Sung Won Chae

Clinical Analysis of Voice Change as a Parameter of Premenstrual Syndrome

We have evaluated the relationship between voice change and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) by comparing acoustic measurements made during the follicular phase and the premenstrual phase. Twenty-eight women were followed for 2 months for this study. Each participant was asked to produce an /a/ sound for 5 seconds at the midfollicular phase of the menstrual cycle and then 2-3 days before menstruation. Each voice sample was stored and analyzed by the Dr. Speech Science program. The voice data collected from all subjects during the two phases were compared. After that, the subjects were divided into a PMS-positive and PMS-negative group according to the criteria cited in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV); the voice data from each group were compared separately between the two phases. There was no significant difference in the acoustic parameters between the two phases in all subjects (N = 28). In the PMS-positive group (N = 16), jitter was significantly increased during the premenstrual phase compared to the follicular phase (p = 0.048). The patients PMS score was not correlated with the severity of voice change. We conclude that the change of voice parameter was objectively identified in the PMS-positive group, therefore more careful voice habituation is required during the premenstrual phase in that group.

Endoscopic removal of an intranasal ectopic tooth

Intranasal ectopic teeth are rare and ectopic eruption of teeth can occur in a variety of locations. Commonly seen in the palate and maxillary sinus, they have also been reported in the mandibular condyle, coronoid process, orbital and nasal cavities, and through the skin. With the advent of sinonasal endoscopy in the mid 1980s, and subsequent advances in surgical techniques, endoscopic management of intranasal lesions has become possible. In the current case study, we report a successful endoscopic removal of intranasal ectopic teeth located in the nasal cavity. The endoscopic surgical approach used in this case caused less morbidity than do the more common methods of removing an intranasal ectopic tooth.

Eugenol: A Phyto-Compound Effective against Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Strain Biofilms

Background Inhibition and eradication of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms with conventional antibiotic is difficult, and the treatment is further complicated by the rise of antibiotic resistance among staphylococci. Consequently, there is a need for novel antimicrobials that can treat biofilm-related infections and decrease antibiotics burden. Natural compounds such as eugenol with anti-microbial properties are attractive agents that could reduce the use of conventional antibiotics. In this study we evaluated the effect of eugenol on MRSA and MSSA biofilms in vitro and bacterial colonization in vivo. Methods and Results Effect of eugenol on in vitro biofilm and in vivo colonization were studied using microtiter plate assay and otitis media-rat model respectively. The architecture of in vitro biofilms and in vivo colonization of bacteria was viewed with SEM. Real-time RT-PCR was used to study gene expression. Check board method was used to study the synergistic effects of eugenol and carvacrol on established biofilms. Eugenol significantly inhibited biofilms growth of MRSA and MSSA in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. Eugenol at MIC or 2×MIC effectively eradicated the pre-established biofilms of MRSA and MSSA clinical strains. In vivo, sub-MIC of eugenol significantly decreased 88% S. aureus colonization in rat middle ear. Eugenol was observed to damage the cell-membrane and cause a leakage of the cell contents. At sub-inhibitory concentration, it decreases the expression of biofilm-and enterotoxin-related genes. Eugenol showed a synergistic effect with carvacrol on the eradication of pre-established biofilms. Conclusion/Major Finding This study demonstrated that eugenol exhibits notable activity against MRSA and MSSA clinical strains biofilms. Eugenol inhibited biofilm formation, disrupted the cell-to-cell connections, detached the existing biofilms, and killed the bacteria in biofilms of both MRSA and MSSA with equal effectiveness. Therefore, eugenol may be used to control or eradicate S. aureus biofilm-related infections.

Protective effect of Korean red ginseng extract on cisplatin ototoxicity in HEI-OC1 auditory cells.

Ginseng extract is known to have many beneficial effects, including the reversal of pathological and physiological changes induced by ischemia, stress, and aging. Cisplatin, an effective antineoplastic drug, can cause irreversible sensorineural hearing loss and serious tinnitus in humans; thus cisplatin‐induced ototoxicity is a useful experimental model for ototoxicity. This study investigated the protective effects of Korean red ginseng extract on cisplatin‐induced ototoxicity in auditory cells. Pretreatment with 2.5 mg/mL of ginseng extract prior to application of 20 μm of cisplatin significantly increased cell viability after 48 h of incubation in auditory cells. Pretreatment with ginseng extract significantly attenuated the cisplatin‐induced increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Ginseng extract also inhibited the expression of caspase‐3 and poly‐ADP‐ribose polymerase related to cisplatin‐induced apoptosis because a major mechanism of cisplatin‐induced toxicity involves ROS production. Thus, Korean red ginseng extract can play both an anti‐apoptotic and anti‐oxidative role on cisplatin‐induced ototoxicity in an auditory cell line. Copyright

Inhibitory effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on LPS-induced inflammation of human middle ear epithelial cells

Conclusions. The results suggest that the anti-inflammatory effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is due to its inhibition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression and interleukin (IL)-8 production. The anti-inflammatory effect of CAPE is possibly through the inhibition of nuclear factor (NF)-κB via the suppression of inhibitor-κB-α (IκB-α) degradation. Objectives. CAPE is a biologically active component of propolis, a resinous material obtained from bee hives, which originates from conifer bark. The effect of CAPE on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory reactions is not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of CAPE on cultured human middle ear epithelial cells (HMEECs). Materials and methods. The effect of CAPE on LPS-induced TNF-α expression was evaluated in HMEECs by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). LPS-induced IL-8 production was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and LPS-induced IκB-α degradation was followed by Western blot analysis. Results. CAPE significantly inhibited LPS-induced up-regulation of TNF-α in a dose-dependent manner. IL-8 production by LPS was significantly suppressed by the CAPE pretreatment. Furthermore, LPS-induced IκB-α degradation was suppressed by the CAPE pretreatment.

