Granulomatous polyangiitis with pachymeningitis: a case report.

A 33-year-old man had 1 month of right-sided headache with multiple right-sided cranial neuropathies. He had a history of recurrent sinusitis, elevated inflammatory markers and positive cytoplasmic anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antigens (c-ANCA) anti-proteinase 3 (anti-PR3). MR scans of the brain and cervical spine identified an inflammatory mass at the skull base with hypertrophic pachymeningitis and a sigmoid sinus thrombosis.

Off-the-Shelf Implant to Bridge a Urethral Defect: Multicenter 8-Year Journey From Bench to Bed.

Objective: To engineer an acellular mesh to reconstruct the urethra to replace the current surgical practice of using autologous tissue grafts. Cell based approaches have shown progress. However, these have been associated with high costs and logistical challenges.

Immediate implant placement and simultaneous bone grafting with bone cement in extraction sockets: A systematic review.

Background: The placement of immediate dental implants intrinsically displays crestal gaps, which may compromise implant osseointegration. Several grafting materials have been used to overcome this issue. Of the available materials, the use of bone cement is relatively new in oral implantology.

A novel mortality risk score for emphysematous pyelonephritis: A multicenter study of the Global Research in the Emphysematous Pyelonephritis group.

Background: Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a necrotizing infection of the kidney and the surrounding tissues associated with considerable mortality. We aimed to formulate a score that classifies the risk of mortality in patients with EPN at hospital admission.

Materials And Methods: Patients diagnosed with EPN between 2013 and 2020 were retrospectively included.

SHIP1 deficiency causes inflammation-dependent retardation in skeletal growth.

Inflammation and skeletal homeostasis are closely intertwined. Inflammatory diseases are associated with local and systemic bone loss, and post-menopausal osteoporosis is linked to low-level chronic inflammation. Phosphoinositide-3-kinase signalling is a pivotal pathway modulating immune responses and controlling skeletal health.

Health-Related Quality of Life Assessment in Prostate Cancer Patient Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy: Real-World Experience in the READT Study.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Asian men with all stages of prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: READT (real-life evaluation of the effect of ADT in prostate cancer patients in Asia) was a multi-center, prospective observational study involving six sites across four Asian populations. We enrolled eligible prostate cancer patients, who opted for ADT alone or in combination without prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant ADT within 12 months.

Shear Wave Ultrasound Inspection of Flaws in Silicon Wafers Using Focused Transducers.

Silicon parts can contain micrometer-sized vertical cracks that are challenging to detect. Inspection using high-frequency focused ultrasound has shown promise for detecting defects of this size and geometry. However, implementing focused ultrasound to inspect anisotropic media can prove challenging, given the directional dependence of wave propagation and subsequent focusing behavior.

SHIP1 and its role for innate immune regulation-Novel targets for immunotherapy.

Phosphoinositide-3-kinase/AKT (PI3K/AKT) signaling plays key roles in the regulation of cellular activity in both health and disease. In immune cells, this PI3K/AKT pathway is critically regulated by the phosphoinositide phosphatase SHIP1, which has been reported to modulate the function of most immune subsets. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of SHIP1 with a focus on innate immune cells, where we reflect on the most pertinent aspects described in the current literature.

Examining the Acceptance of Blockchain by Real Estate Buyers and Sellers.

Buying and selling real estate is time consuming and labor intensive, requires many intermediaries, and incurs high fees. Blockchain technology provides the real estate industry with a reliable means of tracking transactions and increases trust between the parties involved. Despite the benefits of blockchain, its adoption in the real estate industry is still in its infancy.

Natural killer cell-mimic nanoparticles can actively target and kill acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in recognizing and killing emerging tumor cells. However, tumor cells develop mechanisms to inactivate NK cells or hide from them. Here, we engineered a modular nanoplatform that acts as NK cells (NK cell-mimics), carrying the tumor-recognition and death ligand-mediated tumor-killing properties of an NK cell, yet without being subject to tumor-mediated inactivation.

Adverse metabolic consequences of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on Asian patients with prostate cancer: Primary results from the real-life experience of ADT in Asia (READT) study.

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) use in prostate cancer (PCa) has seen a rising trend. We investigated the relationship between ADT and adverse changes in metabolic parameters in an Asian population.

Methods: This is an international prospective multicenter single-arm cohort yielded from the real-life experience of ADT in Asia (READT) registry.

Sulfonated magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes with enhanced bonding stability, high adsorption performance, and reusability for water remediation.

