A study to assess the effect of maternal positions on physical and physiological parameters of antenatal mothers and fetus during non stress test in a selected hospital at Kollam (dist), Kerala

The aim of the study is to assess whether there is a significant difference in the physical and physiological Parameters of the antenatal mothers and fetus while carrying out the Non stress test during antenatal period in three different positions. The conceptual framework used in the study was Ernestine Widenbach “The helping art of clinical nursing theory”. A quasi experimental cross over design with one group design was used for this study. The data were collected from 30 antenatal mothers, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were admitted in the antenatal ward and labour room, in a selected hospital at Kollam. The data was collected by interview method and observation checklist. The interview schedule consisted of a visual analogue discomfort scale with a recording form, one observational checklist and one questionnaire. Demographic data were categorized into (age, gestational age, abdominal girth, body mass index). Discomfort was assessed in 4 levels- no discomfort, mild, moderate and severe discomfort in three positions (supine, left lateral, semi sitting). In all the three positions mothers experienced all the 4 levels of discomfort. In the three positions the mean score of discomfort were high in supine position 2.8. So the mother experiences more discomfort in supine position when compared to the other two position (left lateral and semi sitting). The F values for overall discomfort of mothers were 19.314 and the table value was 19.16, so the calculated value is greater than the table value, the researcher accepts the alternate hypothesis. There is a significance difference in the level of discomfort of mothers in three different positions during non stress test. Statistically it shows that there is no significant difference in the physiological parameters of the mothers in the three positions before and during the non stress test. All the calculated ‘F’ values for the physiological parameters (pulse, respiration, systolic & diastolic pressure) before and during the test were less than table value, so the researcher accepted the null hypothesis. All the calculated ‘F’ values for the physiological parameters of fetus (fetal heart rate, movements, acceleration) during the test were less than table value, so the researcher accepted the null hypothesis. There is no significant difference in the mean fetal heart rate, movement, and acceleration of the fetus during Non Stress Test in the three different positions. There was a significant association of selected demographic variables with level of discomfort in supine position; the body mass index has χ2 value of 3.35 at 0.05 levels at 3 degree of freedom which is greater than the table value 2.37. The mothers above 25 body mass index had severe discomfort. So supine position seems to be discomfort during non stress test compared to the other two positions (left lateral and semi sitting). In left lateral and semi sitting positions there is no association with demographic variables. Here the researcher concludes that by providing different positions like left lateral, semi sitting during non stress test will enhance comfort to the mothers without changing the physiological parameters of both mother and fetus

Physico-morphological and biochemical characteristics of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) genotypes

Thirty-eight jackfruit genotypes including check varieties ‘Muttom Varikka’ and ‘Sindhoor’ selected from homesteads of farmers across Kerala, were characterized for their dessert quality. Results revealed that the TSS and total sugar contents of AH-32, AH-18, AH-33 and AH-36 were 32, 25.5, 25.9 and 29.7 °Brix, whereas, the total sugars were 34.75, 25.92, 21.9 and 25%, respectively. Among the accessions, AH-2 recorded the highest total carotenoids (3131.88 μg 100g-1), which, was higher than check varieties ‘Muttom Varikka’ and ‘Sindhoor’. The genotypes viz., AH-18, AH-32, AH-33 and AH-36 can be considered ideal for dessert purpose and can also be used for development of value added products. However, the promising ones can be utilized in breeding programmes to improve quality and yield

Asrij Maintains the Stem Cell Niche and Controls Differentiation during Drosophila Lymph Gland Hematopoiesis

Several signaling pathways control blood cell (hemocyte) development in the Drosophila lymph gland. Mechanisms that modulate and integrate these signals are poorly understood. Here we report that mutation in a conserved endocytic protein Asrij affects signal transmission and causes aberrant lymph gland hematopoiesis. Mammalian Asrij (Ociad1) is expressed in stem cells of the blood vascular system and is implicated in several cancers. We found that Drosophila Asrij is a pan-hemocyte marker and localizes to a subset of endocytic vesicles. Loss of asrij causes hyperproliferation of lymph gland lobes coupled with increased hemocyte differentiation, thereby depleting the pool of quiescent hemocyte precursors. This co-relates with fewer Col+ cells in the hematopoietic stem cell niche of asrij mutants. Asrij null mutants also show excess specification of crystal cells that express the RUNX factor Lozenge (Lz), a target of Notch signaling. Asrij mutant lymph glands show increased N in sorting endosomes suggesting aberrant trafficking. In vitro assays also show impaired traffic of fluorescent probes in asrij null hemocytes. Taken together our data suggest a role for Asrij in causing increased Notch signaling thereby affecting hemocyte differentiation. Thus, conserved endocytic functions may control blood cell progenitor quiescence and differentiation

