Assessment of Thyroid Disorder in FarWestern Part of Nepal: A Hospital Based Study.

Objectives: This study was conducted to know the status of thyroid disorder in people of far western region of Nepal. Methods: A total of 808 cases, out of which 133 male and 675 female were included and study was carried out using data retrieved from the register maintained in the Department of Biochemistry of the Nepalgunj Teaching Hospital, Kohalpur, Banke, Nepal, between 1st January, 2011 and 28th February, 2012. The variables collected were age, sex, and thyroid function profile including free T3, free T4 and TSH. The data was analyzed using Excel 2003, R 2.8.0 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows Version 16.0 (SPSS Inc; Chicago, IL, USA) and the EPI Info 3.5.1 Windows Version. Results: The percentage of thyroid disorders was 33.66% in people of far western region of Nepal. The people were highly affected by overt hyperthyroidism (14.9%) followed by subclinical hyperthyroidism (9.9%). The subclinical hypothyroidism was 7.9% while 1% overt hypothyroidism only. Serum fT3, fT4 and TSH level were significantly different in male and females. Similarly, fT3, fT4 and TSH levels show statistically significant differences in different thyroid disorders. The fT3 and fT4 level in overt hyperthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism showed statistically significant differences when compared with euthyroidism group. Likewise, TSH level also shows statistically significant in all the thyroid disorders when compared with euthyroidism group. The fT3 and fT4 levels were statistically insignificant in all the age groups whereas TSH level showed statistically significant different in all the age groups. The fT3 and fT4 level in 21-40 years showed statistically significant when compared with serum level of fT3 and fT4 of 0-20 years. Similarly, serum level of TSH in 21-40 and 41-60 years also showed statistically significant when compared with serum level of TSH of 0-20 years. Conclusion: The people residing in far western region have risk for thyroid disorders. They were suffering with thyroid disorder, especially overt hyperthyroidism (14.9%) and subclinical hyperthyroidism (9.9%). Further studies are required to characterize the reasons for this high prevalence of overt hyperthyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism.

Association studies for agro-physiological and quality traits of triticale x bread wheat derivatives in relation to drought and cold stress.

Correlation coefficient analysis conducted on 22 triticale x bread wheat derivatives along with six checks to select true- breeding derivative(s) for future hybridization programme with tolerance to drought and cold stress conditions as well as better quality traits revealed significant correlation of grain yield with spikelets per spike, biological yield, harvest index, leaf area index. Interestingly, the grain yield and drought susceptibility index showed no association. However, with cold tolerance it showed significant positive correlation indicating the desirability of certain plant traits under cold stress. The grain yield exhibited no association with quality traits which might assist in the predictability of high yielding varieties with high protein, total sugars, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars. Path coefficient analysis revealed that biological yield had the highest positive direct effect on grain yield followed by harvest index, specific leaf weight, stomatal number, 1000 grain weight, stomatal size, spikelets per spike and days to heading. Therefore, indirect selection for these plant traits in order should be exercised in selecting drought tolerant genotypes. Two genotypes (RL-124-2P2 and RL 111P2) were found to be drought and cold tolerant with high grain yield, spikes per plant, spikelets per spike and leaf area index.

Genetic variability in triticale x bread wheat derivatives under normal and phosphorus stress regimes.

Twenty six hexaploid triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) X bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell) derivatives, along with 2 bread wheat and 2 triticale checks, were grown in normal and P-stress environments. Spikes/plant and grain yield/plant, followed by peduncle length, Were the most sensitive to phosphorus deficiency, which also caused a delay in heading and maturity. The heritability and genetic advance for grain yield/plant were high in the stress environment, reflecting the effectiveness of direct selection. The 1000-grain weight, grains/spike and plant height were the important traits for phenotypic selections in both the environments.

Acinetobacter sepsis in newborns.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinico-epidemiological profile of Acinetobacter sepsis in neonates. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Level II Neonatal Care Unit. SUBJECTS: 79 neonates with blood culture positive for Acinetobacter. METHODS: Relevant information was collected on a predesigned proforma from the case records and analyzed for clinical and epidemiological characteristics. RESULTS: The incidence of Acinetobacter septicemia was 11.1/1000 live births. Fifty-five babies were hospital born, 24 were outborn. Out of these, 64.6% babies were born at term and 40.5% had a birth weight of 2500 g or more. A cluster of 53 cases was seen between May and September 1995. In cases with early onset sepsis (onset < 7 days of postnatal age), difficulty in breathing (n = 54), chest retraction (n = 35) and refusal to feed (n = 46) were seen more commonly as compared to late onset sepsis (p < 0.05). Complications observed included meningitis, bleeding manifestations and necrotising enterocolitis in three, six and five babies, respectively. The organism was sensitive to ciprofloxacin (96.2%), amikacin (92.4%) and gentamicin (87.3%). A response rate of 52.4% was observed with Ciprofloxacin in babies not responding to cefotaxime and amikacin combination. The overall mortality was 13.9%. CONCLUSION: Nosocomial Acinetobacter sepsis may affect fullterm, appropriate for gestational age babies. Clinical presentation is indistinguishable from Gram negative septicemia. Life threatening complications can also occur. Ciprofloxacin may prove to be useful drug in resistant cases.

Effects of designs of Class 2 preparations on resistance of teeth to fracture.

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of isthmus width on the strength of the remaining tooth structure in maxillary first premolars restored with class 2 silver amalgam restorations. One hundred ten sound maxillary first premolars freshly extracted as a part of orthodontic treatment were collected. The teeth were then divided into 10 groups of 11 teeth each. Ideal class 2 mesio-occlusal, disto-occlusal and mesio-occlusodistal cavities with different isthmus widths i.e. one half the intercuspal distance, one third the intercuspal distance and one fourth the intercuspal distance and one fourth the intercuspal distance were prepared. Compressive forces were applied using a Universal Testing Machine and load to the point of fracture was determined. Intact teeth produced the best tooth fracture resistance i.e. 105.4 MPa, followed by preparations with isthmus width of one fourth, one third and one half intercuspal distance in the order.

Hypocholesterolemic response to angiotensin II in dogs.

Intravenous administration of angiotensin II caused a significant decrease in blood choelsterol level in dogs. This hypocholesterolaemic response, also obtained in spinal vagotomized and adrenalectomized dogs, indicates that central nervous system and adrenals have no role in angiotension II induced hypocholesterolemic effect. In hepatectomized dogs in which both vagi were intact intravenously administered angiotensin did not cause any significant decrease in blood choelsterol level, suggesting that angiotensin exerts its effect by inhibiting the synthesis or preventing the release of cholesterol from the liver.

Effect of centrally administered insulin on blood glucose levels in dogs.

The effects of minimal doses of insulin administered by intracerebroventricular (ICV) and intracisternal (IC) routes in mongrel dogs, on peripheral blood glucose level (BGL) have been studied. The dose of 0.1 U of insulin was found to be the minimal dose. This dose produced an immediate short lived hyperglycaemia followed by a marked and sustained hypoglycaemia. Both the effects were not observed in spinal cord transected-vagosympathectomised animals. The immediate hyperglycaemic effect was not observed in adrenalectomised animals whereas the subsequent hypoglycaemic effect did not appear only when the liver was removed. In an attempt to identify the precise site of action in the central nervous system (CNS), The cerebellomedullary angles were found to be the most sensitive sites for the action of locally applied insulin. It is suggested that insulin on central administration causes a rise in the BGL by an action on the adrenal glands and subsequently causes a marked fall in BGL by an action on the liver through some nerve fibers.

Effect of centrally administered glucagon on urine output in dogs.

The effect of minimal doses of glucagon, administered by intracerebroventricular (ICV) and intracisternal(IC) routes, on urine output in mongrel dogs have been studied. The dose of 2.0 mug of glucagon was found to be the minimal dose for diuresis on peripheral administration. This dose when centrally administered, produced an oliguric effect in animals. This effect was not observed in vagosympathectomised-spinal cord transectomised or adrenalectomised animals. It is suggested that the probable efferents might be the sympathetic fibres as they are present in vagi nerves as well in the spinal cord (26). The observations made in an attempt to find out the organ responsible for the oliguric effect, showed that some substance released from the adrenal cortex has an influence on the kidney's excretory function.

Role of catecholamines in angiotensin induced hyperglycaemia.

The effects of angiotensin II were studied on blood sugar level in dogs. Intracerebroventricular administration of pressor dose of angiotensin caused a rise in blood sugar level. The hyperglycaemia and pressor response was not affected by bilateral vagotomy and was less marked in adrenalectomized dogs. The hyperglycaemic effect and pressor response was not observed in reserpinized and spinal vagotomized dogs. It is suggested that centrally administered angiotensin stimulates the hypothalamic or medullary accelerator neurons (central sympathetic structures) to cause a marked release of catecholamines from peripheral stores specially adrenal medulla. This excessive release of catecholamines is responsible for hyperglycaemia and pressor response of angiotensin II in dogs.