The association between patient age, abscess size, and white blood cell count on duration of catheter stay for percutaneous abscess drainage of abdominal abscesses.

Objective: Knowing factors that impact catheter stay duration is important since removing drainage catheters too early or late can have significant consequences. We present a single center retrospective study that analyzes multiple variables, including abscess size, white blood cell count, and patient age, to see if a correlation between them and duration of catheter stay exists. The inclusion criteria were patients that had abdominal abscesses treated with percutaneous abscess drainage using a pigtail catheter, ≥ 18 years of age, and had available medical images and records.

Allopurinol: Clinical Considerations in the Development and Treatment of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, and Other Associated Drug Reactions.

Allopurinol lowers urate production through the inhibition of xanthine oxidase. It is oxidatively hydroxylated to oxypurinol and is the most prescribed medication for gout treatment. Although it has a beneficial effect in the treatment of this common disease, like many medications, it is also known for having numerous adverse effects.

Emerging Medications and Strategies in Acute Pain Management: Evolving Role of Novel Sodium and Calcium Channel Blockers, Peptide-Based Pharmacologic Drugs, and Non-Medicinal Methods.

Purpose Of Review: The present investigation evaluated integration of novel medication technology to enhance treatment options, while improving patient outcomes in acute pain management. In this regard, we focused on determining the role of development and utilization of cutting-edge pharmaceutical advancements, such as targeted drug delivery systems, as well as non-pharmacologic interventions in addressing acute pain states. Further research in this area is warranted related to the need for increased patient comfort and reduced adverse effects.

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation in Postoperative Analgesia: A Narrative Review.

Purpose Of Review: Recent research has shown the effectiveness of peripheral nerve stimulators (PNS) in managing chronic pain conditions. Ongoing studies aim to explore its potential application in treating acute postoperative pain states. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the role of PNS in providing relief for postoperative pain.

Retrieval of an inferior vena cava Greenfield filter 34 years after insertion.

Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are engineered medical devices deployed in the IVC primarily to prevent a pulmonary embolism from occurring. In this article, we present a case of an IVC filter that was successfully retrieved from a patient after being in place for 34 years. The patient presented to hospital for trauma in which subsequent imaging showed tines of an IVC filter protruding outside of the vessel with one of the tines penetrating the duodenal wall.

Neuroprotective Potential of Melatonin: Evaluating Therapeutic Efficacy in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases.

Decreased melatonin levels have been linked to both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), which are the two most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders. The development of sleep disorders is widespread in patients diagnosed with AD or PD. In this regard, calcification of the pineal gland, typically seen in the third decade, has been associated with a reduction in melatonin production.

A Rare Hemorrhagic, Orange-Colored Ascites, Challenging Traditional Ascitic Fluid Analysis.

Analysis of ascitic fluid can offer useful information in developing and supporting a differential diagnosis. As one of the most prevalent complications in patients with cirrhosis, ascitic fluid aids in differentiating a benign condition from malignancy. Both the gross appearance of the ascitic fluid, along with fluid analysis, play a major role in diagnosis.

Peptidyl arginine deiminase expression and macrophage polarization following stimulation with citrullinated and malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde modified fibrinogen.

Objective: Post-translational modifications of extracellular matrix proteins such as fibrinogen may lead to tolerance loss and have been implicated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether fibrinogen (FIB) modified with citrulline (CIT), malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde (MAA) or both leads to altered macrophage polarization, peptidyl arginine deiminase (PAD) expression, or production of citrullinated proteins.

Methods: PMA-treated U-937 cells (M0 cells) were stimulated with MAA, CIT or MAA-CIT modified FIB.

From a Machine Saw to a Case of Pyomyositis.

Pyomyositis is a bacterial infection occurring mainly in skeletal muscles. It is most commonly caused by with initial symptoms including muscle pain, swelling, and site tenderness. When available, the most accurate technique to determine the extent and the specific location of disease is the magnetic resonance imaging.

Cannabis-Induced Pancreatitis in a Young Adult Male.

Drugs account for 2% of all the causes of acute pancreatitis. To date, there are approximately 26 reported cases of acute pancreatitis associated with the use of cannabis. We report the case of a 20-year-old male who presented with intractable nausea, vomiting, and epigastric pain and a lipase level of 1541 with reportedly no alcohol use, and no evidence of medication, biliary, or autoimmune etiology.

Colonic Adenocarcinoma Presenting as Splenic Abscess Secondary to Suspected Microperforation.

Splenic abscesses are a rare infection that usually requires seeding from another primary source; however, direct contact of bacteria can occur with microperforation secondary to colon cancer leading to abscess formation. This occurrence is rare, and through literature review only 12 previous cases have been reported with associated bacteremia. Our patient is a 62-year-old female who presented with left upper quadrant pain with a history of tobacco and alcohol abuse that was febrile and hypoxic.

Multivalvular Endocarditis Involving 3 Valves in a Nonsurgical Candidate.

