Assessment of Nasal Smear Eosinophil Counts in Allergic Rhinitis: How Useful is it?

Objectives: The aim was to find the relationship between nasal smear eosinophil (NSE) counts and allergic rhinitis (AR) along with the impact of treatment on peak nasal inspiratory flow rates and symptom scores in these patients. Material and methods: An observational, comparative study was carried out with 75 patients of AR. Nasal smears were drawn and eosinophil counts were estimated. Nasal symptoms were assessed and compared by visual analogue scale (VAS) and peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) rates before and after treatment. Equal number of healthy individuals formed the control group. Results: There was a strong association between increase in eosinophil count in nasal smears and AR (p = 0.000). A NSE count of 0.2/HPF had a specificity of 98.7%, sensitivity of 53.3%, and positive predictive value of 97.6% in the diagnosis of AR. The mean VAS scores for nasal obstruction improved from 7.35 to 1.01 and the mean peak nasal inspiratory flow from 69.00 L/min to 103.73 L/min (p < 0.0001) after treatment. The mean NSE counts reduced from 4.20/HPF to 0.090/HPF proving a strong correlation between improvement of symptom scores and NSE counts (p = 0.000) in AR. The study also determined that a PNIF value of ≤ 77.50 L/min can be used as a cut off for diagnosing nasal obstruction in these patients. Conclusion: A NSE count of ≥ 0.2 /HPF is to be considered as diagnostic of AR. Nasal congestion is the commonest symptom associated with AR and addition of systemic decongestant is required for management of these patients.

Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Parapharyngeal Space: An Unusually Large Tumour.

Parapharyngeal space (PPS) tumors constitute about 0.5% of all the head and neck tumors.Tumors arising de novo from ectopic salivary tissue in the PPS are very rare. We present a huge primary parapharyngeal pleomorphic adenoma arising from ectopic salivary tissue. Case is being presented for its unusually large size at presentation and its rarity.

Controlled tuning of radiative-nonradiative transition via solvent perturbation: Franck-Condon emission vs. aggregation caused quenching.

Organic molecules with tunable fluorescence quantum yield are attractive for opto-electronic applications. A fluorophore with tunable fluorescence quantum yield should be a better choice for a variety of applications that demand fluorophores with different quantum yields. Here organic emitters with a continuous bell-shaped fluorescence yield profile would be promising in view of sustainability and reusability; however, fluorophores with these properties are rarely reported. A bis-indole derivative, 3,3'-bisindolyl(phenyl)methane (BIPM), was synthesised and found to undergo a unique 'rise-and-fall' profile in fluorescence yield with a compositional change of the 1,4-dioxane (DiOx)-H2O solvent system. A predominant interplay of two contrasting factors, (a) polarity and proticity induced emission enhancement and (b) aggregation caused fluorescence quenching, on either side of a crossover solvent composition (∼50% fW), resulted in a continuous bell-patterned fluorescence yield profile. Interestingly, these two factors could be observed individually or simultaneously by adjusting the H2O fraction. Detailed spectroscopic, electron microscopic and computational studies have been performed to substantiate the photophysics behind the solvent regulated modulation of fluorescence quantum yield.

Sonochemically Synthesized Spin-Canted CuFe2O4 Nanoparticles for Heterogeneous Green Catalytic Click Chemistry.

Heterogeneous green catalysis by using magnetically separable nanometal-oxide catalysts has become a subject of prime focus recently. PXRD (powder X-ray diffraction), FESEM (field emission scanning electron microscopy), and HRTEM (high-resolution tunneling electron microscopy) with IR and Raman spectroscopy are applied to analyze the structural and microstructural properties of nanosized (∼15.3 nm) CuFe2O4 synthesized by both sonochemical and mechanochemical processes. The sonochemical process provides a better uniformity of sizes of the nanoparticles (NPs). Rietveld refinement with the PXRD pattern reveals the inverse spinel-like architecture of CuFe2O4 NPs. The Raman spectra also indicate the phase purity of the synthesized material. The static magnetic measurements are performed at different magnetic fields and temperature ranges from 300 to 5 K, which confirms the existence of the ferrimagnetic phase mixed with some finer superparamagnetic (SPM) nanophases within the sample. Unsaturated magnetization is observed even at an applied 5 T magnetic field for the presence of spin-canting nature in the partially inverted copper ferrite phases at the surfaces of the nanoparticles. Now, these coupled magnetic CuFe2O4 NPs are used as a heterogeneous catalyst for three-component Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition click reaction in aqueous media. By this catalyst system, we were able to couple alkyl halide, epoxide, or boronic acid with alkynes efficiently to furnish 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles in excellent yields within very short reaction time. The test for heterogeneity, reusability, and reproducibility of the catalyst has also been performed successfully without prominent decrease in yield up to the fifth cycle.

Fourth branchial pouch sinus: A report of 7 cases and review of the literature.

A fourth branchial pouch sinus often manifests quite late in life as a recurrent neck abscess, suppurative thyroiditis, or pseudothyroiditis. Demonstration of the sinus opening in the piriform fossa by hypopharyngoscopy in combination with ultrasonography of the neck provides adequate information to justify proceeding to surgery. The sinus tract usually courses through the thyroid cartilage. The most effective treatment is surgical excision of the tract up to the piriform fossa through the cartilage. This procedure is associated with very low complication and recurrence rates. A fourth branchial pouch sinus is an uncommon condition. Even so, it is still underdiagnosed as a result of poor awareness of its existence by medical practitioners, including otolaryngologists. Part of the reason is a lack of adequate coverage of this topic in otolaryngology and surgery textbooks. In this article, we add to the literature by describing our experience with 7 patients-4 males and 3 females, aged 5 to 45 years (mean: 25.6)-who were diagnosed with a fourth branchial pouch sinus over a 6-year period. The diagnosis was confirmed by identifying the sinus opening at the apex of the piriform sinus during hypopharyngoscopy. Definitive treatment consisted of surgical exploration of the neck and excision of the tract.