Ultrasound-based diagnosis for the cervical lymph nodes in a tuberculosis-endemic area.

Objectives/hypothesis: No previous ultrasound (US) studies have investigated the diagnostic accuracy of specific US-based diagnostic protocol for cervical lymph node (LN) lesions in a tuberculosis-endemic area. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of US-based diagnosis of cervical LNs in a tuberculosis-endemic area.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Relationship among the physiologic channel interactions, spectral-ripple discrimination, and vowel identification in cochlear implant users.

The hypothesis of this study was that broader patterns of physiological channel interactions in the local region of the cochlea are associated with poorer spectral resolution in the same region. Electrically evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) were measured for three to six probe electrodes per subject to examine the channel interactions in different regions across the electrode array. To evaluate spectral resolution at a confined location within the cochlea, spectral-ripple discrimination (SRD) was measured using narrowband ripple stimuli with the bandwidth spanning five electrodes: Two electrodes apical and basal to the ECAP probe electrode.

Clinical features of and genetic predisposition to drug-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in a single Korean tertiary institution patients-investigating the relation between the HLA -B*4403 allele and lamotrigine.

Purpose: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare but fatal adverse mucocutaneous reactions to certain drugs. Recent studies suggest that ethnicity and genetic predisposition may play a crucial role in the manifestation of the reaction. In this study, we described the role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B alleles in the development of clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of SJS/TEN in a single Korean tertiary hospital.

A case of the vibrant soundbridge stapes coupler in patients with mixed hearing loss.

The Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) with stapes clip coupler placement at the stapes head has been used successfully to treat mixed hearing loss. Coupling between the floating mass transducer of the VSB and the stapes head is technically less demanding than incus vibroplasty and is more likely to generate a positive outcome without significantly changing residual hearing or resulting in medical or surgical complications. A 65-year-old man with bilateral mixed hearing loss and chronic otitis media underwent vibroplasty with a stapes clip coupler.

Optimal combination of neural temporal envelope and fine structure cues to explain speech identification in background noise.

The dichotomy between acoustic temporal envelope (ENV) and fine structure (TFS) cues has stimulated numerous studies over the past decade to understand the relative role of acoustic ENV and TFS in human speech perception. Such acoustic temporal speech cues produce distinct neural discharge patterns at the level of the auditory nerve, yet little is known about the central neural mechanisms underlying the dichotomy in speech perception between neural ENV and TFS cues. We explored the question of how the peripheral auditory system encodes neural ENV and TFS cues in steady or fluctuating background noise, and how the central auditory system combines these forms of neural information for speech identification.

How long should patients remain in the supine treatment position after intratympanic dexamethasone injection?

Objectives/hypothesis: Intratympanic dexamethasone injection (ITDI) is a widely accepted treatment for patients with sudden hearing loss. We investigated the appropriate patient wait time in the supine treatment position after ITDI.

Study Design: Prospective study.

A case of obstructive jaundice caused by tuberculous lymphadenitis: a literature review.

Obstructive jaundice caused by tuberculous lymphadenitis is a rare manifestation of tuberculosis (TB), with 15 cases having been reported in Korea. We experienced a case of obstructive jaundice caused by pericholedochal tuberculous lymphadenitis in a 30-year-old man. The patient's initial serum total bilirubin level was 21.

Mechanical thromboprophylaxis is sufficient to prevent the lower extremity deep vein thrombosis after kidney transplantation.

Purpose: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a severe and common complication that occurs after the major operation. Despite the commonality of DVT there is limited data on the incidence of DVT after kidney transplantation (KT). Furthermore, most studies have been retrospective in design and were conducted in western countries.

Mechanical thrombectomy with Trerotola compared with catheter-directed thrombolysis for treatment of acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis.

Background: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) of acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is safe and effective in reducing thrombus burden. MT utilizing a percutaneous thrombectomy device confers a great advantage because it may reduce both the dose of the thrombolytic agent and the overall procedure time compared with a conventional catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT). We examined the results of MT using the Trerotola device and evaluated factors affecting patient outcome.

The best candidates for nerve-sparing stripping surgery for facial nerve schwannoma.

Objectives/hypothesis: Clinical decision making for facial nerve schwannoma is particularly complicated in patients with good facial nerve function; however, an early nerve-sparing tumor resection stripping technique minimizes facial deficits associated with treatment. The present study characterized the optimal candidate for this nerve-sparing surgical strategy in patients with good facial function.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Avalanche and bit independence characteristics of double random phase encoding in the Fourier and Fresnel domains.

In this work, we evaluate the avalanche effect and bit independence properties of the double random phase encoding (DRPE) algorithm in the Fourier and Fresnel domains. Experimental results show that DRPE has excellent bit independence characteristics in both the Fourier and Fresnel domains. However, DRPE achieves better avalanche effect results in the Fresnel domain than in the Fourier domain.