In view of the simple and rapid conveniency of magnetic separation, magnetic nanocomposites had notably gained attention from researchers for environmental field applications. In this work, carboxylated magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (c-MMWCNTs) and novel sulfonated MMWCNTs (s-MMWCNTs) were synthesized by a facile solvent-free direct doping method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray, vibrating sample magnetometer, and point of zero charge analyses confirmed the successful doping of the FeO nanoparticles into the functionalized MWCNTs to form MMWCNTs.

Prognosis of Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase-Producing Agents in Emphysematous Pyelonephritis-Results from a Large, Multicenter Series.

Background: Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a necrotizing infection of the kidney and surrounding tissues with significant mortality. We aimed to assess the clinical factors and their influence on prognosis in patients being managed for EPN with and without ESBL-producing bacteria and to identify if those with EPN due to ESBL infections fared any different.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with EPN diagnosis from 22 centers across 11 countries (between 2013 and 2020).

Backward Walking Styles and Impact on Spatiotemporal Gait Characteristics.

Forward walking (FW) is a common balance assessment tool. However, its sensitivity is limited by the ceiling effect. Reverse gait, such as backward walking (BW), has been reported to have more advantages than FW for balance assessment.

Low-gradient magnetic separation of magnetic nanoparticles under continuous flow: Experimental study, transport mechanism and mathematical modelling.

Low-gradient magnetic separation (LGMS) of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has been proven as one of the techniques with great potential for biomedical and environmental applications. Recently, the underlying principle of particle capture by LGMS, through a process known as magnetophoresis, under the influence of hydrodynamic effect has been widely studied and illustrated. Even though the hydrodynamic effect is very substantial for batch processes, its impact on LGMS operated at continuous flow (CF) condition remained largely unknown.

IL-33 biology in cancer: An update and future perspectives.

Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a member of the IL-1 family of cytokines that is constitutively expressed in the nucleus of epithelial, endothelial and fibroblast-like cells. Upon cell stress, damage or necrosis, IL-33 is released into the cytoplasm to exert its prime role as an alarmin by binding to its specific receptor moiety, ST2. IL-33 exhibits pleiotropic function in inflammatory diseases and particularly in cancer.

Cardiovascular risk factors, ethnicity and infection stone are independent factors associated with reduced renal function in renal stone formers.

Background: Recent evidence suggested the link between nephrolithiasis and renal function impairment. We aimed to determine the renal function profile and potential factors associated with reduced renal function amongst renal stone formers in multi-ethnic Asians.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy between May 2015 and December 2019.

Users' adaptations to the proportional speed control of a motorised walker.

Purpose: Speed control is commonly used to regulate the forces applied by motorised walkers (MW) and there are often situations where the speed targeted deviates from the preferred walking speed of its users, such as when encouraging higher walking speeds and due to safety consideration. This study investigates the effects of different MW's target speeds on the selected walking speeds, force applied, perceived exertion, and gait of MW users during steady-state walking.

Materials And Methods: The spatiotemporal gait parameters and perceived exertion of twenty young healthy participants were measured as they walked at a comfortable, self-selected speed using a MW as it was controlled to target forward speeds of 0.

In situ characterization of laser-generated melt pools using synchronized ultrasound and high-speed X-ray imaging.

Metal additive manufacturing is a fabrication method that forms a part by fusing layers of powder to one another. An energy source, such as a laser, is commonly used to heat the metal powder sufficiently to cause a molten pool to form, which is known as the melt pool. The melt pool can exist in the conduction or the keyhole mode where the material begins to rapidly evaporate.

Spontaneous retroperitoneal hematoma: a rare bleeding occurrence in COVID-19.

Emerging evidence suggest that COVID-19 is associated with hypercoagulability, predisposing patients to increase risk of thromboembolism. Anticoagulation is not without its risks of bleeding and decision to initiate anticoagulation should be carefully considered with close monitoring. Spontaneous retroperitoneal hematoma is a rare complication, and there are only a few documented reports implicating anticoagulant or antiplatelet agents as a potential cause.

Convalescent plasma as an adjunctive therapy for COVID-19: A single centre experience in Malaysia.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed a significant and urgent threat to global health and economy. Currently, there is no effective treatment known to alter the course of COVID-19. Convalescent plasma (CP) has been used previously to treat several types of infections during pandemics.

Atypical interstitial granuloma annulare: a possible uncommon systemic manifestation of atrial myxomas.

A 73-year-old man presented with lower back pain and bilateral palmar lesions. Urine culture grew Streptococcus agalactiae and C-reactive protein was raised. He was treated with antibiotics for urinary tract infection with suspected pyelonephritis.