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Background: Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease causing destruction of tissues surrounding the teeth. The primary etiological factor for periodontitis is plaque. An inference could be drawn that an overall reduction in microorganisms halts disease progression. It is desirable to have natural agents with minimal side effects to reduce the microbial load. Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the effect of hydrogen water on microbial count in plaque obtained from chronic periodontitis patients and to determine the antibacterial activity of hydrogen water at various time intervals. Materials and Methods: A total of twenty chronic periodontitis patients were included after obtaining approval from the institutional ethical committee. Written informed consent was obtained from all the twenty participants. Plaque samples were collected and exposed to hydrogen water at baseline, 1 min, 2 min 30 s, and 5 min. Samples were then cultured on blood agar and incubated in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The colony forming units and total bacterial count were recorded after 24–48 h. Statistical Analysis: Intragroup pair-wise comparison was done using Wilcoxon sign-ranked test. Results: Hydrogen water showed antibacterial activity against aerobic and anaerobic organisms associated with chronic periodontitis. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of colony forming units from baseline to 1 and 2.5 min for the aerobic culture and also for baseline to 1, 2.5, and 5 min for the anaerobic culture. Conclusion: The data of the present study indicate that hydrogen water has an antibacterial effect on microorganisms associated with chronic periodontitis.

Aim: The study aimed at comparing the antimicrobial activity of mycelium and spore of Ganoderma lucidum on Prevotella intermedia isolated from subgingival plaque of chronic periodontitis patients. Settings and Design: Written informed consent was obtained from each subject enrolled in the study. The institutional ethics committee granted ethical clearance for the study. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis were included in the study. Using sterile curettes, pooled subgingival plaque samples were collected from the deepest sites of periodontal pockets. The collected samples were then transported in 1 mL of reduced transport fluid. The organisms were cultured and confirmed and were used for the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) procedure. Statistical Analysis: Mean of the MIC value obtained was calculated. Comparison between the antimicrobial activity of mycelium and spore against P. intermedia groups with respect to mean MIC value (in mcg/ml) was done by Mann–Whitney U test. Comparison of antimicrobial activity of mycelium and spores of G. lucidum against P. intermedia expressed by the MIC value at different concentrations was done by Chi-square test. Results: The mean MIC obtained for mycelium was 5.64 mcg/ml. The mean MIC obtained for spore was 3.62 mcg/ml. Results of the comparison of antimicrobial activity implied that the antimicrobial activity of mycelium and spore of G. lucidum was comparable. Conclusions: Both mycelium and spore of G. lucidum with its bioactivity could be used as an antimicrobial, in combination with conventional therapy in periodontal disease.

Aflatoxin production by isolates of Aspergillus flavus varies, ranging from highly toxigenic to completely atoxigenic. Several mechanisms have been identified which regulate aflatoxin production including medium carbon source and oxidative stress. In recent studies, aflatoxin production has been implicated in partially ameliorating oxidative stress in A. flavus. To better understand the role of aflatoxin production in oxidative stress responses, a selection of toxigenic and atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus with moderate to high oxidative stress tolerance were exposed to increasing concentrations of H2O2 in both aflatoxin-conducive and non-conducive media. Mycelial mats were collected for global transcriptome sequencing followed by differential expression, functional prediction, and weighted co-expression analyses. Oxidative stress and medium carbon source had a significant effect on the expression of several secondary metabolite gene clusters including those for aflatoxin, aflatrem, aflavarin, cyclopiazonic acid, and kojic acid. Atoxigenic biological control isolates showed less differential expression under stress than other atoxigenic isolates suggesting expression profiles may be useful in screening. Increasing stress also resulted in regulation of SakA/Hog1 and MpkA MAP kinase signalling pathways pointing to their potential roles in regulating oxidative stress responses. Their expression was also influenced by medium carbon source. These results suggest that aflatoxin production along with that of other mycotoxins may occur as part of a concerted coping mechanism for oxidative stress and its effects in the environment. This mechanism is also regulated by availability of simple sugars and glycolytic compounds for their biosynthesis.

An interdisciplinary approach to esthetics requires a comprehensive treatment plan formulated through evaluation of several restorative and periodontal parameters that influence the esthetic zone. A total of 25 subjects (13 women and 12 men, with an age range of 18 to 23 years) participated in the study. Parameters such as gingival biotype on the labial aspect, crown width to crown length ratio, and interdental papilla proportion, with respect to the maxillary anterior teeth, were determined. An attempt was made to establish a correlation between these components, and a positive correlation was found. A careful preoperative diagnosis of these parameters is thus essential, especially in the esthetic zone.

Introduction- Propofol vials are often used in parts or are opened and left unattended. This has lead to blood stream infections, surgical site infections and acute febrile episodes. A prospective observational study was undertaken to know the incidence and pattern of bacterial growth in samples of Propofol in tropical climate. Materials and methods- Samples were collected from vials of propofol of different brands, both with and without edetate at different time intervals with relation to room temperature. Each sample of 1ml were inoculated in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) and incubated for 48hours. Presence of bacterial growth and their pattern were studied. Statistical analysis used- Paired t test for categorical variables and for non categorical variables Levine's test and Pearson correlation. Results- Overall 42.26% of samples showed bacterial growth. The incidence was more in samples of propofol without edetate (43.75%) compared to samples with edetate (41.97 %). Most common organism was Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Enterococcus, Acinetobacter, Bacillus species, Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus citrus. Conclusion- Propofol vial once opened favours bacterial colonisation and growth. Adding edetate to propofol has not shown much benefit in decreasing the incidence.

This study compared the stabilizing effect of 2 intertrochanteric (IT) fracture fixation devices in a cadaveric hemi-pelvis biomechanical model.Eleven pairs of cadaveric osteopenic female hemi-pelves with intact hip joint and capsular ligaments were used. An unstable IT fracture (OTA 31-A2) was created in each specimen and stabilized with a single lag screw device (Gamma 3) or an integrated dual screw (IDS) device (InterTAN). The hemi-pelves were inverted, coupled to a biaxial apparatus and subjected to 13.5 k cycles of loading (3 months) using controlled, oscillating pelvic rotation (0-90 degrees) plus cyclic axial femoral loading at a 2:1 body weight (BW) ratio. Femoral head rotation and varus collapse were monitored optoelectonically. For specimens surviving 3 months of loading, additional loading was performed in 0.25 × BW/250 cycle increments to a maximum of 4 × BW or failure.Femoral head rotation with IDS fixation was significantly less than the single lag screw construct after 3 months of simulated loading (P = 0.016). Maximum femoral head rotation at the end of 4 × BW loading was 7× less for the IDS construct (P = 0.006). Varus collapse was significantly less with the IDS construct over the entire loading cycle (P = 0.021).In this worst-case model of an osteopenic, unstable, IT fracture, the IDS construct, likely owing to its larger surface area, noncylindrical profile, and fracture compression, provided significantly greater stability and resistance to femoral head rotation and varus collapse.

Aim: The aim of this study is to visually rehabilitate patients with advanced keratoconus with miniscleral contact lens. Materials and Methods: Miniscleral lens were prescribed in 11 eyes of 8 patients with advanced keratoconus. Inclusion criteria Amsler Krumeich Grade 2 with poor spectacle corrected visual acuity (

First bite syndrome (FBS) is a condition that classically presents as severe pain in the preauricular region, initiated on the first bite of a meal. In most of the cases reported, it is associated with a history of upper neck surgery or tumor of the parotid salivary gland or parapharyngeal space (PPS). Some propose that FBS arises due to damage to the cervical sympathetic trunk leading to the loss of sympathetic innervations to the parotid salivary gland. Literature also showed occurrence of this syndrome in individuals who had no history of parotid tumor, PPS tumor or surgery of the upper neck, and such cases are referred to as idiopathic FBS (IFBS). There are very few case reports reported on IFBS. We report the one such rare case of IFBS in a 35-year-old male, referred to the outpatient department, with a 5-month history of severe, sharp pain and bilateral swelling in the parotid region occurring only on the first bite of eating and would diminish over few minutes.

