Exploring strategies to enhance patient safety in spine surgery: a review.

Patient safety is the foundation of spine surgery, where the intricate nature of spinal procedures and the unique risks involved call for exceptional diligence and comprehensive protocols. In this high-stakes field, developing and implementing rigorous safety protocols is not only vital for minimizing complications but also for achieving the best possible outcomes and strengthening the confidence patients have in their care team. Each patient entrusts their well-being to their surgical team.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals suppression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in gender-specific differences in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related dementia preferentially impacts two-thirds of women and one-third of men. The steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein mediates the biosynthesis of neurosteroids that sustain diverse neuronal activities. Aging, involving neurosteroidal imbalance, is the predominant risk factor for AD causing dementia.

Ketamine Infusion for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Treatment: A Narrative Review.

Purpose Of Review: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a neuropathic pain disorder characterized by pain disproportionate to the inciting event that is constant for an extended duration. Numerous treatment options for this condition have been explored with unsatisfactory results in many cases. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist typically used as an anesthetic and analgesic, presents a promising potential treatment for CRPS in patients who fail to respond to traditional therapies.

The incidence of vascular injuries in patients with negative cervical computed tomography (CT) following blunt trauma.

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) angiography is commonly utilized to quickly identify vascular injuries caused by blunt cervical trauma. It is often conducted alongside a cervical spine CT, based on established criteria. This study assessed the prevalence of cervical vascular injuries identified via CT angiography (CTA) in patients who had negative findings on cervical CT scans.

Six-Month Outcomes in the Long-Term Outcomes After the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Study.

Importance: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a life-threatening complication of COVID-19 infection. Data on midterm outcomes are limited.

Objective: To characterize the frequency and time course of cardiac dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] <55%), coronary artery aneurysms (z score ≥2.

Occipital nerve block for headaches: a narrative review.

The occipital nerve block involves the injection of a local anesthetic and possibly a corticosteroid near the occipital nerves at the base of the skull and aims at providing relief from chronic headaches by temporarily numbing or reducing inflammation around the occipital nerves. It has proven to be efficacious in treating chronic headaches, especially those that are refractory to medication; it is both diagnostic and therapeutic with symptom abatement from weeks to months. Occipital nerve blocks can be utilized alone or with standard-of-care therapy for various other headache conditions, such as cluster headaches, episodic headaches or chronic migraines.

A habitat suitability analysis for three Culicoides species implicated in bluetongue virus transmission in the Southeastern United States.

Culicoides biting midges adversely impact animal health through transmission of multiple orbiviruses, such as bluetongue virus (BTV). This study used light trapping data collected in the Southeastern United States for three Culicoides midge species that are confirmed or suspected BTV vectors: Culicoides insignis, Culicoides stellifer and Culicoides venustus. Midge presence datasets were combined with meteorological data and ecological data to model habitat suitability for each species.

Comparison of Clinical and Radiological Outcomes of Three-Column Lumbar Osteotomies with and without Interbody Cages for Adult Spinal Deformity.

Background Context: Correcting sagittal malalignment in adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a challenging task, often requiring complex surgical interventions like pedicle subtraction osteotomies (PSOs). Different types of three-column osteotomies (3COs), including Schwab 3, Schwab 4, Schwab 4 with interbody cages, and the "sandwich" technique, aim to optimize alignment and fusion outcomes. The role of interbody cages in enhancing fusion and segmental correction remains unclear.

Transoral Laser Microsurgery Versus Radiotherapy for T1-T2 Glottic Cancer with Anterior Commissure Involvement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To identify the most effective treatment modality for achieving favorable outcomes in early glottic tumors with anterior commissure involvement (ACI).

Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect.

Review Methods: Random-effects proportional meta-analysis model is used to evaluate the oncological and functional outcomes of transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) versus radiation therapy (RT) in early glottic (T1-T2) cancer with ACI.

Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer: Mechanisms of Treatment Failure, Treatment Paradigms, and New Horizons.

Head and neck cancer is a deadly disease with over 500,000 cases annually worldwide. Metastatic head and neck cancer accounts for a large proportion of the mortality associated with this disease. Many advances have been made in our understanding of the mechanisms of metastasis.

Multiomics dissection of human RAG deficiency reveals distinctive patterns of immune dysregulation but a common inflammatory signature.

Human recombination-activating gene (RAG) deficiency can manifest with distinct clinical and immunological phenotypes. By applying a multiomics approach to a large group of -mutated patients, we aimed at characterizing the immunopathology associated with each phenotype. Although defective T and B cell development is common to all phenotypes, patients with hypomorphic variants can generate T and B cells with signatures of immune dysregulation and produce autoantibodies to a broad range of self-antigens, including type I interferons.

Smoking as a Marker of Comorbid Vulnerability Among Persons with Probable Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Who Engage in Hazardous Drinking.

Persons with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to those without evince high rates of hazardous drinking, or patterns of alcohol consumption that increase the risk for harmful consequences. One potential marker of vulnerability for PTSD-hazardous drinking comorbidity may be smoking behavior. Individuals with PTSD have a higher prevalence of smoking and smoke at higher rates.

A Case of a Newborn Presenting With a VACTERL-Like Association.

