Impact of lifestyle modifications on snoring and mild sleep apnoea patients.

OBJECTIVE: Behavioural modification through increasing nutritional awareness, along with customised dietary changes and education about physical inactivity, for obese snorers and mildly sleep apnoeic patients would help improve their quality of life. METHODS: A one-year prospective interventional study enrolled snorers and/or mild obstructive sleep apnoea sufferers, with 36 patients each in the test group and control group. Nutritional information and tailor-made diet charts were given to the 36 test subjects. The severity of snoring and daytime sleepiness after 6 and 12 months was compared using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Thornton Snoring Scale as measures of quality of life. RESULTS: Subjective scores on both scales showed highly significant improvement (p ≤ 0.001) in the test group. No significant improvement was seen in the control group. CONCLUSION: Awareness of basic nutrition and customised diet plans help to achieve behavioural modification in the long term, resulting in a better quality of life.

Atypical presentation of tuberculosis.

Developing countries such as India face an intense situation with communicable diseases such as tuberculosis (TB). It is an inflammatory infectious granulomatous disease commonly affecting the lungs. Extrapulmonary TB presentations have been documented, with the orofacial region also being involved. TB usually presents as an ulcer in the oral cavity with tongue and lip being the favored sites. TB presenting as a lip swelling is unusual even if it is a secondary lesion with a primary pulmonary involvement. We present a lip swelling and discuss the differential diagnosis. Investigation of ultrasonography revealed a vascular lesion which was disproved, suggesting an increase in vascularity even in diseases such as TB. We present a case of a lip swelling which led to the diagnosis of recurrent pulmonary TB which the patient was unaware of. Findings of histopathology revealing the absence of bacilli are also discussed. Monetary constraints frequently cause a neglect of dangerous diseases such as TB.

Implications of using two natural enemies of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) toward tomato yield enhancement.

Tomato leaf miner (TLM), Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most destructive tomato pests worldwide. We tested quantity and quality of tomato fruits after simultaneous use of two biological control agents, the predatory mirid bug Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) and the egg parasitoid Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenko against TLM. We varied the timing of predator releases (before or after pest establishment) and the number of parasitoids released (ten or 30 females per week per m2). The highest number of fruits per cage, percentage of undamaged fruits, total yield weight, and undamaged yield weight were all obtained with predator-in-first treatments, with or without parasitoid releases. Furthermore, measures of fruit quality were also highest in predator-in-first treatments, including, highest percentage of water, greatest proportional fresh weight of carbohydrates, most lycopene, most ß-carotene, most flavonoids, and highest total chlorophyll. Thus, our findings support a predator-in-first augmentation approach for management of TLM.

Long-term neurodevelopment outcome of caffeine versus aminophylline therapy for apnea of prematurity.

OBJECTIVE: Methylxanthines are the most commonly prescribed drug in neonatal setups. However, Clinicians show indecision in choosing the right agent for Apnea of Prematurity in most of the developing countries. Present study aimed to compare rate of mortality and survival with normal neurodevelopment outcome at 18 to 24 months of corrected age, between Caffeine- and Aminophylline-treated infants for apnea of prematurity. METHODS: 240 infants were randomly allocated to caffeine and aminophylline for apnea of prematurity during February 2012 to January 2015. Long-term neurodevelopmental assessment was done only from children who had attained corrected age of 18 to 24 months during April 2014 to February 2016. Cognitive, language and motor deficits were assessed by Bayley Scale of infant and toddler development (BSID - III). Postnatal characteristics such as hearing and visual impairments during NICU stay were noted and same were followed up. RESULTS: Infants allocated to caffeine group showed 83% less risk of getting cognitive impairment (RR 0.16; CI 95% range 0.02 to 1.36), 50% less risk of developing motor deficits (RR 0.50; CI 95% range 0.12 to 1.95) and 24% less risk of developing language problems (RR 0.76; CI 95% range 0.36 to 1.58). However in all the neurodevelopment domains the difference between groups was not statistically significant. Risk of mortality in caffeine group was 9% less over aminophylline group which was statistically non-significant (RR - 0.92; CI 95% range - 0.45 to 1.84; p = 0.81). Physical growth parameters were found to be similar in both the groups. Risk of developing visual abnormality and hearing impairments was also statistically non-significant between the groups. CONCLUSION: Caffeine and aminophylline showed similar effects in reducing the rate of mortality and improving the survival without neurodevelopment delays; though the clinical significance of caffeine over aminophylline cannot be undermined.

