296 research outputs found
Nasal pathologies in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea
Nasal obstruction is a frequent condition in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Nasal obstruction leads to mouth breathing, which
is thought to destabilise the upper airway to aggravate the condition. Three conditions could be considered as the cause of the nasal breathing
obstruction: anatomical conditions of the nose (septum deviation, hypertrophy of the inferior turbinates), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and
chronic nasal inflammation caused by allergic rhinitis or non-allergic cellular rhinitis. In this prospective study, we present an evaluation of
all these possible rhino-sinusal aspects in OSA patients to correlate different nasal pathologies with nasal obstruction. Fifty patients with a
diagnosis of OSA were enrolled in the study. In 70% of OSA patients, nasal obstruction was confirmed by clinical evaluation and rhinomanometry testing. Normal rhino-sinus aspects were present in only 20% of OSAS patients, whereas one or more pathological rhino-sinus
conditions were present in the remaining 80%. The percentage of OSA patients with a diagnosis of allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis
was 18% and 26% respectively. Non-allergic rhinitis with neutrophils (NARNE) was the most frequent type of cellular rhinitis diagnosed
in OSA patients (20% of cases). The results of the present study support and extend the observation that rhinitis is present in OSA patients.
Mucosal inflammation caused by these conditions could be the cause of upper airway patency impairment inducing nasal mucosa swellin
Aspects of Common Eider Nesting Ecology in Labrador
The status, distribution, and nesting ecology of common eiders (Somateria mollissima) breeding in Labrador are not well known. This study is an initial effort to improve understanding of the nesting ecology of eiders on the Labrador coast, a zone of intergradation between the northern (S. m. borealis) and American (S. m. dresseri) subspecies of common eider. During 1998 and 1999, 187 islands were surveyed for nesting eiders at four sites (from north to south: Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, St. Peterâs Bay) along 750 km of the coast. Nest initiation dates (calculated by candling eggs) ranged over a four- to five-week period and were positively associated with latitude: the earliest mean initiation date (5 June) was in St. Peterâs Bay in the south and the latest (27 June) at Nain in the north. Mean clutch size ranged from 3.5 to 4.2 and varied by area and year; eiders nesting in Nain had the smallest clutches. In 1999, the highest nest density (49.8 nests/ha) was observed in Nain and the lowest (3.9 nests/ha) in Makkovik. In some cases, we used boat surveys to assess eider presence and absence and found it to be a reliable method; this search technique could be beneficial to researchers working in remote locations where operational costs are high.On connaĂźt mal le statut, la distribution et lâĂ©cologie de nidification de lâeider Ă duvet (Somateria mollissima) qui se reproduit au Labrador. Cette Ă©tude reprĂ©sente un premier pas vers une meilleure comprĂ©hension de lâĂ©cologie de nidification de lâeider sur la cĂŽte du Labrador, une zone de chevauchement entre la sous-espĂšce du nord (S. m. borealis) et celle amĂ©ricaine (S. m. dresseri) de lâeider Ă duvet. Durant 1998 et 1999, on a cherchĂ© des eiders nicheurs dans 187 Ăźlots Ă quatre endroits (du nord au sud: Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, baie de St. Peterâs) rĂ©partis sur 750 km de rivage. Les dates du dĂ©but de la couvaison (calculĂ©es en mirant les oeufs) sâĂ©talaient sur une pĂ©riode de quatre Ă cinq semaines et Ă©taient associĂ©es positivement Ă la latitude: câest dans la baie de St. Peterâs dans le sud quâon a observĂ© la date moyenne du dĂ©but de la couvaison la plus prĂ©coce (5 juin), et Ă Nain dans le nord, la plus tardive (27 juin). La taille moyenne de la couvĂ©e allait de 3,5 Ă 4,2 et variait selon lâendroit et lâannĂ©e; les eiders qui nichaient Ă Nain avaient les plus petites couvĂ©es. En 1999, la plus forte densitĂ© de nids (49,8 nids/ha) a Ă©tĂ© observĂ©e Ă Nain et la plus faible (3,9 nids/ha), Ă Makkovik. Dans certains cas, on a utilisĂ© des relevĂ©s effectuĂ©s Ă partir dâembarcations pour Ă©tablir la prĂ©sence et lâabsence dâeiders, mĂ©thode qui sâest avĂ©rĂ©e fiable; cette technique de recherche pourrait ĂȘtre bĂ©nĂ©fique aux chercheurs travaillant dans des lieux Ă©loignĂ©s oĂč les coĂ»ts dâopĂ©ration sont Ă©levĂ©s
Management of idiopathic epistaxis in adults: what's new? [Il trattamento dellâepistassi idiopatica nellâadulto: cosa câĂš di nuovo?]
