Study to find out reasons for opting medical profession and regret after joining MBBS course among first year students of a medical college in Andhra Pradesh

Background: Many students in India are influenced by parental pressure to pursue a career in medicine. It has been consistently observed that a notable number of medical students later regret their career choice. This study aims to delve into the reasons behind the choice of a medical career, preferences for various teaching methods, causes of inattentiveness in classes, and the level of regret experienced by students after opting for this path. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 first year medical students with a pre-tested, semi structured questionnaire. Data collected was analysed using SPSS software. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 19.13±1.18 and most of them were females (57.6%). The majority (72.2%) of students opted MBBS out of self-interest. To serve the society (21.2%) was the most common motivational factor to choose MBBS. 14.6% of the subjects were having feelings of regret for choosing the medical profession. Conclusions: Self-interest was the major reason for opting MBBS. Fulfilling parent’s wishes was also observed as one of the reasons for opting MBBS. Most students considered interactive lectures as their preferred teaching method, though many also preferred demonstrations and video lectures. Almost one third of the students were having feelings of regret for selecting the medical profession.

Prevalence of self-medication practices in the Maharashtra population: a cross-sectional study

Background: Self-medication is a significant issue in public health, with varying global prevalence. It is one of the major causes of the emergence of antibiotic resistance in India. The study's objective was to identify the pattern, cause, and adverse events of self-medication in Maharashtra's urban and rural areas. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a pre-populated questionnaire; including information on age (18-85 years), non-prescription and prescription medication use. Age, gender, past medical and medication history, social history, and self-medication pattern, frequency, reason, source of information, and adverse events noticed as a result of self-medication are all sociodemographic questions on the questionnaire. A percentage analysis was used to examine the data. Results: Study states that out of 400 sample, 76% of the individuals self-medicate, with painkillers (49.4%), antacids (23.7%), antibiotics (15.3%), being the most often used drugs for ailments like headache, fever, bodily pain, and acidity. The top most medications taken for self-medication are paracetamol (53.1%), pantoprazole (30.43%), ondansetron (13.62%), and azithromycin (12.46%); 66.07% usage of prescription drugs as self-medication was found. The most frequent causes of self-medication were discovered to be mild illnesses, the easy accessibility of medications, and chemist recommendations, 8% of those surveyed had adverse events, and sources of information were chemists, past prescriptions, family members, and acquaintances. Conclusions: In Maharashtra, self-medication is a prevalent practice that primarily utilizes over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. As a result, consumers should be made aware of the hazards of antibiotic resistance and other pharmaceuticals.

Caregiver burden of the elderly in a selected urban community, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh

Background: In India, families are the primary source of support in caring for the elderly, whereas the potential group of family caregivers is shrinking. Caregivers need greater recognition and support to help them care for the elderly and to maintain their own health and well-being. Assessment of the perceived burden of caregivers helps identify those in need of support. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted to estimate the perceived level of caregiver burden in families of elderly and to identify the association between selected socio-demographic characteristics of the caregivers and the level of caregiver burden. The caregivers of 50 elderly people categorized as mild and moderate dependents as per the Katz index of Independence were included in the study. The Zarith caregiver burden scale was used to evaluate their perceived level of caregiver burden. Results: Thirty-two (64%) caregivers were found to experience a mild to moderate perceived level of caregiver burden. An ordinal regression analysis between other burdens/responsibilities (predictor) of the caregiver and the perceived level of caregiver burden showed a significant association (?2; p=0.009) between the two. An odds ratio of 6.7 (95% CI, 2.22 to 22.7; p=0.00115) showed that as the predictor increased, the event (caregiver burden) increased as well. Conclusions: The majority of the caregivers suffer from a mild to moderate perceived level of caregiver burden. They experience more burden when they hold additional responsibility of caring for the elderly.

