Research priorities for faecal incontinence in adults: A James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership.

Aim: Faecal incontinence (FI) is common, yet clinical guidelines rely on low-quality evidence or expert opinion. A high proportion of research is focused on areas that may not be considered a priority by patients or clinicians. This project aimed to identify the top 10 research priorities for FI in adults in equal collaboration with patients, carers and healthcare professionals in a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership (PSP).

Outcomes of Virtually Assisted Personalized Tracheostomy Tubes for Congenital Airway Anomalies.

Objective(s): To measure clinical outcomes and respiratory trajectories after the placement of virtually assisted personalized tracheostomy tubes (vapTT) designed for patients with congenital airway anomalies (CAA).

Methods: Retrospective review was performed of vapTT candidates, which included patients with CAA experiencing recurrent respiratory failure due to ongoing TT obstruction despite exhaustion of commercially available TT. VapTT design used a previously reported protocol for virtual modeling from CT images correlated with endoscopy findings.

Feedback Enhances Training and Elicits Biometric Responses in Novel Flexible Nasolaryngoscopy Model.

Objectives: To demonstrate the feasibility and impact of auditory feedback in flexible fiberoptic nasolaryngoscopy (FNL) training with a novel model incorporating audio triggers based on known anatomical loci of negative patient feedback.

Methods: This proof-of-concept study used a CT-based 3D-printed and silicone-casted model of nares to mainstem bronchi to teach FNL during an otolaryngology simulation training. The spatially tracked laryngoscope tip triggered simulated responses (pain, gag, cough) when co-localized to specific anatomic landmarks: the nasal septum, epiglottis, and trachea.

Pediatric Postoperative Outcomes for Severe and Very Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

Objective: To determine if increasing obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) severity, as determined by preoperative polysomnography data, is an independent risk for respiratory complications and level of follow-up care after adenotonsillectomy or tonsillectomy.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients ≤21 years of age with severe OSAS (obstructive apnea-hypopnea index [OAHI] >10) undergoing adenotonsillectomy or tonsillectomy. Patients were categorized based on preoperative polysomnography data (PSG).

GP's role in supporting women with anal incontinence after childbirth injury: a qualitative study.

Background: Obstetric anal sphincter injury is the most common cause of anal incontinence for women, which often has profound impacts on women's lives. GPs offer a first line of contact for many women, but we know that very few women experiencing anal incontinence postnatally report discussing it with their GPs.

Aim: To identify key ways in which GPs can support women with anal incontinence caused by childbirth injuries.

Women's experiences of anal incontinence following vaginal birth: A qualitative study of missed opportunities in routine care contacts.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore experiences of women with anal incontinence following a childbirth injury, and to identify areas of missed opportunities within care they received.

Design: This is a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews.

Setting: Participants were recruited via five hospitals in the UK, and via social media adverts and communication from charity organisations.

Periostin modulates extracellular matrix behavior in tendons.

Periostin, originally named osteoblast-specific factor 2 (OSF-2) has been identified primarily in collagen rich, biomechanically active tissues where its role has been implicated in mechanisms to maintain the extracellular matrix (ECM), including collagen fibrillogenesis and crosslinking. It is well documented that periostin plays a role in wound healing and scar formation after injury, in part, by promoting cell proliferation, myofibroblast differentiation, and/or collagen fibrillogenesis. Given the significance of periostin in other scar forming models, we hypothesized that periostin will influence Achilles tendon healing by modulating ECM production.

Variable Branching Characteristics of Peripheral Taste Neurons Indicates Differential Convergence.

Taste neurons are functionally and molecularly diverse, but their morphologic diversity remains completely unexplored. Using sparse cell genetic labeling, we provide the first reconstructions of peripheral taste neurons. The branching characteristics across 96 taste neurons show surprising diversity in their complexities.

Cardiopulmonary Testing before Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy for Severe and Very Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

Objectives/hypothesis: Adenotonsillectomy is first-line treatment for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) when not otherwise contraindicated. There is concern severe OSAS increases risk of comorbid cardiopulmonary abnormalities, such as ventricular hypertrophy or pulmonary hypertension, which preoperative testing could detect. Our objective is to determine if there is a severity of pediatric OSAS where previously undetected cardiopulmonary comorbidities are likely.

