Obesity, periodontal and general health: Relationship and management

Obesity is a multifaceted subject. It has increased at an alarming rate in recent years. Being overweight increases the likelihood of a patient having associated health and social problems which may affect dental services and dental management. A review of the literature on obesity and periodontal disease suggested that they both confound each other and obesity itself has been recognized as a major risk factor for periodontal disease. It has been found that adverse effects of obesity on the periodontium may be mediated through pro-inflammatory cytokines and various other bioactive substances. This article tries to focus on the possible role of obesity and obesity-related diseases like diabetes and coronary heart diseases (CHD), as a potential contributor to periodontal disease and vice versa. The meanings of these associations can be useful for various diagnostic and treatment planning purposes.     

Third-Generation Cephalosporin-Resistant Vibrio cholerae, India

Vibrio cholerae resistance to third-generation cephalosporins is rarely reported. We detected a strain that was negative for extended-spectrum β-lactamase and positive for the AmpC disk test, modified Hodge test, and EDTA disk synergy test and harbored the blaDHA-1 and blaNDM-1 genes. The antimicrobial drug susceptibility profile of V. cholerae should be monitored.     

Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices regarding measles in a rural area of Delhi

387 mothers in Mehrauli block of Delhi were interviewed regarding their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices regarding measles. 98.4% enumerated one or the other symptoms, fever being the commonest. 77.5% were aware of the infectious nature and 97% had favourable attitude regarding feeding the child during measles. The commonest foodstuff given was cowmilk and khichdi. 95.1% of the respondents intended to apply local herbs on eruptions. There was a variety of local medicines for home treatment and Laung, Tulsi leaves and Kishmish being the practice in descending order of preference. 98.4% respondents favoured giving special nutritional care during the attack of measles to their children.     

An influence of adrenaline (1:80,000) containing local anesthesia (2% Xylocaine) on glycemic level of patients undergoing tooth extraction in Riyadh

Objective

Aim is to compare the glycemic level among patients before, and after local anesthesia containing adrenaline 1:80,000 among patients who need dental extraction.

Materials and methods

60 patients were randomly selected including 30 healthy and 30 with a diabetes history for this study in Riyadh city. First the blood glucose level was measured before administering local anesthesia containing adrenaline after taking their history with glucocheck according to instructions, then blood Sugar level was recorded after administering local anesthesia containing adrenaline 1:80,000 concentrations. Blood sugar level was also checked 5 min after the tooth extraction procedure.

Results

There were no significant results found after the administration of local anesthesia containing adrenaline in both healthy and diabetic patients (p > 0.05). However, change of significance (p < 0.05) was noticed in diabetic patients who had not taken their hypoglycemic medication; there was a rise in their blood glucose level after extraction.

Conclusion

The study concluded no significant effect on the glycemic level of patients after the administration of local anesthesia containing adrenaline 1:80,000 in healthy and diabetic patients whether hypoglycemic medication was taken or not but a rise in blood sugar level was found among diabetic patients who did not take their hypoglycemic medications undergoing tooth extraction.     

Benign fibrous tumor of the tunica vaginalis testis. Report of a case with light, electron microscopic, and immunocytochemical study, and review of the literature.

Benign fibrous tumor of the tunica vaginalis testis is an uncommon lesion of unknown pathogenesis and histogenesis, frequently described as fibrous pseudotumor. We describe a case of a fibrous tumor of the tunica vaginalis testis studied with light, immunocytochemical, and electron microscopy in a 64-year-old man who also developed a metachronous renal cell carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first such case to be presented. We describe the cell of origin of this rare entity and its similarity to fibrous tumors of pleura and extrapleural sites, with a review of the English-language literature and emphasize that not all intrascrotal tumors are malignant.     

