bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patterned Copper Sulfide Thin Films: a Method for Studying Leaching Behaviour
Authors: Brokenshire Rachel S. , Somers Anthony , Chen Miao , Torriero Angel A. J.
Published: June 2016

An experimental study on copper leaching from Cu1.85S thin films is presented, wherein copper extraction is quantitatively evaluated by changes in film thickness measured by white light interferometric profilometry. Changes in the film morphology and elemental composition, as assessed by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, are used to confirm that the loss in film thickness is due to changes in the copper content and that the resultant film species is consistent with the mechanism of copper dissolution. The Cu1.85S thin films were synthesized by chemical bath deposition. The leaching behaviour of copper from the films was investigated in acidic ferric sulfate media at pHs 1, 2, and 3, and pH 1 at redox potentials of ~350–650 mV versus Ag/AgCl in 3 M KCl. The changes in the film thickness and copper sulfur ratio were shown to reflect copper dissolution behaviour from chalcocite. Leaching of the Cu1.85S films demonstrated a greater decrease in film thickness as pH decreased. In addition comparison of the order of reaction as a function of proton concentration in non-oxidative dissolution of Cu1.85S (0.06) and as a function of iron(iii) concentration in ferric oxidation of Cu1.85S (0.40) shows that the proton dissolution reaction is negligible. Leaching of the Cu1.85S films at redox potentials of up to ~476.4 mV versus Ag/AgCl in 3 M KCl produced covellite and demonstrated greater decreases in film thickness with increases in the redox potential. Leaching of the films above ~476.4 mV resulted in the formation of spionkopite and demonstrated a much lesser decrease in film thickness. These results are consistent with Eh-pH diagrams for the Cu–S–H2O system.
Investigating grammatical processing in bilinguals
Authors: Clahsen Harald , Veríssimo João
Published: June 2016

In this article we discuss methods for investigating grammatical processing in bilinguals. We will present a methodological approach that relies on: (i) linguistic theory (in our case, morphology) for the construction of experimental materials; (ii) a design that allows for direct (within-experiment, within-participant, and within-item) comparisons of the critical conditions; and (iii) data analysis techniques that make both linear and non-linear gradient effects visible. We review recent studies of masked morphological priming in bilinguals in which the application of these methodological principles revealed highly selective interactions of age of acquisition (and the native/non-native contrast) with the linguistic distinction between inflection and derivation. We believe that such considerations are not only relevant for grammatical processing experiments, but also for studying bilingualism, and its potential cognitive advantages, more generally.
Cooking pasta in La Paz
Authors: Bak Thomas H.
Published: June 2016

Literature on bilingualism and cognition is characterised by a large amount of conflicting evidence. In some studies, bilinguals perform better then monolinguals on executive tasks involving inhibition, monitoring and switching but are slower on tasks of lexical processing. Other studies don’t find any significant effects and challenge the very existence of cognitive differences between monolinguals and bilinguals. In this paper I question the assumption that different studies performed in different parts of the world should yield the same results. I argue that the environment (in the widest sense of the word) in which an experiment is conducted can exert profound influence on its outcome. Against the background of the current debate about the replication crisis in science, I propose that conflicting evidence is not a threat to the trustworthiness of scientific research but a sign of the health of a discipline and a welcome opportunity to identify new relevant variables.
Feeding Ecology of Dolphinfish in the Western Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Brewton Rachel A. , Ajemian Matthew J. , Young Peter C. , Stunz Gregory W.
Published: June 2016

Dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus support important commercial and recreational fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. Understanding the feeding ecology of this economically important pelagic fish is key to its sustainable management; however, dietary data from this region are sparse. We conducted a comprehensive diet study to develop new trophic baselines and investigate potential ontogenetic and sex‐related shifts in Dolphinfish feeding ecology. The stomach contents of 357 Dolphinfish (27.6–148.5 cm TL) were visually examined from fishery‐dependent sources off Port Aransas, Texas. Our analyses revealed a highly piscivorous diet with Actinopterygii comprising 70.44% of the stomach contents by number. The most commonly observed taxa were carangid (12.45%N) and tetraodontiform (12.08%N; families Balistidae, Monacanthidae, and Tetraodontidae) fishes. Malacostracans were also common (24.83%N), mostly in the form of pelagic megalopae. Other prey categories included squid and the critically endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys kempii. Although increasingly commom in larger fish, Sargassum spp. was found across a range of sizes in Dolphinfish, indicating that these fish feed from this drifting macroalgae throughout ontogeny. An ontogenetic shift from primary consumption of carangids and brachyurans in smaller size‐classes to tetraodontids, monocanthids, and squid in larger size‐classes was also observed. No sex‐related difference in diet was observed. The overall infection rate for gastric parasites was 54%, an order of magnitude increase from that previously reported in the region, but consistent with recent studies from other areas. Trematode parasites in the genus Dinurus were found in 55% of stomachs and nematode parasites of the family Raphidascarididae in 16% of stomachs. Overall, Dolphinfish in the western Gulf of Mexico are highly opportunistic carnivores with a gastrointestinal parasite burden consistent with that reported in other ocean basins. These data will be important for sustainable management of this economically important species.

