Automated Detection and Classification of Telemedical Retinopathy of Prematurity Images.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a retinal disorder of low birth weight infants and it is the leading cause of childhood blindness. The capability of wide field digital imaging systems to capture the clinical features of ROP has greatly helped the physicians to assess the severity of ROP and prevent childhood blindness due to ROP. Currently there is a lack of automated systems to assess the severity of ROP to assist the ROP specialist to make treatment decision. Objective: To present an automated detection and classification approach to assess the severity of ROP using wide field telemedical images. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 telemedical ROP (tele-ROP) images were collected out, of which 36 images were Normal, 79 images were Stage 2, and 45 images were Stage 3. Hessian analysis and support vector machine (SVM) classifier have been used to detect and classify the severity of ROP from tele-ROP images. Results: Classified the Normal, Stage 2, and Stage 3 images using SVM. Achieved accuracy of 91.8%, sensitivity of 90.37%, specificity of 94.65%, false positive rate of 5.35%, and false negative rate of 9.63%. Conclusions: The automated approach of detecting and classifying ROP would support pediatric ophthalmologists for early treatment decisions with optimal care.

Parental reports of behavioural outcome among paediatric leukaemia survivors in Malaysia: a single institution experience.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the behavioural impact of chemotherapy in survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treated with chemotherapy only and to identify treatment-related or sociodemography-related factors that might be associated with behavioural outcome. METHODS: We examined 57 survivors of childhood ALL, who were off treatment for at least 2 years and were in remission, aged 4-18 years, and 221 unrelated healthy controls. The Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) parent report was used either in English or in Bahasa Malaysia (the national language of Malaysia) to assess the behavioural outcome. RESULTS: Childhood ALL survivors had significantly higher scores on externalising behaviour on the CBCL parent report than did controls. Higher problem scores were found in ALL survivors with single parents on 'total problems' (P = 0.03) and subscales 'withdrawn' (P = 0.03), 'social problems' (P < 0.01) and 'delinquent behaviour' (P = 0.03) than in survivors with married parents. Significant associations were seen between a lower education level of the father and the variables representing internalising (withdrawn, anxious/depressed) and externalising (aggressive behaviour). We observed trends on higher scores in all scales in ALL survivors with single parents than in controls with single parents or with fathers with low education level, especially primary education only. CONCLUSIONS: Malaysian childhood ALL survivors had a significantly increased risk for externalising behavioural problems, and there was a trend towards increased risk of problems in many other behavioural scales. Understanding the sociocultural dimension of patients' health is important to be able to design the most appropriate remedy for problem behaviours detected in this multi-ethnic population.

Plasma-Cell Gingivitis a Challenge to the Oral Physician.

Plasma-cell gingivitis (PCG) is an uncommon inflammatory condition of idiopathic etiology. PCG is a rare condition, appearing as erythema (redness) and edema (swelling) of the attached gingiva. The diagnosis of PCG is based on arrant history taking, clinical examination, and appropriate diagnostic tests. Here, we are presenting a case of PCG in a 12-year-old boy, its management and treatment outcome after 3 years of regular follow-up in tertiary health-care center in North Kerala.

What do consumers think about recycling human urine as fertiliser? Perceptions and attitudes of a university community in South India.

Sanitation systems based on source separation and valorisation of human urine can improve the environmental sustainability of wastewater management. Yet, the social acceptability of such new, resource-oriented sanitation practices have not been assessed systematically. We attempt to address this research gap by reporting the findings of a survey conducted at a South Indian university that evaluated support for urine recycling among 1252 Indian consumers. We place our findings in the context of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, quantify consumer attitude to urine recycling through an exploratory numerical approach, and identify explanatory factors that shape consumer beliefs and perceptions. Overall, a moderately positive attitude was observed: 68% stated human urine should not be disposed but recycled, 55% considered it as fertiliser, but only 44% would consume food grown using it. While 65% believed using urine as crop fertiliser could pose a health risk, majority (80%) believed it could be treated so as to not pose a risk. The respondents' 'willingness to consume' urine-fertilised food was found to be strongly influenced by their willingness to pay. Consumer environmental attitudes, as evaluated using the New Ecological Paradigm scale, did not influence their attitude towards urine recycling behaviour. We thus believe that simply appealing to people's environmental sensitivities is not enough for introducing environmentally-friendly technologies like urine recycling, but that more targeted marketing messages are needed. We find sufficient support among our surveyed consumers for urine recycling but highlight that further research is needed to identify what information and agency will help translate positive attitudes into action and behaviour.

Population dynamics of cestode, Circumonchobothrium shindei (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea Carus, 1863) in the freshwater eel, Mastacembelus armatus Lacépède, 1800 from River Godavari, Rajahmundry.

The freshwater eel, Mastacembelus armatus Lacépède, 1800 is often found infected with adults and larval plerocercoids of the cestode, Circumonchobothrium shindei. The population dynamics of C. shindei was studied in the freshwater eel, M. armatus during September 2005 to August 2007 from Godavari River, Rajahmundry. A total of 494 eels were examined; 184 (37.24 %) were infected with this cestode. Infection intensity ranged from 1 to 13 for C. shindei and their plerocercoids. C. shindei occupy the position of secondary species in community structure of metazoan parasites of M. armatus, with mean intensity, mean abundance and index of infection (2.5 ± 1.22; 1.1 ± 1.45 and 0.57 respectively). The present investigation deals with monthly population dynamics of C. shindei in M. armatus which summarizes percentage of prevalence, intensity, abundance and index of infection. Medium sized fish depicted more infection with this cestode and female fish illustrates comparatively higher infection rate than male fish.

Budd Chiari syndrome and pericaval filariasis.

