Increased CD69+CCR7+ circulating activated T cells and STAT3 expression in cutaneous lupus erythematosus patients recalcitrant to antimalarials.

Background: Antimalarials are first-line systemic therapy for cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). While some patients unresponsive to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) alone benefit from the addition of quinacrine (QC), a subset of patients is refractory to both antimalarials.

Methods: We classified CLE patients as HCQ-responders, HCQ+QC-responders, or HCQ+QC-nonresponders to compare immune profiles.

Contribution of Etiologic Cofactors to CIN3+ Risk Among Women With Human Papillomavirus-Positive Screening Test Results.

Objective: The US screening and management guidelines for cervical cancer are based on the absolute risk of precancer estimated from large clinical cohorts and trials. Given the widespread transition toward screening with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, it is important to assess which additional factors to include in clinical risk assessment to optimize management of HPV-infected women.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed data from HPV-infected women, ages 30-65 years, in the National Cancer Institute-Kaiser Permanente Northern California Persistence and Progression study.

Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases from Thyroid Cancer: An Institutional and National Retrospective Cohort Study.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is the standard of care for patients with a limited number of brain metastases. Despite the fact that the seminal studies regarding SRS for brain metastases were largely tissue agnostic, several current national guidelines do not uniformly recommend SRS in thyroid cancer. We therefore investigated oncological outcomes in a cohort of patients with brain metastases from thyroid cancer who received radiotherapy (RT) at our institution as well as those in a nationally representative cancer cohort, the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Preoperative portal vein recanalization-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for chronic obliterative portal vein thrombosis: Outcomes following liver transplantation.

High-grade portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is often considered to be a technically challenging scenario for liver transplantation (LT) and in some centers a relative contraindication. This study compares patients with chronic obliterative PVT who underwent portal vein recanalization-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (PVR-TIPS) and subsequent LT to those with partial nonocclusive PVT who underwent LT without an intervention. This institutional review board-approved study analyzed 49 patients with cirrhosis with PVT from 2000 to 2020 at our institution.

Trihexyl tetradecyl phosphonium bromide as an effective catalyst/extractant in ultrasound-assisted extractive/oxidative desulfurization.

Phosphonium-based ionic liquid (PIL) has been used as a catalyst and extractant. Here, the PIL, trihexyl tetradecyl phosphonium bromide ([THTDP]Br) was utilized for the S-removal of model oil (MO) and acted as the reaction-induced self-separation catalyst. The influence of oxidant to sulfur molar ratio (n(O/S)), mass ratio of model oil to ionic liquid (m(MO/IL)), sonication time, and temperature was observed to investigate the optimal conditions for the ultrasound-assisted extractive/oxidative desulfurization (UEODS) catalyzed by [THTDP]Br.

A cross-sectional survey of attitudes and barriers toward pharmacist services at predoctoral academic dental institutions.

Background: The pharmacy profession continues to evolve through novel practice settings and collaborations. Recent reports have highlighted services provided by pharmacists in academic dental settings.

Objectives: This study aimed to measure attitudes and barriers to pharmacist services at academic dental institutions via a survey of dental school administrators.

Procedural outcomes associated with use of the AngioVac System for right heart thrombi: A safety report from RAPID registry data.

Right heart thrombi can be a source of considerable morbidity and mortality, especially when associated with pulmonary embolism. To understand the safety and procedural efficacy associated with vacuum-assisted thrombectomy using the AngioVac System (AngioDynamics, Latham, NY, USA) to remove right heart thrombi, we conducted a subanalysis of the Registry of AngioVac Procedures in Detail (RAPID) multicenter registry representing 47 (20.1%) of 234 participants in the registry.

Impact of N-Acetyl-Cysteine on Ischemic Stumps Following Major Lower Extremity Amputation: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) on amputation stump perfusion and healing in patients with critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI).

Background: Patients with CLTI are at increased risk of poor amputation site healing leading to increased procedure-associated morbidity.

Methods: In a pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trial, patients with CLTI undergoing major elective lower extremity amputation were randomized 1:1 to intravenous NAC (1200 mg twice-daily) or placebo for up to 5 days postoperatively.

A Clinical Perspective on Arsenic Exposure and Development of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.

Cardiovascular risk has traditionally been defined by modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, such as tobacco use, hyperlipidemia, and family history. However, chemicals and pollutants may also play a role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is widely distributed in the Earth's crust.

A review of the incidence, outcome, and management of venous stent migration.

Background: Percutaneous endovenous stenting has emerged during the past decade as the primary method of treating symptomatic venous outflow obstruction. A recognized complication of venous stenting is stent migration. The aim of the present systematic review was to identify the number of cases of stent migration in reported studies to recognize the risk factors that might be associated with this complication and the outcomes following migration.

