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Nasal obstruction is highly subjective perception with numerous efforts being made towards objective measuring. Many instruments in quality of life studies encompass subjective symptom of nasal obstruction, but only NOSE has been properly validated and is easy to use in every day practice.

Two closely related, syntopic species, Leiobunum rupestre and L. subalpinum, spend the day at apparently randomly distributed resting sites. In this preliminary research, we studied differences in their microclimatic preferences at a locality in the Pohorje Mts., Slovenia. We measured air temperature and relative humidity at individual resting sites, and found that L. subalpinum occupied a slightly wider air temperature-relative humidity ecospace as compared to L. rupestre. Individuals of L. rupestre rested at more humid sites than L. subalpinum. Regression analyses revealed that the presence of L. rupestre was most likely at resting sites with air temperature in the range of 1217°C and with relative air humidity of 98.1%. In contrast, the presence of L. subalpinum was most likely at resting sites with air temperature 23.1°C and relative air humidity in the range of 6585%. Nevertheless, microclimatic niches of both species overlapped almost completely, indicating that niche filtering may allow the coexistence of the two species.

Purpose: Despite a broad range of diagnostic methods, identifying the site of obstruction in the upper respiratory tract in patients with obstructive sleep apnea is not always simple and straightforward. With regard to this problem, we present our observations about the specific shape of the epiglottis in patients with obstruction at the level of the tongue base and/or epiglottis., Methods: One hundred and forty consecutive drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) video recordings of patients with polygraphy-verified obstructive sleep apnea were analyzed by three independent observers. We compared the levels of obstruction using the VOTE classification and the shape of the epiglottis, both as seen during the DISE investigation and in the awake state. We have calculated the interrater reliability for VOTE classification results and epiglottis shape evaluation by three different observers., Results: Out of 140 patients, there were 52 (37.1%) with a flat epiglottis. Within this group, there were only 3 (6%) cases in which obstructions at the tongue base and/or epiglottis level were not found. In the group with normally convex and omega-shaped epiglottis, obstruction at the tongue base level was observed in 28 patients (31.8%); obstruction at the epiglottis level was observed in 5 patients (5.7%); and obstruction at both the epiglottis and tongue base level was observed in 3 patients (3.4%). Interrater reliability for VOTE classification was poor for V (ICC = 0.414) and good for O (ICC = 0.824), T (ICC = 0.775), and E (ICC = 0.852). Additionally, interrater reliability was excellent for epiglottis shape (ICC = 0.912)., Conclusion: In patients with obstructive sleep apnea, examinations in the awake state and drug-induced sleep endoscopy both showed that in most cases of obstruction at epiglottis and/or tongue base, the epiglottis was flat, i.e., lacking the typical anterior convexity in its upper part. We assume that the change of its shape is a result of degeneration of suspensory apparatus that maintains the shape of the epiglottis and holds it in its position. This could contribute to the better identification of patients with a narrowing at this level, and in turn to better decisions regarding the choice of the most suitable treatment.