Surgical treatment and long-term outcome of aortic valve endocarditis with periannular abscess.

Objectives: Aortic valve endocarditis is occasionally complicated by periannular spreading of the infection and abscess formation, leading to a more aggressive course of the disease and life-threatening complications. This retrospective observational study investigated the long-term outcomes of patients with this complication, which was surgically managed with annular reconstruction and aortic valve replacement.

Methods: Between 1998 and 2018, 69 patients were identified with aortic valve endocarditis complicated by periannular abscess formation.

Measuring maternal near-miss in a middle-income country: assessing the use of WHO and sub-Saharan Africa maternal near-miss criteria in Namibia.

: Namibia, a middle-income country in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), plans to use the Maternal Near Miss (MNM) approach. Adaptations of the World Health Organization (WHO) MNM defining criteria ('WHO MNM criteria') were previously proposed for low-income settings in sub-Saharan Africa ('SSA MNM criteria'), but whether these adaptations are required in middle-income settings is unknown. : To establish MNM criteria suitable for use in Namibia, a middle-income country in SSA.

Phenobarbital, Midazolam Pharmacokinetics, Effectiveness, and Drug-Drug Interaction in Asphyxiated Neonates Undergoing Therapeutic Hypothermia.

Background: Phenobarbital and midazolam are commonly used drugs in (near-)term neonates treated with therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, for sedation, and/or as anti-epileptic drug. Phenobarbital is an inducer of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A, while midazolam is a CYP3A substrate. Therefore, co-treatment with phenobarbital might impact midazolam clearance.

Rapid free thiol rebound is a physiological response following cold-induced vasoconstriction in healthy humans, primary Raynaud and systemic sclerosis.

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is often the first sign of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Molecular mechanisms involved are incompletely understood, but reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur species are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of SSc. Free thiol groups play a protective role against oxidative stress and may represent an attractive therapeutic target.

Pharmacokinetics of morphine in encephalopathic neonates treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Objective: Morphine is a commonly used drug in encephalopathic neonates treated with therapeutic hypothermia after perinatal asphyxia. Pharmacokinetics and optimal dosing of morphine in this population are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to describe pharmacokinetics of morphine and its metabolites morphine-3-glucuronide and morphine-6-glucuronide in encephalopathic neonates treated with therapeutic hypothermia and to develop pharmacokinetics based dosing guidelines for this population.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and autonomic nervous system reactivity in children prenatally exposed to maternal depression: A systematic review of prospective studies.

Depression is a common condition affecting up to 20% of all pregnant women, and is associated with subsequent developmental and behavioral problems in children, such as conduct disorder and ADHD. One proposed mechanism underlying these associations is modification of the fetal hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA)-axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS), resulting in altered responses to stress. This review examined the evidence regarding altered HPA-axis and ANS reactivity in children prenatally exposed to high maternal depressive symptoms.

The expression of the distal dystrophin isoforms Dp140 and Dp71 in the human epileptic hippocampus in relation to cognitive functioning.

Dystrophin is an important protein within the central nervous system. The absence of dystrophin, characterizing Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), is associated with brain related comorbidities such as neurodevelopmental (e.g.

Acute infection as a trigger for incident venous thromboembolism: Results from a population-based case-crossover study.

Background: A bidirectional relation exists between acute infection and immobilization, and both are triggers for venous thromboembolism (VTE). To what extent the association between infection and VTE-risk is explained by immobilization is unknown.

Aims: To investigate the impact of hospitalization with acute infection on the VTE-risk in patients with and without concomitant immobilization, and to explore the differential impact of respiratory- (RTI) and urinary- (UTI) tract infections on the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).

Nationwide study of patients with head and neck paragangliomas carrying SDHB germline mutations.

Background: Germline mutations in the succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB) gene predispose to hereditary paraganglioma (PGL) syndrome type 4. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcome of treatment strategies for patients with head and neck paraganglioma (HNPGL) carrying SDHB germline mutations.

Methods: This was a retrospective evaluation of patients with HNPGL carrying SDHB germline mutations in the Netherlands.

Targeted therapy of underlying conditions improves sinus rhythm maintenance in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: results of the RACE 3 trial.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a progressive disease. Targeted therapy of underlying conditions refers to interventions aiming to modify risk factors in order to prevent AF. We hypothesised that targeted therapy of underlying conditions improves sinus rhythm maintenance in patients with persistent AF.

Brain-related comorbidities in boys and men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A descriptive study.

Aim: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is more than a muscle disease since there is a higher prevalence of neuropsychological comorbidities. Similarly, the prevalence of epilepsy is increased. Given the nowadays-increasing interest in brain-related comorbidities in DMD, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between DMD, epilepsy, and associated neurodevelopmental disorders in an international sample of DMD patients.

Swimming Against the Stream: Non-normative Family Transitions and Loneliness in Later Life Across 12 Nations.

