Is fear of COVID-19 influencing cancer patients to report for follow-up? experience from a tertiary care oncology center in eastern India

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to the implementation of lockdown in India in March, 2020 which has posed a great challenge for both oncologic health care providers and cancer survivors alike as cancer patients have been unable to report for follow-up visits due to the same. The present study aims to assess the psychological impact of COVID -19 on female cancer patients undergoing treatment in a tertiary care oncology centre in Eastern India.Methods: The present study is a prospective cross-sectional study conducted on 80 female patients who were undergoing treatment for various gynecologic malignancies at a tertiary care oncology cancer centre in Eastern India. Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) was used to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 among the study population. Telephonic interviews were also conducted to collect data. Data was analysed using Microsoft excel and Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20.Results: Seventy-eight percent of the patients were afraid of contracting COVID-19 on coming out of their house, higher number of poorly educated patients had fear of the COVID-19 infection. Fifty-one percent patients were ‘very fearful’ of the COVID-19 infection and the most common cause of fear was of ‘losing life due to corona virus’. Eighty-six percent of the patients found talking to the doctor telephonically reassuring.Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has instilled fear and anxiety among the patients of gynecological cancer preventing them to report for follow-up. Alternative strategies need to explored to render effective follow-up care to oncology patients

Experience with women having uterine cancer in Eastern India: a hospital based study

Background: The changing lifestyle has led to a rise in obesity, diabetes and hypertension in India which the most important risk factors for developing uterine cancer. The treatment of uterine cancer is evolving and requires proper evaluation and often adjuvant treatment for better survival. The disease being associated with symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding often ends up being inadequately managed by non-oncologists practicing in a generalist setting in India. The current study was aimed to audit and observe any difference in outcome of patients primarily treated in the oncology set-up of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, which is a regional cancer center in India versus those receiving primary treatment in a non-oncological set-up.Methods: Retrospective data was collected from hospital records after setting inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study.Results: There is poor correlation between the endometrial biopsy and histopathology findings of patients operated in non-oncological setting as compared to that in the institute. The overall survival of patients operated in the institute was superior to those treated outside.Conclusions: Patients having risk factors and symptoms akin to that of uterine carcinoma must be treated in an oncological set-up ideally

Menstrual Characteristics of Adolescent Athletes: A Study from West Bengal, India

The present study investigates: (i) differences in menstrual characteristics of athlete and non-athlete adolescents; (ii) relationship between menstrual characteristics, anthropometric variables, athletic status and socioeconomic status. The present study was conducted among 159 unmarried adolescents (80 athletes and 79 non-athletes) of age 15 to 19 years. The study participants belong to Bengali speaking Hindu ethnic group of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal State of India. Data were collected on socio-demographic and menstrual characteristics using pre-tested questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were taken following standard methods. Descriptive statistics were used to understand the differences in menstrual characteristics between athletes and non-athletes, stepwise linear regression analyses were carried out to predict age at menarche, menstrual cycle length and duration of menstrual discharge using socio-demographic and anthropometric variables as well as athletic status as independent variables. Logistic (binary) regression was carried out to assess the strength of association between menstrual characteristics (as dependent variables) and athletic status, socio-demographic and anthropometric variables, and other menstrual characteristics (independent variables). The study participants differ significantly (p≤0.05) for certain menstrual characteristics such as age at menarche, cycle length, skipped cycle, premenstrual syndrome, heavy discharge when compared for their athletic status. Certain anthropometric and socioeconomic variables were found to be significantly associated with their menstrual characteristics. The study results demonstrate that menstrual functioning among adolescents is significantly influenced by their athletic status. The findings of this study would help health care professionals to devise future health care programs for adolescents in general and athletes in particular

Menstrual Characteristics of Adolescent Athletes: A Study from West Bengal, India

The present study investigates: (i) differences in menstrual characteristics of athlete and non-athlete adolescents; (ii) relationship between menstrual characteristics, anthropometric variables, athletic status and socioeconomic status. The present study was conducted among 159 unmarried adolescents (80 athletes and 79 non-athletes) of age 15 to 19 years. The study participants belong to Bengali speaking Hindu ethnic group of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal State of India. Data were collected on socio-demographic and menstrual characteristics using pre-tested questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were taken following standard methods. Descriptive statistics were used to understand the differences in menstrual characteristics between athletes and non-athletes, stepwise linear regression analyses were carried out to predict age at menarche, menstrual cycle length and duration of menstrual discharge using socio-demographic and anthropometric variables as well as athletic status as independent variables. Logistic (binary) regression was carried out to assess the strength of association between menstrual characteristics (as dependent variables) and athletic status, socio-demographic and anthropometric variables, and other menstrual characteristics (independent variables). The study participants differ significantly (p≤0.05) for certain menstrual characteristics such as age at menarche, cycle length, skipped cycle, premenstrual syndrome, heavy discharge when compared for their athletic status. Certain anthropometric and socioeconomic variables were found to be significantly associated with their menstrual characteristics. The study results demonstrate that menstrual functioning among adolescents is significantly influenced by their athletic status. The findings of this study would help health care professionals to devise future health care programs for adolescents in general and athletes in particular

