Swelling and drug release kinetics of composite wound dressing

The aim of this study is to analyze the swelling and drug release kinetics of composite wound dressing material in different pH buffer solutions, simulating the pH range of wounds. Composite dressing material is prepared by grafting polyacrylic acid-co-acrylamide hydrogel on the cotton fabric using polyethylene glycol as crosslinking agent. Results show maximum equilibrium swelling at pH 7.0. Swelling kinetics at pH 5.5 and pH 7.0 solutions follow first order kinetics model, while that at pH 8.5 solution follow second order kinetics model. The drug release kinetics of composite dressing is investigated at different pH using model drug Bovine serum albumin. Drug release kinetics follows Peppas model and drug is released by Fickian diffusion mechanism. The surface morphology of the composite dressing is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The pores of different size are observed at different pH. The drug release from composite dressing is directly influenced by swelling and pore size. These composite wound dressing materials have a great potential to be used as a medicated dressing in wound healing process for non chronic wounds

Status of package insert guidelines for drugs accessible as over the counter drugs

Background: As per Indian pharmacopoeia, package inserts are part of a label that provides information on the article. It may be the sole source of information for drugs, which are available in the pharmacies without the prescription and it may include both prescription and over the counter (OTC) drugs. So, to aid in safety and efficacy of these drugs, package inserts must follow the standard guidelines (The Drugs and Cosmetics rule, 1945). The objective of this study was to observe the status of the standard guidelines for package insert in drugs accessible as OTC drugs.Methods: Based on the inquiries made with pharmacies, list of drugs commonly bought without prescription was made. 256 drugs were evaluated. Their package inserts were observed for the extent to which the guidelines given by The Drugs and Cosmetics rule 1945, section 6.2 and 6.3 are being followed. Secondary objectives were made to assess if package inserts are physician friendly or patients friendly.Results: Package inserts were missing in 180 (70%) of the drugs.  Therapeutic indications were present in 71% of the available package inserts (76). Pharmaceutical information was given in 57% of the package inserts. English was the preferred language and medicinal terms were used. Only one package insert was patient friendly.Conclusions: Package inserts should be made available in every drug. There should be a separate patient oriented package insert guideline, as per US food and drug administration (FDA), in India as well. This will aid in their safe and effective use

Escherichia coli as uropathogen: antibiotic susceptibility profiling

Background: Empirically chosen antibiotics based on the local resistance pattern of uropathogens remain the principle treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI).Methods: Antibiogram of most frequent uropathogen was determined. Based on the antibiogram result, authors compared effectiveness of drugs recommended for UTI by National centre for disease control (NCDC), India, and assessed age and gender based variability in the effectiveness of these drugs.Results: 1278 urine samples were accounted, of which 405 samples showed significant growth. E. coli was the most common uropathogen (n=146, 36%) followed by enterococcus species (31%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (10%). Using McNemar’s test authors found that nitrofurantoin (90% sensitivity) was statistically the most effective drug among drugs recommended by NCDC for uncomplicated cystitis. Furthermore, authors used Fisher’s exact test on adults and paediatrics and found that significant difference in effectiveness was observed for nitrofurantoin (p-value <0.001) and cotrimoxazole (p-value 0.034). Using logistic regression, authors found that with age, effectiveness of ciprofloxacin and cotrimoxazole deteriorate significantly (p-value 0.021 and 0.002 respectively). Additionally, authors observed that cotrimoxazole has significantly better efficacy in males compared to females (p-value 0.022).Conclusions: In accordance with present study, nitrofurantoin can be used as first line treatment for uncomplicated cystitis. Age and gender should be considered while prescribing empirical treatment for UTI. Periodic surveillance should be carried out to identify the on-going pattern of antibiogram to update the guideline for empirical therapy

Knowledge, attitude and practice toward adverse drug reaction reporting among practicing clinicians at a tertiary care hospital

