bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of thermal cycling and disinfection on colour stability of denture base acrylic resin
Authors: Goiato Marcelo C. , dos Santos Daniela M. , Baptista Gabriella T. , Moreno Amália , Andreotti Agda M. , Bannwart Lisiane C. , Dekon Stefan F.C.
Published: April 2012

doi:
10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2012.00676.x

Effect of thermal cycling and disinfection on colour stability of denture base acrylic resin

Objectives:  The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of thermal cycling and disinfection on the colour change of denture base acrylic resin.

Materials and Methods:  Four different brands of acrylic resins were evaluated (Onda Cryl, QC 20, Classico and Lucitone). All brands were divided into four groups (n = 7) determined according to the disinfection procedure (microwave, Efferdent, 4% chlorhexidine or 1% hypochlorite). The treatments were conducted three times a week for 60 days. All specimens were thermal cycled between 5 and 55°C with 30‐s dwell times for 1000 cycles before and after disinfection. The specimens’ colour was measured with a spectrophotometer using the CIE L*a*b* system. The evaluations were conducted at baseline (B), after first thermal cycling (T1), after disinfection (D) and after second thermal cycling (T2). Colour differences (ΔE) were calculated between T1 and B (T1B), D and B (DB), and T2 and B (T2B) time‐points.

Results:  The samples submitted to disinfection by microwave and Efferdent exhibited the highest values of colour change. There were significant differences on colour change between the time‐points, except for the Lucitone acrylic resin.

Conclusions:  The thermal cycling and disinfection procedures significantly affected the colour stability of the samples. However, all values obtained for the acrylic resins are within acceptable clinical parameters.
A Highly Soluble Matrix Metalloproteinase‐9 Inhibitor for Potential Treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome
Authors: Mori Mattia , De Lorenzo Emanuele , Torre Eugenio , Fragai Marco , Nativi Cristina , Luchinat Claudio , Arcangeli Annarosa
Published: April 2012

Dry eye syndrome (DES) or keratoconjunctivitis sicca is an eye disease caused by the chronic lack of lubrication and moisture of the eye. The pathogenesis of DES involves the over‐expression and over‐activity of corneal Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (MMP‐9). We propose herein a new, non‐symptomatic approach for the treatment of DES based on the inhibition of MMP‐9 by a new highly soluble molecule, designed as PES_103 that has been shown to inhibit MMP‐9 both in vitro and in vivo. The efficacy of PES_103 in vivo and the potential benefits of this treatment in restoring tear production were studied in this work using an animal model of reduced lacrimation. PES_103 did not show any significant corneal toxicity.
TNF-α, Erectile Dysfunction, and NADPH Oxidase-Mediated ROS Generation in Corpus Cavernosum in High-Fat Diet/Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Long Ting , Liu Guihua , Wang Yong , Chen Yuanbin , Zhang Yuanyuan , Qin Danian
Published: April 2012

Introduction

Patients with diabetes-associated erectile dysfunction (ED) are characterized by an increase in circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). However, no study has indicated whether and how TNF-α plays a role in the pathogenesis of ED associated with diabetes.

Aim

We examined the effects and potential mechanism of infliximab (INF), a chimeric monoclonal antibody to TNF-α, on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in corpus cavernosum and ED in diabetic rats.

Methods

Four groups of male rats were used: age-matched normal controls; diabetic rats induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) combined with a single streptozotocin (STZ) injection (35 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneal [i.p.]); nondiabetic rats receiving INF (5 mg/kg body weight/week, i.p.), and diabetic rats receiving INF. Erectile function was assessed with electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve after 8 weeks. The blood and penile tissues were harvested for plasma biochemical determinations, serum TNF-α measurement, penile ROS detection, and molecular assays of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase subunits, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), phospho-eNOS, and neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the penis.

Main Outcome Measures

The effect of INF on HFD/STZ-induced diabetic ED and NADPH oxidase-mediated ROS generation was studied in diabetic corpus cavernosum.

Results

Untreated diabetic rats displayed significantly decreased erectile parameters, and increased plasma TNF-α levels, penile ROS production, p47phox and gp91phox expression compared with nondiabetic controls. INF neutralized TNF-α and significantly reduced ED in diabetic rats, in which marked decreases in p47phox and gp91phox expression and ROS generation in corpus cavernosum were noted. The ratio of phospho-eNOS to eNOS and expression of nNOS in the penis were significantly increased in INF-treated vs. untreated diabetic rats.

