Recent Trends in Academic Library Materials Expenditures

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Characteristics of Resources Represented in the OCLC CORC Database

More and more libraries are providing access to Web resources through OCLC's Cooperative Online Resource Catalog (CORC) and, by extension, OCLC's WorldCat database. The ability to use a database to its maximum potential depends upon understanding what a database contains and the guidelines for its construction. This study examines the characteristics of Web resources in CORC in terms of their subject matter, the source of the content, publication patterns, and the units of information chosen for representation in the database. The majority of the 414 resources in the sample belonged to the social sciences. Academic libraries and government agencies contributed more than 90% of the records for resources in the sample. Using the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2d edition (AACR2) definitions for publication patterns that are part of the upcoming 2002 amendments reveals that nearly half of the sample fell into the category of integrating resources. Identifying units of representation of the resources described was more difficult. Existing definitions for Web units in development are not adequate to describe all of the resources in the sample. In addition, there is wide variability in the units of representation chosen for inclusion by the libraries contributing records, resulting in little predictability in what units of information might be found in the database

IBUPROFEN LOADED ORGANOGEL: DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION

Objective: This study aimed to develop and in vitro characterize an organogel (OG) loaded Ibuprofen. Methods: Organogel (OG) composed of water, isooctane, sorbitan esters, sorbitan monopalmitate (Span-40), and poly(oxyethylene) sorbitan monostearate (Polysorbate-60) was loaded with Ibuprofen. The partial phase behavior of ibuprofen OG was studied to optimize the formulation composition. 1.0% w/w Ibuprofen loaded OG were characterize for rheological, in vitro release and stability study. Results: Phase diagram showed an isotropic gel region at low water contents, which converted to emulsion on increasing water quantity. The rheological properties of the OG incorporating 1.0% w/w Ibuprofen shows the presence of two Tg’s and elastic behavior of gel, reflects the presence of an entangled network of aqueous tubules. The fractal dimension df value of 2.1 and 2.3 was obtained for the two curves (elastic and storage modulus), which is indicative of the formation of the densest gel structure. The diffusional release exponent (n) was found to be ~0.7 (0.5<n<1), which is indicative of non-Fickian, anomalous diffusion of the drug from the OG. The in vitro drug release exhibited release @ 7.04%/h 0.7/cm2 from the OG. Ibuprofen containing OG was stable for 28 d in terms of chemical potency and gel stiffness at 4 °C and room temperature (~25 °C). Conclusion: The study indicates the potential of OG for improved transdermal delivery of Ibuprofen

Medical tourism: a new growth factor for Indian healthcare industry

Epidemiological transition has given the opportunity to grow the traditional system of medicine across the world. Indian healthcare system which is already famous for providing quality of medical services at affordable cost as compared to developed countries took advantage of this opportunity and created a ‘basket of services’ by merging traditional medicines in existing allopathic system to attract patients across the borders. Government has made efforts in the direction of promoting medical tourism in the country and this has been fuelled by the private players both nationally and internationally. Recently this medical tourism has proved a major growth factor for expansion of Indian economy. However, the growth in this sector is underscored in terms of market share and cost advantages due to various challenges. There is also a need for proper diversion of revenue by a clear cut mechanism to strengthen the nation’s healthcare sector.

Skill up; gradation of anganwadi workers pertaining to growth chart plotting and interpretation in rural areas of Varanasi district, India

Background: The task of using the growth chart by Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) for growth monitoring requires technical skill. It was hypothesized that skill up-gradation can make a difference in the performance of AWWs in regard with growth monitoring. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of intervention in improving skill of AWWs regarding growth chart plotting and interpretation.Methods: It was a field based interventional study, which was conducted in rural areas of Varanasi district, India. A total of 66 AWWs each from Chiraigaon (intervention) and Cholapur (control) community development blocks of Varanasi district was selected for the study. Each AWW was provided 3 weight readings of different ages for plotting and 4 filled growth charts for interpretation. Chi square test has been applied to assess the significant difference.Results: Only around 10% of AWWs could correctly plot all 3 growth charts and similar proportion of AWWs could also correctly interpret all 4 filled growth charts. The planned intervention could significantly improve their skill of growth chart plotting and interpretation and during end line survey 41% and 77% of AWWs could correctly plot all 3 growth charts and interpret all the four growth charts, respectively.Conclusions: The developed hypothesis is proved, and intervention was found effective in significantly improving the skills of AWWs in regard with growth monitoring

Production technology of coir pith cake formulation of Trichoderma harzianum

Low cost formulations and delivery system are necessary for wide adoption of bio-control of plant diseases using microbial antagonists. Though several plantation crops wastes/by-products including coir pith are used for multiplication of Trichoderma species, no attempt has been made so far to develop a low cost commercial product with long shelf life and high population of antagonist. A technology has been developed to prepare a commercial product viz., Trichoderma coir pith cake (TCPC) using ‘maida’ flour and Trichoderma harzianum biomass. It has been found that dried TCPC packed in polythene bags can be stored at room temperature (26-30 °C) for 10 months with high level of T. harzianum population. Through a simple activation process of moistening the dried TCPC and incubating under room temperature for 2 days, luxurious growth of Trichoderma covering the entire product was obtained and thus the population could be increased to a very high level. Mean T. harzianum population in dry TCPC after 10 months of storage was found to be 5.0x106 CFU g–1 which has increased to 14.4x106 CFU g-1 on activation. Though the population after one year could be increased from 1.6x106 CFU g-1 in dry TCPC to 5.2x106 in activated, it is ideal to recommend a shelf life period of 10 months while commercializing the product. The new, simple and low cost technology developed, thus, clearly indicates that coir pith, a waste from coconut industry can be made into value added and environment friendly commercial product for management of plant diseases. Several such products can be commercially prepared for different microbial bioagents following this production technology

Role of autologous bone marrow derived stem cells and platelet rich plasma for endometrial regeneration and repair and ovarian rejuvenation

Background: Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with a potential for self- renewal and differentiation into multiple mature cell types. PRP is blood plasma that has been enriched with platelets and multiple growth factors that can stimulate cellular processes and activate multi-potent stem cells to generate new, younger tissue and new blood vessels relevant to ovarian rejuvenation and endometrial regeneration.Methods: This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ABMDSC and PRP application in patients with thin endometrium refractory to treatment, premature ovarian failure, infertility and menopause. 37 symptomatic women between age group 18 years to 56 years were selected for ABMDSC and PRP instillation in endometrium and/ or ovaries. PRP was instilled in endometrium in 8 patients, in ovaries in 5 patients and in both endometrium and ovaries in 24 patients.Results: There was significant improvement in endometrial thickness, along with improved blood flow to both endometrium and ovaries. FSH levels decreased and ovarian volume increased. There were three confirmed pregnancies with one delivery.  Menopausal symptoms decreased in 2 patients and spontaneous resumption of menses was seen in 1 patient of POF.Conclusions: Stem cell therapy serves as a game changer with their unique properties, offering solutions for scores of women suffering from POF, poor oocyte quality, endometrial degeneration/ damage or menopausal symptoms.