Fibromuscular dysplasia: A comprehensive review on evaluation and management and role for multidisciplinary comprehensive care and patient input model

Fibromuscular dysplasia is a nonatherosclerotic, under-recognized disorder primarily seen in middle-aged women. It can lead to several complications, such as hypertension, headaches, dissections, aneurysms, myocardial infarctions, and cerebrovascular accidents, to name a few. This article provides a comprehensive review of current literature on epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term surveillance and fibromuscular dysplasia management. In addition, it renders the role of education and prevention for patients living with this condition and family screening. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive multidisciplinary care model and patient input, given the complexity of this disease and its systemic presence and protean manifestations.     

Beware of being unaware: racial/ethnic disparities in chronic illness in the USA

We study racial/ethnic disparities in awareness of chronic diseases using biomarker data from the 2006 Health and Retirement Study. We explore two alternative definitions of awareness and estimate a trivariate probit model with selection, which accounts for common, unmeasured factors underlying the following: (1) self‐reporting chronic disease; (2) participating in biomarker collection; and (3) having disease, conditional on participating in biomarker collection. Our findings suggest that current estimates of racial/ethnic disparities in chronic disease are sensitive to selection, and also to the definition of disease awareness used. We find that African‐Americans are less likely to be unaware of having hypertension than non‐Latino whites, but the magnitude of this effect falls appreciably after we account for selection. Accounting for selection, we find that African‐Americans and Latinos are more likely to be unaware of having diabetes compared to non‐Latino whites. These findings are based on a widely used definition of awareness – the likelihood of self‐reporting disease among those who have disease. When we use an alternative definition of awareness, which considers an individual to be unaware if he or she actually has the disease conditional on self‐reporting not having it, we find higher levels of unawareness among racial/ethnic minorities versus non‐Latino whites for both hypertension and diabetes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The clinical association between Periodontitis and COVID-19

Clinical Oral Investigations - The study aimed to clinically assess the association between periodontitis and COVID-19-related outcomes. Data pertaining to patient demographics, medical history,...     

Comparative study of effect of Withania somnifera as an adjuvant to DOTS in patients of newly diagnosed sputum smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis

Background

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Linn.) a rejuvenative herb has long been used as an immunomodulator in Indian subcontinent. As immunity plays an important role in pathogenesis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB), so role of W. somnifera as an adjuvant has been studied on selected parameter.

Isolated bilateral external iliac vein aplasia

We present a case of 11-year-old girl with a history of prominent superficial veins over abdomen and thorax since birth. A superficial vein extending from either inguinal region joined in umbilical region and extended up to right supraclavicular region. Other features of Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome like nevus, limb edema were absent. On radiological investigations both external iliac veins could not be visualized and venous return from lower limbs was draining into the right subclavian vein via these superficial veins. Both external iliac veins could not be identified during surgery.     

Identification of Rv0535 as methylthioadenosine phosphorylase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) is a natural purine that is metabolized by methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP, E.C 2.4.2.28) in Eukarya and Archaea but generally not in bacteria. In this work, Rv0535, which has been annotated as a probable MTAP in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, was expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The purified protein displayed properties of a phosphorylase and MTA was the preferred substrate. Adenosine and S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine were poor substrates and no activity was detected with 5'-methylthioinosine, the other natural purines, or the natural pyrimidines. Kinetic analysis of M.?tuberculosis MTAP showed that the K(m) value for MTA was 9?μM. Rv0535 was estimated as a 30?kDa protein on a denaturing SDS-PAGE gel, which agreed with the molecular mass predicted by its gene sequence. Using gel filtration chromatography, the native molecular mass of the enzyme was determined to be 60?±?4?kDa, and thus indicated that M.?tuberculosis MTAP is a dimer. Differences in active site between mycobacterial and human MTAPs were identified by homology modeling based on the crystal of the human enzyme. A complete structure-activity relationship analysis could identify differences in substrate specificity between the two enzymes to aid in the development of purine-based, anti-tuberculosis drugs.     

Has oncofertility information for male patients improved? Objective assessment of internet-based fertility preservation resources at NCI cancer centers from 2015 to 2020

Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics - Fertility preservation is a critical patient counseling component following cancer diagnosis. The aim of this study was to compare change and quality...     

Verrucous cell carcinoma arising from an underlying giant keratoacanthoma

Keratoacanthoma is a well-known, fast-growing, benign squamous epithelial neoplasm that usually presents as a solitary, dome-shaped, pink or flesh-colored nodule developing a central keratin-filled crater. Few authors consider it to be a benign cutaneous tumor whereas others suggest that it should be regarded as a low-grade variant of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A 21-year-old female presented with a firm, nontender, well-defined plaque with irregular margins measuring about 8 × 4 cm over the dorsal aspect of the right foot along with an exuberant growth from the plaque measuring 4 × 5cm. There was no lymphadenopathy. Systemic examination was within normal limits. Routine investigations, including complete blood counts, liver and renal function tests, urinalysis, chest radiographs, and abdominal ultrasonography, were normal. Histopathological examination of a skin biopsy from the plaque showed features suggestive of keratoacanthoma, whereas exuberant growth overlying the plaque showed features of verrucous carcinoma (a variant of SCC). Thus, it represents a case of SCC arising from a giant keratoacanthoma.