Factors Affecting Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) in India- National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 5 Factsheet What It Speaks?

Introduction: In developing countries various factors lead to Under-5 Mortality and irreversible losses which can be prevented by proper measures take on factors affecting to it. Objective: This study was conducted to analyse the changing trends of Under-5 Mortality in India. The new National Family Health Survey (5th round) which was published recently came up with several new findings, which were both encouraging and disheartening and also one of the major Sustainable Development Goals.Method: A secondary data analysis was conducted of NFHS factsheets to study the U5MR in India. The indica-tors which had a correlation either positive or negative with the Under-five mortality rate were included.Result- When we look at the result, few states' performance is encouraging because they have shown some of the best declines. Correlation was found between dependant variable that is U5MR which is a dependent vari-able and several independent variables which concluded that factors like Women literacy, Men literacy, Breastfeeding, Nutritional insufficiencies, Caesarean delivery, ANC visits and IFA consumptions are negatively associated withU5MR. Conclusion: Various steps have been taken in order to improve our healthcare sector since independence, every government had their fair share of contribution, that’s the reason why we are this stage. Now it’s time to increase efforts with targeted interventions to solve this problem and complete our commitment towards the SDGs.

Evaluation of the vitreous chamber depth: An assessment of correlation with ocular biometrics

Purpose: The mechanism of ocular growth eludes us and research on vitreous chamber depth (VCD) is lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of VCD and its ratio to axial length (AL) in relation to ocular biometry. Methods: This retrospective study of patients planned for cataract surgery was performed at a tertiary center. Data regarding AL, anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), and central corneal thickness (CCT) of 640 eyes was noted. Anterior segment (AS) was measured as sum of CCT, ACD, and LT, while VCD was calculated as the difference between AL and AS. Correlation of VCD and VCD: AL with ocular biometry was the primary outcome measure. Three groups were formed on the basis of AL and Pearson correlation coefficient (R) was applied. Results: Mean VCD was 15.38+/?1.14 mm. Mean VCD: AL was 0.66+/?0.02. VCD had a very strong relation with AL (R = 0.9, P < 0.001) only, whereas VCD: AL had a good--strong relation with AL (R = 0.5, P < 0.001), AS (R = 0.7, P < 0.001), ACD (R = 0.3, P < 0.001), and LT (R = 0.5, P < 0.001). The relation of VCD: AL with AS was very strong across all groups (R ? -0.8, P < 0.001 in all groups). 85% of eyes in group with AL <22 mm had VCD: AL <0.67, conversely 85% of eyes with AL >24.5 mm had VCD: AL >0.67. Conclusion: We found VCD to have the strongest relation with AL. VCD: AL was more consistent and showed a strong relation to ocular biometry across all ALs. This suggests the possible utility of the ratio VCD: AL while evaluating ocular growth, refractive status, and myopia-related complications.

Management of Duane retraction syndrome: A simplified approach

Duane retraction (or co-contraction) syndrome is a congenital restrictive strabismus which can occur either as an isolated entity or in conjunction with other congenital anomalies and is now listed as a congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder. It is characterized by co-contraction of horizontal recti on attempted adduction causing globe retraction along with variable amounts of upshoots or downshoots. It may have limited abduction or adduction or both and present as esotropic, exotropic, or orthotropic Duane. The diagnosis of this disease is usually clinical. However, recent research has provided a greater insight into the genetic basis of this disease paving a way for a greater role of genetics in the diagnosis and management. This disease can have a varied presentation and hence the treatment plan should be tailor-made for every patient. The indications for surgery are abnormal head posture, deviations in the primary position, retraction and narrowing of palpebral aperture and up- or downshoots during adduction, and sometimes also to improve abduction. The arrival of newer surgical techniques of periosteal fixation (PF) of lateral rectus (LR), partial vertical rectus transposition, or superior or inferior rectus transposition in addition to LR recession with Y-split has vastly improved the management outcomes, providing not only primary position orthophoria but also increased binocular visual fields as well.

Observer variation in quantitative assessment of retinal shortening with ultrasound in patients of total rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Purpose: To evaluate the interobserver variation in the assessment of retinal length to choroidal length ratio (RCR) as a marker for proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) in cases of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods: This was a double-masked, prospective study at a tertiary center. Ultrasound was used to calculate RCR in 50 eyes with total RRD by two observers. Both observers were trained after the first round of calculations, and all the calculations were repeated as before. Difference between the RCR values was stratified into four categories (<0.01, 0.01�05, 0.06�1, and >0.1) for descriptive analysis. A difference of 0.05 was set as the maximal limit for defining interobserver agreement. Correlation between RCR and interobserver difference was assessed. Results: The mean interobserver difference in RCR values was found to be 0.06 � 0.0 (P = 0.41) and was reduced to 0.04 � 0.02 (P = 0.81) following training. The interobserver difference was <0.1 in 82% of the cases before training and in 98% of cases after training. The worst interobserver agreement was noted in cases with RCR < 0.8, and there was a good negative correlation between RCR and interobserver difference (r = ?0.6, P ? 0.001). Conclusion: There is good interobserver agreement in assessing RCR with ultrasound in eyes with RRD, which improves further with training. RCR needs careful assessment in eyes with very low RCR. This technique may be useful in prognostication of surgical outcomes in cases with advanced PVR.

Multiple forms of glutamine synthetase in Bacillus brevis AG 4.

Glutamine synthetase in Bacillus brevis AG 4, a Gram-positive spore forming bacteria, has been found to exist in multiple molecular forms. It was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by single-step Blue Sepharose affinity chromatography. The native enzyme has a molecular weight of 600,000 with subunits of 50,000. The enzyme samples purified from different stages of growth differed in Mg2+ sensitivity and other kinetic properties. Four different enzyme samples selected on the basis of Mg2+ sensitivity showed distinct mobilities at pH 6.3 on PAGE using discontinuous buffer system. A correlation amongst Mg2+ sensitivity, electrophoretic mobility, and kinetic properties was highly suggestive of multiple forms of glutamine synthetase in Bacillus brevis arising due to modification.