Antibiotics to improve recovery following tonsillectomy: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if antibiotics improve recovery following tonsillectomy. STUDY DESIGN: DATA SOURCES: Electronic databases Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched using relevant search terms. Additional trials, if any, were retrieved by searching the references from all identified trials, reviews, correspondences, editorials, and conference proceedings. No language restriction was applied. STUDY SELECTION: Systematic review of trials in which antibiotic was administered as a study medication intraoperatively and/or postoperatively, in children or adults undergoing tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy. Only randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials attaining preset quality scores were included. Outcomes analyzed: 1) pain, need for analgesia, fever, halitosis, and return to normal diet and activities; 2) secondary hemorrhage using 2 parameters-significant hemorrhage (ie, warranting readmission, blood transfusion, or return to theatre for hemostasis) and total hemorrhage; and 3) adverse events. RESULTS: Five trials met the eligibility criteria. Antibiotics significantly reduced the number of subjects manifesting fever (relative risk [RR]: 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.45, 0.85) and duration of halitosis (-1.94 [-3.57, -0.30] days), and marginally reduced the time taken to resume normal activity (-0.63 [-1.12, -0.14] days), but had no significant effect in reducing pain scores (-0.01 [-0.60, 0.57]) or need for analgesia. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the time taken to resume normal diet or incidence of significant and total hemorrhage, although data was underpowered to detect differences for these outcomes. In the antibiotic group 4 patients developed an adverse reaction (3 cases of rash and 1 case of oropharyngeal candidiasis), while in the control group 1 patient had an adverse reaction (rash). The RR of antibiotic-related adverse events was 2.45 (0.45, 13.31). CONCLUSION: Antibiotics appear to be effective in reducing some, but not all, morbid outcomes following tonsillectomy, and may increase the risk of adverse events. Further trials are needed to better define the role of antibiotics in facilitating post-tonsillectomy recovery. EBM RATING: A-1a

Heavy Particle Accompanied Fission of 284Og - A Statistical Model Study

The structural characteristics of SHN can be investigated through the decay of SHN. In the present work ternary fission of SHN 284Og for two proton magic fixed third fragment 48Ca and 68Ni is studied at three different excitation energies 20, 35 and 50 MeV. Interestingly, 169Yb + 67Ni + 48Ca is having larger yield values and hence it is the most favoured way of fragmentation at intermediate excitation energy 35 MeV. It is observed that, asymmetric fission is favoured over symmetric fission at all the excitation for the third fragment 48Ca. Asymmetric fission is the most favoured with the fragment combination 148Sm + 68Ni + 68Ni for fixed A3 = 68Ni at all the excitations. Unlike the Ca third fragment, near symmetric fission is also favoured with 113Ag + 103Tc + 68Ni for A3 = 68Ni at all the three excitation energies

Influence of mangrove ecosystem on the biological resources and fishery of Kakinada

Since there are no records of detailed investigation on the ecology of the mangrove Kakinada around Kakinada and keeping in view of the vastness, fertility and biological resources of the Kakinada Bay and the adjacent sea, the Institute took initiative to conduct a study on the ecology of mangrove areas around Kakinada during 1982-'85 to understand the various ecological aspects connected to the water, soil/ sediment and mangrove-associated fauna and their influence on fisheries

Studies on the mangrove ecosystem

Mangrove ecosystem is one of the most specialised and productive coastal habitats in the world. Due to human interference in many ways, most of the mangrove forests are on the verge of destruction and disappearance. The main causes for the degradation of Indian mangroves are land reclamation, pollution and overexploitation of the resources. A proper understanding of this specialised ecosystem and careful implementation of the conservation measures would alone save the ecosystem from further destruction and extinction. The present account deals with the ecological aspects of the mangrove habitats covering their extent, distribution, zonation, biological assemblage, hydrography and productivity, and giving importance to their role, man-made impacts and conservation aspects with emphasis on the approaches for the sustainable use of this ecosystem to the mankind with special reference to the mangroves of India

Occurrence of giant male and female groupers with a note on sex change in groupers

Serranid fishes are popularly known as 'Groupers' or 'Rock cods' and locally 'Kalava'.In view of their importance in the capture and culture fisheries, the present account on the record of giant female groupers [Epinephelus tauuina (Forskal), Epinephelus malabaricus (Bloch and Schneider) and Promicrops lanceolatus (Bloch)] of more than two metres in total length and their sex ratio] in the natural population from the Indian coast (Table 1) deserves special attention

