Diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in diagnosis for causes of lymphadenopathy: a hospital based analysis

Introduction: The lymphadenopathy consist wide range of etiology from inflammatory process to a malignant condition and it is most common clinical presentation in outpatient department. Fine needle aspiration cytology is a simple, safe, reliable, rapid and inexpensive method of diagnosis in lymph nodes.Aims and objectives: To find out diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in lymphadenopathy and common pattern of lymphadenopathy in our institute. Methods: This prospective study was carried out in the department of Pathology of Index Medical College Hospital and research Centre, Indore, India from June 2011 to May 2013. The patients with palpable lymph nodes were included in this study. The slides were stained with Papanicolaou and May Grunewald Geimsa stain.Special stain like Ziel Neelson, Alcian blue was done whenever is required. A detailed analytic study was performed for correlation of Cyto-histopathological diagnosis. Results: The result shows male to female ratio of 1.0:0.8. The age of the patients ranges from 2 to 79 year with mean age of 32 years. The study shows reactive hyperplasia 149 (33.38%), tubercular lymphadenitis 177 (39.77%), granulomatous lymphadenitis 32(7.1%), lymphoma 25 (5.5%), metastatic carcinoma 40 (8.9%) and others 22 (4.9%). We found cyto-histpathological concordant in 161 (95.8%) cases and discordant in 7 (4.2%) cases.Conclusion: The sensitivity of FNAC in lymphoma and metastatic tumors is 81.48% and 97.5% with test accuracy of 96.5% and 99.4% respectively. Hence FNAC should be used as preliminary screening investigation in all forms of lymphadenopathy and interpretation should be done in conjunction with clinical picture of the patients

Study of altered platelet morphology with changes in glycaemic status

Background: Diabetes is a pandemic causing very high morbidity and mortality due to its complications which are a result of micro and macro angiopathy. Platelets play a key role in the vascular complications. These complications are attributed to platelet activation which can be recognised by an increase in platelet volume indices (PVI) including mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW). Platelet indices can be potentially useful surrogate markers for the early diagnosis of thromboembolic and cardiovascular complications in diabetes.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted for 2 years with total 930 subjects. The patients were segregated in 03 groups on basis of HbA1C as (a) Diabetic, (b) Non-Diabetic and (c) FG. Samples for HbA1C and platelet indices were collected using EDTA (ethylene diamine tetracetic acid) as anticoagulant and were processed on autoanalysers.Results: The study revealed a stepwise increase in the PVI from non-diabetics to IFG to diabetics. MPV and PDW were increased in the IFG cases as compared to the non-diabetic and were markedly increased in the diabetic patients. MPV and PDW of diabetics, IFG and non-diabetics were 17.60±2.04, 11.76±0.73, 9.93±0.64 and 19.17±1.48, 15.49±0.67, 10.59±0.67 respectively with a significant p value 0.00. Significant positive correlation between PVI with glycaemic levels and duration of diabetes across the groups (MPV-HbA1c r = 0.951; PDW-HbA1c r = 0.875). However, the total platelet count was found to decrease with the increasing glycaemic levels with a p value <0.001. A significant negative correlation was found between glycaemic levels and total platelet count (PC- HbA1c r = -0.164).Conclusions: This study showed that platelet morphology is altered with increasing glycaemic levels. These changes can be known by measurements of PVI which is an important simple and effortless tool can be used more extensively to predict the acute vascular events and thereby help curb morbidity and mortality.

