How benign is benign tertian malaria?

Objective: This retrospective study was conducted to determine the incidence of variouscomplications of Plasmodium vivax malaria based on review of case records.Methods: The case records of all confirmed cases of malaria over the period of one year (September2005–August 2006) were studied. Complete blood count, peripheral blood findings, liver and kidneyfunctions were reviewed. The results of rapid diagnostic test for malaria (OptiMAL test, DiamedAG, Switzerland) were correlated with the peripheral blood smear findings in the patients in whomit was requested. All abnormal results like a positive direct Coomb’s test were noted. Findingswere clinically correlated.Results: There were 265 confirmed cases by peripheral blood examination. Of these 221 were dueto Plasmodium vivax and 41 due to P. falciparum. Two cases had mixed infection and in one casethe species could not be identified as it showed only malarial pigment. The peak incidence ofmalaria was seen in September 2005 and August 2006. The complications in P. vivax werethrombocytopenia, biochemical evidence of hepatic dysfunction, renal damage, positive DCT anddeath due to ARDS. Thrombocytopenia was seen in 213 patients with counts < 20 x 103/μl in 13patients. Nine (4%) patients had serum bilirubin >3 mg/dl with normal liver enzymes. Liver enzymeswere elevated in 60 patients with seven patients showing liver enzymes level, three times the normal.Renal dysfunction was seen in 17 patients with serum creatinine ranging from 1.3–10.65 mg/dl.One patient went into acute renal failure following quinine therapy and showed red cell fragmentsin the peripheral blood. In two children DCT was positive with the peripheral smear showing RBCagglutinates around the parasitised RBC. There were three maternal deaths at about 32 weeksgestation due to ARDS. The peripheral blood smear in these patients showed WBC agglutinates.Conclusion: This paper is presented to highlight that P. vivax malaria though considered to be abenign entity can also have a severe and complicated course which is usually associated with P.falciparum malaria

Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding World Health Organization surgical safety checklist and the challenges in its implementation at a teaching hospital in North India

Background: The WHO in 2009 published the surgical safety checklist (SSC) for reducing the surgical complications. For its successful implementation it is imperative to identify the current knowledge, attitude and practices of the involved personnel and explore the anticipated barriers. Objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of the participants about the SSC and determine the possible challenges in its implementation.Methods: This study is a descriptive, cross-sectional study involving the use of a pre-tested questionnaire carried out in a teaching hospital. All personnel involved in the operation theater who gave their written consent were enrolled.Results: Awareness regarding the SSC is high and existing practices are favorable towards patient safety amongst Hospital personnel. Attempts should be made to educate all personnel to gain complete knowledge regarding the checklist. The anticipated barriers, of which lack of knowledge was found to be the most prominent, should be dealt with.Conclusions: A strategy aimed at proper education, stepwise implementation, alleviating the hindrances and regular feedbacks can result in decreasing the surgery related complications and morbidities through implementation of the surgical safety checklist

Thermal studies on electrodeposited black oxide coating on magnesium alloys

Thermal behavior of black anodic coatings on magnesium alloy, AZ31B and magnesium lithium alloy, MLA 9 has been investigated. The chemical nature of coating is characterized by infrared spectral studies. The thermoanalytical investigations have been carried out using thermogravimetry (TG), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The decomposition proceeds through three steps viz., dehydration, decomposition of chromium hydroxide and sulphate and decomposition of magnesium chromate to oxide. Measurement of hemispherical emittance of coatings verses temperature was investigated using calorimetric methods. The studies revealed that the thermal emittance of coatings increases with temperature. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V

Improving Performance of Quantum Heat Engines by Free Evolution

The efficiency of a quantum heat engine is maximum when the unitary strokes are adiabatic. On the other hand, this may not be always possible due to small energy gaps in the system, especially at the critical point where the gap vanishes. With the aim to achieve this adiabaticity, we modify one of the unitary strokes of the cycle by allowing the system to evolve freely with a particular Hamiltonian till a time so that the system reaches a less excited state. This will help in increasing the magnitude of the heat absorbed from the hot bath so that the work output and efficiency of the engine can be increased. We demonstrate this method using an integrable model and a non- integrable model as the working medium. In the case of a two spin system, the optimal value for the time till which the system needs to be freely evolved is calculated analytically in the adiabatic limit. The results show that implementing this modified stroke significantly improves the work output and efficiency of the engine, especially when it crosses the critical point.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

An insight into risk factors profile of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer patients attending two tertiary care hospitals in Jaipur, India

