Association between olfactory function and quality of life in patients with olfactory disorders: a multicenter study in over 760 participants.

BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional, multi-centric study aimed to investigate the differences in quality of life among patients with olfactory dysfunction (OD) of different origin, and to identify factors associated with olfactory-related quality of life (QOL). METHODS: Seven hundred sixty-three adults were recruited from 8 Smell & Taste clinics in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Olfactory-related QOL was assessed by the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders (QOD). Olfactory function was assessed with the "Sniffin' Sticks" test; self-assessment was performed with visual analog scales. RESULTS: Patients with post-infectious and post-traumatic OD showed poorer olfactory-related QOL than patients with sinonasal and idiopathic OD. The olfactory-related QOL was positively associated with the "Sniffin' Sticks" test score, self-assessed olfactory function, disease duration, and age, with younger olfactory dysfunction patients showing lower QOL. Female patients presented with poorer olfactory-related QOL. In addition, the results showed that self-assessment of olfactory function explained more of the variance in olfactory-related QOL than olfactory function evaluated by the Sniffin’ Sticks test. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the psychophysical testing results, several factors such as disease cause, disease duration, sex, or self- assessed olfactory dysfunction should be taken into account when assessing the individual severity of the smell loss.

Influence of backside loading on the floating mass transducer: An in vitro experimental study.

HYPOTHESIS: The vibration of the floating mass transducer (FMT) of a single active middle-ear implant (AMEI) is distinctly influenced by the properties of the material coupled to its back side. BACKGROUND: In round window vibroplasty, the FMT needs to be padded against the surrounding bone opposite from the round window membrane. This represents one factor influencing its performance as a round window driver. Therefore, we examined the effects of different materials linked to the back side of an FMT on its vibration range. METHODS: The back side of an FMT was glued to a silicone cylinder 1.0 mm in diameter and 1.0 mm - 1.5 mm in length and of 40A, 50A or 70A Shore hardness; to cartilage of equivalent size; or to a round window soft coupler (RWSC), all firmly fixed on a steel plate. The vibrations were determined by a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) measuring the velocity of the centre point on the front side of the FMT. RESULTS: The materials on the back side of the FMT significantly influenced the vibration range of the FMT. The RWSC and silicone of 40A Shore hardness allowed for the highest detected velocities, while cartilage led to a distinct reduction similarly to 70A silicone. CONCLUSION: The coupling on the back side of an FMT distinctly affects its vibration range. In this regard, the RWSC and silicone of 40A Shore hardness yield the least impairment of vibration. Thus, the RWSC may be a feasible option in round window vibroplasty when additionally connected to the FMT opposite from the round window membrane.

Multi-element composition of soils of seasonal wetlands across North Dakota, USA.

The main goal of this study was to assess if the soils of wetlands of different condition varied in terms of element composition. The rationale was that compared to wetlands of good condition, wetlands of poor condition-which in the region have typically been disturbed by agricultural activities, are lower in biodiversity and have fewer native species-would have been altered in their physical and chemical soil characteristics. This in turn would have altered the element composition of the soils. The concentrations of about 50 elements in the topsoil of 43 seasonal wetlands of varying condition, as measured by plant community based assessments, across North Dakota were determined. Organic matter content of the soils increased as condition increased, and it was the most important variable explaining 40 % of variation in the concentrations of elements. This can be partly explained by binding of elements to organic matter (S, Se) and for most other elements (that bind mostly to the inorganic fraction) by displacement by organic matter. The biogeochemistry of S is further implicated in the distribution of Ca, most likely via formation of insoluble gypsum (calcium sulfate).

Tailored Height Gradients in Vertical Nanowire Arrays via Mechanical and Electronic Modulation of Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching.

