MR Imaging in Eclampsia

Background : The aim of this study is to determine the distribution and nature of Cranial MRI findings in eclamptic patients, and to correlate them with clinical and laboratory data. Materials and Methods : This study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research. A total number of 35 Eclamptic patients were included in this study and they were analyzed retrospectively. Laboratory parameters, Blood Pressure and Cranial MRI was performed for all and the same were analyzed statistically. Results : Out of 35 Eclamptic patients, MR Imaging was normal in 6 patients. Among the 29 patients with abnormal MRI, Cortical-subcortical Lesion, appeared iso/hypo-intense in T-1 weighted images and hyper intense in T-2 weighted images. In most of the patients, occipital lobe was involved followed by involvement of other lobes such as Parietal, Frontal, Temporal, Basal Ganglia and Cerebellum. When patients with and without positive MRI findings were compared regarding clinical features such as Headache, Blurred Vision, Nausea and Vomiting, Epigastric Pain, Loss of Consciousness, Reduced Urine Output there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Similarly, there was no statistical difference in mean arterial pressures between MRI positive and MRI negative patients (p=0.218) however, it was found that those with MR imaging positive features had a higher Blood Pressure than those with MRI negative findings. Among the laboratory parameters, in the patients with abnormal MRI findings Fibrinogen was found to be significantly low than those with normal MRI findings (p=0.0002).

Effects on Cognitive Development Among Adolescent School Children by the Practice of Trataka Kriya

The Tratak kriya is considered to be the best way to increase concentration and calming the mind. In view of this a study was conducted among adolescent school children, both boys and girls, studying at a local Aided school in Hyderabad, Telangana state, India. To assess the role of Trataka kriya (a visual concentration yogic procedure) on cognitive performances with the emphasis on concentration and academic performances. A random sample of 34 students 19 boys and 15 girls pursuing 8th and 9th secondary education were selected for the study and were explained the study protocol. They were taught the Trataka kriya and asked to continue to practice every day for 3 months (90 days). The subjects were assessed for letter cancelation test on day one, after 30 days and after 90 days of continue practice. The results has shown a non-significant improvement in letter cancellation score i.e., after 30 (t=-234 p & lt; 0.008) days of practice and improved significantly after 90days of practice (t=-5.661, p<0.0001) and between 30 to 90 days of practice. (t=-5.774, p<0.0001). The changes are much higher in boys, compared to girls. Apart from the improvement in letter cancellation tests, all the subjects had got a better percentage of marks in their academic exams at the end of the study.

Critical analysis of maternal deaths from sepsis in a tertiary care center and lessons learned

Background: Maternal mortality in India is reported to be 300 to 500 per 100,000 births in the Bulletin of World Health Organisation. It is far away from Millennium development goal 5 where it is required to reduce MMR to 109 per 100, 000 live births. Sepsis in pregnancy continues to be the third leading cause of preventable maternal deaths in India, still accounts for up to 10 to 50% of maternal deaths in our country. Aim: It was to critically analyze all the mothers who died due to sepsis in order to identify factors associated with deaths. Materials and methods: This prospective study was carried out in the labor room, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King George hospital, Andhra Medical College for a period of twelve months from November 2016 to October 2017. All the mothers who died due to sepsis were included in the study and they were all analyzed modelled on the United Kingdom Confidential Enquiries into maternal deaths. Results: During the study period there were 44 total maternal deaths out of 5863 births giving maternal mortality ratio of 641 per 100,000 maternities. Out of 44 maternal deaths, 14 were due to sepsis making it the leading cause of maternal mortality in our institute. Out of fourteen deaths due to Chuppana Ragasudha, Atluri Phani Madhavi, Pulidindi Sanjana Sharon, Hyma, Sirisha, Syamala, Sravanthi, Sagarika. Critical analysis of maternal deaths from sepsis in a tertiary care center and lessons learned. IAIM, 2017; 4(12): 5-9. Page 6 sepsis nine were due to direct causes and the remaining five were due to indirect causes such as pneumonia, sickle cell disease with malaria, and pancytopenia. The ages of the women who died ranged from 19 to 38 years with a median age of 26 years. All had normal body mass index. Five women who died were tribals, six from rural areas and the remaining three from slums of urban areas. Eight women were primigravid. Eight women died from sepsis in the antenatal period, two deaths were in the first trimester after criminal abortion, three due to pneumonia, one had intrauterine dead fetus infected and the other was due to pancytopenia. Four deaths were due to genital tract sepsis after cesarean section and two were due to genital tract sepsis after normal delivery. These six had risk factors such as anemia, prolonged rupture of membranes etc. Conclusion: In few cases, the outcome was inevitable, but for majority it might have been different had the infection been diagnosed and treated more promptly. There are lessons learned from the deaths of these women to improve the survival of mothers and to achieve millennium development goal 5.

Medicated Prickly Pear (Opuntia Ficus Indica)-The New Emerging Agricultural Crop in Arid and Semi Arid Regions of India.

