Comparison of left versus right lateral starting position on colonoscopy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Modifying patient position during colonoscopy has been proposed as a simple and inexpensive technique to increase luminal distention and improve navigation through the large bowel. The left lateral (LL) decubitus starting position is commonly used during colonoscopy. However, reports indicate that other starting positions may offer additional benefit.

Postoperative outcomes after preoperative ustekinumab exposure in patients with Crohn's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Recent studies have reported conflicting data on the risk of postoperative complications in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) exposed to ustekinumab (UST) preoperatively. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to better assess and quantify the risk of postoperative complications in this population undergoing major abdomino-pelvic surgery.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of multiple electronic databases and conference proceedings (earliest inception through October 2020) to identify studies that reported the postoperative outcomes in CD patients with preoperative UST exposure.

Changing pattern of admissions for acute myocardial infarction in India during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim: Studies on the changes in the presentation and management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during the COVID-19 pandemic from low- and middle-income countries are limited. We sought to determine the changes in the number of admissions, management practices, and outcomes of AMI during the pandemic period in India.

Methods & Results: In this two-timepoint cross-sectional study involving 187 hospitals across India, patients admitted with AMI between 15th March to 15th June in 2020 were compared with those admitted during the corresponding period of 2019.

Effectiveness of hemostatic powders in lower gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of hemostatic powders in the management of lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). We aimed to provide a pooled estimate of their effectiveness and safety based on the current literature. Literature review was based on computerized bibliographic search of the main databases through to December 2020.

Short versus standard esophageal myotomy in achalasia patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies.

Despite the clinical efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), postoperative symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains a major concern. While it is known that length of the gastric myotomy affects postoperative GERD, the clinical relevance of variation in esophageal myotomy length is not well known. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing outcomes of short versus standard myotomy length in patients with achalasia.

Addition of Financial Incentives to Mailed Outreach for Promoting Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Although screening decreases incidence of and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC), screening rates are low. Health-promoting financial incentives may increase uptake of cancer screening.

Objective: To evaluate the relative and absolute benefit associated with adding financial incentives to the uptake of CRC screening.

Network centrality for the identification of biomarkers in respondent-driven sampling datasets.

Networks science techniques are frequently used to provide meaningful insights into the populations underlying medical and social data. This paper examines SATHCAP, a dataset related to HIV and drug use in three US cities. In particular, we use network measures such as betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, and eigenvector centrality to find central, important nodes in a network derived from SATHCAP data.

Superhydrophobic leached carbon Black/Poly(vinyl) alcohol aerogel for selective removal of oils and organic compounds from water.

The remediation of oil spills and treatment of oily wastewater remains challenging to cope with nowadays. This has caused a surge in demand on adsorbent materials with multi-functionalities to effectively separate oils and nonpolar solvents from water. A superhydrophobic composite aerogel prepared from industrial waste-derived leached carbon black waste (LCBW) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was developed in this work via conventional freeze-casting followed by surface coating.

Do anti-platelet drugs improve duration of continuous renal replacement therapy? A retrospective cohort study in cardiac ICU patients.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of anti-platelet drug/s on duration of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in those patients where anti-coagulants were not used due to certain contraindications and in cases where patients were on anti-platelet drugs and were given anti-coagulant during CRRT.

Method: This single-center, retrospective cohort study was conducted using the medical records patients treated with CRRT in the cardiac ICU of the inpatient urban facility, located in North India. Data was collected from only those patients who received CRRT for the duration of at least 12 h.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) vs pneumatic dilation (PD) in treatment of achalasia: A meta-analysis of studies with ≥ 12-month follow-up.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is increasingly being used as the preferred treatment option for achalasia. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy and safety of POEM versus pneumatic balloon dilation (PD). We performed a comprehensive review of studies that reported clinical outcomes of POEM and PD for the treatment of achalasia.

Efficacy of combined transarterial radioembolization and sorafenib in the treatment of hepatocarcinoma: A meta-analysis.

Background: Adjuvant sorafenib may further enhance the efficacy of transarterial radioembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of radioembolization plus sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Methods: With a literature search through October 2020, we identified 9 studies (632 patients).

Real world data on clinical profile, management and outcomes of venous thromboembolism from a tertiary care centre in India.

Objectives: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. This study describes a real-world scenario of VTE presenting to a tertiary care hospital in India.

