bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GC-MS SCRUTINY OF PHYTOCONSTITUENTS, IN VITRO EVALUATION OF ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC, ANTIADIPOGENIC ACTIVITIES, AND CYTOTOXIC EFFECT USING 3T3 L1 ADIPOCYTE CELL LINE AND MOLECULAR DOCKING STUDIES OF PREMNA CORYMBOSA
Authors: RADHIKA S  , SENTHILKUMAR R
Published: October 2024

Objective: The present study was intended to list out the phytochemical multiples and to investigate the antihyperglycemic effect of Premna corymbosa using in vitro assays and in silico molecular docking methods.
Methods: The phytochemical multiples of methanol proportion of P. corymbosa leaves were appraised by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) scrutiny to illustrate the attendance of phytochemical composites. Moreover, the in vitro antihyperglycemic, antiadipogenic activities, and cytotoxic effects of the extract were elucidated using a 3T3 L1 adipocyte cell line. Mode of action of phytochemical composites in methanol leaf extract of P. corymbosa was probed by Western blotting with IRS1, IRS2, mTOR, and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT 4) receptors. At present, to probe the consequence of the aboriginal drugs, it is necessary to perform in silico docking on the diabetic receptor which could be useful for the progress of enhanced formulation for the psychoanalysis of diabetes.
Results: The GC-MS scrutiny depicted the being there of thirty-five phytochemical multipart. Amid the thirty-five multipart’s recognized, focal composites were Phytol, acetate (RT-16.78), n-Hexadecanoic acid (RT-18.16), Phytol (RT-19.51), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid (Z,Z,Z) (RT-19.85), octadecanoic acid (RT-20.04), and Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (RT-23.09). The results of the glucose conception assay, adipocyte differentiation assay, and MTT assay showed potent in vitro antihyperglycemic activity with methanol leaf extract of P. corymbosa in 3T3l1Cell line. The results attained from western blotting revealed good antihyperglycemic activity of P. corymbosa. The in silico molecular docking results illustrated that the selected herbal lead compound is an effective target against the receptors. The compound showed favorable interactions with the amino acid residues thereby substantiating their proven efficacy as an antihyperglycemic compound.
Conclusion: The outcome of the current study substantiates the antihyperglycemic prospective of the methanol leaf extract of P. corymbosa on the hyperglycemic causal agents and its activity against diabetes by a molecular approach.
COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF TOPICAL METHOTREXATE WITH TRETINOIN VERSUS BETAMETHASONE WITH TRETINOIN IN PATIENTS OF ALOPECIA AREATA: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED DOUBLE-BLIND STUDY
Authors: SAROJ KOTHARI  , VAIBHAV VIVEK KALGAONKAR  , SANJAY KUMAR R  , ANUBHAV GARG  , RAJKUMAR ARYA
Published: October 2024

Objectives: Alopecia areata (AA) is a reiterative and non-scarring type of hair loss that can affect any hairy area of the body, particularly the scalp. The present study is aimed at comparing the safety and efficacy of methotrexate with tretinoin versus betamethasone with tretinoin in patients of AA.
Methods: A prospective and comparative study was carried out in 80 cases of AA in Gajra Raja Medical College, Gwalior (M.P.) from December 2022 to November 2023. Subjects were randomly allocated to two groups, namely, MXT and BMT, 40 patients in each group. In group MXT, patients were asked to apply methotrexate 1% gel in the morning and tretinoin 0.025% cream in the evening, and in group BMT patients were asked to apply betamethasone 0.05% cream once daily in the morning and tretinoin 0.025% cream in the evening for 6 months. Mean severity of alopecia tool (SALT) score, mean regrowth scale (RGS) score, and adverse drug reactions due to treatments were recorded at 0, 3, and 6 months.
Results: Mean SALT score decreased from 4.40 to 0.57 in MXT and from 3.34 to 0.63 in BMT group after 6 months and is significant (p<0.05) from baseline values. MXT showed a better response, than BMT group but was not significant (p>0.05). RGS Grade 3 was observed in 13% of patients and RGS Grade 4 was observed in 87% of patients in MXT group patients. RGS Grade 3 was observed in 19% of patients and RGS Grade 4 was observed in 81% of patients in BMT group. On intergroup comparison, a greater number of patients treated with methotrexate and tretinoin showed RGS Grade 4 as compared to patients treated with betamethasone and tretinoin treated group but was not significant (p>0.05). Twenty-five patients in the MXT group and 17 patients in BMT group showed mild adverse drug reactions at the end of 1 month that included burning, itching, redness, stinging, folliculitis, and scaling and all were resolved with minor treatment.
Conclusion: Topical methotrexate is more efficacious and equally safe as betamethasone, making it the first line of drug for the management of AA.
EVALUATION OF ANTI-DIABETIC ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT FROM THE FRUIT PEEL OF ATALANTIA MONOPHYLLA (LINN.) IN ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETIC MICE
Authors: GODSE KIRTI
Published: October 2024

