Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Sinonasal Teratocarcinosarcoma a Rare Malignancy: An Audit From an Academic Tertiary Care Centre in India

AIMS

Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcomas (SNTCS) are rare sinonasal malignancies, the incidence of which is less than 1% of all tumors. There is limited data available on SNTCS's, often as case reports and small case series. The management of SNTCS is complicated because of its location, locally aggressive biology, difficulty in achieving complete resection, and limited data on chemotherapy in these malignancies. This audit was performed to understand the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in SNTCS's, its ability to downstage the disease, achieve complete resection, and impact on long-term survival outcomes.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC). The baseline characteristics, the extent of tumor, Kadish stage, NACT regimen, and adverse events were extracted from the Electronic Medical Records and the patient's case file. Patients with baseline extensive/inoperable disease were referred for NACT from the multidisciplinary joint clinic followed by response assessment (RECIST v1.1). Patients underwent skull-base surgery if respectable post-completion of NACT, however, if deemed unresectable were treated with non-surgical modalities or palliative therapies.

RESULTS

The data of 27 patients were evaluated from the year 2015-2022. The median age was 42 years (IQR:30-56) and 85.2% (n = 23) were males. The ECOG-PS was 0-1 in 88.8% (n = 24) patients. All 27 patients received NACT in view of extensive disease at presentation. 74.1% (n = 20) patients received Cisplatin-Etoposide and 25.9% (n = 7) received other chemotherapy regimens. The median number of chemotherapy cycles was 2(IQR:2-3). 96.3% patients (n = 26) completed the planned NACT cycles. 70.4% (n = 19) patients achieved a partial response in post-NACT imaging. 77.8% (n = 18) underwent surgery, 18.5% (n = 5) received CTRT, and 7.4% (n = 2) received definitive-RT alone. The median PFS and OS of the cohort was 19months (95%CI:12.0-25.6) and 23months (95%CI:5.94-40.06) respectively.

CONCLUSION

NACT is safe, feasible, and effective with significant response rates, leading to effective downstaging, resectability and improved survival in patients with locally advanced SNTCS's.

Long-term outcomes after surgery for subaxial cervical spine injuries in octogenarians, a matched population-based cohort study

PURPOSE

We aimed to investigate surgical outcomes in octogenarians with subaxial cervical spine injuries and determine the predictors of complications and mortality.

METHODS

Eligible for inclusion were all patients surgically treated between 2006 and 2018, with either anterior or posterior fixation for subaxial spine injuries. A cohort of octogenarians was identified and matched 1:1 to a corresponding cohort of younger adults. Primary outcomes were perioperative complications and mortality.

RESULTS

Fifty-four patients were included in each of the octogenarian and younger groups (median age: 84.0 vs. 38.5). While the risks for surgical complications, including dural tears and wound infections, were similar between groups, the risks of postoperative medical complications, including respiratory or urinary tract infections, were significantly higher among the elderly (p < 0.05). Additionally, there were no differences in operative time (p = 0.625) or estimated blood loss (p = 0.403) between groups. The 30 and 90-day mortality rates were significantly higher among the elderly (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001). These differences were due to comorbidities in the octogenarian cohort as they were revoked when propensity score matching was performed to account for the differences in American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) grade. Multivariable logistic regression revealed age and ASA score to be independent predictors of complications and the 90-day mortality, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Octogenarians with comorbidities were more susceptible to postoperative complications, explaining the increased short-term mortality in this group. However, octogenarians without comorbidities had similar outcomes compared to the younger patients, indicating that overall health, including comorbidities, rather than chronological age should be considered in surgical decision-making.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Return to Work after Surgery for Spinal Schwannoma: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Spinal schwannomas are the second most common primary intradural spinal tumor. This study aimed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the frequency of return to work after the surgical treatment of spinal schwannomas. HRQoL was compared to a sample of the general population. Patients operated for spinal schwannomas between 2006 and 2020 were identified in a previous study and those alive at follow-up (171 of 180) were asked to participate. Ninety-four (56%) responded and were included in this study. Data were compared to the Stockholm Public Health Survey 2006, a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of the general population. An analysis for any potential non-response bias was performed and showed no significant differences between the groups. HRQoL was equal between the spinal schwannoma sample and the general population sample in all but one dimension; men in the spinal schwannoma sample reported more moderate problems in the usual activities dimension than men in the general population (p = 0.020). In the schwannoma sample, there were no significant differences between men and women in either of the dimensions EQ-5Dindex or EQVAS. Before surgery, a total of 71 (76%) were working full-time and after surgery almost all (94%) returned to work, most of them within 3 months of surgery. Eighty-nine (95%) of the patients responded that they would accept the surgery for their spinal schwannoma if asked again today. To conclude, surgical treatment of spinal schwannomas is associated with good HRQoL and with a high frequency of return to work.

Low Temperature Dynamic Polaron Liquid in a Manganite Exhibiting Colossal Magnetoresistance

Polarons-fermionic charge carriers bearing a strong companion lattice deformation-exhibit a natural tendency for self-localization due to the recursive interaction between electrons and the lattice. While polarons are ubiquitous in insulators, how they evolve in transitions to metallic and superconducting states in quantum materials remains an open question. Here, we use resonant inelastic x-ray scattering to track the electron-lattice coupling in the colossal magneto-resistive bi-layer manganite La_{1.2}Sr_{1.8}Mn_{2}O_{7} across its metal-to-insulator transition. The response in the insulating high-temperature state features harmonic emissions of a dispersionless oxygen phonon at small energy transfer. Upon cooling into the metallic state, we observe a drastic redistribution of spectral weight from the region of these harmonic emissions to a broad high energy continuum. In concert with theoretical calculations, we show that this evolution implies a shift in electron-lattice coupling from static to dynamic lattice distortions that leads to a distinct polaronic ground state in the low temperature metallic phase-a dynamic polaron liquid.

Social Disadvantage and Multimorbidity Including Oral Conditions in the United States

Existing studies on multimorbidity have largely excluded oral diseases in multimorbidity prevalence estimates. The reason behind this is somewhat unclear, as chronic oral conditions are highly prevalent, affecting over half the global population. To address this gap, we examined the relationship between social disadvantage and multimorbidity, stratifying by the inclusion and exclusion of oral conditions. For participants aged 30 y and over (n = 3,693), cross-sectional analysis was carried out using the US National Health and Nutrition Survey (2013-2014). Multimorbidity was defined as having 2 or more chronic conditions. Five medical conditions were examined: diabetes, asthma, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and depression, as well as 4 oral health conditions: caries, periodontal disease, number of teeth, and edentulousness. Education and income poverty ratio were selected as measures of social disadvantage. Multimorbidity prevalence estimates according to social disadvantage were analyzed on an absolute and relative scale using inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW), adjusting for age, sex, and ethnicity. The inclusion of oral health conditions in the assessment of multimorbidity increased the overall prevalence of multimorbidity from 20.8% to 53.4%. Findings from IPTW analysis demonstrated clear social gradients for multimorbidity estimates stratified by the exclusion of oral conditions. Upon inclusion of oral conditions, the prevalence of multimorbidity was higher across all social groups for both education and income. Stratifying by the inclusion of oral conditions, the mean probability of multimorbidity was 27% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23%-30%) higher in the low-education group compared to the high-education group. Similarly, the mean probability of multimorbidity was 44% (95% CI, 40%-48%) higher in the low-income group. On a relative scale, low education was associated with a 1.52 times (95% CI, 1.44-1.61) higher prevalence of multimorbidity compared to high education. Low income was associated with a 2.18 (95% CI, 1.99-2.39) higher prevalence of multimorbidity. This novel study strongly supports the impact of chronic oral conditions on multimorbidity prevalence estimates.

School-based physical activity interventions: which intervention characteristics are associated with participation and retention? A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Many school-based intervention studies are conducted to increase students' physical activity (PA). Recruitment and retention problems potentially impact the robustness of RCT findings. We conducted a meta-analysis to summarize recruitment and retention rates in long-term secondary school-based PA intervention studies and examined associated participant and intervention characteristics.

METHODS

Web of Science, Pubmed, Medline, and PsychInfo were searched until March 20th 2023. We included studies on secondary school-based PA interventions ≥12 weeks, aimed at typically developing adolescents. We abstracted number of schools and students invited, randomized, and participating at follow-up to calculate pooled recruitment and retention rates; participant and intervention characteristics were abstracted to execute subgroup or meta-regression analyses.

