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Ritual circumcision in children remains a trivialized procedure in some countries, especially in rural areas. It is often performed by unqualified paramedical personnel, or even by religious workers whose notions of surgery and asepsis are uncertain. Although it is thought to be a minor procedure, major complications with sexual or even life-threatening prognosis can occur. Amputation of the glans during circumcision is a rare incidence secondary to poor application of operating principles. We report the case of a 1 1/2-year-old boy who underwent a progressive amputation of the glans after a ritual circumcision by a religious worker. The child was brought 10 days after the procedure with totally amputated, nonsalvageable glans. A urethral meatoplasty was performed to enable proper voiding and prevent meatal stenosis. The child has been in follow-up for the past 6 months without any urinary symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micturating cystourethrography (MCUG) is a very commonly performed diagnostic procedure in pediatric urology. Although considered to be simple, safe, and cost-effective, it can incur some complications. Bladder rupture during MCUG is a very rare complication and only a handful of cases have been reported in world literature. We report the case of a 2.5-month-old boy who had intraperitoneal bladder rupture during an MCUG needing surgical repair. At operation, the child had a bladder tear at the dome of the bladder which was repaired successfully. The postoperative recovery was uneventful and the child is doing well in follow-up. Although individual management of bladder rupture may differ, a majority of infants need surgery for the same. Thorough vigil and attention to the technique are a must to prevent such incidents in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common infectious disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis. Apart from the lungs, tuberculosis also affects the bone marrow. There are significant hematological abnormalities that occur in association with tuberculosis. So we can use these hematological parameters as a marker for the diagnosis, prognosis, and response to therapy. Aims: To evaluate the hematological parameters in pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Methods and Materials: A total of 70 diagnosed tuberculosis patients and 70 healthy controls were selected by purposive sampling in this study. About 4 ml of venous blood was collected with proper aseptic precaution. 2 ml ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) tube blood was used for hematological analysis by using Siemens Advia 2120i 5-part hematology analyzer. Rest 2 ml blood was used for measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) by Wintrobe's method. Results: The hemoglobin, packed cell volume (PCV), and blood indices values were significantly lower compared to healthy controls in both sexes. White blood cell (WBC) count, absolute neutrophil count, platelet count, and ESR values were significantly increased in tuberculosis patients as compared to healthy controls and were found to be statistically significant (P-value < 0.05). Conclusions: To measure hematological parameters in tuberculosis is a simple and cost-effective method to predict the course of the disease and monitor complications in developing countries like India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraperitoneal bladder rupture is a rare event in the paediatric population. Road traffic accidents (RTA) and seat belt injuries are considered to be the main cause for the same. We report an interesting case of a 1-year-old girl who had a laparoscopic repair of intraperitoneal bladder tear following a non-RTA injury. This is the smallest child where intraperitoneal bladder rupture was repaired laparoscopically. This mechanism of injury-causing bladder rupture has also not been reported across world literature. The child was sleeping on the floor near the bed with her mother. The father who was sleeping on the bed accidentally fell onto this child. Imaging showed large amount of clear intraperitoneal fluid with no organ injury. Laparoscopy showed a 3.5 cm long tear on the posterior wall of the bladder. The tear was repaired using 3 mm instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generalized lymphangioma of tongue is a rare cause of macroglossia in children. It causes mechanical discomfort and functional and psychological disturbances. We report a case of macroglossia due to generalized lymphangioma in a 10 year old where partial glossectomy was done to achieve symptomatic relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Segmental dilatation of the intestine is a rare disease and mostly involves the ileal segment. It commonly presents in the neonatal period and early infancy with symptoms of partial or total obstruction. We report a rare case of an isolated jejunal segmental dilatation in a 7-year-old girl. The child presented with malnutrition and signs of subacute obstruction. The diagnosis was confirmed intraoperatively, and the dilated segment was resected. Although the etiology remains unknown, we discuss its