Review—Non-Invasive Monitoring of Human Health by Exhaled Breath Analysis: A Comprehensive Review

Exhaled human breath analysis is a very promisingfield of research work having great potential for diagnosis of diseases in non-invasive way. Breath analysis has attracted huge attention in thefield of medical diagnosis and disease monitoring in the last twodecades. VOCs/gases (Volatile Organic Compounds) in exhaled breath bear thefinger-prints of metabolic and biophysicalprocesses going on in human body. It’s a non-invasive, fast, non-hazardous, cost effective, and point of care process for diseasestate monitoring and environmental exposure assessment in human beings. Some VOCs/gases in exhaled breath are bio-markers ofdifferent diseases and their presence in excess amount is indicative of un-healthiness. Breath analysis has the potential for earlydetection of diseases. However, it is still underused and commercial device is yet not available owing to multiferrious challenges.This review is intended to provide an overview of major biomarkers (VOCs/gases) present in exhaled breath, importance of theiranalysis towards disease monitoring, analytical techniques involved, promising materials for breath analysis etc. Finally, relatedchallenges and limitations along with future scope will be touched upon.will be touched upon

Prediction of preeclampsia by a combination of maternal spot urinary protein-creatinine ratio and uterine artery doppler

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is heterogeneous disorder. The aim of the study was to observe the role of a spot urinary protein - creatinine ratio (UPCR) and uterine artery doppler velocimetry measured between 20-24 weeks of gestation in prediction of preeclampsia.Methods: Prospective observational study conducted on 120 pregnant mothers with singleton pregnancy between 20-24 weeks of gestational age in two tertiary teaching hospitals in eastern India. A spot urinary protein creatinine ratio (UPCR) was determined in a mid- stream urine sample and estimation of protein was done by immunoturbidimetric micro albumin method and creatinine by modified Jaffe’s method. Doppler velocimetry was also determined at 20-24 weeks of gestation. A notch in uterine artery, unilateral or bilateral; or RI > 0.7 and PI of > 1.45 were considered to have an abnormal result. Women were followed-up and relationship between variables was assessed by Chi- square test.Results: Women who subsequently developed preeclampsia had significantly higher UPCR (median 44.8 mg/mmol) when compared with women of unaffected groups (median 26.6 mg/mmol). The optimum spot urinary UPCR to predict preeclampsia was 35.5 mg/mmol and the cut-off value >35.5 mg/mmol had a test sensitivity (80%), specificity (94.06%), PPV (66.76%) and NPV (96.94%).The area under curve (AUC) of spot UPCR in ROC curve was  0.949 (95% CI,0.891 - 1.000). For predicting preeclampsia, the mean uterine artery RI had to be >0.7 having sensitivity (60%), specificity (97.03%), PPV (75%) and NPV (94.23%). The area under curve (AUC) was 0.856 (95% CI, 0.742 - 0.971).Conclusions: Second trimester UA doppler is a useful screening test for prediction of preeclampsia. This test works best when combined with a spot UPCR and accuracy of both the methods for prediction of preeclampsia was 92.24%

Adenosine deaminase and its isoenzyme as a diagnostic marker in tubercular Plural effusion

Mortality and residual morbidity is quit high in tubercular meningitis particular in developing countries like India. Several investigations have been developed for early diagnosis but this sill poses a lot of diagnostic problem and financial burden. So, the present study was performed to search a quick and definite investigation for easy and rapid diagnosis of tubercular meningitis and pleural fluid ADA and its isoenzymes activity was selected to differentiate between tubercular and non-tubercular exudative pleural effusion. Among 87 exudative pleural effusion patients, 55 were tubercular, 16 were empyemic and 16 were malignant selected. Pleural fluid total ADA and ADA2 activity were measured and compared within the different types of exudative pleural effusion. The pleural fluid ADA activity had no significant different among exudative pleural effusion. But when ADA2 was selected it can efficiently differentiated tubercular form non-tubercular origin. ADA2 activity than total ADA in pleural fluid are elevated in suspected tubercular pleural effusion cases and it is a simple, rapid, inexpensive and has got definite diagnostic value. It is thus a useful biochemical marker for the early diagnosis of tubercular pleural effusion