OBJECTIVE There are limited biomechanical data supporting the use of anterior or superior-lateral precontoured clavicle plates for the treatment of displaced Neer type II-A clavicle fractures. The objectives of this study were as follows: (a) compare noncontoured versus precontoured superior plating; (b) compare use of locking versus nonlocking screws in the lateral fragment for superior precontoured plates; and (c) compare superior versus anterior precontoured plates with locking lateral fragment screws. METHODS The following constructs were tested on a synthetic clavicle model simulating a Neer type II-A fracture: (a) superior precontoured plate with locking (SUP-L, n = 6); (b) superior precontoured plate with nonlocking (SUP-NL, n = 8); (c) anterior precontoured plate with locking (ANT-L, n = 7); and (d) superior noncontoured locking compression plate (SUP-LCP, n = 6). Constructs were subjected to cyclical cantilever loads. Construct stiffness and survival (cycles to failure) were documented. Mann-Whitney U tests were performed for group-wise statistical comparison (α = 0.05) of data. RESULTS The SUP-L construct was significantly stiffer than both SUP-LCP and ANT-L constructs (P < 0.02). The SUP-NL construct was stiffer than the SUP-L (P = 0.03) construct. Both SUP-L and ANT-L precontoured constructs survived longer than the noncontoured SUP-LCP construct (P < 0.022). The SUP-L construct survived longer than the SUP-NL (P = 0.013) and the ANT-L (P = 0.008) constructs. CONCLUSIONS Superior precontoured plates yielded biomechanically superior constructs compared with anterior precontoured and superior noncontoured plates. Using locking screws in the lateral fragment over nonlocking screws may improve overall superior precontoured plate construct survivability. However, our results were limited to a synthetic biomechanical model and require further investigation to establish a clinical correlation.

Aspergillus flavus is an opportunistic pathogen of plants such as maize and peanut under conducive conditions such as drought stress resulting in significant aflatoxin production. Drought-associated oxidative stress also exacerbates aflatoxin production by A. flavus. The objectives of this study were to use proteomics to provide insights into the pathogen responses to H2O2-derived oxidative stress, and to identify potential biomarkers and targets for host resistance breeding. Three isolates, AF13, NRRL3357, and K54A with high, moderate, and no aflatoxin production, were cultured in medium supplemented with varying levels of H2O2, and examined using an iTRAQ (Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification) approach. Overall, 1,173 proteins were identified and 220 were differentially expressed (DEPs). Observed DEPs encompassed metabolic pathways including antioxidants, carbohydrates, pathogenicity, and secondary metabolism. Increased lytic enzyme, secondary metabolite, and developmental pathway expression in AF13 was correlated with oxidative stress tolerance, likely assisting in plant infection and microbial competition. Elevated expression of energy and cellular component production in NRRL3357 and K54A implies a focus on oxidative damage remediation. These trends explain isolate-to-isolate variation in oxidative stress tolerance and provide insights into mechanisms relevant to host plant interactions under drought stress allowing for more targeted efforts in host resistance research.

Background: Human milk contains a number of nutrients and bioactive ingredients which play an important role in the growth and development of infants. One important nutrient and bioactive ingredient of human milk is L-tryptophan. L-Tryptophan is an essential aromatic α-amino acid and is required in the diet of children and adult humans. As an essential amino acid, it is needed for protein synthesis and as a precursor of key biomolecules such as serotonin, melatonin, tryptamine, niacin, quinolinic acid and kynurenic acid, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties of tryptophan isolated from enzymatic hydrolysates from human milk and its metabolites on human glioma U251 cells and to evaluate the effects of human recombinant (hrIFNγ) on molecular ions of tryptophan and its metabolites in human glial U251 cells. Methods: The cytotoxicity was determined by MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The antioxidant property was assessed by the oxygen radical scavenging capacity (ORAC) method. The anti-inflammatory effect was determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) against cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. The effects of recombinant human (rhIFNγ) on molecular ions of tryptophan and its catabolites were evaluated by mass spectrometry. The tryptophan was isolated from milk peptides following enzymatic digestion, followed by separation by chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods. Results: Tryptophan from human milk exhibited profoundly higher oxygen radical absorption capacity (7,986±468 µm Trolox equivalent (TE)/g) than that of whole human milk (80.4±13.3 µm TE/g). Tryptophan showed a moderate degree of anti-inflammatory activity against TNF-α and IL-6. rhIFNγ inhibited tryptophan metabolism. A low concentration of L-tryptophan (10–25 μg/mL) inhibited nearly 25% of cell growth. When U251 cells were treated with 25 μg/mL L-tryptophan and subsequently challenged with 30 ng/mL of human recombinant IFNγ, a significant inhibitory effect on cell growth was observed. Low concentrations of Xanthurenic acid, L-kynurenine, and 3-OH DL kynurenine were found to inhibit cell growth except melatonin and 3-OH anthranilic acid. Melatonin was a strong inducer of TNF-α in RAW cells, whereas 3-OH kynurenine at 25, 50 and 100 µg/mL inhibited IL-6 in RAW cells. No significant change was observed in the IL-8 profile in tryptophan-treated U251 cells except that L-kynurenine at 10 µg/mL produced significantly high level of an inflammatory cytokine IL-8. Melatonin, 3-OH, DL kynurenine at high concentrations (100 µg/mL) induced proliferation of U251 cells. Melatonin seemed to show synergistic effects with recombinant human IFNγ (rhINFγ) in promoting growth of human glioma cells. While treatment of U251 cells with tryptophan alone and subsequent treatment with rhIFNγ inhibited the growth of human cancer glioma cells, and conversely melatonin combined with rhIFNγ promoted growth of the U251 cells. Conclusions: The findings from this study suggest that human milk-derived tryptophan and its metabolites possess strong antioxidant properties. Such effects might play a significant role in regulating the cell proliferation and growth of human cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner.

Aim The present study was undertaken with the prime objective of isolating and identifying Listeria spp. from various foods of animal origin sold at retail market outlets in the city of Navsari, Gujarat. Materials and methods Total 200 samples comprising of milk, milk products, meat, and fish (50 each) collected aseptically from local market which were subjected first to pre-enrichment in half strength Fraser broth followed by enrichment in full strength Fraser broth and subsequent plating on PALCAM agar. The growth with the typical colony characteristics were further identified up to species level on the basis of their morphological and biochemical characteristics. Cultures identified as Listeria monocytogenes were further subjected to in vitro pathogenicity tests and detection of different virulence-associated genes viz. actA, hlyA, and iap using polymerase chain reaction. Results Of the total 200 food samples of animal origin; 18 (9%) were found positive for Listeria spp. which were identified as Listeria seeligeri (6, 33.3%), Listeria innocua (5, 27.7%), Listeria welshimeri (4, 22.2%), and L. monocytogenes (3, 16.6%). The highest prevalence was observed in milk samples (8). Species wise, 6 isolates of L. seeligeri which included two each from cow milk, buffalo milk, and meat samples; 5 L. innocua isolates included four recovered from fish and one from meat sample; 4 L. welshimeri comprised of two isolates from ice cream and one each from buffalo milk and meat sample; and 3 isolates of L. monocytogenes recovered from milk (1 cow and 2 buffalo milk). All 3 L. monocytogenes isolates screened for the presence of virulence genes viz. actA, hlyA, and iap using the specific primers revealed the presence of all the genes suggesting the possibility of danger of foodborne listeriosis among raw milk consumers. Conclusion Listeria spp. was isolated from 9% (18/200) of the animal origin food samples viz.; milk, milk products, meat, and fish with the highest prevalence in the milk samples. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 3 milk samples only. L. seeligeri was the predominant species isolated followed by L. innocua, L. welshimeri, and L. monocytogenes in this study. L. monocytogenes were found to carry virulence genes like actA, hly A, and iap genes suggesting the pathogenic potential of these isolates.

