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COVID-19 pandemic had adversely affected the services of the National Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination Programme, resulting in psychological distress among pulmonary tuberculosis patients (PTB). This cross-sectional, hospital-based study included 361 PTB patients. Three pre-defined questionnaires were used for the analysis, a questionnaire to evaluate anxiety related to COVID-19, a patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression, and a fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) questionnaire. Among 361 PTB patients, 13% (n=47) had COVID-19 infection. Out of the total patients, 69% (n=250) were DR-TB (drug resistance-tuberculosis) cases. Proportion of anxiety, fear and depression due to COVID-19 was found in 49% (n=177), 23% (n=83), 67% (n=247) respectively. Delay in the initiation of anti-tubercular treatment was found in 58% (n=210) of the cases, among which the majority, i.e., 69% (n=172, p=0.011), were DR-TB. This pandemic has led to a sudden step-down of PTB. Trend analysis of the psychological distress showed a peak following the COVID-19 pandemic. Most DR-TB patients had delayed initiation of the anti-tubercular treatment during the pandemic. The preponderance of the younger age group was seen in the pulmonary tuberculosis patients, and a majority of them had DR-TB. Depression was the predominant psychological distress among the study subjects during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are an intriguing group of pulmonary disorders, which still require the study of epidemiological, genetic, pathophysiological, clinical, and radiological parameters. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an underreported complication in interstitial lung diseases which is associated with worse outcome. In our study, we have reported the spectrum of ILDs and estimated the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension among these subjects at a tertiary care center. A cross-sectional study was performed in which demographical, clinical, radiological, and histological data of subjects with ILD, attending the Department of Respiratory Medicine in the University was collected from 1st September 2018 to 31st August 2019. Serological tests were done wherever indicated. Standard criteria along with multidisciplinary opinion were needed to arrive at the final diagnosis. All subjects were screened for pulmonary hypertension via 2-D echocardiography. Mean pulmonary artery pressure =20 mmHg was used to define PH. In the defined period, 239 subjects were enrolled (58% females, n=141; mean age 52.38±13.40 years). A tissue diagnosis was obtained in 34% cases. The most common ILD was hypersensitivity pneumonitis (32.2%), followed by autoimmune-ILD (31.4%), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (15.9%) and sarcoidosis (12.6%), non-IPF idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis (2.1%) and rest 21 (5.9%) subjects were diagnosed as other types of ILD. Pulmonary hypertension was seen in 46.0% of subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of ingredients used for performing construction will affect the performance of prepared concrete. Aggregates are major constituents of concrete and it has been observed by researchers that characteristics of material used as aggregate significantly influence the strength and workability of concrete. Here, in the present work effect of flaky aggregates and steel slag as partial replacement of coarse aggregate on the characteristics of concrete composed by replacing cement by sand has been investigated. Two types of mixes have been prepared by varying the ratio of sand and marble powder which is 1:1 and 1:0.5, coarse aggregates are partially replaced by flaky aggregate and steel slag in 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% by weight. It has been observed that increase in proportion of flaky aggregate reduces the strength and workability of concrete and increase in steel slag increases the strength of concrete but reduces the workability. Mixing both the materials simultaneously increases the early strength of concrete and then lowers the percentage increase of strength, however, produces the concrete with low workability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 9 months pregnant Murrah buffalo with cervico-vaginal prolapse was presented and it was treated by epidural anaesthesia along with rope truss technique followed by administration of Ceftiofur sodium @ 2.2mg/kg IM for 5 days to prevent secondary infection and herbal remedies arjun bark and hadjod. The case was recovered uneventfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 5 year old buffalo was presented at veterinary clinical complex for correction of dystocia. The case was unsuccessfully handled by layman for the same. The visual and vaginal examination revealed a dead fetus with both forelimbs protruded from vulva and tightly impacted head with right lateral deviation. To resolve the case, subcutaneous fetotomy was performed with judicious use of traction and followed by a course of antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and antihistaminic to manage pain and prevent secondary bacterial infection. The case was recovered uneventfully. In conclusion, subcutaneous fetotomy can be used to resolve similar cases under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral mucositis is a common and debilitating painful side effect of many forms of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Mucositis may lead to dose reductions and unplanned interruptions of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy (RT) and often affects patients' quality of life.Aim: The objective of the study was to assess the efficacy of the ayurvedic preparation in decreasing the severity of mucositis in head-and-neck cancer patients receiving concomitant chemoradiotherapy.Materials and Methods: In this prospective randomized study, the patients were divided into three