The time interval between the peaks in the electroccardiogram (ECG) and ballistocardiogram (BCG) waveforms, TEB, has been associated with the pre-ejection period (PEP), which is an important marker of ventricular contractility. However, the applicability of BCG-related markers in clinical practice is limited by the difficulty to obtain a replicable and consistent signal on patients. In this study, we test the feasibility of BCG measurements within a complex clinical setting, by means of an accelerometer under the head pillow of patients admitted to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU). The proposed technique proved capable of capturing TEB based on the R peaks in the ECG and the BCG in its head-totoe and dorso-ventral directions. TEB detection was found to be consistent and repeatable both in healthy individuals and SICU patients over multiple data acquisition sessions. This work provides a promising starting point to investigate how TEB changes may relate to the patients' complex health conditions and give additional clinical insight into their care needs.

Onychomycosis is a commonly encountered fungal infection of the nail that is increasing in prevalence worldwide. Diagnosis and treatment of onychomycosis is essential for any dermatologic practice, and the options available for both are numerous. The subtypes of this infection can help guide diagnostic techniques and determine the route and type of treatment that should be pursued. This article reviews the pathogenic organisms, epidemiology, clinical presentation and subtypes, and diagnostic and current treatment options available to treat this condition.

Ponatinib is a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cutaneous toxicities are a commonly reported side effect of ponatinib treatment with "rash" being one of the most common. Specific subtypes are infrequently reported, but include hyperkeratotic, folliculocentric, ichthyosiform, and pityriasis rubra pilaris-like eruptions. Herein, we highlight the clinicopathologic features of 2 cases of ponatinib-induced pityriasis rubra pilarislike eruptions. We also classify the clinical and histopathologic features of all previously reported ponatinib-associated eruptions in the literature and discuss treatment and potential diagnostic pitfalls.

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BACKGROUND Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) affects ~18.6-59% of persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and recent studies provide evidence that oral cannabidiol (CBD) therapy could reduce sebum production in addition to improving motor and psychiatric symptoms in PD. Therefore, oral CBD could be useful for improving symptoms of both commonly co-occurring conditions. OBJECTIVE This study investigates whether oral CBD therapy is associated with a decrease in SD severity in PD. METHODS Facial photographs were collected as a component of a randomized (1:1 CBD versus placebo), parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing the efficacy of short-term 2.5mg/kg/day oral sesame solution CBD-rich cannabis extract for reducing motor symptoms in PD. Reviewers analyzed the photographs independently and providing a severity ranking based on the Seborrheic Dermatitis Area and Severity Index (SEDASI) scale. Baseline demographic and disease characteristics, as well as post-treatment SEDASI averages and presence of SD, were analyzed with two-tailed T-tests and Pearson’s chi-squared tests. RESULTS Twenty-nine participants received placebo and 29 CBD for 16 days. SD severity was low in both groups at baseline, and there was no treatment effect. Generalized estimating equations regression analysis, when final blood level of CBD is included as an explanatory variable, revealed that CBD treatment trended toward reducing the presence of SD (P=0.0690 at the mean CBD final blood level of 49.29 ng/mL). CONCLUSIONS This study does not provide solid evidence that oral CBD therapy reduces the presence of SD among PD patients. While this study was sufficiently powered to detect the primary outcome (efficacy of CBD on PD motor symptoms), it was underpowered for the secondary outcomes of detecting changes in the presence and severity of SD. Larger studies including participants with increased disease severity and with longer treatment periods may better elucidate treatment effects and are needed to determine CBD true efficacy for SD severity. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03582137 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03582137)