RESULTS

Recruitment rates were 51% for invited schools and 80% for invited students, the retention for schools was almost 100% and for students 91%. Interventions with fixed and flexible components, executed in Asia and South America, and from later publication years had higher student recruitment rates. Students' retention rates were lower for interventions which had flexible components, were theory/model-based, used an accelerometer, had a longer intervention duration, and included more females.

CONCLUSION

Recruitment and retention rates in school-based PA interventions are high. Some participant and intervention characteristics influence these rates: flexibility of the intervention, theory/model-based intervention, accelerometer use, intervention duration, continent, and number of females. Researchers should consider these characteristics in intervention development to achieve optimal balance between intervention effectiveness, recruitment, and retention.

Prevalence, Characteristics, and Trends in Retracted Spine Literature: 2000-2023

BACKGROUND

Retraction of scientific publications is an important check on scientific misconduct and serves to maintain the integrity of the scientific literature. The present study aims to examine the prevalence, trends, and characteristics of retracted spine literature across basic science and clinical spine literature.

METHODS

Multiple databases were queried for retracted papers relating to spine or spine surgery, between January 2000 and May 2023. Of 112,668 publications initially identified, 125 were ultimately included in the present study following screening by 2 independent reviewers. Journal of origin, reasons for retraction, date of publication, date of retraction, impact factor of journal, countries of research origin, and study design were collected for each included publication.

RESULTS

Clinical studies were the most frequent type of retracted publication (n = 70). The most common reason for retraction was fraud (n = 58), followed by plagiarism (n = 22), and peer review process manipulation (n = 16). Impact factors ranged from 0.3 to 11.1 with a median of 3.75. Average months from publication to retraction across all studies was 37.5 months. The higher the journal impact factor, the longer the amount of time between publication and retraction (P = 0.01). China (n = 63) was the country of origin of more than half of all retracted spine publications.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of retractions has been increasing over the past 23 years, and clinical studies have been the most frequently retracted publication type. Clinicians treating disorders of the spine should be aware of these trends when relying on the clinical literature to inform their practice.

The effect of flow-responsive pulsation on teat tissue condition and milking performance in Holstein dairy cows

The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of a reduced liner-open phase applied through flow-responsive pulsation (FRP), as a method to provide supplemental stimulation, on teat tissue conditions and milking characteristics in dairy cows. In 2 switch-back trials, 156 Holstein cows milked 3 times daily were assigned to the FRP or conventional (CON) group in alternating sequences. Trial I lasted for 35 d and was split into 5 alternating 1-week periods of FRP and CON. The duration of Trial II was 84 d, consisting of 4 alternating 3-week periods of FRP and CON. Premilking udder preparation for both groups consisted of predipping, forestripping and wiping the teats. Upon milking unit attachment, the FRP cows were milked at a pulsation rate of 50 cycles/min and a pulsation ratio of 30:70 until the preset milk flow threshold of 0.5 kg/min was reached. When the threshold value of 0.5 kg/min was reached, the pulsation was automatically switched to milking mode, which consisted of a pulsation rate of 60 cycles/min and a pulsation ratio of 70:30. Cows in the CON group were milked by milking mode (pulsation rate, 60 cycles/min; pulsation ratio, 70:30) immediately after attachment of the milking unit. We assessed machine milking-induced short-term changes to the teat tissue by palpation and visual inspection during Trial I, and we assessed teat-end hyperkeratosis in Trial II. Electronic on-farm milk meters were used to assess milking characteristics [milk yield (kg/milking session), milking unit-on time (s), 2-min milk yield (kg), peak milk flow rate (kg/min), and duration of low milk flow rate (s)]. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze the effect of treatment on the outcome variables. The odds of machine milking-induced short-term changes to the teat tissue were lower for cows in the FRP group than for those in the CON group [odds ratio (95% confidence interval; 95% CI) = 0.41 (0.31-0.55)]. There were no meaningful differences in the odds of teat-end hyperkeratosis between the FRP and CON groups [odds ratio (95% CI) = 1.05 (0.38-2.89)]. The least squares means (95% CI) of milking characteristics in the FRP and CON groups were 14.3 (13.8-14.7) and 14.3 (13.8-14.7) kg for milk yield, respectively; 272 (264-281) and 270 (262-278) s for milking unit-on time, respectively; and 5.0 (4.8-5.1) and 4.9 (4.7-5.1) kg/min for peak milk flow rate, respectively. The FRP group had lower odds of bimodality than the CON group [odds ratio (95% CI) = 0.67 (0.61-0.74)]. In reference to CON, the odds ratios (95% CI) in FRP were 1.05 (0.76-1.46) for kick-off, and 1.02 (0.85-1.23) for milking unit reattachment. In this study, cows that were milked using FRP had lower odds of postmilking short-term changes to the teat tissue and lower odds of bimodal milk flow. We conclude that FRP may foster adequate teat stimulation in cows before the initiation of milk harvest and has the potential to improve teat tissue conditions.

An objective way to predict remission and relapse in Cushing disease using Bayes' theorem of probability

OBJECTIVE

In this study on patients with Cushing disease, post-transsphenoidal surgery (TSS), we attempt to predict the probability of remaining in remission, at least for a year and relapse after that, using Bayes' theorem and the equation of conditional probability. The number of parameters, as well as the weightage of each, is incorporated in this equation.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The study design was a single-centre ambispective study. Ten clinical, biochemical, radiological and histopathological parameters capable of predicting Cushing disease remission were identified. The presence or absence of each parameter was entered as binary numbers. Bayes' theorem was applied, and each patient's probability of remission and relapse was calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 145 patients were included in the study. ROC plot showed a cut-off value of the probability of 0.68, with a sensitivity of 82% (range 73-89%) and a specificity of 94% (range 83-99%) to predict the probability of remission. Eighty-one patients who were in remission at 1 year were followed up for relapse and 23 patients developed relapse of the disease. The Bayes' equation was able to predict relapse in only 3 out of 23 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Using various parameters, remission of Cushing disease can be predicted by applying Bayes' theorem of conditional probability with a sensitivity and a specificity of 82% and 94%, respectively. This study provided an objective way of predicting remission after TSS and relapse in patients with Cushing disease giving a weightage advantage to every parameter.

Protein Disulfide Isomerase 4 Is an Essential Regulator of Endothelial Function and Survival

Endothelial autophagy plays an important role in the regulation of endothelial function. The inhibition of endothelial autophagy is associated with the reduced expression of protein disulfide isomerase 4 (PDIA-4); however, its role in endothelial cells is not known. Here, we report that endothelial cell-specific loss of PDIA-4 leads to impaired autophagic flux accompanied by loss of endothelial function and apoptosis. Endothelial cell-specific loss of PDIA-4 also induced marked changes in endothelial cell architecture, accompanied by the loss of endothelial markers and the gain of mesenchymal markers consistent with endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). The loss of PDIA-4 activated TGFβ-signaling, and inhibition of TGFβ-signaling suppressed EndMT in PDIA-4-silenced endothelial cells in vitro. Our findings help elucidate the role of PDIA-4 in endothelial autophagy and endothelial function and provide a potential target to modulate endothelial function and/or limit autophagy and EndMT in (patho-)physiological conditions.

Search for a Neutron Dark Decay in ^{6}He

Neutron dark decays have been suggested as a solution to the discrepancy between bottle and beam experiments, providing a dark matter candidate that can be searched for in halo nuclei. The free neutron in the final state following the decay of ^{6}He into ^{4}He+n+χ provides an exceptionally clean detection signature when combined with a high efficiency neutron detector. Using a high-intensity ^{6}He^{+} beam at Grand Accélérateur National d'Ions Lourds, a search for a coincident neutron signal resulted in an upper limit on a dark decay branching ratio of Br_{χ}≤4.0×10^{-10} (95% C.L.). Using the dark neutron decay model proposed originally by Fornal and Grinstein, we translate this into an upper bound on a dark neutron branching ratio of O(10^{-5}), improving over global constraints by one to several orders of magnitude depending on m_{χ}.

