Antimicrobial resistance heterogeneity among multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens: Phenotypic, genotypic, and proteomic analysis.

Microbes evolve rapidly by modifying their genomes through mutations or through the horizontal acquisition of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) linked with fitness traits such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), virulence, and metabolic functions. We conducted a multicentric study in India and collected different clinical samples for decoding the genome sequences of bacterial pathogens associated with sepsis, urinary tract infections, and respiratory infections to understand the functional potency associated with AMR and its dynamics. Genomic analysis identified several acquired AMR genes (ARGs) that have a pathogen-specific signature. We observed that blaCTX-M-15, blaCMY-42, blaNDM-5, and aadA(2) were prevalent in Escherichia coli, and blaTEM-1B, blaOXA-232, blaNDM-1, rmtB, and rmtC were dominant in Klebsiella pneumoniae. In contrast, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii harbored blaVEB, blaVIM-2, aph(3'), strA/B, blaOXA-23, aph(3') variants, and amrA, respectively. Regardless of the type of ARG, the MGEs linked with ARGs were also pathogen-specific. The sequence type of these pathogens was identified as high-risk international clones, with only a few lineages being predominant and region-specific. Whole-cell proteome analysis of extensively drug-resistant K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa strains revealed differential abundances of resistance-associated proteins in the presence and absence of different classes of antibiotics. The pathogen-specific resistance signatures and differential abundance of AMR-associated proteins identified in this study should add value to AMR diagnostics and the choice of appropriate drug combinations for successful antimicrobial therapy.

Outcome assessment of biliary stricture repair following cholecystectomy in a tertiary care centre.

PURPOSE: Bile duct injuries (BDIs) are the potential grievous complications of cholecystectomy that result in substantial morbidity and mortality. Outcomes of BDI management depend on multiple factors such as the type and extent of injury, timing of repair, and surgical expertise. The present retrospective study was conducted to analyse the risk factors associated with the BDI repair outcomes. METHODS: The data of patients having primary or recurrent bile duct stricture following BDI from 1985 to 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 268 patients underwent hepaticojejunostomy (HJ). Of the total, 218 patients had primary bile duct stricture, and 50 patients had HJ stricture. The most commonly performed procedure for primary BDI was Roux-en-Y HJ (RYHJ), followed by right hepatectomy, right posterior sectionectomy, and left hepatectomy. All patients with strictured HJ underwent RYHJ, except one who underwent a right hepatectomy. Outcome assessment using the McDonald grading system showed that 62%, 27%, 5%, and 6% of patients with primary bile duct stricture had grade A, grade B, grade C, and grade D complications, respectively, with a mortality rate of 3.21%, whereas 46%, 34%, and 18% patients with strictured HJ had grade A, grade B, and grade C complications, respectively, with a mortality rate of 2%. High-up biliary strictures, early repair, and blood loss > 350 mL are the surrogate markers for failure of repair. CONCLUSION: Management of BDI needs a multidisciplinary approach. The outcomes of both primary biliary stricture and strictured HJ can be improved with management of patients in a tertiary care centre. However, attempts to repair within 2 weeks of injury, Strasberg E4 and E5, and blood loss of > 350 mL may have an adverse effect on the outcome of HJ.

Diabetes after pancreaticoduodenectomy: can we predict it?

BACKGROUND: There is limited literature about the perioperative factors which can predict endocrine insufficiency after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The primary aim was to correlate percentage pancreatic remnant volume (%RV) after PD in nondiabetic patients with the development of new-onset impaired glucose tolerance/diabetes mellitus (IGT/DM). The secondary aim was to identify the risk factors for new-onset IGT/DM. METHODS: In this prospective study, all consecutive patients with resectable periampullary carcinoma and without IGT/DM were evaluated with fasting and postprandial plasma glucose, HbA1c, insulin, and C-peptide levels preoperatively and at 3 mo postoperatively. After that, all patients were followed up with fasting and postprandial plasma glucose level assessed at 3-mo intervals for 24 mo or till death, whichever occurred earlier. The %RV was determined from computed tomography measurements preoperatively. RESULTS: Of the 50 patients, 11 (22%) patients developed IGT/DM after median follow-up of 32 mo. The patients' with/without IGT/DM were similar in demographic/perioperative variables. The %RV was found to be an independent factor associated with new-onset IGT/DM. A %RV of <48.8% was found to be a predictor of new-onset IGT/DM (sensitivity, 89.7%; specificity, 73.6%). Plasma sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were significantly higher postoperatively after PD than the preoperative levels. Insulin and C-peptide levels were significantly lower after PD, irrespective of new-onset IGT/DM. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of IGT/DM after PD was 22%, and %RV < 48.8% was found to be a significant risk factor for new-onset IGT/DM. (CTRI/2013/12/004233).

