The basolateral amygdala (BLA), a brain center of emotional expression, contributes to acoustic communication by first interpreting the meaning of social sounds in the context of the listener s internal state, then organizing the appropriate behavioral responses. We propose that modulatory neurochemicals such as acetylcholine (ACh) and dopamine (DA) provide internal-state signals to the BLA while an animal listens to social vocalizations. We tested this in a vocal playback experiment wherein we sampled fluids within the BLA and observed behavioral responses of male and female mice while presenting highly affective vocal sequences associated with either mating or restraint behaviors. In male mice, playback of restraint vocalizations increased ACh release and decreased DA release, while playback of mating sequences evoked the opposite neurochemical release patterns. In non-estrus female mice, the ACh and DA release patterns to mating playback were similar to males. Estrous females, however, showed increased ACh, associated with vigilance, as well as increased DA, associated with reward-seeking. Across these groups, increased ACh concentration was correlated with an increase in defensive behavior. These neurochemical release patterns and several behavioral responses depended on prior experience with the mating and restraint behaviors. Our results support a model in which ACh and DA provide contextual information to sound-analyzing BLA neurons that modulates their output to downstream brain regions responsible for appropriate behavioral outcomes.

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Pediatric sepsis is a significant public health issue. This condition is exacerbated by rising serum creatinine and inflammatory cytokines that lead to deleterious effects upon the body. The current standard of care involves the use of continuous kidney replacement therapy to remove harmful cytokines until the body returns to homeostasis. In order to promote faster clearance and reduced stay in the ICU, high-volume hemofiltration (HVHF) has shown promise. However, there is a paucity of studies to fully elucidate its benefits. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A literature search was done using PubMed/ MEDLINE and Embase. The literature was reviewed by two independent reviewers, who independently assessed the quality of randomized controlled trials by using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for RCTs and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for assessing the quality of nonrandomized controlled trials. Data were combined from studies with a similar design. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The primary endpoint of all-cause mortality was found to be reduced by 40% across all of the pooled studies. For secondary endpoints, significant reductions of serum creatinine were found. Additionally, duration of ICU stays and treatment course was found to be significantly shorter in HVHF patients than the current standard of care. The rate of adverse effects was analyzed, and there was no difference in the proportion of patients developing hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, hypernatremia, or hyponatremia. The proportion of patients developing hyperglycemia was higher in patients undergoing HVHF, whereas the proportions of patients developing bleeding were significantly less in patients undergoing HVHF. One study reported a total number of adverse events between the two groups which were significantly lesser in patients undergoing HVHF. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> HVHF shows promise as a modality to treat pediatric patients with sepsis. In order to confirm the benefits of this modality, future studies need significantly more patients for analysis.

Objective Children with single-sided deafness often receive inconsistent clinical recommendations because there is currently no clear best practice in paediatric single-sided deafness. This systematic review of the literature aimed to compare commonly used treatments and attempted to support the use of a particular treatment modality. Method This was a comprehensive literature review from 1 January 2000 to 22 February 2022; the study compared the outcomes of bone conduction devices and cochlear implantation in paediatric patients with single-sided deafness. Results Fifteen studies consisting of 202 patients were examined. Variables including speech reception in quiet and noise, as well as quality of life measures were compared. Both cochlear implantation and bone-anchored hearing aids demonstrated benefits in sound perception. Quality of life measures improved with both modalities. Conclusion Although both bone-anchored hearing aids and cochlear implantation appear to provide significant improvements, additional research with more direct comparisons is needed to provide more decisive results.

Objectives Investigate outcomes following oral cavity and oropharyngeal salvage surgery. Methods Adult patients who underwent salvage surgery for recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx from 1996 to 2018 were analyzed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. Disease‐free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), associated factors, and basic quality measures were analyzed. Results One hundred and eight patients (72% oral cavity, 28% oropharynx) were followed for a median of 17.9 months. Median DFS and OS were 9.9 and 21 months, respectively. Surgery with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy compared to surgery alone (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03–0.78) and negative margins (HR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.14–0.90) were associated with better DFS, while lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) (HR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.14–6.19) and higher stage (III vs. I–II, HR = 3.94, 95% CI: 1.22–12.71) were associated with worse DFS. Higher stage was associated with worse OS (HR = 3.79, 95% CI: 1.09–13.19). Patients were hospitalized for a median of 8 days with 24% readmitted within 30 days. A total of 72% and 38% of patients, respectively, underwent placement of a feeding tube or tracheostomy. Conclusions After oral cavity and oropharyngeal salvage surgery, adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, negative margins, negative LVSI, and lower stage were associated with a lower risk of recurrence. Only lower‐stage disease was associated with improved survival. The majority of patients had feeding tubes, half underwent free tissue transfer, a third required tracheostomy, and a quarter was readmitted. Level of Evidence 3 Laryngoscope, 132:1984–1992, 2022