Category: Nevin Manimala

Int Tinnitus J. 2021 Mar 1;25(1):118-123. doi: 10.5935/0946-5448.20210021.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Auditory processing is the analysis of sounds’ attributions such as localization, lateralization, temporality, frequency, loudness, phase, auditory memory and auditory attention through primer and secondar central auditory paths. This study aims to show that music contributes on auditory processing by applying central auditory tests on two groups who are musicians and nonmusicians.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants in this study are aged between 20 and 40. The mean age of the musician participants is 24.40±3.811, when the mean age of non-musician participants is 26.07±4.525. Each group has 30 participants. All participants got examined for otorhinolaryngology and they were tested for pure tone audiometry and immitansmetric measurement. For musician participants, this study included people who have professional music career for at least 5 years and for non-musician participants, it has been included those who are capable of normal hearing. All participants tested for Frequency Patterns Test (FPT), Duration Patterns Test (DPT), Random Gap Detection Test (RGDT) and Staggered Spondaic Word Test (SSWT).

RESULTS: The results of the FPT, DPT, RGDT and SSWT tests applied to musician and non-musician participants indicate that there is a statistical significance on auditory processing between these two groups (p<0.05). It is founded that there is a considerable difference as a result of statistical significance between the tests from right to left and from left to right (p<0.05). In addition, it is founded that musician participants have much more comprehension ability in the tests from left to right than the tests from right to lefts.

CONCLUSION: This study indicates that people who are interested in music professionally have developed auditory processing skills and senses than people who does not show any professional interest in music.

PMID:34410090 | DOI:10.5935/0946-5448.20210021

Int Tinnitus J. 2021 Mar 1;25(1):94-99. doi: 10.5935/0946-5448.20210017.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Music is an aesthetic whole consisting of sounds combined according to a certain purpose, method and understanding. Therefore, it also interacts with emotions in listeners. Music sounds are in the range of approximately 20-8000 Hz. This frequency range is within the frequency spectrum of the human cochlea. The aim of this research is to evaluate the hearing thresholds of music teachers and to determine whether they cause tinnitus.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This research was conducted in Turgut Özal University Medical Faculty Hospital Audiology and Speech Disorders clinic. A total of 35 people (17 music teachers, 18 control groups) participated in the research. In this research, 17 music teachers (11 females, 6 males) aged 24-39, and 18 volunteers (12 females, 6 males) participated in the control group. After the otoscopic examination of all participants, pure tone audiometry (in the range of 125-16,000 Hz), immitansmetric examination and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE) tests were performed. Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) was used in the evaluation of tinnitus.

RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the music teachers and the control group in all pure tone hearing threshold averages of 125-16,000 Hz (p>0.05). The Uncomfortable Level (UCL) average of music teachers was 104.12 ± 3.83 dB for the right ear, 108.33 ± 3.83 dB for the control group, 107.78 ± 4.28 dB for the left ear, and 103.53 ± 4.28 for the control group. DPOAE results were found statistically significant at 3000 Hz only for the right and left ears (p=0.036; p=0.015, respectively). Also, for DPOAE test, the control group’s OAE values were higher than the music teachers. According to the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory in music teachers, 1st degree tinnitus has emerged.

CONCLUSION: According to the findings obtained, the low UCL value in music teachers compared to the control group suggests the tolerance problem. Continuous exposure to the sound was thought to create a noise effect on the cochlea, and as a result, tinnitus susceptibility appeared in music teaching.

PMID:34410086 | DOI:10.5935/0946-5448.20210017

Int Tinnitus J. 2021 Mar 1;25(1):34-38. doi: 10.5935/0946-5448.2021008.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Tinnitus- the perception of sound without external stimulation can also lead to disruption in the quality of life and has been over the years been benefitted by tinnitus masking. Hence this study to understand the effectiveness of tinnitus masking using the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Test.

OBJECTIVES: The intention of this experimental research design is to determine whether tinnitus masking as treatment for tinnitus makes a significant difference in auditory evoked brainstem responses before and after masking for understanding the effectiveness of the treatment objectively and possible quantification of benefit measurement through ABR.

DESIGN: 30 subjects with normal hearing and unilateral tinnitus were assessed using ABR before and after tinnitus masking. Data was collected and compared to evaluate pre-masking and post-masking values of Latency-Intensity function and Interpeak Latency differences. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, test of homogeneity of variances and Two-way ANOVA.

