Evaluating influence of weather on Ascochyta blight severity in chickpea using correlation network, regression and principal component analysis

Aim: Weather parameters play a critical role in the survival and propagation of the causal pathogen Ascochyta rabiei. In the absence of vertical host resistance, the present study was designed to explore the weather-disease interrelationship for effective disease management. Methodology: Field experiments were conducted with three chickpea cultivars and three sowing times for two years. The relationship between the percent severity index (PSI) at weekly interval and observed weather data was explored using multivariate statistical techniques. Results: The correlation networks revealed that temperature and relative humidity parameters were negatively and positively associated with the blight PSI, respectively. Humid thermal ratio (HTR) significantly correlated with PSI among all three chickpea cultivars. The linear regression of PSI with weather variables exhibited a significant negative slope (?) with all thermal variables whereas a strong positive ? was displayed with relative humidity and HTR. The Best subset multiple regression models further affirmed that PSI in three chickpea cultivars can be strongly predicted with models constituted with temperature, humidity and HTR. Principal component analysis showed that PC1 and PC2 explained 88.2% variability with weather variables affecting the PSI. The clustering of thermal and humidity condition parameters around the first two PCs explained their pivotal role in disease severity progress. Interpretation: The multivariate analysis revealed that air temperature, relative humidity and HTR had significant influence on periodic Ascochyta blight severity in chickpea crop. Present exploration will be vital in developing more targeted disease prediction and management strategies to secure chickpea production.

Study of Correlation of Vitamin B-12 Levels in Febrile Thrombocytopenia: A Hospital Based Cross Sectional Study

Background: Thrombocytopenia can occur in vitamin B12 deficiency due to ineffective hematopoiesis. Case reports link B12 deficiency with febrile thrombocytopenia, but larger scale correlational studies are lacking. We aimed to evaluate for a correlation between vitamin B12 levels and platelet counts in patients presenting with febrile thrombocytopenia. Methodology: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted on 50 patients presenting with fever and thrombocytopenia. Vitamin B12 levels and platelet counts were measured. Correlation and comparative analyses were performed between B12 levels and platelet counts. Results: Thirty-eight percent of patients were vitamin B12 deficient (<200pg/mL). Vitamin B12 level demonstrated significant moderate positive correlation with platelet count (r=0.427, p=0.002). Comparisons between deficiency groups showed significantly lower platelet count in the B12 deficient (85 x 109/L) versus sufficient group (112 x 109/L), (p=0.04). Linear regression identified vitamin B12 status as an independent predictor of platelet count when adjusted for confounders (B=0.18, p=0.01). Conclusion: Vitamin B12 deficiency has a significant correlational association specifically with reduced platelet counts in the context of febrile presentations. Screening for B12 deficiency could help evaluate thrombocytopenia etiology and guide management.

Correlation between disease severity indices and quality of life measurement tools in atopic dermatitis patients / Correlación entre los índices de gravedad de la enfermedad y las herramientas de medición de la calidad de vida en pacientes con dermatitis atópica

Introduction. Reports regarding the correlation and effect size of change of the full spectrum of quality of life and disease severity measures applied in-person to patients with atopic dermatitis are scarce. Objectives. To assess quality-of-life with 3 different instruments and to evaluate disease severity indices and to determine their correlation and effect size of change between two measurements. Materials and methods. Patient-level data were obtained through two in-person visits. Sociodemographic information and data related to disease distribution, severity (through the BSA, EASI, SCORAD, POEM, and itching scales), and the impact of atopic dermatitis on quality of life using the DLQI and Skindex-29, and EQ-5D, were assessed. The correlation between change in quality-of-life scores and disease severity scores in addition to the standardized effect size were also evaluated. Results. Only 139 out of 212 patients completed the follow-up visit. BSA highly correlated with SCORAD and EASI, and the lowest correlation was found with POEM. The best correlation of pruritus VAS was found with sleep disturbance. The SCORAD score highly correlated with EASI, and the lowest correlation was found with POEM. The magnitude of the effect at initiation of the study vs follow-up was in average moderate to important. Conclusions. Patients with atopic dermatitis experience a substantial burden on quality of life. Disease activity correlates better with quality-of-life measurements when the disease is less severe after starting therapy. POEM and Skindex-29 seem to be optimal to determine disease severity and quality of life in adults with atopic dermatitis.