In current top-down nanofabrication methodologies the design freedom is generally constrained to the two lateral dimensions, and is only limited by the resolution of the employed nanolithographic technique. However, nanostructure height, which relies on certain mask-dependent material deposition or etching techniques, is usually uniform, and on-chip variation of this parameter is difficult and generally limited to very simple patterns. Herein, a novel nanofabrication methodology is presented, which enables the generation of high aspect-ratio nanostructure arrays with height gradients in arbitrary directions by a single and fast etching process. Based on metal-assisted chemical etching using a catalytic gold layer perforated with nanoholes, it is demonstrated how nanostructure arrays with directional height gradients can be accurately tailored by: (i) the control of the mass transport through the nanohole array, (ii) the mechanical properties of the perforated metal layer, and (iii) the conductive coupling to the surrounding gold film to accelerate the local electrochemical etching process. The proposed technique, enabling 20-fold on-chip variation of nanostructure height in a spatial range of a few micrometers, offers a new tool for the creation of novel types of nano-assemblies and metamaterials with interesting technological applications in fields such as nanophotonics, nanophononics, microfluidics or biomechanics.

Charge exchange recombination spectroscopy on the alkali beam of Wendelstein 7-X.

Measurements of ion temperature profiles are required to assess the energy and particle transport processes in the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator. This device is equipped with a diagnostic alkali beam, which can be utilized to determine local impurity temperatures and densities by Charge Exchange Recombination Spectroscopy (CXRS). It could provide such profiles in the edge plasma, where other diagnostics are less efficient. With this contribution, first results of CXRS measurements on the sodium beam from the scientific operation phase OP2.1 are presented. The spectroscopic system was in commissioning phase lacking some of the final optical components. Thus, the aim of the diagnostics during this campaign was to explore the measurement capabilities. Based on the processed spectra, the prospects of C5+ and C6+ ion temperature and concentration measurements are discussed. The results indicate that with the final optical setup under installation, the diagnostics could provide ion temperature profiles in the edge with 3 mm radial resolution and at least 1 s temporal resolution.

Pop-up Langmuir probe diagnostic in the water cooled divertor of Wendelstein 7-X.

The design, development, and successful implementation of pop-up Langmuir probes installed in the water-cooled divertor of W7-X are described. The probes are controlled by drive coils (actuators) installed behind the divertor plates. These drive coils make use of the magnetic field in W7-X to move the probe tips into and out of the plasma. The drive coils were installed in the vacuum vessel after extensively testing the durability of the coils and analyzing the criteria for safe operation. The probe design is carefully tailored for each of the 36 probe tips in order to be suitable for the different magnetic field configurations used in W7-X and ensure that the probes do not present leading edges to the magnetic flux tubes. An electronic bridge circuit is used for measurement to compensate for the effects of signal propagation time on the long cable lengths used. The diagnostic is integrated with the segment control of W7-X for automated operation and control of the diagnostic. The evaluation of the results from the plasma operation is presented after accounting for appropriate sheath expansion for negative bias voltage on the probes.

Honey bee promoter sequences for targeted gene expression.

The honey bee, Apis mellifera, displays a rich behavioural repertoire, social organization and caste differentiation, and has an interesting mode of sex determination, but we still know little about its underlying genetic programs. We lack stable transgenic tools in honey bees that would allow genetic control of gene activity in stable transgenic lines. As an initial step towards a transgenic method, we identified promoter sequences in the honey bee that can drive constitutive, tissue-specific and cold shock-induced gene expression. We identified the promoter sequences of Am-actin5c, elp2l, Am-hsp83 and Am-hsp70 and showed that, except for the elp2l sequence, the identified sequences were able to drive reporter gene expression in Sf21 cells. We further demonstrated through electroporation experiments that the putative neuron-specific elp2l promoter sequence can direct gene expression in the honey bee brain. The identification of these promoter sequences is an important initial step in studying the function of genes with transgenic experiments in the honey bee, an organism with a rich set of interesting phenotypes.

Mapping H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza risk in Southeast Asia.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus that emerged in southern China in the mid-1990s has in recent years evolved into the first HPAI panzootic. In many countries where the virus was detected, the virus was successfully controlled, whereas other countries face periodic reoccurrence despite significant control efforts. A central question is to understand the factors favoring the continuing reoccurrence of the virus. The abundance of domestic ducks, in particular free-grazing ducks feeding in intensive rice cropping areas, has been identified as one such risk factor based on separate studies carried out in Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, recent extensive progress was made in the spatial prediction of rice cropping intensity obtained through satellite imagery processing. This article analyses the statistical association between the recorded HPAI H5N1 virus presence and a set of five key environmental variables comprising elevation, human population, chicken numbers, duck numbers, and rice cropping intensity for three synchronous epidemic waves in Thailand and Vietnam. A consistent pattern emerges suggesting risk to be associated with duck abundance, human population, and rice cropping intensity in contrast to a relatively low association with chicken numbers. A statistical risk model based on the second epidemic wave data in Thailand is found to maintain its predictive power when extrapolated to Vietnam, which supports its application to other countries with similar agro-ecological conditions such as Laos or Cambodia. The model's potential application to mapping HPAI H5N1 disease risk in Indonesia is discussed.

