A prospective randomized controlled trial to study the effect of prenatal yoga on maternal weight gain and psychological stress in pregnancy and its association with pregnancy outcomes

Background: Objective of study was to evaluate the effect of prenatal yoga on maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and psychological stress in pregnancy (PSS) and to evaluate the effect of prenatal yoga on labour outcomes. Methods: Prospective randomized controlled trial conducted at AIIMS, New Delhi between May 2020-December 2021. Sixty women each were recruited in the yoga and control group. Women in the yoga group attended 60 minutes supervised yoga sessions followed by self-sessions. Women in the control group received routine antenatal care along with 30 minutes per day of walking and dietary counselling. The assessment was done for the weight(WT), dietary intake (D) and perceived stress score (PSS) at the time of recruitment (WT1, D1, PSS1), 28 weeks (WT2, D2, PSS2) and 36 weeks (WT3, D3, PSS3) and the results were then compared. Results: At recruitment all the parameters in both groups were comparable. The difference in mean and difference in percentage in terms of gestational weight gain (GWG) at recruitment and at 36 weeks was statistically significant (p-value=0.027). The per cent weight gain in the Yoga group was significantly low (p value=0.048). The control group experienced more amount of stress both at 28 weeks (p-value = 0.021) and 36 weeks (p-value <0.0001). The difference in mean and difference in percentage in terms of PSS1 and PSS2 (p-value=0.011), PSS2 and PSS3 (p-value=0.0001) PSS1 and PSS 3 (p-value=0.0001). Labour outcomes were comparable between both groups. Conclusions: Yoga helps in controlling excessive GWG and helps prevent many adverse feto-maternal outcomes associated with obesity

Development of passive film and enhancement of corrosion protection of mild steel in hydrochloric acid through the synergistic interaction of 2-amino-4-methyl benzothiazole (AMBT) and (E)-2-methylbenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl) imino-4-methyl) phenol (MBTP)

2-amino-4-methylbenzothiazole (AMBT) and one of its derivatives (E)-2-methylbenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)imino-4-methyl) phenol (MBTP) were used as synergistic pair for the protection of mild steel in 0.5 M HCl. The combination of inhibitors, AMBT-MBTP, adsorbs on electrode surface through chemical and physical means. The antagonistic interaction was more pronounced on higher temperature, and an inhibition efficiency of 92% was recorded at 313 K and 93% at 303 K. The formation of protective film of AMBT-MBTP combination is further evidenced by SEM and AFM images. The process of adsorption followed Langmuir isotherm model and corresponding thermodynamic activation parameters were also calculated and discussed. Corrosion inhibition efficiency and the reaction kinetics of synergistic pair were evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization and weight loss measurements. H-bonding interaction and resulting enthalpy change and reactivity descriptors were computed for correlating the corrosion inhibition efficiency and molecular structure by B3LYP/6-31G∗ level of Density Functional Theory (DFT). Keywords: Mild steel, Acid corrosion, Organic inhibitor

SCOPE: Surveillance of COVID-19 in pregnancy- results of a multicentric ambispective case-control study on clinical presentation and maternal outcomes in India between April to November 2020.

ObjectiveTo determine the clinical manifestations, risk factors, treatment modalities and maternal outcomes in pregnant women with lab-confirmed COVID-19 and compare it with COVID-19 negative pregnant women in same age group.DesignMulticentric case-control study.Data sourcesAmbispective primary data collection through paper-based forms from 20 tertiary care centres across India between April and November 2020.Study populationAll pregnant women reporting to the centres with a lab-confirmed COVID-19 positive result matched with controls.Data qualityDedicated research officers extracted hospital records, using modified WHO Case Record Forms (CRF) and verified for completeness and accuracy.Statistical analysisData converted to excel files and statistical analyses done using STATA 16 (StataCorp, TX, USA). Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) estimated using unconditional logistic regression.ResultsA total of 76,264 women delivered across 20 centres during the study period. Data of 3723 COVID positive pregnant women and 3744 age-matched controls was analyzed. Of the positive cases 56·9% were asymptomatic. Antenatal complications like preeclampsia and abruptio placentae were seen more among the cases. Induction and caesarean delivery rates were also higher among Covid positive women. Pre-existing maternal co-morbidities increased need for supportive care. There were 34 maternal deaths out of the 3723(0.9%) positive mothers, while covid negative deaths reported from all the centres were 449 of 72,541 (0·6%).ConclusionCovid-19 infection predisposed to adverse maternal outcomes in a large cohort of Covid positive pregnant women as compared to the negative controls