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Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Introduction: Bacteria and their byproducts are key contributors to the onset and perpetuation of pulpoperiapical pathosis. Intracanal medication is vital in achieving successful endodontic outcomes as it targets and eradicates remaining microorganisms following biomechanical preparation., Aim and Objective: The aim of the study was to compare and evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of calcium hydroxide (CH) paste, triple antibiotic paste (TAP), and probiotics (PBs) as intracanal medicament in 12-17-year-old children undergoing root canal treatment for the management of infected pulpal tissues in young permanent teeth., Materials and Methods: A total of 30 patients aged 12-17 years indicated for endodontic therapy in maxillary incisors and with no systemic complications were selected. They were randomly divided into three groups, i.e., Group I - CH group, Group II - TAP, and Group III - PB allocating 10 teeth in each group. After access opening, the first sample (S1) was collected by inserting a paper point into the root canal, the second sample (S2) was collected immediately after biomechanical preparation, and the third sample (S3) was collected after 7 days, i.e., postintracanal medication. Samples were sent for microbiological analysis to assess the microbial count, and statistical analysis was done for the obtained data., Results: The three intracanal medicaments were successful in reducing the microbial counts of Enterococcus faecalis in the infected root canals. However, according to the results of the study, the PB group demonstrated greater effectiveness against E. faecalis compared to the CH group and displayed similar antimicrobial efficacy as the TAP group., Conclusion: PB exhibited antimicrobial efficacy comparable to TAP but greater than Ca (OH) 2 paste. Hence, PB can be utilized as an intracanal medicament in young permanent teeth., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry.)

Purpose: To describe the subretinal hyporeflective globule in cases of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC)., Methods: A retrospective analysis of consecutive cases of CSC presenting to a tertiary eye care center in eastern India was conducted. Subretinal hyporeflective globules were identified as small globular lesions below the external limiting membrane/ellipsoid zone, but above the RPE layer. They had a hyperreflective border with a hyporeflective core and a clear posterior tail of hyper-transmission., Results: The present study analyzed 137 eyes of 137 patients. Eighty (58.4%) eyes had acute disease at presentation, 48 (35%) eyes had chronic disease, and eight (5.8%) eyes had resolved CSC. Subretinal hyporeflective globules were seen in 27 (21.8%) eyes, of which choroidal caverns were seen in seven (5.1%) eyes. Twenty-five eyes with chronic CSC and only two eyes with acute CSC had subretinal hyporeflective globules. Three eyes with resolved CSC had subretinal hyporeflective globules., Conclusion: We describe subretinal hyporeflective globule as a novel optical coherence tomography (OCT) finding in cases of CSC and describe its clinical correlates., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Ophthalmology.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: India has nearly 267 million adult tobacco users, with a slowly improving quitting rate. Among the many approaches to quitting the habit, such as counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, nicotine patch or gum, and prescribed allopathic medicines. Complementary and alternative medicine/therapy (CAM), a thousand-year-old practice in India, may also prove to be a potential method in tobacco cessation; however, there is scarce literature on the extent of use of CAM among tobacco users who attempt to quit the habit. Therefore, this study attempts to examine the potential of CAM as a strategy for tobacco control in India., Material and Methods: We undertook a secondary analysis of the data from both rounds of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS 2009 and 2016). The dependent variable included in the analysis was the use of traditional medicine as a method for quitting tobacco in three types of users-smokers, smokeless tobacco users, and dual users. The prevalence of CAM use was reported, and Chi-square test was applied to find the factors significantly associated with the use of CAM among tobacco users considering a P value of 0.05 to be statistically significant., Results: The overall prevalence of traditional medicine use for GATS-1 was observed to be more among dual users (4%), while for GATS-2, it was highest among smokers (3%). For both rounds of the GATS survey, the use of traditional medicine was found to be higher among males, rural residents, users with no education or less than primary education, and the eastern region., Conclusions: CAM has a promising potential for supporting tobacco cessation provided a concerted effort is undertaken to standardize pharmacopeia and establish robust clinical evidence. In addition, there is a need to create awareness, build the capacity of healthcare providers, and foster academic-industrial research in indigenous Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) systems., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

