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There is a need to generate improved crop varieties adapted to the ongoing changes in the climate. We studied durum wheat canopy and central metabolism of six different photosynthetic organs in two yield-contrasting varieties. The aim was to understand the mechanisms associated with the water stress response and yield performance. Water stress strongly reduced grain yield, plant biomass, and leaf photosynthesis, and down-regulated C/N-metabolism genes and key protein levels, which occurred mainly in leaf blades. By contrast, higher yield was associated with high ear dry weight and lower biomass and ears per area, highlighting the advantage of reduced tillering and the consequent improvement in sink strength, which promoted C/N metabolism at the whole plant level. An improved C metabolism in blades and ear bracts and N assimilation in all photosynthetic organs facilitated C/N remobilization to the grain and promoted yield. Therefore, we propose that further yield gains in Mediterranean conditions could be achieved by considering the source–sink dynamics and the contribution of non-foliar organs, and particularly N assimilation and remobilization during the late growth stages. We highlight the power of linking phenotyping with plant metabolism to identify novel traits at the whole plant level to support breeding programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder mainly characterized by hearing loss and pigmentary abnormalities. Currently, seven causative genes have been identified for WS, but clinical genetic testing results show that 38.9% of WS patients remain molecularly unexplained. In this study, we performed multi-data integration analysis through protein-protein interaction and phenotype-similarity to comprehensively decipher the potential causative factors of undiagnosed WS. In addition, we explored the association between genotypes and phenotypes in WS with the manually collected 443 cases from published literature. Results: We predicted two possible WS pathogenic genes (KIT, CHD7) through multi-data integration analysis, which were further supported by gene expression profiles in single cells and phenotypes in gene knockout mouse. We also predicted twenty, seven, and five potential WS pathogenic variations in gene PAX3, MITF, and SOX10, respectively. Genotype-phenotype association analysis showed that white forelock and telecanthus were dominantly present in patients with PAX3 variants; skin freckles and premature graying of hair were more frequently observed in cases with MITF variants; while aganglionic megacolon and constipation occurred more often in those with SOX10 variants. Patients with variations of PAX3 and MITF were more likely to have synophrys and broad nasal root. Iris pigmentary abnormality was more common in patients with variations of PAX3 and SOX10. Moreover, we found that patients with variants of SOX10 had a higher risk of suffering from auditory system diseases and nervous system diseases, which were closely associated with the high expression abundance of SOX10 in ear tissues and brain tissues. Conclusions: Our study provides new insights into the potential causative factors of WS and an alternative way to explore clinically undiagnosed cases, which will promote clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling. However, the two potential disease-causing genes (KIT, CHD7) and 32 potential pathogenic variants (PAX3: 20, MITF: 7, SOX10: 5) predicted by multi-data integration in this study are all computational predictions and need to be further verified through experiments in follow-up research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Masseter vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (mVEMP) involve the connection between the vestibular complex and trigeminal nerve nuclei. Given the theory that migraine is caused by increased activation of the trigeminal nerve, it is believed that mVEMP responses may have influenced in migraine patients. Method: The study included 20 individuals with migraine and 20 healthy controls. Latency, amplitude, and interaural amplitude asymmetry ratio of mVEMP responses recorded in migraine patients were compared with control group. Results: Considering the mVEMP normalization study conducted by Başöz et al. (2021) in a similar age group and in the same clinic, latency prolongation and amplitude decrease were observed in subjects with migraines. Migraine is considered a central pathology, as shown in the cervical and ocular VEMP (cVEMP/oVEMP) literature. No difference was observed in the interaural amplitude asymmetry ratio, which is important in peripheral pathologies. Additionally, when the number of pathological ears was examined in order to understand the total exposure, it was observed that the number of pathological ears was significantly higher in the migraine group. Conclusion: In future studies, using mVEMP together with cVEMP and oVEMP tests, which allow evaluation of otolith organs and vestibular nuclei, will be valuable in determining the lesion location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines imaginative geographies of forced migration and refugee settlement in a BBC radio series that follows and gives voice to a Syrian family as they journey to Europe. Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 2015 and 2017, the episodes have since been repackaged as a podcast on BBC Sounds. The paper answers Horton's (2019) call for greater engagement with media and popular culture by foregrounding radio as an understudied medium with the capacity to shape listeners' geographical imaginations. It explores how this series, presented by Manveen Rana, broke new ground through its journalistic-ethnographic form, eyewitness reporting and amplification of refugee voices, and analyses how two imaginative geographies of journey and settlement are constructed through sounds and the spoken word. The paper concludes by theorising radio as a slow medium and demonstrating how Rana's journalism pushes beyond Toal's (1996, p. 171) 'anti-geopolitical eye' to evidence an anti-geopolitical ear: that is to say, Rana encourages a way of listening to Europe's migration 'crisis' that disrupts discursive framings of refugees as 'victims' or 'threats' by recasting the family as tangible and relatable human beings. This finding has significant implications for media reporting on migration and scholarship on journalistic storytelling and the construction of geographical imaginations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of auricular acupressure on lung function, sleep quality and quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Background: Auricular acupressure has been increasingly used in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, such as lung function and sleep quality, but the efficacy has not yet been unified. Design: A meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials. Methods: Randomised controlled trials comparing auricular acupressure intervention with non‐auricular acupressure intervention in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients were included. We searched English databases and Chinese databases from the inception to 26 December 2022. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The PRISMA statement was used to report a meta‐analysis. Results: A total of 12 randomised controlled trials with 987 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients were included. The meta‐analysis showed that auricular acupressure had significant differences in improving lung function, including FEV1 (MD = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.37, p <.0001), FVC (MD = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.34, p <.0001) and FEV1/FVC (MD = 4.70, 95% CI: 3.63 to 5.78, p <.0001). There was also a positive effect on sleep quality (MD = −0.71, 95% CI: −0.89 to −0.53, p <.0001) and quality of life (MD = −3.20, 95% CI: −3.92 to −2.49, p <.0001). Conclusions: The results indicated auricular acupressure had a positive efficacy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients to improve lung function, sleep quality and quality of life, but these results should be treated with caution due to the low quality of included studies. Future researchers need to conduct more high‐quality randomised controlled trials to provide a solid basis to demonstrate the efficacy of auricular acupressure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Relevant to Clinical Practice: Auricular acupressure has the advantages of being non‐invasive, convenient and without significant side effects. This review suggested auricular acupressure could be considered a non‐pharmacological intervention for patients. Clinical nurses can teach chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients to perform auricular acupressure to help self‐manage complications. Patient or Public Contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cocaine is one of the most used recreational drugs. Whilst medical uses exist, chronic recreational nasal use of cocaine is associated with progressive destruction of the osseocartilaginous structures of the nose, sinuses and palate – termed cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions. Case