Search

Soil degradation is a major global concern due to its negative impact on soil quality and the sustainability of agricultural resources. The conservation agriculture (CA) approach, which includes three key principles such as zero tillage, retention of crop residue and crop rotation has gained widespread adoption to help mitigate the climate change effects on agricultural soils and meet the growing demand for increased production. Earthworm communities, along with microbial activity and diversity, are highly sensitive to tillage practices. Additionally, microbial activity and diversity quickly respond to different cropping systems, making them effective indicators for detecting short-term changes in soil functioning. We therefore, assess the effects of CA innovative approached after 6-years on biological and microbial diversity within earthworm cast in maize-wheat system (MWS). The treatments consist of PBM-RN 0 /ZTW-RN 0 (permanent beds No-N control-both residues removed and wheat with zero tillage); PBM+RN 0 /ZTW+RN 0 (permanent beds No-N control-both residues retained)-50% of maize stover and 25% of wheat residue retained; PBM-RN 120 /ZTW- RN 120 (permanent beds with 120 kg N ha -1 both residues removed wheat with zero tillage); PBM+RN 120 /ZTW+RN 120 (permanent beds with 120 kg N ha -1 both residues retained and wheat with zero tillage) and FBM-RN 120 /CTW-RN 120 (fresh beds in maize/CT in wheat with 120 kg N ha -1 both residues removed). The result of present study showed that activities of carbon (C) cycle-related enzymes in the cast soils viz ., dehydrogenase (DHA), β-glucosidase (β-glu), cellulase, and xylanase were significantly higher under PBM+RN 120 / ZTW+RN 120 than under PBM-RN 0 /ZTW-RN 0 . Specifically, the activities of these enzymes were 21.5, 26.8, and 76.5% higher under the PBM+RN 120 /ZTW+RN 120 treatment, respectively. Moreover, the Alk-P activity was found to be 1.3 times higher in the PBM+RN 120 /ZTW+RN 120 treatment than in the PBM-RN 0 /ZTW-RN 0 treatment. The bacterial, fungal, and actinomycete counts in the cast soil ranged from 6.87 to 7.47 CFU (colony forming units) x 10 6 g -1 soil, 3.87-3.30 CFU x 10 4 g -1 soil, and 5.09-5.67 CFU x 10 4 g -1 soil, respectively. Total organic carbon (TOC) showed significant increases of 34.6% under PBM+RN 120 /ZTW+RN 120 as compared to PBM-RN 0 /ZTW-RN 0 . The less labile C (Frac. 3), total carbohydrate carbon (TCHO), phenol oxidase (PHE) and peroxidase (PER) were observed as the sensitive indicators under different tillage, rate of nitrogen and residue management practices. This study suggests that permanent beds with crop residue retention with balance fertilization practices can be recommended and popularized to the overall improvement of soil biological pools within earthworm casts in MWS., Competing Interests: None., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Introduction: Biomechanical preparation has gotten easier over time with the development of nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary instruments. Despite their benefits, research has shown that these files frequently result in microcracks in the root canal dentin, which can fracture the roots. Such mishaps should be prevented, as they compromise the integrity of the root and reduce the long-term survival of endodontically treated teeth., Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at Government Dental College and Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India. Eighty permanent mandibular premolar teeth were included. All the roots were inspected for any pre-existing cracks or craze lines under a stereomicroscope. The teeth were decoronated and then divided into four groups (n = 20): Group I: TruNatomy, Group II: Neoendo Flex, Group III: ProTaper Gold, and Group IV: 2Shape. The samples were instrumented according to the group to which they belonged. The roots were then sectioned horizontally at 3 mm and 6 mm from the apex and examined under a stereomicroscope at 40x for the presence of microcracks., Results: The data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26 (released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). A chi-square test was applied, and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05. The highest incidence of microcracks was associated with ProTaper Gold (65%), followed by Neoendo Flex (45%), TruNatomy (20%), and 2Shape (20%)., Conclusion:  All rotary instruments resulted in dentinal damage. ProTaper Gold exhibited the highest frequency of dentin cracks. TruNatomy and 2Shape exhibited satisfactory results with minimal crack formation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Mariyam et al.)

