Possible roles of phytochemicals with bioactive properties in the prevention of and recovery from COVID-19.

Introduction: There have been large geographical differences in the infection and death rates of COVID-19. Foods and beverages containing high amounts of phytochemicals with bioactive properties were suggested to prevent contracting and to facilitate recovery from COVID-19. The goal of our study was to determine the correlation of the type of foods/beverages people consumed and the risk reduction of contracting COVID-19 and the recovery from COVID-19.

Assessing Acoustic Parameters in Early Music and Romantic Operatic Singing.

Objective: Since the recent early music (EM) revival, a subset of singers have begun to specialize in a style of singing that is perceptually different from the more "mainstream" romantic operatic (RO) singing style. The aim of this study is to characterize EM with respect to RO singing in terms of its vibrato characteristics and the singer's formant cluster.

Study Design: This study presents a within-subject experimental design.

Simultaneous monitoring of vocal doses and breathing patterns in professional singers.

Background: When learning and improving singing, the quantitative characterization of artists' performances based only on vocal parameters does not provide enough information to identify strategies for improvement. Simultaneous monitoring of sound production and breathing patterns in professional singers can allow the exploration of the mechanisms that promote effective singing modalities through association with respiratory efforts.

Methods: We developed and tested a novel portable device that simultaneously monitors vocal activity and breathing patterns without interfering with natural singing.

Assessing the extent and timing of chemosensory impairments during COVID-19 pandemic.

Chemosensory impairments have been established as a specific indicator of COVID-19. They affect most patients and may persist long past the resolution of respiratory symptoms, representing an unprecedented medical challenge. Since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic started, we now know much more about smell, taste, and chemesthesis loss associated with COVID-19.

From loss to recovery: how to effectively assess chemosensory impairments during COVID-19 pandemic.

Chemosensory impairments have been established as a specific indicator of COVID-19. They affect most patients and may persist long past the resolution of respiratory symptoms, representing an unprecedented medical challenge. Since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic started, we now know much more about smell, taste, and chemesthesis loss associated with COVID-19.

Recent Smell Loss Is the Best Predictor of COVID-19 Among Individuals With Recent Respiratory Symptoms.

In a preregistered, cross-sectional study, we investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19 using a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness. We quantified changes in chemosensory abilities during the course of the respiratory illness using 0-100 visual analog scales (VAS) for participants reporting a positive (C19+; n = 4148) or negative (C19-; n = 546) COVID-19 laboratory test outcome. Logistic regression models identified univariate and multivariate predictors of COVID-19 status and post-COVID-19 olfactory recovery.

The best COVID-19 predictor is recent smell loss: a cross-sectional study.

Background: COVID-19 has heterogeneous manifestations, though one of the most common symptoms is a sudden loss of smell (anosmia or hyposmia). We investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19.

Methods: This preregistered, cross-sectional study used a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness.

Herbs for Voice Database: Developing a Rational Approach to the Study of Herbal Remedies Used in Voice Care.

Herbs have been used for voice care since ancient times and many herbal remedies are still in use in every geographical areas and cultures, both as traditional medicine and as sources of botanicals used in commercial products. Many of these plants are used as extracts and other phytopreparates, and a full phytochemical analysis is sometimes incomplete or lacking. The mechanisms of action of these botanicals include antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, and other general activities; nevertheless, mechanisms that could be specifically referred to voice are often unknown, as well as the corresponding molecular targets and therefore a rational approach in the use of these remedies is hard to be applied by phoniatricians.

[NHIL epidemiology in Italy. 20 years from DLgs 277/91: review and expectations].

Digs 277/91 and following related laws brought up a large number of NHILs, but also planned surveillance more and more effective in preventing hearing loss. In these two decades we also saw an inversion in percentages between working populations. The Authors analize these two factors, better and wider prevention and changing in work populations, related to resulting reduction of NHIL's cases.