Alarm Fatigue among Nurses Working in Critical Care Setting in a Tertiary Hospital, Nepal.

Background Alarm fatigue is a well-recognized patient safety concern in critical care settings. It occurs when nurses become overwhelmed by the total number of alarm signals which can result in alarm desensitization and eventually contributes to missing of serious and important changes in a patient's condition, thus failing to respond properly. Objective To find out alarm fatigue and its associated factors among nurses working in critical care setting. Method A cross-sectional study design with convenient sampling technique was used to select 56 nurses working at different critical care settings in Dhulikhel Hospital. A selfconstructed semi structured questionnaire and nurses alarm fatigue questionnaire was used for the survey. Frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used for descriptive statistics whereas Independent t-test and One-way ANOVA were used for inferential statistics. Result The result shows that more than half of the nurses were less than 25 years, single and more than two-third of the participants worked in Adult Intensive Care Unit. Out of total obtainable score 44, the overall mean score of the Alarm Fatigue was 28.03±12.813. The result showed that there was no significant difference between alarm fatigue and selected socio-demographic and work related characteristics. Conclusion The alarm fatigue among nurses working in critical care settings was found to be higher in this study. Since alarm fatigue is directly related to patients' safety, the effective management of medical device alarms can reduce alarm fatigue and prevent potentially dangerous outcomes.

Round Block Technique in Management of Breast Lesions.

The basic tenets of oncoplastic surgery essentially includes volume displacement and volume replacement. The round block technique, so-called donut mastopexy or Benelli mastopexy, is frequently used as a volume displacement technique in breast conserving surgery for benign multicentric fibroadenomas and early breast cancers. Such techniques are still underused in Nepal. In this article we present on four cases managed with original round block technique and followed prospectively with their outcome.

The miR-106b-25 cluster mediates breast tumor initiation through activation of NOTCH1 via direct repression of NEDD4L.

Tumor-initiating cells (TIC) represent a subset of tumor cells with increased self-renewal capability. TICs display resistance to frontline cancer treatment and retain the ability to repopulate a tumor after therapy, leading to cancer relapse. NOTCH signaling has been identified as an important driver of the TIC population, yet mechanisms governing regulation of this pathway in cancer remain to be fully elucidated. Here we identify a novel mechanism of NOTCH regulation and TIC induction in breast cancer via the miR-106b-25 miRNA cluster. We show that the miR-106b-25 cluster upregulates NOTCH1 in multiple breast cancer cell lines, representing both estrogen receptor (ER+) and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) through direct repression of the E3 ubiquitin ligase, NEDD4L. We further show that upregulation of NOTCH1 is necessary for TIC induction downstream of miR-106b-25 in both ER + and TNBC breast cancer cells, and that re-expression of NEDD4L is sufficient to reverse miR106b-25-mediated NOTCH1 upregulation and TIC induction. Importantly, we demonstrate a significant positive correlation between miR-106b-25 and NOTCH1 protein, yet a significant inverse correlation between miR-106b-25 and NEDD4L mRNA in human breast cancer, suggesting a critical role for the miR106b-25/NEDD4L/NOTCH1 axis in the disease. Further, we show for the first time that NEDD4L expression alone is significantly associated with a better relapse-free prognosis for breast cancer patients. These data expand our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying NOTCH activation and TIC induction in breast cancer, and may provide new avenues for the development of therapies targeting this resistant subset of tumor cells.

Self-Perception of Halitosis among Undergraduate Students of Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences - A Questionnaire Based Study.

