Two other accessory ocular glands located dorsotemporally and medially appeared to be identical in

morphology, with tubulo-acinar morphology. An outer lipid layer on the ocular surface of the sea lion was not detected using interferometry, consistent with the absence of typical meibomian glands. Similar to human tears, the tears of Tariquidar molecular weight pinnipeds contain several proteins but the ratio of carbohydrate to protein was greater than that in human tears.

Conclusions Our findings indicate that the ocular gland architecture and biochemical nature of the tear film of pinnipeds have evolved to adapt to the challenges of an aquatic environment.”
“SETTING: The extent of the public health problem posed by Legionnaires’ disease (LD) is not always well-appreciated.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics and factors associated with the case fatality rate (CFR) of LD in Catalonia, Spain.

DESIGN: Con firmed cases of LD reported during 19932004 were studied. Age, sex, hospitalisation, the type of diagnostic confirmation test and the personal risk factors for LD of cases were collected. Comparative bivariate and multivariate analyses according to origin (community-acquired AZD2171 or nosocomial) and nature (sporadic or outbreaks) were performed.

RESULTS: Of 1938 cases reported, 164 died

(case-fatality rate [CFR] 8.5%). The CFR fell from 35% in 1993 to 5.6% in 2004, and was higher in sporadic than in outbreak-associated cases (10% vs. 4.7%) and in nosocomial than community-acquired cases (31.7% vs. 6.8%). In community-acquired cases, the CFR was associated with age >70 years (OR 3.42, 95%CI 2.02-5.79), cancer (OR 4.58, 95%CI 2.36-8.90) and diagnostic confirmation learn more methods other than Legionella urinary antigen test. The CFR of nosocomial cases was not associated with any of these factors.

CONCLUSIONS: The CFR of LD fell during the study period due to the incorporation of new diagnostic techinques and improved detection of outbreaks.”
“s Purpose: To determine whether minimally invasive PCNL (MPCNL) is as safe

and effective in the management of complex renal caliceal stones as it is for simple renal stones. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 5761(41.2%) simple caliceal stones (isolated renal pelvis including isolated calix) and 8223 (58.8%) complex caliceal stones (renal pelvis accompanying two calices at least) that were managed by MPCNL between 1992 nd 2011. The safety, efficacy, and outcome were compared and analyzed. Results: Stone burden was larger in complex caliceal stones (1763.0 vs 1018.6mm(2), P<0.05). Patients with simple stones had significantly shorter operative time, less frequency of multiple percutaneous accesses, and less hemoglobin drop. They also had a higher initial stone-free rate (SFR) (77.6% vs 66.4%) after a single session of MPCNL (P<0.05). The differences diminished in the final SFR (86.7% vs 86.