The case report describes a multidisciplinary approach using orthodontic forced eruption to facilitate prosthetic restoration of a maxillary permanent lateral incisor and canine with poor restorability for a young patient. Restoration after orthodontic eruption presents a more conservative treatment choice in young patients compared with prosthetic restoration after extraction. On examination, the patient had root stumps in the region of 22 and 23. We decided to treat the patient by orthodontic extrusion followed by endodontic post and core. The case was treated with the help of 19 gauge wire and gold posts., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences.)

Inflammatory gingival enlargement, sometimes referred to as gingival hyperplasia or gingival hypertrophy, is an abnormal proliferation of gingival tissues caused by underlying inflammation. It might also be related to long-term periodontitis. Herein, we discuss the case of a young, otherwise healthy male patient wherein the anterior regions of both the upper and lower arches were affected by long-standing gingival growth. The overgrowth was removed, and an excellent aesthetic outcome was achieved, using a surgical procedure termed gingivectomy. After a 15-day follow-up period, the healing process was satisfactory and no negative effects were found., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Sandhu et al.)

A 3-year field experiment was setup to address the threat of underground water depletion and sustainability of agrifood systems. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system combined with nitrogen management under conservation agriculture-based (CA) maize-wheat system (MWS) effects on crop yields, irrigation water productivity (WP i ), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and profitability. Grain yields of maize, wheat, and MWS in the SDI with 100% recommended N were significantly higher by 15.8%, 5.2% and 11.2%, respectively, than conventional furrow/flood irrigation (CT-FI) system. System irrigation water savings (~ 55%) and the mean WP i were higher in maize, wheat, and MWS under the SDI than CT-FI system. There was saving of 25% of fertilizer N in maize and MWS whereas no saving of N was observed in wheat. Net returns from MWS were significantly higher (USD 265) under SDI with 100% N (with no subsidy) than CT-FI system despite with higher cost of production. The net returns were increased by 47% when considering a subsidy of 80% on laying SDI system. Our results showed a great potential of complementing CA with SDI and N management to maximize productivity, NUE, and WP i , which may be economically beneficial and environmentally sound in MWS in Trans-IGP of South Asia., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Context: Problematic eating behavior pattern prevalent in children can be a potential risk factor for Early Childhood Caries (ECC). Pediatric dentist must be vigilant to enquire about eating behavior pattern and guide parents comprehensively., Aim: The aim of this study is to find the association between problematic ECC among 36-71-month-old children., Setting and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2000 children from both the sex and various socioeconomic backgrounds., Methods: A questionnaire was made to assess the personal information and problematic eating behavior of the child using Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) which was filled by parents. Clinical examinations were performed on the date of questionnaire collection and caries diagnosis was done in the dentition status part of "WHO oral health assessment form 2013.", Statistical Analysis Used: The software used for the statistical analysis was SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software version 16.0., Results: The prevalence of ECC in the study sample was 42.6%. Out of eight domains into which problematic eating behavior was divided, domains Emotional Overeating (EOE), Satiety Responsiveness (SR), Slowness of Eating (SE), Desire to Drink, Food Fussiness, and Emotional Under eating were significantly associated with ECC., Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between problematic eating behavior and ECC; such behavior should be recognized at early stages and interrupted so that the risk of developing caries in permanent dentition could be prevented., Competing Interests: None

