Background: Enterovirus (EV) has been reported to cause Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) in infants and children. The aim of the present study was to detect the occurrence of EV in hospitalised children with ARI at Jaipur. 

Materials and methods: Throat swabs and nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from children hospitalised at J K Lone hospital. Extraction of viral nucleic acid was performed on an

automated nucleic acid extraction system (Biomeuriex) as per manufacturer's instructions. 110 µl of viral nucleic acid was eluted from 400 µl of sample. Real-time RT-PCR was performed by using EV specific primer probe. 

Results: Among the total 247 samples tested, 15(6.07%) children were found to be positive for EV. Males were predominantly infected with EV (66.67%) than females (33.33%). EV was predominant in the age group 1-12 months 14/200 (7.0%) and was associated with pneumonia in 33.33% and bronchiolitis in 13.33% cases among the positive samples. Circulation of the virus was observed in all the months of the study.

Conclusion: EV was detected in 6.07% of hospitalised children with ARI. Further studies are required in the state of Rajasthan to get a clear picture of EV epidemiology and its association in

hospitalised children. 

Background and aim: Low use of maternal healthcare services is one of the reasons why maternal mortality is still considerably high in India. In India, the eight socioeconomically backward states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, referred to as the Empowered Action Group (EAG) states, lag behind in the demographic transition and low utilization of maternal health care. Non-skilled birth attendants are likely to deliver low quality maternity care compared with skilled birth attendant. This study aimed to explore the risk of lacked skilled birth attendant during childbirth by different socioeconomic backgrounds among EAG states India.

Methodology/finding: Using information from the third round of District Level Household Survey (2007–08). The outcome variables included in the analyses is non skilled birth attendant. We have used bivariate and multivariate. Majority 90 percent women were assisted by non skilled birth attendant during delivery at home. Findings indicate that there is considerable amount of variation in use of NSBA by educational attainment, household wealth, religion, number of ANC visit, visit health facility for ANC checkup during first trimester and place of residence. 

Conclusion: Delivery assisted by non skilled birth attendant was associated with women education, husband education, religion, caste, income strata and place of residence. Therefore this study recommended that effective governmental and non-governmental interventions are needed to address such inequalities in health care system and important policy level interventions to address the unmet need of maternity services among women in EAG states, India. 

Introduction: Although some studies have documented inadequate TB knowledge and poor compliance with TB treatment guidelines among practicing physicians, such data are lacking in India. The objective of this study is to assess and document the knowledge of TB diagnosis by Mantoux test and its management practices among medical practitioners. Study design: Survey analysis. 

Materials and method: The survey was conducted among 300 medical practitioners in PCMC area of Pune. The authors were given a pre-tested questionnaire which was completed under

supervision without allowance for discussions or cheatings. The anonymity and confidentiality of the respondents were being guaranteed. The questionnaire contains a set of multiple questions

that assesses the knowledge of Mantoux test use, administration and its interpretation. 

Result: 400 practitioners completed the study and data were analysed.  Knowledge score was poor, attitude score and practice score were average but belief was towards positive.

Conclusion: This study concluded that there is less knowledge among medical practitioners about Mantoux test for the diagnosis of Tuberculosis. 

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn), popularly known as ‘Ragi’ is  an important staple food in the eastern and central Africa as well as some parts of India Brown and white finger millet from local farmers and maize, Bengal gram flour and skimmed milk powder from local market were used for the present study. The extrudates of different combination were prepared by using twin screw extruder. Nutritional and functional characteristics of extruded snacks prepared from finger millet based composite blends were assessed. Functional properties of the extrudates such as bulk density, expansion ratio, colour and hardness were found to be influenced by the variations in the composition of the raw blends. The overall moisture content of the extrudates varied from 6.00 – 6.89 g.  The protein content of the extrudates which was in the range of 9.96-16.64 decreased while crude fiber which ranged from 0.98-1.99 increased with an increase in the amount of finger millet flour in the blends. The composite blend consisting of

40:50:10 of Brown Finger millet: Maize: Skimmed milk powder produced extruded snacks with the highest sensory score for texture, taste and overall acceptability. Hence the present study

revealed that, the composite blend consisting of 40:50:10 of Brown Finger millet: Maize: Skimmed milk powder produces acceptable calcium rich extruded snacks. 

Cancer of the cervix is one of the most common and important of the neoplasm among Indian women. In western communities, cervical carcinoma is about twice as frequent as carcinoma of the corpus uteri. For last so many years cytogenetists are trying to lay down certain criteria in order to diagnosis and grade different malignancies so that a simple yet reliable method can be brought into routine practice. The aim of present study the role of AgNOR in differentiating benign, premalignant and malignant lesion of cervix. 

High population density, high exchange rates of products and goods, vital dependence on sources and deflection of energy and matter beyond their settlements borders have been thecontemporary idiosyncrasies of urban culture. In Litani region, population density has changedincreasingly from about 800/km²

 in 1980 to more than 2150/km²  in 1998.The canalization ofsewage water from households and industries leads to severe chemical pollution of surface and groundwater. The exponential growth of population was accompanied by acceleration of urbanization and an increased demand for water, energy and food. This situation pushed citizens to overexploit natural resources. The populations in the catchment area (before Qaroun dam in the Litani River) produce 16.1 Mm³ of wastewater/year with total emissions of BOD, COD, N, and Pare 5215.5, 12673, 1365, and 167 tones/year respectively. In addition, these residentsproduce 88578.368 tons/year of solid wastes (60% organic content). As the moisture of domesticwastes is about 70%, that contain 653.25 tN/year (tones of nitrogen) and 125.3 tP/year (tones ofphosphorus) as well as 248,200 Kg / year of medical wastes. We introduced the results throughan ecological model for the urban emission in Litani River Basin. This proposed model can provide encouraging results and might be used as an efficient tool to identify the effect ofhouseholds' and pollution sources for planning and management of large-scale River catchment. 

Background Breast cancer is the third leading cause of cancer in the women around the world and most common malignancy in women accounting for 23% of cancer. Anxiety and depression are most common complications associated with malignancy. The present study was carried out to find the acceptability of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in subjects with post operatively hospitalized Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM) patients. 

Method Questionnaire based observational study design was used for the present study. Thirty post MRM patients who had undergone surgery within the age group of 35yrs-75yrs were randomly selected as per inclusion criteria and included in the study. HADS was used as an outcome measure. Written consent was taken from each participants and questionnaire was filled by asking the patients in their own language.  

Results Out of the 30 subjects of MRM, 19 (64%) subjects had depression, 7 (23%) subjects had anxiety and 4 (13%) subjects had anxiety and depression both.

Conclusion The study indicated that according to the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, depression and anxiety was both seen in subjects with modified radical mastectomy. Age also had an impact on patients with modified radical mastectomy where it was seen that depression was more common for patients with below 50 years of age. 

Statistical analyses of biomedical research are obligatory to churn out any plausible explanationof the elaborate studies and expensive battery of tests performed. Statistics therefore, is common place in biomedical literature. Despite their wide use, even the simpler terms, analyses andexplanations are sometimes misunderstood or misinterpreted by researchers who have either alimited or faulty knowledge of statistics. Surprisingly many are oblivious of the role ofstatistician in today’s research set up. A sound understanding of the above is needed to fostercloser and regular interactions between statisticians and other members of a research team foreffective incorporation of the statistical elements into research and discussion of research output. An attempt is made to outline a few basics elements of statistics that are commonly found in biomedical literature with a word of advice on how to go about them. 

Nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) on the Chromosomes of Punganur Cattle were studied by Short – Term Lymphocytic culture technique. The Ammonical Silver staining procedure was followed with minor modifications. The Chromosomes were stained with Silver- Giemsa staining technique using gelatine colloidal developer. The frequency distribution of number of metaphases containing the Ag- NOR bands were tested with Chisquare test. A Total of 373 NORs was detected in 98 metaphases. The mean number of NORS per metaphase was 3.806, with a range from 3.2 to 4.07, while the number of NORs per metaphase ranged from 1 to 8. An inverse relationship was found between Frequency of metaphases and Number of NORs per metaphase. There exists a significant departure was noticed between the observed and expected frequencies (P<0.01).The highest frequency of metaphases (25.51%) examined had  3  NORs, while  the  lowest  frequency  (4.08%)  had  8  NORs.  The Chromosome morphology, number and morphometric measurements and NORs in Punganur Cattle were similar to other Zebu Cattle in India. 

Introduction: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [COPD] is a disease of increasing public health importance around the world. Anxiety and depressive symptoms are common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This study was done to evaluate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Materials and methods: It was a clinical observational study conducted in Yenepoya Medical College, Derlakatte, Mangalore. All patients admitted under the department of General Medicine

and Pulmonary Medicine, constituted the population for the study. Sixty consecutive in-patients with a clinical diagnosis of COPD who satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen for the study. They were assessed for psychiatric morbidity using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I PLUS). The data was analyzed by using T test, Chi square test and Fishers exact test.

Results: Psychiatric disorders were diagnosed in 26 (43.33%) patients. The most common psychiatric disorders were Major depressive disorder followed by generalized anxiety disorder. None of the patients had received medications for psychiatric illness prior to the study. There was significant association between the duration of COPD and the occurrence of psychiatric morbidity.

Conclusion: The present study concludes that patients with COPD have significant psychiatric morbidity, the most common being major depressive disorder. 

Murraya koenigii is considered as a medicinal plant as well as leafy vegetable. Leaf spot disease of Murraya koenigii caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides appears to be a destructive epidemic in many regions of India. Successful pathogenicity of the fungus on curry leaf was proved by Koch’s Postulate method. The study reveals the isolation of this pathogen from the curry leaves on PDA medium and showing their inhibitory effect on teak and beetel leaves extract. The petroleum ether leaf extracts of these two plants were eluted using column chromatography to evaluate the antifungal property against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Antifungal activity of these leaf extracts were studied with four concentrations using food poison method. The data revealed that significant reduction in the growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was observed with leaf extract of these plants and the extract showed significant difference in their efficacy. Among four concentrations, the highest percentage of inhibition shown at 20 µl followed by 15 µl, 10 µl and lowest inhibition was recorded at 5µl as compared to control. Statistically significant decrease in the radial mycelia growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was observed with increase in concentration of diffusates. Thus the results suggest that the average increase of 10% inhibition in every concentration supports to prevent the complete mycelia growth at a particular concentration. 

Tumours of the head and neck region are common and are being diagnosed with greater frequency all over the world. The level of differentiation and the extent of the growth significantly modified the likelihood of metastasis and consequently the outlook of patient. As this neoplasm takes months to years to progress through the stage of marked dysplasia to carcinoma in situ to overt carcinoma, it therefore becomes imperative to establish the diagnosis with a reasonable degree of certainty, at an early stage, when the tumour has not reached the stage of incurability. The aim of present study to evaluate the role of AgNOR staining in different grades of squamous cell carcinoma. 

Worldwide, contamination of soil is a severe problem. The negative effects of pollutants on the environment and on human health are diverse and depend on the nature of the pollution. Phytoremediation is a promising technology for the cleanup of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminated soil. In the present work the rhizosphere of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. Ex. Del. plants were tested for their abilities to stimulate the microbial degradation of soil pollutants in desert soil contaminated with 2.4-2.8% polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The results showed that the roots of the different plants were density associated with total bacteria, fungi and PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon)-degrading microorganisms, this is confirmed from the (R) ratios which ranged from 55.7-258.2 (for total bacteria), 20.3-125.1 (for fungi) and 95.6-348.2 (for PAH degraders). Percentages of PAH-degraders were higher in the rhizosphere soil of A. senegal (68.5%) as compared to the rhizosphere soil of A. nilotica and A. catechu plants respectively. The results of the biodegradation of PAH-I, II & III and its fractions showed that great  reduction (25.5%) of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (TPAHs) was observed in the rhizosphere soil of A. senegal as compared to reduction in rhizosphere soil of A. catechu and A. nilotica respectively. It was observed also that in the polluted non-cultivated soil the PAHs were reduced by 8.1 -10.6 % as a result of biostimulation process only (addition of nutrients). The results also showed that A. senegal rhizosphere was able to reduce more of the saturated (41.141.6%), more of the aromatics (20.2-20.8%) fractions. It is of interest to find that 6.5 % of the hardly degradable fraction resins were degraded in rhizosphere soil of A. senegal. The present results clearly demonstrated that A. senegal provided successful phytoremediation process of a contaminated desert soil as compared to the other two legume trees.