Paradigm shift and diversity in finance

This study provides an overview about the paradigms and to highlight the paradigm to which finance belongs. It discusses four paradigms on the basis of their ontology, epistemology, axiology and research methodology. Rather than creating new paradigm, it explains the role of paradigms other than Positivist paradigm in Finance. It concludes that positivist paradigm must adopt the tools of other paradigms to gain more and to enhance its ability to contribute more to the world knowledge. This study will be a helpful contribution for the finance the researcher s to follow the other approaches of other paradigms as well along with positivism paradigm and to use multi-method research designs

A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON PREVALENCE AND TREATMENT OF URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL IN TELANGANA STATE

Objective: To study the Prevalence of urinary tract infections and related risk factors and to study the Management of urinary tract infections. Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in General Medicine Department, Osmania General Hospital (OGH), a tertiary care teaching hospital in Telangana State, where patients presenting or highly suspicious of having UTIs were included in the study. Pregnant women, Children, Patients who are not willing to participate were excluded from the study. Data was collected in predesigned Data collection forms. Results: Over a period of 6 Mo a total of 75 UTI cases were observed in General Medicine Department of OGH, which included 33 Males, and 42 Females. High prevalence of UTI were observed in Females in the middle age group i.e. 31-45 y, whereas in Males, in senior adult group i.e.,>60 y. The age group 18-30 y have shown the dominance of Uncomplicated UTIs(19%) and Primary UTIs (17%) and the age group>60 y have shown the dominance of Complicated UTIs (25%) and Recurrent UTIs(23%). The most common causative organism was found to be E. coli (69.3%). It was confirmed that the most common risk factor was found to be Diabetes Mellitus, followed by Hypertension and Chronic Kidney Disease. The most common antibiotic prescribed for UTI was Piperacillin+Tazobactum and for fungal UTIs, an antifungal drug i.e., Fluconazole was prescribed. Conclusion: E. coli are the major cause of UTIs among patients It is discovered that UTI is common among females. Hospitalisation, married individuals, Diabetes mellitus, genitourinary tract abnormalities, congestive cardiac failure, hypertension, prostatitis and female gender are the most important risk factors of UTIs. Appropriate measures may help to reduce UTIs due to these associated factors

Human papilloma virus infection: vaccine knowledge attitude, and informational behavior among undergraduate students

Background: The study aimed to know the Human Papilloma Virus infection, vaccine knowledge attitude, and informational behavior among university students. Methodology: The study was conducted on students of Government College University Faisalabad from January 2022 to March 2022. The study consisted of a questionnaire that verbalized the awareness and prevalence of HPV in particular age groups male and female students. The questionnaire was divided into four sections to assess the awareness, knowledge, and behavior of students toward the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Results: In the demographic representation about 85% (n=235 out of 275) of students belong to the age group of 18-22 while 14% (n=38 out of 275) students were from 23 to 24 years old. 23%(n=64) students were males while 76%(n=211) participants were females. Figures collected showed that 1%(n=3) participants were married while the remaining (about 98%) were single. According to the figures, about 70% of the partakers knew about the mode of transmission and the complications caused by the Human Papilloma Virus while 34% of all the students had no idea about HPV, its transmission, complications, or treatment. 65% had an idea that HPV causes genital warts and 75% were aware of the HPV vaccine. Moreover, 65% of students thought condoms as a source of prevention against HPV and 54% marked contact with body fluids as a mode of transmission of HPV. Conclusion: The knowledge and attitude towards HPV infection and HPV-related diseases and HPV vaccine among female students in the Government College University Faisalabad were significant. There is a need of well-defined education programs in the form of seminars, workshops and symposiums on the awareness of HPV infection are necessary to fill the knowledge gap among general population

A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON THE ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL DRUG-DRUG INTERACTIONS AND MANAGEMENT OF POST-COMPLICATIONS IN STROKE PATIENTS AT A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the occurrence, frequency, and severity of significant drug-drug interactions in stroke patients, with an emphasis on post complications and their symptomatic management. Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out for 6 mo at Osmania General Hospital, a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital. The prescriptions taken by stroke patients throughout their hospital stay were analyzed for possible interactions using-Micromedex-2 (Thomson Reuters) × 2.0. Results: A total of 130 prescriptions was analyzed in the study in which 141 drug-drug interactions were found with a male predominance of 85.4%. The majority of interactions were of moderate severity (74.46%) and pharmacokinetics (67.37%) in nature. Among the clinical consequences, decreased atorvastatin efficacy (49.10%) was found to be the highest. The class of drugs most commonly involved in drug-drug interactions was found to be anti-epileptics and statins. 60.15% of the study population were identified with one complication, among which seizures account for 15% of patients. All the complications allied with the condition were treated with drug classes in the study population. Conclusion: This study highlighted the exigency for screening prescriptions of cerebrovascular accident patients for potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs). Brain edema and seizure were the most accountable complications identified in the study population. The early detection of these problems can improve stroke outcomes and can reduce the mortality or disability rate

