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Background: In developing countries various childhood diseases lead the morbidity, mortality and irre-versible losses which can be prevented by proper vaccination. This study was conducted to analyse the changing trends of childhood vaccination in India and its impact on childhood diseases and mortality, the trends in coverage of each vaccine along with identification of geographical areas of concern.Materials and methods: NFHS data published by Government of India was analyzed to see the trends in vaccination coverage, female literacy, childhood diseases and under-five mortality, along with online da-tabase search for relevant literature. Results: Total vaccination coverage in India has reached to 76.4% as per NFHS- 5 data. Orissa stands at the top with 90.5% coverage while Nagaland at the bottom with 57.9% coverage. Prevalence of child-hood diseases and under-five mortality has reduced overtime accountable to increase in vaccination coverage as one of the major factors for same. Conclusion: Despite improvement in total vaccination coverage, the goal of Intensified Mission Indra Dhanush of 90% coverage still remains unachieved. There is reduction in childhood disease and mortali-ty rate, but the pandemic has adversely affected these advances. Therefore, immediate steps should be taken to gain the lost ground.
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Justification: In view of easy availability and increasing trend of consumption of fast foods and sugar sweetened beverages (fruit juicesand drinks, carbonated drinks, energy drinks) in Indian children, and their association with increasing obesity and related non-communicable diseases, there is a need to develop guidelines related to consumption of foods and drinks that have the potential toincrease this problem in children and adolescents. Objectives: To review the evidence and formulate consensus statements related toterminology, magnitude of problem and possible ill effects of junk foods, fast foods, sugar-sweetened beverages and carbonated drinks;and to formulate recommendations for limiting consumption of these foods and beverages in Indian children and adolescents. Process:A National Consultative group constituted by the Nutrition Chapter of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), consisting of variousstakeholders in private and public sector, reviewed the literature and existing guidelines and policy regulations. Detailed review ofliterature was circulated to the members, and the Group met on 11th March 2019 at New Delhi for a day-long deliberation on framing theguidelines. The consensus statements and recommendations formulated by the Group were circulated to the participants and aconsensus document was finalized. Conclusions: The Group suggests a new acronym ‘JUNCS’ foods, to cover a wide variety ofconcepts related to unhealthy foods (Junk foods, Ultra-processed foods, Nutritionally inappropriate foods, Caffeinated/colored/carbonated foods/beverages, and Sugar-sweetened beverages). The Group concludes that consumption of these foods and beveragesis associated with higher free sugar and energy intake; and is associated with higher body mass index (and possibly with adversecardiometabolic consequences) in children and adolescents. Intake of caffeinated drinks may be associated with cardiac and sleepdisturbances. The Group recommends avoiding consumption of the JUNCS by all children and adolescents as far as possible and limittheir consumption to not more than one serving per week. The Group recommends intake of regional and seasonal whole fruits over fruitjuices in children and adolescents, and advises no fruit juices/drinks to infants and young children (age <2 y), whereas for children aged 2-5 y and >5-18 y, their intake should be limited to 125 mL/day and 250 mL/day, respectively. The Group recommends that caffeinatedenergy drinks should not be consumed by children and adolescents. The Group supports recommendations of ban on sale of JUNCSfoods in school canteens and in near vicinity, and suggests efforts to ensure availability and affordability of healthy snacks and foods. TheGroup supports traffic light coding of food available in school canteens and recommends legal ban of screen/print/digital advertisementsof all the JUNCS foods for channels/magazines/websites/social media catering to children and adolescents. The Group further suggestscommunication, marketing and policy/taxation strategies to promote consumption of healthy foods, and limit availability and consumptionof the JUNCS foods
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In the present study, insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) administered during mid-luteal phase of the estrous cycle and effect on biochemical profiles of Sahiwal donor cows was noted. Altogether eighteen cows (n=18) were selected and divided into 3 groups; control (n=6, untreated), T-I (n=6, Insulin-treated) and T-II (n=6, IGF-I treated). Superovulatory treatment was started on day 9th of the estrous cycle. With the 6th dose of FSH, prostaglandin was injected to induce superovulatory estrus. The superovulated cows were bred and superovulatory response of each animal was recorded. The collections of embryos were done non-surgically on the 7th day of superovulatory estrus. About 15 ml blood without anticoagulant was collected on days 5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19 and 21st or day of embryo recovery where day 0 of estrous cycle was taken as the day of estrus. Serum was separated, centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 15 minutes and transferred into sterilized serum vials. All samples were stored at -20 oC till analysis. Serum glucose, cholesterol, total protein, urea, and creatinine were estimated by Span Diagnostic Kits. The concentration of serum glucose increased significantly in insulin-treated and IGF-1 treated Sahiwal donor cows. It may be concluded that exogenous insulin and IGF-1 administration during mid-luteal phase may be helpful in follicular and embryonic development by increasing the level of serum glucose. The concentration of serum cholesterol, total protein, urea, and creatinine remains unaffected
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Cartap hydrochloride is a thiocarbamate insecticide used for control of chewing and sucking insects of all stages of development, on many crops. It is an analogue of nereistoxin. Poisoning with cartap is very rarely reported from India. We report a 46 year old man who consumed cartap with alcohol, presented with nausea & vomiting and improved with supportive measures.
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Objectives: Folic acid is a vitamin which belongs to the B-complex group. It is critical to cellular division and new cell production because it is an essential co-factor in DNA synthesis. Repair and maintenance of periodontal tissue generates a high turnover rate of squamous epithelium. Without folic acid, epithelial cells do not divide properly. Cigarette smoking is one of the factors that affect the folic acid levels. The aim of this study was to compare the serum folic acid levels in patients with chronic periodontal disease in relation to the patients’ smoking habits. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 subjects were included in the study with 30 subjects in each of the following groups, I - patients who have chronic periodontitis and are smokers and II - patients who have chronic periodontitis and are non-smokers. Clinical parameters like gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) and clinical gingival attachment levels (CAL) were recorded for all the patients. Blood was collected and tested in the laboratory for folic acid levels using a fully automated serum analyser. The results were statistically analysed. Results: The results suggested that serum folic acid levels of smokers were significantly lower than that of non-smokers (p < 0.05). PI, PD and CAL means were significantly higher in Group I (chronic periodontitis and smokers) than Group II (chronic periodontitis and non-smokers). GI and BOP was lower in smokers. Conclusion: Among patients with periodontal disease the serum folic acid level is lower in smokers compared with non-smokers.