Risk factors for clinically significant diffuse parenchymal lung abnormalities persisting after severe COVID-19 pneumonia

Background & objectives: The risk factors for clinically significant diffuse parenchymal lung abnormalities (CS-DPLA) persisting after severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia remain unclear. The present study was conducted to assess whether COVID-19 severity and other parameters are associated with CS-DPLA. Methods: The study participants included patients who recovered after acute severe COVID-19 and presented with CS-DPLA at two or six month follow up and control group (without CS-DPLA). Adults volunteers without any acute illness, chronic respiratory illness and without a history of severe COVID-19 were included as healthy controls for the biomarker study. The CS-DPLA was identified as a multidimensional entity involving clinical, radiological and physiological pulmonary abnormalities. The primary exposure was the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Recorded confounders included age, sex, peak lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), advanced respiratory support (ARS), length of hospital stay (LOS) and others; associations were analyzed using logistic regression. The baseline serum levels of surfactant protein D, cancer antigen 15-3 and transforming growth factor-? (TGF-?) were also compared among cases, controls and healthy volunteers. Results: We identified 91/160 (56.9%) and 42/144 (29.2%) participants with CS-DPLA at two and six months, respectively. Univariate analyses revealed associations of NLR, peak LDH, ARS and LOS with CS-DPLA at two months and of NLR and LOS at six months. The NLR was not independently associated with CS-DPLA at either visit. Only LOS independently predicted CS-DPLA at two months [adjusted odds ratios (aOR) (95% confidence interval [CI]), 1.16 (1.07-1.25); P<0.001] and six months [aOR (95% CI) and 1.07 (1.01-1.12); P=0.01]. Participants with CS-DPLA at six months had higher baseline serum TGF-? levels than healthy volunteers. Interpretation and conclusions: Longer hospital stay was observed to be the only independent predictor of CS-DPLA six months after severe COVID-19. Serum TGF-? should be evaluated further as a biomarker.

Caregivers And End-Stage Ovarian Cancer Survivorship- A Correlation

A support and comprehensive care for a ovarian cancer survivor is meant by providing them information pertaining to their disease , treatment and end results . Its aimed at educating them for self care and motivating attendants and training them for providing continuous, physical, emotional, financial, psychological support, Still, regular follow-ups can also help understand their concerns and address them immediately before they impact. Questionnaires have been the best way so far, to evaluate caregivers’ satisfaction levels, lack of information, and attention. With this approach, the common hindrances can be cleared before impacting the caregiver’s mental and physical health.

Effect of intraoperative alveolar recruitment maneuver on intraoperative oxygenation and postoperative pulmonary function tests in patients undergoing robotic-assisted hysterectomy: a single-blind randomized study

Abstract Background Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomies (RAH) require Trendelenburg positioning and pneumoperitoneum, which further accentuate alteration in respiratory mechanics induced by general anesthesia. The role of Recruitment Maneuver (RM) as a lung-protective strategy during intraoperative surgical settings has not been much studied. We planned this study to evaluate the effect of RM on perioperative oxygenation and postoperative spirometry using PaO2/FiO2 and FEV1/FVC, respectively in patients undergoing RAH. Methods Sixty-six ASA I‒II female patients scheduled for elective RAH were randomized into group R (recruitment maneuver, n = 33) or group C (control, n = 33). Portable spirometry was done one day before surgery. Patients were induced with general anesthesia, and mechanical ventilation started with volume control mode, with Tidal Volume (TV) of 6-8 mL.kg−1, Respiratory Rate (RR) of 12 min, inspiratory-expiratory ratio (I: E ratio) of 1:2, FiO2 of 0.4, and Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) of 5 cmH2O. Patients in group R received recruitment maneuvers of 30 cmH2O every 30 minutes following tracheal intubation. The primary objectives were comparison of oxygenation and ventilation between two groups intraoperatively and portable spirometry postoperatively. Postoperative pulmonary complications, like desaturation, pulmonary edema, pneumonia, were monitored. Results Patients who received RM had significantly higher PaO2 (mmHg) (203.2+-24.3 vs. 167.8+-27.3, p < 0.001) at T2 (30 min after the pneumoperitoneum). However, there was no significant difference in portable spirometry between the groups in the postoperative period (FVC, 1.40 ± 0.5 L vs. 1.32 ± 0.46 L, p= 0.55). Conclusion This study concluded that intraoperative recruitment did not prevent deterioration of postoperative spirometry values; however, it led to improved oxygenation intraoperatively.

Ventilatory Strategies in Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Controversies and Current Updates

Ventilatory management of patients with traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) is a complex and controversial area of critical care medicine. Despite significant advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of CSCI and the development of novel interventions, there remains a lack of consensus about the optimal approach to ventilatory management in these patients. Some of the key controversies in CSCI ventilatory management include timing of tracheal intubation, non-invasive ventilation versus invasive ventilation, high versus low tidal volume, and early versus late tracheostomy. The objective of this review is to discuss the existing controversies and provide an insight on the current evidence.

Endoscopic transstomal stent insertion: a novel approach for a stenosed stoma in a challenging patient

Transstomal stent deployment to maintain the patency of stoma in a challenging patient who developed stoma stenosis, is a minimal invasive, novel technique. This is a new and alternative approach in management of stoma stenosis in a difficult case using a biodegradable stent for end colostomy.

Benchmarking of different microbes for their biosurfactants antifungal action against plant pathogens

The biotic stress caused by phytopathogens (bacteria, fungus, yeast and insect pests) is a primary factor in yield loss of plants. Biocontrol agents and their active compounds are used to manage such plant pathogens. Here, in our study, we screened four bacterial isolates identified as Bacillus cereus, B. anthracis, B. velezensis and Serratia marcescens after morphological, biochemical and molecular characterization (16s rDNA sequencing) for production of biosurfactant by foam forming activity, oil spreading tests and emulsification activity. Highest foam stability (75 min) and maximum emulsification activity E24% (75%) was observed by B. velezensis strain. Among all the four isolates, Bacillus velezensis strain produced maximum biosurfactant (0.349±0.004 g/50 mL). Biosurfactant of all the four bacterial isolates were checked for fungal inhibiton on PDA plate(s). Bacillus velezensis showed comparatively the highest percent inhibition 58.82, 88.15, 78.45,72.68, 83.96, 75.47, 68.07 and 88.44% against Colletotrichum falcatum, Fusarium oxysporum f sp. ciceri, Helminthosporium maydis, F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, Aspergillus niger, Mucor sp., Helminthosporium oryzae and Rhizoctonia solani, respectively. Bacillus velezensis biosurfactant among all the four bacterial isolates was found to be most effective against the tested phytopathogens

Hematological Parameters in HIV Patients: Association with CD4 Count

Background: Around 2.1 million people are currently living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in India. Hematological parameters have been proposed as alternative markers of HIV infection in areas with limited resources. This study aimed to describe hematological parameters in patients with HIV infection and to determine their association with CD4 cell counts. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed 100 HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Their blood samples were collected to measure complete blood count (CBC) and CD4 count. Patients with known hematological disorders, critically ill patients, and those not willing to give informed consent were excluded. The Chi-square test was used to find the association between hematological parameters and CD4 counts. Results: Most patients with HIV infection had anemia (85%), followed by thrombocytopenia (42%) and neutropenia (36%). There was a statistically significant association between the number of patients having anemia and CD4 cell counts. Conclusion: Hematological changes are common in HIV patients. Hematological parameters should be routinely monitored and managed to reduce morbidity. Also, patients with unexplained low blood counts should be screened for underlying HIV infection.

