Background: Anaemia during pregnancy remains a major public health problem and is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, including fatigue, poor pregnancy tolerance, preterm birth, low birth weight, and increased perinatal morbidity. Its causes are multifactorial and commonly include iron deficiency, folate deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, poor dietary intake, short birth spacing, and socioeconomic factors. Objective: The present study aims to assess the prevalence and severity of anaemia among antenatal women attending a tertiary care hospital and to evaluate associated haematological and nutritional parameters, including haemoglobin level, complete blood count, iron profile, serum ferritin, vitamin B12, and folate levels. Materials and Methods: This prospective, observational, hospital-based study will be conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital, Dumka, Jharkhand, India, over a period of one year from January 2025 to December 2025. A total of 130 antenatal women diagnosed with anaemia during routine antenatal outpatient visits will be included. Anaemia will be classified according to World Health Organization criteria as mild, moderate, or severe based on haemoglobin concentration. Relevant demographic details, obstetric history, dietary pattern, symptoms, and laboratory findings will be collected using a structured questionnaire and clinical records. Data will be analysed using appropriate statistical methods, and a p-value of less than 0.05 will be considered statistically significant. Conclusion: The study is expected to provide useful information regarding the burden, severity, and nutritional profile of anaemia among pregnant women attending a tertiary care hospital. The findings may help in planning early screening, targeted nutritional interventions, iron-folic acid supplementation, and improved antenatal care strategies to reduce anaemia-related maternal and fetal complications.

Background: Sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus is a chronic inflammatory condition of the natal cleft that commonly affects young adults and is associated with pain, discharge, recurrent infection, and loss of productivity. Various surgical techniques are available for its management, with open excision and flap-based procedures being among the most commonly performed approaches. Objective: To compare the outcomes of flap surgery and open surgery in the management of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus. Materials and Methods: This ambispective observational study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, District Hospital, Sawai Madhopur, and Rajasthan. A total of 58 patients with sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus were included, of whom 21 underwent flap surgery and 37 underwent open surgery with excision and secondary wound healing. Parameters evaluated included operative duration, wound healing time, hospital stay, return to normal activity, postoperative pain, patient satisfaction, and postoperative complications. Results: The mean operative duration was significantly higher in the flap surgery group than in the open surgery group (48.2±7.6 vs 22.4±5.1 minutes; p<0.001). However, wound healing time (16.8±3.5 vs 42.6±10.4 days; p<0.001) and return to normal activity (17.4±4.2 vs 37.5±10.2 days; p<0.001) were significantly shorter in the flap surgery group. Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower and patient satisfaction scores were significantly higher in the flap surgery group at all follow-up intervals (p<0.001). Conclusion: Flap surgery was associated with faster wound healing, earlier return to normal activity, lower postoperative pain, and higher patient satisfaction compared with open surgery. Despite a longer operative duration, flap surgery may be considered a preferred surgical option.

Background: The menstrual cycle involves significant hormonal fluctuations that influence various physiological systems, including the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Estrogen and progesterone levels vary across phases, potentially modulating sympathetic and parasympathetic balance. Understanding these variations is crucial for interpreting clinical data in women and managing conditions linked to hormonal changes. Material and Methods: This one-year observational study was conducted in the Department of Physiology at a medical college in Western Gujarat, India. One hundred healthy female volunteers aged 18-30 years with regular menstrual cycles (21-35 days) participated after providing informed consent. Autonomic function tests, including resting heart rate, blood pressure, and short-term HRV analysis (5-minute ECG recordings), were performed during four phases: menstrual (days 1-5), follicular (days 6-12), ovulatory (around day 14), and luteal (days 20-25). Standardized protocols ensured consistency, with ethical approval from the institutional review board. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods. Result: Significant variations were observed across phases. Heart rate increased and HRV parameters like RMSSD and SDNN decreased progressively from menstrual to luteal phase, indicating sympathetic predominance in the latter. Blood pressure showed mild elevation in the luteal phase. Frequency domain parameters revealed a higher LF/HF ratio during the luteal phase. These changes were statistically significant (p<0.05) and aligned with hormonal influences. Conclusion: The study demonstrates notable autonomic function variations across menstrual cycle phases in women from Western Gujarat, with sympathetic dominance in the luteal phase. These findings underscore the importance of considering menstrual phase in clinical assessments involving ANS. Further longitudinal studies could explore underlying mechanisms and clinical implications.

Background: Road traffic accidents remain an important cause of injury, disability and death, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Vehicle- and transport-related factors such as type of vehicle, speed, overcrowding, maintenance status, first aid and mode of transport to hospital can influence both accident occurrence and post-crash outcome. Aim: To study vehicle- and transport-related risk factors among road traffic accident victims presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Jodhpur. Material and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Accidental Emergency Department of a tertiary care hospital in Jodhpur, in coordination with the Department of Community Medicine, from November 2020 to January 2021. A total of 200 road traffic accident victims presenting within 24 hours of the accident were included. Data were collected using a semi-structured proforma after informed consent. Information regarding victim’s vehicle, opposite colliding vehicle, speed, vehicle occupancy, maintenance status, first aid and transport to hospital was recorded. Data were analysed using MS Excel and Epi Info software. Results: Motorised two-wheelers were the most common victim’s vehicle, 97 (48.5%), followed by pedestrians, 58 (29.0%). The opposite colliding vehicle was most commonly a motorised four-wheeler, 102 (51.0%). Among non-pedestrian victims, speed of 61–80 km/h was most common, 76 (54.3%). Overcrowding was seen in 20 (14.1%) vehicles, and 103 (78.6%) motorised vehicles had not been serviced within the last 6–12 months. Private vehicles transported 105 (52.5%) victims to hospital, while ambulance was used in 66 (33.0%) cases. First aid was provided to 103 (51.5%) victims. Victim’s vehicle and opposite colliding vehicle showed significant association (p=0.002). Conclusion: Two-wheeler involvement, higher speed, poor maintenance and limited ambulance use were important findings. Regular vehicle fitness checks, speed control and improved pre-hospital care are recommended.

Remarkable transformation has been observed in separation science with the evolution in the design of stationary phases, observing a transition from conventional silica-based columns to monoliths, engineered polymers, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and many others. Many of these stationary phases have seen routine or specialized application in industrial and research settings. In this review article, a critical examination of the evolution in stationary phases employed in separation methods is conducted, emphasizing the surface chemistry, analyte retention mechanisms, and emerging sustainability considerations. A comparison of columns shows an evolution in analytes from just molecules and proteins to a wider range of analytes, including cells. While these evolutions have brought significant advances in research, advances in stationary phases have yet to come to a halt, with research being performed in MOFs and more.