Performance improvement

OBJECTIVES: To assess subjectively perceived, real-world benefits longitudinally for unilateral cochlear implant (CI) recipients in a multinational population treated routinely. To identify possible predictors of self-reported benefits. DESIGN: This was a prospective, multicenter, repeated-measures study. Self-assessment of performance at preimplantation and postimplantation at 1, 2, and 3 years using standardized, validated, local language versions of the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ), and the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) was performed...

In this work, a low-cost alternative approach (i.e., adding aged refuse (AR) into waste activated sludge) to significantly enhance anaerobic digestion of sludge was reported. Experimental results showed that with the addition dosage of AR increasing from 0 to 400 mg/g dry sludge soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) increased from 1150 to 5240 mg/L at the digestion time of 5 d, while the maximal production of volatile fatty acids (VFA) increased from 82.6 to 183.9 mg COD/g volatile suspended solids. Although further increase of AR addition decreased the concentrations of both soluble COD and VFA, their contents in these systems with AR addition at any concentration investigated were still higher than those in the blank, which resulted in higher methane yields in these systems...

This article assesses trends and inequalities in maternal and child health in the Philippines between 1993 and 2013, using 6 national household surveys, and also compares the Philippines' performance to 15 other Asia-Pacific countries. Thirteen indicators of child health outcomes and maternal and child health interventions are examined. Two measures of inequality are used: the absolute difference between the poorest and wealthiest quintile, and the concentration index. Coverage of all indicators has improved, both on average and among the poorest quintile; however, increases are very small for child health interventions (especially immunization coverage)...

We systematically investigate the long-neglected low-temperature fusing behavior of silver micro/nano-dendrites and demonstrate the feasibility of employing this intriguing property for the printed electronics application, i.e. printed fuse-link. Fuse-link has experienced insignificant changes since they were invented in 1890's. By introducing the silver micro/nano-dendrites based electrically conductive composites (ECCs) as the printed fusible element, coupled with the state-of-the-art printed electronics technology, key performance characteristics of a fuse-link are dramatically improved as compared with the commercially-available counterparts, including expedient fabrication process, lower-available rated current (40% of the minimum value of Littelfuse 467 series fuses), shorter response time (only 3...

Flow cytometry has been traditionally used to diagnose leukaemia and lymphoma in peripheral blood, bone marrow, body fluids and tissue samples. The diagnosis of a malignant epithelial tumour is usually made by correlation between histopathologic appearance and the use of immunohistochemical staining. A CE approved BerEP4 antibody (anti-EpCAM, CD326) is available for flow cytometric testing, but has been evaluated predominantly in body fluids in the current literature. In this study, we have evaluated the performance of this antibody in detecting the presence of epithelial cells in tissue samples which have traditionally been reported as CD45 negative cells by flow cytometry...

We conducted a prospective study of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in men who were taking an oral phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor for erectile dysfunction. Our study group was made up of 30 men (60 ears), aged 34 to 60 years (mean: 50.9). They were randomly divided into three groups; 10 men were given sildenafil (Viagra) at 50 mg twice a week, 10 were given tadalafil (Cialis) at 20 mg twice a week, and 10 were given vardenafil (Levitra) at 20 mg twice a week...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether MP [11C]Acetate PET-MRI enables an accurate differentiation of benign and malignant prostate tumors as well as local and distant staging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six consecutive patients fulfilling the following criteria were included in this IRB-approved prospective study: elevated PSA levels or suspicious findings at digital rectal examination or TRUS; and histopathological verification. All patients underwent MP [11C]Acetate PET-MRI of the prostate performed on separate scanners with PET/CT using [11C]Acetate and 3T MP MR imaging...

BACKGROUND: While some medicinal drugs have been found to affect driving ability, no study has investigated whether a relationship exists between these medicines and crashes involving pedestrians. The aim of this study was to explore the association between the use of medicinal drugs and the risk of being involved in a road traffic crash as a pedestrian. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Data from 3 French nationwide databases were matched. We used the case-crossover design to control for time-invariant factors by using each case as its own control...

BACKGROUND Recovery from post-stroke aphasia is a long and complex process with an uncertain outcome. Various interventions have been proposed to augment the recovery, including constraint-induced aphasia therapy (CIAT). CIAT has been applied to patients suffering from post-stroke aphasia in several unblinded studies to show mild-to-moderate linguistic gains. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the neuroimaging correlates of CIAT in patients with chronic aphasia related to left middle cerebral artery stroke...

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the synergistic effect of serial application of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) on both new bone formation and periodontal tissue regeneration using 1-wall intrabony defect in mongrel dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One-wall defects were created at the mesial aspect of the mandibular first molars of 6 male mongrel dogs. Each mandibular defect received 1 of the 2 experimental treatments randomly (BMP2 or BMP2 + FGF2), and it was allowed to heal for either 4 or 8 weeks postoperatively...

