Efficacy and Safety of Total Body Irradiation Versus Chemotherapy Conditioning for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potentially curative option for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who have achieved remission. This systematic review and meta-analysis compare the efficacy of total body irradiation (TBI) versus chemotherapy (CHT) based regimens for conditioning in adult ALL patients being prepared for HSCT. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and relevant trial registries from their inception to August 2024.

The role of intravenous lidocaine infusion in enhanced recovery after laparoscopic renal surgeries: A randomized control trial.

Background And Aims: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has been applied in various laparoscopic procedures. Intravenous lidocaine (IVL) infusion is used for laparoscopic procedures as a part of ERAS protocols. The study aimed to evaluate the role of IVL infusion in enhanced bowel recovery after laparoscopic renal surgeries.

The Use of Nitinol Continuous Compression Implants in Orthopaedic Trauma.

Background: Continuous compression implants (CCIs) can provide continuous compression across a fracture site. They are mainly used in foot/ankle surgery, with very limited descriptions in the literature of their potential for trauma. The aim of this study was to describe the use and associated outcomes of CCIs in modern day trauma practice.

Evaluation of deep space exploration risks and mitigations against radiation and microgravity.

Ionizing radiation and microgravity are two considerable health risks encountered during deep space exploration. Both have deleterious effects on the human body. On one hand, weightlessness is known to induce a weakening of the immune system, delayed wound healing and musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and sensorimotor deconditioning.

Utilizing a Virtual Reality Matrix in Medical Education.

Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that has demonstrated incredible value within medical education. However, medical institutions adopting VR as a learning tool need to ensure that the immersive technology product they pick possesses standard usability criteria. The current literature is limited in defining what specific criteria institutions should look for, or how to select between various VR products.

Does Topical Capsaicin Affect the Central Nervous System in Neuropathic Pain? A Narrative Review.

Research has been conducted investigating the neuronal pathways responsible for the generation of chronic neuropathic pain, including the components of it in conditions such as chronic post-surgical pain, phantom limb pain, and cluster headaches. Forming part of the management of such conditions, capsaicin as a molecule has proven effective. This review has investigated the central nervous system modifications exhibited in such conditions and the pharmacological mechanisms of capsaicin relevant to this.

Micromorphological and Chemical Characterization of Drimys winteri Leaf Surfaces: The Secondary Alcohols Forming Epicuticular Wax Crystals Are Accompanied by Alkanediol, Alkanetriol and Ketol Derivatives.

The cuticle is a hydrophobic coating of most aerial plant surfaces crucial for limiting non-stomatal water loss. Plant cuticles consist of the lipid polyester cutin and associated waxes with compositions varying widely between plant species and organs. Here, we aimed to provide a comparative analysis of the dark-glossy adaxial and pale-glaucous abaxial sides of Drimys winteri (Winteraceae) leaves.

A Comparison of Plastic Surgery Authorship Trends Under Single Versus Double-Blinded Review.

Introduction: Research is key to academic advancement in plastic surgery. However, access to publication opportunities may be inequitable as seen in other fields. We compared authorship trends of plastic surgery manuscripts that underwent single-blinded review (SBR) versus double-blinded review (DBR) to identify potential disparities in publication opportunities.

Clinico- Therapeutic Study of Stevens Johnson Syndrome-Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis and Prognostic Significance of SCORTEN in Indian Patients.

Background: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are life-threatening dermatological emergencies. SCORTEN (SCORe of toxic epidermal necrolysis) is a validated score to predict mortality; however, there is a paucity of data to determine its usefulness in the Indian population.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of SCORTEN as a prognostic marker in SJS-TEN.

Controlling the Optical Properties of Transparent Auxetic Liquid Crystal Elastomers.

Determining the tunability of the optical coefficients, order parameter, and transition temperatures in optically transparent auxetic liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) is vital for applications, including impact-resistant glass laminates. Here, we report measurements of the refractive indices, order parameters, and transition temperatures in a family of acrylate-based LCEs in which the mesogenic content varies from ∼50 to ∼85%. Modifications in the precursor mixture allow the order parameter, ⟨⟩, of the LCE to be adjusted from 0.

Recognizing bisphosphonate-induced ear osteonecrosis in primary care: a case report.

Introduction: Medication-related ear canal osteonecrosis (MRECO) is a growing concern linked to prolonged anti-resorptive medication use. Despite primary care providers being key prescribers of these medications, there is limited information about MRECO in primary care literature. This article presents a case of bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the external auditory canal (EAC), emphasizing the vital role of primary care providers in identifying this rare yet significant side effect of anti-resorptive medication.

The Present and Future of Virtual Reality in Medical Education: A Narrative Review.

Virtual reality (VR) uses computer-generated and three-dimensional environments to create immersive experiences through the use of interactive devices that simulate virtual environments in many forms, such as 3D, screen-based, or room-based. Users can engage in the environment with objects, characters, and scenes, making individuals assume they are experiencing a real-life scenario. VR has been adopted across medical and nursing fields to supplement clinically relevant and practical teaching.

The effect of teriparatide on patients with atypical femur fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Bisphosphonates (BPs) are one of the most often used drugs to lower fracture risk in osteoporosis patients; nonetheless, BPs have been linked to atypical femoral fracture (AFF). Teriparatide (TPTD) is a parathyroid hormone analogue and anabolic drug that may accelerate fracture repair. TPTD has been considered as a possible treatment for AFF, particularly those caused by BP use.

The Role of Pain Avoidance in the Relation between Pain Intensity and Smoking Cessation Processes.

Scientific evidence suggests that smokers who experience varying levels of pain are more likely to maintain their addiction to tobacco. The relationship between pain intensity and cognitive-based smoking processes within a mechanistic framework has received relatively little attention. Pain avoidance may influence the association between pain intensity and smoking, as it is a construct that is related to adverse pain and smoking processes.

Landiolol and Organ Failure in Patients With Septic Shock: The STRESS-L Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Patients with septic shock undergo adrenergic stress, which affects cardiac, immune, inflammatory, and metabolic pathways. β-Blockade may attenuate the adverse effects of catecholamine exposure and has been associated with reduced mortality.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of landiolol in patients with tachycardia and established septic shock requiring prolonged (>24 hours) vasopressor support.

biomArker-guided Duration of Antibiotic treatment in hospitalised Patients with suspecTed Sepsis (ADAPT-Sepsis): A protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Aim: To describe the protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial to determine whether treatment protocols monitoring daily CRP (C-reactive protein) or PCT (procalcitonin) safely allow a reduction in duration of antibiotic therapy in hospitalised adult patients with sepsis.

Design: Multicentre three-arm randomised controlled trial.

Setting: UK NHS hospitals.

A Prospective, Randomized, Comparative Study of Topical Minocycline Gel 4% with Topical Clindamycin Phosphate Gel 1% in Indian Patients with Acne Vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris is characterized by inflammatory and non-inflammatory skin lesions with a high prevalence among adolescents in India. Not enough studies are reported on the use of topical antibiotics for the management of acne in the Indian population. The proposed study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of topical minocycline gel 4% with topical clindamycin gel 1% in the Indian population.

A single-centre prospective study comparing efficacy and safety of apremilast with cyclosporine in moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.

Background: Apremilast regulates several pro-inflammatory signals involved in atopic dermatitis (AD).

Methods: A randomized, open-labelled study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in India. Fifty patients with AD of >1 year duration were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either apremilast (30 mg twice daily after initial titration) or cyclosporine (5 mg/kg/day) for 24 weeks, followed by a 12-week follow-up period.