A Study on the Parenting Styles and Parental Stress of Parents of (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) ADHD Children

Background: There are several steps involved in deciding if a child has ADHD. No single test is available to diagnose ADHD and many other problems such as depression, anxiety, sleep problems and certain types of learning disabilities can also have similar symptoms. One of the process involves doing a medical examination, including hearing and vision tests, to rule out other problems with symptoms like ADHD. Diagnosis of ADHD includes a checklist for rating ADHD symptoms and taking a history of the child from parents, teachers, and sometimes, the child itself. Aim & Objectives: To know the prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidities in ADHD and to assess parental stress and parenting style among parents of children having ADHD.Material & Methods:A total of 78 children (6 to 18 years of age) and their parents were selected for the completion this study. The study was carried out in the Department of Psychiatry, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. Bivariate table and chi-square/Fisher Exact test were used. Correlation test has also been applied to know the association between demographic variables and their responses. Conclusions:We conclude that specific scales of the CBCL may help to identify specific comorbidities within ADHD cases in the primary care setting.

Ki‑67 Expression in Oral Potential Malignant and Malignant Lesions and Correlation of Mitotic Index with MIB‑1 Labeling Index

Introduction: Oral cancers are the most serious health issues in underdeveloped countries such as India and considered as the main cause of death. Among them, oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type (90%) of all malignancies. Various oral potential malignant lesions (OPMLs) can transform into malignancies. This study was conducted to determine the significance of Ki‑67 expression in oral potential malignant and malignant lesions (MLs) as well as correlation of mitotic index (MI) with MIB‑1 labeling index (LI) in these lesions. MaterialsandMethods: The study was performed on 60 cases in a tertiary care center over a period of 2 years. Ki‑67 expression, MI and MIB‑1 LI were calculated and correlated. Results: In the studied population, there were 49 (81.7%) males and 11 (18.3%) females. The mean age was 46.60 ± 9.94 (23–68 years), with majority of patients in 41–60 years of age group (46/60 cases). Anterior 2/3rd tongue is the most affected site, presented ulcer as the most common lesion. Smoking, tobacco, and betel nutchewing addiction were presented in 72% of the patients. Among 60 cases, 45 (75%) were OPMLs, while 15 (25%) cases were MLs. MI increases in OPMLs and MLs and comparison was significant (P < 0.01). MIB‑1 LI was significant (P < 0.01) on comparison to dysplasia III and MLs. A positive correlation (0.01) was established between MI and MIB‑1 LI of OPMLs and MLs. Conclusion: Ki‑67 expression was found correlated with the progression of disease from OPMLs to MLs. Therefore, it is considered a proliferative marker that corresponds with disease progression. Both proliferative indices (MI and MIB‑1 LI) are positively correlated

Role of Hematological and Inflammatory Markers in Early Diagnosis and Severity of COVID‑19 Disease

Background: COVID‑19 virus, causing severe acute respiratory illness (SARS‑CoV‑2), was declared as a pandemic by the WHO in March 2020, after its first outbreak in China at the end of 2019. The major purpose is to establish the role of a hematological and inflammatory markers in early diagnosis of COVID‑19 illness and its relationship with the disease severity. Materials and Methods: The study was performed in a tertiary care center from April to September 2020. The study included 150 hospitalized COVID‑19 Reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction positive patients. According to ICMR standards, research patients were grouped into mild, moderate, and severe categories depending on clinical evaluation. Different laboratory parameters complete blood counts, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), d‑dimer, serum ferritin, C‑reactive protein (CRP), and mean results are compared among the patient in three disease severity groups. Results: In the studied population, there were 106 (70.7%) males and 44 (29.3%) females. The average age of the research participants was 48.40 ± 11.50 (21–75 years), with majority of patients being old (>60 years). Hematological markers such as total leukocyte count, Neutrophil‑to‑lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the levels of PT, APTT, and D‑dimer, as well as ferritin and CRP, all were considerably high with different groups of disease severity (P = 0.001). Conclusion: The study concluded that patients of severe disease category have significantly higher levels of leukocytosis, neutrophilia, elevated NLR, PLR, PT, APTT, D‑dimer, serum ferritin, and CRP. Hematological and coagulation symptoms are associated with COVID‑19 illness, and these indicators might be employed as a prognosticator for prediction of early disease severity.

