Inhaled corticosteroids in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease combined phenotype: when to use and what to expect?

The term "asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) combined phenotype" describes patients with persistent airflow limitation and features of both asthma and COPD. There is a lack of data on effective treatments for this group, often excluded from asthma or COPD trials. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are standard for asthma, while bronchodilators are key for COPD.

Coley's Toxin to First Approved Therapeutic Vaccine-A Brief Historical Account in the Progression of Immunobiology-Based Cancer Treatment.

Cancer immunobiology is one of the hot topics of discussion amongst researchers today, and immunotherapeutic modalities are among the selected few emerging approaches to cancer treatment that have exhibited a promising outlook. However, immunotherapy is not a new kid on the block; it has been around for centuries. The origin of cancer immunotherapy in modern medicine can be traced back to the initial reports of spontaneous regression of malignant tumors in some patients following an acute febrile infection, at the turn of the twentieth century.

Steroidal alkaloid solanidine impedes hypoxia-driven ATM phosphorylation to switch on anti-angiogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: The declined oxygen tension in the cancer cell leads to the hypoxic adaptive response and favors establishment of tumor micro environment [TEM]. The complex TME consists of interwoven hypoxic HIF-1α and DNA damage repair ATM signaling. The ATM/HIF-1α phosphorylation switch on angiogenesis and abort apoptosis.

Fundus Changes in High Myopia in Relation to Axial Length of the Globe.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to correlate between axial length of the eyeball and fundus changes and to know its importance.

Materials And Methods: It was an observational study conducted for a duration of 1 year in patients with myopia more than 1 D and axial length more than 24 mm. A total of 100 eyes were included in the study and all underwent thorough fundus examination.

Knowledge, Attitudes and HPV Vaccine Intention Among Women in India.

In India, cervical cancer associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women. However, uptake of the vaccine in India is low. We assessed knowledge and attitudes towards HPV, assess participants' willingness to accept the vaccination for themselves and their children, and determine factors associated with intention to receive the HPV vaccine among women in Mangalore, India.

Does lunar synodic cycle affect the rates of psychiatric hospitalizations and sentinel events?

The lunar synodic cycle is often believed to be associated with psychiatric emergencies and exacerbation in various countries, including India. However, the scientific literature regarding this matter is inconclusive. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between lunar cycle phase and admission rates plus occurrence of sentinel events in the psychiatric ward of a tertiary care general hospital in India.

Prevalence of excessive internet use and its association with psychological distress among university students in South India.

Background: Excessive internet use, psychological distress, and its inter-relationship among university students can impact their academic progress, scholastic competence, career goals, and extracurricular interests. Thus, a need exists to evaluate the addictive internet use among university students.

Objectives: This study was set up to examine the internet use behaviors, internet addiction (IA), and its association with psychological distress primarily depression among a large group of university students from South India.

Internet Use Patterns, Internet Addiction, and Psychological Distress Among Engineering University Students: A Study from India.

Background: Internet addiction (IA) among university engineering students and its association with psychological distress can impact their educational progress, academic competence, and long-term career goals. Thus, there is a need to investigate the IA among engineering students.

Objectives: This study was a first such attempt to explore internet use behaviors, IA, among a large group of engineering students from India, and its association with psychological distress primarily depressive symptoms.

Internet use behaviors, internet addiction and psychological distress among medical college students: A multi centre study from South India.

Background: Internet Addiction (IA) among medical students and its association with psychological distress can impact their academic progress and long term career goals. IA would also indirectly impact community of health care professionals and the society. Thus, there is a need to investigate the IA among medical students.

Paradoxical hypertension.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinico-radiological syndrome characterized by white matter vasogenic edema affecting the posterior occipital and parietal lobes of the brain predominantly. A 48-year-old female patient presented to ER with complaints of breathlessness and developed sudden painless loss of vision while eliciting history. The patient had a heart rate of 104/min and accelerated hypertension (BP of 220/120 mm of Hg).

Environmental Arsenic Contamination and Its Effect on Intelligence Quotient of School Children in a Historic Gold Mining Area Hutti, North Karnataka, India: A Pilot Study.

Context: Arsenic is a rare crystal element that naturally occurs in all environmental media. A combination of regional and site-specific biogeochemical and hydrological factors governs its dispersion in the environment. It has far reaching consequences on human health.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome(PRES).

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinico-radiological syndrome characterized by a headache, seizures, altered mental status and visual loss and characterized by white matter vasogenic edema affecting the posterior occipital and parietal lobes of the brain predominantly. This clinical syndrome is increasingly recognized due to improvement and availability of brain imaging specifically magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A 35-year-old female with the history of unsafe abortion and massive blood transfusion 10 days ago was brought to the emergency room with three episodes of generalized tonic-clonic seizures, urinary incontinence and altered sensorium since 3 hours.

Isolated splenic abscess in brucellosis.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease, which can attack any organ of the body but mainly involves lymphoreticular system. Our case report describes isolated splenic abscess diagnosed in a 50-year-old individual who is a milk vendor by occupation and has the habit of consuming raw milk. He was admitted with pain abdomen, high-grade fever with chills, generalized malaise, night sweats and weight loss.

Rare features associated with Mobius syndrome: Report of two cases.

Mobius syndrome is a rare congenital disorder with the preliminary diagnostic criteria of congenital facial and abducent nerve palsy. Involvement of other cranial nerves, too, is common. Prevalence rate of this syndrome is approximately 1 in 100,000 neonates.

Dengue shock syndrome.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne arthropod-borne viral (arboviral) tropical disease in humans affecting 50-528 million people worldwide. The acute abdominal complications of dengue fever are acute appendicitis, acute pancreatitis, acute acalculous cholecystitis and non-specific peritonitis. Acute pancreatitis with new onset diabetes in dengue shock syndrome (DSS) is very rarely reported.

Cutaneous metastasis: An unusual presenting feature of urologic malignancies.

Urological malignancies are well known for their ability to metastasize widely. The incidence of cutaneous metastasis from all urologic malignancies has been reported to be 0.73-1.

Autoimmune thyroiditis associated with neuromyelitis optica (NMO).

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO or Devic's syndrome) is a rare relapsing demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that mainly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves and shares many clinical and radiological features with multiple sclerosis. The association of NMO with other autoimmune diseases was reported, but very few reports described association with autoimmune thyroid disease. Early differentiation between NMO and multiple sclerosis is very important as the natural course and treatment regimens differ significantly.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and autoimmune thyroiditis.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO or Devic's syndrome) is a rare demyelinating disease of the CNS that predominantly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves and shares many clinical and radiological features with multiple sclerosis (MS). The association of NMO with autoimmune thyroiditis has been reported very rarely. Early differentiation between NMO and MS is very important because they have different natural courses and treatment regimens.

Effectiveness of intravenous haemocoagulase on haemorrhage control in bi-maxillary orthognathic surgery-A prospective, randomised, controlled, double-blind study.

Haemocoagulase is a snake venom protein derivative that is known to possess haemostatic activity. It is reported to minimise blood loss in orthopaedic, otorhinolaryngologic, and abdominal surgeries. The use of intravenous haemocoagulase in orthognathic surgery is unknown and not yet reported.

Clinical Profile and Complications of Paracentesis in Refractory Ascites Patients With Cirrhosis.

Background: Large volume paracentesis is found to be safer and more effective for the treatment of tense ascites compared with larger-than-usual doses of diuretics according to studies. The objectives of the study was to evaluate patients with refractory ascites regarding clinical profile, technique of paracentesis, complications, amount of ascites drained, prognosis and co-morbid conditions associated with it.

Methods: Retrospective study was performed including patients between January 2011 and December 2013 with data pooled from total of five hospitals.

Primary segmental volvulus mimicking ileal atresia.

Neonatal intestinal volvulus in the absence of malrotation is a rare occurrence and rarer still is the intestinal volvulus in absence of any other predisposing factors. Primary segmental volvulus in neonates is very rare entity, which can have catastrophic outcome if not intervened at appropriate time. We report two such cases, which were preoperatively diagnosed as ileal atresia and intraoperatively revealed to be primary segmental volvulus of the ileum.