Validation study of a novel approach for assessment of retronasal olfactory function with combination of odor thresholds and identification.

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Validation study of a novel approach for assessment of retronasal olfactory function with combination of odor thresholds and identification. Via http://link.springer.com/journal/405,European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology,The European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino Related Articles Validation study of a novel approach for assessment of retronasal olfactory function with combination of odor thresholds and identification. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2021 Feb 19;: Authors: Yoshino A, Pellegrino R, Luckett CR, Hummel T Abstract PURPOSE: The present study aimed to establish a test battery for the clinical assessment of retronasal odor thresholds and retronasal odor identification. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case-control series. METHODS: Sixty participants (36 women, 24 men, mean age 37.6 ± 19.4 years) were enrolled in this study; 36 were healthy controls and 24 were patients with olfactory dysfunction. Orthonasal olfactory function was assessed with the "Sniffin' Sticks" test battery. Retronasal olfaction was assessed with oral odorant delivery using special containers for threshold function, and with oral tasteless powders for odor identification. RESULTS: Retronasal and orthonasal olfaction were significantly correlated for threshold scores, identification score, and the sum of threshold and identification score (TI score). Validity analyses showed that the retronasal TI score was able to discriminate between healthy controls and patients with olfactory dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Normosmic participants can be distinctly differentiated from patients with olfactory dysfunction using a valid test battery comprised of retronasal threshold and identification tests. Based on the current findings, we advocate a TI score of 16 as a cut-off between patients and controls. Therefore, TI scores of 17 and above would indicate retronasal normosmia. PMID: 33606083 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Analysis of Factors Causing False-Negative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Results in Oropharyngeal and Nasopharyngeal Swabs of Patients With COVID-19.

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Analysis of Factors Causing False-Negative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Results in Oropharyngeal and Nasopharyngeal Swabs of Patients With COVID-19. Via ear nose throat Related Articles Analysis of Factors Causing False-Negative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Results in Oropharyngeal and Nasopharyngeal Swabs of Patients With COVID-19. Ear Nose Throat J. 2021 Feb 19;:145561321996621 Authors: İşlek A, Balcı MK Abstract OBJECTIVES: To analyze factors regarding patient characteristics, sampling techniques, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) specific manifestations that may cause false-negative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. For the diagnosis of COVID-19, patients with RT-PCR test positive in the first nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs were accepted as true positive, and patients with negative 3 consecutive swab results were considered true negative. Those who had a negative initial swab were considered false negatives if they subsequently tested positive on the second or third swab. Demographic data of the patients, the onset of the disease, presence of nasal septal deviation, presence of epistaxis, the clinician (otolaryngologist/other physicians [OP]) who collected the samples, and medical treatments for laryngopharyngeal reflux, allergic respiratory diseases, allergic rhinitis, which include proton pump inhibitors and nasal steroids (NS), were documented. The analysis of dependent variables was performed with the chi-square test. Binary logistic regression was performed for significant variables. RESULTS: A total of 399 patients were included in the study, and 357 (89.5%) patients were detected as positive after 2 or 3 consecutive RT-PCR tests. The presence of ageusia, anosmia, and collecting the samples within 7 days following the onset of symptoms were determined as significant factors for positive RT-PCR results (P = <.001; odds ratio [OR] = 6.2, 5.8, 11.6, respectively). The profession of the clinician (OP), NS use, and the presence of epistaxis were detected as significant factors for the false-negative RT-PCR results (P < .001; OR = 2.3, 3.1, 8.7, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Patient- and/or sample-related factors can affect RT-PCR results of possible COVID-19 cases. The presence of these factors can easily be determined in cases with high clinical suspicion and negative RT-PCR results. The presence of ageusia, anosmia, early sampling (<7days), and appropriate collection of swabs decrease false-negative RT-PCR results. PMID: 33601901 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Long-Term Follow-Up After Maxillary Sinus Balloon Sinuplasty and ESS.

