Assessment of Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease among Postgraduate Medical Students of KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital using an Ocular Surface Disease Index Questionnaire.

Background Symptomatic dry eye disease is a growing public health challenge especially among those who are visual display unit users and other long-time near activity workers. Increased screen time, prolonged use of face mask and shortage of sleep among resident doctors increases the risk of developing dry eye disease that can affect their learning and social abilities. Data is insufficient on the prevalence of dry eye disease among postgraduate medical students in Nepal. Objective To find out the prevalence of symptomatic dry eye disease using an ocular surface disease index questionnaire among postgraduate medical students of KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among three batches postgraduate medical students until 2023 of KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Imadol, Lalitpur. A single validated symptom-based questionnaire with 12 questions was used to assess symptomatic dry eye disease. Result Total of 110 post-graduate medical students with mean age of 30.4 years, 67 males and 43 females were enrolled. Among them, 68 (61.8%) had dry eye disease. Severe dry eye was the commonest followed by mild dry eye. There was statistically significant association between dry eye disease with the increased screen time and suboptimal durations of sleep. Conclusion About half of postgraduate students faced symptomatic dry eye disease. It is advisable for residents to have optimum sleep as possible, limit screen time and establish regular break time along their exposure.

Clinical and Endoscopic Findings in Patients Presenting with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding at a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding is a severe medical condition that requires prompt evaluation and management. Understanding the clinical and endoscopic findings in patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Objective To investigate the age and sex composition, clinical presentations, and endoscopic findings of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding at a tertiary care hospital. Method A total of 561 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding were included in the study. Data on age, sex, and clinical presentation were collected for each patient. Endoscopic findings were recorded, and the relative frequency of various upper gastrointestinal lesions was analyzed. Result The age distribution of patients revealed that 40.82% were between 15 and 45 years, 32.98% were aged 46 to 65 years, and 26.20% were above 65 years. Among the patients, 73.08% were male and 26.92% were female. Hematemesis was observed in 248 cases, while melena was present in 136 cases, and both were present in 171 cases. Recent onset anemia with positive occult blood was reported in 6 patients. The most common endoscopic finding was varices (39.39%), followed by ulcers (15.51%). Mallory Weiss tear was noted in 5.53% of cases. Conclusion According to our findings, varices are the most common endoscopic finding in individuals with upper gastrointestinal bleeding rather than peptic ulcer disease. The considerable increase in varices emphasizes the critical importance of early identification and care in high-risk individuals, as well as contributing to a better understanding of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Carotid Plaque Burden in Patient who Underwent Coronary Angiogram at Dhulikhel Hospital.

Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of death worldwide and is primarily caused by atherosclerosis. Carotid plaque and coronary artery disease share a common pathogenesis and risk factor. Carotid arteries are accessible through noninvasive imaging method. By characterizing the carotid arteries, it becomes possible to estimate the total burden of atherosclerosis, including that of coronary artery disease. According European Society of Cardiology (ESC) ultrasound of the carotid arteries should be considered, and be performed to detect plaque in patients with suspected chronic coronary syndrome. Objective To establish a relationship between coronary artery disease and carotid plaque. Method It is a cross sectional analytical study. Patients who underwent coronary angiogram at Dhulikhel Hospital from 1st April 2022 till 31st March 2023 were assessed for carotid plaque using carotid ultrasound. Chi square test was done to find the relationship between presence of carotid plaque and coronary artery stenosis of more than 50%. Positive predictive value and negative predictive value was calculated. Result Total number patient was 254 and the mean age was 61± 4.7 years. Out of which 85(33.5) had normal coronary artery, 143(56.3) had ≥ 50% stenosis and 120 (47.2) had ≥ 70% stenosis. Eight patients also had significant left main disease with ≥ 50 % stenosis. Carotid plaque was present in 121(47.6) patients. Out of 143 patients who had ≥ 50% stenosis in coronary angiogram, 104(72.7) patients also had carotid plaque which is statistically significant as p < 0.05. Positive predictive value (PPV) was 72.7% and negative predictive value was 84.7%. Conclusion This study establishes a relationship between coronary artery disease and carotid plaque, suggesting that the presence of carotid plaque may serve as an indicator of underlying coronary artery disease.

