Outcome of Concurrent Chemoradiation in Inoperable Muscle Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma of Urinary Bladder in terms of Locoregional Response and Toxicities — A Longitudinal Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background : The presenting study was performed to assess the efficacy in terms of tumour response and toxicity profile of a curative intent organ preservation approach in Inoperable Non-metastatic Muscle-Invasive Urinary Bladder Carcinoma. Materials and Methods : Prospective Interventional Single-Arm, Single Center study with a duration of one and half year in which 47 patients with Muscle-invaded Bladder Cancer were treated with Radiotherapy with 64 Gy in 32# along with Concurrent Chemotherapy with three weekly injection Cisplatin in dose of 70 mg/m2. Response evaluation was done using both Clinical and Radiological means and categorized using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1. For adverse events measurement: NCI CTCAE (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, v4.1) and RTOG/EORTC Acute and Late Morbidity criteria was used. Results : Of the 47 patients who completed chemoradiation, complete treatment response was seen in 25 patients (53.2%), 17 patients (36.2%) had partial response on initial assessment and one patient had disease progression both in form of locoregional and distant (lung) metastasis. Stable disease found in (8.5%). Patients with residual disease were advised to undergo salvage treatment. Grade 3 Nephrotoxicity reported in one patient, Grade 2 Cystitis in 32 patients (68.1%), while Grade 2 Diarrhoea occurred in four patients (8.5%). Hematological toxicity attributable to Chemoradiotherapy included Grade 2, Grade 3 Neutropenia seen in 6.4% and 2.1% respectively and Grade 2 Anaemia in 4.3% patients. Conclusion : Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy is well-tolerated, effective and convenient curative treatment option for patients with Inoperable Non-metastatic Muscle Invasive Carcinoma of Urinary Bladder

Management of a Case of Subungual Glomus Tumor by Periungual Surgical Excision: A Case Report

Glomus tumors of the subungual region are a group of benign hamartomas due to proliferation of glomus cells. The lesionpresents as a brownish purple lesion in the nail bed. Classical triad suggestive of the disease consists of severe pain, localtenderness, and sensitivity to cold. Diagnostic tests include Love’s pin test, Hildreth’s test, and transillumination test. Completesurgical excision by either the transungual or periungual approach usually provides symptomatic relief with little chance ofrecurrence. Periungual approach is associated with less complications.

Nanotechnology in snake venom research—an overview

Nanotechnology has revolutionized the paradigm of today’s upcoming biological sciences through its applications in the field of biomedical research. One such promising aspect is by interfacing this modern technology with snake venom research. Snake venom is a valuable resource of bioactive molecules, which has shown efficient and promising contributions in biomedical research. The potentiality of merging these two unique fields lies in the approach of interfacing active bioactive molecules derived from snake venoms, which would yield better therapeutic molecules for future applications in terms of drug delivery, enhanced stability, reduced toxicity, bioavailability and targeted drug delivery. Available literature on nanoconjugation of snake venom bioactive molecules have suggest that these molecules have better therapeutic advantage in several fields of biomedical research viz., arthritis, cancer, etc. Another perspective in snake venom research could be green synthesis or herbal based synthesis of nanoparticles, which has shown enhanced effect in snake venom neutralizing capacity. Therefore, in terms of snake venom therapeutic potential and development of snake venom antidote, nanotechnology is a prodigious tool to be taken into serious consideration by the researchers. In this review, a comprehensive overview has been given on bridging nanoparticles with active biomolecules derived from snake venoms/herbs, current scientific evidences and records in this field, present trends and developments in nanotechnology in venom research along with future prospects in this arena. This may open new domains in snake venom research using nanotechnology in the near future

Perforated acute appendicitis in a term neonate.

Acute appendicitis is rare in term neonates. In most of the reported cases, it is seen as a complication of necrotizing enterocolitis, Hirschsprung's disease, cystic fibrosis, meconium plug, inguinal hernia, umbilical hernia, Group B Streptococcal septicemia and chorioamnionitis. A surviving term male newborn with isolated acute appendicitis with perforation is reported. A high index of suspicion of acute appendicitis, early surgery and the importance of a thorough search for a perforation in cases of neonatal acute abdominal distention is stressed. Literature of this rare condition is reviewed briefly.