Cord blood levels of uric acid, lipid profile and HOMA-IR in pregnancy induced hypertension

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is a major global health burden that results in the greatest number of deaths worldwide. Epigenetic changes induced by pregnancy related complication in umbilical cord blood may appear as a result of dysfunctional placenta and impaired maternal cardiovascular function and may cause later onset of cardiovascular diseases in offspring.Methods: A prospective case control study was conducted at ESIC medical college, Bangalore in 100 PIH women with gestational age 37 to 40 weeks. The study aimed to find the correlation of cord blood uric acid, lipid profile and HOMA -IR in gestational hypertension mothers.Results: We found a strong positive correlation between uric acid and total cholesterol in cases and a moderate positive correlation among uric acid and LDL in cases whereas a strong negative correlation among uric acid and HDL. In addition, mean HOMA-IR value was statistically significant in cases.Conclusions: HOMA -IR values are found to be more in newborns of PIH mothers and cord blood uric acid is a good predictor of lipid metabolism and the glucose homeostasis in neonates

Anthropological Perspectives on the Life of the Five Land forms People

The life style of the ancient Tamils is well known by the five types of landforms (Kurinji, Mullai, Marutham, Neithal, Pallai). Numerous cultural elements are connoted with the five types of landforms. Though the world is widely spread it is divided into five types of landforms. These five types of landforms were found out during Sangam period of Tamilnadu. The life style and the mode of all the five landforms are completely different. In literary tradition, Kurinji is a land filled with mountains and hilly regions. In Tamilnadu human life life has been seen since the Stone Age and they record the lifestyle of the Great Age

Drought stress responses in tolerant and sensitive varieties of black pepper (Piper nigrum Linn.)

Stress responses towards drought was studied in drought tolerant (Panniyur 5) and sensitive (Panniyur 1) varieties of black pepper. On exposure to 15 days (incipient wilting) of drought, Panniyur 1 (P1) showed low RWC of leaves, highly reduced ψs and decrease in the capacity to synthesize sugars and proline as compared to Panniyur 5 (P5). These features indicate the reduced potential of P1 to tolerate long periods of drought as compared to P5. The malondialdehyde content was found to be significantly higher in P1 when compared to P5 during drought. The activity of antioxidant enzymes (guaiacol peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) were found to be low in P1 as compared to P5 at different stages of drought stress, indicating that P1 is comparatively less shielded than P5 from the deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species generated as a result of drought exposure. The photosystems and mitochondria of P1 were more sensitive to drought as compared to that of P5. The effective control of lipid peroxidation and better osmotic adjustments in cells of tolerant variety (P5) may be the prime factors for the increased tolerance of photosystem and mitochondrial systems towards drought stress

Ploidy analysis among Citrus mutants using leaf meristematic tissue

A promising method for preparing metaphase spread for counting the number of chromosomes from the emerging shoot tissue is described in this report. In the present study, we adopted enzymatic digestion of shoot tips to analyse the chromosome number. The chromosomes in metaphase stage of cell division are highly condensed and easy to count in routine cytological technique. Even the morphological features like position of centromere can be seen in metaphase. In prophase it may not be clear as the chromosomes are getting ready for cell division. In enzymatic digestion even the prophase chromosomes are visible, which can be counted. Hence enzymatic digestion technique is more efficient in citrus as compared to acid digestion method as the citrus crop is a perennial crop with small-sized chromosomes. Furthermore, the sample collection in the field was easy and actively growing vegetative flush was available throughout the year. This technique was attempted in the tissue culture lab of ICAR- CCRI in various in vito and in vivo ploidy induction experiments in Citrus sinensis Osbeck (Sweet orange cv. mosambi), C. reticulata Blanco (Nagpur mandarin) and C. jambhiri Lush (Rough lemon), for confirmation of diploidy (2n=2x=18), triploidy (2n=3x=27), tetraploid (2n=4x=36), hexaploid (2n=6x=54)

Design thinking-learning and lifelong learning for employability in the 21st century

Surviving and thriving in this 21st century volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world caused by rapid digitalisation and changing work landscape, requires agile organisations with agile employees who are adaptable, resilient, and actively engaged in lifelong learning. A blended workforce encompassing full-time and 'gig' employees, working in tandem with smart machines, calls for an innovative and collaborative workforce capable of critical thinking and creative problem solving. This paper aims to highlight the potential of design thinking approaches to foster lifelong learning and graduate employability in a VUCA environment. The paper outlines an empirical study investigating the multiple benefits of incorporating design thinking process attributes in higher education. It argues that such processes can result in the development of 21st century skills and mindset and graduate capability themes that promote lifelong learning skills. Incorporating such strategies offers the potential to narrow the competency gap between workforce and work and enhance the employability and career development of graduates. The paper offers a Framework for Lifelong Learning in a VUCA environment that outlines the powerful traits that arise as payoffs from engaging in and practising design thinking. This framework can serve as a preliminary guide for higher education educators, learning organisations and individuals to inculcate and enhance lifelong learnin

Credibility of Various Indices of Sacrum in Identification of Sex of Sacrum

Background: Determination of sex from skeletal remains is of paramount importance for Forensic Experts for identification of the deceased. The task becomes more difficult when only a single bone is available. Though most bones exhibit clear cut sexual variation in morphology but to determine sex with 100% accuracy, one has to use metric measurements to study various indices. These indices exhibit significant variation in range according ethnicity & geographic location, hence is suggested to arrive at Demarking Point (D.P.) for these parameters which greatly help in sexing of a bone. Sacrum has been considered amongst ideal bones to determine sex of individual because of its functional morphological variation in both sexes by virtue of its contribution to pelvis. Numerous indices have been reported to determine sex of sacra but of it none have proved to effectively & singularly differentiate sex. Hence is advised to not rely on a single index but use maximum possible indices to determine sex of sacrum. Also to be taken in consideration is fact that values of these indices so is their D.P. varies according to geographical location. Hence studies such as this are carried out to calculate anthrometric data regarding various measurements & indices for a particular region. Method: 150 sacra of known sex from Tamil Nadu of South India were studied for metrical parameters for determination of sex. Efforts were made to find Demarking point for each parameter and then compared with similar studies. Results: It was evident from present study that sacral index is the most important parameter as far as the sex determination of sacrum is concerned as it could singularly identify 56% male and 78% female bones. Sacral index for population under study was observed to be 99.21 for males and 119.94 for females. Conclusion: The present study highlight importance of certain parameters like sacral index while also demonstrating insignificance other parameters, but basic fact remains that as far as the sex determination of sacrum is concerned no single parameter could identify sex in 100% of the bones and hence, it can be concluded that for sex determination of the sacrum with 100% accuracy is possible only when maximum number of parameters are taken into consideration

A Study On Mobile Business Through Social Media

With the increasing use of mobile information systems, mobile devices find its utility growing gradually for business processes. Equally there has been considerable growth of business opportunities over social media provides a win-win situation for both users and business people. Therefore it is also necessary to pay more attention to mobile business processes and social media methods for such systems. One way of analyzing importance of business process over social media is through mobile services acceptance model. In this paper we analyze mobile business process through social media using mobile services acceptance model as presented by Gao et al. and taxonomy of mobility-related requirements that enhances the business processes through recent portable devices. This study indicates basic requirements for Mobile business especially that fits through social media

