PREVALENCE OF VITAMIN D/B12 DEFICIENCY AMONG URBAN POPULATIONS COMPLAINING PAIN OF LOWER LIMB AND GENERALIZE WEAKNESS

Objective: The current study was carried out to assess the prevalence of vitamin D/B12 deficiency among urban populations complaining pain oflower limb and generalize weakness.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 188 men and women of different age who attended private tertiary care hospital forthe complaint of pain in lower limb and have generalize weakness. A brief questionnaire was designed to obtain the information such as age, type ofdiet, outdoor physical exercise and intake of alcohol or smoke. Blood samples were collected for vitamin D and B12 analysis.Results: The majority (57.4%) of the participants had vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (< 20 ng/ml) and 48.4 % of subjects had vitamin B12deficiency (< 198 pg/ml). In our results the prevalence of both vitamin D/B12 deficiencies appears to increase with the age. Risk factors such as age,diet and smoke (cigarette consumption) were significantly associated with vitamin D/B12 deficiency (p=0.001). Unlike vitamin B12, outdoor physicalexercise was significantly associated with vitamin D status (p=0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study report high prevalence of vitamin D/B12 deficiencies among urban populations complaining pain of lower limband have generalize weakness. A vegetarian diet, cigarette smoking seems a strong risk factor for vitamin D/B12 deficiencies. Our study emphasizesthe need of regular monitoring of these two micronutrient status so that appropriate intervention programs can be implemented to address thisproblemKeywords: Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, India

EVALUATION OF KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES OF VITAMIN D AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS SUNLIGHT AMONG INDIAN STUDENTS

ABSTRACTObjective: The current study was carried out to assess the knowledge, practice of Vitamin D and attitudes toward sunlight exposure among Indianstudents.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on students, studying in Amity University, Noida, India. A pre-designed and self-administeredquestionnaire was given to all students to collect the information regarding their knowledge about Vitamin D.Results: Almost all (99.5%) students had heard of Vitamin D. The majority of students (53.3%) indicated that sunlight as the main source of Vitamin D,however, knowledge in terms of required daily dose and time in the sun were low among students. Despite having awareness regarding the mainsource of Vitamin D, 64.2% students did not like going in the sun and percentage (%) of female students who disliked being exposed in the sun weresignificantly higher (71.1% and 51.6%, respectively; p=0.000). Moreover, female students were a frequent user of sunscreen, applied sunscreen inboth summer and winter seasons (47.2% females vs. 37% males; p=0.000). No significant associations were found for the factors, associated with theknowledge of Vitamin D such as the use of sunscreen and hours per day outdoor.Conclusion: The findings of this survey show a lack of consistency between knowledge and attitude, negative approach toward sunlight exposuremay severely affect the Vitamin D status of young students. Implementing awareness campaigns and future health programs such as a workshop ortraining at the college level may help in building more awareness and knowledge about the Vitamin D importance.Keywords: Vitamin D, Sun exposure, Knowledge.Â

A bizarre highly vascular tumor with alarming presentation: a diagnostic dilemma

An exceedingly rare, highly vascular tumor with atypical and alarming presentation posed diagnostic and management challenges. A 29 years old lady, complained of abdominal and pelvic pain, nausea, vomiting and repeated spells of fainting attacks following the jumping episode (2-3 times). Emergency admission and investigations at United States of America (USA) revealed a large, complex, highly vascular, irregular mass displaying finger like projections, filling the lower abdomen, pelvis and large amount of intra peritoneal bleed. A provisional diagnosis of arteriovenous malformation (AVM), arteriovenous fistula (AVF), and rupture/leak was made. Uterine artery angiography (UAA), preoperative embolization and possibility of hysterectomy as a life saving measure were suggested, to which the couple declined and got discharged. To save uterus and fertility they presented to us for second opinion and further management. Angiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and preoperative uterine artery embolization were done followed by exploratory laparotomy which revealed hemoperitoneum and a large weird looking vascular tumor (a veil of sea weeds/dark purple nodules of various sizes resembling cotyledons of placenta). Intra-operative tissue analysis (frozen section) suggested benign pathology. Mass was removed completely and fertility sparing surgery was undertaken. Histopathological diagnosis was cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma (CDL). No recurrence/metastasis has been observed on follow up of 5 years

Performance Enhancement of DS-CDMA System using Extended BPSK Modulation Scheme

In a last few decades there has been tremendous growth and a drastic rise in wireless communication technologies. The major issue that the world is facing today with the advent of so many sophisticated wireless communication devices is efficient utilization of the spectrum. Spectrum efficiency comes together with a tradeoff factor of energy consumption. Thus, the need of the hour is an energy and bandwidth efficient technique. DS-CDMA is one of the competitive and most investigated technique in wireless communication which caters the large demand at the same time with limited bandwidth. Existing modulation techniques does not promise to provide better performance in case of higher noise. Therefore, one looks for a better BER stipulated modulation format to improve and enhance the performance of the system. This article revisits conventional Binary phase shift keying method and compares its performance in terms of BER with a special Extended Binary Phase Shift Keying (EBPSK) modulation format for a DS- CDMA system. EBPSK scheme is flexible and simple which is easily integrated in a network and assures improved and enhanced performance

Spectrum of vulvar lesions: a clinicopathologic study of 170 cases

Background: A wide range lesions may occur in the vulvar region. The clinician is often confronted with the challenge to draw a distinction between normal variants, benign entities and a potentially serious pathology. The aim of the present study is to have an insight into the diverse morphologic spectrum of vulvar lesions.Methods: The present retrospective study was carried out by compiling the data from archival records over a period of eight years from January 2005 to December 2012. The vulvar biopsies/vulvectomy specimens were studied for histomorphological features. The lesions were categorized as non neoplastic, neoplastic and inconclusive; neoplastic ones were further divided into benign, malignant and premalignant.Results: The age of the women ranged from 6 to 80 years (mean 38.2±6.4) with the maximum number of patients between 31 to 40 years of age. Most common clinical presentation was itching and white plaque on the vulva (85 cases; 50%). The commonest site of vulval lesions was labia majora (87 cases, 51.18%). Non neoplastic lesions were more common (n = 94; 55.29%) than the neoplastic lesions (n =50; 29.41%). There were 23 (46%) benign lesions while 27 cases (54%) were malignant or premalignant ones. In 26 cases, no definitive histologic diagnosis could be rendered.Conclusion: Early recognition of vulvar lesions and a prompt biopsy diagnosis for all lesions with suspicious changes is of great significance. The term leukoplakia is imprecise and should be replaced by a precise histological description

Effect of weekly vitamin D supplements on mortality, morbidity, and growth of low birthweight term infants in India up to age 6 months: randomised controlled trial

Objective To investigate whether vitamin D supplementation can decrease the mortality and morbidity of low birthweight infants in low income countries

Armodafinil improves wakefulness and long-term episodic memory in nCPAP-adherent patients with excessive sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea

Residual excessive sleepiness (ES) and impaired cognition can occur despite effective and regular nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) therapy in some patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A pooled analysis of two 12-week, randomized, double-blind studies in nCPAP-adherent patients with ES associated with OSA evaluated the effect of armodafinil on wakefulness and cognition. Three hundred and ninety-one patients received armodafinil (150 or 250 mg) and 260 patients received placebo once daily for 12 weeks. Efficacy assessments included the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), Cognitive Drug Research cognitive performance battery, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Brief Fatigue Inventory. Adverse events were monitored. Armodafinil increased mean MWT sleep latency from baseline to final visit by 2.0 min vs a decrease of 1.5 min with placebo (P < 0.0001). Compared with placebo, armodafinil significantly improved quality of episodic secondary memory (P < 0.05) and patients’ ability to engage in activities of daily living (P < 0.0001) and reduced fatigue (P < 0.01). The most common adverse events were headache, nausea, and insomnia. Armodafinil did not adversely affect desired nighttime sleep, and nCPAP use remained high (approximately 7 h/night). Adjunct treatment with armodafinil significantly improved wakefulness, long-term memory, and patients’ ability to engage in activities of daily living in nCPAP-adherent individuals with ES associated with OSA. Armodafinil also reduced patient-reported fatigue and was well tolerated

The Numbers Behind Mushroom Biodiversity

Fungi are among the most diverse groups of organisms on Earth. with a global diversity estimated at 0.8 million to 5.1 million species. They play fundamental ecological roles as decomposers, mutualists, and pathogens, growing in almost all habitats and being important as sources of food and health benefits, income, and to maintain forest health. Global assessment of wild edible fungi indicate the existence of 2327 useful wild species; 2166 edible and 1069 used as food; 470 medicinal species. Several million tonnes are collected, consumed, and sold each year in over 80 countries. The major mushroom-producing countries in 2012 were China, Italy, USA, and The Netherlands, with 80% of the world production, 64% of which came from China. The European Union produces 24% of the world production. Italy is the largest European producer, Poland is the largest exporter, UK the largest importer.Fungi are difficult to preserve and fossilize and due to the poor preservation of most fungal structures, it has been difficult to interpret the fossil record of fungi. Hyphae, the vegetative bodies of fungi, bear few distinctive morphological characteristicss, and organisms as diverse as cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algal groups, and oomycetes can easily be mistaken for them (Taylor & Taylor 1993). Fossils provide minimum ages for divergences and genetic lineages can be much older than even the oldest fossil representative found. According to Berbee and Taylor (2010), molecular clocks (conversion of molecular changes into geological time) calibrated by fossils are the only available tools to estimate timing of evolutionary events in fossil‐poor groups, such as fungi. The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiotic fungi from the division Glomeromycota, generally accepted as the phylogenetic sister clade to the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, have left the most ancient fossils in the Rhynie Chert of Aberdeenshire in the north of Scotland (400 million years old). The Glomeromycota and several other fungi have been found associated with the preserved tissues of early vascular plants (Taylor et al. 2004a). Fossil spores from these shallow marine sediments from the Ordovician that closely resemble Glomeromycota spores and finely branched hyphae arbuscules within plant cells were clearly preserved in cells of stems of a 400 Ma primitive land plant, Aglaophyton, from Rhynie chert 455–460 Ma in age (Redecker et al. 2000; Remy et al. 1994) and from roots from the Triassic (250–199 Ma) (Berbee & Taylor 2010; Stubblefield et al. 1987).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

DCal installation

Installation of DCal modules in the ALICE cavern at Point