A young girl presented with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) with narrowing of the retrohepatic segment of inferior vena cava (VC). Dorsal cavoatrial bypass (DCAB) was unsuccessful due to thrombotic occlusion of the graft. A limited autopsy revealed occlusion of the retrohepatic segment of IVC and the terminal parts of the three major hepatic veins. Caval occlusion was just above the level of the superior hepatic veins, and caused by a transverse fibrous shelf. An adult filarial worm was found amidst pericaval fibrosis. Filariasis should be included as a possible aetiological factor in chronic BCS.

A report on various digenetic metacercariae from the freshwater fishes of River Godavari, Rajahmundry.

Fishes serve as intermediate hosts to a number of avian digenetic trematodes. A survey on 10 different species of freshwater fishes belonging to 8 families from River Godavari from August 2005 to September 2007 revealed a total of 10 metacercariae of digenetic trematodes from five families i.e., Clinostomidae Lühe, 1901; Diplostomidae Poirier, 1886; Isoparorchiidae (Travassos, 1922); Strigeidae Railliet, 1919 and Heterophyidae (Leiper, 1909) Odhner, 1914. The metacercarial fauna dominated the adult parasitic fauna of the freshwater fishes.

Histopathological changes of the esophagus of the freshwater eels, Macrognathus aculeatus (Bl.) and Mastacembelus pancalus (Lac.) due to infection of metacercariae of Clinostomum mastacembeli Jaiswal, 1957.

Macrognathus aculeatus (Bl.) and Mastacembelus pancalus (Lac.) (Family: Mastacembelidae) are considered to be the most delicious fish in Andhra Pradesh due to the tenderness of their muscles. The metacercariae of Clinostomum mastacembeli Jaiswal, 1957 are found infesting the oesophagus of these fishes heavily. During present studies, histopathological changes caused due to the encystment of metacercariae of C. mastacembeli in the oesophagus of these fishes were observed. The four layers of the oesophagus namely; serosa, muscualris layer, submucosa and mucosa were found severely affected. Histopathological changes included decrease in the lumen diameter of the oesophagus, atrophy and necrosis of epithelial cells of serosa layer, shrinkage of villi due to thickening of muscularis layer and formation of small vacuoles in the sub-mucosal layers.

Metazoan parasites of Mystus vittatus (Bloch) of River Godavari with description of a new species of Acanthocephala, Raosentis godavarensis sp. nov.

A total of 9 metazoan parasitic species were identified from Mystus vittatus (Bloch) in river Godavari during 2005-2007 including 2 monogeneans, 2 digeneans, 3 acanthocephalans and 2 copepods. Two species of monogeneans (Bifurcohaptor indicus and Thaparocleidus tengra), digeneans (Haplorchoides macrones and metacercariae of Isoparorchis hypselobagri), an acanthocephalan (Raosentis podderi) found during the present study are of common occurrence in this fish. M. vittatus constitutes a new host record for an acanthocephalan, Raosentis thapari and 2 copepods, Argulus striatus and Lamproglena hospetensis. The occurrence of A. striatus represents unusual for M. vittatus. A new species of acanthocephala, Raosentis godavarensis sp. nov is reported, described and illustrated.

A new species of Phyllobothrium, parasite from Rhinoptera javanica from Waltair Coast, Andhra Pradesh, India.

A new species of a cestode, belonging to genus Phyllobothrium, obtained from spiral valve of the intestine of the elasmobranch Rhinoptera javanica is described. It shows remarkable differences from other known species of Phyllobothrium in having big scolex, bifurced and sessile nature of bothridia, testes number and nature of proglottids. The new species is designated as Phyllobothrium rhinoptera.

Studies on the new species Tylocephalum chiralensis, parasite from Dasyatis (Himantura) uarnak (Förskal) from Chirala coast, Andhra Pradesh, India.

A new species of the cestode genus Tylocephalum obtained from the host Dasyatis uarnak is described. A detailed examination of specimens have allowed us to erect a new species Tylocephalum to accommodate the worm. It shows remarkable differences from other known species of Tylocephalum in large size of the worm, absence of neck, variation in number of testes arrangement of vitellaria and genital openings. The new species is designated as Tylocephalum chiralensis.

Analysis of sequence signature defining functional specificity and structural stability in helix-loop-helix proteins.

Specific functional properties of many proteins directing developmental responses via transcriptional regulation are orchestrated by their characteristic helix-loop-helix (HLH) structural motif. The entire HLH motif in all these proteins assumes a common conformation irrespective of their individual biological effects. The motif controls the affinity of HLH proteins for homo- or heterodimerization, permitting mixing and matching of regulatory factors, and thereby expanding the functional repertoire. Systematic analysis of molecular contacts at the dimer interface using the models built for the functional dimers combined with the pattern of conserved/nonconserved residues within different categories of HLH proteins helped in understanding the differential role played by different residues at the dimer interface for expressing corresponding functions. The residues associated with the self and partner interactions were identified, and the signature residues contributing toward dimeric stability and functional specificity were defined. It is evident that most of the residues involved in self interactions are common among all the HLH proteins. However, while certain residues involved in partner interactions are common among all the HLH proteins, certain others are common within a category, and still others vary widely defining specificity signature at different levels.

Studies on the new species tylocephalum chiralensis parasite from dasyatis uarnak from Chirala coast, Andra Pradesh in India

Se describe la nueva especie tylocephalum chiralensis, parásito del pez elasmobranquio dasyatis uarnak de la costa de Chirala, andra Pradesh. Difiere de otras especies conocidas del género tylocephalum en el mayor tamaño de su cuerpo, ausencia de cuello, número de testículos, número de proglótidas, distribución de los folículos vitelinos y aberturas genitales