Infective endocarditis is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Hence, early diagnosis and prompt intervention is crucial. Multivalvular endocarditis involving 3 or more valves is rarely reported with little information regarding best management or prognosis, particularly in nonsurgical patients.

The Coincidence of 2 Epidemics, Coccidioidomycosis and SARS-CoV-2: A Case Report.

In the middle of a pandemic, patients with cough and fever are thought to have SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2). It should be remembered that in the desert southwest of the United States, we have an ongoing epidemic of coccidioidomycosis (CM). There are additionally many other respiratory illnesses that could be confused with CoV-2 or overlooked.

Results of ALIVE: A Faith-Based Pilot Intervention to Improve Diet Among African American Church Members.

Background: A key intervention to address Black-White health disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is to improve diet quality, especially vegetable consumption, among African Americans. However, effective and sustainable interventions are lacking for this population.

Objective: Conduct a proof-of-concept study to measure the feasibility of implementing and rigorously assessing a novel, culturally tailored church-based intervention to improve vegetable consumption and total diet quality among African Americans.

A Case of Recurrent Bacterial Meningitis Due to Retained 54-Year-Old Ureterodural Anastomosis.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunts are the current treatment of choice for congenital hydrocephalus. It is rare for physicians to see patients with alternative types of shunting devices. Lumboureteral shunts, once popular from the 1940s to 1960s, decompress via the genitourinary system.

A group B coxsackievirus/poliovirus 5' nontranslated region chimera can act as an attenuated vaccine strain in mice.

The linear, single-stranded enterovirus RNA genome is flanked at either end with a nontranslated region (NTR). By replacing the entire 5' NTR of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) with that from type 1 poliovirus, a progeny virus was obtained following transfection of HeLa cells. The chimeric virus, CPV/49, replicates like the parental CVB3 strain in HeLa cells but is attenuated for replication and yield in primary human coronary artery endothelial cell cultures, in a human pancreas tumor cell line, and in primary murine heart fibroblast cultures.

The Vpr protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 influences nuclear localization of viral nucleic acids in nondividing host cells.

The replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in nondividing host cells such as those of macrophage lineage is an important feature of AIDS pathogenesis. The pattern of HIV-1 replication is dictated, in part, by the nucleophilic property of the viral gag matrix (MA) protein, a component of the viral preintegration complex that facilitates nuclear localization of viral nucleic acids in the absence of mitosis. We now identify the accessory viral protein Vpr, as a second nucleophilic component that influences nuclear localization of viral nucleic acids in nondividing cells.

Eosinophilic pleocytosis in coccidioidal meningitis: frequency and significance.

Purpose: Coccidioidal meningitis (CM) is a major source of morbidity and mortality in endemic regions. The diagnosis of CM is a clinical challenge. Eosinophilic pleocytosis (EP) is an uncommon finding and present in a relatively limited number of conditions.

Absence of monoclonal antibody detectable Kaposi sarcoma-specific antigens on lesion-derived cultured cells.

To define the histogenesis and cell origin of Kaposi sarcoma (KS), we cultured KS cells without retrovirally conditioned media from three HIV seropositive AIDS patients and then attempted to raise mouse hybrid monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) specific to these AIDS-KS cells. After both in vivo and in vitro immunization trials, all putative Mabs reacted positively to KS cells but also non-specifically with other human (CH5 and OM) and non-human (RSE-1) control endothelial cell lines. To overcome this crossreactivity, we further "absorbed" previously cloned hybrids and pre-hybrid splenocytes by incubating them with the control endothelial cell lines to eliminate splenocytes and/or hybridomas reactive to normal endothelium.

Repeatability of high-frequency bone conduction thresholds.

The purpose of this study was to determine the repeatability of high-frequency, bone conduction thresholds and to increase the data base concerning high-frequency, bone conduction threshold levels. Bone conduction thresholds were obtained on 30 subjects having normal, low, and mid frequency (0.25 to 8 kHz) hearing thresholds within and across five test sessions using a Pracitronic KH 70 bone vibrator referenced to a Brüel and Kjaer 4930 mechanical coupler at 1, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 kHz.

Growth of urinary transitional cell carcinoma cell lines in agar, agarose and methyl cellulose.

Because in vitro cell growth of transitional cell carcinoma explants and cell lines often fail to adequately proliferate in semisolid media, we have examined the effect of agents used to make media semisolid (methyl cellulose, Bacto-agar, Sea Plaque agarose and Sea Prep 15/45 agarose) on the in vitro growth of 11 transitional cell carcinoma cell lines. The growth of human transitional cell carcinoma lines was supported such that agents permissive for growth ranked as follows: Sea Plaque agarose approximately Sea Prep agarose greater than methyl cellulose greater than Bacto-agar. These observations have important implications for the in vitro study of transitional cell carcinoma cell lines and are relevant to the development of improved chemosensitivity determinations for human transitional cell carcinoma.