Effect of Surgical Periodontal Therapy on Serum C-reactive Protein Levels Using ELISA in Both Chronic and Aggressive Periodontitis Patient.

Background: Periodontitis can be defined as a local inflammatory process which mediates destruction of periodontal tissues & is triggered by bacterial insult. In periodontal infections, the levels of C reactive proteins are elevated as compared to the levels in a periodontally healthy individual. The study was done to determine the relative levels of serum CRP in aggressive, chronic and periodontally healthy subjects and to evaluate the effect of surgical periodontal therapy on serum C-reactive protein levels.

Spinal dorsal dermal sinus tract: An experience of 21 cases.

Background: Spinal dorsal dermal sinus is a rare entity, which usually comes to clinical attention by cutaneous abnormalities, neurologic deficit, and/or infection. The present study was undertaken to know the clinical profile of these patients, to study associated anomalies and to assess the results of surgical intervention.

Methods: Medical records of 21 patients treated for spinal dorsal dermal sinus from September 2007 to December 2013 were reviewed.

Training model for laparoscopic Heller and Dor fundoplication: a tool for laparoscopic skills training and assessment-construct validity using the GOALS score.

Background: Laparoscopic training demands practice. The transfer of laparoscopic skills from training models to real surgical procedures has been proven. The global operative assessment of laparoscopic skills (GOALS) score is a 5-item global rating scale developed to evaluate laparoscopic skills by direct observation.

Comprehensive review on agro technologies of low-calorie natural sweetener stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni): a boon to diabetic patients.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a low-calorie natural sweetener plant native to Paraguay. The leaves of stevia have sweetening compounds called steviol glycosides (SGs), which contain different marker compounds, i.e.

Beneficial Effect of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Inhibitor and Phytoestrogen in Dyslipidemia-Induced Vascular Dementia in Ovariectomized Rats.

Background: Estrogen deficiency and increase in protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity may be a key mechanism in postmenopausal dyslipidemia-induced vascular dysfunction and dementia. Thus, the present study has been designed to investigate the effect of biochanin A (BCA, a phytoestrogen) and sodium orthovanadate (SOV), an inhibitor of PTPase in dyslipidemia-induced vascular dementia in ovariectomized rats.

Methods: Female Wistar rats were ovariectomized and fed on high fat diet for 4 weeks to produce dyslipidemia.

Eccentric apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy unmasked by multimodality imaging: an uncommon but missed cause of out of hospital cardiac arrest.

A woman in her late 50s experienced a witnessed, sudden out of hospital cardiac arrest. Initial workup included coronary angiography, transthoracic echocardiogram and a CT scan of the chest to rule out pulmonary embolus. She was subsequently discharged home without an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or a life vest.

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome: a rare cause of erythroderma.

Background: Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a rare and potentially lethal disorder characterized by persistently elevated eosinophil counts without any underlying causes. Two variants, the myeloproliferative and lymphocytic hypereosinophilic syndrome, have been identified. The symptoms are variable and related to the organs involved (cardiovascular system, skin, central and peripheral nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, eyes).

Retained nasal tube bridle system insertion stylet presenting as nasal foreign body: a report of two cases.

Objectives: We aim to present two cases of a retained insertion stylet from nasal feeding tube bridle systems.

Study Design: Case series of two patients.

Methods: Patients were evaluated from 8/2012 to 9/2013 for retained bridle system insertion stylet.

Orbital complications of acute sinusitis in infants: a systematic review and report of a case.

Importance: Orbital infections from acute sinusitis are rare in neonates and infants and can lead to devastating complications. To our knowledge, no prior dedicated review exists for evaluation, treatment, and outcomes of orbital complications in this age group.

Objective: To perform a systematic review over the past 50 years on the diagnosis and treatment of orbital complications secondary to acute sinusitis in neonates and infants and report a case.

Quadrigeminal cistern arachnoid cyst: A series of 18 patients and a review of literature.

Background: Arachnoid cysts account for 1% of intracranial mass lesions. Quadrigeminal cistern arachnoid cysts are even rarer lesions. We report 18 cases of quadrigeminal cistern arachnoid cysts treated at our institute from 2002 to 2012.

Potential role of nitric oxide synthase isoforms in pathophysiology of neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain triggers a cascade of events in the sensory neurons. It is the main complication of diabetes after cardiovascular disease. Nitric oxide (NO) produced from nitric oxide synthases (NOS) is an important signaling molecule which is crucial for many physiological processes such as synaptic plasticity, neuronal survival, vasodilation, vascular homeostasis, immune regulation.