Background And Objectives: Relatively little research investigated whether experiences during young adulthood have long-lasting consequences for older age loneliness. This article examines whether deviations from culturally based scripts regarding family transitions represent risk factors for later-life loneliness. Moreover, it analyzes whether and in which conditions long-term associations between family transitions and loneliness differ across nations.

Premenstrual mood and empathy after a single light therapy session.

To examine whether acute changes in cognitive empathy might mediate the impact of light therapy on mood, we assessed the effects of a single light-therapy session on mood and cognitive empathy in 48 premenstrual women, including 17 who met Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool criteria for moderate-to-severe premenstrual syndrome / premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMS/PMDD). Using a participant-blind between-groups design, 23 women underwent 30min of morning light therapy (5,000lx; blue-enriched polychromatic light, 17,000K) while 25 women had a sham session (200lx, polychromatic light, 5,000K). We administered the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule and the Affect Grid right before and after the intervention, and 60min later upon completion of a computerized empathic accuracy task.

An Unusual Triad in Pediatric Neurology: A Case Report on Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

We present a case of an unusual triad in pediatric neurology: a currently 12-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and epilepsy who was later also diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We describe the clinical path that resulted in this exceptional diagnosis. This case report illustrates how different neurological disorders may overshadow each other.

The Natural Variation in Lifespans of Single Yeast Cells Is Related to Variation in Cell Size, Ribosomal Protein, and Division Time.

There is a large variability in lifespans of individuals even if they are genetically identical and raised under the same environmental conditions. Our recent system wide study of replicative aging in baker's yeast predicts that protein biogenesis is a driver of aging. Here, we address how the natural variation in replicative lifespan within wild-type populations of yeast cells correlates to three biogenesis-related parameters, namely cell size, ribosomal protein Rpl13A-GFP levels, and division times.

Dystrophin Distribution and Expression in Human and Experimental Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

Objective: Dystrophin is part of a protein complex that connects the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. In addition to its role in muscle tissue, it functions as an anchoring protein within the central nervous system such as in hippocampus and cerebellum. Its presence in the latter regions is illustrated by the cognitive problems seen in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).

Gynaecological and obstetrical bleeding in women with factor XI deficiency - a systematic review.

Introduction: Menstrual bleeding, pregnancy and delivery present an intrinsic haemostatic challenge to women with bleeding disorders such as factor XI (FXI) deficiency.

Aim: To provide a systematic overview of studies on gynaecological and obstetrical bleeding problems in women with FXI deficiency.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane library for studies that present original data on the incidence of and treatment options for gynaecological and obstetrical bleeding in FXI-deficient women.

Can orthopedic oncologists predict functional outcome in patients with sarcoma after limb salvage surgery in the lower limb? A nationwide study.

Accurate predictions of functional outcome after limb salvage surgery (LSS) in the lower limb are important for several reasons, including informing the patient preoperatively and, in some cases, deciding between amputation and LSS. This study aimed to elucidate the correlation between surgeon-predicted and patient-reported functional outcome of LSS in the Netherlands. Twenty-three patients (between six months and ten years after surgery) and five independent orthopedic oncologists completed the Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS) and the RAND-36 physical functioning subscale (RAND-36 PFS).

18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the early diagnostic workup of differentiated thyroid cancer patients with a negative post-therapeutic iodine scan and detectable thyroglobulin.

Background: Surgery and high-dose radioactive iodine ((131)I) treatment are the cornerstones in the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer. Patients without (131)I uptake on the post-therapeutic whole body scan (WBS), but with detectable thyroglobulin (Tg) during thyroxine withdrawal (Tg-off), are evaluated with an 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG-PET) for tumor localization within three months. The yield of (18)F-FDG-PET imaging and clinical usefulness of a Tg-off cutoff value to predict a positive scan were assessed.

Expression of miR-21 and its targets (PTEN, PDCD4, TM1) in flat epithelial atypia of the breast in relation to ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma.

Background: Flat epithelial atypia (FEA) of the breast is characterised by a few layers of mildly atypical luminal epithelial cells. Genetic changes found in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC) are also found in FEA, albeit at a lower concentration. So far, miRNA expression changes associated with invasive breast cancer, like miR-21, have not been studied in FEA.

Selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition reduces proteinuria in renal patients.

Background: Renoprotection is predicted by the antiproteinuric efficacy of a pharmacological agent. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) interfering non-selectively in the prostaglandin system have strong antiproteinuric potency without reduction of systemic blood pressure. The effect of the selective COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib in proteinuric patients is unknown, granted recently reported detrimental effects in non-renal patients.

Mechanisms involved in symptomatic myocardial bridging: Value of sequential testing for endothelial function, flow reserve measurements and dobutamine stress angiography.

Background: In patients with extensive myocardial bridging, evaluation of its clinical significance remains a challenge.

Hypothesis: Sequential invasive testing is feasible and gives more insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of bridging-related angina.

Methods: Twelve patients with chest pain, proven ischaemia and extensive myocardial bridging were assessed.