Developmental normative data for the Balance Tracking System modified Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance protocol.

A growing number of practitioners are implementing the Balance Tracking System (BTrackS) modified Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance (mCTSIB) to evaluate the sensory sources of balance feedback used to maintain upright standing. The aim of the current study was to expand existing BTrackS mCTSIB normative databases on adults to include reference values from developmental age groups. Participants included children (age range = 5-8 years; n = 212), adolescents (age range = 9-12 years; n = 103), teenagers (age range = 13-17 years; n = 152), and young adults (age range = 18-29 years; n = 779).

The Impact of NO on Epithelial Barrier Integrity of a Primary Cell-Based Air-Liquid Interface Model of the Nasal Respiratory Epithelium.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO) is a pervasive gaseous air pollutant with well-documented hazardous effects on health, necessitating precise toxicological characterization. While prior research has primarily focused on lower airway structures, the upper airways, serving as the first line of defense against airborne substances, remain understudied. This study aimed to investigate the functional effects of NO exposure alone or in combination with hypoxia as a secondary stimulus on nasal epithelium and elucidate its molecular mechanisms because hypoxia is considered a pathophysiological factor in the onset and persistence of chronic rhinosinusitis, a disease of the upper airways.

Ag- but Not ZnO-Nanoparticles Disturb the Airway Epithelial Barrier at Subtoxic Concentrations.

Inhalation is considered to be the most relevant source of human exposure to nanoparticles (NPs); however, only a few investigations have addressed the influence of exposing the respiratory mucosal barrier to subcytotoxic doses. In the nasal respiratory epithelium, cells of the mucosa represent one of the first contact points of the human organism with airborne NPs. Disruption of the epithelial barrier by harmful materials can lead to inflammation in addition to potential intrinsic toxicity of the particles.