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Over the last decade, research has intensified worldwide on the use of low-temperature plasmas in medicine and healthcare. Researchers have discovered many methods of applying plasmas to living tissues to deactivate pathogens; to end the flow of blood without damaging healthy tissue; to sanitize wounds and accelerate its healing; and to selectively kill malignant cancer cells. This review paper presents the latest development of advanced and plasma-based technologies used for applications in neurology in particular. Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), an aided institute of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has also developed various technologies in some of these areas. One of these is an Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet (APPJ). This device is being studied to treat skin diseases, for coagulation of blood at faster rates and its interaction with oral, lung, and brain cancer cells. In certain cases, in-vitro studies have yielded encouraging results and limited in-vivo studies have been initiated. Plasma activated water has been produced in the laboratory for microbial disinfection, with potential applications in the health sector. Recently, plasmonic nanoparticle arrays which allow detection of very low concentrations of chemicals is studied in detail to allow early-stage detection of diseases. IPR has also been developing AI-based software called DeepCXR and AIBacilli for automated, high-speed screening and detection of footprints of tuberculosis (TB) in Chest X-ray images and for recognizing single/multiple TB bacilli in sputum smear test images, respectively. Deep Learning systems are increasingly being used around the world for analyzing electroencephalogram (EEG) signals for emotion recognition, mental workload, and seizure detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaplastic meningioma is an uncommon neoplasm in childhood and adolescence. Due to the rarity, treatment options for anaplastic meningioma in this age group are not clearly outlined. A 15-year-old boy presented with a left forehead swelling with a history of a left frontal tumor. Radiological investigations revealed a dura-based tumor with a large extracranial and a smaller intracranial component. Craniotomy with near-total excision of the tumor was performed. Histopathological examination of the tumor showed features of an anaplastic meningioma. The patient is currently receiving radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, he has developed scalp swellings while on radiotherapy. Anaplastic meningioma is extremely rare in children. Extensive sampling is required to recognize the meningothelial nature of the tumor and immunohistochemistry helps in making an accurate diagnosis in such cases. Therapeutic interventions in such cases need to be closely monitored due to the aggressive behavior of this tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Chordoid glioma, a rare tumour of the third ventricle, represents a distinct clinico-pathologic entity. Thirty nine examples have been described in the literature, mostly in females and in the third ventricle. The clinical presentation is variable but they tend to occur mostly in adults. There is only one report of a chordoid glioma in a 12 year old child. Finding. This paper describes two examples of chordoid glioma in a seven year old female child and a 70 year old male respectively. Radiologically, the paediatric chordoid glioma was located in the juxtaventricular region in the occipital horn of the lateral ventricle and was of mixed density whereas the adult patient had a typical third ventricle location with homogenous contrast enhancement. Gross total surgical removal was achieved in both but the adult patient died post-operatively due to intra ventricular bleeding and bacterial meningitis. The younger patient is doing well at the last follow up two years post-operatively. Microscopically, both showed the classic morphology of chordoid glioma. Ultrastructural examination was suggestive of ependymal differentiation. Conclusion. The younger age and unusual location are some of the rare features which need documentation and have not been described earlier. We propose that chordoid glioma is a variant of an ependymoma (WHO grade II) which arises from tanycytes and should be included in the WHO classification of brain tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to monitor the dynamics of tumour spheroid formation by the hanging drop method. In contrast to microscopy, the estimates obtained using OCT for the volume of the spheroid, were consistent with the measured changes in cell number as a function of time. The OCT images also revealed heterogeneous structures in the spheroids of ∼200 μm diameter. These corresponded to the necrotic regions identified by fluorescence of propidium iodide stained cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paragangliomas are tumors arising from extra-adrenal paraganglia and account for 0.3% of all neoplasms. The carotid body and temporal bone are the most frequent sites of paraganglioma, though it has been reported to occur in almost every part of the body. Spinal paragangliomas are uncommon and mainly take the form of intradural compression of the cauda equina or thoracic cord. Extradural paragangliomas are still rare; only few cases involving the dorsolumbar spine have been reported. We are reporting an interesting case of a dumbbell-shaped primary extradural paraganglioma of the cervical spine in an 8-year-old boy that presented with progressively increasing spastic quadriparesis. Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rare case of hypothalamic glioma in a 7-year-old boy presenting with seizures and diabetes insipidus is reported. Near total decompression of the hypothalamic glioma was done successfully using subfrontal approach. The patient had a stormy postoperative course due to status epilepticus but went on to make a complete recovery. Postoperative radiotherapy/chemotherapy was not given in view of tumor histology (low grade glioma), patient’s age and tumor location. Patient remains symptom and seizure free on antiepileptics at 3-year follow-up. The case is presented in the light of its rarity and the literature is reviewed. Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To demonstrate the dynamics of specific antibody isotypes againstEntamoeba histolyticaGal/GalNAc adhesin and its correlation, if any, with the development of immunity, we evaluated subjects suffering from a spectrum of amoebic infections ranging from amoebic liver abscess (ALA) to asymptomatic cyst passers. The quantitative analysis of antibody levels was done in the sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Gal/GalNAc adhesin-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) was higher in ALA (and their follow-ups) and intestinal amoebiasis cases as compared with asymptomatic cyst passers (P < 0.05). Among the isotypes of IgG, high levels of IgG1 (60% of the total IgG concentration), suggestive of T-helper 2-type response, was associated with ALA cases. Intestinal amoebiasis cases and cyst passers had high percentage of IgG1 and IgG4 antibodies as compared with per cent IgG2 and IgG3 (of the total IgG), whereas follow-up cases of ALA had predominantly IgG2 and IgG3 isotypes of antibodies. Gal/GalNAc lectin-specific IgM antibodies were maximum in cases of intestinal amoebiasis. ALA cases and their follow-ups had significantly lower levels of Gal/GalNAc-specific IgM levels as compared with cyst passers (P < 0.05). Gal/GalNAc adhesin-specific IgA antibodies were raised maximally in intestinal amoebic infection cases. ALA cases and their 3-month follow-ups had significantly higher concentrations of lectin-specific IgA (P < 0.05) as compared with the healthy subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitheloid hemangioendothelioma is an uncommon vascular neoplasm and has an unpredictable clinical behavior. It is characterized by round or spindle-shaped endothelial cells with cytoplasmic vacuolation. Most often, epitheloid hemangioendothelioma arise from the soft tissues of the upper and lower extremities and it has borderline malignant potential. We describe the first reported case of epitheloid hemangioendothelioma in the urinary bladder, which was treated by transurethral resection. The diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]