PREVALENCE OF OBESITY AMONG NURSING STUDENTS IN SRM COLLEGE OF NURSING, SRM UNIVERSITY,KATTANKULATHUR, KANCHEEPURAM DISTRICT.

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of obesity among the nursing students.Methods: The research approach was quantitative and the research design adopted was cross-sectional research design. The researcher used non- probability purposive sampling technique, and 80 students were selected for the study. World Health Organization body mass index scale was used to assess the prevalence of obesity.Results: Among 80 samples taken for the study 24 (30%) students are in the stage of underweight; 43 (53.8%) students are in normal weight; and 13 (16.2%) are in the stage of pre-obesity.Conclusion: The study findings revealed that 16.2% of the students are in pre-obese stage; hence, awareness regarding complications of obesity may prevent obesity among the nursing students.Keywords: Obesity, Body mass index, Complications, Underweight, Students

Crystal structure of 8-hydroxyquinolin-ium 2-carboxy-6-nitrobenzoate mono-hydrate

The authors thank SAIF, IIT Madras for the data collection.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Knowledge, attitude and practice of haemovigilance amongst healthcare professionals in Nashik, Maharashtra, India

Background: Haemovigilance Programme of India was launched in 2012 with the purpose to identify, analyse and learn the complications related to transfusion and blood donation, in order to avoid such complications in future. Though it is essential to identify the Adverse Transfusion Reactions (ATR) to reduce the incidence and make transfusion easier; there are rare reports available about knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of Healthcare Professionals (HCP) for haemovigilance.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, pre-validated questionnaire designed for assessing the KAP, the possible ways to improve transfusion reaction reporting and causes of underreporting were distributed among 220 Healthcare Professional (HCP) in Nashik, Maharashtra.Results: The response rate of the study was 93%. Amongst them 58% HCP had poor knowledge while only 9% had good knowledge about haemovigilance. According to respondents, training to the HCP, CME’s, making reporting compulsory and launching of a toll-free helpline number will mark a milestone in improving transfusion reaction reporting. Legal liability issue and lack of time & knowledge were the main factors which discouraged them from reporting.Conclusions: Overall, most of HCP in Nashik have a positive attitude towards transfusion reaction reporting but knowledge regarding the haemovigilance concept is poor and the majority of them never reported ATR. Hence, our study demands increased awareness and continued training to strengthen the haemovigilance system, especially ATR reporting

Heterogeneous Ensemble Variable Selection To Improve Customer Prediction Using Naive Bayes Model

The analysis of customer patterns and behaviours is essential for all businesses, as the customer is the sole source of revenue. Understanding customer patterns and behavior enables businesses to enhance their business processes and customer happiness. The availability of voluminous client datasets within organizations facilitates efficient customer analysis. Yet, the inclusion of interrelated, irrelevant, as well as missing factors leads to a poor forecast of the dataset. Feature selection techniques are investigated in order to handle the problem. Objective of feature selection is to pick the pertinent variables from a complete set of associated, irrelevant, and missing variables. In general, FS is classified into 3 types: filter, wrapper, & hybrid method. The filter method is a quick one, but the variables used are ineffective. Similarly, a wrapper method is effective yet computationally inefficient. In this study, an ensemble feature selection strategy is presented and tested to circumvent the issue with these feature selections. There are two techniques to ensemble FS: one is homogenous and the other is heterogeneous. This study employs a heterogeneous ensemble feature selection method. In the suggested method, the learning dataset is applied to five distinct filter FS approaches, and the ranked attributes that result are aggregated using two distinct methods: the mean method and the min method. Relevant variables are chosen to further build the final sorted qualities using the cut off value as a guide. As the HEVS technique's filter approach simply ranks the variables, it is necessary to select the variable subset cut off value. The experimental technique is conducted from two distinct vantage points: Heterogeneous ensemble variable selection with Naive Bayes and Naive Bayes without variable selection. In the end, the outcomes that were obtained via the use of the two different approaches are compared using different factors. The experimental results demonstrate that the suggested HEVS method outperforms the usual Naive Bayes model. As relevant variables are included when modeling using NB, the computational complexity of this proposed methodology is also minimized

