Tea Cup in the brain, a rare case of penetrating brain injury in pediatric patient

Head injuries are very common in children. All over the world, the most common mechanism is fall. These injuries are more prevalent in developing countries due to lack of education, poverty, lack of standard and scientific ways to child upbringing. Penetrating injuries in pediatric patients is extremely uncommon and usually occur due to sharp objects like knife, screw driver, drills, nails. We are reporting a rare case of a child with penetrating head injury due to tea cup, very commonly used crockery in every house hold. To the best of our knowledge, no similar case has ever been reported in world literature. Our case also emphasized the need for educating people about child care

Evaluation of Daphnia Magna as an Indicator of Toxicity and Treatment Efficacy of Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant

Performance evaluation of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with special reference to toxicity reduction using Daphnia magna straus as test organism is very important to study the likely adverse effects of the treated wastewater on the aquatic ecosystem of receiving waters and to detect common environmentally realistic concentrations of pollutants at different concentration levels and toxicity discriminatory ability to distinguish different degree of toxicity and toxic specificity of the compounds on target organisms. This test can be considered as useful analytical tool for screening of chemical analysis and early warning system to monitor the different operational units of wastewater treatment plants. Interrelationship between COD, SS with respect to Daphnia toxicity (Gd) suggests that improvement of the toxicological quality of wastewater could be linked to the removal of both COD and suspended solids. Both the parameters (COD & SS) can serve as a regulatory tool in lieu of an explicit toxicological standard. An important feature of this work was to emphasize the significance of toxicity tests. It could help to reduce influent toxicity and thereby avoid impacting microorganisms\u2019 population in activated sludge systems. This study shows the difference between using physico-chemical and biological criteria to define the quality or toxicity of wastewater, making it clear that both methods are indispensable and complimentary and support the earlier view that Daphnia magna can serve as a valuable model for bio- monitoring of water pollution and for evaluation of the toxicity of an effluent and risk assessment in an aquatic body, as it is highly sensitive to pollutants

Evaluation of relationship between bone mineral density and fragility fracture in perimenopausal women between 40-58 years of age: a hospital based prospective observational study

Background: At present the risk assessment for osteoporosis using low bone mineral density (BMD) is based on data obtained from elderly females, largely ≥ 65 years of age. The risk factors for low peak bone mass or accelerated bone loss that occurs during perimenopausal phase is ignored in this risk assessment. Osteoporosis is found to occur at a relatively younger age in the Indian population. Although lower BMD values have an established identity as a major risk factor for fractures in postmenopausal women, we endeavour to evaluate relationship between bone mineral density and fragility fracture in perimenopausal women.Methods: 65 Patients were recruited for the study. After X-ray of involved part, patients were divided into cases (with fracture, n=33) and control (no bony injury, n=32). All patients underwent dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. Results of DEXA scans were evaluated in both the groups. BMD was expressed in g/cm2.Results: 33 patients (50.77%) were diagnosed as fracture, 32(49.23%) had no bony injury. Threshold bone mineral density (BMD) for fragility fracture found out asfor L1, cut off ≤0.767. For L2, cut off ≤0.829. For L3, cut off ≤0.811. L4, cut off ≤0.798. For L1-L4, cut off ≤0.845. For left femur total hip, cut off ≤0.918. For left forearm-total, cut off ≤0.411. For right femur total hip-cut off ≤0.795. For right forearm-total, cut-off≤0.382.Conclusions: Perimenopausal women having BMD below threshold for involved site are at risk of fragility fracture and should be given prophylactic treatment to improve bone mineral density

Double intra venous cannula versus single needle technique of aspiration and methylprednisolone injection in the treatment of wrist ganglion: a comparative study

Background: Ganglion is the one of the common soft tissue swellings in the hand and wrist. Treatment options available include reassurance, nonsurgical means like aspiration with or without steroid or hyaluronidase injection and surgical or arthroscopic excision. All current treatment options produce suboptimal results. This study endeavours to compare the outcome and recurrence rate and other complications after treatment of wrist ganglion by aspiration and methylprednisolone injection by double Intravenous cannula versus single needle technique.Methods: A prospective comparative clinical study was done with a total of 72 patients. 36 patients in group 1 were treated with double intravenous cannula technique and 36 patients in group 2 were treated with single needle technique. All the patients were followed up for 6 months to look for recurrence and any complication. The patient’s age, sex and various characteristics of the ganglion cyst like side, site, size, etc. were recorded.Results: In group 1, recurrence was seen in 6 patients (15.7%) while in group 2, recurrence were seen in 14 (38.8%) patients. There was statistical significant difference between the two groups with p value of 0.04. No complication was seen in both groups due to methylprednisolone injection.Conclusions: Inspired by the results we advise to use aspiration and methylprednisolone injection by double intravenous cannula technique in the treatment of wrist ganglion before any surgical intervention. It is safe, simple, cost effective method and is less invasive and less time consuming with recurrence rate comparable to surgical and arthroscopic interventions

A Randomized Controlled Exploratory Evaluation of Standardized Ayurvedic Formulations in Symptomatic Osteoarthritis Knees: A Government of India NMITLI Project

The multidisciplinary “New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative” Arthritis Project was undertaken to validate Ayurvedic medicines. Herbal formulations in popular use were selected by expert consensus and standardized using modern tools. Our clinical strategy evolved from simple exploratory evaluations to better powered statistically designed drug trials. The results of the first drug trial are presented here. Five oral formulations (coded A, B, C, D and E), with a common base of Zingiber officinale and Tinospora cordifolia with a maximum of four plant extracts, were evaluated; with placebo and glucosamine as controls. 245 patients suffering from symptomatic OA knees were randomized into seven arms (35 patients per arm) of a double blind, parallel efficacy, multicentric trial of sixteen weeks duration. The groups matched well at baseline. There were no differences for patient withdrawals (17.5%) or adverse events (AE) of mild nature. Intention-to-treat efficacy analysis, demonstrated no significant differences (P < .05) for pain (weight bearing) and WOMAC questionnaire (knee function); placebo response was high. Based on better pain relief, significant (P < .05) least analgesic consumption and improved knee status, “C” formulation was selected for further development. Controlled exploratory drug trials with multiple treatment arms may be used to economically evaluate several candidate standardized formulations

