bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Time Sequence of Sensory Changes after Upper Extremity Block
Authors: Paqueron Xavier , Gentili Marc E. , Willer Jean Claude , Coriat Pierre , Riou Bruno 
Published: June 2004

Background
Sensory assessment to estimate spread and effectiveness of a peripheral nerve block is difficult because no clinical test is specific for small sensory fibers. Occurrence of a swelling illusion (SI) during a peripheral nerve block corresponds to the impairment of small sensory fibers. The authors investigated the usefulness of SI in predicting successful peripheral nerve block by assessing the temporospatial correlation between progression of sensory impairment in cutaneous distributions anesthetized and localization of SI during peripheral nerve block installation.

Methods
Interscalene, infracoracoid, or sciatic nerve blocks were performed using a nerve stimulator and 1.5% mepivacaine in 53 patients, with a total of 201 nerves to be anesthetized. Pinprick, cold, warm, touch, and proprioception were assessed every 3 min, while patients were asked to describe their perception of size and shape of their anesthetized limb and localization of these illusions. Data are presented as mean +/- SD and percentage (95% confidence interval).

Results
Failure occurred in 12 cutaneous distributions out of a total of 201 theoretically blocked nerves. SI appeared earlier than warmth impairment (4.3 +/- 2.7 vs. 6.2 +/- 2.0 min; P < 0.05), always corresponding to successfully anesthetized cutaneous distributions, with the exception of 1 patient, who developed SI in 2 cutaneous distributions while sensory testing indicated failure in 1 distribution. SI successfully predicted the blockade of a cutaneous distribution with a sensitivity of 1.00 (0.98-1.00), a specificity of 0.92 (0.65-0.99), and an accuracy of 0.99 (0.97-1.00).

Conclusions
Swelling illusion may provide an early assessment of the success of a peripheral nerve block in unsedated patients.
Endoscopic Management of Limited Attic Cholesteatoma
Authors: Tarabichi Muaaz 
Published: June 2004

AbstractObjectives: Microscopic postauricular tympanomastoidectomy provides a limited exposure to the attic, especially anteriorly. In contrast, the endoscope offers wide transcanal access to the attic, allowing for complete removal of limited attic disease, possibly without interrupting the ossicular chain. This report evaluates 8 years of experience with transcanal endoscopic management of limited attic cholesteatoma.Study Design: Case series.Methods: Seventy‐three ears with limited attic cholesteatoma underwent endoscopic transcanal tympanotomy and extended atticotomy to access and completely remove the sac. Disease was dissected off the tegmen, the medial and lateral attic walls, and the ossicles. Appropriate ossicular reconstruction was performed. The defect was reconstructed with a composite tragal graft.Results: A transcanal endoscopic approach was adequate for removal of disease in all cases. There were no iatrogenic facial nerve injuries. Bone thresholds were stable. Disease was dissected off the head of the malleus and the body of incus with preservation of both in 24 ears. Mean follow‐up was 43 months. Five ears required revision for recurrent disease, and eight were revised for failed ossicular reconstruction or persistent perforation. Moderate to severe retraction in other areas of the tympanic membrane was evident in 28 cases; none of these required further intervention.Conclusion: An endoscopic technique allows transca‐nal, minimally invasive, eradication of limited attic cholesteatoma. Preservation of the ossicles coupled with complete removal of disease is more likely with the endoscope.
Microsurgical Free Flap Reconstruction Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Patients after Surgical Extirpation and Intraoperative Brachytherapy
Authors: Ross Douglas A. , Hundal Jagdeep S. , Son Yung H. , Ariyan Stephan , Shin Joseph , Lowlicht Roger , Sasaki Clarence T. 
Published: June 2004

