Choosing the best method to utilise single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans in the management of unilateral condylar hyperplasia.

Facial asymmetry secondary to unilateral condylar hyperplasia can be a diagnostic challenge to oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans provide a useful adjunct. We report a brief summary of the evidence describing the effectiveness of different methods of analysing SPECT scans and compare it with the results of a 10-year study at Sunderland Royal Hospital. Overall, both the evidence base and our study strongly favour use of the condyle:condyle ratio over the condyle:reference bone ratio, suggesting that no further comparisons are needed.

Sustainable in Situ Approach to Covalently Functionalize Graphene Oxide with POSS Molecules Possessing Extremely Low Dielectric Behavior.

Incorporation of multifunctional inorganic additives into the commercial polymers still stands as the most captivating and effective way to realize new-generation electronic components. Here, we introduce a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally benign method to covalently functionalize graphene oxide (GO) with vinyl- and aminopropyl-functionalized hybrid silica spheres with a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-siloxane composition. The reaction has been carried out in a mixture of ethanol and water (used as a medium) at ambient conditions with silane precursors. Later, the synthesized hybrid material has been tested for its dielectric properties after blending with syndiotactic polystyrene, a commercially available insulating semicrystalline polymer. It was observed that the dielectric constant decreases with the addition of GOPOSS up to 1.85 with a dielectric loss of 0.02 at 5 GHz. Significant improvements in the thermal properties of the composites were verified with minimal filler loading.

Syndiotactic Polystyrene/Hybrid Silica Spheres of POSS Siloxane Composites Exhibiting Ultralow Dielectric Constant.

Homogeneously dispersed hybrid silica/syndiotactic polystyrene composites were investigated for low-κ dielectric applications. The composites were prepared by a solution blending method, and their microstructures were analyzed by SEM, TEM, and AFM. Crystallization and phase transformation behavior of sPS were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. These composites exhibited improved thermal stability and reduced thermal expansion coefficients. Promising dielectric properties were observed for the composites in the microwave frequency region with a dielectric constant (κ = 1.95) and loss (tan δ = 10(-4)) at 5 GHz.

Parkinson's Disease, Depression, and Quality-of-Life.

BACKGROUND: Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) but is often under diagnosed and under treated leading to worsening of symptoms and deterioration of the quality-of-life of the people suffering from this disease. AIMS: The current study aims to determine the correlation between depression and health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) domains in patients with PD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 65 consecutive patients attending the specialty Parkinson's clinic was assessed by a psychiatrist as part of the treatment protocol. Diagnosis of depression was done using the International Classification of Diseases-10 by a psychiatrist and depression was scored using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). QOL-BREF Malayalam version was used to assess quality-of-life in the patients. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: One-way ANOVA was used to find the difference in the quality-of-life experienced by different age categories, duration of the disease, psychiatric co-morbidity. Independent sample t-test was used to find the difference in the quality-of-life experienced by genders, co morbid conditions and to find the difference in the scores on GDS and domains of WHO QOL BREF. Association of H and Y staging and duration of Parkinsonism with GDS Scores were computed using Pearson's Chi-square test. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant association of female gender and depression with the physical and psychological domains of QOL while the duration and staging of PD did not have any association with QOL Domains. Depression thus emerges as one of the main predictors of poor quality-of-life in PD.

Hafnium silicate: a new microwave dielectric ceramic with low thermal expansivity.

A HfSiO4 ceramic was prepared by a conventional solid state synthesis method by sintering at 1600 °C. The morphology of the sintered surface was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy and the average surface roughness was about 118 nm. The sintered HfSiO4 ceramic has εr = 7.0, Qu × f = 25 000 and τf = -44 ppm °C(-1) at 10 GHz. It exhibits promising thermal properties such as a low linear thermal expansivity (CTE) of -1.8 ppm °C(-1) (dilatometer) in the temperature range of 30-800 °C and a room temperature thermal conductivity of 11 W m(-1) K(-1).

Micro ear surgery-Its purpose and procedure for tubo tympanic pathology.

Hearing is one of the special senses god has bestowed upon human beings. One can really appreciate the value of hearing only when one ceases to hear. Unfortunately, in our country the hearing impaired individuals are ridiculed, where as the visually impaired are sympathized upon. Our country being a developing nation with poor socio-economic status and low environmental surroundings, chronic diseases of the ear account for nearly 5% of the population. One will not be surprised if the statistics reveal five crores chronic ear patients in our country. If this ailment is not corrected, the hardship faced by the patients will be tremendous. Hence, the purpose of ear surgery is to restore normal anatomical and physiological status of the ear, so that the patient leads a comfortable lifestyle. ENT surgeons by performing corrective surgery for chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) can change the lifestyles of their patients profoundly. The medical line of management will only lessen the severity of symptoms. With the present modern gadgets coupled with skill acquired by otologist. I will exhort every patient with CSOM to undergo corrective ear surgery as to ensure a healthy and normal life.

Natural history, trend of prevalence and spectrum of manifestations of Bancroftian filarial disease in Pondicherry (South India).

The study examines the changes in the disease parameters of lymphatic filariasis over a period of time based on three surveys during 1957, 1986 and 1992 in Pondicherry, South India. The overall prevalence of filarial disease in the three surveys was 4.7, 6.7 and 9.9% respectively. It was significantly higher in males (1957:5.3%; 1986:13.7%; 1992:18.8%) when compared to females (1957:3.8%; 1986:2.3%; 1992:2.7%) in all the three surveys (P <0.05). The overall prevalence of acute adenolymphangitis declined from 1.0 in 1957 to 0.2 in 1986 and 0.04% in 1992. While the prevalence of hydrocele showed an increasing trend from 2.7 in 1957 to 11.9 in 1986 and 17.3% in 1992, the prevalence of lymphoedema (1.9 in 1957; 1.9 in 1986 and 1.8% in 1992) was stable over the same period. The prevalence of disease was relatively higher in all age groups of both male and female population in 1992 when compared either to 1957 or 1986. Similarly a monotonic increase in the prevalence of hydrocele was observed in all age groups in 1992 when compared to previous surveys. The implications of the changes in prevalence of the chronic manifestations when compared to the changes in the acute manifestations over a period of 35 years are discussed.