Hypothesis: Localized cooling of the external ear has a protective effect on the susceptibility to cisplatin-induced hearing loss. Background: We previously demonstrated significant protection from cisplatin-induced hearing loss using cool water ear canal irrigation. However, the study was limited to a single bolus injection of cisplatin and an acute time period. Here, we examined the application of localized cooling of the ear canal with repeated doses of cisplatin, over an expanded period of time, and using two methods of cooling. Methods: Twenty-four guinea pigs (12 male and 12 female) underwent auditory physiological testing (auditory brainstem response and distortion product otoacoustic emissions at 8–32 kHz) and pre/postadministration of cisplatin. Cisplatin (4 mg/kg i.p.) was administered in 3 weekly single injections for a total of 12 mg/kg. While anesthetized, the left ears of the guinea pigs were exposed to either cool water (22°C; ICS Water Caloric Irrigator), a cool ear bar (15°C, cooled by a Peltier device; TNM, Scion NeuroStim), or left uncooled as a sham control. The animals were tested 3 days post each dosage and 1 month post the final dose. At the end of the experiment the animals were euthanized for histological evaluation. Results: We found that hearing loss was significantly reduced, and hair cell survival greatly improved, in animals that received cooling treatments compared to cisplatin-only control animals. No significant difference was observed between the two methods of cooling. Conclusion: Localized cooling of the ear canal during administration of cisplatin mitigated loss of auditory function and loss of hair cells.

BACKGROUND: Diet and exercise are recommended first line treatment for overweight, obese, and diabetic patients with the goal of decreasing weight and improving glycemic control. The goal of this study was to determine the effect that a low calorie diet and behavioral modification program, as implemented by a medically supervised weight loss program, would have on the fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c in overweight or obese diabetic and over-weight or obese non-diabetic participants. METHODS: Charts from 2009 to 2010 were reviewed for 310 diabetic and non-diabetic patients enrolled in the Via Christi Weight Management (VCWM) program in Wichita, Kansas. Data were collected before and after patients underwent a program of meal replacements and weekly physical activity lasting 12 weeks. Variables included pre and post treatment fasting blood sugars, hemoglobin A1c, body mass index, percent body weight lost, and diabetes status. RESULTS: Diabetic participants lost an average of 11.7% of their initial body weight (IBW), and non-diabetic patients lost 12.5% of their IBW over the treatment course. Post-treatment average fasting blood glucose (FBG) decreased in both diabetics and non-diabetics by 15.53 mg/dL and 8.46 mg/dL, respectively (p = 0.08). Diabetic patients experienced a significant decrease of 0.83% from pre to post-treatment in hemoglobin A1c. For diabetic and non-diabetic groups, the changes in FBG were correlated with the change in weight. CONCLUSIONS: Diet and exercise, as prescribed by the VCWM program, is effective in reducing hemoglobin A1c in diabetics and reducing fasting blood sugars in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients

NA Laryngoscope, 127:1513-1519, 2017.

The mechanisms responsible for the gender difference in blood pressure (BP) in humans are not clear. Over the past several years we have studied the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) as a model of sex differences in BP control. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that renal vascular and microsomal epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) levels are higher in females than males, and increasing vascular EETs by blocking epoxide hydrolase with AUDA will reduce BP more in males than females. Renal vascular and microsomal EETs were higher in female SHR than males. Mean arterial pressure (MAP by telemetry) was higher in males than females during the baseline period of 6 days, and although the epoxide hydrolase inhibitor, AUDA, given for 10 days increased renal microvascular EETs in both groups, AUDA did not affect MAP in either group. These data suggest that EETs do not contribute to the sex differences in hypertension in young SHR.

No abstract