IDENTIFICATION OF EPIGENETIC MARKERS FOR ALLERGIC DISEASES VIA GENOME-SCALE ASSOCIATION STUDIES

IDENTIFICATION OF EPIGENETIC MARKERS FOR ALLERGIC DISEASES VIA GENOME-SCALE ASSOCIATION STUDIE

Bioefficacy of Bacillus subtilis against root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood in tomato

An investigation was conducted for the management of root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood infesting tomato through the application of bio-control agent like Bacillus subtilis, Trichoderma harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Experiment result revealed that minimum no. of galls/25seedlings (17.50) and maximum seedling height (27.6cm) were observed in Bacillus subtilis @50g/m2 in nursery bed + B. subtilis @ 5kg along with 2.5 tons of FYM/ ha. The highest weight/25seedlings (69.50g) was noticed in the B. subtilis @50g/m2 in nursery bed + B. subtilis 2.5kg along with 2.5 tons of FYM/ha. The highest growth of the plant at 45 DAT (49.2cm) and at harvest (81.2cm) and maximum fresh (711.3g) and dry weight (265g) was found in B. subtilis @50g/m2 in nursery bed + B. subtilis 2.5kg along with 2.5 tons of FYM/ha. B. subtilis @50g/m2 in nursery bed + B. subtilis 2.5kg along with 2.5 tons of FYM/ha exhibited lowest gall index (1.2/plant) and highest reduction of nematode population and provided highest yield of tomato fruits (335.75q/ha)

Problems faced by ASHA workers for malarial services under NVBDCP: a cross sectional study

Background: About 95% of the country’s population resides in malaria endemic areas. The NVBDCP is multi-faceted public health programme in the country. The NVBDCP became an integral part of the NRHM launched in 2005. In NRHM, ASHA worker should be placed at grass root level. So role of ASHA is critical at grass root level. Problems faced by ASHA, it will affect the performance. So, ASHA workers positioned at village, Population catered by them, education, work experience, problems related to incentive and any other problems should be considered. The primary objective was to know the problems faced by ASHA workers for malarial services under NVBDCP in Jamnagar district.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in rural areas of the district by using multistage sampling.Results: There was vacant post of ASHA in one village of low performing sub-centre. ASHA having work experience of less than one year was concentrated in poor performing sub-centre villages. More than one third ASHA served > 2000 population and more than half of them belonged to low performing sub centres. Around one sixth ASHA workers had difficulty in getting incentive or any problems. Majority of them belonged to low performing sub centres-villages.Conclusions: Main identified problems were some areas were far to reach by them, getting incentive for work and populations catered by them were too high. Most of them belonged to low performing sub centre-villages. All of above findings had affected the performance of ASHA workers.

Revisiting Exclusion of Prior Cancer in Clinical Trials of Male Breast Cancer

Background: Eligibility criteria for cancer clinical trials present challenges to enrollment. Many trials exclude patients with a prior cancer. This common practice may be especially detrimental to trials of rare cancers, such as male breast cancer, that struggle to accrue adequate numbers of participants. Objectives: to estimate prevalence of prior cancer among men newly diagnosed with breast cancer and describe characteristics of men with prior cancer compared to those without. Methods: We identified men diagnosed with breast cancer between 2011-2015 using population-based data from National Cancer Institute\u27s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of cancer registries. We used sequence number and diagnosis year to identify cancers diagnosed prior to breast cancer (inclusive of prior breast, different, and unknown types of cancer). We compared sociodemographic, tumor, and treatment characteristics of men with and without prior cancer using chi-square tests. Results: Among 2317 men, nearly one quarter (24.3%) had any prior cancer, and the majority (58.7%) of these were of a different cancer type. A higher proportion of men with a prior cancer of a different type were older, had smaller (≤ 2 cm) breast tumors, were diagnosed with stage 0-1 breast cancer, and did not receive surgery compared to men without any prior cancer; there were no statistically significant differences by race and ethnicity, county median income, hormone receptor status, or surgery type. Conclusion: Given prevalence of prior cancer in this rare and understudied population of men diagnosed with breast cancer, including men with prior cancer in clinical trials may improve accrual

An assessment of sociodemographic factors and family planning practices in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India: a cross sectional study

Background: India was the first country in the world to launch a National Family Planning Programme in 1952. It was purely a demographic programme with the sole objective of reducing the birth rate to stabilize the population. As per 2011 census population increased with the growth rate of 17.7%. Thus even after 63 years of programme & many more new advances & updates in programme, India could not reach its target of at least 60% of couple protection rate. So there would be some definite factors prohibiting its use.Methods: A cross section study of 450 reproductive age group women was conducted to find out the factors of unmet need of contraception & socio demographic profile.Results: In present study couple protection rate was 57.11%, majority being permanent sterilization. The selection of contraception was influenced by her husband in 43.24% & by mother-in-law in 62.16%.Conclusions: The study revealed that almost half of the couple population was using the contraception that included temporary as well as permanent methods of contraception

Assessment of ophthalmic morbidities in school children (6-14 years) in rural community

Background: School children are affected by various eye disorders like refractive errors, squint, Vitamin A deficiency and eye infections. Most of the ophthalmic morbidities originate in childhood and if they are not diagnosed early they may result in severe disabilities and affects children’s performance in the school. Objectives: To find out prevalence of various ophthalmic morbidities in the school children (6 – 14 years) and to study the socio demographic profile of school children (6 – 14 years) related to ophthalmic morbidities. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 500 school children in schools of Aliabada village, Jamnagar district. A Pretested semi-structured proforma was used to collect the information related to study and students were screened for eye disorders by visual acuity testing using snellen’s chart and colour blindness was checked by using Ishihara’s chart and torch light examination. Visual acuity was assessed. Data entry and analysis was done using Microsoft excel 2007 and Epi info. Results: The prevalence of ophthalmic morbidity was found to be 33%. Among the various ophthalmic morbidities, major were refractive errors i.e. 25.6% followed by Vit A deficiency in 8.6% cases and followed by squint 2.4% and various others. The study also found that social class and age were associated with ophthalmic morbidity. It is found statistically significant. Conclusions: Refractive error was the most common ophthalmic morbidity in the school children followed by Vit A deficiency, squint and various others. In the study we found that social class and age were significantly associated with ophthalmic morbidity

Association of asthma and rhinitis with epigenetics of coronavirus related genes

Introduction: susceptibility factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) include sex and medical conditions such as asthma and rhinitis. DNA methylation (DNAm) is associated with asthma, rhinitis, and several viruses. We examined associations of asthma/rhinitis with DNAm at CpGs located on coronavirus related genes, and if these associations were sex-specific.Methods: in total, n = 242 subjects aged 26 years from the Isle of Wight Birth Cohort were included in the study. Linear regressions were used to examine sex specific and non-specific associations of DNAm at CpGs on coronavirus related genes with asthma/rhinitis status. Associations of DNAm with gene expression in blood were assessed for functional relevance of identified CpGs.Results: statistically significant interaction effects of asthma or rhinitis with sex were identified at 40 CpGs for asthma and 27 CpGs for rhinitis. At 21 CpGs, DNAm was associated with asthma, and at 45 CpGs with rhinitis, regardless of sex. Assessment of functional relevance of the identified CpGs indicated a potential of epigenetic regulatory functionality on gene activity at 14 CpGs for asthma and 17 CpGs for rhinitis, and of those 6 CpGs for asthma and 7 CpGs for rhinitis were likely to be sex-specific.Conclusion: subjects with asthma/rhinitis may have altered susceptibility to COVID-19 due to changes in their DNAm associated with these conditions. Sex specificity on association of asthma/rhinitis with DNAm at certain CpGs, and on the association of DNAm at asthma/rhinitis-linked CpGs with gene expression have the potential to explain the reported sex-specificity in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.</p

Replication study to estimate the production function for housing

The purpose of this repository is for the team to collaborate on a replication study for the DATA 598 A course and will contain all the work required for the project check-ins and the final submission. The aim of the project is to replicate a key scientific claim of one of the papers published in the American Economic Review that estimates the production function for housin

An assessment of maternal morbidity pattern among reproductive age group women in a district of West Gujarat: A community based cross sectional study

Introduction: For each maternal mortality, there are number of various morbidities, which directly or indirectly affects health of women. For every woman who dies of pregnancy-related causes, an estimated 20 women experience acute or chronic morbidity, often with tragic consequences. Objectives: To assess maternal morbidity pattern, prevalence of maternal morbidity & its associated factors. Material and Methods: A community based cross- sectional study was conducted among 450 women of reproductive age group women of Jamnagar district. Study subjects were selected by multistage sampling. Data collected in proforma consist of sociodemographic profile, past obstetric profile & any antenatal, Intranatal, & postnatal morbidities. Results: Prevalence of maternal morbidity was about 80% with, highest morbidity found during antenatal period in 36% subjects, followed by 26% in postnatal period. There were also associated medical problems during pregnancy. Conclusion: There is 80% prevalence of morbidity related to pregnancy which adds on to ill health of women. It was also observed that statistical significance between few of the important variables like educational status, parity & place of delivery, which could be independent risk factors & occurrence of maternal morbidity