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Primary localised cutaneous nodular amyloidosis is a rare form of amyloidosis characterised by amyloid deposition in the skin but a lack of further organ involvement; therefore, it is not a systemic disease that progresses to complication. Limited knowledge exists on the causes and outcomes of long-term cutaneous nodular amyloidosis patients. This study reports a case of a woman in her late 80s presenting with a primary cutaneous nodular amyloidosis, with yellow, white plaques and a focal area of violaceous nodules along the inferior lumbar spine. Notably, this rash has been present for nearly 40 years. Histopathological examination revealed amyloid deposits, but further examination showed no amyloid systemic involvement. Recognition of primary nodular amyloidosis through skin biopsy is essential, and current clinical recommendations are to perform pathology examinations to make the diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cataracts are a major cause of visual impairment and blindness in the United States and worldwide. Introduction: Risk factors for cataracts include age over 40 years, smoking, diabetes, low socioeconomic status, female sex, steroid use, ocular trauma, genetic factors, and exposure to ultraviolet-B light. Community-based telemedicine vision screenings can be an efficient method for detecting cataracts in underserved populations. The Philadelphia Telemedicine Glaucoma Detection and Follow-Up Study reports the prevalence and risk factors for cataracts in individuals screened and examined for glaucoma and other eye diseases. Materials and Methods: A total of 906 high-risk individuals were screened for glaucoma using telemedicine in seven primary care practices and four Federally Qualified Health Centers in Philadelphia. Participants with suspicious nerves or other abnormalities on fundus photographs, unreadable images, and ocular hypertension returned for an eye examination with an ophthalmologist at the same community location. Results: Of the participants screened through telemedicine, 347 (38.3%) completed a follow-up eye examination by an ophthalmologist. Of these, 267 (76.9%) were diagnosed with cataracts, of which 38 (14.2%) had visually significant cataracts. Participants who were diagnosed with visually significant cataract were more likely to be older ( p < 0.001), have diabetes ( p  = 0.003), and worse visual acuity ( p < 0.001). Discussion: Our study successfully detected and confirmed cataracts in a targeted, underserved urban population at high risk for eye disease. Conclusions: Telemedicine programs offer an opportunity to identify and refer individuals who would benefit from continuous follow-up eye care and treatment to improve visual function and quality of life.

Purpose: We dosimetrically compared pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for pelvic and para-aortic lymph node disease in endometrial carcinoma and present acute toxicities associated with extended-field PBS., Patients and Methods: Twenty-five patients with locally advanced endometrial malignancies were enrolled in an image-guided registry study. Seven of these patients were treated with PBS, and 18 patients were treated with IMRT. Organs at risk included pelvic bone marrow (PBM), small bowel (SB), large bowel (LB), rectum, bladder, and kidneys. The IMRT and PBS dosimetric parameters were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests., Results: Compared with IMRT PBM dose-volume histograms, PBS resulted in significantly lower dose volumes from 0 to 26.0 Gy ( P < .05) and higher dose volumes from 33.9 to 42.9 Gy ( P < .05). Overall, PBS resulted in 22% lower median PBM volume irradiated to 10 Gy (RBE) (PBS 71.3% versus IMRT 93.4%, P < .001) and 14% lower median volume irradiated to 20 Gy (RBE) (PBS 65.1% versus IMRT 79.4%, P < .001). Compared with IMRT, PBS also significantly reduced SB dose volumes from 0 to 27.5 Gy, LB dose volumes from 0 to 31.6 Gy, bladder dose volumes from 0 to 27.3 Gy, and rectal dose volumes from 0 to 7.6 Gy (all P < .05). However, PBS resulted in higher rectal dose volumes compared with IMRT from 26.0 to 48.4 Gy. Grade 3+ hematologic toxicities were present in 2 (11%) IMRT-treated patients and no PBS-treated patients. No grade 3+ gastrointestinal or genitourinary toxicities were present in either treatment group., Conclusion: In endometrial carcinoma, extended-field PBS is clinically feasible, resulting in statistically significant dose reduction to PBM as well as SB, LB, and bladder in the lower dose regions., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts to disclose., (© Copyright 2017 International Journal of Particle Therapy 2018.)