This issue of the journal carries several commentaries, review articles and case reports. A candid commentary discusses the issue of pain in the neonate and emphasises the need for providing pain relief in neonates undergoing invasive procedures. Treadmill testing and its current role in the evaluation of ischemic heart disease are discussed in another commentary.

Meningiomas are the most commonly occurring benign tumors of the brain. Meningiomas occurring in the base of the skull account for 10 % of them. Microsurgical excision of meningiomas in skull base is technically demanding because of the close association of the major blood vessels and vital brain areas. Here we present an interesting skull base meningioma which has a dumbbell component.

Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) or anomalad, a well-recognized presentation, is the association of the first branchial arch malformation. It presents with a classic triad of micrognathia, glossoptosis, and cleft palate. Presenting here is a neonate with features of Pierre Robin sequence with syndactyly of fingers and toes and congenital heart disease [ASD with PDA], which also needed tracheostomy on day 16 of life and decannulation done after 7 months.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is one of the causes of convulsions in the postpartum period. It is a neurological condition which affects men and women and occurs in pregnancy both antepartum and postpartum. Herein we analyze two cases that presented in postpartum period with PRES and their management. We analysed patients who presented at a tertiary level medical college hospital with convulsions who were in pregnancy or Puerperium from 2007 to 2013. In this period we had 4315 deliveries in our hospital. . We found that we had 18 cases of convulsions complicating pregnancy & puerperium giving us an incidence of 0.417%. Of these 12 were cases of eclampsia and 6 were cases of non-eclamptic convulsions. Of these six, 2 were cases of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome.

Being ahead of your time is not always rewarding as you are likely to be misunderstood. If you question the prevalent dogma in uncompromising and non-conciliatory manner, you are likely to be ridiculed and ostracised. History of science is replete with records of such unfortunate thinkers. Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis was one such who paid heavily for his ideas.

The study of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics is an important, yet, less well-known field. It has many important clinical applications, which include the disorders of CSF absorption. The methods of CSF dynamics measurement include Constant flow method, Constant pressure method, Bolus injection method, Radio-isotope dilution method, Phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The bolus lumbar injection method which has been improvised by the author is very useful for routine clinical application. The CSF dynamics study is very useful in the diagnosis and planning of treatment in normal pressure hydrocephalus, post-meningitic hydrocephalus, post-traumatic hydrocephalus and idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

This brief review focuses on the interaction between the immune and the reproductive systems. Conditions disrupting the blood testis barrier, laboratory tests for diagnosing antisperm antibodies and the currently available methods of treatment are discussed.

Pigmented lesions are commonly found in the mouth. Such lesions represent a variety of clinical entities, ranging from physiologic changes to manifestations of systemic illness and malignant neoplasm. Evaluation of patient presenting with a pigmented lesion should include a full medical and dental history, extra oral and intra oral examinations and in some cases biopsy and laboratory investigations.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are one of the most common causes of facial pain after odontogenic origin. The temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are of multifactorial etiology and characterized by multiplicity of clinical signs and symptoms, making its diagnosis and management very difficult for the clinician. TMD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of headache and orofacial pain in the absence of specific attributable organic cause. Scientific evidence shows that noninvasive methods are preferred in the management of TMD. These include occlusal, behavioral, physical and pharmacological treatment. Practitioners of medicine and dentistry have the responsibility of diagnosing and managing people with TMD or refer them to an appropriate health care professional based on the nature and etiology of the problem.

Pain is the most common complaint for which a patient presents to a physician. Pain management in neonate warrants special consideration because the present knowledge of developmental neuro-physiology hasbeen enriched. With the advancement of various surgical techniques and improved peri-operative care, more and more sick neonates undergo surgery and optimum peri-operative pain management may improve outcome.

Exercise testing is a cardiovascular stress test that uses treadmill bicycle exercise with electrocardiography (ECG) and blood pressure monitoring. Five decades ago Robert Bruce introduced cardiac exercise testing. Thereafter, treadmill testing has been a cornerstone of diagnostic procedures for coronary artery disease. Exercise stress testing, which is now widely available at a relatively low cost, is currently used most frequently to estimate prognosis and determine functional capacity, to assess the probability and extent of coronary disease. Exercise stress testing along with ECG and symptoms has been established as a major tool in the diagnosis and prognosis of cardiovascular disease, specifically coronary artery disease (CAD).

The importance of epigenetics was recognized decades ago by C.H. Waddington, when he coined the term and described it as “the causal interactions between genes and their products, which bring the phenotype into being” in 19421 . Although the definition of epigenetics has evolved over the decades that followed, the concept posited by Waddington as to the importance of epigenetics in controlling gene expression has withstood the test of time.