Received November 20, 2015; accepted February 17, 2016 Published online June 24, 2016
Comparison of Pulsed Gastric Lavage and Acrylic Stomach Tubes for Sampling the Diet of Butterfly Peacock Bass
Authors: Bies Jason M. , Neal J. Wesley
Published: June 2016

Nonlethal techniques for sampling the stomach contents of fishes have been developed for a variety of fish species. The goal of this study was to determine whether pulsed gastric lavage or acrylic stomach tubes were more effective for extracting stomach contents from Butterfly Peacock Bass Cichla ocellaris, specifically which was least injurious, retrieved the greatest percentage of stomach contents, and was least biased. Pulsed gastric lavage was less injurious than stomach tubes, with bruising of the stomach wall the most common injury being observed. The mean percent of stomach contents removed by pulsed gastric lavage (70.0%) was greater than the percent removed by stomach tubes (57.2%). Both gears were less successful at removing contents from larger fish and had difficulties retrieving contents from fuller stomachs. Pulsed gastric lavage is the recommended method for sampling stomach contents from Butterfly Peacock Bass, as it is both less injurious and more effective than stomach tubes. However, given the low average percent of diet recovered, pulsed gastric lavage may be more appropriate for studies that require only the presence or absence of a species in Butterfly Peacock Bass diets rather than for studies that require quantitative depictions of diet composition.

Received December 19, 2015; accepted March 10, 2016 Published online June 24, 2016
Moral uncertainty and permissibility: Evaluating Option Sets
Authors: Barry Christian , Tomlin Patrick
Published: June 2016

In this essay, we explore an issue of moral uncertainty: what we are permitted to do when we are unsure about which moral principles are correct. We develop a novel approach to this issue that incorporates important insights from previous work on moral uncertainty, while avoiding some of the difficulties that beset existing alternative approaches. Our approach is based on evaluating and choosing between optionsetsrather than particular conductoptions.We show how our approach is particularly well-suited to address this issue of moral uncertainty with respect to agents that have credence in moral theories that are not fully consequentialist.
Reproducing the Location-Based Context-Specific Proportion Congruent Effect for Frequency Unbiased Items: A Reply to Hutcheon and Spieler (2016)
Authors: Crump Matthew J. C. , Brosowsky Nicholaus P. , Milliken Bruce
Published: June 2016

Stroop effects can be modulated by context-specific cues associated with different levels of proportion congruent, even for items that appear equally frequently in each context. This result has important theoretical implications, because it rules out frequency-driven learning explanations of context-specific proportion congruent (CSPC) effects and leaves open the possibility that a cue-driven retrieval process can reinstate attentional control settings in a rapid online fashion. The purpose of the present work was to address reproducibility concerns that have been raised about this finding. We conducted several reproductions and novel extensions using Amazon's mechanical Turk in both Stroop and flanker tasks. We successfully replicated the central finding that CSPC effects can be observed for frequency-unbiased items. We also provide new Monte Carlo simulation analyses to estimate reproducibility of the phenomena that show important limitations on these designs for measuring contextual control.
Experimental assessment of factors mediating the naturalization of a globally invasive tree on sandy coastal plains: a case study from Brazil
Authors: Zimmermann Thalita G. , Andrade Antonio C. S. , Richardson David M.
Published: June 2016

As all naturalized species are potential invaders, it is important to better understand the determinants of naturalization of alien plants. This study sought to identify traits that enable the alien tree Casuarina equisetifolia to overcome barriers to survival and reproductive and to become naturalized on sandy coastal plains. Restinga vegetation in Brazil was used as a model system to conceptualize and quantify key stressors (high temperature, solar radiation, drought and salinity) which can limit the initial establishment of the plants. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of these environmental factors on seed persistence in the soil (field), germination (laboratory), survival, growth, phenotypic plasticity and phenotypic integration (greenhouse). Results show that the expected viability of the seeds in the soil was 50 months. Seeds germinated in a similar way in constant and alternating temperatures (20–40 °C), except at 40 °C. Low light, and water and salt stresses reduced germination, but seeds recovered germination when stress diminished. Young plants did not tolerate water stress (<2 % of soil moisture) or deep shade. Growth was greater in sunny than in shady conditions. Although a low degree of phenotypic plasticity is important in habitats with multiple stress factors, this species exhibited high germination plasticity, although young plants showed low plasticity. The positive effect of phenotypic integration on plastic expression in the shade shows that in stressful environments traits that show greater phenotypic plasticity values may have significant phenotypic correlations with other characters, which is an important factor in the evolutionary ecology of this invasive species. Long-term seed persistence in the soil, broad germination requirements (temperature and light conditions) and the capacity to survive in a wide range of light intensity favours its naturalization. However, C. equisetifolia did not tolerate water stress and deep shade, which limit its potential to become naturalized on sandy coastal plain.
Effects of topoclimatic complexity on the composition of woody plant communities
Authors: Oldfather Meagan F. , Britton Matthew N. , Papper Prahlad D. , Koontz Michael J. , Halbur Michelle M. , Dodge Celeste , Flint Alan L. , Flint Lorriane E. , Ackerly David D.
Published: June 2016