report: A 43-year-old male with a history of chronic cocaine use, presented with conductive hearing loss and unilateral middle-ear effusion. Examination under anaesthesia revealed a completely stenosed left Eustachian tube orifice with intra-nasal adhesions. The adhesions were divided and the hearing loss was treated conservatively with hearing aids. Whilst intra-nasal cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions are a well-described condition, this is the first known report of Eustachian tube stenosis associated with cocaine use. Conclusion: This unique report highlights the importance of thorough history-taking, rhinological and otological examination, and audiometric testing when assessing patients with a history of chronic cocaine use. This paper demonstrates the complexity of managing hearing loss in such cases, with multiple conservative and surgical options available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The outcome of cartilage interposition ossiculoplasty was assessed in cases of incus necrosis after posterior malleus repositioning in the plane of the stapes, in terms of hearing gain after ossicular reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted of 30 patients admitted to an Ain Shams University hospital from March 2021 to September 2021. All patients with ossicular disruption due to chronic suppurative otitis media and hearing loss of more than 40 dB were included in the study. Pure tone audiometry was conducted for each patient after three months, six months and one year post operation. Results: The audiogram showed a post-operative air–bone gap of 20 dB or less in 83.33 per cent of patients (n = 25) at three months post-operatively and in 80 per cent of patients after six months; after one year, the results remained the same. Conclusion: The use of cartilage interposition after malleus posterior mobilisation represents an excellent partial ossicular replacement technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops are highly unstable to light and prone to produce photodegradation impurities. These impurities might be related to the phototoxicity of lomefloxacin, which could seriously threaten the health of patients. In this article, the photodegradation impurity profile in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops was studied for further improvement of quality control of the drug. Methods: By studying the chromatographic behavior of photodegradation impurities, the photodegradation impurities in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops were separated and detected effectively. Liquid chromatography combined with ion trap/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry was applied to characterize the structures of the photodegradation impurities in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops. Results: The structures of 17 impurities in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops were elucidated based on high‐resolution MSn data in positive ion mode, 12 of them being unknown impurities. Conclusions: The structural characteristics and fragmentation patterns of the photodegradation impurities were also studied. The study of the photodegradation impurity profile in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops provides a scientific basis for quality control of these ear drops and ensures the safety of drug use by the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A connected nontrivial graph G is matching covered , if every edge of G is contained in a perfect matching of G. An edge e of a matching covered graph G is removable if G − e is still matching covered. Lovász and Plummer introduced removable edges in connection with ear decompositions of matching covered graphs. By characterizing the structure of removable edges, we obtain that the number of removable edges of Halin graphs G with even number of vertices, other than K 4 , C 6 ¯ and R 8 , is at least 1 4 (| V (G) | + 2) , and the lower bound is attainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stahl's ear deformity is characterized by disturbed normal anatomy of the ear. There is a third crus with distortion of the superior crus and a flat helix. Correction of Stahl's ear can be done non-surgically in the neonatal period but in elder patients the surgical correction is the only option. The present study aimed to use a simple excision method to treat this deformity and evaluate changes in auricular size following the excision. Methods: Ten auricles from July 2022 to October 2023 were included. Preoperative consultation and analysis of the deformity were done. Simple full thickness excision of the deformed cartilage with primary closure of the remaining defect and comparison of the size of the auricle to the preoperative measurements were done followed by assessment of the patient post-operative satisfaction. Results: There was no significant decrease in the ear height. No problems with the wounds were found. All patients were satisfied with the results except for the first patient who had some contour irregularity and needed to be re-operated on. Conclusions: Full thickness excision of the deformed cartilage is a simple method that eliminates the components of the deformity effectively. This method can be implemented when possible with pleasing aesthetic results and no significant changes in auricular size. Early discovery of the auricular deformities and correcting them may save the patient from a surgery later. An effective surgical technique is the one that eliminates the components of the defect and leaves the patient satisfied. Level of evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of auricle parameters for planning and post-operative evaluation presents substantial challenges due to the complex 3D structure of the human auricle. Traditional measurement methods rely on manual techniques, resulting in limited precision. This study introduces a novel automated surface-based three-dimensional measurement method for quantifying human auricle parameters. The method was applied to virtual auricles reconstructed from Computed Tomography (CT) scans of a cadaver head and subsequent measurement of important clinically relevant aesthetical auricular parameters (length, width, protrusion, position, auriculocephalic angle, and inclination angle). Reference measurements were done manually (using a caliper and using a 3D landmarking method) and measurement precision was compared to the automated method. The CT scans were performed using both a contemporary high-end and a low-end CT scanner. Scans were conducted at a standard scanning dose, and at half the dose. The automatic method demonstrated significantly higher precision in measuring auricle parameters compared to manual methods. Compared to traditional manual measurements, precision improved for auricle length (9×), width (5×), protrusion (5×), Auriculocephalic Angle (5–54×) and posteroanterior position (23×). Concerning parameters without comparison with a manual method, the precision level of supero-inferior position was 0.489 mm; and the precisions of the inclination angle measurements were 1.365 mm and 0.237 mm for the two automated methods investigated. Improved precision of measuring auricle parameters was associated with using the high-end scanner. A higher dose was only associated with a higher precision for the left auricle length. The findings of this study emphasize the advantage of automated surface-based auricle measurements, showcasing improved precision compared to traditional methods. This novel algorithm has the potential to enhance auricle reconstruction and other applications in plastic surgery, offering a promising avenue for future research and clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cochlear implants (CIs) can restore binaural hearing in cases of single-sided deafness (SSD). However, studies with a high level of evidence in support of this phenomenon are lacking. The aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of CIs using several spatialized speech-in-noise tests and to identify potential predictors of successful surgery. Methods: Ten cases underwent standard CI surgery (MEDEL-Flex24). The speech-in-noise test was used in three different spatial configurations. The noise was presented from the front (N0), toward the CI (NCI), and toward the ear (Near), while the speech was always from the front (S0). For each test, the speech-to-noise ratio at 50% intelligibility (SNR50) was evaluated. Seven different effects were assessed (summation, head shadow [HS], speech released of masking [SRM], and squelch for the CI and for the ear). Results: A significant summation effect of 1.5 dB was observed. Contralateral PTA was positively correlated with S0N0-B and S0NCI-B (CIon and unplugged ear). S0N0-B results were positively correlated with S0N0-CIoff (p < 0.0001) and with S0Near-CIoff results (p = 0.004). A significant positive correlation was found between delay post-activation and HS gain for the CI (p = 0.005). Finally, the HS was negatively correlated with the squelch effect for the ear. Conclusion: CI benefits patients with SSD in noise and can improve the threshold for detecting low-level noise. Contralateral PTA could predict good