Controlled Inhibition of the Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Pro-inflammatory Secretome via Microparticle Engineering

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are promising therapeutic candidates given their potent immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory secretome. However, controlling the MSC secretome post-transplantation is considered a major challenge that hinders their clinical efficacy. To address this, we used a microparticle-based engineering approach to non-genetically modulate pro-inflammatory pathways in human MSCs (hMSCs) under simulated inflammatory conditions. Here we show that microparticles loaded with TPCA-1, a small-molecule NF-κB inhibitor, when delivered to hMSCs can attenuate secretion of pro-inflammatory factors for at least 6 days in vitro. Conditioned medium (CM) derived from TPCA-1-loaded hMSCs also showed reduced ability to attract human monocytes and prevented differentiation of human cardiac fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, compared with CM from untreated or TPCA-1-preconditioned hMSCs. Thus, we provide a broadly applicable bioengineering solution to facilitate intracellular sustained release of agents that modulate signaling. We propose that this approach could be harnessed to improve control over MSC secretome post-transplantation, especially to prevent adverse remodeling post-myocardial infarction.United States. National Institutes of Health (HL097172)United States. National Institutes of Health (HL095722

Risk factors and perinatal outcome associated with low birth weight in a prospective cohort: is there a shift towards sustainable developmental goal 3

Background: Low birth weight is a socio, economic, cultural and community based health issue which reflects responsibility and commitment of local and national administrative authorities. It continues to be a cause of short and long term adverse perinatal outcome with a bearing on adult non communicable health risks.Methods: This is a prospective observational and analytic study to know the prevalence, risk factors and perinatal outcome of LBW, from July 2017 to December 2018 in department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MIMS Medical College, Andhra Pradesh, India. Maternal risk factors and outcomes associated with LBW were defined through risk ratios.Results: 721 infants including 116 LBW and 605 NBW born during study period were included in the study. Prevalence of LBW was 16%. Preterm birth accounted for 35%, FGR for 13.8% and SGA for 51.2% of them. Maternal factors like age 35years, social status II to IV, below higher secondary education, house maker, primi gravida, grand multi para, BMI 24.9kg/M2, Hb<11 gm% were having higher RR for LBW. LBW infants showed frequent association with oligo or polyhydramnious and hemorrhagic or turbid amniotic fluid. They had higher risks for non reassuring fetal heart rate changes, for induced delivery or an elective caesarean section. More often they needed NICU care for longer duration and showed a higher risk for malformations and neonatal mortality. Overall perinatal mortality was 5.54 per 1000 live birth.Conclusions: LBW is a risk factor for neonatal morbidity and mortality; which can be minimised by institutional delivery. High prevalence PTB (35%) warrants obstetricians to be more vigilant about indentifying the risk factors and adequate management planning. Constitutionally small baby at birth probably needs redefining normal birth weight for different ethnicity

Intelligent evacuation management systems: A review

Crowd and evacuation management have been active areas of research and study in the recent past. Various developments continue to take place in the process of efficient evacuation of crowds in mass gatherings. This article is intended to provide a review of intelligent evacuation management systems covering the aspects of crowd monitoring, crowd disaster prediction, evacuation modelling, and evacuation path guidelines. Soft computing approaches play a vital role in the design and deployment of intelligent evacuation applications pertaining to crowd control management. While the review deals with video and nonvideo based aspects of crowd monitoring and crowd disaster prediction, evacuation techniques are reviewed via the theme of soft computing, along with a brief review on the evacuation navigation path. We believe that this review will assist researchers in developing reliable automated evacuation systems that will help in ensuring the safety of the evacuees especially during emergency evacuation scenarios

