Measurement and analysis of facial nerve on fully displayed multislice computed tomographic multiplanar reconstruction image.

The objectives of this study were to measure the length of horizontal segment of facial nerve (HFN), the length of vertical segment of facial nerve (VFN), and the angle between these 2 segments on a fully displayed multislice computed tomographic multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) images of HFN and VFN and to analyze the data with respects to side, sex, and age. Parameters of 234 patients (468 observations, 118 men and 116 women, aged 4-70 years) with intact temporal bone were measured on multislice computed tomographic multiplanar reconstruction images. The data gained were analyzed by statistical method. The left and right lengths of VFN were significantly different (P < 0.05). And the length of HFN, the length of VFN, and the angle between males and females were significantly different (P < 0.05). We divided the data into 3 groups to study correlations between measurements and age. In underaged group, there was a strong positive correlation between the length of VFN and age; the value of Pearson correlation was 0.645. And there was a weak correlation between the angle and the age; the value of Pearson correlation was 0.270. In older-aged group, there was a moderate negative correlation between the length of VFN and age; the value of Pearson correlation was -0.408. Our results are of high potential to expand the visual field to facial nerve and may provide more detailed information to surgeries of facial nerve, middle ear, and temporal bone.

[Somatosensory-evoked potential monitoring for evaluation of spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the changes of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) during spinal cord ischemia and reperfusion injury and the value of SEP monitoring in evaluating neurological functions in this setting. METHODS: Spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced in 28 rabbits by clamping the infrarenal aorta for 45 min, and the SEPs were monitored before and at 5, 10, and 15 min after ischemia, and at 15, 30, and 60 min and 2, 24 and 48 h after reperfusion. The neurological function score (NFS) of the rabbits was evaluated at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after reperfusion, and the pathological changes of the spinal cord were observed 48 h after reperfusion. RESULTS: SEPs P1-wave latency significantly increased 5 min after ischemia (P<0.01) and the wave amplitude decreased 8 min after ischemia (P<0.01). SEPs disappeared 10 min after ischemia and recovered 15 min after reperfusion, but the P1-wave latency still remained longer and P1-wave amplitude lower than the measurements before ischemia (P<0.01). P1-wave amplitude became normal 15 min after the reperfusion (P>0.05), and the P1-wave latency gradually recovered 30 min after reperfusion, but still significantly longer than the preischemic value (P<0.01). P1-wave amplitude decreased again at 24 and 48 h after reperfusion (P<0.01). The NFS gradually increased at 24 and 48 h after the reperfusion (P<0.01). The changes in P1-wave amplitude at 24 and 48 h after reperfusion showed an obvious correlation to NFS (r=-0.881 and -0.925, respectively, P<0.01). Hemorrhage, swelling, and degeneration and neutrophil infiltration occurred in the spinal cord tissue 48 h after the reperfusion. CONCLUSION: The changes of SEP P1-wave amplitude can better reflect the spinal cord function than the wave latency during spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury, and SEP monitoring provides reliable evidence for prognostic evaluation of the neurological function.

Diesel pollution biodegradation: synergetic effect of Mycobacterium and filamentous fungi.

OBJECTIVE: To biodegrade the diesel pollution in aqueous solution inoculated with Mycobacterium and filamentous fungi. METHODS: Bacteria sampled from petroleum hydrocarbons contaminated sites in Karamay Oilfield were isolated and identified as Mycobacterium hyalinum (MH) and cladosporium. Spectrophotometry and gas chromatography (GC) were used to analyze of the residual concentrations of diesel oil and its biodegradation products. RESULTS: From the GC data, the values of apparent biodegradation ratio of the bacterial strain MH to diesel oil were close to those obtained in the control experiments. Moreover, the number of MH did not increase with degradation time. However, by using n-octadecane instead of diesel oil, the real biotic degradation ratio increased to 20.9% over 5 days of degradation. Cladosporium strongly biodegraded diesel oil with a real degradation ratio of up to 34% after 5 days treatment. When the two strains were used simultaneously, a significant synergistic effect between them resulted in almost complete degradation of diesel oil, achieving a total diesel removal of 99% over 5 days of treatment, in which one part of about 80% and another part of about 19% were attributed to biotic and abiotic processes, respectively. CONCLUSION: The observed synergistic effect was closely related to the aromatics-degrading ability of Cladosporium, which favored the growth of MH and promoted the bioavailability of diesel oil.