[Effect of different electroacupuncture stimulation parameters on sudden hearing loss].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of different electroacupuncture (EA) frequencies and wave patterns combined with medication and medication alone for sudden hearing loss (SHL), and to explore better electroacupuncture stimulation parameters. METHODS: All of 118 patients with SHL were randomly divided into an acupuncture and medication group 1 (group 1, 30 cases, 1 case dropped off), an acupuncture and medication group 2 (group 2, 30 cases), an acupuncture and medication group 3 (group 3, 31 cases) and a medication group (27 cases, 1 case dropped off ). The patients in the medication group were treated with conventional medication. On the base of the medication group, the patients in the group 1, 2, and 3 were treated with acupuncture at Ermen (TE 21), Tinggong (SI 19), Tinghui (GB 2), Fengchi (GB 20), etc. on the affected side, and EA at Ermen (TE 21)-Yifeng (TE 17), Tinghui (GB 2)-Yifeng (TE 17) alternately. The 3 groups were given continuous wave with frequency of 2 Hz, continuous wave with frequency of 50 Hz, and disperse-dense wave with frequency of 2 Hz/50 Hz respectively. The treatment was given once a day, 10 days were as one course, with 2 courses in total. Before and after treatment, the pure tone hearing threshold test was performed, and the curative effect of pure tone hearing threshold test and the curative effect of tinnitus, ear fullness and dizziness were compared in the 3 groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the pure tone hearing threshold test values of each group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05); the total effective rates of pure tone hearing threshold test in the group 1, 2, and 3 were higher than that in the medication group (P<0.05), and the cured rate of the group 3 was higher than those in the medication group and the group 2 (P<0.05); the total effective rates of ear stuffiness in the group 1, 2, and 3 were higher than that in the medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: On the basis of conventional medication treatment, the addition of electroacupuncture can effectively improve the hearing and ear stuffiness symptoms of patients with SHL, and the disperse-dense wave with frequency of 2 Hz/50 Hz is more effective.

Hierarchical MnO2 nanoflowers blooming on 3D nickel foam: A novel micro-macro catalyst for peroxymonosulfate activation.

In this work, birnessite-type δ-MnO2 nanoflowers were uniformly deposited on 3D nickel foam (NF) by one-step hydrothermal route for high-efficient activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) towards degradation of acid orange 7 (AO7). High specific surface area, large pore volume and 3D hierarchical structure promotes the mass and electron transfer for great catalytic activity. Low reaction energy barrier (Ea = 27.5 kJ/mol) and outstanding reusability with extremely low manganese leaching during recycling (<0.06 mg/L) was achieved due to the 3D hierarchical structure which could effectively avoid the agglomeration of nano-sized MnO2. SO4- was confirmed to be the predominant reactive species for AO7 decomposition by electron spin resonance and quenching tests. The synergistic catalytic mechanism of MnO2/NF and the role of inner-sphere complexation between the active sites of MnO2 and peroxymonosulfate were thoroughly investigated. Compared with traditional nano/micro-sized catalysts, 3D macroscopic MnO2/NF with facile recovery and high stability potentially facilitates fascinating applications as green heterogeneous catalysis approach.

Acoustic radiation forces on three-layered drug particles in focused Gaussian beams.

Drug delivery by acoustic waves is a crucial technology for targeted therapy. Recently, a three-layered drug micro-particle was proposed and fabricated, the second shell of which greatly improves both the encapsulation of the drug and the flexibility in its release rate. In this work, the acoustic radiation force (ARF) of an acoustic focused Gaussian beam on a three-layered particle comprising an inner drug core (D), a middle layer of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), and an outer chitosan shell (CS) is investigated. A three-layered elastic shell (TES) mimics the D-PLGA-CS structure, and the acoustic scattering from and ARF of the D-PLGA-CS are studied using Mie theory. This paper focuses on how the geometry and acoustic parameters of the outer shell influence the ARF, finding that the Poisson's ratio of the outer shell affects the ARF more than does the density or Young's modulus. In addition, this paper finds that the choice of the inner drug has little effect on the ARF acting on the D-PLGA-CS particle. The present work may benefit the acoustic manipulation of both TESs and three-layered drugs.

[The study between temporal bone HRCT and operations in congenital abnormality of external and middle ear].

OBJECTIVE: We explore the deformity degrees of external ear, mastoid process, tympanic cavity and auditory ossicle by the HRCT features of bilateral and unilateral patients of congenital abnormality of external and middle ear for preoperative analysis and selection for surgical approaches. METHOD: Twenty-nine patients were enrolled in our study, and HRCT were performed on all patients. There were 23 unilateral ears deformity (13 right and 10 left), 6 patients with bilateral ears deformity in the study group. Nineteen patients (19 ears) were treated with operations. RESULT: The deformity degree of auricle was correlated with that of external auditory meatus, and mastoid process develops bad aeration extent with bad tympanic cavity development in 35 ears in our research. We got data of shortest distance from tympanic cape to atresia board in HRCT, (0.59 +/- 0.13)cm in comparison group, (0.45 +/- 0.19)cm in unilateral deformity group, (0.32 +/- 0.12)cm in bilateral deformity group, and there were significant differences compared the two deformity groups with the comparison group. There were 1 ear with normal auditory ossicle (2.86%), 5 ears with fixation of stapes foot board (14.29%), 3 ears with no auditory ossicle (8.57%); 26 ears with malleus and incus abnormality (74.29%). Abnormality of malleus was always concomitant with that of incus. Degeneration of malleus, the joint amalgamation of malleus and incus were discovered mostly in this research. CONCLUSION: The deformity degree of auricle is correlated with that of external auditory meatus, and mastoid process develops bad aeration extent with bad tympanic cavity development in 35 ears in our research. The shortest distance from tympanic cape to atresia board in HRCT in unilateral ears deformity group are shorten 0.15 cm in that of comparison group. And that of bilateral ears deformity group are shorten 0.25 cm in that of comparison group. The main abnormality of auditory ossicle in our research present in both malleus and incus, and degeneration of malleus and the joint amalgamation of malleus and incus are main types.

[Effects on function rehabilitation of vocal cord after vocal cord polyps surgery treated with acupuncture at Sheng's four points of throat].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects on function rehabilitation of vocal cord after vocal cord polyps surgery treated with acupuncture at Sheng's Four Points of Throat. METHODS: Sixty cases were randomly divided into a combined therapy group of Four Points of Throat and medication (group 1, 30 cases) and a medication group (group 2, 30 cases). In group 1 Four Points of Throat were punctured and routine medication was applied; in group 2, only routine medication was applied. The scores of symptom-sign and status of voice were observed and analyzed before and after treatment in two groups. RESULTS: At 4th day after the surgery, the improvement of the symptom-sign scores in group 1 was more significant than that in group 2 (P < 0.05); and the voice analysis status in group 1 was superior to that in group 2 (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 83.3% (25/30) in group 1, which was superior to that of 60.0% (18/30) in group 2 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The effect on function rehabilitation of vocal cord after vocal cord polyps surgery treated with the combined therapy group of Four Points of Throat and routine medication is favorable, superior to that with routine medication therapy.