Rejected

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease that involves chondrocyte injury and dysfunction. CircRNAs participate in OA progression, but the roles of circRNAs in the occurrence of OA are unclear. In this study, we explore the role of circ_0008365 in OA.

The retrodural space of Okada is a potential space posterior to the ligamentum flavum that allows communication with the bilateral facet joints. However, the actual anatomy of this space has not been clearly visualized to date. We sought to investigate the characteristics of patients showing contrast spreading to the facet joint space during epidural injection and to clarify the anatomical structures of the retrodural space and adjacent ligamentous tissues in cadaveric specimens.

Primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN) is characterized by chronic neuropathic pain. There are few studies exploring masticatory muscle changes in patients with PTN. This study evaluated the changes in the masticatory muscles using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the predictive factors of masticatory muscle changes in patients with PTN. The radiologic outcomes of 52 patients with PTN and 58 healthy adults were evaluated. The temporalis, lateral pterygoid, medial pterygoid, and masseter muscles were assessed using MRI. Atrophy and edema of the masticatory muscles were noted. Multivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with masticatory muscle atrophy. Among the PTN group, the right side (61.5%) and mandibular branch (53.9%) were the most affected. Muscle atrophy of the temporalis (P < .001), medial pterygoid (P = .016), lateral pterygoid (P = .031), and masseter (P = .001) were significantly higher in the PTN group than in the control group. Lateral pterygoid edema was significantly higher in the PTN group (P < .001). However, no significant difference was found in the temporalis and masseter edema between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that neurovascular conflict (NVC) significantly predicted mastication muscle atrophy (P = .037). Patients with PTN had higher rates of masticatory muscle atrophy and edema. The assessment of NVC may be a preoperative imaging biomarker to predict atrophy in PTN.

Brucellosis is among the most widespread zoonotic diseases worldwide. Although rare, nervous system involvement due to Brucella infection is a major diagnostic challenge in endemic regions.

Umbilical endometriosis is a rare event. A 44-year-old woman complained of a palpable abdominal mass with bloody secretion and chronic abdominal pain for 2 months. 18F-FDG PET/CT images demonstrated multiple foci of increased tracer uptake indicating malignant tumor with metastases in the region of umbilicus and lower segment of the esophagus. Unexpectedly, the subsequent histology and immunohistochemistry of the umbilical lesion demonstrated endometriosis.

Muscle cramps are frequently overlooked and worsen the quality of life in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Therefore, a valuable biomarker for predicting muscle cramps is required in the clinical setting. This study aimed to investigate whether the serum Mac-2-binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) levels, a reliable liver fibrosis marker, could predict muscle cramps in patients with CLD. This retrospective study included 80 patients with CLD. Muscle cramps were assessed using a questionnaire regarding their presence, frequency, pain severity, and duration. The associated predictors were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The diagnostic accuracy and optimal cutoff values were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Of the 80 patients, 55% had muscle cramps and showed significantly higher serum M2BPGi levels than those without them (4.54 cutoff index [COI] vs 2.20; P = .001). Multivariate analysis revealed that M2BPGi (odds ratio [ORs], 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.003-1.42; P = .046) was independently associated with the presence of muscle cramps. The optimal COI value for predicting muscle cramps was 3.95, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 61.4%, 80.6%, 79.4%, 63.0%, and 70.0%, respectively. Patients with a COI value ≥3.95 had a 2-fold higher incidence of muscle cramps than patients with a COI value <3.95 (79% vs 37%; P < .001). M2BPGi levels were also associated with the duration of muscle cramps. Serum M2BPGi appears useful as a biomarker for predicting muscle cramps in patients with CLD.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) morbidity and mortality are rising in low- and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. The shift in health-care resources from communicable diseases to chronic conditions has created formidable health-care challenges.

Rhombencephalitis refers to inflammation of the brainstem and cerebellum, and can be caused by infections, autoimmune disorders or paraneoplastic syndromes. The most common infective cause is the bacterium &amp;nbsp; is the predominant species to cause human listeriosis, and is commonly due to the ingestion of contaminated foods. Symptoms include a mild gastroenteritis, fever (often with extreme temperature variations), headache, and myalgia. In more severe cases, invasive disease may lead to bacteraemia and neurolisteriosis. Pregnant women are more susceptible to listeriosis, which is believed to be due to pregnancy-related immune modulation. Maternal-neonatal infection with adverse pregnancy outcomes include neonatal listeriosis, spontaneous miscarriage and intrauterine fetal demise. Diagnosis may be challenging due to initial nonspecific symptoms and low sensitivity and specificity of confirmatory diagnostic laboratory tests. Here, we describe a case of rhombencephalitis in pregnancy, attributed to , and review the clinical features, diagnosis and multidisciplinary management. Lastly, we describe the immunological response to and show in vitro pro-inflammatory effects of on peripheral blood mononuclear cells and placental explants.

Spontaneous carotid cavernous fistula (CCF) is rare, and the expression of headache caused by it can be variable.

The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) recommends at least annual spirometry for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Since spirometry acquisition is variable in clinical practice, identifying characteristics associated with annual spirometry may inform strategies to improve care for patients with COPD.