Health problems in geriatric population of age group ≥70 years in rural Kerala, India: a cross sectional study

Background: The proportion of elderly population is increasing considerably world over. The health and socio-economic issues of this section is to be considered separately and in depth insights about them is needed for formulating elderly friendly health policy. This study intends toidentify the important health concerns of elderly population above the age group of 70 years in a rural area in North Kerala, India.Methods: It is a community based cross-sectional descriptive study involving all individuals above the age group of 70 years in a randomly selected panchayath ward from rural North Kerala. The data regarding demography, socioeconomic aspects, medical history, access to health care and treatment of chronic illnesses were collected through interview of study participants by a trained health care volunteer using a pre-validated questionnaire.Results: A total of 93 individuals above the age group of 70 years were included in the study out of which 63% were females and 37% males. In the study population 55.9% of the elderly were widowed and 87.1 % were staying along with their children. Almost 75% of the elderly received social welfare pension from government agencies and 14.3% received service pensions. 67.74% of the study population were hypertensive and 35.56% were diabetic. Other health issues included arthritis, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, genito urinary symptoms and cerebrovascular accident.Conclusion:  The study provide valuable insights into the health and social issues of elderly in Kerala and points to the importance of formulating an elderly friendly health policy in the state

High frequency Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation in rubber tree via. vacuum infiltration

In a tree species like Hevea brasiliensis, genetic transformation offers a viable approach for crop improvement within a short period. Hevea being highly recalcitrant to in vitro culture, an efficient transformation protocol is necessary for generating large number of transgenic plants with stable foreign gene expression. After several modifications in the initial transformation protocol, the transformation frequency was increased to 14 per cent using proliferated anther callus. Therefore, vacuum infiltration was attempted for enhancing the transformation frequency. In the present work the conditions for vacuum infiltration viz. vacuum pressure and period of infiltration were standardized. Vacuum infiltration at 30 psi pressure for 10 minutes was found to be ideal for getting high frequency transformation in H. brasiliensis. Irrespective of the gene constructs experimented, transformation frequency was significantly improved by adopting vacuum infiltration. Employing this technique, the transformation efficiency of MnSOD gene construct with FMV34S promoter could be enhanced from 14 to 50 percent

E-learning as a tool to impart knowledge of surgical procedures in the undergraduate medical teaching

Background: E-learning is in a budding stage in developing countries. As present-day students are gadget-friendly, introducing a surgical e-learning module may create interest and help in understanding the surgeries easily. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of E-learning in improving the knowledge component of surgical procedures for undergraduate students and to analyze students’ feedback regarding its usefulness. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted among 67 final-year MBBS students, who had completed 1 week of operation theatre (OT) posting in obstetrics and gynecology. Recording of videos for must-know surgeries in gynecology was done. Video editing and audio description of surgical steps were done. A YouTube channel was created and surgical videos were uploaded. Links to 2 surgical videos and additional teaching materials were uploaded to the college learning management system daily for 2 consecutive weeks. A telegram group was formed for posting questions daily. Pre-test and post-test were conducted and the results were analyzed. Results: The mean marks obtained in the pre-test were 6.567±1.9 and the post-test was 15.22±2.5 (Paired t test p=0.0001). Students mentioned that combining OT posting with an e-learning module helped them to build their knowledge of surgical procedures. Telegram quizzes helped them to increase their understanding of surgeries. 34 students wanted e-learning module to be conducted on other topics also. Conclusions: E-learning is highly effective in improving knowledge component of surgical procedures for undergraduate students. E-learning can be made more effective by adding formative assessment. Combining surgical e-learning module with operation theatre posting can enhance knowledge and understanding

Experimental studies on Macro fouling communities on net panels at marine cage farm of Karwar, India

A study was undertaken on the fouling pattern, monthly settlement and species dominance at marine cage culture during the year 2014-2015. The net panels deployed at three different depths during December 2014 and the study was carried out for seven months. The study revealed wide variations in colonization of the bio-foulers, the density varied between 2-260/cm2. The overall density was found to be more in bottom panels (6mt) compared to the top (1mt) and middle panels (3mt). The overall dominant species were hydroids and barnacles throughout the culture period. In the top panels, hydroids were dominant (91.67%) during December, followed by barnacles and amphipods. Additionally, complete dominance of barnacles was observed in the middle panel during May. Barnacles were found dominant (93.75%) on the bottom panels during March, followed by hydroids and crabs. The study underscored that barnacles formed a major contribution of the fouling organisms throughout the culture period. Significant variation in the occurrence and abundance of fouling organisms was observed, between the depths at cage sit

Evaluation of complications of abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy

Background: Hysterectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed by the gynaecologist.  It can be performed by vaginal and abdominal route. Gynaecologic surgeons worldwide continue to use the abdominal approach for a large majority of hysterectomies that could be performed vaginally despite well-documented evidence that vaginal hysterectomy has better outcome. Aim of our study is to compare vaginal route versus abdominal route of hysterectomy in terms of intra operative and post operative complications.Methods: A retrospective study was done in 229 women who had undergone hysterectomy (176 abdominal hysterectomies and 53 vaginal hysterectomies) from January 2010 to July 2012. Information on the indications, operative procedures, and complications were extracted and analysed.Results: The mean duration of surgery in VH group was 79.6 min and that of TAH group was 99.2 min. The mean blood loss was also more in case of TAH group than that of VH group (215ml vs. 167ml). Bladder injury occurred in 1 case in VH (1.9%) and in 4 cases in TAH (2.3%). Ureter injury occurred in 1(0.6%) case in TAH group. Wound infection developed in 10 cases of TAH group whereas only one case in VH group developed vault infection.Conclusions: Vaginal hysterectomy is associated with quicker recovery, early mobilization, shorter hospitalization, less operative and post operative morbidity when compared to abdominal hysterectomy

Cobia culture in low volume cages in coastal waters of Uttara Kannada, Karnataka

Cobia, Rachycentron canadum is a marine finfish globally favoured for aquaculture. In India, cage culture of cobia was first reported by ICAR-CMFRI in 2013 with better growth rate recorded under conditions of higher salinities (Philipose et al.2013). The present report is on the growth and production of cobia, Rachycentron canadum in Gangavali estuary (14o 61’ 225’’ N and 74 o35’726’’E) of coastal Karnataka during the period 2018-19

Apocyclops cmfri sp. nov. (Cyclopoda : Cyclopoida : Cyclopidae), a new copepod species from Arabian Sea off Karwar, Karnataka, India

A new species of Apocyclops Lindberg (Cyclopoda: Cyclopoida: Cyclopidae) is described based on specimens collected from marine waters of Karwar, Karnataka, India. At present, there are 11 valid and accepted species excluding one extinct species (fossil) in this genus which are widely distributed in fresh and brackishwater areas in the tropics and subtropics. Five valid species of Apocyclops are reported from the Asian region, including two species from India. The new species is closer to the previously reported Indian species, A. royi (Lindberg) and A. dengizicus dengizicus (Lepeshkin). Apocyclops cmfri sp. nov. differs from these in the size of caudal rami, in the characteristic shape of disto-medial part of coxa and basis of first to fourth pleopods (P1-P4) and in the presence of a single broad spinous expansion with a pointed tip in between exopod and endopod in basis of P1 to P4. Only one terminal spine is present in the second segment of endopod of P1. In P2 to P4, both exopod and endopod terminate in a spine and a seta of almost equal size. Maxillule highly dentate and maxilla basis form a large dentate claw with inner serration. All these characters form distinct identification features of the new species in comparison with the 12 accepted species under the genus. A key to all the species of the genus including the newly described species is proposed here. Molecular identification of the new species was carried out by mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 (CO1) gene sequencing and the sequence was submitted to NCBI, GenBank. Genetic differentiation and divergence between A. cmfri sp. nov. and species belonging to other closely related genera; Thermocyclops, Mesocyclops and Eucyclops were compared using CO1 gene sequences. The new species belonging to Apocyclops showed significant divergence from Apocyclops borneoensis with K2P value of 10.2% and from species under the genera Mesocyclops, Thermocyclops and Eucyclops with K2P values of 26.6, 27.5and 34.9% respectively

Intestinal Mucosal Alterations in Rats With Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Cirrhosis: Changes in Glycosylation and Luminal Bacteria

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is a major cause of mortality after liver cirrhosis. Altered permeability of the mucosa and deficiencies in host immune defenses through bacterial translocation from the intestine due to intestinal bacterial overgrowth have been implicated in the development of this complication. Molecular mechanisms underlying the process are not well known. In order to understand mechanisms involved in translocation of bacteria, this study explored the role of oxidative stress in mediating changes in intestinal mucosal glycosylation and luminal bacterial content during cirrhosis. CCl4-induced cirrhosis in rats led to prolonged oxidative stress in the intestine, accompanied by increased sugar content of both intestinal brush border and surfactant layers. This was accompanied by changes in bacterial flora in the gut, which showed increased hydrophobicity and adherence to the mucosa. Inhibition of xanthine oxidase using sodium tungstate or antioxidant supplementation using vitamin E reversed the oxidative stress, changes in brush border membrane sugar content, and bacterial adherence. In conclusion, oxidative stress in the intestine during cirrhosis alters mucosal glycosylation, accompanied by an increased hydrophobicity of luminal bacteria, enabling increased bacterial adherence onto epithelial cells. This might facilitate translocation across the mucosa, resulting in complications such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Intestinal mucosal alterations in rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis: changes in glycosylation and luminal bacteria

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is a major cause of mortality after liver cirrhosis. Altered permeability of the mucosa and deficiencies in host immune defenses through bacterial translocation from the intestine due to intestinal bacterial overgrowth have been implicated in the development of this complication. Molecular mechanisms underlying the process are not well known. In order to understand mechanisms involved in translocation of bacteria, this study explored the role of oxidative stress in mediating changes in intestinal mucosal glycosylation and luminal bacterial content during cirrhosis. CCl4-induced cirrhosis in rats led to prolonged oxidative stress in the intestine, accompanied by increased sugar content of both intestinal brush border and surfactant layers. This was accompanied by changes in bacterial flora in the gut, which showed increased hydrophobicity and adherence to the mucosa. Inhibition of xanthine oxidase using sodium tungstate or antioxidant supplementation using vitamin E reversed the oxidative stress, changes in brush border membrane sugar content, and bacterial adherence. In conclusion, oxidative stress in the intestine during cirrhosis alters mucosal glycosylation, accompanied by an increased hydrophobicity of luminal bacteria, enabling increased bacterial adherence onto epithelial cells. This might facilitate translocation across the mucosa, resulting in complications such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Argulus quadristriatus infestation in cage cultured Asian seabass

In Indian waters, genus Netuma is represented by two species namely N. bilineata and N. thalassina (Order: Siluriformes, Family: Ariidae). Rounded shout, thin lips, inconspicuous median longitudinal groove, and higher anal fin ray count (16-19) are characters of N. bilineata while N. thalassina has conical snout, clearly visible median longitudinal groove and lower anal fin ray count (13-15). Prior to the erection of N. bilineata (earlier considered as synonym of N. thalassina) as valid species, Indian workers had difference of opinion regarding the representation of species under this genus from Indian waters