Tobacco Use and Oral Health Status among Adolescents in an Urban Slum, Gurugram

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco use is one of the main risk factors for number of chronic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer and oral cancer. Tobacco epidemic is one of the public health threats killing nearly six million people yearly. Tobacco use also contributes to poor oral health causing staining, bad breath and tooth decay. Different studies in India are suggestive of upward trend in use of tobacco even in adolescents.OBJECTIVES: To find the prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents in an urban slum and to assess the oral health status among them.METHODOLOGY: This cross sectional study was done as a part of oral health assessment camp conducted in an urban slum. All adolescents attending the camp were recruited in the study after due informed consent, the final sample size being 130.RESULTS: The overall tobacco use among adolescents was found to be 95.8% adolescent boys and 27.6% among adolescent girls. The most common reasons cited for tobacco use were peer pressure followed by parent’s influence. Smokeless tobacco (dry tobacco, lime, guthka) was consumed by 39.13% boys and 19% girls. Smoking was prevalent among 16.7% boys and 8.6% girls. However 41.7 % adolescent boys consumed both forms of tobacco. Prevalence of dental caries was high in both boys (77.7%) and girls (55.2%). The presence of tartar was found in 47.3% boys and 22.4% girls. Bleeding gums was found in more no. of girls (29.3%) as compared to boys (25%). The other morbidities found on examination were ulcer (16.7% boys and 3.5% girls), Oral submucous fibrosis was seen in 27.8% boys and 3.5% girls.CONCLUSION: Appropriate intervention is required as adolescence is a tender period where these risk factors like tobacco consumption and oral hygiene could be modified by awareness and counselling

A Study on Gender Preferences and its Sociocultural aspects among Married Women (18-45 Years) in Rural Gurugram

INTRODUCTION: Declining sex ratio is a major concern worldwide, especially in a developing country like India. The role of sociocultural factors in gender preference is known since ages. The skewed sex ratio in India is attributed to selective female feticides and misuse of technological advancements. This also has a strong influence on contraceptive acceptance among couples. OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to explore the contraceptive use, gender preferences and its determinants among married women in rural Gurgaon. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among married women (18-45years) residing in the rural field practice area of SGT medical college and hospital, Gurugram. The sample size was found to be 400. Systematic random sampling technique was used to recruit the study participants.  Pre- tested, pre-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Among 400 married women, current contraceptive usage among study population was found to be 58.25%. The most common method of contraception used by the study subjects was intrauterine contraceptive device. The preference for male child was found among 49.5% women. The reasons cited for such preference were propagation of family name (48.2%), financial dependability in the old age (34%), social responsibilities are carried out by males (25.3%) and males are lesser economic liability (31%). Lower age group of mother, nulliparity, Hindu religion, lower educational status and lower socioeconomic status were found to be the determinants of male child preference in the present study. CONCLUSION: There is need of awareness and education amongst women and both the genders deserve equal respect without any preferences

Pharmacognostical, phytochemical and anthelmintic activity of Polygonum muricatum

Polygonum muricatum is widely used by the local people of Meghalaya for anthelmintics. An attempt has been made to evaluate the pharmacognostical, preliminary phytochemical and pharmacological parameters of leaves of Polygonum muricatum. The physicochemical constants like moisture content, ash values such as total ash, acid insoluble ash and water soluble ash, extractive values such as water soluble extractive value and alcohol soluble extractive value were determined. The extract obtained by successive solvent extraction was subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis to find out the presence of compounds. The plant Polygonum muricatum leaves were extracted with the solvent benzene, acetone, ethanol and water by soxhlet apparatus method. The extract was evaluated for anthelmintic activity with Indian earthworm. Ethanol extract of the plant Polygonum muricatum has shown the significant activity

Transfersomes: a novel technique for transdermal drug delivery

Novel drug delivery systems are now a days is creating a new interest in development of drug deliveries. Vesicular drug delivery system is also a part of these novel drug delivery systems. TDDS is the permeability of the skin, it is permeable to small molecules, lipophilic drug and highly impermeable to the macromolecules and hydrophilic drugs. Recent approaches have resulted in design of two vesicular carriers, ethosomes and ultra flexible lipid based elastic vesicles, transferosomes. Transferosomes have recently been introduced, which are capable of transdermal delivery of low as well as high molecular weight drugs. This offers several potential advantages over conventional routes like avoidance of first pass metabolism, predictable and extended duration of activity, minimizing undesirable side effects, utility of short half life drugs, improving physiological and pharmacological response and have been applied to increases the efficiency of the material transfer across the intact skin, by the use of penetration enhancers, iontophoresis, sonophoresis and use of colloidal carriers such as lipid vesicles (liposomes & proliposomes) and non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes & proniosomes). It is suitable for controlled and targeted drug delivery and it can accommodate drug molecules with wide range of solubility. Due to its high deformability it gives better penetration of intact vesicles. They are biocompatible and biodegradable as they are made from natural phospholipids and have high entrapment efficiency. The preparation variables are depending upon the procedure involved for manufacturing of formulation and the preparation procedure was accordingly optimized and validated. Characterization of transferosomes can be done to know the vesicle size, morphology, drug content, entrapment efficiency, penetration ability, occlusion effect, surface charge, in vitro drug release, in vitro skin penetration etc., It increases stability of labile drugs and provides control release. Transferosomes thus differs from such more conventional vesicles primarily by its softer, more deformable, better adjustable artificial membrane. Keywords: Novel Drug Delivery System, Biocompatible, Characterization, Transferosomes

The Coxsackievirus and Adenovirus Receptor Has a Short Half-Life in Epithelial Cells

The coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) is an essential cellular protein that is involved in cell adhesion, cell signaling, and viral infection. The 8-exon encoded isoform (CAREx8) resides at the apical surface of polarized epithelia, where it is accessible as a receptor for adenovirus entering the airway lumen. Given its pivotal role in viral infection, it is a target for antiviral strategies. To understand the regulation of CAREx8 and determine the feasibility of receptor down regulation, the half-life of total and apical localized CAREx8 was determined and correlated with adenovirus transduction. Total and apical CAREx8 has a relatively short half-life of approximately 2 h. The half-life of apical CAREx8 correlates well with adenovirus transduction. These results suggest that antiviral strategies that aim to degrade the primary receptor for apical adenovirus infection will be effective within a relatively short time frame after application