Swift evaluation of electron density profiles obtained by the alkali beam emission spectroscopy technique using linearized reconstruction.

A method is presented for the swift reconstruction of electron density profiles measured by the alkali beam emission spectroscopy. It is based on the linearization of the governing rate equations and leads to a direct calculation for obtaining the profiles. The uncertainties of the measurement are incorporated into the problem through the utilization of Tikhonov regularization and the generalized least squares method. An approximation for the uncertainty of the reconstructed density data is calculated as well. The applicability of the method is tested against both simulated and real experimental results of the W7-X stellarator.

Blade technology in the egyptian-nile valley: some new evidence.

An Upper Paleolithic site with blade technology was excavated at Nazlet Khater, Egypt. Radiocarbon dates center around 31,500 years ago, indicating that the Egyptian Nile Valley was not an isolated enclave where blade technology appeared late in comparison with other eastern Mediterranean areas. This site fills a gap in the record of human history in Egypt between 40,000 and 20,000 years ago.

Zoonotic tuberculosis and brucellosis in Africa: neglected zoonoses or minor public-health issues? The outcomes of a multi-disciplinary workshop.

Late in 2007, veterinary, medical and anthropological professionals from Europe and Africa met in a 2-day workshop in Pretoria, South Africa, to evaluate the burden, surveillance and control of zoonotic tuberculosis and brucellosis in sub-Saharan Africa. Keynote presentations reviewed the burden of these diseases on human and livestock health, the existing diagnostic tools, and the available control methods. These presentations were followed by group discussions and the formulation of recommendations. The presence of Mycobacterium bovis and Brucella spp. in livestock was considered to be a serious threat to public health, since livestock and animal products are the only source of such infections in human beings. The impact of these pathogens on human health appears to be relatively marginal, however, when compared with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections and drug resistance, HIV and malaria. Appropriate diagnostic tools are needed to improve the detection of M. bovis and Brucella spp. in humans. In livestock, the 'test-and-slaughter' approach and the pasteurization of milk, which have been used successfully in industrialized countries, might not be the optimal control tools in Africa. Control strategies should fit the needs and perceptions of local communities. Improved intersectoral and international collaboration in surveillance, diagnosis and control, and in the education of medical and veterinary personnel, are advocated.

Improving genetic transformation rates in honeybees.

Functional genetic studies in honeybees have been limited by transformation tools that lead to a high rate of transposon integration into the germline of the queens. A high transformation rate is required to reduce screening efforts because each treated queen needs to be maintained in a separate honeybee colony. Here, we report on further improvement of the transformation rate in honeybees by using a combination of different procedures. We employed a hyperactive transposase protein (hyPBaseapis), we tripled the amount of injected transposase mRNAs and we injected embryos into the first third (anterior part) of the embryo. These three improvements together doubled the transformation rate from 19% to 44%. We propose that the hyperactive transposase (hyPBaseapis) and the other steps used may also help to improve the transformation rates in other species in which screening and crossing procedures are laborious.

Advanced neutral alkali beam diagnostics for applications in fusion research (invited).

Diagnosing the density profile at the edge of high temperature fusion plasmas by an accelerated lithium beam is a known technique since decades. By knowledge of the relevant atomic physics rate coefficients, the plasma electron density profile can be calculated from the relatively calibrated light profile along the beam. Several additional possibilities have already been demonstrated: Charge Exchange Resonance Spectroscopy (CXRS) for ion temperature/flow and Zeeman polarimetry for edge plasma current; therefore the Li-beam diagnostic offers a wealth of information at the plasma edge. The weaknesses of the method are the relatively faint light signal, background light, and technical difficulties of the beam injector which usually seriously limit the applicability. In this talk, we present systematic developments in alkali-beam diagnostics (Li, Na) for the injector and the observation system and detectors which resulted in strongly increased capabilities. Advanced systems have been built, and microsecond scale density profile, turbulence, and zonal flow measurement have been demonstrated. A novel edge current measurement technique has also been designed, and components have been tested with potential microsecond-scale time resolution. Additional possibilities of these advanced systems for spectral measurements (CXRS and various Zeeman schemes) are also discussed.

