CMT disease severity correlates with mutation-induced open conformation of histidyl-tRNA synthetase, not aminoacylation loss, in patient cells.

Aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetases (aaRSs) are the largest protein family causatively linked to neurodegenerative Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. Dominant mutations cause the disease, and studies of CMT disease-causing mutant glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GlyRS) and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) showed their mutations create neomorphic structures consistent with a gain-of-function mechanism. In contrast, based on a yeast model, loss of aminoacylation function was reported for CMT disease mutants in histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HisRS).

Evaluation of effectiveness of the PlasmaJet surgical device in the treatment of advanced stage ovarian cancer (PlaComOv-study): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial in the Netherlands.

Background: The most important goal for survival benefit of advanced stage ovarian cancer is to surgically remove all visible tumour, because complete cytoreductive surgery (CCS) has been shown to be associated with prolonged survival. In a remarkable number of women, CCS is very challenging. Especially in women with many small metastases on the peritoneum and intestinal surface, conventional CCS with electrosurgery is not able to be "complete" in removing safely all visible tumour.

Alternative stable conformation capable of protein misinteraction links tRNA synthetase to peripheral neuropathy.

While having multiple aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases implicated in Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease suggests a common mechanism, a defect in enzymatic activity is not shared among the CMT-causing mutants. Protein misfolding is a common hypothesis underlying the development of many neurological diseases. Its process usually involves an initial reduction in protein stability and then the subsequent oligomerization and aggregation.

Nomogram for 30-day morbidity after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer.

Purpose Of Investigation: Extensive surgical procedures to achieve maximal cytoreduction in patients with advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are inevitably associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify preoperative predictors of 30-day morbidity after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC and to develop a nomogram for individual risk assessment.

Materials And Methods: Patients in The Netherlands who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC between January 2004 and December 2007.

Nomogram for suboptimal cytoreduction at primary surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer.

Aim: Maximal cytoreduction to minimal residual tumor is the most important determinant of prognosis in patients with advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Preoperative prediction of suboptimal cytoreduction, defined as residual tumor >1 cm, could guide treatment decisions and improve counseling. The objective of this study was to identify predictive computed tomographic (CT) scan and clinical parameters for suboptimal cytoreduction at primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC and to generate a nomogram with the identified parameters, which would be easy to use in daily clinical practice.

Prediction of residual disease after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer: accuracy of clinical judgment.

Objectives: Treatment of patients with an advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is based on cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. Amount of residual disease after primary cytoreductive surgery is an important prognostic factor. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of preoperative clinical judgment of residual disease after primary cytoreductive surgery and to compare the predictive performance of the offhand assessment to the predictive performance of prediction models.

Prediction of 30-day morbidity after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer.

Objective: Treatment in advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is based on primary cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy. Successful cytoreduction to minimal residual tumour burden is the most important determinant of prognosis. However, extensive surgical procedures to achieve maximal debulking are inevitably associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality.

Causes of postoperative mortality after surgery for ovarian cancer.

Residual disease after cytoreductive surgery is an important prognostic factor in patients with advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Aggressive surgical procedures necessary to achieve maximal cytoreduction are inevitably associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality. To determine causes of postoperative mortality (POM) after surgery for EOC all postoperative deaths in the southwestern part of the Netherlands over a 17-year period were identified and analysed by reviewing medical notes.

Value of cervical cytology in diagnosing endometrial carcinoma in women with postmenopausal bleeding.

Objective: To assess the accuracy of the cervical smear in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer in women with postmenopausal bleeding, with an emphasis on the diagnostic relevance of normal endometrial cells.

Study Design: Women presenting with abnormal postmenopausal bleeding, not using hormone replacement therapy, were included prospectively. Cervical cytology was coded according to both the Papanicolaou (Pap) classification and the Dutch coding system (CISOE-A), which classifies endometrial and other cell types separately.

Postoperative mortality after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer: a systematic review.

Objective: Accurate estimation of the risk of postoperative mortality (POM) is essential for the decision whether or not to perform cytoreductive surgery in a patient with advanced stage ovarian cancer. To ascertain modern reference figures, a systematic review of studies reporting POM after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) was performed.

Materials And Methods: A Medline search was performed to retrieve papers on primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage EOC.

