New bands of deuterated nitrous acid (DONO) in the near-infrared using FT-IBBCEAS

The first measurements of near-infrared bands of deuterated nitrous acid (DONO) are presented. The measurements were made using Fourier-Transform Incoherent Broad-Band Cavity-Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy (FT-IBBCEAS) in the 5800–7800 cm$^{-1}$ region. Two bands of trans-DONO centred at 6212.029 and 7692.496 cm$^{-1}$ were observed and assigned to the 2ν$_{1}$+ν$_{3}$ combination and 3ν$_{1}$ overtone vibrations, respectively. Their rotational band structure was satisfactorily reproduced using PGOPHER. For cis-DONO the 3ν$_{1}$ band was observed at ~7302.5 cm$^{-1}$. In addition, new bands centred at 6142.5 cm$^{-1}$ and 7607.6 cm$^{-1}$ were quite confidently assigned to the 2ν$_{1}$+ν$_{3}$ and 3ν$_{1}$ vibrations of deuterated nitric acid, DNO$_{3}$, respectively

Broadband cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy with incoherent light

Although broadband incoherent light does not efficiently couple into a high-finesse optical cavity, its transmission is readily detectable and enables applications in cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy in the gas phase, liquid phase and on surfaces. This chapter gives an overview of measurement principles and experimental approaches implementing incoherent light sources in cavity-enhanced spectroscopic applications. The general principles of broadband CEAS are outlined and general “pros and cons” discussed, detailing aspects like cavity mirror reflectivity calibration or the establishment of detection limits. Different approaches concerning light sources, cavity design and detection schemes are discussed and a comprehensive overview of the current literature based on a methodological classification scheme is also presented

Pattern of drug use in the management of psoriasis in a tertiary care hospital: a prospective study

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease, characterized by chronic and recurrent scaly plaques with itching. The treatment modalities for psoriasis include topical, systemic, and phototherapy (PT). The pattern of therapy may vary depending upon the type, severity, and duration of the disease. As there are few reports in the Indian literature regarding the pattern of drug use in psoriasis and evaluating the efficacy and patient compliance to treatment, the present study was conducted.Methods: This was a prospective, observational study conducted on121 newly diagnosed and untreated patients with psoriasis, who attended Dermatology outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. The severity of the disease was assessed by baseline psoriasis area severity index (PASI) score. Most of the patients were treated with topical therapy consisting of glucocorticoids (GC) monotherapy or combination with, salicylic acid, calcitriol and coal tar. Systemic therapy and PT were considered only for severe cases of psoriasis with baseline PASI score >4. The patients were monitored every 2 weeks for 3 months.Results: The topical medications induced effective resolution of lesions in most of the patients, along with adequate symptomatic relief. The response to GC monotherapy was found significant (90.47%; p4. Regular follow-up is required not only to monitor the treatment response, but also to ensure good patient compliance by proper counseling

ANTILITHIATIC EFFECT OF CISSAMPELOS PAREIRA LEAVES IN AMMONIUM CHLORIDE AND ETHYLENE GLYCOL INDUCED UROLITHISIS IN RATS

  Objective: To study the antilithiatic activity of ethanolic extract of leaves of Cissampelos pareira (EELCP) in 2% ammonium chloride (AC) and 0.75% ethylene glycol (EG) induced urolithiasis in albino rats.Methods: Kidney stones were induced in rats by feeding drinking water mixed with 2% (AC) and 0.75% (EG) for 10 days. Stones were confirmed by the increased urinary levels of calcium, uric acid and decreased levels of magnesium and increased levels of serum creatinine and calcium. The rats were treated with 03 doses of EELCP i.e. 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg respectively, orally in different groups of albino rats once daily for 10 days along with 2% (AC) and 0.75% (EG) containing drinking water. On 11th day, 3 rats from each group were kept in one metabolic cage and urine (pooled) collected for 24 hrs was subjected for assessment of various biochemical parameters. Blood was collected on the same day and analyzed for various parameters. Kidneys were observed for the histopathological changes.Results: Rats treated with 03 doses of EELCP significantly (p≤0.05) decreases the urinary calcium, uric acid and enhanced urinary magnesium levels, decreased serum calcium, creatinine and enhanced serum magnesium. Histopathology of kidneys in groups treated with EELCP at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg doses revealed less tissue damage and the cytology of nephrotic tissue was almost similar to the control Group I rats.Conclusion: Results showed EELCP has shown significant antilithiatic effect against chemical induced urolithiasis in rats.Keywords: Cissampelos pareira, Leaf extract, Antilithiatic activity, Urolithiasis, Ethylene glycol

