The Effect of Socioeconomic Factors and Indoor Residual Spraying on Malaria in Mangaluru, India: A Case-Control Study

India faces 0.5 million malaria cases annually, including half of all Plasmodium vivax malaria cases worldwide. This case–control study assessed socioeconomic determinants of urban malaria in coastal Mangaluru, Karnataka, southwestern India. Between June and December 2015, we recruited 859 malaria patients presenting at the governmental Wenlock Hospital and 2190 asymptomatic community controls. We assessed clinical, parasitological, and socioeconomic data. Among patients, p. vivax mono-infection (70.1%) predominated. Most patients were male (93%), adult (median, 27 years), had no or low-level education (70.3%), and 57.1% were daily labourers or construction workers. In controls (59.3% male; median age, 32 years; no/low-level education, 54.5%; daily labourers/construction workers, 41.3%), 4.1% showed asymptomatic Plasmodium infection. The odds of malaria was reduced among those who had completed 10th school grade (aOR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.26–0.42), lived in a building with a tiled roof (aOR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53–0.95), and reported recent indoor residual spraying (aOR, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01–0.04). In contrast, migrant status was a risk factor for malaria (aOR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.60–3.67). Malaria in Mangaluru is influenced by education, housing condition, and migration. Indoor residual spraying greatly contributes to reducing malaria in this community and should be promoted, especially among its marginalised members.Peer Reviewe

Development and validation of a treatment compliance assessment scale for clients with mental illnesses

Background: Treatment compliance improves mental health and facilitates the resolution of the underlying illness. An accurate assessment of treatment compliance is necessary for effective and efficient treatment planning and for ensuring that changes in health outcomes can be attributed to the recommended regimen. Aim: This study aimed to develop a treatment compliance assessment scale for clients with mental illnesses and to evaluate its psychometric properties. Methodology: The initial questionnaire was developed through the Delphi expert consultation, pilot study, and semistructured interview. The instrument was applied to 130 clients attending the outpatient services of a tertiary care hospital in North India. Results: A seven-item clinician-rated questionnaire was formed in which exploratory factor analyses yielded two factors, including medication compliance and attitude toward current treatment. The instrument was found to have a good internal consistency (Chronbach's alpha was 0.932), split-half reliability (Guttman's split-half coefficient − 0.838), and test–retest reliability (0.882). The concurrent validity of demonstrated a significant correlation with the 12-item Medication Adherence Rating Scale at P ≤ 0.01. Conclusion: The clinician-rated treatment compliance assessment scale was found to be a valid instrument for assessing treatment compliance among patients with mental illnesses with adequate psychometric properties

Fuzzy Based Landsman Converter For Pumping Application

Fuzzy controlled landsman converter employed for pumping application is presented here. Landsman converter(LC) is designed using voltage multiplier cell which makes the converter from reduced switching voltages. The controller is designed with Fuzzy logic to derive constant voltage output irrespective of variation of input of the converter. The input to the converter is fed from solar panel(250W). The DC output voltage of converter is fed to the electrical machine to run for different pumping applications. The design of controller and converter is analyzed using MATLAB

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Spectroscopic study of antioxidant property and trace elements of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Meyna spinosa</i> Roxb. ex Link leaves</span>

51-55Antioxidant property of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Meyna spinosa Roxb. ex Link leaf was determined by using UV-Visible and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Further the trace elements present in it were determined by using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The concentration of the antioxidant activity, IC50 was found to be 563.23 µg/mL and the trace elements detected were Fe, Zn, Cu, Mo, Cr, Mn. Role of antioxidants and trace elements were discussed with reference to the traditional knowledge

Spectroscopic study of antioxidant property and trace elements of Meyna spinosa Roxb. ex Link leaves

Antioxidant property of Meyna spinosa Roxb. ex Link leaf was determined by using UV-Visible and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Further the trace elements present in it were determined by using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The concentration of the antioxidant activity, IC50 was found to be 563.23 µg/mL and the trace elements detected were Fe, Zn, Cu, Mo, Cr, Mn. Role of antioxidants and trace elements were discussed with reference to the traditional knowledge

Levonadifloxacin, a recently approved benzoquinolizine fluoroquinolone, exhibits potent in vitro activity against contemporary Staphylococcus aureus isolates and Bengal Bay clone isolates collected from a large Indian tertiary care hospital

OBJECTIVES: Levonadifloxacin (WCK 771; IV) and its prodrug alalevonadifloxacin (WCK 2349; oral) are benzoquinolizine fluoroquinolones, recently approved in India for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections with concurrent bacteraemia and diabetic foot infections. Ahead of its market launch, the present study aimed to assess the in vitro activity of levonadifloxacin against contemporary Staphylococcus aureus isolates collected from a large tertiary care hospital in India. Additionally, levonadifloxacin activity was tested against hVISA and Bengal Bay clone MRSA isolates. METHODS: Non-duplicate S. aureus (n = 793) isolates collected at Christian Medical College hospital, Vellore, India during 2013-19 were included in the study. MRSA isolates were identified using a cefoxitin disc diffusion assay. MICs of levonadifloxacin and comparator antibiotics were determined using the broth microdilution method. Mutations in QRDRs were identified for selected levofloxacin-non-susceptible isolates. MLST profiling was undertaken to detect the Bengal Bay clone. RESULTS: Among the 793 isolates, 441 (55.6%) were MRSA and 626 (78.9%) were non-susceptible to levofloxacin. Levonadifloxacin showed MIC50 and MIC90 values of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/L, respectively, for all S. aureus, which included hVISA and Bengal Bay clone MRSA. The potency of levonadifloxacin was 16 times superior compared with levofloxacin. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated potent activity of levonadifloxacin against contemporary S. aureus isolates, which included MRSA isolates, hVISA isolates, Bengal Bay clone isolates and a high proportion of quinolone-non-susceptible isolates. The potent activity of levonadifloxacin observed in this study supports its clinical use for the treatment of S. aureus infections