Proximate Analysis, Phytochemical Analysis, Colour Estimation, Antioxidant, Antibacterial Analysis, Shelflife Analysis of Sugarfree Burfi Optimization from Quinoa Seed Powder and Stevia

Quinoa seed powder and stevia has several health benefits. stevia has been naturally incorporated with sugar making it beneficial for diabetic patients. Burfi was an Indian popular sweet with harmful content and qualities. So, burfi was prepared using quinoa seed powder and stevia to incorporate benefits of plant compounds quercetin and kaempferide with the help of physicochemical analysis, proximate analysis, phytochemical analysis, antioxidant analysis shelf-life analysis and colour estimation analysis. The moisture content of optimized burfi and control burfi was obtained to be 15-20% percent respectively. The protein content of optimized burfi and control burfi have value 18.97-20.286% percent respectively. The fat content of optimized burfi and control burfi were 18.630-21.972% percent respectively. The ash content of optimized burfi and control burfi 3.4-4% percent respectively. The Titrable acidity of optimized burfi and control burfi were 1.035-1.16% percent respectively. The carbohydrate of optimized burfi and control burfi were 31.66-25.708% percent respectively. The crude fiber of optimized burfi and control burfi were 0-1.25% percent respectively. The calcium of optimized burfi and control burfi were 571-520 mg respectively. The pH of optimized burfi and control burfi were 7.99-8.03 pH respectively etc. Antioxidant activity was analysed using the in standard spectrophotometer method. Optimized quinoa burfi was investigated for their in-scavenging activities using 1,1-diphenyl-1-2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Then check the Shelflife at 10 days. T0 - 3.27×102, T1 - 3.36×102, T2 - 4.72×102. Coliform was 0. The quinoa seed powder expands DPPH searching action up to 43.13 µg of focus Other khoa burfi making it good for diabetic and ordinary individuals. The research was done at the research centre of food science examination Laboratory, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University. Lucknow (INDIA).

Problems and challenges faced in consumer reporting of adverse drug reactions in developing countries A case study of Yemen, Nepal and Malaysia.

Background: Pharmacovigilance is the “science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug related problems”. The most commonly used adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting system worldwide is spontaneous and voluntary reporting, which forms the backbone of reporting systems. Aims: To explore the current status of consumer involvement in the pharmacovigilance program in three developing countries, Yemen, Nepal and Malaysia. Method: An analysis was carried out for these three countries based on the current status of pharmacovigilance and involvement of consumers in their pharmacovigilance programs. Results: Malaysia has a good system for involving consumers in their national pharmacovigilance system, whereas Yemen still lacks the well-formed national drug policy. Lack of legislation and regulation which govern the import and distribution of drugs in Yemen is a limiting factor for development of consumer pharmacovigilance. Despite establishment of a pharmacovigilance centre, no reports have been released by the centre. The status of pharmacovigilance in Nepal is still in infancy. The regulatory body is assigned to be a national pharmacovigilance center, and coordinates with seven regional centers for pharmacovigilance activities. Nepal also lacks the involvement of consumers in the national pharmacovigilance program. Conclusion: Consumer reporting may be important for developing countries to implement a proper and effective pharmacovigilance program that can reduce morbidity and mortality rates, as well as reducing the economic burden of ADRs.

Predicted equations for pulmonary function in normal adolescent south indian population.

Pulmonary functions are affected by variables like age, sex, height, weight, and geographic location. Our study aims to establish predicted equations for pulmonary functions in normal South Indian adolescent population. 400 subjects were grouped into pre & peripubertal (10-14 years) and pubertal (15 to 18 years) age categories. Anthropometric data collected, PFT assessed using portable data logging Spirometer MIR II. Mean FVC and FEV1 values were 2.80 L, 2.49 L in boys and 2.34 L, 2.12 L in girls respectively. Predicted equations for both adolescent age groups were generated by using linear regression analysis. PFT were significantly different in both age categories in boys and girls. PFT increased with increasing age and significantly correlated with the anthropometric parameters. Region specific and age specific predicted equations for PFT are generated from this study.

Medical Humanities.

Medical humanities (MH) have been described as using subjects traditionally known as the humanities for specific purposes in medical education. Learning MH provides a number of advantages to medical students. I have been involved in facilitating MH sessions for over seven years. MH modules are still not com-mon in South Asia. There are various challenges in initiating a MH module in a medical school in south Asia. MH modules should be driven by the energy and creativity of facilitators in each medical school, should use small group learning strategies and be fun.

Developing and sustaining a medical humanities program at KIST Medical College, Nepal.