Prescribing pattern of analgesics used for postoperative pain and its correlate with patient and doctor satisfaction

Background: Post operative pain is difficult to assessment and its management has been neglected at times. Moreover, the drug treatment involves administration of drug on as and when basis which leads to inadequate control. Methods: This observational, prospective study was conducted in 100 post-operative patients i.e., 50 each from surgery and orthopedics departments. Investigator enrolled post-operative patients within 24 hours of surgery and followed them for next 5 days or till hospital discharge, whichever was earlier. Analgesic prescribing pattern, self-assessment of pain, patient and doctor satisfaction using ASSIST questionnaire were recorded in Case Record Form and analysed. Results: Out of 100 patients, average number of analgesics prescribed post-operatively was 1.49±0.5 (baseline and all follow-up). 76.5% patients received NSAIDs which included diclofenac (44.29%) and paracetamol (30.87%). Opioids in the form of tramadol were prescribed in 23.49% patients. Mean least pain experienced by patients on day 1 was 2±0.75 which decreased to 1.32±0.63 on day 5. Mean worst pain decreased from 6.64±1.43 on day 1 to 3.38±1.17 on day 5. Average percentage of duration of severe pain was 35.2%±16.48 on day 1 which successively decreased to 16.32±8.26 on day 5. Average pain relief observed in 62.3% patients on day one increased to 80.88% on day 5. Patient satisfaction increased as pain score decreased (r=-0.73) and a strong positive correlation was observed between doctor satisfaction and patient satisfaction (r=0.91). Conclusions: Inadequate control of post-operative pain affects effective patient management and recovery. Incorporation of effective pain assessment scores in pain management is desirable.

Factors associated with non-treatment of hypertension and gender differences at baseline in the ELSA-Brasil cohort

The treatment of arterial hypertension (AH) contributes to the reduction of morbidity and mortality. Gender differences are likely to play a role, as non-treatment is associated with clinical and sociodemographic aspects. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with non-treatment of AH and gender differences in hypertensive individuals from the ELSA-Brasil cohort. The study was conducted with 5,743 baseline hypertensive cohort participants. AH was considered if there was a previous diagnosis or if systolic blood pressure (SBP) was ≥140 and/or diastolic BP (DBP) was ≥90 mmHg. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data, lifestyle, comorbidities, and use of antihypertensive medications were evaluated through interviews and in-person measurements. Treatment with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) or other antihypertensive medications and non-treatment were evaluated with multivariate logistic regression. Non-treatment was observed in 32.8% of hypertensive individuals. Of the 67.7% treated individuals, 41.1% received RAASi. Non-treatment was associated with alcohol consumption in women (OR=1.41; 95%CI: 1.15-1.73; P=0.001), lowest schooling level in men (OR=1.70; 95%CI: 1.32-2.19; P<0.001), and younger age groups in men and women (strongest association in males aged 35-44 years: OR=4.58, 95%CI: 3.17-6.6, P<0.001). Among those using RAASi, a higher proportion of white, older individuals, and with more comorbidities was observed. The high percentage of non-treatment, even in this civil servant population, indicated the need to improve the treatment cascade for AH. Public health policies should consider giving special attention to gender roles in groups at higher risk of non-treatment to reduce inequities related to AH in Brazil.

Effects of long-term metformin administration associated with high-intensity interval training on physical performance, glycogen concentration, GLUT-4 content, and NMR-based metabolomics in healthy rats

The aim was to investigate the long-term effects of metformin ingestion on high-intensity interval training on performance, glycogen concentration (GC), GLUT-4 content, and metabolomics outcomes in rats. Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into baseline, metformin (500 mg daily), and control groups. Training consisted of 4 sets of 10 jumps with 30 s of passive recovery per day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks. The intensity equivalent was 50% of body mass (BM) in the first four weeks and 70% of BM in the last four weeks. The animals were submitted to a weekly jump test until exhaustion at 50% of BM. Serum and tissues were collected at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks for biochemical and metabolomics analysis. The number of jumps increased in the Control group without a significant difference between groups at 4 and 8 weeks. GLUT4 was lower in the gastrocnemius muscle in the Metformin at the fourth week compared to Control (P=0.03) and compared to Metformin (P=0.02) and Control (P=0.01) at eight weeks. Hepatic and soleus GC were not altered by metformin. Gastrocnemius GC was lower after 8 weeks in the Metformin group compared to Control (P=0.01). Significantly lower levels of pyruvate and phenylalanine and higher levels of ethanol, formate, betaine, very low-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and creatine were found in the Metformin compared to the Control. Although chronic administration of metformin decreased food intake and negatively influenced the synthesis of muscle glycogen, it did not significantly change physical performance compared to the Control.

