Association of adverse pregnancy outcome and domestic/intimate partner violence

Background: Domestic/intimate partner violence is not a mere household issue. It is a global phenomenon that occurs in all the countries and cuts across all strata, races and countries. Apart from being an issue of human/individual rights, it also has major health consequences. The main aim of this study is to stress the need of screening and detecting violence in antenatal women.Methods: This was a questionnaire based observational cross sectional study done at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India over a span of one year. A total of 200 antenatal/postnatal patients seeking healthcare were enrolled after an informed consent with approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Percentages of various parameters were analysed. Test of significance was Chi square test and Odd’s ratio (p <0.05).Results: Prevalence of domestic/intimate partner violence in our study was 12.5% and 7% in the group with normal pregnancy outcome and 18% in group with adverse pregnancy outcome. It was found that violence was more prevalent in age group of 21 to 30 years, love marriages, nuclear families, lower educational level of partner, addiction in partner, unplanned pregnancies, lower economic conditions and families supporting dowry and gender bias and allowing freedom of choice and contraception.Conclusions: Need for routine screening for violence in women of reproductive age group with vulnerable subset of pregnant women. Creating awareness/sensitivity amongst healthcare professionals and to train them to identify and help these women

ISOLATION OF POTENT HYDROCARBON DEGRADING MICRO-ORGANISMS AND ITS APPLICATION IN BIOREMEDIATION

Objective: Oil spillage has become a global environmental problem as its constituents are toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic. Natural bioremediation is the only eco-friendly solution to resist its devastating environmental and economic damage. Microbes are used to change harmful substances to non-toxic substances. The current work focuses on the performance of different bacterial species in degrading the oil components like benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)s.Methods: Sample was collected from different areas affected by the oil spill in Mumbai that is from the shore of Juhu, Dadar and Manori in form of tar balls and was enriched and isolated on Bushnell and Hass's media containing 1% crude oil as a sole source of carbon. The potent isolates were then identified by standard biochemical tests referring to Bergey's Manual.Results: Two partially identified strains were Pseudomonas flavescens and Bacillus sp. biofilms of Pseudomonas spp. was prepared on glass matrix to determine its oil degrading efficiency. An indigenous consortium was developed by the assembly of seven isolates of oil-degrading bacteria.Conclusion: The developed consortium was able to degrade crude oil completely within 4 d. The obtained isolates seemed to have the potential for bioremediation of oil contaminated soil and tar balls which was justified by setting up of a bioreactor

Outcome Analysis of Intra-Articular Scapula Fracture Fixation with Distal Radius Plate: A Multicenter Prospective Study

Background: Scapula fractures occur in approximately 1% of all fractures and constitute about 3% - 5% of all injuries of the shoulder joint. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of 20 surgically treated patients with displaced glenoid fractures after stabilization with distal radius plate. Methods: Between 2012 and 2015, at 2 centers (HMCH & SHCE) of Bhubaneswar Odisha, we stabilized 20 scapular intra-articular fractures surgically with distal radius locking plate and studied the outcome of the surgeries. The outcome of the 20 fractures was determined using the Constant and Murley score. Both shoulders were assessed and the score on the injured side was given as a percentage of that on the uninjured side. Results: The median score was 88% (mean 65%, range 30 to 100). The median score for strength was 21/25 (mean 19, range 0 to 25) and that for pain 11/15 (mean 11, range 5 to 15). The median functional score was 16/20 (mean 15, range 0 to 20). The mean range of active abduction of the shoulder was 135° (20 to 180), the mean range of flexion 138° (20 to 180) and the mean range of external rotation 38° (0 to 100). Five patients showed excellent result; 11 patients showed good result; three patients showed fair result and one patient had poor outcome according to the Constant-Murley score. A superficial infection settled with antibiotics after operation in one patient whose score at final follow-up was 96%. In one patient, delayed healing was reported because of infection. One patient with stiffness of the shoulder at six weeks underwent manipulation under anesthesia with a follow-up score of 81%. Conclusions: Various fixation modalities have been described in the literature, however fixation of intra-articular fracture of glenoid with distal radius locking plate for articular reconstruction in the presented series provides good functional outcome with early restoration of the range of motion of the shoulder