Conclusions

Increased TNF-α expression associated with diabetes contributes to ED by promoting NAPDH oxidase-mediated ROS generation in corpus cavernosum. INF protects against diabetic ED by neutralizing TNF-α.
Thalidomide thromboprophylaxis in multiple myeloma: A review of current evidence
Authors: ALEXANDER Marliese , KIRSA Sue , MELLOR James D
Published: April 2012

Currently multiple antithrombotic agents are used for thalidomide thromboprophylaxis in multiple myeloma patients. Agents used include low‐dose aspirin, fixed low‐dose and therapeutic warfarin and prophylactic low molecular weight heparin. To evaluate the evidence for the efficacy and safety of aspirin, warfarin and low molecular weight heparin thromboprophylaxis in multiple myeloma patients on thalidomide a literature search was conducted in May and June 2011. Databases searched included the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Evidence Based Medicine Reviews and Ovid MEDLINE. The search was restricted to English language articles and limited to articles published from 2005 to 2011. Most studies consisted of small prospective cohort studies not originally designed to assess thromboprophylaxis as an outcome. A single comparative randomized trial, several retrospective review articles, two meta‐analyses and two clinical practice guidelines were also identified. Current evidence fails to demonstrate a clear advantage of any particular thromboprophylaxis strategy. Results from the only prospective comparative randomized trial found no significant differences among aspirin, warfarin and low molecular weight heparin. More studies are required that consider not only efficacy and safety, but also costs, lifestyle burden and patient preference.
Stroke Subtyping for Genetic Association Studies? A Comparison of the CCS and TOAST Classifications
Authors: Lanfranconi Silvia , Markus Hugh S.
Published: April 2012

Background

A reliable and reproducible classification system of stroke subtype is essential for epidemiological and genetic studies. The Causative Classification of Stroke system is an evidence-based computerized algorithm with excellent inter-rater reliability. It has been suggested that, compared to the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment classification, it increases the proportion of cases with defined subtype that may increase power in genetic association studies. We compared Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment and Causative Classification of Stroke system classifications in a large cohort of well-phenotyped stroke patients.

Methods

Six hundred ninety consecutively recruited patients with first-ever ischemic stroke were classified, using review of clinical data and original imaging, according to the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment and Causative Classification of Stroke system classifications.

Results

There was excellent agreement subtype assigned by between Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment and Causative Classification of Stroke system (kappa = 0·85). The agreement was excellent for the major individual subtypes: large artery atherosclerosis kappa = 0·888, small-artery occlusion kappa = 0·869, cardiac embolism kappa = 0·89, and undetermined category kappa = 0·884. There was only moderate agreement (kappa = 0·41) for the subjects with at least two competing underlying mechanism. Thirty-five (5·8%) patients classified as undetermined by Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment were assigned to a definite subtype by Causative Classification of Stroke system. Thirty-two subjects assigned to a definite subtype by Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment were classified as undetermined by Causative Classification of Stroke system.

Conclusions

There is excellent agreement between classification using Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment and Causative Classification of Stroke systems but no evidence that Causative Classification of Stroke system reduced the proportion of patients classified to undetermined subtypes. The excellent inter-rater reproducibility and web-based semiautomated nature make Causative Classification of Stroke system suitable for multicenter studies, but the benefit of reclassifying cases already classified using the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment system on existing databases is likely to be small.
Interaction between Ca2+ channel blockers and isoproterenol on L‐type Ca2+ current in canine ventricular cardiomyocytes
Authors: Farkas V. , Szentandrássy N. , Bárándi L. , Hegyi B. , Ruzsnavszky F. , Ruzsnavszky O. , Horváth B. , Bányász T. , Magyar J. , Márton I. , Nánási P. P.
Published: April 2012

Aim

The aim of this work was to study antagonistic interactions between the effects of various types of Ca2+ channel blockers and isoproterenol on the amplitude of L‐type Ca2+ current in canine ventricular cells.

Methods

Whole‐cell version of the patch clamp technique was used to study the effect of isoproterenol on Ca2+ current in the absence and presence of Ca2+ channel–blocking agents, including nifedipine, nisoldipine, diltiazem, verapamil, CoCl2 and MnCl2.

Results

Five micromolar Nifedipine, 1 μM nisoldipine, 10 μM diltiazem, 5 μM verapamil, 3 mM CoCl2 and 5 mM MnCl2 evoked uniformly a 90–95% blockade of Ca2+ current in the absence of isoproterenol. Isoproterenol (100 nM) alone increased the amplitude of Ca2+ current from 6.8 ± 1.3 to 23.7 ± 2.2 pA/pF in a reversible manner. Isoproterenol caused a marked enhancement of Ca2+ current even in the presence of nifedipine, nisoldipine, diltiazem and verapamil, but not in the presence of CoCl2 or MnCl2.