postoperative results. Simple tests performed preoperatively can predict the likelihood of surgical success in reversing SSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To describe an outbreak of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in southern white rhinoceros (SWR; Ceratotherium simum simum) and greater one-horned rhinoceros (GOHR; Rhinoceros unicornis) at a safari park in San Diego, CA, from May to September 2023. ANIMALS 21 SWR and 5 GOHR in professionally managed care. METHODS Rhinoceros of both species presented with a range of clinical signs and severities. Lesion locations were categorized as cutaneous (coronary bands, heels and soles, limbs, ventrum, neck folds, and ears) and mucocutaneous (lips, nostrils, mucous membranes of the oral cavity, and vulva). Clinical signs included lethargy, lameness, difficulty with prehension, hyporexia to anorexia, and hypersalivation. Severely affected rhinoceros had clinical pathology findings consistent with systemic inflammation. RESULTS Vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus was confirmed via PCR from swabs of lesions in 10/26 (38%) rhinoceros. Of these 10 confirmed cases, 9 (90%) were SWR and 1 (10%) was a GOHR. A further 6/26 (24%) were considered probable cases, and 10/26 (38%) were considered suspect cases based on clinical signs, but the inability to appropriately sample due to the housing environment precluded confirmation. Histopathology samples from 3 rhinoceros were consistent with VSV, and viral RNA was localized in histologic lesions via RNA in situ hybridization for 1 case. All rhinoceros survived infection despite severe systemic illness in 2 animals. CLINICAL RELEVANCE This case series describes the clinical appearance and progression of VSV in 2 rhinoceros species. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of VSV in a rhinoceros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue engineering application in otology spans a distance from the pinna to auditory nerve covered with specialized tissues and functions such as sense of hearing and aesthetics. It holds the potential to address the barriers of lack of donor tissue, poor tissue match, and transplant rejection through provision of new and healthy tissues similar to the host and possesses the capacity to renew, to regenerate, and to repair in-vivo and was shown to be a bypasses for any need to immunosuppression. This review aims to investigate the application of tissue engineering in otology and to evaluate the achievements and challenges in external, middle and inner ear sections. Since gaining the recent knowledge and training on use of different scaffolds is essential for otology specialists and who look for the recovery of ear function and aesthetics of patients, it is shown in this review how utilizing tissue engineering and cell transplantation, regenerative medicine can provide advancements in hearing and ear aesthetics to fit different patients' needs. Regenerative medicine by utilizing tissue engineering and cell transplantation was shown to provide advancements in hearing and ear aesthetics to fit different patients' needs. Gaining the necessary knowledge and training on use of different scaffolds is essential for otology specialists and patients who search for hearing and ear aesthetics. It is crucial that patients are instructed for differences exist between various scaffolds for hearing and ear aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activity recognition (HAR) technology enables continuous behavior monitoring, which is particularly valuable in healthcare. This study investigates the viability of using an ear-worn motion sensor for classifying daily activities, including lying, sitting/standing, walking, ascending stairs, descending stairs, and running. Fifty healthy participants (between 20 and 47 years old) engaged in these activities while under monitoring. Various machine learning algorithms, ranging from interpretable shallow models to state-of-the-art deep learning approaches designed for HAR (i.e., DeepConvLSTM and ConvTransformer), were employed for classification. The results demonstrate the ear sensor's efficacy, with deep learning models achieving a 98% accuracy rate of classification. The obtained classification models are agnostic regarding which ear the sensor is worn and robust against moderate variations in sensor orientation (e.g., due to differences in auricle anatomy), meaning no initial calibration of the sensor orientation is required. The study underscores the ear's efficacy as a suitable site for monitoring human daily activity and suggests its potential for combining HAR with in-ear vital sign monitoring. This approach offers a practical method for comprehensive health monitoring by integrating sensors in a single anatomical location. This integration facilitates individualized health assessments, with potential applications in tele-monitoring, personalized health insights, and optimizing athletic training regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tinnitus—the perception of sound despite the absence of an external source—can be a debilitating condition for which there are currently no pharmacological remedies. Our proof of concept study focused on the immediate effects of non-invasive electrical stimulation through the ear canal on loudness and tinnitus-induced distress. In addition, we aimed to identify variables that may affect the simulation outcomes. Methods: Sixty-six patients (29 women and 37 men, mean age 54.4 ± 10.4) with chronic tinnitus were recruited to the tertiary referral hospital between December 2019 and December 2021. They underwent 10 min of electrical stimulation through the ear canal for three consecutive days. Visual analog scales measured loudness and tinnitus-induced distress immediately before and after stimulation. Results: After three days of electrical stimulation, tinnitus loudness decreased in 47% of patients, 45.5% reported no change, and 7.6% reported worsening. Tinnitus severity decreased in 36.4% of cases, 59.1% of patients reported no change, and 4.5% reported worsening. Women responded positively to therapy earlier than men. In addition, tinnitus distress decreased in patients with compensated tinnitus but not in those with uncompensated tinnitus. Finally, patients with bilateral tinnitus improved earlier than those with unilateral tinnitus, and the age of the patients did not influence the stimulation results. Conclusions: Our proof of concept study confirms the potential of non-invasive electrical stimulation of the ear as a promising screening approach to identifying patients for more advanced electrostimulation treatment, such as an extracochlear anti-tinnitus implant. These findings have practical implications for tinnitus management, offering hope for improved patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An edge e in a matching covered graph G is removable if G - e is matching covered. Removable edges were introduced by Lovász and Plummer in connection with ear decompositions of matching covered graphs. A brick is a non-bipartite matching covered graph without non-trivial tight cuts. The importance of bricks stems from the fact that they are building blocks of matching covered graphs. Lovász proved that every brick other than K 4 and C 6 ¯ has a removable edge. It is known that every 3-connected claw-free graph with even number of vertices is a brick. By characterizing the structure of adjacent non-removable edges, we show that every claw-free brick G with more than 6 vertices has at least 5|V(G)|/8 removable edges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the pandemic of COVID-19, identifying a person from their face became difficult due to wearing of mask. In regard to the given circumstances, the authors have remarkably put effort on identifying a person using 2D ear images based on deep convolutional neural network (CNNs). They investigated the challenges of limited data and varying environmental conditions in this regards. To deal with such challenges, the authors developed an augmentation-based light-weight CNN model using CPU enabled machine so that it can be ported into embedded devices. While applying data augmentation technique to enhance the quality and size of training dataset, the authors analysed and discussed the different augmentation parameters (rotation, flipping, zooming, and fill mode) that are effective for generating the large number of sample images of different variability. The model works well on constrained and unconstrained ear datasets and achieves good recognition accuracy. It also reduces the problem of overfitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Environmental ultraviolet radiation has deleterious effects on humans, including sunburn and immune perturbations. These immune changes are involved in skin carcinogenesis. Objectives: To determine whether nicotinamide riboside and/or pterostilbene administered systemically inhibits inflammatory and immune effects of exposure to mid‐range ultraviolet radiation. Methods: To examine UVB radiation‐induced inflammatory effects, mice were fed standard chow/water, 0.04% pterostilbene in chow and 0.2% nicotinamide riboside in drinking water, diet with nicotinamide riboside