Floating Drug Delivery System: A New Approach

Floating drug delivery system (FDDS) helps to improve the buoyancy property of the drug over the gastric fluids and hence maintain the longer duration of action. The aim of the present study is on floating drug delivery systems (FDDS) was to compile the recent literature with particular focus on the main floating mechanism to achieve gastric retention. Floating multi-particulate are gastro-retentive drug delivery systems which are based on non-effervescent and effervescent approach. This type of drug delivery method would have comparatively less side effect and would eliminate the need for repeated dosages.

A Role of Udumbara Ksheer Sutra in Ano Rectal Fistula: An Ayurvedic Review

Acharya Sushrut has involved Bhagandara among the Ashtamahagad (8 dreadful diseases). At first it is present as Pidika (boil/abscess) in Apakwa (non-suppurated) state, become Bhagandara when it becomes Pakwa (suppurated). As defined in modern science, it is associated with fistula in ano. An anal fistula is an abnormal track having an external opening in the perianal region and internal opening in the anal canal and/or rectum. Ayurveda has a special approach to fistula management. All anal fistulas counter well to different forms of Kshar and Ksheer Sutra therapy. They are nothing but the medicated seton. The Ksheer sutra mechanical and chemical action of drugs coated on the thread work jointly to cut, cure, drain and clean the fistulous tract, thereby promoting track/wound healing. Though Bhrihattrayi, (chief three texts of Ayurveda) stated the use of Kshar Sutra, there is no proper description of their method of preparation. In eleventh century, Chakrapani Datta mentioned the preparation method of Ksheer sutra in his book Chakradatta for the first time which is indicated in Arsha and Bhagandara. Apamarga Kshar Sutra is the standard Kshar Sutra, and but it has some disadvantages. A variety of other Kshar Sutra, as well as Ksheer Sutra, have been prepared to resolve these inconveniences of Apamarga Kshar Sutra. One of them is Udumbara Ksheer Sutra which was founded by Prof. P.J Deshpande and M.K Jalan in 1984. Udumbara is one among the Nyagradhadi Gana Dravya mentioned by Acharya Sushrut. He described in Bhagandara Chikitsa that the Nyagradhadi Gana Dravyas are Bhagandaranashak.

CHALLENGES IN INITIATION OF TREATMENT OF MULTI DRUG RESISTANT-TB PATIENTS: A HOSPITAL BASED CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY IN JHARKHAND.

BACKGROUND: Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis has become major public health problem and obstacle to effective control of tuberculosis. Over a period of time, there are several landmark achievements including policy and system preparedness for universal access to TB care including mandatory noti?cation of TB cases, development of standard for TB care in India, comprehensive real time TB information management system-NIKSHAY, use of rapid molecular diagnostics, successful innovations in private sector engagement for TB care-Universal access to TB care. Objective was to ?nd out the challenges in initiation of treatment of Multi Drug Resistant-TB patients get admitted in ITKI Sanatorium Ranchi Jharkhand. METHODS: It was a hospital based cross sectional study carried out from August 2016 to Nov.2018 on Multi drug resistant tuberculosis patients admitted in MDR-TB centre Itki Sanatorium Ranchi after approved from institutional ethics committee. Total study subjects included in study was 64. RESULTS: Most of the study subjects 58 (90.6%) did not know about the MDR-TB. Most of the study subjects 40 (62.5%) had been given reports of CB-NAAT test on same day followed by study subjects 24 (37.5%) on alternate day. No one study subjects 64 (100%) had been given any type of incentive for travelling to pretreatment evaluation centre. In above table, most of the patients 51 (79.7%) had made payment for investigations at district hospital/ SDH level followed by 13 (20.3%) who were free of any expenditure for investigations. Most of the study subjects 60 (93.7%) were not visited by any health staff between ?nal diagnosis of MDR-TB and initiation of treatment for MDR-TB followed by subjects 4 (6.3%) who were being visited by health staff. Most of the study subjects 48 (75%) were unaware about the NIKSHAY POSHAN SCHEME for MDR-TB patients followed by subjects 16 (25%) who knew about the NIKSHAY POSHAN SCHEME for MDR-TB patients by means of various medium.

