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The global burden of cancer has recorded an ever-increasing trend in the developing world. The GLOBOCAN, 2018 report has ranked breast cancer (BC) as the second (11.6%) most common form of cancer afflicting the female population worldwide. BC presents as a multi-factorial trait with numerous risk factors associated with the disease phenotype. Besides, genetic predisposition, exposure to environmental chemicals, and pollutants are considered to increase the magnitude of disease in susceptible individuals. Hence, the present observational study aims to investigate those proteins in the host which interact with the persistent organic pollutant, 2,4-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and associated alterations in genes encoding these proteins using a computational approach. The genetic alterations were ascertained using the Breast Invasive Carcinoma dataset available in the cBioportal database. The possible functional consequences of mutations identified in the selected dataset were further assessed using tools such as I-Mutant and PROVEAN. The ERBB2 (14%) and FASLG (10%) genes were found to harbor the highest frequency of gene alterations. Gene amplification and deep deletions were the most commonly observed alteration in almost all the genes investigated. Additionally, several synonymous, non-synonymous, frameshift, splice site mutations were also documented. The gnomAD analysis revealed three polymorphic variants in HTR2A (rs539430264), ESR2 (rs905821436), and CYP2B6 (rs757834610), all of which had a minor allele frequency < 0.01. Population-wide screening of observed gene alterations can provide clues on the putative association of these gross and single nucleotide substitutions with the pathophysiology and progression of breast cancer. Experimental genotyping and functional analysis of mutations is warranted to further prove the adverse effects of organochlorine compounds on female health.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are available and/or induced for the survival of all organisms, including eukaryotic, prokaryotic, and plants, from higher temperature stresses. They are the chaperone proteins that protect all cells against heat, as the name implies. In addition to thermal stress, they also protect them from chemical, physical, and other stresses, including exposure to oxidative stress, nutritional deficiencies, ultraviolet radiation, ethanol, viral infection, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and cancer-related stresses. They are classified based on their molecular weights in kDa, such as HSP90 and HSP70. In our label-free, high-throughput, quantitative LC-MS/MS-based proteomic studies of MDA-MB-231, human, triple-negative breast cancer cells, treated with electrical pulses (EP) and cisplatin (CsP), we identified a number of HSPs, such as HSP90AA1, and others to be significantly downregulated in EP + CsP, compared to CsP alone. This indicates that cells will undergo apoptotic cell death and hence could cause effective cancer cure/treatment. Considering that over 2 million new cases and over 600,000 deaths in 2020, of which ~ 15% are TNBC, heat shock proteins could be the untapped resources, available for the next biomarkers and/or inhibitors for new/additional therapies.

Introduction: Anemia is a common, underestimated problem in cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy and has significant adverse effect on the quality of life and outcome. Darbepoetin has been shown to be effective in this setting, but controversy surrounds it actual use. Methods: We analyzed prospectively collected clinical practice data of patients receiving darbepoetin in a real-world setting for this retrospective audit. Patients with baseline hemoglobin (Hb) of

Purpose To report a case of retinoblastoma with concomitant association with HIV seropositivity and its management. Methods A retrospective case report of a 3-year-old male child presenting with right eye Group B and left eye Group E retinoblastoma with simultaneous positivity for HIV1 antibody. The parents were also tested positive for HIV and were referred for initiating antiretroviral therapy. Results The child was managed with focal laser therapy for the right eye and six cycles of systemic chemotherapy, and the left eye was planned for enucleation with ball implant. Conclusion This case poses an outlook into a dilemma as to whether or not systemic chemotherapy should be started along with antiretroviral therapy for treating retinoblastoma, as there are no cited case reports in the literature of retinoblastoma coexisting with HIV and its related management regime and future considerations to be taken for management.

