Rib hyperostosis: a benign entity with suspicious imaging features.

Rib hyperostosis has previously been described in conjunction with disorders causing excessive vertebral ossification due to osseous bridging across the costovertebral joint, such as in diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. Hyperostosis is believed to be a reactive process due to altered forces across the affected rib as bridging osteophytes decrease mobility at the respective costovertebral joint. The imaging characteristics of rib hyperostosis can be highly suspicious for malignancy.

, sp. nov., a hyphopodiate fungus identified from diseased roots of ultradwarf bermudagrass in the United States.

The genus (Magnaporthaceae, Magnaporthales, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) includes root-infecting pathogens, saprobes, and endophytes. Morphological, biological, and phylogenetic analyses were employed to identify fungal isolates derived from turfgrass roots colonized with ectotrophic, dark runner hyphae. Phylogenetic trees for partial sequences of the 18S nuc rDNA, ITS1-5.

, a novel turfgrass pathogen with widespread distribution in the United States.

The genus of Magnaporthaceae (Magnaporthales, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) contains species that are predominantly necrotrophic pathogens, often producing simple hyphopodia and dark, ectotrophic runner hyphae on plant roots and stems during colonization. Fungal isolates from turfgrass roots with dark and ectotrophic runner hyphae were examined and identified based on morphological, biological, and phylogenetic analyses. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods were implemented to obtain phylogenetic trees for partial sequences of the 18S nuc rDNA, ITS1-5.

Risk and Causes of Death among Former National Football League Players (1986-2012).

Purpose: Previous research identified decreased overall and cardiovascular mortality for National Football League (NFL) players from the 1959-1988 era. The present study explored the mortality risk among recent NFL players who played in an era of heavier linemen and nearly year-round physical conditioning.

Methods: This cohort study included 9778 former NFL players with at least 1 yr in the NFL whose last season was between 1986 and 2012.

Peroneus Longus Rupture at Its Origin Managed With Platelet Rich Plasma.

Tears of the peroneus longus muscle are unusual, and typically involve the distal insertion at the musculotendon junction. Although tears of the mid-portion of the peroneus longus muscle/tendon complex have been reported, no reports of a tear at the origin of the peroneus muscle have been published, to the authors' knowledge. Herein a case of proximal peroneus longus muscle tear and its subsequent management with platelet rich plasma is reported.

Thoracic cavity definition for 3D PET/CT analysis and visualization.

X-ray computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) serve as the standard imaging modalities for lung-cancer management. CT gives anatomical details on diagnostic regions of interest (ROIs), while PET gives highly specific functional information. During the lung-cancer management process, a patient receives a co-registered whole-body PET/CT scan pair and a dedicated high-resolution chest CT scan.

Peer review guidance: how do you write a good review?

Peer review is essential to the quality of scientific publications. As the volume of submissions to these journals increases, the need for an expanding cadre of trained reviewers also increases. Many reviewers do not receive formal training on conducting a peer review or education on the peer review process, however.

Nuclear medicine tests for acute gastrointestinal conditions.

Acute cholecystitis (AC) and lower-gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding are 2 emergencies commonly encountered in nuclear medicine. Evidence of AC on hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) allows for confident diagnosis and provides support for definitive surgical treatment. Proper patient preparation is essential for HBS including fasting and the use of pharmacologic adjuncts is sometimes required.

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy in acute cholecystitis.

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy is a mature imaging technique for evaluation of patients with acute cholecystitis (AC). It is effective in calculous and acalculous forms of AC. The test is used in contemporary medical practice as the arbiter when the findings from screening abdominal ultrasound do not fit a clinical picture.

Detailed structural-functional analysis of the Krüppel-like factor 16 (KLF16) transcription factor reveals novel mechanisms for silencing Sp/KLF sites involved in metabolism and endocrinology.

Krüppel-like factor (KLF) proteins have elicited significant attention due to their emerging key role in metabolic and endocrine diseases. Here, we extend this knowledge through the biochemical characterization of KLF16, unveiling novel mechanisms regulating expression of genes involved in reproductive endocrinology. We found that KLF16 selectively binds three distinct KLF-binding sites (GC, CA, and BTE boxes).

Longer Tc-99m-mebrofenin labeling-to-administration time results in scintigraphic underestimation of liver function.

Objective: Tc-99m-mebrofenin clearance rate is used to estimate hepatocellular function. This investigation studied effect of labeling-to-administration (LTA) time of Tc-99m-mebrofenin and its liver clearance rate.

Methods: A total of 15 patients, age 46 ± 13 (range, 19-69) years, referred for routine gallbladder ejection fraction testing, were retrospectively studied.

