Not Dandy Walker variant: a review of prominent retrocerebellar CSF space in children

The prominent retrocerebellar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space can be frequently encountered on paediatric neuroimaging studies. In cases involving abnormal vermian development where imaging does not align with the established criteria of Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM), the term "Dandy-Walker variant or continuum" has been historically employed to describe the aberrant posterior fossa development. Instead, the emphasis is on a more elaborate description of the findings in the posterior fossa. Moreover, combining the findings in the supratentorial brain can occasionally predict certain neurogenetic disorders that mimic Dandy-Walker phenotype. The present review demonstrates and differentiates the imaging features of various entities that result in an enlarged retrocerebellar CSF space, such as inferior vermian hypoplasia (IVH) and several neurogenetic conditions.

Necrotizing granulomatous epididymo-orchitis post intravesical BCG administration after brachytherapy for prostate cancer

Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder remains a challenging disease to treat. Intravesical instillation of BCG has demonstrated tremendous efficacy in preventing recurrence. BCG related necrotizing granulomatous epididymo-orchitis is rare and has not been previously linked to brachytherapy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. We hypothesize that prior brachytherapy has a deleterious effect on the verumontanum that can result in retrograde transmission of BCG particles leading to granulomatous epididymo-orchitis. This is the first case report of necrotizing granulomatous epididymo-orchitis related to BCG in a patient status post brachytherapy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

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.

An integrative proteomics approach identifies tyrosine kinase KIT as a therapeutic target for SPINK1-positive prostate cancer

Elevated serine peptidase inhibitor, Kazal type 1 (SPINK1) levels in ∼10%-25% of prostate cancer (PCa) patients associate with aggressive phenotype, for which there are limited treatment choices and dismal clinical outcomes. Using an integrative proteomics approach involving label-free phosphoproteome and proteome profiling, we delineated the downstream signaling pathways involved in SPINK1-mediated tumorigenesis and identified tyrosine kinase KIT as highly enriched. Furthermore, high to moderate levels of KIT expression were detected in ∼85% of SPINK1-positive PCa specimens. We show KIT signaling orchestrates SPINK1-mediated oncogenesis, and treatment with KIT inhibitor reduces tumor growth and metastases in preclinical mice models. Mechanistically, KIT signaling modulates WNT/β-catenin pathway and confers stemness-related features in PCa. Notably, inhibiting KIT signaling led to restoration of AR/REST levels, forming a feedback loop enabling SPINK1 repression. Overall, we uncover the role of KIT signaling downstream of SPINK1 in maintaining lineage plasticity and provide distinct treatment modalities for advanced-stage SPINK1-positive patients.

Recurrent MTOR Mutations in Renal Cell Carcinoma With Fibromyomatous Stroma: A Report of 2 Tumors

Renal cell carcinoma with fibromyomatous stroma, recognized as a provisional entity in the current 2022 World Health Organization classification of renal neoplasms, is rare. Recent evidence suggests recurrent alterations in the mTOR pathway, supporting its recognition as a distinct entity. Herein, we report 2 renal cell carcinomas with fibromyomatous stroma with MTOR mutations occurring in 62- and 72-year-old women and review the literature to support its recognition as a distinct entity, focusing on the characteristic morphology, immunohistochemical staining patterns as well as genetic alterations.

Effect of Tobacco Use on Semen in Infertile Male

Background/Objective/Methods

Infertility is one of the major global public health issues. In a social setup like India, there is a strong emphasis on childbearing, which leads to economic and psychological stress and trauma. Various studies have shown that worldwide, there is a decline in the quality of semen. Many environmental, nutritional, and lifestyle factors are responsible for the reduced semen quality. The methods of this study are the source of data, the method of collection of data, and statistical analysis.

Results

Semen analysis is an important diagnostic test in the assessment of infertility in male partners. Ninety-eight semen samples were analyzed from the patients who presented with the complaint of infertility over a period of 2 years (June 2018-May 2020).

Conclusion

Based on our analysis, it can be inferred that an escalation in the intensity of tobacco consumption is directly associated with a proportional decline in sperm count and motility and a notable increase in liquefaction time.

Identifying immune signatures of sepsis to increase diagnostic accuracy in very preterm babies

Bacterial infections are a major cause of mortality in preterm babies, yet our understanding of early-life disease-associated immune dysregulation remains limited. Here, we combine multi-parameter flow cytometry, single-cell RNA sequencing and plasma analysis to longitudinally profile blood from very preterm babies (<32 weeks gestation) across episodes of invasive bacterial infection (sepsis). We identify a dynamically changing blood immune signature of sepsis, including lymphopenia, reduced dendritic cell frequencies and myeloid cell HLA-DR expression, which characterizes sepsis even when the common clinical marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein, is not elevated. Furthermore, single-cell RNA sequencing identifies upregulation of amphiregulin in leukocyte populations during sepsis, which we validate as a plasma analyte that correlates with clinical signs of disease, even when C-reactive protein is normal. This study provides insights into immune pathways associated with early-life sepsis and identifies immune analytes as potential diagnostic adjuncts to standard tests to guide targeted antibiotic prescribing.

