The last case of polio from India was reported in 2011. That year, the non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (NPAFP) rate in India was 13.35/100,000, where the expected rate is 1–2/100,000. A previous study of data from 2000 to 2010 has detailed the NPAFP rate in a state correlated with the pulse polio rounds conducted there, and the strongest correlation with the NPAFP rate was found when the number of doses from the previous 4 years were used. However, a simple association being found with regression analysis does not prove a causal relationship. After publication of those findings, as the threat of polio had lessened, the number of rounds of OPV administration was brought down. The present study has been done to look at data till the end of 2017, to see if the incidence of NPAFP declined with this reduction in polio immunization rounds. We used polio surveillance data acquired by the Government of India from 2000–2017. Correlation of the NAFP rate to the number of polio rounds in the state was examined, and the cumulative effect of polio doses administered in previous years was sought. NPAFP rate correlated with the OPV pulse polio rounds in that year (R = 0.46; p < 0.001), and the NPAFP rate started to decrease from 2012 when the number of pulse polio rounds had decreased. NPAFP rates in the states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar were the highest in the country. Looking at the high-NPAFP states of UP and Bihar, we found that the correlation coefficient was strongest when doses used over 5 years was considered (R = 0.76; p < 0.001). The response to the reduction in OPV rounds (de-challenging) adds credence to the assumption that OPV was responsible for the change in the NPAFP rate. Now that India has been polio-free for over 6 years, we propose that we may be able to reduce NPAFP by further reducing pulse polio rounds.

Objectives: To correlate the changes in the level of female sex hormones (progesterone, estrogen) in plasma with the changes in severity of gingivitis in various trimesters of pregnancy till the postparturition. Materials and methods:This study comprised of 20 pregnant women with good oral hygiene who were followed up in each trimester till 3rd month of postpartum by screening their oral hygiene status following OHI-S index by Greene and Vermillion. Clinically to correlate gingivitis, gingival index by Loe and Sillness was carried out in each trimester till postpartum. For hormonal assay, blood sampling by venipuncture was done and quantative analysis of the hormones was done by ELISA test. Results and conclusion:The severity of gingivitis gradually increased and reached its peak in 3rd trimester followed by sudden decline in the severity in postpartum which correlated with gradual increase in the plasma level of progesterone and estrogen levels to reach their peak in the 3rd trimester and sudden fall after the postpartum. This study shows the role of female sex hormones in aggravating gingivitis to its peak in the 3rd trimester, even though the oral hygiene remains fairly good constantly.Clinical significance: This study signifies the gingivitis status during different trimesters of pregnancy and postpartum indicating the general practitioner to take appropriate oral hygiene measures.

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Objectives: The human ovary is characterized by early senescence and the end stage of ovarian activity is termed menopause. The age at which menopause occur is between 45 and 55 years world wide. The objective of this pilot study is to determine the age at menopause by using a model of FSH over age in women of sub urban region around Chennai, India. Materials and Methods: The subjects include 500 patients of age between 30 and 36 yrs with BMI ranging from 24-28.After recording their general profile and history, blood samples were obtained by venipuncture and hormone FSH was estimated on the day 3 of the menstrual cycle. Based on functional dependence of FSH in the form of exponential relation with age, a model was proposed. Using least square approximation the beta values were calculated. Results: With the help of beta values and using the cut off value of 40 IU/ml for FSH, this predicted model determined the age of menopause as 44.6yrs in women of sub urban region around Chennai. Conclusion: The age of menopause is different in various region worlds wide. According to this pilot study the suburban women of Chennai, attain menopause at an age of 44.6 years. Further exploration should be done to alleviate the role of diet, life style and ethnic variation on menopausal age and the impact of chronic disease like osteoporosis during the period of menopause.

We thank the authors for their interest in our paper [...]