RESUMO
Introduction:Self‑medication (SM) is popular globally but leads to the wastage of resources, health hazards, and resistance to pathogens. This study aims to ascertain the frequency and manner, in which SM practices were employed by the urban population of Purba Bardhaman district, West Bengal. Materials and Methods: The study was an observational cross‑sectional one conducted in Burdwan Municipality, West Bengal, India, using a sample size of 180 adults (aged at least 18 years), residing in the study area, i.e., urban slum area for at least 6 months and conducted over 2 months. The data have been collected through a semi‑structured schedule consisting of questions on the sociodemographic characteristics of the study subjects and their SM practices. The data were thereafter analyzed, wherein descriptive statistics and a Chi‑square test were used. Results: It was found that SM was prevalent among 48.9% of the study population, with most participants practicing SM for body pain, headache, and fever. Among the different classes of drugs used, analgesics were the most common (31.8%), followed by antipyretics (25.0%) and antacids (20.5%). The correlation between sociodemographic characteristics and the practice of SM showed that individuals below the age of 36 were found to be more likely to engage in SM, along with individuals who had a low monthly income, and no comorbidities. These subjects were practicing SM more than their counterparts and it was statistically significant with theP < 0.05. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the importance of awareness and education regarding the proper use of over‑the‑counter drugs and recommends educating pharmacists and the public about the same. Public health programs should be introduced for the people living in slums to create cautiousness about SM.
RESUMO
Introduction: During menopause, women experience various psychological or physical changes which need adequate attention. Moreover, women don’t seek help for these problems due to their hesitancy, lack of awareness, socio-cultural, financial constraints or as they feel this is a natural-phenomenon. The study aims to explore the postmenopausal experiences faced by women during menopause and to elicit the constraints faced by them in seeking health-care services. Methodology: This was a qualitative study with phenomenological approach conducted among post-menopausal women (≥45 years) from Oct 2022-Jan 2023 with the help of In-Depth-Interview guide in four villages of Bhatar Block, Purba-Bardhaman District. Considering the availability of the study participants, they were selected purposively from the list prepared by ASHA of each village and recruitment done till the point of data-saturation. Inductive thematic-analysis was used to identify codes and themes. Results: During menopause, women experienced physical and psychological changes in the body, changes in social life and for these changes they had to adjust to cope-up. They felt various needs like empathy from hus-bands, children, peers. On the other hand, they did not seek help from health-care services due to their knowledge gap, dissatisfaction from previous-visit, cost-issue and unavailability of resources in health-care delivery system. Conclusion: Majority of the post-menopausal women faced various problems associated with menopause, but very few had sought help. So, health care providers have an important role to generate awareness among post-menopausal women regarding physical and mental changes during this phase.
RESUMO
During liver injury, hepatic stellate cells can differentiate into myofibroblast-like structures, which are more susceptible to proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix generation, leading to liver fibrosis. Anaerobic glycolysis is associated with activated stellate cells and glyceraldehyde (GA) is an inhibitor of glucose metabolism. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the anti-fibrotic effects of GA in human stellate LX-2 cells. In this study, we used cell viability, morphological analysis, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), western blotting, and qRT-PCR techniques to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-fibrotic effects of GA in LX-2 cells. The results showed that GA significantly reduced cell density and inhibited cell proliferation and lactate levels in LX-2 cells but not in Hep-G2 cells. We found that GA prominently increased the activation of caspase-3/9 for apoptosis induction, and a pan-caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-fmk, attenuated the cell death and apoptosis effects of GA, suggesting caspasedependent cell death. Moreover, GA strongly elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and notably increased the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK. Interestingly, it dramatically reduced α-SMA and collagen type I protein and mRNA expression levels in LX-2 cells. Thus, inhibition of ERK and JNK activation significantly rescued GA-induced cell growth suppression and apoptosis in LX-2 cells. Collectively, the current study provides important information demonstrating the anti-fibrotic effects of GA, a glycolytic metabolite, and demonstrates the therapeutic potency of metabolic factors in liver fibrosis.
RESUMO
Background: Being both highly prevalent public health problems in India, anemia in pregnancy (AIP) is hypothesized as a potential risk factor for low birth weight (LBW) baby as pregnancy outcome. In this context, this study was conducted among pregnant mothers registered in last 2 years under Bhatar block of Purba Bardhaman district, West Bengal. Objectives of this study were to assess the relationship of LBW babies with maternal anemia in antenatal period and also with background characteristics and pregnancy related factors.Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted among postnatal mothers who were registered during their pregnancy in sub-centers of this block during a reference period from April’15th - March’17th. The study subjects were identified from the records of each sub-centre and further categorized into two groups: Exposed (anemic) - Hb <11 gm% in any antenatal visits and Non-exposed(non-anemic) - Hb ≥11 gm% in all antenatal visits. Sample size of 988 for each group was calculated. From each sub-centre’s antenatal record 26 subjects for each group were selected by simple random sampling. Data collected with predesigned pretested schedule and data analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 20. Logistic regression was performed to establish association.Results: Overall incidence of LBW was 8.1%; in anemic, non-anemic group incidence were 10.5%, 5.7% respectively. AIP had relative risk 1.85 (1.36-2.54) over LBW. On multivariable logistic regression, LBW was significantly associated with AIP (2.11, 1.51-2.95), multi-parity (0.63, 0.44-0.9), inadequate ANC visits (2.7, 1.75-4.15) and female gender (1.64, 1.19-2.27).Conclusions: Anemia in pregnancy significantly increases risks of LBW which also strongly associated with female new-born, primi-parity, and incomplete ANC visits
RESUMO
Background: Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant needs in the first six months of life. After 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), WHO recommends infants should receive complementary foods. Only less than half of infants in India initiate breastfeeding within an hour and just about half are exclusively breastfed until 6 months. We conducted this study on various knowledge and practices for successful exclusive breast feeding.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted with pretested and prestructured questionnaire on mothers of children in age group of 6 moths to 5 years.Results: Only 18 (21.7%) are working, 10 (12%) are illiterate and 7 (8.4%) are graduate. All of the mothers have heard about EBF. Mothers with correct knowledge of colostrums feeding being beneficial for baby (0.006), prelacteal feeding being harmful to baby (0.0003), knowledge of continuing EBF when baby is sick (0.00002), education (0.00015), when to start complementary feeding(0.001), institutional delivery (0.00002), when latching explained by nurses (0.0116), those who practiced burping (0.017), were significant for EBF for 6 months. Only 42 (50.6%) of mothers fed colostrum to their babies.Conclusions: In this study it was seen that mothers with knowledge for different aspects of breast feeding had more chance of successful EBF. Female literacy was found out to be a strong indicator for successful EBF and also a indicator for colostrum feeding in future pregnancy. Special attention to be given to raise awareness of family members, specially mother in law so that complementary feeding can be started at 6 months.
RESUMO
The action of purified intracellular toxin [PIT] from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was examined in brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The LC50 of the PIT was calculated to be 25 microg/ml. The PIT agglutinated both albino rat and rabbit erythrocytes more potently than did extracellular crude toxin [ECT]. Galactose and Dmannose, however inhibited the agglutination property of PIT and ECT respectively. Intradermal injection of PIT caused changes on the tissues of rabbit skin at a lower dose than that of ECT
Assuntos
Animais de Laboratório , Hemaglutinação , Ratos , Coelhos , Artemia , Testes de Inibição da Hemaglutinação , Eritrócitos , Galactose , ManoseRESUMO
An intracellular protease was extracted and purified from Pseudomonas aeruginosa by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose followed by CM"cellulose and rechromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The purified protease was found to be homogeneous as judged by polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis [PAGE]. The molecular mass of the protease as determined by gel filtration on G-150 was about 48,000 and about 49,000 on SDS-PAGE. The enzyme is monomeric in nature. The purified protease is a glycoprotein with neutral sugar content of 0.6%. The Km value of the protease was found to be 0.48% against casein as substrate. The enzyme is stable up to 600C and showed maximum activity around 500C. The enzyme activity was affected with the changes of pH and the maximum proteolytic activity was observed at pH 8.0. The protease activity was inhibited in the presence of EDTA, Cu2+, Mn2+and Hg2+ whereas the presence of Ca2+, K+, Na+ and ascorbic acid enhanced the activity