A comparison of the efficacy of narrow band imaging and contact endoscopy in an early diagnosis of squamous malignancies of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Background: This study aims to compare the efficacy of narrow band imaging (NBI) endoscopy and contact endoscopy in early diagnosis of squamous malignancies of upper aerodigestive tract.

Methods: This study was of 18 months duration, sample size 50, and carried out at tertiary care hospital. The patients were subjected initially to NBI endoscopy followed by contact endoscopy.

Multicentric evaluation of conventional dosimetry vs bio-dosimetry over a period of two years for a three-point contact.

Background: Dental radiology represents the best model for evaluating the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation. Therefore, this study evaluated the awareness on radiation hygiene among dental ancillary personnel through a questionnaire and their absorbed doses by physical and biologic dosimetry.

Methods: The multicentric study included two groups.

Rapid detection of carbapenem resistance among gram-negative organisms directly from positive blood culture bottles.

Background: Carbapenemase producing gram-negative bacteria (GNB) has become a huge problem in majority of tertiary care centers worldwide. They are associated with very high morbidity and mortality rates, especially when they cause invasive infections. Therefore, rapid detection of these organisms is very important for prompt and adequate antibiotic therapy as well as infection control.

Evaluating morphological features for predicting microsatellite instability status in colorectal cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the commonest cancers worldwide, with incidence rates in India being around 4%. It is a heterogeneous disease with multiple established prognostic factors. Ten to fifteen percent originate from microsatellite instability (MSI) pathway, characterized by defect in mismatch repair (MMR) gene.

Cancer: A pathologist's journey from morphology to molecular.

The journey of cancer has taken significant positive steps towards better diagnosis and management. Pathologists have taken a leading role in this journey. Started with morphology which itself went through substantial developments in knowing the aetiology, pathogenesis, classification based upon the pattern, cellular details of the cancer.

Detection of dengue virus serotypes by single-tube multiplex RT-PCR and multiplex real-time PCR assay.

Background: All four dengue serotypes cause infection, with one of them predominantly reported from a particular geographical region. Coinfection by more than one serotype is reported from hyperendemic regions. These coinfections are clinically more severe than infection with a single serotype.

Infectious crystalline keratopathy: A case series.

This is the case series of three patients of infectious crystalline keratopathy (ICK) presented to us after undergoing penetrating keratoplasty between 2010 to 2020. The lesions showed classical crystalline patterns and clinical diagnosis was made. The patients were treated by broad spectrum antibiotics till the complete resolution of the lesions.

Characteristics, therapeutic modalities and outcomes of COVID-19 ventilated patients in a tertiary care hospital in counter-insurgency zone: Our experience.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can result in severe life-threatening course requiring ventilatory support. This study highlights data pertaining to ventilated patients to enhance our understanding of COVID-19 as it evolves.

Methods: A descriptive, retrospective analysis was carried out on 50 COVID-19 RT-PCR positive patients who received mechanical ventilation at a tertiary care hospital in counter-insurgency (CI) zone, from June to December 2020.

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis: Incidental finding - should we Ignore?

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a rare entity, presenting mostly as an incidental finding. This disease has an autosomal recessive inheritance with inactivating mutations in the gene "solute carrier family 34 member 2". The present study was conducted to bring attention to this rare though preventable disease.

Direct antimicrobial susceptibility testing from positive blood culture bottles in laboratories lacking automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems.

Background: Timely initiation of appropriate antimicrobial can improve the outcome in terms of reduced morbidity and mortality in addition to reduced health-care costs. Availability of early preliminary Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test (AST) report will be useful in directing antimicrobial therapy. The aim of the study was to correlate AST by disc diffusion method, directly from positively flagged blood culture bottles, with the AST by automated method.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Chikungunya virus from Delhi, India.

Background: Chikungunya virus is an alpha virus with high similarity to Dengue and Zika viruses, both in transmission cycle and in clinical presentation. Chikungunya is a re-emerging mosquito-borne infection known to cause small to very large outbreaks/epidemics at frequent intervals. In 2016, India witnessed a large outbreak of Chikungunya infection affecting more than 58,000 people.

Keeping in pace with the new Biomedical Waste Management Rules: What we need to know!

Biomedical Waste Management Rules were first implemented in our country on 20th July 1998. Thereafter, the rules have undergone periodic updates and amendments in the years 2003 and 2011. Latest Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016, and (Amendment) Rules, 2018, were an update and simplification of BMW disposal as compared with the previous version, keeping in pace with the changes in the requirements of the health-care setup.

