Penetrating cardiac injuries: What you need to know.

Despite significant advances in trauma surgery in recent years, patients sustaining penetrating cardiac injuries still have an overall survival rate of 19%. A substantial number of deaths occur at the scene, while approximately 40% of those reaching trauma centers survive. To increase survival, the key factor is timely intervention for bleeding control, pericardial tamponade release, and definitive repair.

The Mutographs biorepository: A unique genomic resource to study cancer around the world.

Large-scale biorepositories and databases are essential to generate equitable, effective, and sustainable advances in cancer prevention, early detection, cancer therapy, cancer care, and surveillance. The Mutographs project has created a large genomic dataset and biorepository of over 7,800 cancer cases from 30 countries across five continents with extensive demographic, lifestyle, environmental, and clinical information. Whole-genome sequencing is being finalized for over 4,000 cases, with the primary goal of understanding the causes of cancer at eight anatomic sites.

Republication of "Minimally Invasive Surgery Using the Circular External Fixator to Correct Neglected Severe Stiff Equinocavus Foot Deformities".

Background: Stiff equinocavus deformities of the foot are challenging to treat, often requiring extensive soft tissue dissection and bone removal. These procedures frequently yield suboptimal results and not infrequently amputation. Minimally invasive surgery using a circular external fixator potentially avoids the trauma to the soft tissue and may lead to improvement in outcomes and a lower amputation rate.

Allograft-enhanced latissimus dorsi transfer is better than the conventional technique for irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears. A retrospective matched cohort.

Purpose: Latissimus dorsi tendon (LDT) transfer (LDTT) to the greater tuberosity to treat irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears (RCTs) in young active patients has been shown to have up to 36% of clinical failures, most of them happening because of either deltoid origin disruption or post-operative transfer rupture from the greater tuberosity. In an attempt to simultaneously prevent both complications, a modified technique includes the following adaptations to the original technique: reinforcement and augmentation of the LDT with a tendinous allograft, enabling the use of a single deltopectoral approach. The aim of this study is to compare mid-term outcomes of the traditional LDTT technique with this modified transfer.

Technical aspects of inguino scrotal hernia surgery in developing countries.

Purpose: Technical aspects of inguinoscrotal herniorrhaphy performed in low to middle income countries (LMICs) are described here to help surgeons who will operate on these challenging hernias in austere settings.

Methods: Technical considerations related to operative repair were delineated with the consensus of 7 surgeons with extensive experience in inguinoscrotal hernia repair in LMICs. Important steps and illustrations were prepared accordingly.

Minimally invasive procedures for the management of female pattern hair loss.

Background: Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) is one of the most common types of hair loss in women. It is characterized by progressive follicular miniaturization leading to diffuse hair thinning over the midfrontal scalp with a negative impact on quality of life. Pharmacological treatments are commonly used, and hair follicle transplantation is an option for those cases with adequate donor area.

Bicalutamide and the new perspectives for female pattern hair loss treatment: What dermatologists should know.

Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is the most common form of alopecia in women. FPHL may compromise body image and strongly affect self-esteem, negatively impacting quality of life. Currently, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug for its treatment is topical minoxidil, with a variable response rate.

The Value of Oxygen Desaturation Index for Diagnosing Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Intermittent hypoxemia is a risk factor for developing complications in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. The objective of this systematic review was to identify articles evaluating the accuracy of the oxygen desaturation index (ODI) as compared with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and then provide possible values to use as a cutoff for diagnosing adult OSA.

Study Design: Systematic Review of Literature.

Assay-Based Differentiation in the Neutralization Profile of Unfractionated Heparin, Enoxaparin, and Fondaparinux by Andexanet Alfa.

Andexanet alfa is a recombinant factor Xa decoy protein, designed to reverse bleeding associated with oral anti-Xa agents. Andexanet alfa is also reported to neutralize the effects of heparin-related drugs. This study focused on the neutralization profiles of unfractionated heparin (UFH), enoxaparin, and, a chemically synthetic pentasaccharide, fondaparinux by andexanet alfa.

