Primary Retrovesical Leiomyosarcoma: A Case Report.

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a rare group of malignant tumors in adults. This group of tumors contains a variety of subtypes, each with distinct clinical features and presentations. Leiomyosarcoma is among the most common subtypes, which typically occur within the uterus, retroperitoneum, abdomen, and large blood vessels.

Quantification of mast cells in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia.

Background: Mast cells (MCs) have recently been implicated in lymphocytic scarring alopecias, which may share a common pathogenesis. MCs in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) have not been studied.

Objective: We looked for the presence of MCs in CCCA using 2 different stains to see if their numbers correlated with the number of hair follicles, the degree of inflammation and perifollicular fibrosis, disease duration and severity, and patient symptoms.

Reliable Rapid Assay for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in the Emergency Department.

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) are common sexually transmitted infections seen in the emergency department (ED). Due to an inability to reliably make accurate diagnosis by physical examination, concern for unreliable follow-up, and current delays in diagnostic nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT), presumptive treatment active against CT and NG, as described by Centers for Disease Control clinical practice guidelines, is often performed.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a rapid, urine NAAT performed in the ED is noninferior in its diagnostic sensitivity compared with a traditional, swab NAAT assay.

Assessing Fluid Responsiveness in Spontaneously Breathing Patients.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to test if fasting volunteers exhibit fluid responsiveness using noninvasive hemodynamic measurements. The secondary objective was to test a passive leg raise (PLR) maneuver as a diagnostic predictor of fluid responsiveness.

Methods: This was a quasi-experimental design involving healthy volunteers.

Ablation of leptin receptor-mediated ERK activation impairs host defense against Gram-negative pneumonia.

The adipocyte-derived hormone leptin plays an important role in regulation of energy homeostasis and the innate immune response against bacterial infections. Leptin's actions are mediated by signaling events initiated by phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on the long form of the leptin receptor. We recently reported that disruption of leptin receptor-mediated STAT3 activation augmented host defense against pneumococcal pneumonia.

Disruption of leptin receptor-STAT3 signaling enhances leukotriene production and pulmonary host defense against pneumococcal pneumonia.

The adipocyte-derived hormone leptin regulates energy homeostasis and the innate immune response. We previously reported that leptin plays a protective role in bacterial pneumonia, but the mechanisms by which leptin regulates host defense remain poorly understood. Leptin binding to its receptor, LepRb, activates multiple intracellular signaling pathways, including ERK1/2, STAT5, and STAT3.