Impact of urban growth on water bodies: The case of Hyderabad

Being located in the Deccan Plateau region, Hyderabad city has been dotted with a number of lakes, which formed very important component of its physical environment. With the increasing control of the State and private agencies over the years, and rapid urban sprawl of the city, many of the water bodies have been totally lost. Many have been shrunk in size while the waters of several lakes got polluted with the discharge of untreated domestic and industrial effluents. This study makes an attempt to analyse the transformation of common property resources (the lakes) into private property. The adverse consequences of the loss of water bodies are felt in the steep decline in water table and the resultant water crisis in several areas. Further, the severity of flooding that was witnessed in August 2000 was also due to a reduction in the carrying capacity of lakes and water channels. The State has not bothered to either implement the existing laws or pay attention to the suggestions of environmental organisations in this regard. The paper argues that in this process of loss of water bodies in Hyderabad, the State is as much responsible as private agencies in terms of the policies that it has formulated and the lack of ensuring legislation and implementation.

Impact of Urban Growth on Water Bodies - The Case of Hyderabad

Being located in the Deccan Plateau region, Hyderabad city has been dotted with a number of lakes, which formed very important component of its physical environment. With the increasing control of the State and private agencies over the years, and rapid urban sprawl of the city, many of the water bodies have been totally lost. Many have been shrunk in size while the waters of several lakes got polluted with the discharge of untreated domestic and industrial effluents. This study makes an attempt to analyse the transformation of common property resources (the lakes) into private property. The adverse consequences of the loss of water bodies are felt in the steep decline in water table and the resultant water crisis in several areas. Further, the severity of flooding that was witnessed in August 2000 was also due to a reduction in the carrying capacity of lakes and water channels. The State has not bothered to either implement the existing laws or pay attention to the suggestions of environmental organisations in this regard. The paper argues that in this process of loss of water bodies in Hyderabad, the State is as much responsible as private agencies in terms of the policies that it has formulated and the lack of ensuring legislation and implementation.Urban Growth, Water Bodies, Hyderabad

A forward planned treatment planning technique for non small cell lung cancer stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy. Based on a Systematic Review of Literature.

Purpose & Method: A systematic literature review of six computerised databases was undertaken in order to review and summarise a forward planned lung Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) treatment planning (TP) technique as a starting point for clinical implementation in the author's department based on current empirical research. The data was abstracted and content analysed to synthesize the findings based upon a SIGN quality checklist tool. Findings: A Four Dimensional Computer Tomography (4DCT) scan should be performed upon which the Internal Target Volume (ITV) and Organs at Risk (OAR) are drawn [1, 2]. A Set-up margin (SM) of 5mm is applied to account for inter-fraction motion. The field arrangement consists of a combination of 7 to 13 coplanar and non-coplanar beams all evenly spaced. Beam modifiers are used to assist in the homogeneity of the beam, although a 20% planning target volume (PTV) dose homogeneity is acceptable. The recommended fractionations by the UK SABR consortium are 54 Gy in 3#s (standard), 55–60 Gy in 5#s (conservative) and the 50-60 Gy in 8-10#s (very conservative). Conformity indices (CI) for both the target volume (TV) and OAR will be used to assess the planned distribution.) [3] Conclusion: An overview of a clinically acceptable forward planned lung SABR TP technique based on current literature as a starting point, with a view to inverse planning with support from the UK SABR Consortium mentoring scheme. [1, 2

Liver Cancer Segmentation through Enhanced Feature Extraction and Mapping using Improved Transfer Learning Techniques

The largest solid organ in the body is the liver. Numerous other vital functions it carries out include removing impurities from the blood flow, controlling blood coagulation, and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.  All blood leaving the intestines and stomach is directed to the liver as its final destination. Liver illness may be brought on by infections, inherited diseases, cancer, too many harmful substances, or other conditions.  Medical experts estimate that 1.6% of men and women in India could be diagnosed with liver cancer at some time in their life. The interpretation of liver CT scans often involves semi-manual or manual techniques; however these techniques are costly, time-consuming, subjective, and prone to error. To improve the detection of liver cancer, these issues have been addressed and a number of computer algorithms have been developed. To create a fully automated method for quickly extracting liver tumours from CT scan images

A Single Blind In vitro UV Spectrophotometry Quantitative Assay of Different Pharmaceutical Oral Preparartion of 500mg Metformin

Aim: To find out the chemical equivalence of metformin 500mg of five different manufacturers. Materials and methods: Quantitative analysis of five different brand of metformin 500mg was done by spectrophotometry. The reproducibility was tested. Throughout the study quantitative analyst was kept blind of the product. Results: The results were analysed to find out the chemical equivalence of metformin 500mg. It was found to be chemically equivalent. Conclusion: The above study revealed the assay purity of metformin 500mg of five different brands, to that of Indian pharmacopoeia prescribed standards

Randomized clinical trial to evaluate ferric carboxymaltose and iron sucrose for treatment of postpartum anaemia in a tertiary hospital