In water scarce regions of South Asia, diversification of rice with maize is being advocated towards sustainability of cereal-based cropping systems. Adoption of innovative agronomic management practices, i.e., conservation agriculture (CA) and sub-surface drip irrigation (SSDI) are considered as key strategies for much needed interventions to address the challenges of water scarcity under projected climate change. Benefits from CA and SSDI concerning water economy are well-established, however, information about their complementarity and water budgeting in cereal-based systems are lacking. A field study was conducted with process-based model (HYDRUS-2D) to understand water transport, root water uptake and components of soil water balance in maize grown in rotation with wheat after five years of continuous adoption of conservation agriculture. In this study, altogether eight treatments comprising of 6 CA+ treatments (CA coupled with SSDI); permanent beds using sub-surface drip (PB-SSD) with (WR) and without (WOR) crop residue at different N rates, 0, 120 and 150 kg N ha -1 were compared with CA (PB using furrow irrigation-FI with crop residue-120 kg N ha -1 ) and conventional tillage practices (CT) (CT using FI without crop residue-120 kg N ha -1 ). Results showed that the model could simulate the daily changes in profile soil water content with reasonable accuracy in all the treatments. Simulated soil water balance indicated higher cumulative root water uptake (CRWU), lower cumulative evaporation (CE) and higher soil water retention in CA+ (PB-SSD+ crop residue at 150 and 120 kg N ha -1 ) than CA and CT plots. Hydrus-2D model efficiency > 0, RMSE between 0.009-0.026 and R 2 value between 0.80-0.92 at P < 0.01 indicates that the model is performing efficiently. The mean evaporation from CA+ treatments was 10 and 36% less than CA and CT treatments, respectively. On average, CRWU under CA+ treatments were 14-48% higher than FI treatments. The mean cumulative deep drainage in CA+ plots was 80-100 mm less than CA and CT plots. In CA+ based plots significantly higher biomass production and radiation use efficiency were observed with reduced water use than CA and CT. Therefore, the study justifies the water-saving nature of CA+, while maintaining higher productivity and meeting the transpiration demand of crops and halting unnecessary evaporation and deep drainage losses., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Pleuropulmonary blastoma is a rare and highly aggressive pulmonary malignancy in children. Clinically, the malignancy is often mistaken for symptoms of respiratory tract infection or pneumothorax. The neoplasm is histologically characterized by primitive blastema and a malignant mesenchymal stroma that demonstrates multidirectional differentiation. The patients with PPB are managed by multimodal therapy. We present a report of 3 cases of histopathologically diagnosed pleuropulmonary blastoma. The patients presented with chief complaints of difficulty in breathing, cough, fever and chest pain. Radiographs of the patients showed partial to complete opacification of hemithorax. Contrast enhanced computed tomography scans revealed large well defined heterogenously enhancing solid mass lesions in the hemithorax. Knowledge of types, imaging findings, staging and association with other tumors is crucial for correct diagnosis of pleuropulmonary blastoma and subsequent adequate management., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of University of Washington.)

Reduction of excess nutrient application and balanced fertilizer use are the key mitigation options in agriculture. We evaluated Nutrient Expert (NE) tool-based site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) in rice and wheat crops by establishing 1594 side-by-side comparison trials with farmers' fertilization practices (FFP) across the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) of India. We found that NE-based fertilizer management can lower global warming potential (GWP) by about 2.5% in rice, and between 12 and 20% in wheat over FFP. More than 80% of the participating farmers increased their crop yield and farm income by applying the NE-based fertilizer recommendation. We also observed that increased crop yield and reduced fertilizer consumption and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by using NE was significantly influenced by the crop type, agro-ecology, soil properties and farmers' current level of fertilization. Adoption of NE-based fertilizer recommendation practice in all rice and wheat acreage in India would translate into 13.92 million tonnes (Mt) more rice and wheat production with 1.44 Mt less N fertilizer use, and a reduction in GHG of 5.34 Mt CO 2 e per year over farmers' current practice. Our study establishes the utility of NE to help implement SSNM in smallholder production systems for increasing crop yields and farmers' income while reducing GHG emissions.

Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome is a rare complex congenital anomaly of the urogenital tract involving Mullerian ducts and mesonephric ducts. It is also called OHVIRA syndrome (Obstructed Hemivagina and Ipsilateral Renal agenesis). It is characterized by a triad of uterus didelphys, obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis. Patients usually present after menarche with pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, mass, and rarely with primary infertility in later years. We report a case of a multiparous female who presented to the hospital with pain in lower abdomen for the past 2 months and acute retention of urine for 1 day. This is an atypical presentation in a multiparous female that has been described in a single case report so far. 1 Intravenous pyelogram and MRI of the patient revealed uterine didelphys, obstructed right hemivagina causing hematohemicolpos and right renal agenesis. Thorough knowledge of imaging features can enable a radiologist to make a correct diagnosis even in an atypical presentation., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by the British Institute of Radiology.)

