A comparative study of antepartum and postpartum eclampsia at a tertiary care centre

Background: Hypertensive disorders complicate 5 to 10 percent of all pregnancies. Eclampsia is one of the dreaded complications of preeclampsia and remains one of the leading causes of maternal deaths in our country. The incidence of post-partum eclampsia is on the rise. Our aim was to study the incidence, demographical factors, and clinical profile associated complications, perinatal and maternal outcomes in pregnancies complicated with antepartum and postpartum eclampsia and compare between the two groups.Methods: A prospective study was done of all pregnancies complicated with antepartum and postpartum eclampsia over a 10 month period from January 2014 to October 2014 managed at Karnataka institute of medical sciences, Hubli. The results were tabulated and analyzed.Results: Incidence of antepartum eclampsia was 1.19% and postpartum eclampsia 0.31% amongst the patients delivered in Karnataka institute of medical science, Hubli. Average age of the patients was 24.1 years in the antepartum group and 22.7 yrs in postpartum group. Both antepartum and postpartum eclampsia was most commonly seen in primi gravidas. Though both the types of eclampsias were most commonly seen in term patients, preterm patients had a higher incidence of postpartum eclampsia. Majority of the patients of antepartum eclampsia had mild hypertension whereas postpartum eclampsia patients had mostly severe hypertension. Headache was the most common prodormal symptom in both groups. Neonatal mortality was higher in the postpartum group (44%), whereas maternal mortality was higher in the antepartum group (16.1%).Conclusions: Incidence of eclampsia cases is high in tertiary care centres. Eclampsia is still one of the leading causes of maternal deaths in our country. Maternal and periantal mortality is high in both antepartum and postpartum eclampsia cases.  The incidence of postpartum eclampsia is significant. Patients with preeclampsia and eclampsia should be closely monitored post natally and measures should be taken to prevent postpartum eclampsias

Tardive Akathisia in an Adult on Long Term Metoclopramide

Metoclopramide is prescribed to subjects dealing with gastrointestinal issues like delayed gastric emptying, nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite. It is also used to treat chemotherapy and surgery related nausea and vomiting.  Although it is very effective in targeting stomach related illnesses, severe adverse drug reactions can occur in those who take metoclopramide.  This case report describes a 32-year-old female who suffered from tardive akathisia while being treated with long-term metoclopramide. Long term exposure to causative medication leads to evolution of Tardive akathisia and this can stay for a lifetime. It is important to restrict the exposure duration of triggering drug. Health care professionals and patients should be well aware of this neurological adverse event of metoclopramide

Utilization of Robust Video Processing Techniques to Aid Efficient Object Detection and Tracking

AbstractIn this research, data acquired by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are primarily used to detect and track moving objects which pose a major security threat along the United States southern border. Factors such as camera motion, poor illumination and noise make the detection and tracking of moving objects in surveillance videos a formidable task. The main objective of this research is to provide a less ambiguous image data for object detection and tracking by means of noise reduction, image enhancement, video stabilization, and illumination restoration. The improved data is later utilized to detect and track moving objects in surveillance videos. An optimization based image enhancement scheme was successfully implemented to increase edge information to facilitate object detection. Noise present in the raw video captured by the UAV was efficiently removed using search and match methodology. Undesired motion induced in the video frames was eliminated using block matching technique. Moving objects were detected and tracked by using contour information resulting from the implementation of adaptive background subtraction based detection process. Our simulation results shows the efficiency of these algorithms in processing noisy, un-stabilized raw video sequences which were utilized to detect and track moving objects in the video sequences

