Hideaki Suzuki

Endonasal Endoscopic Management in Fibrous Dysplasia of the Paranasal Sinuses

In fibrous dysplasia (FD) involving the paranasal sinuses, the initial clinical presentation is related to sinus obstruction, visual disturbance, facial asymmetry, and nasal obstruction. FD is characterized by changes of the normal bone to an isomorphous fibrous tissue and poorly formed woven b0ne.l Although clinical and radiographic features provide important information, the diagnosis of FD requires a biopsy to differentiate it from other fibro-osseous diseases.z-5 The treatment of FD is controversial and ranges from total and radical resection to conservative excision to alleviate and prevent symptoms.3,6-8 Total excisional surgery of the involved bone often accompanies secondary deformity, significant risks of morbidity, and probable mortality.3,g-12 Subtotal surgical resection of FD in advanced cases is recommended to alleviate or ameliorate symptoms. Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is an established surgical treatment for chronic sinusitis.13 Expanded indications for ESS include repair of blow-out fractures, resection of inverted papilloma, and orbital decompression.14-16 An endoscopic approach provides a deep biopsy specimen with minimal surgical morbidity.2J7 We report three cases of FD treated successfully with ESS. ESS led to the establishment of

Biological characteristics of the globular substance in the otoconial membrane of the guinea pig

Biological characteristics of the globular substance, which is considered to be a precursor of otoconia, were investigated by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy. The shape of the globular substance was a complete sphere, 3-10 microns in diameter. Its surface stained positively with both rhodamine 123 and DiOC6(3), implying similarity to intracellular organelles, whereas no fluorescence was seen when stained with chlortetracycline, a membrane-associated Ca2+ dye. Meanwhile, this substance showed very little affinity for six kinds of lectins, indicating the lack of a surface structure of carbohydrates. The fluorescence of fluo-3 in the globular substance increased markedly after the application of ionomycin. But this was completely inhibited by the depletion of external Ca2+. This reaction suggests that the surface of the globular substance exhibits characteristics of a biological membrane and that the influx of external Ca2+ occurs through membrane-combined ionomycin. Internal free Ca2+ concentration varied from 1.1 x 10(-9) to 1.6 x 10(-4) M, the geometric mean being 3.3 x 10(-7) M, which is higher than normal resting level of intracellular Ca2+ concentration but lower than the calcium content of the globular substance estimated by X-ray microanalysis in previous studies.

Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty for Habitual Snoring without Sleep Apnea: Outcome and Complications

Thirty patients suffering from habitual snoring were subjected to laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty with a KTP/532 laser under local anesthesia. The patients selected for the present study had no complaints of severe sleep apnea. The surgical procedure included bilateral vertical incision through the palate at the base of the uvula with or without removal of the lower half of the uvula. Ninety-three percent of the patients showed apparent improvement of snoring following the operation. However, other sleep-related symptoms such as sleep quality and daytime sleepiness were not significantly improved. No major or critical complications such as massive bleeding and asphyxia occurred. Post-operative pain on deglutition disappeared in most patients 2 weeks after the operation. This procedure is safe, minimally invasive and effective for habitual snoring without apnea.

Carbohydrate distribution in the living utricular macula of the guinea pig detected by lectins

Carbohydrate distribution in the fresh utricular macula of the guinea pig was analysed using lectins such as Concanavalin A (ConA), Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), peanut agglutinin (PNA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), Ulex europeus agglutinin (UEA-1) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy. The ciliary bundle was strongly reactive to ConA, PNA, SBA and WGA but not to DBA and UEA-I, showing that the ciliary bundle has abundant D-galactose (GaI), N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc), D-mannose (Man) and sialic acid(s) (Sia) but not detectable amounts of L-fucose (Fuc) and terminal N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc). Similar patterns of lectin bindings with moderate-to-weak intensities were observed on the non-cilial apical surface, on the surface of the otoconia and in the gelatinous layer of the otoconial membrane. On the contrary, the globular substance, a precursor of the otoconia, was scarcely reactive to any lectin examined, implying that it lacks glycoconjugates on its surface. Previous histochemical studies reported that the otoconial membrane possesses a much higher affinity for lectins that does the sensory epithelium (including the cilia) in the vestibular organ. This discrepancy suggests that factors in the preparation process may affect the otoconial membrane or the surface coat of the cilia to change their lectin affinity. Meanwhile, sialidase treatment augmented the affinity of the ciliary bundle for DBA and PNA, indicating that sialylated GalNAc and Gal are present on the vestibular ciliary bundle.

Immunological Abnormality of the Serological Tests in Bilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Thirty-one patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss were investigated by serological and cellular immune examination, i.e. lymphocyte subsets, circulating immune complexes, autoantibodies, complements, immunoglobulins. Manifest immunological abnormality was demonstrated in 10 patients (32.3%) who were classified into 3 groups. The first group (3 patients) exhibited the presence of immune complex and/or autoantibody with an elevation of B-cell subset which was thought to relate to autoimmune response type II and/or III. The second group (3 patients) was suspected of a cellular immune-mediated response. One patient belonged to both the first and second group. The other 5 patients had immune disturbances induced by viral infection.

Carbohydrate composition of stereociliary glycocalyx of the utricle of guinea pig inner ear

The carbohydrate composition of the stereociliary glycocalyx of the utricle was analysed quantitatively. The utricular sensory epithelium was collected from adult albino guinea pigs, and its apical surface structure was blotted onto a PVDF membrane, which was then subjected to acid hydrolysis. The hydrolysate was treated with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone for labelling and analysed by reversed-phase HPLC coupled with detection of UV absorbance at 245 nm. Man, GlcN, GaIN, Glc, Gal and Fuc were detected and estimated to be 211, 219, 46, 1,270, 266 and 36 pmoles per 10 utricular maculae, respectively. The presence of Man indicates the presence of N-linked glycoconjugates, and the considerable amounts of GLcN and Gal suggest the presence of complex-type N-glycosides, poly-lactosamine and/or keratan sulfate. The relatively low GaIN content indicates that O-glycosides, chondroitin sulfates and GaINAc-containing glycosphingolipids, i.e. gangliosides and globosides, are minor components. Electronmicroscopic and confocal laser scanning microscopic observations revealed that the blotted apical surface structure constituted mostly the ciliary bundle. Consequently, the observed carbohydrate composition is probably that of the stereociliary glycocalyx of the utricular sensory epithelium.

EXCITED STATE DYNAMICS AND RELAXATION OF POLY(METHYLPHENYLSILANE) FILM

Abstract We report here measurements of the photo-luminescence spectra and the time response of the σ-conjugated polymer, poly(methylphenylsilane), film at 2 K. The site-selective luminescence and the time response are discussed in terms of the exciton band model and localized states in disordered system.