Perception of sex workers of Lucknow City, Uttar Pradesh, India towards sexually transmitted infections

The prevention, control, and management of sexually transmitted infections/reproductive tract infection (STI/RTI) are well-recognized cost-effective strategies for controlling the spread of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). A cross-sectional descriptive study was done over a period of 1 year to assess the prevalence of STI, knowledge level about STI, and the STI-HIV link among the female sex workers (FSWs) of Lucknow city, Uttar Pradesh, India along with their biosocial characteristics. Most of the FSWs were illiterate, married, Hindus, and belonged to general category. The prevalence rates of STI among street-based and home-based FSWs were 50.6% and 29.8%, respectively. Knowledge about the role of condom in prevention of STI and the STI-HIV link was significantly less among home-based FSWs than those who are street-based. There is a great lack in the awareness among FSWs regarding STI and their prevention. Behavior change communication (BCC) and advocacy strategy were developed, especially for the home-based group, to strengthen their knowledge regarding the STI-HIV link

The prevalence of new onset diabetes mellitus after renal transplantation in patients with immediate posttransplant hyperglycemia in a tertiary care centre

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of immediate posttransplant hyperglycemia and new onset diabetes after renal transplantation (NODAT). It also aims at answering whether posttransplant hyperglycemia per se is a risk factor for future development of NODAT. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted among patients undergoing kidney transplantation under a single surgical unit in a tertiary care hospital in the past 5 years. All known patients with diabetes were excluded from the study. Immediate postoperative hyperglycemia was defined as random blood sugar (RBS) ≥200 mg/dl or requirement of insulin. NODAT was defined as fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dl or RBS ≥200 mg/dl or if the patient is receiving therapy for glycemic control at 6 weeks or 3 months posttransplantation. Results: The study population included 191 patients. The overall prevalence of posttransplant hyperglycemia and NODAT was 31.4% and 26.7%, respectively. NODAT developed in 28 patients (46.7%) of those who had posttransplant hyperglycemia. Thus, posttransplant hyperglycemia was associated with a fourfold increased risk of NODAT (P = 0.000). Posttransplant hyperglycemia was associated with increased infections (P = 0.04) and prolonged hospital stay (P = 0.0001). Increased age was a significant risk factor for NODAT (P = 0.000), whereas gender, acute rejection episodes, cadaveric transplant, hepatitis C virus status, human leukocyte antigen mismatch, and high calcineurin levels were not significantly associated with the future development of NODAT. Conclusion: The significant risk of NODAT posed by posttransplant hyperglycemia makes it prudent to follow up these patients more diligently in a resource-limited setting wherein routine monitoring in all patients is cumbersome

Enhancing protein stability by adsorption onto raftlike lipid domains

We demonstrate that the stability of adsorbed proteins can be enhanced by controlling the heterogeneity of the surface—by creating raftlike domains in a soft liposomal membrane. Recent work has shown that enzymes adsorbed onto highly curved nanoscale supports can be more stable than those adsorbed on flat surfaces with nominally the same chemical structure. This effect has been attributed to a decrease in lateral interenzyme interactions on a curved surface. Exploiting this idea, we asked if adsorbing enzymes onto “patchy” surfaces composed of adsorbing and nonadsorbing regions can be used to reduce lateral interactions even on relatively flat surfaces. We demonstrate that creating domains on which an enzyme can adsorb enhances the stability of that enzyme under denaturing conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the size of these domains has a considerable effect on the degree of stability imparted by adsorption. Such biomimetic raft-inspired systems may find use in applications ranging from biorecognition to the design of novel strategies for the separation of biomolecules and controlling the interaction of multicomponent membrane-bound enzymes

A Prospective Study Comparing Quality of Life after Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy versus Open Donor Nephrectomy

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) has advantages over open donor nephrectomy (ODN), with less bleeding and pain, and earlier discharge. However, the quality of life (QOL) has not been compared between these techniques. All consecutive donors undergoing left LDN or ODN from 2013 to 2015 at our center were included. The donors' QOL was measured with the brief World Health Organization QOL (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaires preoperatively and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Cosmesis was measured by the body image questionnaire, and patient satisfaction was scored on a verbal rating scale at 3 and 6 months. Of the 264 donors, 228 met the inclusion criteria (100 – LDN and 128 – ODN). The LDN group showed no difference in WHOQOL-BREF scores at 3 months, and significant improvements in the psychological and social domains at 6 months versus the baseline. The ODN group showed a significant decrease in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains at 3 and 6 months versus the baseline. Compared with the ODN group, the LDN group had better QOL scores at 3 and 6 months in all domains. The responses to the HADS questionnaire were similar between the groups at all time points. The mean body image, cosmesis, and satisfaction scores were significantly better in the LDN group. LDN minimized the negative effects of surgery on the donors' QOL, with improvements in the long-term psychological and social aspects versus the baseline. LDN was more cosmetic and was associated with higher satisfaction than ODN

A prospective randomised controlled trial comparing chronic groin pain and quality of life in lightweight versus heavyweight polypropylene mesh in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair

Background: The aim of our study was to compare chronic groin pain and quality of life (QOL) after laparoscopic lightweight (LW) and heavyweight (HW) mesh repair for groin hernia. Materials and Methods: One hundred and forty adult patients with uncomplicated inguinal hernia were randomised into HW mesh group or LW mesh group. Return to activity, chronic groin pain and recurrence rates were assessed. Short form-36 v2 health survey was used for QOL analysis. Results: One hundred and thirty-one completed follow-up of 3 months, 66 in HW mesh group and 65 in LW mesh group. Early post-operative convalescence was better in LW mesh group in terms of early return to walking (P = 0.01) and driving (P = 0.05). The incidence of early post-operative pain, chronic groin pain and QOL and recurrences were comparable. Conclusion: Outcomes following laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair using HW and LW mesh are comparable in the short-term as well as long-term