Machine Learning-Based Estimation of Hoarseness Severity Using Acoustic Signals Recorded During High-Speed Videoendoscopy.

Objectives: This study investigates the use of sustained phonations recorded during high-speed videoendoscopy (HSV) for machine learning-based assessment of hoarseness severity (H). The performance of this approach is compared with conventional recordings obtained during voice therapy to evaluate key differences and limitations of HSV-derived acoustic recordings.

Methods: A database of 617 voice recordings with a duration of 250 ms was gathered during HSV examination (HS).

Closed Treatment of the Internal Nasal Valve.

The internal nasal valve, the narrowest portion of the nasal airway, is prone to collapse and is often targeted for improvement in nasal reconstruction and rhinoplasty. Endonasal techniques can reduce surrounding trauma and reduce operative times compared to traditional open methods. Options include the use of spreader, butterfly and alar batten grafts, suspension and flaring sutures, and Z-plasty for scarring.

Bowel regimens before radical cystectomy: An analysis of a modern cohort.

Introduction: Bowel regimens (BR) before radical cystectomy (RC) are currently not recommended by Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, as prior studies have shown BRs lead to worsened outcomes. However, many of those studies have used historic literature before recent surgical advancements such as minimally invasive RC and have not investigated the impact BRs have by type of urinary diversion. Our goal is to determine the outcomes of preoperative BR in patients undergoing RC based on diversion type using a modern patient cohort.

Acoustic characteristics of three English semivowels /l, ɹ, w/ and vowels in young children with and without speech sound disorders.

Purpose: The aim of the current study is to examine if the relationship among three semivowel sounds (/l, ɹ, w/) and between the semivowel and the following vowel differs by children's overall speech proficiency, and if this relationship affects listeners' perceptual judgment of the liquid sounds (/l, ɹ/). The acoustic proximity among the three semivowel sounds and the acoustic characteristics of the following vowel sounds were examined by each child speaker's overall speech sound proficiency and their semivowel accuracy.

Methods: A total of 21 monolingual English-speaking children with and without speech sound disorders produced monosyllabic words that include target semivowel sounds in word-initial position in different vowel contexts.

Efficacy of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in Management of Cancer Pain: a Meta Analysis.

Purpose Of Review: The present investigation assesses efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on relief of cancer or chemotherapy-related pain. Patients with cancer experience a relatively high prevalence of pain that is reportedly undertreated. Therefore, this analysis is pertinent to determine if TENS is a useful complementary therapy considering its increase in accessibility and minimal side effect profile.

Efficacy of Immunotherapy for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Narrative Review.

Purpose Of Review: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic condition characterized by disproportional pain typically affecting an extremity. Management of CRPS is centered around specific symptomatology, which tends to be a combination of autonomic dysfunction, nociceptive sensitization, chronic inflammation, and/or motor dysfunction. Targeting the autoimmune component of CRPS provides a way to both symptomatically treat as well as minimize progression of CRPS.

Efficacy, Indications, and Safety of Intrathecal Baclofen Pump: A Narrative Review.

Purpose Of Review: Baclofen, a muscle relaxant that reduces the release of excitatory neurotransmitters in the pre-synaptic neurons stimulating inhibitory neuronal signals in post-synaptic neurons, has been around for over 5 decades. Baclofen is used primarily for spasticity and since 1982, has had a role as an intrathecal agent. In the present investigation, we review research trends and updates on safety and efficacy of intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pumps.

Efficacy of Transversus Thoracic Plane Block for Pain Management in Cardiac Surgeries.

Purpose Of Review: Effective pain management in cardiac surgery presents as a continuous challenge related to the intensity of postoperative pain and reliance on opioid therapy. The dependance of opioid-based therapies is concerning, as these therapies carry risk future addiction and potential severe side effects. The transversus thoracic plane block (TTPB) has emerged as a promising regional anesthesia technique that blocks the anterior branches of the intercostal nerves in the chest wall, potentially providing improved analgesia for cardiac surgery patients.

Rhomboid Intercostal and Subserratus Plane Block for Acute Pain Management after Abdominal Surgeries: A Narrative Review.

Purpose Of Review: The rhomboid intercostal and subserratus plane (RISS) block is an effective, safer alternative for managing postoperative acute pain following abdominal surgeries. The RISS block offers several advantages over traditional approaches, including reduced incidence of puncture-related complications, lower rates of systemic opioid consumption, and more consistent analgesic coverage of lower thoracic dermatomes.

Recent Findings: Despite a favorable safety profile, the RISS block carries potential risks, such as pneumothorax and local anesthetic systemic toxicity, particularly when long-acting anesthetics such as bupivacaine or ropivacaine are used.

Ethical Use of Cadaveric Images in Anatomical Textbooks, Atlases, and Journals: A Consensus Response From Authors and Editors.

Nowadays, consent to use donor bodies for medical education and research is obtained from the body donors and their families before the donation. Recently, the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) published guidelines that could restrict the appearance of cadaveric images in commercial anatomical resources such as textbooks and other educational products. These guidelines state that the donor must expressly consent to using such images for this purpose.

Fire in the tree: The origin and distribution of fire-adapted traits within conifers and their influence on speciation rates across the conifer phylogeny.

Premise: Considering rapidly changing fire regimes due to anthropogenic disturbances to climate and fuel loads, it is crucial to understand the underpinnings driving fire-adapted trait evolution. Among the oldest lineages affected by fire is Coniferae. This lineage occupies a variety of fire prone and non-fire prone habitats across all hemispheres and has four fire-adapted traits: (1) thick bark; (2) serotiny; (3) seedling grass stage; and (4) resprouting ability.

