Mean values and standard deviations of height, sitting height, body weight, biacromial and bicristal diameters, total arm length, upper arm and calf girths and skinfolds at biceps, triceps, below the scapula and at the widest portion of the calf of 67 fathers, 72 mothers and their 99 adult sons and 83 adult daughters belonging to Lewa Patels of rural Gujarat are presented. Sons and daughters showed significantly higher mean values of stature as compared to fathers and mothers respectively. Parent-offspring, sib-sib and midparent-offspring correlations for these measurements are also presented. Parent-offspring and midparent-offspring correlations varied for different body measurements; highest correlations were shown by longitudinal measurements, followed by transverse diameters and least by skinfold and girth measurements. Heritability of different body measurements as indicated by midparent-offspring regression also followed a similar pattern of variation. Using the recollection method, mean age at menarche of daughters was 14.7 +/- 0.16 years and that of their mothers 15.20 +/- 0.15 years. Mother-daughter correlation for age at menarche was 0.39.

Background: Conventional microscopy underestimates the burden of malarial infection when compared with molecular diagnosis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods. Lower density parasitemias serve as a reservoir for infection. We evaluated the prevalence of submicroscopic infections in an area of unstable malarial transmission in India and determined whether these infections negatively impacted maternal or fetal outcomes. Methods: This cross-sectional study (2007)(2008) was undertaken in two districts of Chhattisgarh, recruiting women from both antenatal clinics (ANCs) and delivery units (DUs). For ANC/DU subjects, peripheral/ placental blood, respectively, was obtained for conventional microscopy and collected onto filter paper for PCR analysis. Results: There were 3425 pregnant women, including 2477 ANC subjects and 948 DU subjects who had both microscopic and PCR samples available. Polymerase chain reaction detected significantly more Plasmodium infections than traditional light microscopy both from peripheral (3.4 vs 1.2%; OR 2.9, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 1.9-4.5) and placental (4.2 vs 1.7%; OR 2.5, 95% CIs 1.4-4.8) blood samples. Submicroscopic infections were not associated with anemia or severe maternal anemia among ANC or DU participants and were not associated with low birth weight (LBW) among DU participants. In contrast, microscopically detected infections were associated with severe anemia and LBW. Conclusions: In this area of unstable malarial transmission from India, submicroscopic infections did not identify a set of pregnant women at increased risk for anemia or LBW. Until PCR techniques become much less expensive and available as a point of care test for the field setting, its use will be limited for malarial detection.

Introduction Cancer is the second leading cause of death and a major public health problem in the world. This study reports the trend and burden of cancer from 1990 to 2017 along with its risk factors in Nepal. Methods This study used the database of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation’s Global Burden of Diseases on cancer from Nepal to describe the most recent data available (2017) and trends by age, gender, and year from 1990 to 2017. The data are described as incidence, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALY), and percentage change. Results In 2017, the age-standardized cancer incidence and mortality rates were 101.8/100,000 and 86.6/100,000 respectively in Nepal. Cancer contributed to 10% of total deaths and 5.6% of total DALYs in Nepal. The most common cancers were the breast, lung, cervical, stomach and oral cavity cancers. The number of new cancer cases and deaths in Nepal have increased from 1990 to 2017 by 92% and 95% respectively. On the other hand, age-standardized incidence and mortality rates decreased by 5% and 7% respectively. The leading risk factors of cancer were tobacco use, dietary factors, unsafe sex, air pollution, drug use, and physical inactivity. Conclusions This study highlighted the burden of cancer in Nepal, contributing to a significant number of new cancer cases, deaths and DALY. A comprehensive approach including prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, and rehabilitation should be urgently taken to reduce the burden of cancer.

GTA teaching of female pelvic examination at the start of undergraduate medical student O&G clinical placements improves their confidence and competence compared with conventional pelvic manikin based teaching. GTAs should be introduced into undergraduate medical curricula to teach pelvic examination.