Sunday, February 14, 2010

16 sanskar needs to be followed by all Hindus

The way Hindu lives ,is wrapped around various rites called Sanskar. The Sanskar is said to be helping for achieving spiritual nourishment, peace of mind and ultimately moksha. Sansar give a spiritual touch to the important events at different stages of a Hindu life - right from pre-birth to post-death.

These sixteen Sanskar are as follows :-

GARBHADHAN

Garbhadana. All sources recognize this as the first Sanskar. This is the enthusiastic prayer for a child. This is done for fulfillment of parental duty to continue the race. This sanskar is limited to the family members. This is performed by husband.

PUNSAVANA

This second Sanskar is performed during the third or the fourth month of pregnancy. The significance of this Sanskar is to invoke divine and good qualities in the chield. According to our ancient Shastras, this ritual is performed in the desire for a male child. The reason for expecting male child is believed to be in the belief that it is the male child who carries the Vansha forward. Like the first Sanskar i.e. Garbhadhan, Punsavana Sanskar is also restricted to the family members.

SIMINTONNAYANA

This Sanskar is performed during the seventh month of pregnancy and prayers are offered for the healthy physical and mental growth of the child. The other importance of this Sankar is to free the expectant mother free from worries since the last 3 months are very difficult for pregnant woman- both physically and mentally. On the day of this Sanskar, the expectant mother gets food of her desire.Only women are invited for this ritual and the gathering is kept small The husband performs this ritual.

JATAKARMA

This Sanskar is performed at the birth of a child as a welcome sign to the new born child into the family.

NAMAKARANA

This Sanskar is performed on the tenth , eleventh or twelth day with recitation of Mantras. The baby child gets name on completion of this Sankar.

NISHKRAMANA

This Sanskar is performed when the child is taken out of the home for the first time.The reason for this Sanskar is to show obedience to the sun, moon, fire, wind etc, -the Panchmahabhut .This is supposed to enhance the age and physical and mental development of the child.

ANNAPRASHANA

This Sanskar is performed on sixth month , when the child gets solid food for the first time. Mantras recited and oblations are offered to the various deities.

CHUDKARAM

This Sanskar is shaving the head of child. This is done in first of third year of the child. The body of the child is protected and harmonized by these ceremony. Its also known as Mundan ceremony. Brahmins chant Mantras for a healthy, long life of the child. This Sanskar is restricted to the family level. During this Sanskar, the father feeds honey to the baby and pierces the baby's ear. This ear piercing is supposed to enhance the memory of the child .

KARNVEDH

This Sanskar is performed in the firth or the seventh year or at the end of the first year with Chudkaram Sanskar.

UPANAYANA

This is the most important Sanskar , which marks the beginning of the next stage of life Youth. The word Upanayana means bringing near. The child is bought near to the Guru. This Sanskar is second birth for child - A spiritual birth. This Sanskar is performed during six to nine years of child.

VEDARAMBHA

This Sanskar is done along with Upanayana. The setting up with the Sacred thread entitles the child to study the Vedas and participate in Vedic functions.The child commences his journey on the road to spiritual life. This is contrasted with a life of eating, sleeping and procreating, which kinds of life animals also live.The child is sent to Gurukul.

SAMAVARTANA

This Sanskar is performed before entering the grahstha ashram or the life of a householder. This is performed at the end of child's study in Gurukul. The student has to take the permission of his guru before entering the ashram. After this the guru gives him important guidelines or tips for the grahstha ashram.

VIVAHA

This sanskar is entry into the second Ashram. The life as individual family begins. Entering this stage of life, man has to take on his duties and has to pay spiritual debts by sacrifice , by procreating children and study. The bride and groom walks around Agni hand in hand. The bride sacrifices grains in the fire and chants mantras.

VANPRASTHA

Man withdraws himself from all worldly activities, retires into the forest and prepares himself for taking sanyas. This is the life of a Vanprastha.

SANYASA

A sanyasi renounces the world and leads a life of study and meditation by living on alms.

ANTYESHTI

When death is imminent, a small piece of gold, tulsi leaf and drops of Ganga water are put in the mouth of the person on the death bed. The body is laid on the ground with the head towards the north. The eldest son generally performs the last rites before which he takes a purificatory bath amidst the chanting of mantras. The dead body is washed, perfumed and wrapped in a new white cloth and decked with flowers.
For ten days following death, food is not prepared at home and relatives and friends take the responsibility of getting food for the family.

Courtesy:
http://www.religiousportal.com/16Sanskars.html

Liver: An Important and Vital Organ of Humans

Detoxification, or detox for short is the removal of toxic substances from the body.

Alcohol detoxification is a process by which a heavy drinker's system is brought back to normal after being used to having alcohol in the body on a continual basis. Serious alcohol addiction results in a decrease in production of GABA neuro-inhibitor because alcohol acts to replace it. Precipitous withdrawal from long-term alcohol addiction without medical management can cause severe health problems and can be fatal. Alcohol detox is not a treatment for alcoholism. After detoxification, other treatments must be undergone to deal with the underlying addiction that caused the alcohol use.

Protein synthesis is the process in which cells build proteins. The term is sometimes used to refer only to protein translation but more often it refers to a multi-step process, beginning with amino acid synthesis and transcription of nuclear DNA into messenger RNA which is then used as input to translation.

The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion. The liver is necessary for survival; there is currently no way to compensate for the absence of liver function.
This organ plays a major role in metabolism and has a number of functions in the body, including glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, plasma protein synthesis, hormone production, and detoxification. It lies below the diaphragm in the thoracic region of the abdomen. It produces bile, an alkaline compound which aids in digestion, via the emulsification of lipids. It also performs and regulates a wide variety of high-volume biochemical reactions requiring highly specialized tissues, including the synthesis and breakdown of small and complex molecules, many of which are necessary for normal vital functions.
Medical terms related to the liver often start in hepato- or hepatic from the Greek word for liver, hepar.
The liver is the largest glandular organ with a weight of about 1.5 kg (3.3 lb). It is a reddish brown organ with four lobes of unequal size and shape. The liver is on the right side of the abdominal cavity just below the diaphragm and is connected to two large blood vessels, one called the hepatic artery and one called the portal vein. The hepatic artery carries blood from the aorta whereas the portal vein carries blood containing digested food from the small intestine and the descending colon. These blood vessels subdivide into capillaries which then lead to a lobule. Each lobule is made up of thousands of hepatic cells which are the basic metabolic cells.
An adult human liver normally weighs between 1.4–1.6 kg (3.1–3.5 lb),[4] and is a soft, pinkish-brown, triangular organ. It is both the largest internal organ (the skin being the largest organ overall) and the largest gland in the human body.

It is located in the right upper quadrant of the abdominal cavity, resting just below the diaphragm. The liver lies to the right of the stomach and overlies the gallbladder.
Blood flow
The liver receives a dual blood supply from the hepatic portal vein and hepatic arteries. Supplying approximately 75% of the liver's blood supply, the hepatic portal vein carries venous blood drained from the spleen, gastrointestinal tract, and its associated organs. The hepatic arteries supply arterial blood to the liver, accounting for the remainder of its blood flow. Oxygen is provided from both sources; approximately half of the liver's oxygen demand is met by the hepatic portal vein, and half is met by the hepatic arteries.[5]
Blood flows through the sinusoids and empties into the central vein of each lobule. The central veins coalesce into hepatic veins, which leave the liver and empty into the inferior vena cava.

