India-Thailand Bilateral Trade A Review against the Backdrop of the Framework Trade Agreement

India and Thailand are about to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by mid 2012 targeted to streamlining the trade relations between the two countries. The Framework Agreement, inked between the countries in 2003 to pilot the FTA process, has been paving an appropriate background for establishing efficient trade relations through setting up a free trade area covering goods, services and investment. The Framework Agreement has also been providing a Protocol for an Early Harvest Scheme (EHS) under which common items of export interest to the sides be identified for the elimination of trade tariffs on a fast-track basis. The paper examines the trade relations between the two countries in terms of trade volumes during the Framework Agreement period in comparison to the period prior to the agreement

SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION OF SEASONAL DIETARY PRACTICES IN KERALA – KARKITAKA KANJI, MUKKUDI, PATTILA CURRY

Following a seasonal dietary regimen is an age old practice amongst the mankind which enabled them to survive and adapt according to the environmental needs. But the urbanization took away most of such culturally bound time tested practices from the society which played a key role in maintaining good health and immunity. Karkitaka Chikitsa – (a systematically following dietary and therapeutic regimens during the month of Karkidam (June-July)- is one such practice which is still prevailing in the south Indian states especially in Kerala. The month of Karkidaka is in the transition phase from rainy season to autumn characterized with debilitated health and lack of employment due to climatic conditions. According to Ayurveda the strength of body is considerably compromised during the months of summer and rainy season. Poor digestive power (Agni bala) and aggravation of Vata dosha happens during the rainy season. Hence specific diet and therapeutic regimens that can mitigate or balance the Vata and thereby rejuvenate the health and immunity is followed. The dietary plans include Karkkidaka kanji (rice gruel processed with herbs), Mukkudi, Pattila curry (dish made with ten varieties of leaves) etc. This article is an attempt to scientifically analyze the special monsoon dietetics of Kerala

Cooling of Motorcycle Helment Using Phase Change Material

Human life is so precious and valuable, that it should not be compromised under any cost. In a latest survey, it is mentioned that nearly 62% of mortality in road accidents occur due to head injury, where the rider has not worn a helmet. It is not that people are very negligent about their lives on road, but that they experience dozens of discomforts by wearing helmets. But the most common discomfort is that, heavy sweat occurs due to excessive heat formation. This project mainly focuses on absorbing this heat produced inside the helmet. To achieve this, a suitable Phase change material (HS 22) is encapsulated inside an aluminium packet. Also 6 holes of 6mm diameter are drilled on the front and rear sides of helmet. This allows fresh air (reaction air coming opposite to riding direction) to continuously flow in and out of the helmet so that the heat produced in the helmet is instantaneously tapped out. During summer season, the inlet air itself will be hot which will be absorbed by the PCM. The PCM fuses taking its latent heat of fusion from the packet surface and cools it. Thus continuous cooling is achieved till the entire PCM fuses. After the ride, the PCM rejects the heat and again solidifies. Factors like position of PCM in the helmet, volume, latent heat of fusion, etc. are carefully adjusted to achieve effective forced convective heat transfer and thus cooling for a minimum drive of 1.5 hours at an utmost ambient temperature of 450C. This ventilation system is practically feasible, very economical and will surely promote the riders to wear helmets. This project has been successfully completed as our 3rd year project

Study of thyroid function in patients admitted in intensive care unit

Background: The thyroid gland produces two related hormones, tetraiodothyronine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) play a critical role in cell differentiation during development and maintain thermogenic and metabolic homeostasis in the adult. Critically ill patients have been defined as those that by dysfunction or failure of one or more organ system depend on survival from advanced instruments monitoring and therapy. The objective was to study the thyroid dysfunction in critically ill patients admitted in intensive care units and its relation to the mortality and severity of disease.Methods: This is a cross sectional study carried out in Dr. Pinnamaneni Siddhartha institute of medical sciences and research foundation, Chinoutpalli, Andhra Pradesh from 1st January 2022 to 30th September 2022 involving 100 patients. Patients of age above 18 years, both sexes, admitted to intensive care units with critical illness were analyzed and approved by institutional ethics committee of Dr. PSIMS and RF data were entered in MS-excel and analyzed in SPSS V22 software. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, logistic regression, ROC curves were applied. P values were reported for all statistical tests and a value of<0.05 was considered to be significant.Results: Out of 100 critically ill patients out of which 17 patients had sepsis, 18 had acute renal failure, 19 patients had acute respiratory failure, 19 patients had diabetic ketoacidosis, 16 patients had congestive cardiac failure, and 11 patients had stroke and their correlation with t3 hormone decrement showed positive correlation.Conclusions: Thyroid profile can be used in predicting the mortality in ICU patients

