"You find yourself in a very humiliating situation": experiences of people living with post-tuberculosis lung disease in Brazil.

Background: Brazil remains one of the 30 countries with the highest tuberculosis (TB) and TB-HIV coinfection burden. Post-TB lung disease (PTLD) is a set of sequelae that can occur in people who have been cured of TB.

Aim: To learn about the experiences of people living with PTLD (PLPTLD) and how healthcare workers (HCW) manage PTLD.

Repurposing of Metabolic Drugs Metformin and Simvastatin as an Emerging Class of Cancer Therapeutics.

Metabolic alterations are commonly associated with various cancers and are recognized as contributing factors to cancer progression, invasion, and metastasis. Drug repurposing, a strategy in drug discovery, utilizes existing knowledge to recommend established drugs for new indications based on clinical data or biological evidence. This approach is considered a less risky alternative to traditional drug development.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with an increased risk of cervical artery dissection.

Limited evidence suggests that autoimmune diseases are associated with an increased risk of cervical artery dissection (CeAD). We hypothesized individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) would have an increased risk of CeAD following SLE diagnosis compared to matched non-lupus controls. We queried a de-identified United States electronic medical records network (TriNetX, Inc.

Trends in Cervical Laminoplasty Incidence in the United States: A Comparison of Commercial Insurance, Medicare, and Device Manufacturer Databases.

Study Design: Retrospective database study.

Objective: To leverage a commercial insurance claims database to explore trends in laminoplasty utilization and reimbursement in the United States. Secondarily, volume estimates were compared with data from the industry and from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS).

Compartmentalization of the Inflammatory Response in the Pericardial Cavity in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

The systemic inflammatory response after cardiopulmonary bypass has been widely studied. However, there is a paucity of studies that focus on the local inflammatory changes that occur in the pericardial cavity. The purpose of this study is to assess the inflammatory mediators in the pericardial fluid of patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

A Practical Clinical Approach to Navigate Pulmonary Embolism Management: A Primer and Narrative Review of the Evolving Landscape.

Advances in imaging, pharmacological, and procedural technologies have rapidly expanded the care of pulmonary embolism. Earlier, more accurate identification and quantification has enhanced risk stratification across the spectrum of the disease process, with a number of clinical tools available to prognosticate outcomes and guide treatment. Direct oral anticoagulants have enabled a consistent and more convenient long-term therapeutic option, with a greater shift toward outpatient treatment for a select group of low-risk patients.

Immunomodulatory Properties of Multi-Strain Postbiotics on Human CD14 Monocytes.

The ability of probiotics, comprising live microbiota, to modulate the composition of intestinal microbiomes has been connected to modulation of the central nervous system (Gut-Brain axis), neuroendocrine system (Gut-Skin axis), and immune response (Gut-Immune axis). Less information is known regarding the ability of postbiotics (cell wall components and secreted metabolites derived from live organisms) to regulate host immunity. In the present study, we tested postbiotics comprising single strains of bacteria and yeast ( 16axg, 18fx, 16mxg) as well as combinations of multiple strains for their ability to stimulate cytokine production by human CD14 monocytes.

Clinical Utility of Broad-Range PCR Testing and Impact on Outcomes in Adults with Suspected Infection.

: The development of broad-range polymerase chain reaction (BR-PCR) and next-generation sequencing techniques has significant implications for antimicrobial stewardship by increasing clinicians' ability to provide a tailored antimicrobial regimen. We sought to explore the clinical utility of BR-PCR testing and its impact on antimicrobial treatment among an adult cohort in a large hospital system. : We retrospectively evaluated samples that underwent BR-PCR testing between 2017 and 2021 and summarized their clinical characteristics and impact on antimicrobial therapy.

Feasibility of a Low-Intensity Intervention to Influence Antibiotic Prescribing Rates Use in Outpatient Settings: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Primary care providers (PCPs) may modify their antibiotic prescription practices if aware of their potentially damaging impact.

Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial at 12 Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinics. PCPs at clinics randomized to the intervention group received quarterly antibiotic use reports with feedback about antibiotics prescribed for acute respiratory infections and adverse event letters alerting about infection or antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria among their patients.

Assessing the Impact of Vaccination Status on Meningitis Risk Post Cochlear Implantation.

Objective: To better understand the protective benefit of pneumococcal vaccines on rates of meningitis after cochlear implantation.

Study Design: Retrospective large database review.

Setting: Several studies have shown that cochlear implantation increases the incidence of bacterial meningitis, mostly due to pneumococcal meningitis.

