New Visions in Medicine and Medical Science Vol. 3

Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a contagious and infectious disease that has caused a global pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this a global pandemic as Covid-19 has spread throughout the world causing over 2.9 million deaths. Consequently, companies have manufactured vaccines to combat the spread of Covid-19 and protect those who become vaccinated. However, the current vaccines do not seem to be effective against the new variants of the virus that have emerged. Stem cell therapy could be an alternative. This study aims to find an alternative solution to combat the new variant of Covid-19. Stem cells therapy is a potential noninvasive method for treating the emerging variants of SARS-COV-2 that the coronavirus vaccine is ineffective against. The immunomodulatory effects from stem cell therapy can inhibit the immune system overactivation therefore lower the mortality rate by preventing or attenuating the cytokine storm caused by Covid-19. It can reduce time to recovery with its regenerative effects by repairing damages caused by Covid-19 and improving bodily functions. In addition, unlike most traditional medicine, no adverse effects have been observed after treatment. All this suggests that stem cell therapy is a promising and viable solution to combat and treat Covid-19. This study examined that the Covid-19 can potentially be treated by stem cell therapy as stem cells can greatly improve the symptoms of patients with mild, moderate, and severe coronavirus infections, and repair the damage.

This case reports the results obtained from a relapsed Multiple myeloma (MM) patient treated with high- cumulative-dose allogeneic Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).  MM is a highly malignant cancer characterized by the proliferation and accumulation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow along with end-organ damage due to the underlying disorder. The plasma cells proliferate in the bone marrow and infiltrate the kidney and other organs can result in extensive skeletal destruction, renal failure, anemia, hypercalcemia, and recurrent infections. Despite the remarkable progress in the treatment of MM with the availability of novel agents and hematopoietic cell transplantations (HCTs), an overwhelming majority of patients relapse, and the disease is generally considered incurable. Here we report a case of a 57-year-old male with relapsed MM previously treated with standard of care therapies including high-dose chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and autologous HCT. Based on our previous success with mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy and its favorable safety profile, allogeneic MSC infusions were offered as a treatment option. A daily dose of 5.0 × 10 8 MSCs was slowly administered intravenously for about one and a half hours to the patient for ten consecutive days. Three months after the treatment, his laboratory results had returned to within normal ranges, and an MRI showed complete resolution of the lesions. In this study, we showed that a significantly more intensive intervention with respect to both the individual MSCs dose and the frequency of dose administration is an effective treatment strategy for MM. There were no significant adverse effects after administration of MSCs during the course of treatment and follow-up. The patient has since been cancer-free and no longer suffers from osteoporosis, which is usually a life-long complication for patients with MM. This first-in-human study showed that a high cumulative dose of MSCs is a safe and curative treatment for MM.

Aim: The present study was conducted to understand the clinical profile of individuals with oral precancerous lesions or oral cancer, estimate the relative prevalence of these disorders, and test the hypothesis that chewing tobacco/pan masala is a risk factor for them.

Background:  One of the most prevalent and deadly illnesses is oral cancer throughout the world. There are various obstacles that developing nations must overcome in order to locate and eliminate possible danger factors. Oral cancer and precancerous lesions are thought to be most strongly associated with tobacco chewing/pan masala.

Methodology: A hospital-based study was conducted and 471 subjects were recruited in the study. The subjects comprised patients with squamous cell carcinoma (n = 85), oral submucous fibrosis (n = 240), leukoplakia (n = 32), lichen planus (n = 15), and controls (n = 99). Statistical analysis of the data was done using Chi-square and regression analysis.

Results: A strong correlation was observed between the presence of the chewing habit in all the oral precancerous lesions and oral cancer. Duration of the habit and intensity of habit were also strongly correlated with the risk of oral precancerous lesions and oral cancer. Other factors such as alcohol and smoking were found to be less important in concern with oral cancer and precancerous lesions.

