Visualization of horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo using 3DCT imaging and its assessment.

Background: There have been no useful imaging methods to diagnose benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a common cause of vertigo, depending on the characteristic symptom.

Objective: To visualize horizontal canal (HC) BPPV using 3DCT and assess its clinical usefulness.

Subjects And Methods: Ten BPPV patients were diagnosed with distinct BPPV, canalolithiasis, and cupulolithiasis of the HC (hc-BPPV, hc-BPPV-cu), which were definitely diagnosed on the basis of criteria of BPPV by the Barany Society and 10 healthy subjects without a history of dizziness were investigated using 3DCT with several different CT window values (CTWVs).

Localization of melatonin and its receptors (melatonin 1a and 1b receptors) in the mouse inner ear.

In the inner ear, evidence has been gathered indicating that melatonin plays important roles in inner ear physiology and pathophysiology. However, no attempt has been made previously to investigate the localization or expression of melatonin and its receptors in the whole inner ear. To analyze the presence of melatonin and its receptors in the normal mouse inner ear.

Gastric-type H,K-ATPase in mouse vestibular end organs.

Conclusion: Gastric type H,K-ATPase in the vestibular end organs may be of importance for K circulation and may also be related to pH regulation in vestibular end organs and endolymphatic sac.

Objective: To analyze the expression of gastric-type H,K-ATPase in normal mouse vestibular end organs.

Methods: 8 weeks old CBA/J mice were used in this study.

Localization of histamine (H1, H2, H3 and H4) receptors in mouse inner ear.

Conclusion The present findings show that all four types of histamine receptors (H1R, H2R, H3R, and H4R) are present in the inner ear, thus supporting the hypothesis that histamine plays a physiological role in the inner ear. Objective To analyse the presence of histamine receptors in the normal mouse inner ear. Methods CBA/J mice were used in this study.

Localization of sirtuins (SIRT1-7) in the aged mouse inner ear.

Conclusion: The expression of sirtuin in vestibular end organs and cochlea responds differently to age-related changes. Down-regulation of SIRT1, 3, and 5 in the cochlea may weaken the protective activity regarding degeneration of the organ of Corti as well as of spiral ganglion cells, resulting in the development of age-related hearing loss. An increase in SIRT 1, 4, or 5 in vestibular tissue could indicate an increased need of detoxification of reactive oxygen species and an increased anti-ageing potential.

A clinical study of sudden deafness.

Conclusions: Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL) was commonly seen in middle aged people. Tinnitus was reported by 87.2% of the patients, and dizziness or vertigo were reported by 48.

Long-term administration of vasopressin can cause Ménière's disease in mice.

Conclusion: A new murine model of Ménière's disease has been developed, based on long-term administration of vasopressin. Induction of vestibular dysfunction in the present animal model can cause additional stress, by reducing inner ear blood flow. Latanoprost, a selective agonist for the FP prostanoid receptor, may become a new remedy for Ménière's disease.

Up-regulated expression of Dicer reveals poor prognosis in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusions: Increased expression of Dicer may be a prognostic biomarker for patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Objectives: Recent studies have shown that many microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the development and progression of human cancers. Dicer, one of the most important enzymes of the miRNA machinery, performs the final step of biogenesis of miRNAs.

Localization of sirtuins in the mouse inner ear.

Conclusion: It is suggested that SIRT1 and 3, and probably SIRT4 and 5, play an important role in the neuroprotection of the inner ear. SIRT2 may be related to neuroprotection and myelin sheath formation, while SIRT6 seems to have a significant role in maintaining the energy balance by metabolic regulation.

Objective: To analyze the expression of sirtuins (SIRT1-7) in the normal mouse inner ear.

Blockage pattern of longitudinal flow in Meniere's disease.

Conclusion: In the present study, classification of the patterns of 3D CT images of the ductus reuniens (reuniting duct) (RD), saccular duct (SD), and endolymphatic sinus (ES) gave more precise information for assessing the pathological condition of Meniere's disease (MD) than our previous study.

Objective: This study attempted to provide more detailed information on MD by classifying the patterns of 3D CT images of the RD, SD, and ES in patients with MD.

Methods: We examined the ears of 62 patients with definitely diagnosed unilateral MD based on the criteria of the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) using 3D CT.

Localization of aquaporins in the mouse vestibular end organs.

Conclusion: We found that aquaporins (AQPs) in the fluid transporting cells, such as vestibular dark cells and endolymphatic sac epithelial cells, seem to be of importance in fluid transport in the inner ear, while those in the sensory and ganglion cells may play a functional role in sensory cell transduction.

Objective: Expression of AQPs (0-12) was analyzed in normal mouse vestibular end organs.

Methods: CBA/J mice were used in this study.

Early hearing protection by brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

Conclusion: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protects the inner ear from PaExoA (exotoxin A from Pseudomonas aeruginosa)-induced sensory neural hearing loss when administered 12 h after exotoxin, but not after 72 h.

Objective: BDNF is a peptide in the neurotrophin family with protective effects against noise-induced hair cell loss and toxic inner ear damage following exposure to cisplatin. The exotoxin A (PaExoA) from P.

BDNF as otoprotectant in toxin-induced hearing loss.

Conclusion: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) can prevent auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold shift changes caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (PaExoA).

Objective: Peptides of the neurotrophin family are known to prevent neuronal death during embryonic development by interacting with specific membrane receptors. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a single dose of BDNF is an effective protectant against toxic effects of PaExoA-induced ABR threshold shifts.

Localization of aquaporins 1, 2, and 3 and vasopressin type 2 receptor in the mouse inner ear.

Conclusion: It is suggested that aquaporins (AQPs) 1, 2, and 3, and vasopressin type 2 receptors (V2Rs) in the fluid transporting cells, such as stria vascularis, vestibular dark and transitional cells, and endolymphatic sac epithelial cells, have an important role in fluid transport in the inner ear, while those in the sensory and ganglion cells may play a functional role in the sensory cell transduction system.

Objective: To analyze expression of AQP1, AQP2, and AQP3 as well as V2Rs in the normal mouse inner ear.

Methods: CBA/J mice were used in this study.

Prevalence of otitis media with effusion among children in Xi'an, China: a randomized survey in China's mainland.

Objectives: We sought to identify the prevalence of otitis media with effusion (OME) in urban Chinese children in Xi'an, China.

Methods: Five kindergartens and 3 primary schools were randomly selected in the urban area of Xi'an. Screening otoscopic and tympanometric examinations were performed on 2,902 children (1,491 boys and 1,411 girls) 2 to 8 years of age.

Prognostic significance of matrix metalloproteinase-20 overexpression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusion: Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-20 is overexpressed in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) compared with the adjacent normal laryngeal epithelium and MMP-20 plays a role in lymph node metastasis. Overexpression of MMP-20 may be used as a significant prognostic factor for lymph node metastasis. All the findings indicate that MMP-20 may play a role in the initiation and progression of LSCC.