Role of Renal Resistive Index in assessing the Early Renal Dysfunction of Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND: Hyperdynamic circulatory state in cirrhosis leads to splanchnic vasodilatation and renal vasoconstriction in that leads to the development of HRS. AIM OF THE STUDY: To measure the intrarenal resistive index in patients with and without ascites and compare the value of RI with Child Pugh and MELD scoring systems. METHODS: 100 patients with cirrhosis liver were selected for the study. Bilirubin,INR and serum creatinine were measured and patients were subjected to sonographic evaluation of abdomen followed by Doppler Ultrasound of both kidneys and RI values were obtained. RESULTS: 71 patients had RI > 0.7 (0.7 kept as cut-off value). 29 patients had RI < 0.7. Patients with severe ascites had more RI than the patients with absent or mild to moderate ascites and had significant comparability with CTP scoring and MELD scoring systems. CONCLUSION: Value of RI was higher in patients with cirrhosis and comparable prognostic value with MELD and CTP scoring system

Effects of acupuncture and massage on pain, quality of sleep and health related quality of life in patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

A 41-years-old woman diagnosed of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in 2006 came to our hospital - outpatient department with the complaint of severe pain and swelling over multiple joints associated with disturbed sleep/sleeplessness and poor quality of life since seven years. She received acupuncture (20 minutes) and massage (20 minutes) daily for the period of 30 days with 7 days of rest period in between after first 15 days. After intervention we observed reduction of pain in Visual Analog Scale score; improvement in day time sleepiness, and quality of sleep in Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively; improvement in health related quality of life in Short Form-36 version 2 (SF-36v2) Health Survey. These results showed that acupuncture and massage can be considered as an integrative approach for symptomatic management of SLE

Assessing Colouration in Ichthyology: Insights from the Melanophore Index Perspective

Fish colouration significantly influences various aspects of their biology, including communication, camouflage, and mate selection. Among the pigment cells responsible for generating colours, melanophores are particularly significant due to their ability to produce dark pigments called melanin. The Melanophore Index (MI) quantitatively evaluates melanophore density and distribution across different fish species. This comprehensive review delves into the significance of fish colouration, the biology of melanophores, methods for assessing MI, factors influencing MI variations, and the ecological and evolutionary implications of MI in fish populations. By synthesizing current research and highlighting gaps in knowledge, this review aims to provide a foundational understanding of assessing fish colouration through the lens of the Melanophore Index