The crescent sign on ocular ultrasound and correlation with elevated intracranial pressure: A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: While lumbar puncture (LP) remains gold standard for assessing intracranial pressure (ICP), LP can be difficult to perform and lead to complications. Noninvasive correlations for elevated ICP via ocular ultrasound (OUS) have shown mixed results. The primary objective of this study is to identify the frequency and test characteristics of the crescent sign on OUS for elevated ICP.

Real-time imaging reveals a role for macrophage protrusive motility in melanoma invasion.

Macrophages are primary cells of the innate immune system that mediate tumor progression. However, the motile behavior of macrophages and interactions with tumor cells are not well understood. Here, we exploit the optical transparency of larval zebrafish and perform real-time imaging of macrophage-melanoma interactions.

Urine Contamination Prevalence Using a Midstream Collection Device Compared with Clean Voided Collections in Dogs.

Collecting clean-caught voided urine samples is minimally invasive, but contamination occurs when urine passes through the nonsterile urethra and external genitalia. Discarding the initial urine stream may reduce these contaminants. This study hypothesized that using a midstream urine collection device would decrease bacterial and cellular contamination as compared with cleanly caught voided urine.

Effect of owner presence on healing of spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects after anterior stromal puncture.

Objective: To examine the effect of client presence on healing rates of spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defect (SCCEDs) following debridement and anterior stromal puncture (ASP).

Animals Studied: Sixty-eight client-owned dogs.

Procedures: Dogs presenting prior to the COVID-19 shutdown were assigned to the C group (client in the room, 31/68), while dogs presenting after were assigned to group NC (no client in the room, 37/68).

Damage-induced basal epithelial cell migration modulates the spatial organization of redox signaling and sensory neuron regeneration.

Epithelial damage leads to early reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling, which regulates sensory neuron regeneration and tissue repair. How the initial type of tissue injury influences early damage signaling and regenerative growth of sensory axons remains unclear. Previously we reported that thermal injury triggers distinct early tissue responses in larval zebrafish.

Higher Rates of Certain Autoimmune Diseases in Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth.

Purpose: The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of certain autoimmune diseases in transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth.

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective analysis was conducted from January 2013 to January 2019 of youth ≤26 years of age with concurrent diagnoses of gender dysphoria (GD) and at least one of the studied autoimmune diseases. Prevalence rates were calculated and compared to previously reported rates.

To Grade or Not to Grade (the Quiz): The Impact of Two Formative Assessment Grading Approaches on Summative Assessment Outcomes in an Integrated Pre-clinical Curriculum.

Introduction: Formative assessments have overall been shown to improve summative evaluations in medical education. However, it remains unclear if utilizing them for course credit in an integrated curriculum over multiple subspecialties is beneficial for student acquisition of knowledge. We set out to determine if grading formative quizzes had an effect on student acquisition of knowledge via summative assessments.

Respiratory Severity Score and Oxygen Saturation Index during the First 2 Hours of Life as Predictors for Noninvasive Respiratory Support Failure in Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Objective:  Noninvasive respiratory support (NRS) failure is common in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). We evaluated the utility of respiratory severity score (RSS) and oxygen saturation index (OSI) during the first 2 hours of life (HOL) as predictors for NRS failure in moderate preterm infants.

Study Design:  We conducted a retrospective cohort study of infants born between 28 and 33 weeks with RDS.

Novel autoantibodies help diagnose anti-SSA antibody negative Sjögren disease and predict abnormal labial salivary gland pathology.

Objectives: Sjögren disease (SjD) diagnosis often requires either positive anti-SSA antibodies or a labial salivary gland biopsy with a positive focus score (FS). One-third of patients with SjD lack anti-SSA antibodies (SSA-), requiring a positive FS for diagnosis. Our objective was to identify novel autoantibodies to diagnose 'seronegative' SjD.

Differential changes in expression of inflammatory mRNA and protein after oleic acid-induced acute lung injury.

Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome (ARDS) is a clinical syndrome of noncardiac pulmonary edema and inflammation leading to acute respiratory failure. We used the oleic acid infusion pig model of ARDS resembling human disease to explore cytokine changes in white blood cells (WBC) and plasma proteins, comparing baseline to ARDS values. Nineteen juvenile female swine were included in the study.

High vs low CPAP strategy with aerosolized calfactant in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: Optimal CPAP strategy to prevent CPAP failure defined as need for endotracheal intubation is unknown.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of CPAP failure in infants treated with high vs low CPAP strategy while receiving aerosolized calfactant in the AERO-02 clinical trial and AERO-03 expanded access program.

Methods: Infants born between 29 0/7 to 36 6/7 weeks were included.

Decreased Intraoperative Renal Tissue Oxygenation after Cardiopulmonary Bypass Predicts Cardiac Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Neonates.

(1) Background: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a noninvasive tool frequently used during cardiac surgery and postoperatively in the cardiac intensive care unit to monitor regional tissue oxygen saturation. A relationship between trends of intraoperative renal oxygenation and the risk of developing cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) post-operatively has not yet been established in the neonatal population. The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship of cerebral and renal oxygenation during cardiopulmonary bypass with cardiac surgery-associated AKI in the first 72 h post-operation in neonates < 30 days of age.

Validation of Thermal Imaging and the ALT-70 Prediction Model to Differentiate Cellulitis From Pseudocellulitis.

