Endonasal Thermal Imaging Before and After Nasal Airway Surgery.

Objective: Nasal airway surgery is often applied when treatment fails to relieve nasal obstruction. However, surgery that improves airflow does not always alleviate the symptoms of nasal obstruction. The perception of nasal breathing is likely more related to changes in mucosal temperature than the mechanical sensation of flow or pressure.

The effect of allergen immunotherapy in patients with central compartment atopic disease post-surgery.

Objective: To assess the effect of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) on patients with central compartment atopic disease (CCAD) and house dust mite (HDM) sensitization post-surgery.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of surgically treated, HDM-sensitized CRSwNP patients phenotyped as CCAD was assessed. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they had AIT commenced as part of their surgical care.

Predictors of persistent disease in biologic treated type 2 diffuse/eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis undergoing surgery.

Background: Biologic therapy targeting type 2 chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) has greatly improved disease control but nonresponders exist in a proportion of patients in phase 3 trials and clinical practice. This study explores the serum and histologic changes in biologic treated CRSwNP that predict disease control.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed of patients with CRSwNP on biologics for their asthma, who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery while on biologic therapy.

Application of an empirical transport model to simulate retention of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide in sand columns.

Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide was injected into sand columns to simulate subsurface injection for creation of a permeable treatment barrier. Past usage of this material as an ex situ pilot scale treatment filter has shown that it has a high adsorption capacity for a number of heavy metals and therefore would be a good candidate for injection technology. Three suspension concentrations (50, 75 and 100 mg l(-1)) were pumped through packed sand columns at different flow velocities (3.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart failure.

Diabetes mellitus and heart failure are common comorbidities, and their prevalence has increased significantly over the past decade. We examined the relationships between diabetes and heart failure, the effect of commonly prescribed antidiabetic drugs on the development of heart failure, and the benefits and risks of recommended heart failure therapies in patients with diabetes. Compared with patients with heart failure who do not have diabetes, patients with both diabetes and heart failure have a poorer prognosis, including a 1.

Prevalence of anemia in clinic patients with heart failure and cost analysis of epoetin treatment.

Study Objectives: To determine the prevalence of anemia in an outpatient heart failure clinic, describe the type of anemia in patients treated there, and evaluate the potential costs associated with epoetin therapy in this cohort.

Design: Single-center, retrospective cohort analysis (part 1) and a literature-based economic decision analysis (part 2).

Data Source: Medical records from a multidisciplinary, outpatient, heart failure clinic, and published hospitalization and drug-use data.

Removal of depleted uranium from contaminated soils.

Contamination of soil and water with depleted uranium (DU) has increased public health concerns due to the chemical toxicity of DU at elevated dosages. For this reason, there is great interest in developing methods for DU removal from contaminated sources. Two DU laden soils, taken from U.

Infertility, blood mercury concentrations and dietary seafood consumption: a case-control study.

Objective: To compare blood mercury concentrations of infertile couples with those of fertile couples in Hong Kong, and to examine the relationship between blood mercury concentrations and seafood consumption.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: In vitro fertilisation (IVF) Unit and Antenatal Unit of a university teaching hospital.