Vancomycin-Resistant : A Case Report of Bacterial Endocarditis and Review of Literature on Infections Caused by This Pathogen.

is a rare species, part of the viridans streptococcus group, found initially in rabbits and pigs, which can be vancomycin-resistant. We present the case of a 65-year-old patient, a smoker and chronic alcohol consumer with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and multiple dental foci who had been diagnosed with bacterial endocarditis caused by . The particular elements of the case consisted of an atypical clinical presentation with diarrheal stools, abdominal pain, concomitant damage to the aortic and tricuspid valves, the presence of large vegetations (>2 cm), and a vancomycin-resistant strain of .

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome in the pediatric population: A review.

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) is a rare autosomal-dominant neurocristopathy that presents with a variety of classical ocular and systemic findings. The pathophysiology of the disease involves anterior segment dysgenesis, and patients may present with ophthalmic complications early in life, including secondary glaucoma, high refractive errors, amblyopia, and permanent visual damage. There are a limited number of studies in the literature that focus primarily on pediatric patients with ARS.

Impact of Part-time Occlusion on Visual Outcomes in Pediatric Patients With Optic Nerve Pathology.

The visual outcomes of seven children with specific optic nerve pathologies and coexisting amblyopia after at least 1 year of part-time patching demonstrated a visual acuity improvement of greater than 0.1 logMAR. The results suggest that part-time patching may lead to improvement in visual function even in the setting of optic nerve pathology, albeit with a more limited response compared to full-time patching.

Benefits of Using Smartphones and Other Digital Methods in Achieving Better Cardiac Rehabilitation Goals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND The importance of introducing digital technology as an alternative to classical cardiac rehabilitation has been discussed in several reviews. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze the effectiveness of digital technology use in cardiac rehabilitation to determine whether digital methods like use of smartphones, compared to traditional rehabilitation methods, can improve the overall quality of life and exercise capacity of cardiac patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS PubMed, EMBASE, and ScienceDirect were systematically searched in a randomized manner, resulting in 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met all the inclusion criteria.

Systematic Innominate Artery Cannulation Strategy in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection: Better Perfusion, Better Results.

(1) Background: Arterial cannulation in type A acute aortic dissection (TAAAD) is still subject to debate. We describe a systematic approach of using the innominate artery for arterial perfusion (2) Methods: The hospital records of 110 consecutive patients with acute TAAAD operated on between January 2014 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The effect of the cannulation site on early and late mortality, as well as on cardio-pulmonary perfusion indices (lactate and base excess levels, and cooling and rewarming speed) were investigated.

Doxorubicin-induced acute cardiotoxicity is associated with increased oxidative stress, autophagy, and inflammation in a murine model.

Drug-induced cardiotoxicity is a life-threatening side effect of doxorubicin (DOX) treatment that impacts patient prognosis and survival. In the majority of cases, the acute clinical form often remains asymptomatic, with few patients presenting rather nonspecific electrocardiographic abnormalities. While chronic toxicity has been more widely studied, the alterations appearing in acute cardiotoxicity are much less investigated.

Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque: Is There a Molecular Signature?

Atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations, coronary and cerebral artery diseases, are the most common cause of death worldwide. The main pathophysiological mechanism for these complications is the rupture of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques and subsequent thrombosis. Pathological studies of the vulnerable lesions showed that more frequently, plaques rich in lipids and with a high level of inflammation, responsible for mild or moderate stenosis, are more prone to rupture, leading to acute events.

Home-Based Robotic Upper Limbs Cardiac Telerehabilitation System.

This article proposes a new, improved home-based cardiac telerehabilitation system enhanced by a robotic and Virtual Reality module for cardiac patients to be used in their rehabilitation program. In this study, a novel strategy was used to integrate existing equipment and applications with newly developed ones, with the aim of reducing the need for technical skills of patients using remote control. Patients with acute or chronic heart diseases require long-term, individualized rehabilitation in order to promote their motor recovery and maintain an active and independent lifestyle.

Biomarkers of Volume Overload and Edema in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

From a pathogenetic point of view, heart failure (HF) is characterized by the activation of several neurohumoral pathways with a role in maintaining the cardiac output and the adequate perfusion pressure in target organs and tissues. Decreased cardiac output in HF with reduced ejection fraction causes activation of the sympathetic nervous system, the renin angiotensin aldosterone system, arginine-vasopressin system, natriuretic peptides, and endothelin, all of which cause water and salt retention in the body. As a result, patients will present clinically as the main symptoms: dyspnea and peripheral edema caused by fluid redistribution to the lungs and/or by fluid overload.

