Follow-up and management of valvular heart disease patients with prosthetic valve: a clinical practice guideline for Indian scenario.

Purpose: Valvular heart disease (VHD) patients after prosthetic valve implantation are at risk of thromboembolic events. Follow-up care of patients with prosthetic valve has a paramount role in reducing the morbidity and mortality. Currently, in India, there is quintessential need to stream line the follow-up care of prosthetic valve patients.

Anticoagulation Management in Patients with Valve Replacement.

Background: Prosthetic valve implantation requires postoperative prophylactic anticoagulation to preclude thrombotic events. The aim of this review is to assess the role of anticoagulation therapy in the management of valve replacement patients.

Methodology: Literature from PubMed, Embase, Medline and Google Scholar were searched using the terms "valvular heart disease", "anticoagulant", "mechanical heart valve", "bioprosthesis", "bridging", "Vitamin K antagonist (VKA)", and "acenocoumarol".

Folic acid, dietary habits, and homocysteine levels in relation to neural tube defects: A case-control study in North India.

Purpose: The present study attempts to understand the complex contribution of biochemical (plasma homocysteine) and nutritional parameters (dietary pattern and folate supplementation) to the neural tube defects (NTDs) affected pregnancies and controls in North Indian population.

Methods: Case-control study design was adopted to assess the role of folic acid, dietary habits, and homocysteine in relation to NTD births. The subjects comprised of 130 mothers of affected children (cases) and 233 mothers of healthy children (controls), who were either carrying NTD fetus or gave birth to NTD child.

Prevalence of dental fluorosis among primary school children in rural areas of Karera Block, Madhya Pradesh.

Objective: To determine prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis in school going children of ten villages of Karera block of Shivpuri District, Madhya Pradesh.

Methods: Fluoride ion concentration was measured in ten hand pump and two wells waters with a fluoride meter (ORION model 720). For the study total 750 school children were selected from ten government primary schools of ten rural villages.

Dopamine D2 receptor and ankyrin repeat and kinase domain containing 1 genes among the two linguistically distinct tribal populations of Ranchi district, Jharkhand, India.

In the recent years, haplotype studies have emerged as a critical tool for studying the human migratory patterns. Dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) and Ankyrin Repeat and Kinase Domain Containing 1 (ANKK1) genes, which also bear specific clinical implications in various neuropsychiatric and behavioural/addictive disorders, are significant nuclear DNA markers for studying human genome diversity. The present study was conducted in order to understand the distribution pattern of the three DRD2 and ANKK1 TaqI sites and also the frequencies of their haplotypes among Oraons (n = 48) and Mundas (n = 50)--the two linguistically distinct tribal population groups of Jharkhand.

Haptoglobin polymorphism among fourteen populations of India.

Haptoglobin (HP) is a serum protein that has the capability of binding the extracorpuscular haemoglobin released during haemolysis. It plays an important role in protection of haemolytic disease by reducing the oxidative and peroxidative potential at free haemoglobin. The present study was aimed to determine the prevalence of HP polymorphism among different Indian populations, anthropologically belonging to diverse ethnicity.

The genomic similarities with linguistic difference: a study among the Oraon and Munda tribes of the Ranchi district, Jharkhand, India.

Aims: The present study was conducted on two tribal communities, the Oraon and Munda, inhabiting the Ranchi district of Jharkhand state, India. The study was designed to elucidate genetic similarity, if any, shared between these tribes as they belong to the common Proto-Australoid stock but bear different linguistic affiliations. For this, a total of 98 intravenous blood samples (48 Oraon and 50 Munda) were collected from unrelated individuals of either sex up to first cousins, with their prior informed written consent.

Multilocus nuclear DNA markers and genetic parameters in an Indian Anopheles minimus population.

Estimation of population genetic parameters is highly dependent on the choice of genetic markers. Furthermore, inferences based on single genes could lead to erroneous conclusions and population genetic outcomes, thus usage of multiple loci is suggested. Considering malaria is a highly fatal vector-borne infectious disease, inference on population genetic structure and demography could be of help in the long run for malaria vector management and control.

Phylogenetic inference of Indian malaria vectors from multilocus DNA sequences.

Inferences on the taxonomic positions, phylogenetic interrelationships and divergence time among closely related species of medical importance is essential to understand evolutionary patterns among species, and based on which, disease control measures could be devised. To this respect, malaria is one of the important mosquito borne diseases of tropical and sub-tropical parts of the globe. Taxonomic status of malaria vectors has been so far documented based on morphological, cytological and few molecular genetic features.

Water quality and conservation management of Ramsagar reservoir, Datia, Madhya Pradesh.

The aim of this study is to assess physico-chemical characteristics, trophic status, pollution studies and macrophytic community of Ramsagar reservoir from April 2003 to March 2005. The range of various parameters of reservoir water (water temperature 15.92-31.