The association between teat shape and bimodal milk ejection in Holstein dairy cows

Our objectives were to investigate the association of teat shape with (1) bimodality (2) incremental milk flow rates (average flow rates during the first 15 s, 15-30 s, 30-60 s, and 60-120 s of milking), and (3) peak milk flow rate in Holstein dairy cows milked 3 times per day. In this prospective cohort study, we analyzed 220,928 milking observations that were collected from 2,520 cows from a single dairy herd over a period of 31 d. Teat shape was visually assessed and classified into 1 of 4 categories as follows: (1) triangular barrel and pointed teat end (TP), (2) square barrel and round teat end (SR), (3) square barrel, round teat end, and flat in the area of the teat orifice (SRF), and (4) square barrel and flat teat end (SF). Individual cow-level milk flow rates were obtained using electronic on-farm milk meters. We considered bimodality to be present if any of the incremental milk flow rates (flow rates during 15-30 s, 30-60 s, or 60-120 s) were lower than any of the previous rates (flow rates during the first 15 s, 15-30 s, or 30-60 s). The frequency distribution of cows with different teat shapes was as follows: TP, 96 (3.8%); SR, 1,751 (69.5%); SRF, 617 (24.5%); and SF, 56 (2.2%). A generalized linear mixed model revealed differences in the odds of bimodality among cows with different teat shapes. Compared with cows in category SR, the odds (95% confidence interval) of bimodality of cows in other categories were as follows: TP, 0.68 (0.48-0.97); SF, 1.96 (1.21-3.19); and SRF, 1.46 (1.23-1.72). General linear mixed models indicated an association between teat shape and all incremental milk flow rates, with higher milk flow rates being present for cows with teat shapes in the SRF and SF categories. The general linear mixed model for the dependent variable peak milk flow rate indicated an association between teat shape and peak milk flow rate. Least squares means and 95% confidence intervals were 5.1 (4.9-5.3) kg/min for TP, 5.8 (5.5-6.1) kg/min for SF, 5.6 (5.5-5.7) for SRF, and 5.3 (5.3-5.4) for SR, respectively. We conclude that in this study cohort, bimodality is more likely to occur in cows with flat teat ends compared with those with a round teat ends. We attribute this relationship to the difference in milking speed across cows with different teat shapes. Teat shape may serve as a useful phenotype to identify cows that are more likely to exhibit bimodality. Because our study population was unique, future studies considering different circumstances such as breed, milking system, and milking routine are needed before results can be extrapolated.

The effect of 2 different premilking stimulation regimens, with and without a latency period, on teat tissue condition and milking performance in Holstein dairy cows

The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of 2 different premilking stimulation regimens, with and without a latency period between tactile stimulation and the attachment of the milking unit, on the teat tissue condition and milking performance of dairy cows. In a randomized controlled crossover study, 145 Holstein cows milked 3 times daily were assigned to treatment (TRT) or control (CON) groups. Premilking udder preparation for the TRT group consisted of the application of a latency period resulting in a preparation lag time of 90 s. The only difference in the premilking udder preparation of the CON group was the absence of latency period; the milking unit was attached immediately after completion of the tactile stimulation. The average duration of total tactile stimulation in TRT and CON group was 8 ± 2 and 9 ± 2 s, respectively. The study lasted for 14 d and was split into 2 periods, each consisting of a 2-d adjustment period followed by 5 d of data collection. We assessed machine milking-induced short-term changes to the teat tissue by palpation and visual inspection postmilking. Electronic on-farm milk meters were used to assess milking characteristics (milk yield [kg/milking session], machine-on time [s], 2-min milk yield [kg], and duration of low milk flow rate [s]). Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze the effect of treatment on the outcome variables. The odds of machine milking-induced short-term changes to the teat tissue were lower for cows that received a 90-s preparation lag time (TRT cows) compared with cows in the CON group (odds ratio [95% confidence interval; 95% CI] = 0.13 [0.08-0.20]). The least squares means (95% CI) values of cows in the TRT and CON groups were 15.4 (14.9-15.9) and 15.3 (14.8-15.8) kg, respectively, for milk yield, and 246 (239-253) and 253 (247-260) s for machine-on time. The 2-min milk yield was higher for the TRT compared with CON group cows at all the parity levels. The 2-min milk yields of animals in lactation 1, 2, and ≥3 were 5.7, 5.7, and 6.5 kg, respectively, in the TRT group and 4.6, 5.0, and 5.9 kg in the CON group. The TRT cows spent less time in low milk flow rate compared with CON cows at all parity levels. The durations of low milk flow rate of cows in lactation 1, 2, and ≥3 in the TRT group were 19, 17 and 13 s, respectively, and those in the CON group were 31, 22, and 15 s. In this study, cows that received a latency period, and thus were subjected to a 90-s preparation lag time had lower odds of exhibiting short-term changes to the teat tissue after machine milking, shorter machine-on time, higher 2-min milk yields, and lower durations of low milk flow rates. We conclude that consideration of latency period leading to a 90-s preparation lag time in the premilking stimulation regimen facilitated cows' milk-ejection reflex. This latency period can alleviate the adverse effects of vacuum-induced forces on teat tissue during machine milking, improve udder health, and promote animal well-being.

Dysphagia, health-related quality of life, and return to work after occipitocervical fixation

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS) on dysphagia, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and return to work after occipitocervical fixation (OCF). Postoperative radiographic measurements were evaluated to identify possible predictors of dysphagia.

METHODS

All individuals (≥ 18 years) who underwent an OCF at the study center or were registered in the Swedish spine registry (Swespine) between 2005 and 2019, and were still alive when the study was conducted, were eligible for inclusion. There was no overlap between the cohorts. Prospectively collected data on dysphagia (Dysphagia Short Questionnaire DSQ), HRQoL (EQ5D-3L) and return to work were used. Radiological and baseline patient data were retrospectively collected. In addition, HRQoL data of a matched sample of individuals was elicited from the Stockholm Public Health Survey 2006.

RESULTS

In total, 54 individuals were included. At long-term follow-up, 26 individuals (51%) had no dysphagia, and 25 (49%) reported some degree of dysphagia: 11 (22%) had mild dysphagia, and 14 (27%) had moderate to severe dysphagia. On a group level, the OCF sample scored significantly lower EQVAS and EQ-5Dindex values compared to the general population (60.0 vs. 80.0, p = 0.016; 0.43 vs. 0.80, p < 0.001). Individuals working preoperatively returned to work after surgery. Of those responding, 88% stated that they would undergo the OCF operation if it was offered today. No predictors of dysphagia based on radiographic measurements were identified.

CONCLUSION

Occipitocervical fixation results in a high frequency of long-term dysphagia. The HRQoL of OCF patients is significantly reduced compared to matched controls. However, most patients are satisfied with their surgery. No radiographic predictors of long-term dysphagia could be identified. Future prospective and systematic studies with larger samples and more objective outcome measures are needed to elucidate the causes of dysphagia in OCF.

The Effect of Concomitant Spinal Cord Injury on Postoperative Health-related Quality of Life After Traumatic Subaxial Cervical Spine Injuries: A Nationwide Registry Study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients surgically treated for traumatic subaxial cervical spine injuries and investigate the agreement between objective neurologic outcomes and patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in that context.

STUDY DESIGN

Observational study on prospectively collected multi-institutional registry data.

SETTING

Sweden.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with traumatic subaxial spine injuries identified in the Swedish Spine Registry (Swespine) between 2006 and 2016.

INTERVENTIONS

Anterior, posterior, or anteroposterior cervical fixation surgery.

MAIN OUTCOMES

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) consisting of EQ-5D-3Lindex and Neck Disability Index (NDI).

RESULTS

Among the 418 identified patients, 93 (22%) had a concomitant SCI. In this group, 30 (32%) had a complete SCI (Frankel A), and the remainder had incomplete SCIs (17%) Frankel B; 25 (27%) Frankel C; 22 (24%) Frankel D. PROMs significantly correlated with the Frankel grade (P<.001). However, post hoc analysis revealed that the differences between adjacent Frankel grades failed to reach both statistical and clinical significance. On univariable linear regression, the Frankel grade was a significant predictor of a specific index derived from the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire (EQ-5D-3Lindex) at 1, 2, and 5 years postoperatively as well as the NDI at 1 and 2 years postoperatively (P<.001). Changes of PROMs over time from 1, to 2, and 5 years postoperatively did not reach statistical significance, regardless of the presence and degree of SCI (P>.05).

CONCLUSION

Overall, the Frankel grade significantly correlated with the EQ-5D-3Lindex and NDI and was a significant predictor of PROMs at 1, 2, and 5 years. PROMs were stable beyond 1 year postoperatively regardless of the severity of the SCI.

