Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools for Research by Medical Students: A Narrative Review.

With the advent of the era of digitalization, a new door has opened for the development of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools/algorithms that can help analyse the huge amount of data uploaded onto the cloud. AI-based tools/algorithms have created a niche in the field of research. AI has enabled researchers and practitioners to access and evaluate an enormous number of scientific papers more effectively. This can link similar studies from the past and highlight research gaps, thus accelerating the literature review, evidence generation, and knowledge discovery process. Medical students can obtain help from various AI-based solutions for literature organization and citations. These tools/algorithms facilitate secure information exchange, collaborative research efforts, and communication among multiple research centres. However, AI-driven research requires the guidance and supervision of human experts for better accuracy, coherence, and credibility of the content entering scientific databases. The key objective of this review is to discuss and evaluate various AI-based tools/algorithms and their key features that can assist medical students in medical research.

Down-Klinefelter Syndrome With Concurrent Double Aneuploidy in an Indian Child.

The genetics of Down syndrome (DS) and Klinefelter syndrome (KS) are a nondisjunction of autosomal and sex chromosomes, respectively, resulting in aneuploidies. Less than 70 cases of concurrent Down-Klinefelter syndrome (DS-KS) have been reported in the literature. We report the case of a five-month-old Indian child with a rare double aneuploidy resulting in DS-KS. A five-month-old boy born to non-consanguineously married parents presented with failure to thrive and dysmorphic facies. The family history was unremarkable. On examination, he had an upward eye slant, a depressed nasal bridge, a horizontal crease in the left hand, and a sandal gap. A clinical diagnosis of the Down phenotype was considered. Karyotype analysis revealed the presence of double aneuploidy (48, XXY,+21) suggestive of DS-KS. Down-Klinefelter syndrome presents with the DS phenotype at birth, and the characteristic KS phenotype develops in early infancy and apparently manifests during puberty only. Early diagnosis is required for parental counseling and planning for future pregnancies. In children with a typical Down syndrome phenotype, chromosomal analysis is highly recommended. The diagnosis of DS-KS at the earliest has implications for these children's short-term and long-term outcomes. It helps in planning the subsequent pregnancy with appropriate genetic testing and counseling to avoid the risk of another child with trisomy.

Paroxysmal Neuropathic Pruritus in Patients With Chiari Malformation Type I: A Rare Phenotype.

Chiari malformation type I (CM-I) is a group of deformities in the posterior fossa and hindbrain, including the pons, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata. Paroxysmal pruritus in CM-I has been reported only once before in the literature. This study was a cross-sectional study over 12 months at a tertiary care pediatric hospital involving children aged one to 18 years with CM-I presenting with paroxysmal itching. Three patients with CM-I presented with severe episodes of paroxysmal itching. Patient 3 was started on carbamazepine therapy for seizures, and incidentally, his itching subsided. The pruritus of neuropathic etiology has been reported to be associated with syringomyelia, spongiform encephalopathies, autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, patients with end-stage renal failure on dialysis, and neoplasms. Antihistamines and antiallergics are ineffective in treating these patients, reiterating a central mechanism for pruritus. At present, no drugs have been approved for the treatment of neuropathic pruritus specifically. The commonly used treatments for neuropathic itch are antiseizure medications, tricyclic antidepressants, gabapentinoids, ketamine, and oral kappa opioids, including butorphanol and difelikefalin. Better structured prospective studies are needed to analyze the prevalence and scales to assess disability caused due to neuropathic itch in CM and may enhance understanding in this area.

Brand-Specific Enhanced Safety Surveillance Study of GSK's Quadrivalent Seasonal Influenza Vaccine, Conducted During the COVID-19 Pandemic, in Belgium, Germany and Spain, for the 2020/21 Season.

INTRODUCTION: Seasonal influenza poses a major public health burden worldwide. Influenza vaccines, updated yearly to match circulating strains based on World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, are the cornerstone of prevention and require regular monitoring. The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to cause logistical, site access and medical staff constraints and could affect the safety profile of influenza vaccines. METHODS: Following European Medicines Agency guidance, an enhanced safety surveillance (ESS) study assessed the frequency and severity of predefined and other adverse events (AEs) occurring within 7 days of receiving GSK's inactivated quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccine (IIV4), in Belgium, Germany and Spain in 2020/21, using adverse drug reaction (ADR) cards. RESULTS: During the 2020/21 influenza season, 1054 participants vaccinated with GSK's IIV4 were enrolled (all adults in Belgium and Germany, 30% adults/70% children in Spain); 96 eligible children received a second dose. Overall, 1042 participants completed the study. After doses 1 and 2, 98.9% and 100% of participants, respectively, returned their completed ADR card. After doses 1 and 2, 37.8% (398/1054) and 13.5% (13/96) of participants, respectively, reported at least one AE. The most frequently reported categories of AEs were "general disorders and administration site conditions" (e.g. injection site pain) and "nervous system disorders" (e.g. headache). There were no deaths or serious AEs deemed related to GSK's IIV4. CONCLUSION: This ESS study assessed AEs in near real time. The COVID-19 pandemic did not alter the safety profile of GSK's IIV4. No safety signals were detected during the study, which confirms the excellent safety profile of GSK's IIV4.

