Antenatal care awareness among rural pregnant women of Uttar Pradesh, India: a community-based study

Background: A great deal of research evidence indicates that inappropriate antenatal care (ANC) increases the likelihood of maternal morbidity and maternal mortality. The adverse effects can be minimized if pregnant women are aware to ensure necessary registration, regular antenatal check-ups, and early diagnosis of high-risk pregnancy. The present study was conducted to explore the ANC awareness of pregnant women and its association with socio-demographic factors.Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted on 605 pregnant women who registered were at the primary health center (PHC) of Harhua block of Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh. The self-developed ANC awareness schedule (ACAS) was used to assess the ANC awareness of pregnant women. Statistical analysis was performed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 20 software.Results: Among 605 study participants, the majority of them (62.48%) were in the age group of 20–25 years. Out of 10.74% of study participants were illiterate while only 21.65% were graduated. Most of the pregnant women were from the lower middle class (44.30%), and only 3.47% belonged to the upper class. The study reveals that 57.36% of pregnant women were found to be aware of ANC. Out of 86.61% of pregnant women knew that regular antenatal check-up was necessary once they became pregnant. Socio-demographic variables such as category, education, occupation, and socioeconomic status of pregnant women were found to be significantly associated with ANC awareness.Conclusions: The level of awareness regarding ANC among pregnant women was not found satisfactory. They do not have proper knowledge and awareness about the various parameters of ANC. Improving awareness of ANC among pregnant women will enable them to detect high-risk pregnancies at the right time, which will also increase their chances of a healthy delivery.

A rare case of indirect inguinal hernia with ovary as content at a hospital of Visakhapatnam

A hernia is the protrusion of the small intestines or omentum or other organs through a defect in the abdominal wall. Inguinal herniain females is very rare and occurs in <5% of women. Here, we report the case of a 25-year-old female who presented with swellingin the left groin associated with dragging pain in the left iliac fossa. She was investigated and diagnosed as a left indirect inguinalhernia. Hernioplasty was planned and intraoperatively ovary along with fimbria was identified as content. An inguinal ovary mayoccur if the gubernaculum fails to attach to the uterus in fetal life or if the canal of Nuck remains open after birth

Evaluation of Traditional Indian Antidiabetic Medicinal Plants for Human Pancreatic Amylase Inhibitory Effect In Vitro

Pancreatic α-amylase inhibitors offer an effective strategy to lower the levels of post prandial hyperglycemia via control of starch breakdown. Eleven Ayurvedic Indian medicinal plants with known hypoglycemic properties were subjected to sequential solvent extraction and tested for α-amylase inhibition, in order to assess and evaluate their inhibitory potential on pancreatic α-amylase. Analysis of 91 extracts, showed that 10 exhibited strong Human Pancreatic Amylase (HPA) inhibitory potential. Of these, 6 extracts showed concentration dependent inhibition with IC50 values, namely, cold and hot water extracts from Ficus bengalensis bark (4.4 and 125 μgmL−1), Syzygium cumini seeds (42.1 and 4.1 μgmL−1), isopropanol extracts of Cinnamomum verum leaves (1.0 μgmL−1) and Curcuma longa rhizome (0.16 μgmL−1). The other 4 extracts exhibited concentration independent inhibition, namely, methanol extract of Bixa orellana leaves (49 μgmL−1), isopropanol extract from Murraya koenigii leaves (127 μgmL−1), acetone extracts from C. longa rhizome (7.4 μgmL−1) and Tribulus terrestris seeds (511 μgmL−1). Thus, the probable mechanism of action of the above fractions is due to their inhibitory action on HPA, thereby reducing the rate of starch hydrolysis leading to lowered glucose levels. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, proteins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and steroids as probable inhibitory compounds

Analysis and Classification of Breast Cancer Disease Via Different Datasets and Classifier Models

