Lost tribe? Awareness of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) among the general public

OMFS has important links with other disciplines in medicine and dentistry. Therefore it is important that people are aware of this speciality. A study was devised to determine the awareness of OMFS among the general public and to improve their understanding. A questionnaire was distributed among the participants attending a dental practice. 100 participated and the mean age was 42.5 years. Only 17% were aware of OMFS. 96% recognised the duty of OMFS practitioner while 74% did agree dual qualification was necessary. 68% identified hospital as the main place of work and 61% thought that the training was 5–6 years long.     

Subfertility and growth restriction in a new galactose-1 phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT) - deficient mouse model

The first GalT gene knockout (KO) mouse model for Classic Galactosemia (OMIM 230400) accumulated some galactose and its metabolites upon galactose challenge, but was seemingly fertile and symptom free. Here we constructed a new GalT gene-trapped mouse model by injecting GalT gene-trapped mouse embryonic stem cells into blastocysts, which were later implanted into pseudo-pregnant females. High percentage GalT gene-trapped chimera obtained were used to generate heterozygous and subsequently, homozygous GalT gene-trapped mice. Biochemical assays confirmed total absence of galactose-1 phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT) activity in the homozygotes. Although the homozygous GalT gene-trapped females could conceive and give birth when fed with normal chow, they had smaller litter size (P=0.02) and longer time-to-pregnancy (P=0.013) than their wild-type littermates. Follicle-stimulating hormone levels of the mutant female mice were not significantly different from the age-matched, wild-type females, but histological examination of the ovaries revealed fewer follicles in the homozygous mutants (P=0.007). Administration of a high-galactose (40% w/w) diet to lactating homozygous GalT gene-trapped females led to lethality in over 70% of the homozygous GalT gene-trapped pups before weaning. Cerebral edema, abnormal changes in the Purkinje and the outer granular cell layers of the cerebellum, as well as lower blood GSH/GSSG ratio were identified in the galactose-intoxicated pups. Finally, reduced growth was observed in GalT gene-trapped pups fed with normal chow and all pups fed with high-galactose (20% w/w) diet. This new mouse model presents several of the complications of Classic Galactosemia and will be useful to investigate pathogenesis and new therapies.     

Alkaline phosphatase in pleural effusions

BACKGROUND: Pleural effusion (PF) is a common clinical presentation in several diseases. Various parameters from pleural fluid have been studied to identify the cause. The diagnostic value of these parameters varies. The present study was carried out to evaluate the value of alkaline phosphatase concentration in the pleural effusions as a diagnostic tool. METHODS: One hundred and one patients with pleural effusion admitted over a period of two years were studied. The diagnosis was confirmed by pleural biopsy and cytology for malignant cells. RESULTS: Pleural fluid alkaline phosphatase levels of more than 75 mg/dl was found in exudative effusions and less than 75 mg/dl in transudative ones. But it did not differentiate tubercular pleural effusions from other exudative ones. CONCLUSION: Pleural fluid alkaline phosphatase of >75 mg/dl is a useful biochemical marker to suggest exudative effusions.     

Isolation, molecular detection and antibiogram of Listeria monocytogenes from human clinical cases and fish of Kashmir, India

The present study investigated the occurrence, antibiogram and molecular epidemiology of Listeria monocytogenes from fish and human clinical cases in Kashmir, India. A total of 100 fresh samples of commonly eaten indigenous fish, Cyprinus carpio and Schizothorax niger, were tested for the presence of L. monocytogenes. Clinical samples comprising of blood (40) and CSF (20) were taken from patients with signs of encephalitis, meningitis/meningoencephalitis, septicemia and pyrexia of unknown origin. Following enrichment and plating on selective agar, conformation of the organisms was done on the basis of various biochemical tests followed by Christie, Atkins, Munch-Peterson (CAMP) test. L. monocytogenes was isolated from two fish and two clinical samples (blood, 1; CSF, 1) showing an overall prevalence of 2.5%. The prevalence was 3.33% in clinical samples and 2.0% in fish samples. The isolates were subjected to PCR assay for virulence associated with hylA genes. The pathogenicity of the isolates was confirmed by demonstration of monocytosis and kerato-conjunctivitis in rabbits. L. monocytogenes isolated from human clinical cases were sensitive to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, ceftriaxone and resistant to ampicillin, amoxycillin, cefpodoxime, streptomycin, norfloxacin and cefphotaxime. However, the isolates recovered from foods were sensitive to gentamicin, doxycycline, enrofloxacin, amoxycillin/clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin/cloxacillin, ceftriaxone and resistant to streptomycin, cefpodoxime and cefphotaxime. Multi-drug resistant strains were found in the present study, representing a potential threat to human health.     

Associations of killer cell immunoglobulin like receptors with rheumatoid arthritis among North Indian population

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) expressed on surface of natural killer cells and CD28 null T-cells which are present in synovial membrane of RA. The present study has evaluated associations of KIR genes with RA among North Indian population from Uttar Pradesh.

Materials and methods

KIR genotypes were determined in 100 RA cases and 100 healthy controls using sequence specific primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP) method.

Results

RA cases positive for KIR3DS1 (OR = 1.17, p-value = 0.0498) and KIR2DS2 (OR = 2.21, p-value = 0.0120) showed risk associations. While, KIR2DL2 (OR = 0.40, p-value = 0.0026), KIR2DL3 (OR = 0.44, p-value = 0.0283) and KIR3DL1 (OR = 0.32, p-value = 0.0012) showed protective associations. Increased incidence of BB genotype (45%) was revealed among cases. Risk association was noted against telomeric region (OR = 2.12, p = 0.0120) genes for RA. Pair-wise linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis among RA cases revealed KIR2DS1-2DL1 (D′ = 0.83, r² = 0.36), KIR3DL1-3DS1 (D′ = 1, r² = 0.58) and KIR2DL1-2DL2 (D′ = 1, r² = 0.61) to be in significant LD. KIR3DS1 and KIR2DS3 genes showed significant risk associations among RA patients with extra-articular manifestations (OR = 5.14, p-value = 0.0018; OR = 3.79, p-value = 0.0106) and in limited range of motion in affected joints (OR = 14.91, p-value = 0.0001; OR = 2.95, p-value = 0.0126).

Conclusion

The KIR activating genes have risk association with RA in the present study.     

Detection of human bocavirus in the cerebrospinal fluid of children with encephalitis

We report 4 children with encephalitis associated with human bocavirus (HBoV) 1 or 2. All children were severely underweight, and 2 died; 1 of them had a matching HBoV2 nucleotide sequence isolated from serum and bocavirus like particles in the cerebrospinal fluid that were observed with electron microscopy. No further pathogens were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of these patients.