Topography can create substantial environmental variation at fine spatial scales. Shaped by slope, aspect, hill-position and elevation, topoclimate heterogeneity may increase ecological diversity, and act as a spatial buffer for vegetation responding to climate change. Strong links have been observed between climate heterogeneity and species diversity at broader scales, but the importance of topoclimate for woody vegetation across small spatial extents merits closer examination. We established woody vegetation monitoring plots in mixed evergreen-deciduous woodlands that spanned topoclimate gradients of a topographically heterogeneous landscape in northern California. We investigated the association between the structure of adult and regenerating size classes of woody vegetation and multidimensional topoclimate at a fine scale. We found a significant effect of topoclimate on both single-species distributions and community composition. Effects of topoclimate were evident in the regenerating size class for all dominant species (four Quercus spp. , Umbellularia californica and Pseudotsuga menziesii ) but only in two dominant species ( Quercus agrifolia and Quercus garryana ) for the adult size class. Adult abundance was correlated with water balance parameters (e.g. climatic water deficit) and recruit abundance was correlated with an interaction between the topoclimate parameters and conspecific adult abundance (likely reflecting local seed dispersal). However, in all cases, the topoclimate signal was weak. The magnitude of environmental variation across our study site may be small relative to the tolerance of long-lived woody species. Dispersal limitations, management practices and patchy disturbance regimes also may interact with topoclimate, weakening its influence on woody vegetation distributions. Our study supports the biological relevance of multidimensional topoclimate for mixed woodland communities, but highlights that this relationship might be mediated by interacting factors at local scales.
GORpipe: a query tool for working with sequence data based on a Genomic Ordered Relational (GOR) architecture
Authors: Guðbjartsson Hákon , Georgsson Guðmundur Fr. , Guðjónsson Sigurjón A. , Valdimarsson Ragnar þór , Sigurðsson Jóhann H. , Stefánsson Sigmar K. , Másson Gísli , Magnússon Gísli , Pálmason Vilmundur , Stefánsson Kári
Published: June 2016

Motivation: Our aim was to create a general-purpose relational data format and analysis tools to provide an efficient and coherent framework for working with large volumes of DNA sequence data.

Results: For this purpose we developed the GORpipe software system. It is based on a genomic ordered architecture and uses a declarative query language that combines features from SQL and shell pipe syntax in a novel manner. The system can for instance be used to annotate sequence variants, find genomic spatial overlap between various types of genomic features, filter and aggregate them in various ways.

Availability and Implementation: The GORpipe software is freely available for non-commercial academic usage and can be downloaded from www.nextcode.com/gorpipe.

Contact:  hakon@wuxinextcode.com

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Revealing aperiodic aspects of solenoid proteins from sequence information
Authors: Hrabe Thomas , Jaroszewski Lukasz , Godzik Adam
Published: June 2016

Motivation: Repeat proteins, which contain multiple repeats of short sequence motifs, form a large but seldom-studied group of proteins. Methods focusing on the analysis of 3D structures of such proteins identified many subtle effects in length distribution of individual motifs that are important for their functions. However, similar analysis was yet not applied to the vast majority of repeat proteins with unknown 3D structures, mostly because of the extreme diversity of the underlying motifs and the resulting difficulty to detect those.

Results: We developed FAIT, a sequence-based algorithm for the precise assignment of individual repeats in repeat proteins and introduced a framework to classify and compare aperiodicity patterns for large protein families. FAIT extracts repeat positions by post-processing FFAS alignment matrices with image processing methods. On examples of proteins with Leucine Rich Repeat (LRR) domains and other solenoids like proteins, we show that the automated analysis with FAIT correctly identifies exact lengths of individual repeats based entirely on sequence information.

Availability and Implementation:  https://github.com/GodzikLab/FAIT.

Contact:  adam@godziklab.org

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
CAGEd-oPOSSUM: motif enrichment analysis from CAGE-derived TSSs
Authors: Arenillas David J. , Forrest Alistair R. R. , Kawaji Hideya , Lassmann Timo ,   The FANTOM Consortium, Wasserman Wyeth W. , Mathelier Anthony
Published: June 2016

With the emergence of large-scale Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) datasets from individual labs and the FANTOM consortium, one can now analyze the cis-regulatory regions associated with gene transcription at an unprecedented level of refinement. By coupling transcription factor binding site (TFBS) enrichment analysis with CAGE-derived genomic regions, CAGEd-oPOSSUM can identify TFs that act as key regulators of genes involved in specific mammalian cell and tissue types. The webtool allows for the analysis of CAGE-derived transcription start sites (TSSs) either provided by the user or selected from ∼1300 mammalian samples from the FANTOM5 project with pre-computed TFBS predicted with JASPAR TF binding profiles. The tool helps power insights into the regulation of genes through the study of the specific usage of TSSs within specific cell types and/or under specific conditions.

