Effectiveness of Childbirth Education on Nulliparous Women’s Knowledge of Childbirth Preparation, Pregnancy Anxiety and Pregnancy Outcomes

Background: The emerging number of cesarean sections among nulliparous women due to high pregnancy-related anxiety is a major concern of maternity care providers. Childbirth preparations enable women to cope with pregnancy anxiety and enhance pregnancy outcomes. Limited studies evaluated the impact of childbirth educational interventions on pregnancy-specific anxiety and pregnancy outcomes. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of childbirth educational intervention on nulliparous women’s knowledge on childbirth preparation, pregnancy anxiety, and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: A randomized controlled trial approach with a two-group pretest/ posttest design was used among hundred nulliparous third trimester pregnant women. All participants were pretested for their knowledge on childbirth preparation and pregnancy anxiety level using knowledge questionnaire, state trait anxiety inventory, and pregnancy-specific anxiety inventory. The experimental group (n = 50) received three sessions of childbirth education. All participants were post- tested before delivery, and their pregnancy outcomes were noted from labor records. Data were collected from a major maternity hospital in Kerala, India. GLM repeated measures analysis and paired t-test were used for data analysis. Results: The experimental group demonstrated a significantly higher level of knowledge on childbirth preparation (P < 0.001), with high reported mean knowledge scores of (54.30 ± 3.86) childbirth preparation than the control group (31.08 ± 1.96). A lower mean scores of pregnancy-specific anxiety among experimental group (102 ± 4.65) (P < 0.001) compared to control group (139.96 ± 4.9) signifies the relevance of childbirth education in reducing pregnancy-specific anxiety. Significant reductions of caesarean birth (50%) among nulliparous women along with a 12% increase in newborn’s birth weights were the main positive birth outcomes. Conclusions: Childbirth education significantly reduced pregnancy-specific anxiety and the adverse pregnancy outcomes. The emerging number of cesarean sections on maternal request due to childbirth anxiety could be reduced by empowering nulliparous women through childbirth education

The antiviral drug ribavirin reversibly affects the reproductive parameters in the male Wistar rat

The present study was planned to evaluate the toxic effects of ribavirin on the reproductive parameters in the male Wistar rat. Rats (11&#8211;13 weeks old) were treated with 5 injections (i.p.) of 20, 100 or 200 mg/kg/day ribavirin at intervals of 24 h. The testes were processed for histopathological analysis on days 14, 35, 70 and 105 after the last exposure. The parameters studied were body weight, the weights of the testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate, seminiferous tubular diameter (STD), epithelial height (SE), epithelial sloughing, incidence of stage XIV tubules, sperm abnormality and total serum level of testosterone. Data were analysed by ANOVA and the Bonferroni post hoc test for significances between different groups. There was a decrease in body weight and organ weights, excluding those of the testis and epididymis, against control at higher dose-levels. Ribavirin induced the formation of vacuoles, gaps and sloughing of the seminiferous epithelium. The STD, SE and the incidences of stage XIV tubules decreased on days 14 and 35. Ribavirin also induced the formation of sperm with microcephaly and cephalocaudal junction defects, with or without fibrils jetting out. All these morphological defects recovered to control limit by day 105. The serum level of testosterone was decreased at all dose-levels and time points, although recovery had started by day 105. In conclusion, ribavirin is gonadotoxic in male rats but the effects are reversible after a period of 105 days. However, the endocrine-disrupting properties of ribavirin persist beyond this period

The Stability of Double White Dwarf Binaries Undergoing Direct Impact Accretion

We present numerical simulations of dynamically unstable mass transfer in a double white dwarf binary with initial mass ratio, q = 0.4. The binary components are approximated as polytropes of index n = 3/2 and the initially synchronously rotating, semi-detached equilibrium binary is evolved hydrodynamically with the gravitational potential being computed through the solution of Poisson's equation. Upon initiating deep contact in our baseline simulation, the mass transfer rate grows by more than an order of magnitude over approximately ten orbits, as would be expected for dynamically unstable mass transfer. However, the mass transfer rate then reaches a peak value, the binary expands and the mass transfer event subsides. The binary must therefore have crossed the critical mass ratio for stability against dynamical mass transfer. Despite the initial loss of orbital angular momentum into the spin of the accreting star, we find that the accretor's spin saturates and angular momentum is returned to the orbit more efficiently than has been previously suspected for binaries in the direct impact accretion mode. To explore this surprising result, we directly measure the critical mass ratio for stability by imposing artificial angular momentum loss at various rates to drive the binary to an equilibrium mass transfer rate. For one of these driven evolutions, we attain equilibrium mass transfer and deduce that effectively q_crit has evolved to approximately 2/3. Despite the absence of a fully developed disk, tidal interactions appear effective in returning excess spin angular momentum to the orbit.Comment: 27 pages, 6 figures. Please see http://www.phys.lsu.edu/faculty/tohline/astroph/mftd07/ for animations and full resolution figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

