Evaluation Of Postural Balance In Third Trimester Pregnancy

Background: Pregnancy is a state of various physiological and anatomical changes in a female’s body. The increasing body weight leads to the shift in COG and increase in abdominal contents leading to reduced stability and increased use of visual cues which occur in pregnant females as pregnancy advances. Several physiological responses to pregnancy diminish the body’s ability to maintain adequate balance, and place the women at a higher risk of injury and falls. Thus assessment for postural stability is very important to prevent such complications. Objective: To evaluate postural balance in third trimester pregnant females using Four square step test. Materials and methodology: Study was cross sectional observational study. Data was collected by convenient sampling method .60 Healthy women, 30 pregnant and 30 non-pregnant, of age group 20-30 years were selected. Evaluation of postural stability was done using 4 square step test (FSST). The mean of two time trial (in seconds) was noted. The data was collected and analysed using paired t-test. Results: There was statistically significant difference in mean time taken to complete the test between pregnant group and non-pregnant group. (p<0.05) Conclusion: Thus, our study showed that pregnant females took longer time to complete the postural balance test.

A clinicopathologic study of malignant melanoma based on cytomorphology.

CONTEXT: Melanoma accounts for 1‑3% of all malignancies. It is usually diagnosed as metastasis in the draining lymph nodes, that is inguinal lymph node. Due to paucity of cytological studies on melanoma in India, the present study was undertaken. AIM: To study the cytomorphology of malignant melanoma and to correlate the cytological diagnosis with histopathology and clinical details. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Sixteen cytomorphological features were studied and analysed from the cases diagnosed as melanoma on cytology with histopathological correlation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients diagnosed with malignant melanoma on fine‑needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) were studied over a period of 10 years and compared by histopathology. Papanicolaou (Pap)‑ and May Grunwald Giemsa (MGG)‑stained smears were studied and analysed for the cytomorphological spectrum of melanoma. RESULTS: Among the 30 patients studied, males were 19 and females were 11 (M:F:1.7:1) with a mean age of 49.3 years. The commonest primary site was foot followed by maxilla and thigh. The most common site for metastasis was inguinal lymph node. All 30 cases had histopathological correlation. Pigmented melanophages (83%) was the predominant feature followed by presence of melanin pigment (77%) and pseudo‑inclusions (73%). Condensed chromatin was observed in the majority of the patients (53%). Smooth and irregular nuclear contours were seen in combination in 37% of the cases. A combination of nuclear placement, that is eccentric and central was observed as a predominant feature (53%). Spindle cell pattern was the predominant shape. Among cytoplasmic features, melanin granules and vacuoles were equally distributed (50%). Mixed pattern, that is singly scattered plasmacytoid cell pattern and cell clusters was the predominant cell architecture. CONCLUSION: A spectrum of cytomorphological features in correlation with clinical details leads to greater precision in diagnosis and helps to avoid pitfalls in diagnosing melanoma.

Spectrum of malignancies in human immunodeficiency virus – positive patients at a tertiary care centre in South India.

CONTEXT: India has a very large number of patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Opportunistic infections in these patients are commonly encountered. However, malignancies in such patients also do occur. AIM: The aim was to study the spectrum of malignancies in HIV‑positive patients at a tertiary health care center. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Retrospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cases were retrieved from pathology record files at our Institute from January 2003 to December 2008. The follow‑up was obtained from Medical oncology records. The morphology of each case was reviewed along with immunohistochemistry wherever done. RESULTS: There were 61 such cases (51 males, 10 females). The age range was 7–78 years with a median of 35 years. The clinical presentation varied according to the malignancy. The largest group was non‑Hodgkin lymphoma (18 nodal, 23 extra‑nodal). The others included carcinoma breast (4), chronic myeloid leukemia (3), Burkitt Leukemia (2), squamous cell carcinoma anal region (2), multiple myeloma (2) and one each of miscellaneous malignancies (7). CONCLUSION: Malignancies in HIV positive individual occurred in younger individuals. Non‑Hodgkin lymphomas, especially extra‑nodal lymphomas, were the most common malignancy. There were no cases of proven Kaposi’s sarcoma or invasive cervical carcinomas. There were two cases of multiple myeloma which are infrequently reported.

Histopathological changes due to the effect of selenium in experimental cockerels.

Background & objectives: Selenium usually acts as an antioxidant at optimal levels in the body and increased levels are toxic. In this study an attempt was made to evaluate the effect of an optimum dose (0.14 mg) of selenium on histopathological changes in experimental hypercholesterolemia in cockerels. Methods: the effect of selenium (0.14 mg) was investigated on histopathological changes in four tissues namely liver, kidney, heart, and descending aorta in cockerel animal model. Animals were either fed with stock diet (group C), stock diet with cholesterol (group CH), stock diet with selenium (group Se), stock diet, selenium and cholesterol (group CH+Se) for six months. Animals were sacrified and the tissues were isolated and subjected to histopathological study. Results: xanthochromatic collections in liver were observed in group CH; hydropic degeneration in group Se and lobular disarray, hydropic degeneration and kuppfer cell hyperplasia in group CH+Se were observed. In kidney, mild mononuclear infiltration was observed in interstitium in groups CH, Se and CH+Se. myocyte disruption, and mononuclear infiltration in group CH and cCH+Se, and disruption of muscle bundles with vascular congestion in group Se were observed. Smooth muscle proliferation in the media of blood vessel was observed in groups CH, Se and CH+Se. Interpretation & conclusions: Tthe results of the present study suggested that the optimum dose of (140 μg/day) feeding induced atherogenesis by inflammation and smooth muscle proliferation in cockerels with experimentally induced hypercholesterolaemia.

