Immunohistochemical localization of phospholipase A2 in the guinea pig nasal mucosa.

Objective: Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a key enzyme in arachidonic acid metabolism, which is involved in the maintenance of biological homeostasis and the onset of various diseases. The immunohistochemical localization of PLA2 in the nasal mucosa has not been reported, even though the presence of messenger RNA of PLA2 has been demonstrated in the human nasal brush sample. The present study was designed to determine the localization of PLA2s in the nasal cavity.

Six1 controls patterning of the mouse otic vesicle.

Six1 is a member of the Six family homeobox genes, which function as components of the Pax-Six-Eya-Dach gene network to control organ development. Six1 is expressed in otic vesicles, nasal epithelia, branchial arches/pouches, nephrogenic cords, somites and a limited set of ganglia. In this study, we established Six1-deficient mice and found that development of the inner ear, nose, thymus, kidney and skeletal muscle was severely affected.

Argon plasma coagulation for intractable nasal obstruction occurring in patients with allergic rhinitis.

New surgical treatment for the intractable nasal obstruction in patients with nasal allergy by using Argon Plasma Coagulator (APC) was introduced. Of patients with allergic rhinitis treated at our institute, 28 patients complaining nasal obstruction were treated APC surgery. Epithelization of the mucosa of inferior turbinate was almost completely accomplished at 4 weeks after surgery, at which time mucosal swelling was reduced, and nasal obstruction was ameliorated in all cases, though a crust and fibrin membrane adhered to the mucosa between 2 to 4 weeks after surgery, resulting in temporary exacerbation of nasal obstruction.

Expression of CLC-KB gene promoter in the mouse cochlea.

We have investigated the expression of chloride channels by examining the cochlea of mice harboring the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene driven by an 11 kbp human CLC-KB gene promoter. CLC-KB was seen not only on the stria vascularis but on spiral ligament and limbal fibrocytes, interdental cells and satellite cells of spiral ganglion neurons that are known to possess both Na,K-ATPase and the Na-K-Cl co-transporter (NKCC). These results suggest that some fibrocytes possessing both the CLC-KB and the NKCC may be involved in the regulation of cell volume, transport and recycling of Cl- such as is seen in the stria vascularis.

Late laryngo-tracheal cartilage necrosis with external fistula 44 years after radiotherapy.

Major late complications, following radiotherapy of head and neck carcinomas, such as laryngeal oedema, perichondritis and chondronecrosis usually occur between three and 12 months after treatment. However, the present case displayed necrosis of the laryngo-tracheal cartilage and ulceration of anterior neck skin with a tracheal fistula 44 years after irradiation. The reasons for the long interval between irradiation and late complications may be explained by long-standing hypovascularity and/or infection of the irradiated area.

Anomalies of the auditory organ in trisomy 18 syndrome: human temporal bone histopathological study.

The purpose of this study was to define the histopathological changes in the temporal bone of a fetus with trisomy 18 syndrome, a stillborn due to perosplanchnia. Several anomalies were found including malformation of the auditory ossicles, residual mesenchyme in the middle ear, aberrant tensor tympani muscle, absence of stapedial tendon, aberrant lateral ampullary nerve and wide endolymphatic sinus. The incus body was deformed and separated from the long process by connective tissue and monocrural stapes was noted in the right ear.

Rhabdomyoma of the base of the tongue.

The histopathological and imaging findings of a rhabdomyoma of the base of the tongue were studied. An immunohistochemical examination of the tumour cells showed positive immunostaining for myoglobin, desmin, and striated muscle actin, but negative immunostaining for smooth muscle actin. Electron microscopy showed many glycogen granules and mitochondria in the tumour cells.

Expression of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 is limited to the nasal glands in the guinea pig nasal cavity.

Objectives: To clarify the localization of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 in the nasal cavity of guinea pigs and ascertain their physiological roles.

Material And Methods: The distribution of the enzymes was investigated using immunohistochemistry.

Results: Immunoreactivities for COX-1 and -2 were limited to the nasal glands, and no expression was noted in the surrounding vascular endothelial cells, olfactory glands, respiratory epithelium, olfactory epithelium, submucosal tissue or nerves.

Successful treatment of an extra-abdominal fibromatosis (desmoid tumor) arising from the prevertebral fascia of the neck.

We describe the successful treatment of a fibromatosis (desmoid tumor) arising from the prevertebral fascia of the neck. Total resection with wide margins is reportedly the best treatment for this kind of tumor. However, the anatomy of the head and neck makes such resection difficult.

Effects of furosemide applied chronically to the round window: a model of metabolic presbyacusis.

Hearing thresholds in elderly humans without a history of noise exposure commonly show a profile of a flat loss at low frequencies coupled with a loss that increases with frequency above approximately 2 kHz. This profile and the relatively robust distortion product otoacoustic emissions that are found in elderly subjects challenge the common belief that age-related hearing loss (presbyacusis) is based primarily on sensory-cell disorders. Here, we examine a model of presbyacusis wherein the endocochlear potential (EP) is reduced by means of furosemide applied chronically to one cochlea of a young gerbil.

Innervation of supporting cells in the guinea pig cochlea detected in bloc-surface preparations.

We immunohistochemically examined the distribution of nerve fibers among supporting cells of the cochlea by using the bloc-surface preparation. The existence of these nerve fibers was not very clear in the standard avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method. However, the standard ABC method complemented with silver intensification procedure provided very fine details of the nerve fibers.

Human CLC-KB gene promoter drives the EGFP expression in the specific distal nephron segments and inner ear.

Human CLC-KB has been identified as a kidney-specific member of the CLC chloride channel family, and mutations of the human CLC-KB gene are known to cause Bartter syndrome type III. A precise understanding of the localization of this channel in the human kidney is imperative to our understanding of the pathophysiology, but this has remained unclear due to the high homology between human CLC-KB and CLC-KA, another kidney-specific member of the same family. The high intraspecies homology also rules out an exact correlation of the human isoforms (CLC-KA and CLC-KB) to the mouse and rat isoforms (CLC-K1 and CLC-K2, respectively).

Histopathological examination of ruptured carotid artery after irradiation.

We report 2 cases of carotid artery rupture after irradiation that was performed 1 year and 17 years before the ruptures. When irradiation-induced arterial rupture occurs, it usually does so within a few months following irradiation. However, the histopathological sections obtained in the present cases revealed carotid artery necrosis that was presumably induced by irradiation.