bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sprachverstehen und kognitive Leistungen bei Senioren ohne
subjektive Hörminderung
Authors: Weißgerber Tobias , Müller Carmen , Stöver Timo , Baumann Uwe 
Published: April 2019

ZusammenfassungZiel der Arbeit war es, die Hörleistung von Senioren ohne selbst empfundene
Hörminderung hinsichtlich des Sprachverstehens in Ruhe sowie im Störgeräusch zu
untersuchen und auf Zusammenhänge mit dem Lebensalter und der kognitiven
Leistungsfähigkeit zu prüfen. Es wurden 40 Probanden im Alter von über 60 Jahren
(Durchschnittsalter: 69,3 ± 7,1 Jahre) in die Studie eingeschlossen.
Anhaltspunkte für bedeutende Defizite der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit der
Probanden wurden mit einem Demenzscreening-Test (DemTect) untersucht. Weiterhin
wurden der mittlere Hörverlust (PTA_4) sowie mittlerer Hochtonhörverlust
(PTA_HT) bestimmt. Das Sprachverstehen in Ruhe wurde mit dem Freiburger
Sprachverständlichkeitstest und im Störgeräusch mit dem Oldenburger Satztest mit
verschiedenen Störgeräuschen (zeitlich kontinuierliches und amplitudenmoduliert)
gemessen.Die Ergebnisse des DemTect-Testes waren bei 65 % der Probanden altersgemäß, bei
den restlichen 35 % ergab sich der Verdacht auf eine milde Einschränkung der
kognitiven Fähigkeiten. Die Hörverluste PTA_4 und PTA_HT der Probanden
korrelierten signifikant sowohl mit dem Alter als auch mit den Ergebnissen des
DemTect-Tests. Das Sprachverstehen der Probanden in Ruhe und im Störgeräusch
nahm signifikant sowohl mit dem Alter als auch in den Parametern zur
Einschätzung der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit ab. Um eine fehlende oder späte
Versorgung mit Hörgeräten aufgrund einer nicht oder nicht frühzeitig erkannten
Hörminderung bei Senioren zu vermeiden, wären routinemäßig Hörtests
wünschenswert, sodass zum einen eine rechtzeitige Gewöhnung an die Hörhilfe und
ein besserer Hörerfolg erzielt und zum anderen die Lebensqualität erhalten
werden kann.
Computer-Assisted Surgery Using 3D Printed Saw Guides for Acute Correction of Antebrachial Angular Limb Deformities in Dogs
Authors: Worth Andrew , Crosse Katherine , Kersley Andrew 
Published: April 2019

Objective The aim of this study was to report the use of custom saw guides produced using computed tomographic imaging (CT), computer simulation and three-dimensional (3D) printing to aid surgical correction of antebrachial deformities in six dogs.
Materials and Methods Antebrachial limb deformities in four small, and two large, breed dogs (seven limbs) were surgically corrected by a radial closing wedge ostectomy and ulnar osteotomy. The location and orientation of the wedge ostectomy were determined using CT data, computer-assisted planning and production of a saw guide in plastic using a 3D printer. At surgery, the guide was clamped to the surface of the radius and used to direct the oscillating saw blade. The resultant ostectomy was closed and stabilized with a bone plate.
Results Five limbs healed without complications. One limb was re-operated due to a poorly resolved rotational component of the deformity. One limb required additional stabilisation with external fixation due to screw loosening. The owners of five dogs completed a Canine Orthopedic Index survey at a follow-up period of 37 to 81 months. The median preoperative score was 3.5 and the median postoperative score was 1, representing an overall positive effect of surgery. Radiographically, 5/7 limbs were corrected in the frontal plane (2/7 were under-corrected). Similarly, 5/7 limbs were corrected in the sagittal plane, and 2/7 were over-corrected in the sagittal place.
Conclusions Computer-aided design and rapid prototyping technologies can be used to create saw guides to simplify one-stage corrective osteotomies of the antebrachium using internal fixation in dogs. Despite the encouraging results, accurate correction of rotational deformity was problematic and this aspect requires further development.
Biased competition in the absence of input bias revealed through corticostriatal computation
Authors: Ardid Salva , Sherfey Jason S. , McCarthy Michelle M. , Hass Joachim , Pittman-Polletta Benjamin R. , Kopell Nancy 
Published: April 2019

