Variations in the labyrinthine segment of facial nerve canal revealed by high-resolution computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To study variations in the labyrinthine segment of fallopian canal and the associated middle and inner ear malformations. METHOD: The high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images of the temporal bone in 24 patients with congenital variations in the labyrinthine segment of fallopian canal were analyzed retrospectively. The length of labyrinthine segment of the facial nerve and angle of the first genu of 10 normal subjects were also measured. Based on the original axial images, multi-planar reformation (MPR) and curved-planar reformation (CPR) images of bilateral ossicular chains, inner ear structure and fallopian canal were reconstructed. HRCT features of congenital variations in the labyrinthine segment of the facial nerve were analyzed, including its beginning site, dehiscence, length, angle of the first genu and the associated middle and inner ear malformations. RESULTS: Among the normal subjects, the length of labyrinthine segment of the facial nerve was 3.56±0.41mm, and angle of the first genu was 71.87±8.09°. Five types of variations in the labyrinthine segment of the facial nerve were found in 45 ears of 24 cases, including dehiscence in geniculate fossa in 25 ears, anteromedial displacement at the beginning site in 27 ears (widening of Bill's bar in 7 cases), enlargement of the angle of the first genu in 30 ears with an average value of 107.2° (96.0-126.0°), increase of length in 30 ears with an average length of 6.8mm (5.2-8.3mm) and bifurcation in one ear. Associated middle ear malformation in 6 ears and inner ear malformation in 36 ears were also found. CONCLUSION: A variety of congenital variations may occur in the labyrinthine segment of the facial nerve and they are often associated with middle or inner ear malformations, which can be clearly displayed by HRCT with MPR or CPR images.

Transcriptomic analyses of neurotoxic effects in mouse brain after intermittent neonatal administration of thimerosal.

Thimerosal is a vaccine antimicrobial preservative which has long been suspected an iatrogenic factor possibly contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders including autism. The association between infant vaccine thimerosal exposure and autism remains an open question. Although thimerosal has been removed from mandatory childhood vaccines in the United States, thimerosal-preserved vaccines are still widely used outside of the United States especially in developing countries. Notably, thimerosal-containing vaccines are being given to the newborns within the first 12-24 h after birth in some countries. To examine the possible neurotoxic effects of early neonatal exposure to a higher level of thimerosal, FVB mice were subcutaneously injected with thimerosal-mercury at a dose which is 20× higher than that used for regular Chinese infant immunization during the first 4 months of life. Thimerosal-treated mice exhibited neural development delay, social interaction deficiency, and inclination of depression. Apparent neuropathological changes were also observed in adult mice neonatally treated with thimerosal. High-throughput RNA sequencing of autistic-behaved mice brains revealed the alternation of a number of canonical pathways involving neuronal development, neuronal synaptic function, and the dysregulation of endocrine system. Intriguingly, the elevation of anterior pituitary secreting hormones occurred exclusively in male but not in female thimerosal-treated mice, demonstrating for the first time the gender bias of thimerosal-mercury toxicity with regard to endocrine system. Our results indicate that higher dose of neonatal thimerosal-mercury (20× higher than that used in human) is capable of inducing long-lasting substantial dysregulation of neurodevelopment, synaptic function, and endocrine system, which could be the causal involvements of autistic-like behavior in mice.

[The study of removal methods on special type tracheobronchial foreign bodies].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the available operation method of special type tracheobronchial foreign bodies removal. METHOD: Sixty one patients of special type tracheobronchial foreign bodies were extracted with some special instruments and methods depend on foreign body types. The features of operation on different kinds of foreign bodies were analyzed. RESULT: All patients were operated successfully by using foreign body hook (31 cases), pencil or writing screw brush extracted (11 cases), foreign body cage (13 cases), slender inverse claw esophagus foreign body clamp (3 cases) and so on. No complications and died cases were found. Only 5 patients were undertaken trachea incision before operation. CONCLUSION: Suitable instruments and technique chose for every individual cases is the key to successful operation.