Incidence of bacterial vaginosis in patients with idiopathic preterm labour

Background: The objectives of this study were to find the incidence of bacterial vaginosis in patients with idiopathic preterm labour and to assess maternal and fetal outcome.Methods: The study was carried out in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Patna Medical College, Patna from September 2011 to September 2013.Study was done in 100 pregnant women. 50 patients were cases and 50 were control. Cases were patients admitted with idiopathic preterm labour and controls were patients admitted with term pregnancy. A thorough general, systemic and obstetrical examination was done. Speculum examination was done to exclude leaking and to note the type of discharge which was collected for the pH estimation, amine testing and for making a smear for gram staining. Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis was confirmed on the basis of Nugent criteria. Maternal and fetal outcome was assessed.Results: The incidence of bacterial vaginosis in patients with idiopathic preterm labour was 30 percent. Bacterial vaginosis was significantly (P <0.05) associated with idiopathic preterm labour. Out of 15 patients who had bacterial vaginosis, 13 had preterm delivery (<37 weeks). In 35 patients without bacterial vaginosis 21 had preterm delivery. Bacterial vaginosis was significantly associated with low birth weight babies (P <0.05). Bacterial vaginosis was significantly associated with neonatal jaundice and neonatal sepsis.Conclusions: Bacterial vaginosis is strongly associated with preterm labour and delivery as well as adversely affects neonatal outcome. Thus screening for bacterial vaginosis in all pregnant women complaining of vaginal discharge and also in all patients with preterm labour is justifiable.

Study of incidence and different aspects of cervical malignancy in tertiary centre of Jharkhand, India

ackground: Among the various killers of women of developing world, cervical cancer remains high in the list. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide and the most common cancer in developing nations. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of cervical cancer in post-menopausal women in Jharkhand and to determine various risk factors.Methods: The study was conducted on post-menopausal females presenting in outpatient department, emergency and indoor patients admitted in the department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi from March 2015 to September 2016. All post-menopausal women patients with suspected or proved cervical malignancy were included in the study.Results: The incidence of cervical cancer in this study was 16%. Maximum number of cases with cervical malignancy was in the age of 51-60 (45.83%). 45.83% of cases belonged to Hindu community. Maximum number of cases belonged to low socio-economic group (66.66%).  45.83% of cases were para 5 or more Most of the patient had more than one complains. Post-menopausal bleeding was commonest complain present in 66.66%, 77.08% came in advance stage (stage IIb+ III+ IV).Conclusions: This study showed UA-S/D ratio and UA-RI>2SD are significant predictors of perinatal deaths and immediate neonatal resuscitation in preeclampsia. Acute fetal distress in labour or neonatal nursery admission could not be predicted

Parametric Optimization of Taper Cutting Process using Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM)

Significant technological advancement of wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process has been observed in recent times in order to meet the requirements of various manufacturing fields especially in the production of parts with complex geometry in precision die industry. Taper cutting is an important application of WEDM process aiming at generating complex parts with tapered profiles. Wire deformation and breakage are more pronounced in taper cutting as compared with straight cutting resulting in adverse effect on desired taper angle and surface integrity. The reasons for associated problems may be attributed to certain stiffness of the wire. However, controlling the process parameters can somewhat reduce these problems. Extensive literature review reveals that effect of process parameters on various performance measures in taper cutting using WEDM is also not adequately addressed. Hence, study on effect of process parameters on performance measures using various advanced metals and metal matrix composites (MMC) has become the predominant research area in this field. In this context, the present work attempts to experimentally investigate the machining performance of various alloys, super alloys and metal matrix composite during taper cutting using WEDM process. The effect of process parameters such as part thickness, taper angle, pulse duration, discharge current, wire speed and wire tension on various performance measures such as angular error, surface roughness, cutting rate and white layer thickness are studied using Taguchi’s analysis. The functional relationship between the input parameters and performance measures has been developed by using non-linear regression analysis. Simultaneous optimization of the performance measures has been carried out using latest nature inspired algorithms such as multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) and bat algorithm. Although MOPSO develops a set of non-dominated solutions, the best ranked solution is identified from a large number of solutions through application of maximum deviation method rather than resorting to human judgement. Deep cryogenic treatment of both wire and work material has been carried out to enhance the machining efficiency of the low conductive work material like Inconel 718. Finally, artificial intelligent models are proposed to predict the various performance measures prior to machining. The study offers useful insight into controlling the parameters to improve the machining efficiency

Clampless non descent vaginal hysterectomy: “A novel art”

Background: Objective of this study was to assess feasibility and safety of clampless non descent vaginal hysterectomy of uterus up to 16 weeks size and identifying factors that determine success of surgery.Methods: Study was conducted in 50 women with non-prolapsed uteri, with clear cut indication of hysterectomy for a benign cause, without suspected adnexal pathology. Operating time, estimated blood loss, surgical techniques, difficulties encountered during operation, operative and post-operative complications and conversion to laparotomy when needed were recorded.Results: Vaginal hysterectomy was successful in 47 cases. Bisection was required in 60% cases, myomectomy in 24% cases and morcellation in 16% cases. Amount of blood loss and operating time was proportional to size of uterus.Conclusions: Clampless non descent vaginal hysterectomy is a safe and effective procedure and for success not only size of the uterus but its all dimensions and location of fibroid should be taken into consideration.

