Perceptual validation of sound environment reproduction inside an aircraft mock-up.

Auditory comfort evaluations are garnering increased attention in engineering and particularly in the context of air transportation. Being able to produce sound environments corresponding to various flight conditions in aircraft mock-ups would be a valuable tool to investigate acoustic comfort inside aircrafts in controlled environments. Before using such mock-ups, they must be developed and validated in physical and perceptual terms. This paper provides a perceptual validation of sound environment reproduction inside aircraft mock-up. To provide a faithfully reproduced sound environment, time, frequency and spatial characteristics should be preserved. Physical sound field reproduction approaches for spatial sound reproduction are required while properly preserving localization cues at the listener's ears to recreate a realistic and immersing sound environment. We report a perceptual validation of a sound field reproduction system developed in an aircraft mock-up based on multichannel least-square methods and equalization. Twenty participants evaluated reproduced sound environments relative to a reference sound environment in an aircraft cabin mock-up equipped with a 41-actuator multichannel sound reproduction system. Results indicate that the preferred reproduction corresponds to the best physical reconstruction of the sound environment.

Identifying factors of bicycle comfort: An online survey with enthusiast cyclists.

Racing bicycles have evolved significantly over the past decades as technology and cyclists' comfort have become a critical design issue. Although ample research has been conducted on comfort for other means of transportation, cyclists' perception of dynamic comfort has received scant attention in the scientific literature. The present study investigates how enthusiast cyclists conceptualize comfort using an online survey with 244 respondents. The purpose is to determine which factors contribute to comfort when riding a bicycle, to identify situations in which comfort is relevant and to determine the extent to which vibrations play a role in comfort evaluations. We found that comfort is influenced by factors related to bicycle components (specifically the frame, saddle and handlebar), as well as environmental factors (type or road, weather conditions) and factors related to the cyclist (position, adjustments, body parts). Respondents indicated that comfort is a concern when riding a bicycle in most situations and they believed that comfort is compatible with performance. The PCA analysis shows that for the perception "human factor-body parts" are put in evidence, and the "cyclist's comfort" evaluation is mainly based on certain qualities related to the bicycle components, then the road and external conditions (e.g. weather, temperature).

[Adrenal gland myelolipoma: review of the bibliography regarding a case]. / Mielolipoma suprarrenal: revisión bibliográfica a propósito de un caso.

OBJECTIVE: To describe an additional case of this rare disease entity, with special reference to its diagnosis and treatment, and to briefly review the literature. METHODS: We report on an 82-year-old male with adrenal myelolipoma that had been incidentally discovered during evaluation for another condition. A left adrenalectomy was performed due to the large size of the tumor and in order to determine its benign or malignant nature. RESULTS: The histopathological findings disclosed an andrenal myelolipoma. CONCLUSIONS: Adrenal myelolipoma is an uncommon tumor type. CT is the most effective diagnostic method. Surgery is advocated in symptomatic cases and in asymptomatic cases with a large tumor mass.

[Burned out testicular tumor]. / Tumor testicular fundido "Burned out".

OBJECTIVE: Extragonadal germ cell tumor is a rare condition. The present study reports an additional case of this uncommon disease. METHODS/RESULTS: A 24-year-old male with retroperitoneal disease and a testicular lesion detected by ultrasonography is described. Histopathological analysis of the orchiectomy specimen disclosed a 'burned out' tumor. The anatomopathological features of this tumor type are discussed. CONCLUSION: Extragonadal germ cell tumor is a rare condition. It derives from the germ cells that exist in the gonad and is located in every anatomical region but the gonad itself. Ultrasonography must be performed if an extragonadal germ cell tumor is suspected.

[Urologic impact of Crohn disease]. / Sobre las repercusiones urológicas de la enfermedad de Crohn (EC).

Presentation of two cases of Crohn's disease seen in our Service in which the urological symptoms were of special relevance. One patient presented clinically with a picture of anaemic gross haematuria. The other one, was a patient already diagnosed with Crohn's disease who developed an enterovesical fistula in spite of receiving medical treatment. Both cases were resolved surgically. The clinical aspects, natural history and treatment of this uncommon form of urinary tract involvement are discussed.

[Pheochromocytoma: a review of our own cases]. / Feocromocitoma: revisión de nuestra casuística.