Prevalence of Microalbuminuria in Patients of Essential Hypertension and its Correlation with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Carotid Artery Intima­media Thickness.

Background Urinary albumin excretion has been associated to cardiovascular events and increased mortality in hypertensive patients. There is limited information among Nepalese patients about the implications of microalbuminuria (MA) in the setting of hypertension and potential cardiovascular morbidity. Objective To investigate the prevalence of microalbuminuria in patients with essential hypertension and its connection with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT). Method The study involved 80 hypertension individuals in total. All patients in the study had basic biochemical tests, routine urine evaluations, echocardiography, and carotid artery intima-media thickness measurements performed, and the data were analyzed. Result The prevalence of microalbuminuria was present in 37.5% cases of essential hypertension. The mean left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was significantly higher in patients with increased microalbuminuria as compared to patient with normal microalbuminuria. In addition, a significant positive correlation between microalbuminuria and left ventricular hypertrophy was also observed. Furthermore, mean carotid artery intima-media thickness was found to be higher in patients with microalbuminuria (p < 0.001), with 76.7% of the patients with microalbuminuria having elevated mean carotid artery intima-media thickness. The carotid artery intima-media thickness had a positive correlation with both microalbuminuria and left ventricular hypertrophy. Conclusion Microalbuminuria assessment in hypertensive patients is an important test for the evaluation of target organ damage. This study shows that microalbuminuria is common in hypertension patients, particularly those with left ventricular hypertrophy. Microalbuminuria was found to be associated with left ventricular hypertrophy and carotid artery intima-media thickness.

A Point Prevalence Study of the Use of Antibiotics in Six Tertiary Care Hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.

Background Point prevalence survey (PPS) on antibiotic use developed by the WHO has already been used in many hospitals globally. Objective To obtain information on antibiotic prescribtion using point prevalence survey methodology in six private hospitals in the Kathmandu valley. Method This descriptive cross-sectional study was completed during 20th July to 28th July 2021 using point prevalence survey methodology. The study was conducted among inpatients admitted at or before 8:00 AM on the day of survey in various wards. Data was presented as frequencies and percentages. Result Maximum number of patients were above 60 years [34 (18.7%)]. Number of male and female participants were equal [91 (50%)]. Only one antibiotic was used in 81 patients (44.5%) followed by two antibiotics in 71 (39%) patients. Duration of prophylactic antibiotic use was one day in 66 (63.7%) patients. Blood, urine, sputum, and wound swabs were the common samples for culture. Cultures were positive for 17 (24.7%) samples. The common organisms isolated were E. Coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Ceftriaxone was the most used antibiotic. Drug and therapeutics, infection control committee and pharmacovigilance activities were present in 3/6 (50%) study sites. Antimicrobial stewardship was present in 3/6 (50%) and microbiological services was present in all hospitals. Antibiotic formulary and antibiotic guideline were present in 4/6 sites and facilities to audit or review surgical antibiotic prophylaxis choice in 2/6 (33.3%) sites, facility to monitor antibiotic use in 4/6 (66.6%) and cumulative antibiotic susceptibility reports in 2/6 (33.3%) study sites. Conclusion Ceftriaxone was the most used antibiotic. E. Coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia were the commonly isolated organisms. Not all parameters for infrastructure, policy and practice and monitoring and feedback were present at the study sites. KEY WORDS.

Angiographic Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Diabetic and Non-diabetic Acute STEMI Patients in a Tertiary Care Centre of Nepal.