Significance
The canonical model of the basal ganglia is based on competing direct (GO) vs. indirect (NO-GO) pathways. However, how is either of the two pathways activated if they receive the same corticostriatal inputs as experimental evidence suggests? Also, in the context of rule-based decisions, how is a specific action selected among competing GO pathways? We introduce a neural circuit model that identifies three alternative mechanisms flexibly supporting preferential processing between GO and NO-GO alternatives under balanced input. Only one of these mechanisms, however, is capable of enabling action selection by reinforcing, in the striatum, the rule-based rhythmic biases reported in prefrontal cortex.
Propagation of pop ups in kirigami shells
Authors: Rafsanjani Ahmad , Jin Lishuai , Deng Bolei , Bertoldi Katia 
Published: April 2019

Significance
Kirigami—the Japanese art of cutting paper—has become an emergent tool to realize highly stretchable devices and morphable structures. While kirigami structures are fabricated by simply perforating an array of cuts into a thin sheet, the applied deformation and associated instabilities can be exploited to transform them into complex 3D morphologies. However, to date, such reconfiguration always happen simultaneously through the system. By borrowing ideas from phase-transforming materials, we combine cuts and curvature to realize kirigami structures in which deformation-induced shape reconfiguration initially nucleates near an imperfection and then, under specific conditions, spreads through the system. We envision that such control of the shape transformation could be used to design the next generation of responsive surfaces and smart skins.
Modulation of fear generalization by the zona incerta
Authors: Venkataraman Archana , Brody Natalia , Reddi Preethi , Guo Jidong , Gordon Rainnie Donald , Dias Brian George 
Published: April 2019

Significance
The generalization of fear responses toward neutral stimuli is a highly prevalent and debilitating dimension of trauma- and anxiety-related disorders. Understanding the neural circuits that underlie the ability to suppress fear generalization is of significant translational interest. Recent studies have largely focused on examining fear generalization in the context of traditionally discussed fear-related circuitry like the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus, which monitor and detect threatening stimuli. However, very little is understood about the role of thalamic and subthalamic regions in modulating fear generalization. Combining discriminative auditory fear conditioning in mice with C-FOS mapping and chemogenetic manipulation of neuronal activity, we demonstrate a role for the subthalamic zona incerta in suppressing fear generalization.
Ultrafast folding kinetics of WW domains reveal how the amino acid sequence determines the speed limit to protein folding
Authors: Szczepaniak Malwina , Iglesias-Bexiga Manuel , Cerminara Michele , Sadqi Mourad , Sanchez de Medina Celia , Martinez Jose C. , Luque Irene , Muñoz Victor 
Published: April 2019

