Study of drug utilization pattern in emergency medicine ward at a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: The emergency department represents an important platform for conducting drug utilization studies as patients present with a wide spectrum of diseases in acute form. An irrational prescription adversely affects the prognosis and recovery of patients. Hence, the objective of our study was to evaluate the drug utilization pattern and to determine the rationality of prescription using WHO prescribing indicators in emergency medicine ward.Methods: After obtaining Institutional Ethical Committee approval, a prospective observational study was conducted over 2 months. The case records of 150 patients admitted to the emergency medicine ward, with a hospital stay of more than 24hrs were reviewed to analyze the prescription pattern during the initial 48hrs of admission. Case records of patients irrespective of age, sex and diagnosis were included in the study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results (SPSS version 20).Results: A total of 1014 drugs were prescribed from 150 case records with a mean age of 47±18 years. An average of 6.76 drugs was prescribed per prescription; percentage of encounters with at least an antimicrobial was 115 (76.66%). Injections were prescribed in all patients (100%) and only 416 (41.02%) drugs were prescribed by generic name and 657 (64.79%) drugs abided to the WHO essential drug list. Majority of patients received anti-ulcerogenic drugs followed by antimicrobials.Conclusions: There was a tendency of polypharmacy with overuse of PPIs and antimicrobials. There is need to rationalize the drug therapy in terms of increasing prescription of drugs from essential drug list by generic name

Evaluation of anticonvulsant activity of volatile oil extract of Nigella sativa seeds by chemically induced seizure model in albino rats

Background: The current therapeutic treatment of epilepsy with modern antiepileptic drugs is associated with side effects, dose related chronic toxicity, teratogenic effects and approximately 30% of the patients have intractable seizures. Natural products from folk remedies have contributed significantly in the discovery of modern drugs with novel structures and better safety and efficacy profiles. In this regard, one such plant is Nigella sativa. Objectives of the study was to evaluate the anticonvulsant activity of volatile oil extract of Nigella sativa seeds by pentylenetetrazole induced seizure model of epilepsy in albino rats and to evaluate the influence of volatile oil extract of Nigella sativa seeds on the anticonvulsant activity of sodium valproate in albino rats.Methods: Male Albino rats (150-200 gms) were randomly selected, from central animal facility, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysore. The anticonvulsant activity was screened using pentylenetetrazole model. Albino rats were divided into 6 groups of 6 rats each. 6 groups were treated with gum acacia 0.5 ml (control group), sodium valproate 300mg/kg (standard group), groups 3, 4, 5 were administered the test drug, volatile oil extract of Nigella sativa seeds at doses of 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg and group 6 was treated with the combination of test drug, volatile oil extract of N. sativa seeds 200 mg/kg and sodium valproate 150 mg/kg. All the drugs were dissolved in gum acacia and administered intraperitoneally 30 min prior to induction of seizures.Results: The volatile oil of N. sativa seeds showed anticonvulsant activity at the dose of 400 mg/kg and 600mg/kg body weight and the potentiation of anticonvulsant activity of sodium valproate. The anticonvulsant activity of volatile oil of N. sativa seeds was less when compared to sodium valproate.Conclusions: The N. sativa seeds showed anticonvulsant activity in pentylenetetrazole induced seizure model of epilepsy. This study showed that volatile oil of N. sativa seeds potentiated the effect of sodium valproate

Corporate reputation management: An advertising perspective

The corporate advertising is done over the mass media to promote the companys image and enhance the organizational reputation. Good corporate advertising acts as an umbrella covering all the products and services associated with a company. Corporate reputation building is indeed a challenging task. Scholars have identified four business parameters that influence corporate reputation namely - general business management, financial management, corporate marketing and corporate communication. Scholars have noted that corporate reputations are built, maintained and enhanced by several elements, such as being part of the corporate strategy, not merely a public relations or advertising slogan. Studies have revealed that corporate reputation building has tremendous economic value in the age of globalization. In todays competitive environment, authentic facts and figures need to be generated through systematic evaluation in order to plan and activate corporate advertising practices of public and private organizations in modern society. The paper highlights the role of advertising in the process of corporate reputation managemen

Nanoparticles Reinforcement for the Improved Strength and High-Temperature Wear Resistance of Mn-Cr Steel

Nanotechnologies offer tremendous potential when it comes to modifying the microstructure of steel through the incorporation of nanoparticles. While typical production methods for metal-matrix composites are difficult and expensive, conventional casting routes suffer from inhomogeneity and agglomeration of the added nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and possibilities of introducing nanosized particles into a steel matrix through a conventional casting process and to determine the effect of different nanoparticles and methods of incorporation on the strength, toughness, and high-temperature wear resistance of martensitic steel. The results show that also in the case of a conventional casting process, it is possible to obtain a homogeneous distribution of nanoparticles in the metal matrix, resulting in improved strength, maintained toughness, and up to five times better high-temperature wear resistance of the Mn-Cr steel. However, the rate of improvement greatly depends on the method and type of nanoparticles incorporation. The most promising results were observed for the combination of carbon nanotubes, oxide nanoparticles, and dispersant, sealed in a steel tube, with the dispersant providing the uniform distribution, the carbon nanotubes delivering the good toughness and the adhesive wear properties, and the oxide nanoparticles ensuring oxidation and abrasive wear resistance.Fil: Kračun, A.. Institute of Metals and Technology,Ljubljan; EsloveniaFil: Jenko, D.. Institute of Metals and Technology,Ljubljan; EsloveniaFil: Godec, M.. Institute of Metals and Technology,Ljubljan; EsloveniaFil: Savilov, S.V.. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow; RusiaFil: Prieto, Germán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico CONICET- Bahia Blanca. Instituto de Fisica del sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Fisica. Instituto de Fisica del sur; ArgentinaFil: Tuckart, Walter Roberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico CONICET- Bahia Blanca. Instituto de Fisica del sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Fisica. Instituto de Fisica del sur; ArgentinaFil: Podgornik, B.. Institute of Metals and Technology,Ljubljan; Esloveni