Comparison of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Expression Between Chronic Otitis Media With and Without Cholesteatoma.

Background: We evaluated and compared the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma and chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma.

Methods: The messenger ribonucleic acid expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress was measured and compared between chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma and chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma according to the presence or absence of bacteria, type of hearing loss, ossicle destruction, and facial canal dehiscence.

Results: The expression of immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein messenger ribonucleic acid was higher in the chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma group than in the chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma group, and Protein kinase RNA (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase and activating transcription factor 6 messenger ribonucleic acid expression were higher in the chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma group than in the chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma group.

Bacteriology and trends of antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in otitis media: A retrospective data analysis.

Objectives: Otitis media (OM) has a high prevalence worldwide and the treatment is crucial because hearing loss in children can lead to growth disorders such as language development disorders. The aim of this study is to analyse the changes in bacterial strains and the trends of antibiotic susceptibility in otitis media with effusion (OME), chronic otitis media (COM) and cholesteatomatous otitis media (Chole OM).

Design: This retrospective study involved 2926 patients diagnosed with OME, COM, or Chole OM between January 2000 and December 2020.

Effect of closing material on hearing rehabilitation in stapedectomy and stapedotomy: A finite element analysis.

Stapedotomy or stapedectomy operations are often performed to treat otosclerosis. During the operation, the space created by bone removal is usually filled with a closing material such as fat or fascia. In this study, the effect of the Young's modulus of the closing material on the hearing level was investigated through the 3D finite element model of a human head including auditory periphery.

Update on Extracellular Vesicle-Based Vaccines and Therapeutics to Combat COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on people worldwide since late 2019 when SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in Wuhan, China. In addition to its effect on public health, it has affected humans in various aspects of life, including social, economic, cultural, and political. It is also true that researchers have made vigorous efforts to overcome COVID-19 throughout the world, but they still have a long way to go.

Relationship between toll-like receptor expression in the distal facial nerve and facial nerve recovery after injury.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether toll-like receptor expression patterns differ in the distal facial nerve during recovery after crushing and cutting injuries.

Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent crushing or cutting injury of the unilateral facial nerve. Their whisker movement and blink reflex were examined.

Prognostic Factors Associated with Recovery from Recurrent Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Retrospective Analysis and Systematic Review.

Although idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is uncommon, recurrent ISSNHL is even rarer. The knowledge about factors associated with patient recovery from recurrent episodes is needed to counsel and treat the patients. Medical records of patients admitted for high dose oral steroid therapy for recurrent ISSNHL between January 2009 and December 2021 were reviewed.

Hearing Aid Effects and Satisfaction in Patients with Tinnitus.

Unlabelled: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of and satisfaction with hearing aids as a treatment option for tinnitus with hearing loss.

Methods: This retrospective study used the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), the satisfaction with amplification in daily life (SADL) questionnaire, and a medical chart review. A total of 116 patients treated between August 2018 and December 2020 were included.

Voice Outcome After Cold Knife Surgery According to the Characteristics of Vocal Fold Polyp.

Purpose: Voice change is one of the major symptoms in patients with vocal fold polyp. As a result, phonomicrosurgery is commonly required in these patients. Since voice outcomes after polyp treatment can be variable according to polyp characteristics, we aimed to investigate the predicting factors of postoperative voice improvements in terms of polyp characteristics in patients with vocal fold polyp who underwent cold knife surgery.

Toll-Like Receptors: Expression and Roles in Otitis Media.

Otitis media is mainly caused by upper respiratory tract infection and eustachian tube dysfunction. If external upper respiratory tract infection is not detected early in the middle ear, or an appropriate immune response does not occur, otitis media can become a chronic state or complications may occur. Therefore, given the important role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the early response to external antigens, we surveyed the role of TLRs in otitis media.

Analysis of Chronic Tinnitus in Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Presbycusis.

The most frequent causes of tinnitus associated with hearing loss are noise-induced hearing loss and presbycusis. The mechanism of tinnitus is not yet clear, although several hypotheses have been suggested. Therefore, we aimed to analyze characteristics of chronic tinnitus between noise-induced hearing loss and presbycusis.

Expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress mRNAs in otitis media.

Background: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a cellular defense mechanism that occurs when ER function is impaired.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the expression of major mRNAs of ER stress in patients with otitis media with effusion (OME), chronic otitis media (COM), and COM with cholesteatoma (CholeOM).

Material And Methods: Specimens were collected during surgery from patients with OME, COM, and CholeOM, and the levels of ER stress mRNAs measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

IgG Seroprevalence of COVID-19 among Individuals without a History of the Coronavirus Disease Infection in Daegu, Korea.

Background: Seroprevalence studies of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from many countries have shown that the number of undiagnosed missing cases is much larger than that of confirmed cases, irrespective of seroprevalence levels. Considering the strategy of Korea entailing massive testing and contact tracing from the beginning of epidemic, the number of undiagnosed missing cases in Korea may be negligible. This study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of COVID-19 among individuals who were never diagnosed with COVID-19 in Daegu, the epicenter of COVID-19 epidemic in Korea.

Embolization for intractable spontaneous hemarthrosis of the knee joint in the elderly patient: Case report.

Rationale: Several case reports about the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches of hemarthrosis after total knee arthroplasty using angiogram have been reported, owing to the probability of bleeding caused by vascular injuries. However, there were only few cases of spontaneous hemarthrosis of the knee joint in the elderly patient that have not undergone total knee arthroplasty that have been previously reported.

Patients Concerns: An 82-year-old male presented to our outpatient department with acute left knee pain.

Acquisition of coronal alignment according to the degree of varus deformity in total knee arthroplasty using computer-assisted navigation.

Purpose: We have analyzed the surgical outcomes of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using computer-assisted navigation that were performed by a single surgeon in terms of postoperative coronal alignment depending on preoperative varus deformity.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who have undergone navigated primary TKA from January 2016 through December 2019. Two hundred and fifty-six cases with varus deformity of 10° or less were assigned to group 1, and 216 cases with varus deformity of more than 10° were assigned to group 2.

Expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related mRNA in otitis media with effusion.

Objectives: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an intracellular organelle involved in the synthesis and secretion of proteins. The ER stress response, which protects cells from cytotoxic proteins such as unfolded proteins, is related to several diseases including inflammation. In this study, we investigated the effect of ER stress on the pathophysiology of otitis media with effusion (OME).

Cutoff value of serum procalcitonin as a diagnostic biomarker of infection in end-stage renal disease patients.

Background/aims: Serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels are low in healthy individuals but are elevated in patients with a serious bacterial infection or sepsis. In this study, we examined the ability of serum PCT concentration to diagnose infections in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, and sought to determine an appropriate threshold level.

Methods: Serum PCT levels were measured in ESRD patients on antibiotic therapy for a suspected bacterial infection (ESRD infection [iESRD] group, n = 21), and compared with those of ESRD patients on hemodialysis with no sign of infection (ESRD control [cESRD] group, n = 20).

Versatile O-GlcNAc transferase assay for high-throughput identification of enzyme variants, substrates, and inhibitors.

The dynamic glycosylation of serine/threonine residues on nucleocytoplasmic proteins with a single N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAcylation) is critical for many important cellular processes. Cellular O-GlcNAc levels are highly regulated by two enzymes: O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) is responsible for GlcNAc addition and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) is responsible for removal of the sugar. The lack of a rapid and simple method for monitoring OGT activity has impeded the efficient discovery of potent OGT inhibitors.

The effect of intravenous ascorbic acid in hemodialysis patients with normoferritinemic anemia.

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) patients with functional iron deficiency often develop resistance to recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO). Recent studies have shown that intravenous ascorbic acid (IVAA) administration could override rhEPO resistance in HD patients. This study was undertaken to test the effects of IVAA in HD patients with normoferritinemic functional iron deficiency accompanied by EPO-hyporesponsive anemia.

Reunion of the rabbit superior oblique tendon after weakening procedures.

Purpose: To investigate the degree of reunion in rabbit eyes of the superior oblique tendon after several surgical weakening procedures.

Methods: A total of 32 rabbits (64 eyes) were used in this study. The rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups, eight rabbits (16 eyes) in the tenotomy group, eight rabbits (16 eyes) in the tenectomy group, eight rabbits (16 eyes) in the disinsertion group and eight rabbits (16 eyes) in the recession group.

Review of 67 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis in Korea: a multicenter nationwide study.

Objectives: The ideal diagnostic criteria of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) are still challenging. Therefore, we investigated the clinical features of AIP in Korea and assessed the clinical use of new Korean diagnostic criteria.

Methods: We reviewed 67 patients with AIP enrolled in 16 hospitals via a multicenter study.

Acute renal failure due to acute tubular necrosis caused by direct invasion of Orientia tsutsugamushi.

We describe a scrub typhus patient with acute renal failure for whom a diagnosis was made based on serology as well as immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and an electron microscopic examination (EM) of a renal biopsy specimen. For our case, we demonstrated by IHC staining and EM that renal failure was caused by acute tubular necrosis due to a direct invasion of Orientia tsutsugamushi.