Salivary and urinary assessment of fluoride and silver ion concentrations after silver diamine fluoride application in children: a prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to determine the fluoride (F) and silver (Ag) ions levels in the saliva and urine of healthy children after silver diamine fluoride (SDF) application on dental carious lesions. METHODS: Sixty children (4-6 years with ≥ 3 caries lesions) were recruited from the outpatient department of Pediatric Dentistry. From each child, 3 ml unstimulated saliva samples were collected at baseline, one hour, and 24 h after SDF application. Similarly, 3 ml urine samples were collected prior to and after 24 h of SDF application. F and Ag ion concentrations were determined by fluoride ion-selective electrode (ISE) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), respectively. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) baseline, 1-h, and 24-h salivary F concentrations (ppm) were 0.07 ± 0.07, 0.93 ± 0.48, and 0.19 ± 0.19, respectively, while the mean baseline and 24-h urinary F concentrations (ppm) were 0.33 ± 0.20 ppm and 0.43 ± 0.25 ppm, respectively. The mean baseline, 1-h, and 24-h salivary Ag concentrations (ppb) were 4.22 ± 3.15, 4198 ± 350, and 56.93 ± 37, respectively. The mean baseline and 24-h urinary Ag concentrations (ppb) were 2.80 ± 2.93 ppb and 4.72 ± 4.0 ppb, respectively. There were statistically elevated F and Ag ion concentrations at 1 h and 24 h after SDF application as compared to the baseline. CONCLUSION: Salivary and urinary F and Ag ions concentrations elevated significantly at 24 h following SDF applications in children. A significant high recovery of these ions in urine indicates minimal systemic absorption, thus intermittent topical application of 38% SDF has a minimal risk of toxicity.

Description of Stenotrophomonas sepilia sp. nov., isolated from blood culture of a hospitalized patient as a new member of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complex.

Stenotrophomonas sepilia strain SM16975 (= JCM 32102; = KCTC 62052) is a new species isolated from the blood culture of a hospitalized patient. The biochemical characterization, phenotypic criteria, phylogenomic reconstruction, and genomic analysis were carried out to differentiate it from its phylogenetic neighbours, establishing novel species status in the genus Stenotrophomonas and within Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complex (Smc).

Correction: Evaluation of 19,460 Wheat Accessions Conserved in the Indian National Genebank to Identify New Sources of Resistance to Rust and Spot Blotch Diseases.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167702.].

Evaluation of 19,460 Wheat Accessions Conserved in the Indian National Genebank to Identify New Sources of Resistance to Rust and Spot Blotch Diseases.

A comprehensive germplasm evaluation study of wheat accessions conserved in the Indian National Genebank was conducted to identify sources of rust and spot blotch resistance. Genebank accessions comprising three species of wheat-Triticum aestivum, T. durum and T. dicoccum were screened sequentially at multiple disease hotspots, during the 2011-14 crop seasons, carrying only resistant accessions to the next step of evaluation. Wheat accessions which were found to be resistant in the field were then assayed for seedling resistance and profiled using molecular markers. In the primary evaluation, 19,460 accessions were screened at Wellington (Tamil Nadu), a hotspot for wheat rusts. We identified 4925 accessions to be resistant and these were further evaluated at Gurdaspur (Punjab), a hotspot for stripe rust and at Cooch Behar (West Bengal), a hotspot for spot blotch. The second round evaluation identified 498 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts and 868 accessions potentially resistant to spot blotch. Evaluation of rust resistant accessions for seedling resistance against seven virulent pathotypes of three rusts under artificial epiphytotic conditions identified 137 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts. Molecular analysis to identify different combinations of genetic loci imparting resistance to leaf rust, stem rust, stripe rust and spot blotch using linked molecular markers, identified 45 wheat accessions containing known resistance genes against all three rusts as well as a QTL for spot blotch resistance. The resistant germplasm accessions, particularly against stripe rust, identified in this study can be excellent potential candidates to be employed for breeding resistance into the background of high yielding wheat cultivars through conventional or molecular breeding approaches, and are expected to contribute toward food security at national and global levels.

Genetic diversity and structure in hill rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces from the North-Eastern Himalayas of India.

