Story of survival in anaplastic large cell lymphoma - sometimes more than the anaplastic lymphoma kinase status: An evaluation of pathologic prognostic factors in 102 cases.

Introduction: Systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) accounts for 5%-10% of adult non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and 10%-30% of childhood NHL. Owing to significant differences in survival and gene expression profile, current WHO classifies ALCL into two distinct entities as anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase (ALK) positive and ALK negative ALCL with ALK expression by tumour as a good prognostic indicator. However, in our institute which is a cancer referral institute, our preliminary experience was that even ALK positive tumours did not fare well as compared to ALK- negative ALCL.

Bilateral Breast Cancer After Multimodality Treatment: A Report of Clinical Outcomes in an Asian Population.

Background: Bilateral breast cancer (BBC) is an uncommon presentation. The characteristics and outcomes of synchronous and metachronous BBC were compared within an Indian cohort.

Patients And Methods: This was a retrospective audit of 193 BBC patients treated at a tertiary hospital in India over a period of 10 years from January 2004 to December 2014.

Pilomatrix Carcinoma Masquerading as Breast Carcinoma.

Pilomatrix carcinoma is an exceedingly rare skin adnexal neoplasm derived from piliferous follicles, usually occurring in the head and neck region. Localization of this tumor in the breast is a rarity. We now report an unusual case of a 49-year-old female who presented with a palpable mass in the left breast for 2 years.

Predicting loco-regional recurrence risk in T1, T2 breast cancer with 1-3 positive axillary nodes postmastectomy: Development of a predictive nomogram.

Background: Role of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in early breast cancer with 1-3 positive axillary nodes is still controversial. Hence, there is a need to identify subgroup of patients who have sufficiently high risk of disease recurrence to benefit from PMRT.

Aim: The aim is to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients postmastectomy having pathological T1-T2 tumors with 1-3 positive axillary lymph nodes (LNs) treated with adjuvant systemic therapy and develop a predictive nomogram.

High Prevalence of Lipid Abnormalities and Insulin Resistance Among Antiretroviral Naïve HIV-infected Children in India.

Background: As large numbers of children are accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in India, we evaluated the dietary intake, growth pattern and risk of metabolic complications like dyslipidemia and insulin resistance among ART-naïve HIV-infected children (CLHIV).

Methods: CLHIV 2-12 years of age, at the time of initiating ART in Chennai and Bangalore, were assessed for their dietary intake, anthropometry, blood CD4 cell count, HIV-1 viral load, fasting serum lipids, glucose and insulin. Homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance was derived.

Disclosure of HIV Status to Infected Children in South India: Perspectives of Caregivers.

This study was designed to examine the rates of HIV serostatus disclosure in a sample of HIV-infected children in the state of Karnataka in South India, their reactions to learning their HIV-positive status and the reasons for and barriers to disclosure from the point of view of their caregivers. We enrolled 233 HIV-infected children, aged 5-18 years and their caregivers between July 2011 and February 2013 at HIV clinics in three tertiary care centers. Caregiver interviews included information about demographic characteristics, medical history, type of disclosure to the child and other related factors, including disclosure barriers.

Response of in ovo administration of zinc on egg hatchability and immune response of commercial broiler chicken.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of in ovo administration of different forms of zinc with respect to hatchability and performance of commercial broiler chicken. In trial 1, the fertile eggs on day 18 were divided into six treatment groups: Group I as control without any supplementation of zinc, group II to IV were supplemented with 0.5 mg zinc per egg as zinc sulphate, zinc methionine or nano zinc, respectively, and Group V with nano zinc at 0.

Activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway and response to everolimus in endocrine receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer - A retrospective pilot analysis and viewpoint.

Introduction: Biomarkers predictive of response to mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, everolimus, in endocrine receptor (ER)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are a work in progress. We evaluated the feasibility of directly measuring mTOR activity and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression and correlating their expression with response and survival.

Materials And Methods: MBC patients who received everolimus with endocrine therapy (ET) after progression on an aromatase inhibitor and had adequate tissue preservation for estimation of mTOR activity and PTEN expression were selected for analysis from a prospectively maintained database.

Imaging of the treated breast post breast conservation surgery/oncoplasty: Pictorial review.

Mammographic appearance of the normal breast is altered in the post-operative setting. It is essential to be aware of the normal findings as well as to identify features of recurrent disease with particular emphasis on radiological-pathological concordance. Digital breast tomosynthesis and volumetric breast density add incremental value in this clinical setting.

Lay health workers perceptions of an anemia control intervention in Karnataka, India: a qualitative study.

Background: Lay health workers (LHWs) are increasingly used to complement health services internationally. Their perceptions of the interventions they implement and their experiences in delivering community based interventions in India have been infrequently studied. We developed a novel LHW led intervention to improve anemia cure rates in rural community dwelling children attending village day care centers in South India.

Doctoral level research and training capacity in the social determinants of health at universities and higher education institutions in India, China, Oman and Vietnam: a survey of needs.

Background: Research capacity is scarce in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. Social determinants of health research (SDH) is an area in which research capacity is lacking, particularly in Asian countries. SDH research can support health decision-makers, inform policy and thereby improve the overall health and wellbeing of the population.

Sub-therapeutic nevirapine concentration during antiretroviral treatment initiation among children living with HIV: Implications for therapeutic drug monitoring.