Human BCAS3 Expression in Embryonic Stem Cells and Vascular Precursors Suggests a Role in Human Embryogenesis and Tumor Angiogenesis

Cancer is often associated with multiple and progressive genetic alterations in genes that are important for normal development. BCAS3 (Breast Cancer Amplified Sequence 3) is a gene of unknown function on human chromosome 17q23, a region associated with breakpoints of several neoplasms. The normal expression pattern of BCAS3 has not been studied, though it is implicated in breast cancer progression. Rudhira, a murine WD40 domain protein that is 98% identical to BCAS3 is expressed in embryonic stem (ES) cells, erythropoiesis and angiogenesis. This suggests that BCAS3 expression also may not be restricted to mammary tissue and may have important roles in other normal as well as malignant tissues. We show that BCAS3 is also expressed in human ES cells and during their differentiation into blood vascular precursors. We find that BCAS3 is aberrantly expressed in malignant human brain lesions. In glioblastoma, hemangiopericytoma and brain abscess we note high levels of BCAS3 expression in tumor cells and some blood vessels. BCAS3 may be associated with multiple cancerous and rapidly proliferating cells and hence the expression, function and regulation of this gene merits further investigation. We suggest that BCAS3 is mis-expressed in brain tumors and could serve as a human ES cell and tumor marker

ISSCR standards for the use of human stem cells in basic research.

The laboratory culture of human stem cells seeks to capture a cellular state as an in vitro surrogate of a biological system. For the results and outputs from this research to be accurate, meaningful, and durable, standards that ensure reproducibility and reliability of the data should be applied. Although such standards have been previously proposed for repositories and distribution centers, no widely accepted best practices exist for laboratory research with human pluripotent and tissue stem cells. To fill that void, the International Society for Stem Cell Research has developed a set of recommendations, including reporting criteria, for scientists in basic research laboratories. These criteria are designed to be technically and financially feasible and, when implemented, enhance the reproducibility and rigor of stem cell research

Screening ethnically diverse human embryonic stem cells identifies a chromosome 20 minimal amplicon conferring growth advantage

The International Stem Cell Initiative analyzed 125 human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines and 11 induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines, from 38 laboratories worldwide, for genetic changes occurring during culture. Most lines were analyzed at an early and late passage. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis revealed that they included representatives of most major ethnic groups. Most lines remained karyotypically normal, but there was a progressive tendency to acquire changes on prolonged culture, commonly affecting chromosomes 1, 12, 17 and 20. DNA methylation patterns changed haphazardly with no link to time in culture. Structural variants, determined from the SNP arrays, also appeared sporadically. No common variants related to culture were observed on chromosomes 1, 12 and 17, but a minimal amplicon in chromosome 20q11.21, including three genes expressed in human ES cells, ID1, BCL2L1 and HM13, occurred in >20% of the lines. Of these genes, BCL2L1 is a strong candidate for driving culture adaptation of ES cells

Clinical outcomes and response to treatment of patients receiving topical treatments for pyoderma gangrenosum: a prospective cohort study

Background: pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an uncommon dermatosis with a limited evidence base for treatment. Objective: to estimate the effectiveness of topical therapies in the treatment of PG. Methods: prospective cohort study of UK secondary care patients with a clinical diagnosis of PG suitable for topical treatment (recruited July 2009 to June 2012). Participants received topical therapy following normal clinical practice (mainly Class I-III topical corticosteroids, tacrolimus 0.03% or 0.1%). Primary outcome: speed of healing at 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes: proportion healed by 6 months; time to healing; global assessment; inflammation; pain; quality-of-life; treatment failure and recurrence. Results: Sixty-six patients (22 to 85 years) were enrolled. Clobetasol propionate 0.05% was the most commonly prescribed therapy. Overall, 28/66 (43.8%) of ulcers healed by 6 months. Median time-to-healing was 145 days (95% CI: 96 days, ∞). Initial ulcer size was a significant predictor of time-to-healing (hazard ratio 0.94 (0.88;80 1.00); p = 0.043). Four patients (15%) had a recurrence. Limitations: No randomised comparator Conclusion: Topical therapy is potentially an effective first-line treatment for PG that avoids possible side effects associated with systemic therapy. It remains unclear whether more severe disease will respond adequately to topical therapy alone