[edit] Biliary flow
The term biliary tree is derived from the arboreal branches of the bile ducts. The bile produced in the liver is collected in bile canaliculi, which merge to form bile ducts. Within the liver, these ducts are called intrahepatic (within the liver) bile ducts, and once they exit the liver they are considered extrahepatic (outside the liver). The intrahepatic ducts eventually drain into the right and left hepatic ducts, which merge to form the common hepatic duct. The cystic duct from the gallbladder joins with the common hepatic duct to form the common bile duct.

Bile can either drain directly into the duodenum via the common bile duct or be temporarily stored in the gallbladder via the cystic duct. The common bile duct and the pancreatic duct enter the second part of the duodenum together at the ampulla of Vater.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

LOCKING in ORACLE

http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/apex/f?p=100:11:0::::P11_QUESTION_ID:839412906735 ---- LOCKING


 

Here is a small example showing how this happens. We will use three V$ tables in order

to see how this works; V$TRANSACTION, V$SESSION, and V$LOCK. V$TRANSACTION contains an

entry for every active transaction. V$LOCK contains an entry for all locks held as well

as locks being waited on. V$SESSION shows us the sessions logged in. We'll start by

starting a transaction in one session and looking at the state of the system at that

point:


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> update dept set deptno = deptno+10;

4 rows updated.


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> select username,

2 v$lock.sid,

3 trunc(id1/power(2,16)) rbs,

4 bitand(id1,to_number('ffff','xxxx'))+0 slot,

5 id2 seq,

6 lmode,

7 request

8 from v$lock, v$session

9 where v$lock.type = 'TX'

10 and v$lock.sid = v$session.sid

11 and v$session.username = USER

12 /


 

USERNAME SID RBS SLOT SEQ LMODE REQUEST

-------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

TKYTE 8 2 46 160 6 0


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> select XIDUSN, XIDSLOT, XIDSQN

2 from v$transaction

3 /


 

XIDUSN XIDSLOT XIDSQN

---------- ---------- ----------

2 46 160


 

The interesting things to note here are:


 

?á The LMODE is 6 in the V$LOCK table and the request is 0. If you refer to the

definition of the V$LOCK table in the Oracle Server Reference, you will find that LMODE=6

is an exclusive lock. A value of 0 in the request means we are not making a request ¡V we

have the lock.

?á There is only one row in this table. This V$LOCK table is more of a queuing table than

a lock table. Many people expect there would be four rows in V$LOCK since we have four

rows locked. What you must remember however is that Oracle does not store a master list

of every row locked anywhere. To find out if a row is locked, we must go to that row.

?á I took the ID1 and ID2 columns, and performed a bit of bit manipulation on them.

Oracle needed to save three 16bit numbers, but only had two columns in order to do it.

So, the first column ID1 holds two of these numbers. By dividing by 2^16 with

trunc(id1/power(2,16)) rbs and by masking out the high bits with

bitand(id1,to_number('ffff','xxxx'))+0 slot, I am able to get the two numbers that are

hiding in that one number back out.

?á The RBS, SLOT, and SEQ values match the V$TRANSACTION information. This is my

transaction ID.


 

Now I'll start another session using the same user name, update some rows in EMP, and

then try to update DEPT:


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> update emp set ename = upper(ename);

14 rows updated.


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> update dept set deptno = deptno-10;


 


 

I am now blocked in this session. If we run the V$ queries again, we see:


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> select username,

2 v$lock.sid,

3 trunc(id1/power(2,16)) rbs,

4 bitand(id1,to_number('ffff','xxxx'))+0 slot,

5 id2 seq,

6 lmode,

7 request

8 from v$lock, v$session

9 where v$lock.type = 'TX'

10 and v$lock.sid = v$session.sid

11 and v$session.username = USER

12 /


 

USERNAME SID RBS SLOT SEQ LMODE REQUEST

-------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

TKYTE 8 2 46 160 6 0

TKYTE 9 2 46 160 0 6

TKYTE 9 3 82 163 6 0


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> select XIDUSN, XIDSLOT, XIDSQN

2 from v$transaction

3 /


 

XIDUSN XIDSLOT XIDSQN

---------- ---------- ----------

3 82 163

2 46 160


 

What we see here is that a new transaction has begun ¡V (3,82,163) is the transaction ID.

It has two rows in V$LOCK this time. One row represents the locks that it owns (where

LMODE=6). It also has a row in there that shows a REQUEST with a value of 6. This is a

request for an exclusive lock. The interesting thing to note here is that the

RBS/SLOT/SEQ values of this request row are the transaction ID of the holder of the lock.

We can easily see that the transaction with SID=8 is blocking the transaction with SID=9.

Now, if we commit in SID = 8 the above changes:


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> select username,

2 v$lock.sid,

3 trunc(id1/power(2,16)) rbs,

4 bitand(id1,to_number('ffff','xxxx'))+0 slot,

5 id2 seq,

6 lmode,

7 request, block

8 from v$lock, v$session

9 where v$lock.type = 'TX'

10 and v$lock.sid = v$session.sid

11 and v$session.username = USER

12 /


 

USERNAME SID RBS SLOT SEQ LMODE REQUEST

-------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

TKYTE 9 3 82 163 6 0


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> select XIDUSN, XIDSLOT, XIDSQN

2 from v$transaction

3 /


 

XIDUSN XIDSLOT XIDSQN

---------- ---------- ----------

3 82 163


 

that request row has gone ¡V it disappeared the instant the other session gave up its

lock. That request row was the queuing mechanism. The database is able to wake up the

blocked sessions the instant the transaction is completed. Note that the above gives us a

very easy way to see blockers and waiters:


 

tkyte@TKYTE816> select

(select username from v$session where sid=a.sid) blocker,

2 a.sid,

3 ' is blocking ',

4 (select username from v$session where sid=b.sid) blockee,

5 b.sid

6 from v$lock a, v$lock b

7 where a.block = 1

8 and b.request > 0

9 and a.id1 = b.id1

10 and a.id2 = b.id2

11 /


 

BLOCKER SID 'ISBLOCKING' BLOCKEE SID

-------- ---------- ------------- -------- ----------

TKYTE 8 is blocking TKYTE 9


 

simply by doing a self-join of V$LOCK with itself (I ran this query before committing the

session with SID=8).


 

2) exclusive lock -- I updated a row. no one else can update it until I commit. I have

an X lock on that row and only one person at a time can have an X lock. an X lock

provides serialization to a resource.


 

A shared lock -- when I update a table, I take a shared lock on the DEFINITION of the

table. Everyone else can do that as well (more then one session can get a shared lock on

the table definition). So, more than one person at a time can update the table. If you

wanted to ALTER the table, you would need an X lock on the defintion. You cannot get an

X lock when there are shared locks so you wait until there are no shared locks.


 

3) mystat has the statistics (cpu use, blocks read, cursors opened, etc) for your session

only. v$locked_object shows you all of the locks in the system.


 

4) no, never.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

HEMOGLOBIN

What is hemoglobin?

Hemoglobin is the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs.

Hemoglobin is made up of four protein molecules (globulin chains) that are connected together. The normal adult hemoglobin (Hbg) molecule contains 2 alpha-globulin chains and 2 beta-globulin chains. In fetuses and infants, there are only a few beta chains and the hemoglobin molecule is made up of 2 alpha chains and 2 gamma chains. As the infant grows, the gamma chains are gradually replaced by beta chains.

Each globulin chain contains an important central structure called the heme molecule. Embedded within the heme molecule is iron that transports the oxygen and carbon dioxide in our blood. The iron contained in hemoglobin is also responsible for the red color of blood.

Hemoglobin also plays an important role in maintaining the shape of the red blood cells. Abnormal hemoglobin structure can, therefore, disrupt the shape of red blood cells and impede its function and its flow through blood vessels.


