Characterisation of N-glycans in the epithelial-like tissue of the rat cochlea.

Membrane proteins (such as ion channels, transporters, and receptors) and secreted proteins are essential for cellular activities. N-linked glycosylation is involved in stability and function of these proteins and occurs at Asn residues. In several organs, profiles of N-glycans have been determined by comprehensive analyses.

Molecular diversity of clustered protocadherin-α required for sensory integration and short-term memory in mice.

Clustered protocadherins (Pcdhs) are neuronal cell adhesion molecules characterized by homophilic adhesion between the tetramers of 58 distinct isoforms in mice. The diversity of Pcdhs and resulting highly-specific neuronal adhesion may be required for the formation of neural circuits for executing higher brain functions. However, this hypothesis remains to be tested, because knockout of Pcdh genes produces abnormalities that may interfere with higher brain functions indirectly.

Risk Factors of Recurrence in Pediatric Congenital Cholesteatoma.

Objective: To examine the risk factors of recurrence in pediatric congenital cholesteatoma.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: University hospital.

Creating an Optimal 3D Printed Model for Temporal Bone Dissection Training.

Objective: Making a 3-dimensional (3D) temporal bone model is simple using a plaster powder bed and an inkjet printer. However, it is difficult to reproduce air-containing spaces and precise middle ear structures. The objective of this study was to overcome these problems and create a temporal bone model that would be useful both as a training tool and for preoperative simulation.

Auditory cortical field coding long-lasting tonal offsets in mice.

Although temporal information processing is important in auditory perception, the mechanisms for coding tonal offsets are unknown. We investigated cortical responses elicited at the offset of tonal stimuli using flavoprotein fluorescence imaging in mice. Off-responses were clearly observed at the offset of tonal stimuli lasting for 7 s, but not after stimuli lasting for 1 s.

[A Survey of the Otorhinolaryngological Screening of Children in Niigata Prefecture: Kindergarten to High School].

We conducted the first survey of otorhinolaryngological (ORL) screening at educational institutions, from kindergarten to high school, in Niigata Prefecture. The survey results showed that ORL screening is not performed in 62.1% of kindergartens and nursery schools, and that screening was conducted by non-ENT doctors in 23.

[A Case of the Relapsing Polychondritis Limited to the Trachea].

A 62-year-old woman, who had dysesthesia in the throat, and polyposia the previous year, was admitted in a coma because of respiratory failure. Computed tomography scans demonstrated dilatation of the esophagus and stenosis of the trachea. After emergency intubation, extubation was not possible due to a collapsed trachea, so we performed a tracheostomy.

[Clinical Study of Skull Base Osteomyelitis].

Typical osteomyelitis is reportedly caused by Pseudomonous aeruginosa in elderly diabetic patients after malignant external otitis. Recently, complications have arisen due to the emergence of atypical osteomyelitis. We have experiensed 5 cases of skull base osteomyelitis at our hospital.

Pediatric middle ear cholesteatoma: the comparative study of congenital cholesteatoma and acquired cholesteatoma.

This study examined the differences between congenital cholesteatoma (CC) and acquired cholesteatomas (AC) in children by comparing clinical features and treatment courses. This was a retrospective study which retrospectively evaluated 127 children with middle ear cholesteatomas using medical records from January 1999 to December 2012 in the Department of Otolaryngology, Niigata University Hospital. The study comprised 69 and 58 cases of CC and AC, respectively.

A case of lateral sinus insufficiency with acute otitis media: Early surgical intervention for prevention of lateral sinus thrombosis.

Objective: To describe a case of lateral sinus insufficiency, presumably occurring just prior to lateral sinus thrombosis (LST), and to discuss the importance of early surgical intervention and the pathophysiology of full-blown LST.

Case Report: A 4-year-old boy developed headaches and vomiting after exhibiting typical symptoms of acute otitis media. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed narrowing of the sigmoid sinus medially by gas and low-density material.

Therapeutic outcome after resection of pulmonary metastasis from head and neck carcinomas.

Hematogenous metastasis is the most common form of metastasis in head and neck cancer, and reports have described successful resection of pulmonary metastases of such cancers. We report treatment outcomes after surgical resection of pulmonary metastases of head and neck cancer and identify prognostic factors. This clinicopathologic study investigated the clinical records of 16 patients with pulmonary metastases of head and neck cancer (excepting cases of thyroid cancer) who had undergone metastasectomy at our center during the period 2001-2012.

Surgical management of retropharyngeal nodes metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) often metastasizes to the central and lateral neck lymph nodes, but rarely affects retropharyngeal nodes (RPN).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 12 patients (three men, nine women) with PTC who underwent dissection of RPN metastases between 1994 and 2012. Mean age at dissection was 65 years (range 23-77).

Acquired cholesteatoma in children: clinical features and surgical outcome.

Objective: In general, cholesteatoma tends to recur more frequently in children than in adults. This has been suggested to be due to immature Eustachian tube function, underdeveloped mastoid air cells, and subsequent repetitive otitis media in children. This study was undertaken to determine the characteristics of acquired cholesteatoma in children by comparison with that in adults.

Long-term follow-up results of canal wall down tympanoplasty with mastoid obliteration using the bone pate plate for canal wall reconstruction in cholesteatoma surgery.