Background Patients with diabetes mellitus have a higher prevalence of atherosclerotic heart disease and a higher incidence of myocardial infarction than the general population. Definitive diagnosis and precise assessment of anatomic severity of Coronary Artery Disease requires invasive diagnostic modality like coronary angiography. Objective To study angiographic characteristics and severity involving coronary arteries in patients with acute ST segment elevation Myocardial infarction and to compare the same in diabetics and non-diabetics. Method Among 150 patients with acute coronary syndrome, 75 diabetics and 75 nondiabetics admitted in Manmohan Cardiothoracic vascular and transplant Centre were selected randomly during a period of one year formed the study group. Random Blood Sugar, Fasting Blood Sugar was done in all 150 patients, HbA1c in all diabetics. All subjects with acute ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction were taken up for coronary angiography intended for primary PCI. Result In our study, 35 (46.7%) out of 75 diabetic patients had triple or multi-vessel disease compared to 10 (13.4%) out of 75 non diabetics. Non-diabetic patients had significantly higher single vessel disease (65.3%). There was a statistically significant association of duration of DM with vessels involved. The occurrence of Triple Vessel Disease/Multivessel Disease was significantly higher in the patients with DM duration > 10 years compared to patients with DM duration < 10 years (64.7% vs. 35.3%, P < 0.001), however there was no significant difference in type of vessel involved. Similarly, a significantly higher proportion of Triple vessel disease was observed in patients with poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 8.5%). 72.2% of the patients with HbA1c > 8.5% had Triple vessel disease/Multi vessel disease, whereas patients with good glycemic control (HbA1c < 7.0%) had predominantly Single vessel disease (90.0%), with no occurrence of Triple vessel disease/Multi vessel disease Conclusion Diabetic patients presenting with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction are likely to have triple/multiple vessel disease compared to non-diabetic patients. The occurrence of Triple Vessel Disease/Multivessel Disease was significantly higher in the patients with DM duration > 10 years compared to patients with DM duration <10 years.

Meta-analysis of the influence of lifestyle changes for preoperative weight loss on surgical outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to investigate whether preoperative weight loss results in improved clinical outcomes in surgical patients with clinically significant obesity. METHODS: This was a systematic review and aggregate data meta-analysis of RCTs and cohort studies. PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL Plus databases were searched from inception to February 2018. Eligibility criteria were: studies assessing the effect of weight loss interventions (low-energy diets with or without an exercise component) on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing any surgical procedure. Data on 30-day or all-cause in-hospital mortality were extracted and synthesized in meta-analyses. Postoperative thromboembolic complications, duration of surgery, infection and duration of hospital stay were also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 6060 patients in four RCTs and 12 cohort studies, all from European and North American centres, were identified. Most were in the field of bariatric surgery and all had some methodological limitations. The pooled effect estimate suggested that preoperative weight loss programmes were effective, leading to significant weight reduction compared with controls: mean difference -7·42 (95 per cent c.i. -10·09 to -4·74) kg (P < 0·001). Preoperative weight loss interventions were not associated with a reduction in perioperative mortality (odds ratio 1·41, 95 per cent c.i. 0·24 to 8·40; I2 = 0 per cent, P = 0·66) but the event rate was low. The weight loss groups had shorter hospital stay (by 27 per cent). No differences were found for morbidity. CONCLUSION: This limited preoperative weight loss has advantages but may not alter the postoperative morbidity or mortality risk.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the role of metronidazole in post-haemorrhoidectomy pain relief.

