Assessment of imidacloprid induced genotoxicity in Pethia conchonius (Rosy barb), a common freshwater fish of India.

Imidacloprid is one of the highly efficient, globally used neonicotinoid groups of insecticides. The indiscriminate use of imidacloprid is contaminating large water bodies affecting not only the target organisms but also non-target organisms including fish. The present study aimed to assess the extent of nuclear DNA damage by imidacloprid in Pethia conchonius a freshwater fish in India using comet and micronucleus assays. The LC50 value of imidacloprid was estimated to be 227.33 mg L-1. Based on the LC50-96 h value, three sub-lethal concentrations of imidacloprid, SLC I -18.94 mg L-1, SLC II -28.41 mg L-1 and SLC III -56.83 mg L-1 were used to detect its genotoxic effect at DNA and cellular level. The imidacloprid exposed fishes exhibited higher DNA damage and nuclear abnormalities (p < 0.05) than the control. The %head DNA, %tail DNA, tail length and the frequency of micronuclei with other nuclear abnormalities like blebbed and notched nuclei were significantly higher than the control in a time and concentration-dependent manner. The DNA damage parameters such as %head DNA (29.107 ± 1.843), %tail DNA (70.893 ± 1.843), tail length (361.431 ± 8.455) micronucleus (1.300 ± 0.019), notched (0.844 ± 0.011) and blebbed (0.811 ± 0.011) nuclei were found to be highest for SLC III (56.83 mg L-1) at 96 h. The findings indicate that IMI is highly genotoxic in fish and other vertebrates leading to mutagenic/clastogenic effects. The study will be helpful in optimization of the imidacloprid use.

Status evaluation of provinces affected by COVID-19: A qualitative assessment using fuzzy system.

The outbreak of COVID-19 had already shown its harmful impact on mankind, especially on health sectors, global economy, education systems, cultures, politics, and other important fields. Like most of the affected countries in the globe, India is now facing serious crisis due to COVID-19 in the recent times. The evaluation of the present status of the provinces affected by COVID-19 is very much essential to the government authorities to impose preventive strategies in controlling the spread of COVID-19 and to take necessary measures. In this article, a computational methodology is developed to estimate the present status of states and provinces which are affected due to COVID-19 using a fuzzy inference system. The factors such as population density, number of COVID-19 tests, confirmed cases of COVID-19, recovery rate, and mortality rate are considered as the input parameters of the proposed methodology. Considering positive and negative factors of the input parameters, the rule base is developed using triangular fuzzy numbers to capture uncertainties associated with the model. The application potentiality is validated by evaluating Pearson's correlation coefficient. A sensitivity analysis is also performed to observe the changes of final output by varying the tolerance ranges of the inputs. The results of the proposed method show that some of the provinces have very poor performance in controlling the spread of COVID-19 in India. So, the government needs to take serious attention to deal with the pandemic situation of COVID-19 in those provinces.

Serum Cytokine Profiles in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Before and After Treatment with Methotrexate.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune illness affecting around 1% of the population globally. Cytokines have a crucial role in the pathogenesis of RA. The objectives of the present study were to compare the serum cytokine profiles between methotrexate (MTX)-treated and MTX-naive RA patient groups, MTX-treated RA patient group and healthy controls, and MTX-naive RA patient group and healthy controls. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to quantify the serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-17, IL-6, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and IL-10 in 80 RA patients (48 MTX treated and 32 MTX naive) and 80 healthy controls. For all cytokine assays, absorbance was measured at 450 nm using a microplate reader (Bio-Rad). Independent sample t-test was used to compare the serum cytokine concentrations between the study groups using SPSS version 25. MTX-treated RA patient group had significantly reduced serum levels of TNF-α (36.13 ± 17.64 versus 45.82 ± 23.07, *P = 0.037), IL-17 (307.85 ± 151.74 versus 435.42 ± 241.19, **P = 0.006), and IFN-γ (414.93 ± 212.13 versus 527.15 ± 269.61, *P = 0.041) compared to MTX-naive RA patients. Both MTX-treated and MTX-naive RA patient groups had significantly high serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-17, IL-6, IFN-γ, and IL-10 when compared to healthy controls (***P < 0.001). Downregulation of the serum concentrations of certain key cytokines, viz. TNF-α, IL-17, and IFN-γ, demonstrates the anti-inflammatory effect of MTX in RA patients.

Assessment of Symptoms and Risk Factors as a Screening Tool of Bacterial Vaginosis Among Reproductive Age-Group Females in West Bengal, India.

Background Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a ubiquitous vaginal discomfort and has overlapping symptoms with other reproductive tract infections. The World Health Organization suggested a symptomatic approach for diagnosing BV with insufficient laboratory setup. However, due to symptom overlap, BV is often misled and ends up with injudicious drug application. Objective The study aims to identify the most relevant symptoms and behavioral risk factors associated with BV in tertiary healthcare settings in West Bengal, India. It also seeks to develop a scoring system based on clinical symptoms to screen for BV, especially when laboratory facilities are limited. Methodology The study is a retrospective case-control study involving 95 women of reproductive age. It employs both univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression models to identify risk factors and symptoms associated with BV. The study also compares these clinical symptoms with laboratory tests (Amsel's test) and attempts to create a scoring system for BV diagnosis. Key Findings Good menstrual hygiene and condom use were identified as key behavioral practices reducing the risk of BV. Four clinical symptoms, like malodor (P = 0.007), lower abdominal pain (P = 0.015), abnormal vaginal discharge (P = 0.071), and painful intercourse (P = 0.08), were identified as notable predictors. Based on these four symptoms, the scoring system showed a sensitivity of 88.2%, a specificity of 67.25%, and an overall accuracy of 74.7%. An additional diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) revealed that the odds of malodor (P= 0.006) and burning sensation (P= 0.011) increased significantly during co-infection.