The present investigation deals with the development of agro-techniques for Opuntia ficus indica (Prickly pear)-OFI cultivation. Standardization and development of best spacing for opuntia plantation, fertilization imposition to achieve good fruit and biomass yield and alternatively fruit quality and biomass parameters was observed and concluded as the better agro-technique among the all imposed treatments. The effect of different spacing and fertilizers composition treatment on cladode yield, fruit yield, harvesting index, stem area index (SAI), Total soluble solids (TSS), Titrable acidity and Ascorbic acid (Vit-C). Correlation studies of treatments revealed that all the six characters of cladode yield, harvest index, Stem area index, TSS, TA and Vit-C exhibited non significant, positive correlation with fruit yield.

Peak expiratory flow rate; the effect of smoking on younger & middle aged males.

A total of 80 male subjects in age group of 20-50 years were selected for the purpose of the study. They were divided in two groups, smokers and non smokers. Each group subdivided into age groups of 20-35 and 36-50 yrs. The criteria for smoking was about 5-10 cigarettes per day since 6-12 months. Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (P.E.F.R.) was determined by using Wright’s peak flow meter. The results showed that in Non-Smoker of age group 20-35 years, (n= 30) the mean PEFR value was 535±50 L/min, whereas in age group 36-50 years, (n=15) the mean P.E.F.R value was 515±50 L/min. In Smokers of age group 20-35 years, (n=10) mean P.E.F.R. value was 374±128 L/min whereas in age group 36-50 years, (n=25) mean P.E.F.R. value was 357±86 L/min. This shows that in smokers P.E.F.R. value is lower compared to Non-smokers in both age groups and that P.E.F.R. is lower in the elder age group in comparison to younger age group.

Effect of sleep deprivation on blood glucose and vital data.

Background: The shift work affects human health and performance by disrupting circadian rhythms and by causing numerous alterations in human behaviour. We have taken night shift workers as they were sleep deprived people, comparing with the same variables in same persons during day shift work, to assess, how sleep deprivation (night shift work) impacts on persons health. So we decided to study the effect of sleep deprivation on blood glucose and vital data. Method: 58 normal healthy male volunteers aged ranging from 25 to 45 years were selected from Madras cement factory Limited and tested for Fasting Blood Glucose, Pulse Rate, Respiratory Rate, Temperature, Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure before and After Sleep Deprivation. Results: Mean Fasting Blood Glucose levels after sleep deprivation, when compared to mean fasting Glucose levels after normal sleep is significantly increased (P value < 0.05). The mean Temperature after sleep deprivation, when compared to mean Temperature after normal sleep is significantly decreased (P value < 0.05). The mean Systolic Blood Pressure after sleep deprivation when compared to mean Systolic Blood Pressure after normal sleep is significantly Raised (P value < 0.05)The mean Diastolic Blood Pressure, mean respiratory rate and mean pulse rate after sleep deprivation was not significant (P value > 0.05). Conclusion: This study concludes that sleep deprivation play a role to increase blood glucose levels and blood pressure.The results suggest that sleep deprivation play a role in the etiology of hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

To evaluate the involvement of autonomic nervous system during pre and post menstrual phases in young women.

Background: During reproductive life, Women undergo many types of behavioural and hormonal changes, which influence various functions of body. ANS provides physiological adaptive background for these changes. The main aim of this study is to carry out autonomic function tests during various phases of menstrual cycle. Method: Different Methods were used to evaluate sympathetic and Parasympathetic activity. This study was carried out in two different phases of menstrual cycle viz. premenstrual phase (late luteal phase-LL) and post menstrual phase (early follicular phase –EF). Results: The autonomic function tests and heart rate variables were recorded and data was tabulated for Statistical evaluation with student paired “t” test. P 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The tests for sympathetic activity were compared during pre and post menstrual phases. It was observed that pulse rate, blood pressure and cold pressor test were statistically more significant (p<0.01), while orthostatic variation in arterial blood pressure was statistically significant (p<0.05) in premenstrual phase as compared to post menstrual phase of menstrual cycle. For parasympathetic activity it was observed that heart rate response, expiratory: inspiratory ratio and valsalva ratio were statistically not significant (p>0.05) in both pre and post menstrual phases of menstrual cycle. Conclusion: In this study the responses to various sympathetic tests were significantly altered in premenstrual phase as compare to that of postmenstrual phase, reflecting the significant increase in the sympathetic activity. These changes may be due to gonadal steroids imbalance during post menstrual phase (EF) and premenstrual phase (LL) of menstrual cycle which in turn affects HPA axis and ANS significantly. Significant increased sympathetic activity responses indicate an augmented stress system.