Parametric Optimization of Taper Cutting Process using Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM)

Significant technological advancement of wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process has been observed in recent times in order to meet the requirements of various manufacturing fields especially in the production of parts with complex geometry in precision die industry. Taper cutting is an important application of WEDM process aiming at generating complex parts with tapered profiles. Wire deformation and breakage are more pronounced in taper cutting as compared with straight cutting resulting in adverse effect on desired taper angle and surface integrity. The reasons for associated problems may be attributed to certain stiffness of the wire. However, controlling the process parameters can somewhat reduce these problems. Extensive literature review reveals that effect of process parameters on various performance measures in taper cutting using WEDM is also not adequately addressed. Hence, study on effect of process parameters on performance measures using various advanced metals and metal matrix composites (MMC) has become the predominant research area in this field. In this context, the present work attempts to experimentally investigate the machining performance of various alloys, super alloys and metal matrix composite during taper cutting using WEDM process. The effect of process parameters such as part thickness, taper angle, pulse duration, discharge current, wire speed and wire tension on various performance measures such as angular error, surface roughness, cutting rate and white layer thickness are studied using Taguchi’s analysis. The functional relationship between the input parameters and performance measures has been developed by using non-linear regression analysis. Simultaneous optimization of the performance measures has been carried out using latest nature inspired algorithms such as multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) and bat algorithm. Although MOPSO develops a set of non-dominated solutions, the best ranked solution is identified from a large number of solutions through application of maximum deviation method rather than resorting to human judgement. Deep cryogenic treatment of both wire and work material has been carried out to enhance the machining efficiency of the low conductive work material like Inconel 718. Finally, artificial intelligent models are proposed to predict the various performance measures prior to machining. The study offers useful insight into controlling the parameters to improve the machining efficiency

Rapid, photoinduced electron transfer-modulated, turn-on fluorescent probe for detection and cellular imaging of biologically significant thiols

© 2014 American Chemical Society. There is a very limited number of existing probes whose fluorescence is turned on in the presence of the class of biological thiols made up of glutathione, cysteine, and homocysteine. The extant probes for this class of biological thiols commonly have poor aqueous solubility and long analyte response times, and they demand a very high probe/thiol ratio for decreased time of significant reporter signal generation; knowledge regarding their selectivity with respect to other sulfur-based analytes is unclear. Described here is a previously unreported photoinduced electron-transfer-quenched probe (HMBQ-Nap 1) that offers highly selective and rapid in vitro detection of this class of biologically important thiols at low concentrations and low probe/thiol ratio, and importantly, very rapid imaging of these biological thiols in human cells. (Chemical Presented)

Profluorogenic reductase substrate for rapid, selective, and sensitive visualization and detection of human cancer cells that overexpress NQO1

Achieving the vision of identifying and quantifying cancer-related events and targets for future personalized oncology is predicated on the existence of synthetically accessible and economically viable probe molecules fully able to report the presence of these events and targets in a rapid and highly selective and sensitive fashion. Delineated here are the design and evaluation of a newly synthesized turn-on probe whose intense fluorescent reporter signature is revealed only through probe activation by a specific intracellular enzyme present in tumor cells of multiple origins. Quenching of molecular probe fluorescence is achieved through unique photoinduced electron transfer between the naphthalimide dye reporter and a covalently attached, quinone-based enzyme substrate. Fluorescence of the reporter dye is turned on by rapid removal of the quinone quencher, an event that immediately occurs only after highly selective, two-electron reduction of the sterically and conformationally restricted quinone substrate by the cancer-associated human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase isozyme 1 (hNQO1). Successes of the approach include rapid differentiation of NQO1-expressing and -nonexpressing cancer cell lines via the unaided eye, flow cytometry, fluorescence imaging, and two-photon microscopy. The potential for use of the turn-on probe in longer-term cellular studies is indicated by its lack of influence on cell viability and its in vitro stability. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Fluorescent Probe Interrogation of a Cytoprotective Cancer-linked Oxidoreductase in Two-Dimensional Human Cell Cultures and Solid Tumor Mimics

Fluorescence molecular imaging is an emerging field with potential to aid in optically guided surgery for cancer treatment. To overcome the drawbacks of always-on fluorescent probes, such as indocyanine green, activatable fluorescent probes are being developed that allow high signal-to-background imaging for better discrimination of cancerous cells from normal cells. For activation, turn-on fluorescent probes rely on the presence of biomarkers such as antibodies, cell-surface receptors or enzymes that are highly specific to tumor cells. hNQO1 (human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase isoenzyme 1) is considered as one of such cancer-associated biomarkers that are present intracellularly in cancers of multiple origins. It helps detoxify quinones by bypassing highly reactive and toxic semiquinone radical intermediates and prevents the oxidative stress generated from redox cycling. Overexpression of this enzyme in solid tumors and its catalytic ability to provide two-electron reduction processes are being exploited in the development of therapeutic prodrugs that generate anticancer intermediates upon hNQO1 action. Activation of fluorescently silent hNQO1-activatable molecular probes synthesized in McCarley research lab is imparted by a similar two-electron reduction, which we use for sensing the enzyme in cancer cells. The goal of this research is the use of a molecular probe as an hNQO1 sensor to evaluate the distribution and functionality of hNQO1 enzyme in microregions of multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTSs) that mimic solid tumors. The ability to examine for possible spatially dependent enzyme activity in tumors is of great value in the development of imaging and chemotherapeutic agents that are activated by hNQO1. This dissertation will address research to date, including: (1) spectroscopic and enzyme kinetics evaluation of a molecular probe and its subsequent application in hNQO1-expressing cell monolayers for the determination of the viability of its activation; (2) investigation of the mechanism of probe uptake; (3) overcoming the disadvantages of two-dimensional cell culture systems, namely the lack of features associated with real tissues, including their complex microenvironment and cellular heterogeneity, by study of probe activation and hNQO1 activity/presence within three-dimensional cell cultures; and (4) evaluation of the relationship between NQO1 expression and invasive phenotype in an in vitro tumor model for ovarian cancer (OVCAR-5)