Corticotomy assisted orthodontic treatment A boom to adult orthodontics

Corticotomy assisted orthodontic treatment is a time-honored and effective orthodontic procedure that progressively extended admiration as an adjunct treatment preference for adults. It involves selective alveolar decortication in the form of lines and dots performed around the tooth that are to be moved. It is done to induce a state of increased tissue turnover and a transient osteopenia, which is followed by a faster rate of orthodontic tooth movement. The treatment time is reduced to one-third of that in conventional orthodontics. Its main advantages are reduction of treatment time and post orthodontic stability. The aim of this article is to present a broad review on the corticotomy assisted orthodontic treatment in adults.

Maxillary canine impaction – A hitch in orthodontic treatment planning

Maxillary canine has a significant importance in functional and esthetic aspect of the occlusion. Clinicians must have a sound knowledge regarding the management of impacted maxillary canines as is second most common teeth prone for impaction after third molars. With early detection and timely interception and well planned orthodontic treatment the impacted canines can be successfully bought to the occlusion. This article gives an overview of etiology, diagnosis and prognosis of impacted canine

Cutaneous fungal infection in a renal transplantation patient due to a rare fungus belonging to order Pleosporales.

Fungal infections are being increasingly reported from immuno-compromised as well as immuno-competent patients. Transplant patients are on long term immunosuppressive therapy which makes them highly vulnerable to opportunistic fungal infections .These infections can be cutaneous or systemic. Several fungi have been reported to be the culprits such as Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., C. neoformans, P. carinii, and zygomycetes group of fungi. Cutaneous infections are most commonly caused by Pityriasis (tinea) versicolor, dermatophytes, and candida sp but these days the demtiaceous fungi are becoming more frequently reported .Here we report a case of post renal transplant cutaneous infection caused by dematiaceous fungus belonging to the order Pleosporales.

Food and feeding pattern of Channa punctatus in two different habitats at Tarai region of Uttarakhand.

A comparative study was conducted for the food items and feeding pattern of Channa punctatus in pond environment and in reservoir of Tarai region in Uttarakhand state.Observation was made for body length, gut length, food and feeding frequency and qualitative and quantitative analysis of gut content.Both, body length and gut length were in higher side with a ratio of 1:2.1 for the natural fish stock of reservoir. Gut content mainly consists of crustacean, insects, mollusks, small fishes and semi-digested material. There was significant difference for the percent occurrence of the food items (p < 0.01) of natural stock of reservoir and pond reared stock. The study revealed that seasonal variability of natural food items in different habitats and their biological diversity put impacts on the biological needs in terms of food and feeding pattern of the same fish species.

Molecular variability analyses of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus capsid protein.

The complete sequences of the coat protein (CP) gene of 26 isolates of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) from India were determined. The isolates were obtained from various pome (apple, pear and quince) and stone (plum, peach, apricot, almond and wild Himalayan cherry) fruit trees. Other previously characterized ACLSV isolates and Trichoviruses were used for comparative analysis. Indian ACLSV isolates among themselves and with isolates from elsewhere in the world shared 91–100% and 70–98% sequence identities at the amino acid and nucleotide levels, respectively. The highest degree of variability was observed in the middle portion with 9 amino acid substitutions in contrast to the N-terminal and C-terminal ends, which were maximally conserved with only 4 amino acid substitutions. In phylogenetic analysis no reasonable correlation between host species and/or geographic origin of the isolates was observed. Alignment with capsid protein genes of other Trichoviruses revealed the TaTao ACLSV peach isolate to be phylogenetically closest to Peach mosaic virus, Apricot pseudo chlorotic leaf spot virus and Cherry mottle leaf virus. Recombination analysis (RDP3 ver.2.6) done for all the available ACLSV complete CP sequences of the world and Indian isolates indicate no signifi cant evidence of recombination. However, one recombination event among Indian ACLSV-CP isolates was detected. To the best of our knowledge, this is the fi rst report of complete CP sequence variability study from India and also the fi rst evidence of homologous recombination in ACLSV.

Histophysiological responses in ovary and liver of Cyprinus carpio after short term exposure to safe concentration of mercuric chloride and recovery pattern.

Effect of short term (7 days) exposure to safe concentration of HgCl2 (0.5 ppm) and changes 7 days after withdrawl of the treatment on histophysiology of ovary and liver in yearlings of Cyprinus carpio were assessed during active phase of reproductive cycle. Noticeable degenerative histophysiological changes were observed in both ovary and liver after exposure which were more prominent in the group with abnormal behaviour. After withdrawl of the HgCl2 treatment the recovery was apparent in both organs but was more appreciable in liver. These observations indicated that even safe concentration of HgCl2 might not be fully devoid of deleterious influence on reproductive functions in Cyprinus carpio.

Ovarian development in Labeo dyocheilus (McClelland) during active reproductive phase under captive and wild conditions.

Ovarian development in Labeo dyocheilus was assessed during active reproductive phase under ambient environmental conditions in captivity and wild. Increasing day length and water temperature seemed favourable for ovarian development in female L. dyocheilus under both conditions. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) was lower in May and higher in July in captivity (6.168 and 13.366) and wild (5.798 and 16.166) respectively Ovarian development started little bit in advance in captivity with late yolk vesicle stage oocyte in May when yolk globule stage oocytes were prominent in wild. Fully grown oocytes with germinal vesicle migration (GVM) and germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) stages were observed in July in both conditions. Degree of transformation of developing oogonials into advance stage oocytes was observed to be better in wild fish compared to captivity reared ones. The histophysiological changes in liver corresponded well to the progression of ovarian development. Successive granulation and vacuolization of hepatocyte cytoplasm were indicative of augmented synthetic activity and probably mobilization of energy content for oocyte growth. These observations indicated that normal ovarian development of L. dyocheilus under captivity in Tarai region of Uttarakhand would be useful for success of its seed production in captivity for stock augmentation in wild or species diversification in aquaculture.

Paraphenylene diamine ingestion: an uncommon cause of acute renal failure.

Paraphenylene diamine (PPD) is a major component of hair dyes. The aim is to study the renal manifestations and outcome of PPD consumption. During a four-year period from 2002 to February 2006, 10 persons were admitted to our Institute after consuming a hair dye in a suicidal bid. The percentage of ARF due to PPD at our Institute was 0.95%. Seven patients out of 10 (70%) who consumed PPD developed ARF. All 10 patients, including the patients who had normal renal function had features of rhabdomyolysis. Two patients required ventilator support for respiratory distress and two more required tracheostomy due to upper airway tract edema. One patient has expired after two sessions of dialysis. Renal biopsy in two patients (one, postmortem) showed acute tubular necrosis along with presence of casts in tubules due to myoglobin.

Seasonal ovarian cycle in freshwater teleost, Labeo rohita (Ham.) in Tarai region of Uttaranchal.

Seasonal ovarian cycle, based on histophysiological changes, and correlative variations in liver were studied in an Indian major carp, Labeo rohita reared in captivity under ambient environmental conditions in Tarai region of Uttaranchal. The oocyte features used for marking ovarian cycle included nuclear-ooplasmic ratio, yolk vesicle incorporation into ooplasm, number and size of nucleolus and differentiation of follicular layer. Based on these features the ovarian cycle in L. rohita was divided into five phases i.e. resting, preparatory, pre-spawning, spawning and post-spawning/regression. The resting and preparatory phases were characterized by the dominating presence of chromatin-nucleolar and yolk-vesicle stage oocytes. The pre-spawning phase ovary was marked by the prevalence of yolk globule stage oocytes having cortical alveoli and differentiating follicular wall. The oocytes containing densely packed yolk-granules and large masses of yolk vesicles and also exhibiting germinal vesicle movement (GVM) signified the ovary of spawning phase. The ovary in regression phase contained pre-ovulatory atretic oocytes and significant number of oogonia. The histophysiological changes in liver showing augmented biosynthetic activity during preparatory and pre-spawning phases seemed well correlated with the gonadal development. The increasing water temperature and day-length apparently was favourable for the gonadal development in L. rohita.

