Preoperative word-finding difficulties in children with posterior fossa tumours: a European cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Posterior fossa tumour surgery in children entails a high risk for severe speech and language impairments, but few studies have investigated the effect of the tumour on language prior to surgery. The current crosslinguistic study addresses this gap. We investigated the prevalence of preoperative word-finding difficulties, examined associations with medical and demographic characteristics, and analysed lexical errors. METHODS: We included 148 children aged 5-17 years with a posterior fossa tumour. Word-finding ability was assessed by means of a picture-naming test, Wordrace, and difficulties in accuracy and speed were identified by cut-off values. A norm-based subanalysis evaluated performance in a Swedish subsample. We compared the demographic and medical characteristics of children with slow, inaccurate, or combined slow and inaccurate word finding to the characteristics of children without word-finding difficulties and conducted a lexical error analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent (n = 55) presented with slow word finding, 24% (n = 35) with inaccurate word finding, and 16% (n = 23) with both slow and inaccurate word finding. Children with posterior fossa tumours were twice as slow as children in the norming sample. Right-hemisphere and brainstem location posed a higher risk for preoperative word-finding difficulties, relative to left-hemisphere location, and difficulties were more prevalent in boys than in girls. The most frequent errors were lack of response and semantically related sideordinated words. CONCLUSION: Word-finding difficulties are frequent in children with posterior fossa tumours, especially in boys and in children with right-hemisphere and brainstem tumours. Errors resemble those observed in typical development and children with word-finding difficulties.

Are Contact Angle Measurements Useful for Oxide-Coated Liquid Metals?

This work establishes that static contact angles for gallium-based liquid metals have no utility despite the continued and common use of such angles in the literature. In the presence of oxygen, these metals rapidly form a thin (∼1-3 nm) surface oxide "skin" that adheres to many surfaces and mechanically impedes its flow. This property is problematic for contact angle measurements, which presume the ability of liquids to flow freely to adopt shapes that minimize the interfacial energy. We show here that advancing angles for a metal are always high (>140°)-even on substrates to which it adheres-because the solid native oxide must rupture in tension to advance the contact line. The advancing angle for the metal depends subtly on the substrate surface chemistry but does not vary strongly with hydrophobicity of the substrate. During receding measurements, the metal droplet initially sags as the liquid withdraws from the "sac" formed by the skin and thus the contact area with the substrate initially increases despite its volumetric recession. The oxide pins at the perimeter of the deflated "sac" on all the surfaces are tested, except for certain rough surfaces. With additional withdrawal of the liquid metal, the pinned angle gets smaller until eventually the oxide "sac" collapses. Thus, static contact angles can be manipulated mechanically from 0° to >140° due to hysteresis and are therefore uninformative. We also provide recommendations and best practices for wetting experiments, which may find use in applications that use these alloys such as soft electronics, composites, and microfluidics.

Welding fume nanoparticles from solid and flux-cored wires: Solubility, toxicity, and role of fluorides.

Welding fume particles are hazardous. Their toxicity likely depends on their composition and reactivity. This study aimed at exploring the role of sodium or other fluorides (NaF), which are intentionally added to flux-cored wire electrodes for stainless steel welding, on the solubility (in phosphate buffered saline) and toxicity of the generated welding fume particles. A multi-analytical particle characterization approach along with in-vitro cell assays was undertaken. The release of Cr(VI) and Mn from the particles was tested as a function of fluoride solution concentration. The welding fume particles containing NaF released significantly higher amounts of Cr(VI) compared with solid wire reference fumes, which was associated with increased cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in-vitro. No crystalline Na or potassium (K) containing chromates were observed. Cr(VI) was incorporated in an amorphous mixed oxide. Solution-added fluorides did not increase the solubility of Cr(VI), but contributed to a reduced Mn release from both solid and flux-cored wire fume particles and the reduction of Cr(VI) release from solid wire fume particles. Chemical speciation modeling suggested that metal fluoride complexes were not formed. The presence of NaF in the welding electrodes did not have any direct, but possibly an indirect, role in the Cr(VI) solubility of welding fumes.

