Iron depletion had to be achieved by removing @ cc of blood every @-@ d according to baseline hemoglobin values and venesection tolerance , until ferritin < @ ng/mL and/or transferrin saturation ( TS ) < @ % .


Thirty-eight patients were randomized @:@ to phlebotomy ( n = @ ) or lifestyle changes alone ( n = @ ) .


The main outcome of the study was improvement in liver damage according to the NAFLD activity score at @ years , secondary outcomes were improvements in liver enzymes -LSB- alanine aminotransferases ( ALT ) , aspartate aminotransferase ( AST ) , and gamma-glutamyl-transferases ( GGT ) -RSB- .


Phlebotomy was associated with normalization of iron parameters without adverse events .


In the @ patients compliant to the study protocol , the rate of histological improvement was higher in iron depleted vs control subjects ( @/@ , @ % vs @/@ , @ % , P = @ ) .


There was a better improvement in steatosis grade in iron depleted vs control patients ( P = @ ) .


In patients followed-up at two years ( n = @ ) , ALT , AST , and GGT levels were lower in iron-depleted than in control patients ( P < @ ) .


The prevalence of subjects with improvement in histological damage or , in the absence of liver biopsy , ALT decrease @ % ( associated with histological improvement in biopsied patients ) was higher in the phlebotomy than in the control arm ( P = @ ) .


The effect of iron depletion on liver damage improvement as assessed by histology or ALT decrease @ % was independent of baseline AST/ALT ratio and insulin resistance ( P = @ ) .


Iron depletion by phlebotomy is likely associated with a higher rate of improvement of histological liver damage than lifestyle changes alone in patients with NAFLD and hyperferritinemia , and with amelioration of liver enzymes .


Circulating tumor cell ( CTC ) enumeration has not been prospectively validated in standard first-line docetaxel treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer .


We assessed the prognostic value of CTCs for overall survival ( OS ) and disease response in S@ , a phase III trial of docetaxel plus prednisone with or without atrasentan .


CTCs were enumerated at baseline ( day @ ) and before cycle two ( day @ ) using CellSearch .


Baseline counts and changes in counts from day @ to @ were evaluated for association with OS , prostate-specific antigen ( PSA ) , and RECIST response using Cox regression as well as receiver operator characteristic ( ROC ) curves , integrated discrimination improvement ( IDI ) analysis , and regression trees .


Median day-@ CTC count was five cells per @ mL , and CTCs < versus five per @ mL were significantly associated with baseline PSA , bone pain , liver disease , hemoglobin , alkaline phosphatase , and subsequent PSA and RECIST response .


Median OS was @ months for < five versus @ months for five CTCs per @ mL at day @ ( hazard ratio -LSB- HR -RSB- , @ -LSB- adjusting for covariates -RSB- ) .


ROC curves had higher areas under the curve for day-@ CTCs than for PSA , and IDI analysis showed that adding day-@ CTCs to baseline PSA and other covariates increased predictive accuracy for survival by @ % to @ % .


Regression trees yielded new prognostic subgroups , and rising CTC count from day @ to @ was associated with shorter OS ( HR , @ ) .


These data validate the prognostic utility of CTC enumeration in a large docetaxel-based prospective cohort .


Baseline CTC counts were prognostic , and rising CTCs at @ weeks heralded significantly worse OS , potentially serving as an early metric to help redirect and optimize therapy in this clinical setting .


To assess ASIR ( adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction ) technique regarding dose reduction and its impact on image quality in evaluation CTs of potential kidney donors .


Between May and November @ , a prospective study of @ assumingly healthy potential kidney donors was conducted .


The subjects underwent abdominal evaluation CT prior to the planned explantation of a kidney and were randomly divided into @ groups : Group A was examined with an ASIR @ protocol ( n = @ ) , group B ( n = @ ) was examined using a standard FBP ( filtered back projection ) protocol .


Image quality was assessed both quantitatively ( by obtaining attenuation values in different organ regions and calculating SNR and CNRs ) and qualitatively ( by two observers who evaluated image quality using a @-point scale system ) .


Applied dose was analyzed as CTDIvol ( mGy ) , total DLP ( mGycm ) and effective dose ( mSv ) .


Applied dose in group A was about @ % lower than in group B ( p < @ ) .


Between both groups , dose determining parameters such as scan length and patients ' body diameter showed no significant difference .


SNR ( signal-to-noise ratio ) was significantly higher in group A ( p < @ ) .


CNRs ( contrast-to-noise ratios ) for different tissues were not significantly different .


Observer rated image quality showed no significant difference .


ASIR can contribute to a relevant dose reduction without any loss of image quality in CT scans for evaluating potential kidney donors .


To observe the effects of cross electro-nape-acupuncture on reflex remodeling of airway protective reflex cough in patients with tracheotomy after cerebral hemorrhage .


With the method of completely random design , according to treatment order , @ patients who received tracheotomy after cerebral hemorrhage accompanied with cough reflex difficulty were randomly divided into a cross electro-nape-acupuncture group and an acupuncture group , @ cases in each group .


Both groups were treated with basic treatment , including anti-inflammation , eliminating phlegm , improving cerebral metabolism and so on .


The acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture at Yifeng ( TE @ ) , Fengchi ( GB @ ) , Lianquan ( CV @ ) , Baihui ( GV @ ) , Touwei ( ST @ ) , Dicang ( ST @ ) through Jiache ( ST @ ) , Hegu ( LI @ ) , Quchi ( LI @ ) , and motor area on the affected side , and the needles were retained for @ min .


Based on the treatment of acupuncture group , the cross electro-nape-acupuncture group was additionally treated with cross electro-nape-acupuncture ( continuous wave ) for @ min per treatment .


The treatment was both given twice a day from Monday to Friday and once a day on Saturday and Sun day for @ weeks .


Tracheostomy cough reflex grading score ( TCRGS ) and clinical pulmonary infection score ( CPIS ) were observed before and after treatment in the two groups , and the clinical efficacy of two groups was evaluated .


Compared before the treatment , TCRGS and CPIS were both reduced in two groups ( both P < @ ) ; after treatment , there were significant differences of TCRGS and CPIS between two groups ( both P < @ ) , indicating cross electro-nape-acupuncture group was superior to acupuncture group .


Regarding the effects of cough reflex remodeling , the cured and markedly effective rate was @ % ( @/@ ) in the cross electro-nape-acupuncture group , which was significantly different from @ % ( @/@ ) in the acupuncture group ( P < @ ) .


Cross electro-nape-acupuncture could effectively improve the remodeling of cough reflex and promote the recovery of lung infection in patients with tracheotomy after cerebral hemorrhage , leading to an increased quality of life .


The objectives of the paper are to describe characteristics of participants who chose moderation and abstinence drinking goals , and to examine post-treatment drinking outcomes based on patterns of goal choice during a Web-based alcohol intervention for returning U.S. Veterans .


We conducted a descriptive secondary analysis of a subsample of @ of @ Veterans who participated in a clinical trial of VetChange , an @-module , cognitive-behavioural intervention .


Participants self-selected abstinence or moderation drinking goals , initially at Module @ , and weekly during subsequent modules .


Alcohol use and alcohol-related problems were measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test ( AUDIT ) , Quick Drink Screen ( QDS ) , and Short Inventory of Problems ( SIP-@R ) .


Initial goal choices were @ % moderation and @ % abstinence .


Approximately @ % of participants from each initial choice changed goals during the intervention ; last goal choices were @ % moderation and @ % abstinence .


Participants who initially chose moderation reported higher percent heavy drinking days at baseline ; participants who initially chose abstinence were more likely to report recent substance abuse treatment and were older .


Post-intervention levels of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems were significantly reduced in all goal-choice patterns ( i.e. , Moderation Only , Abstinence Only , Moderation to Abstinence , and Abstinence to Moderation ; all measures p < @ or less ) .


Baseline drinking severity did not differentially relate to outcomes across goal-choice patterns .


Participants in a Web-based alcohol intervention for returning U.S. Veterans demonstrated improvements in drinking regardless of whether they chose an abstinence or moderation drinking goal , and whether the goal was maintained or changed over the course of the intervention .


To assess the effect of the daily ingestion of a mixture of probiotics on the amount of Streptococcus mutans in the oral cavity of preschool-age patients with a high risk of caries .


Forty patients , aged between @ and @ years , with a high risk of dental caries were included in this pilot study .


Patients were randomly assigned to two study groups : the Experimental Group ( A ) included patients who brushed their teeth and used fluoridated toothpaste in addition to consuming probiotics daily , and the Control Group ( B ) inclused patients who brushed their teeth and used fluoridated toothpaste but did not consume probiotics .


Using the CariScreen , the microorganism count was determined at different times : baseline , @ , @ , @ and @ days .


To identify the differences between both groups , a Mann-Whitney U test was performed , with a significance level of @ .


It was observed that both groups showed similar microbial counts at the beginning of the trial ( p > @ ) , and a significant decrease in the count at the end of the study was found in the experimental group ( p < @ ) @ days after suspending ingestion .


We found a significant reduction of RLU values in preschool children who ingested the tested probiotics in relation to the baseline values and @ days after ceasing consumption .


Aging is associated with an impairment of blood lipids .


The present study investigated the response of blood lipids to resistance exercise in old adults .


The particular aim was to investigate whether the response of blood lipids is associated with changes in body composition of blood lipid medication .


Subjects ( N = @ , @ @ years , @ % female ) participated in a @-week resistance exercise program ( @ times/week ; @ sets , @-@ repetitions at @-@ % of the @-repetition maximum ) , designed to increase strength and muscle mass of major muscle groups .


Body composition , drug use , triglycerides ( TG ) , total cholesterol ( TC ) , low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) and high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) were assessed at baseline and endpoint .


The concentrations of HDL ( -@ mg/dl ) , LDL ( -@ mg/dl ) , TC ( -@ mg/dl ) and TG ( -@ mg/g ) decreased significantly during the study period .


A reduction in fat mass by @ kg predicted a reduction in TG ( @ mg/dl , P = @ ) and a gain in lean body mass by @ kg predicted also a reduction in TG ( -@ mg/dl , P = @ ) .


The use of blood cholesterol lowering drugs predicted greater reductions in TC ( -@ mg/dl , P = @ ) and LDL ( -@ mg/dl , P = @ ) during training .


TG , TC , LDL and HDL decreased significantly after @ weeks of progressive resistance exercise in old adults .


Changes in body composition , i.e. , reduction in fat mass and gain in lean body mass improved the blood lipid profile .


Use of blood lipid lowering drugs was associated with greater reductions in TC and LDL after the training .


We explored people 's reasons for , and experiences of , using bolus advisors to determine insulin doses ; and , their likes/dislikes of this technology .


