Gender attitude towards environmental protection: a comparative survey during COVID-19 lockdown situation.

Attitude towards environmental protection is a crucial component in environmental safeguard psychology. It is a psychological tendency expressed by evaluating the environmental gender attitude with favour or disfavour. This study aimed to compare the attitude level of male and female trainees towards environmental protection based on personal, psychological and sociocultural variables by using an ex post facto research design. The research population was composed of the trainees (N=177) who participated in the online training programmes organized from April 07 to May 31, 2020, by the Centre for Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology (CAAST) for Climate Smart Agriculture and Water Management (CSAWM), MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra, during COVID-19 lockdown period. In this study, an online survey method was used. The research instrument was a well-designed and structured online questionnaire using a Google Form consisting of two sections. The first section consisted of 11 independent variables of personal, psychological and sociocultural characteristics. The second section consisted of 17 environmental attitude questions focusing on closed structure questions with a five-point Likert scale, i.e. Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. The results revealed that age, training received, membership of environmental societies or organizations, courses taught, waste management and social media use significantly affect the trainees' attitudes to environment protection. The female respondents had a favourable environmental attitude when compared with the male respondents. Therefore, the study concluded that a set of factors influences the gender attitude of the online trainees. These factors alone cannot change trainees' attitudes towards environmental protection. Accordingly, necessary and appropriate conditions should be provided to change the attitude of male trainees for environmental protection. Sustained support is necessary to efficiently understand the role of gender in environment protection through government policies, social media, policymakers, scientists, extension workers, research organizations, various training programmes, participation of students and faculty in the environmental cleanliness drive and awareness programs, etc.

Metal ion-induced supramolecular pKa tuning and fluorescence regeneration of a p-sulfonatocalixarene encapsulated neutral red dye.

The host-guest interactions and the consequent modulation in the prototropic equilibrium of a phenazine dye, neutral red, with p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene (SCX4) and p-sulfonatocalix[6]arene (SCX6) macrocyclic hosts have been investigated. Both the neutral (NR) and cationic (NRH+) forms of dyes formed inclusion complexes with SCX6, with a larger binding constant for the latter (K = 8.6 × 105 M-1versus 4.8 × 103 M-1) due to the cation receptor behavior of the calixarenes. The distinct differences in the binding constant of NR and NRH+ provided a finite tuning of pKa between 6.5 and 8.8, through a competitive binding with metal ions. Importantly, the fluorescence quenching observed in the SCX-neutral red interactions stands in contrast to the fluorescence enhancement observed with other macrocyclic hosts, such as ß-cyclodextrin and cucurbit[7]uril. This is due to the unique portal stacking interaction of NRH+ with the SCXs, compared to the axial inclusion geometry documented for the other macrocycles. The electron transfer from the SCX to the neutral red dye is adjudged to be the effective excited-state relaxation pathway leading to fluorescence quenching. In combination with the metal-ion induced fluorescence regeneration and tuning the pKa value, the SCX-neutral red system finds potential applications in drug delivery, photodynamic therapy, catalysis, and sensor applications.

Design, Development and Optimization of S (-) Atenolol Floating Sustained Release Matrix Tablets Using Surface Response Methodology.

The objective of this present investigation was to develop and formulate floating sustained release matrix tablets of s (-) atenolol, by using different polymer combinations and filler, to optimize by using surface response methodology for different drug release variables and to evaluate the drug release pattern of the optimized product. Floating sustained release matrix tablets of various combinations were prepared with cellulose-based polymers: Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, sodium bicarbonate as a gas generating agent, polyvinyl pyrrolidone as a binder and lactose monohydrate as filler. The 3(2) full factorial design was employed to investigate the effect of formulation variables on different properties of tablets applicable to floating lag time, buoyancy time, % drug release in 1 and 6 h (D1 h,D6 h) and time required to 90% drug release (t90%). Significance of result was analyzed using analysis of non variance and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. S (-) atenolol floating sustained release matrix tablets followed the Higuchi drug release kinetics that indicates the release of drug follows anomalous (non-Fickian) diffusion mechanism. The developed floating sustained release matrix tablet of improved efficacy can perform therapeutically better than a conventional tablet.

Field emission and photo-catalytic investigations on hierarchical nanostructures of copper doped CdS synthesized by kitchen-chemistry approach.

We herein report an economical and facile technique for the synthesis of hierarchical nanostructures of Cu doped CdS nanostructures by microwave assisted solvothermal technique using a household microwave oven. We attempted to establish the effect of variation of solvents ratio on the morphological and optical properties of the obtained nanoscale structures. The field emission characteristics of the copper doped CdS nanoarchitecture have been studied and the turn on field is found to be 2.8 V/microm for an emission current density of approximately 0.1 microA/cm2. Emission current stability is determined at the preset current of approximately 1 microA and approximately 10 microA for the stable duration of approximately 4 hrs. The observed field emission results envisage the possibility of using the present emitter in the field emission sources. We believe that this is a unique report on the synthesis as well as field emission studies of copper doped CdS nanostructures. Photocatalytic dye degradation ability of the Cu doped CdS nanostructures is observed to be less than the undoped CdS counterparts.

Recidivas después de la quimioterapia en la lepra / No disponible

No disponible

Structural behavior of alcohol-1,4-dioxane mixtures through dielectric properties using TDR.

The values of complex permittivity for alcohol-1,4-dioxane (DX) mixtures with various concentrations have been determined in the frequency range 10 MHz to 20 GHz using the time domain reflectometry (TDR) method. Numbers of hydrogen bonds between alcohol-alcohol and alcohol-dioxane pairs are estimated from the values of the static dielectric constant by using the Luzar model. The model provides a satisfactory explanation of the experimental results related to the static dielectric constant. The binding energies for alcohol-alcohol (pair 11) and alcohol-DX (pair 12) are estimated to be -13.98 and -16.25 kJ/mol, respectively. The results have also been compared with previous results of the ethyleneglycol-DX system.

Ensayos clínicos con tratamientos basado s en Moxifloxacino: comunicación preliminar / No disponible

No disponible

Pattern of prescribing practices in the Madhya Pradesh, India.

OBJECTIVES: To find out the current status of the 'prescribing practices' in the Primary Health Care facilities of Madhya Pradesh. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The cross-sectional survey was conducted in 26 Primary Health Care facilities of the Madhya Pradesh. Consecutive random sampling method was applied for collection of prescriptions from the health facilities. OBSERVATION: Overall the average number of drugs prescribed per prescription was 2.8; most commonly prescribed drugs were NSAIDs, antibiotics, multivitamins and antihistaminics. Drugs prescribed by generic name were 48.5% (1409/2906), prescription with antibiotics and injections were 60.9% (641/1052) and 13.6% (143/1052) respectively. Drugs prescribed from Essential Drug List were 66.9% (1944/2906). CONCLUSION: The prescribing practices of the Madhya Pradesh is more of an irrational types like polypharmacy, overuse of antibiotics and injection, less number in generic names and prescribed from Essential Drug List. There is an urgent need for some interventions to improve the situation.

Microbial and xanthine dehydrogenase inhibitory activity of some flavones.

Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) is responsible for the pathological condition called Gout. In the present study different flavones synthesized from chalcone were evaluated in vitro for their inhibitory activity. Inhibitory activity of flavones on XDH was determined in terms of inhibition of uric acid synthesis from Xanthine. The enzymatic activity was found maximum at pH 7.5 and temperature 40 degrees C. The flavones 6-chloro-2-[3-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-1-phenyl-1-H-pyrazol-4-yl]-chromen-4-one (F(1)) and 6-chloro-7methyl-2-[3-(4-chloro-phenyl)-1-phenyl-1-H-pyrazol-4-yl]-chromen-4-one(F(2)),were noncompetitive and competitive inhibitor with Ki values 1.1 and 0.22 respectively. The flavones (F(1)), (F(2)), 6-chloro-2-[3-(4-chloro-phenyl)-1phenyl-1-H-pyrazol-4-yl]-chromen-4-one(F(3)), 8-bromo-6-chloro-2-[3-(4-chloro-phenyl)-1-phenyl-1-H-pyrazol-4-yl]-chromen-4-one (F(4)), 2-[3-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-1-phenyl-1-H-pyrazol-4-yl]-chromen-4-one (F(5)) and 6-methyl-2-[3-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-1-phenyl-1-H-pyrazol-4-yl]-chromen-4-one (F(6)) were also screened for their antimicrobial activity, measured in terms of zone of inhibition. A broad spectrum antifungal activity was obtained against Trichoderma viridae, Candida albicans, Microsporum cannis, Penicillium chrysogenum and Fusarium moniliformae. In case of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavous only spore formation was affected, while antibacterial activity was observed against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Serratia marsecens only. The flavones were further analyzed for quantitative structural activity relationship study (QSAR) by using PASS, online software to determine their Pa value. Toxicity and drug relevant properties were revealed by PALLAS software in terms of their molecular weight. Log P values were also studied. The result showed both the F(1) and F(2) flavones as antigout and therefore supports the development of novel drugs for the treatment of gout.

Spectrophotometeric Determination of Cefuroxime Axetil from bulk and in its tablet dosage form.

A simple rapid spectrophotometric method has been developed for estimation of cefuroxime axetil from bulk drug and tablet dosage form by using 1-nitroso-2-napthol and sodium hydroxide. The method is based on the formation of yellow-orange coloured complex of drug with 1-nitroso-2-napthol having absorbance maxima at 424 nm. The Beer's law is obeyed in the concentration range of 10-50 mug/ml of the drug but more precisely it obeys in the range of 10- 30 mug/ml. The slope and intercept values are 0.0101 and 0.0838, respectively. Results of analysis of this method were validated statistically and by recovery studies. The method is applied to the marketed tablet formulation. Result of analysis of tablet formulation given as percentage of label claim +/-standard deviation is 99.17+/-1.57. The precision and accuracy was examined by performing recovery studies and was found to be 99.50+/-1.82. Sandell's correlation coefficient is calculated as 0.4434. The developed method is simple, sensitive and reproducible and can be used for routine analysis of cefuroxime axetil from bulk and tablet dosage form.

Assessment of transcervical chorion villus aspiration biopsy in early pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Chorionic villus sampling for prenatal diagnosis is a relatively new technique and variable success rates have been reported by different authors depending on the methods and instruments used. We describe our experience with chorionic villus sampling in Bombay. METHODS: The procedure was attempted on 62 women before termination of their pregnancy via the transcervical route, under constant real-time ultrasound guidance. A metallic cannula was negotiated through the cervix into the uterine cavity to reach the chorionic frondosum and chorionic villi were aspirated by creating a negative pressure in the syringe attached to the cannula. The villus tissue was checked under a dissecting microscope. We calculated the success rate for obtaining a sample depending on the site of the chorionic frondosum, the physique of the mother, the position of the uterus and the size of the cannula. RESULTS: Villus tissue was aspirated in 47 of the 62 cases. The success rates of sampling at the first and second attempts were 48% and 27% respectively. The factors which were associated with a higher success rate were when the chorionic frondosum was situated posteriorly rather than anteriorly (61% v. 48%; p < 0.01), when the patient was thin rather than fat (58% v. 25%; p < 0.001), when the uterus was anteverted rather than retroverted (53% v. 41%). The commonest complication was bleeding which occurred in 15% of patients. CONCLUSION: Transcervical chorionic villus sampling is associated with a high success rate except in fat women with a retroverted uterus and in those with the chorionic frondosum situated in the fundus.