Enhancement of Mechanical Properties of Bagasse Ash Based Hollow Concrete Blocks using Silica Fumes as Admixtures

Concrete is the world’s most consumed construction material because it combines good mechanical and durability properties. Place ability, work ability and it is relatively inexpensive. However cement production in values significant CO2 emission which is known as the green house gas mostly important for the global warming. Cement which is one of the components of concrete plays a great role but is the most expensive and environmentally unfriendly material. Each ton of the cement produce approximately one ton of CO2 and the cement industry is responsible for about 5% of global anthropogenic CO2 emission. As we know that the cement rise to CO2 emissions generated by the calcinations of CaCO3 and by the combustion of fossil fuels, being responsible for about 5% of the global CO2 emissions. These emissions can be substantially reduced if 20% to 30% of bagasse ash is replaced in concrete industry. Thus that helps to maintain green effect in environmental conditions. Considering these environmental effects, the utilization of Bagasse ash in hollow blocks is needed so as to minimize these complications. Laboratory tests will be conducted for the samples at each percentage of cement replacement with an mineral admixture of silica fumes in the production of hollow concrete blocks for two different mixes such as 1:13 and 1:1:2. The results indicate that up to 10% replacement of BASF in hollow concretes blocks can be considered as the optimum replacement level for load bearing structures for shorter length while 20% - 30% replacement level is useful for long term strength. The results holds good even for lean mix. Therefore it can be adopted for any mix proportion. BA based hollow concrete blocks with 10% replacement of cement can be used for non-load bearing structures as per IS 2185

Interactions Between Forage, Recruitment and Activity Patterns of the Indian Blackbuck

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Comparison of Serum Calcium levels among patients with alcohol related seizures and primary seizures

BACKGROUND : Hypocalcemia can be a contributory factor for epilepsy and previous studies showed that ethanol decreases plasma calcium. Alcohol-related seizures are defined as adult onset seizures that occur in the setting of chronic alcohol dependence. Alcohol-related seizures are typically brief, generalized tonic-clonic seizures that occur 6 to 48 h after the last drink. Alcohol overconsumption induces multiple effects on kidney function as well as on water, electrolyte and acid base homeostasis. Among the electrolyte abnormalities observed in alcoholic patients, Hypocalcemia is a common feature. Thus, the basis of this study is to establish the prevalence of Hypocalcemia in the general convulsive population and to ascertain if there was a specific group of risk for Hypocalcemia among alcoholics. AIM OF THE STUDY : 1. To establish the role of hypocalcemia in alcohol related seizures in contrast to non alcoholic primary idiopathic seizures. 2. To study the prevalence of hypomagnesemia in hypocalcemic patients in both alcohol related seizures and primary idiopathic seizures. MATERIALS AND METHODS : This study was formulated as an analytical case control study. Based on previous records and by obtaining past history of any CNS infections, cerebrovascular accidents, head injury, structural brain lesions, metabolic diseases and illicit drug abuse ,patients with all negative history were screened with investigations such as serum electrolytes, random blood sugar ,serum amylase, serum bilirubin and CT- brain . Among these patients, patients who had all values within normal limits were taken into study population. Among the patients in study population, patients with no history of alcohol consumption with all screening blood investigations within normal limits and those with EEG and CT Brain findings suggestive of primary seizures were grouped into control population. Patients satisfying CAGE criteria with screening blood investigations and CT-Brain normal were grouped into case population. Then, serum calcium levels, serum albumin levels and serum magnesium levels were measured in both cases and controls. Corrected calcium will be calculated in case of hypoalbuminemia. Serum calcium levels were compared in both cases and controls. The prevalence of hypomagnesemia in these patients and their association with hypocalcemia were also assessed secondarily. The results were tabulated and their statistical significance were calculated using pearson’s chi square tests. RESULTS : On comparing the case and control group , 65.2 % of the hypocalcemic patients were in the case group. Only 34.8 % of the patients were in the control group. On applying the chi-square tests, the p value is found to be 0.240. Thus, there is no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of hypocalcemia among the case and control group. On comparing the prevalence of hypomagnesemia among hypocalcemic patients in the case group, the p value is found to be 0.03 which is statistically significant, but p value was not significant in the control group. CONCLUSION : A high prevalence of Hypocalcemia among alcohol related seizures were identified in this study ,though a statistical significance against primary seizures could not be proven. The prevalence of Hypomagnesemia was statistically significant in the Hypocalcemic alcoholic patients. Thus, hypomagnesemia as a cause of seizures in these patients needs further studies