BACKGROUND: Hill rices (Oryza sativa L.) are direct seeded rices grown on hill slopes of different gradients. These landraces have evolved under rainfed and harsh environmental conditions and may possess genes governing adaptation traits such as tolerance to cold and moisture stress. In this study, 64 hill rice landraces were collected from the state of Arunachal Pradesh of North-Eastern region of India, and assessed by agro-morphological variability and microsatellite markers polymorphism. Our aim was to use phenotypic and genetic diversity data to understand the basis of farmers' classification of hill rice landraces into two groups: umte and tening. Another goal was to understand the genetic differentiation of hill rices into Indica or japonica subspecies. RESULTS: According to farmers' classification, hill rices were categorized into two groups: umte (large-grained, late maturing) and tening (small-grained, early maturing). We did not find significant difference in days to 50 % flowering between the groups. Principal component analysis revealed that two groups can be distinguished on the basis of kernel length-to-width ration (KLW), kernel length (KL), grain length (GrL), grain length-to-width ration (GrLW) and plant height (Ht). Stepwise canonical discriminant analysis identified KL and Ht as the main discriminatory characters between the cultivar groups. Genetic diversity analysis with 35 SSR markers revealed considerable genetic diversity in the hill rice germplasm (gene diversity: 0.66; polymorphism information content: 0.62). Pair-wise allelic difference between umte and tening groups was not statistically significant. The model-based population structure analysis showed that the hill rices were clustered into two broad groups corresponding to Indica and Japonica. The geographic distribution and cultivars grouping of hill rices were not congruent in genetic clusters. Both distance- and model-based approaches indicated that the hill rices were predominantly japonica or admixture among the groups within the subspecies. These findings were further supported by combined analysis hill rices with 150 reference rice accessions representing major genetic groups of rice. CONCLUSION: This study collected a valuable set of hill rice germplasm for rice breeding and for evolutionary studies. It also generated a new set of information on genetic and phenotypic diversity of hill rice landraces in North-Eastern region of India. The collected hill rices were mostly japonica or admixture among the subpopulations of Indica or Japonica. The findings are useful for utilization and conservation of hill rice germplasm.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in Aromatic and Quality Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Landraces from North-Eastern India.

The North-eastern (NE) India, comprising of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, possess diverse array of locally adapted non-Basmati aromatic germplasm. The germplasm collections from this region could serve as valuable resources in breeding for abiotic stress tolerance, grain yield and cooking/eating quality. To utilize such collections, however, breeders need information about the extent and distribution of genetic diversity present within collections. In this study, we report the result of population genetic analysis of 107 aromatic and quality rice accessions collected from different parts of NE India, as well as classified these accessions in the context of a set of structured global rice cultivars. A total of 322 alleles were amplified by 40 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers with an average of 8.03 alleles per locus. Average gene diversity was 0.67. Population structure analysis revealed that NE Indian aromatic rice can be subdivided into three genetically distinct population clusters: P1, joha rice accessions from Assam, tai rices from Mizoram and those from Sikkim; P2, aromatic rice accessions from Nagaland; and P3, chakhao rice germplasm from Manipur [corrected]. Pair-wise FST between three groups varied from 0.223 (P1 vs P2) to 0.453 (P2 vs P3). With reference to the global classification of rice cultivars, two major groups (Indica and Japonica) were identified in NE Indian germplasm. The aromatic accessions from Assam, Manipur and Sikkim were assigned to the Indica group, while the accessions from Nagaland exhibited close association with Japonica. The tai accessions of Mizoram along with few chakhao accessions collected from the hill districts of Manipur were identified as admixed. The results highlight the importance of regional genetic studies for understanding diversification of aromatic rice in India. The data also suggest that there is scope for exploiting the genetic diversity of aromatic and quality rice germplasm of NE India for rice improvement.

Isolated tuberculosis of talus: a case report.

UNLABELLED: Tuberculosis still remains a leading infection, causing death and disability worldwide. We report a patient with isolated tuberculosis of the talus bone. A 14 year old boy reported with an eight-month history of swelling and pain in his left ankle joint. Routine investigations indicated positive aetiology of tuberculous infection . Surgical curettage of the talus and, debridement were performed and a below knee POP cast was applied along with anti TB therapy. After 18 months postoperative , the patient was able to carry out his daily activities without pain .The ankle and foot are rarely affected and account for only 1% of all TB infections. Provisional diagnosis can be made through history and routine investigations but confirmation by the identification of the bacillus from the local lesion or by a histopathological examination of tissue. Talus tuberculosis should be considered in any long standing inflammatory pathology of the ankle. KEY WORDS: Debridement, Sequester, Tuberculosis.