Management of non-united neck femur fracture by valgus osteotomy--a viable alternative.

Management of non-united neck femur fracture in young patients is still a challenge for orthopaedic surgeons. In this study 35 patients with non-united fracture neck femur were treated by valgus osteotomy and fixation with dynamic hip screw over a period of 4 years. Union was achieved in 30 patients (86%) after an average period of 20 weeks. Among them avascular necrosis of femoral head was seen in 4 patients. Average limb length shortening in the affected limb after union was 1 cm. Valgus intertrochanteric osteotomy and fixation by dynamic hip screw is an effective, cheap and relatively easy method for treatment of non-united fracture neck femur in young patients.

Evaluation of results of interlocking nail in the treatment of open fracture shaft femur due to high energy trauma.

With industrial civilisation road traffic accidents are on the rise. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the role of interbocking nail in the management of open femoral fractures in road traffic accident. The small study was carried out among 84 patients during June 2005 to May 2009. This study revealed that most patients of fracture femur were male (92.85%), commonest site affected middle third of femur (57.14%). Postoperative infections occurred in 9 cases. In 7 cases infection was superficial. All these cases responded well with daily dressing and appropriate antibiotic therapy. While other 2 cases continued a chronic course of discharge and ultimately responded to curettage, bone-grafting and dynamisation required after 30 and 34 weeks respectively after the surgery. Bone-grafting was required in 8 cases of non-union. No rotational deformity detected in the series. Knee stiffness noted in 8 patients. This stiffness resulted from prolonged skeletal traction to which the patients were subjected before surgery which was delayed for unstable condition.Knee stiffness resolved in all cases with physiotherapy. All the 6 cases of peripheral nerve injury of the affected site due to initial trauma recovered completely. In this study excellent results were noted in 63.09%,good in 21.42% and poor in 15.47%. The incidents of complications ie, infection, non-union and limb shortening are comparable with that of available data of recent reports of interlocking nailing in closed femoral shaft fractures.

Studies on Ender's intramedullary nailing for closed tibial shaft fractures.

Low cost multiple flexible Ender's nails can be used in tibial shaft fractures in a non-ideal operating room set-up in India, also because of easy methodology. It is commonly used in femur and humerus but not in tibia. So we made the study in which prospective and consecutive patients were taken based on selection criteria. Forty patients were treated by the technique from August 2004 to May 2006. Twenty-seven patients (67.5%) were male, 28 patients (70%) had fracture type 4-2A of AO classification, 37 patients (92.5%) had acute injuries, delay in surgery by 1-2 weeks in 21 patients (52.5%), 30 patients (75%) had closed nailing, 35 patients (87.5%) needed 2 nails, 36 patients (90%) were operated by antegrade nailing approach and 23 patients (57.5%) had fracture union within 16 weeks. All the patients were evaluated based on pain,range of movement of knee and ankle,shortening and radiological union along with ability to perform daily activities like squatting,sitting cross-legged and the ability to walk. There was excellent result in 34 patients (85%), good in 5 patients (12.5%), fair/poor result in 1 patient (2.5%). The complications observed were soft tissue irritation of the proximal part of tibia due to protruding nail in 5 patients,infection at the entry portal in one patient and non-union in one patient. Ender's nailing can be a safe and alternative method of fixation of fracture shaft of tibia in rural India for poor patients in 'not well set-up'.

Evaluation of pedicular screw fixation in dorsolumbar spinal injury.

Twenty-five patients with dorsolumbar spinal injury was treated by pedicular screw fixation along with direct or indirect decompression within 1 1/2 years period. Eighteen patients with incomplete neurodeficit had some amount of neurological recovery in terms of ASIA impairment scale but no neurological recovery was seen in 6 patients with complete neurological injury. Mean correction of kyphotic angle was 11.76 degrees. Mean postoperative increase in anterior vertebral body height was 43%. Complications like bed sore, superficial wound infections and peroperative dural tear were seen but all of which were treated successfully. Neurological deterioration after operation, screw pull out and implant failure were seen in none. This study indicates that short segment pedicular screw fixation is a safe and effective method for treatment of unstable spinal injury.

Operative management of closed intra-articular fractures of distal end of humerus in adults.

This is a study of 60 patients with mean age of 30 years having intra-articular fracture of distal humerus of type C (AO classification). We treated these fractures by open reduction and internal fixation through transolecranon approach. Mean duration of operative time with that of injury was 10 days. In all the cases 1st the intracondylar fracture was fixed followed by reconstruction and stabilisation of medial and lateral pillar by 1/3 tubular plate and 3.5 mm dynamic compressent plate (DCP) or recon plate respectively. Minimum follow-up was of 1 year duration with average follow-up of 3 years. We could achieve 100% union with mean range of movement at the and of 1 year was 20 degree to 110 degree. Two fractures had delayed union, 5 patients had skin complications for which extended dressing was required. None of these patients required SSG or secondary suture.