No abstract available.
Action Potentials*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Evaluating the olfactory function is as important in animal research as morphological study. However, it is difficult to gauge the smell function in rats because of the underdevelopment of current electrophysiologic measuring devices. The aim of this study is to assess changes in smell dysfunction induced by 3-methylindole (3-MI) in rats using an 8-odor olfactometer. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Eight female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Ethyl acetate at 10(-4.0) (v/v) concentration was used as an S+ odorant, and six different concentrations (10 (-4.0), 10(-4.5), 10(-5.0), 10(-5.5), 10(-6.0), 10(-6.5)) of butanol mixed with ethyl acetate were used as an S- odorant. S+ and S- stimuli were delivered randomly using the 8-odor olfactometer. After injection of 3-MI at a dosage of 300 mg/kg, mixed odor discrimination test was performed for five weeks. RESULTS: Normal rats were able to discriminate ethyl acetate from ethyl acetate mixed with butanol to a concentration down to 10(-6.2) (v/v). Immediately after the 3-MI injection, the rats lost all capacity for smell. From 16 days later, the smell function began improving spontaneously. At the end of the fifth week, the discrimination threshold was 10(-5.7) (v/v), which was almost equal to the original level. CONCLUSIONS: Systematically administered 3-MI caused smell loss in rats. Though not completely, the smell function was recovered spontaneously. An olfactometer is a reliable and accurate device in evaluating the olfactory function in rats.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Female ; Humans ; Odors ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skatole* ; Smell*

No abstract available.
Hearing*

No abstract available.
Foreign Bodies*

No abstract available.
Apnea* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Tracheal Stenosis*

No abstract available.

Allergic rhinitis refractory to medical therapy may be challenging. Inferior turbinate hypertrophy has been suggested as a major cause of nasal obstruction. In addition, nasal septal deviation and chronic rhinosinusitis are possible causes. Various procedures exist for surgical reduction of inferior turbinate volume, including lateral out fracture, partial turbinectomy, submucosal resection, laser-assisted turbinoplasty, radiofrequency-assisted turbinoplasty, and microdebrider-assisted turbinoplasty. In recent years, conservative turbinate surgery has been widely applied to decrease the risk of complications such as empty nose syndrome, crust formation, osteitis, and synechia. In some cases, septoplasty would be an important treatment method for allergic rhinitis when patients have coexisting nasal septal deviation. Recently, highly selective neurectomy to reduce the function of inferior turbinate is being implemented. Standard surgical treatment for allergic rhinitis has not been established, But a variety of surgery for patients who do not respond to appropriate medication can help relieve allergic symptoms. Because surgical management for allergic rhinitis may cause troublesome complications, these effective but invasive procedures should be chosen carefully.
Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Nasal Obstruction ; Nose ; Osteitis ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Turbinates

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is evidence which suggests that mammals have functional olfactory systems at birth or shortly before birth. This study was performed to investigate perinatal development of the olfactory mucosa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats at the 19th gestational day, and of the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th postnatal day were sacrificed. The light microscopic investigation of the olfactory mucosa was conducted with hematoxylineosin stain, immunohistochemical stain for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and protein gene product (PGP) 9.5. RESULTS: Number of the cell layers, epithelial thickness, and density of the olfactory receptor cell peaked at the postnatal 14th day. The cells of the basal layer changed from globose cells to basal cell proper with age. The number of the basal cells to the receptor cells decreased with age. PCNA was positive both in the supporting and basal layers. PCNA positivity decreased with age in the supporting layer but stayed stationary in the basal layer. PGP 9.5 was strongly positive in the olfactory receptor cells, dendrites, and the nerve bundles but negative in the supporting and basal layers. CONCLUSION: The olfactory epithelium proliferated maximally at postnatal 14 day, and afterwards the olfactory mucosa tended to show their characteristic maturation with slowed neurogenesis.
Animals ; Dendrites ; Mammals ; Neurogenesis ; Olfactory Mucosa* ; Parturition ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Since 1957, when Walsh and Ogura introduced transantral orbital decompression, various surgical approaches have been introduced for the treatment of dysthyroid orbitopathy. With the development of endoscopic sinus surgery, orbital decompression can now be approached transnasally by endoscope alone. We reviewed the medical records of 10 patients who had received endoscopic orbital decompression. Of the 10 patients, four eyes from three patients were managed for decreased visual acuity, while 13 eyes from seven patients were managed for exophthalmos. Three patients who had initially complained of decreased vision demonstrated eventual improvement. An initial mean proptosis of 19.3 mm decreased to 16.5 mm. Six eyes with abnormal color vision were resolved after the decompression. Four patients with diplopia complained of continued diplopia after the decompression and were managed with extraocular muscle surgery or prism glasses. Compared to the conventional transantral approach, endoscopic orbital decompression features less morbidity and comparable ophthalmic results.
Color Vision ; Decompression* ; Diplopia ; Endoscopes ; Exophthalmos ; Eyeglasses ; Glass ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Orbit* ; Visual Acuity