Surgical Management of Choanal Atresia: Two Classic Cases and Review of the Literature

Choanal atresia is a rare congenital airway malformation that presents a unique surgical challenge for pediatric otolaryngologists. Here we report two classic cases of choanal atresia and examine the surgical approaches to this entity. The first case was a four-day-old female with a history of CHARGE syndrome and bilateral mixed membranous and bony choanal atresia confirmed by a CT scan. After undergoing transnasal endoscopic repair, choanal stents were placed for four weeks, and the patient was seen three months postoperatively and found to be doing well with no respiratory concerns. The second case involved a healthy three-year-old female presenting with unilateral combined membranous and bony atresia. Following successful endoscopic repair, she was seen at a three-month follow-up with no signs of restenosis. Additionally, a literature review was performed to evaluate updates since the 2012 Cochrane Review on surgical treatment of congenital choanal atresia

Electric relaxation and Mn3+/Mn4+ charge transfer in Fe-doped Bi12MnO20-BiMn2O5 structural self-composite

Fe-doped Bi12MnO20–BiMn2O5 ceramics was sintered at 1130 K for 6 h in ambient air. Two centro-symmetric phases formed thermodynamically stable self-composite material that was deduced from X-ray pattern analysis. The lattice parameters were a = 10.147(8) Å—for the cubic I23 Bi12MnO20 phase; and a = 7.545(4) Å, b = 8.538(1) Å, c = 5.758(3) Å—for the orthorhombic Pbam BiMn2O5 phase. The 57Fe Mössbauer spectrum, recorded at room temperature, has shown pure electronic quadrupolar split. The major doublets reflected the occurrence of Fe3+ ions distributed in two sites, i.e., octahedral Fe4+O6 and square pyramidal Fe3+O5, with preferential occupation of the pyramidal sites, that was consistent with the Pbam phase symmetry. The third doublet resulted from the presence of iron Fe3+ in tetrahedral Fe3+O4 coordination and corresponded to a small admixture of the I23 phase. The DC resistivity ρDC(T) dependence on temperature has shown thermally activated features, and the value of Ea,DC varied in the range of 0.22–0.37 eV. The electric impedance was measured in the f = 20 Hz–1 MHz and 100–690 K range. Two electrical relaxations were determined using the electric modulus formalism M″(T). Low-temperature relaxation has shown the temperature-dependent activation energy EA,1 = 0.14–0.20 eV and characteristic time values of τ01 = 10−10–10−12 s in 100–200 K range. It was attributed to the charge transfer between Mn4+/Mn3+ sites. The other relaxation occurred in the 170–220 K range, and it exhibited the following values: τ02 = 10−11 s, and EA,2 = 0.27 eV. A disorder-related VRH polaron model was proposed for ρDC(T) and for electric relaxation processes

FUT2 Variants Confer Susceptibility to Familial Otitis Media

Non-secretor status due to homozygosity for the common FUT2 variant c.461G>A (p.Trp154∗) is associated with either risk for autoimmune diseases or protection against viral diarrhea and HIV. We determined the role of FUT2 in otitis media susceptibility by obtaining DNA samples from 609 multi-ethnic families and simplex case subjects with otitis media. Exome and Sanger sequencing, linkage analysis, and Fisher exact and transmission disequilibrium tests (TDT) were performed. The common FUT2 c.604C>T (p.Arg202∗) variant co-segregates with otitis media in a Filipino pedigree (LOD = 4.0). Additionally, a rare variant, c.412C>T (p.Arg138Cys), is associated with recurrent/chronic otitis media in European-American children (p = 1.2 × 10−5) and US trios (TDT p = 0.01). The c.461G>A (p.Trp154∗) variant was also over-transmitted in US trios (TDT p = 0.01) and was associated with shifts in middle ear microbiota composition (PERMANOVA p 20 were combined, FUT2 variants were over-transmitted in trios (TDT p = 0.001). Fut2 is transiently upregulated in mouse middle ear after inoculation with non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae. Four FUT2 variants—namely p.Ala104Val, p.Arg138Cys, p.Trp154∗, and p.Arg202∗—reduced A antigen in mutant-transfected COS-7 cells, while the nonsense variants also reduced FUT2 protein levels. Common and rare FUT2 variants confer susceptibility to otitis media, likely by modifying the middle ear microbiome through regulation of A antigen levels in epithelial cells. Our families demonstrate marked intra-familial genetic heterogeneity, suggesting that multiple combinations of common and rare variants plus environmental factors influence the individual otitis media phenotype as a complex trait

The functional evaluation of temperature sensors installed in teat cups in laboratory canditions. Part 2

Celem pracy jest ocena poprawności działania termistorów TT4-5KC3-25-3500-UPP firmy Tewa Temperature Sensors Sp. z o.o. w Lublinie zamontowanych w kubkach udojowych. Przeprowadzone badania laboratoryjne wykazały, że stosowanie podciśnienia na stanowisku pomiarowym nie wpływa na maksymalne wartości rejestrowanych temperatur, co pozwala na uproszczenie procedury badań czujników temperatury w warunkach laboratoryjnych.The aim of the work has been to evaluate the operational correctness of thermistors type TT4-5KC3-25-3500-UPP of Tewa Temperature Sensors Company Ltd. in Lublin. The thermistors have been installed in teat cups. The laboratory research has proved that vacuum used in measuring stand does not influence the maximum values of temperatures being registered, which allows to simplify the procedures for temperature sensors testing in laboratory conditions

Le modele FOCON d'évaluation de l'impact dosimétrique des rejets radioactifs atmosphériques des installations nucléaires en fonctionnement normal

Dans le cadre de l'instruction des demandes d'autorisation de rejet, ainsi que pour l'étude de l'impact dosimétrique sur le public des rejets d'effluents atmosphériques radioactifs en fonctionnement normal des installations nucléaires, l'Institut de protection et de sûreté nucléaire a développé le logiciel FOCON96. FOCON96 calcule la dispersion des gaz et des aérosols dans l'environnement (contamination de l'air et dépôt au sol), leur transfert dans la biosphère (sols, végétaux et animaux) et leur impact sur l'homme (doses individuelles efficaces et aux organes, exposition externe au panache et au dépôt, exposition interne par inhalation et ingestion). Doté d'une interface homme-machine ergonomique et conviviale, FOCON96 propose de nombreuses fonctionnalités (modularité, valeurs par défaut, choix de bibliothèques, accès à tous les paramètres des modèles, imposition de résultats, gestion de dossiers de calcul, calculs effectués en ligne, etc.). Dans le contexte européen, une intercomparaison avec le logiciel PC-CREAM, développé par le National Radiological Protection Board, a mis en évidence la cohérence des résultats des deux logiciels. Une même démarche comparative en ce qui concerne l'interface homme-machine et les fonctionnalités a mis en évidence une plus grande simplicité d'utilisation de FOCON96. à ce jour, FOCON96 n'est pas adapté pour effectuer une reconstitution des doses reçues une année donnée consécutivement à un fonctionnement de longue durée dune installation. Une évolution du logiciel sera envisagée si ce type de calcul est amené à se généraliser