RESULTS: Both latency-intensity functions and interpeak latency differences showed significant differences before and after tinnitus masking with significance values of Two-way ANOVA as .001, (Calculated at p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS: Despite the patient’s subjective feedback, objective proof of the patient’s benefit is a necessity. Therefore, this study shows that ABR shows significant differences in patients treated with tinnitus masking. Further suggesting benefit quantification of tinnitus masking as a treatment to tinnitus suffering individuals and for further understanding the intricacies of changes in the central auditory pathway due to masking.

PMID:34410077 | DOI:10.5935/0946-5448.2021008

Int Tinnitus J. 2021 Mar 1;25(1):76-86. doi: 10.5935/0946-5448.20210015.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Prevalence of tinnitus range from 7.1% to 14.6% (National Center for Health Statistics, 2016), but the mechanisms responsible for the development of this abnormal sensory state remain poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the evidence for different etiologies and pathophysiology of tinnitus identified by clinical diagnostic tests in the adult population.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic literature review.

METHODS: Review of data base using PRISMA guidelines: Google Scholar, Medline, Springer Link, Pubmed. In addition, manual reference search of identified papers. Randomized controlled trials, case control study, prospective cohort studies, and retrospective reviews of consecutive patients in which clear data were reported with respect to etiology and pathophysiology of tinnitus.

RESULTS: Sixty seven articles met the inclusion criteria. The papers searched recent studies from 2004 to 2018 for different etiologies such as noise exposure, age, ototoxic drugs, hearing loss among patients with tinnitus. Multiple pathophysiology were identified, including inner ear pathology, auditory nerve synchronisation, central nervous system anomalies and limbic and autonomous nervous system problems. The group of papers evaluated tinnitus patients with specific diagnostic tests such as pure tone audiometry, Immitance audiometry, otoacoustic emission, Auditory brainstem response and diagnostic imaging of fMRI, MRI and PET study.

CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate a high level of heterogeneity between the studies for all the assessed areas. These results support the need for greater stratification of the tinnitus population and the importance of a standardized Puretone audiometry with extended high frequency, OAE, ABR and diagnostic imaging (fMRI, MRI & PET) method to make comparisons between studies possible. Diagnostic imaging is an important useful method for identification of intracranial pathology that can present with tinnitus as a primary symptom. Establishment of a direct causal link between tinnitus and these etiologies and pathophysiology remains elusive.

PMID:34410084 | DOI:10.5935/0946-5448.20210015

Quintessence Int. 2021 Aug 19;0(0):0. doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b1901343. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The opacity of the zirconia ceramic restoration may influence the degree of conversion (%DC) of dual-cured resin cements. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of conversion of resin luting agents photocured under different high translucency zirconia shades. The opacity of each ceramic shade was evaluated.

METHOD AND MATERIALS: The opacity percentage of Lava Frame and three Lava Plus High Translucency Zirconia ceramic shades (W1, A2, and B4) was determined. A spectrophotometer MiniScan was used to measure the opacity percentage of each specimen (0.7 mm thick) and then the opacity was calculated. Specimens from three different resin cements (Panavia F2.0, RelyX Unicem 2 Automix Self-Adhesive, and PermaFlo DC) were prepared with 100-µm thickness. The specimens were photocured according to the manufacturers’ instructions under a ceramic block (0.7 mm thick). Specimens photocured without the ceramic block were used as control. Fifteen groups (n = 3) were evaluated. Micro-ATR/FTIR (micro-attenuated total reflectance/Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy) spectrometry was used to evaluate the extent of polymerization of all specimens after 24 hours. The %DC was determined using experimentally polymerized versus maximally polymerized composite.

RESULTS: The opacity percentages (mean ± SD) of W1, Lava Frame, A2, and B4 ceramics were 72.41% ± 0.04%, 74.24% ± 0.09%, 77.63% ± 0.11%, and 78.17% ± 0.12%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in %DC among the different cements investigated (P = .003) and a statistical difference in %DC was also found among the different ceramic shades studied (P = .030). For the Lava Frame and A2 ceramic blocks, the resin cements tested presented the lowest %DC except for the RelyX Unicem resin cement.

CONCLUSIONS: The %DC of RelyX Unicem 2 cement under low zirconia opacities (W1 and Lava Frame) was greater compared to high zirconia opacities (A2 and B4). For the Panavia F2.0 cement, no effect on the %DC under different high translucency shades was observed. The highest %DC of PermaFlo cement was exhibited when the ceramic shade W1 was used.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dual-cured resin cements exhibited different degrees of conversion depending on the opacity of the zirconia restoration. However, different brands demonstrated higher or lower dependency of the light transmittance on their degree of conversion.

