Comparative study of clinical and endocrinal profile between lean and obese patients of polycystic ovary syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder having escalation in its prevalence. It is the most frequent cause of oligoanovulatory infertility. This study was conducted to compare the clinical and endocrinal profile of PCOS in lean PCOS (BMI<23 kg/m2) and obese PCOS (BMI>23 kg/m2) women. Methods: A prospective study was conducted for 6 months in department of obstetrics and gynecology, GMERS Medical college, Junagadh. 100 healthy women who were euthyroid with age range 20-38 years who presented to gynecology OPD and diagnosed to have PCOS according to ESHRE/ASRM criteria were included in the study. BMI (body mass index) was calculated by the formula weight in kg/height in meter square. BMI were calculated were divided into 2 groups. Lean PCOS found in patients with BMI<23 kg/m2 and overweight/obese PCOS found in patients with BMI>23 kg/m2. History of menstrual irregularity, hirsutism, acne, alopecia, infertility, history of weight gain, history of voice change, family history of PCOS, diabetes was taken and hormonal profile was done. Results: The findings showed a no significant correlation of clinical profile i.e., menstrual irregularities, acne vulgaris, acanthosis nigricans and hirsutism in both groups. The waist-hip ratio was higher obese PCOS women. High levels of serum testosterone were seen in obese women with PCOS, whereas there is no correlation between other hormone like FSH, LH, TSH and LH/FSH in both study groups. Conclusions: PCOS is a risk factor for endocrinal and metabolic derangements irrespective of the BMI status. More than half of women with PCOS were obese. Increased BMI in PCOS women is associated with increased WHR and raised serum testosterone with no difference in other endocrine parameters

Towards Bedmap Himalayas: development of an airborne ice-sounding radar for glacier thickness surveys in High-Mountain Asia

The thickness of glaciers in High-Mountain Asia (HMA) is critical in determining when the ice reserve will be lost as these glaciers thin but is remarkably poorly known because very few measurements have been made. Through a series of ground-based and airborne field tests, we have adapted a low-frequency ice-penetrating radar developed originally for Antarctic over-snow surveys, for deployment as a helicopter-borne system to increase the number of measurements. The manoeuvrability provided by helicopters and the ability of our system to detect glacier beds through thick, dirty, temperate ice makes it well suited to increase greatly the sample of measurements available for calibrating ice thickness models on the regional and global scale. The Bedmap Himalayas radar-survey system can reduce the uncertainty in present-day ice volumes and therefore in projections of when HMA's river catchments will lose this hydrological buffer against drought

Subsurface heatwaves in lakes

Lake heatwaves (extreme hot water events) can substantially disrupt aquatic ecosystems. Although surface heatwaves are well studied, their vertical structures within lakes remain largely unexplored. Here we analyse the characteristics of subsurface lake heatwaves (extreme hot events occurring below the surface) using a spatiotemporal modelling framework. Our findings reveal that subsurface heatwaves are frequent, often longer lasting but less intense than surface events. Deep-water heatwaves (bottom heatwaves) have increased in frequency (7.2 days decade−1), duration (2.1 days decade−1) and intensity (0.2 °C days decade−1) over the past 40 years. Moreover, vertically compounding heatwaves, where extreme heat occurs simultaneously at the surface and bottom, have risen by 3.3 days decade−1. By the end of the century, changes in heatwave patterns, particularly under high emissions, are projected to intensify. These findings highlight the need for subsurface monitoring to fully understand and predict the ecological impacts of lake heatwaves

Juvenile Xanthogranuloma

The histiocytoses are a heterogenous group of diseases that are characterized by the accumulation of reactive or neoplastic histiocytes in various tissues. Juvenile Xanthogranuloma is a member of the non-Langerhans cell group of histiocytic proliferative disorders. This present case report describes a juvenile xanthogranuloma in a twenty-month old male baby. Nepal Journal of Dermatology, Venereology & Leprology, Vol.14(1) 2016, pp.56-5

Cutaneous leishmaniasis: a case report

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-borne protozoal infection of the skin. It is endemic in the tropics and neotropics. Several species of Leishmania cause this disease in the Old World. It is manifested as chronic nodular to ulcerative lesions of the skin, which last for many months and may be disfiguring. Despite its increasing worldwide incidence, it is infrequently reported from Nepal. We are reporting a case of CL in a man who acquired the disease while working in Saudi Arabia and who was successfully treated with Sodium Stibogluconate injections.   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njdvl.v8i1.5715   Nepal Journal of Dermatology, Venereology & Leprology 8(1) 2009 27-3

Changing Profile of Herpes Zoster in Nepal: A Hospital-Based Study

Keywords: Herpes zoster; Clinico-epidemiological profile; dermatomes DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njdvl.v8i1.5710 Nepal Journal of Dermatology, Venereology & Leprology 8(1) 2009 1-