Background: The pathogenesis of recurrent cholesteatoma can be roughly divided into residual lesions and re-retraction of the epithelium. To prevent both residual and re-retraction cholesteatoma, we performed canal wall down tympanoplasty with mastoid obliteration using the bone pate plate for canal wall reconstruction as a fundamental surgical treatment for patients with acquired cholesteatoma. We attempted to achieve the complete extirpation of cholesteatoma in the wide surgical field made by the canal wall down procedure and simultaneously prevent recurrent retraction cholesteatoma and regain the physiologic canal wall, in which patients can have a "maintenance-free ear.

Cervical spine osteomyelitis and epidural abscess after chemoradiotherapy for hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a case report.

Osteomyelitis of mandible as a delayed adverse event following radiation therapy has been widely reported; however, osteomyelitis of the cervical spine has rarely been reported. In this study, we reported our experience with a case of cervical spine osteomyelitis and epidural abscess after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for hypopharyngeal carcinoma. The case involved a 68-year old man who underwent radical CCRT after a diagnosis of stage IVb, T4bN2cM0 posterior hypopharyngeal wall carcinoma.

Can the pathogenesis of auditory ossicular malformations be explained by the branchial-based theory?--Evaluation by the consecutive distribution of embryologic foci in 87 cases.

Background: Development of the auditory ossicles is initiated by induction of the cartilage primordium of each ossicle between the fifth and seventh fetal week. It is well known that primordium of the upper part of the ossicular chain is derived from the first branchial arch and that of the lower part develops from the second branchial arch. Previous studies have suggested that auditory ossicular malformations are caused by deficiencies in the early period of induction of the cartilage primordium.

Age-related deterioration of cortical responses to slow FM sounds in the auditory belt region of adult C57BL/6 mice.

To compare age-related deterioration of neural responses in each subfield of the auditory cortex in C57BL/6 mice, we evaluated amplitudes of tonal responses in young (5-11 weeks old) and adult (16-23 weeks old) groups using transcranial flavoprotein fluorescence imaging. Cortical responses to 20-kHz amplitude-modulated (AM) sounds, which were mainly found in the anterior auditory field (AAF) and the primary auditory cortex (AI) of the core region, were not markedly different between the two groups. In contrast, cortical responses to direction reversal of slow frequency-modulated (FM) sounds, which were mainly found in the ultrasonic field (UF), were significantly disrupted in the adult group compared with those in the young group.

Auditory cortical areas activated by slow frequency-modulated sounds in mice.

Species-specific vocalizations in mice have frequency-modulated (FM) components slower than the lower limit of FM direction selectivity in the core region of the mouse auditory cortex. To identify cortical areas selective to slow frequency modulation, we investigated tonal responses in the mouse auditory cortex using transcranial flavoprotein fluorescence imaging. For differentiating responses to frequency modulation from those to stimuli at constant frequencies, we focused on transient fluorescence changes after direction reversal of temporally repeated and superimposed FM sweeps.

Clinical behavior and pathogenesis of secondary acquired cholesteatoma with a tympanic membrane perforation.

Conclusion: The pathogenesis of secondary acquired cholesteatoma with a tympanic membrane (TM) perforation is very different from that of other types of cholesteatoma. This disease should be clearly categorized as a different type of cholesteatoma.

Objective: Primary cholesteatoma generally arises from retraction of the squamous epithelium of the TM.

Incidence survey of acute otitis media in children in Sado Island, Japan--Sado Otitis Media Study (SADOMS).

Background: Acute otitis media (AOM) is one of the most common forms of bacterial infection and cause for clinic visits in children. The incidence of AOM was 0.9-1.

Primary paraganglioma in the facial nerve canal.

Objective: To describe primary paraganglioma in the facial nerve canal and discuss the characteristics of facial nerve paraganglioma in contrast with other tumors.

Case Report: A 23-year-old man developed gradually progressive right facial palsy as the initial symptom. One year later, he exhibited hearing loss without tinnitus in his right ear.

[Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with either CDDP or CDGP, plus 5-FU for squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx and hypopharynx].

Clinical outcomes of 53 patients with oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, treated from January, 2000 to December, 2008 by concurrent chemoradiotherapy of either CDDP or CDGP, plus 5-FU were investigated. Patients were treated with either CDDP (70 mg/m2) or CDGP (100 mg/m2) on day 1 of the chemotherapy regime, with 5-FU (700 mg/m2/day) as a continuous infusion for 5 days. Each regimen was administered as two courses in the first and final weeks of radiotherapy.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus in mobile tongue cancer with particular reference to young patients.

The carcinogenetic role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in mobile tongue cancer remains unclear because of conflicting results reported in the literature. This disparity is likely to be due to variations in the samples and methods used. Furthermore, despite a tendency for increased prevalence of mobile tongue cancer in young adults, only a few reports specifically in young patients have been published.

Bcl11b heterozygosity leads to age-related hearing loss and degeneration of outer hair cells of the mouse cochlea.

BCL11B/CTIP2 zinc-finger transcription factor is expressed in various types of cells in many different tissues. This study showed that BCL11B is expressed in the nucleus of the outer hair cells of the mouse cochlea, degeneration of which is known to cause deafness and presbycusis or age-related hearing loss (AHL). We tested whether or not Bcl11b heterozygosity would affect AHL in mice.

Functional asymmetry in primary auditory cortex for processing musical sounds: temporal pattern analysis of fMRI time series.

Hemispheric differences in the temporal processing of musical sounds within the primary auditory cortex were investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time series analysis on a 3.0 T system in right-handed individuals who had no formal training in music. The two hemispheres exhibited a clear-cut asymmetry in the time pattern of fMRI signals.