Twice-weekly and incremental hemodialysis treatment for initiation of kidney replacement therapy.

Mortality is highest in the first months of maintenance hemodialysis (HD) therapy. In many Western countries, patients who transition to kidney replacement therapy usually begin thrice-weekly HD regardless of their level of residual kidney function (RKF). RKF is a major predictor of survival.

Lack of group X secreted phospholipase A₂ increases survival following pandemic H1N1 influenza infection.

The role of Group X secreted phospholipase A2 (GX-sPLA2) during influenza infection has not been previously investigated. We examined the role of GX-sPLA2 during H1N1 pandemic influenza infection in a GX-sPLA2 gene targeted mouse (GX(-/-)) model and found that survival after infection was significantly greater in GX(-/-) mice than in GX(+/+) mice. Downstream products of GX-sPLA2 activity, PGD2, PGE2, LTB4, cysteinyl leukotrienes and Lipoxin A4 were significantly lower in GX(-/-) mice BAL fluid.

Tolerability and efficacy of docetaxel in older men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in the TAX 327 trial.

Objective: Prostate cancer is a disease of older men. Weekly docetaxel (DPq1w) is often favored over the standard three-weekly regimen (DPq3w) due to concerns about safety and tolerability in this population.

Materials And Methods: Two subgroup analyses of TAX 327 were conducted.

Thoracic aortic endografting facilitates the resection of tumors infiltrating the aorta.

Objectives: We and others have reported the early experience with off-label use of thoracic aortic endografts to facilitate the resection of tumors infiltrating the aorta. We describe our extended experience and long-term outcome using this innovative approach.

Methods: Patients with preoperative suspected thoracic aortic infiltration who underwent endografting followed by en bloc tumor resection including the aortic wall were retrospectively reviewed and data were analyzed.

Toward efficient biomechanical-based deformable image registration of lungs for image-guided radiotherapy.

Both accuracy and efficiency are critical for the implementation of biomechanical model-based deformable registration in clinical practice. The focus of this investigation is to evaluate the potential of improving the efficiency of the deformable image registration of the human lungs without loss of accuracy. Three-dimensional finite element models have been developed using image data of 14 lung cancer patients.

Long-term efficacy of botulinum a toxin for blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm.

Objective: To determine whether the duration of relief from symptoms in patients with essential blepharospasm (EB) or hemifacial spasm (HFS) who receive serial treatments with botulinum toxin type A (BtA) changes over the long-term.

Methods: Retrospective longitudinal comparative analysis. The main outcome measure is the mean duration of relief from symptoms after an injection with BtA.

Surgical ventricular restoration with a cell- and cytokine-seeded biodegradable scaffold.

Late after a myocardial infarction (MI), surgical ventricular restoration (SVR) can reduce left ventricular volumes, but an enhanced cardiac patch may be required to restore function. We developed a new, biodegradable patch (modified gelfoam, MGF) consisting of a spongy inner core (gelfoam) to encourage cell engraftment and an outer coating (poly epsilon-caprolactone) to provide sufficient strength to permit ventricular repair. Two weeks after coronary ligation in rats, SVR was performed using one of the following: gelfoam, MGF, MGF patches with hydrogel alone, or with hydrogel and cytokines (stem cell factor, stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha), bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, or both.

The role of fine-needle aspiration in the diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma: a retrospective study of nine cases and review of published series.

Aims: To review the clinicopathological, cytomorphological and immunophenotyping data from new cases and published series of thyroid lymphoma diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration (FNA), in order to identify useful diagnostic features.

Methods: Cases from 1988 to 2009 with an FNA diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma were selected from hospital records. An electronic MEDLINE and EMBASE search retrieved published series from 1980 to 2009.

Modified oxygen mask to induce target levels of hyperoxia and hypercarbia during radiotherapy: a more effective alternative to carbogen.

Purpose: Carbogen has long been under investigation as an adjuvant to radiotherapy of tumors. A major factor confounding its evaluation is its inconsistency in raising blood partial pressure of CO(2) (pCO(2)). We investigated whether a new partial rebreathing method would provide better control of pCO(2) than carbogen.

The management of patients with limited-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

The term limited-stage Hodgkin lymphoma refers to those patients with stage I-II disease and an absence of bulky disease. Among those patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma, approximately one-third of patients will fall into this category. As long-term disease control can now be anticipated in more than 90% of these patients, management strategies must increasingly address the need to reduce the long-term treatment-related risks.

A case of axillary web syndrome with subcutaneous nodules following axillary surgery.

Axillary web syndrome (AWS) is a cause of morbidity in the early postoperative period following axillary surgery, which is characterized by cords of subcutaneous tissue extending from the axilla into the medial arm. Few reports have been published describing this entity, which results in pain and a limitation of shoulder abduction. Here, we report a case of AWS that was accompanied with sub-cutaneous nodules mimicking recurrence of breast cancer.

Effect of laser in situ keratomileusis on tear secretion and corneal sensitivity.

Purpose: To study changes in corneal sensitivity and Schirmer I scores following laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and the correlation between the two.

Methods: Twenty-three patients who had LASIK at The Gimbel Eye Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, participated in the study. All were asymptomatic for severe dry eyes before surgery.

Reoperations on the aortic valve combined with replacement of the ascending aorta.

Objective: To review the experience with reoperations on the aortic valve combined with replacement of the ascending aorta.

Patients And Methods: From 1991 to 2000, 237 patients underwent reoperations on the aortic valve combined with replacement of the ascending aorta. The study consisted of 188 men and 49 women, with a mean age of 51 years.

Spontaneous vertebrovertebral arteriovenous fistulae clinical features, angioarchitecture and management of twelve patients.

Spontaneous vertebrovertebral arteriovenous fistula (SVVAVF) is a rare condition which often presents as a bruit. We reviewed the clinical and imaging records of 12 patients with 13 SVVAVF fistulae who were managed at our institution over the last 14 years. Two patients had predisposing conditions, neurofibromatosis in one and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in the other.