A clinico-pathological study of pigmented cutaneous lesions: a one-year prospective study in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Pigmented lesions are group of lesions which have melanocytic proliferation with very common clinical presentation. Diagnosing these pigmented lesions and differentiating cutaneous melanocytic lesions from non-melanocytic lesions poses a great challenge for the pathologist.Methods: A Prospective study was conducted for one year from June 2016 to June 2017 sent to the Department of Pathology, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, a tertiary care centre in southern India consisting of 44 pigmented lesions. Specimens were formalin fixed and the tissue was adequately processed for histopathological examination. The sections were stained routinely with hematoxylin and eosin stain and examined under light microscopy.Results: Out of 44 cases, 24 cases were cutaneous melanocytic lesions which include benign naevi 22 (50%) and 2 (4.6%) malignant melanoma cases. The other 20 cases were cutaneous non melanocytic lesions which include 5 (11.4%) pigmented seborrheic keratosis, 6 (13.7%) pigmented basal cell carcinoma, 1 (2.3%) pigmented actinic keratosis and 8 (18%) cases of naevus sebaceous. Most common effected age group was <21 years (31.81%), male: female ratio is 1:2 and most common site involved was face 29 cases (65.9%). Most common pigmented lesions were benign melanocytic nevi 22 (50%) followed by naevus sebaceous 8 (18%) cases. 32 (72.71%) cases were consistent with both clinico-histopathological correlation.Conclusions: Benign melanocytic nevi are most common lesions obtained, seborric keratosis and pigmented basal cell carcinoma were most common mimickers of melanocytic lesions, hence a careful histopathological diagnosis is important

CLINICAL PHARMACIST-LED PROGRAM ON MEDICATION RECONCILIATION AND PATIENT COUNSELING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF GASTROENTEROLOGY

Objective: To study the effects of medication reconciliation and patient counseling on the overall health benefits of the patients in the department of gastroenterology. Methods: This study is a prospective interventional study, was conducted in a 500 bedded MNR Hospital. The sample size taken was 150 patients and the study population comprised of patients aged 18-80 y, admitted in the hospital during the study period of six months. Results: Out of 150 patients, there were 98 (65.33%) male patients and 52 (34.67%) female patients. Patients between 18 and 30 y of age were 29(19.33%), between the age of 30 and 50 y were 71 (47.33%) and above 50 were 50(33.33%). Pancreatitis was most prevalent with 21% of total prevalence, followed by CLD and cholelithiasis with 17%, then IBD 16%, PUD and Gastritis 5%, GERD 4% and other diseases 15%. Conclusion: The basic role of the pharmacist, is to help in minimizing the errors and to perform medication reconciliation. In patient counseling, pharmacists provide information about the disease, and the medications to increase patient safety and the changes in the behavior for the better outcome

Investigation on wear and corrosion behavior of equal channel angular pressed aluminium 2014 alloy

Aluminium 2014 alloy solutionized at 495°C, aged at 195°C was subjected to Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP). Dry sliding wear tests were conducted using pin on disc tribometer system under nominal loads of 10N and 30N with constant speed 2m/s for 2000m in order to investigate their wear behavior after ECAP. The Co-efficient of friction and loss in volume were decreased after ECAP. The dominant wear mechanism observed was adhesion, delamination in addition to these wear mechanisms, oxidation and transfer of Fe from the counter surface to the Al 2014 pin were observed at higher loading condition. The corrosion behavior was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.5% NaCl solution. The results obtained from PDP showed higher corrosion potential and lower corrosion density after ECAP than base. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed higher charge transfer resistance after ECAP. Surface morphology showed decreased pit size and increased oxygen content in ECAP sample than base after PDP

