Perception of upper lip augmentation utilizing simulated photography

Background No head to head comparison is available between surgical lip lifting and upper lip filler injections to decide which technique yields the best results in patients. Despite the growing popularity of upper lip augmentation, its effect on societal perceptions of attractiveness, successfulness and overall health in woman is unknown. Methods Blinded casual observers viewed three versions of independent images of 15 unique patient lower faces for a total of 45 images. Observers rated the attractiveness, perceived success, and perceived overall health for each patient image. Facial perception questions were answered on a visual analog scale from 0 to 100, where higher scores corresponded to more positive responses. Results Two hundred and seventeen random observers with an average age of 47 years (standard deviation, 15.9) rated the images. The majority of observers were females (n=183, 84%) of white race (n=174, 80%) and had at least some college education (n=202, 93%). The marginal mean score for perceived attractiveness from the natural condition was 1.5 points (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9–2.18) higher than perceived attractiveness from the simulated upper lip filler injection condition, and 2.6 points higher (95% CI, 1.95–3.24) than the simulated upper lip lift condition. There was a moderate to strong correlation between the scores of the same observer. Conclusions Simulated upper lip augmentation is amenable to social perception analysis. Scores of the same observer for attractiveness, successfulness, and overall health are strongly correlated. Overall, the natural condition had the highest scores in all categories, followed by simulated upper lip filler, and lastly simulated upper lip lift

Mechanical overstimulation causes acute injury and synapse loss followed by fast recovery in lateral-line neuromasts of larval zebrafish

Excess noise damages sensory hair cells, resulting in loss of synaptic connections with auditory nerves and, in some cases, hair-cell death. The cellular mechanisms underlying mechanically induced hair-cell damage and subsequent repair are not completely understood. Hair cells in neuromasts of larval zebrafish are structurally and functionally comparable to mammalian hair cells but undergo robust regeneration following ototoxic damage. We therefore developed a model for mechanically induced hair-cell damage in this highly tractable system. Free swimming larvae exposed to strong water wave stimulus for 2 hr displayed mechanical injury to neuromasts, including afferent neurite retraction, damaged hair bundles, and reduced mechanotransduction. Synapse loss was observed in apparently intact exposed neuromasts, and this loss was exacerbated by inhibiting glutamate uptake. Mechanical damage also elicited an inflammatory response and macrophage recruitment. Remarkably, neuromast hair-cell morphology and mechanotransduction recovered within hours following exposure, suggesting severely damaged neuromasts undergo repair. Our results indicate functional changes and synapse loss in mechanically damaged lateral-line neuromasts that share key features of damage observed in noise-exposed mammalian ear. Yet, unlike the mammalian ear, mechanical damage to neuromasts is rapidly reversible

Vesicular glutamatergic transmission in noise-induced loss and repair of cochlear ribbon synapses

Noise-induced excitotoxicity is thought to depend on glutamate. However, the excitotoxic mechanisms are unknown, and the necessity of glutamate for synapse loss or regeneration is unclear. Despite absence of glutamatergic transmission from cochlear inner hair cells in mice lacking the vesicular glutamate transporter-3

Electrocochleography and cognition are important predictors of speech perception outcomes in noise for cochlear implant recipients

Although significant progress has been made in understanding outcomes following cochlear implantation, predicting performance remains a challenge. Duration of hearing loss, age at implantation, and electrode positioning within the cochlea together explain ~ 25% of the variability in speech-perception scores in quiet using the cochlear implant (CI). Electrocochleography (ECochG) responses, prior to implantation, account for 47% of the variance in the same speech-perception measures. No study to date has explored CI performance in noise, a more realistic measure of natural listening. This study aimed to (1) validate ECochG total response (ECochG-TR) as a predictor of performance in quiet and (2) evaluate whether ECochG-TR explained variability in noise performance. Thirty-five adult CI recipients were enrolled with outcomes assessed at 3-months post-implantation. The results confirm previous studies showing a strong correlation of ECochG-TR with speech-perception in quiet (r = 0.77). ECochG-TR independently explained 34% of the variability in noise performance. Multivariate modeling using ECochG-TR and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores explained 60% of the variability in speech-perception in noise. Thus, ECochG-TR, a measure of the cochlear substrate prior to implantation, is necessary but not sufficient for explaining performance in noise. Rather, a cognitive measure is also needed to improve prediction of noise performance

Is characteristic frequency limiting real-time electrocochleography during cochlear implantation?

