No abstract

Fluorides have been a cause of concern for scientists and environmentalists for the long because of their harmful effects on the human and animal life but the problem was highlighted during the twentieth century because of great increase in the human population and industrialization. Since fluorides accumulate in calcified and hard tissues of the body such as bone and teeth and can be detected easily in these tissues, so most of the previous studies focused on the effects of fluorides on these tissues. However, during the past decade researchers all over the world have felt that there is a need to study the effects of fluorides on various other tissues of the body including CNS as fluoride intake for prolonged period is known to cause abnormal behavioural pattern, grave implications for Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Attention deficit disorder and reduced I.Q in children as the fluorides are known to cross blood brain barrier. Hence the present study has thrown light on the involvement of brain in chronic fluoride toxicity. The target organ of studied was cerebrum. In the Study, albino rats were exposed to 30 or 100 ppm fluoride (asNaF) in drinking water for 3 months. Rats exposed to 30 ppm fluoride did not show any notable alterations in brain histology, whereas rats exposed to 100 ppm fluoride showed significant neurodegenerative changes in lhe motor cortex.Changes included decrease in size and number of neurons in all the regions, signs of chromatolysis and gliosis in the motor cortex. These histological changes suggest a toxic effect of high-fluoride intake & on chronic use. [J Interdiscipl Histopathol 2012; 1(1.000): 30-34

The present study is a Cross-Sectional Study and was conducted in Post-graduate department of Community Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Srinagar between Feb. 2012 and Jan. 2013. The sample size of 1,041 was estimated. The study was conducted to estimate the effect of relationship of salt iodine level and prevalence of goiter among women of reproductive age group in two districts of Kashmir valley, district Srinagar and district Ganderbal, which were selected randomly. A frame of the blocks and villages in the two districts and their population was formed. From each district 10% of the blocks were selected using simple random sampling. From each block, 5% of the villages were selected using simple random sampling. A door to door survey was conducted in the selected villages and all the women in the reproductive age group (15-49 years) identified and examined clinically for goiter after taking informed consent. Salt samples (one teaspoonful) from every household were taken and assessed for iodine content on spot and the iodine content of salt was assessed qualitatively by spot testing kits. The results of the present study have indicated that iodine deficiency continues to be a health problem. Almost the whole population consumes powdered salt but the storage and cooking practices diminish the iodine content of salt and results in decreased intake. Thus the need of the hour is to make people aware about proper storage and cooking practices. Women in the reproductive age group especially need to be made aware about the importance of consumption of adequately iodized salt because of the wide range of ill effects of iodine deficiency on the developing fetus and the growing child. In addition monitoring of iodine content of salt at distributor level should be done.

The Present Study was conducted in department of Medicine, Govt. Medical College, jammu, Where a total of 41 patients-29 males and 12 females-fulfilled the inclusion criteria of ADPKD, were gathered during the period of 1 year starting from Nov. 2011 to Oct. 2012. All the patients were subjected to a detailed history, clinical examination and laboratory investigations. X-ray chest (PA view), ECG and ultrasound of abdomen for kidneys, liver and spleen were done. Intravenous pyelogram and CT scan of abdomen was done when a definitive diagnosis of (ADPKD) could not be made on abdominal ultrasound. Echocardiography was done to evaluate cardiac murmurs and associated mitral valve prolapse, based on standard criteria. Male to female patients with ADPKD was 2.42:1. Maximum 17 (41.5%) patients of both gender were seen in 30 -40 years age group, Family history of ADPKD was present in 18 (43.9%) patients; Hypertension, alone or in combination with renal failure, was present in 65.8% patients; Hypertension alone was present in 19 (46.3%) patients; 8 (19.5%) patients with hypertension had renal failure; Low back pain was present in 24 (58.5%) and abdominal pain in 22 (53.7%) patients; 15 (36.6%) patients presented with at least one episode of gross haematuria; Headache was experienced by 18 (43.9%) patients. On clinical examination, 24 (58.5%) were found to have palpable kidney and 10 (24.4%) had palpable liver. Spleen was palpable in 1 (2.4%) patient, Murmur of mitral valve prolapse was found in 2 (4.9%) Patients; 3 (7.3%) patients having left ventricular hypertrophy; mean Hb was 11.2 g/dL. The liver cysts were found in 24.4% of the patients; Out of 10 (24.4%) patients with hepatic cyst involvement, 1 patient each was found to have evidence of portal hypertension and evidence of hepatic cyst infection. In the present study, hypertension was most common presentation of this disease. So, control of hypertension is very important to prevent progression of this disease. Patients who are detected to have ADPKD should be regularly followed-up to prevent further progression by timely intervention. Also, family members of patients should be screened for disease and initiate treatment as early as possible.

Introduction: More than 24% of the world's population, are infected with soil-transmitted helminth infection. Aim: To assess the helminthic load & efficacy and safety of various antiheliminthics. Methods: A total of 400 patients who met the inclusion criteria were recruited after proper consent. Subjects were divided into Four groups (100 each) randomly & receive different anti-helminthic drugs. Cure rate and egg reduction rate was used as a primary outcome measure. Three weeks later two more stool samples were analyzed by two methods 1) Direct Smear method & 2) Concentration method. On follow-up, each group were randomly assigned a single dose of albendazole (single 400 mg dose), mebendazole (100 mg, BD×3 days), pyrantel pamoate (11 mg/kg orally once) and ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg orally once) using a randomization procedure.The data was statistically analysed. Observations: Among 400 patients, 63% were 5-19 years of age, 68% were male, 73.5% were from rural areas, 71% were literate, 62% were in the low income group, 58% reported closed sanitation, 6.75% were having low BMI, 26.25% were having High Absolute Eosinophilic Count before treatment, 77.5% were non-anaemic. 92.5% did not have icterus.In the present study it was seen that the difference among the four drugs was statistically significant as per demographic variables. Significant decrease of worm load after treatment were comparable with each other. However, Presence of Worm across papillae seen after upper GI endoscopy and persistent biliary ascariasis was comparable in all the four drug groups. Overall, the efficacy of anthelmintic drugs was excellent and statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: Albendazole and mebendazole having cure rates of 90% and also reducing the mean egg count by 90%. Also treatment of school children every 4 monthly may be necessary in high endemic areas, like ours. All these drugs which we used in our study are safe and no significant side effects were observed.