Yoga as an Add-on Therapy in Parkinson's Disease: A Single Group Open-label Trial.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the effect of yoga on motor and non-motor symptoms and cortical excitability in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 17 patients with PD at baseline, after one month of conventional care, and after one month of supervised yoga sessions. The motor and non-motor symptoms were evaluated using the Unified Parkinson's disease Rating Scale (motor part III), Hoehn and Yahr stage, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Hamilton depression rating scale, Hamilton anxiety rating scale, non-motor symptoms questionnaire and World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to record resting motor threshold, central motor conduction time, ipsilateral silent period (iSP), contralateral silent period (cSP), short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), and intracortical facilitation. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 55.5 ± 10.8 years, with a mean duration of illness of 4.0 ± 2.5 years. The postural stability of the patients significantly improved following yoga (0.59 ± 0.5 to 0.18 ± 0.4, p = 0.039). There was a significant reduction in the cSP from baseline (138.07 ± 27.5 ms) to 4 weeks of yoga therapy (116.94 ± 18.2 ms, p = 0.004). In addition, a significant reduction in SICI was observed after four weeks of yoga therapy (0.22 ± 0.10) to (0.46 ± 0.23), p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Yoga intervention can significantly improve postural stability in patients with PD. A significant reduction of cSP and SICI suggests a reduction in GABAergic neurotransmission following yoga therapy that may underlie the improvement observed in postural stability. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: CTRI/2019/02/017564.

Aircraft observations in a tropical supercluster over the equatorial Indian Ocean during MISO-BOB field campaign.

The Monsoon Intra-Seasonal Oscillations in the Bay of Bengal (MISO-BOB) field campaign was conducted in the Indian Ocean during the 2018 and 2019 summer monsoon seasons. WC-130J aircraft of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the US Air Force participated in the campaign in June 2018. The dropsonde observations across a tropical supercluster showed zonal wind variations in association with the structure of the convectively coupled Kelvin wave (CCKW). Within the supercluster, easterlies (westerlies) were observed in the upper (lower) troposphere; this transformation occurred just below the 0[Formula: see text] C level. The cold pool had an easterly component throughout, and it was coldest (by 2.5[Formula: see text] C) at the center of the supercluster, deepest ([Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]) at its rear/western end, and shallowest ([Formula: see text] 300 m) at the front/eastern end. The level of free convection (LFC) at the front end was at [Formula: see text] altitude. At the eastern flank of the supercluster, zonal convergence in the lower troposphere occurred between 500-1500 m levels above the surface between the westerlies within the supercluster and opposing ambient easterlies. Thus, the uplifting of conditionally unstable air parcels above LFC to the east of the supercluster was likely to occur due to this convergence rather than the cold pool influence. Conversely, the western flank of the supercluster had low-level zonal divergence. These observations support the notion of 'self-similarity' among the mesoscale convective systems and large-scale waves.

Seasonal characteristics of storms over the Indian subcontinent.

Storms are convective cells responsible for the major fraction of convective precipitation. Here, the pre-monsoon and monsoon season characteristics of storms are reported at Lucknow, Patna, Bhopal, and Nagpur in India using equivalent radar reflectivity factor ([Formula: see text]) given at these radar locations. It is observed that the lifetime, speed of propagation, area, volume, echo top height and thickness lie in ranges 0.3-3 h, 5-60 km [Formula: see text], 4-184 [Formula: see text], 8-1600 [Formula: see text], 2-14 km, and 0.5-16 km respectively. For both seasons, the relationships between radar estimated rain volume (RERV; range [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]) and area-time integral (ATI; range 1-100 [Formula: see text] h) are established which are considered as a representative of total precipitation resulted from an individual storm during its life cycle. The results from statistical analysis of RERV-ATI pairs suggest that storms at Lucknow have similar seasonal characteristics at 87% confidence interval while other locations exhibit dissimilarities. In addition, the vertical profiles of radar reflectivity (VPRRs) of storms are constructed at their life phases, namely cumulus, mature and dissipation. It is concluded that the vertical [Formula: see text] gradient in mixed-phase region (5-8 km) is lower (2-2.9 dBZ [Formula: see text]) at cumulus and dissipation phases than at mature phase (3.6-4.4 dBZ [Formula: see text]) in monsoon season. For pre-monsoon season, this gradient lies between 3.3-5.2 dBZ [Formula: see text] at mature phase. Our results are of great importance for advancing knowledge about storm-scale, which has implications in short-range weather forecasting as well as developing new convective parametrization schemes.

Recent spatial aggregation tendency of rainfall extremes over India.

