PLIGHT OF FEMALE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS OF SURAT CITY

Background: With the rapid increase in construction sector, the number of female construction workers is increased. The problems of women worker is still not addressed adequately by health sector. Aims and objective: The present study is aimed to explore problems of female workers at construction sites in working environment and to document issues like gender bias, living conditions, vulnerability and slackness of health among female working in construction field. Methodology: This was a Cross sectional study conducted in May 2011in which all females working at the randomly selected construction site were enrolled. The pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire was prepared to study the participant’s response. In-depth interview technique was also used to strengthen the findings. Results: Total of 118 female construction workers participated in the study with mean age found to be 22 years with SD of 6 years. Mean daily wages of female was 120 Rs while for male it was 245 Rs which is double than what female getting. Major health complaints were fatigue/weakness (61 %), backache (30 %), cough (17.5 %), fever (17 %), skin itching (10.5 %) and diarrhoea (7 %). They were not even using the government medical facility due to lack of awareness and knowledge about this. No safety measures provided to female as compare to male except at 2 sites where female were provided ‘gloves’. Some (6%) of the working females has abuse of chewing tobacco daily or smoking ‘bidi’. The living condition was merely enough to provide any privacy for female. Conclusion: As migratory and floating population, female working in construction field needs attention. Lack of social security and family support make them a vulnerable group for addiction and violence. Alternate way for providing healthcare for these women should be sort out early

Carbon Recombination Lines from the Galactic Plane at 34.5 & 328 MHz

We present results of a search for carbon recombination lines in the Galaxy at 34.5 MHz (C$575\alpha$) made using the dipole array at Gauribidanur near Bangalore. Observations made towards 32 directions, led to detections of lines in absorption at nine positions. Followup observations at 328 MHz (C$272\alpha$) using the Ooty Radio Telescope detected these lines in emission. A VLA D-array observation of one of the positions at 330 MHz yielded no detection implying a lower limit of 10' for the angular size of the line forming region. The longitude-velocity distribution of the observed carbon lines indicate that the line forming region are located mainly between 4 kpc and 7 kpc from the Galactic centre. Combining our results with published carbon recombination line data near 76 MHz (\nocite{erickson:95} Erickson \et 1995) we obtain constraints on the physical parameters of the line forming regions. We find that if the angular size of the line forming regions is $\ge 4^{\circ}$, then the range of parameters that fit the data are: \Te $= 20-40$ K, \ne $\sim 0.1-0.3$ \cm3 and pathlengths $\sim 0.07-0.9$ pc which may correspond to thin photo-dissociated regions around molecular clouds. On the other hand, if the line forming regions are $\sim 2^{\circ}$ in extent, then warmer gas (\Te $\sim 60-300$ K) with lower electron densities (\ne $\sim 0.03-0.05$ \cm3) extending over several tens of parsecs along the line of sight and possibly associated with atomic \HI gas can fit the data. Based on the range of derived parameters, we suggest that the carbon line regions are most likely associated with photo-dissociation regions.Comment: To appear in Journal of Astrophysics & Astronomy, March 200

Relating basic properties of bright early-type dwarf galaxies to their location in Abell 901/902

We present a study of the population of bright early-type dwarf galaxies in the multiple-cluster system Abell 901/902. We use data from the STAGES survey and COMBO-17 to investigate the relation between the color and structural properties of the dwarfs and their location in the cluster. The definition of the dwarf sample is based on the central surface brightness and includes galaxies in the luminosity range -16 >= M_B >~-19 mag. Using a fit to the color magnitude relation of the dwarfs, our sample is divided into a red and blue subsample. We find a color-density relation in the projected radial distribution of the dwarf sample: at the same luminosity dwarfs with redder colors are located closer to the cluster centers than their bluer counterparts. Furthermore, the redder dwarfs are on average more compact and rounder than the bluer dwarfs. These findings are consistent with theoretical expectations assuming that bright early-type dwarfs are the remnants of transformed late-type disk galaxies involving processes such as ram pressure stripping and galaxy harassment. This indicates that a considerable fraction of dwarf elliptical galaxies in clusters are the results of transformation processes related to interactions with their host cluster.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&A, typo corrected in abstrac

A rare case of primary retroperitoneal extraovarian granulosa cell tumor

Extraovarian granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are rare neoplasms. They arise from the ectopic gonadal tissue along the embryonal route of genital ridge. We present a case of an extraovarian tumor in an elderly female who presented with lump in the abdomen occupying the pelvic region. She was operated and the mass was excised with intact capsule. Histopathology revealed the mass to be an adult granulosa cell tumor. Extraovarian granulosa cell tumors are very rare with only 13 such cases reported in literature to date. The present case is the largest primary retroperitoneal adult granulosa cell tumor reported till date

Impact Of Hearing Loss on Daily Life Style and Schooling Among Children Between 5- And 15-Years Age-Group

Background: “Hearing”- one of the five special senses with which a human is gifted. At times, due to variety of reasons, this sense is impaired. Hearing impairment of any degree has a profound effect on children. It delays development of speech, slows educational progress and leads to being stigmatized. Objectives: To document the impact of hearing loss in daily life style and schooling of children between 5 and 15 years age-group. Materials & methods: This was cross- sectional study done in Children between 5 and 15 years age-group with hearing loss, coming to an ENT OPD, New Civil Hospital, Surat during the period of 1st August 2011 to 31 July 2012. Results: A total of 246 children were studied. Mean age of the study population was 9±3.46 years. Most common impactin life of children with hearing loss was that “they were not admitted to school by their parents” (31.3%). Among them, 84.4% had congenital deafness and 15.6% had acquired deafness. This difference was statistically significant. (p= 0.002, x2= 8.63). As per parents’ perception, academic performance of the children was significantly associated with type of school (normal Vs deaf & mute school”) (p< 0.001). Conclusion: Most common impact was that “children being not admitted to school” and “children were lagging behind in studies”. Among the congenitally deaf children, the quality of life was significantly better in those who attended these special schools (p<0.001)

Health Seeking Behavior Among Parents of Children with Hearing Loss: A Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Prevalence of hearing loss is 11.7% of the school going population (5-15 years). Such children fail to develop speech, language and cognitive skills unless proper habilitation is initiated. If detected early and managed suitably, will have a far better chance at a normal life than those who are habilitated late or not at all. Aims & objectives: To detect the age of suspicion, identification, intervention and treatment seeking behavior of children with hearing loss. Materials & methods: This was a cross- sectional study done in Children between 5 and 15 years age-group with hearing loss, coming to an ENT OPD, New Civil Hospital, Surat during the period of 1st August 2011 to 31 July 2012. Results: A total of 246 children were studied. Mean age of the study population was 9±3.46 years. Average age at first suspicion of hearing loss was 2.9±1.7 years, first consultation was 3.5±1.5 years and first intervention was 7.8±3.3 years. There was significant association between age of first suspicion of congenital hearing loss with father’s occupation (p=0.03). There was significant association between delay in diagnosis and gender (p= 0.04). As the level of education of parents and socio- economic status increased, preference for private set ups for first consultation also increased (p< 0.05). In 63.5% cases, advice of general practitioner resulted in the delay in referral to ENT specialist. Conclusion & Recommendations: Even after primary care, an average gap of 4.3 years is observed among parents for receiving intervention. Mother is the first person to suspect hearing loss among their children. Basic training of general practitioner/ MBBS doctors regarding primary ear care is required