PATTERN OF ANTIBIOTICS UTILIZATION IN NEONATAL SEPTICEMIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY FROM RURAL TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL WESTERN MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Objective: To assess the quantification of use of antibiotics and to find out empiric antibiotic regimen practiced for neonatal sepsis in rural tertiary health care centre.Methods: A hospital, record based cross-sectional study was conducted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit(NICU) at tertiary care hospital located in western Maharashtra, India. The study was planned during the year 2011-12 among 84 neonates with sepsis. Data were collected by using proforma includes demographic details, antibiotic prescriptions and relevant information.Results: Among the total 84 neonates, max, 60.71% had a history of term delivery. The proportion of early and late onset of sepsis was 47.61% and 52.38% for which total 18 antibiotics were used of which max, 88.88% were injectables. Amikacin was used in max, 78.57% neonates followed by cefotaxime, 45.23% and ampicillin, 35.71% in single or combination form respectively. Amikacin was used for max; 929 d followed by cefotaxime, 523 d and ampicillin 331 d respectively. Antibiotics used in single, double and multiple regimens were 19.04%, 46.42% and 34.52% respectively. Empiric antibiotic regimens practiced were cefotaxim+amikacin and cefotaxim+ampicillin, of which max, 80% patients were treated with the cefotaxim+amikacin antibiotic regimen. Out of 84 neonates max, 70% were improved at the time of discharge.Conclusion: Neonatal sepsis was well treated by cefotaxim+amikacin empirical injectable regimen with maximum survival

Correlates of the menstrual problems among rural college students of Satara district

Background: Menstruation, an important part of female reproductive cycle but menstrual dysfunction in adolescent girls may affect normal life of adolescent and young adult women. Objectives: To study the frequency of common menstrual problems and to determine the association between patterns of menstrual cycles with common menstrual problems, nutritional and economic status of rural college girls. Methodology: Cross Sectional study was conducted among college girls of rural area of Satara district, western Maharashtra, India during month of Jan- February 2011.107, age between 17-20 years from educational course of first year B.A. & B.COM. Data was collected by personal interview method and clinical examination of respondents with the help of pretested structured proforma, Weighing machine, Height measuring scale, Haemoglobin assessment strips. Results: Out of 107 girls,79 girls (73.8%) had regular menstrual cycles whereas 28 (26.1%) had irregular menstruation cycles with mean age at menarche 14.1 yrs. 40(37.3%) girls had normal (average) menstrual bleeding whereas scanty and heavy bleeding was seen in 61(57%) and 6(5.6%) girls. Duration of menstrual bleeding for 1-2 days was seen in 75(70%) girls whereas >5 days in 7(6.5%) girls. Dysmenorrhoea observed in 24(22.4%) girls, Anemia seen in 62(57.9%) girls, Under nutrition in 52(48.5%) girls, Obesity in 7(6.5%) while 42(39.2%) girls belonged to lower socioeconomic class. Significant statistical association existed between type of menstrual cycle and anemia, nutritional status, amount of bleeding and dysmenorrhoea. Conclusion: Menstrual health is fundamental to women’s sexual and reproductive health. The present study has established mean age at menarche 14.1year. Poor nutritional status, anemia, low socioeconomic status often associated with menstrual problems, menstrual cycle regularity and mean age at menarche

EFFECTIVENESS OF PLANNED TEACHING PROGRAMME ON KNOWLEDGE REGARDING CERVICAL CANCER AMONG WOMENâ€.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of planned teaching programme (PTP) on knowledge regarding cervical cancer among women at selected urban area Karad and to find out the association between knowledge scores with selected sociodemographic variables among women in selected urban areas at Karad.Methods: Evaluative research approach was used for the study and conducted in urban area Koyana Vasahat, Karad, Maharashtra, India, using one group pre- and post-test design. Systematic proportionate sampling technique was used for selecting 60 women. On the 1st day, structured knowledge questionnaire was used for collecting data, and PTP on knowledge regarding cervical cancer was conducted, followed by posttest on the 7th  day. The data collected, tabulated, and analyzed in terms of objectives of the study using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: The mean pretest value was 7 and the mean posttest value was 11 with a difference of 4. The paired t-value was 10.2, (p<0.05) showing a significant increase in the knowledge regarding cervical cancer and its prevention. There was no significant association between knowledge scores of women with the selected demographic variables.Conclusion: The study showed that the PTP on cervical cancer was effective in improving the knowledge of women and thus helps them to understand the harmful effects of cervical cancer as well as to take necessary steps for early detection and prevention.Keywords: Effectiveness, Planned teaching programme, Cervical cancer, Knowledge, Women