 

How is hemoglobin measured?

Hemoglobin is usually measured as a part of the complete blood count (CBC) from a blood sample.

Several methods exist for measuring hemoglobin, most of which are done currently by automated machines designed to perform several different tests on blood. Within the machine, the red blood cells are broken down to get the hemoglobin into a solution. The free hemoglobin is exposed to a chemical containing cyanide which binds tightly with the hemoglobin molecule to form cyanmethemoglobin. By shining a light through the solution and measuring how much light is absorbed (specifically at a wavelength of 540 nanometers), the amount of hemoglobin can be determined.

What are normal hemoglobin values?

The hemoglobin level is expressed as the amount of hemoglobin in grams (gm) per deciliter (dl) of whole blood, a deciliter being 100 milliliters.

The normal ranges for hemoglobin depend on the age and, beginning in adolescence, the gender of the person. The normal ranges are:

All of these values may vary slightly between laboratories. Some laboratories do not differentiate between adult and "after middle age" hemoglobin values.

What does a low hemoglobin level mean?

A low hemoglobin is referred to as anemia. There are many reasons for anemia.

Some of the more common causes are:

What does a high hemoglobin level mean?

Higher than normal hemoglobin levels can be seen in people living at high altitudes and in people who smoker. Dehydration produces a falsely high hemoglobin which disappears when proper fluid balance is restored.

Some other infrequent causes are:

What is sickle cell disease?

Sickle cell disease is a genetic condition in which the quality of hemoglobin is defective. This condition can cause abnormal hemoglobin which, in turn, can result in abnormally shaped (sickled) red blood cells. These abnormal red blood cells cannot easily pass through small blood vessels and, therefore, could deprive the body organs of adequate oxygen.

Sickle cells also have a shorter life span than normal red blood cells (10-20 days compared to 120 days). This rapid turn over may result in inadequate time to replace the red blood cells and may result in anemia.

In order for a person to have sickle cell anemia, one defective hemoglobin gene must be inherited from each parent. If only one gene is inherited from one parent, then the conditions is much milder and it is referred to as sickle cell trait.

What is thalassemia?

Thalassemia refers to a group of hereditary conditions with quantitative hemoglobin deficiency. The body's failure to make globulin molecules will lead to compensatory mechanism to make other less compatible globulin molecules. The severity of these conditions depend on the type of deficient globulin chain and the severity of the underproduction. Mild disease may be only present as mild anemia, whereas, severe deficiency may not be compatible with life.

SGPT Blood Test

Elevations of SGPT, an enzyme found within the liver cells, indicate that the liver cells are either leaky (internal contents are entering the blood) or damaged. A wide array of conditions can cause this problem. For example, viral hepatitis or alcohol can cause elevated SGPT. We know that patients can have elevated liver tests as a result of fatty liver, a condition that does not necessarily mean generalized obesity. Usually fatty liver is not a cause for significant liver problems.

Lipitor can cause a drug-induced liver damage. Patients taking this medication must be monitored for elevations of liver tests.

ALT (SGPT) is, by contrast, normally found largely in the liver. This is not to say that it is exclusively located in liver, but that is where it is most concentrated. It is released into the bloodstream as the result of liver injury. It therefore serves as a fairly specific indicator of liver status.

What are normal levels of AST and ALT?

The normal range of values for AST (SGOT) is from 5 to 40 units per liter of serum (the liquid part of the blood).

The normal range of values for ALT (SGPT) is from 7 to 56 units per liter of serum.

What do elevated AST and ALT mean?

AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) are sensitive indicators of liver damage or injury from different types of disease. But it must be emphasized that higher-than-normal levels of these liver enzymes should not be automatically equated with liver disease. They may mean liver problems or they may not. For example, elevations of these enzymes can occur with muscle damage. The interpretation of elevated AST and ALT levels depends upon the entire clinical evaluation of a patient, and so it is best done by doctors experienced in evaluating liver disease.

The precise levels of these enzymes do not correlate well with the extent of liver damage or the prognosis (outlook). Thus, the exact levels of AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) cannot be used to determine the degree of liver disease or predict the future. For example, patients with acute viral hepatitis A may develop very high AST and ALT levels (sometimes in the thousands of units/liter range). But most patients with acute viral hepatitis A recover fully without residual liver disease. For a contrasting example, patients with chronic hepatitis C infection typically have only a little elevation in their AST and ALT levels. Some of these patients may have quietly developed chronic liver disease such as chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis (advanced scarring of the liver).

It is, therefore, worth mentioning that these liver enzymes do not give an indication of the function of the liver. Sometimes they are mistakenly referred to as "liver function tests" or LFTs, but it is a misnomer commonly used.

What liver diseases cause abnormal aminotransferase levels?

The highest levels of AST and ALT are found with disorders that cause the death of numerous liver cells (extensive hepatic necrosis). This occurs in such conditions as:

AST and ALT serum levels in these situations can range anywhere from ten times the upper limits of normal to thousands of units/liter.

Mild to moderate elevations of the liver enzymes are commonplace. They are often unexpectedly encountered on routine blood screening tests in otherwise healthy individuals. The AST and ALT levels in such cases are usually between twice the upper limits of normal and several hundred units/liter.

One of the most common cause of mild to moderate elevations of these liver enzymes is fatty liver. In the United States, the most frequent cause of fatty liver is alcohol abuse. Other causes of fatty liver include diabetes mellitus and obesity. Chronic hepatitis C is also becoming an important cause of mild to moderate liver enzyme elevations.

What medications cause abnormal aminotransferase levels?

A host of medications can cause abnormal liver enzymes levels.

Examples include:

Pain relief medications such as: aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Aleve), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, Voltaren-XR)), and phenylbutazone (Butazolidine)

Anti-seizure medications such as: phenytoin (Dilantin), valproic acid (Depakote, Depakote ER, Depakene, Depacon), carbamazepine (Tegretol, Tegretol XR, Equertro), and phenobarbital

Antibiotics such as: tetracyclines, [for example, tetracycline (Achromycin)], sulfonamides, isoniazid (INH) (Nydrazid, Laniazid), sulfamethoxazole (Gantanol), trimethoprim (Trimpex; Proloprim, Primsol), nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin; Furadantin; Macrobid), fluconazole (Diflucan ) and some other anti-fungals, etc.

Cholesterol lowering drugs such as: the statins: lovastatin (Mevacor, Altocor), pravastatin (Pravachol), atorvastatin (Lipitor),fluvastatin (Lescol),rosuvastatin (Crestor),simvastatin (Zocor), and niacin

Cardiovascular drugs such as: amiodarone (Cordarone),hydralazine (Apresoline) quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex), etc.

Other drugs

Anti-depressant drugs of the tricyclic type

With drug-induced liver enzyme abnormalities, the enzymes usually normalize weeks to months after stopping the medications.

What are less common causes of abnormal aminotransferase levels?

Less common causes of abnormal liver enzymes in the United States include chronic hepatitis B, hemachromatosis (iron overload), Wilson's disease, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, celiac sprue, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and autoimmune hepatitis. Though not as common as hepatitis C, hepatitis B can cause chronic liver disease with persistently abnormal liver enzymes.

Rarely, abnormal liver enzymes can be a sign of cancer in the liver. Cancer arising from liver cells is called hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoma. Cancers spreading to the liver from other organs (such as colon, pancreas, stomach, etc) are called metastatic malignancies.

How are healthy people evaluated for mild to moderate rises in aminotransferase levels?

Evaluation of healthy patients with abnormal liver enzymes needs to be individualized. A doctor may ask for blood test data from old records for comparison. If no old records are available, the doctor may repeat blood tests in weeks to months to see whether these abnormalities persist. The doctor will search for risk factors for hepatitis B and C, including sexual exposures, history of blood transfusions, injectable drug use, and occupational exposure to blood products. A family history of liver disease may raise the possibility of inherited diseases such as hemachromatosis, Wilson's disease, or alpha-1- antitrypsin deficiency.

A complete list of routine medications including over-the-counter medications needs to be reviewed as well. A complete physical examination by the doctor is another important part of the evaluation of abnormal liver tests.

The pattern of liver enzyme abnormalities can provide useful clues to the cause of the liver disease. For example, the majority of patients with alcoholic liver disease have enzyme levels that are not as high as the levels reached with acute viral hepatitis, and the AST tends to be above the ALT. Thus, in alcoholic liver disease, AST is usually under 300 units/liter while the ALT is usually under 100 units/ liter.

If alcohol or medication is responsible for the abnormal liver enzyme levels, stopping alcohol or the medication (under a doctor's supervision only) should bring the enzyme levels to normal or near normal levels in weeks to months. If obesity is suspected as the cause of fatty liver, weight reduction of 5% to 10% should also bring the liver enzyme levels to normal or near normal levels.

If abnormal liver enzymes persist despite abstinence from alcohol, weight reduction, and stopping certain suspected drugs, blood tests can be performed to help diagnose treatable liver diseases. The blood can be tested for the presence of hepatitis B and C virus and their related antibodies. Blood levels of iron, iron saturation, and ferritin (another measure of the amount of iron stored in the body) are usually elevated in patients with hemachromatosis. Blood levels of a substance called ceruloplasmin are usually decreased inpatients with Wilson's disease. Blood levels of certain antibodies (anti- nuclear antibody or ANA, anti-smooth muscle antibody, and anti-liver and kidney microsome antibody) are elevated in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

Ultrasound and CAT scan of the abdomen are sometimes used to exclude tumors in the liver or other conditions such as gallstones or tumors obstructing the ducts that drain the liver.

Liver biopsy is a procedure where a needle is inserted through the skin over the right upper abdomen to obtain a thin strand of liver tissue to be examined under a microscope. The procedure is oftentimes performed after ultrasound study has located the liver. Not everybody with abnormal liver enzymes needs a liver biopsy. The doctor will usually recommend this procedure if:

  1. the information obtained from the liver biopsy will likely be helpful in planning treatment,
  2. the doctor needs to know the extent and severity of liver inflammation/damage,
  3. to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment, or
  4. no obvious cause of elevated liver tests has been found despite thorough investigation.

Liver biopsy is most useful in confirming a diagnosis of a potentially treatable condition. These potentially treatable liver diseases include chronic hepatitis B and C, hemachromatosis, Wilson's disease, autoimmune hepatitis, and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

How about monitoring aminotransferase levels?

What is usually most helpful is serial testing of AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) over time to determine whether the levels are increasing, remaining stable, or decreasing. For example, patients undergoing treatment for chronic hepatitis C should be monitored with serial liver enzyme tests. Those responding to treatment will experience lowering of liver enzyme levels to normal or near normal levels. Those who develop relapse of hepatitis C after completion of treatment will usually develop abnormal liver enzyme levels again.

What about other liver enzymes?

Aside from AST and ALT, there are other enzymes including alkaline phosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase ("5 prime" nucleotidase), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) that are often tested for liver disease.

Alkaline phosphatase is another liver enzyme frequently measured. This enzyme is usually found in the walls of the intra- and extra-biliary ducts (tube like structures within the liver that connect liver cells together). Elevation of alkaline phosphatase may indicate an injury to the biliary cells. Common causes of this are gallstones and certain mediations, although, some of the conditions listed previously can also raise the levels of this enzyme.

Bile and Bilirubin in Blood

Bile:
Bile is secreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder
Bile is a thick digestive fluid. It is released by the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
Bile helps break down fats into fatty acids, which can be taken into the body by the digestive tract.
Bile contains mostly cholesterol, bile acids (also called bile salts), and bilirubin (a breakdown product of red blood cells). It also contains water and body salts (potassium and sodium), as well as very small amounts of copper and other metals.
The biliary organs and duct system that creates, transports, stores, and releases bile into the duodenum for digestion includes the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts (named the cystic, hepatic, common, and pancreatic duct).
Bile or gall is a bitter-tasting, dark green to yellowish brown fluid, produced by the liver of most vertebrates, that aids the process of digestion of lipids in the small intestine. In many species, bile is stored in the gallbladder between meals and upon eating is discharged into the duodenum.

Bilirubin:
Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that is manufactured in the liver and which causes the yellow of jaundice in some liver diseases. I don't know what your level was, but normally it is between 3 and 20. However, in a very small percentage of the population, a higher bilirubin level is quite normal and is not connected with any disease and is harmless.

Bilirubin is a yellowish pigment found in bile, a fluid produced by the liver.
This article discusses the laboratory test done to measure bilirubin in the blood. Total and direct bilirubin are usually measured to screen for or to monitor liver or gallbladder problems.
Large amounts of bilirubin in the body can lead to jaundice.
A test may also be done to measure bilirubin in a urine sample. For information on that test, see: Bilirubin - urine.

How the Test is Performed:
A blood sample is needed. For information on how this is done, see: Venipuncture .
The laboratory specialist spins the blood in a machine called a centrifuge, which separates the liquid part of the blood (serum) from the cells. The bilirubin test is done on the serum.

How to Prepare for the Test:
You should not eat or drink for at least 4 hours before the test. Your health care provider may instruct you to stop taking drugs that affect the test.
Drugs that can increase bilirubin measurements include allopurinol, anabolic steroids, some antibiotics, antimalaria medications, azathioprine, chlorpropamide, cholinergics, codeine, diuretics, epinephrine, meperidine, methotrexate, methyldopa, MAO inhibitors, morphine, nicotinic acid, birth control pills, phenothiazines, quinidine, rifampin, steroids, sulfonamides, and theophylline.

Drugs that can decrease bilirubin measurements include barbiturates, caffeine, penicillin, and high-dose salicylates such as aspirin.

Why the Test is Performed:
This test is useful in determining if a patient has liver disease or a blocked bile duct.

Bilirubin metabolism begins with the breakdown of red blood cells in many parts of the body. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, which is broken down to heme and globin. Heme is converted to bilirubin, which is then carried by albumin in the blood to the liver.

In the liver, most of the bilirubin is chemically attached to another molecule before it is released in the bile. This "conjugated" (attached) bilirubin is called direct bilirubin; unconjugated bilirubin is called indirect bilirubin. Total serum bilirubin equals direct bilirubin plus indirect bilirubin.
Conjugated bilirubin is released into the bile by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, or transferred directly to the small intestines. Bilirubin is further broken down by bacteria in the intestines, and those breakdown products contribute to the color of the feces. A small percentage of these breakdown compounds are taken in again by the body, and eventually appear in the urine.

Normal Results:
Direct bilirubin: 0 to 0.3 mg/dL
Total bilirubin: 0.3 to 1.9 mg/dL
Note: mg/dL = milligrams per deciliter

Normal values may vary slightly from laboratory to laboratory.

What Abnormal Results Mean:
Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the white part of the eye, which occurs when bilirubin builds up in the blood at a level greater than approximately 2.5 mg/dL. Jaundice occurs because red blood cells are being broken down too fast for the liver to process. This might happen due to liver disease or bile duct blockage.

If the bile ducts are blocked, direct bilirubin will build up, escape from the liver, and end up in the blood. If the levels are high enough, some of it will appear in the urine.
Only direct bilirubin appears in the urine. Increased direct bilirubin usually means that the biliary (liver secretion) ducts are obstructed.

Increased indirect or total bilirubin may be a sign of:
Crigler-Najjar syndrome
Erythroblastosis fetalis
Gilbert's disease
Healing of a large hematoma (bruise or bleeding under the skin)
Hemolytic anemia
Hemolytic disease of the newborn
Hepatitis
Physiological jaundice (normal in newborns)
Sickle cell anemia
Transfusion reaction
Pernicious anemia

Increased direct bilirubin may indicate:
Bile duct obstruction
Cirrhosis
Dubin-Johnson syndrome (very rare)
Hepatitis
Intrahepatic cholestasis (buildup of bile in the liver) due to any cause

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
Biliary stricture
Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangitis
Choledocholithiasis
Hemolytic anemia due to G6PD deficiency
Hepatic encephalopathy
Idiopathic aplastic anemia
Idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Immune hemolytic anemia (including drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia)
Secondary aplastic anemia
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Wilson's disease

Considerations:
Factors that interfere with bilirubin testing are:
Hemolysis (breakdown) of blood will falsely increase bilirubin levels
Lipids in the blood will falsely decrease bilirubin levels
Bilirubin is light-sensitive; it breaks down in light

Alternative Names:
Total bilirubin - blood; Unconjugated bilirubin - blood; Indirect bilirubin - blood; Conjugated bilirubin - blood; Direct bilirubin - blood

References:
Berk PD, Korenblat KM. Approach to the patient with jaundice or abnormal liver test results. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 150.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Windows Shortcut

Microsoft Windows SHORTCUT KEYS
Shortcut keys help provide an easier and usually quicker method of navigating and using computer software programs.

Command Prompt:(DOS)

ANSI.SYS Defines functions that change display graphics, control cursor movement, and reassign keys.
APPEND Causes MS-DOS to look in other directories when editing a file or running a command.
ARP Displays, adds, and removes arp information from network devices.
ASSIGN Assign a drive letter to an alternate letter.
ASSOC View the file associations.
AT Schedule a time to execute commands or programs.
ATMADM Lists connections and addresses seen by Windows ATM call manager.
ATTRIB Display and change file attributes.
BATCH Recovery console command that executes a series of commands in a file.
BOOTCFG Recovery console command that allows a user to view, modify, and rebuild the boot.ini
BREAK Enable / disable CTRL + C feature.
CACLS View and modify file ACL's.
CALL Calls a batch file from another batch file.
CD Changes directories.
CHCP Supplement the International keyboard and character set information.
CHDIR Changes directories.
CHKDSK Check the hard disk drive running FAT for errors.
CHKNTFS Check the hard disk drive running NTFS for errors.
CHOICE Specify a listing of multiple options within a batch file.
CLS Clears the screen.
CMD Opens the command interpreter.
COLOR Easily change the foreground and background color of the MS-DOS window.
COMP Compares files.
COMPACT Compresses and uncompress files.
CONTROL Open control panel icons from the MS-DOS prompt.
CONVERT Convert FAT to NTFS.
COPY Copy one or more files to an alternate location.
CTTY Change the computers input/output devices.
DATE View or change the systems date.
DEBUG Debug utility to create assembly programs to modify hardware settings.
DEFRAG Re-arrange the hard disk drive to help with loading programs.
DEL Deletes one or more files.
DELETE Recovery console command that deletes a file.
DELTREE Deletes one or more files and/or directories.
DIR List the contents of one or more directory.
DISABLE Recovery console command that disables Windows system services or drivers.
DISKCOMP Compare a disk with another disk.
DISKCOPY Copy the contents of one disk and place them on another disk.
DOSKEY Command to view and execute commands that have been run in the past.
DOSSHELL A GUI to help with early MS-DOS users.
DRIVPARM Enables overwrite of original device drivers.
ECHO Displays messages and enables and disables echo.
EDIT View and edit files.
EDLIN View and edit files.
EMM386 Load extended Memory Manager.
ENABLE Recovery console command to enable a disable service or driver.
ENDLOCAL Stops the localization of the environment changes enabled by the setlocal command.
ERASE Erase files from computer.
EXIT Exit from the command interpreter.
EXPAND Expand a M*cros*ft Windows file back to it's original format.
EXTRACT Extract files from the M*cros*ft Windows cabinets.
FASTHELP Displays a listing of MS-DOS commands and information about them.
FC Compare files.
FDISK Utility used to create partitions on the hard disk drive.
FIND Search for text within a file.
FINDSTR Searches for a string of text within a file.
FIXBOOT Writes a new boot sector.
FIXMBR Writes a new boot record to a disk drive.
FOR Boolean used in batch files.
FORMAT Command to erase and prepare a disk drive.
FTP Command to connect and operate on a FTP server.
FTYPE Displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations.
GOTO Moves a batch file to a specific label or location.
GRAFTABL Show extended characters in graphics mode.
HELP Display a listing of commands and brief explanation.
IF Allows for batch files to perform conditional processing.
IFSHLP.SYS 32-bit file manager.
IPCONFIG Network command to view network adapter settings and assigned values.
KEYB Change layout of keyboard.
LABEL Change the label of a disk drive.
LH Load a device driver in to high memory.
LISTSVC Recovery console command that displays the services and drivers.
LOADFIX Load a program above the first 64k.
LOADHIGH Load a device driver in to high memory.
LOCK Lock the hard disk drive.
LOGON Recovery console command to list installations and enable administrator login.
MAP Displays the device name of a drive.
MD Command to create a new directory.
MEM Display memory on system.
MKDIR Command to create a new directory.
MODE Modify the port or display settings.
MORE Display one page at a time.
MOVE Move one or more files from one directory to another directory.
MSAV Early M*cros*ft Virus scanner.
MSD Diagnostics utility.
MSCDEX Utility used to load and provide access to the CD-ROM.
NBTSTAT Displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using NBT
NET Update, fix, or view the network or network settings
NETSH Configure dynamic and static network information from MS-DOS.
NETSTAT Display the TCP/IP network protocol statistics and information.
NLSFUNC Load country specific information.
NSLOOKUP Look up an IP address of a domain or host on a network.
PATH View and modify the computers path location.
PATHPING View and locate locations of network latency.
PAUSE Command used in batch files to stop the processing of a command.
PING Test / send information to another network computer or network device.
POPD Changes to the directory or network path stored by the pushd command.
POWER Conserve power with computer portables.
PRINT Prints data to a printer port.
PROMPT View and change the MS-DOS prompt.
PUSHD Stores a directory or network path in memory so it can be returned to at any time.
QBASIC Open the QBasic.
RD Removes an empty directory.
REN Renames a file or directory.
RENAME Renames a file or directory.
RMDIR Removes an empty directory.
ROUTE View and configure windows network route tables.
RUNAS Enables a user to execute a program on another computer.
SCANDISK Run the scandisk utility.
SCANREG Scan registry and recover registry from errors.
SET Change one variable or string to another.
SETLOCAL Enables local environments to be changed without affecting anything else.
SETVER Change MS-DOS version to trick older MS-DOS programs.
SHARE Installs support for file sharing and locking capabilities.
SHIFT Changes the position of replaceable parameters in a batch program.
SHUTDOWN Shutdown the computer from the MS-DOS prompt.
SMARTDRV Create a disk cache in conventional memory or extended memory.
SORT Sorts the input and displays the output to the screen.
START Start a separate window in Windows from the MS-DOS prompt.
SUBST Substitute a folder on your computer for another drive letter.
SWITCHES Remove add functions from MS-DOS.
SYS Transfer system files to disk drive.
TELNET Telnet to another computer / device from the prompt.
TIME View or modify the system time.
TITLE Change the title of their MS-DOS window.
TRACERT Visually view a network packets route across a network.
TREE View a visual tree of the hard disk drive.
TYPE Display the contents of a file.
UNDELETE Undelete a file that has been deleted.
UNFORMAT Unformat a hard disk drive.
UNLOCK Unlock a disk drive.
VER Display the version information.
VERIFY Enables or disables the feature to determine if files have been written properly.
VOL Displays the volume information about the designated drive.
XCOPY Copy multiple files, directories, and/or drives from one location to another.
TRUENAME When placed before a file, will display the whole directory in which it exists
TASKKILL It allows you to kill those unneeded or locked up applications