The aim of the study is to investigate the expression of angiogenesis (VEGF and PDGF), angiogenesis inhibitor markers (angiostatin and endostatin), proliferation (Ki67), and apoptosis markers (p53 and p16) of cervical cancer in Indian population and to correlate them with the clinicopathological profile. It is a descriptive study of consecutive cases of cervical cancer from Saveetha Medical College and Hospital between January 2017 and December 2018. The expression of angiogenesis, angiogenesis inhibitor markers, Ki67, p53, and p16 in 60 cases of cervical sections were detected by the immunohistochemical method and analyzed with clinicopathological data. VEGF expression was positive in 16 cases (26.67%) and negative in 20 cases (33.33%). As of PDGF, 3 cases (3.33%) have shown positivity to PDGF and 33 cases have shown negativity. Angiostatin and endostatin expression was reported to be positive in 10 (16.67%) and 21 (35%) cases, respectively. Most of the cases 57 (95%) have shown both p16 and Ki67 positivity. Although p53 expression was positive in 48 cases (80%), the remaining 12 cases (20%) were p53-negative. The PDGF expression was significantly correlated to the stage of tumors. No statistically significant association was observed between angiogenesis inhibitor markers and clinicopathological parameters. A significant positive correlation was noticed between the Ki67 expression and stage of tumors.

Introduction: Anemia is a common, underestimated problem in cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy and has significant adverse effect on the quality of life and outcome. Darbepoetin has been shown to be effective in this setting, but controversy surrounds it actual use. Methods: We analyzed prospectively collected clinical practice data of patients receiving darbepoetin in a real-world setting for this retrospective audit. Patients with baseline hemoglobin (Hb) of

To gain insights on the diverse practice patterns and treatment pathways for prostate cancer (PC) in India, the Urological Cancer Foundation convened the first Indian survey to discuss all aspects of PC, with the objective of guiding clinicians on optimizing management in PC. A modified Delphi method was used, wherein a multidisciplinary panel of oncologists treating PC across India developed a questionnaire related to screening, diagnosis and management of early, locally advanced and metastatic PC and participated in a web-based survey (WBS) (n = 62). An expert committee meeting (CM) (n = 48, subset from WBS) reviewed the ambiguous questions for better comprehension and reanalyzed the evidence to establish a revote for specific questions. The threshold for strong agreement and agreement was ≥90% and ≥75% agreement, respectively. Sixty-two questions were answered in the WBS; in the CM 31 questions were revoted and 4 questions were added. The panelists selected answers based on their best opinion and closest to their practice strategy, not considering financial constraints and access challenges. Of the 66 questions, strong agreement was reached for 17 questions and agreement was achieved for 22 questions. There were heterogeneous responses for 27 questions indicative of variegated management approaches. This is one of the first Indian survey, documenting the diverse clinical practice patterns in the management of PC in India. It aims to provide guidance in the face of technological advances, resource constraints and sparse high-level evidence.

Background: The Recife Metropolitan Region (RMR), north-eastern Brazil, was the epicentre of the 2015 Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic, which was followed by a 2016 chikungunya virus (CHIKV) epidemic. It historically has amongst the highest incidence of dengue virus (DENV) infections and is the only remaining focus of lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Brazil. In early 2015, a molecular xenomonitoring surveillance project focused on Culex (Cx.) quinquefasciatus commenced to inform LF elimination activities. Aedes (Ae.) aegypti mosquitoes were also collected, concurrent with the first microcephaly cases detected in the RMR. In terms of the 2015 ZIKV epidemic, these are the earliest known field-collected mosquitoes, preserved for potential RNA virus detection, when ZIKV was known to be circulating locally. Methods: Adult mosquitoes were collected in two sites (0.4 km2) of Sítio Novo, Olinda, RMR, from July 22 to August 21, 2015. Mosquitoes were morphologically identified, sorted by physiological status, and pooled (up to 10 mosquitoes per house per day or week). RNA was extracted, reverse transcribed and the cDNA tested by real-time PCR. Results: A total of 10,139 adult female Cx. quinquefasciatus and 939 adult female Ae. aegypti were captured. All female Ae. aegypti specimens were included within 156 pools and screened for ZIKV, DENV and CHIKV. In addition, a sub-set of 1,556 Cx. quinquefasciatus adult females in 182 pools were screened for ZIKV. No evidence of infection with any of the three arboviruses was found. Conclusions: The absence of arbovirus detection may have been expected given the extremely restricted geographic area and collection of mosquitoes during a very short time period of peak mosquito abundance (July–September), but low arbovirus circulation (November–March). However, this study demonstrates the potential to retrospectively screen for additional unexpected pathogens in situations of rapid emergence, such as occurred during the outbreak of ZIKV in the RMR.