Lâepistassi Ăš uno dei disturbi piĂč comuni per il quale il paziente si rivolge spesso al pronto soccorso. Questa revisione della letteratura sipropone di valutare sistematicamente e criticamente gli studi scientifici riguardo il trattamento dellâepistassi idiopatica al fine di ottenere utili spunti per la pratica clinica. La ricerca Ăš stata eseguita nei database elettronici: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane e Central. I criteri di inclusione sono stati: studi clinici controllati retrospettivi o prospettici o randomizzati o studi su modelli animali che includevano i risultati nella gestione dellâepistassi idiopatica. Sono stati individuati 23 articoli che soddisfano i criteri di inclusione. Il tamponamento nasale rappresenta ancora lâapproccio di prima linea allâepistassi, anche se Ăš evidente dalla letteratura che sia il meno efficace ma il piĂč associato a ricoveri ospedalieri di maggior durata rispetto alla chirurgia endoscopica basata sullâelettrocoagulazione. In conclusione appare sempre piĂč evidente che la cauterizzazione dovrebbe essere lâapproccio di prima linea per lâalto tasso di costo-efficacia e il basso rischio di complicanze. Tuttavia, ulteriori ricerche urgenti sono necessarie per validare lâefficacia dei nuovi biomateriali nel trattamento dellâepistassi.Epistaxis is one of the most common complaints presenting to emergency departments. The aim of this study is to systematically review and critically evaluate the evidence relating to treatment of idiopathic epistaxis for guiding best practice. A comprehensive review of the English language literature was performed using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Central electronic databases. The inclusion criteria were: retrospective or prospective or randomised controlled clinical trials which included outcomes in the management of idiopathic epistaxis. Twentythree articles met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Nasal packing still represents the first-line approach to epistaxis, although, at present, it appears that there is clear evidence in the literature to suggest that it is less effective and associated with more admissions and longer hospital stays than endoscopic electrocoagulation-based management of epistaxis. In conclusion, cauterisation should be the first-line approach for its high cost-effectiveness rate and low risk of complications. Further research is urgently needed to assess the efficacy of new biomaterials
LiNbO3 integrated system for opto-microfluidic sensing
International audience; In this work, we realized and tested an integrated opto-microfluidics platform entirely made on lithium niobate (LiNbO3) crystals, able to detect the single droplet passage and estimate its size without the need of any imaging processing. It is based on the coupling of a self-aligned integrated optical stage, made of an array of optical waveguides, to a microfluidic circuit such as a T-junction or Cross-junction engraved in the same substrate. The platform presented high quality performances in terms of optical triggering, reproducibility and stability in time, allowing in real-time data analysis. The comparison with standard approaches using microscopes and fast camera imagining acquisition and relative post-processing, showed an increased capability better than 50%. The demonstrated feasibility of integration of these two stages will allow the realization of a Lab-On-a-Chip on a monolithic substrate of lithium niobate, exploiting its multiple applications for manipulation of droplets
Miniaturized data loggers and computer programming improve seabird risk and damage assessments for marine oil spills in Atlantic Canada
Obtaining useful information on marine birds that can aid in oil spill (and other hydrocarbon release) risk and damage assessments in offshore environments is challenging. Technological innovations in miniaturization have allowed archival data loggers to be deployed successfully on marine birds vulnerable to hydrocarbons on water. A number of species, including murres (both Common, Uria aalge, and Thick-billed, U. lomvia) have been tracked using geolocation
devices in eastern Canada, increasing our knowledge of the seasonality and colony-specific nature of their susceptibility to oil on water in offshore hydrocarbon production areas and major shipping lanes. Archival data tags are starting to resolve questions around behaviour of vulnerable seabirds at small spatial scales relevant to oil spill impact modelling, specifically to determine the duration and frequency at which birds fly at sea. Advances in data capture methods using voice activated software have eased the burden on seabird observers who are collecting
increasingly more detailed information on seabirds during ship-board and aerial transects. Computer programs that integrate seabird density and bird behaviour have been constructed, all with a goal of creating more credible seabird oil spill risk and damage assessments. In this paper, we discuss how each of these technological and computing innovations can help define critical inputs into seabird risk and damage assessments, and when combined, can provide a more realistic understanding of the impacts to seabirds from any hydrocarbon release
Palatal surgery in a transoral robotic setting (TORS): preliminary results of a retrospective comparison between uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty (ESP) and barbed repositioning pharyngoplasty (BRP)
Negli ultimi anni si Ăš diffusa lopinione che la chirurgia multilivello nel trattamento della sindrome delle apnee ostruttive garantisca risultati piĂ soddisfacenti. Lobiettivo del nostro lavoro Ăš quello di confrontare tre tecniche palatali associate alla TORS: luvulopalatofaringoplastica (UPPP), lexpansion sphincter pharyngoplasy (ESP) e la barbed repositioning pharingoplasty (BRP). Trenta pazienti, trattati con TORS, tonsillectomia e settoturbinoplastica e chirurgia palatale sono stati retrospettivamente studiati. I seguenti valori pre e post-operatori sono stati presi in considerazione: AHI, ESS, VAS per la valutazione del dolore, tempi operatori palatali, data di dimissione e complicanze (tipi ed incidenza). Sia la BRP che lESP hanno garantito dei valori postoperatorio di AHI inferiori rispetto allUPPP con un maggior tasso di successo chirurgico. Dallaltra parte non Ăš stato possibile dimostrare una superioritĂ della BRP sullESP. I tempi operatori piĂč lunghi sono stati registrati nel gruppo ESP mentre i piĂč brevi sono stati riscontrati nel gruppo BRP. Riassumendo, ESP e BRP sono risultate piĂč efficaci dellUPPP in un setting robotico multilivello. Inoltre, essendo una tecnica rapida, di facile apprendimento e dal basso tasso di complicanze, la BRP si presenta come una valida opzione chirurgica nel trattamento dellOSAS
