NOTE: Totals represent vital events, which occurred in Rhode Island for the reporting periods listed above. Monthly provisional totals should be analyzed with caution because the numbers may be small and subject to seasonal variation. REPORTING PERIOD VITAL EVENTS DECEMBER 2012 12 MONTHS ENDING WITH DECEMBER 2012 Number Number Rates Live Births 901 11,748 11.2* Deaths 863 9,551 9.1* Infant Deat...

Myofascial trigger points (MTPs) have long been a contentious issue in relation to fibromyalgia, and poorly defined pain complaints in general. Can MTPs be reproducibly identified? Do MTPs have valid objective findings, such as spontaneous electromyographic activity, muscle microdialysis evidence for an inflammatory milieu or visualization with newer ultrasound techniques? Is fibromyalgia a syn...

An understanding of causality in drug-associated adverse reactions is important for maximizing safe and effective use. Causal linkage between isotretinoin treatment and psychiatric events cannot be established from the observations in post-marketing reports due to under-reporting, the high background incidence of psychiatric illness in the population, and the incomplete nature of spontaneous re...

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) associated with aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) predominantly targets the optic nerve and spinal cord and is characterized by frequent relapses and accrual of irreversible disability. Variations in clinical course may include an initial or predominant involvement in extra spinal/optic nerve locations and a benign course marked by mild attacks and mi...

The spontaneous seroclearance of hepatitis B upon development of a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is extremely rare. To date, there has been one published case series reporting hepatitis B seroconversion following HCC resection. We describe two novel cases of spontaneous hepatitis B seroclearance following the development of HCC, prior to resection. Following resection, specimens were HBsAg- an...