Olfaction in dentistry

Oral Diseases (2010) 16 , 221–232 Practitioners of oral medicine frequently encounter patients with complaints of taste disturbance. While some such complaints represent pathological processes specific to the gustatory system, per se, this is rarely the case. Unless taste‐bud mediated qualities such as sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami, chalky, or metallic are involved, ‘taste’ dysfunction inevitably reflects damage to the sense of smell. Such ‘taste’ sensations as chicken, chocolate, coffee, raspberry, steak sauce, pizza, and hamburger are dependent upon stimulation of the olfactory receptors via the nasopharynx during deglutition. In this paper, we briefly review the anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of the olfactory system, along with means for clinically assessing its function. The prevalence, etiology, and nature of olfactory disorders commonly encountered in the dental clinic are addressed, along with approaches to therapy and patient management.     

Severity of acute hepatitis and its outcome in patients with dengue fever in a tertiary care hospital Karachi,Pakistan (South Asia)

Background  

Liver injury due to dengue viral infection is not uncommon. Acute liver injury is a severe complicating factor in dengue, predisposing to life-threatening hemorrhage, Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) and encephalopathy. Therefore we sought to determine the frequency of hepatitis in dengue infection and to compare the outcome (length of stay, in hospital mortality, complications) between patients of Dengue who have mild/moderate (ALT 23-300 IU/L) v/s severe acute hepatitis (ALT > 300 IU/L).     

TG101209, a novel JAK2 inhibitor,has significant in vitro activity in multiple myeloma and displays preferential cytotoxicity for CD45+ myeloma cells

Interaction of myeloma cells with the bone marrow microenvironment is mediated in large part through different cytokines, especially VEGF and IL6. These cytokines, especially IL6, leads to upregulation of the JAK/STAT pathway in myeloma cell, contributing to increased proliferation, decreased apoptosis, and acquired drug resistance. Here, we examined the preclinical activity of a novel JAK2 inhibitor TG101209. TG101209 induced dose‐ and time‐dependent cytotoxicity in a variety of multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines. The induction of cytotoxicity was associated with inhibition of cell cycle progression and induction of apoptosis in myeloma cell lines and patient‐derived plasma cells. Evaluation of U266 cell lines and patient cells, which have a mix of CD45 positive and negative cells, demonstrated more profound cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activity of the drug on the CD45+ population relative to the CD45? cells. Exploring the mechanism of action of TG101209 indicated downregulation of pJak2, pStat3, and Bcl‐xl levels with upregulation of pErk and pAkt levels indicating cross talk between signaling pathways. TG101209, when used in combination with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, demonstrated synergistic cytotoxicity against myeloma cells. Our results provide the rationale for clinical evaluation of TG101209 alone or in combination with PI3K/Akt inhibitors in MM. Am. J. Hematol., 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Rate of decline in CD4 count in HIV patients not on antiretroviral therapy

Background

The progressive decline in the CD4 count in HIV patients leads to a more general decline in immune functioning. The study has been carried out to determine the decline in CD4 count in HIV patients.

Methods

The study was conducted in a medical college hospital at Maharashtra. The information on baseline CD4 count was gathered from positive patient records registered in the central disease registry. The baseline CD4 count was the first count of CD4 obtained when the patient is diagnosed as HIV positive and further two subsequent readings. The time from baseline (t1) till the last CD4 count (t2) was divided into the different quartiles and the median decline in CD4 count in each quartile was determined. As the time between the two CD4 count measurements was not uniform the rate of change in CD4 was measured with respect to time as [X (t2) − X (t1)/(t2 − t1)]. Correlation was assessed using correlation coefficient.

Results

As the CD4 counts were following skewed distribution, the normality was achieved by cuberoot transformation. The overall rate of decline in CD4 count was estimated to be 35 cells/μL per year with 95% confidence interval (CI) as (17.01, 85.04). The correlation coefficient between decline in CD4 and the initial CD4 count in the four time quartiles was (r = −0.51; p = 0.001, r = −0.79; p = 0.000, r = −0.48; p = 0.015 and r = −0.80; p = 0.000) respectively. The median decline in the CD4 count in 0–6 months was 3 cells/μL, in (6–11) months was approximately 26 cells/μL, in (11–21.5) months was 30 cells/μL and in more than 21.5 months the median decline was 52 cells/μL.

Conclusions

There was a progressive decline in the CD4 count following HIV infection. An understanding of the influence of decline in CD4 count in HIV patients not on ART is important for clinical management of HIV disease.     

Establishing a children's orthopaedic hospital for Malawi: A review after 10 years

Background

BEIT CURE International Hospital (BCIH) opened in 2002 providing orthopaedic surgical services to children in Malawi. This study reviews the hospital''s progress 10 years after establishment of operational services. In addition we assess the impact of the hospital''s Malawi national clubfoot programme (MNCP) and influence on orthopaedic training.

Methods

All operative paediatric procedures performed by BCIH services in the 10th operative year were included. Data on clubfoot clinic locations and number of patients treated were obtained from the MNCP. BCIH records were reviewed to identify the number of healthcare professionals who have received training at the BCIH.

Results

609 new patients were operated on in the 10th year of hospital service. Patients were treated from all regions; however 60% came from Southern regions compared with the 48% in the 5th year. Clubfoot, burn contracture and angular lower limb deformities were the three most common pathologies treated surgically. In total BCIH managed 9,842 patients surgically over a 10-year period. BCIH helped to establish and co-ordinate the MNCP since 2007. At present the program has a total of 29 clinics, which have treated 5748 patients. Furthermore, BCIH has overseen the full or partial training of 5 orthopaedic surgeons and 82 orthopaedic clinical officers in Malawi.

Conclusion

The BCIH has improved the care of paediatric patients in a country that prior to its establishment had no dedicated paediatric orthopaedic service, treating almost 10,000 patients surgically and 6,000 patients in the MNCP. This service has remained consistent over a 10-year period despite times of global austerity. Whilst the type of training placement offered at BCIH has changed in the last 10 years, the priority placed on training has remained paramount. The strategic impact of long-term training commitments are now being realised, in particular by the addition of Orthopaedic surgeons serving the nation.