Introducción. La información publicada sobre la correlación entre la magnitud del efecto de todo el espectro de la calidad de vida y la gravedad de la enfermedad en pacientes con dermatitis atópica es escasa. Objetivos.Evaluar la calidad de vida con tres instrumentos diferentes y los índices de gravedad de la enfermedad en pacientes con dermatitis atópica para determinar su correlación y el tamaño del efecto del cambio. Materiales y métodos. Los datos de los pacientes se obtuvieron a partir de dos visitas. Se evaluó la información sociodemográfica y los datos relacionados con la distribución y la gravedad de la enfermedad (mediante de las escalas BSA, EASI, SCORAD, POEM, prurito) y el impacto de la dermatitis atópica en la calidad de vida utilizando el Dermatology Life Quality Index, Skindex-29 y EQ-5D. También se evaluó la correlación entre el cambio en las puntuaciones de calidad de vida y las de gravedad de la enfermedad, además del tamaño del efecto estandarizado. Resultados. Solo 139 de los 212 pacientes completaron la visita de seguimiento. El área de superficie corporal se correlacionó fuertemente con el SCORAD y el EASI, y la correlación más débil fue con el POEM. La mejor correlación del prurito medido con la escala visual análoga se halló con la alteración del sueño. El puntaje SCORAD se correlacionó altamente con el EASI mientras que la correlación más baja se encontró con el POEM. La magnitud del efecto al inicio del estudio respecto al seguimiento fue en promedio de moderada a importante. Conclusiones. Los pacientes con dermatitis atópica experimentan una carga sustancial en la calidad de vida. La actividad de la enfermedad se correlaciona mejor con las mediciones de calidad de vida cuando esta es menos grave, después de comenzar la terapia. Los índices POEM y Skindex-29 parecen ser óptimos para determinar la gravedad de la enfermedad y la calidad de vida en adultos con dermatitis atópica.

Premenstrual symptoms analysis: severity and correlations across physiological, behavioural, and psychological domains among working women in selected schools at Kalaburagi

Background: Working women, especially teachers, face unique challenges in managing health issues that impact their professional lives. Premenstrual symptoms (PMS) significantly affect their physiological, behavioural, and psychological well-being, potentially influencing their classroom performance. This study aimed to assess the severity and correlations of PMS across physiological, behavioural, and psychological domains among 100 working women teachers in Kalaburagi. It also explored associations with socio-demographic variables such as menstrual cycle duration and food cravings.Methods: Data were collected using a cross-sectional correlation research design. Mean scores and standard deviations were calculated for physiological, behavioural, and psychological symptoms. Chi-square tests analysed associations between symptom domains and socio-demographic variables. Correlation analyses assessed relationships between symptom domains.Results: Physiological symptoms scored a mean of 55.60 (SD=2.4, 70% of max. score), behavioural symptoms 45.32 (SD=2.5, 78% of max.), and psychological symptoms 46.90 (SD=2.3, 80% of max.). Overall mean score was 150.15 (SD=2.4, 75% of max.). Positive correlations were found between physiological and psychological symptoms (r=0.810, p<0.001), physiological and behavioural symptoms (r=0.729, p<0.001), and psychological and behavioural symptoms (r=0.627, p<0.001).Conclusions: This study highlights the prevalence of PMS among working women, especially teachers, and their potential impact on professional performance and emotional well-being. The findings underscore the need for effective detection and management strategies to enhance the quality of life and work efficiency of affected women. Targeted interventions and workplace support can improve personal and professional outcomes for women experiencing PMS.

