A partially fused supernumerary kidney with bifid ureters was diagnosed in a 35-year-old female patient using ultrasound and triple-phased computed tomography (CT). The CT also revealed two separate renal arteries supplying each of the left kidney and multiple left renal veins, forming a common trunk to drain into the inferior vena cava. Supernumerary kidney is a rare congenital anomaly; fewer than 100 cases have been reported over the years. A fused supernumerary kidney is rarer still.

Adolescence is period of rapid growth and development. The present study was undertaken to assess the nutritional status of 941 adolescent girls, aged 10-18 years belonging to Scheduled Caste communities in rural Rajasthan, using the probability proportionate to size sampling procedure. Data on 93 married adolescent girls was analysed in detail. Nutritional status of the subjects was assessed by anthropometry, dietary intake and by clinical examination of nutritional deficiency disorders. Anthropometric measurements were recorded for height, weight, chest circumference, MUAC and TSF using standardised techniques. On comparing the present study's data with ICMR's study data (1956-65) it was found that there has been a significant improvement in the height, weight and chest circumference of the adolescent girls but the values were below the well-to-do group study data. Dietary intake was assessed by 24 hours recall method. The dietary intake was compared against ICMR's RDA. It was found that the diets were deficient in calories by 30 to 40% in proteins by 25 to 37%, by 39 to 55% in iron and by 10 to 34% in vitamin A. 78% of the subjects suffered from various grades of anaemia and 40% of the subjects had B-complex deficiency.

This double-blind, placebo controlled study compared the analgesic efficacy of piroxicam with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in patients having continuous pain with advanced head and neck cancers. They were randomly divided into two groups of 25 patients each; 36 of these 50 patients completed the study. After four days of treatment, there was a significant reduction in a modified numerical rating scale (NRS) of pain in the piroxicam group as well as in the ASA group. There was a concomitant increase in the hours of sleep in the piroxicam group and in the ASA group. The decrease in NRS and the increase in sleeping hours was not statistically significantly different between the two groups. Patients receiving piroxicam had a low incidence of upper gastrointestinal side-effects compared with those receiving ASA. The results of this study suggest that piroxicam can be used as first line treatment in place of ASA in patients with head and neck cancers suffering from moderate to severe pain. The advantages are less frequent dosing, better patient compliance and few side-effects.

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Genetic improvement of the medicinal plants depends upon the existence, nature and extent of the genetic variability available for manipulation. Genetic analysis with RAPD markers has been extensively used to determine genetic diversity among Coleus sp and to identify the best quality for human consumption for its medicinal purpose. The objectives of the present study were to assess molecular variation among C.amboinicus, C.aromaticus and C.forskohlii. and to determine the level of genetic similarity among them. We performed random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis on three strains of Coleus sp. Random primers were used for the PCR. Electrophoresis on denaturing acrylamide gels improved RAPD reproducibility and increased the band number. The primer OPW 6 and OPW 7 gave reproducible results and the band profiles.