clinical aspects and relevant literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization recommends direct observation of treatment (DOT) to support patients with tuberculosis (TB) and to ensure treatment completion. As per national programme guidelines in India, a DOT provider can be anyone who is acceptable and accessible to the patient and accountable to the health system, except a family member. This poses challenges among children with TB who may be more comfortable receiving medicines from their parents or family members than from unfamiliar DOT providers. We conducted a non-inferiority trial to assess the effect of family DOT on treatment success rates among children with newly diagnosed TB registered for treatment during June–September 2012. Methods: We randomly assigned all districts (n = 30) in Gujarat to the intervention (n = 15) or usual-practice group (n = 15). Adult family members in the intervention districts were given the choice to become their child’s DOT provider. DOT was provided by a non-family member in the usual-practice districts. Using routinely collected clinic-based TB treatment cards, we compared treatment success rates (cured and treatment completed) between the two groups and the non-inferiority limit was kept at 5%. Results: Of 624 children with newly diagnosed TB, 359 (58%) were from intervention districts and 265 (42%) were from usual-practice districts. The two groups were similar with respect to baseline characteristics including age, sex, type of TB, and initial body weight. The treatment success rates were 344 (95.8%) and 247 (93.2%) (p = 0.11) among the intervention and usual-practice groups respectively. Conclusion: DOT provided by a family member is not inferior to DOT provided by a non-family member among new TB cases in children and can attain international targets for treatment success. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials Registry–India, National Institute of Medical Statistics (Indian Council of Medical Research) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laparoscopic repair of Morgagni hernia has been described in adults and children. In the published reports, the crux of the repair consists of suturing the posterior part of the diaphragmatic defect to the undersurface of the sternum or the posterior rectus sheath. The tissue on the undersurface of the sternum is variable is in its nature and may be inadequate for suturing, hence compromising the strength of the repair. A technique that circumvents this problem and offers a strong anatomical repair is described. A Morgagni hernia was diagnosed in a 2-year-old girl with trisomy 21, who presented with recurrent chest infections. She underwent laparoscopic repair of the hernia using three ports. The tissue on the undersurface of the sternum was inadequate for a conventional repair. The procedure was modified as follows: a small transverse incision was made over the lower end of the sternum. Three nonabsorbable mattress sutures were inserted through the sternum, the anterior edge of the diaphragmatic defect, and back through the sternum and tied with extracorporeal knots. The child was discharged home on the second postoperative day. At 6-month follow up, the child was asymptomatic, and had been infection free. A chest radiograph was normal. This is a simple, novel, noninvasive method, which offers a secure anatomical repair and it is not dependent on the adequacy of the tissue on the undersurface of the sternum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary chylopericardium is a rare entity in the pediatric population, which is characterized by chyle accumulation in the pericardial sac. Treatment of this rare problem is a management dilemma as no definitive treatment has been found to be curative. We share our experience of treating chylopericardium with minimally invasive surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reducing malnutrition through food supplementation is a critical component of the WHO End Tuberculosis (TB) strategy. A results-based financing (RBF) initiative in Madhya Pradesh, India—called Mukti—introduced an intensive nutrition intervention, including home visits, counseling, food basket distribution, and assistance in obtaining government benefits. Phase 1 of the program (Dhar District), implemented by ChildFund India (ChildFund) and funded by USAID, coincided with the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Under an RBF reimbursement scheme, ChildFund was paid based on treatment retention for 6 months and weight gain of 6 kg for adults. Methods: The evaluation used a mixed methods approach. Qualitative components included interviews with key informants and focus groups with program participants. Quantitative components included an analysis of program data (i.e., patient demographics, receipt of program services, and weight gain). An impact analysis of retention in treatment used data from a government database. A difference-in-differences model was used to compare results from baseline data and the program period for Dhar District to similar data for the adjacent Jhabua District. Results: The program was well implemented and appreciated by patients and providers. Patients