Correlation of HbA1c levels in third trimester with maternal and perinatal outcome in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common metabolic disorders complicating pregnancy. GDM occurs in 2-22% of pregnancies depending on the diagnostic criteria and the epidemiologic characteristics of the population. Elevation of HBA1c have strong correlation with risks of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Aims and objective were to determine the HbA1c levels and to evaluate the maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with HbA1c <5.8% and >5.8% Methods: A retrospective study at ESIC-PGIMSR from June 2021 to December 2021.All mothers diagnosed with GDM using IADPSG criteria were included. HbA1c measured during the 2nd or 3rd trimester. Cut offs of HbA1c in 3rd trimester was taken as 5.8 according to Versantvoort et al. Maternal and neonatal outcome were assessed among two groups i.e., HbA1c <5.8% the control group and HbA1c >5.8% the case group. Demographic, maternal, and infant data were entered and statistical analysis done using SPSS software. Results: Total GDM mothers diagnosed were 152 out of 1454 pregnancies. Incidence is 10.4%. the 38.8% were of 25-30 years age group and 46% were multiparous.48.6% neonates were male and 50.6% were females. Among women with HbA1c >5.8%- Preeclampsia seen in 11 cases (21%), polyhydromnios in 5 cases (11.6%), hypothyroidism in 6 cases (12%) UTI in 1 case (2.3%) and candidiasis in 2 cases (4.6%) while among women with HBA1c <5.8% preeclampsia seen in 20 cases (18.3%), polyhydromnios in 2 cases (1.8%), hypothyroidism in 14 cases (13%) UTI in 2 cases (1.8%) and candidiasis in 4 cases (3.6%). Among women with HbA1c >5.8%-respiratory distress syndrome in 6 babies (13%), hyperbilirubinemia in 9 babies (18.6%), hypoglycemia 2 (4.6%) and hypocalemia in 2 babies (4.6%), 14 babies had normal course (32.5%) while among women with HbA1c 5.8% Among women with HbA1c >5.8%-respiratory distress syndrome in 13 babies (12%), hyperbilirubinemia in 20 babies (18.3%) and hypoglycemia 3 (2.7%). Conclusions: Optimal control of HbA1c along with lifestyle modification and glycemic control helps to reduce maternal and neonatal complications

Optimization of dye transfer inhibition properties of polyvinyl pyrolidine for reactive dye on cotton fabric

This study focuses on the optimization of the amount of dye transfer inhibition (DTI) agent in the in-wash liquor using response surface methodology. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone, one of the DTI polymers, has been used to analyse its dye transfer inhibition properties on reactive dyed cotton fabric against the commercial detergent. The box and Benkhen experimental design has been adapted to study the optimum concentration of DTI and washing condition for the better dye transfer inhibition. The CIELAB color difference (ΔE) and color strength (K/S) values are studied for the cotton fabric used in the in-wash liquor. The result shows that the higher the DTI polymer concentration the better is the dye transfer inhibition property. The performance of the DTI agent is majorly influenced by the surfactant present in the detergent powder due to its ionic nature. The influence of washing pH on the efficacy of the DTI is observed as minimal. The developed model shows higher values of R2 for the selected parameters, around 0.82 for color difference and 0.91 for color strength. The optimum values of process parameters for the improved performance of DTI polymer with minimum quantity are found to be DTI polymer concentration 0.24 g/l, detergent concentration 2.9 g/l, alkaline pH level in one liter of water, and 3% (owm) of reactive dye. The washing efficiency analysis shows that the stain removal percentage of detergent remains the same in presence of DTI polymer. The water hardness property has a major influence on the DTI performance. The environmental impact of the DTI polymer is found negligible, except the chemical oxygen demand

Expression analysis of rubber biosynthetic pathway genes in Hevea brasiliensis

Hevea brasiliensisis, the primary commercial source of natural rubber (cis-1, 4-polyisoprene), is a fundamental raw material used for manufacturing a wide range of industrial and domestic rubber products in automobile, medical and defense industries. In Hevea, biosynthesis of rubber takes place through mevalonate pathway. Clonal variations in the productivity of rubber may be the result of variations in the activities of the enzymes involved in rubber biosynthesis in different Hevea clones. In this study, expression of 14 genes corresponding to enzymes/regulatory proteins involved in rubber biosynthesis was analyzed in high and low latex yielding clones of Hevea brasiliensis. The level of expression of HbSUT3, a sucrose transporter and enzymes related to the synthesis of rubber such as hydroxymethyl glutaryl-CoA synthase (hmgs), HMG-CoA reductase (hmgr) and mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MVD) were found to be significantly higher in high rubber yielding clones compared to the low rubber yielding clones. The higher expression of these genes might result in an increased supply of IPP, the isoprenoid monomer, required for rubber biosynthesis. Expression of genes in the downstream rubber biosynthetic pathway such as FPPS, RuT and REF2 were also found to be significantly higher in high rubber yielding clones than low yielders. The results suggest that high rubber yield is associated with high expression of these genes and these genes can be used as markers for high yield potential in Hevea

Anthraquinones- A probe to enhance the photovoltaic properties of DSSCs

Natural dye sensitized solar cells are a promising class of photovoltaic cells with the capacity of generating green energy at low production cost since no expensive equipment is required in their fabrication. Photovoltaics are a precious technology in the hasty world where energy prices are goes on increasing within seconds. Researchers are focusing to facilitate for producing eco-friendly, low cost and more efficient dye sensitized solar cells. In the present work we discuss the comparative photovoltaic studies of Lawsone, a natural dye from henna plant and Alizarin, a natural dye from the root of madder for fabricating the Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The absorption spectrum of Lawsone and Alizarin is found to be shifted to the longer wavelength region after the complex formation. As a result there is a significant increase in short circuit current density and conversion efficiency. This result compares with the standard dye i.e. N719 dye

