Clinical condition, hostile anatomy, and previous heart/aortic surgery may preclude standard open surgery and standard endovascular interventions in patients with complex aortic pathologies. We report our initial experience using the transapical endovascular approach to treat a type IA endoleak after transfemoral endovascular graft repair for a contained rupture of a ...

: To determine the relationships among tear menisci variables and clinical tests used in the diagnosis of dry eye patients. : Dry eye patients (n=50; age, 35.2 years) and healthy subjects (n=48; age, 33.3 years) were recruited. Upper and lower tear menisci were imaged noninvasively by optical coherence tomography (OCT) ...

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is a relatively rare soft tissue malignant tumor. Most of reports currently are pathological articles and clinical case reports and most of them are MPNST in the thorax, abdomen or extremities. Imaging report of spinal MPNST is very rare, and MPNST is easy to ...

Shortness of breath is a common complaint in those with chronic liver disease. The differential diagnosis for this complaint includes primary pulmonary disorders, systemic disorders that affect the liver and lungs, and extrahepatic manifestations of portal hypertension. Orthotopic liver transplant, when appropriate, is the most effective therapy for many patients ...

Purpos: The aim of this study was to quantify and compare the clinical performance of cast conical double crown-retained removable partial dentures (C-RPDs) and electroplated double crown-retained removable partial dentures (EP-RPDs). Materials and Methods: A total of 60 RPDs were placed in 54 patients. Participants were randomly assigned to two ...

Background/Study Context: Occupational activity is associated with cognitive functioning in older age. The mental exercise hypothesis attributes this association to differences in mental exercise at work. Methods: A case-control design was used to test the mental exercise hypothesis. Primary and secondary school teachers (aged between 25.29 and 79.01 years) and ...

The metabolic load during periods of high milk production in dairy cows causes a variety of changes of metabolite blood concentrations including dramatically decreased glucose levels. These changes supposedly impair the immune system. The goal of this study was, therefore, to evaluate adaptations of the cow's immune system in response ...

Spermadhesins, a family of secretory proteins from the male genital tract of ungulate species, belong to the group of animal lectins. Spermadhesins have a prominent role in different aspects of fertilisation, such as spermatozoid capacitation, acrosomal stabilisation, sperm-oviduct interaction and during sperm-oocyte fusion. Proteins (spermadhesins) in buck seminal plasma were ...

To define and discuss surrogate endpoint biomarkers, which are used in therapeutic trials as a substitute for the clinically meaningful "true" endpoint; and hence, may be used in answering cancer prevention questions in clinical trials evaluating drug/nutrient interventions for a number of common cancer sites. Literature, research articles. Surrogate endpoint ...

ABSTRACT:: Surprisingly, little data are available for the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in ankylosing spondylitis. Sulfasalazine has been the best studied. Efficacy data for individual agents (including pamidronate) and combinations of agents are detailed in this review. Intriguingly, these agents continue to be used with some frequency, even in ...

Celebrating the nation's first ICU devoted to patients with myocardial infarction.

To assess the effect of initial visit with a specialist on disease understanding in women with pelvic floor disorders. Women with referrals or chief complaints suggestive of urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse were recruited from an academic urology clinic. The patients completed a Test of Functional Health Literacy in ...

Alcoholic hepatitis is a frequent reason for admission and a common consultation request for hepatologists and gastroenterologists. Although it seems to occur acutely, it is usually subacute and often superimposed on underlying alcoholic cirrhosis. Typically patients have a background of drinking on a daily basis, but, in response to a ...

Spring is in the air as I write this, my first editorial for the Oncology Nursing Forum. I have been thinking about this column a lot over the past months; during the application and interview process I dreamed that this day would happen and, over the past few weeks as ...

Acellular dermal matrix is commonly used in implant-based breast reconstruction to allow for quicker tissue expansion with better coverage and definition of the lower pole of the breast. This study was performed to analyze complications associated with its use in immediate two-stage, implant-based breast reconstruction and to subsequently develop guidelines ...

Exposure of gametes to specific stressors at sublethal levels can enhance the gametes' subsequent performance in processes such as cryopreservation. In the present study, bull spermatozoa were subjected to H(2)O(2) for 4h at 100-, 200- and 500-μM levels; computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) ...

To provide a review of genetic biomarkers of cancer risk and associated clinical implications. Published literature, evidence-based guidelines. Identification of the genetic variation associated with cancer risk enables the health care provider to stratify an individual's risk and personalize their cancer risk management. This may lead to a decreased cancer ...