Varietal Preferences and Within-Orchard and Tree Distribution of Newly Recorded Gall Midges, Dasineura amaramanjarae and Procontarinia mangiferae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), From Commercial Mango Cultivars in Pakistan.

Gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) damage mango by feeding on flowers and fruit tissues, inducing galls on leaves, and providing inoculums of anthracnose. Dasineura amaramanjarae Grover and Procontarinia mangiferae (Felt), two gall midges that damage flowers in all mango-growing areas of the world, have recently been recorded in Pakistan, and studies were conducted in 2011 and 2012 on the within-tree and orchard distribution patterns and cultivar preference of both species in Pakistan at one location (Rahim Yar Khan). Both gall midge species were found on all mango cultivars examined (Chaunsa, Fajri, Dusehri, Surkha, Sindhri, and Anwar Ratul), with the most damage occurring to Surkha and Dusehri. Research on midge distribution patterns in different parts of mango orchards (central, southern, northern, eastern, and western sides) showed these species to be found in all areas, with the greatest numbers in the central and southern regions. In addition, both species were most abundant on the lower parts of the mango tree canopy.

Optimization study of 2-hydroxyquinoxaline (2-HQ) biodegradation by Ochrobactrum sp. HQ1.

A novel aerobic gram-negative bacterial strain capable of utilizing 2-hydroxyquinoxaline (2-HQ) as sole source of carbon and energy was isolated from Indian agricultural soil and named as HQ1. Strain HQ1 was identified as Ochrobactrum sp. on the basis of morphology, physico-biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The generation time of Ochrobactrum sp. HQ1 on 2-HQ at log phase is 0.71 h or 42.6 min. The degradation of 2-HQ by HQ1 under various physico-chemical parameters was analysed by HPLC and observed to be optimum with a high inoculum density (1.0 OD) at pH 7-8, temperatures 37-40°C and a high concentration of 2-HQ (500 ppm). Degradation of 2-HQ was also improved when additional nitrogen sources were used and this was attributed to the enhanced growth of the bacterium on the readily available nitrogen sources. Analysis of 2-HQ degradation by GC-MS resulted in elucidation of the degradation pathway for HQ1, a novel observation for aerobic Gram-negative bacteria. These findings are a possible indication of the application of HQ1 in the bioremediation of pesticide/metabolite contamination.

Determination of normal range for fasting salivary glucose in Type 1 diabetics.

BACKGROUND: The most commonly employed investigative procedure for monitoring glucose levels is blood investigation, which is invasive and gives discomfort to the patient. The purpose of the study was to validate a noninvasive, easy, and reliable method for predicting glucose levels in Type 1 diabetics and to validate a regression equation for converting the known values of salivary glucose to blood glucose. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 200 volunteers consisting of 100 Type 1 diabetics and 100 healthy controls were included, and their fasting blood and salivary glucose levels were assessed, using a semi-auto analyzer. RESULTS: On analysis of the data, statistically significant positive results were obtained (P < 0.05) when the blood and salivary glucose levels were considered among the study group participants, control group participants, and both study and control group participants. A cut-off value for salivary glucose (11.60 mg%) was defined, above which a person may be considered as diabetic. Also, the regression equation was obtained which could be used for the conversion of known value of salivary glucose to blood glucose and vice versa. CONCLUSION: The present study successfully demonstrated the role of saliva as a noninvasive and reliable marker for the prediction of glucose levels in Type 1 diabetics who show elevated blood glucose levels.

Evaluating the fracture toughness and flexural strength of pressable dental ceramics: an in vitro study.

