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The aim of the study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of spraying odor particles using sinus rinse kits for olfactory rehabilitation in patients with total laryngectomy.

Olfactory rehabilitation was performed by applying four different odorant particles orthonasally using a sinus rinse kit pump for 30min each day for a duration of 6months. Olfactory function was evaluated by performing olfactory tests before the rehabilitation and at sixth month after the rehabilitation process.

The average CCCRC score prior to olfactory rehabilitation was 2.28 ± 0.79 (between 1.50 and 3.75), while it was 4.46 ± 0.5 (between 3.50 and 5.25) out of a maximum score of 7 after 6months of olfactory rehabilitation (p value < 0.0001) CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the use of sinus rinse kits is very simple, inexpensive, easy-to-use, and effective in providing passive olfaction to patients requiring olfactory rehabilitation.

The average CCCRC score prior to olfactory rehabilitation was 2.28 ± 0.79 (between 1.50 and 3.75), while it was 4.46 ± 0.5 (between 3.50 and 5.25) out of a maximum score of 7 after 6 months of olfactory rehabilitation (p value  less then  0.0001) CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the use of sinus rinse kits is very simple, inexpensive, easy-to-use, and effective in providing passive olfaction to patients requiring olfactory rehabilitation.

Cellular immunity against tumor cells is highly dependent on antigen presentation by major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules. However, few published studies have investigated associations between functional variants of MHC-I-related genes and clinical outcomes of lung cancer patients.

We performed a two-phase Cox proportional hazards regression analysis by using two previously published genome-wide association studies to evaluate associations between genetic variants in the MHC-I-related gene set and the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, followed by expression quantitative trait loci analysis.

Of the 7811 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 89 genes of 1185 NSCLC patients in the discovery dataset of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, 24 SNPs remained statistically significant after validation in additional 984 NSCLC patients from the Harvard Lung Cancer Susceptibility Study. In a multivariate stepwise Cox model, three independent functional SNPs (ERAP1 rs469783 T > C, PSMF1 rs13040574 C > A and NCF2 rs36071574 G > A) remained significant with an adjusted hazards ratio (HR) of 0.83 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.77-0.89, P = 8.0 × 10

], 0.86 (0.80-0.93, P = 9.4 × 10

) and 1.31 (1.11-1.54, P = 0.001) for overall survival (OS), respectively. Further combined genotypes revealed a poor survival in a dose-response manner in association with the number of unfavorable genotypes (P

 < 0.0001 and 0.0002 for OS and disease-specific survival, respectively). Also, ERAP1 rs469783C and PSMF1 rs13040574A alleles were associated with higher mRNA expression levels of their genes.

These potentially functional SNPs of the MHC-I-related genes may be biomarkers for NSCLC survival, possibly through modulating the expression of corresponding genes.

These potentially functional SNPs of the MHC-I-related genes may be biomarkers for NSCLC survival, possibly through modulating the expression of corresponding genes.

Post-traumatic nonunion of the femur remains a challenging problem even for experienced orthopedic surgeons. The main question is the choice of the optimal surgical tool.

Management of 20 patients with nonunion of the femoral diaphysis associated with anatomical shortening was retrospectively analyzed. Group A (n = 14) was treated with a hybrid technique that combined the Ilizarov external fixation and intramedullary nailing. The Ilizarov bone transport was used in group B (n = 6). Patients of both groups had aseptic post-traumatic nonunion. Mean shortening was 4.5 ± 0.4cm in group A and 4.8 ± 1.0cm in group B (p = 0.459959).

Union was achieved in 85.7% of group A and 100% of group B patients. External fixation was repeated in two cases of group A and achieved consolidation. Deep infection developed in one case of group A after 15months post-frame with the nail in. It was resolved by nail removal, surgical debridement and external fixation. Leptomycin B Limb shortening was fully eliminated in eleven cases of group A and four patients of group B. The average duration of distraction was 35.3 ± 1.7days in group A and 47.8 ± 9.3days in group B. The total duration of external fixation was 49.1 ± 3.5 and 177.2 ± 21.9days with an external fixation index of 13.1 ± 1.2 and 52.4 ± 6.4days/cm, respectively. Distraction regenerate consolidated in all the cases.

Hybrid technique provides bone union with compensation of limb shortening and reduces the treatment period as compared with the Ilizarov method used alone. However, deep infection may happen.

Hybrid technique provides bone union with compensation of limb shortening and reduces the treatment period as compared with the Ilizarov method used alone. However, deep infection may happen.

Interdisciplinary standardized protocols for the care of patients with hip fractures have been shown to improve outcomes. A hip fracture protocol was implemented at our institution to standardize care, focusing on emergency care, pre-operative medical management, operative timing, and geriatrics co-management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of this protocol.

We conducted a retrospective review of adult patients admitted to a single tertiary care institution who underwent operative management of a hip fracture between July 2012 and March 2020. Comparison of patient characteristics, hospitalization characteristics, and outcomes were performed between patients admitted before and after protocol implementation in 2017.

A total of 517 patients treated for hip fracture were identified 313 before and 204 after protocol implementation. Average age, average Charlson Comorbidity Index, percent female gender, and distribution of hip fracture diagnosis did not vary significantly between groups. There was a significant reduction in time from admission to surgical management, from 37.