3D MODELING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HDAC9

Objective: Histones are the most abundant proteins associated with the eukaryotic DNA. The N-terminal tails of these histones are subjected to modifications primarily by two enzymes namely, Histone acetyl transferases (HATs) and Histone deacetylases (HDACs). HDACs help in the regulation of the acetylation of histones and the condensation of the chromatin in its sTable form. HDACs are considered as one of the promising targets in cancer biology studies. HDAC9 is a class II member of HDAC family and they are associated with many neurological disorders and a variety of cancers. The 3D structure of this HDAC9(Q9UKV0) was not published. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop and validate the model structure of HDAC9 (Q9UKV0) using bioinformatics tools.Methods: The Physiochemical characterization was carried out using Ex PASy Prot Param tool, the Functional characterization using Cysteine Recognition Server and HMMTOP Server and Molecular Modeling using I-TASSER. Model Refinement, Validation and verification are carried out using SPDBV, RAMPAGE Server and ERRAT Server respectively. Result and Conclusion: This3D model of HDAC9 now can be further used to target drug discovery studies related to HDAC9 neurological disorders and a variety of cancers.Â

A parametric investigation of the influence of atrium facades on the daylight performance of atrium buildings

Atria have proliferated in a range of contemporary buildings and daylighting is perhaps their most valuable aspect. This thesis is an exploration of the effects of atrium facades on the daylight performance of an atrium and its adjoining spaces. It examines the effects of atrium wall surface reflectance distribution patterns, different surface types, and the location, size and proportion of fenestration and opaque areas in an atrium’s facade. The study seeks to provide knowledge that would be most useful at the early design stages of a project. The study uses Daylight Factor (DF) and Average Daylight Factor (ADF) to examine daylight levels in an atrium building. Chapters Two and Three develop an understanding of key daylighting concepts and consider specific daylight linked atrium parameters related to this study; atrium geometry and enclosing surfaces each of which is examined through an extensive literature review. Chapter Four demonstrates the effects of reflectance distributions and diffuse and specular surfaces on DFs across the atrium floor using physical scale models. Following this, in Chapter Five, the experiments are repeated using RADIANCE and results from the two methods are compared to establish their accuracies. ADF values, calculated using Littlefair’s (2002) algorithm, are also compared with those obtained from physical scale model and RADIANCE. Chapter Six establishes the range of atrium well indices in which surface reflectance distributions affect DFs. This then informs the experiments of Chapter Seven which ascertain the influence of different facade compositions (with variable and even fenestration from the atrium roof to its floor) on daylight availability in atrium buildings. To contextualise work undertaken in this thesis, the research findings are compared with data from real buildings. Finally, specific conclusions with regards to the effects of atrium facades on daylighting in atrium buildings are drawn before more wide-reaching inferences are made

Cemented hemi-arthroplasty for unstable intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly: a retrospective study

Background: Unstable intertrochanteric fractures belonging to 31A2 and A3 varieties are difficult challenges for orthopaedic surgeons, particularly in the elderly patients. Osteosynthesis by dynamic hip screw or proximal femoral nail are often plagued by complications like screw cut-out, excessive collapse and fixation failures due to osteoporotic bones. Because of these complications, patients are often kept confined to the bed which may increase the risks of pressure sores, venous thrombosis and pulmonary infections. So, it is desirable to mobilize these elderly patients as quickly as possible following surgery. In recent decades, primary hemi-arthroplasty has emerged as a valuable treatment option for mobilizing these patients early.Methods: We present our retrospective study on 27 patients above 60 years of age, who were managed with cemented bipolar hemi-arthroplasty after sustaining unstable intertrochanteric fractures. All the patients were operated through modified Hardinge approach. The fractured fragments were secured by stainless steel wiring, particularly the greater trochanter, wherever necessary.Results: Twenty-three patients (85%) were able to stand up with walkers by third post-operative day and were able to walk by fifth post-operative day. There was one case of hip dislocation; it was reduced under anaesthesia. No other complications were encountered at an average follow-up of 3.1 years. The Harris hip score was ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ in more than 60% patients.Conclusions: Cemented hemi-arthroplasty appears to be a reliable treatment method for unstable intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly and it allows early weight-bearing and rehabilitation in most patients following surgery.