Significant increase in the frequency of occurrences of rainfall extremes has been reported over several parts of the world. These extreme events were defined at individual grids without considering their spatial extent. Here, using ground-based observations over India during boreal summer, we show that the average size of spatially collocated rainfall extremes has been significantly increasing since 1980. However, the frequency of occurrences of such collocated extreme events remains unchanged. Around 90% of the total number of large-sized events (area ≥ 70 × 103 km2) of our study period (1951 to 2015) have occurred after 1980. Some of the major floods in recent decades over India are attributed to these large events. These events have distinctive precursory planetary-scale conditions, unlike their smaller counterparts. As the underlying physical mechanisms of extremes rainfall events are size-dependent, their changing spatial extent needs to be considered to understand the observed trends correctly and obtain realistic future projections.

Effect of adjunctive use of green tea dentifrice in periodontitis patients - A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVES: Green tea is known to possess anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant activities. This study evaluated the effect of a locally prepared green tea dentifrice on specific parameters assessing gingival inflammation and severity of periodontal disease, when used as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the management of chronic periodontitis by comparing with a fluoride-triclosan-containing control dentifrice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients, with mild to moderate chronic periodontitis, were randomly allocated into two treatment groups, 'test' and 'control' after initial SRP. The test group was given green tea dentifrice with instructions on method of brushing, while the control group received a commercially available fluoride and triclosan containing dentifrice. Clinical parameters of Gingival Index (GI), Plaque Index (PI), percentage of sites with bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) along with biochemical parameters of total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) were recorded at baseline line and 4 weeks post-SRP. RESULTS: Intragroup analysis at 4 weeks showed statistically significant improvements of GI, PI, BOP, PD, CAL and TAOC in both groups. GST activity however, was increased only in the test group. At the end of the study period, the test group showed statistically significant improvements in GI, BOP, CAL, TAOC and GST levels compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: On comparison with fluoride-triclosan dentifrice, green tea showed greater reduction of gingival inflammation and improved periodontal parameters. Green tea dentifrice may serve as a beneficial adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy.

Randomized, controlled clinical study to evaluate efficacy of novel indigenously designed controlled release flurbiprofen gel system for management of periodontal diseases.

BACKGROUND: This randomized, controlled clinical study was planned to evaluate the use of anti-inflammatory drug flurbiprofen in the form of locally delivered controlled release gel in the treatment of periodontal disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The flurbiprofen gel was indigenously prepared in the concentration of 0.3%. The 30 patients with localized periodontal pockets measuring ≥5 mm were randomly divided into three groups. The groups received flurbiprofen gel, flurbiprofen gel after prophylaxis, and placebo gel after oral prophylaxis, respectively. The clinical parameters for plaque and gingival inflammation were evaluated at baseline, 7(th) day, and 14(th) day. RESULTS: The results of the study suggested the statistically significant (P < 0.05) improvement in the gingival status of the patients with the use of flurbiprofen gel as an adjunct to scaling and root planing as compared to oral prophylaxis or gel alone. CONCLUSION: The data demonstrated that the additional use of local drug delivery of flurbiprofen through gel media enhances the positive effects of scaling and root planing and helps in faster resolution of the inflammation.

Stress and periodontal disease: The link and logic!!

Stress is an equated response to constant adverse stimuli. At one point or another everybody suffers from stress. Stress is compatible with good health, being necessary to cope with the challenges of everyday life. Problems start when the stress response is inappropriate to the intensity of the challenge. Psychological stress can down regulate the cellular immune response. Communication between the central nervous system and the immune system occurs via a complex network of bidirectional signals linking the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Stress disrupts the homeostasis of this network, which in turn, alters immune function. Direct association between periodontal disease and stress remains to be proven, which is partly due to lack of an adequate animal models and difficulty to quantifying the amount and duration of stress and also there are many factors influencing the incidence and severity of periodontal disease. Nevertheless, more recent studies indicate that psychosocial stress represents a risk indicator for periodontal disease and should be addressed before and during treatment. This paper discusses how stress may modulate host response to bacteria and influence the course and progression of periodontal disease.

Comparison of immuno-phenotypes of stem cells from human dental pulp and periodontal ligament.

