Assessment of muscular fitness in school children using kraus-weber tests.

Objective of the study: The present study was carried out to assess muscular fitness in healthy Indian school children between 9 to 12 years of age (older pediatric age-group) using Kraus-Weber Tests. The aim was to compare the results of this study with similar studies that have been carried out in India, Europe and America previously. Methods: Kraus-Weber Tests don’t require sophisticated equipment and are much easier to administer than traditional tools for analyzing muscular fitness like Electromyogram (EMG). Earlier studies have proven these tests to be excellent screening devices not only for physical but also psychosocial incompetence. They can actually be used as indicators of overall health in this older pediatric age-group. Results: The present study found more number of fitness and flexibility failures as compared to the last such study in India. In stark contradistinction to previous studies, girls have fared poorly than boys on the fitness front.Conclusion: These findings could be attributed to increased stress in school children especially in female students. A sharp dip has been observed in muscular fitness just prior to puberty (most probably due to hormonal causes).

Academic performance of school children with their intelligence quotient.

Present study was carried out to correlate academic performance of Indian school children with their intelligence quotient (as measured by Porteus Maze Tests). These tests have been tried and tested successfully in previous studies, don’t require sophisticated equipment and are easier to administer than traditional tests like Wechsler Tests. Contrary to popular belief, no statistically significant correlation was found in this study between intelligence and academic grades. Thus intelligence is not a prerequisite to succeed in examinations and therefore in life.

Academic performance of school children with their intelligence quotient.

Present study was carried out to correlate academic performance of Indian school children with their intelligence quotient (as measured by Porteus Maze Tests). These tests have been tried and tested successfully in previous studies, don’t require sophisticated equipment and are easier to administer than traditional tests like Wechsler Tests. Contrary to popular belief, no statistically significant correlation was found in this study between intelligence and academic grades. Thus intelligence is not a prerequisite to succeed in examinations and therefore in life.

Assessment of autonomic functions in hypothyroidism.

Disturbances in autonomic functions have been observed in many diseases including hormonal disorder (Banisters 1983). Present study was undertaken to study the autonomic functions in thyroid hormones on in 60 untreated hypothyroid patients, using Valsalva and deep breath test, cold pressor test, hand grip test and orthostatic test to assess the sympathetic and parasympathetic reflexes. The results obtained in this study were compared with the age sex matched controls. It is concluded that the sympathetic response is not altered in the hypothyroid cases while reflex vagal activity is significantly reduced.

Sporotrichoid pattern of cutaneous nocardiasis due to Nocardia asteroids.

Cutaneous nocardiosis is a rare disease, only a few cases of which have been reported from the world as well as in India. This infection, when in the lymphocutaneous form, may clinically resemble sporotrichosis, hence causing a diagnostic dilemma. Here, we report a case of primary cutaneous, sporotrichoid pattern of cutaneous nocardiosis caused by Nocardia asteroides in immunocompetent host. The patient was a 32-year-old farmer, with no predisposing factors, who presented with cutaneous nocardiosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by culture of the biopsy, after which the patient was treated successfully with antibacterial agents.

Thoracic empyema due to Candida albicans.

Few cases of empyema thoracis due to Candida species have been reported from the world and India. A 46-year-old male with esophageal carcinoma, who had taken radiotherapy, presented with fever and dyspnea. The chest X-ray showed findings suggestive of empyema. The diagnosis was confirmed by culturing Candida albicans from aspirated fluid and blood culture. The patient responded to antifungal treatment. High index of suspicion is required to diagnose such rare cases.

HIV in intensive care--a 3 years experience.

A three year prospective study of a total of 62 critically ill HIV patients in MICU showed a rising percentage from 0.86 in 1992 to 3.17 in 1994. Four major presentations were observed, neurological-20 patients (32.5%), sepsis syndrome-18 (29%), poisoning-10 (16.1%) and miscellaneous-14 (22.6%). Acute poisoning emerged as the most important preventable indication for MICU admissions. Interventions like CVP and haemodynamic monitoring-25 patients, endotracheal intubation-18, mechanical ventilation-14, tracheostomy-3, haemodialysis-3 were done when indicated. The mortality of the 14 ventilated patients was high at 92.9% compared to the overall HIV mortality of 46.8%. This study shows that critically ill HIV patients do deserve intensive care management with optimum infection control precautions. Survival of 53.2% is noteworthy in a resource stretched set up.

Facial nerve involvement in pseudotumor cerebri.

A woman with history of bifrontal headache, vomiting and loss of vision was diagnosed as a case of pseudotumor cerebri based on clinical and MRI findings. Bilateral abducens and facial nerve palsies were detected. Pseudotumor cerebri in this patient was not associated with any other illness or related to drug therapy. Treatment was given to lower the raised intracranial pressure to which the patient responded.

Screening of in vitro antibacterial activity of Terminalia chebula, Eclapta alba and Ocimum sanctum.

Study of in vitro antibacterial activity of extracts from the plants T. chebula, E. alba and O. sanctum was carried out by the disk diffusion technique. All showed such activity against human pathogenic Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The activity against Salmonella organisms was shown only by T. chebula; against Shigella organisms by T. chebula and E. alha; but not by O. sanctum. The widest spectrum of antibacterial activity was shown by T. chebula. It was also most potent. The antibacterial spectrum of E. alba was in between that of T. chebula and O. sanctum. The narrowest spectrum of antibacterial activity was also most potent. The antibacterial spectrum of E. alba was in between that of T. chebula and O. sanctum. The narrowest spectrum of antibacterial activity was observed in O. sanctum.