The scientific community recognizes that molecular xenomonitoring (MX) can allow infected mosquitoes to serve as a proxy for human infection in vector-borne disease surveillance, but developing reliable MX systems for programmatic use has been challenging. The primary aim of this article is to examine the available evidence to recommend how MX can best be used for various purposes. Although much of the literature published within the last 20 years focuses on using MX for lymphatic filariasis elimination, a growing body of evidence supports its use in early warning systems for emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). An MX system design must consider the goal and target (e.g. diseases targeted for elimination versus EIDs), mosquito and pathogen characteristics, and context (e.g. setting and health system). MX is currently used as a ‘supplement’ to human surveillance and will not be considered as a ‘replacement’ until the correlation between pathogen-infection rates in human and mosquito populations is better understood. Establishing such relationships may not be feasible in elimination scenarios, due to increasingly dwindling human infection prevalence after successful control, but may still be possible for EIDs and in integrated disease surveillance systems. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Novel control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases'.

Introduction: There is no direct evidence to support changing or withholding chemotherapy or potentially immunosuppressive therapy in patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. The balance of potential harms that may result from delaying or interrupting treatment versus the potential benefits of possibly preventing or delaying COVID-19 infection is very uncertain due to paucity of literature evidence. Methods and Materials: Since the lockdown started in India on March 24, in the last 2.5 months we have treated almost 100 patients with cancer on systemic chemotherapy in Saveetha Medical College, ESIC Medical College, and a few private hospitals in Chennai, India. The decision is influenced by the likelihood of cure or extension of life from the cancer treatments, the potential risks of delaying treatment, the patient's tolerance of treatment, the local incidence of coronavirus, and the availability of necessary resources. The number of corona virus testing has increased in India since March 2020. Initially the testing for COVID 19 was done as suspected as per ICMR guidelines, and now we are testing all patients admitted for chemotherapy. Results: As of June 8, 2020, India has 256,611 cases positive with 124,981 active with recovery 50% and mortality 2.8%. Tamil Nadu ranks as the second highest state in India with 31,667 positive cases, with the city of Chennai at the top of the list. In spite of being in the hot spot, in general out of the 100, 35 patients had adjuvant therapy with curative intent where treated on schedule with growth factor support. For the 40 patients receiving palliative therapy for metastatic and recurrent disease, in some cases delay occurred as 7 patients were unable to travel as there was no transport available to the hospital. Fifteen patients had worsening symptoms and performance status, of whom 10 required hospital admission for supportive care. COVID 19 test was done for all who were admitted to the ICU with symptoms and all were tested negative; 6 died of progressive disease. Two patients with AML/MDS tested positively; repeat test was negative and they were started on chemotherapy. Shared decision-making was paramount, for example, shorter treatment duration was considered in the remaining 18 who continued also oral chemotherapy done in 12 patients. For 25 patients in remission who are receiving maintenance therapy, e.g., breast cancer, prostate cancer, chronic myeloid leukemia, indolent lymphomas, it was reasonable to continue oral drugs. Up to July 2020 the amount of testing increased, but with no alarming rise in cancer patients. Conclusion: Our data of 100 patients were quite large, with 78% continuing their cancer-directed therapy (35% adjuvant, 25% maintenance therapy, and 18% palliative care) in spite of the pandemic. Six patients died but were negative for COVID 19; only 2 were infected but recovered. We think clinical decisions should be individualized; in India the active cases are high, with higher recovery rate of 50% and low mortality of only 2.7%, and the same is seen with cancer patients where there is no increased mortality as reported in some published literature. Citation Format: Anita Ramesh, Raji Ssoundarajan. Cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southern India [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Meeting: COVID-19 and Cancer; 2020 Jul 20-22. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(18_Suppl):Abstract nr PO-008.

