Sports Dentistry: Dental Traumatology with Preventive Measures– A Review

In sports, dental trauma is the main link between sport and dentistry. Sports dentistry is the treatment of sporting oral / facial injuries and associated oral disorders and manifestations. Sporting practices have been found to be responsible for 13 per cent of total oral trauma in children. It is emphasized that from high schools to professional teams there is a great need for a "Team Dentist." In this review, we discuss the relationship between sport and dentistry, and the importance of educating parents, teachers, and children on sport-related injury prevention

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF UV SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF LAFUTIDINE IN BULK AND PHARMACEUTICAL DOSAGE FORM

Objective: The objectives of the present research was to develop a simple, precise, economical, accurate, reproducible and sensitive method for the quantitative estimation of lafutidine in bulk and its pharmaceutical dosage forms by Ultra Violet (UV) absorption spectrophotometry.Methods: The method uses 0.1 N HCl, pH 1.20 as a solvent of choice for the quantitative estimation of lafutidine in bulk and its tablets dosage form by UV absorption spectrophotometry at a wavelength of 290 nm. The method was validated for parameters like linearity, range, precision, Limit of Detection (LOD), Limit of Quantification (LOQ), accuracy, recovery and stability of the analyte.Results: Lafutidine exhibited absorbance maxima at 290 nm in 0.1 N HCl, pH 1.20 solvent. The developed method was validated as per the ICH validation guidelines. Beer's law was obeyed in range of 0-30 µg/ml with r2= 0.9997. The LOD and LOQ values of lafutidine were found to be 0.545 µg/ml and 1.654 µg/ml respectively. The mean % recovery for the developed method was found to be in the range of 99.25 to 99.45 % respectively for the marketed dosage forms. The developed method was also found to be robust.Conclusion: The developed method was found suitable for the routine quantitative analysis of lafutidinein bulk and pharmaceutical dosage form. It was also concluded that developed UV spectrophotometry method was accurate, precise, linear, reproducible, robust and sensitive

Maturational patterns of left ventricular rotational mechanics in pre-term infants through 1 year of age

BACKGROUND: Pre-mature birth impacts left ventricular development, predisposing this population to long-term cardiovascular risk. The aims of this study were to investigate maturational changes in rotational properties from the neonatal period through 1 year of age and to discern the impact of cardiopulmonary complications of pre-maturity on these measures. METHODS: Pre-term infants (\u3c29 weeks at birth, n = 117) were prospectively enrolled and followed to 1-year corrected age. Left ventricular basal and apical rotation, twist, and torsion were measured by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography and analysed at 32 and 36 weeks post-menstrual age and 1-year corrected age. A mixed random effects model with repeated measures analysis was used to compare rotational mechanics over time. Torsion was compared in infants with and without complications of cardiopulmonary diseases of pre-maturity, specifically bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pulmonary hypertension, and patent ductus arteriosus. RESULTS: Torsion decreased from 32 weeks post-menstrual age to 1-year corrected age in all pre-term infants (p \u3c 0.001). The decline from 32 to 36 weeks post-menstrual age was more pronounced in infants with cardiopulmonary complications, but was similar to healthy pre-term infants from 36 weeks post-menstrual age to 1-year corrected age. The decline was due to directional and magnitude changes in apical rotation over time (p \u3c 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study tracks maturational patterns of rotational mechanics in pre-term infants and reveals torsion declines from the neonatal period through 1 year. Cardiopulmonary diseases of pre-maturity may negatively impact rotational mechanics during the neonatal period, but the myocardium recovers by 1-year corrected age

A comprehensive report on therapeutic potential of Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb. (Rudraksha)

Members of family Elaeocarpaceae are known for its medicinal properties since long back in traditional medicinal systems. Along with its medicinal usage it has also got spiritual importance due to its electromagnetic nature and mythological convictions. Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb. is commonly known as Rudraksha in India. Phytochemical analysis has revealed the presence of many pharmaco-active constituents like tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates and acids in different extracts of plant parts. Several studies have been done to explore the pharmacological activities of different extracts of the members of Elaeocarpaceae family specially Rudraksha. In this review, we have tried to consolidate the available reports on the phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological properties of Elaeocarpus species.  

Markers of Maternal and Infant Metabolism are Associated with Ventricular Dysfunction in Infants of Obese Women with Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND To test the hypothesis that infants born to obese women with pregestational type 2 diabetes mellitus (IBDM) have ventricular dysfunction at one month that is associated with markers of maternal lipid and glucose metabolism. METHODS In a prospective observational study of IBDM (OB+DM, n=25), echocardiography measures of septal, left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function and structure were compared at one month of age to infants born to OB mothers without DM (OB, n=24), and non-OB without DM (Lean, n=23). Basal maternal lipid and glucose kinetics and maternal plasma and infant (cord) plasma were collected for hormone and cytokine analyses. RESULTS RV, LV, and septal strain measures were lower in the OB+DM infants vs. other groups, without evidence of septal hypertrophy. Maternal hepatic insulin sensitivity, maternal plasma free fatty acid concentration, and cord plasma insulin and leptin most strongly predicted decreased septal strain in the OB+DM infants. CONCLUSION IBDM’s have reduced septal function at one month in the absence of septal hypertrophy, which is associated with altered maternal and infant lipid and glucose metabolism. These findings suggest that maternal obesity and DM may have a prolonged impact on the cardiovascular health of their offspring, despite resolution of cardiac hypertrophy