A study of injuries to neck structures in cases of hanging

INTRODUCTION : Hanging remains to be one of the common methods of committing suicide. Homicidal and accidental hanging are rare. Hence all cases of hanging are considered as suicidal until the contrary is proved. Because of the above, postmortem suspension of the body may be resorted to mask the crime. So, a careful forensic examination is of great importance, with the aim of ascertaining the antemortem character of the lesion and also to exclude the possibility of murder dissimulation. There is no specific gold standard to distinguish between Antemortem hanging and Postmortem hanging. However presence of : 1) Vertical salivary dribble mark from the dependant angle of mouth 2) The phenomenon of Lefacies sympathetique 3) Presence of Petechial haemorrhages 4) Hyperaemia and ecchymosis of margins of ligature mark are considered as features of antemortem hanging. But obvious salivary dribble mark could be detected only in 56% of cases. A meticulous examination of the body right at the scene of hanging, that too, before removing the clothes and apparels can give the real prevelance of it. Lefacie sympathetique is very rare, i.e., as low as 1% as observed in different studies. Although petechial haemorrhages commonly occur in cases of antemortem hanging, they are not diagnostic of antemortem hanging and they occur in various asphyxial and nonasphyxial deaths. And it is also equally important to note that petechiae may be absent in rapid death due to vagal stimulation in hanging. So, petechial haemorrhages cannot be taken as a specific feature of antemortem hanging. Furthermore, the ligature mark, which is considered as the principal external sign of hanging, is mainly a postmortem phenomenon. So, it is very much necessary to look for any injury to inner neck structures, that is quiet frequent than the above, which cannot be artificially produced and which also indicates ligature mark intravitality to establish the antemortem hanging. AIM : The aim of this prospective study, done during the period of August 2008 to July 2009, at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Government General Hospital, Madras Medical College, Chennai-3, in cases of deaths due to hanging, is to determine the prevalence of neck injuries like, 1. Rupture/contusion of sternomastoid and strap musles of neck, 2. Carotid intimal tear, 3. Fracture of hyoid bone, 4. Fracture of thyroid cartilage, 5. Fracture of cricoid cartilage, 6. Fracture and dislocation of cervical vertebra and To find out, the most common and most reliable criteria of neck injury, to say, that it is an antemortem hanging. MATERIAL AND METHODS : This prospective study was conducted in the Institute of Forensic Medicine, at Madras Medical college and Government General Hospital, Chennai-3, from August 2008 to july 2009. Only cases in which the history and scene of crime examination report given by police and relatives of the deceased are suggestive of Antemortem hanging were included. 63 cases of deaths due to hanging, which was subjected to Medicolegal Autopsy, were the subjects of this study. All cases with, 1. External neck injuries other than the ligature mark, 2. Other external injuries suggestive of homicide, and 3. Cases with postmortem interval of more than 24hrs to avoid artifacts of decomposition were excluded. The information regarding identification of the deceased, reason for committing suicide, place of hanging, material used, position of the knot, type of knot, whether it was a complete or partial hanging, any blood stains or disturbance, etc., at the scene of crime, to rule out the possibility of homicide, history of any illness or drug intake, alcoholism, previous attempt of suicide, presence of suicidal note, etc were enquired from the police and detailed interviews of the relatives of the deceased. Irrespective of the information gathered from the police records and accompanying relatives of the deceased, in all cases, both external and internal findings were observed meticulously during postmortem examination to rule out homicidal hanging or any other cause of death. Complete perusal of all the records done prior to Medicolegal Autopsy, which is a routine protocol in all cases. CONCLUSION : A prospective study of deaths due to hanging was done during the period of August 2008 to July 2009, from the medicolegal autopsies conducted at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Madras Medical College Hospital, Chennai-3. During that period, there were 63 deaths due to hanging. From this study, the following conclusions could be drawn: 1. Most of the deaths due to hanging were in the age group of 20-30yrs (38%). 2. Incidence of hanging was slightly more in males (56%) when compare to females. 3. Place of hanging being in their own residence in all the cases except 2cases. 4. Most common reason for hanging is marital disharmony. 5. Most common ligature material is the Nylon saree and Nylon duppatta, i.e. easily available soft material at home. 6. Most common type of hanging is complete hanging (63%) and commonest position of knot is to the left side of neck (57%). 7. In the present study the commonest internal neck structure injury is the carotid intimal tear (30%), next common being rupture/contusion to the sternomastoid and other strap muscles of neck (29%). 8. The injury to sternomastoid and other strap muscles of neck are more common in the age group of 40-50yrs. 9. Incidence of carotid intimal tear was more in the age group of 40-50yrs. 10. Injury to hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage were very rare (3%) and it was seen in patients above 40yrs of age. 11. Fracture to cricoid cartilage and cervical vertebra were not seen in any cases (0%). 12. All the neck structure injuries are common in complete hanging

Study on Physico- Chemical Parameters and Structural Characterization of Soils in Pudukkottai District of Tamilnadu, India

The soil is the most important constituent to fulfilment of all the basic needs of human beings and also is an important component of our farming. The study was conducted with the main objective to investigate the soil samples of Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu for its physico-chemical analysis and structural characterization. The collected soil samples were analyzed for its pH, EC, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc and Iron. Besides, the sample was characterized by FTIR studies for structural conformation. From the study the results revealed that the collected soil was red soil and its texture was sandy clay loam. The soil pH was 9.29 which was alkaline and the EC was 0.02 dSm-1. The available macro-nutrients as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for paddy field soil samples had 118, 11 and 160 kg/ha respectively. Micronutrients Nutrients also analyzed. FT-IR spectrum of soil was recorded spectrum of soil was shown the C-H deformation vibrations occur at 1402. The C=C Stretching vibrations occur at 1644 and the N-H Stretching vibrations occur at 2344. Management options to improve the soil fertility were discussed

An Experimental study to Assess the Effectiveness of Exercises and Relaxation Techniques in Primary Dysmenorrhoea among Unmarried Girls

