Vitamin D: prescription audit in tertiary health care centre

Background: Vitamin-D is critically important for development, growth and maintenance of health of human being. Many evidences show association between vit-D deficiency and several serious health conditions. Data collection on use of drugs is being obtained with the aim of optimizing drug therapy. So far till date only few studies about prescription pattern of vit-D have been found. Hence it is very important to do audit of prescriptions of vit-D. The aim of the study is to provide concise and updated information about the use of vit-D in tertiary care hospital and to record demographic details of patients.Methods: After ethical approval, this cross sectional study was conducted at tertiary health centre. Patient and drug data (name of drug, dose, dosage form and route of administration) was collected from the patient’s prescriptions in OPD.Results: Highest prescriptions of vit-D were found in orthopedic department (22% of total prescriptions of that department). Prescribing percentage of vit-D in medicine department was 4.6%, dermatology 1.5% and in psychiatry 0.8% of total prescriptions. Prescriptions of vit-D in combination with calcium were found in orthopedics (52%), medicine (7%) and obstetrics and gynecology (10%) departments.Conclusions: Highest prescriptions of vit-D alone and with calcium found in orthopedic department. Periodic therapeutic audit is necessary to rationalise the use of vit D

Variation of biogenic sulphur compounds in the estuarine and coastal waters of Goa, West coast of India

Dimethylsulphide (DMS) originates predominantly from dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP), a metabolite produced by phytoplankton. Through its contribution to the production of new aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei, a high concentration of DMS has the potential to influence the radiation budget of the earth. Estuaries and coastal regions being dynamic may produce significantly high concentrations of DMS and DMSP. The present study aimed to investigate the spatial variation of DMS, its precursor total dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSPt), and its sink total dimethylsulphoxide (DMSOt) at 7 estuarine locations in 4 rivers and a coastal station in Goa during the North East Monsoon (NEM). Generally, higher concentrations of DMS and DMSPt were observed at the near mouth stations and the coastal station compared to upstream stations. Though a positive correlation was observed between salinity and DMSPt, it was not significant, indicating the involvement of other factors influencing DMSP and DMS concentrations. Diatoms were the most abundant group accounting for > 90 % of the phytoplankton. However, higher fractions of dinoflagellates, nano- and picoplankton probably contributed to the DMSPt, DMS and DMSOt production at the coastal and near mouth stations. As the wind speeds were low, DMS flux was governed by surface DMS concentrations and varied between 0.07 and 2.11 µmoles S m-2 D-1 with an average of 0.92±0.80 µmoles S m-2 D-1. In comparison to DMSPt and DMS, a relatively higher concentration of DMSOt was observed in the study area. While the high DMSOt concentration at the estuarine mouths may be attributed to the photo- or biological oxidation of DMS, those in the upper reaches point to an unknown source and warrants further investigation

Healthcare costs in women with metastatic breast cancer receiving chemotherapy as their principal treatment modality

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The economic costs of treating patients with metastatic breast cancer have been examined in several studies, but available estimates of economic burden are at least a decade old. In this study, we characterize healthcare utilization and costs in the US among women with metastatic breast cancer receiving chemotherapy as their principal treatment modality.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using a large private health insurance claims database (2000-2006), we identified all women initiating chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer with no evidence of receipt of concomitant or subsequent hormonal therapy, or receipt of trastuzumab at anytime. Healthcare utilization and costs (inpatient, outpatient, medication) were estimated on a cumulative basis from date of chemotherapy initiation ("index date") to date of disenrollment from the health plan or the end of the study period, whichever occurred first. Study measures were cumulated over time using the Kaplan-Meier Sample Average (KMSA) method; 95% CIs were generated using nonparametric bootstrapping. Findings also were examined among the subgroup of patients with uncensored data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study population consisted of 1444 women; mean (SD) age was 59.1 (12.1) years. Over a mean follow-up of 532 days (range: 3 to 2412), study subjects averaged 1.7 hospital admissions, 10.7 inpatient days, and 83.6 physician office and hospital outpatient visits. Mean (95% CI) cumulative total healthcare costs were $128,556 ($118,409, $137,644) per patient. Outpatient services accounted for 29% of total costs, followed by medication other than chemotherapy (26%), chemotherapy (25%), and inpatient care (20%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Healthcare costs-especially in the outpatient setting--are substantial among women with metastatic breast cancer for whom treatment options other than chemotherapy are limited.</p