The study was undertaken to evaluate the biaxial flexural strength, biaxial flexural strength after etching with 9 % HF acid and fracture toughness of three commonly used pressable all ceramic core materials. Ninety glass ceramic specimens were fabricated from three commercially available leucite based core ceramic material (1) Esthetic Empress, (2) Cergo, and (3) Performance Plus. Thirty discs of each material were divided into three groups of 10 discs each. Biaxial flexural strength (30 discs,) Biaxial flexural strength for samples treated with 9 % HF acid (30 discs) and fracture toughness (30 discs) were evaluated. Core material Performance Plus had the lowest biaxial strength of 124.89 MPa, Cergo had strength of 152.22 MPa and the highest value of 163.95 was reported for Esthetic Empress. For samples treated 9 % HF, Performance Plus had the lowest biaxial strength of 98.37 MPa, Cergo had strength of 117.42 MPa and the highest value of 143.74 was reported for Esthetic Empress. Core material Performance Plus had the lowest fracture toughness of 1.063 MPa, Cergo had strength of 1.112 MPa and the highest value of 1.225 was reported for Esthetic Empress. The results shows that Esthetic Empress had better mechanical properties compared to Cergo had Performance Plus in relation to the parameters tested.

Biodegradation of 2-hydroxyquinoxaline (2-HQ) by Bacillus sp.

An aerobic Gram +ve bacterial strain capable of utilizing 2-Hydroxyquinoxaline (2-HQ) as sole source of carbon and energy was isolated from Chrysanthemum indicum Indian agricultural soil and named as HQ2. On the basis of morphology, physico-biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA sequence analysis, strain HQ2 was identified as Bacillus sp. The generation time of Bacillus sp. in log phase during growth on 2-HQ is 0.79 h or 47.4 min. The optimal conditions for 2-HQ degradation by Bacillus sp. were inoculum density of 1.0 OD, pH of 6-8, temperature of 37-45 °C and 2-HQ concentration of 500 ppm. Among the additional carbon and nitrogen sources, carbon sources did not influence the degradation rate of 2-HQ, but nitrogen sources-yeast extract marginally enhanced the rate of degradation of 2-HQ. GC-MS analysis of the culture Bacillus sp. grown on 2-HQ indicated the formation of dimers from 2 molecules of 2-hydroxyquinoxaline. The formation of dimer for degradation of 2-HQ by the culture appears to be the first report to our scientific knowledge.

Large complex odontoma of mandible in a young boy: a rare and unusual case report.

Odontomas are the most common odontogenic tumors. They are broadly classified in to Compound Odontoma and Complex Odontoma. Among them complex odontoma is a rare tumor. Occasionally this tumor becomes large, causing expansion of bone followed by facial asymmetry. Otherwise these tumors are asymptomatic and are generally diagnosed on radiographic examination. We report a rare case of complex odontoma of mandible in a young boy. The tumor was treated by surgical excision under general anesthesia.

Evaluation of Bone Density Around the Implants Placed Using Drilling Technique and Bone Expansion Technique: An In vivo Study.

Bone density is a key parameter in determining the surgical procedure of implant placement and for the predictability of successful implant treatment. Several clinical studies have shown lower survival rates of implants in maxilla which was attributed to poor bone quality. The present study compared the variations in the pre-operative and post-operative bone density values in Hounsfield units using CT between drilling technique and bone expansion technique at 0.25 and 1.0 mm sections at two sites which were selected in maxillary arch between the second premolar regions of either quadrants and results have shown bone expansion technique is superior to drilling technique in division III bone.

Gaint epidermoid cyst of external ear- a rare case report.

Epidermoid cysts are developmental, benign, cutaneous cysts which are commonly found on face followed by trunk and neck. They account for approximately 80% of follicular cysts of the skin. They are slow growing lesions and remain asymptomatic until or unless secondarily infected. They occasionally have tendency to develop into a malignancy. We describe a case of giant epidermoid cyst of posterior part of external ear, a location where very few cases have been reported in the literature. Since cyst was attached to the external ear, esthetics was also one of the important concern apart from the cyst getting infected, as they cause disfigurement of the face. The cyst was excised surgically. Histopathology confirmed the presumptive diagnosis of Epidermoid cyst. Two-years after the resection there was no recurrence. Due to the possibility of the cyst to transform into a malignancy and for appropriate diagnosis, histopathological examination remains a gold standard for confirmatory diagnosis.