Pulmonary Artery Acceleration Time Provides a Reliable Estimate of Invasive Pulmonary Hemodynamics in Children

Background Pulmonary artery acceleration time (PAAT) is a non-invasive method to assess pulmonary hemodynamics, but lacks validity in children. This study sought to evaluate the accuracy of Doppler echocardiography (DE) derived PAAT in predicting right heart catheterization (RHC) derived pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and compliance in children. Methods Prospectively acquired and retrospectively measured DE derived PAAT and RHC derived systolic PAP (sPAP), mean PAP (mPAP), index PVR (PVRi) and compliance were compared by regression analysis in a derivation cohort of 75 children (median age, 5.3 years; 1.3–12.6) with wide ranges of pulmonary hemodynamics. To account for heart rate variability, PAAT was adjusted for right ventricle ejection time (RVET) and corrected by the RR interval. Regression equations incorporating PAAT and PAAT:RVET from the derivation cohort were then evaluated for the accuracy of its predictive values for invasive pulmonary hemodynamics in a validation cohort of 50 age- and weight- matched children with elevated PAP and PVR. Results There were significant inverse correlations between PAAT and RHC derived mPAP (r = −0.82) and PVRi (r= −0.78) and direct correlation (r= 0.78) between PAAT and pulmonary compliance in the derivation cohort. For detection of pulmonary hypertension (PRVi > 3 WU x m2 and mPAP > 25 mmHg), PAAT < 90 msec and PAAT:RVET < 0.31 resulted in a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 95%. In the derivation cohort, the regression equations relating PAAT with mPAP and PVRi were: mPAP = 48 – 0.28 x PAAT and PVRi = 9 –0.07 x PAAT. These PAAT integrated equations predicted RHC measured pulmonary hemodynamics in the validation cohort with good correlations (r = 0.88, 0.83 respectively), small biases (<10%), and minimal coefficient of variation (<8%). Conclusions PAAT inversely correlates with RHC measured pulmonary hemodynamics and directly correlates with pulmonary arterial compliance in children. The study established PAAT based regression equations in children to accurately predict RHC derived PAP and PVR

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 Delta variant replication and immune evasion

Abstract: The B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in the state of Maharashtra in late 2020 and spread throughout India, outcompeting pre-existing lineages including B.1.617.1 (Kappa) and B.1.1.7 (Alpha)1. In vitro, B.1.617.2 is sixfold less sensitive to serum neutralizing antibodies from recovered individuals, and eightfold less sensitive to vaccine-elicited antibodies, compared with wild-type Wuhan-1 bearing D614G. Serum neutralizing titres against B.1.617.2 were lower in ChAdOx1 vaccinees than in BNT162b2 vaccinees. B.1.617.2 spike pseudotyped viruses exhibited compromised sensitivity to monoclonal antibodies to the receptor-binding domain and the amino-terminal domain. B.1.617.2 demonstrated higher replication efficiency than B.1.1.7 in both airway organoid and human airway epithelial systems, associated with B.1.617.2 spike being in a predominantly cleaved state compared with B.1.1.7 spike. The B.1.617.2 spike protein was able to mediate highly efficient syncytium formation that was less sensitive to inhibition by neutralizing antibody, compared with that of wild-type spike. We also observed that B.1.617.2 had higher replication and spike-mediated entry than B.1.617.1, potentially explaining the B.1.617.2 dominance. In an analysis of more than 130 SARS-CoV-2-infected health care workers across three centres in India during a period of mixed lineage circulation, we observed reduced ChAdOx1 vaccine effectiveness against B.1.617.2 relative to non-B.1.617.2, with the caveat of possible residual confounding. Compromised vaccine efficacy against the highly fit and immune-evasive B.1.617.2 Delta variant warrants continued infection control measures in the post-vaccination era

Current perspectives for microbial lipases from extremophiles and metagenomics

Microbial lipases are most broadly used biocatalysts for environmental and industrial applications. Lipases catalyze the hydrolysis and synthesis of long acyl chain esters and have a characteristic folding pattern of α/β hydrolase with highly conserved catalytic triad (Serine, Aspartic/Glutamic acid and Histidine). Mesophilic lipases (optimal activity in neutral pH range, mesophilic temperature range, atmospheric pressure, normal salinity, non-radio-resistant, and instability in organic solvents) have been in use for many industrial biotransformation reactions. However, lipases from extremophiles can be used to design biotransformation reactions with higher yields, less byproducts or useful side products and have been predicted to catalyze those reactions also, which otherwise are not possible with the mesophilic lipases. The extremophile lipase perform activity at extremes of temperature, pH, salinity, and pressure which can be screened from metagenome and de novo lipase design using computational approaches. Despite structural similarity, they exhibit great diversity at the sequence level. This diversity is broader when lipases from the bacterial, archaeal, plant, and animal domains/kingdoms are compared. Furthermore, a great diversity of novel lipases exists and can be discovered from the analysis of the dark matter - the unexplored nucleotide/metagenomic databases. This review is an update on extremophilic microbial lipases, their diversity, structure, and classification. An overview on novel lipases which have been detected through analysis of the genomic dark matter (metagenome) has also been presented