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Background: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), a chronic and bilateral allergic eye condition, predominantly affects young males and is more prevalent in hot, humid regions with high allergen exposure. It manifests with itching, light sensitivity, burning sensations, and tearing. The three main clinical forms include limbal or bulbar, palpebral or tarsal, and mixed presentations. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to describe the clinical patterns of VKC in children at a tertiary care hospital in Andhra Pradesh. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a hospital setting at the Department of Ophthalmology, SV Medical College in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, between January 2021 and January 2022. Ninety children aged 5–12 years with symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis were enrolled in the study. The Bonini grading system was used to grade the severity of the disease based on clinical manifestations at the time of initial presentation. Results: Mean age of disease onset was 8.6±2.3 years, with a male-to-female ratio (M: F) of 2.1:1. The majority of the subjects experienced seasonal occurrence 69 (77.0%), whereas 21 (23%) had perennial occurrence. The commonly reported symptoms included itching (83%), redness (73%), watering (73%), and discharge (47%). A significant number of patients (60, 69%) had a mixed type of disease that affected both the tarsal and bulbar conjunctiva. Conclusion: VKC predominantly affects young males, displaying a seasonal distribution and showing less allergic association, consistent with patterns observed in other tropical regions. Most patients had mild VKC at presentation, and a mixed-form pattern was most frequently observed.

Background: The homeless population of Chennai is the people who are living in the platforms, bus stands and other unused buildings in Chennai for more than three generations. Many of them lack basic amenities for their living, which makes them a vulnerable population especially the women and children. The children especially are prone to many communicable diseases as a result of their way of living Objective: To estimate the immunization status among the children of homeless population in Chennai. Methodology: The information about the clusters of homeless population is obtained from the Greater Chennai Corporation enumeration. Individual clusters are mapped in Zone 5 of Greater Chennai Corporation. Almost all the mothers of children of age up to 5 years are interviewed. Data collected using Epicollect5 data collection software. Results: The mean age of the children was 34.59 + 17.73 months. 45.4% were male children and 54.6% were female children.98.9% of the mothers registered their pregnancy and 100% delivered in the public facility. 93.4% registered their birth. 87.4 % of the children got enrolled in Anganwadis. 90.5% of the children were immunized up to age. Only one child (0.4%) didn’t get the birth dose of BCG. 18 children (6.6%) didn’t get their Measles Rubella vaccine not even once. 28 children (10.3%) didn’t get their second dose of Measles Rubella vaccine and Diptheria Pertussis Tetanus vaccine. Conclusion: The immunization coverage among homeless children upto 5 years is 90.5%. The coverage has to be strengthened in order to improve their quality of life

Purpose: To study the prevalence and determinants of compliance with spectacle wear among school-age children in South India who were given spectacles free of charge under a school vision screening program. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was performed. The participants were recruited from the school from Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts of Tamil Nadu, where a school vision screening camp was conducted between January 2012 and October 2012. The school screening was performed under “Lavelle Pediatric Eye Care Project” . Of the 129,720 children examined of 249 schools, 4253 of children had refractive error and 3333 were prescribed and dispensed spectacles. A total of 683 children were interviewed, who were not wearing glasses on follow-up. Results: About 20% of the participants (683/3333) were not wearing their spectacles at examination. The most common reasons given for non-wear were lost (44.9%) or broken (35.3%) spectacles. There was no gender preference on compliance to spectacles. Conclusion: Compliance with spectacle wear is less even when spectacles are provided free of cost, particularly in children among the age group of 5–15 years. Because factors such as type of school, area (urban or rural), parent's income, occupation, and their education were not significantly affecting the compliance of spectacle wear, proper encouragement and counseling of the parents and the child become extremely important.

Abstract The alarming effect of antibiotic resistance prompted the search for alternative medicine to resolve the microbial resistance conflict. Over the last two decades, scientists have become increasingly interested in metallic nanoparticles to discover their new dimensions. Green nano synthesis is a rapidly expanding field of interest in nanotechnology due to its feasibility, low toxicity, eco‐friendly nature, and long‐term viability. Some plants have long been used in medicine because they contain a variety of bioactive compounds. Silver has long been known for its antibacterial properties. Silver nanoparticles have taken a special place among other metal nanoparticles. Silver nanotechnology has a big impact on medical applications like bio‐coating, novel antimicrobial agents, and drug delivery systems. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the pharmaceutical qualities of medicinal plants, as well as a convenient guideline for plant‐based silver nanoparticles and their antimicrobial activity.

