Investigating the Brain Activity Correlates of Humming Bee Sound during Bhramari Pranayama.

Context: Previous research has shown the vast benefits associated with BhP. However, the dynamics of cortical activity in connection with Bhramari sound have not been investigated yet. Aim: To investigate the cortical activity in connection with Bhramari sound. Settings and Design: Humming sound was analyzed with a custom-made nasal device consisting of MAX4466 sensor time synchronized with the EEG setup. We anticipated that the modulation of cortical activity with the humming sound (either of long or short durations) leaves its effects after the Pranayama, which helps to understand the positive impacts of BhP. Methods and Material: 30 participants were instructed to perform the BhP for a period of 90 seconds. We proposed to investigate the cortical correlates before, during, and after the BhP through EEG. A custom-made nasal device consisting of MAX4466 sensor time synchronized with the EEG setup was used for analyzing the humming sound. Statistical Analysis Used: A paired t-test (P < 0.05) with a Bonferroni correction is carried out to explore the statistically significant difference in power spectral density (PSD) values. Results: Results show that the relative spectral power in theta band for short humming durations (less than or equal to 9 seconds) was similar on the frontal cortex during and after the Pranayama practice (P > 0.05) in most of the subjects. Conclusions: In conclusion, for the immediate positive effects of BhP, the humming duration should be kept less than or equal to 9 seconds. A wearable sound recording system can be developed in the future as a feedback system that provides biofeedback to the user so that a constant humming duration can be maintained.

Combating the psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic through yoga: Recommendation from an overview.

Globally, the psychological health of the people is being affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the fact that numerous systematic reviews already exist on yoga and mental health, it becomes vital to undertake an overview on the same. The objective of the overview was to summarise the evidence from different systematic reviews of distinct yoga interventions used to improve mental health and recommend yoga practices for the same. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020185221). MEDLINE via Pubmed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Google Scholar were searched for relevant literature. Search terms used were "Yoga practice, mental health and systematic review". Reviews from earliest possible date till May 2020, including those examining the effects of any single or combination of yoga interventions on mental health reported on children, youth and adults were selected. The Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool was used to evaluate the evidence of the included reviews. Out of the 90 reviews found, eight unique reviews were selected for the overview. Overall, 243 studies were analyzed, with an overlap of only 6 studies across the reviews. Out of 8 reviews, only 2 were of high quality and the rest were of moderate quality. Owing to heterogeneity of the included studies, only descriptive analysis was possible. The results of the review indicate moderate to positive effects of yoga on the mental health parameters. Practicing yoga (physical postures, Bhramary Pranayam, mindfulness meditation, sahaj yoga and laughter therapy) can be beneficial to improve psychological health of the people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[The supine coronal midaxillary approach to anterior quadratus lumborum block: case report]. / Abordagem supina axilar média coronal para realização de bloqueio do quadrado lombar anterior: relato de casos.

BACKGROUND: There are various approaches to perform an ultrasound guided Quadratus Lumborum Block (QLB). The lateral, posterior, anterior or trans muscular and subcostal paramedian are the various approaches described for performing a QLB. Each of these blocks are aimed to achieve a maximum spread with high volume and low concentration of local anesthetics. CASE REPORT: In this novel approach a curvilinear ultrasound probe was used with the patient lying in supine position. The probe was placed longitudinally in the mid axillary line to visualize Quadratus Lumborum Muscle (QLM) in the coronal plane. The needle was then introduced from cranial to caudal direction and catheters were inserted in the Anterior Thoracolumbar Fascia (ATLF) up to a distance of 4-5 cm in 24 patients for an anterior approach to acetabulum fractures. The needle tip and the Local Anesthetic (LA) spread was visible in all patients. All patients except 4 had excellent perioperative pain relief considering stable hemodynamics and VAS 2-3/10 for the first 48 hours. All patients received 1g intravenous paracetamol each 8hours. VAS in postoperative period was 2-3/10, in 20/24 patients. In the postoperative period, 4 patients complained of persistent pain, requiring intravenous fentanyl boluses and multimodal analgesia. Mean VAS score was 2.87 from 0-12 hours, 3.14 from 12-24 hours, and 3.35 from 24-48 hours. There were no block-related complications in any patient. CONCLUSION: The supine midaxillary coronal approach to anterior QLB is an effective and feasible approach to QLB which can be performed in supine position.

