Obinutuzumab in Rituximab-resistant and recurrent membranous nephropathy: a case-series.

Background: Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults, with high risk of progression to end-stage kidney disease when untreated. Rituximab is commonly used in its treatment however many patients do not respond. Obinutuzumab is a novel anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody for which there is increasing observational evidence in treatment-resistant membranous nephropathy.

Maternal, paternal, and dual-parental alcohol exposures result in both overlapping and distinct impacts on behavior in adolescent offspring.

Emerging research reveals that alcohol use by fathers before conception can affect the growth and development of their offspring. Here, we used a C57BL/6J mouse model to study the effects of alcohol exposure on the behavior of the first-generation (F1) offspring, comparing the impacts of alcohol exposure by mothers, fathers, and both parents. Our goal was to determine how alcohol exposure by each parent or both parents influences the behavior of the offspring.

The effect of manual therapy on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion: A pilot crossover randomized trial.

Introduction: Restricted ankle dorsiflexion is common after lower limb injury. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effect of passive ankle joint mobilization and calf muscle massage on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in adults with residual restricted dorsiflexion. The secondary aim was to assess the methodology of the pilot study to inform a larger clinical trial.

Increased STAT expression in Reed-Sternberg cells as a potential positive prognostication biomarker in Hodgkin lymphoma.

Classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) prognostication primarily relies on clinical and radiological factors. Despite this, a subset of patients still progress. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) based biomarkers on diagnostic tissue have not been routinely used for prognostication.

Peritesticular scarring: An unusual presentation of hemophilia B.

Hemophilia is an inherited clotting disorder that typically presents as spontaneous hemorrhage or prolonged, excessive bleeding following minor trauma. Abnormalities of the genitourinary tract are a rare manifestation of the disease. Here, we report a case of undiagnosed hemophilia B in a teenage boy presenting with worsening testicular pain and a dumbbell-shaped testis.

Noninvasive Assessment of Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease of the Gastrointestinal Tract After Allogeneic Hemopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Using F-FDG PET.

Acute graft-versus-host disease of the gastrointestinal tract (acute GIT-GVHD) often complicates allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). F-FDG PET/CT is known to detect active inflammation and may be a useful noninvasive test for acute GIT-GVHD. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of F-FDG PET/CT to noninvasively assess patients with clinically suspected acute GIT-GVHD.

Oncological outcomes after piecemeal endoscopic mucosal resection of large non-pedunculated colorectal polyps with covert submucosal invasive cancer.

Objective: Management of covert submucosal invasive cancer (SMIC) discovered after piecemeal endoscopic mucosal resection (pEMR) of large (>20 mm) non-pedunculated colorectal polyps is challenging. The residual cancer risk is largely unknown. We sought to evaluate this in a large tertiary referral cohort.

Continuous Diffusion of Oxygen Adjunct Therapy to Improve Scar Reduction After Cervicotomy - A Proof of Concept Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Dressing materials are known to influence post-operative surgical wound healing and scar formation (SF). A particular dressing that could promote wound hydration is essential to ensure quick epithelialization and reduce SF. This study examined the effectiveness of a novel Continuous Diffusion of Oxygen (CDO) dressing to reduce scar length post cervicotomy.

The impact of incomplete clinical information and initial biopsy technique on the histopathological diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma.

Background/objectives: Increased rates of histopathological misdiagnosis of melanoma have been associated with incisional punch more so than shave biopsy when compared with complete excisional biopsy. It is unknown how the increasing utilisation of shave biopsy may impact melanoma diagnosis. The extent to which the provision of clinical information to the pathologist may improve diagnostic accuracy remains unclear.

The Reliability and Accuracy of Endoscopic Items and Scores Used in the Assessment of the Ileoanal Pouch and Cuff.

Background And Aims: Currently used endoscopic items for the assessment of pouchitis and cuffitis have deficiencies in reliability and validation. We assessed the reliability and accuracy of new endoscopic items for pouchitis and of the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity [UCEIS] for cuffitis.

Methods: Three new endoscopic items were assessed and included in the Monash pouchitis endoscopic subscore: bleeding [absent/contact/spontaneous]; erosions [absent/<10/≥10]; and ulceration [absent/<10%/≥10%].

Accuracy of Gastrointestinal Ultrasound and Calprotectin in the Assessment of Inflammation and its Location in Patients with an Ileoanal Pouch.

Background And Aims: In symptomatic patients with ileoanal pouches, pouchoscopy is needed for accurate diagnosis but is invasive. We aimed to assess the utility of non-invasive gastrointestinal ultrasound and faecal calprotectin in ileoanal pouch patients.

