Scholarly Output on Dentistry and COVID-19: A Global Bibliometric Analysis

Background: Bibliometric studies help in quantifying the pattern of research published in a particular area of interest to get the measure of research productivity. In this context, we analyzed the dental and COVID-19 re-search papers published from December 2019 to January 2021 globally. Method: The articles were retrieved from the PubMed and WHO COVID -19 databases using MeSH terms and keywords. The data downloaded as excel and extracted bibliometric information’s and analyzed using Epi-info (7.2) software. Result: We obtained 800 research articles after removing duplicates and non-relevant articles from 1,823 ar-ticles from these two databases. The articles were published by 475 institutions in 62 countries. Among the listed countries, more publications were done by the United States of America (USA) (n=135;16.8%). The ma-jority of the papers were published in June 2020 (n=114). The King's College London had the most number of publications (n=15; 1.9%). The majority of the articles were original articles (n=592; 74%). Conclusion: The study reports a gradual increase in publications over the months and a slowing down at the end of the year. The countries such as the USA, England, Italy, and China published more articles and this cor-relates with the number of covid-19 cases.

A Study on Orbital Cellulitis Due to Acute Sinusitis: A Multidisciplinary Approach

Introduction: Orbital infection has spread beyond the orbital septum leads to orbital cellulitis. The distinctive features of orbitalcellulitis are proptosis and limitation of ocular movements. Additional useful signs are chemosis of bulbar conjunctiva, reducedvisual acuity, afferent pupillary defect, and toxic systemic symptoms. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of orbital cellulitis is vitalas it is associated with serious complications such as cavernous venous thrombosis, visual loss, meningitis, brain abscess,and sepsis.Aims and Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate clinical presentation, treatment outcomes, and post-surgicalcomplications of diagnosed case of orbital cellulitis.Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of patients with orbital cellulitis as a complication of acute sinusitis. Allthe patients were subjected to thorough clinical examination, ophthalmic and radiological evaluation. Computed tomographyof paranasal sinuses done. All the patients in this study received appropriate medical and surgical management and follow-upevaluation done at the 1st month and 3 months.Results: Orbital cellulitis due to fungal sinusitis is prevalent among uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in our study.Surgical management such as endoscopic sinus surgery with intravenous antibiotic therapy found to be more effective thanconservative management alone.Conclusion: Strict diabetic control, appropriate surgical and medical management, and a vigilant follow up resulted to a better outcome.

Optimization of lovastatin production by Fusarium nectrioides (MH173849) using response surface methodology and fuzzy logic system

Aim: To enhance the productivity of lovastatin from Fusarium nectrioides isolate with liquid cheese whey as a major carbon source and to optimize the media components using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Fuzzy Logic System (FLS). Methodology: Euphorbia hirta was collected, surface sterilized and incubated on potato dextrose agar medium amended with ampicillin and streptomycin sulphate. F. nectrioides was isolated from E. hirta and identified using morphological and molecular methods. Primarily, media components were screened by Plackett Burman design (PBD). Further, the effect of significant nutrients was predicted using RSM and FLS and compared with experimental yield. Results: Molecular identification by gene sequencing confirmed the isolate to be F. nectrioides, given an accession number (MH173849) the sequence was submitted in the gene bank. PBD revealed that peptonized milk (which is an enzymic digest of high grade skimmed milk powder), corn steep liquor, liquid cheese whey and histidine were significant variables. The optimum levels of these significant variables in different combinations were studied by RSM in which the predicted yield of lovastatin was 1.2 gl-1. Further, it was analyzed by FLS with 14 set of fuzzy rules and the maximum production obtained was 1.8 g100 ml-1 which was closer to the experimental yield of 1.75 g100 ml-1. Therefore, compared to RSM, FLS was more suitable technique to determine the optimum levels of significant nutrients for enhanced lovastatin production. Interpretation: This study suggests that F. nectrioides (MH173849) can be used as a potent producer of lovastatin and the production highly influenced by glucose, corn steep liquor, liquid cheese whey and histidine.

Phenotypic Detection of Carbapenem Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Acinetobacter Baumanii in Kanchipuram.

Acinctobacter species are common non fermentative gram negative bacilli isolated in clinical laboratory most frequently encountered species. Acinetobacter resistance is develop due to acquired resistance. Because of frequent multidrug resistance isolates carbapenems have become important for treating resistant strains. There is a need for rapid screening & detection of MBL in Acinetobacter to modify the treatment. The present study was aim to determine the resistance of A.baumanii complese to various classes of drugs and to carbapenems and MBL production. Samples such as urine, blood, sputum, pus & body fluids. All samples were processed as per CLSI guidelines. Meropenem resistant strains were screened for carbapenemase and MBL production. Out of 92 Acinetobacter 85 (92.39%) were Acinetobacter baumanii. More than 80% resistance is seen in 3rd generation Cephalosporins. Out of 21 meropenem resistant strains 14 were carbapenemase positive and 3 were MBL producers. Our study shows raising trend of multidrug resistance and carbapenem. This will help in early detection and better treatment modalities. Abbreviations: MRSA–Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, ESBL – Extended sputum β - lactamases GNB – Gram negative bacilli, MDR – Multi drug resistance

Chemical analyses and wound healing activity of stem juice of musa paradisiaca linn.

