Morphological analysis of the maxillary arch and hard palate in edentulous maxilla of South Indian dry skulls

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the role of aging\edentulousness on the maxillary arch, the size of the alveolar process, the shape and thickness of the hard palate in the South Indian dry skulls to customize more appropriate treatment of elderly edentulous patients.

Methods

One hundred dry skulls were divided into dentate and edentulous groups and were subgrouped into male and female. They were subjected to various morphological and morphometrical analyses.

Results

The data have revealed a more significant reduction in the depth and width (p?p?p?Conclusion The observed data from specific group of population may provide relevant data for their comparative analysis between different populations for a better understanding of their regional differences with respect to environmental and social influence. Moreover, the data can provide a better idea to evaluate a promising treatment strategy in prosthodontics and orthodontics in South India.     

Photodermatoses in India

Photodermatoses are a group of disorders resulting from abnormal cutaneous reactions to solar radiation. They include idiopathic photosensitive disorders, drug or chemical induced photosensitivity reactions, DNA repair-deficiency photodermatoses and photoaggravated dermatoses. The pathophysiology differs in these disorders but photoprotection is the most integral part of their management. Photoprotection includes wearing photoprotective clothing, applying broad spectrum sunscreens and avoiding photosensitizing drugs and chemicals.     

Carbapenem-resistant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterobacteriaceae</Emphasis> in pediatric bloodstream infections in rural Southern India

Objective

To measure the frequency of antimicrobial resistance in pediatric blood culture isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. with focus on carbapenem resistance.

Methods

Over a period of three years, pediatric blood culture isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, including molecular investigations for carbapenem resistance.

Results

Amikacin, carbapenems, colistin and tigecycline had an antimicrobial efficacy of >70% (n=140). 7 of the 15 randomly selected isolates were positive for carbapenemase gene; among them, five were New Delhi Metallo β-lactamase (NDM).

Conclusion

There was a high prevalence of Klebsiella spp. in pediatric bacteremia and dissemination of NDMmediated carbapenem resistance in pediatric wards.

     

Dengue disease spectrum among infants in the 2001 dengue epidemic in Chennai,Tamil Nadu,India

An investigation in a referral pediatric hospital has indicated that during a recent dengue outbreak in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dengue in infancy constituted 20% of total dengue virus infections with low mortality rates in this hospital. In developing countries, strengthening of dengue management capabilities at hospitals can prevent dengue-related deaths in infants.     

Co-administration of rIpaB domain of Shigella with rGroEL of S. Typhi enhances the immune responses and protective efficacy against Shigella infection

Shigella species cause severe bacillary dysentery in humans and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The Invasion plasmid antigen (IpaB) protein, which is conserved across all Shigella spp., induces macrophage cell death and is required to invade host cells. The present study evaluates the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the recombinant (r) domain region of IpaB (rIpaB) of S. flexneri. rIpaB was administered either alone or was co-administered with the rGroEL (heat shock protein 60) protein from S. Typhi as an adjuvant in a mouse model of intranasal immunization. The IpaB domain region (37 kDa) of S. flexneri was amplified from an invasion plasmid, cloned, expressed in BL21 Escherichia coli cells and purified. Immunization with the rIpaB domain alone stimulated both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Furthermore, robust antibody (IgG, IgA) and T-cell responses were induced when the rIpaB domain was co-administered with rGroEL. Antibody isotyping revealed higher IgG1 and IgG2a antibody titers and increased interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) secretion in the co-administered group. Immunization of mice with the rIpaB domain alone protected 60%–70% of the mice from lethal infection by S. flexneri, S. boydii and S. sonnei, whereas co-administration with rGroEL increased the protective efficacy to 80%–85%. Organ burden and histopathological studies also revealed a significant reduction in lung infection in the co-immunized mice compared with mice immunized with the rIpaB domain alone. This study emphasizes that the co-administration of the rIpaB domain and rGroEL protein improves immune responses in mice and increases protective efficacy against Shigella infection. This is also the first report to evaluate the potential of the GroEL (Hsp 60) protein of S. Typhi as an adjuvant molecule, thereby overcoming the need for commercial adjuvants.     

Trib1 is a lipid- and myocardial infarction-associated gene that regulates hepatic lipogenesis and VLDL production in mice

Recent genome-wide association studies have identified a genetic locus at human chromosome 8q24 as having minor alleles associated with lower levels of plasma triglyceride (TG) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), higher levels of HDL-C, as well as decreased risk for myocardial infarction. This locus contains only one annotated gene, tribbles homolog 1 (TRIB1), which has not previously been implicated in lipoprotein metabolism. Here we demonstrate a role for Trib1 as a regulator of lipoprotein metabolism in mice. Hepatic-specific overexpression of Trib1 reduced levels of plasma TG and cholesterol by reducing VLDL production; conversely, Trib1-knockout mice showed elevated levels of plasma TG and cholesterol due to increased VLDL production. Hepatic Trib1 expression was inversely associated with the expression of key lipogenic genes and measures of lipogenesis. Thus, we provide functional evidence for what we believe to be a novel gene regulating hepatic lipogenesis and VLDL production in mice that influences plasma lipids and risk for myocardial infarction in humans.