Tracheal size variability is associated with sex: implications for endotracheal tube selection.

Purpose: Whereas selection of endotracheal tube (ETT) size in pediatric patients benefits from predictive nomograms, adult ETT sizing is relatively arbitrary. We sought to determine associations between cervical tracheal cross-sectional area (CTCSA) and clinical variables.

Methods: One hundred thirty-two consecutive patients undergoing noncontrasted chest computed tomography (CT) at a single tertiary care institution from January 2010 to June 2011 were reviewed.

Microdebrider complications in laryngologic and airway surgery.

Objectives/hypothesis: There is a paucity of experience in the published literature documenting complications of powered surgical instruments in laryngologic surgery. Our objective was to ascertain the nature of these complications from expert opinion and review of the literature, and to recommend strategies to decrease major complications.

Study Design: Review of the literature and an e-mail survey.

Patient and physician views on providing cancer patient-specific survival information.

Objectives/hypothesis: To gather input regarding the presentation, content, and understanding of survival and support information for Prognostigram, a computer-based program that uses standard cancer registry data elements to present individualized survival estimates.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey research.

Methods: Two groups of patients (total n=40) and one group of physicians (n=5) were interviewed.

Functional connectivity during modulation of tinnitus with orofacial maneuvers.

Objective: To determine changes in cortical neural networks as defined by resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging during voluntary modulation of tinnitus with orofacial maneuvers.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

The role of T helper cell differentiation in promoting nerve allograft survival with costimulation blockade.

Object: Peripheral nerve allografts provide a temporary scaffold for host nerve regeneration and allow for the repair of significant segmental nerve injuries. Despite this potential, nerve allograft transplantation requires temporary systemic immunosuppression. Characterization of the immunological mechanisms involved in the induction of immune hyporesponsiveness to prevent nerve allograft rejection will help provide a basis for optimizing immunomodulation regimens or manipulating donor nerve allografts to minimize or eliminate the need for global immunosuppression.

Transgenic models of nerve repair and nerve regeneration.

Objective: The mainstays of peripheral nerve research have historically involved quantifying nerve regeneration by the staining of fixed specimens at multiple time points and by assessing the function of innervated targets. We review advances in transgenic techniques that significantly improve upon standard nerve imaging.

Methods: The emergence of transgenic mice whose axons or Schwann cells constitutively express chromophores and techniques enabling direct visualization of nerve regeneration over time after a nerve injury are evaluated.

Ecthyma gangrenosum: a rare cutaneous manifestation of a potentially fatal disease.

Ecthyma gangrenosum is a cutaneous lesion frequently associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia, although it may develop in the absence of bacteremia and may originate from other bacterial and fungal organisms. Ecthyma gangrenosum most often occurs in patients with neutropenia and other immunocompromised hosts. It typically occurs on the extremities and gluteal and perineal regions.

Binding and functional comparisons of two types of tumor necrosis factor antagonists.

Two tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists infliximab (a chimeric monoclonal antibody) and etanercept (a p75 TNF receptor/Fc fusion protein) have been approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. However, these agents have shown different degrees of clinical benefit in controlled clinical trials in other TNF-mediated diseases such as Crohn's disease (CD) and psoriasis. We investigated whether structural differences between these two antagonists translate into different binding and functional characteristics.

Effect of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha polyclonal antibody on restenosis after balloon angioplasty in a rabbit atherosclerotic model.

Inflammation has been postulated to contribute to restenosis after balloon angioplasty. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a pleiotropic proinflammatory cytokine involved in many features of inflammation. We examined the tissue expression pattern of TNF-alpha and the inflammatory response to arterial injury, and the effects of a goat anti-rabbit-TNF-alpha polyclonal antibody on tissue TNF-alpha expression, inflammation and restenosis in a rabbit atherosclerotic model.