<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Diphtheria is an acute infectious preventable disease of childhood caused by <em>C</em>. <em>diphtheriae</em>. Diphtheria is a localized infection of mucous membrane or skin.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> The present study was carried out in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology S.P. Medical College and associated group of hospital. In this study all cases of diphtheria and all age groups which attended ENT OPD and emergency department during period from 1/1/2010 to 31/12/2010 were included.  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> In the present study highest numbers of cases were recorded among 5-10 years of age followed by 0-5 year of age group. 57.59% patients were male and 42.41% patients were female. It was found that occurrence of diphtheria was highest in month November and October and was quit frequent during September and December. No cases during April, June and July. It was observed that most common post diphtheria complication was myocarditis (23.42%) followed by neurological complication.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> In order to prevent complication of the disease active immunization is customary and in order to detect the disease at early stage and for prompt treatment masses should be educated regarding the dreadful nature of the disease.</p>

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Deviated nasal septum is one of the common causes of nasal obstruction. Correction of deviated nasal septum has been performed by a variety of techniques of which Septoplasty is the most popular one. With the advent of endoscopes and their successful use in endoscopic sinus surgery endoscopes have been tried in septoplasty for better visualization of posterior part of septum and do the surgery more precisely and with less complication as compare to conventional method. The objectives of the study were to compare the outcomes of conventional and endoscopic septoplasty, to evaluate the advantages, disadvantages and complications of both endoscopic and conventional septoplasty.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> It was a prospective observational study conducted on 50 patients with deviated nasal septum, who presented to ENT department of SPMC, Bikaner, patients were randomly divided equally in two groups for conventional and endoscopic septoplasty respectively. Data collected on a prestructured proforma and results analysed.  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> The study included 50 cases. Postoperatively significant relief from the symptoms of nasal obstruction (82%) in group A and (96%) group B, was seen. In objective assessment at the end of 3 months of surgery, patient had persistent posterior deviation 24% in group A and 3% in group B, spur 12% in group A and 0% in group B.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Endoscopic septoplasty has an obvious edge over the conventional approach due to better illumination which enables to identify the pathology accurately, excise the deviated part of septum precisely and realignment of the cartilage for best results.</p>

Drying is one of the oldest and most important preservation method for food in which by reducing the water activity the shelf life can be increased. In the present investigation, fresh ginger was pretreated in calcium oxide solution at different concentrations. Solar drying at three temperature levels viz., 55, 65 and 75o C at loading densities of 0.147 g/cm2, 0.176 g/cm2, 0.206 g/cm2 respectively were used for the investigation. Results of study revealed that the total time required for ginger drying in solar dryer curtails with rise in drying air temperature and increased as loading density increased. The activation energy was observed to be 20.45 kJ mol-1, 29.06 kJ mol-1 and 17.6 kJ mol-1 for 0.147 g/cm2, 0.176 g/cm2 and 0.206 g/cm2 loading density respectively. Also, the diffusivity increased with increase in temperature from 45 to 65 oC.

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