Nowadays, Tumour is one of the important reasons of human death worldwide, producing about 9.6 million people in 2018. BC (breast cancer) is the common reason for cancer deaths in females. BC is a type of cancer that can be treated when detected early. The main motive of this analysis is to detect cancer early in life using ML (machine learning) techniques. The features of the people included in the WDBC (Wisconsin diagnostic breast cancer) and Coimbra BC datasets were classified by SVOF-KNN, KNN, and Naïve Bayes techniques. The pre-processing data phase was applied to the datasets before classification. After the data pre-processing steps, three classification methods were applied to the data. Specificity and Sensitivity rates were used to calculate the success of the techniques. As an outcome of the BC diagnosis classification, the SVOF-KNN technique was found with a 91 percent specificity rate and 90 percent sensitivity rate. When the outcomes attained from feature extraction and selection are calculated. It is seen that feature extraction, selection, and data pre-processing techniques improve the specificity and sensitivity rate of the detection system

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITIES OF MILLINGTONIA HORTENSIS (L)

Objective: Millingtonia hortensis Linn (Bignoniaceae) is commonly known as cork tree and Akash neem. Aim of studies to determine the antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity.Methods: The antioxidant activity of different solvent extracts were measured by chemical analyses involving the assay of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and super oxide radical scavenging activity.Results: Phytochemicals (secondary metabolites) screening of methanol, chloroform, ethanol, petroleum ether, aqueous leaf extracts revealed the presence of carbohydrates, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, betacyanins, phenols and coumarins.Conclusion: The presence of these phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity support the use of this plant as an antibacterial agent against the group of micro organisms tested.Â

Early Clinical Detection of Pharmacologic Response in Insulin Action in a Nondiabetic Insulin-Resistant Population

AbstractBackgroundInsulin resistance heightens the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Amelioration of insulin resistance may reduce this risk. The thiazolidinedone class of insulin sensitizers improves insulin action in individuals with insulin-resistant diabetes and nondiabetic individuals. However, there are few reports on the time of onset of such effects independent of reversal of glucotoxicity.ObjectiveThe goal of our study was to test whether the thiazolidinedione pioglitazone has prominent early metabolic effects that can be detected in an obese, nondiabetic, insulin-resistant population.MethodsWe conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial in men with nondiabetic insulin resistance using a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp technique (at low and high doses of insulin at 10 and 40 mU/m2/min, respectively). The patients were given 30 mg daily oral pioglitazone or placebo for 28 days. Patients underwent a baseline clamp before initiation of treatment, and again at 14 and 28 days of treatment.ResultsCompared with placebo, under high-dose hyperinsulinemia, pioglitazone led to significant increases in glucose disposal rates (GDR) of 1.29 mg/kg/min (90% CI, 0.43–2.15; 39%; P=0.008) that were detectable at 2 weeks of treatment and persisted at 4 weeks of treatment. Under low-dose hyperinsulinemia, significant increases in GDR of 0.40 mg/kg/min (90% CI, 0.17–0.62; 95%; P=0.003) were observed at 4 weeks of treatment. These responses were accompanied by robust suppression of free fatty acids under hyperinsulinemic conditions, and by significant increases in circulating basal total adiponectin at 2 and 4 weeks of treatment.ConclusionsSignificant changes in insulin action across multiple insulin-sensitive tissues can be detected within 2 weeks of initiation of insulin-sensitizing therapy with pioglitazone in obese patients with nondiabetic insulin resistance. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01115712

Omicron and vaccine booster dose – an update

Mutations in coronavirus is not unheard off. The variant, Omicron B.1.1.529 has overall 50 mutations and is considered as a variant of concern. Though the new variant has shown changes throughout its genome, S gene changes predominate. Significant changes in the S encoding gene, S gene, influences not only the transmissibility properties of SARS-CoV-2 but also the efficacy of existing vaccines. Increased transmissibility and ability of this variant to evade host immune responses conferred either due to past infections or due to vaccination driving increase in number of infections. However, the severity of the infections is low in comparison to its predecessors. A meta-analysis of ten studies analyzing the effect of COVID-19 vaccine booster dose, it was found studies report 10-to-42-fold increase in omicron neutralization. COVID appropriate behaviors, if followed rigidly can bring a meaningful change in the viral spread and resultant health impacts

Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) among Tuberculosis Patients: A Study from Chennai, South India

BACKGROUND: Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) among tuberculosis (TB) patients are associated with nonadherence and poor treatment outcomes. Studies from Tuberculosis Research Centre (TRC), Chennai have reported that alcoholism has been one of the major reasons for default and mortality in under the DOTS programme in South India. Hence, it is planned to conduct a study to estimate prevalence of alcohol use and AUDs among TB patients attending the corporation health centres in Chennai, India. METHODOLOGY: This is a cross-sectional cohort study covering 10 corporation zones at Chennai and it included situational assessment followed by screening of TB patients by a WHO developed Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test AUDIT scale. Four zones were randomly selected and all TB patients treated during July to September 2009 were screened with AUDIT scale for alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Out of 490 patients, 66% were males, 66% were 35 years and above, 57% were married, 58% were from the low monthly income group of <Rs 5000 per month. No females reported alcohol use. Overall, out of 490 TB pts, 29% (141) were found to consume alcohol. Among 141 current drinkers 52% (73) had an AUDIT score of >8. Age (>35 years), education (less educated), income (<Rs 5000 per month), marital status (separated/divorced) and treatment category (Category 2) were statistically significant for TB patients with alcohol use than those TB patients without alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: AUD among TB patients needs to be addressed urgently and the findings suggest the importance of integrating alcohol treatment into TB care

Diversity and scale: Genetic architecture of 2068 traits in the VA Million Veteran Program

One of the justifiable criticisms of human genetic studies is the underrepresentation of participants from diverse populations. Lack of inclusion must be addressed at-scale to identify causal disease factors and understand the genetic causes of health disparities. We present genome-wide associations for 2068 traits from 635,969 participants in the Department of Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program, a longitudinal study of diverse United States Veterans. Systematic analysis revealed 13,672 genomic risk loci; 1608 were only significant after including non-European populations. Fine-mapping identified causal variants at 6318 signals across 613 traits. One-third (n = 2069) were identified in participants from non-European populations. This reveals a broadly similar genetic architecture across populations, highlights genetic insights gained from underrepresented groups, and presents an extensive atlas of genetic associations

Genome-Wide Association and Trans-ethnic Meta-Analysis for Advanced Diabetic Kidney Disease: Family Investigation of Nephropathy and Diabetes (FIND)

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the most common etiology of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the industrialized world and accounts for much of the excess mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. Approximately 45% of U.S. patients with incident end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) have DKD. Independent of glycemic control, DKD aggregates in families and has higher incidence rates in African, Mexican, and American Indian ancestral groups relative to European populations. The Family Investigation of Nephropathy and Diabetes (FIND) performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) contrasting 6,197 unrelated individuals with advanced DKD with healthy and diabetic individuals lacking nephropathy of European American, African American, Mexican American, or American Indian ancestry. A large-scale replication and trans-ethnic meta-analysis included 7,539 additional European American, African American and American Indian DKD cases and non-nephropathy controls. Within ethnic group meta-analysis of discovery GWAS and replication set results identified genome-wide significant evidence for association between DKD and rs12523822 on chromosome 6q25.2 in American Indians (P = 5.74x10-9). The strongest signal of association in the trans-ethnic meta-analysis was with a SNP in strong linkage disequilibrium with rs12523822 (rs955333; P = 1.31x10-8), with directionally consistent results across ethnic groups. These 6q25.2 SNPs are located between the SCAF8 and CNKSR3 genes, a region with DKD relevant changes in gene expression and an eQTL with IPCEF1, a gene co-translated with CNKSR3. Several other SNPs demonstrated suggestive evidence of association with DKD, within and across populations. These data identify a novel DKD susceptibility locus with consistent directions of effect across diverse ancestral groups and provide insight into the genetic architecture of DKD