India has taken a ground-breaking step in public health by mandating anti-tobacco warnings and disclaimers on over-the-top (OTT) platforms. Concerns over the prevalence of tobacco imagery in media, including OTT platforms, prompted this decision due to its role in normalizing and glamorizing smoking, particularly among the youth. The Indian government aims to comprehensively address this issue and protect public health. This article reviews recent news articles on the developments in the 2023 amendments to Cigarette and other tobacco products act COTPA 2004 and relevant studies on the ill effects of tobacco imagery to form the viewpoint. To effectively implement the new order, clear guidelines, and standards need to be established. Additionally, comprehensive awareness and education campaigns should be launched, while strict monitoring and enforcement mechanisms must be implemented. Supporting research initiatives should evaluate the impact of the warnings, and multiple stakeholders should be involved in the decision-making process. India's commitment to protecting public health and curbing tobacco advertisements on OTT platforms necessitates clear guidelines, awareness campaigns, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, research initiatives, and stakeholder engagement. This government order aligns with international public health frameworks and can serve as a precedent for other countries. By implementing these measures, we can counter the normalization and glamorization of tobacco use and create a healthier future., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Competing Interests: None

Background: In advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) standard of care is upfront debulking surgery (UDS) followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Interval debulking surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NACT-IDS) is a reasonable alternative., Methods: This study was a retrospective review of patients of Stage III/IV EOC treated either by UDS or NACT-IDS between January 2016 and December 2018 to report the comparison of progression-free survival(PFS) and overall survival(OS) of patients with advanced-stage EOC treated with either UDS or NACT-IDS., Results: Out of 50 patients, 19 (38%) underwent UDS, and 31 (62%) received NACT. The mean follow-up duration was 27.7 months. No gross residual disease was achieved in 52.6% of the UDS group and in 70.4% of the NACT-IDS group. The median PFS of 20 and 30 months was observed in the UDS and NACT-IDS groups, respectively (log-rank P = 0.054). The median OS was 36 months in the NACT-IDS group and could not be reached in the UDS group (log-rank P = 0.329). Only residual disease was significantly associated with survival (hazards ratio 3.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.19-7.74) on multivariate Cox regression analysis., Conclusions: In advanced-stage EOC, the survival outcomes of NACT-IDS are comparable with those of UDS. Apart from the patient-specific parameters, the decision for UDS or NACT-IDS should take in account the expertise of the surgeon and the institutional capacity as a whole., (Copyright © 2023 Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Cancer.)

Background: Oral cancer is a major health concern in the Indian subcontinent, where it ranks among the top three types of cancer in the country. Tobacco and its products have been implicated as a major etiologic factor behind cancers. It is believed that tobacco is an epidemic in itself taking the death toll to 7 million globally. In India alone, mortality because of tobacco is more than 1.3 million. Dentists are the first to notice any change in the oral cavity or come across any suspicious looking oral lesion and therefore are instrumental in primary prevention and care., Methods: The present study data are of the patients enrolled in a Tobacco Cessation Center(TCC) at a Dental College in Meerut in Meerut from May 2012 (since its inception) to March 2020. The following methods of counseling were carried out: group counseling, interactive sessions, audio-visual aids, and individual counseling sessions. Self-training for oral cavity examination was also given after every group counseling session. Behavioral counseling and pharmacological intervention were given as per Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) score. At the end of 1 year, patients who quit were graded into 0, 1, and 2, with 0 for those who failed to quit, 1 for those who did completely quit, and 2 for those who reduced their habit by more than 50%., Results: The quit rate achieved was 57.6% (complete responders -43.2% and partial responders 14.4%). The relapse reported was 1.8%., Conclusion: A Tobacco cessation Center set up in a Dental College could be of great help in the primary prevention of oral cancer and can bring a drastic increase in quit rates. Proper counseling skills once nurtured in young under-graduates can boost the tobacco-free India campaign., Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of surgical intervention in cases of ectopia lentis., Methods: This retrospective study included all cases of ectopia lentis that presented between June 2015 and March 2019 in a tertiary care center. They were reviewed retrospectively. The corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), severity of lens subluxation, type of surgery, intra-operative and post-operative complication, and specular count were recorded., Results: Seventy-eight eyes of 57 cases with a mean age at surgery of 14.73 years were analyzed. Intra-lenticular lens aspiration was the most common (n-62/78; 79.5%) surgical procedure followed by lens aspiration, intra-capsular cataract extraction, phaco-aspiration, and pars-plana lensectomy. Simultaneous intra-ocular lens (IOL) implantation was performed in 46.2% (n-32/78) of the eyes. The mean CDVA improved from 0.85 ± 0.55 logMAR to 0.44 ± 0.29 logMAR at 6 weeks follow-up. The post-operative CDVA was significantly better in the pseudo-phakic group compared to the aphakic group (p-0.02). The patient's age at the time of surgery and the degree of subluxation did not impact the final visual outcome. Intra-operative complication included vitreous hemorrhage (n-1) and lens matter drop (n-1). Post-operative complications were noted in 26.9% of the eyes (n-21/78) with a higher complication rate in the pseudo-phakic group (p-0.00). A second intervention was required in 7.7% of the eyes (n-6/78)., Conclusion: Age and degree of subluxation at the time of surgery do not influence the final visual outcome in cases of ectopia lentis undergoing lens extraction surgery. IOL implantation results in better visual outcomes but is associated with a high complication rate., Competing Interests: None