Adipocytic Differentiation in a Sertoli Cell Tumor

Testicular sex cord-stromal tumors are clonal neoplasms, with the majority being of Leydig cell followed by Sertoli cell origins. In Leydig cell tumors, adipocytic differentiation has been previously reported as a possible distinguishing feature, which has not been reported in other sex cord-stromal tumors. Herein, we report a case of a 48-year-old man who presented with an incidentally discovered 1.1 cm testicular mass, for which he underwent partial orchiectomy. Microscopically, the tumor showed features consistent with sex cord-stromal tumor with strong and diffuse nuclear and cytoplasmic reaction for B-catenin immunohistochemistry, supporting the diagnosis of Sertoli cell tumor. A novel adipocytic differentiation, reported previously in Leydig cell tumors, was present in this tumor.

Position paper on olfactory dysfunction: 2023

BACKGROUND

Since publication of the original Position Paper on Olfactory Dysfunction in 2017 (PPOD-17), the personal and societal burden of olfactory disorders has come sharply into focus through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinicians, scientists and the public are now more aware of the importance of olfaction, and the impact of its dysfunction on quality of life, nutrition, social relationships and mental health. Accordingly, new basic, translational and clinical research has resulted in significant progress since the PPOD-17. In this updated document, we present and discuss currently available evidence for the diagnosis and management of olfactory dysfunction. Major updates to the current version include, amongst others: new recommendations on olfactory related terminology; new imaging recommendations; new sections on qualitative OD and COVID-19 OD; updated management section. Recommendations were agreed by all co-authors using a modified Delphi process.

CONCLUSIONS

We have provided an overview of current evidence and expert-agreed recommendations for the definition, investigation, and management of OD. As for our original Position Paper, we hope that this updated document will encourage clinicians and researchers to adopt a common language, and in so doing, increase the methodological quality, consistency, and generalisability of work in this field.

Pulse parameter optimizer: an efficient tool for achieving prescribed dose and dose rate with electron FLASH platforms

Purpose. Commercial electron FLASH platforms deliver ultra-high dose rate doses at discrete combinations of pulse parameters including pulse width (PW), pulse repetition frequency (PRF) and number of pulses (N), which dictate unique combinations of dose and dose rates. Additionally, collimation, source to surface distance, and airgaps also vary the dose per pulse (DPP). Currently, obtaining pulse parameters for the desired dose and dose rate is a cumbersome manual process involving creating, updating, and looking up values in large spreadsheets for every treatment configuration. This work presents a pulse parameter optimizer application to match intended dose and dose rate precisely and efficiently.Methods. Dose and dose rate calculation methods have been described for a commercial electron FLASH platform. A constrained optimization for the dose and dose rate cost function was modelled as a mixed integer problem in MATLAB (The MathWorks Inc., Version9.13.0 R2022b, Natick, Massachusetts). The beam and machine data required for the application were acquired using GafChromic film and alternating current current transformers (ACCTs). Variables for optimization included DPP for every collimator, PW and PRF measured using ACCT and airgap factors.Results. Using PW, PRF,Nand airgap factors as parameters, a software was created to optimize dose and dose rate, reaching the closest match if exact dose and dose rates are not achievable. Optimization took 20 s or less to converge to results. This software was validated for accuracy of dose calculation and precision in matching prescribed dose and dose rate.Conclusion. A pulse parameter optimization application was built for a commercial electron FLASH platform to increase efficiency in dose, dose rate, and pulse parameter prescription process. Automating this process reduces safety concerns associated with manual look up and calculation of these parameters, especially when many subjects at different doses and dose rates are to be safely managed.

Zika virus in India: past, present and future

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arthropod-borne flavivirus that presents with acute febrile illness associated with rash, arthralgia and conjunctivitis. After years of sporadic reports in Africa, the three major outbreaks of this disease occurred in Yap Islands (2007), French Polynesia (2013-14) and South Americas (2015-16). Although, serological surveys suggested the presence of ZIKV in India in 1950s, cross-reactivity could not be ruled out. The first four proven cases of ZIKV from India were reported in 2017. This was followed by major outbreaks in the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in 2018. Fortunately, the outbreaks in India were not associated with neurological complications. These outbreaks in India highlighted the spread of this disease beyond geographical barriers owing to the growing globalization, increased travel and ubiquitous presence of its vector, the Aedes mosquito. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, clinical features and management of ZIKV in India.

Recommendations on scuba diving in Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome

INTRODUCTION

Although very uncommon, severe injury and death can occur during scuba diving. One of the main causes of scuba diving fatalities is pulmonary barotrauma due to significant changes in ambient pressure. Pathology of the lung parenchyma, such as cystic lesions, might increase the risk of pulmonary barotrauma.

AREAS COVERED

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHD), caused by pathogenic variants in the FLCN gene, is characterized by skin fibrofolliculomas, an increased risk of renal cell carcinoma, multiple lung cysts and spontaneous pneumothorax. Given the pulmonary involvement, in some countries patients with BHD are generally recommended to avoid scuba diving, although evidence-based guidelines are lacking. We aim to provide recommendations on scuba diving for patients with BHD, based on a survey of literature on pulmonary cysts and pulmonary barotrauma in scuba diving.

EXPERT OPINION

In our opinion, although the absolute risks are likely to be low, caution is warranted. Given the relative paucity of literature and the potential fatal outcome, patients with BHD with a strong desire for scuba diving should be informed of the potential risks in a personal assessment. If available a diving physician should be consulted, and a low radiation dose chest computed tomography (CT)-scan to assess pulmonary lesions could be considered.

