Effect of Age and Severity of Facial Palsy on Taste Thresholds in Bell's Palsy Patients

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.

Refractory Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Presenting as Facial Paralysis and Bilateral Sudden Deafness

Granulomatosis with polyangiitisis [(GPA) or Wegener granulomatosis] is a multi-system disease characterized by granuloma formation and necrotizing vasculitis. GPA classically shows involvement of the respiratory tracts and the renal system. However, locoregional disease is common and may include otologic manifestations. Although otologic involvement can occur during the course of GPA, no report has described facial palsy with sudden sensorineural total deafness with vertigo as the presenting feature of GPA. This case describes a patient with multiorgan involving resistant form of GPA initially presenting with bilateral profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss and left facial paralysis with vertigo. The condition responded well to treatment with rituximab.

Directing Human Embryonic Stem Cells towards Functional Endothelial Cells Easily and without Purification

Hemangioblasts or blood islands only arise in early development thereby the sources to obtain these bi-potential cells are limited. While previous studies have isolated both lineages in vitro through the hemangioblast, derivation efficiency was rather low due to cellular damage attributed by enzyme usage and fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS). This study focused on avoiding the use of damaging factors in the derivation of endothelial cells (ECs). Single cell H9-human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) were obtained by using a mild dissociation protocol then human embryoid body (hEB) formation was performed under hemangioblast differentiation conditions. The hEBs were subjected to a two-stage cytokine treatment procedure. Subsequent culture of the adhesive cells in day 4 hEBs gave arise to a seemingly pure population of ECs. The hESC-derived ECs were characterized by identifying signature endothelial gene and protein markers as well as testing for in vitro functionality. Furthermore, in vivo functionality was also confirmed by transplanting the cells in hindlimb ischemic murine models. We demonstrate that the genetic change required for EC derivation precedes blast colony formation. Furthermore, cell damage was prevented by abating enzyme usage and FACS, resulting in a high yield of ECs upon adhesion. Under this method, confluent cultures of ECs were obtainable 4 days after hEB formation which is significantly faster than previous protocols.