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Vibrio cincinnatiensis is a halophilic species which has been found in marine and estuarine environments worldwide. The species is considered a rare pathogen for which the significance for humans is unclear. In this study, nine veterinary isolates were investigated that were obtained from domestic animals in Germany. The isolates were mostly recovered from abortion material of pigs, cattle, and horse (amnion or fetuses). One isolate was from a goose. A human clinical strain from a case of enteritis in Germany described in the literature was also included in the study. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of all isolates and MALDI-TOF MS (matrix-assisted-laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry) were performed to verify the species assignment. All strains were investigated for phenotypic traits including antimicrobial resistance (AMR), biochemical properties, and two virulence-associated phenotypes (hemolytic activity and resistance to human serum). WGS data and MS spectra confirmed that all veterinary isolates are closely related to the type strain V. cincinnatiensis NCTC12012. An exception was the human isolate from Germany which is related to the other isolates but could belong to another species. The isolates were similar in most biochemical phenotypes. Only one strain showed a very weak hemolytic activity against sheep erythrocytes, and serum resistance was intermediate in two strains. AMR phenotypes were more variable between the isolates. Resistances were observed against ß-lactams ampicillin and cefoxitin and against tetracycline and the sulfonamide antibiotics trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole. Some acquired AMR genes were identified by bioinformatics analyses. WGS and MALDI-TOF MS data reveal a close relationship of the veterinary isolates and the type strain V. cincinnatiensis NCTC12012, which is a clinical human isolate. As the veterinary isolates of this study were mostly recovered from abortion material (amnions and fetuses), a zoonotic potential of the veterinary isolates seems possible.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate time effects in proinflammatory cytokines and the auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds of rat cochlea exposed to noise., Materials and Methods: Twenty-one rats were divided into two groups: the control group and the noise group. As high as 115 dB sound pressure of white noise was administered to the noise group of 16 rats for 3 h a day for 10 days. This group was further split into four subgroups based on the timing of sacrifice: 3rd hour group, 12th hour group, 24th hour group, and 28th day group. ABR thresholds were measured in all the rats, after the noise exposure and right before being sacrificed. Proinflammatory cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) at the cochlea were measured., Results: We found a significant difference between the first ABR thresholds (5 dB nHL) and the post-exposure ABR thresholds in each group (25 dBnHL, 35 dBnHL, 15 dBnHL, and 17.50 dBnHL for the 3rd hour group, 12th hour group, 24th hour group, and 28th day group, respectively). The IL-1β levels in the 3rd hour group and 12th hour group were significantly higher than those in the control group and other noise subgroups. The TNF-α level in the 3rd hour group was significantly higher than that in the control group and other noise subgroups., Conclusion: It seems reasonable to point out a direct correlation between the cytokine levels and hearing threshold levels after the noise exposure. This correlation was the highest for IL-1β. This result suggested a significant role of proinflammatory cytokines in hearing deterioration after noise exposure.

Objective: Nonorganic hearing loss (NOHL) is a lack of consistency in audiological testing. Although NOHL is relatively rare, it is important to identify suspicious patients. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Stenger test and acoustic reflexes test (ART) in the evaluation of patients with suspicious of unilateral NOHL., Study Design: A prospective study Methods: In this study, 474 adult patients with suspicious unilateral profound or total hearing loss were included. Pure tone audiometry (PTA), speech audiometry, Stenger test, ART and click-evoked auditory brainstem response (ABR) measurements were performed. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the Stenger test and ART for unilateral, profound to total NOHL were assessed by comparing these with the results of ABR., Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the Stenger test in verifying unilateral, profound hearing loss were 99% and 57%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of the test were 88% and 97%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the ART in verifying unilateral, profound hearing loss were 96% and 60% at 1000 Hz and 98% and 60% at 2000 Hz, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of the ART were 50% and 97% at 1000 Hz, and 75% and 97% at 2000 Hz, respectively., Conclusion: The Stenger test and ART are widely used for the evaluation of unilateral or asymmetrical NOHL. In our opinion, these tests are significantly powerful. More difficult cases require ABR to verify nonorganic hearing loss and to exclude specific diagnoses that may imitate NOHL.

