This continuing series gathers and presents original research results on the leading edge of medicine and biology. Each article has been carefully selected in an attempt to present substantial topical data across a broad spectrum. Topics discussed in this compilation include the effects of traditional Chinese medicine in insomnia treatment; combined cardiac surgery and liver transplantation; Hepatitis A vaccination in HIV-infected persons; urinary ascites; primary and secondary tumours of synovial joints, bursae and tendon sheats and innovations in anaemia in chronic kidney disease patients.