Availability and Implementation: The CAGEd-oPOSUM web tool is implemented in Perl, MySQL and Apache and is available at http://cagedop.cmmt.ubc.ca/CAGEd_oPOSSUM.

Contacts:  anthony.mathelier@ncmm.uio.no or wyeth@cmmt.ubc.ca

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
iPTM-mLys: identifying multiple lysine PTM sites and their different types
Authors: Qiu Wang-Ren , Sun Bi-Qian , Xiao Xuan , Xu Zhao-Chun , Chou Kuo-Chen
Published: June 2016

Motivation: Post-translational modification, abbreviated as PTM, refers to the change of the amino acid side chains of a protein after its biosynthesis. Owing to its significance for in-depth understanding various biological processes and developing effective drugs, prediction of PTM sites in proteins have currently become a hot topic in bioinformatics. Although many computational methods were established to identify various single-label PTM types and their occurrence sites in proteins, no method has ever been developed for multi-label PTM types. As one of the most frequently observed PTMs, the K-PTM, namely, the modification occurring at lysine (K), can be usually accommodated with many different types, such as ‘acetylation’, ‘crotonylation’, ‘methylation’ and ‘succinylation’. Now we are facing an interesting challenge: given an uncharacterized protein sequence containing many K residues, which ones can accommodate two or more types of PTM, which ones only one, and which ones none?

Results: To address this problem, a multi-label predictor called iPTM-mLys has been developed. It represents the first multi-label PTM predictor ever established. The novel predictor is featured by incorporating the sequence-coupled effects into the general PseAAC, and by fusing an array of basic random forest classifiers into an ensemble system. Rigorous cross-validations via a set of multi-label metrics indicate that the first multi-label PTM predictor is very promising and encouraging.

Availability and Implementation: For the convenience of most experimental scientists, a user-friendly web-server for iPTM-mLys has been established at http://www.jci-bioinfo.cn/iPTM-mLys, by which users can easily obtain their desired results without the need to go through the complicated mathematical equations involved.

Contact:  wqiu@gordonlifescience.org, xxiao@gordonlifescience.org, kcchou@gordonlifescience.org

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Reducing bycatch in beam trawls and electrotrawls with (electrified) benthos release panels
Authors: Soetaert Maarten , Lenoir Heleen , Verschueren Bart
Published: June 2016

Benthos release panels (BRPs) are known for their capacity to release large amounts of unwanted benthos and debris, which can decrease mortality on these animals and eases the on board sorting process aboard demersal beam trawlers. They can reduce the bycatch of undersized fish, which is desired once the European discard ban is implemented. However, unacceptable commercial losses of sole (Solea solea L.) and damage to the BRP as a consequence of suboptimal and unsuitable rigging in the traditional beam trawl with chain mat, is hampering a successful introduction in commercial beam-trawl fisheries. To eliminate these drawbacks, square-meshed BRPs with different mesh sizes (150, 200, and 240 mm) were rigged in a trawl with square net design as used in electrotrawls and tested for selectivity. In addition to this, the effect of electric stimulation at the height of the BRP to eliminate the loss of commercial sole was examined. According to our observations, no abrasion of the net attributable to suboptimal rigging occurred in any of the BRPs tested. The catch comparisons showed significant release of benthos and undersized fish in all panel mesh sizes, but there was always a significant loss of marketable sole in the 150, 200, and 240 mm BRPs. Adding a 80 Hz electric cramp stimulus to the BRP, resulted in equal catches of sole larger than 25 cm as the standard net, without negatively affecting the release of benthos and most undersized commercial fish. This clearly demonstrates the promising potential of electrified BRPs (eBRPs), but further optimization by using smaller BRP mesh sizes or optimized electric stimuli is warranted to retain all marketable sole.
Challenging ICES age estimation protocols: lessons learned from the eastern Baltic cod stock
Authors: Hüssy Karin , Radtke Krzysztof , Plikshs Maris , Oeberst Rainer , Baranova Tatjana , Krumme Uwe , Sjöberg Rajlie , Walther Yvonne , Mosegaard Henrik
Published: June 2016

Over the recent decades, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has set guidelines for best practise quality control of age estimation procedures. The applicability of these guidelines is assessed by reviewing the ageing issues of eastern Baltic cod (EBC) as a case study. Since the implementation of an age-based assessment of EBC in the beginning of the 1970s, the assessment has been hampered by the quality of the age composition data, in recent years to a degree that age-based assessment is no longer used. The reason for the age reading problems is the low visual contrast between growth zones in the otoliths which seems to be the result of complex interactions of the hydrography in the Baltic Sea with the cod’s biology and behaviour. Over the last 40 years, various expert groups have struggled to document and improve the agreement of age estimation between national otolith readers, standardize methods and age estimations through repeated exchanges and reference collections as well as an internationally agreed manual. Despite these initiatives the precision of the age estimations based on traditional ageing did not improve, with significant bias persisting between and within readers. Additionally, a wide range of alternative methods for deriving the age information necessary for stock assessment and for validation of the true age have been tested. However, these methods did not produce unbiased age estimates over the entire size and age range of the EBC stock. An age-validation is urgently needed. Deviations from the ICES guidelines identified are as follows: (i) the lack of rigorous quality control, particularly the auditing of national trends in age precision over the years using a reference collection and (ii) the implementation of an age error matrix in the stock assessment.
Adult EEG
Authors: Sirven Joseph I. , Westmoreland Barbara F.
Published: June 2016

