Search

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD), also known as sickle cell anemia, is a dangerous disease in which the body produces an abnormal form of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body. The body produces sickle- or crescent-shaped red blood cells as a result of this genetic change. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to study on HemoTypeSC™ test for the rapid screening of SCD patients in Government Medical College and Hospital, Ambikapur. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients have been diagnosed as sickle cell anemia by sickle cell solubility test at Govt. Medical College, Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh,India. All the patients were admitted in the Department of Medicine at Govt. Medical College, Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh,India, from April 1, 2021, to June 1, 2021. Results: The study group (HbSS patients) comprised 22 (42%) males and 28(58%) females.The ages ranged from 1 to 45 years; these 50 patients have been diagnosed as sickle cell anemia by sickle cell solubility test positive at Govt.Medical College, Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh,India. Conclusion: Sickle cell illness can be counted and observed in a variety of ways. Experience includes things such as electrophoresis and hand counting. HemoTypeSC™ is a blood test kit that determines hemoglobin type in whole blood in a short amount of time. At the point of care, this test detects the hemoglobin phenotype HbAA (normal), HbSS and HbSC (SCD), HbCC (hemoglobin C illness), and HbAS and HbAC (carrier or trait). Monoclonal antibodies are highly specific and sensitive to hemoglobin’s A, S, and C. The fetal hemoglobin has no effect. There are no liquid buffer components or requirements for refrigeration. In high temperatures, it remains stable and the test takes only 10 min to complete.

Ajalaya Teyateeti,1,2 Armeen Mahvash,3 James P Long,4 Mohamed E Abdelsalam,3 Rony Avritscher,3 Beth Chasen,1 Ahmed O Kaseb,5 Joshua D Kuban,3 Ravi Murthy,3 Bruno C Odisio,3 Achiraya Teyateeti,6 Homer A Macapinlac,1 S Cheenu Kappadath7 1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; 2Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; 3Department of Interventional Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; 4Department of Biostatistics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; 5Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; 6Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; 7Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USACorrespondence: S Cheenu KappadathDepartment of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Pressler Street — Unit 1352, Houston, TX 77030, USATel +1 713 745 2835Email skappadath@mdanderson.orgPurpose: To assess the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing yttrium-90 glass–microsphere transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with and without concurrent sorafenib.Methods: OS and PFS were analyzed in 55 patients with an intrahepatic tumor (IHT) ≤ 50% without advanced or aggressive disease features (ADFs), which was referred to presence of infiltrative/ill-defined HCC, macrovascular invasion, or extrahepatic disease treated with only TARE (TARE_alone) and in 74 patients with IHT ≤ 50% with ADFs or IHT > 50% treated with TARE and sorafenib (TARE_sorafenib). Prognostic factors for OS and PFS were identified using univariate and multivariate analyses.Results: Median OS and PFS of TARE_alone patients were 21.6 (95% CI 6.1– 37.1) and 9.1(95% CI 5.2– 13.0) months, respectively, and for TARE_sorafenib patients 12.4 (95% CI 9.1– 15.6) and 5.1 (95% CI 2.6– 7.5) months, respectively. Better OS was associated with serum AFP < 400 (HR 0.27, p=0.02) in TARE_alone, and IHT ≤ 50% (HR 0.39, p=0.004) and AFP < 400 (HR 0.5, p=0.027) in TARE_sorafenib. Unilobar involvement (HR 0.43, p=0.029) and AFP < 400 ng/mL (HR 0.52, p=0.015) correlated with better PFS in TARE_alone and TARE_sorafenib, respectively. Adverse events (AEs) were more frequent in TARE_sorafenib than TARE_alone (92.4 vs 80.3%), but only 9.3% were grade 3 or higher AEs.Conclusion: TARE_alone provided the most prominent survival benefit in IHT ≤ 50%–without ADF patients who had unilobar HCC and serum AFP < 400 ng/mL. TARE and sorafenib yielded the best outcomes in patients with IHT ≤ 50% and serum AFP < 400 ng/mL, with some additional grade 1– 2 AEs compared to TARE only.Keywords: 90Y, selective internal radiation therapy, TheraSphere, prognostic factors, adverse events

May–Thurner syndrome is a common cause of left lower extremity venous thrombosis resulting from repetitive and dynamic compression of the left common iliac vein by the right common iliac artery, commonly seen in young to middle-aged women. The diagnosis requires high clinical suspicion. Computed tomography venography and magnetic resonance venography depict the extent of venous thrombosis and iliac venous compression in patients with underlying thrombotic and nonthrombotic pathologies, respectively. Contrast venography allows detection of acute and chronic thrombus, associated venous obstruction, and collaterals but is of limited value to evaluate the early venous wall abnormalities. Endovascular ultrasound is highly useful to detect early mural changes and accurately quantify venous narrowing. Endovascular intervention with balloon dilatation and stenting with or without pharmacomechanical thrombectomy followed by long-term anticoagulation is the preferred treatment with excellent technical and clinical outcomes. This review focuses on the current understanding of the pathology, clinical presentation, and endovascular management of May–Thurner syndrome.