Long-Term Imaging Follow-up from the Management of Myelomeningocele Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Short-term results demonstrate that prenatal repair of a myelomeningocele is associated with a reduction in hydrocephalus and an increased likelihood of the reversal of Chiari II malformations compared with postnatal repair. The purpose of this study was to identify the long-term imaging findings at school age among subjects who underwent pre- versus postnatal repair of a myelomeningocele.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A subset of subjects enrolled in the Management of Myelomeningocele Study who underwent either prenatal (n = 66) or postnatal (n = 63) repair of a lumbosacral myelomeningocele and had follow-up brain MR imaging at school age were included. The prevalence of posterior fossa features of Chiari II malformation and supratentorial abnormalities and the change in these findings from fetal to school-age MR imaging were compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

Prenatal repair of a myelomeningocele was associated with higher rates of normal location of fourth ventricle and lower rates of hindbrain herniation, cerebellar herniation, tectal beaking, brainstem distortion, and kinking at school age compared with postnatal repair (all P < .01). Supratentorial abnormalities, including corpus callosal abnormalities, gyral abnormalities, heterotopia, and hemorrhage, were not significantly different between the 2 groups (all P > .05). The rates of resolution of brainstem kinking, tectal beaking, cerebellar and hindbrain herniation, and normalization of fourth ventricle size from fetal to school age MR imaging were higher among the prenatal compared with postnatal surgery group (all, P < .02).

CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal repair of a myelomeningocele is associated with persistent improvement in posterior fossa imaging findings of Chiari II malformation at school age compared with postnatal repair.

Abstract 747: Racial differences in clinical outcome in patients treated for clinically localized prostate cancer by radical prostatectomy

Introduction: African Americans (AA) had a higher mortality from prostate cancer than Caucasian Americans (CA). The racial disparity in the outcome of prostate cancer is explained by socioeconomic factors. However, if equally accessible to standard care, whether AA with prostate cancer have an inferior outcome than CAs remains unknown. To understand the biochemical recurrence free survival (RFS) after radical prostatectomy in a racial disparity perspective, we analyzed a large cohort of patients and made important observations.

Method: AA (n=1020) and CA (n=1263) who received prostatectomy for prostate cancer were included. Their demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics were compared using the Chi-squared test and the Wilcox-rank test. RFS between AA and CA was compared using Kaplan-Meier curves with stratified log-rank test and cox-ph models. The Gleason grade across multiple biopsies was summarized by spaghetti plot and compared by linear mixed models.

Results: Compared with CA, AA were younger at the time of prostatectomy (60.5 vs 62 years), had higher pre-operative PSA levels (5.7 vs 5.3 ng/mL), were fewer with Gleason grade of 5 (7.9% vs 13.3%) and lymph node metastasis (6.1% vs 9.5%), and waited longer from biopsy to prostatectomy (3 vs 2.3 months)(all p &lt;.05). Of note, longer RFS (16 vs 15.6 years, p=0.005) and higher 5-year RFS rate (0.82 vs 0.71) were observed in AA than CA. AA had a better RFS than CA (Hazard Ratio=1.25, p=0.05) after adjusting known prognostic factors (Table 1). For those who had multiple biopsies before prostatectomy, Gleason grade increased with time for AA (0.15 per year, p=0.005), but not for CA (-0.11 per year, p=0.06).

Conclusion: Our data showed that contrary to common belief, AA had a better RFS than CA after receiving prostatectomy. This study further supported the underlying biological difference of prostate cancer between AA and CA that requires future studies to elucidate.

RFS Summary HR Race African American 1020 (44.7) - Caucasian 1263 (55.3) 1.25 (1.00-1.58, p=0.05) Pre-operative PSA (ng/mL) Mean (SD) 7.5 (9.0) 1.01 (1.01-1.02, p&lt;0.001) Tumor volume (%) Mean (SD) 14.9 (14.5) 1.01 (1.00-1.02, p=0.02) Gleason Grade Group 1 375 (16.7) - 2 1060 (47.2) 1.84 (1.05-3.22, p=0.03) 3 435 (19.4) 3.91 (2.20-6.94, p&lt;0.001) 4 129 (5.7) 4.10 (2.25-7.47, p&lt;0.001) 5 249 (11.1) 3.82 (2.10-6.96, p&lt;0.001) Tumor margins Positive 730 (32.0) 1.78 (1.43-2.13, p&lt;0.001) Lymph vascular invasion Present 274 (12.0) 1.50 (1.10-2.05, p=0.01)

Citation Format: Pin Li, Wei Zhao, Shannon Carskadon, Craig Rogers, James Peabody, Mani Menon, Dhananjay Chitale, Sean Williamson, Nilesh Gupta, Nallasivam Palanisamy. Racial differences in clinical outcome in patients treated for clinically localized prostate cancer by radical prostatectomy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 747.

Abstract 5762: New perspective on racial disparities in prostate cancer: identification of new molecular subsets using whole-mount radical prostatectomy

Introduction: Prostate cancer is a heterogenous multifocal disease. We hypothesize that different tumor foci may harbor distinct driver molecular aberrations, making it a more complex disease and difficult to manage. To avoid overlooking smaller tumor foci with clinical and biological significance, we used an innovative approach to understand the genetic underpinnings of each tumor foci based on the molecular analysis of whole-mount radical prostatectomy specimens rather than a systematic sampling of dominant nodules alone. Our study aimed to identify distinct molecular subsets of prostate cancer, if any, and correlate them with clinical outcomes in Caucasians (CA) and African Americans (AA).

