Maxillofacial Injuries in Children: A 10 year Retrospective Study

Objectives

Fractures of facial bones in children are relatively uncommon although both children and adults are subjected to similar types of injuries. This study aims to evaluate the epidemiology of facial bone fractures among children under 14 years, their management and outcome.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study included maxillofacial injuries treated in 112 children under 14 years admitted due to maxillofacial injuries during the period from 2001 to 2011.

Results

Of them ten (8.93 %) were below 5 years, 44 (39.29 %) between 6 and 10 years and 58 (51.78 %) between 11 and 14 years of age. Male to female ratio was 1.8:1. Fall from a height was the most common etiology. The most common jaw involved in the fracture was the mandible. Conservative management was done in 83.04 % of cases and open reduction and internal fixation was performed in 16.96 % of cases. Five (4.46 %) cases accounted for post-operative wound infection.

Conclusion

Fracture of the mandible is the most common maxillofacial injury in children, most often caused by fall from a height. The osteogenic potential of the mandible in children leads to conservative management of these fractures. Opportunities for prevention of maxillofacial trauma should be taken into consideration by parents and care takers.     

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and bone mass indices in post-menarchal Indian adolescent girls

To study the association between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and bone mass indices in adolescent girls, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 120 post-menarchal girls aged 15–18 years in Pune city, India. Serum levels of ionised calcium, inorganic phosphorous, parathyroid hormone and 25-hydroxy vitamin-D were measured. Bone mineral content (BMC), bone area (BA) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured at total body (TB), lumbar spine (LS) and left femoral neck (FN) using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Polymorphisms of the VDR gene at the Fok1 and Bsm1 loci were detected using SYBR Green quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The overall distribution of genotypes at the Bsm1 locus in this study was 33.3 % Bb, 29.2 % bb and 37.5 % BB while that for the Fok1 locus was 44.2 % Ff, 7.5 % ff and 48.3 % FF. There were no significant differences in the blood parameters when classified according to Bsm1 or Fok1 genotypes. Subjects with BB genotype have significantly higher mean TBBMC, TBBA, TBBMD and LSBMD than Bb and bb (p < 0.05) and showed a tendency for association with LSBMC and LSBA (p < 0.1). Subjects with Ff genotype showed a tendency for association with left FNBMC and FNBA (p < 0.1). Bsm1 genotype did not show an association with FN bone indices whereas Fok1 genotype did not show association with TB or LS bone indices. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates VDR gene polymorphism, defined by Bsm1 genotype, has an influence on total body and lumbar spine bone mass indices in post-menarchal Indian girls.     

Bone Health Status in Indian Overweight/Obese Children

This cross-sectional study, to assess bone health in Indian overweight, obese children in comparison with healthy controls was conducted in 245 (126 girls) children and adolescents aged 6–17 y in Pune, India. It was found that total body bone mineral content, bone area and bone mineral density adjusted for Tanner stage and weight were significantly lower in obese children as compared to overweight children, which in turn, was significantly lower than normal weight children (p?<?0.05). Thus, overweight and obesity is negatively related to bone health in children and adolescents. Interventions need to be planned to increase peak bone mass accrual in overweight and obese children to reduce future risk of fracture and osteoporosis.     

Micellar formulations of Crizotinib and Dasatinib in the management of glioblastoma multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) defies the currently practiced management of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery and hence, it is associated with a high fatality rate with a median survival of 14.6 months. In our previous work investigating different tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), we established that a combination of Crizotinib and Dasatinib exerted the most potent effect on different GBM cell lines. In this work, to improve targeted therapy at the site of the tumour and avoid systemic toxicity, we exploited the enhanced permeability and retention effect by designing micellar formulations of these two TKIs. Crizotinib and Dasatinib were successfully encapsulated in poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) (SMA) micelles which were then evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics, anti-proliferative effect, mode of cell death, efficacy in spheroid models, effect on cell signalling, antiangiogenic potential and in vivo anticancer activity. Our results showed that this combination had induced a potent anti-proliferative effect in four GBM cell lines grown as a monolayer and as a spheroid. The combination was also efficacious in in vitro models of angiogenesis and vascular mimicry. In vivo data showed the enhanced activity of the micellar TKIs compared to free drugs. In conclusion, we proved that micellar formulations of Crizotinib and Dasatinib carry promising in vitro and in vivo efficacy that warrant further investigation.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of pyrrole-2-carboxamide derivatives: oroidin analogues

The reaction of pyrrole or dibromopyrrole-2-trichloroacetone with various amines results in the series of novel pyrrole-2-carboxamide bearing aromatic heterocycle or aryl or alkyl groups. Synthesized molecules were evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial activities. Most of the compounds exhibited potent activity against both Gram-positive and negative pathogens.