The high biodiversity of benthic organisms in a coastal ecosystem revealed by an integrative approach / A alta biodiversidade de organismos bentônicos em um ecossistema costeiro revelada por uma abordagem integrativa

Abstract Increasing habitat modification and species loss demand consistent efforts to describe and understand biodiversity patterns. The BIOTA/FAPESP Program was created in this context and it has been a successful initiative to promote studies on biodiversity and conservation in Brazil. The BIOTA/Araçá is an interdisciplinary project that provided a detailed evaluation of the biodiversity of Araçá Bay, a coastal seascape located on the North coast of the state of São Paulo, Southeast Brazil. The bay encompasses multiple habitats, such as beaches, mangroves, rocky shores, and a tidal flat, and provides important ecosystem services. Unfortunately, the bay is the subject of complex social-environmental conflicts that oppose economic, social, and environmental demands (i.e., the expansion of neighboring harbor activities vs. small-scale artisanal fisheries and protection of biodiversity). The present study presents a survey of the benthic species occurring in the different habitats of Araçá Bay, including data obtained during the BIOTA/Araçá project and previous assessments of the area. The benthic species play an important role in marine environments and studying the diversity of these organisms that live associated with the bottom is indispensable for comprehending the environment's functioning. The macrofauna, meiofauna, and microorganisms associated with soft and hard bottom were listed, and additional information, such as the habitat and geographical distribution, were provided for each species. The checklist includes 826 species, almost 70% recorded during the BIOTA/Araçá project. The most speciose taxa were the annelids (225 spp.), mollusks (194 spp.), and crustaceans (177 spp.). Seven benthic species are endemic to Araçá Bay, 14 are considered threatened, and seven are economically exploited. Furthermore, the bay is the type locality of many taxa, and 11 new benthic species were described based on specimens sampled during the project. This project shows the importance of Araçá Bay as a unique biologically rich environment and highlights the need for conservation efforts in light of the current threats.

Resumo O aumento da modificação dos habitats e da perda de espécies demanda esforços consistentes para descrever e compreender os padrões de biodiversidade. O programa BIOTA/FAPESP foi criado nesse contexto e é uma iniciativa de sucesso para promover estudos em biodiversidade e conservação no Brasil. O BIOTA/Araçá é um projeto interdisciplinar que promoveu uma avaliação detalhada da biodiversidade da Baía do Araçá, um ecossistema costeiro localizado ao Norte do estado de São Paulo, Sudeste do Brasil. A baía engloba múltiplos habitats, tais como praias, manguezais, costões rochosos, e uma planície de maré, e também fornece importantes serviços ecossistêmicos. Infelizmente, a baía está sujeita à conflitos sócio-ambientais complexos que contrastam demandas econômicas, sociais e ambientais (i.e. a expansão das atividades do porto vizinho vs. a pesca artesanal de pequena escala e a proteção da biodiversidade). O presente estudo apresenta um levantamento das espécies bentônicas que ocorrem nos diferentes habitats da Baía do Araçá, incluindo dados obtidos durante o projeto BIOTA/Araçá e de investigações realizadas anteriormente na área. As espécies bentônicas desempenham um papel importante no ambiente marinho, e estudar a diversidade desses organismos que vivem associados ao fundo é indispensável para compreender o funcionamento do meio ambiente. A macrofauna, meiofauna, e microorganismos associados aos fundos consolidado e inconsolidado foram listados, e informações adicionais foram fornecidas para cada espécie, tais como a distribuição geográfica e nos habitats. O checklist inclui 826 espécies, quase 70% registradas durante o projeto BIOTA/Araçá. Os taxa mais especiosos foram os anelídeos (225 spp.), moluscos (194 spp.), e crustáceos (177 spp.). Entre as espécies bentônicas listadas, sete são endêmicas da Baía do Araçá, 14 são consideradas ameaçadas de extinção, e sete são exploradas economicamente. A baía é a localidade tipo de vários taxa, e 11 novas espécies bentônicas foram descritas com base em espécimes amostrados durante o projeto. Este projeto mostra a importância da Baía do Araçá como um ambiente de riqueza biológica única e demonstra a necessidade de esforços para a sua conservação considerando as atuais ameaças.