Conclusion: The Indian subcontinent bears one-third of the global burden. Annually, about 800,000 deaths in India result directly from tobacco-related cancers. Cancers of the oral cavity hold a critical position in healthcare systems due to the potential for early detection, which is both theoretically feasible and highly beneficial in practice. Early detection typically correlates with a significant reduction in the risk of disfigurement, recurrence, and mortality.

Background: Ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL) has been usually performed under general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia. URSL under local anesthesia (henceforth, local URSL) is not usually performed, largely due to a fear of the risk of ureteral injury caused by painful jerky movement by the patient or of the patient complaining of pain during the procedure.

Aim: We report early results of URSL under local anesthesia (LA) as a day care procedure in Department of Urology, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) hospital on aspects of per operative pain, completion of procedure, stone clearance, hospital stay, complications and patient compliance.

Materials and Methods: Patients with lower ureteric calculus attending urology outpatient department, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital during August 2011 to February 2012 underwent URSL under LA-analgesia as day care procedure. The results are analyzed on aspects of perioperative pain, completion of procedure, stone clearance, hospital stay, complications and patient compliance. Institutional ethical clearance and written informed consent for the procedure taken from all patients for the study.

Results: A total of 30 patients with lower ureteric calculus size ranging from 8 to 15 mm underwent URSL with Double J stenting under local anesthesia in RIMS urology operation theatre. Twenty-four patients completed the procedure in single session, five required two sessions (four with ureteric stricture DJ stent kept for passive dilation and one patient had edematous non visualized ureteric orifice) and another patient converted to open ureterolithotomy due to hard stone resistant to our pneumatic energy. None of the patients required hospital stay following the procedure except for two patients for IV antibiotics. The visual analog scale was mild in 15 patients, moderate in 10 and severe in five patients. Dysuria with transient hematuria was the most common complication; all were managed conservatively on OPD basis. Overall patient compliance for this procedure was excellent.  The infrastructure of service and staffing required is also major limitations. Furthermore, the physician or the patient may be reluctant to undertake the procedure on an out-patient basis. This study was formulated to highlight the success of local URSL in the treatment of mid and lower ureteric stones.

Conclusion:  Given the extreme discomfort the patient is experiencing, ureteric colic is considered a urological emergency. The idea of URSL as a day care procedure began in our department due to the lengthy wait times for routine OT, the concern of obstructive uropathy with urosepsis and the ensuing decline in renal function, and the positive early results of this procedure in carefully chosen patients.

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of computed tomography in the preoperative diagnosis of sinus masses at the Central Hospital of Yaoundé, Cameroon. Diagnostic and therapeutic tools that can orient the clinician prior to histopathology confirmation include rigid and flexible endoscopy, as well as imaging techniques such as computerized tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A diverse range of pathologies affect the sinonasal cavities, because of the nonspecific nature of the symptoms, most patients with sinonasal masses are diagnosed late when the disease is at an advanced stage. The diagnostic challenge of identifying the nature of sinonasal masses before treatment would guide therapeutic strategies. A retrospective chart review was conducted; CT scan reports and pathology reports of patients operated for sinonasal masses between January 2012 and November 2022 were compared.

Results: Forty-five patients met the inclusion criteria for the study. The average age was 39.98 ± 18.34 years, with extremes of 15 and 87 years. The sex ratio H/F is 0.76 with a female predominance. The median time to consultation was 14 [12 - 18] months, with extremes of 11 and 36 months. The most frequently encountered histological type was benign tumors with sinonasal polyposis (PNS) in the lead, i.e. 34.1% of cases. The types adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma were represented equally in 6.8% of cases. Management was dominated by Caldwell-Luc surgery, i.e. 59.1% of cases. The frequency of disease recurrence after surgical treatment was 18.2%. As for the mortality rate, it was 11.4%. The concordance rate of the character of malignancy on imaging compared to histology was 90.9%. This level of concordance was statistically significant according to the Gamma test (p < 0.001). The diagnostic performances of imaging in malignant tumors are: Sensitivity 88.9%, Specificity 92.3%, Positive Predictive Value 88.9%, Negative Predictive Value 92.3%. This study found that computed tomography can diagnose both benign and malignant sinonasal masses, but there are some false positives, particularly in the case of the histological type Inverted Papilloma.

