1.Gastric Duplication Cyst Presenting as Massive Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Alexey YOUSSEF ; Alexander IBRAHIM ; Zuheir ALSHEHABI ; Ammar OMRAN ; Ala I SHARARA
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition 2019;22(2):189-192
Gastric duplication cysts (GDCs) are rare congenital anomalies. Presentation of GDCs varies from an asymptomatic abdominal mass to fulminant or massive gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Herein, we describe a case of a GDC in a 10-month-old infant presenting with unexplained massive GI hemorrhage and hematemesis. An abdominal ultrasound was negative, while computerized tomography was, initially, inaccessible. Through a series of repeated esophagogastroduodenoscopies, we documented penetration of the GDC into the gastric cavity that was later confirmed by computerized tomography. The patient was treated successfully with surgical resection.
Congenital Abnormalities
;
Endoscopy
;
Endoscopy, Digestive System
;
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
;
Hematemesis
;
Hemorrhage
;
Humans
;
Infant
;
Ulcer
;
Ultrasonography
2.A new phantom to evaluate the tissue dissolution ability of endodontic irrigants and activating devices
Kimia KHOSHROO ; Brinda SHAH ; Alexander JOHNSON ; John BAETEN ; Katherine BARRY ; Mohammadreza TAHRIRI ; Mohamed S. IBRAHIM ; Lobat TAYEBI
Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics 2020;45(4):e45-
Objective:
The aim of this study was to introduce a gelatin/bovine serum albumin (BSA) tissue standard, which provides dissolution properties identical to those of biological tissues. Further, the study evaluated whether the utilization of endodontic activating devices led to enhanced phantom dissolution rates.
Materials and Methods:
Bovine pulp tissue was obtained to determine a benchmark of tissue dissolution. The surface area and mass of samples were held constant while the ratio of gelatin and BSA were varied, ranging from 7.5% to 10% gelatin and 5% BSA. Each sample was placed in an individual test tube that was filled with an appropriate sodium hypochlorite solution for 1, 3, and 5 minutes, and then removed from the solution, blotted dry, and weighed again. The remaining tissue was calculated as the percent of initial tissue to determine the tissue dissolution rate. A radiopaque agent (sodium diatrizoate) and a fluorescent dye (methylene blue) were added to the phantom to allow easy quantification of phantom dissolution in a canal block model when activated using ultrasonic (EndoUltra) or sonic (EndoActivator) energy.
Results:
The 9% gelatin + 5% BSA phantom showed statistically equivalent dissolution to bovine pulp tissue at all time intervals. Furthermore, the EndoUltra yielded significantly more phantom dissolution in the canal block than the EndoActivator or syringe irrigation.
Conclusions
Our phantom is comparable to biological tissue in terms of tissue dissolution and could be utilized for in vitro tests due to its injectability and detectability.
3.A new phantom to evaluate the tissue dissolution ability of endodontic irrigants and activating devices
Kimia KHOSHROO ; Brinda SHAH ; Alexander JOHNSON ; John BAETEN ; Katherine BARRY ; Mohammadreza TAHRIRI ; Mohamed S. IBRAHIM ; Lobat TAYEBI
Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics 2020;45(4):e45-
Objective:
The aim of this study was to introduce a gelatin/bovine serum albumin (BSA) tissue standard, which provides dissolution properties identical to those of biological tissues. Further, the study evaluated whether the utilization of endodontic activating devices led to enhanced phantom dissolution rates.
Materials and Methods:
Bovine pulp tissue was obtained to determine a benchmark of tissue dissolution. The surface area and mass of samples were held constant while the ratio of gelatin and BSA were varied, ranging from 7.5% to 10% gelatin and 5% BSA. Each sample was placed in an individual test tube that was filled with an appropriate sodium hypochlorite solution for 1, 3, and 5 minutes, and then removed from the solution, blotted dry, and weighed again. The remaining tissue was calculated as the percent of initial tissue to determine the tissue dissolution rate. A radiopaque agent (sodium diatrizoate) and a fluorescent dye (methylene blue) were added to the phantom to allow easy quantification of phantom dissolution in a canal block model when activated using ultrasonic (EndoUltra) or sonic (EndoActivator) energy.
Results:
The 9% gelatin + 5% BSA phantom showed statistically equivalent dissolution to bovine pulp tissue at all time intervals. Furthermore, the EndoUltra yielded significantly more phantom dissolution in the canal block than the EndoActivator or syringe irrigation.
Conclusions
Our phantom is comparable to biological tissue in terms of tissue dissolution and could be utilized for in vitro tests due to its injectability and detectability.
4.Cerebellar Liponeurocytoma: Relevant Clinical Cytogenetic Findings.
