Comparison of safety and efficacy of dextromethorphan and levocloperastine in treatment of dry cough: a randomized open label phase IV clinical trial

Background: To compare safety and efficacy of dextromethorphan and levocloperastine in treatment of dry cough.Methods: Patients fulfilling the selection criteria were randomized into two groups. Patients in group A were administered dextromethorphan cough lozenges (5 mg) thrice daily for 7 days. Patients in group B were administered syrup levocloperastine (20 mg/5 ml) 5 ml thrice daily for 7 days. Severity and frequency of cough, and Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) score were assessed at the end of day 7.Results: Levocloperastine significantly decreased (p<0.5) severity and frequency of cough compared to dextromethorphan at day 7. Levocloperastine also significantly increased LCQ score compared to dextromethorphan at day 7.Conclusions: Levocloperastine is significantly more effective compared to dextromethorphan in treatment of dry cough.

Mid-term Safety and Efficacy of Transcatheter Closure of Ostium Secundum Atrial Septal Defect under Transthoracic Echocardiographic Guidance in Children Weighing Less than 15 Kg

Background: Transcatheter device closure of ostium secundum atrial septal defect is a safe & effective intervention in older children, & is usually done under transesophageal echocardiography guidance. However, the procedure under transthoracic echocardiography guidance, especially in smaller children, is done only at few centers, the data of which is scarce. Methods: A prospective study was undertaken to assess the mid-term efficacy and outcome of transcatheter device closure of ostium secundum atrial septal defect under transthoracic echocardiographic guidance, in children <15 Kg. Results: Eighty three children with ostium secundum atrial septal defect were included in the study. Median age of the study population was 3.5 years (1.9-5.6 years), and median weight of 11.6 Kg (7.6 - 14.9 Kg). The primary and secondary procedural success rates were 94% and 96.4% respectively. Post procedure patients were followed up for 12-30 months. Device related major complications were encountered in 4 (4.8%) cases. The total occlusion rates of the defect at 24 hours, 1 month and 3 months post procedure were 94%, 98.8% and 100% respectively. Conclusion: The transcatheter device closure of ostium secundum atrial septal defect under transthoracic echocardiography guidance, in children <15 Kg, has a high short and mid-term safety and efficacy.

Pollination ecology of Clerodendrum indicum (Lamiaceae): first report of deceit pollination by anther-mimicking stigma in a bisexual flower / Ecología de la polinización de Clerodendrum indicum (Lamiaceae): primer informe de la polinización por engaño imitando el estigma en una flor bisexual

Abstract: Clerodendrum indicum (Lamiaceae) is a medicinally important shrub. We have studied the details of its pollination ecology which was hitherto unknown. The work was done during three consecutive years 20122014, based on 118 plants occurring in three widely separated wild populations in West Bengal, India, together with 25 individuals grown in an experimental plot. Details of flower structure and dynamics of floral events, pollen production and pollen dispersal, visitors and pollinators, floral attractants and floral rewards and pollen transfer mechanism have been worked out by standard methodologies with a 10x high resolution hand lens (IRL), a Leica WILD M3B Stereo-binocular microscope (Switzerland) and a Leica DMLB compound bright field light microscope (Germany). The tubular flower of four-day longevity attracts its visitors by visual cues. Flowers are visited regularly by ten species of insects. On the basis of the visitor behaviour, these can be classified into three distinct categories, viz., visitors belonging to Category-I act on cushion and trichome nectaries of calyx and corolla respectively, those of Category-II act on the dehisced anthers and trichome nectaries of corolla while those of Category-III act on dehisced anthers as well as receptive stigma. Majority of the visitors belong to either Category-I or Category-II. They visit only the 2nd day flowers and never visit a 3rd day flower when the stigma assumes receptivity. Therefore, they are not regarded as pollinators but, act as pollen and/or nectar robbers. Those are discriminated by offering secretions from extra-nuptial nectaries of the flower. Visitor species of Category-III, represented by a species of Trigona, constitute the legitimate pollinator of the plant and thereby, making the plant monophilic. Pollen presentation from the bisexual, dichogamous and protandrous flower takes place on the 2nd day, while the stigma assumes its receptivity on the 3rd day of flower opening. Pollen transfer to the body of the pollinator by a 2nd day flower in its male phase is achieved by offering edible pollen grains. On the other hand, a 3rd day flower at its female phase is devoid of the reward (pollen grain). The yellow shiny receptive stigma of such a flower strikingly mimics the freshly dehisced anthers and the pollinators being lured by such a stigma inadvertently transfer pollen onto it. C. indicum is so far the only known species of flowering plants where deceit pollination occurs by anther-mimicking stigma in a bisexual flower. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (3): 988-1001. Epub 2017 September 01.

