Knowledge Attitude and Practices amongst Nursing Professionals of Central India during COVID-19 pandemic: A Cross Sectional study

Introduction: Nurses being important frontline workerscan also be a part of infection transmission chain which can be prevented by assessing gaps in their KAP. This study aimed to assess the awareness regarding COVID-19, attitude and coherence to the existing practices amongst nursing professionals of Madhya Pradesh during COVID -19 pandemic. Methods: A questionnaire was prepared based on the guidelines of WHO/ICMR and was circulated via internet to nursing professionals working in either government /private sector medical institutes between 1stMay and 30thJune 2020. Knowledge, attitude, practices and stress levels were assessed. Results:Nursing professionals from 35 districts of Madhya Pradesh participated and the average age was 29 years. The study showed averageknowledge score (56% correct rate) with majority showing optimistic attitude and reasonable practices in fight against the pandemic. Health care training showed significant positive correlation with KAP. Public sector staff excelled more on knowledge scale, showed more positive attitudes and safer practices. Pessimistic attitudes and inauthentic practices showed significant correlation with poor knowledge scores. Majority of the nurses (78%) showed moderate to severe stress

Prevailing Marketing Practices and Consumer Preference for Pork in Bareilly City

Present study was conducted using purposive sampling technique to identify prevailing marketing practices and consumer preference for pork in Bareilly city. The study revealed that majority of retailers come under middle age group and belong to lower socio-economic strata. Facilities of chiller, deep freezer, disinfectant and packaging and labeling were not available at any retail shops. Majority of respondent sold 30-35kg pork/day with higher frequency of selling at morning within 4-5 hrs of slaughter. Problems faced by retailers were poor financial conditions and lack of marketing chain. Pork retailers required training and aids related to pork business from government. Majority of consumers at Bareilly city belongs to the lower socio-economic strata. Majority of individuals purchased pork at least 1-2 times per week, most of them purchased at morning time. Most of consumer preferred ham cut, purchased meat from road side stalls immediately after slaughter for preparing dishes from pork and preferred stewing. Finally, it can be concluded that pork was sold through unorganized sector, both consumers and retailers were not aware about quality and safety of pork and meager value chain exist for pork business at Bareilly city

Wound Repair and Anti-inflammatory Potential of Fumaria indica in Excision Wound-induced Rats.

Aims: Objective of the study was to investigate the wound contraction and antiinflammatory activity of the 50% ethanolic extract of Fumaria indica (Hausskn.) Pugsley (Fumariaceae) by excision wound model and estimation of pro-inflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines. Study Design: Prospective. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacology, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India. December 2012 to May 2013. Methodology: Dried powdered whole plant of Fumaria indica was extracted with 50% ethanolic extract. The extract was subjected to HPTLC fingerprinting, DPPH free radical scavenging and antibacterial activities. Further, 10% F. indica ointment was tested for its wound contraction, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory potentials. Results: The 50% ethanolic extract showed presence of ellagic acid, ferulic acid andquercetin. The IC50 was 0.11mg/mL and significant antibacterial activity was observed against S. aureus and E. coli. The 10% F. indica ointment applied topically to the wound area reducedits size from 500 mm2 to 40 mm2 by the end of 9th day. These results were comparable to the effect of 0.2% nitrofurazone. The extract further showed a reduction in the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα and IL-6) and an increase in antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10.

Detection of bacterial growth in blood components using oxygen consumption as a surrogate marker in a tertiary oncology setup.

Microbiological contamination of blood and blood products is a well-recognised transfusion risk. This study was performed in the blood bank of our oncology centre, with an objective to detect bacterial contamination in our blood products using oxygen consumption as a surrogate marker [Pall Enhanced Bacterial Detection System (eBDS)]. Results revealed that the percentages of failed units were 1.16% for random donor platelets (RDP), 0.81% for single donor platelets (SDP) and 2.94% for packed red blood cells (PRBCs), of which one RDP and one SDP grew coagulase-negative staphylococcus, while one PRBC culture grew Gram-positive bacilli.

Pharmacokinetics of pyrazinamide in children with primary progressive disease of lungs.

Background & objectives: As the dosages recommended for children are based on weight, empirical and derived by extrapolation from the studies in adults, pyrazinamide (PZA) pharmacokinetics in children is likely to be different from adults. Limited information exists regarding the pharmacokinetics of PZA in paediatric patients of primary progressive disease (PPD) of lungs. This study aims to look at the changed pharmacokinetics of pyrazinamide in children with PPD of lungs by using reverse phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Methods: A total of 40 children (age range 5 to 13 yr) of PPD were receiving pyrazinamide (30 mg/kg/day). On 11th day of short course antitubercular therapy, blood samples (two per day from 11th to 13th day) were collected at 0 h (pre-dose), 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 24 h after pyrazinamide administration and concentration of pyrazinamide was estimated by reverse phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. The mean peak serum concentration, the time to reach mean peak serum concentration, total clearance, concentration at time zero, volume of distribution, terminal elimination rate constant, elimination half-life, total area under serum concentration-time curve were measured. Results: The mean serum concentrations of pyrazinamide were found higher than its minimum inhibitory concentration (20 μg/ml) required to inhibit the growth of tubercle bacilli from 1 to 8 h continuously. Interpretation & conclusions: Our results suggest that a dose of 30 mg/kg/day achieves much higher concentration of pyrazinamide as compared to its minimum inhibitory concentration (20 μg/ml). Therefore, lowering of pyrazinamide dosage is suggested in children for better patient compliance along with reduction in cost, side-effects and toxicity without compromising its efficacy.