Conclusion

The results indicate that the action of isoproterenol is different in the presence of organic and inorganic Ca2+ channel blockers. CoCl2 and MnCl2 were able to fully prevent the effect of isoproterenol on Ca2+ current, while the organic Ca2+ channel blockers failed to do so. This has to be born in mind when the effects of organic Ca2+ channel blockers are evaluated either experimentally or clinically under conditions of increased sympathetic tone.
Passive acoustic density estimation of sperm whales in the Tongue of the Ocean, Bahamas
Authors: W ard Jessica A. , Thomas Len , Jarvis Susan , DiMarzio Nancy , Moretti David , Marques Tiago A. , Dunn Charlotte , C laridge Diane , Hartvig Eva , Tyack Peter
Published: April 2012

Abstract

Long‐term passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammals on navy ranges provides the opportunity to better understand the potential impact of sonar on populations. The navy range in Tongue of the Ocean (TOTO), Bahamas contains extensive hydrophone arrays, potentially allowing estimation of the density of deep diving, vocally active species such as the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Previous visual surveys in TOTO have been of limited spatio–temporal coverage and resulted in only sporadic sightings of sperm whales, whereas passive acoustic observations suggest the species is present year round. However, until now the means of acoustically determining the specific number of individuals in each cluster has been limited. We used recently developed algorithms to identify the number of echolocating whales present during a 42 d study period. We screened a 297 h acoustic data set to determine the proportion of time animals were present; fifty 10 min samples during presence were analyzed to estimate the number of individuals vocalizing during each sample. These counts were combined with an independent estimate of the proportion of 10 min periods when tagged animals vocalize. The estimated average density was 0.16 whales/1,000 km2(CV 27%; 95% CI 0.095–0.264). The method is potentially applicable to other areas containing dense hydrophone arrays.
Cognitive and methodological considerations on the effects of musical expertise on speech segmentation
Authors: François Clément , Tillmann Barbara , Schön Daniele
Published: April 2012

Both speech and music are constituted by sequences of sound elements that unfold in time and require listeners to engage cognitive functions such as sequencing, attention, and memory. We recently ran a set of experiments with the aim of testing the effect of musical expertise on a rather high cognitive function: speech segmentation. Here, we will present the main concepts underlying the investigation of speech segmentation as well as its link to music and musical expertise. Interestingly, our results seem to show that musical training and expertise have effects on brain plasticity that may go beyond primary regions. Moreover, to facilitate and improve future research in this domain, we will here describe several delicate methodological precautions that need to be taken into account (e.g., the choice of stimuli, participants, data analyses). Finally, we will give some possible future directions to better understand the impact that music may have on speech processing.
Impaired learning of event frequencies in tone deafness
Authors: Loui Psyche , Schlaug Gottfried
Published: April 2012

Musical knowledge is ubiquitous, effortless, and implicitly acquired all over the world via exposure to musical materials in one's culture. In contrast, one group of individuals who show insensitivity to music, specifically the inability to discriminate pitches and melodies, is the tone‐deaf. In this study, we asked whether difficulties in pitch and melody discrimination among the tone‐deaf could be related to learning difficulties, and, if so, what processes of learning might be affected in the tone‐deaf. We investigated the learning of frequency information in a new musical system in tone‐deaf individuals and matched controls. Results showed significantly impaired learning abilities in frequency matching in the tone‐deaf. This impairment was positively correlated with the severity of tone deafness as assessed by the Montreal Battery for Evaluation of Amusia. Taken together, the results suggest that tone deafness is characterized by an impaired ability to acquire frequency information from pitched materials in the sound environment.
Making music after stroke: using musical activities to enhance arm function
Authors: van Wijck Frederike , Knox Don , Dodds Colin , Cassidy Gianna , Alexander Gillian , MacDonald Raymond
Published: April 2012

A common long‐term consequence of stroke is impaired arm function, which affects independence and quality of life in a considerable proportion of stroke survivors. There is a growing need for self‐management strategies that enable stroke survivors to continue their recovery after rehabilitation has ceased. Interventions with high‐intensity, repetitive task training and feedback are most likely to improve function. Achieving the required amount of self‐practice is challenging, however. Innovative approaches are required to translate therapies into rewarding activities that can be undertaken independently. This paper describes the key principles and development of a novel intervention that integrates individuals’ preferred music with game technology in upper limb rehabilitation. The “tap tempo” paradigm, which uses rhythmic auditory cueing, provides repetitive upper limb task training, which can be tailored to individual goals and progress (e.g., in terms of movement range and complexity), while providing sensitive quantitative feedback to promote skill acquisition and enhance self‐management.
Education through music—the model of the Musikkindergarten Berlin
Authors: Uibel Stefanie
Published: April 2012

In 2005, the pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim initiated the Musikkindergarten Berlin as the first kindergarten in which music is not only used as an occasional add‐on but as the central education medium for the child every day. The skills of specially trained kindergarten teachers combined with regular visits by professional musicians of the Staatskapelle Berlin (the Berlin State Opera orchestra) form the basis of a new educational concept, in which children experience music in all its different aspects and in its unique capability as a transfer medium into all the other educational areas. In this context, the method, the aim, and the experimental ground is not only education in or with music, but through music. This paper provides information and examples about first‐hand experiences over the last six years.
Memory disorders and vocal performance
Authors: Dalla Bella Simone , Tremblay‐Champoux Alexandra , Berkowska Magdalena , Peretz Isabelle
Published: April 2012

The ability to carry a tune, natural for the majority, is underpinned by a complex functional system (i.e., the vocal sensorimotor loop, VSL). The VSL involves various components, including perceptual mechanisms, auditory‐motor mapping, motor control, and memory. The malfunction of one of these components can bring about poor‐pitch singing. So far, disturbed perception and deficient sensorimotor mapping have been treated as important causes of poor singing. Yet, memory has been paid relatively little attention. Here, we review results obtained from both occasional singers and individuals suffering from congenital amusia, who were asked to produce from memory or imitate a well‐known melody under conditions with different memory loads. The findings point to memory as a relevant source of impairment in poor‐pitch singing and to imitation as a useful aid for poor singers.
The OPERA hypothesis: assumptions and clarifications
Authors: Patel Aniruddh D.
Published: April 2012

Recent research suggests that musical training enhances the neural encoding of speech. Why would musical training have this effect? The OPERA hypothesis proposes an answer on the basis of the idea that musical training demands greater precision in certain aspects of auditory processing than does ordinary speech perception. This paper presents two assumptions underlying this idea, as well as two clarifications, and suggests directions for future research.
Sensorimotor mechanisms in music performance: actions that go partially wrong
Authors: Palmer Caroline , Mathias Brian , Anderson Maxwell
Published: April 2012

Even expert musicians make errors occasionally, and overt responses that are correct may be accompanied by partial‐error behavior that can be indicative of online error detection processes. We compare pianists’ production of correct pitches, pitch errors, and partial errors (correct pitches with incorrect force or duration) by examining events prior to errors. Errors tended to be produced with slower durations and softer intensities (associated with force reduction) than correct events. In addition, pre‐error events tended to have durations and intensities that fell between those of errors and correct responses, presumably due to response competition with upcoming errors that resulted in partial‐error outcomes. These findings support the inference that partial information about upcoming (planned) sequence events is used to guide current responses, consistent with cascade models of activation during sequence production.
Acuity of mental representations of pitch
Authors: Janata Petr
Published: April 2012

Singing in one's mind or forming expectations about upcoming notes both require that mental images of one or more pitches will be generated. As with other musical abilities, the acuity with which such images are formed might be expected to vary across individuals and may depend on musical training. Results from several behavioral tasks involving intonation judgments indicate that multiple memory systems contribute to the formation of accurate mental images for pitch, and that the functionality of each is affected by musical training. Electrophysiological measures indicate that the ability to form accurate mental images is associated with greater engagement of auditory areas and associated error‐detection circuitry when listeners imagine ascending scales and make intonation judgments about target notes. A view of auditory mental images is espoused in which unified mental image representations are distributed across multiple brain areas. Each brain area helps shape the acuity of the unified representation based on current behavioral demands and past experience.
Musical experience, plasticity, and maturation: issues in measuring developmental change using EEG and MEG
Authors: Trainor Laurel J.
Published: April 2012

The neuroscientific study of musical behavior has become a significant field of research during the last decade, and reports of this research in the popular press have caught the imagination of the public. This enterprise has also made it evident that studying the development of musical behavior can make a significant contribution to important questions in the field, such as the evolutionary origins of music, cross‐cultural similarity and diversity, the effects of experience on musical processing, and relations between music and other domains. Studying musical development brings a unique set of methodological issues. We discuss a select set of these related to measurement of the electroencephalogram (EEG) and magnetoencephalogram (MEG). We use specific examples from our laboratory to illustrate the types of questions that can be answered with different data analysis techniques.
Auditory brain development in premature infants: the importance of early experience
Authors: McMahon Erin , Wintermark Pia , Lahav Amir
Published: April 2012

Preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) often close their eyes in response to bright lights, but they cannot close their ears in response to loud sounds. The sudden transition from the womb to the overly noisy world of the NICU increases the vulnerability of these high‐risk newborns. There is a growing concern that the excess noise typically experienced by NICU infants disrupts their growth and development, putting them at risk for hearing, language, and cognitive disabilities. Preterm neonates are especially sensitive to noise because their auditory system is at a critical period of neurodevelopment, and they are no longer shielded by maternal tissue. This paper discusses the developmental milestones of the auditory system and suggests ways to enhance the quality control and type of sounds delivered to NICU infants. We argue that positive auditory experience is essential for early brain maturation and may be a contributing factor for healthy neurodevelopment. Further research is needed to optimize the hospital environment for preterm newborns and to increase their potential to develop into healthy children.
Working memory for speech and music
Authors: Schulze Katrin , Koelsch Stefan
Published: April 2012

