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Background: Pterospermum rubiginosum has been traditionally used by the tribal inhabitants of Southern India for treating bone fractures and as a local anti-inflammatory agent; however, experimental evidence to support this traditional usage is lacking. The present study aimed to investigate the phytochemical characterization, in silico and in vitro anti-inflammatory evaluation, followed by in vivo toxicological screening of P. rubiginosum methanolic bark extract (PRME). Results: The LCMS evaluation revealed the presence of 80 significant peaks; nearly 50 molecules were identified using the LCMS database. In silico analysis showed notable interactions with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). In vitro gene expression study supported the docking results with significant down-regulation of iNOS, IL-6, and IL-10. PRME was administered orally to the SD rats and was found to be non-toxic up to 1000 mg/kg body weight for 14 days. The antioxidant enzymes catalase and sodium dismutase exhibited an increased value in PRME-administered groups, possibly due to the diverse phytochemical combinations in bark extract. Conclusions: PRME administration significantly downregulated the gene expression of inflammatory markers, such as iNOS, IL-6, and IL-10. The molecular docking analysis of iNOS and IL-6 supports the in vitro study. In vivo toxicological study of PRME in SD rats was found to be non-toxic up to a concentration of 1000 mg/kg body weight for 14 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 66-year-old unemployed unmarried male with known men sex men activity since the age of 20 years presented with an erythematous well-defined ulcer on the lower lip and multiple discrete papulo-squamous lesions on the palms, soles, and scrotum. The patient was also in dysphoric mood with grandiose ideas with normal higher function. Knee and ankle jerk reflexes were absent and there was impaired tandem walking. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) and treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay were positive. Cerebrospinal fluid-VDRL was positive with grossly elevated proteins and glucose. HIV test was negative. Magnetic resonance imaging scan of the brain was normal. We made a diagnosis of neurosphilis – General paralysis of insane (GPI) with co-existing early syphilis. The patient was started on crystalline penicillin for 14 days after which there was significant improvement in behavior. We are reporting a rare case of GPI with early syphilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anemia schimperiana C.Presl subsp. wightiana (Gardener) Fraser-Jenkins is a rhizomatous fern endemic to south India. Its rhizome and frond (leaf) essential oils (EOs) were isolated and characterized by gas chromatographic techniques. Thirty compounds (99.1%) of the rhizome EO were characterized, with myrtenyl acetate (50.6%), α-pinene (26.0%), myrtenol (7.3%) and trans-pinocarveol (5.6%) as its major constituents. Twenty-four compounds (97.8%), with trans-pinocarveol (43.0%), pinocarvone (17.3%) and myrtenyl acetate (15.8%), were identified in the frond EO. In MTT assay, rhizome EO showed prominent cytotoxicity against C6 (CD50 86.0 µg/mL) and DLA (CD50 6.1 µg/mL) cells. Fluorescent microscopic and caspase-3 activity assays demonstrated apoptotic cell death induced by the rhizome EO in DLA cells. MTT assay of myrtenyl acetate, α-pinene and myrtenol against DLA cells displayed CD50s of 7.4, 0.9 and 20.5 µg/mL, respectively, revealing α-pinene as the prominent constituent causing antiproliferative activity of the rhizome EO. This is the first report on the chemistry and antiproliferative activity of this rare aromatic fern endemic to south India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primarily benthic, shallow-water, reef-associated Indian frogfish, Antennarius indicus Schultz 1964, belongs to the family Antennariidae (order Lophiiformes) and may be found in nearly all of the world's tropical and subtropical oceans and seas. Comprehensive morphological parameters of the Indian frogfish found in the Hooghly and Matlah estuary systems of India are provided by the current study. A single specimen with a length 97.87 mm and weight 33.48 g was collected from the winter migratory bagnet catch at Fraserganj fish landing site. Till now, there are no records of the occurrence of frogfishes in the Hooghly-Matlah estuarine system. The morphological features such as dorsal-fin spines - 3, dorsal-fin rays - 12, anal fin rays - 7, pectoral-fin rays - 10, and pelvic fin rays - 5, confirmed the first record of Indian frogfish A. indicus from the Hooghly-Matlah estuarine system. The estuary's current condition was revealed by the examination of the water quality at the collection site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Aims: Studies conducted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) pandemic have reported varied data regarding the incidence of Guillain--Barre syndrome (GBS). The present study investigated demographic and clinical features, management, and outcomes of patients with GBS during a specified period of the COVID 19 pandemic, and compared these features to those of GBS in the previous year. Methods: A multicenter, ambispective cohort study including 26 centers across India was conducted. Data from a pre COVID 19 period (March 1 to August 31, 2019) were collected retrospectively and collected ambispectively for a specified COVID 19 period (March 1 to August 31, 2020). The study was registered with the Clinical Trial Registry India (CTRI/2020/11/029143). Results: Data from 555 patients were included for analysis: pre COVID 19 (n = 334) and COVID 19 (n = 221). Males were more commonly affected during both periods (male:female, 2:1). Gastroenteritis was the most frequent antecedent event in 2019 (17.4%), whereas fever was the most common event in 2020 (10.7%). Paraparesis (21.3% versus [vs.] 9.3%, P = 0.001) and sensory involvement (51.1% vs. 41.3%; P = 0.023) were more common during COVID 19 in 2020, whereas back pain (26.3% vs. 18.4%; P = 0.032) and bowel symptoms (20.7% vs. 13.7%; P = 0.024) were more frequent in the pre COVID period. There was no difference in clinical outcomes between the two groups in terms of GBS disability score at discharge and 3 months after discharge. Independent predictors of disability in the pre COVID period included areflexia/hyporeflexia, the requirementfor intubation, and time to bulbar weakness; in the COVID 19 period, independent predictors included time from onset to admission, intubation, and intubation requirement. The mortality rate was 2.3% during the entire study period (13/555 cases). Discussion: Results of this study revealed an overall reduction in the frequency of GBS during the pandemic. The lockdown likely reduced the risk for antecedent infections due to social distancing and improved hygiene, which may have resulted in the reduction of the frequency of GBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Turbinaria conoides, a brown seaweed, is a rich source of oxygenated fucosterols which are capable of suppressing the proliferation of cancer cells. Their specific therapeutically significant biological activity is directly related to the unique structural features of the molecule. This study specifically focuses on extracting unconventional sterol molecules (side chain extension) from this seaweed which can be used as a lead molecule to evolve therapeutical agents. Materials and Methods: To isolate unconventional sterol molecule, for structural elucidation and bioactivity study, sufficient amount of T. conoides was collected from Mandapam, an unique biodiverse environment along the Southeast coast of India. State-of-the-art methods available for the purification and characterization of molecule (High-resolution fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, attenuated total reflection–fourier transform infra-red, One-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance, and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance) were put in. In vitro bioassays (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium bromide, double staining, and flowcytometry) were carried out against A549 and human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) malignant cells to assess the cytostatic potential. Data were statistically validated. Results: A unique unconventional sterol molecule (Turbiconol) with ethyl and methyl group at C-27 was isolated. This molecule induced apoptosis in A549 and HepG2. However, cell cycle assessment revealed G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in Hep G2 and G2/M checkpoint was responsible for the suppression of A549 cell line. Conclusion: A novel unconventional compound, turbiconol, is reported in this study. In vitro results highlight the potential of this molecule in developing therapeutical combination which can be used for novel treatment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal primary hemostasis is believed to be the most significant contributor to uremic bleeding. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and profile of primary and secondary hemostatic disorders in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stages 4 and 5 and to determine their association if any, with degree of uremia. Stages 4 and 5 predialysis CKD patients attending nephrology outpatient clinic were prospectively recruited and the following bleeding parameters were measured in all patients: platelet count, bleeding time (BT), Factor VIII assay, von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag), vWF:ristocetin cofactor activity (vWF:RCo), ratio of vWF:ristocetin cofactor activity to vWF antigen (vWF:RCo/vWF:Ag), prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). Forty-five patients (80%, males) with a mean age of 39.4 years, 82% (n = 37) in Stage 5 CKD, were recruited for the study. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia was significantly higher among patients from West Bengal (15/26, 57.7%) compared to other study patients (2/19, 10.5%; P = 0.001); however, all had macrothrombocytes with normal BT, suggestive of the Harris syndrome. Factor VIII, vWF:Ag, vWF:RCo, vWF:RCo/vWF:Ag ratio, BT, PT, and aPTT were abnormal in 0 (0%), 0 (0%), 0 (0%), 4 (8.8%), 1 (2.2%), 7 (15.6%), and 5 (11.1%) patients, respectively. Except for thrombocytopenia, the prevalence of hemostatic abnormalities did not differ between CKD Stages 4 and 5. Hemostatic abnormalities are uncommon in Stages 4–5 CKD and except for thrombocytopenia, are not associated with degree of uremia. Constitutional macrothrombocytopenia is associated with normal BT even in CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface sediment samples were collected from five stations along the Chitrapuzha River, during the monsoon, post-monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons, and analyzed for biochemical composition, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and stable isotopic ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) to identify the major sources of organic matter. Sediment grain size was found to be the key factor influencing the organic matter accumulation in surface sediments. The δ13C values vary between −27.94‰ and −26.05‰ and δ15N values ranges from −1.66‰ to −4.75‰ in surface sediments. The δ13C values indicate terrestrial inputs from higher plants, while δ15N values suggest decomposition processes in the sediments. The fraction of terrestrial organic matter (TrOM) to the total organic matter (TOM) pool ranges from 41 to 84% in the surface sediments as estimated by δ13C-based two end members mixing model. Intermediate values of TOC/TN ratios signal a combined input of both autochthonous and terrestrial organic matter sources, while protein-to-carbohydrate ratios show freshly deposited detritus in the majority of the stations. The threshold levels of protein, biopolymeric carbon, and algal contribution to biopolymeric carbon (BPC) indicate eutrophic conditions prevailing in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cochin backwaters are facing widespread environmental pollution because of the release of solid wastes and liquid effluents from industrial, domestic, and agricultural sectors. The waters are contaminated with trace metals due to an inefficient waste disposal system. Here, the potential trace metal enrichment in sediments related to human activities was evaluated using an enrichment factor, contamination factor, geo-accumulation index, and pollution load index. Metal concentration ranges in sediments during the monsoon, post-monsoon, and pre-monsoon periods were as follows: Fe (15517-90885 µg/g), Mn (122.5-970.9 µg/g), Co (6.9-41.9 µg/g), Ni (12.9-62.9 µg/g), Cu (15.9-56.8 µg/g), Zn (58.7-888.7 µg/g), Cd (0.9-14.5 µg/g), and Pb (12.7-46.8 µg/g). Data on sediment trace metal concentrations are important for environmental forensic investigations, useful for monitoring (i.e., tracing) sources of contaminants (i.e., metal pollutants) and their impacts, and valuable for tracking the dispersal pathways of contaminants in estuarine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distribution (seasonal and spatial) of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of theChitrapuzhaRiver, Cochin, India, was investigated using gas chromatography. Significantly high concentrations prevailed during the pre-monsoon season with the industrial zones of the river appearing to be hot spots with particularly elevated levels of the hydrocarbons. AHCs ranged between 7754 and 41,173 ng/g with an average of 25,256 ng/g, while total PAHs varied from 5046 to 33,087 ng/g.n-Alkane indicesandPAH diagnostic ratiospoint to petroleum contamination in the sediments. The significance of PAHs in the sediments was explored using universally accepted interpretation tools. Observed levels of PAHs in sediments of Chitrapuzha are likely to cause adverse effects on biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body mass index (BMI) is a non-invasive measurement of obesity. It is commonly used for assessing adiposity and obesity-related risk prediction. Genetic differences between ethnic groups are important factors, which contribute to the variation in phenotypic effects. India inhabited by the first out-of-Africa human population and the contemporary Indian populations are admixture of two ancestral populations; ancestral north Indians (ANI) and ancestral south Indians (ASI). Although ANI are related to Europeans, ASI are not related to any group outside Indian-subcontinent. Hence, we expect novel genetic loci associated with BMI. In association analysis, we found eight genic SNPs in extreme of distribution (P⩽3.75 × 10(-5)), of which WWOX has already been reported to be associated with obesity-related traits hence excluded from further study. Interestingly, we observed rs1526538, an intronic SNP of THSD7A; a novel gene significantly associated with obesity (P=2.88 × 10(-5), 8.922 × 10(-6) and 2.504 × 10(-9) in discovery, replication and combined stages, respectively). THSD7A is neural N-glycoprotein, which promotes angiogenesis and it is well known that angiogenesis modulates obesity, adipose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, hence our result find a correlation. This information can be used for drug target, early diagnosis of obesity and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author expresses his opinion on the system of voluntary non-remunerated blood donor (VNRBD) as the basis for the practice of donating blood in India. Topics include the implications of 1996 Supreme Court of India judgment in the case "Common Cause versus Union of India" such as the risks of transfusion transitted infections (TTE), the changes wrought by the adoption of the National Blood Policy (NBP) by India, and a comparison of the benefits between VNRBD and replacement donors.