Background: Oral cancer is the second most prevalent cancers among males in Jaipur city. Assessment of risk factors profile of patients will help the policy makers in initiating new ways to curb the usage of tobacco among masses. The present study aims to find out the risk factors profile of oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients at two hospitals of Jaipur city.Methods: It was a prospective and observational study. The patients with histologically confirmed diagnosis of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers and fulfilling the inclusion criteria were recruited. Data on the demographic profile and clinical information were obtained from hospital and clinical records. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 14 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Chi-square test was performed to analyse the data.Results: Out of 400 oral cancer patients included in this study majority of the patients were in the age range of 40-60years and with a significant male preponderance in all the age groups (P <0.05). The most common habit among males and females was chewing. Buccal mucosa was the most commonly affected site followed by tongue. Both males and females were more likely to be diagnosed in stage 3 (p <0.05).Conclusions: There is a need to reduce the burden of this disease by educating the people about various risk factors which play role in oral cancer development

Seroprevalence of antistreptolysin O antibodies in a tertiary health care centre in Haryana, India: a three year retrospective study

Background: Presence of antistreptolysin O antibodies in a patient’s sera may be an isolated evidence of recent infection by group A or less commonly, group C or G Streptococcus, especially in patients suspected of having a non suppurative sequel to this infection.Methods: A retrospective study was done on the sera samples received in the Department of Microbiology, PGIMS Rohtak, India for the detection of ASO, over a period of three years. The test was carried out by latex agglutination rapid test kit by Aspen.Results: A total of 4632 samples were received in the laboratory during the study period. Of these, 1058 (22.8%) were found to be positive for the presence of ASO having titre of >200 IU/mL.Conclusions: The prevalence of ASO was found to be highest in the age group 0-20. The presence of elevated streptococcal antibody titres in such a population reflects a high background prevalence of streptococcal infections. Thus, determination of ASO antibodies should be taken into consideration when evaluating the role of group A streptococcus in non-purulent complications of infections

To Evaluate the efficacy of Aahara –Vihara on Stanya Kshaya in Healthy Female Volunteers of different Deha Prakriti

oai:oai.jaims.in:article/1Ayurveda is a practical science that deals with physiological and pathological status of human beings. Acharyas of Ayurveda has classified the elements of the body under three fundamental components Dosa, Dhatu and Mala. Though the basic elements are categorised under these three groups but some elements are left which are not defined. These specialised group of elements termed as Updhatu. Upa is suggestive of ‘Proximity’ and close resemblance to the term Dhatu. So in nutshell, it could be said that Updhatu is derivative of Dhatu and has some resemblance in terms of structure, function, and nature. The present study evaluate the role of the efficacy of Aahara–Vihara on Stanyaksaya in healthy female volunteers of different Deha Prakriti.The study was undertaken on 30 Females having Stanyaksaya and baby in Ksirapa Avastha in a single group. The duration of therapy was 3 months. The patients were followed up every 2 weeks.This trial revealed that this disease is common in VataKapha Prakriti patients. After treatment, statistically significant (p&lt;0.01) reduction was observed in selected parameters. We found that the Aahara-Vihara was found effective in Stanyaksaya. On the basis of above observation, it may be recommended that this diet (Ahara-Vihara) is a safe and effective in the management of Stanyakshaya

A comparative study of the effect of drotaverine hydrochloride with hyoscine butylbromide in first stage of labor

Background: Prolongation of labor is one such dilemma that every obstetrician tries to avoid. The ultimate aim of the obstetrician is to accomplish the delivery in the shortest possible time without compromising maternal and fetal safety. Prolonged labor often ends up in great suffering to the parturient because of dehydration, confusion, and infection. This study aims to compare the efficacy of drotaverine hydrochloride with hyoscine butyl bromide for increasing the rate of cervical dilatation and to compare their duration of labor.Methods: This was a prospective interventional study conducted on 60 women who were randomly allocated to Group I, which was control group, women in Group II were injected hyoscine butylbromide one ampoule (20 mg) and the women in Group III were injected drotaverine hydrochloride one ampoule (40 mg) intramuscular at 3 cm dilatation of cervix. The data collected was statistically analyzed using SPSS version 15.Results: When compared to Group I (control group), Group II and Group III took lower time for all the three stages of labor. However, intergroup difference was significant only for Stage I (p0.05).Conclusions: The finding in this study suggested a significant impact of both the drugs in first stage as well as total duration of labor as compared to control group. However, no significant difference between two study groups was observed. Thus, both drotaverine hydrochloride and hyoscine butylbromide could effectively reduce first stage as well as total duration of labor