Correlation analysis of reactivity in the oxidation of substituted mandelic acids by pyridinium fluorochromate

706-709Kinetics of oxidation of nine substituted mandelic acids by pyridinium fluorochromate (PFC) have been studied. The main product is the corresponding arylglyoxylic acid. The reaction is first order in [PFC] and Michaelis- Menten type kinetics has been observed with respect to the reductant. The formation constants of the complexes and the rates of their decomposition have been calculated. The formation constants are not sensitive to substitution in the benzene ring. The rates of decomposition of the complexes showed an excellent correlation with Brown's σ+ values with negative reaction constants. The effect of solvent has been analysed using multiparametric equations and mechanistic aspects are discussed

Hospital Wastewater Sludge: An Unaddressed Environmental Reservoir for Emerging and Rare Nosocomial Pathogens

Nosocomial infections cause significant mortality and financial losses each year. Most of these infections are caused by multidrug resistant (MDR) opportunistic pathogens and therefore are difficult to treat by standard therapies. Though hospitals are considered as ecological niches for nosocomial pathogens, environmental reservoirs for the same are still underexplored. The present study addressed this issue by systematically profiling the pathogenic diversity of hospital wastewater sludge hypothesized as an important reservoir for nosocomial pathogens within a hospital setting using Illumina Miseq Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) approach. The NGS data showed that i) nosocomial pathogens dominated the hospital sludge bacterial profile and majority of them fell in the category of either emerging or rare pathogens ii) Majority of the pathogens formed part of the low abundant microbiota represented by 3.56% of the reads iii) Nearly 14% of the reads were represented by the unculturable bacteria iv) Of the 580 species-level operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified in this study, 166 matched with potential human pathogens v) Enterobacter cloacae (56.45%) was the most dominant species followed by  Pseudomonas putida (6.07%), Fusobacterium ulcerans (3.08%) Acidaminococcus fermentans (2.03%) respectively. Aeromonas hydrophila, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pantoea agglomerans formed the less dominant species. This study points towards the catastrophic effect on public health and environment that may result from the co-treatment of hospital wastewater with domestic wastewater in municipal wastewater treatment plants and the use of resultant sludge in agriculture which is a common method of sludge disposal practiced in developing countries. Keywords: Hospital sludge, Next Generation Sequencing, Nosocomial Pathogens, Emerging Pathogens, Rare Pathogens &nbsp

Utilisation, availability and price changes of medicines and protection equipment for COVID-19 among selected regions in India : findings and implications

Background: COVID-19 has already claimed a considerable number of lives worldwide. However, there are concerns with treatment recommendations given the extent of conflicting results with suggested treatments and misinformation, some of which has resulted in increased prices and shortages alongside increasing use and prices of personal protective equipment (PPE). This is a concern in countries such as India where there have been high patient co-payments and an appreciable number of families going into poverty when members become ill. However, balanced against pricing controls. Community pharmacists play a significant role in disease management in India, and this will remain. Consequently, there is a need to review prices and availability of pertinent medicines during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in India to provide future direction. Objective: Assess current utilisation and price changes as well as shortages of pertinent medicines and equipment during the early stages of the pandemic. Our Approach: Multiple approach involving a review of treatments and ongoing activities across India to reduce the spread of the virus alongside questioning pharmacies in selected cities from early March to end May 2020. Our Activities: 111 pharmacies took part, giving a response rate of 80%. Encouragingly, no change in utilisation of antimalarial medicines in 45% of pharmacies despite endorsements and for antibiotics in 57.7% of pharmacies, helped by increasing need for a prescription for dispensing. In addition, increased purchasing of PPE (over 98%). No price increases were seen for antimalarials and antibiotics in 83.8 and 91.9% of pharmacies respectively although shortages were seen for antimalarials in 70.3% of pharmacies, lower for antibiotics (9.9% of pharmacies). However, price increases were typically seen for PPE (over 90% of stores) as well as for analgesics (over 50% of pharmacies). Shortages were also seen for PPE (88.3%). Conclusion: The pandemic has impacted on utilisation and prices of pertinent medicines and PPE in India but moderated by increased scrutiny. Key stakeholder groups can play a role with enhancing evidenced-based approaches and reducing inappropriate purchasing in the future

Rapid assessment of price instability and paucity of medicines and protection for COVID-19 across Asia : findings and public health implications for the future

