Course of Hyposmia and Hypogeusia and their Relationship with Severity of COVID-19 Disease among Indian Population.

AIMS: Hyposmia and hypogeusia are one of the symptoms of COVID-19. Occurrence and course of these symptoms and their relationship with severity of COVID-19 disease are studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study, including consenting adult SARS CoV-2 positive patients of both genders, admitted to a Covid Hospital in Puducherry, India. This questionnaire- based study was conducted for a period 4 months from 1st October 2020 to 31st January 2021, and collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 24.0 software. RESULTS: Out of 639 participants, 412 (64.5%) were males, 227 (35.5%) were females. Total cases of new onset hyposmia were 167 (26.1%), and total patients with new onset hypogeusia were 172 (26.91%). 216 (33.80%) had either hyposmia/hypogeusia. First symptom as hyposmia was noted in 49 (7.67%) patients, and as hypogeusia in 20 (3.13%) patients before development of any other symptoms. 216 (33.80%) patients had either smell or taste disturbance as one of their symptoms. By the end of 5 weeks of illness, 96.41% of hyposmic patients, and 97.67% of hypogeusic patients recovered fully. There was no statistically significant difference between presence or absence of hyposmia/hypogeusia and severity of COVID-19 disease (p value = 0.95). CONCLUSION: The occurrence of hyposmia and hypogeusia among Indian COVID-19 patients is more than 26%. Presence or absence of hyposmia/hypogeusia is not a predictor of severity of COVID-19 disease. More than 96% of the patients fully recovered their sense of smell and taste sensation by the end of 5 weeks.

Use of disposable needle hub for decompression of large dentigerous cyst: A case report.

Developmental cysts are commonly seen in children, dentigerous cyst is one among them. Cysts associated with vital structures like erupting permanent teeth have to be treated more conservatively. Marsupialization or decompression is more routinely done procedures; the only hitch is maintaining the patency of the window. Various materials are being tried like customized acrylic stents, plastic tubings, disposable suction tips, etc. We want to present a case of decompression of maxillary dentigerous cyst with the use of readily available disposable syringe hub. Syringe hub is cut and trimmed to adapt to the edges of the window created for decompression and stabilized with sutures. It causes less tissue trauma and the larger outer rim provides retention for the stent. Disposable anesthetic syringe hubs can be additional material for decompression with better handling and usage.

Nuclease activity and interaction studies of unsymmetrical binuclear Ni(II) complexes with CT-DNA and BSA.

New unsymmetrical binuclear nickel(II) complexes [Ni2L(1-5)] (ClO4)2 (1-5) were synthesized by using [NiL] [(3-((9E)-(2-((E)-(3-formyl-2-olato-5-methylbenzylideneamino)methyl) phenylimino)methyl)-3-formyl-5-methyl-2-olato)nickel(II)] with various diamines like 1,2-diaminoethane (L(1)), 1,3-diaminopropane (L(2)), 1,4-diaminobutane (L(3)), 1,2-diaminobenzene (L(4)) and 1,8-diaminonaphthalene (L(5)) and characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods. The molecular structure of binuclear nickel(II) complex 1 is determined by a single crystal X-ray diffraction method. Cyclic voltammograms of binuclear Ni(II) complexes exhibit two quasi-reversible reduction waves in the cathodic region and two oxidation waves in the anodic region. DNA binding, protein binding and DNA cleavage studies were investigated. The interactions of complexes (1-5) with calf thymus DNA were studied by spectroscopic techniques, including absorption and fluorescence methods. The binding affinities of complexes (1-5) with CT-DNA and nuclease activities are in the following order: 5> 4>3 >2>1 . Binuclear Ni(II) complex 1 cleaved the plasmid DNA by a hydrolytic pathway. The hydrolytic cleavage of DNA by the complexes is supported by evidence from free radical quenching and T4 ligase ligation. Binuclear Ni(II) complexes (1-5) displayed significant protein (bovine serum albumin) interactions. The experimental results showed that the interaction between binuclear Ni(II) complexes and BSA was mainly a static quenching process.

Prevalence of oral malodour and its relationship with oral parameters in Indian children aged 7-15 years.

AIM: To determine the prevalence of oral malodour in Indian children and also to assess the relationship of oral malodour with oral hygiene, gingival health, dental caries, tongue coating, mouth breathing and frequency of tooth brushing. METHOD: A total number of 900 school children (7-15 years) were included in the study. Children were assessed for the oral malodour, oral hygiene, gingival health, dental caries, tongue coating, mouth breathing and frequency of tooth brushing. RESULTS: The prevalence of oral malodour in Davangere school children was found to be 40.9%. Oral malodour was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with age, mouth breathing, tongue coating, oral hygiene status, gingival status and tooth brushing frequency. Oral malodour was not significantly correlated with gender and caries status. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of malodour in the population studied was 40.9% and oral health status and oral malodour were associated with one another. The prevalence of oral malodour was considerably high and should not be neglected in children.

Supramolecular nanoparticles that target phosphoinositide-3-kinase overcome insulin resistance and exert pronounced antitumor efficacy.

