[Surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer].

Surgery remains the only hope for cure in pancreatic cancer. The most common procedures are reviewed. Postoperative morbidity and mortality below 30% and 5%, respectively, are the standard.

A review of events that expose children to elemental mercury in the United States.

Concern for children exposed to elemental mercury prompted the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review the sources of elemental mercury exposures in children, describe the location and proportion of children affected, and make recommendations on how to prevent these exposures. In this review, we excluded mercury exposures from coal-burning facilities, dental amalgams, fish consumption, medical waste incinerators, or thimerosal-containing vaccines. We reviewed federal, state, and regional programs with data on mercury releases along with published reports of children exposed to elemental mercury in the United States.

Nonredundant role of Atg7 in mitochondrial clearance during erythroid development.

Autophagy is crucial during tissue development, as the developing cell has to constantly adapt to cell-intrinsic and environmental changes. For instance, protein aggregates need to be cleared, superfluous organelles removed and cell shape adapted to the new function of the cell. One typical example of such a developmental adaptation is that of the red blood cell (RBC).

Distinct activities of GABA agonists at synaptic- and extrasynaptic-type GABAA receptors.

The activation characteristics of synaptic and extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptors are important for shaping the profile of phasic and tonic inhibition in the central nervous system, which will critically impact on the activity of neuronal networks. Here, we study in isolation the activity of three agonists, GABA, muscimol and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydoisoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3(2H)-one (THIP), to further understand the activation profiles of alpha 1 beta 3 gamma 2, alpha 4 beta 3 gamma 2 and alpha 4 beta 3 delta receptors that typify synaptic- and extrasynaptic-type receptors expressed in the hippocampus and thalamus. The agonists display an order of potency that is invariant between the three receptors, which is reliant mostly on the agonist dissociation constant.

Superior thyroid cornu syndrome: an unusual cause of cervical dysphagia.

Objectives: Ossification of a superior thyroid cornu in men may cause pharyngeal airway impingement and result in cervical dysphagia. We report on a clinical case series of this rare condition, called superior thyroid cornu syndrome. This is the first report of a case series of this entity as a possible cause of cervical dysphagia that was successfully treated with an endoscopic procedure.

Diagnostic contributions of videolaryngostroboscopy in the pediatric population.

Objective: Videolaryngostroboscopy (VLS) is a standard technique used for evaluating adult patients with dysphonia. However, while pediatric dysphonia affects 5% of children, children with dysphonia are traditionally examined with a flexible nasal endoscope. The purpose of this study was to determine whether VLS provides additional diagnostic yield in children.

Loss of autophagy in erythroid cells leads to defective removal of mitochondria and severe anemia in vivo.

Timely elimination of damaged mitochondria is essential to protect cells from the potential harm of disordered mitochondrial metabolism and release of proapoptotic proteins. In mammalian red blood cells, the expulsion of the nucleus followed by the removal of other organelles, such as mitochondria, are necessary differentiation steps. Mitochondrial sequestration by autophagosomes, followed by delivery to the lysosomal compartment for degradation (mitophagy), is a major mechanism of mitochondrial turnover.

Indications for and clinical impact of repeat endoscopic ultrasound.

Objective: The value of repeating endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is seldom described. This study evaluates a patient population in which EUS was repeated.

Material And Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients who between January 2002 and December 2006 had an EUS scan performed; this EUS scan (re-EUS) was the second or more EUS scan performed.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle marking of lymph nodes.

Background And Study Aims: No previous studies have evaluated the ability of endoscopic ultrasonography to describe the anatomic location of lymph nodes on the basis of a node-to-node comparison. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of a new endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle technique for marking lymph nodes.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-five patients with suspected or confirmed malignancies of the upper gastrointestinal tract were prospectively included.

Unilateral combined laryngocoele with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis: case report.

Objective: We report a case of unilateral combined laryngocoele occurring in conjunction with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

Methods: Case report and review of the literature concerning the physiology underlying laryngocoele formation.

Results: A laryngocoele is an abnormal, air-filled dilation of the laryngeal saccule which communicates with the laryngeal lumen.

[Surgical treatment for locally advanced pancreatic cancer].

Treatment of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer remains a challenge, and the exact role of surgery with vascular resection remains unclear. Several studies on selected patient populations have addressed the problem, but with varying results. Although venous resection may be performed without increased morbidity and mortality, the majority of studies found no improved long-term survival when compared to oncological treatment.

Transoral resection of short segment Zenker's diverticulum and cricopharyngeal myotomy: an alternative minimally invasive approach.

Objectives/hypothesis: Transoral treatment of cricopharyngeal bar and small Zenker's diverticulum remains a challenge. We propose a new transoral approach for transoral cricopharyngeal myotomy (TOCPM) for patients with cricopharyngeal spasm and pharyngeal bar, and for transoral resection of diverticula (TORD) with cricopharyngeal myotomy in the patient with small (<3 cm) Zenker's diverticulum.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 45 patients with cricopharyngeal spasm (21) and Zenker's diverticulum (24), where 14 patients were considered suitable for TORD and TOCPM.