Purpose: To compare the visual outcomes and intraoperative complications between phacoemulsification and manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS) in cases of posterior polar cataract (PPC). Methods: A retrospective study was carried out involving 142 patients (164 eyes) with PPC who underwent cataract surgery between January and December 2017. Data collected include the demographic details, preoperative uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), type of cataract, intraocular pressure, anterior and posterior segment findings, type of surgery performed, intraoperative complications, postoperative UCVA on the first day, UCVA and BCVA at 1 month after surgery, complications, and resurgery details. Results: In total, 90 patients (107 eyes) underwent phacoemulsification, and 52 patients (57 eyes) underwent MSICS. There was no significant difference in the mean age, sex, and type of PPC between the two groups (P = 0.326, 0.852, and 0.220, respectively). Patients who underwent phacoemulsification had significantly better preoperative BCVA (P = 0.002). The BCVA on first postoperative day and 1 month after surgery was better in the phacoemulsification group than in the MSICS group (P < 0.001 and 0.002, respectively). The overall incidence of posterior capsular rupture (PCR) was 11.6%, which included the 10.3% in phacoemulsification and 14.0% in MSICS. There was, however, no significant difference in the rates of PCR between the two groups (P = 0.506). Conclusion: Phacoemulsification delivered better postoperative visual outcomes than MSICS in PPC patients, whereas the complication rates were similar between the two groups.

An edge irregular total k-labeling f : V ∪ E → 1,2, ..., k of a graph G = (V,E) is a labeling of vertices and edges of G in such a way that for any two different edges uv and u'v', their weights f(u)+f(uv)+f(v) and f(u')+f(u'v')+f(v') are distinct. The total edge irregularity strength tes(G) is defined as the minimum k for which the graph G has an edge irregular total k-labeling. In this paper, we determine the total edge irregularity strength of new classes of graphs Cm @ Cn, Pm,n* and Cm,n* and hence we extend the validity of the conjecture tes(G) = max {⌈|E(G)|+2)/3⌉, ⌈(Δ(G)+1)/2⌉} for some more graphs.

In this paper, we derive the necessary condition for an (a,d )- antimagic labeling of some new classes of graphs such as Hn, F Ln and mCn. We prove that Hn is (7n +2, 1)-antimagic and mCn is ((mn+3)/2,1)- antimagic. Also we prove that F Ln has no ((n+1)/2,4)- antimagic labeling.

In the present study, to optimize the media for the production of bioactive compounds from Monochaetia karstenii was carried out and compounds were identified by GC-MS. M. karstenii was identified from infected Camellia japonica leaves by classical and molecular taxonomy. It was cultured in different media and determined their mycelial biomass and antibacterial activity. Further Maltose Maltose tartrate broth (MTB) was altered for its media components such as carbon, nitrogen, minerals, amino acids and vitamins sources and physical parameters like temperature, pH and incubation periods for growth and production of secondary metabolites from M. karstenii. The antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds were performed from three different solvent extracts (Chloroform, Dichloromethane and Ethyl acetate) of M. karstenii from optimized medium. M. karstenii had optimum growth in MTB showing mycelial growth of 13.16 g/L. The ethyl acetate extract observed significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (21 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (20 mm) and Vibrio chloreae (18 mm). In-vitro antioxidant activity revealed that, the IC50 values for 2, 2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and total antioxidant radical scavenging assay of 100.58 μg/ml, 140 μg/ml and 141.91 μg/ml from ethyl acetate extract respectively. Thus the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the fungal extract has been due to the presence of biocompounds such as cyclohexenone derivatives, cinnamic acid, isooxazoline 3-phenyl- benzodiazepine, 2- propenoic acid 3-phenyl-(E)-dodecene and 3-undecen -1-yne (E) were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and reported first time in M. karstenii. We conclude that M. karstenii possess excellent antimicrobial and antioxidant potential and can be exploited for the discovery of new drug molecules.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) pattern towards COVID-19, among patients presenting to eye care hospitals during the last phase of lockdown period. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 15 to June 15, 2020 in five tertiary eye care hospitals in South India to assess the KAP towards COVID-19. Each of the hospitals belonged to one of the three different zones assigned in India based on number of infections. Red zones represent hotspots and orange/green zones represent regions with medium and lower caseloads, respectively. A validated questionnaire was administered through telephone and responses were recorded on a Google form. Results: Out of the total (n = 6119) participants, 3081 were from hospitals in green zone, 2110 from the orange zone, and 928 from red zone. Majority of participants were above 50 years of age (42%) and 15.54% were illiterate. The mean (percentage) scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were 21.26 (82%), 9.37 (92%), and 10.32 (86%), respectively. KAP among patients more than 50 years of age and in illiterate individuals was significantly less (P < 0.01) when compared with all other groups. Participants from red zone had a significantly better attitude (P < 0.01) compared to other centers. Conclusion: Although the overall KAP regarding COVID-19 disease was robust (above 80% in all categories) in our participants, the high risk elderly population (>50 years) and illiterate individuals had a significantly lower KAP. These are populations in which education should be emphasized and appropriately delivered as a way to reduce COVID-19 risk.

