Promotion of toilet construction and usage in rural Tamil Nadu: A mixed-methods evaluation study.

Background: Open defecation is the leading cause for malnutrition and diarrhoeal deaths in low- and middle-income countries. The negative public health impacts of open defecation could be neutralized by toilet usage. However, the usage of improved sanitation facilities is unsatisfactory in rural India.

Reasons and solutions for unhealthy food consumption and physical inactivity among school-going adolescents: A sequential mixed-methods study in Puducherry, South India.

Background: Unhealthy food consumption and physical inactivity in adolescents play a key role in the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Objectives: The study was planned to capture the reasons and solutions for unhealthy food consumption and physical inactivity among school-going adolescents.

Methods: A school-based sequential mixed-methods study was conducted in Puducherry for six months.

New insights into the antibacterial mode of action of quercetin against uropathogen Serratia marcescens in-vivo and in-vitro.

In the course of a quest for therapeutic agents inhibiting uropathogens, the rise and universal blowout of antibiotic-resistant organisms is a wide problem. To overcome this matter, exploration of alternative antimicrobials is necessary. The antimicrobial potential of quercetin has been widely described against some pathogenic microorganisms, but to the best of our knowledge, no report exists against the pathogenicity of uropathogenic Serratia marcescens.

Association of Alzheimer's disease and periodontitis - a systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence from observational studies.

The relationship between periodontitis (or periodontal disease) with Alzheimer's disease has been reported by various primary sources in the past decade, but not with a solid secondary research statement. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and registered (Reference number: CRD42020185264) with PROSPERO (International prospective register for systematic reviews). A literature search was conducted on specific databases for suitable articles in English language.

Breastfeeding Positioning and Attachment among Postnatal Mothers: A Mixed Methods Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Puducherry, South India.

Introduction: Proper positioning and attachment play a key role in exclusive breastfeeding. Whereas incorrect breastfeeding techniques lead to poor milk transfer and early discontinuation of breastfeeding.

Objectives: 1.

Association of Dyslipidemia with Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Hospital-Based Study.

Background: Dyslipidemia is an important risk factor that can lead to the progression of retinopathy (DR). Diabetic dyslipidemia with low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and increased triglycerides (TGs) are seen frequently among Type 2 diabetic mellitus.

Aims And Objectives: (1) To assess the level of serum lipids (total cholesterol, TGs, HDL, and low-density lipoprotein [LDL]) among type 2 diabetes patients.

Prophylactic Medications Taken by Healthcare Workers for COVID-19; A Mixed Methods Study from South India.

Background: COVID-19 is an unprecedented pandemic that has taken the modern world under seize. In spite of lack of solid evidence, certain federal governments had recommended the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), chloroquine, and azithromycin as prophylactic medications either for contacts or for healthcare providers in particular. The objective of this study is to assess the issues related to intake of prophylactic medications in view of COVID-19 and the proportion and pattern of side effects.

Drug utilization pattern and factors associated with polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy in geriatric medical out-patients at a rural health training centre in India.

Context: Multiple chronic illnesses associated with ageing population demands the role of polypharmacy. Drug utilization study in terms of description of drug use pattern in the geriatric patients aids in monitoring polypharmacy as well as to determine the factors contributing to it.

Objectives: To analyse the drug utilization pattern in geriatric patients at a rural health training centre.

COVID-19 and police personnel: An exploratory community based study from South India.

Introduction: COVID-19 has ensured that countries enforced complete lock down to prevent the spread of infection. Despite millions of people working from home during this pandemic situation, police personnel 'the front line workers' who deal with the general population to ensure their safety and wellbeing are at risk of stress and other mental health problems in addition to the risk of infection itself.

Aim: The aim of this study is to explore the perception of police personnel towards the disease, factors influencing stress and coping abilities of them amid COVID-19.

Recent Updates in Spinal Anesthesia-A Narrative Review.

Spinal anesthesia is a commonly performed regional technique by a majority of the anesthesiologists worldwide. This technique is learnt early during training and relatively easy to master. Despite being the oldest regional anesthesia technique, it continues to evolve and develop in various aspects.

Structured form of DHA prevents neurodegenerative disorders: A better insight into the pathophysiology and the mechanism of DHA transport to the brain.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is one of the most important fatty acids that plays a critical role in maintaining proper brain function and cognitive development. Deficiency of DHA leads to several neurodegenerative disorders and, therefore, dietary supplementations of these fatty acids are essential to maintain cognitive health. However, the complete picture of how DHA is incorporated into the brain is yet to be explored.

Listeria monocytogens - Amended understanding of its pathogenesis with a complete picture of its membrane vesicles, quorum sensing, biofilm and invasion.

Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous, intracellular foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis in animals and humans. Pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes easily adapted to the conditions of human gastrointestinal tract and tolerate the counter changes such as acidity, bile, osmolarity, and antimicrobial peptides. They secrete specialized biologically active extra organ called membrane vesicles which comprises proteins, lipids, and lipopolysaccharides.

Assessment of Oral Mucosal Integrity Status in Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis.

Background: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis represents one of the most common oral pathoses with multifactorial etiology. Decrease in mucosal barrier resistance is believed to be one of the etiologies in its pathogenesis. This study was conducted to assess the oral mucosal integrity status by evaluating the salivary albumin level in patients with aphthous stomatitis.

A Comparative Data Analysis of 1835 Road Traffic Accident Victims.

Aims And Objectives: The purpose of the study was to analyze and compare the incidence of road traffic accidents (RTA) with head injuries and maxillofacial injuries in two arterial roads, Old Mahabalipuram road (OMR) and East Coast road (ECR), connecting with Chennai city and outlining the need of safety precautions to be followed to reduce the incidence of morbidity.

Materials And Methods: This study involved the medical records of about 1835 trauma victims who reported to Chettinad Health city, kelambakkam, between August 2008 and June 2013. The data analyzed were, age of trauma victims, gender, type of trauma, type of vehicle, accident time, accident zone, presence of head injury, maxillofacial injury and history of alcohol consumption.

A case of stridor due to subglottic stenosis resulting from relapsing polychondritis in a young woman.

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare and severe progressive, multisystem autoimmune disease that affects cartilaginous tissues predominantly of the ear, nose, respiratory system and joints. The rarity of the disease, its unknown aetiology, the array of many possible presenting symptoms, lack of specific investigation for diagnosis and episodic nature, often cause a significant delay in diagnosis. We report a case of a young woman presenting with stridor due to subglottic stenosis of the trachea.

Annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma in association with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma (AEGCG) is a rare granulomatous skin disease characterized clinically by annular plaques with elevated borders and atrophic centers found mainly on sun-exposed skin and histologically by diffuse granulomatous infiltrates composed of multinucleated giant cells, histiocytes and lymphocytes in the dermis along with phagocytosis of elastic fibers by multinucleated giant cells. We report a case of AEGCG in a 50-year-old woman and is highlighted for the classical clinical and histological findings of the disease and its rare co-existence with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Isolated tuberculous lymphadenitis presenting as bilateral buboes.

Inguinal and femoral buboes are defined as localized enlargement of lymph nodes in the groin that are painful, and may or may not be fluctuant. We report a case of 42-year-old female who presented with bilateral inguinal swelling of 6 months duration. After a complete evaluation, she was found to be a case of isolated inguinal tuberculous lymphadenitis.