Pharmacokinetics of pyrazinamide in children with primary progressive disease of lungs.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: As the dosages recommended for children are based on weight, empirical and derived by extrapolation from the studies in adults, pyrazinamide (PZA) pharmacokinetics in children is likely to be different from adults. Limited information exists regarding the pharmacokinetics of PZA in paediatric patients of primary progressive disease (PPD) of lungs. This study aims to look at the changed pharmacokinetics of pyrazinamide in children with PPD of lungs by using reverse phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). METHODS: A total of 40 children (age range 5 to 13 yr) of PPD were receiving pyrazinamide (30 mg/kg/day). On 11(th) day of short course antitubercular therapy, blood samples (two per day from 11(th) to 13(th) day) were collected at 0 h (pre-dose), 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 24 h after pyrazinamide administration and concentration of pyrazinamide was estimated by reverse phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. The mean peak serum concentration, the time to reach mean peak serum concentration, total clearance, concentration at time zero, volume of distribution, terminal elimination rate constant, elimination half-life, total area under serum concentration-time curve were measured. RESULTS: The mean serum concentrations of pyrazinamide were found higher than its minimum inhibitory concentration (20 microg/ml) required to inhibit the growth of tubercle bacilli from 1 to 8 h continuously. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that a dose of 30 mg/kg/day achieves much higher concentration of pyrazinamide as compared to its minimum inhibitory concentration (20 microg/ml). Therefore, lowering of pyrazinamide dosage is suggested in children for better patient compliance along with reduction in cost, side-effects and toxicity without compromising its efficacy.

Soybean trypsin inhibitor confers protection against rotavirus infection in infant mice.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of soybean trypsin inhibitor (TI) on glycine uptake, glutathione (GSH) levels and morphological changes of intestine in rotavirus (RV) infected infant mice. METHODS: A total of 144 infant mice (7/8 days old) were divided in 3 groups (i.e. control, RV and RV + inhibitor). Infant mice were orally inoculated with the EB strain of RV and Trypsin protease inhibitor (TI) and 8 animals each were sacrificed on days 0,1,3,5,7 and 10 post infection (p.i). Glycine uptake (in vitro), GSH levels and histological changes were assessed in the jejunum, ileum and colon. RESULTS: Glycine uptake and GSH levels were significantly reduced on days 3 and 5 p.i in jejunum and ileum of RV inoculated animals, compared to the controls. Glycine uptake and GSH levels were maintained as in controls in the RV + TI inoculated animals on days 3 and 5 p.i in jejunum and colon but not in ileum where lesser values were recorded. Histology showed vacuolar degeneration in ileum towards the apical portion whereas normal morphology was observed in jejunum, similar to controls. No histological changes were observed in colon in any of the groups. Electron microscopic study confirmed the viral infection. CONCLUSION: Administration of Trypsin protease inhibitor along with RV reverted the effects of RV infection on amino acid uptake and GSH levels completely in the jejunum and partially in the ileum.

Protection against rotavirus diarrhoea in mice by trypsin inhibitor.

To investigate the role of soyabean trypsin inhibitor (TI) during rotavirus (RV) diarrhoea, changes in enzyme activities of six relevant mucosal enzymes (lactase, sucrase, maltase, trehalase, glucoamylase and alkaline phosphatase) were assayed following inoculation of suckling mice with EB rotavirus (serotype 3) along with the TI and compared with the age-matched healthy control mice. The animals were divided into three groups i.e. group 1 (controls), group 2 (RV inoculated) and group 3 (RV + TI inoculated and sacrificed under light anaesthesia on 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 day post inoculation (dpi). Then intestines were excised and divided into two parts (jejunum and ileum). They were separately homogenized in 0.9% cold normal saline and activities of mucosal enzyme were measured. Alkaline phosphatase and disaccharidases were found to be decreased significantly in RV inoculated animals in both the anatomical portions of small intestine of mice. These enzyme levels were restored with the administration of TI i.e. in group 3 and became comparable to the controls in both intestinal portions. These studies suggest that activity of intestinal enzymes which are important in digestive absorptive functions of small intestine were restored with the addition of TI whengiven to infant mice showing its protective efficacy during rotavirus infection.

Effect of rotavirus infection on lipid composition and glucose uptake in infant mouse intestine.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of rotavirus infection on lipid composition and glucose uptake in small intestine of infant mice. METHODS: Thirty six 7-day old balb/c mice were given 50 mL (100 ID50) rotavirus suspension orally; 36 control animals received only normal saline. Body weight of animals was recorded. Six animals in each group were sacrificed on days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 post-inoculation (pi). Intestines were removed, everted and homogenized in ice-cold saline. Cholesterol and phospholipid content, glucose uptake and alkaline phosphatase in the jejunum and ileum were determined. RESULTS: Rotavirus infection led to a significant decrease in body weight with on days 3 and 5 pi as compared to controls, and to an increase in cholesterol and phospholipid content of the intestine. Uptake of glucose also increased significantly. Alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly reduced on days 3 and 5 pi as compared to controls. CONCLUSION: This study provides characterization of the lipid composition and uptake of glucose in infant mice small intestinal segments during rotavirus infection.

Antioxidant status of streptozotocin diabetic rats.

Free radicals may play an important role in causation and complications of diabetes mellitus. Antioxidant status of blood was determined in rats made diabetic in intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (75 mg/kg body weight). The product of lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde in erythrocytes (RBC) was increased in diabetic rats as compared to normal controls after 6 weeks of induction of diabetes. The levels of major natural protective antioxidants, viz. glutathione and alphatocopherol (vitamin E) were lower in RBC and plasma respectively of diabetic rats as compared to normal controls. The results indicate that increased oxidative stress and accompanying decrease in antioxidants may be related to the causation of diabetes mellitus.