Background Halitosis is a frequently reported oral health problem worldwide with a prevalence rate of 10-30% in the general population. It is defined as the disagreeable or foul smelling breath originating consistently from a person's oral cavity. It not only effects the normal daily life activities of the patient but also bring humiliation, reduced self- esteem, ultimately resulting into decreased quality of life. Objective To determine the self-perception of halitosis among undergraduate students of different medical branches of Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (KUSMS); Kavre, Nepal. Method A descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted among undergraduate students of Physiotherapy, B.Sc Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing Sciences (BNS), MBBS and BDS program of Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel. A self-administered questionnaire was developed and were distributed among 500 undergraduate students. Result Out of total 500 distributed questionnaires, 406 were completely filled and returned giving an overall response of 81.2%, in which 70 (89.7%) male and 280 (85.4%) female students from different medical branches were aware of the term halitosis. Among them 29 (7.14%) of students think that they suffer from halitosis. Similarly 178 (43.84%) students had severe impact of halitosis on their social life while 153 (37.68%) and 62 (15.27%) students had moderate and mild impact respectively. Conclusion Due to the multifactorial complexity of halitosis, further longitudinal studies including objective assessment of malodor are required to determine its prevalence and to further investigate the association of this problem with other etiological factors in the context of Nepal. Also, curriculum of different fields should be modified to include this simple but very necessary topic.

Epidemiology of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms and Illnesses among Brick Kiln Workers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.

Background Workers in the brick manufacturing industries require to carry heavy loads, do repetitive work and remain in awkward postures for extended periods of time. These activities may cause them to develop work-related musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders. Objective To investigate the epidemiology of musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders among brick manufacturing workers as well as similar exposure groups among brick kiln workers. Method An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted during February - March 2015 in the Kathmandu Valley. From 16 brick kilns, 400 interviewees involving green brick molding, green brick stacking/carrying, red brick loading/carrying, coal crushing/ carrying and firing were recruited. An unmatched equal size of reference group of grocery workers was maintained for comparison. Prevalence of all musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders were computed and compared among brick workers and grocery workers as well as similar exposure groups among brick kiln workers. Result The musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders were prevalent in 90.5% of the exposed and 82.2% of the reference group. Brick kiln workers were about two times more likely to experience musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders compared to the reference group. When the associations among similar exposure groups were evaluated, there were significantly high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders among green brick molders, red brick loaders/carriers and coal crushers/ carriers in comparison to firemen. Conclusion This study showed a high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders among brick kilns workers. Among all similar exposure groups, coal crushing/carrying task significantly elevated with all types of musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders.

Extended Spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) Producing Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) Urinary Pathogens in a Children Hospital from Nepal.

Background Multidrug resistant in clinical bacterial isolates has increasingly been reported through out the world and is associated with high morbidity, mortality and increased health care costs. It is important to determine the status of multidrug resistance pattern to understand the current resistance trend so that appropriate antibiotics can be used in practice. Objective To determine the antibiotic resistant profile and prevalence of extended spectrum ß-lactamase producing multidrug resistant strains in pediatric patients of Kanti Children's Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Method Urine sample was cultured by standard microbiological techniques and bacterial isolates were identified using different biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method and extended spectrum ß-lactamase detection was carried out using combined disc method as recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines. Result All together 65 different bacteria were isolated and subsequently identified. E. coli was the most common isolate with 46 (71%) isolates 63% of these isolates were multidrug resistant. Gram negative isolates were most resistant to nalidixic acid (81.97%) followed by ampicillin (69.35%) and co-trimoxazole (69.35%). The extended spectrum ß-lactamase producing isolates were 43% among total isolates. Conclusion Higher rate of Extended Spectrum ß-lactamase production among multidrug resistant isolates suggested routine extended spectrum ß-lactamase testing in clinical isolates.

Yield of intensified tuberculosis case-finding activities using Xpert(®) MTB/RIF among risk groups in Nepal.

SETTING: Twenty-two districts of Nepal, where intensified case-finding (ICF) activities for tuberculosis (TB) were implemented among risk groups under the TB REACH initiative in collaboration with the National TB Programme from July 2013 to November 2015. OBJECTIVES: To assess the yield of TB screening using an algorithm with smear microscopy followed by Xpert(®) MTB/RIF. DESIGN: A descriptive study using routinely collected data. RESULTS: Of 145 679 individuals screened, 28 574 (19.6%) had presumptive TB; 1239 (4.3%) of these were diagnosed with TB and 1195 (96%) were initiated on anti-tuberculosis treatment. The yield of screening was highest among people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) (6.1%), followed by household contacts (3.5%) and urban slum dwellers (0.5%). Among other risk groups, such as prisoners, factory workers, refugees and individuals with diabetes, the yield was less than 0.5%. The number needed to screen to diagnose an active TB case was 17 for PLHIV, 29 for household contacts and 197 for urban slum dwellers. Of 11 525 patients from ICF and the routine programme, 112 (1%) were diagnosed with multidrug-resistant TB. CONCLUSION: There was a substantial yield of TB cases among risk groups such as PLHIV and household contacts. Although the yield in urban slum dwellers was found to be moderate, some intervention should nonetheless be targeted because of the large population and poor access to care in this group.

Contexte : Vingt-deux districts du Népal où des activités intensifiées de recherche des cas (ICF) de la tuberculose (TB) ont été mises en œuvre au sein de groupes à risque sous l'égide du projet TB REACH en collaboration avec le programme national TB entre juillet 2013 et novembre 2015.Objectifs : Evaluer le rendement du dépistage de la TB grâce à un algorithme basé sur la microscopie de frottis suivie d'un test Xpert® MTB/RIF.Schéma : Etude descriptive basée sur des données recueillies en routine.Résultats : Sur un total de 145 679 individus dépistés, 28 574 (19,6%) ont été présumés atteints de TB ; 1239 (4,3%) d'entre eux ont eu une confirmation du diagnostic de TB ; parmi ces derniers, 1195 (96%) ont mis en route un traitement anti-tuberculose. Le rendement a été le plus élevé parmi les personnes vivant avec le virus l'immunodéficience humaine (PVVIH) (6,1%) suivies par les contacts domiciliaires (3,5%) et les habitants des bidonvilles (0,5%). Dans d'autres groupes à risque comme les prisonniers, les travailleurs d'usine, les réfugiés et les diabétiques, le rendement a été inférieur à 0,5%. Le nombre de personnes à dépister (NNS) pour diagnostiquer un cas de TB active a été de 17 pour les PVVIH, de 29 pour les contacts domiciliaires et de 197 pour les habitants des bidonvilles urbains. Sur 11 525 patients émanant soit du programme ICF soit du dépistage de routine, 112 (1%) ont eu un diagnostic de TB multirésistante.Conclusion : Le rendement en termes de cas de TB dépistés parmi les groupes à risque comme les PVVIH et les contacts domiciliaires a été substantiel. Même si ce rendement a été modeste parmi les habitants des bidonvilles, ceux-ci justifient néanmoins une intervention en raison de leur nombre élevé et de leur médiocre accès aux soins.

Marco de referencia: Veintidós distritos de Nepal, en los cuales se ejecutaron actividades de búsqueda intensiva de casos (ICF) de tuberculosis (TB) en los grupos de riesgo, en el marco del proyecto TB REACH en colaboración con el programa nacional contra la TB de julio del 2013 a noviembre del 2015.Objetivos: Evaluar el rendimiento de la detección sistemática de la TB aplicando un algoritmo que comporta la baciloscopia, seguida de la prueba Xpert® MTB/RIF.Método: Fue este un estudio descriptivo a partir de los datos recogidos de manera sistemática.Resultados: De las 145 679 personas en quienes se practicó la detección, en 28 574 hubo una presunción diagnóstica de TB (19,6%); en 1239 de estos pacientes se estableció el diagnóstico de TB (4,3%); e iniciaron el tratamiento 1195 pacientes (96%). El rendimiento diagnóstico fue más alto en las personas viviendo con el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (PVVIH, 6,1%), seguidas de los contactos domiciliarios (3,5%) y los residentes en tugurios (0,5%). En otros grupos de riesgo de contraer la TB como los reclusos, los obreros de fábricas, los refugiados o los pacientes diabéticos el rendimiento diagnóstico fue inferior a 0,5%. El número de personas que se debieron examinar con el fin de detectar un caso de TB activa fue 17 en las PVVIH, 29 en los contactos domiciliarios y 197 en los habitantes de los tugurios. De las 11 525 personas examinadas en la ICF y el programa corriente, se diagnosticó TB multiresistente en 112 casos (1%).Conclusión: La detección sistemática de casos de TB exhibió un alto rendimiento en los grupos de riesgo como las PVVIH y los contactos domiciliarios. Aunque el desempeño en los tugurios urbanos fue moderado, es importante dirigir intervenciones a estos entornos, dado el tamaño de estas poblaciones y su acceso deficiente a la atención de salud.

Airborne Particulate Matter and Health Condition in Brick Kiln Workers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.

Background Air quality monitoring in brick kilns indicates very high concentrations of airborne particulate matter. Air pollution from brick kilns poses an enhanced threat to the environment and to human health. Objective To evaluate airborne particulate matter concentration and health status of brick kiln workers. Method A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in the Kathmandu valley targeting all brick industries and their workers during January - March 2015 and March - April 2016. A total of 16 brick kilns and 800 participants (400 brick workers as exposed and 400 grocery workers as referent) were selected for study. A direct-reading, Dusttrak model 8533 was used for air sampling. Nepali version questionnaire was applied to obtain epidemiological data. SPSS version 16 was used to perform statistical analysis. Median, mean, range and proportion were calculated and Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and chi square (c2) test were applied to test significance. Result Mean values of particulate matter concentrations for brickfields were as follows: Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM): 5.179 mg/m3, PM10: 4.958 mg/m3, respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM): 4.140 mg/m3, PM2.5: 3.965 mg/m3, and PM1: 3.954 mg/m3. The mean concentrations for grocery workers were; TSPM: 0.089 mg/ m3, PM10: 0.089 mg/m3, RSPM: 0.085 mg/m3, PM2.5: 0.082 mg/m3 and PM1: 0.082 mg/m3. Among brickfield workers, red and green brick loading zones had results that exceeded the ACGIH Threshold Limit Values for TSPM and RSPM. Workers complaints of injury were 52% and 44.2%, and illnesses were 88.5% and 82.2%, respectively among exposed and referent. The occurrence of injuries/illnesses during work showed significant association between exposed and the referent groups at 0.05 level. Conclusion The high level of airborne particulate matter in the brick fields requires action for the protection of workers. The availability of health services within brick industries needs to be enhanced.

Improvement of the fracture toughness of hydroxyapatite (HAp) by incorporation of carboxyl functionalized single walled carbon nanotubes (CfSWCNTs) and nylon.

The potential of improving the fracture toughness of synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAp) by incorporating carboxyl functionalized single walled carbon nanotubes (CfSWCNTs) and polymerized ε-caprolactam (nylon) was studied. A series of HAp samples with CfSWCNTs concentrations varying from 0 to 1.5 wt.%, without, and with nylon addition was prepared. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the samples. The three point bending test was applied to measure the fracture toughness of the composites. A reproducible value of 3.6±0.3 MPa.√m was found for samples containing 1 wt.% CfSWCNTs and nylon. This value is in the range of the cortical bone fracture toughness. Increase of the CfSWCNTs content results to decrease of the fracture toughness, and formation of secondary phases.

Effectiveness of a once per week delivery of a family-based childhood obesity intervention: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of once per week (OPW) delivery of a family-based childhood obesity programme was compared with twice per week (TPW) delivery in achieving health and behavioural outcomes at a population level and in improving programme attendance. Both programmes were delivered over 10-weeks, and the contact hours in the OPW and TPW programmes were 20 and 35-h, respectively. METHODS: A cluster-randomised controlled trial with stratification by local health district was conducted. Height, weight and global self esteem of participants and parent-reported diet and physical activity were measured at programme commencement and completion and at 6-month follow-up. Attendance was defined as the proportion of total sessions attended. RESULTS: There were no differences between the OPW and TPW arms in changes from pre-programme baseline for body mass index (BMI) z-score and other health and behaviourial measures at programme completion and at follow-up, except for the increase in physical activity outside of the programme at programme completion (OPW, 3.5 h/week; TPW, 1.9 h/week; p = 0.03). OPW and TPW participants attended 71.2% and 69.2% of the total sessions, respectively. Attendance was the only contributing factor to a positive BMI z-score outcome (ß = -2.45, p < 0.01) with no effects of child age and gender, language spoken at home or highest qualification of mother. CONCLUSIONS: A family-based childhood obesity programme can be delivered OPW with no compromise to health or behavioural outcomes compared with TPW. Higher attendance, as a proportion of available sessions, leads to better outcomes for children.

