Not long ago, Dutch scientists accidentally discovered a secret group of salivary glands deep in the upper part of the human throat. They said that this new organ is important for reducing side effects in cancer treatment.
The new organs are located behind the nose and are about 1.5 inches (3.9 cm) long on average. Because they are located on a piece of cartilage called the eustachian tube protuberance, the researchers call them the salivary glands of the eustachian tube. They said that these salivary glands are probably used by the body to lubricate and moisturize the upper throat located behind the nose and mouth.
Researchers accidentally discovered this type of salivary glands while studying prostate cancer with new technology! Study co-author Walter Fogel, a radiation oncologist at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, said in a statement that humans have previously known three large salivary glands, located under the tongue, under the jaw, and at the back of the cheek and behind the jaw. In addition, there may be thousands of tiny salivary glands scattered in the throat and oral mucosa. The newly discovered salivary glands of the Eustachian tube became a new member of the human organ family, which surprised them.
To confirm this latest discovery, Vogel’s team scanned 100 patients (99 of them were men because they were studying prostate cancer) and found that all of them had the newly discovered gland. They also dissected the nasopharynx of the two donated cadavers and found that the newly discovered body part was composed of mucosal gland tissue and a duct that flows into the nasopharynx.
Fogel said this discovery is very important for cancer treatment. Doctors who use radiation therapy to treat cancer in the head and neck can try to avoid irradiating this salivary gland, because destroying these glands may affect the patient’s quality of life. “Patients may have trouble eating, swallowing or talking.”
But Since no one knew the salivary glands of the eustachian tube existed, no one tried to avoid irradiating this area. Researchers studied the medical files of more than 700 cancer patients treated at the University Medical Center of Groningen and found that the more radiation a patient received from this gland, the more side effects they reported during the treatment.
For partners in a long-term relationship, do their faces appear to be “husband and wife” from the time they are in love? Or do they look like the longer they live together?
Recently, researchers at Stanford University in the United States have used the latest technology to reveal the mystery. After analyzing thousands of photos of public couples, they believe they can answer this question. Researchers used Google and genealogy sites to search for a large number of photos of couples, including photos of newlyweds and life photos of many years after marriage. They collected 517 photos of couples, each of which had multiple photos taken within two years of their relationship and 20 to 69 years after marriage.
Research results show that couples will not become more alike over time, but they will choose a partner who looks more similar to themselves. “People may look for partners with similar looks, just as they look for partners with matching values and personality.” The researcher said.