Study of Vitamin D Status in Hypertension and It’s Complications

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in developing as well as developed counties. Hypertension is one of the modifiable risk factors for Cardiovascular disease and any new modifiable risk factors associated with prevention of this condition is important public health factor which can have global impact on mortality and morbidity. Vitamin D is a steroid prohormone synthesized in the skin. There is evidence from animal and clinical studies that vitamin D has role in the activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. This study is conducted to find if there is any relationship between vitamin D and hypertension and its complications. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To compare vitamin D level in hypertensive and normotensive patients. 2. To compare Vitamin D level in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients and in those with long standing hypertension. 3. To find out the relationship between vitamin D deficieny and complications of hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: STUDY CENTRE: Tirunelveli Medical College, Tirunelveli. STUDY DURATION: 2 years. STUDY DESIGN: Case control study. SAMPLE SIZE: 50 patients : 50 controls. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients with newly diagnosed systemic hypertension attending hypertension OPD and those who are admitted in the medical wards with complications of hypertension and willing to participate in the study after getting informed consent. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: ◈ All cases of secondary hypertension. ◈ Patients already taking Vitamin D supplements. ◈ Patients already taking Calcium supplements. ◈ Patients who are not willing to participate in the study. ◈ Patients who are diagnosed to have chronic kidney disease. ◈ Patient who are diagnosed to have chronic liver disease. DATA COLLECTION METHODS: Collection of data as per proforma with consent from patients with systemic hypertension in Tirunelveli Medical College medicine wards and in hypertension OPD. SELECTION CRITERIA: SYSTEMIC HYPERTENSION: DEFINATION OF HYPERTENSION ACCORDING TO JNC 8. • Systolic blood pressure more than or equal to 140. • Diastolic blood pressure more than or equal to 90. DIABETES: DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA ACCORDING ADA RECOMENDATIONS • Random blood sugar of 200mg/dl with symptoms of diabetes. • Fasting blood sugar of more than or equal to 126mg/dl. • Postprandial blood sugar of more than or equal to 200. • HBA1c more than or equal to 6.5%. Random is defined as with no regard to time since last meal. Fasting is defined as no food intake for at least 8 hours. OBESITY: Body mass index of more than 25kg/sq.m. MICROVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS: Retinopathy – Retinal changes in fundus examination. Nephropathy – Presence of microalbumin by urine dipstick method. Left ventricular hypertrophy - presence of LVH in ECG and /or Echocardiography. MACROVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS: Coronary artery disease – History, Ecg, ECHO abnormalities. Cerebrovascular accidents - History, Examination and Imaging studies. VITAMIN D ESTIMATION: METHOD – CALORIMETRIC METHOD: Estimation is done using 25(OH) vitamin D Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) kit. Dissociation buffer is added to wells coated with donkey anti-sheep IgG antibody. Samples and standards are then added to it to dissociate vitamin D from its binding protein. It is followed by addition of a solution of alkaline phosphatase conjugated 25(OH) vitamin D3 followed by sheep monoclonal antibody to 25(OH) vitamin D. The mixture is incubated at room temperature, during which the antibody binds the vitamin D in the sample in a competitive manner and by itself is conjugated with anti sheep IgG antibody. The plate is then washed leaving the complex bound with vitamin D from sample. A substrate containing pNpp solution is then added, which initiates an alkaline phosphatase catalysed reaction that generates an yellow colour in the solution. The resulting yellow colour is read at 450nm. The amount of signal is inversely proportional to the amount of 25(OH) vitamin D in the sample. REFERENCE VALUES: Normal level of vitamin D : 30-100 ng/ml, Insufficiency : 6 – 29ng/ml, Deficiency : <6 ng/ml, Toxicity : > 100ng/ml. RESULTS: ◈ Vitamin D level is significantly lower in hypertensives on comparing with the age and sex matched controls of normotensives. ◈ There is inverse correlation between the chronicity of hypertension and the level of vitamin D CONCLUSION: Vitamin D levels are significantly lower in hypertensive patients when compared to the normotensives and it also correlates with the chronicity of hypertension. But we could not find the correlation between vitamin D levels and complications of hypertension

Attitude towards mental illness among doctors and nurses in a tertiary care centre, Pondicherry, India

