to continuous positive airway pressure for patients with mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). The main aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of different devices in treating OSAHS, based on polysomnographic measurements such as the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen saturation, and on changes in the upper airway and improvements in the most common symptoms: snoring and somnolence. Their adverse effects were also noted.

Study Design

Systematic review.

Methods

Following an exhaustive search in the Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases, 22 articles published in the past 10 years met the quality and inclusion criteria.

Results

Using mandibular advancement devices during the hours of sleep helps to prevent snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, reduce the AHI significantly, and bring about beneficial changes in the upper airway. Adjustable and custom‐made mandibular advancement devices give better results than fixed and prefabricated appliances. Monobloc devices give rise to more adverse events, although these are generally mild and transient.

Conclusions

Mandibular advancement devices increase the area of the airway. They bring the soft palate, tongue, and hyoid bone forward and activate the masseter and submental muscles, preventing closure. All these effects reduce the AHI, increase the oxygen saturation, and improve the main symptoms of OSAHS.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 126:507–514, 2016
The economic impact of vocal attrition in public school teachers in Miami‐Dade County
Authors: Rosow David E. , Szczupak Mikhaylo , Saint‐Victor Sandra , Gerhard Julia D. , DuPont Carl , Lo Kaming
Published: July 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

Teachers are a known at‐risk population for voice disorders. The prevalence and risk factors for voice disorders have been well studied in this population, but little is known about the associated economic cost. The purpose of this study is to assess the economic impact of voice dysfunction in teachers and understand the difference between the cost of absenteeism and presenteeism as a direct result of voice dysfunction.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional analysis via self‐administered online questionnaire.

Methods

A total of 14,256 public school teachers from Miami‐Dade County, Florida, were asked to participate. Questions were formatted based on the previously validated Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: Specific Health Problem questionnaire adapted for hoarseness and voice disorders. Additional demographic questions were included in the questionnaire.

Results

A total of 961 questionnaire responses were received. The demographic characteristics of respondents closely matched known statistics for public school teachers in Miami‐Dade County. Economic calculations were performed for each questionnaire respondent and summed for all respondents to avoid bias. Per week, absenteeism‐related costs were $25,000, whereas presenteeism‐related costs were approximately $300,000. These figures were used to extrapolate annual cost. Per year, absenteeism‐related costs were $1 million, whereas presenteeism‐related costs were approximately $12 million.

Conclusion

The economic impact of voice dysfunction on the teaching profession is enormous. With the above calculations only including lost wages and decreased productivity, the actual figures may in fact be larger (cost of substitute teachers, impact on nonwork activities, etc.). Research investigating preventative measures for voice dysfunction in teachers is necessary to reduce this costly issue.

Level of Evidence

2C. Laryngoscope, 126:665–671, 2016
The garlic compound ajoene targets protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum of cancer cells
Authors: Kaschula Catherine H. , Hunter Roger , Cotton Jonathan , Tuveri Rossana , Ngarande Ellen , Dzobo Kevin , Schäfer Georgia , Siyo Vuyolwethu , Lang Dirk , Kusza Daniel A. , Davies Bronwen , Katz Arieh A. , Parker M. Iqbal
Published: July 2015

Ajoene is a natural allylsulfur compound found in crushed garlic that arrests growth and induces apoptosis in cancer cells. To gain mechanistic insights into the cytotoxicity of ajoene in cancer cells, two fluorescently labelled ajoene analogs with dansyl‐ (DP) and fluorescein‐ (FOX) tags were synthesized. The tagged ajoenes were found to retain their activity at inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis in MDA‐MB‐231 human breast‐cancer and WHCO1 human esophageal‐cancer cells. Both tagged ajoenes localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in MDA‐MB‐231 cells as observed by live cell confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and confirmed by generating an MDA‐MB‐231 cell line expressing yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) in the ER. DP appears to S‐thiolate multiple protein targets in MDA‐MB‐231 cells as observed by immunoblotting under non‐reducing conditions only; and a competition assay demonstrated that DP and Z‐ajoene in fact share the same target. Ajoene S‐thiolation interfered with protein folding and led to an accumulation of misfolded protein aggregates and activated the unfolded protein response (UPR). Consistent with this mechanism, increased levels of GRP78 and total ubiquitinated proteins were observed; and an ER‐folded protein, type‐1 collagen, was tracked to the proteasome following ajoene treatment. The intracellular protein aggregates were observed by CLSM and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This is the first time that ajoene has been shown to target protein folding in the ER of cancer cells. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Designing Hydroxamates and Reversed Hydroxamates to Inhibit Zinc‐containing Proteases but not Cytochrome P450s: Insights from Quantum Mechanics and Protein‐ligand Crystal Structures
Authors: Barker Charlotte , Lukac Iva , Leach Andrew G.
Published: July 2015

The Hydroxamate is a useful functional group that binds to metals in a range of enzymes, notably zinc in matrix metalloproteases and histone deacetylases. The group is also able to form interactions with iron leading to inhibition of the cytochromes P450, particularly the 3A4 isoform. We have studied the available crystal structures of zinc‐containing proteins bound to hydroxamates and compared the observed geometries with those found by quantum mechanical calculations. This has revealed the likely binding mode preferences for neutral and anionic protonation states and highlighted the importance of electrostatic complementarity. Calculations were also performed for the interaction of the hydroxamate with iron in a heme environment, as found in the cytochromes P450. These reveal that the preferred binding mode of hydroxamates in this environment involves the s‐trans conformation. These calculations provide design guidelines for those interested in designing inhibitors of metalloenzymes that do not block metabolism of other drugs. The ability to predict the geometries and energies of binding modes that cannot be studied experimentally is an advantage offered by this kind of study.
Extraction of polymer stress–strain behavior in the presence of self‐heating by the use of a simple model for the elastic–plastic deformation
Authors: Bernard Chrystelle A , Fond Christophe , Ahzi Saïd , Bahlouli Nadia
Published: July 2015