Clinical effectiveness of wireless CROS (contralateral routing of offside signals) hearing aids.

This study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of wireless contralateral routing of offside signals hearing aids (CROS) in patients with severe to profound unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (USNHL). Twenty-one patients with USNHL were enrolled in this prospective study. The change of subjective satisfaction was evaluated using three questionnaires (K-HHIE, K-IOI-HA, K-SSQ).

Simultaneous reconstruction of multiple depth images without off-focus points in integral imaging using a graphics processing unit.

The reconstruction of multiple depth images with a ray back-propagation algorithm in three-dimensional (3D) computational integral imaging is computationally burdensome. Further, a reconstructed depth image consists of a focus and an off-focus area. Focus areas are 3D points on the surface of an object that are located at the reconstructed depth, while off-focus areas include 3D points in free-space that do not belong to any object surface in 3D space.

Can unaided non-linguistic measures predict cochlear implant candidacy?

Objective: To determine if unaided, non-linguistic psychoacoustic measures can be effective in evaluating cochlear implant (CI) candidacy.

Study Design: Prospective split-cohort study including predictor development subgroup and independent predictor validation subgroup.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio: novel markers for diagnosis and prognosis in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Background: We aim to provide useful evidence about the association of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) and its possibility of emerging as a cheap, reliable, and independent prognostic marker of ISSNHL.

Methods: 348 patients diagnosed with ISSNHL were included in our retrospective data analysis. Blood samples and the hearing assessments of the patients were carried out.

A multispectral photon-counting double random phase encoding scheme for image authentication.

In this paper, we propose a new method for color image-based authentication that combines multispectral photon-counting imaging (MPCI) and double random phase encoding (DRPE) schemes. The sparsely distributed information from MPCI and the stationary white noise signal from DRPE make intruder attacks difficult. In this authentication method, the original multispectral RGB color image is down-sampled into a Bayer image.

Use of bortezomib as anti-humoral therapy in kidney transplantation.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of bortezomib in the desensitization and treatment of acute antibody mediated rejection (AAMR) in kidney transplantation. Nine patients who received bortezomib therapy for desensitization (DSZ group, n = 3) or treatment of AAMR (AAMR group, n = 6) were included in this study. In the DSZ group, 2 patients required DSZ owing to positive cross match and 1 owing to ABO mismatch with high baseline anti-ABO antibody titer (1:1,024).

Functional and practical outcomes of inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty.

Objective: For tympanoplasty, the most common grafting materials are the temporalis fascia or perichondrium; however, both require incision of the canal skin, which carries a risk of morbidity and the need for postoperative care. Inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty, by which the perforation edges are refreshed and a cartilage is inserted through the perforation without canal incision, makes the graft easy, and reduces operating and recovery time. We analyze the outcome of inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty.

Efficient delivery of plasmid DNA using cholesterol-based cationic lipids containing polyamines and ether linkages.

Cationic liposomes are broadly used as non-viral vectors to deliver genetic materials that can be used to treat various diseases including cancer. To circumvent problems associated with cationic liposome-mediated delivery systems such as low transfection efficiency and serum-induced inhibition, cholesterol-based cationic lipids have been synthesized that resist the effects of serum. The introduction of an ether-type linkage and extension of the aminopropyl head group on the cholesterol backbone increased the transfection efficiency and DNA binding affinity compared to a carbamoyl-type linkage and a mono aminopropyl head group, respectively.

What is temporal fine structure and why is it important?

Complex sound like speech can be characterized as the sum of number of amplitude-modulated signals representing the outputs of an array of narrow frequency bands. Temporal information at the output of each band can be separated into temporal fine structure (TFS), the rapid oscillations close to the center frequency and temporal envelope (ENV), slower amplitude modulations superimposed on the TFS. TFS information can be carried in the pattern of phase locking to the stimulus waveform, while ENV by the changes in firing rate over time.

Long-term effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in unilateral tinnitus.

Objectives/hypothesis: We investigated the long-term effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) delivered to the temporoparietal junction and compared contralateral and ipsilateral application in patients with unilateral tinnitus.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Methods: A total of 61 patients with asymmetric hearing loss and nonpulsatile chronic tinnitus localized to the poorer ear who were refractory to medical treatment were enrolled.

Upregulation of dendritic arborization by N-acetyl-D-glucosamine kinase is not dependent on its kinase activity.

N-acetylglucosamine kinase (GlcNAc kinase or NAGK; EC 2.7.1.

The effects of off-axial loading on periimplant marginal bone loss in a single implant.

Statement Of Problem: A discrepancy between crown width and implant width may contribute to potential bending overload.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the crown width-fixture width ratio on crestal bone loss around single dental implants placed in the first molar area.

Material And Methods: Seventy-six participants (37 men and 39 women; age range, 25-83 years; mean age [standard deviation], 56.