Predictors of Quality of Life in Adults and Adolescents with Acne: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Acne is becoming more prevalent in adults, particularly women across the globe. Although previous studies have compared clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of adolescent and adult acne, an adequate understanding of the quality of life (QoL) of adult acne patients and associated comorbidities are still lacking. Objectives: We sought to compare the differences between adolescent and adult patient groups, regarding gender, socio-clinico-demographic factors, and comorbid associations, as well as their relatedness with life quality. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with 1013 acne patients. Data on the severity, onset and location of acne, sex, family history of acne, smoking and alcohol habits, medication history, presence of seborrhea, and other comorbidities were collected. We employed the classification used by the American Academy of Dermatology for assessing acne severity. To assess the QoL in the patients, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score was used. Results: Of the 1013 patients included in this study; 380 (female: 333, male: 47) were adult, and 633 (female: 535 and male: 98) were adolescent cases. The median total DLQI scores of adult and adolescent groups were not significantly different. Our results showed that factors such as age, gender, duration, body mass index, family history, and psychiatric disorders exhibited no impact on QoL in both adolescents and adults. Age of onset was correlated with DLQI scores in the adult group. The main influencers of DLQI in the adult group were allergic disorders, hormonal imbalances, and previous treatment history. Besides, major influencers in adolescent patients were acne severity, acne location, hirsutism, hyperseborrhea, premenstrual exacerbation, menstrual irregularities, previous treatment history, and smoking. Conclusions: The findings of our current study have shown that DLQI has been influenced by different factors in adolescents and adults that should be kept in mind.

Effect of Gd-doping in Ni/NiO core/shell magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) on structural, magnetic, and hydrogen evolution reaction.

In this study, Gdx-doped Ni/NiO MNPs (x: 0.0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10.0%) with a protective polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) layer have been synthesized via a polyol reduction process. The x-ray diffraction patterns revealed that samples have a cubic structure with Fm3̄m space group and no change in the crystallite structure was observed with doping Gd3+ ions. The crystallite size (Dc) decreases from 2.70 to 1.27 nm when Gd is doped into Ni/NiO MNPs. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the Ni/NiO MNPs with Gd(5%) concentration are formed as spherical multicore-like shape core/shell MNPs with a protective PVP layer. The magnetic hysteresis measurements taken at 10 and 300 K show that the saturation magnetization (Ms) decreases with increasing Gd3+ ions in the structure. The highest effective magnetic moment (µeff) was obtained as 10.34 µB in the NG-2 sample. We ascribe that the high µeff value in this sample is due to the increase in d-f exchange interaction between Ni(3d7) and Gd(4f7) and the contribution of the dipole moment of PVP molecules. The electrochemical measurements showed that the current density values were 0.294 and 0.319 mA/cm2 at-1.3 V in the absence of Gd (NG-0) and Gd(5%) doped (NG-2) samples, respectively. ßc was 159 and 132 mV/dec for NG-0 and NG-2 samples, respectively. The diminishing of ßc and the charge resistance (Rct) proved that the Gd doped catalyst enhanced the hydrogen evolution activity and the Gd(5%) doped sample exhibited the highest catalyst performance.

Abdominal Variant of Lemierre's Syndrome in a Patient with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Lemierre's syndrome is an illness characterized by internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis related to infectious agents, primarily Fusobacterium necrophorum. These bacteria, residing in both the oropharynx and the gastrointestinal tract, may lead to pylephlebitis, a serious condition that could result in the development of hepatic abscesses. This manifestation of the disease is regarded as the abdominal variant of Lemierre's syndrome. Patients with gastrointestinal malignancies, especially those who undergo surgeries, are susceptible to the abdominal variant of Lemierre's syndrome. Timely diagnosis is required to avoid the life-threatening complications of the abdominal variant of Lemierre's syndrome. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might be very useful in differentiating this disease from liver metastasis in patients with malignancies. Radiologists and clinicians need to be aware of this challenging condition to prevent misdiagnosis, since prompt treatment is often lifesaving.

A primary third ventricle mixed germ cell tumor with leptomeningeal dissemination of immature teratoma component.

A 17-year-old male patient presented to the clinic with a headache, nausea, and vomiting. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a fat-containing and -enhancing heterogeneous tumor in the third ventricle, and fat droplets within the ventricles and the subarachnoid space. Obstructive hydrocephalus was also present. Emergency subtotal removal of the mass was performed via interhemispheric transcallosal approach. The histopathological diagnosis was a mixed germ cell tumor that was composed of embryonal carcinoma, yolk-sac tumor, germinoma, and immature teratoma containing a large amount of mature elements. The patient was referred for postoperative chemoradiotherapy. A mixed germ cell tumor is a rare type of nongerminomatous germ cell tumor that is made up of at least two different types of germ cell tumors. These may include germinoma, choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor, mature teratoma, immature teratoma, or teratoma with malignant degeneration. As far as we know, this is the first reported case of a primary third ventricle mixed germ cell tumor with leptomeningeal dissemination of the immature teratoma component that contains grossly visible mature elements at admission.

