A randomized controlled trial analyzing nonthermal atmospheric plasma for the treatment of verruca vulgaris in pediatric patients.

Background: Verruca vulgaris (VV) is a common viral disease in children. Treatment options are often not well tolerated in children due to pain or adverse effect risk. Nonthermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP), which generates reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, is well tolerated and without adverse effects.

Eosinophils as modulators of host defense during parasitic, fungal, bacterial, and viral infections.

Eosinophils, traditionally associated as central innate effector cells with type 2 immunity during allergic and helminth parasitic diseases, have recently been revealed to have important roles in tissue homeostasis as well as host defense in a broader variety of infectious diseases. In a dedicated session at the 2023 biennial conference of the International Eosinophil Society titled "Eosinophils in Host Defense," the multifaceted roles eosinophils play against diverse pathogens, ranging from parasites to fungi, bacteria, and viruses, were presented. In this review, the session speakers offer a comprehensive summary of recent discoveries across pathogen classes, positioning eosinophils as pivotal leukocytes in both host defense and pathology.

Higher modified frailty index score is associated with 30-day postoperative complications following simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty.

Background: There is no clear consensus regarding patient populations at highest risk for complications from simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the comorbidities comprising the modified Frailty Index (mFI) were correlated with poor outcomes following simultaneous bilateral TKA.

Methods: From 2006 to 2019, patients undergoing bilateral TKA aged 50 years or older were identified in a national database.

HIV-1 latency reversal and immune enhancing activity of IL-15 is not influenced by sex hormones.

The role of different biological variables including biological sex, age, and sex hormones in Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cure approaches is not well understood. The γc-cytokine IL-15 is a clinically relevant cytokine that promotes immune activation and mediates HIV reactivation from latency. In this work, we examined the interplay that biological sex, age, and sex hormones 17β-estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone may have on the biological activity of IL-15.

Analytical and Clinical Validation of a Non-Ristocetin Based VWF Assay on 2 Automated Analyzers in a Large Reference Laboratory.

Background: Historically, von Willebrand factor (VWF) activity assays utilized ristocetin despite limitations including poor limits of detection and high imprecision. Newer VWF activity assays such as the INNOVANCE® VWF Ac assay, however, do not rely on ristocetin to measure platelet-dependent VWF function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the analytical and clinical performance of the Siemens Healthineers INNOVANCE VWF Ac Assay on the Siemens BCS® XP and the Sysmex® CS-2500 systems in a large reference laboratory setting.

Developing a questionnaire for assessing clinician- and patient-reported outcomes in actinic keratosis: Results from an expert panel.

Background: Current assessments on topical treatment attributes in actinic keratosis (AK) do not evaluate safety, effectiveness, and satisfaction from both clinician and patient perspectives, creating an unmet need for more comprehensive AK-specific measures that fully capture the patient experience.

Objective: To develop an actinic keratosis-specific expert panel questionnaire (AK-EPQ) of patient-reported outcomes and clinician-reported outcomes for use in research studies.

Methods: Using interviews of patients with AK and targeted literature reviews, a 9-person consensus panel of dermatologists with expertise in AK treatment was convened to develop the AK-EPQ to assess AK-specific patient-reported outcomes and clinician-reported outcomes.

Immune-mediated disruption of the blood-brain barrier after intracerebral hemorrhage: Insights and potential therapeutic targets.

Aims: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a condition that arises due to the rupture of cerebral blood vessels, leading to the flow of blood into the brain tissue. One of the pathological alterations that occurs during an acute ICH is an impairment of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which leads to severe perihematomal edema and an immune response.

Discussion: A complex interplay between the cells of the BBB, for example, pericytes, astrocytes, and brain endothelial cells, with resident and infiltrating immune cells, such as microglia, monocytes, neutrophils, T lymphocytes, and others accounts for both damaging and protective mechanisms at the BBB following ICH.

Body mass index in pediatric kidney transplant selection criteria.

Background: Obesity is associated with increased complications, rejection, and graft loss after kidney transplantation in adult and pediatric recipients. Elevated body mass index (BMI) is a common contraindication to transplant at adult kidney transplant programs; however, there is no data on such limitations for pediatric patients.

Methods: Between October and December 2022, we conducted a survey of Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium centers assessing the use of BMI in pediatric kidney transplant evaluation.

