To Restrain or Refrain: Determination of Parental Attitude towards the Child's Experience with Protective Stabilization.

Background: To overcome disruptive behavior of children, pediatric dentists rely on various behavior management techniques. When dental therapy is pertinent and nonaversive techniques like tell-show-do, voice control, and positive reinforcement are ineffective; the role of advanced behavior guidance techniques like physical restraints and protective stabilization is of paramount importance. Aim: The study was carried out to elicit parents' opinion and record their response to their children's experience who underwent dental treatment with an extra assistant for protective stabilization. Materials and Methods: Response was elicited to a questionnaire from 50 parents of children lacking cooperative ability and were exposed to an extra assistant for protective stabilization during various dental procedures. Results: The dental assistant was most preferred as the extra assistant to provide active stabilization. An overwhelming 98% of the parents agreed to protective stabilization with an extra assistant as advantageous and a good 88% of the parents recommended its use for further appointments of their children. Conclusion: Majority of the parents approved protective stabilization with an extra assistant in future appointments of their children.

Molecular analyses of novel ASAH1 mutations causing Farber lipogranulomatosis: analyses of exonic splicing enhancer inactivating mutation.

Farber lipogranulomatosis is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the ASAH1 gene. In the largest ever study, we identified and characterized ASAH1 mutations from 11 independent Farber disease (FD) families. A total of 13 different mutations were identified including 1 splice, 1 polypyrimidine tract (PPT) deletion and 11 missense mutations. Eleven mutations were exclusive to the Indian population. The IVS6+4A>G splice and IVS5-16delTTTTC PPT deletion mutations resulted in skipping of exon 6 precluding thereby the region responsible for cleavage of enzyme precursor. A missense mutation (p.V198A) resulted in skipping of exon 8 due to inactivation of an exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) element. This is the first report of mutations affecting PPT and ESE in the ASAH1 gene resulting in FD.

Isolation and characterization of mucous exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Vibrio furnissii strain VB0S3.

Marine bacterial strains were isolated from coastal regions of Goa and screened for the strains that produce the highest amount of mucous exopolysaccharide (EPS). Our screening resulted in the identification of the strain Vibrio furnissii VB0S3 (hereafter called VB0S3), as it produced the highest EPS in batch cultures during the late logarithmic growth phase. The isolate was identified as VB0S3 based on morphological and biochemical properties. Growth and EPS production were studied in mineral salts medium supplemented with NaCl (1.5%) and glucose (0.2%). The exopolymer was recovered from the culture supernatant by using three volumes of cold ethanol precipitation and dialysis procedure. Chemical analyses of EPS revealed that it is primarily composed of neutral sugars, uronic acids, and proteins. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy revealed the presence of carboxyl, hydroxyl, and amide groups, which correspond to a typical heteropolymeric polysaccharide, and the EPS also possessed good emulsification activity. The gas chromatographic analysis of an alditol-acetate derivatized sample of EPS revealed that it was mainly composed of galactose and glucose. Minor components found were mannose, rhamnose, fucose, ribose, arabinose, and xylose. EPS was readily isolated from culture supernatants, which suggests that the EPS was a slime-like exopolysaccharide. This is the first report of exopolysaccharide characterization that describes the isolation and characterization of an EPS expressed by Vibrio furnissii strain VB0S3. The results of the study contribute significantly and go a long way towards an understanding of the correlation between growth and EPS production, chemical composition, and industrial applications of the exopolysaccharide in environmental biotechnology and bioremediation.

An unusual distribution of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency of south Indian newborn population.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is seen at a higher frequency in many national and ethnic groups in areas of current or former malaria endemicity. A screening programme undertaken to evaluate the gene frequencies for this deficiency in the highly inbred South Indian population of Karnataka revealed that of the 5140 neonates screened, 7.8% were G6PD deficient with no correlation between the reported level of inbreeding and enzyme deficiency. An interesting finding was the equal number of male (198) and female (207) individuals, with G6PD activity of less than 3 IU. The possible implications of this finding with regard to the expression of G6PD gene is discussed.

Characterization of a variant glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from the south Indian population.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is coded by a gene on the X-chromosome. Earlier studies have shown that the South Indian population has a high incidence of this enzyme deficiency. The electrophoretic mobility, pH optimum and the Km values for G6PD from normal and variant individuals were identical. However, the specific activity of the variant enzyme was 8 times less compared to the value of the normal enzyme. Western blot analysis of partially purified G6PD from normal and variant individuals performed using equal amounts of total protein showed that the variant protein was 3 times less in concentration. Similar analysis performed using protein corresponding to equal enzyme activity units in the normal and variant samples showed that the variant enzyme was 2.25 times less efficient compared to the normal enzyme. RNA dot blot analysis using full length G6PD cDNA probe (PGDT5B, a kind gift from Prof. L Luzzatto) revealed that lymphocytes from normal and variant individuals had equal amounts of G6PD specific mRNA.