[Hemorrhagic pericardial effusion and multiple pulmonary nodules in a 37 year old male who has "never smoked"].

Even people which have never smoked can develop lung cancer. In this population a mutation in the exons 19-21 of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) can be detected. For this patient group targeted therapies with EGFR tyrosinkinase inhibitors are available.

Randomized phase II study of vandetanib alone or with paclitaxel and carboplatin as first-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Vandetanib is a once-daily, oral inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor signaling. The antitumor activity of vandetanib monotherapy or vandetanib with paclitaxel and carboplatin (VPC) was compared with paclitaxel and carboplatin (PC) in previously untreated patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: All NSCLC histologies and previously treated CNS metastases were permitted in this partially blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized phase II study.

Renal impairment is an independent predictor of adverse events post coronary intervention in patients with and without drug-eluting stents.

Renal impairment (RI) is known to be an independent risk factor for the progression of cardiovascular disease. Its impact, however, on the outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) especially in the era of drug-eluting stents (DES) is not well known. We analysed data from patients undergoing PCI from April 1, 2004, to September 30, 2006, who were part of the Melbourne Interventional Group registry.

[Detection of glaucoma using SisGlaTel: acceptability and satisfaction among participants, and problems detected].

Purpose: To evaluate the problems, and the degree of acceptability and satisfaction among participants in a telemedicine screening program. This study forms part of a global project for the design, implementation and evaluation of SisGlaTel funded by the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (Spain) and Pfizer Ophthalmics.

Method: A telemedicine system was built based on a specific program written in JAVA.

Proactive disease management with 0.03% tacrolimus ointment for children with atopic dermatitis: results of a randomized, multicentre, comparative study.

Background: Long-term treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD) using low-dose, intermittent, topical anti-inflammatory agents may control acute disease and prevent exacerbations.

Objectives: This 12-month, European, multicentre, randomized study investigated if proactive, twice-weekly application of 0.03% tacrolimus ointment can keep AD in remission and reduce the incidence of disease exacerbation (DE) in children.

Enzymatic assay of marine bacterial phosphatases by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

Microbial ectoenzyme activities in aquatic environments are important determinants of polymer hydrolysis and indicators of the state of microbial carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus nutrition. Marine ectoenzymes are found on the cell surface or in the periplasmic space of gram-negative heterotrophic bacteria. Phosphatases, which remove phosphate groups from substrates, are one example of an ectoenzyme.

REVIEW paper: mare reproductive loss syndrome.

An epidemic of early fetal loss (EFL), late fetal loss (LFL), fibrinous pericarditis, and unilateral uveitis which occurred during the spring of 2001, are together now known as the mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). A similar epidemic with less intensity was reported during the same period of time from southern Ohio, West Virginia, and Tennessee. The same syndrome with lesser intensity recurred in 2002.

Are drug-eluting stents indicated in large coronary arteries? Insights from a multi-centre percutaneous coronary intervention registry.

Background: Restenosis rates are low in large coronary vessels >/=3.5 mm after bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation. The benefit of drug-eluting stents (DES) in large vessels is not established.

Rates of stent thrombosis in bare-metal versus drug-eluting stents (from a large Australian multicenter registry).

Recent reports suggest that drug-eluting stents (DESs) may increase the risk of stent thrombosis (ST) relative to bare-metal stents (BMSs). Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare DES and BMS outcomes with a specific focus on ST. We analyzed 30-day and 1-year outcomes of 2,919 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation from the Melbourne Interventional Group registry.

TA-MUC1 epitope in non-small cell lung cancer.

MUC1 (CD227), an established tumor marker, is expressed on glandular epithelia and on epithelial tumors. Tumor MUC1 differs from normal MUC1 by modified glycan side chains. Recently, a novel carbohydrate-induced conformational tumor-associated MUC1 epitope (TA-MUC1) was described, whose clinical relevance in lung cancer is not known.

Dermatophilus congolensis-associated placentitis, funisitis and abortion in a horse.

Placentitis, funisitis and fetal bronchopneumonia were diagnosed in an aborted full-term Thoroughbred fetus and its placenta by histopathological examination. Dermatophilus congolensis organisms were isolated from placenta, lung and stomach content. The genotypic identification of aerobic culture was confirmed by sequential analysis of the entire 16S rDNA gene.

Pathological, entomological, avian and meteorological investigation of a West Nile virus epidemic in a horse farm.

Pathological, entomological and avian investigations were conducted during the summer of 2002, in a horse farm that had four cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in horses. All the four horses had encephalitis and WNV infection was confirmed by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization procedure. Forty-seven per cent of house sparrows that resided on the farm were tested positive for WNV infection.

The prognostic impact of blood group-related antigen Lewis Y and the ABH blood groups in resected non-small cell lung cancer.