Etiology-based strabismus classification scheme for pediatricians.

Background: Pediatricians are regularly involved in the initial examination of children presenting with strabismus, a common ocular condition occurring in 3% of children. The objective of this review was to gain insight into pediatric residents, fellows and attendings` understanding of strabismus, and to propose an etiology-based strabismus classification scheme to aid this understanding.

Methods: A survey was conducted in a single Department of Pediatrics in a university academic institution in order to assess the degree of understanding of the classification, etiology and nomenclature of strabismus.

Association between Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Severe Acute Pancreatitis in Pregnancy and Postpartum.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) affects the respiratory system but is not limited to it. The gastrointestinal symptoms are polymorphic, including diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and even acute pancreatitis (AP). Pregnant women are more vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection and have a higher risk of severe outcomes of COVID-19.

Patient-Prosthesis Mismatch in Contemporary Small-Size Mechanical Prostheses Does Not Impact Survival at 10 Years.

Background: The effect of PPM in mechanical prostheses on long-term survival is not well-established.

Methods: Patients who received a 21 mm or smaller aortic valve between 2000 and 2011 were retrospectively analyzed ( = 416). Propensity matching was used in order to account for baseline differences in patient subgroups (PPM vs.

Spontaneous lens resorption in a patient with Marshall-Stickler Syndrome and glaucoma.

Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to describe the increased fragility of anterior capsule in patients with the rare genetic disease Marshall-Stickler syndrome.

Observations: We describe a 3-year old patient with Marshall-Stickler Syndrome and congenital glaucoma treated with glaucoma drainage implant placement who subsequently developed spontaneous lens resorption in one eye, which was noted incidentally during one follow-up appointment.

Conclusions And Importance: It is hypothesized that the lens material left the eye through the glaucoma drainage implant over time.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Early after Sternotomy Using New Assistive VR-Enhanced Robotic Exoskeleton-Study Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial.

(1) Background and objective: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) means delivering health education by structured exercises with the means of risk reduction, in a cost-effective manner. Well-conducted CR improves functional capacity, decreases re-hospitalization, and reduces mortality up to 25%. We bring to attention the protocol of a randomised control trial with the aim of validating the prototype of an assistive upper-body robotic exoskeleton system enhanced with a non-immersive virtual reality exergame (CardioVR-ReTone) in patients who undergone cardiac surgery.

Arguments for Using Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Cancer-Related Venous Thromboembolism.

(1) Background: Patients with cancer with a hypercoagulable state present an increased incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Neoplastic patients with concurrent VTE undergoing anticoagulant treatment face a series of issues. (2) The aim of the present paper is to systematically summarize current VTE management in patients with neoplasia and to review the current clinical evidence from meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials and guidelines regarding the administration of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for cancer-associated VTE.

Spheroidal Degeneration in Two Siblings: Clinical and Histopathological Features.

Spheroidal corneal degeneration is predominantly seen in advanced age and hereditary predisposition to this disorder is very rare. This report describes the occurrence of bilateral band-shaped spheroidal corneal degeneration in two siblings.

ACE2 and Apelin-13: Biomarkers with a Prognostic Value in Congestive Heart Failure.

The progression of heart failure is the result of the interaction of several pathogenetic processes that involve the activation of biomarkers belonging to the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS), to its counterregulatory mechanisms, to the sympathetic nervous system and inflammation, and to oxidative stress. This study is aimed at determining the prognostic role of biomarkers in the evolution of patients with heart failure. These biomarkers are representative of different pathogenetic pathways involved in the progression of heart failure and the possible interrelationships between them and heart remodelling.

Visual Outcomes in Pediatric Patients with Peters Anomaly.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the visual outcomes of pediatric patients diagnosed with Peters anomaly (PA) in a tertiary eye care center.

Methods: This was a retrospective study undertaken at a single academic center. Clinical records of pediatric patients diagnosed with PA from 2000 to 2017 were reviewed.

The relationship between corneal subbasal nerve density and corneal sensitivity in patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between alterations in corneal subbasal nerve plexus and tactile corneal sensitivity in patients with Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD).

Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study included 24 (10 M/14 F) patients with FECD and 25 age- and sex-matched (10 M/15 F) healthy subjects as controls. Subjects with FECD were classified as having early (grades 1 and 2) and late (grades 3 and 4) disease.