AIM: Conventional haemorrhoidectomy is still considered the reference standard for the management of severe or recurrent haemorrhoids. Pain is reported by patients to be the most common postoperative complication. Although the literature lacks a consensus on its effectiveness, metronidazole is often used to reduce postoperative pain. We have performed a meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the use of metronidazole for pain relief after haemorrhoidectomy. METHOD: A systematic review was undertaken in accordance with the PRISMA protocol using the MESH headings 'haemorrhoidectomy', 'hemorhoidectomy', 'hemorrhoidectomy', 'haemorrhoid', 'metronidazole', 'Flagyl® ' 'antibiotic' and 'pain'. The search returned 421 articles of which eight were RCTs suitable for inclusion in the review with a total population of 437 patients. The outcomes of interest were postoperative pain intensity on days 1, 2 and 7 and on first defaecation as measured using a visual analogue scale. RESULTS: The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in postoperative pain for patients treated with metronidazole with a reduced mean difference for the metronidazole group on day 1 of -1.42 (95% CI: -2.14 to -0.69, P = 0.0001), on day 2 of -1.43 (95% CI: -2.45 to -0.40, P = 0.006) and on day 7 of -2.40 (95% CI: -3.10 to -1.71, P < 0.00001). Pain on first defaecation was likewise reduced with a mean difference of -1.38 (95% CI: -2.15 to -0.60, P = 0.0005). Limitations of this study include variation in the grade of haemorrhoids treated and variability in the quality of included studies. CONCLUSION: Metronidazole is a cheap, safe and effective intervention for reducing postoperative pain following conventional haemorrhoidectomy.

A systematic examination of preoperative surgery warm-up routines.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence indicates that a preoperative warm-up is a potentially useful tool in facilitating performance. But what factors drive such improvements and how should a warm-up be implemented? METHODS: In order to address these issues, we adopted a two-pronged approach: (1) we conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify existing studies utilising preoperative simulation techniques; (2) we performed task analysis to identify the constituent parts of effective warm-ups. We identified five randomised control trials, four randomised cross-over trials and four case series. The majority of these studies reviewed surgical performance following preoperative simulation relative to performance without simulation. RESULTS: Four studies reported outcome measures in real patients and the remainder reported simulated outcome measures. All but one of the studies found that preoperative simulation improves operative outcomes-but this improvement was not found across all measured parameters. While the reviewed studies had a number of methodological issues, the global data indicate that preoperative simulation has substantial potential to improve surgical performance. Analysis of the task characteristics of successful interventions indicated that the majority of these studies employed warm-ups that focused on the visual motor elements of surgery. However, there was no theoretical or empirical basis to inform the design of the intervention in any of these studies. CONCLUSIONS: There is an urgent need for a more rigorous approach to the development of "warm-up" routines if the potential value of preoperative simulation is to be understood and realised. We propose that such interventions need to be grounded in theory and empirical evidence on human motor performance.

Disabled women's attendance at community women's groups in rural Nepal.

There is strong evidence that participatory approaches to health and participatory women's groups hold great potential to improve the health of women and children in resource poor settings. It is important to consider if interventions are reaching the most marginalized, and therefore we examined disabled women's participation in women's groups and other community groups in rural Nepal. People with disabilities constitute 15% of the world's population and face high levels of poverty, stigma, social marginalization and unequal access to health resources, and therefore their access to women's groups is particularly important. We used a mixed methods approach to describe attendance in groups among disabled and non-disabled women, considering different types and severities of disability. We found no significant differences in the percentage of women that had ever attended at least one of our women's groups, between non-disabled and disabled women. This was true for women with all severities and types of disability, except physically disabled women who were slightly less likely to have attended. Barriers such as poverty, lack of family support, lack of self-confidence and attendance in many groups prevented women from attending groups. Our findings are particularly significant because disabled people's participation in broader community groups, not focused on disability, has been little studied. We conclude that women's groups are an important way to reach disabled women in resource poor communities. We recommend that disabled persons organizations help to increase awareness of disability issues among organizations running community groups to further increase their effectiveness in reaching disabled women.

