bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Drawing the Linkage Between Women’s Reproductive Health, Climate Change, Natural Disaster, and Climate-driven Migration: Focusing on Low- and Middle-income Countries - A Systematic Overview
Authors: Afzal Fahad , Das Arindam , Chatterjee Soumitra 
Published: January 2024

Background:
One of the most important aspects of women’s well-being and welfare is RSH (reproductive and sexual health). Reproductive health is not an exception to the threat that CCC (climate change and climate crisis) poses to numerous facets of public health. Firstly, the present review seeks to identify the influence of climatic changes, natural disasters, and climate-driven migration on RSH. Secondly, to identify knowledge gaps regarding the same.

Material and Methods:
Two databases (Scopus and PubMed) were scanned using Boolean operation. The literature search aimed to find records pertaining to topics of RSH and climate change. Using the PRISMA-ScR method, records were screened and shortlisted based on established inclusion criteria. This literature search was carried out in November 2022. In the shortlisted records, preference for the comprehensive review articles was given.

Results:
The present review is based on 38 records that collectively revealed that climate crisis and natural disasters have many negative impacts on female reproductive health. These effects are observed in different phases of life, ranging from teenage to menopause. The unique strength of the present review is that it draws a relationship between female reproductive health and the direct as well as indirect effects of the CCC. The available literature about LMICs is predominantly confined to drought, flood, and earthquake. Disasters like tsunamis, cyclones, and avalanches remain unexplored.

Conclusion:
From the available literature, it is quite evident that CCC has an adverse effect on a woman’s reproductive life as well as a bearing on future generations’ health. Filling these knowledge gaps is pivotal for designing more effective disaster and health policies. Policymakers should take into consideration these detrimental effects while designing health schemes and policies for females.
Estimation of the Parasitic Burden of Soil-Transmitted Helminths Among Pregnant Women in the Maharashtra State of India Using qPCR: A Community-Based Study
Authors: Gaidhane Shilpa , Gaidhane Abhay , Khatib Mahalaqua Nazli , Telrandhe Shital , Patil Manoj , Saxena Deepak , Bhardwaj Pankaj , Choudhari Sonali , Zahiruddin Quazi S. 
Published: January 2024

Background:
Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are widespread in developing countries with inadequate sanitation facilities. These infections can lead to malnutrition, anemia, and other complications that can negatively impact both the mother’s and fetus’s health during pregnancy. This study aimed to estimate the burden of STH by Kato-Katz microscopy and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in pregnant women from rural India. The diagnostic accuracy of these two methods was also compared.

Material and Methods:
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in rural areas of Wardha district of Maharashtra state. We randomly selected and interviewed 688 pregnant women. A total of 534 (77.61%) participants gave stool samples. Two containers (60 mL) labeled with a unique identification number were given to pregnant women to collect stool samples for Kato-Katz microscopy and qPCR. Stool specimens were transported to an accredited lab and examined within 24 hours. Suitable examinations were conducted to compare sensitivity between two tests.

Results:
The results are presented for 534 participants who gave stool samples. The prevalence of any STH by Kato-Katz stool microscopy was 6.55% (95%CI 4.46–12.19), and that by qPCR was 20.41 (95%CI 17.53–29.40). The sensitivity of Kato-Katz microscopy was 29.17% compared to sensitivity of 90.83% by qPCR (P = 0.001). Pregnant women with STH infection have a significantly lower weight gain during pregnancy, and the majority were either mild or moderate anemic compared to those without STH.

Conclusion:
The study highlighted significant differences in prevalence of STH among pregnant women by Kato-Katz microscopy and qPCR. The sensitivity of qPCR for detecting STH was higher than that of Kato-Katz microscopy.
Social Factors Influencing Utilization of Old Age Homes by Elderly in Urban Area of South Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Authors: Pandian Sujitha , Naik Swetha , Ramachandran Umadevi , Grace G Angeline , Gopalakrishnan S 
Published: January 2024

Background:
Currently, most old age homes in India are completely occupied. Nowadays, nuclear families are more than joint families, and due to various factors such as urbanization, the elderly are deprived of essential care at home and are moved from their own homes to old-age homes. With the increasing geriatric population, this study explored the various social factors influencing the elderly to reside in old age homes.

