Role of uterine artery Doppler in prediction of FGR in high risk pregnancies in 20-24 weeks

Background: Accurate prediction of fetal growth retardation (FGR) is a long-sought goal of perinatology as it contributes significantly to perinatal mortality and morbidity. It generally manifest later in pregnancy, their underlying pathophysiology is largely established early in pregnancy. Early detection will help in decreasing the associated morbidity.Methods: The study was carried out on 100 pregnant women of 20-24 weeks gestation in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MGM Medical College and MY Hospital, Indore from March 2015 to February 2016.Presence of diastolic notch in uterine artery waveform was taken as screen positive.Results: Total Diastolic notch positive cases 20/100 out of which 60% developed FGR and 80/100 Diastolic notch negative cases out of which only 4 cases (5%) will developed FGR. The sensitivity of the test was 75% while the specificity was 90.47%. The positive predictive value was 60% while the negative predictive value was 89.74%. 50% of screen positive belonged to 30-39 year age group and 68.75% FGR was seen in primiparous.Conclusions: Study of uterine artery flow velocity waveform seems to be a modern technique which can be used for ruling out the probability of FGR. Presences of diastolic notch in uterine vessels in 2nd trimester are of prognostic value for maternal complications and fetal jeopardy and therefore need of further critical assessment and management

Impact of serum vitamin D level on severity of asthma in children

Background: Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease among children characterized by reversible airway obstruction. Vitamin D plays an important role in many immune and allergic diseases and it may have a role in asthmatic patients, however this association yet remains uncertain. The present study was designed to assess the level of serum Vitamin D in patients with bronchial asthma and it’s correlation with disease severity.Methods: A prospective observational study was performed from April 2019 to February 2020 in the Paediatric OPD of LNMC and JK Hospital Bhopal. All 90 children with physician diagnosed bronchial asthma (mild, moderate and severe) aged 10 to 18 years of both genders who have come in the OPD (total enumeration sampling) during the above mentioned period were enrolled in to the study. The patients were grouped on the basis of Vitamin D sufficiency and Vitamin D levels were correlated with disease severity.Results: The study comprised 54 boys (60%) and 36 girls (40%) with mean age of 15.1±3.96. Out of 90 children enrolled, 46 had good control over asthma and 37 had uncontrolled asthma. As regards asthma control, 25-OH Vitamin D was lowest among patients with uncontrolled asthma.Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent in asthmatic patients and there was a direct and a significant relationship between serum Vitamin D levels, severity of asthma, control of asthma, serum IgE levels and blood eosinophils count. Thus, measuring serum levels of Vitamin D followed by supplementation could be considered in the routine assessment of patients with bronchial asthma

Autoamputation of the ovary: a rare consequence of torsion in a mature cystic teratoma

Autoamputation of the ovary may be a result of longstanding infarction resulting from torsion of the ovarian pedicle. This entity may be confused with an ectopic or supernumerary ovary.  A proper detailed history taking is important to provide clues for diagnosis. We report a case of a young female patient diagnosed with autoamputation of unilateral ovary on laparoscopy, with histopathology confirmation of ovary with dermoid cyst

Microtopography of the eggshell of Menacanthus eurysternus (Phthiraptera: Amblycera)

The egg laying sites, pattern and the egg morphology (SEM) of an amblyceran louse parasitizing Bank Myna (Acridotheres ginginianus) have been recorded. Unlike most of the species of the genus, Menacanthus studied so far, the eggshell of M. eurysternus lacks the apophyses (bristle like outgrowths arising from anterior portion of the eggshell). However, the opercular disc of M. eurysternus bears a polar thread and the micropyles are set along the opercular rim

Revelation of graphene-Au for direct write deposition and characterization

Graphene nanosheets were prepared using a modified Hummer's method, and Au-graphene nanocomposites were fabricated by in situ reduction of a gold salt. The as-produced graphene was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). In particular, the HR-TEM demonstrated the layered crystallites of graphene with fringe spacing of about 0.32 nm in individual sheets and the ultrafine facetted structure of about 20 to 50 nm of Au particles in graphene composite. Scanning helium ion microscopy (HIM) technique was employed to demonstrate direct write deposition on graphene by lettering with gaps down to 7 nm within the chamber of the microscope. Bare graphene and graphene-gold nanocomposites were further characterized in terms of their composition and optical and electrical properties