Patient-Reported Experiences after Acute Kidney Injury across Multiple Health-Related Quality-of-Life Domains.

Background: Investigations of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in AKI have been limited in number, size, and domains assessed. We surveyed AKI survivors to describe the range of HRQoL AKI-related experiences and examined potential differences in AKI effects by sex and age at AKI episode.

Methods: AKI survivors among American Association of Kidney Patients completed an anonymous online survey in September 2020.

Upregulation of mitochondrial ATPase inhibitory factor 1 (ATPIF1) mediates increased glycolysis in mouse hearts.

In hypertrophied and failing hearts, fuel metabolism is reprogrammed to increase glucose metabolism, especially glycolysis. This metabolic shift favors biosynthetic function at the expense of ATP production. Mechanisms responsible for the switch are poorly understood.

Protocol update for a randomised controlled feasibility trial of exercise rehabilitation for people with postural tachycardia syndrome: the PULSE study.

Background: The PULSE (PostUraL tachycardia Syndrome Exercise) study is a randomised controlled trial assessing the feasibility of conducting a multicentre RCT testing supervised exercise rehabilitation with behavioural and motivational support, compared to best-practice usual care, for people with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS). The original trial protocol was published in BMC Pilot & Feasibility Studies (accessible at https://doi.org/10.

Double Jeopardy Injuries: Improved Clinical Outcomes With FAST Imaging and Subxiphoid Pericardial Window for Combined Cardiac and Abdominal Stab Wounds.

Background: This study reviews our experience with combined cardiac and abdominal stab wounds over 12 years and reviews how changes in technology and clinical approaches have impacted our management of these patients.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 2008 to January 2020 at a major trauma centre in South Africa. All patients with concurrent SWs to the chest and the abdomen and required both a thoracotomy for cardiac injury and a laparotomy for an intra-abdominal injury at the same setting were included.

Malingering of Psychotic Symptoms in Psychiatric Settings: Theoretical Aspects and Clinical Considerations.

Malingering is the intentional production of false or grossly exaggerated physical or psychological symptoms motivated by external incentives. Although the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) does not list malingering in its diagnostic section and therefore does not identify it as a formal mental disorder, malingering and verified mental illness commonly coexist. Some subtypes of feigning behaviors, such as partial or pure malingering, dissimulation, and false imputation, can be suspected when patients have marked discrepancies between reported stressors and objective findings.

Thoracic low grade glial neoplasm with concurrent H3 K27M and PTPN11 mutations.

We present the case of a 41-year-old man who developed worsening mid-thoracic back pain and imaging revealed a well-circumscribed intramedullary tumor in the thoracic spinal cord. Subtotal resection was performed, and histopathological analysis showed a cytologically bland, minimally proliferative glial neoplasm. Sequencing revealed H3 K27M and an activating PTPN11 mutation.

AXL regulates neuregulin1 expression leading to cetuximab resistance in head and neck cancer.

Background: The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed and an important therapeutic target in Head and Neck cancer (HNC). Cetuximab is currently the only EGFR-targeting agent approved by the FDA for treatment of HNC; however, intrinsic and acquired resistance to cetuximab is a major problem in the clinic. Our lab previously reported that AXL leads to cetuximab resistance via activation of HER3.

Prospective Study of PET/MRI Tumor Response During Chemoradiotherapy for Patients With Low-risk and Intermediate-risk p16-positive Oropharynx Cancer.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine tumor response with positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during chemoradiotherapy as a predictor of outcome in patients with p16-positive oropharynx cancer.

Materials And Methods: Patients with p16-positive oropharynx cancer were treated with chemoradiotherapy. Low-risk (LR) disease was defined as T1-T3 and N0-2b and ≤10 pack-years and intermediate-risk (IR) disease as T4 or N2c-3 or >10 pack-years.

A phase I study of talazoparib (BMN 673) combined with carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with advanced solid tumors (NCI9782).

Background: Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) proteins potentiate antitumor activity of platinum chemotherapy. This study sought to determine the safety and tolerability of PARP inhibitor talazoparib with carboplatin and paclitaxel.

Methods: We conducted a phase I study of talazoparib with carboplatin AUC5-6 and paclitaxel 80 mg/m  days 1, 8, 15 of 21-day cycles in patients with advanced solid tumors.

All is not lost: learning from 9p21 loss in cancer.

The cancer research community continues to search for additional biomarkers of response and resistance to immune checkpoint treatment (ICT). The ultimate goal is to direct the use of ICT in patients whose tumors are most likely to benefit to achieve a refinement that is equivalent to that of a genotype-matched targeted treatment. Dissecting the mechanisms of ICT resistance can help us characterize ICT nonresponders more efficiently.

