ai

Background: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India have increased from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016. They are slowly progressive are of long duration and are responsible for more than 50% of the global burden of disease Very few studies have been conducted that studied the prevalence of risk factors in non-communicable diseases among medical students. The authors observed that most of the students are at risk of developing NCDs, and the cumulative effect of risk factors bundles up and eventually leads to disease as students advance through their lives.Aim and objectives: (i) To estimate the prevalence of risk factors of NCD amongst medical students, (ii) To study the association between various risk factors and NCDs in study subjects.Settings and design: A cross-sectional analytical study involving 362 undergraduate students of Rama Medical College using simple random sampling.Material and methods: The study used a pretested structured questionnaire which was conducted by using the WHO NCD steps approach.Statistical analysis used: Data analysis was done by using M S Excel and software SPSS version 26.Results: Our study results showed that physical activity is Prevalent in female students at 51% and in male students at 48.9%, almost equal. Junk food consumption had an overall prevalence of 69.34% of females outnumbering males in junk food consumption. The association of BMI with NCD as a risk factor was statistically significant in the current 75 smokers only.Conclusion: There is a huge opportunity to reduce modifiable risk factors and NCD among our future doctors by encouraging them to change their behavior-related lifestyles such as smoking habits, alcohol use, junk food, etc.

This article examines the relationship between Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), neurovascular dynamics, and sensory sensitivities in autistic women during menstruation. The redirection of blood flow to the uterus during the menstrual cycle has been found to exacerbate cerebral perfusion deficits in neurodivergent individuals, particularly in the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC), which contributes to the mood dysregulation and emotional instability characteristic of PMDD. Autistic women, who often exhibit heightened sensory sensitivities, experience intensified discomfort during menstruation, as sensory overload and altered pain perception compound the emotional challenges of PMDD. These findings emphasize the need for neurodivergent-friendly menstrual products that mitigate both physical and emotional discomfort. Additionally, innovations using biodegradable materials, smart fabrics, and custom-fit menstrual solutions are discussed as potential breakthroughs to improve the quality of life for autistic women managing PMDD. This research highlights the importance of addressing both neurobiological and sensory aspects when designing interventions for PMDD in neurodivergent populations.

Uvular injuries are uncommon after general anesthesia and can result from direct trauma to the posterior part of the soft palate or compression and restriction of blood flow to the uvula caused by the inadvertent placement of the airway or suction devices in the oral cavity. There have been cases of inflammation and ulceration occurring in the midline oropharyngeal structures such as the uvula after general anesthesia with a tube or laryngeal mask airway, even in the absence of direct trauma or infection, presumably due to compression ischemia. While sore throat following general anesthesia is a common symptom, it is important to evaluate any severe or persistent pain to exclude uvulitis. Here we present a case of uvulitis that developed after the insertion of a flexometallic endotracheal tube using the midline technique during C-Mac video laryngoscopy. We also emphasize the measures that can be implemented to prevent such a complication. The entrapment of the uvula during intubation often goes unnoticed due to limited oral space after insertion of the video laryngoscope blade, with the intubating anesthetist staying focused on the monitor. This complication following the use of a C-Mac video laryngoscope has not been previously documented.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with numerous comorbidities, including muscle involvement which consists of changes in the structure and function of peripheral and respiratory muscles. Ultrasound can provide a non-invasive assessment of muscle damage. Ultrasound assessment of the quadriceps contractility index (Qci) is feasible, rapid, simple, and reliable. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Qci is linked to the severity of COPD, clinical symptoms, and respiratory muscle activity. Furthermore, ultrasound makes it possible to observe the dynamics of the diaphragm by measuring its amplitude, its contraction speed, and the duration of each contraction phase. Ultrasound examination of muscle damage in COPD could constitute a promising new tool to assess the severity of the disease.

Probiotic gummy candy is an innovative food that can be used as a carrier to deliver probiotics. This study aimed to manufacture healthy gummy candy (HGC) as a carrier for probiotic capsules. The ingredients' effect on the viability of probiotic capsules and free cells was evaluated for 48 days under refrigerated conditions. Also, the textural properties, overall acceptability of products, and physicochemical properties were tested. The encapsulation probiotics in sodium alginate and chitosan provided a high efficiency of 88.16%. At the same time, the encapsulated cells-based HGC (HGC-C) had higher counts of probiotics than free cells-based HGC, and it remained above the 3 log CFU/g at the end of the 48-day storage period in HGC-C, while the free cells reached zero at 30 days. The HGC product showed a low hardness value and high antioxidant capacity as well as, and the colour coordinates for the product showed more yellow, with an intense red colour. Using mango pulp and probiotics in gummy candies is an innovative and viable alternative to the confectionery industry; therefore, combining fruits as a source of prebiotics and probiotic bacteria could be a promising formula for probiotics gummy supplement preparation.

The main rice-grown crop was found severely affected by sheath blight in the south Gujarat region. Sheath blight of rice symptoms were noticed on leaf blades and the sheath just above the water level. The isolation was done from infected parts and purified by the hyphal tip method on PDA which was maintained at 4 oC. The seven different panchgavya formulations of five cow products such as cow urine, dung, curd, ghee, and milk that designed as PG1, PG2, PG3, PG4, PG5, PG6, and PG7. The PG against test pathogen Rhizoctonia solani in vitro condition by the poisoned food technique and that tested at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 percent concentrations. It was observed that panchgavya were able to suppress the growth of R. solani. Among the different formulations, PG1 was significantly effective at all concentrations as compared to other PG formulations against R. solani.

Aims: The purpose of this research was to study the effects of preoperative training on static and dynamic balance among female athletes with injured ACLs. Methods: This semi-experimental study involved a 2-group pretest-post-test design. Subjects were 36 (19 control and 17 experimental) female athletes with injured ACLs, that were chosen with the available sampling method. The experimental group did the preoperative training in the eight weeks and the control group did not participate in any training program during this period. Static and dynamic balance and lower body muscle strength were measured. The paired sample T-test was used to compare pre and post-test results and the independent sample T-test achieved comparisons between the two groups. Results: The results indicated that static (with eyes opened and closed) dynamic balance and muscle strength were improved significantly (p < 0.05) in the exercise group, but no significant change (p > 0.05) was found in the control group. Also, significant differences were found in improvement changes results between the two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Results of the study confirmed that preoperative training can have a beneficial effect on improving static and dynamic balance among female athletes with injured ACLs.

According to a 2022 systematic review on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in general hospitals, it was estimated that approximately one-third of medical inpatients present with a coinciding psychiatric condition. However, other studies have reported that a low rate of patients actually obtain an inpatient psychiatric consult; and even fewer patients receive a consultation when it would not be traditionally indicated. Therefore, we have seen an emergence of the use of Proactive Consultation-Liaison (C-L) Psychiatry across many hospital settings. This model of care utilizes systematic screening for active mental health concerns, proactive interventions tailored to individual patients, team-based delivery, and care integration with primary services to provide psychiatric consultation earlier. This study conducted a focused PubMed search to review the research to date on proactive C-L psychiatry and its impact on hospital length of stay (LOS) in patients over 18 years old. Results show a consequential reduction in average hospital LOS when proactive C-L psychiatry services are used compared to reactive, on-request consultation services. A shortened LOS is seen with this practice when there is a quicker time for consultation or referral. Thus, there is evidence of proactive C-L psychiatry’s success in decreasing average hospital LOS and improving patient care. Additional studies are necessary to determine its significance, as little research to date has been completed on the topic. It is recommended to expand the scope of investigation to different patient populations, including but not limited to pediatrics and patients without an underlying mental health illness.

Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy can often be frightening for women. However, such bleeding does not always indicate a serious problem. This type of bleeding occurs routinely, especially in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. A significant proportion of women who experience bleeding during pregnancy go on to give birth to healthy babies. Despite this, women who frequently experience bleeding problems at different stages of pregnancy may need to take this situation seriously. A critical approach is important both from the gynecologist and from the pregnant woman.

Self-Powered Neutron Detectors (SPNDs) are in use as in-core Neutron Fluence Detectors in Nuclear Power Plants. Though the detectors are simple in design and have a common structure for the same application, there are various types of emitters (neutron-sensitive electrodes) that make SPNDs categorized into different types. There are various SPNDs in application at different types of nuclear power reactors. SPND emitters are chosen based on their characteristics/behavior in the neutron & gamma flux environment in the reactor core. A detailed Literature Review was done on five different types of SPNDs. This paper focuses on the physics behind the operation, characteristics, and review of Vanadium, Rhodium, Inconel, and Cobalt & Silver emitter-based SPNDs. A comparison study was done by a literature review on these detectors.

It is important for sustainable use of soil water resource and high-quality development to forecast the soil moisture in forestland of water-limited regions. There are some soil water models. However, there is not the best model to forecast the change of soil moisture in the caragana shrubland. In this paper, the plant water relationship has been investigated at the same time for a long term in the caragana shrubland of semiarid region of the Loess Plateau of China. The data of soil moisture was divided and then NARX neural network was used to build model I and model II. For model I, low frequency component was the input variable, and for model II, low frequency component and high frequency component were predicted. The results showed the average relative error for model I is 3.5% and for model II is 0.3%. The average relative error of predicted soil moisture in 100 cm layer using model II is 0.8%, then soil water content in the 40 cm and 200 cm soil depth is selected and the forecast errors are 4.9% and 0.4%. The results showed that using model II to predict soil water is well Predicting soil water using model II will be important for sustainable use of soil water resource and high-quality development.

Usually affecting men in the sixth decade bladder cancer is generally revealed by hematuria or lower urinary tract symptoms. Cutaneous metastases are very rare in genitourinary tumors representing only 1.34% of cutaneous metastases of other neoplasms. The presence of cutaneous metastases is associated with a poor prognosis with a median survival of fewer than 12 months.We reported the case of a 65-year-old man current smoker who presented a cutaneous metastasis of urothelial bladder cancer confirmed after a cutaneous biopsy, palliative chemotherapy was initiated after multidisciplinary staff.

Background: We previously reported, for the first time, serum levels of the C-terminal fragment of fibroblast growth factor 23 (C-FGF23) in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Most HD patients have undergone treatment with either recombinant erythropoietin (r-EPO) or hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) proline hydroxylase domain (PHD) inhibitor, both of which stimulate FGF23 production and cleavage. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study involved analyzing measuring FGF-related parameters and comparing results for subgroups of patients who received either r-EPO and or a PHD inhibitor. Results: No significant difference was observed for iron-related parameters or serum hepcidin levels in both subgroups of patients. Significant differences were found for certain FGF-23-related parameters. Conclusion: Both FGF23 production and cleavage were stimulated more in patients treated with the PHD inhibitor than in patients treated with r-EPO.

The torsional deformation behavior of an elastic bar with a circular cross-section was investigated by applying invariant dyadic analysis, where the small finite displacement functions advocated by Saint-Venant (1855) were fully employed. It was found that the previously overlooked circumferential shear force field generated by pure torsion on the side walls of a bar produces an unusual torque term induced by the skew-symmetric part of the deformation tensor and exhibits quadratic length dependence along the z-axis of the bar. The adaptation of this torque term for a helical conformation of α-peptides creates moments acting on the circular cross-sections and is directed along the surface normal of circular cross-sections, which coincides with the tangent vector of the helix. The projection of this torque along the z-axis of the helix varies quadratically with the azimuthal angle. The radial component of the unusual torque, which also lies along the principal normal vector of the helix, starts to perform a precession motion by tracking a spiral orbit around the z-axis, whereas its apex angle decreases asymptotically with the azimuthal angle and finally reaches a finite value depending on the height of the helix along the z-axis. The ordinary torque terms, which are also deduced from the self- and anti-self-conjugate parts of the deformation tensor, have magnitudes half that of the full torque term reported in the literature. The present results were applied to the helical conformation of α-peptides designated by {3.611} to show that the mechanical stability of strained open-ended helical conformations can be successfully achieved by spontaneous readjustments of the surface and bulk Helmholtz free energies under isothermal isochoric conditions. It has been demonstrated that the main contribution to the mechanical stability of α-peptide 3.611 cannot come alone from the electrostatic dipole-dipole interaction potential of the anti-align excess dipole pairs but also from the surface Helmholtz free energy, which is characterized by a binding free energy of -15.5 eV/molecule (-32.56 Kcal/mole) for an alpha-peptide composed of 11 amino acid residues with a critical arc length of approximately 10 nm, assuming that the shear modulus is G = 1GPa and the surface Helmholtz specific free energy density is fs = 800 erg/cm2. This result was in excellent agreement with the experimental observations of the AH-1 conformation of (Glu)n Cys at pH 8. The present theory indicates that only two excess permanent anti-align dipole pairs for one α-Helical peptide molecule is requirement to stabilize the whole secondary structure of the protein that is exposed to heavy torsional deformation during the folding processes which amounts to 7.75 eV/molecule stored electrostatic energy compared to the interfacial Helmholtz free energy of -23.25 eV/molecule, which is exposed to hydrophobic environments.

A recurrent miscarriage may be defined in the African context as the foetal demise of two or more successive pregnancies before the attainment of the age of viability. A literature review was done to assess the trend of recurrent miscarriage in sub-Saharan Africa. Identifying the main causes, considering the population at risk, and the availability of accurate diagnostic utilities to effectively ensure good management of recurrent miscarriage is an important gynaecologic issue. Over the years, studies have identified several etiologies and yet there’s been no tangible implementation of therapeutic strategies. Routine modifications should also be employed to develop new approaches to reproductive prognosis. There is notably scanty information on the cases of spontaneous abortion due to chromosomal abnormalities. Genetic and immunological factors should be considered in the work-up plan for women with RM. About 70% of the cases of RM are considered unexplained, and this may be due to limited resources. We concluded that there is relatively poor management of miscarriage and cases of missed and inaccurate diagnosis of the causes of spontaneous abortion in sub-Saharan Africa. More studies are needed in order to assess the extent of genetic induced miscarriage, where resources are limited, folic acid supplements should be provided for pregnant women.

A prospective cross-sectional study of diabetic patients registered at the Eye department of Tobruk Medical Center in Tobruk-Libya between (01.06.2023 to 29.02.2024). At the same time data was collected in the eye department in Alwahda Derna Teaching Hospital, Data was collected using the same administered questionnaire. Grading of DR was done by slit-lamp examination and Fundoscopy by an ophthalmologist. Descriptive analysis included percentage mean, median, and p - value by using SPSS 25. There were 185 diabetic patients, ages ranging between 30 and 90 years, with a mean of 58, the majority (97.6%) were of Libyan nationality. There were 86 males and 99 females. Patients with a duration of diabetes ranging between 11 and 15 years were at almost a five-fold risk of developing DR compared to those with a duration of < 10 years. Most of advanced complicated diabetic retinopathy cases had diabetes for more than fifteen years, and no advanced disease in the cases with a duration of less than 10 years.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 is increasingly recognized for its cardiovascular complications. To address the knowledge gap in our region, this study investigated the relationship between electrocardiographic (ECG) features and in-hospital mortality among COVID-19 patients.Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 140 RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients at Dhaka Medical College Hospital from August 2021 to July 2022. Patients were divided into two groups based on ECG findings: normal (Group A) and abnormal (Group B). Clinical data and ECG parameters were analyzed using SPSS 24.0.Results: Patients with abnormal ECGs were older, more likely male, and presented with higher rates of dyspnea and palpitations. They were also at increased risk of severe COVID-19 and had longer hospital stays. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in Group B (21.4% vs.4.3%). ST-T changes and atrial fibrillation were associated with increased mortality. Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality included ECG abnormalities and admission SpO₂ < 90%.Conclusion: ECG abnormalities are significantly associated with adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Further large-scale studies are warranted to strengthen these findings.

Insulin resistance, often referred to as impaired insulin sensitivity. This clinical case focusses on a woman with insulin resistance and a long-standing and recurring history of obesity to demonstrate how diet therapy can be applied in addition to standard medication therapy.

The aim of this work is to verify the pharmaceutical form in the galenic field of oral Budesonide compounded used in Crohn’s disease: capsules delay release or oral suspension. In particular ways the kinds of excipients or bases-vehicle used in the galenic pharmacy practice. The therapeutic need for Crohn’s disease requires a release of the API in delayed-release DR. The Budesonide molecule shows low systemic impacts due to its hepatic metabolism vs. a topical effect useful in this pathology. In this work, the oral pharmaceutical forms are analyzed: modified-release capsules and oral suspension with specific advantages for each one. Some formulations provided by various pharmacies are reported in this work as well as new technology like the 3D-PRINTING systems for colonic targeting tablets.

Background: The frequency of latex allergy is increasing, posing a major health problem. This increase is related to the widespread use of latex materials and cross-reactions between latex proteins and certain foods. This cross-reactivity makes latex avoidance difficult, and latex sensitization is likely to worsen atopic conditions. Objective: The authors evaluated the role of latex sensitization in the poor control of asthma and rhinitis. Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 1860 patients of all ages and genders, followed up for allergic asthma and rhinitis since March 2012 in the Immuno-Allergology Unit of the Cocody University Hospital in Abidjan. Prick tests with native extracts and the European standard battery were performed to identify allergenic sensitization. The impact of latex sensitization on asthma and rhinitis control was assessed by calculating odds ratios. Results: A high frequency of latex sensitization was associated with asthma and rhinitis. The risks of poor control were related to monosensitization to latex and were even higher in the context of polysensitization. Conclusion: The impact of latex sensitization on the progression of asthma and rhinitis has been well demonstrated. It is recommended to integrate the latex sensitization status into the therapeutic management strategy of these two pathologies.