Coccidioidal Meningitis in a Patient With HIV.

Coccidioidal meningitis is a rare yet life-threatening complication of disseminated infection, primarily affecting immunocompromised individuals.  and  are dimorphic fungi endemic to the southwestern United States, where exposure to inhaled spores can lead to a range of clinical manifestations, including pulmonary and central nervous system (CNS) involvement. This report describes the case of a 27-year-old correctional officer with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who presented with chronic headaches, altered mental status, and significant weight loss following his relocation from Arizona to Louisiana.

Prediction of Preeclampsia Using Machine Learning: A Systematic Review.

Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Early prediction is the need of the hour so that interventions like aspirin prophylaxis can be started. Nowadays, machine learning (ML) is increasingly being used to predict the disease and its prognosis.

Chronic Khat Usage as a Cause of Chronic Hypertensive Encephalopathy and Vascular Dementia: A Case Report.

Khat is a native plant of Eastern Africa that is widely utilized for its stimulant-like effects. It is known to have effects similar to those of amphetamine and has a comparable side effect profile, including tachycardia, hypertension, and insomnia. In this case report, we present a 45-year-old Somali gentleman with a history of more than eight years of chronic Khat use, presenting with progressive cognitive decline.

Targeted detection of sequence variants in cell-free DNA from cerebrospinal fluid in pediatric central nervous system tumors.

The emergence of liquid biopsy technologies holds great promise in the cancer setting, including in pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors. In contrast to broad lower-depth sequencing, commonly referred to as low pass whole genome sequencing (WGS), targeted platforms with a higher depth of coverage have also been established. Here, we review targeted liquid biopsy techniques with applicability to pediatric CNS tumors.

Genomic, transcriptomic, and T cell receptor profiling in stratifying response to first-line chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Introduction: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) accounts for 80% of esophageal cancer (EC) worldwide. The molecular characteristics of locally advanced ESCC have been extensively studied.

Methods: In this study, we investigate the genomic and transcriptomic characteristics and try to provide the basic T-cell receptors (TCRs) dynamics and its genomic and transcriptome association during the radiochemotherapy of ESCC using multi-omics analysis.

Bone measurements interact with phenotypic measures in canine Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked muscle disease with weakness, loss of ambulation, and premature death. DMD patients have reduced bone health, including decreased femur length (FL), density, and fractures. The mouse model has paradoxically greater FL, density, and strength, positively correlating with muscle mass.

Perceptions of swine euthanasia among Brazilian caretakers from non-integrated swine farms.

Timely and humane euthanasia is crucial for animal welfare on swine farms, yet challenges persist in its implementation, particularly in Brazil, where the responsibility often falls to caretakers lacking training. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of swine caretakers regarding euthanasia across non-integrated farms (ranging from 1,000 to 3,500 housed sows) and different experience levels (from less than a month to 40 years working with pigs). A total of 117 people directly working with pigs participated in a survey designed to evaluate their decision-making skills, euthanasia competencies, and understanding of Brazilian guidelines for euthanasia methods.

An update on oral manifestations of systemic disorders in dogs and cats.

Oral lesions are common in dogs and cats, and determining the underlying etiology of these lesions can be challenging. A wide range of systemic ailments may lead to lesions in the oral cavity, including immune-mediated diseases, adverse drug reactions, viral and bacterial infections, and metabolic and autoimmune diseases. A complete history and thorough physical examination (including a fundic examination) should be obtained in affected patients.

Uveitis and blindness in a closed herd of Equidae following leptospiral infection.

Objective: To describe the ocular findings, chronology of disease, and serum leptospiral titers in a group of horses, mules, and donkeys following an outbreak of leptospirosis.

Methods: Fifty Equidae in central North Carolina had ophthalmic examinations and serum leptospiral microscopic agglutination test (MAT) titers performed every 3-6 months for 24 months followed by a final examination at 34 months.