Meta-analysis of closure of the fascial defect during laparoscopic incisional and ventral hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic incisional and ventral hernia repair (LIVHR) is being used increasingly, with reported outcomes equivalent to those of open hernia repair. Closure of the fascial defect (CFD) is a technique that may reduce seroma formation and bulging after LIVHR. Non-closure of the fascial defect makes the repair of larger defects easier and reduces postoperative pain. The aim of this systematic review was to determine whether CFD affects the rate of adverse outcomes, such as recurrence, pseudo-recurrence, mesh eventration or bulging, and the rate of seroma formation. METHODS: A systematic search was performed of PubMed, Ovid, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar and Scopus to identify RCTs that analysed CFD with regard to rates of adverse outcomes. A meta-analysis was done using fixed-effect methods. The primary outcome of interest was adverse events. Secondary outcomes were seroma, postoperative pain, mean hospital stay, mean duration of operation and surgical techniques employed. RESULTS: A total of 16 studies were identified involving 3638 patients, 2963 in the CFD group and 675 in the non-closure of facial defect group. Significantly fewer adverse events were noted following CFD than non-closure (4·9 per cent (79 of 1613) versus 22·3 per cent (114 of 511)), with a combined risk ratio (RR) of 0·25 (95 per cent c.i. 0·18 to 0·33; P < 0·001). CFD resulted in a significantly lower rate of seroma (2·5 per cent (39 of 1546) versus 12·2 per cent (47 of 385)), with a combined RR of 0·37 (0·23 to 0·57; P < 0·001), and shorter duration of hospital stay. No significant difference was noted in postoperative pain. CONCLUSION: CFD during LIVHR reduces the rate of seroma formation and adverse hernia-site events.

The impact of cardiopulmonary exercise testing on patients over the age of 80 undergoing elective colorectal cancer surgery.

AIM: Advanced age and occult cardiorespiratory disease are associated with increased morbidity and mortality following surgery. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) may allow the identification of high-risk patients and facilitate planned postoperative critical care support. The aim of this study was to determine whether preoperative CPET in patients aged over 80 undergoing elective colorectal cancer resection was associated with improved outcome. METHOD: All patients aged 80 years and above undergoing elective colorectal cancer resection between 1 March 2011 and 1 September 2013 were retrospectively analysed. Referral for CPET testing was at the discretion of the operating surgeon. Postoperative critical care unit (CCU) admission was based upon the CPET results. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients were identified, of whom 48 underwent CPET testing. The CPET group were significantly older than the non-CPET group (85 vs 83 years, P = 0.04) and were more likely to have a planned admission to CCU postoperatively (P < 0.0001). Despite the increased use of CCU resources, the overall CCU length of stay (LOS) in the CPET group did not differ from the non-CPET group, but the non-CPET group had a higher proportion of Level-3 care. There were no differences in the incidence of unplanned CCU admission between the CPET and the non-CPET group (P = 0.23). There were no differences in overall LOS between the two groups (P = 0.42). There was no difference in mortality (P = 0.11), overall complications (P = 0.53) or severe complications (P = 0.3). CONCLUSION: Preoperative CPET testing in patients aged over 80 undergoing elective colorectal cancer resection allows identification of higher-risk patients and mitigation of risk by preemptive admission to a CCU. This stratification allows equivalent results to be achieved in high- and low-risk elderly patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Outcome after liver resection in patients presenting with simultaneous hepatopulmonary colorectal metastases.

BACKGROUND: The most common sites of metastasis from colorectal cancer (CRC) are hepatic and pulmonary; they can present simultaneously (hepatic and pulmonary metastases) or sequentially (hepatic then pulmonary metastases, or vice versa). Simultaneous disease may be aggressive, and thus may be approached with caution by the clinician. The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes following hepatic and pulmonary resection for simultaneously presenting metastatic CRC. METHODS: A retrospective review was undertaken of a prospectively maintained database to identify patients presenting with simultaneous hepatopulmonary disease who underwent hepatic resection. Patients' electronic records were used to identify clinicopathological variables. The log rank test was used to determine survival, and χ(2) analysis to determine predictors of failure of intended treatment. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients were identified and underwent hepatic resection; median survival was 45·4 months and the 5-year survival rate 38 per cent. Twenty-two patients (37 per cent) did not have the intended pulmonary intervention owing to progression or recurrence of disease. Thirty-seven patients who progressed to hepatopulmonary resection had a median survival of 54·2 months (5-year survival rate 43 per cent). Those who had hepatic resection alone had a median survival of 24·0 months (5-year survival rate 30 per cent). Failure to progress to pulmonary resection was predicted by heavy nodal burden of primary colorectal disease and bilobar hepatic metastases. Redo pulmonary surgery following pulmonary recurrence did not confer a survival benefit. CONCLUSION: Selected patients with simultaneous hepatopulmonary CRC metastases should be considered for attempted curative resection, but some patients may not receive the intended treatment owing to progression of pulmonary disease after hepatic resection.

