Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is a serious disorder of the immune system in which the body’s normal defenses against infection break down, leaving it vulnerable to a host of life-threatening infections. Human immunodeficiency and Treponema pallidum causative organism of syphilis share mode of transmission and risk factors. The study was conducted to assess the extent of seropositivity of syphilis among HIV positive patients at tertiary care hospital in Rajkot from JUNE 2016 to MAY 2017 and evaluate the need of routine screening for this infection among such patients. The samples were tested for HIV as per Strategy III of National AIDS control organization by using different system of testing to establish diagnosis of HIV. Samples were tested for antibodies to Treponema Pallidum by qualitative Rapid Plasma Reagine (RPR); reactive samples were retested with quantitative RPR (to rule out biological false positive samples) and by qualitative Treponema Pallidum heamagglutination test (TPHA) for confirmation of positive samples. Out of total 300 HIV positive patients, 69.67% were male and 30.00% were female. Only one was transgender. Out of 300 samples tested, 7(2.33%) samples were positive for syphilis with 5(2.39%) of male and 2(2.22%) of female patients. Higher prevalence was observed in age group of 21-30yrs 3(4.62%) and in male patients. We believe our data could help health professionals to deal better with HIV infected patients. We also believe our data reinforces the need of prevention programs on HIV transmission, which also lead to reduction in prevalence of Syphilis.

Introduction: Placenta is a functional unit between the mother and the foetus. Human placenta is discoid, deciduate, haemochorial, chorioallantoic, labyrinthine and endocrine gland which connects developing embryo by umbilical cord to the endometrium of mother’s uterus. It develops from two sources. Material and Method: This is a prospective study conducted at Department of Anatomy and Physiology, at Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital over a period of 1 year. Inclusion Criteria: Totally, 70 healthy mothers who gave birth to uncomplicated singleton pregnancy, and their new-borns were included in the study. Exclusion Criteria: Subjects with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, anaemia, vascular diseases and multiple pregnancies were excluded in this study. Result: The New-born body mass index (Kg/m2) was measured and the majorities (55.7%) of the new-born were within 11-13 followed by 25.7% of the new-born were more than 14 and the lesser proportion of 18.5% was <10 BMI (Kg/m2). The mean placental weight (in gms) for the female babies <10 BMI (Kg/m2) were 386.62±45.72. The Mean placental weight (in gms) for the male and female babies of BMI 11-13 (Kg/m2) were 398.53±43.74 and 478.63±49.48 respectively. The mean placental diameter (in cms) for the female babies of <10 BMI (Kg/m2) were 14.64±1.23. The mean placental diameter (in cms) for the male and female babies were 15.64±1.53 and 16.64±1.42 respectively of BMI of 11-13 (Kg/m2). Moreover, mean placental diameter (in cms) for the male and female babies were 17.54±1.67 and 16.68±1.86 respectively of BMI of 11-13 (Kg/m2). Conclusion: This study confirms that morphometric observation of placenta is associated with foetal weight. So, an early examination of not only the fetus, but also the placenta by non-invasive techniques like ultrasonography will be helpful to predict and to avoid low birth weight babies with better preventive measures. This study will also make the physicians and researcher to focus on the placenta.

Pap smear is a screening procedure to detect precancerous lesions to prevent subsequent invasive cervical cancer. Manual Liquid Based Cytology (MLBC) has been developed as an alternative to Conventional Pap Smear (CPS) as it is said to increase the rate of detection of precancerous lesions as it reduces the screening time, the artefacts, giving a clean background on the smear. In this study, cervical screening was performed in all married women of reproductive age group who visited Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology over a period of one year from February 2017 to January 2018. Out of which 350 cases were randomly selected for comparison between CPS and MLBC. Slides were examined for cytomorphological parameters. CPS showed higher percentage of inflammatory lesion 80% as compared to MLBC with 46.1%, Unsatisfactory smear in CPS was 10% and in MLBC was 49%, Normal smear was reported in 07% cases in CPS and 3.15% in MLBC. Most common cause of unsatisfactory smear in CPS is obscuration by blood and inflammation whereas that in MLBC was scant cellularity. The cellular features are better in MLBC as compared to CPS and also background is more clear in MLBC as there was no obscuration by RBCs or inflammatory cells while in CPS, the background is dirty due to the presence of RBCs, necrosis and inflammation

