The Indian spice turmeric, in which the active and dominant biomolecule is curcumin, has been demonstrated to have significant medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic effects. This promise is potentially very applicable to musculoskeletal disorders, which are common causes of physician visits worldwide. Research at the laboratory, translational and clinical levels that supports the use of curcumin for various musculoskeletal disorders, such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, musculocartilaginous disorders, and sarcoma is here in comprehensively summarized. Though more phase I-III trials are clearly needed, thus far the existing data show that curcumin can indeed potentially be useful in treatment of the hundreds of millions worldwide who are afflicted by these musculoskeletal disorders.

However, studies on curcumin's efficacy have been limited mostly to animal studies. Moreover, the biomedical potential of curcumin is not easy to use, given its low solubility and oral bioavailability-more attention therefore has been given to nanoparticles and liposomes.

Plaque brachytherapy is a well-accepted modality to manage selected cases of ocular melanoma. Although this modality provides validated oncologic and quality of life benefits, severe complications and adverse events can occur. This article reviews complications and adverse events of plaque brachytherapy, including scleral necrosis, strabismus, cataract, glaucoma, and retinopathies as well as management of these conditions. For practicing oncologists and ophthalmologists, these complications are important to understand, identify, and treat. Additionally, an understanding of common complications of brachytherapy should influence the decision of pursuing it as a treatment option.

Background: Among patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke, abnormal serum troponins are associated with higher risk of short-term mortality. However, most findings have been reported from European hospitals. Whether troponin elevation after stroke is independently associated with death among a more heterogeneous US population remains unclear. Furthermore, only a few studies have evaluated the association between the magnitude of troponin elevation and subsequent mortality, patterns of dynamic troponin changes over time, or whether troponin elevation is related to specific causes of death. Methods: Using data collected in the American Heart Association's ‘Get With The Guidelines' stroke registry between 2008 and 2012 at a tertiary care US hospital, we used logistic regression to evaluate the independent relationship between troponin elevation and mortality after adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics. We then assessed whether the magnitude of troponin elevation was related to in-hospital mortality by calculating mortality rates according to tertiles of peak troponin levels. Dynamic troponin changes over time were evaluated as well. To better understand whether troponin elevation identified patients most likely to die due to a specific cause of death, investigators blinded from troponin values reviewed all in-hospital deaths, and the association between troponin elevation and mortality was evaluated among patients with cardiac, neurologic, or other causes of death. Results: Of 1,145 ischemic stroke patients, 199 (17%) had elevated troponin levels. Troponin-positive patients had more cardiovascular risk factors, more intensive medical therapy, and greater use of cardiac procedures. These individuals had higher in-hospital mortality rates than troponin-negative patients (27 vs. 8%, p < 0.001), and this association persisted after adjustment for 13 clinical and management variables (OR 4.28, 95% CI 2.40-7.63). Any troponin elevation was associated with higher mortality, even at very low peak troponin levels (mortality rates 24-29% across tertiles of troponin). Patients with persistently rising troponin levels had fewer anticoagulant and antiatherosclerotic therapies, with markedly worse outcomes. Furthermore, troponin-positive patients had higher rates of all categories of death: neurologic (17 vs. 7%), cardiac (5 vs. <1%), and other causes of death (5 vs. <1%; p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Conclusions: Ischemic stroke patients with abnormal troponin levels are at higher risk of in-hospital death, even after accounting for demographic and clinical characteristics, and any degree of troponin elevation identifies this higher level of risk. Troponins that continue to rise during the hospitalization identify stroke patients at markedly higher risk of mortality, and both neurologic and non-neurologically mediated mortality rates are higher when troponin is elevated.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Non-causal macular holes (MHs) can occur concurrently with rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs). The visual outcomes and surgical approach for these eyes are variable. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a multi-institutional, retrospective review of all primary retinal detachment surgeries from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015. Pre-, intra-, and postoperative metrics were recorded. RESULTS: There were 2,242 eyes that had pars plana vitrectomy for primary RRD, 43 (1.9%) of which had a MH at the time of surgery. The mean postoperative logMAR visual acuity (VA) for the MH cohort was 0.87 ± 0.64 (20/148) and for eyes without a MH was 0.47 ± 0.63 (20/59; P < .0001). The single-surgery re-attachment rate for the MH cohort and no MH cohort was 86.1% and 84.9%, respectively ( P = 1.0000). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with noncausal MHs and RRD had significantly worse VA than patients without a MH. Preoperative counseling is imperative in patients with both RRD and MH. [ Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina . 2020;51:500–505.]