Background A technique for retaining the superior 50% of the subscapularis insertion for anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty has been described. This cadaveric study biomechanically evaluates this subscapularis-sparing approach and compares it with a complete subscapularis release and repair technique to determine whether there is a higher load to failure. Materials and methods Twelve matched pairs of human cadaveric arms were distributed into 3 test groups. Group 1 consisted of specimens with and without a 100% subscapularis release. Group 2 consisted of specimens with and without an inferior 50% subscapularis release. Group 3 consisted of specimens with either an inferior 50% or 100% release of the subscapularis footprint and repair. All tendon repairs were performed using bone tunnels and sutures. Specimens were biomechanically tested using non-destructive cyclic and tensile failure-inducing loads. Results In matched pairs, the following comparative results were obtained: native intact subscapularis specimens exhibited a load to failure of 1341.20 ± 380.10 N compared with 380.10 ± 138.79 N in the 100% release specimens ( P = .029), native intact subscapularis specimens exhibited a load to failure of 1209.74 ± 342.18 N compared with 744.33 ± 211.77 N in the 50% release specimens ( P = .057), and 50% release and repair specimens exhibited a load to failure of 704.62 ± 165.53 N compared with 305.52 ± 91.39 N in the 100% release and repair group ( P = .029). Conclusion Preservation of the superior 50% of the subscapularis demonstrates a higher load to failure compared with complete subscapularis release and repair using bone tunnels.

Analysis of apoptotic cells in oral pathological states could be useful for determining the rates of tissue turnover, which would help determine prognosis. The use of histochemical stains such as hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) and methyl green-pyronin (MGP) can provide a simple and cost-effective method for detecting apoptotic cells. We compared the efficacy of MGP and H & E for detecting apoptotic cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), oral leukoplakia (OL), oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and normal oral mucosa (NOM). Ten cases each of OSCC, OSMF, OL and NOM were retrieved from the archives and two serial sections were stained, one with H & E and the other with MGP. Apoptotic cells were identified at 100 x magnification and the apoptotic index was calculated. Apoptotic cells were distinguished more readily in MGP stained sections than in those stained with H & E. Also, the apoptotic cell count was greater in OSCC compared to OL, OSMF and NOM. We concluded that MGP staining can be used as a routine, cost-effective method for detecting apoptotic cells.

Background Management of impending pathologic femoral neck fractures includes internal fixation, arthroplasty and megaprostheses. The study aim was to determine the augmentative effect of cement injection for minimally invasive treatment of femoral neck lesions. Methods Twenty-seven cadaveric femora received a simulated osteolytic lesion previously shown to decrease the femur's failure load by 50%. Specimens were allocated to three groups of nine and loaded to failure in simulated single-leg stance: (1) percutaneous cementation + internal fixation (PCIF); (2) percutaneous cementation (PC); and (3) internal fixation (IF). Lesion-only and augmented finite element models were virtually loaded and stresses were queried adjacent to the lesion. Findings PCIF resulted in the largest failure load though the increase was not significantly greater than the PC or IF groups. Inspection of the PC and PCIF specimens indicated that the generation of a cement column that spanned the superior and inferior cortices of the femoral neck increased failure loads significantly. Finite element analysis indicated that IF and PCIF constructs decreased the stress adjacent to the lesion to intact femur levels. Cementation without superior-to-inferior femoral neck cortical contact did not restore proximal femoral stress toward the intact condition. Interpretation Internal fixation alone and internal fixation with or without cementation produce similar levels of mechanical augmentation in femora containing a high-risk lesion of impending fracture. A cement injection technique that produces a cement column contacting the superior and inferior femoral neck cortices confers the highest degree of biomechanical stability, should percutaneous cementation alone be performed.

Background context No profile, integrated interbody cages are designed to act as implants for cervical spine fusion, which obviates the need for additional internal fixation, combining the functionality of an interbody device and the stabilizing benefits of an anterior cervical plate. Biomechanical data are needed to determine if integrated interbody constructs afford similar stability to anterior plating in single-level cervical spine fusion constructs. Purpose The purpose of this study was to biomechanically quantify the acute stabilizing effect conferred by a single low-profile device design with three integrated screws (“anchored cage”), and compare the range of motion reductions to those conferred by a standard four-hole rigid anterior plate following instrumentation at the C5–C6 level. We hypothesized that the anchored cage would confer comparable postoperative segmental rigidity to the cage and anterior plate construct. Study design Biomechanical laboratory study of human cadaveric spines. Methods Seven human cadaveric cervical spines (C3–C7) were biomechanically evaluated using a nondestructive, nonconstraining, pure-moment loading protocol with loads applied in flexion, extension, lateral bending (right+left), and axial rotation (left+right) for the intact and instrumented conditions. Range of motion (ROM) at the instrumented level was the primary biomechanical outcome. Spines were loaded quasi-statically up to 1.5 N-m in 0.5 N-m increments and ROM at the C5–C6 index level was recorded. Each specimen was tested in the following conditions: 1. Intact 2. Discectomy+anchored cage (STA) 3. Anchored cage (screws removed)+anterior locking plate (ALP) 4. Anchored cage only, without screws or plates (CO) Results ROM at the C5–C6 level was not statistically different in any motion plane between the STA and ALP treatment conditions (p>.407). STA demonstrated significant reductions in flexion/extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation ROM when compared with the CO condition (p Conclusions In this in vitro biomechanical study, the anchored cage with three integrated screws afforded biomechanical stability comparable to that of the standard interbody cage+anterior plate cervical spine fusion approach. Due to its low profile design, this anchored cage device may avoid morbidities associated with standard anterior plating, such as dysphagia.

Background: Genial tubercles (GT) show different patterns in their shapes and position. Aim: To evaluate the position and dimensions of the GT. Material and methods: 60 mandibles from the anatomy department of MVJ Medical College were studied. The morphology and measurements of GT were recorded. Results: Type I , type II patterns were noted in 23.33% and 35%, type III and type IV in 26.67 % and 13.33 %. GT was absent in 1.67% of the mandibles examined. The mean height and width of GT was 6.3 ± 2.9 mm and 5.6 ± 1.6 mm. Mean distance from superior genial tubercle to the apices of lower incisors was 15.4 ± 4.1mm. Mean distance from the menton to the upper and lower margins of superior genial tubercles were 14.6 ± 2.3 mm and 8.5 ± 3.3 mm. Conclusion: Genioglossus advancement is one of the popular procedure for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea(OSA). This procedure is usually performed with mandibular osteotomy and advancement of genial tubercle (GT). The present study could help the maxillo-facial surgeons in designing the location

Epidemiologists are adopting new techniques by the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) to study a variety of animal and zoonotic diseases. Associations between satellite-derived environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, land cover type and vector density is used for disease prediction. Early warning systems rapidly detect the introduction or sudden increase in incidence of any disease of livestock which has the potential to develop into epidemic proportions and/or cause serious socioeconomic consequences or public health concerns. Early warning activities, mainly based on disease surveillance, reporting, and epidemiological analysis, are supported by information systems that enable integration, analysis and sharing of animal health data combined with relevant layers of information such as socioeconomic, production and climatic data. The convergence of factors such as the availability of multi-temporal satellite data and georeferenced epidemiological data, collaboration between scientists, biologists and the availability of sophisticated, statistical GIS creates a fertile research environment. In this paper, we review the Global Early Warning System (GLEWS) that formally brings together human and veterinary public health systems and application of environmental data for study of diseases like avian influenza and Rift valley fever which offers the capability to demonstrate vector-environment relationships and potentially forecast the risk of disease outbreaks or epidemics. An emphasis is also given on components of early warning system and its use for forecasting of animal and zoonotic diseases in India.