Resilience And Loneliness: A Correlator Study In Young Adults

This short study aimed at investigating the potential correlation between resilience and loneliness among young adults. A sample of 80 individuals aged between 18-26 years old were recruited using a snowball sampling method, online. Participants completed the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (RULS) to assess their levels of resilience and loneliness, respectively. The analysis was to help cater and contribute to the existing literature on the psychological well-being of young adults by examining the interplay between resilience and loneliness, in the technologically forward yet emotionally stagnated modern world. While the statistical analysis of results indicated non signi?cance, with a negative correlation (-0.212), there is a trend indicating that as the values of loneliness increase, the values of resilience tend to decrease, and vice versa, leaving room for further elaborate studies. The study's design and results provide a foundation for future research in understanding the layered dynamics of mental health among young adults.

A Study on Consumer Awareness Regarding Non-dairy Products

The focus of this paper is to explore how a well-known cooperative organization in the dairy industry can increase customer awareness of non-dairy products. The study comprised 104 participants, and data was collected through a questionnaire. The results show that Anand City residents have a positive attitude towards non-dairy products offered by the cooperative organisation. To increase sales, the company's promotional strategies can be improved. Ready- to-eat, ready-to-cook, and ready-to-serve food products have become increasingly popular due to changes in eating habits and culinary techniques because of urbanisation, cultural shifts, and societal development.

CDCA: Community detection in RNA-seq data using centrality-based approach

One of the integral part of the network analysis is finding groups of nodes that exhibit similar properties. Community detection techniques are a popular choice to find such groups or communities within a network and it relies on graph-based methods to achieve this goal. Finding communities in biological networks such as gene co-expression networks are particularly important to find groups of genes where we can focus on further downstream analysis and find valuable insights regarding concerned diseases. Here, we present an effective community detection method called community detection using centrality-based approach (CDCA), designed using the graph centrality approach. The method has been tested using four benchmark bulk RNA-seq datasets for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and the performance has been proved superior in comparison to several other counterparts. The quality of communities are determined using intrinsic graph properties such as modularity and homogeneity. The biological significance of resultant communities is decided using the pathway enrichment analysis.

Correlation of Hypothyroidism with Age and Comorbidities Among Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Hypothyroidism, an endocrine disorder caused by thyroid dysfunction found to be more prevalent globally in females than in males. Young females are more prone to subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). The study aimed to estimate the different types of hypothyroidism based on the clinical profile of thyroid hormone and to detect various comorbidities in correlation with age in women. In female patients with hypothyroidism, there is a significant association between age groups and the type of hypothyroidism (subclinical, clinical, overt), with younger age groups showing a higher prevalence of SCH. Additionally, comorbidities, such as polycystic ovarian disorder (PCOD), are more prevalent in hypothyroidism patients, particularly in those with SCH. Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study executed in a tertiary care hospital for one year with an inclusion of female hypothyroid patients above 18 years of age. An informed written consent form was received from each patient with clarification of the protocol. Results: A total of 44.6% women were in the 18–28 years of age group (young females) and 42.8% of women with SCH. PCOD (38.2%) was a predominant comorbid condition among hypothyroidism women. In the age group of 18–28 years, there were significantly more patients 114 (81.4%) with SCH (p < 0.01) than those with clinical 22 (18.4%) and overt hypothyroidism 10 (14.7%). The hypothyroidism of women with PCOD 95 (67.8%) was significantly (p < 0.01) more in subclinical than clinical 28 (23.5%) and overt hypothyroidism 2 (2.9%). Conclusion: Thyroid dysfunction is uncertain in females, bulges to complications of maternal and fetal outcomes, and is associated with other comorbidities, leading to an increase in the mortality rate. Hypothyroidism is a growing burden for other comorbidities. Pharmaceutical care by healthcare professionals is to be adopted with prompt diagnostic and screening techniques.

Kernel density as a population-screening tool for low phytic acid content in maize (Zea mays L.)

