Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5858/1510008
Late-onset Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis: A Presentation of Five Cases
Michael David Richter and Leslie Dubin Kerr
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: January 18, 2016
Diffuse systemic sclerosis typically presents in persons aged 30-50 years. Although it is not uncommon to encounter the limited form of the disease in persons over the age of 65, diffuse disease in this age group is considered to be uncommon. Thus it is not considered as a diagnostic possibility in older adults who develop respiratory or gastrointestinal complaints....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3648/1410020
Data-driven Biomarker and Drug Discovery using Network-based Approach
Fuhai Li and Ming Zhan
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: November 05, 2015
An increasing body of large-scale genomic profiling data has been being generated on many diseases including cancers and on a number of drugs and compounds. The exploration of such big data has led to data-driven biomedical research. The data-driven studies include exploring disease subtypes with distinct molecular patterns, uncovering novel diagnosis biomarkers or treatments, and discovering new indications of drugs along with novel mechanisms of drug action, among others....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-584X/1510016
Giant Gastric Heterotopia in the Duodenum of an Adolescent Male and Review of the Literature
Laura El-Hage, Vinay Sood and Cary Qualia
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: February 11, 2016
Duodenal polyps are typically found during routine screening esophagogastroduodenoscopy for patients who have known hereditary polyposis syndromes. When polyps enlarge they may cause obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract, which is rare. We report an adolescent male without history of an underlying polyposis syndrome found to have multiple duodenal polyps comprised of gastric tissue during an upper endoscopy performed for vomiting....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-584X/1510015
Diagnosis and Management of Helicobacter pylori
Uni Wong and Leon P McLean
Article Type: Original Article | First Published: February 02, 2016
Helicobacter pylori is a common infection linked to dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, gastric cancer, and MALT lymphoma. Endoscopic and nonendoscopic options may be used to diagnose H. pylori and confirm its eradication. Fourteen days of triple or quadruple therapy may be used as initial therapy, although clarithromycin-based triple therapy has become less effective over time....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-584X/1510014
Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome and Hodgkin's Lymphoma Associated with Adalimumab Therapy
James Brief, Anupama Chawla, Kathleen Usmani, Grace Gathungu, Robert Woroniecki, Daniel Coldren and Jeffrey Morganstern
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: February 02, 2016
The patient is a 16 year-old male with CD and no family history of IBD, nephrotic disease or hypertension. CD was diagnosed at age 15 after intestinal biopsies demonstrated severe disease in the terminal ileum, ascending and transverse colon. Initial attempts to treat his disease with 5-aminosalicylic acid (800 mg mesalamine TID) and 6-mercaptopurine (both 50 mg and 75 mg daily) were ineffective in controlling his gastrointestinal symptoms....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-1353/1510014
A Feminist Phenomenological Description of Depression in Low-income South African Women
Carla Dukas and Lou-Marie Kruger
Article Type: Original Article | First Published: February 29, 2016
In this feminist phenomenological study rich descriptions of the subjectively lived experience of depression, as recounted by ten low-income rural women themselves, were provided. Analysis of the data obtained through semi-structured interviews, highlighted that the depressed women in this community often articulated their psychological distress as bodily symptoms. Emotions of anger, anxiety and hopelessness were also more commonly experienced and expressed than sadness....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2572-4045.1510017
Skin Lesions after Kidney Transplantation: An updated Review Including Recent Rare Cases
Ethem Unal
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: February 28, 2016
Skin disease is a significant cause of morbidity in chronically immunosuppressed patients, including organ transplant recipients. Cutaneous neoplasms are much more common in renal transplant recipients than in the general population, and are the most common malignancies in these patients. Better surgical techniques and recent advances in immunosuppressive therapy allow patients to survive for many years, free from any complications due to rejection....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2572-4045.1510016
Blockade of ASC but not NLRP3 Inhibits DC Proliferation and T cell Activation in Response to Alloantigen
Sashi G Kasmisetty, Alana Shigeoka, Reza Elahimehr, Andrew Scheinok and Dianne B McKay
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: January 16, 2016
The NLRP3 inflammasome is a multimeric protein complex consisting of the sensor molecule NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3), the adaptor molecule Apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) and caspase-1. Molecules with conserved molecular motifs trigger the assembly of the inflammasome and lead to maturation of pro-inflammatory cytokines that induce a mature inflammatory response. Emerging data suggest that inflammasome activation i...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2572-4037.1510009
Assistive Technology for Promoting Adaptive Behaviors by Children with Rett Syndrome
Fabrizio Stasolla and Adele Boccasini
Article Type: Short Note | First Published: January 25, 2016
Rett syndrome (RS) is a progressive neuro-developmental disorder due to mutations of methyl CpG binding protein 2 gene (MECP2), located on Xq28 chromosome, primarily occurring in females and first described by Andreas Rett. It is characterized by four main stages, namely: (a) stagnation, (b) regression, (c) stationary, and (d) deterioration. During the first stage, occurring with an early onset and beginning between 6 and 18 months of age, the child development is overall arrested....