The lateral transpsoas approach to interbody fusion is gaining popularity because of its minimally invasive nature and resultant indirect neurologic decompression. The acute biomechanical stability of the lateral approach to interbody fusion is dependent on the type of supplemental internal fixation used. The two-hole lateral plate (LP) has been approved for clinical use for added stabilization after cage instrumentation. However, little biomechanical data exist comparing LP fixation with bilateral pedicle screw and rod (PSR) fixation.To biomechanically compare the acute stabilizing effects of the two-hole LP and bilateral PSR fusion constructs in lumbar spines instrumented with a lateral cage at two contiguous levels.Biomechanical laboratory study of human cadaveric lumbar spines.Eighteen L1-S1 cadaveric lumbar spines were instrumented with lateral cages at L3-L4 and L4-L5 after intact kinematic analysis. Specimens (n=9 each) were allocated for supplemental instrumentation with either LP or PSR. Intact versus instrumented range of motion was evaluated for all specimens by applying pure moments (±7.5 Nm) in flexion/extension, lateral bending (LB) (left+right), and axial rotation (AR) (left+right). Instrumented spines were later subjected to 500 cycles of loading in all three planes, and interbody cage translations were quantified using a nonradiographic technique.Lateral plate fixation significantly reduced ROM (p.05) at both lumbar levels (flexion/extension: 49.5%; LB: 67.3%; AR: 48.2%) relative to the intact condition. Pedicle screw and rod fixation afforded the greatest ROM reductions (p.05) relative to the intact condition (flexion/extension: 85.6%; LB: 91.4%; AR: 61.1%). On average, the largest interbody cage translations were measured in both fixation groups in the anterior-posterior direction during cyclic AR.Based on these biomechanical findings, PSR fixation maximizes stability after lateral interbody cage placement. The nonradiographic technique served to quantify migration of implanted hardware and may be implemented as an effective laboratory tool for surgeons and engineers to better understand mechanical behavior of spinal implants.

article i nfo Article history: Received 9 October 2012 Accepted 26 February 2013 Background: Multiple classifications combine objective and subjective measures to predict fracture risk through a metastatic lesion. In our literature review, no studies have attempted to validate this predicted fracture risk from a biomechanical perspective. The study goal was to evaluate proximal femur strength after creating osteolytic defects. We report a standardized technique to re-create a metastatic lesion. Methods: Eight femoral matched pairs were procured and a standardized technique was used to create an osteolytic femoral neck defect in one femur with the contralateral specimen serving as the control. Femurs were loaded to failure in a material testing machine at 2 mm/s. Failure load (N) and location of failure were documented. 3D finiteelement(FE)femurmodelswithandwithoutthelesionsweredevelopedtopredict von Mises stresses in the femoral neck and compare between the two models. Findings: Femurs containing theosteolyticdefect failedat significantlylowerloads than theintact specimens ina reproducible manner (intact: 10.69 kN (3.09 SD); lesion: 5.56 kN (2.03 SD), pb0.001). The average reduction in failure load was 48%, and the fracture pattern was consistent in all specimens. FE model comparison similarly predicted significantly higher von Mises stress at the lesion. Interpretation: Our methods and pathologic fracture model represent the clinical parameters of metastatic bone disease and suggest a significant reduction in structural integrity of the lesion-containing femur. Prophylactic surgical fixation may be warranted clinically to reduce the risk of pathologic fracture. Our model technique is reproducible and may be used in future studies.

The infection of maize and peanut with Aspergillus flavus and subsequent contamination with aflatoxin pose a threat to global food safety and human health, and is exacerbated by drought stress. Drought stress-responding compounds such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) are associated with fungal stress responsive signaling and secondary metabolite production, and can stimulate the production of aflatoxin by A. flavus in vitro. These secondary metabolites have been shown to possess diverse functions in soil-borne fungi including antibiosis, competitive inhibition of other microbes, and abiotic stress alleviation. Previously, we observed that isolates of A. flavus showed differences in oxidative stress tolerance which correlated with their aflatoxin production capabilities. In order to better understand these isolate-specific oxidative stress responses, we examined the transcriptional responses of field isolates of A. flavus with varying levels of aflatoxin production (NRRL3357, AF13, and Tox4) to H2O2-induced oxidative stress using an RNA sequencing approach. These isolates were cultured in an aflatoxin-production conducive medium amended with various levels of H2O2. Whole transcriptomes were sequenced using an Illumina HiSeq platform with an average of 40.43 million filtered paired-end reads generated for each sample. The obtained transcriptomes were then used for differential expression, gene ontology, pathway, and co-expression analyses. Isolates which produced higher levels of aflatoxin tended to exhibit fewer differentially expressed genes than isolates with lower levels of production. Genes found to be differentially expressed in response to increasing oxidative stress included antioxidant enzymes, primary metabolism components, antibiosis-related genes, and secondary metabolite biosynthetic components specifically for aflatoxin, aflatrem, and kojic acid. The expression of fungal development-related genes including aminobenzoate degradation genes and conidiation regulators were found to be regulated in response to increasing stress. Aflatoxin biosynthetic genes and antioxidant enzyme genes were also found to be co-expressed and highly correlated with fungal biomass under stress. This suggests that these secondary metabolites may be produced as part of coordinated oxidative stress responses in A. flavus along with antioxidant enzyme gene expression and developmental regulation.

Dynamic contrast enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is a well-established method for non-invasive detection and therapeutic monitoring of pathologies through administration of intravenous contrast agent. Quantification of pharmacokinetic (PK) maps can be achieved through application of compartmental models relevant to the pathophysiology of the tissue under interrogation. The determination of PK parameters involves fitting of time-concentration data to these models. In this work, the Tofts model in frequency domain (TM-FD) is applied to a weakly vascularized tissue such as the breast. It is derived as a convolution-free model from the conventional Tofts model in the time domain (TM-TD). This reduces the dimensionality of the curve-fitting problem from two to one. The approaches of TM-FD and TM-TD were applied to two kinds of in silico phantoms and six in vivo breast DCE data sets with and without the addition of noise. The results showed that computational time taken to estimate PK maps using TM-FD was 16-25% less than with TM-TD. Normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) calculation and Pearson correlation analyses were performed to validate robustness and accuracy of the TM-FD and TM-TD approaches. These compared with ground truth values in the case of phantom studies for four different temporal resolutions. Results showed that NRMSE values for TM-FD were significantly lower than those of TM-TD as validated by a paired t-test along with reduced computational time. This approach therefore enables online evaluation of PK maps by radiologists in a clinical setting, aiding in the evaluation of 3D and/or increased coverage of the tissue of interest.

Contamination of crops with aflatoxin is a serious global threat to food safety. Aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus is exacerbated by drought stress in the field and by oxidative stress in vitro. We examined transcriptomes of three toxigenic and three atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus in aflatoxin conducive and non-conducive media with varying levels of H2O2 to investigate the relationship of secondary metabolite production, carbon source, and oxidative stress. We found that toxigenic and atoxigenic isolates employ distinct mechanisms to remediate oxidative damage, and that carbon source affected the isolates’ expression profiles. Iron metabolism, monooxygenases, and secondary metabolism appeared to participate in isolate oxidative responses. The results suggest that aflatoxin and aflatrem biosynthesis may remediate oxidative stress by consuming excess oxygen and that kojic acid production may limit iron-mediated, non-enzymatic generation of reactive oxygen species. Together, secondary metabolite production may enhance A. flavus stress tolerance, and may be reduced by enhancing host plant tissue antioxidant capacity though genetic improvement by breeding selection.

