Factors Affecting Post Caesarean Pain Intensity among Women in the Northern Peninsular of Malaysia.

INTRODUCTION: Caesarean section (CS) rate has increased considerably during the past years, accounting for 15% to 25% of births. During post-CS period, moderate to severe postoperative pain is a regularly reported problem. Ideally, the intensity of postoperative pain should be predicted so as to customize analgesia. AIM: To document the CS rate, assess the pain intensity and preoperative factors that may predict post caesarean pain among women in the Obstetric unit of a Hospital Pulau Pinang in Malaysia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 400 caesarean deliveries was conducted between January 2013 and June 2014. The study encompassed patient's demographic data and obstetrics data. The overall pain scores since the time of surgery (2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 hours postoperatively at rest and while moving) were assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS). The data were analyzed by using SPSS software (version 21.0 for Windows). RESULTS: The results demonstrate that within a 48 hours postoperative period, the average pain at rest and while moving was 0.40±0.013 and 0.83±0.017 (VAS score), respectively. Logistic regression identified that a higher BMI (≥30) (OR 1.056; 95% CI=1.003 to 1.113, p=0.04), an increase in operation time (> 60 minutes) (OR 1.009; 95% CI=1.000 to 1.018, p=0.049), Single women (OR 11.597; 95% CI=1.382 to 97.320, p=0.024), blood group type O (OR 1.857; 95% CI=0.543 to 2.040, p = 0.001) and general anesthesia (OR 3.689; 95% CI=1.653 to 8.232, p=0.001) were found to be independent predictors for postcaesarean pain intensity. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that CS rate is 28% among women in the obstetric unit of a Hospital Pulau Pinang and the pain experienced by the study participants was mild. Moreover, the predictive factors for pain intensity may aid in identifying patients at greater risk for postoperative pain. This study concluded that the predictive methods proposed may aid in identifying patients at greater risk for postoperative pain.

Identification of a Novel Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in Porcine Beta-Defensin-1 Gene.

Porcine beta-defensin-1 (PBD-1) gene plays an important role in the innate immunity of pigs. The peptide encoded by this gene is an antimicrobial peptide that has direct activity against a wide range of microbes. This peptide is involved in the co-creation of an antimicrobial barrier in the oral cavity of pigs. The objective of the present study was to detect polymorphisms, if any, in exon-1 and exon-2 regions of PBD-1 gene in Large White Yorkshire (LWY) and native Ankamali pigs of Kerala, India. Blood samples were collected from 100 pigs and genomic DNA was isolated using phenol chloroform method. The quantity of DNA was assessed in a spectrophotometer and quality by gel electrophoresis. Exon-1 and exon-2 regions of PBD-1 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the products were subjected to single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Subsequent silver staining of the polyacrylamide gels revealed three unique SSCP banding patterns in each of the two exons. The presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was confirmed by nucleotide sequencing of the PCR products. A novel SNP was found in the 5'-UTR region of exon-1 and a SNP was detected in the mature peptide coding region of exon-2. In exon-1, the pooled population frequencies of GG, GT, and TT genotypes were 0.67, 0.30, and 0.03, respectively. GG genotype was predominant in both the breeds whereas TT genotype was not detected in LWY breed. Similarly, in exon-2, the pooled population frequencies of AA, AG, and GG genotypes were 0.50, 0.27, and 0.23, respectively. AA genotype was predominant in LWY pigs whereas GG genotype was predominant in native pigs. These results suggest that there exists a considerable genetic variation at PBD-1 locus and further association studies may help in development of a PCR based genotyping test to select pigs with better immunity.

Verification of the identity of bovine semen using DNA microsatellite markers.

Over the past 30 years cattle have been identified by blood typing, but recently the use of DNA markers has provided a more precise method of identifying individuals and verifying their parentage. This article describes the use of microsatellite-based DNA markers for confirming the identity of semen, as part of the evidence presented in a legal dispute. Two panels of markers and two methods for identifying allelic variation are compared; for both approaches the likelihood of finding two Charolais individuals with the same genotype was less than one in a million. Animals can therefore be identified conclusively from DNA samples, a technique which could be of use when their identity is in dispute.

Dwarfism in Dexter cattle is not caused by the mutations in FGFR3 responsible for achondroplasia in humans.

Dexter cattle carry a genetic defect causing a dwarf phenotype in the heterozygotes (Dx+/-), while homozygotes (Dx+/+) are stillborn with extreme shortening of limbs and gross craniofacial defects and are described as 'bulldog' calves. The heterozygous phenotype has been likened to achondroplastic dwarfism in humans (ACH), which has recently been shown to be the result of mutations in the transmembrane region of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene. We have sequenced the transmembrane region of bovine FGFR3 from normal Dexter cattle (Dx-/-) and bulldog calves (Dx+/+). The sequence from both is identical and therefore excludes mutations in the trans-membrane region of FGFR3 as the cause of Dexter dwarfism.

Probability of random sire exclusion using microsatellite markers for parentage verification.

Many microsatellite sequences have been described in the bovine genome. Being highly polymorphic these have been suggested as markers for parentage verification and individual identification in cattle. We have evaluated the use of five highly polymorphic microsatellite markers for parentage verification in 14 breeds of cattle in the UK. Three of the microsatellite loci occur within introns in genes: BoLA DRB3, steroid 21-hydroxylase, and the beta subunit of the follicle-stimulating hormone. The other two are anonymous sites ETH131 and HEL6. Results were analysed by a statistical approach that takes in to account deviations from Hardy-Wienberg equilibrium and linkage disequilibrium for multiple loci. The method of determining the probability of random sire exclusion uses observed genotype frequencies instead of allele frequencies. Independently, the markers used have a probability of between 0.72 and 0.62 of identifying a parentage error, while used together the five markers give, on average across breeds, a probability of 0.99 of excluding an incorrect sire.