Importance: Cellulitis is misdiagnosed in up to 30% of cases due to mimic conditions termed pseudocellulitis. The resulting overuse of antibiotics is a threat to patient safety and public health. Surface thermal imaging and the ALT-70 (asymmetry, leukocytosis, tachycardia, and age ≥70 years) prediction model have been proposed as tools to help differentiate cellulitis from pseudocellulitis.

Cervical Cancer and a History of Incarceration: Examining a Social Determinant of Health.

Females who are incarcerated are disproportionately burdened by cancer, particularly cervical cancer. We measured the odds of cervical cancer compared with nonscreenable cancers for females who were incarcerated before diagnosis. By comparing a cancer for which screening and vaccination are available with cancers for which neither are available, we aimed to assess the relationship of incarceration with diseases for which preventive care mitigates risk.

A novel factor IXa-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detects factor IXa in human plasma.

Background: Factor (F)IXa activity has been detected in human plasma and may impact thrombotic risk. Current FIXa activity assays are complex and cumbersome.

Objectives: To develop a reproducible enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a novel monoclonal antibody that detects total FIXa in human plasma.

Comparison of preoperative retrobulbar bupivacaine and postoperative subcutaneous liposome-encapsulated bupivacaine on postoperative analgesia in dogs undergoing enucleation.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of preoperative bupivacaine inferotemporal retrobulbar blocks to postoperative liposome-encapsulated bupivacaine (Nocita) line blocks for analgesia following enucleation.

Animals: 39 client-owned dogs (40 eyes) presenting to the Ophthalmology Service for enucleation.

Methods: Dogs were randomly assigned to receive either a preoperative inferotemporal retrobulbar block with 0.

Renal tissue oxygenation and development of AKI in preterm neonates born < 32 weeks' gestational age in the first week of age.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between regional renal saturation of oxygen (RrSO) changes and serum creatinine (SCr) during the first eight days of age for preterm neonates born < 32 weeks' gestational age.

Design: Post-hoc analysis of multicenter prospectively measured neonatal RrSO values collected during the first 8 days of age in neonates born at < 32 weeks' gestation. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was defined by the neonatal modified Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria.

Neutrophil motility is regulated by both cell intrinsic and endothelial cell ARPC1B.

Neutrophil-directed motility is necessary for host defense, but its dysregulation can also cause collateral tissue damage. Actinopathies are monogenic disorders that affect the actin cytoskeleton and lead to immune dysregulation. Deficiency in ARPC1B, a component of the Arp2/3 complex, results in vascular neutrophilic inflammation; however, the mechanism remains unclear.

Newborn Screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency: Lessons Learned from Screening and Follow-Up of the Preterm Newborn Population.

Newborn screening (NBS) for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) by measurement of T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) successfully identifies newborns with SCID and severe T-cell lymphopenia, as intended. At the same time, NBS programs face the challenge of false positive results, with a disproportionately high number in the premature newborn population. This study evaluates TREC values and SCID screening outcomes in premature newborns and elucidates evidence-based SCID screening practices that reduce unnecessary follow-up activities in this population.

Linking GATA2 to myeloid dysplasia and complex cytogenetics in adult myelodysplastic neoplasm and acute myeloid leukemia.

GATA binding protein 2 (GATA2) is a conserved zinc finger transcription factor that regulates the emergence and maintenance of complex genetic programs driving development and function of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Patients born with monoallelic GATA2 mutations develop myelodysplastic neoplasm (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), whereas acquired GATA2 mutations are reported in 3% to 5% of sporadic AML cases. The mechanisms by which aberrant GATA2 activity promotes MDS and AML are incompletely understood.

Indirect cardiac output assessment in a swine pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome model.

Purpose: To investigate the correlation between volume of carbon dioxide elimination (V̇CO) and end-tidal carbon dioxide (PETCO) with cardiac output (CO) in a swine pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) model.

Methods: Respiratory and hemodynamic variables were collected from twenty-six mechanically ventilated juvenile pigs under general anesthesia before and after inducing ARDS, using oleic acid infusion.

Results: Prior to ARDS induction, mean (SD) CO, V̇CO, PETCO, and dead space to tidal volume ratio (V/V) were 4.

The Importance of Outcomes Ascertainment for Accurate Assessment of the Mammography Screening Cancer Detection Rate: A Simulation Study.

Purpose: Cancer detection rate (CDR), an important metric in the mammography screening audit, is designed to ensure adequate sensitivity. Most practices use biopsy results as the reference standard; however, commonly ascertainment of biopsy results is incomplete. We used simulation to determine the relationship between the cancer ascertainment rate of biopsy (AR-biopsy), CDR estimation, and associated error rates in classifying whether practices and radiologists meet the established ACR benchmark of 2.

Comparison of chest radiograph and lung ultrasound in children with acute respiratory failure.

Purpose: Chest x-ray (CXR) is the standard imaging used to evaluate children in acute respiratory distress and failure. Our objective was to compare the lung-imaging techniques of CXR and lung ultrasound (LUS) in the evaluation of children with acute respiratory failure (ARF) to quantify agreement and to determine which technique identified a higher frequency of pulmonary abnormalities.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective observational study evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of LUS in children with ARF from 12/2018 to 02/2020 completed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA).

Novel autoantibodies help diagnose anti-SSA antibody negative Sjögren's disease and predict abnormal labial salivary gland pathology.

Objectives: Sj□gren's disease (SjD) diagnosis requires either positive anti-SSA antibodies or a labial salivary gland biopsy with a positive focus score (FS). One-third of SjD patients lack anti-SSA antibodies (SSA-), requiring a positive FS for diagnosis. Our objective was to identify novel autoantibodies to diagnose 'seronegative' SjD.