A genomic insight into diversity among tribal and nontribal population groups of Manipur, India.

Twenty autosomal markers, including linked markers at two gene markers, are used to understand the genomic similarity and diversity among three tribal (Paite, Thadou, and Kom) and one nontribal communities of Manipur (Northeast India). Two of the markers (CD4 and HB9) are monomorphic in Paite and one (the CD4 marker) in Kom. Data suggest the Meitei (nontribal groups) stand apart from the three tribal groups with respect to higher heterozygosity (0.

Haplotype diversity and linkage disequilibrium at DRD2 locus--a study on four population groups of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) is expressed in the central nervous system and has a high affinity for many antipsychotic drugs. Besides several epidemiological investigations on association of DRD2 locus polymorphism(s) with neuropsychiatric problems and addictive behavior, a few polymorphisms in this locus have also been used to understand genomic diversity and population migratory histories globally. The present study attempts to understand the genomic diversity/affinity among four endogamous groups of Andhra Pradesh (India) against the backdrop of diversity studies from other parts of India and the rest of the world, with special reference to DRD2 locus.

Water quality and pollution status of Chambal river in National Chambal Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh.

The physico-chemical characteristics of Chambal river water in National Chambal sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh) have been studied. The stretch of Chambal river contained in the National Chambal sanctuary (located at 25 degrees 23'-26 degrees 52'N, 76 degrees 28'-79 degrees 15'E) is extending up to 600 km downstream from Kota (Rajasthan) to the confluence of the Chambal with Yamuna river (Etawah). The river flow in Madhya Pradesh spans up to approximately 400 km.

Limnology of Kharland (saline) ponds of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra in relation to prawn culture potential.

The coastal saline soils, Kharlands, have great potential for their use in aquaculture. This study has been taken up to understand the limnology of the ponds in Kharland area for assessing their prawn culture potential. This study was carried out during September, 1999 to August, 2001.

Carcinoid tumors of the thymus.

Twenty-five cases of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the thymus associated with Cushing's syndrome have been reported since 1972.(1) We report two new cases of thymic carcinoid, one of which presented with Cushing's disease. These patients were successfully treated and were asymptomatic at the time of first follow-up.

Thrombectomy with disc rotation of medtronic valves.

Thrombotic obstruction of prosthetic valves is a serious problem. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are life-saving in these cases. Three patients presented with subacute and chronic symptoms of prosthetic valve thrombosis of varying duration (7 days to 2 years).

Leiomyosarcoma of inferior vein cava presenting as acute Budd-Chiari syndrome.

We report a 49-year-old lady who presented with acute Budd-Chiari syndrome. Spiral CT scan showed inferior vein cava (IVC) tumor and ischemia of the right liver secondary to hepatic vein blockage. These were confirmed by MRI scan and IVC gram, at which time tissue diagnosis was obtained.

A STUDY OF METHODS USED FOR DISINFECTION OF ANAESTHETIC EQUIPMENT BETWEEN TWO SURGICAL OPERATIONS AT A LARGE TEACHING HOSPITAL.

A prospective study on the growth of bacteria on certain commonly used anaesthetic equipment was undertaken in a large teaching hospital with a view to assess the effectiveness of disinfection/sterilization procedures. Samples for microbiological assessment were drawn by the worker using standardised procedures and tested in the laboratory by a microbiologist, blinded to the type of sample. Criteria for growth positivity was taken as > 25 colony forming units.

A STUDY TO ASCERTAIN THE ADEQUACY OF OBSERVANCE OF UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS IN ACUTE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL WARDS OF A LARGE TEACHING HOSPITAL.

The present study was a cross-sectional analytic epidemiological design to assess the frequency of observance of universal precautions in acute care wards of a large teaching hospital and to assess the epidemiological determinants of such observance. A total population of medical officers, nurses, paramedical and ancillary workers working in acute medical and surgical wards was studied using direct observations recorded on a pre-tested, structured format. The study revealed that handwashing was more frequently practiced by medical officers and ancillary staff (68% to 93%) as compared to nurses and paramedicals (38% to 58%) (p<0.

Fatal cerebral air embolism during open heart surgery caused by lung parenchyma to left atrial communication.

We present an unusual sequence of events leading to massive cerebral air embolism and death in a patient who underwent mitral valve re-replacement for failure of the previously inserted bioprosthetic valve. An iatrogenic communication was created inadvertently between the adherent lung parenchyma and the left atrium. It caused a massive influx of air from the lung into the left atrium and systemic circulation causing fatal cerebral embolization.

Histophysiology of the saccus vasculosus of the Indian freshwater goby Glossogobius giuris Ham. (Teleostei).

The author studied the structure and functions of the saccus vasculosus of the Indian freshwater goby Glossogobius giuris (Ham.). The saccus is ovoid, is localized on the ventral surface of the brain and is lodged between the inferior lobes.