Health care access, psychosocial outcomes and mental health in adults living with epilepsy during the COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE

People living with epilepsy (PLWE) have a higher prevalence of mental health comorbidities and poorer psychosocial outcomes compared to the general population. The aim of this study was to examine psychosocial outcomes, mental health, healthcare accessibility, and seizure burden in PLWE during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study of adults with epilepsy treated in an urban multicenter health system from 2021 to 2022. A standardized questionnaire assessed for COVID-19 history, comorbidities, access to antiseizure medications (ASMs) and neurological care, seizure burden, and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., employment, social and financial support). The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were administered to evaluate for depression and anxiety. Frequency and proportions for categorical variables and median and interquartile ranges for continuous variables were calculated.

RESULTS

Fifty-five PLWE participated (95 % response rate). Median age was 40 years (IQR 31.5-66.5), 61.8 % were women, 47.3 % had a bachelor's degree or higher and 29.1 % each had Medicaid and Medicare insurance. Race (from highest to lowest %) was: 32.7 % White, 20 % Black, 20 % Latinx, 14.5 % Asian, and 12.7 % selected "other" or "prefer not to say." COVID-19 had been diagnosed in 21.8 % of participants. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were self-reported by 43.6 % and 34.5 % of patients, respectively, with many describing this symptom as new post-pandemic (37.5 % and 31.6 %, respectively). Using validated scales, 52.7 % had depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 5) with 30.9 % having moderate/severe depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10), while 29.1 % had probable generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7 score ≥ 8). Seizure burden increased in 21.8 % of participants, while 20 % reported fewer seizures and 29.1 % were seizure free since the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic impacts of the pandemic included job loss (25 % amongst those employed at onset of pandemic), new or worsened financial difficulties (40 %), and new or worsened social support issues (30.9 %). Of all participants, 18.2 % reported difficulties accessing ASMs and 25.5 % cancelled visits, but of those with cancelled visits, 78.6 % had their appointments rescheduled as a telehealth visit.

CONCLUSION

Our cohort of PLWE experienced some challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic including poorer mental health and financial and employment-related stressors. Encouragingly, healthcare access was relatively spared during the COVID-19 crisis, with some patients even reporting a reduction in seizure burden. However, PLWE require ongoing psychosocial support with particular attention to decompensation of mental health and social stressors that may be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long-Term Functional Outcomes Following Surgical Treatment of Spinal Schwannomas: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Spinal schwannomas are the second most common form of primary intradural spinal tumor. Despite being benign, they may cause spinal cord compression and subsequently acute or chronic neurological dysfunction. The primary treatment is surgical resection. The aim of this study was to identify pre- and postoperative predictors of favorable outcomes after surgical treatment for spinal schwannoma. All adult patients surgically treated for spinal schwannoma between 2006 and 2020 were eligible for inclusion. Medical records and imaging data were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome measures were neurological improvement according to the modified McCormick Scale (mMC) and changes in motor deficit, sensory deficit, gait disturbance, bladder dysfunction, and pain at long-term follow-up. In total, 180 patients with a median follow-up time of 4.4 years were included. Pain was the most common presenting symptom (87%). The median time between symptom presentation and surgery was 12 months, while the median time between diagnosis (first MRI) and surgery was 3 months. Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 150 (83%) patients and the nerve root could be preserved in 133 (74%) patients. A postoperative complication occurred in 10 patients (5.6%). There were significant postoperative improvements in terms of motor, sensory, gait, and bladder functions, as well as pain (p < 0.001). Of these symptoms, bladder dysfunction was the one most often improved, with complete symptom resolution in all cases. However, no other predictors of improvement could be identified. There were three cases of recurrence after GTR and nine cases of regrowth after STR. Reoperation was performed in six (3.3%) cases. GTR was associated with a significant improvement in neurological status at long-term follow-up and increased the chance of progression-free survival.

Novel high throughput screen reports that benzo(a)pyrene overrides mouse trophoblast stem cell multipotency, inducing SAPK activity, HAND1 and differentiated trophoblast giant cells

INTRODUCTION

Cultured mouse trophoblast stem cells (mTSC) maintain proliferation/normal stemness (NS) under FGF4, which when removed, causes normal differentiation (ND). Hypoxic, or hyperosmotic stress forces trophoblast giant cells (TGC) differentiate. Hypoxic, hyperosmotic, and genotoxic benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), which is found in tobacco smoke, force down-regulation of inhibitor of differentiation (Id)2, enabling TGC differentiation. Hypoxic and hyperosmotic stress induce TGC by SAPK-dependent HAND1 increase. Here we test whether BaP forces mTSC-to-TGC while inducing SAPK and HAND1.

METHODS

Hand1 and SAPK activity were assayed by immunoblot, mTSC-to-TGC growth and differentiation were assayed at Tfinal after 72hr exposure of BaP, NS, ND, Retinoic acid (RA), or sorbitol. Nuclear-stained cells were micrographed automatically by a live imager, and assayed by ImageJ/FIJI, Biotek Gen 5, AIVIA proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) software or open source, CellPose artificial intelligence/AI software.

RESULTS

BaP (0.05-1μM) activated SAPK and HAND1 without diminishing growth. TSC-to-TGC differentiation was assayed with increasingly accuracy for 2-4 N cycling nuclei and >4 N differentiating TGC nuclei, using ImageJ/FIJI, Gen 5, AIVIA, or CellPose AI software. The AIVIA and Cellpose AI software matches human accuracy. The lowest BaP effects on SAPK activation/HAND1 increase are >10-fold more sensitive than similar effects for mESC. RA induces 44-47% 1st lineage TGC differentiation, but the same RA dose induces only 1% 1st lineage mESC differentiation.

DISCUSSION

First, these pilot data suggest that mTSC can be used in high throughput screens (HTS) to predict toxicant exposures that force TGC differentiation. Second, mTSC differentiated more cells than mESC for similar stress exposures, Third, open source AI can replace human micrograph quantitation and enable a miscarriage-predicting HTS.

Conservative or surgical management of orbital schwannomas: a population-based case series

INTRODUCTION

Orbital schwannomas (OS) are rare occurrences with no more than 500 cases reported in the literature. The tumor's potential to compromise the delicate neuro-ophthalmic structures within the orbit prompts surgical removal. Tumor removal is performed by ophthalmologists, often requiring a multidisciplinary surgical approach. The literature contains a very limited number of cases managed non-surgically. However, the inherent risks of orbital surgery warrant a comparison of the outcomes of conservative and surgical management strategies.

AIMS

To review the national Swedish experience with the management of orbital schwannomas.

METHODS

The study center is the primary Swedish referral center for the multidisciplinary management of orbital tumors, including schwannomas. During the period of 2005 to 2021, 16 patients with an OS diagnosis were managed at the center.

RESULTS

Four patients initially underwent surgery where gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in three (75%) and subtotal resection (STR) in one (25%) case. The remaining 12 patients, who had a low risk of neuro-ophthalmic impairment, were managed conservatively with radiological and clinical examinations at regular intervals. After an average follow-up of 17 months, surgery was performed in three of these cases (25%). No recurrences or tumor growths were detected on radiological follow-ups (mean 50 months), and all patients experienced postoperative improvement at clinical follow-up (mean 65 months). The remainder of the conservatively treated patients (n=9) experienced no clinical progression (mean 30 months). A slight radiological tumor progression was detected in one patient after 17 months.

CONCLUSION

There were no differences in long-term outcome between patients who had been managed with early surgery and those operated later after an initially conservative management. Conservatively treated patients had minimal to no symptoms and remained clinically stable throughout the follow-up period. Based on these findings, conservative management may successfully be adopted in cases with mild symptoms, no signs of compressive optic neuropathy and low risk of neuro-ophthalmic impairment. Conversion to surgical management is indicated upon clinical deterioration or tumor growth. Based on the findings of this study a decision tree for the management of orbital schwannomas is suggested.

Borane-Pyridine: An Efficient Catalyst for Direct Amidation

Borane-pyridine acts as an efficient (5 mol%) liquid catalyst, providing improved solubility for the direct amidation of a wide range of aromatic and aliphatic carboxylic acids and amines to form secondary and tertiary carboxamides. Tolerance of potentially incompatible halo, nitro, and alkene functionalities has been demonstrated.

