A descriptive analysis of caesarean section rate in a tertiary care hospital according to Robson’s criteria

Background: There has been a rapid increase in rates of caesarean section (CS) in the past decade, leading to increased complications not only in the current pregnancy but also in subsequent pregnancies. Hence Robson’s ten group classification has been used to analyse the indications, scrutinize the rate of CS so that only obstetrically indicated CS are carried out.Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out for a period of 6 months from 1/7/2019 to 31/12/2019 at Silchar medical college and hospital. All the women ≥28 weeks who delivered during the said period were taken into account. The data was then regrouped according to Robson’s classification.Results: The overall CS rate in our study was 38.09%. Most of the women who underwent CS belonged to age group 20-24 years (49%). 43.26% were nullipara and 91.86% females were term. On analysis of CS according to Robson’s classification, it was observed that group 1 (35.14%) constituted the largest number of women. However, group CS rate was highest in group 9 (100%). Group 5 made the greatest relative (38.83%) as well as absolute contribution (14.79%). Fetal compromise seems to be the leading cause for primary CS.Conclusions: The CS rates in our study have been found to be comparatively higher as the hospital is a tertiary referral centre. Since the maximum contribution has been made by the previous CS group, the rate of primary CS should be reduced and more vaginal birth after CS may be encouraged

Livelihood Status and Health Condition of Waste Pickers in Sylhet City Corporation: A Study

Urban poor are engaged in waste picking in the city areas of Bangladesh, as it requires no skills and experience. Though several studies have been conducted on waste management, the livelihood of waste pickers remains unexplored. So, this study has been undertaken to investigate the livelihood and health status of the informal waste pickers living in the Sylhet City Corporation, Bangladesh using the five capitals of the sustainable livelihood framework. To achieve the study objectives, at first, purposively selected one hundred waste pickers were surveyed. Then, to substantiate quantitative data gathered by the survey, ten in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion (FGD) were conducted. This study found that the vulnerabilities of waste pickers in the city area are the consequences of their poor education and lack of skills, lower earnings, miserable living and working conditions, lower social status, and no access to social services. In addition, they face chronic injuries and occupational health risks, but they are not aware of this. As a result, they cannot maintain a standard of living by their efforts. So, Government and non-government organisations should recognise their contribution and take necessary steps for improving their livelihood and health status

Love, Hope and Despair of Pregnant Women Living in the Slum of Sylhet City Corporation: A Study

Pregnancy is a joyous but stressful phase in every woman’s life as it takes a ten-month-long journey. Support and caring attitude from family members and others, along with regular ante-natal treatment during pregnancy, is essential for every woman because it will protect the health of the unborn baby and future mother. However, in Bangladesh, patriarchal social structure and cultural components bring unequal treatment for women even when they feel sick. So, this qualitative study was conducted to explore the experiences of pregnant women living in the slum area of Sylhet city corporation, Bangladesh. Data were collected purposively from pregnant women during gestational weeks 36–38 who came for treatment at the Urban Primary Health Care Service Delivery Center of Shimantik (NGO). Ten in-depth interviews were conducted through a semi-structured interview schedule, and then collected data were thematically analysed. Data were presented under four themes: role of husband and family members during pregnancy, challenging circumstances within and outside of the family, the reason for the adverse social concern arising and the strategies employed to deal with the hostile condition. This study recommends that there should be a professional counsellor in every maternity health clinic, especially for pregnant women, with whom they can share their personal grief and sufferings

Gendered and Casteist Body: Cast(e)ing and Castigating the Female Body in select Bollywood Films

This study analyzes the lopsided relationship between gender and caste and the intertwining body politics in select Bollywood films. Bandit Queen (1994) and Article 15 (2019) are films that depict marginalized Dalit women—victims of (s)exploitation and twofold oppressions of graded patriarchy. Based upon real incidents, Bandit Queen tells the tale of Phoolan Devi who is gang-raped by the upper caste Thakur Shri Ram and his clans of the village while Article 15 takes recourse to the gruesome Badayun rape case of 2014 and presents the murder and possible rape of two lower caste young girls. In both the films, the marginalized women are imprisoned and ghettoized in the “mutual bracketing” (Guru 112) of caste and gender. Their bodies thus become the ploys of the power dynamics of a caste-ridden society. The body is to be captured, controlled, and incarcerated by both the apparatus of hegemonic masculinity and the hierarchical ladder of the caste system. Dalit women’s bodies are the territories that are to be possessed through the weapons of sexual violence; the gang rape “perpetrated by the conquerors is a metonymic celebration of territorial acquisition” (Spivak 303). Within the framework triad of caste studies, gender studies, and body politics studies, this paper investigates dynamics of power through a detailed analysis of the films and aims to point out whether and how the films make any differentiations from the real incidents. These films produce socially conscious visual landscapes directed at a society that horridly bears spectacular and brutal realities that are often swept under the rug

Findings from colposcopy and colposcopy directed biopsy in cervical precancerous lesions

Background: Pap smear test has been less successful in identifying those women with the highest risk for pre-malignant disease, so the patients with equivocal Pap smear would need further evaluation with colposcopy. Performing the colposcopy with more accuracy would result in better prognosis of pre-malignant lesions. However, performing a comparison with directed biopsy is required to obtain more definite results. The aim of this study was to determine colcoscopic findings in VIA positive cases.Methods: This observational study was conducted at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics in Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Chittagong from September 2014 to February 2015. A total 72 women of VIA positive cases attended at colposcopy clinic of CMCH were included in this study. These patients were selected nonrandomly according to inclusion criteria. All patients were sign a written informed consent before recruitment into the study. According to colposcopy diagnosis was done by Reid colposcopic index. All patients were undergone directed biopsy followed by histopathology. Data were collected under guidance and advice of the supervisor through a structured questionnaire.Results: Almost two-thirds of the cases were 30-39 years age group. Among the 72 cases the presentations were mainly excessive vaginal discharge 61.1%, dyspareunia 16.7%, post-coital bleeding 9.7% and abnormal inter-menstrual bleeding 12.5%. Colposcopically 90.3% had CIN and invasive lesions, while 9.7% was normal. Colposcopically directed punch biopsy revealed in 84.7% cases positive lesions and 15.3% had not any CIN or invasive lesions.Conclusions: This study demonstrated high accuracy. Sensitivity is lower in our studies, probably because biopsies were performed in all case

The Impacts of Biotechnology on Biodiversity in Global Health: A Case Study on Avian Influenza in Bangladesh

Biodiversity is the variability of between genetics, species, or ecosystems of living organisms within a specific region. Biodiversity is essential for sustaining healthy living networks and systems because it allows for a variety of food sources, medicine, and biological control, while also playing a significant role in atmospheric regulation, nutrient cycling, and pollination. Loss of biodiversity and ecosystem change increases the risk of the emergence or spreading of infectious diseases and global pandemics such as the Avian Influenza (AI H5N1). Biotechnology is one solution for reducing, and ultimately eliminating, the transmission of avian influenza. Traditional methods of treating infected animals, such as common vaccines, are temporary solutions that have no effect on the biodiversity of an ecosystem. Methods in animal biotechnology such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and in vitro fertilization have led to developments of cheaper, safer, and more effective vaccines. Livestock that have been treated for H5N1, as well as those that are healthy and have never been infected have proven to increase the diversity, leading to the elimination of specific issues. Similar effects are attainable if these animal biotechnology methods were to be used on poultry infected with the avian influenza virus

Regulation of Monoamine Oxidase A (MAO-A) Expression, Activity, and Function in IL-13–Stimulated Monocytes and A549 Lung Carcinoma Cells

Monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) is a mitochondrial flavoen-zyme implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and inflammation and also in many neurological disorders. MAO-A also has been reported as a potential therapeutic target in prostate cancer. However, the regulatory mechanisms controlling cytokine-induced MAO-A expression in immune or cancer cells remain to be identified. Here, we show that MAO-A expression is co-induced with 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) in interleukin 13 (IL-13)-activated primary human monocytes and A549 nonsmall cell lung carcinoma cells. We present evidence that MAO-A gene expression and activity are regulated by signal transducer and activator of transcription 1, 3, and 6 (STAT1, STAT3, and STAT6), early growth response 1 (EGR1), and cAMP-responsive element– binding protein (CREB), the same transcription factors that control IL-13– dependent 15-LO expression. We further established that in both primary monocytes and in A549 cells, IL-13–stimulated MAO-A expression, activity, and function are directly governed by 15-LO. In contrast, IL-13– driven expression and activity of MAO-A was 15-LO–independent in U937 promonocytic cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the 15-LO– dependent transcriptional regulation of MAO-A in response to IL-13 stimulation in monocytes and in A549 cells is mediated by peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) and that signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) plays a crucial role in facilitating the transcriptional activity of PPAR. We further report that the IL-13–STAT6 – 15-LO–PPAR axis is critical for MAO-A expression, activity, and function, including migration and reactive oxygen species generation. Altogether, these results have major implications for the resolution of inflammation and indicat

