Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Blood Donation among Health Science Students in a University campus, South India

Background: The major part of demand for blood in India has been meeting through voluntary blood donations. The healthy, active and receptive huge student population is potential blood donors to meet safe blood requirements. However, there is a paucity of studies on awareness and attitude among health science students on voluntary blood donation. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitude about blood donation among health science students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 health sciences students from different streams in a University campus of South India through a structured survey questionnaire in the year 2009. Results: The overall knowledge on blood donation was good, but majority (62%) of students never donated blood. Knowledge level was found highest among allied health science (53.1%) and lowest among pharmacy students (20.7%). ‘Feeling of medically unfit’ and ‘never thought of blood donation’ were the major reasons for not donating blood. A significant association was observed between different streams of students and levels of knowledge and attitude about blood donation. Conclusion: This study elicits the importance of adopting effective measures in our campuses to motivate about voluntary blood donation among students

Reservoir Modelling by Entropy and Ant Colony Algorithms

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

Dynamic analysis of serum Ca-125 levels during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: a retrospective study

Background: Assessment of CA-125 kinetics was commonly used as a tool for tumor response to chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients. The study aimed to determine any logarithmic/linear relationship between pre-chemotherapy and pre-operative CA-125 levels in ovarian cancer.Methods: Total 52 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval cytoreductive surgery were included. CA-125 levels before starting chemotherapy, during chemotherapy and the preoperative value, with the date of measurement recorded. Cox’s proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate univariate and independent multivariable association with the effect of clinical, pathological and CA-125 kinetic parameters on outcome endpoints.  Results: The study couldn’t establish any relationship in logarithmic fall of CA-125 values among ovarian cancers as a result of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. The disease-free survival among the patients was 12.2 months.Conclusions: There is an inverse relationship between serum CA-125 levels and survival in ovarian cancer. NACT resulted in adequate fall of CA-125 levels in most of the patients, but the rate of fall was not predictive of prognosis

CYTOTOXICITY OF PUNARNAVA (BOERHAAVIA DIFFUSA L.) IN BREAST CELL LINE

The incidence of cancer especially breast cancer is increasing alarmingly worldwide with a high percentage of death especially in developing countries. The Ayurvedic system treasures a host of medicinal formulations that have been shown to possess cytotoxic effects on tumor cell lines. Recently herbal medicines are coming to play a more vital role in the reduction and prevention of cancer. Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Punarnava), an annual herb has been used for managing wide range of diseases including cancer. This herb was also screened for various pharmacological activities like anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-angiogenic, anti-metastatic activities and others. The decoction of root of Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Punarnava) was not scientifically evaluated for cytotoxicity. So the current study investigates the In vitro Cytotoxicity of root of decoction of Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa L.) in breast cell line (MCF-7). The five different concentrations of decoction of Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa Linn.) were used for In vitro Cytotoxicity by MTT assay at 24 hours and 48 hours. The test sample exhibits cytotoxicity of about 65.1±1.2at 800 µg/ ml concentration (48 hours) of incubation in MCF-7 breast cell line. The results were also analyzed statistically. It showed that there is highly significant difference in the percentage of inhibition of test sample in concentration from 50µg/ml -800µg/ml. The findings of this investigation concluded that the study drug Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Punarnava) has anti-cancer activity in MCF-7 breast cell line

Drug package inserts: how accessible is the information?

Background: Information given in drug package inserts is often not easily accessible by patients and practitioners. Presentation of important information in an easily accessible manner fulfills the very purpose of inserts. In the present study, accessibility of important information in drug package inserts is evaluated.Methods: We evaluated 110 package inserts. Accessibility to important information was noted under following headings: use of box, use of special/bigger font or color, use of table of contents and information in front sheet. Each of these parameters was given a point. Cumulative accessibility score of more than three considered as accessible. Provision of toll free numbers and internet addresses of the companies noted.Results: Information in inserts regarding posology, method of administration, precautions under special conditions, contraindications, pharmacokinetics, interactions, pregnancy and lactation, driving, and machine use precautions were adequate and orderly in most. Only seven drug inserts mentioned important information with special font/different color. 18 drug inserts had used boxes. About 13 inserts used bigger font size for revealing important information. We observed a mean accessible score was 0.37 a insert. Only two inserts carried toll free numbers.Conclusion: Important information in drug package inserts is not easily accessible. Display of toll free numbers and internet addresses for queries and reporting adverse drug reactions is highly recommended

