Evaluation of diagnostic utility of imprint cytology in paediatric renal tumours with special references to Ki 67 proliferative marker.

Background: Pediatric renal neoplasms comprise about 7%-8% of all neoplasms in children. Wilms tumour (WT) is the most common among pediatric renal tumours.

Aims And Objectives: The study was undertaken to study the epidemiological occurrence of pediatric renal tumours in a tertiary care hospital and to ascertain the validity and reliability of touch smear imprint cytology in intraoperative diagnosis of renal tumours and correlate with subsequent histopathological diagnosis and to assess the expression of proliferation marker Ki-67 in different components and stages of WT.

Alterations in Serum Zinc and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Concentrations in Treatment-Naive HIV-Diagnosed Alcohol-Dependent Subjects with Liver Injury.

Heavy alcohol drinking causes alterations in the metabolism of fatty acids and zinc that participate in inflammation and liver injury. HIV infection has been reported to cause dysregulated polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and zinc metabolism. In this pilot study, we examined the role of dysregulated PUFA metabolism and zinc deficiency in the liver injury occurring in heavy drinkers with early-stage HIV diagnosis.

Association of Thyroid Dysfunction and Autoimmunity in Pregnant Women with Diabetes Mellitus.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to find out the proportion of women with thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy complicated by diabetes mellitus; to find out the association, if any, of thyroid dysfunction and of antithyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibodies during pregnancy in women with pregestational (PGDM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM); and to find out the maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by both diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kolkata, India, for a period of 1 year. Sixty-four pregnant women with diabetes, both PGDM and GDM, were recruited from the antenatal clinic.

In-depth molecular analysis of a small cohort of human and Aedes mosquito (adults and larvae) samples from Kolkata revealed absence of Zika but high prevalence of dengue virus.

Purpose: Zika virus infections have recently been reported in many dengue-endemic areas globally. Both dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) virus are transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, raising the possibility of mixed infections in both vector and host. We evaluated DENV and ZIKV prevalence in human and vector samples in Kolkata, a DENV-endemic city.

Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infections (Often with Human Herpesvirus 7 Co-Infection) Detected in Patients: A Pilot Study.

Background: The etiopathogenesis of (PR), a papulo-squamous skin disease, remains elusive and hypothesized to be caused primarily by human herpesvirus (HHV) 6 or 7 or immune dysfunction.

Aims: The recent increasing incidences of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, including asymptomatic occult HBV infections (OBIs), in a densely populated city in India, prompted us to investigate whether PR patients (from varied socioeconomic and immune status) harbor the underlying HBV infections. These cases were also investigated for HHV 6 and 7 infections.

Spectropathology-corroborated multimodal quantitative imaging biomarkers for neuroretinal degeneration in diabetic retinopathy.

Introduction: Image-based early detection for diabetic retinopathy (DR) needs value addition due to lack of well-defined disease-specific quantitative imaging biomarkers (QIBs) for neuroretinal degeneration and spectropathological information at the systemic level. Retinal neurodegeneration is an early event in the pathogenesis of DR. Therefore, development of an integrated assessment method for detecting neuroretinal degeneration using spectropathology and QIBs is necessary for the early diagnosis of DR.

CCL2 conditionally determines CCL22-dependent Th2-accumulation during TGF-β-induced breast cancer progression.

We investigated expressions of -CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and CCL5 in tumor samples from 147 breast cancer (BCa) patients and correlated with transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) expression. We observed an inverse correlation of TGF-β expression with CCL2, CCL5 expression in early stages of BCa. On contrary, in late stages, CCL2, not CCL5, expression was found to be directly proportional with TGF-β expression.

Laparoscopy in the Evaluation of Impalpable Testes and Its Short-term Outcomes: A 7 Years' Experience.

Aims: The aim of this study is to report and analyze results of laparoscopy in impalpable testes performed between 2009 and 2016 and its short-term outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Demographic data, laterality, laparoscopic findings, operative time, procedure, hospital stay, complications, and follow-up data of 76 patients with 79 impalpable testes from 2009 to 2016 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Successful outcome was defined as maintenance of intrascrotal position with no atrophy at a follow-up of at least 6 months.

Patients with Congenital Limb Anomaly Show Short Telomere, Shutdown of Telomerase and Deregulated Expression of Various Telomere-Associated Proteins in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells-A Case Series.

Congenital limb anomalies are outcome of improper bone formation during embryonic development when cells divide, differentiate with high rate. So, telomerase activity is essential to maintain telomere length for such highly dividing cells. Here, we report four cases of congenital limb anomalies with detailed structures of limbs along with other clinical manifestations of age less than two years.

Choroidal metastases as the initial presentation of lung cancer: A rare scenario.

Clinical reports of symptomatic intraocular metastasis as the initial presentation of lung cancer are rare. We report the case of a 49-year-old female patient who presented with loss of vision due to choroidal metastases as the initial manifestation of her disseminated lung cancer. This particular patient was referred to us from ophthalmology department as a case of choroidal metastases from unknown primary.

Viral mononeurities causing partial oculomotor nerve palsy in an 8 month old child.

Background: Palsy of the oculomotor nerve is rarely seen in children, and comprehensive guidelines for management and outcome are difficult to find.

Case: Here we describe a 8 month old boy with left sided ptosis and infero-leteral deviation of left eye and normally reacting pupil and CSF antimeasles antibody titre negative.

Outcome: The ptosis improved within 3 weeks with no residual neurodeficit.

A Comparison of the Intracerebral Hemorrhage Score and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II Score for 30-Day Mortality Prediction in Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background: The intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) score is well established as a reliable prognostic score in ICH, whereas recently, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) has been observed to have a better discrimination in predicting mortality in primary pontine hemorrhage. Further, physiological parameters of APACHE II have been associated with outcome in ICH. This study is the first to observe a direct comparison between APACHE II and ICH scores in predicting 30-day mortality in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH).

Role of membrane cholesterol and lipid peroxidation in regulating the Na/K-ATPase activity in schizophrenia.

Background: Na/K-ATPase (NKA) activity is compromised in several neuropsychiatric disorders. Oxidative stress and membrane lipid composition play important roles in regulating NKA activity.

Aims: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of oxidative stress-induced membrane lipid damage and membrane cholesterol composition on NKA pump activity in schizophrenia.

Perinatal Outcome of the Second Twin at a Tertiary Care Center in India.

Purpose: This cross-sectional observational study was undertaken to assess perinatal outcome of the second twin in respect to gestational age, presentation, mode of delivery, and birth weight.

Methods: Seventy women with confirmed twin pregnancy were admitted and managed in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kolkata, India from May 2008 to April 2009. All relevant data were recorded and analyzed statistically by simple proportions and test.

Association of metabolic syndrome with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in an Indian population.

Background And Aims: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is thought to have increased association with metabolic syndrome (MS) which represents a cluster of factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus. However, the extent of association of COPD with MS and its individual components are still an unsettled issue, and it is likely to vary from population to population. Under the above context, this study was undertaken to investigate the association of MS and its components with COPD.

Deep vein thrombosis in a patient of adenomatous polyposis coli treated successfully with aspirin: A case report.

Background: Deep vein thrombosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. However, its association with adenomatous polyposis coli is extremely rare. Here we present an interesting case of deep vein thrombosis associated with adenomatous polyposis coli.

Double chamber right ventricle in Williams syndrome: a rare cardiac anomaly reported.

Cardiovascular abnormality is the most consistent finding and occur in almost 80 % of all Williams syndrome (WS). Although a number of cardiovascular defects are common to WS, the majority presents in some form of arterial stenosis whereas supravalvular aortic stenosis is the most common one. Here we describe a 12 year old boy with elfin facies, presenting with urinary incontinence and a systolic murmur in right upper parasternal region.

Concurrent meningitis and vivax malaria.

Malaria is an endemic infectious disease in India. It is often associated with other infective conditions but concomitant infection of malaria and meningitis are uncommon. We present a case of meningitis with vivax malaria infection in a 24-year-old lady.

Myeloma-associated systemic amyloidosis masquerading as NASH-associated cirrhosis and diabetic microvascular complications.

Authors describe the case of a 60-year-old diabetic man who presented with jaundice, ascites and significant weight loss over a period of 2 months. Physical examination revealed firm hepatomegaly with ascites. On evaluation, nephropathy, axonal neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome and decompensated cryptogenic liver disease with portal hypertension were found fitting with the diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy and neuropathy and nonalcoholic steato-hepatitis-associated cirrhosis, respectively.

Disseminated cryptococcosis in an apparently immunocompetent patient presenting with primary intraventricular haemorrhage.

Disseminated cryptococcosis is uncommon and almost always occurs in HIV-infected patients. However, cryptococcosis can also be found in patients of organ transplantation, in those on disease modifying agents for rheumatological conditions and in patients with underlying immunodeficiency. Cryptococcal infection may occur in an immunocompetent patient, but the pathogenic strain is usually Cryptococcus gattii, and not C.

Effects of dexmedetomidine and clonidine as propofol adjuvants on intra-operative hemodynamics and recovery profiles in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A prospective randomized comparative study.

Context: Alpha-2 (α2) adrenergic receptor agonists, clonidine and dexmedetomidine, are widely used as adjuvants during anesthesia for analgesic, sedative, sympatholytic, and cardiovascular stabilizing effects.

Aims: We compared effects of clonidine and dexmedetomidine (as propofol adjuvants) on intra-operative hemodynamics, recovery time, and postoperative cognitive function impairment.

Subjects And Methods: Forty-five American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II patients, scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were divided into three groups (n = 15).

Cobb syndrome: A rare cause of paraplegia.

Cobb syndrome is an exceedingly rare clinical condition defined by the presence of a vascular skin nevus and an angioma in the spinal canal at the same metamere. We report the case of a 14-year-old boy who presented with sudden onset paraplegia. Physical examination showed port-wine stains over buttock and thigh.

Diclofenac is more effective for post-operative analgesia in patients undergoing lower abdominal gynecological surgeries: A comparative study.

Aim: The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of injectable diclofenac intramuscularly (IM), injection paracetamol intravenously (IV), or a combination of both to provide post-operative analgesia in patients undergoing lower abdominal gynecological surgeries.

Materials And Methods: A total of 90 female patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II), aged 20-50 years, scheduled for elective total abdominal hysterectomy with or without bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were randomized to receive 75 mg diclofenac IM 8 hourly (Group D) or 1 g paracetamol IV 8 hourly (Group P) or a combination of both 8 hourly (Group PD) for 24 h post-operative period from the start of surgery. The primary outcome measured was the requirement of rescue analgesic (tramadol), the secondary outcomes measured included visual analog score (VAS) for pain, time until first rescue analgesic administration, patient satisfaction score and any side effects.