A criss-cross heart is an uncommon congenital rotational anomaly. It accounts for less than 0.1% of all congenital heart defects. The anomaly is characterized by crossing of the atrioventricular connections caused by rotation of the heart about its long axis. It is commonly associated with diverse cardiac defects. Cardiac CT imaging of criss-cross heart is sparse. We present a case of 1-year-old child with chief complaints of bluish discoloration of the body and fast breathing. Cardiac CT revealed atrial situs solitus, criss-cross-atrioventricular connections, atrioventricular discordance, double outlet right ventricle and dextro-malposed great arteries (Van Praagh S,D,D)., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by the British Institute of Radiology.)

Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) is the primary monoester transformation product of the commonly used plasticizer, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), and has been frequently detected in various environmental compartments (e.g., soil, biosolids, plants). Plants growing in contaminated soils can take up MEHP, and consumption of the contaminated plants may result in unintended exposure for humans and other organisms. The metabolism of MEHP in plants is poorly understood, but critical for evaluating the potential human and environmental health risks. The present study represents the first attempt to explore the metabolic fate of MEHP in plants. We used Arabidopsis thaliana cells as a plant model and explored metabolic pathways of MEHP using deuterium stable isotope labelling (SIL) coupled with time-of-flight high resolution mass spectrometer (TOF-HRMS). A. thaliana rapidly took up MEHP from the culture medium and mediated extensive metabolism of MEHP. Combining SIL with TOF-HRMS analysis was proved as a powerful method for identification of unknown MEHP metabolites. Four phase Ⅰ and three phase Ⅱ metabolites were confirmed or tentatively identified. Based on the detected transformation products, hydroxylation, oxidation, and malonylation are proposed as the potential MEHP metabolism pathways. In cells, the maximum fraction of each transformation product accounted for 2.8-56.5% of the total amount of metabolites during the incubation. For individual metabolites, up to 2.9-100% was found in the culture medium, suggesting plant excretion. The results in the cell culture experiments were further confirmed in cabbage and A. thaliana seedlings. The findings suggest active metabolism of MEHP in plants and highlight the need to include metabolites in refining environmental risk assessment of plasticizers in the agro-food systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Mediastinal tumours are not uncommon in paediatric population and often pose a diagnostic challenge. They include a variety of entities including developmental, inflammatory, infectious and neoplastic; most are malignant. These lesions can be classified based on imaging according to the specific compartment (anterior, middle and posterior), generating a focused differential diagnosis. This combined with a rational, clinically oriented approach based on patient's history, focused physical examination, age, gender, symptoms, signs, anatomic localization, imaging characteristics and laboratory investigations including tumor markers paves way to a presumptive diagnosis guiding additional and prudent investigations. For example, a suspicion of lymphoma should be kept in a child presenting with a neck mass and superior vena cava syndrome. Neuroblastoma should be suspected among children younger than 5 years old with a posterior mediastinal mass. Such a structured approach along with histopathology will lead to an exact diagnosis. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment of most benign and malignant non-lymphoid tumours. For optimal management, a combined modality of treatment incorporating chemotherapy and radiotherapy is often required in malignant tumours and is associated with high survival rates in these patients. In the present article, we review the approach to evaluation of mediastinal masses in childhood from a clinical perspective., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/med-19-82). The series “Pediatric Mediastinal Tumors” was commissioned by the editorial office without any funding or sponsorship. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare., (2020 Mediastinum. All rights reserved.)

A study was conducted to design productive, profitable, irrigation water¸ nitrogen and energy use efficient intensive cereal systems (rice-wheat; RW and maize-wheat; MW) in North-West India. Bundling of conservation agriculture (CA) with sub-surface drip irrigation termed as CA + were compared with CA alone and conventional tillage based and flood irrigated RW rotation (farmer's practice; ScI). In contrast to conventional till RW rotation which consumed 1889 mm ha -1 irrigation water (2-yr mean), CA + system saved 58.4 and 95.5% irrigation water in RW and MW rotations, respectively. CA + practices saved 45.8 and 22.7% of irrigation water in rice and maize, respectively compared to CA with flood irrigation. On a system basis, CA + practices saved 46.7 and 44.7% irrigation water under RW (ScV) and MW (ScVI) systems compared to their respective CA-based systems with flood irrigation (ScIII and ScIV). CA + in RW system recorded 11.2% higher crop productivity and improved irrigation water productivity by 145% and profitability by 29.2% compared to farmers' practice. Substitution of rice with maize (MW system; ScVI) recorded 19.7% higher productivity, saved 84.5% of irrigation water and increased net returns by 48.9% compared to farmer's practice. CA + RW and MW system improved energy productivity by 75 and 169% and partial factor productivity of N by 44.6 and 49.6%, respectively compared to ScI. The sub-surface drip irrigation system saved the fertilizer N by 20% under CA systems. CA + in RW and MW systems recorded ~13 and 5% (2-yr mean) higher profitability with 80% subsidy on installing sub-surface drip irrigation system and similar profitability without subsidy scenario compared with their respective flood irrigated CA-based systems.

