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Background: Autoimmune Connective Tissue Disorders are increasing our country day by day reported among our country. Our encounter with these cases shows that the disease are not rare after all. The objective of this study was to report the prevalence, clinical presentations, laboratory and serological characteristics of patients presenting with autoimmune connective tissue disorders in our tertiary care hospital. Method: This was a retrospective study of patients presenting with autoimmune disorder attending the Rheumatology OPD in Medical College, Kolkata, over a period of five and half year. A review of the case records of all patients diagnosed and treated for autoimmune connective tissue disorders was utilized using the American College of Rheumatology Criteria for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, and Rheumatoid Arthritis mainly. Results: Our study indicates that out of 104112 Rheumatology/Dermatology cases seen, 3748 were autoimmune connective disorders indicating a frequency of 3.6%. Out of this 3.6%, Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) constituted about 95% and rheumatoid arthritis 5%. The age range of the subjects was between 15-65years with a mean age of 33.7years, indicating the universal young age at presentation. Females constituted 95.3% of the patients with a female to male ratio of 20.3:1. The duration of disease ranged from (3mont-17 years) with a mean of 13.7years. The most clinical presentation of systemic lupus was discoid rash constituting about 92.2%, while that from rheumatoid arthritis was deformities of the proximal interphalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints. Rheumatoid factor was positive in 93.3% of the tested subjects. The prevalence of both in a same patient has been estimated to be 0.25% which has a different clinical entity known as Rhupus. Conclusion: Hence, the outcome of this study has shown that the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis found in this study was 6.7% and Rhupus syndrome has been estimated to be 0.25% of all rheumatologic diseases in our area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Heart failure secondary to iron overload is the leading cause of mortality in patients with beta-thalassaemia major. Prevention of myocardial siderosis is a key step to reducing the rate of mortality in thalassaemia children. Aim: To study the correlation between serum ferritin levels and echocardiography parameters in children with beta-thalassaemia major. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, India from March, 2020 to July, 2021. A total of 85 beta-thalassaemia major children aged between 2-12 years without having any active infections or congenital heart diseases, were included in this study. Blood samples were obtained from these children for serum ferritin level assessment and echocardiography was performed to evaluate their cardiac function. Data were statistically analysed using the Chi-square test. Results: The mean age of patients was 7.24±2.76 years and the age range was 1-12 years. Mean serum ferritin levels in the study was 1938.67±992.57 and more than three-fourth of our population had serum ferritin levels more than 1000 ng/mL. A 30% of present study population had abnormal echo findings. A significant correlation was noted between serum ferritin levels and echo parameters like Fractional Shortening (FS), Deceleration Time (DT), Early and Late Ratio (E/A), Left Ventricular Mass (LV Mass). But negative correlation was found between serum ferritin levels and Ejection Fraction (EF). Conclusion: The present study concluded that due to the significant correlation between serum ferritin levels and echocardiographic parameters, it is beneficial to conduct echocardiography in all patients of beta thalassaemia major in their first decade to gain a better understanding of cardiac function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the major problems of preterm neonates is immature alimentation. This may lead to inadequate weight gain, higher chances of sepsis and increased mortality. Positioning during and after feeding affects nutritional tolerance. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is a method of skin-to-skin contact between mother and neonate, claimed to improve infant outcomes. Aim: To compare prone and Kangaroo Mother Care positioning of preterm neonates of 28-32 weeks gestational age during orogastric tube feeding. Materials and Methods: The study was a single-centre Institution-based, non randomised cross-over clinical study, carried out at Sick Newborn Care Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Department of Paediatrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, India, from April 2020 to March 2021. The studied parameters included gastric residual volume (three hours postprandial), vital signs like respiratory rate, heart rate, SpO2 level, body temperature, Capillary Blood Glucose (CBG), also comfort scores using a comfort scale. Total 110 preterm neonates of 28-32 weeks gestational age were sampled as per inclusion criteria and divided into two groups. Each group was fed by orogastric tube feeding in its