The present paper reviews behavioral and neuroimaging findings on similarities and differences between verbal and tonal working memory (WM), the influence of musical training, and the effect of strategy use on WM for tones. Whereas several studies demonstrate an overlap of core structures (Broca's area, premotor cortex, inferior parietal lobule), preliminary findings are discussed that imply, if confirmed, the existence of a tonal and a phonological loop in musicians. This conclusion is based on the findings of partly differing neural networks underlying verbal and tonal WM in musicians, suggesting that functional plasticity has been induced by musical training. We further propose a strong link between production and auditory WM: data indicate that both verbal and tonal auditory WM are based on the knowledge of how to produce the to‐be‐remembered sounds and, therefore, that sensorimotor representations are involved in the temporary maintenance of auditory information in WM.
Behavioral methods in infancy: pitfalls of single measures
Authors: Trehub Sandra E.
Published: April 2012

This paper outlines the principal behavioral methods used to study music processing in infancy. The advantages of conditioning procedures are offset by high attrition rates and restrictions on the stimuli that can be used. The head‐turn preference procedure is more user‐friendly but poses greater interpretive challenges. In view of the multidimensional nature of infant attention, no single response measure, whether behavioral, physiological, or neural, can provide unambiguous information about music processing in infancy. Greater use of ecologically valid stimuli is likely to generate increased cooperation from infants and greater generality of the findings.
Musical expertise induces neuroplasticity of the planum temporale
Authors: Meyer Martin , Elmer Stefan , Jäncke Lutz
Published: April 2012

The present manuscript summarizes and discusses the implications of recent neuroimaging studies, which have investigated the relationship between musical expertise and structural, as well as functional, changes in an auditory‐related association cortex, namely, the planum temporale (PT). Since the bilateral PT is known to serve as a spectrotemporal processor that supports perception of acoustic modulations in both speech and music, it comes as no surprise that musical expertise corresponds to functional sensitivity and neuroanatomical changes in cortical architecture. In this context, we focus on the following question: To what extent does musical expertise affect the functioning of the left and right plana temporalia? We discuss the relationship between behavioral, hemodynamic, and neuroanatomical data obtained from musicians in light of maturational and developmental issues. In particular, we introduce two studies of our group that show to what extent brains of musicians are more proficient in phonetic task performance.
Auditory‐musical processing in autism spectrum disorders: a review of behavioral and brain imaging studies
Authors: Ouimet Tia , Foster Nicholas E.V. , Tryfon Ana , Hyde Krista L.
Published: April 2012

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by atypical social and communication skills, repetitive behaviors, and atypical visual and auditory perception. Studies in vision have reported enhanced detailed (“local”) processing but diminished holistic (“global”) processing of visual features in ASD. Individuals with ASD also show enhanced processing of simple visual stimuli but diminished processing of complex visual stimuli. Relative to the visual domain, auditory global–local distinctions, and the effects of stimulus complexity on auditory processing in ASD, are less clear. However, one remarkable finding is that many individuals with ASD have enhanced musical abilities, such as superior pitch processing. This review provides a critical evaluation of behavioral and brain imaging studies of auditory processing with respect to current theories in ASD. We have focused on auditory‐musical processing in terms of global versus local processing and simple versus complex sound processing. This review contributes to a better understanding of auditory processing differences in ASD. A deeper comprehension of sensory perception in ASD is key to better defining ASD phenotypes and, in turn, may lead to better interventions.
The multisensory brain and its ability to learn music
Authors: Zimmerman Emily , Lahav Amir
Published: April 2012

Playing a musical instrument requires a complex skill set that depends on the brain's ability to quickly integrate information from multiple senses. It has been well documented that intensive musical training alters brain structure and function within and across multisensory brain regions, supporting the experience‐dependent plasticity model. Here, we argue that this experience‐dependent plasticity occurs because of the multisensory nature of the brain and may be an important contributing factor to musical learning. This review highlights key multisensory regions within the brain and discusses their role in the context of music learning and rehabilitation.
Musician's cramp as manifestation of maladaptive brain plasticity: arguments from instrumental differences
Authors: Altenmüller Eckart , Baur Volker , Hofmann Aurélie , Lim Vanessa K. , Jabusch Hans‐Christian
Published: April 2012

Musician's cramp is a task‐specific movement disorder that presents itself as muscular incoordination or loss of voluntary motor control of extensively trained movements while a musician is playing the instrument. It is characterized by task specificity and gender bias, affecting significantly more males than females. The etiology is multifaceted: a combination of a genetic predisposition, termed endophenotype, and behavioral triggering factors being the leading features for the manifestation of the disorder. We present epidemiological data from 591 musician patients from our outpatient clinic demonstrating an influence of fine‐motor requirements on the manifestation of dystonia. Brass, guitar, and woodwind players were at greater risk than other instrumentalists. High temporospatial precision of movement patterns, synchronous demands on tonic and phasic muscular activation, in combination with fine‐motor burdens of using the dominant hand in daily life activities, constitute as triggering factors for the disorder and may explain why different body parts are affected.
Cognitive factors shape brain networks for auditory skills: spotlight on auditory working memory
Authors: Kraus Nina , Strait Dana L. , Parbery‐Clark Alexandra
Published: April 2012