Increased 1-Year Revision Rates Among Left-Sided Intertrochanteric Femur Fractures.

Objectives: To compare 1-year revision rates among left-sided and right-sided intertrochanteric femur fractures.

Design: Retrospective.

Setting: 120+ contributing centers to multicentered database.

Current and emerging intralesional immunotherapies in cutaneous oncology.

Immunotherapies have revolutionized the management of advanced cutaneous malignancies. However, some patients fail to respond to these therapies, others are ineligible because of comorbidities, and a minority of patients experience treatment-limiting systemic immune-related adverse events. To address these issues and expand treatment options for patients with early-stage disease, a variety of immunotherapies are being developed for direct intratumoral administration.

Predicting Abrocitinib Efficacy at Week 12 Based on Clinical Response at Week 4: A Post Hoc Analysis of Four Randomized Studies in Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis.

Introduction: Early prediction of abrocitinib efficacy in atopic dermatitis (AD) could help identify candidates for an early dose increase. A predictive model determined week 12 efficacy based on week 4 responses in patients receiving abrocitinib 100 mg/day and assessed the effect of an abrocitinib dose increase on platelet counts.

Methods: Analysis included the phase 3 trials JADE MONO-1 (NCT03349060), MONO-2 (NCT03575871), COMPARE (NCT03720470), and TEEN (NCT03796676).

Academic and Demographic Characteristics of Orthopedic Adult Reconstruction Division Chiefs.

Introduction: Division chiefs play crucial leadership, administrative, and instructive roles within orthopedic subspecialties. The purpose of this study is to investigate the demographic and academic characteristics of division chiefs of adult reconstruction at fellowship institutions in the United States.

Methods: Adult reconstruction fellowship programs were identified using the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons database.

Assessing the Diagnostic Performance and Clinical Utility of Nasal Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus PCR Testing in Pediatric Orbital Cellulitis.

Data are limited on the clinical impact of nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) polymerase chain reaction testing for orbital cellulitis. This 2-center, retrospective study demonstrated a negative predictive value of 98.0% and an overall lower use of anti-MRSA antibiotics, without a concomitant increase in hospital readmission.

Integration of passive sensing technology to enhance delivery of psychological interventions for mothers with depression: the StandStrong study.

Psychological interventions delivered by non-specialist providers have shown mixed results for treating maternal depression. mHealth solutions hold the possibility for unobtrusive behavioural data collection to identify challenges and reinforce change in psychological interventions. We conducted a proof-of-concept study using passive sensing integrated into a depression intervention delivered by non-specialists to twenty-four adolescents and young mothers (30% 15-17 years old; 70% 18-25 years old) with infants (< 12 months old) in rural Nepal.

Osteopathic Students Have Decreased Match Rates in Orthopaedic Surgery Compared with Allopathic Students.

Introduction: Orthopaedic surgery continues to be one of the most competitive specialties to match into as a medical student, particularly for osteopathic medical students. Therefore, in this study, we sought to examine the prevalence of osteopathic students (DO) matching into orthopaedic surgery at traditional Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited programs (former allopathic residency programs) in recent years.

Methods: A retrospective review of National Residency Match Program annual reports and Association of American Medical Colleges's Electronic Residency Application Service Statistic reports were performed to determine the number of applications and match rates among osteopathic (DO) and allopathic (MD) medical students into orthopaedic surgery from 2019 to 2023.

Perspectives on competency-based feedback for training non-specialists to deliver psychological interventions: multi-site qualitative study of the EQUIP competency-based approach.

Background: The use of feedback to address gaps and reinforce skills is a key component of successful competency-based mental health and psychosocial support intervention training approaches. Competency-based feedback during training and supervision for personnel delivering psychological interventions is vital for safe and effective care.

Aims: For non-specialists trained in low-resource settings, there is a lack of standardised feedback systems.

GABA-edited MEGA-PRESS at 3 T: Does a measured macromolecule background improve linear combination modeling?

Purpose: The J-difference edited γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signal is contaminated by other co-edited signals-the largest of which originates from co-edited macromolecules (MMs)-and is consequently often reported as "GABA+." MM signals are broader and less well-characterized than the metabolites, and are commonly approximated using a Gaussian model parameterization. Experimentally measured MM signals are a consensus-recommended alternative to parameterized modeling; however, they are relatively under-studied in the context of edited MRS.