The clinical diagnosis of a mass in the neck region encompasses a wide spectrum of differential diagnosis. Fine-needle aspiration is a quick and safe technique, which can provide useful information for initial assessment and further therapeutic measures. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the performance characteristics of the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in cystic neck lesions. Of 142 patients with FNA for cystic neck masses during 2002-2007, 92 cases were selected with a follow-up histologic diagnosis, excluding the cystic colloid nodule of the thyroid. The cases were divided into salivary gland cystic neck (37 patients) and non-salivary cystic neck (55 patients) mass groups. False-positive and false-negative diagnoses were applied only to the malignant lesions after confirmation by histopathology. In the first group, nine malignant and 28 benign diagnoses were made by FNA; of which three were false-negative. In the second group, there were nine malignant and 46 benign diagnoses with three false negatives. The overall performance of the FNA showed 76% sensitivity and 100% specificity. In conclusion, FNA of the cystic neck lesions offers an invaluable and highly specific initial diagnostic approach for the management of the patients.

Changing economic times and government policies are reshaping the way the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides services nationwide; there is both a growing demand for housing and a desire to help families become self-sufficient. In this study, the authors examined factors that contribute to increased socioeconomic mobility through the lens of family resilience. Analyzing cross-sectional data from 411 families in the San Bernardino County HUD District using discriminant function analysis, results of this study show strong preliminary evidence that certain components of family resilience predict whether an individual head of household will have full-time employment. The results of this study provide implications for social service programs aimed at socioeconomic mobility.

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