Recurrent isochromosome 21 and multiple abnormalities in a patient suspected of having acute myeloid leukemia with eosinophilic differentiation -- a rare case from South India / 癌症

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a phenotypically heterogeneous disorder. The M4 subtype of AML is frequently associated with the cytogenetic marker inversion 16 and/or the presence of eosinophilia. Blast crisis is the aggressive phase of the triphasic chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), which is a disease with Philadelphia(Ph) chromosome as the major abnormality. In the present study, we report a 76-year-old patient suspected of having AML with eosinophilic differentiation (AML-M4), which in clinical tests resembles CML blast crisis with multiple chromosomal abnormalities. Isochromosome 21 [i(21)(q10)] was the most recurrent feature noted in metaphases with 46 chromosomes. Ring chromosome, tetraploid endoreduplication, recurrent aneuploid clones with loss of X chromosome, monosomy 17, monosomy 7, and structural variation translocation (9;14) were also observed in this patient. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) confirmed the absence of Ph chromosome. This report shows how cytogenetic analyses revealed atypical structural aberrations in the M4 subtype of AML.

Protective effect of Pterocarpus santalinus Linn, on D-galactosamine induced liver damage

The present study was carried out to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of two doses of the extract of Pterocarpus santalinus Linn, on acute hepatotoxicity induced in Wistar albino rats by a single dose of D-galactosamine [400 mg/kg]. Suspensions of methanolic extract of heartwood of Pterocarpus santalinus [200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg] in 0.3% carboxy methyl cellulose [CMC] were administered p.o. to experimental animals according to the protocol followed by the i.p. administration of a single dose of hepatotoxin. Hepatoprotective activity was monitored by estimating aspartate amino transferase [ASAT, GOT], alanine amino transferase [ALAT, GPT], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], totat bilirubin [TB], lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TGL], albumin, total protein [TP] levels and histopathological changes in the livers of P. santalinus - treated and untreated groups of animals. The results clearly indicated that the extract of P. santalinus significantly reduced the acute elevation of serum transaminases and alteration of other biochemical parameters induced by hepatotoxin, and alleviated the degree of liver damage at 24 hrs. after the intraperitoneal administration of the hepatotoxins. Silymarin [25 mg/kg], a known hepatoprotective drug was used for comparison. The results were supported by histopathological studies of liver samples showing regeneration of hepatocytes in treated animals. Based on the results obtained in the present investigation, it can be concluded that Pterocarpus santalinus exerts hepatoprotective activity and may serve as a useful adjuvant in several clinical conditions associated with liver damage

Simulation of physiology experiments--an alternative to animal use.

Amphibian experiments on nerve-muscle preparation and heart are essential as per first year MBBS practical syllabus, for learning basic concepts in Physiology. Need was felt to design and develop computer based simulation software as an alternative to animal use, due to growing concern and stringent laws imposed by animal ethical bodies. Computer algorithms were developed for 13 amphibian experiments, by manually tracing the graphs obtained through mechanical experimentation and storing the X, Y coordinates for the end points of each line segment as data base tables. By retrieving the data base tables, one for each experiment, the computer simulated graphs were drawn using Visual Basic 6 with timer control and Macromedia Flash for animation effects. A CD-ROM consisting of the software for computer simulation of all the amphibian experiments, as an alternative to the conventional animal experiments, has been developed for the benefit of medical students across the country, as a useful active learning tool.

Efficient regeneration of sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, from shoot-tip explant.

Novel protocols for production of multiple shoot-tip clumps and somatic embryos of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench were developed with long-term goal of crop improvement through genetic transformation. Multiple shoot-tip clumps were developed in vitro from shoot-tip explant of one-week old seedling, cultured on MS medium containing only BA (0.5, 1 or 2 mg/l) or both BA (1 or 2 mg/l) and 2,4-D (0.5 mg/l) with bi-weekly subculture. Somatic embryos were directly produced on the enlarged dome shaped growing structures that developed from the shoot-tips of one-week old seedling explants (without any callus formation) when cultured on MS medium supplemented with both 2,4-D (0.5 mg/l) and BA (0.5 mg/l). However, the supplementation of MS medium with only 2,4-D (0.5 mg/l) induced compact callus without any plantlet regeneration. Each multiple shoot-clump was capable of regenerating more than 80 shoots via an intensive differentiation of both axillary and adventitious shoot buds, the somatic embryos were capable of 90% germination, plant conversion and regeneration. The regenerated shoots could be efficiently rooted on MS medium containing indole-3-butyric acid (IBA 1 mg/l). The plants were successfully transplanted to glasshouse and grown to maturity with a survival rate of 98%. Morphogenetic response of the explants was found to be genotypically independent.

Relationship between infant and child mortality and fertility--an enquiry into goan women.

OBJECTIVE: This paper has an attempt to demonstrate the influence of childhood mortality on fertility behaviour of women in Goa. METHODS: The replacement effect of child mortality has been examined by comparing fertility behaviour of those who have and who have not experienced a child loss. The insurance effect has been studied through fertility differentials of those who perceived that the level of mortality has decreased in the region with the women who left it to be the otherwise. RESULT: It shows that the net effect of child mortality could be substantial. Women with personal experience of child loss and having pessimistic opinion about the level of mortality, produced, on an average, about two children more than similar women who never experienced a child loss and were optimistic about the level. The tendency to replace a dead child was found to cut across the level of literacy and religious background of women. CONCLUSION : The insurance effect on the other hand, was predominant among illiterate women.