An Investigation to Review the Impact of Dividend on Share Prices of Indian Companies

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Clinical and microbiological profile of pneumonia in severe acute malnourished children

Background: It is estimated that 57 million children are underweight (moderate and severe) in India. More than 50% of deaths in 0-4 years are associated with malnutrition. Pneumonia is common in malnourished children and is frequently associated with fatal outcome, especially in children younger than 24 months of age. The aim and objectives was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological profile of pneumonia in severe acute malnourished children.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out on 60 severe acute malnourished children admitted at Department of Pediatrics, SSG Hospital Vadodara.Results: Most of the admitted children belonged to rural and tribal areas (81.7%). Children in the age group of 1-3 years were more prone to develop very severe pneumonia (51.7%). Blood culture yield was 80%. Most common isolate was Staphylococcal Aureus which was isolated in 16.6% of the patients.Conclusions: We concluded at the end of the study that malnourished children were prone to develop more severe pneumonia, required aggressive antibiotic usage as the causative organisms were strikingly different as compared to well-nourished children and needed a longer hospital stay

Study of risk factors, clinical profile, and outcome in meconium-stained deliveries

Background: The presence of meconium in amniotic fluid is a serious sign of fetal distress which leads to an increase in neonatal mortality. Objective: The objective of this study was to study the risk factors, clinical profile, and outcome of babies born through meconium-stained fluid. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted during the period from February 2018 to October 2018 at neonatal unit of a tertiary care hospital. All live babies delivered through meconium-stained liquor were included in this study. Routine investigations such as complete blood count and C-reactive protein were done in all the patients. All the variables were analyzed with the help of the Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. Results: A total of 606 meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) babies were included in the study. Most of the MSAF babies were term, appropriate for gestational age babies. The number of babies delivered through the lower segment cesarean section was 61.7%. Fetal distress was present in 23.2% of the cases. Otherwise, the most common risk factor associated with MSAF was pre-eclampsia (5.9%). A total of 58.2% of babies developed respiratory distress after birth; other morbidities associated were convulsion, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, sepsis, shock, hypoglycemia, and hyperbilirubinemia. In the present study, total mortality in MSAF babies was 12%. Babies who expired had severe meconium aspiration syndrome. Duration of hospital stay was <7 days in 83.9% of the neonates, of which 14% expired and 85% were discharged. All the mortalities in our study except one occurred within 7 days of life. Conclusion: MSAF is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in neonates. Mortality was more in non-vigorous babies and in those who developed severe meconium aspiration syndrome and pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. Other morbidities did not have a strong association with MSAF

A Comparative Study of Steroid and Steroid plus other Drugs in Relation to Growth and Renal Histopathology among Frequently Relapsing Nephrotic Syndrome Patients

Background: Corticosteroid is mainstay in the management of Nephrotic syndrome, but it has potential to impair linear growth and the repeated treatment regimens expose such children to the high risk of toxicity. Renal histopathology of FRNS patients is an important guide for management. Aim: To study the linear growth, renal histopathology, spectrum of infections and complications of steroid therapy in FRNS patients. Material and Methods: Combined retrospective and prospective study of 44 FRNS(Frequent Relapsing Nephrotic Syndrome) patients. Data were obtained from disease onset until follow-up of at least 3 years. Group I received steroid only and group II received Cyclophosphamide, Cyclosporine, Levamisole along with Steroids. Result: The range for age of onset of 1st attack was1-11 years with median of 5.5 years. Age distribution was 73% amongst 2-6 years and 20% in >6 years. Mean increase in height in group I was 4.89 cm/ year while in group II it was 6.43. After 3 years of treatment patients in group II had significantly higher improvement in linear growth as compared to those in group I (p<0.01). Out of 17 biopsied patients, MCNS (Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome)was the commonest and seen in 88%, FSGS (Focal Segmental Glomerulo Sclerosis) in 6% and MPGN (Membrano Proliferative Glomerulo Nephritis) in 6%. Conclusion: The addition of an immunosuppressive agent to steroid therapy decreases the risk of growth retardation.Renal biopsy is a safe and effective tool, which helps in further management and predicting prognosis

Knowledge, attitude, and practice study among healthcare workers, during COVID-19 pandemic in an aspiring district of Uttar Pradesh

Background: COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) declared pandemic by WHO on 30th January 2020. Till date there is no antiviral treatment or vaccine has been developed for COVID-19. Primary preventive measures include regular hand washing, social distancing and respiratory etiquettes are only proven methods till date.Methods: A type of questionnaire based cross sectional study was conducted among the healthcare workers (HCWs) of Maharaja Suheldev Autonomous State Medical College, Bahraich.Results: In this predominantly uneducated and socially backward area, majority of participants had knowledge about COVID-19 precautionary measures and most of them are confident of winning over the disease; 77.5% were confident of successfully controlling the disease, yet maximum healthcare workers took seriously the precautionary measures.Conclusions: Good COVID-19 knowledge is associated with optimistic attitudes and appropriate practices towards COVID-19, suggesting that health education programs aimed at improving COVID-19 knowledge are helpful for encouraging an optimistic attitude and maintaining safe practices