Conclusion: Preoperative CT scans correlate with histology and have a predictive value in surgically treated sinonasal tumors. MRI with the measurement of the diffusion coefficient, and MRI spectroscopy have demonstrated promising results in terms of differentiation between malignant and benign tumors and seems to be an area of future research in the diagnosis of nasosinus masses. The CT/MRI couple could be essential to provide relevant information for the surgeon.

PAX6 is a candidate gene for the proper development of human eye. The gene encompasses on the chromosome number 11p13. The expression of PAX6 gene occurs not only in eye but in many human organs like brain and pancreas. The present study focuses on the transcript analysis in ocular tissues and non-ocular tissues.

The total mRNA extracted from ocular tissues including lens epithelium, retina, iris and the non-ocular tissues like Trabecular Meshwork Cells, HeLa Cells, besides Aniridic patient as well as the normal person blood samples. The isolated RNAs were subjected to convert into cDNA by RT-PCR along with the house keeping genes (beta actin) used as a positive control in all the reactions.

The post PCR analysis revealed 540bp amplicon in all the isolated ocular and non-ocular tissues thus proved that the reaction setup was correct. In the ocular tissues showed approximately 600bp in retina, 855bp in iris and 1055bp in lens epithelium (PAX6 and PAX6 5a isoforms). The expression analysis of PAX6 gene in Non-ocular tissues HeLa cells showed 1.2 kb amplification however the mutant revealed showed unusual banding pattern of 190bp and 200bp. Sequencing of the unusual bands showed the irrelevant hypothetical LOC441763 mRNA. RT-PCR amplification confirms the presence of various PAX6 mRNA expressions in ocular and non-ocular tissues.

Lens epithelium, retina and iris tissues have significant PAX6 expression while the retina contains an overwhelming majority of mRNAs encoding crystalline and other genes but still express PAX6 isoforms at high levels. HeLa is a fibroblast based cell line and it would not expect a fibroblast to express a lot of PAX6 However PAX6 gene expression might be high in these cells for some reason. The PAX6 gene partial expression was found in mutant WBC and not in wild type WBC cells, the real fact for this reason is unknown. Hence the exploration of the PAX6 gene should be further analyzed in future.

In this paper, we propose an algorithm to improve the traditional FBP reconstruction and to choose the most suitable technique for bone SPECT image denoising. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a non invasive functional imaging modality which enables in vivo examination of organs’ function. In SPECT, the reconstructed images are strongly affected by poisson noise, poor spatial resolution and bad contrast due to the radioactivity disintegration and procedures acquisition. The method proposed to accelerate the reconstruction as well as improve the quality of reconstructed images includes two steps: pre-processing step using different filtering conditions and a reconstruction step based on a ramp 3D Back Projection implementation. A comparative study of these filters is tested and evaluated on a dataset containing thirty one bone SPECT image. The results show that the difference between these filters is statistically significantly different from each other (p<0.05) and the 3D FBP with the combination between Butterworth and Gaussian provide the best performance. The selected method is compared to three denoising methods. These methods are tested on a Shepp Logan phantom and bone SPECT images. Experimental results show that the 3D FBP reconstruction with the pre-processing combination (Gaussian (Std=0.3) + Butterworth (fc=0.47, ordre=3)) filter is more accurate and robust compared to other methods. It provides the highest performance in term of contrast, SNR, CNR ensuring a shorter processing time. It accelerates the reconstruction, reduces noise and artifacts while preserving detailed features. This approach could be considered as a valuable candidate to enhance the quality of the reconstructed bone SPECT image. In our future research we intend to concentrate on the preprocessing step of the proposed technique, more tests will be needed to enhance the quality of the tomography bone SPECT image reconstruction and devoid completely of artifacts.