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and patients are managed clinically based on ER, PR, HER2 expression, and key risk factors. The use of gene expression assays for early stage disease is already common practice. These tests have found a place in risk stratifying the heterogeneous group of stage I–II breast cancers for recurrence, for predicting chemotherapy response, and for predicting breast cancer-related mortality. Most guidelines for hormone receptor (HR)–positive early breast cancer recommend addition of adjuvant chemotherapy for most women, leading to overtreatment, which causes considerable morbidity and cost. Expert oncologist discussed about strategies of gene expression assays and aid in chemotherapy recommendations for treatment of HR + ve EBC and the expert group used data from published literature, practical experience and opinion of a large group of academic oncologists to arrive at this practical consensus recommendations for the benefit of community oncologists.

Introduction Molecular xenomonitoring (MX)—pathogen detection in the mosquito rather than human—is a promising tool for lymphatic filariasis (LF) surveillance. In the Recife Metropolitan Region (RMR), the last LF focus in Brazil, Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes have been implicated in transmitting Wuchereria bancrofti parasites. This paper presents findings on the ideal mosquito collection method, mosquito dispersion, W. bancrofti infection in mosquitoes and W. bancrofti antigen in humans to aid MX development. Methods Experiments occurred within two densely populated urban areas of Olinda, RMR, in July and August 2015. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps were compared to battery-powered aspirators as collection methods, and mosquito dispersion was measured by mosquito mark release recapture (MMRR). Female Cx. quinquefasciatus were tested by PCR for W. bancrofti infection, and study area residents were screened by rapid tests for W. bancrofti antigen. Results Aspirators caught 2.6 times more total Cx. quinquefasciatus, including 38 times more blood-fed and 5 times more gravid stages, than CDC light traps. They also collected 123 times more Aedes aegypti. Of the 9,644 marked mosquitoes released, only ten (0.01%) were recaptured, nine of which were < 50m (34.8m median, 85.4m maximum) from the release point. Of 9,169 unmarked mosquitoes captured in the MMR, 38.3% were unfed, 48.8% blood-fed, 5.5% semi-gravid, and 7.3% gravid. PCR on 182 pools (1,556 mosquitoes) found no evidence of W. bancrofti infection in Cx. quinquefasciatus. Rapid tests on 110 of 111 eligible residents were all negative for W. bancrofti antigen. Conclusions Aspirators were more effective than CDC light traps at capturing Ae. aegypti and all but unfed stages of Cx. quinquefasciatus. Female Cx. quinquefasciatus traveled short (< 86m) distances in this urban area. Lack of evidence for W. bancrofti infection in mosquitoes and antigen in humans in these fine-scale studies does not indicate that LF transmission has ceased in the RMR. A MX surveillance system should consider vector-specific collection methods, mosquito dispersion, and spatial scale but also local context, environmental factors such as sanitation, and host factors such as infection prevalence and treatment history., Author summary Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes, and can cause elephantiasis. It is the world’s leading cause of disability due to infectious diseases, affects over 120 million people globally, and is scheduled for global elimination via mass drug administration (MDA) and mosquito control. Molecular xenomonitoring (MX) is a process of screening mosquitoes—not humans—for parasites to estimate whether they are circulating in human populations. MX is especially useful during and following MDA, when new case detection becomes difficult, but is challenging to design and conduct in cities. Using two study sites in the Recife Metropolitan Region, Brazil, we investigated two crucial questions for urban MX development—“What is the best operationally feasible tool to catch adult mosquitoes?” and “How far do mosquitoes disperse in cities?”—in order to determine placement of future surveillance sites. We also screened a proportion of mosquitoes and all eligible residents from the study sites for LF infection. We determined that handheld battery powered aspirators were the best mosquito collection tool; that mosquitoes flew no more than about 85m; and—in this small sample of mosquitoes and very small sample of humans—there was no evidence of LF infection in mosquitoes or study area residents.