Purpose: To assess the detection efficiency of Half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for cholesteatoma., Materials and Methods: A total of 21 patients with suspected primary (n=16) or recurrent cholesteatoma (n=5) underwent MRI in a 1.5 Tesla scanner using an adapted protocol for cholesteatoma detection that included a coronal HASTE diffusion-weighted MRI sequence. The cholesteatoma diagnosis was based on evidence of a hyperintense lesion at b-1000 on diffusion-weighted images. The imaging findings were correlated with findings from surgery or clinical evaluations in all patients., Results: HASTE diffusion-weighted MRI successfully detected 11 primary and 5 recurrent lesions out of 17 cholesteatomas (sensitivity, 94.1%). One primary cholesteatoma with a diameter of 4-5 mm was missed. MRI of patients without cholesteatoma were correctly interpreted as negative for cholesteatoma (specificity, 100%). The positive and negative predictive values for the HASTE diffusion-weighted MRI in detecting cholesteatoma were 100% and 80%, respectively., Conclusion: HASTE diffusion-weighted MRI offers great promise for cholesteatoma screening. The addition of this sequence to the posterior fossa MRI protocol may preclude unnecessary cholesteatoma surgery.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients with a thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) or fistula., Methods: The records of 49 patients (9 female, 40 male; mean age: 23.16 +/- 1.13 years; range 6 to 56 years) operated on between January 1995 and July 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. Patient's age, sex, duration of symptoms, clinical features, pre-operative diagnostic tests, treatment, histopathologic diagnosis, and post-operative complications were noted. All patients underwent the Sistrunk procedure., Results: Fifteen patients (30.6%) were < or = 20 years old, while 3 (6.1%) patients were 40 years old at the time of operation. There was cyst formation in 26 patients (53.1%) and fistula formation in 23 patients (46.9%). The lesions of 41 patients (83.7%) were located in the midline, while the lesions of 8 patients (16.3%) were located in the paramedian neck (5 left side, 3 right side). The most common presenting symptoms were painless mass in the midline of the neck and recurrent suppuration of fistula formation. Neck ultrasonography (USG) was the most common pre-operative diagnostic procedure and was performed on all patients with cyst formations. There were no major complications postoperatively. There was recurrence in only one patient after the Sistrunk procedure. One patient was incidentally diagnosed with thyroid papillary carcinoma after histopathological examination., Conclusions: A TGDC is the most common congenital mass in the neck and is usually located midline. USG is suggested for a clinically suspected TGDC. The Sistrunk procedure is a safe and successful technique with low complication and recurrence rates. Even though carcinomas arising in TGDCs are uncommon, histopathological examination must be routinely performed to confirm the diagnosis and rule out malignancy.

Objective: To analyze the exposure of the jugular foramen afforded by the fallopian bridge technique., Method: The jugular foramen exposure was obtained using the jugular foramen approach combined with the fallopian bridge technique. We applied this technique using 10 temporal bone specimens at a tertiary referral center. The exposure was assessed by means of depth of the dissection field and two separate dissection spaces that were created anteriorly and posteriorly to the facial nerve. Anteroposterior and superoinferior dimensions of the anterior dissection space were 4.4 +/- 1.03 mm and 6.3 +/- 2.49 mm, respectively. The superoinferior and anteroposterior dimensions of the posterior dissection space were 11.7 +/- 2.08 mm and 8.0 +/- 2.95 mm, respectively. The depth of the first dissection field was 8.2 +/- 2.11 mm. After perforating the jugular bulb, the depth of the second dissection field was 16.0 +/- 1.60 mm., Results: The anterior dissection space serves only as an additional visualization space for anatomical orientation to the jugular bulb. Tumor dissection is to be accomplished mainly through the posterior dissection space., Conclusion: The fallopian bridge technique should be added to surgical armamentarium for the jugular foramen tumors confined only to the jugular fossa or tumors with middle ear extension.

Psoroptes cuniculi for treatment and in 10 rabbits in contact with the infested animals for protection. The efficacy of the drug was evaluated based on the clinical signs, the absence of live mites and new clinical cases during a period of least two weeks. Elimination of clinical signs and mites were seen in three rabbits seven days after the ivermectin injection, but one rabbit, which had meningitis-like signs, died. Also, no new cases occurred in the other ten rabbits. These results suggest that an application of ivermectin can completely eliminate mites from rabbits naturally infested with P. cuniculi and that it was also a sufficient method for protection from contact infestation.