Run Commands To Access The Control Panel:

Add/Remove Programs control appwiz.cpl
Date/Time Properties control timedate.cpl
Display Properties control desk.cpl
FindFast control findfast.cpl
Fonts Folder control fonts
Internet Properties control inetcpl.cpl
Keyboard Properties control main.cpl keyboard
Mouse Properties control main.cpl
Multimedia Properties control mmsys.cpl
Network Properties control netcpl.cpl
Password Properties control password.cpl
Printers Folder control printers
Sound Properties control mmsys.cpl sounds
System Properties control sysdm.cpl

Run Commands:

compmgmt.msc - Computer management
devmgmt.msc - Device manager
diskmgmt.msc - Disk management
dfrg.msc - Disk defrag
eventvwr.msc - Event viewer
fsmgmt.msc - Shared folders
gpedit.msc - Group policies
lusrmgr.msc - Local users and groups
perfmon.msc - Performance monitor
rsop.msc - Resultant set of policies
secpol.msc - Local security settings
services.msc - Various Services
msconfig - System Configuration Utility
regedit - Registry Editor
msinfo32 _ System Information
sysedit _ System Edit
win.ini _ windows loading information(also system.ini)
winver _ Shows current version of windows
mailto: _ Opens default email client
command _ Opens command prompt

Windows XP Shortcuts:

ALT+- (ALT+hyphen) Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu
ALT+ENTER View properties for the selected item
ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order they were opened
ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program
ALT+SPACEBAR Display the System menu for the active window
ALT+TAB Switch between open items
ALT+Underlined letter Display the corresponding menu
BACKSPACE View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer
CTRL+A Select all
CTRL+B Bold
CTRL+C Copy
CTRL+I Italics
CTRL+O Open an item
CTRL+U Underline
CTRL+V Paste
CTRL+X Cut
CTRL+Z Undo
CTRL+F4 Close the active document
CTRL while dragging Copy selected item
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging Create shortcut to selected iteM
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word
CTRL+LEFT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word
CTRL+DOWN ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph
CTRL+UP ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph
SHIFT+DELETE Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin
ESC Cancel the current task
F1 Displays Help
F2 Rename selected item
F3 Search for a file or folder
F4 Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer
F5 Refresh the active window
F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10 Activate the menu bar in the active program
SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu
SHIFT+CTRL+ESC Launches Task Manager
SHIFT when you insert a CD Prevent the CD from automatically playing
WIN Display or hide the Start menu
WIN+BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box
WIN+D Minimizes all Windows and shows the Desktop
WIN+E Open Windows Explorer
WIN+F Search for a file or folder
WIN+F+CTRL Search for computers
WIN+L Locks the desktop
WIN+M Minimize or restore all windows
WIN+R Open the Run dialog box
WIN+TAB Switch between open items

Windows Explorer Shortcuts:

ALT+SPACEBAR - Display the current window’s system menu
SHIFT+F10 - Display the item's context menu
CTRL+ESC - Display the Start menu
ALT+TAB - Switch to the window you last used
ALT+F4 - Close the current window or quit
CTRL+A - Select all items
CTRL+X - Cut selected item(s)
CTRL+C - Copy selected item(s)
CTRL+V - Paste item(s)
CTRL+Z - Undo last action
CTRL+(+) - Automatically resize the columns in the right hand pane
TAB - Move forward through options
ALT+RIGHT ARROW - Move forward to a previous view
ALT+LEFT ARROW - Move backward to a previous view
SHIFT+DELETE - Delete an item immediately
BACKSPACE - View the folder one level up
ALT+ENTER - View an item’s properties
F10 - Activate the menu bar in programs
F6 - Switch between left and right panes
F5 - Refresh window contents
F3 - Display Find application
F2 - Rename selected item

Internet Explorer Shortcuts:

CTRL+A - Select all items on the current page
CTRL+D - Add the current page to your Favorites
CTRL+E - Open the Search bar
CTRL+F - Find on this page
CTRL+H - Open the History bar
CTRL+I - Open the Favorites bar
CTRL+N - Open a new window
CTRL+O - Go to a new location
CTRL+P - Print the current page or active frame
CTRL+S - Save the current page
CTRL+W - Close current browser window
CTRL+ENTER - Adds the
SHIFT+CLICK - Open link in new window
BACKSPACE - Go to the previous page
ALT+HOME - Go to your Home page
HOME - Move to the beginning of a document
TAB - Move forward through items on a page
END - Move to the end of a document
ESC - Stop downloading a page
F11 - Toggle full-screen view
F5 - Refresh the current page
F4 - Display list of typed addresses
F6 - Change Address bar and page focus
ALT+RIGHT ARROW - Go to the next page
SHIFT+CTRL+TAB - Move back between frames
SHIFT+F10 - Display a shortcut menu for a link
SHIFT+TAB - Move back through the items on a page
CTRL+TAB - Move forward between frames
CTRL+C - Copy selected items to the clipboard
CTRL+V - Insert contents of the clipboard
ENTER - Activate a selected link
HOME - Move to the beginning of a document
END - Move to the end of a document
F1 - Display Internet Explorer Help

Accessibility Shortcuts:

Tap SHIFT 5 times - Toggles StickyKeys on and off.
Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for 8 seconds - Toggles FilterKeys on and off.
Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for 5 seconds - Toggles ToggleKeys on and off.
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK - Toggles MouseKeys on and off.
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN - Toggles High Contrast on and off.

Microsoft Office Keyboard Shortcut Keys

Important Word Shortcuts

All Caps - CTRL+SHIFT+A
Annotation - ALT+CTRL+M
Auto Format - ALT+CTRL+K
Auto Text - F3 or ALT+CTRL+V
Bold - CTRL+B or CTRL+SHIFT+B
Bookmark - CTRL+SHIFT+F5
Copy - CTRL+C or CTRL+INSERT
Copy Format - CTRL+SHIFT+C
Copy Text - SHIFT+F2
Create Auto Text - ALT+F3
Date Field - ALT+SHIFT+D
Delete Back Word - CTRL+BACKSPACE
Delete Word - CTRL+DELETE
Dictionary - ALT+SHIFT+F7
Do Field Click - ALT+SHIFT+F9
Doc Maximize - CTRL+F10
Doc Move - CTRL+F7
Doc Restore - CTRL+F5
Doc Size - CTRL+F8
Grow Font - CTRL+SHIFT+.
Grow Font One Point - CTRL+]Hanging Indent - CTRL+T
Header Footer Link - ALT+SHIFT+R
Help - F1
Hidden - CTRL+SHIFT+H
Hyperlink - CTRL+K
Indent - CTRL+M
Italic - CTRL+I or CTRL+SHIFT+I
Justify Para - CTRL+J
Left Para - CTRL+L
Line Up Extend - SHIFT+UP
List Num Field - ALT+CTRL+L
Outline - ALT+CTRL+O
Outline Collapse - ALT+SHIFT+- or ALT+SHIFT+NUM -
Outline Demote - ALT+SHIFT+RIGHT
Outline Expand - ALT+SHIFT+=
Outline Expand - ALT+SHIFT+NUM +
Outline Move Down - ALT+SHIFT+DOWN
Outline Move Up - ALT+SHIFT+UP
Outline Promote - ALT+SHIFT+LEFT
Outline Show First Line - ALT+SHIFT+L
Lock Fields - CTRL+3 or CTRL+F11
Web Go Back - ALT+LEFT
Web Go Forward - ALT+RIGHT
Word Left - CTRL+LEFT
Word Left Extend - CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT
Word Right - CTRL+RIGHT