Study of clinical profile of childhood extra pulmonary tuberculosis

Background: Tuberculosis is the second most common cause of death from infectious disease at the global level, being second only to AIDS. Good data on the burden of all forms of TB amongst children in India is not available; most surveys conducted have focused on pulmonary TB. The present study was designed to study clinical profile of various forms of childhood EPTB. Objective of current study was to study clinico-epidemiological profile of various forms of childhood EPTB.Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical profile of 100 patients of childhood EPTB in the age group of 6 months to 12 years.Results: Age distribution in our study showed that 62% cases falling in the age 0-5 years and 38% cases in 5-12 years (P = 0.041) with male to female ratio of 1.9:1. 96% (P = 0.016) of the patients belonged to the lower socio-economic class (P = 0.01). The distribution of EPTB was - TBME (46%), disseminated TB (21%), pleural effusion (12%), abdominal TB (10%), TB lymphadenitis (7%), Osteoarticular (4%). 28% of the patients had mild to moderate malnutrition (PEM Grade-I,II)  and 46% (PEM Grade-III,IV) were severely malnourished. 66% of the patient were BCG vaccinated & history of  Koch’s contact were present in 28% of the all cases. In CNS tuberculosis, fever was present in 97% followed by altered sensorium & convulsion in 80%, tonic posturing in 60% & abnormal movements in 4% and in most common sign was tonic posturing in 60%, crack pot sign positive in 41%. In abdominal tuberculosis - fever (100%), anorexia (90%), weight loss (80%) abdominal pain (50%) & hepatomegaly was common finding seen in 100% of abdominal tuberculosis.Conclusion: Childhood EPTB is commonly seen in children age more than 1 year, lower socioeconomic class & in severely malnourished. CNS tuberculosis commonly present with fever, altered sensorium, convulsion, abnormal movements while abdominal TB present with fever, anorexia, weight loss & abdominal pain

Intersonic crack propagation in bimaterial systems

This paper describes experimental observations of various phenomena characteristic of dynamic intersonic decohesion of bimaterial interfaces. Two separate but complementary optical methods are used in conjunction with high-speed photography to explore the nature of the large-scale contact and mach wave formation at the vicinity of running cracks in two different bimaterial systems. Theoretical predictions of crack tip speed regimes, where large-scale contact is implied, are confirmed. Also, the theoretically predicted mach wave emanating from the intersonically propagating crack tip is observed. Direct visual evidence is also obtained for another traveling mach wave emanating from the end of the intersonically moving contact zone. Subsequently, a physical model for intersonic crack propagation along bimaterial interfaces is presented and ratified in view of recent experimental observations and theoretical developments. Finally, the paper presents very recent experimental evidence that shows crack tip speeds exceeding the intersonic regime and becoming clearly supersonic. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Supply chain inventory model for deteriorating items under two-level credit policy in declining market

In this paper, an attempt is made to derive the retailer's inventory policy for deteriorating items under two levels of trade credit in declining market in supply chain environment. It is assumed that the retailer is a powerful decision maker. Supplier offers credit period to the retailer which in turn, partially offered to the customers by the retailer. The objective is to minimise the total cost of the retailer's inventory system with respect to the cycle time. An easy-to-use algorithm is given to decide the best policy. The numerical examples are given to illustrate the developed model and managerial issues are derived.deterioration; partial trade credit; demand declining markets; supply chain management; SCM; inventory modelling; deteriorating items; credit policy; inventory policy.

A Novel Model for Vehicular Delay Tolerant Networks using Deterministic Bundle Relaying Scheme

The traditional bundle relaying scheme rarely utilizes the impact of selfish nodes in Vehicular Delay Tolerant Networks (VDTNs) that may not be able to transmit messages to other nodes because of limited resources in the road transport system. Here the Railway Transport System (RTS) is used to transfer the data from one end to another end into the network. In RTS, the proposed approach utilizes stationary nodes deployed along the railway tracks (usually at railway stations) with a large memory size, known as Track Side Units (TSUs), and mobile nodes which are trains equipped with devices having large buffer capacity and message relaying capability. In this paper, the VDTN scenario is developed using RTS in which all nodes have high buffer capacity and power availability hence storage and transfer of message bundles will be done through all nodes. Further, this paper proposed a novel model for transmitting data in VDTN environment using an Efficient Deterministic Bundle Relaying Scheme with Bulk Bundle Release (DBRS-BBR). To validate this, a mathematical model of queuing processes, M/G/1: FIFO/&amp;#x221E;/&amp;#x221E;, is applied at the TSUs and mobile units, and a Deterministic Scheduling technique is applied for relaying the bundles. To evaluate the proposed DBRS-BBR scheme, different performance measures are used, including Mean Queueing Delay, Mean Transit Delay, and Mean End-To-End Delay. This proposed scheme has the potential to improve message bundle transmission in remote areas and it outperforms the existing Probabilistic Bundle Relaying Scheme with Bulk Bundle Release (PBRS-BBR) in terms of various performance measures.</p