Pembrolizumab-Induced Retroperitoneal Fibrosis Detected on 68Ga-FAPi PET/CT.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have improved progression and overall survival in patients progressing on sorafenib therapy. But activation of the immune system can lead to numerous immune-related adverse events.

Prospective study on combined use of Sabouraud dextrose agar and blood agar for improved recovery of etiological agents in mycotic and Pythium keratitis.

We evaluated the effectiveness of using blood agar (BA) and Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) together to isolate fungi and Pythium insidiosum for the diagnosis of fungal and Pythium keratitis respectively. The overall recovery rate was higher in SDA than BA (93.75 % vs 88.

A Mixed-Methods Assessment of India's Health Technology Assessment Ecosystem.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the technical quality of health technology assessment (HTA) studies conducted in India. Second, we aim to identify process-related challenges across the life cycle of an HTA from commissioning to policy translation.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed to assess HTA studies conducted between 2018 and 2023 conducted by ten regional resource centers.

Nurse-Led Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Medication Errors in Pediatric ICU.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a context-specific, nurse-driven medication errors bundle in reducing the incidence of medication errors (MEs) by ≥ 50% in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Methods: We conducted a prospective, before-and-after quality improvement study, between February and November 2023, in a 15-bedded multidisciplinary PICU of a tertiary public hospital in northern India. Prescriptions advised to children hospitalized during the study period were analyzed.

Time Since Death Estimation via mRNA Expression of GAPDH and ACTB in Human Skeletal Muscle.

Meticulous determination of the time since death (TSD) is critical in certain criminal investigations. This study aimed to identify optimal markers for TSD estimation and develop a mathematical model applicable under varying conditions. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and β-Actin (ACTB) mRNA levels were analyzed in 10 human skeletal muscle samples using real-time quantitative PCR at eight time intervals (6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, and 48 h) within 48 h postmortem at 25°C.

Role of artificial intelligence-based ocular biomarkers in hepatobiliary diseases: A scoping review.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an indispensable tool in modern health care, offering transformative potential across clinical workflows and diagnostic innovations. This review explores the sation of AI technologies in synthesizing and analyzing multimodal data to enhance efficiency and accuracy in health care delivery. Specifically, deep learning models have demonstrated remarkable capabilities in identifying seven categories of hepatobiliary disorders using ocular imaging datasets, including slit-lamp, retinal fundus, and optical coherence tomography images.

Antioxidants ameliorates glucose/glucose oxidase-induced myocardial damage through mitochondrial and MAPK pathway.

Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose concentration that leads to the generation of elevated levels of free radicals (oxidative stress) via auto-oxidation. Oxidative stress plays a key role in diabetes-associated progressive pathologies including myocardial complications. The aim of the present study is to investigate the protective effects of antioxidants in glucose/glucose oxidase (G/GO)-dependent oxidative stress-induced cardiac cell damage.

Improving Diagnostic Sensitivity of Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis Using Species-Specific IgG.

Background: Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is most commonly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus (AF-CPA). Serum A. fumigatus-IgG, a pivotal investigation for diagnosing CPA, misses 10%-15% of CPA cases.

The Visionary Journey of Dr. Brij Nandan Singh Walia.

Dr. Brij Nandan Singh Walia is a towering figure in Indian medicine, whose visionary leadership and pioneering contributions have left an enduring imprint on pediatric care and medical education. A luminary in every sense, Dr.

An RCT to compare high flow nasal cannula with standard nasal cannula to prevent desaturation in subjects undergoing EBUS-TBNA: HIFLO-EBUS trial.

Background And Objective: Oxygen desaturation events occur commonly during Endobronchial endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) guided-transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) performed under conscious sedation. We hypothesized that high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) would be superior to conventional nasal cannula (NC) in preventing these hypoxemic episodes.

Methods: We randomized consecutive subjects ≥18 years undergoing EBUS-TBNA to receive oxygen with HFNC or NC.

A randomized control trial to assess the effectiveness of a brief educational intervention on colonoscopy preparation and experience in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Colonoscopy is important for diagnosis, assessment and dysplasia screening in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A good bowel preparation is required for complete and adequate assessment.

Trial Design: Randomised, assessor blinded parallel arm trial with 1:1 allocation.

Split vs single-dose oral methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial (SMART study).

Objective: Pharmacokinetic evidence suggests split dose of oral methotrexate increases bioavailability, but unproven to improve efficacy. Thus, we planned to compare clinical response of split vs single-dose oral methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This pragmatic, open-label (blinded assessor) randomized controlled trial was conducted across six university hospitals in India and enrolled patients with seropositive RA with active disease (TJC ≥ 4 and SJC ≥ 2).

Diagnostic utility of sepsis screening tools, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein in nosocomial fever of unknown origin.

Background: Nosocomial fever of unknown origin (nFUO) is a frequent and challenging diagnostic entity, encompassing diverse infectious and non-infectious etiologies. Timely identification is crucial, yet evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of commonly employed sepsis screening tools and biomarkers remains sparse. We hypothesized that these tools and biomarkers measured at fever onset could distinguish infectious from non-infectious causes of nFUO in critically ill adults.

In vitro and In vivo evaluation of phage-antibiotic synergy for the treatment of urinary tract infections.

The therapeutic challenges caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria have necessitated the development of alternative treatment strategies. Phage-antibiotic synergy (PAS) has recently emerged to replace or possibly supplement antibiotics. We isolated the lytic phage NTNC80A from hospital sewage in Chandigarh, India, and it belongs to the class Caudoviricetes of viruses.

Identification of KIR3DL1*0080105, KIR3DL1*0150224 and KIR2DL4*060 by Next Generation Sequencing.

The novel KIR3DL1*0080105, KIR3DL1*0150224, and KIR2DL4*060 is identified in healthy individuals from the Indian population.

Impact of Timing During Simulated Vitreoretinal Surgery by Trainees.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the impact of surgical timing on the performance of vitreoretinal (VR) trainees in a simulated setting.

Methods: In a prospective cross-over observational study, VR trainees were asked to perform various surgical tasks on the Eyesi surgical simulator. These included navigation and anti-tremor, pars plana vitrectomy and posterior vitreous detachment, bimanual training, bimanual scissors use, and epiretinal membrane peeling.

Direct Identification of Yeasts from Blood Cultures and Body Fluids Using MALDI-TOF MS with Concurrent Antifungal Susceptibility Testing.

The rising incidence of invasive fungal infections has been accompanied by an increasing prevalence of antifungal resistance among fungal pathogens. Rapid identification of causative agents and their antifungal susceptibility profiles is critical for initiating timely, species-specific targeted therapy. In this context, we evaluated a MALDI-TOF MS-based method for the rapid identification of clinically relevant yeast species directly from blood cultures and body fluids, coupled with direct antifungal susceptibility testing (Direct-AFST).

Predictive accuracy of velocity time integral in predicting in-hospital outcomes in patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (IRPE) is a critical clinical entity with significant mortality risk due to normotensive shock, a condition marked by low cardiac index despite maintained blood pressure. Accurate and timely detection of hemodynamic compromise in IRPE remains a challenge. Velocity Time Integral (VTI), a Doppler echocardiographic parameter, has emerged as a potential non-invasive tool for predicting hospital outcomes, but the evidence remains fragmented.