AbstractObjectives: The management of recurrent or persistent head and neck cancer poses a challenging problem. Salvage surgery for these individuals consists of ablative surgery, interstitial brachytherapy, and microsurgical free flap reconstruction. This study reviews complications after such reconstruction.Methods: We reviewed 139 consecutive head and neck cancer patients undergoing free flap reconstruction from January 1994 to May 2002. These included 66 patients with recurrent head and neck cancer undergoing intraoperative brachytherapy (IOBT) and free flap reconstruction and 73 undergoing free flap reconstructions only. A total of 142 reconstructions were performed, with three patients in IOBT group receiving two free flap reconstructions per patient, giving us a total of 69 reconstructions in the IOBT group versus 73 in the non‐IOBT group. Nine patients were excluded from the IOBT group because of nonsynchronous use of brachytherapy and reconstruction, and 10 patients were excluded from the other group because they had prior radiotherapy or surgical treatment, leaving us with a total of 123 reconstructions, 60 in the IOBT group and 63 in the non‐IOBT group. The IOBT group patients received 125iodine Vicryl seed implants, 103palladium seed implants, or both, to deliver an average dose of 79.3 ± 31.8 Gy (mean ± 1SD) to the surgical bed.Results: All patients were followed for evidence of local wound complications. The IOBT group showed multiple complications in 23 (38.33%) of 60 reconstructions, the most common being wound dehiscence in 11. This, when compared with the non‐IOBT group complications (15.87%), was found to be statistically significant (χ2 test, P < .01).Conclusion: IOBT increases the rate of complications in patients undergoing microvascular free tissue transfer. This, however, should not deter or alter the aggressiveness of cancer therapy used for managing recurrent head and neck cancer.
Effectiveness of Intratympanic Dexamethasone Injection in Sudden‐Deafness Patients as Salvage Treatment
Authors: Guan‐Min Ho , Hung‐Ching Lin , Min‐Tsan Shu , Cheng‐Chien Yang , Hsun‐Tien Tsai 
Published: June 2004

AbstractObjective: To study the effectiveness of intratym‐panic dexamethasone (IT‐DEX) in patients with severe or profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) after treatment failure with conventional therapy.Study Design: Randomized, controlled study.Methods: Patients who met the criteria for SSNHL, with a severity of severe to profound, underwent 10 days of standard treatment with oral steroid and other facilitating agents. Patients showing poor response to standard treatment were assigned randomly to a control group or to a group receiving IT‐DEX. IT‐DEX injections were performed once a week for 3 consecutive weeks. Pure‐tone audiometry was obtained before each injection. Minimum follow‐up time was 1 month. Successful treatment was defined as a hearing improvement of greater than 30 dB.Results: Thirty‐nine patients meeting the inclusion criteria were studied. After treatment with oral steroid, 10 of 39 (26%) patients demonstrated hearing improvement, whereas the remaining 29 (74%) patients showed a hearing improvement of less than 30 dB. For those without hearing improvement, 15 received IT‐DEX, and 14 received further standard treatment (except oral steroid and carbogen inhalation). Hearing improved in 8 of 15 (53.3%) compared with 1 of 14 (7.1%), with an average decrease in threshold of 28.4 dB and 13.2 dB for the IT‐DEX group and the control group, respectively (P < .05). Prognostic factors such as age, treatment delay time, and sex did not significantly affect the response to therapy.Conclusions: IT‐DEX injection effectively improves hearing in patients with severe or profound SSNHL after treatment failure with standard therapy and is not associated with major side effects. It is therefore a reasonable alternative as salvage treatment.
Characterization of the Vestibulo‐Ocular Reflex Evoked by High‐Velocity Movements
Authors: Roy François D. , Tomlinson R. D. 
Published: June 2004

