Beyond hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: unmasking alternative causes of LVOT obstruction on CMR.

Stress/Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a transient regional left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction, often mimicking acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries. Rarely TCM can mimic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We describe a case where TCM presented with LV hypertrophy (LVH) and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) which resolved on follow-up.

Clinical characteristics and management of liver abscess in The Gambia, a resource-limited country.

Liver abscess is endemic in resource-limited countries such as The Gambia where access to advanced imaging techniques or modern treatment modalities is limited. Despite this, mortality in this cohort was low. Therefore antibiotic therapy combined with percutaneous abscess drainage remains a reasonable treatment strategy of liver abscess in resource-poor settings.

Association between Pathological Narcissism and Emotion Dysregulation: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Pathological narcissism (PN) can be defined as the compromised and fluctuating ability to regulate self-esteem, the latter depending on external validation, admiration, or enhancement, all resulting in grandiose (e.g., self-enhancement, aggressiveness, manipulation) or vulnerable (e.

Mucuna pruriens to treat Parkinson's disease in low-income countries: Recommendations and practical guidelines from the farmer to clinical trials. Paving the way for future use in clinical practice.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive and disabling neurodegenerative disease that rapidly worsens and results in premature mortality if left untreated. Although levodopa is the gold standard treatment for PD globally, its accessibility and affordability are severely limited in low- and middle-income countries worldwide. In this scenario, Mucuna pruriens (MP), a leguminous plant growing wild in tropical regions, emerges as a potential alternative or adjunct to levodopa-based medications due to its cost-effectiveness and global natural availability.

Two plant-growth-promoting Bacillus species can utilize nanoplastics.

Plastics in agricultural soils pose a potential risk to humans because environmental plastics can enter our foods. Here, we present a first step toward developing bacteria that can both flourish in agricultural settings and bioremediate nanoplastics. We exposed two species known to promote plant growth in agricultural settings, Bacillus inaquosorum and B.

Transforming Parkinson's Care in Africa (TraPCAf): protocol for a multimethodology National Institute for Health and Care Research Global Health Research Group project.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and, according to the Global Burden of Disease estimates in 2015, was the fastest growing neurological disorder globally with respect to associated prevalence, disability, and deaths. Information regarding the awareness, diagnosis, phenotypic characteristics, epidemiology, prevalence, risk factors, treatment, economic impact and lived experiences of people with PD from the African perspective is relatively sparse in contrast to the developed world, and much remains to be learned from, and about, the continent.

Methods: Transforming Parkinson's Care in Africa (TraPCAf) is a multi-faceted, mixed-methods, multi-national research grant.

The effect of dextrose prolotherapy versus placebo/other non-surgical treatments on pain in chronic plantar fasciitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

Background: Prolotherapy is the injection of a small volume of sclerosing or irritant solutions into an injured tissue. We aimed to investigate the effect of dextrose prolotherapy (DPT) versus placebo/other non-surgical treatments on pain in chronic plantar fasciitis.

Methods: We searched seven electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, Scopus, ProQuest, CENTRAL, PEDro) from inception to December 31, 2021 with no language restriction for publications comparing the effect of DPT with placebo/other non-surgical treatments in patients with chronic plantar fasciitis.

Epicardial adipose tissue is associated with left atrial volume and fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) and strongly influences the response to treatment. Atrial fibrosis shows similar associations. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) may be a link between these associations.

Storm and STEMI: a case report of unexpected cardiac complications of thyrotoxicosis.

Background: Thyroid storm is a rare condition with well-known cardiovascular manifestations including tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and myocardial infarction (MI). Several uncommon conditions that can mimic MI are associated with thyrotoxicosis and discussed in this case.

Case Summary: A 23-year-old previously healthy male presented after the onset of generalized weakness and inability to rise from bed in the setting of 35 kg of unintentional weight loss, and was found to have profound hypokalaemia, elevated thyroid hormone, and suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone consistent with thyrotoxicosis secondary to Grave's disease.

Socio-cultural factors influencing the decision of women to seek care during pregnancy and delivery: A qualitative study in South Tongu District, Ghana.