Single-photon emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) is an emission imaging modality based on the administration of radiopharmaceuticals to patients. In Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), the reconstructed image often suffers from insufficient contrast, poor resolution, and inaccurate volume of the tumor size due to physical degradation factors. Generally, nonstationary filtering of the projection or the slice is employed as one of the strategies for correcting the resolution and improving the quality of the reconstructed SPECT images. This chapter presents a new 3D algorithm aimed at enhancing the quality of reconstructed thoracic SPECT images and reducing the noise level with the highest degree of accuracy. Two classes of the analytic algorithm are developed: simple back-projection (SBP) and filtered back-projection (FBP). The suggested algorithm comprises three steps. The first one involves denoising the acquired projections using the benefits of the complementary properties of both the Curvelet transform and the Wavelet transforms to achieve optimal noise reduction. The second step involves the simultaneous reconstruction of the axial slices using the 3D Ordered Subset Expectation Maximization (OSEM) algorithm. The last step involves post-processing the reconstructed axial slices using one of the newest anisotropic diffusion models named Partial Differential Equation (PDE). The method is tested on two digital phantoms and clinical bone SPECT images. A comparative study with four algorithms reviewed in the state of the art proves the significance of the proposed method. In simulated data, experimental results show that the plot profile of the proposed model closely approximates the original one compared to the other algorithms. Furthermore, it presents a notable gain in terms of contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and execution time. The proposed model shows better results in the computation of the contrast metric with a value of 0.68±7.2 and the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with a value of 78.56±6.4 in real data. The experimental results prove that the proposed algorithm is more accurate and robust in reconstructing SPECT images than the other algorithms. It could be considered a valuable candidate for correcting the resolution of bone in SPECT images. Future research may focus on combining this algorithm with a deep learning method to obtain an optimal and innovative method of bone SPECT image reconstruction.

Primary pleural SCC is a rare pleural malignancy which has seldom been reported. This case report aims to highlight the unique presentation of pleural SCC and to create awareness among pathologists about this entity. Here we report a case of a 47-year male who presented with low-grade fever, persistent chest pain and loss of appetite for 3 months along with a positive history of contact. Physical examination and chest roentgenograms revealed a right-sided pleural effusion. CECT thorax demonstrated fluid collection in the pleural space along with a fibrotic patch and cytology revealed extensive necrosis. Based on the above finding a provisional diagnosis of tuberculous abscess was made and subsequently, anti-tuberculous treatment was started. Later on, after 3 months patient again presented with similar complaints and a physical examination revealed a bulging mass on the back which was aspirated and sent for cytology which revealed features consistent with the diagnosis of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. This was later confirmed by CECT thorax, showing a heterogeneous mass with pleural thickening and invasion. Histopathology eventually confirmed the diagnosis of primary pleural squamous cell carcinoma. Local excision with an intraoperative assessment of the surgical margins remains the treatment of choice for pleural nodules. The preferred procedure for excision is video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) as it is minimally invasive.

Music serves as a language-like medium through which individuals express themselves and engage in communication, both with others and with their inner selves. Music and language are deeply interconnected, revealing fascinating parallels in their cognitive and neural processing. Music and language are two complex cognitive processes that share several overlapping mechanisms. Recent studies have shown that music and speech functions have many aspects in common and that several neural modules are similarly involved in language and music. The long-standing connection between the psychology of language and music includes several facets, such as basic concepts, real-world applications, generativity, and the investigation of underlying brain mechanisms in contemporary studies. Understanding the similarities and interactions between music and language can provide valuable insights into their cognitive mechanisms and the potential benefits they offer. This review summarizes the recent advances in the understanding of the neural and psychological roots of music, language, and music therapy.

Cisplatin is a potent chemotherapeutic agent used to treat various types of cancer. However, its use is associated with a nephrotoxic side effect, which can lead to acute kidney injury (AKI) and subsequent chronic kidney disease (CKD). Previous research has primarily focused on AKI caused by cisplatin, while the long-term consequences post-injury have not been thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, a recent clinical study found that most cancer patients face lasting kidney damage after repeated administration of cisplatin (RAC) at low doses. In this study, a model of CKD in kidney fibroblasts induced by RAC was established to mimic clinically relevant conditions. In NRK-49F rat kidney fibroblasts, RAC increased the expression of \(\alpha\)-smooth muscle actin (\(\alpha\)-SMA; F=11.564, p<0.001, n=4) and fibronectin proteins (F=9.846, p=0.001, n=4), indicating that RAC triggers the transformation of kidney fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. RAC also resulted in an increase in cell size, including the attachment surface area (F=29.303, p<0.001, n=4), nuclear area (F=541.880, p<0.001, n=4), and cell volume (H=14.118, p=0.003, n=4). Moreover, RAC induced the expression of p21 (F=6.457, p=0.008, n=4) and the activity of senescence-associated \(\beta\)-galactosidase (F=496.935, p<0.001, n=4), suggesting that kidney fibroblasts exposed to RAC acquire a senescent phenotype. Inhibition of p21 reduced cellular senescence (senescence-associated \(\beta\)-galactosidase: F=112.567, p<0.001, n=4), hypertrophy (attachment surface area: F=134.557, p<0.001, n=4), and myofibroblast transformation (\(\alpha\)-SMA: F=34.633, p=0.004, n=4) induced by RAC. Interestingly, following RAC, kidney fibroblasts were arrested at the G2/M phase (interaction between cisplatin and cell cycle: F=49.164, p<0.001, n=5). Repeated treatment with paclitaxel, which is known to induce G2/M arrest (interaction between paclitaxel and cell cycle: F=99.768, p<0.001, n=4), upregulated \(\alpha\)-SMA (F=7.293, p=0.036, n=4) and fibronectin (F=11.762, p=0.014, n=4) in kidney fibroblasts. In summary, these findings suggest that RAC induces the transformation of kidney fibroblasts into myofibroblasts through G2/M arrest and cellular senescence.

This paper will review the research on clinical applications of hyperthermia using nanoparticles stimulated by an alternating magnetic field and electromagnetic waves such as microwave and laser, as well as the foundation of the theoretical model used in bio-thermal applications. There are numerous challenges that arise when using hyperthermia to target tumoral cells while not affecting normal cells. Nanotechnology applications, which aid radiotherapy and chemotherapy, have revolutionized diagnosis, treatment planning, imaging, and medical machinery. The ability of nanoparticles to kill or freeze cancer cells by raising heat locally is a prominent application of nanoparticles. Several challenges confront the use of nanoparticles in hyperthermia, including: adequacy and uniformity of nanoparticle accumulation at the tumor site, quality control issues impeding clinical translation of nanoparticles, biocompatibility related to toxicity, and delaying effects of retained nanoparticles.

Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis that manifests as red scaly patches with white scales affecting body areas including the scalp, elbows, knees, trunk, and buttocks. The etiology of psoriasis includes genetic and environmental factors and has a strong hereditary component, and the mode of inheritance is multifactorial. Although many treatment options are available including novel biologics, no cure is available. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been safely used to treat a variety of human diseases. Allogeneic MSCs possess unique characteristics including hypo immunogenicity, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties, and they are currently being explored for potential therapeutic use for many systemic inflammatory diseases. The human gingival tissue is an easily accessible and obtainable source for the isolation of MSCs. MSCs from adult human gingiva are of fetal-like phenotype, multipotent, and easy to isolate and expand in vitro. Herein, we report a case of a 19-year-old man with a 5-year history of severe plaque psoriasis refractory to multiple topical and systemic therapies who was treated with allogeneic human gingival MSCs. A biopsy of gingival connective tissue was obtained from a healthy adult donor. Complete regression was achieved after 5 infusions with no adverse reaction occurred. The patient has been followed for three years and has remained disease-free. With roughly 2% of the population affected, psoriasis is a major public health burden worldwide. G-MSCs form adult gingival mucosa which are of fetal-like phenotype and multipotent and possess strong immunomodulatory properties. The therapeutic application of MSCs may be potentially superior to conventional clinical treatment modalities for severe psoriasis.

Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) refers to neurodevelopmental disorders which are characterized by various kinds of behaviours impacting social interaction marked by impaired verbal and non-verbal communication, hyperactivity and hypoactivity and others. The prevalence of autism is about 1-2 per 1000 people across the globe and occurs about 4 times more often in boys. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of ocular and visual anomalies in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Methods: This case series in 2015-16 included students with ASD at two special schools in Bangalore, India. 120 students with ASD were identified for this study. Comprehensive ocular and vision examination also included accommodation by dynamic retinoscopy and convergence. The amplitude of accommodation was calculated by the Hofstetter minimum formula. The accommodative facility was measured by referring to the cycles of accommodative flippers, used ± 2.50D and 14 cycles/min considered as normal. Saccades were tested using Marsden ball movements. Additional eye testing at our institute was with a Vision therapy system, ocular motility testing and alternate prism cover test.

Results: The students with ASD had a mean age of 12.9 ± 1.7 years. They included autism 58 (48.3%), ASD 27 (22.5%) and other 34 (28.3%). Spectacles correction was needed in 62 (51.7%) students. Refractive errors included myopia (57; 92%), hyperopia (5; 8%), myopic astigmatism (3; 4.8%), and mixed astigmatism (2; 3.2%). The compliance of spectacle wear was 12/62 (19.4%) only. Strabismus was seen in 68 (56.7%) students. Accommodative convergence was 4 to 28 mm. Non-accommodative convergence was 4 to 37 mm. Pursuit movements were poor in 35 (29.2%), average in 39 (32.5%), and good in 46 (38.3%) students. The saccadic eye movements were good in 100 (83.3%), average in 15 (12.5%) and poor in 5 (4.2%) students.

Conclusion: More than half of students with ASD had at least one ocular morbidity. The commonest was refractive errors followed by strabismus. Periodic and comprehensive ocular assessment of autistic students is recommended.

Background: The World Health Organizations (WHO) considered the allergic disease as the 4th disease in the world after cancer, cardiovascular pathologies and Acquis Immunosufficiency Disease Syndrome. Keratoconjunctivitis is also an area of concern across the globe as the vernal keratoconjunctivitis prevalence in Western Europe varies between 0.02% and 2.7% depending on the country in the year 2008. There is no study that estimates the prevalence of vernal keratoconjunctivitis and the association between vernal keratoconjunctivis and intestinal parasitic infestation in our setting. This study aimed to estimate the vernal keratoconjunctivitis prevalence, to describe the profile of sensitization and to determine the association between vernal keratoconjunctivitis disease and intestinal parasitic infestation in school children of Kinshasa during the scholar year from 2022 to 2023.
Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was performed from September 2022 to June 2023. The children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis were recruited by using the four-stage probability sampling technique. Children attending in the school children of Kinshasa with vernal keratoconjunctivitis were enrolled in the classroom and underwent a clinical examination and skin prick test for 11 allergens and stool examination direct with microscope in the Laboratory. Data was entered in Microsoft Sheets using SPSS version 20.0. The Chi-square test was used to compare the sex, age groups, home environmental (grow trees and/or flowers around the yard), dampness in the house, keeping pets (cat and/or dog), number of people per household, number of people sharing a bedroom and intestinal parasitic infestation. The significant level was set to a value of p<0.05
Results: A total of 28800 students from four-stage probabilist sampling technique in school of Kinshasa were included, and 2100 students had symptoms according to the vernal keratoconjunctivitis related symptom questionnaire. Children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis were enrolled and the mean age ± standard was 7.2± 3.7 years, with a prevalence of 7.2 % and gender was three boys for one girl.
All vernal keratoconjunctivitis children recruited in urban and rural part had 33.1% positive skin prick test (SPT) and 67.9 % showed polysensitization. Children an urban part was more sensitized than rural respectively with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 28.1 %vs 28.9, p=0.00001, Blomia tropicalis
15.9 % vs 14.9 %, p=0.00001 and cockroach 12%vs 13%, p=0.00001 in both parts. The result revealed that the Children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis in urban part were more sensitized than children in the rural. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis children in rural part was more affected to intestinal parasite than urban with Ascaris lumbricoides 14 % vs 18.3 %, p=0.0006, followed by Ankylostome duodenalis 9.5 % vs 12.5 %, p=0.003, Anguillule 7.9 % vs 10.1 %, p= 0.001, Oxyure 5.7 %vs 8.2%, p=0.0001 and Trichirius trichiura2.6 % vs 3.3 %, p=0.0009.
Conclusion: This study outlines that the prevalence of vernal keratoconjunctivitis was 7.2 % and 33.1 % of children attending for vernal keratoconjunctivitis in school children had a positive skin prick test to at least one allergen, in particular for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Blomia tropicalis and cockroach. The most common intestinal parasitic infestation was Ascaris lumbricoides, Ankylostome duodenalis, Anguillule and Trichirius trichiura. Henceforth, vernal keratoconjunctivitis is a significant health issue in Africa, especially in school-aged children that needs to managed effectively.

