Objectives: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and news of daily increasing cases inside Nepal and worldwide is adding to the fear that leads to anger, anxiety, frustration, and stress, emotions that directly affect sleep quality. This study aimed to assess sleep disturbances during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Nepalese population. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 206 Nepali residents who completed anonymous self-administered questionnaires. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) questionnaire was used to measure sleep disturbances before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The gathered data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics using SPSS version 20 statistical software. Results: There was a significant variation in sleep disturbances among Nepalese residents before versus after the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001). The prevalence of clinical moderate insomnia has increased tremendously in Nepalese individuals. Before the pandemic’s onset, only 3.9% of the participants had moderate to severe levels of clinical insomnia; after its onset, this value increased to 17.5%. The mean ISI scores were 6.35±4.65 and 8.01±6.01 before and after the pandemic’s onset, respectively. Conclusions Our study findings suggest that people are suffering tremendously with sleep disturbances and calls for further research and active measures to help increase sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

No abstract available.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; B-Lymphocytes* ; Hypercalcemia* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma*

PURPOSE: Celiac disease is a common non-communicable disease with varied presentations. Purpose of this study was to find the duodeno-endoscopic features in celiac disease and to compare duodeno-endoscopic and histological findings between typical and atypical celiac disease in children. METHODS: Hospital based observational study was conducted at Sir Padampat Mother and Child Health Institute, Jaipur from June 2015 to May 2016. Patients were selected and divided in two groups- typical and atypical celiac disease based upon the presenting symptoms. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and duodenal biopsy was performed for serology positive patients. Results were analysed using appropriate statistical test of significance. RESULTS: Out of 101 enrolled patients, 47.5% were male. Age ranged from 1 to 18 years. Study showed that 54.5% were typical and 45.5% were atypical. Patients presenting with atypical symptoms were predominantly of older age group. On endoscopy, scalloping, mosaic pattern, reduced fold height and absent fold height; and in histology, advanced Marsh stage were significantly higher in the typical group. CONCLUSION: Awareness of atypical presentations as well as duodeno-endoscopic features may have considerable practical importance for the diagnosis of celiac disease in children. Scalloping, mosaic pattern, reduced fold height and nodularity are main endoscopic markers of celiac disease in children. Endoscopic markers of duodenal mucosa may be important in early diagnosis of celiac disease, in children subjected to endoscopy for atypical presentations or indication other than suspected celiac disease.
Biopsy ; Celiac Disease* ; Child Health ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Humans ; Male ; Mothers ; Mucous Membrane ; Observational Study ; Pectinidae ; Wetlands

Objectives: Dental or maxillofacial emergencies are uncommon during pregnancy, but if they occur, they are challenging to treat due to potential risks. The mother should not be denied necessary medical or dental care because of pregnancy. The aim of the study is to observe outcomes of pregnancy in patients requiring emergency minor oral surgical procedures during gestation and to determine the safety of the pregnant woman undergoing the procedure and the fetus. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 52 pregnant women requiring emergency oral surgical procedures. A standard treatment protocol for treatment of specific entities was followed. Close monitoring and observation were the primary goal of treatment. All patients were followed postoperatively until complete recovery from the surgical procedures and then until birth of the baby. A control group of 52 healthy pregnant patients who did not require oral surgical procedures was considered for statistical analysis. The measurements to calculate observation were fetal loss (spontaneous abortion), preterm birth, low-birth weight, or incidence of any congenital anomalies in the baby and its association with surgical procedures. Results: No fetal loss occurred in any of the cases. However, four patients experienced preterm birth and seven neonates exhibited low birth weights.No congenital abnormalities were discovered. In one instance, a patient who underwent surgery for a mandibular symphysis fracture under general anesthesia in the 31st week of pregnancy experienced labor pain on the fourth postoperative day, requiring an emergency Caesarean section. Conclusion The results of our study demonstrate that, compared to the control group, minor emergency surgeries performed during pregnancy have no discernible negative effects on the fetus. These procedures can safely be performed by adhering to our described protocols.

Objective: Cervical cancer (CC) is a major public health problem in women, and its early detection can help reduce morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to compare serum levels of soluble major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain A (sMICA) levels in various body fluids between women diagnosed with CC and healthy women. Methods: A case-control study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital and a cancer center in Kolhapur, India. Overall, 150 individuals (100 CC patients and 50 healthy women) participated after providing informed written consent. Demographic data, histopathology history, parity, and tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) staging data were collected. Pap smears, saliva, blood, and urine samples were collected. Pap smears were examined microscopically, and sMICA levels in all samples were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Results: The mean age of women with cervical cancer was 49.86±8.18 years. Squamous cell carcinoma (70%) was the most common histological variant in CC patients. Serum soluble sMICA levels differed significantly with parity and TNM staging (P<0.05). Mean levels of sMICA were significantly different in samples (CC cases vs. healthy patients; saliva: 166.721±108.718 vs. 0.039±0.005 pg/mL; urine: 82.921±45.580 vs. 0.010±0.005 pg/mL; serum: 35.756±10.799 vs. 0.039±0.005 pg/mL, P<0.001). Conclusion Levels of sMICA in body fluids can be considered as a diagnostic or prognostic tool to determine disease progression or tumor regression.

[Objective] To explore the application of Quality by Design (QbD) tools in assessing geographical variations of Phyllanthus emblica (P. emblica) from five distinct Indian states. [Methods] In the current experiment, the Box-Behnken design with a reduced quartic model and 105 runs was employed with the use of the Design Expert software for randomized response surface mapping. Three different extraction methods (Soxhlet, maceration, and sonication) along with three solventst [distilled water, methanol, and water-methanol mixture (50 : 50 v/v)] were considered in the present study. The anti-oxidant activities, total flavonoid content (TFC), and total phenolic content (TPC) in the P. emblica were determined and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify the major components. [Results] The QbD overlay plot showed that the extractive value of the P. emblica was no less than 30% w/w, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) no less than 60% mcg/mL (micrograms per millilitre), TFC no less than 75 mg QE/g (milligrams of quercetin equivalents per gram), and TPC no less than 80 mg GAE/g (milligrams of gallic acid equivalents per gram). Moreover, the GC-MS data confirmed the presence of variation in the bioactives of P. emblica extracts. [Conclusion] The model was significant in describing the variation in extractive value, DPPH, TFC, and TPC. The QbD approach may tend to prioritize thoroughness in the extraction process, ultimately resulting in improved quality in the extracted products.