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Introduction Laser uvulopalatoplasty is an established operation for the treatment of snoring with good results on a short-term basis, while long-term follow-up studies, in addition to their scarcity, had conflicting results regarding recurrence, the change of snoring quality, and complications. Objective To assess the long-term follow-up results of using nonablative 2,940 nm Erbium: YAG for the treatment of snoring regarding outcomes and recurrence. Methods This 2-year follow-up study was conducted on 76 patients operated upon by non-ablative 2940 nm Erbium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) using a PS01 patterned headpiece. Subjective evaluation of the treatment was performed relying on a smartphone application to record snoring in addition to a questionnaire specially designed to report recurrence and change in the quality of snoring reported by a patient's spouse. The objective evaluation was done by computed tomography (CT) imaging of the soft palate. The patients were evaluated preoperatively, 6 weeks postoperatively and after a 2-year follow-up period. Results Six week after the procedure, there was a significant improvement in 52 patients (68.4%). Out of the 52 patients, only 43 completed the 2-year follow-up; however, 15 of them complained of recurrence. Nevertheless, the patients who suffered from recurrence showed subjective improvement in snoring quality. Conclusions The nonablative mode of Erbium: YAG 2,940 nm laser proved to be efficient in soft palate tightening for the management of snoring. However, there was recurrence in 34.8% of the patients who presented objective and subjective improvement of the complaints, 6 weeks postoperatively and after a 2-year follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xenografting using bovine jugular vein (BJV) (Vv.jugulars) valved conduit is recently introduced for reconstruction of different cardiovascular disorders. Commercially prepared conduit needs a standard technique for selection of suitable animal and jugular vein segment with ideal characters of Valved conduit. The present study was carried out on 10 adult healthy animals (5 cattle (Bos-Taurus) and 5 buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) and 10 cadaveric BJV specimens collected from slaughtered healthy adult animals (5 cattle and 5 buffaloes). The study aimed to establish a standard method for choosing the suitable animal and segment of JV that would be used for post-slaughtering collection of conduits. Ultrasonographically, morphological and histological characteristics of JV in cattle and buffaloes were also studied and compared. Ultrasonography of JV was performed along its length from the mandible till the thoracic inlet. The assessed ultrasonographic JV features included; vein lumen width (VLW), JV wall thickness (VWT), distance between valves and venous wall gray scale analysis. Ultrasonographically, venous tricuspid valve appeared in both planes (sagittal and transverse) of the 4th quarter segment in both animals. The VLW; significantly increase in cattle than buffaloes. The VWT; significantly increased in buffaloes than in cattle. Morphologically, CJV has less thick and less tough wall; and wider lumen when compared with BJV. Histologically, JV wall is 3-layered; tunica intima (inside), tunica media and tunica adventitia (outside) and the wall thickness of BJV are thicker than CJV. In conclusion, the 4th quarter of CJV is the most appropriate segment advised for post-mortem collection of JV conduits. Ultrasonography is an essential, prerequisite technique for choosing the suitable animal and the perfect segment of JV conduits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The aim was to examine the correlation of early follicular serum lutinising hormone (LH) and the clinical outcome of assisted reproduction technique (ART). Methods An observational study included 1333 consecutive women undergoing invitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). 964 women were having their first cycle of ART. Data were entered prospectively. All women had serum LH measured in the 6 months before the index cycle studied. No repeat cycles were included. The main outcomes measured were clinical pregnancy (CP) and live birth (LB) correlation to serum LH. Forward multivariate stepwise regression analysis was applied, and other statistical tests were used as appropriate. Results There was non significant correlation between basal serum LH and CP and LB in the polycystic ovary syndrome group (R2 = 0.02, F = 1.7 and P = 0.76) (R2 = 0.01, F = 2.6 and P = 0.77) respectively after adjusting for age, BMI, day of oocyte retrieval, starting dose, total dose of stimulation, type of gonadotrophin used, number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate and number of embryos transferred. Other aetiological causes group there was similarly non significant correlation between basal serum LH and CP (R2 = 0.05, F = 13.1 and P = 0.66), nor for LB (R2 = 0.007, F = 4.5 and P = 0.9). Conclusion Early follicular serum LH measurements in the 6 months before IVF/ICSI treatment cycle did not correlate with the clinical pregnancy or the live birth rate.

Blood samples from 108 obese individuals (73 males and 35 females) and 106 healthy ones (79 males and 27 females) were collected from a cohort of Saudis inhabiting Riyadh province. ATP6 mitochondrial gene was amplified and sequenced to identify obesity-related SNPs and the mitochondrial DNA haplogroups for forensic purposes. A novel site (A8660G) was found while C8655T and T9103C were obesity- related sites. The haplogroups H2a and H1a were common as they were found in 70.4% and 66% of obese and non-obese individuals, respectively. L2 was recorded in the obese samples only and H21 was recorded in the obese males only. The J2a haplohroup was more common in obese individuals. Constructing mtDNA database for people inhabiting different regions of Saudi Arabia for forensic purpose and to affirm the utility of H21 and L2 in identifiying obesity is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to reveal the comparative anatomy of the nasal cavity in buffaloes, donkeys and camels. It was carried out on 30 heads of apparently healthy adult animals, 10 of each species. Heads were fixed and used for gross and cross sectional anatomy. The study provided information about the peculiarities of nasal anatomy in each species. The conchal arrangement was greatly different in camels, while that of buffaloes and donkeys were similar to other ruminants and equine. In camels, the nasal conchae were condensed in the caudal two thirds, the ventral nasal concha was shorter and twisted and the alar and basal folds were raised from a common extension. Camels have a vestibular pouch known as lateral nasal diverticulum. It was a cylindrical tube anatomically different from the nasal diverticulum of donkeys and other equine. The cartilaginous skeleton of narial aperture was reduced in donkeys and camels. Moreover, the rostral portion of nasal septum in camels was formed of muscles instead of cartilage. In the three species, vomeronasal organ and dorsal and ventral swelling bodies were present on both sides of the nasal septum. However, in camels the vomeronasal organ was notably longer and wider. In conclusion, the anatomy of camel nasal cavity in contrast to other domestic animals was presented interesting anatomical features similar to those of proboscis-bearing mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]