Estrogen and progesterone hormone receptor status in breast carcinoma: Comparison of immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry.

Context : Estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) play a significant role in the prognosis of breast cancer. For preoperative chemotherapy in locally advanced lesions, trucut biopsy is used to localize the ER and PR receptors by immunohistochemistry. Immunocytochemistry can be a better alternative to immunohistochemistry as it better fixes cells. AIMS : To evaluate the degree of correlation between immunocytochemical (ICC) and immunohistochemical (IHC) determination of ER and PR in breast cancer. Settings and Design : Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed on 100 primary breast cancers immunostained for ER and PR during a period of 1 year 7 months, i.e., from January 2006 to July 2007. Materials and Methods : Papanicolaou-stained slides were destained, fixed in cold acetone and submitted for immunocytochemistry. In the prospective analysis, FNAC smears were straightaway fixed in cold acetone and submitted for ER and PR. Peroxidase, antiperoxidase technique was used for immunocytochemistry. Statistical Analysis : Spearman Rank correlation test was used. Results : Differences between groups were analysed and correlations were studied. Concordance for ER was 50% and for PR was 29%. Both ER and PR were positive in four cases: ER only in three and PR in one, and both were negative in nine cases. Use of the least best buffer and technical errors contributed to the lower ICC rate. Conclusion : Although Immunocytochemistry removes the derogatory step of antigen deterioration, technical errors can cause hindrance in achieving the best of the results.

Interstitial lung disease in infancy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical profile of interstitial lung disease in infancy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of cases diagnosed to have ILD was carried out in Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust hospital over a period of 2 yr. Infants aged 1 month to 1 yr of age were included if they had (1) respiratory symptoms (Cough, tachypnea or crepitations) for at least 1 month (2) diffuse infiltrates on chest radiography (3) Hypoxemia as defined by oxygen saturation less than 90% by pulse oximetry and (4) High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) of the chest revealing findings of interstitial infiltrates or ground glass pattern. Their case records were analyzed for clinical data, treatment and follow up details. RESULTS: Of the 9 children, who were diagnosed to have ILD, 5 were boys and 4 were girls. The male: female ratio was 1.25: 1. The median age of onset of symptoms was 5 month. The common clinical features observed were tachypnea associated with chest indrawing (100%), cough (100%), hypoxia (100%), failure to thrive and fever (55%) each. The following radiographic patterns were observed in the chest skiagrams: reticulo-nodular pattern in 6(67%) and ground glass pattern in 3(33%). HRCT showed interstitial infiltrates in 6 (67%) and ground glass pattern in 3(33%). Evidence for cyto megalo virus (CMV) infection was detected in 5(56%), Adenovirus in 1 (11%) and Pneumocystis carinii (PCP) in 1(11%) infant. Open lung biopsy was performed in 2 infants, which detected CMV in 1 and PCP in the other. All children received oxygen therapy and systemic corticosteroids (oral/IV) in addition to specific therapy for infection and 3 of these infants succumbed to respiratory failure. CONCLUSION: CMV Infection was the commonest cause of ILD in infancy in our study. However, the consequences on long term follow up in these infants need to be ascertained.

Induction of resistance in host against the infection of leaf blight pathogen (Alternaria palandui) in onion (Allium cepa var aggregatum).

The Pseudomonas fluorescens isolate Pfl was found to inhibit the growth of pathogen Alternaria palandui, in vitro. In the present study, foliar application of a talc-based formulation of Pfl significantly reduced the incidence of leaf blight of onion, caused by A. palandui. Induction of defense-related proteins viz., chitinase, beta-1,3 glucanase, peroxidase (PO) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) by application of Pfl, was studied against A. palandui infection in resistant (IHR 56) and susceptible (MDUI) onion cultivars. Chitinase in both cultivars, with or without challenge-inoculation of A. palandui revealed changes in the isoform pattern. The Native-PAGE of PO showed induction of PO2 isoform in both the cultivars, in response to inoculation of pathogen. Isoform analysis of PPO also exhibited induction in the Pfl-treated plants challenged with pathogen. Similarly, the activity of beta-1,3-glucanase was greatly induced in Pfl-treated plants, challenged with pathogen as compared to controls. Thus, the P. fluorescens-treated plants showed significant increase in the levels of the defense enzymes, in comparison to the plants challenged with the pathogen.