Primary Sonic Hedgehog-activated dorsal brainstem medulloblastoma and ipsilateral cerebellar atrophy in an adult.

Medulloblastoma (MB) that arises outside the cerebellum from cells of the dorsal brainstem is rare. The most common subtype of MB in the dorsal brainstem is the Wingless (WNT) subtype that contains activating mutations in the WNT pathway effector CTNNB1. Ipsilateral cerebellar hemi-atrophy with a brainstem tumour is a finding that is usually documented with brainstem gangliogliomas as a possible specific imaging sign. We present a case of a 23-year-old female with progressive headache, imbalance on walking, double vision and difficulty in swallowing for a year. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a mass with prominent restricted diffusion on the dorsal surface of the lower brainstem with ipsilateral cerebellar atrophy. The final histopathological diagnosis was a Sonic Hedgehog (SHH)-activated and TP53 wild-type primary lower dorsal brainstem MB. Primary SHH-activated TP53 wild-type dorsal brainstem MB is extremely rare, and as far as we know, the association of the tumour with ipsilateral cerebellar hemi-atrophy in an adult has never been reported. MB should be included in the differential diagnosis of focal dorsal brainstem tumours, even in the presence of ipsilateral cerebellar hemi-atrophy.

Advances in the chemical and biological diversity of heterocyclic systems incorporating pyrimido[1,6-a]pyrimidine and pyrimido[1,6-c]pyrimidine scaffolds.

Heterocycles incorporating a pyrimidopyrimidine scaffold have aroused great interest from researchers in the field of medical chemistry because of their privileged biological activities; they are used as anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti-tumor, anti-allergic, antihypertensive, anticancer, and hepatoprotective agents. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the chemistry of heterocycles incorporating pyrimido[1,6-a]pyrimidine and pyrimido[1,6-c]pyrimidine skeletons and their biological characteristics. The main sections discuss (1) the synthetic routes to obtain substituted pyrimidopyrimidines, pyrimido[1,6-a]pyrimidin-diones, pyrimidoquinazolines, tricyclic, tetracyclic, and binary systems; (2) the reactivity of the substituents attached to the pyrimidopyrimidine skeleton, including thione and amide groups, nucleophilic substitutions, condensations, ring transformations, and coordination chemistry; (3) compounds of this class of heterocycles containing a significant characteristic scaffold and possessing a wide range of biological characteristics.

Heterocyclic steroids: Efficient routes for annulation of pentacyclic steroidal pyrimidines.

Steroids are components of cell membranes, signaling molecules and are a type of secondary metabolites as a result of their high impact of biological significance. The present review described the literature reports of pentacyclic steroidal pyrimidines as a type of heterocyclic steroids. The main sections included the synthesis of the investigated steroids fused at rings-A or B or D of steroid skeleton, synthesis of binary or linked-type pyrimidines, pyrimidine oxides, macromolecules and mono- or di- or tri-peptides linked-steroidal pyrimidines. Besides, the present research highlighted the biological significance of steroidal pyrimidines, in which the compounds revealed potent anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-Alzheimer agents. In addition, some hetero-steroids were screened for binding DNA assay and gene expression analysis. It was settled that the incorporation of pyrimidine scaffold into steroid basic skeleton is crucial for better biological results.

Fracture and migration of a retained microcatheter into the cauda equina after endovascular neurointervention for dural arteriovenous fistula as a rare cause of tethered spinal cord: case report.

The evaluation of spinal cord vascular malformations in neuroradiology departments remains valid for both diagnosis and endovascular embolization, and for adjuvant as well as definitive treatment. The most commonly encountered complications of endovascular approaches are the recurrence or the incomplete embolization of the lesion and accidental damage to the medullary arteries, which leads to spinal cord infarction. Failure to remember a microcatheter in the abdominal aorta after catheterization is an underestimated complication. A retained guidewire in the circulation may not necessarily cause symptoms, and it may remain unnoticed for a significant period of time. However, severe complications may be faced even many years later. In this article, a case report on a fracture and migration of a retained microcatheter in the cauda equina is presented. This occurred after an endovascular neurointervention for dural arteriovenous fistula as a rare cause of tethered spinal cord.

Advances in the Chemistry of 6-6 Bicyclic Systems: Chemistry of Pyrido[3,4- d]pyrimidines.

The aim of this work is to discuss the chemistry of pyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidines as one of the most important heterocyclic compounds with remarkable synthetic, biological and medical applications. In this overview, the chemistry of heterocyclic compounds incorporated the pyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine scaffold as demonstrated by chemical reactions and different preparation processes. The anticipated compounds were synthesized from pyridine or pyrimidine compounds and a description of the reactivity of substituents attached to ring carbon and nitrogen atoms is discussed. On the other hand, the synthesis and reactions of fused heterocycles incorporated pyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine scaffold is described. The diamine analogs included pyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine core were reported as tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The chemical reactions of certain unexpected and chemically substantial compounds have been discussed.