The study of thyroid dysfunction in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is the most common gynecological condition observed during many women's reproductive period. AUB affects the quality of life, causing distress. Most of the cases are undiagnosed or not properly diagnosed. Multiple reasons are causing AUB, one of them is thyroid dysfunction. Nowadays, thyroid testing is readily available, which helps in diagnosis and better management of AUB. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted with 124 AUB cases using simple random sampling after approval from the ethics committee. Results: Total thyroid dysfunction was noted in 32.26% of cases, and 70.16% were multiparous. About 34.1% of cases of menorrhagia and 54.2% of cases of oligomenorrhea had thyroid abnormalities. Conclusions: For appropriate management of AUB, testing of thyroid levels is necessary

The association of pre-pregnancy body mass index and risk of pre-eclampsia

Background: Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related condition characterized by new-onset hypertension and proteinuria. Preeclampsia is responsible for 20% to 80% of mortality among pregnant in developing countries. Preeclampsia may cause prematurity and fetal growth restriction. It is the most serious complication affecting 2-8% of all pregnancies. The mortality and morbidity rates among the babies of pre-eclampsia mothers is five times higher than that among babies born to healthy mothers. Objective: To find the association between pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI) and gestational weight gain with incidence of pre-eclampsia. Methods: Cross sectional Observational study was conducted among 140 cases. The study was conducted after obtaining approval from the ethics committee. Results: In this study, in 27.9% of cases overweight, and in 12.1% of cases obesity were seen. In 60.7% of cases severe preeclampsia, and 39.3% of cases mild preeclampsia was reported. Preeclampsia had no significant association with age, marital life, parity, but had a significant association with liquor, birth weight, and NICU admission. Conclusions: Pre pregnancy weight and Gestational weight gain were associated with high risk of preeclampsia

PREVALENCE AND EXTENT OF AWARENESS OF DEPRESSION IN YOUTH

Objective: Depression is a common mental disorder that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Increasing awareness about depression in youth can help in addressing the consequences of the disorder that may extend to adulthood. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated socio-demographic factors of depression among youth and to determine the efficacy of an educational intervention in increasing awareness about depression. Methods: Pre-university and graduate students between 15 to 24 y of age were included in the study. Data was collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Adolescent Depression Knowledge Questionnaire, and a self-designed proforma of socio-demographic factors. An educational intervention, in the form of a video, was provided to the subjects. A post-intervention questionnaire was administered after a period of 4-6 w. Analysis and interpretation of data were completed using the Chi-square test and SPSS v22 software. Results: The prevalence of depression in youth was found to be 29.6% using a PHQ-9 cut-off score of 10. Annual household income was found to have a statistically significant association with the prevalence of depression (*P-value: 0.036). The students’ knowledge about depression was notably improved, as observed from answers of the ADKQ, before and after the educational intervention. Conclusion: Depression is prevalent among Indian students, and this highlights the need for screening of students and educational interventions. Providing educational interventions to students can increase their awareness and knowledge about depression

Impact of oxygen levels on human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell expansion

Oxygen levels are an important variable during the in vitro culture of stem cells. There has been increasing interest in the use of low oxygen to maximize proliferation and, in some cases, effect differentiation of stem cell populations. It is generally assumed that the defined pO2 in the incubator reflects the pO2 to which the stem cells are being exposed. However, we demonstrate that the pO2 experienced by cells in static culture can change dramatically during the course of culture as cell numbers increase and as the oxygen utilization by cells exceeds the diffusion of oxygen through the media. Dynamic culture (whereby the cell culture plate is in constant motion) largely eliminates this effect, and a combination of low ambient oxygen and dynamic culture results in a fourfold increase in reconstituting capacity of human hematopoietic stem cells compared with those cultured in static culture at ambient oxygen tension. Cells cultured dynamically at 5% oxygen exhibited the best expansion: 30-fold increase by flow cytometry, 120-fold increase by colony assay, and 11% of human CD45 engraftment in the bone marrow of NOD/SCID mice. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare individual and combined effects of oxygen and static or dynamic culture on hematopoietic ex vivo expansion. Understanding and controlling the effective oxygen tension experienced by cells may be important in clinical stem cell expansion systems, and these results may have relevance to the interpretation of low oxygen culture studies

Evaluation of Open Graded Friction Courses: Construction, Maintenance, and Performance Phase II

SPR No. 725This study investigated multiple factors that influence the performance of open graded friction courses (OGFC) in South Carolina with the ultimate goal of improving the long-term durability and performance of OGFCs. The research included laboratory studies to evaluate the influence of aggregate Los Angeles (LA) Abrasion and breakdown, aggregate gradation, compaction temperature, binder content, and tack coats using performance measures such as porosity, mean texture depth, Cantabro abrasion, indirect tensile strength (ITS), direct shear strength, and a newly developed surface abrasion test. Limited field evaluations were also conducted to assess the in-situ performance of OGFC. The results informed specification changes that the SCDOT had implemented throughout the duration of this study, including the addition of a 9.5 mm nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) OGFC mix, adjustment of the gradation of the 12.5 mm NMAS OGFC mix, and tack coat specifications for OGFC. Additional recommendations were also suggested for consideration based on the results of this study

Assessment of normal tricuspid valve anatomy in adults by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography

Background: The tricuspid valve (TV) is a complex structure. Unlike the aortic and mitral valve it is not possible to visualize all TV leaflets simultaneously in one cross-sectional view by standard two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) either transthoracic or transesophageal due to the position of TV in the far field. Aim: Quantitative and qualitative assessment of the normal TV using real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE). Methods: RT3DE was performed for 100 normal adults (mean age 30 ± 9 years, 65% males). RT3DE visualization was evaluated by 4-point score (1: not visualized, 2: inadequate, 3: sufficient, and 4: excellent). Measurements included TV annulus diameters (TAD), TV area (TVA), and commissural width. Results: In 90% of patients with good 2DE image quality, it was possible to analyse TV anatomy by RT3DE. A detailed anatomical structure including unique description and measurement of tricuspid annulus shape and size, TV leaflets shape, and mobility, and TV commissural width were obtained in majority of patients. Identification of each TV leaflet as seen in the routine 2DE views was obtained. Conclusion: RT3DE of the TVis feasible in a large number of patients. RT3DE may add to functional 2DE data in description of TV anatomy and providing highly reproducible and actual reality (anatomical and functional) measurements

A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON THE ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND METHODS PRACTICED IN DISINFECTING AND DISPOSAL OF FACE MASKS AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Abstract Objective: The vast amount of facemasks generated as waste should be disposed of appropriately and responsibly to prevent adverse effects on health and the environment. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and methods commonly practiced by the public to disinfect and dispose of used masks. Methods:  A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2021 to December 2021 in the South Part of Karnataka using a face-validated questionnaire. The questionnaire included subject demographic details and methods to disinfect and dispose of masks. The data were recorded and analyzed using Microsoft excel.  Results: A total of (n=501) participants took part in the study. It was observed that the most commonly practiced method was to wash the masks with specific cleaners (n=259, 53 %). We also assessed knowledge regarding the methods of disposal of a mask. (n=342, 68.26%) of subjects know the correct method for disposal of used facemasks whereas (n= 159, 31.73%) do not know. Subjects who are educated (p=0.008) and regular mask users (p=0.011) are aware of the right method for mask disposal. Conclusion: Many people are unaware of the correct disposal methods. Hence, Manufacturers, and Scientists should identify the effective way for disinfecting and disposing of used masks and educate the public to practice the proper methods of facemask disposal