Background: Puerperal sepsis is frequently in Caesarean section. Antibiotic prophylaxis may have significant impact in reduction of infections and thus the need to study its role in sepsis prevention systematically. Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of single dose versus multiple doses of a first generation cephalosporin (with Metronidazole), to reduce postoperative infectious morbidity in elective caesarean section. Materials and methods: It was prospective clinical trial of hundred women undergoing elective caesarean section who received either a single prophylactic dose of Cefazolin with Metronidazole post-cord clamping, or multiple postoperative doses of antibiotics based on the standard protocol of the hospital. Duration of the study was seven months and twentytwo days (11th November 2004 to 30th June 2005).Women were compared on the basis of development of postoperative febrile morbidity, endometritis, urinary tract infection, wound infection and other infections. Results: There were no significant differences among the patients in single and multiple dose groups in terms of their age distribution, gravida, period of gestation, smoking status, body mass index, indications for elective caesarean section or operation characteristics. There were 4% and 6% febrile morbidity, 2 (4%) and 0 (0%) urinary tract infection, in the single dose and multiple dose groups respectively. But none of the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: A single prophylactic dose of Cefazolin plus Metronidazole given post-umbilical cord clamping gives as much protection as multiple postoperative doses of Cefazolin/Cefalexin plus Metronidazole in preventing postoperative infectious morbidity in elective caesarean section. Key words: Antibiotic prophylaxis; Caesarean section DOI: 10.3126/kumj.v8i2.3554 Kathmandu University Medical Journal (2010), Vol. 8, No. 2, Issue 30, 179-184

The coat protein (CP) sequences of eleven Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) isolates originating from different locations in India were determined, analysed and compared with the sequences of other isolates of PRSV. The virus isolates from India exhibited considerable heterogeneity in the CP sequences. The CP-coding region varied in size from 840-858 nucleotides, encoding protein of 280-286 amino acids. Comparative sequence analysis revealed that the PRSV isolates originating from India were divergent up to 11%. Though the PRSV isolates were differentiated in to two clusters, yet the sequence variation could not be correlated with the geographical origin of the isolates. Implication of the sequence variation in the coat protein derived transgenic resistance in papaya is discussed.

Forty-eight pairs of MZ and like-sex DZ twins of Panjabi parentage were studied longitudinally for such pubertal changes as growth of genitalia, pubic, axillary and facial hair, change of voice and ejaculation of semen in boys, and growth of pubic and axillary hair, breast development and onset of menarche in girls, besides growth in height and weight. Mean intra-pair age differences are small and intra-pair correlations for age at different secondary sexual developments are higher in MZ twins than in DZ twins in both sexes. Mean intra-pair differences and intra-pair correlations for the time taken to pass from first stage to the final stage of development also present a similar picture. Intra-pair height and weight differences and differences in their growth velocities also indicate that MZ twins are more concordant than DZ twins throughout the adolescent growth period. These findings indicate a strong genetic component in regulating the pubertal changes as well as in the growth of height and weight in the two sexes. The role of environmental factors in at least some of the pubertal changes is also indicated.

No abstract

No abstract

A much neglected area of research concerns the reintegration of formerly sex trafficked women.Very little is known about Nepalese women's experiences following their return from brothels in India to their families in Nepal. This research explored the reintegration experiences of twenty formerly trafficked Nepalese women who were released, rescued or had escaped from Indian brothels and returned to live in Nepal. The study sought to answer two questions: how do women survivors of sex trafficking experience reintegration; and what are the barriers and the supporting factors that facilitate reintegration. The data was collected through in-depth interviews. At the time of interview the participants were living in one of three different settings: with their families in a rural village; independently or with their husbands in Kathmandu; or in rehabilitation centres run by anti-trafficking Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Kathmandu.Qualitative data analysis revealed that despite the participants sharing the same identity as a returnee from sex trafficking, reintegration is not a uniform experience. The proposition that reintegration is a unique experience is demonstrated in three case studies. At the same time the women in this study shared a number of common experiences. For instance, the effects of the abuse which women experienced in the brothels continued to impact the women's day to day living long after their return.Most of the twenty women who returned to Nepal with the support of NGOs perceived that many of their choices were governed by NGO staff and they therefore lacked autonomy. While waiting to return to their families, these women reported NGO practices such as being sent for HIV tests without their consent, being pressured to take legal action against their traffickers and disclosure of their trafficking history to their families. These practices violated their rights to self-determination.A few women who returned independently from India to Nepal were able to exercise some autonomy in planning how and when they would return to their families and how they would present themselves to their families. However, the journey home to Nepal for some independent returnees was unpredictable and unsafe in comparison to those women who were assisted by NGOs.The majority of the twenty returnee women were welcomed by their parents. Nevertheless, all participants who had returned to their home and community were vulnerable to prejudice and discrimination, particularly from community members. The discriminatory practices meted out by community members constitute a denial of basic social or civil rights of access to facilities, and inclusion in society. Some women's experiences further suggest that NGOs played a negative role ii in their reintegration largely due to NGO staff failing to adequately assess a returnee's family situation and lack of follow up and support for the women once they returned home.Community discrimination, lack of access to health facilities and HIV/AIDs medication, and limited job...

BackgroundThis study was carried out to isolate and characterize the bacterial strains from lindane-contaminated soil and they were also assessed for their lindane-degrading potential.MethodsIn this study the enrichment culture method was used for isolation of  lindane degrading bacterial isolates, in which the mineral salt medium (MSM) supplemented with different concentrations of lindane was used. Further, the screening for the potential lindane degrading isolates was done using the spray plate method and colorimetric dechlorinase enzyme assay. The selected isolates were also studied for their growth response under varying range of temperature, pH, and NaCl. The finally selected isolates DAB-1Y and DAB-1W showing best lindane degradation activity was further subjected to biochemical characterization, microscopy, degradation/kinetic study, and 16S rDNA sequencing. The strain identification were performed using the biochemical characterization, microscopy and the species identifies by 16S rDNA sequence of the two isolates using the standard 16S primers, the 16 S rRNA partial sequence was analyzed through BLAST analysis and phylogenetic tree was generated based on UGPMA clustering method using MEGA7 software. This shows the phylogenetic relationship with the related strains. The two isolates of this study were finally characterized as Kocuria sp. DAB-1Y and Staphylococcus sp. DAB-1W, and their 16S rRNA sequence was submitted to GenBank database with accession numbers, KJ811539 and KX986577, respectively.ResultsOut of the 20 isolates, the isolates DAB-1Y and DAB-1W exhibited best lindane-degrading activity of 94 and 98%, respectively, recorded after 8 days of incubation. The optimum growth was observed at temperature 30 °C, pH 7, and 5% NaCl observed for both isolates. Of the four isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane, isomer α and γ were the fastest degrading isomers, which were degraded up to 86 and 94% by isolates DAB-1Y and up to 93 and 98% by DAB-1W, respectively, reported after 8 days incubation. Isomer β was highly recalcitrant in which maximum 35 and 32% lindane degradation was observed even after 28 days incubation by isolates, DAB-1Y and DAB-1W, respectively. At lower lindane concentrations (1–10 mg/L), specific growth rate increased with increase in lindane concentration, maximum being 0.008 and 0.006/day for DAB-1Y and DAB-1W, respectively. The 16 S rRNA partial sequence of isolate DAB-1Y showed similarity with Kocuria sp. by BLAST analysis and was named as Kocuria sp. DAB-1Y and DAB-IW with Staphylococcus sp. DAB-1W. The 16S rDNA sequence of isolate DAB-1Y and DAB-1W was submitted to online at National Centre of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) with GenBank accession numbers, KJ811539 and KX986577, respectively.ConclusionsThis study has demonstrated that Kocuria sp. DAB-1Y and Staphylococcus sp. DAB-1W were found efficient in bioremediation of gamma-HCH and can be utilized further for biodegradation of environmental contamination of lindane and can be utilized in bioremediation program.Electronic supplement...

Aims: This study was done to understand the severity of labor pain in parturients of Kathmandu and to determine factors affecting it. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted in Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Kathmandu, Nepal where 300 term parturientsin active labor (cervical dilatation of 3-5 cm with three uterine contractions in 10 minutes each lasting for ≥ 30 seconds) were analysed for socio-demographic data, clinical profile and pain assessment.Visual analog scale was used for pain assessment. Results: The intensity of labor pain was graded as severe by 32%, moderateby 57% and mild by 11% of parturients.Almost half ofthe parturients in the age group of ≤19years described labor pain as severe as compared to women between 20-34years (30.4%) and ≥35years (20%). Among the nulliparous parturients, 37% described it as severe compared to only 20.7% in≥Para1.In those with≥higher secondary leveleducation, 35.9% described labor pain as severe as compared to those women who had education of ≤primary level(26.9%) and upto secondary level (27.1%). Labor pain was seen to be more severe in advanced labor withmore than half describingit as severe when the cervix was dilated to 5 cm, as compared to only 25.9% and 29.4% of the parturients at 3 and 4cm cervical dilatation respectively. Conclusions: This study concluded that the labor pain was moderate to severe for majority of the parturients.Adolescents, nullipara, patients with higher education and those in advanced laborwere more likely to perceive labor pain of higher intensity. Nepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Vol 8 / No. 1 / Issue 15 / Jan- June, 2013 / 26-30 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njog.v8i1.8857