Activity

NCT04138537.

NCT04138537.

Controversy exists as to whether auditory memory is modality-specific or not. To determine this, the study investigated the relation between the scores obtained on an auditory memory test with that obtained on a global memory test in adults. The study also aimed to compare the scores of young and older adults on the two memory tests.

Thirty young adults aged 18 to 30years and 30 older adults aged 58 to 70years, having normal hearing sensitivity, were studied. Auditory memory was evaluated using the ‘Kannada auditory memory and sequencing test’, while global memory was assessed using the memory domain of the ‘Cognitive linguistic assessment protocol for Adults’ and the ‘Memory ability checklist’.

No significant correlation was seen between the scores obtained on the auditory memory and the global memory tests in both young adults as well as older adults. Also, the scores on the memory ability checklist did not show any correlation with either global memory scores or auditory memory scores in both participant groups. Additionally, the scores of the three memory measures were found to be significantly different from each other. The older adults obtained significantly poorer scores on all three memory tools compared to young adults.

The findings indicated that auditory memory is modality-specific and is independent of global memory. Additionally, all three measures were sensitive in detecting age-related decline in memory.

The findings indicated that auditory memory is modality-specific and is independent of global memory. Additionally, all three measures were sensitive in detecting age-related decline in memory.

To assess the tumor volume change after induction chemotherapy with docetaxel plus cisplatin (DP) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

A total of 259 non-metastatic NPC patients who received DP induction chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Gross tumor volume of nasopharynx and lymph nodes (GTVnx and GTVnd) were contoured before and after chemotherapy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with tumor volume reduction.

For GTVnx, the mean volume before and after chemotherapy were 43.2 cm

vs 37.4 cm

(p < 0.001) and the mean relative volume reduction was 12.7%. For GTVnd, the mean volume before and after chemotherapy were 24.6 cm

vs 17.6 cm

(p < 0.001) and the mean relative volume reduction was 13.9%. There was a positive linear correlation between the reduction of GTVnx and GTVnd (r = 0.351, p  < 0.001). For GTVnx volume reduction, pretreatment GTVnx volume (≤ 20 cm

vs > 20 cm

, OR = 4.644, p = 0.001) and chemotherapy cycle (2 cycles vs 3 cycles, OR = 2.418, p = 0.009) were independently associated factors. For GTVnd volume reduction, pretreatment GTVnd volume (≤ 8 cm

vs > 8 cm

, OR = 7.472, p < 0.001) and chemotherapy cycle (2 cycles vs 3 cycles, OR = 2.621, p = 0.007) were independently associated factors.

DP induction chemotherapy reduces tumor volumes moderately in NPC. Larger pre-treatment tumor volumes and three cycles of chemotherapy are associated with higher likelihood of tumor volume reduction.

DP induction chemotherapy reduces tumor volumes moderately in NPC. Larger pre-treatment tumor volumes and three cycles of chemotherapy are associated with higher likelihood of tumor volume reduction.

The standard induction chemotherapy for head and neck cancer is TPF [cisplatin (CDDP), docetaxel (DOC), and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)]. We assessed whether one course of TPF could predict the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy for human papilloma virus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

We retrospectively reviewed 51 patients with stage III-IV HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who received one course of TPF with CDDP 60mg/m

, DOC 60mg/m

, and 5-FU 600mg/m

. We recommended chemoradiotherapy for patients with complete or partial response (CR/PR), and surgery for those with stable or progressive disease (SD/PD). The endpoints were TPF-related adverse events and efficacy, chemoradiotherapy efficacy, and 2-year survival.

Neutropenia was the most common grade ≥ 3 adverse event (88%). No grade 5 adverse events occurred. TPF achieved CR in 4% of patients (2/51), PR in 73% (37/51), SD in 20% (10/51), and PD in 4% (2/51). Concurrent cetuximab and radiotherapy (bio-radiotherapy, BRT) were administered to 61% of patients (31/51), concurrent CDDP and radiotherapy (CDDP-RT) to 16% (8/51), RT alone to 2% (1/51), and surgery was performed for 22% (11/51). CR was achieved in 85% of the chemoradiotherapy group, and the rate tended to increase with TPF efficacy. CR was achieved in 84% (26/31) of patients receiving BRT, 88% (7/8) receiving CDDP-RT, and 100% (1/1) receiving RT. The 2-year survival rates were 92% overall, and 97% and 79% in the chemoradiotherapy and surgery groups, respectively.

When facing difficulty in deciding between chemoradiotherapy and surgery, one course of TPF may be an effective option.

When facing difficulty in deciding between chemoradiotherapy and surgery, one course of TPF may be an effective option.

To evaluate nasal mucociliary clearance (NMC) and hearing loss in patients with pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome.

The study included 36 patients with PEX syndrome as the study group, and 39 healthy individuals as the control group. The duration of NMC was measured using the saccharine test. Audiometry was applied at 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 6000 and 8000Hz frequencies to determine hearing thresholds and prevalence of hearing loss.

No statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of age and gender (p = 0.23 and p = 0.36, respectively). In the saccharine test, the mean NMC time was 18.41 ± 8.53min for the study group and 11.69 ± 4.96min for the control group. The mean NMC time of study group was significantly longer than that of the controls (p < 0.001). In the comparisons of the two groups in terms of the prevalence of hearing loss, no statistically significant difference was found at any of the evaluated frequencies (p > 0.05, for all). There was also no stattors. In this study, no significant relationship was detected between PEX and hearing loss.

To compare the autonomic reflexes caused by inferior turbinate outfracture or bipolar cauterization for inferior turbinate reduction surgery.

The investigators designed and implemented a prospective study composed of 80 patients who underwent a septoplasty with inferior turbinate reduction. The predictor variable was the type of bilateral reduction operation and included inferior turbinate outfracture with a freer elevator and 20 watts bipolar cauterization for 15s per side after septoplasty. The primary outcome variable was the intraoperative changes of the heart rate monitored preoperatively and 20s, 1min, and 4min after the turbinate reduction procedure. Other variables were systolic and diastolic blood pressure alterations after the inferior turbinate outfracture or bipolar cauterization procedure. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were computed and the P-value was set at .05.

The sample was composed of 160 procedures in 80 patients grouped as follows Outfracture (n = 100) and Cauterization (n = t during the inferior turbinate outfracture procedure, it is important to closely monitor sympathetic and parasympathetic reflexes. Necrostatin 2 ic50 The surgeon, and anesthesiologist, must be aware of the early stages of the autonomic reflexes during turbinate reduction.

Choanal Atresia (CA) is potentially life-threatening and its repair has a variable revision rate.

A case series study from 1997 to 2017 to evaluate the results of repair of CA and review factors affecting outcome.

Forty-two patients aged one day to 16years were included. The outcome measures were the number of revision operations and the length of time over which surgery was required. A focused review of the recent literature (2000-2018) was done.

Bilateral cases (17) had a mean of 5.24 operations compared to 2.2 operations in unilateral cases (25). Nine patients had bony CA and required 3.56 operations, twenty-four patients had mixed CA and required 3.58 operations. Twelve patients with comorbidities required more operations. Patients with reflux disease required a mean of 4.67 operations.

An increased rate of restenosis was found in patients with bilateral CA, GERD and those with comorbidities. Parents should be counselled regarding the likelihood of revision surgery. Use of stents or Mitomycin C did not impact the revision rate in this series.

An increased rate of restenosis was found in patients with bilateral CA, GERD and those with comorbidities. Parents should be counselled regarding the likelihood of revision surgery. Use of stents or Mitomycin C did not impact the revision rate in this series.

Long total waiting times (TWT) experienced by patients during a clinic visit have a significant adverse effect on patient’s satisfaction. Our aim was to use big data simulations of a patient scheduling calendar and its effect on TWT in a general ophthalmology clinic. Based on the simulation, we implemented changes to the calendar and verified their effect on TWT in clinical practice.

For this retrospective simulation study, we generated a discrete event simulation (DES) model based on clinical timepoints of 4.401 visits to our clinic. All data points were exported from our clinical warehouse for further processing. If not available from the electronic health record, manual time measurements of the process were used. Various patient scheduling models were simulated and evaluated based on their reduction of TWT. The most promising model was implemented into clinical practice in 2017.

During validation of our simulation model, we achieved a high agreement of mean TWT between the real data (229 ± 100 min) aion into clinical practice. Various models for improving patient flow or reducing capacity loads can be evaluated cost-effectively.

Microarray and genetic analyses reveal that ZTL induces the expression of genes related to auxin synthesis, thereby promoting hypocotyl elongation. ZTL is a blue-light receptor that possesses a light-oxygen-voltage-sensing (LOV) domain, an F-box motif, and a kelch repeat domain. ZTL promotes hypocotyl elongation under high temperature (28°C) in Arabidopsis thaliana; however, the mechanism of this regulation is unknown. Here, we divided seedlings into hypocotyls and upper aerial parts, and performed microarray analyses. In hypocotyl, 1062 genes were down-regulated in ztl mutants (ztl-3 and ztl-105) compared with wild type; some of these genes encoded enzymes involved in cell wall modification, consistent with reduced hypocotyl elongation. In upper aerial parts, 1038 genes were down-regulated in the ztl mutants compared with wild type; these included genes involved in auxin synthesis and auxin response. Furthermore, the expression of the PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) gene, which encodes a transcriptd in cell wall modification, consistent with reduced hypocotyl elongation. In upper aerial parts, 1038 genes were down-regulated in the ztl mutants compared with wild type; these included genes involved in auxin synthesis and auxin response. Furthermore, the expression of the PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) gene, which encodes a transcription factor known to positively regulate YUCCA genes (YUCs), was also decreased in the ztl mutants. Genetic analysis revealed that overexpression of PIF4 and YUC8 could restore the suppressed hypocotyl length in the ztl mutants. Our results suggest that ZTL induces expression of YUC8 via PIF4 in upper aerial parts and promotes hypocotyl elongation.