Background: Globally, India is recognized for providing comprehensive coverage of tobacco cessation through the infrastructure and resources over the last two decades. Nevertheless, its current tobacco burden is worrying due to an increase in ~2 million initiators and 5.87% tobacco related deaths annually., Objective: It was to identify and describe challenges and barriers in tobacco cessation delivery that exist at various levels of health care as well as at the level of tobacco users, their care givers and communities in which they live., Method: Besides authors' first-hand collective experience in the tobacco control for over 80 years and ~35 years in tobacco cessation and reviewed references, the stakeholders communications during various events along with telephonic or in-person with some of them were assimilated to comprehend an overall understanding of the issue., Results: The challenges and barriers are primarily due to low priority assigned by the relevant functionaries, the inadequacy of resources, poor engagement of health-and insurance-sectors and healthcare workers, a low intent to quit by its users, suboptimal and discontinuous enforcement of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act of 2003 (COTPA), and indifference of the non-users., Conclusion: The countrywide strategic initiatives required "as a package" should include political and bureaucratic commitment, mass communication on benefits of quitting, licensed current users quitting through a timeline, use of systems approach in tobacco cessation delivery, implementation, and enforcement of vendor licensing and the proposed amendments in COTPA. Their perceived benefits will become a win-win situation for all stakeholders engaged in tobacco cessation delivery., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Purpose: To formulate a treatment algorithm for the management of descemetocele., Methods: This was a prospective interventional study that was conducted at a tertiary eye-care center. All consecutive cases of descemetocele during the study period (April 1, 2017-March 31, 2018) were evaluated for the following parameters: age, sex, previous medical or surgical therapy, risk factors, preexisting ocular diseases, location, site and size of descemetocele, interventions undertaken, visual acuity, and the fellow eye status. The surgical modalities and fellow eye status were correlated individually with therapeutic and functional outcomes, based on which a treatment algorithm was formulated., Results: The study included 24 eyes of 24 patients (19M, 5F) with a median age of presentation of 45 years. The mean follow-up duration was 6.79 ± 3.97 months (3-12 months). The most common cause of descemetocele was microbial keratitis (66.66%), and most cases were central (50%), small (58.33%), and non-perforated (79.16%). The surgical interventions undertaken were cyanoacrylate glue (CG, 37.5%), penetrating keratoplasty (PKP, 33.33%), patch graft (16.66%), and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK, 12.5%). Therapeutic success was noted in 13/24 eyes (54.16%). Final visual acuity > 3/60 was seen in 25% cases. Suboptimal therapeutic (P = 0.07) and visual (P = 0.34) outcomes were noted in subjects with non-functional fellow eye., Conclusion: PKP was preferred for descemetoceles with active microbial keratitis and extensive infiltrates, while CG and DALK were undertaken for healed microbial keratitis, neurotrophic keratitis, and ocular surface disorders with partial limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). For total LSCD, amniotic membrane graft was preferred., Competing Interests: None

