THE HINDU

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 9

Mumbai
Text&Context
ABSTRACT

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Know your
English
K. Subrahmanian

“Mr. R. Saravanan, Golden Rock, wants to

know the meaning of the idiom ‘to paint
the town red.’”
“ ‘To paint the town red’ means ‘to
have an enjoyable, noisy time; to cause
some disturbance in town by having a
noisy and a disorderly spree.’ It is a
colloquial expression of American origin.
After the final examination, the
students painted the town red.”
“Mr. G. D. Sharma, T. Nagar, Madras,
wants to know which is correct: (a)
dispossess of (b) dispossess for.”
“ It is ‘dispossess of’. It means ‘to
deprive.’
They were dispossessed of their
property.”
“Mr. R. Sundar Raman wants to know
GETTY IMAGES
the meaning of ‘Man Friday.’”
“ ‘Man Friday’ is a helper or a follower.

Understanding dialysis outcome patterns

This expression is from Daniel Defoe’s
Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe finds a young
savage on a Friday on the desert island.
The savage becomes his faithful and

in India through a nationwide study

Findings from a nationwide private haemodialysis network show that there is a variation in the survival of patients receiving haemodialysis in India
depending on various factors; and stress on the need to standardise dialysis care across centres
Ramya Kannan largest study, conducted in Andhra
Pradesh used claims data from a
Hockman et al, ‘Centre-level variation in publicly-funded insurance scheme
the survival of patients receiving between 2008 and 2012 to describe
haemodialysis in India: findings from a outcomes amongst 13,118 beneficiaries,
nationwide private haemodialysis and found that 10.2% of patients died
network’, The Lancet Regional within six months of starting
Health-Southeast Asia, March 13, 2024 haemodialysis. However, there was
limited opportunity in the study to
he authors attempt to analyse examine whether differences in survival
history of heart disease or heart failure,
history of hypertension, hepatitis B and
hepatitis C in patients. Besides this, other
categories such as education, monthly
household income, dialysis frequency and
vascular access were factored in for
evaluation. The centre-level variables
included frequency of nephrologist visits,
number of beds, number of staff and
number of patients.
including centre-level factors in the
analysis; for instance, staffing, processes
of care and patient volume, they found it
reduced the variability in survival across
dialysis centres by 31%.
The way forward
The authors propose this as the first
national benchmark for survival amongst
dialysis patients in India. As India
willing servant and he was called Man
Friday.”
“Mr. L. Krishnaswami Bharati, Anna
Nagar, Madras, wants to know the exact
meaning of: riches, wealth, opulence.”
“ ‘Riches’ means ‘abundant means,
valuable possession.’
He amassed riches in a short period.
Wealth also means ‘riches.’ ‘Wealth’
implies a style of living in keeping with
one’s riches. ‘Opulence’ means ‘very
great and splendid wealth.’ Opulence
implies a showy display of wealth.”
“Mr. C. Nagananda Rao, Triplicane,
Madras, wants to know the origin of
‘rightists’ and ‘leftists.’”
“In the French National Assembly of
1789, the reactionaries sat on the right,

