Self-Medication Among Medical Students During the COVID19 Pandemic

Introduction: During the different wave of pandemic, due to various reasons self-medication practices among the public increased. Medical students are prone to such practices due to relevant background knowledge, and access to drugs. This study assessed the self-medication practice among the medial students during the different waves of pandemic of south Gujarat. Material and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted during May to June 2022 through self-administered form among medical students of south Gujarat, India. Study questionnaire included general de-mography; most frequently practice of self-medication. drug and the reason behind it. Result: Out of total 512 respondents, 381 (74.4%) did self-medication during the pandemic. 358 individuals (94.0%) did self-medication at least one drug since the start of pandemic. The most commonly utilizing medi-cines as prophylactic was Ayurvedic preparation, Multivitamins, Zinc and Vitamin C. For treatment of symp-toms during the pandemic paracetamol (650 mg) was frequently used specially for body ache and fever. The main source of information of self-medication was internet. Conclusion: This study depicted common self-medication practices among medical students during the pan-demic. It is a significant health issue especially during the pandemic times, with high consumption reported as a prevention or treating symptoms of COVID-19.

Role of Deep Tension Sutures in Closing the Defect Following Excision of Sacrococcygeal Pilonidal Sinus – A Case Series

Background: The midline sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus is the common surgical condition among younger population. They present to surgical outpatient department with pain and history of pus discharge from natal cleft. These patients approach for permanent cure following repeated attacks of pain and abscess drainage. We present a new surgical technique of primary closure by applying deep tension sutures (DTS) to close the defect following excision of midline sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus. The rationale behind this technique is to avoid prolonged hospital stay and early return to work.Materials and Methods: In this study, a group of five patients (one female and four male patients) with the age group between 18 and 35 years was studied for the effectiveness, duration of hospital stay post-operative complications, and recurrence following the new surgical technique of DTS. Following excision of midline sacral pilonidal sinus, the resulting elliptical wound varying from 6 cm to 10 cm was approximated using two or three DTS with No-1 Prolene. In this suturing technique, the sutures were held in place using small pieces of plastic tubing from intravenous drip set to avoid suture cutting through the skin. This technique was similar to abdominal wound closure in cases of complete wound dehiscence. The superficial part of the wound was approximated using No-3 zero Ethilon. In this procedure, author has not used any type of drain in the wound. No suture materials were used inside the wound to approximate the raw area (e.g., Vicryl suture). Patients were covered with IV antibiotics and analgesics for a period of 5 days. All sutures were removed on the 10th day.Results: There were no post-operative complications noted during the hospital stay and during follow-up period ranging from 2 months to 6 months. The scar was healthy with functionally, cosmetically acceptable results. There was no recurrence noted in our study group during the follow-up

Characterization of genetic diversity of some serovars of Bacillus thuringiensis by RAPD.

RAPD based fingerprinting of 21 serovars of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) representing different serotypes was performed using 19 random decamer primers. A total of 172 polymorphic fragments, ranging in size from 161-2789 bp, were amplified from 13 of the 19 primers. Pairwise genetic similarity analysis revealed very low similarity values, ranging from 3-68%, among the serovars of Bt, indicating high genetic divergence. Nineteen serovars of Bt fell in two major clusters and remaining two formed solitary clusters in the dendogram. Clustering of Bt strains established genetic relatedness between serovars and serotypes. It has been suggested that RAPD analysis can be used for genotypic characterization of Bt to complement flagellar serotyping.

Clinical significance of lipid profile in cancer patients.

In the present study, we have examined lipid profile in normal healthy age matched control and patients with various malignancies. Analysis of data revealed that total lipids, cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels are inversely associated with incidence of cancer where as triglycerides levels were significantly elevated in cancer patients. Electrophoretic separation of lipoproteins revealed a significant decrease in the mean values of alpha fraction in patients with malignancy when compared with the corresponding control group. The other fractions beta and pre-beta did not show any change in the mean values in patients with cancer as compared to the normal corresponding control group.

Cardioprotective effect of magnesium chloride in experimental acute myocardial infarction.