Aim: The present study was performed to find association of morphological traits with kernel phytic acid. Methodology: A set of 20 qualitative phenotypic observations were studied in 29 diverse germplasms and two F2 populations. Further correlated traits were quantitatively verified for their correlation and heritability. Results: Maize kernels characterized by low phytate content correlated with reduced seed density traits. Further insights from scanning electron microscopic studies revealed alterations in the distribution pattern of starch granules, among low and high phytate genotypes. Heritability studies indicated a strong heritable nature of the traits viz., kernel density, inorganic phosphorous and phytic acid, and were found to be inter correlated. Interpretation: Intercorrelation and heritable nature of the trait is viewed as a ‘risk index’ that directly influences the success of genetic selection for the phytic acid trait which is highly complex and involves more laboratory experimentation. The selected genotypes may be further screened using biochemical analysis for confirmation.

Test-retest Repeatability and Minimal Detectable Change of 1-minute Sit-to-Stand Test for the Ability to Detect Exercise-induced Oxygen Desaturation in Patients with Interstitial Lung Diseases

Background: While methods like the 6-minute walk test, shuttle walk test, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) are available to assess exercise limitation, they need a large space to perform/advanced lab settings which makes 1-minute sit-to-stand test (1STST) a feasible option in office practice. Data on test-retest reliability and the minimal detectable change (MDC) of 1STST is lacking in both national and international literature. Materials and methods: In this prospective observational study, our objective was to assess test-retest reliability and the MDC of the 1STST in patients with ILD and to determine the correlation of 1STST with the severity of interstitial lung disease (ILD) by spirometry and mGAP index. Results: A total of 65 ILD patients underwent 1STST during the study duration. The mean number of repetitions during the test retest 1STST and were 20 ± 6 and 21 ± 6 respectively (p = 0.029). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between a number of repetitions during 1STST and retest 1STST was 0.914 with SEM of 1.551 repetitions and a MDC of 4 repetitions. Statistically significant poor correlation was observed between test and retest 1STST repetitions with diffusion capacity of lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) predicted z score (r = 0.428 and p = 0.006). modified gender age lung physiology index score (r = –0.195, p = 0.142), SpO2 drop (r = –0.301; p = 0.013), BMI of patients (r = –0.287; p = 0.02), and baseline hemoglobin level (r = –0.095; p = 0.504) had a negative poor correlation with number of repetitions during 1STST. Conclusion: The 1-minute sit-to-stand test is a valuable tool for detecting exercise-induced desaturation in ILD patients, showing reliability and a MDC of approximately 4 repetitions.

The effect of the social support perceived by the women receiving chemotherapy on functional and psychosocial conditions: A cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study

Background: Today, cancer is one of the most important health problems with fatal results. Individuals with cancer have to cope with many functional and psychosocial problems in the course of the disease besides physical impairments. The effect of social support of women receiving chemotherapy on their functional and psychosocial conditions was determined. Methods: This study had a cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational design. The study was conducted with 330 women patients in a state hospital located in Istanbul, Turkey, which has an outpatient chemotherapy unit and is one of the hospitals where outpatient chemotherapy is applied most. Results: In the study, it was determined that there was a very high positive correlation between the social support perceived by the women with cancer and self-esteem and a very high negative correlation of self-esteem with fatigue and depression (P < 0.001). In contrast, there was a very high negative correlation between social support and self-esteem with many of the functional symptoms and a very high positive correlation between social support and self-esteem with fatigue and depression (P < 0.001). Education, number of children, economic situation, family structure, self-esteem, fatigue, and depression variables explained 33% of cancer patients� social support. Conclusion: The management of the functional and psychosocial symptoms of women with cancer is closely related to the perceived social support. In the management of the functional and psychosocial symptoms of women with cancer, it is important to provide and maintain psychological support by involving the patients� families in the treatment process.

