How reliable is assessment of true vocal cord-arytenoid unit mobility in patients affected by laryngeal cancer? a multi-institutional study on 366 patients from the ARYFIX collaborative group.

PURPOSE: In clinical practice the assessment of the "vocal cord-arytenoid unit" (VCAU) mobility is crucial in the staging, prognosis, and choice of treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). The aim of the present study was to measure repeatability and reliability of clinical assessment of VCAU mobility and radiologic analysis of posterior laryngeal extension. METHODS: In this multi-institutional retrospective study, patients with LSCC-induced impairment of VCAU mobility who received curative treatment were included; pre-treatment endoscopy and contrast-enhanced imaging were collected and evaluated by raters. According to their evaluations, concordance, number of assigned categories, and inter- and intra-rater agreement were calculated. RESULTS: Twenty-two otorhinolaryngologists evaluated 366 videolaryngoscopies (total evaluations: 2170) and 6 radiologists evaluated 237 imaging studies (total evaluations: 477). The concordance of clinical rating was excellent in only 22.7% of cases. Overall, inter- and intra-rater agreement was weak. Supraglottic cancers and transoral endoscopy were associated with the lowest inter-observer reliability values. Radiologic inter-rater agreement was low and did not vary with imaging technique. Intra-rater reliability of radiologic evaluation was optimal. CONCLUSIONS: The current methods to assess VCAU mobility and posterior extension of LSCC are flawed by weak inter-observer agreement and reliability. Radiologic evaluation was characterized by very high intra-rater agreement, but weak inter-observer reliability. The relevance of VCAU mobility assessment in laryngeal oncology should be re-weighted. Patients affected by LSCC requiring imaging should be referred to dedicated radiologists with experience in head and neck oncology.

MiniBooNE and MicroBooNE Combined Fit to a 3+1 Sterile Neutrino Scenario.

This Letter presents the results from the MiniBooNE experiment within a full "3+1" scenario where one sterile neutrino is introduced to the three-active-neutrino picture. In addition to electron-neutrino appearance at short baselines, this scenario also allows for disappearance of the muon-neutrino and electron-neutrino fluxes in the Booster Neutrino Beam, which is shared by the MicroBooNE experiment. We present the 3+1 fit to the MiniBooNE electron-(anti)neutrino and muon-(anti)neutrino data alone and in combination with MicroBooNE electron-neutrino data. The best-fit parameters of the combined fit with the exclusive charged-current quasielastic analysis (inclusive analysis) are Δm^{2}=0.209 eV^{2}(0.033 eV^{2}), |U_{e4}|^{2}=0.016(0.500), |U_{µ4}|^{2}=0.500(0.500), and sin^{2}(2θ_{µe})=0.0316(1.0). Comparing the no-oscillation scenario to the 3+1 model, the data prefer the 3+1 model with a Δχ^{2}/d.o.f.=24.7/3(17.3/3), a 4.3σ(3.4σ) preference assuming the asymptotic approximation given by Wilks's theorem.

Hand grip support for rehabilitation and assistance: from patent to TRL5.

In the last decades, the continuous increase in the number of the vast cohort of chronic patients that constantly need medical assistance and supervision, and the widespread lack of therapist has brought to an increased interest in the role of medical technologies in rehabilitative programs and assistive scenarios. Current clinical evidence in rehabilitation demonstrates that there is an important and increasing demand for innovative therapeutic solutions to recover the hand functions to prevent patients to need assistance in performing daily life activities. This works describes the pathway from patent to TRL5 of a device to support hand grip actions and interaction with daily life objects. E-KIRO is based on the use of electromagnets, which are able to attach/detach interactive objects equipped with a ferromagnetic plate. Five end-users used the device and scored it with excellent usability based on the System Usability Scale.

Three-dimensional, high-definition exoscopic parotidectomy: a valid alternative to magnified-assisted surgery.

The authors report their experience regarding parotidectomy performed under a three-dimensional-high-definition (3D-HD) exoscope, with the aim of evaluating its effectiveness in parotid surgery. This is a prospective study on nine patients treated by the same surgeon. All patients underwent parotidectomy for extrafacial primary tumours without preoperative involvement of the skin or of the facial nerve from March 2019 to June 2019 with the use of a 3D-HD exoscope. Magnification was variable from 8x to 30x with direct vision supplied by a 3D monitor. Six men and three women, mean (range) age 47.8 (19-74) years underwent parotidectomy. No patient experienced postoperative complications or definitive facial palsy. The mean (range) time of surgery was 149.4 (115 - 210) minutes. The 3D exoscope represents a valid alternative to the operative microscope or surgical loupe for parotid surgery. It is a light instrument allowing for precise surgical dissection of the parotid region by reducing the risks for iatrogenic lesions of the facial nerve using a real 3D magnification of the anatomical structures in HD. Furthermore, its use does not prolong the operative time and shows high potential for training and educational purposes since the operating room staff can better perceive the procedure and the surgeon's fine gestures. Although the preliminary applications show promising results, there is still a need for wider scientific validation.

