Psychiatric distress should be considered in patients with persistent symptoms after surgery. Psychiatric distress should also be considered in efforts to design a chronic sinusitis staging system.

We presented the largest series of AIFS. Further studies are needed to examine the importance of ANC in diagnosis and prognosis. Patients diagnosed with atypical organisms may be at higher risk of death. IST likely improves short-term survival, but prospective studies are needed.

Studies of the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, have been hampered by a lack of genetic techniques for rapid targeted gene disruption in the most virulent subspecies. Here we describe efficient targeted gene disruption in F. tularensis utilizing mobile group II introns (targetrons) specifically optimized for F. tularensis. Utilizing a targetron targeted to blaB, which encodes ampicillin resistance, we showed that the system works at high efficiency in three different subspecies: F. tularensis subsp. tularensis, F. tularensis subsp. holarctica, and “F. tularensis subsp. novicida.” A targetron was also utilized to inactivate F. tularensis subsp. holarctica iglC, a gene required for virulence. The iglC gene is located within the Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI), which has been duplicated in the most virulent subspecies. Importantly, the iglC targetron targeted both copies simultaneously, resulting in a strain mutated in both iglC genes in a single step. This system will help illuminate the contributions of specific genes, and especially those within the FPI, to the pathogenesis of this poorly studied organism.

Objective In this meta-analysis, we reviewed observational studies investigating differences in intelligence quotient (IQ) scores of children with unilateral hearing loss compared to children with normal hearing. Data sources PubMed Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, PsycINFO Review methods A query identified all English-language studies related to pediatric unilateral hearing loss published between January 1980 and December 2014. Titles, abstracts and articles were reviewed to identify observational studies reporting IQ scores. Results There were 261 unique titles with 29 articles undergoing full review. Four articles were identified, which included 173 children with unilateral hearing loss and 202 children with normal hearing. Ages ranged from 6 to 18 years. Three studies were conducted in the United States, and one in Mexico. All were of high quality. All studies reported full-scale IQ results; 3 reported verbal IQ results, and 2 reported performance IQ results. Children with unilateral hearing loss scored 6.3 points lower on full-scale IQ, 95% CI [−9.1, −3.5], p-value <0.001; and 3.8 points lower on performance IQ, 95% CI [−7.3, −0.2], p-value 0.04. When investigating verbal IQ, we detected substantial heterogeneity among studies; exclusion of the outlying study resulted in significant difference in verbal IQ of 4 points, 95% CI [−7.5, −0.4], p-value 0.028. Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests children with unilateral hearing loss have lower full-scale and performance IQ scores than children with normal hearing. There also may be disparity in verbal IQ scores. Future studies should investigate ways to reduce potential differences in intellectual achievement.