ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND Symptoms of Covid-19 are known to be non-specific ranging from asymptomatic cases to severe illness affecting multiple organ systems. The duration of viral RNA positivity and transmission varies in individuals. We describe the association between symptom characteristics and comorbid conditions with viral RNA positivity of SARSCoV-2 affected individuals. METHODS We conducted a record-based retrospective cohort study of 179 patients found to be positive for Covid-19 in Kasaragod district in Kerala. We included details of all patients found positive during the initial phases of the pandemic and recorded details regarding symptoms, duration of viral RNA positivity and the occurrence of transmission. The data were analysed using SPSS. RESULTS Any symptom was present in 68%. Fever (43%) was the most common symptom while 50% had at least one respiratory symptom. Increased duration of viral RNA positivity was found to be associated with presence of comorbid conditions. The majority of individuals who transmitted disease (75%) had some symptom, predominantly a respiratory symptom. CONCLUSION Respiratory symptoms are seen in half of the patients and viral RNA positivity was for a longer duration in patients with comorbid conditions.
ABSTRACT
Wine is one of the most ancient beverages and it consists of a complex mixture of alcohol, sugars, aldehydes,tannins, pectins, vitamins, minerals, and organic acids formed by the action of Saccharomyces cerevisiae onfruit juices. Papaya (Carica papaya) is a common plant originally from South America and grown mainly inAsian and African countries. In the present study, C. papaya fruit pulp was used for the production of wineunder controlled fermentation using S. cerevisiae. The physicochemical parameters such as pH, yeast cellcount, specific gravity, carotenoid content, and alcohol content were observed during the study. The analysiswas done once every 5 days. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analyses of wine and unfermented fruitjuice samples also were carried out. During fermentation, the pH was changed from 5.1 to 4.4. The initial valueof yeast cell count during the fermentation process was 8.5×106 cells/ml, later it attained the maximum valueof 9.53×106 cells per ml on the 5th day. It then gradually decreased to a final value of 2.92×106 cells/ml on the20th day. The specific gravity was initially 1.1573 and it decreased to 1.1483. Carotenoid content was 0.034mg/ml on the first day and it increased to 0.279 mg/ml. Alcohol content of papaya was found to be increasedduring the course of fermentation. It was estimated as 3.01% on the 5th day and it increased to 10.11% on the20th day. The overall point for the sensory analysis was 4.8.
ABSTRACT
In this study, 55 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) in children and adolescents of 2-18 years of age were analysed retrospectively to study the clinical profile and to evaluate the prognostic value of reduced compound muscle action potential (CMAP) on the need for ventilation and functional outcome. Of the 28 boys and 27 girls 87.3% were bed-bound at peak deficit. Other features were as follows: Bifacial weakness-75%, bulbar weakness-56.4%, need for assisted ventilation-41.8% and albuminocytological dissociation-65.9%. In the ventilated and non-ventilated group no difference was noted in the incidence of reduced CMAP amplitude (p-value > 0.5). At 3 months 83.3% and at 6 months 80.8% cases were ambulant with support. Reduced CMAP amplitude of less than 20% of the lower limit of the normal in at least 2 nerves did not predict the need for ventilation or the chance of independent walking at 3 or 6 months.