Gaslighting in alleged assault ascertained as Munchausen syndrome transcending to malingering in highly counterintuitive self inflicted acid burns

A factitious disorder leading to the self-infliction of highly counter-intuitive burns was diagnosed in a middle-aged female. The injuries were otherwise alleged to have been sustained by assault inflicted upon her by an unknown person. The case was diagnosed by medico-legal interpretation of injuries, in spite of a highly deceptive and concocted history by the patient and her husband. The entity was unique in being associated with magnificent primary, secondary and tertiary gains. The exploitation of the morbid sequel to malinger by the patient, and the involvement of the husband for the prolongation of the illness of his wife for financial gains as gaslighting was highly unusual. The self-infliction of injuries over hands is seen in factitious disorder. However, a combination of a guarded self-immersion of the hands and feet in a corrosive by an illiterate female, followed by malingering to earn livelihood is unprecedented in factitious disorders. The delayed presentation which required amputation of all the limbs to save the life of the patient is a glaring highlight of this case.     

Are risk factors necessary for pretest probability assessment of coronary artery disease? A patient similarity network analysis of the PROMISE trial

BackgroundPretest probability (PTP) calculators utilize epidemiological-level findings to provide patient-level risk assessment of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). However, their limited accuracies question whether dissimilarities in risk factors necessarily result in differences in CAD. Using patient similarity network (PSN) analyses, we wished to assess the accuracy of risk factors and imaging markers to identify ≥50% luminal narrowing on coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in stable chest-pain patients.MethodsWe created four PSNs representing: patient characteristics, risk factors, non-coronary imaging markers and calcium score. We used spectral clustering to group individuals with similar risk profiles. We compared PSNs to a contemporary PTP score incorporating calcium score and risk factors to identify ≥50% luminal narrowing on CCTA in the CT-arm of the PROMISE trial. We also conducted subanalyses in different age and sex groups.ResultsIn 3556 individuals, the calcium score PSN significantly outperformed patient characteristic, risk factor, and non-coronary imaging marker PSNs (AUC: 0.81 vs. 0.57, 0.55, 0.54; respectively, p ?< ?0.001 for all). The calcium score PSN significantly outperformed the contemporary PTP score (AUC: 0.81 vs. 0.78, p ?< ?0.001), and using 0, 1–100 and ?> ?100 cut-offs provided comparable results (AUC: 0.81 vs. 0.81, p ?= ?0.06). Similar results were found in all subanalyses.ConclusionCalcium score on its own provides better individualized obstructive CAD prediction than contemporary PTP scores incorporating calcium score and risk factors. Risk factors may not be able to improve the diagnostic accuracy of calcium score to predict ≥50% luminal narrowing on CCTA.     

按法对大鼠脑卒中后肌痉挛的影响及其机理研究

目的:观察按法干预后脑卒中后肌痉挛大鼠血浆及脊髓L1-L3节段灰质前角组织中γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)和甘氛酸(Gly)含量的变化,探讨按法缓解脑卒中后肌痉挛的作用机制。方法:健康成年雄性Sprague-DawIey(SD)大鼠80只,随机抽取10只为空白组,其余70只造模。采用左颈外动脉插入线栓法建立大鼠大脑中动脉局灶性脑缺血(MCAO)模型。Longa神经功能评定为2-3分,且改良Ashworth肌张力评分评定为;1+、1+及2级的30只大鼠纳入实验。用随机数字表法将30只造模成功的大鼠随机分为模型组、按肌腱组和按肌腹组。造模成功2 d后,按肌腱组及按肌腹组大鼠分别接受大鼠按法橾作治疗仪按股四头肌肌腱和按股四头肌肌腹治疗,压力控制在(350±50)g,按压频率为5s/次,每次15 min,每日1次,连续治疗5d。各组于治疗第5次后,采用改良Ashworth#挛评定标准对大鼠股四头肌的张力进行评定。采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)法观察大鼠血浆及脊髓L1-L3节段中Gly的含量变化,采用高效液相色谱法(HPLC)观察大鼠血浆及脊髓L1-L3节段中GABA的含量变化。结果:各组改良Ashworth量表肌张力评定中,按肌腱组大鼠肌张力下降较按肌腹组更为明显(P<0.01);按肌腱组血浆及香髓L1-L3节段组织中Gly及GABA的含量增加较按肌腹组更为明显(均P<0.01)。结论:基于腱器官“反牵张反射”理论,采用按法刺激腱器官诱发“反牵张反射”对大鼠肌痉挛状态的改善效果优于按压肌腹。大鼠血浆和脊髓L1-L3节段中Gly和GABA含量的增加,可能是按法刺激腱器官改善大鼠肌痉挛状态的作用机制之一。     

Abordaje facial global del paciente estético: protocolo Skin Age Management

Aesthetic dermatology includes many minimally invasive therapies that can help our patients age gracefully and discreetly. Because it is hard to systematize these treatments to make patients aware of the options they have for the area of the face they want to improve, at Clínica Dermatológica Internacional, we have developed the Skin Age Management (SAM) protocol. In this article, we describe the protocol, which is aimed at helping doctors and patients to better understand and plan available treatments, underlining the advisability of combining techniques with the goal of achieving discreet changes to obtain what we consider to be optimum results, based on our experience at our center.     