Excel Time saving Shortcuts:

Move to next cell in row - Tab
Move to previous cell in row - Shift + Tab
Up one screen - Page Up
Down one screen - Page Down
Move to next worksheet - Ctrl + Page Down
Move to previous worksheet - Ctrl + Page Up
Go to first cell in data region - Ctrl + Home
Go to last cell in data region - Ctrl + End
Bold toggle for selection - Ctrl + B
Italic toggle for selection - Ctrl + I
Underline toggle for selection - Ctrl + U
Strikethrough for selection - Ctrl + 5
Change the font - Ctrl + Shift + F
Change the font size - Ctrl + Shift + P
Apply outline borders - Ctrl + Shift + 7
Remove all borders - Ctrl + Shift + Underline
Wrap text in same cell - Alt + Enter
Format cells - Ctrl + 1
Select font - Ctrl + Shift + F
Select point size - Ctrl + Shift + P
Format as currency - Ctrl + Shift + 4
Format as general - Ctrl + Shift + # (hash sign)
Format as percentage - Ctrl + Shift + 5
Format as number - Ctrl + Shift + 1
Autosum a range of cells - Alt + Equals Sign
Insert the date - Ctrl +; (semi-colon)
Insert the time - Ctrl + Shift +; (semi-colon)
Insert columns/rows - Ctrl + Shift + + (plus sign)
Insert a new worksheet - Shift + F11
Read Monitor Cell One - Alt + Shift + 1
Read Monitor Cell Two - Alt + Shift + 2
Read Monitor Cell Three - Alt + Shift + 3
Read Monitor Cell Four - Alt + Shift + 4
List Visible Cells With Data - Ctrl + Shift + D
Lists Data In Current Column - Ctrl + Shift + C
List Data In Current Row - Ctrl + Shift + R
Select Hyperlink - Ctrl + Shift + H
Move To Worksheet Listbox - Ctrl + Shift + S
Move To Monitor Cell - Ctrl + Shift + M
Select Worksheet Objects - Ctrl + Shift + O
List Cells At Page Breaks - Ctrl + Shift + B
Options Listbox - Insert + V

Easy move through Powerpoint:

Apply subscript formatting - CTRL+EQUAL SIGN (=)
Apply superscript formatting - CTRL+PLUS SIGN (+)
Bold - CTRL+B
Capitalize - SHIFT+F3
Copy - CTRL+C
Delete a word - CTRL+BACKSPACE
Demote a paragraph - ALT+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW
Find - CTRL+F
Insert a hyperlink - CTRL+K
Insert a new slide - CTRL+M
Italicize - CTRL+I
Make a duplicate of the current slide - CTRL+D
Open - CTRL+O
Open the Font dialog box - CTRL+T
Paste - CTRL+V
Print - CTRL+P
Promote a paragraph - ALT+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW
Repeat your last action - F4 or CTRL+Y
Save - CTRL+S
Select all - CTRL+A
Start a slide show - F5
Switch to the next pane (clockwise) - F6
Switch to the previous pane - SHIFT+F6
Undo - CTRL+Z
View guides - CTRL+G

Window XP Hidden Applications Shortcuts:

To run any of these apps go to Start > Run and type the executable name:


1) Character Map = charmap.exe (very useful for finding unusual characters)


2) Disk Cleanup = cleanmgr.exe


3) Clipboard Viewer = clipbrd.exe (views contents of Windows clipboard)


4) Dr Watson = drwtsn32.exe (Troubleshooting tool)

5) DirectX diagnosis = dxdiag.exe (Diagnose & test DirectX, video & sound cards)


6) Private character editor = eudcedit.exe (allows creation or modification of characters)


7) IExpress Wizard = iexpress.exe (Create self-extracting / self-installing package)


8) Microsoft Synchronization Manager = mobsync.exe (appears to allow synchronization of files on the network for when working offline. Apparently undocumented).


9) Windows Media Player 5.1 = mplay32.exe (Retro version of Media Player, very basic).WORKS IN XP ALSO


10) ODBC Data Source Administrator = odbcad32.exe (something to do with databases)


11) Object Packager = packager.exe (to do with packaging objects for insertion in files, appears to have comprehensive help files).


12) System Monitor = perfmon.exe (very useful, highly configurable tool, tells you everything you ever wanted to know about any aspect of PC performance, for uber-geeks only )


13) Program Manager = progman.exe (Legacy Windows 3.x desktop shell).


14) Remote Access phone book = rasphone.exe (documentation is virtually non-existant).


15) Registry Editor = regedt32.exe [also regedit.exe] (for hacking the Windows Registry).


16) Network shared folder wizard = shrpubw.exe (creates shared folders on network).


17) File siganture verification tool = sigverif.exe


18) Volume Control = sndvol32.exe (I've included this for those people that lose it from the System Notification area).


19) System Configuration Editor = sysedit.exe (modify System.ini & Win.ini just like in Win98! ).


20) Microsoft Telnet Client = telnet.exe


21) Driver Verifier Manager = verifier.exe (seems to be a utility for monitoring the actions of drivers, might be useful for people having driver problems. Undocumented).


22) Windows for Workgroups Chat = winchat.exe (appears to be an old NT utility to allow chat sessions over a LAN, help files available).

Blood Test SGPT for Jaundice

What Is a SGPT Blood Test?

An SGPT blood test is a test used to measure the amount of the enzyme glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) in blood.

Significance
This enzyme is found in cells of the heart, kidneys, muscles and pancreas in small amounts, but it is in much greater concentration in the liver. This test is sometimes called ALT. You may hear your physician refer to it as a liver function study, where it is also combined with several other tests, all of which test how well the liver is functioning.

Benefits
An SGPT test is done to see if the liver is diseased or damaged. Although there is normally a low level of GPT in the bloodstream, it will greatly increase in the presence of certain diseases, such as cirrhosis and hepatitis. The use of certain medications, such as statins to lower cholesterol, can also irritate the liver causing GPT to be released. This is why doctors check the liver functions carefully whenever you are on certain types of drugs. Early detection of elevated GPT levels can let the doctor know when to decrease or eliminate the use of certain drugs to prevent permanent damage to the liver.

Features
Normal results of SGPT can vary from one lab to another. The lab performing the SGPT test will print their normal values on the lab report. Most labs consider a GPT level of 0 to 30 units per liter. The level of GPT may be elevated considerably if you drink too much alcohol, or have mononucleosis, chronic liver damage or disease, gallstones or gallbladder disease or certain types of cancer. No medical conditions are known to cause a person to have a GPT level that is too low.