The supine coronal midaxillary approach to anterior quadratus lumborum block: case report / Abordagem supina axilar média coronal para realização de bloqueio do quadrado lombar anterior: relato de casos

Abstract Background: There are various approaches to perform an ultrasound guided Quadratus Lumborum Block (QLB). The lateral, posterior, anterior or trans muscular and subcostal paramedian are the various approaches described for performing a QLB. Each of these blocks are aimed to achieve a maximum spread with high volume and low concentration of local anesthetics. Case report: In this novel approach a curvilinear ultrasound probe was used with the patient lying in supine position. The probe was placed longitudinally in the mid axillary line to visualize Quadratus Lumborum Muscle (QLM) in the coronal plane. The needle was then introduced from cranial to caudal direction and catheters were inserted in the Anterior Thoracolumbar Fascia (ATLF) up to a distance of 4-5 cm in 24 patients for an anterior approach to acetabulum fractures. The needle tip and the Local Anesthetic (LA) spread was visible in all patients. All patients except 4 had excellent perioperative pain relief considering stable hemodynamics and VAS 2-3/10 for the first 48 hours. All patients received 1 g intravenous paracetamol each 8 hours. VAS in postoperative period was 2-3/10, in 20/24 patients. In the postoperative period, 4 patients complained of persistent pain, requiring intravenous fentanyl boluses and multimodal analgesia. Mean VAS score was 2.87 from 0-12 hours, 3.14 from 12-24 hours and 3.35 from 24-48 hours. There were no block-related complications in any patient. Conclusion: The supine midaxillary coronal approach to anterior QLB is an effective and feasible approach to QLB which can be performed in supine position.

Resumo Justificativa: Existem várias abordagens para a realização do Bloqueio do Quadrado Lombar (BQL) guiado por ultrassom. Diversas abordagens são descritas para a realização do BQL: paramediana lateral, posterior, anterior ou transmuscular e subcostal, todas com o objetivo de obter a máxima dispersão da solução injetada, usando-se alto volume e baixa concentração de anestésico local. Relato de caso: Nesta nova abordagem, a sonda de ultrassom curvilínea foi usada com o paciente em decúbito dorsal. A sonda foi posicionada longitudinalmente na linha axilar média para visualizar o Músculo Quadrado Lombar (MQL) no plano coronal. A agulha foi introduzida na direção cranial-caudal, e foram inseridos cateteres na Fáscia Toracolombar Anterior (FTLA) até uma distância de 4-5 cm, em 24 pacientes a serem submetidos à correção de fratura do acetábulo pela via anterior. O bisel da agulha e a dispersão do Anestésico Local (AL) eram visíveis em todos os pacientes. Os 24 pacientes, com exceção de quatro, apresentaram excelente analgesia perioperatória, baseando-se na estabilidade hemodinâmica e nos escores EVA de 2-3/10 nas primeiras 48 horas. Todos os pacientes receberam 1 g de paracetamol intravenoso a cada 8 horas. O escore EVA no período pós-operatório foi de 2-3/10, em 20 dos 24 pacientes. No período pós-operatório, quatro pacientes apresentaram queixa de dor persistente, necessitando de bolus de fentanil por via intravenosa e analgesia multimodal. O escore médio da EVA no pós-operatório foi 2,87 entre 0-12 horas; 3,14 entre 12-24 horas e 3,35 entre 24-48 horas pós-operatórias. Não houve complicações relacionadas ao bloqueio em nenhum paciente. Conclusão: A abordagem supina axilar média coronal para BQL anterior é eficaz e viável para BQL, e pode ser realizada com os pacientes em decúbito dorsal.

A radiological inquest to determine the destiny of ultrasound guided trans-muscular quadratus lumborum plane catheters.