respective position, in which they were kept for three hours. Vital signs, comfort scores and gastric residual volume were re-assessed. Groups were crossed over on the next day. Statistical analysis was done by t-test. Results: Of the total 110 neonates, KMC sample and prone position sample were compared after three hours. Heart rate was 147.5±4.3 and 151.08±9.1 beats per minute and respiratory rate 52.8±2.9 and 55.6±4.9 cycles per minute, which were lower in KMC than in prone position. There was better glycaemic control {n=107 (97.27) and 80 (72.73) mg/dL}, higher comfort scores (11.2±1.1 and 10.1±2.0) and minimal to negligible gastric residuals (0.03±0.05 mL and 0.13±0.12 mL) in KMC position, when compared to prone position, respectively. Conclusion: Kangaroo mother care produced more stable physiological indices, and was more comfortable for preterm neonates and resulted in better feeding, absorption and metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily average PM10 (particulate matter which passes through a size selective impactor inlet with a 50% efficiency cut-off at 10μm aerodynamic diameter), TSP (total suspended particulate matter) and their chemical species mass concentrations were measured at residential and industrial sites of an urban region of Kolkata during November 2003–November 2004. Source apportionment using chemical mass balance model revealed that the most dominant source throughout the study period at residential site was coal combustion (42%), while vehicular emission (47%) dominates at industrial site to PM10. Paved road, field burning and wood combustion contributed 21%, 7% and 1% at residential site, while coal combustion, metal industry and soil dust contributed 34%, 1% and 1% at industrial site, respectively, to PM10 during the study period. The contributors to TSP included coal combustion (37%), soil dust (19%), road dust (17%) and diesel combustion (15%) at residential site, while soil dust (36%), coal combustion (17%), solid waste (17%), road dust (16%) and tyre wear (7%) at industrial site. Significant seasonal variations of the particulate matters have been observed during the study period. In the monitoring sites total carbon, organic carbon and iron were found to be the marker species of road dust, while organic carbon, total carbon, chloride and sulfate have been observed as the marker species of soil dust in TSP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: PM10 and its chemical species mass concentrations were measured once in a week at residential (Kasba) and industrial (Cossipore) sites of an urban region of Kolkata for a period of 24 h during November 2003 to November 2004. At each monitoring site, 53 sets of daily average PM10 samples were collected during the study period. Approximately 55% of the monitoring days are weekdays, while 45% are weekends. The PM10 mass concentrations ranged from 68.2 to 280.6 μg m−3 at the residential site, and 62.4 to 401.2 μg m−3 at the industrial site. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds (PAH), fluoranthene (Fl), pyrene (Py), benzo(a)anthracene (BaA), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) have been analyzed using Gas Chromatoghaphy. Metals in PM10 deposited on quartz microfibre filter papers were measured using an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer. Chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) are the seven toxic trace metals quantified from the measured PM10 concentrations. Total carbon (TC), inorganic carbon (IC) and organic carbon (OC) were analyzed using a Carbon analyzer. Exposed quartz microfibre filter papers were also analyzed for water-soluble anions of fluoride (F−), chloride (Cl−), nitrate (NO3 −), phosphate (PO4 3−) and sulfate (SO4 2−) using ion chromatography. In this study, principal component analysis (PCA)/absolute principal component scores (APCS) model was applied to the mass concentrations of PM10 and its chemical species. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation identified five possible sources; solid waste dumping, vehicular emission, coal combustion, cooking and soil dust at residential site. The extracted possible sources at the industrial site were vehicular emissions, coal combustion, electroplating industry, tyre wear and secondary aerosol. A quantitative estimation by principal component analysis–multiple linear regression (PCA–MLR) model indicated that solid waste dumping contributed 36%, vehicular emissions 26%, coal combustion 13%, cooking 8% and soil dust 4% at the residential site. The PCA–MLR apportioned 37% to vehicular emissions, 29% to coal combustion, 18% to electroplating industry, 8% to tyre wear and 1% to secondary aerosol at the industrial site. Due to the limitation in source marker species analyzed, 13% at Kasba and 7% at Cossipore could not be apportioned to any possible sources by this technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Monitoring of ambient PM10 (particulate matter which passes through a size selective impactor inlet with a 50% efficiency cut-off at 10 μm aerodynamic diameter) has been done at residential (Kasba) and industrial (Cossipore) sites of an urban region of Kolkata during November 2003 to November 