Pharmacological evaluation of Vernonia elaeagnifolia (Asteraceae) leaves in hyperlipidemic albino rabbits

Purpose: To evaluate the antihyperlipidemic efficacy and phytochemical constituents of Vernonia elaeagnifolia aqueous leaf extract.Method: Qualitative phytochemical analysis of V. elaeagnifolia leaves was performed. Thirty healthy albino rabbits were divided into six groups (n = 6). Cholesterol powder (0.5 g/kg) in 10 mL coconut oil (vehicle) was given orally to induce hyperlipidemia. The aqueous leaf extract of Vernonia elaeagnifolia was administered at 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg per oral. Lipid profile, hepatic enzymes and oxidative stress markers were evaluated.Results: Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of tannins, proteins, flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids and saponins. Oral administration of cholesterol powder significantly (p < 0.05) raised the level of serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and triglyceride (TG) along with significant (p < 0.05) decrease in serum concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc). Concentration of serum TC, LDL-c, TG and liver enzymes was significantly reduced in V. elaeagnifolia-treated groups. The levels of oxidative stress markers were restored to normal when the animals were treated with V. elaeagnifolia leaf extract; increased levels of antioxidant enzymes were observed.Conclusion: The aqueous leaf extract of V. elaeagnifolia possesses antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant potentials that are dose-dependent. However, further studies are required to develop the plant for therapeutic applications.Keywords: Hyperlipidemia, Oxidative stress markers, Cholesterol, Vernonia elaeagnifoli

A study on assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of premenstrual syndrome among female in urban area

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a significant clinical disorder affecting a substantial percentage of women. This study aims to investigate the existence, knowledge, and attitude of female students towards PMS. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted, with 250 female participants between the ages of 18 to 30 years. The participants completed a self-reporting menstrual distress questionnaire (MDQ) and a standardized health questionnaire to assess the prevalence and severity of premenstrual symptoms and also to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of PMS for subjective perceptions of health, stress, lifestyle, and demographic variables. The questionnaire was set in four parts, one each to assess the knowledge, the attitude, and practices regarding PMS and one to assess the gap between self-perceived PMS and actual PMS. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: The results revealed that 80% of the participants reported experiencing PMS, but only 48% met the criteria defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). The most common symptoms reported were irritability, mood swings, headache, fatigue, and menstrual cramps. PMS had a significant impact on participants’ normal life, with 60.4% reporting disturbances in their routine. While 51.2% believed that PMS/menstrual leave should be an option at universities, only 39.2% supported the idea at the workplace. Conclusions: Surprisingly, over 60% of participants did nothing to relieve their PMS symptoms. So, there is a significant impact of PMS in the lives of urban women and it is also a common problem all over the globe. The study underscores the need for increased awareness and education about PMS and its management, as well as the importance of promoting a stress-free environment to mitigate its impact on women’s quality of life

PTEROCARPUS MARSUPIUM EXTRACTION AND EVALUATION FOR DIABETIC NEUROPATHY

Herbal medicines are considered to offer gentle means of managing chronic diseases at a lower cost. Traditional Medicines derived from medicinal plants are used by about 60% of the world’s population. Diabetes is an important human ailment afflicting many from various walks of life in different countries. In India it is proving to be a major health problem, especially in the urban areas. Pterocarpus marsupium. (PM) heartwood and bark have been majorly used as antidiabetic remedies in many cultures for thousands of years. The aim of this research is to address the existing evidence on antidiabetic Neuropathy effects of the P. marsupium by tail flick method and Eddy’s hot plate method by Thermal hypoalgesia. In this research work , Experimental Study Design for Diabetic neuropathy screening the animals were divided into Group-I: Rats served as normal control group. Group-II: served as diabetic/disease control. Group-III: Diabetic rats treated with PM , at a dose 50mg/kg (low dose).GroupIV: Diabetic rats treated with PM at a dose of 100mg/kg (high dose). Group V: Diabetic rats treated with Diclofenac sodium (standard drug) at 100mg/kg. Diabetic neuropathy alterations were tested using thermal hypoalgesia and Tail flick responses. By the results Pterocarpus Marsupium is having Neuro protective activity in diabetic animals. Keywords: Anti diabetic neuropathy, Pterocarpus marsupium, Standard drug, Tail flick method, thermal hypoalgesia metho