The VACTERL (vertebral defects, anal atresia, cardiac defects, tracheoesophageal fistula, renal anomalies, and limb abnormalities) association represents an enigmatic syndrome requiring further study. This report describes a full-term neonate born to a multiparous woman who was found, upon further examination, to have multiple congenital abnormalities, including a bicuspid aortic valve, patent foramen ovale, tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), asymmetric crying facies, microphallus, and a single inguinal testis. The discussion explores environmental and genetic factors that may contribute to this association, as well as similar conditions, such as CHARGE (coloboma, heart defects, choanal atresia, growth retardation, genital abnormalities, and ear abnormalities) syndrome.

Impact of Kidney Disease in Patients Undergoing Catheter Directed Interventions for Intermediate to High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism.

Background: Catheter-directed interventions (CDIs) for pulmonary embolism (PE) continue to evolve. However, due to the paucity of data, their use has been limited in patients with underlying kidney disease.

Methods: The National Readmission Database (2016-2020) was utilized to identify intermediate to high-risk PE (IHR-PE) patients requiring CDI (thrombectomy, thrombolysis, and ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis).

Event-driven PrEP beyond cisgender men who have sex with men.

Despite advancements in existing antiretroviral-based prevention strategies, including daily oral, locally acting, and injectable options, there is a pressing need for more inclusive and flexible event-driven pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) strategies for all. Event-driven or intermittent dosing of PrEP in populations beyond cisgender men who have sex with men would offer a promising alternative by fitting prevention into the diverse lifestyles of affected populations and thereby advancing health equity. Evidence from PrEP clinical trials, pharmacokinetic studies, modelling studies, and real-world observational research suggests that event-driven PrEP could be a flexible and inclusive option, yet optimal dosing has not been established across sex and gender spectrums.

We All Need at Least One Friend Who Understands What We Do Not Say: A Scoping Review of Friendship and Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Purpose: The purpose of this scoping review was to understand what is known about the friendships of individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. Because communication is important to friendship, severe communication impairment may impact the establishment or maintenance of friendships in unique and important ways.

Method: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for scoping reviews and Covidence software using an established set of operationally defined inclusion criteria supported the identification of the 46 papers included in this review.

Temporal trends and patterns for early- and late-onset adult liver cancer incidence vary by race/ethnicity, subsite, and histologic type in the United States from 2000 to 2019.

Purpose: To examine incidence trends and patterns for early- and late-onset liver cancer.

Methods: Liver and intrahepatic bile duct (IBD) cancers diagnosed between 2000 and 2019 were acquired from 22 SEER registries. Variables included early-onset (20-49) vs.

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF): Emerging Concepts in Diagnosis, Pain Management, and Novel Treatment Options: A Narrative Review.

Purpose Of Review: Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a hereditary autoinflammatory disorder predominantly affecting individuals of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern descent, including those with certain heritages including Sephardic Jewish, Armenian, Turkish, and Arab. The disorder affects up to 1 in 200 people making it a very common etiology for pain states worldwide, including serositis mediated painful states of the chest, joint, and abdomen.

Recent Findings: Defined by recurrent episodes of fever and inflammation, FMF can lead to not only severe pain, but complications such as renal amyloidosis, if untreated.

The CLCA1/TMEM16A/Cl- current axis associates with H2S deficiency in diabetic kidney injury.

The role played by anionic channels in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is not known. Chloride channel accessory 1 (CLCA1) facilitates the activity of TMEM16A (Anoctamin-1), a Ca2+-dependent Cl- channel. We examined if CLCA1/TMEM16A had a role in DKD.

A Case of Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis Associated With a Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) Inhibitor.

Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis is a rare metabolic derangement seen in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Initially characterized decades ago, the prevalence of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis has increased in recent years following the introduction of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Here, we present a case of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis associated with SGLT2 inhibitors.

Potential gains in PrEP coverage and effect on racial disparities following introduction of on-demand and long-acting injectable PrEP: Preferences of men who have sex with men in the United States, 2021-2022.

Introduction: There are persistent race- and ethnicity-based disparities in HIV incidence among gay and bisexual men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in the United States, partially driven by inequities in distribution of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). We assessed how additional modalities of PrEP beyond daily oral might affect uptake of PrEP and ongoing disparities in HIV incidence in the US.

Methods: In an online survey of GBMSM in the US, we presented participants with descriptions of each PrEP modality.

Stathmin 1 expression in neuroendocrine and proliferating prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men in the United States. While PCa initially responds to androgen deprivation therapy, a significant portion progresses to castration-resistant PCa. Approximately 20-25% of these cases acquire aggressive neuroendocrine (NE) features, ultimately leading to neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC).

Sex-specific differences in mortality and neurocardiac interactions in the Kv1.1 knockout mouse model of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a devastating complication of epilepsy with possible sex-specific risk factors, although the exact relationship between sex and SUDEP remains unclear. To investigate this, we studied Kcna1 knockout (Kcna1) mice, which lack voltage-gated Kv1.1 channel subunits and are widely used as a SUDEP model that mirrors key features in humans.

Activity of the mammalian DNA transposon piggyBat from Myotis lucifugus is restricted by its own transposon ends.

Members of the piggyBac superfamily of DNA transposons are widely distributed in host genomes ranging from insects to mammals. The human genome has retained five piggyBac-derived genes as domesticated elements although they are no longer mobile. Here, we have investigated the transposition properties of piggyBat from Myotis lucifugus, the only known active mammalian DNA transposon, and show that its low activity in human cells is due to subterminal inhibitory DNA sequences.