The author conducted a voluntary Medical Humanities (MH) module at Pokhara, Nepal, in 2007 as a curriculum innovation project for a fellowship in health sciences education. He conducted a module for faculty members at KIST Medical College (KISTMC), Lalitpur, Nepal, in 2008. The modules used literature excerpts, case scenarios, role-plays, paintings and group activities to explore different aspects of MH. The module for faculty members had the objectives of introducing faculty to MH and also creating facilitators for the student modules. For the last four years the author has been facilitating an MH module for first-year medical students at KISTMC.

Small group facilitation skills in problem-based learning.

Medical schools are increasingly changing over to a problem-based system of learning. Students work in a small group to analyze a well-structured, clinically relevant patient case. Problem Based Learning (PBL) provides a logical approach in training students for practicing medicine in a complex environment by exposing them to simulated problems which may reflect real life situations. PBL requires a change in mindset on the part of both the learner and the teacher/facilitator. For tutors, metacognitive skills, i.e. the ability of active, positive, conscious monitoring and direction of activities carried out by the students who were confronted with a problem, clear communication, and awareness of the learning needs of the students are rated as important. The ‘knowledgeable’ teacher no longer dominates learning, and students and teachers became equal partners in the learning process. Teachers/facilitators are requested not to give answers but to provide students with more room for active self-learning. An effective PBL tutor has the ability to communicate informally with students and has an empathic attitude which creates an atmosphere in which open exchange of ideas is facilitated. Programmes to improve PBL facilitation skills have been carried out in various institutions in the South Asian region. The positive impact of these training programmes highlights the need for workshops to develop such facilitative skills among South Asian medical educators. Problem-based learning should gradually become the more important and more widely used method of learning compared to didactic lectures.

Impact of educational outreach visits by pharmacists on treatment of childhood diarrhoea - initial findings from Banke district, Nepal.

Diarrhoea is one of the most common causes of mortality and morbidity in children in developing countries. Oral rehydration salts (ORS) and zinc are the primary tools used to fight diarrhoea in children. Educational outreach visits or academic detailing has been practiced over a period of time to improve prescribing behaviour in the developed countries. However, educational outreach programmes are very uncommon in Nepal. We conducted a pilot study to see the impact of educational outreach visits on the management of diarrhoea in children among 10 prescribers in the Banke district of Nepal. Initial findings suggest that there is a marked improvement on the prescribing of ORS and zinc by the prescribers after our intervention. Therefore it is planned to conduct the same study among a large number of prescribers in the Banke district of Nepal.

Medical students and medical teachers learn together: preliminary experiences from Western Nepal.

Medical students and medical teachers learning together have not been widely reported in the literature. However, there have been reports of this collaborative learning from other areas of education. The Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal admits students from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka and other countries to the undergraduate medical course. The department of Medical Education decided to offer a voluntary Medical Humanities module to the students. Faculty members also joined the module along with the fifth and sixth semester students. The facilitator conducted two focus group discussions (FGDs) with the faculty and the student participants separately. Various issues regarding the module were discussed but here I am only describing the issue of the faculty and the students learning together. The sessions were based on small group, activity-based learning and were held after regular college hours. The faculty participants acted as co facilitators and guided the dynamics of their groups. They added experience to the literature and art interpretation and to the role plays. In certain sessions, their professional experience added value. The faculty and the students bonded together well. The new topic, the informal and interactive nature of the sessions may be partly responsible. Future sessions can draw on this experience.

Basic sciences in South Asia now and then: A personal perspective.

The late 1980s was a period of change and continuity. The preclinical subjects of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry were taught during the first one and half years of the course. Dissection, histology, osteology, animal experiments, hematology practicals, biochemistry practicals were the different exercises. The internet and computers were still in the future during my student days and traditional anatomical specimens were used to study the subject. These days a number of simulations and computer programs are available. Multimedia has made the learning of the subject easier and online support websites are a great help to both students and teachers. Animal experiments and pharmacy practicals were carried out in pharmacology during my student days. Pathology and Microbiology practicals were microscope based. Community Medicine was not taught in the community. Nepal is a relatively new entrant to medical education. In Nepal, the basic science subjects are taught in an integrated, organ system-based manner during the first four semesters. Teaching and learning rational use of medicines is emphasized in pharmacology in our institution. Assessment has become more structured and is carried out using checklists. Adult learning strategies are more commonly used and the student-teacher relationship is becoming more democratic and egalitarian. Technology has invaded the classroom. The number of private medical schools has increased and the importance of the undergraduate medical degree (MBBS) has decreased. The next twenty years will definitely see more changes and promises to be an exciting time in medical education. The late 1980s were a period of change and continuity. India was firmly wedded to socialist principles but a young prime minister was just beginning to initiate change. Medical schools were still traditional places of learning. Massive buildings, overcrowded hospitals, milling crowds.