Method: We randomly selected 834 whole-mount radical prostatectomy tissues including 463 (56%) CA and 371 (44%) AA. We used combined dual immunohistochemistry (IHC) for ERG and SPINK1 and dual RNA in-situ hybridization (ISH) for ETV1 and ETV4. The racial disparity in aberrant oncogene expression was analyzed by the Chi-squared test. The recurrence-free survival (RFS) of patients with distinct molecular subsets of prostate cancer was examined by the Kaplan-Meier method and cox-ph models. The Gleason’s grades of prostate biopsies were summarized by spaghetti plot and compared by linear mixed models.

Results: Patients with localized prostate cancer expressing none, one, two, and three of four oncogenes were 16.4%, 58.4%, 21.7%, and 3.5%, respectively. The expression of ERG and SPINK1 was negatively correlated (odds ratio (OR)=0.38, 95% CI 0.29-0.51, p&lt;.001). Compared with CA, AA had a lower incidence of ERG (38.8% vs 60.3%), a higher incidence of SPINK1 (63.3% vs 35.6%), and similar incidences of ETV1 (9.4% vs 9.3%) and ETV4 (4.6% vs 3.9%). Importantly, ETV1 expression was associated with a worse RFS in CAs (hazard ratio (HR)=2.49, 95% CI 1.15-5.38, p=.02). ETV4 expression was associated with a worse RFS in AA (HR=3.11, 95% CI 1.32-8.04, p=.01). In addition, ETV4 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis in AA (OR=4.0, 95% CI 1.06-12.44, p=.02) but not in CA (OR=0.56, 95% CI 0.03-2.85, p=.57). For those who had multiple biopsies before radical prostatectomy, Gleason’s grade increased with time in AA (0.23 per year, p&lt;.001) but was unchanged in CA. ERG expression was associated with a lower Gleason grade (-0.20, p=.03). ETV4 was associated with a higher Gleason grade (0.50, p=.02).

Conclusion: Our findings showed the molecular heterogeneity between CA and AA who had localized prostate cancer, and supported ETV1 and ETV4 as prognostic markers that can be incorporated into clinical practice to better predict prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy in CA and AA, respectively.

Citation Format: Wei Zhao, Pin Li, Shannon Carskadon, Craig Rogers, James Peabody, Mani Menon, Dhananjay Chitale, Sean Williamson, Nilesh Gupta, Nallasivam Palanisamy. New perspective on racial disparities in prostate cancer: identification of new molecular subsets using whole-mount radical prostatectomy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5762.

The Comparative Accuracy of BISAP and PANC3 Scoring System for the Disease Severity and Outcome in Acute Pancreatitis in Tertiary Care Hospital from North India

Background Acute pancreatitis has local and systemic manifestations, so it's important to assess the severity by various scoring system. Among them bed side index for severity of acute pancreatitis and pancreatitis three score have been considered to be more predictive and easier. Objective To determine the comparative prognostic value of bed side index for severity of acute pancreatitis and pancreatitis 3 score and its correlation with the outcome. Method A prospective observational study was conducted on 50 cases of acute pancreatitis. The patients were assessed clinically, radiologically and biochemically and were categorised into mild, moderate and severe category as per Atlanta Classification. Bed side index for severity of acute pancreatitis and pancreatitis 3 score was calculated at the time of admission and followed till the time of discharge or they had mortality. Result Receiver operating characteristic curve, showed bed side Index for severity of acute pancreatitis score had sensitivity (66.67%), specificity (84.09%), diagnostic accuracy (84%) while pancreatitis 3 score had sensitivity (50%), specificity (81.82%), diagnostic accuracy (80%) for the severity of acute pancreatitis. Bed side index for severity of acute pancreatitis had sensitivity (100%), specificity (66.67%) and Pancreatitis 3 score had sensitivity (66.67%), specificity (80.85%) for predicting the mortality in acute pancreatitis. Conclusion Bed side index for severity of acute pancreatitis and pancreatitis 3 score are both simple, bedside tool for assessing the severity and mortality but bed side index for severity of acute pancreatitis score had better sensitivity, specificity for assessing the severity and mortality as compared to pancreatitis three score.

Added value of the measles-rubella supplementary immunization activity in reaching unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children, a cross-sectional study in five Indian districts, 2018-20

INTRODUCTION

Supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) aim to interrupt measles transmission by reaching susceptible children, including children who have not received the recommended two routine doses of MCV before the SIA. However, both strategies may miss the same children if vaccine doses are highly correlated. How well SIAs reach children missed by routine immunization is a key metric in assessing the added value of SIAs.

METHODS

Children aged 9 months to younger than 5 years were enrolled in cross-sectional household serosurveys conducted in five districts in India following the 2017-2019 measles-rubella (MR) SIA. History of measles containing vaccine (MCV) through routine services or SIA was obtained from documents and verbal recall. Receipt of a first or second MCV dose during the SIA was categorized as "added value" of the SIA in reaching un- and under-vaccinated children.

RESULTS

A total of 1,675 children were enrolled in these post-SIA surveys. The percentage of children receiving a 1st or 2nd dose through the SIA ranged from 12.8% in Thiruvananthapuram District to 48.6% in Dibrugarh District. Although the number of zero-dose children prior to the SIA was small in most sites, the proportion reached by the SIA ranged from 45.8% in Thiruvananthapuram District to 94.9% in Dibrugarh District. Fewer than 7% of children remained measles zero-dose after the MR SIA (range: 1.1-6.4%) compared to up to 28% before the SIA (range: 7.3-28.1%).

