Role of Staphylococcal Superantigen in Atopic Dermatitis: Influence on Keratinocytes

Staphylococcus aureus may perform an crucial function in atopic dermatitis (AD), via the secretion of superantigens, including staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) A or B, and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). Dysregulated cytokine production by keratinocytes (KCs) upon exposure to staphylococcal superantigens (SsAgs) may be principally involved in the pathophysiology of AD. We hypothesized that lesional KCs from AD may react differently to SsAgs compared to nonlesional skin or normal skin from nonatopics. We conducted a comparison of HLA-DR or CD1a expression in lesional skin as opposed to that in nonlesional or normal skin by immunohistochemistry (IHC). We also compared, using ELISA, the levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNF-α secreted by cultured KCs from lesional, nonlesional, and normal skin, after the addition of SEA, SEB and TSST-1. IHC revealed that both HLA-DR and CD1a expression increased significantly in the epidermis of lesional skin versus nonlesional or normal skin in quite a similar manner. IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNF-α secretion was also significantly elevated in the cultured KCs from lesional skin after the addition of SsAgs. Our results indicated that KCs from lesional skin appear to react differently to SsAgs and increased proinflammatory cytokine production in response to SsAgs may contribute to the pathogenesis of AD

A Study on the Effect on River Habitat Change by small dam removal - A Case Study of Gokreung 2 & Gotan Small Dam Removal

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

Association of Bone Mineral Density With Hearing Impairment in Postmenopausal Women in Korea

Objectives Previous studies examining the association between osteoporosis (OP) and hearing loss (HL) have shown conflicting results. The objective of the present study was to examine the association between hearing impairment and OP in postmenopausal women, using appropriate statistical analyses. Methods Total 1,009 participants were included in the current study. The propensity score matched (PSM) cohort was defined as the cohort including participants diagnosed with OP and participants without OP. Three statistical models were developed where model 1 was unadjusted, model 2 included age, and model 3 included age, body mass index, alcohol intake, smoking habit, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride level, vitamin D, and alkaline phosphatase. Results There were 776 and 233 participants in the groups diagnosed without and with OP, respectively. For propensity score matching, 233 pairs were selected from the 776 participants without OP. In the total cohort, using statistical models 2 and 3, no significant difference in the four hearing thresholds was identified between the 2 groups. Logistic regression indicated that, in model 3, participants with OP had a 1.128 (P=0.323) increased risk HL. A significant HL risk was not observed in participants with OP. Using statistical model 3, there were no significant associations among lumbar spine or femoral neck T-scores and changes in the hearing thresholds. In the PSM cohort, statistical models also showed similar results. Conclusion The current study did not demonstrate and association between bone mineral density and hearing impairment in the study population of postmenopausal Korean women

Inferior Turbinate Surgery in Sleep-Disordered Breathing Patients with Nasal Obstruction: Principles and Various Techniques

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is characterized by the intermittent narrowing or collapse of the upper airway, including the nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx during sleep. Nasal obstruction is one of the most frequent presenting symptoms in SDB patients, and therefore, medical treatments such as saline nasal irrigation, antihistamine, and topical nasal spray are the first recommendation. If the issue is not resolved, surgical treatments for nasal congestion are helpful in order to alleviate nasal obstruction, reduce snoring, and improve positive airway pressure compliance. Inferior turbinate surgery is one of the most commonly performed nasal surgeries (e.g., endoscopic sinus surgery, septoplasty, etc) used to improve nasal obstruction. There are various inferior turbinate surgical methods including electrocautery, laser-assisted turbinoplasty, radiofrequency-assisted turbinoplasty, outfracture, submucous turbinoplasty, partial turbinectomy, and microdebrider-assisted turbinoplasty. Despite the development of these numerous approaches, no clear guidelines exist as yet to help determine the most appropriate modality for any individual patient. This is due to variation in pathophysiology and the degree and extent of the turbinate hypertrophy between patients. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of these techniques, as well as the preservative concept of functional nasal physiology, is critically important for all surgeons. We propose that the ideal inferior turbinate surgery would meet the following criteria: 1) be less invasive, 2) incorporate remodeling rather than excessive resection, 3) entail a submucosal versus superficial mucosal technique, 4) represent an individually selected technique that is best suited to the patient, and 5) address long term considerations rather than acute symptomatic relief

Meibomian Epithelioma of the Lower Eyelid in a Thoroughbred Horse

A 9-year old, castrated male, thoroughbred horse presented for a left lower eyelid mass with ocular signs of mucopurulent discharge, conjunctival hyperemia and ocular discomfort. On physical examination, there was no other abnormality. Surgically, the mass arising from the inner surface of left lower eyelid was excised and examined histopathologically. Microscopically, the eyelid mass exhibited neoplastic basaloid cells forming irregular cell masses of variable size separated by thin fibrous tissues. The basaloid cells showed mildly pleomorphic and undifferentiated appearances with prominent oval nuclei and scant cytoplasm. Poorly differentiated meibocytes were observed occasionally in the periphery regions of the cell masses suggesting the mass of lower eyelid originated from meibomian glands. Based on histopathological observation, the present case was diagnosed as an equine meibomian epithelioma in the lower eyelid. To the author’s knowledge, the present case is the first report of equine meibomian epithelioma in veterinary literatures