Facile green synthesis and characterization of Terminalia arjuna bark phenolic–selenium nanogel: a biocompatible and green nano-biomaterial for multifaceted biological applications

Biogenic nanoparticle production is in demand as it is secure, has great promise, and is environmental friendly. This study aimed at green synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of Terminalia arjuna selenium nanoparticles (TA-SeNPs) for their antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer activities, and their incorporation in gel for biomedical applications. The bio-reduction attributes of the T. arjuna (TA) bark extract were utilized to fabricate selenium nanoparticles. The TA bark extract is abundant in phenolics (193.63 ± 1.61 mg gallic acid equivalents/g), flavonoids (88.23 ± 0.39 mg quercetin equivalents/g), and tannins (109.46 ± 1.16 mg catechin equivalents/g), which perform as effective capping and stabilizing agents, thus enabling the fabrication of stable SeNPs. The fabrication of TA-SeNPs was corroborated by UV–visible spectra, which exhibited surface plasmon resonance at 291 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated nano-sized spherical TA-SeNPs with an average diameter ranging from 100 to 150 nm. Zeta potential analysis revealed that TA-SeNPs were negatively charged (−26.1 mV). X-ray diffraction presented amorphous TA-SeNPs with a quantification of 82.36 ± 10.2 μg/mL resulting from ICP-AES. The IC50 45.18 ± 0.11 μg/mL for the DPPH assay and 66.51% reducing power capacity values indicated that the TA-SeNPs possessed excellent radical scavenging efficacy. Moreover, the TA-SeNPs exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against potential pathogens. Additionally, the TA-SeNPs exhibited a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, with an IC50 of 23.41 μg/mL. Furthermore, the TA-SeNP-incorporated gel showed excellent spreadability, extrudability, and consistency with retention of antimicrobial properties and hydrophilic contact angle. As an outcome, TA-SeNPs offer the possibility of the formulation and growth of sustainably designed green SeNPs that can be produced, conserved, and marketed securely across the globe

Effect of hot calendering on physical properties and water vapor transfer resistance of bacterial cellulose films

This work investigates the effect of hot calendering on bacterial cellulose (BC) films properties, aiming the achievement of good transparency and barrier property. A comparison was made using vegetal cellulose (VC) films on a similar basis weight of around 40 g.m-2. The optical-structural, mechanical and barrier property of BC films were studied and compared with those of highly beaten VC films. The Youngs moduli and tensile index of the BC films are much higher than those obtained for VC (14.5 16.2 GPa vs 10.8 8.7 GPa and 146.7 64.8 N.m.g-1 vs 82.8 40.5 N.m.g-1), respectively. Calendering increased significantly the transparency of BC films from 53.0 % to 73.0 %. The effect of BC ozonation was also studied. Oxidation with ozone somewhat enhanced the brightness and transparency of the BC films, but at the expenses of slightly lower mechanical properties. BC films exhibited a low water vapor transfer rate, when compared to VC films and this property decreased by around 70 % following calendering, for all films tested. These results show that calendering could be used as a process to obtain films suitable for food packaging applications, where transparency, good mechanical performance and barrier properties are important. The BC films obtained herein are valuable products that could be a good alternative to the highly used plastics in this industry.The authors thank FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) and FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) for the financial support of the project FCT PTDC/AGR-FOR/3090/2012— FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027948 and the awarding of a research grant for Vera Costa