DISCUSSION

We demonstrated the MR SIA provided considerable added value in terms of measles vaccination coverage, although there was variability across districts due to differences in routine and SIA coverage, and which children were reached by the SIA. Metrics evaluating the added value of an SIA can help to inform the design of vaccination strategies to better reach zero-dose or undervaccinated children.

Erector spinae plane block for peri-operative analgesia in a patient undergoing surgery for Ewing's sarcoma of the clavicle

The erector spinae plane block is a regional anaesthetic technique originally developed to manage thoracic neuropathic pain. It is popular because of its ease of learning and its applicability in various types of surgeries, providing both cutaneous and visceral analgesia. We report a case of a 30-year-old man who underwent excision of Ewing's sarcoma of the clavicle with brachiocephalic vein repair and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction under general anaesthesia, with bilateral erector spinae plane block, with catheter insertion on the side of the lesion. The operation necessitated peri-operative anticoagulation, and so erector spinae blocks were performed to provide analgesia where epidural insertion was contraindicated. Adequate pain relief was achieved during the entire postoperative stay. The erector spinae plane block is thought to work due to the direct spread and diffusion of local anaesthetic into the posterior rami of spinal nerves located deep to the erector spinae muscles, and anterior spread into paravertebral space with additional effect potentially due to systemic absorption This case highlights the role of the erector spinae plane block in complex clavicular surgery requiring peri-operative anticoagulation, and potentially obviates the need for neuraxial analgesia.

Noise survey of neonatal intensive care unit at a government tertiary-care centre

BACKGROUND

With technological advancement, Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) have become noisier than ever. Studies have shown the detrimental effects of increasing noise in NICU on growing pre-term and sick neonates. The present study aimed to survey the amount of noise in one of the NICU blocks of a government tertiary care centre and explore ways to control it when dealing with these sick babies.

METHODS

A detailed noise survey was carried out, for February 2023, in one of the two blocks of NICU in a government tertiary-care centre. The noise measurements were performed using two "Sound Ear 3" noise meters. The analyses were done in Leq (equivalent continuous sound levels) A-weighted decibels (dBA).

RESULTS

The extracted data analysis revealed that the NICU block was exposed to a mean Leq of 67.78 dBA noise with a maximum of 89.0 dBA. There was a significant difference between the values noted in devices at different locations and across different periods. There were certain instances (57 and 42 for two devices) when there were sudden spikes in the noise levels beyond 80 dBA. It was also seen that noise was more than 65 dBA most of the time (72% and 66% for the two devices).

CONCLUSION

The noise survey carried out over one month revealed a considerable amount of noise in the NICU of a government tertiary-care centre. The study also explored ways such as environmental modification, human behavior modification, awareness programs, and neonatal-centered modifications to reduce the noise and lower its detrimental effects on the growth of neonates.

Long QT syndrome-associated calmodulin mutations and their interactions with the Kv7.1 voltage-gated potassium channel

Introduction

Calmodulin (CaM) is a highly conserved mediator of calcium (Ca2+) dependent signalling. Its flexible structure allows CaM to bind and modulate many targets, including cardiac ion channels. Genotyping has revealed several CaM mutations associated with congenital disorders of heart rhythm, known as long QT-syndrome (LQTS). LQTS patients suffer from prolonged ventricular recovery times (QT-interval) which increases their risk of significant cardiac events. Loss of function KV7.1 mutations are the largest cause of LQTS, accounting for &gt;50% of cases. CaM facilitates Ca2+-sensitivity to KV7.1 in producing IKs, Kv7.1 mutations which reduce CaM binding promote LQTS pathology. However, the effects of LQTS-associated CaM mutations on Kv7.1 function remain unknown.

Purpose

To determine the biophysical consequences of congenital LQTS-associated CaM mutations and how they alter modulation of Kv7.1 in producing the ventricular repolarising IKs current.

Methods

WT and mutant CaM proteins were recombinantly expressed and purified for biophysical characterisation. Using circular dichroism, secondary structures and thermostability of proteins were quantified. Isothermal titration calorimetry was used to quantitatively measure interactions between CaM proteins and binding sites of KV7.1 (Helix B). NMR was employed to study the conformations of target-bound WT and mutant proteins. Whole cell currents were determined using voltage clamp electrophysiology in HEK cells.

Results

Mutations significantly changed the thermostability and secondary structure distributions of CaM, and also caused site-dependent increases in susceptibility to protease digestion. CaM interacted with Helix B (KV7.1) via both Ca2+-dependent and independent mechanisms. Ca2+ dependent binding to Helix B was much higher affinity than Ca2+-independent binding, with &gt;2000-fold reduction in dissociation constant measured. LQTS-CaM variants reduced Helix B affinity with the largest reductions found in EF-hand IV mutants. These mutants also adopted most distinct conformations when Helix B-bound. Calmodulation of the KV7.1 channel produced larger (IKs) currents without altering channel activation kinetics. IKs exhibited Ca2+-sensitivity, in response to increased cytosolic Ca2+, larger currents were generated. Modulation by CaM mutants reduced current density at systolic Ca2+-concentrations (1000 nM), within physiological time periods (0.35 s), revealing a direct QT-prolonging modulatory effect.