Rapid nongenomic estrogen signaling controls alcohol drinking behavior

The sex steroid hormone estrogen is a key modulator of numerous physiological processes and adaptive behaviors, but it may also be co-opted to drive maladaptive behaviors. While many behavioral roles for estrogen signaling have been shown to occur through canonical genomic signaling mechanisms via nuclear receptors, estrogen can also act in a neurotransmitter-like fashion at membrane-associated estrogen receptors to rapidly regulate neuronal function. Early alcohol drinking confers greater risk for alcohol use disorder in women than men, and binge alcohol drinking is correlated with high circulating estrogen but a causal role for estrogen in alcohol drinking has not been established. Here, we demonstrate that gonadally intact female mice consume more alcohol and display an anxiolytic phenotype when they have elevated levels of ovarian-derived estrogen across the estrous cycle. We found that rapid, nongenomic estrogen signaling at membrane-associated estrogen receptor alpha in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is necessary and sufficient for the pro-alcohol drinking effects of ovarian estrogen signaling, regardless of the transcriptional program of a high ovarian estrogen state. We further show that a population of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) BNST neurons (BNSTCRF) is a critical mediator of these effects, as high estrogen rapidly enhances synaptic excitation of BNSTCRF neurons and promotes their role in driving binge alcohol drinking. These findings show a causal role for endogenous, ovarian-derived estrogen in hormonal modulation of risky alcohol consumption and provide the first demonstration of a purely rapid, nongenomic signaling mechanism of ovarian estrogen in the brain controlling behavior in gonadally intact females.

Plummeting toxic contaminates from water through phycoremediation: Mechanism, influencing factors and future outlook to enhance the capacity of living and non-living algae

Freshwater habitats hold a unique role in the survival of all living organisms and supply water for drinking, irrigation, and life support activities. In recent decades, due to anthropogenic activities, deterioration in the water quality has been a long-lasting problem and challenge to the scientific fraternity. Although, these freshwater bodies have a bearable intrinsic capacity for pollution load however alarming increase in pollution limits the intrinsic capacities and requires additional technological interventions. The release of secondary pollutants from conventional interventions further needs revisiting the existing methodologies and asking for green interventions. Green interventions such as phycoremediation are natural, eco-friendly, economic, and energy-efficient alternatives and provide additional benefits such as nutrient recovery, biofuel production, and valuable secondary metabolites from polluted freshwater bodies. This systemic review in a nut-shell comprises the recent research insights on phycoremediation, technological implications, and influencing factors, and further discusses the associated mechanisms of metal ions biosorption by living and non-living algae, its advantages, and limitations. Besides, the article explores the possibility of future research prospects for applicability at a field scale that will help in the efficient utilization of resources, and improved ecological and health risks.

Long-term outcomes following surgical treatment of spinal arachnoid cysts: a population-based consecutive cohort study

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Spinal arachnoid cysts (SACs) are rare, cerebrospinal fluid-filled sacs lined by an arachnoid membrane in the spinal canal. Symptoms can develop due to pressure on the spinal cord or adjacent spinal nerves by the cyst itself or by interrupted flow of cerebrospinal fluid. If noninvasive management fails or neurological deterioration occurs, surgical treatment is recommended. However, data is lacking on long-term outcomes after surgery.

PURPOSE

To determine long-term outcomes in patients surgically treated for SACs.

STUDY DESIGN

Population-based cohort-study.

PATIENT SAMPLE

All consecutive patients treated for either intra- or extradural SACs with surgery between 2005 and 2020 at the author's institution were included.

OUTCOME MEASURES

American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) and modified Japanese Orthopedic Association score (mJOA).

METHODS

Data was primarily extracted from electronic patient medical notes. Telephone interviews were performed to assess long-term postoperative outcomes. All analyses were conducted using the statistical software program R version 4.0.5. Statistical significance was set at p<.05.

RESULTS

Thirty-four patients were included. Cyst excision was performed in 11 (32%) cases, and fenestration in the remaining 23 (68%). The median follow-up time was 8.0 years. Surgery resulted in a significant long-term improvement in both AIS (p=.012) and mJOA (p=.005). Sensory deficit was the symptom that most often improved (81%), followed by pain (74%) and motor function (64%). AIS deteriorated in two patients, of which one case was attributed to a surgical complication. Local cyst recurrence requiring reoperation was seen in 4 (12%) cases, all of them following cyst fenestration. One patient (3%) required reoperation for progression of the cyst progression at a different level.

CONCLUSION

This study reports outcomes of surgically treated SACs with the longest follow-up time to date. Microsurgical cyst excision or fenestration were safe treatment options, and the neurological improvements seen in the immediate postoperative phase were maintained at long-term follow-up.

IMPACT OF MOTHER'S HYPOTHYROIDISM ON FETAL DEVELOPMENT AND OUTCOMES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

The thyroid, a gland with a butterfly-like shape in the base of the human neck, plays an important role in metabolism. Body heat, energy levels, weight, hair, fingernail, and regular menstruation cycles are controlled by three hormones produced by the thyroid. A system of feedback regulates the release of those hormones. Overproduction as well as underproduction of thyroid hormones can result from shifts in the stimulation and regulation of those hormones. These factors can have physiological or pathological origins. Pregnancy is a physiological factor. There is a plethora of physiological and psychological shifts that occur during pregnancy. A thyroid alteration in the mother is one example. Thyroid irregularities result from a failure to adjust to new circumstances. Thyroid hormone levels can drop, or manufacturing could be slowed during pregnancy due to variations in hormone concentration. Hypothyroidism describes this disorder. Hypothyroidism in women who are pregnant is either gestational or could be a disorder that is present before pregnancy. Gestational hypothyroidism cures itself throughout postpartum times, though it can stay as subclinical hyperthyroidism for some time after delivery. They pose a serious risk to development, stunt the growth of the unborn child and lead to defects in subsequent generations. Enhanced thyroid binding globulin levels, enhanced iodine clearance by the kidneys, modified effects of the human reproductive hormone and reduced dietary consumption of iodine lead to these alterations in the gland. Cretinism and mental disorders are among the serious health problems related to an iodine imbalance in maternal hypothyroidism. The growth of the brain, nervous system and Intelligence of an unborn child depends on thyroid hormones. As a result, normal early stages of development suffer due to changes in maternal hormone levels.

A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF CHILDHOOD SEPARATION ANXIETY DISORDER AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR ADOLESCENT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

A prevalent psychiatric disorder called Child Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is characterized by extreme discomfort when a child gets separated from their primary carers. While SAD's quick consequences on kids are well-researched, its long-term implications for teenage psychopathology have received less attention. This longitudinal study aims to ascertain the connection between child SAD and future psychopathological consequences in adolescents. 500 adolescents were chosen as part of the adolescent depression project, and at the age of 17, we retrospectively evaluated past and present mental disorders. At ages 25 and 32, they conducted diagnostic evaluations of these people during adolescence while they continued to monitor them. Based on childhood/adolescent assessments, the participants were split into different groups: SAD (n=34), other forms of Anxiety (n=76), a control group with combined psychiatric conditions (n=205), and mentally sound control group (n=185). Statistics were evaluated by hierarchical multiple logistic regression after various illnesses and pertinent demographic variables were considered. It implies that SAD has a high risk (80.2%) of being a significant risk indicator for the emergence of mental illnesses in young adults. This study highlights the importance of early SAD management and therapy and the possible advantages of treating SAD in lowering the likelihood of developing other mental health problems in adolescence. It also emphasizes the value of continuous studies to comprehend these connections and enhance the effects on SAD sufferers' psychological well-being.

DENTAL CAVITIES IN PEOPLE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: AN ANALYSIS OF RISK INDICATORS

Diabetes is associated with a greater number of dental cavities. It is unclear, therefore, how potential risk factors such as salivary glucose, glycemic control and blood sugar could impact the onset of dental caries between people that have type 2 diabetes (T2D). Aim of the study - analyzing the risk factors for oral cavity disease in T2D patients. We analyzed the patient data including their dietary habits, dental hygiene practices, age and control of glycemic. The Indian dataset was used. Individual patient observations include the patient's diabetes classification as a range of medical attributes such as age, pregnancy, pedigree, glucose, body mass index, skin, blood pressure and insulin. The research discovered a significant correlation between poorly managed glycemic levels and dental caries are more prevalent in people with T2DM. High sugar consumption and poor oral hygiene habits have been identified as risk factors. These results highlight the need for integrating diabetes treatment measures with dental care to reduce dental caries in this susceptible group. Utilizing dental cavities into account improves oral health and has a positive impact on health outcomes for those with type 2 diabetes.

