Diabetic retinopathy: a preventable scourge.

In recent years, the India has witnessed a rapidly exploding epidemic of diabetes mellitus. It would not be hyperbolic to state that diabetes mellitus is the mother of morbidity of all vital organs. Diabetic retinopathy and its complications cause considerable ocular morbidity as well. With effective management strategies visual loss due to the disease can be controlled and further dissemination of the disease could be prevented. The key to proper management of diabetic retinopathy includes prophylaxis by controlling blood sugar, periodical screening of retina for early detection, prompt referral for prevention of progression by appropriate laser photocoagulation, surgical correction of various anatomical abnormalities, low vision aids and rehabilitative measures in patients with severe visual loss. Howerver, the awareness level of visual consequences of this widely prevalent disease even amongst diabetics is lacking.

Effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on health.

This paper gives a brief review of the physical interaction and bio-effects of exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) along with guidelines on limits of exposure to 50/60 Hz electric and magnetic fields.

Organ weights in autopsy cases from an urban apex hospital.

The available limited anatomical and physiological data have been compiled for Indian adult as a part of ongoing efforts in the country to formulate an Indian Reference Man for radiation protection purposes. The parameters included weight, height, body surface area, weight of various organs (brain, heart, kidney, lung, liver etc.), total body water, extra-cellular water, blood volume, specific gravity, total lung capacity, vital capacity etc. The data have been drawn from post-mortem studies (566 males and 185 females) and other data from published work on 433 healthy male and 137 female volunteers. Data gaps have been filled by the method of pooling wherever necessary. This paper presents the intercomparison of the present data with the data available from other sources. The data from various Indian sources indicate a similar trend. However, a significant difference (P less than 0.01) was observed in organ weights and total body weights, in comparison to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) values. The present data are not comprehensive enough to suggest definitive norms of the Indian Reference Man.

Patterns of recovery of pulmonary functions in severe acute bronchial asthma.

The recovery of pulmonary function were studied in fifty patients of acute bronchial asthma receiving a standard therapeutic regime. Sixty-two per cent of patients had achieved 50% of their total improvement in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) within 24 hours (fast responders) as against slow responders. Duration of asthma, characteristics of present exacerbation, mean pulse rate and presence of pulsus paradoxus on admission did not differ in fast and slow responders. The rise in PEFR within 4 hours of starting treatment was highly significantly correlated with a higher PEFR at 24 hours and a faster recovery. The mean arterial PaCO2 was higher (P less than 0.02) in slow responding group and they were slightly older (P less than 0.01), had lower mean FVC (P less than 0.01), mean FEV1 (P less than 0.02) and PEFR (P less than 0.001). The mean PaO2 of less than 80 mm Hg at 48 hours was more common in those with delayed recovery of PEFR.