Material and Methods:
The study was conducted among 330 elderly in old age homes using simple random sampling. The study population included elderly above the age of 60 years and residing in old age homes, who were willing to participate. A pretested structured questionnaire with data on sociodemographic characteristics, family, financial support, and various other social factors was collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS.

Results:
Among the respondents, 20.6% were supported by children financially and 18.5% had a pension. Almost 70% of the elderly were left unattended by friends and family. Care and support through means of calls, letters, and visits when analyzed showed that 27.3% were provided care and support through children and 33.6% were left unattended.

Conclusion:
Family members, friends, and relatives should be encouraged to give regular visits and spend time with the elderly so that the bonding will have a positive effect on their mental health. Aging and geriatric health should be considered sensitively and should be made mandatory for schools and colleges to arrange visits to old age homes, thereby keeping the younger generation aware of the issues.
Effect of Positive Deviance Approach on Promotion of Safe Disposal of Child’s Feces in Rural Tamil Nadu: A Community-Based Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Nancy S. , Gayathri S , Rahman K. Mujibur , Govindarajan P. K. 
Published: January 2024

Introduction:
Safe disposal of feces is ensured when it is deposited into a toilet, whereas unsafe disposal of child’s feces plays a crucial role in disease transmission and environmental pollution. These areas are overlooked by many sanitation promotion interventions.

Objective:
To determine the effect of positive deviance (PD) approach on safe disposal of child’s feces among households who owned a toilet.

Materials and Methods:
A community-based quasi-experimental study was conducted in the four field practice villages of the Urban Health Training Center, Villupuram, for 18 months. Households who owned a toilet and had a child less than 5 years old were included. After IEC clearance, information was collected from a representative sample of 100 households before intervention and another 100 households after intervention. PD approach was applied for 6 months to promote safe disposal practices in the study villages. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 24). The Chi-square test was used to determine the significance of difference between baseline and endline data. The effect size was calculated to estimate the magnitude of difference between baseline and endline data.

Results:
Before intervention, only 3% of households disposed the feces into a toilet, while after intervention, almost 38% of households disposed in the toilet (χ2 = 37.39; df = 1; P = 0.001). The effect size (Cramer’s V) was found to be 0.43.

Conclusion:
PD approach demonstrated considerable improvements in safe disposal of child’s feces in rural settings. Further, to sustain the behavior change, frequent reinforcement of key messages at frequent intervals needs to be emphasized.
Assessment of Quality of Life among Terminally Ill Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care at Hospice Centre, Ahmedabad City, India
Authors: Geriya Disha , Dave Viral 
Published: January 2024

Background:
Cancer has been the leading cause of death worldwide, and palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life (QoL) of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness. Hospice care helps patients and their family to cope with the change from treating the cancer to living life as fully as possible through their final days. This study aimed to (1) assess the sociodemographic and clinical profile of terminally ill cancer patients, (2) assess the QoL among terminally ill cancer patients receiving palliative care, and (3) study various determinants affecting their QoL.

Material and Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among terminally ill cancer patients receiving palliative care at the Hospice Centre, Community Oncology Centre, Ahmedabad. Based on previous years’ admission data, a sample size of 360 was taken. Patients who are seriously ill up to the extent that they were unable to respond and had a previous positive history of psychiatric illness before the diagnosis of cancer were excluded. Institutional ethical committee (IEC) permission was obtained before the study. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software.

Results:
The mean age of participants was 48.1 ± 13.0 years. The gender distribution of participants was males and females (226 (62.8%) and 134 (37.2%)), respectively. On studying, the involvement of various anatomical sites as “primary site of cancer” revealed that head and neck carcinoma had the highest (63.3%) involvement and hematological cancer had the lowest (0.6%) involvement. Of total, 62% of participants had “below-average QoL,” followed by 34.9% of participants having “significantly poor QoL.” There was a significant association between different age groups, time lag in cancer diagnosis, and treatment initiation and QoL.

Conclusion:
Spearman’s rank correlations between the majority of factors fell in “low partially positive” category except for the physical well-being (factor 2) and psychosocial well-being (factor 3) with optimism and belief (factor 7), where they were in “low partially negative” category.
Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Third Wave of the Pandemic with Special Reference to Clinico-epidemiological Characteristics
Authors: Joshi Suvarna A. , Shah Pooja G. , Gajbhiye Mayuri R. , Pillai Praveena , Dudhate Sonali N. , Karyakarte Rajesh P. 
Published: January 2024

Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in India in 2020. Despite successful vaccination, cases again started increasing from mid-December 2021. Therefore, this study was undertaken to find out the clinico-epidemiological characteristics and effectiveness of vaccination in the household transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in and around Pune.

Material and Methods:
All samples received from December 15, 2021, till February 15, 2022, were included in the study. Samples received in viral transport medium (VTM) were extracted by the MagMAX RNA Extraction Kit, and reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) was performed by the CoviPath Kit as per kit guidelines. Values of nucleocapsid (N) gene and open reading frame (ORF) less than 37 were considered positive. Clinico-epidemiological data were analyzed from the sample referral form (SRF).

Results:
A total of 712 of 1032 household contacts of 271 families were positive. When geographical areas were compared, it was found that rural areas were affected more (63.76%) as compared to urban areas (36.24%). Males were more affected than females. The most commonly affected age group was 41–50 years (26.54%). Small families were found to have more household transmission. Mild symptoms were present in 97.89%. Among 271 infected individuals, seven were admitted to hospital, of which one patient died due to pneumonia. Two doses of vaccination were completed in 93.95%, and 3.79% had taken booster dose.

Conclusions:
Data from this study showed that a high rate of transmission was observed in household contact despite two doses of vaccination. However, these vaccinated individuals had mild symptoms, maybe due to the effect of vaccination and infecting variant omicron.
Assessment of progression-free survival and overall survival in patients of glioblastoma post-radiation therapy
Authors: Singhal Saloni , Kumar Amresh , Rajput Neha Singh , Lodi Ashar Iqbal , Bhandari Virendra 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Introduction:
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and heterogeneous subtype of glioma, at the tissue, cellular and molecular level, and has the highest short-term mortality rate. The average 5-year survival rate for GBM is 7.2%.

Materials and Methods:
This was a single institute retrospective study. All patients have treatment and follow-up data available in their medical charts, which were being extracted for this study, and being evaluated and their survival is calculated.

Results:
We found maximum survival of 132 months and minimum survival of 1 month with a median survival of 9 months and 2 and 5-year survival of 25.8% and 16.13%, respectively, post radiation therapy.

Conclusion:
Survival in central nervous system tumor has improved widely with adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation postoperatively.
Upper Limb Vascular Traumas with Vascular Exposure: Difficulties of Reconstruction in an Isolated Cardiovascular Surgical Environment
Authors: Kirioua-Kamenan Yoboua Aimé , Yeo Ibrahim Junior , Degre Jean Calaire , Asseke Assoumou Lucien , Katché Koutoua Eric , Kassi Marc Hervé , Souaga Kouassi Antonin 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Introduction and Objective:
Advocate for the knowledge and development of intrahospital therapeutic management of vascular trauma with vascular exposure, in our working conditions.

Materials and Methods:
This was a descriptive retrospective study which covered the period from January 2015 to June 2022. It was carried out from the medical records of patients operated on for vascular trauma with exposure of the vessels, in the Cardiovascular Surgery Department at the Abidjan Heart Institute. The following data were studied: epidemiological data, anatomo-clinical characteristics, and therapeutic data.