Medicinal plants play a pivotal role in curative care, be it from the olden days to the modern era. Costus pictus, popularly known as ‘insulin plant,’ manifests an extensive range of significant bioactivities including anti-diabetes, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and several other activities. The versatile features are by dint of its abundant phytochemicals, majorly flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. Therefore, the present article emphasizes addressing the therapeutic potential of C. pictus and the mechanism of action underneath these promising effects. The review also addresses the phytochemicals corresponding to these effects, thereby bringing about an understanding at the molecular level, providing discrete relevance to the in vivo studies whenever appropriate. The designing of functional foods with the supplementation of medicinal plants has become the domain of interest over the years. Further studies are indispensable to substantiate the effects of C. pictus incorporation onto foods and to conceptualize the dietary intake for counteracting diversified disorders.

Cancer is a life-threatening disease and is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Although many drugs are available for the treatment of cancer, survival outcomes are very low. Hence, rapid development of newer anticancer agents is a prime focus of the medicinal chemistry community. Since the recent past, computational methods have been extensively employed for accelerating the drug discovery process. In view of this, in the present study we performed 2D-QSAR (Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship) analysis of a series of compounds reported with potential anticancer activity against breast cancer cell line MCF7 using QSARINS software. The best four models exhibited a r2 value of 0.99. From the generated QSAR equations, a series of pyrimidine-coumarin-triazole conjugates were designed and their MCF7 cell inhibitory activities were predicted using the QSAR equations. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were carried out for the designed compounds using AutoDock Vina against dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), colchicine and vinblastine binding sites of tubulin, the key enzyme targets in breast cancer. The most active compounds identified through these computational studies will be useful for synthesizing and testing them as prospective novel anti-breast cancer agents.

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been widely applied to extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut produces, such as ready-to-eat pomegranate arils. However, many studies used MAP to extend the shelf-life of arils at 3, 4, and 15 °C. The evidence suggested that MAP can extend the shelf-life of arils at an ambient temperature. Therefore, we attempted to extend the shelf-life of ready-to-eat pomegranate arils using active MAP at an ambient temperature and evaluated its chemical, quality, and microbial properties. Samples were flushed with specific gas compositions of oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) at an ambient temperature and 60 ± 2% relative humidity (RH). The findings demonstrated that active MAP increased the titratable acidity (0.32–3.64%), anthocyanins (0.27–0.42 g/L), reducing sugars (1.06–10.13%), and total soluble solids (15–19 °Brix), while it decreased the pH (3.20–3.54) and hardness (4.60–9.40 N) with a microbial load of ≤5 log CFU/g at ambient temperature for 5 days. Ultimately, active MAP could be an effective technique to be used in ready-to-eat produce industries and has the potential to guarantee a longer shelf-life at ambient temperature without the use of refrigerator facilities.

Decoupled data and control planes in Software Defined Networks (SDN) allow them to handle an increasing number of threats by limiting harmful network links at the switching stage. As storage, high-end servers, and network devices, Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is designed to replace purpose-built network elements with VNFs (Virtualized Network Functions). A Software Defined Network Function Virtualization (SDNFV) network is designed in this paper to boost network performance. Stateful firewall services are deployed as VNFs in the SDN network in this article to offer security and boost network scalability. The SDN controller’s role is to develop a set of guidelines and rules to avoid hazardous network connectivity. Intruder assaults that employ numerous socket addresses cannot be adequately protected by these strategies. Machine learning algorithms are trained using traditional network threat intelligence data to identify potentially malicious linkages and probable attack targets. Based on conventional network data (DT), Bayesian Network (BayesNet), Naive-Bayes, C4.5, and Decision Table (DT) algorithms are used to predict the target host that will be attacked. The experimental results shows that the Bayesian Network algorithm achieved an average prediction accuracy of 92.87%, Native–Bayes Algorithm achieved an average prediction accuracy of 87.81%, C4.5 Algorithm achieved an average prediction accuracy of 84.92%, and the Decision Tree algorithm achieved an average prediction accuracy of 83.18%. There were 451 k login attempts from 178 different countries, with over 70 k source IP addresses and 40 k source port addresses recorded in a large dataset from nine honeypot servers.

