Identification of an early-stage Parkinson's disease neuromarker using event-related potentials, brain network analytics and machine-learning.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the possibility of developing a biomarker that can discriminate early-stage Parkinson's disease from healthy brain function using electroencephalography (EEG) event-related potentials (ERPs) in combination with Brain Network Analytics (BNA) technology and machine learning (ML) algorithms.

Background: Currently, diagnosis of PD depends mainly on motor signs and symptoms. However, there is need for biomarkers that detect PD at an earlier stage to allow intervention and monitoring of potential disease-modifying therapies.

Deep Brain Stimulation Can Differentiate Subregions of the Human Subthalamic Nucleus Area by EEG Biomarkers.

Precise lead localization is crucial for an optimal clinical outcome of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Currently, anatomical measures, as well as invasive intraoperative electrophysiological recordings, are used to locate DBS electrodes. The objective of this study was to find an alternative electrophysiology tool for STN DBS lead localization.

Machine learning-based personalized subthalamic biomarkers predict ON-OFF levodopa states in Parkinson patients.

Adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) based on subthalamic nucleus (STN) electrophysiology has recently been proposed to improve clinical outcomes of DBS for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Many current models for aDBS are based on one or two electrophysiological features of STN activity, such as beta or gamma activity. Although these models have shown interesting results, we hypothesized that an aDBS model that includes many STN activity parameters will yield better clinical results.

Dicer Sequencing, Whole Genome Methylation Profiling, mRNA and smallRNA Sequencing Analysis in Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Background/aims: Perturbations in the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their maturing machinery components such as Dicer have been previously described for basal cell carcinoma (BCC). However, the mutational status of Dicer in BCC is unclear. Further, the sclerodermiform subtype of BCC (sBCC) has not been previously investigated regarding its methylation profile or its smallRNA expression profile via RNA sequencing.

Talbot-Lau x-ray phase-contrast setup for fast scanning of large samples.

Compared to conventional attenuation x-ray radiographic imaging, the x-ray Talbot-Lau technique provides further information about the scattering and the refractive properties of the object in the beam path. Hence, this additional information should improve the diagnostic process concerning medical applications and non-destructive testing. Nevertheless, until now, due to grating fabrication process, Talbot-Lau imaging suffers from small grating sizes (70 mm diameter).

Circular RNA expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: CircularRNAs (circRNAs) are a reinvented class of abundant, stable, and evolutionary conserved non-coding RNAs with pivotal impacts on the cellular regulatory network and epigenetics by sequestering microRNAs (miRNAs) like a sponge.

Objective: Purpose of the present study was to investigate circRNA expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).

Methods: A total of six cSCC and six non-lesional skin (control) biopsies were harvested.

Circular RNA expression in basal cell carcinoma.

Aim: Circular RNAs (circRNAs), are nonprotein coding RNAs consisting of a circular loop with multiple miRNA, binding sites called miRNA response elements (MREs), functioning as miRNA sponges. This study was performed to identify differentially expressed circRNAs and their MREs in basal cell carcinoma (BCC).

Materials & Methods: Microarray circRNA expression profiles were acquired from BCC and control followed by qRT-PCR validation.

Expression profiles of long noncoding RNAs in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Despite there being over 35,000 different long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) sequences described little is known regarding their molecular-pathological role in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).

Materials & Methods: In this pilot study, lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles were determined in cSCC and control (n = 6) by an Arraystar human lncRNA Microarray. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment and gene ontology analysis of mRNAs was performed.

Long-noncoding RNAs in basal cell carcinoma.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are fundamental regulators of pre- and post-transcriptional gene regulation. Over 35,000 different lncRNAs have been described with some of them being involved in cancer formation. The present study was initiated to describe differentially expressed lncRNAs in basal cell carcinoma (BCC).

A pilot study of quality of life in German prehospital emergency care physicians.

Background: Quality of life in patients represents an important area of assessment. However, attention to health professionals should be equally important. The literature on the quality of life (QOL) of emergency physicians is scarce.

Mutation Scanning of D1705 and D1709 in the RNAse IIIb Domain of MicroRNA Processing Enzyme Dicer in Cutaneous Melanoma.

Since the discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) there have been performed several studies showing perturbations in the expression of miRNAs and the miRNA expression machinery in cutaneous melanoma. Dicer, a pivotal cytosolic enzyme of miRNA maturation has shown to be affected by both somatic and germline mutations in a variety of cancers. Recent studies have shown that recurrent somatic mutations of Dicer frequently affect the metal-ion-binding sites D1709 and D1705 of its RNase IIIb domain, therefore called hot spot mutations.

Microbial keratitis in los angeles: the doheny eye institute and the los angeles county hospital experience.

Objective: To evaluate the spectrum and antibiotic susceptibility panel of infectious keratitis at a major tertiary care referral eye center and a major county hospital in Southern California.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Participants: All cultured infectious keratitis cases from July 1, 2008, through December 31, 2012, from the Doheny Eye Institute (DEI) and the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center (LAC+USC) were evaluated.

Haloperidol-induced changes in neuronal activity in the striatum of the freely moving rat.

