Comparative Effectiveness Research: Betahistine add-on Therapy with Epley's Manoeuvre Versus Epley's Manoeuvre Alone in Treating Posterior BPPV Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is one of the common vestibular disorders encountered in ENT clinics with accompanying vertigo. Study to evaluate the additive effects of betahistine on Epley's manoeuvre in treating posterior BPPV patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective study was conducted on 50 patients of posterior BPPV diagnosed by the Dix Hallpike test. Subjects were divided into Group A which received the Betahistine therapy along with the canalith repositioning technique (Epley's manoeuvre) and the second group (Group B) which received the Epley's manoeuvre alone. The patients were assessed at 1 week and 4 weeks by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and Short Form 36 (SF-36). RESULTS: At the end of 4 weeks, 2 patients in group A (E + B) had positive Dix-Hallpike and 23(92%) had negative Dix-Hallpike, while 11 patients in group B (E) had positive Dix-Hallpike and 14 (56%) had negative Dix-Hallpike with P value < 0.001. The Mean baseline (T0) Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score in group A (E + B) was 8.60 ± 1.080 and in group B (E) was 8.92 ± 0.996. Post-treatment VAS score was significantly lower in both the groups and was significantly lower in group A(E + B) than in group B (E) (0.680 ± 1.930 vs. 3.96 ± 3.587, respectively, p-value < 0.001). The Mean baseline (T0) Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) scores were similar in groups A and B (77.36 ± 9.49 vs. 80.00 ± 8.9, respectively, p = 0.271). After treatment, the DHI values were significantly lower in both groups. Group A had a better DHI score than group B (10.56 ± 17.12 vs. 44.72 ± 27.35, p < 0.001). The mean baseline (T0) Short Form 36 (SF-36) scores were also similar in groups A and B (19.53 ± 6.85 vs. 18.79 ± 5.50, p = 0.823). Post-treatment of 4 weeks, the SF-36 score significantly improved in both the groups and significantly improved in group A than group B (84.27 ± 17.28 vs. 46.53 ± 24.53, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Betahistine therapy in conjunction with Epley's manoeuvre leads to better symptom control and is more effective than Epley's alone in treating BPPV patients.

Occurrence of enteric viruses causing clinical diarrhea in small ruminants in northern Indian plains: a reverse transcription PCR based molecular study.

Fowlpox virus (FPV) infects chickens and turkeys giving rise to pock lesions on various body parts like combs, wattles, legs, shanks, eyes, mouth, etc. The birds, affected with FPV, also show anemia and a ruffled appearance which are clinical symptoms of reticuloendotheliosis. Interestingly, the field strains of FPV are integrated with the provirus of reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV). Due to this integration, the infected birds, upon replication of FPV, give rise to free REV virions, causing severe immunosuppression and anemia. Pox scabs, collected from the infected birds, not only show positive PCR results upon performing FPV-specific 4b core protein gene PCR but also show positive results for the PCR of REV-specific env gene and FPV-REV 5'LTR junction. Homogenized suspension of the pock lesions, upon inoculating to the chorio-allantoic membrane (CAM) of 10-day-old specific pathogen-free embryonated chicken eggs, produces characteristic pock lesions in serial passages. However, the lesions also harbor REV mRNA or free virion, which can be identified by performing REV-specific env gene PCR using REV RNA from FPV-infected CAMs. The study suggests successful replication and availability of REV mRNA and free virion alongside the FPV, although the CAM is an ill-suited medium for any retroviral (like REV) growth and replication.

Formulation and development of herbal microsponge sunscreen gel.

PURPOSE: The endeavor of this study is to prepare and developed a method for microsponge gel as a polyherbal formulation along with their evaluation methods for sunscreen properties. METHOD: Polyherbal extracts as an active component for preparing microsponge formulation used in ratio of a drug, i.e. Poly herbal extracts, ethyl cellulose used as polymer, Polyvinyl alcohol as an emulsifier present in the formulation was successfully obtained by using method quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion. The formulations prepared were considered for substantial characterization. The physical description of microsponge formulation, having a coating of Gel-3 exhibits more loading efficiency and production yield. The mentioned formulation of microsponge was formulated with the help of gel using carbopol and then test performed are pH, viscosity, spreadability, drug content, and in-vitro release. Most of the microsponge preparations are prepared by drug loading in it and the consequences are good to reproduce. The best formulation was prepared and then comparison study was done with one of the marketed simple gel of polyherbal extract and other one is microsponge loaded gel of polyherbal extract by using Franz diffusion cell. RESULT: The release profile details about that the microsponge loaded gels are showing excellent release rate while comparing to simple marketed gel of polyherbal extract.