It has been established that human dental pulp and periodontal ligament contain a population of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). However, the phenotypic analysis in terms of putative stem cell markers expressed by these stem cell populations is incomplete. It is relevant to understand whether stem cells derived from closely related tissues are programmed differently. The aim of the present study is to analyze whether these stem cells depict distinct characteristics by gaining insight into differences in their immunophenotype. Dental pulp and periodontal ligament tissue samples were obtained from extracted impacted wisdom teeth. Cell cultures were analyzed for surface and intracellular markers by indirect immunoflourescence. Detailed immunophenotype analysis was carried out by flow cytometry using relevant markers. The present study data shows dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) expressed embryonic stem (ES) cell markers Oct-4, Nanog and mesodermal marker Vimentin by indirect immunoflourescence. PDLSCs, however, had a weak expression of Nanog. Immunophenotyping revealed strong expression of MSC markers (CD73, CD90) in DPSCs and PDLSCs. Differences were observed in expression of stemness-related markers. DPSCs displayed increased percentages of SSEA4, CD13 and CD166 and decreased CD9 expression compared to PDLSCs. Both stem cells express common MSC markers, different levels of expression suggests there might be more than one stem cell population existing within these tissues which differ in their embryonic status, and DPSCs are a more primitive stem cell population in comparison to PDLSCs.

Laboratory simulations show diabatic heating drives cumulus-cloud evolution and entrainment.

Clouds are the largest source of uncertainty in climate science, and remain a weak link in modeling tropical circulation. A major challenge is to establish connections between particulate microphysics and macroscale turbulent dynamics in cumulus clouds. Here we address the issue from the latter standpoint. First we show how to create bench-scale flows that reproduce a variety of cumulus-cloud forms (including two genera and three species), and track complete cloud life cycles--e.g., from a "cauliflower" congestus to a dissipating fractus. The flow model used is a transient plume with volumetric diabatic heating scaled dynamically to simulate latent-heat release from phase changes in clouds. Laser-based diagnostics of steady plumes reveal Riehl-Malkus type protected cores. They also show that, unlike the constancy implied by early self-similar plume models, the diabatic heating raises the Taylor entrainment coefficient just above cloud base, depressing it at higher levels. This behavior is consistent with cloud-dilution rates found in recent numerical simulations of steady deep convection, and with aircraft-based observations of homogeneous mixing in clouds. In-cloud diabatic heating thus emerges as the key driver in cloud development, and could well provide a major link between microphysics and cloud-scale dynamics.

Primary Renal Leiomyosarcoma: Case Report and Literature Review

Primary leimyosarcoma of the kidney is extremely rare. The management is unclear due to the limited literature on the subject. The diagnosis should be considered when imaging shows a relatively hypovascular tumor involving one renal pole; with atypical features on microscopy. We report a renal leiomyosarcoma in a 68 year old man; who underwent right radical nephrectomy. A tumor-free surgical margin is the most important prognostic factor. Although various modalities of adjuvant treatment have been tried; the overall prognosis is poor as the tumor is highly aggressive

Study of the efficacy of toothpaste containing casein phosphopeptide in the prevention of dental caries: a randomized controlled trial in 12- to 15-year-old high caries risk children in Bangalore, India.

Casein phosphopeptide (CPP) has the potential to be added to mouth rinses, gels, toothpastes, chewing gums and confectioneries. Until now CPP has been studied in vitro, in situ and in animals, but clinical trials are lacking. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of CPP-containing toothpaste in preventing dental caries in schoolchildren. The study was conducted among 150 schoolchildren randomly divided into three groups, each using one of three types of toothpastes: (a) containing 2% w/w CPP; (b) containing 1,190 mg/kg fluoride as 0.76% sodium monofluorophosphate (SMFP); (c) placebo toothpaste without CPP or fluoride. Students brushed with the given toothpastes for 24 months. Oral hygiene and caries experience were assessed at baseline, 12 and 24 months. The increments in caries lesions were calculated and analyzed to assess the caries-preventive effect. A significant reduction in caries increment was observed among students using CPP toothpaste or SMFP toothpaste, compared with the group using the placebo toothpaste. The reduction in caries increment was not significantly different between the CPP and SMFP groups. Oral Hygiene Index score increased from the 12-month to the 24-month examination. It is concluded that CPP can be effectively incorporated into calcium carbonate-based toothpaste and that toothpaste containing CPP is effective in preventing caries. Toothpaste containing 2% CPP seemed to have an efficacy similar to paste containing 1,190 mg/kg SMFP in the prevention of caries.

Oral malodor: a review of the literature.

Oral malodor or halitosis is any unpleasant odor emerging from the mouth that is detected by others. Many patients experience extreme discomfort and embarrassment and therefore seek help for this problem. Oral causes, such as poor oral hygiene, periodontal disease, tongue coating, food impaction, unclean dentures, faulty restorations, and dry mouth, are far more common than nonoral causes of malodor. Management may include simple measures such as scaling and root planing, instructions in oral hygiene, tongue cleaning, and mouth rinsing. This paper reviews the current knowledge, etiology, diagnosis, and possible treatment strategies for oral malodor. Emphasis is placed on the recognition of the dental hygienist as a specialist in aspects of patient care and instruction, which relate to the prevention and control of oral malodor.