Genetic dissimilarity, attributes association, and path analysis of sweet peppers

The present investigation was conducted on genetic diversification, character connections, and their direct and indirect effects using 21 sweet pepper genotypes to identify superiors owing to develop variety (es) and/or utilizing the pertinent genotypes in hybridization program. It was found that, with the exception of fruit length (FL), all of the features had larger phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) than genotypic variation coefficients of variation (GCV), and the gap between PCV and GCV was rather small. Except for FL (24.98%) and seed number per fruit (24.76%), all traits had a high estimation of broad sense heritability of more than 75.00%, indicating significant improvement is possible employing standard selection procedures. High genetic advance as percentage of mean was observed for all the characters. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation analyses showed that there had a strong positive correlation for fruit yield per plant with fruit yield/plot and yield (t/ha) (r = 1.00**). In addition, the importance and close correlation of characters to enhance yield or to use as selection catalogs were demonstrated by the fact that the genotypic direct impacts utilized by the yield component traits were fairly bigger than their equivalent phenotypic effects.

Significance of calcium: its correlation with red and white muscle contraction, fatigue and potential

According to the predominant types of muscle fibers in an individual, they will have the ability to perform different types of exercises (both aerobic and anaerobic). To comprehend the mechanism of muscle fibers, which can act in diverse ways, enhancing either resistance or power, it is essential to examine the significance of calcium. Calcium plays a crucial role in both red and white muscle fibers. The release of calcium in white (fast-twitch) muscle fibers is significantly greater and faster, resulting in increased energy consumption, facilitating explosive physical activities. Conversely, in red (slow-twitch) muscle fibers, the release of calcium occurs in smaller amounts and over a prolonged period, leading to sustained energy consumption. The characteristics of contraction in red fibers enable endurance activities. A reduction in the amount of calcium results in diminished muscle contractile capacity, known as fatigue. The primary contributing factor, as previously mentioned, is the decline in calcium, but factors such as lactic acid and the dephosphorylation of the myosin head also contribute to its onset.

Relación productividad académica -categoría de investigador Minciencias en el programa de psicología de una universidad colombiana / Academic productivity - Minciencias researcher category relationship in the psychology program of a Colombian university

RESUMEN Objetivo: Determinar si existe relación entre cantidad de publicaciones científicas y categoría de investigador Minciencias en docentes del programa de psicología de una universidad pública del Caribe colombiano. Materiales y métodos: Se utilizó el coeficiente de Spearman (rs) para estimar la correlación entre las variables publicaciones y categoría de investigador, tanto en docentes ocasionales como de planta. Se tuvo en cuenta la cantidad de publicaciones y categoría, a diciembre de 2022. Resultados: La producción media fue levemente mayor en ocasionales 17 que en planta 13. Se observó la existencia de correlación positiva, fuerte y significativa (rs > 0,8 y p < 0,05) en ambos tipos de vinculación docente, aunque ligeramente superior en ocasionales. No obstante, la productividad en ocasionales está fuertemente concentrada en 1 investigador. Conclusión: Poseer una profusa producción científica contribuye positivamente a categorizarse como investigador Minciencias. Con todo, es imprescindible poseer productos de formación de recurso humano, sobre todo a nivel de maestrías y doctorados, a fin de alcanzar las categorías Asociado y Sénior. Una perspectiva es contemplar la influencia de variables como la titulación, años de experiencia y cantidad de trabajos de grado y posgrado.

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine if there is a relationship between the number of scientific publications and the category of Minciencias researcher in professors of the psychology program of a public university in the Colombian Caribbean. Materials and methods: Spearman coefficient (rs) was used to estimate the correlation between number of publications and researcher category, both in occasional and permanent teachers. The number of publications and category as of December 2022 was considered. Results: The average production was slightly higher in occasional 17 than in plant 13. The existence of a positive, strong, and significant correlation (rs > 0.8 and p < 0.05) was observed in both types of teacher involvement, although slightly higher in occasional ones. However, productivity in casuals is strongly concentrated in 1 researcher. Conclusion: To have a profuse scientific production contributes positively to being categorized as a Minciencias researcher. However, it is essential to have human resource training products, especially at the master's and doctoral level, to reach the Associate and Senior categories. One perspective is to consider the influence of variables such as degree, years of experience, and number of graduate and postgraduate work.

