Role of the interview in admissions at the University of Toronto ophthalmology program.

Objective: To investigate the role of the residency interview in admission to the University of Toronto ophthalmology program.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Participants: One hundred and sixty-nine candidates for admission to the University of Toronto ophthalmology program, 1998-2008.

beta(S)-Globin gene cluster haplotypes in the West Bank of Palestine.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited autosomal recessive disorder of the beta-globin chain. In Palestine it is accompanied by a low level of Hb F (mean 5.14%) and a severe clinical presentation.

Medical students' attitudes on diversity when applying to Toronto's ophthalmology residency program.

Background: Affirmative action is a controversial admissions policy practised by universities in the United States and other countries around the world. It is currently not used at the University of Toronto ophthalmology residency program. A survey was conducted to determine the opinions of applicants as to the role that affirmative action and quotas should play during the admissions process and to determine the current ethnic breakdown of the applicants to ophthalmology.

Analysis of SLC40A1 gene at the mRNA level reveals rapidly the causative mutations in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis type IV.

Mutations in the SLC40A1 gene result in a dominant genetic disorder [ferroportin disease; hereditary hemochromatosis type (HH) IV], characterized by iron overload with two different clinical manifestations, normal transferrin saturation with macrophage iron accumulation (the most prevalent type) or high transferrin saturation with hepatocyte iron accumulation (classical hemochromatosis phenotype). In previous studies, the mutational analysis of SLC40A1 gene has been performed at the genomic DNA level by PCR amplification and direct sequencing of all coding regions and flanking intron-exon boundaries (usually in 9 PCR reactions). In this study, we analyzed the SLC40A1 gene at the mRNA level, in two RT-PCR reactions, followed by direct sequencing and/or NIRCA (non-isotopic RNase cleavage assay).

Hypochromic erythrocytes (%): a reliable marker for recognizing iron-restricted erythropoiesis and predicting response to erythropoietin in anemic patients with myeloma and lymphoma.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of hypochromic erythrocytes (HYPO%) compared to "traditional" and novel markers of iron status and erythropoiesis in recognizing iron-restricted erythropoiesis (IRE) and predicting response to erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in anemic patients with myeloma and lymphoma. Forty-one newly diagnosed patients who received epoetin-beta at a subcutaneous weekly dose of 30,000 IU for 6 weeks were studied. Response to rHuEPO was observed in 27 patients (65.