Effect of estrogen on eustachian tube performance

Changing levels of sex hormones have been previously associated with clinical symptoms due to alterations of the respiratory mucosa. Aural manifestations, however, have not yet been studied in this regard. Eustachian tube swallow test and blood levels of estrogen were evaluated daily in 25 women undergoing induction of ovulation. Most women showed a near stable eustachian tube performance over a wide range of estrogen levels, particularly in the physiologic range. However, there is a moderate decrease in eustachian tube function with increasing estrogen levels in some women, manifested mainly at levels beyond that of the normal menstrual cycle.     

Effect of middle ear effusion on the vestibular labyrinth.

Although middle ear effusion was once described as the most common cause of vestibular disturbance in children, the association between glue ear and symptoms of dysequilibrium has never been quantified objectively. In this study the effect of middle ear effusion on the vestibular system of the inner ear was studied in a select group of children suffering from long lasting effusion in the middle ear with no evidence of infection at least one year prior to the study. The results were compared with results obtained from otitis free children, as well as from examinations of children after the insertion of ventilating tubes. The results of this study confirm the assumption that middle ear effusion has an adverse effect on the vestibular system, which can be resolved following the insertion of ventilation tubes. This effect may also contribute to the adverse effect that otitis media has on a child's development.     

Knowledge discovery and knowledge validation in intensive care

Operational protocols are a valuable means for quality control. However, developing operational protocols is a highly complex and costly task. We present an integrated approach involving both intelligent data analysis and knowledge acquisition from experts that support the development of operational protocols. The aim is to ensure high quality standards for the protocol through empirical validation during the development, as well as lower development cost through the use of machine learning and statistical techniques. We demonstrate our approach of integrating expert knowledge with data driven techniques based on our effort to develop an operational protocol for the hemodynamic system.     

Real-time PCR method for the quantitative analysis of human T-cell receptor gamma and beta gene rearrangements

Analyzing the status of T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangements has been an essential part of deciphering the stages of thymocyte development, understanding the β vs. γδ lineage decision, and characterizing T-cell leukemias. Methods such as PCR and quantitative Southern blotting provide useful information, but also have significant shortcomings such as lack of quantitation in the case of PCR and technical challenges in the case of Southern blotting. Here we describe a real-time PCR method that overcomes many of these shortcomings. This new method shows comparable results for the fraction of unrearranged TCRγ and TCRβ genes in human thymocytes and peripheral blood T cells as Southern blotting, and has the advantages of being simple to perform, highly quantitative, and requiring nanogram quantities of DNA. We also describe a real-time PCR method to quantitate T-cell receptor excision circles formed during TCRβ rearrangements.     

Renal cell carcinoma metastases to gallbladder

A 74-year old man underwent a radical cholecystectomy for presumed gallbladder cancer. The histology of the resected specimen in fact revealed the lesion to be metastatic renal cell carcinoma from his resected right nephrectomy performed 14 years previously.     

麦冬多糖对正常和实验性糖尿病小鼠血糖的影响

目的：研究麦冬多糖对正常和实验性糖尿病小鼠血糖的影响。方法：昆明种小鼠４０只，分成４组，分别用麦冬多糖（１００和３００ｍｇ／ｋｇ）、优降糖（２．５ｍｇ／ｋｇ）和等体积生理盐水（２ｍｌ／只）灌胃，测定各组正常小鼠的血糖水平及以葡萄糖（２ｇ／ｋｇ）、四氧嘧啶（７０ｍｇ／ｋｇ）、肾上腺素（０．０２ｍｇ／ｋｇ）所致小鼠高血糖模型的血糖水平。结果：剂量为１００和３００ｍｇ／ｋｇ的麦冬多糖灌胃对葡萄糖、四嘧啶     

Delayed diagnosis of tracheoesophageal prosthesis aspiration

In 1980, Singer and Blom published the results of their study on use of the tracheoesophageal puncture prosthesis for restoration of voice after total laryngectomy. Since then, the placement of tracheoesophageal puncture prostheses has been an integral part of rehabilitation after laryngectomy. Complications of this procedure have been recognized and are usually minimal. Inadvertent aspiration of the prosthesis is rare. Usually, patients seek help immediately after the incident. We report a case of unnoticed aspiration of a Blom-Singer prosthesis in a patient with a laryngectomy.     

The use of otic powder in the treatment of acute external otitis

BACKGROUND: Acute external otitis (AEO) is a painful condition that results as a secondary infection of macerated skin and subcutaneous tissues of the external auditory canal. The most commonly causative microorganisms are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Classic management strategies include moisture prevention, cleansing of the canal and administration of topical antimicrobial agents in drop form, such as aminoglycosides and quinolones, at times in combination with steroid solutions. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of topical otic powder, tobramycin drops and ciprofloxacin drops in patients suffering from AEO. MATERIALS AND MEASURES: A randomized prospective trial was performed to determine the efficacy of Auricularum powder (dexamethasone 10 mg, oxytetracycline HCl 90,000 U, polymyxin B Sulfate 100,000 U, nystatin 1,000,000 U; Trima, Serolam Laboratories, Germany) compared with ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan, Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, TX) and tobramycin (Tobrex, Alcon Laboratories) drops for the treatment of AEO. One hundred twenty patients who presented with signs and symptoms of AEO were enrolled. Inclusion criteria were: AEO diagnosed by an otolaryngologist, patient age 18 years, no prior treatment with other drops or systemic antibiotics, no sensitivity to any of the drugs used or their contents, and no perforation of the tympanic membrane. All patients were instructed to avoid moisture and wetness of the ear during the course of their treatment. After we received informed consent, a swab culture was taken, and the patient was randomly assigned topical treatment for 14 days. RESULTS: Eighty-six percent of those treated with Auricularum powder were cured at day 3-4 after initial treatment. Seventy-seven percent of those treated with ciprofloxacin drops, and fifty-six percent of those treated with tobramycin were cured at that time. All 120 patients were cured by day 14. CONCLUSION: The results show that topical treatment with Auricularum powder is an effective and rapid method for the treatment of AEO. Ciloxan also was effective in the treatment of AEO and relieved symptoms quickly and efficiently in a short period of time. Tobrex was effective in treating AEO, but our results show that relief of symptoms was slower than with the other drugs.