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Long-Term Follow-Up After Maxillary Sinus Balloon Sinuplasty and ESS. Via ear nose throat Related Articles Long-Term Follow-Up After Maxillary Sinus Balloon Sinuplasty and ESS. Ear Nose Throat J. 2021 Feb 19;:145561320986030 Authors: Koskinen A, Lundberg M, Lilja M, Myller J, Penttilä M, Huhtala H, Lee JM, Blomgren K, Toppila-Salmi S Abstract OBJECTIVES: The aim of this controlled follow-up study was to compare the need for revision surgery, long-term efficacy, and satisfaction in chronic rhinosinusitis patients who had undergone maxillary sinus operation with either balloon sinuplasty or traditional endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) technique. METHODS: Thirty-nine ESS patients and 36 balloon patients of our previously described cohort, who had been primarily operated in 2008 to 2010, were contacted by phone. Symptoms, satisfaction, and need for revision surgery were asked. In addition, we collected data of patients who had undergone primary maxillary sinus balloon sinuplasty in the Helsinki University Hospital during the years 2005 to 2019. As a control group, we collected data of patients who had undergone primary maxillary sinus ESS at 3 Finnish University Hospitals, and 1 Central Hospital in years 2005, 2008, and 2011. RESULTS: Altogether, 77 balloon patients and 82 ESS patients were included. The mean follow-up time was 5.3 years in balloon group and 9.8 years in ESS group. Revision surgery was performed on 17 balloon patients and 6 ESS patients. In the survival analysis, the balloon sinuplasty associated significantly with a higher risk of revision surgery compared to ESS. According to the phone interviews, 82% of ESS patients and 75% of balloon patients were very satisfied with the primary operation. CONCLUSION: Although the patient groups expressed equal satisfaction and change in symptoms after the operations, the need for revision surgery was higher after balloon sinuplasty than after ESS. This should be emphasized when counselling patients regarding surgical options. PMID: 33601904 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Biological and biocompatible characteristics of fullerenols nanomaterials for tissue engineering.

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Biological and biocompatible characteristics of fullerenols nanomaterials for tissue engineering. Via Cellular and Molecular Biology Related Articles Biological and biocompatible characteristics of fullerenols nanomaterials for tissue engineering. Histol Histopathol. 2021 Feb 19;:18316 Authors: Zhao Y, Shen X, Ma R, Hou Y, Qian Y, Fan C Abstract Fullerenes, as hydrophobic molecules, are limited in biomedical function due to their very low solubility. But taking C60 (OH) x as an example, the properties of fullerenols were analyzed. It was found that fullerenols had good stability, water solubility, good biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity by adding a hydroxyl group to carbon atoms. In the biomedical field, it has been found that fullerene C60 can be used as a powerful free radical scavenger, with antioxidant activity, with antibacterial and inhibitory effects on cancer cells. Fullerenols inherit the good properties of fullerenes, and are better used in cancer treatment, including loading drug therapy and directly as an anticancer drug. In addition, fullerenols are also used in the repair of myocardial injury, the treatment of myocardial infarction and neuroprotection. With the development of tissue engineering technology, the preparation of nerve scaffolds which can improve ischemia, hypoxia and oxidative stress aft er nerve injury has become a research hotspot. The electron absorption and reduction characteristics of fullerenols in biomedical research bring new ideas for the treatment of oxidative stress in the repair of peripheral nerve defects. It seems that the research on fullerenols loaded neural scaffold has great prospects. PMID: 33604882 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Visual representations of time elicit early responses in human temporal cortex.

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Visual representations of time elicit early responses in human temporal cortex. Via cortical auditory Related Articles Visual representations of time elicit early responses in human temporal cortex. Neuroimage. 2020 08 15;217:116912 Authors: Amadeo MB, Campus C, Gori M Abstract Time perception is inherently part of human life. All human sensory modalities are always involved in the complex task of creating a temporal representation of the external world. However, when representing time, people primarily rely on auditory information. Since the auditory system prevails in many audio-visual temporal tasks, one may expect that the early recruitment of the auditory network is necessary for building a highly resolved and flexible temporal representation in the visual modality. To test this hypothesis, we asked 17 healthy participants to temporally bisect three consecutive flashes while we recorded EEG. We demonstrated that visual stimuli during temporal bisection elicit an early (50-90 ​ms) response of an extended area of the temporal cortex, likely including auditory cortex too. The same activation did not appear during an easier spatial bisection task. These findings suggest that the brain may use auditory representations to deal with complex tem poral representation in the visual system. PMID: 32389726 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Attentional modulation of the auditory steady-state response across the cortex.