Variation in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, augmentation pressure and augmentation index during different phases of menstrual cycle: Indicators of arterial stiffness during phases of menstrual cycle

Physiological variation of estrogen and progesterone during menstrual cycle is well known.  They not only have an effect on blood pressure control, but also seem to have a role in regulating arterial compliance. This study was done to find out whether there are any changes in central arterial parameters during different phases of menstrual cycle. Thirty female  subjects  in the  age  group  of  18-22  years  with  normal,  regular menstrual  cycles  participated in this prospective observational study at our teaching hospital. Anthropometric parameters were recorded.  Blood pressure in all 4 limbs was recorded using cardiovascular risk analyzer-Periscope™ on Day 3rd to 5th (follicular phase), Day 12th to 14th (ovulation phase), Day 22nd to 24th (luteal phase) of their menstrual cycle. We collected blood samples during these three phases for estimation of estradiol and progesterone by ELISA technique. Analysis of variance and correlation statistics were done using SPSS 17.0 statistical software. No significant statistical changes were observed in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, aortic systolic pressure, aortic diastolic pressure, aortic augmentation pressure, aortic index and pulse wave velocity during the three recorded phases of the menstrual cycle. There are many studies which correlate changes in peripheral artery blood pressure with different phases of menstrual cycle. But there is scarcity in data available which correlates central arterial pressures and arterial stiffness with natural hormonal variations in different phases of menstrual cycle. However, our results show that although there are subtle changes in blood pressure parameters along with estrogen and progesterone levels throughout the menstrual cycle, yet these were not statistically significant

A Study On Assessment Of Clinical Profile And Quality Of Life Of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure In Tertiary Care Hospital

Heart failure is a prevalent chronic disease worldwide, and acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is characterized by sudden or gradual onset of heart failure symptoms requiring unplanned medical attention. The study aims to examine the    clinical presentation, and Quality of life of ADHF in a tertiary care hospital, along with the demographic characteristics. The study highlights the impact of ADHF on physical and emotional well-being and help identify potential risk factors and complications. It was a prospective observational study conducted at a tertiary care hospital for a period of 6 months and 75 Patients were included. Patients were evaluated clinically and with laboratory tests. Data were collected and analysed. The majority of patients were female (84%).  A combination of Diabetes and Hypertension (25.3%) was the most common past medical illness found in the patients. The most common presenting symptom was shortness of breath 42(56%). Ischemic stroke was the most common complication (20%). The overall score of Qol was found to be mostly between 51-75 (61.4%) and the mean was 52.81. In conclusion the findings will provide valuable insights into the clinical characteristics and QoL of ADHF patients. Periodic QoL assessments could contribute to better patient management and overall outcomes in ADHF. However, as the study is conducted in a single center with a limited sample size, the results should be interpreted with caution and cannot be generalised to the broader population

Incidence and etiology of omphalitis in Pakistan: a community-based cohort study

Introduction: Although omphalitis (umbilical infections) among newborns is common and a major cause of neonatal deaths in developing countries, information on its burden and etiology from community settings is lacking. This study aimed to determine the incidence and etiology of omphalitis in newborns in high neonatal mortality settings in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology: Trained community health workers surveyed all new births in three low-income areas from September 2004 to August 2007. Pus samples from the umbilical stumps were obtained from babies with pre-defined signs of illness and subjected to culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Results: Among 6904 births, 1501 (21.7%) newborns were diagnosed with omphalitis. Of these, 325 (21.6%) were classified as mild, 1042 (69.4%) as moderate, and 134 (8.9%) as severe, 141 (9.3%) were associated with clinical signs of sepsis. The incidence of omphalitis was 217.4/1000 live births, moderate-severe omphalitis 170.3 per 1000 live births, and associated with sepsis 20.4 per 1000 live births. Of 853 infants with purulent umbilical discharge, 64% yielded 583 isolates. The most common pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus, of which 291 (95.7%) were methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and 13 (4.2%) methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Streptococcus pyogenes 105 (18%), Group B beta-hemolytic streptococci 59 (10 %), Pseudomonas spp., 52 (8.9 %), Aeromonas spp. 19 (3.2%), and Klebsiella spp. 12 (2%). Conclusions: A high burden of omphalitis can be associated with sepsis among newborns in low-income communities in Pakistan. S. aureus is the most common pathogen isolated from umbilical pus. Appropriate low-cost prevention strategies need to be implemented