Objective: Atlantia monophylla is an indigenous medicinal plant, with a folk reputation as hypoglycemic agent throughout India. Considerable research has shown that plants rich in flavonoids content with anti-oxidant potential are known to be bioactive for the management of diabetes mellitus (DM). In the present investigation, hypoglycemic activity of aqueous fruit peel extract of A. monophylla was evaluated using alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.
Methods: Aqueous extract of the fruit peel of A. monophylla (AEAM) was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening and acute oral toxicity study as per Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines 425. AEAM was evaluated for hypoglycemic activity, Alloxan induced DM in mice, oral glucose tolerance test in fasted mice. In vitro α- amylase inhibitory in albino mice method was employed for evaluation of hypoglycemic activity.
Results: All of the mice in each group had their blood glucose levels measured both before and after the treatments on fasting animals. The extract was given at doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight, or 100 mg/kg body weight of the conventional antidiabetic medication Metformin. A glucometer was used to measure the blood glucose level. After 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h, the extract-treated diabetic mice had a substantial (p≤0.05) drop in blood glucose levels. The hypoglycemic action was similar to that of the medication Metformin used as a benchmark.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that AEAM has strong hypoglycemic properties. One such method might include the activation of insulin receptors and subsequent release of insulin once β cells are stimulated. The hypoglycemic effect of the plant could be achieved through increasing insulin release from the pancreas.
SPECIES IDENTIFICATION AND IN VITRO ANTIFUNGAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING OF ASPERGILLUS ISOLATED FROM VARIOUS CLINICAL SAMPLES
Authors: HARIPRIYA BANSAL  , LOVEENA OBEROI  , NAVEEN PANDHI  , ANURADHA MALHOTRA  , TAVISHI OBEROI
Published: October 2024

Objectives: Aspergillus is ubiquitous mold species present in environment in the form of spores. Infection due to Aspergillus is uncommon in immunocompetent individuals unless they possess any abnormality or have undergone any treatment with corticosteroids. In immunocompromised individuals, infection by this fungus is common among people with prolonged neutropenia, transplants, and human immunodeficiency virus infection. The symptoms are diverse, ranging from allergic reactions to invasive aspergillosis and life-threatening complications. The aim of this study is to isolate and identify Aspergillus species obtained from various clinical specimens and perform antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST).
Methods: A total of 200 isolates in which positive direct microscopic findings correlated well with culture growth for Aspergillus were included. Antifungal susceptibility was performed by micro broth dilution technique according to clinical laboratory standard institute M38-A2 guidelines.
Results: Aspergillus flavus was found to be predominant species followed by Aspergillus fumigatus. AFST was performed, where all Aspergillus strains exhibited low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum effective concentration (MEC) values for most of antifungal drugs tested except for one strain of A. flavus, which exhibited high MIC for voriconazole and high MEC for caspofungin.
Conclusion: Polyenes, azoles, and echinocandin resistance are emerging in many parts of the world. Therefore, continued application of AFST combined with morphological characterization for species identification is critical in detecting the emergence of resistance among various Aspergillus species to reduce mortality, morbidity, and overcome treatment failure.
KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES ON BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT AMONG MEDICAL INTERNS OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN NORTH KARNATAKA
Authors: ATHIRA J SANKAR  , AMRUTA SWATI I  , SHRUTI KARDALKAR  , SHRINIVAS REDDY B
Published: October 2024

Objective: Every health-care personnel is expected to have adequate knowledge, good attitude, safe practice, and capacity to guide others for appropriate biomedical waste (BMW) collection and management. The study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding BMW management among the budding yet responsible doctors- the medical interns in ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Gulbarga.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among all the 81 interns currently posted in ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Gulbarga. Data were collected using pre-designed and semi-structured questionnaire to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices on BMW management.
Results: The study found that a majority (69.1%) of interns demonstrated fair knowledge regarding BMW management. Majority (93.8–98.8%) of the interns showed a positive attitude towards BMW segregation, self-responsibility, observation of charts at workplace, and training on BMW management. Furthermore, only 12.3% interns viewed BMW management as an extra burden on work. However, only 44.4% of interns were pre-treating liquid waste, and 50.6% were using a needle hub cutter. Alarmingly, 23.3% indicated that they would not report injuries.
Conclusion: BMW management practices can be further improved with strict supervision and incorporation of BMW management in the assessment of internship completion in addition to periodic training
DO TEACHING HOSPITALS HAVE COMPARABLE OUTCOMES TO NON-TEACHING HOSPITALS FOR PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTIONS?
Authors: MUNJAL AMIT  , PRACHI ARUN  , BANSAL CB  , KUMARI SNEH  , SHARMA ANJALI
Published: October 2024

Objectives: Teaching hospitals may have comparable surgical outcomes as compare to non-teaching hospitals from major surgical conditions. However, limited data are available regarding percutaneous coronary interventions performed in teaching hospitals involving trainées.
Methods: In this observational study, 103 patients who had percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a hospital attached to a medical college were retrospectively evaluated. The indications for PCI were ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), improvement in quality of life in patients with atypical chest pain, angina (stable and unstable, a positive stress test, or non-STEMI, and patients without any documented angina, chest pain, or positive stress test. Teaching hospital status was as defined by the National Medical Commission-based number of teaching faculty/trainees to-bed ratio. Trainee participation in at least 50% PCI procedures in the teaching hospital was a pre-requisite for inclusion in the study.
Results: The mean age of participants was 60.4±9.8 years; there was a male preponderance (84.4%). Prior PCI was done in 11.3% patients and 7.5% had history of stroke previously. About 20.6% were diabetics, 33.9% had dyslipidemia, and 50.9% had systemic hypertension, respectively. Left anterior descending with the left coronary circumflex artery was the most affected vessels in both sexes combined and 84.4% patients had double-vessel disease. Thirty-one (31.9%) underwent PCI by femoral route and 72 (68%) by radial route, respectively. PCI was successful in 74 (71.8%) and 10 (9.7%) had vascular complication. The mortality rate was 6 (5.8%). Twenty-five (24.3%) patients had reinfarction.
Conclusion: Although vascular complications may occur at the hands of trainees, the overall mortality rates are low for PCI in teaching hospitals.
ASSESSMENT OF AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AMONG ELIGIBLE COUPLES OF RURAL FILED PRACTICE AREA, KORWAR, KALABURAGI
Authors: CHANDRASHEKHAR  , SANTOSH BIRADAR  , VINOD S KAMBLE  , PRATIBHA RAO K
Published: October 2024

Objective: The present study was conducted to assess the awareness about the family planning methods and to estimate the utilization of various family planning methods among rural population in Korwar, Kalaburagi.
Methods: This was a community based cross-sectional study conducted in Korwar, a rural field practice area of ESIC Medical College, Kalaburagi district, Karnataka. The data were collected from 210 eligible couples using predesigned semi-structured questionnaire by house-to-house visit. The data collected were entered in MS Excel and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software.
Results: The majority (80%) of the men and women were aware about family planning methods in our study and its utilization was 75.2%. There was a significant association between gender, education, number of living children, and awareness of family planning methods, whereas association between religion, education, and utilization of methods was found to be statistically significant.
Conclusion: Although the awareness regarding family planning is on positive side there is definitely hesitancy noted for the utilization of the same. Awareness activities and practices should be promoted at individual and family level in the community.
A COMPARISON OF EFFICACY OF EPIDURAL BUTORPHANOL AND FENTANYL FOR POST-OPERATIVE PAIN ANALGESIA IN LOWER ABDOMINAL AND LOWER LIMB SURGERIES UNDER EPIDURAL ANESTHESIA: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED DOUBLE-BLINDED STUDY
Authors: PRAVEEN KUMAR  , BHUPENDRA SINGH  , HARSHA D  , VIKRAM SINGH RATHORE
Published: October 2024

Objective: Lower doses of epidural opioids can achieve post-operative analgesia for infraumbilical surgeries. A study was conducted to compare the efficacy of epidural butorphanol and fentanyl for post-operative analgesia, onset, duration, and side effects in infraumbilical surgeries.
Methods: A study was conducted on 80 adult patients, both male and female, aged between 20 and 60 years, having American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status I and II, who were undergoing lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries under epidural anesthesia. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: Group A and Group B. Both groups were given injections of bupivacaine 20 mL of 0.5% epidurally. In the post-operative period, when the patient’s Visual Analog Scale score was more than 4, Group A was administered butorphanol 2 mg followed by top-up doses of 0.5 mg, and Group B was administered fentanyl 50 μg followed by top-up doses of 15 μg, which were diluted to 10 mL in normal saline. Along with cardiorespiratory parameters, the study also noted onset, duration, quality of analgesia, and the number of epidural doses in 24 h. The statistical analysis was done using Student’s t-test and two-tailed Fisher’s exact test or Chi-square (χ2) test, and a significant value of p<0.05 was considered.
Results: In comparing the post-operative analgesia between both groups, it was found that Group B had significant early onset of analgesia (2.600±0.4557 vs. 6.087±0.7501), shorter duration of analgesia (200.08±26.257 vs. 366.25±42.829), a higher number of epidural doses administered (3.75±1.171 vs. 2.98±0.733), lower quality of analgesia (2.55±0.504 vs. 3.18±0.636), and a greater incidence of vomiting (30.0% vs. 2.5%) when compared to group A.
Conclusion: Superior analgesia with higher sedation can be achieved through epidural butorphanol, while fentanyl has a quicker onset of analgesia but a higher tendency for vomiting. Our conclusion is that both options, fentanyl and epidural butorphanol, are safe and effective for achieving post-operative pain relief.
THE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS TOWARD RADIATION ONCOLOGY AS A SPECIALTY IN A GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE IN SOUTH COASTAL ANDHRA PRADESH - AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY
Authors: BUDURU PADMAVATHI  , SIRISHA NP  , KONDETI MADHAVI  , THALUPULA INDRAJA NAIDU  , GUDE HARI PRIYA  , MOTTIKAYALA VARSHITH  , MOTTIKAYALA SAI AKHIL
Published: October 2024

Medical education is a continuously evolving field. Despite the radiation damage to normal cells, radiotherapy (RT) has emerged as an inevitable option for moderate-to-advanced stages of cancer. This highlights the need for radiation oncology for the growing oncology patient community. The present observational study assessed the 468 male and female Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students’ knowledge and attitude towards radiation oncology as a specialty at A.C. Subba Reddy Government Medical College, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, during the period of May–June 2024. The outcome measure of this study was the participants responses to a simple, internally validated, 18-item questionnaire. Four hundred and sixty-seven students completed the questionnaire and communicated via the same medium they received. The mean age of the male and female participants was 20.47 ± 1.42 and 20.37 ± 1.39, respectively. Data analysis revealed that, among participants, 312 (133 males and 179 females) knew RT was part of their curriculum. However, 70 students reported never knowing it, and 143 were never assessed on their knowledge. Despite RT being the second most preferred postgraduate field, students cited a lack of awareness about career prospects and inadequate undergraduate exposure as major barriers. Students recommended early curriculum integration, increased exposure, and more RT departments in government hospitals to attract bright students to the field. The findings of the present study reveal that efforts from regulatory bodies like the National Medical commission (NMC) are essential to enhancing awareness, training, and facility standards to guide more students toward radiation oncology.
A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING MENSTRUAL HYGIENE AMONG FEMALE NURSING STUDENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL
Authors: ALAK KUMAR DAS  , JINIA GHOSH
Published: October 2024

