Assessment and accreditation of a medical college by national assessment and accreditation council: an overview

Accreditation affirms provision of quality education, thus determines its graduate attributes. WFME, WHO and various bodies have been striving to ensure credibility of educational institutions through accreditation. NAAC is an Indian accrediting body providing framework for quality assurance to higher education institutions. Being an autonomous body under UGC, it sets a standard of excellence to which they are bound to adhere. This article provides details regarding an insight into NAAC, its vision, objectives, core values and the process of accreditation. The details regarding various criteria, components, allotment of weightage to each of them are detailed in the manuscript. The requirements and needs towards preparedness for this accreditation process are simplified to make the readers to understand easily thus providing a bird抯 eye view of entire process.

HS-CRP levels in myocardial infarction patients in relation to cardiac markers.

Studies have provided strong evidence for the importance of primary or secondary inflammatory processes in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. A growing number of studies report that inflammation plays a crucial role in the cell biology of atherosclerosis. The aim of the study was to know the relationship between hs-CRP and cardiac markers in acute myocardial infarction patients. This case control study was conducted at the department of Biochemistry and department of Medicine, JSS Medical College, Mysore, Karnataka. The study protocol was approved by Research Ethics Committee of JSS Medical College. A total 60 subjects were included in the study in the age group of 50-68 years. CK-MB, LDH, AST and hs-CRP were estimated. There was a statistically significant difference between the hs- CRP levels of two groups. Cardiac marker values were significantly higher in cases compared to controls. But there was no correlation between cardiac markers and hs-CRP levels in cases. The CRP measurement has a lot of advantages. Firstly it is a stable compound and secondly it can be measured at any time of the day without regards to biological clock. In contrast to results for cytokines such as IL-6, no circadian variation appears to exist for hsCRP. Thus, clinical testing for hsCRP can be accomplished without regard for time of day. In conclusion we would like to say that hs-CRP levels could be used as risk assessment, diagnostic and prognostic marker in myocardial infarction patients.