received an average of 10.2 home visits and 6.2 food baskets. While all age and sex groups gained weight significantly over their 6-month treatment period, there was no program impact on treatment retention. Seventy-six percent of patients achieved both outcome goals. And though average program costs were under budget, ChildFund experienced a loss in the results-based financing scheme, which was covered by USAID to continue program expansion. Conclusions: Implementing a nutrition supplementation and education program for TB patients in India is feasible. The intervention improved weight gain despite COVID-19-related lockdowns. The Mukti program did not impact treatment retention, which was already high at baseline. Program costs were modest, but the results-based financing reimbursement scheme resulted in a loss for the implementer. Overall, the RBF model led to an increased focus on outcomes for program staff and other stakeholders, which led to more efficient service delivery. Future research should examine total costs (including donated staff time) more extensively to determine the cost-effectiveness of Mukti and similar interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous warts are benign epithelial lesions caused by human papillomavirus and are common entities, affecting nearly 10 percent of the United States population. While most warts spontaneously resolve, the immunocompromised are susceptible to recalcitrant warts which often require medical treatment. Most current therapies use either physical or chemical destruction for wart removal, but these treatments are associated with adverse effects. Intralesional vitamin D3 has the potential to demonstrate a stronger treatment response due to its ability to stimulate the immune system at the injection site via cell-mediated immunity. We sought to test the efficacy of intralesional vitamin D3 for wart treatment in a sample size of 70 patients over a three-month period. Efficacy was determined as "excellent" if there was greater than a 90-percent reduction in both size and number of lesions, "good" if there was a 60 to 89-percent reduction, and "fair" if there was less than a 60-percent reduction. Treatment efficacy was excellent in 20 (28.6%) patients, good in 29 (41.4%) patients, fair in 18 (25.7%) patients, and poor in three (4.3%) patients. Patients in the younger age group had a higher treatment efficacy compared to other treatment groups. Thus, intralesional vitamin D3 has promising qualities as a treatment for cutaneous warts and should be considered at the clinician's disposal. Vitamin D is an innovative approach for treating warts without the various side effects posed by other commonly used agents. The unique features of this treatment modality including its simplicity, safety, and efficiency make it a promising option for a very common cutaneous condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juvenile dermatomyositis classically manifests as necrotising vasculitis in multiple organs. It mainly involves the vessels of skin and muscle and is associated with subcutaneous deposits of calcium. Ureteric involvement in dermatomyositis is extremely rare. The authors present a case of a 14-year-old girl with juvenile dermatomyositis with intramural ureteric calcification mimicking pelviureteric junction (PUJ) obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has been implementing active case-finding (ACF) for TB among marginalised and vulnerable (high-risk) populations since 2017. The effectiveness of ACF cycle(s) is dependent on the use of appropriate screening and diagnostic tools and meeting quality indicators. To determine the number of ACF cycles implemented in 2021 at national, state (n = 36) and district (n = 768) level and quality indicators for the first ACF cycle. In this descriptive study, aggregate TB program data for each ACF activity that was extracted was further aggregated against each ACF cycle at the district level in 2021. One ACF cycle was the period identified to cover all the high-risk populations in the district. Three TB ACF quality indicators were calculated: percentage population screened (≥10%), percentage tested among screened (≥4.8%) and percentage diagnosed among tested (≥5%). We also calculated the number needed to screen (NNS) for diagnosing one person with TB (≤1538). Of 768 TB districts, ACF data for 111 were not available. Of the remaining 657 districts, 642 (98%) implemented one, and 15 implemented two to three ACF cycles. None of the districts or states met all three TB ACF quality indicators' cut-offs. At the national level, for the first ACF cycle, 9.3% of the population were screened, 1% of the screened were tested and 3.7% of the tested were diagnosed. The NNS was 2824: acceptable (≤1538) in institutional facilities and poor for population-based groups. Data were not consistently available to calculate the percentage of i) high-risk population covered, ii) presumptive TB among screened and iii) tested among presumptive. In 2021, India implemented one ACF cycle with sub-optimal ACF quality indicators. Reducing the losses between screening and testing, improving data quality and sensitising stakeholders regarding the importance of