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A 18 year girl presented with an asymptomatic solitary nodule on the lateral aspect of the right below. Biopsy proved it to be Pilomatricoma. The lesion was excised. Pilomatricoma is rare, benign tumour commonly occurring on the face and extremities and composed of cells resembling those of hair matrix, which undergo ‘mummification†and may calcify.

Abstract: Our paper computationally explores the extinction dynamics of an animal species effected by a sudden spike in mortality due to an extreme event. In our study, the animal species has a 2-stage life cycle and is endowed with a high survival probability under normal circumstances. Our proposed approach does not involve any restraining assumptions concerning environmental variables or predator–prey relationships. Rather it is based on the simple premise that if observed on an year-to-year basis, the population size will be noted to either have gone up or come down as compared to last year. The conceptualization is borrowed from the theory of asset pricing in stochastic finance. The survival probability (λ) is set at unity i.e. the model assumes that all young members of the population mature into adults capable of reproduction. As we bias our model heavily in favor of survival, the chance of the population size increasing over time is much higher than it suffering a decline, if no extreme events occur. One of the critical parameters in our simulation model is the shock size i.e. the number of immediate mortalities that may be caused by an extreme event. We run our model for two pre-selected fecundity levels denoted as “high” and “low”. Under each of the two fecundity levels one hundred independent simulation runs are conducted over a time period of ten stages (i.e. five generations) and the relevant descriptive statistics are reported for the terminal (i.e. the fifth) generation. Shock sizes are varied until at least one scenario of total extinction is observed in the simulation output. Any extinctions occurring in t 0 are treated as “trivial cases” and not counted. Our results indicate that an extreme event with a minimum shock size exceeding 2/3 the size of the pristine population can potentially drive animal species with 2-stage life cycles to extinction for both “low” and “high” fecundity levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Extrahepatic portal vein thrombosis (EHPVO) is an uncommon cause of portal hypertension. In the long term, patients may develop portal cavernoma cholangiopathy (PCC). Up to 30%-40% of patients with EHPVO may not have shuntable veins and are often difficult to manage surgically. Interventional treatment including portal vein recanalisation-trans jugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (PVRecan-TIPS) has been used for patients with EHPVO. However, PV reconstruction-trans jugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (PVRecon-TIPS) and portal vein stenting are novel techniques for managing such patients with EHPVO with non-shuntable venous anatomy. In contrast to PVRecan-TIPS, PV reconstruction-TIPS (PVRecon-TIPS) is performed through intrahepatic collaterals. Here we present six cases of PCC who presented with recurrent acute variceal bleeding (AVB) and or refractory biliary stricture. They did not have any shuntable veins. PVRecon-TIPS was performed for five patients whilst PV stenting was done in one. Amongst the six patients, one died of sepsis whilst one who developed hyponatremia and hepatic encephalopathy was salvaged with conservative management. Following the procedure, they were started on anti-coagulation. Decompression of cavernoma was documented in all other patients. Biliary changes improved completely in 40% of patients., (© 2024 Indian National Association for Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

To evaluate bifunctional ligand reactivity involving NH acidic sites in the secondary coordination sphere, complexes where the proton has been substituted with a methyl group (NMe) are often investigated. An alternative strategy involves substitution of the NH group for an O. This contribution considers and compares the merits of these approaches; the synthesis and characterization of cationic square-planar Rh carbonyl complexes bearing diprotic bispyrazole pyridine ligand L1, and the bis-methylated pyrazole pyridine ligand L1Me are described. The syntheses and characterization of the novel monoprotic pyrazole isoxazole pyridine ligand L2 and aprotic bisisoxazole pyridine ligand L3, and their corresponding Rh carbonyl complexes are also described. Comparison of the CO stretching frequencies of the four Rh complexes suggest that substitutions of NH with NMe, as well as with O, lead to significant electronic differences. These electronic differences result in different reactivities with respect to ligand addition/substitution of the Rh carbonyl complexes. Overall, the data suggest that electronic differences arising due to the NH substitutions can be significant and should be considered when the NH group is substituted in investigations of the participation of the NH proton in a reaction., (© 2024 The Author(s). Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic infection of the central nervous system, caused by the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium Common presenting features are seizures, headaches and focal neurodeficits. The present report details the anecdote of a middle-aged Asian man, who presented with subacute onset of persistent nausea, vomiting and hiccups. Following unsuccessful trials with numerous prokinetic, antipsychotic, muscle relaxant and anticonvulsant medications, as well as an uneventful battery of gastrointestinal tests, he was referred for neurological evaluation. The constellation of symptoms was congruent with the diagnosis of area postrema syndrome. Although initial CT scan of brain was normal, MRI with contrast evaluation revealed a circumscribed, ring-enhancing lesion of the dorsal medulla oblongata, reminiscent of colloid vesicular stage of NCC. The patient was successfully treated with steroids and albendazole. The association of refractory singultus, nausea and vomiting and NCC is thus far, not reported in the literature., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)