Scapular swelling: "subcutaneous cysticercosis unveiled"-a case report.

Background: Cysticercosis, a parasitic infection caused by the larval stages of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, predominantly affects cerebral and ocular tissues. The subcutaneous manifestation of this disease is a relatively uncommon clinical occurrence. Previously very few or no cases of cysticercosis presenting as subcutaneous solitary painful swelling have been reported in the literature.

Findings on serial thigh MRI can identify individuals with inflammatory myositis who recover sub-optimally: A 6-month follow-up study.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the thigh is used in diagnosis of idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) diagnosis due to its high sensitivity in detecting muscle oedema and to localize the site for muscle biopsy. At the same time, dual energy absorptiometry (DXA) is an accepted method in clinical practice to measure muscle mass and change in body composition. In this longitudinal study of patients with active IIM we sought to correlate muscle findings on serial thigh MRI and body composition assessed using DXA with six-month clinical outcomes, we also studied correlation of thigh MRI scores with body composition parameters.

Statistical operating characteristics of current early phase dose finding designs with toxicity and efficacy in oncology.

Traditional phase I dose finding cancer clinical trial designs aim to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the investigational cytotoxic agent based on a single toxicity outcome, assuming a monotone dose-response relationship. However, this assumption might not always hold for newly emerging therapies such as immuno-oncology therapies and molecularly targeted therapies, making conventional dose finding trial designs based on toxicity no longer appropriate. To tackle this issue, numerous early-phase dose finding clinical trial designs have been developed to identify the optimal biological dose (OBD), which takes both toxicity and efficacy outcomes into account.

Does Physiological Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Improve Outcome in Men with Abnormal Semen Parameters: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: As the male factor in infertility is on rising trend, we need a promising tool for sperm selection to improve the embryo development.

Aim: The present study compares the embryological and clinical parameters between physiological intracytoplasmic sperm injection (PICSI) and conventional intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in abnormal semen parameters.

Settings And Design: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Catheter Exchange With Elongation of Tunnel (CEET) Procedure-A Novel Technique for Cuff Extrusion of Tunneled Dialysis Catheter: Surgical Experience and Early Outcomes.

Background: Cuff extrusion of tunneled dialysis catheter (TDC) leads to catheter dysfunction, leading to loss of vascular access and the need for new catheter. Definitive management is to remove TDC and reinsert new catheter by new venous puncture and tunnel, which may not be possible in all cases. The study evaluated the surgical experience and early outcomes of a novel "Catheter Exchange with Elongation of Tunnel (CEET)" procedure for cuff extrusion.

Lessons Learned From a Peer-Supported Differentiated Care and Nutritional Supplementation for People With TB in a Southern Indian State.

Two critical components of patient support systems for people with TB are regular counseling and locally managed nutritional support. As part of an ongoing differentiated TB care initiative called Tamil Nadu Kasanoi Erappila Thittam (meaning TB death-free initiative in Tamil, TN-KET) to reduce TB deaths, adults with TB with very severe undernutrition, respiratory insufficiency, or poor performance status are identified at diagnosis (triage-positive) and prioritized for referral, comprehensive clinical assessment, and inpatient care. Between January and June 2023, in 6 districts, a pilot exercise was conducted in which trained TB survivors, known as TB champions, provided baseline counseling and additional counseling (if required) to triage-positive people with TB at diagnosis.

Challenges and Lessons Learned in Autologous Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy Development from a Statistical Perspective.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a human gene therapy product where T cells from a patient are genetically modified to enable them to recognize desired target antigen(s) more effectively. In recent years, promising antitumor activity has been seen with autologous CAR T cells. Since 2017, six CAR T-cell therapies for the treatment of hematological malignancies have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Successful Renal Transplant in End-Stage Renal Disease with Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia using Thrombopoietin Receptor Agonists and Intravenous Immunoglobulin.

Chronic kidney disease in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is uncommon, and renal transplant in this setting is rare. We discuss the successful renal transplant of a 29-year-old male with chronic ITP. During transplant, he was managed with thrombopoietin receptor agonist eltrombopag, intravenous methylprednisone, and intravenous immunoglobulin to maintain adequate platelet level.

Using timeliness metrics for household contact tracing and TB preventive therapy in the private sector, India.

Although screening of household contacts (HHCs) of TB patients and provision of TB preventive therapy (TPT) is a key intervention to end the TB epidemic, their implementation globally is dismal. We assessed whether introducing a '7-1-7' timeliness metric was workable for implementing HHC screening among index patients with pulmonary TB diagnosed by private providers in Chennai, India, between November 2022 and March 2023.This was an explanatory mixed-methods study (quantitative-cohort and qualitative-descriptive).

An Improvised Cost-Effective Repair Technique for Management of Broken Luer Connections of Tunneled Dialysis Catheter and Salvage Existing Catheter.

Mechanical problems like break or crack in Luer connectors or hubs, clamps, and tubings are common non-infectious complications of tunneled dialysis catheters (TDC), which may lead to other TDC complications and the need to insert a new catheter. These can be tackled using TDC repair kits or spare parts, which are often not available, resulting in the insertion of a new TDC that increases morbidity, TDC-related procedures, and healthcare costs. We discuss two cases of broken Luer connections of TDC, which were managed by exchanging the broken Luer connector of TDC with the similar Luer connector of a temporary dialysis catheter.

