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Background and Objectives Several drugs which can improve blood flow have been used as treatment options for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) based on the theory that improvement of perfusion into the inner ear will help restore hearing. Lipo-prostaglandin E1 (lipo-PGE1) is a well-known vasodilator that increases peripheral blood flow. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lipo-PGE1 on the recovery of the SSNHL patients with hypertension or diabetes.Subjects and Method We retrospectively analyzed 801 patients who were diagnosed with SSNHL from January 2007 to December 2018. All patients were treated with 48 mg of methylprednisolone for 5 days; some patients received lipo-PGE1, depending on the attending physician. They were divided into four groups according to the presence or absence of hypertension and diabetes. Hearing test was performed again one month after treatment and compared with the test results at the time of diagnosis.Results As a result of comparing the hearing thresholds before and after the treatment in each group, there was a significant improvement in hearing thresholds in all groups (p

Background and Objectives: Autophagy is known to be associated with pathogen infection. However, the expression of autophagy-related proteins has not been studied in chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma (COM) or with cholesteatoma (CholeOM). This study aimed to determine whether there is a difference between COM and CholeOM in autophagy-related gene mRNA expression. Subjects and Methods: For 47 patients with chronic otitis media, the inflammatory tissues were classified into granulation tissue (COM) or cholesteatoma (CholeOM) according to biopsy results. Results: PI3K mRNA expression (COM vs. CholeOM, mean±SD, 0.009±0.010 vs. 0.003±0.004; p=0.004) was lower, whereas Beclin-1 mRNA expression (0.089±0.107 vs. 0.176±0.163; p=0.034) was higher in the CholeOM group. Expression of PI3K mRNA in the CholeOM group was lower than that in the COM subgroups with presence of bacteria (0.022±0.019 vs. 0.001±0.001; p=0.001), otorrhea (0.049±0.068 vs. 0.003±0.004; p=0.004), and hearing loss over 40 dB (0.083±0.130 vs. 0.003±0.004; p=0.005). Conclusions: The data suggested that different autophagy proteins play important roles in chronic otitis media according to the presence or absence of cholesteatoma.

The prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss has increased along with increases in life expectancy and exposure to noisy environments. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of co-occurring conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, along with other conditions that affect the blood vessels. Components of MetS include insulin resistance, body weight, lipid concentration, blood pressure, and blood glucose concentration, as well as other features of insulin resistance such as microalbuminuria. MetS has become a major public health problem affecting 20–30% of the global population. This study utilized health examination to investigate whether metabolic syndrome was related to hearing loss. Methods: A total of 94,223 people who underwent health check-ups, including hearing tests, from January 2010 to December 2020 were evaluated. Subjects were divided into two groups, with and without metabolic syndrome. In addition, Scopus, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane libraries were systematically searched, using keywords such as “hearing loss” and “metabolic syndrome”, for studies that evaluated the relationship between the two. Results: Of the 94,223 subjects, 11,414 (12.1%) had metabolic syndrome and 82,809 did not. The mean ages of subjects in the two groups were 46.1 and 43.9 years, respectively. A comparison of hearing thresholds by age in subjects with and without metabolic syndrome showed that the average pure tone hearing thresholds were significantly higher in subjects with metabolic syndrome than in subjects without it in all age groups. (p &lt, 0.001) Rates of hearing loss in subjects with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the components of metabolic syndrome were 7.9%, 12.1%, 13.8%, 13.8%, 15.5% and 16.3%, respectively, indicating a significant association between the number of components of metabolic syndrome and the rate of hearing loss (p &lt, 0.0001). The odds ratio of hearing loss was significantly higher in subjects with four components of metabolic syndrome: waist circumference, blood pressure, and triglyceride and fasting blood sugar concentrations (p &lt, 0.0001). Conclusions: The number of components of the metabolic syndrome is positively correlated with the rate of sensorineural hearing loss.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Viral and vascular disorders are considered to be a major cause of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). Lipoprostaglandin E1 (lipo-PGE1) has vasodilating activity and has been used to treat ISSNHL. The purpose of this study was to determine the specific therapeutic effects of lipo-PGE1 and compare them to other treatment modalities for ISSNHL. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The study group had 1,052 patients diagnosed with ISSNHL. All were treated with steroid, carbogen inhalation, stellate ganglion block (SGB), or PGE1. The CP group (steroid, carbogen inhalation, and PGE1 injection; 288 patients) was treated with lipo-PGE1 and carbogen inhalation, the CS group (steroid, carbogen inhalation, and stellate ganglion block; 232 patients) with steroid, carbogen inhalation, and SGB, the C group (steroid and carbogen inhalation; 284 patients) with steroid and carbogen, and the control group (steroid only; 248 patients) with steroid only. Patients in the groups receiving lipo-PGE1 received a continuous infusion of 10 µL lipo-PGE1. RESULTS The overall recovery rate after treatment was 52.2%, and recovery rates by group were 67.7% in the CP group, 54.3% in the CS group, 52.1% in the C group, and 32.2% in the control group. Therefore, the therapeutic results in groups treated with lipo-PGE1 were better than results in other groups. The difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS The study results suggested that the CP group received effective treatment modalities for ISSNHL. The combined therapy of lipo-PGE1 with carbogen inhalation in patients with ISSNHL was more beneficial than other treatment modalities.

