CIFKAS A Measurer of Functional Disability Status in Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) results in structural and functional abnormalities and reduced functional performance abilities. In developing countries majority of population lives in rural areas having limited resources and socio-cultural biodiversity. Their personal, socio-cultural and occupational habits vary and need to be addressed. So a culturally relevant and contextually appropriate, Composite Indian Functional Knee Assessment Scale (CIFKAS) for measuring the functional status in knee osteoarthritis was formulated. 128 participants from various geographical regions of India of age range 40 to 60 years using convenient sampling were included and informed consent signed by the participants. Each participant was assigned to one of the two groups. 39 participants in group A reported no episode of knee pain while 89 participants in group B reported at least one episode of knee pain in the last two months. Each participant was assessed on Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and CIFKAS and statistical analysis was done. The Pearson correlation coefficient calculated for all 128 subjects for pain, physical functional abilities and total functional disability score were 0.878, 0.925 and 0.945 respectively. Between group analysis was done using Independent t test and p value was found to be not significant for pain (≤178), highly significant for physical functional abilities (p≤0001) and very significant for total functional disability status score (p≤004). The results indicate that both WOMAC and CIFKAS are highly correlated and there is no difference between the two for measuring pain, but for functional ability and overall functional disability status within their functional context, CIFKAS is a better tool than WOMAC.KEYWORDS: Knee osteoarthritis; Functional disability; Socio-cultural biodiversities; Functional contextInternet Journal of Medical Update 2012 January;7(1):47-5

Comparison of post placental IUD with interval IUD

Background: Generally IUD is being used as an interval method of contraception in our set up. This study was planned to compare the safety and efficacy of immediate post placental IUD and compare it with interval insertion in term of acceptance.Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of 150 cases of reproductive age group women wanting to use temporary method of contraception. The cases were divided in three groups-Gp1-Post Placental insertion following normal vaginal delivery, Gp2-post placental insertion intra ceserean, Gp3 -Interval IUD. All were called for follow up at 6wks, 3mths and 6mths after insertion. Statistical analysis was done by Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test.Results: Various sociodemographic factors were comparable between these 3 groups. IUCD expulsion rate was highest in post vaginal delivery group(12%) as compared to intraceserean (0%) & interval CuT(6%) which was statistically significant (p-0.037).where as other complications like excessive bleeding ,pain ,infection ,medical removal in post placental CuT were almost similar to that of interval CuT with no statistical significance (p-0.972). Neither pregnancy nor perforation reported in any of the groups.Conclusion: Among the post placental group of insertion, intraceserean IUD was having nil expulsion rate

Role of visual inspection of cervix with acetic acid and high risk human papilloma virus DNA testing in screening for cervical cancer

Background: To evaluate the role of VIA alone and in combination with high risk Human Papilloma virus DNA testing as a screening test for cervical dysplasia and cancer.Methods: 400 symptomatic patients from the gynecology outpatient department were screened using Pap smear and VIA. HPV DNA testing was done for 62 VIA positive and 100 VIA negative women. Colposcopy was done for all women. Those found positive on any or all of the screening tests were subjected to cervical biopsy. The results were analysed for PAP, VIA, HPV and a combined test using VIA and HPV both.Results: VIA had the highest sensitivity (91%) to detect any grade of dysplasia. The sensitivity of the combination test (VIA + HPV) was 80.6% which was lower than that of VIA (91%) and also lower than that of HR HPV DNA detection (86%). The specificity of the combination test (VIA + HPV) was 68.3 % which was significantly higher than that of VIA alone (39%) (p = 0.000) and also higher than that for HPV DNA detection when used alone (56%). Pap smear had the highest specificity (95.12 %) but sensitivity was much lower at 52.7 %.Conclusions: VIA is a highly sensitive screening test. The main disadvantage is its low specificity. However the combination test of VIA + HR HPV testing overcomes this and at the same time maintains a high sensitivity. Thus a test which combines VIA plus HR HPV testing is better screening method than either of the three tests (VIA, HPV, PAP) done alone

Hypervalent iodine mediated synthesis of the heterocyclyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles

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Resistance Status of the Malaria Vector Mosquitoes, Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles subpictus Towards Adulticides and Larvicides in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas of India

Susceptibility studies of malaria vectors Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera: Culicidae) and An. subpictus Grassi collected during 2004–2007 from various locations of Arid and Semi-Arid Zone of India were conducted by adulticide bioassay of DDT, malathion, deltamethrin and larvicide bioassay of fenthion, temephos, chlorpyriphos and malathion using diagnostic doses. Both species from all locations exhibited variable resistance to DDT and malathion from majority of location. Adults of both the species were susceptible to Deltamethrin. Larvae of both the Anopheline species showed some evidence of resistance to chlorpyriphos followed by fenthion whereas susceptible to temephos and malathion

Multiple novel prostate cancer susceptibility signals identified by fine-mapping of known risk loci among Europeans

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous common prostate cancer (PrCa) susceptibility loci. We have fine-mapped 64 GWAS regions known at the conclusion of the iCOGS study using large-scale genotyping and imputation in 25 723 PrCa cases and 26 274 controls of European ancestry. We detected evidence for multiple independent signals at 16 regions, 12 of which contained additional newly identified significant associations. A single signal comprising a spectrum of correlated variation was observed at 39 regions; 35 of which are now described by a novel more significantly associated lead SNP, while the originally reported variant remained as the lead SNP only in 4 regions. We also confirmed two association signals in Europeans that had been previously reported only in East-Asian GWAS. Based on statistical evidence and linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure, we have curated and narrowed down the list of the most likely candidate causal variants for each region. Functional annotation using data from ENCODE filtered for PrCa cell lines and eQTL analysis demonstrated significant enrichment for overlap with bio-features within this set. By incorporating the novel risk variants identified here alongside the refined data for existing association signals, we estimate that these loci now explain ∼38.9% of the familial relative risk of PrCa, an 8.9% improvement over the previously reported GWAS tag SNPs. This suggests that a significant fraction of the heritability of PrCa may have been hidden during the discovery phase of GWAS, in particular due to the presence of multiple independent signals within the same regio

Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in a UK university identifies dynamics of transmission

AbstractUnderstanding SARS-CoV-2 transmission in higher education settings is important to limit spread between students, and into at-risk populations. In this study, we sequenced 482 SARS-CoV-2 isolates from the University of Cambridge from 5 October to 6 December 2020. We perform a detailed phylogenetic comparison with 972 isolates from the surrounding community, complemented with epidemiological and contact tracing data, to determine transmission dynamics. We observe limited viral introductions into the university; the majority of student cases were linked to a single genetic cluster, likely following social gatherings at a venue outside the university. We identify considerable onward transmission associated with student accommodation and courses; this was effectively contained using local infection control measures and following a national lockdown. Transmission clusters were largely segregated within the university or the community. Our study highlights key determinants of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and effective interventions in a higher education setting that will inform public health policy during pandemics.</jats:p

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundDisorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.MethodsWe estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined.FindingsGlobally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer.InterpretationAs the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed