Objective To study the effect of hypothyroidism on oxidative stress status in developing rat brain and to further explore the mechanism of impaired brain development caused by hypothyroidism. Methods Perinatal hypothyroidism was induced by administering propylthiouracil(PTU) solution to the dams by gavage.The oxidative stress indexes were measured in brain homogenate of normal and hypothyroid pups which were sacrificed on the 21st d after birth. Results As compared to the control,the following indexes were found to be increased in the hypothyroid group: protein carbonyl contents,thiobarbital acid reactive substances,reduced glutathione,total antioxidative capacity,activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase(P0.05). Conclusion Hypothyroidism during rat brain development may cause oxidative stress,which may be related to the brain damage caused by hypothyroidism.

Myogenic potentials evoked by air conducted sound (ACS), bone conducted vibration (BCV) or galvanic pulses can be recorded with surface electrodes over contracted muscles. These myogenic potentials are of vestibular origin (utricle and saccule) and so these potentials are called vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs). Since the vestibular system has projections to many muscle systems, there are many such VEMPs. In this review, we discuss the generated origin, response pathway, waveform characteristics and clinical application of ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP).
Humans ; Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials

ObjectiveTo develop an experimental model of orthostatic hypotension (OH) after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rabbits and investigate the effect of tilting table exercise and Shengmaiyin on it. MethodsRabbit model of OH after SCI were induced by complete transection of spinal cord at the T5 spinal segment and raised to 60° head up tilt (HUT) on a tilting table. Tilting table exercise and Shengmaiyin were applied to different groups for 28 d from 4 days after operation. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse rate (PR) were observed with non-invasive sphygmobolometer of rabbit 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 d after the operation. Liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection(HPLC-ECD) was used to detect the concentrations of plasma norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine(E) with horizontal position and HUT 60° on the 31st day. ResultsSBP with HUT 60° in rabbits of combined treatment group was significantly higher than that in rabbits of SCI group on the 24th day after operation,and the drop in SBP from horizontal position to HUT60° was significantly lower than that in rabbits of SCI group. SBP with HUT 60° in rabbits of exercise group and combined treatment group was significantly higher than that in rabbits of SCI group on the 31st day after operation. The drop in SBP from horizontal position to HUT 60° was significantly lower in rabbits of Shengmaiyin group, exercise group and combined treatment group than that in rabbits of SCI group on the 31st day after operation. The concentration of E and NE of SCI group, Shengmaiyin group, exercise group and combined treatment group was lower than that of sham group, but there was no significant difference among these groups. ConclusionThe treatment with tilting table exercise and Shengmaiyin can improve OH after SCI partially in rabbits without involving norepinephrine and epinephrine significantly. The period of treatment can be shorten when both therapies used together.

Ear Diseases ; Humans ; Male ; Meniere Disease ; Middle Aged ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVE:To observe the curative effect of Danhong injection in treating cerebral infarction.METHODS:30 patients(trial group) were assigned to receive Danhong injection,while 26(control group) to receive Ligustrazine injection.The neurologic impairment score,clinical efficacy and ADRs during medication were compared between the two groups.RESULTS:The total effective rates in trial group vs.in control group were 86.67% vs.65.38%,showing significant differences between the two groups(P