Objectives: Electrocochleography (ECochG) recordings during cochlear implantation have shown promise in estimating the impact on residual hearing. The purpose of the study was (1) to determine whether a 250-Hz stimulus is superior to 500-Hz in detecting residual hearing decrement and if so; (2) to evaluate whether crossing the 500-Hz tonotopic, characteristic frequency (CF) place partly explains the problems experienced using 500-Hz. Design: Multifrequency ECochG comprising an alternating, interleaved acoustic complex of 250- and 500-Hz stimuli was used to elicit cochlear microphonics (CMs) during insertion. The largest ECochG drops (≥30% reduction in CM) were identified. After insertion, ECochG responses were measured using the individual electrodes along the array for both 250- and 500-Hz stimuli. Univariate regression was used to predict whether 250- or 500-Hz CM drops explained low-frequency pure tone average (LFPTA; 125-, 250-, and 500-Hz) shift at 1-month post-activation. Postoperative CT scans were performed to evaluate cochlear size and angular insertion depth. Results: For perimodiolar insertions ( Conclusion: Using 250-Hz stimulus for ECochG feedback during implantation is more predictive of hearing preservation than 500-Hz. This is due to the electrode passing the 500-Hz CF during insertion which may be misidentified as intracochlear trauma; this is particularly important in subjects with smaller cochlear diameters and deeper insertions. Multifrequency ECochG can be used to differentiate between trauma and advancement of the apical electrode beyond the CF

Measurement of Individual Factors Associated with Tinnitus Burden

Bothersome tinnitus is a disabling condition that affects more than 50 million Americans. Currently, there is a lack of strongly effective treatments for bothersome tinnitus. This is likely due at least in part to heterogeneity in the etiology and maintenance of the disorder. The current study will explore this heterogeneity by generating individualized symptom profiles of individuals with bothersome tinnitus. Individuals with bothersome tinnitus will complete Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), and this intensive longitudinal data will be used to derive individualized models using multilevel dynamic structural equation modeling (DSEM). We will then assess the relationships between these individualized models, resting-state functional connectivity, and treatment response to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Development and Preliminary Evaluation of the Tinnitus Severity Short Form

Purpose: Tinnitus, or the perception of sounds that occur without an external sound source, is a prevalent condition worldwide. For a subset of adults, tinnitus causes significant distress and impairment. Several patient-reported outcome measures have been developed to assess severity of tinnitus distress. However, at present, the field lacks a brief measure that is sensitive to treatment change. The purpose of the current study was to develop and preliminarily validate a brief questionnaire for tinnitus severity from two existing measures of tinnitus-related distress, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI). Method: Using data from nine study samples in the United States and United Kingdom, we conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to identify a short measure with good psychometric properties. We also assessed sensitivity to treatment-related change by examining associations with change in the TFI and THI. Finally, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis of the final short questionnaire in a new sample of adults seeking treatment for tinnitus-related distress. Results: We identified 10 items from the THI and TFI that exhibited limited loadings on secondary factors. The resulting Tinnitus Severity Short Form (TS-SF) achieved good to excellent fit, including in a unique sample of individuals seeking online treatment for tinnitus, and appeared sensitive to treatment-related change. Conclusions: The TS-SF developed in the current study may be a useful tool for the assessment of subjective severity and distress associated with tinnitus, especially when patient burden is a concern. Further research is necessary to fully validate the questionnaire for the assessment of treatment-related change

sj-docx-1-cpx-10.1177_21677026221129279 – Supplemental material for Investigating Individual Variation Using Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling: A Tutorial With Tinnitus

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-cpx-10.1177_21677026221129279 for Investigating Individual Variation Using Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling: A Tutorial With Tinnitus by Thomas L. Rodebaugh, Marilyn L. Piccirillo, Madelyn R. Frumkin, Dorina Kallogjeri, Katherine M. Gerull and Jay F. Piccirillo in Clinical Psychological Science</p