Dois anos de pandemia da COVID-19: implicações para as salas de hemodinâmica e suas práticas atuais / Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for the cardiac catheterization laboratory and its current practices

A COVID-19 continua a sobrecarregar os sistemas de saúde. No auge da pandemia, os serviços de hemodinâmica do mundo todo tiveram redução significativa no volume de procedimentos devido a vários motivos, incluindo redistribuição de recursos médicos, alocação dos cardiologistas intervencionistas em alas da COVID-19 e preocupações dos médicos e pacientes com a transmissão viral. Em especial, as intervenções para doença cardíaca estrutural tiveram queda importante ­ de mais de 90% do volume. Para enfrentar esses desafios, os sistemas de saúde empregaram novas medidas de segurança e protocolos, incluindo pré-teste com reação em cadeia da polimerase para COVID-19, Equipamentos de Proteção Individuais e exigência de vacinação para garantir a segurança de pacientes e trabalhadores da saúde. Embora tais medidas tenham abordado parcialmente as questões de segurança, o diagnóstico e o tratamento da injúria miocárdica aguda permaneceram desafiadores durante a pandemia. Enquanto os mecanismos fisiopatológicos que causam injúria miocárdica não estão completamente elucidados, a maioria dos estudos sugere que a COVID-19 seja uma doença pró-inflamatória, associada a um estado de hipercoagulabilidade. Os estudos randomizados em andamento avaliam a eficácia de regimes antitrombóticos mais agressivos na COVID-19. Além disso, a apresentação de síndrome coronariana aguda junto da COVID-19 é variável, mais provavelmente atípica, tardia e está associada a altas taxas de eventos cardiovasculares adversos e óbito. É necessário implementar protocolos para agilizar diagnóstico, triagem e tratamento de pacientes com síndrome coronariana aguda, e também minimizar o risco de transmissão viral para os funcionários do hospital. A intervenção coronariana percutânea robótica oferece uma solução em potencial para as diversas questões de segurança enfrentadas pelos cardiologistas intervencionistas na era da COVID-19. Porém, ela também se apresenta com seu conjunto de limitações.

COVID-19 continues to overwhelm healthcare systems. During the peak of the pandemic, cardiac catheterization labs across the world observed a significant decrease in procedure volumes due to several reasons, including reallocation of medical resources, deployment of interventional cardiologists to the COVID-19 wards, and physician and patient concerns about viral transmission. In particular, structural heart disease interventions experienced a significant reduction in volume by more than 90%. To address these challenges, healthcare systems employed new safety measures and protocols, including COVID-19 rapid polymerase chain reaction pretesting, Personal Protective Equipment, and vaccination mandates to ensure safety of patients and healthcare workers. Although these measures partly addressed safety concerns, diagnosis and management of acute myocardial injury remained challenging throughout the pandemic. While the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to myocardial injury is not fully elucidated, most studies have suggested COVID-19 is a pro-inflammatory disease associated with a hypercoagulable state. Ongoing randomized studies are evaluating the efficacy of more aggressive antithrombic regimens in COVID-19. In addition, the presentation of acute coronary syndrome with concomitant COVID-19 infection is variable, more likely atypical, delayed, and is associated with higher rates of adverse cardiovascular events and death. It was necessary to implement protocols to expedite diagnosis, triage and management of patients with acute coronary syndrome, while minimizing the risk of viral transmission to hospital staff. Robotic percutaneous coronary intervention may offer in the future a potential solution to many of the safety concerns faced by interventional cardiologists during the COVID-19 era; however, it has its own set of limitations.

