Lentzdonaldson0655

Background The index of cardioelectrophysiological balance (iCEB), measured as QT interval divided by QRS duration, has recently been defined as a new risk marker for arrhythmias. Increased or decreased iCEB is associated with malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Aim In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between iCEB and stroke severity in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods The study comprised 105 adult patients (males, 58; females, 47; 69 ± 15 years) with acute ischemic stroke. Nine patients were excluded. Patients were divided into two groups based on the calculated National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (Group 1, NIHSS score less then 16; Group 2, NIHSS score ≥16). selleckchem Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data for all patients were collected. Electrocardiography (ECG) was recorded from all patients on admission to the neurology care unit. iCEB (QT/QRS) was calculated from the 12-lead electrocardiogram. Results There were no significant differences among the demographic parameters of patients. iCEB score was significantly higher in Group 2 patients than Group 1 patients (3.97 ± 0.61 vs 3.43 ± 0.57, P = 0.0024). Conclusion Our results suggested that iCEB is associated with stroke severity on admission in patients with acute ischemic stroke. It is known that high iCEB is associated with torsade de pointes (TdP), ventricular tachycardia.Aims We aimed to evaluate the correlation between Alvarado scoring and ultrasonographic findings in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis and its role in reduction of the rate of negative appendectomy. Methods A total of 2772 patients operated between January 2010 and September 2016 with the presumed diagnosis of acute appendicitis were retrospectively evaluated. Patients with appendicitis detected in histopathologic examination were assessed as Group 1, and those with no appendicitis detected were assessed as Group 2. Results The rate of negative appendectomy was 5.3%. Alvarado score was ≥7 in 2226 and 7, while acute appendicitis was detected in USG in 29 and was not detected in 26 of the patients with an Alvarado score less then 7. Conclusion While possibility of correct diagnosis is high in patients with an Alvarado score ≥7, the diagnosis should not be ruled out in patients with a low Alvarado score. Instead of using alone, the use of Alvarado scoring and ultrasonography together could reduce the rate of negative appendectomy and increase specificity.Objective The aim of this study was to detect the prevalence of soft tissue calcifications in the head and neck using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and to determine their clinical importance. Subjects and methods Soft tissue calcifications in the head and neck region were retrospectively evaluated in 1557 CBCT images obtained between 2013 and 2015. The findings were categorized as follows tonsillolith (calcified tonsil), carotid artery calcification (CAC), sialolith (salivary stone), calcified triticeous cartilage (CTC), calcified lymph node (CLN), rhinolith, antrolith, calcification of the superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage (CSCTC), calcified stylohyoid ligaments (CSL), myositis ossifican, osteoma cutis, and intracranial calcification. A Chi-square test was performed for categorical variables. In the 1557 CBCT images, 520 (33.4%) contained had at least one soft tissue calcification in the head and neck region. Results Tonsilloliths (18.8%) were the most prevalent soft tissue calcification, followed by CTC (5.8%), CAC (4.3%), intracranial calcifications (3.9%), CSL (3.7%), CSCTC (2.1%), osteoma cutis (1%), sialoliths (0.7%), antroliths (0.5%), myositis ossificans (0.4%), rhinoliths, and CLN (0.2%). Conclusion There was a high prevalence of soft tissue calcifications in the head and neck region on CBCT images. Tonsilloliths were the most common type of calcification. CBCT imaging may aid the diagnosis and assessment of these calcifications.Background To evaluate the extent of recall of consent information by daycare prostate biopsy patients in our low-literacy setting. And to evaluate the role of a 3rd party check on patient's recall of consent information. Subjects and methods As part of our standard of care, a formal informed consent session for day care prostate biopsy takes place 3 days prior to the procedure. For this study, before leaving the outpatient clinic the same day, the patient acknowledged before a third-party that his concerns were or were not satisfactorily addressed. The extent of recall of consent information was assessed on the morning of the procedure using a researcher-administered questionnaire. Consecutive patients participated in this cross-sectional study for day care prostate biopsy at a tertiary hospital in southeast Nigeria from February to November 2015 after obtaining due consent. Results The recall of the risks associated with the planned procedure was poorer than the recall of the nature of the disease condition or the nature of the planned procedure. However, it was observed that aggregate recall was significantly poorer among patients who negatively attested to a satisfying consent session (OR 0.125; P less then 0.0005). Conclusion The use of a third-party in determining patient satisfaction after a consent session may be a better indicator of patient comprehension and subsequent recall of consent information, especially in low-literacy settings. Using a third-party, in this manner, may assist in checking paternalism inherent in the patient-doctor relationship.Nannizzia (N.) incurvata (formerly Microsporum incurvatum) represents a geophilic dermatophyte which has been previously classified as belonging to the species complex of N. gypsea (formerly Microsporum gypseum). A 42-year-old Vietnamese female from Saxony, Germany, suffered from tinea corporis of the right buttock after she returned from a 2-week-visit to her homeland Vietnam. From skin scrapings of lesions, N. incurvata grew on Sabouraud's dextrose