West Nile virus in Pakistan. II. Entomological studies at Changa Manga National Forest, Punjab Province

During 1978–1979, 43,729 adult mosquitoes comprising six genera and 30 species were collected during weekly resting and biting collections at the Changa Manga National Forest, Kasur District, Punjab Province. Emphasis was placed on studying the bionomics of Culex tritaeniorhynchus and other culicine mosquitoes to assess their potential role in the transmission of West Nile virus. Cx tritaeniorhynchus (57 · 7% of the total specimens collected), Cx quinquefasciatus (21 · 2%) and Aedes lineatopennis (8 · 2%) were the most abundant mosquito species. Based on comparisons between different collection methods and supported by microprecipitin tests on blood meals from resting females, the abundant mosquitoes were categorized into five groups: (i) resting in houses and feeding on man at night—Cx quinquefasciatus, (ii) resting indoors and feeding on bovids at night—five species of Anopheles, (iii) resting in the forest and feeding on man during day—Ae. yusafi and Ae. w-albus, (iv) resting in the forest and feeding on man during the day and night—Ae. indicus, (v) resting in agricultural fields or forest and feeding on bovids at night—Ae. caspius, Ae. culicinus, Ae. lineatopennis, Cx fuscocephala, Cx pseudovishnui, Cx tritaeniorhynchus and Mansonia uniformis. Few blood smears were positive for birds, with the exception of Cx quinquefasciatus collecting resting outdoors. No species other than Cx quinquefasciatus frequently fed on man.Cx tritaeniorhynchus populations were most abundant during the hot-dry pre-monsoon season when the forest was irrigated, decreasing during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons and absent in collections during winter. Vertical estimates of survivorship using dissection age-grading methods were highest during the pre-monsoon season. Cx quinquefasciatus was most abundant in spring when females could also be collected resting in the forest, decreasing during the hot, summer months, but recovering after the monsoon when temperatures in houses were once again below 30 °C. Overwintering eggs of Ae. lineatopennis synchronously hatched in the spring after forest irrigation, with succeeding generations appearing in response to irrigation and/or rainfall. The present findings were discussed in the context of West Nile virus ecology.     

Intravitreal voriconazole for drug-resistant fungal endophthalmitis: case series

PURPOSE: To report the efficacy of intravitreal voriconazole. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of an interventional case series of five cases of culture-proven fungal endophthalmitis treated with intravitreal voriconazole was done. Only cases found to be resistant to conventional antifungal agents were included in the study. The diagnosis of fungal endophthalmitis was established on the basis of clinical as well as microbiological examination. All patients received one or more intravitreal injections of voriconazole. Resolution was determined on the basis of clinical examination. Resolution of infection and final visual acuity were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: Resolution of infection was achieved in all five cases. Visual acuity was better in three cases and was maintained in two. Of the three patients who had improvement, two had vision better than or equal to 20/120. Evisceration was avoided in one case with maximal antifungal treatment including voriconazole. CONCLUSIONS: Voriconazole definitely adds to the available treatment options for fungal endophthalmitis. Because of its broad spectrum of activity, it is efficacious in even amphotericin-B- and fluconazole-resistant fungal endophthalmitis.     

Full-field electroretinography under general anesthesia in retinoblastoma

Purpose

To investigate the electrical responses of the retina in retinoblastoma (RB), by recording full-field electroretinography (ERG) under general anesthesia.

Methods

The ERG was recorded using Ephios hand-held portable ERG system, according to International Standards for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision. Forty-eight eyes of 43 cases and 33 eyes of 33 controls were enrolled. The cases were classified based on international intraocular retinoblastoma classification (IIRC). Forty-eight eyes of cases were divided into 30 cases with active RB and 18 cases with regressed RB.

Results

The amplitudes of a- and b-waves were decreased as compared to controls in all subgroups. The implicit times of all RB patients from group A to C differed statistically from controls (p value < 0.05) except for single-flash rod response. The ERG waveforms in group E eyes were non-recordable. The comparison of ERG parameters between active and regressed groups (IIRC groups A and B) was statistically insignificant. Single case follow-up of unilateral RB after systemic chemotherapy showed improvement in amplitudes compared to baseline parameters.

Conclusions

Reduced amplitudes and delayed implicit times were noted in advanced disease. The ERG of RB cases did not follow any specific pattern of waveform. ERG appears to be a dynamic parameter to observe changes following treatment for RB. Although ERG is not a diagnostic test for RB, it can be used as a complementary test to assess the residual retinal function in RB eyes.