ABSTRACT
Purpose: To evaluate the role of echography in diagnosis and management of a diverse array of choroidal masses. Materials and Methods: Sixty-two cases of clinically suspected choroidal masses were prospectively analyzed with B-scan (10 Hz), A-scan, and ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) (50 Hz) after a meticulous history and ocular examination. Ancillary investigations and systemic evaluation were also done. Results: Based on clinical suspicion, acoustic features, response to treatment, and other ancillary tests combined together, the various masses were differentiated. The cases included in the study were as follows: n = 10 malignant melanomas, n = 16 metastasis and infiltrations, n = 9 hemangioma, n = 7 tuberculoma, n = 8 nonspecific inflammatory masses, n = 2 disciform plaques, n = 4 macular cysts or retinoschisis, n = 2 Coat’s disease, n = 1 melanocytoma, and n = 2 osteomas. Ultrasonography (USG) alone could identify n = 51 lesions, while UBM in combination with USG was needed in remaining 11 masses. Conclusion: Standardized echography is an important adjunct in the diagnosis and management of eyes with intraocular masses. A better understanding of the clinicopathological and echographic picture of the diverse lesions can help in detection, differentiation, diagnosis, proposing a therapeutic approach, and also monitoring response to treatment. Echography is essential to evaluate tumors for extrascleral and anterior segment extension.
ABSTRACT
Seaweeds are marine macroscopic algae which form an important component of marine living organisms.The antibacterial activity of three species of seaweeds Codiumadhaerens Anderson (green algae) Sargassum wightii Greville (brown algae) ,Acanthophora spicifera (Vahl.) Boergs (red algae) from intertidal region of the Mandapam coastal water were analysed against human pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholerae, Shigelladysentriae, Shigellabodii, Salmonella paratyphi, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The present study was also carried out to investigate the phytochemical constituents like alkaloids, flavanoids, phenols, proteins and free amino acids, saponins, sterols, terpenoids and Sugars in all samples and coumarin and glycosides, quinones and tannin, estimation of biochemical composition (protein, sugar, lipid), photosynthetic pigments like chlorophyll, carotenoid and mineral composition. The results indicated that the maximum protein content (6.396±0.97%) was recorded in the brown alga S. wightii. The maximum carbohydrate content (6.29±0.063%) was recorded in the red alga A. spicifera. The maximum lipid content (1.213±0.02%) was recorded in green alga C.adharens. The highest total phenol (216.65±17.38) and flavanoid (379.99±21.813) was in the brown seaweed S. wightii. The maximum chlorophyll ‘a’ (0.347±0.051), total chlorophyll (0.438±0.061) and carotenoid (0.670±0.225) were recorded in the brown seaweed S. wightii where as chlorophyll ‘b’ (0.107±0.016) was highest in C. adharens. Among the 14 minerals analyzed most of them were highest in the red alga A. spicifera. Among the three seaweeds screened for their antibacterial activity the brown alga S. wihgtii is more superior to the red alga A. spicefera and green alga C.adharens in controlling the growth of most of the pathogens tested. The highest zone of inhibition (13mm) was recorded in methanol extract of the red alga against Vibrio cholerae.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Information on oxidative damage during sepsis in children is not available, we undertook this study to assess the levels of certain antioxidants in blood of children with sepsis. METHODS: Study group had 38 children with sepsis (<5 yr) and 39 age-and sex-matched controls admitted to a tertiary care hospital. Red cell glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and plasma vitamin C were estimated by standard techniques. RESULTS: There was no significant change in erythrocyte GSH, SOD and TBARS levels in sepsis when compared to controls. This may be due to the adaptive response of the body to combat the oxidative stress. However, plasma vitamin C levels were significantly reduced in patients aged one year one month to five years which may be due to active phagocytosis and due to its role as a free radical scavenger. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Our findings show that children affected by sepsis probably adapt to the free radical toxicity induced by this condition. Further studies need to be done on a larger sample to confirm the findings.