Prevalence and risk factors for falls among the community dwelling older adults of Thrissur: A pilot study.

Background: According to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, every year 28-35% of people over 65 years and 32-42% of people over 70 years experience falls. Given that many falls are preventable, can occur in any population, and can result in significant morbidity and mortality, falls are receiving more attention as a major global issue.

Objective: The objectives of this study were as follows: 1.

Mitigation of quorum sensing mediated virulence factors of : the role of Meldrum's acid activated furan.

The rapid emergence of drug resistant pathogens is a major threat which has warranted the development of alternative strategies to combat infectious diseases. In this work, we have tested the anti-virulent activity of Meldrum's acid activated furan (MAF) and 1,3-dimethyl barbituric acid activated furan (BAF) against and . It was found that MAF significantly reduced the violacein production and biofilm formation of at sub-inhibitory concentrations.

Leprous Neuropathy: Observational Study Highlighting the Role of Electrophysiology in Early Diagnosis.

 Worldwide leprosy is a common cause of peripheral neuropathy. Electrophysiology is underutilized in its diagnosis.  This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of electrophysiological study in the diagnosis of leprous neuropathy.

Burden of Illness Due to Fibromyalgia in a Neurology Clinic.

 Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common disorder in general population and it causes an increased patient load in hospitals and specialty clinics. FM attendance will be high in clinics dealing with neuropathic pain and other pain syndromes. Though prevalence of FM has been studied in community and pain clinics in other countries, it has not so far been studied in India.

Informing the uninformed: optimizing the consent message using a fractional factorial design.

Importance: Research information should be presented in a manner that promotes understanding. However, many parents and research subjects have difficulty understanding and making informed decisions.

Objective: To examine the effect of different communication strategies on parental understanding of research information.

Explaining state-to-state differences in seat belt use: A multivariate analysis of cultural variables.

There is considerable variation in seat belt use within the United States despite extensive evidence that the use of seat belts saves lives. Previous studies have identified some important factors that affect belt use rates, including gender, age, race, vehicle type, seat-belt enforcement laws, and amount of fine for belt-use law violation. In this study, we examined the influence of additional socio-demographic factors on state-level use rates: education (percentage of high school educated population), racial composition (percentage White), median household income, political leaning (percentage Democrat), and a measure of religiosity.

Women's interest in taking tamoxifen and raloxifene for breast cancer prevention: response to a tailored decision aid.

Although tamoxifen can prevent primary breast cancer, few women use it as a preventive measure. A second option, raloxifene, has recently been approved. The objective of the study was to determine women's interest in tamoxifen and raloxifene after reading a decision aid (DA) describing the risks and benefits of each medication.

Women's decisions regarding tamoxifen for breast cancer prevention: responses to a tailored decision aid.

Tamoxifen reduces primary breast cancer incidence, yet causes serious side effects. To date, few women with increased breast cancer risk have elected to use tamoxifen for chemoprevention. The objective of the study was to determine women's knowledge of and attitudes toward tamoxifen following exposure to a tailored decision aid (DA).

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation in Colletotrichum falcatum and C. acutatum.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) is becoming an effective system as an insertional mutagenesis tool in filamentous fungi. We developed and optimized ATMT for two Colletotrichum species, C. falcatum and C.