Mariculture in India, its potentialities and practical applications

India is passing through a very critical period of food crisis and consequentiy calling for the necessity of adopting various techniques and methods to augment the food production. Among them , mariculture is an important means of getting additional source of human food

Bacteriologic and clinical efficacy of ofloxacin 0.3% versus ciprofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solutions in the treatment of patients with culture-positive bacterial keratitis.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of ofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution with ciprofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution in patients with culture-positive bacterial keratitis. METHODS: Patients with a microbiologic diagnosis of bacterial keratitis were included in this double-masked, parallel-group study and were randomized to treatment with either ofloxacin 0.3% or ciprofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution. One drop of the study medication was instilled during the daytime according to the following schedule: every half-hour on study day 1, every hour on days 2 through 4, and every 2 hours on days 5 through 21. Healing, the primary outcome measure, was defined as complete reepithelialization, accompanied by nonprogression of stromal infiltrate for 2 days. Secondary outcome measures included signs and symptoms of infection. Patients were monitored throughout the study period for any adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 217 patients completed the study: 112 were treated with ofloxacin and 105 were treated with ciprofloxacin. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most commonly encountered pathogen in all patients. Complete corneal reepithelialization occurred in 85% of those treated with ofloxacin and in 77% of those treated with ciprofloxacin (p = 0.32). The average time to corneal ulcer healing was 13.7 days in those treated with ofloxacin and 14.4 days in those treated with ciprofloxacin. Both treatments were well tolerated with no patient discontinuing the study because of side effects. CONCLUSION: Ofloxacin 0.3% and ciprofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solutions are effective and safe in the treatment of patients with culture-positive bacterial keratitis

A study of migraine cases in a tertiary care hospital neurology outpatient department: demography, sub classification and clinical features

Background: Recurrent headache disorders impose a substantial burden on headache sufferers, family and society. In India, 15 to 20% of people suffer from migraine with an adult female: male ratio of 2:1. This study has been done with an aim at documenting the different types of migraine, their clinical presentations among patients presented to the Headache clinic, Neurology outpatient Department, Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai during a one year period.Methods: The patients registered at Headache clinic, Neurology outpatient Department, Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai during one year period between the March 2009 and February 2010 with the diagnosis of migraine as per International Headache Society 2004 criteria were taken for this study. The clinical material was collected from the records and by patient interviews with a detailed pre-prepared proforma. The various parameters of the patients were compared, classified and analysed with specific reference to national and international studies.Results: Migraine is the commonest type of headache comprising of about 76% of total cases of headache. Migraine without aura (48%) was more common than migraine with aura (32%). Female preponderance was noticed in all subtypes of migraine, age of onset being in 2nd and 3rd decade for majority of the subgroups of migraine, with positive family history in 45% of cases, with predominant unilateral in presentation and temporal in location, lasting for 12 to 24 hours in majority of cases.Conclusions: Migraine is the commonest type of headache in patients observed in this study. Among subtypes migraine without aura is the commonest. Second and third decade is the commonest age group of onsets

Therapeutic evaluation of homeopathic treatment for canine oral papillomatosis

Aim: A study was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative potential of homeopathic drugs in combination (Sulfur 30C, Thuja 30C, Graphites 30C, and Psorinum 30C) in 16 dogs affected with oral papillomatosis which was not undergone any previous treatment. Materials and Methods: Dogs affected with oral papillomatosis, which have not undergone any initial treatment and fed with a regular diet. Dogs (total=16) were randomly divided into two groups, namely, homeopathic treatment group (n=8) and placebo control group (n=8). Random number table was used for allocation. Homeopathic combination of drugs and placebo drug (distilled water) was administered orally twice daily for 15 days. Clinical evaluation in both groups of dogs was performed by the same investigator throughout the period of study (12 months). Dogs were clinically scored for oral lesions on days 0, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 150 after initiation of treatment. Results: The homeopathic treatment group showed early recovery with a significant reduction in oral lesions reflected by clinical score (p<0.001) in comparison to placebo-treated group. Oral papillomatous lesions regressed in the homeopathic group between 7 and 15 days, whereas regression of papilloma in the placebo group occurred between 90 and 150 days. The homeopathic treated group was observed for 12 months post-treatment period and no recurrence of oral papilloma was observed. Conclusion: The current study proves that the combination of homeopathy drugs aids in fastening the regression of canine oral papilloma and proved to be safe and cost-effective