A STUDY ON PATTERN OF ACUTE POISONING IN AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objectives: To study the sociodemographic, type of poisoning and mode of poisoning in an emergency department of a tertiary care hospital.Methods: A retrospective, observational study of 12 months duration was conducted in a teaching hospital from January 2013 to December 2013.Data regarding demography, name of poisonous substance, were collected in the pre-structured form and analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results: A total of 384 cases of poisoning were recorded. Among this incidence was more common in males (69%) compared to females (31%) with aratio 2.22:1. Most of the cases of acute poisoning presented between 21 and 30 years age group (49.5%). The majority of cases were seen among ruralpeople (64%), farmers (36.5%) followed by manual laborers (30.3%) were most commonly encountered. Suicidal tendency as a mode of poisoningaccounted (73%). Most of the cases of acute poisoning were due to pesticides (62.8%) followed by snakebites (18.2%), drug overdosage (14.4%),corrosives (2.6%), and kerosene (2%). Among pesticidal poisonings most commonly encountered was organophosphorus (OP) (34.6%) followed byorganocarbamates (11.3%), pyrethroids (10.8%), aluminum phosphide (3.5%), and rat poison (2.6%).Conclusion: Poisoning was most commonly seen among OP compounds. So, proper educational and training interventions on pesticide handling andsafety precautions, restriction on hazardous pesticides are needed to decrease pesticide exposure to farmers.Keywords: Poisoning, Organophosphorus compound, Drug overdose, Snakebite

The Impact of Land Use on the Surface and Groundwater Quality of Ghataprabha Subbasin

Human activities have modified the environment for thousands of years. Land use and agriculture play a vital role in sustaining the health, nourishment and economy of the world’s population. At the same time, some land use practices can degrade the quality of our soils, waterways, air and other natural resources. Ghataprabha river is one of the major and important river in Kolhapur (Maharashtra) and Belgaum (Karnataka) districts, which has undergone tremendous changes over the last 15–20 years. Therefore, it is essential to know the impact of land use on water quality (both on surface and groundwater). In the present study an attempt is made to monitor the surface and groundwater water quality parameters to determine the impact of land use on the surface and groundwater quality of Ghataprabha Subbasin. Water sampling was done both in the surface water of river and the groundwater sources near the river. The water samples were analyzed for pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), sulphates, chloride, bicarbonates, nitrates, phosphates, fluoride, sodium, potassium using the standard methods recommended in the manuals (APHA, 2005). Land uses in the area significantly affected the concentration of EC, TDS, sulphates, potassium and sodium while pH, dissolved oxygen, chloride, bicarbonates, nitrates, phosphates did not significantly fluctuate with land use changes in the area. To minimize the destruction of hydro-systems and the degradation of their water quality due to land use, multidisciplinary studies are required at the design stage of the project, and an integrated water resources management approach where all users should take an active role in the conservation of Ghataprabha  River catchment in order to avoid further degradation of the catchment through different land uses. Keywords: River Ghataprabha, physicochemical parameters, land use changes, pollutio

A Case Study of Water Quality Index of the Bellary Nala, Belgaum, Karnataka, India

Streams which are in many areas serving the basic needs of water, plays a significant role in shaping the environmental and ecological balance of the region through which it flows. Despite of all these versatile contributory roles, knowingly or unknowingly are being used as a dumping site for disposal of municipal and industrial waste waters with intention that streams will take care of these wastes. The main goal of this study was to characterize the combined industrial and municipal wastewater of Bellary Nala in terms of physico-chemical parameters. For this purpose, 10 sampling stations were selected. Parameters analyzed onsite included temperature, pH, turbidity, DO, BOD. Etc. All the collected samples were analyzed as per methods listed in the Standard Methods (APHA, 2005). The Bellary Nala was found significantly contaminated with pollutants and their concentrations were significantly higher as compared to General standards for discharge of Environmental Pollutants: Effluents. The study related to the assessment of water quality parameters of Bellary Nala was carried out to evaluate the various water quality parameters and to calculate water quality index. Keywords: Bellary Nala, physicochemical parameters, pollution, water quality index

DRUG UTILIZATION STUDY IN POST-OPERATIVE PATIENTS IN THE SURGERY WARD OF A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL IN SOUTH INDIA

