[Middle Ear Malformations].

Middle ear malformations (MEMs) represent a diverse group of congenital anomalies with significant implications for auditory function. These malformations, which occur in approximately 0.5 to 3% of conductive hearing loss cases, can arise from various genetic and environmental factors.

Hearing impairment amongst people with Osteogenesis Imperfecta in Germany.

Introduction: Hearing impairment concerns a relevant percentage of individuals with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). When looking at the current literature, the percentage of affected individuals with OI varies greatly from 32 to 58% of patients having mild OI and 21% to 27% of patients having moderate to severe OI. Little is known about the German population with OI.

Long-term results and quality of life after vibrant soundbridge implantation (VSBs) in children and adults with aural atresia.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and acceptance of the active middle ear implant system Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB, MED-EL, Austria) in patients with aural atresia or aplasia (children and adults).

Methods: Data from 51 patients (mean age 13.9 ± 11.

The RonchAP® palatinal device: A conservative approach in treating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome-a randomized, controlled study.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of the Ronch®AP palatal device in treating patients with moderate and severe forms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Methods: In a randomized controlled trial 22 patients were examined with the Ronch®AP palatal device after 4 weeks of usage. Their results were compared to a control group of 30 patients who did not receive any treatment during this time.

Impulse dispersion of aerosols during playing the recorder and evaluation of safety measures.

Introduction: Group musical activities using wind instruments have been restricted during the CoVID19 pandemic due to suspected higher risk of virus transmission. It was presumed that the aerosols exhaled through the tubes while playing would be ejected over larger distances and spread into the room due to jet stream effects. In particular, the soprano recorder is widely used as an instrument in school classes, for beginners of all age groups in their musical education, in the context of leisure activities and in professional concert performances.

The Effect of Water Resistance Therapy on the Impulse Dispersion of Aerosols During Sustained Phonation.

Introduction: Group singing has been associated with higher transmission risks via exhaled and spread aerosols in the CoVID19 pandemic. For this reason, many musical activities, such as rehearsals and lessons, but also voice therapy sessions, have been restricted in many countries. Consequently, transmission risks and pathways have been studied, such as aerosol amounts generated by exhalation tasks, convectional flows in rooms, or the impulse dispersion of different kinds of phonation.

[Vocal tract discomfort and wellbeing of caregivers for the elderly during the pandemic].

Background: During the SARS-CoV2-pandemic, people working in healthcare such as caregives for the elderly face additional burden, e.g. by the use of face masks.

Aerosol Dispersion During Different Phonatory Tasks in Amateur Singers.

Introduction: Due to increased aerosol generation during singing, choir rehearsals were widely prohibited in the course of the CoVID-19 pandemic. Most studies on aerosol generation and dispersion focus on professional singers. However, it has not been clarified if these data are also representative for amateur singers.

Large Particle 3D Concrete Printing-A Green and Viable Solution.

The Large Particle 3D Concrete Printing (LP3DCP) process presented in this paper is based on the particle bed 3D printing method; here, the integration of significantly larger particles (up to 36 mm) for selective binding using the shotcrete technique is presented. In the LP3DCP process, the integration of large particles, i.e.

Effects of surgical masks on aerosol dispersion in professional singing.

Background: In the CoVID-19 pandemic, singing came into focus as a high-risk activity for the infection with airborne viruses and was therefore forbidden by many governmental administrations.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of surgical masks regarding the spatial and temporal dispersion of aerosol and droplets during professional singing.

Methods: Ten professional singers performed a passage of the Ludwig van Beethoven's "Ode of Joy" in two experimental setups-each with and without surgical masks.

The Effect of Singers' Masks on the Impulse Dispersion of Aerosols During Singing.

Background: During the Covid-19 pandemic, singing activities were restricted due to several super-spreading events that have been observed during rehearsals and vocal performances. However, it has not been clarified how the aerosol dispersion, which has been assumed to be the leading transmission factor, could be reduced by masks which are specially designed for singers.

Material And Methods: Twelve professional singers (10 of the Bavarian Radio-Chorus and two freelancers, seven females and five males) were asked to sing the melody of the ode of joy of Beethoven's 9th symphony "Freude schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elisium" in D-major without masks and afterwards with five different singers' masks, all distinctive in their material and proportions.