Conclusions

Provided here are mechanistic insights as to how LQTS-associated CaM variants contribute to electrical disease of the heart. Mutations in the highly conserved structure of CaM disrupt protein conformation and perturb complex formation with KV7.1. This results in aberrant Ca2+-sensitivity of Kv7.1, reducing IKs generation. This ultimately decreases the repolarisation capacity of cells and would extend the QT interval of myocytes.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): British Heart Foundation Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellowship

Disease-associated calmodulin mutations disrupt L-type Ca2+ channel (Cav1.2) activity and CaMKIIdelta phosphorylation in long QT syndrome

Introduction

Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) is a major inherited arrhythmia syndrome that can cause sudden cardiac death. Using genome sequencing in human patients, mutations in the ubiquitous calcium (Ca2+) sensor protein calmodulin (CaM) have been associated to LQTS. CaM is an ion channel regulator and can modulate the activity of the voltage-gated calcium channel (Cav1.2) and Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKIIδ), involved in cardiac muscle contraction. However the molecular mechanism by which CaM mutations contribute to irregular heartbeats remains unclear.

Methods

Interaction of CaM proteins with Cav1.2 and CaMKIId synthetic peptides (Cav1.2-NSCaTE51–68, Cav1.2-IQ1665–1685, Cav1.2-C1627–1652, CaMKIIδ294–315,) was investigated using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) and X-ray crystallography. Whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology was used to determine the effect of CaM mutations on L-type Ca2+ currents and Ca2+-dependent inactivation (CDI). CaMKIIδ phosphorylation activity was determined by western blot and fluorescence kinase assay.

Results

Binding affinity of CaMKIId and Cav1.2 peptides to the LQTS-associated CaM variants was significantly reduced, up to 7-fold. Interestingly, the Cav1.2-IQ1665–1685 peptide showed a stronger binding, up to 2-fold, towards LQTS-CaM mutants. Crystal structures of Ca2+-CaM:CaMKIId294–315 showed structural alterations induced by LQTS associated mutations. In addition, we demonstrated that CaMKIIδ autophosphorylation and kinase activity can be significantly reduced by LQTS-associated CaM mutants. Electrophysiological examination of Cav1.2 function revealed that CaM mutations significantly impaired channel CDI, without affecting the voltage dependence of activation and inactivation.

Conclusions

These data demonstrate a strong correlation between LQTS-associated CaM mutations and Cav1.2 activity. We provide molecular insights into the diverse factors contributing to CaM-mediated arrhythmias.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): British Heart Foundation Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellowship

Recurrent KRAS mutations are early events in the development of papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity

We evaluated the clinicopathologic and molecular characteristics of mostly incidentally detected, small, papillary renal neoplasms with reverse polarity (PRNRP). The cohort comprised 50 PRNRP from 46 patients, divided into 2 groups. The clinically undetected (<5 mm) neoplasms (n = 34; 68%) had a median size of 1.1 mm (range 0.2-4.3 mm; mean 1.4 mm), and the clinically detected (≥5 mm) neoplasms (n = 16; 32%) which had a median size of 13 mm (range 9-30 mm; mean 16 mm). Neoplasms were positive for GATA3 (n = 47; 100%) and L1CAM (n = 34/38; 89%) and were negative for vimentin (n = 0/44; 0%) and, to a lesser extent, AMACR [(n = 12/46; 26%; weak = 9, weak/moderate = 3)]. KRAS mutations were found in 44% (n = 15/34) of the clinically undetected PRNRP and 88% of the clinically detected PRNRP (n = 14/16). The two clinically detected PRNRP with wild-type KRAS gene were markedly cystic and contained microscopic intracystic tumors. In the clinically undetected PRNRP, the detected KRAS mutations rate was higher in those measuring ≥1 mm vs <1 mm [n = 14/19 (74%) vs n = 1/15 (7%)]. Overall, the KRAS mutations were present in exon 2-codon 12: c.35 G > T (n = 21), c.34 G > T (n = 3), c.35 G > A (n = 2), c.34 G > C (n = 2) resulting in p.Gly12Val, p. Gly12Asp, p.Gly12Cys and p.Gly12Arg, respectively. One PRNRP had a G12A/V/D complex mutation. Twenty-six PRNRP were concurrently present with other tumors of different histologic subtypes in the ipsilateral kidney; molecular testing of 8 of the latter showed wild-type KRAS gene despite the presence of KRAS mutations in 5 concurrent PRNRP. On follow up, no adverse pathologic events were seen (range 1-160 months; mean 44 months). In conclusion, the presence of KRAS mutations in small, clinically undetected PRNRP provides a unique finding to this entity and supports its being an early event in the development of these neoplasms.

Transthoracic Migration of a Foreign Body into the Diaphragm from the Gunshot Injury and Its Management in a Child: A Case Report

Intrapleural foreign bodies (FB) are rare and uncommon, while diaphragmatic FB secondary to gunshot injury in a child is still rarer. We now describe a 9-year-old male with a history of self-inflicted accidental air gun injury on the right side of the midline of the sternum with transthoracic migration of FB—lead bullet—measuring 1cm x1.4cm into the diaphragm managed initially with intercostal tube drainage for right hemopneumothorax at the different center underwent thoracoscopy followed by minithoracotomy and retrieval under C-arm guidance that has not been reported in the literature.