Surface epithelial stromal tumors account for approximately 60% of all ovarian tumors and approximately 90% of all ovarian malignancies. Sex cord stromal tumors account for 7% of all malignant ovarian tumors. Germ cell tumors make up only 3-7% of malignant ovarian tumors. A combination of serous carcinoma of the ovary and choriocarcinoma is rare. Until today such combination has been documented only in six cases in the English literature. Here, we describe a case of ovarian serous carcinoma, where histopathology revealed a combination of serous carcinoma with adjacent choriocarcinoma component in the extraovarian peritoneal deposits. A 64-year-old post-menopausal female was diagnosed to have stage IV ovarian cancer. She received six cycles chemotherapy. Subsequently she underwent optimal cytoreductive surgery. Microscopically, monomorphic histology (serous carcinoma) was noted in both the ovaries and dimorphic histologies (serous carcinoma and choriocarcinoma) in the sigmoid mesocolon nodule, omentum and left subdiaphragmatic nodules. Metronomic chemotherapy continued and patient is on regular follow-up for the past 1 year with stable disease. Recognition of choriocarcinomatous components in ovarian carcinomas is important because of its association with aggressive behavior. In spite of the aggressive histology, the patient is surviving for the past 1 year. Different chemotherapeutic regimens have been used in cases of mixed choriocarcinoma and carcinoma, but established chemotherapeutic regimens have not been described. Chemotherapeutic regimens that target both components have been advocated and used. The absence of choriocarcinoma in ovarian primary and its presence in the extraovarian peritoneal deposits have not been described in the English literature so far. This case is being presented for its rarity.

Recognition of the need for evidence-based interventions to help to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian responses has been increasing. However, little is known about the breadth and quality of evidence on health interventions in humanitarian crises. We describe the findings of a systematic review with the aim of examining the quantity and quality of evidence on public health interventions in humanitarian crises to identify key research gaps. We identified 345 studies published between 1980 and 2014 that met our inclusion criteria. The quantity of evidence varied substantially by health topic, from communicable diseases (n=131), nutrition (n=77), to non-communicable diseases (n=8), and water, sanitation, and hygiene (n=6). We observed common study design and weaknesses in the methods, which substantially reduced the ability to determine causation and attribution of the interventions. Considering the major increase in health-related humanitarian activities in the past three decades and calls for a stronger evidence base, this paper highlights the limited quantity and quality of health intervention research in humanitarian contexts and supports calls to scale up this research.

Background: Improved survival after childhood cancer is attributed to intensive, aggressive therapy, adverse sequelae of which can manifest months to years after completion of treatment. There is little information about the late adverse effects of both childhood cancer and its therapy in survivors in India. Aim: To determine the long-term sequelae associated with therapy in childhood cancer survivors attending a tertiary cancer center in India. Materials and Methods: We studied 155 consecutive survivors of childhood cancer who were ≤14 years at the time of diagnosis and had completed 3 years of follow-up. The study included a complete history and clinical examination, with specific investigations to detect organ toxicity. Quality of life (QOL) was assessed from responses to a standardized questionnaire. Neurocognitive assessment was carried out in 20 survivors with an adaptation of the revised Wechsler adult intelligence scale for adults and the Malins intelligence scale for children. Results: The late effects included impaired fertility in 38 patients (24.5%), impaired growth pattern in 7 (4.5%), endocrine dysfunction in 7 (4.5%) and second malignancy in 2 (1.2%). Three of the 20 patients assessed had severe neurocognitive impairment. A high QOL was reported by 60% of survivors and an "average" QOL by 38%. Conclusion: Our study showed that most survivors had a good QOL and our results will help clinicians to better monitor childhood cancer survivors in countries with limited resources.

