Monday, December 5, 2016

Enteric nervous system (ENS)

Recently, while studying pharmacology, I came to know about the third system of ANS - Enteric nervous system, apart from sympathetic and parasympathetic systems .

Here is some information of ENS:

It consists of highly organized neurons situated in the wall of GI tract.

It mainly includes Auerbach's plexus and Meissner's plexus.

The most interesting point about ENS is this network receives preganglionic fibers from the parasympathetic system and from postganglionic sympathetic neurons.

ENS controls GI motility, secretions, mucosal blood flow.

ENS causes relaxation or stimulation of smooth muscles.

Non-cholinergic excitatory transmitters such as substance - P plays a modulatory role in controlling ENS!

~Ojas

Sunday, December 4, 2016

What is the difference? : Meconium vs. Meconium Ileus

Hey Folks, Jay here!

Meconium is the very first stool ("poop") of a Neonate. This is mainly composed of the material that it ingested during its intrauterine life. This can include, amniotic fluid, mucus, bile, intestinal epithelium cells, lanugo and water.

Classical Findings of RDS Infant!

Hi awesomites, Jay here! This is a short description on Classical clinical findings of a Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome(RDS or NRDS) infant.

Scarlet fever notes and mnemonic

Hello. How are you awesomites?

Let's talk about scarlet fever today!

Scarlet fever, also known as scarlatina, is characterize by exudative pharyngitis, fever and scarlatiniform rash.

It's caused by erythrogenic toxin producing GABHS (Group A Beta Hemolytic Streptococci)

Characterized by:
- Fever, headache
- Sore throat, circumoral pallor
- Sandpaper rash (Pinpoint, erythematous blanchable papules), erythema trunk, pastia lines
- Lymphadenopathy

Diagnosis:
- Rapid antigen detection test is specific, but not sensitive.
- If it is negative, do throat culture.
- Elevated ASO, DNAse maybe seen.

Treatment:
- Treatment as long as 9 days after the onset of symptoms prevents rheumatic fever.
- Oral penicillin, amoxicillin for 10 days.
- Cephalosporins, macrolides are alternatives. (Penicillin resistant group A staphylococcus doesn't exist.)
- If adherence problem, intramuscular benzathine penicillin G.

That's all!
The only fever I have is for Scarlett Johansson =P
-IkaN

Erythroblastosis fetalis (HDNF)

It is a condition that develops when Rh-negative women is pregnant with Rh-positive baby .
It causes phagocytosis of the fetus's RBC's (Baby inherits Rh positive antigen from father ).
As mother is Rh-negative , exposure to fetus's antigen causes development of anti-Rh agglutinins .
These agglutinins(mostly IgG antibody ) diffuse through the placenta and enters fetus blood cells and leads to phagocytosis of the RBCs ,which leads to release of hemoglobin into blood !Then fetus's macrophages converts the hemoglobin into bilirubin ,which causes baby skin to become yellow(jaundiced).Although the severe form of anemia is responsible for many deaths of infants ,many children who barely survive the anemia exhibit permanent mental impairment , because of precipitation of bilirubin in the neuronal cells  ,causing destruction of many cells , condition known as Kernicterus

It usually doesn't affect the first child ,since sensitization occurs during parturition.However ,if Rh-negative mother was sensitized earlier with Rh antigen then first child can get affected .

Treatment:
1)One treatment of HDNF is to replace the neonate's blood with Rh-negative blood .About 400ml of Rh negative blood is infused over a period of 1.5 or more  hours ,while neonate's own blood is removed,the process may be repeated several times during the first week of life ,to prevent Kernicterus .

Prevention:
Anti-D antibody is administered to the expectant mother ,starting at 28-30 weeks of gestation.The anti -D antibody is also administered to Rh-negative women who deliver Rh -positive babies to prevent sensitization of the mothers to the D antigen .This greatly reduces the risk of developing large amounts of D antibodies during second pregnancy !

~ojas

Saturday, December 3, 2016

DON'T use Perfumes to test Olfactory nerve!!! But why?

Hi folks,

Our Neurology professor said not to use Perfumes to test Olfactory nerve in Cranial nerve testing. But why?

The updated Glasgow Coma Scale

Hi Awesomites,

The Glasgow coma scale or GCS as we know it has changed since its inception in 1974.

So lets go!

Main differences are 
  • We no longer use the term "Pain", but "Pressure"
  • We no longer recommend "Sternal Rub", but "Trapezius Pinch" or "Supraorbital notch pressure" or careful "Fingertip pressure"(Peripheral stimulation)
  • "To speech" is changed to "To Sound"
  • "To pain" is changed to "To pressure"
  • "Inappropriate speech" is changed to "Words"
  • "Incomprehensible speech" is changed to "Sounds"
  • Flexion is defined two way now as "Normal flexion" and "Abnormal flexion"

The differences between 1974 and 2014 updates are as follows.




You can read more details on the update, in this link. Download the pdf in the page which is the original paper.

Thanks,

With love,

Jay :) 

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Cocaine in the brain - "The Addiction"

Hey Awesomites!

Here I will be talking about a social problem amongst the youngsters - “Addiction to cocaine”. 

Menstrual cycle and related problems

Here are some common menstural complaints that I studied today during my posting that I would like to share with you. There are many more though. Comment if you think I have missed out on something!

Contrast induced nephropathy notes

Features of contrast induced nephropathy

- Due to iodinated contrast agents (Other agents that cause AKI: Gadolinium for MRI, sodium phosphate solutions as purgatives)
- Prevented by use of non ionic contrast agents, IV hydration, acetyl cysteine.
- Serum Creatinine rises 24-48 hours after exposure. Resolves in a week.
- FeNa low, benign urinary sediment.
- Risk increases in CKD, Diabetic nephropathy, multiple myeloma.