Frequency Of Vaginal Birth After Caesarean Section And Its Fetomaternal Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC) is associated with reduced blood loss and transfusions, fewer infections, and fewer thromboembolic events as compared to caesarean delivery. The current rate of repeat caesarean after one previous caesarean is above the WHO standard of 15%. We aimed to determine the occurrence of VBAC and to determine the occurrence of feto-maternal outcomes in successful VBAC cases so that trials of VBAC can be given to carefully selected patients to reduce the rate of repeat caesarean section. METHODS: The Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Rawalpindi's Obstetrics and Gynaecology department conducted this cross-sectional study from March 20 to September 19, 2021. After obtaining ethical committee approval, data was collected using a non-probability, consecutive sampling technique from 150 patients on a self-developed structured proforma. Patients between the age range of 20-35 years with a history of previous lower segment caesarean section, having gestational age between 37-41 weeks and who presented in spontaneous labour were included in this study. After taking informed consent, all women were given a trial of labour and the outcome of the trial was noted. Women were followed for the feto-maternal outcomes. The gathered information was analysed using SPSS version 25.0. Post-stratification, a p-value of 0.05 or lower on the chi-square test was deemed statistically significant. RESULTS: Following a C-section, 28.67% of patients experienced successful vaginal births. PPH was found in 2.32%, scar dehiscence in 0.0%, low birth weight babies in 16.28%, APGAR score <7 at 1 minute was 23.26% and NICU admission as 9.30% in women undergoing vaginal birth after caesarean section. CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate selection of patients for the trial of VBAC can help reduce the higher rate of repeat caesarean section after a previous caesarean section and increase the chances of successful vaginal birth.

Emerging Trends for Nonthermal Decontamination of Raw and Processed Meat: Ozonation, High-Hydrostatic Pressure and Cold Plasma.

Meat may contain natural, spoilage, and pathogenic microorganisms based on the origin and characteristics of its dietary matrix. Several decontamination substances are used during or after meat processing, which include chlorine, organic acids, inorganic phosphates, benzoates, propionates, bacteriocins, or oxidizers. Unfortunately, traditional decontamination methods are often problematic because of their adverse impact on the quality of the raw carcass or processed meat. The extended shelf-life of foods is a response to the pandemic trend, whereby consumers are more likely to choose durable products that can be stored for a longer period between visits to food stores. This includes changing purchasing habits from "just in time" products "for now" to "just in case" products, a trend that will not fade away with the end of the pandemic. To address these concerns, novel carcass-decontamination technologies, such as ozone, high-pressure processing and cold atmospheric plasma, together with active and clean label ingredients, have been investigated for their potential applications in the meat industry. Processing parameters, such as exposure time and processing intensity have been evaluated for each type of matrix to achieve the maximum reduction of spoilage microorganism counts without affecting the physicochemical, organoleptic, and functional characteristics of the meat products. Furthermore, combined impact (hurdle concept) was evaluated to enhance the understanding of decontamination efficiency without undesirable changes in the meat products. Most of these technologies are beneficial as they are cost-effective, chemical-free, eco-friendly, easy to use, and can treat foods in sealed packages, preventing the product from post-process contamination. Interestingly, their synergistic combination with other hurdle approaches can help to substitute the use of chemical food preservatives, which is an aspect that is currently quite desirable in the majority of consumers. Nonetheless, some of these techniques are difficult to store, requiring a large capital investment for their installation, while a lack of certification for industrial utilization is also problematic. In addition, most of them suffer from a lack of sufficient data regarding their mode of action for inactivating microorganisms and extending shelf-life stability, necessitating a need for further research in this area.

Insight into prognostics, diagnostics, and management strategies for SARS CoV-2.

The foremost challenge in countering infectious diseases is the shortage of effective therapeutics. The emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has posed a great menace to the public health system globally, prompting unprecedented endeavors to contain the virus. Many countries have organized research programs for therapeutics and management development. However, the longstanding process has forced authorities to implement widespread infrastructures for detailed prognostic and diagnostics study of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS CoV-2). This review discussed nearly all the globally developed diagnostic methodologies reported for SARS CoV-2 detection. We have highlighted in detail the approaches for evaluating COVID-19 biomarkers along with the most employed nucleic acid- and protein-based detection methodologies and the causes of their severe downfall and rejection. As the variable variants of SARS CoV-2 came into the picture, we captured the breadth of newly integrated digital sensing prototypes comprised of plasmonic and field-effect transistor-based sensors along with commercially available food and drug administration (FDA) approved detection kits. However, more efforts are required to exploit the available resources to manufacture cheap and robust diagnostic methodologies. Likewise, the visualization and characterization tools along with the current challenges associated with waste-water surveillance, food security, contact tracing, and their role during this intense period of the pandemic have also been discussed. We expect that the integrated data will be supportive and aid in the evaluation of sensing technologies not only in current but also future pandemics.

Cr2O3-TiO2-Modified Filter Paper-Based Portable Nanosensors for Optical and Colorimetric Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide.

In the present approach, a Cr2O3-TiO2-modified, portable, and biomimetic nanosensor was designed to meet the requirement of a robust and colorimetric sensing of hydrogen peroxide. Cr2O3-TiO2 nanocomposites prepared via the hydrothermal method were fabricated as a transducer surface on the filter paper using the sol-gel matrix. The color on the filter paper sensor changed from green to blue upon the addition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of TMB. This change in the color intensity was linear with the concentration of H2O2. RGB software was used as a color analyzing model to evaluate the optical signals. This paper-based colorimetric platform provided us with an improved analytical figure of merit with a linear range of 0.005-100 µM with 0.003 µM limit of detection. The real sample analysis and excellent anti-interference potential results proved the good analytical performance of the proposed design, providing a more promising tool for colorimetric H2O2 detection. Introducing Cr2O3-TiO2 nanocomposite-based paper sensors, being a novel method for optical and colorimetric detection, can pave the way for the development of other sensing devices for the detection of different analytes.

Two-Dimensional Nanostructures for Electrochemical Biosensor.

Current advancements in the development of functional nanomaterials and precisely designed nanostructures have created new opportunities for the fabrication of practical biosensors for field analysis. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) nanomaterials provide unique hierarchical structures, high surface area, and layered configurations with multiple length scales and porosity, and the possibility to create functionalities for targeted recognition at their surface. Such hierarchical structures offer prospects to tune the characteristics of materials-e.g., the electronic properties, performance, and mechanical flexibility-and they provide additional functions such as structural color, organized morphological features, and the ability to recognize and respond to external stimuli. Combining these unique features of the different types of nanostructures and using them as support for bimolecular assemblies can provide biosensing platforms with targeted recognition and transduction properties, and increased robustness, sensitivity, and selectivity for detection of a variety of analytes that can positively impact many fields. Herein, we first provide an overview of the recently developed 2D nanostructures focusing on the characteristics that are most relevant for the design of practical biosensors. Then, we discuss the integration of these materials with bio-elements such as bacteriophages, antibodies, nucleic acids, enzymes, and proteins, and we provide examples of applications in the environmental, food, and clinical fields. We conclude with a discussion of the manufacturing challenges of these devices and opportunities for the future development and exploration of these nanomaterials to design field-deployable biosensors.