Single-Cell Analysis of Steroid-Responsive Gene Targets in the Mammalian Cochlea.

Background: Treatment of many types of hearing instability in humans, including sudden sensorineural hearing loss, Meniere's disease, and autoimmune inner ear disease, rely heavily on the utilization of corticosteroids delivered both by oral and transtympanic routes. Despite this use, there is heterogeneity in the response to treatment with corticosteroids in humans with these diseases. The mechanisms by which corticosteroids exert their effect and the cell types in which they exert their effects in the inner ear remain poorly characterized.

Intratympanically Delivered Steroids Impact Thousands More Inner Ear Genes Than Systemic Delivery.

Objectives: Glucocorticoids are given for sensorineural hearing loss, but little is known of their molecular impact on the inner ear. Furthermore, in spite of claims of improved hearing recovery with intratympanic delivery of steroids, no studies have actually documented the inner ear molecular functions that are enhanced with this delivery method.

Methods: To assess steroid-driven processes in the inner ear, gene chip analyses were conducted on mice treated systemically with the glucocorticoids prednisolone or dexamethasone or the mineralocorticoid aldosterone.

Strengthening tactical planning and operational frameworks for vector control: the roadmap for malaria elimination in Namibia.

Background: Namibia has made tremendous gains in malaria control and the epidemiological trend of the disease has changed significantly over the past years. In 2010, the country reoriented from the objective of reducing disease morbidity and mortality to the goal of achieving malaria elimination by 2020. This manuscript outlines the processes undertaken in strengthening tactical planning and operational frameworks for vector control to facilitate expeditious malaria elimination in Namibia.

Correlative mRNA and protein expression of middle and inner ear inflammatory cytokines during mouse acute otitis media.

Although the inner ear has long been reported to be susceptible to middle ear disease, little is known of the inflammatory mechanisms that might cause permanent sensorineural hearing loss. Recent studies have shown inner ear tissues are capable of expressing inflammatory cytokines during otitis media. However, little quantitative information is available concerning cytokine gene expression in the inner ear and the protein products that result.

Control of middle ear inflammatory and ion homeostasis genes by transtympanic glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid treatments.

Hypothesis: Transtympanic steroid treatment will induce changes in ion homeostasis and inflammatory gene expression to decrease middle ear inflammation due to bacterial inoculation.

Background: Otitis media is common, but treatment options are limited to systemic antibiotic therapy or surgical intervention. Systemic glucocorticoid treatment of mice decreases inflammation and improves fluid clearance.