Alexander TUCKER ; Kritsanapol BOON-UNGE ; Nancy MCLAUGHLIN ; Hassana IBRAHIM ; Nagesh RAO ; Neil MARTIN ; Richard EVERSON ; Négar KHANLOU
Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine 2017;51(3):335-340
No abstract available.
Cytogenetics*
5.A summary of the Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis, 2022
Terence Ing WEI ONG ; Lee Ling LIM ; Siew Pheng CHAN ; Winnie Siew SWEE CHEE ; Alan Swee HOCK CH’NG ; Elizabeth GAR MIT CHONG ; Premitha DAMODARAN ; Fen Lee HEW ; Luqman bin IBRAHIM ; Hui Min KHOR ; Pauline Siew MEI LAI ; Joon Kiong LEE ; Ai Lee LIM ; Boon Ping LIM ; Sharmila Sunita PARAMASIVAM ; Jeyakantha RATNASINGAM ; Yew Siong SIOW ; Alexander Tong BOON TAN ; Nagammai THIAGARAJAN ; Swan Sim YEAP
Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia 2023;9(2):60-69
Objectives:
The aim of these Clinical Practice Guidelines is to provide evidence-based recommendations to assist healthcare providers in the screening, diagnosis and management of patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis (OP).
Methods:
A list of key clinical questions on the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of OP was formulated. A literature search using the PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Databases of Systematic Reviews, and OVID electronic databases identified all relevant articles on OP based on the key clinical questions, from 2014 onwards, to update from the 2015 edition. The articles were graded using the SIGN50 format. For each statement, studies with the highest level of evidence were used to frame the recommendation.
Results:
This article summarizes the diagnostic and treatment pathways for postmenopausal OP. Risk stratification of patients with OP encompasses clinical risk factors, bone mineral density measurements and FRAX risk estimates. Non-pharmacological measures including adequate calcium and vitamin D, regular exercise and falls prevention are recommended. Pharmacological measures depend on patients’ fracture risk status. Very high-risk individuals are recommended for treatment with an anabolic agent, if available, followed by an anti-resorptive agent. Alternatively, parenteral anti-resorptive agents can be used. High-risk individuals should be treated with anti-resorptive agents. In low-risk individuals, menopausal hormone replacement or selective estrogen receptor modulators can be used, if indicated. Patients should be assessed regularly to monitor treatment response and treatment adjusted, as appropriate.
Conclusions
The pathways for the management of postmenopausal OP in Malaysia have been updated. Incorporation of fracture risk stratification can guide appropriate treatment.
6.Could bacteriophages isolated from the sewage be the solution to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus?
Cheng Siang Tan ; Nurul Aqilah Aqiludeen ; Ruixin Tan ; Annabel Gowbei ; Alexander Beemer Mijen ; Santhana Raj Louis ; Siti Fairouz Ibrahim
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2020;75(2):110-116
Introductions: The emergence of multidrug-resistant
bacteria such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA) complicates the treatment of the simplest
infection. Although glycopeptides such as vancomycin still
proves to be effective in treating MRSA infections, the
emergence of vancomycin-resistant strains limits the long
term use of this antibiotic. Bacteriophages are ubiquitous
bacterial viruses which is capable of infecting and killing
bacteria including its antibiotic-resistant strains.
Bactericidal bacteriophages use mechanisms that is distinct
from antibiotics and is not affected by the antibioticresistant phenotypes.
Objectives: The study was undertaken to evaluate the
possibility to isolate bacteriolytic bacteriophages against
S.aureus from raw sewage water and examine their efficacy
as antimicrobial agents in vitro.
Methods: Bacteriophages were isolated from the raw
sewage using the agar overlay method. Isolated
bacteriophages were plaque purified to obtain homogenous
bacteriophage isolates. The host range of the
bacteriophages was determined using the spot test assay
against the 25 MRSA and 36 MSSA isolates obtained from
the Sarawak General Hospital. Staphylococcus
saprophyticus, Staphylococcus sciuri and Staphylococcus
xylosus were included as non-SA controls. The identity of
the bacteriophages was identified via Transmission Electron
Microscopy and genomic size analysis. Their stability at
different pH and temperature were elucidated.
Results: A total of 10 lytic bacteriophages infecting S.aureus
were isolated and two of them namely ΦNUSA-1 and
ΦNUSA-10 from the family of Myoviridae and Siphoviridae
respectively exhibited exceptionally broad host range
against >80% of MRSA and MSSA tested. Both
bacteriophages were specific to S.aureus and stable at both
physiologic pH and temperature.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated the abundance of
S.aureus specific bacteriophages in raw sewage. Their high
virulence against both MSSA and MRSA is an excellent
antimicrobial characteristic which can be exploited for
bacteriophage therapy against MRSA.