A National Equity Initiative to Address Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries: Findings and Recommendation from the Nepal NCDI Poverty Commission

We aimed to assess the burden of NCDIs across socioeconomic groups, their economic impact, existing health service readiness and availability, current policy frameworks and national investment, and planned programmatic initiatives in Nepal through a comprehensive literature review. Secondary data from Global Burden of Disease estimates from GBD 2015 and National Living Standard Survey 2011 were used to estimate the burden of NCDI and present the relationship of NCDI burden with socioeconomic status. The Commission used these data to define priority NCDI conditions and recommend potential cost-effective, poverty-averting, and equity-promoting health system interventions. NCDIs disproportionately affect the health and well-being of poorer populations in Nepal and cause significant impoverishment. The Commission found a high diversity of NCDIs in Nepal, with approximately 60% of the morbidity and mortality caused by NCDIs without primary quantified behavioral or metabolic risk factors, and nearly half of all NCDI-related DALYs occurring in Nepalese younger than 40 years. The Commission prioritized an expanded set of twenty-five NCDI conditions and recommended introduction or scale-up of twenty-three evidence-based health sector interventions. Implementation of these interventions would avert an estimated 9680 premature deaths per annum by 2030 and would cost approximately $8.76 per capita. The Commission modelled potential financing mechanisms, including increased excise taxation on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages, which would provide significant revenue for NCDI-related expenditures. Overall, the Commission's conclusions are expected to be a valuable contribution to equitable NCDI planning in Nepal and similar resource-constrained settings globally.

Kyasanur forest disease: a state-of-the-art review

Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) virus is a flavivirus that can be transmitted to humans from monkeys or other mammals through hard ticks (Haemaphysalis spinigera). The disease is endemic to 16 districts in 5 states of Southern India and is reported in the dry season, most commonly in humans travelling to the forests in these areas. The aim of this systematic review is to raise awareness of the clinical and laboratory manifestation of KFD among physicians and travel medicine practitioners. A total of 153 articles were screened of which 16 articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included for qualitative analysis. KFD is an acute haemorrhagic fever with a biphasic component in some individuals. The second phase is usually marked by neurological symptoms. Leucopoenia, thrombocytopenia and elevated transaminases are the hallmarks of the first phase of KFD. The diagnostic modality of choice in the first few days of illness is polymerase chain reaction assay, whereas serology is used in the late phase. In the absence of a specific antiviral treatment, the clinical management of patients is limited to supportive care. Avoidance of exposure and vaccination is recommended to prevent this infection.

Hedonic perception of odors in children aged 5-8 years is similar across 18 countries: Preliminary data

OBJECTIVE

Olfactory preference emerges very early in life, and the sense of smell in children rapidly develops until the second decade of life. It is still unclear whether hedonic perception of odors is shared in children inhabiting different regions of the globe.

METHODS

Five-hundred ten healthy children (N = 510; n_girls = 256; n_boys = 254) aged from 5 to 8 years from 18 countries rated the pleasantness of 17 odors.

RESULTS

The hedonic perception of odors in children aged between 5 and 8 years was rather consistent across 18 countries and mainly driven by the qualities of an odor and the overall ability of children to label odorants.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions from this study, being a secondary analysis, are limited to the presented set of odors that were initially selected for the development of U-Sniff test and present null findings for the cross-cultural variability in hedonic perception of odors across 18 countries. These two major issues should be addressed in the future to either contradict or replicate the results presented herewith. This research lays fundament for posing further research questions about the developmental aspects of hedonic perception of odors and opens a new door for investigating cross-cultural differences in chemosensory perception of children.

Bochdalek Hernia and Partial Diaphragmatic Agenesis: Pedicled Intercostal Muscle Flap and Mesh Repair in a Young Adult with Sickle Cell Disease

Congenital Bochdalek hernia (BH) in an adult is rare and has an unusual presentation. They are confined to the pediatric age group with an incidence of 1:3,000 live births. It rarely persists asymptomatic until adulthood. Surgical repair by thoracic, abdominal, or thoraco-abdominal approach is the treatment of choice with diaphragmatic reconstruction in associated diaphragmatic agenesis. With only 10 cases of BH with partial diaphragmatic agenesis reported to date, we discuss the rarity, unusual presentation, and management of BH in a young adult with sickle cell disease that has not been reported in the literature.

Description of Surgical Technique and Oncologic and Functional Outcomes of the Precision Prostatectomy Procedure (IDEAL Stage 1-2b Study)

BACKGROUND

The existing treatment options for men with intermediate- or high-volume low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) are associated with a substantial risk of over- or undertreatment. The development of risk-adjusted therapies is an unmet need for these patients.

OBJECTIVE

To describe our novel technique of precision prostatectomy, a form of surgical focal therapy that allows radical excision of the index PCa lesion along with >90% prostatic tissue extirpation while preserving the prostatic capsule and seminal vesicle/vas deferens complex on the side contralateral to the dominant cancer lesion, and to report on medium-term functional and oncologic outcomes in the first 88 consecutive men who underwent this procedure between December 2016 and January 2020.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Men with (1) prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤20 ng/ml, (2) clinical T stage ≤cT2, (3) a dominant unilateral lesion with Gleason ≤ 4 + 3 disease with any number or percentage of cores involved ipsilaterally on prostate biopsy, (4) no primary Gleason ≥4 lesion contralaterally, and (5) a preoperative Sexual Health Inventory of Men (SHIM) score of ≥17 (out of 25) with/without phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor use who consented to undergo precision prostatectomy were included in this single-arm, single-center, IDEAL stage 2b prospective development study.