Background: Stigma can prevent care and treatment of mentally ill. About 54% of diagnosable mental disorders are seen in primary care settings. There is a gross underestimation of psychiatric morbidity among patients by substantial proportion of non-psychiatric clinicians. Hence there is a need to assess the attitude towards mental illness among doctors and staff nurses. The objectives of the study were to assess the attitude towards mental illness among doctors and nurses, to compare the attitude between doctors and nurses, to find if there is any correlation between duration of training or posting and attitude, to find if educational status had any influence on attitude, to find if there is any gender influence on attitude. Methods: It is a cross sectional descriptive study conducted in a private medical college, Pondicherry among doctors and nurses who had completed their under graduation with a sample size of 221 (Doctors-120, Nurses-101). The instruments used were a semi-structured demographic profile and 34 items of OMICC (Opinion About Mental Illness in Chinese Community). The data was entered in Microsoft Excel 2013 analyzed using descriptive statistics, unpaired t-test, pearson’s correlation coefficient.Results: Only 25% of doctors and 4.9% of nurses positive attitude when overall score was considered. Doctors group had higher positive attitudes compared to nurses in domains separatism, stereotyping, benevolence and stigmatisation.Conclusions: There was no correlation between duration of psychiatry posting and attitude

Assess the Levels of Dependence And Severity of Psychiatric Illness Among Adolescent Boys Addicted to Marijuna

Marijuana refers to the dry leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from cannabis sativa or cannabis India plant; it is a psychoactive sedative drug. Adolescent age group is more likely to use cannabis in the form of Marijuana and experience many psychiatric illness problems from use. A recent survey from partnership at drug free shows that about 10% of teens smoke cannabis at least 20 times each month. The main objective of the study is to assess the dependency and associated psychiatric illness among adolescent people at selected area. The sampling sizes of 100 were recruited in purposive sampling technique; descriptive study was used along with structured MEEQ questionnaires. In study results shows that level of dependency were 46% adolescents are short term dependent to marijuana, 36% are moderate level of dependent to marijuana, and 23% adolescents are long term dependent to marijuana. There is a significant association between the level of dependency state of marijuana and the psychiatric illness such as visual hallucination, auditory hallucination, improved memory and learning ability at (p<0.05)

A STUDY ON IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (ESDP) FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OF MSMEs IN INDIA

The Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Program (ESDP) was launched by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) to build the capacities and skills of Indian entrepreneurs, both current and future ones. One of the many initiatives offered by the Ministry of MSME, it aims to increase the capacity of young people to take on challenges and create successful businesses across the nation. There are various activities under the plan that are coordinated in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Polytechnics, and other specialized institutions/business colleges where there is talent available to influence teenagers toward self-employment. One of the essential elements for the development of any area is having an adequate supply of skilled human resources. Today, the problem is fundamentally linked to the employability problem rather than the lack of employment opportunities. This is a major problem in many developing countries where young children are taught, but they need skills that will help them become prepared for the workforce. Hence, the current study has been done with a view to give an analytical outline of the importance of ESDP for the sustainable growth of MSMEs in India

Chemical profiling of fern Cheilosoria mysurensis (Wall. ex Hook.) Ching & Shing and its biological activity

Cheilosoria mysurensis (Wall. ex Hook.) Ching &amp; Shing, a medicinal fern traditionally used to treat burns, throat pain and bone fracture. There is no any scientific report regarding anticancer studies of this species. The aim of the study was to find out the chemical components through GC/MS analysis with their antioxidant and cytotoxic activity. GC-MS analysis shows primary ingredients viz, Cis-9, 10-epoxyoctadecan-1-ol and Oxiraneundecanoic acid, 3-pentyl-, methyl ester, trans were present. High free-radical scavenging activity has been discovered in 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and showed the IC50 value of 52.13±0.33. Furthermore, C. mysurensis also showed good cytotoxic effects against DLA and EAC cell lines with values of 72.9% and 79.5% at 200 µg/ml dose respectively. Overall findings suggested that the identified chemical compounds proved to be rich in antioxidant property. Further, this fern can be a good resource for pharma industry to produce novel anti-cancer drugs

Complication of Salmonella Bacteremia in a Case of Treated Fungal Endophthalmitis

This is to report a case of bacteremia caused by Salmonella typhi in a treated unilateral fungal endogenous endophthalmitis in an 18-year-old male from one of the South Asian countries. Microbiological and molecular investigations were carried out on the eviscerated material and routine blood culture was carried out. Direct examination of eviscerated material revealed the presence of fungal filaments. However, Salmonella typhi was isolated from both specimens, which was confirmed by Polymerase chain reaction targeting the 16SrRNA gene, sequencing, and random amplification of polymorphic DNA showed that they belonged to the same clone. The presence of Salmonella bacteremia in a treated unilateral fungal endophthalmitis, among young adult patients is rare and systemic symptoms should be investigated

