Drug utilization pattern in sick paediatric patients: analysis for rationality and other aspects

Background: The aim of this research work was to study the drug utilization pattern in the indoor paediatric patients with specific objective to analyse the rationality status of prescriptions and other aspects.Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted for a period of 6 months. We analysed 120 prescriptions for the rationality status and different other parameters using Phadke’s criteria and W.H.O. prescribing indicators.Results: In our study out of total 120 prescriptions; 90 were rational followed by semi-rational and irrational. Average number of drugs prescribed was 5.39 drugs per prescription. Out of total FDCs prescribed 30% were irrational. Most commonly prescribed drug was anti-bacterial. Among anti-bacterial, most commonly prescribed anti-bacterial was from the cephalosporin group; which is categorized as “WATCH” category in W.H.O.-EML for children, March 2017.Conclusions: Though the results in present study reflect rational prescribing in pediatric patients in our hospital set up, there is still scope of improvement in prescription habits like avoid prescribing unnecessary drugs and irrational FDCs. There is also need of prescribing by generic names

Floral induction in a photoperiodically insensitive duckweed, Lemna paucicostata LP6

The effects of 20 amino acids and two amides were studied on the flowering of a photoperiodically insensitive duckweed, Lemna paucicostata LP6. Alanine, asparagine, aspartate, cystine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, lysine, methionine, proline, serine, and threonine induced flowering under a photoperiodic regime of 16 hours light and 8 hours darkness. Among these, glutamate and aspartate were found to be the most effective for flower induction. These acids could initiate flowering even at 5×10-7 molar level, though maximal flowering (about 80%) was obtained at 10-5 molar. Change in the photoperiodic schedule or the pH of the nutrient medium did not influence glutamate- or aspartate-induced flowering. The low concentrations at which glutamate and aspartate are effective suggests that they may have a regulatory role rather than simply acting as metabolites

Phytochrome modulation of calcium fluxes in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) protoplasts

Employing the metallochromic dye murexide and by monitoring the uptake of radiolabelled calcium, photoreversible calcium fluxes were measured in wheat leaf protoplast suspensions. Results obtained by both methods were identical - red light promoted and subsequent far-red irradiation reversed an influx of Ca++ ions into the protoplasts. These findings imply phytochrome regulation of Ca++ fluxes across the plasma membrane. The influx of Ca++ stimulated by 2 min red irradiation could be maintained in total darkness for the initial 16-18 min after illumination, after which a 6-8 min efflux process was triggered and the basal Ca++ level restored. Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, inhibited the red-promoted influx, whereas the far-red mediated efflux could be checked by the use of the ATPase inhibitor vanadate, and also by the calmodulin antagonist chlorpromazine, thus suggesting a role of ion channels and pumps in phytochrome-controlled Ca++ fluxes. The possible involvement of phosphoinositides in phytochrome-modulated calcium fluxes was also investigated

Effect of impurity substitution on band structure and mass renormalization of the correlated FeTe0.5_{0.5}Se0.5_{0.5} superconductor

Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we studied the effect of the impurity potential on the electronic structure of FeTe$_{0.5}$Se$_{0.5}$ superconductor by substituting 10\% of Ni for Fe which leads to an electron doping of the system. We could resolve three hole pockets near the zone center and an electron pocket near the zone corner in the case of FeTe$_{0.5}$Se$_{0.5}$, whereas only two hole pockets near the zone center and an electron pocket near the zone corner are resolved in the case of Fe$_{0.9}$Ni$_{0.1}$Te$_{0.5}$Se$_{0.5}$, suggesting that the hole pocket having predominantly the $xy$ orbital character is very sensitive to the impurity scattering. Upon electron doping, the size of the hole pockets decrease and the size of the electron pockets increase as compared to the host compound. However, the observed changes in the size of the electron and hole pockets are not consistent with the rigid-band model. Moreover, the effective mass of the hole pockets is reduced near the zone center and of the electron pockets is increased near the zone corner in the doped Fe$_{0.9}$Ni$_{0.1}$Te$_{0.5}$Se$_{0.5}$ as compared to FeTe$_{0.5}$Se$_{0.5}$. We refer these observations to the changes of the spectral function due to the effect of the impurity potential of the dopants.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Effect of high temperature heat treatments on the quality factor of a large-grain superconducting radio-frequency niobium cavity

Large-grain Nb has become a viable alternative to fine-grain Nb for the fabrication of superconducting radio-frequency cavities. In this contribution we report the results from a heat treatment study of a large-grain 1.5 GHz single-cell cavity made of "medium purity" Nb. The baseline surface preparation prior to heat treatment consisted of standard buffered chemical polishing. The heat treatment in the range 800 - 1400 C was done in a newly designed vacuum induction furnace. Q0 values of the order of 2x1010 at 2.0 K and peak surface magnetic field (Bp) of 90 mT were achieved reproducibly. A Q0-value of (5+-1)1010 at 2.0 K and Bp = 90 mT was obtained after heat treatment at 1400 C. This is the highest value ever reported at this temperature, frequency and field. Samples heat treated with the cavity at 1400 C were analyzed by secondary ion mass spectrometry, secondary electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, point contact tunneling and X-ray diffraction and revealed a complex surface composition which includes titanium oxide, increased carbon and nitrogen content but reduced hydrogen concentration compared to a non heat-treated sample

Ultra-soft 100 nm Thick Zero Poisson’s Ratio Film with 60% Reversible Compressibility

About a 100 nm thick multilayer film of nanoparticle monolayers and polymer layers is shown to behave like cellular-foam with a modulus below 100 KPa. The 1.25 cm radius film adhered to a rigid surface can be compressed reversibly to 60% strain. The more than four orders of magnitude lower modulus compared to its constituents is explained by considering local bending in the (nano)cellular structure, similar to cork and wings of beetles. As the rigidity of the polymer backbone is increased in just four monolayers the modulus of the composite increases by over 70%. Electro-optical map of the strain distribution over the area of compression and increase in modulus with thickness indicates the films have zero Poisson’s ratio

Stress-free Spatial Anisotropy in Phase-Ordering

We find spatial anisotropy in the asymptotic correlations of two-dimensional Ising models under non-equilibrium phase-ordering. Anisotropy is seen for critical and off-critical quenches and both conserved and non-conserved dynamics. We argue that spatial anisotropy is generic for scalar systems (including Potts models) with an anisotropic surface tension. Correlation functions will not be universal in these systems since anisotropy will depend on, e.g., temperature, microscopic interactions and dynamics, disorder, and frustration.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures include

Analysis of medicinally important compounds and anti-oxidant activity in solvent extracts of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) plant parts

Total phenolic, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of crude extract of seeds, roots, stem and leaves of coriander plant were determined. Maximum phenolic content (62.6 and 50.141 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) g-1 extract) was observed in distilled water extract of fresh and dried roots followed by methanol extract (49.53 and 47.32 mg in green and dried stem respectively). Ethyl acetate extract showed more phenolics in dried stem (12.734 mg GAE g-1 extract) and leaves (8.62 mg GAE g-1 extract) as compared to green stem and leaves (1.808 and 5.433 mg, respectively). Distribution of flavonoids content in different green as well as dried plant parts and different solvents showed less variation in phenolic and flavonoid contents which ranged from a maximum of 9.843 mg quercetin equivalents (QE) g-1 extract in green seeds to a minimum of 4.40 mg in green stem. 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazin scavenging as a measure of antioxidant capacity was more in distilled water extract of green stem (94.49%) followed by methanol crude extract (76.256%) and ethyl acetate extract (59.706%). &nbsp