Weathering the Pain: Ambient Temperature's Role in Chronic Pain Syndromes.

Purpose Of Review: Chronic pain is highly prevalent and involves a complex interaction of sensory, emotional, and cognitive processes, significantly influenced by ambient temperature. Despite advances in pain management, many patients continue to experience inadequate pain relief. This review aims to consolidate and critically evaluate the current evidence on the impact of ambient temperature on chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia (FM), multiple sclerosis (MS), complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and osteoarthritis (OA).

Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities in Down Syndrome: Assessing Structural and Functional Deficits.

Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic intellectual disorder caused by trisomy of chromosome 21 (Hsa21) and presents with a variety of phenotypes. The correlation between the chromosomal abnormality and the resulting symptoms is unclear, partly due to the spectrum of impairments observed. However, it has been determined that trisomy 21 contributes to neurodegeneration and impaired neurodevelopment resulting from decreased neurotransmission, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity.

Navigating the Discussion of Mental Illness With Korean Americans.

Korean Americans have one of the highest rates of depression of the Asian subgroups in the United States, and they have culture-related factors that affect their mental health. It is important for health care providers to understand the cultural considerations of Korean Americans to better address their mental health. This review article delves into the pertinent cultural practices of Korean Americans for navigating discussions of mental health.

Disseminated Leiomyomatosis Following a Robotic-Assisted Myomectomy With Power Morcellation: A Case Report.

This case reports a 44-year-old female who presented to the gynecologic oncology clinic status post robotic-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy with intraperitoneal unprotected power morcellation in 2012, with an incidental finding of three conglomerate solid masses in the abdomen above the uterus, with each mass measuring approximately 15.5 cm. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy where multiple masses greater than 10 cm were found scattered throughout the abdominal cavity.

FOXJ3, a novel tumor suppressor in neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma (NB) poses a significant challenge in pediatric cancer care due to its aggressive nature and poor prognosis. While advances have been made in clinical treatments, therapy resistance remains a tough hurdle in NB treatment. While much research has focused on identifying oncogenes in NB, there has been less emphasis on understanding tumor suppressors.

Patterns of Brain Injury and Clinical Outcomes Related to Trauma from Collisions Involving Motor Vehicles.

: Despite improvements in technology and safety measures, injuries from collisions involving motor vehicles (CIMVs) continue to be prevalent. Therefore, our goal is to investigate the different patterns of head injuries associated with CIMVs. : This is a single-center, retrospective study of patients with motor vehicle-related trauma between 1 January 2016-31 December 2023.

Curbside Consult Optimizing Statin Therapy in the Elderly: A Personalized Approach to Cardiovascular Disease Prevention.

Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) play a vital role in managing and preventing cardiovascular disease, particularly in elderly populations who face elevated risks for atherosclerosis and related conditions. This review delves into the mechanisms of statin action, emphasizing their impact on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, anti-inflammatory properties, and potential genetic factors influencing efficacy and drug tolerability. Consideration is given to statin intolerance and management strategies, drug interactions, and guidelines for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events.

Rare variants in the melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) are associated with abdominal fat and insulin resistance in youth with obesity.

Background: Rare variants in melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) result in a severe form of early-onset obesity; however, it is unclear how these variants may affect abdominal fat distribution, intrahepatic fat accumulation, and related metabolic sequelae.

Methods: Eight hundred seventy-seven youth (6-21 years) with overweight/obesity, recruited from the Yale Pediatric Obesity Clinic in New Haven, CT, underwent genetic analysis to screen for functionally damaging, rare variants (MAF < 0.01) in MC4R.

The Restoration of the Prearthritic Joint Line Does Not Guarantee the Natural Knee Kinematics: A Gait Analysis Evaluation Following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: Unrestricted kinematic alignment (uKA) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has the theoretical advantage of reproducing patients' constitutional alignment and restoring the pre-arthritic joint line position and obliquity. However, modifications of the original uKA technique have been proposed due to the potential risk of mechanical failure and instability. Given the significant variability in soft tissue behavior within the same bony morphology group, uKA pure knee resurfacing could be occasionally detrimental.

A Rare Bacteremia in a Patient With Osteomyelitis and Sacral Ulcer: A Case Report of Tissierella praeacuta and Parvimonas micra.

and are anaerobic bacteria rarely encountered in clinical practice, making their identification in bacteremia significant. These organisms are typically found in the human gut and oral flora and are generally considered low-virulence. However, in patients with compromised immunity or significant comorbidities, they can lead to severe infections, including bacteremia.

