Perforated duodenal ulcer secondary to deferasirox use in a child successfully managed with laparoscopic drainage: A case report

BACKGROUNDA perforated gastroduodenal ulcer is rarely observed in children. Certain medications have been reported to cause ulcerations. Deferasirox, an iron chelating agent, has been previously reported to be associated with the development of gastroduodenal ulcers.CASE SUMMARYWe report a case of a 3-year-old boy who was diagnosed with beta thalassemia major and treated with deferasirox. He presented to the emergency department with an acute abdomen. A perforated duodenal ulcer was suspected after X-ray imaging and laparoscopic exploration. It was successfully managed with laparoscopic washout and drainage.CONCLUSIONDue to the rarity and severity of this case, it is a reminder that prevention and early recognition of gastrointestinal complications in patients receiving deferasirox are crucial. Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery is both safe and feasible to treat perforated duodenal ulcers in selected patients.     

Fractional CO2 laser,platelet rich plasma and narrow band ultraviolet B in the treatment of Vitiligo (A randomized clinical trial)

Lasers in Medical Science - Vitiligo is a chronic acquired disease. Various therapeutic strategies are available but with variable degrees of success. Fractional CO2 laser is claimed to be...     

Fetal cardiac dextroposition in the absence of an intrathoracic mass: sign of significant right lung hypoplasia.

We reviewed our experience of fetal cardiac dextroposition in the absence of an intrathoracic mass. Ten cases were found by fetal echocardiography to have a normal cardiac axis, but the heart was shifted into the right chest and the amount of right lung tissue was reduced. At birth seven of the infants had confirmed structural heart disease (70%), including three with scimitar syndrome. Two infants had additional extracardiac anomalies (20%). Seven infants born at term had clinical pulmonary hypertension with a diagnosis of right lung hypoplasia in all of them. Two neonates died owing to significant heart disease (one with scimitar syndrome and the other with hypoplastic left heart syndrome). Of the three pregnancies that were terminated, the two fetuses with autopsies had severe right lung hypoplasia. Fetal cardiac dextroposition and right pulmonary artery hypoplasia in the absence of an intrathoracic mass are important signs of right lung hypoplasia, which can be associated with significant pathologic cardiac and extracardiac conditions.     

Public Discourse Against Masks in the COVID-19 Era: Infodemiology Study of Twitter Data

BackgroundDespite scientific evidence supporting the importance of wearing masks to curtail the spread of COVID-19, wearing masks has stirred up a significant debate particularly on social media.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the topics associated with the public discourse against wearing masks in the United States. We also studied the relationship between the anti-mask discourse on social media and the number of new COVID-19 cases.MethodsWe collected a total of 51,170 English tweets between January 1, 2020, and October 27, 2020, by searching for hashtags against wearing masks. We used machine learning techniques to analyze the data collected. We investigated the relationship between the volume of tweets against mask-wearing and the daily volume of new COVID-19 cases using a Pearson correlation analysis between the two-time series.ResultsThe results and analysis showed that social media could help identify important insights related to wearing masks. The results of topic mining identified 10 categories or themes of user concerns dominated by (1) constitutional rights and freedom of choice; (2) conspiracy theory, population control, and big pharma; and (3) fake news, fake numbers, and fake pandemic. Altogether, these three categories represent almost 65% of the volume of tweets against wearing masks. The relationship between the volume of tweets against wearing masks and newly reported COVID-19 cases depicted a strong correlation wherein the rise in the volume of negative tweets led the rise in the number of new cases by 9 days.ConclusionsThese findings demonstrated the potential of mining social media for understanding the public discourse about public health issues such as wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results emphasized the relationship between the discourse on social media and the potential impact on real events such as changing the course of the pandemic. Policy makers are advised to proactively address public perception and work on shaping this perception through raising awareness, debunking negative sentiments, and prioritizing early policy intervention toward the most prevalent topics.     

Psychosocial Profiles among Persons with Substance Use Disorder Undergoing Islamic-Based Inabah Program in Kelantan,Malaysia

Psychosocial profiles among a convenience sample of 37 Malay Muslim participants of Inabah program were measured using the Psychological Measure of Islamic Religiousness (PMIR). Data were analysed using SPSS 23.0. Positive relations with others emerged as the best-scored subscale whereas anger trait and depressed mood were minimal. Single and divorced respondents demonstrated significantly higher score for purpose in life. More favorable social desirability was reported by participants with no previous treatment. Less anger and depression were expressed by those not detained before. Essentially, psychosocial status of persons with substance use disorder undergoing Inabah program was moderate with some influences of sociodemographic factors.