Role of methylergometrine versus oxytocin in the active management of third stage of labour: a randomised control trial

Background: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal death globally. The routine practice of active management of third stage of labour has been shown to reduce haemorrhage by up to 60%. The present study evaluated the role of methylergometrine versus oxytocin in active management of third stage of labour in reducing the risk of PPH.Methods: This study was conducted on a total of 400 women admitted in the labour ward of PESIMSR hospital, by using simple randomized design. The first study group included women who received intramuscular oxytocin (n=200) and, the second group included women who received intravenous Methylergometrine (n=200) within, one minute of delivery of the baby.Results: The mean blood loss among study first and the second study group were 172.8 ml and 148.9 ml respectively (p<0.05) and, the mean duration of third stage of labour were 5.9 and 5.1 minutes respectively (p<0.05). The mean pre-and post-delivery haemoglobin values among the first and second group were 11.76 mg/dl, 10.46 mg/dl and, 11.76 mg/dl, 10.6 mg/dl respectively (p<0.05). There was an increase in the blood pressure in the ergometrine group and, slight decrease of blood pressure in oxytocin group.Conclusions: The use of methyl ergometrine as part of active management of third stage of labour was associated with a significant reduction in mean blood loss value, duration of third stage of labour, and the additional need of oxytocic though, methylergometrine has significant side effects like nausea, vomiting and rise in blood pressure

A study on pattern of adverse drug reaction in an adverse drug reaction monitoring centre of a tertiary care hospital in South Kerala, India

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADR) are rated as fifth leading cause of death and accounts for approximately 5% of all hospital admissions. Under reporting of ADR from healthcare professional is considered as the contributing factor for increased morbidity and mortality. India has taken well appreciated step to launch Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) to safeguard heath care of Indian population. This study looks into the detailed analysis of ADR reported to adverse drug reaction monitoring centre (AMC), Government Medical College, Trivandrum to assess its pattern, causality, severity and seriousness of ADR. Primary objectives of this study are the pattern of adverse drug reactions reported to ADR monitoring centre (AMC) and secondary objective is to assess causality, severity.Methods: A record based descriptive study was conducted in the ADR monitoring centre of government medical college, Trivandrum, Kerala from September 1st  2016 to February 2017(6 months). The data were collected from the all reported case records/ ADR report form of CDSCO. The details of the various adverse drug reactions were identified and analysed to find the pattern of adverse drug reactions including distribution of age, gender, causal drug group, system organ class. Also, an attempt is made to do causality assessment using WHO UMC scale and severity by using Heart wig Seigel Scale.Results: Out of 320 ADR cases, majority of reports were due to cutaneous manifestations. Most common ADRs were erythema, induration, and rash, itching. Females were 56% and males were 44%. Majority cases were of adult age group. Causality 91.88% were probably related, 75.6% were mild reaction. 25% of cases were serious. 77.5% were recovered. Antibacterial implicated 25(7.8%) followed by anti-epileptics 24 (7.5%) ADR.Conclusions: The pattern of adverse drug reactions reported to this AMC is comparable to the studies done in other parts of country. A strong need for streamlining of ADR monitoring system and reporting reemphasized by this study, which will promote the ADR reporting in healthcare professionals

Effect of pilates and breathing exercise on quality of life and sleep quality among medical students with premenstrual syndrome

Background: Quality of life and sleep quality have been documented as a challenge for college students, with reports indicating impacts on daytime functioning and academic achievement. The present study evaluates the effect of Pilates and breathing exercise on quality of life and sleep quality among medical college students. Methods: This pre-test and post-test quasi experimental study involving 132 participants consists of one experimental group (assigned Pilates and breathing exercise) and control group (breathing exercise). After the first supervised session, participants were instructed to perform the exercise protocol three times a week for eight weeks. Quality of life and sleep quality were measured by short form 36 quality of life questionnaire and Pittsburgh sleep quality index, respectively. The variables were assessed at baseline and after eight weeks of the study. Results: After eight weeks, findings showed an improvement in the quality of life and sleep quality in experimental group (p&lt;0.05) compared to the control group. The subjects in the experimental group who followed the Pilates and breathing exercise improved quality of life after the intervention. Especially the role limitation in their activities of daily living due to health problem and emotional problem and the social functioning improved significantly comparing to the pre-test evaluation done prior to the intervention.  When comparing the different PSQI components in both pre and post-test of experimental group, the strongest difference was observed in component 3 (sleep duration, p&lt;0.05) and component 7 (daytime dysfunction, p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: Eight week of Pilates and breathing exercise have significant improvement in quality of life and sleep quality in medical college students

