Association Between Visceral Fat and Lung Function Impairment in Overweight and Grade I Obese Women: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Beyond the common comorbidities related to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, impaired lung function is already known, but whether the fat distribution (sub-cutaneous, visceral) affects the lung function and pulmonary immune response are poorly known. Few evidence has shown that visceral fat is associated with insulin resistance, low-grade inflammation, and reduced lung function. In the present study, the body composition and fat distribution were evaluated by multi-frequency octopolar bioimpedance.

Changes in serum cholesterol loading capacity are linked to coronary atherosclerosis progression in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Excess cholesterol loading on arterial macrophages is linked to foam cell formation, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the effect of changes in cholesterol loading on coronary plaque trajectory and the impact of RA therapies on this relationship are unknown. We investigated the association between variations in cholesterol loading capacity (CLC) over time and atherosclerosis progression.

Early antiviral CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are associated with upper airway clearance of SARS-CoV-2.

T cells are involved in protective immunity against numerous viral infections. Data regarding functional roles of human T cells in SARS-CoV-2 (SARS2) viral clearance in primary COVID-19 are limited. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed samples for associations between SARS2 upper respiratory tract viral RNA levels and early virus-specific adaptive immune responses for 95 unvaccinated clinical trial participants with acute primary COVID-19 aged 18-86 years old, approximately half of whom were considered at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.

NaHCO3 modulates the bla operon and β-lactam susceptibility in borderline oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (BORSA).

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are resistant to nearly all β-lactam antibiotics under standard testing conditions. However, a novel phenotype exists wherein certain MRSA strains exhibit β-lactam susceptibility in the presence of bicarbonate (termed 'NaHCO3-responsive'), an abundant ion in mammalian tissues and blood. This suggests that specific MRSA infections may be treatable by β-lactams.

"Anti-inflammatory Therapies in Atherosclerosis - Where are we going?".

Purpose Of Review: Inflammation has been commonly known for the past decade as a part of the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, along with lipid accumulation. However, some patients with optimized lipid-lowering therapy still have elevated inflammatory biomarkers. Anti-inflammation therapies were developed to eradicate this residual risk.

Usability and Accessibility of Shoulder Instability and Open Latarjet Surgery OPEMS for Persons With Disabilities.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAGs) provide website development requirements with users' cognitive/sensory limitations in mind. The purpose of this study was to assess the accessibility and usability of shoulder instability surgery and open Latarjet surgery online patient education materials (OPEMs) for persons with disabilities based on WCAG compliance. OPEMs were evaluated for search engine optimization, content, design, performance, accessibility, overall scores, body text contrast ratios, and compliance error count at increasing WCAG standard levels.

Retrospective Study of CD20 Expression Loss in Relapsed or Refractory B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Background: CD20-targeted therapies are widely used in the management of B-cell lymphomas. Re-treatment with CD20-directed agents is common; however, previous research has demonstrated loss of CD20 expression at relapse in a subset of patients.

Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort of 243 patients, CD20 analysis was performed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or flow cytometry at diagnosis and at relapse if a biopsy was performed.

Candida albicans recovered from persistent candidemia exhibit enhanced virulence traits.

Candida albicans catheter-related candidemia is largely driven by microbial adhesion and biofilm formation on central venous catheters. Cells that disperse from these biofilms can enter the bloodstream, spread to distant organs, and sustain the cycle of infection. In this study, we investigated the virulence potential of C.

Postpneumonectomy Syndrome: A Rare Case of Indolent Airway Collapse.

Postpneumonectomy syndrome (PPS) is a rare postoperative phenomenon characterized by dynamic airway obstruction and circulatory collapse resulting from excessive mediastinal shifting and rotation of critical structures. This paper presents a novel case of PPS manifesting approximately 3 decades after pneumonectomy in an acutely symptomatic 28-year-old man with clinical findings concerning for impending airway collapse. Cardiac computed tomography and pulmonary function testing were used as alternative, noninvasive means of monitoring for disease advancement.

Traumatic pancreatic injuries and treatment outcomes: An observational retrospective study from a high-volume tertiary trauma center.

Introduction: This study discusses a tertiary trauma center's experience involving traumatic pancreatic injuries, focusing on identification, management, and complications, aiming to provide a valuable contribution to the literature on pancreatic trauma management.

Methods: We conducted a five year (2019-2023) retrospective analysis utilizing trauma registry data to identified pancreatic injuries in tier 1 and 2 activations. Pancreatic Organ Injury Scaling (OIS) and overall injury severity (ISS) was assessed using AAST scoring.

Supporting Children's Mental Health Needs in Disasters.

Public health emergencies, including climate-related and manmade disasters such as active shooter incidents, occur regularly in the United States. A comprehensive approach is needed to ensure that children's mental health needs are adequately addressed following disasters. This article summarizes the latest evidence on how health systems can effectively address children's unique developmental, social, emotional, and behavioral needs in the context of disasters.