Named Entity Recognition and Normalization Applied to Large-Scale Information Extraction from the Materials Science Literature.

The number of published materials science articles has increased manyfold over the past few decades. Now, a major bottleneck in the materials discovery pipeline arises in connecting new results with the previously established literature. A potential solution to this problem is to map the unstructured raw text of published articles onto structured database entries that allow for programmatic querying. To this end, we apply text mining with named entity recognition (NER) for large-scale information extraction from the published materials science literature. The NER model is trained to extract summary-level information from materials science documents, including inorganic material mentions, sample descriptors, phase labels, material properties and applications, as well as any synthesis and characterization methods used. Our classifier achieves an accuracy (f1) of 87%, and is applied to information extraction from 3.27 million materials science abstracts. We extract more than 80 million materials-science-related named entities, and the content of each abstract is represented as a database entry in a structured format. We demonstrate that simple database queries can be used to answer complex "meta-questions" of the published literature that would have previously required laborious, manual literature searches to answer. All of our data and functionality has been made freely available on our Github ( https://github.com/materialsintelligence/matscholar ) and website ( http://matscholar.com ), and we expect these results to accelerate the pace of future materials science discovery.

Finding of increased caudate nucleus in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVES: A recently published study using an automated MRI volumetry method (NeuroQuant®) unexpectedly demonstrated larger caudate nucleus volume in patients with Alzheimer's disease dementia (AD) compared to patients with subjective and mild cognitive impairment (SCI and MCI). The aim of this study was to explore this finding. MATERIALS & METHODS: The caudate nucleus and the hippocampus volumes were measured (both expressed as ratios of intracranial volume) in a total of 257 patients with SCI and MCI according to the Winblad criteria and AD according to ICD-10 criteria. Demographic data, cognitive measures, and APOE-ɛ4 status were collected. RESULTS: Compared with non-dementia patients (SCI and MCI), AD patients were older, more of them were female, and they had a larger caudate nucleus volume and smaller hippocampus volume (P<.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, age and female sex were associated with larger caudate nucleus volume, but neither diagnosis nor memory function was. Age, gender, and memory function were associated with hippocampus volume, and age and memory function were associated with caudate nucleus/hippocampus ratio. CONCLUSIONS: A larger caudate nucleus volume in AD patients was partly explained by older age and being female. These results are further discussed in the context of (1) the caudate nucleus possibly serving as a mechanism for temporary compensation; (2) methodological properties of automated volumetry of this brain region; and (3) neuropathological alterations. Further studies are needed to fully understand the role of the caudate nucleus in AD.

Size-separated particle fractions of stainless steel welding fume particles - A multi-analytical characterization focusing on surface oxide speciation and release of hexavalent chromium.

Welding fume of stainless steels is potentially health hazardous. The aim of this study was to investigate the manganese (Mn) and chromium (Cr) speciation of welding fume particles and their extent of metal release relevant for an inhalation scenario, as a function of particle size, welding method (manual metal arc welding, metal arc welding using an active shielding gas), different electrodes (solid wires and flux-cored wires) and shielding gases, and base alloy (austenitic AISI 304L and duplex stainless steel LDX2101). Metal release investigations were performed in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), pH 7.3, 37°, 24h. The particles were characterized by means of microscopic, spectroscopic, and electroanalytical methods. Cr was predominantly released from particles of the welding fume when exposed in PBS [3-96% of the total amount of Cr, of which up to 70% as Cr(VI)], followed by Mn, nickel, and iron. Duplex stainless steel welded with a flux-cored wire generated a welding fume that released most Cr(VI). Nano-sized particles released a significantly higher amount of nickel compared with micron-sized particle fractions. The welding fume did not contain any solitary known chromate compounds, but multi-elemental highly oxidized oxide(s) (iron, Cr, and Mn, possibly bismuth and silicon).

