A comparison of the quality of images of chest X-ray between handheld portable digital X-ray & routinely used digital X-ray machine

Background & objectives: Chest X-ray (CXR) is an important screening tool for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Accessibility to CXR facilities in difficult-to-reach and underserved populations is a challenge. This can potentially be overcome by deploying digital X-ray machines that are portable. However, these portable X-ray machines need to be validated before their deployment in the field. Here, we compare the image quality of CXR taken by a newly developed handheld X-ray machine with routinely used reference digital X-ray machine through the conduct of a feasibility study. Methods: A total of 100 participants with suspected pulmonary TB were recruited from the outpatient departments of a medical college and a community health centre in Agra. Each participant underwent CXR twice, once with each machine. Both sets of de-identified images were independently read by two radiologists, who were blinded to the type of X-ray machine used. The primary outcome was agreement between image qualities produced by these two machines. Results: The intra-observer (radiologist) agreements regarding the status of the 15 CXR parameters ranged between 74 per cent and 100 per cent, with an unweighted mean of 87.2 per cent (95% confidence interval: 71.5-100). The median Cohen’s kappa values for intra-observer agreement were 0.62 and 0.67 for radiologists 1 and 2, respectively. In addition, on comparison of the overall median score of quality of the image, the handheld machine images had a higher score for image quality. Interpretation & conclusions: The current study shows that a handheld X-ray machine, which is easy to use and can potentially be carried to any area, produces X-ray images with quality that is comparable to digital X-ray machines routinely used in health facilities.

Histopathological Spectrum of Hysterectomy Specimens

Aims:Aim of this retrospective study, was to analyze the histopathological spectrum among women who have underwent hysterectomies at our institution. StudyDesign: Allhysterectomies were included in this study. Except 7 vaginal hysterectomies, all were abdomina lhysterectomies.Clinical history and other relevant data were obtained from the records of Department of Pathology of medical college hospital. Formal in fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin were examined and analysed for histopathological diagnosis.

Basal Cell Adenoma: A Rare Case Report With Immunohistochemical Analysis

Basal cell adenoma (BCA) of the salivary gland is a rare benign monomorphic adenoma accounting for approximately 1–2% of all salivary gland tumors. It is characterized by the presence of sheets/nests of monomorphic cells with a prominent basement membrane. An absence of myxoid and chondroid stroma separates it from the pleomorphic adenoma. Participation of myoepithelial cells is still a controversial issue in the histogenesis of this tumor. We are presenting a case of BCA of the parotid gland in an elderly male patient. A panel of immunohistochemical markers is used to confirm its benignity and emphasize its use to differentiate it from other common histological entities. We briefly review the literature and discuss the differential diagnosis of this rare entity.

Antioxidant response and Lea genes expression under salt stress and combined salt plus water stress in two wheat cultivars contrasting in drought tolerance.

Two wheat cultivars, C306 and PBW343 contrasting in drought tolerance were compared for their antioxidant response and Lea genes’ expression under salt stress (SS) and combined stress (CS) of salt stress plus water stress during seedlings growth. The drought susceptible cultivar (PBW343) behaved different towards SS/CS than towards WS. It accumulated more dry masses in shoots, more ascorbate, had higher ascorbate to dehydroascorbate ratio, lesser dehydroascorbate, lesser malondialdehyde (MDA), more proline and higher antioxidant enzymes under SS than under WS. CS increased dry masses, ascorbate, ascorbate to dehydroascorbate ratio, antioxidant enzymes and decreased dehydroascorbate and MDA contents from levels under WS. The drought tolerant cultivar (C306) though showed higher levels of ascorbate, ascorbate to dehydroascorbate ratio, lower levels of dehydroascorbate, showed lesser dry biomasses in shoots, higher MDA and lesser ascorbate peroxidase and catalase activities under SS than under WS and these features were improved on combining WS with SS. All lea genes were induced under all stresses in both cultivars except Wrab17 in C306 only, was not induced under any stress. Eight Lea genes out of ten were induced higher under WS than SS in C306 but induced same in PBW343. Wdhn13 gene was higher salt-responsive than other lea genes in both cultivars.

High acid invertase activity for a prolonged period in developing seeds/podwall of wild chickpea is detrimental to seed filling.

In the present study factors responsible for low seed biomass in wild Cicer species has been investigated. Cicer judaicum and chickpea cultivar PBG-1 were investigated to compare activities of some enzymes involved in carbon metabolism in podwall and seeds during crop development. Seed filling duration in wild species was about 15 days shorter than that of cultivated varieties due to rapid loss of moisture content and hence resulted in earlier maturity and reduced seed biomass. Longer seed filling duration appeared to be an important factor responsible for greater biomass of chickpea seeds. Because of absence of phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase from 25-35 days after flowering and low sucrose synthase activities, the podwall of C. judaicum is not in a position to contribute significantly to the sink filling capacity of seeds. High acid invertase, low sucrose synthase activities during seed storage phase cause detrimental effect on seed filling and resulting in highly reduced sink strength and productivity of wild species. Successful transfer of stress tolerance from wild Cicer species to chickpea cultivars need to prevent the transfer of these observed unfavourable biochemical factors so that the productivity of chickpea crop remains unaffected during utilization of wild Cicer species in chickpea improvement.

Potential of antioxidant enzymes in depicting drought tolerance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

In an effort to determine the biochemical markers for identifying genotypes before sowing for drought tolerance, changes in activities of antioxidant enzymes were determined in the seedlings of five drought-tolerant and five drought-sensitive wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes, each with different genetic background growing under normal and water deficit conditions induced by 6% mannitol. In comparison with non-stressed seedlings, the catalase (CAT) activity was upregulated by more than 50% in the roots of water-stressed seedlings in drought-tolerant genotypes. Water deficit stress also led to the upregulation of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in the endosperms and glutathione reductase (GR), CAT and peroxidase (POD) in the shoots of stressed seedlings in drought-tolerant genotypes. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was very low in roots and shoots and showed non-significant increase under water-stress in tolerant genotypes. Out of five specified enzyme activities (CAT in roots and shoots, APX in endosperms, GR and POD in shoots), if any three are upregulated in the specified tissues under water deficit conditions, the genotype is likely to be drought-tolerant. Wheat seedlings with low GR and APX activities and high POD activity in shoots with a low ratio of GR activity of shoot to root of non-stressed seedlings are likely to perform better under rainfed conditions. The observed data showed that status of antioxidant enzymes could provide a meaningful tool for depicting drought tolerance of a wheat genotype.

Planning and response to the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic: ethics, equity and justice.

This paper aims to highlight three ethical considerations related to influenza pandemic planning and response: ethical allocation of scarce resources; obligations and duties of healthcare workers to treat patients, and the balance between conflicting individual and community interests. Among these, perhaps the most challenging question facing bioethics is how to allocate scarce, life-saving resources given the devastating social and economic ramifications of a pandemic. In such situations, the identification of clear overall goals for pandemic planning is essential in making difficult choices.