[THE EFFECTS OF HORMONAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY (HRT) ON MAMMOGRAPHIC BREAST DENSITY AND ABNORMAL MAMMOGRAMS PROMPTING FURTHER INVESTIGATION].

Aims: The purpose of this study was to portray and analyze the inter-relationship between the use of HRT, mammographic breast density and the finding of any mammographic abnormality that prompted further investigation such as core needle biopsy or additional imaging testing, while controlling for obstetric and relevant demographic data.

Background: Mammographic breast density has been associated with higher risk of breast cancer and decrease in its sensitivity, while hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) in turn, has been implicated in increasing mammographic density and is considered a risk factor for breast cancer by itself. The inter-relationship between HRT, breast density and any mammographic or sonographic finding requiring further investigation has not been fully investigated.

Correlation between visual acuity and cognitive functions.

A possible association between visual acuity (VA) and dementia was investigated in 2716 subjects who were aged between 53 and 102 at first visit and had varying degrees of dementia. Better VA was found to be significantly correlated with a lower dementia level (person coefficient range 0.146-0.

[Laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery--after ten years and 350 operations].

Background: Within a decade since laparoscopy was used in cholecystectomy it has become the preferred approach in many abdominal procedures. Laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery has not yet been adopted by the majority of surgeons, due to technical complexity and reservation regarding its oncological safety. As data and experience accumulate, this attitude is gradually changing.

The chemokine CCL5 as a potential prognostic factor predicting disease progression in stage II breast cancer patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of the chemokine CCL5, considered as a promalignancy factor in breast cancer, in predicting breast cancer progression and to evaluate its ability to strengthen the prognostic significance of other biomarkers.

Experimental Design: The expression of CCL5, alone and in conjunction with estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha, ER-beta, progesterone receptor (PR), and HER-2/neu (ErbB2), was determined in breast tumor cells by immunohistochemistry. The study included 142 breast cancer patients, including individuals in whom disease has progressed.

Cortical activity of children with dyslexia during natural speech processing: evidence of auditory processing deficiency.

Children with dyslexia have difficulties with phonological processing. It is assumed that deficits in auditory temporal processing underlie the phonological difficulties of dyslectic subjects (i.e.

Reduced medial olivocochlear bundle system function in children with auditory processing disorders.

A common complaint of children with auditory processing disorders (APD) is difficulty in understanding speech in the presence of background noise. Evidence from animal and human studies has suggested that the medial olivocochlear bundle (MOCB) may play a role in hearing in noise. The MOCB function can be evaluated by the suppression effect of the transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) in response to contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS).

Children undergoing repeated exposures for radiation therapy do not develop tolerance to propofol: clinical and bispectral index data.

Background: The purpose of this study was to apply clinical criteria and Bispectral Index monitor data for evaluating the development of tolerance to propofol in children undergoing repeated drug exposure.

Methods: Children undergoing multiple sessions of radiation therapy during anesthesia for various malignancies were given a predetermined dose of propofol at each session. Heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, requirement of additional propofol, and time to emergence and discharge were recorded.

Kidney transplantation from living donors: comparison of results between related and unrelated donor transplants under new immunosuppressive protocols.

Background: Recent advances in immunosuppressive therapy have led to a substantial improvement in the outcome of kidney transplantation. Living unrelated donors may become a source of additional organs for patients on the kidney waiting list.

Objectives: To study the impact of the combination of calcineurin inhibitors and mycophenolate-mofetile, together with steroids, on outcomes of living related and unrelated transplants.

Social and utilitarian considerations for allocating organs within a national organ sharing system: a computerized simulation model for policy decision-making.

Background: An organ-sharing system should achieve fairness and optimal graft longevity. Balancing between social and utilitarian considerations is a sensitive ethical, public and medical issue that requires a means to examine the consequences of any allocation policy or planned changes thereof.

Objective: To evaluate the performance and applicability of a computerized simulation model by examining the impact of two opposing organ allocation policies (social or utilitarian) on predicted organ distribution regarding age, waiting time, recipient sensitization measured by panel reactive antibody level, and overall donor-recipient tissue matching (measured by the number of HLA antigen mismatches).

Focused, minimally invasive radio-guided parathyroidectomy: a feasible and safe option for elderly patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Background: Primary hyperparathyroidism in elderly patients is usually associated with additional co-morbidity that increases operative risk, and thus many geriatric patients are denied the benefit of surgery for a single parathyroid adenoma.

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of accurate single photon emission computed tomography sestamibi scintigraphy, enabling precise localization of a single adenoma, in the geriatric population.

Methods: Twenty-two patients aged 70 years and over with biochemically proven PHPT and with a single parathyroid adenoma identified by localization studies (sestamibi SPECT scan and ultrasonography) underwent 23 operations over 29 months (out of a total of 140 patients operated upon during the same period).

Detrimental effects of cyclosporin A on long-term graft survival in familial Mediterranean fever renal allograft recipients: experience of two transplantation centers.

Background: Cyclosporin A has been associated with severe toxic side effects in patients with familial Mediterranean fever who underwent renal transplantation. Nevertheless, the impact on graft function and survival is not well documented.

Objective: To compare long-term graft function and survival, between CsA-based vs.

Recovery of neurologic function after spinal cord injury in Israel.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study was conducted.

Objective: To assess neurologic recovery and the manner in which it is affected by the severity of the neurologic damage after spinal cord injury.

Summary Of Background Data: Studies from various countries, but not from Israel, have shown considerable potential for recovery of the damaged human spinal cord.

Bilateral superior cervical sympathectomy and noise-induced, permanent threshold shift in guinea pigs.

The rich sympathetic innervation to the cochlea suggests its potential control of cochlear blood flow and activity during noise exposure, as part of the general and local stress sympathetic reaction evoked by noise. In a previous study, superior cervical sympathectomy prior to sound exposure in guinea pigs in an awake state, resulted in reduced temporary threshold shift. The present study was conducted to explore whether this potential protection would also be manifested in conditions producing permanent threshold shift (PTS).