Temporal variations in basicranium dimorphism of North Indians

In recent years, several investigations have documented notable secular changes in human skull morphology. The present study is the next link in the series, addressing its possible effects in the cranial base in North Indian populations. The present study aims to examine the sexual dimorphism in cranial base of two temporally different samples of North Indian population to provide updated population specific osteometric standards. The contemporary and the subrecent samples are comprised of 158 (M 110; F 48) and 325 adult crania (M 206; F 119), respectively. Five variables of cranial base were measured, and data were subjected to discriminant function analysis using SPSS 16.0. The t-tests between the two temporally different samples showed significant sexual dimorphism and population variation. Contemporary females showed comparatively greater dimensions than subrecent. Contemporary population exhibited less sexual dimorphism than subrecent population. Factors associated with the changes in sexual dimorphism are likely to be a consequence of improved nutrition and population admixture in last 50 years. The accuracy of sex prediction ranged from 48.1 to 70.0 % in contemporary sample and 60.9 % to 77.2 % in subrecent sample. Overall, these findings support the conclusion that sexual dimorphism shows variation within few decades, so sex discriminating osteometric standards must be updated regularly.     

Interplay between RAS and opioids: Opening the Pandora of complexities

Angiotensin and endogenous opioids are important bioactive neuropeptides, which are widely distributed in the brain and peripheral regions to produce diverse biological and neurobiological activities. An endogenous opioid system includes proopiomelanocortin-derived enkephalin, dynorphin and endorphin that act on their specific receptors such as delta (δ), kappa (κ) and mu (μ) receptors. Research evidence demonstrates significant positive as well as negative interactions between renin angiotensin system (RAS) and endogenous opioids in the brain and periphery. The diverse actions of Ang II are possibly mediated indirectly through endogenous opioids, while opioids are also shown to activate RAS components suggesting the up-regulation of each system in concern with each other. On the contrary, there are reports suggesting a negative correlation between RAS and opioid system. Research evidence also supports the notion that Ang II acts as anti-opioid peptide to decrease the actions of opioids. Moreover, opioids-induced decline in angiotensin release and functioning has also been reported. Co-administration of ACE inhibitors with opioids exhibits significant interactions possibly due to decreased metabolism of opioids leading to potentiation of their actions. The present review describes the complexities of positive and negative interactions between RAS and opioids along with possible mechanisms responsible for these interactions.     

Blood‐based diagnostic testing for Pompe disease: Consistency between GAA enzyme activity in dried blood spots and GAA gene sequencing results

Introduction: We have identified a large consanguineous Lebanese family with 5 individuals with severe childhood‐onset recessive sensory loss associated with deafness and variable optic atrophy. Methods: Autozygosity mapping was performed in all affected individuals, followed by whole‐exome sequencing (WES) in 2 individuals. Results: WES identified a homozygous missense mutation (c.916G>A, p.G306R) in the cerebral riboflavin transporter SLC52A2, recently shown to cause Brown‐Vialetto‐Van‐Laere syndrome (BVVLS), which is considered primarily a motor neuronopathy. Our patients have a phenotype distinct from BVVLS, characterized by severe progressive sensory loss mainly affecting vibration and proprioception that evolves to include sensorineural hearing loss in childhood, variable degrees of optic atrophy, and marked upper extremity weakness and atrophy. Treatment of 3 patients with 400 mg/day riboflavin over 3 months produced definite clinical improvement. Conclusions: Mutations in SLC52A2 result in a recognizable phenotype distinct from BVVLS. Early recognition of this disorder is critical, given its potential treatability. Muscle Nerve 50 : 775–779, 2014     

Neurocognitive Function in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: 3-Year Follow-up Shows Cognitive Development Lagging Behind Healthy Youths

ObjectiveLongitudinal follow-up of neurocognitive functioning in people with pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) was conducted to characterize the developmental trajectory of cognitive disabilities in this disorder.MethodPatients with PBD (n = 26) and controls (HC; n = 17; mean age 11.66 ± 2.70 years) completed cognitive testing at baseline and then again at a 3-year follow-up. Groups were matched at baseline on age, sex, race, parental socioeconomic status, general intelligence, and single-word reading ability. The PBD group received treatment guided by a standardized medication algorithm during the 3-year period. A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to assess attention, executive function, working memory, verbal memory, visual memory, and visuospatial perception at baseline and follow-up.ResultsAt baseline and follow-up, the patients showed deficits in all of the examined domains. At 3-year follow-up, developmental progress in executive functions and verbal memory was significantly less in the patients with PBD than in the HC. Improvement on attention, working memory, visual memory, and visuospatial perception tasks in the patients with PBD was comparable to that of the HC, but the patients with PBD remained impaired in all domains relative to the HC.ConclusionsThe developmental delay in some neurocognitive functioning in PBD suggests that the illness disrupts cognitive development with potential lifelong implications for reduced functional ability. Treating bipolar symptoms does not seem to prevent the lag in cognitive development. This dysmaturation may be a direct effect of the illness on brain function, or it may represent indirect consequences of psychopathology or medications on cognitive development.     

Nutritional status of pre-school children of urban slum communities in Delhi

Nutritional status of 486 preschool children residing in urban slums was assessed by making domiciliary visits. The overall prevalence of protein energy malnutrition (PEM) was found to be 81.8%, while 31.8, 44.1, 5.7 and 0.2% of children had Grades I, II, III and IV PEM, respectively. Age, sex and education had a significant association with PEM.     

Spontaneous rupture of laryngeal ventricle

An extremely rare case of spontaneous rupture of laryngeal ventricle is presented. Surgical anatomy of ventricle and management of the case is discussed.