BACKGROUND: Molluscum contagiosum is a common viral skin infection seen mostly in children. A topical treatment modality for this condition is therefore desirable.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of Imiquimod 5% cream in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum in Filipino children.
METHODS: Thirty Filipino children age 3 to 18 seen at the Philippine General Hospital outpatient dermatology clinic diagnosed with molluscum contagiosum were enrolled in this open label study. Imiquimod 5% cream was applied to each molluscum lesion and washed off after a contact time of 10 to 12 hours. Resolution of lesions and occurrence of systemic and local side effect were monitored.
RESULTS: Out of the twenty-four (80%) patients who completed the study, 5 (21%) had a less than or equal to 50% decrease in the number of lesions, 14 (58%) a greater than 50% decrease in the number of lesions, and 5 (21%) had complete resolution of all their mollusca. The target lesion resolved in 14 (58%) of the patients. No systemic side effect was observed. While mild to moderate erythema, pruritus, or erosion and mild pain and crusting were the only local side effects noted.
CONCLUSION: This study shows the possible effectiveness of Imiquimod 5% cream in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum in children. This topical medication has no systemic side effect and is well tolerated.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child Preschool ; Aminoquinolines ; Dermatology ; Erythema ; Erythema Multiforme ; Mollusca ; Molluscum Contagiosum ; Outpatients ; Pain ; Philippines ; Pruritus

Introduction: Incidence of cancer morbidity and mortality in the Philippines continues to escalate despite the survival rate that much still need to be desired. Few were able to cross the bridge. Still the social processes surrounding cancer survivors’experiences has not been given much attention. Methods: A Grounded Theory was the design selected using in-depth, unstructured interview among ten (10) participants who were considered as cancer survivors. Purposive, snowball and theoretical sampling were used to recruit participants. Interviews were audiotaped or recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was guided by Creswell’s four major phases; open coding, axial coding, selective coding and visual portraying. Memoing, field notes, member checking, audit trail and validation were all integrated with the study to enhance trustworthiness of study findings. Results: Based from the participants’ story, the primary psychosocial process that emerged can be described as “transformational journey”. This core variable explains the complexity of the journey in the life of a cancer survivor. The researchers identified six (6) iterative phases namely: (1) seeking answers; (2) encountering burden; (3) will to survive; (4) exhausting measures to live; (5) becoming a victor and (6) transitioning. Conclusion The findings from this study elucidates that cancer patients who become victorious after battling the disease traverses a transformational journey that defies and changes their perspective at what life is. Healthcare provider should develop protocol on how to support and to assist patient as they battle through the challenges in the different stages of their journey.
Cancer Survivors ; Neoplasms ; Grounded Theory ; Data Analysis

Objective: To explore the relationship between meat consumption and metabolic syndrome (MS) in Chinese adults aged ≥18 years. Methods: The data were obtained from 2010- 2012 National Nutrition and Health Survey. A total of 34 923 subjects who completed the dietary survey, the physical examination and had the testing results of blood sugar and blood lipid levels were enrolled in this study. MS was defined according to the diagnostic criteria of China Diabetes Society 2013. The prevalence ratios of MS and each form of MS and related 95%CI were calculated after post stratification weight according to the population data (2009) released by the national bureau of statistics. Results: The average meat intake among subjects was 94.8 g/d. People who had meat consumption between 100 g/d and 199 g/d had the lowest prevalence of MS, abdominal obesity and hyperglycemia. As the meat consumption increased, the prevalence of MS in men increased. Men who had meat consumption of ≥300 g/d had a higher risk of MS than those who had low level of meat consumption, with prevalence ratio equaled to 1.46 (95%CI: 1.14~1.87). Similar trend was not observed in women. Conclusion: Moderate intake of meat is associated with reduced risk of MS in Chinese adults.
Adolescent ; Adult ; China/epidemiology* ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meat ; Metabolic Syndrome/ethnology* ; Obesity, Abdominal/ethnology* ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

We report an autopsy case of the brain stem glioma that extended extensively in the brain stem itself and cephalad. This 18-year-old boy first presented with dizziness, vomiting and left side weakness with left facial palsy. Brain MRI revealed a diffusely infiltrative tumor involving whole medulla, pons and lower midbrain. A total of 4000 R was given with some alleviation of respiratory difficulty. He died one year after the onset. Autopsy revealed the tumor involving pons, a portion of medulla oblongata, and cerebellum. The tumor showed diffusely infiltrative pattern and extended along the periventricular area to the thalamus and corpus callosum. The cut surface was grayish white and solid. It also showed areas of myxoid degeneration and necrosis probably related to radiation therapy. Microscopically the tumor was a cellular and pleomorphic glioma that showed some astrocytic differentiation. It was diffuse without geographic necrosis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical outcome after pancreatcetmy and its relationship with pathological appearances and clinical features in patients with persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy(PHHI). METHODS: Medical records of 10 patients(9 males and 1 female, mean age:40.4+/-1.5 months) who were diagnosed as PHHI and underwent pancreatectomy from 1988 to 2000 were reviewed. Clincal and biochemical data were recorded. Subjects were classified arbitrarily into early-onset or late-onset group according to age of onset. Pathologic appearance of pancreas was divided into 2 forms:diffuse or focal. The former had a focal pancreatic adenomatous hyperplasia and the latter was characterized by increased number of betacells with similar distribution seen in normal neonates. RESULTS: One patient had focal, and nine had diffuse lesions. After near-total pancreatectomy, 4 patients(40.0%) showed complete response, 4(40.0%) had persistent hypoglycemia, and 2(20.0%) developed diabetes mellitus. As neurological sequelae, 6 patients(60.0%) had persistent seizures, and 6(60.0%) had delayed motor and speech development. No clinical or biochemical factors related to postoperative outcome were found. CONCLUSION: This data indicate that early diagnosis of patients who present with hypoglycemic symptoms in infancy, especially early in life, and development of more effective therapy are warranted, because there is no clinical or biochemical factor predicting final outcome after near-total pancreatectomy and only 40% of patients with PHHI remained euglycemic after surgery with possible severe neurological sequelae.
Age of Onset ; Congenital Hyperinsulinism* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Hypoglycemia ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Medical Records ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy* ; Seizures

In order to understand metabolic functions essential for methane assimilation, we investigate dribulose monophosphate pathway and adjacent pathways in gammaproteobacterial Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z by using combined approaches of RNA-seq, LC-MS, and 13C-labeled techniques. The absolute quantification of metabolome showed that the concentrations of intermediates, such as glucose-6-phosphate and 2-dehydro-3-deoxy-phosphogluconate, involved in Entner-Doudoroff (EDD) pathway were (150.95 +/- 28.75) micromol/L and below the limit of detection of mass spectrometry. In contrast, fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate/dihydroxyacetone and phosphoenolpyruvate in Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) pathway had significantly higher concentrations with (1 142.02 +/- 302.88) micromol/L, (1 866.76 +/- 388.55) micromol/L and (3 067.57 +/- 898.13) micromol/L, respectively. 13C-labeling experiment further indicated that the enrichment of [3-13C1]-pyruvate involved in EMP pathway was 4-6 fold higher than [1,13C1]-pyruvate in EDD pathway in a dynamic course. Moreover, gene expression profile showed that the expression levels of genes in EMP pathway (e.g. fbaA, tpiA, gap and pykA) were 2 479.2, 2 493.9, 2 274.6 and 1 846.0, respectively, but gene expressionlevels in EDD pathway (e.g. pgi, eda and edd) were only 263.8, 341.2 and 225.4, respectively. Overall our current results demonstrated that EMP pathway was the main route for methane assimilation in M. alcaliphilum 20Z. This discovery challenged our understanding of methane assimilation pathway in gammaproteobacterial methanotrophic bacteria, and further provided an important insight for efficient methane biocatalysis in the future.
Glycolysis ; Industrial Microbiology ; Methane ; metabolism ; Methylococcaceae ; metabolism ; Pyruvic Acid ; metabolism

Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Mesentery/surgery* ; Ossification, Heterotopic/surgery*

A case of Nelson's syndrome in 23 year-old female, developing 6 years after bilateral adrenalectomy for Cushing's syndrome, is reported. Presenting symptoms were headache and hyperpigmentation of the skin and mucous membrane. Serum ACTH level was markedly elebated above 1000 pg/ml, but serum cortisol level diminished markedly. Transsphenoidal approach (TSA) with removal of gushing out hematoma and tumor underwent. Postoperatively, headache subsided and hyperpigmentation of the skin markedly improved.
Adrenalectomy ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Cushing Syndrome ; Female ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperpigmentation ; Mucous Membrane ; Skin ; Young Adult

A case of histiocytosis X with the involvement of pituitary stalk in a 5 year old boy was described. He presented with diabetes insipidus and the endocrinological study showed growth hormone deficiency. On computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, the pituitary stalk was abnormally thick. Overlooking of the skull lesion on plain X-ray film led to an erroneous diagnosis of germ cell tumor'. Gross total removal of the lesion and chemotherapy were performed. In the differential diagnosis of suprasellar masses, this disease entity should be included. The importance of histological diagnosis of the infundibular lesion in cases of central diabetes insipidus is also emphasized.
Child, Preschool ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy ; Germ Cells ; Growth Hormone ; Histiocytosis* ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Pituitary Gland* ; Skull ; X-Ray Film

Background: The pandemic forced a shift to online education, which encountered issues such as connectivity issues and lack of interaction. The HTML Package (H5P) is an open source software platform that enables the creation and delivery of asynchronous interactive online learning content with minimal technical and data requirements. There is a need to explore H5P in this context. Objectives: To describe the development of digital learning objects using H5P integrated into a university learning management system and to evaluate students' perception of this in terms of usefulness, integration, impact on learning, and important attributes of the learning object. Methodology: H5P interactive content was created and integrated into the UP Manila LMS and used for the OS212 ORL Module. The 179 second year medical students were then invited to answer a survey regarding their perception of H5P's ease of use, impact on learning outcomes, integration, and key attributes of an LO. Data gathered was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: There were 134 respondents and they had a highly positive assessment of the H5P learning objects with regards to all studied parameters. Majority of the students found the H5P content easy to use, appropriate and well integrated, and helpful for learning. Conclusion The H5P platform provides the opportunity for the development of online educational content without the need for advanced technical skills. The high level acceptance of LOs using H5P technology underscores its potential to enrich students' educational experience.
Education, Distance ; Education, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires