Bone Anchored Hearing Aids for the Treatment of Asymmetric Hearing Loss

OBJECTIVES: Asymmetric hearing loss is generally defined as a moderate-to-profound hearing loss in the poorer ear and a mild-to-moderate hearing loss in the better ear. Application of a bone conduction hearing aid is one of the possible treatments for the poorer ear in asymmetric hearing loss. However, the device essentially stimulates the contralateral better ear, precluding true binaural hearing. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the application and utility of bone-anchored hearing aids in the treatment of asymmetric hearing loss. MATERIALS and METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 215 implanted subjects in our clinic and extracted a series of 27 patients affected by asymmetric hearing loss and treated with bone-anchored hearing aids. All 27 subjects had a mixed hearing loss after middle ear surgery. The preoperative and postoperative audiological data of these patients were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The audiological tests showed an improvement in the performance of hearing perception of sound and speech in quiet and noise.Moreover, the subjects have positively answered the questionnaires administered to evaluate subjective benefits. All subscales of the abbreviated profile of hearing aid benefit and speech, spatial, and qualities of hearing scale showed a significant improvement with the device. CONCLUSION: Bone-anchored hearing aids are a suitable treatment for asymmetric hearing loss. When other devices cannot be utilized or are not indicated, the bone conduction devices may allow good audiological results

Changes in membrane sphingolipid composition modulate dynamics and adhesion of integrin nanoclusters

Sphingolipids are essential constituents of the plasma membrane (PM) and play an important role in signal transduction by modulating clustering and dynamics of membrane receptors. Changes in lipid composition are therefore likely to influence receptor organisation and function, but how this precisely occurs is difficult to address given the intricacy of the PM lipid-network. Here, we combined biochemical assays and single molecule dynamic approaches to demonstrate that the local lipid environment regulates adhesion of integrin receptors by impacting on their lateral mobility. Induction of sphingomyelinase (SMase) activity reduced sphingomyelin (SM) levels by conversion to ceramide (Cer), resulting in impaired integrin adhesion and reduced integrin mobility. Dual-colour imaging of cortical actin in combination with single molecule tracking of integrins showed that this reduced mobility results from increased coupling to the actin cytoskeleton brought about by Cer formation. As such, our data emphasizes a critical role for the PM local lipid composition in regulating the lateral mobility of integrins and their ability to dynamically increase receptor density for efficient ligand binding in the process of cell adhesion

Proteome Based Construction of the Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen 1 (LFA-1) Interactome in Human Dendritic Cells.

The β2-integrin lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) plays an important role in the migration, adhesion and intercellular communication of dendritic cells (DCs). During the differentiation of human DCs from monocyte precursors, LFA-1 ligand binding capacity is completely lost, even though its expression levels were remained constant. Yet LFA-1-mediated adhesive capacity on DCs can be regained by exposing DCs to the chemokine CCL21, suggesting a high degree of regulation of LFA-1 activity during the course of DC differentiation. The molecular mechanisms underlying this regulation of LFA-1 function in DCs, however, remain elusive. To get more insight we attempted to identify specific LFA-1 binding partners that may play a role in regulating LFA-1 activity in DCs. We used highly sensitive label free quantitative mass-spectrometry to identify proteins co-immunoprecipitated (co-IP) with LFA-1 from ex vivo generated DCs. Among the potential binding partners we identified not only established components of integrin signalling pathways and cytoskeletal proteins, but also several novel LFA-1 binding partners including CD13, galectin-3, thrombospondin-1 and CD44. Further comparison to the LFA-1 interaction partners in monocytes indicated that DC differentiation was accompanied by an overall increase in LFA-1 associated proteins, in particular cytoskeletal, signalling and plasma membrane (PM) proteins. The here presented LFA-1 interactome composed of 78 proteins thus represents a valuable resource of potential regulators of LFA-1 function during the DC lifecycle

STUDIO INTERNAZIONALE MULTICENTRICO SULLE FISTOLE RINOLIQUORALI SPONTANEE MULTIPLE: CONSIDERAZIONI PRELIMINARI

Introduzione: sono definite “spontanee” o “idiopatiche” le fistole rinoliquorali che sembrano non avere una eziologia definita. Sempre più dati evidenziano un’associazione tra la presenza di fistole spontanee ed un’incrementata pressione intracranica (IIH). Scopo dello studio: all’interno del gruppo di pazienti con fistole rinoliquorali spontanee esiste un particolare sottogruppo di pazienti che presentano difetti multipli del basicranio. Data la rarità di questa condizione abbiamo raccolto dati da altri gruppi in uno studio multicentrico in modo da raggiungere un numero adeguato di pazienti e trarre delle considerazioni preliminari. Materiali e metodi: abbiamo effettuato uno studio retrospettivo multicentrico su una coorte di pazienti trattati presso ospedali di terzo livello in Italia, Spagna, Regno Unito e Grecia per plastica di fistole rinoliquorali spontanee multiple e lo abbiamo confrontato con un gruppo di controllo di pazienti trattati per plastica di fistola rinoliquorale spontanea recidivante. Sono stati raccolti dati clinici, radiologici, chirurgici e di outcome dei pazienti in studio e sono tratte delle considerazioni preliminari sui risultati emersi. Conclusioni: la nostra comprensione della patogenesi di questa condizione è al momento molto limitata. Un ruolo causativo dell’IIH può essere presente ma le differenze emerse dal confronto con i pazienti con fistole ricorrenti sembrano promuovere il possibile ruolo di altri cofattori. È necessario un periodo di follow up più lungo e, a nostro avviso, studi prospettici e multicentrici, sono l’unica soluzione per affrontare in maniera seria un argomento così complesso

