Adaptive Digital Scan Variable Pixels

The square and rectangular shape of the pixels in the digital images for sensing and display purposes introduces several inaccuracies in the representation of digital images. The major disadvantage of square pixel shapes is the inability to accurately capture and display the details in the objects having variable orientations to edges, shapes and regions. This effect can be observed by the inaccurate representation of diagonal edges in low resolution square pixel images. This paper explores a less investigated idea of using variable shaped pixels for improving visual quality of image scans without increasing the square pixel resolution. The proposed adaptive filtering technique reports an improvement in image PSNR.Comment: 4th International Conference on Advances in Computing, Communications and Informatics, August, 201

Efficacy of intracuff dexamethasone in reducing the incidence of post-operative sore throat: an original article

Background: Postoperative sore throat is the most common and most distressing complaint of patients after general anaesthesia with cuffed endotracheal tube. By this study our aim was to assess the efficacy of intracuff dexamethasone in reducing the incidence of this distressing postoperative symptom.Methods: Patients were divided into two groups D and N depending on cuff filling with dexamethasone and normal saline respectively. The cuff was prefilled with dexamethasone or normal saline  one hour prior to intubation to allow time for cuff to be saturated following which the cuff was deflated. General anaesthesia was administered and patients were intubated, and cuff inflated with drug according to group allocated. Patients were assessed and graded for sore throat using VAS scale both at rest and with swallowing. Assessment was done one hour, six, 12 and 24hours post operatively. Presence of hoarseness of voice and cough was assessed on a 2-point scale 0=absent and 1=present, 24hrs after surgery.Results: The incidence of sore throat at 24hours postoperative was reduced in group D than in group N. 4 patients (8%) in group D had sore throat while 27 patients (57%) in group N had sore throat at 24hours. This was statistically significant (p<0.05). The cough incidence was reduced in group D while there was no difference in incidence of hoarseness of voice between the two groups.Conclusions: Intracuff dexamethasone decreases the incidence of postoperative sore throat when compared to intracuff normal saline. Dexamethasone also reduces postoperative cough incidence but does not reduce the incidence of hoarseness of voice

Relationship of rheumatoid factor positivity to prevalence of joint manifestations in type 2 diabetes which are unrelated to rheumatoid arthritis

Background: The present study was designed to investigate the relationship of rheumatoid factor positivity to the prevalence of joint manifestations in type 2 diabetes which are not attributable to rheumatoid arthritis.Methods: We evaluated 192 type 2 diabetes patients with rheumatological complications and age and sex matched non-diabetic controls for rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity. Diabetic patients with frozen shoulder, LJM syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, DISH and Dupuytren’s contracture were evaluated for RF positivity.  Results: RF was positive in 47 patients (24.4%) when compared to controls (4.2%). RF positivity was associated with an increased prevalence of joint manifestations in diabetic group when compared to controls. RF positivity was not related to the duration of diabetes nor was it related to long term glycemic control.Conclusion: RF positivity resulted in an increased prevalence of joint manifestations in diabetes, which were unrelated to rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatological manifestations of type 2 diabetes and its relationship to glycemic control and duration of diabetes

Background: While so much emphasis is given to micro and macro vascular complications of diabetes, other long-term complications especially musculoskeletal are often overlooked and underappreciated. This study investigates the prevalence of joint complications among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to examine their relationship with duration of diabetes and glycemic control. Materials and Methods: The presence of various rheumatological complications were assessed in 763 type 2 diabetes patients and their age and sex-matched non-diabetic controls. The relationship between these complications and duration of diabetes and long-term glycemic control was determined. Results: Frozen shoulder (15.6%), LJM syndrome (30.1%), carpal tunnel syndrome (10.2%), trigger finger (9%), DISH (26%) and dupuytren′s contracture (12%) were significantly more prevalent in the diabetic than the control group. Prevalence of OA did not show any significant difference between the two groups. The risk of rheumatological complications increased with deteriorating glycemic control. Conclusion: Periarthritis, diabetic cheiroarthropathy, dupuytren′s contracture, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger and DISH are the most prevalent rheumatological complications n the study diabetic population