The Effect of Chewing Gum on the Return of Bowel Activity after Colorectal Cancer Surgery.

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols advocate for early enteral feeding to prevent postoperative ileus. Chewing gum acts as a type of sham feeding that triggers the cephalic phase of digestion by stimulating the cephalic vagus nerve. This can enhance gastrointestinal motility and may lead to quicker recovery of gas and bowel movements.

Thick-walled Gallbladder: A Pragmatic Management Approach.

Introduction: Thick-walled gallbladder (TWGB) is a common yet non-specific radiological finding associated with a wide range of gallbladder pathologies, including acute and chronic inflammation, infection, and malignancy. Among the inflammatory causes, xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) is a rare but significant condition that often mimics gallbladder carcinoma. This paper presents a pragmatic approach to the diagnosis and management of TWGB, focusing on the complexities posed by XGC.

A prospective comparative study of open versus laparoscopic stage II Fowler-Stephens orchidopexy in pediatric patients.

Introduction: Laparoscopic Fowler Stephens orchidopexy, single stage or two-stage, is now routinely performed in non-palpable testis. We performed second stage orchidopexy as open inguinal approach and compared the outcome of this approach to two-staged laparoscopic orchidopexy.

Methods: We performed a prospective randomized interventional study of two different approaches for intra-abdominal testis.

Prevalence of Mutations in Patients With Resected Stage I to III Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Results of India Cohort.

Purpose: The spectrum of is inadequately researched in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in India. EARLY-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) India (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04742192), as part of a noninterventional, real-world global study, evaluated the prevalence of mutations in early-stage NSCLC in India.

Immunomodulatory Roles of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles: A Promising Therapeutic Approach for Autoimmune Diseases.

Autoimmune diseases pose a significant challenge due to their complex pathogenesis and rising prevalence. Traditional therapies are often limited by systemic side effects, immunosuppression, and lack of long-term efficacy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have demonstrated immunomodulatory properties, primarily through the secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are now recognized as potent mediators of immune regulation.

Association of Specific Dietary Fatty Acids with Asthma in Urban School Children and Adolescents: Inferences from a Cross-Sectional Multicentric Study From India.

Objective: To assess the association of dietary fatty acids with asthma in Indian school children.

Methods: Children aged 6-16 years were enrolled from randomly selected urban schools in 10 cities. The International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase III Questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of asthma.

Evaluating the activity of cefoperazone-sulbactam against Gram negative pathogens in blood stream infections using automated systems.

Background And Objectives: The incidence of multidrug-resistant, Gram-negative organisms, isolated as the etiological agents of infections is ascending. The advent of novel antibiotics poses significant challenges, necessitating the optimization and utilization of extant antimicrobial agents. Cefoperazone, a third-generation cephalosporin and β-lactam antimicrobial, when combined with sulbactam, an irreversible β-lactamase inhibitor, mitigates the vulnerability of cefoperazone to β-lactamase-producing organisms.

Intraoperative variations in intra-axial brain tumor size after craniotomy: a prospective study with histopathological and tumor tissue composition correlation, introducing concepts of tumor expansion and tumor surfacing.

Intraoperative assessment of tumor margins can be challenging; as neoplastic cells may extend beyond the margins seen on preoperative imaging. Real-time intraoperative ultrasonography (IOUS) has emerged as a valuable tool for delineating tumor boundaries during surgery. However, concerns remain regarding its ability to accurately distinguish between tumor margins, peritumoral edema, and normal brain tissue.

Interplay between elevated RAB5B gene expression and insulin resistance among women with PCOS-insights from a case-control study.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents a multifaceted endocrine, reproductive, and metabolic disorder characterized by hyperandrogenism and hyperinsulinemia-induced insulin resistance (IR). Recent studies reported that the etiology of PCOS is likely correlated with genes involved in steriodogenesis, IR and glucose metabolism. Among the candidate genes in insulin signaling pathways, RAB5B, a small GTPase involved in vesicle trafficking, significantly impacts cellular pathways in ovarian follicular cells, leading to clinical and endocrine changes among women with PCOS.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Value of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Acute Cholangitis: A Study From Kashmir Valley, India.

Background Cholangitis, or bile duct infection, can present in two primary forms, namely, acute ascending cholangitis (the milder form) and acute fulminant cholangitis (the more severe variety). In all types of cholangitis, bile duct obstruction occurs, with choledocholithiasis (the presence of gallstones in the bile duct) being the leading cause of this blockage. is the most commonly isolated pathogen in these infections.

Analysis of risk factors in angiographically proven coronary artery disease in rural and urban Indian population. Prospective observational multicentre study: Kashmir Heart Survey.

Background: The global burden of cardiovascular diseases is increasing rapidly, and changing trends in epidemiological risk factors are identified among diverse Indian population. There has been a significant increase in heart attack deaths over the past 3 years after the COVID-19 pandemic. Are we missing a link? There is an urgent need for studies to confirm any epidemiological shift in coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors.

Evaluating the role of active TGF-β1 as inflammatory biomarker in Kashmiri (North-Indian) patients with systemic sclerosis: a case-control study.

Background: As a master immune system regulator, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is closely linked to the complicated pathophysiology and development of systemic sclerosis (SSc), a multisystem fibrotic disease.

Objective: We aim to evaluate the transcriptional levels of TGF-β1 mRNA in PBMCs, assess the TGF-β1 serum levels of SSc patients, and compare them with those of healthy subjects.

Methods: PBMCs were isolated from whole blood of 50 SSc patients and in 30 healthy controls.

A 7-point evidence-based care discharge protocol for patients hospitalized for exacerbation of COPD: consensus strategy and expert recommendation.

Acute exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) are an important event in the life of a COPD patient as it causes significant deterioration of physical, mental, and social health, hastens disease progression, increases the risk of dying and causes a huge economic loss. Preventing ECOPD is therefore one of the most important goals in the management of COPD. Before the patient is discharged after hospitalization for ECOPD, it is crucial to offer an evidence-based care bundle protocol that will help minimize the future risk of readmissions and death.

Traumatic Atrial Septal Defect with Tricuspid Regurgitation Following Blunt Chest Trauma Presenting as Hypoxemia: A Case Report.

Introduction: Although myocardial injury is common after blunt chest trauma, tricuspid valve injury associated with traumatic atrial septal defect resulting in acute hypoxia is an infrequent event. We report an unusual case of blunt chest trauma referred to us for unexplained hypoxemia, emphasizing the unusual nature of injury and the importance of comprehensive cardiac evaluation in such cases.

Case Report: A 35-year-old male presented to the emergency department after falling from a tree from an approximate height of 15 feet.

Efficacy and Safety Profile of Biosimilar Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)-Asparaginase (Asviia) in Patients With Acute Leukemia: A Retrospective Study From Kashmir.

Background:  Biosimilar pegylated L-asparaginase offers a promising alternative to the innovator molecule for treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Indian children. It addresses challenges associated with drug availability and cost while providing similar therapeutic advantages. This biosimilar ensures wider access to essential treatment in resource-limited settings such as India.

Bilateral Thoracic Herpes Zoster in a 62-year-old Immunocompetent Woman.

Herpes zoster (HZ), caused by the reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV), typically presents as a unilateral dermatomal erythematous vesicular rash. Bilateral HZ is rare and usually associated with immunocompromise. We report the case of a 62-year-old female with no evident immunocompromise who developed bilateral thoracic HZ.

Proposed Algorithm for the Diagnosis and Management of Functional Dyspepsia in India.

Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), formerly known as functional bowel disorders, encompass a diverse array of conditions and symptoms that may manifest in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Some of the most prevalent DGBIs include functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, functional constipation, functional diarrhea, and functional bloating and distension. Around 80% of patients with dyspepsia have no identifiable organic cause and are labeled as functional dyspepsia.

Differential Gene Expression and Transcriptomics Reveal High M-Gene Expression in JN.1 and KP.1/2 Omicron Sub-Variants of SARS-CoV-2: Implications for Developing More Sensitive Diagnostic Tests.

SARS-CoV-2, a positive-strand RNA virus, utilizes both genomic replication and subgenomic mRNA transcription. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) from clinical samples can estimate viral gene expression levels. WGS was conducted on 529 SARS-CoV-2 positive clinical samples from Assam and northeastern India to track viral emergence and assess gene expression patterns.

Concomitant telomere attrition is associated with spinal muscular atrophy in highly inbred region of North India: unraveling the thread in Kashmir region.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic disorder that unequivocally results in the degeneration of motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness and atrophy. This condition is caused by a mutation in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, which inevitably results in a deficiency of the SMN protein. In present study, we investigated the potential role of telomere attrition in SMA patients.

Hypercalcemic Ovarian Carcinoma (Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary, Hypercalcemic Type (SCCOHT)): A Case Series and Review of Literature of a Rare Malignancy.

Small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) is one of the rare and aggressive cancers occurring mainly in adolescents and young women. It accounts for less than 0.01% of all ovarian malignancies, with around 500 cases reported to date in the medical literature.

Skin testing - A valued tool for assessing adverse reactions to anaesthetic agents in patients allergic to multiple drugs: A case report from a secondary-level hospital.

Patients with allergy to multiple drugs who have experienced anaphylaxis multiple times present a significant challenge in perioperative management. This report presents a 27-year-old female patient diagnosed with cholelithiasis scheduled for cholecystectomy. The patient has a history of adverse reaction to multiple drugs, including Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid, Cefpodoxime, Levofloxacin and two additional drugs (one analgesic and the other multivitamin) each resulting in symptoms suggestive of anaphylaxis on separate occasions.