Surgical Management of Calciphylaxis Associated with Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Calciphylaxis, or calcific uremic arteriolopathy, commonly affects people with end-stage renal disease and carries with it a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Here, we present the unusual case of a 56-year-old woman, with extensive medical problems, who developed calciphylaxis in the presence of primary hyperparathyroidism. Our patient initially presented with bilateral, exquisitely tender thigh lesions. The diagnosis of calciphylaxis was rendered histologically by extensive calcification of the subcutaneous blood vessels. Subsequent parathyroidectomy identified the presence of a hyperactive mediastinal parathyroid adenoma, weighing 0.62 grams. Postoperatively, the patient had normalization of hypercalcemia and parathyroid hormone levels, with subsequent healing of her thigh wounds. Currently, there have been sixteen cases described in the English literature, with only nine being offered a potentially therapeutic parathyroidectomy. It is contingent upon the vigilant physician to diagnose and properly manage this difficult yet treatable condition

Skunk River Review 2010-11, vol 23

Welcome to the 2010-2011 edition of The Skunk River Review! As the new editor of this publication, I was excited to see the number of submissions and the overwhelming enthusiasm of the students. This year\u27s publication includes work from Composition I, Composition II, Literature, and College Resources courses. Whereas The Skunk River Review is academic work that begins in the classroom, it also reflects student\u27s interests. The essays are not edited for MLA format or general errors because the publication is used as a teaching tool in many classrooms.https://openspace.dmacc.edu/skunkriver/1002/thumbnail.jp

Spatial variation in the impact of dragonflies and debris on recreational ecosystem services in a floodplain wetland

Recreation is an important ecosystem service. The interaction between people and habitat components is rarely considered in the analyses of recreational experiences, making it difficult to predict what people will experience. In this study we develop a modelling framework that describes three stages of interaction between people and habitats. This framework considers: (1) the distribution of habitat components in the environment, (2) the proportion of the available components that visitors notice, and (3) the net impact of multiple components on the quality of the recreational experience. The model was applied to a case study river floodplain, and was used to estimate visitor exposure to a combination of positive habitat components (dragonflies) and negative components (debris). The model provided an index of net impacts on experience quality that showed spatial variation across the floodplain, and this analysis highlighted areas that would deliver more positive experiences to visitors. The results of a sensitivity analysis indicated that neglecting the noticeability (observation rate) of habitat components resulted in different predictions. It is therefore important that the noticeability of habitat components is considered during analyses of recreational experiences, and recreational ecosystem service valuations

SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.5 and XBB variants have increased neurotropic potential over BA.1 in K18-hACE2 mice and human brain organoids

The reduced pathogenicity of the omicron BA.1 sub-lineage compared to earlier variants is well described, although whether such attenuation is retained for later variants like BA.5 and XBB remains controversial. We show that BA.5 and XBB isolates were significantly more pathogenic in K18-hACE2 mice than a BA.1 isolate, showing increased neurotropic potential, resulting in fulminant brain infection and mortality, similar to that seen for original ancestral isolates. BA.5 also infected human cortical brain organoids to a greater extent than the BA.1 and original ancestral isolates. In the brains of mice, neurons were the main target of infection, and in human organoids neuronal progenitor cells and immature neurons were infected. The results herein suggest that evolving omicron variants may have increasing neurotropic potential

The astrobiology primer: An outline of general knowledge - Version 1, 2006

Peer reviewe

Noninvasive biophotonic imaging for studies of infectious disease

According to World Health Organization estimates, infectious organisms are responsible for approximately one in four deaths worldwide. Animal models play an essential role in the development of vaccines and therapeutic agents but large numbers of animals are required to obtain quantitative microbiological data by tissue sampling. Biophotonic imaging (BPI) is a highly sensitive, nontoxic technique based on the detection of visible light, produced by luciferase-catalysed reactions (bioluminescence) or by excitation of fluorescent molecules, using sensitive photon detectors. The development of bioluminescent/fluorescent microorganisms therefore allows the real-time noninvasive detection of microorganisms within intact living animals. Multiple imaging of the same animal throughout an experiment allows disease progression to be followed with extreme accuracy, reducing the number of animals required to yield statistically meaningful data. In the study of infectious disease, the use of BPI is becoming widespread due to the novel insights it can provide into established models, as well as the impact of the technique on two of the guiding principles of using animals in research, namely reduction and refinement. Here, we review the technology of BPI, from the instrumentation through to the generation of a photonic signal, and illustrate how the technique is shedding light on infection dynamics in vivo

The role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies in problem gaming among adolescents: a nationally representative survey study

Explanatory theoretical models have proposed an association between problematic online gaming and abilities or strategies in alleviating distress or negative emotions in times of stress as proximal non-gaming-related personality factors. However, there is little research that has targeted how emotion regulation relates to problematic online gaming—especially during adolescence when gaming behavior is most prevalent. In emotion regulation research, there has been a particular emphasis on rumination because it is strongly associated with overall psychopathology. However, it is unknown whether this putatively maladaptive strategy relates to problematic online gaming and whether it is a gender-dependent association. Consequently, the present study examined how emotion regulation strategies, and particularly rumination, related to problem gaming and tested whether gender moderated this relationship in adolescents. In a national representative adolescent sample, 46.9% of the participants (N = 1,646) reported online gaming in the past 12 months and provided information on problematic gaming, and it was these data that were used for further analysis. Their data concerning problematic online gaming and emotion regulation strategies were analyzed, including rumination along with other putatively maladaptive (e.g., catastrophizing) and adaptive (e.g., positive reappraisal) strategies, while controlling for age, gender, and game genre preference. Results of linear regression analyses showed that all the putatively maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (including self-blame, other blame, catastrophizing, and rumination) were positively related to problematic online gaming. Positive reappraisal proved to be a protective factor; it was inversely related to problematic online gaming. In addition, the relationship between rumination and online gaming was moderated by gender (i.e., the relationship was stronger among boys). Based on the results, it is argued that emotion regulation is a useful framework to study problematic online gaming. The present study highlighted that the relative predictive value of rumination for problematic online gaming varied for boys and girls, suggesting that trait rumination might be a gender-specific vulnerability factor for problematic online gaming, but this requires further investigation and replication