Aerodynamic Analysis Of Voice In Persons With Laryngopharyngeal Reflux

Objectives of the study: The individuals with laryngopharyngeal reflux are prone for aspiration of refluxed contents and so there is a need for aerodynamic evaluation in these individuals. Hence, the present study investigated the aerodynamic characteristics in individuals with Laryngopharyngeal reflux. Study design: Prospective control group design. Method: Thirty laryngopharyngeal reflux subjects and 30 normal subjects participated in the study. Aerodynamic parameters such as vital capacity, mean air flow rate, maximum phonation duration and phonation quotient were measured using Aero Phone Instrument ((Model 6800). Independent t test was employed for statistical inference. Results: The results revealed that the vital capacity and maximum phonation duration values were lower for laryngopharyngeal reflux subjects when compared to normal controls. No significant differences were observed for mean air flow rate and phonation quotient. Conclusions: The results revealed that the laryngopharyngeal reflux individuals showed significant deviations in aerodynamic parameters when compared to normal individuals. Thus study confirms aerodynamic abnormalities in laryngopharyngeal reflux subject

Conservation of millets: the role of community leaders in Kolli Hills, South India

Traditional knowledge is based on vast experiences gained over centuries that is communicated from one generation to another. With growing concerns of malnutrition and dietary diversity, traditional food and cultivation practices are gaining attention of scientific and development communities. Efforts to extract this knowledge apart, there is also a need to understand how this has been transmitted. A shift from focus on knowledge to focus on practice may provide pathways to understand how communities adopt and sustain certain practices over generations. This study is on the role of community influencers – known as ‘Oor Goundars’ (village leaders) among the tribal communities of Kolli Hills in Tamil Nadu, South India – in conserving millet landraces. Using the Social Practice Theory, the existing role and importance of these community leaders is analyzed. The study finds that conservation of rich knowledge of social, cultural and agricultural practices reposed with traditional community influencers such as Oor Goundars is diminishing. It probes whether it may be possible to preserve or enhance traditional knowledge within its setting by increasing focus and attention on these influencers and the cultural practices that they impact

Conservation of millets: the role of community leaders in Kolli Hills, South India

101-110Traditional knowledge is based on vast experiences gained over centuries that is communicated from one generation to another. With growing concerns of malnutrition and dietary diversity, traditional food and cultivation practices are gaining attention of scientific and development communities. Efforts to extract this knowledge apart, there is also a need to understand how this has been transmitted. A shift from focus on knowledge to focus on practice may provide pathways to understand how communities adopt and sustain certain practices over generations. This study is on the role of community influencers – known as ‘Oor Goundars’ (village leaders) among the tribal communities of Kolli Hills in Tamil Nadu, South India – in conserving millet landraces. Using the Social Practice Theory, the existing role and importance of these community leaders is analyzed. The study finds that conservation of rich knowledge of social, cultural and agricultural practices reposed with traditional community influencers such as Oor Goundars is diminishing. It probes whether it may be possible to preserve or enhance traditional knowledge within its setting by increasing focus and attention on these influencers and the cultural practices that they impact

The Influence of High-Energy Lithium Ion Irradiation on Electrical Characteristics of Silicon and GaAs Solar Cells

Space-grade Si and GaAs solar cells were irradiated with 15 & 40 MeV Li ions. Illuminated (AM0 condition) and unilluminated I-V curves reveal that the effect of high-energy Li ion irradiation has produced similar effects to that of proton irradiation. However, an additional, and different, defect mechanism is suggested to dominate in the heavier-ion results. Comparison is made with proton-irradiated solar-cell work and with non-ionizing energy-loss (NIEL) radiation-damage models.Comment: 8 pages, 12 figures, Data presented at 2006 NSREC, Final Version to be published in IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 53, NO. 6, December 2006. Index Terms: GaAs, Ion-irradiation, Lithium, NIEL, Photovoltaic cells, Radiation effects, Silico

Blood loss assessment in abdominal hysterectomy: how accurate?

Background: Precise estimation of blood loss is the key to optimal transfusion practice in surgery. Many studies done in various fields of surgery infer that clinical assessment of blood loss by the surgeon or anesthesiologist is inaccurate. The purpose of this study is to see if there is any difference in visual estimation of blood loss and actual blood loss calculated using modification of gross formula in abdominal hysterectomy.Methods: Fifty four patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy for various indications at JSS Hospital, Mysore were included in the study. Baseline characteristics, pre-operative haematocrit, clinically estimated blood loss (EBL) and post-operative haematocrit were noted. Actual blood loss (ABL) was calculated from a modification of the Gross formula. The number of cases where the blood loss was clinically underestimated and overestimated; and the relationship between the difference in actual and estimated blood loss and accuracy of clinical assessment of blood loss was determined. The data obtained was analysed using descriptive statistics and Crammer’s V test.Results: In the 54 cases of abdominal hysterectomy which we studied, there was overestimation of blood loss in 28 (51.9%) cases and underestimation of blood loss in 26 (48.1%) cases. The more the inaccuracy in clinical assessment of blood loss, more was the possibility of clinicians underestimating the blood loss.Conclusions: Clinical estimation of blood loss is an inaccurate method of assessing blood loss in abdominal hysterectomy

