DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARD OPERATIVE PROCEDURE FOR RAS POTTALI W.R.S. RASA PRAKASHA SUDHAKARA

Since medieval period, Rasashastra has occupied a pivotal position in Ayurvedic system of medicine. In Rasashastra, uses of Mercury as a medicine have evolved gradually over centuries. Compared to traditional Rasa formulations, Many of them which were earlier in practice are not at all used today. Though literature is available on quality aspects of such herbo-mineral formulations in the classical text books, contemporary science is raising concerns at regular intervals on herbo-mineral formulations. Thus, it becomes mandate to develop quality profiles of all formulations that contain metals or minerals in their composition. ‘Rasa Pottali’ is one of such preparation that is grouped under ‘Murchita Parada Yoga’ in consolidate form which also incorporates the Pota Bandha of Parada. No other classical references are found for this formulation except for Rasa Prakasha Sudhakara. In the present study an attempt has been made to prepare Rasa pottali by classical reference and to evaluate its manufacturing process with possible modifications. As per the SOP, the formula mentions that the application of Dhatura patra swarasa to be applied on Pottali covered with cloth but this seems to be not appropriate for the Pharmaceutical preparation and to develop SMP of this preparation. Keeping this in view, the preparation has designed into three different experiments and are carried out to prepare three samples of Rasapottali RP1 (7-7 Bhavana with Tamboola patra swarasa and Dhatura parta swarasa), RP2 (7 Bhavana with Tamboola patra swarasa and 7 Lepana with Dhatura patra kalka) and RP3 (7 Lepana with Tamboola patra kalka and 7 Lepana with Dhatura patra kalka)

The Social Functioning Questionnaire: a rapid and robust measure of perceived functioning.

BACKGROUND: The Social Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ), an eight-item self-report scale (score range 0-24), was developed from the Social Functioning Schedule (SFS), a semi-structured interview which has been used primarily with non-psychotic patients and has good test-retest and inter-rater reliability as well as construct validity. The SFQ was developed following the need for a quick assessment of perceived social function. AIMS: To give further details of old and new data sets from studies involving over 4000 subjects assessed with the SFQ illustrating its epidemiological and clinical associations. METHOD: New data were analysed from a national epidemiological study, a comparison of key-worker and subject versions of the SFQ, and reanalysis of data from three earlier clinical studies, of psychiatric emergencies, general practice psychiatric patients and those with recurrent psychotic illnesses. These data were examined further to determine their range, their relationship to other clinical measures, and change over time in clinical trials. RESULTS: The population mean score in 4164 subjects was 4.6 and the data from all studies suggested that a score of 10 or more indicated poor social functioning. Those presenting as psychiatric emergencies had the poorest social function (mean 11.4) and psychiatric patients from general practice the best function (mean 7.7) of the clinical populations. The eight item scores had a normal distribution in psychiatric populations and a skewed one in a normal population; scores were relatively stable over the short (weeks) and long-term (months), and were high in the presence of acute mental health disturbance and personality disorder, giving support to the validity of the scale. The results from a UK sample of a randomly selected population specifically weighted for ethnic minorities showed similar social function across groups

A prospective study of cervical lesions diagnosed by liquid based cytology in Western Rajasthan, India population

Background: Carcinoma cervix is the second most common malignancy of women in India after breast cancer. The present study was conducted to determine the spectrum of cervical lesions by liquid-based cytology in Western Rajasthan population.Methods: It is a Prospective study on 1087 cervical samples carried over a period of 1 year. Cervical samples were taken and processed by SurePath™ LBC.Results: Of total 1087 cases 959 were negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (88.22%). 88 cases (8.09%) were reported as unsatisfactory. Among the non- neoplastic cases- bacterial vaginosis was reported in 209 cases (21.8%), Candida in 77 cases (8.02%), both Candida and bacterial vaginosis in 12 cases (1.25%), reactive cellular changes in 193 cases (20.12%), and Trichomonas vaginalis in 01 case. Among pre-malignant and malignant lesions, 40 cases (4.17%) the distribution was as follows-atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance 16(1.67%), atypical squamous cell-cannot rule out high grade 08 cases (0.83%), Low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion 04 cases (0.42%), high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion 07 cases (0.73%), Atypical glandular cell favoring neoplastic 01 case (0.15%), and squamous cell carcinoma 04 cases (0.42%). Histopathological co-relation of premalignant and malignant lesions was further studied.Conclusions: Liquid based cytology is an effective screening and diagnostic procedure for cervical abnormalities. Among pre-malignant and malignant lesions, histo-pathological correlation increased with increased grade of severity of lesions. To the best of knowledge, this is the largest study of liquid based cytology in the Western Rajasthan

Table 3: List of excluded Tetramorium

With 600 described species, the ant genus Tetramorium represents one of the most species-rich ant radiations. However, much work remains to fully document the hyperdiversity of this remarkable group. Tetramorium, while globally distributed, is thought to have originated in the Afrotropics and is particularly diverse in the Old World. Here, we focus attention on the Tetramorium fauna of India, a region of high biodiversity value and interest for conservation. We overview Tetramorium diversity in India by providing a species list, accounts of all species groups present, an illustrated identification key to Indian Tetramorium species groups and notes on the Indian Tetramorium fauna. Further, we describe two new species, Tetramorium krishnani sp. n. and Tetramorium jarawa sp. n. from the Andaman Islands archipelago and embed them into currently recognized Tetramorium tonganum and Tetramorium inglebyi species groups. We also provide illustrated species level keys for these groups. Along with detailed species descriptions and high-resolution montage images of types, we provide 3D cybertypes of the new species derived from X-ray micro-computed tomography