On the inadequacy of environment impact assessments for projects in Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park of Goa, India : a peer review

The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is a regulatory framework adopted since 1994 in India to evaluate the impact and mitigation measures of projects, however, even after 25 years of adoption, EIAs continue to be of inferior quality with respect to biodiversity documentation and assessment of impacts and their mitigation measures. This questions the credibility of the exercise, as deficient EIAs are habitually used as a basis for project clearances in ecologically sensitive and irreplaceable regions. The authors reiterate this point by analysing impact assessment documents for three projects: the doubling of the National Highway-4A, doubling of the railway-line from Castlerock to Kulem, and laying of a 400-kV transmission line through the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in the state of Goa. Two of these projects were recently granted ‘Wildlife Clearance’ during a virtual meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) without a thorough assessment of the project impacts. Assessment reports for the road and railway expansion were found to be deficient on multiple fronts regarding biodiversity assessment and projected impacts, whereas no impact assessment report was available in the public domain for the 400-kV transmission line project. This paper highlights the biodiversity significance of this protected area complex in the Western Ghats, and highlights the lacunae in biodiversity documentation and inadequacy of mitigation measures in assessment documents for all three diversion projects. The EIA process needs to improve substantially if India is to protect its natural resources and adhere to environmental protection policies and regulations nationally and globally

Effect of cigarette smoke on body weight, food intake and reproductive organs in adult albino rats

562-565One hour daily exposure to cigarette smoke for two months significantly decreased the body weight and food intake in male and female albino rats. The latency for conception increased significantly and the litter size decreased. Mortality rate per litter increased and grayish discoloration of the skin in the experimental group was the only congenital anomaly seen. Testes and ovaries showed a significant decrease in weight. The stroma of the ovaries were occupied by very few Graafian follicles. Testes showed disruption of the normal orderly progression of the spermatogonia. The tubules showed only one layer of spermatogonia and very few germinal cells. The number of sperms was less in the testes. The results show that exposure to cigarette smoke is detrimental to the reproductivity in both, male and female albino rats

ROLE OF ACETYLCHOLINE AND DOPAMINE IN DORSAL HIPPOCAMPUS ON HOARDING BEHAVIOR IN RATS

Abstract: The probable roles of Acetylcholine (Ach) and Dopamine (DA) in the modulation of instinctual behaviors of feeding and hoarding (HS), as also the body weight and vaginal cyclicity (Ell. were studied by instillation of Atropine (Ach antagonist), Haloperidol (DA antagonist) and Apomorphine (DA agonist) in the dorsal hippocampus of nonpregnant female rats. It was observed that the HS was significantly decreased with both Atropine and haloperidol and increased with Apomorphine. although the food intake was decreased with the three chemicals. It appears that action of both Ach and DA on the dorsal hippocampus has a positive influence on hoarding behavior

How Field Courses Propel Inclusion and Collective Excellence.

Field courses have been identified as powerful tools for inclusion and student success in science. However, not all students are equally likely to take field courses. How do we remove barriers to equity in field courses, to make them engines for inclusion, diversity, and collective excellence in ecology and evolution

How Field Courses Propel Inclusion and Collective Excellence.

Field courses have been identified as powerful tools for inclusion and student success in science. However, not all students are equally likely to take field courses. How do we remove barriers to equity in field courses, to make them engines for inclusion, diversity, and collective excellence in ecology and evolution