Peripheral Odontogenic Fibroma: A Report of a Rare Case and Review of Literature.

Peripheral odontogenic fibroma (POF) is described as a relatively rare, benign, extraosseous odontogenic tumor derived from odontogenic ectomesenchyme. It is characterized by a mature fibrous stroma with embedded inactive resting islands of odontogenic epithelium. In the category of peripheral/extraosseous neoplasms, odontogenic fibroma (OF) is one of the most prevalent tumors. The radiographic examination shows minimum bone loss in the alveolar crest area. It poses a diagnostic challenge for clinicians and pathologists because its clinical and radiological aspects are similar to other peripheral odontogenic as well as non-odontogenic tumors, and the differential diagnosis is predicated on histological assessment. Histopathological examination is the key to a final confirmed diagnosis. This article presents a case report of a 53-year-old male who reported a painless, pale pink mass in the maxillary anterior region. We emphasize the clinicopathological, radiographical, and histopathological aspects of the rare entity of POF.

Screening of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Through Color Intensity-Based Textural Features.

Background Early screening and diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has always been a major challenge for pathologists. Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted screening tools can serve as an adjunct for the objective interpretation of Papanicolaou (PAP)-stained oral smears. Aim This study aimed to develop a handy and sensitive computer-assisted AI tool based on color-intensity textural features to be applied to cytologic images for screening and diagnosis of OSCC. Methodology The study included two groups consisting of 80 OSCC subjects and 80 control groups. PAP-stained smears were collected from both groups. The smears were analyzed in Matlab software computed data and color intensity-based textural features such as entropy, contrast, energy, homogeneity, and correlation, were quantitatively extracted. Results In this study, a statistically significant difference was noted for entropy, energy, correlation, contrast, and homogeneity. It was found that entropy and contrast were found to be higher with a decrease in homogeneity, correlation, and energy in OSCC when compared to the control group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was done and accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were found to be 88%, 91%, and 81%, respectively. Conclusion The gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) color intensity-based textural features play a significant role in differentiating dysplastic and normal cells in the diagnosis of OSCC. Computer-aided textural analysis has the potential to aid in the early detection of oral cancer, which can lead to improved clinical outcomes.

Significance of HIF-1α and CD105 in establishing oral squamous cell carcinoma associated with oral submucous fibrosis a distinct clinicopathological entity.

Context: Oral squamous cell carcinoma associated with oral submucous fibrosis (OSCC with OSMF) is clinicopathologically a distinct entity. However, scientific proof in view of assessment of biomarkers of hypoxia and neoangiogenesis to differentiate them are lacking. The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α (HIF-1α) and CD105 in OSCC with and without OSMF possibly will be explicated along these lines. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the molecular basis of hypoxia and neoangiogenesis in terms of immunohistochemical expression of HIF-1α and CD105 in OSCC with and without OSMF cases. Settings and Design: A retrospective cohort. Subjects and Methods: The study comprise of 203 histopathologically diagnosed surgically operated cases of OSCC retrieved from the departmental archives. The OSCC cases were subgrouped into two, OSCC with OSMF (Group I) and OSCC without OSMF (Group II). The evaluation of hypoxia and angiogenesis was carried out by immunohistochemical markers, HIF-1α and CD105. MVD is the parameter of angiogenesis expressed by CD105. Statistical Analysis Used: Differences in CD105, and HIF-1α immunoreactivity between study groups were done using descriptive statistics using "Kruskal-Wallis test," "Mann-Whitney test." Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: On comparison of MVD in Group I and II, statistically significant difference was found in MVD (8.88 ± 3.41, 16.13 ± 5.86, P = 0.0001). The HIF1-α expression was less in Group I (6.85 ± 2.62) as compare to Group II (7.22 ± 3.08) but the difference was statistically nonsignificant (P = 0.35). Conclusions: The OSCC with OSMF is not only clinicopathologically distinct entity of OSCC but also diverse in its molecular pathogenesis as explicited by distinct expression of HIF-1 α and CD105.

Predictors of recovery in children aged 6-59 months with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition: a multicentre study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of recovery in children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition (SAM). DESIGN: This is a secondary data analysis from an individual randomised controlled trial, where children with uncomplicated SAM were randomised to three feeding regimens, namely ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) sourced from Compact India, locally prepared RUTF or augmented home-prepared foods, under two age strata (6-17 months and 18-59 months) for 16 weeks or until recovery. Three sets of predictors that could influence recovery, namely child, family and nutritional predictors, were analysed. SETTING: Rural and urban slum areas of three states of India, namely Rajasthan, Delhi and Tamil Nadu. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 906 children (age: 6-59 months) were analysed to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) using the Cox proportional hazard ratio model to identify various predictors. RESULTS: Being a female child (AHR: 1·269 (1·016, 1·584)), better employment status of the child's father (AHR: 1·53 (1·197, 1·95)) and residence in a rental house (AHR: 1·485 (1·137, 1·94)) increased the chances of recovery. No hospitalisation (AHR: 1·778 (1·055, 2·997)), no fever, (AHR: 2·748 (2·161, 3·494)) and ≤ 2 episodes of diarrhoea (AHR: 1·579 (1·035, 2·412)) during the treatment phase; availability of community-based peer support to mothers for feeding (AHR: 1·61 (1·237, 2·097)) and a better weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) at enrolment (AHR: 1·811 (1·297, 2·529)) predicted higher chances of recovery from SAM. CONCLUSION: The probability of recovery increases in children with better WHZ and with the initiation of treatment for acute illnesses to avoid hospitalisation, availability of peer support and better employment status of the father.

Folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine and polymorphisms in folate metabolizing genes in children with congenital heart disease and their mothers.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess the role of variations in serum folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine and the presence of genetic polymorphisms as risk factors for congenital heart disease (CHD) in children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 32 children with CHD, and their mothers and 32 normal children and their mothers formed the study and control groups, respectively. Serum folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine as well as genetic polymorphisms MTHFR C677→︀T, MTHFR A1298→︀C, MTR A2756→︀G and MTRR A66→︀G were assessed. RESULTS: Low serum folate and genetic polymorphisms MTHFR C677→︀T and MTRR A66→︀G among children and their mothers and high homocysteine among mothers were noted as risk factors for CHD (P<0.05). Vitamin B12 levels were normal and showed no association. Presence of MTHFR C677→︀T and MTRR A66→︀G, both concurrently among children as well as mothers and simultaneously among mother-child pairs, showed several fold increase in the risk for CHD. On multivariate analysis, the risk factors noted for CHD were presence of MTHFR C677→︀T among children and their mothers and MTRR A66→︀G among mothers. Analyses for nutrient-gene interaction revealed significant associations between low serum folate and high serum homocysteine levels, and the presence of selected genetic polymorphisms. CONCLUSIONS: Low serum folate, high homocysteine and presence of selected genetic polymorphisms among children and their mothers were noted as risk factors for CHD. Nutrient-gene interaction being a modifiable risk factor, the study recommends the use of peri-conceptional folate supplementation with vitamin B12 sufficiency for primary prevention of CHD.

Role of various natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic polymers on drug release kinetics of losartan potassium oral controlled release tablets.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present work was to formulate and to characterize controlled release matrix tablets of losartan potassium in order to improve bioavailability and to minimize the frequency of administration and increase the patient compliance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Losartan potassium controlled release matrix tablets were prepared by direct compression technique by the use of different natural, synthetic and semisynthetic polymers such as gum copal, gum acacia, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose K100 (HPMC K100), eudragit RL 100 and carboxy methyl ethyl cellulose (CMEC) individually and also in combination. Studies were carried out to study the influence of type of polymer on drug release rate. All the formulations were subjected to physiochemical characterization such as weight variation, hardness, thickness, friability, drug content, and swelling index. In vitro dissolution studies were carried out simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) for first 2 h and followed by simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) up to 24 h, and obtained dissolution data were fitted to in vitro release kinetic equations in order to know the order of kinetics and mechanism of drug release. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Results of physiochemical characterization of losartan potassium matrix tablets were within acceptable limits. Formulation containing HPMC K100 and CMEC achieved the desired drug release profile up to 24 h followed zero order kinetics, release pattern dominated by Korsmeyer - Peppas model and mechanism of drug release by nonfickian diffusion. The good correlation obtained from Hixson-Crowell model indicates that changes in surface area of the tablet also influences the drug release. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, losartan potassium controlled release matrix tablets prepared by employing HPMC K100 and CMEC can attain the desired drug release up to 24 h, which results in maintaining steady state concentration and improving bioavailability.

A case-control nutrigenomic study on the synergistic activity of folate and vitamin B12 in cervical cancer progression.

The present study was designed to identify the role of folate, B12, homocysteine, and polymorphisms of methylene tetrahydrofolatereductase (MTHFR) gene in cervical carcinogenesis among 322 women from Kerala, South India. Serum folate, vitamin B12 (chemiluminescence assay), and homocysteine (EIA) along with genetic polymorphisms of MTHFR gene (polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism) were analyzed for 136 control subjects, 92 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) subjects, and 94 invasive cervical cancer cases (ICC). Statistically significant associations between MTHFR polymorphisms, serum homocysteine, and folate levels with cervical carcinogenesis were not evident, but we found that these parameters acted as effect modifiers of serum vitamin B12. The risk estimates observed for B12 became prominent only when there was a deficiency in serum folate levels [LSIL-odds ratio (OR): 14.9 (95% CI: 2.65 to 84.4); ICC-OR = 8.72 (95% CI = 1.55 to 48.8)] or when MTHFR A1298C polymorphic variant was present [LSIL-OR = 9.8 (95% CI = 2.61 to 36.7); ICC-OR = 10.0 (95%CI = 2.5 to 39.3)]. The statistical significance of this effect modification was further studied using an interaction model, where only folate was observed to have an influence on B12 levels as suggested by the odds ratio of 7.11 (95% CI = 0.45 to 111.9) obtained for ICC group, implicating a synergistic role of these 2 vitamins in invasive cervical cancer.

C-T variant in a miRNA target site of BCL2 is associated with increased risk of human papilloma virus related cervical cancer--an in silico approach.

MicroRNAs control gene expression at the posttranscriptional level by base-pairing to the 3'-UTR of their target mRNAs, thus leading to mRNA degradation of protein fabrication. We hypothesize, SNPs within miRNAs and their targets could be of significance to an individual's risk of developing cancer. We analyzed in silico SNP information on cervical cancer associated aberrant alleles and further investigated this in a case-control study by examining eleven SNPs from different genes. It was observed that a C to T polymorphism in putative miRNA target site of BCL2 was significantly conspicuous for the aberrant SNP allele in cancer tissues as compared to controls. This study provides evidence that SNPs in miRNA-binding sites may play an important role in increasing risk of cancer. The results also paves way for future studies to validate these results in other well-characterized populations as well as to explore the biological significance of these particular SNPs.