Mean rate of progression of visual fields in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension attending a tertiary care center in South India – A prospective cohort study using FORUM® Glaucoma Workplace software

Purpose: To find out the mean rate of progression (MROP) of visual fields (VF) in patients with primary open?angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OHT) using FORUM® Glaucoma Workplace. Methods: Two hundred and one eyes of 105 patients were included in this prospective cohort study. Patients with POAG and OHT were recruited, and VF analysis with 24?2 and or 10?2 was done using SITA standard strategy in Zeiss Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer (HFA). All the previous VFs were identified from FORUM software, and the baseline indices were recorded from the first reliable VF analysis. The present VF analysis was compared to the previous one using FORUM software, and the rate of progression (ROP) in VF was obtained by Guided Progression Analysis. Results: MROP of VF in the POAG group was ? 0.085 dB/ year, ranging from ?2.8 to 2.8 dB/year with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.69. In the OHT group, the MROP of VF was ?0.003 dB/year, ranging from ? 0.8 to 0.5 dB/year with an SD of 0.27. The MROP of VF in medically treated eyes with POAG was ?0.14 dB/year with an SD of 0.61 and in surgically treated eyes was ?0.02 dB/year with an SD of 0.78. The overall baseline mean VF index (VFI) was 83.19% and the final mean VFI was 79.80%. There was a statistically significant decrease in the mean VFI value from baseline to the final visit (P?value 0.0005). Conclusion: The mean ROP of VF in the POAG group was ?0.085 dB/year and in the OHT group was ? 0.003 dB/year

Outcomes of bleb needling in primary glaucoma: A prospective interventional study in a South Indian population

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess the outcomes of bleb needling for the treatment of failure of filtration surgeries in primary glaucoma with a follow?up of six months. Methods: This prospective interventional study included patients with primary glaucoma who underwent trabeculectomy or combined glaucoma and cataract surgery with failed or failing bleb after six weeks of surgery and less than two years. A comprehensive examination including best?corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, gonioscopy, slit?lamp examination, and bleb morphology grading was done. Selected patients underwent a subconjunctival bleb needling with mitomycin C (MMC) (dose 0.2 mg/ml). Postoperatively, patients were followed up on the first, third, and sixth months and were assessed with respect to IOP, need for antiglaucoma medication (AGM), and complications. Results: Sixty eyes of 59 patients were included. Preoperatively, 33.3% of patients were on one AGM, whereas postoperatively at the third month 51.7% and at the sixth month 50% of patients were on no AGM. There was a statistically significant decrease in IOP (P < 0.001) from preoperative (mean: 23.8 ± 7.86 mmHg) to postoperative first month (mean: 19.8 ± 9.08 mmHg), third month (mean: 17.4 ± 5.4 mmHg) and sixth month (mean 16.6 ± 4.39). According to the defined criteria in the current study, we achieved 22 (37.9%) successes, 31 qualified successes (53.4%), and 5 (8.6%) failures. Univariate regression analysis showed a higher failure rate among younger age groups. Gender, laterality, and intraoperative complications were not significant statistically. Conclusion: Bleb needling is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of failed filtration surgeries

Assessment of Clinical Profile of Children with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: An Observational Study

Background: Many clinicians regard tuberculosis as an adultpulmonary disease, but tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause ofdisease, both pulmonary and extrapulmonary, and death inyoung children from TB-endemic countries, especially in areasaffected by poverty, social disruption, and humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 70children less than 17 years of age. All the demographic detailsof the patients were recorded from the hospital records. Athorough clinical record of patient and contact history andphysical examination, TST, CXR, sputum smear microscopyand culture were noted. Cases with positive bacteriology(smear, culture or both) were considered TB. The patientsample was divided into 3 groups based on age: less than 8years, 8-12 years, 13-17 years. Entire data was recorded in theMicrosoft excel sheets. SPSS software was used for statisticalanalysis.Results: 38.57% of patients were less than 8 years of age.41.42% of patients belonged to age group of 8-12 yearswhereas 20% of the patients were above 13 years and lessthan 17 years. Out of 70 patients 41 were females (58.57%)and the rest 29 were males (41.42%). It was observed in thisstudy that cough was the most common presenting symptomamongst the patients (75.71%). Fever, fatigue and weight losswas present in 70%, 62.85% and 55.71% cases respectively.Conclusion: Children are highly vulnerable to tuberculosis,and there are particularities specific to pediatric patients.Cough, fever, fatigue and weight loss are the most presentingsigns of pulmonary tuberculosis in children

Urbanization and biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: The case study of Delhi, India / Urbanización y biodiversidad de hongos micorrízicos arbusculares -Caso de estudio de Delhi, India

Abstract Increasing urbanisation is widely associated with decline in biodiversity of all forms. The aim of the present study was to answer two questions: (i) Does rapid urbanization in Delhi (India) affect biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi? (ii) If so, how? We measured the AM fungal diversity at nine sites located in Delhi forests, which had different types of urban usage in terms of heavy vehicular traffic pollution, littering, defecation and recreational activities. The study revealed a significant decrease in AM fungal diversity (alpha diversity) and abundance measured as spore density, biovolume, mean infection percentage (MIP) in roots, soil hyphal length and easily extractable glomalin related soluble proteins (EE-GRSP) at polluted sites. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and nested PERMANOVA, revealed significant differences in AM fungal community structure which could be correlated with variations in soil moisture, temperature, pH, carbon, and nitrogen and phosphorus levels. BEST (biota and environmental matching) analysis of biological and environmental samples revealed that soil temperature and moisture accounted for 47.6 % of the total variations in the samples. The study demonstrated how different forms of human activities in urban ecosystems of Delhi are detrimental to the diversity and abundance of AM fungi.(AU)

