Intraoperative botulinum toxin injection in sleeve gastrectomy, a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background: Botulinum toxin injection of the pylorus (BP) improves gastric transit after esophagectomy (Saeed et al. in Surg Endosc 38(10):6046-52, 2024). At our institution, BP has been used as an adjunct to sleeve gastrectomy (SG) to reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

Acquired Methemoglobinemia Following Nitrobenzene Poisoning: An Unusual Case Report.

Methemoglobinemia is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition characterized by the oxidation of hemoglobin iron from ferrous (Fe²⁺) to ferric (Fe³⁺) state, impairing its oxygen-carrying capacity. Acquired forms can be triggered by exposure to oxidizing agents, such as nitrobenzene. We present the case of a 32-year-old female who developed symptomatic methemoglobinemia following oral ingestion of a commercial stimulant product containing nitrobenzene.

Mentoring the Students for Competency-Based Medical Education: What, Why, and How?

Mentoring is a process whereby the mentor guides the mentee in a way that empowers the mentee to achieve his full potential. Although traditionally mentoring was one-on-one, in the current times there are several other ways to mentor, including group, online, peer, near-peer, and speed mentoring. Mentoring is a vital component of competency-based medical education, with benefits for the mentees, the mentors, the institute, and the society at large.

Microbiome-based therapeutics towards healthier aging and longevity.

The gut microbiome is our lifetime companion, regulating our health from birth throughout the lifespan. The gut microbiome composition changes continually with age, influencing both physiological and immunological development. Emerging evidence highlights the close association, and thus implication, of the microbiome with healthy disease-free aging and longevity.

UVC-Intense Exoplanets May Not Be Uninhabitable: Evidence from a Desert Lichen.

Many of the recently discovered Earth-like exoplanets are hosted by M and F stars, stars that emit intense UVC, especially during a flare. We studied whether such planets are nevertheless habitable by irradiating a desert lichen, with 254-nm 55 W/m UVC nonstop for 3 months in the laboratory. Only 50% of its algal photobiont cells were inactivated.

Reversal of Chorea Hyperglycemia Basal Ganglia Syndrome With Glycemic Control: A Case Report.

Chorea Hyperglycemia Basal Ganglia Syndrome (CHBG) is an uncommon neurological complication arising in diabetic patients with severe, non-ketotic hyperglycemia. This case report describes a 50-year-old woman presenting with new-onset, choreiform movements in her extremities. Initial workup revealed uncontrolled diabetes (plasma glucose 410 mg/dl, HbA1c 11.

Capacity Building of Teachers of Health Professions to Use Assessment as a Tool for Learning for Supporting Competency-based Curricula.

The authors describe a faculty development program to build the capacity of teachers of health professions. The program is offered in the form of a fellowship in hybrid mode and is centered around the concept of "assessment as learning." It harnesses the power of assessment to promote learning, uses near peer teaching, and requires the participants to apply this knowledge for an assessment project.

Development of nutri-functional paneer whey-based kefir drink.

Present research focused on biotransformation of paneer whey into a functional fermented product using kefir culture. Out of 9 formulations (S-1 to S-9) tried; S-8, obtained by fermenting FOS (1%) supplemented paneer whey and adding 8% refined sugar, was identified as the most acceptable product. Nutritional analysis revealed the following as per 100 g of product: 44.

Professional Identity Formation in Indian Undergraduate Medical Students.

Medical training in India is experiencing a paradigm shift. The competency-based medical education (CBME) for undergraduate medical training was adopted from the admission session 2019. The Indian Medical Graduate (IMG) was identified under CBME, by explicitly documenting its roles viz.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on racial disparities in postoperative outcomes after bariatric surgery.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the outcomes and access to elective surgery across the United States. This study hypothesized that preexisting racial and ethnic disparities were exacerbated by the pandemic for bariatric surgery.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated the outcome disparities in 1,046,578 patients who underwent bariatric surgery from 2016-2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) to 2020-2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic) using the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database.

An evidence based comprehensive review on thiacloprid, a pesticide residue, induced toxicity: Unveiling hazard to human health.

Thiacloprid, a hazardous neonicotinoid insecticide, prevalent in daily agricultural practices, raises concerns due to the harmful effects of its residues on food items, and on unintended organisms poses a significant threat to human health. Introduced in 1990, Thiacloprid have gained popularity for its perceived effectiveness and reduced risks to non-target animals. However, emerging research in recent years reports significant toxic effects of Thiacloprid on non-target species, spanning neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and reproductive issues.

Men's perspectives on public-space sexual harassment of women in South Asia.