PMID:34410074 | DOI:10.3290/j.qi.b1901343

Int Tinnitus J. 2021 Mar 1;25(1):29-33. doi: 10.5935/0946-5448.2021007.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Covid-19 pandemic has caused a profound impact on the lives of people and has given rise to many mental health issues like anxiety and stress which eventually has given rise to bothersome tinnitus. In case of people having pre-existing tinnitus, the pandemic has raised the problem of tinnitus and the co-morbid issues related to tinnitus and severely affected the overall quality of life. Hence, we need to find a mean for home-based management of tinnitus and its associated problems.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the mechanism of mental health and to compare between the mindfulness-based tinnitus reduction and tinnitus retraining therapy on android-based application.

DESIGN: Comparative and Experimental design.

METHOD: The study was conducted on 60 participants and was divided into two groups. Detailed audiological assessment, tinnitus assessment and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Tinnitus Cognitions Questionnaire (TCQ) were administered. Group-I was provided with tinnitus retraining therapy and group-II was provided with mindfulness based tinnitus stress reduction. After the post therapy evaluation the data were compiled for statistical analysis in SPSS software 20.0. Results: It was found that there were significant difference between the pre and post therapy scores of TRT and MBTSR in both THI and TCQ (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: Home-based management of tinnitus during the COVID-19 pandemic using both TRT and MBTSR were highly successful and had similar results MBTSR was found to be more useful as it had better outcome in reducing the tinnitus related annoyance and shown better improvement in QOL examination.

PMID:34410076 | DOI:10.5935/0946-5448.2021007

Vestn Oftalmol. 2021;137(4):31-37. doi: 10.17116/oftalma202113704131.

ABSTRACT

Uveal melanoma is a malignant neoplasm with high metastatic potential; its pathogenesis is currently being studied. Chemokines play a key role not only in the inflammatory response, but also in enhancing angiogenesis, tumor invasiveness, increasing proliferative potential and metastasis.

PURPOSE: To study the role of chemokines of classes CXC and CC in blood serum and tear fluid of patients with uveal melanoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 118 people aged 53.7±12.2 years, among them 80 patients with uveal melanoma and 38 healthy donors. Group 1 included 32 patients with small tumors, group 2 (medium-sized tumors) – 26 patients; group 3 (large tumors) was comprised of 22 patients. Chemokines of classes CC (CCL2/MCP-1, CCL3/MIP-1α, CCL4/MIP-1β, CCL5/RANTES, CCL11/Eotaxin) and CXC (CXCL1/GRO-α, CXCL8/IL-8, CXCL10/IP-10, CXCL12/SDF-1α) were determined by multiplex analysis of the blood serum and tear fluid. Statistical processing: Student’s t-test, Fisher criteria, and Pierson’s chi-squared test (χ2), differences were considered significant at p<0.05.

RESULTS: Significantly increased level of chemokines with pro-inflammatory (CCL5/RANTES), proliferative (CXCL10/IP-10) and pro-angiogenic (CXCL12/SDF-1α) effects was found in the blood serum of patients with small-sized uveal melanoma in comparison with healthy donors. Concentration of all studied pro-inflammatory, proliferative, and pro-angiogenic chemokines in the lacrimal fluid was found to be significantly elevated in both the affected and the paired “healthy” eyes in all 3 groups of patients, with the maximum content seen in the large tumor group.

CONCLUSION: The obtained data indicates that early local and systemic immune imbalance can be observed in uveal melanoma, and detection of chemokines can serve as a good reason for developing targeted therapy for small uveal melanoma.

PMID:34410054 | DOI:10.17116/oftalma202113704131

Vestn Oftalmol. 2021;137(4):65-71. doi: 10.17116/oftalma202113704165.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To study the characteristics of venous circulation in the eyes with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) observed in examination of blood flow in the central retinal vein and superior orbital vein in patients with different forms, stages and state of the disease.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Color duplex scanning of the central retinal vein and superior orbital vein was performed using color Doppler imaging and pulsed Doppler sonography in 55 premature babies (55 eyes) with active ROP and 8 premature babies (8 eyes) with no signs of ROP. All babies included in the study were born at 25-32 weeks of gestation, their birth weight was 680-1760 g.

