Distribution of glucocorticoid receptors and 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase isoforms in the rat inner ear.

11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) is an enzyme complex responsible for the conversion of hormonally active cortisol to inactive cortisone, and two isoforms of the enzyme (11β-HSD1 and 11β-HSD2) have been cloned and characterized. An immunohistochemical study was performed to determine the precise distribution of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) and the isoforms of 11β-HSD in the rat (postnatal day 1, 4, 10, and adult). Immunoreactivity of GRs was detected in the stria vascularis (SV), the outer hair cells (OHCs), the inner hair cells (IHCs), the spiral ligament (SLig), the spiral limbus (SLib), the spiral ganglion cells (SGCs), Reissner\u27s membrane (RM), the cochlear nerve (CN), the vestibular hair cells (VHCs), the dark cells (DCs), and the vestibular nerve (VN) in the rats. Immunostaining of 11β-HSD1 was observed in almost all the tissues in the cochlea and the vestibule except SLig, SLib, SGCs, CN, VHCs, and VN during all developmental stages, whereas, immunoreactivity of 11β-HSD2 was not detected in any of the inner ear tissues. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) study was also performed on GRs, 11β-HSD1, and 11β-HSD2 in the OC, SV and vestibule of the postnatal rats, and revealed that mRNAs were detected in all those and tissues in all the developmental days of postnatal days 1, 4, and 10. This data indicates that expression of GRs and 11β-HSD isoforms in the inner ear is tissue and age-specific, and that different local steroid regulation by GRs and the isoforms of 11β-HSD is present in each part of the inner ear

Topical application of 5-fluorouracil on attic cholesteatoma results in downregulation of keratinocyte growth factor and reduction of proliferative activity.

To investigate the cell-biological effect of topically applied 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on middle ear cholesteatoma, 12 attic cholesteatomas were treated with topical application of 5-FU cream, two to five times with an interval of 2 weeks (5-FU group). The control group comprised 65 cholesteatoma that were not treated with 5-FU. All lesions were later excised surgically and processed for immunohistochemical analyses of Ki-67, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and its receptor (KGFR). 5-FU significantly reduced the expression of KGF, did not change KGFR expression, and significantly reduced the Ki-67 labeling index, relative to the control group. The effect of 5-FU on cholesteatoma seems to be mediated, at least in part, through downregulation of KGF in stromal cells and reduction of the proliferative activity of epithelial cells

Binocular and monocular measurements of subjective visual vertical in vestibular loss.

The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility to omit the time-consuming monocular vision measurement in the subjective visual vertical (SVV) test by demonstrating that there is no difference in the results between binocular and monocular measurements. Thirty-one patients with unilateral vestibular schwannoma and 20 normal subjects as controls were involved. Both binocular and monocular measurements of SVV were performed. The main outcome of this study was the difference in the results of SVV between binocular and monocular measurements. There were no significant differences in the tilts of the SVV between binocular and monocular measurements in vestibular schwannoma patients as well as in the controls. Abnormal tilts of SVV may be evaluated precisely only by binocular vision instead of monocular vision

Monitoring of airborne Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress pollen in Nagasaki prefecture. -A clinical review of a 30-year data series-

bjective: To describe the situation of Japanese cedar (JC) and Japanese cypress pollens in Nagasaki prefecture based on a 30-year data series ranging from 1990 to 2019. Methods: The data of JC and Japanese cypress pollens at eight measurement sites in Nagasaki prefecture was retrospectively studied. A one-way analysis of variance was used to determine annual differences among the eight sites. Simple regression analyses were used to detect annual increasing or decreasing trends in the scattering of JC and Japanese cypress pollens at each of the eight sites. Results: JC pollen scattering began in early to mid-February and ended between late March and mid-April, while Japanese cypress pollen scattering began in mid-March to early April and ended in mid- to late April. Positive correlations between the total counts of JC pollens and year were observed in four measurement sites, while a positive correlation between the total count of Japanese cypress pollens and year was found in Goto city. Regional differences were statistically observed in the annual mean JC pollen values. Conclusions: Because these data are extremely meaningful, the work of Nagasaki Association of Medical Technologists and Nagasaki Medical Association is necessary for the future treatment of patients with JC and/or Japanese cypress pollinosis

Monitoring of airborne Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress pollen in Nagasaki prefecture. -A clinical review of a 30-year data series-

bjective: To describe the situation of Japanese cedar (JC) and Japanese cypress pollens in Nagasaki prefecture based on a 30-year data series ranging from 1990 to 2019. Methods: The data of JC and Japanese cypress pollens at eight measurement sites in Nagasaki prefecture was retrospectively studied. A one-way analysis of variance was used to determine annual differences among the eight sites. Simple regression analyses were used to detect annual increasing or decreasing trends in the scattering of JC and Japanese cypress pollens at each of the eight sites. Results: JC pollen scattering began in early to mid-February and ended between late March and mid-April, while Japanese cypress pollen scattering began in mid-March to early April and ended in mid- to late April. Positive correlations between the total counts of JC pollens and year were observed in four measurement sites, while a positive correlation between the total count of Japanese cypress pollens and year was found in Goto city. Regional differences were statistically observed in the annual mean JC pollen values. Conclusions: Because these data are extremely meaningful, the work of Nagasaki Association of Medical Technologists and Nagasaki Medical Association is necessary for the future treatment of patients with JC and/or Japanese cypress pollinosis

Expression of the Osmotically Responsive Cationic Channel TRPV4 in the Endolymphatic Sac.

The immunohistochemical expression pattern and the physiological role of transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) 4 in the endolymphatic sac were investigated. TRPV4 was expressed predominantly in the apical membrane of mitochondria-rich cells, and cell volume regulation by TRPV4 was observed in a tissue culture of the rat endolymphatic sac. TRPV4 was also present in the endolymphatic sacs of patients with vestibular schwannoma and with Meniere\u27s disease. TRPV4 is assumed to play a role as an osmoreceptor in cell and fluid volume regulation in the human endolymphatic sac