Role of Mfa5 in Expression of Mfa1 Fimbriae in Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Fimbriae are protein-based filamentous appendages that protrude from the bacterial cell surface and facilitate host adhesion. Two types of fimbriae, FimA and Mfa1, of the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis are responsible for adherence to other bacteria and to host cells in the oral cavity. Both fimbrial forms are composed of 5 proteins, but there is limited information about their polymerization mechanisms. Here, the authors evaluated the function of Mfa5, one of the Mfa1 fimbrial accessory proteins. Using mfa5 gene disruption and complementation studies, the authors revealed that Mfa5 affects the incorporation of other accessory proteins, Mfa3 and Mfa4, into fibers and the expression of fimbriae on the cell surface. Mfa5 is predicted to have a C-terminal domain (CTD) that uses the type IX secretion system (T9SS), which is limited to this organism and related Bacteroidetes species, for translocation across the outer membrane. To determine the relationship between the putative Mfa5 CTD and the T9SS, mutants were constructed with in-frame deletion of the CTD and deletion of porU, a C-terminal signal peptidase linked to T9SS-mediated secretion. The ∆CTD-expressing strain presented a similar phenotype to the mfa5 disruption mutant with reduced expression of fimbriae lacking all accessory proteins. The ∆porU mutants and the ∆CTD-expressing strain showed intracellular accumulation of Mfa5. These results indicate that Mfa5 function requires T9SS-mediated translocation across the outer membrane, which is dependent on the CTD, and subsequent incorporation into fibers. These findings suggest the presence of a novel polymerization mechanism of the P. gingivalis fimbriae.

How Professionals View Multifamily Psychoeducation: A Qualitative Study.

Severe mental illness causes suffering for the patient as well as the patient's immediate family. The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare has recommended the implementation of multifamily psychoeducation in order to assist patient and family in the recovery process. The aim of this study was to determine how introducing multifamily psychoeducation in Sweden has been viewed by professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 service providers, who were involved in evaluating multifamily psychoeducation. Our main findings fell under the headings of defensive culture and unsuitable model. Resistance to introducing the new intervention was found on multiple levels. The model proposed was considered too rigid for both the target group and the organizations because it could not be adjusted to the needs of patients, families, or facilitators. Despite good evidence for the effectiveness of the intervention, there were difficulties introducing the multifamily psychoeducation model in clinical practice. The feasibility of an intervention needs to be evaluated before adopting it as a national guideline.

Residual organic matter and microbial respiration in bottom ash: Effects on metal leaching and eco-toxicity.

A common assumption regarding the residual organic matter, in bottom ash, is that it does not represent a significant pool of organic carbon and, beyond metal-ion complexation process, it is of little consequence to evolution of ash/leachate chemistry. This article evaluates the effect of residual organic matter and associated microbial respiratory processes on leaching of toxic metals (i.e. arsenic, copper, chromium, molybdenum, nickel, lead, antimony and zinc), eco-toxicity of ash leachates. Microbial respiration was quantified with help of a respirometric test equipment OXITOP control system. The effect of microbial respiration on metal/residual organic matter leaching and eco-toxicity was quantified with the help of batch leaching tests and an eco-toxicity assay - Daphnia magna. In general, the microbial respiration process decreased the leachate pH and eco-toxicity, indicating modification of bioavailability of metal species. Furthermore, the leaching of critical metals, such as copper and chromium, decreased after the respiration in both ash types (fresh and weathered). It was concluded that microbial respiration, if harnessed properly, could enhance the stability of fresh bottom ash and may promote its reuse.

Effects of substrate induced respiration on the stability of bottom ash in landfill cover environment.

The municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash is being increasingly used to construct landfill covers in Sweden. In post-closure, owing to increased cover infiltration, the percolating water can add external organic matter to bottom ash. The addition and subsequent degradation of this external organic matter can affect metal mobility through complexation and change in redox conditions. However, the impacts of such external organic matter addition on bottom ash stability have not been fully evaluated yet. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of external organic matter on bottom ash respiration and metal leaching. The samples of weathered bottom ash were mixed with oven dried and digested wastewater sludge (1%-5% by weight). The aerobic respiration activity (AT4), as well as the leaching of metals, was tested with the help of respiration and batch leaching tests. The respiration and heavy metal leaching increased linearly with the external organic matter addition. Based on the results, it was concluded that the external organic matter addition would negatively affect the quality of landfill cover drainage.