Effect of phacoemulsification surgery on various parameters in patients with glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: Cataract and glaucoma are both common conditions and are often present in the same patient. The incidence of these diseases increases with age. Besides vision impairment, these diseases are associated with decrement in quality of life (QOL). OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of phacoemulsification surgery on various parameters in patients with glaucoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 50 eyes of 36 patients with glaucoma and concomitant cataract scheduled for phacoemulsification cataract surgery . A record was made which included number of anti-glaucoma medications, visual acuity (VA), intra-ocular pressure (IOP), anterior chamber depth (ACD), cataract category/grade, visual field (VF) analysis (mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD) and responses to Indian visual function questionnaires (IND-VFQ). The patients were re-evaluated at one month after cataract extraction and the above parameters were again obtained to compare them with the firs values. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 66.34 yrs ± 7.96; 10 eyes (20 %) had angle closure and 40 (80 %) had open angle glaucoma. Following cataract extraction, VA improved, IOP decreased, number of glaucoma medications decreased and AC depth increased. The VF analysis showed that the improvement in MD was significant while changes in PSD were not. The improvements seen in the visual function questionnaires (VFQ) were significant. When these parameters were analyzed based on the types of glaucoma, in the angle closure glaucoma (ACG) group, the decrease of IOP from 15.30 ± 6.18 to 12.70 ± 2.71 was not significant ( p = 0.24). In the open angle glaucoma (OAG) group, the changes in the number of anti-glaucoma medication were not significant. When the parameters were analyzed in subgroups, based on cataract category, nuclear sclerosis and posterior sub-capsular, the VA improved significantly in both and the MD improved in the posterior sub-capsular surgery. Improvement in VFQ's was observed in denser nuclear sclerotic and posterior subcapsular cataracts. CONCLUSION: Cataract extraction results in significant improvement in vision, IOP reduction, decrease in the number of medications, deepening of AC and in the quality of life in patients with co-existing glaucoma when the cataract is of significant density.

Impact of a compulsory final year medical student curriculum on junior doctor prescribing.

BACKGROUND: Attendance at face-to-face sessions and completion of online components of the National Prescribing Curriculum was made compulsory for final year medical students at the University of Adelaide in 2010. AIMS: To determine the impact of a compulsory prescribing curriculum for final year medical students on their prescribing competencies at the start of clinical practice. Graduates' attitudes to their medical school training in prescribing were also surveyed. METHODS: Two cohorts of medical graduates from the University of Adelaide who commenced medical practice in 2010 and 2011 were required to complete a prescribing task using the National Inpatient Medication Chart (NIMC) at orientation and after 6 months of clinical practice. The main outcome measure was a performance in a scenario-based prescribing test, as determined by test scores and overall safety of prescriptions at orientation and 6 months of clinical practice. RESULTS: There was a small difference in the average total score for the prescribing task between the 2010 and 2011 cohorts at orientation (P = 0.0007). The 2011 cohort had a higher number of safer charts at commencement of practice. We found no difference between the 2010 and 2011 cohorts in attitudes towards their undergraduate pharmacology education, and new graduates feel poorly prepared. CONCLUSION: Medical graduates who are required to complete a practically oriented prescribing curriculum in final year perform slightly better on a prescribing assessment at commencement of practice. More work on preparing graduates for this complex task before graduation is needed.

Water reclamation and value-added animal feed from corn-ethanol stillage by fungal processing.