Exploring cocoa properties: is theobromine a cognitive modulator?

Nutritional qualities of cocoa have been acknowledged by several authors; a particular focus has been placed on its high content of flavanols, known for their excellent antioxidant properties and subsequent protective effect on cardio- and cerebrovascular systems as well as for neuromodulatory and neuroprotective actions. Other active components of cocoa are methylxanthines (caffeine and theobromine). Whereas the effects of caffeine are extensively researched, the same is not the case for theobromine; this review summarizes evidence on the effect of theobromine on cognitive functions. Considering animal studies, it can be asserted that acute exposition to theobromine has a reduced and delayed nootropic effect with respect to caffeine, whereas both animal and human studies suggested a potential neuroprotective action of long-term assumption of theobromine through a reduction of Aß amyloid pathology, which is commonly observed in Alzheimer's disease patients' brains. Hence, the conceivable action of theobromine alone and associated with caffeine or other cocoa constituents on cognitive modulation is yet underexplored and future studies are needed to shed light on this promising molecule.

Significant Excess of Electronlike Events in the MiniBooNE Short-Baseline Neutrino Experiment.

The MiniBooNE experiment at Fermilab reports results from an analysis of ν_{e} appearance data from 12.84×10^{20} protons on target in neutrino mode, an increase of approximately a factor of 2 over previously reported results. A ν_{e} charged-current quasielastic event excess of 381.2±85.2 events (4.5σ) is observed in the energy range 200

What are the caregivers' needs on dementia care? An integrated qualitative and quantitative assessment.

Dementia is one of the main causes of disability later in life. Interventions in support of patients with dementia aim at granting the highest level of independence in activities of daily living and at delivering the required facilities; formal and informal caregivers represent the interface between patients and health services. The aims of our study were to assess caregivers' perceived needs and to relate them to their own socio-cultural features and to patients' clinical characteristics. During three consecutive months, 50 caregivers of patients with dementia were interviewed about their needs in the assistance of subjects with dementia by means of three structured questionnaires (Caregiver Needs Assessment [CNA], Zarit Burden Inventory [ZBI], Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire [NPI-Q]) and of two open-ended questions. Higher scores of CNA (suggestive of more needs) were associated with a major burden in caregiving and were related to a more severe behavioral and psychological profile of patients with dementia. ZBI was highly correlated with NPI distress score. Among caregivers, the children of patients reported more needs, particularly about information on disease and how to cope with it. CNA emerged as a complete and reliable instrument, with need for safety being the only item missing from the questionnaire and identified by means of the open-ended questions. Our results showed how the use of simple and brief instruments can increase the communication between health operators and caregivers and could thus improve the quality of formal and informal assistance.

Intercepting Parkinson disease non-motor subtypes: A proof-of-principle study in a clinical setting.

The construct of non-motor symptoms (NMS) subtyping in Parkinson Disease (PD) is emerging as a line of research in the light of its potential role in etiopathological interpretation of PD heterogeneity. Different approaches of NMS subtyping have been proposed: an anatomical model suggests that NMS aggregate according to the underpinning pathology; other researchers find aggregation of NMS according to the motor phenotype; the contribution of genetic background to NMS has also been assessed, primarily focusing on cognitive impairment. We have analyzed NMS burden assessed through an extensive clinical and neuropsychological battery in 137 consecutive non-demented PD patients genotyped for MAPT haplotypes (H1/H1 vs H2 carriers) in order to explore the applicability of the "anatomo-clinical", "motor" or "genetic" models for subtyping PD in a clinical setting; a subsequent independent analysis was conducted to verify a possible cluster distribution of NMS. No clear-cut NMS profiles according to the previously described models emerged: in our population, the autonomic dysfunctions and depressive symptoms represent the leading determinant of NMS clusters, which seems to better fit with the hypothesis of a "neurotransmitter-based" model. Selective preferential neurotransmitter network dysfunctions may account for heterogeneity of PD and could address translational research.

First Measurement of Monoenergetic Muon Neutrino Charged Current Interactions.