EFFECT OF LACOSAMIDE ON BEHAVIOUR OF CHILDREN WITH REFRACTORY PARTIAL EPILEPSY

Objective: A unicentre, prospective study was carried out to investigate the behavioral effects of lacosamide as adjunctive therapy with refractory partial epileptic children in tertiary care hospital with prior approval from the Institutional Human Ethical Committee. Methods: Seventy nine patients (age 5- 15 years) with refractory partial epilepsy patients were enrolled after fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria. And those who had failed ≥ 2 antiepileptic drugs in whom lacosamide was added as add on drug therapy. Lacosamide tablets was administered orally twice daily. Influence of Lacosamide on children's behaviour was performed at every visit of titration, maintenance period and 2 follow ups at monthly interval. Patient's caregiver or investigator observed adverse events were recorded. Results: Out of 79 patient's, 53 were males and 26 females. Patients completing 3 months, of study therapy showed significant (p<0.001) decrease in frequency of seizure and improvement in behaviour at end of the treatment period and few patients had mild transient adverse events. Three patients were dropped from the study. Conclusion: Lacosamide signifies a beneficial drug that is effective and concurrently improved patient's behaviour in refractory partial epilepsy paediatric patients

Study of serum vitamin B12 levels in pregnant mothers and their newborns and its relation to growth of the infants

Introduction: The effect of vitamin B12 deficiency in pregnancy on the growth of infants has not been properly studied. Objectives: To study the correlation of vitamin B12 levels in pregnant mothers with vitamin B12 levels in their newborn infants and to know it’s relation to the growth of infants. Materials and Methods: Hundred full-term pregnant women and their newborns were enrolled from January 2011 to January 2012. Vitamin B12 levels were assessed and the growth of infants monitored till 6 months of age. Results: A total of 60 pregnant women (60%) had vitamin B12 deficiency while 29 newborns (29%) had low vitamin B12 levels. Vitamin B12 levels in the newborns had a strong positive correlation with mothers’ vitamin B12 levels (r=0.56; p<0.05). Babies born to vitamin B12 deficient mothers were shorter, and their mean weight at 6-month of age was significantly less. Conclusion: Vitamin B12 deficiency is very common in Indian pregnant mothers; it leads to vitamin B12 deficiency and growth retardation in their babies

A COMMUNITY-BASED STUDY OF MILK ADULTERATION AND CHILDHOOD MALNUTRITION IN BANGALORE RURAL DISTRICT, INDIA

Background: Milk promotes child growth; however, adulterated milk reduces nutritional value and exposes children to harmful chemicals. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the nutritional status of children aged 1–5 years living in the selected study area and test milk samples from the children's households for common adulterants. The study further aimed to explore the association between malnutrition and milk adulteration.Methods: We used a community-based cross-sectional study design conducted in the service area of a tertiary healthcare institute in Bangalore Rural District, Karnataka state, India. Systematic random sampling was used to recruit 180 children aged 1–5 years. Primary data was collected through interviews, anthropometry, and strip tests for milk adulteration. Statistical analysis consisted of descriptive analysis, Chi-square tests, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals.Results: Prevalence of underweight, stunting, wasting, and low Body Mass Index (BMI) was 13.33%, 38.33%, 15.0%, and 26.7%, respectively. General adulterants detected were neutralizers in 97 (53.9%) and maltodextrin in 90 (50%) samples. Higher proportions of stunting, underweight and low BMI were found in children drinking adulterated milk. Low BMI was significantly associated with joint family and lower maternal education.Conclusion: Our study found a high prevalence of malnutrition in children, particularly stunting. The study also detected widespread adulterants in milk and a potential association with malnutrition. The authors recommend further studies with a larger sample size to accurately delineate the relationship between milk adulteration and malnutrition

Le politico-religieux dans la dynamique du maimaisme à Beni-Lubero en République Démocratique du Congo

