Analysis of gastrointestinal drugs in patients admitted in CCU and ICCU of a tertiary care hospital in Goa, India

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases are a common problem worldwide. They are frequently encountered in non-critical as well as in critically ill hospitalized patients.Methods: This was a prospective and observational study conducted on patients admitted in CCU and ICCU of Goa Medical College and Hospital. Data was collected from the patients’ case records and was analysed referring to WHO prescribing indicators. Data was represented as Mean±SD, number and frequency.Results: A total of 2250 drugs were prescribed, out of which 376 (16.71%) were gastrointestinal drugs. Most common route of administration was oral 323 (85.90%). Prescription patterns of GI drugs were:  275 (73.14%) from National List of Essential Medicines, 20 (5.31%) as fixed dose combinations and 4 (1.06%) by generic names. Pantoprazole 183 (48.67%) was the most frequently prescribed drug for peptic ulcer in present study.Conclusions: From the findings of this study we noted that among the GI drugs used, those for peptic ulcer were the most commonly prescribed. Also majority were from the essential drug list. But prescribing by generic names was low. Review of drug utilization trends is a necessary aid to formulate and modify existing protocols and guidelines to improve treatment outcomes in a given setting

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Harmful Algal Flora in the Tropical Estuarine Complex of Goa, India

Mandovi and Zuari estuarine complex is monsoon-influenced estuaries located along the central west coast of India. During the past few years, there has been an increase in nutrient loading specially during monsoonal runoff which is responsible for the growth of harmful algal flora. To understand occurrence and distribution of harmful algal blooms species, daily/alternate day samplings were carried out in Mandovi and Zuari estuaries during 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 periods, respectively, comprising of monsoon (June–November) and nonmonsoon (December–May). In Mandovi, total 54 HAB species with 49 in monsoon and 36 during nonmonsoon period were reported. In Zuari, total 46 HAB species with 38 in monsoon and 41 were reported during nonmonsoon period. Bray-Curtis cluster analysis based on log-transformed phytoplankton density detected seven well-defined groups revealing spatiotemporal variability. The density of the dominant harmful algal species was significantly positively correlated with nutrients, but negatively correlated with salinity. The results of the study indicate that monsoon plays an important role in occurrence and distribution of harmful algal species having direct correlation with salinity variations and nutrient loading

Perception and practice of self-medication amongst second year medical students in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Management of medical ailments requires sound knowledge of diseases and drugs. Medical students are more likely to practice self-medication due to easy access to information. Inappropriate and inadequate treatment can lead to morbidity and mortality. Thus, the current study was carried out to understand the perception and practice of self-medication in medical students so that habit of ethical practice can be inculcated in them.Methods: A self-developed and prevalidated questionnaire was distributed amongst 145 students of second MBBS after approval from Institutional ethics Committee. Data was collected; analysed using MS Excel and the results were expressed as counts and percentages.Results: In this study authors noted 136 (93.79%) out of the 145 students practised self-medication. The commonest reason being effectiveness of medications for similar conditions in the past 92 (69.17%). 111 (81.61%) students reported fever as the most common indication. Analgesics/anti-pyretics 117 (86.02%) were the most frequently used drug groups. Majority 87 (63.97%) obtained information from friends and relatives. Adverse effects of self-medication were noted in 20 (14.70%).Conclusions: This study indicates higher prevalence of self-medication in medical students of Goa. Students can be sensitised and made aware about possible adverse effects and drug interactions with self-medication and how simple looking illness may take an ugly turn. Students being future doctors will continue this chain of spread of awareness of self-medication. Easy access to healthcare can also solve these problems