The blood group antigen Lewis Y is expressed on epithelial tumors of the respiratory, digestive and reproductive system. Despite being regarded as an attractive target for immunotherapy, its function is still not well defined and its prognostic value remains a subject of discussion. Eighty-three paraffin-embedded tissue sections of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in stage I-IIIa, who underwent surgical resection of the primary tumor (73% male; 43% adenocarcinoma), were stained with a new, highly specific monoclonal antibody against Lewis Y (clone A70-C/C8).

Emergency perception and other variables associated with extra-hospital delay in stroke patients in the Maresme region (Spain).

Delay in arrival to the emergency room (ER) may negatively influence outcome of stroke patients. We aim to analyze factors that influence extra-hospital delay in stroke patients. Two hundred and ninety-two consecutive stroke patients admitted in the ER were prospectively studied.

Reduction of relapses of atopic dermatitis with methylprednisolone aceponate cream twice weekly in addition to maintenance treatment with emollient: a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, controlled study.

Background: The relapsing nature of atopic dermatitis (AD) presents a challenge for its long-term treatment. Efficacy and safety of corticosteroids have been proven in the acute treatment of active AD, but their long-term efficacy and potential to reduce or prevent relapses have only partially been addressed.

Objectives: To investigate long-term management (16 weeks) of AD with methylprednisolone aceponate (MPA) 0.

Functional ceramic materials database: an online resource for materials research.

We present work on the creation of a ceramic materials database which contains data gleaned from literature data sets as well as new data obtained from combinatorial experiments on the London University Search Instrument. At the time of this writing, the database contains data related to two main groups of materials, mainly in the perovskite family. Permittivity measurements of electroceramic materials are the first area of interest, while ion diffusion measurements of oxygen ion conductors are the second.

Increased antigen presentation efficiency by coupling antigens to MHC class I trafficking signals.

Genetic modification of vaccines by linking the Ag to lysosomal or endosomal targeting signals has been used to route Ags into MHC class II processing compartments for improvement of CD4+ T cell responses. We report in this study that combining an N-terminal leader peptide with an MHC class I trafficking signal (MITD) attached to the C terminus of the Ag strongly improves the presentation of MHC class I and class II epitopes in human and murine dendritic cells (DCs). Such chimeric fusion proteins display a maturation state-dependent subcellular distribution pattern in immature and mature DCs, mimicking the dynamic trafficking properties of MHC molecules.

Extra-anatomic revascularization and aortic exclusion for mycotic aneurysms of the infrarenal aorta and iliac arteries in an Asian population.

Objectives: To study the clinical presentation, management and eventual outcome of patients with mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysms managed with aortic exclusion and extra-anatomic reconstruction.

Design: A retrospective chart review of 18 cases treated at a single institution.

Methods: Medical records of 18 patients admitted to our institution from October 1997 to July 2006 with a diagnosis of mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysms were reviewed.

Spatial heterogeneity of bacterial populations in monomictic Lake Estanya (Huesca, Spain).

Bacterial population changes were investigated in the monomictic Lake Estanya by combining microscopic analysis and two molecular methods involving the amplification of 16S rDNA genes using primers for the domain Bacteria and subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). Both approaches revealed the vertical distribution of predominant microbial morphotypes and phylotypes in both holomictic and stratified periods, respectively, and showed that variations in structure and composition of bacterial populations are occurring in this lake as a function of depth and time. Through principal component analysis (PCA), these shifts could be related to different physicochemical parameters with temperature, oxygen concentration, and the incident light being of paramount importance as structuring variables.

An evaluation of octogenarians undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention from the Melbourne Interventional Group registry.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of octogenarians (> or =80 years of age) in a contemporary, multi-centre percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) registry.

Background: Octogenarians are increasingly referred for PCI. This patient population frequently has significant comorbidities, which result in major therapeutic challenges.

Evidence-based (S3) guidelines for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common and often chronic inflammatory skin disease. The incidence of psoriasis in Western industrialized countries ranges from 1 to 2%. Patients afflicted with severe psoriasis vulgaris may experience a significant reduction in quality of life.

German evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of Psoriasis vulgaris (short version).

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common and chronic inflammatory skin disease which has the potential to significantly reduce the quality of life in severely affected patients. The incidence of psoriasis in Western industrialized countries ranges from 1.5 to 2%.

Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients with the trifunctional monoclonal antibody catumaxomab (anti-EpCAM x anti-CD3): a phase I study.

Purpose: Catumaxomab is a trifunctional monoclonal antibody with binding sites directed to human EpCAM and the human T cell antigen CD3 (anti-EpCAM x anti-CD3). Catumaxomab demonstrated efficacy when administered intraperitoneally in patients with EpCAM positive malignant ascites from ovarian cancer in terms of tumor cell killing and reduction of ascites generation. As EpCAM is also overexpressed in NSCLC, the present study was conducted in order to evaluate safety and tolerability of intravenous treatment with catumaxomab.