Changes over time in pathogens and their antibiotic sensitivity resulting from the recent overuse and misuse of antibiotics in otitis media (OM) have complicated treatment. This study evaluated changes over 5 years in principal pathogens and their antibiotic sensitivity in patients in Korea diagnosed with acute OM (AOM) and OM with effusion (OME). The study population consisted of 683 patients who visited the outpatient department of otorhinolaryngology in 7 tertiary hospitals in Korea between January 2010 and May 2015 and were diagnosed with acute AOM or OME. Aural discharge or middle ear fluid were collected from patients in the operating room or outpatient department and subjected to tests of bacterial identification and antibiotic sensitivity. The overall bacteria detection rate of AOM was 62.3% and OME was 40.9%. The most frequently isolated Gram-positive bacterial species was coagulase negative Staphylococcus aureus (CNS) followed by methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and Streptococcus pneumonia (SP), whereas the most frequently isolated Gram-negative bacterium was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). Regardless of OM subtype, ≥ 80% of CNS and MRSA strains were resistant to penicillin (PC) and tetracycline (TC); isolated MRSA strains showed low sensitivity to other antibiotics, with 100% resistant to PC, TC, cefoxitin (CFT), and erythromycin (EM); and isolated PA showed low sensitivity to quinolone antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin (CIP) and levofloxacin (LFX), and to aminoglycosides. Bacterial species and antibiotic sensitivity did not change significantly over 5 years. The rate of detection of MRSA was higher in OME than in previous studies. As bacterial predominance and antibiotic sensitivity could change over time, continuous and periodic surveillance is necessary in guiding appropriate antibacterial therapy.

Objectives We investigated the epidemiological and antibiotic resistance differences in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in patients with otitis media with effusion (OME), acute otitis media (AOM), chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), and chronic cholesteatomatous otitis media (CCOM). Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective study of patients with newly identified MRSA infections from January 2009 through January 2017. Overall, 3,522 patients from 10 tertiary referral hospitals were included in the study. An antibiotic sensitivity test was performed for each isolate. Results MRSA infections in patients with CSOM and CCOM were more resistant to ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, erythromycin, gentamicin, levofloxacin, and tetracycline. Patients showed good susceptibility to rifampicin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX), and vancomycin. Conclusion MRSA infections in various otitis media cases showed different resistance patterns. MRSA infections in patients with COM and CCOM were more resistant to antibiotics than those in patients with OME and AOM.

