High sensitivity C-reactive protein levels across spectrum and severity of coronary artery disease

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase reactant protein synthesized by the liver in response to acute\ud stress in a wide range of acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. In healthy subjects and patients presenting with\ud coronary artery disease (CAD), elevated levels of CRP has repeatedly been demonstrated to predict future cardiovascular\ud events.\ud Methods: We measured high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in 382 consecutive patients with CAD and 60 healthy controls by immunoturbidimetry method. Risk factors like hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia,smoking, obesity and family history of premature CAD were assessed.\ud Results: The mean age of patients with CAD was 53.5±11.8 years (303 males) and that of control group was 50.83±8.07(28 males). The patient group had significant higher concentration of mean hs-CRP levels when compared\ud with the healthy control group (1.8±1.9 mg/L vs 0.35±1.1 mg/L, p<0.001). The mean hs-CRP levels of unstable angina\ud (USA) and myocardial infarction (MI) patients was higher than chronic stable angina (CSA) patients (p<0.05). Based\ud on the disease severity, we found a significantly higher hs-CRP levels in patients of triple vessel disease when compared\ud to patients with single vessel disease (p=0.01).\ud Conclusions: Elevated serum hs-CRP levels provide a useful marker for cardiovascular risk which, when combined\ud with traditional risk factors, may help improve global risk prediction. Our study showed a significant contribution of\ud hs-CRP to coronary risk prediction with better discrimination

A study on various clinical presentations of extradural hemorrhage, factors affecting treatment and early outcome

Background: In India 11% of deaths are due to trauma and 78% of injury deaths are due to head injury. The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical spectrum and to evaluate the postoperative outcome in patients with head injury with an extradural hematoma.Methods: This was a retrospective observational study which included 100 patients admitted in King George hospital, Andhra medical college, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India over the past two years (01/10/2014 to 30/09/2016) with head injury, diagnosed to have traumatic extradural hemorrhage. A detailed clinical history, physical examination and CT scan was performed in all patients. For patients who were subjected to surgery operative and post-operative findings were noted.Results: The maximum patients suffering from EDH are in the age group of 21-30 years (28%) with male predominance (95%). The most common mode of injury is RTA (58%) under the influence of alcohol. Majority of cases reached hospital within 6 hours from  time of injury (44%). 95% of patients with EDH presented with LOC followed by vomiting in 68% of cases, followed by Headache in 42% of cases. 53% of the cases presented with mass effect over brain parenchyma with frontal EDH as most common location. Out of 100 cases, surgical approach was considered in 57 patients while remaining 47 patients were managed conservatively. Recovery from clinical and functional morbidity was satisfactorily acceptable, following treatment.Conclusions: Early presentation with mild to moderate GCS has good clinical outcome with minimal disability

Evaluation of integrated pest management in reducing insecticide residues in plant, soil and water

The impact of integrated pest management (IPM) in reducing insecticide residues at Kothapally (IPM) and Enkepally (non-IPM) villages of Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh, India was evaluated in two vegetables (tomato and brinjal), besides soil and water samples during 2008–09. Out of the 15 tomato fruit samples analyzed for insecticide residues from IPM fields, only 3 samples (20% contamination) were found contaminated with residues compared to 47% in non-IPM fields. Two soil samples out of the 10 from non-IPM tomato fields, had insecticide residues. In the brinjal fields, 20% of the IPM treated and 47% in non-IPM had insecticide contamination. Twenty per cent of the soil samples in the non-IPM fields had insecticide residues, while none of the soil samples in the IPM fields had residues. Water samples collected either from IPM or non-IPM treated fields contained no residues above the detectable level. Though the contamination levels in crops and soils in the IPM and non-IPM fields indicated substantial differences, the residue concentrations were below the MRL

Occurrence of insecticide residues in selected crops and natural resources

Pesticide residue monitoring was taken up at Kothapally and Enkepally villages of Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh in food crops (rice, maize, pigeonpea), vegetables (tomato and brinjal), cotton besides soil and water during 2008–2009 seasons. Of the 80 food crop and cotton samples, only two rice grain samples (3 %) showed beta endosulfan residues and two (3 %) out of 80 soil samples of food crops and cotton showed alpha and beta endosulfan residues. Out of 75 tomato samples, 26 (35 %) were contaminated and 4 % had residues above maximum residue limit (MRLs). Out of the 50 soil samples from tomato fields, 13 (26 %) contained residues. Among the 80 brinjal samples, 46 (56 %) contained residues and 4 % of samples had residues above MRLs. Only 13 % of the soil samples from brinjal fields were contaminated. Water samples found free from residues. In general the incidence of residues was below MRL in food crop