Background: Ferric carboxymaltose and iron sucrose are two iron carbohydrate complexes optimized for iron delivery and extensively used in postpartum anaemia. This study compares the efficacy and safety of ferric carboxymaltose with that of iron sucrose in patients with postpartum anaemia.Methods: One hundred women diagnosed with postpartum anaemia were randomized prospectively in a 1:1 ratio to receive either ferric carboxymaltose or iron sucrose. Fifty patients received intravenous iron carboxymaltose depending on the iron deficit at rate of 1000 mg/week and fifty patients received intravenous iron sucrose at a rate of 200 mg/day on alternate days till the calculated dose is given.Results: Fifty patients were enrolled in each treatment group. Both groups showed increases in mean haemoglobin from baseline at 2 weeks and 6 weeks. The increase in haemoglobin was significantly higher in ferric carboxymaltose group compared to iron sucrose at both week 2 (2.64±0.91 versus 2.17±0.76; p=0.010) and week 6 timepoints (4.65±1.17 versus 3.96±1.06; p=0.005). The proportion of patients achieving target haemoglobin of 12 gm/dl was significantly higher in ferric carboxymaltose group compared to iron sucrose at week 6 (77.3% versus 50.0%; p=0.013). The incidence of adverse events was similar across treatment groups and no specific safety concerns were observed.Conclusions: Both ferric carboxymaltose and iron sucrose caused increase in baseline haemoglobin. Ferric carboxymaltose had significantly higher increases in haemoglobin compared to iron sucrose at both follow up timepoints (week 2 and week 6). It was more likely to achieve target haemoglobin with ferric carboxymaltose within 6 weeks compared to iron sucrose. Ferric carboxymaltose may be considered in women with postpartum anaemia for faster rise in haemoglobin while requiring fewer injections compared to iron sucrose

RANITIDINE CONTROLLED RELEASE ANTI-REFLUX SUSPENSION FOR GASTRO-OESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE AND IT’S IN VITRO EVALUATION

Objective: The aim of this work was to develop triple action controlled release anti-reflux suspension of ranitidine and its in-vitro evaluation of anti-reflux and controlled release properties. Methods: The formulation was optimized using sodium alginate as a gelling agent along with calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium hydroxide, aluminium hydroxide as alkalizing agents and colloidal microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as a suspending agent at various concentrations and arrived at an optimized formulation for its best quality attributes. To avoid initial release in water before administration, ranitidine coated MCC sphere was incorporated into powder formulation and subjected to in vitro characteristics like raft strength, acid neutralizing capacity, pH, viscosity and dissolution study. The obtained results were assessed using Minitab 17 statistical software to conclude the study design. Results: Formulation containing 300 mg of ranitidine along with 750 mg alginate has shown better anti-reflux characteristics like raft strength 18±2g, acid neutralizing capacity 17±1 mEq compared to other formulations. This formulation has also shows zero-order controlled release in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF) up to 10 h compared to the formulation without alginate. Further, to this optimized formulation has shown negligible change in the assay of ranitidine even after 3 mo at 40 °C temperature and 75% RH. Conclusion: The developed stable sustained release powder for suspension has the combined therapeutic efficacy as an antacid and anti-reflux drug suitable for the management and treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) unlike the existing drugs possessing only reflux resistance action

Synthesis, Spectroscopic Characterization, and Biological Activities of Metal Complexes of 4-((4-Chlorophenyl)diazenyl)-2-(( p-

Azo Schiff base complexes of VO(II), Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) have been synthesized from 4-((4-chlorophenyl)diazenyl)-2-((p-tolylimino)methyl)phenol (CDTMP). The nature of bonding and the structural features of the complexes have been deduced from elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility measurements, IR, UV-Vis, 1H-NMR, EPR, mass, SEM, and fluorescence spectral studies. Spectroscopic and other analytical studies reveal square-planar geometry for copper, square-pyramidal geometry for oxovanadium, and octahedral geometry for other complexes. The EPR spectra of copper(II) complex in DMSO at 300 K and 77 K were recorded, and its salient features are reported. Antimicrobial studies against several microorganisms indicate that the complexes are more potent bactericides and fungicides than the ligand. The electrochemical behavior of the copper(II) complex was studied by cyclic voltammetry. All the synthesized compounds can serve as potential photoactive materials as indicated from their characteristic fluorescence properties. The second harmonic conversion efficiency of the synthesized azo Schiff base was found to be higher than that of urea and KDP (potassium dihydrogen phosphate). SEM image of copper(II) complex implies the crystalline state and surface morphology of the complex

Maternal serum selenium as a predictor of preeclampsia

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertension disorder condition occurring in 7-10% of all pregnancies. Preeclampsia if unidentified and left untreated is associated with poor maternal and fetal adverse outcomes. The objective of the present study was to characterize maternal serum selenium levels as a predictor of preeclampsia and to correlate dietary selenium intake with serum selenium levels in first trimester of pregnancyMethods: A retrospective case-control study of 107 pregnant women was conducted over 1.5 years at St. John’s Medical College Hospital. On screening for inclusion criteria, at baseline, information on maternal socio-demography, anthropometry, dietary intake and clinical examination was collected. A venous blood sample at baseline and 2nd or 3rdtrimester of pregnancy was collected for estimation of selenium concentrations. Blood pressure was measured at baseline and followed up during pregnancy to select cases and controls. Pregnant women were termed ‘cases’ based on NHBPEP (National High Blood Pressure Education Program) classification and subsequent 22 women with normal blood pressure controlled for age were termed as ‘controls.Results: No statistically significant differences were observed for baseline characteristics, biochemical parameters and blood pressure at recruitment among cases and controls. Cases had significant lower levels of energy (P=0.032) and micronutrients like zinc (P=0.027), selenium (P=0.022), magnesium (P=0.047) at first trimester. The serum selenium levels were significantly higher in cases as compared to the controls (69.2±13.7 vs. 59.6±12.9; P=0.021) at baseline.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that serum selenium levels may not be an independent predictor of preeclampsia. Assessment of other micronutrients, oxidative stress markers and other complementary elements may be useful in predicting preeclampsia