Ethanol Sensing Properties of Nanocrystalline alpha-MoO3

Ethanol sensors with effective and selective sensitivity are extensively used by traffic police to detect drunken drivers, in wine industries for controlling the fermentation process, food package testing, different medical applications etc. Orthorhombic phase pure alpha-MoO3 nanoparticles were synthesized via facile sol-gel technique to ethanol sensor. It was observed that the gas sensing response of the sample toward 100 ppm of ethanol vapor is 59% at 350 degrees C. The response and the recovery time of the gas sensor toward 100 ppm ethanol vapor are found to be 34 s and 70 s, respectively. The main obstacle for a gas sensor to be an excellent breath analyser is to remain insensitive toward the main interfering agent of exhaling human breath i.e. moisture. Prepared sensor is highly selective and shows almost no response toward saturated moisture

EFFECT OF FREQUENT BLOOD DONATION ON IRON STATUS OF BLOOD DONORS IN BURDWAN, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Background: Anaemia was reported as one of the most important reasons for blood donor deferral and very frequent blood donation will have a negative impact on the health of the donor and quality of donated blood products. Aim: The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of frequency of blood donation on iron stores of the donors. Method: The study population were divided into five groups. Forty one were first time (control group), Thirty-eight were ≤ 10 times, thirty-two were 11-20 times, twenty seven were 21-50 times and seventeen were > 50 time blood donors. Pre-donation blood haemoglobin and serum ferritin assessment was done in each individual. Result: Serum ferritin of < 10 times/4years were not significantly reduced than first time healthy donors but > 10 times/4years donors onwards iron status were significantly reduced (p>0.001) progressively as frequency of donation increased and individuals potentially at risk for developing iron deficiency. Conclusion: It is the conclusion of this study that increased frequency of blood donation reduced the iron stores of donors. Therefore, volunteers who undergo repeated blood donation and professional donors should be advised on eating balanced diet as well as receive nutritional care especially in terms of iron supplementation. Key Words: Blood donation, Serum ferritin, Iron deficiency

Blood Vitamin D concentration In Adult Asthmatic Patients

Background: There has been growing interest in vitamin D insufficiency as a predisposing factor for allergy development based on immunoregulatory properties and epidemiological studies. Little is known about vitamin D in adult asthma patients or its association with asthma severity. Aim: The present study is to assess the relationship between vitamin D status and asthma in adult population. Methods: A cross sectional study including 622 asthmatic adults aged older than 18 years and 617 adults healthy control aged older than 18 years assessing the relationship between serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D levels. Result: The difference between mean vitamin D levels in the asthmatic group 24.96 ± 5.58 ng/ml and the healthy control group 32.39 ± 5.28 ng/ml was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001) and more interestingly there was significant correlation between low 25 OHD level and the severity of asthma. Conclusion: Reduced vitamin D levels are highly prevalent in adult asthmatic patients and are associated severity of the disease

FORMATION OF A SCALE FOR EVALUATION OF THESIS QUALITY IN MD CURRICULUM IN WEST BENGAL

Back ground: Thesis  is an obligatory part of Medical post graduate or post doctoral courses under West Bengal University of Health Sciences.  The purpose of this thesis work is to make the doctors familiar with research methodology. There is no procedure or scale to evaluate the quality of thesis works in our state. Aim:Formation of a scale for evaluation of thesis work & using this scale evaluation of ongoing thesis works of this medical university. Procedure: At first we develop a scale containing five factors  Format, Study design,Knowledge of the post graduate trainee,New ideas,Literature reviewed and validation of that  scale was done.With the help of this validated scale we have evaluated 135 thesis works of out going post graduate medical students. Result: After evaluation it was found that most of the thesis work fall in the excellent category.Very few are exceptional as well as good or acceptable.The scale also indicated that the weak areas of the thesis works. Conclusion: Our scale will indicate the clear picture of quality of a research work including strong and weak areas. This fact will help us in future to plan a better research work