Otorhinolaryngological procedures in the fifteenth century in Anatolia

The author of one of the earliest surgical books was Serefettin Sabuncuo?lu (AD 1385 to 1468?). He is the author of Cerrahiyyetül-Haniyye (Imperial Surgery), which was written in 1465. This book contains miniatures of surgical procedures, and there were many important and major new contributions to the surgical literature originally described by Sabuncuo?lu himself. He described surgical management of nasal polyposis, nasal fracture, facial palsy, mandibular fracture and dislocation, hoarseness and constriction of the breath, tumors of the tonsil and uvula, laryngeal tumors, and goiter. The aim of this report is to describe his contributions to otorhinolaryngology.     

Quantitative assessment of ischemic tissue damage in ovarian cortical tissue with or without antioxidant (ascorbic acid) treatment

OBJECTIVE: To estimate ischemic tissue damage in ovarian cortex and to evaluate the effectiveness of ascorbic acid, an antioxidant, to protect ovarian tissue from apoptosis caused by ischemia. DESIGN: In vitro laboratory experiments. SETTING: Academic research institute. INTERVENTION(S): Fresh and frozen/thawed cortical sections of bovine ovaries were incubated in MEM medium with or without ascorbic acid for a duration of 3, 24, and 48 hours at 37 degrees C. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Oxygen consumption rates, lactate dehydrogenase concentrations, apoptosis rates determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, and DNA fragmentation analysis. RESULT(S): The oxygen consumption rates were correlated inversely with the duration of incubation. When the rates of apoptosis in primordial follicles with or without ascorbic acid treatment were compared, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, the ascorbic acid treatment group showed significantly decreased apoptosis in ovarian cortex (stromal cells) with 24 hours of incubation. CONCLUSION(S): The correlation between ischemic tissue damage and the duration of ischemia was verified. Ovarian cortex could tolerate ischemia at least for 3 hours. Ascorbic acid treatment reduced apoptosis in ovarian cortex up to 24 hours of incubation in vitro. It appeared that stromal cells were more vulnerable to ischemia compared to primordial follicles.     

Estimation of oxidative stress and its correlation with uterine arteries Doppler velocimetry in women with preeclampsia

OBJECTIVES: Estimation of oxidative stress through the measurement of lipid peroxides and malondialdehyde serum concentration as well as serum antioxidants level expressed by total antioxidants status and its correlation with Doppler velocimetry in women with preeclampsia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty four patients with preeclampsia at third trimester of gestation: 19 with the mild form and 15 with the severe form of the disease, 21 women with uncomplicated pregnancy at third trimester of gestation served as a control group. Colorimetric methods were used to estimate lipid peroxides, malondialdehyde and antioxidants serum level. In each patient Pulsatility Index and Uterine Artery Score in uterine arteries was measured. RESULTS: Serum concentration of lipid peroxides and malondialdehyde was the highest in patients with severe preeclampsia, but the statistical difference concerned only lipid peroxides level which was significantly higher in this group than in women with mild form of the disease and in the control group. Pulsatility index Uterine Artery Score values were significantly higher in women with severe preeclampsia in comparison to two other groups of patients. Lipid peroxides level significantly positively correlated with Pulsatility Index and Uterine Artery Score values in the whole studied population. CONCLUSIONS: Only severe form of preeclampsia is associated with oxidative stress which impaired placenta perfusion expressed by the increase of uterine arteries resistance.     

A global view of gene expression in the preimplantation mouse embryo: morula versus blastocyst

As a first step to understand preimplantation development, we performed global gene-expression profiling of morula and blastocyst using the NIA 15k mouse cDNA microarray. Gene expression levels were measured four times for blastocyst and five times for morula. Student's t-test at the 5% significance level identified 428 genes upregulated and 748 downregulated in blastocyst compared to morula. This trend was consistent with semi-quantative RT-PCR analysis of sample genes. The upregulated genes known to be involved in critical regulatory processes, included Mist1, Id2, Hd1, and Requiem; the downregulated genes included CREB-binding protein, Per3, zinc finger protein 217, Krox-25, and miwi1. Such well-characterized genes and many novel genes provide markers for early stages in development and starting materials for further functional studies.     