Pancreaticojejunostomy: Does the technique matter? A randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite a large number of studies, the ideal technique of pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) remains debatable. We compared the two most common techniques of PJ (duct-to-mucosa and dunking) in a randomized trial. METHODS: This open-label randomized trial was done at a tertiary care center from January 2009 to October 2015. Patients with resectable periampullary tumours with a pancreatic duct diameter ≥2 mm, requiring PD were randomly assigned to one of the two techniques using computer generated random numbers. The primary outcome was postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) rate and secondary outcomes were frequency of other postoperative complications. RESULTS: A total of 193 patients were randomized and analyzed (intention-to-treat analysis), 97 in duct-to-mucosa and 96 in dunking group. Both groups were comparable for baseline demographic and clinical profiles. The incidence of POPF in the entire study group was 23.8%. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (24.7% vs 22.9%, P = 0.71). Similarly, the incidence of grades B and C (clinically significant) POPF was comparable (16.5% vs 13.5%, P = 0.57). Both groups were comparable with respect to the secondary outcomes. DISCUSSION: The duct-to-mucosa technique of PJ after PD is not superior to the dunking technique with respect to POPF rate. (CTRI/2010/091/000531).

Early colectomy in steroid-refractory acute severe ulcerative colitis improves operative outcome.

PURPOSE: Up to a third of patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) fail to respond to intensive steroid therapy and eventually require a salvage colectomy. We have previously reported that the mortality of emergency colectomy can be decreased by offering it within the first week of intensive medical therapy. We implemented this policy and report the results of our experience. METHODS: The clinical records of all patients with ASUC who underwent emergency colectomy after failure of medical therapy between January 2005 and July 2015 were extracted from a prospectively maintained database. The data were analysed with regard to duration of intensive medical therapy, timing of surgery, in-hospital mortality and post-operative complications. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients underwent emergency surgery for ASUC after failed medical therapy. Of these, 75 (85.2%) were operated within 7 days of initiation of intensive medical therapy [n = 51 (58%) were operated < 5 days]. One patient who was operated on day 8 following steroid therapy died postoperatively. The current post-operative mortality of 1.1% (1/88) was significantly lower than the mortality noted in the previously recorded retrospective case series [8/51 (15.6%); p = 0.001]. In addition, the incidence of overall (9/13 vs. 23/75; p = 0.012) and clinically significant (12/75 vs. 6/13; p = 0.022) complications was significantly higher in patients operated after 7 days as compared to those operated within 7 days. CONCLUSION: The policy of early colectomy, within 7 days, in patients with ASUC who fail to respond to intensive steroid-based therapy improves perioperative outcomes with significantly low in-hospital mortality and morbidity.

Predictors of long-term outcomes in patients with acute severe colitis: A northern Indian cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Knowledge of long-term outcomes following an index episode of acute severe colitis (ASC) can help informed decision making at a time of acute exacerbation especially when colectomy is an option. We aimed to identify long-term outcomes and their predictors after a first episode of ASC in a large North Indian cohort. METHODS: Hospitalized patients satisfying Truelove and Witts' criteria under follow-up at a single center from January 2003 to December 2013 were included. Patients avoiding colectomy at index admission were categorized as complete (≤ 3 non bloody stool per day) or incomplete responders, based upon response to corticosteroids at day 7. Random Forest-based machine learning models were constructed to predict the long-term risk of colectomy or steroid dependence following an index episode of ASC. RESULTS: Of 1731 patients with ulcerative colitis, 179 (10%) had an index episode of ASC. Nineteen (11%) patients underwent colectomy at index admission and 42 (26%) over a median follow-up of 56 (1-159) months. Hazard ratio for colectomy for incomplete responder was 3.6 (1.7-7.5, P = 0.001) compared with complete responder. Modeling based on four variables, response at day 7 of hospitalization, steroid use during the first year of diagnosis, longer disease duration before ASC, and number of extra-intestinal manifestations, was able to predict colectomy with an accuracy of 77%. CONCLUSIONS: Disease behavior of ASC in India is similar to the West, with a third undergoing colectomy at 10 years. Clinical features, especially response at day 7 hospitalization for index ASC, can predict both colectomy and steroid dependence with reasonable accuracy.