Patient characteristics, health seeking and delays among new sputum smear positive TB patients identified through active case finding when compared to passive case finding in India.

Background: Axshya SAMVAD is an active tuberculosis (TB) case finding (ACF) strategy under project Axshya (Axshya meaning 'free of TB' and SAMVAD meaning 'conversation') among marginalized and vulnerable populations in 285 districts of India.

Objectives: To compare patient characteristics, health seeking, delays in diagnosis and treatment initiation among new sputum smear positive TB patients detected through ACF and passive case finding (PCF) under the national TB programme in marginalized and vulnerable populations between March 2016 and February 2017.

Methods: This observational analytic study was conducted in 18 randomly sampled Axshya districts.

Active case finding among marginalised and vulnerable populations reduces catastrophic costs due to tuberculosis diagnosis.

Background: There is limited evidence on whether active case finding (ACF) among marginalised and vulnerable populations mitigates the financial burden during tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis.

Objectives: To determine the effect of ACF among marginalised and vulnerable populations on prevalence and inequity of catastrophic costs due to TB diagnosis among TB-affected households when compared with passive case finding (PCF).

Methods: In 18 randomly sampled ACF districts in India, during March 2016 to February 2017, we enrolled all new sputum-smear-positive TB patients detected through ACF and an equal number of randomly selected patients detected through PCF.

Cardiac Calcified Amorphous Tumor in a Newborn.

Calcified amorphous tumors (CATs) of the heart are rare, nonneoplastic, intracavitary lesions, previously thought of as pseudotumors, hamartomas, or calcified thrombi, only reported in few adults in the available literature. This report describes a case of a pedunculated oscillating CAT arising from the left atrial appendage that prolapses through the mitral valve and causes severe mitral regurgitation in a newborn. This is the only case of cardiac CAT described in a neonate.

Pre-eclampsia: Molecular events to biomarkers.

Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy, which accounts for 10-15% of the maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide. Abnormal placental development and tissue hypoxia are its main etiologic factors. The present diagnostic methods of blood pressure monitoring and renal function evaluation are insufficient in the early detection of pre-eclampsia.

Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor of Lung in Adult with Hemorrhagic Brain Metastasis: An Extremely Rare Case Scenario.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are highly malignant neoplasms of embryonal origin manifesting in children and adolescents, rarely seen in adults. Carcinoma lung with hemorrhagic metastasis to the brain is very common, but primary lung PNET with hemorrhagic brain metastasis is extremely uncommon. We hereby report a 29-year-old female diagnosed as PNET lung was treated with vincristine, adriamycin, and cyclophosphamide alternating with ifosfamide plus etoposide followed by radiotherapy (RT).

Report on the newly emerging nosocomial in a tertiary hospital.

Background: is an aerobic, motile, opportunistic Gram negative bacillus that can survive in certain disinfectants. This is a report of the emerging infection with the bacteria in our hospital. The awareness of this emerging bacterium is important, as it is known to cause nosocomial infection in hospitals, especially in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting.

Evaluation of fetal hypermethylated RASSF1A in pre-eclampsia and its relationship with placental protein-13, pregnancy associated plasma protein-A and urine protein.

Objectives: Cell free fetal DNA (cffDNA) and its hypermethylated RASSF1A gene signify a recent advancement in non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of feto-placental anomalies like pre-eclampsia. The study uses hypermethylated RASSF1A gene to quantify cffDNA and to assess its relationship with placental and urine proteins in pre-eclampsia cases.

Design And Methods: DNA was isolated from plasma samples of clinically diagnosed cases of pre-eclampsia (n=103) and normal pregnancy (n=616) from 21weeks of gestation.

The Study of MIB-1 LI and CD 34 As A Marker of Proliferative Activity and Angiogenesis in Different Grades of Meningioma.

Introduction: Meningiomas comprise 24-30% of all tumours occurring in the central nervous system. Conventional morphologic critera as studied in routine Haematoxylin and Eosin stained sections (H & E) may not be accurate in grading and assessing prognosis in small stereotactic biopsy specimens. Thus, arises the need for objective methods for assessing tumour biology.

Epithelioid osteoblastoma of maxilla: A rare and aggressive variant of a benign neoplasm at an uncommon site.

Osteoblastoma (OB) is an uncommon benign bone-forming tumor accounting for <1% of all bone neoplasms. Unlike conventional OB, its small subset variant "Epithelioid osteoblastoma (EO)" is characterized by its propensity for local invasion and recurrent behavior. This rare variant of an uncommon tumor when occurs in an atypical site can lead to diagnostic problems more so due to ambiguous clinico-radiologic presentation.