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Mindless use of social media may lead to negative mental health outcomes for consumers. In this research, the authors focus on the fear of missing out (FOMO) as a key determinant of those negative outcomes by illustrating how repeated social media use forms a habit loop termed "social media FOMO." The authors introduce a "Social Media FOMO to JOMO" framework, where they describe how mindless use can lead to social media FOMO and propose a novel Social Media Mindfulness Practice (SMMP) as a remedy to help consumers reduce FOMO and adopt a path called the joy of missing out (JOMO) that provides greater well‐being. Based on the "Social Media FOMO to JOMO" framework and the SMMP, the authors suggest future research and highlight implications for consumers, marketers, and policy makers to promote more mindful social media use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there has been ample research on the correlates of consumer deal proneness, there has been little research on how deal proneness develops. In two studies of parent/adult-child dyads, considerable parent-child similarity both in overall deal proneness and in the pattern of preferences for particular types of sales promotions was found. Further, the second of these two studies indicates that parent-child similarity is mediated by communication between parents and their children and tends to be stronger among parents with a permissive parenting style. These results provide evidence that consumer enthusiasm for sales promotions is, to at least some extent, transmitted from parents to their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The rise of online reviews written by consumers makes possible an examination of how the content and style of these word-of-mouth messages contribute to their helpfulness. In this study, consumers are asked to judge the value of real online consumer reviews to their simulated shopping activities. The results suggest the benefits of moderate review length and of positive, but not negative, product evaluative statements. Non-evaluative product information and information about the reviewer were also found to be associated with review helpfulness. Stylistic elements that may impair clarity (such as spelling and grammatical errors) were associated with less valuable reviews, and elements that may make a review more entertaining (such as expressive slang and humor) were associated with more valuable reviews. These findings point to factors beyond product information that may affect the perceived helpfulness of an online consumer review. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has suggested that pricing products at one cent below a whole number (e.g., $4.99 instead of $5.00) can be an effective method for increasing purchases. Although many reasons for this have been suggested, a commonly proposed explanation is that consumers tend to drop off, or pay less attention to, the rightmost two digits. This drop-off mechanism has garnered much indirect support, but only limited research has been conducted to directly test it. In this study, respondents provided estimates of how many products they could purchase for $73. Analyses indicated that respondents thought they could buy significantly more products priced with 99 endings than products with comparable 00-ending prices. Follow-up analyses showed that (a) errors made by respondents showed a pattern consistent with a dropoff mechanism, and (b) motivation to carefully provide quantity estimates moderated the effect. The study therefore provides rare direct evidence that the drop-off mechanism may contribute to the effectiveness of 9-ending pricing. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current knowledge of flow and turbulent processes acting across the sand bed continuum is still unable to unequivocally explain the mechanism(s) by which ripples become dunes. Understanding has been improved by comparative high-resolution studies undertaken over fixed bedforms at different stages in the continuum. However, these studies both ignore the role of mobile sediment and do not examine flow structure during the actual transition from ripples to dunes. The aims of the paper are: (i) to describe flow and turbulence characteristics acting above mobile bedforms at several stages across the transition; and (ii) to compare these data with those arising from experiments over fixed ripples and dunes. Laboratory experiments are presented that examine the turbulence structure across seven distinct stages of the transition from ripples to dunes. Single-point acoustic Doppler velocimeter sampling at three flow heights above a developing mobile boundary was undertaken. Time-averaged statistics and the instantaneous quadrant record reveal distinct changes in flow structure either side of the change from ripples to dunes. Initially, shear-related, high-frequency vortex shedding dominates turbulence production. This increases until two-dimensional (2D) dunes have formed. Thereafter, turbulence intensities and Reynolds stress decline and three-dimensional dunes exhibit values found over 2D ripples. This is the result of shear layer dampening which occurs when the topographically-accelerated downstream velocity increases at a faster rate than flow depth. Activity at reattachment increases due to high velocity fluid imparting high mass and momentum transfer at the bed and/or wake flapping. Suspended sediment may also play a role in turbulence dampening and bed erosion. Ejections dominate over sweeps in terms of event frequency but not magnitude. Strong relationships between inward interactions and sweeps, and ejections and outward interactions, suggest that mass and momentum exchanges are dependent upon activity in all four quadrants. The results contradict the notion present in most physical models that larger bedforms exhibit most shear layer activity. Consequently an improved model for the ripple–dune transition is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently awakened awareness of the past has produced a flurry of research directed towards understanding the nostalgic aspects of the human condition, towards investigating the role of nostalgia in the lives of consumers, and towards the application of such knowledge to the design of marketing strategies. With rare exceptions, however, such research has pursued a quantitative survey-based approach to establishing the chronology-related and personality-driven aspects of nostalgia. To explore the nature and types of nostalgic bonding in greater depth, the present study pursues an interpretive approach to understanding the role of nostalgia in the consumption experience. Specifically, it applies a collective approach to subjective personal introspection to draw inferences concerning the key types of nostalgic experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of music, motion pictures, movie stars, and fashion products have shown that styles popular during a consumer's youth can influence the consumer's lifelong preferences. The authors present an integrative model of this phenomenon and propose that these nostalgic effects are not limited to products that relate to the arts and entertainment or are primarily aesthetic. As an illustrative example, the authors investigate the effects of early experience on consumer preferences for automobile styles. Consistent with expectations, they find that men do but women do not show evidence of nostalgic attachment to the styles experienced in their youth—that is, their preferences peaked for products that were popular when they were young. Also, as expected, individual differences in the psychographic variable of nostalgia proneness play a role in moderating these effects. These findings expand the understanding of the generality, the boundaries, and the managerial relevance of the age-related peak-preference phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence of complications resulting from suppurative otitis media has significantly decreased since the introduction of antibiotics. At the start of the 20th century 50% of all cases of otitis media developed a coalescent mastoiditis. By 1959, the incidence had fallen to 0.4%. Recent studies suggest a current incidence of only 0.24%. Additionally, during the time of Friedrich Bezold (1824-1908), 20% of patients with mastoiditis developed subperiosteal abscess. Interestingly, this has incidence increased; today nearly 50% of patients diagnosed with coalescent mastoiditis have subperiosteal abscess. Objective: To review the contemporary presentation, diagnosis, and management of a spectrum of mastoid abscesses. Design: Retrospective case series. Setting: Hospitals associated with the Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. Patients: Three patients with mastoid abscesses are reported. One patient displayed 'classic' Bezold's abscess, with pus escaping the mastoid near the incisura digastrica and tracking along the digastric and sternocleidomastoid muscles into the neck. The second and third patients exhibited temporoparietal swelling secondary to mastoid abscess eroding the root of the zygomatic process, a complication noted by Bezold in 1908 as occurring 'in only very rare cases.' Results and Conclusions: Since only one third of patients show pathologic tympanic membrane changes, and since complaints of otalgia, fever, and tenderness are inconstant, subperiosteal mastoid abscess is frequently a delayed diagnosis. The clinical presentation, pathogenesis, and routes of abscess spread are presented with photographic and radiographic illustration. Medical and surgical management is reviewed, and methods for accurate diagnosis are emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light microscopic autoradiographs were prepared of isolated guinea pig endolymphatic sac (ES) tissue incubated with iodine (I)-125-labeled insulin (insulin I 125). These demonstrated specific binding of the insulin I 125 to receptor in the ES. Receptor-mediated endocytosis of the insulin-receptor complex is postulated to occur, and the relevance of insulin receptors in the ES is discussed, with particular emphasis on the previously observed synthesis of hyaluronan from glucoses by the ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endolymphatic sac (ELS) has been shown to respond rapidly to sudden disruptions in fluid balance such as labyrinthectomy or systemic administration of hyperosmolar agents. The present study was designed to determine the ELS response to slower changes in fluid dynamics by occluding the endolymphatic duct (ELD), thereby interrupting the longitudinal flow of endolymph to the ELS. Morphologic studies and autoradiographic techniques were used to evaluate the effects of ELD obstruction on the structure and function of the ELS after 48 hours. There were no significant changes in cellular morphology and a slight decrease in the incorporation of radiolabeled glucose when compared with normal ELS cells. We conclude that it is rapid change in fluid balance that triggers the ELS response, which is not seen with disruption of longitudinal flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new cochlear implant has become available. This device, called the Clarion Multichannel Cochlear Implant, is the result of collaborative efforts between the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the Research Triangle Institute (RTI), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and the device manufacturer and sponsor, Mini Med Technologies of Sylmar, California. The Clarion represents a new generation of multi-programmable cochlear implant systems. Options in waveform, the stimulation mode, and the temporal distribution of the signal permit the device to be optimally customized for each individual patient. The speech coding scheme offering the greatest opportunity for speech recognition can be selected. The first Clarion recipient has recently been implanted at UCSF, initiating the Clarion's investigational clinical trials. A description of the device and preliminary patient results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endolymphatic sac is believed to play a major role in membranous labyrinth homeostasis by controlling the volume of endolymph, removing debris, and participating in the immune response of the inner ear. The endolymphatic sac is postulated to absorb endolymph and to synthesize and secrete high-molecular-weight and osmotically active glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The present study examines the ability of in vitro adult guinea pig endolymphatic sac cells to synthesize complex proteins and polysaccharides. The intent is to characterize the nature of these compounds by studying carbon-14 (14C) glucose incorporation in tissue cultured endolymphatic sac specimens using autoradiographic and specific enzymatic digestion techniques. Our results suggest that sac cells can synthesize GAGs and proteins in vitro in proportionately larger amounts than surrounding connective tissue and dura. The principal GAG synthesized by the endolymphatic sac appears to be hyaluronan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensory deafness may be associated with partial or total obliteration of the cochlear scalae. Before undertaking cochlear implant surgery, a preoperative assessment of cochlear patency with high-resolution computed tomography (CT) is indicated. To determine the accuracy of pre-implant CT, a review of the radiographic and surgical findings in 36 implanted ears was performed. An abnormal CT scan was found to be a reliable predictor of compromised cochlear patency at operation. These findings help the surgeon to select the side most favorable for implantation and to anticipate problems that may be encountered during device insertion. A normal pre-implant CT scan, however, does not exclude the possibility of compromised cochlear patency. A 46% false negative rate was encountered, presumably because subtle degrees of osseous or fibrous obliteration of the cochlea are beyond the resolution by current generation CT scanners. In our opinion, the radiographic finding of cochlear ossification is not a contraindication to an attempt at cochlear implantation. The only assured way of determining the extent of cochlear patency is by performing an 'exploratory cochleostomy' with fenestration of the basal cochlear turn. Drilling anteriorly through an ossified basal scala tympani will often expose an adequate lumen and permit insertion of even a long multichannel electrode into a partially ossified cochlea. Nevertheless, it is essential that the implant team be prepared with devices appropriate for whatever existing or surgically created lumen may be available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixteen patients have been implanted with the UCSF/Storz multichannel implant, 11 of whom have been fitted with their external speech processors and transmitters and administered postoperative audiological evaluations. Both the surgical procedures used and the hearing results for these patients are presented. The potential medical/surgical complications of implant surgery and the future direction of research and development within the UCSF/Storz implant program are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the four channel cochlear implant system with a vocoder-based processor developed at UCSF over an extensive period of research, clinical trials of the UCSF/Storz device were initiated in February 1985, under the sponsorship of Storz Instrument Company. To date, 13 patients have been implanted with this device, nine of whom have been fitted with their external processor and transmitter and have received at least their initial postoperative evaluation. Patient results have been extremely promising, with eight of the nine patients obtaining some open-set auditory only speech understanding. Most patients have demonstrated improvement over time and all patients have attained an enhancement in lipreading ability with the use of the UCSF/Storz device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report describes the diagnosis and surgical management of two patients with similar inner ear malformations resulting in recurrent otitic meningitis. Each patient had a meningocele presenting through the oval window associated with Mondini's anomaly. Details of radiographic diagnosis and surgical management strategies will be discussed and long-term follow-up presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty-two patients with chronic otitis media underwent preoperative CT scanning followed by surgical exploration of the middle ear and mastoid. The CT finding of abnormal soft tissue density associated with bone erosion was highly correlated with the surgical finding of cholesteatoma. By contrast, the total absence of abnormal soft tissue on CT essentially excluded cholesteatoma. However, 50% of all patients had abnormal soft tissue on CT scan not accompanied by bone erosion. In this largest group of patients it was not possible to diagnose or exclude cholesteatoma on the basis of CT findings alone. Also, CT occasionally gave the erroneous impression of lateral semicircular canal fistulization, tegmen tympani erosion, and facial nerve involvement due to volume averaging of these structures with adjacent soft tissues. CT scan has a role in the evaluation of selected patients with chronic otitis media, but must be interpreted cautiously in view of its limitations and numerous pitfalls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of new patients with otosclerosis seen by the average otolaryngologist has declined over the past several years. As a result, a controversy has arisen regarding the ability to train residents adequately in the technique of stapedectomy. In this regard, we have analyzed 44 consecutive stapedectomies performed by senior residents, under direct faculty supervision, at the University of California, San Francisco. All procedures were total stapedectomies, performed under local anesthesia, utilizing either wire-vein or wire-perichondrium technique. Four of the ears required footplate or promontory drilling. Closure to within 10 dB of the preoperative bone conduction, averaged over the speech frequencies of 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz, was achieved in 75% of ears, and closure to within 20 dB in 93% of ears. In no patient was hearing made worse. While there were no permanent complications, self-limited problems occurred in 9% of the procedures. Despite a declining caseload of otosclerotic ears in residency programs, it is possible to train residents safely in stapes surgery, given a program of consistent technique