Biomarkers of environmental contaminants in field population of green mussel (Perna viridis) from Karnataka-Kerala coast (South West coast of India).

The green mussel Perna viridis was sampled from relatively clean and contaminated sites along the Kartanata-Kerala coast (south west coast of India) to study the tissue concentration of trace metals and biological responses to stress (biomarkers) such as sister chromatid exchange (SCE), chromosomal aberration, micronucleus (MN) test, hemic neoplasia (HN), Chromotest (Ames test) and comet assay. In general, mean tissue concentrations of toxic trace metals collected from 25 sampling sites were found to be below the World Health Organisation (WHO) permissible concentration given for seafood. The digestive gland extract of mussels from all 25 sampling sites showed negative reaction for mutagenic activity (Ames test) in the absence of metabolic activation. Very low levels of chromosomal aberration, SCE, MN, HN and comet cells were observed in mussels collected from both the urban associated and relatively clean sites. This study seems to indicate that that the coastal waters of Karnataka and Kerala are minimally contaminated with genotoxic and carcinogenic chemicals.

Monitoring trace metal contaminants in green mussel, Perna viridis from the coastal waters of Karnataka, southwest coast of India.

The green mussel (Perna viridis) is widely distributed in the coastal waters of Asia and is used in mussel watch programmes for monitoring environmental contaminants throughout the region. Green mussels representing different size groups and habitats were sampled from their natural beds at 28 locations in the inshore waters of Karnataka (southwest coast of India) to analyze the tissue concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Tissue concentrations of Cr, Cu, Fe, and Pb were significantly higher in smaller mussels than in the larger size group. Significantly higher concentrations of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Ni were observed in mussels sampled from intertidal beds when compared to mussels from the subtidal beds. The sampling sites were categorized into industrial sites (IS), urban sites (US), and nonurban sites (NS) based on principal component analysis of metal concentrations in mussel. Spatial variations in tissue concentrations of all metals were observed except for Zn. Generally, the levels of toxic trace metals like Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr in the whole tissue of P. viridis were within safe limits throughout the coast of Karnataka. However, relatively high concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Pb were observed in the whole tissue of green mussels collected from the industrial sites (IS), which may be derived from a variety of anthropogenic activities.

Ocular prosthesis in children--clinical report.

Children and adolescents are particularly susceptible to injuries because of their fearless manner of play and their athletic immaturity due to which irreparable trauma to the eye is very commonly seen. Glaucoma is another common cause for eye loss in children. The loss of an eye causes disfigurement of the face due to which the children become emotionally weak and conscious and avoid taking part in social events, which in turn causes anxiety, stress and depression at an early age in life. Recovery after the loss of an eye requires an adjustment to monocular vision and improvement of the appearance with the use of artificial eyes carefully prepared to match the remaining natural eye. The custom made ocular prostheses are very comfortable and help children improve their appearances, which in turn, encourages them to build up their self-confidence to return back to their social life.

Influence of Dissolved Oxygen on Acid Production in Buffalo Milk by Lactic Cultures.

Rates of acid production in buffalo milk by lactic cultures increased with the decrease of oxygen content to 2.90 ppm. Rates of production in milk samples containing less than 2.90 ppm dissolved oxygen did not vary. Incorporating oxygen into milk to raise the initial oxygen content from 5.50 to 9.00 ppm strongly inhibited acid production by all lactic cultures. Development of acidity by lactic cultures was more rapid in milk subjected to prior heat treatment and was maximum in milk heated at 90°C for 10 min. This was attributed to a slight descrease in oxygen content and increase in free sulfhydryls in heated milk. The free sulfhydryls and dissolved oxygen content decreased considerably in milk samples inoculated with lactic cultures but not in uninoculated control samples incubated for up to 2 h. The decrease in free sulfhydryls corresponded with the decrease in dissolved oxygen in all inoculated samples. Acidification of milk with lactic acid to the same extent as that found in inoculated milk samples showed no decrease in either free sulfhydryls or dissolved oxygen content, suggesting that lactic cultures catalyze the oxidation of free sulfhydryls with dissolved oxygen thereby effecting a more rapid rate of acid production during microbial fermentation of heated milk. The rate of decrease in free sulfhydryls and dissolved oxygen content and increase in acidity corresponded well with growth of lactics, being greatest in Streptococcus lactis -and least in Streptococcus thermophilus -inoculated milk.