The centrality of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) in cancer etiology is well established, but clinical translation of PI3K inhibitors has been limited by feedback signaling, suboptimal intratumoral concentration, and an insulin resistance "class effect." This study was designed to explore the use of supramolecular nanochemistry for targeting PI3K to enhance antitumor efficacy and potentially overcome these limitations. PI3K inhibitor structures were rationally modified using a cholesterol-based derivative, facilitating supramolecular nanoassembly with L-α-phosphatidylcholine and DSPE-PEG [1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[amino(polythylene glycol)]. The supramolecular nanoparticles (SNP) that were assembled were physicochemically characterized and functionally evaluated in vitro. Antitumor efficacy was quantified in vivo using 4T1 breast cancer and K-Ras(LSL/+)/Pten(fl/fl) ovarian cancer models, with effects on glucose homeostasis evaluated using an insulin sensitivity test. The use of PI103 and PI828 as surrogate molecules to engineer the SNPs highlighted the need to keep design principles in perspective; specifically, potency of the active molecule and the linker chemistry were critical principles for efficacy, similar to antibody-drug conjugates. We found that the SNPs exerted a temporally sustained inhibition of phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR, S6K, and 4EBP in vivo. These effects were associated with increased antitumor efficacy and survival as compared with PI103 and PI828. Efficacy was further increased by decorating the nanoparticle surface with tumor-homing peptides. Notably, the use of SNPs abrogated the insulin resistance that has been associated widely with other PI3K inhibitors. This study provides a preclinical foundation for the use of supramolecular nanochemistry to overcome current challenges associated with PI3K inhibitors, offering a paradigm for extension to other molecularly targeted therapeutics being explored for cancer treatment.

Dentigerous cyst in an uncommon site: a rare entity.

Trauma to the deciduous teeth may have severe consequences. Pulp necrosis is the commonly observed sequel in traumatized primary teeth and is one of the possible etiologic factors for the development of dentigerous cyst. Dentigerous cyst is more commonly seen in mandibular third molar and maxillary canine region and is rarely associated with other teeth. This article addresses a case of dentigerous cyst associated with the germ of upper permanent central incisor, an uncommon site of occurrence, which was impacted, dislodged from its natural site of eruption after trauma to the predecessor incisor.

Monocrotophos toxicity and bioenergetics of muscle weakness in the rat.

Acute organophosphate pesticide poisoning is a common medical emergency with high fatality in agricultural communities of Asia. Organophosphate compounds inhibit acetylcholinesterase and prolonged neuromuscular weakness is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of poisoning. Organophosphate pesticide induced muscle weakness may not only arise from inhibition of acetylcholinesterase but also from non-cholinergic pathomechanisms, particularly mitochondrial dysfunction, affecting the production of sufficient ATP for muscle function. This study examined whether muscle weakness in rats subject to monocrotophos toxicity (0.8LD50) was caused by inhibition of ATP synthesis, by oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis, in addition to inhibition of muscle acetylcholinesterase. Severe muscle weakness in rats following monocrotophos administration was associated with inhibition of muscle acetylcholinesterase (30-60%) but not with reduced ATP production. The rats rapidly recovered muscle strength with no treatment. The ability of rats to spontaneously reactivate dimethoxy phosphorylated acetylcholinesterase and efficiently detoxify organophosphates may prevent severe inhibition of muscle acetylcholinesterase following acute severe monocrotophos poisoning. This may protect rodents against the development of prolonged muscle weakness induced by organophosphates.

The clinical and microbiological correlates of premature rupture of membranes.

Prematurity is the cause of 85% of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) is associated with 30-40% of preterm deliveries. A case-control study conducted between July 2002 and 2003 examined the correlates and risk factors for PROM in Mysore, India. WBCs in vaginal fluid, leucocytes in urine, UTI and infection with E. coli, S. aureus, C. albicans and BV were significantly associated with PROM. BV, E. coli and WBCs in vaginal fluid were independent risk factors. Screening and treatment of BV and E. coli infection in pregnancy may reduce the risk of PROM.

Developmental regulation of SP-A receptor in fetal rat lung.

We studied the ontogeny and developmental regulation of the recently isolated SP-A receptor in fetal and postnatal rat lung. Our results show that SP-A receptor protein levels are first detectable at 16-18 days' gestation in fetal rat lung. There is a biphasic change in its levels with an initial marked increase during late gestation, a decrease in the early postnatal period (4-7 days of age), followed by another rise in levels during the second postnatal week. The results of binding isotherms show that maximal binding of monoclonal antibody to the receptor increases with differentiation of the type II cell, indicating that the increase during fetal lung development is due in part to increased numbers of receptors per cell. Bombesin (10 nM-1 microM) enhanced SP-A receptor protein levels threefold in fetal lung explants as early as 6 hours in culture. This effect of bombesin was associated with increased proliferation of type II cells as measured by levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). We conclude that the increase in SP-A receptor protein level in late gestation fetal rat lung is due to increased numbers of receptors per cell and increased numbers of type II cells. Bombesin may have an important role during lung development by paracrine mechanisms that result in proliferation of lung cells.