Imagining the COVID-19 pandemic through the minds of 9-11 years old: findings from an art exhibition in India.

OBJECTIVES: To understand children's perspectives of COVID-19 and lockdown through art. STUDY DESIGN: Observational; Qualitative study. METHODS: The drawings and descriptive notes along with the drawings were presented in an art exhibition and were thematically analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-three documents were created, out of which 134 quotations, 24 codes, 21 themes, and six groups were synthesized. The themes were mainly related to positive experiences, negative experiences, unity, safety, hope, uncertainty, gratitude, faith, and future expectations. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to a better understanding of children's perspectives of the pandemic situation.

Microencapsulation of riboflavin-producing Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum MTCC 25,432 and Evaluation of its Survival in Simulated Gastric and Intestinal Fluid.

Microencapsulation is an optimistic method for the delivery of live microbial cells through different food products. In this study, riboflavin-producing probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MTCC 25,432 was encapsulated using a spray drying technique with different wall materials including Inulin, maltodextrin (MD), and MD + Inulin (1:1). The obtained spray dried powder was investigated for probiotic viability, encapsulation efficiency, particle size, water activity, moisture content, hygroscopicity, bulk and tapped densities, storage stabilities, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Besides this, the viability of the free and encapsulated probiotic cells was tested under simulated gastric and intestinal fluid conditions. In the results, microcapsules produced with the combination of MD + Inulin showed higher dry powder yield (36.5%) and viability of L. plantarum MTCC 25,432 (7.4 log CFU / g) as compared with individual coating materials. Further characterization revealed that MD + Inulin microcapsules are spherical (3.50 ± 1.61 µm in diameter) in shape with concavities, showed the highest encapsulation efficiency (82%), low water activity (0.307), moisture content (3.67%) and good survival ability at low pH (pH 2.0 and 3.0), high bile salt concentrations (1.0% and 2.0%), and long storage conditions. No differences in FTIR spectra were observed among the tested samples. However, TGA showed enhanced thermal stability of probiotic-loaded microcapsules when MD + Inulin was used together. In conclusion, MD + Inulin could be a potential encapsulation material for riboflavin-producing probiotic bacteria L. plantarum MTCC 25,432.

Perioperative complications of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in India: a prospective observational study.

Purpose: These days laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery, both totally extraperitoneal (TEP) and transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP), is a commonly performed procedure due to advancements in laparoscopic instruments and the availability of skilled laparoscopic surgeons. The purpose of this study was to compare the perioperative complications of these two procedures. Methods: This was a prospective observational study between July 2019 and December 2020. Perioperative complications were compared with a 6-month follow-up. It included 144 patients, of whom 71 underwent TAPP repair and 73 underwent TEP repair. The selection was based on the surgeon's choice. Results: Early postoperative complications were scrotal edema (12 cases in TEP and 16 in TAPP), urinary retention (one case in TEP), ecchymosis (six cases in TEP and two in TAPP), and scrotal subcutaneous emphysema (two cases in TEP). On follow-up, seroma was found in a total of 22 cases, of which 12 were TEP and 10 were TAPP. While only one case of TAPP developed surgical site infection. There was no statistically significant difference in hospital stay between the two groups (p = 0.58). The pain scores significantly decreased throughout recovery and were comparable between the groups. Neither group experienced a recurrence during the 6-month follow-up. Fifty-eight patients developed Clavien-Dindo grade I complications, one had grade II, and three had grade IIIa complications. Conclusion: With the increasing experience of the surgical fraternity in laparoscopic surgery, TEP and TAPP were proven to be comparable in terms of duration of surgery, postoperative complications, hospital stay, pain scores, and recurrence during the 6-month follow-up.

Perception of family medicine as the career option among young Indian graduates.

Aims and Objectives: 1. To estimate the number of graduates who had exposure to family medicine specialty. 2. To estimate the number of graduates who consider family medicine as the carrier option. 3. To compare the perception of family medicine as career option among the young graduates who had exposure to family medicine during their training or practice with no exposure. Materials and Methods: It is a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study. The doctors graduated 2018 onwards were contacted through SIMSA (South Indian Medical Students Association) and WhatsApp groups (students doing the rural health service and intern WhatsApp). Subjects who consented for the study filled the google form. Filled Google forms were evaluated. Results: First choice of among the graduates is general medicine followed by general surgery and paediatrics. Family medicine is 4th in the order. There is overall a very positive perception about the family medicine among the respondents irrespective of exposure to family medicine. Majority of them feel that it gives good financial gain (55.55%), interesting (67.03%), work and family balance (75.55%), which contributes to individual and community health (84.07%) and essential part of healthcare system (83.33%). Graduates feel that career growth (26.66%) and academic growth (33.70%) are less and it is not popular (38.88%). If there is an opportunity, majority would choose family medicine (54.44%). Conclusions: Around 5.9% are open to choose family medicine as the career option. Medical graduates perceive family medicine subject to give them good work and family balance and the subject is essential part of healthcare system and contributes to the individual and community health, and at the same time, it may not give them great financial gain, academic and career growth.

Techno-Functional Assessment of Riboflavin-Enriched Yogurt-Based Fermented Milk Prepared by Supplementing Riboflavin-Producing Probiotic Strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum.

Vitamin enrichment in fermented dairy products through the intervention of vitamin-producing probiotic strains during fermentation is a novel approach in the field of probioceuticals. In this study, riboflavin-enriched yogurt-based fermented milk was prepared by mixing 1% (v/v) riboflavin-producing strain [1.2 × 108 CFU/mL of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MTCC 25432 or L. plantarum MTCC 25433 or L. plantarum MTCC 25434] with 2% (v/v) traditional yogurt cultures [Streptococcus thermophilus NCDC 295 and L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus NCDC 293; each of 1.3 × 107 CFU/mL]. The yogurt-based fermented milk prepared with traditional yogurt cultures (2%, v/v) was served as a control. The prepared yogurt-based fermented milk samples were analyzed and compared for riboflavin content, antimicrobial activity, physicochemical, and functional properties. As a result, the yogurt-based fermented milk prepared with L. plantarum MTCC 25432 produced a significantly higher amount of riboflavin (2.49 mg/L) as compared with MTCC 25433 (2.33 mg/L), MTCC 25434 (2.14 mg/L), and control (1.70 mg/L). The probiotic supplementation to yogurt cultures maintained the pH and titratable acidity in the range of 4.1-4.4 and 1.0-1.05% (lactic acid/100 mL), as recommended by Indian yogurt standards. The rheological, texture, and antimicrobial properties of yogurt-based fermented milk were enhanced with the addition of riboflavin-producing probiotic strains. Moreover, all yogurt-based fermented milk samples prepared in this study were acceptable as per the sensory evolution scores. In conclusion, the use of riboflavin-producing L. plantarum strains along with standard yogurt cultures could be the best approach to enhancing riboflavin content in yogurt-based fermented milk and fulfilling the daily riboflavin requirement in humans.

Base-enabled access to diastereoselective spirofuran oxindoles and γ-functionalized allenoates.

Base assisted divergent reactivity of isatins and allenoates has been achieved, which afforded diastereoselective spirofuran oxindoles and γ-functionalized allenoates. The DBU mediated Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction followed by the cascade annulation through the stabilized ß-ammonium enolate intermediate led to the spiro-framework, wherein DABCO furnished the γ-functionalized allenoates. The protocol offers access to biologically relevant functionalized oxindole scaffolds with an excellent substrate scope under mild reaction conditions.