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The pandemics in modern history has posedseveral problems for human beings. The new COVID-19 pandemic has also indulged in generating damaging impact on the world's aggregate economy, health and education. The extended lockdowns contributed to changes in working conditions among the institutions. Institutions of education have also moved their classes to online system. Considering aggregate population of countries affected by this whole episode, bring drastically psychological issues among people. In various parts of society, problems which already have unrevealing prevalence due to unfairness are illustrated at higher levels.In this context, the current study explores the role of the socio-economic classes in the prevalence of COVID-19 anxiety among students from various Pakistani universities. The findings show that students with lower socio-economic backgrounds have greater concern about COVID-19 than students with lower, lower-middle, and upper-middle socio-economic backgrounds. The study suggests the setting up of university institutions to help students deal with the issue of anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In this study, 140 patients were taken under observation for the period of six months which were receiving treatment from the Revised National TB Control Program (RNTCP) center of Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Science and Research. Methodology: The present study is the counseling aimed at, assessing outcomes of Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) therapy by asking close ended questions with yes/no and the procedure assessment in DOTS centers. Results: The most common age group to be effected with tuberculosis was found to be between 21-30 years with the percentage of 35.71%. Patients affected with tuberculosis were frequent in the weight group of 40-54kg (57.96%). Tuberculosis was found to be prevalent in male patients those are chronic smokers (57.15%) than in female patients (42.85%). On categorizing tuberculosis on the basis of tubercular type, study revealed that patients were prevalent to pulmonary tuberculosis in our area with percentage of 75.7% and extra pulmonary tuberculosis patients were found to be 24.3%. Study showed that tuberculosis exists predominantly with morbidities. Conclusion: The concomitant illness to be occurring with tuberculosis in the highest prevalence was concluded to be hypertension (32%). Our study showed that the RNTCP center under observation was having 95% of patient compliance to treatment and patients were receiving direct observation and assistance in pill administration with adequate guidance and counseling. From the study, we concluded that prevalence of tuberculosis is higher in males (53.6%) than in females (46.4%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Respiratory Medicine in a tertiary care center of Ambala. Aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of fungal infection among patient presents with sputum negative old treated pulmonary tuberculosis. The study was carried out among 39 post treated cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, whose sputum or bronchial wash showed isolation of Aspergillus. Demographic details and clinical findings were noted. Data collected were entered into Excel spreadsheet and quantitative data were expressed as number and percentage. The presentation of pulmonary aspergillosis in treated cases of pulmonary TB varies from aspergilloma (51.3%) to chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (38.4%) to allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (10.3%). Hemoptysis (79.5%) of varying severity was the most common symptom. Most of the patients were farmers by occupation. The most common species were Aspergillus fumigatus; others were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terrus in 23.2%, 20.5%, and 12.8%, respectively. Here we conclude that Aspergillus fumigatus was the most frequently isolated species in our region and aspergilloma was the commonest pulmonary manifestation as post-TB sequel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulse oximetry is widely used in patients of respiratory diseases for monitoring the oxygen saturation in blood. First commercial pulse oximetry was used in 1975. Although there have been many improvements in its design since then, still there are a few limitations. The limitations of pulse oximetry include mechanical artefacts accuracy, electromagnetic interference, calibration, delay, pulse dependence volume and rhythm, abnormal haemoglobins, other absorbents, pulsatile veins, pigmentation. Objective: Despite so many studies on the pulse oximetry, there still isn’t any study on pulse oximetry which focused changes in the readings of pulse oximeter with respect to position of finger in relation to the sensor. So in this study we tried to analyse the effect of anatomical plane of finger on O2 saturation as measured by pulse oximetry. Material and Method: This study was done on 400 patients and included both healthy and unhealthy patients. Portable pulse oximeter was used in the study. Pulse oximetry was done on the subjects with finger in supine, prone and lateral position in respect to the probe, while the patient was in sitting position with a waiting period of 1 min between each reading. Results: The study shows no significant difference (p value > 0.05) between Spo2 value obtained from any position of finger in relation to the sensor while applying the pulse oximeter. Conclusion: Pulse oximetry is a very safe, non-invasive and inexpensive way of continuous O2 saturation monitoring in critical patients. Mal-positioning of sensors can be potentially dangerous as it may give erroneous high or low readings. The ways to prevent mal-positioning of the sensor are good design of pulse oximeter and ensuring that it is properly visible to the clinician. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronchial asthma is an important public health problem in India with significant morbidity. Several international guidelines for diagnosis and management of asthma are available, however there is a need for country-specific guidelines due to vast differences in availability and affordability of health-care facilities across the globe. The Indian Chest Society (ICS) and the National College of Chest Physicians (NCCP) of India have collaborated to develop evidence-based guidelines with an aim to assist physicians at all levels of health-care in diagnosis and management of asthma in a scientific manner. Besides a systematic review of the literature, Indian studies were specifically analysed to arrive at simple and practical recommendations. The evidence is presented under these five headings: (1) definitions, epidemiology and impact, (2) diagnosis, (3) pharmacologic management of stable disease, (4) management of acute exacerbations, and (5) non-pharmacologic management and special situations. The modified grade system was used for classifying the quality of evidence as 1, 2, 3, or usual practice point (UPP). The strength of recommendation was graded as A or B depending upon the level of evidence.