Treatment of polycystic liver disease: a hypothesis, patient characteristics, short and long-term results.

Background: Non-total liver resecting invasive treatment of polycystic liver disease has different recurrence rates. The aim of this study is to illustrate why the recurrence rates are different. We established a hypothesis that the cyst number is a constant in polycystic liver disease in a patient's lifetime.

Inferior vestibular neuritis in a fighter pilot: a case report.

Spatial disorientation in airplane pilots is a leading factor in many fatal flying accidents. Spatial orientation is the product of integrative inputs from the proprioceptive, vestibular, and visual systems. One condition that can lead to sudden pilot incapacitation in flight is vestibular neuritis.

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials and motion sickness susceptibility.

Background: A functional vestibular system is a prerequisite for motion sickness (MS) to occur. The otolithic organs (saccule and utricle) are currently considered to be important in the pathogenesis of MS. Recent investigations have demonstrated that the ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) test is an objective evaluation of utricular function.

Ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials in healthy pilots and student pilots.

Introduction: Excellent vestibular function (including utricular function) is important for pilots to maintain correct spatial orientation during flight. Vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) recorded from extraocular muscles, the so-called ocular VEMP (oVEMP), can be used to evaluate utricular function. However, oVEMP has not been applied to pilots because of lack of reliable normative data.

Analysis on health information extracted from an urban professional population in Beijing.

Background: The assembled data from a population could provide information on health trends within the population. The aim of this research was to extract and know basic health information from an urban professional population in Beijing.

Methods: Data analysis was carried out in a population who underwent a routine medical check-up and aged > 20 years, including 30 058 individuals.

Vestibular function in military pilots before and after 10 s at +9 Gz on a centrifuge.

Background: Effects of high Gz acceleration can threaten flight safety through loss of consciousness or a lesser-known phenomenon, G-induced vestibular dysfunction (GIVD). There are reports of GIVD following high-G flight or centrifuge exposure. The aim of this study was to explore this problem under controlled conditions using a human centrifuge.

Effects of caloric vestibular stimulation on serotoninergic system in the media vestibular nuclei of guinea pigs.

Background: Anatomic and electrophysiological studies have revealed that the neurons located in the media vestibular nuclei (MVN) receive most of the sensory vestibular input coming from the ipsilateral labyrinth and the responses of MVN neurons to caloric stimulation directly reflect changes in primary vestibular afferent activity. The aim of this study was to clarify the intrinsic characteristics of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) release in the MVN during the period of vertigo induced by caloric stimulation.

Methods: We used an in vivo microdialysis technique to examine the effects of caloric stimulation on the serotoninergic system in MVN.

[Clinical significance of vibration-induced nystagmus in patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular disorders].

Objective: To clarify the clinical significance of vibration-induced nystagmus (VIN) and to calculate the sensitivity and the specificity of the vibration test.

Methods: One hundred and twelve patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular disorders and 30 normal subjects were enrolled into this study. However, patients with spontaneous nystagmus were excluded.

[Characteristics of vestibular-ocular reflex in guinea pigs during eccentric sinusoidal rotation].

Aim: To observe the characteristics of vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) of guinea pigs during eccentric sinusoidal rotation in different frequencies and radius, and compare them with that during axis rotation, obtain the parameters which reflect otolith functions, and provide experimental evidence for the establishment of otolith function test.

Methods: Guinea pigs were placed in axis of rotation and in an heading out eccentric position apart from rotation axis of 330 mm, 660 mm and 990 mm respectively, their VOR were recorded and compared under stimulus of sinusoidal rotations in the frequencies of 0.1, 0.

Experience of congenital choledochal cyst in adults:treatment, surgical procedures and clinical outcome in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University.

This study was undertaken to analyze and evaluate the diagnosis and principal treatment methods for congenital choledochal cyst, focusing on various surgical procedures and clinical outcome. A comprehensive, retrospective study was conducted on 72 adult patients who presented with choledochal cyst from 1985 to 2002. Surgical procedures were cyst excision with hepaticojejunostomy in 25 cases for type I or type IV-B, extrahepatic cyst excision with hepaticojejunostomy in 8 cases for type IV-A, extrahepatic cyst excision with modified hepaticojejunostomy in 2 cases for type IV-B, non-cyst excision with or without hepaticojejunostomy in 27 cases for types I, II, IV-A, IV-B.

[High Gy induced vestibular disorders in guinea pigs and its countermeasure by preconditioning].

Objective: To explore if high G exposure can cause vestibular disorder in guinea pig and the possibility of preventing it by preconditioning with exposure to a low hypergravity environment before high G stimulus.

Method: A total of 86 guinea pigs were divided into 4 groups: 1) 28 were treated with a stimulus of +10 Gy for 5 min (+10 Gy group); 2) 28 were preconditioned by exposure to 2 G environment for 8 d before the +10 Gy stimulus (preconditioning group); 3) 20 were exposed to 2 G environment for 8 d, but without +10 Gy stimulus (2 G group); the rest 10 served as control. Their vestibular related behaviour, including vestibulo-spinal reflex (VSR) and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) such as head tremble, head deviation, spontaneous nystagmus, eye deviation, body tilt or looping, were observed directly, the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in VNC (vestibular nucleon complex) in brain stem were investigated by immunohistochemistry technique, and the relative gamma in each group were analysed.