Vocal folds analysis using global energy tracking.

Introduction: Detection and quantification of oscillatory irregularities in laryngeal videostroboscopy can be particularly difficult for the human expert. Accordingly, there is a wide interest in automated methods for recovering the folds' temporal trajectory. Unfortunately, current methods typically provide only crude glottal measurements.

Markov random field based automatic image alignment for electron tomography.

We present a method for automatic full-precision alignment of the images in a tomographic tilt series. Full-precision automatic alignment of cryo electron microscopy images has remained a difficult challenge to date, due to the limited electron dose and low image contrast. These facts lead to poor signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the images, which causes automatic feature trackers to generate errors, even with high contrast gold particles as fiducial features.

Towards an integrated protein-protein interaction network: a relational Markov network approach.

Protein-protein interactions play a major role in most cellular processes. Thus, the challenge of identifying the full repertoire of interacting proteins in the cell is of great importance and has been addressed both experimentally and computationally. Today, large scale experimental studies of protein interactions, while partial and noisy, allow us to characterize properties of interacting proteins and develop predictive algorithms.

Image guided navigation system-a new technology for complex endoscopic endonasal surgery.

Purpose: Endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES) has become the standard practice in sinonasal and anterior skull base surgery. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe experience using a new technology-the image guided navigation system (IGNS)-in complex cases undergoing EES. The advantages and disadvantages of computer aided surgery are discussed.

Use of evoked potentials to objectively differentiate between selective vulnerability of cochlear and vestibular end organ function.

Auditory nerve brainstem evoked responses (ABR) have been used for several decades to investigate cochlear function. Recently techniques have been developed to elicit similar recordings from the vestibular end organs - short latency vestibular evoked potentials (VsEPs). Both ABR and VsEP reflect appropriate end organ function and may therefore be used to investigate the vulnerability of these end organs to various experimental insults, such as noise exposure and ototoxic drugs.

Assessment of vestibular ototoxicity of ear drops by recording of vestibular evoked potentials to acceleration impulses.

Introduction: The cochlear ototoxicity of several ear drops is well documented in the literature, but very few studies exist on the vestibular ototoxicity of these topical drugs.

Goal Of Study: To develop an animal model for the assessment of the vestibular ototoxicity of ear drops.

Materials And Methods: Two animal groups, consisting of five fat sand rats (FSRs) each, underwent unilateral labyrinthectomy.

The effect of head orientation on the vestibular evoked potentials to linear acceleration impulses in rats.

Objective: To investigate the influence of linear acceleration impulses delivered when the head is held in different static head orientations, on the first wave of the short latency vestibular evoked potential (VsEP). The first wave is the compound action potential of the primary vestibular neurons synchronously activated.

Background: It has been shown previously that the VsEP elicited in response to linear acceleration is initiated mainly in the otolith organs.

Surgical anatomy of the ear of the fat sand rat.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate and describe the anatomical details of the ear of the fat sand rat (Psammomys obesus).

Methods: Thirty ears (15 in dry skull and 15 in live animals) were dissected with the aid of an operating microscope and microsurgical techniques. Photographs were taken through an operating microscope.

Origins of the short latency vestibular evoked potentials (VsEPs) to linear acceleration impulses.

Objective: To verify the vestibular origin of the short latency (t < 12.5 msec) vestibular evoked potentials (VsEPs) in response to linear acceleration impulses (L-VsEPs) and to differentiate between the contributions of the otolith organs and the semi-circular canals (SCCs) to their initiation.

Design And Methods: L-VsEPs (stimulus intensity, 3 g; rise time, 1.

Differential effect of the loop diuretic furosemide on short latency auditory and vestibular-evoked potentials.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the differential effect of the loop diuretic furosemide on the auditory and vestibular (otolith) end organs in the same animals simultaneously.

Design And Methods: Auditory nerve-brain stem-evoked responses (ABR-generated in the cochlea) and short latency vestibular-evoked responses to linear acceleration impulses (L-VsEP-generated in the otolith organs) were recorded from albino Sabra rats both before and at minute intervals after intravenous injections of the loop diuretic furosemide. In some animals, an equal volume of saline was injected to control for the effect of the injection itself.

Cochlear histopathologic analysis in diabetic rats.

Hypothesis: This study aimed to show whether sensorineural hearing loss in diabetes mellitus is secondary to changes in the organ of Corti and stria vascularis.

Background: The high rate of sensorineural hearing loss in diabetes mellitus has led to much speculation as to whether there is an association between the two.