EMERGING NATIONS' LEARNING SYSTEMS AND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: AN ANALYSIS

National learning systems improve training and proficiency. In order to support education during the COVID-19 epidemic, the rate of online and remote learning accelerated. Since there were some available technologies, strong, flexible educational infrastructures were required to accommodate a range of student demands. Digital resources and inclusive education need government investment. This study highlights the vital role that adaptable educational frameworks play in lessening the effects of the crisis and fostering resilience in the face of uncertainty by examining the complex relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the creation of national education methodologies. This study offers a detailed analysis of the intricacy, challenges, and opportunities that have emerged in this significant field by investigating the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has affected educational institutions in developing countries. Twenty selected, peer-reviewed scientific journal articles from 2019 to 2023 were included in the research after a comprehensive search of relevant literature. Taking into consideration the viewpoints of parents, children, teachers, and administrators, this extensive and professionally handled research study provides a critical and nuanced examination of many consequences of the COVID-19 epidemic on the educational system. By using a comprehensive analysis of 25 academic articles, it achieves this. A broad number of useful tools and tactics are highlighted in this research, which offers an in-depth analysis of the intricate area of information and computational model deployment. Employing analysis of variance (ANOVA) as a robust statistical method, this analysis uncovers and scrutinizes the complex dynamics at play with the educational systems of developing nations amidst the unprecedented challenges brought by the global COVID-19 crisis. The COVID-19 epidemic has spurred rising countries to rethink and improve their education institutions, accelerating technology-driven education. The epidemic has underlined the need for inclusive and resilient learning infrastructures that respond to emergencies despite the digital device and access inequities.

RELEVANCE FOR DIAGNOSIS, THERAPY, AND STRATEGIES OF GUT MICROBES DYSBIOSIS IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Dysbiosis and weakened gastrointestinal barrier function have been identified as potential regulators of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The complex connection among gut micro biota and CKD is provided in this study, with particular attention to how inflammation contributes to the CKD path physiology. It establishes the inverse association between CKD and gut microbial dysbiosis by exploring the collision of CKD about the organization and capabilities of the gut micro biota. The possibility of new diagnostic tools in measuring the dynamic changes within the gut microbial ecology illustrates the importance of accurately diagnosing gut micro biota abnormalities in CKD. Additionally, the study explores the targeted medicines that focus on gut micro biota in CKD. Using data from both human clinical trials and rat models, the study demonstrates the variety of therapeutic approaches and their ability to limit the rate of development of CKD and its accompanying problems. The study we performed was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) approach. The findings show the significance of investigating the relationship between gut micro biota and CKD, paving up the possibility for new therapeutic strategies to improve the patient outcomes and quality of life. The present understanding of CKD-induced modifications to the gut micro biota and the ensuing effects on gastrointestinal health, emphasizing studies, will be highlighted in this review.

AN IN-DEPTH ASSESSMENT OF THE TUMOR'S IMPACT ON SARCOPENIA

Loss of muscle mass is a typical symptom of cancer and it is strongly correlated with poor prognosis. Cancer-related Sarcopenia is unresponsive to conventional dietary changes and exercise, in contrast to age-associated muscle atrophy. This particular type of weakness differs from different kinds of muscle loss in that it is triggered by a number of interrelated mechanisms, notably inflammatory processes, abnormal metabolic processes, proteolysis, and autophagy. This research is to examine evidence supporting the theory that tumors have a causal role in causing muscular atrophy. It seeks to investigate the precise regulators that the tumour generates and how they affect the processes that result in muscle waste. The evaluation looks for new directions for further studies and medical treatments. The analysis is based on a thorough examination of the scientific literature and research that shows how tumor and muscle atrophy are related. It concentrates on studies that clarify the numerous strategies by which malignancies cause the loss of muscle. This article highlights particular mechanisms by which these tumor-derived substances affect the development of muscle loss, including inflammatory processes, metabolic disturbance, proteolysis, and autophagy. The discovery of such targets offers hope for the creation of efficient treatment strategies that can enhance the long-term outlook and quality of life of cancer sufferers who are experiencing muscle loss.

Efficacy of Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri for Supporting Informed Prostate Cancer Screening Decisions for African-American Men

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent non-skin cancer among all men, but African-Americans have morbidity and mortality at significantly higher rates than White men. To reduce this burden, authorities such as the American Cancer Society recommend that men make informed/shared screening decisions with a healthcare provider. Informed/shared screening decisions require that men have adequate prostate cancer knowledge. Virtual assistants are interactive communication technologies that have become popular for seeking health information, though information quality has been mixed. No prior research has investigated the quality of prostate cancer information disseminated by virtual assistants. The purpose of this study was to determine the response rates, accuracy, breadth, and credibility of three popular virtual assistants (Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri) for supporting informed/shared prostate cancer screening decisions for African-American men. Each virtual assistant was evaluated on a tablet, cell phone, and smart speaker using 12 frequently asked screening questions. Responses were rated dichotomously (i.e., yes/no), and analyses were conducted using SPSS. Alexa on a phone or tablet and Google Assistant on a smart speaker had the best overall performance based on a combination of response, accuracy, and credibility scores. All other assistants scored below 75% in one or more areas. Additionally, all virtual assistants lacked the breadth to support an informed/shared prostate cancer screening decision. African-American men may be especially disadvantaged by using virtual assistants for prostate cancer information because of the lack of emphasis on their greater disease risk, higher mortality rates, and appropriate ages at which they should begin screening conversations.

EXPLORING MEDICAL STUDENTS' COMPETENCY IN UNDERSTANDING PRIMARY IMMUNODEFICIENCY DISEASES IN INDIA

Primary Immunodeficiency Disease (PID) represents a class of diverse illnesses marked by compromised immune system performance. For better patient outcomes, PIDs must be diagnosed and treated quickly. Medical graduates are essential to the detection and treatment of these illnesses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate medical students' knowledge about PIDs in different Indian medical colleges. To perform this analytical investigation, college students from Maharashtra-area universities were enlisted between March and April of 2023. The participants received a questionnaire from mediators from every institution. Of the 500 students in the study, 66% were between the ages of 22 and 24 and 52% were female. Their understanding ratings had an average of 16.3±6.2 and varied between 4 and 32. A set of students classified as below average (86%) and a mean/above average (14%), were separated among the students. The largest percentage of above-average knowledge was demonstrated by VI-year participants (p<0.05). This investigation emphasizes how critical it is to provide focused educational activities to improve medical students' comprehension of PIDs in India.

COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON GAMBLING HABITS: AN INVESTIGATIVE STUDY

This study looked at the way COVID-19 was starting to affect gambling during first six weeks of emergency actions. The following factors were evaluated: the economic effect of COVID-19 on internet gambling, according to COVID-19, psychological issues, addiction to drugs, and risky gambling habits and intentions. Online survey with cross-sectional data of 2015 gamblers was conducted, with a subsample of 1048 people who gambled online (age 18 and older). Numerous metrics of correlation and probability ratio analyses were performed. The Issue of Gambling Intensity Index's extremely dangerous gamblers and those who have gambled online are more likely to engage in gambling online, according to the outcomes, even though there was an obvious transition toward physical gaming. The most predicted indicators for high-risk gamblers on the internet were moderate to severe depression and anxiety, reduced work weeks, convincing themselves to gamble by COVID-19, gambling under the effects of alcohol or cannabis, and dangerous gambling motivations related to psychological disorders, such as gambling to relieve anxiety and depressive disorders, chasing gambling damages, and trying to make money from gambling. This research has validated numerous risk connections associated with gambling risk, psychological issues, and substance use reported in previous studies on the worldwide recession and upcoming COVID-19-related investigations. In contrast to many other inquiries, the current research considers each component comprehensively. It offers more information on the risk factors associated with online gambling throughout the epidemic.

HIV-1 Vpr induces ciTRAN to prevent transcriptional repression of the provirus

The functional consequences of circular RNA (circRNA) expression on HIV-1 replication are largely unknown. Using a customized protocol involving direct RNA nanopore sequencing, here, we captured circRNAs from HIV-1-infected T cells and identified ciTRAN, a circRNA that modulates HIV-1 transcription. We found that HIV-1 infection induces ciTRAN expression in a Vpr-dependent manner and that ciTRAN interacts with SRSF1, a protein known to repress HIV-1 transcription. Our results suggest that HIV-1 hijacks ciTRAN to exclude serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1) from the viral transcriptional complex, thereby promoting efficient viral transcription. In addition, we demonstrate that an SRSF1-inspired mimic can inhibit viral transcription regardless of ciTRAN induction. The hijacking of a host circRNA thus represents a previously unknown facet of primate lentiviruses in overcoming transmission bottlenecks.