Nevirapine, a component of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-limited settings, known for auto-induction of metabolism, is initiated at half therapeutic dose until day 14 ('lead-in period'), and subsequently escalated to full dose. However, studies have shown that this dosing strategy based on adult studies may not be appropriate in children, given that younger children have higher drug clearance rates. In this prospective cohort study, we studied trough plasma nevirapine levels by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at days 7, 14 (lead-in period) and 28 (full dose period) after ART initiation amongst HIV-1 infected children initiating nevirapine-based ART in southern India.

Unsaturation level decreased in bone marrow fat of postmenopausal women with low bone density using high resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) H NMR spectroscopy.

There are increasing evidences suggesting bone marrow adiposity tissue (MAT) plays a critical role in affecting both bone quantity and quality. However, very limited studies that have investigated the association between the composition of MAT and bone mineral density (BMD). The goal of this study was to quantify MAT unsaturation profile of marrow samples from post-menopausal women using ex vivo high-resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR) spectroscopy, and to investigate the relationship between MAT composition and BMD.

Impact of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy on wound healing and cosmetic outcome in 224 women treated with accelerated partial breast irradiation using interstitial brachytherapy.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of timing of adjuvant chemotherapy on wound healing and cosmetic outcome in women treated with accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI).

Methods And Materials: Between August 2000 to December 2011, 224 women were treated with APBI using multicatheter interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy. Patients were treated to a dose of 34 Gy/10#/5-7 days with bid regimen.

Serotype distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in children≤5years with invasive pneumococcal disease in India - A systematic review.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of childhood diseases that result in significant morbidity and mortality in India. Commercially licensed and available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) include ten (PCV-10) and 13 (PCV-13) pneumococcal serotypes. Vaccines with other serotype combinations are under development.

serotype prevalence and antibiotic resistance among young children with invasive pneumococcal disease: experience from a tertiary care center in South India.

Introduction: We performed a study to describe the clinical profile, antimicrobial susceptibility and prevalent serotypes of pneumococcal isolates from children with suspected invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) admitted to a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Methods: Hospitalized children, ≤ 5 years with fever (>38 °C); increased respiratory rate or neurological symptoms were recruited, (as part of the Alliance for Surveillance of Invasive Pneumococci - ASIP - project) from January 2011 to March 2013. Identification of pneumococcal isolates from blood or cerebrospinal fluid samples was done by routine culture methods.

NMR investigations unveil phase composition-property correlations in SrNaSiO fast ion conductor.

This paper reports results of Na and Si solid-state NMR investigations carried out on sodium strontium silicate ion conductor, SrNaSiO and presents the first experimental evidence to show that different synthesis conditions induce multiple devitrified phases. Along with 1-dimensional NMR, Na MQMAS spectra have been used to identify the phases corresponding to polymorphs of NaSiO, in addition to the crystalline SrSiO and the glass/amorphous NaSiO phases. The surprising observation of about an order of magnitude higher ionic conductivity achieved in devitrified samples is attributed to the growth of the crystalline δ-NaSiO phase within the amorphous NaSiO phase domains, identified using NMR.

Evidence for the association of Epstein-Barr Virus in breast cancer in Indian patients using in-situ hybridization technique.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is etiologically linked to Burkitt lymphoma (BL), nasopharyngeal carcinoma, post-transplant lymphomas, Hodgkin disease, and possibly other tumors. However, the association of oncogenic EBV with breast carcinoma (BC) is still controversial and a matter of debate. We aimed to study the presence of EBV genome in BC cases in Indian patients and its association with the clinicopathological features.

The Epidemiology of IRIS in Southern India: An Observational Cohort Study.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is an uncommon but dynamic phenomenon seen among patients initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to describe incidence, risk factors, clinical spectrum, and outcomes among ART-naive patients experiencing IRIS in southern India. Among 599 eligible patients monitored prospectively between 2012 and 2014, there were 59.

High Reported Rates of Antimicrobial Resistance in Indian Neonatal and Pediatric Blood Stream Infections.

Background: There is real shortage of national data on antimicrobial resistance rates in Indian neonates and children. A descriptive review was conducted to determine the patterns of antimicrobial resistance in isolates of blood stream infection among hospitalized children in India.

Methods: Published and gray literature on antibiotic resistance in children was searched using "Google Scholar", "Scopus", and "PubMed" databases between January 2000 and July 2015.

Postnatal MRI for CDH: A pictorial review of late-presenting and recurrent diaphragmatic defects.

Late-presenting or recurrent diaphragmatic defects can pose a diagnostic challenge due to varying clinical presentations. Current diagnostic approaches include plain film radiograph for initial assessment, with other imaging modalities such as fluoroscopy, ultrasound, CT and MRI mainly utilized for troubleshooting. As a radiation-free modality, MRI can provide a more definitive diagnosis in particular cases due to its ability to visualize discontinuity of the diaphragm, distinguishing it from eventration.

Observation on frequency & clinico-pathological significance of various cytogenetic risk groups in multiple myeloma: an experience from India.

Background & Objectives: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy characterized by cytogenetic heterogeneity. In comparison with conventional karyotyping, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) can efficiently detect various genetic changes in non-cycling plasma cells in 50-90 per cent of MM cases. The present study was undertaken in MM patients to evaluate the frequency and clinico-pathological significance of various cytogenetic abnormalities in the Indian population.