Measurement of the threshold sensitivity of honeybees to weak, extremely low-frequency magnetic fields

Experiments reported previously demonstrate that free-flying honeybees are able to detect static intensity fluctuations as weak as 26 nT against the background, earth-strength magnetic field. We report here an extension of this work to weak, alternating fields at frequencies of 10 and 60 Hz. Our results indicate that the sensitivity of the honeybee magnetoreception system decreases rapidly with increasing frequency. At 60 Hz, alternating field strengths above 100 µT are required to elicit discrimination. These results are consistent with biophysical predictions of a magnetite-based magnetoreceptor

Perception and preferences of teaching and learning methods among second year medical students: a cross sectional survey in a rural tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Imparting a large amount of knowledge within a limited time period in a way it is retained, remembered and effectively interpreted by a medical student is considered to be a challenge which has resulted in crucial changes in the medical educational field, with a shift from didactic teacher centered and subject based teaching to the use of interactive, problem based, student centered learning. Learning styles and approaches of each medical undergraduate vary considerably and their learning needs also differ individually. The objective of the study was to assess the perception of 2nd year medical students towards teaching and learning methods, to know their preferences among 3 commonly used audio visual teaching methods chalk and board (CB), power point teaching (PPT) and over-head projector (OHP), to explore the most influencing qualities of a teacher perceived by these medical undergraduates.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire-based study was conducted among 2nd year medical students of AIMS, B. G. Nagar, Karnataka, India. A pre-designed, pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data.Results: Total respondents were 184. Among them 116 were females (63.04%) and 68 were males (36.95%). All were within the age group of 19-21 years. Chalk and board (64%) was the most preferred teaching method. 76.63% students felt that chalk board facilitates interaction between students and teacher, 69.56% perceived that diagrams can be easily copied, 67.39% opined that clinical problems can be solved better. However to demonstrate the clinical conditions (70.65%) and covering more subject per lecture (59.23%)  students preferred ppt teaching. The preferred learning method in our study was small group discussion (29%) followed by tutorials (27%), self-study (23%) and lectures (16%). Approachability (54.89%) of a teacher towards students, good teaching skills (50.54%) and knowledge towards the subject (45.65%) are the most influencing qualities of a teacher perceived by these medical undergraduates.Conclusions: Chalk and board teaching remains the best preferred teaching aid which can be supplemented with PPT and OHP to improve medical teaching. Small group discussion is the most preferred learning method when compared with tutorial, student’s seminar and lectures indicating that students are more interested in active teaching and learning methods

ASSESSMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL CARE SERVICES ON HEALTH RELATED QOL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS – A PROSPECTIVE INTERVENTIONAL STUDY

Background: In the last three decades role of pharmacist has changed dramatically. Patient counselling by pharmacist deals with providing information to the patients regarding the disease, Medications and lifestyle modifications. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a severe medical and social problem that affects patient's general wellbeing. Despite of the advances in understanding the disease and its management, the morbidity and mortality rate are in rise. Objective: To study the impact of pharmaceutical care services on quality of life in type 2 diabetes mellitus. To improve the knowledge, practice abd attitude, Quality of life of patients towards disease management. Methods: This is a prospective intervention study. It was carried out to determine the quality of life, based on which patients were counselled regarding disease, medication, nutrition, exercise, insulin, foot care, eye care, personal hygiene, self monitoring of glucose and self care. Out of 80 patients, who are having diabetes mellitus and given patient counseling again collected after 1st and 2nd month. The paired t-test in Graph Pad InStat was used for statistical calculation. Results: The overall KAP scores for diabetes patients between test of baseline and final follow up was statistically significant (P< 0.001). The test group has shown increased medication adherence than control which shows the importance of patient counseling. Conclusion: The study concluded that pharmacist mediated patient counseling and the disease, medications and lifestyle modifications will improve the knowledge, attitude and practice, Quality of life and Glycemic control

A prospective study of pattern of prescription for acne vulgaris in a tertiary care hospital: an observational study

