Short and long term preservation of hearing thresholds corrected for natural hearing loss in cochlear implant recipients using a straight electrode.

The aim of this study is to investigate short and long term residual hearing preservation (HP), corrected for the natural progress of hearing loss, in cochlear implant (CI) patients receiving a straight electrode array using a round window (RW) approach. A retrospective and cross-sectional analysis on patients who received a CI with a straight electrode using a RW approach ( = 60) was performed. Audiometric data were obtained at three time points, preoperatively, at first fitting, and one year or more postoperatively.

Hearing Preservation in Cochlear Implant Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.

Objective(s): The aim of the present meta-analysis is to assess the effects of hearing preservation (HP) methods on residual hearing in patients undergoing cochlear implant (CI) surgery and to look at the effect of follow-up time on HP outcome.

Data Sources: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Only articles in English were included.

Hearing Restoration in Cochlear Nerve Deficiency: the Choice Between Cochlear Implant or Auditory Brainstem Implant, a Meta-analysis.

Objective: To answer the dilemma clinician's face when deciding between cochlear implant (CI) and auditory brainstem implant (ABI) treatment options in patients with cochlear nerve deficiency (CND).

Study Design: Case study supplemented with literature review and meta-analysis.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

There is no functional small-fibre neuropathy in prurigo nodularis despite neuroanatomical alterations.

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a pruritic condition with altered epidermal neuroanatomy as demonstrated previously. Here we elucidated neuroimmunological mechanisms by combining functional, morphological and gene expression experiments in twelve subjects with PN and eight healthy controls. Subjects with PN showed a reduced intra-epidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD) in lesional skin.

Molecular dynamics simulations for CO2 spectra. IV. Collisional line-mixing in infrared and Raman bands.

Ab initio calculations of the shapes of pure CO2 infrared and Raman bands under (pressure) conditions for which line-mixing effects are important have been performed using requantized classical molecular dynamics simulations. This approach provides the autocorrelation functions of the dipole vector and isotropic polarizability whose Fourier-Laplace transforms yield the corresponding spectra. For that, the classical equations of dynamics are solved for each molecule among several millions treated as linear rigid rotors and interacting through an anisotropic intermolecular potential.

Predictors of return to work and employment in cancer survivors: a systematic review.

The objective of this study was to provide an overview of the prognostic factors for return to work and employment of cancer survivors. Cohort studies were selected if the population consisted of cancer patients between 18 and 65 years of age, with return to work, employment or equivalent concepts as main outcome measure, studying at least one prognostic factor. The methodological quality of the included studies and level of evidence for each prognostic factor were assessed.

Development and airborne operation of a compact water isotope ratio infrared spectrometer.

A sensitive laser spectrometer, named IRIS (water isotope ratio infrared spectrometer), was developed for the in situ detection of the isotopic composition of water vapour in the upper troposphere and the lower stratosphere. Isotope ratio measurements can be used to quantify troposphere-stratosphere exchange, and to study the water chemistry in the stratosphere. IRIS is based on the technique of optical feedback cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy.

From sporadic atypical nevi to familial melanoma: risk analysis for melanoma in sporadic atypical nevus patients.

Background: Atypical nevi (AN), present in either a familial or a sporadic setting, are strong indicators of increased melanoma risk.

Objective: To estimate the extent of this risk and the extent of reclassification of sporadic to familial cases during follow-up.

Methods: We studied 167 sporadic patients with AN (>or=5).

Determination of polar stratospheric cloud particle refractive indices by use of in situ optical measurements and T-matrix calculations.

A new algorithm to infer structural parameters such as refractive index and asphericity of cloud particles has been developed by use of in situ observations taken by a laser backscattersonde and an optical particle counter during balloon stratospheric flights. All three main particles, liquid, ice, and a no-ice solid (NAT, nitric acid trihydrate) of polar stratospheric clouds, were observed during two winter flights performed from Kiruna, Sweden. The technique is based on use of the T-matrix code developed for aspherical particles to calculate the backscattering coefficient and particle depolarizing properties on the basis of size distribution and concentration measurements.

Treating patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain.

Studies on the efficacy of available methods of treatment for hemiplegic shoulder pain are reviewed in an attempt to identify the most effective treatment for this problem. Because of the poor quality of the 14 selected studies, no definite conclusion can be drawn about the most effective method of treatment. However, functional electrical stimulation and intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide injections seem to be the most promising treatment options.

Treatment of hemiplegic shoulder pain in the Netherlands: results of a national survey.

Objective: To describe the methods of treatment applied by physiotherapists, occupational therapists, rehabilitation physicians, nursing-home physicians and neurologists for hemiplegic shoulder pain, and to investigate their beliefs about the effectiveness of triamcinolone acetonide injections for this diagnosis.

Design: Postal questionnaire with structured and open-ended questions. If necessary, a written reminder was sent after 2-3 weeks.

Multiple agminate Spitz naevi.

We report two patients with multiple agminate Spitz naevi (MASM), a rare disorder. In case 1, a 16-year-old girl, the results of chromosomal investigation of fibroblasts from the affected area (translocation 45, X, t(4; 7) (p14; p22) in a mosaic pattern) suggest that early during embryogenesis a de novo reciprocal translocation has occurred between chromosomes 4 and 7. This resulted in the skin lesions as described on the right shoulder, arm and hand.

A female patient with the Rothmund-Thomson syndrome associated with anhidrosis and severe infections of the respiratory tract.

The Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is a rare syndrome which is believed to be inherited in an autosomal pattern. Poikiloderma of the face and extremities is a characteristic feature. Besides this, less common aspects have been reported like alopecia, cataracts, short stature, musculoskeletal/bone defects or small hands, hypogonadism, abnormal teeth, dysplastic nails, anhidrosis and a high incidence of cutaneous and non-cutaneous malignancies.

[Diabetes mellitus as cause of death].

Certification and coding of diabetes mellitus as a cause of death were investigated by sending a random sample of 300 physicians a set of 6 case histories. Of these, 228 (76%) participated in the study by completing a death certificate for each of these cases. The certificates were subsequently coded by the Central Bureau of Statistics.