Middle Ear Neuroendocrine Adenoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Neuroendocrine adenomas of the middle ear are rare tumors that represent less than 2% of primary tumors of the ear. In this paper, we describe a case of a 40-year-old woman who developed neuroendocrine adenoma of the middle ear. The specific management strategy for this rare tumor is unclear; information in the available literature on the management of this tumor is varied. However, an extensive demolition seems to be the gold standard treatment for this tumor to avoid recurrence and regional metastases in the lymph node or distant metastases. For the present case, we performed an incisional biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, and thereafter, we performed a canal-wall-down tympanoplasty. For cases like the present one, careful long-term clinical and instrumental follow-up is required to monitor progress and facilitate patient recovery

Skull-Base Inflammatory Pseudotumor Involving the Trigeminal and Facial Nerves: A Singular Presentation of a Rare Disease

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a rare disease that is often misinterpreted as a lymphoma or carcinoma. It may involve different body regions but most commonly the lungs and the orbital cavity. We report the case of a patient affected by an IPT of the trigeminal and facial nerves. A 69-year-old male presented to our hospital with a right facial palsy arisen suddenly 2 days before. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head showed an abnormal mass with homogeneous enhancement involving the deep lobe of the parotid gland, the parapharyngeal space, and the infratemporal fossa, extending along the trigeminal nerve and the facial nerve. The patient was planned for multiple transnasal biopsies in the nasopharynx, the region of the foramen ovale, and the deep lobe of the parotid gland, but the results were inconclusive, with no evidence of a malignant process. We considered the possibility that the lesion could be an IPT, and the patient was treated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide. Three months after the conclusion of the treatment, an MRI showed a complete radiological response

Syringocystadenoma Papilliferum of the External Auditory Canal

BACKGROUND Ceruminous glands are modified apocrine glands, situated in the external auditory canal, that, together with sebaceous glands, produce cerumen, better known as ear wax. The neoplastic transformation of these structures is very rare and there have been few cases reported in the literature. CASE REPORT Syringocystadenoma papilliferum is one of the rarest tumors among benign tumors arising from the ceruminous glands. We here report the case of a 72-year-old man with a lesion histologically documented as a syringocystadenoma papilliferum and we review the literature, focusing our attention on clinical features and treatment options of benign glandular tumors arising from the external auditory canal. CONCLUSIONS Syringocystadenoma papilliferum is a rare benign tumor of the ceruminous glands of the external ear canal. Excision biopsy is mandatory for the diagnosis and is the best treatment

Extensive Skull Base Osteomyelitis Secondary to Malignant Otitis Externa

Skull base osteomyelitis is a severe complication of malignant otitis externa that affects the marrow of the temporal, sphenoid, and occipital bones. Skull base osteomyelitis is usually diagnosed based on clinical, microbiological, and radiological findings. Here, we present the imaging findings of a 76-year-old man who initially presented with right-sided malignant otitis externa, with the involvement of the otomastoid structures and ipsilateral temporal bone. Over the following 3 years, despite specific extended antibiotic therapy, the skull base osteomyelitis entirely involved the skull base, up to the contralateral petrous portion of the temporal bone, and it affected the cervical vertebral processes. This report describes an exceptional extent of unilateral malignant otitis externa with a severe involvement of the skull base on the contralateral side and the cervical spine

Comparison of total LFA-1 binding partners (derived from mild and stringent lysis conditions) in monocytes and DCs.

<p>(A) Venn diagrams of proteins identified in monocytes (blue) and DCs (yellow). Numbers of identified proteins, as well as common proteins are indicated. (B) PPI network of directly interacting LFA-1 (heterodimer formed by and αL (ITGAL) and β2 (ITGB2) chain) binding partners derived from monocytes in stringent lysis and mild lysis conditions. A network was generated by uploading the protein names to the database of functional protein interactions (STRING v9.05) and retrieving experimental proven direct protein-protein interactions. The resulting network was drawn by the authors. Based on our MS data, we could retrieve 3 high confidence networks (score 0.6), with a maximum of 19 directly interconnected nodes. Blue nodes represent proteins identified in mild lysis conditions, and red nodes represent proteins identified in stringent lysis conditions.</p