Purpose To study the effectiveness of pre-enucleation steroids in reducing inflammation in patients with retinoblastoma presenting as orbital cellulitis. Methods Medical records of consecutive retinoblastoma patients presenting at a single tertiary eye care center during a period of 3 years were retrospectively reviewed. For those who presented with orbital cellulitis, clinical, radiological, and histopathological variables were assessed. The effect of pre-enucleation steroids was noted in this group of patients. Results Of 260 retinoblastoma cases reviewed, 14 had retinoblastoma-associated cellulitis (5.39%). Of these 14 patients, 4 received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and were excluded from the series. Of the remaining 10 cases (mean age at presentation, 14.2 months; mean follow-up, 16.4 months), 9 presented with orbital cellulitis and were included in the study. Radiological imaging depicted intraocular tumors occupying 80% to 100% of the globe in each case. All patients underwent enucleation. Five children received pre-enucleation systemic steroids (mean, 5.4 days), which resulted in a prompt decrease in inflammation. Postenucleation chemotherapy was administered in 4 (6 cycles) and external beam radiation therapy in 1 patient with high-risk histopathological characteristics. Conclusions Advanced necrotic retinoblastoma with anterior segment involvement may present as orbital cellulitis. Pre-enucleation systemic steroids can aid in the surgical management of these tumors.

Synovial sarcoma is one of the poorly differentiated malignant soft tissue tumour occuring commonly among young adults in the extremities. We report a 50-year-old female presenting with a soft tissue mass in the right palm. On examination, a single firm and non tender swelling was noticed adjacent to the thenar muscles. Radiology suggested a benign soft tissue lesion. The swelling, clinically thought to be a lipoma, was excised and sent for histopathological examination. Microscopy showed a highly cellular tumour arranged in nests, cords and pseudo glandular pattern separated by dense fibrocollagenous tissue. An interesting and baffling finding was the presence of a distinct mucin vacuole in many of the tumour cells. A diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma with epithelial features was considered and a panel of immunohistochemical stains done. Tumour cells showed strong positivity for cytokeratin 7, vimentin, EMA & Bcl2. CD 99 and S100 were focally positive. CD 34 and CEA were negative. In view of the above microscopic and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of monophasic synovial sarcoma of epithelial type was rendered. This case is being documented for the rare morphological appearance of mucin vacuoles in a monophasic epithelial type synovial sarcoma.

Background To assess the extent to which climate may affect the abundance of Musca sorbens, a putative vector of trachoma. Data sources Studies were identified by systematically searching online databases including CAB abstracts, Embase, Global Health, Medline, Web of Science and BIOS Online, references from key articles, and the websites of relevant international agencies. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted of field and laboratory studies that reported the impact of climate factors (e.g., temperature, humidity) on the synanthropic fly Musca sorbens. Data were systematically extracted and studies assessed for quality by two readers. Study results were reported narratively. Results A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria but only three evaluated associations between climatic/abiotic factors and M. sorbens. Limited evidence indicates that M. sorbens abundance has an optimal temperature and humidity range. Thirteen studies reported seasonal patterns but no consistent pattern was found between season and the abundance of M. sorbens. Conclusions The evidence base regarding the effect of climatic factors on M. sorbens is limited, so it is difficult to construct a biological model driven by climate for this species. A multivariate statistical approach based on the climate of sites where M. sorbens is found may better capture its complex relationship with climatic factors as well as aid in mapping the global range of M. sorbens. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1330-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dengue cases have increased in younger age groups in Brazil. Maternal anti-dengue antibodies can have a protective effect in the first months of life, but their decline can increase the risk of severe dengue. A prospective birth cohort was established in 2011-2012 in the city of Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil, to determine the incidence of serotype-specific dengue infection and the kinetics of transferred maternal anti-dengue antibodies in the first years of life. This article describes the design, methods and preliminary results of this cohort study. 354 children underwent clinical and laboratory monitoring for two years, with 15% losses to follow-up. The overall rate of new infections was approximately 10% in the first year of follow-up. Information on the force of serotype-specific dengue infection and the evaluation of transferred maternal antibodies can contribute to understanding dengue etiopathogenesis. Resumo Casos de dengue têm aumentado em grupos etários mais jovens no Brasil. Anticorpos antidengue maternos podem exercer efeito protetor nos primeiros meses de vida, mas seu declínio pode aumentar o risco de dengue grave. Uma coorte de nascimento prospectiva foi estabelecida na cidade do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil, entre 2011-2012, para determinar a incidência de infecção sorotipo-específica do dengue e cinética dos anticorpos antidengue materno-transferidos nos primeiros anos de vida. Este artigo descreve o desenho, os métodos e resultados preliminares deste estudo de coorte. Trezentas e cinquenta e quatro crianças foram acompanhadas clínico e laboratorialmente por dois anos, com 15% de perdas de seguimento. A taxa global de novas infecções foi de aproximadamente 10% na coorte de crianças no primeiro ano de seguimento. Informações sobre a força de infecção sorotipo-específica do dengue nos primeiros anos de vida, bem como a avaliação da cinética de anticorpos materno-transferidos poderão contribuir para a compreensão da etiopatogenia da doença. Resumen Los casos de dengue han aumentado en los grupos de edad más jóvenes en Brasil. Los anticuerpos antidengue maternos pueden ejercer un efecto protector en los primeros meses de vida, pero su decremento puede aumentar el riesgo de dengue grave. Una cohorte de nacimientos prospectiva se estableció en la ciudad de Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil, entre 2011-2012, para determinar la incidencia de infección serotipo-específica de dengue y la cinética de los anticuerpos antidengue materno-transferidos durante los primeros años de vida. Este artículo describe el diseño, los métodos y resultados preliminares de este estudio de cohorte. 354 niños fueron acompañados clínicamente y en laboratorio durante dos años, con un 15% de pérdidas en el seguimiento. La tasa global de nuevas infecciones fue de aproximadamente un 10% en la cohorte de niños durante el primer año de seguimiento. La información sobre la fuerza de infección serotipo-específica del dengue en los primeros años de vida, así como la evaluación de la cinética de los anticuerpos materno-transferidos, podrá contribuir a la comprensión de la etiopatogenia de la enfermedad.

Primary testicular plasmacytoma is rare, especially when occurring in the absence of a previous or concurrent diagnosis of multiple myeloma. An 84-year-old gentleman was admitted with complaints of swelling over the right side of scrotum for the past 2 months. Local examination revealed a 10×15 cm tense and tender swelling involving the right scrotum. Therefore, high orchidectomy with excision of hemiscrotum was done. The histopathology revealed testicular plasmacytoma, which was positive for CD 138.

BACKGROUND: Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions are amongst the most crucial in humanitarian crises, although the impact of the different WASH interventions on health outcomes remains unclear. AIM: To examine the quantity and quality of evidence on WASH interventions on health outcomes in humanitarian crises, as well as evaluate current evidence on their effectiveness against health outcomes in these contexts. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted of primary and grey quantitative literature on WASH interventions measured against health outcomes in humanitarian crises occurring from 1980-2014. Populations of interest were those in resident in humanitarian settings, with a focus on acute crisis and early recovery stages of humanitarian crises in low and middle-income countries. Interventions of interest were WASH-related, while outcomes of interest were health-related. Study quality was assessed via STROBE/CONSORT criteria. Results were analyzed descriptively, and PRISMA reporting was followed. RESULTS: Of 3963 studies initially retrieved, only 6 published studies measured a statistically significant change in health outcome as a result of a WASH intervention. All 6 studies employed point-of-use (POU) water quality interventions, with 50% using safe water storage (SWS) and 35% using household water treatment (HWT). All 6 studies used self-reported diarrhea outcomes, 2 studies also reported laboratory confirmed outcomes, and 2 studies reported health treatment outcomes (e.g. clinical admissions). 1 study measured WASH intervention success in relation to both health and water quality outcomes; 1 study recorded uptake (use of soap) as well as health outcomes. 2 studies were unblinded randomized-controlled trials, while 4 were uncontrolled longitudinal studies. 2 studies were graded as providing high quality evidence; 3 studies provided moderate and 1 study low quality evidence. CONCLUSION: The current evidence base on the impact of WASH interventions on health outcomes in humanitarian crises is extremely limited, and numerous methodological limitations limit the ability to determine associative, let alone causal, relationships.

Polymer mediated drug delivery system represents a novel promising platform for tumor-targeting with reduced systemic side effects and improved chemotherapeutical efficacy. In this study, we report the preparation and characterization of herceptin targeted, diglycolamic acid (DGA) functionalized polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer as a potent drug carrier for cisplatin. DGA dendrimers carrying cisplatin demonstrated enhanced anticancer activity when targeted with herceptin. In vitro cell line studies with herceptin-DGA-G4-cisplatin in HER-2 +ve and HER-2 -ve human ovarian cancer cell lines showed that these nanoparticles possessed remarkable features such as lower IC50 value, improved S-phase arrest, and enhanced apoptosis due to increased cellular uptake and accumulation than the untargeted DGA-G4-cisplatin and free cisplatin. Furthermore, in vivo results in SCID mice bearing SKOV-3 tumor xenografts, herceptin-DGA-G4-cisplatin, appeared to be more effective in inducing tumor regression as compared to free cisplatin. Collectively, these results indicate that herceptin targeted DGA functionalized PAMAM-cisplatin conjugates serve as better anti-tumor agents than individual therapeutic agents. � 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the postmarketing status: Efficacy and safety drugs and biologics related with cancer approved under expedited review. Methods: This observational, analytical study was carried between January and April 2016 by the Department of Pharmacology and Medical Oncology, Saveetha Medical College. Drugs approved under expedited review, fast-track status and its association with anti-cancer effects, postmarketing efficacy and safety, propensity to induce the second tumor was noted. Drug approval status and average time of review process were obtained from the United States-Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Drugs and Biologics Center (Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research). Postmarketing adverse events and safety issues were collected FDA adverse effects reporting system. Further, evidence efficacy and safety of drugs were taken from various meta-analysis, reports on BioMed journals, and Cochrane systematic reviews. Results: In the last 5 years, 166 products were approved by expedited review. Out of 166, 48 (28.9%) drugs/biologics are anticancer drugs and drugs used in precancerous conditions. The average time of review varies from19 months to 8.2 months. Out of these 48 molecules, 37 (77%) molecules received serious adverse event alert. Positive correlation is seen between average time of review and number of adverse events reported. Seven (14.5%) drugs were proven to induce second tumor among receivers. Conclusion: Although expedited review facilitates faster approval of drugs; selection and assessment criteria should be stringent to prevent clinical failure, serious adverse effects of such drugs exposed to many individuals. Focus should be given developing chemosensitizing molecule and evaluation of metronomic regimen which is being more optimistic in current cancer therapeutics.

Castleman′s disease, a rare condition of uncertain etiology clinically presents in isolated form or as a multicentric disease. The multicentric form can develop malignancies such as Kaposi′s sarcoma or lymphomas. We present a case of Castleman′s disease with coexisting interfollicular Hodgkin′s lymphoma that was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. This case report highlights the fact that an occult lymphoma has to be ruled out in persistent or recurrent Castleman′s disease.

The concomitant occurrence of pregnancy and chronic myelogenous leukemia is uncommon. We describe the successful management of a 24-year-old woman in the first trimester of her pregnancy with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase, who was on treatment with imatinib, which was stopped by 10 th week of pregnancy. Until, she completed full term of pregnancy she was on hydroxyurea. The use of imatinib did not have adverse effects on the fetus. The patient had a normal vaginal delivery and gave birth to a healthy 2500 g girl at 37 weeks of gestation. We conclude that imatinib in the first trimester of pregnant lady with CML, though has particular concern regarding the potential teratogenic and other adverse effects, has shown evidences of safe conception, pregnancy and delivery in ladies with CML.

The death of a woman every 71 seconds in the world and every 12 minutes in the US, from breast cancer, indicate that the current standard of cure does not work. In addition, these therapies are expensive and have many side effects. This calls for safe, effective, alternate, affordable and physical therapies. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) has promising potential for treating inoperable, chemo-resistant and radio-resistant tumors that do not respond to the current standard of cure. Clinical trials show the successful applications of ECT for chest wall breast carcinomas. In this research, the efficacy of FDA approved, commonly prescribed and administered breast cancer drugs, including doxorubicin, paclitaxol, tamoxifen and bleomycin are studied using electroporation. In addition, the efficacy of curcumin is also studied using high and low voltage electroporation. MCF-7 breast cancer cells were used for this study at various pulse parameter conditions, including both low and high voltages. The positive results indicate that ECT is a good vehicle to efficiently upload these drugs intratumorally.