bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Long‐Term Outcome of Hearing Rehabilitation With An Active Middle Ear Implant
Authors: Brkic Faris F. , Riss Dominik , Auinger Alice , Zoerner Barbara , Arnoldner Christoph , Baumgartner Wolf‐Dieter , Gstoettner Wolfgang , Vyskocil Erich 
Published: October 2018

ObjectiveTo assess the audiological and long‐term medical and technical follow‐up outcomes of an active middle ear implant.MethodsThis was a retrospective medical chart analysis of all patients provided with an active middle ear implant in a tertiary academic medical referral center between September 1, 1998, and July 31, 2015. Main outcome measures were medical and technical complications, revisions, reimplantations, explantations, coupling approaches, mean time of use, pre‐ and postoperative hearing thresholds, functional hearing gain across frequencies (250–4,000 Hz), and Freiburg monosyllablic word test at 65 dB.ResultsOne hundred and three patients were identified. Fifteen were implanted bilaterally (n = 118 Vibrant Soundbridge devices [MED‐EL, Innsbruck, Austria]). Seventy‐seven devices were implanted for sensorineural and 41 for mixed and conductive hearing loss. Patients used the implant for 6.7 years (range 0.7 months–17.9 years) on average. Ninety‐one patients (77.12%) were using the device at the end of the observation period. An overall complication rate of 16.1% was observed. The revision and explantation rates were higher for devices implanted between 2004 and 2006. The device failure rate was 3.4%. Audiological evaluation showed significant hearing gains for both hearing loss patient groups.ConclusionThis long‐term follow‐up reveals the reliability of the active middle ear implant in a single center. Overall complication rate and device failure rate are acceptable. The complication rate was higher during implementation of alternative coupling approaches. The audiological benefit was satisfactory in patients with all hearing loss types. The majority of implanted patients used the implant at the end of the observation period.Level of Evidence4 Laryngoscope, 129:477–481, 2019
Tobacco carcinogen research to aid understanding of cancer risk and influence policy
Authors: Singhavi Hitesh , Ahluwalia Jasjit S. , Stepanov Irina , Gupta Prakash C. , Gota Vikram , Chaturvedi Pankaj , Khariwala Samir S. 
Published: October 2018

Education regarding the health effects associated with tobacco use has made important progress worldwide over the last few decades. Still, tobacco remains a significant cause of cancer and other diseases. As a result, significant worldwide morbidity and mortality is still attributable to tobacco use in modern times. Research into tobacco products, the carcinogens they contain, and how users metabolize them is an important benefit to the advancement of research aimed at reducing harm associated with tobacco use. This review summarizes the use of this type of research to study tobacco users’ risk of developing cancer, especially head and neck cancer. In addition, we discuss the use of tobacco research to provide support for increasing levels of federal regulation of tobacco products.Level of Evidence4.
Phenoconversion from Idiopathic Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder to Lewy Body Disease
Authors: Miyamoto Tomoyuki , Miyamoto Masayuki 
Published: October 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe conversion rate and estimated risk of neurodegenerative diseases vary with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (IRBD).MethodsThis retrospective cohort study examined 273 patients (213 men, 60 women) with polysomnographic‐confirmed IRBD (192 and 81 patients in the Sleep Center [SC] cohort and Neurological Center [NC] cohort, respectively) who were followed longitudinally. The date of diagnosis was determined as the onset of an overt neurological syndrome. The conversion rate was calculated; the risk of developing an overt neurological syndrome was estimated using the Kaplan‐Meier method.ResultsThe estimated onset risk for a neurodegenerative syndrome from the time of IRBD diagnosis when the SC and NC cohorts were combined was 11.9%, 20.3%, 33.2%, and 51.4% at three, five, seven, and ten years, respectively. The phenoconversion rate (21.7% with a mean follow‐up period from the time of IRBD diagnosis of 3.9 ± 3.0 years) was lower than in prior studies, but the conversion risk increased progressively as the follow‐up period increased. The majority of patients developed Lewy body disease, while multiple system atrophy was rare. The risk of developing Lewy body disease differed significantly between the SC and NC cohorts (P = 0.02).ConclusionsIn this first study of a large Asian IRBD population, the estimated conversion risk leading to diagnosis differed between the two cohorts, which could be attributed to different evaluation results depending on the observed population due to a referral bias and follow‐up duration. Researchers should be aware of potential selection bias in their clinical studies.
How Do I Evaluate and Inject for Writer's Cramp?
Authors: Catania Santiago 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWriter's cramp is a disabling focal dystonia, often accompanied by tremor, for which botulinum toxin injections are now the therapy of choice. However, the success of this treatment relies on the correct clinical selection of muscles responsible for the dystonic movements and the subsequent accurate administration of botulinum toxin into what are often very small and difficult to palpate muscles. In order to obtain the best possible outcomes, and to minimize side effects, it is necessary to use guidance from ultrasound or electromyography (EMG). In this video, we will explain how we evaluate patients with writer's cramp and demonstrate how we treat them with EMG guidance.
Circadian Rest‐Activity Rhythms Predict Cognitive Function in Early Parkinson's Disease Independently of Sleep
Authors: Wu Jade Q. , Li Peng , Stavitsky Gilbert Karina , Hu Kun , Cronin‐Golomb Alice 
Published: October 2018

