Observations of noise induced hearing loss in a heavy engineering industry in Kolkata.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Noise is a major health threat in occupations where its level exceeds the permissible level (90dB). Most serious health effect is Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Objective of the present study was to find out any relationship between occupational noise exposure and hearing impairment of the employees in a heavy engineering industry. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted during May 2005 to April 2006 in a selected heavy engineering industry in Kolkata. All the employees working in the factory were included in the study. Data were collected through interview, physical examination, audiometry and environmental noise survey. RESULTS: Among the total of 278 employees of this study, 235 employees were exposed above the permissible occupational noise level (90dB), out of whom 82 (34.90%) employees were deaf which was much more than the deafness among the nonexposed workers 3 (6.98%). Hearing impairment increased as exposure level increased and this was statistically significant (chi2 = 17.97, df = 2, p = 0.0001). Hearing impairment also increased with duration of exposure (chi2 = 7.12, df = 2, p = 0.0284). CONCLUSION: Hearing impairment is associated with occupational noise exposure and thus pre-placement and periodical medical examination is of vital importance.

[Duplex US evaluation of mesenteric vessels in acute abdomen. Prospective study on 325 patients]. / La valutazione ecocolor-Doppler degli assi vascolari mesenterici nell'addome acuto. Studio prospettico su 325 pazienti.

BACKGROUND: Acute Mesenteric Insufficiency (AMI) is a surgical emergency with a difficult methodological approach. Its high mortality is mainly due to delay in the correct diagnosis. In turn this is due to the lack of specificity of the clinical presentation and of the laboratory data and abdominal radiographic findings, especially in the early-middle phase. PURPOSE: To evaluate the positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of Duplex Ultrasound (DU) of mesenteric vessels in the diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischaemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 325 patients were prospective analyzed with Duplex US (Aloka ssd 1700); 120 with acute abdomen (group A); 120 healthy subjects without abdomen preparation (group B); 85 healthy subjects with abdomen preparation (group C). We considered the B mode visualization, the vessel extension and diameter, the colour signal capture (enhancement), the velocitograms with systolic peak velocity and medium diastolic velocity. RESULTS: In 32 patients with high suspect of AMI we founded 21 really negative results, 3 wrong positive results, 5 really positive results, 3 false negative results. The PPV and NPV were respectively 0.62 and 0.87. CONCLUSIONS: The Duplex Us is more useful rather exclude than confirm AMI.

[Color Doppler ultrasound in acute mesenteric ischemia: 2 case reports]. / Il rilievo ecocolordoppler nell'ischemia mesenterica acuta: descrizione di due casi clinici.

Acute mesenteric insufficiency is a surgical emergency with a difficult methodological approach. Its high mortality is mainly due to delay in the correct diagnosis. In turn this is due to the lack of specificity, especially in the early-middle phase of the clinical presentation, and of the laboratory data and abdominal radiographic findings. Echo-doppler ultrasound promises to be more accurate than conventional ultrasound in the diagnosis of visceral ischemia and may help to identify those patients who may require angiography. Two women presenting atrial fibrillation, abdominal pain, leukocytosis, hyperamylasemia were accepted in October 2000 ad March 2001. US colordoppler was performed 12 hours after admittance demonstrating a "stop" of enhancement of the superior mesenteric artery in one case and absence of enhancement in the other.

[Defect of the broad ligament as a cause of internal hernia]. / Un difetto del legamento largo dell'utero causa di ernia interna.

Herniation of small bowel trough a defect of the broad ligament is an extremely rare event, more over in women never had surgical operations. Pathogenetic hypothesis are considered. Differential diagnosis may be difficult. The Authors report a recent observation of such small bowel herniation trough the left mesosalpynx.

[Spigelian hernia. Diagnosis and surgical treatment]. / Ernia di Spigelio: diagnostica e trattamento.