Results: Throughout the nearly three-year study period, 17 horses (34%; 17/49 horses) developed signs of uveitis; 20 eyes (20/34; 58.

Bees on the run: spp. (Microsporidia) in and related products, Italy.

Introduction: The decline of the European/western honeybee () population is on account of a plethora of microorganisms, such as and , two microsporidian fungi responsible of nosemosis that affects welfare and production of the bee industry. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the presence of both pathogens in bees, pollen and honey from apiaries in Southwestern Italy.

Methods: From March to July 2022 and 2023, apiaries ( = 10) were selected and classified as High Impact Areas (HIAs,  = 5) and Low Impact Areas (LIAs,  = 5) according to a 5-point environmental risk index based on factors affecting bee health sand related productions.

Retrospective evaluation of acid-base imbalances, clinicopathologic alterations, and prognostic factors in hospitalized calves with Eimeria-associated diarrhea.

Introduction: After the neonatal period Eimeriosis is one of the most common causes of large intestinal diarrhea in calves. In contrast to neonatal calves with diarrhea, there are very few reports about the clinicopathological alterations in affected animals, which are mainly based on experimental data. The aim of the present study was therefore to characterize acid-base and related clinicopathologic alterations in calves with Eimeria-associated diarrhea and to identify variables associated with in-hospital mortality.

Education Research: Trends of Neurology Clerkships in the United States Amidst a Global Pandemic.

Background And Objectives: To report a 2022 survey of US medical school neurology clerkship directors (CDs) and to compare the results with those of similar surveys conducted in 2005, 2012, and 2017.

Methods: An American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Consortium of Neurology Clerkship Directors (CNCD) workgroup developed the survey sent to all neurology CDs listed in the AAN CNCD database. Comparisons were made with 2005, 2012, and 2017 surveys.

Low-cost microvascular phantom for photoacoustic imaging using loofah.

Significance: Existing photoacoustic phantoms are unable to mimic complex microvascular structures with varying sizes and distributions. A suitable material with structures that mimic intricate microvascular networks is needed.

Aim: Our aim is to introduce loofah as a natural phantom material with complex fiber networks ranging from 50 to , enabling the fabrication of phantoms with controlled optical properties comparable to those of human microvasculature.

Surveillance of soil-transmitted helminths and other intestinal parasites in shelter dogs, Mississippi, USA.

In recent years, soil-transmitted helminthiases, including strongyloidiasis have become a prominent public health concern in the southeastern United States of America (USA). While there is ongoing human soil-transmitted helminths (STH) surveillance in Mississippi and Alabama, very little attention has been paid to potentially zoonotic STH from dogs in this region. We microscopically examined faecal samples collected from 252 shelter dogs in Mississippi using the formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation method.

A rare case of acrodysostosis type 2 with PDE4D mutation in a young female: a case report.

Acrodysostosis (ADO) is a rare form of peripheral dysostosis characterized by skeletal malformations, growth delays, short stature, and distinctive facial features caused by in part by underdeveloped (hypoplasia) of facial bones. Skeletal dysplasia is specific and includes disproportional short stature with short extremities and brachydactyly, multiple cone-shaped epiphyses, scoliosis or kyphosis with spinal stenosis, and advanced bone maturation. Herein, we are highlighting a case that presented with clinical features such as brachydactyly, delayed milestone, growth delay, muscle weakness and nasal hypoplasia.

Ocular Biometry OCR: a machine learning algorithm leveraging optical character recognition to extract intra ocular lens biometry measurements.

Given close relationships between ocular structure and ophthalmic disease, ocular biometry measurements (including axial length, lens thickness, anterior chamber depth, and keratometry values) may be leveraged as features in the prediction of eye diseases. However, ocular biometry measurements are often stored as PDFs rather than as structured data in electronic health records. Thus, time-consuming and laborious manual data entry is required for using biometry data as a disease predictor.