Objectives: Pharmacotherapy with multiple agents before, during, and after surgery is marked in the present day indoor hospital setting. The main objective of our research is to evaluate the prescribing and drug utilization patterns using the World Health Organization (WHO) indicators in post-operative patients in the surgery ward of Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) teaching hospital - Raichur, which will help us to use the medicines rationally and decrease the adverse effects in surgical patients.Methods: A retrospective study was done on post-operative patients of surgery ward in RIMS teaching hospital - Raichur. A total of 574 patients prescriptions/case record forms were collected over a period of 15 months from January 2015 to March 2016 from the medical record section of the hospital for analysis and rationalization. We analyzed the data using the various drug use indicators given by the WHO.Results: The average number of drugs per encounter was 7.04. Ranitidine, analgesics, antibiotics, and intravenous fluids accounted for majority of the drugs prescribed. Appendicectomy (34.84%) was most commonly performed surgical procedure. Percentage of encounters in which an antibiotic prescribed was 99.8%. Percentage of encounters with an injection prescribed was 100%. Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was 43.93%. Percentage of drugs prescribed from National List of Essential Medicines 2015 was 99.3%.Conclusion: Our study gave us an in general pattern about the use of drugs in post-operative patients in the surgical ward of a tertiary care hospital. Widespread polypharmacy, particularly in case of the antibiotics, lack of generic prescribing are some concerns that need to be addressed to conform to rational drug therapy. However, prescribing according to the national essential list of medicines is good in our study

Classification of tropospheric ozone profiles over Johannesburg based on MOZAIC aircraft data

International audienceEach ozone profile is a unique response to the photochemical and dynamic processes operating in the troposphere and hence is critical to our understanding of processes and their relative contributions to the tropospheric ozone budget. Traditionally, mean profiles, together with some measure of variability, averaged by season or year at a particular location have been presented as a climatology. However, the mean profile is difficult to interpret because of the counteracting influences present in the micro-structure. On the other hand, case study analysis, whilst revealing, only applies to isolated conditions. In a search for pattern and order within ozone profiles, a classification based on a cluster analysis technique has been applied in this study. Ozone profiles are grouped according to the magnitude and altitude of ozone concentration. This technique has been tested with 56 ozone profiles at Johannesburg, South Africa, recorded by aircraft as part of the MOZAIC (Measurement of Ozone and Water Vapor aboard Airbus In-service Aircraft) program. Six distinct groups of ozone profiles have been identified and their characteristics described. The widely recognized spring maximum in tropospheric ozone is identified through the classification, but a new summertime mid-tropospheric enhancement due to the penetration of tropical air masses from continental regions in central Africa has been identified. Back trajectory modeling is used to provide evidence of the different origins of ozone enhancements in each of the classes. Continental areas over central Africa are shown to be responsible for the low to mid-tropospheric enhancement in spring and the mid-tropospheric peak in summer, whereas the winter low-tropospheric enhancement is attributed to local sources. The dominance of westerly winds through the troposphere associated with the passage of a mid-latitude cyclone gives rise to reduced ozone values

Non-adherence to anti- diabetic therapy and its consequences among type-2 diabetic patients in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Despite the extensive therapy options available for various stages of type 2 diabetes, studies have indicated that less than 50% of patients achieve the glycemic goals. Failure to attain the desired therapeutic goal might be related to inadequate adherence. Objectives of present study were to determine the extent of non-adherence to antidiabetic medications and identify reasons for the same.Methods: A cross-sectional, observational, questionnaire-based study was conducted to assess the level of non-adherence to antidiabetic therapy among type 2 diabetics attending medicine outpatient department or admitted to the wards of a tertiary care hospital from Jan 2015 to Jan 2016. A pretested and validated questionnaire was used to assess the level of adherence. Reasons for missing medications were also elicited. Data thus collected was analysed using a suitable statistical software.Results: Out of the 210 study participants, 55.2% were females. Most participants were in the age group of 51-60. The mean duration of diabetes was 8.17± 5.39. The most common diabetes-related complication was Diabetic Keto Acidosis (DKA), followed by diabetic foot ulcer. The average number of drugs per prescription was 1.98 ± 1.05. Poor glycemic control was observed in 58% and non-adherence to treatment in 45.2% of study participants.Conclusions: Good adherence to antidiabetic therapy is fundamental for good glycemic control which in turn prevents the occurrence of short and long-term complications of diabetes. Poor doctor-patient intercommunication and inadequacy on part of physicians to adjust medications negatively affect adherence. Active participation of the patient is also equally important