After a quadratus lumborum (QL) block, the course of QL plane catheter is unpredictable. This case series discusses the course and fate of trans-muscular QL catheters by following and discussing the contrast spread through the fascial planes. Intrao-peratively, the catheters were tracked by the surgeons and were checked for integrity of anterior thoracolumbar fascia (ATLF) by injecting sterile 0.9% saline. The ATLF was intact upon injection and there was cephalad and medial saline spread with slight bulging of ATLF. On day 3 after written informed consent from all patients, computed tomography (CT) contrast studies were performed. Post-operative contrast spread was variable and was visualised in transversus abdominis plane, QL plane, lower thoracic paravertebral space, inter-vertebral foramina and anterior epidural space. CT contrast images demonstrated a variable spread. In conclusion, injection in ATLF of QL can spread along the path of least resistance and is unpredictable.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma in a mature cystic teratoma: A rare case report with review of literature.

Mature cystic teratoma, also known as dermoid cyst, is the most common germ cell tumor of the ovary with a relative incidence of 20%. Rarely, dermoid cysts undergo malignant transformation (0.94%-2%). We report a case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma within a mature cystic teratoma in a 35-year-old female.

Adenocarcinoma of the anal canal: A report of two cases with review of literature.

Adenocarcinoma of the anal canal accounts for about 20% of all anal canal cancers. It is subclassified into two types. (1) Colorectal type, which arises from the mucosa above dentate line and (2) extramucosal type, which includes adenocarcinoma arising in anorectal fistulae and adenocarcinoma arising from anal glands. Anal gland adenocarcinomas are extremely rare. In this article, we present two cases of anal adenocarcinoma, one colorectal type, and other anal gland carcinoma along with review of literature.

Diagnostic pitfall in a case of ductal carcinoma-in situ with microinvasion.

We report a case of microinvasive carcinoma of the breast cytologically diagnosed as ductal carcinoma - in situ in an 80-year-old lady with a breast lump. Extensive sampling of mastectomy specimen showed ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Many ducts showed stromal reaction - periductal sclerosis and lymphocytic infiltration-features suggestive of microinvasion. However, no definite invasion was noted histologically. Immunohistochemical study highlighted the microinvasive foci.

Extranodal follicular dendritic cell sarcoma involving tonsil.

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare neoplasm arising from lymph nodes as well as extranodal sites. Despite the characteristic histopathological features and distinctive immunophenotype, extranodal FDCS are often misdiagnosed initially as undifferentiated carcinoma, inflammatory pseudotumour, meningioma, metastatic malignant melanoma, ectopic thymoma, etc., because of its rarity and lack of awareness. Correct diagnosis of this tumour is imperative given its potential for recurrence and metastasis. We report a case of tonsillar FDCS in a 30-year-old lady who presented with slowly progressing throat pain and dysphagia for a duration of one year. Local examination showed an enlarged left tonsil with an ulceroproliferative growth. The right tonsil was normal. There was no regional lymphadenopathy. Histopathological examination of the tonsillectomy specimen showed a 2.2x1.5 cm infiltrative tumour composed of ovoid to spindle cells arranged in characteristic storiform, interlacing fascicular and diffuse patterns. The tumour cells were immunopositive for CD21, CD23, CD35, and S-100 protein and negative for cytokeratin. The Ki-67 antigen-labelling index (Ki-67 LI) was 6%. The EBV status was negative. It was classified as a low risk FDCS. The patient was lost to follow-up after 6 months.

Analytical Performance Characteristics of the Cepheid GeneXpert Ebola Assay for the Detection of Ebola Virus.