Atorvastatin is associated with reduced cisplatin-induced hearing loss.

BACKGROUNDCisplatin is widely used to treat adult and pediatric cancers. It is the most ototoxic drug in clinical use, resulting in permanent hearing loss in approximately 50% of treated patients. There is a major need for therapies that prevent cisplatin-induced hearing loss.

The Effect of Language Barriers at Discharge on Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Outcomes and Healthcare Contact.

Objective: Effective delivery of discharge instructions and access to postoperative care play a critical role in outcomes after pediatric surgery. Previous studies in the pediatric emergency department suggest that caregivers with language barriers have less comprehension of discharge instructions despite use of interpretation services. However, the impact of language barriers during discharge on surgical outcomes in a pediatric surgical setting has not been studied.

Outcomes of Adenotonsillectomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Prader-Willi Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objectives: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) increases the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to obesity, hypotonia, and abnormal ventilatory responses. We evaluated post-adenotonsillectomy complications, polysomnography changes, and quality of life in children with OSA and PWS.

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Injectable biomaterials for delivery of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist: Toward improving its therapeutic effect.

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory cytokine that inhibits IL-1 activity and has been proposed to treat a wide variety of systemic and local inflammatory pathologies for multiple decades. However, the short half-life and high concentration required to inhibit IL-1 activity has limited its use in clinical applications. Many strategies have been developed with the goal of improving the therapeutic efficacy of IL-1Ra for a variety of pathologies, including fusing IL-1Ra to protein/peptide/polymer partners, releasing IL-1Ra from injectable polymer or mineral particles, and release of IL-1Ra from injectable coacervates and gels.

Extracellular Vesicle-Educated Macrophages Promote Early Achilles Tendon Healing.

Tendon healing follows a complex series of coordinated events, which ultimately produces a mechanically inferior tissue more scar-like than native tendon. More regenerative healing occurs when anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages play a more dominant role. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are able to polarize macrophages to an M2 immunophenotype via paracrine mechanisms.

Agricultural fungicides inadvertently influence the fitness of Colorado potato beetles, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, and their susceptibility to insecticides.

The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), is an agricultural pest of solanaceous crops which has developed insecticide resistance at an alarming rate. Up to this point, little consideration has been given to unintended, or inadvertent effects that non-insecticide xenobiotics may have on insecticide susceptibility in L. decemlineata.

Microparticles Locally Deliver Active Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist In Vivo.

Despite significant research in therapeutic protein delivery, localized and sustained delivery of active therapeutic proteins remains a challenge. Delivery is a particular challenge for therapeutic proteins with a short half-life. Herein, localized delivery of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) by mineral coated microparticles (MPs) is assessed in a healing rat medial collateral ligament (MCL).

Impacts of Interleukin-17 Neutralization on the Inflammatory Response in a Healing Ligament.

In this study, we sought to improve ligament healing by modulating the inflammatory response after acute injury through the neutralization of Interleukin-17 (IL-17), which we hypothesized would decrease inflammatory cell infiltration and cytokine production. Administration of an Interleukin-17 neutralizing antibody (IL-17 NA) immediately following a rat medial collateral ligament (MCL) transection resulted in alterations in inflammatory cell populations and cytokine expression within the healing ligament, but did not reduce inflammation. Specifically, treatment resulted in a decrease in M2 (anti-inflammatory) macrophages, an increase in T cells, and an increase in the levels of IL-2, IL-6, and IL-12 in the MCL 7 days post injury.

Brief Report: Robo1 Regulates the Migration of Human Subventricular Zone Neural Progenitor Cells During Development.

Human neural progenitor cell (NPC) migration within the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ganglionic eminence is an active process throughout early brain development. The migration of human NPCs from the SVZ to the olfactory bulb during fetal stages resembles what occurs in adult rodents. As the human brain develops during infancy, this migratory stream is drastically reduced in cell number and becomes barely evident in adults.

Immune modulation with primed mesenchymal stem cells delivered via biodegradable scaffold to repair an Achilles tendon segmental defect.

Tendon healing is a complex coordinated series of events resulting in protracted recovery, limited regeneration, and scar formation. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has shown promise as a new technology to enhance soft tissue and bone healing. A challenge with MSC therapy involves the ability to consistently control the inflammatory response and subsequent healing.