Methods: A well-established diabetic animal model was used to examine the inner ear histopathologically.

Parapharyngeal abscess in children: the role of CT for diagnosis and treatment.

Parapharyngeal abscess (PPA) in children is an uncommon deep neck space infection. Computerized tomography (CT) is an important diagnostic aid. However, CT scan is not specific in differentiating an abscess from cellulitis or inflammatory edema.

Aerodigestive tract obstruction as a late complication of radiotherapy.

Oedema, fibrosis, and stenosis of the hypopharynx and the oesophageal inlet are described in a few publications as a complication of post-laryngectomy irradiation treatment. In this paper a case of laryngeal carcinoma, treated exclusively by irradiation, where severe laryngeal and hypopharyngeal stenosis with complete occlusion of the oesophageal inlet were manifested as a late complication is described. We have found no similar case described in the English literature.

The superior wall of the cavernous sinus: a microanatomical study.

The superior wall of the cavernous sinus was studied in 30 specimens obtained from 15 cadaver heads fixed in formalin. Trapezoidal in shape, the superior wall of cavernous sinus is limited laterally by the anterior petroclinoid ligament, medially by the dura of the diaphragma sellae, anteriorly by the endosteal dura of the carotid canal, and posteriorly by the posterior petroclinoid ligament. An interclinoid ligament bisects the wall, dividing it into two triangles: the carotid trigone anteromedially and the oculomotor trigone posterolaterally.

Fibrosarcoma of the vocal fold: a late complication of radiotherapy.

The carcinogenic effect of ionizing radiation is a well known phenomenon. However, the induction of malignancies following irradiation for head and neck cancers is quite rare (Steeves and Vataini, 1982). Most reported cases are osteogenic sarcomas with soft tissue sarcomas encountered less often.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma among the population in Jerusalem.

Purpose: Because the incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma differs in various ethnic groups, the heterogeneous population of Jerusalem was selected for an epidemiologic study.

Materials And Methods: Data from 63 consecutive patients diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were collected in a retrospective manner. Information regarding sex, age, ethnic origin, tobacco and alcohol consumption, chronic sinusitis, and immunoglobulin (Ig)G to Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen was tabulated and was statistically analyzed by the z test.

Indications for gadolinium-DTPA in magnetic resonance evaluation of extracranial head and neck mass lesions: review of experience with 27 patients examined with a 2 tesla imager.

The authors review their experience with 27 patients who underwent gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 2 tesla. The contribution of the contrast agent was evaluated with respect to three properties--lesion conspicuity, margins and characterization. Gadolinium enhancement contributed most to the characterization of the lesion and helped to better define lesion margins in relationship to nonfatty tissues.

Dorello's canal: a microanatomical study.

The microsurgical anatomy of Dorello's canal has been studied in 20 specimens obtained from 10 cadaver heads fixed in formalin. The bow-shaped canal through which courses the abducens nerve before reaching the cavernous sinus is located inside a venous confluence which occupies the space between the dural leaves of the petroclival area. The petrosphenoidal ligament (Gruber's ligament), which forms the posteromedial wall of the canal, appears as a fibrous trabecula surrounded by venous blood.

Transverse ligament rupture and atlanto-axial subluxation in children.

We report four children aged two to nine years with traumatic tears of the transverse ligament of the atlas and atlanto-axial subluxation. This is extremely rare in this age group since trauma usually causes a skeletal rather than a ligamentous injury. The injuries resulted from falls or motor vehicle accidents, with considerable delay in diagnosis.

Posttraumatic gustatory rhinorrhea.

We describe a case of gustatory rhinorrhea in which gustatory stimuli caused nasal obstruction and secretion simulating cerebrospinal rhinorrhea. This disorder was presumably caused by faulty regenerated parasympathetic nerve fibers reaching the nasal mucosa or, possibly, by a congenital condition. The characteristics of this disorder are compared with other autonomic disorders of the head and neck.

Metastatic maxillary sinus melanoma treated by local excision and brachytherapy.

Malignant melanoma has traditionally been considered a radioresistant tumor. A rare case of metastatic malignant melanoma into the nose and maxillary sinus is presented. Local control was achieved by a combination of local excision and teleradio and brachytherapy.

Direction-changing positional nystagmus: incidence and meaning.

Direction-changing positional nystagmus (DCPN) is a nystagmus that changes its direction with different body and head positions. Many authors consider that it indicates the presence of a central nervous system lesion. Of 1,196 patients whose abnormal electronystagmographic (ENG) traces were reviewed, 46 (3.