A rare case report of orchiopexy and hysterectomy in an Afghan boy with persistent Müllerian duct syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS), a rare genetic aberration, is characterized by the presence of Müllerian duct (MD) features in males. PMDS is usually caused by a defect in the Müllerian inhibitory system and is discovered during surgical interventions. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 14-year-old Afghan boy with severe abdominal pain who was initially diagnosed with bilateral undescended testicles and abdominal complex cysts. He was supposed to undergo a cystectomy and orchiopexy surgery. During the surgical intervention, an unexpected finding was made whereby fibrotic-like ovaries, fallopian tubes, and a segment of the uterus were identified, ultimately leading to the diagnosis of PMDS. The MD was carefully removed, and the testicles were delicately repositioned during an orchiopexy procedure. DISCUSSION: In our case, the patient exhibited bilateral undescended testicles along with fibrotic-like ovaries, fallopian tubes, and a portion of the uterus, representing the presence of the female type of PMDS. To safeguard fertility, orchidopexy is recommended for pediatric patients. Conversely, in the older age group, orchidectomy is advised as a precautionary measure against the heightened susceptibility to testicular carcinoma. CONCLUSION: PMDS can be associated with an undescended testicle and abdominal pain. Hence, it is crucial to thoroughly evaluate patients who have undescended testes for the presence of PMDS, and surgeons must maintain a heightened sense of awareness for PMDS while exploring individuals who present with bilateral undescended testes, as exemplified in our case.

A rare case report of vaginoplasty using amnion graft in an Afghan woman with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome: A first report in Afghanistan.

INTRODUCTION: Mayer-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is the second reason for primary amenorrhea. MRKHS is an uncommon congenital disorder characterized by agenesis of mullerrian structures, uterus, and upper two-thirds of the vagina, with normal fully developed secondary sexual characteristics. CASE PRESENTATION: This report describes the case of a 30-year-old married woman with primary amenorrhea. She had normal secondary sex characteristics, but the uterus, cervix, and upper two-thirds of the vagina were absent. She underwent the modified Abbe McIndoe procedure. The amnion membrane was mounted on the mold with a mesenchymal surface outward to adhere surface of the neovagina. After three months, it was not necessary to use the mold and sexual intercourse was recommended. DISCUSSION: The modified Abbe- McIndoe method with amnion graft is save, rapid, and simple procedure. The amnion membrane is easily storable and accessible. Therefore, this technique is effective and simple for developing countries including Afghanistan. CONCLUSION: This case indicates that the modified Abbe McIndoe methods can be used as a safe procedure in the treatment of MRKH Syndrome.

Omega-3 fatty acids prevent nicotine withdrawal-induced exacerbation of anxiety and depression by affecting oxidative stress balance, inflammatory response, BDNF and serotonin metabolism in rats.

Adolescents are known to be more vulnerable than adults to the adverse effects of nicotine dependence. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether adolescent nicotine exposure, followed by a period of abstinence, could affect the anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in rats. For this purpose, behavioral assessments were carried out using open field test, elevated plus maze and forced swimming test in male rats received chronic nicotine intake during adolescence followed by a period of abstinence in adulthood, compared to their control counterparts. In addition, O3 pre-treatment was done at three different doses to reveal whether it could prevent nicotine withdrawal effects. Then, animals were euthanized and the cortical concentrations of oxidative stress markers, inflammatory indices, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, serotonin and the enzymatic activity of monoamine oxidase-A were measured. Results indicated that nicotine withdrawal exacerbates the behavioral signs of anxiety through alteration of the brain oxidative stress balance, inflammatory response and serotonin metabolism. Moreover, we found that omega 3 pre-treatment significantly prevents the nicotine withdrawal-induced complications by restoration of changes in the mentioned biochemical indices. Moreover, the improving effects of O3 fatty acids were found to be dose-dependent in all experiments. Taken together, we would like to suggest the O3 fatty acids supplementation as a safe, inexpensive and effective strategy for prevention or amelioration of detrimental effects induced by nicotine withdrawal at cellular and behavioral levels.

Vitamin B12 administration prevents ethanol-induced learning and memory impairment through re-establishment of the brain oxidant/antioxidant balance, enhancement of BDNF and suppression of GFAP.

There are growing evidence indicating that the adolescent brain is persistently affected by the use of psychostimulant agents. In this regard, alcohol drinking has become rather common among the adolescents in many societies during the last decade. It is currently well known that long-term ethanol exposure deteriorates various cognitive functions such as learning and memory. Mechanistically, these adverse effects have been shown to be mediated by oxidative damage to central nervous system. On the other hand, Vit-B12 is known to improve cognitive performance by suppression of oxidative parameters. Thus, in the present study we aimed to test whether treatment by Vit-B12 could prevent ethanol-induced complications in mice using behavioral and biochemical methods. Different groups of male Syrian mice received ethanol, ethanol+Vit-B12, Vit-B12 alone, or saline during adolescence and then learning and memory functions were assessed by Morris water maze (MWM) and Passive Avoidance (PA) tests. Finally, mice were sacrificed for measurement of biochemical factors. Results indicated that, adolescent ethanol intake impairs learning and memory function through exacerbation of oxidative stress and Vit-B12 treatment improves these complications by re-establishment of oxidant/anti-oxidant balance in CNS. Moreover, we found that Vit-B12 prevents ethanol-induced reduction of BDNF and enhancement of GFAP and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. In conclusion, it seems that Vit-B12 supplementation could be used as an effective therapeutic strategy to prevent learning and memory defects induced by chronic alcohol intake during adolescence.