Hypopituitarism caused by neurocysticercosis

Although neurocysticercosis is pleomorphic in its presentation, neurocysticercosis of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus is so uncommon that less than 10 cases have been reported in the literature. Hypopituitarism as a complication of neurocysticercosis is exceedingly rare with only 2 cases described in the literature. Herein, the authors describe a case of neurocysticercosis causing hypopituitarism in a young patient and mimicking a pituitary adenoma. Clinical experience with management of these cases is lacking, and there are no studies confirming the efficacy of cysticidal drugs in intrasellar or suprasellar cysts. Because most of single enhancing cystic lesions may disappear spontaneously and risk may outweigh the benefit of treatment, conservative management may be indicated in these cases.     

The current and emerging role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the diagnosis of nonischemic cardiomyopathies

Imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis, management, and prognosis assessment of patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathies. Over the past decade, the role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in clinical practice has been rapidly expanding. The technique's unsurpassed accuracy in defining cardiac morphology and function and ability to provide tissue characterization make it particularly well suited for the study of patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathies. In this review article, we provide an overview of the main cardiovascular magnetic resonance features of nonischemic cardiomyopathies, highlighting the diagnostic and prognostic utility of the technique in this heterogenous group of diseases.     

The role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the evaluation of valve disease

Echocardiography is the primary imaging modality for initial assessment and longitudinal evaluation of patients with valvular heart disease. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has emerged as an additional or alternative modality in these patients providing clinically useful information not only about the valve lesion itself but also about the consequences for the relevant ventricle. Other unique capabilities of CMR include the assessment of surrounding anatomy (eg, great vessels) and the evaluation of myocardial scar or fibrosis. This review will highlight the role of CMR in the assessment of patients with valve disease with particular emphasis on the advantages of this imaging modality in key areas.     

Preexposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention

Reducing the incidence of HIV remains one of our greatest public health challenges. However, there is growing optimism that preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) could have a major impact on preventing incident HIV infection. Recently presented data on the use of oral PrEP in men who have sex with men (MSM) have provided proof-of-principle for this strategy. Additional clinical trials are evaluating whether PrEP provides similar protection to risk groups other than MSM, such as heterosexual persons and injection drug users. Still unanswered questions include optimal dosing strategies, long-term safety, maximizing adherence and minimizing costs, addressing drug resistance in the face of PrEP failure, optimizing access, and assessing effects on risk behavior. Future implementation will be guided by the results of clinical trials in progress. This article provides a review of the data on the potential strengths and limitations of PrEP as an HIV prevention strategy, identifies challenges to implementation of this approach, and outlines knowledge gaps.     

Effect of in vitro aging on the stiffness of bioabsorbable fixation plates

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of in vitro aging on the stiffness of bioabsorbable fixation plates. Twenty-four polylactic/polyglycolic acid plates (LactoSorb; Lorenz, Jacksonville, FL) were divided in 3 groups of 8 specimens each. Group A served as control, and groups B and C were immersed in 0.1 M lactic acid for 15 and 30 days, respectively. All specimens were subjected to a 3-point bending test, using a universal testing machine, and the stiffness of each specimen was estimated. When analyzed with one-way analysis of variance, no difference was observed for the control and in vitro-aged specimens with regard to stiffness. Long-term (30 d) in vitro aging of poly-L-lactic acid bioabsorbable fixation plates does not seem to significantly affect the stiffness of the material as derived from a 3-point bending test.     

The Importance of Venous Doppler Velocimetry for Evaluation of Intrauterine Growth Restriction

The management of growth‐restricted fetuses requires accurate diagnosis to optimize the timing of delivery. Doppler velocimetry is the only noninvasive method for assessing the fetoplacental hemodynamic status. This review will give a critical overview of the current knowledge on fetal venous blood flow in pregnancies complicated by in‐trauterine growth‐restricted fetuses. Adaptation of the circulation in intrauterine growth‐restricted fetuses is described. Normal and abnormal venous Doppler waveforms are presented. Correlations of abnormal waveforms with the presence of acidemia and perinatal outcomes are emphasized. Limitations of venous Doppler velocimetry for optimizing the time for delivery and the perinatal outcome are also presented.