Chronic unilateral maxillary sinusitis, a calcified density in the involved sinus on radiological studies, and unresponsiveness to antibiotics are characteristics of actinomycotic sinusitis. Surgical removal of the involved tissues and the restoration of sinus ventilation seem to be important factors for treating the disease.

Leptin, an adipocyte-secreted hormone that regulates food intake and metabolic response, has been recently reported to increase in the serum during inflammatory airway disease associated with mucus-hypersecretion. We investigated the effects of leptin on mucin expression in human airway epithelial cells and the signaling pathways. The expression of the leptin receptor was evaluated in human nasal mucosa and NCI-H292 cells. Leptin-induced expression of major respiratory mucins in NCI-H292 cells was analyzed. Mutant leptin, which acts as a receptor antagonist, and specific inhibitors of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), p38 and Janus kinase-2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) were used. Leptin receptors were expressed in the nasal mucosa and NCI-H292 cells. Treatment with leptin significantly increased the expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B in NCI-H292 cells; these effects were blocked by mutant leptin. The cells activated by leptin showed increased ERK1/2, p38, and STAT3 phosphorylation. Leptin-induced MUC5B expression was blocked by the ERK1/2 and p38 pathway inhibitors, but not by the JAK2/STAT3 pathway inhibitor. Leptin might significantly contribute to the production of major gel-forming mucins by direct stimulation of airway epithelial cells and the activation of leptin receptors coupled with the activation of ERK1/2 or p38, but not the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Pneumolabyrinth is a rare clinical manifestation seen in the practice of otology. It occurs usually after head trauma with temporal bone fracture. However, pneumolabyrinth without temporal bone fracture is a very rare occurrence. When it occurs, it is usually diagnosed by high-resolution computed tomography of the temporal bone. Therapy for pneumolabyrinth is conservative treatment or an exploratory tympanotomy. Recently, we saw two cases of pneumolabyrinth after trauma without temporal bone fracture. The patients were treated with conservative management for the pneumolabyrinth. However, the degree of recovery from hearing loss was different for each patient.

Interleukin 1beta(IL-1beta), a proinflammatory cytokine, is related with inflammatory diseases and it up-regulates MUC2 gene expression and mucin secretion. This study was designed to investigate the signal transduction pathway of the IL-1beta-mediated MUC2 gene expression and mucin secretion in human airway epithelial cells. In cultured human airway NCI-H292 epithelial cells, the steady state of the mRNA level of MUC2 gene expression and mucin secretion induced by IL-1beta were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), enzyme immunoassay, and immunoblot analysis. To observe the signal pathway of the IL-1beta-mediated MUC2 gene expression and mucin secretion, we used several specific inhibitors. PD98059 (MEK/ERK inhibitor) suppressed IL-1beta-mediated MUC2 gene expression and mucin secretion, while SB203580 (p38 inhibitor) did not. Ro31-8220 (PKC inhibitor) inhibited IL-1beta-mediated MUC2 gene expression and mucin secretion. It inhibited ERK phosphorylation, but did not inhibit p38 phosphorylation. LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor) also suppressed MUC2 expression, but did not inhibit any MAPKs phosphorylation. These results suggest that the IL-1beta-mediated MUC2 gene expression and mucin secretion in NCI-H292 cells are regulated through activation of the PKC-MEK/ERK pathway, and that PI3K is also involved in the IL-1beta-mediated MUC2 gene expression and mucin secretion.

By tailoring the truncated shape of a cantilever structured magneto-mechano-electric (MME) generator that is composed of a piezoelectric single crystal fiber composite and a magnetostrictive Ni plate, a superior output harvesting power density of over 680% was obtained as compared to a typical rectangular shaped generator. The effect of the MME generator's shape on the strain distribution induced by magnetostriction and vibration characteristics and harvesting properties were simulated by finite element analysis modeling and confirmed experimentally, respectively. The truncated shape was effective for not only utilizing a more uniform in-plane strain distribution in the active piezoelectric area but also magnifying the flexural vibration amplitude, which in turn can make the generator more powerful under tiny magnetic oscillations.