Variation in morphometric characters, germination and oil content of Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. seeds collected from various provenances of Odisha, India

The wide distribution of Terminalia bellirica in natural forests of Odisha has a good opportunity to identify better genotypes with higher oil yielding potential.  The study related to variation in oil content, morphometric characters and germination of Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. seeds was carried out in nine provenances viz. Deogan, Bolangir Kasturi Bahal, Narada, Kantamal, Jeypore, Gunupur, Kuchinda and  Ghatikia of Odisha (India) keeping in the importance of the seed oil for biodiesel production, soap industry and medicinal values. T. bellirica is widely distributed in Odisha with gregarious fruiting of which most of the fruits remain unused except used as myrobalan for medicinal purposes. It revealed that Kantamal provenance expressed highest fruits length (3.87cm) and 100 fruit weight (1340.17gm), 100 seed weight(649.05gm) and 100 kernel weight(99.43gm) with maximum oil yield which can be taken up for further improvement study. However, the progeny testing at nursey level was also found to have the same provenance performing best for germination and seedling characters. &nbsp

A clinical study on retinopathy of prematurity in a tertiary care centre

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a multifactorial vasoproliferative retinal disorder that increases in incidence with decreasing gestational age. India shares 20% of the world childhood blindness. Besides congenital cataract, congenital glaucoma and ocular injuries, ROP is emerging as one of the important causes of childhood blindness in India.Methods: This hospital based prospective study was undertaken during October 2016 to September 2018 in the Department of Ophthalmology, SCB Medical College. Authors included (a) all preterm infants weighing less than 1750gm or gestational age less than 34 weeks at birth, (b) infants with birth weight between 1750gm to 2000gm and gestational age more than 34 weeks (late preterm and term infants) those were considered as high risk.Results: Among the 328 babies included in our study, the incidence of ROP was 29.57%. Bilateral ROP was found in 76.29% with nearly equal stages in both eyes and only 23 neonates showed unilateral involvement.Conclusions: Low birth weight, lower gestational age, blood transfusion, Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), apnoea, supplemental oxygen therapy, maternal anaemia and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were strongly associated with development of ROP

Clinical and investigational study for the aetiological evaluation of patients in nontraumatic altered sensorium and its outcome

Background: Apart from head injury many patients present to the tertiary care hospital in unconscious state, the etiology of which is obscure in most of the cases. The present study was conducted with on objective to provide insight into the clinical features and diagnostic methods to know the aetiology of patients with non-traumatic cases of altered sensorium and to study the outcome of these patients.Methods: This is an observational study on 100 patients of altered sensorium of non-traumatic origin during the period from October 2012 to September 2014 conducted in the Department of General Medicine, MKCG Medical College Hospital, Berhampur, Odisha, India. All patients were selected for the study based on the inclusion exclusion criteria. Detailed history, clinical evaluation, laboratory investigations like neuroimaging studies etc. were carried out. Statistical data analysis was done using Graph pad Prism 6 and Microsoft Excel. P value <0.0001 was considered statistically extremely significant.Results: Out of 100 patients of altered sensorium, 64 were males and 36 were females. All patients were in the age group of 19 to 89 years. Cerebrovascular accident was the most common aetiology of altered sensorium followed by metabolic encephalopathy and infection. Altered sensorium in patients with CVA carries a high mortality. Metabolic causes and younger age indicated a better prognosis, patients with low (Glasgow Coma Score) GCS score of 3 to 4 had poorer prognosis.Conclusions: The results suggest that clinical assessments yield accurate predictive information about the potential for recovery in cases of altered sensorium. So, this study concludes that empirically based estimates of prognosis in the neurologically severely ill provides great reassurance to those involved in a decision-making process, including patients’ families and physicians

Patient navigation pathway and barriers to treatment seeking in cancer in India: A qualitative inquiry

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Early diagnosis and treatment of cancer may curb the growing burden of the disease. Understanding cancer patients' navigation pathways for seeking treatment is important in order to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment. With this background we conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study comprising 68 randomly selected cancer inpatients in a tertiary cancer specialty hospital in Odisha, India, to explore the treatment-seeking pathways of the cancer patients and the barriers and enablers in seeking treatment. Financial constraint is one of the major reasons for the delay in accessing treatment, even when patients are suspected of or diagnosed with cancer. Low awareness of the presenting signs and symptoms of cancer and limited knowledge of the availability of cancer diagnosis and treatment facilities are major factors contributing to delay. Family and friends' support is found to be the major enabling factor toward seeking treatment. Generation of awareness of cancer among the general population and primary-care practitioners - including those in alternative systems of medicine - is important. Information on diagnostic and treatment services appears to be a felt need