Dual pulsed laser deposition of Ag nanoparticles on calcium phosphate coatings for biomedical applications.

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) represents a promising bottom-up methodology for the synthesis and transference of nanoparticles to the surface of a biomedical device. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles directly incorporated on the metallic implant emerge as an alternative strategy for local action against prosthetic joint-associated infections. In the present research, a dual sequential PLD process is proposed to obtain a bilayer coating with (1) a bio-derived calcium phosphate (CaP) layer, to provide osteointegrative properties and (2) the controlled growth of the Ag nanoparticles over it, ranging the number of laser pulses from 100 to 500.

Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction in the Time of the Video Head Impulse Test.

Objectives: Bilateral vestibulopathy is a clinical syndrome in which laboratory testing plays a crucial diagnostic role. We aimed to establish the frequency of detection of that finding in a tertiary level hospital considering the new methods of laboratory vestibular examination nowadays in use, with respect to the conventional caloric and rotatory chair test approaches.

Design: Two similar time periods (5 years) were retrospectively evaluated, and the demographic, clinical data and test results from 4,576 patients were reviewed.

VEMPs and Dysautonomia Assessment in Definite Cerebellar Ataxia, Neuropathy, Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome (CANVAS): a Case Series Study.

Cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) is a recently described slowly progressive ataxia with severe imbalance due to the compromise of three of the four sensory inputs for balance, leaving only vision unaffected. Bilateral vestibulopathy is present but saccular and utricular function, measured by vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs), has not been widely studied in these patients. Dysautonomia has been reported but is not among the diagnostic criteria.

Endolymphatic hydrops severity in magnetic resonance imaging evidences disparate vestibular test results.

Objectives: It has been suggested that in Ménière's disease (MD) a dissociated result in the caloric test (abnormal result) and video head-impulse test (normal result) probably indicates that hydrops affects the membranous labyrinth in the horizontal semicircular canal (HSC). The hypothesis in this study is that based on endolymphatic hydrops' cochleocentric progression, hydrops should also be more severe in the vestibule of these patients than in those for whom both tests are normal.

Methods: 22 consecutive patients with unilateral definite MD were included and classified as NN if both tests were normal or AN if the caloric test was abnormal.

Vestibulo-Cochlear Function After Cochlear Implantation in Patients With Meniere's Disease.

Objectives: To measure the auditory (pure tone audiometry and word recognition scores) and vestibular (video head impulse test and vestibular myogenic potentials) outcomes in patients diagnosed with Meniere's disease (MD) who underwent cochlear implantation.

Material And Methods: This prospective study included 23 cochlear implant users with MD and 29 patients diagnosed with far-advanced otosclerosis (the control group).

Results: The preoperative mean pure tone average thresholds were 99 and 122.