Endoscopic vein harvesting: a guide for approaching difficult cases and assessing patients preoperatively.

Coronary artery bypass grafting remains the most commonly performed cardiac surgical procedure worldwide. The long saphenous vein still presides as the first choice conduit as a second graft in multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Traditionally, the long saphenous vein has been harvested with an open approach which can potentially result in significant wound complications in certain circumstances.

Concurrent speech planning does not eliminate repetition priming from spoken words: Evidence from linguistic dual-tasking.

In conversation, production and comprehension processes may overlap, causing interference. In 3 experiments, we investigated whether repetition priming can work as a supporting device, reducing costs associated with linguistic dual-tasking. Experiment 1 established the rate of decay of repetition priming from spoken words to picture naming for primes embedded in sentences.

Dissociable effects of prediction and integration during language comprehension: evidence from a large-scale study using brain potentials.

Composing sentence meaning is easier for predictable words than for unpredictable words. Are predictable words genuinely predicted, or simply more plausible and therefore easier to integrate with sentence context? We addressed this persistent and fundamental question using data from a recent, large-scale ( = 334) replication study, by investigating the effects of word predictability and sentence plausibility on the N400, the brain's electrophysiological index of semantic processing. A spatio-temporally fine-grained mixed-effect multiple regression analysis revealed overlapping effects of predictability and plausibility on the N400, albeit with distinct spatio-temporal profiles.

Large-scale replication study reveals a limit on probabilistic prediction in language comprehension.

Do people routinely pre-activate the meaning and even the phonological form of upcoming words? The most acclaimed evidence for phonological prediction comes from a 2005 publication by DeLong, Urbach and Kutas, who observed a graded modulation of electrical brain potentials (N400) to nouns and preceding articles by the probability that people use a word to continue the sentence fragment ('cloze'). In our direct replication study spanning 9 laboratories (=334), pre-registered replication-analyses and exploratory Bayes factor analyses successfully replicated the noun-results but, crucially, not the article-results. Pre-registered single-trial analyses also yielded a statistically significant effect for the nouns but not the articles.

hERG1 channels drive tumour malignancy and may serve as prognostic factor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Background: hERG1 channels are aberrantly expressed in human cancers. The expression, functional role and clinical significance of hERG1 channels in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is lacking.

Methods: hERG1 expression was tested in PDAC primary samples assembled as tissue microarray by immunohistochemistry using an anti-hERG1 monoclonal antibody (α-hERG1-MoAb).

Systematic review of fall risk screening tools for older patients in acute hospitals.

Aims: To determine the most accurate fall risk screening tools for predicting falls among patients aged 65 years or older admitted to acute care hospitals.

Background: Falls represent a serious problem in older inpatients due to the potential physical, social, psychological and economic consequences. Older inpatients present with risk factors associated with age-related physiological and psychological changes as well as multiple morbidities.

In situ identification of CD44+/CD24- cancer cells in primary human breast carcinomas.

Breast cancer cells with the CD44+/CD24- phenotype have been reported to be tumourigenic due to their enhanced capacity for cancer development and their self-renewal potential. The identification of human tumourigenic breast cancer cells in surgical samples has recently received increased attention due to the implications for prognosis and treatment, although limitations exist in the interpretation of these studies. To better identify the CD44+/CD24- cells in routine surgical specimens, 56 primary breast carcinoma cases were analysed by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, and the results were compared using flow cytometry analysis to correlate the amount and distribution of the CD44+/CD24- population with clinicopathological features.

13C-methionine breath tests for mitochondrial liver function assessment.

13C-methionine breath test has been proposed as a non-invasive tool for the assessment of human hepatic mithocondrial function. Two methionine breath labeled with 13C in differents point of his molecular structure have been used for breath test analisys. Aim of this study was to compare two differently 13C-labeled methionines in the evaluation of mitochondrial oxidation in basal conditions and after an acute oxidative stress.

Epicardial coronary artery Doppler: validation in the animal model.

The aim of the study was to validate a newly-designed epicardial coronary artery Doppler probe and test its detection of changes in coronary blood flow velocity. Left anterior descending (LAD) coronary blood flow and flow velocity were evaluated in four pigs with a pericoronary transit time flow (TTF) probe and a newly-designed epicardial Doppler micro-probe. Four consecutive measurements were taken for each of the following conditions: basal, partial stenosis, occlusion, and reperfusion of the LAD.

[Differences in the prevalence of work related disorders among construction workers between the end of 90s and 2006].

The aim of this work is to analyse the prevalence of occupational diseases in construction industry, comparing the results of the first years of health surveillance (1996-2000) and today's situation. We compare the prevalence of occupational diseases observed in 1348 workers during the period 1996-2000 (mean age 36,4 years, DS 11,8; mean experience in construction industry 16,9 years, DS 12,3) and the one observed in 795 different workers during 2006 (mean age 38,8 years, DS 11,1; mean experience in construction industry 18 years, DS 16,6). The prevalence of occupational diseases is respectively 12.

[Alcohol and construction workers].

