COVID-19 and cardiac complications: Myocarditis and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.

Coronavirus is an important pathogen causing disease in humans and animals. At the end of 2019, an investigation into an increase in pneumonia cases in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, found that the cause was a new coronavirus. This disease, which spread rapidly across China and caused an outbreak worldwide, resulted in a pandemic. Although this virus has previously been referred to as 2019-nCoV, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), later it was named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Children were usually asymptomatic and rarely severely affected. In April 2020, reports from the United Kingdom indicated that children may have Kawasaki disease or a clinical condition similar to toxic shock syndrome. This clinical picture was later defined as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Since then, similarly affected children as well as cases with other cardiac complications have been reported in other parts of the world. In this review, we aimed to evaluate COVID-19 in terms of cardiac involvement by reviewing the literature.

Dynamic evolution of hyperuniformity in a driven dissipative colloidal system.

Hyperuniformity is evolving to become a unifying concept that can help classify and characterize equilibrium and nonequilibrium states of matter. Therefore, understanding the extent of hyperuniformity in dissipative systems is critical. Here, we study the dynamic evolution of hyperuniformity in a driven dissipative colloidal system. We experimentally show and numerically verify that the hyperuniformity of a colloidal crystal is robust against various lattice imperfections and environmental perturbations. This robustness even manifests during crystal disassembly as the system switches between strong (class I), logarithmic (class II), weak (class III), and non-hyperuniform states. To aid analyses, we developed a comprehensive computational toolbox, enabling real-time characterization of hyperuniformity in real- and reciprocal-spaces together with the evolution of several order metric features, and measurements showing the effect of external perturbations on the spatiotemporal distribution of the particles. Our findings provide a new framework to understand the basic principles that drive a dissipative system to a hyperuniform state.

Is colchicine more effective to prevent periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis episodes in Mediterranean fever gene variants?

BACKGROUND: Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome is the most frequent repetitive fever syndrome in childhood. It is characterized by fever episodes lasting for approximately 3-6 days, once every 3-8 weeks. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data for PFAPA syndrome patients between January 2010 and December 2014 followed up at a tertiary pediatric care hospital were reviewed. RESULTS: Four hundred children (256 male, 144 female; mean age at diagnosis, 4.2 ± 2.2 years), were enrolled in the study. During the episodes, mean leukocyte number was high (12 725/mm3 ) with predominant neutrophils. The mean number of monocytes was 1256/mm3 , and 90.2% had monocytosis. Serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein were high in 84.6% and in 77.8% of the patients, respectively. Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene heterozygous mutation was identified in 57 of the 231 patients (24.7%) in whom genetic analysis had been performed. The most frequent mutation was heterozygous M694V (10%, n = 23). Extension of between-episode interval following prophylaxis was noted in 85% of those on regular colchicine treatment (n = 303). In the colchicine group, between-episode interval was prolonged from 18.8 ± 7.9 days (before colchicine treatment) to 49.5 ± 17.6 days on prophylactic colchicine therapy; also, prophylactic treatment was more effective in reducing episode frequency in patients with MEFV gene variant (n = 54, 96%) than in those without (n = 122, 80%; P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: This study has involved the largest number of PFAPA syndrome patients in the literature. It is particularly important to assess and to demonstrate the high rate of response to colchicine prophylaxis in PFAPA syndrome patients, especially those with MEFV variant. On blood screening, neutrophilia associated with monocytosis and low procalcitonin could contribute to diagnosis.

A Rare Cause of Placental Abruption: Uterine Torsion.

Uterine torsion is defined as a rotation on its long axis and it is a dangerous, unexpected obstetric emergency. We report a case of uterine torsion at 32 weeks of gestation in a singleton pregnancy. A 37-year-old woman with multiple prior cesarean deliveries referred to emergency unit of our hospital at 32 weeks of gestation with severe abdominal pain and mild vaginal bleeding. Ultrasonography showed a single fetus in vertex position, with a normal amniotic fluid. Fetal biometer was appropriate for 32 weeks of gestation. Placental location was anterior with a subchorionic hypoechogenic small area which was suspected to be a sign of placental abruption. An emergency cesarean section was performed under general anesthesia. The 180° uterine torsion was diagnosed and it was not possible to perform detorsion of the gravid uterus by exteriorization by pfannenstiel incision. Posterior hysterotomy was performed and a male baby of 1830 grams weight was delivered. The newborn was transported to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of another hospital and discharged within two weeks. Patient recovered well and was discharged on second postoperation day. Uterine torsion is a very rare and life threatening situation. In unexpected cases posterior low transuerse hysterotomy is generally performed and it is suggested as a safe choice when detorsion was not accomplished. It is not easy to keep in mind the possibility of uterine torsion in cases of abdominal pain during pregnancy. Because it generally causes abruption, management of abruption is vitally important to prevent fetal mortality.