Objective To investigate the relationship between diastolic function of the left ventricle and common carotid artery (CCA) elasticity in patients with hypertension. Methods Forty-one primary hypertension patients and 31 healthy volunteers underwent echocardiography to obtain the indices of LV diastolic function and also echo tracking techniqne (ET) to obtain the CCA elasticity indices. The LV diastolic function indices included Ve (early diastolic peak velocity), Va (late diastolic peak velocity ), Ve/Va, Em (early diastolic mitral annular motive velicity), Am (late diastolic mitral annular motive velicity) and Em/Am. The indices of CCA elasticity included Ep (pressure-strain elasticity modulus), β(stiffness parameter), AC (arterial compliance), AI (augmentation index) and PWVβ (pulse wave velocity). Results Va was higher and Em, Ve/Va and Em/Am were lower in patients than that in the healthy , P＜0.05. Ep and PWVβ were higher in patients,P＜0.05. Am and Va were correlated positively with PWV β and Ep , respectively in patients, P＜0.05. Ve/Va was correlated positively with AC, and negatively with PWV β, P＜0.05 in patients. Em/Am was correlated negatively with β and PWV β in patients. Conclusions The LV diastolic function and common carotid artery elasticity were decreased in patients with hypertension. The decreased common carotid artery elasticity was along with the LV diastolic function decreased.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the treatment outcome of patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) with concomitant benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). METHOD: Out of 252 ISSHL patients, 96 patients were diagnosed with complicating vertigo and examined using electronystagmography. All patients were divided into three groups, namely, ISSHL without vertigo group (n=156), ISSHL with non-BPPV vertigo group (n=70) and ISSHL with BPPV group (n=26). All patients received daily intravenous infusion of 200,000 U urokinase for 3 consecutive days and 100,000 U for 3 additional days. Concomitant medications included intravenous Ginkgo biloba leave compound and vitamin B6 and intramuscular vitamins B1 and B12 for 2 weeks. Twenty-six patients diagnosed with BPPV on electronystagmography positioning test also received canalith repositioning maneuver. RESULT: Vertigo-associated symptoms completely resolved after canalith repositioning maneuver in ISSHL patients with complicating BPPV. With respect to post-treatment hearing, ISSHL patients without vertigo exhibited a similar improvement as compared to those with BPPV, while those with non-BPPV vertigo had a significantly less improvement than those without vertigo and with BPPV. CONCLUSION ISSHL patients with complicating BPPV exhibit a relatively favorable outcome with respect to hearing and vertigo-associated symptoms after medical and repositioning treatment.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; complications ; therapy ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; complications ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: To observe waveform differences among ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (ACS-oVEMP) elicited by different types of air conducted sound in normal young Chinese subjects. METHOD: Twenty-two adult volunteers (44 ears) were recruited as research subjects including 12 males and 10 females aged between 18 and 35. Five hundred Hz tone burst, 125 Hz tone burst and click were employed as stimulus for conventional ACS-oVEMP examinations in bilateral ears of each subject. The response rate, threshold, n I latency, p I latency, n I-p I latency interval, amplitude and inter-aural asymmetry were recorded and compared among groups. RESULT: The response rate was 100% (44/44) in 500 Hz tone burst group, 40.9% (18/44) in 125 Hz tone burst group and 29.6% (12/44) in click group There were statistical significant differences between the 500 Hz tone burst group and the other groups (P < 0.05). Waveform amplitude was the largest in the 500 Hz tone burst group (7.3 +/- 5.5) muV than that in the 125 Hz tone burst group (3.8 +/- 1.5) muV and that in the click group (5.8 +/- 1.3) muV, which had statistically significant differences between the former and the later two groups (P < 0.05). Other waveform parameters presented similar differeces. CONCLUSION ACS-oVEMP waveforms could be largely affected by different stimulus. 500 Hz tone burst was the best stimulus with highest response rate, biggest amplitude and therefore most easily recognizable waveform in ACS-oVEMP examination.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of p-p38 MAPK protein and the number of astrocytes expressing p-p38 MAPK in CA1 hippocampus in rats during the induction of brain ischemic tolerance induced by intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (IH) preconditioning.

METHODSThirty healthy adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n = 5 in each group): sham 0 min group, IH + sham 0 min group, sham 7 d group, IH + sham 7 d group, Ischemia (Is) 7 d group, and IH + Is 7 d group. Neuropathological evaluation was performed by thionine staining in CA1 hippocampus in rats. The expression of p-p38 MAPK in CA1 hippocampus was observed by immunohistochemical staining. And the number of astrocytes expressing p-p38 MAPK was observed by immunofluorescent double labeling.

RESULTSThe results showed that IH preconditioning induced brain ischemic tolerance successfully. At the same time, IH preconditioning obviously up-regulated the expression of p-p38 MAPK protein in CA1 hippocampus, and also increased the number of astrocytes expressing p-p38 MAPK.

CONCLUSIONIt might be concluded that IH preconditioning induced brain ischemic tolerance by up-regulating the expression of p-p38 MAPK protein in pyramidal neurones and astrocytes.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; enzymology ; pathology ; Brain Ischemia ; enzymology ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hippocampus ; enzymology ; Hypoxia ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; methods ; Male ; Phosphorylation ; Pressure ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the effect of triiodothyronine on the expression of alpha subunit of C protein Co (Coa) gene in cultured rat cerebral cortex neurons. Methods Primary cultured neurons of rat were prepared from the cerebral cortex at embryonic day 19. The neurons were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum. After 7 days, the neurons were cultured in different media; DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum (group A), DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum stripped of thyroid hormone (group B), 0.5nmol/L T3-containing DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum stripped of thyroid hormone (group C) , 5nmol/L T3-containing DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum stripped of thyroid hormone (group D) and 50nmol/L T3-containing DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum stripped of thyroid hormone (group E). The neurons were cultured for another 7 days and total RNA was extracted. Goa mRNA leves were measured by competitive RT-PCR. Results As compared with group A, Coa mRNA leves in group B, D and E were low (P 0.05). Conclusion T, has dual effects on the expression of Coa gene in cultured rat cerebral cortex neurons. T3 down-regulated Coa mRNA in cultured neuron. However, in the absence of T3, Goa mRNA was also very low. Thyroid hormone may exert their action on brain development by regulating the the expression of Goa gene.