Results:
Nine medical records of eight male and one female patient were collected. The average age of the patients was 36 years. Elementary vascular lesions were as follows: complete section of the brachial artery and vein (n = 3), loss of substance of the brachial artery (n = 2), contusion of the brachial artery (n = 1), lateral wound of the ulnar artery (n = 2), and complete section of the radial artery (n = 1). Revascularization consisted in a brachio-brachial arterial bypass using a great saphenous vein graft (n = 3), end-to-end, respectively, arterial and venous anastomosis (n = 3), direct suture of the ulnar artery (n = 2), and in a radio-radial end-to-end arterial anastomosis (n = 1). The covering flaps used were the biceps brachii brachial muscle pedicled flap (n = 6) and the pedicled fasciocutaneous inguinal flap of McGregor (n = 3). The immediate and short-term postoperative follow-up was simple in all patients with scars of good trophicity.

Conclusion:
The surgical treatment requires skills in plastic surgery for the cardiovascular surgeon or the joint participation, in an emergency, of the cardiovascular surgeon and the plastic surgeon or, if necessary, the management of the patient in two stages. This last therapeutic modality generates additional morbidities and financial cost for the patient.
Giant Right Common Iliac Artery Aneurysm with Right Common Iliac Vein Fistula, Masquerading as Deep-Vein Thrombosis
Authors: Unnikrishnan Madathipat , Rahul S M , Harinath R , Kumar S P Shenoj , Mohan M Arun , Alexander Renny 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Iliac artery aneurysm is rarely known to rupture into iliac vein, leading to features of aneurysm and in particular, right ventricular volume overload, and pulmonary artery hypertension, due to the extracardiac left to right shunt. Herein, we report the case of a 67-year-old gentleman who presented with massively swollen right lower limb, leading to pain and inability to walk without support for 1 month. He was diagnosed to have and treatment for deep vein thrombosis with Vitamin K antagonist for 2 years. Contrast computed tomography angiogram of the abdomen revealed giant right iliac artery aneurysm above its bifurcation with iliac vein fistula. He underwent open repair of aneurysm and transaneurysmal suture closure of the iliac fistula. However, for transient renal dysfunction and reexploration for pelvic hematoma, his recovery, including normalized right lower limb, was smooth.
Our Experience in Managing Carotid Body Tumors in Tertiary Care Center
Authors: Kotavenuka Vinay Kumar , Vishnumolakala Vijay Kumar , Desai Sanjay C , Ramswamy Chandrashekar Anagavalli , Manchikanti Sriram , Gowda Suhas 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Introduction:
Carotid body tumors (CBTs), also known as paragangliomas or chemodectomas, are rare neuroendocrine neoplasms that arise near the carotid bifurcation within glomus cells derived from the embryonic neural crest. The reported incidence of CBTs is 1–2 cases per 1 lakh cases. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment.

Objectives:
The objective of this study was to report our experience and describe the presentation, surgical approach, postoperative complications, and outcomes of surgical treatment.

Materials and Methods:
It is a single-institution experience where a retrospective analysis of 6 cases with CBTs of patients who were candidates for surgery from June 2018 to June 2021 with a mean follow-up period of 24 months was done.

Results:
The mean age was 37 years, with a female predominance of 66%. The mean size of the tumor was 4.4 ± 1 cm. Four (66%) cases were presented with pain and pulsating neck swelling, and 2 (33%) cases were incidentally detected. All the cases were unilateral tumors. Neck ultrasound was done in all cases as a primary investigation. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 5 (87.5%) cases, which revealed tumors having near circumferentially encasing the internal carotid artery (ICA). No cases were malignant. All cases were surgically approached through transcervical vertical incision. Four cases (66%) and 2 (33%) cases were classified as Shamblin’s type II and III, respectively. Two (33%) cases needed special maneuvers such as division of the posterior belly of digastric and nasal intubation for the extra length of ICA. No major complications occurred. One patient (16.6%), as the tumor could not be dissected from the adventitia of ICA so, had to resect it, and primary end-to-end anastomosis was done. External carotid artery ligation was performed in 1 (16.6%) case. Minor postoperative complications such as hoarseness of voice occurred in 2 (33%) patients. No operative mortality occurred.