meeting all ACF quality indicators are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess treatment outcomes in tuberculosis patients participating in support group meetings in five districts of Karnataka and Telangana states in southern India. Methods Tuberculosis patients from five selected districts who began treatment in 2019 were offered regular monthly support group meetings, with a focus on patients in urban slum areas with risk factors for adverse outcomes. We tracked the patients' participation in these meetings and extracted treatment outcomes from the Nikshay national tuberculosis database for the same patients in 2021. We compared treatment outcomes based on attendance of the support groups meetings. Findings Of 30 706 tuberculosis patients who started treatment in 2019, 3651 (11.9%) attended support groups meetings. Of patients who attended at least one support meeting, 94.1% (3426/3639) had successful treatment outcomes versus 88.2% (23 745/26 922) of patients who did not attend meetings (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 2.44; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.10-2.82). The odds of successful treatment outcomes were higher in meeting participants than non-participants for all variables examined including: age ≥ 60 years (aOR: 3.19; 95% CI: 2.26-4.51); female sex (aOR: 3.33; 95% CI: 2.46-4.50); diabetes comorbidity (aOR: 3.03; 95% CI: 1.91-4.81); human immunodeficiency virus infection (aOR: 3.73; 95% CI: 1.76-7.93); tuberculosis retreatment (aOR: 1.69; 1.22-2.33); and drug-resistant tuberculosis (aOR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.21-3.09). Conclusion Participation in support groups for tuberculosis patients was significantly associated with successful tuberculosis treatment outcomes, especially among high-risk groups. Expanding access to support groups could improve tuberculosis treatment outcomes at the population level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Due to the fact that patients with COVID--19 can have a bacterial co-infection, physicians should be careful when prescribing antibiotics, with rather considering the sensitivity and resistance of these drugs than various bacteria. Therefore, the main purpose of the present study was to evaluate bacterial coinfections and antibiotic resistance in positive COVID-19 patients. Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 450 hospitalized COVID-19 patients who were selected by simple random sampling. Blood culture (BC) and endotracheal aspirate (ETA) were performed for all COVID-19 patients participating in the study. Antibacterial susceptibility was assessed using the standard Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar for all isolated strains in accordance with the Institute of Clinical and Laboratory Standards guidelines. Finally, susceptibility of all identified bacteria to 10 types of antibiotics was assessed. Results: Based on the results of endotracheal aspirate (ETA) culture, we found that 79 (17.5%) patients had COVID-19 and bacterial co-infection. Among COVID-19 patients with bacterial co-infection, Klebsiella species had the highest frequency (21.6%), followed by Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) (19%), Escherichia coli (17.7%), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (15.2%), Enterobacter species (13.9%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12.6%), respectively. Based on the results of the present study, it was found that the level of antibiotic resistance for different bacteria varied from 0-100%. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that patients with COVID-19 are susceptible to bacterial co-infection, which leads to the conclusion that excessive use of antibiotics is an important factor in the development of antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, caution is needed in prescribing different antibiotics to patients with COVID-19. In addition, considering the SARS-CoV-2 co-infection with other pathogens, it is necessary to use an optimal treatment method for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long‐term breast cancer survivors are at risk for cardiotoxicity after treatment, but there is insufficient evidence to provide long‐term (~10 years) cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening recommendations. We sought to evaluate a tri‐modality CVD screening approach. Methods: This single‐arm, feasibility study enrolled 201 breast cancer patients treated ≥6 years prior without CVD at diagnosis. Patients were sub‐grouped: cardiotoxic (left‐sided) radiation (RT), cardiotoxic (anthracycline‐based) chemotherapy, both cardiotoxic chemotherapy and RT, and neither cardiotoxic treatment. Patients underwent electrocardiogram (EKG), transthoracic echocardiogram with strain (TTE with GLS), and coronary artery calcium computed tomography (CAC CT). The primary endpoint was preclinical or clinical CVD. Results: Median age was 50 (29–65) at diagnosis and 63 (37–77) at imaging; median interval was 11.5 years (6.7–14.5). Among sub‐groups, 44% had no cardiotoxic treatment, 31.5% had cardiotoxic RT, 16% had cardiotoxic chemotherapy, and 8.5% had both. Overall, 77.6% showed preclinical