2004. These sites were selected depending on the dominant anthropogenic activities. Metal constituents of atmospheric PM10 deposited on glass fibre filter paper were estimated using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES). Chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) are the seven toxic trace metals quantified from the measured PM10 concentrations. The 24 h average concentrations of Cr, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Mn and Fe from ninety PM10 particulate samples of Kolkata were found to be 6.9, 506.1, 79.1, 3.3, 7.4, 2.4 and 103.6 ng/m3, respectively. The 24 h average PM10 concentration exceeded national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) as specified by central pollution control board, India at both residential (Kasba) and industrial (Cossipore) areas with mean concentration of 140.1 and 196.6 μg/m3, respectively. A simultaneous meteorology study was performed to assess the influence of air masses by wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, relative humidity and temperature. The measured toxic trace metals generally showed inverse relationship with wind speed, relative humidity and temperature. Factor analysis, a receptor modeling technique has been used for identification of the possible sources contributing to the PM10. Varimax rotated factor analysis identified four possible sources of measured trace metals comprising solid waste dumping, vehicular traffic with the influence of road dust, road dust and soil dust at residential site (Kasba), while vehicular traffic with the influence of soil dust, road dust, galvanizing and electroplating industry, and tanning industry at industrial site (Cossipore). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study is to investigate seasonal and spatial variations of PM10 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 10 μm) and TSP (total suspended particulate matter) of an Indian Metropolis with high pollution and population density from November 2003 to November 2004. Ambient concentration measurements of PM10 and TSP were carried out at two monitoring sites of an urban region of Kolkata. Monitoring sites have been selected based on the dominant activities of the area. Meteorological parameters such as wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, temperature and relative humidity were also collected simultaneously during the sampling period from Indian Meteorological Department, Kolkata. The 24 h average concentrations of PM10 and TSP were found in the range 68.2–280.6 μg/m3 and 139.3–580.3 μg/m3 for residential (Kasba) area, while 62.4–401.2 μg/m3 and 125.7–732.1 μg/m3 for industrial (Cossipore) area, respectively. Winter concentrations of particulate pollutants were higher than other seasons, irrespective of the monitoring sites. It indicates a longer residence time of particulates in the atmosphere during winter due to low winds and low mixing height. Spread of air pollution sources and non-uniform mixing conditions in an urban area often result in spatial variation of pollutant concentrations. The higher particulate pollution at industrial area may be attributed due to resuspension of road dust, soil dust, automobile traffic and nearby industrial emissions. Particle size analysis result shows that PM10 is about 52% of TSP at residential area and 54% at industrial area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An air quality sampling program was designed and implemented to collect data on ambient PM10, TSP, vehicular traffic and meteorological parameters at weekdays and weekends from November 2003 to November 2004 in Kolkata. Educational institutions and most offices and small-scale industries are closed during weekends. Meteorological parameters were measured by the Indian Meteorological Department, Kolkata. Air quality monitoring was performed weekly for 24-h periods at residential (Kasba) and industrial (Cossipore) sites in an urban region of Kolkata and weekday/weekend differences were compared at both the monitoring sites. Significantly higher weekday values of PM10 and vehicular traffic were observed. The daily average PM10 concentrations on weekdays and at weekends were, respectively, 147.7 and 125.5 μg.m-3 at the residential site and 212.3 and 186.3pμg.m-3 at the industrial site. Corresponding TSP concentrations were 288.4 and 391.9μg.m-3 and 229.6 and 344.9 pμg.m³. Average traffic flow for weekdays and weekends were 2.3x 104 and 1.9x 104 vehicles at the residential site and 2.8 x 104 and 2.4 X 104 vehicles at the industrial site. There was a strong linear relationship between PM10 and TSP (R²>0.90) during weekdays at the residential site and at weekends at the industrial site. TSP had moderate (R²>0.50) linear relationship with PM10 during weekends at the residential site and good (R²>0.75) linear relationship during weekdays at the industrial site. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient showed that measured particulate pollutants had an inverse correlation with rainfall, temperature and relative humidity at both sites. Average PM,O/TSP ratio was moderately correlated (r>0.50) with average vehicular traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]