Ayush Agarwal

Simple alignment technique for polarisation maintaining fibres.

We describe a simple technique for rapid alignment of input state of polarisation with respect to the preferred axis of polarisation maintaining fibres. In this technique a combination of a half-wave and a quarter-wave plate is used to turn the polarisation of incoming beam and to compensate for stress-induced perturbation of polarisation states in a laid-out fibre, respectively. The angular alignment technique is tested with temperature excursion on the fibre. The technique is easy to implement, affordable, and gives quick and accurate alignment.

Fournier’s gangrene: a rare manifestation of Chikungunya fever

Fournier’s gangrene was first described by the venereologist Jean Alfred Fournier in 1883 as fulminant necrosis of the scrotum and penis following urogenital infection. It is a necrotising fasciitis of external genitalia. Predominantly seen in elderly men, diabetics and immunodeficient patients, it is a polymicrobial infection caused mainly by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus species and anaerobes. Fournier’s gangrene spreads extensively to the surrounding tissue and frequently results in septic shock and multi-organ failure. Active treatment includes broad spectrum intravenous antibiotics and radical surgical debridement of necrotic tissue. Chikungunya fever is caused by Chikungunya virus (family togaviridae, genus alphavirus) which is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopicusmosquitoes. Constitutional symptoms are high grade fever, a petechial or maculopapular rash of the trunk and occasionally limbs, and marked polyarthritis/ arthralgia, and intense headache, insomnia and extreme prostration. This disease is usually self-limiting but is associated with significant morbidity related to persistent arthritis and long-term anti-inflammatory therapy. Treatment is supportive. Mucocutaneous manifestations include facial flush, fine discrete morbilliform exanthema, pigmentary changes, apthous ulcers, desquamation, scrotal dermatitis and purpura. Though scrotal dermatitis or scrotal ulcers are rare manifestations, necrotising fasciitis may present in the form of Fournier’s gangrene. We hereby present such a case.

Clinicopathological profile and management outcome of skin and soft tissue infections at tertiary care centre of sub Himalayan region

Hippocrates first described NSTI in the 5 century BC. He described it as a complication of acute streptococcal infection, writing “many were attacked by the erysipelas all over the body when the exciting cause was a trivial accident flesh, sinews, and bones fell away in large quantities”. There were many deaths. But first Englishlanguage descriptions of NSTIs were by the British surgeon Leonard Gillespie and British physicians Gilbert Blaine and Thomas Trotter in the late 18 century. The disease was known as phagedaenic ulcer, gangrenous, gangrenous ulcer, malignant ulcer, putrid ulcer, or hospital gangrene. ABSTRACT

Innovative Economical Surgical Suture Board

The aim of this study is to develop an economical suture board for practising suturing skills and techniques. Suture boards were made by using local electric boards, small leather patch, four suction buttons, six screws and a hook. These suture boards are multipurpose boards which are economical and available all the time in department for practicing. This board can also be placed in endotrainer for laparoscopic suturing skills. This economical suture board is cheap, easily available and helps in practicing various suturing and knot tying techniques.

Comparison of Caesium fountain clocks in Europe and Asia

A remote comparison campaign of Caesium fountain clocks from four National Metrology Institutes in Europe and Asia was carried out in May 2013. Six fountains at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) Germany, Scientific Research Institute of Physical-Technical and Radio Technical Measurements (VNIIFTRI-SU) Russia, National Physical Laboratory of India (NPLI) India and National Institute of Metrology (NIM) China were compared by Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer (TWSTFT) and GPS Carrier Phase (GPS CP) techniques. The frequency differences and the comparison uncertainties between the compared fountain pairs were evaluated. The comparison uncertainty (uc) results from combining the uncertainties of the two compared fountain clocks and the uncertainty introduced by the comparison link. All the frequency differences between the fountains agreed within the 1-sigma uncertainty in the low 10-15 level. We present in this paper the measurements and the evaluation of the campaign in details.