The placenta is a vital organ for maintaining pregnancy and fetal development. We studied the influence of placental morphometric measurements (weight and diameter) on the body mass index (BMI) of the newborn. The present study was carried out at Dr. BR Ambedkar medical college and KC General Hospital Bangalore. Hundred and eight mothers who gave birth to uncomplicated singleton pregnancy, and their newborn were examined. Placental weight, diameter, birthweight and crown to heel length were recorded immediately after delivery by electronic weighing balance, Infantometer and measuring tape. BMI was calculated in kgs/m2. 58 Females and 50 Males new born babies were classified on the basis of body mass index (kg/m2) into 3 groups. Group I BMI <10, Group II BMI 10-13 and Group III BMI >13. The mean placental weight (in gms) and diameter (in cms) for the male babies in the Group II and III were 466.01 ± 78.23, 524.4 ± 39.51 and 16.9 ±0.69, 18.2 ± 1.05 respectively. However there were no babies in Group I. The mean placental weight (in gms) and diameter (in cms) for the female babies in the 3 groups were 409.6± 42.74, 489.7 ± 43.57, 521.4 ± 48.7 and 15.8 ± 1.01, 17.0± 0.81 and 17.2 ± 0.76 respectively. There was a statistically significant correlation between placental weight and diameter with BMI of the newborn in Group II and III for male babies and Group I and II for female babies (P<0.05).

This paper investigated the retail gasoline market in Spain for asymmetric price adjustment and rent seeking following changes in crude oil price. The paper used nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) approach and monthly time series data for the period 2005M1 – 2015M12. The results show that the speed of adjustment ranged between 43 – 44 % per month, which is sluggish and typical of markets witnessing lack of competition and prolonged periods of mispricing. In addition the results also show that there is significant evidence of long-run asymmetry even at the 1% level. The estimated coefficients are quite low, suggesting that consumes in this market are somewhat prone to the fluctuations in the crude oil market. Overall, retail gasoline prices respond more swiftly to crude oil cost increases in the long-run than to cost decreases. These results indicate that the market needs continuous monitoring to avoid exploitation of consumers.

Background: Prolonged hospitalization can intensify mental and emotional distress, adversely affecting patient recovery and well-being. Objective: This study evaluates the mental and emotional impact of extended hospital stays on patients in a Saudi Arabian hospital context. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the inpatient unit of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal Hospital, Nursing Department, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, from June 2017 to June 2018. One hundred patients admitted for over ten days were assessed using validated psychological tools, with data analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Among of 100 patients, 72% (n=72) exhibited moderate to severe anxiety, while 65% (n=65) showed symptoms of depression. Emotional distress was identified in 80% (n=80) of participants, with 45% (n=36) experiencing severe distress. Additionally, 68% (n=68) of patients indicated that confinement and isolation significantly contributed to their distress levels. Among those with limited family support, 85% (n=34 out of 40) reported higher levels of anxiety and depression, compared to 61% (n=37 out of 60) among those with regular family interactions. Statistical analysis confirmed a strong association (p < 0.05) between prolonged hospitalization and adverse mental health outcomes, with isolation and lack of support being key contributing factors. Conclusions: Prolonged hospitalization substantially affects mental and emotional well-being, underscoring the need for tailored mental health interventions in long-term care settings.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infections encountered in clinical practice, which cause morbidity in both hospitalized and out patients. Increasing antimicrobial resistance among bacterial uro-pathogens is a significant health concern. Approximately 1 in 3 women will require antimicrobial treatment for a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) before age 24, and 40% to 50% of women will have a UTI during their lifetime. UTIs in male patients are considered complicated. Escherichia coli are the most common cause of UTIs. To determine spectrum of microorganisms responsible for UTIs and their antimicrobial sensitive pattern. Clean-Catch midstream urine of the patients was collected. Urine samples received in microbiology laboratory for culture from 881 patients clinically suspected of having urinary tract infection during the study period were processed according to standard protocol. Isolates were identified by conventional phenotypic methods and antibiotic sensitivity determined by standard Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method and follow Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. In this study 191 (21.68 %) patients out of 881 were shown to be urine culture positive out of them 122 (63.87%) females and 69 (36.13%) males. The most isolated bacterium was E. coli with frequency rate of 126 (65.97%). The other bacteria were Klebsiella spp. 35(18.32%), Pseudomonas spp. 18 (9.43%), and Acinetobacter spp. 12 (6.28%). It is concluded that Gram-negative bacilli were responsible for UTI infections in our patients. The most common isolated bacteria from urinary tract infections were E. coli followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae. The most effective antimicrobial agent was Imipenam and the least effective one was cephalexin.

Background: Colon cancer is a major cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with increasing incidence, particularly in high-risk populations. Early detection through screening, such as the Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality. FOBT, which detects microscopic blood in stool, is a simple, cost-effective, and non-invasive method. Screening programs using FOBT are especially valuable in high-risk populations, though their effectiveness in different groups remains under study. Aim of the study: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of screening FOBT in the early detection and prevention of colon cancer by analyzing its role in influencing treatment outcomes and adverse effects. Methods: This retrospective observational study, conducted at the Department of (Name), (Name) Medical College and Hospital, Saudi Arabia, included 500 patients aged 40 and older who underwent FOBT screening for colon cancer between March and October 2016. Data were gathered from electronic medical records (EMR), covering demographics, medical history, FOBT results, follow-up procedures, diagnosis, treatment plans, and outcomes. Inclusion criteria were patients with complete records and FOBT screening, while exclusions included those under 40, incomplete records, and those not screened. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, with results expressed as means ± SD and frequencies/percentages. Result: The majority of patients are aged between 40 and 69, with a significant portion (30.0%) aged 50-59. Male patients make up 60% of the sample. Notably, 40% have a family history of colon cancer, and 20% have a history of polyps. The FOBT test was positive in 20%, with 10% showing precancerous lesions and 12% diagnosed with cancer. Treatment predominantly involves surgery (9%) and chemotherapy (4%). Most patients (78%) have no disease post-treatment, though complications occur in 10%. Conclusion: According to our study findings Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) is effective for early colon cancer detection, identifying precancerous lesions and various cancer stages. With a 20% positivity rate, FOBT led to timely colonoscopies, improving patient outcomes.

This paper investigated the Spanish retail diesel market for evidence of asymmetric price adjustment and rent-seeking following changes in crude oil prices. The study used the nonlinear autoregressive distributed Lag (NARDL) modeling framework and monthly time series data for the period January 2005 to December 2015. The results indicate that Spanish diesel market is fraught with sluggish speed of adjustment, which is typical of markets witnessing uncompetitive pricing and other irregular behaviours by retail firms. The results further indicate that Spanish diesel market is bedeviled by the problem of short-run asymmetric price transmission from crude oil markets, which is consistent with the rockets and fathers effect. Further still, we find that retail firms in the Spanish automotive diesel markets may be exploiting the tax system to conceal rentseeking behaviours. This paper therefore supports policies that will encourage continuous monitoring of the market for irregular behaviors since the observed problems have antitrust and consumer welfare implications.

Background: Para-prosthetic leakage (PPL) is a significant complication following mechanical prosthetic mitral valve replacement, potentially impacting patient outcomes. The choice of suturing technique, continuous or interrupted, plays a pivotal role in determining the frequency and severity of PPL. Objective: To compare the frequency of para-prosthetic leakage in patients undergoing mechanical prosthetic mitral valve replacement using continuous versus interrupted suturing techniques. Methods: This observational study was conducted at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh, from September 2015 to August 2017. A total of 40 patients requiring mitral valve replacement were included and randomly divided into two groups: Group A (continuous suturing, n=20) and Group B (interrupted suturing, n=20). Baseline demographic and clinical data were recorded. The primary outcome was the incidence of PPL, assessed by transthoracic echocardiography at one month postoperatively. Results: The mean age of the patients was 37.3±11.5 years in Group A and 40.2±11.1 years in Group B. Mild PPL was observed in 15% of patients in Group A and 10% in Group B, a difference that was statistically nonsignificant (p>0.05). PPL jets in both groups were predominantly mild and clinically insignificant. The continuous suturing technique was associated with significantly shorter cross-clamp (57.8±22.4 vs. 77.5±18.6 minutes; p<0.05) and bypass times (105.9±37.3 vs. 134.7±33.2 minutes; p<0.05) compared to the interrupted technique. Conclusion: Both suturing techniques demonstrated comparable rates of para-prosthetic leakage, with a slight, nonsignificant trend toward reduced PPL in the interrupted group. However, the continuous suturing technique provided the advantage of reduced operative times. Further large-scale studies are recommended to validate these findings.

The purpose of any blood/ blood product, when needs to be transfused to any patient, must be a safe one. For that reason, mandatory screening for diseases like HIV, HBV, HCV, Malaria & syphilis are done in all the authentic blood banks in Odisha. Conventionally screening tests for these diseases are usually done by rapid tests/ ELISA tests. During last few years to lessen the window period of these diseases, more advanced test modality like NAT (Nucleic Acid Testing) has been introduced in some transfusion centers in India. The present study has been done to find out the benefit & limitation of the NAT test over ELISA test. The study has been carried out over a period of two years in VIMSAR, NAT center of Odisha where all ELISA negative samples are subjected for testing. Some seronegative cases in ELISA when subjected to NAT testing showed positive results. The percentage of positive samples in NAT which have showed negative in ELISA test was found out to be 0.08% in HI, 0.27% in HBV &0.01% in HCV. NAT Screening may be beneficial in the population where sero-prevalence of Transfusion transmitted infection is high. Although NAT has got an added advantage of reducing the window period, all the blood centers of India cannot afford for the cost of NAT test, so proper donor deferral should be adopted during selection of eligible donors.

