Up versus down: Does cuff spine orientation affect early adherence to upper airway stimulation?

Purpose: Upper airway stimulation (UAS) is a treatment option for moderate-to-severe OSA, in which electrical stimulation is applied to the hypoglossal nerve via an electrode cuff. In this study, we assess the effect of electrode cuff positioning on UAS outcomes, in particular device adherence.

Methods: Patients at a single academic institution who met the Food and Drug Administration criteria for UAS between 2016 and 2021 were included.

Predicting Therapeutic Response to Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Using Deep Learning.

Objectives: To develop and validate machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models using drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) images to predict the therapeutic efficacy of hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HGNS) implantation.

Methods: Patients who underwent DISE and subsequent HGNS implantation at a tertiary care referral center were included. Six DL models and five ML algorithms were trained on images from the base of tongue (BOT) and velopharynx (VP) from patients classified as responders or non-responders as defined by Sher's criteria (50% reduction in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and AHI < 15 events/h).

Right Versus Left Cuff Position for Upper Airway Stimulation.

Objective: Upper airway stimulation (UAS) is a treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea in which electrical stimulation is applied to the hypoglossal nerve. Nerve branches that control tongue protrusion are located inferiorly. Due to positioning, left-sided implants are typically placed with an inferiorly oriented electrode cuff (L-down) as opposed to superiorly on the right (R-up).

Upper airway stimulation device failure: A 7-year single center experience.

Objective: To identify and report a single center experience with upper airway stimulator device-related failures.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Single tertiary academic center.

Long-term trends in body mass index throughout upper airway stimulation treatment: does body mass index matter?

Study Objectives: Upper airway stimulation is a surgical option for patients with obstructive sleep apnea who fail other forms of noninvasive treatment. Current guidelines recommend a baseline body mass index (BMI) below 32 kg/m for eligibility. In this study, we identify trends in BMI before and after upper airway stimulation to characterize the influence of BMI on treatment success.

The Effect of Lateral Pharyngeal Collapse Patterns on Therapy Response in Upper Airway Stimulation Surgery.

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by repeated upper airway collapse while sleeping which leads to intermittent hypoxemia. Upper airway stimulation (UAS) is a commonly practiced modality for treating OSA in patients who cannot tolerate, or do not benefit from, positive airway pressure (PAP). The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of lateral pharyngeal collapse patterns on therapy response in UAS.

Estimating the usefulness of distorted natural images using an image contour degradation measure.

Quality estimators aspire to quantify the perceptual resemblance, but not the usefulness, of a distorted image when compared to a reference natural image. However, humans can successfully accomplish tasks (e.g.

Nanostructural characterization of catfish skin gelatin using atomic force microscopy.

To determine the nanostructure of gelatin from catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) skin, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study gelatin aggregates. The gelatin was extracted at an optimized acid concentration after alkaline processing. First, the AFM imaging parameters were optimized to obtain high-quality images.

Toxicity of fipronil and its enantiomers to marine and freshwater non-targets.

Fipronil is a phenylpyrazole insecticide used in agricultural and domestic settings for controlling various insect pests in crops, lawns, and residential structures. Fipronil is chiral; however, it is released into the environment as a racemic mixture of two enantiomers. In this study, the acute toxicity of the (S,+) and (R,-) enantiomers and the racemic mixture of fipronil were assessed using Simulium vittatum IS-7 (black fly), Xenopus laevis (African clawed frog), Procambarus clarkii (crayfish), Palaemonetes pugio (grass shrimp), Mercenaria mercenaria (hardshell clam), and Dunaliella tertiolecta (phytoplankton).

Allergy symptom response to intradermal testing-based immunotherapy: a retrospective study of clinical practice.

Objective: Evaluate the multiple end-organ targets affected by intradermal testing (IDT)-based immunotherapy. Study design and setting We conducted a retrospective medical record review of 139 patients, as well as a follow-up questionnaire in a university setting.

Results: Statistically significant differences (t-tests, P < 0.