Introduction: Processed and preserved food items are the major source of dietary trans fat. Despite various legal provision, public awareness toward trans fats are limited., Objective: To examine the awareness of participants about various aspects of trans fats and improving their knowledge through education., Methods: A cross sectional pre- and posttest survey was conducted online through a webinar. The questionnaire has 11 questions about trans fats. Received responses were coded. Mean and frequency of continuous data were calculated. Chi-square or t -test were used to find the difference in pre and posttest., Results: Eighty five out of 95 participants completed both pre- and posttest. The scores for each question were compared to find out awareness improvement. The question based on FSSAI showed 57% improvement while 50% in case of World Health Organization's REPLACE initiative. The difference of mean score of pretest (7.57 ± 1.8) and posttest (9.22 ± 1.37) was statistically significant., Conclusion: Nutrition education and proper labelling of food items can improve the knowledge about food ingredients and food purchasing patterns. Proper enforcement and monitoring of food items labeling guidelines can be recommended., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Background: Media portrayal of mental illness may influence public stigma and service utilization., Aim: This study aims to explore the overall tone and content of the news articles on mental illnesses in India., Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on online English and Hindi news portals for articles which made reference to mental illness, published by local and national media sources between September 2019 and August 2020. The search was performed using location and news-only filters in the "Google" search engine; we used predefined search queries and selection criteria. A previously published checklist was used for the content analysis; it was done by two independent investigators., Results: A total of 273 news reports met inclusion criteria (Hindi n = 164, English n = 109). Results showed that more than half (54.9%) had a positive tone. Nearly a third (30.8%) of these articles were stigmatizing in tone. Persons with mental illness were portrayed as violent, unreliable, and unpredictable. Uses of blanket terms (33.3%) such as mentally ill, mentally unstable, mentally retarded, and stigmatizing photographs (36.9%) were also common. Overall, Hindi media had a significantly better quality of reporting than the English language media. National media reports had a less negative and stigmatizing tone than local articles., Conclusion: There is a need for a concerted attempt to improve the quality of media reporting of mental illness in India., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Indian Journal of Psychiatry.)

Background: This study evaluated the effect of mycophenolate mofetil, methotrexate, and pimecrolimus on the expression of cdk4 and p16, important proteins implicated in hyperproliferation and arrest in the G1 phase, in oral lichen planus (OLP)., Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 60 patients were randomly assigned in three equal groups to receive either pimecrolimus cream, or mycophenolate mofetil or methotrexate, both supplemented with pimecrolimus. Pretreatment and post-treatment specimens were immunohistochemically stained for detecting cdk4 and p16., Results: A significant decrease in cdk4 cytoplasmic positivity was noted in all three treatment groups and was especially more significant in the MTX group ( P < 0.0001) than in the other two groups ( P < .001). However, a significant decrease in the cdk4 nuclear staining was noted with only systemic treatment groups of MMF ( P < 0.05) and MTX ( P < 0.01), both supplemented with pimecrolimus. No significant decrease in cytoplasmic p16 levels was noted in the MTX group while a significant decrease in cytoplasmic p16 levels was noted in the other two groups; however, no significant decrease in p16 nuclear staining was noted with any treatment., Conclusion: By decreasing the expression of cdk4 and p16, pimecrolimus, methotrexate, and mycophenolate mofetil decrease the malignant potential of OLP lesions. However, methorexate can be a better alternative in cases showing high cdk4 expression., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Indian Journal of Dermatology.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the post-lockdown challenges during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic amongst the ophthalmologists in India., Methods: An online survey was sent to the practicing ophthalmologists across India. Data were collected from the responding ophthalmologists and analysed using Medcalc 16.4 software., Results: A total of 794 responses were obtained. Most respondents (51%) were in the age group 30-50 years and were in independent practice (40.05%). Almost three-fourth of ophthalmologists resumed their surgical services after a gap of more than a month post-lockdown. Almost a third of the respondents had significant reduction in their surgical workload during this period. Significant fear of contracting COVID-19 infection in the operation theatres was reported while moderate difficulty was found in procuring protective gear during immediate post-national lockdown period., Conclusion: The pandemic has changed the ophthalmic practice significantly, with patient and staff safety becoming areas of major concern. Both financial and psychological concerns affecting healthcare workers need addressing for continued patient care., Competing Interests: None