Evaluation of unenhanced three-dimensional endoanal ultrasound scan in preoperative assessment of perianal sepsis

Background: Perianal sepsis which includes perianal fistula and abscess is a common clinical condition that requires thorough preoperative evaluation to decrease the recurrence rate and to plan relevant surgery according to the anatomy of the fistula. MRI and 3D EAUS are two important preoperative investigations that delineate the anatomy of simple and complex fistula tracts. Due to lower cost and easier use 3D EAUS is a safe and reliable first-line investigation in evaluating perianal abscess. Methods: This is a retrospective and prospective analysis of patients with perianal sepsis who underwent pre-operative unenhanced 3D-EAUS in the departments of Colorectal surgery, Gastrointestinal surgery, and General surgery in our hospital. A B-K medical 2052 transducer was used for the study and the surgical assessment was done by multiple surgeons from multiple departments. Results: A total of 255 patients were assessed. The accuracy for primary fistula tracts and internal opening was 83.53% and 88.62% respectively. The kappa coefficient of correlation was k=0.70 (substantial agreement) for the fistula tract and k=0.81 (near perfect agreement) for the internal opening. The sensitivity, and specificity of primary tracts and internal openings were calculated. Transphincteric fistulas were 57% in our study. Conclusions: Unenhanced 3D EAUS is a reliable first-line investigation in preoperative evaluation of perianal fistula and abscess. Transphincteric fistula is the most common type of fistula. There is a high chance of correlation for the primary tract if a non-colorectal specialist performs the fistula surgery after 3D-EAUS without blinding.

Study of the response of PCOS patients to clomiphene citrate based on hormonal Parameters and body mass index

Background: Our study aimed to evaluate the response of polycystic ovarian syndrome patients to clomiphene citrate based on hormonal parameters and body mass index.Methods: It is a prospective observational study that was carried out on 48 women with PCOS-related infertility. They were treated with an incremental dose of clomiphene citrate starting with 50 mg/day to a maximum of 100 mg. The response was recorded as either the presence or absence of ovulation. Hormonal parameters such as serum FSH, LH, testosterone, fasting insulin, DHEA, prolactin, and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated. The correlation of each of these parameters in predicting non-responsiveness (failure to ovulate with 100 mg clomiphene) was calculated.Results: Among 48 PCOS patients who were enrolled in the study, 14 patients responded to CC 50 mg, 26 patients responded to CC 100 mg and 8 patients were CC non-responders. We concluded that serum LH, fasting insulin, and BMI were significant predictors of response to ovulation with CC in PCOS patients.Conclusions: In our study, we concluded that among the hormonal and biochemical parameters we studied serum LH, fasting insulin, and BMI are significant predictors of response of ovulation with CC in women with PCOS-related infertility. This may help physicians to counsel and select the proper infertility treatment for women with PCOS experiencing infertility so that it should be less time-consuming and cost-effective.

Connecting The Dots: Investigating Correlation Between PIRADS Score And Serum PSA In Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Through TRUS-Guided Biopsy

Background: Prostate cancer diagnosis relies heavily on prostate speci?c antigen (PSA) levels and transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy (TRUS- biopsy). However, limitations exist in both methods. PI-RADS scoring, a standardized MRI-based system for assessing prostate lesions, has emerged as a promising adjunct. This study investigated the correlation between PSA, PI-RADS scores, and histopathological evidence of prostate cancer obtained through TRUS-biopsy.

Enhancing Breast Lump Diagnostics: A Comparative Study Of Histopathological And Cytology

