ABSTRACT
Histoplasmosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, known for its protean clinical manifestations that often pose diagnostic challenges. Immunocompromised patients, such as those on immunosuppressive therapies or with HIV/AIDS, are particularly susceptible to severe forms of the disease. We present a case of a 55-year-old female with a complex medical history, including a renal transplant, who developed fever, malaise, nausea, and vomiting after a month-long stay in Panama. The patient's history included exposure to a bird with apparent infection and mold in her home. Her clinical presentation featured acute kidney injury, elevated liver enzymes, acalculous cholecystitis, and lung nodules. This intricate constellation of symptoms underscores the diverse nature of histoplasmosis presentations and its potential to mimic other diseases. The patient underwent a stepwise diagnostic approach involving imaging, microbiological tests, and multidisciplinary consultations. The positive Fungitell assay, Histoplasma capsulatum detection in urine, and identification of scattered subcentimeter lung nodules confirmed the diagnosis. This case underscores the significance of considering endemic areas, environmental exposures, and atypical clinical features in immunocompromised patients. The multidisciplinary approach facilitated appropriate management and treatment initiation with liposomal amphotericin B, highlighting the importance of collaboration among various medical specialties in complex cases. As such, this case report emphasizes the complexity of diagnosing and managing histoplasmosis in immunocompromised individuals and highlights the need for a comprehensive evaluation of atypical presentations.
ABSTRACT
Sleep plays a critical role in the development of adolescents. Identifying the factors influencing adolescent sleep duration is a critical public health concern. Our study was designed to look for associations that may affect sleep duration in adolescent students. A cross-sectional research method was used to evaluate a dataset of thousands of adolescent students who were polled. The study assessed whether there was a correlation between exercise and length of sleep. The research showed a statistically significant positive correlation between the studied variables. We found that while demographic variables modify this association, a positive correlation exists even after controlling for these confounders. Our findings suggest that promoting physical activity can increase the quantity of sleep among adolescents.
ABSTRACT
Alternative splicing evolved as a very efficient way to generate proteome diversity and to regulate cell homeostasis from a limited number of genes. Moreover, changes in the relative amounts of different splice variants derived from the same pre-mRNA are a hallmark in cancer, and aberrant expression of alternatively spliced mRNAs has been linked to cancer initiation and progression. Therefore, splice variants are critical tools to assess disease progression and clinical prognosis, and hold great promise as potential targets for therapeutic intervention. In order to understand the role that such splice variants play in cancer, it is vital to be able to accurately quantify their expression levels in different cell types and organs, both in normal conditions and in disease. In this chapter we describe a protocol to efficiently detect, analyze, and quantify alternative splicing patterns of immune mediators such as chemokines, cytokine and their receptors and ligands in cancer by quantitative PCR.