Significance
Natural proteins fold and unfold with rates that define their biological properties and vary vastly from protein to protein. A major fundamental question refers to how fast a protein can possibly fold, how does this limit compare with chemical reaction rates, and whether it is universal or depends on the protein’s chemical properties. We apply ultrafast kinetic methods to investigate five proteins that share the simplest all-β fold but have different amino acid sequence. In these studies, we measure the folding speed limit for each one of them and discover rather substantial differences. Our results shed light onto the fundamentals of biomolecular rate theory and onto our general understanding of how proteins fold, function, and evolve.
A general characterization method for nonlinearities in superconducting circuits
Authors: Weißl T , Jolin S W , Borgani R , Forchheimer D , Haviland D B 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Detailed knowledge of nonlinearity in superconducting microwave circuits is required for the optimal control of their quantum state. We present a general method to precisely characterize this nonlinearity to very high order. Our method is based on intermodulation spectroscopy at microwave frequencies and does not require DC-connection or DC-measurement of an on-chip reference structure. We give a theoretical derivation of the method and we validate it by reconstructing a known nonlinearity from simulated data. We experimentally demonstrate the reconstruction of the unknown nonlinear current-phase relation of a microwave resonator with superconducting nanowires.
Limits of flexural wave absorption by open lossy resonators: reflection and transmission problems
Authors: Leng J , Gautier F , Pelat A , Picó R , Groby J-P , Romero-García V 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
The limits of flexural wave absorption by open lossy resonators are analytically and numerically reported in this work for both the reflection and transmission problems. An experimental validation for the reflection problem is presented. The reflection and transmission of flexural waves in 1D resonant thin beams are analyzed by means of the transfer matrix method. The hypotheses, on which the analytical model relies, are validated by experimental results. The open lossy resonator, consisting of a finite length beam thinner than the main beam, presents both energy leakage due to the aperture of the resonators to the main beam and inherent losses due to the viscoelastic damping. Wave absorption is found to be limited by the balance between the energy leakage and the inherent losses of the open lossy resonator. The perfect compensation of these two elements is known as the critical coupling condition and can be easily tuned by the geometry of the resonator. On the one hand, the scattering in the reflection problem is represented by the reflection coefficient. A single symmetry of the resonance is used to obtain the critical coupling condition. Therefore the perfect absorption can be obtained in this case. On the other hand, the transmission problem is represented by two eigenvalues of the scattering matrix, representing the symmetric and anti-symmetric parts of the full scattering problem. In the geometry analyzed in this work, only one kind of symmetry can be critically coupled, and therefore, the maximal absorption in the transmission problem is limited to 0.5. The results shown in this work pave the way to the design of resonators for efficient flexural wave absorption.
Tissue-engineered nerve grafts using a scaffold-independent and injectable drug delivery system: a novel design with translational advantages
Authors: Liu Yanxi , Yu Shuangjiang , Gu Xiaosong , Cao Rangjuan , Cui Shusen 
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Objective. Currently commercially available nerve conduits have demonstrated suboptimal clinical efficacy in repairing peripheral nerve defects. Although tissue-engineered nerve grafts (TENGs) with sustained release of neurotrophic factors (NTFs) are experimentally proved to be more effective than these blank conduits, there remains a lack of clinical translation. NTFs are typically immobilized onto scaffold materials of the conduit via adsorption, specific binding or other incorporation techniques. These scaffold-based delivery strategies increase complexity and cost of conduit fabrication and lack flexibility in choosing different drugs. Therefore, to facilitate clinical translation and commercialization, we construct a TENG using a scaffold-independent drug delivery system (DDS). Approach. This study adopted a scaffold-independent DDS based on methoxy-poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly(γ-ethyl-L-glutamate) (mPEG-PELG) thermosensitive hydrogels that undergo sol-to-gel transition at body