bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing Binaural Hearing: Results Using the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale
Authors: Noble William 
Published: April 2011

Background:Binaural hearing is important for hearing target signals against competing ones, and for spatial hearing.Purpose:Survey of results using the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing scale (SSQ), a measure emphasizing contexts that rely on binaural hearing ability.
Results show that self-rating can identify binaural hearing influences and benefits.Research Designs:Retrospective design compared fitting with one versus two hearing aids. Prospective design compared one versus two cochlear implants. Brief descriptions are made of studies using other
comparative designs.Study Samples:There were 69 new adult-age clients of an audiology clinic with unilateral hearing aid fittings, 34 with bilateral (and n = 63 in a pre-aided sample); there were 14 people with one cochlear implant (CI), 18 with two; in both CI groups, age
ranged from 20 to 90 yr.Data Collection and Analysis:The data are scores on the 49 items comprising the SSQ, grouped into 10 “pragmatic” subscales, analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA.Results:Two aids offer advantage for challenging conditions (e.g., multistream
signal monitoring), for dynamic spatial hearing, and in reducing listening effort. These outcomes are observable, though less distinctly, in one versus two implants. Overall advantage of two implants is very clear in a 20‐59-yr-old cohort of patients. Recent application and development
of the SSQ indicates sensitivity to subtle differences in abilities.Conclusions:Self-report data are valuable in revealing the everyday listening domains in which improvement in binaural hearing function provides beneficial outcomes.
Dichotic Speech Recognition Using CVC Word and Nonsense CVC Syllable Stimuli
Authors: Findlen Ursula M. , Roup Christina M. 
Published: April 2011

Background:The effects of stimulus material, lexical content, and response condition on dichotic speech recognition performance characteristics were examined for normal-hearing young adult listeners. No previous investigation has systematically examined the effects of stimulus
material with constant phonetic content but varied lexical content across three response conditions typically used to evaluate binaural auditory processing abilities.Purpose:To examine how dichotic speech recognition performance varies for stimulus materials with constant phonetic content
but varied lexical content across the free recall, directed recall right, and directed recall left response conditions.Research Design:Dichotic speech recognition was evaluated using consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) word and nonsense CVC syllable stimuli administered in the free recall,
directed right, and directed left response conditions, a repeated measures experimental design.Study Sample:Thirty normal-hearing young adults (15 male, 15 female) served as participants. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 31 yr and were all right-handed.Data Collection and
Analysis:Participants engaged in monaural speech recognition and dichotic speech recognition tasks. Percent correct recognition per ear, as well as ear advantage for dichotic speech recognition, were calculated and evaluated using a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical
procedure.Results:Dichotic speech recognition performance for nonsense CVC syllables was significantly poorer than performance for CVC words, suggesting that lexical content impacts performance on dichotic speech recognition tasks. Performance also varied across response condition,
which is consistent with previous studies of dichotic speech recognition.Conclusions:Lexical content of stimulus materials impacts performance characteristics for dichotic speech recognition tasks in the normal-hearing young adult population. The use of nonsense CVC syllable material
may provide a way to assess dichotic speech recognition performance while potentially lessening the effects of lexical content on performance.
Hearing Aids in the Real World: Typical Automatic Behavior of Expansion, Directionality, and Noise Management
Authors: Banerjee Shilpi 
Published: April 2011

Background:Automatic DSP (digital signal processing) features, widely available in hearing aids today, are useful because they alleviate the need for the hearing aid wearer to manually adjust the hearing aid as listening conditions change. Although the theoretical basis for the
design of these features may be sound, little is known about their behavior in the real world. Data logging offers a glimpse into the life of the individual hearing aid wearer, but there are no published data to date that provide a frame of reference for the interpretation of this information.