Detection and molecular characterisation of Mycoplasma spp. from respiratory tract infections in pigs

Achieving food security involves the maintenance of intensive production systems and large animal populations where infectious diseases are the most important challenge that need to be addressed. Respiratory infections in pigs are a formidable threat to swine farmers worldwide. It is multifactorial and is caused by the interplay between bacterial pathogens, viral agents and environmental factors. The present study aimed to identify mycoplasmal agents causing respiratory infections in pigs. A total of 43 samples, comprising of nasal swabs, and necropsy samples with pneumonic lesions were collected. The DNA extracted from the samples were subjected to Mycoplasma genus-specific, followed by species-specific PCR. Twenty five samples were positive for Mycoplasma spp., but further molecular detection performed through species-specific primers, revealed that 12 samples were positive for M. hyorhinis. None of the samples were positive for M. hyopneumoniae. The identity of the amplicons were confirmed by nucleic acid sequencing and BLAST analysis. The evolutionary relationship between the detected organisms was also studied by phylogenetic analysis. This study hints at the significance of M. hyorhinis in causing respiratory infections in swine and also suggests that M. hyopneumoniae may not be a significant health hazard for swine populations of north Kerala

Cardiovascular risk profile and management of atrial fibrillation in India: Real world data from RealiseAF survey

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia with high risk for many cardiovascular (CV) complications. Adherence to recommended management guidelines is important to avoid complications. In India, there is little knowledge on how AF is managed in real world. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of patients in India enrolled in RealiseAF survey between February 2010 and March 2010 with a diagnosis of AF within the last 12 months. RESULTS: From 15 centers, 301 patients {mean age 59.9 years (14.4); 52.5% males} were recruited. AF was controlled in 50% of patients with 77 (26.7%) in sinus rhythm and 67 (23.3%) with heart rate <80beats/min. Hypertension (50.8%), valvular heart disease (40.7%), heart failure (25.9%), and diabetes (20.4%) were the most common underlying CV diseases. Increased risk for stroke (CHADS2 score≥2) was present in 36.6%. Most of the patients (85%) were symptomatic. AF was paroxysmal, persistent, and permanent in 28.7%, 22.7%, and 34.3% respectively. In 14%, AF was diagnosed as first episode. Forty-six percent of patients had rate control, 35.2% rhythm control, 0.3% both strategies, and 18.4% received no therapy for AF before the visit. At the end of the visit, adoption to rate control strategy increased to 52.3% and patients with no therapy decreased to 7%. CONCLUSION: AF in India is not adequately controlled. Concomitant CV risk factors and risk of stroke are high. The study underscores the need for improved adoption of guideline-directed management for optimal control of AF and reducing the risk of stroke

Synthesis and Characterization of Sr2CeO4 Phosphor Doped with Erbium

The present paper reports the Photoluminescence (PL) of the Sr2CeO4 phosphor, singly doped with Erbium rare-earth ion with different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1%).The phosphor samples were synthesized using the standard solid state reaction technique. The effect of Er dopant on the structural, morphological, and Photoluminescent properties of the samples are studied with X-ray diffraction (XRD), PL and SEM analysis. The PL emission of undoped Sr2CeO4 phosphor was observed at 470 nm with high intensity followed by the primary Er emissions with good intensity at 525, 530, 549, 557 and 565 nm

Ceramic Materials (Phosphors) for Display Applications

Phosphors the ceramic materials should able to work in tough environment surrounded and bombarded by high energy Vacuum Ultra Violet (VUV), UV or electron beam radiations in any discharge tube. The plasma display panel (PDP) is increasingly gaining attention over conventional cathode ray tube (CRT)-based TVs as a medium of large format (60+”) television (TV), particularly high definition TVs (HDTVs). Improvements have been made not only in size but also in other areas such as resolution, luminescence efficiency, brightness, contrast ratio, power consumption, and cost reduction. The formation of a phosphor host and doping process by solid solution is critical and is highly dependent on the reaction temperature and conditions. Since the purity of starting chemicals is very important to the synthesis of phosphors, the starting chemicals are typically 99.9%, 99.999% in purity. Required amounts of starting ingredients are mixed in the presence of an appropriate flux (if necessary) and fired at high temperatures (1200 °C) in air or in a controlled atmosphere (N2, C, CO, or N2 with 2-5% of H2). The present paper reports the synthesis and luminescence characteristics of different ceramic materials (phosphors) for display applications