[Singing Voice Handicap Index-12 : Development and validation of a German version].

Background: The aim of this study was to develop a shortened German version of the Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI). The SVHI is a one-dimensional instrument for self-assessment of a voice disorder in singers. The questionnaire developed in the USA comprises 36 items and has been available in a validated German version since 2013.

Vocal tract discomfort in caregivers for the elderly during an interval of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, professional caregivers caring for the elderly may experience more vocal tract problems in addition to regular high vocal demands while wearing face masks/coverings.

Methods And Participants: Vocal tract discomfort (VTD) was assessed in 64 caregivers in one home for the elderly (64% participation rate) in June 2020 using the German version of the VTD scale.

Results: More than one-half of the participating caregivers experienced VTD, described mostly as dryness, irritability, and tightness.

Sources of Aerosol Dispersion During Singing and Potential Safety Procedures for Singers.

Introduction: With respect to the Covid-19 pandemic, singing is assumed to be associated with a high potential person-to-person transmission. However, it remains unclear how the impulse dispersion varies with different types of articulation, intensity levels of diction, or body position. Furthermore, it has not been understood in detail how to prevent aerosol dispersion during singing.

Injection 3D Concrete Printing (I3DCP): Basic Principles and Case Studies.

Today, the majority of research in 3D concrete printing focuses on one of the three methods: firstly, material extrusion; secondly, particle-bed binding; and thirdly, material jetting. Common to all these technologies is that the material is applied in horizontal layers. In this paper, a novel 3D concrete printing technology is presented which challenges this principle: the so-called Injection 3D Concrete Printing (I3DCP) technology is based on the concept that a fluid material (M1) is robotically injected into a material (M2) with specific rheological properties, causing material M1 to maintain a stable position within material M2.

Alterations in the Endophyte-Enriched Root-Associated Microbiome of Rice Receiving Growth-Promoting Treatments of Urea Fertilizer and Rhizobium Biofertilizer.

We examined the bacterial endophyte-enriched root-associated microbiome within rice (Oryza sativa) 55 days after growth in soil with and without urea fertilizer and/or biofertilization with a growth-promotive bacterial strain (Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii E11). After treatment to deplete rhizosphere/rhizoplane communities, washed roots were macerated and their endophyte-enriched communities were analyzed by 16S ribosomal DNA 454 amplicon pyrosequencing.

Habitat generalists and specialists in microbial communities across a terrestrial-freshwater gradient.

Observations of distributions of microorganisms and their differences in community composition across habitats provide evidence of biogeographical patterns. However, little is known about the processes controlling transfers across habitat gradients. By analysing the overall microbial community composition (bacteria, fungi, archaea) across a terrestrial-freshwater gradient, the aim of this study was to understand the spatial distribution patterns of populations and identify taxa capable of crossing biome borders.

Glucose transporter isoform 1 expression enhances metastasis of malignant melanoma cells.

The glucose transporter isoform 1 (GLUT1; SLC2A1) is a key rate-limiting factor in the transport of glucose into cancer cells. Enhanced GLUT1 expression and accelerated glycolysis have been found to promote aggressive growth in a range of tumor entities. However, it was unknown whether GLUT1 directly impacts metastasis.

CHILD syndrome with mild skin lesions: histopathologic clues for the diagnosis.

CHILD syndrome is an acronym signifying congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform nevus and limb defects. A 27-year-old woman presented with chronic verrucous and hyperkeratotic skin lesions involving the left genital area, left hand and left foot since childhood. The histopathologic findings were consistent with verruciform xanthoma.

Utilizing ITS1 and ITS2 to study environmental fungal diversity using pyrosequencing.

The shorter reads generated by high-throughput sequencing has led to a focus on either the ITS1 or the ITS2 sublocus in fungal diversity analyses. Our study aimed to determine how making this choice would influence the datasets obtained and our vision of environmental fungal diversity. DNA was extracted from different environmental samples (water, sediments and soil) and the total internal transcribed spacer (ITS) locus was amplified.

Keratinocytic epidermal nevi are associated with mosaic RAS mutations.

Background: Activating RAS mutations in the germline cause rare developmental disorders such as Costello syndrome. Somatic RAS mutations are found in approximately 30% of human cancers. Keratinocytic epidermal nevi (KEN) represent benign congenital skin lesions arranged along Blaschko's lines.