The EEG can be helpful in evaluating patients with focal or diffuse disorders, altered consciousness, or who are comatose. The occurrence of certain patterns and the presence of variability and reactivity of the EEG can help ascertain their prognosis or potential for improvement. Sequential recordings are very helpful in determining whether the patient is improving or deteriorating, or developing other complications such as seizures, metabolic encephalopathies, or toxic or medication effects Specific EEG patterns, when present, can give clues to what the underlying process is. This chapter discusses the group of abnormal non-epileptic EEG findings that can occur in an adult, including common abnormal non-epileptiform EEG abnormalities, EEG in disease-specific focal processes affecting the cerebral cortex, and EEG findings of disorders that affect the brain in a diffuse manner. The current evaluation and EEG standards in brain-death determination is reviewed.
Prolonged Video Electroencephalography
Authors: Shin Cheolsu
Published: June 2016

Prolonged video EEG (PVEEG) has become a critical tool in the electrophysiological monitoring of brain function in many clinical situations. Technological advances in equipment and software have enabled high-quality video and EEG analysis in many institutions. Video EEG enables analysis of paroxysmal events, epileptic seizures, non-epileptic physiological events and non-epileptic behavioral spells, for classification and to assist with specific therapeutic interventions. Seizure quantification can be performed for measuring therapeutic response. PVEEG is also required for accurate localization of seizure-onset zone for resective epilepsy surgery. Monitoring of ICU patients with altered mental status with PVEEG is also becoming the standard of care to exclude nonconvulsive status epilepticus. This chapter describes various techniques of PVEEG and discusses its clinical applications.
Electroencephalographic Special Studies
Authors: Worrell Gregory A. , Lagerlund Terrence D.
Published: June 2016

Digital computers can aid in extracting information from EEG waveforms that is not readily obtainable with visual analysis alone and may also be used for quantitation of key features of waveforms. This may be useful in accurate EEG interpretation and in making serial comparisons between EEGs performed on the same subject at different times. Digital computers may also partially automate the interpretation of EEGs, particularly in prolonged monitoring for epilepsy. This chapter reviews several quantitative analysis techniques that may be applied to digitized EEG data. The technique of magnetoencephalography (MEG) is also discussed. Many of these techniques were primarily used as research tools; but as they have become more widely available, they are having an increasing effect on EEG interpretation and diagnosis.
Epilepsy Surgery Evaluation
Authors: Drazkowski Joseph F.
Published: June 2016

Epilepsy can be a devastating illness for those afflicted. Unfortunately, approximately one-third of people diagnosed with epilepsy are not effectively treated with standard medical management. People with medically refractory epilepsy can be treated and possibly cured of their disease utilizing a surgical approach. The electroencephalogram currently remains the “gold standard” for characterizing and localizing the ictal onset zone. Standard surface and sometimes intracranial EEG, when appropriate, are typically utilized in the evaluation process. The epilepsy surgical evaluation is sometimes enhanced with the utilization of SPECT/SISCOM imaging to further help confirm the seizure focus. Data gathered during the evaluation process guide the surgical resection, with improved remission rates correlating with precise localization of the ictal onset zone. This chapter describes the current presurgical epilepsy evaluation using the EEG and SPECT scanning.
Digital Signal Processing
Authors: Lagerlund Terrence D.
Published: June 2016

Digital computers can perform types of signal processing not readily available with analog devices, such as ordinary electrical circuits. This includes making the process of obtaining, storing, retrieving, and viewing clinical neurophysiology data easier; aiding in extracting information from waveforms that is not readily obtainable with visual analysis alone; and improving quantification of key features of waveforms. These processes are useful in accurate clinical diagnosis of electroencephalographic (EEG), electromyographic (EMG), and evoked potential studies, and it also lend themselves to serial comparisons between studies performed on the same subject at different times or between two groups of subjects in scientific investigations. Digital computers may also partially automate the interpretation of clinical neurophysiology studies. This chapter reviews the principles of digitization, the design of digitally based instruments for clinical neurophysiology, and several common uses of digital processing, including averaging, digital filtering, and some types of time-domain and frequency-domain analysis.
Motor Nerve Conduction Studies
Authors: Jones Lyell K. , Watson James C.
Published: June 2016

A compound muscle action potential (CMAP) is the summated action potential recorded from muscle during a motor nerve conduction study (NCS). Motor NCSs with recording of CMAPs may be used for several purposes in assessing neuromuscular diseases, including providing objective measurements of the extent and localization of the cause of weakness; determining the underlying pathological abnormality, such as conduction block or slowing of conduction at a localized area of neurapractic injury; identifying the changes associated with Wallerian degeneration and regeneration in the motor nerve; and assisting (along with needle EMG) in distinguishing peripheral nerve disease from lower motor neuron disease, neuromuscular junction disease, and myopathies. This chapter will review the concepts and techniques of motor NCS and CMAP recording, will describe the technique and measurements, and will discuss the findings in various neuromuscular diseases.
Sensory Nerve Conduction Studies
Authors: Sorenson Eric J.
Published: June 2016

Sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs) are an important component of an electrodiagnostic test of peripheral nerves and can localize lesions either proximal or distal to the dorsal root ganglia. They are among the most sensitive measures of peripheral nerve dysfunction, and can provide information about the pathophysiology of the neuropathy, suggesting demyelination or axonal loss in some cases. Because SNAPs are much smaller than compound muscle action potentials, they are technically more difficult to study. Temperature will have a greater impact on SNAPs than motor potentials, with cooler limb temperatures leading to longer latencies, slower conduction velocities, and larger amplitudes. Responses are commonly averaged 3 to 5 times to minimize the effect of the background noise on the waveforms. Distance from the electrical generator and inter-electrode distance will also impact the appearance and size of the nerve potential waveform. This chapter reviews the concepts and applications of sensory nerve action potentials and sensory nerve conduction studies.
Cranial Reflexes and Related Techniques
Authors: Smith Benn E.
Published: June 2016

Electrophysiological study of the function of cranial nerves, particularly the fifth and seventh cranial nerves, may be useful for assessing cranial neuropathies or facial movement disorders, such as hemifacial spasm or facial synkinesis. Several electrophysiological techniques are available in clinical neurophysiology laboratories to study these nerves and cranial reflexes. These techniques can also provide useful information in some cases of peripheral neuropathy, polyradiculoneuropathy, and brain stem lesions. This chapter reviews the concepts, methods, and applications of cranial reflexes, including the blink reflex, the jaw jerk (or masseter reflex), and the masseter inhibitory reflex (MIR). Two additional techniques—one to assess a sensory nerve in the head that is not a cranial nerve of branchial arch origin, the great auricular sensory nerve, and the other to interrogate trigeminal sensory pathways from the sensory receptor level to the parietal cortex, contact heat evoked potentials—are also discussed.
Single Fiber Electromyography
Authors: Crum Brian A. , Harper C. Michel
Published: June 2016

Single fiber electromyography (SFEMG) is an advanced neurophysiological technique that is primarily used to assess the neuromuscular junction and disorders impairing adequate neuromuscular transmission. SFEMG measurements that are most useful clinically include jitter and blocking, which are quantitative and sensitive measures of neuromuscular transmission inefficiency; and abnormalities in these occur early in the course of diseases, often when standard electrodiagnostic studies are normal. Fiber density assesses the density of individual muscle fibers in each region of the muscle and is increased in a nonspecific manner in most neurogenic and myopathic disorders. SFEMG requires specialized recording equipment, which is used in the collection, display, analysis, reporting, and archiving of SFEMG data. Knowledge of technical limitations and potential pitfalls is vital in acquisition and analysis of SFEMG data. This chapter will review the concepts, methods, measurements, and technical factors related to single fiber EMG. SFEMG findings in various diseases will be reviewed.
Contact Heat Evoked Potentials
Authors: Smith Benn E.
Published: June 2016

Somatic small-diameter fibers in the Aδ‎ and C classes are difficult to assess objectively. Beyond skin punch biopsy for epidermal nerve fiber density, which examines only a small percentage of the cutaneous nerve fibers, nociceptive evoked potentials provide a number of techniques to study these heat- and pain-mediating neural pathways. Of the available approaches, contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPS) present a number of advantages. Using robust and highly quantified discrete bursts of heat by a thermofoil electrode, safeguarded by layers of redundant internal algorithms to insure stimuli remain within strict tolerances, CHEPS evokes scalp responses typically in the 5–50 μ‎V amplitude range in normal adult subjects from Cz–TE into the eighth decade, which can be readily resolved averaging 10–14 stimuli. Having been used in individuals with a variety of peripheral and central disorders affecting spinothalamic pathways, CHEPS is a promising technique in clinical neurophysiology.
Autonomic Physiology
Authors: Cheshire William P.
Published: June 2016

Autonomic physiology encompasses diverse interactions between the nervous system and visceral effector organs, and their impairment in many neurological disorders can be measured noninvasively. Autonomic outflow is organized neuroanatomically and functionally. Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves coordinate the cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, and sudomotor responses that regulate blood pressure, heart rate, thermal equilibrium, and other automatic bodily functions. Knowledge of autonomic physiology is key to the recognition and diagnosis of autonomic failure, orthostatic hypotension, autonomic neuropathies, localizable regional autonomic disorders, neurodegenerative and general medical disorders that affect autonomic function. An important example is neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, which can result from impaired sympathetic vasoconstriction of peripheral vascular beds, impaired carotid baroreflex responses, or impaired autonomic influence on cardiac output. Another example is thermoregulatory failure from ineffective cutaneous sudomotor or vasomotor responses. Accurate measurement and valid interpretation of autonomic responses in the clinical laboratory rest on an understanding of autonomic physiology.
Quantitative Sudomotor Axon Reflex and Related Tests
Authors: Low Phillip A.
Published: June 2016