Reestablishing speech understanding through musical ear training after cochlear implantation: a study of the potential cortical plasticity in the brain.

Cochlear implants (CIs) provide impressive speech perception for persons with severe hearing loss, but many CI recipients fail in perceiving speech prosody and music. Successful rehabilitation depends on cortical plasticity in the brain and postoperative measures. The present study evaluates the behavioral and neurologic effects of musical ear training on CI users' speech and music perception.

Stability of immediately loaded 3- and 6-mm miniscrew implants in beagle dogs--a pilot study.

Introduction: We compared the stability of 3- and 6-mm long miniscrew implants (MSIs) loaded with orthopedic force levels.

Methods: Using a split-mouth experimental design, we placed MSIs into the jaws of 5 mature beagle dogs and immediately loaded them for 6 weeks. Continuous forces were applied by reciprocally loading pairs of MSIs with nickel-titanium coil springs.

A review of events that expose children to elemental mercury in the United States.

Objective: Concern for children exposed to elemental mercury prompted the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review the sources of elemental mercury exposures in children, describe the location and proportion of children affected, and make recommendations on how to prevent these exposures. In this review, we excluded mercury exposures from coal-burning facilities, dental amalgams, fish consumption, medical waste incinerators, or thimerosal-containing vaccines.

Data Sources: We reviewed federal, state, and regional programs with information on mercury releases along with published reports of children exposed to elemental mercury in the United States.

An underreported complication of laryngeal microdebrider: vocal fold web and granuloma: a case report.

Objectives/hypothesis: The microdebrider has become a valuable instrument for otolaryngologists. It is now used in the larynx for treatment of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, laryngeal stenosis, and debridement of large cancers for airway control. There are few reported complications reported with the use of the microdebrider in the larynx.

Total blood mercury concentrations in the U.S. population: 1999-2006.

We describe the distribution and demographic characteristics of total blood Hg levels in the U.S. general population among persons ages 1 year and older who participated in the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Long-term results of concurrent radiotherapy and UFT in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Background: Definition and treatment options for locally advanced non-resectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC) vary. Treatment options range from palliative chemotherapy to chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Several studies have shown that a number of patients become resectable after complementary treatment prior to surgery.

Synthesis and applications of silicon-containing alpha-amino acids.

Amino acids serve not only as monomers for proteins and enzymes but also as important players in signal transduction pathways. They belong to the abundant feedstock of the pharmaceutical, food science and agrochemical industries, and some are used as catalysts or ligand components. In recent years, non-proteogenic amino acids have taken on important roles.

Quantitative aspects of the metabolism of lignans in pigs fed fibre-enriched rye and wheat bread.

A diet rich in lignans has been suggested to be protective against a range of chronic diseases. The distribution and metabolic fate of lignans is, however, very poorly understood. We fed high-fibre wheat breads low in lignans (n 8) or high-fibre rye breads (n 9) rich in plant lignans to pigs for 58-67 d, and analysed the content of plant lignans and their metabolites in the diet, blood, bile, faeces, urine and selected tissues.

Laparoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy in upper gastrointestinal tract cancer patients.

Background: Noninvasive pretherapeutic staging may be supplemented with laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasonography (LUS) in order to detect minute liver metastases, carcinosis or other signs of nonresectable or disseminated disease in patients with upper gastrointestinal tract cancer (UGIC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the use, potential clinical gain, and safety profile of LUS-guided biopsy in patients with UGIC.

Methods: A prospective consecutive study on LUS-guided biopsy in patients referred with UGIC between May 2007 and May 2008 was carried out.

Arytenoid adduction with medialization laryngoplasty versus injection or medialization laryngoplasty: the role of the arytenoidopexy.

Objectives/hypothesis: There continues to be controversy about the added role of arytenoid adduction (AA) in the rehabilitation of unilateral vocal cord paralysis (UVCP). Some authors feel that the added morbidity of AA is not warranted in UVCP rehabilitation. Objective analysis of acoustic and aerodynamic measures were performed before and after surgery to try to resolve this controversy.

Percentage of tumour-positive biopsy cores: an independent predictor of extraprostatic disease.

Objective: Preoperative staging of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer is vital in determining the correct treatment including radical prostatectomy. Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score in prostate biopsies and predicted clinical T-stage using digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasound are known predictors of extraprostatic disease after surgery. This study analysed whether the percentage of positive biopsy cores was a significant preoperative predictor of extraprostatic disease in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.

Asymptomatic volunteers with a polycystic ovary are a functionally distinct but heterogeneous population.

Context/objective: Our objective was to determine the ovarian function of asymptomatic volunteers with a polycystic ovary (V-PCO).

Participants: Non-hirsute eumenorrheic V-PCO (n = 32) and volunteers with ultrasonographically normal ovaries (V-NO) (n = 21) were compared with one another and with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients who met National Institute of Health criteria (n = 90). DESIGN/SETTING/INTERVENTIONS: GnRH agonist (GnRHag), ACTH, and oral glucose tolerance tests were prospectively performed in a General Clinical Research Center.