Fabrication of a hollow bulb prosthesis for the rehabilitation of an acquired total maxillectomy defect.

The prosthodontic rehabilitation of maxillary defects is a challenging and demanding task which requires careful pre-surgical and post-surgical planning. Maxillary defects can be congenital or acquired. Acquired defects include those following trauma or surgical treatment of benign or malignant neoplasms. A prosthodontist encounters problems such as absence of support, poor retention, and lack of prosthesis stability in treating these patients. The present case report describes a procedure to fabricate a definitive hollow bulb obturator prosthesis for the rehabilitation of a total maxillectomy defect.

Laser gingival retraction: a quantitative assessment.

BACKGROUND: Proper gingival retraction improves the prognosis of crowns and bridges with sub gingival finishlines.Use of lasers assists the operator to achieve proper retraction with good clinical results. AIMS: The present study was intended to assess the amount of lateral gingival retraction achieved quantitatively by using diode lasers. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Study was carried on 20 patients attended to a dental institution that underwent root canal treatment and indicated for fabrication of crowns. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Gingival retraction was carried out on 20 teeth and elastomeric impressions were obtained. Models retrieved from the impressions were sectioned and the lateral distance between finish line and the marginal gingival was measured using tool makers microscope. Retraction was measured in mid buccal, mesio buccal and disto buccal regions. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The values obtained were used to calculate the mean lateral retraction in microns. RESULTS: Mean retraction values of 399.5 µm, 445.5 µm and 422.5µm were obtained in mid buccal, mesio buccal and disto buccal regions respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Gingival Retraction achieved was closer to the thickness of sulcular epithelium and greater than the minimum required retraction of 200um.

Fabrication of customized sectional impression trays in management of patients with limited mouth opening: a simple and unique approach.

Impression making is not only important but is also the most significant step in the fabrication of any fixed or removable prosthesis. Proper impression making may be hindered by certain pathologic conditions. Reduced mouth opening is one of the common mechanical obstructions for proper orientation of the impression tray in the patient's mouth. In patients with trismus induced by submucous fibrosis, the procedure may be even more difficult to carry out because of reduced tissue resiliency and obliteration of vestibular spaces. Use of sectional trays offers one of the alternatives to overcome the problem of restricted mouth opening. Fabrication of customized impression trays according to the patient dentition improves the accuracy of impression making. The present case reports describe the fabrication of sectional custom trays designed for dentulous patients with chronic tobacco-induced submucous fibrosis.

Effects of grape seed extract on the oxidative and microbial stability of restructured mutton slices.

The antioxidant and antimicrobial efficacy of grape seed extract (GSE) was studied in restructured mutton slices (RMS) under aerobic and vacuum packaging conditions during refrigerated storage. The RMS treated with grape seed extract (GSE) had significantly (P<0.05) lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values and free fatty acids (FFA) % compared to control (C) and butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA) treated RMS during storage at 4±1°C. Addition of GSE significantly (P<0.05) reduced the total psychrophilic and coliform counts in RMS during refrigerated storage. The GSE treated mutton slices recorded significantly (P<0.05) superior scores of color, flavor, juiciness and overall palatability than C and BHA treated RMS. The TBARS values, FFA % and microbial counts increased significantly (P<0.05) during storage. It can be concluded that GSE has excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties compared to control and BHA treated RMS during refrigerated storage under aerobic and vacuum conditions.

Nonsyndromic bilateral multiple impacted supernumerary mandibular third molars: a rare and unusual case report.