Le maimaisme est un phénomène récurrent dans l'est de la République Démocratique du Congo. Sa récente apparition dans les territoires de Beni-Lubero lui donne un autre relief. Dans ces territoires, l'idéologie et l'utopie dont se servent les actuels mouvements Mai Mai semblent déborder les seuls groupes armés. Elles se développent sous forme de croyances et de pratiques qui suscitent une adhésion croissante au sein d'une partie de la population civile. L'étude des dire et des faire des combattants et de leurs sympathisants montre que les mobiles qui président à cette adhésion s'inscrivent dans une perspective globale de quête de sens. À partir de l'analyse de certains comportements, actions, croyances, pratiques, rites des combattants Mai Mai, ce travail entend montrer que, au-delà des motivations nationaliste, ethnique, tribaliste, économique ou politique, le maimaisme actuel se présente comme un croire où s'articulent quêtes politiques et aspirations religieuses. Il s'agit d'un imaginaire politico-religieux qui occupe désormais une place dans le « marché des croyances » des territoires de Beni-Lubero."Maimaisme" is a recurring phenomenon in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo. Its recent appearance in the territories of Beni-Lubero gives it another view. In these territories, the ideology and utopia used by the current "Mai Mai" movements seem to extend beyond only armed groups. They develop in the form of beliefs and practices that generate increasing adherence among the civilian population. A study of the sayings and doings of combatants and their sympathizers shows that the motives behind this membership are part of a global perspective of quest for meaning. This research, based on the analysis of certain behaviors, actions, beliefs, practices, rites of Mai Mai combatants, intends to show that, beyond nationalist, ethnic, tribalist, economic or political motivations, current "maimaisme" presents itself as a believe which articulates political quests and religious aspirations. It is a politico-religious imaginary which now occupies a place in the "market of beliefs" of the territories of Beni-Lubero

A study of Association of Mast Cell Count in Different Grades of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background: Mast cells(MC) are cells of the immune cells which can secrete a variety of molecules. Many studies suggest that mast cells may either promote tumour growth in some types of cancer or may act in an opposite manner in other tumour types. Aim: To evaluate the association of mast cells in the different grades of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma(OSCC). Material and methods: Fifteen diagnosed cases each of well, moderate and poorly differentiated OSCC were identified from the institutional archival material. Two slides each were made of 5 μm thickness and stained with Hematoxylin and eosin and 1% Toluidine blue stain. Each section was evaluated for mast cells in peritumoural, intratumoural locations and at the invasive front of the tumour. The results obtained were subjected to statistical evaluation by an SPSS version 19 using Chi square test, Anova and Post hoc Tuckey tests. Results: An inverse relation was observed between MC count with grade of the tumour with maximum MC located in the peritumoural area followed by the invasive front and the least in the intra tumoural areas. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that a decrease in MC count is associated with an advanced histologic grade of OSCC and hence a poorer prognosis, thus favouring the protective role of mast cells in OSCC.Keywords: Mast cells, Oral squamous cell carcinoma, Histological gradin

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among pregnant women attending the Hospital for Women & Children in Koutiala, Mali

Objective. To establish the rate of seroprevalence of the hepatitis B surface antigen in pregnant women in south-eastern Mali, and to decrease mother-to-child transmission. Methods. In a descriptive cross-sectional comparison study, 3 659 pregnant women attending a non-governmental hospital in Koutiala, Mali, during 2008 and 2009 were screened for the hepatitis B surface antigen during antenatal clinic attendance or when admitted for delivery. A chart review compared the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive women to HBV-negative women used as controls to identify potential risk factors for HBsAg positivity. The variables compared were age, parity, type of genital excision, birthweight of baby and HIV status. Results. A total of 293 (8.0%) pregnant women tested positive for HBsAg. Their average age was 27.6 years, average parity of 2.8 births, 90% had Type 2 genital excision, 21% had low-birthweight infants, and 14 (0.4%) women also tested positive for HIV. Infants born to HbsAg-positive women were immunised with the hepatitis B vaccine in the delivery room. Two hundred and eighty-four HBVnegative women were compared with the HBV-positive women. None of the differences of means or relationships was statistically insignificant. Conclusion. In view of the high endemicity and lack of easily identifiable risk factors, free maternal HBV screening should be provided to all women in Mali, and the infants born to HBsAgpositive women should be immunised within 12 hours of birth. S Afr Med J 2012;102:47-4