With growing work-time restrictions and public expectations, the Halstedian educational model of 'see one, do one, teach one' is unfit for the modern training of thoracic residents. With the cardiothoracic surgical workforce set to decline by 50% over the next 10 years, new models are desperately needed to help trainees bypass the early error-prone phase of the lobectomy learning curve. In this review, we detail the development and validation of numerous simulators designed to teach trainees an array of skills ranging from basic technical skills to more complex non-technical skills. Given the recent increases in minimally invasive lobectomies, we critique both open and thoracoscopic simulators. We elucidate that whilst there are a growing number of thoracic simulators of varying fidelity available, fundamentally, there is currently a significant lack of well-designed trials validating various simulators for teaching lobectomy despite an awareness of their potential to improve surgical education. Furthermore, there is a void in the simulation training of non-technical skills within thoracic surgery. Encouragingly, there is a definite awareness of the ability of simulation to aid with the training of future thoracic surgical trainees., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Aims: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) to anterior teeth in 8-12-year-old schoolchildren of Patiala city in North India and to study the risk factors related to dental trauma., Materials and Methods: An epidemiological cross-sectional survey was conducted. The study consisted of 3,000 schoolchildren from various schools of Patiala city in North India. The body mass index was calculated. Lip competency, anterioposterior molar relationship, overjet, and overbite were examined. Dental injuries to anterior teeth were recorded according to the Ellis classification. Data were collected on a proforma., Results: The prevalence was found to be 11.4%. Maximum injuries occurred in the 11-year age group and the boys:girls ratio was 1.7:1. The home was the most common place with fall being the most common reason. The relationship between obesity and dental trauma was found to be statistically insignificant, whereas a statistically significant relationship was found between TDIs and incompetent lips, incisal overjet ≥5 mm, and Angle's class II div I molar relation. The Ellis class I fracture was the most predominant type., Conclusion: The high prevalence of dental trauma stresses the need for the development of preventive strategies. There is a need for increased awareness among parents and children regarding dental trauma., How to Cite This Article: Dharmani CKK, Pathak A, et al. Prevalence of Traumatic Dental Injuries to Anterior Teeth in 8-12-year-old Schoolchildren of Patiala City, Punjab, India: An Epidemiological Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(1):25-29., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None

The value of exotic wheat genetic resources for accelerating grain yield gains is largely unproven and unrealized. We used next-generation sequencing, together with multi-environment phenotyping, to study the contribution of exotic genomes to 984 three-way-cross-derived (exotic/elite1//elite2) pre-breeding lines (PBLs). Genomic characterization of these lines with haplotype map-based and SNP marker approaches revealed exotic specific imprints of 16.1 to 25.1%, which compares to theoretical expectation of 25%. A rare and favorable haplotype (GT) with 0.4% frequency in gene bank identified on chromosome 6D minimized grain yield (GY) loss under heat stress without GY penalty under irrigated conditions. More specifically, the 'T' allele of the haplotype GT originated in Aegilops tauschii and was absent in all elite lines used in study. In silico analysis of the SNP showed hits with a candidate gene coding for isoflavone reductase IRL-like protein in Ae. tauschii. Rare haplotypes were also identified on chromosomes 1A, 6A and 2B effective against abiotic/biotic stresses. Results demonstrate positive contributions of exotic germplasm to PBLs derived from crosses of exotics with CIMMYT's best elite lines. This is a major impact-oriented pre-breeding effort at CIMMYT, resulting in large-scale development of PBLs for deployment in breeding programs addressing food security under climate change scenarios.

