Comparison between two protocols for thawed embryo transfer: natural cycle versus exogenous hormone replacement.

Introduction: There are two most popular protocols for Frozen Embryo Transfer: the natural and the E2&P4 replacement cycles. There is still a controversy whether one is superior over the other.

Purpose: To compare the outcome in patient groups undergoing FET following these protocols.

CT halo sign as an imaging marker for response to adoptive cell therapy in metastatic melanoma with pulmonary metastases.

Objectives: The halo sign refers to a zone of ground-glass attenuation surrounding a pulmonary nodule. Pulmonary metastatic nodules exhibiting a halo sign are seen mainly in hypervascular tumours. We describe the appearance of a halo sign following treatment of adoptive transfer of autologous tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) to melanoma patients with lung metastases.

The feasibility of endoscopic transcanal approach for insertion of various cochlear electrodes: a pilot study.

To determine the feasibility of inserting various types of electrode arrays using an endoscopic transcanal approach into the cochlea via the round window membrane (RWM). All the procedures were performed by the first author and started with a cortical mastoidectomy. A six o'clock vertical incision was made in the meatal skin, and a posterior tympano-meatal flap was elevated transmeatally to expose the middle ear cavity using a rigid 0° endoscope (diameter 3 mm, length 14 cm).

Liquid paraffin is superior to 2% lidocaine gel in reducing urethral pain during urodynamic study in men: A pilot study.

Aims: To compare the pain perception between intraurethral instillation of 2% lidocaine gel and liquid paraffin during Urodynamic study in men.

Methods: A randomized, single-blind comparison trial was conducted. Forty men scheduled to undergo multichannel Urodynamic study were randomized to receive either 10 ml of 2% lidocaine gel (group 1, n = 20) or 10 ml of liquid paraffin (group 2, n = 20).

Effects of hyperbaric oxygen on blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus, stroke or traumatic brain injury and healthy volunteers: a prospective, crossover, controlled trial.

Introduction: A decrease in blood glucose levels (BGL) during hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) is a well-recognised phenomenon, but studies of this are limited and inconclusive. This study evaluated the effect of HBOT on BGL in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke and healthy volunteers in a prospective, open, controlled trial.

Methods: Thirty-nine participants were enrolled and evaluated twice: once during HBOT (90 minutes at 203 kPa), and once during a control session on normobaric air.

Treatment of wounds following breast reduction and mastopexy with subsequent wound dehiscence with charged polystyrene microspheres.

Background: Lower T-junction wound dehiscence following breast reduction surgery or mastopexy constitutes a vexing and grievous complication both to the surgeon and the patient. Treatment modalities that can expedite wound healing and reepithelialization rates are highly craved. The objective of this study was to assess wound healing and epithelialization rates of open wounds following breast reduction and mastopexy wound dehiscence treated with charged polystyrene microspheres (CPM).

Factors associated with prevention of postural hypotension by leg compression bandaging.

Aim: We evaluated the eventual effects of leg compression on seating-induced postural hypotension (PH) in the context of various relevant clinical variables.

Methods: Included were 73 hospitalized patients with various acute conditions, aged ≥ 60 years, bedridden for ≥ 8 h, with diagnosed PH [≥ 20 mmHg systolic and/or ≥ 10 mmHg diastolic blood pressure (BP) falls] at the first seating. BP, heart rhythm, dizziness and palpitations were recorded before and during 5 min of sitting.

Health related quality of life in burn patients--a review of the literature.

The burn trauma is multifactorial and involves pathophysiologic processes of all of the body's systems. The impact it could have on a person's life includes impairments on their esthetic appearance, interpersonal relationships, psychological, social and physical functioning. Previously, the outcomes of burn care were confined in the context of mortality and length of hospital stay.

Post-facelift flap necrosis treatment using charged polystyrene microspheres.

Background: Flap necrosis following facial rhytidectomy constitutes a vexing and grievous complication to the patient and the surgeon. Treatment modalities that can expedite wound healing and re-epithelialization rates are highly desired.

Objectives: To assess wound healing and re-epithelialization rates of open wounds following postrhytidectomy flap necrosis treated with commercially available charged polystyrene microspheres (Polyheal-1, Polyheal Ltd, Israel).

Cryopreservation of day 2-3 embryos by vitrification yields better outcome than slow freezing.

Objective: To compare the outcome of vitrification versus slow freezing cryopreservation for cleavage stage day 2-3 embryos.

Design: A retrospective observational study.

Setting: All thawed embryos assisted reproduction cycles between January 2010 and December 2012 at a single IVF laboratory of a Tertiary Medical Center.

Admission glucose, fasting glucose, HbA1c levels and the SYNTAX score in non-diabetic patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Background: Pre-diabetic state is a major risk factor for the development of diabetes and cardiovascular events. Admission glucose, fasting glucose and HbA1c levels have an effect on prognosis in patients with pre-diabetes and in non-diabetic individuals. The aim of the present study was to investigate which of the following glucometabolic markers (admission glucose, fasting glucose and HbA1c levels) is correlated with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in non-diabetic patients.

Self-induced plantar-flexion objectively reduces wave amplitude of detrusor overactivity and subjectively improve urinary urgency: a pilot study.

Aims: To estimate the effect of plantar-flexion on the wave amplitude of involuntary detrusor contraction and the severity of urinary urgency during filling cystometry in patients with detrusor overactivity (DO).