Background: Pharmacovigilance has evolved as an important tool for dealing with Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) both in pre-marketing and post-marketing scenario. Underreporting of ADRs at our Adverse drug reaction Monitoring Centre (AMC) led us to conduct this study to assess Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of the practicing clinicians at our tertiary care Pt. J.N.M. Medical College associated Dr. B.R.A.M. Hospital, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India, towards ADRs reporting.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using pretested questionnaires consisting of 29 questions related to KAP of the practicing clinicians at Pt. J.N.M. Medical College associated Dr. B.R.A.M.  Hospital, Raipur towards ADRs reporting. The percentage of responders for each question was calculated. All statistical analysis was performed in Microsoft Office Excel 2007.Results: Out of 135 questionnaires distributed only 100 were considered for analysis, so the overall response rate was 74.07%. We calculated the result from the 100 responders. Overall 77% responders were aware of existence of ADR monitoring system in India, while only 40% were aware of its existence at their hospital. Only 8% responders had reported ADRs to the National Pharmacovigilance Centre and 10% to the Adverse drug reaction Monitoring Centre (AMC) at their hospital. Lack of knowledge about where, how and whom to report ADRs, lack of time, inability to decide what to report (known or unknown ADRs) and unavailability of ADR reporting form were the important factors discouraging them reporting ADRs.Conclusions: Creating awareness regarding ADR reporting through CMEs among practicing clinicians and early sensitization at medical undergraduate level for medical students may improve the current ADR reporting rate. 

Bounded Functional Encryption for Turing Machines: Adaptive Security from General Assumptions

The recent work of Agrawal et al., [Crypto \u2721] and Goyal et al. [Eurocrypt \u2722] concurrently introduced the notion of dynamic bounded collusion security for functional encryption (FE) and showed a construction satisfying the notion from identity based encryption (IBE). Agrawal et al., [Crypto \u2721] further extended it to FE for Turing machines in non-adaptive simulation setting from the sub-exponential learining with errors assumption (LWE). Concurrently, the work of Goyal et al. [Asiacrypt \u2721] constructed attribute based encryption (ABE) for Turing machines achieving adaptive indistinguishability based security against bounded (static) collusions from IBE, in the random oracle model. In this work, we significantly improve the state of art for dynamic bounded collusion FE and ABE for Turing machines by achieving adaptive simulation style security from a broad class of assumptions, in the standard model. In more detail, we obtain the following results: - We construct an adaptively secure (AD-SIM) FE for Turing machines, supporting dynamic bounded collusion, from sub-exponential LWE. This improves the result of Agrawal et al. which achieved only non-adaptive (NA-SIM) security in the dynamic bounded collusion model. - Towards achieving the above goal, we construct a ciphertext policy FE scheme (CPFE) for circuits of unbounded size and depth, which achieves AD-SIM security in the dynamic bounded collusion model from IBE and laconic oblivious transfer (LOT). Both IBE and LOT can be instantiated from a large number of mild assumptions such as the computational Diffie-Hellman assumption, the factoring assumption, and polynomial LWE. - We construct an AD-SIM secure FE for Turing machines, supporting dynamic bounded collusions, from LOT, ABE for NC1 (or NC) and private information retrieval (PIR) schemes which satisfy certain properties. This significantly expands the class of assumptions on which AD-SIM secure FE for Turing machines can be based. In particular, it leads to new constructions of FE for Turing machines including one based on polynomial LWE and one based on the combination of the bilinear decisional Diffie-Hellman assumption and the decisional Diffie-Hellman assumption on some specific groups. In contrast the only prior construction by Agrawal et al. achieved only NASIM security and relied on sub-exponential LWE. To achieve the above result, we define the notion of CPFE for read only RAM programs and succinct FE for LOT, which may be of independent interest. - We also construct an ABE scheme for Turing machines which achieves AD-IND security in the standard model supporting dynamic bounded collusions. Our scheme is based on IBE and LOT. Previously, the only known candidate that achieved AD-IND security from IBE by Goyal et al. relied on the random oracle model

Jasmonic acid-dependent regulation of seed dormancy following maternal herbivory in Arabidopsis

Maternal experience of abiotic environmental factors such as temperature and light are well known to control seed dormancy in many plant species. Maternal biotic stress alters offspring defence phenotypes, but whether it also affects seed dormancy remains unexplored. We exposed Arabidopsis thaliana plants to herbivory and investigated plasticity in germination and defence phenotypes in their offspring, along with the roles of phytohormone signalling in regulating maternal effects. Maternal herbivory resulted in the accumulation of jasmonic acid-isoleucine and loss of dormancy in seeds of stressed plants. Dormancy was also reduced by engineering seed-specific accumulation of jasmonic acid in transgenic plants. Loss of dormancy was dependent on an intact jasmonate signalling pathway and was associated with increased gibberellin content and reduced abscisic acid sensitivity during germination. Altered dormancy was only observed in the first generation following herbivory, whereas defence priming was maintained for at least two generations. Herbivory generates a jasmonic acid-dependent reduction in seed dormancy, mediated by alteration of gibberellin and abscisic acid signalling. This is a direct maternal effect, operating independently from transgenerational herbivore resistance priming

