Assessing the quality of online information for patients with carotid disease.

Introduction: Controversy exists relating to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) versus carotid artery stenting (CAS). We aimed to assess the quality of online patient information relating to both.

Methods: The Google search engine was searched for "carotid endarterectomy" and "carotid stenting".

Acute nontraumatic spinal intradural hematoma in a patient on warfarin.

Background: Nontraumatic spinal intradural extramedullary hematomas are extremely rare. When they occur, they can rapidly lead to spinal cord or cauda equina compression and have devastating consequences.

Objective: The aim here was to report a case of this rare phenomenon and discuss the etiology, imaging, management, and outcome of intradural hematomas.

Endovascular management of ruptured common iliac mycotic aneurysm in an HIV-positive patient.

Isolated iliac artery aneurysms are a rare entity. The majority of cases are asymptomatic and often escape detection. Mortality rates after sudden rupture and emergent surgery for iliac artery aneurysm are very high.

Microbial biotransformation of aryl sulfanylpentafluorides.

We report, for the first time, the biotransformation of potential pollutants bearing the pentafluorosulfanyl (SF5-) functional group in a fungus and bacteria. Cunninghamella elegans transformed p-methoxy phenyl SF5 via demethylation; Pseudomonas knackmussii and P. pseudoalcaligenes KF707 transformed amino-, hydroxyamino- and diamino- substituted phenyl SF5, forming the N-acetylated derivatives as the main product.

Mechanical, biological and structural characterization of in vitro ruptured human carotid plaque tissue.

Recent experimental studies performed on human carotid plaques have focused on mechanical characterization for the purpose of developing material models for finite-element analysis without quantifying the tissue composition or relating mechanical behaviour to preoperative classification. This study characterizes the mechanical and biological properties of 25 human carotid plaques and also investigates the common features that lead to plaque rupture during mechanical testing by performing circumferential uniaxial tests, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on each specimen to relate plaque composition to mechanical behaviour. Mechanical results revealed large variations between plaque specimen behaviour with no correlation to preoperative ultrasound prediction.

Quantification of active caspase-3 and active caspase-8 in microglia cells.

During microglia activation the levels of active caspase-3, caspase-7 and caspase-8 are increased, which leads to the transcription of proinflammatory cytokines and factors. As such, the induction of caspase activity in microglia can be used as a marker for activation. The use of sensitive and quantitative techniques has made it possible to reproducibly detect these low levels of active caspases.

Isolated diffuse type B-cell lymphoma of the palate: an unusual entity.

Lymphomas frequently occur as extranodal lesions in the head and neck, but are rarely seen in the palate. We present a case of isolated diffuse type B-cell lymphoma of the palate, which occurred in a 28-year-old man. The patient had no history of immune compromise, and he presented to the emergency department with a 7-month history of a painful, non-healing ulcerative mass in the hard and soft palate.

TAp73β-mediated suppression of cell migration requires p57Kip2 control of actin cytoskeleton dynamics.

The TP73 gene, a member of the p53 family, due to the use of different promoters and alternative splicing, is transcribed into different isoforms with contrasting attributes and which contribute to its functional diversity. Considerable efforts are made to identify the functional diversity of the p73 splicing variants during tumorigenesis. TAp73α and TAp73β isoforms have been shown to differentially regulate cell cycle progression, differentiation and apoptosis.

Intraosseous venous drainage of pretibial varices.

In this study, we present the case of a 74-year-old male patient who presented with a painful pretibial swelling. The patient had a history of varices of the ipsilateral leg for which he had undergone stripping and ligation. At physical examination, pretibial varices and an associated soft tissue swelling were found.

On the influence of patient-specific material properties in computational simulations: a case study of a large ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Patient-specific modelling of abdominal aortic aneurysm has been shown to have clinical potential. This paper examines a large ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm where the tissue from the diseased wall and the intraluminal thrombus was excised during open surgical repair and experimentally characterised. The mechanical data were used to develop material parameters that were incorporated into finite element models with measured nonuniform wall thickness.

Antiplatelet medications and evolving antithrombotic medication.

In treatment and prevention of thromboembolic events, the two major classes of anticoagulants are the antiplatelet agents and the antithrombotic agents. The antithrombotic agents have traditionally been heparin and warfarin, both of which were isolated in the 1930s, and have been used effectively since becoming commercially available in treatment and thromboprophylaxis of venous thromboembolic events (VTE). Though effective, they have a narrow therapeutic window and the antithrombotic response is variable, depending on the patient, and requires regular monitoring and adjustment to maintain the necessary therapeutic range.

Normal anatomical variants of the labrum of the hip at magnetic resonance imaging: a systematic review.

Objective: To review the literature regarding normal labral variants at MRI.

Methods: A systematic search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase. For each included study, information regarding normal labral variants and findings in asymptomatic subjects was extracted.

Multifocal giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath: case report and literature review.

In this study, we present the rare case of a patient with a multifocal giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath occurring at three different localizations along the same tendon. We review radiographic, ultrasonographic, and magnetic resonance imaging findings, and discuss previously reported cases.

Deep brain stimulation in ireland for Parkinson's disease and essential tremor.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is highly effective neurosurgery for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD), essential tremor (ET) and primary dystonia. DBS involves stereotactic surgical implantation of a battery-operated stimulator into deep brain nuclei. Irish patients are referred abroad for DBS and have to travel repeatedly for pre and post-operative care resulting in stress, anxiety and hardship.

Tailoring an alien ferredoxin to support native-like P450 monooxygenase activity.

A ferredoxin associated with biological Fe-S cluster assembly has been remodelled to transfer electrons to a P450 enzyme and support substrate oxidation at 80% of the physiological ferredoxin activity, opening up the possibility of tailoring ferredoxins to reconstitute the activity of P450 enzymes for which the electron transfer partner proteins are not known.

Insufficiency and nondisplaced fractures of the talar head: MRI appearances.

Objective: We present nondisplaced talar head fractures in two patient groups.

Conclusion: Talar head insufficiency fractures should be considered in older patients, particularly perimenopausal women. Nondisplaced talar head fractures may occur in younger patients after trauma.

Randomised controlled trial comparing European standard class 1 to class 2 compression stockings for ulcer recurrence and patient compliance.

The aim of this study was to determine the rate of venous ulcer recurrence and the level of compliance in patients wearing European class 1 or class 2 compression stockings. A total of 100 patients with healed venous leg ulcers were recruited, and were randomised to either class 1 (n = 50) or class 2 (n = 50) compression stockings. Follow-up was at 1 week, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months to monitor ulcer recurrence and compliance.

Impairment of endoplasmic reticulum in liver as an early consequence of the systemic inflammatory response in rats.

It is well known that systemic inflammatory response (SIR) often causes liver dysfunction. The aim of this study was to identify the intracellular compartment in the liver most susceptible to SIR. We analyzed morphology, ultrastructure, proteome, and expression of relevant genes in livers of rats subjected to endotoxic shock.