The wisdom of crowds and the repurposing of artesunate as an anticancer drug.

Artesunate, a semi-synthetic and water-soluble artemisinin-derivative used as an anti-malarial agent, has attracted the attention of cancer researchers due to a broad range of anti-cancer activity including anti-angiogenic, immunomodulatory and treatment-sensitisation effects. In addition to pre-clinical evidence in a range of cancers, a recently completed randomised blinded trial in colorectal cancer has provided a positive signal for further clinical investigation. Used perioperatively artesunate appears to reduce the rate of disease recurrence - and the Neo-Art trial, a larger Phase II RCT, is seeking to confirm this positive effect. However, artesunate is a generic medication, and as with other trials of repurposed drugs, the Neo-Art trial does not have commercial sponsorship. In an innovative move, the trial is seeking funds directly from members of the public via a crowd-funding strategy that may have resonance beyond this single trial

A questionnaire-based exploratory study on self medication among second year MBBS students

Background: The practice of self-medication is expected to be higher in health science students due to their exposure to knowledge about different diseases and drugs. This study was done to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of self-medication and to compare the impact of knowledge of Pharmacology on it, among second-year MBBS students.Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire consisting of both open-ended and close-ended questions was prepared and given to second-year medical students of Kurnool medical college, Kurnool. Data was analysed and entered in Microsoft Excel (version 2019), and associations were tested using the Chi-square test. The results are expressed as counts and percentages. Statistical significance was p<0.05.Results: Among the respondents, 37.33% are practising self- medication, 54.66% think knowledge of Pharmacology aids students to practice without any dire consequences. Most of the students take for fever (95.33%), (97.33%) for cough, cold, sore throat.84% were aware that it’s not safe to take drugs pertaining to alternate systems of medicine like Ayurveda, homoeopathy. A statistically significant association between knowledge, attitude, practice and gender and residence has been observed.Conclusions: The study shows that students are aware that self-medication is dangerous when followed by lay people. On the other hand, health professionals with knowledge about medications can take self-medication for common conditions without any dire consequences. They are also aware that it’s not safe to take medications that come under alternate systems of medicines, and WhatsApp consultation is not to be encouraged

Removal of heavy metals Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II) from waste waters using synthesized chromium doped nickel oxide nano particles

Adsorption of metal ions Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II) are observed on chromium doped nickel nano metal oxide. Chromium doped nickel oxide was synthesized by combustion technique using glycine as a fuel. In this work, transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and  Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) are applied to study the composition and structure of chromium doped nickel oxide. Batch equilibrium experiments were performed to study the removal efficiency of heavy metal ions. The effects of different parameters such as contact time, pH and adsorbent dose on the adsorption process were investigated. The adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms studies were also performed. The formation of hydroxide on the surface of chromium doped nickel oxide could be the main factor of cations removal due to its high adsorption affinity for aqueous solutes. Chromium doped nickel oxide may offer a potential remediation method for the removal of metals from water and environment.               KEY WORDS: Adsorption isotherms, BET, Adsorption efficiency, Batch equilibrium, Adsorption kinetics Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2018, 32(2), 225-238.DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v32i2.

IEEE 802.15.4-PHY Packet Detection and Transmission System With Differential Encoding For Low Power IoT Networks

Synchronization is the first operation in a digital base band receiver. The accuracy of the synchronizer shapes up the performance of the base band receiver. Synchronization is broadly divided into Carrier Frequency and Phase Synchronization, Symbol Timing and Frame Synchronization. If number of false detections in frame synchronization are high then large amount of power is wasted for processing unwanted packets. In this paper, we are proposing a packet detection and transmission system with differential encoding for low power IoT networks which reduces the number of false packet detections compared to existing preamble detection techniques. The proposed frame synchronization method decides packet is valid or not by cross correlating received packet with fixed preamble sequence and determine its boundaries. The proposed system is analyzed with smart metering power data and corresponding probabilities of packet missing and false detection, power consumption and bit error rate are analyzed. At 3 dB SNR the number of false detections are reduced by 170 compared to conventional correlation method thereby saving 15.8 % of processing power at receiver

Phase behaviour of the discotic mesogen 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahexylthiotriphenylene (HHTT) under hydrostatic pressure