Lanicemine: a low-trapping NMDA channel blocker produces sustained antidepressant efficacy with minimal psychotomimetic adverse effects.

Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) channel blocker, has been found to induce rapid and robust antidepressant-like effects in rodent models and in treatment-refractory depressed patients. However, the marked acute psychological side effects of ketamine complicate the interpretation of both preclinical and clinical data. Moreover, the lack of controlled data demonstrating the ability of ketamine to sustain the antidepressant response with repeated administration leaves the potential clinical utility of this class of drugs in question. Using quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) to objectively align doses of a low-trapping NMDA channel blocker, AZD6765 (lanicemine), to that of ketamine, we demonstrate the potential for NMDA channel blockers to produce antidepressant efficacy without psychotomimetic and dissociative side effects. Furthermore, using placebo-controlled data, we show that the antidepressant response to NMDA channel blockers can be maintained with repeated and intermittent drug administration. Together, these data provide a path for the development of novel glutamatergic-based therapeutics for treatment-refractory mood disorders.

Lethal and nonlethal murine malarial infections differentially affect apoptosis, proliferation, and CD8 expression on thymic T cells.

Although thymic atrophy and apoptosis of the double-positive (DP) T cells have been reported in murine malaria, comparative studies investigating the effect of lethal and nonlethal Plasmodium infections on the thymus are lacking. We assessed the effects of P. yoelii lethal (17XL) and nonlethal (17XNL) infections on thymic T cells. Both strains affected the thymus. 17XL infection induced DP T-cell apoptosis and a selective decrease in surface CD8 expression on developing thymocytes. By contrast, more severe but reversible effects were observed during 17XNL infection. DP T cells underwent apoptosis, and proliferation of both DN and DP cells was affected around peak parasitemia. A transient increase in surface CD8 expression on thymic T cells was also observed. Adult thymic organ culture revealed that soluble serum factors, but not IFN-γ or TNF-α, contributed to the observed effects. Thus, lethal and nonlethal malarial infections led to multiple disparate effects on thymus. These parasite-induced thymic changes are expected to impact the naïve T-cell repertoire and the subsequent control of the immune response against the parasite. Further investigations are required to elucidate the mechanism responsible for these disparate effects, especially the reversible involution of the thymus in case of nonlethal infection.

Management of gallbladder dyskinesia: patient outcomes following positive 99mtechnetium (Tc)-labelled hepatic iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scintigraphy with cholecystokinin (CCK) provocation and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

AIMS: To evaluate clinical outcomes in patients with typical biliary pain, normal ultrasonic findings, and a positive (99m)technetium (Tc)-labelled hepatic iminodiacetic acid analogue (HIDA) scintigraphy with cholecystokinin (CCK) provocation indicating gallbladder dyskinesia, as per Rome III criteria, undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Consecutive patients undergoing LC for gallbladder dyskinesia were identified retrospectively. They were followed up by telephone interview and review of the electronic case records to assess symptom resolution. RESULTS: One hundred consecutive patients (median age 44; 80% female) with abnormal gallbladder ejection fraction (GB-EF <35%) were followed up for a median of 12 months (range 2-80 months). Following LC, 84% reported symptomatic improvement and 52% had no residual pain. Twelve percent had persisting preoperative-type pain of either unchanged or worsening severity. Neither pathological features of chronic cholecystitis (87% of 92 incidences when histology available) nor reproduction of pain on CCK injection were significantly predictive of symptom outcome or pain relief post-LC. CONCLUSION: In one of the largest outcome series of gallbladder dyskinesia patients in the UK with a positive provocation HIDA scintigraphy examination and LC, the present study shows that the test is a useful functional diagnostic tool in the management of patients with typical biliary pain and normal ultrasound, with favourable outcomes following surgery.

