Search

The odor recognition thresholds in T&T olfactometry are measured by either the examiner's judgment of the patients' odor expression for each standard odor or by the patient's choice of the correct response from an olfactory term table. This study aimed to clarify the correct odor expressions and use of the olfactory term table. A questionnaire was administered to otolaryngologists or medical staff in charge of testing at facilities where T&T olfactometry is performed. The questionnaire consisted of the facility's background, environment and procedures of T&T olfactometry, choice of the correct answer with five different standard odors, and use of the olfactory term table. For the choices, the expressions used were those considered correct at Nippon Medical School Tama Nagayama Hospital and the Kyoto Nose and Allergy Clinic. A total of 81 valid responses were obtained. Most respondents belonged to medical and educational institutions (59.3%, 48/81). The laboratories in the respondents' institutions were completely ventilated using various methods. Clinical laboratory technicians inspected 51.7% (45/81) of the facilities. The order of standard odors in the odor recognition threshold test differs depending on the facility. When the examiner was unsure about the answer given by the patient in the odor recognition threshold test, 16.1% (9/56) of the respondents chose "present the olfactory term table," 33.9% (19/56) chose "increase the concentration," and 37.5% (21/56) chose "present the olfactory term table" or "increase the concentration," depending on the situation. A total of 96.4% (54/56) of the facilities treated odor expressions other than those in the olfactory term table as correct, and the odor expressions that were considered correct differed from facility to facility. Of the respondents, 80.2% (65/81) answered "I know the olfactory term table," and the mean value of satisfaction with the current olfactory term table was 4.4 ± 3.0. Of the respondents, 81.5% (53/65) answered that "the timing of presenting the olfactory term table should be standardized in all facilities." In the odor recognition threshold test by T&T olfactometry, this study revealed that the odor expressions considered as correct answers for the standard odors and the use of the olfactory term table differed among facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The status of dupilumab self-injection at home is not well understood. We therefore aimed to identify the barriers to adherence to dupilumab self-injection. Patients and Methods: This non-interventional open-label study was conducted between March 2021 and July 2021. Patients with atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps receiving dupilumab, from 15 sites, were requested to complete a self-administered questionnaire regarding the frequency and effectiveness of dosing as well as their use and satisfaction with dupilumab. Barriers to adherence were assessed using the Adherence Starts with Knowledge-12. Results: We included 331 patients who used dupilumab for atopic dermatitis (n = 164), chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (n = 102), and bronchial asthma (n = 65). The median efficacy of dupilumab scored 9.3 on the visual analog scale. Overall, 85.5% of the patients self-injected dupilumab, and 70.7% perfectly complied with the established injection dates. The pre-filled pen was significantly superior to the conventional syringe in terms of usability, operability, ease of pushing the plunger, and patient satisfaction. However, the pre-filled pen caused more pain during self-injection than did the syringe. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that adherence decreased with longer dupilumab treatment duration (p = 0.017) and was not associated with age, sex, underlying disease, or device type. There was a difference in responses related to "inconvenience/forgetfulness" between the good and poor adherence groups. Conclusion: The pre-filled dupilumab pen was superior to the syringe in terms of usability, operability, ease of pushing the plunger, and satisfaction. Repetitive instructions are recommended for preventing poor adherence to dupilumab self-injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for the electrode reaction in next-generation battery with ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte, which has both high stability under vacuum and an antistatic nature, is applied to the binder-free high capacity Si anode to observe the morphology change of the Si nanoparticle aggregate active material at different potentials during charge-discharge processes. In the IL electrolyte, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(fluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([C 2 mim][FSA]) with 1.0 M lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (Li[TFSA]), the morphology greatly varied at the plateau observed at 0.200 to 0.070 V (vs. Li(I)/Li) in the charge-discharge curve during the first cycle, suggesting that phase transition of a-Si to c-Li 13 Si 4 is a potential problematic process. After the first cycle, the lithiation process initiated at more positive potential. Similar behavior was also recognized in the Li[TFSA]‒tetraglyme solvate IL electrolyte in a 1:1 molar ratio ([Li(G4)][TFSA]). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a short-time and ultrasensitive electrochemical approach capable of detecting subtle phase changes during the charge-discharge process is introduced. It is attained through the use of a Si microparticle electrode specially prepared using the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. The features of the electrode are that it is binder-free and the active material is sparsely deposited onto the electrode. Despite the scan rate being 5 to 60 times faster than the usual scan rates, the cyclic voltammograms recorded at the binder-free Si microparticle electrode in the 83.3–16.7 mol% 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide−lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide ionic liquid electrolyte indicate several redox waves related to the lithiation reactions with phase transition, although it is difficult to see similar waves when using common Si composite electrodes. Co-deposition of both a Si active material and acetylene black onto the current collector using the EPD method significantly improves the sensitivity and performance of the electrode. Applying this electrode to operando scanning electron microscopy visually enables a deeper understanding of the impact of the morphology variation of the Si materials on the electrode performance within a short time. Image 1 • A short-time electroanalytical approach for Si particle is achieved. • Measuring time and sensitivity is comparable to the single-particle measurement. • Electrode design is a key to attain the short-time and ultrasensitive analysis. • Applicability to operando SEM observation of battery reaction. • This technique would be applied to all types of electrode active materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]