Chondroprotective Potential of Fruit Extracts of Phyllanthus emblica in Osteoarthritis

There is a need for effective nutraceuticals for osteoarthritis care. The fruit of Phyllanthus emblica is used as a powerful rejuvenator in Ayurvedic medicine. This study measured the chondroprotective potential of P. emblica (‘Amalaki’) fruits in vitro. We used aqueous extracts of unprocessed P. emblica fruit powder (powder A), and the powder obtained after hot water extraction and drying of powder A (powder B). Chondroprotection was measured in three different assay systems. First, we tested the effects of both fruit powders on the activities of the enzymes hyaluronidase and collagenase type 2. Second, an in vitro model of cartilage degradation was set-up with explant cultures of articular knee cartilage from osteoarthritis patients. Cartilage damage was assayed by measuring glycosaminoglycan release from explants treated with/without P. emblica fruit powders. Aqueous extracts of both fruit powders significantly inhibited the activities of hyaluronidase and collagenase type 2 in vitro. Third, in the explant model of cartilage matrix damage, extracts of glucosamine sulphate and powder B (0.05 mg/ml) exhibited statistically significant, long-term chondroprotective activity in cartilage explants from 50% of the patients tested. This result is important since glucosamine sulphate is the leading nutraceutical for osteoarthritis. Powder A induced a statistically significant, short-term chondroprotective activity in cartilage explants from all of the patients tested. This is the first study to identify and quantitate new chondroprotective activities of P. emblica fruits. These data provide pilot pre-clinical evidence for the use of P. emblica fruits as a chondroprotective agent in osteoarthritis therapy

Association of seventeen definitions of remission with functional status in a large clinical practice cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective: To compare the association between different remission criteria and physical function in rheumatoid arthritis patients followed in clinical practice. Methods: Longitudinal data from the METEOR database were used. Seventeen definitions of remission were tested: ACR/EULAR Boolean-based; Simplified/Clinical Disease Activity Index (SDAI/CDAI); and fourteen Disease Activity Score (DAS)-based definitions. Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)≤0.5 was defined as good functional status. Associations were investigated using generalised estimating equations (GEE). Potential confounders were tested and sensitivity analyses performed. Results: Data from 32,915 patients (157,899 visits) were available. The most stringent definition of remission was the ACR/EULAR Boolean-based definition (1.9%). The proportion of patients with HAQ≤0.5 was higher for the most stringent definitions, although it never reached 100%. However, this also meant that, for the most stringent criteria, many patients in non-remission had HAQ≤0.5. All remission definitions were associated with better function, with the strongest degree of association observed for the SDAI (adjusted OR (95% CI): 3.36 (3.01-3.74)). However, only minor differences were noted between definitions (range of adjusted OR 1.99 to 3.36). Sensitivity analyses yield similar results. Conclusions: The seventeen definitions of remission confirmed their validity against physical function in a large international clinical practice setting. Achievement of remission, according to any of the indices may be more important than the use of a specific index. A multidimensional approach, targeted at wider goals than disease control, is necessary to help all patients achieve the best possible functional status

Subjects with Knee Osteoarthritis Exhibit Widespread Hyperalgesia to Pressure and Cold

Hyperalgesia to mechanical and thermal stimuli are characteristics of a range of disorders such as tennis elbow, whiplash and fibromyalgia. This study evaluated the presence of local and widespread mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in individuals with knee osteoarthritis, compared to healthy control subjects. Twenty-three subjects with knee osteoarthritis and 23 healthy controls, matched for age, gender and body mass index, were recruited for the study. Volunteers with any additional chronic pain conditions were excluded. Pain thresholds to pressure, cold and heat were tested at the knee, ipsilateral heel and ipsilateral elbow, in randomized order, using standardised methodology. Significant between-groups differences for pressure pain and cold pain thresholds were found with osteoarthritic subjects demonstrating significantly increased sensitivity to both pressure (p = .018) and cold (p = .003) stimuli, compared with controls. A similar pattern of results extended to the pain-free ipsilateral ankle and elbow indicating widespread pressure and cold hyperalgesia. No significant differences were found between groups for heat pain threshold, although correlations showed that subjects with greater sensitivity to pressure pain were also likely to be more sensitive to both cold pain and heat pain. This study found widespread elevated pain thresholds in subjects with painful knee osteoarthritis, suggesting that altered nociceptive system processing may play a role in ongoing arthritic pain for some patients

The International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce (INPST) and the power of Twitter networking exemplified through #INPST hashtag analysis

Background: The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled "International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce" (INPST) was established in 2018, to bring together in collaborative environment individuals and organizations interested in natural product scientific research, and to empower their interactions by using digital communication tools. Methods: In this work, we present a general overview of INPST activities and showcase the specific use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool that was used to host a one-week "2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event" (spanning from 31st May 2021 to 6th June 2021) based on the application of the Twitter hashtag #INPST. Results and Conclusion: The use of this hashtag during the networking event period was analyzed with Symplur Signals (https://www.symplur.com/), revealing a total of 6,036 tweets, shared by 686 users, which generated a total of 65,004,773 impressions (views of the respective tweets). This networking event's achieved high visibility and participation rate showcases a convincing example of how this social media platform can be used as a highly effective tool to host virtual Twitter-based international biomedical research events