Search

Background Oral submucous fibrosis is characterized by stiffness of oral mucosa, blanching and functional limitation, and areca nut predisposition is considered to be one of the main etiological factors. In recent years, there is an increasing prevalence of OSMF in the Indian subcontinent owing to increased consumption of smokeless tobacco products. Very few cases of pediatric OSMF are reported in PubMed literature. Oral submucous fibrosis has a malignant transformation rate of 7–13% and hence, it is important to intervene at an appropriate stage and manage it well in time. Aim and objective To report a case of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) in a 6-year-old Indian girl along with its management and follow-up. Case description A 6-year-old girl of Indian origin was diagnosed with OSMF and we have used sesame oil pulling as a novel treatment approach and observed good results with long-term follow-up. We have also reviewed PubMed literature for cases of pediatric OSMF reported till date. Conclusion A timely diagnosis and intervention becomes necessary in pediatric OSMF to improve oral function and prevent malignant transformation. Clinical significance It is important to report oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) cases in pediatric patients and create awareness through health education programs so that parents and children know about the ill effects of consuming tobacco products. How to cite this article Gupta S, Gupta S, Chaudhary C, et al. Novel Treatment Approach of Oral Submucous Fibrosis in a 6-year-old Girl: A Case Report. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14(4):575–579.

Haloarchaea inhabit high salinity environments worldwide. They are a potentially rich source of crucial biomolecules like carotenoids and industrially useful proteins. However, diversity in haloarchaea present in Indian high salinity environments is poorly studied. In the present study, we isolated 12 haloarchaeal strains from hypersaline Kottakuppam, Tamil Nadu solar saltern in India. 16S rRNA based taxonomic characterization of these isolates suggested that nine of them are novel strains that belong to genera Haloarcula, Halomicrobium, and Haloferax. Transmission electron microscopy suggests the polymorphic nature of these haloarchaeal isolates. Most of the haloarchaeal species are known to be high producers of carotenoids. We were able to isolate carotenoids from all these 12 isolates. The UV-Vis spectroscopy-based analysis suggests that bacterioruberin and lycopene are the major carotenoids produced by these isolates. Based on the visual inspection of the purified carotenoids, the isolates were classified into two broad categories i.e., yellow and orange, attributed to the differences in the ratio of bacterioruberin and lycopene as confirmed by the UV-Vis spectral analysis. Using a PCR-based screening assay, we were able to detect the presence of the bacteriorhodopsin gene (bop) in 11 isolates. We performed whole-genome sequencing for three bop positive and one bop negative haloarchaeal isolates. Whole-genome sequencing, followed by pan-genome analysis identified multiple unique genes involved in various biological functions. We also successfully cloned, expressed, and purified functional recombinant bacteriorhodopsin (BR) from one of the isolates using Escherichia coli as an expression host. BR has light-driven proton pumping activity resulting in the proton gradient across the membrane, which is utilized by V-Type ATPases to produce ATP. We analyzed the distribution of bop and other accessory genes involved in functional BR expression and ATP synthesis in all the representative haloarchaeal species. Our bioinformatics-based analysis of all the sequenced members of genus Haloarcula suggests that bop, if present, is usually inserted between the genes coding for B and D subunits of the V-type ATPases operon. This study provides new insights into the genomic variations in haloarchaea and reports expression of new BR variant having good expression in functional form in E. coli.

Objective To document the impact of neonatal resuscitation capacity building of birth attendants at district and sub-district level on fresh stillbirth within the public health system in India. Design An implementation research using pre-post study design. Setting 3 high-infant and neonatal mortality districts (Gonda, Aligarh and Raebareli) of Uttar Pradesh, India. Participants Pregnant women who delivered at the health facilities and their newborns. Interventions An intervention package with (i) training on essential newborn care resuscitation; (ii) skill laboratories establishment for peer-interactive learning; (iii) better documentation; and (iv) supportive supervision was implemented at all health facilities in the districts. Main outcome measures Impact on fresh stillbirth rates and resuscitation practices were documented at 42 health facilities (Gonda-17, Aligarh-8 and Raebareli-17) over 12-18 months. Results Out of the 3.3% (4431/133627) newborns requiring resuscitation, 58.5% (n=2599) were completely revived, 19% (n=842) had some features of hypoxic insult after birth and 1.4% (n=62) were stillbirths. There was 15.6% reduction in still birth rate in the three districts with the intervention package. Conclusions The reduction in still birth rate and improvement in newborn resuscitation efforts in the three districts indicated feasibility of implementation and scalability of the intervention package. However sustenance of the impact over longer period needs documentation.

Background: In India, 18%–20% of newborn deaths are attributed to perinatal asphyxia. Effective resuscitation at birth can prevent neonatal mortality and improve the chances of intact survival. The information about sustainability and retention of gained resuscitation knowledge and skill in India is limited. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the retention of newborn care and resuscitation knowledge and skill of birth attendants at public health facilities after 1 year of clinical practice at the health facilities within Public Health System in India. Methods: In three districts of Uttar Pradesh, knowledge and skill status of 168 birth attendants (54 doctors and 114 nurses) were documented at pre- and posttraining and after 1 year. Results: There was a marked improvement in knowledge scores (doctors: 42%–85% and nurses: 35%–86%) and skill scores (doctors: 15%–89% and nurses: 15%–90%) after training. There was significant retention of knowledge (doctors 58% and nurses 52%) and skill (doctors 82% and nurses 79%) after 1 year, although there was knowledge–skill gap observed after 1 year. Conclusion: The improvement and retention of skill and knowledge among the birth attendants were encouraging. The differential retention of skill and knowledge may be due to the training methodology and opportunity for skill refresher through the skill laboratories.

Background: Retention of neonatal resuscitation skill among birth attendants have been a challenge in developing countries. The objective of the study was to document the performance of skill labs and its impact on the skill and knowledge of the birth attendants in India.Methods: In three districts of Uttar Pradesh, impact assessment of twelve skill labs was done adopting mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology.Results: Twelve skill labs supported skill building of 606 birth attendants over one year. Six of the units performed well and four moderately and too units poorly. The health functionaries at all levels were positive about their experience about the skill labs. Majority of them hoped sustenance of these units. There was marked retention of resuscitation skill after one year.Conclusions: The skill labs appear to be useful modality for promoting retention of the resuscitation skills of birth attendants.

Today there is not a single sport in the world at the competitive level for which resistance training in some or the other form is not used as conditioning exercises. Plyometric training is an excellent method of developing body power and it is proved as a very effective method for improving explosive strength. The purpose of the study was to find out the effects of plyometric exercises on selected motor abilities of university level female basketball players. The subjects, 20 female basketball players of Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior, were randomly divided in two groups, that is, experimental and control group. The age of subjects varied between 18 and 22 years. The criterion measures vertical jump, 20-m dash, movement speed, flexibility and agility in the beginning and at the end of the experimental period of 6 weeks for both the groups. In order to study the effect of plyometric exercises on selected motor abilities, the analysis of co-variance is used at the 0.05 level of significance. It was concluded that the plyometric training is an effective means for improving the following variables: agility, flexibility vertical jump and movement speed. On the other hand, plyometric training is not an effective means for improving the variable, that is, speed of movement (20-m dash). There was no significant improvement in case of control group.