BACKGROUND: With definitive indications, extraoral techniques of achieving regional nerve blocks are a boon to oral and maxillofacial surgical practice. Though less commonly practiced, since general anesthesia is more favored, certain medical conditions favor the use of regional nerve blocks over general anesthesia. To block the maxillary nerve extraorally, sigmoid notch approach and frontozygomatic approach have been previously described in the literature, but a clinical trial comparing these techniques is sparse. This study attempts to compare both the approaches for their efficacies while paying an equal attention to the associated complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred patients aged between 40–90 years of ASA 1 and 2 category were equally divided into two groups and underwent extraction of maxillary teeth under local anesthesia using 2% lignocaine with 1:80,000 adrenaline. Frontozygomatic approach to reach the foramen rotundum was employed in group A (n = 100) and sigmoid notch approach in group B (n = 100). Pain during injection, time required for onset of subjective and objective symptoms of anesthesia and duration of anesthesia were the study parameters. Associated complications were documented and discussed. Student’s unpaired t test was used for statistical evaluation. RESULTS: Although both the techniques were found to be feasible, statistical evaluations favored the frontozygomatic approach with respect to faster onset and a longer duration of the anesthetic effect. The anatomical considerations in either techniques suggested that the incidence of potential complications of accidental entry of the needle into the orbit, skull and vessel injuries was higher when using sigmoid notch approach as against the frontozygomatic approach. CONCLUSION: Though sigmoid notch approach, described widely in the literature, can be employed successfully, certain anatomical considerations and technical modifications in the frontozygomatic approach have made the latter a more practical and feasible approach. When both the maxillary and the mandibular nerves need to be blocked simultaneously, sigmoid notch may be employed, but isolated maxillary nerve block is better achieved using frontozygomatic approach.

Portal annular pancreas is one of the rarest congenital anomaly of the pancreas. This variation was noted in a formalin fixed male cadaver aged about 60 yrs during the course of routine anatomy dissection in MVJ Medical college and research hospital. Here the pancreatic parenchyma not only enclosed the second part of duodenum but also had surrounded the portal vein (PV). Such a variation requires careful consideration by the surgeon and gastroenterologists while performing pancreatic resection and various other procedures pertaining to the pancreas and duodenum.

With the advancements in dentistry the treatments are done with high perfections and patient comfort. Noninvasive, methods reduce fear and anxiety of the patient on phobia of syringes and injections. Topical anesthesia satisfies all the above criteria.Comparison of the efficacy of topical application of lignocaine hydrochloride 5% gel and bupivacaine hydrochloride 5% gel for extraction of teeth.Lignocaine hydrochloride 5% gel and bupivacaine hydrochloride 5% gel are prepared with carbopol (thickening agent). 510 extractions with lignocaine hydrochloride gel 5% and bupivacaine hydrochloride gel 5% in equal numbers was undertaken. Parameters of onset of anesthesia, peak effects, pain, and disappearance of numbness, local irritation, bleeding and periodontal status of teeth to be extracted were taken into consideration.Onset and peak effect were faster with 5% lignocaine hydrochloride gel. 5% bupivacaine hydrochloride gel had longer duration of analgesia. Patients experienced more pain with bupivacaine. Grade 1 mobile posterior teeth were painful during extraction.5% lignocaine hydrochloride gel is better than 5% bupivacaine hydrochloride gel as a topical anesthetic for extraction of grade II and grade III mobile teeth.

The purpose of the study was to assess the anti-inflammatory effects of the mushroom Inonotus obliquus (Chaga), Polygala senega (Senega) and Viburnum trilobum (Cranberry) bark extract fractions from locally produced materials in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced murine macrophage RAW 164.7 cells.Four fractions from each of the three extracts were obtained: (80% ethanol extracted; Fa), (water-soluble polysaccharide fraction; Fb), (Polyphenolic fraction; Fc) and (ETOAc/H(2)O extracted fraction; Fd). These extract fractions were tested in the cell screening system at 50,100 and 500 microg/ml for their ability to inhibit LPS induced inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, TNFalpha and IL-6. Supernatants from LPS alone treated cells were used as control. The cytokines in the cell culture supernatants following treatments with extract fractions were quantified by ELISA method, using 96 well ELISA plates.All fractions of the extracts significantly inhibited (p0.05) the levels of IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNFalpha except the polyphenolic Fc fraction of Senega which showed an increased production of IL-6. Furthermore, each fraction showed a dose-dependant anti-inflammatory effect. Nitric oxide production was not affected by cranberry and senega, while Chaga significantly reduced NO production in murine macrophage cell assay.These results demonstrate that the extracts obtained from the root of Polygala senega L., bark of Viburnum trilobum, and the mushroom Inonotus obliquus possess anti-inflammatory properties when tested in a RAW 264.7 macrophage cell system.

Dietary energy restriction (ER) offers certain health benefits, particularly when ER is controlled through manipulation of dietary fats. Our hypothesis is that cellular immunity is modulated by dietary ER. Furthermore, we believe that the immune response may differ between spleen and colon because their lymphatic and vascular organization is different. The objective of the study was to test this hypothesis by determining the effects of dietary ER through manipulation of energy intake from high-fat (HF) diets on the expression and frequency of the CD4(+) (T-helper/T-inducer) and CD8(+) (T-cytotoxic/T-suppressor) cells, CD45RA (B-cell-specific marker), and immunoglobulins (Ig) A-, G-, and M-bearing cells in spleen and colon in rats by immunohistochemical method. Rats fed the HF diet had a significantly (P < .05) reduced number of immune cells as compared with those fed ER diets. Energy-restricted diet-fed rats showed higher (P < .05) numbers of CD4(+), CD8(+), IgA, IgM, IgG, and CD45RA cells in spleen and CD4(+), IgA, and CD45RA cells in colonic lamina propria. The IgA-containing cells were markedly higher in the colon compared with the spleen. No change occurred in the number of IgM- and IgG-containing cells in colonic tissues between groups, except for the 20% ER group where IgM-labeled cells were higher (P < .05) compared with HF and 40% ER groups. These findings suggest that ER may modulate adaptive immune function and that CD4(+) and IgA cells may serve as biological indicators for dietary energy-modulated immunoresponse in spleen and colon, respectively.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) or male impotence is defined as inability of a man to achieve or maintain penile erection sufficient for sexual activity. It is primarily a neuronal and endothelial dysfunction of the corpus cavernosum of penile tissue, and is partly characterized by reduced production of nitric oxide (NO). Other factors that may contribute to the pathogenesis of ED include androgen deficiency in aging men, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the prostate and heart, and anatomical deformity of the penis. ED may also be caused by some medications, prostate surgery and spinal cord injury. Psychological and social conditions such as stress, depression and unhappy marital relationship may contribute to the problem. Chronic infections and inflammation can also contribute to the disease process. ED is linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Several orally active drugs (sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil, avanafil) are currently prescribed for treating ED to improve the arterial blood flow to the penile tissue. Medicinal plants and their extracts have been used in traditional medicine in southwest Asia and other countries to treat ED. The current review focuses on four medicinal plants that have been used as aphrodisiacs for enhancing sexual performance and for the treatment of ED. These plants include Eurycoma longifolia Jack (tongkat ali); Chlorophytum borivilianum (safed musli); Withania somnifera (ashwagandha); and Pausinystalia johimbe (formerly known as Corynanthe johimbe). Suggested mechanisms of action for each of the plant extracts will be discussed.