How to spot COVID-19 patients: Speech & sound audio analysis for preliminary diagnosis of SARS-COV-2 corona patients.

BACKGROUND: The global cases of COVID-19 increasing day by day. On 25 November 2020, a total of 59 850 910 cases reported globally with a 1 411 216 global death. In India, total cases in the country now stand at 91 77 841 including 86 04 955 recoveries and 4 38 667 active cases as on 24 November 2020, as per the data issued by ICMR. A new generation of voice/audio analysis application can tell whether the person is suffering from COVID-19 or not. AIMS: To describe how to established a new generation of voice/audio analysis application to identify the suspected COVID-19 hidden cases in hotspot areas with the help of an audio sample of the general public. MATERIALS & METHODS: The different patents and data available as literature on the internet are evaluated to make a new generation of voice/audio analysis application with the help of an audio sample of the general public. RESULTS: The collection of the audio sample will be done from the already suffered COVID-19 patients in (.Wave files) personally or through phone calls. The audio samples such as the sound of the cough, the pattern of breathing, respiration rate and way of speech will be recorded. The parameters will be evaluated for loudness, articulation, tempo, rhythm, melody and timbre. The analysis and interpretation of the parameters can be made through machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect corona cases with an audio sample. DISCUSSION: The voice/audio application current project can be merged with a mobile App called 'AarogyaSetu' by the Government of India. The project can be implemented in the high-risk area of COVID-19 in the country. CONCLUSION: This new method of detecting cases will decrease the workload in the COVID-19 laboratory.

Impact of physical activity and cooking oil amongst diabetes with coexisting hypertension patients on economic cost and length of stay: A 1914 patient's observational study.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to investigate the impact of the patients' physical activity status and the type of cooking oil consumed by patients in their daily routine on glycaemic profile, lipid profile, the hypertensive profile of the patients, the length of stay and overall cost of the treatment. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study. All the patients referred to the medicine department of the three different hospitals located in Moga, City Punjab, and those hospitalised due to diabetes mellitus (types I and II) with coexisting hypertension were asked to participate in the study. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was found to be M = 53.85, SD = 11.54 years. Out of 1914 patients, 914 were male (47.8%); it was observed that the majority of the patients 525 (27.43%) in North India using butter or ghee-clarified butter as edible oil, followed by mustard oil 517 (27.01%) patients. About 345 (18.03%) of the patients consume soybean oil, whereas 226 (11.81%) of the patients like sunflower oil. CONCLUSION: This study explored that cooking oil and physical activity are associated with length of stay in days and overall cost of the treatment, respectively. Our study results revealed that the type of oil compared with the treatment's overall cost was significant for olive oil, soybean oil and groundnut oil. The study revealed that moderate and low physical activity increases the length of stay compared to high physical activity. The consumption of olive oil as a regular food habit in daily routine decreases patients' length of stay with diabetes with coexisting hypertension when doing high physical activity but increases the overall cost of treatment.

Economic costs of hospitalisation and length of stay in diabetes with coexisting hypertension with correlation to laboratory investigations: Where does India stand? A 5-year ground report.

INTRODUCTION: The coexistence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) worsens clinical outcomes and contributes to increased morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyse the length of stay and healthcare costs by calculating the direct and indirect costs of diabetes with coexisting hypertension in North India. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted at the medicine department of the three different hospitals. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was (M = 53.8, SD = 11.5) years. Out of 1914 patients, 53.65% were female. Our study revealed that the median cost of medical supplies and equipment was 21.2 $. The median cost of dialysis was 47.5 $; the median cost of hospitalisation was 142.6 $. The treatment's median direct cost was 188.5 $, followed by the overall median cost of 295.6 $. The maximum overall cost of treatment was observed at 603.9 $. It was observed that maximum LOS was 14 days for patients having BPS between 140 and 159 mmHg and BPD between 110 and 119 mmHg, and minimum LOS was found 3.5 days. CONCLUSION: The present study highlighted that diabetes coexisting hypertension poses a high-economic burden on patients. This study explored that highly significant result for BPS, BPD, FBS and HbA1 c, whereas the significant results were obtained when RBS is compared with LOS and treatment costs. Our study concluded that mean difference of 9.24 $ in patients having FBS was 261-290 mg/dL and >290 mg/dL. The LOS is increased by 6.57 days for patients with BPS between 140 and 159 mmHg compared with BPS between 180 and 209 and above mmHg, which lowers treatment costs by -21.31$.