Behavioural and hematological responses of Cyprinus carpio exposed to mercurial chloride.

The static bioassay experiments were conducted to study the hematological and behavioural responses of Cyprinus carpio after exposure to mercuric chloride. Three different concentrations i.e. 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 ppm of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) were used for 8, 16, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 124 hrs for evaluating behavioural responses. Hematological responses were assessed after 60 days exposure to 0.1 ppm of HgCl2. The changes in body colour, movement, sluggishness or activeness, disbalance etc. constituted the observations on behavioural responses. Hematological parameters included total erythrocyte (TEC) and leukocyte (TLC) counts and hemoglobin (Hb) levels. Body colour had changed in all groups after 48 hours. The fish exposed to 0.5 ppm HgCl2 did not show any abnormal activity except colour change throughout the experiment. Though no sign of distress was observed initially in groups exposed to 1.0 and 1.5 ppm HgCl2 but abnormal posturing, disbalance and sluggishness became apparent after 72 hrs and all specimens of 1.5 ppm group had died within 124 hours. TEC and Hb levels decreased whereas TLC increased in both male and female specimens of C. carpio after exposure to 0.1 ppm HgCl2 for 60 days. These observations indicated that mercurial toxicity even at low levels, caused adverse effects on body colour, behavioural responses and hematological parameters like TEC, TLC and hemoglobin levels in C. carpio.

Parasitosis: a study among Nepali children in the district of Darjeeling.

A cross-sectional study carried out among 370 school-going children of the Nepali community, aged 5-10 years, in the Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling district revealed the prevalence of parasitic infestation to be 51.4 per cent of which 28.2% and 23.2% had single and multiple parasitism respectively. In the group of single parasitism, A. lumbricoides was the commonest infestation (31.73%) and in multiple parasitisms, A. lumbricoides and T. Trichiura combination was found to be the most prevalent (36.05%). A significant statistical association was observed in the decrease of worm infestation rate among children with the increasing educational status of their mothers. The study also revealed that 19.73% and 18.91% of the mothers had no knowledge about mode of transmission and prevention of worm infestation respectively.

First ovarian maturity and recovery response in common carp, Cyprinus carpio after exposure to carbofuran.

The present study embodies the observations on duration (45, 75 and 105 days) dependent effects of toxicologically low concentration (16 ppm) of a carbamate pesticide, carbofuran, on first ovarian maturity with correlative recovery response by withdrawal of treatment for 30 days in virgin yearlings of common carp, Cyprinus carpio var. Communis. In control fish histological organization of ovary and changes in gonado-somatic index (GSI) revealed the initiation of oocyte differentiation and development at the commencement of experiment in December-January and peak of maturation with fully grown yolky oocytes was attained by the time of termination of experiment in the end of March. In carbofuran exposed groups ovaries exhibited retardation of development and growth evident by significantly decreased GSI and predominace of immature oocytes passing through nuclear-cytoplasmic degeneration of variable magnitude. Severity of degenerative changes was more pronounced with prolonged duration. In recovery group ovaries had experienced regeneration as clued by the presence of oocytes of differential stages including vitellogenic and fully grown oocytes. In liver histopathological changes coupled with significant decrease in hepato-somatic index (HSI) attributed hepatic inactivation in all exposure groups whereas in recovery group an increase in HSI value with marked sign of hepatic reactivation was evidenced. No significant change in values of condition (CF) and somatic condition (SCF) factors substantiated the over all normal health of fish. Lipid and water content of ovary, liver and muscle registered the significant decrease at 105th day of exposure with concomitant augmented value for recovery group. These observations suggest that the commercial formulation of carbofuran, even at this toxicologically low concentration, is equally capable of affecting the first ovarian maturity with associated physiological implications but with reversibility in toxicity by withdrawal of pesticide exposure attributing regeneration in affected organs in due course time.

