[Parathyroid cyst associated with acute respiratory failure and jugular vein thrombosis].

Parathyroid cysts are much less common than other cystic lesions of the neck. The great majority of parathyroid cysts are endocrine non-functioning. Parathyroid cysts may become symptomatic because of hormonal activity or due to the size and pressure effects.

CT of the ear in Pendred syndrome.

Purpose: To prospectively determine the structural anomalies of the inner ear by using thin-section computed tomography (CT) in an extended family with Pendred syndrome.

Materials And Methods: Ethics committee approved the study, and informed consent was obtained from every patient or from parents of patients under legal age. Twelve patients (three females and nine males aged 7-47 years) with Pendred syndrome (all from the same ethnic isolate and with the same mutation in the PDS gene) were evaluated for inner-ear malformation at thin-section CT.

Sulfate transport is not impaired in pendred syndrome thyrocytes.

Pendred syndrome is the most common form of syndromic deafness, characterized by dyshormonogenic goiter associated with sensory-neural deafness. The gene responsible for the disease (PDS) has been cloned, but its function is as yet unknown and the connection between thyroid goiter and sensory-neural deafness remains an enigma. PDS codes for a novel protein, pendrin, which is closely related to a number of sufate transporters.

Jewish medicine and the University of Padua: contribution of the Padua graduate Toviah Cohen to nephrology.

During the period of the 11th to 17th century, the access of Jews to European universities was restricted and even those who were fortunate enough to be admitted to a university were not awarded a degree at the end of their studies. An exception to this situation was the University of Padua that allowed Jewish students to study and awarded them degrees; indeed 229 physicians graduated from this university between 1409 and 1721. Among these physicians there were many luminaries such as Joseph Del Medigo, Salmon Congeliano and Toviah Cohen.