Hepatic lobectomy in dogs using a stapling device with a vascular cartridge: a retrospective study of 13 cases

CASE HISTORY

Medical records of two veterinary hospitals in Canada were reviewed to identify cases of dogs that underwent liver lobectomy via open laparotomy using the Endo GIA surgical stapling device with a vascular cartridge (height of open and closed staples: 2.5 and 1.0 mm, respectively) between January 2016 and June 2018. Mean age at the time of surgery of the dogs (n = 13) included in the study was 10.4 (SD 1.5; min 7.9, max 12.8) years and mean body weight was 14 (min 3.9, max 37.8) kg.

CLINICAL FINDINGS

Liver masses requiring hepatic lobectomy were identified in 12 dogs by abdominal ultrasound examination. The remaining dog required a lobectomy of the right medial liver lobe to address leakage from the right medial lobe hepatic duct that occurred as a complication of cholecystectomy to treat a ruptured gallbladder mucocoele.

TREATMENT AND OUTCOME

Complete liver lobectomy of 14 lobes (11 from the left hepatic division) in 12 dogs and partial lobectomy of one lobe in one dog was performed via open laparotomy using the Endo GIA device. The mean surgical time, including concurrent procedures, was 50 (SD 17; median 45, min 28, max 91) minutes. The most common intra-operative complication was oozing from the transected liver parenchyma in 6/13 dogs, which was mild in all cases. Five dogs experienced minor post-operative complications. No major peri- or post-operative complications occurred, and no patients required surgical re-exploration. All patients survived until discharge and were alive at the 2-week follow-up for suture removal.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Use of the Endo GIA stapling device with a vascular cartridge is feasible for liver lobectomy of the left hepatic division and in this study had low rates of intra-operative and post-operative complications. The Endo GIA stapling device is a viable option for this type of liver lobectomy in dogs. Though successful, the small number of central (two lobes) and right (one lobe) hepatic division lobectomies in this study precludes us from drawing definitive conclusions about the feasibility of this technique on these divisions.

Azimuthal Correlations within Exclusive Dijets with Large Momentum Transfer in Photon-Lead Collisions

The structure of nucleons is multidimensional and depends on the transverse momenta, spatial geometry, and polarization of the constituent partons. Such a structure can be studied using high-energy photons produced in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions. The first measurement of the azimuthal angular correlations of exclusively produced events with two jets in photon-lead interactions at large momentum transfer is presented, a process that is considered to be sensitive to the underlying nuclear gluon polarization. This study uses a data sample of ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.38  nb^{-1}, collected with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measured second harmonic of the correlation between the sum and difference of the two jet transverse momentum vectors is found to be positive, and rising, as the dijet transverse momentum increases. A well-tuned model that has been successful at describing a wide range of proton scattering data from the HERA experiments fails to describe the observed correlations, suggesting the presence of gluon polarization effects.

Comparing 30-Day Outcomes After Emergent Spine Procedures Performed "During Hours" vs "After Hours"

BACKGROUND

Spinal injuries, whether mechanical or neurological, frequently require urgent intervention. Superior outcomes are associated with earlier intervention, which often requires operating overnight and on weekends. However, operating after hours has been associated with increased risks of complications in selected studies. The authors sought to determine whether there are differences in outcomes for "after hours" surgery compared with "during hours" surgery for spinal emergencies.

METHODS

This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of spine surgery patients who underwent urgent surgery within 6 hours, from January 2015 through December 2019. Surgery was considered during hours if it started between 8 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday. After hours was defined as from 5 pm through 8 am on a weekday or Saturday or Sunday. We assessed 30-day outcome measures for differences between operations performed during hours or after hours.

RESULTS

There were 241 spine procedures performed (49 during hours and 192 after hours). There was no significant difference between the length of operation (145.3 vs 129.8 minutes, P = 0.29), estimated blood loss (303.9 vs 274.4 mL, P = 0.61), improvement in American Spinal Injury Association scale (0.26 vs 0.24 grade, P = 0.85), 30-day return to the operating room (OR; 14.3% vs 6.8%, P = 0.09), 30-day readmission (2.0% vs 6.3% P = 0.24), intensive care unit length of stay (4.6 vs 6.3 days, P = 0.27), hospital length of stay (13.5 days vs 14.2 days, P = 0.72), or 30-day mortality (4.1% vs 7.3%, P = 0.42) for cases performed during hours compared with those after hours, respectively. On multivariate analysis, prior malignancy (P = 0.008) and blue immediate status (P = 0.004) were predictors of 30-day mortality. However, "after hours" surgery was not a predictor of 30-day return to the OR, readmission, or mortality in either univariate or multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Spine surgery must often be performed after hours. However, the time of day does not significantly impact the 30-day outcomes for emergent spine surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3

Cervical extradural arteriovenous fistula with radiculopathy managed endovascularly

BACKGROUND

Extradural arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) of the cervical spine are extremely rare, and typically manifest as slowly progressive myelopathy caused by mass effect. This is a unique case of extradural AVF of the cervical spine manifesting with purely radicular symptoms and treated endovascularly with coil and liquid embolization.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 55-year-old woman presented with neck pain and right upper extremity radiculopathy persisting for 9 months. Imaging studies demonstrated an AVF spanning from C4-C6 with extension into the C5-C6 foramen supplied primarily from the deep cervical branch of the costocervical trunk. The patient underwent successful coil and liquid (Onyx) embolization. Six-week postoperatively, the patient's symptoms completely resolved and magnetic resonance imaging and angiographic imaging confirmed complete obliteration of the fistula.

CONCLUSION

While extradural AVFs typically present with myelopathic symptoms, they may present with solely radicular symptoms and can be successfully treated endovascularly.

Measurement of the mass dependence of the transverse momentum of lepton pairs in Drell-Yan production in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The double differential cross sections of the Drell-Yan lepton pair (ℓ + ℓ - , dielectron or dimuon) production are measured as functions of the invariant mass m ℓ ℓ , transverse momentum p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , and φ η ∗ . The φ η ∗ observable, derived from angular measurements of the leptons and highly correlated with p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , is used to probe the low-p T ( ℓ ℓ ) region in a complementary way. Dilepton masses up to 1Te V are investigated. Additionally, a measurement is performed requiring at least one jet in the final state. To benefit from partial cancellation of the systematic uncertainty, the ratios of the differential cross sections for various m ℓ ℓ ranges to those in the Z mass peak interval are presented. The collected data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.3fb - 1 of proton-proton collisions recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Measurements are compared with predictions based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics, including soft-gluon resummation.

The role of dexmedetomidine in post cranioplasty refractory status epilepticus

Cranioplasty, specifically a repair of the skull defect resulting from a previous decompressive craniectomy, is a relatively simple procedure associated with a minimal rate of complications. Even though seizures are seen in up to 30% of the patients postoperatively, status epilepticus is not commonly described. Cerebral oedema, ischaemia and neuro-inflammation have been reported as putative causes of seizures in this population. Here, we report a case of refractory status epilepticus unresponsive to standard anti-epileptic and anaesthetic agents. The use of dexmedetomidine helped terminate the episode and led to a favourable outcome. Most of the standard anti-epileptic and anaesthetic agents act through potentiation of GABAergic transmission or sodium channel blockade and postsynaptic adrenoceptor activation by dexmedetomidine may help potentiate their effect. Further studies are needed to investigate its anticonvulsant effect on post-traumatic brain injury and elaborate on optimal dosage.

LAPAROSCOPIC APPROACH TO A GIANT RUPTURED SPLENIC CYST: A CHALLENGING CASE REPORT

Splenic cysts are rare; their absence of an epithelial wall determines whether they're real cysts or pseudocysts. Spontaneous nonparasitic actual tumors are those that develop early in life at the anterior pole of the splenic and are typically epidermoid, dermoid, or endodermal. Surgical therapy is suggested for symptomatic, large (more than 5 cm) cysts or complicated. Inhaling splenic excision is a substitute for surgery, depending on the quantity, location, connection to the hilus, and dimension of the tumors. With an emphasis on less invasive treatments that preserve the spleen, laparoscopic methods have already established themselves as the accepted method for treating numerous disorders, including splenic cysts. They describe the effective decapsulation of a massive epidermoid spleen tumor under a prolonged, partially endoscopic technique. Laparoscopy, an operation commonly referred to as surgery with minimally invasive or keyhole surgery, is a technique that makes many tiny incisions in the belly to carry out different surgical procedures.

