Papacarie: A Chemomechanical Caries Removal Agent.

Chemomechanical caries removal (CMCR) is a noninvasive technique eliminating infected dentine via a chemical agent. Th e objective of CMCR is to eliminate the outer layer or infected dentin, leaving the aff ected layer or partly demineralized dentin, which can be remineralized and repaired. As this process based on minimally invasive dentistry, it not only removes infected tissues, also preserves healthy dental structure, avoiding pulp irritation and patient discomfort. Th is is a method of caries removal based on dissolution. Instead of drilling, this method uses a chemical agent assisted by an a traumatic mechanical force to remove soft carious structure. Th e chemomechanical method for caries removal is most outstanding among other alternative methods. Th is paper reviews one of the chemomechanical removal agent, Papacarie.

A comparison of the efficacy and safety of timolol in combination with dorzolamide, brimonidine or latanoprost in patients of primary open angle glaucoma.

The present study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of timolol with dorzolamide, brimonidine or latanoprost in patients of primary open angle glaucoma. This prospective, observational study was conducted over one and a half year at the Regional Eye Institute, in patients of primary open angle glaucoma who were prescribed dorzolamide (2%) and timolol (0.5%) (DT), brimonidine (0.1%) and timolol (0.5%) (BT) or latanoprost (0.005%) and timolol (0.5%) (LT). Measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) and indirect ophthalmoscopy was done at baseline and after 1, 3 and 6 months of treatment. Efficacy was assessed by the degree of reduction in intraocular pressure and change in cup-disc ratio. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs), if any, were recorded. The data was analysed using Student’s ‘t’ test and one-way ANOVA test. P value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Total number of 35 patients in DT group, 34 in BT group and 32 in LT group completed the study. At the end of 6 months, average reduction in IOP levels was 7.83, 9.39 and 9.73mmHg in DT, BT and LT groups respectively. Thus, a percent reduction of 29.4, 35.6 and 36.2 from baseline was observed in these groups respectively. While the reduction was maximum in LT group, there was no statistically significant difference between any of the groups at 1, 3 or 6 months. A total of 47 ADRs were reported, none of which required discontinuation. All three combinations are effective in reducing the IOP level in patients of primary open angle glaucoma and none appear to be superior to the others.

Biochemical and Nanotechnological Studies in Selected Seaweeds of Chennai Coast.

Three different seaweeds Gracilaria corticata J.Agardh ,Grateloupia lithophila Boergesen and Chaetomorpha antennina(Bory) kuetz used for the study were subjected for the estimation of carbohydrates, proteins, aminoacids, lipids and pigments such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid and phycobilins. They were also used for the nanoparticles synthesis and also checked for the blood glucose level changes by the oral administration of the seaweeds (0.5 g/day) to 6 mice for 20 days and with 3 mice as controls. The chaetomorpha, grateloupia and gracilaria estimation results showed 18.4%, 5.5%, 3.6% for carbohydrates, 15.8%, 30.5%, 23.7% for proteins, 4.9%, 22.94%, 11.04% for amino acids, 0.3%, 1.8%, 1.2% for lipids, 33.93, 1.35, 2.97 (mg/g fresh sample) for total chlorophyll, 0.2, 0.6, 5.49 (mg/g fresh sample) for carotenoid, 1.75, 2.1, 5.04 (μg/g fresh sample) for phycoerythrin respectively. They were also investigated for the extracellular biosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticle and have achieved rapid formation of gold nanoparticles using Chaetomorpha antennina and Gracilaria corticata. It has been confirmed with the surface plasmon resonance.

Antibacterial Activity and Phytochemical Analysis of Selected Seaweeds from Mandapam Coast, India.