Background and Aims: Heart Failure (HF) is a multi-faceted and life-threatening syndrome characterized by significant morbidity, mortality, poor functional capacity, poor quality of life and associated high costs. Anemia is a frequently encountered comorbid illness in heart failure. It develops due to the complex interaction of other associated comorbidities like chronic kidney diseases (CKDs), diabetes mellitus, hypertension, micronutrient deficiency and blood loss disorders. Hence, this study was aimed to find out the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among patients with heart failure at tertial care hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods: A hospital based cross sectional study was conducted Department of Cardiology July 2017 August 2018 among consecutively selected 200 patients at BSM Medical University Hospital. Socio-demography, clinical features and laboratory parameters to evaluate anemia were obtained. Ethical clearance was taken from the Institutional Review Committee of institute. Collected data was entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23. Frequency, mean, percentage were calculated and chi square test at 0.05% level of significance was used to find the association. Results: The prevalence of anemia was 65%. Out of 200 patients, majority had iron deficiency anemia (40%), followed by anemia of chronic disease (10%). In this study population, majority (98%) of patients were above age more than 40 years of age and the mean age of the study participants was 65.4±12.5 yrs. More 104 (52%) were male. Among the various religion 87% were Muslim, Hindu (12%) and 1 % other ethnicity. Majority of the study population (61%) were illiterate. 60 percent had iron deficiency without anemia. Female patients 144 (72%) and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 60 (30%) had significantly higher prevalence of anemia (p value <0.05). Conclusions: Nearly two third of heart failure patients had anemia among which iron deficiency anemia was the commonest. Female and patients with COPD had higher prevalence of anemia.

Staphylococcus Aureus is responsible for two main clinical presentations in humans: suppurative infections and toxigenic syndromes. In this work, we report a case of a young patient with necrotizing pneumonia caused by staphylococcus aureus producer Leukocidin of Panton and Valentine which presents a special entity in staphylococcal toxigenic syndromes, owing to the fact that it affects healthy immunocompetent subjects, and that its escalation is extremely fast in time and in the diverse territories of the world.

Background: Maternal body mass index (BMI) is a significant determinant of neonatal outcomes. Both underweight and overweight status before or during pregnancy may lead to adverse birth outcomes, including low birth weight (LBW), macrosomia, and neonatal complications. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and Sibchar Health Complex, Madaripur, from August 2017 to July 2018. A total of 140 pregnant women were enrolled. Maternal BMI was classified based on WHO standards, and birth outcomes including neonatal birth weight and complications were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22, and correlations between maternal BMI and neonatal outcomes were analyzed. Results: In our study, 17.9% of mothers were underweight, 46.4% had normal BMI, 25.0% were overweight, and 10.7% were obese. Low birth weight was most prevalent among underweight mothers (60.0%), whereas macrosomia occurred more frequently in overweight (11.4%) and obese mothers (26.6%). Neonatal complications, including hypoglycemia (22.9% in overweight; 40.0% in obese), respiratory distress, NICU admission, and birth injury were notably higher among neonates born to overweight and obese mothers. A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between maternal BMI and neonatal birth weight (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study highlights a strong correlation between maternal BMI and neonatal birth weight and complications. Both low and high maternal BMI are associated with increased neonatal risks. Proper antenatal care and maternal weight management are crucial for improving perinatal outcomes.

Dengue is one of the most serious mosquito-borne viral infections affecting tropical and subtropical countries in the world. Since there is no immune prophylactic or specific antiviral therapy available, timely and rapid diagnosis plays a vital role in patient management and implementation of control measures. The present study was planned to diagnose the dengue infection by detecting dengue NS-1 antigen & to study the seroprevalence of dengue NS-1 antigen. Dengue NS-1 antigen testing done by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed during July-2017 to September-2018 and the data were analyzed retrospectively. A total 3397 serum samples received from Guru Gobindsingh Hospital (O.P.D. & Indoor) for the detection of Dengue NS-1 Ag. Out of 3397 samples, total 841 (24.48%) were Positive for Dengue NS1 Ag among this, 548 (65.16%) male and 293 (34.84%) female. And 307 (36.50%) were 0-20 years of age, 448 (53.27%) were 21-40 years of age and 86 (10.23%) were >40 years of age. Present study shows that dengue fever is seen more in 21-40 years of age group and more common in male compare to female. Effective implementation of vector control measures through efforts toward vector breeding source reduction and with the use of personal prophylactic measures against mosquito bites will help in reducing the dengue prevalence in the community.