Millennium Development Goal 5: Afghanistan in Focus

An estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 1,600-2,200 was reported in 4 Afghan provinces in 2002. Badkshan province recorded highest MMR of 6500. Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG 5) aimed to improve maternal health between 1990-2015 by (a) reducing MMR by three quarters from the baseline and (b) achieving universal access to reproductive health. In Afghanistan, MDGs were adopted in 2005 with a deadline of 2020. All six indicators used to monitor and evaluate MDG 5 showed positive change. Three of them were on target: MMR, number of births attended by skilled birth attendants (SBA), and antenatal coverage. MMR target of 400 by 2015 was reached by 2010. SBA attended birth increased by 41%. Antenatal coverage rose by 48%. The other 3 indicators are slower to change. Afghanistan adopted several strategies to reach MDG5: (i) training to increase the number of midwives, community nurses and doctors, (ii) availability of comprehensive care at all levels of healthcare facilities and (iii) better data collection methods. This first-of-its-kind review involving Afghanistan explores maternal mortality in the context of MDG 5, the past and present conditions of maternal health, factors that impacts MMR and concludes with suggesting future directions

Comprehensive Review on Citric Acid Fermentation

ABSTRACT The increasing demand for citric acid in food processing industries and its multifarious usage as a weak organic acid in cosmetics and other industries has always prioritized its production. The acid is present in nature especially in fruits and also as a biochemical product in all living beings. The latter is tapped for overproduction as a secondary metabolite by mutated strains of microbes. This review work aims to analyze the huge array of substrates used in different kinds of citric acid fermentation under a variety of physical conditions while considering the economy of the procedure. The process parameters optimization has been tried for more than hundred years and is still ongoing. The search for ambient physical and chemical environment by a strain of microbe unfortunately changes with time as yet-unknown random mutations affect the stability of the fungal or bacterial strain. Hence researchers with success of overproduction opt for patent and thus nondisclosure of data enforces near repetition of the work

Prevalence Of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Construction Workers

Construction workers frequently have work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) with significant adverse health and financial effects. The aim of this study is to look at the reasons, effects, and prevention measures for WRMSDs among construction workers.Methods: In the study, one hundred thirty-six male construction workers between the ages of 30 and 56 participated. The postural stress experienced by the construction workers was assessed using a modified Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. The Body Part Discomfort (BPD) scale was used to assess the severity of the discomfort/pain in various body areas.Results: Discomfort or pain in neck portion was found to be maximum percentage of workers. BPD scaling revealed that neck, lower back and shoulder are among three most susceptible body parts in relation to pain sensation.Conclusion: Manual construction workers in the construction industry are particularly vulnerable to developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs), working hours and MSD symptoms, particularly in the lower limb, are significantly correlated

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorder an Increasing Concern in Garment Industry

  Background:  Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)-related occupational health concerns are becoming a growing problem for the clothing industry, which is influenced by the repetitive tasks, prolonged static postures and poor ergonomic conditions that characterise the nature of work in this industry. This study aims to provide a thorough assessment of the numerous musculoskeletal problems that are prevalent in the garment industry and to recommend useful intervention strategies to mitigate their consequences. Methods:  One hundred thirty textile workers aged between 25 to 45 years were taken randomly from five different textile manufacturing sites of Baranagar, West Bengal. A modified Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire was applied to evaluate the postural stress of the garment’s workers. The discomfort/pain intensity in different body parts were evaluated by Body Part Discomfort (BPD) scale . Appropriate statistical tests were applied. Results: Discomfort or pain in hip and lower back were found to be maximum among workers. Conclusion: Pain, discomfort and postural stress among various body parts like upper back, lower back and hip are verry much common for the workers. Despite efforts to deal with these problems, more thorough research and efficient intervention strategies are required to reduce musculoskeletal ailments in the garment industry.

Effect of Cold Stress on Pyridostigmine Pretreated Rats Exposed to an Organophosphorous Compound

Context: Pyridostigmine bromide (PB) is a quaternary ammonium compound and has been approved as a pretreatment drug against toxic organophosphorous (OP) compounds. The stressful demands of modern military activity include a broad range of activities at extreme cold temperatures along with various physical activities. Objective: The effect of “sign free” dose of PB (0.075 mg/kg body weight) against a toxic OP compound diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) was reassessed in rats. Electrocardiographic (ECG) studies in hypothermic and pretreatment conditions were undertaken to assess the cardioprotective role of PB. Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) was quantified to assess the degree of oxidative stress imposed under such conditions. Possible protective role of pyridostigmine in rat lymphocytes was also determined.Materials& Methods: TAS was estimated spectrophotometrically and the expression of interferon-γ (IFNγ) was measured by Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting. ECG was monitored by standard protocol.Results: ECG recording showed that the PR and QT interval progressively increased along with widening of QRS complex. There was a progressive fall in heart rate as the body temperature decreased. TAS significantly decreased (p≤0.001) in hypothermic conditions and when pretreated with sign free dose of PB before cold induction (p≤0.001). Following immunostaining of lymphocytes by FITC conjugated mouse anti-rat IFNγ monoclonal antibody, 9.1% of lipopolysaccharide elicited parent cells showed positive IFNγ expression. Hypothermic stress inhibited IFNγ expression (3.6% of parent cells) which was recovered to 6.8% upon pre-treatment with sign-free dose of pyridostigmine. Conclusion: This study is indicative of a possible protective role of PB against hypothermic stress

Millennium Development Goal 5: Afghanistan in Focus

An estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 1,600-2,200 was reported in 4 Afghan provinces in 2002. Badkshan province recorded highest MMR of 6500. Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG 5) aimed to improve maternal health between 1990-2015 by (a) reducing MMR by three quarters from the baseline and (b) achieving universal access to reproductive health. In Afghanistan, MDGs were adopted in 2005 with a deadline of 2020. All six indicators used to monitor and evaluate MDG 5 showed positive change. Three of them were on target: MMR, number of births attended by skilled birth attendants (SBA), and antenatal coverage. MMR target of 400 by 2015 was reached by 2010. SBA attended birth increased by 41%. Antenatal coverage rose by 48%. The other 3 indicators are slower to change. Afghanistan adopted several strategies to reach MDG5: (i) training to increase the number of midwives, community nurses and doctors, (ii) availability of comprehensive care at all levels of healthcare facilities and (iii) better data collection methods. This first-of-its-kind review involving Afghanistan explores maternal mortality in the context of MDG 5, the past and present conditions of maternal health, factors that impacts MMR and concludes with suggesting future directions

Nutritional Status of Vegetable Cultivators of West Bengal, India

Background: West Bengal is a major producer of fresh vegetables in India. Despite that the farmers belongs to the low socio-economic group and thus their food insecurity exists, necessitating assessment of their nutritional status. Methods: Based on their activity level, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the nutritional status of 333 vegetable cultivators of North 24 Parganas district comprising of both males and females. Using 24-hr dietary recall questionnaire, the daily nutritional intake were evaluated to estimate nutritional insufficiency, including that of vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin C, iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium. The collected data were statistically analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test using SPSS (version 22). Result and Conclusion: Deficiency of micronutrients is common among the vegetable cultivators, along with excess intake of energy which create imbalance in the nutrient intake irrespective of gender and activity levels

P-glycoprotein expression in oral lichen planus

<div><p>Abstract: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a stress induced inflammatory condition with malignant potency. The mdr1 (multidrug resistance) is a stress gene overexpressed in cancerous conditions and its translated form, the p-glycoprotein efflux transporter is usually overexpressed with chemotherapy, leading to chemoresistance. OLP, a lesion with carcinogenic potency, is broadly classified into the asymptomatic reticular form and the aggressive erosive form. The objective of the study was to verify the expression level of p-glycoprotein in antifungal-treated and untreated reticular OLP, in untreated erosive OLP and erosive OLP patients treated with corticosteroid. Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (SQ-RTPCR) and ELISA were performed on biopsy tissue samples to evaluate the mdr1 mRNA and protein expression of p-glycoprotein, respectively. The present study shows for the first time that mdr1 mRNA as well as its translated form p-glycoprotein are overexpressed in OLP subjects compared to healthy individuals. This overexpression is significantly higher in erosive than in reticular OLP patients, further confirming that the erosive form has higher risk for multidrug resistance. A higher expression is also observed in corticosteroid-treated erosive cases than similar untreated ones. The gradation of expression is in conformity with severity of the disease.</p></div