Seaweeds are marine macroscopic algae which form an important component of marine living organisms.The antibacterial activity of three species of seaweeds Codiumadhaerens Anderson (green algae) Sargassum wightii Greville (brown algae) ,Acanthophora spicifera (Vahl.) Boergs (red algae) from intertidal region of the Mandapam coastal water were analysed against human pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholerae, Shigelladysentriae, Shigellabodii, Salmonella paratyphi, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The present study was also carried out to investigate the phytochemical constituents like alkaloids, flavanoids, phenols, proteins and free amino acids, saponins, sterols, terpenoids and Sugars in all samples and coumarin and glycosides, quinones and tannin, estimation of biochemical composition (protein, sugar, lipid), photosynthetic pigments like chlorophyll, carotenoid and mineral composition. The results indicated that the maximum protein content (6.396±0.97%) was recorded in the brown alga S. wightii. The maximum carbohydrate content (6.29±0.063%) was recorded in the red alga A. spicifera. The maximum lipid content (1.213±0.02%) was recorded in green alga C.adharens. The highest total phenol (216.65±17.38) and flavanoid (379.99±21.813) was in the brown seaweed S. wightii. The maximum chlorophyll ‘a’ (0.347±0.051), total chlorophyll (0.438±0.061) and carotenoid (0.670±0.225) were recorded in the brown seaweed S. wightii where as chlorophyll ‘b’ (0.107±0.016) was highest in C. adharens. Among the 14 minerals analyzed most of them were highest in the red alga A. spicifera. Among the three seaweeds screened for their antibacterial activity the brown alga S. wihgtii is more superior to the red alga A. spicefera and green alga C.adharens in controlling the growth of most of the pathogens tested. The highest zone of inhibition (13mm) was recorded in methanol extract of the red alga against Vibrio cholerae.

Fouling communities on ship wreck site in the Gulf of Mannar, India.

The Gulf of Mannar is one of the world’s richest marine biospheres and occupies an area of 10,500 sq.km. Twenty one coral reef islands and small patchy reefs are present between Lat. 800 47’N and Long. 780 12’ E to Lat. 900 15’ N and Long. 790 14’ E. from Pamban to Thoothukudi as an arc. These islands possess a very interesting heterogeneous group of fauna and flora. The study was conducted on a twenty year old ship wreck in the Gulf of Mannar, India. During low tides, remnants of the ship are exposed to about 1.5 meters above the water surface. The entire ship wreck is regarded as an artificial reef that harbors corals, fishes and other fauna. Artificial reefs are beneficial in reef conservation and rehabilitation efforts. Successions of artificial reef communities were preliminarily studied using the Line and Belt transect method to assess the composition of benthic organisms like soft corals (25.6 %) and live corals (23.1 %). The abundance of several common reef fishes is also reported.

Seasonal variations of trace metal accumulation on coral reef in Gulf of Mannar, India.

Investication of trace metal occumulation on coral and reef environment (sediment and water) of the Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve was studied during July 2007 to June 2008. The samples were collected for analyzing from Thoothukudi and Vembar group of Islands, Gulf of Mannar. The concentration of trace metal in the water are in the order of Fe > Pb > Zn > As > Mn > Cd > Cu and in sediment in the order of Fe > Mn > Pb > Zn > Cu >Cd and in coral rubbles in the order of Fe > Mn > Pb > Zn > Cu > Cd. In the waters the iron ranks first and copper ranks last; in the sediment iron ranks first in concentration and cadmium ranks the last. In corals the iron ranks first and cadmium ranks the last in concentration and during the entire study periods. SPSS two tailed Correlation coefficients between the months and the temporal variablilities of heavy metals were assessed using the monthly data for each component in all stations and analysis of variances (f values) for the water, sediment and coral rubbles between the stations and month during the study period. Conclude that the values recorded at Thoothukdi group of islands were little higher than the Vembar group of islands, and it might be due to discharges pumped from the industrial belt of Thoothukudi, domestic sewages from Thoothukudi town, harbour activities and thermal power plant operation along the southern side of the Gulf of Mannar.

Iron Deficiency as a Risk Factor for Simple Febrile Seizures–A Case Control Study.

Objective: To study the role of iron deficiency as a risk factor for simple febrile seizures. Design: Case control study. Setting: Pediatric department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Participants: 154 cases and 154 controls were included in the study. Consecutive cases and concurrent controls were selected. Cases were children of age group 6 months to 3 years presenting with simple febrile seizures. Controls were children of same age group presenting with short febrile illness but without any seizures. Methods: After informed consent, detailed history was taken and clinical examination done in both cases and controls and blood investigations were done to diagnose iron-deficiency in both cases and controls. Iron deficiency was diagnosed as per WHO criteria (hemoglobin value <11g%, red cell distribution width of >15% and serum ferritin value < 12ng/mL). Other explanatory variables, which can be the potential confounders were also included in the study and considered for analysis. Results: Highly significant association was found between iron deficiency and simple febrile seizures in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Crude odds ratio was 5.34 (CI 3.27- 8.73, P<0.001) and adjusted odds ratio in the logistic regression analysis was 4.5 (CI 2.69- 7.53, P <0.001). Conclusions: Iron deficiency is a significant risk factor for simple febrile seizures in children of age group 6 months to 3 years.

The newborn with seizures -- a follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sequelae of neonatal seizures in a cohort of newborns, recruited over a six month period. DESIGN: Prospective hospital based study. SETTING: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a tertiary care hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 135 babies were recruited of whom 10 died and 25 were lost to follow up. METHODS: The cases were followed up over four months. RESULTS: 68% of the babies followed up were normal; 32% had an abnormal neurological outcome. Seven (7%) developed post-neonatal epilepsy. Hypocalcemia was significantly associated with mortality (OR: 21.9; 95% CI: 1.2-391.2). No risk factors could be identified for post neonatal epilepsy. Presence of spike waves in the EEG was significantly related to abnormal neurological outcome (OR: 3.5; 95% C.I. 1.2-10.8). CONCLUSIONS: Majority of neonates with seizures have a normal outcome with no developmental delay or neurological deficit. Predominantly spike waves in the EEG is predictive of abnormal neurological outcome.

Hypomelanosis of Ito with cerebral malformation.

Syndromic forms of cortical maldevelopment continue to be a curiosity. Hypomelanosis of Ito (HI) is the presence of whirled hypochromic skin lesions often associated with nondermatological manifestations. The polymorphism of brain abnormalities associated with HI is well known. We report three cases of Hypomelanosis of Ito, occuring in infants and associated with cerebral malformation.

Mucinous cystadenoma of the lung presenting as localised bronchiectasis.

Mucinous cystadenoma is a very rare pulmonary neoplasm. Here we report the case of a 59 year old woman who presented with clinical features of localized bronchiectasis, who on detailed evaluation was found to have this rare tumour.

Sino-bronchial syndrome in children with asthma.

Thirty children in the age group of 2 to 12 years were brought with a history of recurrent non-seasonal moderate to severe wheezy episodes associated with symptoms of nasal congestion, sneezing and occasional headache. All of them had maxillary or pan sinusitis with 26 having associated right, left or bilateral lower lobe pneumonitis or bronchiectasis. Serum immunoglobulins were normal in 22 and was not done in eight. There was positive (2 to 4+ above negative control) skin test response to dust and dust mite in 15 of the 22 children tested. Throat swabs/sputum or nasal secretions grew B-hemolytic streptococcus or streptococcus pneumoniae in twenty-seven. All the children were put on bactericidal drugs for 6 to 8 weeks and bronchodilators were used when needed. At the end of 6 to 8 weeks follow-up X-ray of sinuses and chest showed significant clearing of the lesions which coincided with marked clinical improvement. Sinus X-ray should be considered in bronchial asthma resistant to medical management since untreated bacterial sinusitis can be an underlying cause of chronic poorly controlled asthma.