The phase behaviour of the discotic mesogen 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahexylthiotriphenylene (HHTT) was investigated under hydrostatic pressures up to 500 MPa using high pressure optical and DTA measurements. The known enantiotropic phase transitions of HHTT, i.e. crystal (Cr)-helical phase (H), H-hexagonal columnar phase (Colh) and Colh-isotropic liquid (I) were observed up to 32 MPa. Application of hydrostatic pressures above 32 MPa results in the H and Colh phases becoming monotropic, depending upon the applied pressure. The H phase was observed as a monotropic phase in the pressure region between 32 and about 180 MPa. Thus, the I MColh MH MCr transition sequence appeared only on cooling under these pressures, while the Cr MColh MI transition occurred on heating. Further increases in pressure above a second limiting value leads to the Colh phase becoming monotropic. Thus the I MColh MCr transition sequence appeared on cooling, while the Cr MI transition was observed on heating. The T vs. P phase diagram based on the data obtained in the heating mode contains two triple points; one is estimated as 40 MPa, 77.2&#176; C for the Cr-H-Colh triple point and the other is extrapolated as 285 MPa, 118.3&#176; C for the Cr-Colh-I triple point. These triple points define the upper limits for the appearance of the stable H and Colh phases, respectively

Clinical profile of dengue fever with severe thrombocytopenia and its complications: a retrospective study at a tertiary care hospital in South India

Background: Dengue haemorrhagic fever is a potentially lethal illness that is universally prevalent in the tropics and has become a major health concern globally in recent decades. The clinical manifestation of dengue infection varies from asymptomatic to severe life threatening illness in the form of DHF/DSS. Dengue haemorrhagic fever or DSS may be fatal in 40% to 50% of untreated patients. A hallmark of dengue infection is severe thrombocytopenia which causes concern for the patients and treating doctors. The objective of this study was to correlate clinical profile during the evolution of dengue fever with severe thrombocytopenia (platelets <10,000/mm3), and comparing frequencies between the different clinical forms in order to predict the severity of the disease.  The present study includes 40 individuals who were found to be seropositive with the detection of NS1Ag, IgM and IgG antibodies for dengue infection with severe thrombocytopenia. Early diagnosis and monitoring is largely dependent on haematological parameters. As no specific antiviral therapy is available, supportive therapy is of utmost importance.Methods: This is an observational, descriptive and retrospective study of 40 patients with clinical and serological diagnosis of dengue fever with severe thrombocytopenia (platelets<10,000/mm3), in the period from August 2015 to September 2016, who were admitted in a tertiary care hospital in South India. ELISA was performed for the detection of dengue NS1, Ig M and Ig G, haematological parameters by automated analyzer and peripheral smear, coagulation profile analysis were done.Results: Out of 40 cases with severe thrombocytopenia, 50% of the patients had classical dengue fever, 30% cases had DHF with bleeding manifests and 20% cases with DHF plasma leakage signs and 5% lead to DSS. There was lack of association studied between severe thrombocytopenia and bleeding manifestations as p value<0.065 was insignificant. However, the risk of complications increased with decreasing platelet counts in the present study.Conclusions: Thrombocytopenia was most predominant haematological discrepancy. There was no predilection for any age group or gender for thrombocytopenia or bleeding among the dengue patients. The results were relevant in assessing the severity of infection and can help by enabling the adaptation of the therapeutic conduct to the needs of individual patients

Observed changes in ocean acidity and carbon dioxide exchange in the coastal Bay of Bengal – a link to air pollution

Variations in surface water hydrographic properties and Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC) were evaluated in the coastal Bay of Bengal using observations carried out during March–April 1991 and 2011, including 8 yr monthly time-series observations during 2005 and 2013. The coastal Bay of Bengal is characterised by relatively fresher, more basic and lower pCO2 in 1991 compared to 2011. The rates of decrease in pH, increase in DIC and pCO2 per decade were consistent with global trends in the Southwestern (SW) coastal Bay of Bengal, whereas rates in the Northwestern (NW) coastal Bay of Bengal were observed to be 3–5 times higher. The associated recent increase in sulphate and nitrogen aerosol loadings over NW Bay of Bengal from the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Southeast Asia during winter and spring may be mainly responsible for the increased acidity in recent years. Thus, this region, which was previously considered to be a significant sink for atmospheric CO2, now seems to have become a source of CO2 to the atmosphere