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Ticks are blood-sucking parasites and occur all over the world, especially in humid and subhumid nations such as India. They are very important vectors of many economically important livestock diseases, such as Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., and Theileria spp. Ticks were collected from organized and unorganized cattle farms situated in and around Mhow. The initially collected samples of ticks (≤200) were washed in tap water and identified as Rhipicephalus microplus. The study was carried out from June 2021 to May 2022. Ticks were treated with 0.625, 1.25, 2.50, 5, and 10% oil of Azadirachta indica in both the adult immersion test and larval immersion test. All the concentrations were prepared with absolute ethanol. In the present study, fipronil was used as a positive control using various concentrations (x/8, x/4, x/2, x, and 2x) and was prepared in distilled water. The LC50 values against fipronil were observed as 1.03 and 1.12 ppm for adults and larvae, respectively. Results of the study showed that the oil of Azadirachta indica was responsible for the mortality of adults (LC50 = 2.70%) and larval stages (LC50 = 1.27%) at all the concentrations used. Furthermore, it was observed that this oil was also responsible for the inhibition of oviposition and had excellent repellent activity at 10% concentration. Based on the study, we can conclude that the oil of A. indica can be used in an integrated tick management system to reduce the tick burden on animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diagnosis of Trypanosoma evansi among goat in field is still challenging due to scarce information on clinical manifestation and non availability of rapid reliable diagnostics. Molecular test such as PCR employed to diagnose the T. evansi with accuracy in both blood and tissues. Limited reports are available from different parts of the country on natural infection of T. evansi in goat. Mainly subclinical form of disease occurred in goats owing to low level of parasitaemia of T. evansi. Methods: A Jamunapari goat aged 1.5 years and weighing -25 kg was suffering from circling movement, pale conjunctiva and anorexia and was found positive for T. evansi by buffy coat examination and polymerase chain reaction. Diminazene aceturate was given intramuscularly as 7% water solution at a dose of 3.5 mg/kg b.wt. After 3 days, blood smear and buffy coat were negative for T. evansi and no band was found after running the product on 1.7% agarose gel stained with ethidium bromide. Result: The present study reveals first time report on caprine trypanosomosis from central India by conventional and PCR technique and placed on record. Hence, the goat should also be taken into consideration for control of trypanosomosis as goats are an important source of infection to other animals due to their reservoir nature for T. evansi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: About one-fourth of individuals who are dependent on opioids use opioids through injecting route. Most of such individuals start using opioids through noninjecting route much earlier before they transition to injecting opioids. It is important to identify important factors that delineate individuals who inject opioids from those who use opioids through other routes, which was the objective of the present study. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study design. Four hundred treatment-naïve opioid users with opioid dependence were selected using a snowballing sampling technique. The drug use details, family relations, social and occupational functioning, and peer network history were assessed using a self-developed questionnaire and the use of structured instruments such as the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire Scale, High-Risk Behavior Scale, and Functional Status Questionnaire Scale. Comorbid psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The Ask Suicide-Screening Questions was used for assessing different domains of suicidality. Results: The mean age of the participants was 26 (standard deviation = 6) years. One-third (n = 136) of these were injecting opioid users (injecting drug users [IDUs]) and the remaining were taking opioids through other routes (non-IDUs). In multivariate analysis, IDUs (as compared to non-IDUs) had higher rates of family history of opioid use (odds ratio [OR] =3.53, 95% confidence interval: 1.17–8.69), incarceration history (OR = 2.16, 1.78–3.11), lower employment (OR = 0.53, 0.31–0.84), more people with <5 years of education (OR = 4.31, 2.60–12.73), lower age of starting opioid use (OR = 0.44, 0.26–0.69), more concurrent sedative use (OR = 5.60, 4.34–7), more self-harm attempts history (OR = 1.88, 1.16–3.2), larger peer groups (OR = 1.89, 1.11–2.63), and greater involvement in selling illegal drugs (OR = 1.81, 1.49–3.67). Conclusions: Various factors are significantly associated with using opioids through injecting route in individuals with opioid dependence. These factors can help identify individuals with opioid dependence who are likely to transition to injecting opioids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver abscess as an infectious space occupying lesion of the liver. Pyogenic and amoebic liver abscess is an infection that is emerging worldwide and that is associated with severe morbidity and considerable mortality. Aim: This study analyzes the predictive risk factors, clinical and socio-demographic features, complications and therapeutic management plan of liver abscesses patients. Methods: this prospective cross sectional study was carried out in the department of surgery, in a tertiary care hospital, central India. A total of 135 cases, between 18-75 years of age, irrespective of sex, getting admitted in our department, during the period of study, diagnosed as liver abscess were included in the study. All patients were thoroughly examined and all relevant investigations were done. All complications and outcomes were observed. Result: Majority of the cases were 45-60 years age group. Most of the participant was male. The complications of liver abscess were mainly developed in alcoholic male than female. 58.5% of abscess present in right lobe of liver. Duration of alcohol consumption, BMI and socio-economic status was not significantly associated with the complication, Most common clinical presentation were Fever, abdominal pain, tenderness and hepatomegaly. Raised total leukocyte count (>11000/comm), raised bilirubin (>2mg/dl) and increased liver enzymes were found in most of the cases. Most common complication was rupture of abscess in peritoneal and pleural cavity, peritonitis, Ascites and septic shock. Percutaneous aspiration combination with antibiotics has become the mainstay of treatment. Conclusion: The knowledge of predictive risk factors of liver abscess can allows early and appropriate treatment to avoid complications. Percutaneous drainage with appropriate antibiotics was associated with low rates of morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracranial space-occupying lesions (SOLs) account for about 5–10 deaths per 100,000 in India. They present with physical symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, and weakness; neurological symptoms such as seizures, and focal neurological deficit; and behavioral changes manifesting as depression (15–20%), anxiety (30–50%), psychosis (<5%), and personality changes (16–76%). Therefore, it is necessary to do an appropriate general, neurological, and behavioral examination for proper diagnosis and management. A series of four cases who reported to psychiatric outpatient with behavioural complaints and no focal neurological deficits were reported. The most common presentation of SOLs is seizure, headache, vomiting, and loss of consciousness. Along with this complaint, some patients may present with abnormal behavior. However, it is very rare for a SOL to present solely with psychiatric or behavioral complaints. Therefore, it becomes imperative to keep a close watch on the symptoms and send for timely investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NH 58 area in India has been experiencing an increase in landslide occurrences, posing significant threats to local communities, infrastructure, and the environment. The growing need to identify areas prone to landslides for effective disaster risk management, land use planning, and infrastructure development has led to the increased adoption of advanced geospatial technologies and statistical methods. In this context, this research article presents an in-depth analysis aimed at developing a landslide susceptibility zonation (LSZ) map for the NH 58 area using remote sensing, GIS, and logistic regression analysis. The study incorporates multiple geo-environmental factors for analysis, such as slope aspect, curvature, drainage density, elevation, fault distance, flow accumulation, geology, geomorphology, land use land cover (LULC), road distance, and slope angle. Utilizing 50% of the landslide inventory data, the logistic regression model was trained to determine correlations between causal factors and landslide occurrences. The logistic regression model was then employed to calculate landslide probabilities for each mapping unit within the NH 58 area, which were subsequently classified into relative susceptibility zones using a statistical class break technique. The model's accuracy was verified through ROC curve analysis, resulting in a 92% accuracy rate. The LSZ map highlights areas near road cut slopes as highly susceptible to landslides, providing crucial information for land use planning and management to reduce landslide risk in the NH 58 area. The study's findings are beneficial for policymakers, planners, and other stakeholders involved in regional disaster risk management. This research offers a comprehensive analysis of landslide-influencing factors in the NH 58 area and introduces an LSZ map as a valuable tool for managing and mitigating landslide risks. The map also serves as a critical reference for future research and contributes to the broader understanding of landslide susceptibility in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction- Ovarian cancer is one of the ten most commonly diagnosed cancers in women and has the highest mortality rate and the worst prognosis of all gynecological cancers. In 2018, 295,414 cases of Ovarian cancer were detected worldwide, and 184,799 died, with the highest incidence in developed countries. The mortality rate has not changed in the past 30 years, and it is predicted that by 2040, this rate will be significantly increasing. Materials And Methods- Study based on proper clinical examination, radiological investigation, histopathological diagnosis and hematological investigations and Measurement of serum CA-125 and HE4 will be carried out by ELISA method. Results- out of 50 neoplastic lesions 31 cases are benign tumours, 02Borderline and 17 cases are malignant. Conclusion-We concluded High ROMA Index Value shows malignancy. Low value of ROMA index cases are benign so that ROMA Index is helpful to differentiate in benign and malignant lesion preoperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this work is to present a novel technique using convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures for automatic segmentation of sella turcica (ST) on cephalometric radiographic image dataset. The proposed work suggests possible deep learning approaches to distinguish ST on complex cephalometric radiographs using deep learning techniques. Materials and methods: The dataset of 525 lateral cephalometric images was employed and randomly split into different training and testing subset ratios. The ground truth (annotated images) represents pixel-wise annotation of the ST using an online annotation platform by dental specialists. This study compared convolutional neural network architectures based on fine-tuned versions of the VGG19, ResNet34, InceptionV3, and ResNext50 architectures to select an appropriate model for autonomous segmentation of the nonlinear structure of ST. Results: The study compared training and prediction results of the selected models: VGG19, ResNet34, InceptionV3, and ResNext50. The mean IoU scores for VGG19, ResNet34, InceptionV3 and ResNext50 are 0.7651, 0.7241, 0.4717, 0.4287, dice coefficients are 0.7794, 0.7487, 0.4714, 0.4363 and loss scores are 0.0973, 0.1299, 0.2049 and 0.2251, respectively. Conclusion: The obtained findings suggest that the VGG19 and Resnet34 architectures (mean IoU and dice coefficient > 75%) comparatively outperformed the InceptionV3 and ResNext50 architectures (mean IoU and dice coefficients is around 45%) for considered cephalometric radiographic dataset. The study findings can be used as a reference model for future investigation of non-linear ST morphological characteristics and related biological anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bovine babesiosis caused by an intraerythrocytic apicomplexan protozoon responsible for the most prevalent and costly tick borne diseases (TBD’s) of cattle throughout the globe. Cerebral babesiosis of bovine is fatal and mainly caused by Babesia bovis. To the knowledge of author, there is no confirm molecular report of Babeisa bigemina caused cerebral babesiosis in cattle. Therefore, authors want to report Babesia bigemina caused cerebral babesiosis on record. Methods: In the year 2015, a Holstein-Friesian cow aged 3 years and weighing approximately 300 kg, was attended at Jabalpur, (M.P.) with the clinical signs of high rise in temperature (104F), recumbency, severe dysponea, peculiar sound during open mouth breathing, pale color of eye conjunctiva and mucous membrane of vagina, convulsions, sever anaemia, paddling of legs at frequent interval. After preparation of peripheral thin blood smear from animal at the site of collection and fixation with methanol, blood sample brought to Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science and A.H, Jabalpur and stained by standard protocol for Giemsa staining. Genomic DNA was isolated from the collected blood sample using QIAamp® DNA blood mini kit following the manufacturer’s recommendations and PCR was performed. Conclusion: The thin blood smear examination revealed the presence of Babesia parasite. The species of Babesia was confirmed by molecular amplification of genomic DNA as B. bigemina. This might be the first confirmed report of cerebral babesiosis caused by B. bigemina from Central India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India contributes 15% of the total global maternal mortality burden. An increasing proportion of these deaths are due to Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH), Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), and anaemia. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a tablet-based electronic decision-support system (EDSS) to enhance routine antenatal care (ANC) and improve the screening and management of PIH, GDM, and anaemia in pregnancy in primary healthcare facilities of Telangana, India. The EDSS will work at two levels of primary health facilities and is customized for three cadres of healthcare providers – Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes (ANMs), staff nurses, and physicians (Medical Officers). Methods: This will be a cluster randomized controlled trial involving 66 clusters with a total of 1320 women in both the intervention and control arms. Each cluster will include three health facilities—one Primary Health Centre (PHC) and two linked sub-centers (SC). In the facilities under the intervention arm, ANMs, staff nurses, and Medical Officers will use the EDSS while providing ANC for all pregnant women. Facilities in the control arm will continue to provide ANC services using the existing standard of care in Telangana. The primary outcome is ANC quality, measured as provision of a composite of four selected ANC components (measurement of blood pressure, blood glucose, hemoglobin levels, and conducting a urinary dipstick test) by the healthcare providers per visit, observed over two visits. Trained field research staff will collect outcome data via an observation checklist. Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first trial in India to evaluate an EDSS, targeted to enhance the quality of ANC and improve the screening and management of PIH, GDM, and anaemia, for multiple levels of health facilities and several cadres of healthcare providers. If effective, insights from the trial on the feasibility and cost of implementing the EDSS can inform potential national scale-up. Lessons learned from this trial will also inform recommendations for designing and upscaling similar mHealth interventions in other low and middle-income countries. Trial Registration. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03700034, registered 9 Oct 2018, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03700034 CTRI, CTRI/2019/01/016857, registered on 3 Mar 2019, http://www.ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pdf_generate.php?trialid=28627&EncHid=&modid=&compid=%27,%2728627det%27 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most common cardio vascular disease events after COVID-19 were hypertension, pulmonary embolism, acute coronary syndrome, myocarditis, stress-Cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, carcinogenic shock, and cardiac arrest. Aim: To evaluate cardio vascular disease events in patients recovered from COVID-19 in central Indian population Methods: This retrospective observational study was carried out in the department of medicine in a tertiary care hospital, central India. Asses all the participants for post covid cardio vascular events, detailed history, clinical examination and all necessary investigation was done Results: in our study Post COVID 19 cardio vascular events was occur in 17.6%. Majority of the patient was male (69.3%), most common age group were 51-60 years. Higher incidence of cardio vascular disease was reported in obese person. Common cardio vascular diseases found after COVID 19 infection were, hypertension (35.3%), pulmonary embolism (23.5%), Myocarditis (20.6%), myocardial infection (11.8%) and Arrhythmias were in 8.8% cases. Conclusion: Overall observations indicate an increased incidence of hypertension and CVDs post recovery from COVID-19. A dual therapy of ARBs was the preferred choice for management of hypertension. Regular follow-up and close monitoring of symptoms to prevent further CV complications in COVID-19 recovered patients is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the socioeconomic profile, awareness level and reasons for the delay in accessing timely eye care for cataract surgery in patients of lens-induced glaucoma (LIG). This cross-sectional observational study included all patients with LIG who presented to a tertiary eye care centre in central rural India between March 2019 to February 2020. Data were collected through a questionnaire. Out of the 731 patients included in the study, the majority were females (69.36%). The mean age of the patients at presentation was 62.66 ± 10.37 years. Only a few participants, 193 (26.40%) were aware of LIG. Lower socioeconomic profile, older age, female gender and illiteracy were found to be strongly associated with awareness about LIG (p <.001). Patients waiting for the winter season (58.27%) to get operated was the major reason for delayed presentation to the hospital. Other reasons for the delayed presentation were – need not felt (feeling that intervention was not necessary) due to good vision in other eye (14.36%), financial issues (11.63%), long travelling distance (7.11%), no caretaker (6.89%), medical illness (1.78%) and fear of surgery (0.55%). Delayed reporting for eye healthcare in patients of LIG is found to be multifactorial. Most patients preferred waiting for the winter season to get their eyes operated, which throws light on the mindset and ignorance of the patients in this part of central rural India. We further emphasize on strengthening the education and counseling efforts in the community to enable patients to access services in a timely fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, due to rapid urbanization and increasing anthropogenic activities, the occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in riverine fishes is becoming an emerging area of food safety concern worldwide. This study was conducted to determine the abundance of MPs in three riverine fish species (Amblypharyngodon mola, Puntius ticto, and Mystustengara) collected from six major rivers of Chhattisgarh, India. The Nile Red staining method was used for the identification and quantification of MPs in fish samples. Out of 140 fish samples examined, 87.9% of the fishes had ingested MPs. The abundance of MPs per gram of fish and per fish was 3.25 ± 2.58 and 14.9 ± 8.12, respectively. Most of the MPs identified were of fragment type and with their size ranging between 20and 300 μm. The demersal fishes had higher levels of MP contamination as compared to surface feeder fishes. Fish samples collected from Mahanadi River in Janjgir-Champa district showed the highest abundance of MPs both in terms of MPs per gram (5.93 ± 3.29) and per fish (22.7 ± 6.59), and this could be attributed to the high level of human activity with municipal waste dumping in the area. The results further suggest the possibility of human ingestion of MPs through the consumption of riverine fishes in this region. This study shows the abundance of MPs in riverine fishes which raises health concerns for the fish consumers and further research is required to assess the overall extent of the impact of MPs on the environment and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop residue burning (CRB) poses a serious threat to the climate, soil fertility, human health and wellbeing, and air quality, which increases mortality rates and slumps agricultural productivity. This study conducts a pan-India analysis of CRB burning based on the spatial characteristic of crop residue management practices and analyzes the linkage among health, agriculture value addition, and regional finance using the simultaneous equation to find the causality and panel quantile regression for direct effect and intergroup difference. We discuss some of the alternative crop residue management practices and policy interventions. Along with in situ management, this paper discusses ex situ crop residue management (CRM) solutions. The ex situ effort to manage crop residue failed due to the scarcity of the supply chain ecosystem. Force of habit and time constrain coupled with risk aversion have made farmers reluctant to adopt these solutions. Our results show that financial viability and crop residue have bidirectional causality; therefore, both the central and state governments must provide a financial solution to lure farmers into adopting residue management practices. Our analysis shows that framers are likely to adopt the management solution (farmers have some economic benefits) and are reluctant to adopt the scientific solution because the scientific solution, such as "pusa decomposer", is constrained by the weather, temperature, and humidity, and these parameters vary throughout India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dermoid and epidermoid cysts commonly termed as "Dermoids" are known to be developmental benign swellings that possibly occur as a result of traumatic implantation of epithelium or entrapment of epithelial remnants during embryonic fusion. The occurrence is rare (about 7%) in the head-and-neck region and they represent <1.6% of all cysts of the oral cavity. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was done on 12 histopathologically proven cases of epidermoid and dermoid cysts of the maxillofacial region that were treated in Shyam Shah Medical College, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, India, from January 2013 to December 2019. The cases were evaluated for clinical presentation, demographic characteristics, and treatment performed. Results: Out of a total of 12 cases that were included in this study, 10 cases were diagnosed as epidermoid and 2 cases as true dermoid cysts. The mean age of occurrence was 31.66 ± 9.97 years. Male predominance was seen with a male-to-female ratio of 1.4:1. The floor of the mouth was the most commonly involved site in ten (83.34%) cases. Sublingual cysts were seen in five (41.67%) cases, combined sublingual--submandibular involvement in three (25%) cases, and midline floor of the mouth cyst in two (16.67%) cases. All the cases were treated by surgical enucleation, and no recurrence or malignant transformation was reported in any case at a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this retrospective study, it is suggested that these lesions are very rare in the maxillofacial region and pose a diagnostic challenge. However, fine-needle aspiration cytology, ultrasound imaging, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging techniques can be relied upon for precise treatment planning. Surgical enucleation of these lesions is the preferred treatment modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing image classification is difficult, especially for agricultural crops with identical phenological growth periods. In this context, multi-sensor image fusion allows a comprehensive representation of biophysical and structural information. Recently, Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based methods are used for several applications due to their spatial-spectral interpretability. Hence, this study explores the potential of fused multi-temporal Sentinel 1 (S1) and Sentinel 2 (S2) images for Land Use/Land Cover classification over an agricultural area in India. For classification, Bayesian optimised 2D CNN-based DL and pixel-based SVM classifiers were used. For fusion, a CNN-based siamese network with Ratio-of-Laplacian pyramid method was used for the images acquired over the entire winter cropping period. This fusion strategy leads to better interpretability of results and also found that 2D CNN-based DL classifier performed well in terms of classification accuracy for both single-month (95.14% and 96.11%) as well as multi-temporal (99.87% and 99.91%) fusion in comparison to the SVM with classification accuracy for single-month (80.02% and 81.36%) and multi-temporal fusion (95.69% and 95.84%). Results indicate better performance by Vertical-Vertical polarised fused images than Vertical-Horizontal polarised fused images. Thus, implying the need to analyse classified images obtained by DL classifiers along with the classification accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background - Burn injuries are very common cause of morbidity and mortality among Indian populations specially the bride burning cases which are related to dowry deaths. The study was aimed to analyze the epidemiology, pattern, cause and manner of deaths to formulate burn the possible preventive strategies. Methods - In present study we analyzed the autopsy done in the department of forensic science & toxicology, Institute of Medical Science, BHU, Varanasi, U.P., India from the period of March 2014 to August 2015. We reported total 155 unnatural deaths of women who died within seven years of their marriage and out of them total 96(62%) cases were due to burn. Conclusion- The most of the cases (51%) reported within 2 to 5 years after marriage and majority (70%) of them happened in kitchen where cooking gas was most common (64%) source of burn. Maximum (35%) case were having total body surface area (TBSA) 51-60% and 92% of victim died in hospital and septicemia was major (60%) cause of death. Most of the deaths (56.25%) were suicidal in nature. Such bridal deaths are major concern toward the society, health agencies and law enforcing agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistance status against deltamethrin, cypermethrin, coumaphos and ivermectin was assessed of Rhipicephalus microplus from five districts of Uttarakhand, through adult immersion test and larval packet test. The field isolates were highly resistant to deltamethrin (median resistance ratio [RR50] = 9.10–29.13-fold) followed by cypermethrin (2.23–3.55). Surprisingly the isolates were susceptible to coumaphos (0.34–3.17). Emerging resistance against ivermectin (1.55–3.27) was also observed in all the isolates. Elevated levels of esterases (enzyme ratio = 2.93–5.84-fold), glutathione S-transferases (5.10–10.06) and monooxygenases (1.68–4.02) in resistant fields isolates were highly correlated (47.4–86.0%) with the resistant factor (RR50) determined by bioassay. All the isolates except Uttarkashi possess mutation at the 190th position in domain II of the sodium channel gene. As a mitigation strategy an Ageratum conyzoides-based characterized natural formulation was tested against all the isolates and was found effective at the concentration of 10.1–11.5%. The possibility of using the natural formulation for the management of multi-acaricide resistant ticks is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is an enveloped positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. Initial steps of the infection involve binding of the spike protein(S) of the virus to Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor on the mucosal surfaces of various organs like lungs, kidney, heart, intestine. Pathogenesis of complications are still poorly understood. Aim: This study was designed to find out the baseline biochemical parameters at the time of admission which may predict outcome in COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: This observational study was conducted in a dedicated COVID-19 hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (Dr. RMLIMS), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, from 1st July, 2020 to 30th November, 2020 . A total of 109 moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients who required Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, were enrolled. Based on their outcome, patients were divided into two groups: "Survived" and "Expired". Biochemical characteristics of patients were compared among the two groups using univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: On Univariate analysis Coagulation profile, Prothrombin Time (PT), International Normalised Ratio (INR), Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) and D-Dimer vales were raised significantly in the expired group. Among other acute phase reactants Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Creatinine Phosphokinase-MB (CPKMB) were raised in expired group and this difference was significant statistically too. On Multivariate analysis among all acute phase reactant only IL-6 was increased significantly. All other variables were found to be non-significantly associated with mortality, statistically (p-value<0.05). Conclusion: Baseline biochemical parameters have prognostic values in COVID-19 patients. Raised IL-6 levels can be viewed as an independent predictor of mortality among COVID-19 patients at the time of admission in ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has been a major cause of apprehension, morbidity, and mortality in 2020. It had been postulated that associated co-morbid conditions in COVID-19 patients increase the severity of COVID-19 which leads to six times more chances of hospitalisation than patients without co-morbid condition. Mortality is also 12 times higher in such patients. Aim: To find out the association between co-morbidities and mortalities due to COVID-19 pneumonia. Materials and Methods: A prospective, observational study was conducted in a tertiary teaching institute of North India which was designated Level 3 (L-3) facility for treatment of COVID-19 patients. All 109 COVID-19 patients confirmed by Reverse Transcriptase - Polymerase Chain Reaction(RT-PCR), admitted in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from 1st July 2020 to 30th November 2020 formed the sample of the study. Data were taken regarding past history, clinical histories and examinations and ICU care and treatments. Based on their final outcome at the end of ICU care, patients were divided into 2 groupsgroup 1 (Non-survivor or Expired) and group 2 (Survived) and intergroup differences were studied. Results: COVID-19 infection was about three times more common in males. Severe category of COVID-19 patients had higher mortality (59.2 % of severe category expired during hospital course, 1.7% patients expired in moderate category group). Most common co-morbidities were hypertension (n=48, 46.8%) and diabetes (n=51, 44%). Multivariate analysis showed that co-morbidities in the form of chronic liver disease (OR -0.127(0.024-0.681, p-value 0.016)) and post tubercular sequel (OR 0.036(0.003-0.442, p-value 0.009)) were less likely to occur in COVID-19 patients who survived, thus making these co-morbidities significant contributor to the adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients. More number of co-morbidities in a patient were associated with higher chance of mortality and this trend was significant statistically (p-value<0.001). Conclusion: Patients with multiple co-morbidities, chronic liver disease and post tubercular sequel were associated with higher mortality in COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite recent reductions in the overall malaria case incidence, malaria remains an important public health issue. There has been a change in clinical and epidemiological profile of malaria in our country and vivax malaria known to be benign has been reported to cause severe complications. Therefore, the present study was conducted to delineate the clinical profile of malaria, proportion of severity, spectrum of complications, and presence of comorbidities among adult patients admitted at a tertiary health-care center in North India. Materials and Methods: This was an observational prospective study conducted in all adult patients (>15 years of age) diagnosed to have Plasmodium vivax malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, and mixed malarial infection at a tertiary care teaching hospital on the basis of peripheral smear or rapid diagnostic tests. Results: The study included 295 patients, the most common species was vivax (62%) followed by falciparum (29%) and mixed plasmodium spp. (9%). The mean age of the patients was 34.23 ± 15.7 years, with 64% male and 36% female. Out of all patients, 23% patients had at least one component of severe malaria. Severe anemia (hemoglobin <5 mg/dl), thrombocytopenia (platelet count <1 lac/cmm), and acute kidney injury were significantly greater in patients with P. vivax. Presence of comorbid conditions was observed in a significant proportion (32%) of patients. Conclusion: P. vivax is the plasmodium species which is responsible for most of the cases. Its potential to cause life-threatening illness is the cause of concern. The role of comorbid conditions in influencing the clinicaloutcome of malaria should be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was planned to detect the genes encoding carbapenemases, ESBLs and class 1 integron‐integrase among bacteria obtained from retail goat meat. Fermenting and non‐fermenting bacterial isolates (n = 57), recovered from 61 goat meat samples, were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates was tested by the broth dilution method using ceftazidime, cefotaxime, meropenem and imipenem. Plasmids were isolated and tested for their physical characters. Plasmids were subjected to screening of carbapenemase, ESBL and intI1 gene. Conjugation assay was performed using blaNDM‐positive isolates as the donor, and Escherichia coli HB101 as the recipient. Isolates showed the high rates of resistance to ceftazidime (77·2%), cefotaxime (70·2%), meropenem (22·8%) and imipenem (17·5%). They showed variability in number and size (~1 to >20 kb) of plasmids. Among all, 1, 4, 13 and 31 isolates showed the blaKPC, blaNDM, blaSHV and blaTEM genes, respectively. The blaKPC‐2 gene was observed in one E. coli isolate. The blaNDM‐1 gene was detected in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (n = 2), Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 1) and Ochrobactrum anthropi (n = 1) isolates. These isolates co‐harboured the blaTEM and blaSHV genes. The intI1 gene was detected in 22 (38·6%) isolates, and 16 of these isolates showed the carbapenemase and/or ESBL genes. The conjugative movement of blaNDM gene could not be proved after three repetitive mating experiments. The presence of genes encoding carbapenemases and ESBLs in bacteria from goat meat poses public health risks. Significance and impact of the study: The emergence of carbapenemases and extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases (ESBLs) in bacteria has now become a global problem leading to failure of advanced antimicrobial therapy. We report for the first time the blaNDM‐1 gene in non‐fermenting Gram‐negative bacterial isolates, and the blaKPC‐2 gene in an Escherichia coli isolate from goat meat in India. The presence of carbapenemase genes in bacteria from goat meat develops serious concerns about public health and food safety. Analysis of genetic determinants of β‐lactam resistance in bacteria would be helpful to formulate a suitable control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was aimed to detect the carbapenemase, extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase (ESBL), and intI1 gene of class 1 integron among fermenting (n = 61) and nonfermenting (n = 10) bacterial isolates recovered from water samples (n = 128). Isolates were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. These isolates showed reduced‐susceptibility to third‐generation cephalosporins and carbapenems. The isolates varied in number and size of plasmids (2 kb to >20 kb). Plasmid DNA screening showed 5·6, 7, 11·2 and 26·7% prevalence of blaKPC, blaNDM, blaSHV and blaTEM genes respectively. Diverse blaNDM (blaNDM‐1 and blaNDM‐4) and blaSHV subtypes (blaSHV‐2 and blaSHV‐11) were recorded, unlike the single allelic blaKPC (blaKPC‐2) and blaTEM (blaTEM‐1) gene. Of the total 27 bla‐gene‐producing bacterial isolates, seven isolates co‐harboured the carbapenemase genes (blaNDM or blaKPC or the both) along with the ESBL genes (blaSHV or blaTEM). The intI1 gene of class 1 integron was detected among 12 (44·4%) of ESBL‐ and/or carbapenemase‐harbouring isolates. Gene transferability was seen among four of the 10 Enterobacteriaceae donors. Carbapenemases and ESBLs with class 1 integron among aquatic environmental isolates raise the serious issue of the biosecurity and health of the ecosystem. Significance and Impact of the Study: Anthropologically affected and polluted environment harbours the resistance threats, where a diverse bacterial species maintain, develop and exchange genetic determinants that constitute a risk to human and ecological health. The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Enterobacteriaceae and non‐Enterobacteriaceae bacteria caused the failure of the therapy of last resort (carbapenems) and thus lead to life‐threatening infections affecting public health. Surveillance and monitoring of AMR could be important for epidemiological, diagnostic testing and control of pathogens. This is a point‐prevalence study reporting the comparative occurrence and co‐occurrence of carbapenemase and extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase genes among fermenting and nonfermenting bacteria isolated from the aquatic environment in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India accounts for about a quarter of the global TB burden. Worldwide India is the country with the highest burden of both TB and MDR TB. Smoking and alcohol use results in sub-optimal response to anti tuberculosis treatment as well as poor prognosis Alcoholism and Nicotine abuse contribute significantly to the development and treatment course of tuberculosis in patients. Aim of the Study: To assess the Prevalence of Nicotine and Alcohol Addiction among Tuberculosis Patients and to monitor the effect of Brief Counselling Sessions for the De-addiction of Alcohol and Nicotine in the management of Tuberculosis Patients. Material & Methods: We had taken the tuberculosis patients coming to the OPD of Medicine and Respiratory Medicine Departments of DrRMLIMS, Lucknow. We used questionnaires for assessing the Nicotine Dependence and Alcohol dependence among the tuberculosis patients (Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire), The Alcohol use disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Results: Prevalence of Addiction among tuberculosis patient-54 cases out of 447 total cases (April to October). In our study, we found addiction in 45 males and 9 females, Smoking addiction was seen in 13 tuberculosis patients, alcohol addiction was found in 17 tuberculosis patients, and both smoking and alcohol addiction was seen in 24 patients. Conclusion: Nicotine and Alcohol Addiction problem in Tuberculosis patients should be effectively assessed through the nicotine addiction and AUDIT scales and Brief Cognitive Therapy should be introduced along with regular ATT for effective management of such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Liver, a paramount organ is the Chief site for metabolism of nutrients and energy production in the human body. It is also necessary for metabolism and elimination of exogenous drugs and harmful substances via kidney. Hepatotoxicity caused by a variety of environmental pollutants, pathogenic micro-organism, viruses, drugs and chemical agents may account for various hepatic diseases such as jaundice, necrosis, hepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis etc. Ayurveda is a traditional medicinal system of India and is being practiced continuously since ancient times and at present for the treatment of various human diseases. Medicinal plants as a significant source of therapeutic compounds used for the development of effective drugs against a variety of human diseases include liver ailments. Hence, therapeutic plants are becoming popular in the pharmaceutical industry to develop a safe and effective medicine for the treatment of the emerging new human diseases. Therefore, the present review is aimed to compiling data on hepatoprotective medicinal plants which have been investigated against drug-induced hepatotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensive usage of chemical acaricides for the control of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus has resulted in the development and establishment of multi-acaricide resistant populations. Fipronil, a phenylpyrazole insecticide, is currently marketed in India for the management of this important veterinary tick species. Here, we tested Indian isolates of R. microplus which have developed multi-acaricide resistance, for their susceptibility to fipronil. Twenty-five field isolates from five agro-climatic zones of the country were collected and tested by adult immersion test (AIT) and larval packet test (LPT). Sixteen isolates with resistance factor (RF) in the range of 1.56–10.9 were detected using LPT, whereas only 11 isolates with RF ranging from 1.05 to 4.1 were detected using AIT. A significant variation of RF between both tests was found, which raises doubt about the suitability of larva-based assays in screening of fipronil resistance. The data indicated possible cross-resistance between groups of acaricides in fipronil-resistant tick populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was carried out during the Kharif season, 2017-18 at Student’s Instructional Farm, N. D. University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad (U.P.), India. The incidence of three major insect viz., Jassid (Amsacta biguttula biguttula), White fly (Bemacia tabaci) and Epilachna beetle (Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata) were recorded. The incidence of whitefly and jassid were noticed for the first time from 36th SW onwards while Epilachna beetle were seen from 41st SW. The incidence of brinjal shoot and fruit borer was noticed for the first time from 39th SW onwards. Maximum and minimum whitefly population was observed in 42nd SW and 36th SW i.e. 4.40 and 0.53 whiteflies/cage, respectively. Maximum and minimum jassid population was observed in 42nd SW and 36th SW i.e. 2.33 and 0.13 jassids/cage, respectively. Maximum and minimum epilachna beetle population was observed in 46th SW and 5th SW i.e. 2.33 and 0.07 beetles/3 leaves, respectively. Correlation coefficient was worked out between the incidence of insect pests and abiotic factors. In case of whitefly and jassid, the correlation was positive with minimum and maximum temperature while it was negative with RH and rainfall. In case of epilachna beetle, the correlation was negative with minimum and maximum temperature as well as with RH and rainfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high polarity of the protoberberine alkaloids present in Coptis teeta has made it difficult to quantify the alkaloids. This study was designed to develop and validate a thin-layer chromatography (TLC) densitometric-based method using high-performance thin-layer chromatography for quantification of berberine. The separation was achieved in a solvent system consisting of butanol:ethyl acetate:formic acid:water by volume on TLC aluminum plate precoated with silica gel 60 F254. Determination and quantification were performed by densitometric scanning under mercury lamp at a wavelength 351 nm in absorbance mode. The validated method gave compact bands for berberine at an R f of 0.70. The precision, accuracy and reproducibility of the method were validated by following International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. Graphically, linear results were obtained for berberine with correlation coefficient of 0.997 ± 0.09% (R ± SD) in the concentration range of 90–210 ng/band. The limit of quantification and limit of detection from the analysis were found to be 70 and 30 ng/band, respectively. The berberine concentration in the methanol extract of C. teeta was found to be 30.97 ± 0.55 mg in 100 mg of the crude drug. The method developed here in can be implemented in the analysis and routine quality control of herbal materials and formulations containing C. teeta and berberine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The live attenuated Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine SA14-14-2 has been used in Nepal for catch-up campaigns and is now included in the routine immunisation schedule. Previous studies have shown good vaccine efficacy after one dose in districts with a high incidence of JE. The first well-documented dengue outbreak occurred in Nepal in 2006 with ongoing cases now thought to be secondary to migration from India. Previous infection with dengue virus (DENV) partially protects against JE and might also influence serum neutralising antibody titres against JEV. This study aimed to determine whether serum anti-JEV neutralisation titres are: 1. maintained over time since vaccination, 2. vary with historic local JE incidence, and 3. are associated with DENV neutralising antibody levels. We conducted a cross-sectional study in three districts of Nepal: Banke, Rupandehi and Udayapur. Udayapur district had been vaccinated against JE most recently (2009), but had been the focus of only one campaign, compared with two in Banke and three in Rupandehi. Participants answered a short questionnaire and serum was assayed for anti-JEV and anti-DENV IgM and IgG (by ELISA) and 50% plaque reduction neutralisation titres (PRNT50) against JEV and DENV serotypes 1–4. A titre of ≥1:10 was considered seropositive to the respective virus. JEV neutralising antibody seroprevalence (PRNT50 ≥ 1:10) was 81% in Banke and Rupandehi, but only 41% in Udayapur, despite this district being vaccinated more recently. Sensitivity of ELISA for both anti-JEV and anti-DENV antibodies was low compared with PRNT50. DENV neutralising antibody correlated with the JEV PRNT50 ≥1:10, though the effect was modest. IgM (indicating recent infection) against both viruses was detected in a small number of participants. We also show that DENV IgM is present in Nepali subjects who have not travelled to India, suggesting that DENV may have become established in Nepal. We therefore propose that further JE vaccine campaigns should be considered in Udayapur district, and similar areas that have had fewer vaccination campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Routine assessment of cell proliferation is recommended in the pathologic evaluation for all breast cancers. Considering the poor reproducibility and interobserver variability in mitotic counts, Ki-67 is an easily available and reliable substitute for mitotic counts and has been shown to have a significant relationship with the histologic grade of malignancy and the mitotic activity of tumors. Our study aimed at exploring Ki-67 expression and studying its correlation with other established prognostic parameters.Materials and Methods: Seventy-five cases of primary breast cancer undergoing radical or modified radical mastectomy constituted the study group. Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/neu, and Ki-67 was assessed in each case. Ki-67 labeling index (Ki-67-LI) was estimated as the number of positive nuclei divided by total number of nuclei scanned counting a minimum of 1000 cells in 10 selected high power fields that displayed the highest immunoreactivity and was expressed as percentage. Ki-67 expression was correlated with various clinicopathologic prognostic parameters including age, tumor size, tumor type, axillary lymph node status, and histologic tumor grade.Results: A statistically significant direct association was observed between Ki-67-LI and tumor size, histologic grade and Nottingham prognostic index. A statistically significant inverse association was observed between Ki-67-LI and ER and PR expression. However, no association was observed between Ki-67-LI and menopausal status, lymph node involvement and HER2/neu expression.Conclusion: Based on our results, we concluded that modified Bloom-Richardson (MBR) grading has been recognized as a treatment related indicator. The accuracy and reliability in grading have always been a matter of concern, hence, the reproducibility of grading should be enhanced. Ki-67-a proliferation marker is easily identified and provides comparable accurate information. In contrast to poor reproducibility of mitotic counts, Ki-67 can achieve high agreement between pathologists; is more reproducible; adds complementary value to the MBR grading system and correlates well with other clinicopathologic parameters. It may act as a significant prognostic indicator for routine clinical use and be helpful for selection of adjuvant treatment. It can also add value in categorizing Grade II tumors into two prognostic subgroups with prognosis equivalent to Grades I and III, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic residues in chicken meat pose health risks to consumers and affect the economics of the poultry industry due to an export ban. The present cross-sectional study aimed to determine the occurrence of antibiotic residues in marketed chicken meat collected under different agro-climatic conditions in Chhattisgarh, India, and assess human health risks by Monte Carlo Simulation. Analyses of 336 chicken meat samples by validated high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that 147 (43.7%) were found positive for antibiotic residues and 60 (17.8%) exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs). Statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed in the mean levels of antibiotic residue detected among different agro-climatic zones. Antibiotic residues were more frequently detected in chicken meat samples from the Northern hills (50.8%), followed by the Chhattisgarh plain (42.8%), and the Bastar plateau (37.5%). The mean probabilistic estimated daily intake (EDI: μg/kg body weight/day) of antibiotic residues among the consumers due to consumption of chicken meat was between 0.066 and 0.166. Among the different age groups of consumers, the quantities of antibiotic residues consumed per day through chicken meat were higher in "age group 1'. The Hazard quotient (HQ) value of individual antibiotics followed the order of enrofloxacin > ciprofloxacin > tetracycline > sulfamethazine > oxytetracycline. Higher HQ values were noted for age group 1 and enrofloxacin showed the highest HQ among all the antibiotics. The HQ values of individual antibiotics were reported to be negligible in toxicological health risk for adults and children. However, values for children are on the higher side. Hence, current findings highlight the importance of vigilant antibiotic monitoring, as well as farmer education programmes to encourage good poultry farming practices and adherence to withdrawal periods for antibiotics, in order to meet food safety standards and protect human health. • HPLC-PDA for the detection of antibiotic residues in chicken meat. • HAC and PCA used to determine the predominant antibiotic residues. • Deterministic and probabilistic models were used for health risk assessment. • Toxicological health risks to children were calculated on the higher side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study aims to assess the discordance between self-reported and observed measures of mistreatment of women during childbirth in public health facilities in Uttar Pradesh, India, as well as correlates of these measures and their discordance. Methods: Cross sectional data were collected through direct observation of deliveries and follow-up interviews with women (n = 875) delivering in 81 public health facilities in Uttar Pradesh. Participants were surveyed on demographics, mistreatment during childbirth, and maternal and newborn complications. Provider characteristics (training, age) were obtained through interviews with providers, and observation data were obtained from checklists completed by trained nurse investigators to document quality of care at delivery. Mistreatment was assessed via self-report and observed measures which included 17 and 6 items respectively. Cohen's kappas assessed concordance between the 6 items common in the self-report and observed measures. Regression models assessed associations between characteristics of women and providers for each outcome. Results: Most participants (77.3%) self-reported mistreatment in at least 1 of the 17-item measure. For the 6 items included in both self-report and observations, 9.1% of women self-reported mistreatment, whereas observers reported 22.4% of women being mistreated. Cohen's kappas indicated mostly fair to moderate concordance. Regression analyses found that multiparous birth (AOR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.06-2.13), post-partum maternal complications (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.34-3.06); new-born complications (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1. 96-4.03) and not having an Skilled Birth Attendant (SBA) trained provider (AOR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.05-2.04) were associated with increased risk for mistreatment as measured by self-report. In contrast, only provider characteristics like older provider (AOR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.02-1.05) and provider not trained in SBA (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.02-2.02) were associated with mistreatment as measured through observations. Younger age at marriage (AOR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.78-0.95) and provider characteristics (older provider AOR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01-1.09; provider not trained in SBA AOR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.92-0.99) were associated with discordance (based on mistreatment reported by observer but not by women). Conclusion: Provider mistreatment during childbirth is prevalent in Uttar Pradesh and may be under-reported by women, particularly when they are younger or when providers are older or less trained. The findings warrant programmatic action as well as more research to better understand the context and drivers of both behavior and reporting. Trial registration: CTRI/2015/09/006219. Registered 28 September 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterized influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates from large-scale outbreaks that occurred in Nepal and India in early 2015. Although no specific viral features, which may have caused the outbreaks, were identified, an S84N substitution in hemagglutinin was frequently observed. Chronological phylogenetic analysis revealed that these Nepalese and Indian viruses possessing the S84N substitution constitute potential ancestors of the novel genetic subclade 6B.1 virus that spread globally in the following (2015/16) influenza season. Thus, active surveillance of circulating influenza viruses in the Southern Asia region, including Nepal and India, would be beneficial for detecting novel variant viruses prior to their worldwide spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted longitudinal analyses examining the associations between intimate partner violence (IPV) attitudes and women's reported IPV in couples (N = 762) using 3 waves of data from a randomized controlled trial in Maharashtra, India. We found that, between Waves 1 and 2, men's and women's acceptance of IPV in the overall population decreased significantly while reports of IPV increased. These changes, we hypothesize, are evidence of an exogenous shock, possibly a high profile rape in Delhi in December 2012, that may have impacted the entire population. Cross-sectional associations between men's attitudes towards IPV and reported IPV were not significant in Wave 1, while positively and significantly associated in Waves 2 and 3. Longitudinal analysis showed that reduction in men's acceptance of IPV between Waves 1 and 2 was associated with a lower likelihood of reported IPV in Wave 3. Women's Wave 1 acceptance of IPV was positively associated with reported IPV in the Wave 1 cross-sectional analysis, while Wave 2 and Wave 3 measures of IPV acceptance were negatively associated with reported IPV in Waves 2 and 3 respectively. Longitudinal analyses of the change in women's attitudes towards IPV from Wave 1 to 2 and reported IPV in Wave 3 were insignificant. However, When women first reported IPV in Waves 2 or 3 they were less likely to report acceptance of IPV in that same wave. Findings suggest that changes in husbands' IPV acceptance is predictive of subsequent IPV, while newly experienced IPV predicts decreased IPV acceptance for women. Wave 2 and Wave 3 results were significant for the control group only, evidence that the intervention affected those associations, potentially changing attitudes more quickly than behavior. We recommend interventions that expose community opposition to IPV as a new social norm, and analysis of how the 2012 Delhi rape case may have affected these norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) is a multifunctional pleiotropic cytokine involved in inflammation and pathogenesis of cerebrovascular diseases. There is limited information on the association between variations within the TGF-β1 gene polymorphisms and risk of ischemic stroke (IS). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the TGF-β1 gene (C509T, G800A, and T869C) polymorphisms, and their haplotypes with the risk of IS in North Indian population. Methods: A total of 250 IS patients and 250 age- and sex-matched controls were studied. IS was classified using the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment classification. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the strength of association between TGF-β1 gene polymorphisms and risk of IS. Genotyping was performed using SNaPshot method. Results: Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, alcohol, smoking, family history of stroke, sedentary lifestyle, and low socioeconomic status were found to be associated with the risk of IS. The distribution of C509T, G800A and T869C genotypes was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in the IS and control groups. Adjusted conditional logistic regression analysis showed a significant association of TGF-β1 C509T (odds ratio [OR], 2.1; 95% CI; 1.2–3.8; P = 0.006), G800A (OR, 4.4; 95% CI; 2.1–9.3; P < 0.001) and T869C (OR, 2.6; 95% CI; 1.5–4.5; P = 0.001) with the risk of IS under dominant model. Haplotype analysis showed that C509-A800-T869 and T509-G800-C869 haplotypes were significantly associated with the increased risk of IS. C509T and T869C were in strong linkage disequilibrium (D’ =0.51, r2 = 0.23). Conclusion: Our results suggest that TGF-β1 polymorphisms and their haplotypes are significantly associated with the risk of IS in North Indian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a game-theoretic model and a mechanism design solution to allocate slots fairly at congested airports. This mechanism: (a) ensures that the slots are allocated according to the true valuations of airlines, (b) provides fair opportunities for flights connecting remote cities to large airports, and (c) controls the number of flights in each slot to minimize congestion. Drawing inspiration from economic theory, this mechanism allocates the slots based on an affine maximizer allocation rule and charges payments to the airlines to incentivize them to participate in the allocation process and reveal their actual valuations. The allocation also optimizes the occupancy of each slot to keep them as uncongested as possible. The formulation solves an optimal integral solution in strongly polynomial time. We conduct experiments on the data collected from two primary airports in India. We also compare our results with existing allocations and an allocation based on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines. The computational results show that our mechanism is more egalitarian and generates 20 % − 30 % higher social utility than the IATA based state-of-the-art approach and current allocations. • We provide a game-theoretic model for the multi-agent interaction of airlines. • Our airport slot allocation mechanism ensures that the slots are allocated according to the true valuations of airlines. • Our mechanism provides fair opportunities to the fights connecting remote cities to large airports. • Our mechanism controls the number of fights allocated in each slot to minimize congestion. • Our formulation solves an optimal integral solution in strongly polynomial time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to assess the prevalence of Salmonella in raw chevon and chicken meat sold in the retail meat shops situated in and around Durg, Rajnandgaon, Dhamtari, Raipur, and Bilaspur districts of Chhattisgarh. Studies were also conducted to find out the antibiotic resistance in Salmonella isolates. Materials and Methods: A total of 400 samples comprising of 200 chevon meat and 200 chicken meat samples were processed for isolation of Salmonella and all isolates were further confirmed on the basis of cultural and biochemical characters and by targeting invA gene of Salmonella. All Salmonella isolates were also examined for their antimicrobial drug susceptibility/resistance pattern against commonly used antibiotics. Results: Out of 400 samples, the prevalence of Salmonella in chevon and chicken meat was found 9% and 7% respectively, with an overall prevalence of 8%. Polymerase chain reaction targeting invA gene of Salmonella showed positive result with 31 isolates. All 32 Salmonella isolates were found to be highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin while 96.87%, 96.87% and 93.75% were sensitive to gentamicin, imipenem, and ceftazidime, respectively. 93.75% and 59.37% isolates were resistant to erythromycin and oxytetracycline, respectively. Out of 32, 14 isolates had multiple antibiotic resistance index equal to or more than 0.2. Conclusion: Salmonella in chevon and chicken meat samples is prevailing in the areas of sampling due to poor hygienic conditions and also demonstrated the varied spectrum of antimicrobial resistance, including several multiple drug resistance phenotypes. Therefore, the present study emphasizes the need for continued surveillance of zoonotic foodborne pathogens including antimicrobial-resistant variants throughout the food production chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol abuse is recognized as the most common cause for the development of various abnormalities including liver disease. Excessive free radicals are generated during the metabolism of ethanol. The ingestion of alcohol along with polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) aggravates the production of free radicals and enhances the oxidative stress. Medicinal plants contain active phytocomponents, which are the principal healthcare resources. We aimed to analyze the effect of wheatgrass extract on alcohol and thermally oxidized PUFA (ΔPUFA) induced oxidative stress in male albino Wistar rats. The levels of marker enzymes gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lipid peroxidative markers; thiobarbutric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxides (LH), the levels of enzymatic (catalase [CAT], superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GPx]) and nonenzymatic (reduced glutathione [GSH], vitamin E, vitamin C) antioxidants were analyzed in liver to evaluate the effects of wheatgrass. The levels of TBARS and LH were significantly ( p ≤ .05) increased in alcohol + ΔPUFA group, which were found to be reduced on treatment with wheatgrass. The levels of both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants were significantly ( p ≤ .05) decreased in alcohol + ΔPUFA group, which were found to be restored on treatment with wheatgrass. From the results obtained, we conclude that wheatgrass protects the liver against alcohol and ΔPUFA induced oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:Previous work suggests that husbands and wives are likely to share affective states so that depression or happiness in one spouse is predictive of depression or happiness in the other. Studies that have examined spousal affect similarity, however, have been concentrated in the Western world where the meaning of marriage may be different than it is in other cultural contexts. Marriage in India, unlike that in the United States, is focused on the extended family so that love and intimacy between spouses are downplayed. This study examined affect and well-being similarity between 603 older married couples in India using pilot data from the Longitudinal Aging Study of India. Method:We ran linear regression models to assess the relationship between the well-being states of husbands and wives using dyadic observations for four different measures: depressive symptoms, dissatisfaction with daily life, social isolation, and overall life satisfaction. Results:Across all four measures, the well-being scores of one spouse were positively and significantly associated with the well-being scores of the other. These associations did not vary by marital satisfaction, but were slightly stronger for respondents reporting poor health. Conclusion:Our increased understanding of social connectedness has prompted a shift from the consideration of single individuals to a broader understanding of individuals in the context of their social environments. The results of this study suggest that interventions designed to foster well-being among older adults in India might benefit from a focus on couples as a unit rather than individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Subolesin orthologs of two major ticks were cloned and sequenced. [•] Calves were immunized with recombinant Subolesin. [•] Moderate protective vaccine efficacy (40%) was obtained against R. (B.) microplus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We identified communities of interconnected people that might serve as normative reference groups for individual-level behavior related to latrine adoption. Methods. We applied an algorithmic social network method to determine the network community from respondent-reported social ties of 16 403 individuals in 75 villages in rural Karnataka, India; data were collected from 2006 to 2008. We used multilevel modeling to test the association between latrine ownership and community-level and village-level latrine ownership. We also investigated the degree to which network cohesion affected individual latrine ownership. Results. Three levels of social contacts (direct friends, social network community, and village) significantly predicted individual latrine ownership, but the strongest effect was found at the level of social network communities. In communities with high levels of network cohesion, the likelihood was decreased that any individual would own a latrine; this effect was significant only at lower levels of latrine ownership, suggesting a role for network cohesion in facilitating the nonownership norm. Conclusions. Although many international health and development interventions target village units, these results raise the possibility that the optimal target for public health interventions may not be determined through geography but through social network interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games represented a major opportunity for India, both from the point of view of an improved performance of the national team in terms of winning medals as well as enhancing an emotional connection with the Olympics amongst the large Indian Diaspora living in the UK. As Lord Sebastian Coe commentated, both aspects were interlinked: a strong performance by India was crucial for the involvement of the Indian Diaspora in the Olympics. But how did the Indian Diaspora actually react to the Games? Where did its loyalties lie, and how did it embrace the Olympic spectacle? Also, as the Games progressed, they drew further attention to the great multicultural inclusiveness of Great Britain. At the heart of Britain's great Olympic success were the performances of those athletes from multiracial backgrounds, notably the British athlete Jessica Ennis as well as those who had migrated to the UK such as Mo Farah. Britain embraced the success of Ennis and Farah as their own. Will those of Indian origin, and particularly budding sportspeople of the Indian community, take this as a positive sign? Will it spur the community to have greater representation in sports in UK? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Our present observational study attempted to evaluate the clinical profiles, diagnosis, treatment and follow?up results of 51 pediatric neurocysticercosis patients over a mean duration of five years (from January 2006 to December 2010). Materials and Methods: Diagnosis was mainly based on clinical features, computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging scan and exclusion of other causes. Patients with active, transitional cysts and seizure were treated with albendazole for 28 days, steroids and anticonvulsants. Results: A total of 38 patients completed this study. Mean age of the presentation was 8.47 ± 3.19 years 52.6% of the patients were female. Overall patients presented with generalized seizure in 55.3%, focal in 31.6%, headache ± vomiting in 63.2%, focal neurodeficit in 10.5% and combination of symptoms in 60.5% cases. Contrast CT brain showed a solitary lesion in 27 (71.1%) and multiple in the rest. At presentation lesions were transitional in 58.2%, inactive in 20% and mixed in 14.6%. After a mean of 2 years, seizure persisted in 9 (23.7%) and headache in 8 (21.1%) of whom six had normal electroencephalography (EEG) while one each showed focal slowing, generalized slowing and epileptiform discharges. During the follow?up, CT scan brain 44.7% lesions calcified, 31.6% disappeared, 10.5% regressed and the rest persisted. Conclusion: Solitary ring enhancing lesions (transitional stage) involving the parietal lobe was the commonest CT picture at presentation. Generalized tonic-clonic seizure was the most common type of seizure. Number of lesions, persistence of lesion, number of seizures, EEG abnormality at presentation were not found to be prognostically significant (P > 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonpolio acute flaccid paralysis is increasing in India. To determine viral causes, we conducted cell culture and molecular analysis identification of nonpolio human enteroviruses associated with acute flaccid paralysis during March-August 2010 in northern India. The predominant nonpolio enterovirus found was echovirus 13, a serotype rarely isolated in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measles surveillance and epidemiological investigation are beneficial tools for genetic analysis and documentation of the interruption of transmission of endemic measles. In this study, areas of Uttar Pradesh, India, associated with measles outbreaks were investigated. Random blood and urine samples were collected from clinically defined cases. The cases were investigated through extensive house-to house surveys. The cases were diagnosed clinically and serologically, and through genotyping of the virus. All of the cases were found to be serologically positive for measles. In the studied population, a 1.9% case fatality rate and an overall 16% attack rate of measles virus were found. Out of 10 outbreak areas, the measles virus D8 genotype was found in nine, and the D8 and A genotypes were found in the remaining area. This study calls for an improved surveillance system and intensive characterization of genotypes in circulation for the measles elimination program in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is truly an event India can be proud of, as it has put the country on the global sporting map. The IPL had become a much sought-after event and such was its high brand value that prices paid to acquire franchisees and to players were at par with some of the biggest names and events in world sport. But with every soaring high comes a low and after the IPL's highly successful run between 2008 and 2010, the tournament faced its first big setback in the 2011 season. It so happened that the 2011 season also happened to be the first IPL to be held in the absence of the epochal former chairman and league founder Lalit Modi. Many feel that the poor performance of the IPL in the 2011 season, as reflected through its relatively dismal television ratings (TVRs), was a one-off, which may be explained by the proximity between the end of the Cricket World Cup in India and the start of the IPL season. However and as will be examined in this article, the problem is far deeper and is indicative of a sporting property on a downward curve. The IPL's brand value and appeal now rest heavily on how the tournament performs in the 2012 season. The dismal show in the 2011 season could be excused on the Cricket World Cup, but anything similar or worse in the 2012 season will be a matter of concern and will almost certainly raise questions on the IPL's long-term future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]