The Impact of Biofuels on the Propensity of Land-Use Conversion among Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowners in Florida

A hypothetical market for renting and converting forested land into row cropping for biofuel production revealed that nearly half of the 1,060 non-industrial landowners sampled in Florida are willing to accept payments for land type conversion and the resulting supply function is inelastic and positive. While respondent’s previous involvement with forest management cost-share program increased their probability of accepting payments for forest type conversion, those who indicated forest aesthetics as the primary reason for the land ownership were less likely to participate in this hypothetical market.NIPF landowners, Probit regression, Land-use conversion, United States, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use,

Comparative efficacy between ketamine, memantine, riluzole and d-cycloserine in patients diagnosed with drug resistant depression: a meta-analysis

Background: Glutamate modulators are having immense potential and are newer entities for treating drug resistant depression. The objectives were to generate statistical evidence on basis of existing data of ketamine, memantine, riluzole and d-cycloserine in resistant depression.Methods: A total of 14 RCTs following PRISMA guidelines and matching inclusion and exclusion criteria were collected of ketamine (5), memantine (3), riluzole (2) and d-cycloserine (4) vs placebo in drug resistant depression. Only RCTs with primary diagnosis of drug resistant depression (Previously on two standard antidepressant therapy) were included. Studies with treatment response rate, 50% reduction in total score of the depression rating scale-Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale or the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale or Beck Depression Inventory was chosen as clinical outcome measure. RevMan 5.3 software was used for the analysis.Results: In ketamine group using random effect model SMD was 2.122 (95% CI 0.659-3.584). P-value was statistically significant (random effect p <0.005 and in fixed effect <0.001). In memantine group, using random effect model -0.963 was SMD and (95% CI -1.958-0.0324). P-value was <0.001, significant in fixed effect. In riluzole group, SMD was -0.564 with (95% CI -3.927-2.799) in random effect. P-value was 0.741. In d-cycloserine group SMD was 0.316 with (95% CI -1.252-1.885) in random effect. P-value was 0.690.Conclusions: Ketamine showed best efficacy followed by memantine. Riluzole and DCS as such have no efficacy although its acts by same glutamate pathway. More molecular based research is required in use of glutamate modulators in resistant depression

Purification of chicken carbonic anhydrase isozyme-III (CA-III) and its measurement in White Leghorn chickens

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The developmental profile of chicken carbonic anhydrase-III (CA-III) blood levels has not been previously determined or reported. We isolated CA-III from chicken muscle and investigated age-related changes in the levels of CA-III in blood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>CA-III was purified from chicken muscle. The levels of CA-III in plasma and erythrocytes from 278 female chickens (aged 1-93 weeks) and 68 male chickens (aged 3-59 weeks) were determined by ELISA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean level of CA-III in female chicken erythrocytes (1 week old) was 4.6 μg/g of Hb, and the CA-III level did not change until 16 weeks of age. The level then increased until 63 weeks of age (11.8 μg/g of Hb), decreased to 4.7 μg/g of Hb at 73 weeks of age, and increased again until 93 weeks of age (8.6 μg/g of Hb). The mean level of CA-III in erythrocytes from male chickens (3 weeks old) was 2.4 μg/g of Hb, and this level remained steady until 59 weeks of age. The mean plasma level of CA-III in 1-week-old female chickens was 60 ng/mL, and this level was increased at 3 weeks of age (141 ng/mL) and then remained steady until 80 weeks of age (122 ng/mL). The mean plasma level of CA-III in 3-week-old male chickens was 58 ng/mL, and this level remained steady until 59 weeks of age.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We observed both developmental changes and sex differences in CA-III concentrations in White Leghorn (WL) chicken erythrocytes and plasma. Simple linear regression analysis showed a significant association between the erythrocyte CA-III level and egg-laying rate in WL-chickens 16-63 weeks of age (p < 0.01).</p