RESULTS: A characteristic feature of hemodynamic parameters in the central retinal vein at stages 1-3 of active ROP was a decrease in both the maximum and minimum blood flow velocities (V_max and V_min), indicating a serious disorder of ocular hemodynamics in this category of patients. An increase in V_max in the central retinal vein was recorded for patients with aggressive posterior ROP, which occurs in response to venous stasis that is common in this form of the disease. The performed statistical assessment of the prognostic significance of hemodynamic parameters of the central retinal vein in relation to the type of active ROP revealed a high information content of V_min, which is promising for early detection of unfavorable course of the disease helping to ensure timely treatment. The blood flow in the superior orbital vein showed distinctive absence of any correlations with the course of the disease, disallowing any immediate conclusions on the informativeness and predictive value of its parameters.

CONCLUSION: The revealed features of venous blood flow in patients with active ROP help expand the understanding of vascular changes in this pathology, and can also be applied in clinical practice to improve the accuracy of predicting the course of the disease.

PMID:34410059 | DOI:10.17116/oftalma202113704165

Quintessence Int. 2021 Aug 19;0(0). doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b1901329. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, in vivo, trueness and precision of two intraoral scanners, CEREC Omnicam (OMNI) and CEREC Primescan (PRIM), compared to a conventional impression serving as a master model.

METHOD AND MATERIALS: Impressions were performed for seven participants. For each participant, conventional polyvinylsiloxane impression and digital impressions using two intraoral scanners, OMNI (software 4.6; CEREC ORTHO Protocol) and PRIM (10 digital impressions per participant, per scanner), were made. Conventional impression was digitized with a laboratory scanner (INEOS X5), and used as reference model. .STL files were superimposed with software (Geomagic Control X) using the tools Initial Alignment and Best Fit Alignment, and trueness and precision were evaluated. Statistical evaluation was performed with Shapiro-Wilk and Mann-Whitney tests (P < .05).

RESULTS: Total mean trueness for the OMNI system was 56.45 ± 7.80 µm, and 47.29 ± 5.47 µm for the PRIM system. Regarding precision, values from the OMNI system were 42.47 ± 6.91 µm and from the PRIM system 21.86 ± 4.40 µm. PRIM presented better results for both trueness (P = .000) and precision (P = .000) when compared to OMNI.

CONCLUSIONS: PRIM provided a better combination of trueness and precision than its predecessor OMNI. However, both PRIM and OMNI performed acceptably when performing indirect restorations, according to the current acceptable thresholds, considering both trueness and precision.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Full-arch impressions with Primescan presented more precision and trueness than Omnicam; however, compared to previous reported values of conventional impressions, they still presented lower accuracy.

PMID:34410071 | DOI:10.3290/j.qi.b1901329

Dis Esophagus. 2021 Aug 19:doab058. doi: 10.1093/dote/doab058. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We examined demographic and lifestyle risk factors for incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett’s esophagus (BE) in an Australian cohort of 20,975 participants aged 40-63 at recruitment (1990-1994). Information on GERD and BE was collected between 2007 and 2010. GERD symptoms were defined as self-reported heartburn or acid regurgitation. BE was defined as endoscopically confirmed columnar-lined esophagus. Risk factors for developing GERD symptoms, BE diagnosis, age at symptom onset, and age at BE diagnosis were quantified using regression. During a mean follow-up of 15.8 years, risk of GERD symptoms was 7.5% (n = 1,318) for daily, 7.5% (n = 1,333) for 2-6 days/week, and 4.3% (n = 751) for 1 day/week. There were 210 (1.0%) endoscopically diagnosed BE cases, of whom 141 had histologically confirmed esophageal intestinal metaplasia. Female sex, younger age, lower socioeconomic position (SEP) and educational attainment, and former smoking were associated with higher GERD risk. Male sex and smoking were associated with earlier GERD symptom onset. Men, older participants, those with higher SEP, and former smokers were at higher BE risk. There was some evidence higher SEP was associated with earlier BE diagnosis. GERD and BE had different demographic risk factors but shared similar lifestyle factors. Earlier GERD symptom onset for men and smokers might have contributed to higher BE risk. The SEP patterns observed for GERD and BE suggest potential inequity in access to care. These findings would be important in the development of clinical risk prediction models for early detection of BE.

PMID:34409990 | DOI:10.1093/dote/doab058