Objectives: Menstruation, though a normal physiological process in the females of reproductive age group, is surrounded by various misconceptions and social taboos. Inadequate knowledge and unhygienic menstrual practices can adversely affect female health. Poor menstrual hygiene practice has been negatively associated with infection of the reproductive and genitor-urinary tract, cervical cancer, absenteeism from school, or drop-out, poor academic performance, lower self-esteem, and poor quality of life. We conducted this study to evaluate the knowledge and practices regarding menstruation in female nursing students in a tertiary care hospital.
Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted over for three months on female B.Sc nursing students in the first year to the fourth year through face-to-face interview at the department of Pharmacology in a tertiary care hospital. Data regarding socio-demographic profile, knowledge of obstetric and gynaecological factors, perception of menstruation, and hygienic practice of the participants during their menstruation were collected.
Results: Responses from 165 participants were analyzed. The mean (± SD) age of the students was 19.64 (± 1.09) years. Most of their parents had education up to a diploma and above (47.27% among mothers and 70.9% among fathers). The majority of the participants used to experience dysmenorrhea (52.72%) and had pre-menarcheal ideas about menstruation (78.18%). Mother was the most common source of information (54.54%) followed by teachers (16.96%) and media (13.33%). The majority knew the source (89.09%) and cause (100%) of menstrual bleeding. A considerable portion (45.45%) thought menstruation as the sign of conception. The majority (96.36%) used commercially made sanitary pads, and used to dispose of the used sanitary pads in the dustbin (98.19%) by wrapping them with paper (98.19%).
Conclusion: Present study found an encouraging picture regarding knowledge and hygienic practices during menstruation among the participants. Education about menstrual hygiene needs to be imparted at the grass root level. In this regard Anganwadi and health care workers, teachers and media can play a major role. All mothers need to be taught about the importance of hygienic practices during menstruation, convey correct information to their daughters, and should be encouraged to break the age-old myths and taboos associated with menstruation.
UNSEEN TUBERCULOSIS: STUDY AMONG INPATIENTS OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF NORTH KARNATAKA
Authors: AKASH R JADHAV  , DRPRASHANT KUMAR  , NAGAPPAN MADHAPPAN  , POONAM P SHINGADE
Published: October 2024

Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in high-burden countries like India. However, high proportion of people never diagnosed or treated. Delayed diagnosis poses a significant threat to hospital inpatients, health-care workers, and medical trainees. Hence, systematic screening of high-risk groups, including hospital inpatients, has been recommended as a strategy to identify TB. Using signs and symptoms as an independent screening tool remains a global challenge for its relatively low accuracy. However, it could still be of value when it was used in a specific target population like inpatients of hospital. Hence, this study is aimed to determine the proportion of presumptive and active TB cases among inpatients.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among inpatients above 18 years of age admitted in non-emergency wards admitted during March to April 2023 at ESIC Hospital in Kalaburagi. A pre-existing TB diagnosis and patients admitted to critical care units were excluded. The convenient sampling method was used to recruit participants. Data were collected through using a pre-designed, semi-structured questionnaire. The patients who presented with one of the four symptoms for screening had undergone investigations such as cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test, chest X-ray, and sputum microscopy to confirm the diagnosis, and the findings were recorded as proportion.
Results: Out of 1363 inpatients, 35 (2.5%) patients had classified as presumptive TB case. Out of 35, 3 (8.57%) were found to be actual TB cases. All patients who had positive results for TB were young patients and belonged to low socioeconomic class. Two of three were rifampicin-sensitive TB cases.
Conclusion: Timely screening of the patient’s is of utmost importance to avoid further spread of TB infection among inpatients. The higher prevalence of actual TB cases in younger adults needs further exploration.
DRUG UTILIZATION PATTERN IN INDOOR PATIENT OF RADIOTHERAPY DEPARTMENT AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN SOUTHERN RAJASTHAN
Authors: RAHUL DAMOR  , MEENA ATRAY  , RAMKIRAN NV  , CHETAN JANI  , HARSH K BRAHMBHATT  , ARVIND SINGH TANWAR
Published: October 2024

Objective: The study was planned to evaluate on drug utilization pattern of drug use in the indoor of radiotherapy department, using the World Health Organization recommended core drug use indicators, to compare the cost of drug used and to provide feedback to the concerned department to improve rational prescribing.
Methods: Four hundred and five newly diagnosed cases of cancer with age more than 18 of both genders were included in the study. The demographic data, diagnosis, group of anticancer drugs, individual anticancer drug, combinations of anticancer drugs, and cost of drug reactions were recorded and analyzed statistically, using descriptive study statistics.
Results: Cervical cancer (19.51%) was the most frequently diagnosed cancer, followed by lung cancer (17.04%). Platinum compounds (76.30%) were maximum utilized group of drugs. Carboplatin was the most commonly prescribed drug (53.09). Average number of drugs prescribed per prescription was 8.77. Carboplatin + Paclitaxel combination was the most commonly prescribed combination. Pantoprazole was maximally used adjuvant drug.
Conclusion: About 100% of drugs were prescribed by generic name and 86.27% of drugs were prescribed from National List of Essential Medicines of India, 2022 indicates rational prescribing. The cost of anticancer drugs was much less in comparison to other studies.
INCIDENCE, SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC, AND CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ANOVULATORY INFERTILITY AMONG WOMEN PRESENTING TO A SECONDARY CARE HOSPITAL OF NORTH INDIA
Authors: ACHALA RAWAT  , KRISHNA MUKHERRJEE  , SHUBHA PANDEY
Published: October 2024

Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the incidence and factors associated with anovulatory infertility among reproductive-age women.
Methods: The study was an observational cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of a secondary care hospital of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh over a period of 20 months, from October 2020 to May 2022. A consecutive sampling method was used to recruit a total of 100 women presenting with a complaint of inability to conceive even after regular intercourse over the past 1 year into the present research. Based on the detailed physical and clinical examination as well as laboratory findings, the final diagnosis of the cause and the nature of the infertility (primary/secondary) were established.
Results: Among the 100 patients, 22 were found to have anovulatory infertility. The mean age was 28.68±3.71 years. Majority (50%) belonged to the upper socioeconomic class the mean weight of patients was 55.91±5.66 kg and the mean body mass index was 22.85±2.21 kg/m2. Majority presented with normal menstruation, followed by oligomenorrhoea (45.5%). 81.8% of the participants had hirsutism. The mean follicle-stimulating hormone of patients was 6.30±1.87 IU/mL, the mean luteinizing hormone was 6.04±1.83 IU/mL, mean estradiol was 45.00±6.50 pg/mL, mean anti-mullerian hormone was 6.94±2.13 ng/mL, mean total cholesterol was 76.21±16.86 ng/dL, mean thyroid stimulating hormone was 2.63±0.98 mIU/L and mean prolactin was 15.94±4.94 ng/mL. About 86.4% had primary infertility, the most common cause being polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS, 63.6%). This was followed by hyperprolactinemia (13.6%) and hypothyroidism (9.2%). Secondary anovulation associated with obesity was identified in 13.6% of the patients.
Conclusion: The incidence of anovulatory infertility was 22%, with the majority being primary infertility due to PCOS, followed by hyperprolactinemia, and hypothyroidism.
ASSESSMENT OF JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS VACCINATION STATUS IN TRIBAL AREAS OF THE MAYURBHANJ DISTRICT OF ODISHA – A COMMUNITY-BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Authors: DEBASISH SETHY  , MUKTIKANTA SINGH  , SHUSHRUTA MOHANTY  , LOMAPADA NAYAK  , DURGA MADHAB SATAPATHY  , SANJAYA KUMAR SAHOO
Published: October 2024

Objectives: Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a vector-borne viral disease that primarily infects swines, equids, and humans. Outbreaks of JE-acute encephalitis syndrome were reported from September to November 2012 and 9th September to 2nd December 2016 in Malkangiri district, Odisha. Due to the paucity of studies on JE transmission, causation, and prevention in tribal areas, the present study was undertaken to assess the JE vaccination status of children between 12 and 36 months in the Mayurbhanj district and to determine the association between sociodemographic characteristics of study participants with JE vaccination status.
Methods: To estimate the JE vaccination coverage, a cluster sampling method was adopted to conduct survey in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha by selecting 45 clusters. Twenty children aged 12–36 months were selected from each cluster, and their mothers were interviewed about JE vaccination. House-to-house survey was conducted in selected villages. Mothers were interviewed about the knowledge on JE vaccination.
Results: A total of 900 children were surveyed, of which a majority were born in government hospitals. The association between the literacy status of mothers and awareness regarding JE is found to be statistically significant. Furthermore, it was found that the association between vaccination coverage and area of residence of the beneficiaries in relation to session sites is statistically significant.
Conclusion and Recommendation: The association of maternal literacy status with JE vaccination coverage was not significant, whereas the association with the awareness regarding JE was statistically significant. Four key messages of immunization should be delivered to every mother during vaccination.
Tracing proliferating potential of lung tumours by [11C]Nicotinamide
Authors: Bielik Robert , Brown Gavin , Solovyev Dmitry , Lewis David
Published: October 2024

