Oral rehydration with a plantain flour-based solution in children dehydrated by acute diarrhea: a clinical trial

A clinical trial was conducted in order to prove the efficacy of a solution containing 50 g/1 of plantain flour and 3. 5 g/1 of sodium chloride (NaCl) for the rehydration of children with acute diarrheal diseases. 121 children were given WHO-ORS (Group A) and 117 a plantain flour-based solution (Group B). Rehydration was successful in 85. 9% in Group A and 88. 0% in Group B ( p = 0. 634). Rehydration was completed in 5. 28 h (SD 1. 99) in Group A and in 4. 88 h (SD 2. 11) in Group B ( p = 0. 132). The average solution intake for rehydration was 24. 56ml/kg/h (SD 10. 12) in Group A and 21. 17ml/kg/h (SD 9. 35) in Group B ( p = 0. 00782). The mean stool output during rehydration was 8. 45g/kg/h (SD 9. 72) in Group A and 4. 69 g/kg/h (SD 4. 98) in Group B ( p = 0. 00053). Decrease in blood levels of sodium and potassium occurred in some children in group B. The plantain flour-based solution proved effective for the treatment of dehydration due to acute diarrheal diseases and should be considered as an alternative when standard WHO-ORS is not available.     

Foot protective system: A boon to demining soldiers

Background: A significant number of soldiers suffer serious injuries or die in the process of demining and a protective device is necessary in such operations.     

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis of chromosome balance in embryos from a patient with a balanced reciprocal translocation

Duplications or deletions are present in a high percentage of the gametes produced by individuals carrying balanced translocations. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis was used to examine chromosome balance in embryos from a patient having a reciprocal translocation within the short arms of chromosomes 5 and 8 (46,XX,t(5;8)(p13;p23)). This woman has two sisters with the translocation unbalanced, resulting in a partial trisomy for chromosome 5 and partial monosomy for chromosome 8 (46,XX,-8, +der(8)t(5;8)(p13;p23)) with associated mental retardation and physical abnormalities. The patient and her husband desired to have children without the abnormal chromosome balance and wished to reduce the likelihood of spontaneous abortion or need for therapeutic abortion. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) probes for the alpha-satellite region of chromosome 8 and for a region on the short arm of chromosome 5 (5p15.2) were tested initially on lymphocytes from the patient and her sisters. The hybridization signal for chromosome 5 was detected in the expected two copies for the patient and three copies for the sisters in 87% of the cells. Two hybridization signals for chromosome 8 were detected in 96% of the cells from all individuals. Additional probe testing was done using blastomeres from polyspermic embryos. The couple then proceeded with a stimulated in- vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle and biopsies were done on 13 embryos at the 7-10-cell stage using a method of zona drilling and fluid displacement. Diagnosis was possible on at least one blastomere for nine embryos. Three embryos had nuclei with three hybridization signals for chromosome 5, three had fewer than two signals for one or both chromosomes, one was mosaic, and two had two signals for each chromosome. The latter were transferred to the patient, but pregnancy was not achieved. The results demonstrate that preimplantation genetic diagnosis for patients with reciprocal translocations can be used to identify embryos having normal chromosome balance. The potential advantages and limitations of this approach are discussed.      

Analysis of non enemy action deaths in counter insurgency operations through mortuary services

Background: Regional Trauma Centre in the northern India receives the mortal remains of all fallen soldiers for embalming. Non enemy action deaths during counter insurgency operations (CI Ops) were analysed for planning preventive measures.