Background Glenoid bone loss is commonly observed during primary and revision reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Glenoid baseplates are often implanted with incomplete glenoid bone support. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the glenoid component fixation of the glenoid baseplate with variable amounts of incomplete coverage. Methods Twenty-eight polyurethane trabecular bone surrogates were instrumented with the same center screw–type glenoid baseplate with 4 peripheral 5.0-mm locking screws in a glenoid bone loss model consisting of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% coverage. Each construct was tested through a 55° arc of motion with both compressive and shear forces across the glenosphere. Baseplate micromotion was recorded throughout 10,000 cycles for each model. Results There was no significant difference in baseline micromotion between the 4 experimental groups ( P = .099). In the 25% baseplate coverage group, 3 of 7 exhibited micromotion above the 150-μm threshold (624.5, 469.1, and 712.1 μm) during cyclic loading. After 10,000 cycles of loading, the 25% coverage group exhibited significantly more micromotion than the 50% ( P = .049), 75% ( P = .026), and 100% ( P = .040) coverage groups. There was no significant difference between the 100%, 75%, and 50% coverage groups ( P = 1.00). Conclusions Glenoid baseplate fixation in the setting of glenoid bone loss is no different when 50%, 75%, or 100% of the baseplate is supported by glenoid bone. Bone loss resulting in only 25% coverage results in significantly greater micromotion, often above the 150-μm threshold.

Background Mechanically replacing one or more pain generating articulations in the functional spinal unit (FSU) may be a motion preservation alternative to arthrodesis at the affected level. Baseline biomechanical data elucidating the quantity and quality of motion in such arthroplasty constructs is non-existent. Purpose The purpose of the study was to quantify the motion-preserving effect of a posterior total disc replacement (PDR) combined with a unilateral facet replacement (FR) system at a single lumbar level (L4-L5). We hypothesized that reinforcement of the FSU with unilateral FR to replace the resected, native facet joint following PDR implantation would restore quality and quantity of motion and additionally not change biomechanics at the adjacent levels. Study Design In-vitro study using human cadaveric lumbar spines. Methods Six (n = 6) cadaveric lumbar spines (L1-S1) were evaluated using a pure-moment stability testing protocol (±7.5 Nm) in flexion-extension (F/E), lateral bending (LB) and axial rotation (AR). Each specimen was tested in: (1) intact; (2) unilateral FR; and (3) unilateral FR + PDR conditions. Index and adjacent level ROM (using hybrid protocol) were determined opto-electronically. Interpedicular travel (IPT) and instantaneous center of rotation (ICR) at the index level were radiographically determined for each condition. ROM, ICR, and IPT measurements were compared (repeated measures ANOVA) between the three conditions. Results Compared to the intact spine, no significant changes in F/E, LB or AR ROM were identified as a result of unilateral FR or unilateral FR + PDR. No significant changes in adjacent L3-L4 or L5-S1 ROM were identified in any loading mode. No significant differences in IPT were identified between the three test conditions in F/E, LB or AR at the L4-L5 level. The ICRs qualitatively were similar for the intact and unilateral FR conditions and appeared to follow placement (along the anterior-posterior (AP) direction) of the PDR in the disc space Conclusion Biomechanically, quantity and quality of motion are maintained with combined unilateral FR + PDR at a single lumbar spinal level.

The global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis has alleviation of suffering and disability as one of its components, and many efforts are being taken across the globe in this direction. However, there is no effective tool to assess the impact of these efforts on patients' quality of life and/or lessening of disability and suffering. The present paper reports the use of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in filarial lymphoedema patients. DLQI scores were collected from 203 patients recruited from a clinic and from the community. The DLQI score ranged from 0 to 17, and a mean score of 2.7 (SD 4.4) or 9.0% disability. This score is lower than many skin diseases reported so far. The scores for individual questions vary, but the degree of consistency of responses between questions is high. The differences between sexes, place of recruitment and grades of lymphoedema are not significant. Although the DLQI measures the quality of life due to lymphoedema, this study further warrants development of a good quality-of-life index for lymphoedema patients.

Direct transplantation of multipotent precursor cells into the periodontium could provide a therapeutic approach for restoring periodontal tissues destroyed by periodontitis or trauma. To improve the understanding of cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation, we used a rodent model combining orthodontic tooth movement and transplantation of Lac-Z-positive murine-cultured periodontal ligament (PL) or femur-derived bone marrow precursor cells into a defined mandibular wound site, thus promoting tissue regeneration in wounded periodontium. Our results show that in orthodontically traumatized tissues, transplanted PL and bone marrow cells migrated systemically, contributing to the repopulation of sites with reduced cell/matrix density. The transplanted PL cells proliferated in adjacent alveolar bone marrow spaces, thus migrating to vascular tissues in the PL. The capillary walls in the PL serve as delivery sites for these cells and other marrow-derived hematopoietic cells, including monocytes. The transplanted marrow cells, extracted from femur of transgenic (TgR) mice exhibited similar behavior to those of transplanted PL cells, showing high proliferative activity in alveolar marrow as well as intensive repopulating capacity in wounded periodontium. On the other hand, the buccal skin fibroblasts failed to migrate and home effectively and thus the transplantation of these cells had no effect on periodontium regeneration. Based on these results, we conclude that the transplanted PL and bone marrow cells migrate systemically and following a cyclical process of growth and development and differentiate into PL fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and cementoblasts, thereby contributing to periodontal regeneration.

OBJECTIVE To determine the economic loss in terms of treatment costs and loss of productive time because of acute episodes of adenolymphangitis (ADL) caused by lymphatic filariasis (LF) in a rural population of coastal Orissa, India. METHODS Data on expenditure on treatment and loss of work along with other epidemiological information were collected through a 1-year surveillance of 113 acute episodes of ADL from 72 individuals of the study population (5.42%). The activity patterns of patients for 24 h of one episode were documented, and data on age- and sex-matched controls were also collected. Standardized Z-test, paired t-test, logistic and multiple regressions were used. RESULTS Those patients who did incur expenses spent Indian Rupees 92 on average (approximately US$ 1.85) on each episode. The ADL episodes curtailed the productive activity of patients. Patients (88%) were unable to attend to any economic activity compared with 47% of controls who had no history of disease. Similarly during 55% of episodes, females (vs. 8% of controls) could not attend to any domestic work. The mean number of hours spent on economic or domestic activities was significantly lower among patients. Disease status and sex had significant influence on total absenteeism from gainful employment; and similarly, age, family type and disease status influenced total domestic work hours among women. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate the extent of the economic burden caused by acute LF and provide justification for strengthening the ongoing LF elimination programme.

Purpose To determine repair site bulk, gliding resistance, work of flexion, and 1-mm gap formation force in zone II flexor tendon lacerations repaired with knotless barbed or traditional braided suture. Methods Transverse zone II lacerations of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon were created in 36 digits from 6 matched human cadaveric pairs. Repair was performed with 2-0 barbed suture (n = 18) or 3-0 polyethylene braided suture (n = 18). Pre- and postrepair cross-sectional area was measured followed by quantification of gliding resistance and work of flexion during cyclic flexion-extension loading at 10 mm/min. Thereafter, the repaired tendons were loaded to failure. The force at 1 mm of gap formation was recorded. Results Repaired FDP tendon cross-sectional area increased significantly from intact, with no difference noted between suture types. Gliding resistance and work of flexion were significantly higher for both suture repairs; however, we identified no significant differences in either nondestructive biomechanical parameters between repair types. Average 1-mm gap formation force with the knotless barbed suture (52 N) was greater than that of the traditional braided suture (43 N). Conclusions We identified no significant advantage in using knotless barbed suture for zone II FDP repair in our primary, nondestructive mechanical outcomes in this in vitro study. Clinical relevance In vivo studies may be warranted to determine if one suture method has an advantage with respect to the parameters tested at 4, 6, and 12 plus weeks postrepair and the degree of adhesion formation. The combined laboratory and clinical data, in additional to cost considerations, may better define the role of barbed knotless suture for zone II flexor tendon repair.