Cicatrizing conjunctivitis constitutes a group of chronic local and systemic disorders that cause conjunctival scarring. A systematic approach is required to sift through the clinical history, examination, and laboratory investigations of patients to arrive at the correct diagnosis of the underlying cause. Establishing the etiology is critical, as the therapeutic approach changes based on the cause of conjunctival inflammation. Effective management of patients with the condition requires knowledge of multiple modalities such as systemic immunosuppressive therapy, use of scleral contact lenses, and surgery for ocular surface and vision improvement. We review the clinical features of this condition and present diagnostic and treatment algorithms to help simplify the complexities in its management. This review attempts to place all the relevant information on chronic cicatrizing conjunctivitis together in one place for the benefit of cornea and ocular surface specialists, general ophthalmologists, and ophthalmology residents., Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: None

Cataract is the second leading cause of preventable blindness on the globe. Several programs across the country have been running efficiently to increase the cataract surgical rates and decrease blindness due to cataract. The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to a complete halt of these programs and thus accumulating all the elective cataract procedures. At present with the better understanding of the safety precautions among the health care workers and general population the Government of India (GoI) has given clearance for functioning of eye care facilities. In order to facilitate smooth functioning of every clinic, in this paper, we prepared preferred practice pattern based on consensus discussions between leading ophthalmologists in India including representatives from major governmental and private institutions as well as the All India Ophthalmological Society leadership. These guidelines will be applicable to all practice settings including tertiary institutions, corporate and group practices and individual eye clinics. The guidelines include triage, use of personal protective equipment, precautions to be taken in the OPD and operating room as well for elective cataract screening and surgery. These guidelines have been prepared based on current situation but are expected to evolve over a period of time based on the ongoing pandemic and guidelines from GoI., Competing Interests: None

Purpose: The current study compares the ability of multicolor imaging (MCI) to detect the lesions of central serous chorioretinopathy against conventional color fundus photographs (CFP)., Methods: It was a retrospective, observational case series of 93 eyes of 58 patients of central serous chorioretinopathy who underwent MCI and CFP. MCI and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) were performed using Spectralis SD-OCT system (HRA + OCT). CFP was obtained using FF 450 Plus fundus camera (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany). SD-OCT was considered gold standard for subretinal fluid (SRF) and retinal pigment epithelium detachment (PED). CFP was considered confirmatory investigation for fibrin and blue autofluorescence image (BAF) was considered gold standard to detect retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy., Results: CFP could detect SRF in 41 (44.1%) eyes. MCI detected SRF in 43 (46.2%) eyes. The sensitivity and specificity of MCI to detect SRF were 70.7% and 94.3%, respectively. PED was detected by CFP in 21 (22.6%) eyes and MCI in 27 (29%) eyes. The sensitivity and specificity of MCI to detect PED were 70% and 97.7% respectively. CFP could pick RPE atrophy in 52 (55.9%) eyes whereas MCI was picked it in 78 (83.9%) of eyes., Conclusion: Both MCI and CFP were inferior to a gold standard in identifying the SRF, PED, and RPE atrophy. However, MCI was better than CFP in comparison with gold standard for these clinical findings in CSC. Thus, MCI seems to be a more valuable imaging tool compared to CFP., Competing Interests: None

Context: An objective conformal radiotherapy treatment planning criteria that can predict severity of early effects of radiotherapy would be quite useful in reducing the side effects of radiotherapy thereby improving quality of life for head and neck cancer patients., Aim of Study: Retrospective study aimed at correlating the maximum dose in planning target volume (PTV) with early effects of radiation., Materials and Methods: Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of H and N region who received radical radiotherapy and concomitant chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed for maximum dose in PTV and the requirement of gap during radiotherapy or else hospitalization for supportive care during or up to 1 month after completion of radical radiotherapy., Results: Of a total of 23 patients, 8 patients (34.7%) required a gap of 2-14 days during their treatment. Twelve patients (52.1%) required hospitalization for 1-4 days and 4 patients (17.3%) required hospitalization for supportive care after completion of radiotherapy. The maximum dose in PTV ranged from 105.1% to 132.8% with an average of 112.68%. Subgroup analysis revealed a nonsignificant highest maximum dose of 114.72% in subset of patients requiring gap during radiotherapy (n= 8)., Conclusion: It was concluded that maximum dose in PTV is a useful predictor of need for inhospital supportive care., Competing Interests: None