and/or clinical CVD and 51.5% showed clinical CVD. Per modality, rates of any CVD and clinical CVD were, respectively: 27.1%/10.0% on EKG, 50.0%/25.3% on TTE with GLS, and 50.8%/45.8% on CAC CT. No statistical difference was seen among the treatment subgroups (NS, χ2 test, p = 0.58/p = 0.15). Conclusion: This study identified a high incidence of CVD in heterogenous long‐term breast cancer survivors, most >10 years post‐treatment. Over half had clinical CVD findings warranting follow‐up and/or intervention. Each imaging test independently contributed to the detection rate. This provides early evidence that long‐term cardiac screening may be of value to a wider group of breast cancer survivors than previously recognized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of freshly fallen meteorites from tracked and triangulated meteors is critical to determining their source asteroid families. Even though our ability to locate meteorite falls continues to improve, the recovery of meteorites remains a challenge due to large search areas with terrain and vegetation obscuration. To improve the efficiency of meteorite recovery, we have tested the hypothesis that meteorites can be located using machine learning techniques and an autonomous drone. To locate meteorites autonomously, a quadcopter drone first conducts a grid survey acquiring top‐down images of the strewn field from a low altitude. The drone‐acquired images are then analyzed using a machine learning classifier to identify meteorite candidates for follow‐up examination. Here, we describe a proof‐of‐concept meteorite classifier that deploys off‐line a combination of different convolution neural networks to recognize meteorites from images taken by drones in the field. The system was implemented in a conceptual drone setup and tested in the suspected strewn field of a recent meteorite fall near Walker Lake, Nevada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Littoral cell angioma is a rare primary splenic vascular tumor, originating from the littoral cells lining the red pulp sinuses of the spleen, with variable presentation. Here, we present the case of a 2-year-old male child presenting with chronic thrombocytopenia which resolved after splenectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: TB is a preventable and treatable disease. Yet, successful treatment outcomes at desired levels are elusive in many national TB programs, including India. We aim to identify risk factors for unfavourable outcomes to TB treatment, in order to subsequently design a care model that would improve treatment outcomes among these at-risk patients.Methods: We conducted a cohort analysis among TB patients who had been recently initiated on treatment. The study was part of the internal program evaluation of a USAID-THALI project, implemented in select towns/cities of Karnataka and Telangana, south India. Community Health Workers (CHWs) under the project, used a pre-designed tool to assess TB patients for potential risks of an unfavourable outcome. CHWs followed up this cohort of patients until treatment outcomes were declared. We extracted treatment outcomes from patient's follow-up data and from the Nikshay portal. The specific cohort of patients included in our study were those whose risk was assessed during July and September, 2018, subsequent to conceptualisation, tool finalisation and CHW training. We used bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to assess each of the individual and combined risks against unfavourable outcomes; death alone, or death, lost to follow up and treatment failure, combined as 'unfavourable outcome'.Results: A significantly higher likelihood of death and experiencing unfavourable outcome was observed for individuals having more than one risk (AOR: 4.19; 95% CI: 2.47-7.11 for death; AOR 2.21; 95% CI: 1.56-3.12 for unfavourable outcome) or only one risk (AOR: 3.28; 95% CI: 2.11-5.10 for death; AOR 1.71; 95% CI: 1.29-2.26 for unfavourable outcome) as compared to TB patients with no identified risk. Male, a lower education status, an initial weight below the national median weight, co-existing HIV, previous history of treatment, drug-resistant TB, and regular alcohol use had significantly higher odds of death and unfavourable outcome, while age > 60 was only associated with higher odds of death.Conclusion: A rapid risk assessment at treatment initiation can identify factors that are associated with unfavourable outcomes. TB programs could intensify care and support to these patients, in order to optimise treatment outcomes among TB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Postoperative fever is known to occur after all surgical procedures irrespective of the type of anesthesia. Thermometry devices that work without touching or disturbing the child seem to be appreciated more than the conventional skin contact thermometers. However, whether this technology is reliable to be adapted for routine pediatric surgical care is debatable. Aims: The aim of this study was to study the accuracy of infrared nonskin contact digital thermometer (IRT) compared to the skin contact digital thermometer (DT) and mercury in glass thermometer (MT). Settings and Design: A