Resumen El incremento en la urbanización está ampliamente asociado con una disminución de la biodiversidad de todas las formas. El objetivo del presente estudio fue responder dos preguntas: (i) ¿Afecta la urbanización rápida en Delhi (India) la biodiversidad de hongos micorrízicos arbusculares (MA)?, y (ii) si es así, ¿Cómo? Medimos la diversidad de hongos MA en nueve sitios ubicados en los bosques de Delhi, los cuales tenían diferentes tipos de uso urbano en términos de contaminación por alto tráfico vehicular, basura, defecación y actividades recreacionales. El estudio reveló una disminución significativa en la diversidad de hongos MA (diversidad alfa) y abundancia medida como densidad de esporas, biovolumen, porcentaje medio de infección (PMI) en raíces, longitud de las hifas del suelo y glomalina fácilmente extraible relacionada con proteínas solubles (EE-GRSP) en sitios contaminados. Análisis de escalamiento multidimensional no métrico (NMDS) y PERMANOVA anidados revelaron diferencias significativas en la estructura de hongos MA, que puede estar relacionada con la variación en humedad, temperatura, pH y niveles de carbono, nitrógeno y fósforo del suelo. El análisis BEST (biota y correspondencia ambiental) de muestras biológicas y ambientales mostró que la temperatura y humedad del suelo explican un 47.6 % del total de la variación en las muestras. Este estudio demostró cómo las diferentes actividades humanas en ecosistemas urbanos de Delhi son perjudiciales para la diversidad y abundancia de hongos MA.(AU)

Triiodothyronine and melatonin influence antioxidant defense mechanism in a teleost Anabas testudineus (Bloch): in vitro study.

The effect of the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and melatonin on antioxidant defense system was studied in 6-propyl thiouracil (6-PTU)-treated or photoperiod-exposed teleost Anabas testudineus. 6-PTU (2 microg/g) treatment or photoperiod exposure (24 h) increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and conjugated dienes (CD) concentrations, indicating increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the experimental conditions. T3 or melatonin (10(-6) M) treatment for 15 min in vitro in PTU-treated fish reversed the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione content. T3-treated group showed no change in glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, whereas melatonin treatment decreased its activity. T3 inhibited glutathione reductase (GR) activity. Photoperiod exposure (physiological pinealotomy) induced a stressful situation in this teleost, as evidenced by LPO products and antioxidant enzyme activities. Melatonin and T3 treatment for 15 min in vitro also reversed the effect of photoperiod on peroxidation products and the SOD and catalase activities. GR activity decreased in photoperiod-exposed group and melatonin and T3 treatment reversed the activities. The antioxidant enzymes responded to the stress situation after 6-PTU treatment and photoperiod exposure by altering their activities. The study suggested an independent effect of T3 and melatonin on antioxidant defence mechanism in different physiological situations in fish.

Tri-iodo thyronine regulates antioxidant enzyme activities in different cell fractions through a mechanism sensitive to actinomycin D in a teleost, Anabas testudineus (Bloch).

The present study evaluated the effects of hyperthyroid state on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in the crude (CF), post nuclear (PNF) and mitochondrial fractions (MF) of the fish liver. The in vivo injection of T3 (200ng) did not change the lipid peroxidation products, malondialdehyde (MDA) and conjugated dienes (CD), while actinomycin D (10microg), a potent mRNA inhibitor when administered with T3 increased them. The antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) had an increased activity in CF and MF of hyperthyroid group to compete the increased oxidative stress, but actinomycin D partially inhibited the T3-induced activity. SOD and CAT activities in PNF of hyperthyroid group had no change, the glutathione concentration varied depending on the GPx and GR activity. Hyperthyroidism decreased the protein content, while simultaneous administration of actinomycin D inhibited the T3 action of elevating the protein content. The results suggest that the antioxidant defense status in A. testudineus is modulated by thyroid hormone, through an action sensitive to actinomycin D.

Characteristics of Craniofacial Trauma in a Rural Hospital in South India

Background/Purpose:Purpose of this study was to evaluate the population characteristics of patients with both head injury and facial fractures in rural centre.Methods:This study was a retrospective study performed at Justice K.S. Hegde Charitable Hospital; Deralakatte (Mangalore) and a total of 36 patients were reviewed. Type of fracture; mechanism; clinical features and pattern of injuries were noted. All patients who sustained both cranial and facial injuries were included in this study.Results: Mean age was 32.64 years (range; 4 years to 70 years) with a male to female ratio of 35:1. Motor vehicular accidents (44.4) were most common cause of injury followed by fall (22.2). Most common areas involved were upper face (36.1) and lower face (25) followed by combination of upper and middle face (11.1) other areas were less commonly involved. Headache and vomiting were most common clinical features followed by loss of consciences. Closed head injuries were the most common neurological injury (14 cases) followed by skull fractures (5 cases). Most patients with upper facial fractures or combination of it had associated injuries. There was no mortality in the present series.Conclusion: This study further supports that injury patterns in developing countries particularly in rural area are no different from developed countries and needs to follow similar preventive and counseling measures