Outcome and Health-Related Quality of Life After Combined Anteroposterior Surgery Versus Anterior Surgery Alone in Subaxial Cervical Spine Fractures : Analysis of a National Multicenter Data Set

STUDY DESIGN

Observational study on prospectively collected data.

OBJECTIVES

To compare patient-reported outcomes and complications after anteroposterior surgery or anterior surgery in subaxial cervical spine fractures.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

There is no consensus regarding the optimal surgical approach for subaxial cervical spine fractures. Although anterior surgery is often sufficient to restore stability, anteroposterior surgery is sometimes preferred in severe instability. The effects of a more extensive procedure on patient-reported outcomes have not been investigated. We hypothesized that patient-reported outcomes and complication rates were similar between these surgical approaches.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Individuals treated with either a combined anteroposterior or anterior surgery alone between 2006 and 2016 and with at least 1-year follow-up were identified in the Swedish Spine Registry. Cases were matched 1:2 for age (±5 y). Outcomes were Neck Disability Index (NDI), EQ-5D-3L index, satisfaction, reoperations, and surgeon-reported and patient-reported complications within 90 days. Mann-Whitney U -tests and χ 2 tests were used in statistical comparisons.

RESULTS

The median [interquartile range] number of instrumented vertebrae was 3 [2-5.5] in the anteroposterior group and 2 [2-3] in the anterior group ( P <0.001). The mean±SD follow-up time was 3.5±2.3 years in the anteroposterior and 3.8±2.0 years in the anterior group ( P =0.39), respectively. At follow-up, Neck Disability Index was 20 [6-37] in the anteroposterior group and 18 [3.5-40] in the anterior group ( P =0.69), and the median EQ-5D-3L index was 0.73 [0.12-0.80] in the anteroposterior group and 0.75 [0.62-0.89] in the anterior group ( P =0.27). Satisfaction with the treatment was reported by 90% in the anteroposterior group and by 87% in the anterior group ( P =0.98). None of the individuals in the anteroposterior and 6 of the individuals in the anterior group were reoperated ( P =0.18).

CONCLUSION

Patients operated on with anteroposterior or anterior surgery for subaxial cervical spine fractures are equally satisfied and report similar health-related quality of life measures.

Titanium-Mediated Reduction of Carboxamides to Amines with Borane-Ammonia

In this study, the successful titanium tetrachloride-catalyzed reduction of aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and nitriles with borane-ammonia was extended to the reduction (deoxygenation) of a variety of aromatic and aliphatic pri-, sec- and tert-carboxamides, by changing the stoichiometry of the catalyst and reductant. The corresponding amines were isolated in good to excellent yields, following a simple acid-base workup.

Knowledge and Information Resources about Child Abuse among Government and Private Dental Practitioner in Uttar Pradesh, India

Background and Aim

To evaluate knowledge, attitude, and information sources about child abuse and neglect (CAN) among dentists in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh state, India.

Subjects and Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was carried out of dentist working in government and private hospitals in the Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh State, India (n = 674). The structured questionnaire was sent through electronic mail that contained the consent form, instructions for filling, and returning the questionnaire. The data obtained were systematically compiled and the Chi-square test was applied to test the association. The significance level of P ≤ 0.05 was applied.

Results

A maximum number of dental practitioners from the government (81.97%) and private sector (85.98%) were aware of the child protection law. A significant number of government and private dental practitioners were satisfied with their knowledge (p = 0.0092); however, 83.79% suggested that the continuing education programs/courses were important tool to update their knowledge. The girl child was maximum sufferer (p = 0.0056) of CAN. Only 14.08% of practitioners acted on the suspected cases, and a statistical significant relation was observed between the government and private dental practitioners for not taking any action on child abuse and neglect (p = 0.0010).

Conclusions

Data from this study may provide a useful contribution to the current limited knowledge about the familiarity of dental practitioners with child maltreatment and their skills to recognize and manage CAN cases in their practice. The majority of dental practitioners knew about the child protection law in India, but they were reluctant to report such cases due to the fear of anger from the parents and family of the child. Continuing education programs/courses were the most preferred method for increasing the knowledge regarding CAN. They should report the CAN cases to local legislators and health authorities so to prevent child abuse and neglect from ever occurring.

Identification of new modulator of DNA repairing pathways based on natural product (±)-peharmaline A

The complex heterogenic environment of tumour mass often leads to drug resistance and facilitate chemo insensitivity triggering more malignant phenotypes among cancer patients. Major DNA-damaging cancer drugs have been consistently proven unsuccessful in terms of elevating chemo-resistance. (±)-peharmaline A, a hybrid natural product isolated from seeds of Peganum harmala L. possesses significant cytotoxic activities. Herein, we have described the design, and synthesis of a novel library of close and simplified analogues around the anticancer natural product (±)-peharmaline A and investigated their cytotoxic activities, which led to the identification of three structurally simplified lead compounds exhibiting better potency than parent natural product. Among them, demethoxy analogue of peharmaline A was further investigated for its anticancer potential eliciting demethoxy analogue as potent DNA-damage inducing agent attenuating the expression of the proteins responsible for the DNA damage repair. Therefore, this demethoxy analogue warrants detailed investigations for the confirmations of the molecular mechanism-based studies responsible for its anticancer activity. ______________________________________________________________________________.

THE ROLE OF IMMUNOTHERAPY IN CANCER TREATMENT: CHECKPOINT INHIBITORS, CAR-T CELLS, AND VACCINES

Immunotherapy causes cancer patients' immune systems to activate in search of and eliminate cancer cells. As a therapeutic area for cancer, it has expanded in importance and demonstrated promising results in treating many cancers. Checkpoint blockade (CPB) therapy may stimulate a suppressed immune response to provide long-lasting therapeutic results. However, the absence of a tumor-reactive immune infiltration is probably why response rates are still low. Using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells to fight cancer may significantly impact immunology. This study explored using checkpoint inhibitors, car-T cells, and vaccines in immunotherapy to treat cancers. Drugs used for CPB aim to reduce immunological suppression, allowing for more effective CAR T cells and dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, providing some optimism that this may be increased, both of which have proven therapeutic efficacy in specific cancers. However, drug-induced side effects and the tumor microenvironment's propensity for immunosuppression mean treatment effectiveness is still inadequate. The outcomes of current preclinical tests suggest that novel therapies targeting lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG3), T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM3), cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) could be used as adjuvant therapies to modify the tumor microenvironment.

A Novel Deep Learning-Based Classification Framework for COVID-19 Assisted with Weighted Average Ensemble Modeling

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the deadly virus SARS-CoV-2 that affects the lung of the patient. Different symptoms, including fever, muscle pain and respiratory syndrome, can be identified in COVID-19-affected patients. The disease needs to be diagnosed in a timely manner, otherwise the lung infection can turn into a severe form and the patient's life may be in danger. In this work, an ensemble deep learning-based technique is proposed for COVID-19 detection that can classify the disease with high accuracy, efficiency, and reliability. A weighted average ensemble (WAE) prediction was performed by combining three CNN models, namely Xception, VGG19 and ResNet50V2, where 97.25% and 94.10% accuracy was achieved for binary and multiclass classification, respectively. To accurately detect the disease, different test methods have been proposed and developed, some of which are even being used in real-time situations. RT-PCR is one of the most successful COVID-19 detection methods, and is being used worldwide with high accuracy and sensitivity. However, complexity and time-consuming manual processes are limitations of this method. To make the detection process automated, researchers across the world have started to use deep learning to detect COVID-19 applied on medical imaging. Although most of the existing systems offer high accuracy, different limitations, including high variance, overfitting and generalization errors, can be found that can degrade the system performance. Some of the reasons behind those limitations are a lack of reliable data resources, missing preprocessing techniques, a lack of proper model selection, etc., which eventually create reliability issues. Reliability is an important factor for any healthcare system. Here, transfer learning with better preprocessing techniques applied on two benchmark datasets makes the work more reliable. The weighted average ensemble technique with hyperparameter tuning ensures better accuracy than using a randomly selected single CNN model.