Assessment of ovarian reserve: Anti-Mullerian hormone versus follicle stimulating hormone

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the strength of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in reflecting the antral follicle count (AFC) in infertile females.Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 females, visiting infertility clinic for assisted reproduction. Serum samples collected on the 3rd day of the cycle were assayed for FSH, luteinizing hormone, and AMH while AFC was assessed via transvaginal ultrasound. The study cohort was segregated into three groups based on AFC.Results: Chronological age and FSH was significantly high in females with very low AFC (P \u3c 0.01 and 0.009, respectively), yet they failed to discriminate patients with normal and higher follicle count (P = 0.65 and 0.84). Conversely, AMH reported highly significant difference between very low AFC and with those having either normal AFC (P = 0.002) or higher AFC (P = 0.001). Moreover, a significant difference in AMH was observed between normal and higher AFC group (P = 0.04).Conclusion: Compared to female\u27s age and FSH, AMH is superior in clustering study cohort on the bases of antral follicular pool, especially in setups with nonavailability of technological expertise to assess AFC. Incorporation of AMH along with other biomarkers improves estimation of baseline ovarian reserve, required to standardize dose for optimum response; avoiding the risk of failure to retrieve oocyte or inappropriate stimulation leading to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Further prospective studies are required to ascertain its role in predicting the outcomes of ART in such patients

Ovarian reserve tests

Ovarian reserve plays a crucial role in achieving pregnancy following any treatment in subfertile women. The estimation of ovarian reserve is routinely performed through various ovarian reserve tests (ORTs) in an effort to predict the response and outcome in couples prior to In Vitro Fertilization and counsel them. Most widely used tests are basal follicle stimulating hormone and anti-Mullerian hormone and antral follicle count. The role of ORTs in our routine practice is discussed in this article. A MEDLINE search was done to identify suitable articles for review

Need for paradigm shift in Indian dental education: A case for change toward competency-based education

Dental education came into existence in the early 20 th century in India and is at a critical juncture at present. Dental education, as we know it today, evolved from the Gies Report in 1926, i.e., university-housed and scientifically based shortly after Flexner made his landmark report on the existing and proposed medical education system. Present-day education system is exam driven. This is compounded by compartmentalized approach to patient management as the present curriculum is not designed for either horizontal or vertical integration. Although graduates perform exceedingly well in the academic environment, it has been observed that they are not ready for practice. Many dental schools in the west are gradually undergoing a paradigm shift and transitioning to a competency-based education curriculum. Schools must become unburdened from departmental courses and move toward interdisciplinary integration. This paper highlights the need for shift in paradigm of dental education in the Indian context

Preparing and Publishing a Scientific Manuscript

Publishing original research in a peer-reviewed and indexed journal is an important milestone for a scientist or a clinician. It is an important parameter to assess academic achievements. However, technical and language barriers may prevent many enthusiasts from ever publishing. This review highlights the important preparatory steps for creating a good manuscript and the most widely used IMRaD (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion) method for writing a good manuscript. It also provides a brief overview of the submission and review process of a manuscript for publishing in a biomedical journal

The promotion conundrum: Is it time for reform in Indian dental schools?

Promotion is an academic reward system for university faculty. The word promotion these days comes with mixed feelings. With our rapidly escalating population and increase in the number of dental schools and availability of specialists, faculty positions are rapidly getting saturated. In the early days, career advancements and promotion were primarily based on time. According to the current promotion guidelines, career advancement depends on performance, namely, publications, research, participation in other administrative responsibilities, and clinical work. However, publications seem to have a greater impact on the decision to promote. The Dental Council of India has devised a point system to aid in decision to promote. Currently, we do not have a system of recruiting or promoting faculty under different tracks such as clinical teachers, researcher teachers, and tenure-track faculty as in American and British universities. All recruitments are for full-time jobs. The number of ranks is three, namely, lecturer, reader (equivalent to associate professor), and professor. There is a dire need for reforms in promotion policies. We need new policies to be framed so that teachers can engage in different aspects of scholarship defined by Boyer. This article looks at current deficiencies in promotion policy in dental schools in India and career advancement policies in American universities which can be used as a template for framing new guidelines in the Indian scenario

Levamisole and antioxidants in the management of oral submucous fibrosis: A comparative study

Background and Objectives: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic condition of the oral cavity which results in permanent disability. The pathogenesis is poorly understood and the disease is difficult to treat. OSMF is associated with immunological changes (altered levels of serum immunoglobulins) and the effect of treatment (especially antioxidants and levamisole) on serum immunoglobulins (Ig) is not known. This study was carried out to evaluate the clinical effects of levamisole (VERMISOL), and antioxidants (ANTOXID) and its effect on serum immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM. Meterials and Methods: Forty-five study subjects were included in the study. Patients were randomly assigned into three groups. There were 15 patients in each group; group I patients received levamisole, 50 mg three times daily for three alternate weeks, group II patients received 2 capsules of antoxid daily for six weeks, group III patients received levamisole and antoxid. The results were analyzed with paired ′t′ test and unpaired ′t′ test. Results: The results indicated that levamisole, antoxid and the combination of levamisole and antoxid showed significant improvement in mouth opening and reduction in burning sensation. Significant reduction of serum IgG, IgA and IgM was seen in the levamisole group and combination group whereas in the antoxid group significant reduction was observed only in serum IgA and IgM. Interpretation and Conclusion: Levamisole can bring about clinical improvement and is better than antoxid and the combination regimen. The addition of antoxid to the treatment regimen does not seem to have an added advantage over levamisole alone

MARINE: THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF BIOACTIVES AND DRUG METABOLITES

ABSTRACT Bioactive compounds from marine flora and fauna have extensive past and present use in the treatment of many diseases and serve as compounds of interest both in their natural form and as templates for synthetic modification. Several molecules isolated from various marine organisms (microorganisms, algae, fungi, invertebrates, and vertebrates) are currently under study at an advanced stage of clinical trials, some of them have already been marketed as drugs. This article gives an overview of current trends in screening and the activity analysis of metabolites from marine resources. Although the marine resources have been somewhat limited to date, selected bioactive from marine flora and fauna have already published. This report summarizes the screening for bioactive compounds of marine animals and marine microorganisms. Finally, new approaches for the screening of metabolites from marine resources are discussed. The goal of this article is to expose the new models and mechanisms of action of marine substances to bring new solutions for tackling some of the major public health problems