A supernumerary tooth is that which is present additionally to the normal series and can be found in any region of the dental arch. An impacted tooth is defined as the one which is embedded in the alveolus, so that its eruption is prevented, or the tooth is locked in position by bone or the adjacent teeth. The occurrence of multiple supernumerary teeth in only one patient in the absence of an associated systemic condition or syndrome is considered as a rare phenomenon. The occurrence of supernumerary teeth in the lower molar region is rare. A prevalence of less than 2% of cases occurring in this region has been estimated. Their occurrence presents a clinical problem for orthodontists and oral surgeons. The cause, frequency, complications, and surgical operation of impacted teeth are always interesting subjects for study and research. An impacted tooth can result in caries, pulp disease, periapical and periodontal disease, temporomandibular joint disorder, infection of the fascial space, root resorption of the adjacent tooth, and even oral and maxillofacial tumours. The management of impacted wisdom teeth has changed over the past 20 years from removal of nonsymptomatic third molars to simple observation. The aim of this paper is to present a rare case of bilateral multiple impacted supernumerary mandibular third molars.

Efficient sex pheromone trapping: catching the sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius.

The sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Brentidae), is the most serious pest of sweetpotato around the world, damaging sweetpotatoes in the field and in storage, as well as being a quarantine pest. Because the larval period is spent within vines or tubers, and the adults are nocturnal, chemical control frequently is not effective. In addition, there are few natural enemies, and pheromone-based trapping does not appear to reduce the damage level. In the present study, we evaluated a number of parameters that affect pheromone-based trap catch, including trap design, trap size, trap color, and height at which the traps are placed. Pherocon unitraps caught higher numbers than ground, funnel water, or delta traps. Medium-sized traps (13 × 17.5 cm) were more effective than larger or smaller traps. In a color-choice test, C. formicarius preferred red over gray, brown, blue, white, yellow, black, or red traps; light red was more attractive than other shades of red. Maximum catches were obtained when the traps were set 50 cm above the crop canopy. Light-red unitraps with pheromone lures caught more adults than identical traps without lures, suggesting that C. formicarius is influenced by both visual and olfactory cues. Pheromone-baited light-red unitraps, 13 × 17.5 cm, installed 50 cm above the crop canopy, were the most effective at catching C. formicarius adults, and they appear to have the greatest potential for use in trap-and-kill strategies and eradication programs.

Surgical Management of Aggressive Central Giant Cell Granuloma of Maxilla through Le Fort I Access Osteotomy.

Giant cell granuloma (GCG) is an uncommon bony lesion in the head and neck region, most commonly affecting the maxilla and mandible and has a female predilection. The clinical behavior of central GCG ranges from a slowly growing asymptomatic swelling to an aggressive lesion. The clinical, radiological, histological features and management of an aggressive GCG of maxilla in an 18-year-old female patient are described and discussed. It is emphasized that surgery is the traditional and still the most accepted treatment for GCG. Le Fort I osteotomy has been advocated as one of the access osteotomy for the surgical management of aggressive and extensive GCG involving the maxilla. The postoperative morbidity and recurrence have been discussed.

Anti-leukemic effects of gallic acid on human leukemia K562 cells: downregulation of COX-2, inhibition of BCR/ABL kinase and NF-κB inactivation.

Gallic acid (GA) induces apoptosis in various cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated the apoptotic activity induced by GA on chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cell line-K562 and the underlying mechanism. GA reduced the viability of K562 cells in a dose and time dependent manner. GA led to G0/G1 phase arrest in K562 cells by promoting p21 and p27 and inhibiting the levels of cyclin D and cyclin E. Further studies indicated apoptosis with impaired mitochondrial function as a result of deranged Bcl-2/Bax ratio, leakage of cytochrome c and PARP cleavage along with DNA fragmentation and by up-regulating the expression of caspase-3. GA also activated the protein expressions of fatty acid synthase ligand and caspase-8. GA is more effective in imatinib resistant-K562 (IR-K562) cells (IC50 4 µM) than on K562 cells (IC50 33 µM). GA inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in K562 as well as IR-K562 cells appears to be COX-2 involved in the suppression of growth. Interestingly, GA also inhibited BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase and NF-κB. In conclusion, GA induced apoptosis in K562 cells involves death receptor and mitochondrial-mediated pathways by inhibiting BCR/ABL kinase, NF-κB activity and COX-2.