Composite of graphitic carbon nitride and TiO as photo-electro-catalyst in microbial fuel cell.

The widespread application of surfactants and their subsequent discharge in the receiving water bodies is a very common issue in developing countries. In the present investigation, a composite of graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) and TiO was used as a photo-electro-catalyst in a microbial fuel cell (MFC)-based hybrid system for bio-electricity production and simultaneous pollutant removal (organic matter and sodium dodecyl sulphate, SDS). The GCN: TiO composite with a ratio of 70:30 (by wt.

Negative impact on bone homeostasis in postmenopausal women with non-metastatic breast cancer during cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Introduction: The burden and mechanisms of endocrine therapy-related bone loss are well known, while there are limited data on chemotherapy-induced bone resorption. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy on bone homeostasis among postmenopausal women with non-metastatic breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: Early and locally advanced postmenopausal non-metastatic breast cancer patients aged 45 to 65 planned for three cycles of anthracycline and four cycles of taxane chemotherapy administered along with dexamethasone (cumulative dose-256 mg) as an antiemetic from June 2018 to December 2021 were included.

Semi-quantitative thigh magnetic resonance imaging scores in assessing disease activity and determining long-term clinical outcome in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a causal mediation analysis.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship of thigh MRI (t-MRI) with manual muscle testing-8 (MMT-8), muscle enzymes and autoantibodies. To determine the causal and mediating factors resulting in poor recovery of MMT-8 in inflammatory myositis (IIM).

Methods: This was a single-centre retrospective study in IIM patients.

Cytotoxic chemotherapy is associated with decreased bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with early and locally advanced breast cancer.

Purpose: The burden and mechanisms of endocrine therapy-related bone loss have been studied in detail. However, there is limited data regarding cytotoxic chemotherapy's impact on bone health. There are no definitive guidelines for bone mineral density (BMD) monitoring and treatment with bone-modifying agents during cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Phase 2 results of idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel, bb2121) in Japanese patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

Background: In the phase 2 KarMMa trial, patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) achieved deep and durable responses with idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel), a B-cell maturation antigen-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. Here we report a sub-analysis of the Japanese cohort of KarMMa.

Methods: Adult patients with RRMM who had received  ≥ 3 prior treatment regimens, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 antibody, and had disease refractory to last treatment received ide-cel at a target dose of 450 × 10 CAR positive T cells.

Implantable loop recorder in unexplained palpitations or syncope: A randomised study among young patients with structurally normal heart.

Background: The utility of an implantable loop recorder (ILR) in the evaluation of unexplained syncope or palpitations in young patients in the absence of structural heart disease or ventricular dysfunction is limited. To compare the diagnostic yield of ILR with conventional extended Holter evaluation in the detection of arrhythmias among young patients with a structurally normal heart presenting with unexplained palpitations or syncope.

Methods: Open-label randomised control trial was conducted in a tertiary cardiac care centre among young patients with recurrent unexplained palpitations (≥3 episodes/year) or syncope (≥2 episodes) with normal electrocardiogram and echocardiography, after excluding non-cardiac causes.

Ending tuberculosis in a post-COVID-19 world: a person-centred, equity-oriented approach.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted systems of care for infectious diseases-including tuberculosis-and has exposed pervasive inequities that have long marred efforts to combat these diseases. The resulting health disparities often intersect at the individual and community levels in ways that heighten vulnerability to tuberculosis. Effective responses to tuberculosis (and other infectious diseases) must respond to these realities.

An overview of the BOIN design and its current extensions for novel early-phase oncology trials.

Bayesian Optimal Interval (BOIN) designs are a class of model-assisted dose-finding designs that can be used in oncology trials to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of a study drug based on safety or the optimal biological dose (OBD) based on safety and efficacy. BOIN designs provide a complete suite for dose finding in early phase trials, as well as a consistent way to explore different scenarios such as toxicity, efficacy, continuous outcomes, delayed toxicity or efficacy and drug combinations in a unified manner with easy access to software to implement most of these designs. Although built upon Bayesian probability models, BOIN designs are operationally simple in general and have good statistical operating characteristics compared to other dose-finding designs.

Measuring tuberculosis patient perceived quality of care in public and public-private mix settings in India: an instrument development and validation study.

Background: At present, there are no validated quantitative scales available to measure patient-centred quality of care in health facilities providing services for tuberculosis (TB) patients in India and low-income and middle-income countries.

Methods: Initial themes and items reflective of TB patient's perceived quality of care were developed using qualitative interviews. Content adequacy of the items were ascertained through Content validity Index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR).

Phase 2 results of lisocabtagene maraleucel in Japanese patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell product, lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel), is administered at equal target doses of CD8 and CD4 CAR T cells. This analysis assessed safety and efficacy of liso-cel in Japanese patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) aggressive large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) in Cohort 3 of TRANSCEND WORLD (NCT03484702). Liso-cel (100 × 10 total CAR T cells) was administered 2-7 days after lymphodepletion.