We report the first measurement of monoenergetic muon neutrino charged current interactions. MiniBooNE has isolated 236 MeV muon neutrino events originating from charged kaon decay at rest (K^{+}→µ^{+}ν_{µ}) at the NuMI beamline absorber. These signal ν_{µ}-carbon events are distinguished from primarily pion decay in flight ν_{µ} and ν[over ¯]_{µ} backgrounds produced at the target station and decay pipe using their arrival time and reconstructed muon energy. The significance of the signal observation is at the 3.9σ level. The muon kinetic energy, neutrino-nucleus energy transfer (ω=E_{ν}-E_{µ}), and total cross section for these events are extracted. This result is the first known-energy, weak-interaction-only probe of the nucleus to yield a measurement of ω using neutrinos, a quantity thus far only accessible through electron scattering.

Use of benzodiazepines and cognitive performance in primary care patients with first cognitive complaints.

ABSTRACTThe aim of the present study is to investigate the impact of benzodiazepine use on cognitive performance in primary care patients with first cognitive complaints. The association between the exposition to benzodiazepines (short and long half-life) and cognitive performance, evaluated through the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), was tested through analysis of the covariance and logistic regression models. Within the 4,249 participants (mean age 77.0 ± 8.2, 66.4% women), 732 (17%) were on benzodiazepines. When compared with non-users, short- and long-acting benzodiazepine users presented overlapping adjusted MMSE mean scores (respectively, mean MMSE score: 25.3, 95%CI 25.2-25.5; 25.4, 95%CI 25.1-25.7, and 25.9, 95%CI 25.3-26.4; p = 0.156). When tested according to the logistical regression model, after adjusting for potential confounders, no association was found between short and long acting benzodiazepine use and a MMSE < 24 (respectively, OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.7-1.2; OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.7-1.3) as compared with non-users. In conclusion, according to the results of our study, benzodiazepine use seems not to impact on cognitive performance- as assessed with the MMSE- of primary care patients referring to GPs for first cognitive complaints.

Clinical Characteristics of Dogs with Progressive Myelomalacia Following Acute Intervertebral Disc Extrusion.

BACKGROUND: Progressive myelomalacia (PMM) is a catastrophic disease associated with acute intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE). Published data on the clinical characteristics of this disease are limited. OBJECTIVE: To describe the onset and progression of clinical signs of PMM in a large case cohort. ANIMALS: Fifty-one dogs, 18 with histopathologically confirmed PMM, 33 presumptively diagnosed based on clinical signs and diagnostic imaging. METHODS: Retrospective study. Dogs with confirmed IVDE and either a histopathologic diagnosis of PMM or a high clinical suspicion were identified by medical record search. Data on nature and progression of signs were extracted. RESULTS: Twenty-four of 51 dogs were Dachshunds. T12-T13 was the most common site of disc extrusion (12 of 56), and 18 of 55 of mid-to-caudal lumbar discs (between L3 and L6) were affected. Onset of PMM signs ranged from present at first evaluation (17/51) to 5 days after presentation, with 25 of 51 cases developing signs within 48 hours. Progression of signs from onset of PMM to euthanasia or death, excluding 7 cases euthanized at presentation, ranged from 1 to 13 days with 23 being euthanized within 3 days. Nonspecific systemic signs were documented in 30 of 51 dogs. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The majority of dogs developed PMM within 2 days of presentation and was euthanized within another 3 days. However, onset can be delayed up to 5 days after presentation with progression to euthanasia taking as long as 2 weeks. Mid-to-caudal lumbar discs might be associated with an increased risk of PMM.

Role of anticholinergic burden in primary care patients with first cognitive complaints.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Drugs with anticholinergic properties might have a negative impact on cognition, but findings are still conflicting. The association was evaluated between anticholinergic drugs and cognitive performance in primary care patients with first cognitive complaints. METHODS: From April 2013 to March 2014, 353 general practitioners administered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to patients presenting with first cognitive complaints. Drug history was collected and the anticholinergic cognitive burden (ACB) was scored and categorized as ACB 0, ACB 1 and ACB 2+. A mixed effect linear regression model was used to assess the association between ACB and MMSE score. RESULTS: Of 4249 subjects entering the study (mean age 77 ± 8.2 years, 66.4% women and mean years of schooling 8.9 ± 4.5), 25.8% received at least one drug with anticholinergic action. According to multivariate analysis, and after adjustment for several confounders, subjects with ACB 2+ had a statistically significant lower MMSE score compared with those with ACB 0 (ß -0.63; 95% confidence interval -1.19; -0.07). Subjects with ACB 1 had a non-statistically significant lower MMSE score than those with ACB 0 (ß -0.11; 95% confidence interval -0.37; 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Anticholinergic medication might affect cognitive function in people with first cognitive complaints. Alternatives should be taken into account when possible, balancing the benefits and harms of these medications.