Carriage and within-host diversity of mcr-1.1-harboring Escherichia coli from pregnant mothers: inter- and intra-mother transmission dynamics of mcr-1.1

Exchange of antimicrobial resistance genes via mobile genetic elements occur in the gut which can be transferred from mother to neonate during birth. This study is the first to analyze transmissible colistin resistance gene, mcr, in pregnant mothers and neonates. Samples were collected from pregnant mothers (rectal) and septicaemic neonates (rectal & blood) and analyzed for presence of mcr, its transmissibility, genome diversity, and exchange of mcr between isolates within an individualand across different individuals (not necessarily mother-baby pairs). mcr-1.1 was detected in rectal samples of pregnant mothers (n=10, 0.9%), but not in neonates. All mcr-positive mothers gave birth to healthy neonates from whom rectal specimen were not collected. Hence, transmission of mcr between these mother-neonate pairs could not be studied. mcr-1.1 was noted only in Escherichia coli (phylogroup A & B1), and carried few resistance and virulence genes. Isolates belonged to diverse sequence types (n=11) with two novel STs (ST12452, ST12455). mcr-1.1 was borne on conjugative IncHI2 bracketed between ISApl1 on Tn6630, and the plasmids exhibited similarities in sequences across the study isolates. Phylogenetic comparison showed that study isolates were related to mcr-positive isolates of animal origin from Southeast Asian countries. Spread of mcr-1.1 within this study occurred either via similar mcr-positive clones or similar mcr-bearing plasmids in mothers. Though this study could not build evidence for mother-baby transmission, but presence of such genes in the maternal specimen may enhance the chances of transmission to neonates

Science with the Daksha High Energy Transients Mission

We present the science case for the proposed Daksha high energy transients mission. Daksha will comprise of two satellites covering the entire sky from 1~keV to $>1$~MeV. The primary objectives of the mission are to discover and characterize electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave source; and to study Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). Daksha is a versatile all-sky monitor that can address a wide variety of science cases. With its broadband spectral response, high sensitivity, and continuous all-sky coverage, it will discover fainter and rarer sources than any other existing or proposed mission. Daksha can make key strides in GRB research with polarization studies, prompt soft spectroscopy, and fine time-resolved spectral studies. Daksha will provide continuous monitoring of X-ray pulsars. It will detect magnetar outbursts and high energy counterparts to Fast Radio Bursts. Using Earth occultation to measure source fluxes, the two satellites together will obtain daily flux measurements of bright hard X-ray sources including active galactic nuclei, X-ray binaries, and slow transients like Novae. Correlation studies between the two satellites can be used to probe primordial black holes through lensing. Daksha will have a set of detectors continuously pointing towards the Sun, providing excellent hard X-ray monitoring data. Closer to home, the high sensitivity and time resolution of Daksha can be leveraged for the characterization of Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to ApJ. More details about the mission at https://www.dakshasat.in

Bacteria-inducing legume nodules involved in the improvement of plant growth, health and nutrition

Bacteria-inducing legume nodules are known as rhizobia and belong to the class Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria. They promote the growth and nutrition of their respective legume hosts through atmospheric nitrogen fixation which takes place in the nodules induced in their roots or stems. In addition, rhizobia have other plant growth-promoting mechanisms, mainly solubilization of phosphate and production of indoleacetic acid, ACC deaminase and siderophores. Some of these mechanisms have been reported for strains of rhizobia which are also able to promote the growth of several nonlegumes, such as cereals, oilseeds and vegetables. Less studied are the mechanisms that have the rhizobia to promote the plant health; however, these bacteria are able to exert biocontrol of some phytopathogens and to induce the plant resistance. In this chapter, we revised the available data about the ability of the legume nodule-inducing bacteria for improving the plant growth, health and nutrition of both legumes and nonlegumes. These data showed that rhizobia meet all the requirements of sustainable agriculture to be used as bio-inoculants allowing the total or partial replacement of chemicals used for fertilization or protection of crops