Cardioprotective role of intravenous administration of magnesium chloride was evaluated in rabbits by biochemical and histopathological parameters. Myocardial damage was induced by injecting (i.v.) isoprenaline 1, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 mg/kg body weight of animal. There was a dose dependent increase in the activity of cardiac enzyme creatinine kinase CK (C Max). Maximal elevation of CK (C Max) was observed with 2.5 mg isoprenaline. The mean T-max (mean of the time duration in hr at which maximum creatinine kinase activity of individual rabbit was observed in a group) shifted early, significantly with 2.5, 5 and 7.5 mg isoprenaline compared to control group. Histopathologically, myocardial damage was quite significant in 2.5 mg isoprenaline subgroup of animals. A mortality of 29% was observed in animals injected with 5 and 7.5 mg isoprenaline, whereas all animals subjected with 1 and 2.5 mg isoprenaline were alive for 72 hr. Considering the data on serial determination of cardiac enzyme CK and histopathological changes, 2.5 mg isoprenaline was chosen as standard dose to study efficacy of cardioprotection by gold standard verapamil and magnesium chloride. Verapamil (5 microM) injected prior to 2.5 mg isoprenaline administration revealed significant reduction of CK (C Max) activity (P < 0.05) compared to animals infused with isoprenaline alone. T-max value did not show any alteration in both the groups. Histopathological findings showed no areas of necrosis and cellular infiltrates in animals primed with 2.5 mg isoprenaline following verapamil. Highly significant reduction in CK (C-max) activity was observed in animals administered with 40 mg magnesium chloride prior to isoprenaline compared to animals treated with isoprenaline alone (P < 0.001). In addition to this, significant delay in T-max of CK activity was observed in group treated with 40 mg magnesium chloride and isoprenaline compared to group treated with only isoprenaline (P < 0.01). The study clearly highlighted and confirmed the valuable role of magnesium chloride as cardioprotective agent.

Respiratory responses and blood sugar level of the crab, Barytelphusa cunicularis (Westwood), exposed to mercury, copper and zinc.

Barytelphusa cunicularis (Westwood), a freshwater crab was exposed to mercuric chloride, copper sulphate and zinc sulphate from 0 to 12 hr and the oxygen consumption of the animal was measured in order to study the stress caused by these heavy metals. Normal oxygen consumption was affected by the three heavy metals. Similarly, crabs exposed to sublethal concentrations of the same pollutants for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr showed an elevation in the blood sugar level with a maximum increase at 48 hr. The results indicate a switch towards glycolysis in order to overcome the anaerobic stress caused by the heavy metals.

Susceptibility studies on Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles, 1901, to insecticides in the state of Goa.

Tests conducted on the adults of C. tritaeniorhynchus in Goa during 1988-89 against organochlorine, organophosphate and carbamate insecticides showed that the LC50 values against DDT and dieldrin after 1 h of exposure were 2.2 and 1.2 per cent respectively. The LT50 values against malathion (5%), fenitrothion (1%) and propoxur (0.1%) were 19, 22 and 35 min respectively. Thus, taking into consideration the base-line data available for C. quinquefasciatus, the species can be considered susceptible to dieldrin, malathion, fenitrothion and propoxur. However, the results with DDT were equivocal and require verification.

Isolation of Japanese encephalitis virus from Culex pseudovishnui Colless, 1957 (Diptera: Culicidae) in Goa.

A strain of Japanese encephalitis virus was isolated from a pool of 54 female C. pseudovishnui Colless, 1957. The mosquitoes were collected in August 1988 during the period of epidemic of JE. This is the first report of isolation of JE virus from mosquitoes in Goa in the western coastal belt of peninsular India. In view of this isolation, C. pseudovishnui acquires greater importance, even though its density and relative prevalence during the current study was found to be far lower than C. tritaeniorhynchus.

Ryle's tube drainage of afferent loop after partial gastrectomy and that of gall bladder after cholecystojejunostomy.

Ryle's tube drainage of the afferent loop effectively prevented duodenal blow-out or anastomotic leakage in 40 patients undergoing partial gastrectomy for recurrent peptic ulcer. Similarly the same procedure was adopted in 20 cases of cholecystojejunostomy. The tube prevented anastomotic leakage and decompressed the biliary tree by effective bile drainage from the very 1st day thus favouring the prognosis. There was no complication observed directly related to either procedure in the present series.