Cutaneous Syncytial Myoepithelioma: An Uncommon and Distinct Variant of Cutaneous Epithelioid Neoplasm.

Background: Cutaneous syncytial myoepithelioma (CSM) is an uncommon and distinct variant of cutaneous myoepithelioma. We aim to present a case of CSM to enhance the recognition of this unique variant, encompassing its clinical characteristics, histopathological features, immunohistochemical staining, and therapeutic approaches.

Case Presentation: A 10-year-old girl presented with a dome-shaped nodule located on the skin of her left medial distal arm.

Effectiveness of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy During Aeromedical Evacuation Following Soft Tissue Injury and Infection.

Introduction: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is utilized early after soft tissue injury to promote tissue granulation and wound contraction. Early post-injury transfers via aeromedical evacuation (AE) to definitive care centers may actually induce wound bacterial proliferation. However, the effectiveness of NPWT or instillation NPWT in limiting bacterial proliferation during post-injury AE has not been studied.

COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis in mechanically ventilated patients: a prospective, multicentre UK study.

Background: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is a complication of severe COVID-19, with regional variation in reported incidence and mortality. We describe the incidence, risk factors and mortality associated with COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) in a prospective, multicentre UK cohort.

Methods: From March 2020 to March 2021, 266 mechanically ventilated adults with COVID-19 were enrolled across 5 UK hospital intensive care units (ICUs).

Herpesvirus Infection Masquerading as a Neoplasm in an HIV-Positive Patient: A Potential Diagnostic Pitfall.

Herpesvirus infection classically presents as a clustered, vesicular rash over mild erythema. However, unusual presentations may mimic tumors and be a potential pitfall. We describe the case of a 55-year-old HIV positive woman with this unusual manifestation of a common disease which was initially diagnosed as a benign neoplasm.

Partial Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta Limits Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury After Simulated Aeromedical Evacuation.

Introduction: One of the advantages of partial Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (pREBOA) compared to the original model is the mitigation of reperfusion injury. The safety and efficacy of pREBOA have not been demonstrated in the setting of aeromedical evacuation. We hypothesized that the pREBOA would result in less ischemia-reperfusion injury after altitude exposure.

Evaluation of perturbed iron-homeostasis in a prospective cohort of patients with COVID-19.

Marked reductions in serum iron concentrations are commonly induced during the acute phase of infection. This phenomenon, termed hypoferremia of inflammation, leads to inflammatory anemia, but could also have broader pathophysiological implications. In patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), hypoferremia is associated with disease severity and poorer outcomes, although there are few reported cohorts.

Aspirin Administration Mitigates Platelet Hyperaggregability After Splenectomy in a Murine Model.

Introduction: Patients who undergo splenectomy (SPLN) have an estimated 10%-35% risk of venous thromboembolic events; however, the underlying mechanism and strategy for prevention have yet to be identified. The goals of this study were to 1) investigate platelet aggregation after SPLN, 2) examine if aspirin administration could mitigate this effect, and 3) determine if concomitant hemorrhage would affect post-SPLN platelet function and response to aspirin.

Methods: Murine models of operative SPLN and submandibular bleed (SMB) were utilized.

Postinjury Treatment to Mitigate the Effects of Aeromedical Evacuation After Traumatic Brain Injury in a Porcine Model.

Introduction: Early aeromedical evacuation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been associated with worse neurologic outcomes in murine studies and military populations. The goal of this study was to determine if commonly utilized medications, including allopurinol, propranolol, or tranexamic acid (TXA), could mitigate the secondary traumatic brain injury experienced during the hypobaric and hypoxic environment of aeromedical evacuation.

Methods: Porcine TBI was induced via controlled cortical injury.

Fatal COVID-19 outcomes are associated with an antibody response targeting epitopes shared with endemic coronaviruses.

The role of immune responses to previously seen endemic coronavirus epitopes in severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and disease progression has not yet been determined. Here, we show that a key characteristic of fatal outcomes with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is that the immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is enriched for antibodies directed against epitopes shared with endemic beta-coronaviruses and has a lower proportion of antibodies targeting the more protective variable regions of the spike. The magnitude of antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 full-length spike protein, its domains and subunits, and the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid also correlated strongly with responses to the endemic beta-coronavirus spike proteins in individuals admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with fatal COVID-19 outcomes, but not in individuals with nonfatal outcomes.

Probing the mechanisms of enhanced crystallisation of APS in the presence of ultrasound.

Understanding the origins of the enhancement of crystallisation of a lipid (all-purpose shortening, APS) through the application of ultrasound is a fundamental pre-requisite for the exploitation of this technique in a wider context. To this end, we show here a number of measurements designed to probe the mechanisms responsible for this effect. For example, we show how the type of bubble cluster, produced at the sound source, alters the bubble population and residency time.