DARWIN CORE BASED DATA STREAMLINING WITH DigiMus 2.0

Cataloguing biological specimen is a important activity of biological museums world over. Software developed especially for this purpose have evolved overtime to achieve more accuracy in retrieving data from large and diverse datasets. Combining smaller datasets in to a larger information system requires uniformity of data based on a single data standard. In the developing world smaller datasets are maintained by individual researchers or small college and university groups. For standardizing data from such datasets, software needs to be developed, which require expertise and sufficient funds which are often unavailable. We present a simple open source web based tool developed using PHP to enable an individual with little or no knowledge of information systems or databases, to effectively streamline specimen data with data standard Darwin Core 1.2 ( DwC 1.2). Such data can then be shared and easily provided to larger datasets like Ocean Biogeographic Information Systems (OBIS) and Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). This tool can be accessed at http://www.niobioinformatics.in/digimus.php and its source code is freely available at http://www.niobioinformatics.in/digimus_source.ph

Isolated single coronary artery (RII-B type) presenting as an inferior wall myocardial infarction: A rare clinical entity

AbstractIsolated single coronary artery without other congenital cardiac anomalies is very rare among the different variations of anomalous coronary patterns. The prognosis in patients with single coronary varies according to the anatomic distribution and associated coronary atherosclerosis. If the left main coronary artery travels between the aorta and pulmonary arteries, it may be a cause of sudden cardiac death. We present multimodality images of a single coronary artery, in which the whole coronary system originated by a single trunk from the right sinus of Valsalva with inter-arterial course of left main coronary artery. This rare type of single coronary artery was classified as RII-B type according to Lipton's scheme of classification. A significant flow-limiting lesions were found in the right coronary artery that was successfully treated with percutaneous coronary intervention

Percutaneous tricuspid valvotomy for pacemaker lead-induced tricuspid stenosis

AbstractPermanent pacemaker lead-induced tricuspid regurgitation is extremely uncommon. We report a patient with severe tricuspid stenosis detected 10 years after permanent single chamber pacemaker implantation in surgically corrected congenital heart disease. The loop at the level of the tricuspid valve may have caused endothelial injury and eventually led to stenosis. Percutaneous balloon valvotomy for such stenosis has not been reported from India

Changes in the source and transport mechanism of terrigenous input to the Indian sector of southern ocean during the late quaternary and its palaeoceanographic implications

Changes in the terrigenous sediment source and transport mechanisms during the late Quaternary have been investigated using four sediment cores within the Indian sector of Southern Ocean, using the magnetic susceptibility (MS) and sedimentological records. Sediments deposited during the Holocene and other interglacial periods were characterised by low MS, low sand content, reduced ice-rafted detritus (IRD) input and increased illite possibly transported via hydrographic advection from the south. The glacial intervals are characterised by high MS, high sand content, increased IRD input and reduced illite clays, derived from both local as well as Antarctic sources. Significant reduction in clay fraction and illite content during glacials suggests that the erosive and transporting capabilities of the deep and bottom waters could have reduced compared to the interglacial times. The changes in terrigenous influx to this region were significantly influenced by the rhythmic glacial–interglacial fluctuations in bottom circulation and the position of the Polar Front

Cancer prevention and therapy through the modulation of the tumor microenvironment

Cancer arises in the context of an in vivo tumor microenvironment. This microenvironment is both a cause and consequence of tumorigenesis. Tumor and host cells co-evolve dynamically through indirect and direct cellular interactions, eliciting multiscale effects on many biological programs, including cellular proliferation, growth, and metabolism, as well as angiogenesis and hypoxia and innate and adaptive immunity. Here we highlight specific biological processes that could be exploited as targets for the prevention and therapy of cancer. Specifically, we describe how inhibition of targets such as cholesterol synthesis and metabolites, reactive oxygen species and hypoxia, macrophage activation and conversion, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase regulation of dendritic cells, vascular endothelial growth factor regulation of angiogenesis, fibrosis inhibition, endoglin, and Janus kinase signaling emerge as examples of important potential nexuses in the regulation of tumorigenesis and the tumor microenvironment that can be targeted. We have also identified therapeutic agents as approaches, in particular natural products such as berberine, resveratrol, onionin A, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, curcumin, naringenin, desoxyrhapontigenin, piperine, and zerumbone, that may warrant further investigation to target the tumor microenvironment for the treatment and/or prevention of cancer