ATP concentration in latex as an indicator for early evaluation of yield in Hevea brasiliensis

Adenosine 5’ triphosphate (ATP) in the laticiferous tissues of Hevea brasiliensis plays a major role in rubber biosynthesis through its direct involvement in metabolic pathways and indirectly through H+ ATPase activity. A strong positive correlation was observed between dry rubber yield and latex ATP, when ATP was measured in the latex of ten Hevea clones with different yield potentials such as low, medium and high. The latex ATP was significantly high in clones with higher yield than medium and low yielding clones. The correlation between same day latex yield and ATP during the peak yielding season (September-November) also showed a direct relationship. This study was extended to immature plants of the same clones to confirm the practical application of this finding in crop improvement programme. Latex ATP was analysed in two year old young plants and continued for five years to correlate with rubber yield of the mature trees in field trial. A positive correlation was noticed between ATP in young plants and mature tree rubber yield. Young plants of high yielding clones always showed higher latex ATP concentration. In view of the direct relationship with yield, significant differences between clones and its seasonal insensitivity, latex ATP could be used as an indicator for early prediction of high yield in Hevea

Determinants of low birth weight in urban Pakistan

Objective: To identify determinants of low birth weight (LBW) in Karachi, Pakistan, including environmental exposures and nutritional status of the mother during pregnancy. Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: Five hundred and forty mother-infant pairs. We interviewed mothers about obstetric history, diet and exposure to Pb. We measured birth weight and blood lead level (BLL). We performed multiple log binomial regression analysis to identify factors related to LBW.Results: Of 540 infants, 100 (18.5%) weighed 208.7 mg/d), infants of mothers with MUAC less than or equal to the median and dietary vitamin C intake \u3e 208-7 mg/d (adjPR = 10.80, 95 % CI 1.46, 79.76), mothers with MUAC above the median and vitamin C intak

Drought tolerance in MnSOD transgenic Hevea brasiliensis in a dry sub-humid environment

One year old bud-grafted plants of MnSOD transgenic Hevea lines (L1 and L2) and an untransformed line of clone RRII 105 were used in the present study to evaluate their physiological performance in a dry sub-humid environment by withholding irrigation and to assess the recovery by re-watering. The dry matter partitioning was more towards the root in transgenic lines (55% and 60% in Ll and L2, respectively) but, was less in the untransformed RRII 105 (43%). After six days of moisture stress in polybags, pre-dawn leaf water potential and relative water content declined in all the lines, however, transgenic line L1 showed higher tissue water content throughout the drought as well as recovery period. Chlorophyll content did not show any significant reduction. Net photosynthetic rate (PN) declined rapidly and it reached near zero on the third day of drought imposition except for line L1, which showed lesser decline in PN. The decline in stomatal conductance (gs) was more rapid than PN in all the lines. On re-watering, recovery of PN and gs was better in the transgenic lines than untransformed RRII 105, which did not recover fully from the drought impact. Antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase did not show a definite trend in their activities in these lines. However, it was found that the transgenic line L1 had better drought tolerant capacity in terms of lesser inhibition of photosynthetic rate under drought and faster recovery on re-watering

AmnioQuick® Duo+ for diagnosis of premature fetal membranes rupture

Background: Failure to identify women with premature fetal membranes rupture associated with infectious morbidities. Evaluation of the accuracy of AmnioQuick® Duo+ in diagnosing premature fetal membranes rupture compared to conventional diagnostic tests was the aim of this study.Methods: 220 pregnant women ≥37 and <39 weeks` gestation studied and classified into two groups; study group (premature fetal membranes rupture) and control group (no premature fetal membranes rupture). Participants examined by trans-abdominal ultrasound (TAS) and vaginal speculum to visualize amnion leaking and for collection of samples for fern, nitrazine and AmnioQuick® Duo+ tests on admission. A final diagnosis whether the studied women had PROM or not at the initial presentation made after delivery.Results: Sensitivity and specificity of the AmnioQuick® Duo+ to diagnose PROM was 93.6% and 86.4%; respectively compared with 72.7% and 80.9%; respectively for fern test and 76.4% and 83.6%; respectively for nitrazine test. Positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of AmnioQuick® Duo+ to detect PROM were 87.3%, 93.1% and 90%; respectively compared with 79.2%, 74.8% and 76.8%; respectively for fern test and 82.4%, 77.97% and 80%; respectively for nitrazine test. AmnioQuick® Duo+ test had higher accuracy to detect premature fetal membranes rupture compared to conventional diagnostic tests.Conclusions: AmnioQuick® Duo+ is accurate bedside immunoassay test, better than the individual conventional diagnostic tests and can used as complementary test to improve the management of women with women premature fetal membranes rupture

A novel hybrid password authentication scheme based on text and image

Considering the popularity and wide deployment of text passwords, we predict that they will be used as a prevalent authentication mechanism for many years to come. Thus, we have carried out studies on mechanisms to enhance text passwords. These studies suggest that password space and memorability should be improved, with an additional mechanism based on images. The combination of text and images increases resistance to some password attacks, such as brute force and observing attacks. We propose a hybrid authentication scheme integrating text and recognition-based graphical passwords. This authentication scheme can reduce the phishing attacks because if users are deceived to share their key passwords, there is still a chance to save the complete password as attackers do not know the users' image preferences. In addition to the security aspect, the proposed authentication scheme increases memorability as it does not require users to remember long and complex passwords. Thus, with the proposed scheme users will be able to create strong passwords without sacrificing usability. The hybrid scheme also offers an enjoyable sign-in/log-in experience to users