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Attentional modulation of the auditory steady-state response across the cortex. Via cortical auditory Related Articles Attentional modulation of the auditory steady-state response across the cortex. Neuroimage. 2020 08 15;217:116930 Authors: Manting CL, Andersen LM, Gulyas B, Ullén F, Lundqvist D Abstract Selective auditory attention allows us to focus on relevant sounds within noisy or complex auditory environments, and is essential for the processing of speech and music. The auditory steady-state response (ASSR) has been proposed as a neural measure for tracking selective auditory attention, even within continuous and complex soundscapes. However, the current literature is inconsistent on how the ASSR is influenced by selective attention, with findings based primarily on attention being directed to either ear rather than to sound content. In this experiment, a mixture of melody streams was presented to both ears identically (diotically) as we examined if selective auditory attention to sound content influences the ASSR. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we assessed the stream-specific ASSRs from three frequency-tagged melody streams when attention was directed between each melody stream, based on their respective pitch and timing. Our main results showed that selective att ention enhances the ASSR power of an attended melody stream by 14% at a general sensor level. This ability to readily capture attentional changes in a stimuli-precise manner makes the ASSR a useful tool for studying selective auditory attention, especially in complex auditory environments. As a secondary aim, we explored the distribution of cortical ASSR sources and their respective attentional modulation using a distributed source model of the ASSR activity. Notably, we uncovered the existence of ASSR attentional modulation outside the temporal cortices. Across-subject averages of the attentional enhancement over the cortical surface suggest that frontal regions show up to ~80% enhancement, while temporal and parietal cortices were enhanced by 20-25%. Importantly, this work advocates a novel 'beyond the temporal cortex' perspective on ASSR modulation and also serves as a template for future studies to precisely pin-point which cortical sites are more susceptible to ASSR attentional modulation. PMID: 32422403 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

A backward encoding approach to recover subcortical auditory activity.

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader A backward encoding approach to recover subcortical auditory activity. Via cortical auditory Related Articles A backward encoding approach to recover subcortical auditory activity. Neuroimage. 2020 09;218:116961 Authors: Schmidt F, Demarchi G, Geyer F, Weisz N Abstract Several subcortical nuclei along the auditory pathway are involved in the processing of sounds. One of the most commonly used methods of measuring the activity of these nuclei is the auditory brainstem response (ABR). Due to its low signal-to-noise ratio, ABR's have to be derived by averaging over activity generated by thousands of artificial sounds such as clicks or tone bursts. This approach cannot be easily applied to natural listening situations (e.g. speech, music), which limits auditory cognitive neuroscientific studies to investigate mostly cortical processes. We propose that by individually training backward encoding models to reconstruct evoked ABRs from high-density electrophysiological data, spatial filters can be tuned to auditory brainstem activity. Since these individualized filters can be applied (i.e. generalized) to any other data set using the same spatial coverage, this could allow for the estimation of auditory brainstem activity from any continuous sensor level data. In this study, we established a proof-of-concept by using backward encoding models generated using a click stimulation rate of 30 ​Hz to predict ABR activity recorded using EEG from an independent measurement using a stimulation rate of 9 ​Hz. We show that individually predicted and measured ABR's are highly correlated (r ​~ ​0.7). Importantly these predictions are stable even when applying the trained backward encoding model to a low number of trials, mimicking a situation with an unfavorable signal-to-noise ratio. Overall, this work lays the necessary foundation to use this approach in more interesting listening situations. PMID: 32439538 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Hypothyroidism in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Receiving Radiotherapy With or Without Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Hypothyroidism in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Receiving Radiotherapy With or Without Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Via The Laryngoscope Objectives/Hypothesis Hypothyroidism is a relatively common complication of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treatment. The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐1) or programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1) inhibition (anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 therapy) to standard treatment increases the risk of hypothyroidism in HNSCC. Study Design Retrospective Cohort. Methods This is a retrospective, single institutional cohort study. Patients who received radiotherapy (RT) for HNSCC were identified in the electronic medical record. Patient factors collected include age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, alcohol use, Charlson comorbidity index, and HNSCC treatment records. The rate of hypothyroidism for patients with HNSCC receiving RT (+/− chemotherapy and surgery) (RT group, n = 101) was compared to that of HNSCC patients receiving RT (+/− chemotherapy and surgery) + anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 therapy, either concurrently or after RT (RT + anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 group, n = 38). Results There was no significant difference in the rate of clinical or subclinical hypothyroidism between the two groups. Multinomial logistic regression found no significant difference in hypothyroidism based on age, sex, or BMI. Conclusions The addition of anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 therapy to standard HNSCC treatment does not significantly increase the risk of developing hypothyroidism. Level of Evidence 3 Laryngoscope, 2021 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Multi‐Institutional Analysis of Outcomes in Supraglottic Jet Ventilation with a Team‐Based Approach