Background: Acne vulgaris is a common dermatological disorder of the pilosebaceous unit affecting younger age groups but presenting usually at puberty and is of cosmetic concern. There are various treatment modalities available ranging from topical/oral anti-acne preparations to hormonal therapy depending on the severity of acne. Use of synthetic retinoid is highly regulated due to its potential for severe adverse events, primarily teratogenicity. There is a need for periodic prescription auditing. By providing feedback to the prescribers to formulate the guidelines enhances therapeutic efficacy by rational use, minimizes the adverse effects and cost of treatment. Objectives: to assess the prescription pattern for Acne vulgaris.Methods: A medication details and prescribers information are collected in pre-designed proforma along with the demographic details from 210 study subjects after personal briefing about the study. The data was analyzed using SPSS.Results: Out of 210 prescriptions of acne patients, majority were in between 21-40 years (48.09%), M:F ratio was1:1.41, female were 58.57% when compared to males 41.43%. Topical agents accounted for 54.13% and 36.36% of oral antibiotics (most common was azithromycin). Fixed dose combinations accounted for 4.39% and concomitantly administered drugs (antihistaminics, proton pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, emollients and skin protective agents) accounted for 53.82% of the prescribed drugs.Conclusions: Drug utilization study periodically can be an eye opener for the prescribers to prescribe the drugs in a rational way and it could reduce the prescription error and minimizing the untoward effects will subsequently reduce the cost of treatment

Knowledge, attitude and practices of antibiotic usage among the medical undergraduates of a tertiary care teaching hospital: an observational cross-sectional study

Background: Social aspect of antibiotic management forms a significant way to overcome the rapidly intensifying problem of antibiotic resistance. Medical students should not only be made aware of the current emerging health issues but also be directed towards rational antibiotics prescribing behavior as future medical practitioners. Aims and objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) related to antibiotic usage in second year medical undergraduate students.Methods: The study design was cross sectional, questionnaire based survey. The questionnaire was distributed to a 3rd term and 4th term medical students in their second year of MBBS, to know the KAP regarding antibiotic usage and was assessed by a five point Likert scale and few questions were of true and false type. The data was analyzed by using SPSS.Results: Out of 162 students, 138 (85.19%) participated in the study; 63 (45.65%) were males and 75 (54.35%) were females. 84.06% of the participants known that irrational and indiscriminate antimicrobial use leads to the emergence of resistance. 96.38% agreed that Antibacterial resistance(ABR) was an important and a serious global public health issue and national problem. 71.01% of the respondents were aware that bacteria were not responsible for causing colds and flu. 86.23% said it can lead to more adverse drug reaction.Conclusions: The present survey on antibiotic usage gives useful information about the knowledge, attitudes and practices of second year medical undergraduates, which may be utilized to plan suitable educational interventions that aim at improving the antimicrobial prescribing and use to maximize their effective and efficient use and minimize the development of resistance

Leucaena Toxicity: A New Perspective on the Most Widely Used Forage Tree Legume

The tree legume Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) is a high quality ruminant feed, vitally important for livestock production in the tropics despite the presence of mimosine in the leaves. This toxic non-protein amino acid has the potential to limit productivity and adversely affect the health of animals. The discovery and subsequent distribution in Australia of the ruminal bacterium Synergistes jonesii as an oral inoculum was shown in the 1980s to overcome these toxic effects. However, recent surveys of the status of toxicity worldwide; improved understanding of the chemistry and mode of action of the toxins; new techniques for molecular sequencing; and concerns about the efficacy of the in vitro inoculum; have cast doubt on some past understanding of leucaena toxicity and provides new insights into the geographical spread of S. jonesii. There is also confusion and ignorance regarding the occurrence and significance of toxicity in many countries worldwide. Ongoing research into the taxonomy and ecology of the Synergistes phylum, improved methods of inoculation, improved management solutions, along with awareness-raising extension activities, are vital for the future success of leucaena feeding systems