7.Age-related outcomes in patients with cardiogenic shock stratified by etiology.
Alexander SCHMITT ; Kathrin WEIDNER ; Jonas RUSNAK ; Marinela RUKA ; Sascha EGNER-WALTER ; Kambis MASHAYEKHI ; Péter TAJTI ; Mohamed AYOUB ; Ibrahim AKIN ; Michael BEHNES ; Tobias SCHUPP
Journal of Geriatric Cardiology 2023;20(8):555-566
BACKGROUND:
As a result of improved and novel treatment strategies, the spectrum of patients with cardiovascular disease is consistently changing. Overall, those patients are typically older and characterized by increased burden with comorbidities. Limited data on the prognostic impact of age in cardiogenic shock (CS) is available. Therefore, this study investigates the prognostic impact of age in patients with CS.
METHODS:
From 2019 to 2021, consecutive patients with CS of any cause were included. The prognostic value of age (i.e., 60-80 years and > 80 years) was investigated for 30-day all-cause mortality. Spearman's correlations, Kaplan-Meier analyses, as well as multivariable Cox proportional regression analyses were performed for statistics. Subsequent risk assessment was performed based on the presence or absence of CS related to acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
RESULTS:
223 CS patients were included with a median age of 77 years (interquartile range: 69-82 years). No significant difference in 30-day all-cause mortality was observed for both age-groups (54.6% vs. 63.4%, log-rank P = 0.169; HR = 1.273, 95% CI: 0.886-1.831, P = 0.192). In contrast, when analyzing subgroups stratified by CS-etiology, AMI-related CS patients of the group > 80 years showed an increased risk of 30-day all-cause mortality (78.1% vs. 60.0%, log-rank P = 0.032; HR = 1.635, 95% CI: 1.000-2.673, P = 0.050), which was still evident after multivariable adjustment (HR = 2.072, 95% CI: 1.174-3.656, P = 0.012).
CONCLUSIONS
Age was not associated with 30-day all-cause mortality in patients with CS of mixed etiology. However, increasing age was shown to be a significant predictor of increased mortality-risk in the subgroup of patients presenting with AMI-CS.
8. Modifiable determinants of attitude towards dengue vaccination among healthy inhabitants of Aceh, Indonesia: Findings from a community-based survey
Harapan HARAPAN ; Arsil RADIANSYAH ; Pradiba ANGRAINI ; Riny FASLI ; Salwiyadi SALWIYADI ; Reza Akbar BASTIAN ; Ade OKTIVIYARI ; Imaduddin AKMAL ; Muhammad IQBALAMIN ; Jamalul ADIL ; Fenni HENRIZAL ; Darmayanti DARMAYANTI ; Rovy PRATAMA ; Jhony Karunia FAJAR ; Harapan HARAPAN ; Harapan HARAPAN ; Samsul ANWAR ; Aslam BUSTAMAN ; Abdul Malik SETIAWAN ; Mandira Lamichhane DHIMAL ; Ulrich KUCH ; David Alexander GRONEBERG ; Meghnath DHIMAL ; Ruth MUELLER ; R. Tedjo SASMONO ; Meghnath DHIMAL
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 2016;9(11):1115-1122
Objective To explore and understand the attitude towards dengue vaccination and its modifiable determinants among inhabitants of Aceh (northern Sumatra Island, Indonesia), the region that was most severely affected by the earthquake and tsunami of 26 December 2004. Methods A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 535 healthy inhabitants in nine regencies (Kabupaten or Kotamadya) of Aceh that were selected randomly from November 2014 to March 2015. A set of validated, pre-tested, structured questionnaires was used to guide the interviews. The questionnaires covered a range of explanatory variables and one outcome variable (attitude to dengue vaccination). Multi-step logistic regression analysis and Spearman's rank correlation were used to test the role of explanatory variables for the outcome variable. Results More than 70% of the participants had a poor attitude towards dengue vaccination. Modifiable determinants associated with poor attitude to dengue vaccination were low education level, working as farmers and traditional market traders, low socioeconomic status and poor knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dengue fever (P < 0.05). The KAP domain scores were correlated strongly with attitude to dengue vaccination, rs = 0.25, rs = 0.67 and rs = 0.20, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis found that independent predictors associated with attitude towards dengue vaccination among study participants were only sex and attitude towards dengue fever (P < 0.001). Conclusions This study reveals that low KAP regarding dengue fever, low education level and low socioeconomic status are associated with a poor attitude towards dengue vaccination. Therefore, inhabitants of suburbs who are working as farmers or traditional market traders with low socioeconomic status are the most appropriate target group for a dengue vaccine introduction program.