Role of Oxalobacter formigenes in preventing calcium oxalate kidney stones

Objective To screen Oxalobacter formigenes (OxF) from fresh feces of healthy adults, and study its effect on the the prevention of calcium oxalate kidney stones. Methods OxF was screened and cultured from fresh feces of healthy adults. The rat model of calcium oxalate stone was established by esophageal gavage of 0.8% of ethylene glycol. Rats were divided into a control group and four groups of rats with ethylene glycol-induced calcium oxalate kidney stones according to random number table. Three groups were treated with 106 CFU, 107 CFU, 108 CFU viable OxF every day, respectively, for 4 weeks. The blood and 24-hour urine samples were collected to detect the serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, serum and urine calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and urine oxalate every week. At the end of the 4th week, the rats were sacrificed and the kidney tissues were stained with HE and Yasue. The deposition and content of calcium oxalate crystals were observed under a light microscope. Results The bacteria strain isolated from fresh feces of healthy adults was 100% as same as the known ATCC35274 bacteria strain, which means the strain screened is OxF. Among the 5 groups, there were no significant differences in body weight, Scr, BUN, serum calcium, blood magnesium, blood phosphorus, urinary magnesium and urinary phosphorus. The 24-hour urinary calcium excretion in the model group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P＜0.05). After intervention with OxF solution, the 24-hour urinary calcium excretion in the 108 CFU OxF group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P＜0.05), while there was no significant difference between the other intervention groups and the model. The oxalic acid excretion of 106 CFU OxF group and 107 CFU OxF group was lower than that of the model, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P＞0.05). The 24 h oxalic acid excretion in the 108 CFU OxF group was significantly lower than that of the model at the end of first week (P＜0.05), and continued to decrease for the next 3 weeks. After 4 weeks of intervention, no crystal formation was observed in the control group under the deflection microscope, but a large amount of calcium oxalate crystals were formed in the renal cortex and renal medulla. The crystals were piled up and connected to each other. Yasue staining coincided with the calcium oxalate crystal in the same part of the kidneys. Compared with the model, there was no significant change in the score of calcium oxalate crystal in the kidneys of 106 CFU OxF group and 107 CFU OxF group, while the score of calcium oxalate crystal in the kidneys of 108 CFU OxF group was significantly lower (P＜0.05). Conclusions OxF are successively screened from healthy adults. Daily administration of 108 CFU OxF can safely and effectively reduce the urinary oxalic acid excretion, prevent the formation of calcium oxalate crystals and inhibit the formation of stones in kidneys of rats.     

Influencia de la concentración de calcio en el líquido de hemodiálisis sobre el control de la tensión arterial

Background

Hypertension is a highly prevalent disorder among patients undergoing haemodialysis. It contributes to greater cardiovascular risk and must be controlled. However, despite dietary measures, haemodialysis regimen optimisation and pharmacological treatment, some patients in our units continue to maintain high blood pressure levels. The objective of the study is to demonstrate that reducing calcium in dialysis fluid can help treat hypertension patients undergoing haemodialysis.

Return to sport and beyond following intramuscular tendon hamstring injury: A case report of an English Premier League football player

BackgroundHamstring strain injuries are the most common type of injury in elite football and are associated with a high risk of reinjury, particularly those involving the intramuscular tendon (IMT). Limited information is available regarding the rehabilitation and return to sport (RTS) processes following such injuries. This case study describes the clinical presentation of an elite football player following IMT hamstring injury, their on- and off-pitch rehabilitation alongside performance monitoring throughout RTS and beyond.Case scenarioAn elite football player suffered a grade 2c hamstring injury during an English Premier League (EPL) match. The player underwent early post-injury management, alongside progressive off-pitch physical preparation. The ‘control-chaos continuum’ was used as a framework for on-pitch rehabilitation to prepare the player for a return to full team training and competition. Objective and subjective markers of the player's response to progressive on- and off-pitch loading were monitored throughout RTS and beyond.OutcomesThe player returned to on-pitch rehabilitation after 11 days, to full team training having achieved weekly pre-injury chronic running load outputs after 35 days and played in the EPL 40 days post-injury. The player did not suffer reinjury for the rest of the EPL season.ConclusionAn understanding the unique structural and mechanical properties of the IMT, alongside expected RTS timeframes are important to inform rehabilitation and decision-making processes post-injury. Performance and frequent load-response monitoring throughout RTS and beyond, in conjunction with practitioner experience and effective communication are critical in facilitating effective RTS and reduce risk of reinjury following IMT injury.     

难治性胃食管反流病临证研究

难治性胃食管反流病是临床疑难病,症状反复,缠绵难愈,治疗棘手。中医药治疗“反酸”“吞酸”证历久源远,充分挖掘古籍,深研病机,提炼治法,发挥中医药特色,对治疗本病意义深远。