Trends in out-of-hospital ischaemic heart disease deaths 1992 to 2003 in southern Sweden.

AIMS: In western countries out-of-hospital ischaemic heart disease (IHD) deaths account for approximately 50-70% of all IHD deaths. The objective was to examine the trends in out-of-hospital IHD deaths in the Region of Skåne in southern Sweden, in different sex- and age-groups. METHODS: All 14,347 persons (range 24-110 years) in Skåne who died out-of-hospital between 1992 and 2003 from IHD (I410-I414; I20-I25) as the underlying cause of death. Subjects with previous admission for IHD since 1970 were excluded. Data were retrieved from the Swedish National Cause of Death and Patient Register. Age-standardized IHD mortality rates and trends were calculated using Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Age-standardized annual out-of-hospital IHD mortality rates from 1992-2003 decreased in men from 177±13 to 103±9/100,000 inhabitants (-4.7%; p<0.001) and in women from 142±11 to 96±9/100,000 (-2.7%; p<0.001). In men, the annual change in age-standardized IHD mortality rates were -5.3 % (p<0.001), -4.0 % (p<0.001) and -4.7 % (p<0.001), respectively, in the age groups 20-64 years, 65-74 years and ≥75 years. Corresponding figures in women were -4.4 % (p<0.001), -2.4 % (p=0.003) and -2.5 % (p<0.001). The proportion of IHD deaths occurring out-of-hospital was in these age groups 50%, 40% and 35% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In Skåne, out-of-hospital mortality in IHD deaths decreased significantly between 1992 and 2003. The decrease is more pronounced in men than women, and at the end of the study period in 2003, rates were almost equal. The proportion of IHD deaths occurring outside hospital was higher in younger people than in older people.

Exogenously administered bombesin and gastrin releasing peptide contract the female rat urethra in vivo and in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Bombesin (BOM) and gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) have been located to the lower urinary tract (LUT). However, there is a paucity of data demonstrating the impact of these endogenous peptides. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate the contractile actions of BOM and GRP on the female rat urethra in vitro and in vivo. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 37) weighing approximately 225 g were used. Intraurethral pressure was recorded by a catheter placed at the maximum pressure zone corresponding to the intrinsic urethral sphincter. MEASUREMENTS: In vitro, changes in intraurethral pressure was conducted on perfused intact urethral/bladder preparations and are expressed as percentages of sphincteric intraurethral pressure achieved with noradrenaline. In vivo, changes in intraurethral pressure was conducted in anesthetized subjects and compared with the baseline intraurethral pressure and sham controls. RESULTS: In vitro, the increase in intraurethral pressure induced by BOM was 23.6 ± 3.2 cmH(2)O, exceeding the pressure evoked with NA by 9.6 cmH(2) O or 174.4% whereas GRP induced a maximum pressure of 10.7 ± 1.6 cmH(2) O, an increase of 2.2 ± 0.5 cmH(2) O or 82.9% (P < 0.05) of the NA evoked pressure. In vivo, the mean baseline pressure was 22.9 ± 1.4 cmH(2) O. The intraurethral pressure evoked by BOM was 50.6 ± 6.3 cmH(2) O (P < 0.05), and for GRP, the evoked intraurethral pressure was 56.2 ± 13.4 cmH(2) O (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present data suggest that both BOM and GRP may contribute to the control of continence by their contractile action on the sphincters of the LUT outflow region.

Impaired abdominal aortic wall integrity in elderly men carrying the angiotensin-converting enzyme D allele.