Small distal nerve fibers are often selectively involved in some patients with axonal neuropathies (distal small-fiber neuropathy). One method of testing the integrity of these small nerve fibers is to study the postganglionic sympathetic sudomotor “C” fiber function. The application of noninvasive, sensitive, quantitative, and dynamic tests of sudomotor function significantly enhances the ability to quantitate one aspect of the autonomic deficit. The quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) has an important role in clinical applications to better definition of the course of neuropathy, its response to treatment, and further exploration of sudomotor physiology. Simpler methods are available as screening tests. This chapter reviews the use of methods to measure sudomotor fiber function.
Thermoregulatory Sweat Test
Authors: Fealey Robert D.
Published: June 2016

The thermoregulatory sweat test (TST) consists of giving a controlled heat and humidity stimulus to produce a generalized sweat response. The TST assesses the integrity of efferent sympathetic sudomotor pathways. The entire anterior body surface is tested for both pre- and post-ganglionic lesions. The TST can evaluate patients with symptoms of small-fiber neuropathy and demonstrate autonomic involvement in disorders such as multiple system atrophy, hyperhidrosis, and some skin disorders. An indicator powder placed on the body surface before heating provides visualization of sweating and non-sweating skin. The patient’s weight (before and after heating) and height allows calculation of total body sweat rate, and the slope of the core temperature rise with time provides an estimate of heat tolerance. Normal and abnormal TST patterns, report generation, and difficulties and pitfalls in test interpretation are described.
Electricity and Electronics in Clinical Neurophysiology
Authors: Lagerlund Terrence D.
Published: June 2016

Knowledge of the basic principles of electricity and electronic circuits is necessary for a complete understanding of the proper operation of equipment used in clinical neurophysiology. This chapter reviews the basic principles of electric and electronic circuits that are important to clinical neurophysiology. Topics reviewed include basic fundamentals of electricity (such as electric currents, resistors, and capacitors), circuit analysis, filters, transistors and amplifiers, and the terminology and specifications given in equipment manual, as they relate to clinical neurophysiology, Knowledge of these basic principles and how to solve simple circuit problems is necessary for a complete understanding of the proper operation of equipment used in clinical neurophysiology and of the terminology and specifications given in equipment manuals.
Volume Conduction
Authors: Lagerlund Terrence D. , Rubin Devon I. , Daube Jasper R.
Published: June 2016

Electrophysiologic studies involve bioelectric potentials generated by sources inside the body, such as the brain, peripheral nerve, and muscle, which may be some distance away from the recording electrodes. Current sources or sinks (active or passive) generated from these bioelectric potentials lead to widespread extracellular currents flowing in the conducting medium throughout the body, called a volume conductor. This chapter reviews the principles of volume conduction as applied to the potentials recorded in clinical neurophysiological studies. Knowledge of these principles is necessary for proper interpretation of EEG, EMG, NCS, and evoked potential recordings in order to extract information concerning the function and location of the neural structures that generate the recorded activity or waveforms.
Electrical Safety in the Laboratory and Hospital
Authors: Lagerlund Terrence D.
Published: June 2016

The principles of electrical safety are of great importance in clinical neurophysiology. All of the electrophysiological studies that are performed require the application of electrical connections to equipment that, through connections with the patient, pass small amounts of electrical current to the patient. Although small, there is always an inherent risk to the tissue through which current passes. This chapter reviews the principles of electric safety that are relevant to clinical neurophysiologic studies. Knowledge of these principles is necessary both for those involved in evaluating and purchasing test instruments and for those involved in maintaining and using them. All those who order, perform, interpret, or supervise electrophysiologic testing share in the responsibility for patient safety, including electric safety.
Exporters’ Exposures to Currencies: Beyond the Loglinear Model*
Authors: Boudt Kris , Liu Fang , Sercu Piet
Published: June 2016

We extend the constant-elasticity regression that is the default choice when equities’ exposure to currencies is estimated. In a proper real-option-style model for the exporters’ equity exposure to the foreign exchange rate, we argue, the convexity of the relationship implies that the elasticity should depend on the exchange rate level. For instance, it should shrink to zero when the option to export becomes worthless, and that should happen at a critical exchange rate that is still strictly positive. We propose a class of tractable multi-regime regression models featuring, in line with the real-options logic, smooth transitions and within-regime dynamics in the foreign exchange exposure. We then analyze the exchange rate exposure of Chinese exporting firms and find that the model in which the moneyness of the export option has a positive impact on the exchange rate exposure detects a significantly positive and convex exposure for 40% and 65% of the firms depending on whether the market return is included in the regression or not.
Sevoflurane Postconditioning Reduces Apoptosis by Activating the JAK-STAT Pathway After Transient Global Cerebral Ischemia in Rats
Authors: Kim Hyun-Chang , Kim Eugene , Bae Jung Il , Lee Kook Hyun , Jeon Young-Tae , Hwang Jung-Won , Lim Young-Jin , Min Seong-Won , Park Hee-Pyoung
Published: June 2016

Background:

The antiapoptotic effects of sevoflurane postconditioning are responsible for neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Phosphorylation of the Janus family tyrosine kinases (JAK) 2-signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) 3 pathway is linked to antiapoptosis. Here, we determined whether the antiapoptotic effects of sevoflurane postconditioning are associated with activation of the JAK2-STAT3 pathway after global transient cerebral ischemia in rats.

