Efficacy of Serum Prealbumin and CRP Levels as Monitoring Tools for Patients with Fascial Space Infections of Odontogenic Origin: A Clinicobiochemical Study

Objectives

Study includes 20 patients with diagnosis of fascial space infections of odontogenic origin to assess efficacy of serum prealbumin and CRP levels as monitoring tools for determining severity of infections, nutritional status, hospital stay and efficacy of treatment.

Methods

Blood samples taken on day 0, 4, and 8 for measuring serum levels of markers. Simultaneously clinical parameters like swelling size, pain etc., were also recorded on day 0, 4, and 8 and appropriate treatment given to each patient. Correlation between markers and parameters was found using regression and paired t test.

Results

Statistical analysis found strong correlation between laboratory values of markers and parameters used to measure severity of infection also. Prealbumin and crp are significant markers for hospital stay (p < 0.01). Prealbumin also found to be a sensitive indicator of nutritional status (p < 0.001).

Interpretation and Conclusion

Prospective analysis indicates prealbumin and crp are effective markers for determining severity of infection, treatment efficacy and hospital stay. Prealbumin is also sensitive marker for nutritional status. Duration of antibiotic usage, intensive unit care, use of nutritional supplements becomes more rationale. Markers also make treatment cost effective and help protecting patients from side effects of excess drug usage.     

Duplex PCR Assay for Identification of Tissue of Cattle and Buffalo Origin Targeting Mitochondrial Cytochrome b Gene

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences - The aim of this study was to develop PCR assay for simultaneous detection of tissues from cattle and buffalo...     

The polyphenolic phytoalexin polydatin inhibits amyloid aggregation of recombinant human prion protein

Prion diseases involve misfolded and highly infectious aggregates of prion protein (PrP^Sc) which forms amyloid plaques leading to fatal neurodegeneration. The absence of clinically proven therapeutics makes the discovery of effective remedial interventions a prime concern. Herein, we report novel prion intervention by the polyphenolic phytoalexin, polydatin which binds with moderate affinity to the recombinant protease resistant core of human prion protein, encompassing the sequence 90–231 (rPrP^res) and inhibits its conversion into the highly neurotoxic forms. An extensive evaluation using biophysical techniques revealed that polydatin incubated rPrP^res samples generate off-pathway oligomers having reduced cross-β sheet signature, and relatively smaller in size than the native rPrP^res oligomers. The detailed structural analysis using molecular dynamics simulations elucidated the induction of antagonistic mobilities in the β2–α2 loop, α3 helix and the N-terminal amyloidogenic region of prions. This study puts forward novel prion fibrillogenesis inhibitory potential of polydatin, specifically by stabilizing the N-terminal amyloidogenic region. Collectively our results affirm the importance of polydatin in crippling the prion pathogenesis and may serve as a structural scaffold for designing novel therapeutic agents targeting amyloidogenic transition in prions.

Polydatin is found to be a pharmacologically-significant scaffold that can bind to the rPrP^res repertoire and inhibit its conversion to the highly infectious and neurotoxic PrP^Sc-like form, thus acting like a promising anti-prion drug lead.     

A Qualitative Exploration to Understand the Sexual Behavior and Needs of Young Adults: A Study Among College Students of Pune,India

Indian Journal of Pediatrics - Youth and adolescents are the priority population to target the interventions as risky behaviors persist and they contribute to almost half of the new Human...     

Extent of re-excision,sequence/timing of salvage re-irradiation,and disease-free interval impact upon clinical outcomes in recurrent/progressive ependymoma

Journal of Neuro-Oncology - To report clinical outcomes of salvage re-irradiation (re-RT) in recurrent/progressive ependymoma. Medical records of patients treated with curative-intent re-RT as...     

Persistence of V. cholerae O139 Biofilm Against Physical,Chemical and Antibiotic Lethal Challenges

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences - Since its emergence, cholera caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae remains as a significant threat to human...     

Isolation and study of insulin activated nitric oxide synthase inhibitory protein in acute myocardial infarction subjects

Insulin inhibits platelet aggregation through nitric oxide synthesis by stimulating platelet insulin activated nitric oxide synthase. Impaired platelet insulin activated nitric oxide synthase in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients had been reported and thus our aim was to identify and isolate the factors impairing insulin activated nitric oxide in acute myocardial infarction patients’ plasma and study its effect on platelets aggregation in vitro. The insulin activated nitric oxide synthase inhibitor was identified as a protein and was purified from the plasma of AMI subjects using DEAE cellulose and Sephadex G-50 column, molecular weight determined by SDS-PAGE, nitric oxide quantified by methaemoglobin method, inhibitor protein quantified in plasma by immunoblot and ELISA, platelet aggregation studies done using an aggregometer, thromboxane-A2 in the platelets determined by radioimmunoassay, ¹²⁵I-insulin radioligand binding studies done using normal subject platelets. The purified nitric oxide synthase inhibitor protein was ~66 kDa, concentration in AMI subjects’ plasma varied from 114 to 9,090 μM and was undetected in normal subjects’ plasma. The inhibitor protein competes with insulin for insulin receptor binding sites. The Incubation of the normal subject PRP with 5.0 μM inhibitor for 30 min followed by 0.4 μM ADP addition caused platelet aggregation in vitro, 130 μM aspirin or 400 μU insulin/ml addition was able to abrogate 0.4 μM ADP induced platelet aggregation even in the presence of 5.0 μM inhibitor. A potent inhibitory protein against insulin activated nitric oxide synthase in platelets appears in circulation of AMI subjects impairing nitric oxide production, potentiating ADP induced platelet aggregation and increasing the thromboxane-A2 level in platelets.     

CEACAM-1 Induced CSF3-receptor Downregulation in Bone Marrow Associated With Refractory Neutropenia in Advanced Cirrhosis

Background and Aims: Cirrhosis patients exhibit cyto-penia, and, at times refractory neutropenia to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), which acts th...     

Risk factors for pancreatic fistula after stapled gland transection

The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for pancreatic fistula (PF) after stapled transection in distal pancreatectomy (DP). Patients undergoing DP using a stapler for transection between 2005 and 2009 were identified from a pancreatic resection database. Variables examined included patient and tumor characteristics, staple size, and the use of mesh reinforcement. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for postoperative PF. One hundred forty-nine had stapled transection, and of these, 25 (17%) had mesh reinforcement. The overall morbidity and mortality rates were 28 per cent and less than 1 per cent; 34 (23%) were diabetic. The rate of clinically significant PF was 14 per cent. On univariate analysis, diabetes (P = 0.04), a firm pancreas (P = 0.03), use of mesh staple line reinforcement (P = 0.02), use of a 4.1-mm staple cartridge (P = 0.01), and blood loss greater than 100 mL (P = 0.01) were associated with higher pancreatic fistula rates. On multivariate analysis, only the presence of diabetes (OR, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.1-15.3; P = 0.03) and the use of a 4.1-mm cartridge (OR, 8.57; 95% CI, 1.2-60.2; P = 0.03) were independently associated with pancreatic fistula formation. Stapled pancreatic transection provides an acceptable PF rate after DP. Diabetes and staple size influence PF rates. In our experience, use of mesh staple line reinforcement did not reduce the incidence of PF after stapled transection.