An Exploration of Stree Shakti Programme in Karnataka through Self-Help Groups: With Special Reference to Chitradurga District

For the Empowerment of women, government has come up with many schemes. Among those, Self Help Group (SHG) is found to be the strongest route. The purpose of the Programme is to endow women economically and socially by bringing them in self-help groups, and it spent corers of rupees at a time in the project taken up for the development of  women and organizing women empowerment in such huge number

FORMULATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF PIOGLITAZONE SOLID DISPERSIONS PREPARED BY HOT MELT EXTRUSION TECHNIQUE

The main objective of the present study was to develop a novel and stable pioglitazone loaded solid dispersions with enhanced solubility and dissolution rate. Different drug-to-carrier ratios were prepared by employing hot melt extrusion technique. These formulations were characterized for solid state properties by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction and FT-IR spectral studies. Formulations were further evaluated for dissolution and stability studies. The aqueous solubility of pioglitazone, in present formulation was improved by the presence of both the polymers. Solid-state characterization indicated pioglitazone was present as amorphous material in formulation with Soluplus and polyethylene glycol, due to efficient entrapment in polymer matrix. The diffraction patterns of solid dispersion indicated the amorphous nature of pioglitazone in solid dispersions. The dissolution rate of all the solid dispersions was found to be rapid when compared to pure pioglitazone. Pioglitazone in pure form has very slow dissolution rate, when compared with the solid dispersions. Thus the solid dispersion prepared with Soluplus and polyethylene glycol would be useful for delivering poorly soluble pioglitazone with enhanced solubility and dissolution rate.Key words: pioglitazone, soluplus, solid dispersions, melt extrusion technique

(E)-3-(4-Chloro­phen­yl)-1-(2,3,4-trichloro­phen­yl)prop-2-en-1-one

In the title chalcone derivative, C15H8Cl4O, the C=C double bond exists in an E configuration and the dihedral angle between the two benzene rings is 48.13 (11)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules are arranged into columns and stacked down the a axis featuring possible weak aromatic π–π stacking inter­actions [centroid–centroid separation = 3.888 (2) Å]

Utility of Prostate-Specific Antigen Isoforms and Prostate Health Index in the Diagnosis of Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Objective The current study was undertaken to investigate the utility of total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), its isoform [-2] proPSA (p2PSA), and prostate health index (PHI) in the diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Materials and Methods This study was conducted from March 2016 to May 2019. Eighty-five subjects who were diagnosed with PCa for the first time, following transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy, were included in the study. The prebiopsy blood samples were analyzed in Beckman Coulter Access-2 Immunoanalyzer for tPSA, p2PSA, and free PSA (fPSA), and the calculated parameters included %p2PSA, %fPSA, and PHI. Mann–Whitney's U test was used as test of significance, and p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Of the 85 participants, 81.2% (n = 69) had evidence of metastasis, both clinically and pathologically. The median tPSA (ng/mL), p2PSA (pg/mL), %p2PSA, and PHI were significantly higher in the group with evidence of metastasis (46.5 vs. 13.76; 198.0 vs. 35.72; 3.25 vs. 1.51; 237.58 vs. 59.74, respectively). The sensitivity (%), specificity (%), negative predictive value (%), and positive predictive value (%) to diagnose metastatic PCa of tPSA at a cutoff of 20 ng/mL, PHI at a cutoff of 55, and %p2PSA at a cutoff of 1.66 were 92.7, 98.5, and 94.2; 37.5, 43.7, and 62.5; 54.5, 87.5, and 71.4; and 86.4, 88.3, and 91.5, respectively. Conclusion Using tests such as %p2PSA and PHI in the standard armamentarium for the diagnosis of metastatic PCa in addition to PSA will help in selecting the appropriate treatment strategy, including active surveillance

FORMULATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF PIOGLITAZONE SOLID DISPERSIONS PREPARED BY HOT MELT EXTRUSION TECHNIQUE

The main objective of the present study was to develop a novel and stable pioglitazone loaded solid dispersions with enhanced solubility and dissolution rate. Different drug-to-carrier ratios were prepared by employing hot melt extrusion technique. These formulations were characterized for solid state properties by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction and FT-IR spectral studies. Formulations were further evaluated for dissolution and stability studies. The aqueous solubility of pioglitazone, in present formulation was improved by the presence of both the polymers. Solid-state characterization indicated pioglitazone was present as amorphous material in formulation with Soluplus and polyethylene glycol, due to efficient entrapment in polymer matrix. The diffraction patterns of solid dispersion indicated the amorphous nature of pioglitazone in solid dispersions. The dissolution rate of all the solid dispersions was found to be rapid when compared to pure pioglitazone. Pioglitazone in pure form has very slow dissolution rate, when compared with the solid dispersions. Thus the solid dispersion prepared with Soluplus and polyethylene glycol would be useful for delivering poorly soluble pioglitazone with enhanced solubility and dissolution rate

Referenced scans improve the repeatability of optical coherence tomography angiography measurements in normal and glaucoma eyes

AimTo compare the repeatability of peripapillary perfusion density and flux index measurements on referenced and non-referenced optical microangiography (OMAG) scans in normal, glaucoma suspect and glaucoma eyes.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, 48 eyes (33 subjects) underwent three repeat, non-referenced peripapillary OMAG scans in the same session and 43 eyes (25 subjects) underwent three referenced peripapillary OMAG scans. In the referenced scan group, repeat scans (second and the third scan) were acquired exactly on the baseline (first) scan using the 'track to prior scan' option on the device. Repeatability estimates of the mean and four-sector (temporal, superior, nasal and inferior) OMAG measurements on the non-referenced and referenced scans were assessed using within-subject coefficient of repeatability (CRw) and variation (CVw).ResultsCRw (%) of peripapillary perfusion density measurements (range: 2.0-4.1) on non-referenced scans were significantly higher than that on referenced scans (range: 1.4-2.7). CVw (%) on non-referenced and referenced scans ranged from 1.7 to 3.1 and from 1.2 to 2.1, respectively . CRw of flux index on non-referenced and referenced scans ranged from 4.4 to 5.8 and from 3.6 to 4.8, respectively. CVw on non-referenced and referenced scans ranged from 4.1 to 5.2 and from 3.3 to 4.5, respectively.ConclusionsRepeatability estimates of OMAG measurements were better on referenced scans compared with non-referenced scans. Perfusion density measurements had lower variability than flux index. OCTA-measured perfusion density of referenced scans is preferable for monitoring vascular change in glaucoma