Dynamic Compressive Strength and Fragmentation in Felsic Crystalline Rocks

Brittle deformation in rocks depends upon loading rate; with increasing rates, typically greater than ~102 s‐1, rocks become significantly stronger and undergo increasingly severe fragmentation. Dynamic conditions required for rate‐dependent brittle failure may be reached during impact events, seismogenic rupture, and landslides. Material characteristics and fragment characterization of specific geomaterials from dynamic loading are only approximately known. Here we determine the characteristic strain rate for dynamic behavior in felsic crystalline rocks, including anisotropy, and describe the resulting fragments. Regardless of the type of felsic crystalline rock or anisotropy, the characteristic strain rate is the same within uncertainties for all tested materials, with an average value of 229 ± 81 s‐1. Despite the lack of variation of the critical strain rate with lithology, we find that the degree of fragmentation as a function of strain rate varies depending on material. Scaled or not, the fragmentation results are inconsistent with current theoretical models of fragmentation. Additionally, we demonstrate that conditions during impact cratering, where the impactor diameter is less than ~100 m, are analogous to the experiments carried out here, and therefore that dynamic strengthening and compressive fragmentation should be considered as important processes during impact cratering

Functional gene analysis suggests different acetogen populations in the Bovine Rumen and Tammar Wallaby Forestomach

Reductive acetogenesis via the acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) pathway is an alternative hydrogen sink to methanogenesis in the rumen. Functional gene-based analysis is the ideal approach for investigating organisms capable of this metabolism (acetogens). However, existing tools targeting the formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase gene (fhs) are compromised by lack of specificity due to the involvement of formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (FTHFS) in other pathways. Acetyl-CoA synthase (ACS) is unique to the acetyl-CoA pathway and, in the present study, acetyl-CoA synthase genes (acsB) were recovered from a range of acetogens to facilitate the design of acsB-specific PCR primers. fhs and acsB libraries were used to examine acetogen diversity in the bovine rumen and forestomach of the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii), a native Australian marsupial demonstrating foregut fermentation analogous to rumen fermentation but resulting in lower methane emissions. Novel, deduced amino acid sequences of acsB and fhs affiliated with the Lachnospiraceae in both ecosystems and the Ruminococcaeae/Blautia group in the rumen. FTHFS sequences that probably originated from nonacetogens were identified by low "homoacetogen similarity" scores based on analysis of FTHFS residues, and comprised a large proportion of FTHFS sequences from the tammar wallaby forestomach. A diversity of FTHFS and ACS sequences in both ecosystems clustered between the Lachnospiraceae and Clostridiaceae acetogens but without close sequences from cultured isolates. These sequences probably originated from novel acetogens. The community structures of the acsB and fhs libraries from the rumen and the tammar wallaby forestomach were different (LIBSHUFF, P < 0.001), and these differences may have significance for overall hydrogenotrophy in both ecosystems

AN IN VITRO STUDY OF CINNAMOMUM ZEYLANICUM AS NATURAL INHIBITOR OF ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME (ACE) ON SHEEP (OVIS ARIES) TISSUES

Objective: The present study was aimed to find the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity using the methanolic extract ofCinnamomum zeylanicum (as a natural inhibitor) on sheep tissues as the enzyme source.Methods: Hippuryl-histidyl-leucine (HHL) as a substrate, tissue ACE activity was measured spectrophotometrically at 228 nm. For an incubationperiod of 30 minutes at 37°C, the linearity of ACE activity of kidney, lung, and testis enzyme was established. A known medicinal plant C. zeylanicumwas used as natural inhibitor of ACE. In this enzyme assay, inhibitory effect of methanolic extract of C. zeylanicum on kidney, lung and testicular ACEwas determined. ACE activity was confirmed by captopril, a standard inhibitor of ACE.Results: In the presence of a methanolic extract of C. zeylanicum (10:1), ACE activity was determined and this has inhibited ACE activity verysignificantly. C. zeylanicum leaves extract has reduced sheep kidney, lung, and testis ACE activity by 70.06%, 12.63%, and 20.23%, respectively.Conclusion: Significant inhibition was observed in the kidney ACE than in lung and testis ACE activity. This can propose that there may be a possiblerole in controlling blood pressure or reduction in cardiovascular diseases. Some plants with the great medicinal property may be considered aspromising sources of natural inhibitors of ACE for medicine and commercial uses. This comprehensive study may show numerous beneficial effects asa potential therapeutic agent for lowering blood pressure.Keywords: Angiotensin-converting enzyme, Natural angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, Kinetic assay, Hippuryl-histidyl-leucine, Cinnamomumzeylanicum, Cardiovascular diseases