Spigelian hernia (SH) is a rare partial abdominal wall defect; its manifestation is rare. Seven cases were observed--4 females and 3 males with mean age of 56.5 years (range 38-65)--in 857 patients operated for hernia (0.8%) between 1995 and 2003. Ultrasound examination avoid the diagnosis and marked the fascial defect, measuring diameter and sac contents. In all cases a surgical approach with an epicritic incision has be done and the fascia defect closed with properitoneal and subfascial polypropylene mesh (Prolene Hernia System, PHS). All patients underwent to follow-up demonstrating no recurrences or complications like mesh suppuration or dislocation.

Sociodemographic and substance use correlates of repeated relapse among patients presenting for relapse treatment at an addiction treatment center in Kolkata, India.

BACKGROUND: In India, substance abuse has infiltrated all socio-cultural and economic strata causing loss of productivity. Prevention of relapse is crucial for its control. OBJECTIVES: To find out the pattern of substance use, relapse rate, its association with various socio-demographic factors and treatment related issues. METHODS: An observational study with cross-sectional design during April 2009-March 2010 at a de addiction centre was conducted among consecutive 284 clients admitted with relapse. They were detoxified earlier in the same centre. Data were collected by interviewing clients with schedule and clinical examination. RESULTS: Brown sugar (an adulterated form of Heroin) was primary drug of abuse in urban area contrary to alcohol in rural area. Commonest age of initiation was between 15-20 years. Polydrug abusers (59.1%) were common. Only 31.3% of the relapse cases took regular follow up. Common psychiatric illnesses were anxiety (44.7%) and depression (30.6%). Peer pressure (77.8%) was commonest cause of relapse. Significantly higher relapse episodes were present with increasing age, Muslim religion, ever marriage, poor literacy, current unemployment, living in nuclear rather than joint family, early age of initiation, longer duration of abuse and no follow up. CONCLUSION: Regular follow up with family, peer and social support are essential along with vocational rehabilitation to prevent relapse.

Functional Disability and Associated Chronic Conditions among Geriatric Populations in a Rural Community of India.

BACKGROUND: Geriatric population and chronic diseases are increasing throughout the world especially in developing countries like India. Because of social change and urbanization, disability is also a problem in India. As the major reasons for geriatric disabilities are chronic diseases, a study was undertaken. OBJECTIVES: To find out the prevalence of different chronic diseases and disability among the geriatric population in a rural community of India and to determine the association between chronic diseases and disability of the geriatric population. METHOD: A cross-sectional, observational community based study was conducted in a rural area of West Bengal, India through house to house visit for Clinical examination, observation and interview with a predesigned pre-tested proforma RESULTS: Out of 495 study population, 80 (16.16%) were found to be functionally disabled as per ADL scale and more than half (56.2%) of them had 3 or more chronic conditions. 92.5% of study populations had one or more chronic conditions CONCLUSION: Association between different risk factors and disability was found with age, sex, anaemia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases(C.O.P.D), scabies, hypertrophy of prostate, ischaemic heart disease, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and acid peptic disorder were the risk factors of disability. These data suggest the significant chronic conditions and risk factors associated with disability. Measures to reduce such chronic conditions and impairment would be the useful approach for the prevention of disability.

Poliovirus morphogenesis. I. Identification of 80S dissociable particles and evidence for the artifactual production of procapsids.

The current model of poliovirus morphogenesis postulates a fundamental role for procapsid, 80S shells that, upon interaction with viral RNA and subsequent proteolytic cleavage, give rise to complete virus particles. Although 80S sedimenting particles can, indeed, be isolated from cytoplasmic extracts of infected cells, their physical properties differ from those reported for procapsids. Far from being stable structures, they can be dissociated by pH 8.5 and 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate into slower-sedimenting subunits. The reasons for this discrepancy were investigated, and two main modalities leading to the appearance of procapsids in vitro were identified. The first involves a temperature-mediated conversion of dissociable 80S particles into stable 80S procapsids, and the second involves the self-assembly of endogenous 14S subunits, also primed by an increase in the temperature of cytoplasmic extracts.