Clinical evaluation of electronic dental anesthesia for various procedures in pediatric dentistry

Electronic dental anesthesia (EDA) is a newer technique for achieving regional anesthesia by the application of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). The present study intended to be an initial investigation of the attitudes of dentists and patients towards a relatively newly introduced EDA system. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of EDA system, a unit of TENS, in the management of pain during treatment procedures such as minor extractions, restorations (tooth preparations), and pulp therapy, in children. Overall, forty children between the age groups of 5 to 12 years were selected for three different clinical procedures. The response of the patients as well as the opinion of both, the clinician and the patient regarding perception of pain and comfort on administration I effectiveness of electronic anesthesia were recorded and analyzed. Significantly favorable results to the use of EDA were obtained, which indicate that EDA, besides offering safety and psychological advantages, may also be a promising alternative to the conventional methods of local anesthesia.     

Assessing household wealth in health studies in developing countries: a comparison of participatory wealth ranking and survey techniques from rural South Africa

Background  

Accurate tools for assessing household wealth are essential for many health studies in developing countries. Household survey and participatory wealth ranking (PWR) are two approaches to generate data for this purpose.     

Interleukin gene polymorphisms and breast cancer: a case control study and systematic literature review

Background  

Interleukins and cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of many solid cancers. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in cytokine genes are thought to influence the expression or function of these proteins and many have been evaluated for their role in inflammatory disease and cancer predisposition. The aim of this study was to evaluate any role of specific SNPs in the interleukin genes IL1A, IL1B, IL1RN, IL4R, IL6 and IL10 in predisposition to breast cancer susceptibility and severity.     

Mesenteric panniculitis versus pancreatitis: A computed tomography diagnostic dilemma

A case of mesenteric panniculitis is described in a patient with CT features mimicking pancreatitis. Emphasis is on the important CT features for accurate diagnosis.     

Fibroblast growth factor receptor expression reflects cellular differentiation in human oral squamous carcinoma cell lines

This study examined the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR 2) splice variants, IIIb and IIIc, in normal and malignant human oral keratinocytes and in normal oral fibroblasts by RT-PCR using both exon-specific primers and primers common to both FGFR 2 isoforms. Fibroblasts expressed exclusively FGFR 2/IIIc whilst the normal and malignant keratinocytes co-expressed FGFR 2/IIIb and FGFR 2/IIIc. Well- differentiated keratinocytes expressed proportionally more FGFR 2/IIIb than IIIc whereas the poorly-differentiated cells expressed more FGFR 2/IIIc than IIIb. The normal and malignant keratinocytes, but not fibroblasts, expressed an additional amplification product, which consisted of both IIIb and IIIc of FGFR 2 joined by an extra base pair and with the intronic sequence removed. The results indicate that the expression of FGFR 2 isoforms reflects the degree of cellular differentiation in normal and malignant human oral keratinocytes and that receptor complexes of FGFR 2/IIIb and IIIc may regulate ligand- receptor interactions.      

STANDARDIZATION OF CERVICAL/VAGINAL CYTOPATHOLOGY REPORTING: THE BETHESDA SYSTEM (TBS) FOR REPORTING CERVICAL/VAGINAL CYTOLOGIC DIAGNOSES

The complex detection system leading to the discovery and treatment of precancerous lesions and early cancers of the uterine cervix is touched upon. By far the most difficult and underestimated component of this system is the screening and interpretation of cervical smears. Emphasis on the latest system of reporting, The Bethesda system is highlighted upon. Weaker points of the previous systems and the need for a newer system for reporting are stressed upon. The classification of the precursors of invasive squamous cancers is not easy, and various groups have advocated several schemes, none is yet perfect or universally accepted. The variation in nomenclature become less significant when the cytopathologist is a full member of a team made up of a clinician, histopathologist, colposcopist, and oncologist. As long as all members speak to each other frequently and use the same language and terminology, they will be able to determine the best treatment for the patient.KEY WORDS: Cervical smears, Epithelial cell abnormalities, The Bethesda system, Vaginal smears