The present paper reports the results of an investigation into household environment and their behavioural patterns related to lymphatic filariasis in rural coastal Orissa, India. It could not infer any association of disease condition with any household environmental or behavioural aspects except the housing type and use of mosquito repellents. It is understood that it is not possible to identify individual risk factor for this complex disease. Most of the people within the endemic community eventually became infected, and no specific risk factors have yet been identify that predispose individuals to a particular type of pathology. This implies that control programmes must be aimed at community level rather than at individual level.

Background:Lungs are divided into lobes by fissures.Fisssures are the integral part of lungs helps in uniform expansion of lungs. Materials and methods:The present study is conducted on 64(34 left,30 right) lungs obtained from the formalin fixed cadavers of department of anatomy,MVJMedical College and Research Hospital ,Bangalore.The specimens were thoroughly studied and variations in the fissures were noted .The length of oblique and horizontal fissures were measured.Results:Out of 34 left lungs,10 lungs showed Incomplete and 1 lung with absent oblique fissure.On the right side ,out of 30 lungs,5 lungs had incomplete oblique fissure and 9 lungs had incomplete and 2 lungs with absent horizontal fissure.Accessory fissure was seen in 6 right and 5 left lungs. Conclusion:The clinical awareness of variations in fissures of lung is important for clinicians in their day to day practice to reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with surgical procedures. Medical Science INTRODUCTION: The lungs are the pair of essential organ of respiration located within the thoracic cavity ,on either side of heart and other mediastinal contents.Each lung is half -conical in shape ,divided into lobes by fissures.Anatomically,left lung is divided into upper and lower lobes by oblique fissure whereas right lung is divided into upper,middle and lower lobes by oblique and horizontal fissures.In each lung the oblique fissure begins from the mediastinal surface above and behind the hilum and cuts the posterior border of the lung about 2.5 cm lateral to the junction of the T3 and T4 spine.Then it runs along the costal surface ,cuts the inferior border of the lung and will reappear on the mediastinal surface and ends at the lower end of hilum.The horizontal fissure begins at the oblique fissure ,courses along the costal surface,cuts the anterior border and appears on the mediastinal surface to end at the hilum.1 The fissures of lung helps in the movement of lobes in relation to one another, which will accommodates the greater distension and movement of the lobes during respiration and hereby helps in uniform expansion of lung2. These fissures may be complete, incomplete or absent. Other than usual fissures , the lungs may also have accessory fissure which may be single or multiple dividing the lungs into many lobes3.The knowledge of variations in the fissures is important for radiologists to properly interpret the x-rays because most of the time the incomplete fissures gives an atypical appearance of pleural effusion 4. It is of great significance to cardio thoracic surgeon for planning segmental resections or pulmonary lobectomy5.Considering the clinical importance of variations in the fissures of lung ,the present study is an attempt to learn the different morphological features of lung as it is not only of clinical importance as well as of academic interest. MATERIALS AND METHOD 64 lung specimens free from pathological lesions, removed from the 10% formalin fixed cadavers from the department of anatomy,MVJ Medical college and Research Hospital ,Bangalore were included in the study.The morphological feautres of variations of fissures of lung such as complete,incomplete or absence,presence of any accessory fissures were noted.The length of oblique and horizontal fissures were measured and statistically analysed. RESULTS Out of 64 lungs,34 lungs belongs to left side and 30 lungs from right side.In the left lung,complete oblique fissures was noted in 23(67.6%) lungs,incomplete in 10(29.4%)and absence of oblique fissure in 1(3%) lung. Accesory fissures were noted in 5(14.7%)lungs.Among the right lungs, oblique fissure was complete in 25 (83.3%) lungs,incomplete in 5(16.7%) lungs.Horizontal fissure was complete in 18(60%) lungs , incomplete in 9(30%),absent in 3(10%)lungs.Accesory fissures were noted in 6(20%) lungs.The mean length of oblique fissure was 29.89 cm and horizontal fissure was 10.06cm. DISCUSSION Morphological variations in the lobes and fissures of lung is mainly due to the defective pulmonary development6. During the development, as the lung grows, the spaces or fissures that separate individual bronchopulmonary buds/ segments become obliterated except along two planes, evident in the fully developed lungs as oblique or horizontal fissures7.Obliteration of these fissures either completely or partially may lead to absence or incomplete fissures . Accessory fissure could be due to non-obliteration of spaces which normally are obliterated8. Based on the degree of completeness of fissures and location of pulmonary artery at the base of oblique fissure Craig and Walker proposed a classification,which includes 4 grades. Grade I: complete fissure with entirely separate lobes; GradeII: complete visceral cleft but parenchymal fusion at the base of fissure; GradeIII: visceral cleft evident for a part of fissure. GradeIV: complete fusion of lobes with no evident fissural line9. According to this classification,in the present study ,oblique fissure in 23 lungs on the left and 25 lungs on the right side shows grade I,10 lungs on the left side and 5 lungs on the right side shows grade III and 1 lung on the left side shows grade IV. Similarly variations involving horizontal fissure in 18 lungs belongs to gradeI,9 lungs gradeIII,and 3 lungs belongs to gradeIV.

Background: The dimensions of gingiva and different parts of the masticatory mucosa have become a subject of considerable interest in Periodontics. Studies assessing the thickness of the facial gingiva are often seen in the literature. The thickness of the palatal gingiva is a subject still less researched in periodontal therapy and implantology. Objectives: To measure the thickness of the palatal gingiva using an ultrasound device ‘Biometric A- Scan’ and to evaluate the variation in the thickness of the palatal gingiva at the sites examined. Materials and Methods: In the 50 subjects examined, the thickness of the palatal gingiva was assessed at the maxillary anteriors, premolars and molars by an ultrasound device ‘Biometric A-Scan’. The results were subjected to statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA test and Newman-Keuls multiple post hoc procedure. Results: Statistically significant variations existed in the palatal gingival thickness. The thickness was highest at the lateral incisor region, followed by canine, premolars, molars and central incisor. Interpretation and Conclusion: In the subjects assessed, the thickness of the palatal gingiva at the lateral–canine area was the highest followed by the premolar area. In periodontal root coverage procedures and during implant therapy, we suggest the inclusion of the lateral incisor area, apart from the canine and premolar area, as a potential donor site for harvesting soft tissue grafts from the palatal area. However, the effect of several factors like age and sex of the patient, the anatomy of the palatal area, the influence of rugae patterns and racial and geographical differences should be taken into consideration prior to harvesting a graft from these sites. Apart from this, the study suggests that, the ultrasonographic measurements provide an elegant means of obtaining the measurements of gingival and mucosal tissues rapidly, accurately and non-invasively. Our endeavour in this research project attempts to open more avenues for studies in the field of advanced periodontal diagnosis, with the use of ultrasound, and expand the horizons of periodontal plastic surgery and implant therapy as well.

Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) is widely used in the diagnosis of cancer and is also a promising tool for monitoring tumor response to treatment. The Tofts model has become a standard for the analysis of DCE-MRI. The process of curve fitting employed in the Tofts equation to obtain the pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters is time-consuming for high resolution scans. Current work demonstrates a frequency-domain approach applied to the standard Tofts equation to speed-up the process of curve-fitting in order to obtain the pharmacokinetic parameters. The results obtained show that using the frequency domain approach, the process of curve fitting is computationally more efficient compared to the time-domain approach.

