ABSTRACT
Background: As biometric indices are difficult to obtain or show gross discrepancies with each other or with gestational age in the late trimester, so for accurate dating additional parameter is required. Fetal kidney length is easy to measure and appear reliable in previous studies.Methods: Well dated 121 antenatal women from 28 to 40 weeks of gestation with no obstetric or medical risk factors were recruited and kidney length is assessed in longitudinal scan and maximum length is taken. fetal kidney length derived gestational age compared with other biometrics indices gestational age.Results: Mean kidney length showed significant correlation (r=0.899, p<0.001 value) with increasing gestational age. Mean kidney length dated pregnancy within ±8.5 days.Conclusions: Fetal kidney length measurement correlated well with other routinely used parameters for the estimation of gestational age and can be used as an accurate parameter to date pregnancy in the late trimester.
ABSTRACT
Violence against doctors is on rise throughout the world. Though this violence is more likely to occur in and around intensive care units no doctor is immune to this phenomenon and according to a study by the Indian Medical Association over 75% of doctors have faced violence at work at some or the other time of their career. The doctors are regularly abused, threatened, sued, assaulted, manhandled, and even killed. The phenomenon is rising to such a magnitude that even government hospitals are being guarded by armed security personnel. Even world health origination has taken the cognizance of this situation and drawn out a global action plan to prevent this violence. In absence of any standard operating procedure (SOP) sudden violent events leave everyone clueless and till the time everybody comes into sense the doctors are already brutally assaulted. One of the important steps in prevention of this violence is enactment of law against miscreants. There are instances where some unforeseen complications occur and death of patient results is agitated relatives making complaint against doctors and in many cases, doctors are slapped with IPC 304A for which arrests may take place. Central government as well as many states including state of Rajasthan and Maharashtra have enacted stringent laws against those indulging in violence against health care workers. The need is to implement it properly and law enforcing authorities such as police should be sensitized for using these stringent laws against those who perpetuate violence against health care workers.
ABSTRACT
Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) calculated for various plant species growing in vicinity of three different industrial areas (Paper mill, Sugar mill, Thermal Power Plant) and Yamuna River belt of Yamuna Nagar. Studies were carried out to determine the physiological response of ten plant species. The leaf samples collected from these plant species were used to determine their plant APTI by calculating the ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll, pH, and relative water content for all selected sites. Highest pH, relative water content, ascorbic acid and total chlorophyll was observed in Castor (9.86), Parthenium (96.99%), Ficus benghalensis (14.90 mg g-1) and Amaranthus (7.08 mg g-1) at Yamuna river, Thermal power plant, Yamuna river and paper mill respectively. It was concluded that out of ten species studied only one species (Ficus benghalensis) showed moderately tolerant response in all selected sites, while other species showed sensitive response. According to observed APTI values, Ficus benghalensis showed the highest value (21.65) at sugar mill followed by thermal power plant (19.38), Paper mill (17.65) and Yamuna River (17.61). The lowest APTI values were reported in Oxalis corniculata (6.42) at Yamuna River belt followed by Malvestrum at sugar mill (7.71).
ABSTRACT
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of pleural fluid cholinesterase (PChE) level in pleural fluid and its ratio to serum cholinesterase (P/SChE) in order to differentiate transudates and exudates and to compare their diagnostic efficacy with the Light's criteria. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 110 patients of pleural effusion of diverse etiology were studied. Eighty patients were of exudative pleural effusion of tubercular, malignant or parapneumonic origin and 30 patients were of transudative effusion. Cholinesterase was estimated in the pleural fluid and serum in all the patients. RESULTS: The mean PChE and P/S ChE were significantly higher in exudates as compared to transudates (p < 0.001). P/S ChE was 0.79 +/- 0.45 and 0.14 +/- 0.11 in exudates and transudates, respectively. When a cut-off value of 469 IU/L for PChE was taken for the diagnosis, it was found that 10% of exudates and 2.5% of transudates were misclassified. However percentage of misclassification decreased to 1.25% in exudates and 3.3% in transudates when the cut-off value of 0.24 for P/S ChE ratio was used. Using Light's criteria, a sensitivity of 91.25% and specificity of 90% with positive predictive value (PPV) of 96.05% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 79.42% was observed. However using P/S ChE, the PPV was 98.75% and NPV was 96.67%. CONCLUSIONS: The estimation of PChE and P/SChE ratio had better discriminatory capacity than Light's criteria. It is cost effective and more specific, therefore its routine estimation is recommended.