Purpose: To describe the outcome of microscope integrated optical coherence tomography (MiOCT) guided removal of lenticulo-corneal adhesion and intralenticular lens aspiration (ILLA) in cases with anterior dislocation of the crystalline lens and corneal edema., Methods: MiOCT-guided ILLA was performed in three eyes of two cases of homocystinuria with spontaneous anterior dislocation of lens and corneal edema. Lenticulo-corneal adhesion was noted intraoperatively, which was not apparent pre-operatively. The lenticulo-corneal adhesion could be successfully peeled using intravitreal forceps and viscodissection with visco-dispersive viscoelastic under the guidance of MiOCT., Results: In all cases, the lenticulo-corneal adhesion could be successfully removed without any complication such as Descemet tear or worsening in corneal edema. Improvement in visual acuity was noted in all cases with resolution in corneal edema by 1 week., Conclusion: MiOCT-guided ILLA can be extremely useful in cases of lenticulo-corneal adhesion especially in cases with corneal edema., Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: None

Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess the ability of multicolour imaging (MCI) to detect foveal cysts in diabetic macular edema (DME) and compare it with conventional color fundus photography (CFP) and foveal autofluorescence (FAF) pattern., Methods: It was a retrospective review of 112 eyes of 84 DME patients with central foveal thickness ≥250 μ who underwent MCI, CFP and shortwave autofluorescence imaging. MCI was performed with Sepctralis spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) (Heidelberg Engineering, Germany)., Results: 97 (86.6%) eyes had cystoid increased autofluorescence (cystoid iFAF), 9 (8%) had spot iFAF and 6 (5.35%) had irregular decreased FAF (dFAF). Among eyes with cystoid iFAF, OCT detected DME cysts in 93 (95.6%) eyes, MCI in 75 (77.3%) and CFP in 5 (5.15%) eyes. In all these eyes, the location of cysts on OCT and MCI corresponded with the location of cystoid iFAF, whereas none of the eyes with cyst seen on CFP correlated with the location of cystoid iFAF., Conclusion: MCI was superior to CFP in detecting DME cysts at fovea. It also correlated with hyperautofluorescence pattern in these eyes. MCI may have a potential role in diabetic retinopathy screening by segregating eyes with DME which would require treatment. Our findings need to be further validated in a larger and prospective study design., Competing Interests: None

We report a rare case of Pseudomonas stutzeri endophthalmitis in an immunocompetent individual along with the review of the literature. A 39-year-old healthy lady presented with sudden painful loss of vision in her right eye. She was diagnosed with postcataract surgery acute endophthalmitis and underwent vitrectomy, intraocular lens explantation and intravitreal antibiotics. P. stutzeri was isolated from vitreous. Though the infection was controlled, the anatomy of the eye could not be salvaged and the right eye became phthisical. P. stutzeri is a rare cause of endophthalmitis with usually poor outcomes., Competing Interests: None

Purpose: To describe treatment outcomes of eyes with pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) with PDT and anti-(vascular endothelial growth factor) VEGF therapy., Methods: Retrospective interventional case series. Records of six consecutive cases of PNV were reviewed. Four cases were treated with PDT+ inj ranibizumab. Two cases underwent only PDT. Final visual outcomes and functional outcome including macular status and choroidal thickness were assessed., Results: We analysed six eyes of six patients with PNV. There were four males and two females. Mean age of the patients was 56.5 years. Mean duration of follow up was 8.2 months. All patients received reduced fluence PDT. Four patients received ranibizumab along with PDT; mean BCVA at presentation was 0.41 log MAR units and mean BCVA at final follow up was 0.44 log MAR units. There was significant improvement at final follow up (P = 0.03). Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) at presentation was 445 microns and mean SFCT at final follow up was 293 microns. There was a significant reduction at final follow up (P = 0.02)., Conclusion: PDT with or without ranibizumab appears to be an effective treatment modality for PNV., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest

Purpose: To determine the effect of ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWFFA)-guided targeted retinal photocoagulation (TRP) in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) with macular edema after intravitreal Ranibizumab (RBZ)., Methods: 33 eyes of 32 treatment naïve patients diagnosed as BRVO with macular edema were prospectively randomized to 0.5 mg Ranibizumab only (RBZ group) (n = 17) or Ranibizumab with UWFFA-guided laser (RBZ + TRP group) (n = 16). Both groups received three injections at monthly intervals and PRN henceforth. RBZ + TRP group additionally underwent UWFFA-guided TRP of peripheral capillary nonperfusion areas 1 week post injection. Outcome measures included improvement in visual acuity, central subfoveal thickness (CST), and the number of injections required with a minimum follow-up of 9 months., Results: Both groups showed significant improvement in mean BCVA (25.7 ± 8.19 letters, P < 0.001 vs. 23.38 ± 7.56 letters, P < 0.001; in RBZ and RBZ + TRP group, respectively) and reduction in mean central subfoveal thickness (379.12 ± 242.7 μm, P < 0.001 vs. 253.75 ± 137.9 μm, P < 0.001 in RBZ and RBZ + TRP group, respectively) at 9 months. The number of injections in the RBZ group (5.76 ± 1.3) was significantly greater than RBZ + TRP (4.06 ± 0.99) (P < 0.001). Both groups had significant improvement in contrast sensitivity and mean deviation on visual fields; however, the difference between the groups was not significant (P = 0.62 and P = 0.79, respectively)., Conclusion: UWFFA-guided TRP reduced the number of injections of Ranibizumab in patients having BRVO with macular edema, while maintaining similar benefits in the improvement of BCVA, central subfoveal thickness without deleterious effect on the visual field, and contrast sensitivity., Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: None

