Impact of Hospital Lead Extraction Volume on Management of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device-Associated Infective Endocarditis.

Background: Utilization of transvenous lead extraction/removal (TLE) for the management of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED)-associated infective endocarditis (IE) remains low.

Objective: To examine the impact of hospital TLE procedural volume on TLE utilization and outcomes for patients with CIED-associated IE.

Methods: Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database, we evaluated 21,545 admissions for patients (mean age 70, 39% female) with CIEDs hospitalized with IE at TLE centres.

Proton Versus CyberKnife Therapy Planning for Hypofractionated Treatment of Prostate With Focal Boost.

Purpose: To compare intensity-modulated proton therapy with CyberKnife (CK) therapy for hypo-fractionated treatments of prostate with focal boost, as a first planning study for prostate with dose escalation to a dominant intraprostatic lesion (DIL).

Materials And Methods: Ten patients who possess one DIL in their prostate and their CK plans that were used to treat the planning target volume of prostate were chosen. Six of the plans were further escalated to DIL.

Peripheral cranio-spinal nerve communication for trapezius muscle control using axonal profiling through immunostaining.

Accessory nerve (CNXI) has been known to be the primary conduit for motor control of the trapezius, while the supplementary cervical nerves (C3 and C4) are responsible for processing sensory information from muscle. However, the lack of substantial direct evidence has led to these conclusions being regarded as mere speculation. This study used immunostaining (using antibodies against neurofilament 200 for all axons, choline acetyltransferase for cholinergic axons, tyrosine hydroxylase for sympathetic axons, and alpha 3 sodium potassium ATPase for proprioceptive afferent axons) of human samples to verify the functional contributions of nerves.