Is Nuchal Cord a Perfect Scapegoat: A Retrospective Analysis from Northwest India?

Background: Entanglement of the umbilical cord around the fetal neck (nuchal cord) is quite a common fi nding at delivery. It is often assumed that nuchal cord causes cord compression and thus low birth weight and intrapartum complications. Aim: The aim of this article is to study the eff ect of nuchal cord on the mode of delivery, complications and fetal outcome. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on 386 deliveries, 60 of them with nuchal cord, during 1 year from November 2009 through October 2010. Their mode of delivery, complications and fetal outcome were studied and a comparison was established between nuchal cord group and the rest of the deliveries. Nuchal cord group was subdivided into loose nuchal cord (cord could easily be uncoiled before complete delivery of the baby) group and tight nuchal cord (cord was needed to be clamped and cut before delivery of the baby) group. Furthermore, the mode of delivery and fetal outcome were compared between these subgroups. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS statistical soft ware version 12.0 (Chicago Illinios, USA). The results were expressed as percentages. Test for significance was done using Chi-square, and a P<0.05 was considered as significant.Results: The nuchal cord group did not have any signifi cant diff erence in the mode of delivery or fetal outcome compared with the control group. However, the subgroup having tight cord around the neck had significantly higher proportion of low Apgar scores and meconium staining at birth.Conclusions: Nuchal cord does not increase the chances of cesarean delivery. However, tight cord around the neck may result in low Apgar scores and increased incidence of fetal distress leading to cesarean section.  Keywords: Apgar score, cesarean delivery, meconium staining, north west India, nuchal cord, perinatal outcom

Association Between Use of Tobacco and Age on Graying of Hair

Aims and Objectives: To determine the association between smoking, chewing tobacco (gutka), and age of individual on graying of hair. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on 120 patients attending the Outpatient Department of the DJ College of Dental Sciences and Research, Modinagar, UP. The individuals were classified into four groups (group I, II, III, IV) on the basis of the form of tobacco use (smoking or chewing). The Pearson correlation coefficient was utilized to find the correlation between the mean percentage of individuals with gray hair, risk multiplication factor (RMF), and age of the individual. Results: Mean percentage of individual with gray hair and RMF (r = 0.6487) are found to be positively associated. A significant and positive correlation was observed between the age of the individual and the frequency of individuals with gray hair. Conclusion: This study suggests that there is a significant association between tobacco use and aging on graying of hair.Keywords: Graying of hair, risk multiplication factor, smokin

An Insight in to Paget’s Disease of Bone

Paget’s disease of bone (PDB) is a common disorder which may affect one or many bones. Although many patients are asymptomatic, a variety of symptoms and complications may occur. PDB is a focal disorder of bone turnover characterized by excessive bone resorption coupled with bone formation. PDB begins with a period of increased osteoclastic activity and bone resorption, followed by increased osteoblast production of woven bone that is poorly mineralized. In the final phase of the disease process, dense cortical and trabecular bone deposition predominates, but the bone is sclerotic and poorly organized and lacks the structural integrity and strength of normal bone. This article briefly reviews the etiopathogenesis, clinical radiographic and histological features of Paget’s disease.Keywords: Osteoclast, osteoprotegerin, receptor activator of NF‑kB, receptor activator of NF‑kB ligan

In vivo Evaluation Of Antidiarrhoeal Activity Of Rhus semialata Fruit Extract In Rats

Rhus semialata Murr. (Anacardiaceae) is a deciduous tree of north eastern India. The fruit of this plant is traditionally used to control diarrhoea and dysentery. The Present study was undertaken to evaluate anti-diarrhoeal potency of methanol extract of fruits of Rhus semialata using Wister albino rats to substantiate folklore claims. The extract at graded doses (100, 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg body weight) was investigated for anti-diarrhoeal activity in term of reduction in the rate of defecation in castor oil induced diarrhoea. To understand the mechanism of its antidiarrhoeal activity, the gastrointestinal transit and PGE2-induced intestinal fluid accumulation (enteropooling) were further evaluated. At graded doses, the extract showed a remarkable anti-diarrhoeal activity evidenced by the reduction in the rate of defecation up to 80.70 % of control diarrhoeal animals at the dose of 600 mg/kg body weight. Results are comparable to that of standard drug diphenoxylate (50 mg/kg body weight). Extract produced profound decrease in intestinal transit (8.02 – 47.05 %) at selected doses comparable to that of single intraperitoneal injection of standard drug atropine sulphate at doses of 0.1 mg/kg body weight. It significantly inhibited PGE2 - induced enteropooling (21.98 – 56.03 %). The results indicated that the methanol extract of the fruits of R. semialata possesses significant anti-diarrhoeal effect and substantiated the use of this herbal remedy as a non-specific treatment for diarrhoea in folk medicine. Keywords: Atropin sulphate, Castor oil, Diarrhoea, Diphenoxylate, Rhus semialata. African Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Vol. 5 (1) 2008: pp. 97-10

Fe and N self-diffusion in amorphous FeN: A SIMS and neutron reflectivity study

Simultaneous measurement of self-diffusion of iron and nitrogen in amorphous iron nitride (Fe86N14) using secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) technique has been done. In addition neutron reflectivity (NR) technique was employed to study the Fe diffusion in the same compound. The broadening of a tracer layer of 57Fe8615N14 sandwiched between Fe86N14 layers was observed after isothermal vacuum annealing of the films at different temperatures in SIMS measurements. And a decay of the Bragg peak intensity after isothermal annealing was observed in [Fe86N14/57Fe86N14]10 multilayers in NR. Strong structural relaxation of diffusion coefficient was observed below the crystallization temperature of the amorphous phase in both measurements. It was observed from the SIMS measurements that Fe diffusion was about 2 orders of magnitude smaller compared to nitrogen at a given temperature. The NR measurements reveal that the mechanism of Fe self-diffusion is very similar to that in metal-metal type metallic glasses. The structural relaxation time for Fe and N diffusion was found comparable indicating that the obtained relaxation time essentially pertain to the structural relaxation of the amorphous phase.Comment: 10 pages 12 figure

Skills of different mesoscale models over Indian region during monsoon season: Forecast errors

Performance of four mesoscale models namely, the MM5, ETA, RSM and WRF, run at NCMRWF for short range weather forecasting has been examined during monsoon-2006. Evaluation is carried out based upon comparisons between observations and day-1 and day-3 forecasts of wind, temperature, speci.c humidity, geopotential height, rainfall, systematic errors, root mean square errors and specific events like the monsoon depressions. It is very difficult to address the question of which model performs best over the Indian region? An honest answer is 'none'. Perhaps an ensemble approach would be the best. However, if we must make a final verdict, it can be stated that in general, (i) the WRF is able to produce best All India rainfall prediction compared to observations in the day-1 forecast and, the MM5 is able to produce best All India rainfall forecasts in day-3, but ETA and RSM are able to depict the best distribution of rainfall maxima along the west coast of India, (ii) the MM5 is able to produce least RMSE of wind and geopotential fields at most of the time, and (iii) the RSM is able to produce least errors in the day-1 forecasts of the tracks, while the ETA model produces least errors in the day-3 forecasts

ASSESSMENT OF DEPRESSION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN BHOPAL, INDIA

ABSTRACT Introduction: Medical students repeatedly experience different stresses which render them more vulnerable to psychological problems that may affect their emotional, psychosocial and physical health. Objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of depression and associated factors leading to depression among medical students at People's University