The objective was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of conventional radiography and ultrasonography (US) for the diagnosis of suspected bone fractures. Eighty-six patients were assessed using conventional radiography and US on the affected bone district. Radiographic and sonographic findings were concordant in 93% of cases. In one case, US suggested ...

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) represents a continuum of transient and reversible neurologic and psychiatric dysfunction. It is a reversible state of impaired cognitive function or altered consciousness in patients with liver disease or portosystemic shunting. Over the last several years, high-quality studies have been conducted on various pharmacologic therapies for HE; ...

The main methods of treatment of endometrial carcinoma are hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy with lymphadenectomy. However, another option for hormonal treatment of endometrial carcinoma, the use of progesterone in young patients to preserve childbearing capacity, has been reported, and a high remission rate has been described in well-selected stage I, ...

Background/Study Context: The cortisol diurnal rhythm has previously been examined in relation to age and health behaviors. However, less is known about the relationship between multiple health behaviors and diurnal cortisol in the context of aging, where it is possible that the impact of health behaviors on cortisol varies as ...

Opioid peptides may participate in the control of feed intake through mechanisms involving pleasure reward linked to consumption of palatable feed. The objective of this study was to determine whether blocking opioid receptors might void oro-sensorial preferences of calves, and affect circulating glucose, insulin, and anorexigenic hormones in fasted and ...

To identify changes in positive aspects of care (PAC) from the time of diagnosis to four months following the diagnosis in family caregivers of care recipients with primary malignant brain tumors. Longitudinal. Dyads were recruited from neurosurgery clinics in Pittsburgh, PA, at the time of care recipients' diagnosis with a ...

To discuss the discovery, validation, and clinical use of multiple types of biomarkers. Medical literature and published guidelines. Formal validation of biomarkers should include both retrospective analyses of well-characterized samples as well as a prospective clinical trial in which the biomarker is tested for its ability to predict the presence ...

Lasers used in the OR pose many risks to both patients and personnel. AORN's "Recommended practices for laser safety in perioperative practice settings" identifies the potential hazards associated with laser use, such as eye damage and fire- and smoke-related injuries. The practice recommendations are intended to be used as a ...

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with cavoatrial extension is a rare and complex problem. Complete resection is difficult but correlates with favorable patient outcomes. We present 2 cases of successful reoperative resections of recurrent RCC in patients with level III-IV cavoatrial involvement. We used a thoracoabdominal approach, peripheral cannulation, and hypothermic ...

The aim was to investigate changes in the tumor bed on magnetic resonance mammography (MRM) after intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) and whether they would limit the diagnostic value of posttherapeutic MRM. We retrospectively investigated 36 patients undergoing MRM after IORT (median interval 2.8 years, range 0.4-7.1). Wound cavities with fat necrosis ...

Radical pleurectomy (RP) for mesothelioma is often considered either technically unfeasible or an operation limited to patients who would not tolerate a pneumonectomy. The purpose of this study was to review our experience using RP and intraoperative photodynamic therapy (PDT) for mesothelioma. Thirty-eight patients (42-81 years) underwent RP-PDT. Thirty five ...

A better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for implantation may improve our ability to treat RIF and improve IVF results in general. This issue's Views and Reviews aims to summarize the current knowledge on mechanisms involved in recurrent implantation failure and presents a clinical approach and potential treatments to overcome ...

Breast milk constitutes the best form of newborn alimentation because of its nutritional and immunological properties. Banked human milk is stored at low temperature, which may produce losses of some bioactive milk components. During lactation, colostrum provides the requirements of the newborn during the first days of life. The aim ...

Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)α1 is activated in the context of triacylglycerol hydrolysis in adipose tissue in monogastric animals. This study describes AMPKα1 protein expression and the occurrence of its phosphorylated form (pAMPKα1) in different adipose tissue depots as influenced by time and postpartum diet in dairy cows. Biopsy samples ...

A project to establish an Austria-wide health-monitoring system for cattle was launched in 2006. Veterinary diagnostic data subject to documentation by law [Law on the Control of Veterinary Medicinal Products (Tierarzneimittelkontrollgesetz)] are standardized, validated, and recorded in a central database. This Austria-wide project is a collaboration among agricultural and veterinary ...

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation in sperm is associated with capacitation in several mammalian species. Although tyrosine phosphorylated proteins have been demonstrated in cryopreserved sperm, indicating capacitation-like changes during cryopreservation, these changes have not yet been quantified objectively. We monitored tyrosine phosphorylation, intracellular calcium and sperm kinematics throughout the cryopreservation process, and ...