Endoscopic endonasal reconstruction of blowout fractures of the medial orbital walls.

&NA; High‐resolution endoscopes and the advent of endoscopic instruments for sinus surgery currently provide surgeons with excellent endonasal visualization and access to the medial orbital walls. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the reduction of medial orbital wall fractures through an endonasal endoscopic approach that allows the repair of the medial orbital wall fractures without an external incision. This study was a retrospective analysis of 16 patients who underwent surgical repair of medial orbital wall fractures from March of 1997 to May of 1998. The 11 male and five female patients ranged in age from 16 to 54 years (mean, 30.5 years). These patients had undergone primary reduction of medial orbital wall fractures and were observed for at least 12 months after surgery. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Fifteen of 16 patients showed a complete improvement of their symptoms. One patient showed persistent diplopia, which was well managed by prisms. Endoscopic reduction of medial orbital wall fracture using an endonasal approach seems to produce good results and definite cosmetic advantages. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 109: 872, 2002.)

Sudden hearing loss in chronic myelogenous leukaemia implicating the hyperviscosity syndrome.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss that presents as the initial sign of haematological disease is very rare. Chronic myelogenous leukaemia has been implicated as a causative factor of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. A 49-year-old male presented with unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss. The patient was found to have chronic myelogenous leukaemia during a work-up for his hearing loss. We present a case of a chronic myelogenous leukaemia patient whose first manifestation was sudden sensorineural hearing loss. We presume that cochlear vessel occlusion as a result of elevated blood viscosity was responsible for this patients hearing loss. Early onset of sudden deafness in a chronic myelogenous leukaemia patient may be due to the hyperviscosity syndrome and it may be possible to reverse hearing loss through early leukapheresis.

Effect of diesel exhaust particles on human middle ear epithelial cells

OBJECTIVE In the present study, we investigate whether diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) cause cytotoxicity and induce inflammation or increase the expression of mucin in immortalized human middle ear epithelial cell lines (HMEECs). Several publications have shown an association between traffic-related air pollutants and otitis media. Additionally, DEP have been shown to cause inflammation and an allergic response in the airways. METHODS Cell viability following DEP treatment was investigated in HMEECs using the MTT assay. We measured the expression of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and COX-2 and the mucin genes MUC5AC and MUC5B using semiquantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. RESULTS Cell viability tests showed that exposure to more than 80 μg/mL of DEP caused a decrease in cell viability. DEP exposure also increased the expression of MUC5AC, but did not induce the expression of MUC5B in HMEECs. CONCLUSION DEP decreased cell viability, induced an inflammatory response, and increased mucin gene expression in HMEECs. These findings support the hypothesis that environmental diesel exposure is a risk factor for otitis media.

Protective effects of apocynin on cisplatin‐induced ototoxicity in an auditory cell line and in zebrafish

Cisplatin is a very effective anticancer drug and generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide anions that can deplete antioxidant protective molecules in the cochlea. These processes result in the death of cochlear hair cells by induction of apoptosis. Apocynin, which is used as a specific nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase inhibitor, has a preventive effect for intracellular ROS generation. In this study, the effect of apocynin was investigated in a cochlear organ of Corti‐derived cell line, HEI‐OC1 cells, and in transgenic zebrafish (Brn3C: EGFP). To investigate the protective effects of apocynin, HEI‐OC1 cells were treated with various concentrations of apocynin and a 20 µm concentration of cisplatin, simultaneously. An in vivo study of transgenic zebrafish (Brn3C: EGFP) was used to investigate the protective effects of apocynin on cisplatin‐induced hair cell death. In an in vitro study, apocynin appeared to protect against cisplatin‐induced apoptotic features on Hoechst 33258 staining in the HEI‐OC1 cells. Treatment of the HEI‐OC1 cells with 100 µm of apocynin, significantly decreased caspase‐3 activity. Treatment of the cells with a 100 µm concentration of apocynin and a 20 µm concentration of cisplatin significantly decreased the intracellular ROS production. In the in vivo study, apocynin significantly decreased the TUNEL reaction and prevented cisplatin‐induced hair cell loss of the neuromasts in the transgenic zebrafish at low concentrations (125 and 250 µm). These findings suggest that apocynin has antioxidative effects and prevents cisplatin‐induced apoptotic cell death in HEI‐OC1 cells as well as in zebrafish. Copyright

Congenital internal auditory canal stenosis.

Congenital internal auditory canal stenosis is a rare cause of sensorineural hearing loss in children. A retrospective analysis including clinical manifestation and radiological findings was made for seven patients who were diagnosed with congenital internal auditory canal stenosis from 1996 to 2002. Chief presenting symptoms were hearing loss, facial nerve palsy, dizziness, and tinnitus. Hearing loss including deafness was found in five cases, vestibular function loss in four cases, and profound functional loss of facial nerve in two cases. In all cases, the diameter of the internal auditory canal was less than 2 mm on high-resolution temporal bone computed tomography (CT) scan. Two cases revealed bilateral internal auditory canal stenosis, and others were unilaterally involved cases. Congenital internal auditory canal stenosis can be an important cause of sensorineural hearing loss, facial nerve palsy, and vestibular dysfunction. High resolution temporal bone CT scan and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were important tools for diagnosis.