Objective To investigate changes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and their antibiotic sensitivities over 13 years in patients diagnosed with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). Materials and methods The current study reports on a retrospective analysis of the outcomes of 2256 outpatients who visited the Department of Otorhinolaryngology clinics of 3 tertiary medical centers and who were diagnosed with chronic otitis media (COM) or chronic cholesteatomatous otitis media (CCOM) from January 2001 to December 2013. Aural discharge was collected from each patient. Infectious bacteria were identified, and their antibiotic sensitivities were determined. Results The most frequent age range of patients diagnosed with CSOM was 41 to 50 years. In patients aged more than 30 years, CSOM was more frequent in females than in males, whereas in those aged less than 30 years, it was more frequent in males. Regardless of age, the isolated MRSA strains showed high sensitivity to vancomycin, teicoplanin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, whereas the isolated PA strains showed high sensitivity to cefepime, amikacin, and ceftazidime. The isolation rate of MRSA in patients with CSOM slightly decreased over the 13-year study period; however, PA resistance to quinolones and aminoglycosides showed a tendency to increase. Conclusion Bacteria isolated from patients with CSOM showed little change between 2001 and 2013, whereas their antibiotic resistance showed changes; in particular, increased PA resistance to quinolones was observed. Empirical antibiotic treatment can lead to bacterial resistance, and changes in antimicrobial agents commonly used to treat CSOM should be considered.

Objectives. Although many studies have assessed sudden deafness in adults, sudden deafness has not been evaluated in children. We therefore evaluated the differences in sudden deafness between children and adults. Methods. We compared clinical manifestations, including gender, audiogram pattern of initial hearing loss, and recovery rate after treatment in 87 children and 707 adults diagnosed with sudden deafness from September 2003 and August 2012. Results. There were no differences in sex, side, or audiogram between children and adults (P>0.05 each). Hearing recovery rates in children and adults were 72.4% and 70.6%, respectively (P>0.05). Both children and adults with mild hearing loss showed significantly greater hearing recovery rates than individuals with profound hearing loss (P

Mungbean, Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek, is an important legume crop in many countries, providing protein and other essential nutrients. In October 2017, at the Seoul National University Suwon Experimental Farm (Suwon, Republic of Korea), we observed several individual plants across various mungbean accessions with dark-brown leaf spots. Spots were most prominent on the underside of the leaf and were circular to irregular in shape. On average, the diameter of spots was approximately 2 mm. A standard tissue isolation method was used, and a total of seven fungal isolates were made. The produced conidia were beaked or beakless, had transverse and sometimes latitudinal septa, ellipsoid or obclavate, with an average width of 11 µm and an average length of 22 µm, similar to the description of Alternaria alternata by Woudenberg et al. (2015). Genomic DNA of the fungi from two out of seven isolates was extracted using GeneAll Exgene Plant SV mini (Seoul, Republic of Korea). Using each DNA as a template, we amplified the internal transcribed ribosomal spacer region (ITS) and the 28s large subunit ribosomal RNA D1/D2 region using ITS1/ITS4 primers (White et al. 1990) and NL1/NL4 primers (Reynolds and Taylor 1993), respectively. BLAST analysis of these amplicon sequences showed 100% identity match to those of A. alternata, and the sequence was deposited in GenBank (no. MH633697-700). Furthermore, we compared ITS and D1/D2 sequences to the A. alternata reference sequence from Woudenberg et al. (2015) by aligning the sequences using ClustalW (BioEdit, version 7.0.5.3). Both of the isolates had >99.99% sequence identity with the reference. Based on both sequencing and morphological information, we concluded that the isolates were A. alternata. To fulfill Koch’s postulates, we carried out both in vivo and in vitro inoculation tests. For in vitro test, we harvested the conidia by flooding the fungal plate with 0.1% Tween 20. The concentration of spores was adjusted to 1 × 10⁵ conidia/ml by further diluting with 0.1% Tween 20. Detached leaves from 3-week-old mungbean plants were sprayed with the conidia suspension until there was surface run-off, and the leaves were placed in a humidity chamber. The control leaves were sprayed with 0.1% Tween 20. After 5 days, we observed brown spots on the surface of the leaves, but no symptoms appeared on the control plants. For the in vivo test, 1-month-old potted mungbean plants were inoculated with conidia suspended in sterile distilled water adjusted to 1 × 10⁴ conidia/ml. Each plant was sprayed with 5 ml of solution. The in vivo test showed a similar symptom to the in vitro test, producing brown leaf spots. From the brown leaf spots, we again isolated the fungi and sequenced the 28s large subunit ribosomal RNA D1/D2 region. The sequencing result showed 100% similarity of the reisolate with the original inoculum, fulfilling Koch’s postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report that A. alternata causes leaf spot disease in mungbean in Korea. This report helps to develop mungbean cultivars resistant to biotic stresses affecting mungbean yield.

