Investigation of water quality changes in drinking water supplied from Sitlee water treatment plant on River Tawi to Old Jammu City, Jammu, J&K, India

In the present study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the water quality changes in River Tawi water treated at Sitlee water treatment plant, and supplied for drinking to Old Jammu City, Jammu, J&K, India. Water samples from the treated water unit of Sitlee water treatment plant and around ten houses from the distribution point (Old Jammu City) were analyzed monthly for various physicochemical parameters for a period of one year (February 2014 to January 2015). The study indicated deterioration of drinking water quality during its passage through the distribution network which has been attributed to the leakages and defects in the old pipe system supplying water to the Jammu city. Comparison of analyzed water quality parameters with the drinking water standards prescribed by World Health Organization (WHO) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) indicated that parameters like DO (7.49-8.24mg/l), calcium(49.93-67.08mg/l), magnesium(16.14-25.21mg/l) and potassium(6.99-7.93mg/l) were almost nearing the desirable limits but were within the permissible limits and parameters like turbidity(3.5-8.17 NTU) and total hardness(78.87-120.50mg/l) were above the desirable limits in the water samples collected from the distribution point. The collected primary data for the thirteen water quality parameters has been used to calculate the Arithmetic Water Quality Index(WQI) which has shown monsoon increase with higher values at distribution point(65.65). One time microbial analysis (MPN/100ml) for total and faecal coliform has indicated presence of faecal coliform (<1/100ml) in water samples from eight households at distribution point which indicates contamination of water with human faecal matter during its passage through the distribution network. According to microbial standards laid down by Central Pollution Control Board (2008), water contaminated with faecal coliform is unfit for drinking without conventional treatment

Geospatial mapping and drinking water quality status of fluoride endemic hilly District Doda (J&K), India

In the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the drinking water quality status of various surface and ground water sources and the supplied water from two water filtration plants supplying drinking water to Doda town and its adjoining areas by using Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WQI) and geospatial mapping techniques. Doda is fluoride endemic district of Jammu and Kashmir State where groundwater fluoride concentration upto 7.0 mg/L is recorded. Water samples collected from about twenty two drinking water sources from two blocks of Doda district (Bhagwah and Doda blocks) were analyzed at pre-determined locations marked using handheld GPS(Montana 650). These locations formed the attribute database for the study based on which fluoride distribution maps have been derived and integrated with Arithmetic WQI through Inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation technique. Prepared thematic maps have confirmed the vulnerability of the drinking water sources and water supply systems in the study area, thus, posing a serious public health concern. Based on the WQI, water quality status of Beoli filtration plant (WQI=43.26) falls under the category of good water whereas that of Moochan filtration plant (WQI=157.41) has been classified as unfit for drinking. The geochemical evolution of the water studied using Piper’s diagram has shown mixed type of hydrochemical facies. Coefficient of correlation(r) between different parameters has indicated significant correlation between several parameters.  The study urges the concerned government authorities to make provisions for providing safe drinking water to public which is free of turbidity and low in fluoride concentration

Limnology of Surinsar lake, Jammu (J&K State): Part I- Protozoa

Zooplanktonic analysis of Surinsar lake, Jammu, during the year 2002-2004, has shown the presence of fifty one species of protozoans belonging to three classes viz. Sarcodina (32 spp), Ciliata (16 spp.) and Mastigophora (3 spp.). Quantitatively, during the year 2002-03, there was dominance of Sarcodina followed by Ciliata and Mastigophra. In the subsequent year viz. 2003-04, the order of quantitative dominance has been observed as Ciliata> Sarcodina and> Mastigophora. Coefficient of correlation(r) of protozoans with various physico-chemical parameters has generally shown insignificant results. The calculated value of ANOVA of various protozoan classes was significant and the means of various classes differed significantly among themselves indicating their significant contribution to total protozoan population

Drug utilisation and self medication pattern of anti-fungal drugs in dermatology outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital

Background: Fungal infections have become increasingly prevalent. Self-medication is a common health care practice to treat fungal diseases or for symptomatic relief. Because of self-medication drug-sensitive fungal pathogens have gradually developed resistance. Aims and objectives of the study was to define the pattern of antifungal drug use and self-medication pattern for common fungal infections of skin in dermatology outpatient.Methods: The present study was an Observational, descriptive, cross sectional study conducted at Dermatology OPD of MGM Medical College, Kamothe. All adult patients with fungal infections of the skin attending the Dermatology OPD were enrolled. A study performa was specifically designed to record information related to demographic, disease profile and medications prescribed.Results: A total of 200 patient’s prescriptions were analysed. Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was found to be 20.26%, Percentage of drugs prescribed from National Essential Drug List 2015 was found to be 79.74%. There were no encounters with antibiotic and parenteral preparations. Only 5.16% of the drugs prescribed were fixed dose combination (FDC) as compared to 94.93% as Monotherapy. Most frequently prescribed anti-fungal agents were the azoles; amongst which Imidazoles (53.33%) were the commonest. Most commonly prescribed individual antifungal was oral Terbinafine (64.81%) and topical was Eberconazole (58.49%). The dosage form most frequently encountered was Cream (92.45%). The prevalence of self-medication for dermatological conditions among patients was 62.26%. Most of the drugs for self-medication were topical (creams) FDC of antifungal and steroids. Around 78% of the self-medication information was obtained from the chemists.Conclusions: The study documented physician preference for Monotherapy than FDC. Prescribers need to be made aware for prescribing generic and essential drugs, thus ensuring rational utilization. They also need to counsel and discourage patients from self-medication

Drug utilization study in Cardiology outpatient department at a tertiary care hospital

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world particularly in South Asian population. With advent of newer, highly efficacious heterogeneous drugs and changing treatment guidelines, there’s a need to identify the cardiologist preference and prescribing patterns for rational utilization.Methods: It was an open label, prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive type of study conducted in Cardiology Outpatients at a Tertiary care hospital, Navi Mumbai. The study included 100 patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases attending cardiology outpatient department from October 2016 to March 2017. Informed consent was obtained and the currently prescribed drug details were recorded from prescription. The data was analysed for WHO core prescribing indicators and different types of drugs prescribed.Results: The average number of drug products prescribed was 3.4. Most commonly prescribed drugs were Antiplatelets (23%) followed by Statins (19.71%), β blockers (16%), Nitrates (11.70%), Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (8.03%), Calcium channel blockers (5.50%), Angiotensin receptor blockers (4.70%), Diuretics (2.55%), Anticoagulant (1.83%), α+β blocker (1.46%), Cardiac glycosides ((1.09%), Potassium sparing diuretic and central sympatholytics. Majority of drugs were prescribed as single drugs (79.88%) while 20.11% as fixed dose combination (FDC). The combination of Telmisartan + Hydrochlorthiazide was the commonest prescribed FDC. Majority drugs were prescribed from NEDL 2015, but documented low generic prescribing.Conclusions: Antiplatelet and Statins dominated the prescribing pattern with high prescribing trend from national essential drug list, but showed scope for improvement in encouraging the cardiologist to prescribe by generic name

Thickness dependent mechanical properties of soft ferromagnetic two-dimensional CoTe2

Two dimensional (2D) layered transition-metal-based tellurides (chalcogens) are known to harness their surface atoms characteristics to enhance topographical activities for energy conversion, storage, and magnetic applications. High surface energy due to unsaturated dangling bonds and larger lateral size than the thickness (volume) makes them a potential candidate for emerging electronics. Nevertheless, the gradual stacking of each sheet alters the surface atoms' subtle features, such as lattice expansion, leading to several phenomena and rendering tunable properties. In the present work, we have monitored thickness-dependent properties of the 2D CoTe2 sheets from nanoscale mechanics, tribology, surface potential distributions, interfacial interaction and magnetism using atomically resolved spectroscopy and different surface probe techniques, in conjunction with theoretical investigations: density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD). The variation in properties observed in theoretical investigation unleashes the crucial role of crystal planes of the CoTe2. The presented results are beneficial in expanding the use of 2D telluride family in flexible electronics, piezo sensors, tribo-generator, and next-generation memory devices

Traditional practices for sustainable livelihood in Kandi belt of Jammu

548-552Present investigation was carried out with the 90 informants selected from nine villages of the Kandi belt of Kathua, Samba and Udhampur districts of Jammu division with the objectives to identify the important tree species having traditional uses in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">kandi belt of Jammu region and document the traditional practices involving different tree species by the farmers of kandi belt of Jammu region in the sustainable development. Findings reveal that people of the kandi belt use <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Butea monosperma Lamk. Taub in Engl &amp; Prantl leaves for making <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">doona &amp; pattals; Saccharum munja Roxb. (Khar-sarut) for roofing of houses, cattle sheds, dry fodder storage structures, boundary fencing of sheds, thatching for off-season/forced vegetable cultivation, broom, ropes, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">moodey and toys making. Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd ex Del., and Acacia modesta Wall &amp; Roxb for making planker (Patta/Suhaga),panjali (Jungla of plough), as fencing material and for making indigenous tool (locally known as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Sangi) used for fencing. Grewia optiva J.R. Drum. ex Burrett for making agricultural implements, handles of sickles, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">khurpi, kodal, making baskets and as fuel and fodder. Cassia fistula Linn; Brandis F. in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Adhatoda vasica Nees for mulching, fruits ripening, roofing of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">kaccha houses and cattle sheds,and checks soil erosion. Dendrocalamus strictus (Roxb.) Nees for shabri, bamboo chairs, bamboo mats, etc. making

Prediction of T and B Cell Epitopes in the Proteome of SARS-CoV-2 for Potential Use in Diagnostics and Vaccine Design

The world is currently battling the Covid-19 pandemic for which there is no therapy available. Prophylactic measures like vaccines can effectively thwart the disease burden. The current methods of detection are PCR based and require skilled manpower to operate. The availability of cheap and ready to use diagnostics like serological methods can ease the detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus. In the current study, immunoinformatics tools have been used to predict T and B cell epitopes present in all the proteins of this virus. NetMHCPan, NetCTL and NetMHCII servers were used for T cell epitope prediction while BepiPred and ABCPred were used for B cell epitope prediction. Population coverage analysis for T cell epitopes revealed that these could provide protection to the people throughout world. The T cell epitopes can exclusively used for vaccine design whereas B cell epitopes can be used for both vaccine design and developing diagnostic kits. </p