Further, data logging in hearing aids provides only aggregate summaries for individual features, ignoring complex interactions including the differences between the left and right sides of a bilateral pair.Purpose:The purpose of this study was to determine the typical behavior of three
automatic DSP hearing aid features—expansion, directionality, and noise management—in daily life.Data Collection and Analysis:Ten individuals with hearing impairment were fitted bilaterally with BTE (behind the ear) hearing aids. The hearing aids were programmed for the
individual's hearing loss with expansion, directionality, and noise management set to activate automatically. A PDA (personal digital assistant) logged the input level and status of expansion, directionality, and noise management from both devices at 5 sec intervals. Data were gathered in
this manner over a period of 4‐5 wk.Results:A total of 741 hr of hearing aid use were logged, 50% of which were spent in environments no louder than 50 dB SPL. Expansion, directionality, and noise management were active 45, 10, and 21% of the time, respectively; the median
amount of gain reduction for noise management was ∼1 dB. Although expansion and noise management were always active at the low and high input levels, respectively, activation of directionality never exceeded 50%. Expansion and noise management were sometimes active simultaneously,
as were directionality and noise management. Bilateral agreement in feature activation typically exceeded 80%, except when the input level was at the cusp of a threshold for activation of a specific feature and at high input levels.
Associations between Diet and Both High and Low Pure Tone Averages and Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions in an Older Adult Population-Based Study
Authors: Spankovich Christopher , Hood Linda J. , Silver Heidi J. , Lambert Warren , Flood Victoria M. , Mitchell Paul 
Published: April 2011

Background:Evidence from animal models suggests that redox homeostasis (the balance between oxidative stressors and antioxidants) and vascular health are important in the pathogenesis of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and that dietary nutrients that have roles in these processes
could influence the susceptibility to SNHL.Purpose:To examine associations between total nutrient intakes and auditory function outcomes in an older human population.Research Design:Descriptive characteristics and dietary data from food frequency questionnaires were collected
in a cross-sectional study design and analyzed for associations with auditory function outcomes (i.e., otoacoustic emissions and pure tone audiometry measured in a sound-treated room by an audiologist).Study Sample:2111 adults, 49‐99 yr of ageResults:Higher carbohydrate,
vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin, magnesium, and lycopene intakes were all significantly associated with larger TEOAE amplitude and better pure tone thresholds. Higher cholesterol, fat, and retinol intakes were significantly associated with lower TEOAE amplitude and worse pure tone thresholds.Conclusions:These
data suggest that nutrients with known roles in redox homeostasis and vascular health are associated with auditory function measures in a human population. Further investigation is warranted to determine direct and indirect influences of dietary intake on measures of auditory function and
to explore which nutrients/nutrient combinations are predictive of SNHL.
Molecular Mechanisms of Induction of Antigen-Specific Allograft Tolerance by Intranasal Peptide Administration
Authors: Derbyshire Katy , Addey Caroline , Coe David , Stuckey Daniel W. , Muezzin Hasan , Bubier Jason A. , Shaffer Daniel J. , Roopenian Derry C. , Chai Jian-Guo , Scott Diane M. 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
We have previously shown that intranasal (i.n.) administration of a single MHC class II-restricted HY peptide to female mice induces tolerance to up to five additional epitopes expressed on test male grafts, a phenomenon known as linked suppression. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms involved both in the induction phase following peptide administration and during linked suppression after grafting. We report that following initial i.n. administration, peptide is widely disseminated and is presented by functionally immature dendritic cells. These fail to cause optimal stimulation of the responding HY-specific CD4+ T cells that express genes characteristic of regulatory T cells. Following i.n. peptide plus LPS administration, causing immunization, HY-specific CD4+ T cells express genes characteristic of activated T cells. We further find that following male skin grafting, HY-specific CD8+ T cells from peptide-treated tolerant mice display both quantitative and qualitative differences compared with similar cells from untreated mice that reject their grafts. In tolerant mice there are fewer HY-specific CD8+ cells and they express several genes characteristic of exhausted T cells. Furthermore, associated with specific chemokine receptor and integrin expression, HY-specific CD8+ T cells show more limited migration from the graft draining lymph node into other tissues.
