Evaluation of functioning of ICDS project areas under Indore and Ujjain divisions of the state of Madhya Pradesh

Background: Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is recognized worldwide as one of the most efficient community based programmes promoting early childhood care. Regular evaluations of the programme have been conducted to make it more effective and adequate for the beneficiaries. Objectives: To evaluate the functioning of the Anganwadi Centers under different project areas of Indore and Ujjain Divisions. Methods: Under the present evaluation system one ICDS project and five Anganwadi Centers under the project area (AWCs) were visited on a monthly basis and services provided reviewed. Findings reported are from nine project areas under Indore and Ujjain Divisions in the state of Madhya Pradesh from October 2008 – June 2009. Results: A total of 45 centers were evaluated. 29 centers were operating from rented buildings and storage facilities were lacking at 19 of the centers. Though the quality of food was acceptable to the beneficiaries shortage of food was a problem at the centers. Absence of Pre-School Education (PSE) and Nutrition and Health Education (NHED) Kits compromised PSE and NHED activities at the centers. Unavailability of medicine kits, lack of regular visits by the ANMs to the centers and absence of routine health check up of beneficiaries were other problems encountered under the project areas surveyed. Availability of a doctor under each project area was stated as a major need by the workers. Conclusion: Coordinated steps catering to different services provided at the centers are needed to optimize the functioning of the ICDS scheme

Psychological Morbidity in Students of Medical College and Science and Art College Students - A Comparative Study

Considering the importance of quality of life in medical students we have conducted a cross sectional & descriptive study on screening of mental illness of 60 medical students of prefinal year and comparing it with 60 students of third year of Science and Art College. Students were selected via random sampling. GHQ-12 was used as a screening tool and after obtaining scores students were graded in 3 categories - individuals screened positive for psychological morbidity were of Grades 2 and 3 and individuals screened negative for psychological morbidity were of Grade 1 and they were compared according to college, gender & residence. Students screened positive for psychological morbidity as per GHQ-12 were found higher in medical college (87%) as compared to Science and Art College (45%) and a statistically significant association was found between psychological morbidity and medical students. Psychological morbidity was not significantly associated with residence and gender

Mini-grand canonical ensemble: chemical potential in the solvation shell

Quantifying the statistics of occupancy of solvent molecules in the vicinity of solutes is central to our understanding of solvation phenomena. Number fluctuations in small `solvation shells' around solutes cannot be described within the macroscopic grand canonical framework using a single chemical potential that represents the solvent `bath'. In this communication, we hypothesize that molecular-sized observation volumes such as solvation shells are best described by coupling the solvation shell with a mixture of particle baths each with its own chemical potential. We confirm our hypotheses by studying the enhanced fluctuations in the occupancy statistics of hard sphere solvent particles around a distinguished hard sphere solute particle. Connections with established theories of solvation are also discussed

Strategies for Improving Indian Railways’ Market Share of Port Based Coal Traffic: A Diagnostic Study

India is a vast country. After its independence in 1947, it steadily lost its position in international trade. With the beginning of economic liberalization in 1991, it has taken new initiatives in integrating itself with the world economy. Import restrictions have been removed for many commodities. One of the major impacts of liberalization has been on infrastructure: railways, roadways, ports and airports. Significant changes have also taken place in the composition of imported and exported commodities. Due to these changes, new challenges are being faced on the infrastructure front. One of the challenges is to rectify the mismatch of available infrastructure at ports where a modal change of commodities that are either imported or exported takes place. This paper examines such issues with a specific focus on improving infrastructure required for integration of railways and ports. This is achieved by focusing on coal which is a commodity that (i) brings significant revenues to Indian Railways, and (ii) is witnessing increasing imports. In this diagnostic study, we discuss the problems faced by Indian Railways and identify ways to increase its market share of coal movement between ports and the hinterland.

Circular dichroism in photoelectron angular distributions from two‐color (1+1) REMPI of NO

A detailed experimental and theoretical study of dichroic effects in photoelectron angular distributions is reported for (1+1), two‐color REMPI of NO via the A^ 2Σ^+, v=0 state. Optically aligned A state rotational levels are probed through ionization by circularly polarized light. Resultant photoelectron angular distributions exhibit significant left–right asymmetry, the phase and magnitude of which are shown to be related to the curvature of the excited state M_J distribution. Theoretical calculations involving a full ab initio treatment of the ionization dynamics result in circularly dichroic angular distribution (CDAD) parameters in good agreement with those derived experimentally. Additional effects including hyperfine depolarization and coherence are also discussed in relation to the observed CDAD data

Impact of Educational Intervention Measures on Knowledge regarding HIV/ Occupational Exposure and Post Exposure Prophylaxis among Final Year Nursing Students of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central India

Amongst the different Health Care Personnel nurses are at a greater risk of being accidentally exposed to HIV and other Blood Borne Pathogens. The present study was conducted among 50 final year nursing students of a Medical College Hospital to assess the knowledge regarding HIV, occupational exposure and Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) among the students and analyses the impact of educational intervention measures on the issues amongst the study subjects. A Pre-designed and Pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used to evaluate the level of knowledge before and after educational intervention sessions. Knowledge regarding risk of transmission of HIV by needle-stick injury and body fluids against which universal precautions were mandatory increased by 72% following the intervention sessions (χ2 = 53.202, p <0.001). 72% and 36% respondents correctly knew the duration within which to start PEP and the drugs available for PEP, post educational sessions 98% and 96% students were aware of it: the difference being statistically significant (χ2 = 11.294, p <0.001) and (χ2 = 37.748, p <0.001) respectively. The mean pre-intervention score was 8.32; mean post-intervention score was 14.40: statistical analysis showed the results to be significant (t= 13.857, p< 0.001). The study reflects that there is a dearth of knowledge among the study group. Incorporating the concerned issues in the academic curriculum to provide the students with adequate knowledge and information during their formative years is needed

MICROEMULSIONS: PLATFORM FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SOLUBILITY AND DISSOLUTION OF POORLY SOLUBLE DRUGS

ABSTRACTThis study reviews that solubilization of lipophilic drugs with low aqueous solubility has been a major trust area in recent years. It can be seen thatthere is a real and continuing need for the development of effective drug delivery systems for poorly water-soluble drugs to enhance their absorptionand bioavailability. One such approach might be pharmaceutical microemulsions as they have emerged as potential solubility enhancing technologies.Microemulsion system has considerable potential to act as a drug delivery vehicle by incorporating a wide range of drug molecules. Microemulsionhas got advantage like excellent thermodynamic stability, high drug solubilization capacity, improved oral bioavailability and protection againstenzymatic hydrolysis. This review focuses on the basic concept, formulation, characterization, and recent advances in microemulsions as novel drugdelivery system.Keywords: Microemulsion, Lipophilicity, Solubilization, Bioavailability, Phase behavior

Electric field Induced Patterns in Soft Visco-elastic films: From Long Waves of Viscous Liquids to Short Waves of Elastic Solids

We show that the electric field driven surface instability of visco-elastic films has two distinct regimes: (1) The visco-elastic films behaving like a liquid display long wavelengths governed by applied voltage and surface tension, independent of its elastic storage and viscous loss moduli, and (2) the films behaving like a solid require a threshold voltage for the instability whose wavelength always scales as ~ 4 x film thickness, independent of its surface tension, applied voltage, loss and storage moduli. Wavelength in a narrow transition zone between these regimes depends on the storage modulus.Comment: Accepted for Publication in Physical Review Letter