Routine Bone Imaging for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Is it Time?

Current guidelines by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommend that, in addition to routine computed tomography (CT) imaging, bone imaging and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be obtained when clinically indicated. In this issue of the Journal of Kidney Cancer and VHL, a systematic literature review of clinical trials of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients evaluates the incidence of osseous, lymph node, and lung metastases (1). In particular, the analysis by Lin et al focuses on the changes in incidence over time. The study finds that the incidence of bone, lymph node, and lung metastases has increased over time. This increase is significant in osseous metastases specifically. These results lead to two provocative questions. First, why have osseous metastases increased in incidence over time? Second, does this finding warrant a more aggressive and uniform approach to imaging to identify osseous metastases sooner

Structure of N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a cubic space group

The structure of M. tuberculosis N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) was determined by the molecular-replacement method to 3.4 Å resolution in space group I432 and was refined to a final R work and R free of 0.285 and 0.321, respectively

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in the Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have quickly become a critical component to the management of advanced renal cell carcinoma. These therapies have been approved for patients who are treatment-naive and who have progressed on antiangiogenesis agents. Combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors with antiangiogenesis agents show significant response rates and prolong survival. Adverse events associated with the use of checkpoint inhibition present unique challenges in the management of patients, and careful considerations are needed when checkpoint inhibitors are combined with antiangiogenesis agents. Nevertheless, the improvement in overall survival associated with these agents indicates that they will remain a vital component of kidney cancer treatment

A General Survey of B.A.M.S. Students to Improve Overall Teaching

For any professional course it is very important to identify students’ perceptions and suggestions to improve the system of education. To solve this purpose this study was planned by conducting a survey among the students of B.A.M.S. The current course of B.A.M.S. is the combination of ancient Ayurveda and modern medical science, where students find some difficulties to understand and co-relate it with real time patients. Google form was prepared to conduct this survey and it was filled up online by 352 students of seven different Ayurveda colleges of Saurashtra region, Gujarat. In this survey an effort has been made to know the background of students, their understanding about the course, certain generalized questions were also included in the questionnaire, i.e. professional goal after completion of B.A.M.S., what they think about the current teaching methodology and if they need any change in its different aspects or in syllabus. The result is found to be beyond our imagination, which is the best teaching pattern; chalk & board or digital platform. The impact of online education has become the new opportunity for students to indulge themselves in more usage of mobile or electronic gadgets in the name of educational purpose

ROLE OF BASE PLATFORM TO PREPARE PARPATI KALPANA W.S.R. TO RASA PARPATI

Parpati Kalpana is one of the famous Kalpanas of Rasashastra which is widely used and considered as a boon for digestive disorders. The Parpati name is given to this Kalpana as per its Papad or Parpata – thin flake – like appearance. Parpati Kalpana is mainly divided into Sagandha and Nirgandha Parpati Kalpana. Rasa Parpati is the type of Sagandha Parpati Kalpana. To prepare Parpati kalpana, at least one ingredient should get liquefied at normal heating and should get solidified when it gets cooled down, not only that, to get the thin flake like structure specific pressure needs to be applied. In present study Rasa Parpati was prepared by using Samaguna Kajjali (Equal quantity of Parada and Gandhaka) and to check the cooling effect and the role of base platform; here three different platforms were made i.e. cow dung and wet clay mixed platform, only wet clay platform (Earthen platform) and ice block platform. Total nine samples of Rasa Parpati were prepared, three on each platform to check which platform is convenient to prepare Rasa Parpati. The average thickness of Rasa Parpati was found minimum (2.83 mm) on cow dung and wet clay mixed platform whereas the maximum (4 mm) on ice block platform i.e. 4 mm. Average thickness of Rasa Parpati made on earthen platform was 3.57 mm which is thicker than the Cow dung and wet clay mixed platform and thinner than the ice cube platform. Which indicates the best platform to make thinnest Parpati is cow dung and wet clay mixed platform

New and emerging developments in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer therapeutics.

Purpose of reviewExtensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) remains a disease with a dismal prognosis, with median survival of approximately 8-10 months. Despite many attempts to develop effective systemic therapies, very little progress has been made in the last several decades. Platinum-based combination chemotherapy remains the standard of care in the first-line setting and is associated with high response rates albeit short-lived. However, there have been recent advances in the use of radiation therapy, as well as new insights into the biology of SCLC.Recent findingsSome of the most appreciable advances in the last decade have involved the use of local radiation therapy. With the use of new laboratory techniques such as genomic sequencing, there remains promise of rationally targeted drug development. Circulating tumor cell research may also provide insights to SCLC biology and further refine treatment.SummarySystemic therapy for SCLC has changed little over the past 30 years with the most significant advances in ES-SCLC relating to radiotherapy rather than systemic therapy. The effectiveness of prophylactic cranial irradiation and thoracic radiotherapy has renewed interest in therapeutics focused on the modulation of DNA damage or repair. Recent developments in genomic sequencing and immunotherapy may translate to new treatment paradigms for SCLC

ATR Inhibition in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma.

The ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) pathway is intricately involved in protecting the integrity of the human genome by suppressing replication stress and repairing DNA damage. ATR is a promising therapeutic target in cancer cells because its inhibition could lead to an accumulation of damaged DNA preventing further replication and division. ATR inhibition is being studied in multiple types of cancer, including advanced urothelial carcinoma where there remains an unmet need for novel therapies to improve outcomes. Herein, we review preclinical and clinical data evaluating 4 ATR inhibitors as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. The scope of this review is focused on contemporary studies evaluating the application of this novel therapy in advanced urothelial carcinoma