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Multi‐Institutional Analysis of Outcomes in Supraglottic Jet Ventilation with a Team‐Based Approach Via The Laryngoscope Objectives/Hypothesis To evaluate the safety and complications of endoscopic airway surgery using supraglottic jet ventilation with a team‐based approach. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods Subjects at two academic institutions diagnosed with laryngotracheal stenosis who underwent endoscopic airway surgery with jet ventilation between January 2008 and December 2018 were identified. Patient characteristics (age, gender, race, follow‐up duration) and comorbidities were extracted from the electronic health record. Records were reviewed for treatment approach, intraoperative data, and complications (intraoperative, acute postoperative, and delayed postoperative). Results Eight hundred and ninety‐four patient encounters from 371 patients were identified. Intraoperative complications (unplanned tracheotomy, profound or severe hypoxic events, barotrauma, laryngospasm) occurred in fewer than 1% of patient encounters. Acute postoperative complications (postoperative recovery unit [PACU] rapid response, PACU intubation, return to the emergency department [ED] within 24 hours of surgery) were rare, occurring in fewer than 3% of patient encounters. Delayed postoperative complications (return to the ED or admission for respiratory complaints within 30 days of surgery) occurred in fewer than 1% of patient encounters. Diabetes mellitus, active smoking, and history of previous tracheotomy were independently associated with intraoperative, acute, and delayed complications. Conclusions Employing a team‐based approach, jet ventilation during endoscopic airway surgery demonstrates a low rate of complications and provides for safe and successful surgery. Level of Evidence Level 4 Laryngoscope, 2021 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Patient journey through cases of depression from claims database using machine learning algorithms

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Patient journey through cases of depression from claims database using machine learning algorithms Via Rhinitis by Yoshitake Kitanishi, Masakazu Fujiwara, Bruce Binkowitz Health insurance and acute hospital-based claims have recently become available as real-world data after marketing in Japan and, thus, classification and prediction using the machine learning approach can be applied to them. However, the methodology used for the analysis of real-world data has been hitherto under debate and research on visualizing the patient journey is still inconclusive. So far, to classify diseases based on medical histories and patient demographic background and to predict the patient prognosis for each disease, the correlation structure of real-world data has been estimated by machine learning. Therefore, we applied association analysis to real-world data to consider a combination of disease events as the patient journey for depression diagnoses. However, association analysis makes it difficult to interpret multiple outcome measures simultaneously and comprehensively. To address this issue, we applied the Topological Data Analysis (TDA) Mapper to sequentially in terpret multiple indices, thus obtaining a visual classification of the diseases commonly associated with depression. Under this approach, the visual and continuous classification of related diseases may contribute to precision medicine research and can help pharmaceutical companies provide appropriate personalized medical care. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Safety of Early Mobilization in Patients With Intraoperative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: A Case Series.

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Safety of Early Mobilization in Patients With Intraoperative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: A Case Series. Via leak of cerebrospinal fluid Related Articles Safety of Early Mobilization in Patients With Intraoperative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: A Case Series. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2021 Feb 20;: Authors: Aljoghaiman M, Ellenbogen Y, Takroni R, Yang K, Farrokhyar F, Reddy K Abstract BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a common complication in spine surgery. Repairing durotomy is more difficult in the setting of minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS). Efficacy of postoperative bed rest in case of dural tear in MISS is not clear. OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of our protocol of dura closure without changing access, early mobilization, and discharge in cases of intraoperative CSF leak in MISS. METHODS: A retrospective review from 2006 to 2018 of patients who underwent MISS for degenerative and neoplastic diseases with documented accidental or intentional durotomy was conducted. The primary outcome of interest was readmission rate for repair of persistent CSF leak. Secondary outcomes captured included development of pseudomeningocele, positional headache, and subdural hematoma. RESULTS: A total of 80 patients were identified out of 527 patients. Of these, intentional durotomy was performed in 28 patients and unintentional durotomy occurred in 52 patients. Mean follow-up period was 80.6 mo. Most of the patients were discharged on postoperative day 0 (within 4 h of surgery) without activity restrictions. A total of 2 (2.5%) patients required readmission and dural repair for continuous CSF leak and 3 patients (3.75%) developed pseudomeningocele. No lumbar drain insertion, meningitis, or subdural hematoma was reported. CONCLUSION: Early mobilization and discharge in cases of intraoperative CSF leak in MISS appear to be safe and not associated with higher rate of complications than that of reported literature. PMID: 33609122 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.