Reproductive performance and pre-weaning mortality: Preliminary analysis of 27,221 purebred female dogs and 204,537 puppies in France.

The objective of this study was to describe efficiency of reproduction of purebred dogs in field breeding conditions, from mating to weaning in France. Data were collected between 2010 and 2014 in 5,667 French breeding kennels via a reproduction management software (Breeding Management System, Royal Canin, Aimargues, France). Effect of breed size (Mini: adult body weight <10 kg; Medium: 10-25 kg; Maxi: 25-40 kg; Giant: >40 kg), age of dam and male on pregnancy rate, abortion rate and litter size were evaluated by multivariable models. Data on 45,913 heats (all with mating), from 27,221 bitches from 248 breeds, were analysed. At mating, mean age (±SD) was 3.1 ± 1.8 years for bitches and 3.3 ± 2.0 for males. Males originated from the same kennel as the females in 88.5% of the matings. Based on breeder's evaluation of the pregnancy status, pregnancy rate (number of pregnant females based on breeders declaration/number of heats) was 87.8% and abortion rate was 6.8%. Finally, 81.9% of the mated females gave birth to a litter. On 37,946 litters (204,537 puppies), mean litter size was 5.4 ± 2.8 puppies (range 1-24), which was influenced by breed size and dam age (p < .0001). Stillbirth rate was 7.4% and puppy mortality rate (stillbirth + mortality until 2 months of age) was 13.4%. Prolificacy and puppy mortality rates were affected by breed size and within a breed size, by breed. Despite probable approximations (as data originate from breeders declaration), this large-scale analysis provides reference values on reproductive performance in dogs.

Associations Between Anesthetic Variables and Functional Outcome in Dogs With Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disk Extrusion Undergoing Decompressive Hemilaminectomy.

BACKGROUND: Outcome of acute experimental spinal cord injury is strongly associated with tissue perfusion and oxygenation. Cardiopulmonary depression could affect outcome in dogs undergoing general anesthesia for surgical treatment of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk extrusion (IVDE). HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of general anesthesia on functional outcome in dogs undergoing surgery to treat thoracolumbar IVDE. ANIMALS: Eighty-four client-owned dogs with acute thoracolumbar IVDE treated by decompressive hemilaminectomy. METHODS: Exploratory, retrospective observational study. Medical records were reviewed for clinical presentation and anesthetic monitoring variables, including duration of anesthesia and surgery, hypotension, bradycardia, temperature, and respiratory parameters. Multivariable regression tree analysis was performed to explore associations between anesthetic variables and functional outcome scores after 6 weeks, as well as return to ambulatory status. RESULTS: Episodes of bradycardia (69%) and hypotension (57%) were frequent. Across all outcome measures, regression tree analysis highlighted functional grade at presentation as the primary determining factor, and among pain perception negative dogs, there was a possible association between increased duration of surgery and poorer outcome. In dogs with intact pain perception, duration of bradycardia, mean body temperature, and mean end-tidal carbon dioxide were highlighted. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Exploratory statistical methods can facilitate hypothesis-generating studies to inform prospective investigations in veterinary medicine. Although the mechanism is uncertain, increased duration of surgery might be associated with poorer outcome in pain perception negative dogs with thoracolumbar IVDE.

Adaptation and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire for Parkinson's disease.

Although non-motor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinson's disease (PD) are very common also in early stages of the disease, they are still under-recognized. Screening tools for non-motor symptoms, such as non-motor symptoms questionnaire (NMSQuest), help clinicians to recognize NMS and to evaluate if patients could require further assessment or specific treatments. To validate an adapted Italian version of NMSQuest and study its psychometric properties, Italian PD patients self-completed Italian NMSQuest, and then underwent a standard clinical evaluation including motor assessment (by Hoehn and Yahr staging, unified Parkinson's disease rating scale part III) and non-motor assessment (by Montreal cognitive assessment, Beck depression inventory, neuropsychiatric inventory, Epworth sleepiness scale, scale for outcomes in Parkinson's disease-Autonomic and movement disorder society-sponsored revision of the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale part I). Somatic comorbidities were quantified using the modified cumulative illness rating scale (CIRS). Seventy-one subjects were assessed (mean age years 69.8 ± 9.6 SD; 31% women; mean duration of disease 6.3 ± 4.6 years; H&Y median 2). Italian NMSQuest showed adequate satisfactory clinimetrics in terms of data quality, precision, acceptability, internal consistency and reliability. A significant correlation was found between NMSQuest and most of non-motor assessment scales, while no significant correlation appeared with motor severity as well as with age of patients, disease duration, levodopa equivalent daily dose, L-DOPA/dopamine agonists assumption and CIRS total score. The Italian version of the NMSQuest resulted as a reliable instrument for screening NMS in Italian PD patients.