INTERVENTION

Robotic precision prostatectomy.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The safety and urinary, sexual, and oncologic outcomes of the precision prostatectomy technique were studied. Descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to assess 12-mo urinary continence (0-1 pad), 12-mo sexual potency (SHIM score ≥17), 36-mo freedom from clinically significant PCa (grade group ≥2), secondary treatments, metastatic disease, and mortality.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

At study entry, the median age, PSA, and SHIM score were 60.0 yr (interquartile range [IQR] 54.2-65.9), 5.7 ng/ml (IQR 4.2-7.1), and 22 points (IQR 19-24), respectively. The median follow-up was 25 mo (IQR 14-38). At 12 mo, all patients were continent (0-1 pads), with 90.9% of patients using 0 pads. The median time to urinary continence was 1 mo (IQR 1-4). At 12 mo, 85% of all-comers and 90.2% of the preoperatively potent men were potent. The median time to sexual potency was 4 mo (IQR 4-12). From an oncologic standpoint, at 36 mo an estimated 93.4% of the patients were free from clinically significant residual PCa and 91.7% had not undergone any additional treatment. All patients were alive and free of metastatic disease at 36 mo.

CONCLUSIONS

Precision prostatectomy is technically safe and reproducible and offers excellent postoperative functional results. At 36-mo follow-up, the oncologic outcomes and secondary treatment rates appear to be superior to existing ablative focal therapy results. Pending long-term data, a risk-stratified surgical approach to PCa may avoid whole-gland therapy and preserve functional quality of life in men with localized PCa.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Precision prostatectomy is a new form of focal therapy for intermediate-risk prostate cancer in which a 5-10-mm rim of prostate capsule is left on the opposite side of the gland to where the dominant cancer is located. The technique appears to be safe and efficacious and adds to the growing armamentarium of risk-adapted therapies for treatment of localized prostate cancer that avoid the adverse effects on urinary and erectile function of whole-gland treatments.

MR Imaging Differences in the Circle of Willis between Healthy Children and Adults

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Asymmetries in the circle of Willis have been associated with several conditions, including migraines and stroke, but they may also be age-dependent. This study examined the impact of age and age-dependent changes in cerebral perfusion on circle of Willis anatomy in healthy children and adults.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed an observational, cross-sectional study of bright and black-blood imaging of the proximal cerebral vasculature using TOF-MRA and T2 sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts by using different flip angle evolution (T2-SPACE) imaging at the level of the circle of Willis in 23 healthy children and 43 healthy adults (4-74 years of age). We compared arterial diameters measured manually and cerebral perfusion via pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling between children and adults.

RESULTS

We found that the summed cross-sectional area of the circle of Willis is larger in children than in adults, though the effect size was smaller with T2-SPACE-based measurements than with TOF-MRA. The circle of Willis is also more symmetric in children, and nonvisualized segments occur more frequently in adults than in children. Moreover, the size and symmetry of the circle of Willis correlate with cerebral perfusion.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that the circle of Willis is different in size and symmetry in healthy children compared with adults, likely associated with developmental changes in cerebral perfusion. Further work is needed to understand why asymmetric vasculature develops in some but not all adults.

The Potential and Limitations of Precision Oncology: Lessons Learned from Whole-Exome Sequencing in an Exceptional Response to Everolimus in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

Through elucidating the genetic mechanisms of drug sensitivity, precision medicine aims to improve patient selection and response to therapy. Exceptional responders are patients that exhibit exquisite and durable responses to targeted therapy, providing a rare opportunity to identify the molecular basis of drug sensitivity. We identified an exceptional responder to everolimus, an oral inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, in a patient with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Through whole-exome sequencing on pretreatment and metastatic tumor DNA, we identified alterations in several mTOR pathway genes, with several mutations implicated in mTOR activation. Importantly, these alterations are currently not included in commercially available next-generation sequencing panels, suggesting that precision medicine is still limited in its ability to predict responses to mTOR-targeted therapies. Further research to discover and validate predictive biomarkers of response to everolimus and other targeted therapies is urgently needed. Given the rarity of patients with exceptional responses to targeted agents, cooperative efforts to understand the molecular basis for these phenotypes are essential.

Systematic review of health workforce surge capacity during COVID-19 and other viral pandemics

Background

Healthcare decision-makers need comprehensive evidence to mitigate surges in the demand for human resources for health (HRH) during infectious disease outbreaks, in terms of both short- and longer-term impacts. This study aimed to assess the state of the evidence to address HRH surge capacity during COVID-19 and other outbreaks of global significance in the 21st century.

Methods

We systematically searched eight bibliographic databases to extract primary research articles published between 01/2000-06/2020, capturing temporal changes in HRH requirements and responses surrounding viral respiratory infection pandemics. A systems approach was used, considering providers in hospitals, out-of-hospital systems, emergency medical services, and public health. We narratively synthesized the evidence following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) standard.

Results

Of the 1,155 retrieved records, 16 studies met our inclusion criteria; of these, 5 focused on COVID-19, 3 on H1N1, and 8 on a hypothetical pandemic. Different training, mobilization, and redeployment options to address pandemic-time health system capacity were assessed. Few governance scenarios drew on observational HRH data allowing for comparability across contexts. Notable evidence gaps included occupational and psychosocial factors affecting healthcare workers' absenteeism and risk of burnout, gendered considerations of HRH capacity, evaluations in low- and lower-middle income countries, and policy-actionable assessments to inform post-pandemic recovery and sustainability of services for noncommunicable disease management.

Conclusions

This research emphasized the critical need for timely, internationally comparable, and equity-informative HRH data and research to enhance preparedness, response, and recovery policies for this and future pandemics. Full paper is available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.3137

Key messages

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical need for enhanced health workforce data and research, including better tracking of demographics, exposures, infections and deaths of health workers. Although women comprise 70% of the health workforce in many countries, gender-blindness persists in the global literature on health workforce research and governance in public health emergencies./bodyt