Resumen: Clerodendrum indicum (Lamiaceae) es un arbusto medicinal importante. Hemos estudiado los detalles de la ecología de su polinización hasta ahora desconocida. El trabajo se realizó durante tres años consecutivos 2012-2014, basado en 118 plantas de tres poblaciones silvestres muy separadas en Bengala Occidental, India, junto con 25 individuos cultivados en una parcela experimental. Los detalles de la estructura de las flores y la dinámica de los eventos florales, la producción y la dispersión del polen, los visitantes y los polinizadores, los atractivos florales y las recompensas florales, así como el mecanismo de transferencia de polen han sido estudiados por metodologías estándar con una lente manual de alta resolución 10x (IRL), microscopio estéreo-binocular (M3B, Suiza) y microscopio de campo brillante (Leica DMLB, Alemania). La flor tubular de cuatro días de longevidad atrae a sus visitantes por señales visuales. Las flores son visitadas regularmente por diez especies de insectos. Con base en el comportamiento del visitante, éstos se pueden clasificar en tres categorías distintas, la mayoría pertenecen a la Categoría-I o a la Categoría-II. Visitan solo las flores del segundo día y nunca visitan una flor de 3er día cuando el estigma asume receptividad. Por lo tanto, no se consideran como polinizadores, sino que actúan como ladrones de polen y / o néctar. Estas son discriminadas por ofrecer secreciones de nectarios extra-nupciales de la flor. Las especies de visitantes de la Categoría III, representadas por una especie de Trigona, constituyen el polinizador legítimo de la planta y, por lo tanto, la hacen monofílica. La presentación del polen de la flor bisexual, dicogámica y protándrica ocurre en el 2do día, mientras que el estigma asume su receptividad en el tercer día de la apertura de la flor. La transferencia de polen al cuerpo del polinizador por una flor de segundo día en su fase masculina se logra ofreciendo granos comestibles de polen. Por otro lado, una flor de tercer día en su fase femenina carece de la recompensa (grano de polen). El estigma receptivo brillante amarillo de tal flor simula sorprendentemente las anteras recién abiertas y los polinizadores que son atraídos por tal estigma inadvertidamente transfieren polen en él. C. indicum es hasta ahora la única especie conocida de planta con flor en donde la polinización por engaño se produce por mimetismo de anteras en un estigma de una flor bisexual.

Hypoglycemic Effect of Strychnos Potatorum Linn were Compared with Glipizide on Male Diabetic Rats.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of Strychnos Potatorum Linn (S.P. Linn) on streptozotocin induced male diabetic rats. Method: Male albino rats (150-200 gm) were made diabetic by a single intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin (STZ) at a fixed dose of 40 mg/kg body weight. Animals were then given either the test drug or the standard control drug i.e. glipizide orally and the effects on fasting blood glucose level, body weight, food and water intake were recorded and compared with the standard drug. Results: The test drug S. P. Linn reduces blood sugar significantly in STZ induced diabetic male rats which is comparable to that of glipizied. Conclusion: S.P. Linn has antidiabetic action as it significantly reduces blood sugar level in male diabetic rats.

Burn Out Among Medical Students - A Study Across Three Medical Colleges in Eastern India.

Burnout is described as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, and reduced personal accomplishment that may develop when there is significant stress without adequate support and resources in the face of work overload, as commonly happens with physicians and undergraduate medical students. Materials and Methods : This work attempted to study the level of burn out among all the third and fifth semester medical students in three different medical colleges. 596 students from three medical colleges participated in the study wherein they were given standard questionnaires for assessment of stress, support, satisfaction and control parameters. Results : Overall 310 students of the 596 (52.01%) interviewed had scores correlating with burn out. All the colleges across semesters showed burnout in the various parameters individually like stress, lack of support, dissatisfaction, lack of control and perception of success. Conclusions : Individual as well as organizational interventions need to be targeted to prevent burnout among medical students.

Study habits and attitude of medical students of basic sciences.

Study habits and attitude for learning of Basic Medical Sciences amongst 133 students of first and second year MBBS course were analyzed (through questionnaires). The study revealed that the most of the students desired to be physicians to serve the patient/society. They preferred to learn more through self study (48.0%) and lecture classes (43.0%), less through group discussion (8.0%) and PBL (1.0%). Only 5.0% use to surf the internet regularly for their study matter and 79.0% students had never consulted any medical journals.

Is it relevant to screen women younger than 26 years for precancerous and malignant cervical lesions ?

Cervical cancer is a serious health problem and most of the cases occur in less developed countries where effective screening systems are lacking. The aim of our present study is to delineate the age for early detection of precancerous cervical lesions. Cervical smears were screened (Pap test) over a period of four and half years from January 2000 to June 2004. The pattern of lesions was found to be almost same among the age groups of 26 to 35 years and 36 to 45 years. This result tempted us to think that detection of cervical lesions at an early age younger than 26 years may be an important step forward towards complete cure.

Seasonal variation of blood pressure in young normotensive.

In this study, the variation of blood pressure in young normotensive medical students has been recorded in winter and summer. Daytime blood pressure of young normotensive medical students has been measured in supine position. It has been found that both the systolic and diastolic pressure increases in low ambient temperature. It may be due to sympathetic stimulation and increase secretion of catecholamines in response to cold. Both sympathetic stimulation and catecholamines causes vasoconstriction leading to increased peripheral resistance and thereby increases diastolic pressure. At the same time the above mention stimuli increases heart rate and force of contraction of cardiac muscle causing increased cardiac output and thereby increases the systolic pressure.