Recently, the structural stability of all-inorganic halide perovskite nanocrystals has been significantly enhanced. To understand the enhancement, we developed surfacepassivation models for cubic CsPbBr 3 nanocrystals with anionic (oleate) and cationic (oleylammonium) organic ligands based on first-principles calculations and nuclear magnetic resonance investigations. We propose that the (100) surface is initially terminated with oleate ligand complexes on PbBr 2 (100) surfaces. Also, the ligand transition to oleylammonium on the Pb-rich surfaces is expected due to the addition of metal halides (ZnBr 2 ) during colloidal synthesis. The significant improvement in the structural stability of the cationic ligandpassivated CsPbBr 3 nanocrystals was attributed to the suppressed exposure of the mergingvulnerable (110) surface, caused by the large difference in formation energy between the ligand-passivated (100) and Br-passivated (110) surfaces.

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the effect of topical steroids on acute‐onset olfactory dysfunction in patients infected with COVID‐19. Design and Setting Systematic review and meta‐analysis of cohort studies. Participants Patients infected with COVID‐19. Main outcome measures PubMed, Embase, the Web of Science, SCOPUS, Cochrane database and Google Scholar were searched for articles up to September 2021. We analysed studies comparing the improvement of olfactory dysfunction between topical steroid treatment and control groups (placebo or no treatment). In addition, we performed a subgroup analysis by study type. Results The improvement of olfactory score at 2 (standardised mean difference [SMD] = 0.7272, 95% confidence interval = [0.3851, 1.0692], p < .0001, I 2 = 62.1%) and 4 weeks post‐treatment (SMD = 1.0440 [0.6777, 1.4102], p < .0001, I 2 = 61.2%) was statistically greater in the treatment than control group. However, there was no significant difference (odds ratio [OR] = 1.4345 [0.9525, 2.1604], p = .0842, I 2 = 45.4%) in the incidence of fully recovery from anosmia/hyposmia between the treatment and control groups. In subgroup analysis, there were no significant differences in the improvement of olfactory score at 4 weeks post‐treatment (OR = 0.6177 [0.1309, 1.1045] vs. 0.1720 [0.8002, 1.5438], p = .0761) or the incidence of full recovery from anosmia/hyposmia (OR = 1.8478 [0.6092, 5.6053] vs. 1.3784 [0.8872, 2.1414], p = .8038) between randomised and non‐randomised controlled trials. Conclusions Although this meta‐analysis found that topical steroids improved the acute‐onset olfactory dysfunction caused by COVID‐19, there was no difference in the rate of full olfactory recovery between treated and control patients.

High-dose aspirin has been reported to aggravate coronary artery spasm (CAS). However, it is unknown whether low-dose aspirin (LDA; 100 mg) has deleterious impact on CAS. We assessed the impact of LDA on CAS induced by intracoronary acetylcholine (ACh) provocation test. A total of 2789 consecutive patients without significant coronary artery disease who underwent ACh test between November 2004 and March 2010 were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups: the aspirin group taking LDA before ACh test (n=221) and the no aspirin group not taking aspirin (n=2568). At baseline, the prevalence of old age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were higher in the aspirin group. During the ACh test, the incidence of significant CAS, ischemic chest pain, as well as severe and multivessel spasm was higher in the aspirin group. The response rate to lower ACh dose was higher in the aspirin group. Multivariate analysis showed that the previous use of LDA was an independent predictor of CAS (adjusted odds ratio, 1.6, 95% confidence interval, 1.0-2.3; p=0.031). However, it is likely that the association of LDA and CAS that we have observed is not causal but may be hypothesis generating due to significant baseline differences. Further, male gender, old age, lipid-lowering drugs, baseline spasm, and myocardial bridge were independent predictors of CAS. LDA was more frequently associated with CAS and ischemic symptoms, as well as severe and multivessel spasm, suggesting the patients who have received LDA would require more intensive medical therapies and close follow up.

Objectives: It is well known that myocardial bridge (MB) is a risk factor of vasospastic angina. However, clinical and angiographic characteristics according to different acetylcholine (ACh) dose in patients with MB are not clarified yet. Methods: A total 483 consecutive patients who had angiographically proven MB underwent the intracoronary ACh provocation test. ACh was injected by incremental doses of 20, 50 and 100 μg into the left coronary artery. We evaluated the clinical and angiographic characteristics of patients with MB according to 3 different ACh doses. Results: The baseline clinical and procedural characteristics are well balanced among the three groups. The MB patients who responded to the lower ACh dose (20 μg) had higher incidence of baseline spasm, severe vasospasm and diffuse long spasms (>30 mm) than those who responded to the higher doses (50 and 100 μg). The incidence of 12-month mortality and recurrent chest pain was higher in the lower ACh dose group (20 μg). Conclusion: The patients with MB significantly reacting at the low ACh dose had more pronounced baseline spasm, severe and diffuse long coronary artery spasm, higher 12-month mortality and recurrent chest pain than those reacting with the higher ACh doses, suggesting that more intensive medical therapy will be required.