Stress-inducible expression of AtDREB1A transcription factor greatly improves drought stress tolerance in transgenic indica rice.

The cultivation of rice (Oryza sativa L.), a major food crop, requires ample water (30 % of the fresh water available worldwide), and its productivity is greatly affected by drought, the most significant environmental factor. Much research has focussed on identifying quantitative trait loci, stress-regulated genes and transcription factors that will contribute towards the development of climate-resilient/tolerant crop plants in general and rice in particular. The transcription factor DREB1A, identified from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, has been reported to enhance stress tolerance against drought stress. We developed transgenic rice plants with AtDREB1A in the background of indica rice cultivar Samba Mahsuri through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The AtDREB1A gene was stably inherited and expressed in T1 and T2 plants and in subsequent generations, as indicated by the results of PCR, Southern blot and RT-PCR analyses. Expression of AtDREB1A was induced by drought stress in transgenic rice lines, which were highly tolerant to severe water deficit stress in both the vegetative and reproductive stages without affecting their morphological or agronomic traits. The physiological studies revealed that the expression of AtDREB1A was associated with an increased accumulation of the osmotic substance proline, maintenance of chlorophyll, increased relative water content and decreased ion leakage under drought stress. Most of the homozygous lines were highly tolerant to drought stress and showed significantly a higher grain yield and spikelet fertility relative to the nontransgenic control plants under both stressed and unstressed conditions. The improvement in drought stress tolerance in combination with agronomic traits is very essential in high premium indica rice cultivars, such as Samba Mahsuri, so that farmers can benefit in times of seasonal droughts and water scarcity.

Role of obturators and other feeding interventions in patients with cleft lip and palate: a review.

BACKGROUND: Newborns with cleft palate have a distorted maxillary arch at birth. Depending upon the type of cleft, infants suffer from a variety of problems, many of which are related to feeding difficulties. Feeding these babies is an immediate concern because there is evidence of delayed growth of children with cleft lip and palate (CLCP) compared to normal infants. Many methods have been devised to overcome these problems, including the use of special bottles, nipples, and initial obturator therapy. REVIEW: A Pub Med search was conducted using the following search terms: feeding interventions in cleft lip and palate, feeding plate/obturator in cleft palate. All the relevant articles were studied and the reference list of selected articles was also studied. Effects of different feeding interventions in infants with cleft palate with special emphasis on obturators, based on descriptive reports, expert opinions, and available data from clinical trials was reviewed. RESULTS: The combination of search terms generated a list of 74 articles out of which 51 articles were excluded based on analyses of abstracts and full texts. Three additional publications were identified by the manual search. A total of 26 relevant articles were selected which included randomised controlled trials and descriptive studies on feeding interventions and obturators. CONCLUSION: A single intervention may not fulfil all feeding requirements of infants with CLCP. Combined use of different feeding interventions such as palatal obturator, Haberman feeder, and breast milk pump and lactation education may successfully meet the feeding needs of both mother and child.

Endoscopic Trans-Nasal Trans-Sphenoidal (TNTS) Approach For Pituitary Adenomas: Our Experience.

Advances in optics, miniaturization, and endoscopic instrumentation have revolutionized surgery in the past decade. Current progress in the field of endoscopy promises to further this evolution: endoscopic telescopes and instruments have improved upon the optical and technical limitations of the microscope, and require an even less invasive approach to the sella. Pituitary surgery is traditionally within the realm of the neurosurgeon. However, since the reintroduction of the transseptal transsphenoidal approach and endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal approach to the sella turcica for resection of pituitary adenoma, otolaryngologists have been active partners in the surgical management of these patients. Otolaryngologists have lent their expertise in nasal and sinus surgery, assisting the neurosurgeon with the operation. The otolaryngologist has the advantage of familiarity with the techniques and instruments used to gain exposure of the sella turcica by transnasal approach. Hence, the otolaryngologist provides the exposure, and the neurosurgeon resects the tumour. Such collaboration has resulted in decreased rates of complication and morbidity. We hereby discuss our experience of treating 54 cases of pituitary tumour by endoscopic transnasal approach at our hospital.