Many tumours rely on aerobic glycolysis, known as the Warburg effect, to satisfy energy needs and sustain rapid proliferation [1]. High demands of glucose in tumours can be measured by [18F[fluorodeoxyglucose, [18F]FDG, positron emission tomography (PET). Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a coenzyme involved in redox reactions in many metabolic pathways, including glycolysis. To maintain the high rates of glycolysis and proliferation, tumours need increased NAD+ levels and use nicotinamide for the upregulated NAD+ salvage pathway that is the main source of NAD+ in proliferative cancer cells [2].  Herein, we show an improved synthesis method of [11C]Nicotinamide, [11C]NAM, and studied the uptake of [11C]NAM and [18F]FDG to measure proliferating capacity in a lung cancer model.
[Carboxyl-11C]nicotinamide was synthesized by a one-pot radiolabeling method [3] on the SYNTHRA synthesizer (Synthra GmbH, Germany) (see Figure 1A). We used a KrasG12D/+ genetically engineered mouse model of lung cancer and evaluated the uptake of [11C]nicotinamide and [18F]FDG with dual-tracer sequential imaging protocol (see Figure 1B) using a NanoScan PET/MRI scanner (Mediso Medical Imaging Systems, Hungary).
We obtained [carboxyl-11C]nicotinamide in a radiochemical yield of 15 ± 5 %, volumic activity of 50 ± 10 MBq/ml, and radiochemical purity was > 99 %.  We optimized the imaging protocol and found the uptake of [11C]nicotinamide co-localized with the uptake of [18F]FDG in the KrasG12D/+ model of lung cancer as shown in Figure 1C suggesting the higher NAM uptake was associated with high NAD+ production in highly proliferating tumours.
We demonstrated that metabolic PET/MRI imaging with [11C]NAM can complement [18F]FDG PET and be useful for probing proliferative potential in lung cancer. This method could be translated and applied in clinical practice to enable visualization of NAD+ metabolism in lung tumours and targeted therapeutically.
Please click on the 'PDF' for the full abstract!
Automated segmentation pipeline for segmentation and characterising metabolic dysregulation in cancer cachexia
Authors: Duff Lisa , Brown Emma , Edgar Fraser , Pires Manuel , Sundar Lalith Kumar Shiyam , Solovyev Dmitry , Lewis David
Published: October 2024

Cancer cachexia disrupts metabolic homeostasis across various organs. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is valuable for investigating cachexia in preclinical models and patients[1]. However, manually segmenting multiple organs is laborious and hinders quantitative analysis of whole-body PET. This study establishes an automated pipeline for segmenting and characterizing organs in preclinical PET/MRI.
Acute metabolic changes were induced in non-tumour bearing mice through three approaches: a single dose of Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15; n=3 treated, control), daily dexamethasone for 24 days (n=4 treated, control), and 20 hour fasting (n=2 fasted, n=2 fed).
[18F]flurodeoxy-glucose PET was used to image whole-body glucose utilisation. To overcome manual segmentation limitations, an automated multi-organ segmentation method was developed for preclinical MRI using nnU-net, an artificial intelligence architecture[2,3].  The nnU-net was trained on 18 preclinical MRI scans with 21 manual tissue annotations. Evaluation on 8 additional mice revealed high accuracy (Dice Coefficients: 0.72-0.91 for 17 tissues). Adipose tissues had lower accuracy but retained good specificity. Due to low accuracy, pancreas segmentation was excluded. All mice used for training and testing the nnU-net were imaged with the same protocol, sourced from the described datasets, with additional scans from different time points.
After segmenting the scans, we measured mean Standardized Uptake Values (quantitative measure of metabolic activity) for each tissue. Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed following the various interventions (GDF-15, dexamethasone, fasting) compared to control. Network analysis provided insights into potential inter-organ interactions, while Linear Discriminant Analysis successfully distinguished between each metabolic state.
This study presents a novel method for automated segmentation and analysis within preclinical PET/MRI. This method significantly improves efficiency and provides new analysis of total-body metabolic phenotypes.  We are currently applying this approach to explore metabolic changes associated with cancer cachexia, aiming to improve our understanding of systemic metabolic dysregulation in both preclinical models and clinical settings.
Please click on the 'PDF' for the full abstract!
Comparing total-body metabolic PET imaging signatures of lung cancer cachexia to other wasting conditions
Authors: Brown Emma , Duff Lisa , Bernuzzi Federico , Bielik Robert , Alyamani Abdullah , Vraka Chrysoula , Peker Nesibe , Edgar Fraser , Soloviev Dmitry , Vande Voorde Johan , Lewis David
Published: October 2024

Cancer cachexia (CC) is a debilitating wasting condition. While anorexia and muscle wasting are features of cachexia, CC is a distinct and poorly understood metabolic syndrome1. We harnessed preclinical models of lung cancer to study how glucose uptake changes during CC and performed comparative analyses with anorexia and muscle wasting.
Lung K-rasG12D/+;Lkb1-/-(KL) mice suffering CC were imaged using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET at 15-19% weight loss alongside K-ras wild-type (WT) non-tumour bearing controls. Mice were injected with 12-18MBq of FDG, imaging 80-100 minutes post injection with the Mediso nanoScan® PET/MRI 1T.
In non-tumour bearing male animals, we modelled anorexia, muscle wasting, and circulation of cachexia factor GDF15 as follows, respectively: fasted overnight for 20 hr, treated with dexamethasone 21-phosphate (dexa) (2mg/kg, i.p. daily, 21 days) and single injection of recombinant human GDF15 hormone (0.1 mg/kg s.c.).
FDG ex vivo biodistribution showed increased uptake in myocardium (p<0.05), brain and liver (both p<0.01) of KL cachexic animals with no significant change in FDG blood pool. 
Like cachexic KL animals, FDG uptake in fasted animals increased in brain (p<0.0001), perhaps due to increased FDG blood pool. FDG uptake in skeletal muscles and brown adipose tissue decreased (both p<0.05) in fasted state suggesting lower muscle activity and decreased thermogenesis respectively. Dexa-induced muscle atrophy also resulted in decreased FDG uptake in gastrocnemius/soleus muscles (SUVmean 0.63 vehicle vs. 0.45 dexa, p<0.05) but no changes in skeletal muscle FDG uptake were noted in cachexic animals. In contrast to KL animals, GDF15 injection resulted in decreased FDG uptake in myocardium (p<0.05).
Overall, the cachexic FDG signature showed differences to other wasting conditions in this mouse model, suggesting different underlying mechanisms.
Total-body PET can reveal diverse metabolic wasting states. We aim to elucidate mechanisms of metabolic changes in cachexia to allow metabolic subtyping and personalised treatment options.
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Validation of network-based correlation analysis with [11C]glyburide whole-body PET
Authors: Hellman Abigail , Clegg Paul , Marie Solène , Tournier Nicolas , Tavares Adriana
Published: October 2024