The prediction of progression-free and overall survival in women with an advanced stage of epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

Objective: Prognosis in women with ovarian cancer mainly depends on International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage and the ability to perform optimal cytoreductive surgery. Since ovarian cancer has a heterogeneous presentation and clinical course, predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in the individual patient is difficult. The objective of this study was to determine predictors of PFS and OS in women with advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) after primary cytoreductive surgery and first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.

Preoperative predictors for residual tumor after surgery in patients with ovarian carcinoma.

Objectives: Suboptimal debulking (>1 cm residual tumor) results in poor survival rates for patients with an advanced stage of ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study was to develop a prediction model, based on simple preoperative parameters, for patients with an advanced stage of ovarian cancer who are at risk of suboptimal cytoreduction despite maximal surgical effort.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 187 consecutive patients with a suspected clinical diagnosis of advanced-stage ovarian cancer undergoing upfront debulking between January 1998 and December 2003.

What is the recurrence rate of postmenopausal bleeding in women who have a thin endometrium during a first episode of postmenopausal bleeding?

Objective: To determine the incidence and significance of recurrent postmenopausal bleeding among women diagnosed with an endometrial thickness < or =4 mm after a first episode of postmenopausal bleeding.

Methods: Consecutive patients not using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) presenting with a first episode of postmenopausal bleeding and an endometrial thickness < or =4 mm at transvaginal ultrasonography (TVU) were managed expectantly. In case of recurrent bleeding, the patient was evaluated according to the hospital's local policy with TVU, office endometrial sampling, hysteroscopy or dilatation and curettage (D&C) or a combination of these tests.

Inadequate office endometrial sample requires further evaluation in women with postmenopausal bleeding and abnormal ultrasound results.

Objective: To determine whether further histologic assessment can be omitted after office sampling produced a nondiagnostic specimen.

Methods: Data were retrieved from a prospective cohort study of 913 women presenting with postmenopausal bleeding. This study was limited to women with an endometrial thickness either 5 mm or greater or that could not be measured, and in whom an endometrial biopsy performed in the office yielded nondiagnostic results.

Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation of postmenopausal endometrium after 3 weeks of treatment with tibolone, estrogen only, or estrogen plus progestagen.

Objective: To evaluate histological and immunohistochemical parameters of short-term (21 days) tibolone, estrogen-only, and estrogen+progestagen treatment in the human postmenopausal endometrium.

Design: An observational, open, nonrandomized, controlled study.

Setting: Three collaborating centers: Amphia Hospital in Breda, Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Dordrecht, Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography in diabetic or obese women with postmenopausal bleeding.

Objective: We sought to assess the accuracy of endometrial thickness measurement in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer in patients with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension and to evaluate whether patient characteristics influence endometrial thickness irrespective of the final diagnosis.

Methods: This was a prospective study of women not using hormone replacement therapy who presented with postmenopausal bleeding at 8 hospitals in The Netherlands. All women underwent transvaginal ultrasonography and, in the event that the endometrial thickness (double layer) was more than 4 mm, subsequent endometrial sampling.

[Extrauterine pregnancy in Netherlands: patient characteristics, treatment, and pregnancy prognosis].

Objective: To determine the probability of pregnancy after a finished extrauterine pregnancy (EUP) and the length of time in between.

Design: Prospective multicentric cohort study.

Method: Of all patients with an EUP between May 1990 and October 1993, data were collected using a questionnaire from surgeons in five university hospitals and 30 general training and non-training hospitals.

Ultrasound in the diagnosis of palpable abdominal masses in children.

Ultrasound examinations were done to evaluate clinically palpable abdominal masses in 125 children. The examinations were normal in 21 patients. In 15 patients, the clinically palpable masses were actually anterior abdominal wall abscesses or hematomas.

Ceftazidime/metronidazole versus netilmicin/metronidazole in the treatment of perforated appendicitis in children.

One hundred children with peritonitis resulting from a perforated appendix were treated with ceftazidime or netilmicin. Metronidazole was added to both groups to treat the anaerobic organisms commonly associated with the infecting aerobic organisms in peritonitis. Escherichia coli was the most common aerobe found in peritoneal pus.

Foley catheter removal of blunt oesophageal foreign bodies in children.

In a two year period between 1985 and 1986, eight children presented with impacted blunt foreign bodies in the oesophagus were successfully treated by removal using a Foley catheter without anaesthesia. There were no complications. All patients were discharged well after one or two days in hospital.