Evaluation of serum hepcidin as a biochemical marker in diagnosis of anemia of chronic disease

Background: Anemia is a serious public health problem. It affects two billion people worldwide, particularly infants and young children mainly in developing countries where its etiology is multifactorial. Anemia in infancy is generally associated with impaired cognitive and behavioral development, impaired oxygen transport and a poorer prognosis in the context of many chronic diseases or chronic infections. The Present study aims to detect the serum hepcidin and ferritin levels in chronic disease anemia and correlate the values of serum hepcidin levels with their serum ferritin levels and IL-6 levels.Methods: A total of 86 individuals were enrolled in the study. Sample for hematological evaluations were collected and estimation was carried out for biomarker estimation by ELISA method(s) using specified kit(s) procured commercially. The statistical evaluation was done using SPSS version 24.0. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson's correlation tests were used to compare the variables and to see the correlation between the different variables.Results: In present study, we observed statistically significant lower values of RBC count, Hbgm/dl, MCV, MCH, MCHC in ACD group than the normal group. For serum hepcidin when ROC curves and Pearson’s scattered plot were made in case of ACD group; the ROC was recorded to be maximum &gt;0.869; with a sensitivity of 84.62% and specificity 94.12% while the confidence level was 95% with an interval of 0.779 to 0.932. Further, the cutoff point determined was &gt;72.93. Thus, the hepcidin level &gt; 72ng/mL and above is related to the ACD. These cut off points had strong confidence interval and valuable predictive potential.Conclusions: Serum Hepcidin can be used as a simple and cost effective diagnostic marker for identification of anemia

Serum hepcidin and interleukin-6 as biochemical markers in differentiation of iron deficiency anemia and anemia of chronic disease

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency and the most common cause of anemia in the world. It is defined as a reduction in total body iron to an extent that iron stores are fully exhausted and even some degree of tissue iron deficiency results. The Present study aims to compare the serum hepcidin and IL-6 levels in anemia of chronic disease (ACD) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) groups and correlate the values of serum hepcidin levels with their serum ferritin levels and IL-6 levels.Methods: A total of 112 individuals were enrolled in the study. Samples for hematological evaluations were collected and estimation was carried out for biomarker using ELISA method(s) using specified kit(s) procured commercially. The statistical evaluation was done using SPSS version 24.0. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson's correlation tests were used to compare the variables and to see the correlation between the different variables.Results: In present study, we compared the values of RBC count, Hb gm/dl, MCV, MCH, MCHC in ACD and IDA group. Serum Hepcidin, a marker of iron deficiency anemia was significantly low in case of IDA 33.23±12.46ng/mL, on the contrary in case of ACD group the serum hepcidin level was elevated 98.36±24.29ng/mL. It is found that IL- 6 plays an important role in the regulation of hepcidin as reflected especially in ACD and IDA groups. In case of IDA the level of IL6 was significantly reduced to an average concentration 7.62±3.51ng/mL on the contrary in case of ACD group the serum IL-6 level was elevated to 115.82±33.7ng/mL. Thus, it provides for conclusive differentiation or diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia and anemia of chronic disease.Conclusions: Serum Hepcidin can be used as a simple and cost effective diagnostic marker for differentiation of iron deficiency anemia and anemia of chronic disease

Quantification of serum hepcidin as a potential biomarker in diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency and the most common cause of anemia in the world. Present study aims to detect the serum hepcidin and ferritin levels in iron deficiency induced anaemia’s and compare and correlate the values of serum hepcidin levels with their Serum ferritin levels and IL-6 levels.Methods: A total of 94 individuals were enrolled in the study. Sample for hematological evaluations were collected and estimation was carried out for biomarker estimation by ELISA method(s) using specified kit(s) procured commercially. The statistical evaluation was done using SPSS version 24.0. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson's correlation tests were used to compare the variables and to see the correlation between the different variables.Results: Serum Hepcidin, a marker of iron deficiency anemia is significantly low in patients with IDA (33.23±12.46 ng/mL) than in normal with p-value <0.001 which is highly significant. In present study, we determined the cut off points differentiating IDA from healthy group which was ≤ 34.55; with AUC 0.845 (P<0.0001), 95% confidence interval was 0.755 to 0.911, and sensitivity was 98.33 % and specificity 52.94%. These cut off points had strong confidence interval and valuable predictive potential.Conclusions: Serum Hepcidin can be used as a simple and cost effective diagnostic marker for identification of anemia

Electronic structure of carbon-free silicon oxynitride films grown using an organic precursor hexamethyl-disilazane

