Lane-Hamilton syndrome: association or coincidence

The combination of idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) and celiac disease (CD) is rare. The clinical importance of this association is that a significant improvement can be obtained with gluten free diet not only in intestinal but also in pulmonary symptoms. A four and half-years old girl was admitted with complaints of cough, difficulty in breathing and paleness. She had intermittent episodes of abdominal pain and diarrhea. She had dyspnea and tachycardia, and oxygen saturation 88%. The patient was diagnosed with CD and concomitant IPH. With gluten-free diet and corticosteroid treatment, both intestinal and pulmonary symptoms were controlled.     

The effects of CPAP treatment on nasal mucosa in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

The aim of the study was to demonstrate the effects of nasal CPAP treatment on the morphology and function of nasal mucosa in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Patients with complaints relevant to OSA underwent respiratory function tests, arterial blood gas analyses and polysomnography. Saccharine test and nasal biopsies were performed to assess the mucociliary transport time and to observe the histopathological changes in patients with apnea–hypopnea index ≥15 in whole night polysomnography. Tissue samples were obtained from middle and inferior turbinates and septal mucosa to observe the degree of inflammation and fibrosis by semiquantitative means. Biopsies and mucociliary transport test were performed before and 3?months after the initiation of CPAP treatment. A total of 25 patients with a mean age of 52 were enrolled in the study. While the pretreatment mucociliary transport time before and 3?months after the treatment were 10.50 and 11.50?min respectively. The difference between these values was statistically insignificant. Mean apnea–hypopnea index was 63.19, while mean partial oxygen pressure was 75.46?mmHg. Nasal CPAP treatment was introduced with a mean pressure of 9.54?cmH2O. The degree of inflammation and fibrosis was found to be significantly increased after CPAP treatment. Nasal CPAP leads to alterations in mucosa. Efforts should be directed to make CPAP treatment a safer method via protecting the morphologic and functional properties of the nasal mucosa.     

Plasma selenium levels in Turkish women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective(s)

To evaluate selenium (Se) levels in serum and their relation with hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance (IR) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in control subjects.

Study design

Women with any gynecological problem who presented to the Kahramanmaras Sutcuimam University Medical Faculty Gynecology and Obstetric Outpatient Clinic were invited to participate. Group 1 consisted of 36 cases with a diagnosis of PCOS according to the 2003 Rotterdam Consensus Criteria, and Group 2 (control group) consisted of 33 age- and BMI-matched healthy women. In all cases, serum total testosterone (tT), dihydroepiandrostenedione-sulfate (DHEAS), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), insulin, glucose (mg/dL), total cholesterol (TC) (mg/dL), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (mg/dL), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (mg/dL), triglyceride (TG) (mg/dL) and Se levels were measured.

Results

The level of FSH was significantly lower, and the levels of LH, E2, tT, and DHEAS were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (p < 0.05). The hirsutism score was significantly higher among PCOS women compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Although insulin levels and HOMA-IR were markedly increased in the PCOS group compared to the control group, the differences were not significant (p > 0.05). The plasma Se level was significantly lower in PCOS women compared to the control group (p < 0.05). When we combined the all women in two groups, regarding them as one group (combined group, n = 69), a negative correlation between Se and LH and tT was present (p < 0.05).

Conclusion(s)

Our results show decreased plasma concentrations of Se and a negative correlation between Se and LH, tT in women with PCOS. These results indicate that Se may play a role in the pathogenesis of PCOS related with hyperandrogenism.     

Novel Inorganic Proton‐Conducting Graft Copolymers Based on 4‐Vinyl Benzene Boronic Acid and Vinyl Phosphonic Acid

As proton‐conducting polymers, phosphonic acid functional polymers are commonly preferred due to their high proton conductivity in humidified and anhydrous systems. In this work, a new copolymer based on 4‐vinyl benzene boronic acid (VBBA) and vinyl phosphonic acid (VPA) is synthesized and then boronic acid groups are grafted with polyethylene glycol methyl ether to produce more‐flexible materials. The reactions are verified by FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis (thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and DSC). The P content of the samples is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)–energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry (EDS). The ion‐exchange capacity (IEC) of the copolymers is measured and compared with the P content. The proton conductivity is investigated in both humidified conditions and the anhydrous state. In 50% humidity, P(VBBA‐co‐VPA)1:0.5 shows a proton conductivity of 5.3 × 10^?3 S cm^?1 at 30 °C.