temperature. In addition, TENG, a chitosan scaffold filled with nerve growth factor (NGF)-loaded mPEG-PELG that gel in the lumen upon injection during surgery and function as a drug-releasing conduit-filler, was designed. Subsequently, the efficacy of DDS and therapeutic effects of TENG were assessed. Main results. The results demonstrated that NGF-loaded mPEG-PELG controllably and sustainably released bioactive NGF for 28 d. When bridging a 10 mm rat sciatic nerve gap, the morphological, electrophysiological, and functional analyses revealed that NGF-releasing TENG (Scaffold  +  NGF/mPEG-PELG) achieved superior regenerative outcomes compared to plain scaffolds and those combined with systemic delivery of NGF (daily intramuscular injection (IM)), and its effects were relatively similar to autografts. Significance. This study has proposed a TENG using thermosensitive hydrogels as an injectable implant to controllably release NGF, which has promising therapeutic potential and translatability. Such TENGs obviate the need for conduit modification, complex preloading or binding mediators, therefore they allow the ease of drug switching in clinical practice and greatly simplify the manufacturing process due to the independent preparation of drug delivery system.
The carrot or the stick? Drivers of California farmer support for varying groundwater management policies
Authors: Niles Meredith T , Hammond Wagner Courtney R 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Growing demand for groundwater, coupled with the projected threats to groundwater supplies and impacts, has led to an increased focus on policy options for groundwater management. Globally, agriculture is the largest human-use of water, making farmers a critical stakeholder for policy engagement. In California, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), a comprehensive groundwater policy, was signed into law in 2014. Here we explore farmer perspectives of groundwater availability and groundwater management policy preferences through a mail survey of farmers (n = 137) in Yolo County, California, implemented in 2017. Overall, farmers expressed widespread concern for the five applicable ‘undesirable results’ considered under SGMA and the majority of farmers felt that these conditions were either occurring now or were likely to occur in the next ten years. The majority of farmers were supportive of individual or incentive-based policy options to address groundwater concerns (e.g. voluntary adoption of water management practices). However, a sizable group of farmers were also supportive of regulatory-based policy options (e.g. moratorium on drilling new wells). Multivariate regression models suggest that for both kinds of policies, individual support for SGMA positively predicts groundwater management policy support. However, for regulatory-based policies, subjective norms - a farmers’ belief that the majority of other farmers support SGMA—is also an important predictor of regulatory policy approaches along with a number of other factors. These results suggest that, should regulatory approaches for SGMA implementation be necessary, fostering subjective norms among farmers may be an important mechanism to achieving farmer support.
Electronic features of vacancy, nitrogen, and phosphorus defects in nanodiamonds
Authors: Hertkorn Jens , Fyta Maria 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Defective nanostructures with a surface termination are the focus of this work. In order to elucidate the influence of the defect on the properties of nanomaterials, we take hydrogen terminated nanodiamonds. Various vacancy defect centers are separately embedded in a nanodiamond at different positions. These include some of the known defects, such as the charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV−), the silicon-vacancy (SiV0), the germanium-vacancy (GeV0), the phosphorous-nitrogen (PN), and the nickel-vacancy (NiV−). For these defective nanodiamonds, we probe the influence of the defect type, its position, as well as the size of the nanodiamond through their structural and electronic features. A detailed and comparative analysis is provided here, based on quantum mechanical simulations. Our results shed light into the inherent differences of these defects in nanodiamonds, allowing for a better understanding of defective nanostructures. In the end, we discuss the potential of tuning their characteristics in view of novel nanotechnological applications.
Serum Sodium and Pulse Pressure in SPRINT
Authors: Nowak Kristen L , Chonchol Michel , Jovanovich Anna , You Zhiying , Bates Jeffrey , Foy Capri , Glasser Stephen , Killeen Anthony A , Kostis John , Rodriguez Carlos J , Segal Mark , Simmons Debra L , Taylor Addison , Lovato Laura C , Ambrosius Walter T , Supiano Mark A ,   SPRINT Research Group
Published: April 2019