1-(1-Benzofuran-2-yl)-3-(4-chloro­phen­yl)prop-2-en-1-one

In the title compound, C17H11ClO2, the benzofuran ring system is almost planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.011 Å) and forms a dihedral angle of 10.53 (6)° with the chloro­phenyl ring. No significant inter­molecular inter­actions are observed

Teachers developing assessment for learning: impact on student achievement

While it is generally acknowledged that increased use of formative assessment (or assessment for learning) leads to higher quality learning, it is often claimed that the pressure in schools to improve the results achieved by students in externally-set tests and examinations precludes its use. This paper reports on the achievement of secondary school students who worked in classrooms where teachers made time to develop formative assessment strategies. A total of 24 teachers (2 science and 2 mathematics teachers, in each of six schools in two LEAs) were supported over a six-month period in exploring and planning their approach to formative assessment, and then, beginning in September 1999, the teachers put these plans into action with selected classes. In order to compute effect sizes, a measure of prior attainment and at least one comparison group was established for each class (typically either an equivalent class taught in the previous year by the same teacher, or a parallel class taught by another teacher). The mean effect size was 0.32

Diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome in HIV-positive patients in South India

Insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are increasingly being reported in the global medical literature. This cross-sectional study was done to describe the occurrence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, and insulin resistance in HIV-positive patients in a tertiary referral center in South India. A total of 60 patients who had HIV infection for 12 months or more were enrolled in the study. Of these, 30 patients were antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve, and 30 were treated with ART. Biochemical estimations (fasting blood glucose, 75 g oral glucose tolerance test, lipid profile, and fasting insulin) and anthropometric measurements (height, weight, and waist circumference) were performed for each patient. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using National Cholesterol Education Program–Adult Treatment Plan III criteria, and insulin resistance was calculated applying the homeostasis model assessment method. Diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glycemia, and impaired glucose tolerance were diagnosed based on American Diabetes Association criteria. A high prevalence of metabolic syndrome was observed in patients with HIV (16/60), and was more prevalent in the ART-treated group (13/30; P = 0.028). Similarly, insulin resistance was also noted to be high (24/60), and of these patients, 15 were on ART. Seventy-five percent of patients with metabolic syndrome had insulin resistance. Diabetes was diagnosed in one patient who was ART-naïve and in six patients who were on ART. Our observations suggest an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and diabetes mellitus in ART-treated patients. These warrant attention and substantiation with larger studies. While ART improves survival, it may lead on to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, especially in the Indian subcontinent where there is a genetic predisposition to cardiovascular risk

Electrochemical analysis of indigo carmine using polyarginine modified carbon paste electrode

Suitable electrocatalytic method is established for the selective determination of indigo carmine (IC) at polyarginine modified carbon paste electrode (PAMCPE). Surface morphological study of bare carbon paste electrode (CPE) and PAMPCE is done by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The influence of different parameters such as IC concentration, solution pH and potential scan rate on the electrode responses is studied using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry techniques. The prepared PAMCPE shows better electrochemical response towards IC than CPE. No interference is noticed at simultaneous presence of IC and riboflavin (RF) in the solution. The electrocatalytic current of IC at PAMPCE is varied linearly with its concentration in two separate ranges, from 2×10-7 to 10-6 M, and 1.5×10-6 to 3.5×10-6 M. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) are determined as 2.53×10-8 and 8.43×10-8 M, respectively. The developed PAMCPE is showing successful reproducibility and stability. It is also found sensitive and reliable for trace amounts of IC in some real water and food samples. Since preparation of PAMCPE sensor is simple and easy, it could become a part of the standard method for determination of IC in real samples