Comparison of craniofacial morphology characteristics along with dental caries status and salivary properties of operated cleft lip and palate patients with noncleft patients

Background: Cleft lip and palate patients undergo many primary reconstructive surgical procedures which could lead to various changes in the facial morphology with growth. The most common diagnosis is unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and such patients are more prone to dental caries. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the lateral cephalometric landmarks, dental caries status, and salivary properties of surgically repaired UCLP children aged 6–15 years with lateral cephalometric landmarks, dental caries status, and salivary properties of noncleft children of the same age group. Materials and Methods: Twelve noncleft patients and 12 surgically repaired UCLP patients were chosen, and cephalometric analysis, salivary analysis, and dental caries status were recorded for both the groups. The data were then compared for both the groups. Statistical Analysis: It was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05. Results: In surgical repair ULCP children, their was increased prevalance of dental caries along with decrease level of salivary calcium, Phosphorus, flow rate. Also, their was increased level of alkaline phosphatase, total protein level with acidic pH alongwith retruded maxillary complex with Class III malocclusion. Conclusion: Various primary reconstructive surgeries in UCLP children lead to maxillary retrusion with an increased prevalence of dental caries in these patients due to the maintenance of poor oral hygiene

Prognostic Value of CA19-9 and CA242 in Gallbladder Cancer - An Exploratory Study

Introduction: There are, at present, no biomarkers topredict to prognosis of Gallbladder cancer. We conducted aprospective exploratory study to evaluate the role to serum CA19-9 and CA 242 as prognostic markers.Material and Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients forthis study and CA 19-9 and 242 were estimated from venoussamples. Association of these markers with clinical variablesand median overall survival (OS) difference between patientswho has raised versus normal levels of these markers wasdetermined.Results: Sixty-two patients were enrolled for this study.Forty-four (71%) patients had elevated CA19-9. Thirty-nine(62.9%) patients had an raised CA242 levels. CA 19-9 wasfound to be significantly associated with the presence ofjaundice (p=0.038) and advanced stage (p=0.009). MedianOS of patients who had elevated CA 19-9 was 5.73 monthscompared to 8.33 months in patients who had normal CA19-9. The difference was not statistically different (p= 0.15).Median OS for patients who had elevated CA 242 was 5.53months, which was inferior to those who had normal levels(9.1 months). This difference approached, but was notstatistically significant (p=0.055).Conclusion: This is the first study to show associationbetween CA 19-9 and stage of disease in GBC. At present,CA 19-9 and CA 242 cannot be recommended as prognosticmarkers. However, role of CA 242 needs to be examined ina larger cohort of patients of GBC to establish its usefulness.

Antibiotic resistance pattern of group-a beta-hemolytic streptococci isolated from north Indian children.

Background: The current resistance pattern of GABHS (group-A beta-hemolytic streptococci) in India has not been discussed. Aim: To fill the above-mentioned void, we planned this study to determine the prevalence and degree of antibacterial resistance in GABHS isolates. Settings and Design: Children with acute pharyngo-tonsillitis who had not received antibiotic in the preceding week, attending the pediatric OPD, were prospectively enrolled over a period of 1 year. Throat swabs were collected from each child and transported to microbiology laboratory, as early as possible. Materials and Methods: A throat swab culture for GABHS was done. All GABHS were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test according to Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: In the present study, 12.6% (55/435) of the children with acute pharyngo-tonsillitis had throat swab culture positive for GABHS. The prevalence of macrolide resistance was 10.2%. The MIC50 for macrolide-resistant strain was 0.5 microg/mL (range, 0.125-8 microg/mL), and MIC90 was 8 microg/mL (range, 0.125-8 microg/mL). Tetracycline and co-trimoxazole resistances were 24.5% and 12.2% respectively. The values of MIC50 for tetracycline- and co-trimoxazole-resistant strains were 4 microg/mL (range, 0.125-32 microg/mL) and 2 microg/mL (range, 0.25-8 microg/mL) respectively. All isolates were sensitive to penicillin G and chloramphenicol on disc diffusion test. However, their MIC50 was 0.032 microg/mL (range, 0.012-0.125 microg/mL) and 2 microg/mL (range, 0.25-4 microg/mL) respectively. Conclusion: High prevalence of antimicrobial resistance found among GABHS needs a longitudinal surveillance of isolates from different centers in India.

Protective activity of picroliv on hepatic amoebiasis associated with carbon tetrachloride toxicity.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Picroliv, isolated from the root and rhizome of Picrorhiza kurroa, is known to have significant hepatoprotective activity. Its effects against Entamoeba histolytica induced liver damage are not studied. This study aims to evaluate the hepatoprotective action of picroliv against the hepatotoxic changes induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) and E. histolytica infection in three animal models. METHODS: Mastomys, gerbils and albino Druckray rats were used in this study. A total of 30 animals were used for each model and divided into five groups of six animals each. Group I consisted of normal animals. The rest received six doses of CCl(4) intraperitoneally. Group II served as hepatotoxic control. The remaining animals were infected intraperitoneally with E. histolytica trophozoites, of which group III was the hepatotoxic plus amoeba infected control. The remaining animals were divided into two groups, one received hepatoprotective agent picroliv and the other silymarin. All animals were sacrificed seven days post amoeba infection. RESULTS: Increase in the enzyme levels induced by CCl(4) was further elevated after E. histolytica infection. Pinpoint abscesses were found to develop only in gerbils after E. histolytica infection. Picroliv was found to possess hepatoprotective activity against amoebic liver abscess. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: Significant recovery obtained in serum enzyme levels in all animal models and against amoebic liver abscess in gerbils on treatment with picroliv indicated that picroliv possesses therapeutic activity against E. histolytica induced hepatic damage.

Application of enzyme amplified mycobacterial DNA detection in the diagnosis of pulmonary & extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: As isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in culture requires a long time, there is a need for simple rapid method for direct detection of M. tuberculosis from clinical specimens. Amplified nucleic acid hybridization assays such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have shown promising results. In the present study, the sensitivity of PCR assay was assessed over smear microscopy for rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in pulmonary and extra-pulmonary samples from patients suspected to have tuberculosis. METHODS: A total of 37 clinical samples from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 133 from patients with extra-pulmonary tuberculosis were subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen staining for smear preparation and PCR for detection of mycobacterial DNA. RESULTS: It was observed that 100 per cent of acid fast bacilli (AFB) positive and 35.7 per cent of AFB negative pulmonary samples and 82.76 per cent of AFB positive and 56.73 per cent of AFB negative extra-pulmonary samples were positive for mycobacterial DNA detection. Total positivity rates of DNA amplification method in pulmonary and extra-pulmonary samples were 75.67 per cent and 61.7 per cent respectively which were significantly higher in comparison with AFB positivity, which was 62.16 per cent in pulmonary and 21.8 per cent in extra-pulmonary samples (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001 respectively). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Routine application of DNA amplification method in diagnosis of AFB negative patients with pulmonary or extra-pulmonary tuberculosis may be a useful tool for detection of M. tuberculosis.