Novel Use of Drug-eluting Stent in Otologic Surgery to Prevent Restenosis.

Objectives: The primary objective of this case series is to assess the effectiveness of the off-label use of the PROPEL drug-eluting stent, traditionally FDA-approved for sinus surgery, in preventing restenosis following canalplasty in patients with chronic otologic conditions or congenital anomalies. The stent provides both mechanical support to maintain canal patency and localized steroid delivery to reduce inflammation and scarring.

Methods: Four patients with various otologic conditions underwent canalplasty, followed by the placement of drug-eluting stents into the external auditory canal.

Early Onset Active Inflammatory Bowel Disease Is Associated With Psychiatric Comorbidities: A Multi-Network Propensity-Matched Cohort Study.

Background: Psychiatric disease burden in patients with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has risen substantially over the past few decades. However, there is limited data on the relationship between IBD disease activity and the incidence of psychiatric comorbidities. We sought to conduct a population-based study to investigate the impact of early onset disease activity in newly diagnosed IBD patients on psychiatric disease diagnoses and medication usage.

Assessment of targets of antibody drug conjugates in SCLC.

Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy has transformed treatment for several solid tumors, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, significant challenges remain, including systemic toxicity, acquired resistance, and the lack of reliable biomarkers for patient selection. To enhance the effectiveness of ADC therapies in SCLC, we focused on target selection in this study by investigating the expression of ADC targets - SEZ6, DLL3, CD276, and TACSTD2 - in cell lines and patient samples.

Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence based guideline on neuropathology for WHO grade II diffuse glioma: update.

Unlabelled: QUESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PRIOR VERSION OF THESE GUIDELINES WITHOUT CHANGE: TARGET POPULATION: Adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) who have suspected low-grade diffuse glioma.

Question: What are the optimal neuropathological techniques to diagnose low-grade diffuse glioma in the adult?

Recommendation: Level I Histopathological analysis of a representative surgical sample of the lesion should be used to provide the diagnosis of low-grade diffuse glioma. Level III Both frozen section and cytopathologic/smear evaluation should be used to aid the intra-operative assessment of low-grade diffuse glioma diagnosis.

Mobility in a cardiac surgery intensive care unit: A behaviour mapping study.

Purpose: Mobilization within 24 h post-cardiac surgery (CS) supports improved patient health outcomes. Despite being safe and recommended, it is unknown how much mobility takes place post-CS in the intensive care unit (ICU). Behaviour mapping was used to describe patterns of patients' mobility in one CS ICU.

The Impact of Pudendal Nerve Injection in Vaginal Surgery: A Secondary Analysis.

Importance: Evidence regarding the effect of pudendal nerve blockade during vaginal surgery is conflicting. Previous studies compared pudendal nerve blockade to either normal saline placebo injection or no injection, demonstrating small or no difference in pain outcomes. Studies investigating nerve blocks at the time of vaginal surgery have not evaluated the effect of infiltration of the space around the pudendal nerve.

Systemic hydroa vacciniforme lymphoproliferative disorder in a patient with chronic active EBV infection.

Hydroa vacciniforme lymphoproliferative disorders (HVLPD) fall within the clinical spectrum of chronic active epstein barr virus (EBV) disease (CAEBVD), ranging from localised and/or indolent forms (classic HVLPD) to systemic disease with fever, hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy (systemic HVLPD). A preadolescent male with 47XYY, multicystic dysplastic kidney, autism spectrum disorder and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) presented with photodistributed non-pruritic, non-painful necrotic papulovesicles accompanied by non-febrile intermittent fatigue and lymphadenopathy. The patient had a history of EBV pneumonia in infancy confirmed by CT scan and was later diagnosed with CAEBV.

Postoperative dorsal step-off predicts olecranon osteotomy union: a retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: Olecranon osteotomy has been associated with loss of reduction, nonunion, implant failure, and migration of wires. We aim to evaluate quality of reduction of the osteotomy site as a predictor of olecranon osteotomy nonunion.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-five distal humerus fractures that underwent open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) were reviewed.

The Role of Natriuretic Peptides in Pericardial Fluid in Predicting Cardiovascular Disorders: A Systematic Review.

Atrial and ventricular natriuretic peptides play an important role in the neurohormonal regulation of cardiac function. Plasma levels of these peptides may aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of different cardiac disorders, such as congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and atrial fibrillation. However, the association between elevated pericardial fluid levels of natriuretic peptides and these clinical conditions has not been proven.