Sleep-disordered breathing in the National Football League.

Study Objectives: Prior studies have suggested that the prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) among players in the National Football League (NFL) is disproportionately high. SDB can increase cardiovascular disease risk and is correlated with hypertension. NFL players have a higher prevalence of hypertension, and we sought to determine the prevalence of SDB among players the NFL and the associations of SDB with anthropometric measures and cardiovascular risk factors.

Body size, body composition, and cardiovascular disease risk factors in NFL players.

Aims: We characterized the size of active National Football League (NFL) players by multiple criteria and analyzed their relation to traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors with the objective of further clarifying the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors in different player positions.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in professional athletic training facilities. The participants were 504 active veteran players from a convenience sample of 12 NFL teams, grouped as interior linemen (IL) or all others (AO).

Sincalide-stimulated cholescintigraphy: a multicenter investigation to determine optimal infusion methodology and gallbladder ejection fraction normal values.

Unlabelled: Sincalide-stimulated cholescintigraphy is performed to quantify gallbladder contraction and emptying. However, different infusion methods are used for this study. Our purpose was to determine the infusion method with the least variability (smallest coefficient of variation [CV]) for calculation of the gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) in healthy subjects and to establish normal values.

Prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among National Football League players.

Context: Concern exists about the cardiovascular health implications of large size among professional football players and those players who aspire to professional status.

Objectives: To assess cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in active National Football League (NFL) players and to compare these findings with data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A cross-sectional study of 504 active, veteran football players from a convenience sample of 12 NFL teams at professional athletic training facilities between April and July 2007.

The added benefit of a dedicated neck F-18 FDG PET-CT imaging protocol in patients with suspected recurrent differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Purpose: To retrospectively analyze whether adding a delayed high-resolution dedicated neck F-18 FDG positron emission tomography-computerized tomographic (PET-CT) imaging protocol in patients with recurrent differentiated thyroid cancer increases the number of abnormal foci within the neck.

Materials And Methods: Seventeen PET-CT studies from a total of 10 patients with suspected recurrent differentiated thyroid cancer between March 2003 and June 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. Each study included a whole body acquisition (WBA), followed by higher resolution dedicated neck acquisition (DNA).

Prediction of volatile anesthetic binding sites in proteins.

Computational methods designed to predict and visualize ligand protein binding interactions were used to characterize volatile anesthetic (VA) binding sites and unoccupied pockets within the known structures of VAs bound to serum albumin, luciferase, and apoferritin. We found that both the number of protein atoms and methyl hydrogen, which are within approximately 8 A of a potential ligand binding site, are significantly greater in protein pockets where VAs bind. This computational approach was applied to structures of calmodulin (CaM), which have not been determined in complex with a VA.

Competence levels in musculoskeletal medicine: comparison of osteopathic and allopathic medical graduates.

Background: Consistent with osteopathic principles and practice, the nation's colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) have emphasized the significance of the musculoskeletal system to the practice of medicine. The authors hypothesized that graduating COM students would, therefore, demonstrate superior knowledge and competence in musculoskeletal medicine when compared with graduates of allopathic medical schools.

Methods: The authors asked graduating COM students to complete a standardized and previously validated 25-question basic competency examination on musculoskeletal medicine in short-answer format.

Sideline management of asthma.

The timely, efficient, and effective sideline management of asthma must be grounded on an understanding of the disease processes, awareness of evidence-based therapeutic intervention, and thorough knowledge of the individual athlete's medical history and current physical condition. There is accumulating evidence that exercise-induced airway narrowing, if unrecognized or inadequately treated, can progress to a severe life-threatening status and should always be viewed as a potential medical emergency. A widening range of therapeutic measures is currently available to prevent and to treat exercise asthma, and treatment must be tailored to the individual circumstances to optimize response.

Sideline management of asthma.

The timely, efficient, and effective sideline management of asthma must be based on an understanding of the disease processes, awareness of evidence-based therapeutic intervention, and thorough knowledge of the individual athlete's past and present medical history. There is accumulating evidence that exercise-induced airway narrowing, if unrecognized or inadequately treated, can progress to a severe life-threatening status and should always be viewed as a potential medical emergency. A widening range of therapeutic measures is currently available to prevent and treat exercise asthma, and treatment must be tailored to the individual circumstances in order to optimize response.

Return to play following exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Objective: To review evidence-based support for return to play criteria following acute exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Data Sources: Electronic databases Ovid Medline and PubMed were searched for papers relating to exercise related asthma and bronchoconstriction and return to play criteria. Additional references from the bibliographies of retrieved articles were also reviewed.