International Pediatric Otolaryngology Group (IPOG) consensus recommendations: Hearing loss in the pediatric patient

Objective To provide recommendations for the workup of hearing loss in the pediatric patient. Methods Expert opinion by the members of the International Pediatric Otolaryngology Group. Results Consensus recommendations include initial screening and diagnosis as well as the workup of sensorineural, conductive and mixed hearing loss in children. The consensus statement discusses the role of genetic testing and imaging and provides algorithms to guide the workup of children with hearing loss. Conclusion The workup of children with hearing loss can be guided by the recommendations provided herein

Acute hepatitis C infection after sexual exposure

A case is described of a woman with acute hepatitis C infection whose partner had chronic hepatitis C infection and where heterosexual contact was the only major risk factor. Infection of both partners was confirmed serologically and by the finding of virus RNA by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction amplification. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the NS5 region (RNA polymerase) was used to show that both partners were infected with virus of the same genotype (1a). The nucleotide sequence of virus RNA found in the female patient is closest to variants cocirculating in the male contact, consistent with transmission having occurred between the two

Effects of sleep deprivation on neural functioning: an integrative review

Sleep deprivation has a broad variety of effects on human performance and neural functioning that manifest themselves at different levels of description. On a macroscopic level, sleep deprivation mainly affects executive functions, especially in novel tasks. Macroscopic and mesoscopic effects of sleep deprivation on brain activity include reduced cortical responsiveness to incoming stimuli, reflecting reduced attention. On a microscopic level, sleep deprivation is associated with increased levels of adenosine, a neuromodulator that has a general inhibitory effect on neural activity. The inhibition of cholinergic nuclei appears particularly relevant, as the associated decrease in cortical acetylcholine seems to cause effects of sleep deprivation on macroscopic brain activity. In general, however, the relationships between the neural effects of sleep deprivation across observation scales are poorly understood and uncovering these relationships should be a primary target in future research

Microstructure of Duplex Lamellar Phases in an Fe-37.3wt. %Ni-3.58wt. %Al-3.3wt. %Ti-0.2wt. % C Alloy

A mode of grain boundary precipitation in Fe-37.3wt%Ni-3.58wt.%Ti-02wt.%C alloy aged at 823K has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Fine γ' particles of L12-type ordering firstly precipitated within the γ matrix during ageing treatment at 823K. The aged matrix phases (γ and γ') were later encroached on by the grain boundary lamellar phases. Quite uniquely, these duplex fine lamellae are composed of alternately aligned ferrite and γ' platelets. These two phase constituents in the lamellae are separated by the interrace arallel to both {110}γ, and {111}γ' planes

An efficient numerical scheme for spreading resistance calculations based on the variational method

Solid State Electronics268723-730SSEL

Scattering of excitons by free carriers in semiconducting quantum well structures: Dependence of scattering cross sections on well width

Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids55111245-1253JPCS

Microarray analyses to study plant defence and rhizosphere-microbe interactions

Plant defence responses are mediated by key regulatory proteins that affect expression of thousands of genes. Over the last decade, microarrays have played a pivotal role to elucidate the underlying networks of gene regulation that lead to a wide variety of defence responses. Undoubtedly, they provided a valuable tool to quantify and profile the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously, with two main aims: (1) gene discovery and (2) global expression profiling. The usefulness of this reverse genetics approach has been demonstrated by numerous discoveries of key regulatory genes important for defence signalling as well as valuable end-point genes whose products display direct action against pests and diseases. Several microarray technologies are currently in use; most include a glass slide platform with spotted cDNA or oligonucleotides, some of which are synthesized directly on the underlying substrate. The frequent use of microarrays has enabled the creation of powerful microarray databases that allow researchers a rapid retrieval of gene expression profiles from various treatments and tissues. While physiological pathways are in parts positively or negatively linked, the discovery of a regulatory defence signalling network by microarrays has demonstrated that ultimately genes and their products, and not pathways are controlled by regulation. Future research should focus on simultaneous time-course analyses of host cells and pathogens to fully understand the biology of disease progression. In addition, most research on plant defence responses has focused on single pathogens, pests and/or signalling compounds. However, plants in nature grow under the influence of multiple environmental stresses while interacting immensely with other organisms. Recent studies of plant-microbe interactions have revealed transcriptional responses of plants to multiple organisms. New technology has enabled a metatranscriptomics approach that will allow the analysis of plants interacting with entire microbial communities, such as those present in the rhizosphere