arlo

http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/OtherCancers/dh/2506 **Note that the BladderChek test for the protein NMP22 is an office procedure that yields results within an hour. **In this study, the test, in combination with cystoscopy, detected 99% of recurrent bladder cancers, significantly better than cystoscopy combined with urine cytology. Review HOUSTON, Jan. 18 - A simple urine test, with results available in the office within an hour, can significantly improve and speed the detection of recurrent bladder cancer, investigators here reported. In a prospective cross-sectional study, the BladderChek test, combined with a cystoscopic examination, detected 99% of all recurrent cancers, according to H. Barton Grossman, M.D., of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Also, the test alone detected eight of nine cancers that were not found during initial cystoscopy, Dr. Grossman and colleagues reported in the Jan. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. By contrast, the standard urine cytology test, combined with cystoscopy, detected 94.2% of cancers - a rate of detection that was not significantly greater than that of cystoscopy alone, the researchers found. The BladderChek test, manufactured by Matritech of Newton, Mass., detects elevated amounts of nuclear mitotic apparatus protein, or NMP22, which is released into urine during cell death. Unlike standard urine cytology, the test for NMP22 does not require whole cancer cells and can be done in a physician's office while the patient waits. It is also cheaper than cytology, the researchers noted. Bladder cancer is the fifth most common malignancy in the U.S., and between 50% and 90% of patients will suffer a recurrence. "A test like the NMP22 assay, which is accurate and easy to administer, I believe will help identify and treat patients earlier when they have better chance for a good outcome," Dr. Grossman said. Between September, 2001 and February, 2002, researchers at 23 academic, private practice, and hospital facilities in nine states prospectively enrolled 668 consecutive patients with a history of bladder cancer. Patients provided a voided urine sample for analysis of NMP22 protein and cytology before they underwent cystoscopy. The study found: Recurrent bladder cancer was found in 103 patients. Cystoscopy alone detected 94 of the recurrences, or 91.3% The NMP22 assay detected eight of the nine missed cancers, but had an overall sensitivity of 49.5%, detecting 51 of the 103 cancers. Urine cytology detected three of the nine missed cancers, but had an overall sensitivity of 12.2%, detecting 12 of the 98 cancers in patients for which cytology was available. The additional sensitivity with the combination of the NMP22 test and cystoscopy is "good news for patients," said urologist Barry Stein, M.D., of Brown Medical School, a co-author of the study. "If you have been treated for bladder cancer and are being monitored for recurrence, the accuracy of your diagnosis is extremely important," Dr. Stein said. "If we say there's no recurrence of cancer, we want to be right." For clinicians, the advantage of the test is that is gives a quick check on the validity of results from cystoscopy, he said. "You know the answer before the patient is out of your office," he said. "If the result is positive, and you didn't see anything from the cystoscopy, you would check to see if you missed something." The NMP22 test had a specificity of 87.3%, meaning that false-positive results occurred 13% of the time. These false-positive results could lead to further diagnostic testing in patients without recurrent bladder cancer, the researchers noted. That didn't happen in this study, because all patients had a cystoscopy. Also, the researchers noted, it is possible that some of the false-positives were in fact recurrent cancer that was not detected by cystoscopy; lack of follow-up data means recurrence can't be ruled out. Primary source: Journal of the American Medical Association Source reference: Grossman HB et al. Surveillance for Recurrent Bladder Cancer Using a Point-of-Care Proteomic Assay. JAMA. 2006;295:299-305.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/URItheFlu/dh/2510 CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Jan. 18 - Salt water, one of the world's most plentiful commodities, can improve mucus clearance and lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis -- a goal that has eluded the pharmaceutical industry. A pair of studies from researchers here and a team in Sydney, Australia, provided clinical evidence that inhaled hypertonic saline at least twice a day can reduce pulmonary exacerbations by 56% (P=0.02), accelerate mucus clearance, and improve lung function. Moreover, the finding, published in the Jan. 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, provided clinical proof that re-hydration of the lungs is a key factor in improving mucus clearance, a theory that has been hotly debated among cystic fibrosis researchers The researchers here, led by Scott H. Donaldson, M.D., of the University of North Carolina, conducted a small study in 24 patients with cystic fibrosis, while the study in Australia carried those findings in a larger clinical trial of 164 patients with stable disease who were treated for 48 weeks. The Australian trial was led by Peter T.P. Bye, Ph.D., of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, for the National Hypertonic Saline in Cystic Fibrosis Study Group. In the North Carolina study, patients were randomized to treatment with inhaled hypertonic saline (5 ml of 7% sodium chloride) four times a day with or without pre-treatment with amiloride. Mucus clearance and lung function were measured at baseline and throughout the 14-day treatment. Treatment with hypertonic saline alone resulted in at least eight hours of sustained mucus clearance (P=0.02), compared with patients pretreated with amiloride, and increased 24-hour rates of mucus clearance. Hypertonic saline treatment also improved forced expiratory volume in one second from baseline with a mean increase of 6.62% (95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 11.7; P=0.02) and improved forced vital capacity, while decreasing respiratory symptoms. In the Australian study, 164 patients ages six or older with stable cystic fibrosis were randomized to 4 ml of 7% hypertonic saline or 4 ml of 0.9% saline twice daily for 48 weeks. There were no significant differences in the rates of change of forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume at one second, and forced expiratory flow at 25% to 75% of forced vital capacity, but there was a significant improvement in absolute lung function (P=0.03). The patients in the hypertonic saline group not only had significantly fewer pulmonary exacerbations, they also had had a higher percentage of patients who reported no exacerbations during the study. It was 76%, versus 62% in the control group (P=0.03). That such a cheap treatment should prove so effective stunned even the researchers. "What is really surprising is that this is the exact opposite of our hypothesis," said Dr. Donaldson. Dr. Donaldson and colleagues have been investigating the mechanism of cystic fibrosis infections for years. "The hypothesis that we were working on involved ion transport abnormalities," he said. "We believed that there was too little fluid on top of the airway surfaces and this impaired the ability of the lungs to clear mucus." But he and his colleagues did not think that hypertonic saline by itself would provide a sustained hydration effect in the lungs, so they hypothesized that they needed a second drug-amiloride-to sustain the hydration effect of inhaled 7% sodium chloride. "We found exactly the opposite. The patients who received just the hypertonic saline got all the benefit, while the patients who underwent pre-treatment with amiloride had no improvement," Dr. Donaldson said in an interview. "We were blown away by this finding and it sent us scurrying back to the lab where we discovered a novel property of amiloride-it blocked water transport from the blood. So while this isn't what we expected, it has taught us a great deal about volume response to hypertonic saline." Gail Weinmann, M.D., director of the Airway Biology and Disease Program at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, added, "What is really exciting from a research prospective is that this research draws on a theory that was hotly debated and has translated it into the clinical trial setting." In an editorial that accompanied the studies, Felix Ratjen, M.D., Ph.D., of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto rehashed some of that hot debate and noted that many questions remain. But Dr. Ratjen concluded, "In the meantime, hypertonic saline offers a new treatment strategy for patients and brings us closer to targeting the underlying abnormality, rather than the consequences of defective mucociliary clearance." Dr. Weinmann added that the enthusiasm for the finding needs to be tempered since "more clinical trials are needed to determine how well this treatment is tolerated." David Taylor, M.D., a professor of medicine at Louisiana State University and a pulmonologist at the Ochsner Clinic, said it may be difficult to dampen the enthusiasm once these results are widely circulated. He said, "It is not very often that you can find a cheap study that offers the potential to make a difference in the outcome of a disease that begins early in life and carries a very high morbidity and mortality." Dr. Taylor was not involved in the research. Dr. Taylor estimated that cystic fibrosis patients are hospitalized for exacerbations about once a year, "so cutting that rate in half is very, very significant." But he predicted that translating the finding into clinical practice may be difficult, ironically, "just because it is so cheap." He could not "imagine that any drug company is going to get enthusiastic about producing hypertonic saline." Dr. Donaldson agreed. "That is an issue," he said, "but 3% saline is made and 10% saline is made, and it is relatively straightforward to mix these in a 50-50 mixture to achieve very close to 7%." Meanwhile, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is working to get a 7% solution made. Another problem, said Dr. Taylor, is compliance. He noted that in the Australian study compliance with treatment was only 63%. Dr. Donaldson that one barrier to compliance was the length of time needed-15 minutes for each treatment. "We are working to improve delivery to perhaps three or four minutes and ultimately less than one minute," he said. Or if the hypertonic saline cannot be adapted for a more patient-friendly delivery, he added, "we may be able to use something other than salt to achieve the same effect. For example there is now a pilot study with mannitol, which is a dry powder that has the potential for quick delivery." Both studies received funding from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the North Carolina study received additional support from the National Institutes of Health, while the study in Sydney was also funded by the Australian Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust and the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia. Primary source: The New England Journal of Medicine Source reference: Elkins MR et al "A Controlled Trial of Long-Term Inhaled Hypertonic Saline in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis" N Engl J Med 2006; 354:229-40 Additional source: The New England Journal of Medicine Source reference: Donaldson SH eta l "Mucus Clearance and Lung Function inCystic Fibrosis with Hypertonic Saline" N. Engl J Med 2006;354:241-50 Additional source: The New England Journal of Medicine Source reference: Ratjen F "Restoring Airway Surface Liquid in Cystic Fibrosis" N Engl J Med 2006; 354:291-92

ask someone to show both of you how to "quarter the slider." quartering the slider allows it to do its job (which is to slow down the opening). also, make sure the slider grommets remain firm against the slider stops on the canopy up to and including its insertion into the d-bag.

not sure about prices (between $10 to 15/night i think) but the # to the dz is 800-404-9399 ask for pip or judy. email [email protected]

z toy box ( i know you want us to choose from the list, but i didn't get to contribute on-site )

yeah rick. where the hell were you?? the dives were fun and you were definitely missed on them. oren, i still think that phantom's pic should hang in the . he has to have a toothpick in his mouth, though. i just hope everyone respects the bldg enough to not trash the place out. it's an awesome new pad that i am super stoked about. it's always cool seeing everyone at the dz pull together to make something good for the dz itself - like Lake Mottski. thanks TK!

in no particular order: Z Lounge TKs Where's Theo? or Theo's pad the Playroom Concourse Z (thanks TK and staff for a great weekend!) a

bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch she's a stupid bitch! kyle's mom's a bitch and she's just a dirty biiiiiiiiitch. kyle's mom is a biiiiiotchhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaa.

then on sunday just to be different she's a super King Kamehameha biotchhh! edited to change the words to reflect what they really are, not just what i think they sound like. (thanks rebecca!)

i do this drive almost every weekend. :) the route with the least amount of navigating is to take I-4 to state road 98 (exit 32). make a right. travel ~16 miles just past the junction of 98/471. 1.5 miles after that, turn LEFT onto 54. at the light, turn LEFT onto chancey rd. 1.5 miles on the right you'll see the sign. an alternate to that after getting onto I-4 would be to take the 417 (toll) in sanford to bypass orlando proper. it spits you back out just south of orlando at disney. continue to exit 32. --------------------------- the quickest way. take 44 west out of deland towards eustis. (~26 miles) turn left onto 44B towards 441. (~2 miles) at traffic light, turn right onto 441. (travel ~7 miles) at traffic light, turn left onto 19 towards tavares. (~12 miles) at the T just over the lake at mission inn, turn left. DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT. howey-in-the-hills is a speed trap! travel on 19 until you get into a town called groveland (~15 miles). turn RIGHT onto 50 (~15 miles) turn LEFT at the light onto 471. this is a 22-mile stretch you can drive really fast on. ;) at the end, turn right onto 98 (go ~1.5 miles) turn LEFT (at the tower) onto 54. (go ~6 miles) at the traffic light turn LEFT onto chancey rd. (go ~1.5 miles) turn RIGHT at the skydive city sign. hope this helps!

here's a little bump up AND a reminder: to those that will be going to zhills for the PMS boogie, please bring a toy to put into the Toys for Tots box. :) help out some kids while attending a kick ass boogie. :) see ya there! a

hey all you freaks!! just a quick reminder - if you get to zhills before christmas, please bring a new toy to put into the Toys for Tots box located at manifest. Zhills kicked ASS last year with a huge outpouring of toys, so let's try to do the same this year!! :) big thanks to skydive city for being a host to a worthy cause...again. :) (back to your regularly scheduled program...)