Infertility is typically defined as inability or failure to conceive after one year period of continuous exposure to normal unprotected coitus. Mainly the causes in females are an ovulation blocked fallopian tube, hormonal imbalance. Common in males are low sperm count, abnormal sperm morphology. In this regard we took Pippalyadi yoga is herbal formulation mentioned in "Chakradatta" indicated in Vandhya (disorders of female Infertility). Pippalyadi Yoga is one of the Churna Kalpana (Powder dosage form), which contains Pippali, Adraka, Krishna maricha and Nagakeshara. Hence this formulation is expected to contribute positive and better result PCOS.

In the present study letrozole induced PCOS method was followed. Female albino rats, letrozole (to induce PCOS) clomiphene citrate (standard drug) Pippalyadi yoga (test drug) were served as materials for the study.  After inducing PCOS and after treatment of PCOS condition rats were sacrificed and Hormonal assay, histomorphometric changes were observed and recorded. The testosterone level decreased after treatment from 1.065 \(\pm\)1.464 pg/ml to 0.155 \(\pm\) 0.172 in group 1 (standard drug Clomiphene citrate) and the testosterone level decreased from 0.662 \(\pm\) 0.5369 Ng/ml to 0.237 \(\pm\) 0.0568 in group 2 (test drug Pippalyadi yoga).

The test drug Pippalyadi yoga has shown a significant result and like that of standard drug Clomiphene citrate result in letrozole-induced PCOS.

Introduction: Age-related osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a chronic degenerative joint condition marked by subchondral bone remodeling, cartilage degradation, and synovitis. When diagnosing degenerative changes in the TMJ, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) ensures a shorter exposure time, a lower radiation dosage, and a superior spatial resolution.

Aim and Objectives: The present study aimed to determine Pervasiveness of Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritic Changes and their correlation with age and gender.

Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty CBCT images were collected from the department database and the condylar morphology and the degenerative changes were evaluated in the coronal and sagittal sections. The CBCT images which had changes were only included in the study. The left and right TMJ were evaluated separately.

Results: In our study, the prevalence of osteoarthritic changes of TMJ was higher in females than males. TMJ on the right side was more affected than the left side. Among the subjects, 40-49 years age group had extensive changes than other age groups, and severity increases in the older age group. The flattening was the most common change, followed by thinning, erosion, osteophyte, and sclerosis. The osteoarthritic changes of TMJ can occur within individuals across the population, and among genders, the prevalence is more in older individuals than the younger individuals, and females are mostly affected than males.

Conclusion: The study revealed that there is significant gender and age related variation in the osteoarthritic changes of TMJ. This study showed that the occurrence of degenerative changes is much higher in females and the prevalence increases with advancement of age and was also seen in younger age groups. The occurrence of osteoarthritic changes was also much prevalent among the population. A thorough examination of the TMJ is very important in diagnosing the osteoarthritic changes of TMJ as their prevalence is higher in older age groups and commonly seen in females than males. These osteoarthritic changes should be evaluated properly, diagnosed earlier, and treated for better prognosis of the patients.