The styloid process (SP) on the temporal bone is a highly variable formation. The normal length of the SP ranges from 20 to 30 mm. In spite of its being normally distributed in the population, SPs could be divided into two groups – short SPs with >20 mm and long SPs with <20 mm in length. The SP is often denoted as elongated when it is longer than 30 mm or 33 mm. These dimensions, based on early reports, do not respect the natural variation of the SP. The aim of this study is to investigate the natural variation of the length of the SP.
Background:Vitamin D* called the sunshine vitamin is essential throughout life. Pregnancy is an altered physiological state in women, which requires proper nourishment. During gestation, this vitamin also plays an important role in development of the fetus. Objective:To observe the serum vitamin D (25diohydroxycholicalciferol) levels and serum calcium levels in the maternal blood during the three trimesters. Design: Observational Cross sectional study. Study population: Rural Mothers from Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu South India. We used 50 antenatal blood samples as experimental group and 15 as control group. The age group included 20-40 years. Blood samples were collected from 50 antenatal mothers between 20 – 40 years age group, from Obstetrics and Gynecology OPD for their routine antenatal check-ups, after getting duly signed informed consent. Control group had 15 women in the same age group not pregnant. Results: The results were tabulated. The mean value of 25dihydroxy vitamin D was observed very low than normal levels in all the three trimesters. The mean value of serum vitamin D in first trimester was 50.87 ng/ml, mean value of serum vitamin D in second trimester was 54.05.ng/ml, and mean third trimester vitamin D was 61.24ng/ml which was well below the optimum level of 100ng/ml. Conclusion: The vitamin D deficiency with normal level maintenance of serum calcium shows the compensatory mechanism that involves the normal calcium level maintence with resorption of bones by the osteoclastic actions to correct the deficit. If the deficiency is left untreated it may lead to faster osteoporosis in the mother.
*25 dihydroxycholicalciferol
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.