A Real-World Experience of Azathioprine Versus First-Line Disease-Modifying Therapy in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis-A Prospective Cohort Study.

Azathioprine (AZA) has demonstrated efficacy in multiple randomized control trials (RCTs) for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). However, we still need comparative real-world data with other first-line disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). We aimed to assess AZA's effectiveness regarding relapses, disability progression, time to the first relapse, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity, and safety compared with other approved first-line DMTs in an Indian population in a real-world setting. We conducted a single-center prospective study of treatment-naive RRMS patients between 2017 and 2019. We evaluated the effects of AZA and other approved DMTs on clinical and radiological measures. Among 192 eligible patients (F:M ratio 2.84:1), 68 patients (35.4%) were on AZA, 68 patients (35.4%) were on dimethyl fumarate (DMF), 32 patients (16.7%) on interferon (IFN beta-1a), and 16 patients (8.3%) on teriflunomide (TFL). Four treatment groups were comparable: AZA v/s DMF v/s TFL v/s IFN beta-1a. In primary outcomes, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of change in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score at three months (p-value = 0.169), six months (p-value = 0.303), 12 months (p-value = 0.082), and 24 months (p-value = 0.639), the number of relapses (p-value = 0.229), and time to the first relapse (p-value > 0.05 in all groups). In the secondary outcome, there was no significant difference between the treatment groups on serial MRI parameters used according to "Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis" (MAGNIMS) 2016 criteria (p-value > 0.05). In safety outcomes, leukopenia was significantly more common in the AZA group (p-value = 0.025), flu-like symptoms (p-value = 0.0001), and injection site reactions (p-value = 0.035) were significantly more common in the IFN beta-1a group. Our study suggests AZA is as effective as other approved DMTs and a good alternative as a first-line treatment for multiple sclerosis's clinical and radiological activity in real-world settings on short follow-up. Based on these results, more randomized controlled trials of AZA v/s DMF or other DMTs are needed for more robust outcomes.

Synthesis of mixed musks via Eschenmoser-Tanabe fragmentation, enyne metathesis and Diels-Alder reaction as key steps.

Musk analogues containing different macrocyclic ring systems as well as different annulated ring systems were synthesised by a simple and useful strategy. This strategy includes Eschenmoser-Tanabe fragmentation, enyne metathesis and Diels-Alder reaction as key steps. Starting from easily available (n) macrocyclic ketones, (n + 3) macrocyclic systems were assembled using the basic organic reactions.

A Comparative Study of Isolated Osteotomies Versus Osteotomies with Spreader Graft Placement to Correct Primary Deviated Nose.

BACKGROUND: It is a complete objective and subjective comparative study between two techniques of septorhinoplasty in patients undergoing primary rhinoplasty for crooked nose deformity. METHODS: Forty patients having crooked nose deformity were randomly divided into 2 groups exhibiting two different techniques of correction. Patients were randomly divided into 2 group: Group 1: 20 patients underwent correction of crooked nose by performing bilateral triple osteotomies + Septoplasty Group 2: 20 patients underwent correction of crooked nose by performing bilateral triple osteotomies as well as placement of spreader grafts + Septoplasty Objective and subjective assessment of patients in preoperative and postoperative period was done by various scales and scores. RESULTS: Both the groups showed improvement in facial angles, ROE score, nasal airflow, and NOSE score. But, group 2 patients were more satisfied than group 1 patients in terms of both aesthetic appearance of nose and breathing function. CONCLUSION: It is very well known to the authors that aesthetic result of rhinoplasty is not just dependant on one technique. Keeping this in mind, we conclude that as group 2 patients were more satisfied with their overall results, the additional step of spreader graft placement helped these patients with the complaints associated with crooked nose deformity. However, we also emphasize that additional studies on larger numbers of patients should be performed to compare and know other intricacies of each technique that may play minor or major roles in deciding the success of each technique. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Bilateral traumatic distal femoral transphyseal fracture in a 9-year-old male.

A case of bilateral traumatic distal femoral Salter-Harris Type I fracture presented to our emergency department. History was of a 9-year-old male playing at a building site when a concrete block fell from height on to his knees, which were extended in a sitting position. Management was with analgesia and transfer to theatre followed by closed reduction and internal fixation-position was assessed under mobile X-ray. The patient made a full clinical recovery within 18 weeks and was followed-up over 5 years. There was no clinical effect on final adult length of femur and no deficit in range of movement. The foot-drop observed at presentation resolved over a period of 12 weeks. This case highlights the importance of performing a thorough neurovascular examination of the patient at presentation, followed by a careful closed reduction and internal fixation under anaesthesia, being careful not to damage the distal femoral growth plates.

Case Report of Congenital Kyphoscoliosis with Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1: Perioperative and Anesthetic Considerations.

Congenital kyphoscoliosis associated with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM 1) is a rare combination and carries challenges of surgical as well as anesthetic intervention. The presence of muscular dystrophy may accelerate progression of scoliosis thus requiring surgical treatment. The objective of this case report was to discuss the perioperative anesthetic and surgical management of such cases.

Unusual Combination of a Fracture Monteggia Equivalent With Post-traumatic Radial Artery Pseudoaneurysm in a Child: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

CASE: We report a unique case of a combination of forearm fracture and traumatic radial artery pseudoaneurysm in an 8-year-old child. The fracture pattern was a Monteggia equivalent with a mid-diaphyseal ulnar fracture and a radial neck fracture with displacement of the distal radial diaphyseal fracture fragment. The pseudoaneurysm, which probably developed after vigorous manipulation by a bonesetter, thrombosed spontaneously, and the fracture was managed nonoperatively with a good outcome. CONCLUSION: Pseudoaneurysm of the radial artery is a rare phenomenon associated with fracture in a child. A history of vigorous manipulation of displaced fracture fragments in the vicinity of a major vessel should raise suspicion of this possible complication.

Signal-averaged P wave area increases during respiratory events in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and obstructive sleep apnea.

PURPOSE: P wave characteristics change during simulated apneic events in individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study sought to assess whether similar changes occur during nocturnal respiratory events in patients with AF and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). METHODS: Thirty-five individuals with severe OSA who underwent formal polysomnography and subsequent AF ablation were compared to a matched group without AF. Electrocardiographic segments from each polysomnogram corresponding to the following events were identified: period of wakefulness closest to the initial onset of sleep (baseline-awake), first respiratory event, respiratory event with the lowest nadir oxygen saturation, longest respiratory event, and last respiratory event. Signal-averaged P wave duration and signal-averaged positive P wave area (amplitude*duration for positive P wave amplitudes) were extracted using custom software. P wave characteristics during respiratory events and the baseline-awake condition were compared. RESULTS: Compared to the baseline-awake condition, the signal-averaged positive P wave area was significantly greater during the longest event and the event with the lowest oxygen saturation in those with AF, but not in those without AF. There were no significant differences in signal-averaged P wave duration for any respiratory event compared to the baseline-awake condition, regardless of AF status. CONCLUSION: In patients with paroxysmal AF and obstructive sleep apnea, the signal-averaged positive P wave area is greater during certain respiratory events than during wakefulness. This finding may reflect the acute impact on right atrial volume of increased venous return associated with respiratory events and could be useful to assess AF risk in sleep apnea and to monitor response to treatment.

Role of Expectation and Working Memory Constraints in Hindi Comprehension: An Eye-tracking Corpus Analysis.

We used the Potsdam-Allahabad Hindi eye-tracking corpus to investigate the role of wordlevel and sentence-level factors during sentence comprehension in Hindi. Extending previous work that used this eye-tracking data, we investigate the role of surprisal and retrieval cost metrics during sentence processing. While controlling for word-level predictors (word complexity, syllable length, unigram and bigram frequencies) as well as sentence-level predictors such as integration and storage costs, we find a significant effect of surprisal on first-pass reading times (higher surprisal value leads to increase in FPRT). Effect of retrieval cost was only found for a higher degree of parser parallelism. Interestingly, while surprisal has a significant effect on FPRT, storage cost (another predictionbased metric) does not. A significant effect of storage cost shows up only in total fixation time (TFT), thus indicating that these two measures perhaps capture different aspects of prediction. The study replicates previous findings that both prediction-based and memorybased metrics are required to account for processing patterns during sentence comprehension. The results also show that parser model assumptions are critical in order to draw generalizations about the utility of a metric (e.g. surprisal) across various phenomena in a language.

Correlation between 2D Echocardiography and Multidetector Row CT for Early Detection of Diastolic Dysfunction in Normotensive Diabetic Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Abnormalities in diastolic function are considered early signs of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Two dimensional echocardiography with Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) has been used most commonly to evaluate diastolic left ventricular function. AIM: The study was conducted to study the prevalence of diastolic dysfunction with the help of echocardiography and MDCT and their correlation in asymptomatic diabetic people. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 15 diabetic, normotensive patients who had undergone 64-multidetector row CT and 2D echocardiography with TDI were included. The parameters used for assessment of diastolic dysfunction were early (E) and late (A) transmitral peak velocity (cm/s) and peak mitral septal tissue velocity (Ea; cm/s). Subsequently, LV filling pressures (E/Ea) were estimated. RESULTS: Of the total 73.3% patients showed presence of diastolic dysfunction by both CT and echocardiography. Good correlations were observed between cardiac CT and 2D echocardiography for assessment of E (r = 0.992; p < 0.001), A (r=0.974, p <0.001), E/A (r = 0.979; p < 0.01), Ea (r = 0.977; p < 0.001), and E/Ea (r = 0.994; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Doppler echocardiography is considered one of the best methods for assessment of LV diastolic dysfunction. In this study of cardiac-asymptomatic diabetic patients, MDCT and echocardiography showed good correlation for assessment of early diastolic dysfunction. Hence, cardiac CT can be an additional tool for assessing LV diastolic function.

Tuberculoma of the tongue presenting as hemimacroglossia.

The underdiagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis lesions, along with an emerging global resistance to antitubercular drugs, warrants an increased awareness of the involvement of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in atypical lesions of oral cavity. Tongue is the most common site of oral tuberculosis. We report a rare presentation of lingual tuberculosis in a 65-year-old male, a chronic tobacco chewer, who came to us with swelling of the tongue which apparently looked like hemimacroglossia, leading to the clinical diagnosis of submucosal carcinoma of tongue. Enlargement of tongue is a slow process resulting from gradual invasion and lodging of bacilli in the tongue. Biopsy and histopathological examination revealed tuberculous etiology of the lesion and the patient responded well to antitubercular therapy.