08 and p = 0.06, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase serum levels of patients with predialysis chronic kidney disease decreased in proportion to the progression of the disease; they were negatively correlated with creatinine levels and directly correlated with glomerular filtration rate.”
“Gadolinium-enhancing lesions in the brain are commonly used as a primary outcome measure of disease activity in phase I/II clinical trials in multiple sclerosis find more (MS). The advent of effective therapy and the cost of clinical trials have led some researchers to adopt a

one-arm study design with selection towards patients showing MRI activity. Regression to the mean is recognized as an important consideration in these

trials, but the additional confounding effect of alternating active and inactive phases of disease has not been considered. Simulated data were generated from Poisson and normal distributions to mimic outcomes from phase I/II clinical YH25448 mouse trials of patients with relapsing-remitting MS under a constant or changing disease process model. in all cases, conventional comparison of pretreatment to on-treatment measurements overestimated the treatment effect. Although correction for regression to the mean provided unbiased estimates of the treatment effect under a constant disease process model, this correction also overestimated

the treatment effect when disease activity changed over time. Conversely, unbiased estimates of the treatment effect under an alternating (active/inactive) disease process were obtained by correctly accounting for regression to the mean and the disease process. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of efficacy 3-deazaneplanocin A solubility dmso and safety. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Background: The aim of this study is to assess the functional and oncologic results of supracricoid hemilaryngopharyngectomy and report our experience in the technique, local control and overall survival rates.\n\nMaterials and methods: 18 selected patients with pyriform sinus cancer treated by supracricoid hemilaryngopharyngectomy in a University Hospital setting. Retrospective chart review was used to assess functional and oncologic results of the procedure.\n\nResults: The actuarial 5 year survival rate in our study was 55.56% and the actuarial neck recurrence rate was 16.67%. All patients were successfully decannulated. Aspiration pneumonia was the most common postoperative complication (22.23%) and was treated mostly conservatively. One patient required a temporary gastrostomy but no patient needed total laryngectomy in the postoperative period.\n\nConclusion: Supracricoid hemilaryngopharyngectomy in experienced hands is a reliable technique for selected patients with pyriform sinus cancer.