Potential of Fecal Calprotectin as an Objective Marker to Discriminate Hospitalized Patients with Acute Severe Colitis from Outpatients with Less Severe Disease.

BACKGROUND: Acute severe colitis (ASC) is conventionally diagnosed by Truelove and Witts' criteria which are non-specific and can be affected by other pathologic conditions. Fecal calprotectin (FCP) is a gut-specific marker of inflammation which can predict short-term outcomes in patients with ASC. We aimed to define the role of FCP in the diagnosis of ASC. METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study included adult patients (> 18 years) with ulcerative colitis (UC) for whom FCP was measured and was under follow-up from April 2015 to December 2016. Patients were divided into two cohorts: (1) all consecutive hospitalized patients with ASC as defined by Truelove and Witts' criteria; (2) outpatients with active UC (defined by Mayo score) who did not fulfill Truelove and Witts' criteria. FCP levels were compared between the two cohorts, and a cutoff for FCP to diagnose ASC was determined. RESULTS: Of 97 patients, 49 were diagnosed with ASC (mean age: 36.1 ± 11.9 years, 36 males) and 48 with active UC (mean age: 37.9 ± 12.4 years, 25 males). Median FCP levels were significantly higher in patients with ASC [1776(952-3123) vs 282(43-568) µg/g, p < 0.001] than mild to moderately active UC (n = 48) or moderately active UC [n = 35, 1776(952-3123) vs 332(106-700) µg/g, p < 0.001]. A FCP cutoff of 782 µg/g of stool had excellent diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the curve of 0.92(95% CI 0.87-0.97), sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 88% to differentiate ASC from active UC. CONCLUSION: FCP could differentiate ASC from mild to moderate patients with UC, but requires validation before clinical use.

Colonic Crohn's Disease Is Associated with Less Aggressive Disease Course Than Ileal or Ileocolonic Disease.

BACKGROUND: The literature on disease characteristics of colonic Crohn's disease (CD) is sparse, especially from Asia, where the burden of inflammatory bowel disease is on the rise. The present study aims to describe the disease characteristics of colonic CD, and compare it with that of ileal/ileocolonic disease. METHODS: This retrospective study included adult patients of CD (diagnosed by standard criteria, follow-up duration > 6 months) on follow-up between August 2004 and January 2016. The disease location was classified by Montreal classification. The data were recorded on demographic characteristics, smoking status, disease phenotype, disease course, treatment received, hospitalization and surgeries. RESULTS: Of 406 CD patients, 123 had colonic [mean age (at onset) 30.4 ± 13.2 years, 59.3% males] and 265 had ileal/ileocolonic disease [mean age (at onset) 32.9 ± 13.8 years, 61.5% males] while 18 patients had isolated upper GI disease. The frequency of inflammatory behavior (B1 phenotype; 61.8 vs. 46.4%, p = 0.003), perianal disease (23.6 vs. 4.5%, p < 0.001), and extra-intestinal manifestation (42.3 vs. 30.2%, p = 0.019) was higher in colonic than ileal/ileocolonic CD. Though not statistically significant, requirement of atleast one course of steroid was lower in colonic CD (72.7 vs. 84.2%, p = 0.098). Although there was no difference in the frequency of hospitalization (30.1 vs. 27.1%, p = 0.45), the overall requirement for surgery was significantly lower in colonic CD (17.1 vs. 26.1%, p = 0.032) and patients with colonic disease had a lower cumulative probability of first surgery in the first 10 years of follow-up [Hazard ratio 0.556 (95% CI 0.313-0.985), p = 0.045]. CONCLUSION: Colonic CD was associated with less aggressive disease behavior and lower requirement of surgery as compared to ileal/ileocolonic CD.

Clinical Evaluation of a Novel Intrarectal Device for Management of Fecal Incontinence in Bedridden Patients.

