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Abstract: Skeletal components play significant role in sex determination in forensic and anthropological fields. Skull is considered second best, after pelvis, in determination of sex. Methods based on morphological characteristics and morphometry are already in use with reasonable accuracy. Standardized radiographic techniques like cephalometry have advantages of being more precise and objective when compared to morphologic methods. The present study aimed at obtaining and comparing the reliability of cranio-mandibular parameters in South Indian and Indian immigrant of Tibetan populations using lateral and postero–anterior (PA) cephalograms. A total of 11 cephalometric parameters were traced on lateral and PA cephalograms manually. Functions to aid in the sex determination were developed by subjecting the cephalometric parameters to discriminant analysis. Among the chosen parameters bizygomatic width, ramus height, depth of face contributed most for sexual dimorphism in both the populations. Upper facial height was the additional parameter for sexual dimorphism in immigrant Tibetan population. The discrimination accuracy in South Indian population was 81.5% while that of immigrant Tibetan population was 88.2%. With the current study it can be concluded that cephalometric cranio-mandibular parameters can be used to discriminate the sex using discriminant function analysis and similar cranio-mandibular parameters contribute to sex prediction across populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Unlabelled: In recent years, it has become increasingly important to determine the age of living people for a variety of reasons, including identifying criminal and legal responsibility and for many other social events such as birth certificate, marriage, beginning a job, joining the army and retirement., Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the developmental stages of mandibular third molar for estimation of dental age (DA) in different age groups and to evaluate the possible correlation between DA and chronological age (CA) in South Indian population., Materials and Methods: Digital orthopantomography of 330 subjects (165 males, 165 females) who fit the study and the criteria were obtained. Assessment of mandibular third molar development was performed using Demirjian et al., modified method and DA was assessed using tooth specific stages., Results and Discussion: The present study showed a significant correlation between DA and CA in both males and females. Third molar development commenced around 9 years and root completion takes place around 18.9 years in males and in females 9 years and 18.6 years respectively. Demirjian modified method underestimated the mean age of males by 0.8 years and females by 0.5 years and also showed that females mature earlier than males in selected population., Conclusion: Digital radiographic assessment of mandibular third molar development can be used to generate mean DA using Demirjian modified method and also the estimated age range for an individual of unknown CA. Since the Demirjian method is based on French-Canadian population, to enhance the accuracy of forensic age estimates based on third molar development, the use of population-specific standards is recommended.

Objective: The study was designed to analyze the frequency and clinical features of multicystic ameloblastoma and its histological variants in South Indian sample population, as there is minute information available in the English literature., Methodology: The study source was the biopsy specimens retrieved from the archives of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere, Karnataka, India, during the past 13 years, from 2001 to 2013. Clinical data for the study were obtained from the case records of patients and the analyzed clinical variables were age, gender and anatomical location. Histologically, hematoxylin and eosin stained sections fitting the World Health Organization (2005) criteria for diagnosis of multicystic ameloblastoma were selectively included., Results: Of the 3026 biopsy reports analyzed, 103 cases were odontogenic tumors (3.4%) and 58 cases were ameloblastoma. 31 cases of multicystic ameloblastoma, including follicular ameloblastoma (54.8%), acanthomatous ameloblastoma (29%), plexiform ameloblastoma (6.5%), granular cell ameloblastoma (6.5%) and desmoplastic ameloblastoma (3.2%) were recorded. The age of the patients during the presentation of the lesion was ranging from 21 to 73 years, with a mean of 39.5 years. The most frequent clinical manifestation was swelling, followed by a combination of pain and swelling. In our study, ameloblastoma showed distinct anatomic predilections for occurrence in mandible (96.8%) rather than maxilla (3.2%). This study result also indicated that there is geographical variation in the frequency and distribution of ameloblastoma.

