Correlation Between Laboratory Findings and Clinical Severity among the COVID-19 Patients in the Tertiary Care Centre

Background : Coronavirus is a highly infectious novel virus we are in urge to know more about their clinical characteristics and laboratory findings for the characterization and selection of treatment protocol. Methods : Prospective, single centre study. Two months data was collected, clinical characteristics data from patient case sheet and the laboratoryvalues from the Hospital Information System (HIS) for the month of July and August 2020. Results : Of 462 patients, 55 (11.9%) are falls under asymptomatic category, 194 (42%) are in mild category, 167 (36.1%) are in moderate category and 46 (10%) in severe category. Fever 230 (49.8%) and cough 211 (45.7%) was most common clinical symptom with p value < 0.01. Non-severe vs severe, 340 (73.6%) and 201 (43.5%) showed decreased in eosinophil count and absolute eosinophil count, 125 (27.1%) and 80 (17.3%) patient showed decrease in lymphocyte count and absolute lymphocyte count, 200 (43.3%) showed increase in neutrophil count with a significance of p value >0.05. 186 (40.3%) patients had one or more co-morbidities. Laboratory findings between Asymptomatic VS symptomatic, showed significance changes in neutrophil, lymphocyte, Aspartate aminotransferase, Alkaline phosphatase, globulin values (p value <0.05). Conclusion : Clinical severity categorization at the time of admission was very helpful for the treating doctors in proper understanding of disease progression and appropriate treatment of the patient. Presence of co-morbidity, abnormal laboratory values, old age group patients, higher Computed Tomography score, higher mortality rate are seen more in patients who were in clinical severity grade severe category than in non-severe category patients.

Epithelioid Haemangioma – A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Epithelioid haemangioma (EH), synonymously termed as angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia, is a rare lesion whose etiopathogenesis is unclear. Clinically it manifests as solitary or multiple nodules in the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the head and neck region. It can also arise in the deep tissues such as muscle, bone and lymphnode. Intra oral involvement is less common and very few cases have been reported in the literature. Common intra oral sites include lip followed by buccal mucosa and tongue. Epithelioid Haemangioma affecting alveolar mucosa is very rare. We report one such case of epithelioid hemangioma of size 4x4 cm on lower right alveolar mucosa in 38 year old female patient.

Comparison of Staining Properties of Composites.

Esthetics forms an important aspect of human’s life, because human’s personality and psychological wellbeing rests considerably on his appearance. Discolouration of esthetic restorative materials from the dietary habits vary with geographic distribution especially poor Oral Hygiene increases susceptibility to staining. Restorative resins are susceptible to softening caused by organic acids produced in plaque. Consequently plaque-covered resin restorations may be liable to pronounced staining.

Efficacy of curcumin in treating palatal changes associated with reverse smoking / Eficácia da curcumina no tratamento de alterações do palato associadas ao fumo reverso

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of curcumin preparation on the palatal changes associated with reversesmoking. Materials and methods: The study sample was divided into two groups with ten reverse smokingpatients each. Group A patients were advised to use curcumin oral gel on an acrylic palatal plate whereasgroup B patients were instructed about the benefits of smoking cessation. Clinical and cytological smearexaminations were performed at the first visit and at the end of the third visit. Data obtained was subjectedto statistical analysis. Results: Evident improvement with reduction in size and severity of the clinical lesionwas observed among the study group at both first and third visits (p < 0.001, significant). However, thecytological appearances remained the same in all the cases, except for three cases from the study group,which demonstrated a transition from moderate dysplastic features to milder dysplastic features (p = 0.28,not significant). Conclusion: Due to its diverse array of molecular targets, curcumin affords great potentialas a therapeutic agent for precancerous and cancerous conditions. Results from our pilot study have clearlyshown that curcumin is effective in the treatment of the palatal changes associated with reverse smoking.

Objetivos: Avaliar a eficácia da curcumina sobre as alterações palatais associadas ao fumo reverso. Materiaise métodos: A amostra foi dividida em dois grupos com dez pacientes fumantes cada. No grupo A os pacientesforam aconselhados a usar o gel de curcumina oral em uma placa de acrílico palatina, enquanto os pacientesdo grupo B foram instruídos sobre os benefícios da cessação tabágica. Exames de esfregaço citológico e examesclínicos foram realizados na primeira visita e no fim da terceira visita. Os dados obtidos foram submetidosà análise estatística. Resultados: Observou-se evidente melhora na redução do tamanho e na gravidadeda lesão clínica no grupo de estudo em ambas as visitas (p < 0,001, significativo). No entanto, a aparênciacitológica permaneceu a mesma em todos os casos, exceto em três casos do grupo de estudo, os quais demonstraramuma transição de características displásicas moderadas para leves (p = 0,28; não significativo).Conclusão: A curcumina, em virtude de seu conjunto diversificado de alvos moleculares, proporciona umgrande potencial como agente terapêutico para as condições cancerosas e pré-cancerosas. Os resultados donosso estudo piloto mostraram claramente que a curcumina é eficaz no tratamento das alterações palataisassociadas ao fumo reverso.