Serologic status at 10 months of infants born to hepatitis B positive mothers given prophylaxis - A prospective cohort study

Rationale: Perinatal exposure is the most common mode of transmission of hepatitis B (HB) infection in neonates. Prevention of perinatal transmission of HB is important to decrease overall carrier state. Objectives: To estimate the rate of HB carrier status among children born to HB surface antigen (HBsAg) positive mothers at 10 months of age measured by HBsAg status and to assess the efficacy of prophylaxis (HB vaccine [HBV] and HB immunoglobulin [HBIG] administration) as measured by the anti-HBs titer at 10th month of age. Methodology: This was a hospital based prospective cohort study of infants born to HBsAg positive motherbetween April 2008 and October 2008 with a follow-up at 6 weeks, 14 weeks, and 10 months of age. After informed consent from the parents, 0.5 ml of recombinant vaccine was given to all. HBIG was given to only those who could afford to buy it. At 6 and 14 weeks of age, 0.5 ml of recombinant vaccine was given according to the IAP immunization schedule along with other UIP vaccines to all neonates. At 10 months of age (plus 1 week), 69 infants completed 3 doses of HBV. Anti-HBs titer and HBsAg status were measured. Anti-HBs titer >100 IU/L was taken as a good responder. Results: Total 125 infants were initially recruited. Allwere vaccinated with HBV within 12 h of birth. HBIG was given to 96 infants (76.8%) and only 69 (55.2%) completed 3rd visit. Carrier state in infants born to HBsAg positive mothers at 10 months of age was 1/69 (1.44%). 43/69 (62.35%) had good antibody response out of which, 41 were given both HBV and HBIG. In those given only vaccine, 2/7 (28.55%) had good antibody response (p=0.02). Conclusion: Combined HB vaccine and immunoglobulin had a better antibody response in the study as reported earlier. The carrier state was 1.44%

Safety evaluation of Sapindus laurifolius leaf extract in Wistar rats

Objectives:The present work was aimed to study the phytochemical composition of the Sapindus laurifolius leaves andtoxicological effect of the Sapindus laurifolius leaf extract in a systematic way using Wistar albino rats as a model animal.Materials and Methods :The identification of phytoconstituents present in the leaf extract was performed using Highperformance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). In toxicity studies, the acute oral toxicity study was conducted as per theguidelines of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD 423 Acute Toxic Class Method) for testingof chemicals. In repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity study (OECD 407), methanolic leaf extract administered at the dose of 50,200 and 800 mg/kg BWand limit dose of 1000 mg/kg BW.Results: Saponins, flavanoids, glycosides and bitter principles were the major phytoconstituents identified. In acute toxicitystudy, the LD cut-off values were found to be more than 2g/kg in leaf extract. In repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity, significant 50(P<0.05) increase in AST, ALT, BUN and creatinine, significant (P<0.05) increase in total protein was noticed. Thehistopathological changes confined to liver, kidney and intestine, revealed mild to moderate hepatotoxicity, severenephrotoxicity and increased goblet cell activity. The changes were found to correlate with increased dose of leaf extract.Conclusion:The phytochemical analysis of Sapindus laurifolius revealed the presence of saponins, glycosides, flavonoidsand bitter principles.The acute oral toxicity study of S. laurifolius methanolic leaf extract in rats resulted in no toxicity even atthe highest dose, but in repeated 28-day oral toxicity study revealed mild to moderate hepatotoxicity, severe nephrotoxicityand intestinal damage