Toxicity and outcomes associated with high-dose rate brachytherapy for medically inoperable endometrial cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate toxicity in inoperable endometrial cancer (EC) treated with definitive radiation therapy (RT).

Materials And Methods: Patients treated with definitive RT for EC were retrospectively reviewed. EQD2 values were calculated for bladder, rectum, and sigmoid.

Comparative Effectiveness of Functional Tests in Fall Prediction After Hip Fracture.

Objectives: To assess the validity of 4 functional tests in predicting falls within the first year after hip fracture.

Design: Prospective study of functional tests shortly after hip surgery and incident falls during 12 months' follow-up.

Setting And Participants: The sample comprised 173 adults with acute hip fracture, aged 65 years and older (79% women, 77% community dwelling, mean age 84.

Intraoperative electron beam radiotherapy for locoregionally persistent or recurrent head and neck cancer.

Background: To report our institutional experience with intraoperative radiotherapy for persistent or recurrent head and neck cancer.

Methods: Sixty-one patients were treated with salvage surgery and intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT). Fifty-eight patients (95%) had previously received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) as a component of their definitive therapy.

Mental Health in the Workplace: A Call to Action Proceedings From the Mental Health in the Workplace-Public Health Summit.

Objective: The aim of the study was to declare a call to action to improve mental health in the workplace.

Methods: We convened a public health summit and assembled an Advisory Council consisting of experts in the field of occupational health and safety, workplace wellness, and public policy to offer recommendations for action steps to improve health and well-being of workers.

Results: The Advisory Council narrowed the list of ideas to four priority projects.

Prognostic value of microRNA expression levels in pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a review of the literature.

Background: Clinical and pathologic markers of prognosis and patterns of failure help guide clinicians in selecting patients for adjuvant therapy after surgical resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Recent studies have reported the prognostic utility of microRNA profiling in numerous malignancies. Here, we review and summarize the current literature regarding associations between microRNA expression and overall survival in PDAC patients.

Prognostic Value of Primary Tumor Volume Changes on kV-CBCT during Definitive Chemoradiotherapy for Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Introduction: Kilovoltge cone beam computed tomography (kV-CBCT) allows for tumor localization and response assessment during definitive chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced NSCLC. We hypothesize that significant tumor volume loss occurs early during radiotherapy and that the extent of volume loss correlates with clinical outcomes.

Methods: A total of 52 patients with locally advanced NSCLC treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy were reviewed.

Molecular profiling of locally-advanced rectal adenocarcinoma using microRNA expression (Review).

Treatment for locally-advanced rectal cancer (LARC) typically consists of neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by total mesorectal excision. Recently, there has been growing interest in non-operative management for patients who are medically-inoperable or wish to avoid surgical morbidity and permanent colostomy. Approximately 50% of patients who receive pre-operative neoadjuvant chemoradiation develop some degree of pathologic response.

Do workplace health promotion (wellness) programs work?

Objective: To respond to the question, "Do workplace health promotion programs work?"

Methods: A compilation of the evidence on workplace programs' effectiveness coupled with recommendations for critical review of outcome studies. Also, reviewed are recent studies questioning the value of workplace programs.

Results: Evidence accumulated over the past three decades shows that well-designed and well-executed programs that are founded on evidence-based principles can achieve positive health and financial outcomes.

Clinical evaluation of suspected deep vein thrombosis guides the decision to anticoagulate prophylactically but does not impact the decision to perform after hours duplex venous scanning or increase its yield.

Objective: The utility of after-hours duplex venous scanning (DVS) for suspected deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in emergency department (ED) patients has been debated. Availability of safe prophylactic low molecular weight heparin, cost containment efforts, and retention of scarce sonographers have to be balanced against 24/7 demand for services. We determined the incidence of DVT in DVS ordered after-hours, correlation between Wells' score and prophylactic anticoagulation as well as urgently performed DVS, and complications of delaying DVS until regular hours.

Interspecific interactions between the rare tooth fungi Creolophus cirrhatus, Hericium erinaceus and H. coralloides and other wood decay species in agar and wood.

Creolophus cirrhatus, Hericium erinaceus and H. coralloides were paired against over 20 other wood decay fungi from beech (Fagus sylvatica) covering a range of ecological strategies, on 2% malt agar (MA), 0.5% MA, 0.

Growth and interspecific interactions of the rare oak polypore Piptoporus quercinus.

Growth and interactions of Piptoporus quercinus were studied in artificial culture to give insights into the ecological characteristics of a species which is both rare and widespread. P. quercinus grew slowly under all conditions, the maximum ranging between 1.

Occupational medicine programs for animal research facilities.

Occupational medicine is a key component of a comprehensive occupational health and safety program in support of laboratory animal research and production facilities. The mission of the department is to maximize employee health and productivity utilizing a population health management approach, which includes measurement and analysis of health benefits utilization. The department works in close cooperation with other institutional health and safety professionals to identify potential risks from exposure to physical, chemical, and biological hazards in the workplace.

Occupational asthma in a pesticides manufacturing worker.

A 34-year-old chemical manufacturing worker had new onset of work-related asthma after several years of exposure to the fungicide, captafol. On specific bronchial challenge testing, he demonstrated a marked and persistent fall in FEV1. Cessation of exposure resulted in improved symptoms and pulmonary function.

Medical surveillance for melanoma at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Following identification of an unusual cluster of cases of malignant melanoma among laboratory employees at this national facility, several studies were done to provide further understanding and solutions to the problem. This paper discusses the Laboratory's response, including the educational campaign and institution of self-examinations. Experience with the melanoma surveillance program to date reinforces its validity.

Evidence of neurologic dysfunction related to long-term ethylene oxide exposure.

Eight hospital workers with chronic ethylene oxide exposure were age-sex matched with eight nonexposed controls with no significant differences in educational backgrounds and vocabulary scores. The exposed group performed more poorly on all eight measures of cognition, memory, attention, and coordination, with 71.3% less accuracy on the Hand-Eye Coordination Test.

Semiconductor manufacturing: an introduction to processes and hazards.

Recent studies suggest that semiconductor workers have an increased incidence of work-related illness. Semiconductor manufacturing is a chemically intensive industry involving many potentially hazardous operations. As this industry moves into new geographic areas, health care professionals will be asked to evaluate medical or workplace conditions associated with unfamiliar and complex production processes.

Outpatient management of acute and chronic poisoning.

Approximately 70 per cent of all poisonings reported to poison control centers will be referred after home or hospital management to the primary care physician. When a patient presents to the physician's office following a poisoning, the care provider must know when hospitalization is needed, what equipment should be available, and where information about the toxin can be obtained.

Esophageal tear following forceful removal of an impacted oral-gastric lavage tube.

We report an unusual complication of oral-gastric lavage in a drug overdose patient. During the lavage procedure, the oral-gastric tube became impacted in the esophagus. Forceful removal of the tube resulted in an esophageal tear.

Toxic gases used in the microelectronics industry.

Toxic gases are among the most dangerous materials used in manufacturing semiconductors and related devices. The storage, handling, and disposal of these gases pose a major hazard to workers and to communities located near high-technology companies. It must be anticipated that accidents, acts of terrorism, and natural calamities will result in exposure.