Effect of Dietary Fats on Oxidative-Antioxidative Status of Blood in Rats

This study was performed to examine the effect of different fat sources, lard, sunflower oil (SO), and fish oil (FO) in high-fat and low-fat diet on reactive oxygen species generation by blood phagocytes, glutathione redox status in erythrocytes, and total plasma antioxidant ability in rats. Whole blood chemiluminescence (CL) did not differ between three low-fat fed groups. However, baseline and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated CL in blood of high-lard fed rats were lower than in low-lard and high-SO fed animals. Phagocyte-stimulated oxidative burst was higher in rats fed high-SO diet than in those fed low-SO and high-FO diets. The highest level of oxidize glutathione (GSSH), the lowest reduce glutathione (GSH)/GSSG ratio in erythrocytes, and the highest plasma activity to reduce ferric ions were observed in rats fed both diets contaning linoleic acid-rich sunflower oil compared to animals fed the corresponding energy from other fats. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of plasma was lower in high-lard and high-FO fed rats compared to the corresponding low-fat diets, and the lowest in low-FO fed rats among low-fat fed animals. We presume from our results that linoleic acid may have dual effect, prooxidative in blood cells but maintaining total antioxidant plasma ability

Management of coriander wilt using biocontrol agents

A replicated field trial on biocontrol of coriander wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f., sp. coriander; was conducted in kharif season during 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98 in the Department of Spices and Plantation Crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, TNAU, Coimbatore. Seed treatment with Trichoderma viride at 4 g kg-1 of seed was found to be more effective in reducing the wilt incidence to 5.3 per cent as against 28.3 per cent recorded in untreated, control plots in all the three years. The mean yield (387.5 kg ha-1) for all the three years was also significantly higher in seed treatment with T. viride as against very low yield (162 kg ha-1) obtained in untreated plots. The cost benefit ratio was also enhanced with the same treatment. &nbsp

Nature of gene action for kernel yield and its component traits in maize (Zea mays L.)

Towards understanding the nature of gene action for kernel yield and its components traits, a set of 45 F1 hybrids generated by adopting diallel mating design (Method IV and Model I) involving 10 inbred lines were tested across three seasons for their performance and combining ability. Combining ability analysis revealed that the mean sum of squares due to general and specific combining ability were significant indicating the contribution of both additive and non-additive gene action in controlling days to 50% flowering, days to 50% silking, anthesis-silking interval, days to maturity, plant height, SPAD chlorophyll meter reading, specific leaf area, cob length, cob girth, number of kernel rows per cob, number of kernels per row, 100 kernel weight, harvest index and kernel yield. Estimates of components of variances (σ2GCA and σ2SCA) and ratio of σ2GCA/σ2SCA indicated the predominance of non-additive gene action for all the characters studied. Among the inbred lines, BML 2, DFTY, Heypool and PDM 1474 were found to be the best general combiners across seasons for kernel yield and most of yield components as well as developmental characters. DFTY, Heypool, PDM 1452 and PAM 1474 were identified as good general combiners for earliness. Among the top 20 best performing hybrids, BML 15 × PDM 1452, BML 15 × PDM 1474 and BML 7 × DFTY were rated as promising hybrids based on their superior performance and sca effects for kernel yield and most of the yield components. These hybrids could be recommended for commercial cultivation after extensive testing in multilocation trials

Fertilizer best management practices by SSNM and customized fertilizers for elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) cultivation in India

Elephant foot yam [Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson] is an important tuber crop grown in many parts of India for its starchy corm and the average yield of this crop is far below the potential productivity of 100 tonnes/ha. One of the reasons attributed to the lower yield is the imbalanced application of essential plant nutrients. Site specific nutrient management (SSNM) is the application of plant nutrients based on the soil and crop need, yield target and developed with the aid of models such as QUEFTS. This paper gives the result of four year study conducted to calibrate and validate the QUEFTS model for elephant foot yam cultivation and the development of SSNM zonation maps and secondary and micronutrient fortified customised fertilizers for the crop in major growing environments of India. Data collected from different field experiments conducted in major elephant foot yam-production regions of India during 1968 to 2011 were used to calibrate the model. The derived parameters of minimum and maximum accumulation of N (130 and 460), P (900 and 2100) and K (100 and 170) are proposed as standard borderline values in the QUEFTS model for elephant foot yam. A linear increase in corm yield was suggested by the model with N, P and K uptakes of 3.97, 0.71, and 7.05 kg N, P and K/1 000 kg corm. The average NPK ratio in total plant dry matter was 5.56:1:9.88. Based on these results, the model was calibrated using historical data as well as by conducting field experiments. It can be observed that fertilizer best management practices by SSNM resulted in an average actual corm yield of 33.45 tonnes/ha, whereas, the model predicted a yield of 35 tonnes/ha. The results of the study showed good agreement between predicted and measured corm yields during the four years, which indicated that the calibrated model can be used to improve NPK fertilizer recommendations for elephant foot yam in India. Based on the results and using soil fertility maps and agro ecological unit maps, SSNM zonation maps and secondary and micronutrient fortified customised fertilizers were developed for major elephant foot yam growing environments of India