Chromoblastomycosis mimicking Squamous Cell Carcinoma: a case report

Chromoblastomycosis (CM), a chronic subcutaneous mycosis, is caused by several dematiaceous fungi, the most common being Fonsecaea pedrosoi . It usually occurs in the lower extremities following traumatic implantation of the organisms. We are reporting a case of rapidly developing case of CM on the unilateral lower limb with a fungating mass like ulcerative lesion and hyperkeratotic warty growth. We could not explain the pattern of this rapid growth which seems to be one of the rare presentations. Scraping from a verrucous lesion in potassium hydroxide preparation revealed mycelia arising from sclerotic bodies The histopathology from the warty lesion showed granulomatous lesion without muriform or medlar bodies. The histopathology from the ulcerative lesion did not show any malignant changes. Our case responded very well to itraconazole. This case is presented here for the rapidity of growth and the development of a fungating mass and bleeding that simulated the behaviour of squamous cell carcinoma. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njdvl.v8i1.5714   Nepal Journal of Dermatology, Venereology & Leprology 8(1) 2009 22-2

An Unidentified Infiltrative Etiology of Spinal Cord Compression: A Case Report and Literature Review

Spinal cord compression is a neurosurgical emergency. Symptoms of this disorder are highlighted as back pain, ambulatory difficulties, and bladder/bowel incontinence. Diagnostic imaging is not indicated in many circumstances of nonspecific back pain; however, the addition of neurologic deficits in the setting of back pain justifies radiologic imaging. Various pathologies can cause constriction of the spinal cord due to the delicate nature of spinal cord anatomy. Etiologies may include trauma, neoplasms, and infections. In this report, we present an unusual case of a 31-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with a history of chronic back pain accompanied by neurological deficits, ataxia, and bladder dysfunction. Contrast-enhanced MRI imaging heightened the suspicion of a neoplastic etiology; however, neuropathology revealed a non-neoplastic nature with abnormal lymphohistiocytic infiltrate suspicious for Langerhans cell histiocytosis or infectious etiology. A second opinion was provided by Mayo Clinic Laboratories, resulting in the definitive conclusion that the mass was non-neoplastic and tested negative for SD1a and Langerhin, biomarkers used to diagnose Langerhans cell histiocytosis. This unusual non-neoplastic lesion exemplifies one of many diverse and multifaceted pathologies that can precipitate spinal cord compression. Additionally, these findings underscore the importance of considering both neoplastic and non-neoplastic causes in the differential diagnosis of spinal cord compression, thereby enhancing clinical vigilance and improving patient outcomes for underlying spinal conditions

MANTRA: Improving Knowledge of Maternal Health, Neonatal Health, and Geohazards in Women in Rural Nepal Using a Mobile Serious Game

Serious games, conveying educational knowledge rather than merely entertainment, are a rapidly expanding research domain for cutting-edge educational technology. Digital interventions like serious games are great opportunities to overcome challenges in low-and-middle-income countries that limit access to health information, such as social barriers like low-literacy and gender. MANTRA: Increasing maternal and child health resilience before, during and after disasters using mobile technology in Nepal takes on these challenges with a novel digital health intervention; a serious mobile game aimed at vulnerable low-literacy female audiences in rural Nepal. The serious game teaches 28 learning objectives of danger signs in geohazards, maternal, and neonatal health to improve knowledge and self-assessment of common conditions and risks to inform healthcare-seeking behavior. Evaluations consisted of recruiting 35 end users to participate in a pre-test assessment, playing the game, post-test assessment, and focus groups to elicit qualitative feedback. Assessments analyzed knowledge gain in two ways; by learning objective with McNemar tests for each learning objective, and by participant scores with paired t-tests of overall scores and by module. Results of assessments of knowledge gain by learning objective (McNemar tests) indicate participants had sufficient prior knowledge to correctly interpret and respond to 26% of pictograms (coded AA), which is a desirable result although without the possibility of improvement through the intervention. The geohazard module had greatest impact as 16% of responses showed knowledge gain (coded BA). The two most successful learning objectives showing statistically significant positive change were evidence of rockfalls and small cracks in the ground (p = < 0.05). Assessment of knowledge gain by participant scores (paired t-tests) showed the 35 participants averaged a 7.7 point improvement (p < 0.001) in the assessment (28 learning objectives). Average change in knowledge of subdivided module scores (each module normalized to 100 points for comparison) was greatest in the geohazard module (9.5 points, p < 0.001), then maternal health (7.4 points, p = 0.0067), and neonatal health (6.0 points, p = 0.013). This evaluation demonstrated that carefully designed digital health interventions with pictograms co-authored by experts and users can teach complex health and geohazard situations. Significant knowledge gain was demonstrated for several learning objectives while those with non-significant or negative change will be re-designed to effectively convey information