AbstractObjectives/Hypothesis: The horizontal angular vestibulo‐ocular reflex (VOR) plays an important role in stabilizing images on the retina throughout head rotations. Current evidence suggests that the VOR behaves linearly at low velocities and nonlinearly at high velocities. The aim of the research was to evaluate and characterize the normal behavior of the reflex evoked by high‐velocity head rotations.Study Design: Case control study.Methods: Manually applied head‐thrust movements with peak velocities in the range of 100° to 500°/s and peak accelerations up to 7,000°/s 2 were performed on normal volunteers. These head thrusts were comparable with those described in detail by Halmagi and coworkers. Eye and head movements were recorded using the magnetic search coil method.Results: The gain of the VOR is linear at low velocities and saturates at head velocities greater than 350°/s. The values for the normal gain of the reflex were approximated by means of the area between two nonlinear functions. The directional difference parameter, exploring the symmetry of the reflex, indicated that the VOR in normal subjects is symmetric.Conclusion: The gain of the VOR in individuals with intact vestibular function is nonlinear at high angular head velocities. We propose a quantitative means using two nonlinear functions to characterize the normal range of values for the gain of the VOR in individuals with normal vestibular function. A directional difference parameter used in conjunction with the normal range of gains can detect small differences in the symmetry of the VOR and, consequently, reveal unilateral vestibular loss.
Fabrication of Tissue Engineered Tympanic Membrane Patches Using Computer‐Aided Design and Injection Molding
Authors: Hott Morgan E. , Megerian Cliff A. , Beane Rich , Bonassar Lawrence J. 
Published: June 2004

AbstractObjectives/Hypothesis: The goal of the current study was to use computer‐aided design and injection molding technologies to tissue engineer precisely shaped cartilage in the shape of butterfly tympanic membrane patches out of chondrocyte‐seeded calcium alginate gels.Methods: Molds were designed on SolidWorks 2000 and built out of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) using fused deposition modeling (FDM). Tympanic membrane patches were fabricated using bovine articular chondrocytes seeded at 50 × 106 cells/mL in 2% calcium alginate gels. Molded patches were cultured in vitro for up to 10 weeks and assessed biochemically, morphologically, and histologically.Results: Unmolded patches demonstrated outstanding dimensional fidelity, with a volumetric precision of at least 3 μL, and maintained their shape well for up to 10 weeks of in vitro culture. Glycosaminoglycan and collagen content increased steadily over 10 weeks in culture, demonstrating continual deposition of new extracellular matrix consistent with new tissue development.Conclusions: The use of computer‐aided design and injection molding technologies allows for the fabrication of very small, precisely shaped chondrocyte‐seeded calcium alginate structures that faithfully maintain their shape during in vitro culture. In vitro fabrication of tympanic membrane patches with a precisely controlled geometry may have the potential to provide a minimally invasive alternative to traditional methods for the repair of chronic tympanic membrane perforations.
Removal of N‐terminal methionine from recombinant proteins by engineered E. coli methionine aminopeptidase
Authors: Liao You‐Di , Jeng Jen‐Chong , Wang Chiu‐Feng , Wang Sui‐Chi , Chang Shu‐Ting 
Published: June 2004

AbstractThe removal of N‐terminal translation initiator Met by methionine aminopeptidase (MetAP) is often crucial for the function and stability of proteins. On the basis of crystal structure and sequence alignment of MetAPs, we have engineered Escherichia coli MetAP by the mutation of three residues, Y168G, M206T, Q233G, in the substrate‐binding pocket. Our engineered MetAPs are able to remove the Met from bulky or acidic penultimate residues, such as Met, His, Asp, Asn, Glu, Gln, Leu, Ile, Tyr, and Trp, as well as from small residues. The penultimate residue, the second residue after Met, was further removed if the antepenultimate residue, the third residue after Met, was small. By the coexpression of engineered MetAP in E. coli through the same or a separate vector, we have successfully produced recombinant proteins possessing an innate N terminus, such as onconase, an antitumor ribonuclease from the frog Rana pipiens. The N‐terminal pyroglutamate of recombinant onconase is critical for its structural integrity, catalytic activity, and cyto‐toxicity. On the basis of N‐terminal sequence information in the protein database, 85%–90% of recombinant proteins should be produced in authentic form by our engineered MetAPs.
Monoclonal antibodies assisting refolding of firefly luciferase
Authors: Xu Qin , Xie Zhiqun , Ding Jianfang , Lin Sheng‐Xiang , Xu Genjun 
Published: June 2004

