Prevalence of TECTA mutation in patients with mid-frequency sensorineural hearing loss.

Background: To date, 102 genes have been reported as responsible for non-syndromic hearing loss, some of which are associated with specific audiogram features. Four genes have been reported as causative for mid-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (MFSNHL), among which TECTA is the most frequently reported; however, the prevalence of TECTA mutations is unknown. To elucidate the prevalence of TECTA mutation in MFSNHL and clarify genotype-phenotype correlations, we analyzed the genetic and clinical features of patients with MFSNHL.

Glucocorticoids suppress NF-kappaB activation induced by LPS and PGN in paranasal sinus epithelial cells.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the innate immune response induced by toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the paranasal sinus epithelial cells in cell culture models and to examine the effect of glucocorticoids (GCs) on the innate immune response.

Methods: After stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and peptidoglycan (PGN), p50 level was measured as an index of the innate response in the paranasal sinus epithelium. To observe the effect of GCs, the specimens were pre-treated with dexamethasone (DEX) for 48 hours prior to stimulation.

[Case of NK/T-cell lymphoma of the larynx with hemophagocytic syndrome].

We report the case of a 67-year-old man with NK/T cell lymphoma of the larynx accompanied by hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) who reported throat paresthesia and was referred for evaluation of a laryngeal tumor extending from the left false vocal cord to the arytenoids. Two separate biopsies from the larynx yielded a histological diagnosis of NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal and nasal type. Since he showed pancytopenia and remittent fever soon after admission, bone marrow was examined and showed severe hemophagocytosis, leading to a diagnosis of HPS.