Κυριακή 9 Ιανουαρίου 2022

Unusual Presentation of Otoacariasis

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Abstract

Otoacariasis is the presence of ticks and mites within the ear canal. Though the coexistence of ticks and humans is known for thousands of years, tick infestation is relatively rare in urban population. The most common presenting symptoms are usually itching, otalgia and a foreign body sensation and less frequent ones are tinnitus and otorrhoea. We report cases of otoacariasis with unusual presentation. A total of 43 cases presented to the ENT clinic in our hospital over a period of three years from 2018 to 2021. We present patients who presented with unusual symptoms of conductive hearing loss, ear bleed, and facial palsy. Total of 6 cases of otoacariasis had unusual presentation. 2 cases presented with lower motor neuron palsy, 1 case with ear bleed, and 3 cases with hearing loss. Otocariasis can present with unusual symptoms of hearing loss, ear bleed or facial palsy and this should be included in the differential diagnosis of a patient with history of close p roximity to domestic or wild animals. Detailed examination often reveals the presence of the tick and identification and complete removal along with appropriate medication for associated symptoms often results in complete recovery.

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Induction and generalization of nocebo effects on itch

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Abstract

Nocebo effects, i.e., negative treatment outcomes due to negative expectancies, can increase itch. Moreover, indirect evidence has shown that nocebo hyperknesis can generalize to another itch modality. Knowledge on response generalization can help to prevent and decrease negative effects. The aims of this study were to investigate 1) the efficacy of inducing nocebo effects on cowhage-evoked itch via verbal suggestions and 2) whether these effects can generalize to 2a) mechanically evoked touch and 2b) mechanically evoked itch. Forty-four healthy participants watched a video suggesting that a nocebo solution increases cowhage-evoked itch and that a control solution does not affect itch. Subsequently, cowhage, mechanical itch, and mechanical touch stimuli were applied. Nocebo effects were measured as the difference in both mean and peak of the outcomes itch and urge to scratch between nocebo and control trials. Main analyses revealed significant nocebo effects on mean and peak itch for all stimuli. For urge to scratch, a significant nocebo effect was only observed for mechanical touch (peak). As mechanical stimuli did not induce pure sensations as planned, post-hoc sensitivity analyses were run for mechanical stimuli that individually induced either touch or itch at baseline. These analyses showed similar results for generalization to mechanical itch, but generalization to mechanical touch was nonsignificant. This study showed that merely verbal suggestion can induce nocebo effects on cowhage-evoked itch and that these effects can generalize to another itch modality. Future studies may examine how to prevent negative experiences from generalizing to subsequent encounters.

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Πέμπτη 6 Ιανουαρίου 2022

Disulfiram Exerts Antiadipogenic, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antifibrotic Therapeutic Effects in an In Vitro Model of Graves' Orbitopathy

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Thyroid, Ahead of Print.
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Optimal Multiple-Layered Anterior Skull Base Reconstruction Using a 360° Suturing Technique

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Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2022 Jan 1;22(1):e1-e6. doi: 10.1227/ONS.0000000000000013.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Advances in technique and instrumentation have improved outcomes after resection of anterior skull base tumors. However, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak occurs in 4%-20% of patients. To reduce the risk of CSF leak, we have developed a novel reconstruction technique that consists of a 4-layered graft with patchwork suturing and hard material.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of this reconstruction technique when used for resection of anterior skull base tumors.

METHODS: This case series included 59 patients with anterior skull base tumors in whom the 4-layered closure technique was used. The main outcome measures were complications, including CSF leak, meningitis, postoperative bleeding, and infection.

RESULTS: There were no CSF leak cases or serious complications after closure of the anterior skull base using t he 4-layered technique.

CONCLUSION: Closure of the anterior skull base in 4 layers prevented CSF leak and was not associated with any serious complications. However, further studies in larger numbers of patients are needed to confirm our outcomes using this closure method.

PMID:34982903 | DOI:10.1227/ONS.0000000000000013

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Characterizing Polarity Sensitivity in Cochlear Implant Recipients: Demographic Effects and Potential Implications for Estimating Neural Health

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Abstract

Stimulus polarity can affect both physiological and perceptual measures in cochlear-implant recipients. Large differences between polarities for various outcome measures (e.g., eCAP threshold, amplitude, or slope) theoretically reflect poorer neural health, whereas smaller differences reflect better neural health. Therefore, we expect large polarity effects to be correlated with other measures shown to contribute to poor neural health, such as advanced age or prolonged deafness. Our earlier studies using the electrically evoked compound action potential (eCAP) demonstrated differences in polarity effects between users of Cochlear and Advanced Bionics devices when device-specific clinical pulse designs were used. Since the stimuli differed slightly between devices, the first goal of this study was to determine whether small, clinically relevant differences in pulse phase duration (PD) have a significant impact on eCAP polarity effects to potentially explain the de vice differences observed previously. Polarity effects were quantified as the difference in eCAP thresholds, mean normalized amplitudes, and slope of the amplitude growth function obtained for anodic-first versus cathodic-first biphasic pulses. The results showed that small variations in PD did not explain the observed differences in eCAP polarity effects between devices. Therefore, eCAP polarity sensitivity measures are relatively robust to small differences in pulse parameters. However, it remains unclear what underlies the observed manufacturer differences, which may limit the utility of eCAP polarity sensitivity measures. The second goal was to characterize polarity sensitivity in a large group of CI recipients (65 ears) to relate polarity sensitivity to age and duration of deafness as a proxy for neural health. The same pulse parameters were used for both device groups. The only significant predictors of eCAP polarity effects were age for threshold and amplitude polarity effect s for Cochlear recipients and age and duration of deafness for slope for AB recipients. However, three of these four correlations were in the opposite direction of what was expected. These results suggest that eCAP polarity sensitivity measures likely reflect different mechanisms than the effects that age and duration of deafness induce on the peripheral auditory system.

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A Systematic Review on the Association Between Clinical Symptoms and CBCT Findings in Symptomatic TMJ Degenerative Joint Disease

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J Oral Facial Pain Headache. 2021 Nov-Dec;35(4):332-345. doi: 10.11607/ofph.2953.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To evaluate the association between clinical signs/symptoms and bone changes on CBCT images in patients with degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

METHODS: An electronic literature search of the MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, as well as Google Scholar for gray literature, was conducted to identify relevant art icles on February 26, 2021. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. The GRADEpro (Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) system instrument was applied to assess the level of evidence across studies.

RESULTS: Nine papers assessing clinical signs/symptoms and CBCT findings were included. TMJ pain (arthralgia) and TMJ noises carried the strongest associations with various CBCT findings, each of which were supported by four studies with significant associations. Only one study found significant associations between masticatory myalgia (muscle pain) and CBCT findings. Range of motion carried no significant associations with CBCT findings in the included studies. Based on the GRADEpro system, the certainty of evidence is low for said associations.

CONCLUSION: The results suggest that TMD patients with TMJ arthralgia and joint noises may benefit from CBCT imaging. There would be less benefit in TMD patients exhibi ting primarily myalgia or limited range of motion, and therefore these patients should not be prescribed routine CBCT radiographs unless indicated by other clinical findings. The heterogeneity of reporting in the included studies suggests that embracing universal clinical (DC/TMD) and radiographic diagnostic criteria for TMJ-DJD would benefit both research and clinical outcomes.

PMID:34990502 | DOI:10.11607/ofph.2953

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Temporomandibular Disorders Core Curriculum for Predoctoral Dental Education: Recommendations from the American Academy of Orofacial Pain

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J Oral Facial Pain Headache. 2021 Fall;35(4):271-277. doi: 10.11607/ofph.3073.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:34990495 | DOI:10.11607/ ofph.3073

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