Case Report: Successful Treatment of Pulmonary Talaromyces marneffei Infection with Posaconazole in a Renal Transplant Recipient.

Talaromyces marneffei (T. marneffei), formerly Penicillium marneffei, is a dimorphic fungus prevalent in Southeast Asia that can cause severe systemic infection, especially in immunocompromised patients. There are few reports about the use of posaconazole in T. marneffei infection. Here, we present a case of pulmonary T. marneffei infection in a renal transplant recipient. The patient responded rapidly to oral posaconazole administration but experienced serum creatinine fluctuation because of the interaction between posaconazole and immunosuppressants. Seven months after adjusting the dose of immunosuppressants, the patient recovered completely. Posaconazole is a potentially promising therapy for T. marneffei infection, but it should be administered under close monitoring.

Methods for Endoscopic Removal of Over-the-Scope Clip: A Systematic Review.

Aims: The over-the-scope clip (OTSC) has recently emerged as a new endoscopic device for treating gastrointestinal bleeding, perforations, fistulas, and leaks. A modified OTSC device (full-thickness resection device, FTRD) has been widely used for endoscopic full-thickness resection. However, there is less experience regarding the indications and methods for OTSC removal. We aimed to summarize the existing methods and indications for OTSC removal. Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov to identify relevant publications on OTSC removal. The details of OTSC removal, including the methods, indications, success rates, adverse events, and failure causes, were extracted and summarized. A meta-analysis of pooled success rates was conducted using STATA 15.0. Results: Eighteen articles were included. The reported methods for OTSC removal included (1) grasping forceps, (2) the Nd : YAG laser, (3) argon plasma coagulation, (4) the remOVE system, (5) endoscopic mucosal resection/endoscopic submucosal dissection, and (6) ice-cold saline solution. Indications for OTSC removal were (1) poor healing, (2) OTSC misplacement, (3) repeat biopsy/therapy or further treatment, (4) adverse events after OTSC implantation, (5) removal after recovery, and (6) patient wishes. The pooled success rate of OTSC removal was 89% in patients treated with the remOVE system. Minor bleeding, superficial thermal damage, and superficial mucosal tears were common adverse events. Mucosal overgrowth was the main cause of OTSC removal failure. Conclusions: The remOVE system is the best investigated method, with sufficient efficacy and safety for OTSC removal. This is the first systematic review of OTSC removal and provides significant guidance for clinical practice.

Clinical risk stratification of acute pulmonary embolism: comparing the usefulness of CTA obstruction score and pulmonary perfusion defect score with dual-energy CT.

To compare the ability of CT angiography (CTA) obstruction score and perfusion defect score on dual energy CT perfusion imaging (DEPI) for clinical risk stratification of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). 55 patients diagnosed as acute PE either by CTA or DEPI were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were grouped into high-, intermediate-, and low-risk groups in accordance to the renewed guidelines of 2014. Consistency between DEPI and CTA in diagnosis of PE were assessed. Correlations between CT parameters and right-to-left ventricular (RV/LV) diameter ratio were evaluated. Difference of CTA obstruction score and perfusion defect score across three groups with different risks were analyzed. The consistent rate of DEPI with CTA was 75.4%, and the Kappa value was 0.412 (p = 0.000). 44.3% of partially obstructive PE showed on CTA did not lead to perfusion defect on DEPI. Perfusion defect score was significantly correlated with CTA obstruction score and with RV/LV (r = 0.622 and 0.599, respectively, p < 0.001), and CTA obstruction score had lower correlation with RV/LV (r = 0.403, p = 0.003). Perfusion defect score could distinguish low- from intermediate-risk groups (p = 0.011). However, CTA obstruction score could not distinguish the two groups (p = 0.149). DEPI had fine consistency with CTA to diagnose acute PE and offered additional information of physiologic changes. Comparing with CTA obstruction score, perfusion defect score could better correlate with right ventricular dysfunction, and could be a more promising biomarker for clinical risk stratification.

[Influence of prenatal alcohol exposure on retinal development and cell differentiation].

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on the development and cell differentiation of retina in offspring. The mouse model of PAE was made. HE staining and immunofluorescent labeling were carried out to visualize the structure, development and cell differentiation of the retina from postnatal day 0 (P0)-P30 offspring. The results showed that PAE can lead to the retardation of retinal development, the reduction of number of bipolar cells and horizontal cells, the disorder of horizontal cells' polarity, as well as the retinal thickening in a dose-dependent manner. The data suggest that alcohol exposure during pregnancy can lead to the developmental retardation of retina and decreased number of bipolar cells and horizontal cells in the retina of offspring.