alone, or diet with pterostilbene alone. After 4 weeks, mice were exposed to UVB radiation (3500 J/m2), and 24‐/48‐h ear swelling was assessed. We also asked if each agent or the combination inhibits UVB radiation suppression of contact hypersensitivity in two models. Mice were fed standard diet/water or chow containing 0.08% pterostilbene, water with 0.4% nicotinamide riboside, or both for 4 weeks. Low‐dose: Half the mice in each group were exposed on the depilated dorsum to UVB radiation (1700 J/m2) daily for 4 days, whereas half were mock‐irradiated. Mice were immunized on the exposed dorsum to dinitrofluorobenzene 4 h after the last irradiation, challenged 7 days later on the ears with dinitrofluorobenzene, and 24‐h ear swelling assessed. High dose: Mice were treated similarly except that a single dose of 10,000 J/m2 of radiation was administered and immunization was performed on the unirradiated shaved abdomen 3 days later. Results: Nicotinamide riboside and pterostilbene together inhibited UVB‐induced skin swelling more than either alone. Pterostilbene alone and both given together could inhibit UVB‐induced immune suppression in both the low‐dose and high‐dose models while nicotinamide riboside alone was more effective in the low‐dose model than the high‐dose model. Conclusion: Nicotinamide riboside and pterostilbene have protective effects against UVB radiation‐induced tissue swelling and immune suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a multifactorial disorder with potential links to various physiological systems, including the cardiovascular system via blood lipid levels such as triglycerides (TG). This study investigates the causal relationship between TG levels and SNHL using Mendelian randomization (MR), which offers a method to reduce confounding and reverse causality by using genetic variants as instrumental variables. Methods: Utilizing publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, we performed a two-sample MR analysis. The initial analysis unveiled a causal relationship between TG (GWAS ID: ebi-a-GCST90018975) and SNHL (GWAS ID: finn b-H8_HL_SEN-NAS). Subsequent analysis validated this through MR with a larger sample size for TG (GWAS ID: ieu-b-111) and SNHL. To conduct the MR analysis, we utilized several methods including inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode. We also employed Cochrane's Q test to identify any heterogeneity in the MR results. To detect horizontal pleiotropy, we conducted the MR-Egger intercept test and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outliers (MR-PRESSO) test. We performed a leave-one-out analysis to assess the sensitivity of this association. Finally, a meta-analysis of the MR results was undertaken. Results: Our study found a significant positive correlation between TG and SNHL, with OR values of 1.14 (95% CI: 1.07–1.23, p < 0.001) in the IVW analysis and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.03–1.16, p < 0.006) in the replicate analysis. We also found no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity between the genetic variants (p > 0.05), and a leave-one-out test confirmed the stability and robustness of this association. The meta-analysis combining the initial and replicate analyses showed a significant causal effect with OR values of 1.11 (95% CI: 1.06–1.16, p = 0.01). Conclusion: These findings indicate TG as a risk factor for SNHL, suggesting potential pathways for prevention and intervention in populations at risk. This conclusion underscores the importance of managing TG levels as a strategy to mitigate the risk of developing SNHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Determine the prevalence of otological symptoms and tympanic membrane perforation, healing rates of tympanic membrane perforation with surgical and conservative management, and hearing function in civilian victims of terrorist explosions. Methods: A systematic review was conducted with searches on Medline, Embase, EMCare and CINAHL for publications between the 1st January 1945 and 26th May 2023. Studies with quantitative data addressing our aims were included. This review is registered with PROSPERO: CRD42020166768. Among 2611 studies screened, 18 studies comprising prospective and retrospective cohort studies were included. Results: The percentage of eardrums perforated in patients admitted to hospital, under ENT follow up and attending the emergency department is 69.0% (CI 55.5–80.5%), 38.7% (CI 19.0–63.0%, I2 0.715%) and 21.0% (CI 11.9–34.3%, I2 0.718%) respectively. Perforated eardrums heal spontaneously in 62.9% (CI 50.4–73.8%, I2 0.687%) of cases and in 88.8% (CI 75.9–96.3%, I2 0.500%) of cases after surgery. Common symptoms present within one month of bombings are tinnitus 84.7% (CI 70.0–92.9%, I2 0.506%), hearing loss 83.0% (CI 64.5–92.9%, I2 0.505%) and ear fullness 59.7% (CI 13.4–93.4%, I2 0.719). Symptomatic status between one and six months commonly include no symptoms 57.5% (CI 46.0–68.3%), hearing loss 35.4% (CI 21.8–51.8%, I2 0.673%) and tinnitus 15.6% (CI 4.9–40.0%, I2 0.500%). Within one month of bombings, the most common hearing abnormality is sensorineural hearing loss affecting 26.9% (CI 16.9–40.1%, I2 0.689%) of ears 43.5% (CI 33.4–54.2%, I2 0.500) of people. Conclusion: Tympanic membrane perforation, subjective hearing loss, tinnitus, ear fullness and sensorineural hearing loss are common sequelae of civilian terrorist explosions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our aim was to investigate the course of the hearing capacity of the better-hearing ear in single-sided deafness (SSD) and asymmetric hearing loss (AHL) over time, in a multicenter study. Methods: We included 2086 pure-tone audiograms from 323 patients with SSD and AHL from four hospitals and 156 private practice otorhinolaryngologists. We collected: age, gender, etiology, duration of deafness, treatment with CI, number and monosyllabic speech recognition, numerical rating scale (NRS) of tinnitus intensity, and the tinnitus questionnaire according to Goebel and Hiller. We compared the pure tone audiogram of the better-hearing ear in patients with SSD with age- and gender-controlled hearing thresholds from ISO 7029:2017. Results: First, individuals with SSD showed a significantly higher hearing threshold from 0.125 to 8 kHz in the better-hearing ear compared to the ISO 7029:2017. The duration of deafness of the poorer-hearing ear showed no relationship with the hearing threshold of the better-hearing ear. The hearing threshold was significantly higher in typically bilaterally presenting etiologies (chronic otitis media, otosclerosis, and congenital hearing loss), except for Menière's disease. Second, subjects that developed AHL did so in 5.19 ± 5.91 years and showed significant reduction in monosyllabic word and number recognition. Conclusions: Individuals with SSD show significantly poorer hearing in the better-hearing ear than individuals with NH from the ISO 7029:2017. In clinical practice, we should, therefore, inform our SSD patients that their disease is accompanied by a reduced hearing capacity on the contralateral side, especially in certain etiologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antiresorptive drugs are widely used to reduce bone mineral loss in patients with osteoporosis and to prevent skeletal-related events in patients with metastatic cancers and multiple myeloma (MM). Both the bisphosphonates (BP) and denosumab typically used in this indication were shown to be effective and relatively safe. Obviously, this medication could have some adverse effects; one of them is osteonecrosis of the external auditory canal. Only sporadic cases of external auditory canal osteonecrosis have been published yet. Here, we provide a case of denosumab-related osteonecrosis of the external auditory canal successfully treated surgically in the early stage of the disease. Case report: A 68-year-old patient with breast cancer underwent comprehensive oncological treatment, including denosumab administration. She was diagnosed with osteonecroses in the jaw and ear canal. The necrotic bones in both regions were resected with primary wound closure. Both affected sites healed well with no signs of necrosis recurrence. Conclusions: Osteonecrosis of the external auditory canal is a rare but probably underdiagnosed complication of antiresorptive medication. It has a negative impact on patient quality of life if left untreated. Early surgical treatment appears to be effective. The authors highlight several similarities with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. Therefore, an analogous disease staging and treatment rationale is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having 2 ears enables us to localize sound sources by exploiting interaural time differences (ITDs) in sound arrival. Principal neurons of the medial superior olive (MSO) are sensitive to ITD, and each MSO neuron responds optimally to a best ITD (bITD). In many cells, especially those tuned to low sound frequencies, these bITDs correspond to ITDs for which the contralateral ear leads, and are often larger than the ecologically relevant range, defined by the ratio of the interaural distance and the speed of sound. Using in vivo recordings in gerbils, we found that shortly after hearing onset the bITDs were even more contralaterally leading than found in adult gerbils, and travel latencies for contralateral sound-evoked activity clearly exceeded those for ipsilateral sounds. During the following weeks, both these latencies and their interaural difference decreased. A computational model indicated that spike timing-dependent plasticity can underlie this fine-tuning. Our results suggest that MSO neurons start out with a strong predisposition toward contralateral sounds due to their longer neural travel distances, but that, especially in high-frequency neurons, this predisposition is subsequently mitigated by differential developmental fine-tuning of the travel latencies. Neurons in the medial superior olive are important for sound localization, as they are sensitive to the relative arrival time of sounds at both ears. This study reveals the developmental dynamics of this sensitivity, reporting that shortly after hearing onset these cells have a strong preference for contralateral leading sounds, which is fine-tuned towards sounds coming from the front in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss in humans is treatable by electrically stimulating the auditory nerve (AN) with a cochlear implant (CI). In the cochlea, the modiolus presents a porous bony interface between the CI electrode and the AN. New bone growth caused by the presence of the CI electrode or neural degeneration inflicted by ageing or otological diseases might change the effective porosity of the modiolus and, thereby, alter its electrical material properties. Using a volume conductor description of the cochlea, with the aid of a 'mapped conductivity' method and an ad-hoc 'regionally kinetic' equation system, we show that even a slight variation in modiolus porosity or pore distribution can disproportionately affect AN stimulation. Hence, because of porosity changes, an inconsistent CI performance might occur if neural degeneration or new bone growth progress after implantation. Appropriate electrical material properties in accordance with modiolar morphology and pathology should be considered in patient-specific studies. The present first-of-its-kind in-silico study advocates for contextual experimental studies to further explore the utility of modiolus porous morphology in optimising the CI outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackgroundObjectivesMaterial and MethodsResultsConclusions and SignificanceNon-Echo-Planar Diffusion Weighed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (non-EPI DW MRI) plays a role in the planning of cholesteatoma surgery.To outline the usage of Non-EPI DW MRI in cholesteatoma diagnostics and to determine its accuracy, using otosurgery diagnostics as reference standard.A retrospective descriptive study. All subjects operated, with suspicion of cholesteatoma as indication, that had a preceding examination with non-EPI DW MRI, between October 2010 and March 2019. Calculating sensitivity, specificity, predicative values, and likelihood ratios, using non-EPI DW MRI as index test and diagnosis from otosurgery as reference standard.Fifty-two subject episodes were included. Non-EPI DW MRI had a sensitivity of 0.50, specificity of 0.75, positive and negative predictive values of 0.74 and 0.52 and, positive and negative likelihood ratios of 2.0 and 0.67 respectively.There is a clear annual trend with increased numbers of executed examinations during the study period. The diagnostic accuracy of non-EPI DW MRI does not reach acceptable levels in the existing everyday routine practice conditions. The accuracy of the examination increases when interpreted by an experienced radiologist and when using the definition of cholesteatoma recommended by EAONO/JOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure-tone audiograms often poorly predict elderly humans' ability to communicate in everyday complex acoustic scenes. Binaural processing is crucial for discriminating sound sources in such complex acoustic scenes. The compromised perception of communication signals presented above hearing threshold has been linked to both peripheral and central age-related changes in the auditory system. Investigating young and old Mongolian gerbils of both sexes, an established model for human hearing, we demonstrate age-related supra-threshold deficits in binaural hearing using behavioral, electrophysiological, anatomical, and imaging methods. Binaural processing ability was measured as the binaural masking level difference (BMLD), an established measure in human psychophysics. We tested gerbils behaviorally with "virtual headphones," recorded single-unit responses in the auditory midbrain and evaluated gross midbrain and cortical responses using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Furthermore, we obtained additional measures of auditory function based on auditory brainstem responses, auditory-nerve synapse counts, and evidence for central inhibitory processing revealed by PET. BMLD deteriorates already in middle-aged animals having normal audiometric thresholds and is even worse in old animals with hearing loss. The magnitude of auditory brainstem response measures related to auditory-nerve function and binaural processing in the auditory brainstem also deteriorate. Furthermore, central GABAergic inhibition is affected by age. Because the number of synapses in the apical turn of the inner ear was not reduced in middle-aged animals, we conclude that peripheral synaptopathy contributes little to binaural processing deficits. Exploratory analyses suggest increased hearing thresholds, altered binaural processing in the brainstem and changed central GABAergic inhibition as potential contributors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fabry disease (FD) is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder with a heterogeneous clinical presentation. Patients with FD may exhibit early signs/symptoms including neuropathic pain, gastrointestinal complaints, and dermatologic manifestations. FD may ultimately progress to renal, neurologic, and cardiac dysfunction. Current treatments for FD have significantly improved the management and outcomes for patients with FD, but important clinical and convenience limitations still exist. Methods: To illuminate the impact of FD on daily life from the patient's perspective, we asked adult patients (≥ 18 years old) with FD in the United States and Canada to complete a 33-question online survey to assess patient-reported disease severity, management, and treatment outcomes. Results: A total of 280 respondents with FD completed the survey; they had a mean age of 47 years, and 68% (191/280) were women. Most were currently receiving FD treatment (84%, 234/280) with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) (89%, 208/234) or chaperone therapy (11%, 26/234). Common symptoms included low energy/fatigue (72%, 201/280), tingling (62%, 174/280) or pain in the hands/feet (60%, 168/280), ringing in ears/hearing loss (54%, 151/280), general body pains/pain crises (51%, 143/280), and abdominal/stomach pain (50%, 140/280). More than half (51%, 144/280) of respondents reported their symptoms as bothersome (38%, 106/280) or difficult to control (14%, 38/280). Temporary symptom worsening between infusions was reported by about half of respondents: 51% (108/211) currently receiving ERT and 48% (14/29) previously receiving ERT. Only 48% (59/122) of respondents reported their symptom worsening to their physician. Of those who reported it, 41% (24/59) said that their physician prescribed medication to manage their symptoms or changed their treatment regimen. Conclusions: Our analysis highlights the gap between current standard-of-care in disease monitoring and patient perception of disease progression among patients with FD. This information may be helpful for healthcare providers and drug developers seeking to improve the care of patients with FD by addressing unmet needs of high relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meningoencephalitic listeriosis is a significant disease affecting goats and sheep, with potential implications for public health. This study aimed to investigate and report the occurrence, clinical manifestation, laboratory findings, and further understanding of neurolisteriosis in the goat and sheep populations in Tehran, Qazvin, and Kurdistan provinces of Iran. Methods: From 2018 to 2021, a program was implemented to monitor multiple flocks for meningoencephalitic listeriosis. Clinical manifestations of animals that showed suspected neurological signs of listeriosis (19 animals) were recorded, and necropsies were performed. Sampling of the brain tissue of infected animals was done. The specimens underwent a 'cold-enrichment' procedure, and subsequent culture and biochemical tests were conducted to confirm the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Results: According to the clinical and bacteriological findings, 19 animals were diagnosed with neurolisteriosis. The affected animals exhibited various signs of the disease, including head deviation, head tilt, head pressing, mouthfuls, walking in circles, drooping of the ear, and unilateral hypalgesia. L. monocytogenes was