Urinary tract infections(UTI) are the most common bacterial infections among women in both pregnant and non pregnant states, among which asymptomatic bacteriuria is the commonest .Symptomatic bacteriuria includes cystitis and pyelonephritis .UTI is a disease of multiple etiology and is known for its recurrence despite the treatment. Every woman has a 20% life time risk of developing UTI. A sincere effort has been put to understand the local epidemiology of the organism and its susceptibility pattern so as to initiate an effective treatment. 1.To study the bacterial isolates of Urinary tract infection in pregnant women. 2.To study the antibiogram of the bacterial isolates. The study was conducted among 100 pregnant women who attended Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBG) outpatient department at a tertiary care centre, Bangalore, India, over a period of six months. For isolating the bacteria, standard conventional method of isolation and identification was followed. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates were determined using Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. The data was analyzed using standard statistical package. Majority of the isolates were Escherichia coli (33.98%) followed by Klebsiella species (19.41%), Coagulase negative staphylococcus (16.50%) and Enterococcus fecalis(13.59%), Acinetobacter species(7.76%), Staphylococcus aureus (3.88%), Pseudomonas and Enterobacter species were 1.9% each. Proteus being the least(0.97%). The isolates were sensitive to Aminoglycosides (97.08%) and Nitrofurantoin (97.08%). The study suggests that the common etiological agent for UTI in pregnant women was Escherichia coli and was sensitive to Aminoglycosides and Nitrofurantoin.

Objective: To report cases of neurocysticercosis (NCC) from three neighboring districts of Andhra Pradesh state in India where NCC burden was never explored before. Methods: A total of 160 patients presenting with recent onset seizures were recruited from neurology, general medicine, and pediatric outpatient clinics of a local major tertiary care teaching hospital serving above districts during the period 2011–2014. Brain imaging was performed in all the above cases. A commercial immunoglobulin G-ELISA kit (sensitivity = 85%; specificity = 94%) was employed for the serological diagnosis of NCC. Results: The recruited patients presented with generalized, simple partial, and complex partial seizures (55%, 31.25% and 13.75% respectively). NCC was diagnosed in 44 of 160 (27.5%) seizure cases based on imaging characteristics, and a positive serum antibody ELISA. No association was detected between seropositivity with the number and location of the lesion(s) in the brain. Conclusions: The possible potentiality of NCC could be identified as an underlying cause of the recent onset of seizures in this region as explored in the present study. It is recommended that NCC should be suspected as one of the major differential in every recent onset seizure with or without a radio imaging supportive diagnosis, especially in areas endemic for taeniasis/cysticercosis.

In this study, an ecofriendly, green method for synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) has been developed using Mallotus tetracoccus (MT) leaves as a reducing agent. The formation of AgNPs was standardised at pH 7 and 60 ℃. UV-visible spectroscopy showed the high peak of absorption band at 420 nm. By atomic force microscopic (AFM) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations, the size of the silver nanoparticles was found to be in the range of 46 to 100 nm, with an average size of 73 nm. The energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopic (EDX) profile of silver nanoparticles showed typical optical absorption peak approximately at 3 keV. FTIR spectroscopic study revealed that hydroxyl groups of phenols and carboxylic acids were involved in the formation of AgNPs. Through MTT assay, the cytotoxicity results showed that AgNPs were highly effective on human ductal breast carcinoma cell lines (T47D) (76.8 to 84.9%). Thus, the MT-synthesized NPs are said to possess significant anticancer activity on cancer cells and very less toxicity on normal cells, which suggests its further applications in medicine.

Background: Adequate dietary calcium intake favours bone mineral accrual. Sparse published data are available on dietary calcium intake of metropolitan city population from south India. Methods: We recorded the dietary intake of calcium and phytates of 524 healthy subjects from Bengaluru, a metropolitan city, by recalling the diet consumed in the previous 5 to 7 days and compared it with dietary intake of calcium of 325 healthy subjects from rural areas around Tirupati, and 508 healthy subjects from urban Tirupati. Results: The dietary calcium intake of the Tirupati rural subjects was the least compared to that of the urban and metropolitan city subjects. In the metropolitan and urban groups the diet was high in calories, milk, milk products and vegetables compared to rural subjects. Dietary calcium intake was significantly lower (p

Objectives: In the past decades, X-rays have been used widely for diagnosis in dentistry. However, it is well known that ionizing radiation causes damage (including single- and double-strand breaks) to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and DNA-protein crosslinks, and induces cellular death. Therefore, outlining the cytogenetic effects induced by X-ray is necessary to identify the degree of cancer risk and minimize potential risks to patients and clinicians. Materials and methods: Cytogenetic biomonitonng studies focusing on oral mucosa cells in individuals exposed to dental X-ray were reviewed. Results: Dental X-ray can induce DNA damage and cytotoxicity in oral mucosa cells. Conclusion: These results will contribute to a better understanding of X-ray-induced effects upon the cellular system in individuals continually exposed to known genotoxic/cytotoxic agents.