The article offers information on the human spaceflight program. It mentions the Russian Soyuz vehicle has made many trips to earth's low earth orbits with humans onboard and is currently the only operational human space transportation system available to humanity; and also mentions Gaganyaan is the Indian human space flight programme that envisages to put three astronauts into a 400 km low earth orbit and bring them back safely to earth after spending seven days in space.

Introduction Hb Hofu ( HBB:c. 380T>A) is a rare inherited hemoglobin abnormality with few case reports in the world literature. Methods Screening for the sickle cell gene mutation and other hemoglobinopathies was carried out using the sickle slide test, Hb electrophoresis, and HPLC under an ongoing central government project. Results We detected twelve Hb Hofu heterozygotes and three sickle Hb Hofu compound heterozygotes. The heterozygotes were asymptomatic except for one individual who had chronic kidney disease and moderate anemia. Only one Hb S- Hofu case was symptomatic and presented with intermittent attacks of painful crisis. In the carrier state, the Hb Hofu eluted as a hump at the beginning of the Hb A0 window. But in Hb S- Hofu cases, Hb Hofu eluted as a single peak in the Hb A0 window, with the Hb A2 levels being >4% consistently. Conclusion Hb S- Hofu has a variable clinical presentation. The retention time of Hb Hofu on HPLC is very close to that of Hb A0 and often elutes in the A0 window. Thus, there is every possibility of the Hb S- Hofu chromatogram to be misinterpreted as that of a sickle cell trait/transfused sickle cell-beta-thalassemia case. This is the first time where Hb Hofu has been detected by HPLC, which is the widely accepted screening technique for hemoglobinopathies around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital fibrinogen deficiency is an extremely rare (1:1 000 000) hereditary bleeding disorder caused by defects in genes coding for fibrinogen Aα-, Bβ- and γ-chains, respectively. We report here the molecular basis of fibrinogen deficiency in a large series of patients from India. Twenty-seven patients with clinical features suggestive of fibrinogen deficiency and with prolonged plasma clotting times and low fibrinogen levels were studied. Genomic DNA was screened for mutations in the fibrinogen alpha ( FGA), beta ( FGB), gamma ( FGG) genes by PCR and conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis. Fourteen different disease-causing mutations including frameshifts (51.9%), splice site (22.2%), missense (18.5%) and nonsense mutation (7.4%) were identified in 27 patients. Thirteen of them were novel, including seven frameshifts (fibrinogen Aα: p.Asp296 fs*59, p.Thr466 fs*17 and p.Lys575 fs*74; fibrinogen Bβ: p.Gly414 fs*2 and fibrinogen γ: p.Ser81 fs*5, p.Lys185 fs*13 and p.Asp278_279 fs*17), three splice site mutations ( FGA gene c.364+1G>A; c.510+2 T>G; FGB gene c.851+1G>A), two missense substitutions (fibrinogen Bβ: p.Gly288Ser; p.Arg445Thr) and a nonsense mutation in fibrinogen Aα (p.Tyr127*). Two common mutations ( FGA: c.364+1G>A, n = 6, FGG: p.Lys185 fs*13, n = 7) affecting 13 patients were identified in this series, suggesting that these mutations could be screened first in Indian patients with fibrinogen deficiency. The molecular data presented here is the largest series of patients with fibrinogen deficiency reported so far, adding significantly to the mutation database of this condition. It also helps create an algorithm for its genetic diagnosis in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Maharashtra government has banned the production, sale, distribution and storage of gutka, and pan masala in the Maharashtra State due to the increasing burden of cancer and reproductive health problems attributable to the use of these products. In view of this, it is important to understand the way producers', sellers' and users' are adapting to the ban.Objective: During the two months following the ban (July 19 th through Sept 30, 2012), a research team studying smokeless tobacco use and promotion in a low income community of Mumbai conducted rapid surveillance to assess the impact of the ban in the study community.Materials and Methods: Assessment involved documenting new points of sale, informal observations of tobacco use, and interviews with thirteen shop owners and eight gutka users'. Overall changes in accessibility, availability, patterns of use of tobacco products, perception of ban, social norms and surveillance activities were assessed.Results: Tobacco companies were marketing new products that resembled gutka, under similar brand logos. Surveillance, financial and social cost of selling gutka or using it in public have had an immediate effect on reducing local supply, demand and use and increasing stigma associated with its use. There was an increased recognition of ill-effects of gutka on cancer among sellers' but not overall.Conclusions: To reduce the overall consumption of tobacco in the community, it is critical to include programs that create awareness about effects of smokeless tobacco on health and sustain surveillance levels. This would maintain requirements of the ban, and sustain limits on accessibility, availability and use of these products in the community and other similar communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass Drug Administration (MDA) for Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) elimination has been implemented worldwide and in India with a goal of eliminating the disease by 2020 and 2015 respectively. Compliance to MDA is less than adequate to achieve the goal in the desired time. This study aims to identify the factors related to awareness, acceptability and attitude and the role of certain theoretical constructs of health belief model in determining the compliant behavior to MDA. Within a cross-sectional study done in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, India, undertaken to determine coverage, a comparison was done between compliant and noncompliant individuals. 300 households were selected using cluster sampling technique, for estimation of coverage of MDA. From these households, 99 noncompliant and 70 compliant individuals were selected as cases and controls. The independent factors determining noncompliance were client attitude of not perceiving the need with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.52 (1.29-4.92), an unfavorable provider attitude with an adjusted OR of 2.14 (1.05-4.35) and low drug administrator acceptability with an adjusted OR of 2.01 (1.01-3.99). In MDA, the person giving the drug to the beneficiary is the most important person, whose attitude and acceptability determines compliance. More rigorous selection and training for capacity building of drug administrators are essential to enhance the compliance level. Alternate drug delivery strategies, besides house to house campaign by voluntary drug administers also needs to be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is done either using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) or without using CPB (OPCAB). But, recently, reports have shown that CPB is associated with increased postoperative morbidity because of the involvement of many systems. Aims: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the influence of the technique of surgery on various tissue injury markers and the extent of endothelial activation in patients undergoing CABG and OPCAB coronary revascularization. Settings and Design: This study was conducted at a tertiary healthcare center during the period May 2008 to December 2009. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective nonrandomized blinded study. The activities of Creatine Phosphokinase (CK) and its isoenzyme CK-MB, Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), levels of cardiac Troponin I, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-I) and systemic nitric oxide production were assessed. Statistical analysis: All the results were expressed as Mean±SD. P value ≤0.05 was considered significant. The statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS Version 11.5-computer software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: The surgical trauma had elevated CK, CK-MB and Troponin I in both the groups and further elevation was seen in the CABG group in comparison to OPCAB (P<0.001). The Troponin I concentrations showed an increase from 0.11±0.02 preoperatively to 6.59±0.59 (ng/ml) at 24 h (P<0.001) compared to the OPCAB group. Mean serum levels of sVCAM-1 increased significantly after surgery in both the groups (P<0.02). To determine serum nitric oxide (NO) production, NO2 - and NO3 - (stable end products of NO oxidation) were analyzed which also increased significantly at 24 h in both the groups. But the increase was not significant at 48 h in both the groups compared to the preoperative value in our study. Conclusion: The present study indicates that, despite comparable surgical trauma, the OPCAB significantly reduces tissue injury. The overall pattern of endothelial activation after OPCAB is significantly lower than that after CABG. This may contribute to improved organ function, and improved postoperative recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surficial and core samples collected from the sedimentary microenvironments of Lakshadweep Archipelago were analysed for their trace metal contents. The synoptical relations in spatial distributions with respect to environmental conditions such as pH, organic carbon and sediment texture were inter-correlated. Some of the metals exhibited good correlations with Fe/Mn, which reflect their similarity in distribution rather than anthropogenic enrichment. Inter-relating the variations in metal—pH relationships with metal—organic carbon, in general, those which exhibited positive correlations with pH, displayed negative interactions with organic carbon content and vice versa. Comparatively, higher values of Fe in the mangrove area of one of the islands highlight the possibility of precipitation of Fe as iron sulphides, which are common in mangrove ecosystem. Based on the contamination factors for Pb, Zn and Cd, as well as the geo-accumulation index of Cd, it can be generalised that some of the islands remain polluted with respect to these elements. An evaluation based on pollution load index shows that none of the islands surveyed for this study posed a serious threat in trace metal pollution. Bray Curtis similarity index was computed to find out the similarity among metals/islands, using non-transformed data of metal concentrations. Group linkage clustering technique was used for drawing dendrograms to show the similarity among them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Noise exposure is an inherent part of duty of the aircrew and maintenance staff in the Indian Air Force (IAF). An audiometric survey of IAF personnel was carried out to analyze the prevalence and severity of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Methods: An audiometric study of 1000 IAF personnel of various trades, age and exposure groups were carried out at an operational base. Age related correction of 5 dB per decade was applied for personnel above 50 years of age. Personal factors like smoking, blood group and use of ear defenders were analysed for their effect on the prevalence of NIHL. Result: The study revealed an overall incidence of NIHL of 22.9 % in the personnel with a higher prevalence among the technical trades (26.18 %) as compared to non technical trades (12.5 %). There was a significant increase in prevalence of hearing loss with duration of exposure with 50.8% of personnel above 30 years of exposure having hearing loss. A higher incidence of hearing loss was observed in personnel of blood group O and smokers whereas use of ear defenders was protective. Conclusion: The study reveals a significantly increased prevalence of NIHL among the technical trades of the IAF personnel. The deleterious effects of smoking and protective effect of regular use of ear defenders are emphasized. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study was conducted to find out the anthropometric, biosocial and obstetric predictors of birthweight in Kerala. The study sample consisted of 599 consecutive liveborn babies delivered at SAT Hospital, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram and their mothers in November 2001. Details of maternal history, anthropometry, and biosocial and demographic factors were recorded. Birthweight was primary outcome variable. Multivariate analysis revealed that the biologically acceptable predictors of birthweight of a baby in our population are maternal height (P<0.001), parity (P<0.001) gestational age (P<0.001), pregnancy induced hypertension(P=0.05) and history of low birthweight in the previous pregnancy(P=0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal contents of the corals collected from the Lakshadweep archipelago are discussed in the light of allometric variations. Plots of log flesh weight versus log flesh metal concentration exhibited negative correlations for all the nine metals studied. Metals with rapid exchange rate are likely to show such negative correlation and in such situations the elimination rate far exceeds the metal accumulation rate. Similar plots in the skeletal component showed positive correlations. The only linear relationships were observed in log flesh density versus log partition coefficient plots. Comparative flesh enrichment of metals were found to decrease against increasing flesh weights (for both essential and non-essential metals), indicating a regulation of flesh metal burden beyond certain limits. In the skeletal component, anthropogenic input as well as competitive interactions between metal ions having radii similar to that of Ca2+ paves way for metal adsorption in calcite/aragonite skeletal lattice of corals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment core samples collected during geotechnical surveys along the West Coast of India in the near shore areas of Arabian Sea have generated data on the geotechnical index properties of clayey sediments up to nearly 5 m depth below seafloor. A comparative study of three sectors within themselves is attempted before carrying out a final evaluation between the sectors. Cohesive clayey sediments of Gujarat sector are comparable though widely variant in a few aspects; in the Maharashtra-Goa-Karnataka sector though, plasticity levels and clay type vary, and activity and consistency levels are quite similar. Though broadly comparable, the clayey sediments of Kerala-Tamilnadu sector have quite diverse characteristics that fail to conform to any particular pattern as each area has an exclusive set of geotechnical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu and Fe) in surface sediments and their partitioning behaviour between exchangeable, reducible (Fe-Mn oxide bound) and organicyresidual phases of the sediments in a typical backwater system of Kerala, viz. The southern upstream part of Cochin Estuarine System (South India), have been studied. Spatial and temporal variations of trace metals are discussed with special reference to pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, organic carbon and texture of sediment. Metal concentrations in the tide gated part of the estuary were found to be significantly higher when compared to metal concentrations reported from the unrestricted part of the Cochin estuarine system and also those from many of the unpolluted estuaries worldwide. The higher levels of heavy metals in the study area and their characteristic distribution and partitioning behaviour in the surficial sediments were attributed to the presence of a salinity barrier across the backwater system and also by the massive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in the vast area of agricultural land near the backwater system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study regarding the levels of benzene in ambient air due to vehicular movement in Mumbai, India. It involves two petrol pumps on commercial streets with heavy traffic inflow in the area. It found that ventilation, age and type of vehicles and meteorology can contribute to the concentration of benzene in air.