T
the democrats and the extremists on the
the survival of patients existed between dialysis centres, as has continues to widen dialysis access, left, and the moderates in the middle. The
undergoing dialysis at 193 been shown in other countries. As a Mortality rate ongoing quality improvement programs term leftist is applied now to socialists
centres in India. The primary result, major gaps existed in the full After accounting for multi-level factors, will be an important part of ensuring that and communists, and rightist to
outcome was all-cause mortality, understanding of dialysis outcome the estimated 180-day survival ranged patients experience the best-possible conservatives. I do not know whether the
measured from 90 days after joining a patterns in India, limiting efforts to between 83% and 97%. The mortality rate outcomes at the point of care. In future, it words will undergo some change in
centre, using patient-level and improve care. There is also, as yet, no in patients attending rural centres was is clear that the number of patients in meaning in the light of the recent
centre-level characteristics. The findings national benchmark for survival in 32% higher than those at urban centres. need of dialysis will increase. ‘revolutions’ in East Europe. The people
indicate the need not only to scale up patients receiving dialysis, they stated. This latter figure was likely due in part to While overall improvements in health were against ‘far-left hard-line’
infrastructure for dialysis across the unmeasured differences in patient infrastructure and care are essential to communists. Are they, therefore,
country, but also to standardise dialysis Measuring differences characteristics. Nevertheless, it highlights keep pace with the demand, the authors rightists? Mr. Gorbachev has introduced
care and ensure lower mortality by doing The authors measured the differences in the unique challenges faced by rural of the study underline the need for a some changes, but his opponents want to
so. the survival rate between dialysis centres centres, the authors aver. collaborative quality improvement system conserve communism. Who is a
India has amongst the highest number across India and evaluated the extent to Among the patient characteristics across the country. Alongside establishing reactionary here? It is all confusing! Has
of patients receiving chronic dialysis, which these differences are explained by associated with mortality were: national standards for dialysis outcomes left become right and right left? Is ‘left’
globally estimated at around 1,75,000 centre-based characteristics. They found catheter-based vascular access which had in India, it is important to understand the equal to ‘right’? I would like to have
people in 2018. On a daily basis, the that centre- and patient- level a higher mortality compared to access via multilevel effects of centre- and readers’ views on the present meaning of
number of patients on dialysis has been characteristics are associated with an arteriovenous fistula or graft; also, patient-level characteristics on these ‘right’ and ‘left.’”
increasing. The authors notch this up to survival, but there remains an financial support for dialysis treatment outcomes, the authors add, in the paper. “Ms. Jayashree Pathak, Bhubaneswar,
the launch of the National Dialysis Service unexplained variation between centres. through a government panel scheme or It has been shown, in nephrology and wants to know whether ‘visit’ and ‘visit
in 2016 to improve access, and ongoing In this study, one of the largest of its private insurance had a lower mortality other medical specialities, that clinical with’ mean the same.”
efforts to develop affordable dialysis nature, over 23,600 patients, undergoing compared to out-of-pocket payment. practice patterns and patient outcomes “No. ‘Visit with’ is an American
systems, all underlined by the rising haemodialysis at any centre in the There was an inverse relationship vary substantially between centres. expression. It is not an alternative to
incidence of end stage renal disease in the NephroPlus network, for 90 days or between mortality and dialysis vintage, Therefore, establishing national ‘visit.’ ‘Visit with’ means ‘to chat,’ ‘to
country. more, between April 2014 and June 2019 with those receiving dialysis for at least a benchmarks for dialysis outcomes against converse.’ When you visit with someone,
Before this study, there were no large were chosen. The primary outcome was year prior to joining a centre having a 17% which the dialysis centres’ performances you take the trouble of going to someone
studies examining survival in patients all-cause mortality, measured from 90 lower rate of mortality than those who and changes over time can be compared for a friendly talk. ‘Visit with’ has
receiving haemodialysis in India, or days after joining a centre. started dialysis less than 30 days before is essential to drive this, they say, arguing connotations of friendliness.
considering centre-level effects on The individual-level variables included joining. The presence of diabetes was that their findings present the first step in I visited with him for an hour.
survival. As per the authors, the only, and sex, smoking status, history of diabetes, associated with a higher mortality rate. By this voyage. ‘Visit with’ originated in the southern
U.S. in the 19th century. Some British
writers’ have criticised ‘visit with’ without
realising that it is an American idiom.
Occasionally ‘visit with’ is used to mean
Please send in your answers to
THE DAILY QUIZ dailyquiz@thehindu.co.in
‘to chat’ without any visit!
I visited with him over the phone last
week.”
Published in The Hindu on June 18, 1991.
From the start of the U.S.’s war on Iraq to the release of Bob Dylan’s debut album, March
19 is an important day in world history. A quiz on all things that happened on this date
Adithya Narayan X Questions and Answers to the previous
QUESTION 4 day’s daily quiz: 1. This month of the Islamic
X Known by the moniker ‘Prophet of the calendar is Ramzan. Ans: Ninth Month. It
QUESTION 1 Space Age’, this British science fiction follows ‘Sha’ban’
President Woodrow Wilson signed an Act writer, who also co-wrote movies such as 2. The Holy Koran says that eating and drinking
on this day in 1918 defining five time 2001: A Space Odyssey, died on this day in are permissible in Ramzan during this time.
zones and their limits in the U.S. Name 2008. Name him. Ans: When the ‘white thread of light
the Act and what is it related to? X becomes distinguishable from the dark
X QUESTION 5 thread of night at dawn’
QUESTION 2 The leader of this former Soviet Republic 3. Traditionally, the fast is broken by eating this
Argentina mobilised troops against the announced his resignation on this day in fruit. Ans: Date
British on this day in 1982 to stake claim 2019 after ruling over the country from 4. The name of the festival that marks the end
to a set of islands in the South Atlantic various posts since its Independence in of Ramzan. Ans: Eid al-Fitr
Sea. The incident would spawn an 1991. Name the leader and the country. 5. The meaning of ‘Ramadan Kareem’. Ans:
eponymous war too. What is it called? X ‘Generous Ramadan’
X QUESTION 6 6. In Ramadan, the reward for every good deed
QUESTION 3 Founded in 1856, this European investment done is multiplied by this number. Ans: 70
Name the African country that was bank was among the least affected during 7. Name the battle that took place in Ramadan
suspended from the Commonwealth the global financial crisis of 2008. However, X 2 AH (March 624 CE). Ans: Battle of Badr For feedback and suggestions for
grouping on this day in 2002 over its on this day last year, the country’s Visual question: Visual: The name of the mosque. Ans: Sultan Text & Context, please write to
government’s human rights abuses, government had to broker a deal for This former head of state survived a controversial shooting Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) in Istanbul letters@thehindu.co.in
election rigging and undermining of the another firm to buy it to prevent its incident on this day in 2004 while campaigning on election Early Birds: C. Saravanan| Prashant Nain| with the subject ‘Text & Context’
economy. collapse. Name the bank. eve, only to emerge victorious. Who is he? AP Rajmohan V| Ashraf Basha
CM A BM-BME
YK