A Rift Valley fever atlas for Africa.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) epidemics have serious consequences for human and animal health and the livestock trade. Recent epidemics have occurred in previously unaffected regions, increasing concerns that the geographical range of RVF will continue to expand. We conducted an extensive, systematic review of the literature to obtain serological data for RVF in Africa, collected between 1970 and 2000 from human, livestock and wild ungulate populations. Aims were to calculate sub-national estimates of RVF infection prevalence and to define areas where no information was available. We presented the data (aggregated at the first administrative level of countries) using a geographical information system. Data from 71 publications were used to build a spatially explicit Bayesian logistic-regression model, with spatial and non-spatial random effects, allowing us to identify clusters of high and low RVF seroprevalence, and fixed effects that described the disparate nature of the survey subjects and methods. Significant high-prevalence clusters encompassed areas that had experienced epidemics during the late 20th century and significant low-prevalence clusters were located in contiguous areas of Western and Central Africa.

A European interlaboratory testing of three well-known procedures for immunocytochemical detection of epithelial cells in bone marrow. Results from analysis of normal bone marrow.

BACKGROUND: This investigation intended to study the unspecific background to be expected in normal bone marrow (BM), comparing three well recognized protocols for immunocytochemical detection of disseminated carcinoma cells. The interlaboratory variation in screening and evaluation of stained cells was analyzed and different screening methods were compared. METHODS: BM mononuclear cells (BM MNC) from 48 normal BMs were immunostained in parallel by three participating laboratories. The protocols, based on three different anti-cytokeratin antibodies, have all been in common use for detection of disseminated carcinoma cells: the A45-B/B3 protocol (Hamburg), the CK2 protocol (Augsburg) and the AE1AE3 protocol (Oslo). For all protocols, the immunostained cells were visualized by the same alkaline-phosphatase (AP) detection system (APAAP) followed by detection of the cells by manual screening and by two different automated screening systems (ACIS from Chromavision and MDS1 from Applied Imaging). Detected AP-visualized cells were morphologically classified into unambiguous hematopoietic (Uhc) and questionable cells (Qc, potentially interpreted as tumor cells). RESULTS: Seven of 48 BMs (15%) harbored > or = 1 AP-visualized cell(s) among 1 x 10(6) BM MNC, both for the A45-B/B3- and for the AE1AE3 protocol, while for CK2 a higher proportion of BMs (21 BMs; 44%) harbored AP-visualized cells (P < 0.01, McNemar's test). The number of Qc was, for all protocols, 1 log lower than the total number of AP-visualized cells. On average, the frequency of Qc was 0.04, 0.08, and 0.02 per 10(6) BM MNC with A45-B/B3, CK2 and AE1AE3, respectively, and the number of Qc-positive BMs 1, 4, and 1. The MDS1 screening sensitivity was similar to manual screening, while ACIS detected fewer cells (P < 0.001, McNemar's test). CONCLUSIONS: All protocols resulted in AP-visualization of occasional hematopoietic cells. However, morphological classification brings the specificity to a satisfactory high level. Approximately 10% of AP-visualized cells were categorized "questionable". The CK2 protocol turned out less specific than the A45-B/B3 and AE1AE3 protocols.

MAGE-A gene expression pattern in primary breast cancer.

Melanoma antigen (MAGE)-A-derived peptides elicit a strong in vitro T-cell response against tumor cells. For determination of MAGE-A1, -2, -3, -4, -6, and -12 expression profile in invasive breast cancer, we developed a multiplex seminested reverse transcription-PCR-method. In total, 18 of 67 (27%) tumors were positive for at least one of these MAGE transcripts, and the expression pattern was heterogeneous: MAGE-A1 was positive in 4 of 67 (6%), MAGE-A2 in 13 of 67 (19%), MAGE-A3 in 7 of 67 (10%), MAGE-A4 in 9 of 67 (13%), MAGE-A6 in 10 of 67 (15%), and MAGE-A12 in 6 of 67 (9%) patients. The MAGE-A transcripts were more frequently expressed in ductal breast carcinomas compared with other histomorphological types. We observed a preferential expression of MAGE-A in patients at a higher risk of recurrence: those harboring tumors with high levels of the protease urokinase-type plasminogen activator and its inhibitor plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, high score of the Ki-67 proliferation antigen, and lesser degree of differentiation. Our findings suggests a potential involvement of MAGE-A in tumor progression, with potential implications for active immunotherapy.