The striatum is the main input structure of the basal ganglia, integrating input from the cerebral cortex and the thalamus, which is modulated by midbrain dopaminergic input. Dopamine modulators, including agonists and antagonists, are widely used to relieve motor and psychiatric symptoms in a variety of pathological conditions. Haloperidol, a dopamine D2 antagonist, is commonly used in multiple psychiatric conditions and motor abnormalities.

MicroRNA in non-melanoma skin cancer.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a fairly novel class of 17- to 23-nucleotide (nt), short, non-coding RNA molecules that have revolutionized our understanding of gene regulation and opened new possibilities in the future of gene therapy. Here, we review the potential role of miRNAs in non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and summarize the current studies available in this new aspect of NMSC research.

Comparative microarray analysis of microRNA expression profiles in primary cutaneous malignant melanoma, cutaneous malignant melanoma metastases, and benign melanocytic nevi.

Perturbations in microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles have been reported for cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) predominantly when examined in cell lines. Despite the rapidly growing number of newly discovered human miRNA sequences, the availability of up-to-date miRNA expression profiles for clinical samples of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma (PCMM), cutaneous malignant melanoma metastases (CMMM), and benign melanocytic nevi (BMN) is limited. Specimens excised from the center of tumors (lesional) from patients with PCMM (n=9), CMMM (n=4), or BMN (n=8) were obtained during surgery.

Microarray analysis of microRNA expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a novel class of short RNAs that are capable epigenetically regulating gene expression in eukaryotes. MicroRNAs have been shown to be dysregulated in a variety of cancers. The data on miRNA expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) are very limited, and microarray-based miRNA expression profiles of cSCC have not yet been determined.

The miRNA machinery in primary cutaneous malignant melanoma, cutaneous malignant melanoma metastases and benign melanocytic nevi.

Although several studies have shown a dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in cutaneous melanoma, there has been little research on the miRNA machinery itself. In this study, we investigated the mRNA expression profiles of different miRNA machinery components in primary cutaneous malignant melanoma (PCMM), cutaneous malignant melanoma metastases (CMMM) and benign melanocytic nevi (BMN). Patients with PCMM (n = 7), CMMM (n = 6) and BMN (n = 7) were included in the study.

Medical emergencies on board commercial airlines: is documentation as expected?

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to perform a descriptive, content-based analysis on the different forms of documentation for in-flight medical emergencies that are currently provided in the emergency medical kits on board commercial airlines.

Methods: Passenger airlines in the World Airline Directory were contacted between March and May 2011. For each participating airline, sample in-flight medical emergency documentation forms were obtained.

Expression levels of the microRNA maturing microprocessor complex component DGCR8 and the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) components argonaute-1, argonaute-2, PACT, TARBP1, and TARBP2 in epithelial skin cancer.

The microprocessor complex mediates intranuclear biogenesis of precursor microRNAs from the primary microRNA transcript. Extranuclear, mature microRNAs are incorporated into the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) before interaction with complementary target mRNA leads to transcriptional repression or cleavage. In this study, we investigated the expression profiles of the microprocessor complex subunit DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 8 (DGCR8) and the RISC components argonaute-1 (AGO1), argonaute-2 (AGO2), as well as double-stranded RNA-binding proteins PACT, TARBP1, and TARBP2 in epithelial skin cancer and its premalignant stage.

Immunohistochemical expression patterns of the microRNA-processing enzyme Dicer in cutaneous malignant melanomas, benign melanocytic nevi and dysplastic melanocytic nevi.

Dicer is an essential cytosolic enzyme necessary for processing pre-microRNAs into mature microRNAs (miRNAs). Although a variety of malignancies have been attributed to perturbations in the miRNA machinery, there has been little research conducted on the role of miRNAs in cutaneous malignant melanoma and its premalignant lesions. In this small pilot study, we therefore investigated the distribution of Dicer by immunohistochemistry in cutaneous malignant melanomas, as well as in benign and dysplastic melanocytic nevi.

Emergency medical kits on board commercial aircraft: a comparative study.

Background: In cases of critical medical situations on board commercial aircraft, access to emergency medical kits can be lifesaving. Thus, this comparative study investigated acute care medication and equipment supplied in emergency medical kits on board both low-cost carriers and full-service carriers.

Methods: Thirty-two European airlines (sixteen low-cost carriers and sixteen full-service-carriers) were asked to provide anonymous data on the contents of their emergency medical kits.

Epidemiology of aeromedical evacuation: an analysis of 504 cases.

Background: Increasing air travel has resulted in a significant increase in aeromedical evacuation (AE) over the past decade. However, there are limited epidemiological data available on the diagnosis, costs, and transport characteristics of AE cases.

Methods: Cases of AE by a relief organization (Workers' Samaritan Federation Germany) were analyzed based on the following criteria: age, sex, and diagnosis of the patient, ventilation mode, days of illness before transport, type of transport, flight routes, flying time, flight distance, type of aircraft, type and distance of connecting transport from the destination airport to the final hospital, total cost per repatriation, cost per flight-minute, and cost per flight-kilometer of each transport type.

Cutaneous lesions of the nose.

Skin diseases on the nose are seen in a variety of medical disciplines. Dermatologists, otorhinolaryngologists, general practitioners and general plastic and dermatologic surgeons are regularly consulted regarding cutaneous lesions on the nose. This article is the second part of a review series dealing with cutaneous lesions on the head and face, which are frequently seen in daily practice by a dermatologic surgeon.