isolated from brain samples of 11 animals. Conclusion: The study revealed potential indications of meningoencephalitic listeriosis in certain breeds of goats and sheep. Recognizing these typical signs can contribute to early detection, diagnosis, and proper management of listeriosis cases, improving welfare and health outcomes for affected animals. The results underscore the importance of strengthened disease surveillance, prevention, and control strategies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) typically affects the lungs, but may involve many extrapulmonary sites; with the latter especially prone in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. The clinical features of extra-pulmonary TB are often non-specific, mimicking many different disease entities. Application of the most appropriate imaging modality and knowing the imaging findings with clinical context awareness help initiation of further investigations, diagnosis and early treatment. This pictorial essay highlights the imaging spectrum of extra-pulmonary TB affecting the supra-thoracic region, i.e. brain, neck, and ear, nose and throat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mandibulofacial dysostosis with microcephaly (MFDM, OMIM# 610536) is a rare monogenic disease that is caused by a mutation in the elongation factor Tu GTP binding domain containing 2 gene (EFTUD2, OMIM* 603892). It is characterized by mandibulofacial dysplasia, microcephaly, malformed ears, cleft palate, growth and intellectual disability. MFDM can be easily misdiagnosed due to its phenotypic overlap with other craniofacial dysostosis syndromes. The clinical presentation of MFDM is highly variable among patients. Methods: A patient with craniofacial anomalies was enrolled and evaluated by a multidisciplinary team. To make a definitive diagnosis, whole‐exome sequencing was performed, followed by validation by Sanger sequencing. Results: The patient presented with extensive facial bone dysostosis, upward slanting palpebral fissures, outer and middle ear malformation, a previously unreported orbit anomaly, and spina bifida occulta. A novel, pathogenic insertion mutation (c.215_216insT: p.Tyr73Valfs*4) in EFTUD2 was identified as the likely cause of the disease. Conclusions: We diagnosed this atypical case of MFDM by the detection of a novel pathogenetic mutation in EFTUD2. We also observed previously unreported features. These findings enrich both the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of MFDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the fundamental stages in recognizing people by their ears, which most works omit, is locating the area of interest. The sets of images used for experiments generally contain only the ear, which is not appropriate for application in a real environment, where the visual field may contain part of or the entire face, a human body, or objects other than the ear. Therefore, determining the exact area where the ear is located is complicated, mainly in uncontrolled environments. This paper proposes a method for ear localization in controlled and uncontrolled environments using MediaPipe, a tool for face localization, and YOLOv5s architecture for detecting the ear. The proposed method first determines whether there are cues that indicate that a face exists in an image, and then, using the MediaPipe facial mesh, the points where an ear potentially exists are obtained. The extracted points are employed to determine the ear length based on the proportions of the human body proposed by Leonardo Da Vinci. Once the dimensions of the ear are obtained, the delimitation of the area of interest is carried out. If the required elements are not found, the model uses the YOLOv5s architecture module, trained to recognize ears in controlled environments. We employed four datasets for testing (i) In-the-wild Ear Database, (ii) IIT Delhi Ear Database, (iii) AMI Ear Database, and (iv) EarVN1.0. Also, we used images from the Internet and some acquired using a Redmi Note 11 cell phone camera. An accuracy of 97% with an error of 3% was obtained with the proposed method, which is a competitive measure considering that tests were conducted in controlled and uncontrolled environments, unlike state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our goal was to examine the impact of head position, which had not been examined before, on cerebral oxygenation in tympanoplasties performed in the reverse Trendelenburg position during controlled hypotension. Methods: This prospective study was conducted in our clinic between July 2020 and November 2020. A total of 81 patients aged 18-59 years, who had an ASA physical condition classification score of 1-2 and were evaluated in two groups according to the type of surgery. In the tympanoplasty group, the head was turned to the contralateral ear and placed in minimal extension while in the septoplasty group, the head was kept in the neutral position. The regional cerebral oxygen saturation (c-rSO2) values of the right and left sides were recorded continuously with O3 regional oximetry probes on both sides throughout the operation. Results: When an overall examination was performed without separating the tympanoplasty group as right/left, the median oxygen saturation level was 69.50% (Q1:61.00-Q3:72.00) for the operated side and 74.00% (Q1:66.00-Q3:79.00) for the contralateral side. The oxygen saturation of the operated side was statistically significant lower (p<0.001). The median oxygen saturation of the operated side in the tympanoplasty group [69.50% (Q1: 61.00- Q3:72.00)] was statistically significantly lower than that of the septoplasty group [72.00% (Q1:65.25-Q3:77.75)] (p=0.004). Conclusion: This study showed that the rotation of the head 45° or above in the revers Trendelenburg supine position causes cerebral desaturation on the opposite side of rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In microtia, there is a remnant of the malpositioned lobe and deformed auricle. To achieve an aesthetically appealing consistent ear; there must be a balanced 3-dimensional structural support, and there must be an adjustment of the skin to the framework. Aim: To compare extension of the cartilaginous framework downwards to be inserted in a pocket created inside the ear lobe (ear lobe push down) versus ear lobe transposition in cases presented with microtia. Patients and methods: Twenty cases presented with unilateral microtia, underwent ear reconstruction with cartilaginous framework, randomized into two groups; in (group A) the carved 3D cartilaginous framework was introduced based on auricular foot print, with its lower end inserted in a pocket dissected inside ear lobe, while in (group B) the carved 3D framework was introduced as well based on auricular foot print, with no interference with the ear lobe, with assessment of the results objectively and subjectively. Results: The movement of the lobe in the second stage in (group A) ranged from 0 to 45 degree if needed, whereas in (group B) it ranged from 135 to 180 degrees, with higher patient satisfaction in group A. Conclusion: Ear lobe push down technique, by extension of the cartilaginous framework downwards to be adapted in a pocket dissected in ear lobe, is a feasible modification (step) in microtia reconstruction with appealing aesthetic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the duration, incidence, reversibility, and severity of adverse events (AEs) in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) treated with teprotumumab. Multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study. Patients with TED of all stages and activity levels treated with at least 4 infusions of teprotumumab. Patients were treated with teprotumumab between February 2020 and October 2022 at 6 tertiary centers. Adverse event metrics were recorded at each visit. The primary outcomes measure was AE incidence and onset. Secondary outcome measures included AE severity, AE reversibility, AE duration, proptosis response, clinical activity score (CAS) reduction, and Gorman diplopia score improvement. The study evaluated 131 patients. Proptosis improved by 2 mm or more in 77% of patients (101/131), with average proptosis improvement of 3.0 ± 2.1 mm and average CAS reduction of 3.2 points. Gorman diplopia score improved by at least 1 point for 50% of patients (36/72) with baseline diplopia. Adverse events occurred in 81.7% of patients (107/131). Patients experienced a median of 4 AEs. Most AEs were mild (74.0% [97/131]), 28.2% (37/131) were moderate, and 8.4% (11/131) were severe. Mean interval AE onset was 7.9 weeks after the first infusion. Mean resolved AE duration was 17.6 weeks. Forty-six percent of patients (60/131) demonstrated at least 1 persistent AE at last follow-up. Mean follow-up was 70.2 ± 38.5 weeks after the first infusion. The most common type of AEs was musculoskeletal (58.0% [76/131]), followed by gastrointestinal (38.2% [50/131]), skin (38.2% [50/131]), ear and labyrinth (30.5% [40/131]), nervous system (20.6% [27/131]), metabolic (15.3% [20/131]), and reproductive system (12.2% [16/131]). Sixteen patients (12.2%) discontinued therapy because of AEs, including hearing loss (n = 4), inflammatory bowel disease flare (n = 2), hyperglycemia (n = 1), muscle spasms (n = 1), and multiple AEs (n = 8). Adverse events are commonly reported while receiving teprotumumab treatment. Most are mild and reversible; however, serious AEs can occur and may warrant treatment cessation. Treating physicians should inform patients about AE risk, properly screen patients before treatment, monitor patients closely throughout therapy, and understand how to manage AEs should they develop. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Otitis media with effusion is common in children with cleft palates. This study aimed to investigate the link between palatal closure techniques and audiological outcomes. Methods: In this retrospective‐prospective cohort study, we examined the relationship between palate repair techniques and hearing outcomes in children with cleft palates. From 2017 to 2022, 190 ears of 95 cleft patients were studied at the Cleft Lip and Palate Department of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Variables assessed included the surgical technique, cleft severity, auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold, and tympanometry configuration. Results: The mean ABR improved from a prepalatoplasty value of 39.51(11.62) decibels (dB) to a postpalatoplasty mean of 26.61(11.60) dB (Cohen's d: 1.12 [95% CI; 0.90–1.34]). Initially, 87.9% of the studied ears exhibited abnormal tympanometry, but this significantly decreased to 47% postsurgery (risk ratio: 4.43 [95% CI; 1.20–16.43]). When compared with Sommerlad intravelar veloplasty, the Nadjmi modified Furlow palatoplasty was associated with a notably lower mean ABR (β: −6.58 [95% CI: −10.43 to −2.73], p‐value =.001) and a reduced frequency of abnormal tympanometry (odds ratio [OR]: −1.10; 95% CI: −1.85 to −0.36, p‐value =.004). Factors like prepalatoplasty ABR, cleft palate severity, gender, and syndromic did not confound these findings. Conclusions: Although the Nadjmi modified Furlow palatoplasty showed better results, our findings indicate a significant improvement in ABR and tympanometry outcomes for both techniques. Future randomized controlled trials are suggested to confirm the influence of palatal closure techniques on audiological outcomes. Level of Evidence: 3b. This study evaluated the impact of palatal closure techniques on audiological outcomes in children with cleft palates, comparing Sommerlad intravelar veloplasty and the Nadjmi modified Furlow palatoplasty. The results indicated a significant improvement in auditory brainstem response and tympanometry outcomes with both techniques, with the Nadjmi modified Furlow showing notably better results, and future trials are suggested to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to reduce the time delay between gadolinium injection and 3D-FLAIR (three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) MRI by using a single dose of intravenous gadobutrol in Menière's disease patients. 17 patients diagnosed with definite unilateral Meniere's disease underwent 3D-FLAIR MRI scans at 2, 4, and 6 h post-intravenous administration of a single-dose of gadobutrol. The signal intensity ratio of bilateral inner ear, cochlear and vestibular hydrops was measured at 2 h, 4 h and 6 h, while the differences in signal intensity ratio and endolymphatic hydrops were evaluated at three time points. The cochlea, vestibule, and semicircular canal exhibit clear structural features with distinct perilymph-endolymph boundaries at 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h. The signal intensity ratio of the affected ear was significantly higher than that of the unaffected ear at 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h. The signal intensity ratio at 4 h and 6 h in both the affected and unaffected ears was significantly higher than that at 2 h, but there was no significant difference between 4 h and 6 h. Cochlear hydrops and vestibular hydrops show no significant differences at these time points, demonstrating excellent consistency. We have demonstrated that 3D-FLAIR images acquired 2 h after intravenous administration of a single-dose gadobutrol are of high quality and equally effective as those obtained at the conventional 4-h time point for diagnosing endolymphatic hydrops in Menière's disease. In clinical practice, the delay time can be safely shortened to 2 h. • Gadobutrol can reduce the delay time between injection of gadolinium agent and MRI scan. • Images taken two hours after the injection of gadobutrol can meet the diagnostic needs. • The use of gadobutrol can improve clinical work efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Acute onset of vertigo and hearing loss is rare in leukemic disorders. MRI can diagnose intracochlear hemorrhage as the underlying cause. The hearing can improve but if severe hearing loss preserves, cochlear implantation can be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: The combined approach of surgical resection along with superficial x‐ray radiotherapy emerges as a superior treatment option for individuals with keloids, which hold huge potential for enhancing aesthetic outcomes and preventing keloid recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cochlear receptors are sensitive to vibratory stimuli. Based on this sensibility, bone-anchored hearing aids have been introduced to correct unilateral or bilateral conductive or mixed hearing loss and unilateral deafness. The vestibular system is also sensitive to the vibratory stimulus and this type of response is used in clinics to test its functionality. Being aware of this double separated sensibility, we wondered whether bone vibration, which activates the acoustic receptors of patients with bone conduction aids, can also influence the functionality of the vestibular system. Methods: To this end, we recruited 12 patients with a bone-anchored hearing aid and evaluated their vestibular function with and without an activated vibratory acoustic device. Results: Our results show that the vibratory stimulus delivered by the bone conduction aid also reaches and stimulates the vestibular receptors; this stimulation is evidenced by the appearance or modification of some nystagmus findings during bedside vestibular testing. Despite this, none of these patients complained of dizziness or vertigo during prosthesis use. Nystagmus that appeared or changed during acoustic vibratory stimulation through the prosthesis was almost all predominantly horizontal, unidirectional with respect to gaze or body position, inhibited by fixation, and most often consistent with vestibular function tests indicating peripheral vestibular damage. Conclusions: The findings of sound-evoked nystagmus seem to indicate peripheral rather than central vestibular activation. The occurrence of some predominantly horizontal and high-frequency induced nystagmus seems to attribute the response mainly to the utricle and lateral semicircular canal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in the scale of breeding at modern pastures, the management of dairy cows has become much more challenging, and individual recognition is the key to the implementation of precision farming. Based on the need for low-cost and accurate herd management and for non-stressful and non-invasive individual recognition, we propose a vision-based automatic recognition method for dairy cow ear tags. Firstly, for the detection of cow ear tags, the lightweight Small-YOLOV5s is proposed, and then a differentiable binarization network (DBNet) combined with a convolutional recurrent neural network (CRNN) is used to achieve the recognition of the numbers on ear tags. The experimental results demonstrated notable improvements: Compared to those of YOLOV5s, Small-YOLOV5s enhanced recall by 1.5%, increased the mean average precision by 0.9%, reduced the number of model parameters by 5,447,802, and enhanced the average prediction speed for a single image by 0.5 ms. The final accuracy of the ear tag number recognition was an impressive 92.1%. Moreover, this study introduces two standardized experimental datasets specifically designed for the ear tag detection and recognition of dairy cows. These datasets will be made freely available to researchers in the global dairy cattle community with the intention of fostering intelligent advancements in the breeding industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auricle is the outward visible part of ear and composed of skin and cartilage. Auricle due to its standout and projected position is more vulnerable to get injured and cause distortion of the facial aesthetics. Reconstruction of the ear defect should be individualized depending on the defect size, location, nearby skin, patient requirement and surgeon experience. To present the results of various reconstructive options for partial ear defect which will aid in decision making among reconstructive options available. Reconstruction was individualized considering the defect size, depth, location, surrounding skin. In upper 1/3 defect reconstructive options include Antia–Buch chondrocutaneous advancement flap, autogenous cartilage with temporoparietal fascial flap, for middle 1/3 defect options include retroauricular soft tissue tube flap, diefenbach procedure, Autogenous cartilage graft and temporoparietal fascial flap, for lower 1/3 defect reconstructive options include pre auricular flap, triangular repair method, Zenteno Alanis technique. Reconstruction with various techniques results in aesthetically good outcomes. There is no major complication seen in any patient. Reconstruction of ear defect with various options available has good outcome. Planning is important part in reconstruction process. Reconstructive option chosen for a ear defect should be individualized depending on patient characteristics, surgeon experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulations of head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) conventionally assume a rigid boundary condition for the pinna. The human pinna, however, is an elastic deformable body that can vibrate due to incident acoustic waves. This work investigates how sound-induced vibrations of the pinna can affect simulated HRTF magnitudes. The work will motivate the research question by measuring the sound-induced vibrational patterns of an artificial pinna with a high-speed holographic interferometric system. Then, finite element simulations are used to determine HRTFs for a tabletop model of the B&K 5128 head and torso simulator for a number of directions. Two scenarios are explored: one where the pinna is modeled as perfectly rigid, and another where the pinna is modeled as linear elastic with material properties close to that of auricular cartilage. The findings suggest that pinna vibrations have negligible effects on HRTF magnitudes up to 5 kHz. The same conclusion, albeit with less certainty, is drawn for higher frequencies. Finally, the importance of the elastic domain's material properties is emphasized and possible implications for validation studies on dummy heads 1as well as the limitations of the present work are discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assuming plane waves, ear-canal acoustic quantities, collectively known as wideband acoustic immittance (WAI), are frequently used in research and in the clinic to assess the conductive status of the middle ear. Secondary applications include compensating for the ear-canal acoustics when delivering stimuli to the ear and measuring otoacoustic emissions. However, the ear canal is inherently non-uniform and terminated at an oblique angle by the conical-shaped tympanic membrane (TM), thus potentially confounding the ability of WAI quantities in characterizing the middle-ear status. This paper studies the isolated possible confounding effects of TM orientation and shape on characterizing the middle ear using WAI in human ears. That is, the non-uniform geometry of the ear canal is not considered except for that resulting from the TM orientation and shape. This is achieved using finite-element models of uniform ear canals terminated by both lumped-element and finite-element middle-ear models. In addition, the effects on stimulation and reverse-transmission quantities are investigated, including the physical significance of quantities seeking to approximate the sound pressure at the TM. The results show a relatively small effect of the TM orientation on WAI quantities, except for a distinct delay above 10 kHz, further affecting some stimulation and reverse-transmission quantities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient audio sampling methods such as the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR) have become increasingly prominent in clinical and social sciences research. These methods record snippets of naturalistically assessed audio from participants' daily lives, enabling novel observational research about the daily social interactions, identities, environments, behaviors, and speech of populations of interest. In practice, these scientific opportunities are equaled by methodological challenges: researchers' own cultural backgrounds and identities can easily and unknowingly permeate the collection, coding, analysis, and interpretation of social data from daily life. Ambient audio sampling poses unique and significant challenges to cultural humility, diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) in scientific research that require systematized attention. Motivated by this observation, an international consortium of 21 researchers who have used ambient audio sampling methodologies created a workgroup with the aim of improving upon existing published guidelines. We pooled formally and informally documented challenges pertaining to DEI in ambient audio sampling from our collective experience on 40+ studies (most of which used the EAR app) in clinical and healthy populations ranging from children to older adults. This article presents our resultant recommendations and argues for the incorporation of community-engaged research methods in observational ambulatory assessment designs looking forward. We provide concrete recommendations across each stage typical of an ambient audio sampling study (recruiting and enrolling participants, developing coding systems, training coders, handling multi-linguistic participants, data analysis and interpretation, and dissemination of results) as well as guiding questions that can be used to adapt these recommendations to project-specific constraints and needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liguleless mutants produce defective ligules and auricles and, consequently, have more upright leaves than their ligulate counterparts, making them useful genetic material for plant architectural studies. Besides, owing to the recessive nature and amenability of the liguleless trait to phenotyping at the seedling stage, liguleless mutants are popularly used for 'proof‐of‐concept' demonstration and assessment of haploid induction rate (HIR) of haploid inducer lines (HILs) in maize. The commonly used liguleless testers in maize are of temperate origin and are challenging to use and maintain under tropical/sub‐tropical conditions. In the present study, liguleless lines (V 601, V 602, V 603 and V 604) derived from crosses between agronomically superior locally adapted tropical ligulate lines (V 407 and CM 152) and liguleless donors of temperate origin (PDH‐3 and PDH‐8) were evaluated for different agro‐morphological traits. Liguleless line V 602 was also used as a tester to assess the HIR of haploid inducer line EC937890 (CIM2GTAILP2). The results showed a mean HIR of 12.42% for EC937890, consistent with the HIR reported in other studies, thus demonstrating the efficacy of V 602 as a tester for determining HIR. The agronomically superior liguleless maize lines reported in this study will, therefore, be a valuable resource for leaf architectural studies, assessment of HIR of candidate HILs and maintenance of high HIR in the HILs presently in wide use in the doubled haploid (DH) programmes. Additionally, these genetic stocks carry the liguleless trait in genetic backgrounds with known heterotic affinity with early maturity Indian public maize germplasm and, therefore, can be used directly as parents in hybrid development programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Maize is a major crop in Italy and is constantly affected by the fungus Fusarium verticillioides , producing ear rot and grain contamination by fumonisins. Finding new genotypes resistant to Fusarium infection is an important goal for the improvement of maize cultivation. Aims: The objective of this work was to test a collection of 33 traditional landraces from the Emilia-Romagna (Italy) region for Fusarium ear rot (FER) severity, fumonisin content, and their agronomic performance. Methods: Primary ears were artificially inoculated with a toxigenic strain of F. verticillioides in a 2-year experimental trial. The landrace 'Nostrano di Storo' and a commercial hybrid of FAO maturity class 300 were also included and used as comparisons representing a well-known and highly valued landrace and a modern flint hybrid, respectively. Key results: The collection showed great phenotypic variability for all the agronomic traits assessed and responded differently to the Fusarium infection with percentages of FER ranging from 6.6% to 49.3%, and fumonisins from 4.3 mg/kg to 34.5 mg/kg. Thirteen and six landraces displayed FER percentages and fumonisin content very similar to the hybrid, respectively. Moreover, eight landraces exhibited grain yield values comparable to the hybrid. Interestingly, Va221, Va227 and EMR03 showed the best combination among these three traits. Conclusions: This local material can be considered suitable for breeding purposes targeting the development of FER and fumonisin resistant germplasm. Implications: The collection may represent a resource for future research aimed at evaluating the response to multiple pathogens and their associated mycotoxins. Finding new genotypes resistant to Fusarium infection represents an important goal for the improvement of maize cultivation. In this regard, a collection of maize landraces deriving from Emilia-Romagna (Italy) region was studied. These landraces represent starting resources crucial for broadening the genetic bases of maize and introducing new resistant alleles useful in breeding programs targeting multiple pathogens and their associated mycotoxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]