Background and Objectives To investigate whether taste thresholds, as determined by electrogustometry (EGM) and chemical taste tests, differ by age and the severity of facial palsy in patients with Bell's palsy. Subjects and Methods This study included 29 patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy between January 2014 and May 2015 in our hospital. Patients were assorted into age groups and by severity of facial palsy, as determined by House-Brackmann Scale, and their taste thresholds were assessed by EGM and chemical taste tests. Results EGM showed that taste thresholds at four locations on the tongue and one location on the central soft palate, 1 cm from the palatine uvula, were significantly higher in Bell's palsy patients than in controls (p0.05). The severity of facial palsy did not affect taste thresholds, as determined by both EGM and chemical taste tests (p>0.05). The overall mean electrical taste thresholds on EGM were higher in younger Bell's palsy patients than in healthy subjects, with the difference at the back-right area of the tongue differing significantly (p0.05). Conclusions Electrical taste thresholds were higher in Bell's palsy patients than in controls. These differences were observed in younger, but not in older, individuals.

Background and Objectives Viral and vascular disorders are considered to be a major cause of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). Lipoprostaglandin E1 (lipo-PGE1) has vasodilating activity and has been used to treat ISSNHL. The purpose of this study was to determine the specific therapeutic effects of lipo-PGE1 and compare them to other treatment modalities for ISSNHL. Subjects and Methods The study group had 1,052 patients diagnosed with ISSNHL. All were treated with steroid, carbogen inhalation, stellate ganglion block (SGB), or PGE1. The CP group (steroid, carbogen inhalation, and PGE1 injection; 288 patients) was treated with lipo-PGE1 and carbogen inhalation, the CS group (steroid, carbogen inhalation, and stellate ganglion block; 232 patients) with steroid, carbogen inhalation, and SGB, the C group (steroid and carbogen inhalation; 284 patients) with steroid and carbogen, and the control group (steroid only; 248 patients) with steroid only. Patients in the groups receiving lipo-PGE1 received a continuous infusion of 10 µL lipo-PGE1. Results The overall recovery rate after treatment was 52.2%, and recovery rates by group were 67.7% in the CP group, 54.3% in the CS group, 52.1% in the C group, and 32.2% in the control group. Therefore, the therapeutic results in groups treated with lipo-PGE1 were better than results in other groups. The difference was statistically significant. Conclusions The study results suggested that the CP group received effective treatment modalities for ISSNHL. The combined therapy of lipo-PGE1 with carbogen inhalation in patients with ISSNHL was more beneficial than other treatment modalities.

Objectives. To assess the rate of isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and multidrug-resistant PA (MDR-PA) from patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) otorrhea and the annual trend of antibiotic-resistance. Methods. Otorrhea samples were collected aseptically from 1,598 CSOM patients. The rate of bacterial isolation and the results of antibiotic susceptibility testing were evaluated retrospectively. Results. The PA isolation rate from CSOM otorrhea was 24.4%. Of the 398 isolated strains tested for their susceptibilities to 10 antibiotics, 395 strains showed definitive results. Of these, 183 (46.3%) were susceptible to whole antibiotics and 212 (53.7%) was resistant to more than 1 antibiotics, with the frequency of antibiotics-resistance increasing significantly over time. Although strains susceptible to all antibiotics decreased over time, the rate of isolation of MDR-PA did not change significantly. Resistance to aminoglycosides and quinolones was higher than to other antibiotics and significantly increased over time, whereas resistance to other antibiotics showed no trend. Conclusion. MDR-PA, assessed using five individual antibiotics and six antibiotic-classes, showed no tendency to increase or decrease over time. This may have been due to increased concern about antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, leading to improved infection control within hospitals and healthcare centers.

In this paper, seismic qualification analysis for the Plant control Panel is carried out to confirm the structural integrity under the seismic conditions represented by required response spectra(RRS). The finite element method(FEM) is used for the analysis and a mode combination method is adopted to obtain a more reliable spectrum analysis results. In addition, the experimental analysis is performed to compare the reliability of the analytical results. The analysis results shows that the plant control panel system is designed to have the dynamic rigidity with no resonance frequency below 33 Hz. The analytically calculated maximum stress of the plant control panel system is of the field strength of material, thus it can be shown that the system has a stable structure for the seismic load.

This paper is the result of a experimental study about non-linear one to one modal coupling of a flexible circular cantilever beam which was transversely excited with harmonic excitation. It was proved that 2 order jumping in out of plane was caused by jump phenomenon in in-plane of flexible circular cantilever beam, because of non-linear coupling. In addition, cantilever beam showed hardening spring characteristics in in-plane and softening spring characteristics in out-of-plane.

BackgroundAlthough hearing loss may be caused by various factors, it is also a natural phenomenon associated with the aging process. This study was designed to assess the contributions of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension, both chronic diseases associated with aging, as well as aging itself, to hearing loss in health screening examinees.MethodsThis study included 37,773 individuals who underwent health screening examinations from 2009 to 2012. The relationships between hearing threshold and subject age, hearing threshold at each frequency based on age group, the degree of hearing loss and the presence or absence of hypertension and DM were evaluated.ResultsThe prevalence of hearing loss increased with age, being 1.6%, 1.8%, 4.6%, 14.0%, 30.8%, and 49.2% in subjects in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, and seventies, respectively (pConclusionsThe prevalence of hearing loss increases with age and the presence of DM. Hearing loss was greatest at high frequencies. In all age groups, mild hearing loss was the most common form of hearing loss.

Objectives. Otitis media (OM) is an infectious disease that affects all age brackets. Aural discharge is a typical symptom, occurring in all subtypes of OM. We have compared the identity and antibiotic sensitivity of bacteria isolated from aural discharges of adults and children with various types of OM, including acute OM (AOM), OM with effusion (OME), chronic OM (COM), and cholesteatomatous OM (CSOM). Methods:Me study involved 2,833 patients who visited five tertiary hospitals between January 2001 and December 2010 and were diagnosed with AOM, OMB, COM, or CSOM. The patients were divided into a pediatric group and an adult group, and the distribution of cultured bacteria and their antibiotic sensitivity were compared in the two groups. Results. Bacterial detection rates were higher in adults than in children with OME and COM (P=0.000 each). The majority of the bacteria cultured from patients with AOM and OME bacteria were methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Bacteria cultured from children were more susceptible to antibiotics (P=0.002) and had higher antibiotic sensitivity (P=0.001) than were bacteria cultured from adults. The majority of bacteria culture from patients with COM and CSOM were MSSA and pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The frequency of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was significantly higher in adults than in children, and more strains of bacteria isolated from adults were sensitive to the antibiotics septrin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin. Conclusion. Bacteria cultured from children were more susceptible to antibiotics and had higher antibiotic sensitivity than did bacteria cultured from adults.

Fusarium graminearum , a prominent fungal pathogen that infects major cereal crops, primarily utilizes asexual spores to spread disease. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying conidiogenesis in F. graminearum , we functionally characterized the F. graminearum ortholog of Aspergillus nidulans wetA , which has been shown to be involved in conidiogenesis and conidium maturation. Deletion of F. graminearum wetA did not alter mycelial growth, sexual development, or virulence, but the wetA deletion mutants produced longer conidia with fewer septa, and the conidia were sensitive to acute stresses, such as oxidative stress and heat stress. Furthermore, the survival rate of aged conidia from the F. graminearum wetA deletion mutants was reduced. The wetA deletion resulted in vigorous generation of single-celled conidia through autophagy-dependent microcycle conidiation, indicating that WetA functions to maintain conidial dormancy by suppressing microcycle conidiation in F. graminearum . Transcriptome analyses demonstrated that most of the putative conidiation-related genes are expressed constitutively and that only a few genes are specifically involved in F. graminearum conidiogenesis. The conserved and distinct roles identified for WetA in F. graminearum provide new insights into the genetics of conidiation in filamentous fungi.

Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) is a prominent pathogen that infects major cereal crops such as wheat, barley, and maize. Both sexual (ascospores) and asexual (conidia) spores are produced in F. graminearum. Since conidia are responsible for secondary infection in disease development, our objective of the present study was to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying conidiogenesis in F. graminearum based on the framework previously described in Aspergillus nidulans. In this study, we firstly identified and functionally characterized the ortholog of AbaA, which is involved in differentiation from vegetative hyphae to conidia and known to be absent in F. graminearum. Deletion of abaA did not affect vegetative growth, sexual development, or virulence, but conidium production was completely abolished and thin hyphae grew from abnormally shaped phialides in abaA deletion mutants. Overexpression of abaA resulted in pleiotropic defects such as impaired sexual and asexual development, retarded conidium germination, and reduced trichothecene production. AbaA localized to the nuclei of phialides and terminal cells of mature conidia. Successful interspecies complementation using A. nidulans AbaA and the conserved AbaA-WetA pathway demonstrated that the molecular mechanisms responsible for AbaA activity are conserved in F. graminearum as they are in A. nidulans. Results from RNA-sequencing analysis suggest that AbaA plays a pivotal role in conidiation by regulating cell cycle pathways and other conidiation-related genes. Thus, the conserved roles of the AbaA ortholog in both A. nidulans and F. graminearum give new insight into the genetics of conidiation in filamentous fungi.

Fusarium graminearum is an important plant pathogen that causes head blight of major cereal crops. The fungus produces mycotoxins that are harmful to animal and human. In this study, a systematic analysis of 17 phenotypes of the mutants in 657 Fusarium graminearum genes encoding putative transcription factors (TFs) resulted in a database of over 11,000 phenotypes (phenome). This database provides comprehensive insights into how this cereal pathogen of global significance regulates traits important for growth, development, stress response, pathogenesis, and toxin production and how transcriptional regulations of these traits are interconnected. In-depth analysis of TFs involved in sexual development revealed that mutations causing defects in perithecia development frequently affect multiple other phenotypes, and the TFs associated with sexual development tend to be highly conserved in the fungal kingdom. Besides providing many new insights into understanding the function of F. graminearum TFs, this mutant library and phenome will be a valuable resource for characterizing the gene expression network in this fungus and serve as a reference for studying how different fungi have evolved to control various cellular processes at the transcriptional level., Author Summary Large collections of mutant lines allow for identification of gene functions. Here we constructed a mutant library of 657 putative transcription factors (TFs) through homologous recombination in the head blight fungus, Fusarium graminearum, providing a resource for understanding gene regulation in fungus. By screening these mutants in 17 phenotypic categories, we constructed a dataset of over 11,000 phenotypes. This study provides new insight into understanding multiple phenotypes caused by single TF as well as regulation of gene expression at the transcription level in F. graminearum. Furthermore, our TF mutant library will be a valuable resource for fungal studies through the distribution of mutants and easy access to our phenotypic and genetic data.

Cetuximab (Erbitux) has been highlighted for its anti-proliferative effects in solid tumors and it is currently used as an adjuvant modality with other anti-cancer treatments. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is used widely in many specialties of medicine. This study evaluated the efficacy of a combination treatment of two modalities (Cetuximab, PDT) both in vivo and in vitro. The SNU-1041 cell line was used for both the in vitro and in vivo studies. The in vivo and in vitro experiments were each classified into four groups, control group, Cetuximab applied group, PDT applied group and combined modality group. A migration study was performed to determine the anti-migration effect of Cetuximab, and a MTT assay was performed to compare the anti-proliferative effect of the modalities in vitro. For the in vivo study, the cells were implanted into 5-week-old nude mice. The measured volume of the tumor for each group was compared as a function of time. In the migration study, the control group showed a longer migration length than the Cetuximab applied group. In the MTT assay, the combination modality group showed less survival than the uni-modality groups. The measured tumor size after treatment showed that the combination treatment was more effective than the single modalities. PDT and Cetuximab are treatment modalities that target different molecular pathways. A combination of these two treatment modalities was found to more effective than an individual treatment. However, further studies will be needed to determine the optimal dose of the photosensitizer and Cetuximab.

In September 2010, stem rot symptoms were observed on soybean plants (cv. Daepungkong) growing in a field located at Daegu (35.52° N, 128.35° E), South Korea. The first noticeable symptoms, observed on the top leaves, were difficult to distinguish from those of sudden death syndrome (SDS). However, after splitting the stems of symptomatic plants, typical stem rot symptoms appeared as reddish-brown to dark-brown discoloration of the pith. Stem lesions extended 15 to 20 cm upward from the soil surface. To isolate the causal agent, sections of diseased stems were surface disinfected with 1% sodium hypochlorite, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) containing streptomycin sulfate, and incubated at 25°C with a 12-h light regime. Two isolates were obtained (SSLNV17 and SSLNV18). Mycelia were white and floccose. Conidia (4.5 to 11.2 × 2.2 to 3.4 μm) were cylindrical to oblong-ellipsoidal, hyaline, and one-celled. Both isolates produced abundant perithecia after 3 to 4 weeks. Perithecia (205 to 331 mm in diameter) were orange to red, globose and ostiolate, with a short neck (80 to 126 mm in diameter). Unitunicate asci (88.6 to 115.3 × 14.5 to 17.3 mm) were cylindrical to clavate, with a short stalk (6.0 to 9.5 × 5.0 to 6.8 mm), and eight spores. Ascospores (13.3 to 17.5 × 10.7 to 12.7 mm) were uniseriately arranged, globose to oval, one-celled, and hyaline to pale brown, with walls with a rugose ornamentation. These morphological features are consistent with those of Neocosmospora vasinfecta var. vasinfecta (1). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α), and β-tubulin genes of rDNA of the two isolates were sequenced using primers ITS4/ITS5 (GenBank Accession Nos. KF662732 and KF662733), EF1-728F/EF1-986R (KF758839 and KF758840), and Bt2a/Bt2b (KF771004 and KF771005), respectively. Sequences of the ITS region, EF1-α, and β-tubulin genes of both isolates showed 99% similarity with several reported N. vasinfecta strains by BLAST analysis. Both morphological and sequence analyses confirmed that the two isolates were N. vasinfecta var. vasinfecta. Pathogenicity tests of both isolates were performed on 15 three-week-old seedlings of soybean cv. Williams inoculated with a spore suspension containing 1.0 × 106 spores/ml, using stem puncture inoculation procedure under controlled conditions (4). Control plants were inoculated in the same way with sterile water. The results were observed by splitting the stem longitudinally and checking for discoloration of the pith 4 to 5 weeks after inoculation. Reddish-brown to dark-brown discoloration was observed in the stem pith of inoculated plants, with occasional chlorosis of the leaves. Moreover, numerous orange-red perithecia were produced on the inoculated stems. However, no symptoms were visible on control plants. The pathogen was re-isolated from the diseased plants, confirming Koch's postulates. Neocosmospora stem rot of soybean was first discovered in Japan and since then it has been reported in the United States and China (2,3,4). To our knowledge, this is the first record of soybean stem rot caused by N. vasinfecta var. vasinfecta in Korea. Our report indicates that Neocosmospora stem rot is a new threat to soybean production in Korea. References: (1) P. F. Cannon and D. L. Hawksworth. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 82:673, 1984. (2) Y. Gai et al. Plant Dis. 95:1031, 2011. (3) F. A. Gray et al. Plant Dis. 64:321, 1980. (4) D. V. Phillips. Phytopathology 62:612, 1972.

Background and Objectives: Auricular masses are growths on the outer ear that have not been well characterized clinically. We assessed the clinical nature and treatment of auricular benign masses in patients at our institution. Subjects and Methods: We retrospectively identi- fied 63 patients with auricular benign masses who underwent excision and biopsy from May 1970 to April 2011. We determined the site, cause, size, pathology and postoperative results of these auricular masses. Results: Auricular benign masses occurred most commonly on the lobule (44.4%), followed by the tragus (20.6%), crus of helix (11.1%), triangular fossa (6.3%), crus of antihelix-antitragus (3.1%) and scapha (1.5%). Pathologically, the most common type of auricular mass was epidermal cysts (25.3%), followed by hypertrophic scar (12.6%), fibrous tissue-accessory ear (9.5%), chronic inflammation-nevus (7.9%), keloid (6.3%), hemangioma (4.7%), and skin tag-seborrheic keratosis (3.1%). Conclusions: The most common site of au- ricular benign masses is the lobule and most common pathology is an epidermal cyst. Korean J Audiol 2012;16:10-13