A rare case of May-Thurner syndrome due to external compression of the right and left common iliac veins.

May-Thurner syndrome, also known as external iliac compression syndrome, is a rare but commonly underdiagnosed cause of asymmetric lower extremity edema. Here we describe a case of May-Thurner syndrome owing to external compression of the right and left common iliac veins presenting as chronic worsening asymmetric right greater than left lower extremity edema. Initial etiology workup was unremarkable, and further diagnostics revealed compression of the right common iliac vein at the bifurcation of the right common iliac artery between the right external and internal iliac arteries with concomitant compression of the left common iliac vein.

Changes in Hippocampal Volume after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Objective: To investigate hippocampal volume changes in moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients compared to healthy controls and assess their association with post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE), focusing on age-related effects.

Methods: Imaging and demographic data for TBI patients were obtained from the Epilepsy Bioinformatics Study for Antiepileptogenic Therapy (EpiBioS4Rx) database; healthy controls matched by age and sex were sourced from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Intramural Healthy Volunteer Dataset, the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), and the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE). MRI images for TBI subjects were obtained within 14-32 days post-injury.

Albumin orchestrates a natural host defense mechanism against mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis is an emerging, life-threatening human infection caused by fungi of the order Mucorales. Metabolic disorders uniquely predispose an ever-expanding group of patients to mucormycosis via poorly understood mechanisms. Therefore, it is highly likely that uncharacterized host metabolic effectors confer protective immunity against mucormycosis.

Effects of Allostatic Load on Long-Term Survival After Stroke.

Background: Allostatic load index (ALI) is often utilized to quantify the physiological response to stress. This study assesses the relationship between ALI and its impact on all-cause, cardiovascular, and stroke mortality in individuals with a self-reported history of stroke and within the general National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey sampled population.

Methods: Using data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (III, 1988-1994) and the 2015 Linked Mortality File, we selected adults aged ≥25 years with self-reported stroke.

Assessment of cardiovascular diagnoses associated with telemedicine during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread adoption of telemedicine, which has persisted in healthcare delivery.

Objective: We aimed to characterize telemedicine use in ambulatory cardiology clinics over two years following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study from 16 March 2020 to 27 June 2022 in a single-center ambulatory cardiology clinic and telemedicine visits.

Systematic Review of the Comparative Studies of Image-guided Thermal Ablation, Stereotactic Radiosurgery, and Sublobar Resection for Treatment of High-Risk Patients with Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

The Clinical Practice Standards Committee of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery assembled an expert panel and conducted a systematic review of the literature detailing studies directly comparing treatment options for high-risk patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A systematic search was performed to identify publications comparing outcomes following image-guided thermal ablation (IGTA), stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), and sublobar resection-the main treatment options applicable to high-risk patients with stage I NSCLC. There were no publications detailing completed randomized controlled trials comparing these treatment options.

Early-onset stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy syndrome: A case report and review of the literature.

Purpose: Stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy (SMART) syndrome is characterized by migraines, seizures, and stroke-like symptoms following brain irradiation. Diagnosis consists of clinical signs, history of brain irradiation, and radiographic evaluation. The latency to onset varies widely among individual patients, ranging from 1 to 35 years.

Systematic Review of Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR)/ Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for Treatment of High-Risk Patients with Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has emerged as an alternative, non-surgical treatment for high-risk patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with increased use over time. The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Clinical Practice Standards Committee (CPSC) assembled an expert panel and conducted a systematic review of the literature evaluating the results of SABR, which is also referred to as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), prior to developing treatment recommendations for high-risk patients with stage I NSCLC based on expert consensus. Publications detailing the findings of 16 prospective studies of SABR and 14 retrospective studies of SABR for the management of early-stage lung cancer in 54 697 patients were identified by systematic review of the literature with further review by members of our expert panel.

Systematic Review of Sublobar Resection for Treatment of High-Risk Patients with Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Sublobar resection offers a parenchymal-sparing surgical alternative to lobectomy and includes wedge resection and segmentectomy. Sublobar resection has been historically utilized in high-risk patients with compromised lung function; however, the technique is becoming more prevalent for normal-risk patients with peripheral lung tumors < 2 cm. In this article, we summarize the technique of sublobar resection, the importance of surgical margins and lymph node sampling, patient selection, perioperative complications, outcomes, and the impact of sublobar resection on the quality of life.

Magnitude of effect of low dose colchicine, a newly food and drug administration approved treatment for stroke prevention.

Background: As the Food and Drug Administration in June 2023 approved low dose colchicine for primary prevention of stroke and other cardiovascular events, an updated meta-analysis of stroke outcomes in randomized trials would help inform clinical practice.**** METHODS: Systematic, study-level meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials of long-term colchicine in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD, preponderantly primary prevention for stroke) or following non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack (secondary prevention). Heterogeneity was assessed with the I statistic and Cochrane's Q and potential bias assessed with the Risk of Bias 2.