Influence of the addition of nanohydroxyapatite to scaffolds on proliferation and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells: a systematic review of in vitro studies

One of the main challenges of tissue engineering in dentistry is to replace bone and dental tissues with strategies or techniques that simulate physiological tissue repair conditions. This systematic review of in vitro studies aimed to evaluate the influence of the addition of nanohydroxyapatite (NHap) to scaffolds on cell proliferation and osteogenic and odontogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. In vitro studies on human stem cells that proliferated and differentiated into odontogenic and osteogenic cells in scaffolds containing NHap were included in this study. Searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, OpenGrey, ProQuest, and Cochrane Library electronic databases were performed. The total of 333 articles was found across all databases. After reading and analyzing titles and abstracts, 8 articles were selected for full reading and extraction of qualitative data. Results showed that despite the large variability in scaffold composition, NHap-containing scaffolds promoted high rates of cell proliferation, increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity during short culture periods, and induced differentiation, as evidenced by the high expression of genes involved in osteogenesis and odontogenesis. However, further studies with greater standardization regarding NHap concentration, type of scaffolds, and evaluation period are needed to observe possible interference of these criteria in the action of NHap on the proliferation and differentiation of human stem cells.

Medicinal plants used for treating infertility and related disorders of women in India: a systematic review

Assessment of plant medicine for treating infertility and related disorders is making headway universally recent couple of decades to bring out new effective and safe substances as an alternative medicine. Present paper reviews the published literature on plant medicine used for female infertility and related disorders. The 53 research papers or reports shortlisted are based studies under taken in India. Total 459 uses of 202 medicinal plants classified under 84 families. Total 62 trees, 55 shrubs, 79 herbs and 3 climbers are reported. Most used plant parts for making medicine are roots in 111 formulations and leaf in 101 formulations. Medicinal plants used for infertility are 84, while for related disorder like leucorrhoea 79 plants, menorrhagia 53, dysmenorrhea 29, amenorrhea 23 and 22 plants used to regulate menstruation. Additional investigations could be helpful to verify the claims reported using a specific formulations or recipes and which will subsequently result in providing possible the alternative medicine for the treatment of female infertility.

Effectiveness of two different campaigning methods in reaching the public: conventional pamphlet campaign versus social media campaign: a pilot study

Cost effective campaigning method to attract people to an awareness program need to be identified. Conventional pamphlet campaign remain popular despite the expanding range of social media campaign that have potential to reach large number of people at low cost. Two different methods of awareness campaigns were used to attract people to an awareness program. The conventional pamphlet was distributed manually and social media campaign was done in Facebook as a paid promoted post. The budget was fixed to Rs.1200/-for each group. People with interest are invited to scan the provided QR code which directs to an electronic form (e-form). The number of sign up were estimated in each method. A total of 17 people signed up to participate in awareness program. Of which conventional pamphlets campaign showed 6 sign up and social media campaign showed 11 sign-ups. The cost per sign up for conventional pamphlet campaign and social media campaign are Rs.109.09 and Rs.200 respectively. The social media campaign was the cost-effective method and reached larger number of sign-ups when compared to conventional pamphlet campaign. Overall, our results demonstrate that social media campaigning is the cost-effective method in attracting people than conventional pamphlets campaigning.

Studies of Skewness, Kurtosis and Transgressive Segregants in F2:3 Populations of Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata L.)

The present investigation was carried out to study gene action and pattern of inheritance of different traits in cowpea. Two different F3 segregating generation of crosses viz., VBN-1 × RC-19 and KBC-9 × PGCP-6 were studied during summer 2021 using augmented random block design at College of Agriculture, Kalaburagi. Data were recorded on 10 different quantitative traits. Transgressive segregants with values exceeding the better parent were observed in both the F2:3 populations for seed yield. In both the populations, negative skewness was observed for days to initiation of flowering, days to physiological maturity and number of pods/plant whereas test weight exhibited positive skewness suggesting a mild and intense selection would be sufficient to gain maximum genetic-gain in negatively and positively skewed traits, respectively. In both the F2:3 populations, positive kurtosis was observed for number of branches / plant, test weight and dry matter content/plant indicating that these traits are governed by fewer numbers of genes.

Ketamine but not glycine potentiates antidepressant like action of citalopram in mice exposed to chronic mild stress

Background: The present study was designed to investigate the effect of citalopram, ketamine, glycine and their combinations on animal models of depression. Methods: Swiss Albino male mice were subjected to chronic mild stress for 6 weeks for inducing depression, and randomly divided into different groups: citalopram (5 and 10 mg/kg), ketamine (17.5 and 35 mg/kg), glycine (50 and 100 mg/kg), ketamine (17.5 mg/kg) + citalopram (5 mg/kg) and ketamine (17.5 mg/kg) + glycine (50 mg/kg). Two behavioural tests were utilized for the assessment of depression, namely tail suspension test (TST) and forced swim test (FST). Immobility time was recorded for 6 min, before and after administration of drug. Results: Citalopram (10 mg/kg) administration caused significant decrease in the immobility time in TST model only but not in FST. Citalopram (5 mg/kg) and ketamine (17.5 mg/kg) caused insignificant decrease in immobility time in both the models. Moreover, ketamine in combination with Citalopram significantly reduced the immobility time in both the models. Glycine at a dose of 100 mg/kg (but not 50 mg/kg) significantly increased the immobility time in both the models as compared to control group. Further, ketamine when administered with glycine caused increase in the immobility time on both the paradigms, though insignificant. Conclusions: Ketamine demonstrated antidepressant like action in both TST and FST models. Moreover, it potentiated the antidepressant effect of citalopram that might be due to the role of NMDA receptors.

Medicinal plants used during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care in India: a systematic review

Use of plant medicine during pregnancy, childbirth and in postpartum care has grown significantly worldwide and is remarkably well-known in different regions of India. Traditional plant medicine has the potential for treating various diseases/ailments and is evidenced by well-known pharmacopeia of India - Ayurveda. This paper reviews the research papers on plant medicine utilization during pregnancy, childbirth and for postpartum care based on information published from India. Total 206 uses of 146 medicinal plants belong to 69 families, of which 125 are herbs, 39 trees, 26 shrubs and 16 climbers. Plant parts used as medicine for treating various disorders during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum are 75 leaves, 48 roots, 23 seeds, 19 whole plants, 15 fruits, 11 barks, stem and flower 5 each, gum 2, latex 1, while in 24 cases part used is not specified. The use of plants for treating various disorder/ailments during pregnancy, of these most prevalent use is as a tonic (23 uses) which followed by vomiting (10), abdominal pain (9), to facilitate delivery (6) and so on. Use of plants during childbirth, maximum number of plants used to facilitate deliver (32 uses), for labor pain (15), and to induce labor (12). While use of plants for postpartum care, includes (37 uses) for lactation, (10) for haemorrhage, and 7 for abdominal pain.

Effect of Foliar Nutrition on Yield, Quality, Nutrient Content and Uptake of Kharif Cowpea

A field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Instructional Farm, C. P. College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar to investigate the “effect of foliar nutrition on yield, quality, nutrient content and uptake of kharif cowpea” during kharif season of 2020. In Randomize Block Design, eight treatment combinations were tested in four replications. Cowpea variety Gujarat cowpea 5 was planted at a distance of 45 cm × 10 cm. Application of 75% of RDF + 2% spray of each urea and urea phosphate at 15 and 30 DAS gave significantly higher yield (1422 kg/ha), protein content (22.93 %), nutrient content of nitrogen and phosphorus in seed (3.67 % and 0.446 %) and in stover (0.73% and 0.273% respectively) and nutrients uptake of nitrogen (71 kg/ha), phosphorus (13 kg/ha) and potassium (56 kg/ha) by cowpea crop it was at par with application of 75% of RDF + 2% spray of NPK 19:19:19 at 15 and 30 DAS

COVID-19 reinfection among health care workers in a tertiary care center in north Kerala: a descriptive study

Background: Reinfection rates due to Covid-19 is on a rise. Prevention, identification, and management of these patients will be essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. Objective of this study was to determine the proportion of SARS COV-2 reinfection among health care workers, to determine the meantime interval between primary infection and reinfection and to compare the symptomatology during Primary infection and reinfection. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted among healthcare workers who tested positive for COVID-19 from 1st July 2020 to 31st October 2021 which accounted for 704, of which 36 met the criteria for reinfection. Details of the health care workers who tested positive for COVID-19 was collected from regional PEID cell data base. Data was collected from study subjects using telephonic interviews. Data was analyzed using SPPSS Version 21. Results: Out of the 704 study subjects, 36 (5.11%) met the criteria for reinfection. Mean age was 29.6±9.7 years. Of the 36 cases of reinfection, 36.1% were asymptomatic during the primary infection compared to 2.8% during the second one. Cough and fever were present in 41.7% and 83.3% respectively during reinfection compared to 11.1% and 33.3% in primary infection. Mean time interval between primary infection and reinfection was 244.6±75.6 days. During the time period between primary infection and reinfection 4 (11.1%) had symptoms. Conclusions: Reinfection is possible in individuals who had primary infection with COVID-19. Reinfection can be symptomatically more severe. So regardless of history of infection with COVID-19 all individuals must strictly adhere to Covid protocol.

A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study of medication adherence in children suffering from epilepsy attending pediatric out-patient department at a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Epilepsy is a common chronic disease presenting during childhood that requires long-term treatment. Rates of adherence to antiepileptic drugs are variable in children ranging from 25% to 75%. Non-adherent patients are more likely to experience frequent and recurrent seizures which drastically impact the health of the patient. This study was therefore conducted in order to assess the medication adherence of children suffering from epilepsy to the prescribed anti-epileptic drug therapy. Methods: Children diagnosed with epilepsy aged 6-18 years were enrolled in the present cross-sectional questionnaire-based study after prior written informed consent and written informed assent. Children with co-morbidities were excluded from the study (as diagnosed by the Paediatrician). The case record form was filled after interviewing the patients. A questionnaire based on the Morisky medication adherence scale-8 (MMAS) was used to evaluate the quality of life of children. Results: Total 243 patients got enrolled in the study. GTCS was found to be the most common type of epilepsy. Valproate was the most commonly used agent. Out of the 243 patients in total, 201 patients (83%) showed high adherence, 24 patients (10%) showed medium adherence and 18 patients (7%) showed poor adherence to the treatment prescribed. Patients on monotherapy showed higher adherence rates than patients on polytherapy. Medication adherence was highest with Valproate among monotherapy and valproate + carbamazepine among poly-therapy. Conclusions: We conclude that monotherapy with anti-epileptic agents and patient satisfaction is positive predictors of medication adherence leading to a lesser impact of the disease on the child and improved health.

Case report on heavy eye syndrome

In high myopia, acquired esotropia can be present as strabismus fixus convergence also known as Heavy Eye Syndrome (HES). Although exotropia and hypertropia have been reported, patients typically present with diplopia due to increasing esotropia and hypotropia with limitations on abduction and elevation. We reported two cases of HES based on history and clinical examination, which includes anterior and posterior segment examination and squint evaluation. The MRI of both patients showed displacement of lateral rectus inferiorly and nasal shifting of superior rectus. In both the cases forced duction test (FDT) was positive for affected medial rectus (MR) when performed under local anaesthesia. Subsequently, they underwent loop myopexy of superior rectus (SR) with medical rectus (MR) along with MR recession for affected eye. Postoperatively, Case 1 had a residual esotropia of 18 prism dioptre (PD) and case 2 had 40 PD compare to preoperatively 70 and 80 PD respectively, measured with the krimsky test. Axial length lengthening and herniation of sclera between the SR and LR muscles are the two main contributors to HES. To stop additional herniation, the inter-muscular link must be restored. Loop myopexy is an elegant and effective procedure to achieve good cosmetic and functional results for HES.

