ABSTRACT
Background: The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) dates back to being quite pervasive amongst patients suffering from chronic ailments such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and migraine. While data pertaining to the use of CAM among adults with migraine is limited and mostly undercover thereby veiling their effects. Hence, this analysis was taken up to project the paradigm of CAM usage among sufferers of migraine in our domain. Aim and Objectives: To examine various attributes of CAM utility in patients of migraine. Materials and Methods: Following the approval by the Institutional Ethics Committee vide order no. IEC/GMC/2019/767 dated November 26, 2019, this study was performed in migraine patients visiting Medicine out patient department of Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu over a span of 3 months. After receiving their consent, they were confronted with a prevalidated questionary consisting of two sections viz. socio-demographic profile and CAM use aspects. Results: A total of 100 patients were inducted in our research, of which 64 agreed to use various CAM modalities alongwith ongoing conventional migraine therapy. Females (73.43%) belonging to rural setting (57.81%) depicted quite high use of CAM than their male (26.56%) counterparts. Ayurvedic balm/oil massage (56.25%) was the most common type of CAM used with family/friends (59.37%) being major informants about various CAM practices. The less educated patients (46.87%) showed relatively more use of CAM than in illiterates (9.37%). 53.12% of those on CAM proclaimed about its safety, being less costly (18.75%) yet effective (14.06%). Only 29.68% of patients disclosed about their CAM use to their treating doctor while the majority (70.31%) were non-revealers. Conclusion: CAM is prevalent in patients suffering from migraine with more propensity among females of rural strata. Ayurvedic balm/oil massage was the most extensively practiced CAM. Ironically, a vast chunk of patients did not reveal regarding CAM usage to their treating physician. As such there’s a dire need to embolden such patients to divulge regarding CAM to their treating doctor so as to thwart any impending undesired interplay.
ABSTRACT
Background: The unprecedented demands on health‑care systems due to the COVID‑19 pandemic made countries including India to switch toward alternative modes of health‑care delivery. Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the various COVID‑related services delivered through 104 health information helpline (HIHL), located in Jharkhand during the pandemic. Methods: The de‑identified secondary data from February 2020 to December 2021 related to COVID services delivered through HIHL were analyzed. Results: There was a significant increase in the COVID call volume during the first as well as the second wave. The HIHL has been able to guide the callers on testing, home isolation and follow‑up, home‑based teleconsultation, vaccination, timely referral, and support with logistic‑related information. Conclusion: The 104 HIHL has played a critical role in sustaining health‑care delivery during the pandemic, combating the “infodemic” and guiding the general public by providing authentic information.
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The study was carried out in four different agro-climatic zones of Maharashtra. A typology was developed applying multivariate statistical techniques i.e. Cluster analysis (CA) to classify groups of farm households with similar farm characteristics into four homogenous clusters, (i) households possessing small landholding, a larger high yielding dairy stock with small goat flock size (37.5%), (ii) households having small landholding with a small stock of high yielding dairy animal and small goat flock size (39%), (iii) households having large landholding with large high yielding dairy stock and small flock size (13.5%) and (iv) households possessing small landholding with small high yielding dairy stock and large flock size (10%). An assessment in terms of awareness, knowledge and adoption of dairy technologies and goat production practices were carried out across the clusters which was found significantly high within the household of cluster 3 and 4. The overall adoption index was found to be 65.16 per cent across the whole clusters. Multiple regression analysis revealed that total SAU, flock size, occupation, innovative proneness, scientific orientation, awareness of technology and knowledge of technology contribute positively (P<0.01, P<0.05) to the adoption of technology. The coefficient of determination was found (R2 =0.66) across the whole clusters
ABSTRACT
Aim: The aim of the present study was to identify biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and to determine the effectiveness of biosurfactants (rhamnolipid) against P. infestans causing late blight of potato. Methodology: Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were isolated from soil samples and the potential strain PA 1, selected because of its antagonistic ability, was used to optimize anti-metabolite production and its characterization using HPLC-Mass spectrometry. Rhamnolipid based formulation was developed and its efficacy was tested against late blight disease. Results: The results revealed that four rhamnolipids congeners were identified, among them three were mono-rhamno-di-lipidic congeners and one was di-rhamno-di-lipdic congeners, abundantly present in the crude biosurfactant obtained from P. aeruginosa PA1. The mass spectra of mono-rhamno-di-lipidic Rha-C12-C14 peak value (m/z 584), Rha-C12.1-C10.CH3 peak value (m/z 545), Rha-C12-C-12-CH3 peak value (m/z 575) and di-rhamno-di-lipidic. Rha-Rha-C10-C10 peak value (m/z 651) were also detected. Rhamnolipid-based formulation was developed and evaluated at different concentration ranging from 0.012 and 0.3% in detached leaf test. Significant reduction in lesion area was recorded at 0.2% concentration (lesion area 0.06 cm2 as against 9.8 cm2 on 5th day of inoculation). Interpretation: Microbial produced rhamnolipid based formulation at 0.2% concentration was found effective against late blight of potato in detached leaf test. Further, it could be used in field study as green chemical which would help in replacing application of chemicals in agriculture.
ABSTRACT
Adequate expression of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) toxins and purity of seeds of Bt-transgenic cottons are important for controlling bollworms, and thereby increasing the cotton productivity. Therefore, we examined the variability in expression of Bt toxin proteins in the seeds and in leaves of different cotton (Gossypium hirsutum (L.) hybrids (JKCH 226, JKCH 1947, JKCH Durga, JKCH Ishwar, JKCH Varun KDCHH 441 and KDCHH 621) expressing Bt toxins in F1 and F2 generations, using bioassays against the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), and the lateral flow strip (LFS) test. Toxicity of Bt toxin proteins in the seeds of Bt-transgenic cottons to H. armigera correlated with their toxicity in the leaves in one-toxin Bt cotton hybrids. The Bt-F1 and Bt-F2 seeds of JKCH 1947 were more toxic to H. armigera than those of JKCH Varun seeds. The seeds and leaves of F1s showed greater toxicity than the F2 seeds or leaves of one-toxin (cry1Ac) Bt cotton hybrids. However, no significant differences were observed for the two-toxin (cry1Ac and cry2Ab) hybrid, KDCHH 621. Toxicity of leaves to H. armigera increased with crop age, until 112 days after seedling emergence. The Bt trait purity in F1 seeds of four two-toxin Bt cotton hybrids ranged from 86.7 to 100%. The present study emphasizes the necessity of 95% Bt trait purity in seeds of transgenic cotton for sustainable crop production.