groups. Group 1 patients received conventional mucositis treatment, whereas Group 2 patients received ayurvedic preparation Yashtimadhu in addition to conventional treatment. Group 3 patients received honey for local application in oral cavity as well as one tea spoon of honey twice daily orally in addition to routine conventional treatment. All the patients were assessed for mucositis at the end of every week during the RT for a period of 6 weeks.Results: A significant difference was observed between the groups at each time point. Nearly 42.85% of patients in conventional treatment arm developed Grade 3 mucositis, 20% of patients developed Grade 3 mucositis in group where honey was given, and only 15.5% of patients developed Grade 3 mucositis in Yastimadhu group. Unplanned treatment breaks and hospitalization of patients were reduced with the use of yashtimadhu as compared to other two groups.Conclusion: Yashtimadhu was observed to be effective and delayed the development of severe form of mucositis. The drug appeared to be more efficient in the management of radiation-induced mucositis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ballistic resistance of high-strength fabrics improves upon impregnation with Shear Thickening Fluids (STFs). The performance of such STF treated fabrics depends on the rheological properties of the STF which in turn are governed by the physicochemical properties of the STF. The present study utilizes rheological characterization of shear thickening silica-polyethylene glycol dispersions (of different material configurations in terms of packing fraction, particle size and continuous phase viscosity) to assess their performance and obtain the best STF material configuration for ballistic body armor applications based on the design criteria proposed herein. The ballistic performance assessment results showed that the STFs with high packing fractions which thicken discontinuously, are highly effective compared to the continuously shear thickening fluids. Furthermore, the use of smaller particle size dispersed phase in the STF formulation was determined to be economical. Also, the use of lower molecular weight dispersion medium was suggested as it allows for a broader working temperature range of the STF. Additionally, the technological issues associated with the development and the practical application of STF-Armor were addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shear thickening fluids (STF) are stabilized and concentrated colloidal suspensions of hard nano-particles in a liquid medium (polymer) that, under the influence of impact forces, show non-Newtonian fluid behavior (shear thickening) dissipating the energy of impact. The viscosity of the dispersion medium should be optimum to lead to an increase in shear thickening, and at the same time, should also allow proper dispersion of the particles. Herein, an STF based on 20 wt% fractal nano-fumed silica particles of 11 nm suspended in a liquid medium of polyethylene glycol (PEG 200) with different concentrations of silicone oil was prepared. These systems were studied in terms of steady-state and dynamic-state rheological behavior under a wide range of temperature, shear rate, strain rate and frequency. The STF with replacement of up to only 20% of PEG with silicone oil as the liquid medium shows a large increase (about four times) in shear thickening parameters when compared with STF containing only PEG under the same processing conditions. It also shows more elastic behavior at high frequencies which are due to the high cross-linking property of silicone oil, contributing to much-improved properties, which are highly desirable from the view point of many applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mycobacterium can develop drug resistance (DR) by mutation of its existing gene. However, the existence of DR without mutation shows the need to look for an alternative mechanism such as the role of efflux pumps. In this study, we examined the effect of efflux pump inhibitors on isoniazid (INH) susceptibility in clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Materials and Methods: Resazurin microtiter assay was used to examine the effect of efflux pump inhibitors on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) levels of INH in eighteen Mtb clinical isolates. Results: The observed reduction in INH-MIC was 2-16-fold in INH-resistant isolates with katG and inhA gene mutations, 2-8-fold in INH-resistant isolates without mutation and 2-4-fold in INH-sensitive isolates. The MIC reduction by verapamil (VER) was observed in 83% isolates, by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) 61% isolates, by chloropromazine (CPZ) 61% isolates, by reserpine (RES) in 61% isolates and by 2,4-dinitro phenol (DNP) in 55% isolates. Interpretation and Conclusions: The results obtained in this study confirm that MIC of INH decreased in the presence of efflux pump inhibitors (VER, CCCP, CPZ, DNP, RES) in clinical isolates of Mtb and that the inhibition of efflux pumps by the efflux pump inhibitors can enhance the clinical effect of a drug. The results showed that these efflux pump inhibitors are active against both drug susceptible and drug resistant isolates, indicating that the effect of efflux pump inhibitors is not dependent on the mutational profile of the isolate. We observed in this study that VER was the most effective efflux pump inhibitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crouzon syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by craniosynostosis of coronal and sagittal sutures. Crouzon syndrome is caused by mutation in the fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 (FGFR-2) gene. Other characteristic features of Crouzon syndrome include exophthalmos, midfacial hypoplasia, and mandibular prognathism. The present article describes a case report of a 13-year-old male patient with characteristic skeletal and dental features of Crouzon syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of Class II malocclusion in nongrowing individuals is a challenging situation for the clinician. Class II malocclusion with bialveolar protrusion often dictates premolar extractions with maximum anchorage. The present article describes the case of an adult female with skeletal Class II malocclusion, bimaxillary protrusion, increased overjet, deep bite, lip protrusion, everted lower lip, deep mentolabial sulcus, and lip incompetence. To correct the malocclusion, all four first premolars were extracted. Direct anchorage from miniscrews was used for retraction of the anterior segment. The mandibular buccal segment was protracted into the extraction space using Class II mechanics. Ideal Class I canine and molar relation were achieved in 24 months. There was a significant improvement in facial profile and smile esthetics of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of orthodontic cases often requires extraction of permanent teeth. The decision making regarding extractions depends upon the arch length tooth material discrepancies, the growth pattern, general profile, and arch asymmetries. Unique orthodontic problems may command special treatment lines to be taken. The present report describes a case with unilateral buccally blocked out canine and bilateral posterior crossbite, for which unilateral premolar extractions were performed achieve esthetic and functionally stable occlusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to find out the outcome of biofeedback therapy in subjects suffering from somatoform disorders associated with co-morbid depression. The study was conducted at psychiatric center, Jodhpur. Subjects were grouped into experimental and control groups, and those labeled experimental group were given suitable antidepressant and biofeedback therapy (six sessions), spread over 6 weeks, while subjects comprising control group were kept on pharmacotherapy alone. Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS) and patient health questionnaire (PHQ-15) were used. In the present study, 90 patients were recruited out of which 78 patients completed the study. After 6 weeks of therapy, among the experimental group, the number of patients with no depression increased, and the mean score on HDRS also decreased. The mean score on PHQ also decreased showing improvement in somatoform symptoms. The t-value is significant in the experimental group, not in the control group. The present study favors biofeedback as an additional therapy, especially for relaxation and coping with the illness. This study, however, was over a short period of time, and further longitudinal studies incorporating other behavior therapy modalities are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term LASER is an acronym for 'Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation'. As its first application in dentistry by Miaman, in 1960, the laser has seen various hard and soft tissue applications. In the last two decades, there has been an explosion of research studies in laser application. In hard tissue application, the laser is used for caries prevention, bleaching, restorative removal and curing, cavity preparation, dentinal hypersensitivity, growth modulation and for diagnostic purposes, whereas soft tissue application includes wound healing, removal of hyperplastic tissue to uncovering of impacted or partially erupted tooth, photodynamic therapy for malignancies, photostimulation of herpetic lesion. Use of the laser proved to be an effective tool to increase efficiency, specificity, ease, and cost and comfort of the dental treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Craniomandibular articulation morphology and position of condyle in mandibular fossae in Angle's class I normal occlusion and Angle's class II division 1 malocclusion. Materials and Methods. The present study was conducted on 40 subjects with 20 subjects in each group, and the computed tomography images were obtained using spiral computed tomography technique. Each measurement was compared by two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) while changes in anterior and posterior joint spaces were done by paired t-test. Results. Statistically significant anterior positioning of condyle (P > 0.05) was observed in class I normal malocclusion, and it was significant only on right side in class II division 1 malocclusion. Conclusions. There was no difference found in the condylar process and joint morphology between right and left sides of both Angle's Class I normal occlusion and Angle's class II division 1malocclusion. Evaluation of the position of the condyles in their respective mandibular fossae showed concentric position with a tendency towards anterior positioning for both right and left sides of the subjects with Angle's Class I normal occlusion as well as subjects with Angle's class II division 1 malocclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is prese ted regarding the case of a 35-year-old female with Hodgkin's lymphoma that represents as chylothorax.

Tuberculosis is a disease with protean manifestations. We present a case which was initially suspected as bronchogenic carcinoma with lymphangitic carcinomatosis, based on radiological appearance but later diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculoma with military tuberculosis and silicosis after thoracotomy and open lung biopsy. The patient was treated successfully with Antituberculosis Therapy (ATT). Rarity of presentation in form of pulmonary tuberculoma co-existing with histological features of miliary tuberculosis and silicosis, led us to report this case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of anomalous left pulmonary artery (pulmonary artery sling) detected incidentally on computed tomography thorax. This was carried out to rule out bronchogenic carcinoma in a patient of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who presented with streaking. He was a chronic smoker having bilateral hilar prominence on chest radiograph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]