Primary ovarian echinococcosis

Introduction The incidence of genital system hydatid disease in abdominal operation is 0.1%. During a period of 20 years (1957–1977), 12 cases were reported. This disease has no specific symptoms and findings. It is diagnosed intraoperatively.Case report We report a 50-year-old patient admitted to our hospital with the complaint of abdominal pain and swelling, operated because of her adnexal mass and diagnosed as primary ovarian hydatid disease (echinococcosis).     

Possible interaction of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase genes with the dopamine D2 receptor gene in anxiety-depressive alcohol dependence

BACKGROUND: The role of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene in the development of alcohol abuse or dependence is controversial. The controversy is due in part to the disparate definitions pertaining to the control groups used and to the definitions of subtypes in alcohol dependence. In the Han Chinese population, the alcohol dehydrogenase 1B*2/*2 (ADH1B*2/*2) genotype and the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2*2 (ALDH2*2) allele have been considered as protective factors against alcohol abuse or dependence. Moreover, the ADH1B and ALDH2 genes might be involved in dopamine metabolism. We hypothesized that the ADH1B and ALDH2 genes might interact with the DRD2 gene and that the association between the DRD2 gene and alcohol dependence might be affected by different ADH1B and ALDH2 genotypes. This study examined whether the DRD2 gene is associated with specific subtypes of alcohol dependence and evaluated the relationship between the DRD2 gene and alcohol-metabolizing genes in a specific subtype of alcohol dependence. METHODS: Of the 465 Han Chinese subjects who were recruited for the study, 71 were classified with pure alcohol dependence, 113 with both alcohol dependence and anxiety-depression (ANX/DEP ALC), and 129 with anxiety-depression but without alcohol dependence (ANX/DEP). The remaining 152 subjects were supernormal controls. All subjects were interviewed with the Chinese version of the modified Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime; all alcohol dependence, anxiety, and major depressive diagnoses were made according to DSM-IV criteria. RESULTS: The DRD2 gene was not found to be associated with pure alcohol dependence or ANX/DEP, but was found to be associated with ANX/DEP ALC. Furthermore, the association between the DRD2 gene and ANX/DEP ALC was shown to be under the control of the ALDH2*1/*1 and ADH1B*1/*2 genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: ANX/DEP ALC is a specific subtype of alcohol dependence. Because ANX/DEP ALC was associated with the DRD2 gene only under the stratification of ADH1B*1/*2 or ALDH2*1/*1, the DRD2 gene might interact with the ADH1B gene and the ALDH2 gene, respectively, in the development of ANX/DEP ALC in the Taiwan Han Chinese population.     

Splenic infarction associated with anti-cardiolipin antibody: a report of two cases

There are few cases of splenic infarction associated with antiphospholipid antibody reported in the literature. We present two cases of splenic infarction associated with anticardiolipin antibody, one complicated by the development of a splenic pseudocyst. Clinical diagnostic features of splenic infarction are described. In addition, a review of the literature on thrombotic manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome is presented.     

Results of temporary placement of covered retrievable expandable nitinol stents for tuberculous bronchial strictures

Covered retrievable expandable nitinol stents were successfully placed in nine patients with tuberculous bronchial strictures refractory to balloon dilation. Complications included stent migration (n = 1) and tissue hyperplasia at the proximal portion of the stent (n = 2). During the follow-up period (5-52 months), stricture recurred in three of five patients (60%) after temporary stent placement for 2 months, whereas stricture did not recur in the other four patients after temporary stent placement for 6 months. Temporary placement of covered retrievable stents appears to be an effective method for the treatment of patients with tuberculous bronchial strictures refractory to balloon dilation.