An intensive monitoring of adverse drug reaction in indoor patients of medicine department at tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Use of drugs itself may result into illness and death due to their adverse effects. In India 10-20% of inpatients developed adverse drug reactions. Most of these problems can be overcome by undertaking hospital based intensive monitoring. Objective of this study was to estimate the incidence and document the spectrum of ADRs in studied patients in terms of causality, severity, frequency, type and preventability. A prospective, observational, single centre study conducted among the indoor patients of the department of general medicine, Guru Gobind singh government hospital, Jamnagar over a period of 12 months.Methods: Admitted patients who either had developed a clinically suspected ADR after admission (group A) or were admitted primarily because of an ADR (group B) were included. In all ADR related patients the necessary data was recorded on a pre-designed case record form, NCC-PvPI form and analysis was done.Results: Total 3566 patients were screened. 87 patients had 101 ADRs, among them 62 from group A and 25 from group B with 2.44% incidence. In causality, by WHO-UMC and by naranjo scale most common ‘probable’ category in group A (54.7%) and group B (50%) and 89.9% group A and 84.6% in group B respectively.95.05% ADRs were ‘Not preventable’. Hartwig seigle’s scale maximum ADRs 65.4% ADRs in group A and 73.1% in group B were ‘moderate’ in severity.Conclusions: Intercurrent illness, longer hospital stay and poly pharmacy was playing a major role in occurrence of multiple ADRs with 2.44% incidence in our setup

Drug utilization pattern of antimicrobial drugs in intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital attached with a medical college

Background: A number of antimicrobial drugs are prescribed to the patients in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Drug utilization research was defined by WHO as the study of marketing, distribution, prescription, and use of drugs in a society, with special emphasis on the resulting medical, social and economic consequences. There is lack of information about the use of antimicrobial agents in the ICU at GGGH till date. So we decided to conduct this type of study.Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out for 12 months. Patients of age >18 of both sexes who was admitted in ICU were included in the study while pregnant and lactating women excluded. The prescribing pattern was analyzed by using World Health Organization basic drug indicators. Results: Among 611 patients, 373 (61.04%) were male and 238 (38.95%) were female. The most common emergency was post-operative 204 (33.38%).The most common prescribed antimicrobial drug group and drug was antiamoebic drugs and metronidazole respectively in 437 (24.04%) out of total drugs prescribed. The numbers of antimicrobial drugs prescribed per patient were 2.97. 68% drugs were prescribed from WHO and national EML list. Total 57.26% drugs were prescribed by generic name. Average antimicrobial drug cost per patient was 1805.34 rs.Conclusions: Despite of limitations of present study it gives important conclusion about how antimicrobial drugs are used in GGGH ICU. This information can be used for improvement of current treatment strategies

Drug utilization study of psychotropic drugs in outdoor patients in a tertiary care hospital attached with a medical college

Background: Psychotropic drugs have a great importance in psychiatric practice. Today many newer drug like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and atypical antipsychotic drugs has changed treatment protocol. Hence, the study was carried out to find morbidity pattern of psychiatric illness and prescribing pattern of psychiatric illness.Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out for 12 months. Patients of all ages and both sexes were included in the study while inpatients and referred patients were excluded. The prescribing pattern was analyzed by using World Health Organization (WHO) basic drug indicators.Results: Among 600 patients, male patient were 291 (48.50%) and female patient were 309 (51.50%). The most common disorder was depression 208 (34.66%) followed by schizophrenia 192 (32.00%). The numbers of psychotropic drugs prescribed a patient were 2.51. 39.39% drugs were prescribed from the WHO essential medicines list. Total 89.18% drugs were prescribed by generic name. Benzodiazepines were the most common prescribed drugs. Atypical antipsychotic drugs were commonly used than typical antipsychotic drugs. Central anticholinergic drug was used in 43.15% patients receiving antipsychotic drugs.Conclusion: Overall, the drugs were prescribed rationally. Benzodiazepine should be prescribed only for short-term duration. Use of central acting anticholinergic drugs with all antipsychotic drugs was not justified

The impact of biofuels on the propensity of land-use conversion among non-industrial private forest landowners in Florida

a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o A hypothetical market for renting and converting forested land into row cropping for biofuel production revealed that nearly half of the 1060 non-industrial landowners sampled in Florida are willing to accept payments for land type conversion and the resulting supply function is inelastic and positive. While respondent&apos;s previous involvement with forest management cost-share program increased their probability of accepting payments for forest type conversion, those who indicated forest aesthetics as the primary reason for the land ownership were less likely to participate in this hypothetical market