Disruptive behavior among health care providers has been linked to negative patient outcomes. High-stress areas, including the perioperative setting, are especially prone to this behavior. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate an educational communication skills intervention aimed at increasing the perceived self-efficacy of perioperative nurses ...

A 28-year-old male presenting with a hypertensive crisis was found to have synchronous right atrial and retrocaval masses. Serum normetadrenaline was elevated in keeping with functional paragangliomas. After preoperative optimization both masses were successfully excised, including a saphenous vein graft to the right coronary artery. Serum catecholamines returned to the ...

Incomplete epigenetic modification is one of important reasons of inefficient reprogramming of the donor cell nuclei in ooplasm after somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). It may also underlie the observed reduced viability of cloned embryos. Sodium butyrate (NaBu) is a natural histone deacetylase inhibitor that is produced in the intestine. ...

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) fraction refers to the thin film of polar lipids and membrane proteins that surrounds fat globules in milk. It is its unique biochemical composition that renders MFGM with some beneficial biological activities, such as anti-adhesive effects toward pathogens. However, a prerequisite for the putative ...

Purpose/Objectives: To explore barriers and facilitators of screening for colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as suggestions for improving screening among African Americans with first-degree relatives with CRC.Research Approach: A qualitative, descriptive approach involving focus groups.Setting: A community healthcare clinic in Baltimore, MD.Participants: 14 African American men and women aged 40 ...

Given the growing use of dermal fillers for cosmetic lip augmentation, a validated instrument with which to measure lip fullness is desirable in the clinic and as an efficacy endpoint in clinical studies. The authors developed and conducted a validation study of a Medicis-developed lip fullness scale. The Medicis Lip ...

To compare clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics of childhood primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) subtypes at diagnosis and during followup; to characterize disease activity trajectories in childhood PACNS subtypes; and to identify early risk factors for higher disease activity. We performed a single-center cohort study of consecutive ...

Delirium after cardiac operations is associated with significant morbidity and death. Statins have been recently suggested to exert protective cerebral effects. This study investigated whether preoperative statins were associated with decreased incidence of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The study enrolled 4,659 consecutive patients (21% women; ...

Interatrial shunting after thoracic surgery through a patent foramen ovale or previously asymptomatic atrial septal defect has been reported as a rare, clinically significant and potentially treatable condition. The incidence, presentation, management, and outcome after thoracic surgery have yet to be defined. We performed a retrospective cohort study of all ...

This study was designed to compare the efficacy of the transpalpebral versus endoscopic approach to decompression of the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves in patients with frontal migraine headaches. The medical charts of 253 patients who underwent surgery for frontal migraine headaches were reviewed. These patients underwent either transpalpebral nerve decompression ...

Ewes supposedly need to be separated from rams before male stimuli can increase gonadotrophin secretion and induce ovulation. In the present study, we investigated the LH response of ewes to 'novel' and 'familiar' rams after varying periods of separation. In Experiment 1, ewes (n=8 per treatment) were separated from familiar ...

What motivates the global movements of infertile people searching for assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs)? In this article, we attempt to answer this question by exploring infertile patients' practices of so-called "fertility tourism." Based on ethnographic research carried out with nearly 300 infertile travelers in two major ART centers-one in the ...

This study examined the extent by which changes in the concentrate level and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content in the diet as well as the severity of acidotic insult, measured as the duration time of rumen pH below 6.0 and daily mean rumen pH, and the concentration of endotoxin in ...

Nurses need more frequent training to meet new guidelines that emphasize the rate and depth of chest compressions.

The total number of ovarian follicles ≥3mm in diameter (antral follicle count, AFC) during follicular waves varies among cattle of similar age, but AFC is highly repeatable within individuals. We hypothesized that lower AFC could be associated with reduced fertility in cattle. The AFC was assessed by ultrasonography for 2 ...

Drawing on 15 months of ethnographic research in Balochistan, Pakistan ( 2005 -2006), I explore Panjguri midwives' (dïnabogs, kawwās, or balloks) narrative links between routine injections of prostaglandins around childbirth and the increasing number of hysterectomies. These techno-medical interventions reflect the postcolonial biomedicalization of women's bodies and reproductive health care, ...

The feedstuffs used in dairy animals must be able to give consumers confidence about the wholesomeness of milk with regard to aflatoxin contamination. The aim of this study was to determine the excretion patterns of aflatoxin M(1) (AFM1) in the milk of dairy goats fed a single dose of pure ...