Epidemiology and Economics Support Decisions about Freedom from Aquatic Animal Disease.

In this study, we review the application of epidemiology and economics to decision-making about freedom from aquatic animal disease, at national and regional level, and recent examples from Europe. Epidemiological data (e.g. pathogen prevalence and distribution) determine the technical feasibility and cost of eradication. The eradication of pathogens which exist in wild populations, or in a latent state, is technically difficult, uncertain and expensive. Notably, the eradication of diseases of molluscs is rarely attempted because host populations (farmed and wild) cannot be completely removed from open water systems. Doubt about the success of eradication translates into uncertain ex-ante cost estimates. Additionally, the benefits of an official disease-free status cannot be estimated with any accuracy. For example, in Europe, official freedom from epizootic ulcerative syndrome and white spot syndrome virus has not been pursued, arguably because the evidence does not exist for the benefits (reduced risk of disease in wild populations) to be estimated and thus weighed against the costs of maintaining disease freedom (e.g. restriction on imports). Economic analysis must assess not only whether the benefits of disease freedom outweigh costs, but whether it is the economically optimal disease control option. Government may also want to compare investment in aquatic animal health with other opportunities. As resources become scarce, governments have sought to share costs of disease control with industry, and thus to ensure equity, the distribution benefits must be known so costs can be borne by those who benefit. The economic principles to support decisions about disease freedom are well established, but their application is constrained by lack of epidemiological data, which may explain the lack of economic analysis in support of aquatic animal management in Europe. The integration of epidemiology and economics in disease control planning will identify research aimed at improving the underpinning evidence base.

[Nerve Tubes for the Repair of Traumatic Sensory Nerve Lesions of the Hand: Review and Planning Study for a Randomised Controlled Multicentre Trial]. / Nervetubes zur Versorgung von traumatischen sensiblen Nervenläsionen der Hand - Übersicht sowie retrospektive Planungsstudie für eine randomisiert-kontrollierte multizentrische Studie.

BACKGROUND: Nerve tubes are used for bridging of short nerve gaps and for coating of primary end-to-end nerve sutures. This article provides an overview of available implants and their application. Also it presents a retrospective planning study aiming to determine the static 2-point discrimination after primary peripheral nerve repair with and without the use of a nerve tube. The results have been used to determine the sample size of a prospective randomised trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 54 peripheral nerve injuries of 41 patients were treated by primary end-to-end nerve sutures with or without the additional use of a nerve tube (n=28 and n=26, respectively). 38 digital nerves and 16 median and ulnar nerves were affected. Nerve tubes were used for the repair of 15 digital nerves and 13 median and ulnar nerves. Clinical follow-up was performed 46 months after surgery (patients without nerve tubes) and 18 months after surgery (patients with nerve tubes), respectively. Static 2-point discrimination (2PD) was measured by double-tip compasses (weight: 18 g) and patients were examined for clinical signs of neuroma. Further examinations included grip strength as a percentage value compared with the uninjured hand and, in case of finger injuries, the range of motion in the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints, Strickland score, DASH score and implant-associated complications. RESULTS: In patients with primary end-to-end sutures for finger injuries, there were no statistically significant differences between treatment with and without nerve tubes regarding 2PD, grip strength, DASH- or Strickland score. However, 2PD values of patients with nerve tubes had an increased spread. Average 2PD in digital nerves was 4.5 mm (3-15; SD: 3.9) without nerve tubes and 5.5 mm (3-15; SD: 5) with nerve tubes. Average 2PD after lesions of the median and ulnar nerves was 10 mm (3-15; SD: 5.9 and 5.4, respectively) in both groups. CONCLUSION: The additional use of a nerve tube showed no superiority in this planning study. The expected average 2PD is 5 mm after digital nerve injuries and 10 mm after lesions of the median or ulnar nerves.