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Objectives: To assess the predictive value of various risk factors for pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) after total laryngectomy.Methods: The characteristics of each study were collected from six databases up to January of 2022. Risk for bias was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool.Results: A total of 58 studies in 9845 patients were included in the analysis. The incidence of PCF was 21.69%, 95% confidence intervals (CI) [0.20; 0.24] in the included studies. Age (OR = 1.33, 95% CI [1.12; 1.58]), postoperative anemia (OR = 2.29, 95% CI [1.47; 3.57]), diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.81, 95% CI [1.20; 2.71]), tumor site (above or below the glottis) (OR = 1.47, 95% CI [1.15; 1.88]), previous radiation therapy (OR = 2.06, 95% CI [1.56; 2.72]), previous tracheostomy (OR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.04; 1.53]), surgery timing (salvage vs. primary) (OR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.46; 2.97]), extended total laryngectomy (including pharyngectomy) (OR = 1.96, 95% CI [1.28; 3.00]), primary tracheoesophageal puncture (OR = 0.61, 95% CI [0.40; 0.93]), and postoperative hypoproteinemia (OR = 9.98, 95% CI [3.68; 27.03]) were significantly associated with the occurrence of PCF. In view of predictive ability, postoperative hypoproteinemia showed the highest accuracy (sensitivity = 51%, specificity = 90%, area under the curve = 0.84).Conclusion: Multiple patient-, disease-, and surgery-related factors are risk factors for PCF. In particular, postoperative hypoproteinemia could be a good predictive factor for PCF in patients undergoing total laryngectomy.

PurposeHigh sensitive C-reactive protein (hs CRP) is well known as a strong risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of elevated hs CRP on coronary artery spasm (CAS) as assessed by intracoronary acetylcholine (ACh) provocation test.Materials and MethodsA total of 1729 consecutive patients without significant CVD who underwent coronary angiography and intracoronary ACh test between November 2004 and August 2010 were analyzed. The patients were divided into five groups according to quintiles of hs CRP levels.ResultsAt baseline, the prevalence of elderly, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, current smoking, and lipid levels were higher in patients with higher hs CRP. During ACh test, the incidences of significant CAS, ischemic electrocardiography (EKG) change, multivessel, and diffuse CAS were higher in patients with higher hs CRP. Multivariate analysis showed that the old age (OR=1.01, CI; 1.0-1.02, p=0.0226), myocardial bridge (OR=3.34, CI; 2.16-5.17, p<0.001), and highest quintile hs CRP (OR=1.54, CI; 1.12-2.18, p=0.008) were independent predictors of ACh induced CAS. However, there was no difference in clinical outcomes up to 12 months.ConclusionIn conclusion, higher hs CRP was associated with higher incidence of CAS, worse angiographic characteristics and ischemic EKG change, but was not associated with clinical outcomes.

Central pulse pressure is correlated with carotid atherosclerosis and the incidence of cardiovascular events more significantly than brachial pulse pressure. Augmentation index (Aix) has been shown to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Pulse wave analysis using the Gaon system allows for the estimation of central blood pressure (CBP), corrected augmentation index (Aix@HR75), ejection duration (ED) and subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR), and is widely used in clinical research in Korea. However, the accuracy of this system is controversial. From February 2008 to March 2011, 99 patients were recruited for this study. Measurements were taken both by the Gaon system and the SphygmoCor system on the same day for all study participants. The estimated values of CBP, Aix@HR75, ED and SEVR for the two systems were compared using paired t-tests, simple correlation analyses and Bland-Altman plots. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) estimated by the two systems was significantly (Po0.001) correlated; the coefficient was 0.982. The two s.d. of the difference in SBP between these systems was quite small-o7 mm Hg. Aix@HR75, ED and SEVR as estimated by the two systems were also significantly correlated, although they, especially SEVR, showed much weaker correlations than were observed in SBP: coefficients for Aix@HR75, ED and SEVR were 0.727, 0.648 and 0.230, respectively. We assessed the CBP of Korean patients estimated by the two systems and observed that the correlations of Aix, ED and SEVR were weaker than that of CBP. Such variations may be due to the difference in measuring methods between the devices. As even a slight change in pulse waveforms may result in a large difference in estimations, parameters, including Aix@HR75, ED and SEVR, should be carefully interpreted by experienced clinicians.