Rituximab in Refractory Myasthenia Gravis - Challenges and Lessons Learnt.

Nearly 10%-15% patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) have refractory disease and are candidates for newer nonconventional immunotherapies. Rituximab has emerged as an attractive option in them. We describe the efficacy and safety of rituximab in 12 patients with refractory MG treated over a period of 4 years in a tertiary care center.

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy in India: Past, Present, and Future.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) has emerged as a key area of interest among researchers worldwide, including those in India, who have actively studied the disorder over the past several decades. This review meticulously explores the extensive range of Indian research on PSP up to the present and offers insights into both current initiatives and potential future directions for managing PSP within the region. Historical research contributions have spanned 80 publications from 1974 to 2023, encompassing diverse themes from clinical phenotyping and historical analysis to isolated investigative studies and therapeutic trials.

Evaluation of Cardiac Function in Patients with Supratentorial Tumors and Raised Intracranial Pressure: HABIT-ICP, a Prospective Observational Study Using Transthoracic Echocardiography.

 An acute increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) has been shown to affect cardiac function due to brain ischemia and the associated increased sympathetic activity. However, there is limited literature on the changes in cardiac function in clinical scenarios where there is a gradual and progressive increase in ICP, such as in brain tumors. We aimed to assess and compare the cardiac function in patients with primary supratentorial brain tumors presenting with and without raised ICP for neurosurgery.

Unexpected Complications Following Accidental Petrosal Vein Damage during Standard Retrosigmoid Surgery for a Large Vestibular Schwannoma: Introspection and Lessons Learned.

We present the case of a patient with a vestibular schwannoma (VS) who developed vascular complications following surgery and discuss the potential mechanisms. Additionally, we systematically searched the literature to identify citations on vascular and brain stem complications following VS surgery. We excluded the articles related to facial and vestibulocochlear nerve-related complications and other complications, such as headache, tinnitus, and ataxia.

Epilepsy-pregnancy registries: An update.

This report is the first comprehensive update on the activities of existing epilepsy-pregnancy registries since 2010. The primary aim of these registries, which were initiated by independent international research groups some 25 years ago, has been to assess the risk of major congenital malformations (MCMs) in offspring exposed in utero to different antiseizure medications (ASMs). Progress reports are provided here from the five original registries (the International Registry of Antiepileptic Drugs and Pregnancy EURAP, the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry, the UK and Ireland Epilepsy and Pregnancy Register, the Kerala Registry of Epilepsy and Pregnancy, and the Raoul Wallenberg Australian Pregnancy Register of Antiepileptic Drugs) plus the more recently initiated West China Registry.

Ultrasensitive Detection of Blood-Based Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers: A Comprehensive SERS-Immunoassay Platform Enhanced by Machine Learning.

Accurate and early disease detection is crucial for improving patient care, but traditional diagnostic methods often fail to identify diseases in their early stages, leading to delayed treatment outcomes. Early diagnosis using blood derivatives as a source for biomarkers is particularly important for managing Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study introduces a novel approach for the precise and ultrasensitive detection of multiple core AD biomarkers (Aβ, Aβ, p-tau, and t-tau) using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) combined with machine-learning algorithms.

Thrombin Immobilized Hemocompatible Radiopaque Polyurethane Microspheres for Topical Blood Coagulation.

Over the past decade, there has been growing interest in developing microspheres for embolization procedures. However, the lack of noninvasive monitoring of the embolic agents and the occurrence of reflux phenomenon leading to unintentional occlusions has raised concerns regarding their compatibility/suitability for embolization therapy. Here we report the development of specialty microspheres having intrinsic radiopacity and surface functionality to tackle the existing complications that pave the way for more advanced solutions.

Performance evaluation of an automatically controlled transcutaneous energy transfer system powering left ventricular assist device.

Background: The survival rate of LVAD recipients may be improved by eliminating the infection failure mode at the percutaneous lead entry site. Wireless powering through a Transcutaneous Energy Transfer System (TETS) is a promising solution for achieving this. However, automatic controls need to be employed to compensate for the variations in efficiency and power transfer due to changes in load and coil-to-coil gaps.

A novel pedicle screw design to maximize screw-bone interface strength using finite element analysis and design of experiment techniques.

Study Design: Basic study.

Purpose: This study aimed to utilize finite element (FE) analysis and design of experiment (DoE) techniques to propose and optimize a novel pedicle screw design and compare its pull-out force with that of a control device.

Overview Of Literature: Pedicle screw-based fixation is the gold-standard treatment for spine diseases, particularly in fusion procedures.

Thoracic Dorsal Spinal Cord Herniation: Brief Report and Review of Literature with an Attempt at Hypothesizing the Possible Pathogenesis.

Spontaneous dorsal cord herniations are very rare, with only 3 reported cases published in the literature. We report a case of a 15-year-old girl, presenting with progressive symptoms of myelopathy, diagnosed with dorsal cord herniation. She was managed surgically.

An inquiry into patient versus health system factors contribution to the diagnostic interval in oral cancer: an early diagnosis study from Kerala, India.

Introduction: Lip and oral cavity cancer is the second most frequent cancer in India, accounting for more than 10% of the total cancer incidence in the country. Oral malignancies are frequently found and diagnosed at advanced stages, resulting in dismal survival rates. The influence of healthcare-related factors in the diagnostic interval of oral cancer remains poorly understood.

Zein and 3-Aminophenyl Boronic Acid Conjugated Polyvinylpyrrolidone Polymer Blend: Electrospinning, Characterization, and Mucoadhesive Drug Delivery.

The era of mucoadhesive polymers has advanced to the next generation, focusing on targeted adhesion of chemical functional groups with mucosa. This work aims to develop boronic acid functionalized polymers, which could facilitate reversible binding with the mucin in the mucosa. Pendant groups of boronic acid were conjugated on the chains of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) via C═N bonding.

Ischemic Stroke in Young Adults in India: Predictors of Recurrence and Functional Outcome.

Background And Objectives: Ischemic stroke (IS) in young is increasingly recognized as an important health problem in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Limited data is available from LMICs about the predictors of outcome and recurrence of IS in young. The study aims to assess the predictors of short-term and long-term functional outcome and the recurrence of the first-ever IS and transient ischemic attack in young.