The Dravidian communities are considered to be the original inhabitants of India, now restricted to South India. The southern most state, Kerala, is socio-culturally stratified into Hindus, Muslims and Christians on the basis of religion. The origin of these religious communities in Kerala is considered to be unique in comparison with that in other parts of the country. These communities were later influenced by the hierarchical caste structure established by the Hindu Brahmins. In the present study, we compared six nontribal (Namboothiri, Nair, Ezhava, Pulaya, Malabar Muslim and Syrian Christian) communities belonging to the major religious groups in Kerala (Hindu, Muslim and Christian) based on the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A, -B and -C diversity. Our aim was to understand the genomic substructuring associated with the changing social scenario in various caste and religious groups and compare it with the Dravidian tribal and other world populations. The present study reveals that the HLA diversity of the Dravidian communities is very distinct from that in the other world populations. It is obvious that the nontribal communities of Kerala display a greater Dravidian influence, but traces of genetic admixture with the Mediterranean, western European, central Asian and East Asian populations can be observed. This characterizes the crypto-Dravidian features of the nontribal communities of Kerala. Demic diffusion of the local progressive communities with the migrant communities may have given rise to crypto-Dravidian features among the nontribal communities of Kerala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the spatial variability of dissolved reactive phosphate along the west coast of India. In this study, samples of surface and bottom water was collected from each of the 27 sites during a single pre-monsoon transect along the west coast of India to study the variation of dissolved reactive phosphate. Phosphate showed an enrichment pattern with increase in depth of the water column. In addition to this, an offshore increase in phosphate concentrations was noticed for both surface and bottom stations. Almost all the surface stations of this study area were found to be characterized by negative apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) values, and bottom stations of the deeper offshore zone (200 m depth) displayed large positive AOU values. The bottom stations of shallow near coastal waters and the deeper offshore zone are characterized by an inverse relationship between phosphate and dissolved oxygen, whereas at these depths, a direct relation was observed between phosphate and AOU. AOU is calculated as the difference between oxygen saturation value at the in situ temperature and salinity and the actual measured concentration. This oxidative re-mineralization mechanism decreases the observed dissolved oxygen well below the expected theoretical values, which is concordant with the higher concentration of phosphate and high positive AOU values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of use of marine algae as biological indicators of heavy metal pollution in coastal waters, six species of marine algae collected from the southwest coast of India were analysed for the levels of heavy metals (Ni, Cr, Sr, and Ag). Interspecies and interclass variations were determined on a spatial and temporal scale. The metal contents varied in the ranges, Ni: 0.20-21.06 µg g-1 (mean = 10.13 µg g-1), Cr: non-detectable level (ND)-37.18 µg g-1 (mean = 13.86 µg g-1), Sr: 2.19-103.90 µg g-1 (mean = 29.40 µg g-1), and Ag: ND-6.39 µg g-1 (mean = 1.80 µg g-1). Ni and Cr contents were of similar magnitude to those reported for algae from polluted areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of dissolved and particulate trace metals (Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn) and their partitioning behaviour between the dissolved and particulate phases in a typical backwater system of Kerala, vis the southern upstream part of Cochin Estuarine System (South India), have been studied. Spatial and temporal variations of trace metals in the dissolved and particulate phases have been discussed with special reference to pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity and suspended particulate matter. The distribution and partitioning behaviour of trace metals in the water column were found influenced by the presence of a salinity barrier across the backwater system and also by the massive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in the vast area of agricultural land near the backwater system. Lack of proper flushing of the backwaters, which receive large amount of trace metals through the application of pesticides and agro-chemicals, due to the presence of the salinity barrier has significantly affected the water quality of the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dravidians are believed to be the earliest inhabitants of India. Their subsequent migration and admixture with invading racial groups has been of scientific interest for population geneticists. In the present study, seven highly endogamous and extremely isolated colonies of Dravidian tribal populations ( n = 105) from Kerala in South India were analysed and compared with random non-tribal Dravidian (RND) samples ( n = 78) of southern India using the polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primer method for HLA-B and HLA-C typing. The tribal group comprises Adiya, Kanikkar, Kattunaikka, Kuruma, Kurichiya, Malapandaram and Paniya, while the RND group includes Malayalam-speaking individuals from various non-tribal castes of Kerala selected randomly. Some of the most frequent HLA-B alleles in the RND population were similar to the North Indian population and included B*07, B*61 (B*40), B*44, B*51, B*35 and B*52. Although B*61 was the most frequent allele in our total study population, the frequency fluctuated in individual populations. HLA-Cw*14 was one of the most frequent alleles while HLA-Cw*17 was totally absent in all populations studied. The haplotype B*61-Cw*14 was present in all the study groups except in Kurichiya, and the haplotype B*51-Cw*14 was only absent in Kattunaikka. Phylogenetic tree and correspondence analysis indicate that all the Dravidian tribal communities group together as a separate cluster, while the RND group of individuals from South India lie close to the North Indian population. This suggests that the RND population of South India might have a crypto-Dravidian origin, while the smaller Dravidian tribal communities have a distinct Dravidian origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study was undertaken to assess the magnitude and diversity of different bleeding disorders in Western India. Materials and methods: 768 cases referred to our Institute for evaluation of an underlying bleeding diathesis were investigated appropriately to detect the cause of the abnormal hemostatic function. Results: 630 patients were diagnosed to have hereditary bleeding diathesis. Amongst these, 598 patients had a coagulation disorder while only 32 patients had a platelet function abnormality. Amongst the coagulation disorders, hemophilia A (70.5%) was the most common disorder followed by hemophilia B (14%) and VWD (10.8%). Glanzman's thrombasthenia (84.3%) was the most common platelet function disorder followed by Bernard-Soulier syndrome (12.5%). Some rare disorders have also been diagnosed. Conclusion: In spite of their apparent rarity, India has a substantial number of cases of inherited bleeding disorders. A large number of these patients is referred to many tertiary care institutions. It is therefore desirable that district hospitals must develop their laboratories to detect most of these disorders so that the patients need not travel long distances to get an appropriate diagnosis and proper management. All 1[sup st] degree female relatives of severe and moderate hemophilia must get factor assays done because some of them may be vulnerable to post-procedural or post-traumatic bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four hundred and seven patients (352 haemophilia A and 55 haemophilia B) were investigated for the presence of factor VIII and IX inhibitors. Twenty-four out of 292 severe and two out of 36 moderate haemophilia A patients showed the presence of inhibitors. The mean age at development of inhibitors was 17.7 years (range 6–52 years). In 12 patients the inhibitors were detected due to suboptimal response to factor replacement therapy (symptomatic) and in the remaining 14 patients the inhibitors were detected during the routine screening of the patients’ samples for inhibitors. They had, however, responded well to the usual doses of factor concentrates and there was no suspicion in these patients that they had developed an inhibitor (asymptomatic). There were two families in which the inhibitors were detected in more than one family member. The level of inhibitors in symptomatic patients ranged from 2.2 Bethesda units (BU) mL–1 to 460.6 BU mL–1, and in asymptomatic patients it ranged from 0.8 BU mL–1 to 3.2 BU mL–1. The inhibitors persisted in all patients except one, who developed an inhibitor postoperatively for a brief period of 3 months. All these patients were followed up from first factor exposure and were tested for inhibitors at least twice a year. The mean number of exposure days before they developed inhibitors was 47.5 exposure days (range 17–98 exposure days). No inhibitors appeared after more than 100 exposure days in any of the patients. When 50 consecutive patients were investigated for intron 22 inversions of the factor VIII gene, 17 patients were found to be positive for inversions (10 proximal inversion; seven distal inversion) out of whom four patients developed inhibitors, three patients belonging to the same family. Out of 35 haemophilia B patients, only one patient developed an inhibitor. The overall prevalence of inhibitors was thus 8.2%, which is similar to the reports from western countries, prior to the introduction of highly purified factor concentrate therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this article is to study the association of known markers of thrombophilia with venous thrombosis in young patients (< 45 years) from the Western part of India. A prospective study of 432 patients (252 males and 180 females, age 1–45 years) was conducted between 1994 and 2000 (6 years). The diagnosis was confirmed in all the patients by ultrasound with Doppler or by a computed tomograph (CT) scan of the brain with or without contrast depending on the case. Detailed clinical examination, and family history was taken to establish recurrent thrombosis and familial occurrence of thrombosis. The markers studied were protein C. protein S, antithrombin (AT) III, factor V Leiden mutation, prothrombin gene G20210A polymorphism, and the thermolabile MTHFR variant C677T polymorphism, using appropriate techniques. Lupus inhibitor was tested in the first 72 patients using Dilute Russel Viper Venom Time (DRVVT) test, and anticardiolipin antibodies were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Protein C, protein S, and AT III deficiency was detected in 9.5%. 6.5%, and 2.6%, respectively, among the patients. Anticardiolipin antibody was present in 9.9% of the patients, whereas lupus anticoagulant was present in 8.3% of patients; factor V Leiden mutation was detected in 3% of patients; thermolabile variant of MTHFR C677T polymorphism was present in 14.9% of patients with 1.2% homozygotes. Prothrombin G20210A polymorphism was not detected in any sample in this population. One hundred and four patients of 432 (24.9%) had recurrent attacks of thrombosis without any proximate precipitating cause, whereas 7.5 % of the patients had another close member of the family with a history of deep venous thrombosis. Eighty-six members from 28 families (out of 32 families giving family history of thrombosis) were Investigated and found to have protein C and protein S deficiency in seven each; factor V Leiden was present in 6,, and MTHFR C677T polymorphism was present in 5 cases. Hence, 25 of 86 members (28%) from the family of patients with familial history deep venous thrombosis had positive markers for thrombophilia. Thus, we could show that in young patients presenting with thrombosis, at least 34% of them had a demonstrable cause for thrombophilia. Prothrombin gene polymorphism G20210A seems to be nonexistent in our population and AT III deficiency also appears to be low compared to other markers of thrombophilia. There is a high prevalence of variant MTHFR C677T in our series, but the incidence of MTHFR C677T in our general population is also high. Hence, the significance of this finding in our cases of deep venous thrombosis remains to be seen, but we did not see any homozygotes when we tested 70 randomly selected asymptomatic persons, whereas in the present series, 1.8% of the patients had homozygosity for the MTHFR C677T polymorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the isolation and characterization of Acetobacter diazotrophicus strains isolated from Eleusine coracana, a plant in Tamil Nadu, India. Use of oligonucleotide primer and polymerase chain reaction amplification; Presence of the bacterium on plant tissues; Impact of Acetobacter strain on the supply part of the nitrogen required by the crop.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article regarding hemoglobin variants in Muslim community in South Gujarat, Western India.

The article discusses the anti-hyperglycemic and anti-diabetic activity of Stereospermum tetragonum root in a study using rat models by researchers from India. It states that S. tetragonum is an ethno-medical plant that showed promising anti-hyperglycemic property. The researchers undertook this study to scientifically validate traditional claims and gain insights regarding the utility of this plant to treat diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To study the role of iron deficiency as a risk factor for simple febrile seizures. Design: Case control study. Setting: Pediatric department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Participants: 154 cases and 154 controls were included in the study. Consecutive cases and concurrent controls were selected. Cases were children of age group 6 months to 3 years presenting with simple febrile seizures. Controls were children of same age group presenting with short febrile illness but without any seizures. Methods: After informed consent, detailed history was taken and clinical examination done in both cases and controls and blood investigations were done to diagnose iron-deficiency in both cases and controls. Iron deficiency was diagnosed as per WHO criteria (hemoglobin value <11g%, red cell distribution width of >15% and serum ferritin value < 12ng/mL). Other explanatory variables, which can be the potential confounders were also included in the study and considered for analysis. Results: Highly significant association was found between iron deficiency and simple febrile seizures in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Crude odds ratio was 5.34 (CI 3.27-8.73, P<0.001) and adjusted odds ratio in the logistic regression analysis was 4.5 (CI 2.69-7.53, P <0.001). Conclusions: Iron deficiency is a significant risk factor for simple febrile seizures in children of age group 6 months to 3 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was done to examine the type and severity of disciplinary practices adopted by parents in Kerala. 1668 mothers, aged 18-49, participated in face-to-face interviews as part of a cross-sectional, population-based survey covering rural, urban and coastal areas. One child from each family was randomly selected as the index child. The interview focused primarily on disciplinary practices. 62% of the mothers reported using severe verbal discipline and 50% of mothers reported using severe physical abuse. Results suggest a high prevalence of normative and abusive practices in the community with mothers playing a prime role in disciplining the child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Retinoblastoma is most common intraocular malignancy of infancy. Globally screening is recommended for 'at risk' children. Despite knowing this, Indian Cancer Society undertook general screening at behest of a corporate donor. Scenario in India is challenging as children at rural, urban slums are not routinely screened for any of eye disease. ICS implemented the pilot project among underprivileged children with primary aim of spreading awareness and improve the ocular health. Though expected outcome was zero retinoblastoma suspect cases; based on past projects it was expected that other eye conditions like squint, cataract etc. would be identified in a few. Aim: To screen 4500 children below 4 years of age at Indian rural and suburban slum areas. To create awareness about retinoblastoma and other eye conditions in community. Methods: Locations were identified where literacy, awareness, immunization coverage were low. Partners were selected a team of experts (ocular oncologists, pediatric ophthalmologists, optometrists, paramedical staff) were deployed for implementation. For awareness, all parents coming for the immunization, Aaganwadis and preschools etc. were given a talk on the importance of child eye screening and various disease which can be detected and prevented through simple eye examination. Special community level programs planned to create awareness about retinoblastoma and early childhood eye screening. Brochures and pamphlets were to be given in the vernacular language of the region. Screening for retinoblastoma was planned in 2 phases, those found to have positive red reflex in stage 1 are subjected to dilation, after obtaining consent from the parents. Proformas were filled in and treatment was given as per the pediatric eye disease identified. Results: In 5 months 2450 children were screened, at tribal area and in suburban slum areas. Awareness sessions were conducted for 348 mothers in batches at the tribal area and similarly for mothers and teachers at Anganwadi, schools. None of the parents/teachers were aware about cancer of eye. A thorough eye check-up was done based on the suggestions of the American Association of Pediatric eye diseases and special attention was given to tests such as Bruckners test. Number of children suspected of retinoblastoma was nil, however, 6% children were found to have other eye conditions such as congenital cataract, corneal opacity, refractive errors, squints and ptosis in the tribal area and project is ongoing in suburban area. Treatment was given as per the protocol for same. Conclusion: Screening for retinoblastoma for not at risk children is not recommended. Main aim for implementing retinoblastoma awareness program is to integrate it with immunization or nutritional program in India. This would ensure standardized ocular care. Challenges are numerous, such as lack of infrastructure, poor literacy rates, low income levels. Yet, innovative strategies are needed for better impact of awareness programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and context: India is one of the few countries to have National Cancer Control Program and emphasis is given on tobacco related cancers because of high prevalence of such practices in India. As per the Global Adult survey 2016 around 30% of Indian population consume tobacco in any other form. Bus drivers, conductors and support staff of two leading public transport companies will be targeted by Indian Cancer Society as they are among high risk population with huge percentage of employees addicted with tobacco. Through this unique partnership, Indian Cancer Society (ICS) will promote tobacco deaddiction, cancer awareness and early detection of cancer among their staff. Aim: ICS is aiming at reaching out to around 1.20 Lakh bus drivers, conductors and support staff through this project in the span of 2 years. Strategy/Tactics: Cancer awareness will be created among targeted as well as general population by means of posters, banners, IEC leaflets. Depot managers will be sensitized about cancer, ill effects of tobacco consumption and importance of early detection. All eligible employees will be screened for commonest cancers in India like oral, breast, cervical and prostate. Tobacco deaddiction activities like support group meetings, experience sharing activities, role plays etc. will be organized for employees to facilitate tobacco deaddiction. Program/Policy process : Baseline survey was conducted for the sample size of 1000 employees in the month of March 2018 to assess their knowledge, attitude and practices related to tobacco addiction and cancer awareness. BCC and IEC activities will be planned based on the findings of baseline survey. Customized cancer screening packages will be developed based on the age and risk profile of employees. Support group meetings will be organized for employees with tobacco addiction. Outcomes: In the tenure of 2 years, cancer awareness will be created among 1.20 Lakh bus drivers, conductors and support staff. 75%–80% of these population will undergo cancer screening. General population residing in 30 districts of Maharashtra will be reached out through the cancer awareness drive organized at bus depots. Burden on the health system of these two transport companies will be reduced due to improved knowledge and health practices among their staff. Conclusion: With mandatory CSR, the private sector is keen on focusing on diseases with measurable outcome. Partnerships between government and NGOs can provide opportunities for private sector to collaborate; to reduce the burden of cancer through awareness and facilitate early detection thus improving chance of cure. This PPP model will provide structured quality cancer screening facility to identified high risk population and will facilitate early cancer detection. Best practices will be imbibed and tobacco deaddiction activities will be sustained beyond the project period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indian blood donation system currently operates using blood from both voluntary and family/friend replacement donors. However, in the past few years, the emphasis has been on making the blood donor base a completely voluntary one with a large percentage of repeat donors. However, this transition has been slow in our blood bank, and therefore we undertook this survey to study the attitudes and perspectives towards voluntary blood donation in our local population. Aim: To understand reasons for donating and not donating blood, to develop appropriate communication tools and appropriate messages for local people, and to evaluate the blood bank service in improving effectiveness of voluntary blood donor recruitment and retention strategy. This study was designed to determine blood donation behaviours and attitudes of Indian residents in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. Materials and Methods: Four hundred and thirty five subjects participated in this study. Donors and non-donors answered a questionnaire on blood donation. Statistical data reliability was checked using Chi-squared tests, Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon two-sample tests at a level of significance of 0.05. Survey data processed using SPSS statistical analysis package. Results: The results of this study show that voluntary blood donors give blood because they „want to help others" from their altruism/ humanitarian spirits (=75%). On the other hand, the main reasons cited by non-donor are: "never asked, don't know where/how to give, don't know anyone in need" (=67%), "weakness" and "nervousness" from fear, anxiety, reactions due to myths (=50%). The effective messages to encourage blood donation were, simple messages like to "Help other people: Your blood donation can save their life. (78.9%). Most effective communication channels (referrals) were family and friends/co-workers (54.7%)" and (50.3%) respectively. The poster/notice board may be acceptable for younger people (40.9%). Overall evaluations of the blood bank services were acceptable (80%). Conclusion: Donors and non-donors were found to vary in their behaviors as well as their attitudes and beliefs. Misconceptions related to blood donation were pronounced among Vellore residents, which indicated a need for improved education on these issues. We might conclude that the findings of this study are not substantially different from those of previous studies. The blood bank should launch promotional programs to address the value of blood donation and to correct some of the misconceptions in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several automated devices have been developed for the detection of antigen antibody reactions, ranging from semi automated to fully automated platforms. The role of these has usually been confined to large centralized transfusion facilities. Aim: To study the impact of a semi automated blood grouping and compatibility testing platform on laboratory management and quality of reporting. Materials and Methods: All donor samples collected from January to March 2007 were processed on the Mitis 2 for blood grouping and antibody screening. Both column agglutination and Micro plate Techniques were performed. A comparison to the routinely used manual methodology was done to see if the goals of increasing workload capacity, reducing the number of labour intensive tests, improving precision and accuracy and eliminating subjectivity of results were achieved. Results: A total of 2000 samples were processed. There was no discrepancy in the results obtained by the manual technique and the automated Mitis2 in blood grouping, antibody screening and cross-matching. There was significant decrease in turnaround time of reports. Comparing number of man hours spent on these tests showed a 50% reduction compared to manual mode. Conclusion: Introduction of a semi automated blood grouping and compatibility testing platform has been of significance towards improving the quality, consistency of testing and reporting in our blood bank. It has made a significant impact on personnel and time management as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Red cell antibody screening is a routine component of pretransfusion compatibility testing protocol in all developed countries. However in India, this has not become a routine procedure as of yet and we continue to cross-match donor and recipient samples prior to transfusion. Aim: To document the efficacy of the surgiscreen 3 cell screen panel and an in-house 3 cell screen panel in identifying antibodies in the Indian patient population, to see if a difference in detection exists between the two cell panels. Materials and Methods: A prospective analysis was done on 1329 consecutive patient samples received in our blood bank. All patient samples had an antibody screening performed with commercial surgiscreen cells and cells prepared in-house. All samples had a routine cross-match done. The samples with a positive antibody screen had a Coombs cross-match as well. Compatibility testing was done by column agglutination technology and tube technique. Antibody screening was performed using column agglutination technology. Results: Of the 1329 samples, 1269 samples showed a negative antibody screen on both the surgiscreen and in-house red cell panel. An immediate spin routine cross-match was also negative. Thirty-four of the samples showed a positive antibody screen on the in-house panel, and a positive Coombs cross-match. However, only 22 of these showed a positive antibody screen using surgiscreen cells, thereby demonstrating a false negativity of approximately 35%. Conclusion: Antibody screening needs to be introduced as a part of pretransfusion compatibility testing. However, the in-house panel seems to be more effective than commercial cell panels in detecting antibodies in the local population. It is vital that we develop a cell panel specific for the Indian patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the sterol profiling and predict the pharmacological potential of marine gastropod Telescopium telescopium (T. telescopium), collected from mangrove ecosystem in the South west coast of India. Methods: Sterol fractions were separated from the crude lipids using 15% ethyl acetate. Ethyl acetate fractions were dried under ultrahigh purity N2 and analyzed using GC-MS. The biological activity was predicted using the software CLC-Pred; In silico predictions of cytotoxicity for tumor and non-tumor cell lines and PASS. Results: This study proved the existence of four sterols, of which cholesterol was abundant. It was found that most of the steroids profiled from T. telescopium displayed activity against reproductive system as well as skin related diseases. Conclusion: The predicted anti infertility and skin related activity of the steroids identified from the marine gastropod T. telescopium is useful to attract industrial interest towards this species which will be helpful in rising new combinations with added therapeutic and nutritional worth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the blood lead level (BLL) of school children in 10 cities of India., Methods: This multi-centric cross-sectional study enrolled participants from randomly selected schools. Data on demographic details, socioeconomic status (SES) and anthropometric indicators was collected. Samples were collected for assessment of lead level in blood. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry technique was used to assess BLL., Results: From April 2019 through February 2020, 2247 participants were recruited from sixty schools (62.6% government schools) with equal gender distribution. The overall median (interquartile range) BLL was 8.8 (4.8, 16.4) µg/dl. The highest median (interquartile range) BLL was in Manipal 30.6 (23.0, 46.7) and lowest in Dibrugarh 4.8 (3.2, 7.0). Overall, 82.5% of participants had BLL above ≤4 µg/dl. Significant negative correlation was observed between BLL and SES (correlation= -0.24, p <0.001), anthropometric indicators (correlation= -0.11, p <0.001), hemoglobin level (correlation= -0.045, p = 0.03) and multivariate regression model showed association with gender, SES and anthropometric indicators., Conclusions: BLL are elevated in urban school going children and there is intercity variation. Hence, urgent focus is needed to reduce exposure to lead in India., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical Approval and Consent: This study was conducted according to the guidelines laid down in the Declaration of Helsinki and all procedures involving human subjects/patients were approved by the Institutional Ethics Committees for Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences [approval reference number (ARN): IEC/SKIMS Protocol # RP 175/2018], PGIMER, Chandigarh (ARN: PGI/IEC/2019/000152), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur (ARN: AIIMS/IEC/2017/765), King George's Medical University (ARN: 9334/Ethics/R.Cell-16), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna (ARN: IEC/AIIMS/PAT/153/2017), Assam Medical College (ARN: AMC/EC/1430), Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar (ARN: KIMS/KIIT/IEC/112/2016), Kasturba Medical College (ARN: IEC:388/2019), MS Ramaiah Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore (ARN: MSRMC/EC/AP-02/02-2019) and Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram (ARN: HEC.No.04/34/2019/MCT). Written informed consent was obtained from parents of all study participants. The study was prospectively registered with Clinical Trial Registry of India. Registration number is: CTRI/2019/02/017783 [Clinical Trials Registry - India (CTRI)]. Conflict of Interest: None., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Dr. K C Chaudhuri Foundation.)