PURPOSE: The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a stool management kit (SMK) for containment of fecal incontinence in hospitalized bedridden patients. DESIGN: A single-group quasi-experimental study. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Twenty bedridden adults who had at least 1 episode of fecal incontinence in the prior 24 hours participated in the study. The study setting was the neurological unit of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India. METHODS: The study was carried out in 2 phases. The device was placed in situ for up to 24 hours in 10 patients during phase I of the study and up to 120 hours in an additional 10 patients during phase II. Participants were assessed for anorectal injury and peripheral device leakage on a 4- to 6-hourly basis. Sigmoidoscopy was performed to evaluate for any mucosal trauma or alteration of anorectal pathology after retrieval of the device. RESULTS: The device was successfully placed in all patients following the first attempt to place the device; 80% of patients retained the device until planned removal. The SMK diverted fecal matter without anal leakage in 174 (93.5%) out of 186 assessment points in a group of 20 patients. The devices remained in situ for 21 ± 0.2 and 84.5 ± 38.9 hours during phase I and phase II, respectively. None experienced anorectal bleeding, sphincter injury, or mucosal ulceration with device usage. Post-device sigmoidoscopy revealed erythema at the site of diverter placement in 2 participants. CONCLUSION: Study findings suggest that the SMK successfully diverted liquid to semiformed fecal exudate without peripheral device leakage in 93.5% of bedridden patients. No serious adverse events occurred. Additional research is needed to compare its effectiveness with that of currently available intrarectal balloon devices.

T372R Mutation Status in Yin Yang 1 Gene in Insulinoma Patients.

Insulinomas are rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. The genetic causes underlying insulinoma are still being investigated. Recently, 3 independent studies reported a recurrent somatic mutation in YY1 gene (C>G; Thr372Arg) among insulinoma patients belonging to Chinese and Western Caucasian populations, which was found to increase insulin secretion by ß-cells. However, the status of this key gene variation remains unknown in patients of other ethnicities. We, therefore, screened Indian sporadic insulinoma patients for YY1 T372R mutation in the present study. Seventeen patients diagnosed with insulinoma were recruited retrospectively and their records of family history and clinical parameters were collected. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissues were used to extract genomic DNA, which was subjected to PCR amplification of YY1 exon 5, followed by Sanger sequencing. Nucleotide sequences thus obtained were aligned against the documented sequence of YY1 exon 5. We found absence of C to G mutation at YY1 codon 372 in all 17 (100%) insulinoma tissues analyzed. On comparison with the mutation frequency observed in the Chinese patients, our results point to genetic heterogeneity in the pathogenesis of insulinoma. This is the first report on the status of YY1 T372R in insulinoma cases of Indian origin. This also warrants analysis of other documented as well as novel mutations in genes in insulinoma tumorigenesis.

The International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery definition of delayed gastric emptying and the effects of various surgical modifications on the occurrence of delayed gastric emptying after pancreatoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: A number of definitions have been used for delayed gastric emptying (DGE) after pancreatoduodenectomy and the reported rates varied widely. The International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) definition is the current standard but it is not used universally. In this comprehensive review, we aimed to determine the acceptance rate of ISGPS definition of DGE, the incidence of DGE after pancreatoduodenectomy and the effect of various technical modifications on its incidence. DATA SOURCE: We searched PubMed for studies regarding DGE after pancreatoduodenectomy that were published from 1 January 1980 to 1 July 2015 and extracted data on DGE definition, DGE rates and comparison of DGE rates among different technical modifications from all of the relevant articles. RESULTS: Out of 435 search results, 178 were selected for data extraction. The ISGPS definition was used in 80% of the studies published since 2010 and the average rates of DGE and clinically relevant DGE were 27.7% (range: 0-100%; median: 18.7%) and 14.3% (range: 1.8%-58.2%; median: 13.6%), respectively. Pylorus preservation or retrocolic reconstruction were not associated with increased DGE rates. Although pyloric dilatation, Braun's entero-enterostomy and Billroth II reconstruction were associated with significantly lower DGE rates, pyloric ring resection appears to be most promising with favorable results in 7 out of 10 studies. CONCLUSIONS: ISGPS definition of DGE has been used in majority of studies published after 2010. Clinically relevant DGE rates remain high at 14.3% despite a number of proposed surgical modifications. Pyloric ring resection seems to offer the most promising solution to reduce the occurrence of DGE.

Evolving management of insulinoma: Experience at a tertiary care centre.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Since our previous study in 2006, several new modalities for localization of cause of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycaemia such as multiphasic computed tomography (CT), multiphasic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), intraoperative ultrasound, and intra-arterial calcium infusion with arterial stimulation venous sampling (ASVS) have become available. Therefore, to evaluate the relative usefulness of various imaging modalities to guide future management in terms of diagnosis and patient care, we analyzed presentation and management of patients of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycaemia. METHODS: In this retrospective study, medical records of patients admitted with endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycaemia were retrieved. Data pertaining to clinical features, diagnosis, imaging, surgery and patient outcome were extracted. The localization of insulinoma by preoperative imaging techniques was compared with the findings at surgery to assess the accuracy of localization. RESULTS: Fasting hypoglycaemia was present in all, and post-prandial hypoglycaemia (plasma glucose ≤50 mg/dl within four hours of meal) in 25.8 per cent. Mean duration of symptoms before reaching a diagnosis of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycaemia was 3.9 years. Mean duration of provocative fast was 21.8 h (range 6-48 h). Among the currently used imaging modalities, the sensitivity of localizing tumour was 79.3 per cent for multiphasic CT, 85 per cent for multiphasic MRI and 95 per cent for EUS. EUS detected tumour missed by both CT and MRI. All, except one of the operated patients, were cured by surgery. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that patients with insulinoma have a varied presentation. Multiphasic contrast-enhanced MRI/CT scan, EUS and ASVS may be complimentary in pre-operative localization.

Entomopathogenic potential of Trichoderma longibrachiatum and its comparative evaluation with malathion against the insect pest Leucinodes orbonalis.

The widespread use of chemical pesticides in agriculture has led to the pollution of environmental systems and has caused various health disorders in animals and humans. Biological pest control is one of the most environmentally friendly methods in modern agriscience. Such methods protect crops from pests and do not pollute the environment. A strain of Trichoderma longibrachiatum was isolated and identified from the soil environment of the North 24 Parganas District, eastern India. A spore suspension of this fungus was used to treat Leucinodes orbonalis, one of the major pests of brinjal (eggplant, Solanum melongena). In an in vitro system, fungal antagonism was determined by median lethal dose (LD50) and median lethal time (LT50) tests against insect larvae. The LD50 and LT50 of T. longibrachiatum were 2.87 × 10(7) spores ml(-1) and 11.7 days, respectively. T. longibrachiatum was formulated into a biopesticide, and its performance was evaluated in brinjal field trials in 2012 and 2013. In the field trials, brinjal treated with three spray applications of T. longibrachiatum (10(8) spores/ml) at 15-day intervals showed a 56.02 % higher crop yield than that of the control. This treatment showed similar efficacy to that of the pesticide malathion in the field trials. The results of this study indicate that this formulation may replace malathion to control the insect pest L. orbonalis in brinjal crops. This is the first report of the entomopathogenic property of T. longibrachiatum and its evaluation against an insect pest in field trials.

Endovascular Embolization of Visceral Artery Pseudoaneurysms Using Modified Injection Technique with N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate Glue.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the indications, feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) with modified injection technique in embolization of visceral artery pseudoaneurysms (PSAs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective evaluation was performed of 31 patients (26 men, 5 women; mean age, 32.6 y) with visceral artery PSAs that were treated with embolization using NBCA with modified sequential injection and flushing technique. The most common indication for using NBCA was preservation of a major feeding artery (n = 18), followed by difficult catheterization secondary to arterial tortuosity (n = 5), failed previous coil embolization (n = 4), and short landing zone for coils (n = 4). NBCA alone was used in 25 patients, and NBCA with coils was used in 6 patients. The patients were followed clinically until discharge and 1 and 3 months after discharge. RESULTS: The mean amount of NBCA-ethiodized oil (Lipiodol; Guerbet LLC, Villepinte, France) mixture injected was 0.24 mL (range, 0.1-1.1 mL). Embolization with NBCA was technically successful in all (100%) patients. Recurrence was seen in 3 (9.7%; 2--splenic artery; 1--left gastric artery) patients after a mean time of 16.3 days (range, 10-27 d) of initial embolization resulting in clinical success of 90.3%. All 3 patients underwent successful repeat embolization with secondary technical success rate of 100%. Minor (pain) and major (nontarget embolization in 2; microcatheter adhesion and fracture in 1) complications were seen in 3 patients each. CONCLUSIONS: NBCA is a safe and effective embolization agent when injected with modified technique in treatment of visceral artery PSAs.

Advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors: 10-years experience from a tertiary care centre.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. We aimed to study the pattern of presentation and treatment outcome of advanced GIST patients seen by us in a 10- year period. METHODS: Medical records of GIST patients seen between years 2002-2012 were retrieved from institute as well as database maintained by authors. Patient included in this analysis had metastatic disease and unresectable and/or residual disease after surgery. RESULTS: During the study period 62 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria but 6 were lost to follow up before treatment and hence 56 patients were analysed. Median age was 45.5 years (range 17-70 years) with a male female ratio of 2:1. Thirty eight (67%) patients had metastatic disease whereas 32% patients had unresectable or incompletely resected disease. The most common primary site was small intestine in 24 (42.8%) which was followed by stomach in 11 (19.6%) patients. The most common site of metastases was liver in 27 (48%) patients. Median tumor size was 12 cm (range 4-50 cm). Thirty two (57%) patients had mitotic counts of > 5/50 HPF. All patients received imatinib. The most common response seen with imatinib was stable disease achieved in 29 (52%) patients. Imatinib was well tolerated by all patients without any drug discontinuation. The 5-year EFS and OS were 35% and 49%, respectively at a median follow up of 55 months. None of the patient or tumor factors were found to have prognostic significance in univariate survival analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This is a single center experience of advanced GIST patients where small intestine was found to be the commonest disease site with imatinib producing disease stabilization in more than half of patients. Even though the survival was comparable to published reports, the major limitation was lack of mutation analysis.

Diagnostic accuracy of ¹8F-FDG PET/CT for detection of suspected recurrence in patients with oesophageal carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the detection of recurrence in patients with oesophageal carcinoma, suspected clinically or following conventional investigations. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. Data from 180 patients (age 56.3 ± 10.4 years; 126 men, 54 women) with histopathologically proven oesophageal carcinoma (squamous cell 115, adenocarcinoma 59, neuroendocrine carcinoma 4, small cell 1, poorly differentiated 1) who had undergone 227 (18)F-FDG PET/CT studies for suspected recurrence were analysed. Recurrence was suspected clinically or following conventional investigations. PET/CT images were revaluated by two nuclear medicine physicians in consensus. Findings were grouped into local, nodal and distant recurrence. Results were compared to those from contrast-enhanced (CE) CT when available (109 patients). Clinical/imaging follow-up (minimum 6 months) with histopathology (when available) was taken as the reference standard. RESULTS: Of the 227 (18)F-FDG PET/CT studies,166 were positive and 61 were negative for recurrent disease. PET/CT showed local recurrence in 134, nodal recurrence in 115 and distant recurrence in 47, with more than one site of recurrence in 34. The PET/CT findings were true-positive in 153 studies, true-negative in 54, false-positive in 13 and false-negative in 7. The sensitivity of (18)F-FDG PET/CT was 96%, the specificity was 81%, the positive and negative predictive values were 92% and 89%, respectively, and the accuracy was 91%. PET/CT showed similar accuracy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma and in those with adenocarcinoma (P = 0.181).(18)F-FDG PET/CT was more specific than CECT (67% vs. 21%; P < 0.0001). PET/CT was superior to CECT for the detection of nodal recurrence (P < 0.0001), but not local recurrence (P = 0.093) or distant metastases (P = 0.441). CONCLUSION: (18)F-FDG PET/CT shows high accuracy in the detection of suspected recurrence in patients with oesophageal carcinoma. It is more specific than and is superior to CECT in the detection of nodal recurrence.

Diversity of soil fungi in North 24 Parganas and their antagonistic potential against Leucinodes orbonalis Guen. (Shoot and fruit borer of brinjal).

Soil samples were collected from agricultural fields and gardens in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, and fungi species were isolated from them. Thirty-one fungal species were isolated with 19 found in agricultural soil and 28 in garden soil. Twenty-eight out of 31 were identified using cultural and microscopic characters, and three were unidentified. The diversity of isolated fungi was calculated by Simpson's diversity index. The garden soil possessed more fungal colonies (750) than agricultural soil (477). In agricultural soil, the dominant fungi were Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus oryzae, and Penicillium expansum, and the dominant fungi of garden soil were A. niger and Fusarium moniliforme. Simpson's diversity index indicated that garden soil had more fungal diversity (0.939) than agricultural soil (0.896). The entomopathogenic capacity of the isolated fungi was tested against the brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guen) which is the major insect pest of brinjal. The isolated fungi were screened against larva of L. orbonalis for their entomopathogenic potential. Beauveria bassiana, A. niger, and P. expansum showed appreciable antagonism to L. orbonalis, and their lethal doses with 50 % mortality (LD50s) were 4.0 × 10(7), 9.06 × 10(7), and 1.50 × 10(8) spore/mL, respectively, and their times taken to reach 50 % mortality (LT50s) were 9.77, 10.56, and 10.60 days, respectively. This work suggests the restriction of chemical pesticide application in agricultural fields to increase fungal diversity. The entomopathogenic efficacy of B. bassiana could be used in agricultural fields to increase fugal diversity and protect the brinjal crop.

