A study on prevalence of alcohol consumption among higher secondary school students in Theni district, Tamil Nadu

Background: Studies show that in India, the health loss from alcohol will grow larger, unless effective interventions are implemented. Initiation of alcohol intake starts from a very early age and is higher in rural areas. The best way to reduce alcoholism is prevention rather than curing the already addicted persons. For this we need to know the magnitude of this problem. This study is aimed at estimating the prevalence, identifying the causative and contributing factors of alcoholism among higher secondary school children of Theni district.Methods: A self-administered validated questionnaire was given to the male school students of 15 to 17 years (XI and XII students) to assess the prevalence and pattern of alcohol use among them. The questionnaire was prepared with reference from the global school-based student health survey (GSHS), the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) questionnaire and the cut-annoyed-guilty- eye (CAGE) questionnaire. Data analysis was done using software OpenEpi, Version 3.Results: A total of 500 students were analyzed with a response rate of 94% (n=470). The overall prevalence of alcohol use was found to be 31.06%. Nearly 70% had the possibility of alcoholism and should be investigated further for severity of alcohol use, 30% had impaired control over drinking almost daily and 17% had injury or injured someone because of drinking.Conclusions: The mean age of initiation of alcohol consumption is decreasing and the number of alcohol consumers is increasing

Pattern of adverse effects in patients with nephrotic syndrome on oral prednisolone

Background: Nephrotic syndrome is a common illness affecting the paediatric age group and 80% of the idiopathic syndrome is steroid sensitive. Multiple relapses make them vulnerable to the adverse effects of corticosteroids. There is limited literature evidence for the adverse effects of steroids in children with renal pathology.Methods: This descriptive, cross sectional study analyses the adverse effects of oral prednisolone in children and adults with nephrotic syndrome Fifty-five patients with nephrotic syndrome, attending nephrology or paediatric OP, more than 3 years of age and who were on oral prednisolone for a minimum of eight weeks were included in the study. Demographic details, detailed history, lab investigations and ophthalmic examination were done and the results were analysed.Results: Hypertension and behavioural changes were the most common adverse effects followed by dermatological, endocrine and metabolic changes. Infections and gastrointestinal disturbances were more in adults (p <0.05). Short stature was more in children (p< 0.05). There was no abnormality in blood glucose levels and body weight. Hypertension, cushingoid habitus, infections and short stature were statistically less in patients on alternate day prednisolone. But no statistical association could be made between the occurrence of cataract and the pattern of prednisolone use.Conclusions: Adverse effects pattern is different among adults and children. Also, the adverse effects are less with alternate day prednisolone regimen. Long term follow up into their adulthood is needed to analyse the morbidity produced by corticosteroids in these subsets of population

Inhibition of Corrosion of Mild Steel in 10 % Sulfamic Acid by Azo Dyes

The inhibitive influence of 3-Nitro-4′-N,N-dimethylaminoazobenzene and 4-Nitro-4′-N,N-dimethylaminoazobenzene was studied on the corrosion of mild steel in 10 % sulfamic acid. The values of percentage inhibition efficiency by the methods, showed close agreement. The difference in inhibitive action was explained on the basis of their molecular structure. The p-isomer was found to give the higher inhibition efficiency than m-isomer. The steady OCP value for mild steel, dipped in 10 % sulfamic acid, was not considerably shifted by the increasing addition of the inhibitor. However, the corrosion of mild steel dipped in 10 % sulfuric acid was predominantly under anodic control, in the presence and in the absence of the dye. Both the anodic and the catholic processes are polarized considerably with the increasing concentration of the inhibitor. Therefore the inhibition is of mixed type

HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF MELATONIN ON PARACETAMOL INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN ALBINO RATS

Objective: Liver is the most important organ involved in the biotransformation of drugs and hence also a prime site for drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Among the hepatotoxic drugs, paracetamol which is commonly used is a major offender, leading to about 40% of DILI. N-acetyl cysteine is commonly used to manage paracetamol poisoning. However, it has its own disadvantages. This study has been designed to probe into the possibility of an alternative drug for paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity. The objective is to study the hepatoprotective effect of melatonin on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats. Materials and Methods: After prior approval from the IAEC, 36 albino rats were divided into six groups of six each. Each group received distilled water, paracetamol, paracetamol+N-acetyl cysteine, paracetamol+melatonin, and paracetamol+melatonin+N-acetyl cysteine, respectively. The liver function tests and histopathology of the liver of all the groups were compared. One-way ANOVA and post hoc Dunnett’s test were used. Results: Melatonin alone and in combination with N-acetyl cysteine is found to have significant hepatoprotective effect in paracetamol-induced acute liver injury. Conclusion: The main reason for hepatotoxicity is depletion of glutathione which is essential for conjugating the toxic metabolite N acetyl-p- benzoquinonimine (NAPQI) and CYP2E1 is playing the vital role of being the rate limiting enzyme initiating the cascade of events leading to acetaminophen hepatotoxicity. This is postulated to be reversed by melatonin