OBJECTIVE: A polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting-enzyme gene (ACE I/D) has been associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm and a link between aortic aneurysm and aortic stiffness has been suggested. This study aimed to explore the links between ACE I/D polymorphism, circulating ACE and abdominal aortic wall integrity as reflected by abdominal aortic wall stiffness. MATERIAL: A total of 212 men and 194 women, aged 70-88 years, were studied. METHODS: Mechanical properties of the abdominal aorta were determined using the Wall Track System, ACE genotype using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and circulating ACE level by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: In men, pulsatile diameter change differed between genotypes (II 0.70, ID 0.55 and DD 0.60 mm, P = 0.048), whereas a tendency was seen for distensibility coefficient (DC) (II 10.38, ID 7.68 and ID 8.79, P = 0.058). Using a dominant model (II vs. ID/DD), men carrying the ACE D allele had lower pulsatile diameter change (P = 0.014) and DC (P = 0.017) than II carriers. Multiple regression analyses showed additional associations between the D allele and increased stiffness ß, and reduced compliance coefficient. CONCLUSION: Men carrying the ACE D allele have stiffer abdominal aortas compared with II carriers. Deranged abdominal aortic stiffness indicates impaired vessel wall integrity, which, along with other local predisposing factors, may be important in aneurysmal disease.

Vertical InAs nanowire wrap gate transistors with f(t) > 7 GHz and f(max) > 20 GHz.

In this letter we report on high-frequency measurements on vertically standing III-V nanowire wrap-gate MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors). The nanowire transistors are fabricated from InAs nanowires that are epitaxially grown on a semi-insulating InP substrate. All three terminals of the MOSFETs are defined by wrap around contacts. This makes it possible to perform high-frequency measurements on the vertical InAs MOSFETs. We present S-parameter measurements performed on a matrix consisting of 70 InAs nanowire MOSFETs, which have a gate length of about 100 nm. The highest unity current gain cutoff frequency, f(t), extracted from these measurements is 7.4 GHz and the maximum frequency of oscillation, f(max), is higher than 20 GHz. This demonstrates that this is a viable technique for fabricating high-frequency integrated circuits consisting of vertical nanowires.

The association between Mycoplasma genitalium and pelvic inflammatory disease after termination of pregnancy.

The prevalence and complications of Mycoplasma genitalium and Chlamydia trachomatis infections among women undergoing termination of pregnancy were studied in this nested case-control study at Malmo University Hospital, Sweden, during 2003 to 2007. The study comprised 2079 women presenting for termination of pregnancy. Forty-nine women with M. genitalium infection and 51 women with C. trachomatis infection, together with 168 negative control women, were evaluated. The prevalences of M. genitalium and C. trachomatis were 2.5% and 2.8%, respectively. The M. genitalium was strongly associated with post-termination pelvic inflammatory disease (odds ratio 6.29, 95% CI 1.56-25.2). The increased risk for pelvic inflammatory disease associated with M. genitalium infection after termination of pregnancy suggests a causal relationship.

Monitoring oral health and dental attendance in an outpatient psychiatric population.

Impaired mental health has been associated with an increased need for dental care. Population surveys have indicated that people with enduring mental health problems make less frequent planned visits to the dentist and report a greater number of missing teeth than the general population. The study aims to examine oral health status, attendance to dental care, and medication in an outpatient psychiatric sample. A descriptive study combining a structured interview with a visual oral examination carried out in 113 outpatients under psychiatric care. Dental health was described in terms of sound, missing and/or filled teeth, and showed a relation between these categories and types of psychiatric diagnosis, age and numbers of antidepressant and neuroleptic drugs. Oral hygiene was found to be more neglected among men and in patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia. The need of dental treatment was widespread, although regular dental visits were commonly reported. In order to maintain good oral health, regular dental check-ups should be encouraged for patients under psychiatric care. Further studies are required to reveal contributory causes for/to decreased oral health. The difficulty such individuals have in maintaining additional self-efficacy raises questions about the necessity for oral health interventions in outpatient psychiatric services.

Potential emissions from two mechanically-biologically pretreated (MBT) wastes.

