African American ethnicity is not associated with development of Barrett's oesophagus after erosive oesophagitis.

Background: Barrett's oesophagus is the primary risk factor for oesophageal adenocarcinoma; erosive oesophagitis is considered an intermediate step with Barrett's oesophagus development potential upon healing. Barrett's oesophagus occurs in 9-19% following erosive oesophagitis but minimal data exists in African Americans. The study aim was to determine if ethnicity is associated with Barrett's oesophagus formation following erosive oesophagitis.

Child Mental Health Services in the Emergency Department: Disparities in Access.

Objective: Recent research suggests that increasing numbers of caregivers are bringing their children to the emergency department (ED) for mental health services and that a large proportion of these children have Medicaid as their insurance. The objective of this study was to examine the characteristics of children with Medicaid who present with psychiatric conditions in Florida hospital EDs.

Methods: A retrospective research design was used, and the insurance claims of children who went to the ED for mental health care were analyzed.

Patient-reported Outcomes of Acupuncture for Symptom Control in Cancer.

Acupuncture is increasingly offered as a treatment option for managing cancer-related symptoms. In addition to randomized controlled trials, patient-reported outcomes may be needed to establish treatment effectiveness. This study retrospectively examined the symptoms and the satisfaction ratings of 90 patients receiving acupuncture at an integrative oncology clinic.

The Hospitalization Burden and Post-Hospitalization Mortality Risk in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Results From the I-PRESERVE Trial (Irbesartan in Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction and the causes of hospitalization and post-hospitalization mortality.

Background: Although hospitalizations in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction are common, there are limited data from clinical trials on the causes of admission and the influence of hospitalizations on subsequent mortality risk.

Methods: Patients (n = 4,128) with New York Heart Association functional class II to IV HF and left ventricular ejection fractions >45% were enrolled in I-PRESERVE (Irbesartan in Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction).

How an Opportunistic Infection Can Mess with Your Brain and Take Your Breath Away: A Rare Case of Simultaneous Lung and Brain Abscess due to Streptococcus anginosus.

Streptococcus anginosus (S. anginosus) is considered a friendly bug and is a one of many different bacteria that constitute the normal flora of the oral cavity. Nevertheless, it has been infrequently associated with more invasive infections, like lung abscess.

Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Green Tea Catechins for Prostate Cancer Prevention.

Preclinical, epidemiologic, and prior clinical trial data suggest that green tea catechins (GTC) may reduce prostate cancer risk. We conducted a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of Polyphenon E (PolyE), a proprietary mixture of GTCs, containing 400 mg (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) per day, in 97 men with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and/or atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP). The primary study endpoint was a comparison of the cumulative one-year prostate cancer rates on the two study arms.

Neonatal Coronoid Hyperplasia: A Report of a Case and Concepts to Promote Early Diagnosis and Treatment.

Limited mouth opening in the neonatal patient is primarily caused by either soft tissue or hard tissue pathologic features. Differentiation between the two can usually be elicited by physical examination with the patient under anesthesia. Limited opening from soft tissue pathologic features can be increased with stretching.

Does Gastrointestinal Dysmotility Predispose to Recurrent or Severe Forms of Clostridium difficile Infections?

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. A limited number of studies have looked at the risk factors for recurrent CDI. Mitochondrial NeuroGastroIntestinal Encephalopathy (MNGIE) is a rare multisystemic disorder that causes gastrointestinal dysmotility.

Feasibility of shelter-based mental health screening for homeless children.

Homeless children are known to be at risk for mental health and behavioral disorders due to housing instability and family and environmental risk factors, such as domestic violence. However, homeless children seldom receive screening for mental health and behavioral disorders with validated instruments. Moreover, few examples exist of programs that integrate outreach, screening, referral to appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic services, and care coordination.

Pain, distress, and anticipated recovery for older versus younger emergency department patients after motor vehicle collision.

Background: Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are the second most common injury mechanism resulting in emergency department (ED) visits by older adults. MVCs result in substantial pain and psychological distress among younger individuals, but little is known about the occurrence of these symptoms in older individuals. We describe the frequency of and characteristics associated with pain, distress, and anticipated time for physical and emotional recovery for older adults presenting to the ED after MVC in comparison to younger adults.

Protease 2A induces stress granule formation during coxsackievirus B3 and enterovirus 71 infections.

Background: Stress granules (SGs) are granular aggregates in the cytoplasm that are formed under a variety of stress situations including viral infection. Previous studies indicate that poliovirus, a member of Picornaviridae, can induce SG formation. However, the exact mechanism by which the picornaviruses induce SG formation is unknown.

Induction of hepatic apolipoprotein A-I gene expression by the isoflavones quercetin and isoquercetrin.

Aims: Phytochemicals such as flavonoids, vitamins, and polyphenols have been shown to have beneficial effects in metabolic disease. To determine if select flavonoids regulate hepatic apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) synthesis, we examined the effects of quercetin, isoquercetin, and myrescetin on apo A-I gene expression in HepG2 (hepatocytes) and Caco-2 (intestinal) cells.

Main Methods: Apo A-I gene expression was measured by Western blotting, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and transient transfection.

Widespread use of complementary and alternative medicine among non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors.

There are few studies examining complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and beliefs among non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors. Seven hundred and nineteen patients with NHL from the University of Iowa/Mayo Clinic Molecular Epidemiology Resource who completed the 3-year post-diagnosis questionnaire were included in this study. Altogether 636 (89%) reported ever using CAM, with 78% utilizing vitamins, 54% alternative therapies and 45% herbals.

Does erythropoietin cause hemoglobin variability--is it 'normal'?

Hemoglobin variability (Hb-var) in patients with chronic kidney disease has been stipulated to be a result of exogenous treatment with erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) and has been related to mortality in dialysis patients. We hypothesized the existence of Hb-var independent of ESA administration and compared it to that in healthy adults using data from the Scripps-Kaiser and NHANES III databases. We studied the Hb-var in 1571 peritoneal dialysis patients which included 116 patients not requiring treatment with erythropoietin.

25-Hydroxyvitamin D levels and acute cellular rejection in liver transplant patients.

Objective: To investigate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels prior to liver transplantation (LT) and the development of acute cellular rejection (ACR) within the first year post LT.

Methods: This retrospective study included 275 consecutive LTs performed in 262 patients at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida over 13 months. A total of 149 patients met the inclusion criteria.

A case of malignant transformation of myositis ossificans.

A 49-year-old white man presented for evaluation of an enlarging left distal thigh mass with increasing pain over the last several months. The mass was first noticed 11 years prior to this presentation. During his initial examination, the patient was diagnosed with myositis ossificans and had a partial resection of the mass to improve knee function.

The role of endovascular therapy in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.

Of the approximately 795,000 strokes in the United States annually, 87% are ischemic and result in significant morbidity and mortality. Improvements in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) outcomes have been achieved with intravenous thrombolytics (IVT) and intra-arterial thrombolytics vs supportive medical therapy. Given its ease of administration, noninvasiveness, and most validated efficacy, IVT is the standard of care in AIS patients without contraindications to systemic fibrinolysis.