Successful Treatment of Primary Acanthamoeba Cutis in a Patient With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia on Acalabrutinib.

Primary cutaneous amoebiasis is rare, and typically affects immunocompromised patients and presents with unique clinical and histopathologic changes. Untreated, the infection could progress to involve the central nervous system, which is almost universally fatal. We present a case of primary cutaneous acanthamoebiasis in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia on acalabrutinib.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: APOEε4 significantly increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cognitively healthy APOEε4-carriers exist, suggesting potential protective mechanisms against APOEε4. We hypothesized that some APOEε4-carriers may have genetic variations protecting them from developing APOEε4-mediated AD pathology.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Cardio and cerebrovascular risk factors (CVRFs) increase the risk of cerebrovascular disease and clinical Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and over 70% of the patients with AD coincident cerebrovascular pathology. We previously found that FMNL2 interacts with a burden score of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and body mass index (BMI) by altering the normal astroglial-vascular mechanisms that underly amyloid clearance. Stroke, defined by history of a clinical stroke or brain imaging, is a moderately robust risk factor for AD and dementia.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Genetic variations have emerged as crucial players in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and they serve for a better understanding of the disease mechanisms; yet the specific roles of these genetic variants remain uncertain. Animal models with reminiscent disease pathology could uncover previously uncharacterized roles of these genes. Therefore, we generated zebrafish models for AD variants to analyze the in depth molecular and biological functions of these variants.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Stage III activated microglia have been associated with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and cognitive decline. Separately, recent single-cell RNA-sequencing revealed CD74 as a marker gene that is enriched in immunologically active microglial subtypes associated with AD.

Method: Post mortem tissue sections from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were stained simultaneously for (1) CD74, (2) IBA1 (a general microglial marker that outlines cellular processes), and (3) phosphoTau (AT8 antibody) to locate Tau proteinopathy.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: The ADSP is a National Institute on Aging (NIA) initiative focused on identifying genetic risk and protective variants for Alzheimer Disease (AD). Initial phases (Discovery and Discovery Extension) were predominantly non-Hispanic Whites of European Ancestry (NHW-EA). The ADSP expanded the population diversity in the Follow Up Study (ADSP-FUS), and the current phase, ADSP-FUS 2.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) differ in their cognitive characteristics. Subscales of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) provide an opportunity to test these cognitive domains across the two conditions. Multiple brief cognitive screening tools have been evaluated to differentiate specific types of dementia, but there are no reports regarding RUDAS yet.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: People with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) often have neuropsychiatric symptoms. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is a validated tool for assessing the severity of these symptoms, but its applicability in a South African context remains unexamined. This study evaluated NPI-Q, a brief version of the NPI, in relation to cognitive performance and markers of brain atrophy and emotional regulation among older South African adults.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Dementia criteria require not only memory impairment, but additional impairment in at least one other cognitive domain, like visuospatial functioning. Cognitive measures assessing visuospatial function often involve drawing shapes. While these measures have proven reliable and valid in developed countries, their use in Low and Middle-income Countries (LMICs) is challenging due to cultural differences and low literacy.

Left Ventricular Dimensions and Clinical Outcomes With a Fully Magnetically Levitated Left Ventricular Assist Device.

Background: Prior analyses have suggested that a smaller left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) is associated with reduced survival following HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device implantation.

Objectives: In this trial-based comprehensive analysis, the authors sought to examine clinical characteristics and association with the outcome of this specific relationship.

Methods: The authors analyzed the presence of LVEDD <55 mm among 1,921 analyzable HeartMate 3 patients within the MOMENTUM 3 (Multicenter Study of MagLev Technology in Patients Undergoing Mechanical Circulatory Support Therapy With HeartMate 3) trial portfolio, on endpoints of overall survival and adverse events at 2 years.

De novo variants disrupt an LDB1-regulated transcriptional network in congenital ventriculomegaly.

Congenital hydrocephalus (CH), characterized by cerebral ventriculomegaly (CV), is among the most common and least understood pediatric neurosurgical disorders. We have identified in the largest-assembled CV cohort (>2,697 parent-proband trios) an exome-wide significant enrichment of protein-altering de novo variants (DNVs) in LDB1 (p = 1.11 x 10-15).

Radiofrequency Ablation of Toxic Thyroid Nodules: An Early Experience of a Single Institution in the United States.

Objective: The field of endocrine surgery has been expanding its minimally invasive techniques to treat a wide range of thyroid pathologies. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is one targeted thermal therapy that has been identified as safe and effective for the treatment of benign pathologies as an alternative to surgery. We have employed RFA at our institution and are reporting our experience with this techniques safety, efficacy, and considerations in the treatment of toxic adenomas and multinodular goiters.

Psychiatric crises among youth with a history of trauma during COVID-19: A retrospective study of psychiatrically hospitalized children and adolescents.

Background: Youth hospitalized in inpatient child psychiatry units have a high prevalence of trauma and this population may have been especially affected by the pandemic.

Objective: This study examined the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of hospitalized youth with a history of trauma prior to, during, and after the pandemic. Additionally, youth who reported a trauma history were compared to those who denied having a trauma history.

Machine learning-derived clinical decision algorithm for the diagnosis of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Purpose: To train and validate machine learning-derived clinical decision algorithm (CDA) for the diagnosis of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands using preoperative variables to facilitate surgical planning.

Methods: This retrospective study included 458 consecutive primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) patients who underwent combined 4D-CT and sestamibi SPECT/CT (MIBI) with subsequent parathyroidectomy from February 2013 to September 2016. The study cohort was divided into training (first 400 patients) and validation sets (remaining 58 patients).

Primary delayed sternal closure in adult cardiac surgery: a systematic review of protocols.

Introduction: Primary delayed sternal closure (DSC) is a useful tool in the management of certain critically unstable patients after cardiac surgery, but there is a paucity of consensus management guidelines. This review aimed to identify critical key areas in DSC management.

Evidence Acquisition: Systematic literature search was conducted in January 2023 and performed using Embase and PubMed.

Recurrent colonization with methicillin-susceptible after successful decolonization in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Recurrent methicillin-susceptible colonization following successful decolonization in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has been observed. Of 17 recolonization events, 53% were due to concordant strains; 19 different types were identified. Results of this study support sources of re-acquisition both intrinsic and extrinsic to the NICU.

Radiomics-driven personalized radiotherapy for primary and recurrent tumors: A general review with a focus on reirradiation.

Purpose: This review systematically investigates the role of radiomics in radiotherapy, with a particular emphasis on the use of quantitative imaging biomarkers for predicting clinical outcomes, assessing toxicity, and optimizing treatment planning. While the review encompasses various applications of radiomics in radiotherapy, it particularly highlights its potential for guiding reirradiation of recurrent cancers.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted based on a Medline search with the search engine PubMed using the keywords "radiomics or radiomic" and "radiotherapy or reirradiation".