Title: Seminars in Nephrology

Title: Seminars in Nephrology

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? Faber, M.D., Kupin, W.L., Heilig, C.W. and Narins, R.G. (1994), Common fluid-electrolyte and acid-base-problems in the intensive-care unit-selected issues. Seminars in Nephrology, 14 (1), 8-22.

Keywords: Central Pontine Myelinolysis, Rapid Correction, Lactic-Acidosis, Magnesium-Deficiency, Parathyroid-Hormone, Organic Osmolytes, Critical Illness, Hyponatremia, Brain, Hypomagnesemia

Title: Seminars in Nuclear Medicine

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Notes: highly cited

? Metz, C.E. (1978), Basic principles of roc analysis. Seminars in Nuclear Medicine, 8 (4), 283-298.

Full Text: 1960-80\Sem Nuc Med8, 283.pdf

Abstract: The limitations of diagnostic “accuracy” as a measure of decision performance require introduction of the concepts of the “sensitivity” and “specificity” of a diagnostic test. These measures and the related indices, “true positive fraction” and “false positive fraction”, are more meaningful than “accuracy”, yet do not provide a unique description of diagnostic performance because they depend on the arbitrary selection of a decision threshold. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is shown to be a simple yet complete empirical description of this decision threshold effect, indicating all possible combinations of the relative frequencies of the various kinds of correct and incorrect decisions. Practical experimental techniques for measuring ROC curves are described, and the issues of case selection and curve-fitting are discussed briefly. Possible generalizations of conventional ROC analysis to account for decision performance in complex diagnostic tasks are indicated. ROC analysis is shown to be related in a direct and natural way to cost/benefit analysis of diagnostic decision making. The concepts of “average diagnostic cost” and “average net benefit” are developed and used to identify the optimal compromise among various kinds of diagnostic error. Finally, the way in which ROC analysis can be employed to optimize diagnostic strategies is suggested.

Title: Seminars in Oncology

ISO Abbreviated Title: Semin. Oncol.

JCR Abbreviated Title: Semin Oncol

ISSN: 0093-7754

Issues/Year: 6

Journal Country United States

Language: English

Publisher: W B Saunders Co

Publisher Address: Independence Square West Curtis Center, Ste 300, Philadelphia, PA 19106-339

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Oncology: Impact Factor

? Dayal, H. and Kinman, J. (1983), Epidemiology of kidney cancer. Seminars in Oncology, 10 (4), 366-377.

Abstract: Renal-cell carcinoma usually affects those over 40 years old, and, in any age group, the disease occurs about twice as frequently among men as it does among women. The incidence of the disease has been steadily increasing over the years. In the United States, the probability of surviving after diagnosis of renal cancer has been improving since 1940 regardless of race, sex, and age at diagnosis. The relationship between SES and the chance of developing the disease is sporadic with an indication of a slightly higher risk in the upper socioeconomic classes. Urbanrural comparisons consistently suggest that a higher risk is associated with urban residence. Tobacco use is probably the only environmental factor that could be considered to be etiologically related to cancer of the kidney. A variety of studies point to a moderate but consistent association with tobacco use in the form of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking. The excess of the disease in males compared to females and the lower incidence in Mormons may partly be due to the confounding effect of smoking. Dietary vitamin A or vitamin A supplements may have an antipromoting effect in the development of kidney cancer. Hypotheses implicating fat and/or cholesterol intake in the etiology of cancer of the kidney appear to be too tenuous. The evidence of a relationship between concentrations of certain trace metals in drinking water and incidence of renal cancer is weak. Similarly, there is no strong indication of an increased risk among individuals exposed to radiation. In general, with the exception of the observation of an unusually high risk among coke-oven workers, occupational studies have not identified any high-risk groups. Familial aggregation, though rare, occurs with peculiar disease characteristics that may predict similar cancers in the proband’s relatives with a high degree of accuracy. In conclusion, the etiology of cancer of the kidney is poorly understood. The descriptive epidemiology of the disease provides some interesting insights into the correlates of the distribution of the disease. (abstract truncated at 400 words)

? Dorr, R.T. (1991), Chemoprotectants for cancer chemotherapy. Seminars in Oncology, 18 (1) Supp l 2, 48-58.

Abstract: Maximal dosing of cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs is often limited by the development of severe nonmyelosuppressive toxicities. Numerous studies have demonstrated that sulfur-containing nucleophiles can antagonize the dose-limiting effects of alkylating agents on the genitourinary tract. Examples include the use of sodium thiosulfate to prevent cisplatin-induced renal tubular necrosis and the use of sulfhydryl-containing compounds like N-acetylcysteine and 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (mesna) to block oxazophosphorine-induced bladder toxicity. Mesna does not block the antitumor action of oxazophosphorines due to its rapid formation of the inactive dimer dimesna in the bloodstream. The active monomer is selectively reduced from dimesna in renal tubule cells, thereby limiting the inactivation of toxins like acrolein to the genitourinary tract. Recent clinical trials suggest that oral mesna has adequate bioavailability (roughly 50% by urinary thiol measurements) to prevent urotoxicity in high-dose ifosfamide regimens. In addition, mesna is stable in aqueous oral formulations. This may facilitate more convenient oral mesna dosing in protocols using high-dose cyclophosphamide or ifosfamide. Whereas agents like mesna and sodium thiosulfate complex directly with activated (electrophilic) alkylator species, chemoprotectants for the anthracyclines appear to complex with metal cofactors like iron, which are required for the production of cardiotoxicity. Several ethylenediaminetetraacetic-like agents have been evaluated, and a water-soluble piperazinyl derivative, ICRF-187, is currently undergoing clinical evaluation in patients receiving large cumulative doxorubicin doses. An initial clinical trial suggests that ICRF-187 can prevent doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy. As with mesna, ICRF-187 does not block the myelosuppressive or the antitumor effects of doxorubicin. Overall, these studies show that site-selective chemoprotection is now feasible for at least two major classes of anticancer agents.