Plants are the source of many biologically active products and nowadays they are of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. The plant kingdom still holds many species of plants containing substances of medicinal value which have yet to be discovered. Another important aspect of interest in plant drug research is the new concept of "No Specifically Increased Resistance" [NSIR] of an animal to diseases attributes to other substances, besides the active principles responsible for specific biological activity. In this work, we studied different ash values of dried stem powders and wound healing activity [excision wound model] of stem juice of Musa paradisiaca Linn. [Musaceae]. Our study revealed that the stem juice of Musa paradisiaca Linn. has considerable wound healing activity when compared with the standard drug Nitrofurazone

Comparative antimicrobial and antifungal activity of medicinal plants extract against microbes and dermatophytes

Bacterial and fungal infections are some of the most serious global health issues of the present century. The objective of the present investigation was to develop poly herbal medical compound to treat various bacterial and fungal infections. The alcoholic extracts were prepared from Andrographis paniculata whole plant, Phyla nodiflora whole plant, Psoralea corylifolia seeds, and Piper cubeba seeds. The alcoholic extracts of various plants were tested for antimicrobial and antidermatophytic infections and antifungal efficiency applying agar disc diffusion method. Ciprofloxacin and Ketoconazole were used as standard for above activities. The activity was carried out in combination of extracts and also done alone to know the action potential of extracts. The study revealed that of the combination of Phyla nodiflora and Andrographis paniculata possess maximum zone of inhibition when compared to other plants extracts. In case of antimicrobial activity the efficiency was shown by combination of Psoralea corylifolia and Piper cubeba

Analgesic and antimicrobial activity of the dried root extracts of reidia floribunda wight

The analgesic activity of dried roots extracts of Reidia floribunda was studied after the intraperitoneal injection in mice using acetic acid-induced writhing method. After treatment, ethanolic extract produced greater analgesia with maximum analgesic activity than petroleum ether and benzene extracts. Extracts were tested against some gram negative and gram positive micro-organisms by Disc Diffusion method. Ethanolic and chloroform extracts were more effective than petroleum ether extract

Antilithiatic activity of leaves of Dalbergia rubiginosa Roxb

Renal calculus is a common and recurrent problem occurring in about 4% of the world population. The traditional system of Indian medicine suggests several herbs against lithiasis. One such plant is Dalbergia rubiginosa Roxb. which belongs to the family Leguminosae. The effect of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of the leaves of Dalbergia rubiginosa Roxb. [DRL] against lithiasis induced by 1% glycolated water for 35 days in male Wistar rats was tested in this study. Rats were fed with ethylene glycol [1%] mixed with drinking water for 35 days. Simultaneous treatment with the extracts of DRL considerably reduced the urinary risk parameters such as calcium, oxalate, phosphate, proteins and raised magnesium. These observations lead to the conclusion that the extracts are effective against Iithiasis. Phytochemical analysis of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of the leaves was also carried out

Antibacterial activity of the medicinal plants Cassia occidentalis, Clerodendrum inerme and Rhinacanthus nasutus against skin pathogens

Antibacterial activities of three medicinal plants [Cassia occidentalis, Clerodendrum inerme and Rhinacanthus nasutius] against the skin pathogenic micro-organisms Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus pyogenes were evaluated. Effects of aqueous extracts of leaves and roots were assessed by disc diffusion method. All the skin pathogens were re-sensitive to all plant extracts of leaves and roots. Clerodendrum inerme showed broad spectrum antibacterial property as its leaves and root extracts were inhibitory to all the micro-organisms and were more effective than other plant extracts

Analgesic activity of various extracts of leaves of Azima tetracantha Lam

The extracts of leaves of Azima tetracantha [N.O. family Salvadoraceae] were screened for analgesic activity in healthy mice using hot plate method. The various extracts showed significant analgesic activity as compared to the standard drug Morphine

Study of association of Epstein Barr-virus with Hodgkin's disease.

Epstein Barr-Virus (EBV) is a lymphotropic herpes virus, well recognised for its oncogenic properties. In recent years substantial evidence has accumulated supporting a role for EBV in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin's disease. The epidemiologic and histologic features of Hodgkin's disease (HD) have long indicated a possible infective cause. Our study involves the detection of the EBV encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1) in 45 cases of Hodgkin's disease using immunohistochemical methods. In this study we detected LMP-1 positivity in the Reed-Sternberg and Hodgkin's cells in 31% of cases of HD. In mixed cellularity the positivity was 21.7% while nodular sclerosis exhibited positivity of 50% of the cases. The lymphocyte depletion subtype showed 100% positivity. All cases of lymphocyte predominance and the single unclassified case were negative for LMP. The demonstration of LMP-1 in Hodgkin's disease has important implications since it is one of the latent gene products which produces B Lymphocyte transformation.