Methods: Patients with an ileoanal pouch were consecutively enrolled in this cross-sectional study from clinics in Victoria, Australia.

Effect of Workstation Type on the Relationship Between Fatigue, Physical Activity, Stress, and Sleep.

Objective: This study examined office workstation types' impact on the relationship between fatigue and three health metrics: physical activity, stress, and sleep quality.

Methods: Data from 225 office workers were collected for perceived fatigue, perceived sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), physiological stress response (standard deviation of heart rate variability [HRV]), and physical activity (total activity in minutes) during three consecutive workdays. Stress and physical activity were measured using chest-worn sensors.

Successful treatment of HIV-associated lupus-like glomerulonephritis with mycophenolic acid.

HIV-associated lupus-like glomerulonephritis is an uncommon but well-described entity. Treatment has traditionally focused on control of HIV viremia with some using adjuvant steroids. Mycophenolic acid may prove to be a novel, nonsteroid, therapy in patients with active glomerulonephritis despite control of the underlying infection.

Safe administration of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in a patient with pre-existing primary biliary cholangitis.

A 63-year-old female presented with cholestatic liver function tests in November 2016. Screening tests were negative for other causes and liver biopsy revealed primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) overlap. Ursodeoxycholic acid and azathioprine was initiated.

Insulinoma presenting with post-prandial hypoglycaemia following fundoplication.

Unlabelled: Insulinomas are rare neuroendocrine tumours that classically present with fasting hypoglycaemia. This case report discusses an uncommon and challenging case of insulinoma soon after upper gastrointestinal surgery. A 63-year-old man presented with 6 months of post-prandial hypoglycaemia beginning after a laparoscopic revision of Toupet fundoplication.

The effect of ambient lighting on Laser Doppler Imaging of a standardized cutaneous injury model.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential confounding effects of four different types of ambient lighting on the results of Laser Doppler Imaging (LDI) of a standardized cutaneous injury model.

Methods: After applying a mechanical stimulus to the anterior forearm of a healthy volunteer and inducing a wheal and arteriolar flare (the Triple response), we used a Laser Doppler Line Scanner (LDLS) to image the forearm under four different types of ambient lighting: light-emitting-diode (LED), compact fluorescent lighting (CFL), halogen, daylight, and darkness as a control. A spectrometer was used to measure the intensity of light energy at 785 nm, the wavelength used by the scanner for measurement under each type of ambient lighting.

Neutrophil macroaggregates promote widespread pulmonary thrombosis after gut ischemia.

Gut ischemia is common in critically ill patients, promoting thrombosis and inflammation in distant organs. The mechanisms linking hemodynamic changes in the gut to remote organ thrombosis remain ill-defined. We demonstrate that gut ischemia in the mouse induces a distinct pulmonary thrombotic disorder triggered by neutrophil macroaggregates.

Targeting Activated Platelets: A Unique and Potentially Universal Approach for Cancer Imaging.

The early detection of primary tumours and metastatic disease is vital for successful therapy and is contingent upon highly specific molecular markers and sensitive, non-invasive imaging techniques. We hypothesized that the accumulation of activated platelets within tumours is a general phenomenon and thus represents a novel means for the molecular imaging of cancer. Here we investigate a unique single chain antibody (scFv), which specifically targets activated platelets, as a novel biotechnological tool for molecular imaging of cancer.

Isavuconazole as salvage therapy for mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis carries a high mortality rate with few therapeutic options available. We describe a man with pulmonary/splenic mucormycosis complicating hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome on a background of chronic kidney disease, who achieved a complete response with salvage isavuconazole therapy following intolerance of consecutive courses of liposomal amphotericin and posaconazole therapy.

Cardiac remodelling identified by cardiovascular magnetic resonance in patients with hepatitis C infection and liver disease.

Chronic cardiac dysfunction in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) in the absence of alcohol consumption or other cardiac disease is well described. Whilst functional and morphological features of this condition remain unclear, diastolic dysfunction has been implicated by echocardiography. We aimed to evaluate myocardial structure, function and tissue composition with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in patients with hepatitis C and histological evidence of liver disease on biopsy.

PAX5-expressing ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma with extensive extranodal and nodal involvement.

A 55-year-old man with a history of well controlled HIV infection was admitted with acute renal impairment, peripheral oedema, constitutional symptoms, deranged liver function and hypercalcaemia. Core biopsies of a retroperitoneal mass demonstrated anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with unusual Paired box 5 (PAX5) positivity. The same malignant cells were identifiable on urine cytology.