Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is defined as intermittent complete or partial upper airway obstruction during sleep, causing mental and physical effects. Both the local and systemic inflammation observed in OSAS induce certain potent pro-inflammatory mediators, which may contribute to the development of cardiovascular consequences. The present study was designed to evaluate the plasma levels of TNF-α , which is one of the known pro-inflammatory cytokines, in patients with OSAS and to assess the effect of surgical treatment on the levels of TNF-α levels. Twenty seven patients diagnosed to have OSAS, 7 non-apneic patients with chronic tonsillitis (non-OSAS patients), and 4 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Blood samples were collected one week preoperatively and postoperatively, and the plasma TNF-α levels were measured using high-sensitivity ELISA. The plasma TNF-α levels in patients with OSAS were significantly elevated in comparison to normal healthy subjects. In contrast, there was no difference between the patients with non-OSAS and healthy subjects. Moreover, the surgical treatment to enlarge the upper airway in patients with OSAS significantly decreased the levels of TNF-α levels. Surgical treatment of patients with OSAS reduces the plasma TNF-α levels, thereby ameliorating the systemic inflammation and preventing the development of cardiovascular consequences.

In the 760 cases of chronic otitis media studied from 1970 to 1976, the detection ratio of anaerobic bacteria and the relation between the nature of anaerobic bacteria and the conditions of focus were investigated. In 8.2% of 760 cases 9 kinds and 81 strains of anaerobic bacteria was detected. Most of the anaerobic bacteria were Peptococcus sp. or Bacteroides sp. and in general non-sporogenic anaerobic bacteria accounted for 97.5%. Anaerobes were frequently detected in cases where the middle ear cavity was filled with cholesteatoma or granulation and in cases of infection recurring after operation.

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Sterile inflammatory arthritis induced by tonsillitis was cured by resection of the microabscess in the tonsils. Therefore, ReA induced by tonsillitis is one form of 'focal infection'.

We studied click-evoked potentials in the anterior horn of the spinal cord in 17 cats. A concentric needle electrode was inserted into the anterior horn of the spinal cord at levels C3-C6. Potentials evoked with 105 dB SPL clicks were recorded with a peak latency of 4.89-5.10 ms only at the C3 level. These responses were observed 45-60 dB SPL above the auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold, and no potentials were evoked by stimulation of the contralateral ear. Average was performed 100 times with changes in stimulation frequency of 1-20 Hz. The amplitude of the potentials decreased with increasing stimulus frequency, but there were no changes in ABRs. The responses disappeared after destruction of the medial vestibulospinal tract at the obex level, but ABRs were still recorded. The spinal nucleus of the accessory nerves was located in the anterior horn of the spinal cord at levels C1-C6, and the sternocleidomastoid muscle motoneurons were found at levels C1-C3. The click-evoked potentials recorded in this study reflect responses of the spinal nucleus of accessory nerves through the vestibulospinal tract to click stimulation. The responses have the same characteristics as vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials that can be recorded using surface electrodes over the sternoclei-domastoid muscles of humans.