Polymer materials are well known to be sensitive to strain rate and temperature. Self‐heating and friction effects also play an important role in the mechanical response of these materials. Numerous constitutive laws and phenomenological models have been developed to take into account these dependencies. This article proposes a simplified phenomenological model based on a mapping technique for the strain rate and temperature dependence. The effects of friction and adiabatic heating are also analyzed in this work. Relatively good results are obtained compared to experimental results for polypropylene and polychlorotrifluoroethylene. A parametric investigation of the effects of the interfacial equivalent stress (between the specimen and the compressive bars) and the fraction of plastic work converted into heat was performed. This parametric study allowed for a good approximation of these two parameters for the two studied polymers. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:2474–2481, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Rethinking China's strategic mineral policy on indium: implication for the flat screens and photovoltaic industries
Authors: Duan Huabo , Wang Jiayuan , Liu Lili , Huang Qifei , Li Jinhui
Published: July 2015

Indium is an indispensable component of many products, especially the liquid crystal displays (LCD) flat screens (FS) and thin film photovoltaic (PV) cells. China is the world's largest producer of primary indium and products containing indium. Despite this, there has been relatively little examination of the scarcity and strategic mineral policy for indium. Using a material flow analysis approach, a dynamic model has been built to quantify the indium flows, availability, and scarcity in China. The results show that China has transitioned from primarily exporting indium to primarily consuming indium. Forecasting until the year 2020, the domestic demand is led by LCD televisions and monitors (74%), followed by laptops (8%), and PV cells (5%). Accumulated use of indium in production from 2011 to 2020 could reach 7800 t, that is close to China's estimated 2008 reserves and represents three‐fourths of the world's current total reserves. Despite this, end of life (EoL) recycling is forecasted to be too insignificant to influence the indium market supply in the short term. Therefore, by the year around 2020, China could face a serious shortage of both primary production and EoL‐recovered indium to meet the production demand. From a long‐term perspective, the world's development and installation of thin‐film PV modules could be significantly threatened because indium demand within PV modules could grow rapidly over the coming decades. A promising solution to prevent an indium shortage in China is to promote the urban mining of indium from the EoL FS and PV industries. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reactive copolymer functionalized graphene sheet for enhanced mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy composites
Authors: Ma Qiang , Luo Jing , Chen Yuanxun , Wei Wei , Liu Ren , Liu Xiaoya
Published: July 2015

Uniform dispersion of graphene nanosheets (GNS) in a polymer matrix with strong filler–matrix interfacial interaction, preserving intrinsic material properties of GNS, is the critical factor for application of GNS in polymer composites. In this work, a novel reactive copolymer VCz–GMA containing carbazole and epoxide group was designed, synthesized and employed to noncovalently functionalize GNS for preparing epoxy nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties. The presence of carbazole groups in VCz–GMA enables the tight absorption of copolymer on to graphene surface via π–π stacking interaction, as evidenced by Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy, whereas the epoxide segments chemically reacts with the epoxy matrix, improving the compatibility and interaction of graphene with epoxy matrix. As a result, the VCz–GMA–GNS/epoxy composite showed a remarkable enhancement in both mechanical and thermal property than either the pure epoxy or the graphene/epoxy composites. The incorporation of 0.35 wt % VCz–GMA–GNS yields a tensile strength of 55.72 MPa and elongation at break of 3.45, which are 42 and 191% higher than the value of pure epoxy, respectively. Increased glass transition temperature and thermal stability of the epoxy composites were also observed. In addition, a significant enhancement in thermal conductivity was achieved with only 1 wt % VCz–GMA–GNS loading. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 2776–2785
Patients' experience with cancer recurrence: a meta‐ethnography
Authors: Wanat Marta , Boulton Mary , Watson Eila
Published: July 2015

Objective

Recurrence is a difficult stage in the cancer journey as it brings to the fore the life‐threatening nature of the illness. This meta‐ethnography examines and synthesises the findings of qualitative research regarding patients' experience of cancer recurrence.

Methods

A systematic search of the qualitative studies published between January 1994 to April 2014 was undertaken. Seventeen relevant papers were identified, and a meta‐ethnography was conducted.

Results

Six third‐order concepts were developed to capture patients' experiences: experiencing emotional turmoil following diagnosis, which described the emotional impact of diagnosis and the influence of previous experiences on how the news were received; experiencing otherness, encompassing changed relationships; seeking support in the health care system, describing the extent of information needs and the importance of the relationship with health care professionals; adjusting to a new prognosis and uncertain future, highlighting the changes associated with uncertainty; finding strategies to deal with recurrence, describing ways of maintaining emotional well‐being and regaining a sense of control over cancer; and facing mortality, describing the difficulties in facing death‐related concerns and associated consequences.

Conclusions

This meta‐ethnography clarifies the fundamental aspects of patients' experience of recurrence. It suggests that health care professionals can promote a positive experience of care and help lessen the psychosocial impact of recurrence by providing information in an approachable way and being sensitive to their changing needs. It also points to the importance of supporting patients in adopting strategies to regain a sense of control and to address their potential mortality and its impact on loved ones. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.