Mohamed E Abdelsalam,1 Ravi Murthy,1 Rony Avritscher,1 Armeen Mahvash,1 Michael J Wallace,1 Ahmed O Kaseb,2 Bruno C Odisio,1 1Department of Interventional Radiology, 2Department of Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most frequently occurring cancer globally and predominantly develops in the setting of various grades of underlying chronic liver disease, which affects management decisions. Image-guided percutaneous ablative or transarterial therapies have acquired wide acceptance in HCC management as a single treatment modality or combined with other treatment options in patients who are not amenable for surgery. Recently, such treatment modalities have also been used for bridging or downsizing before definitive treatment (ie, surgical resection or liver transplantation). This review focuses on the use of minimally invasive image-guided locoregional therapies for HCC. Additionally, it highlights recent advancements in imaging and catheter technology, embolic materials, chemotherapeutic agents, and delivery techniques; all lead to improved patient outcomes, thereby increasing the interest in these invasive techniques. Keywords: hepatocelleular carcinoma, locoregional therapy, TACE, ablation, 90Y

Armeen Mahvash,1 Ravi Murthy,1 Bruno C Odisio,1 Kanwal Pratap Raghav,2 Lauren Girard,2 Sheree Cheung,1 Van Nguyen,3 Joe Ensor,4 Sameer Gadani,5 Khaled M Elsayes,6 Reham Abdel-Wahab,1,7 Manal Hassan,1 Ahmed S Shalaby,1 James C Yao,1 Michael J Wallace,1 Ahmed O Kaseb2 1Department of Interventional Radiology, 2Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, 3Department of Pharmacy, 4Department of Statistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 5Department of Radiology, Saint Louis University Hospital, St Louis, MO, 6Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; 7Department of Clinical Oncology, Assiut University Hospital, Assiut, Egypt Purpose: The safety and efficacy of the combined use of sorafenib and yttrium-90 resin microspheres (Y90 RMS) to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not well established. We determined the incidence of adverse events with this combination therapy in patients with advanced HCC at our institution and analyzed the treatment and survival outcomes. Materials and methods: We reviewed the records of 19 patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer class B or C HCC who underwent treatment with Y90 RMS (for 21 sessions) while receiving full or reduced doses of sorafenib between January 2008 and May 2010. Therapy response was evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. We evaluated median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) as well as hepatic and extrahepatic disease PFS and incidence of adverse events. Results: The median patient age was 67 years, and portal or hepatic venous invasion was present in eight patients (42%). Ten patients received reduced doses of sorafenib. The median Y90 radiation activity delivered was 41.2 mCi. The partial response of Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors was observed in four patients (19%). The median hepatic disease PFS was 7.82 months, extrahepatic disease PFS was 8.94 months, OS was 19.52 months, and PFS was 6.63 months. Ninety days after treatment with Y90 RMS, five patients (26%) had grade II adverse events and four patients (21%) had grade III adverse events. Conclusion: OS and PFS outcomes were superior to those observed in prior studies evaluating sorafenib alone in patients with a similar disease status, warranting further study of this treatment combination. Keywords: yttrium-90, sorafenib, hepatocellular carcinoma

Botulinum toxin chemodenervation has evolved greatly over the past 30 years since its introduction in the 1970s for the management of strabismus. Among ophthalmic plastic surgeons, botulinum toxins are often used as the first line treatment for facial dystonias. These toxins are also efficacious for the temporary management of various other conditions including keratopathies (through so called chemo-tarsorraphy), upper eyelid retraction, orbicularis overaction-induced lower eyelid entropion, gustatory epiphora, Frey′s syndrome, and dynamic facial rhytids such as lateral canthal wrinkles (crow′s feet), glabellar creases and horizontal forehead lines. This article describes the pharmacology, reconstitution techniques and common current applications of botulinum toxins in ophthalmic plastic surgery.

Radioembolization offers a novel way to treat the nonresectable, liver predominant hepatic malignancies with better tumor response and overall progression-free survival rates. Transarterial catheter-based radioembolization procedure involves the hepatic arterial administration of glass- or resin-based beta emitting Yttirum-90 microspheres. Safe delivery of the tumoricidal radiation dose requires careful angiogram planning and coil embolization to quantify lung shunting and prevent systemic toxicity, respectively. Diagnostic pretreatment angiogram also serves to identify the hepatic arterial variant anatomy and other coexisting pathologies that might require a different or alternative approach. We describe a complex case of celiac artery stenosis with tortuous pancreaticoduodenal arterial arcade precluding access to the right hepatic artery for performing radioembolization. Celiac artery stenting of the stenosis was performed to facilitate subsequent safe and successful Yttrium-90 microsphere radioembolization.