Rhizopus oligosporus was cultivated on thin stillage from a dry-grind corn ethanol plant. The aim of the research was to develop a process to replace the current energy-intensive flash evaporation and make use of this nutrient-rich stream to create a new co-product in the form of protein-rich biomass. Batch experiments in 5- and 50-L stirred bioreactors showed prolific fungal growth under non-sterile conditions. COD, suspended solids, glycerol, and organic acids removals, critical for in-plant water reuse, reached ca. 80%, 98%, 100% and 100%, respectively, within 5 d of fungal inoculation, enabling effluent recycle as process water. R. oligosporus contains 2% lysine, good levels of other essential amino acids, and 43% crude protein - a highly nutritious livestock feed. Avoiding water evaporation from thin stillage would furthermore save substantial energy inputs on corn ethanol plants.

Dental caries status and oral health practice among 12-15 year old children in Jorpati, Kathmandu.

Oral health is an essential component of health throughout life. There has been a decline in dental caries and periodontal disease in developed countries which can be attributed to the implementation of preventive programmes but in developing countries dental diseases are still on the rise. Therefore this cross sectional study was carried out to assess the prevalence of dental caries and oral hygiene practices among 12 to 15 years old children. Self administered close ended questionnaires were used to assess the oral hygiene practice. The overall dental caries prevalence was 58.3% and the mean DMFT score was 1.2 (± 1.79) and the deft score was 0.6 (± 1.24). Majority of the children (84.1%) presented with the practice of brushing their teeth once everyday using tooth brush and toothpaste. Regular dental check up was very poor (5.6%) but 77.4% reported that they visited a dentist in case of pain or presence of stains in the teeth. Females (63.4%) and children studying in higher secondary class (74.2%) showed a "good" level of oral hygiene practice than males and children in secondary class respectively. Children having "good" practice presented with "low" dental caries severity. The utilization of dental services was poor in the children, therefore highlighting the necessity to implement preventive programmes is important which would help in reducing the incidence of the dental caries as well as aiding in prompt treatment of dental caries at its initial stages.

Recurrence of uveal malignant melanoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Malignant melanoma of uveal tract is a rare ocular malignancy. It is one of the significant causes of ocular morbidity and mortality which is less commonly seen in children. CASE: We report an unusual case of orbital recurrence of malignant melanoma in a 14-year old boy who had previously undergone enucleation of the left painful blind eye 8 months ago. He was diagnosed to have uveal malignant melanoma elsewhere which was confirmed by histopathology. Orbital recurrence was managed with modified exenteration with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: In all treated cases of uveal melanoma, close follow up examination and monitoring is necessary for early diagnosis of the recurrence and to plan for further management.

Results of the Bhaktapur Glaucoma Study, Nepal.

INTRODUCTION: The Bhaktapur Glaucoma Study is a population-based, cross-sectional and longitudinal study undertaken in one of the districts of Nepal. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of glaucoma in Bhaktapur district, Nepal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty clusters were randomly selected and a door-to-door census was conducted to identify citizens 40 years of age and older. Four thousand eight hundred individuals fulfilling the eligibility criteria were referred to the base hospital in Kathmandu for a detailed clinical examination. The diagnosis of glaucoma was based upon criteria described by the International Society for Geographic and Epidemiological Ophthalmology (ISGEO). RESULTS: Complete data was available on 3991 subjects (response rate 83.15 %). The mean IOP was 13.3 mm Hg (97.5th and 99.5th percentiles, 18 and 20 mm Hg, respectively) and mean VCDR 0.26 (97.5th and 99.5th percentiles, 0.6 and 0.8 mm Hg, respectively). Seventy-five subjects had glaucoma, an age-sex-standardized prevalence of 1.80 (95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.68 - 1.92). The age-and sex-standardized prevalence of POAG was 1.24 % (CI, 1.14 - 1.34), PACG 0.39 % (CI, 0.34 - 0.45) and secondary glaucoma 0.15 % (CI, 0.07-0.36). The prevalence of glaucoma increased with increase in age and there was no significant difference in gender. Nine eyes were blind and two subjects bilaterally blind from glaucoma. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of glaucoma was 1.9 %. POAG was the most common form of glaucoma. Visual morbidity from PACG, however, was higher. A large majority of the subjects with POAG had not been previously diagnosed and had intraocular pressure within the normal range.