Device Closure of Superior Sinus Venosus Atrial Septal Defects: A single centre experience

Sinus venosus atrial septal defects present a wide variety of anatomical features and are frequently associated with partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage of one or more right pulmonary veins. Surgical correction used to be the standard treatment. In recent times, transcatheter correction of superior sinus venosus atrial septal defects has come into vogue. The transcatheter closure of these defects with covered stents at a tertiary care centre in Oman between 2018 and 2023 is reported. Keywords: Heart Septal Defects, Atrial; Vena Cava, Superior; Endovascular Procedures; Stents; Cardiac Catheterization; Echocardiography, Transesophageal; Oman

System for Monitoring and Identifying theft from Domestic Water Supplies

This system for monitoring and identifying theft from domestic water supplies utilizes advanced sensors and machine learning algorithms to detect and analyze patterns of water usage, identifying anomalies and potential instances of theft. The system can be easily installed and integrated into existing water supply infrastructure, allowing for real-time monitoring and analysis of water usage data. By providing actionable insights and alerts, the system enables water supply companies to quickly respond to instances of theft, reducing losses and ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources. It utilizes various sensors and algorithms to detect anomalies in water usage patterns, which could indicate theft. The system includes a dashboard that allows water supply companies to monitor usage and receive alerts in real-time. By using this system, water supply companies can improve their efficiency, reduce water losses, and save costs associated with theft. The system is easy to install and can be integrated with existing water supply networks. The system has the potential to significantly reduce water losses due to theft, improving water supply sustainability and reducing costs for water providers. The system has the potential to significantly reduce water losses due to theft, improving water supply

Exploring the Antimicrobial Potential of Phyllanthus emblica L. (Amla) using Molecular Docking Studies against Shrimp Pathogens

Vibriosis is a major problem in shrimp farm. Farmers indiscriminately use hormones, antibiotics, disinfectants and other chemicals in fish feed and culture water to protect their crops. E. coli and Aeromonas sp were highly predominant isolates. Herbs act as agents in aquaculture to control or reduce pathogen infections. The results of phytochemicals screening of fruit extract of Phyllanthus emblica showed the presence of various phytchemicals. Phyllanthus emblica extract shows anti-bacterial properties against biofilm producing shrimp pathogens. Among the 10 bacterial genera, E. coli and P.aeruginosa were highly suppressed. The extracts exhibited the bacteria growth inhibitory activity in a dose-dependent manner. The compound sitosterol has potent antibiofilm activity was showed by molecular docking, which revealed a significant binding energy and interaction (-8.4 Kcal/mol) between it and key biofilm-forming protein. Diving analysis was done using the chemical compounds found in GCMS analysis

Antioxidant, Antibacterial Activities and GC-MS Analysis of Fresh Rose Petals Aqueous Extract of Rosa damascena Mill L.

A rose (Rosa damascena) is a woody perennial plant of the genus Rosa within the family Rosaceae. The leaves of the plant are alternate to each other on the stem. Best known for its ornamental values, most of the rose plants are deciduous except a few from the South East Asia that are evergreen. The aggregate fruit of the rose is a pot-like structure containing the seeds in it called the rose hip. The sharp objects along the stem of a rose plant are outgrowths of the epidermis called as prickles. The flowers to prepare a drink which acts as an energy stimulant, blood tonic and also works in case of digestive irregularities. The extract of rose plant especially act as an antidepressant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, antiinflammatory, digestive stimulant, kidney tonic and menstrual regulator. The maximum DPPH˙ radical and superoxide (O2˙-) radical scavenging activities of fresh rose petals aqueous extract were 52.84±0.20% and 89.36±0.31% at 120 µg/mL concentration. The IC50 values of DPPH˙ radical and superoxide (O2˙-) radical scavenging activities were 113.55 µg/mL and 40.62 µg/mL concentration respectively. The maximum Mo6+ reduction and Fe3+ reduction of fresh rose petals aqueous extract were 82.52±0.13% and 81.54±0.42% at 120 µg/mL concentration and the RC50 values of Mo6+ reduction and Fe3+ reduction were 46.67 µg/mL 32.25 µg/mL concentration respectively. The fresh aqueous extract of Rosa damascena possessed active molecules such as E,E-6,8-Tridecadien-2-ol, acetate, 8-Carbethoxy-1-methyl-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydropyrrolo [2,3-b]azepin-4-one-3-carboxylic acid and 9-Octadecynoic acid, methyl ester exhibiting antioxidant, antimicrobial activities. Keywords: Rosa damascena, Antioxidant, Free radical, DPPH˙, Antibacterial activity, GC-MS