Phenomenological theory of the 3 Kelvin phase in Sr2RuO4
We model the 3K-phase of Sr2RuO4 with Ru-metal inclusion as interface state
with locally enhanced transition temperatures. The resulting 3K-phase must have
a different pairing symmetry than the bulk phase of Sr2RuO4, because the
symmetry at the interface is lower than in the bulk. It is invariant under time
reversal and a second transition, in general, above the onset of bulk
superconductivity is expected where time reversal symmetry is broken. The
nucleation of the 3K-phase exhibits a ``capillary effect'' which can lead to
frustration phenomena for the superconducting states on different
Ru-inclusions. Furthermore, the phase structure of the pair wave function gives
rise to zero-energy quasiparticle states which would be visible in
quasiparticle tunneling spectra. Additional characteristic properties are
associated with the upper critical field Hc2. The 3K-phase has a weaker
anisotropy of Hc2 between the inplane and z-axis orientation than the bulk
superconducting phase. This is connected with the more isotropic nature
Ru-metal which yields a stronger orbital depairing effect for the inplane
magnetic field than in the strongly layered Sr$_2RuO4. An anomalous temperature
dependence for the z-axis critical field is found due to the coupling of the
magnetic field to the order parameter texture at the interface. Various other
experiments are discussed and new measurements are suggested.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
Trans-oral robotic surgery for the management of oropharyngeal carcinomas: A 9-year institutional experience
Trans-oral robotic surgery (TORS) has changed surgical management of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC). In this study we present surgical and oncologic outcomes of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, treated using TORS, with and without an adjuvant therapy. Sixty patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas treated with TORS between January 2008 and December 2017 have been retrospectively evaluated considering clinicopathologic features, disease characteristics, adjuvant treatments and oncological outcomes. TORS was performed for OPSCC to the base of tongue in 41.7%, tonsils in 46.7%, soft palate and posterior pharyngeal wall in 3.3% and 5%, respectively. Neck dissection was performed in 43.3% of patients. Management strategies included surgery alone in 30%, TORS and adjuvant radiotherapy in 33.3%, and TORS plus adjuvant chemotherapy in 36.7%. The 5-year overall survival of the total group was 77.6%, the 5-year disease-free survival rate was 85.2%, and the 5-year local recurrence-free survival rate was 90.6%. Finally, in selected patients TORS appears to yield similar oncologic outcomes and functional outcomes to traditional techniques and non-operative treatment with a possible benefit on long-term quality of life. The future offers exciting opportunities to combine TORS and radiotherapy in unique ways. However, further research is urgently needed to clarify the indications for adjuvant therapy following TORS resections
Transoral robotic surgery (TORS): a new tool for high risk tracheostomy decannulation
La decannulazione Ăš sempre stata considerata una procedura con un certo grado di rischio, specie nei pazienti con ridotti diametri delle via aeree, come nel caso della sindrome delle apnee ostruttive (OSA). Presentiamo 4 casi nei quali la chirurgia robotica transorale (TORS) ha permesso un appropriato management di pazienti tracheotomizzati da divers mesi. Gli obiettivi del nostro lavoro sono: 1. Dimostrare come il team otorinolaringoiatrico possa favorire il riconoscimento di pazienti ad alto rischio di decannulazione inefficace e 2. Evidenziare il ruolo nella TORS nel trattamento dellipertrofia della base della lingua, responsabile dellostruzione delle vie aeree superiori. Dalla nostra esperienza la TORS appare una tecnica efficace nella decannulazione di pazienti affetti da ipertrofia della base della lingua e da epiglottide flottante
Effects of confinement and surface enhancement on superconductivity
Within the Ginzburg-Landau approach a theoretical study is performed of the
effects of confinement on the transition to superconductivity for type-I and
type-II materials with surface enhancement. The superconducting order parameter
is characterized by a negative surface extrapolation length . This leads to
an increase of the critical field and to a surface critical
temperature in zero field, , which exceeds the bulk . When the
sample is {\em mesoscopic} of linear size the surface induces
superconductivity in the interior for .
In analogy with adsorbed fluids, superconductivity in thin films of type-I
materials is akin to {\em capillary condensation} and competes with the
interface delocalization or "wetting" transition. The finite-size scaling
properties of capillary condensation in superconductors are scrutinized in the
limit that the ratio of magnetic penetration depth to superconducting coherence
length, , goes to zero, using analytic
calculations. While standard finite-size scaling holds for the transition in
non-zero magnetic field , an anomalous critical-point shift is found for
H=0. The increase of for H=0 is calculated for mesoscopic films,
cylindrical wires, and spherical grains of type-I and type-II materials.
Surface curvature is shown to induce a significant increase of ,
characterized by a shift inversely proportional to the
radius .Comment: 37 pages, 5 figures, accepted for PR
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