The current state of Spina Bifida in low- and middle-income countries: where does Africa stand?

Spina bifida is a congenital neural tube defect that results in abnormal development of the spine and central nervous system. Infants born with this condition face a range of physical disabilities and associated complications. Although the global burden has declined in recent decades due to folic acid fortification and prenatal screening, spina bifida remains a significant public health challenge in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Oligodendroglioma: a neurological perspective in Sub-saharan Africa.

Gliomas are a kind of brain cancer that develops from glial cells. Glial cells provide nourishment and energy to nerve cells, and they also preserve the blood-brain barrier. A primary cancer of the central nervous system (CNS) is oligodendroglioma.

EUS-guided laser lithotripsy for pancreatic duct stones after failed conventional pancreatic endotherapy.

The central dogma of pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis revolves around the pathophysiology of ductal hypertension owing to stones that obstruct the pancreatic duct. Conventional modalities available to decompress the pancreatic duct are occasionally limited by failed selective pancreatic duct cannulation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. We describe a novel endoscopic approach of EUS-guided laser lithotripsy to assist in pancreatic duct (PD) stone fragmentation in two symptomatic patients with underlying chronic pancreatitis who had failed PD cannulation and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).

Colistin versus polymyxin B: A pragmatic assessment of renal and neurological adverse effects and effectiveness in multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections.

Objectives: Our study aimed to evaluate the real-world data on renal and neurological adverse effects and effectiveness of colistimethate sodium (CMS) and polymyxin B (PMB).

Materials And Methods: An observational prospective study was performed on inpatients receiving CMS and PMB for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. CMS dose was titrated to renal function, and serum creatinine was assessed daily.

Enhanced endoscopic ultrasound imaging for pancreatic lesions: The road to artificial intelligence.

Early detection of pancreatic cancer has long eluded clinicians because of its insidious nature and onset. Often metastatic or locally invasive when symptomatic, most patients are deemed inoperable. In those who are symptomatic, multi-modal imaging modalities evaluate and confirm pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in a patient with complete situs inversus viscerum: A case report and literature review.

Complete situs inversus viscerum (SIV) is a rare congenital condition, defined by a left-right transposition of all viscera with dextroposition of the heart. In patients with SIV that requires endoscopic intervention, namely endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), the left-right coordination can be technically demanding even with skilled endoscopist. We report a case of a patient with underlying SIV who presented with septic shock secondary to ascending cholangitis compounded with a malaria infection.

Comparing the number and relevance of false activations between 2 artificial intelligence computer-aided detection systems: the NOISE study.

Background And Aims: Artificial intelligence has been shown to be effective in polyp detection, and multiple computer-aided detection (CADe) systems have been developed. False-positive (FP) activation emerged as a possible way to benchmark CADe performance in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to validate a previously developed classification of FPs comparing the performances of different brands of approved CADe systems.

A review on radiation induced nausea and vomiting: "Current management strategies and prominence of radio sensitizers".

Radiations dissipated are high energy waves used mostly as treatment intervention in controlling the unwanted multiplication of cell. About 60%-65% of cancer treatment requires radiation therapy and 40%-80% of radiation therapy causes RINV which are true troublemakers. Radiation therapy (RT) is targeted therapy mostly used to treat early stages of tumour and prevent their reoccurrence.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided colo-colostomy in a case of acute large bowel obstruction.

Bowel obstruction is one of the most common surgical emergencies and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Standard supportive measures must be instituted as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed. Anastomotic strictures are a benign etiology of intestinal obstruction, occurring in up to 22 % of patients following colorectal resection.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy using a partially covered metal stent in patients with malignant biliary obstruction after failed Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Background And Aim: The advent of endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) has provided an inimitable alternative for gaining biliary access in patients who fail conventional endoscopic drainage. The antimigratory features of the partially covered metal stent (PCMS), namely, the flange head and uncovered portion of the stent, makes it a valuable option in patients undergoing EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS). The aim of the study is to evaluate the clinical outcome of EUS-BD via the hepaticogastrostomy approach using PCMS in patients with malignant biliary obstruction after failed ERCP.

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis due to abrus precatorius poisoning - A case report.

, commonly known as 'Rosary pea' or 'Jequirity pea' and known as 'Shisham, Batrah-Hindi or Ain Alfreeth' in the Middle East, grows wild in the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The seeds of the plant contain one of the most potent toxins known to man. Poisoning with abrus seeds is a rare occurrence as the harder outer coat of the seeds generally resists digestion and such reports are scarce in the literature.

Appropriateness of antibiotic usage for gastrointestinal disorders in a tertiary care hospital.

Objective: To assess antibiotic usage in gastrointestinal disorders with respect to appropriateness, pattern of resistance, and incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

Methodology: Antibiotic prescribing in the gastroenterology department of a tertiary care hospital was evaluated using the Gyssens criteria and also by assessing drug related problems (DRPs) using the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe V.6.

Switch over from intravenous to oral therapy: A concise overview.

Majority of the patients admitted to a hospital with severe infections are initially started with intravenous medications. Short intravenous course of therapy for 2-3 days followed by oral medications for the remainder of the course is found to be beneficial to many patients. This switch over from intravenous to oral therapy is widely practiced in the case of antibiotics in many developed countries.

An unusual case of recurrent post aural abscess.

Preauricular sinus (PAS) is a common congenital anomaly which is usually asymptomatic and noted on routine otolaryngological examination which requires no treatment. Patients presenting with discharge, recurrent infections and preauricular abscess will require management with antibiotics and surgical extirpation of the sinus tract. We present a rare case of a PAS presenting as a recurrent postaural abscess.

Antrolith in the maxillary sinus: an unusual complication of endoscopic sinus surgery.

Antrolith of the paranasal sinuses are rare entity which are usually asymptomatic, caused by calcification of a nidus and are detected incidentally on radiological examinations. We report a case which presented to us with features of pansinusitis six months after endoscopic sinus surgery. Radiological examination revealed a discrete bony density in the maxillary sinus blocking the ostiomeatal complex.

Increased Hepatitis B surface antigen production by recombinant Aspergillus niger through the optimization of agitation and dissolved oxygen concentration.

The capacity of the filamentous fungi Aspergillus niger to produce and assemble complex immunogenic viral proteins into virus-like particles (VLPs) in batch culture was enhanced by optimizing the bioprocessing parameters, agitation intensity and dissolved oxygen (dO(2)) concentration. Response surface methodology (RSM) and a two-factor-two-level central composite rotatable design (CCRD) were employed to evaluate the interactive response pattern between parameters and their optimum combination. The recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was used as a model VLP system to determine the effect of these parameters on biomass yield, fungal morphology, HBsAg production and bioreactor kinetics.