Methods: All patients presenting with acute VTE or associated complications from January 2017 to January 2020 were included in the study.

Antimicrobial resistance in Shigella species: Our five years (2015-2019) experience in a tertiary care center in north India.

Purpose: Shigella is the second leading cause of diarrhoeal mortality especially in children <5 years of age in African and Asian countries. Rapid changes are occurring in the epidemiology of shigellosis and Shigella are increasingly becoming highly drug resistant. To determine the serogroup distribution and antimicrobial resistance of Shigella isolated at our tertiary care centre in North India.

Effectiveness of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background And Aims: Patients with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at an increased risk of developing herpes zoster (HZ). The effectiveness of the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) in patients with IBD is unknown.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study using Explorys (October 2017-April 2020; IBM Corporation, Somers, NY, USA), the effectiveness of RZV for the prevention of HZ in patients with IBD ≥ 50 years was compared to general population aged ≥ 50 years.

Psychosocial Intervention Model of Kerala, India During Pandemic COVID-19: "Ottakkalla Oppamundu (You're not alone, we're with you)".

Globally, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in several psychosocial manifestations across all socioeconomic strata. This study attempted to explore the details of a psychosocial support system implemented in Kerala, India, to address psychosocial issues during this pandemic. It employed a descriptive approach using qualitative and quantitative methods.

Lenvatinib versus sorafenib as first-line therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There is limited evidence on the efficacy of lenvatinib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Aim of this meta-analysis was to compare lenvatinib and sorafenib as first-line treatment. Computerized bibliographic search was performed on main databases through November 2020.

Image of the month: An unusual cause of cough, stridor and dyspnoea: A giant aortic arch aneurysm.

A 78-year-old man with hypertension presented with dry cough and gradually progressive dyspnoea for 3 months. The patient had an audible stridor. Cardiovascular examination was unremarkable.

Characterization and in vitro activity of a lytic phage RDN37 isolated from community sewage water active against MDR Uropathogenic E. coli.

Purpose: Due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant Uropathogenic E. coli (MDR-UPEC) strains, alternatives to antibiotics like phage therapy have been sought. The present study was planned to characterize and test the activity of a phage (RDN37) which was isolated from community sewage water of Chandigarh and was found to be active against MDR-UPEC.

Underwater Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for 10 mm or Larger Nonpedunculated Colorectal Polyps: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background/aims: Recent studies have reported the favorable outcomes of underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) for colorectal polyps. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy and safety of UEMR for nonpedunculated polyps ≥10 mm.

Methods: We performed a comprehensive search of multiple databases (through May 2020) to identify studies reporting the outcomes of UEMR for ≥10 mm nonpedunculated colorectal polyps.

Association of Ligamentous Laxity, Male Sex, Chronicity, Meniscal Injury, and Posterior Tibial Slope With a High-Grade Preoperative Pivot Shift: A Post Hoc Analysis of the STABILITY Study.

Background: A spectrum of anterolateral rotatory laxity exists in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-injured knees. Understanding of the factors contributing to a high-grade pivot shift continues to be refined.

Purpose: To investigate factors associated with a high-grade preoperative pivot shift and to evaluate the relationship between this condition and baseline patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Fluorine-Containing Triazole-Decorated Silver(I)-Based Cationic Metal-Organic Framework for Separating Organic Dyes and Removing Oxoanions from Water.

Four new triazole-decorated silver(I)-based cationic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), {[Ag(L1)](BF)} (), {[Ag(L1)](NO)} (), {[Ag(L2)](BF)} (), and {[Ag(L2)](NO)} (), have been synthesized using two newly designed ligands, 3-fluoro-5-(4-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)pyridine (L1) and 3-(4-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine (L2). When the fluorine atom was changed to a trifluoromethyl group at the same position, tremendous enhancement in the MOF dimensionality was achieved [two-dimensional to three-dimensional (3D)]. However, changing the metal salt (used for the synthesis) had no effect.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) With Biliary Stents in Palliative Treatment of Unresectable Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background And Aim: Extrahepatic unresectable cholangiocarcinoma carries a dismal prognosis. In addition to biliary drainage by stent placement; photodynamic therapy (PDT) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) have been tried to prolong survival. In this meta-analysis, we appraise the current known data on the use of PDT, RFA in the palliative treatment of extrahepatic unresectable cholangiocarcinoma.