and close faculty supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiolucent lesions of the petrous apex of the temporal bone are unusual, with an incidence of less than 1%. The differential diagnosis includes giant apical air cells, acquired cholesteatomas, congenital cholesteatomas or epidermoids, true dermoids and teratomas, and benign and malignant neoplasms. The authors present an extremely rare case of a true dermoid of the petrous apex which eroded into the clivus of the occipital bone, and discuss the differential diagnosis, symptomatology, and diagnostic work-up. Complete resection is the preferred management if it can be done easily and and safety; however, since the lesions are usually unresectable and manifest few symptoms, a conservative surgical approach for diagnosis and decompression is urged. The authors discuss in detail a surgical approach which allows for preservation of function and hearing, as well as diagnosis and immediate decompression. Further surgical decompressions, when needed, can be easily, quickly, and safely achieved through the same surgical approach. A review of the medical literature has revealed no previously reported case of a true dermoid involving the petrous apex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Otologists have long debated the importance of the mastoid in determining the success or failure of tympanic membrane reconstruction. The pneumatic spaces within the mastoid represent an "air reservoir" which can be drawn upon during periods of eustachian tube dysfunction and buffer the middle ear against the development of detrimental negative pressures. Mastoid inflammatory disease, if untreated, may result in recurrent suppuration and graft failure. Small mastoid volume, aside from its well known association with chronic infectious middle ear disease, has been shown to effect adversely graft survival following myringoplasty. In 48 patients undergoing myringoplasty with simple mastoidectomy, neither small mastoid size nor inflammatory mastoid disease significantly decreased the rate of graft healing. This suggests that simple mastoidectomy is an effective means of repneumatizing the mastoid and eradicating mastoid sources of infection. The successful surgical creation of a pneumatized mastoid cavity in communication with the middle ear was confirmed by postoperative computerized tomographic (CT) scans. In failed cases, CT scanning predictably identified residual mastoid disease. Simple mastoidectomy is considered to be a safe and useful adjunct to myringoplasty in selected cases of chronic otitis media with perforation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benign facial nerve neurilemmomas are frequently misdiagnosed tumors due to subtle and variable clinical presentation. Three cases treated recently at the University of California - San Francisco are presented to demonstrate the clinical features, diagnostic evaluation, and surgical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cochlear implantations of multichannel electrode arrays have been recently undertaken at the University of California, San Francisco in several totally deaf investigational subjects. One patient was extensively tested with a psychoacoustical battery and is the subject of this communication. Speech testing with CID sentences and open sets of spondee words revealed that this totally deaf subject could achieve approximately 40 to 50% discrimination level with his implant device alone in the absence of visual cues. This represents the first time that speech discrimination has been definitely shown in a cochlear implant subject, and this result has important implications for the future of cochlear implantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggressive medical management and surgical debridement is curative in most cases of malignant external otitis. Recently, four patients with this condition were treated at the University of California, San Francisco, who did not respond to conventional therapy. In each case, appropriate intravenous antibiotics, diabetic management, and extensive excision of involved tissue failed to eradicate the infection. Progression of the disease was evidenced by any one of the following: 1. Persistence of granulation tissue in the external auditory canal, 2. Development of cranial neuropathies during treatment, 3. Other signs or symptoms of active infection for more than two weeks after institution of therapy. Any one of these criteria was considered an indication for more radical surgical intervention. In three patients, the operative procedure consisted of a subtotal temporal bone resection to gain access to the primary focus of infection and provide adequate drainage. The common finding in each case was an abscess cavity in the soft tissues at the base of the skull. A description of the clinical course and surgical management of malignant external otitis forms the basis of this communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The differential diagnosis of acute vertigo includes cerebellar infarction. In the past a mortality rate of 50% - 80% was reported with cerebellar infarction. This is no doubt related to an inability to accurately diagnose small lesions which carry a better prognosis. The advent of computerized tomography (CT) now permits accurate diagnosis of small cerebellar infarctions. Seven patients admitted with acute onset of vertigo which mimicked a peripheral labyrinthine disorder are presented. In all patients a cerebellar etiology was demonstrated by CT. One patient had been subjected to therapeutic labyrinthectomy; three of seven patients had associated unilateral hearing loss suggesting partial brain stem involvemtation. Computerized tomography should be included in the routine work-up of acute vertigo with any associated neurologic findings to aid in proper diagnosis and effect appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of intracochlear electrode implantation hinges on the ability of peripheral auditory neurons to survive long-term interface with an electrode array and prolonged electrical stimulation. Histopathological studies have been conducted on a series of neomycin sulphate otointoxicated cats to assess the long-term effects of electrode implantation on an impaired cochlea (analogous to potential human sensory deaf implant candidates). The results of these studies may be summarized as follows: 1. Long-term electrode implantation can be achieved without significant loss of primary auditory neurons using an electrode array embedded in Silastic which is molded to conform to the basal scala tympani if surgical implantation has not disrupted the basilar membrane or osseous spiral lamina. 