TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF SMOKING ON MALE FERTILITY OF BHAGALPUR DISTRICT OF BIHAR

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of tobacco use on male fertility in the Bhagalpur district of Bihar. A total of 20 men from infertile couples were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, and their sperm samples were collected along with their general information. General characteristics such as sperm concentration, count, motility, and morphology were observed. The sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) assay was used to calculate the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI). A DFI 30% threshold was used to classify groups as normal (DFI< 30%) or abnormal (DFI > 30%). The smoking habit was found to be significantly related to sperm motility, morphology, and DFI. However, there was no correlation with sperm count. In this study, 5 out of 20 sperm samples had abnormal motility (< 32% progressive motility) and 9 out of 20 had abnormal sperm morphology (Teratozoospermia). Our findings revealed no link between DFI and motility or morphology. The sperm DNA fragmentation index did not have a strong correlation with other sperm parameters. As a result, as an additional step in determining sperm fertility, a sperm DNA fragmentation assay should be performed.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome as a predictor of poorer outcomes in diabetic foot infection: a prospective analytical study

Background: This study was done to diagnose the severity of infection in a group of hospitalized diabetic foot infection (DFI) patients based on the presence or absence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and compare the outcomes.Methods: This was a single-center cohort study, in which 50 consecutive DFI patients having SIRS and 50 consecutive patients not having SIRS were included. Patients were followed for the duration of the hospital stay; parameters for glycaemic control, minor and major amputation, microbial culture, duration of hospital and ICU stay and mortality was recorded.Results: The relative risk of major amputation among the patients of DFI who presented with SIRS was 2.66 times higher compared to who was not having SIRS at presentation (95% CI, 1.56-4.55). The presence of polymicrobial infection also had a statistically significant association with the incidence of major amputation. The duration of hospital stay was ~9.5 days longer in the DFI patients who presented with SIRS compared to who was not having SIRS at the time of presentation [8.00 (4.00-20.50) days versus 17.50 (10.75-38.25) days]. DFI patients with SIRS required a significantly prolonged ICU.Conclusions: SIRS can be used as objective criteria to predict poorer outcomes in the diabetic foot infection patient and also to classify it.

Assessment of Quality of Life among Parents of Children with Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis is a chronic disease that improves and remits with time. It may affect parental life style and parent-child relationship. Psychologically, individuals suffering from atopic dermatitis either children or adults have been shown to suffer a higher level of anxiety and lower quality of life. Objectives: To assess the Severity of AD in the children and quality of life in parents of children with AD. To analyse the relationship of severity and treatment of the disease on the quality of life in parents. Methods: The study comprised50 children diagnosed with AD ranging in age from 6 months to 12 years as well as parents of these patients attending Paediatric Dermatology Clinic at Dermatology department, GGS Medical College,Faridkot from February 2017 to February 2018. The quality of life was quantified by the Dermatitis Family Impact (DFI) Questionnaire. Eczema Severity was assessed using SCORAD Index. These two parameters were evaluated on two occasions 12 weeks apart, meanwhile the patients were managed accordingly. Results & Conclusion: The mean SCORAD and mean DFI Score at the baseline was 32.016 ± 10.78 and 15.14 ± 4.0 respectively. These values decreased to 16.494 ± 6.62 and 12.08 ± 3.34 respectively, at the end of 12 weeks. SCORAD and DFI scores, showed positive correlation which was statistically significant (p=0.04 at both visits), implying that quality of parental life is significantly correlated to severity of AD in the child. Hence, proper management of dermatological illnesses often requires combined evaluation and management of emotional factors as well.

Effect on sperm quality of asthenospermia and oligospermia treated with grain-moxibustion combined with medicine therapy / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical effect of grain-moxibustion combined with medicine therapy for asthenospermia and oligospermia.@*METHODS@#A tatal of 60 patients were randomized into an observation group (30 cases) and a control group (30 cases) according to 1︰1 ratio. In the control group, vitamin E capsules were taken orally one capsule each time, twice a day, and pills 6 g each time, three times a day for a total of 3 months. In the observation group, grain-moxibustion was applied at Guanyuan (CV 4)，Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36) based on the control group, once a week for 3 months, with a total of 12 times. The sperm concentration and sperm progressive motility were measured by automatic sperm quality analysis system in the two groups, and the clinical effects were compared. Sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in the observation group was measured by sperm nucleus chromosome structure assay (SCSA).@*RESULTS@#①The sperm concentrations and sperm progressive motilities after 1-month, 2-month and 3-month of treatment were increased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (<0.01), and they were increased with time. In the two groups, 2-month and 1-month of treatment, 3-month and 2-month of treatment were compared, the sperm concentrations and sperm progressive motilities were significantly increased (<0.01). The sperm concentrations after 1-month, 2-month and 3-month of treatment in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (<0.01), the sperm progressive motility after 3-month of treatment in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (<0.05). ②After 3-month of treatment，the DFI in the observation group was significantly reduced compared with that before treatment (<0.01). ③The total effective rate in the observation group after 3-month of treatment was 86.7% (26/30), which was superior to 63.3% (19/30) in the control group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Grain-moxibustion combined with medicine therapy can improve sperm concentration and sperm progressive motility, enhance the integrity of sperm DNA.

Prognostic significance of non-enteric blood culture in diabetic foot disease

The diabetic foot is a group of syndromes in which ischemia, neuropathy and infection leads to tissue breakdown resulting in morbidity and possible lower extremity amputation. The diagnosis is based on clinical criteria investigations. It is imperative that such patients are managed by a team of Physician, Surgeon, Social care worker, Physiotherapist and a Podiatrist. In this study we included 100 diabetic foot patients in the age group of 30 to 80 years. The study was done for a period of one year. 47% of our patients had Meggit Wagner grade 3 and 10% had grade 5. 27% of the patients had renal failure and 30% had anemia. These patients were subjected to non-enteric culture of blood under sterile precautions. 80% of our patients showed positive culture. The organisms commonly isolated were Staphylococcus aureus, beta haemolytic Streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Less commonly isolated were Citrobacter species, Proteus mirabilis and anaerobes. 40% of patients with positive culture went on to have lower extremity amputation. Thus we concluded that non enteric culture in diabetic foot disease has prognostic significance and the spectrum of infection in diabetic foot disease is polymicrobial in nature and at par with the literature.

Lipid Peroxidation, Sperm DNA Fragmentation Total Antioxidant Capacity and Semen Quality in Male Infertility.

Infertility is a major clinical problem, affecting people medically and psychosocially. Male factor plays a significant role in about 50% of infertile couples. Recent reports indicate that increasing male infertility could be due to genomic abnormalities. The etiology of sperm DNA damage is multi-factorial but compromised due to nuclear defects, protamine deficiency and oxidative stress. The present study was aimed to evaluate sperm DNA integrity and oxidative stress in infertile men. The study is prospective, comprises 96 infertile patients and 30 fertile controls. Sperm DNA integrity was assessed by flowcytometry. MDA and TAC were evaluated spectrophotometrically. The percentage of DNA Fragmentation Index and MDA were found to be significantly increased while TAC was significantly decreased in infertile men as compared to control. DFI and MDA were negatively correlated with TAC levels. Present study indicates significant increases in seminal MDA and sperm DNA damage in infertile men. Seminal MDA was significantly correlated with sperm DNA damage, TAC and standard sperm parameters. The elevated levels of seminal OS observed in these infertile patients could be responsible for poor sperm quality and sperm DNA fragmentation. Hence evaluation of DFI, MDA and TAC can be used for diagnosis, prognosis of male infertility in addition to routine semen parameters to decide the treatment strategies.

Breve retrospectiva acerca dos estudos que abordam o viés dos itens de testes psicológicos / A brief review of the studies concerning the bias in the items of psychological tests

O texto retrata a origem dos estudos sistemáticos que abordam a temática dos vieses dos itens e dos testes psicológicos, ressaltando os procedimentos mais freqüentemente utilizados em tal atividade. Destaca o conceito do termo funcionamento diferencial do item (DIF), caracterizando-o como adverso ou benigno a um determinado grupo demográfico. Além do mais, enfatiza a existência do DIF uniforme ou consistente e do DIF não-uniforme ou inconsistente. Por fim, destaca a idéia central: a presença do DIF é um fator de injustiça à atividade de avaliação psicológica

The text treats of the origin of systematic studies concerning the bias of items in psychological tests, givingprominence to the proceedings most frequently used in such activity. It emphasizes the concept of the term"differential functioning of the item" (DFI) characterizing it as adverse or benign to a specific demographicgroup. It also gives prominence to the existence of uniform or consistent DFI as well as non uniform orinconsistent DFI. It finally emphasizes the central idea: the presence of DFI is a factor of injustice in the workof psychological assessment

Study of the Disease Free Intervals of the Patients with No Evidence of Disease by FDG-PET after Treatment and the Feasibility of FDG-PET as Follow up method / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to investigate the disease free interval and feasibility of FDG-PET for following up the patients with no evidence of cervical cancer after primary treatment. METHODS: From May, 1998 to February, 2003, 406 patients with no evidence of cervical cancer by FDG-PET were investigated retrospectively. They underwent primary treatment and FDG-PET between 3 to 16 months after treatment. All of them were monitored closely after FDG-PET scanning. RESULTS: Of the 406 patients with no evidence of cervical cancer by FDG-PET after treatment, recurrence was detected in 17 patients. The recurrence sites were lymph nodes (7), lung (6), liver (1), central lesion (1) and others (2). The Mean disease free interval (DFI) in patients with No evidence of disease (NED) was 27 months, DFI with recurrence was 35 months, and the mean DFI in all patients were 28 months (p=0.051). FIGO stage, initial tumor size, status of lymph node metastasis and cell type had no effect on the recurrence rate of NED patients by FDG-PET. Our study also shows high false positive rate and low sensitivity in the conventional imaging and tumor marker. CONCLUSION: The FDG-PET is proved to be a useful imaging study for following up cervical cancer patients after primary treatment. If there is no evidence of disease by the first FDG-PET after primary treatment, we can expect the average disease free interval to be about 28 months. And it is suggested that the patients should undergo the FDG-PET every one or two years to detect possible early recurrence.