Disentangling Sources of Momentum Fluctuations in Xe+Xe and Pb+Pb Collisions with the ATLAS Detector.

High-energy nuclear collisions create a quark-gluon plasma, whose initial condition and subsequent expansion vary from event to event, impacting the distribution of the eventwise average transverse momentum [P([p_{T}])]. Disentangling the contributions from fluctuations in the nuclear overlap size (geometrical component) and other sources at a fixed size (intrinsic component) remains a challenge. This problem is addressed by measuring the mean, variance, and skewness of P([p_{T}]) in ^{208}Pb+^{208}Pb and ^{129}Xe+^{129}Xe collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.

Neurological and functional outcomes of 32 patients with hemorrhagic brainstem cavernous malformations: a practical guide for surgical planning.

Objective: Brainstem cavernous malformations (BSCMs) were once considered inoperable. Microsurgical resection now represents a valuable option for treating patients with hemorrhagic or symptomatic lesions. The aim of this study was to provide a practical guide for surgical planning by analyzing postoperative neurological and functional outcomes.

Transcriptional coupling of telomeric retrotransposons with the cell cycle.

Unlike most species that use telomerase for telomere maintenance, many dipterans, including , rely on three telomere-specific retrotransposons (TRs)-, , and -to form tandem repeats at chromosome ends. Although TR transcription is crucial in their life cycle, its regulation remains poorly understood. This study identifies the Mediator complex, E2F1-Dp, and Scalloped/dTEAD as key regulators of TR transcription.

Surgical Techniques and Outcomes in the Management of Pediatric Eyelid Burns: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: To evaluate the surgical techniques used in the management of eyelid burns among pediatric patients below 18 years old, focusing on the timing of interventions and patient outcomes.

Methods: This systematic review was conducted in compliance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, targeting studies published between January 2000 and August 2024.

Development of 6-amido-4-aminoisoindolyn-1,3-diones as p70S6K1 inhibitors and potential breast cancer therapeutics.

Introduction: Many breast cancer therapeutics target the PI3K/AKT/mTOR oncogenic pathway. Development of resistance to the therapeutics targeting this pathway is a frequent occurrence. Therapeutics targeting p70S6K1, a downstream member of this pathway, have recently gained importance due to its critical role in all types of breast cancer and its status as a prognostic marker.

Impact of a trace mineral injection at weaning on growth, behavior, and inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune responses of beef calves.

Two experiments evaluated the effects of an injectable trace mineral (ITM) solution at weaning on trace mineral (TM) status, inflammatory and antioxidant responses, grazing behavior, response to vaccination, and growth of beef calves. Experiment 1 used 86 Nellore calves (40 females and 46 males; body weight [BW] = 198 ± 30.8 kg; 8 ± 1 mo of age) weaned (day 0) and assigned into one of two treatments: saline (0.

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review.

Purpose Of Review: Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent and debilitating condition affecting millions worldwide. Among emerging interventions, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has gained attention as a potential alternative for managing chronic LBP, particularly when alternative approaches fail to provide adequate relief.

Recent Findings: This systematic review focuses on both residual pain levels and ability to perform daily tasks after treatment with SCS.

Natural and anthropogenic factors controlling organic carbon storage in riverine wetlands along South Korea's four rivers.

This study explores carbon sequestration in South Korea's riverine wetlands, focusing on the four major rivers: Han, Yeongsan, Geum, and Nakdong. Field data from the Yeongsan River wetland, including 3D topography surveys, grainsize analyses, and loss-on-ignition measurements, were used to assess carbon stocks and their environmental drivers. The Yeongsan River was selected as a representative site due to its geomorphological, hydrological, and climatic similarities with the other three major rivers, which influence sediment transport and carbon dynamics.

ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma initially diagnosed as neurosarcoidosis in a 12-year-old girl.

We present a rare case of optic neuropathy due to anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with optic nerve infiltration in a 12-year-old girl who presented with acute unilateral vision loss, diplopia, and headache after two prior hospitalizations at an outside facility for disk edema. She had a presumptive diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis and empiric treatment had been initiated with high-dose corticosteroids. Ongoing worsening of vision prompted presentation at our facility.

Weight and Procedural Abortion Complications: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To systematically assess the existing empiric evidence regarding a potential relationship between higher body weight and procedural abortion complications.

Data Sources: EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov were searched.

Surveys of genotypes in breeding stations and commercial rice fields in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Puerto Rico from 2017 to 2019.

Major resistance (R) gene mediated resistance to rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is often overcome by the fungus due to the occurrences of new races with altered corresponding avirulence (AVR) genes. In this study, blast diseased rice tissue samples were collected from breeding stations and commercial rice fields in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Puerto Rico during 2017-2019 to determine the efficacy of major R genes, Pi-ta, Pik, Pizt, Pi9, and Pi33. A total of 185 blast isolates were isolated from the diseased tissue samples to examine the existence of AVR genes AVR-Pita1, AVR-Pib, AVR-Pik, AVR-Pizt, AVR-Pi9 and ACE1.

Influence of Sweetpotato Resistance on the Development of and .

and are major pests of sweetpotato. The ability of to cause symptoms and reproduce on nematode-resistant cultivars threatens the sweetpotato industry. To evaluate the penetration, development, and reproduction of and on sweetpotato, a time-course study was conducted using the genotypes 'LA14-31' (resistant to and intermediate-resistant to ), 'LA18-100' (susceptible to and resistant to ), and 'LA19-65' (resistant to and susceptible to ), with 'Beauregard' (susceptible to both species) and 'Jewel' (resistant to and intermediate-resistant to ) as controls.