Identifying chronic kidney disease stage 3 with excess disease burden.

Objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a widely prevalent disease with heterogeneous disease progression. Prior study findings suggest that early referral to nephrologists can improve health outcomes for patients with CKD. Current practice guidelines recommend nephrology referral when patients are diagnosed with CKD stage 4.

A National Survey Comparing Patients' and Transplant Professionals' Research Priorities in the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study.

We aimed to identify, assess, compare and map research priorities of patients and professionals in the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study. The project followed 3 steps. 1) Focus group interviews identified patients' ( = 22) research priorities.

Development and testing of the aerial porter exoskeleton.

Back pain is one of the largest drivers of workplace injury and lost productivity in industries around the world. Back injuries were one of the leading reasons in resulting in days away from work at 38.5% across all occupations, increasing for manual laborers to 43%.

The Actualization of the Transplantation Complex on the Axis of Psychosomatic Totality-Results of a Qualitative Study.

Although transplantation medicine is not new, there is a clinically justified gap in the existing literature with respect to the psychological processing of lung transplants. The present study aims to examine whether lung transplantation leads to an actualization of psychological, e.g.

Effect of acute myocardial ischemia on inferolateral early repolarization.

Background: Inferolateral early repolarization (ER) is associated with an increase in arrhythmic risk, particularly in the presence of myocardial ischemia.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of myocardial ischemia on ER.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed procedural electrocardiograms (ECGs) of patients with ER undergoing a controlled, 1-minute coronary balloon occlusion for collateral function testing.

The experience of transplantation as reflected in dream life: A case study illustrating the mental processing of a lung transplant.

Although it is well known that a lung transplant enhances the recipient's quality of life, our knowledge of how it is processed mentally is limited. In this study, interviews were conducted with a lung-transplant patient two weeks, three months, and six months after surgery so as to investigate the relevant unconscious processing mechanisms. A dream reported in the first interview was analysed in accordance withapplying the Zurich Dream Process Coding System.

Transplantation experience as a predictor for quality of life during the first 6 months after lung transplantation.

Objective: Quality of life (QoL) is a crucial goal of post-transplant care. This study investigated predictors of QoL within the first 6 months after transplantation.

Methods: Forty patients were assessed 2 weeks (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months post-transplant (T3).

Feasibility study of transtibial amputee walking using a powered prosthetic foot.

Passive prosthetic feet are not able to provide non-amputee kinematics and kinetics for the ankle joint. Persons with amputations show reduced interlimb symmetry, slower walking speeds, and increased walking effort. To improve ankle range of motion and push off, various powered prosthetic feet were introduced.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Switzerland: Diagnosis and Treatment.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe progressive and irreversible lung disease. Novel antifibrotic drugs that slow disease progression are now available. However, many issues regarding patient management remain unanswered, such as the choice between available drugs, their use in particular subgroups and clinical situations, time of treatment onset, termination, combination or switch, or nonpharmacologic management.

A powered prosthetic ankle joint for walking and running.

Background: Current prosthetic ankle joints are designed either for walking or for running. In order to mimic the capabilities of an able-bodied, a powered prosthetic ankle for walking and running was designed. A powered system has the potential to reduce the limitations in range of motion and positive work output of passive walking and running feet.

Patients' Early Post-Operative Experiences with Lung Transplantation: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study.

Background And Objectives: Lung transplantation is a complex medical treatment, and for patients with end-stage lung diseases it is often the last therapeutic option available for survival. However, lung transplantation poses not only a physical but also a psychological challenge for patients. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of patients' individual concerns related to their lung transplantation within the first 6 months post-transplant.

Hepatitis From Spiroplasma sp. in an Immunocompromised Patient.

A 70-year-old lung transplant recipient patient was admitted with fever, nausea, abdominal pain, peripheral edema and pronounced weakness. An initial work-up for presumed infection revealed cholestatic hepatitis, leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia, but failed to detect a pathogen. An increased glucose uptake exclusively in the liver was demonstrated by positron emission tomography.

HD-Zip Proteins GL2 and HDG11 Have Redundant Functions in Arabidopsis Trichomes, and GL2 Activates a Positive Feedback Loop via MYB23.

The class IV homeodomain leucine zipper transcription factor GLABRA2 (GL2) acts in a complex regulatory circuit that regulates the differentiation of trichomes in Arabidopsis thaliana. We describe a genetic interaction with HOMEODOMAIN GLABROUS11 (HDG11), previously identified as a negative regulator of trichome branching. gl2 hdg11 double mutants display enhanced trichome cell-type differentiation defects.

Detection of pulmonary amylase activity in exhaled breath condensate.

Amylase activity in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is usually interpreted as an indication of oropharyngeal contamination despite the fact that amylase can be found in pulmonary excretions. The aim of this study was to recruit and refine an amylase assay in order to detect amylase activity in any EBC sample and to develop a method to identify EBC samples containing amylase of pulmonary origin. EBC was collected from 40 volunteers with an EcoScreen condenser.

Intra-operative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use in pediatric lung transplantation--the Zurich experience.

There is a lack of data regarding use of ECMO in children undergoing lung transplantation. We evaluated our experience of ECMO in pediatric lung transplant recipients. All patients (<18 yr) who underwent lung transplants between 1997 and 2011 were included (17 children; nine males; median age 16 yr), and the use of intra-operative ECMO evaluated.

A new heterotopic transplant animal model of intestinal fibrosis.

Background: Severe mucosal tissue damage requiring efficient wound healing is a main feature of inflammatory bowel disease but excessive tissue repair promotes fibrosis. The clinical investigation of fibrosis is confined to the limited amount of biological material available from patients. This makes the establishment of a new animal model, a highly desirable goal.

Zurich University Hospital lung transplantation programme: update 2012.

Lung transplantation is an established therapeutic option for end-stage lung disease in selected patients. During the last 30 years more than 34,000 transplantations have been performed worldwide. Emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis and primary pulmonary hypertension are the most common indications.

Chronic infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis: a risk factor for nasal polyposis after lung transplantation.

Background: Nasal polyposis (NP) is common in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The prevalence of the CF phenotype with NP after lung transplantation (LTx) is unknown. Risk factors for the development of NP after LTx are not well described.

Body mass index and its effect on outcome in children after lung transplantation.

Background: Malnutrition is common in children undergoing lung transplantation, particularly among those with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, the effect of body habitus on outcome after pediatric lung transplantation is unknown. We studied body mass index (BMI) and its effect on outcome in pediatric lung transplantation.

Long-term outcomes of bilateral lobar lung transplantation.

Objectives: Lobar lung transplantation is an option that provides the possibility of transplanting an urgent listed recipient of small size with a size-mismatched donor lung by surgically reducing the size of the donor lung. We report our short- and long-term results with bilateral lobar lung transplantation (BLLT) and compare it with the long-term outcomes of our cohort.

Methods: Retrospective analyses of 75 lung transplant recipients who received downsized lungs with a special focus on 23 recipients with BLLT performed since January 2000.

Nasal polyposis in lung transplant recipients with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis is common in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). There are still many open questions regarding factors related to this condition. Furthermore, the prevalence of nasal polyposis and its implications for the outcomes in lung transplant recipients with cystic fibrosis are unknown.

Impact of sinus surgery on pseudomonal airway colonization, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and survival in cystic fibrosis lung transplant recipients.

Background: Lung transplantation (LTx) is a therapy for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) end-stage lung disease. Pseudomonal airway colonization (PAC) is common in CF.

Objectives: We investigated the influence of post-transplant sinus surgery and daily nasal douching on PAC after LTx and the influence of PAC on survival and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS).