A case of molecularly profiled extraneural medulloblastoma metastases in a child

Background: Extraneural metastases are relatively rare manifestations of medulloblastoma. Case presentation: We present the case of a young boy with group three MYCN-amplified medulloblastoma. He received multimodal chemotherapy consisting of gross total resection followed by postoperative craniospinal radiation and adjuvant chemotherapy. The patient developed extraneural metastases 4 months after the end of therapy. Literature review identifies the poor prognosis of MYCN-amplified medulloblastomas as well as extraneural metastases; we review the current limitations and future directions of medulloblastoma treatment options. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first molecularly characterized report of extraneural metastases of medulloblastoma in a child

The PROVENT-C19 registry: A study protocol for international multicenter SIAARTI registry on the use of prone positioning in mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 ARDS

Background The worldwide use of prone position (PP) for invasively ventilated patients with COVID-19 is progressively increasing from the first pandemic wave in everyday clinical practice. Among the suggested treatments for the management of ARDS patients, PP was recommended in the Surviving Sepsis Campaign COVID-19 guidelines as an adjuvant therapy for improving ventilation. In patients with severe classical ARDS, some authors reported that early application of prolonged PP sessions significantly decreases 28-day and 90-day mortality. Methods and analysis Since January 2021, the COVID19 Veneto ICU Network research group has developed and implemented nationally and internationally the "PROVENT-C19 Registry", endorsed by the Italian Society of Anesthesia Analgesia Resuscitation and Intensive Care. . .'(SIAARTI). The PROVENT-C19 Registry wishes to describe 1. The real clinical practice on the use of PP in COVID-19 patients during the pandemic at a National and International level; and 2. Potential baseline and clinical characteristics that identify subpopulations of invasively ventilated patients with COVID-19 that may improve daily from PP therapy. This web-based registry will provide relevant information on how the database research tools may improve our daily clinical practice. Conclusions This multicenter, prospective registry is the first to identify and characterize the role of PP on clinical outcome in COVID-19 patients. In recent years, data emerging from large registries have been increasingly used to provide real-world evidence on the effectiveness, quality, and safety of a clinical intervention. Indeed observation-based registries could be effective tools aimed at identifying specific clusters of patients within a large study population with widely heterogeneous clinical characteristics. Copyright

Assessment of depression severity among cancer patients in Nanakaly Hospital, Erbil City

Background and objective: Depressive symptoms are present in several psychiatric disorders, the ones most commonly seen in patients with cancer, especially more common in those who are at the end of life. This study aimed to assess the severity of depression and association between socio-demographic data with the severity of depression among Cancer Patients in Nanakaly Hospital, Erbil City. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 cancer patients of both genders in Nanakaly Hospital, Erbil city, Iraq, from February 22nd, 2016 to April 27th, 2016. A questionnaire was designed for the study; it contained two parts. Part one consisted of socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, level of education, occupation, marital status, economic status, religion and residential area of the patients. Part two consisted of Beck depression rating inventory. Data were collected through interviews with patients. Frequency, percentages and Chi-square tests were used for interpretation of data. Results: The mean age (±SD) was 49.54 (±16.66) years. Each of males and females represented 50% of the sample. Most of the participants were married (75%), illiterate (35%), Muslims (94%), housewives (38%), had somehow sufficient income (40%) and from rural areas (84%). Majority of the studied sample (79%) suffered from moderate depression level, while only (21%) of them suffered from severe depression. There was no significant association between the level of depression and the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and the medical status as well. Conclusion: The study concluded that most of the cancer patients have depression symptoms

MTs in Palaemonetes argentinus as potential biomarkers of zinc contamination in freshwaters

Aquatic invertebrates take up and accumulate essential and non-essential trace metals even when both are likely to be poisonous. In order to study the potential of the metallothioneins (MTs) as biomarkers of metal contamination in native shrimp Palaemonetes argentinus, organisms have been exposed at 0, 5, 50 and 500 μg L-1 of zinc for 96 h. Moreover, accumulation and subcellular distribution of this essential metal were evaluated. A significant Zn accumulation was observed in different body sections. Higher Zn levels occurred in cephalothorax compared to abdomen, especially at the highest exposure concentration (500 μg Zn L-1). A clear differential subcellular metal distribution between cephalothorax and abdomen was also observed. In cephalothorax Zn was similarly distributed between the soluble and insoluble fractions; while in abdomen, when total Zn increased, insoluble metal augmented more markedly than the soluble one. Cytosolic Zn levels increased more in cephalothorax than in abdomen of shrimps exposed to 500 μg Zn L-1 when compared to control. Finally, a significant induction of MTs was observed in cephalothorax at 500 μg Zn L-1. A potential role for MTs as biomarkers in P. argentinus should be further studied to enhance the sensitivity of the response, although it is likely that MTs play a key role in metal detoxification since the increase of these proteins is linked to metal challenge.Fil: Bertrand, Lidwina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Monferran, Magdalena Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Métais, Isabelle. Université Catholique de l'Ouest; FranciaFil: Mouneyrac, Catherine. Université Catholique de l'Ouest; FranciaFil: Amé, María Valeria. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; Argentin