Portal vein thrombosis, livedo reticularis, polymicrobial sepsis and high antiphospholipid antibody titers in a newborn: A clinicopathological conference of antiphospholipid-associated neonatal syndrome.

Neonatal Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a rare disease related to transplacental passage of antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies from the mother or de novo production of aPL in a newborn. Neonatal aPL antibodies have rarely been associated with thrombosis. We describe a 5-week-old infant who developed fever, portal vein thrombosis and livedo reticularis like skin rash. Evaluation for thrombosis revealed high titers of antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies (dual positive) in the child without any evidence of aPL antibodies in the mother, suggesting a de novo production in the child. Autopsy findings revealed umbilical vein sepsis with thrombosis of portal vein secondary to gram positive cocci which led to multiple liver and lung abscesses. Additionally, the baby had disseminated Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease (acquired postnatally) involving walls of umbilical and portal vein, liver, lungs, adrenals, pancreas, thymus, and kidneys. Our case highlights the need for testing of aPL in every neonate with arterial or venous thrombosis even when the mother may have no features suggestive of an autoimmune disease.

Fruit and food eponyms in dermatology.

Dermatology world is brimming with myriad of interesting clinical conditions, signs and syndromes. It is infinite, which has systemic clinical connotations too. Complicated pronunciations of diagnosis have always placed residents in an intricate state. Each one is trying his best to make this cumbersome subject comparatively more acceptable and convenient. The present paper is an attempt to further simplify the subject by correlating difficult conditions with commonly used and seen things such as fruit and food. A total of 45 dermatological conditions were found to be based on fruit and food eponyms. For example, strawberries can remind us of strawberry gums of Wegener's granulomatosis and strawberry nevus.

Animals eponyms in dermatology.

The world of Dermatology is flooded with inflexions among clinical conditions and signs and syndromes; making it interesting, but a tougher subject to remember. Signs and syndromes have always fascinated residents, but simultaneously burdened their minds, as these attractive names are difficult to remember. This work was undertaken to review dermatological conditions and signs based on commonly encountered daily words and objects like animals, etc. Fifty dermatological conditions were found to be based on animal eponyms. For example, the usage of animal terminology in dermatology like leonine facies is present in leprosy, sarcoidosis, mycosis fungoides (MF), and airborne contact dermatitis (ABCD).

One-shot photochemical synthesis of 5-(thiophen-3-yl)pyrano[2,3-c]chromen-2(3H)-ones from 3-propynyloxy-chromenones: a case of an intramolecular Paterno-Buchi reaction.

5-(Thiophen-3-yl)pyrano[2,3-c]chromen-2(3H)-ones (2), angular tricyclic compounds, were synthesized in significantly high yields through the photoinduced intramolecular coupling of the acetylenic group with the carbonyl centre in 3-(prop-2-ynyloxy)-2-(thiophen-3-yl)-4H-chromen-4-ones (1). This photoreaction is a case of an intramolecular Paterno-Buchi reaction and is unprecedented in 3-propynyloxy-chromenones. The structure of 2 has been determined by spectroscopic (FTIR, NMR and mass) and single crystal X-ray crystallographic studies.

Inflamed psoriatic plaques: drug toxicity or disease exacerbation?

We are presenting a case of Methotrexate treated stable plaque psoriasis, in whom inflamed psoriatic plaques of drug toxicity were misdiagnosed as disease exacerbation. Erosive psoriatic plaques were present in the absence of biochemical or hematological derangements. Ulceration of psoriatic plaques in the presence of disturbed hematological profile is well described as a harbinger of methotrexate toxicity, but this kind of erosions in the absence of any systemic involvement is the first report of its kind.

Self-medication patterns and drug use behavior in housewives belonging to the middle income group in a city in northern India.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to assess the self-medication patterns and drug use behavior in housewives belonging to the middle income group in a city of Haryana State in Northern India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A detailed questionnaire designed to assess the self-medication patterns and drug use behavior and interview technique was used to elicit the requisite information. One hundred housewives of the middle income group were interviewed in Rohtak. RESULTS: Most of the housewives were in the habit of keeping the medicines though only 73% of them were in the habit of using it without any prescription. Also it was seen that those housewives who were taking self-medication were better educated than those not indulged in self-medication. All of them were using allopathic drugs on a regular basis while other modes of medications were less used. The self-medication was most commonly based on the previous prescriptions issued by the doctors followed by the suggestions from friends, advertisement on the television, and newspapers. For most of them the reasons for self-medication were financial restraints and lack of time to go to the medical practitioner. CONCLUSIONS: The study delineates the difference in the self-medication patterns and drug use behavior in housewives in a city of Northern India. The results emphasize the need for comprehensive measures for intervention strategies to promote rational drug therapy by improving prescribing patterns and influencing self-medication.