The Biomedical Research Hub: a federated platform for patient research data.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to develop and operate a cloud-based federated system for managing, analyzing, and sharing patient data for research purposes, while allowing each resource sharing patient data to operate their component based upon their own governance rules. The federated system is called the Biomedical Research Hub (BRH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The BRH is a cloud-based federated system built over a core set of software services called framework services. BRH framework services include authentication and authorization, services for generating and assessing findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) data, and services for importing and exporting bulk clinical data. The BRH includes data resources providing data operated by different entities and workspaces that can access and analyze data from one or more of the data resources in the BRH. RESULTS: The BRH contains multiple data commons that in aggregate provide access to over 6 PB of research data from over 400 000 research participants. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: With the growing acceptance of using public cloud computing platforms for biomedical research, and the growing use of opaque persistent digital identifiers for datasets, data objects, and other entities, there is now a foundation for systems that federate data from multiple independently operated data resources that expose FAIR application programming interfaces, each using a separate data model. Applications can be built that access data from one or more of the data resources.

Large Malignant Pheochromocytoma Causing Cardiac Failure and Metastasis: A Case Report With Review of Literature.

Extra-adrenal functional neuroendocrine neoplasms are termed paragangliomas. We describe a case of a large abdominal neuroendocrine tumor that was proved to be a paraganglioma on biopsy. Unfortunately, the patient presented with high output heart failure, an extremely rare complication of paraganglioma. Prior to surgical biopsy, the patient underwent a complete invasive and non-invasive cardiac workup, in addition to biochemical testing. On a PET CT, the retroperitoneal neuroendocrine tumor was shown to have been metastasized to the spine. Chemotherapy targeted at somatostatin analogs was initiated. The unique presentation and rare complications are presented with relevant review of literature to highlight the spectrum of disease geared towards diagnostic and interventional radiologists. It is crucial to understand the broad spectrum of disease and include this entity in the differential diagnosis of a retroperitoneal mass. Equally significant is to consider potential complications such as metastases and cardiac failure to guide appropriate workup and management.

Right hip and pelvic pain.

Follow-up imaging confirmed a clinical suspicion.

The use of an invitational letter to increase the vaccine uptake of patients with coeliac disease.

AIM: We sought to establish the impact on vaccine uptake of sending out a single appointment letter inviting patients to attend a vaccine clinic. BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease is associated with splenic dysfunction and so patients with coeliac disease are at a higher risk of overwhelming infection. Additional vaccinations are recommended for these individuals to provide additional protection against infection. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 54 patients with diagnosed coeliac disease, and all vaccines previously received by these patients. By comparing this to the Green Book [Department of Health (2013) Immunisation of individuals with underlying medical conditions: the green book, chapter 7, London: Department of Health. Retrieved 26 February 2019 from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/566853/Green_Book_Chapter7.pdf], we determined the patients who were due vaccinations and the specific vaccines they were due. An invitation letter was then sent out to patients requiring further vaccinations and vaccine uptake for these patients was re-audited six months later. FINDINGS: Our results show a mild increase in the total uptake of vaccines six months after the letter was sent out, from 38.6% to 49.2%.

Thymic Epidermoid Cyst: Clinical and Imaging Manifestations of This Rare Anterior Mediastinal Mass.

Thymic epidermoid cysts are an extremely rare entity. These arise from epidermal cells that migrate to the thymus. The radiologic diagnosis of this rare lesion is challenging. We describe a case of an otherwise healthy 35-year-old woman who presented with an acute onset of chest pain and shortness of breath. She was found to have an anterior mediastinal mass. The imaging findings were, however, not characteristic for any single diagnostic entity. Since the imaging was inconclusive, surgical resection was performed for definitive diagnosis. The mass was found to be a thymic epidermoid cyst. This case underlines the significance for radiologists to be aware that epidermoid cysts can occur in the thymus and should be considered in the differential diagnosis for a heterogeneous anterior mediastinal mass.

Characterization of sterile intraocular inflammatory responses after intravitreal bevacizumab injection.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and characteristics of sterile intraocular inflammation occurring after intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) (Avastin, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) injection and to analyze whether a repeat IVB or intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) (Lucentis, Genentech) injection after an episode of postinjection inflammation elicits a repeat inflammatory reaction. METHODS: A retrospective case series evaluated 16,166 IVB injections administered between 2006 and 2008. Patients with postinjection inflammation were analyzed for the number of previous injections, time from prior injection to incident injection, presenting signs and symptoms, treatment, visual acuity, time from onset to resolution and recovery of vision, and whether repeat injection caused recurrent inflammation. RESULTS: The incidence of sterile intraocular inflammation after IVB injection resolving with topical antibiotics and steroids alone was 0.27% (44 of 16,166). The average number of prior IVB injections in the ipsilateral eye was 2.8 ± 0.4 with 10 cases occurring with first-time injections. The average time from injection to recovery of visual acuity was 53 ± 18 days, and from injection to resolution of inflammation was 37 ± 5 days. Thirty-six cases received subsequent IVB or intravitreal ranibizumab, and there were three episodes of recurrent inflammation with repeat IVB. The average follow-up was 17 ± 1 month. CONCLUSION: In most cases of sterile intraocular inflammation after IVB, visual acuity returned to baseline, and intraocular inflammation rarely recurred with repeat IVB or intravitreal ranibizumab.