whassssssssup kev! hahaha! i know not what you speak of. are you guys gonna make it down for the new years boogie? big hug and kiss to you both! (dave, i just totally hijacked your thread ...

some things never change, eh jim? (how've ya been, darlin?) a p.s. dave, it could be worse - it could be ME having insomnia. pssssst. that's what ambien is for.

and the complete title: CBGB OMFUG country, bluegrass and blues and other music for uplifting gormandizers. went there a few times starting in the 90s. the place is a shithole, but i love it. :) it has so much character. it'd be a shame for them to have to move. a

bee gees (the B G G on the bldg)

guns and roses alice in chains matchbox 20 red hot chili peppers blind melon... blur... tool black flag the cars garbage sweet! white zombie is there too! :) the pixies (pink) velvet revolver (nice one!) butthole surfers? (the surfers are there, anyway)

oh HELL yeah!! gotta love it when the DZ fireworks will show up anything the county has to offer. bring it ON! time to blow up some perfectly good shit. i'll see some of you folks out there during the day for sure...

hey, you guys take it easy on the fireworks display. johnny gates has done this for years and puts his heart and soul into it. the one that we had in memory of Ron was pretty bad ass. if the NY dude does this professionally, then that'd be outstanding!

from the sunpath website: Container Type Reserve Canopy (With) Microline Main Canopy (With) Microline Main Airlock (With) Microline Cross Brace 21 Cell (With)Microline/Vectran RSK 106 – 120 ZP up to 100 70 - 79 RSK.5 106 – 120 ZP up to 107 89 80 - 85 RSK1 106 – 120 ZP up to 120 97 – 103 86 - 96 NJK 113 – 120 ZP up to 120 107 96 - 103 TJNK 126 – 135 ZP up to 139 120 103 - 120 TJNK.5 126 – 135 ZP up to 150 135 121 - 135 OJK 143 – 150 ZP up to 139 120 103 - 120 J1KS 143 – 150 ZP up to 150 135 – 150 (tight) 121 – 135 JIKL 143 – 150 ZP up to 170 170 J2K reserve canopy w/microline: 160 – Raven I main canopy w/microline: ZP up to 150 main airlock w/microline: 135 – 150 (tight) crossbrace: 121 - 135 J3K 160 – Raven I ZP up to 170 170 J4K 176 – Raven II ZP up to 190 J4.5K 193 – Raven II ZP up to 210 J5K 218 ZP up to 240 J6NK 235 – Raven III ZP up to 260 J7NK 253 – Raven IV ZP up to 280 J8K 281 ZP up to 300

now THAT is funny. you obviously don't know either one of these girls. their comments are made as skydivers, not employees....

the reserves (PR series) made in honduras go thru their final inspection here in deland...

have a raffle in your area. ask local merchants if they would like to donate coupons or certificates for their food/services/etc. add to this things that you and your family have made/cooked/baked. whatever. people will pay $1 for a ticket if they might win something. make sure there are alot of prizes to raffle off, too. people love to win things. a friend of mind said she raised $3000 with a basket raffle. same idea sorta - make gift baskets with pretty ribbons etc and make the baskets "worth" be $40, $50, $100, whatever amount. think $50 massage gift cert + $15 product from the spa. theme baskets. you can either raffle or auction these off. ask your friends to help you make these. hell, people are always making scrapbooks or creating some woodwork masterpiece or painting stuff. think of your friends that might do this sort of thing and see if they'd be willing to donate something that they put their heart and soul into. those gifts are great. car wash was mentioned. depending on where you live you can do a dunking booth thingy or a car smash (hit the car with a sledge hammer for $1). if you're friends with a local wine bar, host a wine tasting. this took some effort but it was very much worth it. make sure to have food available (cheeses, fruits, dips, etc). whatever you do, be creative best of luck to you... blues, a

congrats to everyone!! what an outstanding accomplishment....TWICE!!! CRWdogs rock...and you scare me. with much respect (for your record), arlo

check with solly. he rents out his teamhouse to folks for weeks at a time. call the dz for his info.... PM me for his email.