Effects of household detergent on anaerobic fermentation of kitchen wastewater from food waste disposer.

This study examines the effects of household detergent on anaerobic methane fermentation of wastewater from food waste disposers (FWDs). Anaerobic toxicity assay (ATA) demonstrated that methane production substantially decreased at a higher detergent concentration. The Gompertz three-parameter model fitted well with the ATA results, and both the extent of methane production (M) and methane production rate (R(m)) obtained from the model were strongly affected by the concentration of the detergent. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of the detergent was 603 mg/L based on R(m). Results from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) analysis of microbial culture revealed that deterioration of methane fermentation was attributed to impaired structure of anaerobic microbial membrane due to detergent. This study suggests that wastewater from FWD could be used for methane production, but it is necessary to reduce the concentration of detergent prior to anaerobic fermentation.

Tear physiology in dry eye associated with chronic GVHD.

The purpose of this study was to compare tear physiology characteristics of chronic GVHD (cGVHD)-associated dry eye to dry eye caused by Sjogren's syndrome (SS), a extreme form of aqueous-deficient dry eye, and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), the major cause of evaporative dry eye. Tear turnover rate, evaporation and osmolarity along with meibomian gland dropout and lipid layer interferometric patterns were assessed in the right eyes of 12 patients with dry eye associated with cGVHD, 12 age-matched patients with SS and 12 age-sex matched subjects with MGD. In cGVHD, the decrease in tear turnover rate was similar (P=0.33), but the number of non-functioning meibomian glands was significantly higher (P<0.01) than in SS. Tear evaporation rate in cGVHD dry eye was found to be similar to that in MGD (P=0.36) and significantly higher than in SS (P<0.01). The lipid layer was most unstable in cGVHD compared with other groups. There was no variation in tear volume across all groups. Although statistical significance was not detected, the mean tear osmolarity (333.51±14.67mOsm/L) was highest in cGVHD. Major aspects of tear physiology were severely impaired in cGVHD-associated dry eye.

Note: Scalable multiphoton coincidence-counting electronics.

We present a multichannel coincidence-counting module for use in quantum optics experiments. The circuit takes up to four transistor-transistor logic pulse inputs and counts either twofold, threefold, or fourfold coincidences, within a user-selected coincidence-time window as short as 12 ns. The module can accurately count eight sets of multichannel coincidences, for input rates of up to 84 MHz. Due to their low cost and small size, multiple modules can easily be combined to count arbitrary M-order coincidences among N inputs.

Verbal autopsy to ascertain causes of neonatal deaths in a community setting: a study from Morang, Nepal.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical registration of the cause of death is available for less than one-third of the global newborn deaths, but the need for good quality data on causes of death for public health planning has renewed the interest in the Verbal Autopsy (VA). We aimed to determine the cause of neonatal deaths by VA in Morang district of Nepal. METHODS: Caretakers of the deceased were interviewed using a semi-structured VA questionnaire by female community health volunteers. The cause of death was assigned by two senior pediatricians independently and disagreements in ascertaining the proximate cause of death were resolved by consensus. RESULTS: The proximate causes of deaths were infections (41%), birth asphyxia (37.2%), prematurity (11.5%), and low birth weight related causes (6.9%). There was no significant statistical difference in deaths due to infection seen in non-institutional deliveries (43.5%) than institutional deliveries (34.6%). More than half of the deaths (58.5%) occurred within the first three days of life where the predominant cause of death was birth asphyxia (60.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of verbal autopsies demonstrates that the major causes of death still are infections and birth asphyxia. The timing of deaths suggests that neonatal interventions should be aimed at the first week of life. There is no comparative advantage between institutional deliveries at below district level institutions and non-institutional deliveries to prevent neonatal infection. Thus, further study on the quality of care at institutes below the district level should be conducted. Disparities still occur in deaths, with most deaths in Morang occurring in non-institutional deliveries and in disadvantaged groups.