Pneumatosis intestinalis caused by colitis in a non-immunocompromised patient.

is an obligate enteric protozoan parasite commonly associated with severe symptoms such as profound diarrhea and dehydration in the immunocompromised, particularly those living with HIV/AIDS. In the immunocompetent, is self-limited, and characterized by mild non-bloody diarrhea with associated nausea and vomiting. We present an unusual case of presumed colitis, in an immunocompetent host, characterized by anorexia and pneumoperitoneum.

In vitro cytotoxicity, macromolecular interaction and antioxidant potential of dual coated selenium nanoparticles.

The present research focuses on synthesizing selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) coated with Methionine and Folic acid. selenium-methionine-folate nanoparticles (Se-Met-Fa NPs) were prepared by the chemical precipitation method. These were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, Zeta potential, ICP-AES, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy.

FSHR antagonists can trigger a PCOS-like state.

Over the recent years, FSHR has become an important target for development of fertility regulating agents, as impairment of FSH-FSHR interaction can lead to subfertility or infertility. In our previous study, we identified a 9-mer peptide (FSHβ (89-97)) that exhibited FSHR antagonist activity. The histopathological and biochemical observations indicated, in addition to FSHR antagonism, a striking resemblance to a PCOS-like state.

Functional and Cost Audit of Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty in Public vs Private Hospitals: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Government funded hospitals are believed to be stigmatised with 'substandard care' and constant fear of infection. The aim of this study is to compare the results and direct expenditure incurred for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) done at a government funded public teaching hospital with an economy packaged private hospital in India.

Materials And Methods: A review of electronic and physical records of the patients operated by the senior author for primary TKA at a government funded hospital and a private hospital spanning 2007 to 2019 was done.

The development of "automated visual evaluation" for cervical cancer screening: The promise and challenges in adapting deep-learning for clinical testing: Interdisciplinary principles of automated visual evaluation in cervical screening.

There is limited access to effective cervical cancer screening programs in many resource-limited settings, resulting in continued high cervical cancer burden. Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is increasingly recognized to be the preferable primary screening approach if affordable due to superior long-term reassurance when negative and adaptability to self-sampling. Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) is an inexpensive but subjective and inaccurate method widely used in resource-limited settings, either for primary screening or for triage of HPV-positive individuals.

Impact of Virtual Heartfulness Meditation Program on Stress, Quality of Sleep, and Psychological Wellbeing during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Method Study.

Stress and lack of quality sleep affect a large portion of the population around the globe, and the COVID-19 pandemic has genuinely brought attention to these problems. This study aimed to investigate whether using a virtual heart-based meditation program is associated with improved stress levels and quality of sleep among participants from the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recruited 63 participants to receive an 8-week virtually conducted Heartfulness meditation program in a prospective pre-post single-arm intervention study from September 28 to November 22 2020.

Lung cancer masquerading as a paraneoplastic neurologic syndrome without a primary lung mass: Case report and review of literature.

Paraneoplastic and autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) syndromes describe a range of inflammatory disorders of the brain. "Classic" paraneoplastic encephalitis syndromes occur due to a remote neoplasm and are associated with antibodies that target intracellular neuronal proteins while the more recently described AIE syndromes are not always paraneoplastic and occur in association with antibodies that target cell-surface neuronal receptors (e.g.

Multisite Clinical Validation of Isothermal Amplification-Based SARS-CoV-2 Detection Assays Using Different Sampling Strategies.

Isothermal amplification-based tests have been introduced as rapid, low-cost, and simple alternatives to real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection. The clinical performance of two isothermal amplification-based tests (Atila Biosystems iAMP coronavirus disease of 2019 [COVID-19] detection test and OptiGene COVID-19 direct plus RT-loop-mediated isothermal amplification [LAMP] test) was compared with that of clinical RT-PCR assays using different sampling strategies. A total of 1,378 participants were tested across 4 study sites.

Transparency, health equity, and strategies in state-based protocols for remdesivir allocation and use.

Background: The Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of remdesivir for coronavirus disease 2019 raised questions on transparency of applied strategy, and how to equitably allocate and prioritize eligible patients given limited supply of the medication. The absence of federal oversight highlighted the critical role by states in health policymaking during a pandemic.

Objective: To identify public state-based protocols for remdesivir allocation and clinical guidance for prioritizing remdesivir use and assess approaches and inclusion of language promoting equitable access or mitigating health disparities.

Deep multiple-instance learning for abnormal cell detection in cervical histopathology images.

Cervical cancer is a disease of significant concern affecting women's health worldwide. Early detection of and treatment at the precancerous stage can help reduce mortality. High-grade cervical abnormalities and precancer are confirmed using microscopic analysis of cervical histopathology.