A STUDY ON STROKE-ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER AND EFFECT OF SERUM ALBUMIN ON PATIENT OUTCOMES

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine if serum albumin level is an independent predictor of nosocomial pneumonia in stroke patients. Methods: Relevant medical data of 500 consecutive ischemic stroke patients admitted within 24 h of stroke onset during the study period were analyzed. Serum albumin level was measured within 36 h after stroke onset. Nosocomial pneumonia was foundin 10.5% of stroke patients. SPSS (Version 22.0) was used for analysis. Results: Patients with pneumonia had significantly lower serum albumin level than those without pneumonia (31.5 ± 7.3 g/l vs. 35.3 ± 6.4 g/l) and serum albumin level was associated with risk of pneumonia on multivariate analysis (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90–0.97). Conclusion: Our results show that serum albumin level is an independent predictor of nosocomial pneumonia in stroke patients

Co-ordinated observations of VHF scintillations in India during February-March 1993

22-29The VHF scintillation observations made at a chain of stations in India during February-March 1993 under AICPITS (third campaign), using the 244 MHz radio beacon from FLEETSAT, and analysed jointly by all participating investigators at a workshop held at Raj kot are described. The occurrence features of scintillations during the third campaign were similar to those observed during the first campaign of March-April 1991. The maximum occurrence was, however, reduced to some extent due to the lower solar activity. The latitudinal variations showed an increased occurrence in the region of about 17-18o latitude. The data during the night of 19-20 Feb. 1993 when an extensive ‘Ionisation Hole Campaign’ was undertaken showed scintillations marked by earlier onset and longer duration at stations Waltair and Nuzvid than at the stat ions close to the magnetic equator. However, based on the average variations during February-March 1993 the onset at Tiruchendur, Anantpur and Walt air was at nearly the same time. The vertical rise velocity of the plasma depletions, estimated from the time delays in the onset of scintillations at latitudes away from the dip equator, was found to range from 40 m/s to 420 m/s in the altitude region 300-1350 km

Some features of plasma bubble induced scintillations during the AICPITS campaigns of 1991

The VHF scintillations were recorded at a chain of low-latitude stations in India as part of the All India Coordinated Programme of Ionospheric and Thermospheric Studies (AICPITS), using the 244 MHz radio beacon from the geo-stationary satellite FLEETSAT which was located at 73° E longitude. Data collected during the second campaign of September-October 1991 and analyzed jointly by the participating investigators are presented. The onset times of scintillation at pairs of stations at similar latitude but different longitudes can be used to estimate the eastward drift of the scintillation patches and its E-W extent. The maximum monthly mean occurrence for September 1991 is about 35% at Trivandrum and Tiruchendur, the stations close to dip equator. Occurrence is maximum for stations Annamalainagar, Payyanur and Anantpur (50 %), located slightly north of the dip equator. It decreases further north to 30 % at Nuzvid, Bombay, 20 % near anomaly crest region, 10 % at Agra and 8 % at Delhi, which is the northern most edge of the present observations. The occurrence frequency is slightly less than that observed during the campaign of March 1991. For the sake of completeness some very interesting features and dynamical characteristics of plasma bubble induced scintillations are included here based on digital records of scintillations made at Delhi during the two equinox data campaigns in March-April 1991 and September-October 1991

Co-ordinated multistation VHF scintillation observations in India during March-April 1991

69-81A number of VHF scintillation stations are currently operating in India as part of the All India Co-ordinated Programme of Ionospheric and Thermospheric Studies (AICPITS). The chain covers latitudes right from the magnetic equator to beyond the anomaly crest region. During March-April 1991 co-ordinated observations were made at all the stations of the chain and the data collected analysed jointly. The quarter-hourly values of the occurrence of scintillations along with the start and end times of the patches of scintillations during each night form the data base. Nocturnal variations of the percentage occurrence of scintillations, histograms of percentage occurrence of the number of patches of scintillations during the course of a night and of the patch duration have been computed for each station. Scintillations generally start between 1930and 2000 hrsIST The stations close to the magnetic equator show strong scintillations which last till early morning in a single patch or sometimes with a weakening or absence of scintillations for a short Lime duration. For the stations in the anomaly crest region or beyond, scintillations occur in small patches with periods of no scintillations in between. The nocturnal variations show maximum scintillation activity of about 50 per cent in the equatorial region which drops to about 30 per cent in the anomaly crest region and further reduces to 10 per cent at Delhi, the Northern-most location in the chain. From the latitudinal variations of the percentage occurrence of scintillations, the half width of the equatorial belt of scintillations has been found to vary with local time. It extends right up to Bombay or even beyond it around 2000-2200 hrs but is much narrower after midnight. The occurrence of spread-F during March-April 1991 from ionosonde data at Thumba, Waltair and Ahmedabad representing stations in the equatorial zone, intermediate zone and the anomaly crest zone have been studied. There is a fairly good agreement between the nocturnal variations of spread-F and scintillations