Symplastic leiomyoma: a rare clinicopatholgical diagnosis

Although leiomyomas are common this case is being reported due to its uniqueness as it posed challenges at all levels of pathological rarity and management. Symplastic leiomyoma is an unusual benign variant of leiomyoma with less likelihood of malignant transformation. In our case report we present a 28-year-old nulligravida who presented to our OPD with Fibroid uterus detected on scan and myomectomy specimen done revealed a rare pathological diagnosis of symplastic leiomyoma and her followup

Alpha methyldopa induced hepatotoxicity in pregnancy

We report a case of gestational hepatitis due to alpha-methyldopa and briefly review the literature on alpha-methyldopa-induced hepatotoxicity in pregnancy. A 32 year old woman, primigravida with 34 weeks of gestation with pre eclampsia, presented with symptoms of nausea, dark coloured urine and jaundice. She was on alpha methyldopa (Aldomet) 250 mg thrice a day since the last five weeks. Laboratory investigations revealed raised bilirubin, serum aspartate transaminases and serum alanine transaminases. Platelets were normal. Peripheral smear did not show haemolysis. With the exclusion of viral, haemolytic and obstructive causes, drug induced jaundice was considered as a differential diagnosis. Alpha methyldopa was withdrawn and replaced with nifedipine for her pre eclampsia treatment. Her repeat bilirubin level done two weeks later showed a drop. She went into labour at 38 weeks and delivered vaginally. In postpartum follow up her liver tests returned to normal in two weeks, about six weeks after stopping methyldopa. Hepatotoxicity should be considered as one of the adverse drug reaction of alpha methyldopa. It is not possible at present to predict which patients will develop liver disease following the administration of this drug. An awareness of the possibility of methyldopa induced hepatotoxicity should be present in the clinician’s mind and liver function tests should be done at regular intervals. The occasional occurrence of this harmful side effect is not a contraindication to the use of this antihypertensive agent

Effectiveness of ligation of uterine vessels prior to uterine incision for major placenta previa on reducing maternal morbidity without increasing neonatal morbidity

Background: Placenta previa causes massive obstetric haemorrhage and severe maternal morbidity. The objective is to analyse the effectiveness of uterine vessels (artery and vein) ligation before uterine incision in reducing blood loss and hysterectomy during caesarean section for major placenta previa without increasing morbidity in the newborn.Methods: A retrospective analysis of caesarean section for major placenta previa from 2002 to 2017 was done.  Uterine vessels ligation before uterine incision was done in 52 patients. In 19 patients unilateral and in 33 patients bilateral uterine vessels ligation was done before uterine incision. In control group, 12 patients with major placenta previa uterine vessels were ligated after the removal of the placenta. The blood loss, blood transfusion, maternal morbidity and NICU admission of the newborns were compared.Results: The mean blood loss was 1002 ml in unilateral, 793 ml in bilateral uterine vessels ligation group, compared to 2191 ml in the control group. The mean blood transfusion volume 0.89 units in unilateral 0.60 units in bilateral ligation group while 2.33 units in the control group. The difference in blood loss and blood transfusion were statistically significant. Out of 52 babies, only 6 babies were admitted in NICU for mild depression with stay less than 3 days.Conclusions: Uterine vessels ligation before uterine incision reduces blood loss and hysterectomy during caesarean section for placenta previa without increasing the morbidity in the newborns

Knowledge, attitude, and practices among clinically exposed medical students and interns towards COVID-19 vaccine in a tertiary care hospital, Kanyakumari district: a cross-sectional survey

