Preliminary study on cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials tuning changes in acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss.

Background: Acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL) is frequently associated with endolymphatic hydrops. Cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) have been used to detect saccular hydrops, especially in Meniere's disease, but their role in ALHL is unclear.

Objective: To preliminarily investigate whether cVEMP tuning frequency shifts are associated with hearing outcomes in patients with ALHL.

Shh agonist enhances maturation in homotypic Lgr5-positive inner ear organoids.

The regeneration of functional hair cells (HCs) remains a critical challenge in addressing sensorineural hearing loss. This study aimed to investigate the molecular and functional mechanisms driving stereocilia maturation within inner ear organoids (IEO) derived from homogenic Lgr5-positive progenitor cells (LPCs) and to compare outcomes with traditional heterotypic cultures. Mouse cochlear LPCs were isolated via magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) to establish homotypic cultures, ensuring purity and eliminating the heterotypic influences present in traditional manual isolation (MI) methods.

Development of NIR photocleavable nanoparticles with BDNF for vestibular neuron regeneration.

Among nanoparticle platforms, light or photoresponsive nanoparticles have emerged as a promising drug delivery strategy with spatiotemporal control while minimizing off-target effects. The characteristic absorption spectrum of the photoresponsive moiety dictates the wavelength of light needed to activate bond cleavage. However, the low tissue penetration depth limit and short-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) cellular toxicity are considered disadvantageous.

Non-Inferiority Analysis of Electrocardiography Analysis Application vs. Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Screening Left Ventricular Dysfunction.

Purpose: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is widely used for heart function evaluation in emergency departments (EDs), but requires specific equipment and skilled operators. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of a mobile application for estimating left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction [left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40%] using electrocardiography (ECG) and tests its non-inferiority to POCUS.

Materials And Methods: Patients (aged ≥20 years) were included if they had both a POCUS-based EF evaluation and an ECG within 24 hours of their ED visit between January and May 2022, along with formal echocardiography within 2 weeks before or after the visit.

Evaluation of the Photobiomodulation Treatment With the TINI Laser Device for Managing Chronic High-Frequency Tinnitus: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Introduction: To evaluate the efficacy of the TINI laser device, a photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, for managing chronic high-frequency tinnitus in patients with unilateral or bilateral tinnitus.

Methods: A randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted with 38 participants. Subjects were divided into three groups: The TINI 1 group received eight active laser treatments over 4 weeks, the TINI 2 group received four active treatments followed by four sham treatments, and the control group received only sham treatments.

Consensus Statement: Postoperative Management After Balloon Dilation of the Eustachian Tube.

Objectives: Balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube (BDET) is widely recognized as a minimally invasive treatment for obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). We employed a Delphi consensus methodology to develop recommendations for the clinical management of BDET in cases of obstructive ETD.

Methods: A Delphi panel consisting of 26 expert physicians specializing in otology participated in two rounds of anonymous, iterative questionnaires.

Photobiomodulation with near-infrared laser for tinnitus management: preliminary animal experiments and randomized clinical trials.

This study investigates the effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in treating chronic high-frequency tinnitus with the TINI device, a near-infrared (830 nm) laser. The study includes preliminary animal experiments with 28 mice and a randomized controlled trial with 56 participants to examine the functional and molecular changes in the auditory system that PBMT may cause. The animal model used sodium salicylate to induce tinnitus, followed by PBMT, which showed promising reductions in the behavioral evidence of tinnitus and a reversal of tinnitus-associated upregulation of vesicular glutamate transporters 2 expression in the ipsilateral dorsal cochlear nucleus (p < 0.

Tinnitus reduction after active bone-conduction implantation in patients with single-sided deafness: a prospective multicenter study.

Purpose: Single-sided deafness (SSD) presents significant challenges for patients, including compromised sound localization, reduced speech recognition, and often, tinnitus. These issues are typically addressed using interventions such as cochlear implantation (CI) and bone conduction implant (BCI). However, evidence regarding the efficacy of BCI in reducing tinnitus in SSD patients remains limited.

Voice reduction in cardiac auscultation sounds with reference signals measured from vocal resonators.

This study proposes the use of vocal resonators to enhance cardiac auscultation signals and evaluates their performance for voice-noise suppression. Data were collected using two electronic stethoscopes while each study subject was talking. One collected auscultation signal from the chest while the other collected voice signals from one of the three voice resonators (cheek, back of the neck, and shoulder).

Atypical Gradenigo's syndrome in a pediatric case: A critical review of neuroimaging.

Gradenigo's syndrome, a rare but serious complication of otitis media, encompasses a triad of symptoms including otalgia, facial palsy, and abducens nerve palsy, pointing to the involvement of the petrous apex. This case report presents an 11-year-old boy with an atypical manifestation of Gradenigo's syndrome, characterized by the absence of classic features such as abducens nerve palsy and purulent otorrhea. MRI findings were significant for petrous apicitis extending to Meckel's cave and the cavernous sinus, along with abscess formation and clivus osteomyelitis.

The Association Between Inter-Hospital Transfers and the Prognosis of Pediatric Injury in the Emergency Department.

Background: Inter-hospital transfers of severely injured patients are inevitable due to limited resources. We investigated the association between inter-hospital transfer and the prognosis of pediatric injury using the Korean multi-institutional injury registry.

Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted from January 2013 to December 2017; data for hospitalized subjects aged < 18 years were extracted from the Emergency Department-based Injury in Depth Surveillance database, in which 22 hospitals are participating as of 2022.

Ideal chest compression site for cardiopulmonary resuscitation in fontan circulation patients with dextrocardia.

Background: We aimed to identify the ideal chest compression site for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in patients with a single ventricle with dextrocardia corrected by Fontan surgery.

Methods: The most recent stored chest computed tomography images of all patients with a single ventricle who underwent Fontan surgery were retrospectively analysed. We reported that the ideal chest compression site is the largest part of the compressed single ventricle.

Unpowered scooter injuries in children and risk factors for traumatic brain injuries: An 8-year cross-sectional study using a national registry in South Korea.

Introduction: Head trauma accounts for a large proportion of unpowered scooter injuries in children. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of considerable mortality and morbidity in children, who are the main users of unpowered scooters. The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics of unpowered scooter injuries in children and to identify predictors of the occurrence of TBI.

Factors contributing to uncertainty in paediatric abdominal ultrasound reports in the paediatric emergency department.

Background: Abdominal pain, which is a common cause of children presenting to the paediatric emergency department (PED), is often evaluated by ultrasonography (US). However, uncertainty in US reports may necessitate additional imaging.

Objective: In this study, we evaluated factors contributing to uncertainty in paediatric abdominal US reports in the PED.

Efficacy of the Bonebridge BCI602 for Adult Patients with Single-sided Deafness: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of a novel active transcutaneous bone conduction implant (BCI) device for patients with single-sided deafness (SSD).

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary referral hospitals.

Brain natriuretic peptide as a clinical screening tool for the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease.

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has been studied as a diagnostic screening tool for Kawasaki disease (KD). However, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been less studied while has less variability among age groups. We aimed to find out if BNP can be used as a diagnostic screening tool for KD in Korea.

Round-window delivery of lithium chloride regenerates cochlear synapses damaged by noise-induced excitotoxic trauma via inhibition of the NMDA receptor in the rat.

Noise exposure can destroy the synaptic connections between hair cells and auditory nerve fibers without damaging the hair cells, and this synaptic loss could contribute to difficult hearing in noisy environments. In this study, we investigated whether delivering lithium chloride to the round-window can regenerate synaptic loss of cochlea after acoustic overexposure. Our rat animal model of noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy caused about 50% loss of synapses in the cochlear basal region without damaging hair cells.

DEVELOPMENT OF SCORE SYSTEM BASED ON POINT-OF-CARE ULTRASOUND TO PREDICT VASOPRESSOR REQUIREMENT FOR EMERGENCY PATIENTS WITH CARDIOPULMONARY SYMPTOMS.

Objectives : Patients with cardiopulmonary symptoms admitted to the emergency department (ED) have high mortality and intensive care unit admission rates. We developed a new scoring system comprising concise triage information, point-of-care ultrasound, and lactate levels to predict vasopressor requirements. Methods : This retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary academic hospital.

Predictors of Caregiver Satisfaction With Pediatric Laceration Repair in the Pediatric Emergency Department.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to define the care factors that are important to caregivers' satisfaction with pediatric laceration repair and the overall emergency department (ED) experience.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional observation study performed in an urban tertiary hospital. The caregivers of patients younger than 18 years who presented to the ED for laceration repair completed a survey.

Effect of a Virtual Reality Environment Using a Domed Ceiling Screen on Procedural Pain During Intravenous Placement in Young Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Distraction using virtual reality (VR) has been found to provide a clinically significant reduction in the experience of pain during various painful procedures. Commercially available VR systems usually require the user to wear a head-mounted display helmet, which can be challenging for young children, and whether VR can reduce pain during intravenous (IV) placement in young children is currently unknown.

Objective: To determine whether a VR environment using a novel domed ceiling screen reduces distress among children over the course of IV placement compared with standard care in a pediatric emergency department.

Prediction the clinical EPR effect of nanoparticles in patient-derived xenograft models.

Many preclinically tested nanoparticles in existing animal models fail to be directly translated into clinical applications because of their poor resemblance to human cancer. Herein, the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect of glycol chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) in different tumor microenvironments (TMEs) was compared using different pancreatic tumor models, including pancreatic cancer cell line (BxPC3), patient-derived cancer cell (PDC), and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. CNPs were intravenously injected into different tumor models, and their accumulation efficiency was evaluated using non-invasive near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging.

Factors Associated with the Underuse of Sedatives and Neuromuscular Blocking Agents for Pediatric Emergency Endotracheal Intubation in Korea.

Purpose: Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) using sedatives and neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) is recommended for pediatric emergency endotracheal intubation (ETI), but is not frequently performed in Korea. This study aimed to verify factors associated with the underuse of RSI medications.

Materials And Methods: This multicenter retrospective study reviewed patients aged under 18 years who underwent an ETI within 24 hours of arrival at the emergency department between 2016 and 2019.

Impact of Intubator's Training Level on First-Pass Success of Endotracheal Intubation in Acute Care Settings: A Four-Center Retrospective Study.

(1) Background: First-pass success (FPS) of endotracheal intubation is more challenging in children than in adults. We aimed to identify factors associated with FPS of intubation in acute care settings. (2) Methods: We analyzed data of children aged <10 years who underwent intubation within ≤24 h of arrival at four Korean emergency departments (2016−2019).