Dapagliflozin added to metformin reduces perirenal fat layer in type 2 diabetic patients with obesity.

Sodium-glucose co-transporters type 2 inhibitors (SLGT2i) are highly effective in controlling type 2 diabetes, but reported beneficial cardiovascular effects suggest broader actions on insulin resistance. Weight loss may be initially explained by glycosuria-induced net caloric output and secondary volumetric reduction, but its maintenance could be due to loss of visceral fat mass. Structured ultrasound (US) imaging of abdominal adipose tissue ("eco-obesity") is a recently described methodology used to measure 5 consecutive layers of abdominal fat, not assessable by DEXA or CT scan: superficial subcutaneous (SS), deep subcutaneous (DS), preperitoneal (PP), omental (Om) and right perirenal (RK).

Effect of Liraglutide in Different Abdominal Fat Layers Measured by Ultrasound: The Importance of Perirenal Fat Reduction.

Introduction: Ultrasonography (US) in patients with obesity allows us to measure different layers of abdominal fat (superficial subcutaneous, deep subcutaneous, preperitoneal, omental, and perirenal), not assessable by DEXA or CT scan. Omental and perirenal fat depots are considered predictors of metabolic complications. Liraglutide is particularly effective in reducing weight in patients with insulin-resistance, but its direct impact on each abdominal fat layer is unknown.

The Development, Validity, and Responsiveness of a Patient-Centred Outcome Measurement Tool for Evaluating Integrative Medicine Interventions.

Background: The paper sets out the development, validity, and responsiveness of the Integrative Medicine Treatment Evaluation Form (IMTEF), which has been designed to measure the effects of complementary and integrative therapy (CIT) interventions in cancer and palliative care (PC) patients in a National Health Service (NHS) hospital setting. Treatment evaluation is essential for ensuring safety and quality of services, for meeting NHS governance requirements. It also helps to add to the evidence base for complementary and integrative therapies through collecting data about treatments.

[Translated article] Histopathologic and Trichoscopic Correlations in Nonscarring Alopecias.

Trichoscopy is an essential tool in the evaluation of alopecia. The current compilation of trichoscopic signs in this setting helps distinguish between different forms of hair loss and has improved our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms involved. The trichoscopic signs are always linked to the pathogenic mechanisms of the alopecia being examined.

Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Preperitoneal Fat as a Surrogate Marker of Cardiovascular Risk: Comparative Study Between People Living with HIV and Controls.

Optimal management of cardiovascular disease should start with the identification of subjects at subclinical stages. However, available tools are not always accurate or affordable. We assess the usefulness of ultrasound-guided measurement of abdominal fat layers as a surrogate marker of cardiovascular risk.

A Note of Caution: Gramicidin Affects Signaling Pathways Independently of Its Effects on Plasma Membrane Conductance.

Gramicidin is a thoroughly studied cation ionophore widely used to experimentally manipulate the plasma membrane potential (PMP). In addition, it has been established that the drug, due to its hydrophobic nature, is capable of affecting the organization of membrane lipids. We have previously shown that modifications in the plasma membrane potential of epithelial cells in culture determine reorganizations of the cytoskeleton.

Ultrasound measures of abdominal fat layers correlate with metabolic syndrome features in patients with obesity.

Objective: Abdominal fat ultrasound (US) is a simple clinical tool that may allow measures of fat depots not visible using common dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) or computerized tomography (CT) imaging. The aim of this study was to validate the technique, give measures of and , , and (retroperitoneal) fat and correlate them with MS markers.

Methods: Sequential US measures of these five abdominal fat layers were done at 397 adults.

Scarring alopecia in chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus with neutrophils: A new scenario with therapeutic connotations.

The relationship between autoinflammatory and autoimmune conditions has been demonstrated in recent decades. Several autoimmune conditions exhibit an autoinflammatory component, which can manifest in various ways. Neutrophilic dermatosis in the context of lupus erythematosus (LE) is one example.

Effects of Silicone Implants on the Mammary Gland: Ultrasonographic and 3D Study.

Background: Breast implants may be responsible for secondary deformities produced by parenchymal atrophy. However, few studies in the literature have reported changes in breast tissue after augmentation surgery. In this study, the breast thickness of patients undergoing breast augmentation was monitored by ultrasound, and correlations with surface, volume and projection measurements were examined.

Shiatsu and Acupressure: Two Different and Distinct Techniques.