Background: Several COVID-19 vaccines have been approved against coronavirus disease and its distribution to different countries. The study is mainly done to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice among clinically exposed medical students and interns toward COVID-19 vaccine.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2022 to August 2022 in a tertiary care hospital. Using questionnaires, the knowledge, attitude, and practice among medical students and interns were assessed, and they were then analysed and categorised accordingly. Then the students were given awareness regarding COVID-19 vaccine.Results: The questionnaires were distributed among students and interns, and responses were collected. A total number of participants (n=300), out of which the majority of responders were second-year students 89 (29.6%). Overall, 39.75% had high-grade knowledge, 43.5% had a positive attitude and 37.5% had good practice regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. The results show that 81.2% of interns had high-grade knowledge, 76.6% possess a positive attitude and 71.9% of good practice and preventive measures towards COVID-19 vaccine.Conclusions: Our study concludes that there were certain gaps in knowledge, attitude, and practice among second and third-year medical students when compared with final-year medical students and interns

Ameloblastic Fibroma Associated With Impacted 3rd Molar: A Case Report

Ameloblastic fibroma is an uncommon mixed neoplasm of odontogenic origin with a relative frequency between 1.5 – 4.5%. It can occur either in the mandible or maxilla, but predominantly seen in the posterior region of the mandible. It occurs in the first two decades of life. Most of the times it is associated with tooth enclosure, causing a delay in eruption or altering the dental eruption sequence. The common clinical manifestation is a slow growing painless swelling and is detected during routine radiographic examination. There is controversy in the mode of treatment, whether conservative or aggressive. Here we reported a 38 year old male patient referred for evaluation of painless swelling on the right posterior region of the mandible associated with clinically missing 3rd molar. The lesion was completely enucleated under general anesthesia along with the extraction of impacted molar

Strain improvement for the production of antioxidant activity from Bacillus sp. by induced stress

In the present study, water samples were collected from different beaches in Chennai such as Marina beach, Elliott beach, VGP Golden beach and Kovalam beach to evaluate the best source for antioxidants. The bacteria were isolated on Starch Casein Agar media and screened for the antimicrobial activity. Among 11 isolates, 5 isolates showed antimicrobial potential which were further evaluated for the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity. Among 5 isolates, one sample showed significant DPPH scavenging activity with half minimal inhibitory concentration of (IC50)344.754µg/mL. The maximum antioxidant production was observed at pH 7 and at temperature of 37ºC with an IC50 of 188.66µg/mL and 293.76µg/mL respectively. The potent antioxidant producing strain was subjected for mutagenesis. In physical mutagenesis, the organism exposed for UV light for 25 minutes showed maximum antioxidant production with an IC50 of 133.55µg/mL. This mutant strain was then subjected for chemical mutagenesis with the addition of different concentrations of Ethidium bromide such as 10µL, 20µL, 30µL, 40µL and 50µL. The mutant strain obtained with the addition of 20µL Ethidium bromide (EtBr) showed significant antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 325.4µg/mL. The sample was purified by solvent extraction method and was evaluated for antioxidant production. The analyte was subjected to HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) analysis to avince the presence of antioxidants. The ethyl acetate extract showed the total phenolic content of 0.892 mg GAE/g of dry extract. It also showed the total flavonoid content of 0.522mg RE/g of dry extract

Knowledge, attitude, perceptions and assessment of effectiveness of educational intervention on Pharmacovigilance among undergraduate medical students at Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalaburagi, India

Background: The Study was designed to assess the awareness of Pharmacovigilance and to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention.Methods: This was a questionnaire-based pre- and post-test educational interventional study. Students were given handouts containing information about pharmacovigilance one month before the educational intervention. A pre-validated 20-point questionnaire on (KAP) Knowledge, attitude, perception about Pharmacovigilance was distributed to second year medical students (n=115). An interactive educational intervention (Power point presentation) was designed. The chi-square test and unpaired paired t-test was used for statistical calculation.Results: The overall response rates were expressed as percentages, Mean±SD. The knowledge, attitude and perceptions of pharmacovigilance when compared before (pre-KAP) and after (post-KAP) the educational intervention, the correct response rates were found to be statistically significant (P<0.001). The feedback from the students was encouraging, handouts before the lecture classes helped them to easily grasp the pharmacovigilance concepts better during lectures.Conclusions: The study concluded that imparting the knowledge about pharmacovigilance and ADR reporting promotes drug safety and rational use of medicines in future