BACKGROUND: The recently developed Xpert® Ebola Assay is a novel nucleic acid amplification test for simplified detection of Ebola virus (EBOV) in whole blood and buccal swab samples. The assay targets sequences in two EBOV genes, lowering the risk for new variants to escape detection in the test. The objective of this report is to present analytical characteristics of the Xpert® Ebola Assay on whole blood samples. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This study evaluated the assay's analytical sensitivity, analytical specificity, inclusivity and exclusivity performance in whole blood specimens. EBOV RNA, inactivated EBOV, and infectious EBOV were used as targets. The dynamic range of the assay, the inactivation of virus, and specimen stability were also evaluated. The lower limit of detection (LoD) for the assay using inactivated virus was estimated to be 73 copies/mL (95% CI: 51-97 copies/mL). The LoD for infectious virus was estimated to be 1 plaque-forming unit/mL, and for RNA to be 232 copies/mL (95% CI 163-302 copies/mL). The assay correctly identified five different Ebola viruses, Yambuku-Mayinga, Makona-C07, Yambuku-Ecran, Gabon-Ilembe, and Kikwit-956210, and correctly excluded all non-EBOV isolates tested. The conditions used by Xpert® Ebola for inactivation of infectious virus reduced EBOV titer by ≥6 logs. CONCLUSION: In summary, we found the Xpert® Ebola Assay to have high analytical sensitivity and specificity for the detection of EBOV in whole blood. It offers ease of use, fast turnaround time, and remote monitoring. The test has an efficient viral inactivation protocol, fulfills inclusivity and exclusivity criteria, and has specimen stability characteristics consistent with the need for decentralized testing. The simplicity of the assay should enable testing in a wide variety of laboratory settings, including remote laboratories that are not capable of performing highly complex nucleic acid amplification tests, and during outbreaks where time to detection is critical.

Malignant proliferating trichilemmal tumor: a case report and review of literature.

Proliferating trichilemmal tumor (PTT) is an uncommon appendageal skin tumor that affects mainly elderly women. It arises from the external root sheath of the hair follicle and is most commonly observed on the scalp. Although most cases pursue a favorable clinical course and surgical excision is curative, malignant transformation has rarely been reported in these lesions. Because of limited number of cases reported in the literature, management of malignant PTT is controversial and mainly entails wide local excision. Many other adjuvant modalities have been tried. In this report, we present a case of malignant PTT in a 65-year-old male patient who presented with ulceroproliferative growth over occipital region since 4 months.

Non Peutz-Jegher syndrome associated malignant sex cord stromal tumor with annular tubules.

Sex cord stromal tumor with annular tubules (SCTAT) is a distinctive, rare subtype of sex cord stromal tumor of the ovary, predominant component of which has morphological features intermediate between that of granulosa cell and sertoli cell. The majority of ovarian SCTAT are benign. So far, malignant behavior in SCTAT has been reported only in sporadic cases. We have presented a case of malignant SCTAT in a 35-year-old lady with no associated Peutz-Jegher (P-J) syndrome.

Gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma metastasizing to gingiva.

Malignant tumors rarely metastasize to the oral cavity and account for about 1% of all oral tumors. Metastasis to soft-tissue of the oral cavity is much rarer than jaw bones. Because of the rarity, metastatic tumors in the oral region are challenging for diagnosis. Primary tumors which metastasize to mouth are the most commonly lung, breast, and kidney. Oral cavity metastases represent distant spread and are associated with poor prognosis with short survival. We present a case of the gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma with metastasis to the oral soft-tissue.

Cytodiagnosis of congenital mesoblastic nephroma: a case report.

Mesoblastic nephroma (MN) is the most common renal tumor diagnosed in infancy. A case of congenital MN was diagnosed in a 6-month old child by fine-needle aspiration cytology. The smears were cellular and consisted of plump spindle cells arranged in clusters along with scattered naked nuclei in the background. Blastemal, epithelial, or glomeruloid structures were not seen. Considering the age and the cytomorphology, a diagnosis of cellular variant of MN was offered which was confirmed on histopathology. Unlike Wilms tumor, preoperative chemotherapy is not required for MN. Hence cytologic diagnosis is important.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor with primitive neuroepithelial differentiation in an adult: a case report.

Primitive neuroepithelial differentiation in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) has been reported in children but is extremely rare in adults. The authors report the case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with swelling of the right leg of 1-month duration. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was suggestive of a benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor. Histopathological examination of the excised mass revealed a MPNST with spindle-cell areas and a few round-cell areas with rosettes. The spindle cells showed positive immunoreactivity for S-100 protein and vimentin and negativity for desmin, confirming their nerve sheath origin. The round cells were immunoreactive for synaptophysin and chromogranin, indicating primitive neuroepithelial differentiation. These cells did not stain for CD99, which is consistently expressed by the cells of primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) of bone and soft tissue but not by central nervous system (CNS) PNETs or medulloblastomas. In this case, the PNET-like focus resembled a CNS-PNET.