Sclerosing Mediastinitis (SM) is a rare condition which is characterized by the presence of dense fibrosis which infiltrates and encroaches upon various structures in the mediastinal cavity. Depending on the extent and the predominant organ of involvement, the patient presents with symptomatology of dysphagia, superior vena cava compression syndrome or dyspnoea. However, the involvement of the heart is rarely seen. Aetiologies of SM are several, with infections being the most common. We discuss a case of SM involving the oesophagus, descending aorta, hilum of lungs and the heart secondary to mucormycosis in an immunocompetent male.

Purpose: Excessive weight gain associated with sodium valproate (VPA) may predispose patients with epilepsy to other health problems such as insulin resistance. We prospectively evaluated the long-term impact of VPA monotherapy compared with lamotrigine (LTG) monotherapy on anthropometric and metabolic parameters in women with epilepsy. Our primary objective is to understand the underlying mechanism responsible for VPA-induced obesity., Methods: Sixty-six female patients with newly diagnosed or untreated epilepsy were included in the study. Thirty-four patients with VPA and thirty-two patients with LTG were treated for a period of one year in our center. Anthropometric and clinical data were collected at 5 time points: before, at 6th week, 3rd month, 6th month, 9th month and 12th month (last visit). Biochemical and hormonal data were collected 2 time points: before and last visit., Results: Subjects in the VPA group had significantly higher body weight than LTG-treated subjects (64.88±3.25 vs. 58.28±2.43, P<0.001). HOMA-IR level was significantly increased (2.76 vs. 1.35, P<0.05), and adiponectin levels were significantly lower in the VPA group (3.46 vs. 6.22, P<0.05). Triglycerides levels were significantly increased (118 vs. 96, P<0.05), and HDL-C levels were significantly lower in the VPA group. Both the VPA-treated group and the LTG-treated group showed no significant difference in term of total cholesterol, LDL-C, fasting blood glucose and serum leptin levels., Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, we proposed that VPA induced hypoadiponectinemia which correlates significantly with insulin resistance. These two factors may be responsible for weight gain, possible by stimulating appetite. Valproic acid appears to be use cautionally in obese females with epilepsy., (Copyright © 2017 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are extensively used worldwide to treat a wide range of disorders other than epilepsy, such as neuropathic pain, migraine, and bipolar disorder. Due to this situation more than 20 new third-generation AEDs have been introduced in the market recently. The future design of new AEDs must also have potential to help in the non-epileptic disorders. The wide acceptance of second generation AEDs for the management of various non-epileptic disorders has caused the emergence of generics in the market. The wide use of approved AEDs outside epilepsy is based on both economic and scientific reasons. Bipolar disorders, migraine prophylaxis, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain represent the most attractive indication expansion opportunities for anticonvulsant developers, providing blockbuster revenues. Strong growth in non-epilepsy conditions will see Pfizer's Lyrica become the market leading brand by 2018. In this review, we mainly focus on the current status of new AEDs in the treatment of chronic pain and migraine prophylaxis. AEDs have a strong analgesic potential and this is demonstrated by the wide use of carbamazepine in trigeminal neuralgia and sodium valproate in migraine prophylaxis. At present, data on the new AEDs for non-epileptic conditions are inconclusive. Not all AEDs are effective in the management of neuropathic pain and migraine. Only those AEDs whose mechanisms of action are match with pathophysiology of the disease, have potential to show efficacy in non-epileptic disorder. For this better understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and mechanisms of action of new AEDs are essential requirement before initiating pre-clinical and clinical trials. Many new AEDs show good results in the animal model and open-label studies but fail to provide strong evidence at randomized, placebo-controlled trials. The final decision regarding the clinical efficacy of the particular AEDs in a specific non-epileptic disorder should be withdrawal from randomized placebo trials rather than open-label studies; otherwise this may lead to off-label uses of drug. The purpose of the present review is to relate the various mechanisms of action of new AEDs to pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical efficacy in neuropathic pain and migraine.

Objective: To measure fluoride release and recharge ability of restorative materials in deionised water, artificial saliva and lactic acid., Materials and Methods: Pellets were prepared from GC2, Ketac N100 and Beautifil II. Each pellets were individually immersed in 10 ml deionised water, artificial saliva or lactic acid as per respective subgroup for 24 h and then elutes were collected. Specimens were reimmersed in respective container. Fluoride released was analysed after 24 h, 7(th) and 15(th) day. On 15(th) day all specimens were exposed to 1.23% APF gel and fluoride release in respective solution was measured on 16(th), 22(nd), 30(th) day., Result: Fluoride release was more after 24 h for all materials in all media then decrease gradually. GC2 shows more fluoride release than Ketac N100 at 24 hours and on 7(th) day but onwards Ketac N100 released significantly more fluoride. Beautifil II showed least fluoride release at all measured intervals in all media. Order of fluoride release in media was lactic acid > deionised water > artificial saliva for all materials., Conclusion: GICs are smart material which release more fluoride when environment become more acidic and also show tendency to recharge which helps clinically in caries risk children.

An unknown primary tumor (UPT) is defined as a biopsy-proven malignancy whose anatomic origin remains unidentified after diagnostic evaluation. The estimated incidence of unknown primary tumors is 2 %-7 % of all malignancies. In 15-25 % of cases, the primary site cannot be identified even on postmortem examination. The management of these patients remains a clinical challenge. The aim of this study was to determine the role of 18FDG-PET CT in evaluation of primary tumor and its influence on therapeutic management. Fifty patients with histologically-proven metastases of UPT were included. For all patients, the conventional diagnostic work-up was unsuccessful in localizing the primary site. Whole-body PET/CT images were obtained approximately 60 min after intravenous injection of 350-425 MBq of (18) F-FDG. PET/(CT) depicted histologically verified primary tumors in 21of 46 patients (P > .05), achieving detection rates of approx. 61 % in patients presenting with cervical lymph node metastases from unknown primary tumors, and 40 % in those with extra cervical disease presentation. A positive predictive value of 72 % to 92 % was seen for all patients, depending on category of clinical presentation. In this study, PET/CT detection of additional metastases in 14.2 % (3 cases out of 21 true positives) influenced change in management plan. Considering recent studies and the results of this study, whole body FDG-PET/CT has to be considered a useful tool in evaluating metastases from an UPT, allowing an identification of primary tumors in 42 %, and modifying the stage of the disease and oncological treatment in about 50 % of cases. These results suggest the use of PET/CT with FDG in an early phase of the diagnostic evaluation to optimize the management of these patients.