Total laparoscopic hysterectomy versus vaginal hysterectomy: a retrospective study

Background: Total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) is now emerging as a safe procedure even in patients suitable for vaginal hysterectomy (VH) due to its advantages like better visualisation, less post-operative pain and shorter hospital stay. This study was done to compare the duration of surgery, intra-operative and postoperative complications, hospital stay and post-operative analgesia requirement in TLH and VH.Methods: A retrospective study of women undergoing TLH and VH between June 2013 and September 2014 in JSS Hospital, Mysore was done. Patients with suspected genital malignancy and uterine prolapse were excluded. Baseline characteristics like age, BMI, parity, indication for hysterectomy, uterine size and previous pelvic surgeries were noted. Intra-operative and post-operative parameters like duration of surgery, complications, post-operative analgesic dosage and hospital stay were compared between the two surgeries and the results were analysed using Chi square test and independent t test.Results: The mean time taken to perform TLH was significantly longer, i.e. 113.46 minutes compared with VH, i.e. 61.18 minutes ( p <0.0001). But the duration of stay in the hospital was shorter for the women undergoing TLH, mean duration being 3.74 days as opposed to 5.85 days in women undergoing VH  (p<0.0001). Also, women undergoing VH required more analgesic doses (mean 1.79) than those undergoing TLH (mean 1.36). When we studied the rate of complications in both the groups, we found no statistically significant difference.Conclusions: TLH was as safe as VH and had advantages like shorter hospital stay and reduced analgesia dose.

A REVIEW ON POTENTIAL USES OF CULINARY VEGETABLES USED IN ROUTINE LIFE AS AN ANTICANCER AGENT

Cancer is a disease which leads to death, and chemotherapy is a treatment used to treat cancer. Lung cancer and breast cancer are most effective one in the world. The present study examines the anticancer property of culinary vegetables such as Allium vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, and beetroot which are used in day-to-day life have anticancer properties. Allicin and gallic acid in garlic decreases the risk of colon, pancreas, stomach, esophagus, and breast cancers. In onion, cysteine sulfoxide is sulfur compounds which have ant-cancer, antiplatelet, and antithrombotic property. In broccoli, glucosinolates and sulfur compounds play a major role in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer. Betacyanin is a compound present in beetroot which has antioxidant property and anticancer activity

Social media and communication by scientists: M. S. Swaminathan on Twitter

Scientists use popular media to share views or facilitate greater understanding of their work. Social media also offers scientists the opportunity to build public opinion. Hailed as one of three most influential Indians of the 20th century by Time Magazine1, renowned agriculture scientist M. S. Swaminathan has written prolifically in scientific and mainstream media. From March 2015, for a period of one year, his use of social media platform Twitter is being taken up as a case study of social media communication by scientists. This article analyses themes articulated by a scientist on social media and finds that this provides an entry for discussions on science and development. Through this study, it is suggested that scientists, especially in India, can intervene more actively, for greater authenticity, accuracy and understanding among social media users on scientific subjects

Contour bunding preserves soils and boosts farmers' incomes by 20% in Mali

A simple innovation can go a long way to help lives and livelihood of farmers in the drylands. A team of scientists from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Mali have found that 'contour bunding',a technique that helps retain moisture and nutrients while preventing soil erosion also brings as much as 20% increase in net incom

A Closer Look at Laryngeal Nerves during Thyroid Surgery: A Descriptive Study of 584 Nerves

Morbidity after thyroidectomy is related to injuries to the parathyroids, recurrent laryngeal (RLN) and external branch of superior laryngeal nerves (EBSLN). Mostly these are due to variations in the surgical anatomy. In this study we analyse the surgical anatomy of the laryngeal nerves in Indian patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Materials and Methods. Retrospective study (February 2008 to February 2010). Patients undergoing surgery for benign goitres, T1, T2 thyroid cancers without lymph node involvement were included. Data on EBSLN types, RLN course and its relation to the TZ & LOB were recorded. Results. 404 thyroid surgeries (180 total & 224 hemithyroidectomy) were performed. Data related to 584 EBSLN and RLN were included (324 right sided & 260 left sided). EBSLN patterns were Type 1 in 71.4%, Type IIA in 12.3%, and Type IIB in 7.36%. The nerve was not seen in 4.3% cases. RLN had one branch in 69.34%, two branches in 29.11% and three branches in 1.36%. 25% of the RLN was superficial to the inferior thyroid artery, 65% deep to it and 8.2% between the branches. TZ was Grade 1 in 65.2%, Grade II in 25.1% and Grade III in 9.5%. 31.16% of the RLN passes through the LOB. Conclusions. A thorough knowledge of the laryngeal nerves and anatomical variations is necessary for safe thyroid surgery