Colovesical Fistula Surgically Managed With Delayed Computed Tomography Detection.

Colovesical fistula is the result of a pathologic connection between the bladder and colon. It can be a deadly sequela of a variety of conditions. Diagnosis is usually confirmed by a computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen.

Stressbusters: a pilot study investigating the effects of OMT on stress management in medical students.

Context: Medical students report high levels of perceived stress and burnout, especially during the preclinical years. The combination of physical stressors from poor posture, poor sleep quality, and mental stressors from the rigorous curriculum stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to secrete cortisol. Previous studies have shown that persistent elevated cortisol levels are associated with negative health outcomes.

Treatment-Resistant Chromoblastomycosis Successfully Managed With Surgical Excision.

Chromoblastomycosis is an uncommon, chronic granulomatous fungal infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Chromoblastomycosis is most commonly caused by the traumatic inoculation of dematiaceous (pigmented) fungi, most commonly species,  species, and species. Chromoblastomycosis usually affects agricultural workers in tropical and subtropical climates.

Reconsidering Semaglutide Use for Chronic Obesity in Patients of Asian Descent: A Critical Review.

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It is the first approved drug for chronic weight management in adults who are overweight or obese since 2014. Its increasing popularity has garnered significant media attention and led to a drug shortage, resulting in limited access for its intended use - patients with type 2 diabetes.

An osteopathic assessment of lower extremity somatic dysfunctions in runners.

Context: Runners often experience acute/chronic pain due to pre-existing structural somatic dysfunction and/or acquired various overuse injuries of the lower extremity, specifically affecting the ligaments, tendons, muscles, and bones. Common structural and function dysfunctions include but are not limited to patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), Achilles tendonitis, iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), ligamentous and muscle tears, muscle sprains/strains, stress fractures, pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the correlation between acute and chronic pain, overuse injuries, and observational and palpatory findings upon evaluation to establish common trends of somatic dysfunctions and determine possible etiology of the pain/injury.

Cervicofacial emphysema: A systematic review.

Cervicofacial Emphysema (CFE) is a self-limiting condition, defined by the presence of air in face and neck. The purpose of the manuscript is to systematically review the existing literature on CFE evaluation and management for updated clinical understanding of this condition. A literature search was conducted of publications about CFE on PubMed and Google Scholar by identifying all the articles with key search terms "Cervicofacial Emphysema" and "Sub Cutaneous Emphysema".

An Osteopathic Approach to Foot Drop: A Case Report of Posterior Fibular Head.

Chronic foot drop can present a diagnostic challenge, often leading to extensive medical evaluations without definitive resolution. We report a case of a 42-year-old female with an elusive cause of foot drop, a complex and engaging case that required extensive medical evaluations. The patient's complex medical history includes kidney infections, migraine headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome, treated with conventional medications and osteopathic manipulative techniques.

TPM4 overexpression drives colon epithelial cell tumorigenesis by suppressing differentiation and promoting proliferation.

Objective: The high morbidity and mortality associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) and the recent increases in early-onset CRC obviate the need for novel methods to detect and treat this disease, particularly at early stages. We hypothesize that aberrant expression of genes involved in the crypt-luminal migration of colon epithelial cells, a process necessary for their growth arrest and maturation, may disrupt differentiation and transition cells from a normal to tumorigenic state.

Methods: We searched for contractility- and motility-related genes that are dysregulated in human CRC relative to normal colon.

Small Extracellular Vesicle-Associated MiRNAs in Polarized Retinal Pigmented Epithelium.

Purpose: Oxidative stress in the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) has been implicated in age-related macular degeneration by impacting endocytic trafficking, including the formation, content, and secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Using our model of polarized primary porcine RPE (pRPE) cells under chronic subtoxic oxidative stress, we tested the hypothesis that RPE miRNAs packaged into EVs are secreted in a polarized manner and contribute to maintaining RPE homeostasis.

Methods: Small EVs (sEVs) enriched for exosomes were isolated from apical and basal conditioned media from pRPE cells grown for up to four weeks with or without low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide using two sEV isolation methods, leading to eight experimental groups.

Silent Shadows: Unveiling the Psoas Abscess and Its Treatment.

Iliopsoas abscesses are a rare complication of appendicitis and are associated with high morbidity and mortality without appropriate intervention. Current literature provides sufficient evidence for managing psoas abscesses via antimicrobial therapy, CT-guided percutaneous drainage, and laparoscopic or open drainage as primary approaches. However, there is insufficient data in the current literature for assessing improved patient outcomes with robotically assisted laparoscopic drainage as an approach to treatment.