agar. Treatment by ciclopirox olamine cream twice daily for 4 weeks was successful. A 6-year-old Cambodian boy living near river Mekong with contact history to chicken, dogs and cattle suffered from tinea faciei and capitis. Symptoms of the favus-like tinea capitis and tinea faciei were erythema and scaly patches with areas of alopecia. N. incurvata grew on Sabouraud' s dextrose agar. The boy was treated with oral terbinafine 125 mg daily, topical miconazole cream and ketoconazole shampoo. The symptoms healed within 4 weeks of treatment. Cultivation of the samples revealed growth of N. incurvata. For confirmation of species identification, the isolates were subject to sequencing of ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region of the rDNA, and addition of the "translation elongation factor 1 α" (TEF 1 α) gene. Sequencing of the ITS region showed 100% accordance with the sequence of N. incurvata deposited at the NCBI database under the accession number MF415405. N. incurvata is a rare, or might be underdiagnosed geophilic dermatophyte described in Sri Lanka and Vietnam until now. This is the first isolation of N. incurvata in Cambodia, and the first description of favus in a child due to this dermatophyte.Background Long-term low-dose methotrexate therapy is associated with liver fibrosis. Although liver biopsy is the gold standard for detecting fibrosis, it is an invasive procedure associated with morbidity and mortality risks. Hence noninvasive imaging techniques such as transient elastography (TE) and shear wave elastography (SWE) have been studied to measure liver stiffness. Aims To assess the utility of TE and SWE in detecting fibrosis in patients with psoriasis and reactive arthritis on long-term methotrexate therapy. Methods A cross-sectional prospective study was undertaken on 54 patients with psoriasis and reactive arthritis who had received ≥1.5 g of methotrexate. Various clinical and biochemical [fibrosis 4 index (FIB4), aspartate-transaminase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI)] parameters were calculated and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was done with TE and SWE. The degree of steatosis was measured using controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). Liver biopsy was done when indicated and was interpretmitations of this study. Conclusion Histologically detectable LF is uncommon in patients with psoriasis and reactive arthritis on long-term methotrexate therapy. Both TE and SWE are good at detecting the absence of fibrosis in these patients. In our study, SWE and TE values did not correlate with clinical, biochemical, or histopathological parameters.Background The purpose of this study was to use decision tree modeling to generate profiles of children and youth who were more or less likely to meet the Canadian 24-h movement guidelines during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods Data for this study were from a nationally representative sample of 1472 Canadian parents (Meanage = 45.12, SD = 7.55) of children (5-11 years old) or youth (12-17 years old). Data were collected in April 2020 via an online survey. Survey items assessed demographic, behavioral, social, microenvironmental, and macroenvironmental characteristics. Four decision trees of adherence and nonadherence to all movement recommendations were combined, and each individual movement recommendation (physical activity, screen time, and sleep) were generated. Results Results revealed specific combinations of adherence and nonadherence characteristics. Characteristics associated with adherence to the recommendation(s) included high parental perceived capability to restrict screen time, being a boy, increaildren's and youth's movement behaviors during challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, paying particular attention to enhancing parental perceived capability to restrict screen time.Background The evidence concerning which physical exercise characteristics are most effective for older adults is fragmented. Methods We aimed to characterise the extent of this diversity and inconsistency and identify future directions for research by undertaking a systematic review of meta-analyses of exercise interventions in older adults. We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycInfo, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AMED, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science for articles that met the following criteria (1) meta-analyses that synthesised measures of improvement (e.g., effect sizes) on any outcome identified in studies of exercise interventions; (2) participants in the studies meta-analysed were adults aged 65 + or had a mean age of 70 +; (3) meta-analyses that included studies of any type of exercise, including its duration, frequency, intensity, and mode of delivery; (4) interventions that included multiple components (e.g., exercise and cognitive stimulation), with effect sizes that were computedicant others (e.g., carers) on intervention delivery and outcomes.Routine diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilises enhancement of the tumour tissue as a marker of malignancy in intracranial gliomas. However, several high-grade tumours do not exhibit enhancement and conversely, some low-grade gliomas do demonstrate enhancement. Hence, conventional MRI has a limited role in the accurate grading of gliomas. Advanced MRI methods that evaluate the tissue microstructure and tumour haemodynamics provide a better understanding of tumour biology and promise to provide more accurate grading. These advanced MRI methods include diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), diffusion-kurtosis imaging (DKI), arterial spin labelling (ASL) imaging, dynamic-susceptibility contrast (DSC) imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging. This review focuses on the utility of these methods for better characterisation and grading of non-enhancing gliomas, as it is more difficult to accurately devise an optimal treatment strategy for these tumours in comparison to enhancing gliomas.