Background: Countries have introduced a variety of measures to prevent and treat COVID-19 with medicines and personal protective equipment (PPE), with some countries adopting preventative strategies earlier than others. However, there has been considerable controversy surrounding some treatments. This includes hydroxychloroquine where the initial hype and misinformation lead to shortages, price rises and suicides. Price rises and shortages have also been seen for PPE. Such activities can have catastrophic effects on patients where there are high co-payment levels and issues of affordability. Consequently, there is a need to investigate this further. Objective: Assess changes in the availability, utilization and prices of relevant medicines and PPE during the pandemic among a range of Asian countries. Our approach: Narrative literature review combined with interviews among community pharmacists to assess changes in consumption, prices and shortages of medicines and PPE from the beginning of March 2020 until end of May 2020. In addition, suggestions on ways to reduce misinformation. Results: 308 pharmacists took part from five Asian countries. There was an appreciable increase in the utilization of antimicrobials in Pakistan (in over 88% of pharmacies), with lower increases or no change in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Vietnam. Encouragingly, there was increased use of vitamins/immune boosters and PPE across the countries, as well as limited price rises for antimicrobials in India, Malaysia and Vietnam, although greater price rises seen for analgesics and vitamin C/immune boosters. Appreciable price increases were also seen for PPE across some countries. Conclusion: Encouraging to see increases in utilization of vitamins/immune boosters and PPE. However, increases in the utilization and prices of antimicrobials is a concern that needs addressing alongside misinformation and any unintended consequences from the pandemic. Community pharmacists can play a key role in providing evidence-based advice, helping to moderate prices, as well as helping address some of the unintended consequences of the pandemic

Dissolving the dichotomies between online and campus-based teaching: a collective response to The manifesto for teaching online (Bayne et al. 2020)

This article is a collective response to the 2020 iteration of The Manifesto for Teaching Online. Originally published in 2011 as 20 simple but provocative statements, the aim was, and continues to be, to critically challenge the normalization of education as techno-corporate enterprise and the failure to properly account for digital methods in teaching in Higher Education. The 2020 Manifesto continues in the same critically provocative fashion, and, as the response collected here demonstrates, its publication could not be timelier. Though the Manifesto was written before the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the responses gathered here inevitably reflect on the experiences of moving to digital, distant, online teaching under unprecedented conditions. As these contributions reveal, the challenges were many and varied, ranging from the positive, breakthrough opportunities that digital learning offered to many students, including the disabled, to the problematic, such as poor digital networks and access, and simple digital poverty. Regardless of the nature of each response, taken together, what they show is that The Manifesto for Teaching Online offers welcome insights into and practical advice on how to teach online, and creatively confront the supremacy of face-to-face teaching

Study of various biochemical parameter on atrazine induced glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in brain

G6PD is rate limiting enzyme in pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), have effective physiological role in  supply of NADPH by converting it into Glucose-6-phosphate to phospogluconate which acts as a major cell reductant and useful to cell survival. Brain is highly sophisticated organ of our body which requires continuous supply of energy in form of glucose. Daily requirement of brain glucose is 120gm. G6PD plays a key role in it. According to WHO 75% of world population have more than one gene for G6PD and around  2.9% of population is G6PD deficient. It is most common enzymatic disorder of cell effecting 200-400 million people. G6PD exist in all cell to oxidative damage and it is responsible for various neurodegenerative disorder like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Schizophrenia catatonia, Neuronal toxicity etc. The research work was aimed to check the neuroprotective potential of Melatonin with Primaquine and Melatonin with Aspirin (contraindicated to G6PD deficient individuals) in Atrazine induced G6PD deficiency in Albino Rats. Study was carried out for the various biochemical parameters (G6PD, Nitrites, LDH, Glucose), neurotransmitters (Serotonin, Dopamine, Nor-adrenaline), anti-oxidant activity (GSH, LPO, SOD and Catalase) and histopathological evaluation.&nbsp

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy: A rare case report

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a very rare neoplasm of infants seen in the oral cavity at or around birth. It shows rapid expansile growth which necessitates proper diagnosis and management. A 6.5-month-old female child reported with a swelling in the maxillary anterior alveolus, which was rapidly increasing in size and was asymptomatic. Radiographic examination showed a diffuse osteolytic radiolucent lesion in the anterior maxillary region and displacement of the developing primary tooth buds. Ultrasonography report revealed well-defined cystic lesion with calcifying foci within and with no internal vascularity. Wide surgical excision under general anesthesia was performed. Histopathological report revealed a nonencapsulated mass composed of a dual population of small round blue cells and larger melanin-containing epithelial cells in a dense cellular fibrous stroma. Tumor is seen to entrap mature bony trabeculae and soft tissue on the whole favoring a diagnosis of MNTI. Early recognition and regular follow-up is the key to successful treatment