Benefits and limitations of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis and classification of leprosy in primary and secondary healthcare settings.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem. This will only be possible when all patients are detected and cured using multidrug therapy, which requires accurate diagnosis prior to treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the possibility of the diagnosis of leprosy lesions by fine needle aspiration cytology according to a modification of the Ridley-Jopling scale, as it can be used in primary and secondary healthcare centres, especially in low-resource settings in which leprosy is prevalent. METHODS: A prospective study comprising 54 cases with cardinal features of leprosy was performed. Among the 54 cases, 27 patients consented to a histopathological biopsy procedure. The slides were stained with Giemsa, modified Ziehl-Neelsen, Papanicolaou and haematoxylin and eosin methods. RESULTS: Among the 54 cases, 34 were reported as tuberculoid leprosy, five as mid-borderline (BB), three as borderline lepromatous (BL) and eight as lepromatous leprosy (LL); four were unsatisfactory. Histopathological study was performed in 27 cases, which showed cyto-histological correlation in 21 cases (78%). Agreement between histological and cytological diagnosis was achieved in 12 of the 15 tuberculoid cases, one of the three BB cases, one of the two BL cases and all seven LL cases. CONCLUSION: With the implementation of the WHO classification based on patch counting, there is the possibility of the over-treatment of paucibacillary cases and under-treatment of multibacillary cases. Cytology in terms of cellular type morphology and bacteriological study can complement the WHO classification.

Estimating inter-annual diversity of seasonal agricultural area using multi-temporal resourcesat data.

The present study aims at analysis of spatial and temporal variability in agricultural land cover during 2005-6 and 2011-12 from an ongoing program of annual land use mapping using multidate Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) data aboard Resourcesat-1 and 2. About 640-690 multi-temporal AWiFS quadrant data products per year (depending on cloud cover) were co-registered and radiometrically normalized to prepare state (administrative unit) mosaics. An 18-fold classification was adopted in this project. Rule-based techniques along with maximum-likelihood algorithm were employed to deriving land cover information as well as changes within agricultural land cover classes. The agricultural land cover classes include - kharif (June-October), rabi (November-April), zaid (April-June), area sown more than once, fallow lands and plantation crops. Mean kappa accuracy of these estimates varied from 0.87 to 0.96 for various classes. Standard error of estimate has been computed for each class annually and the area estimates were corrected using standard error of estimate. The corrected estimates range between 99 and 116 Mha for kharif and 77-91 Mha for rabi. The kharif, rabi and net sown area were aggregated at 10 km × 10 km grid on annual basis for entire India and CV was computed at each grid cell using temporal spatially-aggregated area as input. This spatial variability of agricultural land cover classes was analyzed across meteorological zones, irrigated command areas and administrative boundaries. The results indicate that out of various states/meteorological zones, Punjab was consistently cropped during kharif as well as rabi seasons. Out of all irrigated commands, Tawa irrigated command was consistently cropped during rabi season.

Silicon-on-insulator shortwave infrared wavelength meter with integrated photodiodes for on-chip laser monitoring.

This paper demonstrates a very compact wavelength meter for on-chip laser monitoring in the shortwave infrared wavelength range based on an optimized arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) filter with an integrated photodiode array. The AWG response is designed to obtain large nearest neighbor crosstalk (i.e. large overlap) between output channels, which allows accurately measuring the wavelength of a laser under test using the centroid detection technique. The passive AWG is fabricated on a 220 nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform and is combined with GaInAsSb-based photodiodes. The photodiodes are heterogeneously integrated on the output grating couplers of the AWG using DVS-BCB adhesive bonding. The complete device with AWG and detectors has a footprint of only 2 mm(2) while the measured accuracy and resolution of the detected wavelength is better than 20pm.