Many low-income countries still encounter high mortality rates. The use of maternal health care services is known to be a key intervention in reducing maternal death. Despite investment in the healthcare sector, in 2015 Ghana did not meet the Millennium Development Goal 5 of reducing maternal mortality (MM).

Empanelment: A foundational component of primary health care.

Empanelment is a foundational strategy for building or improving primary health care systems and a critical pathway for achieving effective universal health coverage. However, there is little international guidance for defining empanelment or understanding how to implement empanelment systems in low- and middle-income countries. To fill this gap, a multi-country collaborative within the Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage developed this empanelment overview, proposing a people-centered definition of empanelment that reflects the responsibility to proactively deliver primary care services to all individuals in a target population.

Retrospective analysis of 1118 outpatient chest CT scans to determine factors associated with excess scan length.

Rationale Objectives: Excess z-axis scanning continues as an unnecessary source of radiation. This study seeks to determine patient, technologist and CT factors that affect excess scan length for chest CT.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective evaluation of 1118 consecutive noncontrast chest CT scans, over twelve consecutive months, was performed for evaluation of scan length above and below the lung parenchyma.

Could Mucuna pruriens be the answer to Parkinson's disease management in sub-Saharan Africa and other low-income countries worldwide?

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, disabling, neurodegenerative disease that requires long term care and pharmaceutical treatment. Levodopa remains the gold standard treatment for PD globally, although it is largely unavailable and unaffordable for the majority of patients in many sub-Saharan African and other low-income countries (LICs). We suggest the potential for Mucuna pruriens (MP), a leguminous plant, to replace or supplement levodopa-based medicines in countries where levodopa is unaffordable and inaccessible due to its low costs of preparation and high natural availability.

Declining Trends of Pneumococcal Meningitis in Gambian Children After the Introduction of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines.

Background: Acute bacterial meningitis remains a major cause of childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. We document findings from hospital-based sentinel surveillance of bacterial meningitis among children <5 years of age in The Gambia, from 2010 to 2016.

Methods: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected from children admitted to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital with suspected meningitis.

The relationship between CT scout landmarks and lung boundaries on chest CT: guidelines for minimizing excess z-axis scan length.

Objectives: As the relationship between CT scout landmarks and chest CT boundaries is not known, the selected scan length is often greater than necessary for the CT scan, resulting in increased radiation dose to the neck and upper abdomen. The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between CT scout landmarks with the superior and inferior boundaries of the lungs on chest CT.

Methods: Retrospective comparison of the location of the top of the first rib on frontal scout and the most inferior costophrenic angle on lateral scout to the chest CT slice just above and below the lungs.

Trichomonas vaginalis infection and the diagnostic significance of detection tests among Ghanaian outpatients.

Background: There is little data on Trichomonas vaginalis infection in Ghana. This study evaluated the prevalence of trichomoniasis using different diagnostic methods and determined the risk factors for infection in patients.

Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered.

The Added Value of Computer-aided Detection of Small Pulmonary Nodules and Missed Lung Cancers.

Lung cancer at its earliest stage is typically manifested on computed tomography as a pulmonary nodule, which could be detected by low-dose multidetector computed tomography technology and the use of thinner collimation. Within the last 2 decades, computer-aided detection (CAD) of pulmonary nodules has been developed to meet the increasing demand for lung cancer screening computed tomography with a larger set of images per scan. This review introduced the basic techniques and then summarized the up-to-date applications of CAD systems in clinical and research programs and in the low-dose lung cancer screening trials, especially in the detection of small pulmonary nodules and missed lung cancers.

Congenital Coronary Artery Anomalies and Implications.

This pictorial essay presents cases of congenital coronary artery anomalies, including congenital anomalies of origin, course, and termination. Familiarity with atypical coronary anatomy and clinical presentation may facilitate appropriate diagnosis and management, particularly as cardiac and thoracic computed tomographic utilization increases.

Effect of Different Placement of Heel Rockers on Lower-Limb Joint Biomechanics in Healthy Individuals.

Background: Rocker shoes are commonly prescribed to healthy and pathologic populations to decrease stress on the lower limbs. An optimal rocker shoe design must consider both toe and heel rockers. Heel rockers are as effective as toe rockers in relieving foot plantar pressures.