Nasal Septal Perforation Secondary to Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Nasal septal perforation is a full-thickness defect of the nasal septum. There are many described etiologies of nasal septal perforation, including trauma, infectious, neoplastic, iatrogenic, and autoimmune. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common and potentially life-threatening complication that can occur after an allogenic transplant.

Projections from the five divisions of the orbital cortex to the thalamus in the rat.

The orbital cortex (ORB) of the rat consists of five divisions: the medial (MO), ventral (VO), ventrolateral (VLO), lateral (LO), and dorsolateral (DLO) orbital cortices. No previous report has comprehensively examined and compared projections from each division of the ORB to the thalamus. Using the anterograde anatomical tracer, Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin, we describe the efferent projections from the five divisions of the ORB to the thalamus in the rat.

Nonequilibrium Time Reversibility with Maps and Walks.

Time-reversible dynamical simulations of nonequilibrium systems exemplify both Loschmidt's and Zermélo's paradoxes. That is, computational time-reversible simulations invariably produce solutions consistent with the Second Law of Thermodynamics (Loschmidt's) as well as in the time (Zermélo's, illustrating Poincaré recurrence). Understanding these paradoxical aspects of time-reversible systems is enhanced here by studying the simplest pair of such model systems.

Application of lung volume reduction surgery for a child with filamin A (FLNA) mutations.

Diffuse lung disease in early childhood due to mutations in the filamin A gene has been recently reported. Clinical outcomes vary among individuals indicating variability in phenotype but a substantial proportion of reported cases in early life have ended up in death or lung transplantation. We recently encountered a school-aged child in whom the diagnosis of a filamin A mutation was delayed and the natural history of emphysematous lung disease was altered by serial lung volume reduction surgeries.

Surviving Under Pressure: The Role of Solvent, Crystal Size, and Morphology During Pelletization of Metal-Organic Frameworks.

As metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) gain traction for applications, such as hydrogen storage, it is essential to form the as-synthesized powder materials into shaped bodies with high packing densities to maximize their volumetric performance. Mechanical compaction, which involves compressing the materials at high pressure, has been reported to yield high monolith density but often results in a significant loss in accessible porosity. Herein, we sought to systematically control (1) crystal size, (2) solvation, and (3) compacting pressure in the pelletization process to achieve high packing density without compromising the porosity that makes MOFs functional.

Cutaneous desmoid-type fibromatosis: A rare case with molecular profiling.

Fibromatoses encompass a broad group of histopathologically similar fibroblastic/myofibroblastic proliferations with divergent clinical manifestations and behavior. Deep (desmoid-type) fibromatoses are typically large, rapidly growing, and locally aggressive tumors that occur in the abdominal wall, mesentery, and extra-abdominal soft tissue, principally the musculature of the trunk and extremities. Most sporadic cases of desmoid fibromatosis harbor inactivating mutations in CTNNB1, the gene encoding beta-catenin.

From hard spheres and cubes to nonequilibrium maps with thirty-some years of thermostatted molecular dynamics.

This is our current research perspective on models providing insight into statistical mechanics. It is necessarily personal, emphasizing our own interest in simulation as it developed from the National Laboratories' work to the worldwide explosion of computation of today. We contrast the past and present in atomistic simulations, emphasizing those simple models that best achieve reproducibility and promote understanding.

Prevalence and clinical associations of Staphylococcus aureus small-colony variant respiratory infection in children with cystic fibrosis (SCVSA): a multicentre, observational study.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is the bacterium cultured most often from respiratory secretions of people with cystic fibrosis. Both meticillin-susceptible S aureus and meticillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) can adapt to form slow-growing, antibiotic-resistant isolates known as small-colony variants that are not routinely identified by clinical laboratories. We aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of S aureus small-colony variants and their subtypes among children with cystic fibrosis.

Area Deprivation as a Risk Factor for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis.

Background: In US cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) rates have tripled in the past 2 decades. Known clinical risk factors include exposure to a healthcare setting, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and CF-related diabetes. Area-level socio-environmental exposures have not been evaluated.

Eosinophilic fasciitis: a case series with an emphasis on therapy and induction of remission.

Eosinophilic fasciitis is an uncommon connective tissue disorder that affects patients of all ages, resulting in significant morbidity. Systemic corticosteroids can induce remission of disease. However, there is no universally accepted treatment ladder for eosinophilic fasciitis.

