Exploring Factors of Absenteeism Among Students Attending Community Medicine Department

Context: Frequent absence from classes may lead to improper learning and poor academic performance. Absenteeism can make teaching - learning environment unwelcoming and impacting those also who attend classes regularly. Aims & Objectives: To explore factors responsible for absenteeism among second professional students attending Community Medicine Department and to  formulate recommendations to deal with absenteeism. Material and Methods : A Cross sectional study was conducted among 132 second professional medical undergraduate students attending Community Medicine Department in a teaching hospital. A self-designed pre validated questionnaire comprising of various sections related to teaching –learning factors was used to explore factors responsible for student absenteeism. Faculty perception regarding student absenteeism and recommendations formulated to deal with it were recorded separately. Data analysis: Data was entered in MS Excel and Chi Square test was used for analysis. Results: Among 132 study participants, majority of the participants (62.1%) were females who were residing in hostels. Highest percentage of absenteeism (40.1%) was during examination time. Extracurricular activities like sports/gym, browsing net and parties were significantly (p<0.001) associated with absenteeism. Conclusions: Absenteeism can adversely affect academic performance and low attendance can demotivate teachers also to teach with keen interest

Road traffic accident cases in Malwa region of Punjab A study of morbidity and mortality profile of 500 road traffic accident cases in Malwa

Abstract Background: Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) are increasing in an alarming ways. Globally million people killed in RTA during the year 2002. Developing and underdeveloped countries accounted for 80% of these deaths. Aim: The aim of the study was to know the m accident cases in Malwa region of Punjab. Material and methods: Total Hospital, Faridkot, Punjab from May 2013 to December 2013 were selected Results: The age wise distribution of victims showed that 157 (31.4%) occurred in 21 group, 215 (43%) victims reached the health facility within one hour and the 242 stayed in the hospital for the duration of 1 Conclusion: When enquired about the probable cause of accident most of the victims complained about the poor lighting condition on the roads at night time. The other major cause was alcohol or influence of others intoxication on the victim or the

Visual outcome in patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty

Background: Penetrating keratoplasty is the surgical removal of diseased cornea with replacement by full thickness corneal donor tissue. The aim of the study was to know the visual outcome in patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty.Methods:Thirty patients were selected from department of ophthalmology, Guru Gobind Singh medical college & hospital, Faridkot for penetrating keratoplasty.Results:Visual acuity of 6/12 was seen in 1 case, 6/18 in 4 cases, 6/36 in 5 cases, 6/60 in 5 cases, 3/60 in 4 cases, hand movements in 4 cases, PL+PR+ in 2 cases and no perception of light in 2 cases. Final vision at 6 months of follow up was >6/60 in 10 cases (33.33%). 5 cases (16.67%) had vision between 6/60-4/60. 13 cases (43.33%) had vision of 3/60 or less. While in 2 cases (6.67%) there was no vision at the end of follow up.Conclusion:Penetrating keratoplasty helps patients in regaining vision which makes them able to move independently. Although in our study visual outcome of more than 3/60 was present in only 50% cases.

Study of histochemical and immunohistochemical profile in grading of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

Background and Aim: Head-and-neck cancers (HNCs) are significant causes of morbidity and mortality in both the developed and developing worlds. One of the most common types of HNC is oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The rationale behind the present study is to analyze the effectiveness of nuclear proliferative markers in comparison to the various grades of OSCC. This study utilizes Anneroth's histopathological multifactorial grading system for squamous cell carcinoma and further tends to compare this histological grading with nuclear proliferative indices of p53 and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR). The aim of this study was to establish and develop a correlation between the proliferative markers, AgNOR and p53, and the histologic grade of the tumor (Anneroth's grading). Materials and Methods: A total of 60 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma were taken from October 2020 to September 2022. The histological grading was done according to Anneroth's grading, and a score was given. P53 expression was graded according to the percentage of cells showing p53-positive immunostaining, and scoring was done from 0 to 3. The AgNOR score was calculated by examining 100 nuclei and calculating the mean AgNOR score per nucleus. Results: A significant linear correlation was obtained between the histological grading of OSCC and the proliferative markers (p53 and AgNOR). Conclusion: The analysis of the NOR count provides invaluable assistance in determining tumor aggressiveness and cellular proliferation rates. They can prove to be efficient tools to procure information on the malignant potential of different premalignant lesions. Elevated p53 expression implies greater clinical severity, a higher histological grade, and a poor prognosis for oral squamous cell carcinoma. Hence, the proliferative markers can be used as adjuncts to the histological grading system of OSCC

An Incidental Primary Papillary Carcinoma Arising in a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst: Report of a Rare Finding

The thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs) are the most common congenital anomaly of the thyroid, usually manifested as painless midline neck mass. Malignancy is very rare and is reported in around 1% of cases as an incidental finding after histopathological evaluation of resected cyst. Papillary carcinoma is the most common carcinoma reported in TGDC. Here, we report a case of 17-year-old-female, who presented with a gradually increasing midline neck mass which moves with swallowing. On imaging a diagnosis of infected TGDC was made. The Sistrunk operation was done and a diagnosis of primary papillary carcinoma arising in a TGDC was rendered histopathologically. The contemporary appearance of papillary carcinoma thyroid was reported in about 20% cases of TGDC carcinoma, thus it is essential to differentiate primary papillary carcinoma arising in a TGDC from those of metastatic papillary carcinoma thyroid by strict diagnostic criteria