Ramelteon: a melatonin receptor agonist for the treatment of insomnia.

Ramelteon is a novel MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptor selective agonist recently approved for the treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulty in sleep onset. It is a nonscheduled drug since it lacks the potential for abuse and does not interact with neurotransmitter receptors most associated with these phenomena. Although the effects of ramelteon use > 5 weeks are unknown, the available data confirms its safety and efficacy for short-term use. Clinical use and future research should uncover more information about ramelteon's properties.

Recent advances in the assessment and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a syndrome of progressive airflow limitation caused by an abnormal inflammatory reaction of the airways and lung parenchyma. It stems from chronic tobacco smoking, and indoor air pollution, and bronchospasm is the predominant cause of the symptoms. The condition is the result of environmental insult and host reaction that is likely to be genetically predetermined. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exhibits expiratory airflow limitation due to abnormalities in the airways and/or lung parenchyma. The disease begins with an asymptomatic phase and onset of the symptomatic phase develops with a fall in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) below 70% of the predicted value. There is reduction in diffusing capacity, hypoxaemia and alveolar hypoventilation. However, it is intriguing why only a fraction of smokers develop clinically relevant COPD.

Clinical profile of young-onset dementia: A study from Eastern India

Young-onset dementia, defined as dementia occurring under the age of 65, is an increasingly recognized cause of morbidity and disability. There are few reports of the clinical profile of young-onset dementia from India. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical profile of patients attending a specialist cognitive disorders clinic in West Bengal, an eastern state of India. Almost one-fourth (94/379, 24.5%) of all the patients with dementia were of young onset. Women constituted about one-third of these cases. There was a gradual increase in the number of cases with rising age. The most common etiologies were Alzheimer disease (33%), frontotemporal dementia (27%), and vascular dementia (20%). In contrast to other published studies of young-onset dementia, frontotemporal dementia was commoner than vascular dementia. This could be due to referral bias. A positive family history was found in close to one-fifth of the patients. Close to 10% of the patients had reversible causes of dementia. Community based study is required to confirm the findings of this study.

A prospective incidence study of epilepsy in a rural community of West-Bengal, India

Epilepsy is a major health problem in India, but community based incidence study is rare. This study was undertaken to determine the incidence rate in a rural community of the state of West Bengal, India. The study was done through house to house survey by a dedicated team of neurologists, who carried out the survey cum case detection over 5 years. A total of 38 cases were detected during the survey period in a population of 20,966. The age adjusted (to World Standard Population) average annual incidence rate was 42.08 per 100,000 persons per year (95% confidence interval, 29.75-57.86). This rate was higher than many developed countries, but lower than the developing countries. Cerebral infection was the most common putative factor observed. An increasing trend of incidence of epilepsy has been observed over the years during the period of the study.

Understanding the essentials of drug interactions: a potential need for safe and effective use of drugs.

Drug interactions (DIs) represent an important and widely under recognized source of medication errors. An interaction is said to occur when the effects of one drug are changed by the presence of another drug(s), food, drink or an environmental chemical. When a therapeutic combination could lead to an unexpected change in the condition of the patient, this would be described as an interaction of potential clinical significance. DIs can arise in numerous ways; such as pharmacodynamic interaction, in which receptor effects of different agents interacts to produce synergy or antagonism of drug effects. In pharmacokinetic interaction, the blood levels of given agents may be raised or lowered based on the type of interaction. Special attention and thorough monitoring is needed for the patients who are predisposed to develop DIs and those on drugs with narrow therapeutic index. DIs can be a very important contributory factor for the occurrence of adverse drug reactions and adverse drug events. DIs monitoring programs should be initiated and strengthened in order to minimize their occurrence. Herbal drug interactions and DIs comprising over the counter medicines should also be considered seriously.

Drug induced hepatitis with anti-tubercular chemotherapy: challenges and difficulties in treatment.

Tuberculosis is a major health burden worldwide. In Nepal, it is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Although better drugs are available for managing tuberculosis, treatment failure is one of the common problems encountered. Among the various causes which can cause treatment interruption, drug induced hepatotoxicity is a common cause. Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide are the common drugs causing hepatotoxicity. Upon occurrence of hepatotoxicity, the hepatotoxic drugs should be stopped and reintroduced as per the available guidelines. The healthcare professional should also counsel the patients for recognizing the early symptoms due to hepatotoxicity which could prevent morbidity.