AbstractThe reactivation efficiency in the refolding of denatured luciferase in the presence and the absence of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has been studied. Luciferase could be partially reactivated when the protein was denatured in high concentrations of guanidium chloride (GdmCl; >4.5 M) and the refolding was carried out in very low protein concentrations. The refolding yield was, however, significantly lower when it was performed on luciferase that had been denatured with lower concentrations of GdmCl. The efficiency of refolding decreases when the formation of aggregates increases. Three of the five luciferase mAbs tested (4G3, N2E3, S2G10) dramatically increased the yield of reactivation and simultaneously eliminated the formation of aggregates. It is proposed that these mAbs assisted the refolding of luciferase by binding to the exposed hydrophobic surface of the refolding intermediate, thus preventing it from aggregating. The epitopes interacting with these refolding‐assisting mAbs are all located in the A‐subdomain of the N‐terminal region of luciferase. These results have also shed light on the structural features of the intermediate and its interface involved in protein aggregate formation, contributing to the understanding of the protein folding mechanism.
The human serpin proteinase inhibitor‐9 self‐associates at physiological temperatures
Authors: Benning Lauren N. , Whisstock James C. , Sun Jiuru , Bird Phillip I. , Bottomley Stephen P. 
Published: June 2004

AbstractThe metastable serpin architecture is perturbed by extremes of temperature, pH, or changes in primary sequence resulting in the formation of inactive, polymeric conformations. Polymerization of a number of human serpins in vivo leads to diseases such as emphysema, thrombosis, and dementia, and in these cases mutations are present within the gene encoding the aggregating protein. Here we show that aggregation of the human serpin, proteinase inhibitor‐9 (PI‐9), occurs under physiological conditions, and forms aggregates that are morphologically distinct from previously characterized serpin polymers. Incubation of monomeric PI‐9 at 37°C leads to the rapid formation of aggregated PI‐9. Using a variety of spectroscopic methods we analyzed the nature of the structures formed after incubation at 37°C. Electron microscopy showed that PI‐9 forms ordered circular and elongated‐type aggregates, which also bind the fluorescent dye Thioflavin T. Our data show that in vitro wild‐type PI‐9 forms aggregates at physiological temperatures. The biological implications of PI‐9 aggregates at physiological temperatures are discussed.
Biophysical characterization of the free IκBα ankyrin repeat domain in solution
Authors: Croy Carrie Hughes , Bergqvist Simon , Huxford Tom , Ghosh Gourisankar , Komives Elizabeth A. 
Published: June 2004

AbstractThe crystal structure of IκBα in complex with the transcription factor, nuclear factor κ‐B (NF‐κB) shows six ankyrin repeats, which are all ordered. Electron density was not observed for most of the residues within the PEST sequence, although it is required for high‐affinity binding. To characterize the folded state of IκBα (67–317) when it is not in complex with NF‐κB, we have carried out circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, 8‐anilino‐1‐napthalenesulphonic acid (ANS) binding, differential scanning calorimetry, and amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange experiments. The CD spectrum shows the presence of helical structure, consistent with other ankyrin repeat proteins. The large amount of ANS‐binding and amide exchange suggest that the protein may have molten globule character. The amide exchange experiments show that the third ankyrin repeat is the most compact, the second and fourth repeats are somewhat less compact, and the first and sixth repeats are solvent exposed. The PEST extension is also highly solvent accessible. Iκ Bα unfolds with a Tm of 42°C, and forms a soluble aggregate that sequesters helical and variable loop parts of the first, fourth, and sixth repeats and the PEST extension. The second and third repeats, which conform most closely to a consensus for stable ankyrin repeats, appear to remain outside of the aggregate. The ramifications of these observations for the biological function of IκBα are discussed.
Taiwanese Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Canada and Transnational Social Space
Authors: Wong Lloyd L. 
Published: June 2004

AbstractThis article explores the migration of Taiwanese immigrant entrepreneurs to Canada and their transnationalism. Their presence in Canada is documented and described with statistical data on their demographic characteristics, human capital, and economic capital. An assessment of their transnationalism is provided by primary qualitative data gathered through in‐depth interviews. Overall, the review of the literature on Taiwanese migration to various countries, and their transnationalism, indicates that research has primarily been conducted in Australia and the United States, while it remained understudied in Canada. The article makes a case for contextualizing Taiwanese entrepreneurial migration in terms of a global immigration marketplace and the specific business migration programmes in Australia, United States, and Canada. Further, the article argues for the appropriateness of conceptualizing these Taiwanese entrepreneurs as operating within the theoretical framework of transnational social space. The findings on transnational social space include the importance of transnational familial networks, transnational business circuits, and transmigration. Transnational familial networks constitute a form of “capital” as the dispersal is a “resource”. The transnational business circuits include three types: (1) Asian production‐North American distribution; (2) retail chains; and (3) import‐export, all spatially distributed with their multiple national sites. In selected areas of the presentation and discussion of the data the policy implications of the findings are explored. These include discussion of the implications of this transnationalism on Canadian policies such as immigration, multiculturalism, business development, international trade, economic development, and citizenship. There is clearly a lack of harmonization among migration policy and other social and economic policies in Canada. While Canadian multiculturalism policy facilitates transnationalism, Canadian citizenship policy is shown to conflict with and discourage transnational practices.
Changes in appearance and schizotypy in normal subjects
Authors: à Campo Joost , Nijman Henk , Merckelbach Harald 
Published: June 2004

Background:Anecdotal reports suggest that drastic changes in physical appearance may signal psychotic decompensation in schizophrenic patients.Objective:The current study sought to explore the association between changes in appearance and psychotic vulnerability in a more systematic fashion.Methods:A sample of undergraduates (n = 171) completed the Changes in Appearance Scale (CAS), which assesses frequency and nature of changes in outlook, along with a Schizotypy Scale (STA), the Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), the Fear Questionnaire (FQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).Results:A modest but significant correlation was found between the CAS and STA scores. For the other symptom measures (MOCI, FQ, and BDI), no association with self-reported changes in physical appearance emerged.Conclusions:Changes in physical appearance are found to be significantly associated to mild (pre)psychotic symptoms.
Cord plasma concentrations of adiponectin and leptin in healthy term neonates: positive correlation with birthweight and neonatal adiposity
Authors: Tsai Po‐Jung , Yu Chun‐Hsien , Hsu Shih‐Penn , Lee Yu‐Hsiang , Chiou Chuen‐Hua , Hsu Yu‐Wen , Ho Su‐Chen , Chu Chun‐Hong 
Published: June 2004

Summaryobjective  Adiponectin is negatively associated with leptin, insulin and obesity in children and adults. Whereas increases in fetal insulin and leptin are associated with increased weight and adiposity at birth, the role of adiponectin in fetal growth has not yet been determined. The aims of this study were to examine the relationships between adiponectin and insulin, leptin, weight and adiposity at birth in healthy term infants.design and methods  Anthropometric parameters including weight, length, circumferences and skinfold thickness were measured, and plasma lipid profiles, insulin, leptin and adiponectin concentrations in cord blood samples from 226 singleton infants born at term after uncomplicated pregnancies were assayed.results  Cord plasma adiponectin, leptin and insulin levels correlated significantly and positively with birthweight (P = 0·001, P < 0·001, P < 0·001, respectively) and the sum of skinfold thicknesses (P < 0·001, P < 0·001, P < 0·001, respectively). Mean cord plasma adiponectin and leptin levels, but not insulin level, were significantly higher in large‐for‐gestational‐age (LGA) infants compared with appropriate‐for‐gestational‐age (AGA) infants. Cord plasma leptin concentration, but not adiponectin concentration, was significantly higher in female infants than in male infants (P = 0·003 and P = 0·94, respectively). Cord plasma adiponectin concentration correlated positively with leptin level (P = 0·007) but not with insulin level (P = 0·78).conclusions  High adiponectin levels are present in the cord blood. Cord plasma adiponectin and leptin levels are positively correlated with birthweight and adiposity. This suggests that adiponectin may be involved in regulating fetal growth.