Nurse’s perspective on barriers in the implementation of kangaroo mother care in a tertiary care hospital from North India

Background: Despite the established benefits of kangaroo mother care (KMC), it is not being implemented in all eligible babies. There are several barriers in its implementation including those from the nurses, mothers, and institution. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the nurse’s perspective on various barriers in the implementation of KMC. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which data were collected from all the nurses of the Department of Neonatology and Obstetrics in a tertiary care hospital, from North India, over 1 week using a structured pre-tested questionnaire covering barriers in three main domains - mothers (6), nursing staff (7), and institutional (5). Results: There were a total of 40 nurses, who responded to questionnaire; among them, 70% were from neonatology and 30% were from obstetrics. Mean barrier-free score (BFS) (%) was 48.93±14.77 with a range of 29.17–76.39, while median (interquartile range) was 47.22 (44.4–52.4). Mean BFS was found to be statistically significant when compared between maternal and nursing domains (54.5±11.1 vs. 43.3±11.9 vs. 49.0±18.4, p=0.003). Conclusion: The present study shows that the most important barriers in KMC implementation were lack of support to mother, duty schedule of staff, difficulty in convincing, and a private/separate environment for KMC. Therefore, actions need to be taken to overcome these barriers to use this simple intervention with enormous benefits

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of kangaroo mother care among doctors in a tertiary care hospital from North India

Introduction: Kangaroo mother care (KMC) has been established as having an important role in the care of all the babies; especially, the preterm and low birth weight babies. Successful implementation of KMC depends on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of healthcare workers, mothers, fathers, and other family members. Objectives: The objectives of the study ws to determine the KAP of KMC among the faculty and residents of the departments of neonatology and obstetrics in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which data were collected from departments of neonatology, maternal health, and reproductive health. The study subjects were faculty and residents from both the departments. They were interviewed using a structured pre-tested questionnaire in three domains, knowledge (11), attitude (8), and practice (4). The responses were tested against standard predefined answers and were expressed in percentages. Results: A total number of 25 doctors were interviewed; among knowledge domain, approximately 60% doctors responded correctly for the need of KMC, duration of KMC, feeding during KMC and type of baby’s clothes during KMC. In the domain of attitude, response of KMC for who can give, when to start/stop, position of mother, and feasibility of KMC during non-invasive ventilation was correct for all subjects. For practice aspect, there was a lack of counseling and re-checking, though almost everyone felt the need of separate KMC room and counselor. Conclusions: From the above results, it is apparent that knowledge and attitude, among health-care professionals, is optimum. However, there is lots of scope for filling a few gaps to improve practices and training workshops are required to bring in behavior change among doctors

A Comparison of the Accuracy of Maples and Rice and Newly Derived Formula for Age Estimation: A Forensic Study

Aims and objectives: The aim of the study was to study the physiological changes of teeth according to the Gustafson’s criteria by obtaining a new linear regression formula andcompare it with Maples and Rice formula for age estimation. Materials and methods: Total of 70 cases who visited the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery for extraction weretaken in the study for teeth collection and the age of the patients was noted. The following dental parameters were studied in each case; attrition, periodontal disease, cementum apposition, secondary dentine deposition, root translucency and root resorption. Total scores of different parameters were plotted against the total score were plotted and regression formula obtained and by the use of this formula ages were estimated. Maples and Rice formula was also applied in the same scores and ages estimated. Results: On comparing the means of both the calculated age and the actual age, it was observed that the difference between them was statistically significant except in the age group of > 70 years age group. On calculating the age mean error was found to be ± 4.52 and for Maples and Rice it was ± 6.43.&nbsp

Genetic variability among Andrographis paniculata in Chhattisgarh region assessed by RAPD markers

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to estimate the genetic variability and dissimilarity among the Andrographis paniculata (family- Acanthance), an important medicinal herb. Twenty-four (24) plants were collected from five districts of different places of Chhattisgarh region. Sixteen (16) primers generated a total of 159 polymorphic bands out of 182 total bands (79.95% polymorphism), with an average of 11.37 amplified bands per primers and 23 bands showed monomorphic banding pattern with an average of 1.43 per primers. A dendrogram was constructed based on the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages. Cluster analysis of data using UPGMA algorithm placed the 24 accessions of A. paniculata into two major clusters I and II which further sub-divided into many subclusters. Genetic dissimilarity coefficients calculated from RAPD data ranged from 0.3635 to 2.0160, with the highest value of 2.0160 between AP10 and AP16 and the lowest value of 0.3635 between accessions AP3 and AP5. The principal component analysis (PCA) clustering pattern corresponded well with the dendrogram. The results indicate that RAPD could be efficiently used for genetic diversity study in wild species of approaching value as it is quick, unswerving and superior to those on pedigree information.Keywords: Acanthance, dendrogram, principle component analysis (PCA), Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), variability.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(39), pp. 5714-572