OBJECTIVES: Recent research has shown that concentric contact lenses (CLs) can be a way to control the progression of myopia. The purpose of the current study was to compare vision-related quality-of-life measures in children wearing distance single-vision (SV) spectacles versus MiSight CLs, a specific concentric design for myopia control. METHODS: Subjects aged 8 to 12 with myopia from -0.75 to -4.00 diopters (D) of sphere and astigmatism less than 1.00 D of cylinder were allocated to the lenses study group (MiSight) or control group (SV)...

BACKGROUND: Identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis immunoproteome and antigens associated with serologic responses in adults has renewed interest in developing a serologic test for childhood tuberculosis (TB). We investigated IgG antibody responses against M. tuberculosis antigens in children with well-characterized TB. METHODS: We studied archived sera obtained from hospitalized children with suspected pulmonary TB, and classified as having confirmed TB (culture-confirmed), unlikely TB (clinical improvement without TB treatment), or unconfirmed TB (all others)...

A previously healthy 7-month-old male infant presented for evaluation of fever, deceased oral intake, and intermittent noisy breathing. Physical examination revealed neck tenderness. Soft tissue neck radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scan supported a diagnosis of retropharyngeal swelling with extension to the superior mediastinum. Surgical exploration was planned, and endotracheal intubation was performed in the operating room. Significant cardiorespiratory derangements developed immediately after the tracheal tube was inserted, including hypotension, hypoxia, and bradycardia with signs of cardiac ischemia...

OBJECTIVES: Incision and drainage (I&D) of skin abscesses is an important procedural skill for pediatric emergency medicine providers. Practical skills training using simulation provides an opportunity to learn and gain confidence with this invasive procedure. Our objective was to assess the perceived educational value of 2 versions of an abscess model as part of an educational workshop for teaching I&D. METHODS: A combined didactic and practical skills workshop was developed for use at 2 national conferences...

BACKGROUND: The National Pediatric Readiness Project Pediatric Readiness Survey (PRS) measured pediatric readiness in 4149 US emergency departments (EDs) and noted an average score of 69 on a 100-point scale. This readiness score consists of 6 domains: coordination of pediatric patient care (19/100), physician/nurse staffing and training (10/100), quality improvement activities (7/100), patient safety initiatives (14/100), policies and procedures (17/100), and availability of pediatric equipment (33/100)...

BACKGROUND: Hand eczema (HE) is a fluctuating disease, and an objective assessment of HE severity is coveted. OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to test the association between Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) score and panel scores of photographs taken by dermatologists. METHODS: A total of 33 patients with mild HE were included. The patients were part of an intervention study, and HECSI scores and standardized photographs were taken at baseline and at follow-up after 5 months...

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: En bloc resections of spine tumors aim at locally controlling the disease for both improving the patient's quality of life as well as improving mortality. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome between patients who were initially treated in a high volume specialized center, and patients who initially underwent either invasive diagnostic procedure or an initial surgical attempt to treat the disease in a different center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 1681 patients affected by spine tumors-treated from 1990 to 2015 by the same team...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Minorities often lag behind in hearing loss evaluation and treatment. Our cochlear implant program aimed to identify the socioeconomic and cultural barriers that prevented our African-American cochlear implant candidates from seeking help for their hearing loss, specifically cochlear implant surgery. RECENT FINDINGS: Our pilot study surveyed 11 African-Americans with cochlear implants and identified obstacles that included patient-physician mistrust, social stigma, financial cost, and lack of education about the devices and procedures...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We review the approach and challenges associated with pediatric hand transplantation, including new knowledge gleaned from our recent case of bilateral hand-forearm transplantation in an 8-year old child. RECENT FINDINGS: Bilateral heterologous hand-forearm transplantation was performed in a child with a prior kidney transplant in July 2015. The initial surgery necessitated a large team of experts in microvascular surgery, transplant surgery, orthopedics and plastic surgery as well as pediatric anesthesia...

In this study, in vitro maturation was performed in presence of various concentrations (0, 10, 100, or 1000 µM) of H2O2. The intracellular glutathione (GSH) level, fertilization, cleavage, and blastocyst rates, total cell number, and apoptotic cell number and expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and p53 genes in blastocyst-stage embryos were studied. At 10 μM H2O2 concentration, a higher GSH level was detected in comparison to the other groups while oocytes exposed to 1000 μM H2O2 had the lowest GSH level. Treatment of oocytes with 1000 μM H2O2 decreased the rate of two pronuclei formation as compared with other groups...