Network analysis is a form of correlation analysis that is particularly useful in performing whole-body studies with positron emission tomography (PET), as it provides a way to quantify the similarities and differences in the data from a range of organs and patients. Network analysis was performed on dynamic whole-body PET with [11C]glyburide in humans, with and without infusion of rifampicin [1]. Glyburide is a substrate of several Organic Anion-Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs), which are proteins that control the uptake of drugs into the liver, although OATP expression in other organs has been reported. Rifampicin is a strong OATP inhibitor that has been shown to decrease the body’s ability to eliminate glyburide [1].
Time-activity curves (TACs) in kBq/mL from several organs of interest were used to perform network analysis with the Pearson correlation coefficient employed as the linear correlation measure. In the liver, network analysis was able to differentiate the control and rifampicin-treated groups (Fig. 1A). In this network, each node represents an average TAC from the liver of one patient (Fig. 1C), and the edges between nodes represent significant correlations. The edges are colour-coded to the strength of the Pearson value, showing stronger, more dense correlations within the control group.
Additionally, network analysis was performed on static PET data (Fig. 1B), where each node represents a patient curve comprised of the average activity in each organ at equilibrium (Fig. 1D). With the static data, network analysis was able to separate the control and treatment groups into two components. This is highly dependent on the liver though and removing it from the curves leads to reduced differentiation.
Overall, network analysis is sensitive to the differing uptake of [11C]glyburide throughout the body under normal and rifampicin-treated conditions. It provides confirmation that the control and treatment groups differ largely through the uptake in the liver, which is the predominant site of OATP function.
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Performance measurements of Total Body PET scanner simulations using the Geant4 toolkit
Authors: Jayaraj Aparna , Borecka-Bielska Hanna , Needham Matthew , Tavares Adriana , Wynne Benjamin , Wimberley Catriona , Muheim Franz
Published: October 2024

Total-Body PET (TB PET) is a novel imaging modality that can image the whole body in a single scan. It has increased sensitivity, improved spatial resolution, reduced imaging times compared to conventional clinical PET scanners, and has the potential to detect smaller lesions and multiorgan diseases. Commercially available TB PET scanners include the Siemens Biograph Vision Quadra [1] and the United Imaging uEXPLORER [2].                                                                                                                                    
This study uses the Geant4 toolkit [3] to create a simulation model of two different TB PET detector geometries; Siemens Biograph Vision Quadra and uEXPLORER. Analysis of simulated data and performance measurements were carried out in Python. The study follows the NEMA NU-2 2018 standard [4]. The simulation was used to explore the effect of different scintillator crystals and evaluates the count rate performance and the sensitivity of the scanner. The simulated data was compared to published experimental data from Siemens and Explorer.
Good agreement between the count rates of simulated and experimental data was observed for both geometries. The simulated Siemens Quadra measured a system sensitivity value of 178.6 cps/kBq showing a 2% difference compared to the experimental data of 175.3 cps/kBq for LSO crystals. Axial sensitivity profiles plotted also match well. The comparison of different scintillators showed that BGO performs best as it has the highest peak NECR, thus good signal-to-noise ratio. LSO and LYSO also perform well and their physical properties are similar. NaI and CsI exhibit the worst performance; with low true count rates and the random count rates increased almost linearly with activity concentration.
Our simulations compared well against experimental data, allowing us to test further scintillator materials and radioisotopes. After implementing image reconstruction and relevant corrections, this simulation can be used for validation of various research ideas in the future.
Please click on the 'PDF' for the full abstract!
An Analysis of Critical Processes and Employee Challenges at Velmurugan Heavy Engineering Industries (VHEI) Private Limited, Thanjavur
Authors: Saravanan S.
Published: October 2024

This study investigates the critical processes and challenges faced by employees at Velmurugan Heavy Engineering Pvt. Ltd., located in Sengipatti, Thanjavur. The aim is to identify areas for improvement and provide recommendations to enhance employee performance and organizational effectiveness. Employing a mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods, data were collected extensively through surveys, interviews, and observations from a representative sample across departments and hierarchical levels. The findings highlight critical areas such as project management, quality control, communication channels, and performance evaluation. While the organization demonstrates competence in these areas, gaps exist, particularly in streamlined communication and efficient project management. The study also uncovers challenges including unclear role expectations, limited professional development opportunities, inadequate work-life balance, and insufficient recognition and rewards. Recommendations are offered to strengthen communication channels, enhance project management practices, implement employee development programs, promote work-life balance initiatives, and establish a robust recognition and rewards system. Addressing these challenges and implementing recommended strategies has led to improved employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall organizational performance. This study provides valuable insights for Velmurugan Heavy Engineering Pvt. Ltd. to cultivate a positive work environment and foster a highly engaged workforce, contributing to sustainable growth and success
Sustainable Flood Mitigation: Improving Stormwater Infrastructure with PVC for Enhanced Hydraulic Performance
Authors: Bhoir Prathamesh
Published: October 2024