Neutrosophic Vague Binary G-subalgebra of G-algebra

Nowadays, human society is using artificial intelligence in a large manner so as to upgrade the present existing applicational criteria’s and tools. Logic is the underlying principle to these works. Algebra is inevitably inter-connected with logic. Hence its achievements to the scientific research outputs have to be addressed. For these reasons, nowadays, research on various algebraic structures are going on wide. Crisp set has also got developed in a parallel way in the forms as fuzzy, intuitionistic fuzzy, rough, vague, neutrosophic, plithogenic etc. Sets with one or more algebraic operations will form different new algebraic structures for giving assistance to these logics, which in turn acts to as, a support to artificial intelligence. BCH/BCI/BCK- are some algebras developed in the first phase of algebraic development output. After that, so many outputs got flashed out, individually and in combinations in no time. Q- algebra and QS –algebra are some of these and could be showed as such kind of productions. G- algebra is considered as an extension to QS – algebra. In this paper neutrosophic vague binary G – subalgebra of G – algebra is generated with example. Notions like, 0 – commutative G - subalgebra, minimal element, normal subset etc. are investigated. Conditions to define derivation and regular derivation for this novel concept are clearly presented with example. Constant of G – algebra can’t be treated as the identity element, generally. In this paper, it is well explained with example. Cosets for neutrosophic vague binary G – subalgebra of G - algebra is developed with proper explanation. Homomorphism for this new concept has been also got commented. Its kernel, monomorphism and isomorphism are also have discussed with proper attention

Relative condition factor and food and feeding of Jones’ pony fish Eubleekeria jonesi (James, 1971) from Mandapam waters, Tamil Nadu, India

The relative condition factor (Kn) based on length-weight relationship and food and feeding habits of Jones’ pony fish Eubleekeria jonesi  (James, 1971) off Mandapam waters was studied during December 2016 - April 2018. The Kn values showed variations on a monthly basis with maximum value during September (1.23) for male and March (1.53) for female. Analysis of fullness of stomach of 961 samples within the size range of 51-130 mm revealed 40.87% fishes as actively fed, 36.19% as moderately fed and remaining 22.94% as poorly fed. The monthly mean fullness index (FI) was highest during September for both sexes. Highest gonadosomatic index (GSI), vacuity index (VI) and Kn value were observed during March-April in females, probably indicating a spawning peak and hence meagre feeding, which resulted in lowest fullness index (FI). Fishes of smallest length group (51-70 mm) had highest FI and minimum VI and vice versa. The values of index of relative importance (IRI) indicated that the species was planktivorous as well as detritivorous, with top priority towards crustaceans (27.6%) followed by bivalves (23.6%), foraminifera (15.4%), phytoplankton (12.5%), gastropods (9.1%) and nematodes (8.3%) in the gut contents. Diet did not show significant variation either sex-wise or size-wise

Acoustic Energy Harvesting and Sensing via Electrospun PVDF Nanofiber Membrane

This paper introduces a new usage of piezoelectric poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) electrospun nanofiber (NF) membrane as a sensing unit for acoustic signals. In this work, an NF mat has been used as a transducer to convert acoustic signals into electric voltage outcomes. The detected voltage has been analyzed as a function of both frequency and amplitude of the excitation acoustic signal. Additionally, the detected AC signal can be retraced as a function of both frequency and amplitude with some wave distortion at relatively higher amplitudes and within a certain acoustic spectrum region. Meanwhile, the NFs have been characterized through piezoelectric responses, beta sheet calculations and surface morphology. This work is promising as a low-cost and innovative solution to harvest acoustic signals coming from wide resources of sound and noise

First record of deformity in Chinese Pomfret, Pampus chinensis (Euphrasen, 1788) from Indian waters

The Chinese pomfret Pampus chinensis (Euphrasen, 1788) (Stromateidae) observed with deformity from fish landings at the Jegathapattinam fishing harbour along Palk Bay coast of Tamil Nadu. The abnormality owing to fractional dorsal fin may call as ‘saddleback syndrome’ and this may be due to any kind of physical injury during early stages or to a higher chance of predation and in due course, the wound healed and the individual survive even with extreme deformed condition. Such a deformity for this species of Pomfret has never been documented from Indian waters and this could be the first record in Pampus chinensis

Record size Psettodes erumei and Upeneus vittatus reported from Mandapam

Record sized Right-eyed Indian halibut Psettodes erumei (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) and Yellow-striped goatfish, Upeneus vittatus (Forsskal, 1775) were recorded in the fish landings at Mandapam. The Indian halibut measuring 60 cm in Total length (TL) and weighing 3.25 kg was found in the Pamban Therkuvadi Fish Landing Centre on 24th November 2017. A fish trawler operated at a distance of 18 km from the land at a depth of 23 m brought it along with other demersal finfishes