Clinical Appraisal of Indigenous Below Knee Endoskeletal Carbon Fibre Prosthesis

Background

Amputation is a catastrophe, which results in physical, social, psychological and economic handicap. Provision of suitable prosthesis (artificial limb) is a major step towards rehabilitation of these patients.

Methods

With an aim to provide comfortable, prosthesis to these patients, Artificial Limb Centre (ALC) Pune, developed Below Knee Carbon Fibre Shaft Endo-Skeletal (BK ES CF) Prosthesis in collaboration with DEBEL, Bangalore, a DRDO establishment. 815 Below Knee Amputee patients have been provided with the newly developed Endo-skeletal prostheses at ALC Pune till 31 Dec 2003. New BK ESCF prosthesis was evaluated for its performance by feedback received from 500 patients.

Results

More than 86% patients were satisfied with the performance of new prosthesis and they achieved almost normal gait.

Conclusion

The performance of new BK ESCF prostheses was excellent and it achieved good clientele satisfaction.Key Words: Prosthesis, Endoskeletal, Rehabilitation, Performance, Clientele satisfaction     

Polio Eradication in India: Myth or Reality

Background

Poliomyelitis has been eradicated from large parts of the world. In South East Asian Region, India and Pakistan remain the only countries where active transmission of the disease persists. A decade-long initiative to eradicate the disease is in progress in India. Initial results were encouraging, with the number of fresh polio decreasing till 2001. The year 2002, however, witnessed a setback, with significant rise in cases of poliomyelitis.

Methods and Results

The eradication measures have been reviewed. The corrective measures appear to be succeeding. Various facets of eradication and their impact are evaluated.

Conclusion

Poliomyelitis is controlled but the ultimate target of eradication may still be elusive, keeping in mind operational lacunae and vaccine virus characteristics.Key Words: Poliomyelitis, Eradication in India, Surveillance, Vaccine     

Differential effects of cromakalim on pancreatic vascular resistance and insulin secretion in vitro

Summary— The effects of the potassium channel opener cromakalim on vascular resistance and insulin output were investigated in vitro within the same experimental preparation, the isolated rat pancreas perfused at a constant pressure with a physiological solution containing 8.3 mM glucose. Cromakalim induced a clear and concentration-dependent dilatory response of pancreatic vessels; the concentration-response curve obtained in the range of 10⁻⁸-10⁻⁵ M had a sigmoidal shape with a linear part between 10⁻⁷ and 10⁻⁶ M. Cromakalim did not inhibit insulin release at these concentrations. These results differ from those obtained with diazoxide, which has been previously shown both to inhibit insulin secretion and induce vasodilatation of the pancreatic vascular bed in a similar range of concentrations (10⁻⁶ – 10⁻⁵ M). The data presented provide evidence for a selective effect of cromakalim on pancreatic vascular resistance. Our present and previous results support the view that cromakalim is effective on K+ channels of vascular smooth muscle that differ from the ATP-sensitive K+ channel opened by diazoxide in insulin-secreting B-cells.