Evaluation of Seed Priming on Growth of Chickpea (Cicer arientinum L.)

The present experiment was conducted during Rabi 2019 at experimental field of Pulses Research unit, Dr. PDKV, Akola to assess the suitable priming treatment for chickpea crop (variety: JAKI-9218). The experiment was laid out in randomize block design in three replication. The morpho-physiological traits viz. germination %, plant height, number branches, dry matter content, number of day required to 50% flowering were taken.. The morpho-physiological i.e. plant height, number of branches, dry matter content, germination % showed significant increased in chickpea crop when seed priming was carried out with potassium nitrate for 4 hours. The numbers of days required to 50% flowering were recorded least in seed priming GA3 for 4 hours. Protein content also recorded significantly higher in seed priming with potassium nitrate for 4 hours. Yield and yield attributes were also significantly increased in seed priming with potassium nitrate for 4 hours. It is concluded that seed priming were with potassium nitrate for 4 hours recorded higher morpho-physiological characters over priming treatment and control.

Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and drug utilization review at secondary care hospital in South India

Background: To study prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and drug utilization review in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted for about 6 months from December 2021 to February 2021 in a Secondary care hospital. Prescriptions of 167 patients with cardiovascular diseases were analysed. Patient Case files were used for extracting necessary data. Results: The collected data was analyzed by MS-Excel (Counts and Percentages).Cardiovascular diseases were most common in the age group of 31-40 years (27.55%) followed by 51-60 years (24.49%) among male patients and in female patients, it was more common in the age group of 41-50 years (23.19%) followed by 51-60 years (21.74%). Most prevalent cardiovascular disease was found to be Hypertension (31%), followed by coronary artery disease (21%) and acute coronary syndrome (19%). Diabetes Mellitus (39%) and Hematological disorders (20%) are the most found co-morbidities along with cardiovascular diseases. Antiplatelet and antihypertensive were the most prescribed category of drugs. Of all Cardiovascular drugs, Aspirin (115 prescriptions) followed by Clopidogrel (100 prescriptions), Atorvastatin (73 prescriptions), Olmesartan (54 prescriptions) and Metoprolol (49 cases) were mostly prescribed. Common combinations of drugs prescribed are Aspirin + Clopidogrel + Atorvastatin (25%) followed by Aspirin + Clopidogrel (24%). Out of the total 658 drugs prescribed, 15.95% (105) were from Essential Drug List of India (2011). Of the total drugs prescribed, 15.95% (105) were from Essential Drug List of India. Conclusions: The present study concluded that most of the drugs were prescribed rationally according to current guidelines. Combination therapy found to have an implication for the good cardiovascular outcome on long term follow-up.

Diagnostic utility of skin prick test in fungal asthma

Background: Allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) is a clinical syndrome associated with immune sensitivity to various fungi. Aspergillus spp. predominates in colonizing the airways of asthmatics. Early and accurate identification of fungus in such cases can prevent worsening of asthma. Also, can help in retarding the progression of ABPM. Objectives of this study were to evaluate different fungal allergens associated with clinically diagnosed Asthma patients by Skin Prick testing (SPT), to study total IgE in asthmatic patients by serological testing and to characterize the fungal isolate associated with SPT+ cases by conventional mycological culture. Methods: A prospective study of known asthma cases was done. Their sensitivity to fungal allergens was tested by SPT. The total IgE levels were measured by ELISA. Sputum collected from SPT+ cases were subjected for fungal identification. Results: Out of 175 patients, 25 (14.2%) showed positive reaction against fungal antigens in which fungal growth was seen in 21 (84%) sputum specimens. Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated from 16 (76%) specimens followed by Candida albicans in 3 (14%) and Penicillium spp in 2 (9.5%) cases. Out of 25 SPT+ asthmatics, 21 patients with fungal growth had total IgE levels >600 IU/ml and 4 patients with negative culture had IgE levels 400-500 IU/ml. Conclusions: A significant prevalence of fungal asthma is seen among asthmatics. Thus, it is essential to screen asthma patients for fungal allergy. SPT seems to be a good screening test. SPT is easy to perform, less time consuming and inexpensive however needs to be performed under pulmonologist’s supervision.