Pesticide applications in Agriculture and its Environmental and Human Health Impacts

The use of chemicals in modern agriculture has significantly increased productivity is very common now a days. There has been an increase in the concentration of pesticides in food and in our environment, with associated negative effects on human health and the environment. The excessive use of pesticides has generated increasing concerns on the negative effects of human health as well as the environment. Impact on the environment of Pesticides can pose serious distress on soil, water, territory, and other vegetation. The pesticides application directly kill the insects, pest, weeds and pathogens but it also indirectly can be harmful and toxic on to the host of the other organism which are birds, beneficial insects, and all other non-target plant and animals. Insecticides are usually the most extremely toxic class of pesticides; however, herbicides can also pose risks to non-target organisms. With this concern most of the pesticides and chemicals are non-biodegradable, and as a result of bioaccumulation, they can enter into the food chain and eventually distress human and animal health, on the whole environment and ecosystem

Prognostic implications of glycated hemoglobin in nondiabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome

Background: In nondiabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome, acute hyperglycemia is associated with adverse outcome. Whether this association is due merely to hyperglycemia as an acute stress response or whether longer-term glycometabolic derangements are also involved is uncertain. It was our aim to determine the association between chronic hyperglycemia (hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and outcome in nondiabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome.Methods: This observational study included consecutive patients (n=47) without known diabetes mellitus admitted with acute coronary syndrome (STEMI, NSTEMI, UA). HbA1c was measured on admission. The main outcome was MACE (major adverse cardiac events including death, cardiogenic shock, arrhythmia, heart failure). The patients were divided into 2 groups according to their HbA1c level (group 1 HbA1c5.7%).Results: There was no significant difference between baseline characteristics of both groups but complications were seen in higher number cases with HbA1c >5.7%. No significant difference in mortality was found. On multivariate logistic regression analysis HbA1c >5.7% was found to be an independent predictor of MACE.Conclusions: There was no significant difference between baseline characteristics of both groups but complications were seen in higher number cases with HbA1c>5.7%. No significant difference in mortality was found. On multivariate logistic regression analysis HbA1c>5.7% was found to be an independent predictor of MACE.

Copper T (380 A) and risk of uterine perforation in lactating women: rural scenario

Background: Copper T 380 A is commonly used as PPIUCD as well as Interval contraception in rural areas of Chhattisgarh. Studies have reported that interval insertion of intrauterine device in women during their lactation period is associated with high risk of uterine perforation as compared to postpartum insertion similar as our study.Methods: 50 consecutive women were included, who came in family planning OPD of Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), a Government Medical College, with history of copper T insertion, during their lactation period, within one year of child birth. The copper T insertion was done by health workers at peripheral health centers with complains of pain lower abdomen, menstrual irregularities, missing thread, vaginal discharge, uterine perforation following Copper T 380 A insertion. Apart from patient’s characteristics such as age and parity etc. the method of detection of the perforation and details of management were analyzed.Results: There was one case of partial uterine perforation, one case of copper T lying in peritoneal cavity, two cases of expulsion and three cases had embedded copper T in the myometrium.Conclusions: The risk of perforation due to copper T 380A insertion in lactating women is slightly high, thus timing of insertion, proper counseling and providers training, which are vital factors for intrauterine device use during lactation period, should be considered seriously so as to minimize the complications

Differential expression of Toll-like receptor genes (TLR2 and TLR4) across different tissues of riverine buffalo

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are one of the important pattern recognizing receptors which are responsible for the induction of innate as well as adaptive immune response against a wide range of microbial components. Among different TLRs, TLR2 and TLR4 are expressed on the cell surface identifying Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial components. The present study was undertaken to analyze the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 genes in different buffalo tissues by using highly sensitive real-time PCR technique. Although the expression of both the genes was observed in all the 8 different tissues taken for the present study, the maximum expression of TLR2 was seen in blood followed by skin, lungs and spleen and the lowest expression was found in the uterus. TLR4 showed maximum expression in blood followed by skin, lungs, mammary gland of non-lactating, lactating buffalo and heifer and the lowest expression was seen again in the uterus.The findings suggest both the genes having important functions in blood and skin, the first line of protection for pathogenic challenge apart from other organs in buffalo