Low Power, Low Area Digital Modulators using Gate Diffusion Input Technique

Audio playback devices like IPODs and MP3 players use Sigma Delta Digital to Analog Converters (DACs) where the size and power consumption is of prime importance. Digital modulator is the most important part of Sigma Delta DACs. This paper presents a new approach for the implementation of a sample digital MASH 1-1 and MOD 2 modulator using Gate Diffusion Input (GDI) technique. The same modulators are also implemented in standard CMOS technology and are compared for the tone frequencies of the audio frequency range. The proposed modulators using GDI method provide a significant improvement in the area, power, and power delay product as compared to CMOS. The gate level simulation using WinSpice with 0.18 µm technology confirms the usefulness of the presented structures. Keywords: Area, CMOS, GDI, MASH 1-1, MOD 2, Powe

Effect of Preoperative Preconditioning of Patients with External Nasal Compression for Different Time Intervals on Emergence Agitation After Nasal Surgeries: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Introduction: Emergence agitation is a commonly experienced phenomenon in the waking period of general anaesthesia, which can adversely affect the recovery of patients in the postoperative period. Patients undergoing nasal surgeries under general anaesthesia, involving postoperative nasal packing, tend to have a higher rate of emergence agitation after extubation. Non pharmacological methods like nasal clips, can be safe and costeffective alternatives to pharmacological agents for controlling emergence agitation. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of preoperatively applying nasal clips for various durations in patients scheduled for nasal surgeries under general anaesthesia, which require nasal packing in the postoperative period, in reducing emergence agitation after extubation. Materials and Methods: The present randomised controlled trial was conducted at department of Anesthesia, Shrimati Bhikhiben Kanjibhai Shah Medical Institute and Research Centre (SBKS MIRC) in Piparia, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. A total of 75 patients with ASA I and II, aged 18-65 years, posted for elective nasal surgeries under general anaesthesia with postoperative bilateral nasal packing, were randomly divided into three groups. Group A (25 patients) wore nasal clips for 30 minutes preoperatively, Group B (25 patients) wore the clip for 40 minutes preoperatively, and Group C (25 patients) served as the control group without nasal clips. At the time of extubation, the emergence agitation score, ability to cough, time to verbal response, respiratory rate, incidences of desaturation, laryngospasm, or any other complications were observed and noted by an anaesthetist who was unaware of the application of nasal clips preoperatively. All data statistically analysis were performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows (version 21.0; IBM Corporation). Results: All three groups were comparable (p>0.05) in terms of demographic profile, type and duration of surgery, and baseline haemodynamic parameters like Heart Rate (HR), Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP), Oxygen Saturation (SpO2 ), and baseline Electrocardiography (ECG). Emergence agitation was significantly lower in Group A and B as compared to Group C (p-value=0.02). On comparing Groups A and B, Group B had a significantly lower incidence of emergence agitation (p-value=0.02). There were two cases of dangerous emergence agitation in the control group and one case in Group A while no cases were reported in Group B. Other parameters at extubation were comparable among all groups. Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in Groups A and B in comparison to Group C. Conclusion: The present study suggests that preoperative preconditioning with nasal clips for 40 minutes in patients undergoing elective nasal surgeries can be a useful and safe method to reduce postoperative emergence agitation

Swelling and drug release kinetics of composite wound dressing

104-111The aim of this study is to analyze the swelling and drug release kinetics of composite wound dressing material in different pH buffer solutions, simulating the pH range of wounds. Composite dressing material is prepared by grafting polyacrylic acid-co-acrylamide hydrogel on the cotton fabric using polyethylene glycol as crosslinking agent. Results show maximum equilibrium swelling at pH 7.0. Swelling kinetics at pH 5.5 and pH 7.0 solutions follow first order kinetics model, while that at pH 8.5 solution follow second order kinetics model. The drug release kinetics of composite dressing is investigated at different pH using model drug Bovine serum albumin. Drug release kinetics follows Peppas model and drug is released by Fickian diffusion mechanism. The surface morphology of the composite dressing is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The pores of different size are observed at different pH. The drug release from composite dressing is directly influenced by swelling and pore size. These composite wound dressing materials have a great potential to be used as a medicated dressing in wound healing process for non chronic wounds