Musicians benefit from real‐life advantages, such as a greater ability to hear speech in noise and to remember sounds, although the biological mechanisms driving such advantages remain undetermined. Furthermore, the extent to which these advantages are a consequence of musical training or innate characteristics that predispose a given individual to pursue music training is often debated. Here, we examine biological underpinnings of musicians’ auditory advantages and the mediating role of auditory working memory. Results from our laboratory are presented within a framework that emphasizes auditory working memory as a major factor in the neural processing of sound. Within this framework, we provide evidence for music training as a contributing source of these abilities.
ERP responses to cross‐cultural melodic expectancy violations
Authors: Demorest Steven M. , Osterhout Lee
Published: April 2012

In this preliminary study, we measured event‐related potentials (ERPs) to melodic expectancy violations in a cross‐cultural context. Subjects (n= 10) were college‐age students born and raised in the United States. Subjects heard 30 short melodies based in the Western folk tradition and 30 from North Indian classical music. Each melody was presented in its original and deviation form, and subjects were asked to judge the congruence of the melody. Results indicated that subjects found the Indian melodies less congruous overall and were less sensitive to deviations in the Indian melody condition. ERP data were partly consistent with the behavioral data with significant P600 responses to deviations in both cultural conditions, but less robust in the Indian context. Results are interpreted in light of previous research on listeners’ abilities to generate expectancies in unfamiliar cultures and the possibility of overlap in the scale systems influencing the findings.
Music: a unique window into the world of autism
Authors: Molnar‐Szakacs Istvan , Heaton Pamela
Published: April 2012

Understanding emotions is fundamental to our ability to navigate the complex world of human social interaction. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience difficulties with the communication and understanding of emotions within the social domain. Their ability to interpret other people's nonverbal, facial, and bodily expressions of emotion is strongly curtailed. However, there is evidence to suggest that many individuals with ASD show a strong and early preference for music and are able to understand simple and complex musical emotions in childhood and adulthood. The dissociation between emotion recognition abilities in musical and social domains in individuals with ASD provides us with the opportunity to consider the nature of emotion processing difficulties characterizing this disorder. There has recently been a surge of interest in musical abilities in individuals with ASD, and this has motivated new behavioral and neuroimaging studies. Here, we review this new work. We conclude by providing some questions for future directions.
Beyond glycoproteins as galectin counterreceptors: tumor‐effector T cell growth control via ganglioside GM1
Authors: Ledeen Robert W. , Wu Gusheng , André Sabine , Bleich David , Huet Guillemette , Kaltner Herbert , Kopitz Jürgen , Gabius Hans‐Joachim
Published: April 2012

Glycoprotein glycan chains, by virtue of structure, topology of presentation and connection to signal‐inducing units, are functional galectin counterreceptors. As example, cross‐linking of the α5β1 integrin by galectin‐1 on carcinoma cells leads to G1 arrest or anoikis. Contact‐dependent switching from proliferation to differentiation in cultured neuroblastoma cells (SK‐N‐MC) also utilizes galectin‐1. Activity enhancement of a cell surface sialidase underlies the shift in glycan display to ganglioside GM1. Its pentasaccharide within microdomains becomes the target. Similarly, this recognition pair is upregulated upon T cell activation. Cross‐linking of GM1 along with associated α4/α5β1 integrins elicits Ca2+‐influx via TRPC5 channels as the relevant response for T effector cell (Teff) suppression. Unlike Teff cells from wild‐type mice, those from genetically altered mice lacking GM1 are not suppressed by galectin‐1 or regulatory T cells. Similarly, in the context of GM1 deficiency in NOD mice, Teff cells are associated with resistance to regulatory T cell suppression, which is reversed by applied GM1. The broad array of glycosphingolipid structures suggests the possible existence of several novel counterreceptors targeted to endogenous lectins, with sulfatide–galectin‐4 interplay within apical delivery serving as recent example.
From the model of El Sistema in Venezuela to current applications: learning and integration through collective music education
Authors: Majno Maria
Published: April 2012

Over the last years, El Sistema—the Venezuelan project started in 1975 and now acknowledged worldwide as the most significant example of collective music education—has inspired a profusion of remarkable initiatives on all continents. From the original impulse by founder José Antonio Abreu, strong social principles of integration are combined with specific musical approaches to achieve individual empowerment as a large‐scale alternative to endemic juvenile crime, counteracting the risk factors of social unease, serving as a stimulating example toward emancipation, and providing professional opportunities to the talented. Such a network, in turn, proves to be a powerful instrument of cultural progress: the tenets of “Sistema” become shared values able to foster development, reaching into issues of disability and rehabilitation. This paper presents continuities and contrasts in various ramifications of such a successful trend and outlines perspectives for further impact of this powerful transformational agent.
Multifarious roles of sialic acids in immunity
Authors: Varki Ajit , Gagneux Pascal
Published: April 2012