Apical extrusion of debris with root canal instrumentation in primary teeth A systematic review

Aim: This study aimed to systematically review available literature of in vitro studies on apical extrusion of debris through rotary instrumentation in comparison to manual instrumentation in pediatric endodontics, and also to perform a comparison between various rotary instrumentation systems for assessment of debris extrusion. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar without any language restriction and year of publication. A planned search strategy was made for PubMed and applied to other databases. After full-text reading, 7 articles were selected for quantitative synthesis. Modified CONSORT checklist of items for reporting in vitro studies of dental materials was used for quality assessment of included studies. Results: Root canal preparation with rotary instrumentation led to lesser apical debris extrusion than manual instrumentation. Self-adjusting file system was associated with the least debris extrusion among all included studies, followed by ProTaper Next, Kedo-S, ProTaper, K3, Mtwo, Revo-S, and Wave One. Conclusion: More apical debris extrusion was seen with manual instrumentation than rotary instrumentation. Furtrhermore, variance in debris extrusion was seen with different rotary file systems.

A Prospective Study to Improve the Yield of Esophagogastroduodenoscopy at a Tertiary Hospital in India

Background: Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)is an efficient tool for diagnosis, screening and therapy. However, it must be used efficiently, to maximize value for costs and reduce complications. Many centers have adopted an open-access referral policy, resulting in increased costs, waiting times and clinical workload. When EGD is used for screening of common symptoms like dyspepsia by medical and paramedical personnel, the yield is less than 50%.We planned a study to differentiate disease from non-diseased findings and improve the diagnostic yield of EGD. Methods: The clinical history and examination of 150 patients of a tertiary care hospital in north India over 2 years wasrecorded. EGD when indicated by any clinician or desired by a patient was performed by a consultant, using topical anaesthesia.The outcome of the endoscopy was categorized as positive, if there was significant finding. Less severe and equivocal findings such as gastritis, duodenitis were not considered positive for the purpose of this study. Logistic regression (forward LR score) was used; the coefficient of regressionwas used to assign a score for each symptom. Results: Pain was the most common symptom; in 110 patients (77.3%) the endoscopy showed no significant findings. Significant findings were seen in 34 patients giving a diagnostic yield of 22.7%. Clinical features like weight loss, hematemesis, melena, dysphagia, anemia, abdominal distention, ascites, and abdominal lump significantly discriminated and pointed towards a positive endoscopic finding. Pain was not a good discriminating factor; dysphagia, presence of ascites and the presence of abdominal lump independently predict significant endoscopic findings. At a total score of 4 or less endoscopy could be avoided in 75 (50%) of the patients. A score of 5 yielded a sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 71%. For picking up a positive finding. All 11 patients with malignancy had a score >5. Conclusions: Our findings suggest selection of patients for EGD can be improved based on a scoring system. It also provides a basis for prospective studies which can lead to better use of resources in future.

A Cross Sectional Study to Evaluate Cutaneous Manifestations in Diabetic Patients and their Correlation with Sugar Control at Tertiary Care Center in Western Maharashtra

Introduction: Diabetes is a leading chronic disease in world and number of cases are significantly increasing each year in India also. Out of many associated conditions, skin involvement in diabetes also needs to be evaluated. We conducted this study to study relation between the sugar control and skin manifestations in diabetic patients. Methodology: We studied total 100 diabetic patients visiting our dermatology OPD over a period of 1 year from January to December 2020. All skin diseases in diabetic patients were studied. We studied association of these diseases with sugar control in our study participants. Results: Mean age of our study participants was 63.48 ± 18.12 years, Majority of the males were from the age group of 61 and above, 34 (62.96%) while majority of the females were from the age group of 41-60 years 25 (54.35%). Majority of the patients had diabetes for 5-10 years (52%) followed by more than 10 years (36%) and less than 5 years in 24% cases. Out of 100 participants, 44% had controlled diabetes while rest 56% had uncontrolled diabetes with HbA1c > 6. We observed a significant difference in skin manifestations of controlled and uncontrolled sugars in diabetic patients. (p = 0.007). Conclusion: From this study, we conclude that the skin is involved in diabetes quite often. Early diagnosis and treatment of skin manifestations in diabetic patients is important to reduce unwanted morbidity and further complications in the diabetic patients.