INTRODUCTION: Reproductive health of women is considered as important and one that has wide spread implications on health. Well being and development of the entire population. Women who fall in the reproductive age group especially adolescent girls are being neglected in reality. There is a consensus among health care providers and researcher that reproductive age group is a period of marked physical, social and cognitive changes (Dawn, 1994). The term Dysmenorrhoea is a Greek word which literally means “Painful Menstruation”. ‘Dys’, meaning difficult / painful/abnormal, ‘meno’, meaning month, and ‘rrhea’, meaning flow. Dysmenorrhoea is classified in to two types, namely Primary and Secondary Dysmenorrhoea. These are abdominal and pelvic pains experienced before and during menstruation. Primary Dysmenorrhoea: It is defined as menstrual pain without pelvic pathology. It tends to occur within 12 months of menarche and it is more common. Dysmenorrhoea is characterized by cramping lower abdominal pain that may radiate to the lower back and upper thighs, commonly associated with nausea, headache, fatigue and diarrhea. Often pain starts shortly before or during the menstrual period, peaks after 24 hours and subsides within two days. Secondary Dysmenorrhoea: It is related to the presence of pelvic lesions such as Endometriosis, adenomyosis and pelvic inflammation. Congenital uterine or vaginal abnormalities like leiomyoma or cervical stenosis can also cause secondary Dysmenorrhoea. The use of Intra uterine device can also cause secondary Dysmenorrhoea. Pain starts a few days before menstruation, usually starts several days after onset of flow. The following risk factors have been associated with more severe episodes of Dysmenorrhoea (Harlow, 1996) 1. Earlier age at menarche, 2. Long menstrual periods, 3. Heavy menstrual flow, 4. Obesity, 5. Positive family history. Primary Dysmenorrhoea is found to be more prevalent among unmarried girls and most of them do not seek proper medical advice for Dysmenorrhoea (Young, Herkim, Innsook Lee 2002). The peak incident of primary Dysmenorrhoea occurs in late adolescence and the early 20s (fraser 1992). The incidence of Dysmenorrhoea in adolescence is reportedly as high as 92% (Anderseh 1982). The incidence falls with increasing age and with increasing parity. The prevalence and severity of Dysmenorrhoea in parous women were significantly lower (Anderseh 1982). The consequences of untreated Dysmenorrhoea were loss of work in college hours and personal family disruption. Therefore Dysmenorrhoea affects not only the untreated person but also affects family, social, national economics as well. A few preliminary studies by scot ransom and Julie molden hauer (April 1998) found that regular exercise can ease some of the pain and stress in the Dysmenorrhoea. Exercise is a great stress buster. It boosts metabolism and circulation. Relaxation is a technique used to relieve stress. Therefore this work is designed to study the role of exercise and relaxation technique program on primary Dysmenorrhoea using pain and severity of Dysmenorrhoea scale as parameters. AIM: To assess the effectiveness of exercises and relaxation techniques on pain and severity in primary Dysmenorrhoea among unmarried girls. OBJECTIVES: 1. To evaluate the effectiveness of exercise and relaxation techniques in primary Dysmenorrhoea among unmarried girls. 2. To determine the changes after the training program. METHODOLOGY: Research Design: Experimental study with same subject design. Study Sample: Study was conducted among the unmarried girls of Prince Ladies Hostel, Ultra College, who reported to have primary Dysmenorrhoea in our initial assessment. Sampling method: A sample of 25 subjects in the age group between 18 – 25 years was selected. Criteria for sample selection: Inclusion criteria: • Unmarried. • Age less than 25 years. • Willing to comply with study protocol. • Primary Dysmenorrhoea. Exclusion criteria: • Secondary Dysmenorrhoea. • Under medication for menstrual related symptoms. • With irregular/infrequent menstrual cycles. • Pelvic inflammatory diseases. • Critically ill health (severe anemic of cardiorespiratory problems). RESULT: This study presented the assessment of effectiveness of Exercise and Relaxation techniques in Primary Dysmenorrhoea for 25 unmarried girls of Prince Ladies hostel. Among the selected participants most of them found to have Primary Dysmenorrhoea with Agonizing, horrible pain and severe Dysmenorrhoea. The study carried out had a correlation with the literature review. The distribution of girls having Dysmenorrhoea with agonizing and horrible pain initially have been shifted to the lower scale (refer figure 2) and girls with severe Dysmenorrhoea has become minimal Dysmenorrhoea (refer Figure 3). The statistical Interpretation of the mean difference and the standard deviation shows a reduction in pain and severity. Test statistic for pain and severity calculated has been compared with the tabulated related t test values. It is found that the calculated test statistic from the recorded value is greater than the tabulated value of 1.71 (refer Table 5 and 6). So we reject Null Hypothesis and accept the Hypothesis saying that there is significant difference in pain and severity following Exercises and Relaxation Techniques in Primary Dysmenorrhoea among unmarried girls. CONCLUSION: The statistical analysis done from the pretest and post test values of VAS and severity scores showed that exercises and relaxation procedure had a significant effect in reducing pain and severity in primary Dysmenorrhoea among unmarried girls