Epicutaneous Immunotherapy Results in Rapid Allergen Uptake by Dendritic Cells through Intact Skin and Downregulates the Allergen-Specific Response in Sensitized Mice
Authors: Dioszeghy Vincent , Mondoulet Lucie , Dhelft Véronique , Ligouis Mélanie , Puteaux Emilie , Benhamou Pierre-Henri , Dupont Christophe 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
Epicutaneous immunotherapy onto intact skin has proved to be an efficient and safe alternative treatment of allergy in an animal model with various allergens and in children for cow’s milk allergy. The aim of this study was to analyze the different steps of the immunological handling of the allergen when deposited on intact skin using an epicutaneous delivery system and its immune consequences in sensitized BALB/c mice. As expected, when applied on intact skin, OVA exhibits neither a passive passage through the skin nor any detectable systemic delivery. The current study demonstrates that, after a prolonged application on intact skin, OVA is taken up by dendritic cells in the superficial layers of the stratum corneum and transported, after internalization, to the draining lymph nodes, with variations according to the previous level of sensitization of the mice. When OVA is applied with the epicutaneous delivery system repeatedly, specific local and systemic responses are down-modulated in association with the induction of regulatory T cells. Besides providing new insights into skin function in the presence of allergens, this study indicates that the skin might have a tolerogenic role, at least when kept intact.
Blockade of B7-H1 (Programmed Death Ligand 1) Enhances Humoral Immunity by Positively Regulating the Generation of T Follicular Helper Cells
Authors: Hams Emily , McCarron Mark J. , Amu Sylvie , Yagita Hideo , Azuma Miyuki , Chen Lieping , Fallon Padraic G. 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
T follicular helper (TFH) cells are critical initiators in the development of T cell-dependent humoral immunity and the generation of protective immunity. We demonstrate that TFH cell accumulation and Ab production are negatively regulated by B7-H1 (programmed death ligand 1) in response to both helminth infection and active immunization. Following immunization of B7-H1−/− mice with keyhole limpet hemocyanin or helminth Ags, there is a profound increase in induction of TFH cells as a result of increased cell cycling and decreased apoptosis relative to wild-type mice. The increase in TFH cells in the absence of B7-H1 was associated with significant elevations in Ag-specific Ig response. Cotransfer experiments in vivo demonstrated that B7-H1 expression on B cells was required for negatively regulating TFH cell expansion and production of Ag-specific Ig. Treatment of immunized wild-type mice with anti–B7-H1 or anti-programmed death 1 mAbs, but not anti–B7-DC, led to a significant expansion of the TFH cell population and an enhanced Ag-specific Ig response. Our results demonstrate that the coinhibitory B7-H1/programmed death 1 pathway can limit the expansion of TFH cells and constrain Ag-specific Ig responses. This finding has direct implications for investigations examining the feasibility of therapeutically manipulating this pathway and reveals new insights into the regulation of the humoral immune response.
Escherichia coliHeat-Labile Enterotoxin Promotes Protective Th17 Responses against Infection by Driving Innate IL-1 and IL-23 Production
Authors: Brereton Corinna F. , Sutton Caroline E. , Ross Pádraig J. , Iwakura Yoichiro , Pizza Mariagrazia , Rappuoli Rino , Lavelle Ed C. , Mills Kingston H. G. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractEscherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) is a powerful mucosal adjuvant; however, it is associated with toxic effects when delivered intranasally, and its mechanism of action is poorly understood. In this article, we demonstrate that LT acts as a highly effective adjuvant when administered parenterally, promoting Ag-specific IL-17, as well as IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 production in response to coadministered Ags. We found that the adjuvant activity of LT was mediated in part by inducing dendritic cell (DC) activation; LT promoted CD80 and CD86 expression by DCs and enhanced IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-23 production. An LT mutant, LTK63, that lacks enzyme activity was less effective than the wild-type toxin in promoting DC maturation and the development of Ag-specific Th17 cells. LT enhanced IL-23 and IL-1α production from DCs via activation of ERK MAPK and IL-1β secretion through activation of caspase-1 and the NLRP3 inflammasome. These cytokines played a major role in promoting Th17 responses by LT and LTK63. The induction of Th17 cells in vivo in response to LT and LTK63 as adjuvants was significantly reduced in IL-1RI–deficient mice. Finally, using a murine respiratory infection model, we demonstrated that LT can act as a highly effective adjuvant for a pertussis vaccine, promoting Ag-specific Th17 cells and protection against Bordetella pertussis challenge, which was significantly reduced in IL-17–defective mice. Our findings provide clear evidence that LT can promote protective immune responses in part through induction of innate IL-1 and, consequently, Th17 cells.
M-Ficolin Interacts with the Long Pentraxin PTX3: A Novel Case of Cross-Talk between Soluble Pattern-Recognition Molecules
Authors: Gout Evelyne , Moriscot Christine , Doni Andrea , Dumestre-Pérard Chantal , Lacroix Monique , Pérard Julien , Schoehn Guy , Mantovani Alberto , Arlaud Gérard J. , Thielens Nicole M. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractFicolins and pentraxins are soluble oligomeric pattern-recognition molecules that sense danger signals from pathogens and altered self-cells and might act synergistically in innate immune defense and maintenance of immune tolerance. The interaction of M-ficolin with the long pentraxin pentraxin 3 (PTX3) has been characterized using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy and electron microscopy. M-ficolin was shown to bind PTX3 with high affinity in the presence of calcium ions. The interaction was abolished in the presence of EDTA and inhibited by N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, indicating involvement of the fibrinogen-like domain of M-ficolin. Removal of sialic acid from the single N-linked carbohydrate of the C-terminal domain of PTX3 abolished the interaction. Likewise, an M-ficolin mutant with impaired sialic acid-binding ability did not interact with PTX3. Interaction was also impaired when using the isolated recognition domain of M-ficolin or the monomeric C-terminal domain of PTX3, indicating requirement for oligomerization of both proteins. Electron microscopy analysis of the M-ficolin–PTX3 complexes revealed that the M-ficolin tetramer bound up to four PTX3 molecules. From a functional point of view, immobilized PTX3 was able to trigger M-ficolin–dependent activation of the lectin complement pathway. These data indicate that interaction of M-ficolin with PTX3 arises from its ability to bind sialylated ligands and thus differs from the binding to the short pentraxin C-reactive protein and from the binding of L-ficolin to PTX3. The M-ficolin–PTX3 interaction described in this study represents a novel case of cross-talk between soluble pattern-recognition molecules, lending further credit to the integrated view of humoral innate immunity that emerged recently.
Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Is a Key Mediator of Breast Cancer Progression
Authors: Olkhanud Purevdorj B. , Rochman Yrina , Bodogai Monica , Malchinkhuu Enkhzol , Wejksza Katarzyna , Xu Mai , Gress Ronald E. , Hesdorffer Charles , Leonard Warren J. , Biragyn Arya 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
Inflammation is a double-edged sword that can promote or suppress cancer progression. In this study, we report that thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), an IL-7–like type 1 inflammatory cytokine that is often associated with the induction of Th2-type allergic responses in the lungs, is also expressed in human and murine cancers. Our studies with murine cancer cells indicate that TSLP plays an essential role in cancer escape, as its inactivation in cancer cells alone was sufficient to almost completely abrogate cancer progression and lung metastasis. The cancer-promoting activity of TSLP primarily required signaling through the TSLP receptor on CD4+ T cells, promoting Th2-skewed immune responses and production of immunosuppressive factors such as IL-10 and IL-13. Expression of TSLP therefore may be a useful prognostic marker, and its targeting could have therapeutic potential.
Equivalence of Lp Stability and Exponential Stability of Nonlinear Lipschitzian Semigroups
Authors: Xueli Song , Jigen Peng 
Published: April 2011

AbstractLp stability and exponential stability are two important concepts for nonlinear dynamic systems. In this paper, we prove that a nonlinear exponentially bounded Lipschitzian semigroup is exponentially stable if and only if the semigroup is Lp stable for some p > 0. Based on the equivalence, we derive two sufficient conditions for exponential stability of the nonlinear semigroup. The results obtained extend and improve some existing ones.