@ people with type @ diabetes who had received instruction in use of bolus advisors during a structured education course were interviewed post-course and @ months later .


Data were analysed thematically .


Participants who considered themselves to have poor mathematical skills highlighted a gratitude for , and heavy reliance on , advisors .


Others liked and chose to use advisors because they saved time and effort calculating doses and/or had a data storage facility .


Follow-up interviews highlighted that , by virtue of no longer calculating their doses , participants could become deskilled and increasingly dependent on advisors .


Some forgot what their mealtime ratios were ; others reported a misperception that , because they were pre-programmed during courses , these parameters never needed changing .


Use of data storage facilities could hinder effective review of blood glucose data and some participants reported an adverse impact on glycaemic control .


While participants liked and perceived benefits to using advisors , there may be unintended consequences to giving people access to this technology .


To promote effective use , on-going input and education from trained health professionals may be necessary .


Different gonadotropin-releasing-hormone agonist ( GnRH-a ) formulations with different potency and associated side effects , therefore , different compliance and persistence of therapy .


This study was to evaluate the difference of hormonal profile and side effects due to hypoestrogenic status after treatment of leuprorelin and triptorelin in Chinese women with ovarian endometrioma after conservative surgical treatment .


A total of @ women underwent laparoscopic excision of ovarian endometriomas with rASRM III and IV were enrolled in the study.Subjects were randomized into two groups with use of a random table .


Twenty two patients dropped out during the study .


Thus @ patients had three doses of i.m. leuprorelin ( group A ) and @ patients had three doses of i.m. triptorelin ( group B ) at @ weeks intervals after surgical treatment .


Menopausal symptoms were evalutaed using a questionnaire and serum sex hormonal levels were also measured during the follow-up .


At week @ after the treatment , most of the patients in leuprorelin group have no obvious side effects .


After @ weeks , bone pain , hot flashes and sweating , and irregular bleeding were the main side effects and showed no difference between the groups .


Anxiety , depression , vaginal dryness , headache , and acne rates were all significantly higher in triptorelin group than in leuprorelin group .


A significant difference in FSH ( p = @ ) , LH ( p = @ ) and E@ ( p = @ ) levels between the groups were observed after @ days of the GnRHa treatment .


The FSH ( p = @ ) and E@ ( p = @ ) levels remained higher in the leuprorelin group than the triptorelin group after six weeks of treatment , but the difference of LH ( p = @ ) level was no longer discernible .


Leuprorelin in down-regulating the pituitary-ovarian function was more moderate , and the hormonal levels decrease progressively and gradually , therefore , with lower rate of menopausal symptoms .


Leuprorelin acetate maybe better tolerated than triptorelin .


To determine whether semiautomatic volumetric software can differentiate part-solid from nonsolid pulmonary nodules and aid quantification of the solid component .


As per reference standard , @ nodules were differentiated into nonsolid and part-solid by two radiologists ; disagreements were adjudicated by a third radiologist .


The diameters of solid components were measured manually .


Semiautomatic volumetric measurements were used to identify and quantify a possible solid component , using different Hounsfield unit ( HU ) thresholds .


The measurements were compared with the reference standard and manual measurements .


The reference standard detected a solid component in @ nodules .


Diagnosis of a solid component by semiautomatic software depended on the threshold chosen .


A threshold of -@ HU resulted in the detection of a solid component in @ nodules with good sensitivity ( @ % ) and specificity ( @ % ) .


At a threshold of -@ HU , semiautomatic measurements of the diameter of the solid component ( mean @ mm , SD @ mm ) were comparable to manual measurements at the mediastinal window setting ( mean @ mm , SD @ mm -LSB- p = @ -RSB- ) .


Semiautomatic segmentation of subsolid nodules could diagnose part-solid nodules and quantify the solid component similar to human observers .


Performance depends on the attenuation segmentation thresholds .


This method may prove useful in managing subsolid nodules .


Semiautomatic segmentation can accurately differentiate nonsolid from part-solid pulmonary nodules Semiautomatic segmentation can quantify the solid component similar to manual measurements Semiautomatic segmentation may aid management of subsolid nodules following Fleischner Society recommendations Performance for the segmentation of subsolid nodules depends on the chosen attenuation thresholds .


Investigate the safety and efficacy of @ months ' duodenal-jejunal bypass liner ( DJBL ) treatment in comparison with dietary intervention for obesity and type @ diabetes mellitus ( T@DM ) .


The DJBL is a bariatric procedure involving an impermeable sleeve that is delivered endoscopically in the proximal intestine .


This procedure not only is less invasive than conventional surgical techniques but also has beneficial effects on obesity and T@DM .


A multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted .


Seventy-seven patients with obesity and T@DM were included .


Thirty-eight patients were randomized to @ months ' DJBL treatment in combination with dietary intervention ( @ successfully implanted , @ completed the study ) , @ patients received only dietary intervention ( controls , @ completed the study ) .


Total study duration for both groups was @ months , including @ months of post-DJBL removal follow-up .


After @ months , just before DJBL removal , the DJBL group had lost @ % -LSB- @ % -@ % -RSB- of their excess weight versus @ % -LSB- @ % -@ % -RSB- in the control group ( P < @ ) .


Glycated hemoglobin A@c levels improved to @ % -LSB- @ % -@ % -RSB- in the DJBL group and to @ % -LSB- @ % -@ % -RSB- in the control group ( P < @ ) .


In addition , @ % of DJBL patients showed decreased postprandial glucose excursions versus @ % of control patients ( P < @ ) .


At @ months , excess weight loss of the DJBL group was @ % -LSB- @ % -@ % -RSB- versus @ % -LSB- @ % -@ % -RSB- in the control group ( P < @ ) .


HbA@c was @ % -LSB- @ % -@ % -RSB- versus @ % -LSB- @ % -@ % -RSB- , DJBL versus control respectively ( P = ns ) .


The DJBL is a safe and effective alternative to invasive bariatric procedures .


Six months of DJBL treatment combined with diet leads to superior weight loss and improvement of T@DM when compared with diet alone .


Weekly paclitaxel/carboplatin might improve survival in platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer ( EOC ) .


We compared efficacy of first-line weekly to three-weekly paclitaxel/cis - or carboplatin ( PCw and PC@w ) induction therapy , followed by either three or six PC@w cycles .


In this multicentre , randomised phase III trial with @ design , patients with FIGO stage IIb-IV EOC were randomised to six cycles PCw ( paclitaxel @mg/m ( @ ) , cisplatin @mg/m ( @ ) or carboplatin AUC @ ) or three cycles PC@w ( paclitaxel @mg/m ( @ ) , cisplatin @mg/m ( @ ) or carboplatin AUC @ ) , followed by either three or six cycles PC@w .


Primary endpoints were progression free survival ( PFS ) and overall survival ( OS ) .


Secondary endpoints were response rate ( RR ) and toxicity .


Of @ eligible patients , @ received PCw and @ PC@w .


The first @ patients received cisplatin , after protocol amendment the subsequent @ patients received carboplatin .


Weekly cisplatin was less well tolerated than weekly carboplatin .


All PC@w cycles were well tolerated .


At the end of all treatments , RR was @ % with no differences between the treatment arms .


After a follow-up of median @ years ( range @-@ @ ) , median PFS was @ ( @ % confidence interval ( CI ) @-@ @ ) months for PCw and @ ( @ % CI @-@ @ ) months for PC@w ( p = @ ) .


Median OS was @ ( @ % CI @-@ @ ) months for PCw and @ ( @ % CI @-@ @ ) months for PC@w ( p = @ ) .


There was no benefit in terms of OS , PFS or RR for a weekly regimen nor for extended chemotherapy as first-line treatment for EOC in European patients .


To assess the effect of the Health Belief Model ( HBM ) on the education of mothers for promoting safety and preventing injury among children aged < @ years .


Randomized controlled trial .


This study was conducted in Hamadan City , West Iran in @ .


One hundred and twenty mothers participated in this study , divided into intervention and control groups ( @ mothers in each group ) .


The intervention group participated in an educational programme consisting of four @-hour sessions twice per week .


The education programme was based on the HBM .


The participants of both groups were evaluated before the intervention and two months after the intervention using a questionnaire .


The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were tested with a pilot study .


The questionnaire consisted of three parts : demographic characteristics ; knowledge , practices and HBM constructs ( perceived sensitivity , perceived severity , perceived benefits , perceived barriers , cues to action and self-efficacy ) ; and history of recent injuries to the child .


Student 's t-test was used to compare the mean differences , and P < @ was considered to indicate significance .


None of the @ participants dropped out of the study .


The mean differences in knowledge , perceived susceptibility , perceived severity , perceived benefits , perceived barriers , cues to action , self-efficacy and practices after the intervention , between the two groups , were @ , @ , @ , @ , -@ , @ , @ and @ , respectively .


All differences were statistically significant ( P = @ ) .


Educational programmes based on the HBM can be used as an effective approach in planning and developing preventive programmes for injury prevention and safety promotion in children aged < @ years .


To investigate whether surgery by open reduction and internal fixation provides benefit compared with non-operative treatment for displaced , intra-articular calcaneal fractures .


Pragmatic , multicentre , two arm , parallel group , assessor blinded randomised controlled trial ( UK Heel Fracture Trial ) .


@ tertiary referral hospitals , United Kingdom .


@ patients with acute displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures randomly allocated to operative ( n = @ ) or non-operative ( n = @ ) treatment .


The primary outcome measure was patient reported Kerr-Atkins score for pain and function ( scale @-@ , @ being the best possible score ) at two years after injury .


Secondary outcomes were complications ; hindfoot pain and function ( American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score ) ; general health ( SF-@ ) ; quality of life ( EQ-@D ) ; clinical examination ; walking speed ; and gait symmetry .


Analysis was by intention to treat .


@ % follow-up was achieved for the primary outcome ( @ in operative group and @ in non-operative group ) , and a complete set of secondary outcomes were available for @ % of participants .


There was no significant difference in the primary outcome ( mean Kerr-Atkins score @ in operative group v @ in non-operative group ; adjusted @ % confidence interval of difference -@ to @ ) or in any of the secondary outcomes between treatment groups .


Complications and reoperations were more common in those who received operative care ( estimated odds ratio @ , @ % confidence interval @ to @ ) .


Operative treatment compared with non-operative care showed no symptomatic or functional advantage after two years in patients with typical displaced intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus , and the risk of complications was higher after surgery .


Based on these findings , operative treatment by open reduction and internal fixation is not recommended for these fractures.Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN@ .


Discriminating neoplastic from non-neoplastic polyps can significantly reduce the cost of colonoscopy .


