Ophthalmomyiasis

Ophthalmomyiasis is a rare condition. Here two such patients, one of 70-year-old male farmer with history of neglected trauma presented with painful swelling with sinus of right orbit and the second one of 65-year-old female destitute who presented with fungating mass near the medial canthus of left eye with pain and bleeding are reported. All the maggots were removed after applying ether.     

Anthropometric indicators of body composition in young adults: relation to size at birth and serial measurements of body mass index in childhood in the New Delhi birth cohort

BACKGROUND: South Asians have a muscle-thin but adipose body phenotype and high rates of obesity-related disease. Adult body composition may be predictable in early life. OBJECTIVE: Anthropometric indexes of adult body composition were examined in relation to birth size and body mass index (BMI) during childhood. DESIGN: A population-based cohort of 1526 men and women aged 26-32 y in Delhi, India, who were measured sequentially from birth until 21 y of age were followed up. Adult weight, height, skinfold thicknesses, and waist and hip circumferences were measured. BMI and indexes of adiposity (sum of skinfold thicknesses), central adiposity (waist-hip ratio), and lean mass (residual values after adjustment of BMI for skinfold thicknesses and height) were derived. RESULTS: Mean birth weight was 2851 g. As children, many subjects were underweight-for-age (>2 SDs below the National Center for Health Statistics mean; 53% at 2 y), but as adults, 47% were overweight, 11% were obese, and 51% were centrally obese (according to World Health Organization criteria). Birth weight was positively related to adult lean mass (P < 0.001) and, in women only, to adiposity (P = 0.006) but was unrelated to central adiposity. BMI from birth to age 21 y was increasingly strongly positively correlated with all outcomes. BMI and BMI gain in infancy and early childhood were correlated more strongly with adult lean mass than with adiposity or central adiposity. Higher BMI and greater BMI gain in late childhood and adolescence were associated with increased adult adiposity and central adiposity. CONCLUSIONS: Birth weight and BMI gain during infancy and early childhood predict adult lean mass more strongly than adult adiposity. Greater BMI gain in late childhood and adolescence predicts increased adult adiposity.     

A study on bed utilization in the gynaecological ward of a district hospital in West Bengal

A study was conducted in a non-paying gynaecological ward of the district hospital, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal to assess different bed efficiency indicators. Total 331 patients were admitted in 23 study beds (12 OPD beds and 11 emergency beds) during an observation period of six months. Overall average number of admissions were 14.4 and average length of stay 14.7days. Bed turnover rate was 13.8 and was higher for emergency beds (22.1) compared to OPD beds (9). Bed occupancy rate was 61.3% with significant difference between OPD beds (57.5%) and emergency beds (65.4%).     

Inhibition of puerperal lactation. A double blind study of bromocriptine and placebo.

Bromocriptine and placebo were randomly allocated for three weeks to 52 postpartum patients requiring lactation suppression. Bromocriptine significantly lowered plasma prolactin levels and suppressed breast milk, breast pain and engorgement quicker than placebo. No side-effects were noted and rebound lactation did not occur. Menstruation appeared to re-start sooner when Bromocriptine was given.     

Polymerization of N-vinylearbazole with vanadium compounds. Part I. Polymerization with vanadium pentoxide and metal vanadates

Bulk polymerization of N-Vinylcarbazole (NVC) has been carried out using vanadium pentoxide as the contact catalyst. The rate of polymerizatlon has been found to depend upon catalyst to monomer ratio. A cationic mechanism has been suggested and the role of V₂O₅ surface in the polymerization has been tentatively analyzed. The π-acid characteristies of V^5⊕ ion is believed to be involved in initiating the polymerization. The effect of a number of additives on the polymerization rate has been studied, which endorses the cationic mechanism. The catalytic efficiency of a number of metal vanadates for the polymerization of NVC has also been studied. A fairly good correlation between the activity and electronegativity of the metallic moiety has been established.     

The clinical spectrum and treatment outcome of retinoblastoma in Indian children

PURPOSE: To study the clinical spectrum and treatment outcome of retinoblastoma in Indian children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 488 eyes of 355 retinoblastoma patients treated at a tertiary care ophthalmic hospital in southern India during a 14-year period. RESULTS: Retinoblastoma involved one eye in 177 (50%) and both eyes in 178 (50%) patients. Mean age at presentation was 23.98 +/- 23.37.