The effects of Phoniatric PREhabilitation in Head and Neck Cancer patients on Aspiration and Preservation of Swallowing (PREHAPS): study protocol of a monocentric prospective randomized interventional outcome-blinded trial.

Background: Dysphagia, with its negative impact on life expectancy and quality of life, is a major side effect of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In a typical Head and Neck Cancer Center, more than half of patients are affected. Improving treatment, and ideally prevention respectively prehabilitation, therefore seems more than desirable.

Prehabilitation of dysphagia in the therapy of head and neck cancer- a systematic review of the literature and evidence evaluation.

Background: Prehabilitation is becoming increasingly important in oncology because of the significant survival benefits that the reduction of malnutrition provide. Specifically, tumor- and therapy-related dysphagia leads to malnutrition in more than half of head and neck tumor patients. Studies describe the positive effects of an early onset of swallow-specific prehabilitation on the protection of the swallowing function.

Burden of sequelae and healthcare resource utilization in the first year of life in infants born with congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection in Germany: A retrospective statutory health insurance claims database analysis.

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection can have a broad range of manifestations. This study aimed to assess cCMV-associated sequelae and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in infants during the first year of life in Germany.

Methods: A retrospective, controlled cohort study using German claims data from the Institute for Applied Health Research Berlin (InGef) database was conducted.

Elective Tracheotomy in Patients Receiving Mandibular Reconstructions: Reduced Postoperative Ventilation Time and Lower Incidence of Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia.

Elective tracheotomy (ET) secures the airway and prevents adverse airway-related events as unplanned secondary tracheotomy (UT), prolonged ventilation (PPV) or nosocomial infection. The primary objective of this study was to identify factors predisposing for airway complications after reconstructive lower ja surgery. We reviewed records of patients undergoing mandibulectomy and microvascular bone reconstruction (N = 123).

Healthcare costs of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) disease in infants during the first two years of life: a retrospective German claims database analysis.

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection can cause severe neurological damage, growth retardation, hearing loss, and microcephaly in infants. We aimed at assessing healthcare costs of infants with recorded cCMV diagnosis in an administrative claims database in the first 2 years of life.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, controlled cohort study using German claims data from the Institute for Applied Health Research Berlin (InGef) database.

[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.

A clinical comparison of DPOAE fine structure reduction methods.

Objective: To evaluate two real-time methods for reducing distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) fine structure in terms of DPOAE amplitude and fine structure depth.

Design: A prospective, repeated-measures design was used to assess DPOAE characteristics in response to a conventional stimulation method (Conv.), as well as for methods implementing either a generic suppressor tone (Supp.

Subclinical conductive hearing loss significantly reduces otoacoustic emission amplitude: Implications for test performance.

Objectives: Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are a time-efficient, non-invasive means of assessing the integrity of active inner ear mechanics. Unfortunately, the presence of even relatively minor conductive hearing loss (CHL) has been suggested to reduce the clinical utility of DPOAEs significantly. The primary aims of this study were to systematically evaluate the impact of CHL on DPOAE amplitude and to determine if ear-specific primary tone level manipulations can be used to mitigate CHL impact and recover DPOAE measurability.

Wideband Absorbance and 226-Hz Tympanometry in the Prediction of Optimal Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission Primary Tone Levels.

Purpose: Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) amplitude is sensitive to the primary tone level separation effective within the cochlea. Despite potential for middle ear sound transmission characteristics to affect this separation, no primary tone level optimization formula accounts for its influence. This study was conducted to determine if inclusion of ear- and frequency-specific immittance features improves primary tone level optimization formula performance beyond that achieved using a univariate, L2-based formula.

Potential Benefit of Selective CMV Testing after Failed Newborn Hearing Screening.

Evidence-based guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) were recently released by two independent expert groups. Of particular emphasis was the relationship between cCMV and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), a major component of the virus' overall disease burden. In this study, a literature review was performed to estimate the proportion of cCMV-related SNHL cases, which might be identified through selective cCMV testing following failed newborn hearing screening.

[A new atraumatic device for liposuction and injection represents a technical advance for primary fat injection after cordectomy].

Lipoinjections into the vocal folds are well established in otorhinolaryngology. Currently, lipofilling in patients with surgical defects after laser cordectomy is discussed. We describe a new device for liposuction and lipofilling for primary vocal fold reconstruction after laser cordectomy.

Estimation of Minor Conductive Hearing Loss in Humans Using Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions.

Objectives: Conductive hearing loss (CHL) systematically alters distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) levels through attenuation of both the primary tones and the evoked response by the middle ear, as well as through modification of the effective L1-L2 relationship within the cochlea. It has been postulated that, if optimal primary tone level relationships for an ear without CHL are known or can be estimated accurately and a CHL can be presumed to attenuate both primary tones to a similar extent, the adjustment to L1 required to restore an optimal L1-L2 separation following CHL induction can be utilized to estimate CHL magnitude objectively. The primary aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of objectively estimating experimentally produced CHL in humans by comparing CHL estimates resulting from DPOAE- and pure-tone audiometry-based methods.