Background And Objectives: On the basis of the data drawn by national and international literature and the introduction of recent legislation concerning "alcohol and alcohol-related problems", we studied alcohol consumption and the consequences that alcohol abuse has on health, working ability, accidents and absenteeism in construction workers.

Methods: We studied alcohol consumption in two groups of building workers over different periods (1996-2000; 2006). In 142 workers alcohol concentration was measured in expired air during the periodic health surveillance examination and during work on building sites.

Retrospective analysis of long-term defunctioning stoma complications after colorectal surgery.

Objective: Defunctioning stoma is a common surgical procedure, but the choice of stoma remains controversial. The preference for colostomy or ileostomy depends on the type of surgery and on the surgeon who performs the procedure. Stoma reversal is often performed a few weeks after colorectal resection but few studies have analysed the long-term complications of different types of stoma.

Heparin-bonded circuits versus nonheparin-bonded circuits: an evaluation of their effect on clinical outcomes.

Heparinization of the blood contact surface in cardiopulmonary bypass circuits has been promoted as an important step in the development of open heart surgery. As it decreases the inflammatory response resulting from the extracorporeal circulation, it may have a positive effect on clinical outcomes. This meta-analysis was carried out to examine if heparin-bonded circuits (HBCs) reduce the need for blood products and improve overall clinical outcome.

Does off-pump coronary revascularization reduce the release of the cerebral markers, S-100beta and NSE?

Objectives: The aims of this study were to (1) compare the release of S-100 beta and NSE in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) versus on-pump surgery; (2) investigate whether the S-100 beta and NSE serum concentrations correlate with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) duration.

Materials And Methods: Between October 2002 and May 2004, 42 patients undergoing first time CABG surgery were enrolled in the study. The exclusion criteria were: LVEF<35%, age>70 years, previous myocardial infarction, REDO surgery, the presence of valvular heart disease and/or cerebrovascular disease, abnormal preoperative carotid vessels angiography, coronary artery disease involving the distal circumflex artery, renal dysfunction, coagulopathy.

Mitoxantrone, carboplatin, cytosine arabinoside, and methylprednisolone followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation: a salvage regimen for patients with refractory or recurrent non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Background: The objective of the current study was to evaluate a salvage chemotherapy regimen consisting of mitoxantrone, carboplatin, cytosine arabinoside, and methylprednisolone (MiCMA) for the treatment of patients with primary refractory or recurrent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Methods: From September 1991 to August 2002, 94 consecutive patients ages 16-60 years who had either recurrent or refractory NHL (mainly diffuse large-cell lymphomas) were treated on the MiCMA protocol. Patients had peripheral blood stem cells collected successfully for autologous stem cell transplantation after two or three cycles of MiCMA.

The role of GPs in increasing compliance to colorectal cancer screening: a randomised controlled trial (Italy).

Aims: To assess the effect of the provider (GPs versus hospital) on the compliance in returning the faecal occult blood test. To analyse the characteristics of the GP associated with high compliance among his beneficiaries.

Methods: A questionnaire about screening attitudes was mailed to the 1192 GPs working in 13 districts of the Lazio region.

Understanding non-compliance to colorectal cancer screening: a case control study, nested in a randomised trial [ISRCTN83029072].

Background: The major limit to colorectal cancer screening effectiveness is often low compliance. We studied the reasons for non compliance and determinants of compliance to faecal occult blood tests in Lazio, Italy.

Methods: This is a case-control study nested within a trial that tested the effect of type of test and provider on colorectal cancer screening compliance.

Cardiac circumference measurement: possible screening tool in early pregnancy for anomalous cardiac development.

Objective: In this study, cardiac circumference (CC), measured by transvaginal sonography, was analyzed to determine the growth during the early stage of pregnancy and its relationship to abdominal circumference and femur length (FL).

Methods: Biometric measurements, including CC, were obtained in 1,182 euploid fetuses at 9-16 weeks' gestation. The CC measurements were related to gestational age (GA), abdominal circumference, and FL.

Can 13C urea breath test predict resistance to therapy in Helicobacter pylori infection?

Background/aims: Results of 13C urea breath test (UBT), a noninvasive test for detecting active H. pylori infection, have been regarded also numerically for a possible predictive value on bacterial load and entity of mucosal inflammation. In the present study we wished to determine whether there is a particular value of Delta Over Baseline (DOB) result which could predict resistance to anti-H.

Evaluation of abnormalities of orthostatic postural control in systemic sclerosis.

Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multi-systemic disease of unknown etiology characterized by damage to the small arteries, arterioles and capillaries. The documented occurrence of various neuropathies in SSs patients led us to hypothesize that there is a potential for postural control impairments in such disease. This study was aimed at evaluating the orthostatic postural control of SSc patients who do not manifest balance or hearing symptoms.

The immunochemical faecal occult blood test leads to higher compliance than the guaiac for colorectal cancer screening programmes: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: We conducted a cluster-randomized trial aimed at assessing the effect of the type of faecal occult blood, guaiac or immunochemical test on screening compliance.

Methods: We sampled 130 general practitioners (GPs) who consented to participate in the trial. We randomly allocated half of them to the guaiac (Hemo-Fec) and half to the immunochemical test (OC-Hemodia).