Association of Clinical Staging of OSMF with Habit of Smokeless Tobacco Consumption - Hospital Based Cross Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), a premalignant condition of oral cavity is associated with usage of smokeless tobacco. The growing prevalence and cultural acceptance of consumption of flavored arecanut and related products along with traditional smokeless tobacco products are confounding the scenario. OBJECTIVES: To find out clinical staging of OSMF and correlate it with consumption of smokeless tobacco usage related factors among subjects with oral sub mucous fibrosis in Ahmedabad city. METHODS: A cross sectional hospital-based study was conducted on 250 randomly selected clinically diagnosed OSMF subjects. The data regarding various demographic details and habit related factors was recorded in a pre-designed study proforma. The data obtained was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Among 250 OSMF subjects, 9% were having grade I, 32% were having grade II, 39% were having grade III and 20% were having grade IV OSMF. 81.6% of males and 18.4% of females were having OSMF. The youngest age when habit was initiated was around of 8 years which is alarming in nature. The lowest duration reported to develop OSMF was 6 months. Statistically significant difference was observed between gender, duration, chewing time, swallowing of tobacco juice and clinical staging of OSMF. CONCLUSION: It is alarming that around 70% of the total subjects of OSMF were in the younger age group. The community-oriented outreach programs along with strict policy formulation and implementation should be developed to curb the usage of arecanut and smokeless tobacco derivatives. KEY WORDS: arecanut, smokeless tobacco, OSMF.

Synthesis, Self-Aggregation, Surface Characteristics, Electrochemical Property, Micelle Size, and Antimicrobial Activity of a Halogen-Free Picoline-Based Surface-Active Ionic Liquid.

We present a new approach toward the design of a halogen-free picoline-based surface-active ionic liquid (SAIL) (1-octyl-4-methyl pyridinium dodecyl sulfate) [C8γPic]DS consisting of long dodecyl sulfate (DS) as an anion. The surface properties, micellization behavior, and antimicrobial activity in an aqueous solution were investigated using tensiometry, conductometry, and ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy. Incorporating the DS group in SAIL leads to lower critical micellar concentration (CMC) and enhanced adsorption at the air/water interface of the functionalized ionic liquid compared to the C8-alkyl chain-substituted pyridine ionic liquids. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against a representative Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria panel. Antibacterial activities increased with the alkyl chain length, C8 being the homologous most effective antimicrobial agent. The micelle size of [C8γPic]DS was determined by the dynamic light-scattering (DLS) study. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements have been employed to evaluate the interaction between the SAIL micelle and working electrode, diffusion coefficient, and micelle size of the SAIL solution. The diffusion coefficient explored the correlation of surface properties and the antimicrobial activity of [C8γPic]DS. This halogen-free SAIL is the future of wetting agents and emulsion studies in agriculture due to its small micelle size and surface characteristics.

Study of clinical profile of herpes zoster in human immunodeficiency virus positive and negative patients at a rural-based tertiary care center, Gujarat.

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster usually presents with typically grouped vesicles on erythematous base involving single dermatome with self-limiting nature in immunocompetent individuals while it may present in extensive form involving multiple dermatomes involvement or disseminated form in immunocompromised, especially in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to study the prevalence of HIV in patients of herpes zoster, to compare the clinical presentation of herpes zoster in HIV-infected and noninfected patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out in the Department of Dermatology in a Teaching Institute of Gujarat, from June 2008 to May 2014 after ethical clearance. The study population included all the patients with a clinical diagnosis of herpes zoster. All the patients were investigated for HIV infection after written consent. RESULTS: Out of total 688 patients of herpes zoster, 35 (5.1%) were HIV-positive, 26 (74.3%) were males and 9 (25.7%) were females. Among HIV-positive patients, 29 (82.85%) patients had localized dermatomal involvement, 4 (11.42%) patients had multiple dermatomal involvement, and only 2 (5.71%) had disseminated zoster while among HIV-negative, 636 (97.40%) had localized dermatomal involvement, 14 (2.14%) patients had multiple dermatomal involvement, and 3 (0.45%) had disseminated zoster. Cervical dermatome was most commonly involved dermatome in patients of HIV. CONCLUSION: Disseminated and multiple dermatomal involvement was more commonly involved among HIV-positive patients when compared to HIV-negative patients.