The escalating impacts of climate change, coupled with rapid urbanization, have placed unprecedented strain on existing stormwater infrastructure. Frequent and intense rainfall events often overwhelm aging stormwater channels and ditches, leading to flooding and property damage. Traditional upgrades, such as concrete lining, are often costly and disruptive. This research explores the potential of PVC sheets as a viable and cost-effective solution to enhance the hydraulic capacity of these channels. By lining the slopes and bases of stormwater channels with PVC, we can significantly reduce the roughness coefficient, thereby improving flow efficiency and increasing the channel’s capacity to handle larger volumes of stormwater. PVC lining is relatively inexpensive, durable and resistant to corrosion, ensuring long-term performance and reducing maintenance costs. Computational analysis has demonstrated the effectiveness of PVC lining, showing that it can increase channel capacity while minimizing costs and disruptions. This innovative approach presents a promising solution for municipalities seeking to adapt to changing climate conditions and ensure the resilience of their stormwater systems.
ANALISIS PENGARUH SISTEM PAYLATER TERHADAP SIKAP KONSUMTIF MASYARAKAT DARI SUDUT PANDANG HUKUM EKONOMI SYARIAH
Authors: Andriati Syarifah Lisa
Published: October 2024

In this era, human life is heavily influenced by technology, especially in terms of business. The use of PayLater, which means "buy now, pay later," is one example of the use of advanced technology in the business world. With technological advances in the modern era, especially e-commerce payment systems, SpayLater is becoming increasingly popular. PayLater is a purchase method that allows payments to be made later in a given period of time. In Islamic law, this is called the sale of Istijrar. However, scholars argue that it is a violation of the sale system when the goods to be bought are unknown to the buyer and there are new buyers who want to buy the same goods and set the price after summing up all the prices to pay. In fact, SpayLater can be permitted if the price of the goods has been determined after both parties involved in the transaction prove that the price is consistent with and in accordance with Islamic rules. This research aims to find out how PayLater transactions are used and how Islamic law views such actions. The method used is qualitative descriptive research, in which the author uses library studies, i.e., scientific references from books, national and international journals, al-Qur'an and Hadiths, and fiqih books. Because of its ease of use, SpayLater can make people prefer to buy something, which in turn will encourage them to make online debts. Therefore, knowing the potential risks, customers should be wise in distinguishing between needs and desires.
DAMPAK INFLASI, SUKU BUNGA BI, DAN PERTUMBUHAN EKONOMI TERHADAP PEMBIAYAAN MURABAHAH DI BANK SYARIAH INDONESIA PADA TAHUN 2014-2022
Authors: REZA ABDILAH SAPUTRA
Published: October 2024

Penelitian ini memiliki tujuan dalam menganalisis dampak Inflasi, Suku Bunga Bank Indonesia, dan Pertumbuhan ekonomi terhadap Pembiayaan Murabahah pada bank syariah di Indonesia. Penelitian ini menggunakan data Time Series tahun 2014-2022, yang didapatkan pada situs resmi Bank Indonesia, Otoritas Jasa Keuangan, serta Badan Pusat Statistik. Agar dapat menganalisis data tersebut, penulis memanfaatkan metode Regresi Linier Berganda. Kemudian, hasil dari penelitian ini menyatakan bahwa variabel Inflasi, Suku Bunga Bank Indonesia, dan Pertumbuhan ekonomi tidak ditemukan pengaruh yang signifikan baik secara simultan atau juga parsial terhadap Pembiayaan Murabahah. Kemudian penelitian ini juga membuktikan mengenai Inflasi memiliki dampak negatif terhadap pembiayaan murabahah. Kemudian, Suku bunga BI memiliki dampak negatif serta tidak signifikan terhadap pembiayaan murabahah dan Pertumbuhan ekonomi memiliki dampak positif namun tidak signifikan terhadap pembiayaan murabahah.
TAX AMNESTY SEBAGAI KEBIJAKAN FISKAL: DITINJAU DARI ASPEK MASLAHAT
Authors: Siti Nurul Hanapiah  , Luluwatun Nazla  , Silva Nur'aini  , Rina Samsiyah Agustina
Published: October 2024

Salah satu kebijakan yang diterapkan yakni kebijakan fiskal atau kebijakan yang mengatur pengeluaran dan pemasukan pemerintah. Pada praktiknya, pajak menjadi salah satu instrument penyumbang pendapatan negara terbesar. Jika pengeluaran pemerintah lebih besar dari penerimaan pajak pada periode waktu tertentu maka pemerintah mengalami defisit anggaran. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagimana tax amnesty sebagai kebijakan fiskal yang ditinjau dari aspek maslahat. Maslahat dalam penelitian ini merujuk pada manfaat yang diperoleh negara dan masyarakatan dari penerapan kebijakan tax amnesty di Indonesia. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif dengan pendekatan deskriptif. Hasil dari penelitian ini pemerintah mengeluarkan kebijakan tax amnesty atau pengampunan pajak merupakan salah satu strategi yang diterapkan dalam rangka penyadaran Masyarakat terkait kewajiban perpajakan. Pemberian tax amnesty merupakan strategi pemerintah menarik dana Masyarakat yang disimpan di perbankan negara lain. Dapat dipahami bahwa penerapan kebijakan ini memberikan manfaat atau maslahat baik bagi negara maupun masyarakat.