Clinical Presentation and Management of Foreign Bodies in Airway of Pediatrics – A Retrospective Study

Background:Knowing the degree of populations’ knowledge concerning eye health and the factors that contribute to eye problems can serve to complement many effective eye health care promotion strategies. Aim: the purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge regarding common eye diseases and awareness of eye care among the Saudi population and to explore existing eye-related misconceptions and malpractices in the community. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah city, during September and October 2016, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed on the patients and medical staff at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) and on public in Red Sea Mall in Jeddah City. We selected a random sample of 470 participants, with an age range between 20 and 60. All data collected was analyzed using SPSS software version 20.0. Results: Of the 470 surveyed participants, the weighten mean age was 45 years, 47% were male and 53% were female. The majority of participants were aware of refractive errors (90%), cataract (71%), diabetic retinopathy (DR) (62%) and glaucoma (53%), yet only 10% had heard of amblyopia, and 3% of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Most individuals surveyed (81.9%) believed that good vision is vital to overall health. only 32% were aware of smoking risks on visual impairment. Less than 10% had an eye check at least once a year and individuals with higher educational level and better socio-economic status were associated with higher frequency of eye checks. A lower proportion (46%) of participants reported that they knew that vision loss could be prevented (p<0.001). Nearly half of respondents had identified sunlight and family heritage as risk factors for common eye diseases. Conclusion: The majority of the participants were aware of the common eye diseases. However, our results showed alarge gap between public awareness and practices related to vision health. Public health promotion should be designed to address these gaps.

Intracranial Complications of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media with Cholesteatoma – A Retrospective Study

Background: Chronic suppurative otitis media is a common problem in our part of the world and few end up with intracranial complication. Brain abscess, meningitis and lateral sinus thrombosis are the most common intracranial complications. Emergency Multi-specialty Intervention can prevent mortality. Aim: The objective of the study is to determine various types of intracranial complications affecting adult population with of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media with Cholesteatoma in our institution. Methods: All admitted cases of intracranial complications due to chronic suppurative otitis media with cholesteatoma of any age and gender were included. Results: The most common age group was between 11 and 20 years and males were 80% more affected than females. And 90% of patients presented with unilateral disease of ear and 73% of cases had attic pathology. Incidence of intracranial complication in patients with CSOM with cholesteatoma was 1%. The most common complication was brain abscess (20%) followed by meningitis (20%), lateral sinus thrombosis (13.3%) and extradural abscess (16%). Conclusion: Brain abscess is the commonest intracranial complication of chronic suppurative otitis media with cholesteatoma followed by Meningitis. Early surgical intervention in combination with broad spectrum antibiotics provides a good outcome.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases mediate Mycobacterium tuberculosis–induced CD44 surface expression in monocytes.

CD44, an adhesion molecule, has been reported to be a binding site for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) in macrophages and it also mediates mycobacterial phagocytosis, macrophage recruitment and protective immunity against pulmonary tuberculosis in vivo. However, the signalling pathways that are involved in M. tuberculosis–induced CD44 surface expression in monocytic cells are currently unknown. Exposure of THP-1 human monocytes to M. tuberculosis H37Rv and H37Ra induced distinct, time-dependent, phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1, extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3/6, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and c-jun N-terminal kinases. The strains also differed in their usage of CD14 and human leukocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) receptors in mediating mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain induced lower CD44 surface expression and tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels, whereas H37Ra the reverse. Using highly specific inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and c-jun N-terminal kinase, we report that inhibition of extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 and c-jun N-terminal kinases increases, but that inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase decreases M. tuberculosis–induced CD44 surface expression in THP-1 human monocytes.

Macroinvertebrate colonization and breakdown of leaves in an astatic pond in south India.

Macroinvertebrate colonization and breakdown of Pongamia pinnata and Morinda tinctoria leaves were studied in an astatic pond in Madura College, Madurai. Morinda tinctoria leaves broke down fasterthan the leaves of P. pinnata. Breakdown capacities of astatic pond cannot be attributed to colonization of macroinvertebrates. Instead, microbial processing, and abiotic fragmentation are suggested as factors controlling breakdown rates. Tanypus sp (midgelarva) was abundant in leaf bags during the experimental period. This midge-larva appeared to use litter accumulations as a microhabitat that provided shelter and a rich supply of food in the form of organic matter Their abundance and regular occurrence of two leaves suggest that midge larvae enhance leaf fragmentation and possibly mediate the incorporation of organic matter in pond sediments once the plant tissue is sufficiently macerated.

Infectivity analysis of two variable DNA B components of Mungbean yellow mosaic virus-Vigna in Vigna mungo and Vigna radiata.

Mungbean yellow mosaic virus-Vigna (MYMV-Vig), a Begomovirus that causes yellow mosaic disease, was cloned from field-infected blackgram (Vigna mungo). One DNA A clone (KA30) and five different DNA B clones (KA21, KA22, KA27, KA28 and KA34) were obtained. The sequence identity in the 150-nt common region (CR) between DNA A and DNA B was highest (95%) for KA22 DNA B and lowest (85.6%) for KA27 DNA B. The Rep-binding domain had three complete 11-nt (5'-TGTATCGGTGT-3') iterons in KA22 DNA B (and KA21, KA28 and KA34), while the first iteron in KA27 DNA B (5'-ATCGGTGT-3') had a 3-nt deletion. KA27 DNA B, which exhibited 93.9% CR sequence identity to the mungbean-infecting MYMV, also shared the 3-nt deletion in the first iteron besides having an 18-nt insertion between the third iteron and the conserved nonanucleotide. MYMV was found to be closely related to KA27 DNA B in amino acid sequence identity of BV1 (94.1%) and BC1 (97.6%) proteins and in the organization of nuclear localization signal (NLS), nuclear export signal (NES) and phosphorylation sites. Agroinoculation of blackgram (V. mungo) and mungbean (V. radiata) with partial dimers of KA27 and KA22 DNA Bs along with DNA A caused distinctly different symptoms. KA22 DNA B caused more intense yellow mosaic symptoms with high viral DNA titre in blackgram. In contrast, KA27 DNA B caused more intense yellow mosaic symptoms with high viral DNA titre in mungbean. Thus, DNA B of MYMVVig is an important determinant of host-range between V. mungo and V. radiata.