Boron Trifluoride Gas Adsorption in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Coordinatively unsaturated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were studied for boron trifluoride (BF) sorption. MOF-74-Mg, MOF-74-Mn, and MOF-74-Co show high initial uptake (below 6.7 × 10 bar) with negligible deliverable capacity.

Microbiological efficacy of early MRSA treatment in cystic fibrosis in a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate microbiological effectiveness, that is, culture negativity of a non-blinded eradication protocol (Rx) compared with observation (Obs) in clinically stable cystic fibrosis participants with newly positive methicillin resistant (MRSA) cultures.

Design: This non-blinded trial randomised participants ages 4-45 years with first or early (≤2 positive cultures within 3 years) MRSA-positive culture without MRSA-active antibiotics within 4 weeks 1:1 to Rx or Obs. The Rx protocol was: oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or if sulfa-allergic, minocycline plus oral rifampin; chlorhexidine mouthwash for 2 weeks; nasal mupirocin and chlorhexidine body wipes for 5 days and environmental decontamination for 21 days.

Risk stratification model to detect early pulmonary disease in infants with cystic fibrosis diagnosed by newborn screening.

Objective: The clinical benefit of newborn screening (NBS) for cystic fibrosis (CF) has been primarily nutritional, with less overt respiratory impact. Identification of risk factors for infant CF lung disease could facilitate targeted interventions to improve pulmonary outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated socioeconomic information, clinical data, and results from routine infant pulmonary function testing (iPFT) of infants diagnosed with CF through NBS (N = 43) at a single CF center over a 4-year period (2008-2012).

Spatial organization of astrocytes in ferret visual cortex.

Astrocytes form an intricate partnership with neural circuits to influence numerous cellular and synaptic processes. One prominent organizational feature of astrocytes is the "tiling" of the brain with non-overlapping territories. There are some documented species and brain region-specific astrocyte specializations, but the extent of astrocyte diversity and circuit specificity are still unknown.

Outcomes and Treatment of Chronic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Differs by Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec (SCCmec) Type in Children With Cystic Fibrosis.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infects ∼25% of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) in the United States. We hypothesized that health-related outcomes differed between healthcare-associated (staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec [SCCmec] II) vs community-associated (SCCmec IV) MRSA strains in patients chronically infected with CF.

Methods: At 7 CF centers, MRSA isolates were prospectively obtained from patients ≤18 years old with 2 or more positive MRSA cultures within 1 year.

Phosphine Gas Adsorption in a Series of Metal-Organic Frameworks.

For the first time, phosphine adsorption has been evaluated in a series of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Open-metal coordination sites were found to significantly enhance the ability of MOFs to adsorb highly toxic phosphine gas, with the identity of the open-metal site also modulating the amount of gas adsorbed. The MOFs studied outperform activated carbon, a commonly used material to capture phosphine.

Multicenter Observational Study on Factors and Outcomes Associated with Various Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Types in Children with Cystic Fibrosis.

Rationale: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevalence continues to increase in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) in the United States, reaching 26.5% in 2012. Approximately 30% of strains are SCCmec (staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec) IV type, frequently USA300, which in the general population have different genotypic and phenotypic features than SCCmec II type.

Limbic circuitry of the midline thalamus.

The thalamus was subdivided into three major groups: sensorimotor nuclei (or principal/relay nuclei), limbic nuclei and nuclei bridging these two domains. Limbic nuclei of thalamus (or 'limbic thalamus') consist of the anterior nuclei, midline nuclei, medial division of the mediodorsal nucleus (MDm) and central medial nucleus (CM) of the intralaminar complex. The midline nuclei include the paraventricular (PV) and paratenial (PT) nuclei, dorsally, and the reuniens (RE) and rhomboid (RH) nuclei, ventrally.

Efficacy of cryosurgery and 5-fluorouracil cream 0.5% combination therapy for the treatment of actinic keratosis.

Actinic keratoses (AKs) are on a continuum of progression to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The most common AK treatment modalities are lesion-directed cryosurgery and field-directed therapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU); however, side effects can affect patient compliance. This study was performed to determine the efficacy and perceived side effects of combination treatment with cryosurgery and a shortened course of 5-FU cream 0.