Utilization of sewage sludge as a potting media for tree nursery

Dumping of sewage sludge in the outer of cities leads to silting of nearby tanks, polluting the lands andalso air they burn, which is a burning problem in urban areas. This sewage sludge is rich in nutrientsand their use has been found to improve the physical condition of the soil as well as increase productivityof green biomass. As it contains heavy metals it threatens the human life by way of entering into foodchain. Hence, the best possible alternative is to utilize the sewage sludge as a potting media for raisingtree seedlings in tree nursery especially timber, energy and industrial wood species. An experimentwith an objective of utilizing sewage sludge as a potting media for tree nursery was conducted atTamil Nadu Agricultural University, Mettupalayam with different potting media mixtures as treatmentsviz., T ~ Soil + Sand + FYM (1: 1: 1 ratio); T, ~ Soil +Sand + Raw Sewage Sludge (1: 1: 1 ratio); T3-Soil + Sand + 2 weeks Cornposted Sewage Sludge (1: 1: 1 ratio); T~ ~ Soil + Sand + 4 weeks CompostedSewage Sludge (I: 1:1 ratio); T ~ Raw Sewage Sludge alone; 1 6 ~ Two weeks Composted SewageSludge alone and Th~Four weeks Composted Sewage Sludge alone. Eucalyptus tereticornis, Tecto,?agrandis, Azadirac ta indica, Casuarina equisetifolia and Acacia nilotica were them grown 111polythene bags containing the above potting media. Plant height and collar diameter at two intervalsviz.,3 months and 6 months after transplanting and drymatter production at 300 DAT were recorded.The results revealed that the plant height of the E. tereticornis and T grandis at 3 months aftertransplanting was significantly higher in T 6 whereas the plant height of the other three tree speciesviz., C equisetifloia, A. indica and Acacia nilotica was significantly higher in T " At 6 months aftertransplanting the plant height of all the tree species significantly higher in T4 T3,' Ts' T4'and T i respectively.At 10 months after transplanting E. tereicornis, T grandis and C equisetifolia recorded the maximumdry matter in Ts whereas A. indica and A. nilotica recorded maximum dry matter. in T7 and T ,.Though the sewage sludge is having sufficient major nutrients, it has heavy metals especially, lead,chromium, nickel and cadmium. In this context, the nutrients and heavy metals present in the pottingmedia were analyzed at initial and 300 DAT of seedlings. The results showed that the potting mediahave considerable quantity of major nutrients and heavy metals also. But the tree seedlings haveabsorbed the heavy metals from the potting media to some extent. Hence, sewage sludge which hastoxic substances or heavy metals could be used as a potting media for raising tree seedlings especiallyenergy, industrial and timber species as they do not affect the food chain. It is concluded that Sewagesludge is an effective substitute to farm yard manure and could be used as a potting media in forestnursery on a large scale

Studies on utilization of sewage waste water for greening wastelands through afforestation

One of the major burning problems in urban areas is the disposal of sewage water, which degradesthe environment, and as well as creates health hazards to human beings. One opening to this bottleneckis that this sewage water could be diverted for irrigation purpose especially for afforestation purpose.Sewage water provides nutrients and using it for irrigation has been found to enrich soil, improveuptake of plants and ameliorate degraded soils. It was found that sewage water irrigated tree speciesrecorded maximum height and basal diameter when compared to bore well water irrigation. It showedthat it boosted the growth of tree species. Hence the utilization of sewage water as irrigation waterfor tree crops is the one of best option for increasing biomass and protecting environment deteriorationfrom deforestation of land and water by sewage water.In this context, a field experiment was conducted at sewage farm and the following tree species viz.,Eucalyptus tereticornis, Tectona grandis, Casuarina equisetifolia, Azadirachta indica and Acacianilotica were planted and irrigated with sewage water at 2 weeks interval. The same 5 species werealso planted near the sewage farm and irrigated with bore well water. The growth parameters viz.,height and basal diameter were recorded at periodical interval. The results revealed that the heightand basal diameter of all the five selected tree species were higher under sewage water irrigationwhen compared to bore well water irrigation. The results inferred that at 3 MAP, the percent increasein height and basal diameter respectively was 15 % and 18 % for Casuarina equisetifolia, 39 % and 20 % for Tectono grandis, 17 % for Acacia nilotica. 24 % and 20 % for Azodirachta indica, 23 %and 18 % for Eucalyptus tereticornis over bore well water irrigation. At 6 MAP, the percent inheight and basal diameter was 7 % each for Casuarina equisetifolia, 13 % and 6 % for Tectonagrandis, 13 % and 6% for Acacia ni/otica, 15 % and 9 % for Azadirachta indica, 14 % and 12 %for Eucalyptus tereticornis under sewage water irrigation over bore well water irrigation.At 9 MAP, the increase in height and basal diameter was 8 % each for Casuarina equisetifolia, 9 %and 6 % for Tectona grandis, 12 % and 9 % for Acacia nilotica. 10 % and 4 % for Azadirachtaindica, 21 % and 11 % for Eucalyptus tereticornis over bore well water irrigation. At 12 MAP.increase in height and basal diameter was 7 % and 4 % for Casuarina equisetifolia, 7 % and 4 %for Tectona grandis, 6 % and 4 % for Acacia nilotica, 47 % and 4 % for Azadirachta indica, 8 %and 7 % for Eucalyptus tereticornis over bore well water irrigation. At 15 MAP under sewagewater irrigation, the percent increase was 4% each for Casuarina equisetifolia, 5 % and 3 % forTectona grandis, 6 % and 5 % for Acacia nilotica, 7 % and 5 % for Azadirachta indica, 10 % and8 % for Eucalyptus tereticornis over bore well water irrigation.From the study, it was found that sewage water can be better used for raising tree plantation onrelatively unferti le wastelands through afforestation, urban forestry plantation, social forestry plantationto safeguard the planet earth from global warming, severe drought, adverse climatic condition, pollution etc.