Materials and Methods:

Forty-five rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups: sham (n=5), control (10 min of ischemia, n=10), sevoflurane postconditioning (2 periods of sevoflurane inhalation after ischemia for 10 min, n=10), AG490 (a JAK2 selective inhibitor, intraperitoneal administration of 40 mg/kg before ischemia, n=10), and sevoflurane postconditioning plus AG490 group (n=10). The number of apoptotic cells as well as the expression of JAK2, phosphorylated JAK2 (P-JAK2), STAT3, phosphorylated STAT3 (P-STAT3), Bcl-2 (antiapoptotic protein), and Bax (proapoptotic protein) were evaluated 3 days after ischemia.

Results:

The apoptotic cell count was significantly lower in the sevoflurane postconditioning group than in the control, AG490, and sevoflurane postconditioning plus AG490 groups. JAK2 and STAT3 levels were comparable among all 5 groups. P-JAK2, P-STAT3, and Bcl-2 levels were higher and Bax levels were lower in the sevoflurane postconditioning group relative to the control, AG490, and sevoflurane postconditioning plus AG490 groups.

Conclusions:

Sevoflurane postconditioning reduced apoptosis by increasing P-JAK and P-STAT expression after transient global ischemia in rats, and AG490 reversed the beneficial antiapoptotic effects of sevoflurane postconditioning, suggesting that the JAK-STAT pathway may be involved in the antiapoptotic mechanism of sevoflurane postconditioning.
Rhabdomyolysis After Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Authors: Lassey Sarah C. , Robinson Julian N.
Published: June 2016

BACKGROUND:

Hyperemesis gravidarum may lead to hypovolemia and substantial electrolyte abnormalities, including hypokalemia. Hypokalemia, when profound, may result in rare consequences, such as rhabdomyolysis.

CASE:

A 20-year-old woman with hyperemesis gravidarum at 19 weeks of gestation presented with extreme leg weakness and was found to have hypokalemia and hypophosphatemia. Her course was complicated by rhabdomyolysis, which, after excluding other causes, was attributed to hypokalemia and severe dehydration. After aggressive electrolyte and hydration repletion, she experienced resolution of her symptoms.

CONCLUSION:

Pregnancies complicated by hyperemesis gravidarum represent potentially high-risk clinical scenarios for electrolyte abnormalities and subsequent complications, including rhabdomyolysis.
Graft and Mesh Use in Transvaginal Prolapse Repair
Authors: Schimpf Megan O. , Abed Husam , Sanses Tatiana , White Amanda B. , Lowenstein Lior , Ward Renée M. , Sung Vivian W. , Balk Ethan M. , Murphy Miles ,   for the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons Systematic Review Group
Published: June 2016

OBJECTIVE:

To update clinical practice guidelines on graft and mesh use in transvaginal pelvic organ prolapse repair based on systematic review.

DATA SOURCES:

Eligible studies, published through April 2015, were retrieved through ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases and bibliography searches.

METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION:

We included studies of transvaginal prolapse repair that compared graft or mesh use with either native tissue repair or use of a different graft or mesh with anatomic and symptomatic outcomes with a minimum of 12 months of follow-up.

TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS:

Study data were extracted by one reviewer and confirmed by a second reviewer. Studies were classified by vaginal compartment (anterior, posterior, apical, or multiple), graft type (biologic, synthetic absorbable, synthetic nonabsorbable), and outcome (anatomic, symptomatic, sexual function, mesh complications, and return to the operating room). We found 66 comparative studies reported in 70 articles, including 38 randomized trials; quality of the literature has improved over time, but some outcomes still show heterogeneity and limited power. In the anterior vaginal compartment, synthetic nonabsorbable mesh consistently showed improved anatomic and bulge symptom outcomes compared with native tissue repairs based on meta-analyses. Other subjective outcomes, including urinary incontinence or dyspareunia, generally did not differ. Biologic graft or synthetic absorbable mesh use did not provide an advantage in any compartment. Synthetic mesh use in the posterior or apical compartments did not improve success. Mesh erosion rates ranged from 1.4–19% at the anterior vaginal wall, but 3–36% when mesh was placed in multiple compartments. Operative mesh revision rates ranged from 3–8%.

CONCLUSION:

Synthetic mesh augmentation of anterior wall prolapse repair improves anatomic outcomes and bulge symptoms compared with native tissue repair. Biologic grafts do not improve prolapse repair outcomes in any compartment. Mesh erosion occurred in up to 36% of patients, but reoperation rates were low.