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest

Introduction: There are variations in surgical procedures included in urology residency curricula across various programs. We conducted a survey of practicing urologists to determine which procedures are considered essential to a core urology residency curriculum., Materials and Methods: A web-based survey was conducted between October 2016 and February 2017 using SurveyMonkey. The questionnaire, comprising a set of 5-questions, was sent to the members of the Urological Society of India. Respondents were requested to grade 37 of the most common urological procedures (competencies) into three groups. Group A, were those that the respondent believed were vital for the trainee to learn (must know). Group B, were those that the respondent thought were essential to acquire (good to know). Group C procedures were labeled as desirable to know by respondents., Results: A total of 485 (15.75%) responses were received out of 3018 members contacted. 67% respondents were working in the private-sector. Out of the 37 listed procedures, 20 procedures received a median weightage of 1 indicating vital clinical competency for urology curriculum, 15 were identified as "essential to know" while two procedures were identified as "desirable to know.", Conclusions: Twenty surgical procedures were identified as'must-know' for a urology trainee. The choice of procedures was not affected by the region of the responder or his practice type, suggesting a wide consensus., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Several competing priorities with health and development sector currently deter research, and as a result of which evidence does not drive policy- or decision-making. There is limited operational research (OR) within the India's National Tobacco Control Programme, as it is in other middle- and low-income countries, primarily due to limited capacity and skills in undertaking OR and lack of dedicated funding. Few models of OR have been developed to meet the needs of different settings; however, they were found to be costly and time-consuming., Objective: To elucidate a cost-effective and less resource arduous training model for building capacity in OR focused on tobacco control., Materials and Methods: This 5½-day partly funded course enrolled 15 participants across the country and nine facilitators. The facilitator-participants interactions were initiated 2 weeks before the course, which enabled them to develop possible research questions and a plan for data analysis., Results: This article presents the new OR model along with experiences of the participants which will provide useful insights on lessons learned for planning similar courses in the future. While we faced several challenges in the process and the outputs were modest, several lessons were learned which will be instrumental in the future courses that we are planning to conduct., Conclusion: This low cost and less time intensive model can be applied in similar settings across range of public health issues., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Recent developments in assisted reproductive technology focus on potential advances to improve its success rate. Atosiban, a combined oxytocin/vasopressin V1a receptor antagonist, is a novel class of drug involved in basic priming of the uterus for successful implantation during embryo transfer (ET)., Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of atosiban (study group) in ET patients in comparison to placebo (control group) regarding implantation rate (IR), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), and ongoing pregnancy rate and to assess the safety profile of atosiban., Materials and Methods: A total of 320 women undergoing in vitro fertilization-ET at a tertiary care hospital were enrolled in the study. In the study group, atosiban was given as initial intravenous (IV) bolus injection 0.9 ml (6.75 mg), 30 min before ET followed by continuous IV infusion of atosiban. In the control group, placebo (normal saline) was infused at the same rate and dose. Pregnancy was confirmed 14 days after ET by β-human chronic gonadotropin level. IR and CPR were determined by doing transvaginal sonography 3 weeks and 6 weeks postET, respectively., Results: In women with atosiban treatment, the positive pregnancy rate and CPRs were 41.25% and 36.25%, respectively. The IR per embryo transferred was 17.5%. No major side effects of atosiban were noted among enlisted patients. The miscarriage rate and ectopic pregnancy rate were low (12.12% and 4.54%, respectively). Forty-two women had singleton gestation, while twin and triplet pregnancies were encountered in 13 and 3 women, respectively. No congenital anomalies were observed during an antenatal scan at 18-20 weeks in ongoing pregnancies. The positive pregnancy rate, the CPR, and the IR in the control group was 35%, 30%, and 16.5%, respectively, which was significantly lower than the atosiban group., Conclusion: Atosiban reduces uterine contractions and increases endomyometrial perfusion, both of which have potential benefits regarding improved IRs, CPR, and ongoing pregnancy rates. Atosiban has a good embryonic safety profile., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Antrochoanal polyps (ACPs) are benign lesions that arise from the mucosa of the maxillary antrum, grow into the maxillary sinus, and reach the choana with nasal obstruction being their main symptom. Most of these lesions are small and clinically silent and found as incidental finding, but large cysts which occupy the entire antrum have also been reported in literature. Nasal endoscopy and computer tomography (CT) are the golden standard in the diagnosis of ACPs, and enucleation by Caldwell-Luc approach is the recommended treatment for larger antral cysts. This article is a report of a 9-year-old male patient diagnosed with ACP arising from a benign cyst of maxillary antrum with characteristic clinical, CT, and histopathological features along with brief review of literature.

Background: Tobacco use and education of an individual are linked to each other. Educated people are more likely to practice healthy behaviors and are aware of the harms of tobacco use. This paper uses the Global Adult Tobacco Survey data (GATS-India) to study the education differential associated with tobacco use and its predictors across India., Methodology: Secondary data analysis was conducted for GATS conducted in 2009-2010 in India. Data for "illiterate" and "literate" study subjects were analyzed according to study subject's "tobacco consumption pattern," their "quitting behavior," "exposure to second hand smoke (SHS)" and "observing health warnings on tobacco products.", Results: Tobacco smokers and smokeless tobacco users were more likely to be illiterate (odds ratio [OR] for smoking tobacco = 1.2; for smokeless tobacco = 1.5) as compared to their counterparts. Significantly, more illiterate initiated smoking tobacco (OR = 1.1; 1.02-1.26) and smokeless tobacco habit (OR = 1.3; 1.21-1.44) before 17 years of age. Illiterate people were less likely to try quitting tobacco (smoking tobacco = OR = 0.8; 0.79-0.94; smokeless tobacco = OR = 0.7; 0.70-0.81) and also less likely to think of quitting tobacco in near future (smoking tobacco = OR = 0.6; 0.59-0.71; smokeless tobacco = OR = 0.6; 0.57-0.66). Illiterate people were more likely to be exposed to SHS at home (OR = 1.8; 1.7-1.9) and less likely to notice health warnings on cigarette packets (OR = 0.2; 0.26-0.28) and smokeless tobacco pouches (unadjusted OR = 0.5; 0.49-0.53)., Conclusion: The results confirm that education differential exists for tobacco use and its determinants in India. It is recommended that all people of our country should have access to quality education. Policy makers should target uneducated people so as to reverse the tobacco epidemic., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest