Study on awareness of human papillomavirus vaccine

Background: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in India. Despite the various interventions, prevention is always better than cure. vaccination is the most effective way of preventing it. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice related to HPV vaccination among adolescents and reproductive age women.Methods: The data collected were used for the study. It was a community based cross sectional study involving 201 women as study participants who attended the obstetrics and gynecology department of Saveetha Medical College Hospital during the period of January 2022-March 2022 using a pretested, semi structured questionnaire tool.Results: Among the study population, 64.7% had knowledge about cervical cancer and 62.2% knew about vaccines and their effects. More than 60% of the study population were willing to get vaccinated.Conclusions: As a primordial prevention, we should create awareness among young population to get vaccinated against HPV, and sexually active women to take pap smear. This will prevent the incidence of cervical cancer in India

Source localization in shallow ocean using a vertical array of acoustic vector sensors

This paper introduces a new approach to 3D localisation of a narrowband acoustic source in a shallow ocean using acoustic vector sensors (AVS). Assuming a horizontally stratified and range-independent model of the ocean, it is shown that the azimuth of the source can be determined from the estimates of the horizontal components of the acoustic intensity vector obtained from the measurements of an AVS. The range and depth of the source could then be estimated through a 2D search to match the computed complex acoustic intensity vector expressed as a function of these parameters with its estimate obtained from the AVS measurements. However the search in range is computationally intensive as the range parameter is unbounded. We propose an alternative approach employing a vertical array of AVS, based on eigen-decomposition of the spatial correlation matrix of the data vector, leading to a closed form solution for the range parameter. The source depth is then estimated through a 1D search of this bounded parameter

Molecular phylogeny of silkmoths reveals the origin of domesticated silkmoth, Bombyx mori from chinese Bombyx mandarina and paternal inheritance of Antheraea proylei mitochondrial DNA

Molecular phylogeny of some of the economically important silkmoths was derived using three mitochondrial genes, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and COI, and the control region (CR). Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses showed two distinct clades, one consisting of moths from Bombycidae family and the other from Saturniidae family. The mitochondrial CR showed length polymorphisms with indels. The ML analyses for complete mitochondrial genome sequences of Bombyx mori (strains Aojuku, C108, Backokjam, and Xiafang), Japanese and Chinese strains of B. mandarina (Japanese mandarina and Chinese mandarina) and, Antheraea pernyi revealed two distinct clades, one comprising of B. mori strains and the other with B. mandarina, and A. pernyi forming an outgroup. Pairwise distances revealed that all of the strains of B. mori studied are closer to Chinese than to Japanese mandarina. Phylogenetic analyses based on whole mitochondrial genome sequences, the finding of a tandem triplication of a 126 bp repeat element only in Japanese mandarina, and chromosome number variation in B. mandarina suggest that B. mori must have shared its recent common ancestor with Chinese mandarina. Another wild species of the Bombycidae family, Theophila religiosa, whose phylogenetic status was not clear, clustered together with the other bombycid moths in the study. Analysis of the interspecific hybrid, A. proylei gave evidence for paternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA

Microsatellite markers for the Indian golden silkmoth, Antheraea assama (Saturniidae: Lepidoptera)

Antheraea assama, an economically important and scientifically unexplored Indian wild silkmoth, is unique among saturniid moths. For this species, a total of 87 microsatellite markers was derived from 35 000 expressed sequence tags and a microsatellite-enriched sub-genomic library. Forty individuals collected from Tura and West Garo Hills region of Northeast India were screened for each of these loci. Ten loci from expressed sequence tags and one from genomic library were found to be polymorphic. These microsatellite markers will be useful resources for population genetic studies of A. assama and other closely related species of saturniids. This is the first report on development of microsatellite markers for any saturniid species

Evaluation of the performance of gum guar varieties in north eastern Karnataka, India

The climatic situation in north eastern parts of Karnataka (except Bidar district) is almost similar to that of Rajastan. There is considerable area under rainfed situations and guar being a highly drought and temperature tolerant summer annual legume crop, there is hope for guar as an alternate and contingent crop during drought year in this region. With this objective effort were made to introduce, evaluate and to identify suitable gum guar varieties for North eastern parts of Karnataka. Ten gum guar varieties developed, released and cultivated in Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat state were evaluated in Agricultural Research Stations (ARS) located in Bidar, Gulbarga, Yadgiri, Bellary and Raichur districts of Karnataka during Kharif 2013-14. At Bidar, the top entry with respect to yield was HG-884 (679.00 Kg/ Ha), Variety RGC-1031 (793.00 Kg/Ha) performed well with respect to seed yield in Gulbarga district. Genotypes GAUG-13 (614.00 Kg/Ha) and RGC-986 (501.00 Kg/Ha) recorded higher seed yield respectively, in Bellary and Yadgiri district. At Raichur GAUG-13, recorded highest seed yield of 1432.00 Kg/Ha. Over the locations genotype GAUG-13 recorded highest seed yield of 759.00 Kg/Ha followed by HG-884 (700.40 Kg/Ha) and RGC-986 (696.60 Kg/Ha). The varieties tested exhibited considerable significance differences among themselves at four locations, except at one location (Agricultural Research Station, Bheemarayanagudi, Yadgir district). Variety GAUG-13, recorded highest seed yield over three locations indicating its wider adaptability

Broadband Passive Sonar Signal Simulation in Shallow Ocean

The broadband plane wave model is valid only in the far-field of a point source under free-field propagating conditions. However the acoustics in ocean is characterized by multi-modal acoustic propagation due to its top-bottom limited boundary conditions. The effect of multi-modal field is to alter the source spectrum while the effect of dispersion is to modify the pulse shape. Moreover the use of a plane wave beamformer in a multi-modal field leads to a bias in the bearing estimates. These effects are highly dependant on the environment parameters and have important ramifications for target localization and classification in an ocean waveguide. We propose a more realistic simulator which essentially models these effects and therefore serves to provide test signals for first hand verification of signal processing algorithms to be developed for such scenarios. This model is to be understood as a better model than the naïve plane wave model which is entirely oblivious of even the gross features such as wave propagation in an oceanic waveguide. The channel parameter so estimated from the present simulation can be convolved with the radiated noise spectra of the source to generate the passive sonar signal.Defence Science Journal, 2011, 61(4), pp.370-376, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.61.8

Pyogenic Granuloma in a Patient of Sturge-Weber Syndrome with Bilateral Port Wine Stain- A Rare Case Report

Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) also known as encephalotrigeminal angiomatosis. It is a neurocutaneous syndrome, characterized by a facial vascular birthmark and neurological abnormalities. An ipsilateral or bilateral facial cutaneous vascular malformation Port Wine Stain (PWS) usually affects the upper face. Other clinical manifestations are seizures, glaucoma, hemiparesis, mental retardation and delayed developmental milestones. The main objective of this case report is to unravel such a rarest syndrome with bilateral port-wine stain, which has intraoral manifestation of pyogenic granuloma involving gingiva in an 11 year old boy

Pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV individuals: Preliminary report on clinical features and response to treatment

Objectives: To study the clinical, radiological and immunological profile of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV infected patients and assess the response to short-course chemotherapy regimens. Methods: Seventy eight patients (68 males and 10 females) with HIV infection and having symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis attending the Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine, Tambaram or the Tuberculosis Research Centre, Chennai were studied. The diagnosis of tuberculosis was based on clinical evaluation, bacteriological examination including sputum smear and culture and chest skiagram. HIV diagnosis was based on two tests (rapid/ELISA), detecting different antigens. CD4+ T cell counts were done on all patients initially and at the end of treatment. Blood tests and skiagrams were repeated at 2 months and at the end of treatment. All the patients were treated with standard (RNTCP) short course regimens. Patients were given all the doses under supervision during the initial intensive phase and through community DOTS providers in the continuation phase. Results: Sixty five patients had culture confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis, of whom 54 had smear positive disease, initially. The radiological manifestations were varied, with 11 subjects having miliary tuberculosis, 54 with non-homogeneous opacities and 10 with cavitation. The mean CD4 cell count at intake was 192 ± 172 cells/cumm. Patients showed good initial response to treatment with significant weight gain. At the end of 2 months of treatment, 91% of patients had sputum cultures negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, the CD4 % fell significantly by the sixth month. The study is being continued to assess the long-term response to SCC of patients with HIV and tuberculosis. Conclusions: Tuberculosis has a varied clinical presentation in patients with HIV infection. The spectrum of radiographic features ranges from normal to a miliary pattern. Inspite of clinical and bacteriological improvement during treatment, immunologic deterioration may continue

Genetic diversity and population structure of Indian golden silkmoth (Antheraea assama)

Background The Indian golden saturniid silkmoth (Antheraea assama), popularly known as muga silkmoth, is a semi-domesticated silk producing insect confined to a narrow habitat range of the northeastern region of India. Owing to the prevailing socio-political problems, the muga silkworm habitats in the northeastern region have not been accessible hampering the phylogeography studies of this rare silkmoth. Recently, we have been successful in our attempt to collect muga cocoon samples, although to a limited extent, from their natural habitats. Out of 87 microsatellite markers developed previously for A. assama, 13 informative markers were employed to genotype 97 individuals from six populations and analyzed their population structure and genetic variation. Methodology/Principal Findings We observed highly significant genetic diversity in one of the populations (WWS-1, a population derived from West Garo Hills region of Meghalaya state). Further analysis with and without WWS-1 population revealed that dramatic genetic differentiation (global FST = 0.301) was due to high genetic diversity contributed by WWS-1 population. Analysis of the remaining five populations (excluding WWS-1) showed a marked reduction in the number of alleles at all the employed loci. Structure analysis showed the presence of only two clusters: one formed by WWS-1 population and the other included the remaining five populations, inferring that there is no significant genetic diversity within and between these five populations, and suggesting that these five populations are probably derived from a single population. Patterns of recent population bottlenecks were not evident in any of the six populations studied. Conclusions/Significance A. assama inhabiting the WWS-1 region revealed very high genetic diversity, and was genetically divergent from the five populations studied. The efforts should be continued to identify and study such populations from this region as well as other muga silkworm habitats. The information generated will be very useful in conservation of dwindling muga culture in Northeast India