Defining the Middle Corona.

The middle corona, the region roughly spanning heliocentric distances from 1.5 to 6 solar radii, encompasses almost all of the influential physical transitions and processes that govern the behavior of coronal outflow into the heliosphere. The solar wind, eruptions, and flows pass through the region, and they are shaped by it. Importantly, the region also modulates inflow from above that can drive dynamic changes at lower heights in the inner corona. Consequently, the middle corona is essential for comprehensively connecting the corona to the heliosphere and for developing corresponding global models. Nonetheless, because it is challenging to observe, the region has been poorly studied by both major solar remote-sensing and in-situ missions and instruments, extending back to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) era. Thanks to recent advances in instrumentation, observational processing techniques, and a realization of the importance of the region, interest in the middle corona has increased. Although the region cannot be intrinsically separated from other regions of the solar atmosphere, there has emerged a need to define the region in terms of its location and extension in the solar atmosphere, its composition, the physical transitions that it covers, and the underlying physics believed to shape the region. This article aims to define the middle corona, its physical characteristics, and give an overview of the processes that occur there.

The nasal valve: a review of the anatomy, imaging, and physiology.

BACKGROUND: The nasal valve region has remained difficult to define in clinical practice in part because of lack of integration between physiological data and anatomic-surgical findings. METHODS: In this review, we summarize the anatomic, physiological, and imaging data regarding this complex area of airflow regulation. RESULTS: There is no singular resistive focus or singular valve structure to explain all of the reported findings. CONCLUSION: We conclude that there is a nasal valve region that begins approximately at the limen nasi and continues for several millimeters within the nasal cavum beyond the piriform aperture. Intranasal pressure measurements reflect distributed resistance across this nasal valve region. The geometry and anatomic constitution of the nasal valve region change greatly from its entrance to its distal aspect. To refer consistently to the component portions of the nasal valve region, we suggest the terms cartilaginous valve segment and bony valve segment for use in reporting future studies.

Endoscopic partial adenoidectomy for children with submucous cleft palate.

OBJECTIVE: Children with submucous cleft palate who suffer from chronic nasal obstruction because of hypertrophic adenoids usually are not subjected to adenoidectomy because of the fear of postoperative velopharyngeal insufficiency. These patients present a therapeutic challenge because we are aware more than ever of the importance of normal nasal breathing and nocturnal respiration, especially during childhood. Our hypothesis was that transnasal endoscopic horizontal limited adenoidectomy may relieve nasal obstruction while preserving the function of the velopharyngeal valve. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transnasal endoscopic horizontal partial adenoidectomy in patients with submucous cleft palate and adenoidal hypertrophy. SETTING: Patients were either referred to the outpatient clinic of the Palate Surgery Unit (seven patients) or were patients referred to the senior author's (Y.F.) private clinic. All the patients had been operated on by this senior author (Y.F.). PATIENTS: Ten children aged 3.5 to 13 years (six girls and four boys) with submucous cleft palate and hypertrophic adenoids were included in the study. All the patients were hyponasal and suffered nasal obstruction, loud snoring, and episodes of apnea. INTERVENTIONS: Endoscopic partial adenoidectomy was accomplished to open the lower third of the choanae. Nasal breathing was achieved in all the patients, and only mild snoring remained in two patients. The hyponasality disappeared and speech intelligibility normalized. Mild hypernasality developed in two patients but was still perceived as an overall improvement in speech. CONCLUSIONS: Transnasal endoscopic horizontal partial adenoidectomy may be an effective surgical method for relief of nasal obstruction while preserving velopharyngeal valve function in patients with submucous cleft palate who suffer from obstructive adenoids.