Obesity and younger age at gout onset in a community‐based cohort
Authors: McAdams DeMarco Mara A. , Maynard Janet W. , Huizinga Mary Margret , Baer Alan N. , Köttgen Anna , Gelber Allan C. , Coresh Josef 
Published: April 2011

AbstractObjectiveObesity is associated with gout risk. It is unclear whether obesity is associated with a younger age at gout onset. We examined whether obesity is related to age at gout onset and quantified the risk of incident gout by obesity status in the Campaign Against Cancer and Heart Disease (CLUE II) study, a longitudinal community‐based cohort.MethodsCLUE II began in 1989 as a cohort study of residents living within or surrounding Washington County, Maryland. Followup questionnaires queried whether each participant had been diagnosed as having gout by a health care professional. Among participants with gout, we assessed whether obesity was related to age at disease onset. We also ascertained the 18‐year risk of incident gout according to obesity status (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) at baseline with cumulative incidence ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) from Poisson regression.ResultsAmong the study population (n = 15,533), 517 persons developed incident gout. The prevalence of obesity at baseline was 16.2%. The overall mean age at gout onset was 59.3 years. The onset of gout was 3.1 years (95% CI 0.3, 5.8) earlier in those who were obese at baseline and 11.0 years earlier (95% CI 5.8, 16.1) in participants who were obese at age 21 years, as compared with the nonobese participants. The 18‐year adjusted RR of gout in obese participants compared with nonobese participants was 1.92 (95% CI 1.55, 2.37).ConclusionObesity is not only a risk factor for incident gout but is associated with an earlier age at gout onset.
3D Modeling of the Aggregation of Oxide Inclusions in a Liquid Steel Ladle: Two Numerical Approaches
Authors: Daoud Ismael Lis Alves , Rimbert Nicolas , Jardy Alain , Oesterlé Benoît , Hans Stéphane , Bellot Jean‐Pierre 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe ladle treatment of liquid steel is mainly responsible for the steel cleanliness, since it generates as well as eliminates most of the oxide inclusions. Today, the combination of computational fluid dynamics and population balance modeling makes the numerical simulation of this complex three‐phase reactor possible. First, the comprehensive three‐dimensional turbulent multiphase flow model is developed to study the behavior of argon bubbles in liquid steel based on the geometry and operating conditions corresponding to the real industrial process. This simulation is validated by comparing the calculated mixing time with the experimental value predicted from ladle sampling. Then, the balanced equation for a population of oxide inclusions with aggregation mechanism is coupled with the hydrodynamic modeling. To obtain the solution of this equation two approaches are used: the classes method (CM) and the quadrature method of moments (QMOM). The simulation results show the equivalence of these methods and their respective advantages are presented.
First Bovine Serum Albumin‐Promoted Synthesis of Enones, Cinnamic Acids and Coumarins in Ionic Liquid: An Insight into the Role of Protein Impurities in Porcine Pancreas Lipase for Olefinic Bond Formation
Authors: Sharma Nandini , Sharma Upendra K. , Kumar Rajesh , Katoch Nidhi , Kumar Rakesh , Sinha Arun K. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractDuring studies on exploiting the catalytic promiscuity of crude porcine pancreas lipase (PPL) in ionic liquid for CC bond formations, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was found to be competing for these reactions. After a detailed investigation, we establish that these transformations are possible by unspecific protein catalysis rather than catalytic promiscuity of “PPL” – a first insight into the role of protein impurities in crude enzyme. Thus, a novel and highly efficient, environmentally friendly approach involving synergistic catalysis by bovine serum albumin‐1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide (BSA‐[bmim]Br) has been developed for the synthesis of (E)‐α,β‐unsaturated compounds including a one‐pot cascade synthesis of cinnamic acids and coumarins via aldol, Knoevenagel and Knoevenagel–Doebner condensations.