Gemcitabine Cisplatin and Durvalumab Experience in Advanced Biliary Tract Cancers: A Real-World, Multicentric Data From India.

Purpose: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are usually diagnosed in advanced stages, where treatment options are either palliative chemotherapy and/or best supportive care. The breakthrough results of the TOPAZ-1 trial demonstrated a 24% decrease in risk of death at 2 years with the addition of durvalumab to chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study conducted across 14 institutions in India.

Risk Factors for Anemia in Adolescent Pregnancies: Evidence From the Lembah Pantai Urban Health District in Malaysia.

Introduction Adolescent pregnant mothers are at higher risk of acquiring anemia during pregnancy, which has detrimental consequences for the mother and baby. Untreated and prolonged anemia can lead to perinatal morbidity and mortality and antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum maternal morbidity. Anemia among adolescent pregnant mothers can be attributed to many factors, such as poor nutrition and the physiological demands of pregnancy.

Cellular Immune Responses Against γ-Inactivated Antigen in the Recovered Cases of Kyasanur Forest Disease.

Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFDV) is a tick-borne flavivirus that causes life-threatening hemorrhagic fever in humans with case fatality rates of 3-5%. Relatively little is known about the mechanism of its pathogenesis or host immune responses to KFDV infection. Here, we investigated KFDV-specific cellular immune responses in the recovered cases of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD).

Practical Clinical Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Cancer Associated Anemia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Purvish M. ParikhCancer-associated anemia (CAA) remains a major unmet need that compromises overall survival (OS) and quality of life (QoL). Currently, available guidelines do not take into consideration the unique challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

Women's awareness of perinatal mental health conditions and the acceptability of being asked about mental health in two regions in India: a qualitative study.

Background: Mental health conditions are common during pregnancy and the first year after childbirth. Early detection allows timely support and treatment to be offered, but identifying perinatal mental health conditions may be challenging due to stigma and under-recognition of symptoms. Asking about symptoms of mental health conditions during routine antenatal and postnatal appointments can help to identify women at risk.

Paraneoplastic Syndromes Associated with Gynecologic Neoplasms: Experience from a Tertiary Care Center in South India.

Surabhi SudhakaranParaneoplastic syndromes associated with gynecologic neoplasms are rare and can involve various organ systems including the central nervous system, hematopoietic system, musculoskeletal, dermal and endocrine systems. They can result from cancer-associated immune reactions or the production of ectopic substances by the tumor tissue. This study retrospectively reviews the clinical presentations, management and outcome of patients who presented with paraneoplastic syndromes associated with gynecologic malignancies.

Reconnoitering imidazopyridazines as anticancer agents based on virtual modelling approach: quantitative structure activity relationship, molecular docking and molecular dynamics.

Cancer is an unimpeded growth of cells leading to metathesis of cancer and eventually spread throughout the body. PIM kinases are the members of the serine threonine kinase playing role in cancer progression, differentiation and proliferation. Till date there is no single drug targeting PIM-1 kinase in the market, that has made itself a target in limelight for the discover of new anticancer agents.

A comparison of dosimetric parameters in high-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy using tandem and ring applicators: is the combination of a rectal retractor and radio-opaque vaginal packing better than rectal retractor alone for rectum sparing in cervical cancer?

Purpose: To describe a novel packing technique of combining radio-opaque vaginal packing (VP) with rectal retractor (RR) blade to displace rectum and to compare the standard International Commission on Radiation Units & Measurements-38 (ICRU-38) rectal, bladder point doses and volume parameters with the conventional technique of using RR alone with tandem and ring (T&R) applicators in high-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitary brachytherapy (ICB) for cervical cancer.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of the treatment plans of a cohort of 24 consecutively treated patients with locally advanced cervical cancer was performed. All patients received external beam radiotherapy with a dose of 45-50.

A Double-blind Multicenter Two-arm Randomized Placebo-controlled Phase-III Clinical Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Safety of Thymosin α1 as an Add-on Treatment to Existing Standard of Care Treatment in Moderate-to-severe COVID-19 Patients.

Background: From an epidemic outbreak, coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has quickly developed. Thymosin α1 (Tα1) has the ability to boost the T-cell numbers, support T-cell differentiation, maturation, and reduce cell apoptosis. In this study, we have investigated the efficacy and safety of Tα1 in moderate-to-severe COVID-19 patients.

Effect of potassium supplementation on osmoregulatory and stress response of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878) with Spinacia oleracea L. in aquaponics.

This study evaluated the effect of different potassium supplementation dosages on the physiological responses of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus reared in an aquaponic system with Spinacia oleracea L. for 60 days. The system comprised of a rectangular fish tank of 168 l capacity (water volume = 100 l) with nutrient film technique (NFT)-based hydroponic component with fish to plant ratio of 2.

Outcome of routine histopathological examination of gallbladder specimen following elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Background: Gallstone disease is one of the commonest surgical ailments encountered in our setup. Its prevalence in India varies from 2% to 29%. Although cholelithiasis accounts for more than 95% of gall bladder related disease, routine histopathological examination (HPE) is vital.