Unlabelled: The human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) gp160 (gp120-gp41 complex) trimer envelope (ENV) protein is a potential vaccine candidate for HIV/AIDS. HIV-1 vaccine development has been problematic and charge polarity as well as sequence variation across clades may relate to the difficulties. Further obstacles are caused by sequence variation between blood and brain-derived sequences, since the brain is a separate compartment for HIV-1 infection. We utilize a threedimensional residue measure of solvent exposure, accessible surface area (ASA), which shows that major segments of gp120 and gp41 known structures are solvent exposed across clades. We demonstrate a large percent sequence polarity for solvent exposed residues in gp120 and gp41. The range of sequence polarity varies across clades, blood, and brain from different geographical locations. Regression analysis shows that blood and brain gp120 and gp41 percent sequence polarity range correlate with mean Shannon entropy. These results point to the use of protein modifications to enhance HIV-1 ENV vaccines across multiple clades, blood, and brain. It should be noted that we do not address the issue of protein glycosylation here; however, this is an important issue for vaccine design and development., Abbreviations: HIV-1 - human immunodeficiency virus type 1, AIDS - acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, ENV - envelope, gp160 - 160,000d glycoprotein, gp120 - 120,000d glycoprotein, gp41 - 41,000d glycoprotein, LANL - Los Alamos National Laboratories, PDB - Protein Data Bank, HVTN - STEP HIV vaccine trial, AA - amino acids, MSA - multiple sequence alignment, ASA - accessible surface area, SNPs- single nucleotide polymorphisms, HAART - Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, CCR5 - C-C chemokine receptor type 5, CNS - central nervous system, HIVE - HIV encephalitis, P - polarity, NP - non-polarity, CTL - cytotoxic T lymphocyte, NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Cholera is a global disease that has persisted for millennia. The cholera toxin (CT) from Vibrio cholerae is responsible for the clinical symptoms of cholera. This toxin is a hetero-hexamer (AB(5)) complex consisting of a subunit A (CTA) with a pentamer (B(5)) of subunit B (CTB). The importance of the AB(5) complex for pathogenesis is established for the wild type O1 serogroup using known structural and functional data. However, its role is not yet documented in other known serogroups harboring sequence level residue mutations. The sequences for the toxin from different serogroups are available in GenBank (release 177). Sequence analysis reveals mutations at several sequence positions in the toxin across serogroups. Therefore, it is of interest to locate the position of these mutations in the AB(5) structure to infer complex assembly for its functional role in different serogroups. We show that mutations in the CTA are at the solvent exposed regions of the AB(5) complex, whereas those in the CTB are at the CTB/CTB interface of the homo-pentamer complex. Thus, the role of mutations at the CTB/CTB interface for B(5) complex assembly is implied. It is observed that these mutations are often non-synonymous (e.g. polar to non-polar or vice versa). The formation of the AB(5) complex involves inter-subunit residue-residue interactions at the protein-protein interfaces. Hence, these mutations, at the structurally relevant positions, are of importance for the understanding of pathogenesis by several serogroups. This is also of significance in the improvement of recombinant CT protein complex analogs for vaccine design and their use against multiple serogroups.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common disorder that affects the joints. RA is a systemic disease associated with relatively frequent and variable pleuropulmonary manifestations. This article reviews the common and potentially serious thoracic sequelae in terms of pleural disease, pulmonary nodules, airways disorders, and interstitial disease, as well as pulmonary side effects of antirheumatic medication. An imaging-guided approach to classification of RA-associated lung disease is outlined and the comparative values of different imaging modalities are discussed. An appreciation of current knowledge of epidemiology, pathological correlation, and prognostic implications of different RA-associated lung disease is provided. We highlight importance of considering pertinent differential diagnoses to avoid misdiagnosis, and outline common pitfalls in dealing with pleuropulmonary rheumatoid disease.

Solanum trilobatum is a widely used plant in the Indian indigenous systems of medicine. It is mainly used in the treatment of respiratory diseases like bronchial asthma. In our present study, we report that the aqueous and alcoholic extracts of S. trilobatum exhibited inhibition of mast cell degranulation. Further, aqueous and alcoholic extracts of S. trilobatum significantly decreased the release of IL1α and increased the release of IL8 from the cultured keratinocytes. Oral administration of the aqueous and alcoholic extracts of S. trilobatum stabilized mast cells in experimental rats.

The uptake ofγ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was measured in rat cerebral cortical synaptosomes and rat kidney brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV). Three GABA uptake systems (Km = 1.3, 50 and 3246µM respectively) were present in synaptosomes, but only two uptake systems (Km = 11 and 1203µM respectively) were detectable in BBMV. The uptake systems in the two types of tissue preparations were similar in that every system was inhibited byp-hydroxymercuribenzoate and by the action of neuraminidase, thereby indicating that, irrespective of the tissue, both sulfhydryl and sialyl groups were necessary components of all the GABA uptake systems. In contrast, differences were observed between synaptosomal and BBMV uptake systems with respect to their sensitivity to inhibition by GABA structural analogs. While the synaptosomal GABA uptake systems were strongly inhibited by nipecotic acid, diaminobutyric acid,β-alanine and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[4,5-c]pyridin-3-ol (THPO), none of these compounds significantly inhibited the BBMV uptake systems. It is therefore concluded that the GABA uptake systems in brain and kidney tissues are quite different entities. While the role of GABA transport in the inactivation of the neurotransmitter function of GABA is well documented, the role of the kidney GABA uptake system is unclear, and the possibility exists that the latter systems are present in kidney tissues primarily to transport compounds other than GABA. The present study does however highlight a difference in drug susceptibility of the brain and kidney uptake systems, a phenomenon which may have some therapeutic relevance with respect to the use of GABA analogs as anticonvulsant agents.