Efficacy of cold and cryo-preserved nerve allografts with low-dose FK506 for motor nerve regeneration: a preclinical study.

Background: Despite their ability to regenerate as well as autografts, the use of nerve allografts is limited by the need for immunosuppression and the risk of disease transmission. Further, decellularized allografts lacking Schwann cells limit axonal regeneration in long nerve defects. This study evaluated sciatic nerve regeneration in rats implanted with cold- or cryopreserved allografts, and examined the effects of FK506, an immunosuppressant that targets calcineurin function, on motor recovery.

Objective Verification of Acute Tinnitus and Validation of Efficacy of Systemic Steroids in Rats.

Background: This study was performed to identify acute tinnitus and evaluate the efficacy of steroids for noise-induced acute tinnitus by measuring the gap-prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle (GPIAS) value in an animal model.

Methods: Nineteen rats (the noise group [n = 7] and the noise + dexamethasone [DEX] group [n = 12]) were exposed to narrow-band noise centered at 16 kHz from a sound generator for 4 hours. The noise + DEX group received intraperitoneal steroid administration daily for 5 days (1.

Memantine Attenuates Salicylate-induced Tinnitus Possibly by Reducing NR2B Expression in Auditory Cortex of Rat.

Memantine, a noncompetitive antagonist of the -methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, suppresses the release of excessive levels of glutamate that may induce neuronal excitation. Here we investigated the effects of memantine on salicylate-induced tinnitus model. The expressions of the activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein () and tumor necrosis factor-alpha () genes; as well as the () gene and protein, were examined in the SH-SY5Y cells and the animal model.

The Relationship between Epidemiologic Factors and Usage Pattern of Hair Care Products in Korea.

Background: For hair care products that are used almost everyday, it is important to estimate the cumulative dosage of long-term exposure and to assess the effects on the human body. Little data are available to evaluate actual daily usage in Asian populations.

Objective: Reliable exposure data for hair care products is essential to conduct safety assessments.

Effects of transient auditory deprivation during critical periods on the development of auditory temporal processing.

Objectives: The central auditory pathway matures through sensory experiences and it is known that sensory experiences during periods called critical periods exert an important influence on brain development. The present study aimed to investigate whether temporary auditory deprivation during critical periods (CPs) could have a detrimental effect on the development of auditory temporal processing.

Materials And Methods: Twelve neonatal rats were randomly assigned to control and study groups; Study group experienced temporary (18-20 days) auditory deprivation during CPs (Early deprivation study group).

The effects of postnatal phthalate exposure on the development of auditory temporal processing in rats.

Objective: The central auditory pathway is known to continue its development during the postnatal critical periods and is shaped by experience and sensory inputs. Phthalate, a known neurotoxic material, has been reported to be associated with attention deficits in children, impacting many infant neurobehaviors. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential effects of neonatal phthalate exposure on the development of auditory temporal processing.

Compressed single pixel imaging in the spatial frequency domain.

We have developed compressed sensing single pixel spatial frequency domain imaging (cs-SFDI) to characterize tissue optical properties over a wide field of view ( 35 ?? mm × 35 ?? mm ) using multiple near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths simultaneously. Our approach takes advantage of the relatively sparse spatial content required for mapping tissue optical properties at length scales comparable to the transport scattering length in tissue ( l tr ? 1 ?? mm ) and the high bandwidth available for spectral encoding using a single-element detector. cs-SFDI recovered absorption ( ? a ) and reduced scattering ( ? s ? ) coefficients of a tissue phantom at three NIR wavelengths (660, 850, and 940 nm) within 7.

Parameter optimization for applying the prepulse gap paradigm to humans.

Background And Objectives: Turner and colleagues introduced a new method that can detect tinnitus in animals. The stimulus is composed of a small background noise that is identical to the pitch of the tinnitus and a large pulse noise that can evoke a startle response. In normal rats, the gap decreases the startle reflex.

Trans-canal laser irradiation reduces tinnitus perception of salicylate treated rat.

The aim of this study was to find out the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on salicylate-induced tinnitus in the rat model. Fourteen Sprague-Dawley rats (8 weeks; 240-280 gm) were divided into 2 groups (study group, control group). Rats of both groups were treated with 400 mg/kg/day of sodium salicylate for 8 consecutive days.

Discovery of Maritrema jebuensis n. sp. (Digenea: Microphallidae) from the Asian Shore Crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus, in Korea.

Maritrema spp. (Digenea: Microphallidae) are parasites of birds, but have not been found in the Republic of Korea. In this study, metacercariae of Maritrema sp.

Comparisons of electromagnetic and piezoelectric floating-mass transducers in human cadaveric temporal bones.

Electromagnetic floating-mass transducers for implantable middle-ear hearing devices (IMEHDs) afford the advantages of a simple surgical implantation procedure and easy attachment to the ossicles. However, their shortcomings include susceptibility to interference from environmental electromagnetic fields, relatively high current consumption, and a limited ability to output high-frequency vibrations. To address these limitations, a piezoelectric floating-mass transducer (PFMT) has recently been developed.

Efficacy of transnasal nebulized surfactant on experimental otitis media with effusion in guinea pig.

Objective: Recently experimental trials have demonstrated that nebulized natural surfactant is effective in the treatment of experimental otitis media with effusion (OME). Two methodologically incomplete studies using animal models of induced OME have reported that nebulized surfactant can improve Eustachian tube function. There have been no reports that investigated the efficacy of the nebulized surfactant for OME using analysis of tympanic membrane vibration.

Antibacterial effect of octylcyanoacrylate against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from patients with chronic suppurative otitis media.

Unlabelled: There has been a steady increase in the number of cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) otorrhea; this is a growing medical concern. For otological surgery in children, octylcyanoacrylate can be an alternative method of closure for surgical incisions. Recent in vitro studies have shown that octylcyanoacrylate is effective as an antimicrobical barrier.

The effect of increased inner ear pressure on tympanic membrane vibration.

Background & Objective: It has been suggested that increased inner ear pressure can affect the stiffness of the tympano-ossicular conductive system. However, the published literature contains few studies on changes of middle ear mechanics caused by increased inner ear pressure. In this study, we evaluated the effects of increased inner ear pressure on tympanic membrane vibration in guinea pigs using a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV).

The use of piperacillin-tazobactam coated tympanostomy tubes against ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas biofilm formation: an in vitro study.

Background And Objective: Bacterial biofilm formation has been implicated in the high rate of persistent otorrhea after tympanostomy tube insertion. It has been suggested that the tube material may be an important factor in the development of otorrhea. Recently we reported the presence of ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) biofilms on infected tympanostomy tubes following the use of intractable post-tympanostomy tubes and the onset of otorrhea.

Tegumental ultrastructure of adult Gynaecotyla squatarolae (Digenea: Microphallidae).

Gynaecotyla squatarolae (Digenea: Microphallidae) adult flukes were recovered from experimental chicks at day 4-6 post-infection and their tegumental ultrastructure was observed with a scanning electron microscopy. They were pyriform in shape, and their anterior halves were concaved ventrally. The whole body surface was covered with tegumental spines, which were wide and 16-17 digitated between oral and ventral suckers.

Fabrication and optimal design of differential electromagnetic transducer for implantable middle ear hearing device.

A differential electromagnetic transducer (DET), with similar frequency characteristics to those of a normal middle ear, is designed and implemented for use in an implantable middle ear hearing device (IMEHD). To optimize the characteristics of the DET that depend on the electromagnetically forced vibration, a theoretical analysis is conducted to design the vibrating part. The electromagnetic force of the DET is simulated according to the design parameters of the coil size using a finite element analysis (FEA).