Nodal Yield From Neck Dissection Predicts the Anti-Tumor Immune Response in Head and Neck Cancers.

Background: Lymph node count (LNC) from neck dissection has been associated with undernutrition and survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). As local components of the immune system, cervical lymph nodes may reflect anti-tumor immune status. This study investigates the relationship between decreased LNC, formation of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), and primary tumor infiltration by lymphocytes in undernourished patients.

A porcine model of thoracic aortic aneurysms created with a retrievable drug infusion stent graft mirrors human aneurysm pathophysiology.

Objective: Aneurysm pathophysiology remains poorly understood, in part from the disparity of murine models with human physiology and the requirement for invasive aortic exposure to apply agents used to create aneurysm models. A retrievable drug infusion stent graft (RDIS) was developed to isolate the aortic wall intraluminally for drug exposure. We hypothesized that an RDIS could deliver aneurysm-promoting enzymes to create a porcine model of thoracic aneurysms without major surgical exposure.

Idiopathic Multicentric Castleman Disease With Thrombocytopenia, Anasarca, Fever, Reticulin Fibrosis/Renal Insufficiency, and Organomegaly (TAFRO) Syndrome in a Liver Transplant Recipient.

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder that can be potentially fatal without timely diagnosis and treatment. We describe the first-ever reported occurrence of idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease with thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis/renal insufficiency, and organomegaly syndrome in a liver transplant recipient. The diagnosis was challenging as the clinical presentation closely mimicked decompensated cirrhosis, and the profound thrombocytopenia limited tissue diagnosis.

A real-time prognostic model for venous thromboembolic events among hospitalized adults.

Background: Hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism (HA-VTE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized adults. Guidelines recommend use of a risk-prediction model to estimate HA-VTE risk for individual patients. Extant models do not perform well for broad patient populations and are not conducive to automation in clinical practice.