Innovations ‘Out of Place’: Controversies Over IVF Beginnings in India Between 1978 and 2005

ABSTRACT

In 1978, the year the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) baby was born in the United Kingdom, a research team in Kolkata reported that it too had successfully produced an IVF baby in India. However, the claim was dismissed at the time, because the experiment was conducted outside authorized institutions and recognized centers of innovation—in short, because it was an innovation ‘out of place.’ Tracing controversies over the case between 1978 and 2005, I show the importance of space or place in processes of knowledge production and recognition. Further, I explain the initial repudiation and subsequent partial recognition of the claim through shifts in the landscape of legitimate spaces of innovation. By discussing this specific case of the production of science and technology in the Global South, I challenge conventional narratives of diffusion that are prevalent in studies on the worldwide proliferation of reproductive technologies.     

Sensory evoked potentials in patients with Rett syndrome through the lens of animal studies: Systematic review

ObjectiveSystematically review the abnormalities in event related potential (ERP) recorded in Rett Syndrome (RTT) patients and animals in search of translational biomarkers of deficits related to the particular neurophysiological processes of known genetic origin (MECP2 mutations).MethodsPubmed, ISI Web of Knowledge and BIORXIV were searched for the relevant articles according to PRISMA standards.ResultsERP components are generally delayed across all sensory modalities both in RTT patients and its animal model, while findings on ERPs amplitude strongly depend on stimulus properties and presentation rate. Studies on RTT animal models uncovered the abnormalities in the excitatory and inhibitory transmission as critical mechanisms underlying the ERPs changes, but showed that even similar ERP alterations in auditory and visual domains have a diverse neural basis. A range of novel approaches has been developed in animal studies bringing along the meaningful neurophysiological interpretation of ERP measures in RTT patients.ConclusionsWhile there is a clear evidence for sensory ERPs abnormalities in RTT, to further advance the field there is a need in a large-scale ERP studies with the functionally-relevant experimental paradigms.SignificanceThe review provides insights into domain-specific neural basis of the ERP abnormalities and promotes clinical application of the ERP measures as the non-invasive functional biomarkers of RTT pathophysiology.     

Reducing HIV stigma among healthcare providers in India using a partly tablet-administered intervention: the DriSti trial

ABSTRACT

HIV stigma has long been recognized as a significant barrier in the worldwide fight against HIV. Across cultures, stigma has been shown to cause psychological distress and act as a barrier to engagement in care. Health professionals can serve as a crucial source of HIV stigma, with drivers that include fears and transmission misconceptions and pre-existing negative attitudes towards marginalized groups. To increase their impact, stigma reduction interventions need to be scalable and sustainable as well as adaptable to different cultural contexts. The DriSti intervention was designed to meet these needs through an easily adaptable, mostly tablet-administered, interactive intervention delivered to ward staff (n?=?1,557) and nursing students (n?=?1,625) in 62 Indian institutions, using a cRCT design, with wait-list controls. Six-month outcome analyses, showed significant reductions in misconceptions (p?<?.001) and worry about acquiring HIV at work (p?<?.001). Intervention participants also reported significantly greater reductions in endorsement of coercive policies (p?<?.001) and in the number of situations in which they intended to discriminate against PLWH (p?<?.001) than control participants. This brief, scaleable intervention could be adapted for similar populations in the region, using different mHealth platforms and thus has important implications for current global stigma reduction initiatives and training curricula.     

甲状腺乳头状癌前上纵隔淋巴结转移临床病理特征初步分析

目的 探讨肿瘤位置、最大直径及甲状腺外浸等临床病理特征与甲状腺癌前上纵隔淋巴结转移的关系。 方法 研究分析初次手术治疗的60例甲状腺乳头状癌患者临床及病理资料,运用检验临床病理特征与前上纵隔淋巴结阳性率的相关性。 结果 肿块位置、最大直径、数量、腺体外侵、受累腺叶数及Ⅵ区淋巴结转移等特征,以及患者年龄等相关因素中,只有VI区淋巴结对前上纵隔淋巴结状态有影响;60例患者前上纵隔淋巴结转移率为10/60(16.67%)。相关因素的前上纵隔淋巴结转移率对比:≥55岁vs <55岁(20% vs 16.36%, P<0.05);肿块位于下极 vs 上极 vs 中极(P>0.05);最大直径≥1.5 cm vs 最大直径<1.5 cm(18.18% vs 15.79, P>0.05);单灶 vs 多灶(21.88% vs 10.71%, P>0.05);单叶 vs 多叶(17.5% vs 15%, P>0.05);男性vs女性(20% vs 15.55%, P>0.05); Ⅵ区淋巴结阳性vs 阴性(24.43% vs 3.57%, P<0.05); 结论 总体来说,甲状腺乳头状癌前上纵隔淋巴结转移率较低。本研究发现VI区淋巴结状态可能与前上纵隔淋巴结转移相关,未来仍需大样本前瞻性的研究验证。     

Clinical factors associated with the recurrence of central giant cell lesions

Central giant cell lesion of the jaws (CGCLJ) is a destructive condition that shows a varied and unpredictable biological behaviour. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate factors associated with the recurrence of CGCLJ. Based on the data of a previous systematic review of 2270 cases of CGCLJ, we used the multiple imputation to deal with the missing data. The dependent variable was the recurrence after the first treatment (yes/no). The dichotomic covariates were sex, upper or lower jaw location, size (up to or larger than 4 cm), pain, cortical bone perforation (yes/no), locularity (uni‐/multilocular), tooth displacement (yes/no), treatment type (curettage or enucleation) and root resorption (yes/no). The final logistic model indicated that the tumours associated with tooth displacement, root resorption and treated with curettage had a more significant chance of recurrence. In conclusion, our study suggests that tooth displacement, root resorption and the type of treatment are potentially useful in the future construction of an algorithm for patient's treatment.     

Review of a 7-Year Record of the Bacteriological Profile of Airway Secretions of Children with Cystic Fibrosis in North India

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is now a recognised entity in India, with prevalence rates between 1/10,000 and 1/50,000. However, no data were available with regard to the profile of respiratory pathogens in the Indian setting. Materials and Methods: The records of respiratory secretion bacterial cultures of children with CF in a tertiary care hospital in North India from January 2010 to December 2016 were reviewed. Culture data were evaluated; the organisms were noted and their antimicrobial susceptibilities were analysed. The microbiological profile and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of CF patients were evaluated. Results: A total of 445 samples from 146 children were processed, of which 246 (55%) samples showed bacterial growth. Mixed infections 48 (19.5%) were common in older children. Children aged 3–6 months (62.5%) showed the highest culture positivity. The most commonly isolated organisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (52.6%) and Staphylococcus aureus. Children with initial cultures positive for P. aeruginosa had 55% of their subsequent cultures showing polymicrobial infections. P. aeruginosa was most susceptible to ciprofloxacin (89%) and piperacillin-tazobactum (88%). Among the staphylococcal isolates, 38% were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The percentage of MRSA increased from 66% in 2010 to 75% in 2012, followed by a decline to 24% in 2016. Conclusions: The pattern of airway colonisation in the Indian setting is different from the Caucasian population, and P. aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia complex appear early. Colonisation with P. aeruginosa benefits from therapy. In case of infection, care must be taken while initiating empiric therapy. It should be based on local antibiograms to prevent the emergence of resistant microbes.