A study of anaemia and its correlates among adolescent girls in schools of Haldwani, India

Background: Anaemia, a manifestation of under nutrition and poor dietary intake of iron is a public health problem, not only among pregnant women, infants and young children but also among adolescents. Anaemia among adolescent girls can result in impaired physical growth, poor cognition, reduced physical fitness and work performance and lower concentration on daily tasks.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in schools of Haldwani, Uttarakhand, India with the objective studying various socio-demographic characteristics in relation to anaemia among adolescent girls. Multistage random sampling was used to select adolescent girls of 10 to 19 years of age who were interviewed and examined. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test and Odds ratios calculated with SPSS v21.Results: Around 371 girls in present study had varying severity of anaemia and majority had mild to moderate anaemia. Place of residence, type of school, birth order, type of family and mother occupation were significantly associated with presence of anaemia. Girls taking mixed diet were 1.23 times more likely to be non-anaemic as compared to girls taking vegetarian diet. Study showed adolescent girls consuming IFA tablets were less likely anaemic compared to those not consuming (OR=0.09, p<0.001).Conclusions: Among school going adolescent girls nearly half are still suffering from anaemia in India, despite the efforts of government and it is still a challenging public health problem

A study of etiology and epidemiology of onychomycosis from a tertiary care hospital in North India

Background: Onychomycosis is the fungal infec­tion of nail of which the incidence varies from 0.5-12% in India and around 5% worldwide.Onychomycosis is considered to be gender and age-related disease, being commoner in males and older adults in both genders. Apart from dermatophytes, other fungal agents like yeasts and non-dermatophyte moulds are increasingly being acknowledged as important etiological agents for the same. Our aim was to study the etiology of the nail infections in patients presenting to a dermatology department in a tertiary care hospital in central Delhi.Methods: This study included nail samples from patients of various age groups with suspected onychomycosis attending dermatology clinics in our hospital over a period of 2 years. For all samples, KOH wet mount microscopic examination followed by culture on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar was done. Growth of filamentous fungi and yeast obtained on SDA were identified using conventional microbiology techniques. Statistical analysis was performed using Epitools.Results: Of the total 1061 nail samples received, maximum prevalence seen in patients of age group 21 to 50 years. The positivity of onychomycosis was 57.02%. Out of culture positive samples, 24.62% grew dermatophytes and 75.37% grew non-dermatophytes (31.40% yeasts and 43.97% non-dermatophyte moulds). Trichophyton mentagrophytes was the most common (59.73%) dermatophyte followed by T. rubrum (23.49%) while among non-dermatophyte moulds; Aspergillus niger (20.68%) was the most common followed by A. flavus (16.54%) and others. Common yeasts included Candida spp. (65.79%) and Trichosporon spp. (28.95%).Conclusions: Non- dermatophytes are emerging as major etiological agents of onychomycosis which may be accounted various host factors. So, it becomes important to correctly identify the causative fungi to ensure appropriate treatment

Study of anaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its correlation with albuminuria and eGFR

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disease. Anaemia is a common accompaniment to diabetes, particularly in patients with albuminuria or reduced renal function. Anaemia is more frequent and more severe at any level of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in diabetics compared to nondiabetic patients. Methods: One hundred patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included in the study. Complete blood count, serum iron profile, ferritin, vitamin B12 and folate, kidney function tests and urine albumin creatinine ratio were assessed for these patients. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated with MDRD-4 variable formula. Results: Fifty-four patients (54%) were found to be anaemic.  Serum ferritin &lt;50 µg/l was taken as cut off for defining iron deficiency anaemia. 21 patients had iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and 33 had anaemia of chronic disease (ACD). Serum vitamin B12 and folate levels were within normal limits in all the patients. There was a rise in the prevalence of anaemia from 25.9% in patients with a normal ACR to 59.2% in those with microalbuminuria and to 75% in macroalbuminuria. Conclusions: Any degree of renal impairment and albuminuria are the risk factors for anaemia in these patients. Hence screening, characterization and treatment of aneamia in type 2 DM may be helpful in management of these patients