Investigating the risk factors for academic difficulties in the medical programme at a South African university.

Background: The National Benchmark Test (NBT) that determines academic readiness is widely used by Faculties as an additional measure to select students for the study of medicine. Despite this, many students continue to experience academic challenges that culminate in delayed graduation and sometimes academic exclusion or discontinuation of studies.

Aim: This study aimed to understand academic and non-academic variables linked with academic difficulties in the first three years of medical education.

Determining Sport Concussion Assessment Tool fifth Edition (SCAT5) reliable change in male professional hockey players.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to provide reliable change metrics and assess the test-retest psychometrics of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool fifth Edition (SCAT5) in a multilingual sample of professional ice hockey players.

Methods: The SCAT5 was administered to National Hockey League and American Hockey League male professional ice hockey players as part of the 2018 and 2019 season medical evaluations. We extracted data from an existing clinical database of players who were administered two consecutive baseline evaluations and had no intervening concussions to assess psychometric properties (eg, test-retest reliability) and develop reliable change metrics.

Advances in Organ Preservation for Laryngeal Cancer.

At the University of Wisconsin, all treatment of head and neck cancer patients begins with discussion at our multi-disciplinary tumor board. Most patients with T4 disease, with existing laryngeal dysfunction, considered unlikely to complete definitive CRT or who have a high risk of persistent aspiration after non-operative management undergo total laryngectomy. A laryngeal sparing approach is attempted on most other patients.

CsrA-Controlled Proteins Reveal New Dimensions of Acinetobacter baumannii Desiccation Tolerance.

Hospital environments are excellent reservoirs for the opportunistic pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii in part because it is exceptionally tolerant to desiccation. We found that relative to other A. baumannii strains, the virulent strain AB5075 was strikingly desiccation resistant at 2% relative humidity (RH), suggesting that it is a good model for studies of the functional basis of this trait.

Exploring the ethics of genetic prioritisation for COVID-19 vaccines.

There is evidence to suggest that host genomic factors may account for disease response variability in COVID-19 infection. In this paper, we consider if and how host genomics should influence decisions about vaccine allocation. Three potential host genetic factors are explored: vulnerability to infection, resistance to infection, and increased infectivity.

The STAR care pathway for patients with pain at 3 months after total knee replacement: a multicentre, pragmatic, randomised, controlled trial.

Background: Approximately 20% of people experience chronic pain after total knee replacement, but effective treatments are not available. We aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a new care pathway for chronic pain after total knee replacement.

Methods: We did an unmasked, parallel group, pragmatic, superiority, randomised, controlled trial at eight UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals.

Investigation into reversed-phase chromatography peptide separation systems part V: Establishment of a screening strategy for development of methods for assessment of pharmaceutical peptides' purity.

The paper describes a simple and rapid reversed-phase UHPLC method development screening strategy for the purity determination of peptide-based pharmaceuticals. The protocol utilises five disparate column and six volatile or non-volatile mobile phases (i.e.

Exercise to prevent shoulder problems after breast cancer surgery: the PROSPER RCT.

Background: Upper limb problems are common after breast cancer treatment.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a structured exercise programme compared with usual care on upper limb function, health-related outcomes and costs in women undergoing breast cancer surgery.

Design: This was a two-arm, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial with embedded qualitative research, process evaluation and parallel economic analysis; the unit of randomisation was the individual (allocated ratio 1 : 1).

Foley Catheter Balloon Tamponade for Actively Bleeding Wounds Following Penetrating Neck Injury is an Effective Technique for Controlling Non-Compressible Junctional External Haemorrhage.

Background: The foley catheter balloon tamponade (FCBT) has been widely employed in the management of trauma. This study reviews our cumulative experience with the use of FCBT in the management of patients presenting with a penetrating neck injury (PNI).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at a major trauma centre in South Africa over a 9-year period from January 2012 to December 2020.

Detection of EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer by droplet digital PCR.

Activating mutations in EGFR predict benefit from tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Directing patients to appropriate therapy depends on accurate and timely EGFR assessment in the molecular pathology laboratory. This article describes the analytical design, performance characteristics, and clinical implementation of an assay for the rapid detection of EGFR L858R and exon 19 deletion mutations.

Abdominal stab wounds with retained knife: 15 years of experience from a major trauma centre in South Africa.

Introduction: This study reviews our cumulative experience with the management of patients presenting with a retained knife following an abdominal stab wound (SW).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at a major trauma centre in South Africa over a 15-year period from July 2006 to December 2020 including all patients who presented with a retained knife in the abdomen following a SW.

Results: A total of 42 cases were included: 37 males (93%) with a mean age of 26 years.