Intracranial pilocytic astrocytoma with spinal drop metastasis: A case review, discussion of its current management and related literature

Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is a low grade benign tumor, commonly occurs in Cerebellum (42-60%), Optic & hypothalamic region (9-30%), Brain Stem (9%). They rarely spread. It rarely occurs within the ventricle. In this report, we described our experience with cranial pilocytic astrocytoma in a 14-year-old child, who initially treated with near total decompression of tumor. Four and half years later, recurrence of primary tumor with obstructive hydrocephalus occurred for which he underwent ventriculo-peritoneal shunt followed by re-excision. As further treatment was being evaluated for radiotherapy in view of recurrence at the primary site, he got detected to have significant spinal drop metastasis seen on MRI Spine. Finally, he underwent craniospinal irradiation (CSI).

Electrical and Optical Characterization Methodologies for Advanced Spark Ignition

Due to the high transiency and high voltage characteristics of spark ignition, precise measurements are in demand for efficient ignition in future clean combustion engines. The practical challenges of SI systems arise as the gaseous substances vary extensively in density, flow, and temperature. In this paper, a typical transistor coil ignition system with a current management module maintains the transient discharge condition for more credible measurements. Suitable apparatus with FPGA multi-task control systems are established to effectively control and stabilize the discharge current level and duration. The electrical waveforms and spark plasma patterns are correlated, via concurrent electric probing and shadowgraph imaging, under quiescent and flow conditions. The multi-task FPGA provides synchronization of ignition control and data acquisition. The empirical setup and analyzing methods of this work provide essential guidance for facilitating broader innovations in spark ignition, and for advancing the clean and efficient combustion in automotive and aviation engines.

A Review of Updates on Vaccines and Treatment Options for Covid-19

The novel Coronavirus knew as Covid 19 or SARS-CoV-2, is a newly discovered virus responsible for the huge global pandemic infecting the human race at a deadly pace. This is an RNA enveloped virus that targets the human respiratory system severely while damaging other major systems. Covid 19 pandemic is similar to the severe acute respiratory syndrome related coronavirus (SARS-CoV) endemic and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), but this one is spreading at a fire-speed. The outbreak was known as pneumonia in the beginning; however, it became a threat later on, owing to its high contagion rate. The origin of this virus was sought to be from the seafood wholesale market, very popular in the city of Wuhan. This review has been put together to overview the disease, its etiology, clinical features and treatment methods. The focal point of this review is to highlight the current management of this disease.

Carbon monoxide poisoning or "Silent killer": Diagnosis and current management

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a dangerous cause of hospital admission and mortality around the world due to its ability to enter the body and bind to heme groups. Thus, it is important to carry out a correct management plan for this type of patient, in order to avoid and prevent the development of severe systemic complications and even death, for which a review of diagnostic techniques is carried out and treatment of this scenario and its effectiveness in terms of the evolution of the patient.

Immunotherapy in Ovarian Cancer: Thinking Beyond PD-1/PD-L1

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, affecting approximately 1 in 70 women with only 45% surviving 5 years after diagnosis. This disease typically presents at an advanced stage, and optimal debulking with platinum-based chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of management. Although most ovarian cancer patients will respond effectively to current management, 70% of them will eventually develop recurrence and novel therapeutic strategies are needed. There is a rationale for immune-oncological treatments (IO) in the managements of patients with OC. Many OC tumors demonstrate tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and the degree of TIL infiltration is strongly and reproducibly correlated with survival. Unfortunately, results to date have been disappointing in relapsed OC. Trials have reported very modest single activity with various antibodies targeting PD-1 or PD-L1 resulting in response rate ranging from 4% to 15%. This may be due to the highly immunosuppressive TME of the disease, a low tumor mutational burden and low PD-L1 expression. There is an urgent need to improve our understanding of the immune microenvironment in OC in order to develop effective therapies. This review will discuss immune subpopulations in OC microenvironment, current immunotherapy modalities targeting these immune subsets and data from clinical trials testing IO treatments in OC and its combination with other therapeutic agents.