Conclusion:
We found a predominance of women and pain as the most common presenting complaint. Resection of CBTs by surgeons with experience in vascular reconstruction is recommended. Early surgical management is recommended to avoid neurological deficit or vascular reconstruction due to a Shamblin’s class III tumor. Preferred approach was caudo–cranial during dissection. Cranial nerve injury continues to be the most common complication.
Determinants of delirium in elderly in-patients in a general ward setting in a teaching hospital: A case control study
Authors: Geetha Jitha , Babu Haritha , George Christina 
Published: January 2024

Background:
There is a dearth of research on risk factors of delirium among elderly inpatients in nonintensive low resource settings.

Aim:
To determine the risk factors of delirium in elderly inpatients in a nonintensive care unit setting.

Materials and Methods:
Sixty two elderly patients with delirium (cases) and 62 patients without delirium (controls) were administered a semi-structured proforma with socio-demographic variables and putative predisposing and precipitating risk factors and the Vellore screening instrument for dementia.

Results:
On univariate analysis, factors such as past cognitive impairment, history of nocturnal confusion and delirium, diminished daily living activities, severe medical illness, history of psychiatric illness, presence of dementia, infection, fever above 1000F, abnormal electrolytes abnormal RFT, leukocytes in urine, hypoxia, anticholinergics and benzodiazepines, emergency admission, use of physical restraints, bladder catheterization, more than routine investigations, intensive care unit admission, surgery, and duration of hospital stay more than 10 days were found to be significantly associated with delirium. On multivariate analysis with binary logistic regression, bladder catheterization (odds ratio [OR] = 13.85; confidence interval [CI] = 1.44-133.14), abnormal electrolytes (OR = 5.12; CI = 1.11-23.69), and hypoxia (OR = 75.52; CI = 4.64-1.134E3) were detected to be independently associated with delirium.

Conclusion:
Acute modifiable rather than long-term factors were risk factors for delirium among the elderly. An awareness of modifiable risk factors has the potential of developing targeted interventions for the early mitigation of delirium.
Uncertainty evaluation of non-invasive multi-parameter detector measurements in quality assurance of diagnostic radiology
Authors: Senthilkumar M , Senthil Kumar C , Parmar R. U , Velmurugan J 
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT

Objective:
To optimize the patient dose and image quality through quality assurance (QA) of diagnostic x-ray equipment and to ensure compliance with international and national standards in x-ray specification parameters, the use of contactless and quick non-invasive instruments has gained importance. Considering the importance of equipment qualification and the intervention level for equipment management, it is vital to account for uncertainties in the measurement of parameters in diagnostic radiology. However, the limits and measurement uncertainties associated with the parameter measurement are not well established and many technical and scientific literature provide different tolerance values, either as absolute or in terms of percentage.

Methods and Materials:
In this paper, the authors analyze non-invasive multi-parameter detector measurements with the aim to (i) improve the accuracy in measurement of x-ray parameters (kilovoltage, dose, and exposure time); (ii) estimate the uncertainty associated with such measurements; (iii) analyze the tolerance values prescribed by various professional and regulatory bodies and propose an improvised method of reporting the parameters. The approach adopted in this paper takes into account the uncertainties associated with traditional instruments and the subjectivity in the measurements.

Results:
Estimated uncertainty for kV measurements in the range between 1.45 kV at 40 kV measurements and 4.88 kV at 150 kV measurements. The MU associated with the dose measurement is estimated to be 6.2% at 110 kVp, 100 mA, and 500 msec. Maximum MU estimated at 10 msec exposure time is 4.5% and with MU of 5% deviation added to 9.5%.

Conclusions:
The current practice of reporting the measured mean values deviation without considering the inherent measurement uncertainty may not be a correct quantification procedure in QA. This is evident from the case study that 3% addition to the measured kV, 6.2% addition in the measured dose, and 4.5% to the measured time accounts for measurement uncertainty.