Introduction: Studies have reported an association between lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene and myocardial infarction in some populations. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the association of the HindIII polymorphism of the (LPL) gene with myocardial infarction and to explore its potential role in susceptibility in a South Indian population., Subjects and Methods: We included a total of 412 subjects (202 myocardial infarction patients and 210 age- and sex-matched controls). Demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. Lipid profiles were estimated. DNA was isolated and the LPL gene HindIII polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction., Results: Comparison of the lipid profiles between patients and controls showed that patients had statistically high significant values (p = 0.0001). The H(+) H(+) genotype of the LPL gene is associated with myocardial infarction. H(+) H(+) vs. H(-) H(-) was χ2 = 19.4, OR 3.1, CI 95% 1.8-5.2, p < 0.0001., Conclusion: Our study strongly suggests that the LPL gene HindIII Hþ Hþ genotype is an independent risk factor for first MI., (Copyright © 2013 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: To analyze the association between TLR-4 Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile gene polymorphisms and chronic periodontitis in a sample of south Indian population., Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA was obtained from peripheral blood of 60 patients with chronic periodontitis and 60 periodontally healthy subjects. TLR-4 Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile gene polymorphisms were genotyped by a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The data were analyzed by a χ(2)-test and by relative risk estimation., Results: Thr399Ile alleles were found in 4% of chronic periodontitis patients and in 1% of periodontally healthy subjects. The prevalence of a Thr399Ile heterozygote was found to be 5% in the chronic periodontitis group and 1.67% in the periodontally healthy group, respectively. Homozygosity for TLR-4 Thr399Ile was seen in chronic periodontitis patients only, which was 1.67%. The TLR-4 Asp299Gly gene polymorphism was not detected in either chronic periodontitis or periodontally healthy groups., Conclusion: There is no significant association between TLR-4 Thr399Ile polymorphism and chronic periodontitis in a sample of south Indian population.

Unlabelled: PRIMARY AIM: Variability is characteristic of different faces and facial types, and normative data based on one population group does not represent all. Hence, this study was undertaken to establish skeletal cephalometric norms for the South Indian (Karnataka) population utilizing the norms laid by Burstones's analysis for Caucasians., Methods: The sample comprised of lateral cephalograms taken in natural head position of 100 participants (50 men, 50 women). The cephalograms were traced, analyzed and interpreted using the landmarks and values given by Burstone's analysis (Cephalometric analysis for Orthognathic surgery). The student's t test, standard deviation and mean deviation were calculated to compare between two groups., Results: Statistically significant skeletal differences were found between men and women of the South Indian origin in comparison to Caucasian origin. Men had decreased facial divergence, anterior maxillary dental height and proclined upper incisors. Women had marginally increased cranial base, increased midfacial height and proclined upper incisors., Conclusion: Statistically significant differences were found between South Indian men and women when compared with Caucasians in certain key parameters. These differences need to be considered when analyzing the cephalogram for orthognathic surgeries. The values derived from this study may be considered to make the deformity assessment and plan surgery to get optimal results for people of south Indian origin conclusive results can be derived after conducting a study with an eager sample size.

The incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease is steadily increasing in South East Asian countries including Indian sub continent. Many lipids, apolipoproteins and Lp (a) except HDL-C and apo A-I, A-II are implicated as risk factors for coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease. There is great need to have national guidelines for each country like the ATP III guidelines recommended for U.S. population. For recommending appropriate medical decision limits, it is mandatory that each country establishes reference intervals pertaining to their population due to dietary, genetic and environmental diversity. In the present study, reference intervals for serum lipids, apolipoproteins and Lp (a) were established in a total of 1923 healthy Indian reference individuals comprising 1161 healthy men and 762 healthy women from Andhra Pradesh. For each analyte viz., serum total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, triglycerides, Lp (a), Apo A-I, Apo A-II, B, C-II, C-III and E, mean, two SD, median, confidence limits of mean, different percentile values are presented. The study also includes decade wise changes in each analyte and comparison of lipids, lipoproteins and Lp (a) among few populations covering U.S., India, Japan, Sweden, Finland and China. Reference Intervals for all lipid and lipoprotein parameters will immensely help in assessing associated risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in India. Additionally, the results will be beneficial in formulating our own guidelines pertaining to Indian population.

In an attempt to search for risk factors which can explain the increasing prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in Indian population, we conducted a case-control study to assess the association of Lipoprotein (a)(Lp(a)) with CHD. One hundred and fifty one consecutive patients with clinical and angiographic evidence of CHD and forty-nine healthy controls were drawn for the study. Triglycerides, very low density cholesterol (VLDL-C), total cholesterol (total-C)/high density cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, low density cholesterol (LDL-C)/HDL cholesterol ratio and Lp(a) were found to be higher in patients than controls. In female sex and in those with family history of CHD, higher total and LDL cholesterol levels were observed to be associated with higher Lp(a) levels. Lp(a) levels were also found to be higher in triple vessel disease than other vessel disease patients. Significant difference in Lp(a) levels were observed between normal coronaries vs. single and triple vessel disease(P<0.05) and also between single vs. double and triple vessel disease (P<0.01).Lp(a) levels correlated positively with vessel severity(P<0.005). Lp(a) levels >25 mg/dl were associated with coronary heart disease (Odds ratio 1.98 P<0.05 95% CI 0.007-1.18). Our findings suggest a cut-off level of 25mg/dl for determination of risk of CHD. Studies from different areas involving larger sample size are needed to confirm the findings of the present study.