Single-Center Randomized Trial Comparing Feeding Jejunostomy with Nasojejunal Tube Placement in Patients Undergoing Transhiatal Esophagectomy Post-Neoadjuvant Therapy for Esophageal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Enteral nutrition is the preferred mode of nutrition following esophagectomy. However, the preferred mode of enteral nutrition (feeding jejunostomy (FJ) vs. nasojejunal (NJ) tube) remains contentious. In this randomized controlled trial (RCT), we compared FJ with NJ tube feeding in terms of safety, feasibility, efficacy, and quality-of-life (QOL) parameters in Indian patients undergoing trans-hiatal esophagectomy (THE) for carcinoma esophagus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-center, two-armed (FJ and NJ tube), non-inferiority RCT was conducted from March 2020 to January 2024. Forty-eight patients underwent THE with posterior-mediastinal-gastric pull-up and were randomized to NJ and FJ arms (24 in each group). The postoperative complications, catheter efficacy, and QOL parameters were compared between the two groups till the 6-week follow-up. RESULTS: In this RCT, we found no significant difference in the occurrence of catheter-related complications, postoperative complication rate, catheter efficacy, and visual analog pain scores between patients with NJ tube and FJ, following THE for esophageal cancer. There was a significantly better self-reported physical domain QOL score noted in the NJ group, both at the time of discharge (44.7 ± 6.2 vs 39.8 + 5.6; p value, 0.005) and at the 6-week follow-up (55.4 ± 5.2 vs 48.6 ± 4.5; p value, < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of our RCT, we conclude that both enteral access methods (NJ vs. FJ) exhibit comparable incidences of catheter-related complications. The use of NJ tube is a viable alternative to a surgical FJ, has the benefit of early removal, and saves the distress associated with a tube per abdomen.

Acinar cystic transformation of the pancreatic body and tail in an elderly male patient: A case report.

Acinar cystic transformation (ACT) is a rare benign cystic lesion of the pancreas reported in elderly women. ACT can be easily confused with other cystic lesions of the pancreas, such as intraductal papillary neoplasm and serous and mucinous neoplasms, on imaging, especially when detected radiologically in a male patient as the index case. A preoperative histological examination can establish a diagnosis and avoid extensive surgical resection. We hereby report a case of ACT in a 69-year-old male patient that affected the body and tail region of the pancreas.

Serum miR-215-5p, miR-192-5p and miR-378a-5p as novel diagnostic biomarkers for periampullary adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are present in human serum in a stable form. Circulating miRNAs are increasingly recognized as promising biomarkers for early cancer detection. The aim of this study was to identify serum miRNAs as biomarkers for periampullary adenocarcinoma (PAC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 68 patients with PAC and 50 healthy controls (HCs) subjects were recruited in this study. The expression levels of 11 selected miRNAs were determined in serum samples using the SYBR-green quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic potential of serum miRNAs. RESULTS: The expression levels of three miRNAs (miR-215-5p, miR-192-5p, and miR-378a-5p) were significantly upregulated in the serum samples derived from the PAC patients compared with those from the HC (p < 0.001). The ROC analysis showed that all three significantly altered miRNAs (miR-215-5p, miR-192-5p, and miR-378a-5p) could potentially discriminate patients with PAC from HC with AUC value of 0.771 (95% CI: 0.684-0.843), 0.877 (95% CI: 0.799-0.927) and 0.768 (95% CI: 0.674-0.853) respectively. Further comparisons showed that these three serum miRNAs (miR-215-5p, miR-192-5p, and miR-378a-5p) can strongly discriminate early-stage PAC patients from HC with an AUC value of 0.802 (95% CI: 0.719-0.886), 0.870 (95% CI: 0.793-0.974) and 0.793 (95% CI: 0.706-0.880) respectively, may aid in early detection of PAC. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our findings demonstrated that these three serum miRNAs (miR-215-5p, miR-192-5p, and miR-378a-5p) may serve as noninvasive biomarkers for the early detection of PAC.