2. A fibrous tissue matrix forms around the Silastic, displacing perilymph and effectively sealing the electrode at the round window preventing perilymph fistula. 3. While osteoneogenesis will occur whenever the periosteum of the bony labyrinth is disrupted, the molded Silastic sheathing prevents electrode displacement by small areas of new bone formations. 4. Traumatic electrode insertion, with fracture of the osseous spiral lamina or rupture of the basilar membrane, produces severe loss of neural elements in the region of injury and extensive new bone formation preventing satisfactory electrical stimulation. The findings suggest that long-term cochlear implantation is feasible in sensory deafened animals using Silastic sheathed electrode arrays which have been molded to conform to the basal scala tympani provided the integrity of the scala tympani, osseous spiral lamina and basilar membrane is maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meniere's disease is a well recognized clinical entity, yet the etiology and pathophysiology of the disease is not fully understood. Impaired endolymphatic sac function resulting in faulty reabsorption of endolymph has been implicated in the production of the disease. The histopathological findings from biopsied sac specimens and observed by transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electronmicroscopy in two patients with early Meniere's disease are presented and discussed. Extensive subepithelial fibrosis with loss of vascularity and obliteration of portions of the lumen of the endolymphatic sac by an ingrowth of collagen is noted in both specimens. The implications of these findings are discussed and the need for more TEM and SEM studies of inner ear disorders is stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence is presented for the existence of critical periods in the development of consumer tastes in personal appearance. Specifically, men appear to form lifelong preferences for the women's styles that were popular when these men were in their early 20s. By contrast, women's preferences generally and men's tastes for men's appearance styles appear to be formed during a broader and older range of years. These results support the role of both nostalgia and mere exposure in causing the critical-period phenomenon. ©1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To maximize consumer response to a price promotion, the manager needs to identify characteristics of the promotion that are critical to its effectiveness. This article describes a technique for doing this and applies the technique to an analysis of cents-off coupons. The result is an exploration of some of the characteristics of coupons, beyond their offer of a low price, that lead to their ability to influence brand trial. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study is reported in which exposure to advertising has no immediate effect on subjects' beliefs, but subsequently influences the beliefs of those subjects who have had experience with the topic of the advertised claim. The study supports a model of advertising as an influence on the interpretation of experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of simple psychoacoustic studies were conducted on three deaf patients with indwelling scala tympani electrodes to determine better what they hear as a consequence of electrical stimulation. Physiological experiments on cats implanted with a similar electrode were conducted to determine how the sensation heard by these patients is generated and encoded in the auditory nervous system. Some preliminary results of these animal experiments are described. Additional improvements in the surgical implantation procedure are detailed. Results of these studies suggest the following: 1. long-term intracochlear implantation is technically feasible without unusual complications; 2. mechanical stability of the implant prosthesis has been improved by fixing the implant to the temporal bone with methyl methacrylate cement; 3. with simple periodic electrical stimuli the implanted patients described tonal sensation for frequencies ranging from about 100 Hz to more than 10 kHz; 4. apparent pitch changes rapidly as a function of stimulus frequency at frequencies below about 500 Hz; 5. subjects are able to identify many common environmental sounds and a few words, but conventional speech discrimination is poor; 6. the sound sensation generated by electrical stimulation arises as a consequence of simultaneous excitation of a broad segment of the acoustic nerve; therefore, no 'place' coding of the electrical stimuli occurs in the cochlea; 7. if no cochlear place coding occurs then tonal quality ascribed to sounds heard with electrical stimulation at low stimulus frequencies must be encoded by the temporal ordering of discharges in stimulated neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of California, San Francisco has been active in the development of the multichannel cochlear implants for rehabilitation of total sensory deafness for the past 8 years. Patients implanted with experimental prototypes of the devices now in use have demonstrated that speech discrimination of 40% to 50% is possible for common everyday words and sentence material. These devices provide the same stimulation to each of the 8 bipolar pairs in the cochlea. They have an internal disconnect device which allows for replacement and upgrading of implanted receiver-drivers without disturbing the scala tympani electrodes. Application of these devices in a larger deaf population is currently underway. The present report discusses the current status of implants and the future developments we fell are necessary to achieve improved speech discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]