Presentation of 6 cases of pheochromocytoma, diagnosed and treated in our Unit over the last 5 years. Five were adrenal pheochromocytomas and 1 an abdominal paraganglioma in a 42 year-old woman. Distribution by gender was 4 male and 2 female, and mean age at presentation was 45.2 years ranging from 35 to 55 years. Clinically, all patients were hypertensive. Two of the 5 cases with adrenal location presented with catecholaminic crisis with BP > 240/140 mmHg. The paraganglioma was diagnosed while studying a case of sustained HBP in a 42 year-old female referred from another unit. With regard to diagnosis, the sensitivity of urinary tests was 100%, and gammagraphy with meta-iodine-benzyl-guanidine (MIBG) was particularly useful in the extra-adrenal location case. In all our patients, computerized tomography (CT) was the choice procedure to locate the tumour. Treatment was surgical in all cases, access being transperitoneal in 3 cases, thoracoabdominal in 2 and classic lumbotomy in 1. All our patients received prior treatment with alpha-blocking agents, and intraoperative complications were 1 arrythmic crisis, 1 hypotensive picture and 1 hypertensive crisis, all of which resolved successfully. Currently, 5 patients remain disease free. Mild HBP controlled with low dose captopril still persists in one patient.

[Endoscopic electrofulguration of intraurethral condylomata acuminata]. / Electrofulguración endoscópica de los condilomas acuminados intrauretrales.

Cluster condyloma is currently one of the sexually transmitted diseases of higher incidence. The most common sites for condyloma in males are the balanopreputial sulcus, frenulum and the glans' mucosa. Associated to penis condyloma there can be urethral lesions in 5% of patients which in 80% of cases develop less than 3 cm from the meatus. This paper presents a series of 14 cases of cluster intraurethral condyloma managed by transurethral electrofulguration. The technique consists in the introduction of a coagulation probe through the urethrotome and the application of electrofulguration to the condyloma base. Results have been satisfactory although relapse has occurred in 2 cases (14%), and in one of them the procedure had to be repeated up to 3 times. There has been no complications such as stenosis in the loop resections. The authors conclude that due to the difficulties in the medical management of these lesions, the use of invasive techniques, of which transurethral electrofulguration of the condyloma base with endoscopic urethrotome is the choice because of its simplicity and effectiveness, is justified.

[Endoscopic trigono-cervico-prostatotomy: our experience]. / Trigonocervicoprostatotomía endoscópica: nuestra experiencia.

Presentation of our experience in treating the disease of the vesical neck through longitudinal endoscopic transurethral incisions in 24 patients following the Orandi procedure. Of the 24 patients seen in our service, 21 showed a clear clinical and urodynamic improvement. Complications were 2 cases of epididimorchitis and 1 iatrogenic stenosis of the anterior urethra. There were no major haemorrhages, urinary incontinence, or retrograde ejaculation except for an obvious decrease of ejaculate volume in 2 cases.

[Urothelial carcinoma after treatment with cyclophosphamide. Review of the literature and presentation of our caseload]. / Carcinoma de urotelio tras tratamiento con ciclofosfamida. Revisión de la literatura y aportación de nuestra casuística.

Cyclophosphamide has been used since 1958 in the treatment of various malignant tumours and certain systemic diseases, toxicity to the urothelium, frequently causing haemorrhagic cystitis and less often urothelial carcinomas, being one of its most notorious side effects--some 60 urothelial carcinoma cases have been published following therapy with cyclophosphamide since 1971. The present paper is a contribution of two new cases and its raises the need of paying special attention to urinary manifestations as well as narrowing the cooperation between the physicians which prescribe cyclophosphamide and the urologist, in order to make an appropriate follow-up and management of the patient.

[Supernumerary kidney with ectopic ureteral opening to the vagina associated with horseshoe kidney]. / Riñón supernumerario con abocamiento de uréter ectópico a vagina asociado a riñón en herradura.

Contribution of one case of supernumerary kidney with ureter ectopically opened to vagina associated to horseshoe kidney. Supernumerary kidneys are extremely unusual entities, there being only about 70 cases described in the international literature. This is the first case where it is found associated to horseshoe kidney.

[Nephrogenic adenoma of the bladder]. / Adenoma nefrogénico de vejiga.

Presentation of one case of vesical nephrogenic adenoma diagnosed as an accidental histological finding following TUR of vesical tumour. This case if considered of interest due to the rarity of the lesion (some 300 cases reported) and the limited number of quotations in the Spanish literature.