A Prospective Double-Blind Comparative Clinical Study Between Caudal Levobupivacaine (0.125%) with Clonidine and Ropivacaine (0.125%) with Clonidine on Post-Operative Analgesia in Paediatric Patients Undergoing Infra-Umbilical Surgery.

Introduction: Caudal epidural block is a reliable technique in paediatric patients but associated with various complications especially with higher concentration of drugs. We proposed a comparative study between levobupivacaine and ropivacaine at low concentration (0.125%) with clonidine at low dose (1 mcg/kg) taken as adjuvant.

Patterns of epidermal growth factor receptor testing across 111 tertiary care centers in India: Result of a questionnaire-based survey.

Background: We conducted a survey of 111 medical oncologists across India to understand the current pattern of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation testing at their respective centers.

Methods: Medical oncologists from 111 institutes across India were interviewed face to face using a structured questionnaire. They were divided into two groups - Group 1 with in-house EGFR testing and Group 2 who send samples to central/commercial laboratories outside their institutions.

Endoxifen, a New Treatment Option for Mania: A Double-Blind, Active-Controlled Trial Demonstrates the Antimanic Efficacy of Endoxifen.

The protein kinase C (PKC) signaling system plays a role in mood disorders and PKC inhibitors such as endoxifen may be an innovative medicine for bipolar disorder (BP) patients. In this study we show for the first time the antimanic properties of endoxifen in patients with bipolar I disorder (BPD I) with current manic or mixed episode. In a double-blind, active-controlled study, 84 subjects with BPD I were randomly assigned to receive endoxifen (4 mg/day or 8 mg/day) or divalproex in a 2:1 ratio.

Spinal Subdural Haematoma.

Introduction: Spinal Subdural hematoma is a rare cause of radiculopathy and spinal cord compression syndromes. It's early diagnosis is essential. Chronological appearance of these bleeds vary on MRI.

Maintenance of residual activity of Bt toxin by using natural and synthetic dyes: a novel approach for sustainable mosquito vector control.

Mosquito control protein from Bacillus thuringiensis gets inactivated with exposure to sunlight. To address this issue, the potential of synthetic and natural dye was investigated as sunlight protectants. Bt SV2 in absence of dyes when exposed to sunlight showed reduced effectiveness against the fourth instars of mosquito larvae.

Anti-tubercular agents. Part 7: a new class of diarylpyrrole-oxazolidinone conjugates as antimycobacterial agents.

In an effort to discover new anti-tubercular agents, a series of new diarylpyrrole-oxazolidinone conjugates have been designed and synthesized. The anti-tubercular activity of these new conjugates (4a-n and 5a-d) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and drug resistance strains such as M. tuberculosis Rif(R) and M.

Adult ileo-ileo-caecal intussusception: case report and literature review.

Adult intussusception is a rare entity accounting for only 5% of all intussusceptions and causes approximately 1% of all adult intestinal obstructions. Unlike paediatric intussusceptions which are usually idiopathic, there is usually a lead point pathology which might be malignant in up to 50% cases. We present an unusual case of adult intussusception which was not diagnosed on any investigation including computerized tomographic (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions: comparison of sequential vs. simultaneous presentation of primary tones.

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions are one form of evoked otoacoustic emissions. DPOAEs provide the frequency specific information about the hearing status in mid and high frequency regions. But in most screening protocols TEOAEs are preferred as it requires less time compared to DPOAE.

Periodontal status of green marble mine labourers in Kesariyaji, Rajasthan, India.

Aims: The purpose of the present study was to assess the prevalence and pattern of periodontal disease among green marble mine labourers and to use the data to provide a baseline for planning and evaluation of oral health care.

Materials And Methods: The study area was located in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan, India, divided into four geographical zones: Masoron ki ovri, Rushabhdev, Khandiovri and Kagdar Bhatiya. This study comprised 513 male subjects in four age groups (18 to 25, 26 to 34, 35 to 44 and > 45 years) collected using the stratified cluster sampling method.

Adipokinetic hormone enhances nodule formation and phenoloxidase activation in adult locusts injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

Interactions between the locust endocrine and immune systems have been studied in vivo in relation to nodule formation and activation of the prophenoloxidase cascade in the haemolymph. Injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracted from Escherichia coli induces nodule formation in larval and adult locusts but does not increase phenoloxidase activity in the haemolymph. Nodule formation starts rapidly after injection of LPS and is virtually complete within 8 h, nodules occurring mainly associated with the dorsal diaphragm on either side of the heart, but sometimes with smaller numbers associated with the ventral diaphragm on either side of the nerve cord.

Simultaneous bioconversion of glucose and xylose to ethanol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of xylose isomerase.

Simultaneous isomerisation and fermentation (SIF) of xylose and simultaneous isomerisation and cofermentation (SICF) of a glucose/xylose mixture was carried out by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of xylose isomerase. The SIF of 50 g I(-1) xylose gave an ethanol concentration and metabolic yield of 7.5 g l(-1) and 0.