Average optimal DPOAE primary tone levels in normal-hearing adults.

Objective: Despite great progress towards optimizing DPOAE primary tone characteristics, factors such as stimulus and intra-subject emission variability have not been addressed. The purpose of this study was to identify optimal primary tone level relationships when these sources of variability were acknowledged, and to identify any influences of test frequency.

Design: Following coupler-based measurements assessing primary tone level stability, two experiments were conducted.

Load Measurement on Foundations of Rockfall Protection Systems.

Rockfall protection barriers are connected to the ground using steel cables fixed with anchors and foundations for the steel posts. It is common practice to measure the forces in the cables, while to date measurements of forces in the foundations have been inadequately resolved. An overview is presented of existing methods to measure the loads on the post foundations of rockfall protection barriers.

Effects of dark chocolate consumption on the prothrombotic response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy men.

Flavanoid-rich dark chocolate consumption benefits cardiovascular health, but underlying mechanisms are elusive. We investigated the acute effect of dark chocolate on the reactivity of prothrombotic measures to psychosocial stress. Healthy men aged 20-50 years (mean ± SD: 35.

Effects of botulinum toxin a on cytokine synthesis in a cell culture model of cutaneous scarring.

Objective: To evaluate possible botulinum toxin A effects in a cell culture model.

Methods: In a cell culture model with dermal fibroblasts and microvascular endothelial cells, possible botulinum toxin A effects were evaluated. Cell proliferation and cytokine expression were analyzed using viability assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques.

[Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS): is it possible to successfully implement it nationwide?].

Background: Since 01.01.2009 in Germany a newborn hearing screening (UNHS) is obligatory for every child.

Telemonitoring with case management for seniors with heart failure.

Objective: To assess the impact of supplementing nurse case management with Internet-connected telemonitoring on clinical outcomes in an elderly heart failure (HF) population.

Study Design: Randomized clinical trial allocating high-risk HF subjects to the telehealth system with case management (THCM) versus case management (CM) alone.

Methods: Medicare Advantage members with HF and recent hospitalization were randomized to THCM or CM.

Quantitative estimation of minor conductive hearing loss with distortion product otoacoustic emissions in the guinea pig.

Subclinical conductive hearing losses (CHLs) can affect otoacoustic emissions and therefore limit their potential in the assessment of the cochlear function. Theoretical considerations to estimate a minor CHL from DPOAE measurements [Kummer et al. (2006).

Correlation between psychometric tests and mismatch negativity in preschool children.

The objective was to determine whether mismatch negativity (MMN) is suitable to supplement subjective psychometric subtests of central hearing. We assessed 13 healthy children and 32 children with central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). Three different types of sound deviants were presented in a multi-deviant MMN design.

Statistical detection and analysis of mismatch negativity derived by a multi-deviant design from normal hearing children.

To shorten the time of measurement of mismatch negativity (MMN) and to objectify the analysis of MMN characteristics, auditory evoked potentials (AEP) were recorded and MMNs were statistically examined. AEPs from 16 healthy children between the ages of 5 and 7 were elicited using a multi-deviant design including: frequency, duration, intensity, and gap. For detection of MMN an automatic method was applied based on statistical analysis (t-tests) of AEP sweeps.

[Questionnaire on auditory perception disorders: psychometric correlates in preschool children].

Background: A standardized questionnaire on central auditory processing disorders ["Anamnesebogen zur Erfassung auditiver Verarbeitungs- und Wahrnehmungsstörungen (AVWS)"] was developed by the German Society of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology and standardized for school-age children. This study was designed to elucidate the validity of this questionnaire in preschool children.

Methods: The responses, which were given by the parents of 84 preschool children with respect to auditory discrimination and auditory memory, were correlated with the results of the Heidelberg screening test for preschool children (HVS), and their accuracy of prediction was determined.

Cortical auditory evoked potentials to acoustic changes in speech stimuli in children.

Objective: To compare the maturation of speech-evoked N170 components of cortical auditory evoked potentials with that of tone-evoked N1 components.

Patients And Methods: Cortical auditory evoked potentials to speech and tone stimuli were derived in 42 children from age 4 to 14 years. The N170 was derived from the difference curve of responses to monosyllabic words with initial consonant-to-vowel transitions and their intensity-equivalent noise signals.

Wavelet-based analysis of MMN responses in children.

Event-related potentials (ERPs) as part of the EEG are applied to assess auditory processing in children. Mismatch negativity (MMN) is a change-specific component of ERPs that indicates a pre-cognitive discrimination process. MMN responses were recorded in 10 healthy preschool children to four different types of signal changes.