Analysis of Mortality Causes and Locations in Veterans with ALS: A Decade Review.

BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease that leads to rapid degeneration of nerves in the brain and spinal cord, with eventual loss of voluntary movements, including breathing. This retrospective study of medical record data from 105 US veterans diagnosed with ALS at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center between 2010 and 2021 aimed to identify patient demographics, and the causes and places of death for these veterans. MATERIAL AND METHODS Data from 105 US veterans diagnosed with ALS by the El Escorial criteria and supported by neurophysiology testing was reviewed.

The Benefits and Limitations of Targeted Training in Flexible Transnasal Laryngoscopy Diagnosis.

Importance: Targeted laryngoscopy training can be used successfully in de novo learners.

Objective: To determine the value of targeted laryngoscopy education in interns.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This prospective study of fiberoptic laryngoscopy interpretations enrolled 13 participants in an academic hospital setting from August 1 to December 31, 2015.

Influence of adolescence and obesity on the rate of stillbirth.

Background: We hypothesise that the rate of stillbirth is increased in mothers younger than 18 years of age compared to adult mothers, and that obesity further increases the risk of stillbirth in this population.

Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study comparing rates of stillbirth between adolescent, defined as young women under the age of 18 and adult women. We then compared the rate of stillbirth in normal weight vs.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies reacting with human neutrophil elastase as a diagnostic marker for cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions but not autoimmune vasculitis.

Objective: Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and proteinase 3 (PR3) are structurally and functionally related. PR3 is the prominent target antigen for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) in Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). Reported frequencies of HNE ANCAs in WG and other autoimmune diseases range from 0% to 20%.

Different gender-associated genotype risks of Wegener's granulomatosis and microscopic polyangiitis.

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) are systemic small vessel vasculitides associated with ANCA (AAV). Predominant Th1 and Th2 cytokine patterns have been reported for WG and MPA, respectively. Consequently, genotypes suppressing Th1 responses or augmenting Th2 responses may be more frequent in MPA than in WG.

Detection of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies under actual clinical testing conditions.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are a useful diagnostic tool for Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). To maximize diagnostic utility, current guidelines recommend dual testing by standard indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and target antigen-specific assays. Most published data come from specialized research laboratories, not reflecting the performance of assays under routine clinical conditions.