AbstractBackgroundCognitive impairment is a common and debilitating symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), and its etiology is likely multifactorial. One candidate mechanism is circadian disruption. Although there is evidence of circadian abnormalities in PD, no studies have directly assessed their association with cognitive impairment.ObjectivesInvestigate whether circadian rest‐activity rhythm is associated with cognitive function in PD independently of sleep.MethodsThirty‐five participants with PD wore wrist actigraph monitors and completed sleep diaries for 7 to 10 days, then underwent neuropsychological testing. Rest‐activity rhythm was characterized using nonparametric circadian rhythm analysis of actigraphy data. Objective sleep parameters were also estimated using actigraphy data. Hierarchical regression models assessed the independent contributions of sleep and rest‐activity rhythm to cognitive performance.ResultsLess stable day‐to‐day rest‐activity rhythm was associated with poorer executive, visuospatial, and psychomotor functioning, but not with memory. Hierarchical regressions showed that interdaily stability's contribution to cognitive performance was independent of sleep's contributions. Whereas sleep contributed to executive function, but not psychomotor or visuospatial performance, rest‐activity rhythm stability significantly contributed to variance in all three of these domains, uniquely accounting for 14.4% to 17.6% of their performance variance.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that circadian rest‐activity rhythm is associated with cognitive impairment independently of sleep. This suggests the possible utility of rest‐activity rhythm as a biomarker for circadian function in PD. Future research should explore interventions to stabilize behavioral rhythms in order to strengthen circadian function, which, in turn, may reduce cognitive impairment in PD.
Frequency and circular‐polarization switchable microstrip antenna for dynamic spectrum allocation
Authors: Pyo Seongmin , Jo Han‐Shin , Park Sung‐Ho , Park Jong‐Sung , Lee Hyungjoo 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThis article presents a novel frequency‐reconfigurable microstrip antenna supported with an opposite circular polarization sense for dynamic spectrum allocation. The degenerate TM10 and TM01 frequencies are designed by using the distinctly separated electrical delay depending on the H‐shaped slot along the feeding positions for generating circularly polarized waves. In addition, the circularly polarization sense is controlled by changing the status of the pin diode because the switched vertical path affects only TM10 frequency without changing horizontal TM01 frequency. To verify the feasibility of the proposed antenna, the conceptual equivalent circuit is established and the experimental validation is carried out. The implemented antenna successfully demonstrates frequency‐reconfigurable capability with opposite circular polarizations and shows a good agreement with the simulation results.
Dynamic per slice shimming for simultaneous brain and spinal cord fMRI
Authors: Islam Haisam , Law Christine S. W. , Weber Kenneth A. , Mackey Sean C. , Glover Gary H. 
Published: October 2018