prospective cross-sectional study was done in postoperative patients at a pediatric surgical center over a period of 3 months. Subjects and Methods: The forehead temperature was recorded with IRT. This was followed by recording the temperature in one armpit by DT and the other armpit by MT. Readings were promptly documented. Statistical Analysis Used: A sample t-test was done which gave the P value and mean. Linear regression analysis was carried out to find correlation coefficients. Bland–Altman test was used to access the concordance between all readings. Results: We found a strong correlation between temperature readings taken by DT (mean = −0.03, r = 0.07, slope = −0.04) and IRT (mean = 0.89, r = 0.091, slope = −0.14). However, on comparison of results with the MT, there are wider limits of agreement with the IRT (−0.31–2.09) in comparison to DT (−0.66–0.59). Conclusion: Skin contact digital thermometer are more accurate and suitable for checking body temperature as compared to infrared nonskin contact digital thermometer in postoperative pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stringent glycemic control by using insulin as a replacement or in addition to oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) has been recommended for people with tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus (TB-DM). This systematic review (PROSPERO 2016:CRD42016039101) analyses whether this improves TB treatment outcomes. Objectives: Among people with drug-susceptible TB and DM on anti-TB treatment, to determine the effect of i) glycemic control (stringent or less stringent) compared to poor glycemic control and ii) insulin (only or with OHAs) compared to ‘OHAs only’ on unsuccessful TB treatment outcome(s). We looked for unfavourable TB treatment outcomes at the end of intensive phase and/or end of TB treatment (minimum six months and maximum 12 months follow up). Secondary outcomes were development of MDR-TB during the course of treatment, recurrence after 6 months and/or after 1 year post successful treatment completion and development of adverse events related to glucose lowering treatment (including hypoglycemic episodes). Methods: All interventional studies (with comparison arm) and cohort studies on people with TB-DM on anti-TB treatment reporting glycemic control, DM treatment details and TB treatment outcomes were eligible. We searched electronic databases (EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar) and grey literature between 1996 and April 2017. Screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were done independently by two investigators and recourse to a third investigator, for resolution of differences. Results: After removal of duplicates from 2326 identified articles, 2054 underwent title and abstract screening. Following full text screening of 56 articles, nine cohort studies were included. Considering high methodological and clinical heterogeneity, we decided to report the results qualitatively and not perform a meta-analysis. Eight studies dealt with glycemic control, of which only two were free of the risk of bias (with confounder-adjusted measures of effect). An Indian study reported 30% fewer unsuccessful treatment outcomes (aOR (0.95 CI): 0.72 (0.64−0.81)) and 2.8 times higher odds of ‘no recurrence’ (aOR (0.95 CI): 2.83 (2.60−2.92)) among patients with optimal glycemic control at baseline. A Peruvian study reported faster culture conversion among those with glycemic control (aHR (0.95 CI): 2.2 (1.1,4)). Two poor quality studies reported the effect of insulin on TB treatment outcomes. Conclusion: We identified few studies that were free of the risk of bias. There were limited data and inconsistent findings among available studies. We recommend robustly designed and analyzed studies including randomized controlled trials on the effect of glucose lowering treatment options on TB treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sex, emotion, and reproduction are fundamental and tightly entwined aspects of human behavior. At a population level in humans, both the desire for sexual stimulation and the desire to bond with a partner are important precursors to reproduction. However, the relationships between these processes are incompletely understood. The limbic brain system has key roles in sexual and emotional behaviors, and is a likely candidate system for the integration of behavior with the hormonal reproductive axis. We investigated the effects of kisspeptin, a recently identified key reproductive hormone, on limbic brain activity and behavior.Methods: Using a combination of functional neuroimaging and hormonal and psychometric analyses, we compared the effects of kisspeptin versus vehicle administration in 29 healthy heterosexual young men.Results: We demonstrated that kisspeptin administration enhanced limbic brain activity specifically in response to sexual and couple-bonding stimuli. Furthermore, kisspeptin's enhancement of limbic brain structures correlated with psychometric measures of reward, drive, mood, and sexual aversion, providing functional significance. In addition, kisspeptin administration attenuated negative mood.Conclusions: Collectively, our data provide evidence of an undescribed role for kisspeptin in integrating sexual and emotional brain processing with reproduction in humans. These results have important implications for our understanding of reproductive biology and are highly relevant to the current pharmacological development of kisspeptin as a potential therapeutic agent for patients with common disorders of reproductive function.Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Wellcome Trust (Ref 080268), and the Medical Research Council (MRC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India accounts for one-fifth of the global TB incidence. While the exact burden of childhood TB is not known, TB remains one of the leading causes of childhood mortality in India. Bacteriological confirmation of TB in children is challenging due to difficulty in obtaining quality specimens, in the absence of which diagnosis is largely based on clinical judgement. While testing multiple specimens can potentially contribute to higher proportion of laboratory confirmed paediatric TB cases, lack of high sensitivity tests adds to the diagnostic challenge. We describe here our experiences in piloting upfront Xpert MTB/RIF testing, for diagnosis of TB in paediatric population in respiratory and extra pulmonary specimens, as recently recommended by WHO. Method: Xpert MTB/RIF testing was offered to all paediatric (0–14 years) presumptive TB cases (both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary) seeking care at public and private health facilities in the project areas covering 4 cities of India. Results: Under this pilot project, 8,370 paediatric presumptive TB & presumptive DR-TB cases were tested between April and–November 2014. Overall, 9,149 specimens were tested, of which 4,445 (48.6%) were non-sputum specimens. Xpert MTB/RIF gave 9,083 (99.2%, CI 99.0–99.4) valid results. Of the 8,143 presumptive TB cases enrolled, 517 (6.3%, CI 5.8–6.9) were bacteriologically confirmed. TB detection rates were two fold higher with Xpert MTB/RIF as compared to smear microscopy. Further, a total of 60 rifampicin resistant TB cases were detected, of which 38 were detected among 512 presumptive TB cases while 22 were detected amongst 227 presumptive DR-TB cases tested under the project. Conclusion: Xpert MTB/RIF with advantages of quick turnaround testing-time, high proportion of interpretable results and feasibility of rapid rollout, substantially improved the diagnosis of bacteriologically confirmed TB in children, while simultaneously detecting rifampicin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) in India recommends that all previously-treated TB (PT) patients are offered drug susceptibility testing (DST) at diagnosis, using rapid diagnostics and screened out for rifampicin resistance before being treated with standardized, eight-month, retreatment regimen. This is intended to improve the early diagnosis of rifampicin resistance and its appropriate management and improve the treatment outcomes among the rest of the patients. In this state-wide study from Gujarat, India, we assess proportion of PT patients underwent rapid DST at diagnosis and the impact of this intervention on their treatment outcomes. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study involving review of electronic patient-records maintained routinely under RNTCP. All PT patients registered for treatment in Gujarat during January-June 2013 were included. Information on DST and treatment outcomes were extracted from 'presumptive DR-TB patient register' and TB treatment register respectively. We performed a multivariate analysis to assess if getting tested is independently associated with unfavourable outcomes (death, loss-to-follow-up, failure, transfer out). Results: Of 5,829 PT patients, 5306(91%) were tested for drug susceptibility with rapid diagnostics. Overall, 71% (4,113) TB patients were successfully treated - 72% among tested versus 60% among non-tested. Patients who did not get tested at diagnosis had a 34% higher risk of unsuccessful outcomes as compared to those who got tested (aRR - 1.34; 95% CI 1.20-1.50) after adjusting for age, sex, HIV status and type of TB. Unfavourable outcomes (particularly failure and switched to category IV) were higher among INH-resistant patients (39%) as compared to INH-sensitive (29%). Conclusion: Offering DST at diagnosis improved the treatment outcomes among PT patients. However, even among tested, treatment outcomes remained suboptimal and were related to INH resistance and high loss-to-follow-up. These need to be addressed urgently for further progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vancomycin susceptibility was checked in isolates from initial and final blood samples obtained from 22 patients with persistent or recurrent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. The minimum inhibitory concentration of vancomycin was determined using Etest and found to have increased in 2 pairs of isolates, and results of screening in 4 μg vancomycin and a modified population analysis profile suggested heteroresistance in 3 isolates (13.6%). Heteroresistance is not a common cause of persistent or recurrent bacteremia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]