BackgroundDiagnosis of Tuberculosis in children is challenging. Hereby we report a case series of 4 patients where Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CB NAAT) helped us in early diagnosis.Case characteristicsCase 1 was a 14-year old girl who was on anti-tuberculous therapy (ATT) for 2 months without any improvement; sputum CBNAAT detected multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Case 2 was a 9-year old boy with history and examination findings suggestive of meningitis; CB-NAAT of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was positive. Case 3 was a 1-year old child having fever, cough of 1 month duration with Mantoux positive. CB-NAAT of gastric lavage was positive. Case 4 was a 3- month old child who presented with severe respiratory distress of 11 days duration. Chest x-ray showed miliary mottling; CB-NAAT of gastric lavage was positive.ConclusionCB-NAAT testing was very useful in making an early and definitive diagnosis of tuberculosis, including MDR-TB.

COVID-19 outbreak has brought a global challenge in economy. It has affected badly on the financial sector all over the world. It created fear in the minds of people to use liquid cash and thus, has led to the adoption of mobile banking services. This study was conducted by collecting responses from the employed and student population from various parts of Kerala, who use mobile banking services. Primary data have been collected from 268 responses through a structured questionnaire prepared using Google forms. Percentage analysis with frequency distribution is used to summarize and infer the data along with pie charts. Chi-square test have been used to analyze the data using Microsoft Excel sheet to test the developed hypothesis and derive conclusions. It is concluded that mobile banking application have created a good impact during this pandemic to safeguard the lives and complete transactions at their fingertips without visiting banks physically.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity with dyslipidemia as an important contributing risk factor. Objective of the study was to determine whether there is an association between maternal lipid profile and the cord blood lipid profile of their newborns.Methods: This was a hospital-based Cross-sectional study on 60 mothers and their respective newborns (30 term and 30 preterm) conducted in Yenepoya medical college hospital from August to November 2019. Umbilical cord blood samples from the newborns were collected after birth and the mother's venous blood was collected in the fasting state (8hrs of fasting) before delivery. The levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL and VLDL were determined in mothers and their newborns by an enzymatic colorimetric method. Data obtained was analyzed by the SSPS software 23.0 version and Pearson's correlation was done.Results: There was a significant correlation between the mean concentration of maternal Triglycerides and the Triglycerides and HDL levels of neonates (p-value <0.05).Conclusions: There was a significant association of cord blood and maternal lipid profile, hence changes in maternal lipid levels might influence the lipid levels in the cord blood of newborns.

Context:Ultrasonography of thyroid gland is a frequently performed investigation. Many of the diffuse thyroid pathologies are associated with altered vascularity. In view of potential applications and scant available data, there is a need to find normal values of Doppler indices of superior thyroid artery (STA).Aims:To find the normal range of Doppler indices like mean peak systolic velocity (PSV), resistivity index (RI), and pulsatility index (PI) of STA in clinically euthyroid adult individuals.Settings and Design:Prospective cross-sectional observational study.Materials and Methods:A study was done in the Department of Radiodiagnosis of a tertiary care hospital, involving clinically euthyroid adult volunteers. Ultrasonography of the thyroid gland with Doppler of bilateral STAs was performed and mean values of PSV, RI, and PI were calculated.Results:A total of 208 subjects, with a mean age of 37.7 years, underwent Doppler evaluation of STA; 148 of them were women and 60 were men. The mean PSV obtained was 16.94 ± 5.3 cm/s. Mean PI and RI were 0.93 ± 0.31 and 0.5 ± 0.13, respectively. There was no significant difference in the values obtained among both the genders.Conclusion:Mean values of Doppler indices of STA in euthyroid individuals have been found in this study.

Objectives: To assess the clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters and outcomes in paediatric patients with COVID-19. Method:Case records of all paediatric patients admitted with COVID-19 were included in the study. Data regarding mode of presentation, presence of comorbid conditions, severity of COVID-19, laboratory investigations and management were noted.Results: A total of 32 children was admitted with COVID-19 infection in our institute. COVID-19 infection was mild in 16 (50%) patients, moderate in 6 (18.8%) and severe in 10 (31.3%). Ages of the children ranged from 6 months to 16 years with a mean age of 10.75 years. Of them 17 (53%) were boys and 15 (47%) were girls. Pre-existing comorbidities were present in 8 (25%) children. Respiratory symptoms were the commonest presenting complaints, being observed in 18 (59%) cases. Atypical presentation of COVID-19 (other than respiratory) was seen in 31% of cases. Presence of undernutrition and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) were associated with severe Covid-19 illness (p<0.05). Eleven (34%) cases required intensive care and mechanical ventilation was required in 2 (6.3%) cases. Out of the 32 cases only 1 patient expired giving a case fatality rate of 3.1%. Conclusions:Atypical presentation of COVID-19 with varied manifestations involving systems other than respiratory was observed in children as a separate entity from hyper-inflammatory syndrome. Presence of undernutrition and elevated CRP was associated with severe illness.