Point-of-care ultrasound in Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is changing the practice of nearly all specialties and is increasingly being incorporated as a bedside tool by more gastroenterologists and hepatologists. POCUS is most often used to answer focused clinical questions, supplement the traditional physical examination, and guide performance of invasive bedside procedures. This review describes several common POCUS applications used in gastroenterology and hepatology, as well as some novel applications that warrant further investigation.

Classification of schwannomas and the new naming convention for "neurofibromatosis-2": Genetic updates and international consensus recommendation.

Despite their similar nomenclature, Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and "Neurofibromatosis type 2" are discrete and clinically distinguishable entities. The name of "neurofibromatosis type 2" has been changed to NF2-related schwannomatosis, to reflect the fact that neurofibromas do not occur in this syndrome and therefore the name "Neurofibromatosis" is factually incorrect. Furthermore, multiple schwannomas, a hallmark feature of NF2, can also occur in patients with mutations in genes including SMARCB1 and LZTR1, all exhibiting overlapping clinical features.

Integrated proteomics and connectivity map-based analysis reveal compounds with a potential antiviral effect against Japanese encephalitis virus infection in a mouse model.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the leading causative agent of viral encephalitis in India and contributes to a significant disease burden in South Asian countries. However, no antiviral treatment is available against JEV-induced encephalitis, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches. Repurposing or repositioning drugs was found to be more economical and practical in the current drug development scenario.

Evaluation of Vestibular Schwannoma Size Over Time: How Well do the Experts Perform and What can be Improved?

Background And Purpose: 2D linear measurements are often used in routine clinical practice during vestibular schwannoma (VS) follow-up, primarily due to wider availability and ease of use. We sought to determine radiologist performance compared to 3D-volumetry, along with the impact of number of linear measurements, slice thickness and tumor volumes on these parameters.

Materials And Methods: Single center retrospective study with 97 patients (592 MRI studies).

Exploring Bias in GPCR Signaling and its Implication in Drug Development: A One-Sided Affair.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a pivotal role in regulating numerous physiological processes through their interactions with two key effectors: G proteins and β-arrestins (βarrs). This makes them crucial targets for therapeutic drug development. Interestingly, the evolving concept of biased signaling where ligands selectively activate either the G proteins or the βarrs has not only refined our understanding of segregation of physiological responses downstream of GPCRs but has also revolutionized drug discovery, offering the potential for treatments with enhanced efficacy and minimal side effects.

Neuroimaging Spectrum of Erdheim-Chester Disease: An Image-based Review.

Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD) is a rare, multisystem histiocytic disorder characterized by its variable clinical presentations. Central Nervous System (CNS) involvement is observed in approximately half of ECD patients (up to 76% in some series), and often carries a poorer prognosis. While CNS involvement may remain asymptomatic, others may experience a range of neurological symptoms, including cognitive decline, neuropsychiatric disturbances, motor deficits, cranial or peripheral neuropathies, and endocrine abnormalities.

A Review of The Opportunities and Challenges with Large Language Models in Radiology: The Road Ahead.

In recent years, generative artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models (LLMs) and their multimodal counterparts, Multi-Modal Large Language Models (MM-LLMs), including Vision Language Models (VLMs), have generated considerable interest in the global AI discourse. LLMs, or pre-trained language models (such as ChatGPT, Med-PaLM, LLaMA, etc.), are neural network architectures trained on extensive text data, excelling in language comprehension and generation.

Explicit time marching method with enhanced stability.

Recent developments in distributed computing architecture are slowly changing the way we develop partial differential equation solvers for simulating complex industrial and natural systems. Since achieving perfect parallelization of implicit temporal schemes is quite challenging, there is a growing interest in using explicit procedures with enhanced stability limits. The current work focuses on one such enhancement obtained by modifying an asynchronous delayed difference method.

A Comparative Study of Surgical Outcome Following Tympanoplasty with or Without Canaloplasty in Adolecent Age Group.

Chronic otitis media (COM) poses significant challenges globally, affecting millions with hearing impairment and associated morbidities. This prospective study aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of type I tympanoplasty with and without canaloplasty in adolescent patients with COM, focusing on hearing improvement and graft success rates. Sixty-eight patients aged 11-18 years, diagnosed with inactive mucosal disease and conductive hearing loss, were enrolled from 01 January 2022 to 01 July 2023.

Postharvest integration of prickly pear betalain-enriched gummies with different sugar substitutes for decoding diabetes type-II and skin resilience - in vitro and in silico study.

Postharvest processing plays a crucial role in harnessing the benefits of prickly pear fruit by utilizing betalain as natural colorants to replace artificial colors in model food systems. Prickly pear betalain-enriched gummies were developed using various sugar substitutes, including table sugar, xylitol, stevia, and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). These gummies were analyzed for in vitro enzymatic inhibition, anti-inflammatory effects and molecular docking studies for decoding diabetes type-II and skin resilience.

Microcystin-LR in drinking water: An emerging role of mitochondrial-induced epigenetic modifications and possible mitigation strategies.

Algal blooms are a serious menace to freshwater bodies all over the world. These blooms typically comprise cyanobacterial outgrowths that produce a heptapeptide toxin, Microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Chronic MC-LR exposure impairs mitochondrial-nuclear crosstalk, ROS generation, activation of DNA damage repair pathways, apoptosis, and calcium homeostasis by interfering with PC/MAPK/RTK/PI3K signaling.

Rare Case of Laryngeal Histoplasmosis: A Diagnostic Challenge.

Granulomatous lesions, though rare, can affect diverse body regions, including the larynx, presenting diagnostic challenges. In India, where malignancy and tuberculosis prevail, fungal infections are often overlooked. We present a case of 34 year old male with complaint of change in voice which was approached as malignancy but later turned out to be histoplasmosis on histopathology.

Disentangling the influence of reservoir abundance and pathogen shedding on zoonotic spillover of the agent in urban informal settlements.

Rats are major reservoirs for pathogenic , the bacteria causing leptospirosis, particularly in urban informal settlements. However, the impact of variation in rat abundance and pathogen shedding rates on spillover transmission to humans remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate how spatial variation in reservoir abundance and pathogen pressure affect spillover transmission to humans in a Brazilian urban informal settlement.

Comparison of 6 handheld ultrasound devices by point-of-care ultrasound experts: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has emerged as an essential bedside tool for clinicians, but lack of access to ultrasound equipment has been a top barrier to POCUS use. Recently, several handheld ultrasound devices ("handhelds") have become available, and clinicians are seeking data to guide purchasing decisions. Few comparative studies of different handhelds have been done.

Primary Intraocular Lymphoma: Rad-Path and Ophthalmologic Correlation.

Primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) is a rare form of primary central nervous system lymphoma that poses diagnostic challenges due to its nonspecific clinical features and complex imaging characteristics. This paper presents a focus case and two companion cases, highlighting the complexities in identifying and treating PIOL. In the focus case, A 66-year-old male experienced gradual painless vision loss with choroidal thickening on funduscopic exam and subsequent follow-up MRI.

Mesenchymal Non-Meningothelial Tumors of the CNS: Evolving Molecular Landscape and Implications for Neuroradiologists.

The World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System (WHO CNS5) significantly revised the terminology and diagnostic criteria of "mesenchymal non-meningothelial" tumors of CNS to better align with the classification of these soft tissue tumors outside the CNS. The CNS chapter only covers the entities with distinct histological or molecular characteristics that occur exclusively or primarily in the CNS. These tumors usually arise from the meninges and are rarely intraparenchymal in origin, mainly in the supratentorial compartment.

Ultrasound-Based Noncontrast Microvascular Imaging for Evaluation of Breast Lesions: Imaging Techniques and Review of Diagnostic Criteria.

Vascularity plays a pivotal role in the progression of breast lesions and may be associated with their aggressiveness and likelihood of being malignant. Contrast-enhanced imaging techniques are necessary to evaluate vascularity due to the limited sensitivity of conventional color Doppler techniques, in which motion artifacts are eliminated using wall filters. However, in this process, low-flow signals from small vessels also get removed unintentionally.

Role of Growth Factors in Nasal Cartilage Development and Molding: A Comprehensive Review.

This review aims to investigate the properties of growth factors concerning the morphogenesis and development of nasal cartilage, which is fundamentally important for facial form and appearance. Since cartilage lacks a blood supply, it is more difficult to regenerate, as cartilage tissue obtains sustenance by diffusion. Cytokines are signalling molecules that control chondrocyte metabolism and extracellular matrix formation, which is required for cartilage development, homeostasis, and healing.