Introduction: The increasing incidence of breast lumps cases represents a signi?cant health challenge, necessitating . The integration of multiple diagnostic modalities, including histopathological and cytological techniques, is imperative. Correlating histopathological ?ndings with cytological evaluation can signi?cantly enhance the accuracy of preoperative diagnosis and contribute to the development of evidence-based guidelines for integrating cytological evaluation into the diagnostic algorithm for breast lumps. In a prospective observational study at aMethods: tertiary care teaching hospital, female patients aged 18 years and above with palpable breast lumps were enrolled according to the inclusion criteria. Data on demographics and clinical history were collected. Histopathological and cytological evaluations were conducted, assessing concordance, with statistical analysis revealing sensitivity, speci?city, PPV, and NPV of cytological evaluation. Ethical considerations, including informed consent and con?dentiality, were obtained. In the cytological evaluation of 290 breast lump cases, benign cases constituted theResults: majority, accounting for 68%, followed by malignant cases at 27.5%. Out of 290 patients, 75 underwent histopathological examination. Among these, 30 cases were diagnosed as benign, while 45 were identi?ed as malignant. The sensitivity, speci?city, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the present study were 80.12%, 95.62%, 97.2%, 70.12%, and 84.52% respectively. Among cases, 84% exhibit concordance, while 16% show discordance, suggesting a strong association between the two diagnostic methods in the study. TheConclusion: demographic characteristics, cytological and histopathological ?ndings, along with the correlation analysis, provide a comprehensive understanding of the diagnostic process of breast lump cases. High concordance and favorable statistics validate diagnostic test reliability, addressing discordance improves breast lump diagnosis accuracy.

Are Dengue Patients Aware Enough ? 鈥� A Cross-sectional Study among Dengue In-patients in a Rural Based Tertiary Hospital in West Bengal

Background : Dengue fever is endemic in many parts of South-east Asia and the tropical countries including India. It takes a huge toll on lives every year during the rainy season due to the upsurge of the vector mosquitoes. Numerous studies have been performed on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) about Dengue prevalent in the community but very few have been performed among admitted patients. Aims and Objectives : To find out the Socio-demographic profile, predictors of KAP and the correlation among KAP parameters among in-patients of dengue. Results : In 50.7% patients had a good KAP score. Age, Sex and Floor of residence had significant associations with KAP and there was a good correlation between Knowledge, Attitude and Practice. Conclusions : The KAP scores were not satisfactory enough even though the subjects were going through the suffering of dengue which potentiates the need for a robust Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign for the admitted patients from the authorities.

Correlation between Optical Coherence Tomography Ganglion Cell Layer Analysis and Visual Field in Cases of Benign Intracranial Hypertension

Background: Benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) is a condition in which there is excessive cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) pressure in the subarachnoid space that surrounds the brain and spinal cord (intracranial pressure (ICP)) owing to an unexplained cause. It affects 1:100,000 persons yearly with a 20 times greater prevalence in young, obese girls. We wanted to correlate between optical coherence tomography ganglion cell layer analyses and visual field in patients of benign intracranial hypertension. Methods: This cross-sectional clinical study that was carried out on 30 patients (60 eyes) who all had a recently diagnosed papilledema due to first episode of IIH. Goal of the study, and applied tests was done before obtaining an informed consent. Personal history, past medical and ocular history, possible risk factors for IIH were taken. Full ophthalmological examination including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), color perception, pupillary reflexes, slit lamp bio microscopy examination including assessment of papilledema grade, blood pressure check and body mass index (BMI). All patients underwent automated perimetry in dim light to evaluate their visual field using SITA fast Standard 30-2 protocol by Humphrey Field Analyzer (Humphrey Field Analyzer I Carl Zeiss AG – Oberkochen – Germany). Results: Average RNFL thickness had significant positive correlation with rim area (r=0.654, P<0.001) and disc area (r=0.665, P<0.001). Average RNFL thickness had no correlation with VA, IOP and average CD. Average GCL complex had significant negative correlation with rim area (r= -0.283, P=0.028) and disc area (r= -0.328, P=0.01). Average GCL complex had no correlation with VA, IOP and average CD. Minimum GCL complex had significant negative correlation with rim area (r= -0.272, P=0.036) and disc area (r= -0.315, P=0.014). Minimum GCL complex had no correlation with VA, IOP and average CD. Papilledema grading had significant positive correlation with average RNFL thickness (r=0.461, P<0.001). Papilledema grading had no correlation with average GCL complex, minimum GCL complex, VFI, MD and PSD. Conclusions: There is a strong structure-function link between visual field indices and OCT parameters such as RNFL and GCC.