A bibliometric analysis of 30 years of research on transarterial radioembolization (TARE) for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduction: Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have very limited treatment options, among which transarterial radioembolization (TARE) receives increasing attention, relying on its promising efficacy and fewer side effect. However, a bibliometric analysis of TARE for HCC is still lacking. This study employed bibliometric methods to analyze the related articles over the past three decades, and aimed to identify trends in clinical research comparing TARE to other treatments.

What 'unexplored' means: mapping regions with digitized natural history records to look for 'biodiversity blindspots'.

We examined global records of accessible natural history voucher collections (with publicly available data and reliable locality data) for terrestrial and freshwater vascular plants, fungi, freshwater fishes, birds, mammals, and herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) and highlight areas of the world that would be considered undersampled and sometimes called 'unexplored' (., have relatively low, or no evidence of, past sampling efforts) under typical Western-scientific descriptions. We also question what 'unexplored' may mean in these contexts and explain how replacing the term in favor of more nuanced phrasing (.

Deep cryptic diversity in the Species Group (Anura: Craugastoridae) of Isthmian Central America revealed by mitochondrial and nuclear data.

The Species Group contains eleven species of terraranan frogs distributed from eastern Honduras to eastern Panama. All species have remarkable color pattern polymorphisms, which may contribute to potential taxonomic problems. We performed exhaustive sampling throughout the geographic distribution of the group to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic history of all named species based on two mitochondrial markers and nuclear ddRAD loci.

The pattern and burden of non-communicable diseases in armed conflict-exposed populations in Northeastern Nigeria.

Background: The risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in conflict and post-conflict settings in Northeastern Nigeria has not been evaluated to date. As this region undergoes recovery, understanding the prevalence of NCDs, such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and obesity, and the associated behavioral coping mechanisms, is crucial for developing tailored healthcare solutions. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of conflict on the prevalence of NCDs in conflict-exposed areas in Northeastern Nigeria compared with non-conflict regions.

Viral niche-partitioning: comparative genomics of giant viruses across environmental gradients in a high Arctic freshwater-saltwater lake.

Giant viruses (GVs; ) impact the biology and ecology of a wide range of eukaryotic hosts, with implications for global biogeochemical cycles. Here, we investigated GV niche separation in highly stratified Lake A at the northern coast of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. This lake is composed of a layer of ice-covered freshwater that overlies saltwater derived from the ancient Arctic Ocean, and it therefore provides a broad gradient of environmental conditions and ecological habitats, each with a distinct protist community and rich assemblages of associated GVs.

Learning to play to learn in pediatric physical therapy.

Introduction: Play is a way for children to develop and learn about themselves in conjunction with the world. Using play as part of pediatric physical therapy is broadly recommended. This study investigates this integration of play and seeks to answer the research question: How do pediatric physical therapists (PPT) understand and manage embedding play in pediatric physical therapy with children aged 0-3?

Methods: This is a qualitative study in which we connect to an enactive theoretical framework.

Case Report: pericardial and sternal wound infection following orthotopic heart transplantation.

, a genus of soil and vegetation-based fungi, is a rare cause of infections in immunocompromised individuals, including transplant recipients. In this case, we describe successful treatment of mediastinitis in the recipient of an orthotopic heart transplant. Treatment included multiple courses of combination antibiotic and antifungal therapy several surgical debridements, continuous mediastinal irrigation with antifungal agents, and staged closure with an omental flap.

A time for sex: circadian regulation of mammalian sexual and reproductive function.

The circadian clock regulates physiological and biochemical processes in nearly every species. Sexual and reproductive behaviors are two processes controlled by the circadian timing system. Evidence supporting the importance of proper clock function on fertility comes from several lines of work demonstrating that misalignment of biological rhythms or disrupted function of the body's master clock, such as occurs from repeated shift work or chronic jet lag, negatively impacts reproduction by interfering with both male and female fertility.