PurposeSimultaneous brain and spinal cord functional MRI is emerging as a new tool to study the central nervous system but is challenging. Poor B0 homogeneity and small size of the spinal cord are principal obstacles to this nascent technology. Here we extend a dynamic shimming approach, first posed by Finsterbusch, by shimming per slice for both the brain and spinal cord.MethodsWe shim dynamically by a simple and fast optimization of linear field gradients and frequency offset separately for each slice in order to minimize off‐resonance for both the brain and spinal cord. Simultaneous acquisition of brain and spinal cord fMRI is achieved with high spatial resolution in the spinal cord by means of an echo‐planar RF pulse for reduced FOV. Brain slice acquisition is full FOV.ResultsT2*‐weighted images of brain and spinal cord are acquired with high clarity and minimal observable image artifacts. Fist‐clenching fMRI experiments reveal task‐consistent activation in motor cortices, cerebellum, and C6‐T1 spinal segments.ConclusionsHigh quality functional results are obtained for a sensory‐motor task. Consistent activation in both the brain and spinal cord is observed at individual levels, not only at group level. Because reduced FOV excitation is applicable to any spinal cord section, future continuation of these methods holds great potential.
Maternal and Postnatal Supplementation of Fish Oil Improves Metabolic Health of Mouse Male Offspring
Authors: Ramalingam Latha , Menikdiwela Kalhara R. , Clevenger Stephani , Eboh Tochi , Allen London , Koboziev Iurii , Scoggin Shane , Rashid Al Maqsudur , Moussa Hanna , Moustaid‐Moussa Naima 
Published: October 2018

ObjectiveOver half of American women of childbearing age have either obesity or overweight. Hence, maternal programming through diet is critical for prevention of diseases in the offspring. Clinical trials with fish oil (FO) report various health benefits; however, it remains unclear whether maternal and postnatal consumption of FO protects offspring from adverse effects of consuming a high‐fat (HF) diet.MethodsFemale mice were fed HF diets supplemented without (HF) or with FO from 8 weeks before pregnancy through lactation. A low‐fat (LF) diet was included as a control diet. After weaning, male offspring from HF or FO dams were either continued on their respective diet (HF‐HF and FO‐FO) or switched to the other diet (HF‐FO and FO‐HF) and compared with LF. Phenotypic and mechanistic studies were performed.ResultsFO‐FO offspring demonstrated significantly higher glucose clearance and insulin sensitivity compared with other pups fed the HF diet (P < 0.05). Furthermore, FO‐FO pups had lower adiposity, inflammation, and fat deposition in the liver, consistent with reduced markers of hepatic lipogenesis and increased hepatic lipid oxidation.ConclusionsSupplementation of FO during pregnancy and early life is more beneficial than treating with FO either during pregnancy or in pups.
Well‐Defined Thermoresponsive Polymethacrylamide Copolymers with Ester Pendent Groups through One‐Pot Statistical Postpolymerization Modification of Poly(2‐Isopropenyl‐2‐Oxazoline) with Multiple Carboxylic Acids
Authors: Jerca Florica Adriana , Jerca Valentin Victor , Hoogenboom Richard 
Published: October 2018