Knowledge, attitude and practice on hepatitis B prevention among dental professionals in India

Aim: To obtain comprehensive information about the knowledge, attitude and practices towardshepatitis B infection by dental health care professionals, and their effort to prevent the transmissionamong the patients. Methods: A cross sectional survey conducted among 540 dental health careworkers in a dental college and private practitioners in and around Bhimavarm, India. A selfassessmentquestionnaire with queries on levels, namely knowledge and practices, and protectivemeasures to prevent transmission of hepatitis B was recorded and statistically analyzed. Results:Frequency distribution scores of knowledge, attitude and practice in relation to hepatitis B infectionrevealed that the faculty members, the students under training along with, nurses, hygienists andlab technicians were relatively aware of hepatitis B vaccination, precautions and principles dropletisolation procedures to prevent transmission of hepatitis B infection. Conclusions: The resultsshowed that the dental professionals had good knowledge and attitude regarding hepatitis B andits transmission, but that the infection control measures among the health care professionals aremoderately poor and an educational program on isolation precautions can further enhance theselevels and thereby, reducing the risk of infection transmission.

Power Bleaching - A Solution For Discoloured Teeth.

Bleaching is an effective method for restoring the colour of the discoloured teeth. It is a safe procedure with few side effects, and is much less invasive than other techniques such as veneering or crowning of teeth, which require tooth preparation. This article focuses on the in office bleaching method called power bleaching with discussion of two cases using this method.

Evaluation of The Accuracy of Two Apex Locators And Radiovisiograpy- An In Vistro Study.

Determination of an accurate working length is one of the most critical steps of Endodontic therapy. The cleaning, shaping and obturation of root canal system cannot be accomplished accurately unless working length is determined precisely. Locating the appropriate apical position always has been a challenge in clinical Endodontics. The cementodentinal junction (CDJ), where the pulp tissue changes into the apical tissue, is the most ideal physiologic apical limit of the working length. However, the CDJ and apical constricture do not always coincide, particularly in senile teeth as a result of cementum deposition, which alters the position of the minor diameter. In an attempt to measure the working length to a value that almost coincides with the actual length or anatomic length and to overcome all the errors that could occur due to the limitation of the present techniques used, electronic apex locators with their inherent capacity to minimize the errors and the simplicity of the technique involved in the calibration of working length seems to be an important break through in the field of Endodontics. Modern electronic apex locators can determine this position with accuracies of greater than 90% but still have some limitations. Knowledge of apical anatomy, prudent use of radiographs and the correct use of an electronic apex locator will assist practitioners to achieve predictable results.

Effect of Aerva lanata on calcium oxalate urolithiasis in rats.

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone was induced in rats using 0.75% of ethylene glycol in drinking water for 28 days. Ethylene glycol treated rats showed significant increase in the activities of oxalate synthesizing enzymes such as glycolic acid oxidase (GAO) in liver and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in liver and kidney. CaOx crystal deposition, as indicated by increased excretion of stone-forming constituents in urine, such as calcium, oxalate, uric acid, phosphorus and protein and decreased concentration of inhibitors, such as citrate and magnesium was observed in ethylene glycol induced urolithic rats. Histopathological studies also confirmed the deposition of CaOx crystals. Administration of Aerva lanata aqueous suspension (2g/kg body wt/dose/day for 28 days) to CaOx urolithic rats had reduced the oxalate synthesizing enzymes, diminished the markers of crystal deposition in the kidney. The results of the present study confirmed that A. lanata can be used as an curative agent for urolithiasis.

Multiple autoimmune syndrome.

We report a case in which the presence of dermatological autoimmune conditions, vitiligo and alopecia areata, led to the diagnosis of a systemic autoimmune disease, ulcerative colitis.

Reversal of changes of myocardial lipids by chronic administration of aspirin in isoproterenol-induced myocardial damage in rats.

The effect of aspirin on isoproterenol-induced changes related to myocardial damage was studied in rats. Rats were treated with aspirin (1.2 mg/100 g/day) orally, daily for a period of one month. Isoproterenol (20 mg/100 g, sc, twice at an interval of 24 hr) was administered. In isoproterenol treated rats marked increase in cholesterol, free fatty acids and triglycerides in both serum and heart were observed. The phospholipid level was lowered in heart with significant increase in serum in isoproterenol treatment. Serum LDL cholesterol was found to be increased with a significant decrease in the level of HDL cholesterol with enhanced level of lipid peroxides in heart. Aspirin showed marked reversal of these metabolic changes induced by isoproterenol.

Transplantation of fetal neocortex in rhesus monkey.

A feasibility study of neural transplantation in adult rhesus monkey was undertaken. Fresh and preserved neocortex containing multiplying and maturing neurons obtained from 55-70 gestation days were transplanted into the striatum, cerebellum and cerebral cortex of adult monkeys. Tissues were preserved for 4 days either at subzero temperature in the freezer compartment of the ordinary refrigerator in Ringer lactate or incubated in culture medium. While 2 monkeys out of 5 injected with preserved tissue had successful transplants after 4 months, all the 10 monkeys injected with fresh tissue had no transplants. The size of the two surviving transplants was small. The neurons in the transplants were mainly in clusters. Many of the cells were immature and some showed early degenerative changes. Neuronal processes were restricted to the transplants and thus showed lack of morphological integration with the host tissue. Further studies are in progress to define the nature of the embryonic tissue of primate which can grow and survive and also the role of neural grafts in functional recovery following experimental lesions of the brain regions.

Specific staining of myo-inositol-1-phosphatase on polyacrylamide gels after electrophoresis.

A sensitive staining method was developed to localise the activity of myoinositol- 1-phosphatase on Polyacrylamide gels after electrophoresis. The method can also be used for non-specific phosphatases as well as for those specific phosphatases acting upon inositol polyphosphates which are prime cellular second messengers. One or two nmol of phosphate is sufficient and less than 3 μg of purified protein will facilitate the localisation of phosphatase. If more phosphatases are present in the enzyme preparation, a combination of inhibitors can be used to suppress the activities of unwanted phosphatases and the use of specific substrates will facilitate the localisation of enzyme of interest.