Sialic acids are a diverse family of monosaccharides widely expressed on all cell surfaces of vertebrates and so‐called “higher” invertebrates, and on certain bacteria that interact with vertebrates. This overview surveys examples of biological roles of sialic acids in immunity, with emphasis on an evolutionary perspective. Given the breadth of the subject, the treatment of individual topics is brief. Subjects discussed include biophysical effects regulation of factor H; modulation of leukocyte trafficking via selectins; Siglecs in immune cell activation; sialic acids as ligands for microbes; impact of microbial and endogenous sialidases on immune cell responses; pathogen molecular mimicry of host sialic acids; Siglec recognition of sialylated pathogens; bacteriophage recognition of microbial sialic acids; polysialic acid modulation of immune cells; sialic acids as pathogen decoys or biological masks; modulation of immunity by sialic acid O‐acetylation; sialic acids as antigens and xeno‐autoantigens; antisialoglycan antibodies in reproductive incompatibility; and sialic‐acid–based blood groups.
Safety and tolerability of a 6‐week course of oseltamivir prophylaxis for seasonal influenza in children
Authors: Reisinger Keith , Shu Daniel , Cupelli Lisa , Marcadis Isaac , Dutkowski Regina
Published: April 2012

Please cite this paper as: Reisinger et al. Safety and tolerability of a 6‐week course of oseltamivir prophylaxis for seasonal influenza in children. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/j.1750‐2659.2012.00367.x.

In an open‐label study, 49 children aged 1–12 years received oseltamivir (30–75 mg once daily depending on bodyweight) for 6 weeks for influenza prophylaxis. Seventeen participants reported 22 adverse events (AEs); in three participants, AEs were considered probably drug related (nausea or vomiting). No serious AEs were reported. The tolerability profile was similar to pooled safety data from treatment studies (duration of 5 days) in children.
The Promise of Racial and Ethnic Protective Factors in Promoting Ethnic Minority Youth Development
Authors: Neblett Enrique W. , Rivas‐Drake Deborah , Umaña‐Taylor Adriana J.
Published: April 2012

Experiences of racial and ethnic discrimination pose significant threats to the development and well‐being of racial and ethnic minority children. Fortunately, not all youth who experience discrimination are susceptible to its harmful effects. Growing evidence points to several racial and ethnic factors that promote positive youth development and protect against the potentially damaging effects of racial and ethnic adversity. This article summarizes emerging research trends and conclusions regarding the “promotive” and “protective” effects of racial and ethnic identity, ethnic‐racial socialization, and cultural orientation, as well as some of the mechanisms that may account for their salutary properties. The article concludes with a brief discussion of important considerations and directions for the future study of racial and ethnic resilience processes in ethnic minority youth.
The Potential Benefits of Mindfulness Training in Early Childhood: A Developmental Social Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective
Authors: Zelazo Philip David , Lyons Kristen E.
Published: April 2012

Early childhood is marked by substantial development in the self‐regulatory skills supporting school readiness and socioemotional competence. Evidence from developmental social cognitive neuroscience suggests that these skills develop as a function of changes in a dynamic interaction between more top‐down (controlled) regulatory processes and more bottom‐up (automatic) influences on behavior. Mindfulness training—using age‐appropriate activities to exercise children's reflection on their moment‐to‐moment experiences—may support the development of self‐regulation by targeting top‐down processes while lessening bottom‐up influences (such as anxiety, stress, curiosity) to create conditions conducive to reflection, both during problem solving and in more playful, exploratory ways.
Left Ventricular Assist Device as Bridge to Recovery for Anthracycline‐Induced Terminal Heart Failure
Authors: Appel Jon M. , Sander Kåre , Hansen Peter B. , Møller Jacob E. , Krarup‐Hansen Anders , Gustafsson Finn
Published: April 2012

©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Anthracycline treatments are hampered by dose‐related cardiotoxicity, frequently leading to heart failure (HF) with a very poor prognosis. The authors report a case of a 19‐year‐old man developing HF after anthracycline treatment for Ewing sarcoma. Despite medical treatment, his condition deteriorated to terminal HF, leading to implantation of a mechanical left ventricular assist device (LVAD). His heart function recovered, allowing explantation of the device 14 months after implantation. Heart transplantation is often contraindicated in the first years after treatment for cancers, and LVAD as “bridge to recovery” may be warranted in similar patients.
Delayed Diagnosis of Bilateral Scapula Fractures in a Patient with Cardiac Syncope
Authors: Porter Kenneth J. , Dartnell Jo , Richards Andrew M. , Mazumder Asif
Published: April 2012

Bilateral scapula fractures are rare and are most often associated with high energy trauma and electrocution. We present a case of an elderly man who sustained this unusual fracture pattern following a syncopal event. We highlight the importance of appropriate clinical examination and investigations in low energy mechanisms of injury to avoid a delay in diagnosing this potentially serious shoulder injury.
Reliability of Shoulder Symptom Recall after 1 Year in a Retrospective Application of the Oxford Shoulder Score
Authors: Held Michael , Roche Steve , Vrettos Basil , Laubscher Maritz , Walters Johan
Published: April 2012

Background

The accuracy of retrospective recall of shoulder symptoms has not been well documented. This prospective study assesses the ability of patients to recall their preoperative shoulder function one year after a surgical intervention, using the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS).

Methods

35 patients completed an OSS before undergoing shoulder surgery. One year later, patients were asked to recall their symptoms prior to their surgery. The recalled OSS of the patients as a group was compared to their preoperative score. The recall bias of each test pair was assessed with a Bland – Altman plot.

Results

On recall after a mean of 12.6 months, the mean OSS from the index assessment increased from 36.25 to 38.25 points. The mean difference of 2 points for the patients as a group was not significant (p = 0.14). The statistical limits of agreement of the Bland – Altman plot were set at +/-2 SD = 14.079 points. The plotted points showed fair correlation between each individual test pair.

Conclusion

The recall of symptoms of a large group of patients at 1 year after the index intervention appears to have a moderate correlation with the preoperative scoring. Although statistically acceptable, this limit of agreement is much larger than the 4.5-point difference, established to be clinically relevant in prior studies. The variation seen within the scores at the individual level suggests that these data cannot be used as a retrospective tool.
Preparation and physicochemical characterization of a novel paclitaxel-loaded amphiphilic aminocalixarene nanoparticle platform for anticancer chemotherapy
Authors: Weeden Clare , Hartlieb Karel J , Lim Lee Yong
Published: April 2012

Objectives

This paper describes the development and optimization of a nanoparticle delivery platform for the anticancer agent, paclitaxel, using a novel amphiphilic carrier, tetrahexyloxy-tetra-p-aminocalix[4]arene (A4C6).

Methods

Nanoparticles were successfully prepared at pH 4 by an emulsion evaporation method whereby an organic phase containing paclitaxel : A4C6 (molar ratio 1 : 10) was dispersed by probe sonication into an aqueous phase containing 0.5% w/v polyvinyl alcohol as stabilizer.

Key findings

The drug-loaded nanoparticles had a mean size of 78.7 ± 20.7 nm, surface potential of 38.3 ± 7.67 mV, and paclitaxel loading and encapsulation efficiencies of 69.1 ± 5.3 µg drug/mg carrier and 50.4 ± 3.2%, respectively. Transmission electron micrographs showed discrete particles with no evidence of agglomeration. In-vitro dissolution into phosphate buffered saline supplemented with 4% bovine serum albumin showed 32.7 ± 3.9%, 82.6 ± 5.3% and 91.0 ± 6.0% of the encapsulated paclitaxel load was released at 5, 72 and 120 h, respectively.

Conclusions

This is the first report on the use of amino-substituted amphiphilic calixarenes for the encapsulation of anticancer agents. The nanoparticles produced were significantly smaller than, but had comparable drug loads to the Abraxane nanoparticles, and have the potential to achieve targeted delivery of paclitaxel to tumour tissues.
BND-12, a novel nonhaematotoxic naphthalimide derivative, inhibits tumour growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xie Song-qiang , Li Qian , Zhang Ya-hong , Li Zhan , Zhao Jin , Wang Chao-jie
Published: April 2012

Objectives

Naphthalimides have shown potent antitumour activity against a variety of murine and human cancer cells. However, most of them have been abandoned because of a poor therapeutic index and haematotoxicity, such as amonafide. To overcome these disadvantages, many novel naphthalimide derivatives have been designed and synthesized as antitumour agents.

Methods

The cytotoxicity of 6,6-(propane-1,3-diylbis(azanediyl)bis(2-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1-3(2H)-dione) (BND-12) was evaluated using multiparameter cytotoxicity 2 kit by High Content Screening (HCS). The antiproliferative ability of BND-12 was evaluated using MTT assay. BND-12-mediated cell apoptosis was evaluated using HCS. Antitumor effects and systemic toxicity of BND-12 were evaluated in vivo using Kunming male mice.

Key findings

After screening, we found BND-12, a novel naphthalimide derivative, exerted favourable antitumour activity in vitro and in vivo. Our data demonstrated that the cytotoxicity of BND-12 was due to cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. Interestingly, we demonstrated that BND-12 exerted more potent antitumour activity in subcutaneous xenograft tumour growth, survival time and lung metastasis than amonafide in vivo. Encouragingly, preliminary toxicological evaluation demonstrated that BND-12 had no obvious systemic toxicity at the therapeutic dose, especially haematotoxicity.

Conclusions

BND-12 exerted potent effects against HCC in vivo and in vitro, importantly, it had no obvious systemic toxicity at the therapeutic dose.