Effects
If the SGPT test is extremely elevated, your physician may request that you have an ultrasound performed on your liver. This will determine if there is an underlying disease factor and will help the physician decide what to do to lower the GPT level. If the increased GPT level is caused by the use of a drug, discontinuing use of the drug or replacing it with another drug will usually let the GPT levels fall back into the normal range. If the elevated GPT levels are caused by other problems with the liver or gallbladder, the physician will probably refer you to a specialist, such as a gastroenterologist, for further evaluation.

Considerations
The SGPT blood test is performed on blood serum. The blood is drawn from a vein and spun in a centrifuge to separate the serum from the cells. No special preparation for the test is needed; however, do not perform strenuous exercise immediately before having the test done. You should also avoid taking herbs such as echinacea and valerian, as they can affect the SGPT results.
If you have an abnormal test result, you will probably be asked to have the test done again to be sure the first test was accurate.

JAUNDICE

SYMPTOMS:
Extreme weakness, headache, fever
The symptoms of jaundice are extreme weakness, headache, fever, loss of appetite, severe constipation, nausea, and yellow discoloration of the eyes, tongue, skin, and urine.

Dull pain in the liver region
The patient may also feel a dull pain in the liver region. Obstructive jaundice may be associated with intense itching.

CAUSES:
Obstruction of the bile ducts
Jaundice may be caused by an obstruction of the bile ducts which normally discharge bile salts and pigment into the intestine. The bile gets mixed with blood and this gives a yellow pigmentation to the skin. The obstruction of the bile ducts could be due to gallstones or inflammation of the liver, which is known as hepatitis, and is caused by a virus.

Haemolytic anaemia, typhoid, malaria
Other causes of jaundice are haemolytic anaemia and certain diseases affecting the liver such as typhoid, malaria, yellow fever, and tuberculosis.

HOME REMEDIES:
Jaundice home remedies and natural cures, Questions and answers

Jaundice treatment using Bitter Luffa
The juice of bitter luffa is regarded as an effective remedy for jaundice. It is obtained by pounding and squeezing the bitter luffa through cloth. The juice should be placed on the palm of the hand and drawn up through the nostrils. This will cause a profuse outflow of a yellow-coloured fluid through the nostrils. The toxic matter having been evacuated in a considerable quantity, the patient will feel relieved. This is, however, a strong medicine and may cause side-effects like giddiness, migraine, and, at times, high fever for a short duration in patients with a delicate nature. Its use should, therefore, be avoided by such patients. If the juice of green bitter luffa is not available, it can be substituted by two to three drops of the fluid obtained by soaking its dry crusts overnight in water. This will produce an identical effect. Seeds of bitter lnffa which are easily available can also be used for the same purpose after rubbing in water.

Jaundice treatment using Radish Leaves
The green leaves of radish are another valuable remedy for jaundice. The leaves should be pounded and their juice extracted through cloth. Half a litre of this juice should he taken daily by an adult patient It induces a healthy appetite and proper evacuation of bowels, and this results in gradual decrease of the trouble. In most cases, complete cure can be ensured within eight or ten days.

Jaundice treatment using Tomato
Tomatoes are valuable in jaundice. A glass of fresh tomato juice, mixed with a pinch of salt and pepper, taken early in the morning, is considered an effective remedy for this disease.

Jaundice treatment using Snake Gourd Leaves
The leaves of snake gourd have also been found useful in jaundice. An infusion of the leaves should be prepared by mixing 15 gm of dry leaves in 250 ml of boiling water. Next, a decoction of coriander seeds in 500 ml of water till it is reduced by one-third. The infusion should be given in doses of 30 to 60 ml, mixed with the decoction of coriander seeds, thrice daily.

Jaundice treatment using Pigeon Pea Leaves
The green leaves of pigeon pea, a leguminous plant-the beans of which are used for dals-are considered useful in jaundice. The juice extracted form these leaves should be taken in doses of 60 ml daily. Marked improvement will follow its use.

Jaundice treatment using Almonds, Dried Dates and Cardamoms
A mixture of almonds, dried dates and cardamoms is regarded as an effective remedy for jaundice. Eight kernels of almonds, two dried dates, and five small cardamoms should be soaked overnight in water. The outer coating of the almond kernels and the inner seeds of dried dates should be removed the next morning and the whole material should be rubbed into a fine paste. Then , fifty grams of sugar and an equal amount of butter should be mixed in it and the patient should lick this mixture.

Jaundice treatment using Sugarcane Juice
One glass of sugarcane juice, mixed with the juice of half a lime, and taken twice daily, can hasten recovery from jaundice. It is, however, very essential that the juice must be clean and preferably prepared at home. Resistance is low in jaundice and any infected beverage could make matters worse.

Jaundice treatment using Lemon
Lemon is also beneficial in the treatment of jaundice. The patient should be given 20 ml of lemon juice mixed with water several times a day. This will protect the damaged liver cells.

Jaundice treatment using Barley Water
Barley water drunk several times during the day is another good remedy for this disease. One cup of barley should be boiled in three litres of water and simmered for three hours.

Jaundice treatment using Jaundice Berry
The herb jaundice berry, botanically known as Berberis vultaris is very useful in jaundice.The pulverized bark should be given several times a day in doses of one-fourth of a teaspoon in the treatment of this disease, or the fluid extract should be given 2-4 ml doses.

Jaundice Diet
Jaundice : Home Remedies suggested by users
Diet therapy and physical rest
A mild form of viral jaundice can be cured rapidly by diet therapy and physical rest. Recovery is, however, slow in jaundice caused by obstruction in the bile ducts, depending upon the cause and removal of the cause.

Juice fast, thereafter an all-fruit diet
The patient should be put on a juice fast for a week, and he should rest until the acute symptoms of the disease subside. After the juice fast, he may adopt an all-fruit diet for a further three to five days, taking three meals a day of fresh Juicy fruits at five-hourly intervals.

Simple light carbohydrate diet can be then taken.
Thereafter, a simple light carbohydrate diet with exclusion of fats, best obtained from vegetables and fruits, may be resumed. Digestive disturbances must be avoided. No food with a tendency to ferment or putrefy in the lower intestines like pulses and legumes should be included in the diet.

Other Jaundice treatment
Moderate exercise, fresh air baths are helpful
The patient should undertake only moderate exercise, fresh air baths, and adequate rest.


HOME REMEDIES:

Natural cures for Jaundice:what is a home remedies for jaundice cure

1. Bitter luffa is also known as karvi torai in Hindi. Its juice is used as an effective natural remedy for jaundice. The juice is obtained by pounding the bitter luffa and squeezing it through a cloth. Bitter luffa seeds and dry crusts are also available and can be used for the same purpose.
In most cases, complete cure can be ensured within eight or ten days.
The juice of bitter luffa is regarded as an effective remedy for jaundice. It is obtained by pounding and squeezing the bitter luffa through cloth.
The juice should be placed on the palm of the hand and drawn up through the nostrils. This will cause a profuse outflow of a yellow colored fluid through the nostrils. The toxic matter having been evacuated in a considerable quantity, the patient will feel relieved. This is, however, a strong medicine and may cause side-effects like giddiness, migraine, and, at times, high fever for a short duration in patients with a delicate nature. Its use should, therefore, be avoided by such patients. If the juice of green bitter luffa is not available, it can be substituted by two to three drops of the fluid obtained by soaking its dry crusts overnight in water. This will produce an identical effect. Seeds of bitter luffa which are easily available can also be used for the same purpose after rubbing in water.

2. The green leaves of radish are a valuable remedy for jaundice. The leaves should be pounded and their juice extracted through cloth. Half a litre of this juice should he taken daily by an adult patient It induces a healthy appetite and proper evacuation of bowels, and this results in gradual decrease of the trouble.