The purpose of this study was to design a statistical classification system of audiogram shapes in order to improve and integrate shape recognition across clinical settings. The study included 1633 adult subjects with normal hearing or symmetric sensorineural hearing impairment who underwent pure-tone audiometry between July 2007 and December 2008. K-means cluster analysis was employed to categorize audiometric shapes. Eleven audiogram shapes were identified: rising, flat, peaked 8-kHz dip, 4-kHz dip, 8-kHz dip, mild sloping, severe 8-kHz dip, sloping, abrupt loss, severe sloping, and profound abrupt loss. By using the classification system and nomenclature identified for audiogram shapes as outlined in this study, errors based on personal experiences can be reduced and a consistency can be developed across clinics.

Simultaneous multiple free flaps have become a useful option in head and neck reconstructions. We performed a 10-year retrospective study between 2001 and 2010. There were 58 men and 1 woman. The overall mortality rate was 51.7%. The longest surviving patient is 9 years and 4 months, whereas the shortest surviving patient was 72 days. The mean survival period was 47.1 (6.8) months. Age (P = 0.755) and tumor size (P = 0.115) did not play a major role, but surgical margin, lymph node, and tumor recurrence were significant in patient survival with a P value of 0.026, 0.01, and 0.026, respectively. If wide excision with a margin that can be free of tumor can be performed, lymph nodes are not involved, and this is a primary tumor, then time and effort should be spent in a successful simultaneous multiple free flap reconstruction.

In this study, the preparation of viscose rayon based activated carbon fabric (ACF) absorbents with antibacterial ability and modifications introduced by silver sputtering has been investigated. Viscose rayon based knitted fabric, pre-treated by a composite flame retardant, was used as the precursor. The fabric then underwent oxidation, carbonization and activation processes in a semi-open high-temperature erect furnace with a steam activator to produce ACF absorbents. Experimental results have shown that the ACF absorbents produced by the action of mixing steam and air had the largest BET specific surface area at about 1713 m2/g and the absorption amount of carbon tetrachloride was about 100.5%. However, the BET specific surface area of ACF-Ag adsorbents decreased because pores were destroyed by etching and deposition of silver particles. The ACF-Ag adsorbent, however, showed effective antibacterial and sterilizing properties. When the ACF-Ag adsorbent was placed in deionized water, a large amount of Ag ions eluted within the first 48 h. The elution gradually decreased after 96 h with about 0.2855 ppm of Ag ions eluting after seven days.

In this study we found that the safety and the success rate of lower limb preservation using a combination of endovascular revascularization and free tissue reconstruction is comparable to using a combination of bypass surgery and free tissue transfer.

This study demonstrates that voriconazole can be a very effective and convenient therapeutic option for the management of refractory Aspergillus otomycosis.