ABSTRACTThermoresponsive polymers that undergo a solubility phase transition in water are important as basis for the development for a wide variety of responsive and smart materials. In this study, the synthesis of thermoresponsive copolymers is demonstrated by the straightforward one‐pot statistical postpolymerization modification of well‐defined poly(2‐isopropenyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PiPOx) by ring‐opening reaction with multiple carboxylic acids. The reactions are carried out using dual, triple, and quadruple mixtures of up to four different aliphatic carboxylic acids. The cloud point temperatures of the resulting polymethacrylamide copolymers with ester pendent groups can be finely tuned by adjusting the feed ratio and the hydrophilic–hydrophobic balance of the acids that are used for the ring‐opening modification of PiPOx. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 360–366
A Novel Strategy to Investigate Tissue‐Secreted Tumor Microenvironmental Proteins in Serum toward Development of Breast Cancer Early Diagnosis Biomarker Signature
Authors: Pendharkar Namita , Dhali Snigdha , Abhang Subodhini 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThe study aims to discover and identify early grade diagnosis markers in tumor microenvironment and investigates their expression in serum.Experimental design2D fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D‐DIGE), a gel‐based proteomics platform is used for tissue profiling and identifies deregulated proteins by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. Western blot validation for statistically significant six different proteins is performed in an independent cohort of participant serum.ResultsTotal 67 nonredundant tissue proteins are identified out of 230 protein spots obtained through Marker selection tool of EDA. GELS, DAPLE, IQCC, CATD, A1AT, and HS90B are selected for validation and found to be upregulated in early grade serum samples. Pathway analysis performed through PANTHER and DAVID indicates that apoptosis, CCKR, EGF, FAS, FGF, Wnt, p13 kinase, and p53 signaling pathways are expressed specifically during or early onset of grade I cancer lesions.Conclusions and clinical relevanceGELS, DAPLE, HS90B, A1AT, IQCC, and CATD may be promising potential serum biomarker signature for diagnosis of early grade breast cancer. This panel also contributes to better understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in inceptive stage of breast cancer.
Differential parameters between cytosolic 2‐Cys peroxiredoxins, PRDX1 and PRDX2
Authors: Dalla Rizza Joaquín , Randall Lía M. , Santos Javier , Ferrer‐Sueta Gerardo , Denicola Ana 
Published: October 2018

AbstractPeroxiredoxins are thiol‐dependent peroxidases that function in peroxide detoxification and H2O2 induced signaling. Among the six isoforms expressed in humans, PRDX1 and PRDX2 share 97% sequence similarity, 77% sequence identity including the active site, subcellular localization (cytosolic) but they hold different biological functions albeit associated with their peroxidase activity. Using recombinant human PRDX1 and PRDX2, the kinetics of oxidation and hyperoxidation with H2O2 and peroxynitrite were followed by intrinsic fluorescence. At pH 7.4, the peroxidatic cysteine of both isoforms reacts nearly tenfold faster with H2O2 than with peroxynitrite, and both reactions are orders of magnitude faster than with most protein thiols. For both isoforms, the sulfenic acids formed are in turn oxidized by H2O2 with rate constants of ca 2 × 103 M−1 s−1 and by peroxynitrous acid significantly faster. As previously observed, a crucial difference between PRDX1 and PRDX2 is on the resolution step of the catalytic cycle, the rate of disulfide formation (11 s−1 for PRDX1, 0.2 s−1 for PRDX2, independent of the oxidant) which correlates with their different sensitivity to hyperoxidation. This kinetic pause opens different pathways on redox signaling for these isoforms. The longer lifetime of PRDX2 sulfenic acid allows it to react with other protein thiols to translate the signal via an intermediate mixed disulfide (involving its peroxidatic cysteine), whereas PRDX1 continues the cycle forming disulfide involving its resolving cysteine to function as a redox relay. In addition, the presence of C83 on PRDX1 imparts a difference on peroxidase activity upon peroxynitrite exposure that needs further study.
Modulating long‐range energetics via helix stabilization: A case study using T4 lysozyme
Authors: Rosemond Sabriya N. , Hamadani Kambiz M. , Cate Jamie H. D. , Marqusee Susan 
Published: October 2018

AbstractCooperative protein folding requires distant regions of a protein to interact and provide mutual stabilization. The mechanism of this long‐distance coupling remains poorly understood. Here, we use T4 lysozyme (T4L*) as a model to investigate long‐range communications across two subdomains of a globular protein. T4L* is composed of two structurally distinct subdomains, although it behaves in a two‐state manner at equilibrium. The subdomains of T4L* are connected via two topological connections: the N‐terminal helix that is structurally part of the C‐terminal subdomain (the A‐helix) and a long helix that spans both subdomains (the C‐helix). To understand the role that the C‐helix plays in cooperative folding, we analyzed a circularly permuted version of T4L* (CP13*), whose subdomains are connected only by the C‐helix. We demonstrate that when isolated as individual fragments, both subdomains of CP13* can fold autonomously into marginally stable conformations. The energetics of the N‐terminal subdomain depend on the formation of a salt bridge known to be important for stability in the full‐length protein. We show that the energetic contribution of the salt bridge to the stability of the N‐terminal fragment increases when the C‐helix is stabilized, such as occurs upon folding of the C‐terminal subdomain. These results suggest a model where long‐range energetic coupling is mediated by helix stabilization and not specific tertiary interactions.
Continuum embeddings in condensed‐matter simulations
Authors: Andreussi Oliviero , Fisicaro Giuseppe 
Published: October 2018