Rivaroxaban plus aspirin for cardiovascular protection: Rationale for the vascular dose and dual pathway inhibition.

This review provides the rationale for dual pathway inhibition with the combination of low-dose rivaroxaban (2.5 mg twice daily) to attenuate thrombin generation and aspirin (100 mg once daily) to reduce platelet activation. Such therapy has been licensed for secondary prevention in patients with coronary or peripheral artery disease.

Panton-Valentine Positive Staphylococcus aureus in Community-Acquired and Hospital-Acquired Pediatric Infections.

From July 2009 to July 2015, Staphylococcus aureus isolated from pediatric sterile sites were selected. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect mecA and lukS-PV/lukF-PV genes. The rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 37.

Reversal of Factor Xa Inhibitors by Andexanet Alfa May Increase Thrombogenesis Compared to Pretreatment Values.

Recombinant coagulation factor Xa (FXa), inactivated Zh-zo, also known as andexanet alfa (AA), is a modified version of human FXa that has been developed to neutralize FXa inhibitors. We studied the reversal effect of AA for these inhibitors in various anticoagulant and thrombin generation (TG) assays. Individual aliquots of normal human plasma containing 1 µg/mL of apixaban, betrixaban, edoxaban, and rivaroxaban, were supplemented with saline or AA at a concentration of 100 µg/mL.

Integrating the Divided Nasal Cannula Into Routine Polysomnography to Assess Nasal Cycle: Feasibility and Effect on Outcomes.

Study Objectives: Patients suspected to have sleep-disordered breathing underwent an overnight polysomnography using a divided nasal cannula to gain additional information about the nasal cycle during sleep.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational cohort study replacing the undivided nasal cannula with a divided nasal cannula during routine polysomnography (n = 28).

Results: Integration of the divided nasal cannula pressure transducer system into routine polysomnography was easy and affordable.

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on working memory and negative symptoms in schizophrenia: a phase II randomized sham-controlled trial.

Background: The lack of efficacy of pharmacological treatments for cognitive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia highlights the need for new interventions. We investigated the effects of tDCS on working memory and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

Method: Double-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial, investigating the effects of 10 sessions of tDCS in schizophrenia subjects.

Prevalence and severity of syndrome Z in women with metabolic syndrome on waiting list for bariatric surgery: a cross-sectional study.

Background: In recent years, obesity has become one of the most important public health problems in the world, with a growing prevalence in both developed and developing countries. Recent studies show that sleep disturbances, especially obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) may be a manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Although the association of OSA with the MetS is largely attributed to obesity, the exact pathophysiological mechanisms and their individual characteristics still need to be identified.

Salivary epidermal growth factor concentrations in patients with Sjögren syndrome and laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Sjögren syndrome was chosen as a clinical model to study acinar salivary deficiencies in the development of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). The objective of this prospective cohort study was to compare salivary epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations of patients with Sjögren syndrome with and without LPR and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with normal controls. LPR was diagnosed with positive scores on the Reflux Symptom Index and Reflux and Reflux Finding Score, corroborated by esophagogastroduodenoscopy and/or 24-hour pH-metry.

Which Are the Most Reliable Methods of Predicting the Meniscal Size for Transplantation?

Background: Although the size of the meniscal allograft is crucial during meniscal transplantation, the accuracy of meniscal measurement methods is still under debate. A number of methods based on radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data as well as on anthropometric data have been proposed, but their reproducibility and reliability are still unclear.

Purpose: To compare meniscal length and width as measured by different techniques (anthropometric and plain radiographic) to establish which of these 2 methods is more reliable and cost-effective for determining the meniscal size in comparison to MRI.

Establishing an effective TMS protocol for craving in substance addiction: Is it possible?

Background And Objectives: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive tool with known therapeutic efficacy in various neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, mania, and anxiety disorders. We hereby, briefly present a brief review and meta-analysis on the use of TMS for craving in substance addiction.

Methods: We present our brief review and meta-analysis following the recommendations of the Cochrane group.