Ulva spp (Ulva intestinalis, U. fasciata, U. lactuca, and U. rigida) composition and abiotic environmental factors

Seaweed, including various species of Ulva (e.g., Ulva intestinalis, U. fasciata, U. lactuca, and U. rigida), is essential for maintaining the balance of aquatic ecosystems. These algae are found worldwide and have a high growth rate in diverse habitats. This article analyzes the composition of these Ulva spp (including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and ash). It also investigates the environmental factors that affect their growth and composition, such as pH, temperature, water depth, salinity, and nutrient availability. Understanding the variations in composition and environmental influences among Ulva spp highlights the importance of studying their ecological impact and genetic diversity

Laminoplasty Versus Laminectomy With Fusion for Treating Multilevel Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

BACKGROUND: Laminectomy with fusion (LF) and laminoplasty (LP) are common posterior decompression procedures used to treat multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). There is debate on their relative efficacy and safety for treatment of DCM. The goal of this study is to examine outcomes and costs of LF and LP procedures for DCM. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of adult patients ( RESULTS: LP cohort (n=76) and LF cohort (n=59) reported no difference in neck pain at baseline, 1, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively (p\u3e.05). Patients were successfully weaned off opioids at similar rates (LF: 88%, LP: 86%). Fixed and variable costs respectively with LF cases hospital were higher, 15.7% and 25.7% compared to LP cases (p=.03 and p CONCLUSIONS: When treating multilevel DCM, LP has similar rates of new or increasing axial neck pain compared to LF. LF was associated with greater hospital costs, length of stay, and complications compared to LP. LP may in fact be a less morbid and more cost-effective alternative to LF for patients without cervical deformity

Unpublished Mediterranean records of marine alien and cryptogenic species

Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, buried in scattered repositories or in the personal databases of experts. Through an initiative to collect, harmonize and make such unpublished data for marine alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea available, a large dataset comprising 5376 records was created. It includes records of 239 alien or cryptogenic taxa (192 Animalia, 24 Plantae, 23 Chromista) from 19 countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In terms of records, the most reported Phyla in descending order were Chordata, Mollusca, Chlorophyta, Arthropoda, and Rhodophyta. The most recorded species was Caulerpa cylindracea, followed by Siganus luridus, Magallana sp. (cf. gigas or angulata) and Pterois miles. The dataset includes records from 1972 to 2020, with the highest number of records observed in 2018. Among the records of the dataset, Dictyota acutiloba is a first record for the Mediterranean Sea. Nine first country records are also included: the alga Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla, the cube boxfish Ostracion cubicus, and the cleaner shrimp Urocaridella pulchella from Israel; the sponge Paraleucilla magna from Libya and Slovenia; the lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus from Cyprus; the bryozoan Celleporaria vermiformis and the polychaetes Prionospio depauperata and Notomastus aberans from Malta

Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Spinal Cord Injury: Introduction to the Special Issue

Damage to the spinal cord (SC) can arise from either traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) [...

Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Spinal Cord Injury: Introduction to the Special Issue

Damage to the spinal cord (SC) can arise from either traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) [...]

Rectal Melanoma: Rare Cancer with Grave Prognosis

Malignant melanoma of the rectum is an exceedingly rare type of cancer with an aggressive presentation, comprising up to 4% of all anorectal cancers. Presentation of this cancer tends to occur in individuals in their late 80s, with nonspecific symptoms such as anal pain or rectal bleeding. Diagnosing rectal melanoma, especially in early stages, is difficult due to its amelanotic presentation and lack of pigmentation, which results in poor remission rates and prognosis. Furthermore, surgical treatment is difficult as these types of malignant melanomas tend to spread along submucosal planes; thus, complete resections are impractical, especially if caught later. In this case report, we present the radiological and pathological features as seen in a 76-year-old man diagnosed with rectal melanoma. Based on his presentation of a heterogeneous bulky anorectal mass with extensive local invasion, initial impressions were colorectal carcinoma. However, surgical pathology found the mass to be a c-KIT+ melanoma, with positive SOX10, Melan-A, HMB-45, and CD117 biomarkers. While the patient was treated with imatinib, the melanoma was too widespread and aggressive, leading to progression and ultimately death

Paget's disease with tumefactive soft tissue extension mimicking a chronic subdural hematoma

Paget's disease, the leading cause of skull sclerosis, is often under-diagnosed on imaging with tumefactive soft issue extension being mistaken for other intracranial findings. A 71-year-old female with past medical history of hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, transient ischemic attack, 7 pack year smoke history, and alcohol abuse experienced an episode of bilateral upper extremity weakness, left arm numbness, left hand clumsiness, and word deficits that resolved within 20 minutes. Head computed tomography showed a right convexity mass measuring 6 mm with slight mass effect on the right cerebral hemisphere but no midline shift. She also had a sclerotic calvarium with focal erosions, periosteal reaction and scalp edema with no evidence of acute infarct, significant stenosis, occlusion, and aneurysm of the major intracranial arteries. Additional magnetic resonance imaging was ordered. The pattern of sclerosis of the right hemicalvarium extending into the left hemicalvarium and areas of abnormal bony texture and enhancement where sclerosis had not occurred suggested this to be the sclerotic phase of Paget's Disease. Additionally, the enhancing soft tissues on either side of the right hemicalvarium and overlying the posterior left parietal bone were thought to represent benign tumefactive soft tissue or pseudotumor. Tumefactive lesions often present a differential dilemma that is best resolved through a multi-disciplinary approach with extensive review on clinical and imaging findings. Tumefactive soft tissue extension related to Paget's disease of the skull has not been described in the literature and our case study highlights the importance of considering this entity on one's differential for patients presenting with an extra-axial lesion

Successful Treatment of Optic Nerve Splitting secondary to an Internal Carotid Artery Ophthalmic Segment Aneurysm: case report and literature review

Background: Ophthalmic segment aneurysms that divide the optic nerve are exceedingly rare. We present a unique case of asymptomatic optic nerve splitting secondary into internal carotid artery ophthalmic segment aneurysm that was successfully treated with flow diversion.Case Description: A 58-year-old female presented to an outside hospital with an intermittent “rubbing sound” in her right ear. Imaging was remarkable for a left anterior skull base meningioma and a left internal carotid artery ophthalmic segment aneurysm. Humphrey visual field testing confirmed lack of scotoma or visual deficit. Intraoperatively, during craniotomy for resection of the meningioma, the aneurysm dome was noted to be splitting the optic nerve with a thin layer covering the dome.Given that the patient was asymptomatic and had intact visual function, it was decided that flow diversion would be safer option than clipping to avoid any optic nerve manipulation. On follow up, the patient remained free of visual impairment with an occluded aneurysm. Conclusion: This case presentation of a unique, asymptomatic ophthalmic segment aneurysm with splitting of the optic nerve, demonstrates successful treatment with flow diversion. It is notable both for the asymptomatic presentation and for highlighting the successful treatment of this kind of aneurysm with flow diversion

Potential Role for Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy as a Treatment for Degenerative Disc Disease and Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review.

Back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite the prevalence and morbidity of lower back pain, we still lack a gold-standard treatment that restores the physiological function of degenerated intervertebral discs. Recently, stem cells have emerged as a promising strategy for regenerative therapy for degenerative disc disease. In this study, we review the etiology, pathogenesis, and developing treatment strategies for disc degeneration in low back pain with a focus on regenerative stem cell therapies. A systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE/Embase/Clinical Trials.gov databases was conducted for all human subject abstracts or studies. There was a total of 10 abstracts and 11 clinical studies (1 RCT) that met the inclusion criteria. The molecular mechanism, approach, and progress of the different stem cell strategies in all studies are discussed, including allogenic bone marrow, allogenic discogenic cells, autologous bone marrow, adipose mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), human umbilical cord MSC, adult juvenile chondrocytes, autologous disc derived chondrocytes, and withdrawn studies. Clinical success with animal model studies is promising; however, the clinical outcomes of stem cell regenerative therapy remain poorly understood. In this systematic review, we found no evidence to support its use in humans. Further studies on efficacy, safety, and optimal patient selection will establish whether this becomes a viable, non-invasive therapeutic option for back pain