The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy ( ASGE ) recently set threshold levels for optical diagnostic accuracy to be acceptable for clinical use .


In this study , we compare a novel colonoscope capable of dual-focus imaging with standard colonoscopy with respect to the ASGE guidelines .


An academic medical center ambulatory surgical center .


Patients at average risk were randomized to standard colonoscopy ( Olympus CF-H@ and Exera II @ colonoscopes , Olympus America , Center Valley , Pa ) or dual-focus colonoscopy ( Olympus CF-HQ@ and Exera III @ colonoscopes , Olympus America ) .


All polyps were given an optical diagnosis and compared with histology .


A total of @ patients were consented and @ completed all aspects of the procedure .


A total of @ polyps were analyzed .


Optical diagnostic accuracy was @ % ( @ % confidence interval , @ % -@ % ) for the @ and @ % ( @ % confidence interval , @ % -@ % ) for the @ colonoscope .


Adenoma detection rates were also similar between the @ groups ( @ % for the @ vs @ % for the @ colonoscope ) .


For small distal rectosigmoid polyps with a high confidence diagnosis , the negative predictive value for adenoma was @ % ( range @ % -@ % ) for the @ in the narrow-band imaging ( NBI ) mode and @ % ( range @ % -@ % ) for the @ colonoscope in NBI mode .


Agreement of surveillance intervals by using optical diagnosis was @ % to @ % for all modalities ( @ and @ colonoscopes , white light imaging , NBI ) .


Our study evaluated the accuracy of the @ and @ colonoscopes at a center with already-established expertise in endoscopic imaging .


Both traditional and new dual-focus colonoscopes provide highly accurate optical polyp discrimination .


There was no difference between the @ systems in terms of discrimination or adenoma detection .


Both systems are consistent with ASGE guidelines for optical diagnosis of selected colorectal polyps without histological confirmation .


A major concern with sublobar resection ( SR ) for non-small-cell lung cancer ( NSCLC ) is high local recurrence ( LR ) .


Adjuvant brachytherapy may reduce LR This multicenter randomized trial compares SR to SR with brachytherapy ( SRB ) .


High-risk operable patients with NSCLC @ cm were randomly assigned to SR or SRB .


The primary end point was time to LR , where LR included recurrence at the staple line ( local progression ) , in the primary tumor lobe away from the staple line , and in ipsilateral hilar nodes .


The trial was designed to have a @ % power to detect a hazard ratio ( HR ) of @ in favor of SRB , using a one-sided type I error rate of @ with a sample size of @ eligible patients in each arm .


Two hundred twenty-four patients were randomly assigned ; @ patients were evaluable for intent-to-treat analysis .


Median age was @ years ( range , @ to @ years ) .


No differences were found in baseline characteristics .


Median follow-up time was @ years ( range , @ to @ years ) .


There was no difference in time to LR ( HR , @ ; @ % CI , @ to @ ; log-rank P = @ ) or in the types of LR .


Local progression occurred in only @ ( @ % ) of @ patients .


In patients with potentially compromised margins ( margin < @ cm , margin-to-tumor ratio < @ , positive staple line cytology , wedge resection , nodule size > @ cm ) , SRB did not reduce LR , although trends favored the SRB arm .


This was most marked in @ patients with positive staple line cytology ( HR , @ ; P = @ ) .


Three-year overall survival rates were similar for patients in the SR ( @ % ) and SRB ( @ % ) arms ( P = @ ) .


Brachytherapy did not reduce LR after SR. .


This finding may have been related to closer attention to parenchymal margins by surgeons participating in this study .


To investigate if short-term treatment with dutasteride ( @ weeks ) before bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate ( B-TURP ) can reduce intraoperative bleeding , as dutasteride a dual @-reductase inhibitor ( @-ARI ) blocks the conversion of testosterone into its active form dihydrotestosterone ( DHT ) , and reduces prostate volume and prostate-specific antigen ( PSA ) levels , while increasing urinary flow rate .


In all , @ patients were enrolled and randomised to two groups : Group A , receiving placebo and Group B , receiving dutasteride ( @ mg daily for @ weeks ) .


Blood samples were taken before and after B-TURP for serum chemistry evaluation .


In particular we evaluated blood parameters associated with blood loss -LSB- haemoglobin ( Hb ) and haematocrit ( Ht ) -RSB- and prostate vascularity -LSB- vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF ) immunoreactivity and microvessel density ( MVD ) using cluster of differentiation @ ( CD@ ) immunoreactivity -RSB- .


Total testosterone , DHT , PSA level and prostate volume were evaluated and with the exception of DHT and PSA level there was no statistically significant differences between the groups .


When comparing changes in Hb and Ht between Group A and Group B before and after B-TURP , there was a statistically significant difference only in patients with large prostates of @mL ( Hb @ vs @ g/dL and Ht @ vs @ % , in Groups A and B , respectively ) .


There was no significant difference in MVD and VEGF index in prostates of < @mL , conversely in large prostates the difference become statistically significant .


Dutasteride was able to reduce operative and perioperative bleeding only in patients with large prostates ( @mL ) that underwent B-TURP .


Our findings are confirmed by Hb and Ht values reported before and after the B-TURP and reductions in the molecular markers for VEGF and CD@ in the dutasteride-treated specimens .


Given the rising prevalence of heart failure ( HF ) , our objective is to explore the relationships between meteorological events and acute HF ( AHF ) globally .


We used data from @ countries participating in the ASCEND-HF trial .


Parameters including temperature were normalized by location for the @ days prior to the HF event .


Meteorological events were classified as a change that occurred < @ % compared to baseline .


The @ days prior to the HF event was subdivided : T@ : the day of and -@ day ; T@ : @ and @ days ; T@ : @ and @ days ; and T@ : @ and @ days .


Results are reported as ratios of observed to expected weather events at the time of AHF presentation .


From @ patients , median age was @ ( IQR @-@ ) with @ % male patients and @ % of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy .


In T@ , temperatures were warmer than expected with @ % fewer decreases in average -LSB- OR @ @ % CI ( @-@ @ ) -RSB- and minimum -LSB- OR @ @ % CI ( @-@ @ ) -RSB- temperature .


In T@ , temperatures were again warmer than expected with an excess number of increases in maximum -LSB- OR @ @ % CI ( @-@ @ ) -RSB- and average -LSB- OR @ @ % CI ( @-@ @ ) -RSB- temperature .


In T@ temperatures were cooler than baseline with fewer increases -LSB- OR @ @ % CI ( @-@ @ ) -RSB- in average temperature .


Meteorological fluctuations appear most relevant in the @ days ( T@ and T@ ) prior to the HF hospitalization with temperature demonstrating a bidirectional relationship with AHF .


Continued validation of biometeorological trends in HF will contribute to healthcare system planning globally .


This study aims to determine the frequency of behaviour change and related factors generated in the population through the `` Fighting Obesity Campaign '' of the Turkish Ministry of Health .


Twelve statistical regions from NUTS-@ and @ provinces were selected for the study sample .


At least one province from each region was randomly selected , and stratawere defined as urban or rural .


Of the sample selected , @,@ respondents completed a face-to-face survey .


Logistic regression analysis was used to analyse the data .


Changing behaviour as result of the campaign was defined as the dependent variable .


Behaviour change was defined as an individual taking at least one action to increase physical activity , calculate her/his Body Mass Index ( BMI ) or minimise meal portions .


Of the sample selected , @ % of participants lived in urban areas .


Of total sample selected , @ % were men and @ % were women .


According to BMI categorisation , @ % of participants were underweight or normal weight , @ % were overweight and @ % were obese .


Of the total participants , @ % learned about the `` Fighting-Obesity Campaign '' through television , @ % through radio , @ % from newspapers , @ % from billboards , and @ % from other sources .


This study revealed that @ % of the participants adopted desired behavioural changes after exposure to the campaign .


Logistic regression results demonstrated that behaviour change is greater among women , individuals living in urban settings , group of persons approving public spots , obese individuals , and among the @-@ age group .


Media campaigns may cause behavioural changes by increasing motivation to prevent obesity within the target population .


Con - tinuing these campaigns can lead to success at the national level .


Antipsychotic drugs are usually the first line of treatment for schizophrenia ; however , many patients refuse or discontinue their pharmacological treatment .


We aimed to establish whether cognitive therapy was effective in reducing psychiatric symptoms in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders who had chosen not to take antipsychotic drugs .


We did a single-blind randomised controlled trial at two UK centres between Feb @ , @ , and May @ , @ .


Participants aged @-@ years with schizophrenia spectrum disorders , who had chosen not to take antipsychotic drugs for psychosis , were randomly assigned ( @:@ ) , by a computerised system with permuted block sizes of four or six , to receive cognitive therapy plus treatment as usual , or treatment as usual alone .


Randomisation was stratified by study site .


Outcome assessors were masked to group allocation .


Our primary outcome was total score on the positive and negative syndrome scale ( PANSS ) , which we assessed at baseline , and at months @ , @ , @ , @ , @ , and @ .


Analysis was by intention to treat , with an ANCOVA model adjusted for site , age , sex , and baseline symptoms .


This study is registered as an International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial , number @ .


@ individuals were randomly assigned to receive either cognitive therapy plus treatment as usual ( n = @ ) , or treatment as usual alone ( n = @ ) .


Mean PANSS total scores were consistently lower in the cognitive therapy group than in the treatment as usual group , with an estimated between-group effect size of -@ ( @ % CI -@ to -@ ; p = @ ) .


We recorded eight serious adverse events : two in patients in the cognitive therapy group ( one attempted overdose and one patient presenting risk to others , both after therapy ) , and six in those in the treatment as usual group ( two deaths , both of which were deemed unrelated to trial participation or mental health ; three compulsory admissions to hospital for treatment under the mental health act ; and one attempted overdose ) .


Cognitive therapy significantly reduced psychiatric symptoms and seems to be a safe and acceptable alternative for people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders who have chosen not to take antipsychotic drugs .


Evidence-based treatments should be available to these individuals .


A larger , definitive trial is needed .


To investigate the role of Xuebijing injection in inhibiting perioperative inflammatory responses and protecting the function of multiple organs .


A single-blind , randomized , parallel controlled trial was conducted .


@ patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine , aged @ to @ years , ASA gradeI-III , undergoing elective abdominal surgery , were enrolled .


The patients were randomly divided into the control group ( n = @ ) and the treatment group ( n = @ ) .


In the control group , after induction of anesthesia , a continuous infusion of @ % normal saline ( NS ) @ mL was given in a speed of @ mL/min , while a continuous infusion of Xuebijing @ mL/kg in @ mL of @ % NS was given at @ mL/min in the treatment group after induction of anesthesia .


The blood sample was drawn , and body temperature , routine blood test , C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , liver and kidney function , fasting glucose ( Glu ) , and serum interleukin-@ ( IL-@ ) , high mobility group protein B@ ( HMGB@ ) levels were determined in all the patients before anesthesia ( T@ ) , at the end of operation ( T@ ) , @ hours after operation ( T@ ) , or at @:@ am on the third day after operation ( T@ ) .


At the same time the adverse reactions were recorded for evaluation of the safety of Xuebijing .


After using Xuebijing injection , T@ body temperature and the T@-T@ temperature difference in treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group ( @ centigrade vs. @ centigrade , t = @ , P = @ ; @ vs. @ , t = @ , P = @ ) .


Postoperative white blood cell count , neutrophil percentage , and CRP were significantly higher than those before the operation , but the differences between two groups were not statistically significant .


Compared with the control group , alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ) , aspartate transaminase ( AST ) , total bilirubin ( TBil ) levels at T@ of treatment group were significantly reduced ( ALT : @ U/L vs. @ U/L , AST : @ U/L vs. @ U/L , TBil : @ mol/L vs. @ mol/L , all P < @ ) .


Difference of conjugated bilirubin ( CB ) , blood urea nitrogen ( BUN ) , creatinine ( Cr ) , Glu was not statistically significant between two groups .


IL-@ showed an increasing trend after the operation in both groups , and IL-@ level at T@ of the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group ( @ ng/L vs. @ ng/L , t = @ , P = @ ) .


The HMGB@ level of two groups at T@ were lower than those at T@ , but it decreased significantly only in treatment group ( @ g/L vs. @ g/L , P < @ ) , and there was no significant difference between two groups .


No serious adverse events occurred during the clinical trial .


Application of Xuebijing injection during anesthesia can significantly diminish postoperative inflammatory injury , which plays an important role in the protection of liver function , helps restore organ function and improve prognosis , and it is safe and effective .


Tiotropium , a once-daily long-acting anticholinergic agent , has been shown to be an efficacious and safe add-on treatment for adults with symptomatic asthma , despite treatment with inhaled corticosteroids ( ICS ) .


A large proportion of asthmatic adolescents have symptomatic disease despite a wide range of therapeutic options .


We investigated the efficacy and safety of three doses of tiotropium , administered in the evening ( via Respimat ( ) SoftMist inhaler ) , versus placebo in asthmatic adolescents symptomatic despite ICS treatment .


This randomised , double-blind , placebo-controlled , incomplete crossover study evaluated once-daily tiotropium @g , @ g and @ g versus placebo in three @-week treatment periods .


Primary efficacy end point was change in peak forced expiratory volume in @swithin @hpost-dose from baseline ( peak FEV@ ( @-@h ) ) .


From @ enrolled patients , @ were randomised to receive one of four treatment sequences .


Peak FEV@ ( @-@h ) response for tiotropium @g was significantly greater versus placebo ( p = @ ) .


Trough FEV@ responses were significantly greater for tiotropium @g ( p < @ ) and @ g ( p = @ ) versus placebo , but not for @ g ( p = @ ) , while FEV@ area under the curve ( @-@h ) responses were significant for all doses ( p = @-@ @ ) .


Overall incidence of adverse events was balanced across treatment groups , with no dose-dependent observations .


The majority of adverse events were mild to moderate in intensity .


This first study of tiotropium in adolescents with symptomatic asthma demonstrates that tiotropium is well tolerated and efficacious as add-on to maintenance treatment with ICS .


ClinicalTrials.gov identifier ; NCT@ .


Statins prevent cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease ( CAD ) .


However , there is little information regarding the vascular effects of statins on arterial wall stiffness in CAD patients .


A total of @ patients were randomly assigned to receive rosuvastatin ( @ mg per day ) or simvastatin/ezetimibe ( @/@ mg per day ) for eight weeks .


The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of rosuvastatin or simvastatin/ezetimibe on arterial wall stiffness measured according to the brachial and ankle pulse wave velocity ( baPWV ) in CAD patients .


Both treatments significantly improved the levels of total cholesterol ( TC ) , triglycerides ( TGs ) , low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ( hs-CRP ) ( p < @ ) .


The ROCK activity and baPWV were significantly improved in the rosuvastatin group compared with that observed in the simvastatin/ezetimibe group ( p < @ ) .


The changes in baPWV were significantly correlated with the changes in the ROCK activity ( r = @ , p < @ ) , but not with the changes in the lipid profile or the hs-CRP level .


Compared with simvastatin/ezetimibe ( @/@ mg ) , rosuvastatin ( @ mg ) appears to more effectively improve arterial wall stiffness that may be mediated by modulation of the ROCK activity .


Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is common in chronic kidney disease ( CKD ) patients and it contributes to secondary hyperparathyroidism , which occurs early in CKD .


It is not clear whether the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative ( K/DOQI ) recommended doses of ergocalciferol are adequate for correction of vitamin D insufficiency and hyperparathyroidism .


To evaluate the parathyroid hormone ( PTH ) - lowering effect , safety , and tolerability of high-dose ergocalciferol compared with conventional-dose ergocalciferol in CKD subjects .


We enrolled CKD stage III-IV patients who had @-hydroxyvitamin D ( @-OH-D ) level < @ ng/mL .


The patients were randomized into two groups , control group treated with ergocalciferol as recommended by K/DOQI guidelines , and treatment group treated with double dosage of ergocalciferol from the recommendation .


We compared serum @-OH-D , intact-PTH , phosphate , calcium , and bone biomarker levels , during the @-week intervention .


Sixty-eight patients were included ( @ controls and @ treatments ) .


Baseline characteristics of both groups were similar except calcium level @ @ mg/dL in control group and @ @ mg/dL in treatment group ( p = @ ) , but not clinically significant .


At the end of the @-week , the mean @-OH-D level significantly increased from @ @ to @ @ ng/mL in the treatment group ( p = @ ) and increased from @ @ to @ @ ng/mL in the control group ( p = @ ) .


There was also a significantly greater increase of @-OH-D levels in the treatment group .


Additionally , PTH levels significantly decreased from @ @ to @ @ at @ weeks ( p = @ ) in the treatment group , and there was no change in the control group ( @ @ vs. @ @ pg/mL , p = @ ) .


Serum calcium , phosphate , and adverse effects did not significantly change in either group throughout the study .


In addition to improving vitamin D levels , oral high-dose ergocalciferol was safe and had a beneficial effect in decreasing PTH in patients with stage III-IV of CKD .


There is a paucity of articles in the surgical literature demonstrating transfer validity ( transfer of training ) .


The purpose of this study was to assess whether skills learned on the ArthroSim virtual-reality arthroscopic knee simulator transferred to greater skill levels in the operating room .


Postgraduate year-@ orthopaedic residents were randomized into simulator-trained and control groups at seven academic institutions .


The experimental group trained on the simulator , performing a knee diagnostic arthroscopy procedure to a predetermined proficiency level based on the average proficiency of five community-based orthopaedic surgeons performing the same procedure on the simulator .


The residents in the control group continued their institution-specific orthopaedic education and training .


Both groups then performed a diagnostic knee arthroscopy procedure on a live patient .


Video recordings of the arthroscopic surgery were analyzed by five pairs of expert arthroscopic surgeons blinded to the identity of the residents .


A proprietary global rating scale and a procedural checklist , which included visualization and probing scales , were used for rating .


Forty-eight ( @ % ) of the fifty-four postgraduate year-@ residents from seven academic institutions completed the study .


The simulator-trained group averaged eleven hours of training on the simulator to reach proficiency .


The simulator-trained group performed significantly better when rated according to our procedural checklist ( p = @ ) , including probing skills ( p = @ ) but not visualization skills ( p = @ ) , compared with the control group .


The procedural checklist weighted probing skills double the weight of visualization skills .


The global rating scale failed to reach significance ( p = @ ) because of one extreme outlier .


The duration of the procedure was not significant .


This lack of a significant difference seemed to be related to the fact that residents in the control group were less thorough , which shortened their time to completion of the arthroscopic procedure .


We have demonstrated transfer validity ( transfer of training ) that residents trained to proficiency on a high-fidelity realistic virtual-reality arthroscopic knee simulator showed a greater skill level in the operating room compared with the control group .


We believe that the results of our study will stimulate residency program directors to incorporate surgical simulation into the core curriculum of their residency programs .


Dental sealant materials may intraorally release their components , including bisphenol-A ( BPA ) , but long-term health effects are uncertain .


The New England Children 's Amalgam Trial ( NECAT ) found that composite restorations were associated with psychosocial , but not neuropsychological or physical , outcomes .


The previous analysis did not consider sealants and preventive resin restorations ( PRRs ) , which were routinely placed .


The purpose of this analysis was to examine sealant/PRR exposure in association with psychosocial and other health outcomes .


NECAT recruited @ six - to @-year-olds and provided dental care during a five-year follow-up .


Annually , examiners conducted psychosocial and neuropsychological tests and measured body mass index ( BMI ) and fat percentage ( BF % ) .


Associations between surface years ( SY ) of sealants/PRRs and outcomes were tested using multivariable models .


Cumulative exposure level to sealants and/or PRRs was not associated with psychosocial assessments ( eg , total problems : Child Behavior Checklist , @-SY = -@ @ , P = @ ) or neuropsychological tests ( eg , full-scale IQ , @-SY = @ @ , P = @ ) .


There were no associations for changes in BMI-for-age z-score ( P = @ ) , BF % ( girls @-SY = -@ @ ; boys @-SY = -@ @ ) , or menarche ( @-SY hazard ratio = @ , @ % confidence interval = @-@ @ , P = @ ) .


This study showed no associations between exposure level of dental sealants or PRRs and behavioral , neuropsychological , or physical development in children over @-years .


To examine the effectiveness of intramuscular ( IM ) midazolam versus intravenous ( IV ) lorazepam for the treatment of pediatric patients with status epilepticus ( SE ) in the prehospital care setting .


This multicenter clinical trial randomized patients diagnosed with SE to receive either IM midazolam or IV lorazepam administered by paramedics in the prehospital care setting .


Included in this secondary analysis were only patients younger than @ years of age .


Evaluated were the associations of the treatment group ( IM vs. IV ) with the primary outcome , defined as seizure cessation prior to emergency department ( ED ) arrival , and with patient characteristics , time to important events , and adverse events .


Descriptive statistics and @ % confidence intervals ( CIs ) were used for the analysis .


Of @ primary study subjects , @ met criteria for this study ( @ in each treatment group ) .


There were no differences in important baseline characteristics or seizure etiologies between groups .


The primary outcome was met in @ ( @ % ) and @ ( @ % ) of subjects in the IM and IV groups , respectively ( risk difference -LSB- RD -RSB- -@ % , @ % CI -@ % to @ % ) .


Similar results were noted for those younger than @ years ( RD -@ % , @ % CI -@ % to @ % ) .


Time from initiating the treatment protocol was shorter for children who received IM midazolam , mainly due to the shorter time to administer the active treatment .


Safety profiles were similar .


IM midazolam can be rapidly administered and appears to be safe and effective for the management of children with SE treated in the prehospital setting .


The results must be interpreted in the context of the secondary analysis design and sample size of the study .


Recurrent or persistent low back pain is common after back surgery but is typically not well controlled .


Previous randomised controlled trials on non-acute pain after back surgery were flawed .


In this article , the design and protocol of a randomised controlled trial to treat pain and improve function after back surgery are described .


This study is a pilot randomised , active-controlled , assessor-blinded trial .


Patients with recurring or persistent low back pain after back surgery , defined as a visual analogue scale value of @mm , with or without leg pain , will be randomly assigned to an electroacupuncture-plus-usual-care group or to a usual-care-only group .


Patients assigned to both groups will have usual care management , including physical therapy and patient education , twice a week during a @-week treatment period that would begin at randomisation .


Patients assigned to the electroacupuncture-plus-usual-care group will also have electroacupuncture twice a week during the @-week treatment period .


The primary outcome will be measured with the @mm pain visual analogue scale of low back pain by a blinded evaluator .


Secondary outcomes will be measured with the EuroQol @-Dimension and the Oswestry Disability Index .


The primary and secondary outcomes will be measured at @ and @weeks after treatment .


Sorafenib , an oral multikinase inhibitor , is the proved therapy method for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) .


Based on heat delivery , Radiofrequency ablation ( RFA ) has been found to achieve complete neoplasm necrosis .


It is the most widely performed percutaneous therapy for HCC .


However , Study associated combined Sorafenib with RFA therapy for patients with advanced HCC has never been reported .


The aim of present study is to explore the efficacy and safety of sorafenib combined with RFA therapy for the patients with medium-sized HCC .


A total of @ patients diagnosed as HCC were involved in this study .


All patients were randomly assigned to sorafenib and RFA ( n = @ ) or RFA-alone ( n = @ ) treatment groups .


Treatment outcomes , including recurrence rates , time to progression ( TTP ) and adverse reactions induced by sorafenib were observed and recorded to assess the efficacy and safety of the combination method .


During the overall follow-up period , the recurrence rate of the combination subgroup was @ % ( @/@ ) , and that of the RFA-alone subgroup was @ % ( @/@ ) ( p < @ ) .


The median TTP was @ months in the combination therapy vs. @ months in the RFA-alone ( p < @ ) .


Hand-foot skin reactions were reported by @ % ( @/@ ) of patients and @ % ( @/@ ) reported diarrhea while the most adverse events ( AEs ) were mild to moderate in the combination subgroup .


Sorafenib combined with RFA significantly decreased recurrence rates and prolonged the survival time of medium-sized HCC patients .


The combination therapy is safer and more effective than the control without unexpected side effects .


Furthermore , the earlier application , the better results were .


To assess ibrutinib pharmacokinetics under fasted and fed conditions , impact of food-intake timing , and the safety and tolerability .


Three studies were analyzed .


Study @ was a randomized , open-label , single-dose , four-way crossover study in @ healthy participants .


Study @ was a randomized , repeat-dose crossover study in @ patients with previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia ( CLL ) .


Ibrutinib dose was @mg in both studies .


Study @ was an open-label , sequential study to assess the effect of a standard breakfast on ibrutinib @mg in eight healthy participants .


Administration of single-dose ibrutinib under fasting conditions ( study @ ) resulted in approximately @ % of exposure compared with drug intake either @min before , @min after ( fed ) , or @h after a high-fat meal .


Similar food effect was observed ( study @ ) when ibrutinib was given @min before meal .


In CLL patients ( study @ ) , the C max and AUC under fasting conditions were @ and @ % , respectively , relative to fed conditions .


When administered once-daily in uncontrolled food-intake conditions ( @min before or @h after ) , exposures were slightly ( @ % ) lower than in fed condition .


When corrected for repeated dosing , pharmacokinetic parameters in healthy participants and patients were comparable .


Ibrutinib was generally well tolerated in all settings studied .


Ibrutinib administered in fasted condition reduces exposure to approximately @ % as compared with dosing in proximity to food-intake , regardless of timing/type of meal .


Because repeated drug intake in fasted condition is unlikely , no food restrictions may be needed to administer ibrutinib .


We tested the effectiveness and feasibility of remote communication technologies to increase follow-up after early medical abortion .


Women ( n = @ ) were randomized to ` remote ' follow-up incorporating a low-sensitivity pregnancy test and standardized symptom questionnaire administered online , by text message or telephone by a non-clinical call center operator @ weeks after treatment , or to ` clinic-based ' follow-up with ultrasound at @ week .


Women in the clinic-based group who could not return performed a high-sensitivity pregnancy test at @ weeks and had a telephone call with clinic staff .


The primary outcome was completion of follow-up .


Rates of complications , acceptability and preferences were compared .


The overall follow-up rate did not differ by group -LCB- clinic-based , @ % vs. remote , @ % ; risk ratio ( RR ) @ -LSB- @ % confidence interval ( CI ) @-@ @ -RSB- -RCB- .


In the clinic-based group , @ % did not return for an ultrasound scan and were followed up by phone .


In the remote group , follow-up by phone or text was more successful than online ( text : @ % ; phone : @ % ; online : @ % , p < @ ) .


The proportion of women receiving additional care was @ % in the clinic-based group and was @ % in the remote group -LSB- RR @ ( @ % CI @-@ @ ) -RSB- .


Most women found their follow-up method acceptable but would prefer follow-up by phone or text message if needed in future .


Follow-up after medical abortion using remote communication is feasible and , for most women , preferable to a clinic visit .


Medical abortion protocols typically use follow-up visits to ensure early identification of complications .


This study demonstrates that follow-up can be achieved using remote communication technologies .


This model may reduce the burden of multiple clinic visits on patients and providers .


Carbohydrate-rich liquid drinks ( CRLDs ) have been recommended to attenuate insulin resistance by shortening the preoperative fasting interval .


The aim of our study the effect of preoperative oral administration of CRLDs on the well-being and clinical status of patients .


A randomized , double blind , prospective study of patients undergoing open colorectal operations ( CR ) and open cholecyctectomy ( CH ) was conducted .


Patients were divided into three groups : study , placebo , and control .


Visual analogue scale ( VAS ) scores for seven parameters ( thirst , hunger , anxiety , mouth dryness , nausea , weakness and sleep quality ) were recorded and compared for two different time periods ( up to @h postoperatively and from @ to @h postoperatively ) .


The Simplified Acute Physiology Score changes ( SAPS ) - II between the three groups were also studied .


There were @ patients American Society of Anesthesiology ( ASA ) I or II enrolled in the study ( CR = @ and CH = @ ) .


There were no significant differences in postoperative SAPS-II scores or lengths of hospital stay ( LOS ) between the groups .


However , in CR patients , the degree of thirst was partially improved by drinking CRLDs ( P = @ ) .


In CH patients , on the other hand , feelings of thirst , hunger , mouth dryness , nausea and weakness showed significant improvement ( P < @ ) .


Oral administration of carbohydrate-rich liquid drinks ( CRLDs ) improves the well-being in patients undergoing CH , but the effect is less evident in patients undergoing CR .


No significant improvements were seen in clinical status or in length of hospital stay in either group .


To compare the acupuncture treatment and the medical treatment with antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs ) on pain control , urinary symptoms , and quality of life of category IIIB chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome ( CP-CPPS ) .


From November @ to May @ , @ male patients with category IIIB CP-CPPS were randomly divided into @ groups : the medical treatment group ( group @ , n = @ ) and the acupuncture treatment group ( group @ , n = @ ) .


Group @ took levofloxacin @ mg daily and ibuprofen @ mg twice a day for @ weeks .


In the acupuncture group ( group @ ) , bilateral BL@ ( Ciliao ) and BL@ ( Zhongliao ) acupoints were used to stimulate the sacral nerve using an electrical pulse generator , twice a week for @ weeks .


The change in National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index scores from the baseline to the end of the treatment was observed .


The mean follow-up was @ weeks from the baseline ( range , @-@ weeks ) .


In acupuncture group , reduction of pain , urinary symptoms , quality of life , and total National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index score was higher compared with the medical group .


However the treatment of CP-CPPS is challenging and difficult for the urologists .


This clinical study showed that the acupuncture treatment is a safe and effective treatment of category IIIB CP-CPPS .


To evaluate the treatment of simple endometrial hyperplasia without atypia with different gestagens .


Sixty premenopausal women with histologically documented endometrial hyperplasia without atypia were included in this prospective controlled study .


Patients were randomized into two groups : Group I included @ patients who received lynestrenol ( LYN ) in a dose of @ mg/d , while Group II included @ patients who received micronized progesterone ( MP ) @ mg/d for @ days per cycle for @ months .


Patients were reevaluated with endometrial curettage after treatment .


MP and LYN regimens were compared to regression , resolution or persistence rates and metabolic parameters .


After @ months of treatment in both groups , none of the cases progressed .


In LYN group , the rate of resolution was observed to be higher compared to MP group ( p = @ ) .


LYN was found more effective inducing resolution in patients more than @ years compared to MP ( p = @ ) .


When we compare both groups after @ months of treatment , there was no statistically significant difference in BMI , total cholesterol , HDL , LDL and fibrinogen level between two groups .


The rate of patients without any side effects was found to be similar in both groups ( p = @ ) .


LYN which is a synthetic progestin ensures better endometrial control compared to MP in simple hyperplasia without atypia in the patients of premenopausal age especially in ages more than @ years .


The study used a randomized controlled trial to investigate the short-term and long-term effects of life-review as online-guided self-help in adults ( @ + ) with moderate depressive symptomatology .


We evaluated ego-integrity and rumination as mediators and assessed whether the effects of the intervention did not differ across middle-aged and older adults .


Effects of life-review ( n = @ ) were compared with a waiting list group ( n = @ ) and an expressive writing intervention ( n = @ ) on depressive symptoms ( primary outcome ) , anxiety , and well-being ( secondary outcomes ) .


Mediator and moderator analyses were also applied .


Compared with the waiting list , life-review reduced depressive symptoms ( d = @ ) and enhanced emotional ( d = @ ) and psychological well-being ( d = @ ) .


Life-review was not more effective than expressive writing .


The effects on depressive symptoms were partly related with increases in ego-integrity and decreases in rumination .


The intervention is applicable for middle-aged and older adults .


Life-review is effective as self-help for middle-aged and older adults with moderate depressive symptomatology compared with a waiting list group .


Future research should investigate whether stimulating ego-integrity and reducing rumination enhance the effects of the intervention .


The study aims to identify the association between the baseline retinal vascular calibre and visual outcome of patients with diabetic macular oedema ( DMO ) treated with intravitreal ranibizumab .


The @-M field ( as defined in the ETDRS study ) of the digital colour fundus photographs of DMO patients who had been treated primarily with ranibizumab in a clinical trial was assessed .


Of the @ patients , @ had gradable retinal photographs that could be subjected to analyses by the Interactive Vessel Analysis ( IVAN ) software at baseline .


The average retinal vascular calibre of the six largest venules ( CRVE ) and the six largest arterioles ( CRAE ) in the peripapillary area ( @ and @ disc diameter from the optic disc margin ) was measured .


The relationship between CRVE and CRAE at baseline and the change in visual acuity at month @ was assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test .


Ten eyes from @ patients who had shown an improvement of @ lines of best corrected visual acuity ( BCVA ) at month @ had a wider baseline CRVE ( @ m ) compared with the @ eyes from @ patients who did not show the improvement of @ lines ( @ m , P < @ ) .


The baseline CRAE did not differ significantly in these patients ( @ vs @ m , P = @ ) .


A wider baseline retinal venular calibre may be a predictor of better visual outcome in DMO eyes treated with ranibizumab .


Further prospective studies with a larger sample size and a broader range of disease severity and visual acuity are needed to confirm this finding .


Previous studies have shown that acupuncture can alleviate postmenopausal symptoms , such as hot flashes , but few studies have assessed symptoms during the menopausal transition ( MT ) period .


Thus , the effect of acupuncture upon MT symptoms is unclear .


We designed a large-scale trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of electroacupuncture for MT symptoms compared with sham electroacupuncture and at observing the safety of electroacupuncture .


In this multicenter randomized controlled trial , @ women will be randomized to either an electroacupuncture group or a sham electroacupuncture group .


During the @-week-long treatment , a menopause rating scale , average @-hour hot flash score , Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire score , and level of female hormones will be observed .


Follow-ups at the @th and @nd week will be made .


Though there is no completely inert placebo acupuncture and blinding is difficult in acupuncture trials , the placebo effect of EA can still be partially excluded in this study .


For the placebo control , we use non-points and a tailor-made sham needle .


This needle is different from a retractable needle , which is usually used for sham acupuncture .


The needle in this trial is more simply constructed and more acceptable to Chinese people .


We expect to evaluate the efficacy of electroacupuncture for MT symptoms and clarify its effect on these symptoms .


Modest benefits from concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced NSCLC warrant further clinical investigations to identify more effective treatment regimens .


Cetuximab , a monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor has shown activity in NSCLC .


We report on the safety and efficacy of the combination of daily dose Cisplatin and concurrent radiotherapy with or without weekly Cetuximab .


Patients received high dose accelerated radiotherapy ( @ Gy in @ fractions ) and concurrent daily Cisplatin ( @ mg/m ( @ ) ) without ( Arm A ) or with ( Arm B ) weekly Cetuximab ( @ mg/m ( @ ) loading dose one week prior to radiotherapy followed by weekly @ mg/m ( @ ) ) .


The primary endpoint of the trial was objective local control rate ( OLCR ) determined at @-@ weeks after treatment .


Toxicity was reported as well .


Between February @ and May @ , @ patients were randomized .


Median follow up was @ months .


The OLCR was @ % in Arm A and @ % in Arm B ( p = @ ) .


The one-year local progression free interval ( LPFI ) and overall survival ( OS ) were @ % and @ % for Arm A and @ % and @ % for Arm B , respectively ( LPFI p = @ ; OS p = @ ) .


Toxicity compared equally between both groups .


The addition of Cetuximab to radiotherapy and concurrent Cisplatin did not improve disease control in patients with locally advanced NSCLC but increased treatment related toxicity .


Elevated cystatin C concentration is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular ( CV ) events in patients with acute coronary syndromes .


Genetic polymorphisms in CST@ influence cystatin C levels , but their relationship to outcomes is unclear .


We measured cystatin C concentrations in plasma , obtained within @ hours of admission , in @,@ acute coronary syndrome patients from the PLATO trial .


In @,@ patients , we performed a genome-wide association study with up to @ million single nucleotide polymorphisms .


Single nucleotide polymorphisms affecting cystatin C levels were evaluated in relation to the first occurrence of myocardial infarction ( MI ) or CV death within @ year using Cox regression analysis .


Several single nucleotide polymorphisms were associated with cystatin C levels , most significantly rs@ ( P = @ @ ( -@ ) ) adjacent to CST@ .


Median cystatin C concentrations per genotype were @ mg/L ( A/A ) , @ mg/L ( A/G ) , and @ mg/L ( G/G ) .


Modeled as additive , the allelic effect , multivariable adjusted , was -@ mg/L per G allele for rs@ .


The multivariable adjusted c-statistic regarding the combined end point ( CV death or MI ) was @ .


Adding cystatin C or genotype-adjusted cystatin C levels resulted in c-statistics of @ and @ , respectively .


The multivariable adjusted hazard ratios per G allele at rs@ in the entire population were @ ( @ % CI @-@ @ ) for CV death or MI and @ ( @ % CI @-@ @ ) for CV death .


Genetic polymorphisms affect cystatin C concentrations independently of kidney function .


However , the polymorphisms were not observed to be associated with outcome , nor did they improve risk prediction or discriminative models .


Given their high rates of uncontrolled blood pressure , urban African Americans comprise a particularly vulnerable subgroup of persons with hypertension .


Substantial evidence has demonstrated the important role of family and community support in improving patients ' management of a variety of chronic illnesses .


However , studies of multi-level interventions designed specifically to improve urban African American patients ' blood pressure self-management by simultaneously leveraging patient , family , and community strengths are lacking .


We report the protocol of the Achieving Blood Pressure Control Together ( ACT ) study , a randomized controlled trial designed to study the effectiveness of interventions that engage patient , family , and community-level resources to facilitate urban African American hypertensive patients ' improved hypertension self-management and subsequent hypertension control .


African American patients with uncontrolled hypertension receiving health care in an urban primary care clinic will be randomly assigned to receive @ ) an educational intervention led by a community health worker alone , @ ) the community health worker intervention plus a patient and family communication activation intervention , or @ ) the community health worker intervention plus a problem-solving intervention .


All participants enrolled in the study will receive and be trained to use a digital home blood pressure machine .


The primary outcome of the randomized controlled trial will be patients ' blood pressure control at @months .


Results from the ACT study will provide needed evidence on the effectiveness of comprehensive multi-level interventions to improve urban African American patients ' hypertension control .


To have a better understanding of the mechanisms of exercise limitation in mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) , we compared detailed respiratory physiology in patients with COPD and healthy age - and sex-matched controls .


Data were collected during the pre-treatment , patient characterization phase of a multicenter , randomized , double-blind , crossover study .


Patients with COPD met Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease ( GOLD ) @ or @ spirometric criteria , were symptomatic , and had evidence of gas trapping during exercise .


All participants completed pulmonary function and symptom-limited incremental treadmill exercise tests .


Chronic activity-related dyspnea measured by Baseline Dyspnea Index was similarly increased in patients with GOLD @ ( n = @ ) and @ ( n = @ ) COPD compared with controls ( n = @ ) .


Plethysmographic lung volumes were increased and lung diffusing capacity was decreased in both GOLD groups .


Peak oxygen uptake and work rate were reduced in both GOLD groups compared with controls ( p < @ ) .


Submaximal ventilation , dyspnea , and leg discomfort ratings were higher for a given work rate in both GOLD groups compared with controls .


Resting inspiratory capacity , peak ventilation , and tidal volume were reduced in patients with GOLD @ COPD compared with patients with GOLD @ COPD and controls ( p < @ ) .


Lower exercise tolerance in patients with GOLD @ and @ COPD compared with controls was explained by greater mechanical abnormalities , greater ventilatory requirements , and increased subjective discomfort .


Lower resting inspiratory capacity in patients with GOLD @ COPD was associated with greater mechanical constraints and lower peak ventilation compared with patients with GOLD @ COPD and controls .


Since their emergence from the operating theatre over a decade ago , supra-glottic airways ( SGA ) have become increasingly common in the management of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest ( OOHCA ) with laryngeal masks ( LM ) the most common SGA .


The proliferation of LMs in the prehospital setting has occurred despite lower than expected rates of successful insertion being reported .


We conducted a single-centre , prospective parallel-group , ` open label ' randomised controlled trial in subjects with OOHCA ( aged greater than or equal to @ years of age ; weighing greater than or equal to @ kg ) were allocated to either the i-gel supraglottic airway ( IG-SGA ) or the Portex Soft Seal Laryngeal Mask ( PSS-LM ) within a large Australian ambulance service .


Our hypothesis was that use of the IG-SGA , when compared to the Portex PSS-LM , would result in a higher rate of successful insertion in patients presenting with OOHCA .


The primary outcome was successful insertion of the SGA .


There were @ patients randomised .


Subjects had an average age of @ years and @ % were female .


There were no apparent differences in key demographic characteristics between groups .


The IG-SGA had a significantly higher success rate than the PSS-LM ( @ % versus @ % ; p = @ ) , resulting in a @ % greater likelihood of successful insertion than the PSS-LM ( RR @ ; @ % CI @-@ @ ) .


The IG-SGA was associated with significantly lower median `` ease of insertion '' scores .


The i-gel supraglottic airway was associated with higher successful insertion rates in subjects with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest .


Fat-soluble vitamin ( FSV ) deficiency is a well-recognized consequence of cholestatic liver disease and reduced intestinal intraluminal bile acid .


We hypothesized that serum bile acid ( SBA ) would predict biochemical FSV deficiency better than serum total bilirubin ( TB ) level in infants with biliary atresia .


Infants enrolled in the Trial of Corticosteroid Therapy in Infants with Biliary Atresia after hepatoportoenterostomy were the subjects of this investigation .


Infants received standardized FSV supplementation and monitoring of TB , SBA , and vitamin levels at @ , @ , and @ months .


A logistic regression model was used with the binary indicator variable insufficient/sufficient as the outcome variable .


Linear and nonparametric correlations were made between specific vitamin measurement levels and either TB or SBA .


The degree of correlation for any particular vitamin at a specific time point was higher with TB than with SBA ( higher for TB in @ circumstances vs @ circumstances for SBA ) .


Receiver operating characteristic curve shows that TB performed better than SBA ( area under the curve @ vs @ ) .


Including both TB and SBA did not perform better than TB alone ( area under the curve @ ) .


We found that TB was a better predictor of FSV deficiency than SBA in infants with biliary atresia .


The role of SBA as a surrogate marker of FSV deficiency in other cholestatic liver diseases , such as progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis , -@ - antitrypsin deficiency , and Alagille syndrome in which the pathophysiology is dominated by intrahepatic cholestasis , warrants further study .


High-dose interferon alfa-@b ( HDI ) has emerged as a potentially effective adjuvant therapy in patients with resected melanoma at high risk of recurrence .


Evidence suggests it may be the early , very-high-dose part of the regimen that is critical .


This pilot study sought to provide an early indication of whether the same effects can be achieved with the intravenous component of HDI alone and inform the feasibility and design of a phase III trial .


Patients with stage @B , @C , @B , and @C melanoma were randomly assigned to receive interferon alfa-@b ( IFN -- @b ) @ MIU/m ( @ ) intravenously ( IV ) daily @ days per week for @ weeks ( arm A ) versus the same regimen followed by IFN -- @b @ MIU/m ( @ ) administered subcutaneously three times per week for @ weeks ( arm B ) and observed for relapse-free survival ( RFS ) and overall survival .


Between @ and @ , @ patients were enrolled ( arm A , @ ; arm B , @ ) .


After median follow-up of @ months , RFS was @ months ( @ % CI , @ to @ months ) in arm A versus @ months ( @ % CI , @ to not reached ) in arm B ( P = @ ) .


The proportions of patients free of relapse at @ years were @ % and @ % ( P = @ ; hazard ratio , @ ) , respectively .


Overall survival favored arm B ( median , @ months v not reached ; P = @ ) .


Clinical outcomes were better in patients who had the longer regimen .


Our results do not support either the use of a month of IV HDI alone in place of the year-long regimen or the initiation of a larger trial on this question .


To evaluate the role of the ultrasound contrast agent SonoVue in enhancing the ablation effects of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ( HIFU ) on uterine fibroids .


Eighty patients with solitary uterine fibroids at a single center were randomly assigned to a control or SonoVue group .


Of these , @ were treated using HIFU alone ; @ who were pretreated with SonoVue received a bolus before the HIFU procedure .


All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) scan before and after HIFU treatment .


The post-HIFU MRI showed the nonperfused volume ( NPV ) in all of the treated uterine fibroids ; the mean fractional ablation ( NPV ratio ) was @ @ % ( range @-@ % ) in the SonoVue group and @ @ % ( range @-@ % ) in the control group .


The frequency of massive gray-scale changes that occurred during HIFU was greater in the group that received SonoVue than the group that did not .


The average sonication time to reach massive gray-scale changes was significantly shorter in the group receiving SonoVue than the group without SonoVue .


The acoustic energy for treating @ mm ( @ ) of uterine fibroid was less in the SonoVue group than the control group .


No any major complication occurred in this study .


Based on the results of this randomized controlled trial , SonoVue could be safely used to enhance the effects of HIFU treatment for uterine fibroids .


Few data exist on the ability of postmenopausal women to absorb calcium from diets habitually low in calcium .


The objective of this study was to evaluate fractional calcium absorption from a green leafy vegetable vs. milk in relation to vitamin D status .


We measured fractional calcium absorption from both a dairy - and plant-based source in @ postmenopausal Thai women ( aged @-@ y ) with low calcium consumption ( @ @ mg/d ) in relation to serum parathyroid hormone ( PTH ) and serum @-hydroxyvitamin D -LSB- @ ( OH ) D -RSB- .


Fractional calcium absorption was measured using a triple stable calcium isotope method based on isotope recovery in a @-h urine collection .


Two extrinsically labeled test meals were ingested in random order : a green leafy vegetable ( cassia ) ingested along with Ca or a glass of milk containing Ca .


Women received intravenous Ca with the first test meal .


In @ postmenopausal women studied ( mean age , @ @ y ) , ~ @ % were @ ( OH ) D sufficient ( @ g/L ) .


Serum @ ( OH ) D status was positively correlated with fractional absorption from both cassia ( P = @ , R = @ ) and milk ( P = @ , R = @ ) .


Fractional calcium absorption from cassia was significantly lower than that measured from milk ( @ % @ % vs. @ % @ % , P = @ ) , but true calcium absorption did not significantly differ ( @ @ mg/d vs. @ @ mg/d ) .


Serum PTH was significantly inversely associated with serum @ ( OH ) D ( P = @ , R = @ ) even though PTH was not elevated ( > @ pg/mL ) .


These findings suggest that vitamin D status is an important determinant of calcium absorption among Thai women with low calcium intakes , and cassia may be a readily available source of calcium in this population .


Furthermore , these data indicate that serum @ ( OH ) D concentrations may affect PTH elevation in postmenopausal women with low calcium intakes .


The PHARMACOP-intervention significantly improved medication adherence and inhalation technique for patients with COPD compared with usual care .


This study aimed to evaluate its cost-effectiveness .


An economic analysis was performed from the Belgian healthcare payer 's perspective .


A Markov model was constructed in which a representative group of patients with COPD ( mean age of @years , @ % male , @ % current smokers and mean Forced Expiratory Volume in @second of % predicted of @ ) , was followed for either receiving the @-month PHARMACOP-intervention or usual care .


Three types of costs were calculated : intervention costs , medication costs and exacerbation costs .


Outcome measures included the number of hospital-treated exacerbations , cost per prevented hospital-treated exacerbation and cost per Quality Adjusted Life-Year .


Follow-up was @year in the basecase analysis .


Sensitivity and scenario analyses ( including long-term follow-up ) were performed to assess uncertainty .


In the basecase analysis , the average overall costs per patient for the PHARMACOP-intervention and usual care were @,@ and @,@ , respectively within the @-year time horizon .


This reflects cost savings of @ for the PHARMACOP-intervention .


The PHARMACOP-intervention resulted in the prevention of @ hospital-treated exacerbations per patient ( @ for PHARMACOP versus @ for usual care ) .


Results showed robust cost-savings in various sensitivity analyses .


Optimization of current pharmacotherapy ( e.g. close monitoring of inhalation technique and medication adherence ) has been shown to be cost-saving and should be considered before adding new therapies .


To compare pain , projected breast area , radiation dose and image quality between flexible ( FP ) and rigid ( RP ) breast compression paddles .


The study was conducted in a Dutch mammographic screening unit ( @ women ) .


To compare both paddles one additional image with RP was made , consisting of either a mediolateral-oblique ( MLO ) or craniocaudal-view ( CC ) .


Pain experience was scored using the Numeric Rating Scale ( NRS ) .


Projected breast area was estimated using computer software .


Radiation dose was estimated using the model by Dance .


Image quality was reviewed by three radiologists and three radiographers .


There was no difference in pain experience between both paddles ( mean difference NRS : @ , p = @ ) .


Mean radiation dose was @ % lower with FP ( @ p = @ ) .


On MLO-images , the projected breast area was @ % larger with FP .


Paired evaluation of image quality indicated that FP removed fibroglandular tissue from the image area and reduced contrast in the clinically relevant retroglandular area at chest wall side .


Although FP performed slightly better in the projected breast area , it moved breast tissue from the image area at chest wall side .


RP showed better contrast , especially in the retroglandular area .


We therefore recommend the use of RP for standard MLO and CC views .


To determine changes in respiratory mechanics when chest compressions are added to mask ventilation , as recommended by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation ( ILCOR ) guidelines for newborn infants .


Using a Laerdal Advanced Life Support leak-free baby manikin and a @-mL self-inflating bag , @ neonatal staff members were randomly paired to provide mask ventilation , followed by mask ventilation with chest compressions with a @:@ ratio , for two minutes each .


A Florian respiratory function monitor was used to measure respiratory mechanics , including mask leak .


The addition of chest compressions to mask ventilation led to a significant reduction in inflation rate , from @ to @ breaths per minute ( p < @ ) , mean airway pressure reduced from @ to @ cm H@ O ( p < @ ) , minute ventilation reduced from @ to @ mL/kg/min ( p < @ ) , and there was a significant increase in paired mask leak of @ % ( p < @ ) .


Adding chest compressions to mask ventilation , in accordance with the ILCOR guidelines , in a manikin model is associated with a significant reduction in delivered ventilation and increase in mask leak .


If similar findings occur in human infants needing an escalation in resuscitation , there is a potential risk of either delay in recovery or inadequate response to resuscitation .


We describe the design of the MERGE trial , a cluster randomised trial , to evaluate the effect of an intervention to optimise TB/HIV service integration on mortality , morbidity and retention in care among newly-diagnosed HIV-positive patients and newly-diagnosed TB patients .


Eighteen primary care clinics were randomised to either intervention or standard of care arms .


The intervention comprised activities designed to optimise TB and HIV service integration and supported by two new staff cadres-a TB/HIV integration officer and a TB screening officer-for @ months .


A process evaluation to understand how the intervention was perceived and implemented at the clinics was conducted as part of the trial .


Newly-diagnosed HIV-positive patients and newly-diagnosed TB patients were enrolled into the study and followed up through telephonic interviews and case note abstractions at six monthly intervals for up to @ months in order to measure outcomes .


The primary outcomes were incidence of hospitalisations or death among newly diagnosed TB patients , incidence of hospitalisation or death among newly diagnosed HIV-positive patients and retention in care among HIV-positive TB patients .


Secondary outcomes of the study included measures of cost-effectiveness .


Methodological challenges of the trial such as implementation of a complex multi-faceted health systems intervention , the measurement of integration at baseline and at the end of the study and an evolving standard of care with respect to TB and HIV are discussed .


The trial will contribute to understanding whether TB/HIV service integration affects patient outcomes .


The level of mutans streptococci ( MS ) is reduced by regularly consumption of probiotic Kefir drink .


The present study aiming at answer to this question ` may the Kefir drink be considered an alternative to fluoride rinse ? '


Twenty-two healthy volunteers aged @-@ years with good oral hygiene participated in this study .


None of participants had received any antibiotic or antimicrobial agent or professional fluoride therapy within the last month .


None of them exhibited active caries lesions .


Smokers and subjects who have chewing gums xylitol habit or who were undergoing orthodontic treatment were excluded .


In a cross over design with @ parallel groups , people in group A for @ weeks received @ ml of Kefir drink per day , then avoided brushing , eating and drinking for an hour .


Simultaneously , people in group B were administered @ % sodium fluoride rinse in the same manner .


After washout period , people in groups A and B respectively used @ % sodium fluoride rinse and Kefir drink .


Saliva sampling was performed before and after interventions .


The acidity and the count of MS were assessed and data were analyzed statistically .


There was no significant difference between base line pH values of saliva in study groups ( p > @ ) .


Although , a significant difference was shown between MS counts before and after interventions ( p @ and p @ for NaF and Kefir respectively ) , but the equal inhibitory effect was found between study groups ( p > @ ) .


Kefir drink can inhibit salivary MS as well the sodium fluoride rinse .


This beverage may be considered an alternative for fluoride rinse .


Clinical significance : Probiotics containing dairy products was known with anticariogenic properties .


These agents may be used in caries control strategies adjunctively .


To compare the therapeutic differences among scalp acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking , body acupuncture and western medication for treatment of vascular dementia ( VD ) .


Ninety cases were randomly divided into a combined therapy group ( @ cases ) , a body acupuncture group ( @ cases ) and a western medication group ( @ cases ) .


The combined therapy group was treated with scalp acupuncture at forehead middle line , parieral middle line , temporal front line and temporal rear line as well as auricular point sticking at naogan ( AT@ ,@ ) , shen ( CO@ ) , shenmen ( TF@ ) , zhen ( AT@ ) , once a day ; the body acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture at Baihui ( GV @ ) , Fengchi ( GB @ ) , Zusanli ( ST @ ) and so on , once a day ; the western medication group was treated with oral administration of aniracetam tablets , @ g per time , twice a day .


Fourteen days were considered as a treatment course , and totally @ courses were required .


The mini-mental state examination ( MMSE ) and activities of daily living ( ADL ) were applied to assess the changes of cognitive behavior ability before and after treatment among three groups .


Also the efficacy among three groups were compared .


One case dropped out in the body acupuncture group and western medication group , respectively .


The total effective rate was @ ( @/@ ) in the combined therapy group , which was superior to @ ( @/@ ) in the body acupuncture group and @ % ( @/@ ) in the western medication group ( both P < @ ) .


After the treatment , the scores of MMSE and ADL were all improved among three groups , which was the most significant in the combined therapy group ( MMSE : @ + / - @ vs @ + / - @ , P < @ ; @ + / - @ vs @ + / - @ , P < @ ; ADL : @ + / - @ vs @ + / - @ , P < @ ; @ + / - @ vs @ + / - @ , P < @ ) .


The scalp acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking could improve the clinical symptoms and cognitive behavior ability in patients with vascular dementia , which has superior total efficacy to body acupuncture and western medication aniracetam tablets .


The study evaluated the efficacy of beclomethasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate ( BDP/FF ) extrafine combination versus fluticasone propionate/salmeterol ( FP/S ) combination in COPD patients .


The trial was a @-week multicentre , randomised , double-blind , double dummy study ; @ patients with moderate/severe COPD were randomised to BDP/FF @/@ g or FP/S @/@ g twice daily .


The primary objective was to demonstrate the equivalence between treatments in terms of Transition Dyspnoea Index ( TDI ) score and the superiority of BDP/FF in terms of change from pre-dose in the first @ minutes in forced expiratory volume in the first second ( FEV@ ) .


Secondary endpoints included lung function , symptom scores , symptom-free days and use of rescue medication , St. George 's Respiratory Questionnaire , six minute walking test and COPD exacerbations .


BDP/FF was equivalent to FP/S in terms of TDI score and superior in terms of FEV@ change from pre-dose ( p < @ ) .


There were no significant differences between treatments in secondary outcome measures , confirming overall comparability in terms of efficacy and tolerability .


Moreover , a clinically relevant improvement ( > @ units ) in SGRQ was detected in the BDP/FF group only .


BDP/FF extrafine combination provides COPD patients with an equivalent improvement of dyspnoea and a faster bronchodilation in comparison to FP/S .


The main objective of the present study was to establish the relationships between CA-@ kinetics and tumour size changes during treatment .


The data from the CALYPSO-randomised phase III trial , comparing two platinum-based regimens in recurrent ovarian cancer ( ROC ) patients , was randomly split into a ` learning data set ' to estimate model parameters and a ` validation data set ' to validate model performances .


A kinetic-pharmacodynamic semi-mechanistic model was built to describe tumour size and CA-@ kinetics during chemotherapy .


The ability of the model to predict tumour response induced by chemotherapy , based on CA-@ values , was assessed .


Data from @ ROC patients were used to model CA-@ kinetics and tumour size changes during the first @ days after treatment initiation .


Using the validated model , we could predict with accuracy the tumour size changes induced by chemotherapy based on the baseline imaging assessment and longitudinal CA-@ values ( mean prediction error : @ % , mean absolute prediction error : @ % ) .


Using a semi-mechanistic model , the dynamic relationships between tumour size changes and CA-@ kinetics induced by chemotherapy were established in ROC patients .


A modelling approach allowed CA-@ to be assessed as a biomarker for tumour size dynamics , to predict treatment efficacy for research and clinical purposes .


To investigate the analgesic effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation ( rTMS ) on intractable neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury ( SCI ) .


A single center , prospective , randomized , double-blinded , controlled study .


SCI rehabilitation unit of university rehabilitation center .


Seventeen patients with SCI and chronic neuropathic pain who met the inclusion criteria recruited between April @ and January @ .


Ten daily treatment sessions of real or sham rTMS ( @ trains of @-Hz stimuli for a duration of @ seconds ; a total of @ pulses at intensity equal to @ % of the resting motor threshold ) was applied over vertex using a gure-of-@-shaped coil .


Pain was assessed with visual analog scale ( VAS ) at baseline and @ days , @ weeks and @ months after the treatment .


Patients ' satisfactions obtained using a @-point Likert scale at @ months .


Both real and sham rTMS provided a significant reduction in the VAS scores ( real rTMS group , P = @ ; sham rTMS group , P = @ ) .


Post hoc analysis revealed the significant difference was at @ days and @ weeks compared to baseline in the real rTMS group and only at @ days compared to baseline in the sham rTMS group .


Comparison of VAS scores and patient satisfaction did not show any significant difference at each assessment point ( P > @ ) .


Our results demonstrated analgesic effect of rTMS on intractable neuropathic pain in SCI was not superior to placebo .


However , middle-term ( over @ weeks ) pain relief by rTMS is encouraging and suggests the need for future studies with a larger sample size .


Lymphocytes and natural killer cells ( NK ) appear to be important in colorectal cancer .


Their role in chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancers is unclear .


We evaluated T-lymphocytes ( CD@ ) , sub-groups CD@ and CD@ , and NK cells ( CD@ + CD@ ) in normal and rectal tumor tissues pre - and post-chemoradiotherapy , and investigated their relationship to tumor regression grade , disease-free survival and pathological stage .


Tissue microarrays from colonoscopic biopsies , resection specimens and normal tissues , from @ patients , were immunostained .


NK cell counts were significantly lower in tumor samples compared to normal tissues ( p = @ ) .


T-lymphocyte counts were higher in post-treatment compared to pre-treatment samples ( p = @ ) , specifically in the CD@ subgroup after long-course treatment .


The results suggested an association between post-treatment CD@ and NK cell counts with higher tumor regression .


No associations were found with regard to stage or disease-free survival .


NK cell counts were significantly reduced in rectal cancers compared to normal tissues , while total T-lymphocyte counts increased post-chemoradiotherapy .


Both appeared important in tumor regression .


To observe the impacts on skeletal fluorosis pain , joint motor dysfunction and urine fluoride excretion in the treatment with fire needle therapy , electroacupuncture and calcium carbonate D@ .


The randomized controlled trial was adopted .


Ninety-five patients were randomized into a fire needle group ( @ cases ) , an electroacupuncture group ( @ cases ) and a calcium carbonate D@ group ( @ cases ) .


In the fire needle group and the electroacupuncture group , Ashi points , Dazhui ( GV @ ) , Geshu ( BL @ ) , Quchi ( LI @ ) , Hegu ( LI @ ) , Xuehai ( SP @ ) points were selected and stimulated with fire needle and electroacupuncture separately , three times a week .


In the calcium carbonate D@ group , calcium carbonate D@ tablets was prescribed for oral administration , @ mg each time , twice a day .


The duration of treatment was @ months in the electroacupuncture group and calcium carbonate D@ group and @ month in the fire needle group .


VAS score , the range of motion ( ROM ) and urine fluoride value were compared before and after treatment in the patients of the three groups .


After treatment , VAS value and ROM were improved significantly in the patients of the three groups ( all P < @ ) , the difference was not significant in comparison of the three groups ( all P > @ ) .


After treatment , the urine fluoride value was increased significantly in the fire needle group -LSB- ( @ + / - @ ) mg/L vs ( @ + / - @ ) mg/L , P < @ -RSB- and was increased in the electroacupuncture group -LSB- ( @ + / - @ ) mg/L vs ( @ + / - @ ) mg/L , P < @ -RSB- .


The difference was not significant in comparison before and after treatment in the calcium carbonate D@ group ( P > @ ) .


The fire needle therapy , electroacupuncture and calcium carbonate D@ all have the clinical value in the prevention and treatment of skeletal fluorosis and the difference in the therapeutic effect has not been discovered among them yet at present .


But it has been found that the fire needle therapy and electroacupuncture display the active significance in the promotion of urine fluoride excretion .


To observe the effect of Wenxin Granule ( WG ) on brain natriuretic peptide ( BNP ) and heart rate variability ( HRV ) of acute coronary syndrome ( ACS ) patients .


Totally @ ACS patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group ( @ cases ) and the control group ( @ cases ) .


All patients were treated with routine therapies such as angiotensin conversing enzyme inhibitors ( ACEI ) and metoprolol .


Those in the treatment group took WG , @ g each time , three times daily .


All were treated for @ days .


Plasma samples of BNP and HRV were determined before treatment and after treatment .


There was no statistical difference in pre-treatment plasma BNP ( P > @ ) .


Plasma BNP significantly decreased after treatment in the two groups when compared with before treatment ( P < @ ) .


The decrease was more obvious in the treatment group ( P < @ ) .


There was no statistical difference in pre-treatment HRV ( P > @ ) .


Compared with before treatment in the same group , RMSSD , PNN@ % , and high frequency ( HF ) obviously increased , while low frequency ( LF ) and LF/HF ratio significantly decreased in the two groups , showing statistical difference ( P < @ ) .


The aforesaid indices were obviously better in the treatment group than in the control group ( P < @ ) .


Additional administration of WG could improve short-term clinical prognosis by down-regulating plasma BNP level ( via improving myocardial ischemia ) and modulating HRV .


To determine , in the setting of advanced-stage of Hodgkin lymphoma ( HL ) , whether relapses occur in the irradiated planning target volume and whether the definition of local radiation therapy ( RT ) used by the German Hodgkin Study Group ( GHSG ) is adequate , because there is no harmonization of field and volume definitions among the large cooperative groups in the treatment of advanced-stage HL .