Purpose: Adjacent segment disease (ASD) is major complication following spinal instrumentation and fusion. The purpose of the current study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of proximal ASD following posterior instrumentation and fusion for degenerative lumbar scoliosis. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two patients (mean age 64.8 years) who had undergone decompression and fusion with pedicle screw instrumentation were evaluated. The average follow-up was 4.7 years. Twenty-five patients had additional interbody fusion at the lower lumbar spine. The average number of levels fused was 5.1 segments (range 1-9). The upper instrumented vertebrae ranged from T9 to L4. The lower instrumented vertebrae were L5 and S1. Results: Proximal ASD developed in 17 (24%) of 72 patients, including compression fractures (n=6), junctional kyphosis (n=5), spinal stenosis (n=4), and symptomatic disc collapse (n=2). The preoperative scoliotic angle, lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, and coronal and sagittal C7 plumb were not associated with the development of proximal ASD. There was a close correlation between the level of the upper instrumented vertebrae and the development of ASD (p=0.001). When fusion did not extend beyond the lumbar vertebra, ASD occurred in 15 (38.5%) of 39 patients. In contrast, when fusion extended up to the thoracic vertebrae, ASD occurred in 2 (6.1%) of 33 patients. The improvement in the Oswestry score was superior to the group without ASD (p=0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of symptomatic ASD at the proximal segment was 24% after posterior instrumentation and fusion for degenerative lumbar scoliosis. The cephalad extent of fusion was the most significant risk factor for the development of proximal ASD.

Both nasopharyngeal tuberculosis and tuberculous otitis media are currently considered as rare diseases and patients have no evidence of active pulmonary or systemic tuberculosis. We experienced a case of 49-year-old female with nasopharyngeal tuberculosis which eventually resulted in tuberculous otitis media. The initial diagnosis was very difficult so the appropriate treatment was delayed. Therefore, it is necessary that appropriate evaluations for nasopharyngeal tuberculosis and tuberculous otitis media include a chest X-ray, smear, culture, biopsy, and M. tuberculosis Polymerase chain reaction (TB-PCR). When nasopharyngeal tuberculosis and tuberculous otitis media are diagnosed, a medical therapy with antituberculous drugs is usually effective, and surgery is rarely needed. So we report our findings in this patient with a review of literautre and discuss the relationship between nasopharyngeal tuberculosis and tuberculous otitis media. (Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg 2009;52:245-8)

Study Design: Retrospective study Objectives: To investigate the type of postsurgical spinal stenosis in patients who had undergone a primary laminectomy and discectomy for a herniated lumbar disc, and to evaluate the clinical outcomes of the revision operation. Summary and Literature Review: Spinal stenosis occurs frequently after a laminectomy and discectomy. Facet joint arthritis, hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum, iatrogenic instability, postsurgical scarring or any combination of these conditions can cause spinal stenosis. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four patients, who had postsurgical spinal stenosis were reviewed. Patients with a simple recurrent disc herniation without a spinal stenosis were excluded. The mean age was 52.5 years (range 31~70). There were 19 males and 5 females. The primary discectomy were performed at L4-5 in 21 patients, L5-1 in 2 patients, and both L4-5 and L5-1 in 1 patient. The mean interval between the first discectomy and revision surgery was 11.6 years (range 2.7~40). The anatomical site of the spinal stenosis, combined herniated disc, height of the disc space, segmental instability, hypertrophy of facet joint and thickening of the ligamentum flavum in radiographs was evaluated. The clinical outcome was measured using the Oswestry disability index. Results: Lateral spinal stenosis was observed in all patients. Eight patients showed both central and lateral stenosis. The lateral stenosis was caused by hypertrophy of the facet joint in 20 patients and a thickening of the ligamentum flavum in 8 patients. Nineteen patients showed herniated lumbar disc, including disc protrusion in 8 patients, disc extrusion in 9 patients, and disc sequestration in 2 patients. A loss of disc height was observed in 12 patients, segmental instability in 5 patients, and spondylolisthesis in 3 patients. All the patients received posterior decompression and posterolateral fusion with pedice screw instrumentation. Eighteen patients received a discectomy simultaneously. The average Oswestry score at the last visit was 24.4. Conclusions: Postlaminectomy spinal stenosis resulted from a lateral spinal stenosis associated with facet joint hypertrophy. Recurrent disc herniation also contributed to the novel development of symptoms. A wide decompression and fusion provided good clinical outcomes.