Epidemiological analysis of reproductive performances and kitten mortality rates in 5,303 purebred queens of 45 different breeds and 28,065 kittens in France.

Reproduction management and performances are evaluated in the feline species only through a limited number of animals and studies. Our objective was to provide reference figures in purebred cats, from a large-scale sample. Data were collected from an online software dedicated to cattery management (Breeding Management System®, BMS, Royal Canin, Aimargues, France). Information was recorded on a voluntary basis by French breeders between 2011 and 2014. Data were anonymously transferred for analysis. A total of 9,063 oestrous periods (in contact with a male) from 5,303 queens (45 breeds) were recorded from 1,521 breeders. Most matings (70.1%) occurred during increasing day length periods. The mean age at mating (±SD) was 2.7 ± 1.6 years for queens and 2.9 ± 1.9 years for tomcats. Pregnancy rate (based on breeders declaration) was 85.2%. Among queens declared pregnant, 8.4% failed to maintain pregnancy. Globally, 78% of the mated females gave birth to 28,065 kittens within 7,075 L. Mean litter size was 4.0 ± 1.9 kittens among which 8.5% were stillborn. Neonatal and paediatric mortality rate was 8.2%. In total, 16.0% of kittens born died before weaning. The results of this study are based on the largest feline database ever analysed. The figures collected can thus be used as reference to define average reproductive performances in numerous breeds for cat breeders. Further analysis will identify factors influencing reproductive performances and early mortality in the feline species.

Natural and artificial hyperimmune solutions: Impact on health in puppies.

Colostrum and milk are complex mammary secretions providing the puppy with many nutritional and immunological factors, which play a crucial role for its correct development and survival. In the case of colostrum and/or milk intake deficiency, puppies are at increased risk of infectious diseases. This work reviews the various nutritional hyperimmune supplementations proposed to provide a passive immune protection and to positively impact puppies' health. Some strategies rely on canine immunoglobulins: canine colostrum banking and canine serum/plasma supplementation. Others involve heterologous sources of antibodies and other immune factors: bovine colostrum or hyperimmune egg powder. Among the different solutions evaluated from birth to weaning, canine plasma and hyperimmune egg powder showed promising beneficial effect on puppies' health. Canine plasma seems to positively impact not only growth (increased growth during the neonatal period), but also digestive health (higher species richness of intestinal microbiota) and the general health (tendency of lower morbidity). Puppies supplemented with hyperimmune egg powder presented increased neonatal growth and decreased risk of canine parvovirus infection. Nevertheless, natural canine maternal colostrum and milk ingestion remains the optimal guarantee for puppies' health and survival, as a source of immunity, energy and growth factors.

Validation of the Italian version of the Non Motor Symptoms Scale for Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the adapted Italian version of the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), a tool to assess non-motor symptoms (NMS) in Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: A cross cultural adaptation of the NMSS into Italian and a psychometric analysis of the translated version of the NMSS was carried out in patients with PD from two university centres-affiliated hospitals. The quality of data and the acceptability, reliability and construct validity of NMSS were analyzed. The following standard scales were also applied: Hoehn and Yahr staging, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part III, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Beck Depression Inventory, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Autonomic Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease-Motor, Movement Disorder Society-Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part I and Modified Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). Levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD) was calculated. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients with PD were assessed (mean age years 69.8 ± 9.6 SD; 31% women; mean length of disease 6.3 ± 4.6 years; H&Y median: 2). Mean NMSS was 39.76 (SD 31.9; skewness 0.95). The total score of NMSS was free of floor or ceiling effects and showed a satisfactory reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient on total score was 0.72 [range for domains: 0.64-0.73], SEM value was 3.88 [½ SD = 31.90]). Significant positive correlations were found among total NMSS and other NMS standard tests, but no significant correlation appeared with UPDRS part III, CIRS and LEDD. CONCLUSIONS: The Italian NMSS is a comprehensive and helpful measure for NMS in native Italian patients with PD.