GREEN SYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES USING THE LEAF EXTRACT OF PUTRANJIVA ROXBURGHII WALL. AND THEIR ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY.

 Objective: This study deals with the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNP's) from the extract of the leaves of the plant Putranjiva roxburghii wall.Using biological method, i.e., green synthesis.Methods: The extract from the leaves acts as a reducing and stabilizing agent for the AgNP's. Further characterization was done using varioustechniques like ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectrophotometry, which shows surface plasmon resonance, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopyanalysis shows formation of various bonds, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis depictsthe distribution and average size of nanoparticles. The antimicrobial activity was also checked against various bacteria and fungi using minimuminhibitory concentration and well diffusion assay.Result: UV analysis shows strong plasmon resonance between 420 and 480 nm SEM analysis shows the distribution of synthesized nanoparticles,whereas TEM analysis shows the average particle size to be near about 5 nm and well diffusion assay proved that these nanoparticles are effectiveagainst different microorganisms.Conclusion: P. roxburghii wall. shows strong potential for the reduction of silver from Ag+ to Ag0 and nanoparticles so formed are strongly activeagainst various microorganism.Keywords: Putranjiva roxburghii, Fourier transform infra-red, Scanning electron microscope, Transmission electron microscope

An epidemiological study to assess the mental health status of pregnant women in a tertiary care hospital, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Background: Pregnancy is a major psychological, as well as physiological event; women may find themselves unable to cope with additional demands of pregnancy. Mental illness during pregnancy-whether anxiety, depression or more severe psychiatric disorders-can have a significant negative impact on a mother and her baby. Poor psychological health has been associated with low birth weight, premature birth, perinatal and infant death, postnatal depression, as well as long term behavioural and psychological impacts on the child. Depressive disorders are a common source of disability among women. Mental health problems during pregnancy and postpartum periods are one of the alarming health issue among women. Community-based epidemiological data on antenatal depression from developing countries is scarce. This study was conducted to assess the mental health status of pregnant women attending antenatal clinic of tertiary care hospital, SKIMS, Srinagar (J and K).Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted over a period of six months from 1stSeptember 2016 to 28th February 2017 among randomly selected pregnant women attending antenatal clinic of tertiary care hospital, SKIMS, Srinagar. A total of 200 pregnant women formed the study subjects. Data was collected by interviewing the pregnant women using pre-designed, pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analysed using Statistical Programme for the social science (SPSS) version 19.0.Results: Amongst the study population, prevalence of depressive disorder was 26%. The depression was significantly increasing with advancing pregnancy and advancing age. Socio-economic status and depression was associated statistically significant (p=0.024). Women with bad relationship with in laws had significantly more depression compared to those who had good relationship with in laws (P=0.0037). The association between parity and depressive disorder was statistically insignificant(P=0,7144).Conclusions: When we care for mother we care for two live and live without psychological consideration is completely materialistic. A depressive symptom occurs commonly during 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, drawing attention to a need to screen for depression during antenatal care. Maternal health policies, a priority in developing countries, must integrate maternal depression as a disorder of public health importance. Intervention should target women in the early antenatal period

Withania somnifera Improves Semen Quality in Stress-Related Male Fertility

Stress has been reported to be a causative factor for male infertility. Withania somnifera has been documented in Ayurveda and Unani medicine system for its stress-combating properties. However, limited scientific literature is available on this aspect of W. somnifera. We undertook the present study to understand the role of stress in male infertility, and to test the ability of W. somnifera to combat stress and treat male infertility. We selected normozoospermic but infertile individuals (N = 60), further categorized in three groups: normozoospermic heavy smokers (N = 20), normozoospermics under psychological stress (N = 20) and normozoospermics with infertility of unknown etiology (N = 20). Normozoospermic fertile men (N = 60) were recruited as controls. The subjects were given root powder of W. somnifera at a rate of 5 g/day for 3 months. Measuring various biochemical and stress parameters before and after treatment, suggested a definite role of stress in male infertility and the ability of W. somnifera to treat stress-related infertility. Treatment resulted in a decrease in stress, improved the level of anti-oxidants and improved overall semen quality in a significant number of individuals. The treatment resulted in pregnancy in the partners of 14% of the patients

Mucuna pruriens Reduces Stress and Improves the Quality of Semen in Infertile Men

The present investigation was undertaken to assess the role of Mucuna pruriens in infertile men who were under psychological stress. Study included 60 subjects who were undergoing infertility screening and were found to be suffering from psychological stress, assessed on the basis of a questionnaire and elevated serum cortisol levels. Age-matched 60 healthy men having normal semen parameters and who had previously initiated at least one pregnancy were included as controls. Infertile subjects were administered with M. pruriens seed powder (5 g day−1) orally. For carrying out morphological and biochemical analysis, semen samples were collected twice, first before starting treatment and second after 3 months of treatment. The results demonstrated decreased sperm count and motility in subjects who were under psychological stress. Moreover, serum cortisol and seminal plasma lipid peroxide levels were also found elevated along with decreased seminal plasma glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid contents and reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity. Treatment with M. pruriens significantly ameliorated psychological stress and seminal plasma lipid peroxide levels along with improved sperm count and motility. Treatment also restored the levels of SOD, catalase, GSH and ascorbic acid in seminal plasma of infertile men. On the basis of results of the present study, it may be concluded that M. pruriens not only reactivates the anti-oxidant defense system of infertile men but it also helps in the management of stress and improves semen quality

Association of central obesity with risk factors for cardiovascular disease in North Indian population: A case - control study

Background: Central obesity is a leading cause of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). Central obesity may act as an independent predictor for CVD. Aim and Objectives: To study the correlation of central obesity among obese patients with the risk factors for CVD. Material and Methods: In this case-control study, 50 non-obese and 50 obese subjects aged between 30-70 years were enrolled. Biochemical parameters: Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c), Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), High-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (HDL-C) and Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (LDL-C) were estimated along with Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP), Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC). Value of p less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Mean of FBS, HbA1c, TC, TG, LDL-C, SBP, DBP, BMI, and WC were significantly raised in obese compared to non-obese (p<0.01). However, the mean of HDL-C was significantly low in obese compared to non-obese (p<0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between age and WC (r=0.426, p<0.01), TC and TG (r=0.628, p<0.01), TC and LDL-C (r=0.934, p<0.01), TG and LDL-C (r=0.647, p<0.01) among obese. However, a significant negative correlation was found between TC and HDL-C (r=-0.453, p<0.01), TG and HDL-C (r=-0.323, p<0.05), and HDL-C and LDL-C (r=-0.510, p<0.01) among obese. Linear regression analysis model was found significant. Conclusion: Result showed that WC is an independent predictive marker for CVD. Further study is needed in larger sample to strengthen the hypothesis

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P &lt; 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Thyroid-like follicular carcinoma of kidney: case presentation and literature review

Published in August 202

Effect of CVD-diamond coatings on the tribological performance of cemented tungsten carbide substrates

A comparison has been documented between nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) and microcrystalline diamond (MCD) coatings deposited on cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) substrates with architectures of WC-Co/NCD & WC-Co/MCD, using hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique. In the present work, the frictional characteristics were studied using ball-on-disc type linear reciprocating micro-tribometer, under the application of 1–10N normal loads, when sliding against smooth alumina (Al2O3) ceramic ball for the total duration of 15min, under dry sliding conditions. Nanoindentation tests were also conducted using Berkovich nanoindenter for the purpose of measurement of hardness and elastic modulus values. The average coefficients of friction of MCD and NCD coatings decrease from 0.37 – 0.32 and 0.3 – 0.27 respectively, when the load is increased from 1–10N. However, for conventional WC-Co substrate the average coefficient of friction increases from 0.60–0.75, under the same input operating conditions. The wear tracks formed on the surfaces of CVD-diamond coatings and WC-Co substrate, after friction measurement were characterised using Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. However, the compositional analysis for the formation of tribo-layer observed on the wear tracks of CVD-diamond coatings was confirmed using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) technique. Therefore, maintaining an appropriate level of normal load and using appropriate type of diamond coating, friction may be kept to some lower value to improve mechanical processes