Silicon oxynitride films are grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition on single-crystal Si(100) and textured Si solar cells, using a safe organic precursor, hexamethyl-disilazane. Using the Lucovsky-Phillips criterion of bond coordination constraints, we grow high-quality thin (~20 &#197;) and thick (up to 2700 &#197;) films which are carbon free (&lt;1.0{%}) as characterized by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiles. Core-level and valence band XPS is used to conclusively identify oxynitride bonding and band gap reduction in SiOxNy. For a &#955;/4 'blue' anti-reflection coating on the solar cells with uniform thickness (870&#177; 15 &#197;) and composition (SiO1.6&#177; 0.1N0.3&#177; 0.05), an efficiency (AM 1) increase of 1{%} is obtained

Prevalence and spectrum of hemoglobinopathies in tertiary care centre in a rural area of Madhya Pradesh

Background: Haemoglobinopathies like thalassaemia and sickle cell anaemia etc are increasing due to unawareness of rural population. This study indicates type of haemoglobinopathies amongst the patients of a rural based tertiary care hospital in one year and nine months.Methods: Five hundred ten patients were studied during last one year and nine month for all suspected cases of haemolytic anaemia based on Complete Blood Count, Red cell indices and Peripheral blood smear examination. Sickling test, test for Hb F and haemoglobin electrophoresis with quantification of bands are done in all these casesResults: Out of all 510 cases of anaemia 461 cases (90.39%) were confirmed to nonhaemolytic anaemia whereas 49 cases (9.60%) had shown abnormal haemoglobin bands on electrophoresis. Out of these 49 cases 29 (59.18%) were Males and 20 (40.81%) were females. Most common Haemoglobinopathy observed was Sickle cell b Thalassaemia 23 (4.50%) followed by b Thalassaemia Trait 9 (1.76%), Sickle Cell trait 7 (1.37%). b Thalassaemia Major 5 (0.98%) & Sickle Cell Disease 5 (0.98%) have equal prevalence. The onset of disease was most prominent in Neonatal to pediatric age group including early adolescent (0-18 years) followed by reproductive age group (19- 45 years). Few cases of old age (46+ years) were detected.Conclusion: Study provides data on the spectrum & pattern of Haemoglobinopathies in a rural tertiary care centre. Screening of all anemic patients should be done for Haemoglobinopathy and proper Genetic counseling must be given to all cases to prevent incidence of cases in future generation

Surface activation of polyester fabric using ammonia dielectric barrier discharge and improvement in colour depth

The effect of atmospheric pressure ammonia dielectric barrier discharge on the surface of polyester fabric has been studied using contact angle goniometer, ATR–FTIR spectroscopy and SEM. It is observed that the surface of plasma treated polyester is more hydrophilic due to incorporation of nitrogenous polar functional groups and shows different conformational composition and crystallinity. The ATR–FTIR results clearly indicate the conversion of trans ethylene glycol residue to gauche one after plasma treatment and thus reduction in crystallinity. Plasma treatment has shown synergetic effect on dye uptake. Natural dyeing of plasma treated polyester with ‘Rubia cordifolia’ has shown 65% improvement in colour depth in comparison to untreated polyester fabric

Investigation of the Performance Parameters of an Experimental Plate Heat Exchanger in Single Phase Flow

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine the heat transfer characteristics for fully developed flow of air and water flowing in alternate corrugated ducts. The test section was formed by three identical corrugated channels having corrugation angle of 30 o with cold air flowing in the middle one and hot water equally divided in the adjacent channels. Sinusoidal wavy arcs connected with tangential flat portions make the said corrugation angle with transverse direction. The Reynolds number based on hydraulic diameter varied from 750 to 3200 for water and from 566 to 2265 for air by changing the mass flow rate of the two fluids. The Prandtl numbers were approximately constant at 2.55 for water and 0.7 for air. The various correlations obtained are Nu m =0.247Re 0.83 and Nu m =0.409Re 0.57 for water and air, respectively and f = 2.014Re -0.12 for air channel