EMERGING NEED OF PHARMACOKINETICS IN DEMYSTIFICATION OF HERBO-MINERAL COMPOUNDS

Ayurveda has its own way of processing herbal, mineral, metallic and animal origin materials to prepare therapeutic dosage forms. Pharmacology is the science of drugs including their origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and toxicology. &nbsp;Pharmacology is the base of research and development in all medical sciences which utilizes natural or synthetic materials for therapeutic purposes and such materials as known as medicines. Importance of Pharmacokinetics in Ayurveda: It is evident that understanding of pharmacokinetic characteristic especially bioavailability of Ayurveda drug compounds is needed while planning as well as interpreting the result of experimental/clinical studies. Challenges to Herbo-mineral compounds: Several experiments as well as clinical researches regarding safety profile of Rasoushadhi have been conducted at various Ayurveda institutes at graduate and post graduate level, however these researches have not attracted the attention on global platform. Conclusion: Pharmacokinetic studies will be helpful in discovery of Ayurveda drug action, organ involved, safety studies, dose determination, ADME of AYUSH medicines, information of bioavailability, mode of action, identifing differences in Ayurveda drugs having similar chemical composition

Antibacterial, antioxidant, and phytochemical analysis of Piper longum fruit extracts against multi-drug resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella strains in vitro

Most bacteria are becoming resistant to almost all of the currently recommended drugs, leading to difficulty in their treatment. The present study focused on evaluating the therapeutic potential of Piper longum fruit extracts in terms of bactericidal, antioxidant and phytochemical evaluation by conducting antibacterial sensitivity tests against four multidrug-resistant Salmonella strains (Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae, Salmonella Newport, Salmonella enterica ser. Typhi, and Salmonella enterica ser. Paratyphi) obtained from the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh. The Agar Well Diffusion method and the Minimum Inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods were performed to implement the anti-sensitivity test of crude extracts of the plant. The present study showed that the MIC of the P. longum  was between 0.25-0.0625mg/ml, which was lowest in the aqueous extract at 0.5mg/100µl, and the highest in the methanol extract (1mg/100µl). The Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) was lowest in aqueous (0.5mg/100µl) and highest in methanol plant extract (1mg/100µl). The methanol extract had the maximum antibacterial potency, whereas the aqueous extract had the lowest. The antioxidant capacity of the plant extracts was determined using a DPPH assay. Methanol plant extract revealed the highest antioxidant power (81.92%) and the lowest was found in the aqueous extract (62.84%). The GC-MS approach identified active bioingredients, important botanicals including caryophyllene, eicosane, and piperazine (potent antibacterial agent) as naphthyridine (having antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities), among others. The unique aspect of the study was the effectiveness of P. longum against Salmonella strains that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. This suggests that P. longum can be a great source of novel antibacterial compound for the development of herbal formulations

The Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis, the Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis, and Ankylosing Spondylitis: The Tangled Skein of Rheumatology

Since 1984 the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has been based upon the modified New York (mNY) criteria with mandatory presence of radiographic sacroiliitis, without which the diagnosis is not tenable. However, it may take years or decades for radiographic sacroiliitis to develop delaying the diagnosis for long periods. It did not matter in the past because no effective treatment was available. However, with the availability of a highly effective treatment, namely, tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors (TNFi), the issue of early diagnosis of AS acquired an urgency. The Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) classification criteria published in 2009 was a significant step towards this goal. These criteria described an early stage of the disease where sacroiliitis was demonstrable only on MRI but not on standard radiograph. Therefore, this stage of the disease was labelled “nonradiographic axial SpA” (nr-axSpA). But questions have been raised if, in search of early diagnosis, specificity was compromised. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA, USA) withheld approval for the use of TNFi in patients with nr-axSpA because of issues related to the specificity of these criteria. This review attempts to clarify some of these aspects of the nr-axSpA-AS relationship and also tries to answer the question whether ASAS classifiable radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) term can be interchangeably used with the term AS

Allelopathic effect of Celtis australis on germination and growth parameters of some important food crops of the Garhwal Himalayas

Present study was conducted to assess the allelopathic effect of leaf and bark aqueous extracts of Celtis australis on Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare, Brassica rapa, Lens culinaris and Vigna umbellate under In-vitro condition. Different leaf and bark aqueous extracts 5%, 10%, and 15% were used to irrigate the seeds of test crops. The results revealed that the concentration dependent significant (p=0.05) inhibitory effect of aqueous leaf and bark extracts on germination, root and shoot length of all the test crops. Among all the test crops Triticum aestivum was found most sensitive where the germination percentage was reduced down to 46.0% by the leaf extract (15%) as compared to control (82.3%), while the maximum inhibition in the root length of&nbsp; Lens culinaris (0.5 cm) by 10% leaf extract was observed as compare to control (8.2 cm). In shoot length maximum inhibitory effect was observed in Hordeum vulgare (3.5 cm) as compared to control (13.3 cm). Similarly, the bark extract showed the maximum inhibition in germination percentage of Lens culinaris (41.6%) at 15% concentration as compare to control (70.0%) while the maximum inhibition for the root length was recorded in Triticum aestivum (1.9 cm) at 15% concentration as compare to control (17.3 cm). In shoot length maximum inhibition was observed for Triticum aestivum (1.3 cm) at 10% extract level as compare to control (13.4 cm), while Vigna umbellate (5.5 cm) at 15% concentration showed stimulatory effect as compare to control (3.4 cm) exceptionally. Finally, it is concluded that Vigna umbellate exhibited the maximum tolerance against leaf and bark aqueous and might be a better option for intercropping with C. australis. However, the allelopathic effect on the other test crops can be minimized by removing the fallen leaves from the agricultural fields

