A hospital based observational study to assess the BP and serum lipid profile stunted children in the age group of 1–5 years

Background:Coronary artery disease (CAD) has been delineated as the greatest epidemic humanity has ever faced. It takes a tremendous toll in premature sickness, disease, and death, which have a major economic impact on the person and upon the health care delivery system. Accounting nearly 80% of all cardiac morbidity, CAD is now the major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. In most countries, it accounts for 30% of all deaths.BP and lipid profile play important role in coronary artery disease. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in Nalanda Medical College and Hospital Patna, Bihar India. The study comprised 90 stunted children. History and physical examination were recorded in a pretested pro forma. BP was recorded with a sphygmomanometer with proper cuff. A 4-h fasting blood sample was collected for analysis of serum lipid profile. Results: Among the cases,in the stunted children, there were 56 (62.22%) males and 34 (37.78%) females. The mean age of the stunted children was 35.333±5.79 months and 39.10±3.80 months, respectively. The mean height of the stunted children was 83.74±2.899 cm.The prevalence of elevated BP 25.56% of children had elevated SBP and DBP and 74.44 children was normal BP. The mean serum triglyceride was significantly higher and mean high-density lipoprotein was significantly lower in the case group.Conclusion: The BP and lipid profile metabolic changes associated with stunting pose a threat for future cardiovascular disease. Early detection and prevention of stunting and its consequences will decrease the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in futurelife..  Keywords: Blood pressure, Lipid profile, Risk of cardiovascular disease, Stuntin

A study to evaluate the levels of Transcutaneous Bilirubin (TcB) and Total Serum Bilirubin (TSB) Measurements in TermNeonates: A comparative study

Introduction: Transcutaneous Bilirubinometry (TcB) is a simple method for estimating bilirubin levels in neonates. This method is non-invasive, quick, and painless. We aimed to compare serum and cutaneous bilirubin measurements in term neonates.Materials and Methods:In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 230 neonates with icterus and birth weights of at least 2,500 grams or more were studied. TcB was measured using a bilirubinometer three times on the forehead and mean levels were calculated. Then, during the subsequent 30 minutes blood samples were obtained and sent to the laboratory for determining the Total Serum Bilirubin (TSB) levels.Results:Of the 230 neonates, 124 (62%) were boys and 76 (38%) were girls, with aMean± SD (Standard Deviation) age of 5.3±4.5 to 5.1+3.5 days   (range:   1-22   days).   99%   of  the neonates were breastfed and 49(21.30%) neonates had a history of icterus. Most of the neonates were the first child (53.90%). Moreover, 32.60% were the second child, and 13.50% were the third child and the next. 12.17%,13.91%, 13.91%,60.43% of the neonates became icteric on days 1, 2, 3, and 4 or more of birth respectively. Most neonates with hyperbilirubinemia have B+ blood(53.90) group and then A+ blood group(34.78%) have the highest frequency in the study. O+ blood group in mothers of newborns with jaundice was the most common (53.04 %), and then B+ blood group have the highest frequency in the mothers (25.65%). The mean ± SD serum and cutaneous bilirubin levels were 18.70±5.33 and 17.75±4.26 mg/dl, respectively. A high correlation (0.84) was observed between TSB and TcB.Conclusion:There was a strong correlation between serum and transcutaneous bilirubin levels. As transcutaneous bilirubin estimation is non-invasive, it gives quick and reproducible results. So, this method has potential screening value especially in the high-risk neonates for early intervention. Keywords:Neonatal icterus, Serum bilirubin, Transcutaneous bilirubi

Pre-analytical errors in clinical chemistry laboratory of a tertiary care hospital

Background: Pre-analytical errors account for up to 70% of all mistakes made in laboratory diagnostics, most of which arise from problems in patient preparation, sample collection, transportation, and preparation for analysis and storage. Pre-analytical errors influence the total error thus hindering TQM in laboratory, consequently decreasing the accuracy and reliability of the results generated. This study was conducted with the aim to determine nature and frequency of the occurrence of pre-analytical errors.Methods: This prospective analytical study was designed to evaluate the pre-analytical errors observed in a total of 13,892 out-patient and inpatient samples. Samples received for routine clinical chemistry analysis were screened for pre-analytical errors. Samples received for other investigations were excluded. We recorded all nonconformities and errors occurring over a 3-month period and corrective measures were suggested to minimise them. Laboratory personnel were asked to register rejections, and pre-analytical causes for rejection of ward as well as out-patient samples collected in the laboratory. Types of inappropriateness were evaluated as follows: hemolyzed, blood collection in wrong tubes, clotted blood, inappropriate timing of collection, improperly labelled samples, insufficient volume of specimen and lipemic samples.Results: A total of 13,892 samples from the outpatient department and in-house patients were received by our clinical biochemistry laboratory during the period from April 2019 to June 2019. Out of these 404 samples were found unsuitable for further processing. This accounted for 2.9% of all samples collected in the laboratory and pre-analytical errors were responsible for these samples to be rejected over a period of 3 months. Rejections arose as a result of the following reasons: 0.92% were rejected due to hemolysis; 0.58% were blood collected in wrong tubes; 0.55% were clotted blood; 0.26% had inappropriate timing of collection; 0.24% were mislabeled samples; 0.20% had insufficient sample quantity and 0.14% were lipemic samples.Conclusions: Of all the samples received in the lab, the overall percentage of rejection is 2.9%. Substantial number of samples undergo repeated testing because of rejection owing to pre-analytical errors. The efforts should be aimed to reduce the rates of rejected samples can provide to improve the quality of laboratory based health care processes

Microwave density – independent permittivity functions as soybean seeds’ moisture calibrators: A new approach

 Priyanka Das, Zeeshan Ahmad, H. N. Singh, Ashutosh Prasad(University Dept. of Physics, Tilkamanjhi Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur – 812007, India) Abstract: The present work makes use of data for real part of microwave complex permittivity as function of moisture content measured at 2.45 GHz and 24℃, as extracted from the literature.  The data were individually converted to those for solid materials using seven independent mixture equations for effective permittivity of random media.  Moisture dependent quadratic models, as developed by the present group, were used to evaluate the dielectric loss factor of soybean seeds.  Using these data, a number of density – independent permittivity functions were evaluated and plotted as a function of moisture content of the samples.  Second and third order polynomial and first order exponential growth type of curve fittings with these data have been tried and their performances are reported.  Coefficients of determination (r2) approaching unity (»0.989 – 0.999) and very small Standard Deviation (SD) up to 3.45×10–4 for these models possess good acceptability.  The regularity in the nature of these variations revealed the usefulness of these densities – independent permittivity functions as indicators/calibrators of moisture content of soybean seeds.  Keeping in view the fact that moisture content of grains and seeds is an important factor determining quality and affecting the storage, transportation, and milling of grains and seeds, the work has the potentiality of its practical applications.Keywords: microwave complex permittivity, density-independent permittivity functions, soybean, Dielectric Mixture equations, moisture meters, least–squares fit analysis Citation: Priyanka Das, Zeeshan Ahmad, H.N.Singh, Ashutosh Prasad.  Microwave density – independent permittivity functions as soybean seeds’ moisture calibrators: A new approach.  Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal, 2010, 12(3): 107-114. &nbsp

Evidence of a Sub-Saturn around EPIC~211945201

We report here strong evidence for a sub-Saturn around EPIC~211945201 and confirm its planetary nature. EPIC~211945201b was found to be a planetary candidate from {\it K2} photometry in Campaigns 5 \& 16, transiting a bright star ($V_{\rm mag}=10.15$, G0 spectral type) in a 19.492 day orbit. However, the photometric data combined with false positive probability calculations using VESPA was not sufficient to confirm the planetary scenario. Here we present high-resolution spectroscopic follow-up of the target using the PARAS spectrograph (19 radial velocity observations) over a time-baseline of 420 days. We conclusively rule out the possibility of an eclipsing binary system and confirm the 2-$\sigma$ detection of a sub-Saturn planet. The confirmed planet has a radius of 6.12$\pm0.1$$~R_{\oplus}$, and a mass of $27_{-12.6}^{+14}$~$M_{\oplus}$. We also place an upper limit on the mass (within the 3-$\sigma$ confidence interval) at 42~$M_{\oplus}$ above the nominal value. This results in the Saturn-like density of $0.65_{-0.30}^{+0.34}$ g~cm$^{-3}$. Based on the mass and radius, we provide a preliminary model-dependent estimate that the heavy element content is 60-70 \% of the total mass. This detection is important as it adds to a sparse catalog of confirmed exoplanets with masses between 10-70 $M_{\oplus}$ and radii between 4-8 $R_{\oplus}$, whose masses and radii are measured to a precision of 50\% or better (only 23 including this work).Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal, 17 pages, 8 figure

In Vitro Conservation of Twenty-Three Overexploited Medicinal Plants Belonging to the Indian Sub Continent

Twenty-three pharmaceutically important plants, namely, Elaeocarpus spharicus, Rheum emodi, Indigofera tinctoria, Picrorrhiza kurroa, Bergenia ciliata, Lavandula officinalis, Valeriana wallichii, Coleus forskohlii, Gentiana kurroo, Saussurea lappa, Stevia rebaudiana, Acorus calamus, Pyrethrum cinerariaefolium, Aloe vera, Bacopa monnieri, Salvia sclarea, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Swertia cordata, Psoralea corylifolia, Jurinea mollis, Ocimum sanctum, Paris polyphylla, and Papaver somniferum, which are at the verge of being endangered due to their overexploitation and collection from the wild, were successfully established in vitro. Collections were made from the different biodiversity zones of India including Western Himalaya, Northeast Himalaya, Gangetic plain, Western Ghats, Semiarid Zone, and Central Highlands. Aseptic cultures were raised at the morphogenic level of callus, suspension, axillary shoot, multiple shoot, and rooted plants. Synseeds were also produced from highly proliferating shoot cultures of Bacopa monnieri, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Stevia rebaudiana, Valeriana wallichii, Gentiana kurroo, Lavandula officinalis, and Papaver somniferum. In vitro flowering was observed in Papaver somniferum, Psoralea corylifolia, and Ocimum sanctum shoots cultures. Out of 23 plants, 18 plants were successfully hardened under glasshouse conditions

Diagnostic usefulness of transtracheal aspiration in lower respiratory tract infections

Background: The incidence of pulmonary infections is on a constant rise. The present study was undertaken in order to identify those patients in whom transtracheal aspiration is most likely to provide information not obtainable from evaluation of expectorated sputum and delineates the clinical conditions under which transtracheal aspiration is indicated.Methods: A total of 50 patients of lower respiratory tract infections were studied. Both sputum and trans-tracheal aspirate samples were compared by Gram’s stain and culture methods.Results: Gram’s staining of the sputum was non-helpful in most cases as it showed mixed organisms while trans-tracheal aspiration showed only single type of colony. Culture showed less growth in sputum samples as compared to trans-tracheal aspirates.Conclusions: Trans-tracheal aspirate appears to be a very good method for isolating infective agents in lower respiratory tract infections. Besides by passing the contaminants of the oropharynx, it pinpoints the organism in most cases

Impact of diabetes mellitus on ventricular structure, arterial stiffness, and pulsatile hemodynamics in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Background-Heterogeneity in the underlying processes that contribute to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasingly recognized. Diabetes mellitus is a frequent comorbidity in HFpEF, but its impact on left ventricular and arterial structure and function in HFpEF is unknown. Methods and Results-Weassessed the impact of diabetesmellitus on left ventricular cellular and interstitial hypertrophy (assessedwith cardiacmagnetic resonance imaging, including T1mapping pregadolinium and postgadolinium administration), arterial stiffness (assessed with arterial tonometry), and pulsatile arterial hemodynamics (assessed with in-office pressure-flow analyses and 24-hour ambulatory monitoring) among 53 subjects with HFpEF (32 diabetic and 21 nondiabetic subjects). Despite few differences in clinical characteristics, diabetic subjects with HFpEF exhibited a markedly greater left ventricular mass index (78.1 [95% CI, 70.4-85.9] g versus 63.6 [95% CI, 55.8-71.3] g; P=0.0093) and indexed extracellular volume (23.6 [95% CI, 21.2-26.1] mL/m(2) versus 16.2 [95% CI, 13.1-19.4] mL/m(2); P=0.0008). Pronounced aortic stiffening was also observed in the diabetic group (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, 11.86 [95% CI, 10.4-13.1] m/s versus 8.8 [95% CI, 7.5-10.1] m/s; P=0.0027), with an adverse pulsatile hemodynamic profile characterized by increased oscillatory power (315 [95% CI, 258-373] mWversus 190 [95% CI, 144-236] mW; P=0.0007), aortic characteristic impedance (0.154 [95% CI, 0.124-0.183] mmHg/mL per second versus 0.096 [95% CI, 0.072-0.121] mm Hg/mL per second; P=0.0024), and forward (59.5 [95% CI, 52.8-66.1] mm Hg versus 40.1 [95% CI, 31.6-48.6] mm Hg; P=0.0010) and backward (19.6 [95% CI, 16.2-22.9] mm Hg versus 14.1 [95% CI, 10.9-17.3] mm Hg; P=0.0169) wave amplitude. Abnormal pulsatile hemodynamics were also evident in 24-hour ambulatory monitoring, despite the absence of significant differences in 24-hour systolic blood pressure between the groups. Conclusions-Diabetes mellitus is a key determinant of left ventricular remodeling, arterial stiffness, adverse pulsatile hemodynamics, and ventricular-arterial interactions in HFpEF