Methods: Twenty-two consecutive patients with DO were enrolled. During urodynamics, the mean peak detrusor pressures of each contraction were documented and compared.

Clinical characteristics and prognostic significance of serum albumin changes in an internal medicine ward.

Background: The prognostic significance of hypoalbuminemia and the dynamic changes in serum albumin during hospitalization in internal medicine wards has not been sufficiently investigated.

Methods: Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected from 276 patients admitted to our internal medicine ward for a variety of acute disorders. Following discharge, all-cause mortality was recorded.

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) downregulation in late antral stages is impaired in PCOS patients. A study in normo-ovulatory and PCOS patients undergoing in vitro maturation (IVM) treatments.

Purpose: To prospectively study the AMH expression and secretion pattern in mural granulosa cells (GCs) and follicular fluid (FF) from small follicles and medium follicles that were collected from normo-ovulatory (NO) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients undergoing in vitro maturation (IVM) treatments.

Methods: FF AMH levels and mRNA expression of mural GCs were measured in small (≤ 10 mm) and medium size follicles (11-15 mm) obtained from IVM treatments and large size follicles (≥ 16 mm) obtained from in vitro fertilization treatments.

Results: First, we show that AMH expression and protein level in the FF of NO patients were significantly higher in the small size follicles than in the medium and large size follicles (p < 0.

Testicular sperm retrieval and intra cytoplasmic sperm injection provide favorable outcome in spinal cord injury patients, failing conservative reproductive treatment.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort analysis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome after testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in a group of spinal cord injury (SCI) male patients not compatible with conservative fertility treatment.

Setting: University-affiliated medical center.

Is laterality of malignant otitis externa related to handedness?

Malignant otitis externa (MOE) usually affect patients with systemic diseases, especially diabetes mellitus. MOE is a mainly unilateral disease. Given that around 90% of human adults are right-handed we hypothesized that hand preference might be one of the factors involved in the development of MOE.

An inflammatory vicious cycle: Fibroblasts and immune cell recruitment in cancer.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been established as a key component of the crosstalk between tumor cells and their microenvironment. The ability of CAFs to orchestrate tumor-promoting inflammation is central to their role in facilitating tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Here we review pathways by which CAFs and their soluble mediators provide multiple complex signals that modulate the recruitment, functional activation status, and retention of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment.

Phase I/II, open-label, multicenter, safety, efficacy and PK study of a recombinant coagulation factor IX albumin fusion protein (rIX-FP) in subjects with hemophilia B.

Recombinant fusion protein linking coagulation factor IX with albumin (rIX-FP) is a novel recombinant albumin fusion protein designed to extend the half-life of recombinant factor IX (rFIX), which is used in the management of hemophilia B. Clinical evaluation of rIX-FP in humans is underway, including a recently completed phase I/II, open-label, multicenter, study that assessed the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of rIX-FP in patients with severe hemophilia B. A total of 17 patients received rIX-FP (25 IU/kg) as either on-demand therapy (n = 4) for 20 weeks or weekly prophylaxis (n = 13) for up to 44 weeks.

Magnet removal and reinsertion in a cochlear implant recipient undergoing brain MRI.

Background: Recent advances in cochlear implants (CIs) and in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques have led to increasing numbers of implanted patients who have undergone brain MRIs for various reasons. This paper first describes the surgical procedure for removing the magnet before an MRI and its subsequent reinsertion immediately afterwards in a CI recipient.

Method: After the administration of local anesthesia, the magnet was removed by a surgical incision made along the posterior margin of the receiver-stimulator.

Should we change the target blood pressure in diabetic patients?

Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Guidelines recommend lowering blood pressure (BP) to less than 130/80 mmHg in diabetic patients. These recommendations are based on several studies in diabetic patients that showed the benefit of intensive BP control.

Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of pathological gambling.

Five pathological gamblers received deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (DTMS). Evaluations included rating scales and collateral anamnesis. Despite initial improvement in ratings, collateral anamnesis demonstrated failure to respond.

Atrial Fibrillation at an Internal Medicine Ward: Clinical and Prognostic Implications.

Little is known about atrial fibrillation (AF) appearing during hospitalization in an Internal Medicine ward. We aimed to investigate characteristics and prognostic significance of in-hospital onset AF. We studied 249 consecutive unselected patients admitted to this medical department with paroxysmal or persistent AF (out-of-hospital group) or AF developed during hospitalization (in-hospital group).

Are there predicting factors for burn patients that transfer to a rehabilitation center upon completion of acute care?

Introduction: Choosing the right burn patient that transfers to a rehabilitation facility following acute hospitalization is a difficult decision. In our study we characterize demographic, injury and hospitalization related variables that predict a burn patient's transfer to a rehabilitation facility.

Methods: We analyzed the data of 974 burn patients with burns of the second degree and deeper, spanning 20% TBSA (total body surface area) or more, that were admitted to all 5 hospitals that operate a burn unit in Israel, between the years 1998 and 2005.

Decreased amplitude of detrusor overactivity by repetitive swallowing.

Purpose: We determined whether swallowing has an effect on the degree of urinary urgency and on the amplitude of detrusor contraction during filling cystometry in patients with detrusor overactivity.

Materials And Methods: Included in study were 20 consecutive patients with detrusor overactivity. During urodynamics the mean peak pressure of each contraction was documented and compared.