Objective To study the influence of Jiang Tang Fang Long formula on insulin production and function in an animal model of diabetic hearing loss. Methods Wistar rats (n=60) were randomly divided into 6 groups (10 in each) to receive no treatment (the normal control, Group A), or to receive intra-peritoneal 55 mg/kg streptozotocin with (Groups C, D and E) or without (Group B) subsequent Jiang Tang Fang Long formula treatment at various doses or Yu Long Wan treatment (Group F). After 60 days, fasting blood glucose (FBG), body weight (BW) and fasting insulin (FINS) were recorded and the HOMA-IR and HOMA-βcalcu-lated. Insulin expression in pancreatic tissues was measured by radioimmunoassay. Results Compared with animals that received streptozotocin without rescue treatment (Group B), animals that received higher doses of Jiang Tang Fang Long formula(Groups D and E) showed improved indices of diabetes manifestation (P<0.05) and improved HOMA-β(P<0.05) in a dose-dependent manner, as well as improved insulin expression in pancreatic islets (P<0.05). The difference between low dose Jiang Tang Fang Long formula treatment (Group C) and Group B was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion Our results suggest that Jiang Tang Fang Long formula may improve pancreatic β-cells function which may explain its efficacy in treating diabetic hearing loss.

作者： 刊期： 2013年第02期

Metastasis of lung cancer to the temporal bone is a very rare disease and subjective tinnitus as the present-ing symptom in these patients is even rarer. Here we report a case in which a 42-year-old male presented with subjective tinnitus of three months, with no pulmonary disease symptoms. Pure tone audiometry indi-cated moderate conductive deafness in left ear with an air-bone gap of 21.3 dB. HRCT temporal bone scan-ning indicated high-density shadows in the left epitympanic cavity, sinus tympani and mastoid cavity. Chron-ic otitis media with cholesteatoma was suspected and surgical treatment recommended. However, preopera-tive chest x-ray revealed high-density millet lesions scattered widely in both lungs. HRCT lung scanning confirmed the lungs lesions and indicated lung cancer. In order to determine correlations between the tempo-ral bone and pulmonary lesions, a CT-guided trans-mastoid aspiration biopsy and immunohistochemical study were conducted, which confirmed that the temporal bone lesion was metastatic from the lungs. The pa-tient was given a series of chemotherapy immediately and his tinnitus significantly improved after three months of treatment, with full recovery of his hearing and complete resolution of shadows in the mastoid cavity. Unfortunately, he subsequently developed multiple bone metastases in the 9th month and cerebral metastasis in the 18th month. Multiple organ failure resulted in death in 2.5 years.

作者： 刊期： 2013年第02期

作者： 刊期： 2013年第02期

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic systemic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, with various patho-genic mechanisms. From absolute or relative insulin deficiency, patients with DM often demonstrate vari-ous levels of metabolic disorders. Major clinical manifestations of DM include metabolic disorders, vascu-lar lesions, circulatory disturbances and neurologic complications. Along with advances in DM research, re-ports of DM related tinnitus and hearing impairment have increased continuously. Research on DM related auditory system dysfunction has focused on cochlear microcirculation, cellular homeostasis, genetics and ag-ing. Cochlear microcirculation plays an important role in cochlear physiology and its disorders are associat-ed with many inner ear diseases. Ischemia and subsequent reperfusion seen in cochlear microcirculation dis-orders are important factors in hearing damage. Understanding cochlear microcirculation and structural as well as functional changes in DM patients with hearing loss and their causal factors will help reveal patho-genic mechanisms in diabetic hearing loss and provide new ideas in developing interventions and preventing damages caused by diabetes.

作者： 刊期： 2013年第02期

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) controls melanocyte survival and differentiation through directly regulating the expression of the tyrosinase (TYR) and tyrosinase-related proteins 1 and 2 (TYRP1 and TYRP2) genes. MITF mutations have been reported to result in an abnormal melanocyte devel-opment and lead to Waardenburg syndrome type 2 (WS2), characterized by variable degrees of sensorineu-ral hearing loss and patchy regional distribution of hypopigmentation. Recently, MITF was also indicated as a causative gene for a more severe syndrome, the Tietz Syndrome (TS), characterized by generalized hy-popigmentation and complete hearing loss. However, few functional studies have been performed to com-pare the diseases-causing mutations. Here, we analyzed the in vitro activity of two recent identified WS2-as-sociated mutation (p.R217I and p.T192fsX18) and one TS-associated mutation p.N210K. The R217I MITF retained partial activity, normal DNA-binding ability and nuclear distribution, whereas the T192fsX18 MITF failed to activate TYR promoter due to loss of DNA-binding activity, and aberrant subcellular localization. The aberrant subcellular localization of T192fsX18 MITF may be caused by deletion of a putative nuclear localization signal (NLS) at aa 213-218 (ERRRRF). Indeed, MITF with deletion of the NLS fragment failed to translocate into the nucleus and activated the TYR promoter. Tagging this NLS to GFP promoted the green fluorescence protein (GFP) translocated into the nucleus. The surprising finding of our study is that a TS-as-sociated MITF mutation, N210K, showed comparable in vitro activity as WT. Thus, the possible involve-ment of MITF in TS and its underlying mechanisms still need further investigation.

作者： 刊期： 2013年第02期

Objective The main purpose of the present study was to describe the vestibular function in patients with auditory neuropathy (AN), and to assess their ability to maintain balance. Methods Vestibular function tests were performed on 32 patients with AN and 36 normal subjects including electronystagmopraphy(ENG) and static postrography(SPG). The results from the two groups were compared. Results Equilibrium function in patients with AN, was abnormal, compared to normal subjects. Conclusion Vestibular function tests, espe-cially static postrography, should be performed on patients with AN.

作者： 刊期： 2013年第02期

作者： 刊期： 2013年第02期

Objective To investigate the suitability of miniature pigs as an animal model for otological research. Methods Microdissection of the temporal bone was performed on 10 miniature pigs and recorded on photo-graphs. Results The morphology and measurement of the external, middle and inner ear and the lateral re-cess of the miniature pigs were obtained by microdissection. Conclusion Compared to traditional animal models, the miniature pig may be a better model for biomedical research because of its many similarities in physiological functions with humans. Similarities of the temporal bone structures, including the external, middle and inner ear and the lateral recess, between the miniature pig and human make the animal a poten-tially useful model for otological research.

作者： 刊期： 2013年第02期