Several construct options exist for transverse acetabular fracture fixation. Accepted techniques use a combination of column plates and lag screws. Quadrilateral surface buttress plates have been introduced as potential fixation options, but as a result of their novelty, biomechanical data regarding their stabilizing effects are nonexistent. Therefore, we aimed to determine if this fixation method confers similar stability to traditional forms of fixation.We biomechanically compared two acetabular fixation plates with quadrilateral surface buttressing with traditional forms of fixation using lag screws and column plates.Thirty-five synthetic hemipelves with a transverse transtectal acetabular fracture were allocated to one of five groups: anterior column plate+posterior column lag screw, posterior column plate+anterior column lag screw, anterior and posterior column lag screws only, infrapectineal plate+anterior column plate, and suprapectineal plate alone. Specimens were loaded for 1500 cycles up to 2.5x body weight and stiffness was calculated. Thereafter, constructs were destructively loaded and failure loads were recorded.After 1500 cycles, final stiffness was not different with the numbers available between the infrapectineal (568±43 N/mm) and suprapectineal groups (602±87 N/mm, p=0.988). Both quadrilateral plates were significantly stiffer than the posterior column buttress plate with supplemental lag screw fixation group (311±99 N/mm, p0.006). No difference in stiffness was identified with the numbers available between the quadrilateral surface plating groups and the lag screw group (423±219 N/mm, p0.223). The infrapectineal group failed at the highest loads (5.4±0.6 kN) and this was significant relative to the suprapectineal (4.4±0.3 kN; p=0.023), lag screw (2.9±0.8 kN; p0.001), and anterior buttress plate with posterior column lag screw (4.0±0.6 kN; p=0.001) groups.Quadrilateral surface buttress plates spanning the posterior and anterior columns are biomechanically comparable and, in some cases, superior to traditional forms of fixation in this synthetic hemipelvis model.Quadrilateral surface buttress plates may present a viable alternative for the treatment of transtectal transverse acetabular fractures. Clinical studies are required to fully define the use of this new form of fixation for such fractures when accessed through the anterior intrapelvic approach.

To quantify the changes in biomechanical stability conferred by the addition of a single medial blocking screw or a single bicortical interlocking screw to 2 existing distal points of screw fixation in a distal tibial fracture model repaired with intramedullary nailing.After simulation of a distal tibial metaphyseal fracture, 21 synthetic tibiae were repaired with an intramedullary nail and: (1) two bicortical locking screws placed in the 2 most distal screw holes (IM-L2); (2) three distal bicortical locking screws (IM-L3); and 2 distal locking screws and a single blocking screw positioned in the sagittal plane on the medial aspect of the nail (IM-L2B). The specimens were tested under combined cyclic axial and torsional loading for up to 16k cycles. The former was stepwise increasing, whereas the latter was with constant amplitude in internal rotation.All constructs survived 12k cycles without hardware deformation or failure. IM-L3 constructs displayed the highest baseline axial stiffness at the beginning of the test (1130.9 ± 246.9 N/mm), which was significant compared with the IM-L2 construct (701.8 ± 189.57 N/mm, P = 0.004). No significant difference in baseline axial stiffness was identified between the IM-L3 and IM-L2B constructs (881.1 ± 182.4 N/mm, P = 0.125). Relative varus interfragmentary deformation at baseline was smaller in the IM-L3 treatment group (1.3 ± 0.3 degrees) relative to the IM-L2 group (2.4 ± 0.7 degrees, P = 0.012). No differences in torsional rigidity or relative interfragmentary torsional deformation were identified between groups (P0.168). Failure was breakage or backout of the distal bicortical screws, fracture of the distal fragment, or proximal screw breakage. There was no significant difference in number of cycles to failure between instrumentation groups (IM-L2: 14,345 ± 1438 cycles; IM-L3: 15,634 ± 626 cycles; and IM-L2B: 14,862 ± 1511 cycles, P = 0.184).Results suggest that each of the constructs tested here may be a biomechanically viable option allowing for immediate weight-bearing after fixation of fractures of the distal third of the tibia. The addition of a single bicortical interlocking screw to create 3 points of distal fixation improves construct stiffness while reducing interfragmentary motion relative to 2 interlocking points of screw fixation with or without a blocking screw.

There is increasing evidence of a causal association between human papillomavirus (HPV) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Several studies have shown that HPV is associated with increased risk of oral cancer independent of exposure to tobacco and alcohol. The association is valid for HPVs 16 and 18, which generally are considered high risk types, because they have been detected in oral dysplastic lesions and cancers. We determined the baseline prevalence of HPVs 16 and 18 in normal oral mucosa of individuals with and without tobacco habit. PCR was used for DNA collected by oral smears to detect HPV 16/18 DNA in normal oral mucosa of 60 healthy individuals who were assigned to two groups of 30 subjects each. One group had a tobacco habit, the other did not. The tobacco user group comprised individuals who were tobacco chewers only. Sixty-five percent of individuals were positive for HPV 16/18 DNA, but HPV 16/18 positivity was less in individuals with tobacco habit than in those without tobacco habit. No significant association was found between the presence of HPVs and gender, age or duration of chewing habit, or between groups with and without a tobacco habit. We propose that HPVs16 and 18 commonly are present in normal oral mucosa and emphasize the importance of distinguishing clinical, subclinical and latent HPV infections when investigating HPVs and OSCC.

To understand the genetic basis of tolerance to drought and heat stresses in chickpea, a comprehensive association mapping approach has been undertaken. Phenotypic data were generated on the reference set (300 accessions, including 211 mini-core collection accessions) for drought tolerance related root traits, heat tolerance, yield and yield component traits from 1-7 seasons and 1-3 locations in India (Patancheru, Kanpur, Bangalore) and three locations in Africa (Nairobi, Egerton in Kenya and Debre Zeit in Ethiopia). Diversity Array Technology (DArT) markers equally distributed across chickpea genome were used to determine population structure and three sub-populations were identified using admixture model in STRUCTURE. The pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD) estimated using the squared-allele frequency correlations (r2; when r2

Despite an increase in the clinical use of no-profile anchored interbody cages (AIC) for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures, there is little published biomechanical data describing its stabilizing effect relative to the traditional anterior plating technique over two contiguous levels.To biomechanically compare the acute stability conferred by a stand-alone interbody fusion device with three integrated fixation screws ("anchored cage") with a traditional six-hole rigid anterior plate in a two contiguous levels (C4-C5+C5-C6) fusion construct. We hypothesized that the anchored cage would confer comparable segmental rigidity to the cage and anterior plate construct.A biomechanical laboratory study using cadaveric human cervical spines.Seven (n=7) cadaveric human cervical spines (C3-C7) were subjected to quasistatic, pure-moment loading (±1.5 Nm) in flexion-extension (flex/ext), right/left lateral bending (RB/LB), and right/left axial rotation (RR/LR) for the following test conditions: intact; after discectomy and insertion of the AIC at C4-C5 and C5-C6 with anchoring screws engaged; after the removal of the integrated anchoring screws and instrumentation of an anterior locking plate (ALP) over both levels; and cage-only (CO) configuration with screws and anterior plate removed. Intervertebral range of motion (ROM) at the instrumented levels was the primary biomechanical outcome.Flex/ext, RB/LB, and RR/LR ROMs were significantly reduced (p.001) over both levels by AIC and ALP constructs relative to the CO construct. Significant reduction in flex/ext motion was achieved with the ALP (6.8±3.7) relative to the AIC (10.2°±4.6°) (p=.041) construct. No significant differences were seen in ROM reductions over the two levels between the AIC and APL groups in lateral bending or axial rotation (p.826).The anchored cage fusion construct conferred similar acute biomechanical stability in lateral bending and axial rotation ROMs relative to rigid anterior plating. We identified a statistically significant reduction (Δ=3.4°, combined over two levels) in sagittal plane ROM conferred by the ALP relative to the AIC construct. Our biomechanical findings may support the clinical use of no-profile integrated interbody devices over two contiguous levels in ACDF.