Dye-Doped Polymeric Microplastics: Light Tools for Bioimaging in Test Organisms

Ecosystems around the world are experiencing a major environmental impact from microplastic particles (MPs 0.1 & mu;m-1 mm). Water, sediments, and aquatic biota show the widespread presence of this pollutant. However, MPs are rarely used in laboratory studies as they are scarcely available for purchase or expensive, especially if one wishes to trace the particle with a dye or fluorescent. Furthermore, existing preparation techniques have limited application in biological studies. In this work, we propose a new, easy, and cheap way to prepare fluorescent MPs. The protocol is based on the osmosis method in order to obtain spherical polymeric particles of P(S-co-MMA), with 0.7-9 micron diameter, made fluorescent because dye-doped with rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RITC) or fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). The dye loading was studied and optimized, and the MPs-dye conjugates were characterized by UV-vis FTIR and XPS spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, preliminary tests on aquatic organisms demonstrated the possible use of these fluorescent MPs in bioimaging studies, showing their absorption/adsorption by duckweeds (Lemna minuta) and insect larvae (Cataclysta lemnata)

Application of Patients Reported Outcome measures in Cochlear Implant patients: implications for the design of specific rehabilitation programs

Introduction: Cochlear implants (CI) had been developed to enable a satisfying verbal communication, music experiences have remained in the background of research and development and consequently many CI users are dissatisfied by the music they listen to. Nonetheless, concise indications for clinicians to test music abilities and prescribe rehabilitation programs are still lacking. The main aim of the present study was to test the utility of the application of two different Patient Reporting Outcomes (PRO) measures in a group of CI users. A secondary objective was to identify items capable of driving the indication and design specific music rehabilitation programs for CI patients. Material and Methods: A consecutive series of 73 CI patients referred to the Audiology Unit - University of Padova - was enrolled from November 2021 to May 2022 and evaluated with audiological battery test and PRO measures: Musica e Qualità della Vita (MUSQUAV) and Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ) Italian version. Results: The Reliability analysis showed good consistency between the different PRO measures, (Cronbach alpha = 0.873). After accounting for epidemiological and clinical variables, PRO measures showed a correlation with audiological outcomes in only one case (rho=-0.170 for NCIQ-T with CI-Pure Tone Average. A willingness for musical rehabilitation was present in 63% of patients, (Rehab Factor, mean value of 0.791±0.675). Conclusions: we support the role of the application of MUSQUAV and NCIQ to improve the clinical and audiological evaluation of CI patients. Moreover, we proposed a derivative item, called Rehab Factor, which could be used in clinical practice and future studies to clarify the indication and priority of specific music rehabilitation programs

Sensitivity of the Video Head Impulse Test and the computerized VNG in the diagnosis of acoustic neuroma.

openObiettivi. Obiettivo dello studio è stato il calcolo della sensibilità nei test del video head impulse test e nella VNG computerizzata nei pazienti con diagnosi di neurinoma dell'acustico, valutati in fase pre-operatoria. Presentazione dei risultati. Sono stati studiati 23 neurinomi, per un totale di 21 pazienti di cui 2 con un tumore bilaterale. Nella videonistagmografia computerizzata: La sensibilità della paresi canalare alle prove caloriche è di 65%. Mentre la paresi canalare in associazione con lo scompenso è di 91%. Nel video head impulse test: La sensibilità del guadagno del CSL è di 48%. Mentre ammonta a 74% considerando il guadagno del CSL e le saccadi. La sensibilità del canale semicircolare anteriore è appena di 43%, con un lieve incremento del 48% con presenza delle saccadi. Inoltre la sensibilità del guadagno del canale semicircolare posteriore è di 57%, mentre, se considerato il guadagno in associazione con le saccadi, il valore si attesta a 78%. In aggiunta, la sensibilità del guadagno del canale semicircolare laterale ed anteriore è di 70%, dove, se considerate le saccadi, la percentuale sale al valore di 83%. Infine, la sensibilità del guadagno del guadagno dei tre canali semicircolari è di 83%, che raggiunge il 100% di sensibilità, qualora in associazione alle saccadi tricanalari. Sono risultati come statisticamente significativi il rapporto tra caloriche e guadagno del CSL, il rapporto tra dimensioni del tumore e caloriche, il rapporto tra dimensioni del tumore e guadagno del CSP, mentre non statisticamente significativo il rapporto tra dimensioni del tumore e guadagno del CSL. Conclusioni. I risultati emersi dal nostro studio indicano che le indagini otoneurologiche nel neurinoma dell'acustico hanno un'altissima sensibilità nella videonistagmografia computerizzata e nel video head impulse test, dove tale sensibilità raggiunge quella della risonanza magnetica nucleare. Inoltre risulta esserci una correlazione tra le dimensioni del tumore e le alterazioni otoneurologiche. Lo studio al video head impulse test in riferimento al canale semicircolare posteriore apporta un grande contributo diagnostico. In conclusione, lo studio del bilancio vestibolare va eseguito in ogni paziente con sospetto o con confermata diagnosi del neurinoma dell'acustico, data l'elevata sensibilità diagnostica

Application of Patient Reported Outcome Measures in Cochlear Implant Patients: Implications for the Design of Specific Rehabilitation Programs

Introduction: Cochlear implants (CI) have been developed to enable satisfying verbal communication, while music perception has remained in the background in both the research and technological development, thus making CI users dissatisfied by the experience of listening to music. Indications for clinicians to test and train music abilities are at a preliminary stage compared to the existing and well-established hearing and speech rehabilitation programs. The main aim of the present study was to test the utility of the application of two different patient reporting outcome (PRO) measures in a group of CI users. A secondary objective was to identify items capable of driving the indication and design specific music rehabilitation programs for CI patients. Materials and Methods: A consecutive series of 73 CI patients referred to the Audiology Unit, University of Padova, was enrolled from November 2021 to May 2022 and evaluated with the audiological battery test and PRO measures: Musica e Qualità della Vita (MUSQUAV) and Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ) Italian version. Results: The reliability analysis showed good consistency between the different PRO measures (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.873). After accounting for the epidemiological and clinical variables, the PRO measures showed a correlation with audiological outcomes in only one case (rho = −0.304; adj. p = 0.039) for NCIQ-T with the CI-pure tone average. A willingness for musical rehabilitation was present in 63% of patients (Rehab Factor, mean value of 0.791 ± 0.675). Conclusions: We support the role of the application of MUSQUAV and NCIQ to improve the clinical and audiological evaluation of CI patients. Moreover, we proposed a derivative item, called the rehab factor, which could be used in clinical practice and future studies to clarify the indication and priority of specific music rehabilitation programs