The interaction of parameters determining the potential emissions of two different mechanically-biologically pretreated municipal solid wastes (MBT wastes) is elucidated in this work. The origins of the wastes are Germany and Sweden. By means of lab-scale experiments, increased stabilisation through composting is preferably determined by a decrease in respiration activity. Concurrently, the stabilisation is verified for the leachates by a decrease in COD, DOC, and BOD(5). Total organic carbon content reflects stabilisation less accurately. FT-IR and thermal analytical methods add valuable information about the state of degradation, especially when several distinct thermal parameters are taken into account. Mobility of Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn produced by a batch leaching test with deionized water is reduced by the pretreatment of both materials. Mobility of copper unambiguously increased. A principle component analysis (PCA) of membrane fractionated leachates indicates an affinity of Cu to mobile humic acids or dissolved organic carbon. High Cr, Zn, and Ni contents in the solid co-occur with high contents of solid humic acids. To a lesser extent, this is also true for solid Cd, Cu, and Pb contents. Due to differences in required landfilling conditions, actual emissions and after-care phase length will depend on whether each waste is landfilled in Germany or Sweden.

Association of genetic variation on chromosome 9p21.3 and arterial stiffness.

OBJECTIVES: Genome wide association studies have consistently reported associations between a region on chromosome 9p21.3 and a broad range of vascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), aortic and intracranial aneurysms and type-2 diabetes (T2D). However, clear associations with intermediate phenotypes have not been described so far. To shed light on a possible influence of this chromosomal region on arterial wall integrity, we analysed associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and degree of stiffness of the abdominal aorta in elderly individuals. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 400 subjects, 212 men and 188 women, aged 70-88 years were included. Arterial stiffness was examined at the midpoint between the renal arteries and the aortic bifurcation. Two CAD- and aneurysm-associated SNPs (rs10757274 and rs2891168) and one T2D-associated SNP (rs1081161) within the 9p21.3 region were genotyped. Aortic compliance and distensibility coefficients were higher in carriers of the rs10757274G and rs2891168G alleles in men reflecting a decrease in aortic stiffness. Adjustment for age and mean arterial pressure had no effect on these associations. The two SNPs were not associated with intima-media thickness or lumen diameter of the abdominal aorta. There were no associations between the rs10811661 SNP and any measure of aortic stiffness. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired mechanical properties of the arterial wall may explain the association between chromosome 9p21.3 polymorphisms and vascular disease.

Deficits in motor co-ordination and attention at 3 years of age predict motor deviations in 6.5-year-old children who needed neonatal intensive care.

BACKGROUND: A total of 189 children without major impairments who needed neonatal intensive care (NIC) were followed up at ages 3 and 6.5 years. AIM: To determine the prevalence of different motor deviations at age 6.5 years and the co-occurrence of attention deficits; also, to analyse the predictive ability of motor co-ordination and attention assessments at age 3 years for motor deviations at 6.5 years. METHOD: A combined assessment of motor performance and behaviour (CAMPB) was used at the 3-year examination. The Test of Motor Impairment (TOMI) and the Motor-Perceptual Development (MPU) were used together with the criteria of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR) to define motor deviations. RESULTS: At 6.5 years 64% of the children showed a motor deviation either as a delay according to MPU, a problem according to TOMI or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) according to DSM-IV-TR. Higher proportions of children with attention deficit (50%) were found in the DCD group. The predictive ability of CAMPB was analysed in two ways: when all children with either a co-ordination or attention deficit, or both, at 3 years were considered to be at risk for motor deviations at 6.5 years, the sensitivity reached 78% and the specificity was 42%. But when only the 3 year olds with a combined deficit were considered to be at risk, the sensitivity was 37% and the specificity 89%; however, a positive predictive value of 86% was reached. CONCLUSION: At 6.5 years of age a majority of NIC children with no major impairments showed motor deviations. To fulfil the DCD criteria in DSM-IV-TR, a strict definition of motor deviations is recommended. Attention deficits are more prevalent among children with DCD. Deficits in motor co-ordination and/or attention in 3-year-old children are strong predictors of motor deviations and, especially, of DCD at 6.5 years of age.