Abstract

BACKGROUND
High dietary sodium intake may induce a small, yet physiologically relevant rise in serum sodium concentration, which associates with increased systolic blood pressure. Cellular data suggest that this association is mediated by increased endothelial cell stiffness. We hypothesized that higher serum sodium levels were associated with greater arterial stiffness in participants in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT).

METHODS
Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between baseline serum sodium level and (i) pulse pressure (PP; n = 8,813; a surrogate measure of arterial stiffness) and (ii) carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV; n = 591 in an ancillary study to SPRINT).

RESULTS
Baseline mean ± SD age was 68 ± 9 years and serum sodium level was 140 ± 2 mmol/L. In the PP analysis, higher serum sodium was associated with increased baseline PP in the fully adjusted model (tertile 3 [≥141 mmol] vs. tertile 2 [139–140 mmol]; β = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.32 to 1.43). Results were similar in those with and without chronic kidney disease. In the ancillary study, higher baseline serum sodium was not associated with increased baseline CFPWV in the fully adjusted model (β = 0.35, 95% CI = –0.14 to 0.84).

CONCLUSIONS
Among adults at high risk for cardiovascular events but free from diabetes, higher serum sodium was independently associated with baseline arterial stiffness in SPRINT, as measured by PP, but not by CFPWV. These results suggest that high serum sodium may be a marker of risk for increased PP, a surrogate index of arterial stiffness.
Alcoholic Hepatitis: A Review
Authors: Hosseini Nooshin , Shor Julia , Szabo Gyongyi 
Published: April 2019

AbstractAlcoholic liver disease (ALD) represents a spectrum of injury, ranging from simple steatosis to alcoholic hepatitis to cirrhosis. Regular alcohol use results in fatty changes in the liver which can develop into inflammation, fibrosis and ultimately cirrhosis with continued, excessive drinking. Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is an acute hepatic inflammation associated with significant morbidity and mortality that can occur in patients with steatosis or underlying cirrhosis. The pathogenesis of ALD is multifactorial and in addition to genetic factors, alcohol-induced hepatocyte damage, reactive oxygen species, gut-derived microbial components result in steatosis and inflammatory cell (macrophage and neutrophil leukocyte) recruitment and activation in the liver. Continued alcohol and pro-inflammatory cytokines induce stellate cell activation and result in progressive fibrosis. Other than cessation of alcohol use, medical therapy of AH is limited to prednisolone in a subset of patients. Given the high mortality of AH and the progressive nature of ALD, there is a major need for new therapeutic intervention for this underserved patient population.
Report on Current Experience of ASAPS Membership and Management of Cosmetic Tourism Complications
Authors: Qureshi Ali A , Gould Daniel J , Stevens W Grant , Fernau James 
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Background
Cosmetic tourism is an expanding industry with increasing scrutiny in the public domain of complications and patient safety issues. The health and financial implications for patients are large and deserve further investigation.

Objectives
The aim of this study was to understand the experience of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) members treating medical tourism patients with complications who returned to the United States for secondary management.

Methods
A 20-question survey was administered electronically in August 2018 to ASAPS members with voluntary participation. Questions about surgeon experience, the nature of complications, type of initial surgery, and subsequent management were asked. Responses were tabulated and percentages of response choices were calculated and reported.

Results
Ninety-three responses were received from the 1611 physician ASAPS members (5.8% response rate). More than half of respondents had seen 2 to 5 patients in the last 12 months with a complication from cosmetic tourism. The most common procedure that patients had done abroad was abdominoplasty. The most common complication was infection caused by Gram-positive organisms, managed on an outpatient basis without surgical intervention. Involvement of an ASAPS member led to successful resolution of complications in the vast majority of patients. Estimated costs out of pocket for management of complications were most commonly between $1001 and 5000.

Conclusions
While the experience of ASAPS members is as varied as the complications faced by cosmetic tourism patients, the vast majority of complications is infectious and can be managed on an outpatient basis successfully with the involvement of an ASAPS member. Further collaborative efforts both domestically and internationally can help improve patient safety for cosmetic tourism patients.
IsoformSwitchAnalyzeR: analysis of changes in genome-wide patterns of alternative splicing and its functional consequences
Authors: Vitting-Seerup Kristoffer , Sandelin Albin 
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Summary
Alternative splicing is an important mechanism involved in health and disease. Recent work highlights the importance of investigating genome-wide changes in splicing patterns and the subsequent functional consequences. Current computational methods only support such analysis on a gene-by-gene basis. Therefore, we extended IsoformSwitchAnalyzeR R library to enable analysis of genome-wide changes in specific types of alternative splicing and predicted functional consequences of the resulting isoform switches. As a case study, we analyzed RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and found systematic changes in alternative splicing and the consequences of the associated isoform switches.

Availability and implementation
Windows, Linux and Mac OS: http://bioconductor.org/packages/IsoformSwitchAnalyzeR.

Supplementary information
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.