Carbofuran induced impairment in the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal-gonadal complex in the teleost, Channa punctalus (Bloch).

The effect of chronic exposure to carbofuran (4.5 ppm in static water) for six months on the gonadal histophysiology and hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal complex was studied in Channa punctatus. Experimental observations revealed significant inhibition of gonadal development with associated degenerative abnormalities as evidenced by ovarian and testicular histology and reduced gonadosomatic index. Degenerative changes in ovary were exihibited by stage I (oogonium) and stage II (immature/non-vitellogenic) oocytes as marked by perinuclear ooplasmic lysis, clumping and dissolution resulting in disintigration of nuclear material altogether attributed to complete degeneration of such oocytes. Testicular deleterious changes included degeneration of spermatogenic elements and necrosis of interstitial cells of Leydig. Correlative histophysiological changes were also observed in the pituitary gonadotrophs and hypothalamic, nucleus pre-opticus, neurons that were smaller, inactive and less in number with associated necrosis. Corresponding to the changes in nucleus pre-opticus neurons, significant inhibition of brain monoamine oxidase enzyme activity was also recorded in treated group. These observations suggest that carbofuran even at low concentration level under long-term exposure is capable of inducing retardation of gonadal development which might have been mediated through the impairment of the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal-gonadal axis in this species.

A study on awareness of AIDS among school students and teachers of higher secondary schools in north Calcutta.

Higher Secondary School students and their teachers were studied to assess the knowledge about AIDS and attitude towards AIDS patients. Only 13.5% senior school students and 16.2% teachers had clear knowledge regarding AIDS--its general aspects, transmission and prevention. Girls had higher and clear knowledge than boys. 45.8% of girls, 38.8% of boys students and 20.3% of teachers had positive attitudes towards nursing an AIDS case. It is suggested that schools have to device ways to open up more effective communication with students in relation to education on sex and AIDS. Training on AIDS should be emphasized on school teachers who on their turn can teach the students in a correct way about AIDS.

Tuberculosis of the breast.

Nowadays, tuberculosis of the breast is relatively rare compared to other forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The incidence of tuberculosis of the breast has decreased mainly due to effective antituberculous chemotherapy. We report two cases of tuberculosis of the breast.

Epidemiological correlates of dental caries in an urban slum of West Bengal.

The overall prevalence of dental caries was found to be 57.47 percent in an urban slum irrespective of sex, with a maximum of 75.88 percent in the age group of 5-9 years. Habit of taking hard and sticky food, bad oral hygiene were some of the important epidemiological correlates. Fluoride content of drinking water did not show any significant role.

Status of lymphatic filariasis in some select slum clusters of Delhi.

Filaria surveys conducted in some select slum clusters namely Hari Nagar, Yamuna pusht near Vijaya Ghat along the Ring Road and Timarpur in Delhi during 1989, 1991 and 1992 respectively, covering a population of approximately 5000 slum dwellers revealed the presence of bancroftian microfilaria (mf) carriers and disease cases. The mf and disease rates (per cent) in these three slum areas were in the order of 6.3, 2.2, 3.7 and 1.4, 0.5 and 0.1 respectively. The mf density varied from 3.1 to 12.3 per 20 cumm. blood. High ten man hour densities of Culex quinquefasciatus (581) in Yamuna pusht followed by (355) in Timarpur were recorded during entomological investigations. Hari Nagar accounted for least ten man hour density of Cx. quinquefasciatus (160), because collection was made during winter months (November-December). The dissection of Cx. quinquefasciatus did not reveal any human filarial infection except in Yamuna pusht where out of 139 only one Cx. quinquefasciatus was found infective.