Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Associated with Increased Home Discharge Rates in Geriatric Patients with Cervical Disc Herniation Compared to Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Introduction: Cervical disc herniation often necessitates surgery in elderly patients when nonoperative treatments fail. This study compares discharge outcomes of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) vs. posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF) in geriatric patients.

Molecular profile and clinical outcome of adult primary spinal cord glioblastoma: a systematic review.

Objective: Primary spinal cord glioblastoma (scGB) is a rare and aggressive spinal glioma, making up 7.5% of such cases. Whereas molecular profiles associated with improved overall survival (OS) are well studied for cranial glioblastoma (GB), the molecular characteristics of scGB are less documented.

Structure-Activity Relationship of a Pyrrole Based Series of PfPKG Inhibitors as Anti-Malarials.

Controlling malaria requires new drugs against . The cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PfPKG) is a validated target whose inhibitors could block multiple steps of the parasite's life cycle. We defined the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of a pyrrole series for PfPKG inhibition.

Age is just a number: The role of advanced age in predicting complications following ventral hernia repair with component separation.

Background: While advanced age is often considered a risk factor for complications following abdominal surgery, its impact on outcomes after complex open ventral hernia repair (VHR) with component separation technique (CST) remains unclear.

Methods: A single-center retrospective review of patients who VHR with CST from November 2008 to January 2022 was performed and cohorts were stratified by presence of advanced age (≥60 years).

Results: Of 219 patients who underwent VHR with CST, 114 patients (52.

Outcomes of Immediate Multistaged Abdominal Wall Reconstruction of Infected Mesh: Predictors of Surgical Site Complications and Hernia Recurrence.

Background: Mesh infection is one of the most devastating complications after ventral hernia repair. To date, no clear consensus exists on the optimal timing of definitive abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) after excision of infected mesh. We evaluated outcomes of immediate multistaged AWR in patients with mesh infection.

Identification of covalent fragment inhibitors for Plasmodium falciparum UCHL3 with anti-malarial efficacy.

Malaria continues to be a major burden on global health, responsible for 619,000 deaths in 2021. The causative agent of malaria is the eukaryotic parasite Plasmodium. Resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), the current first-line treatment for malaria, has emerged in Asia, South America, and more recently Africa, where >90% of all malaria-related deaths occur.

Abdominal wall intramuscular desmoid fibromatosis: a case report.

Desmoid tumors are rare benign myofibroblastic neoplasms that do not have metastatic potential. In this study, we report a case of a desmoid tumor in the left rectus abdominis muscle of a female patient. Computed tomography, abdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging were obtained preoperatively.

Trends in environmental monitoring of high explosives present in soil/sediment/groundwater using LC-MS/MS.

Environmental contamination by explosives occurs due to improper handling and disposal procedures. Explosives and their transformation products pose threat to human health and the ecosystem. Trace level detection of explosives present in different environmental matrices is a challenge, due to the interference caused by matrix components and the presence of cocontaminants.

Resource management: ways to sustain the environmental gains of COVID-19 lockdown.

Natural resources are under constant exploitation due to industrialization and urbanization. Ecological disturbance caused by over exploitation of resources is one of the possible reasons for the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the highly infectious nature of this disease, countries across the world have taken self-imposed isolation measures such as lockdown, quarantine, curfew, etc.

Characterization of Competitive Inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase.

Plasmodium falciparum cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PfPKG) is an enticing antimalarial drug target. Novel chemotypes are needed because existing inhibitors have safety issues that may prevent further development. This work demonstrates isoxazole-based compounds are potent ATP competitive inhibitors of PfPKG and discloses a new analogue in this series.

Discovery of Imidazole-Based Inhibitors of cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase.

The discovery of new targets for the treatment of malaria, in particular those aimed at the pre-erythrocytic stage in the life cycle, advanced with the demonstration that orally administered inhibitors of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PfPKG) could clear infection in a murine model. This enthusiasm was tempered by unsatisfactory safety and/or pharmacokinetic issues found with these chemotypes. To address the urgent need for new scaffolds, this paper presents initial structure-activity relationships in an imidazole scaffold at four positions, representative ADME, hERG characterization, and cell-based antiparasitic activity.

cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase - A Novel Chemotherapeutic Target.

The primary effector of cGMP signaling in is the cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). Work in human-infective and rodent-infective has provided biological validation of PKG (PfPKG) as a drug target for treating and/or protecting against malaria. PfPKG is essential in the asexual erythrocytic and sexual cycles as well as the pre-erythrocytic cycle.

Overlapping and distinct roles of CDPK family members in the pre-erythrocytic stages of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei.

Invasion of hepatocytes by Plasmodium sporozoites initiates the pre-erythrocytic step of a malaria infection. Subsequent development of the parasite within hepatocytes and exit from them is essential for starting the disease-causing erythrocytic cycle. Identification of signaling pathways that operate in pre-erythrocytic stages provides insight into a critical step of infection and potential targets for chemoprotection from malaria.

A novel egg shell-based bio formulation for remediation of RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) contaminated soil.

Environmental contamination by secondary explosive has been posing threat to human health and the ecosystem. We investigated the potential of a novel bioformulation developed from poultry waste for the bioremediation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) contaminated soils. Eggshells and additives immobilized with an indigenous explosive degrading microbe Janibacter cremeus were utilized for the development of the wettable powder bioformulation.

A Plasmodium homolog of ER tubule-forming proteins is required for parasite virulence.

Reticulon and REEP family of proteins stabilize the high curvature of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) tubules. Plasmodium berghei Yop1 (PbYop1) is a REEP5 homolog in Plasmodium. Here, we characterize its function using a gene-knockout (Pbyop1∆).

Incisional Hernias After Major Abdominal Operations: Analysis Within a Large Health Care System.

Background: This will be the largest multi-institutional study looking at incidence of and duration to symptomatic hernia formation for major abdominal operations separated by malignant and benign disease process.

Methods: An IRB-approved retrospective study within the MedStar Hospital database was conducted, incorporating all isolated colectomy, hepatectomy, pancreatectomy, and gastrectomy procedures between the years 2002 and 2016. All patients were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes for relevant procedures, and then separated based on malignant or benign etiology.

- Coinfection.

The incidence and geographic distribution of human babesiosis is growing in the U.S. Its major causative agent is the protozoan parasite, .

Protozoan Parasite Subverts Adaptive Immunity and Enhances Lyme Disease Severity.

Lyme disease is the most prominent tick-borne disease in the United States. Co-infections with the tick-transmitted pathogens and sensu stricto are becoming a serious health problem. is an extracellular spirochete that causes Lyme disease while is a protozoan that infects erythrocytes and causes babesiosis.

Outcomes using indocyanine green angiography with perforator-sparing component separation technique for abdominal wall reconstruction.

Background: Usage of intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) to assess skin flaps prior to abdominal wall closure has been shown to decrease postoperative wound-related complications. Primary outcome assessed is the utility of ICG in intraoperative decision making. Secondary outcomes analyzed are the incidence of surgical site occurrence (SSO) and hernia recurrence rates.

Investigating disease severity in an animal model of concurrent babesiosis and Lyme disease.

The incidence of babesiosis, Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases has increased steadily in Europe and North America during the last five decades. Babesia microti is transmitted by species of Ixodes, the same ticks that transmit the Lyme disease-causing spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. B.