Central sulcus hemorrhage is a rare imaging finding that can be related to cerebral amyloidosis in a normotensive non-traumatic elderly patient and present as an isolated finding or in association with other areas of involvement. We report a case presenting with an isolated central sulcus hemorrhage on computed tomography. Further imaging work-up excluded other potential causes of peripheral hemorrhages and established a putative diagnosis of cerebral amyloidosis.

The lives of rural households are predominantly based on agriculture and its allied activities. However, there are signs of an agricultural crisis resulting in dependence on alternative sources of income. This paper analyzes the factors that influence the decision of farm households to participate in non-farm activities for alternative income. The official data for two years on the Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households are explored and a pooled probit regression model is run to examine the determinants of income diversification. Our findings reveal that farm income and irrigated land negatively influence diversification. However, diversification of those having lower access to farm holdings, socioeconomic deprivation, and improved access to education, informal credit, and crop insurance point out positive participation in non-farm enterprises. In addition, the population belonging to hilly and coastal plain regions and the age group 30–64 years are more likely to diversify. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botanical gardens dedicate their resources to the research and preservation of plants as well as educating the public about the diversity of plant species found across the world. As a result, this study was conducted to determine the tree composition and diversity of the Mahatma Gandhi Botanical Garden, GKVK, Bengaluru. The garden was divided into ten parts with an area of 26 hectares. The trees with girth size of at least thirty centimetres were considered for enumeration, after enumeration it was observed that there were 2140 trees from 186 different species; twelve of these are naturalized forest tree species, while the remaining 174 are planted species. The tree diversity was found to be highest in block 1 and lowest in block 2, where the number of tree species was found to be 83 and 34, respectively in block 1 and 2. Importance Value Index (IVI) was found highest for Millettia pinnata (25.71), Azadirachta indica (25.17) and Albizia lebbeck (16.59), where these three tree species comprise around 27.73 per cent of the total tree population. The highest tree population was found in the girth class 30-60 cm, followed by 60-90 cm, where combinedly they account for sixty per cent of total tree population. The majority of the trees fall under height classes 6-9 m, 9-12 m and 12-15 m, where they account for 61.5 per cent of total tree population. It was found that trees in botanical gardens belong to 49 families, where the highest tree population was found in the Fabaceae family, which was followed by Meliaceae and Myrtaceae. The overall results revealed that the botanical garden is rich in tree species composition and diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a pressing global concern with far-reaching implications and its impact on soil properties is a critical aspect that warrants comprehensive investigation. This abstract delves into the multifaceted effects of climate change on soil, highlighting the intricate relationships between climate patterns and soil characteristics. Rising temperatures associated with climate change contribute to increased evaporation rates, leading to changes in soil moisture levels. These alterations can influence soil structure, affecting porosity, compaction and water retention capacity. Additionally, shifting precipitation patterns may result in changes to soil erosion and sedimentation rates, impacting nutrient cycling and the overall fertility of the soil. The increase in extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, intensifies soil erosion and nutrient loss. Changes in temperature and precipitation also influence microbial activity and diversity in the soil, impacting crucial processes like decomposition and nutrient mineralization. These alterations in microbial communities can further cascade into shifts in soil organic matter content and nutrient availability. Furthermore, the interaction between climate change and soil properties extends to the realm of soil carbon sequestration. Altered conditions may affect the balance between carbon inputs and outputs, influencing the capacity of soils to act as carbon sinks. Understanding these complex dynamics is imperative for sustainable land management practices and developing strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on soil properties. This review paper throws light on the complex interplay between climate change and soil properties underscoring the need for interdisciplinary research to unravel the intricacies of this relationship. Such knowledge is indispensable for formulating effective adaptation and mitigation strategies to safeguard soil health, ensuring the resilience of ecosystems and global food security in the face of ongoing climate challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The war that engulfed Syria in March 2011 is considered to be the most destructive event in its modern history. In addition to the massive human losses and millions displaced, physical capital stock and trade losses are comprehensive; by 2019, the United Nations estimated conflict-related damage to physical capital at US$442.2 billion (infrastructure destruction estimated at US$120 billion); and trade witnessed a collapse of about 100% in just a decade. The study focuses on the impact of the conflict on capital and trade and their specificity in a "multipolar" world to a small but "node" country like Syria. Using the error correction model, findings supported the view that (1) underdevelopment is linked to persistent and widespread international and regional intervention and economic sanctions; (2) political and geopolitical factors are highly associated with the state's capacity to raise investment and trade volume. Further, the study pointed out the importance of both public capital and trade in growth in the pre-conflict phase, but not the private capital. Recovery and reconstruction are possible only with relative peace drawn by political settlement between the dominant and contending parties in the geopolitical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]