AbstractContinuum models have a long tradition in computational chemistry, where they have provided a compact and efficient way to characterize environment effects in quantum‐mechanical simulations of solvated systems. Fattebert and Gygi pioneered the development of continuum dielectric embedding schemes for periodic systems and their seamless extension toward molecular dynamics simulations. Following their work, continuum embedding approaches in condensed‐matter simulations have thrived. The possibility to model wet and electrified interfaces, with a reduced computational overhead with respect to isolated systems, is opening new perspectives in the characterization of materials and devices. Important applications of these new techniques are in the field of catalysis, electro‐chemistry, electro‐catalysis, etc. Here we will address the main physical and computational aspects of continuum embedding schemes recently developed for condensed‐matter simulations, underlying their peculiarities and their differences with respect to the quantum‐chemistry state‐of‐the‐art.
Under the radar: How firms manage competitive uncertainty by appointing friends of other chief executive officers to their boards
Authors: Westphal James D. , Zhu David H. 
Published: October 2018

Research SummaryIn this study, we reveal a previously unstudied type of board tie that may help firms manage competitive uncertainty. While firms face regulatory barriers to the use of board interlock ties as a strategy for reducing competition, we suggest that firms can circumvent these barriers by appointing the friends of competitors' chief executive officers (CEOs) to their boards. Our theoretical framework addresses the antecedents, maintenance, and performance consequences of such “board‐friendship ties” to rivals. Our theory explains (a) why firms form and maintain board‐friendship ties, where maintenance involves the reconstitution of broken ties and (b) how firms form and maintain these ties, by revealing the role of search firms in identifying the friends of rivals' CEOs. Empirical analyses of large‐sample, longitudinal survey and archival data provide substantial support for our theory.
Managerial SummaryFirms can and do reduce competition and increase performance by appointing the friends of competitors' CEOs to their boards, and search firms (headhunters) play a key role in forming and maintaining these “board‐friendship” ties to competitors. While board interlock ties between close competitors are illegal and direct friendship ties between CEOs of competitors are relatively rare, board‐friendship ties are common, and yet largely unknown to antitrust regulators and external stakeholders.
Predicting probabilistic distribution functions of response parameters using the endurance time method
Authors: Mashayekhi Mohammad Reza , Mirfarhadi Seyed Ali , Estekanchi Homayoon E. , Vafai Hassan 
Published: October 2018

SummaryThe main objective of this study is the development of endurance time (ET) excitations in order to take structural response uncertainty into account for use in performance‐based earthquake engineering. There are several uncertainties in earthquake engineering, including earthquake occurrence, structural response, damage, and loss. In the current research, structural response uncertainty is directly included in the ET method, which is an analysis method used for performing structural behavior assessment under seismic actions. Conventional practice of the ET method does not provide any information about seismic response distribution. Despite the simplicity of the ET method, it is an accurate dynamic analysis approach in which structures are subjected to predesigned intensifying acceleration functions, also known as ET excitation functions (ETEFs). In this study, the ETEF generating procedure is modified in order to include the exceedance probability of structural responses observed at an intensity measure. This proposed method is applied to generate new ETEFs; then they are utilized in assessing distribution responses in three structure case studies. Finally, response distributions obtained by the ET method are compared with incremental dynamic analysis so as to investigate the proposed method efficiency. Results show that response probabilistic distributions that are predicted using the ET method match those obtained by incremental dynamic analysis.