Two sisters presented with partial alopecia, primary hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and Mullerian hypoplasia associated with mild mental retardation, microcephaly, flat occiput, sparse eyebrows, absence of breast tissue, absent ovaries, mild-moderate dorsal kyphosis, thin upper lip and unilateral sensorioneural deafness in one of them. They were the product of a Turkish consanguineous marriage. The clinical course for our patients is similar to two families reported by Al-Awadi et al. [Al-Awadi et al. (1985) Am J Med Genet 22:619-622] and Megarbane et al. [Megarbane et al. (2003) Am J Med Genet Part A 119A:214-217]. This report supports the literature by proposing an autosomal recessive syndrome which was firstly reported by Al-Awadi et al. [Al-Awadi et al. (1985) Am J Med Genet 22:619-622]. This condition may be due to a founder mutation.

Objective: This study aimed to explore whether carvacrol (CV) had a protective effect on paclitaxel-induced ototoxicity from biochemical, functional, and histopathological perspectives.Methods: Forty Wistar albino male rats were randomly separated into five groups of eight rats. Group 1 was the control group, so Paclitaxel or CV was not administered. Group 2 was administered i.p. CV at 25 mg/kg once a week; Group 3, was administered i.p. paclitaxel at 5 mg/kg once a week; Group 4 was administered i.p. paclitaxel at 5 mg/kg followed (30 min later) by CV at 25 mg/kg once a week; and Group 5 was administered i.p. CV at 25 mg/kg followed (1 day later) by paclitaxel at 5 mg/kg. once a week. The drugs were administered intraperitoneally once a week for four consecutive weeks, and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) tests were performed at the beginning of the study before the first drug administration and at the end of the study after the last drug administration. All rats were sacrificed, and cochleae were removed for biochemical and histopathological analysis. Results: Biochemical data indicated that paclitaxel caused oxidative stress in the cochlea. Histopathological findings revealed the loss of outer hair cells in the organ of Corti (CO) and moderate degenerative changes in the stria vascularis (SV). It was observed that DPOAE measurements were significantly reduced at high frequencies. In groups which CV was administered together with paclitaxel, these biochemical, histopathological, and functional changes were favorably reversed. Conclusion: CV may have a protective effect against paclitaxel-induced ototoxicity when given.

Snoring is a common complaint, especially among the elderly individuals. In the treatment of snoring, many options, surgical or nonsurgical, are available. In this randomized study, we used a modified technique including some components of radiofrequency-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (RAUP) and Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty UPPP (modified-RAUP, MRAUP) and RAUP in a control group. A total of 60 patients (58 male and 2 female), 30 in each group (MRAUP and RAUP groups), with an average age of 38 +/- 9 years were included in the study. In the MRAUP group, in addition to the modified surgery, preoperative steroid injection was used as a preemptive analgesic and pre-incisional steroid injection and closure of the edges of the incision were performed to achieve better relief of pain. Snoring score, pain at rest and during swallowing, analgesic consumption and speech score were evaluated using standard 10 cm visual analog scales (VAS). Operation time and other complications were recorded. The patients in the MRAUP group had better pain scores, both at rest and during swallowing, and less analgesic consumption. Although operation time was longer in the MRAUP group compared to that of the RAUP group, snoring score, evaluated from day 1 to the 6th month after operation, was significantly better in the MRAUP group. Postoperative speech scores at each visit were similar in both groups. In the MRAUP group, 87% of the patients (26 patients) had a final VAS for snoring below 3, while in the RAUP group 63% of the patients (19 patients) were below 3 on the scale (P < 0.05). Thus, MRAUP seems to be a promising technique for surgery as a treatment for snoring.

Background: The menopause is a physiological process that occurs and diabetes is a metabolic disease that has an increased incidence in advancing age in women. Aims & Objective: The purpose of the study to examine the effect of menopause and/or diabetes that causes pathophysiological status on parotid gland. Materials and Methods: Sprague-dawley 24 adult female rats (12 week old) were randomly, six rats in each group, divided into four groups; non-diabetic healthy (control), Diabetic (DM) group, Ovariectomized (OVX) group, Post Ovariectomy-Diabetes Induced (DM+OVX) group, respectively. To evaluate the results histopathological, histochemical and stereological analyses were performed. Results: Degenerative acini and duct cells with increased cytoplasmic lipid accumulation (vacuolization) in DM groups, polymorph nuclear infiltrations in OVX groups and extensive swollen nucleus with karyorrhexis and increased cytoplasmic lipid accumulation in serous acinus cells in DM+OVX group were detected. Furthermore the changes in the amount and character of secretion especially DM and DM+OVX groups and hypertrophic changes in the acinus epithelium in DM and/or the OVX groups were distinguished. Conclusion: The results revealed the effects of diabetes and ovariectomy on the cellular changes and pathophysiological processes of these changes in parotid glands. These findings may highlight to other pathophysiological processes of the role of the salivary glands associated with the pathogenesis due to diabetes and menopause. Additionally, correlated molecular mechanism of pathophysiological processes of DM and/or OVX on parotid gland, suggested further investigation.

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