The ubiquity of public-space sexual harassment (PSH) of women in the global South, particularly in South Asia, is both a public health and gender equity issue. This study examined men's experiences with and perspectives on PSH of women in three countries with shared cultural norms and considerable gender inequalities - Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. The three-country survey in 2021-2022 was completed by 237 men who were generally young, urban, single, well-educated, and middle-/high-income.

Forgoing Preoperative Manometry for Minimally Invasive Hiatal Hernia Repair.

Introduction: Hiatal hernia commonly occurs in adults. Although most patients are asymptomatic, some experience reflux symptoms or dysphagia. These patients are frequently managed with acid suppression and lifestyle changes.

Exploring the preferences of traditional versus Western medicine in the Spiti Valley region of India: A qualitative approach.

Background: Traditional healing practices are prevalent in rural and mountainous areas of India where Western medicine is not accessible. WHO guidelines recommend integration of traditional and Western medicine to meet rural primary care needs. We explored three dimensions of rural patients' decision-making and satisfaction with their medical care: pregnancy-related concerns, pediatric care for children under five, and acute injuries.

Reflection: A Tool for Learning and Assessment in Competency-Based Curriculum.

Reflection helps us learn from experiences, build good doctor-patient relationships and a professional identity. It also holds an important place in the competency-based curriculum as a tool for assessment, especially for competencies that cannot be assessed by conventional means. To embed reflection in the curriculum, we need to explicitly teach how to reflect, make it a habit by integrating it into the various curricular activities, assess reflections formatively, and provide an environment that allows guided reflections, taking care of ethical and emotional aspects.

Exploring novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying Bisphenol A-induced toxicity: A persistent threat to human health.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous industrial chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, found in numerous consumer products. Despite its widespread use, its potential adverse health effects have raised significant concerns. This review explores the molecular mechanisms and evidence-based literature underlying BPA-induced toxicities and its implications for human health.

Developing and Implementing a Web-Based Branching Logic Survey to Support Psychiatric Crisis Evaluations of Individuals With Developmental Disabilities: Qualitative Study and Evaluation of Validity.

Background: Individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) experience increased rates of emotional and behavioral crises that necessitate assessment and intervention. Psychiatric disorders can contribute to crises; however, screening measures developed for the general population are inadequate for those with DD. Medical conditions can exacerbate crises and merit evaluation.

Primary renal leukaemia in a young adult male as an extramedullary presentation of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Primary renal involvement by T lymphoblasts is rare among adults with T acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. We report a 28-year-old man presenting with acute renal failure due to infiltration by T lymphoblasts and his response to paediatric-inspired modified BFM-90 protocol. The patient achieved an initial complete remission (CR) but developed central nervous system relapse.

Skill or Competency: What Should we be Assessing?

India introduced competency-based medical education (CBME) in the year 2019. There is often confusion between terms like ability, skill, and competency. The provided curriculum encourages teaching and assessing skills rather than competencies.

Loss-of-Resistance Versus Dynamic Pressure-Sensing Technology for Successful Placement of Thoracic Epidural Catheters: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: The traditional loss-of-resistance (LOR) technique for thoracic epidural catheter placement can be associated with a high primary failure rate. In this study, we compared the traditional LOR technique and dynamic pressure-sensing (DPS) technology for primary success rate and secondary outcomes pertinent to identifying the thoracic epidural space.

Methods: This pragmatic, randomized, patient- and assessor-blinded superiority trial enrolled patients ages 18 to 75 years, scheduled for major thoracic or abdominal surgeries at a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Tumor-homing peptide iRGD-conjugate enhances tumor accumulation of camptothecin for colon cancer therapy.

Poor intracellular uptake of therapeutics in the tumor parenchyma is a key issue in cancer therapy. We describe a novel approach to enhance tumor targeting and achieve targeted delivery of camptothecin (CPT) based on a tumor-homing internalizing RGD peptide (iRGD). We synthesized an iRGD-camptothecin conjugate (iRGD-CPT) covalently coupled by a heterobifunctional linker and evaluated its in vitro and in vivo activity in human colon cancer cells.

Gut microbiome as a therapeutic target for liver diseases.

The prominent role of gut in regulating the physiology of different organs in a human body is increasingly acknowledged, to which the bidirectional communication between gut and liver is no exception. Liver health is modulated via different key components of gut-liver axis. The gut-derived products mainly generated from dietary components, microbial metabolites, toxins, or other antigens are sensed and transported to the liver through portal vein to which liver responds by secreting bile acids and antibodies.