IJCM_238A: Level of awareness regarding antimicrobial resistance among residents in a hilly area of Uttarakhand: A cross sectional study

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global threat to public health, it demands a comprehensive understanding and awareness among people. With overuse and misuse of antibiotics, there is increasing need to assess knowledge levels within community to formulate effective interventions. This study aims to detect this knowledge gap and contribute to the efforts in combating AMR. Objectives: 1. To assess the level of awareness among residents of study area regarding antibiotics, their appropriate use and concept of AMR. 2. To pinpoint specific areas of misunderstanding or misinformation regarding AMR. Methodology: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among community members in hilly region of Uttarakhand in October and November 2023. Simple random sampling technique was used to select respondents. A predesigned semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview the respondents by home visits. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: Mean age of respondents is 33.35 ±13.8 in years, 44.7% of the respondents believed that sometimes to save time, they can purchase antibiotics from pharmacist without asking a doctor. 37.8% respondents believe that they can share antibiotics with friends or relatives for similar symptoms. There is a clear pattern in terms of age, respondents between 18-34 years of age are more aware regarding AMR as compared to higher age groups. Conclusion: More than half of the respondents are unaware regarding antimicrobial resistance and the specific areas of misunderstanding among respondents are that length of antibiotic course and poor sanitation and hygiene determines development of AMR

Prevalence of anaemia among school adolescent girls.

Background: Anaemia is a major public health problem especially among adolescent females and can result in diminished physical growth and cognitive development, performance in school and at work, and affects reproduction. Findings from NFHS-3 (2005-06) indicate that 56% of the adolescent girls in India are anaemic and, of these 17% suffer from moderate to severe anaemia. Aim & Objective: To find the prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls in rural and urban schools of Haldwani. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in rural as well as urban schools of Haldwani from October 2012 to March 2014 among 770 (443 rural and 327 urban) adolescent girls selected by multistage random sampling, using predesigned and pretested questionnaire to collect relevant data, and estimating haemoglobin concentration using Haemoglobin Colour Scale. Data was analysed by using SPSS v 20. Results: 48.18% of adolescent girls were found to have anaemia. Prevalence of anaemia was 43.11% and 55.04% among rural and urban school girls respectively. Mean haemoglobin concentration of study subjects was 11.35g/dl. Prevalence of mild, moderate and severe anaemia among study population was 34.53%, 10.13% and 3.52% respectively. Conclusion: The present study revealed that half of the school going adolescent girls were suffering from anaemia in rural and urban areas of Haldwan

PATTERN OF DENTAL DISEASES AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF DENTAL: A HOSPITAL BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: The public health problems associated with oral disease are a serious burden in India and other countries of the world. The causes of oral diseases are primarily rooted in poor socioeconomic and physical environment; unhealthy lifestyles and oral health related behaviour accordingly the action towards improvement of oral health should be directed towards modification of unhealthy environment and behaviours. Objective: To know the pattern of dental diseases among the patients attending Dental OPD. Materials and Methods: A hospital based cross sectional study among patients attending dental OPD in a tertiary care centre of Kumaun region during a period of one year i.e. from 1st January 2012 to 31st December 2012. Results: A total of 8928 patients attended dental OPD. Majority of the patients (25.3%) were in the age group 30-39 years. Mostly were males (51.54%). Most common disease was dental caries (54.54%), followed by gingivitis (37.62%), abrasion (3.82%), malocclusion (3.05%), pericoronitis (0.53%) and jaw fracture (0.44%). Conclusion: Dental Caries was the most common disease. Majority of the patients were in 30-39 years of age group. Health education and awareness at school level and in the community might prevent tooth loss in later life