State incapacity by design : understanding the Bihar story

governed particularly badly between 1990 and 2005, and has since experienced something of a ‘governance miracle’. How can we account for the 1990–2005 deterioration? The answer lies in the interaction of three factors. The first was the type of leadership exercised by Lalu Prasad Yadav, who was Chief Minister throughout most of this period – even when his wife formally occupied the post. The second lies in electoral politics: the need to maintain the enthusiasm and morale of an electoral coalition that Yadav had constructed from a number of poorer and historically oppressed groups. Such was the scale of poverty among this core electoral coalition that Yadav had limited prospects of maintaining its cohesion and allegiance through the normal processes of promising ‘development’ and using networks of political patronage to distribute material resources to supporters. More important, that strategy would have involved a high level of dependence on the government apparatus, that was dominated by people from a number of historically-dominant upper castes. That is our third factor. Yadav preferred to mobilise his supporters on the basis of continual confrontation with this historically oppressive elite. He kept public sector jobs vacant rather than appoint qualified people – who were mainly from the upper cases. He tried to micro-manage the state apparatus from the Chief Minister’s office. He denuded the public service of staff. He was then unable to use it to deliver ‘development’. We show that, among other things, the Bihar state government sacrificed large potential fiscal transfers from the Government of India designed for anti-poverty programmes because it was unable to complete the relevant bureaucratic procedures. Yadav knowingly undermined the capacity of the state apparatus. There are parallels in many other parts of the world. Low state capacity is often a political choice. Keywords: India; Bihar; politics; capacity building; state capacity; governance

Understanding diabetes in patients with HIV/AIDS

This paper reviews the incidence, pathogenetic mechanisms and management strategies of diabetes mellitus in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It classifies patients based on the aetiopathogenetic mechanisms, and proposes rational methods of management of the condition, based on aetiopathogenesis and concomitant pharmacotherapy

Curcumin―The Paradigm of a Multi-Target Natural Compound with Applications in Cancer Prevention and Treatment

As cancer is a multifactor disease, it may require treatment with compounds able to target multiple intracellular components. We summarize here how curcumin is able to modulate many components of intracellular signaling pathways implicated in inflammation, cell proliferation and invasion and to induce genetic modulations eventually leading to tumor cell death. Clinical applications of this natural compound were initially limited by its low solubility and bioavailability in both plasma and tissues but combination with adjuvant and delivery vehicles was reported to largely improve bio-availability of curcumin. Moreover, curcumin was reported to act in synergism with several natural compounds or synthetic agents commonly used in chemotherapy. Based on this, curcumin could thus be considered as a good candidate for cancer prevention and treatment when used alone or in combination with other conventional treatments

Sol–gel chemistry mediated Zn/Al-based complex dispersant for SWCNT in water without foam formation

We report a bimetallic Zn/Al complex as an efficient inorganic dispersant for SWCNT, synthesized from Zn(CH3COO)(2) and Al(NO3)(3). The Zn/Al complex shows more than four times greater efficiency at dispersing SWCNT than widely used surfactants (CTAB and SDS). Besides remarkable dispersibility, the Zn/Al complex does not foam upon any shaking treatment and it can be used just after quick dissolution of the powdered form, which is a marked advantage over surfactants. The Zn/Al complex, containing amorphous Al(CH3COO)(3) and a complex of Zn2+ and NO3- ions, should have a unique dispersion mechanism, differing from the surfactants. Al(CH3COO)(3) has higher affinity for SWCNT than ions, adsorbing onto its surface in the first layer and attracting Zn2+ and NO3- ions. Charge transfer interactions between the Zn/Al complex and SWCNT, as evidenced by optical absorption spectroscopy, should induce a charge on SWCNT; the zeta potential of such coated SWCNT was +55 mV, indicating a high dispersion stability in aqueous media. Hence, the Zn/Al complex can widen the applications of SWCNT to various technologies such as the transparent and conductive films, as well as high performance composite polymers. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.ArticleCARBON. 94:518-523 (2015)journal articl

Leptospirosis in the Asia Pacific region

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic infection that has been recognized for decades, but the problem of the disease has not been fully addressed, particularly in resource-poor, developing countries, where the major burden of the disease occurs. This paper presents an overview of the current situation of leptospirosis in the region. It describes the current trends in the epidemiology of leptospirosis, the existing surveillance systems, and presents the existing prevention and control programs in the Asia Pacific region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data on leptospirosis in each member country were sought from official national organizations, international public health organizations, online articles and the scientific literature. Papers were reviewed and relevant data were extracted.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Leptospirosis is highly prevalent in the Asia Pacific region. Infections in developed countries arise mainly from occupational exposure, travel to endemic areas, recreational activities, or importation of domestic and wild animals, whereas outbreaks in developing countries are most frequently related to normal daily activities, over-crowding, poor sanitation and climatic conditions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In the Asia Pacific region, predominantly in developing countries, leptospirosis is largely a water-borne disease. Unless interventions to minimize exposure are aggressively implemented, the current global climate change will further aggravate the extent of the disease problem. Although trends indicate successful control of leptospirosis in some areas, there is no clear evidence that the disease has decreased in the last decade. The efficiency of surveillance systems and data collection varies significantly among the countries and areas within the region, leading to incomplete information in some instances. Thus, an accurate reflection of the true burden of the disease remains unknown.</p