Neonatal Candida arthritis.

Fungal arthritis is an uncommon yet serious disorder in the newborn. Delay in diagnosis and management can lead to significant morbidity. We report our experience with management of two such cases.

Commercial insurance coverage for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure in the United States.

Background: Although cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF), studies suggest variable uptake by patients with HF, as well as variable coverage by insurance carriers. The purpose of this study was to determine the percentage of large commercial health insurance companies that provide coverage for outpatient (CR) for patients with HF.

Methods: We identified a sample of the largest US commercial health care providers and analyzed their CR coverage policies for patients with HF.

Identification of autoantibodies against transthyretin for the screening and diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune, systemic and inflammatory rheumatic disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. Identification of novel protein(s) associated with severity of RA is a prerequisite for better understanding of pathogenesis of this disease that may also have potential to serve as novel biomarkers in the diagnosis of RA. Present study was undertaken to compare the amount of autoantigens and autoantibodies in the plasma of RA patients in comparison to healthy controls.

Short-term augmentation of venous drainage with extra-corporeal shunt and simultaneous auto-transfusion, for salvaging a congested free flap.

Adequate drainage of venous blood is the most critical part of successful free tissue transfer. We report a case of anterolateral thigh flap used for covering open communited tibial fracture. The flap was salvaged with short term augmentation of venous drainage with external shunt.

The relationship between Elder Risk Assessment (ERA) scores and cardiac revascularization: a cohort study in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA.

Purpose: The aging population is predisposed to cardiovascular disease. Our goal was to determine the relationship between a higher Elder Risk Assessment (ERA) score and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), in adults over 60 years.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study in a primary care internal medicine practice.

Mechanism of hyperhomocysteinemia-induced vascular endothelium dysfunction - possible dysregulation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and its downstream phosphoinositide dependent kinase and protein kinase B.

Imbalance of l-arginine/endothelial nitric oxide synthatase (eNOS) activity is the hallmark of vascular endothelium dysfunction. Hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhy) has been identified as a potential risk factor for vascular endothelium dysfunction that leads to cardiovascular disorders. Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) is a ubiquitous enzyme involved in plethora of cell signaling including the endothelial cells and it has been reported that signaling through this enzyme and its downstream pathway viz phosphoinositide-dependent kinase (PDK)/protein kinase B (Akt) and eNOS is impaired in diseased conditions.

Care of the frail elder: the nexus of geriatrics and palliative care.

The number of frail elderly individuals living in the United States is expected to increase. Frail patients tend to suffer from a number of chronic symptoms including pain, weakness and depression, and frailty is associated with dependence on others and increased mortality. Thus, palliative care is often appropriate for these individuals.

Identification of novel autoantigen in the synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients using an immunoproteomics approach.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune and inflammatory joint disease with a poorly understood etiology. Despite widespread diagnostic use of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies and rheumatoid factor proteins there is a strong demand for novel serological biomarkers to improve the diagnosis this disease. The present study was aimed to identify novel autoantigens involved in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis through immune-proteomic strategy.

Paraneoplastic pemphigus: a paraneoplastic autoimmune multiorgan syndrome or autoimmune multiorganopathy?

Paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP), a clinically and immunopathologically distinct mucocutaneous blistering dermatosis, is a severe form of autoimmune multiorgan syndrome generally associated with poor therapeutic outcome and high mortality. This IgG-mediated disease is initiated by an obvious or occult lymphoproliferative disorder in most cases. Clinically severe mucositis, and polymorphic blistering skin eruptions, and histologically acantholysis, keratinocyte necrosis and interface dermatitis are its hallmark features.

Metastatic Basal cell carcinoma: a biological continuum of Basal cell carcinoma?

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) accounts for 80% of all nonmelanoma skin cancers. Its metastasis is extremely rare, ranging between 0.0028 and 0.

Osteocutaneous radial forearm reconstruction of large partial cricotracheal defects.

Background: Single-stage procedures for reconstruction of large cricotracheal defects have been limited in success and malignant immature teratomas in the larynx of an adult have never been reported.

Methods And Results: This was a case report and literature review. A 27-year-old man presented with 2 weeks of new-onset stridor and was found to have a mass obstructing 80% of the subglottis and trachea.