Background: Although shiatsu has been taught in specialized schools in Japan since 1940, there is a limited amount of research for its practice. As a result, authors substitute shiatsu with acupressure to use available research on acupressure. It is the position of the authors that, while the two share common aspects, they are substantively different.

Reconstruction Techniques of Choice for the Facial Cosmetic Units.

Background And Objectives: A broad range of skin flaps can be used to repair facial surgical defects after the excision of a tumor. The aim of our study was to develop a practical guideline covering the most useful skin grafts for each of the distinct facial cosmetic units.

Material And Methods: This was a multicenter study in which 10 dermatologists with extensive experience in reconstructive surgery chose their preferred technique for each cosmetic unit.

[CANCER PATIENTS FOLLOW-UP – CROATIAN SOCIETY OF MEDICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICAL GUIDELINES Part II: renal cell cancer, urinary bladder cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer].

The treatment of oncological patients must be based upon multidisciplinary approach, and takes place in specialized oncological centers. By the end of a specific oncological treatment further follow-up is being managed mostly by the oncologists, but the role of the general practitioners becomes more important every day and therefore should be precisely defined. Nowadays, most of the existing follow-up guidelines are not based on prospective studies, but on the experts opinion of individual oncological centers or specialists.

[CANCER PATIENTS FOLLOW-UP – CROATIAN SOCIETY OF MEDICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICAL GUIDELINES Part I: breast cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer].

Treatment of oncological patients must be based upon multidisciplinary approach, and takes place in specialized oncological centers. By the end of a specific oncological treatment further follow-up is managed mostly by the ­oncologists, but the role of the general practitioners becomes more important every day and therefore should be precisely defined. Nowadays, most of the existing follow-up guidelines are not based on prospective studies, but on the experts ­opinion of a particular oncological center or specialists.

CANCER PATIENTS FOLLOW-UP – CROATIAN SOCIETY OF MEDICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICAL GUIDELINES Part I: breast cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer.

Treatment of oncological patients must be based upon multidisciplinary approach, and takes place in specialized oncological centers. By the end of a specifi c oncological treatment further follow-up is managed mostly by the oncologists, but the role of the general practitioners becomes more important every day and therefore should be precisely defi ned. Nowadays, most of the existing follow-up guidelines are not based on prospective studies, but on the experts opinion of a particular oncological center or specialists.

Preservation of within-compound associations after blocked preexposure to two compound flavors.

Three experiments investigated the extinction of the within-compound A↔X association established when two compound flavors, AX and BX, are preexposed in blocks (i.e., AX, AX, AX, .

Ultrasonography: a useful tool for plastic surgeons.

Unlabelled: Ultrasonography is a diagnostic technique used in many clinical specialties that should also be used by plastic surgeons. The authors have used ultrasonography since 2011 as part of the routine follow-up evaluation for all their patients who have undergone breast augmentation (the main indication), body implants, gynecomastia, fat transfer, or abdominoplasty. The main goal of this study was to correlate normal and pathologic conditions clinically with their respective imaging findings.

Disease-modifying factors in hereditary angioedema: an RNA expression-based screening.

Background: Hereditary Angioedema due to C1-Inhibitor deficiency (HAE types I and II) is a monogenic disease characterized by sudden, self-limited episodes of cutaneous and mucosal swelling due to local deregulation of vascular permeability. Despite its monogenic pattern of inheritance, HAE exhibits great clinical variability and low genotype/phenotype correlation among those affected, which ultimately hinders therapeutic approach and probably underlies yet unknown genetic and environmental factors.

Methods: We studied whole-genome RNA expression of PBMCs in three HAE type-I families (accounting for 40 individuals), 24 of which carry the same R472X mutation in the C1-Inhibitor gene and show large variability in terms of disease expression.

Clinical diagnosis of toenail onychomycosis is possible in some patients: cross-sectional diagnostic study and development of a diagnostic rule.

Background: Suspected toenail onychomycosis is a frequent problem. Clinical diagnosis has been considered inadequate.

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of clinical findings for detecting fungi in toenails, and to develop and validate a clinical diagnostic rule aimed at improving dermatologists' diagnosis of onychomycosis.

Observer agreement in toenail disorders: implications for diagnosis and clinical research.

Background: Toenail disorders are frequent, especially onychomycosis. The interobserver variability of nail signs needs to be known before these signs can be confidently applied for diagnosis.

Objectives: To describe observer agreement in toenail findings as described by dermatologists in standard clinical practice, focusing on signs that could be useful for diagnosis of onychomycosis.