Development of an optical flow through detector for bubbles, crystals and particles in oils.

The characterisation of bubbles or particles in an oil poses some unique challenges. In contrast to water solutions, the use of electrochemical detection approaches is more difficult in an oil. However, optical sensing systems have considerable potential in this area.

Identification of immune correlates of fatal outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Prior studies have demonstrated that immunologic dysfunction underpins severe illness in COVID-19 patients, but have lacked an in-depth analysis of the immunologic drivers of death in the most critically ill patients. We performed immunophenotyping of viral antigen-specific and unconventional T cell responses, neutralizing antibodies, and serum proteins in critically ill patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, using influenza infection, SARS-CoV-2-convalescent health care workers, and healthy adults as controls. We identify mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cell activation as an independent and significant predictor of death in COVID-19 (HR = 5.

BioID reveals an ATG9A interaction with ATG13-ATG101 in the degradation of p62/SQSTM1-ubiquitin clusters.

ATG9A, the only multi-pass transmembrane protein among core ATG proteins, is an essential regulator of autophagy, yet its regulatory mechanisms and network of interactions are poorly understood. Through quantitative BioID proteomics, we identify a network of ATG9A interactions that includes members of the ULK1 complex and regulators of membrane fusion and vesicle trafficking, including the TRAPP, EARP, GARP, exocyst, AP-1, and AP-4 complexes. These interactions mark pathways of ATG9A trafficking through ER, Golgi, and endosomal systems.

Enhanced crystallisation kinetics of edible lipids through the action of a bifurcated streamer.

The processing of healthy foods remains a challenge and any technology with the ability to tailor the physical properties of new materials is in demand. High-intensity ultrasound (HIU) has been identified as a useful processing technique for such activities particularly for edible lipids. HIU has been known to alter the crystallisation kinetics and in turn the resultant physicochemical properties for specific food applications.

Folic acid supplementation rescues valproic acid-induced developmental neurotoxicity and behavioral alterations in zebrafish embryos.

Objective: Fetal exposure to the anticonvulsant drug valproic acid (VPA), used to treat certain types of epilepsy, increases the risk for birth defects, including neural tube defects, as well as learning difficulties and behavioral problems. Here, we investigated neurotoxic effects of VPA exposure using zebrafish as a model organism. The capacity of folic acid (FA) supplementation to rescue the VPA-induced neuronal and behavioral perturbations was also examined.

Safety and Efficacy of Intermittent High-Dose Liposomal Amphotericin B Antifungal Prophylaxis in Haemato-Oncology: An Eight-Year Single-Centre Experience and Review of the Literature.

Triazoles remain first-line agents for antifungal prophylaxis in high-risk haemato-oncology patients, but their use is increasingly contraindicated due to drug-drug interactions and additive toxicities with novel treatments. In this retrospective, single-centre, observational study, we present our eight-year experience of antifungal prophylaxis using intermittent high-dose liposomal Amphotericin B (L-AmB). All adults identified through our Antifungal Stewardship Programme as receiving L-AmB prophylaxis at 7.

Confronting and mitigating the risk of COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis.

https://bit.ly/3feuGsQ

Cavitation clusters in lipid systems - Ring-up, bubble population, and bifurcated streamer lifetime.

The processing of oils is vital to their ultimate use within the food industry. Control over the physical properties of such materials could be achieved through the application of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU). However, the exact mechanism, centred upon acoustic cavitation, is currently unclear.

An Analytical Differential Resistance Pulse System Relying on a Time Shift Signal Analysis-Applications in Coulter Counting.

Improving the sensitivity and ultimately the range of particle sizes that can be detected with a single pore extends the versatility of the Coulter counting technique. Here, to enable a pore to have greater sensitivity, we have developed and tested a novel differential resistive pulse sensing (DiS) system for sizing particles. To do this, the response was generated through a time shift approach utilizing a "self-servoing regime" to enable the final signal to operate with a zero background in the absence of particle translocation.

A prospective study evaluating the impact of cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) on the management of tuberculosis in a low-resource high-burden Indian rural setting.

Background: The cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) Xpert MTB/RIF is more sensitive than smear microscopy for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). It is also more expensive, costing 1450 INR as compared to 10 INR per smear.

Objectives: We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the impact of CBNAAT results on patient management in our low-resource, high-burden Indian rural setting.

Implementation of the cobas Liat influenza point-of-care test into an emergency department during a high-incidence season: a retrospective evaluation following real-world implementation.

The cobas Liat influenza A/B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) assay (Liat) was used in the adult emergency department of a large London hospital from 21 January 2018 to 14 April 2018. Influenza was detected in 308 of 1027 (30%) samples tested; influenza A in 157 (15.3%), influenza B in 149 (14.