Study of Profile and Pattern of Information Sought from RTI Applications in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of North India

Introduction: The Right to Information Act 2005 is asignificant development in Indian Democratic fabric. ItProvides a platform for Citizens where they have the right togain access to information which is under Public authority. Theaccess to information under the RTI act 2005 includes a rightto obtain Personal medical information generated within thehospitals and their research projects. The citizens are utilizingthe tool of RTI in health care services which has resulted inimproved care and better management of health centers. ThePresent study was conducted in 794 bedded tertiary careteaching hospital with an aim to find out the profile and patternof applications received through RTI act protocol.Material and Methods: This hospital record basedprospective observational study was carried out in Sherikashmir institute of medical sciences (SKIMS), a tertiary carehospital from October 2016 to February 2018. All the RTIapplications received during the study period were selectedfor the study. The data was collected by an investigator afterscrutiny of received applications and was verified from thedesignated PIO.Results: Among 119 applications, 115 cases (96.6%) weresolved by providing required information Among 115 resolvedRTI applications, majority i.e 47(40.8%) of cases wereresolved between 15-30 days, the process of 46 (40%) RTIapplications was expedited by issuing only one (1) reminderto concerned quarters, 105 cases were concluded at PIO levelwhile 10 applicants appealed to First appellant authority (FAA)which happened to be the Medical superintendent of Hospital,most of the applications were for Policy and Personal section(50, 42.01%), most common subject matter was informationregarding a Hospital staff member (21, 17.64%) and amongthe queries, most were information inquiry (83%, 69.74%).Conclusions: Healthcare personnel must acquire, process,store, retrieve and transfer clinical, administrative andfinancial health information. Privacy and confidentiality areimportant issues and their protection in the fiduciary doctorpatient relationship encourages citizens to seek necessarymedical care and disclosure of information is vital if largerpublic interest is involved.

Revamping soil quality and correlation studies for yield and yield attributes in sorghum-legumes intercropping systems / Melhoria da qualidade do solo e estudos de correlação para a produtividade e os atributos de produtividade em sistemas de plantio consorciado de sorgo e legumes

Restoration, preservation and sustainability of agricultural resources including soil demands biologically and economically viable farming practices. For boosting physico-chemical properties of soil from 2012 to 2015, three legumes including cowpea, cluster bean and soybean were intercropped with sorghum in 40-60, 75-25 and 100-100 seed blending ratios, while pure stand of sorghum was kept for comparison. Correlation studies were also conducted to determine linear or inverse relationship between physiological and agronomic attributes with green forage yield of sorghum. Results revealed that intercropping systems were not effective in significantly improving the physical properties of soil, however soybean and sorghum mixed seeded crop in 100-100 seed ratio resulted in the highest total and available nitrogen especially during last two years of the study and it was followed by mixed seeded crop of cluster bean and sorghum (100-100 seed ratio), while pure stand of sorghum appeared to be the most exhaustive farming system. Correlation analysis depicted a linear relationship between all agronomic attributes (seedling count, plant population at harvest, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and leaf area per plant, fresh and dry weights per plant) and physiological growth parameters (leaf area index and leaf area duration, crop growth rate and net assimilation rate) with forage yield of sorghum. Thus, legumes inclusion was found to be effective in restoring soil fertility, while long term legumes inclusion by following rotation may be suggested.

A restauração, a preservação e a sustentabilidade dos recursos agrícolas, incluindo o solo, exigem práticas agrícolas biologicamente e economicamente viáveis. Para aumentar as propriedades físico-químicas do solo de 2012 a 2015, três leguminosas, incluindo feijão-fradinho, guar e soja, foram consorciadas com sorgo nas proporções de mistura de 40-60, 75-25 e 100-100, enquanto que o sorgo puro foi mantido por comparação. Estudos de correlação também foram conduzidos para determinar a relação linear ou inversa entre atributos fisiológicos e agronômicos com a produtividade de forragem verde do sorgo. Os resultados revelaram que os sistemas consorciados não foram eficazes em afetar significativamente as propriedades físicas do solo, no entanto, soja e sorgo misturados na proporção de sementes 100-100 resultou no maior nitrogênio total e nitrogênio disponível, especialmente durante os últimos dois anos do estudo e foi seguido do plantio de sementes mistas de guar e sorgo (100-100 rácio de semente), enquanto a monocultura de sorgo parecia ser o sistema de agricultura mais exaustivo. A análise de regressão mostrou uma correlação linear entre todos os atributos agronômicos (contagem de plântulas, população de plantas na colheita, altura de planta, diâmetro de caule, número de folhas e área foliar por planta, peso fresco e seco por planta) e parâmetros de crescimento fisiológico (índice de área foliar e duração da área foliar, taxa de crescimento da cultura e taxa de assimilação líquida) com o rendimento de forragem do sorgo. Assim, a inclusão de leguminosas foi eficaz no aumento da fertilidade do solo, enquanto a inclusão de leguminosas a longo prazo por rotação de diferentes leguminosas é sugerida.

Activity of 5-chloro-pyrazinamide in mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium bovis.

Background & objectives: Pyrazinamide is an essential component of first line anti-tuberculosis regimen as well as most of the second line regimens. This drug has a unique sterilizing activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Its unique role in tuberculosis treatment has lead to the search and development of its structural analogues. One such analogue is 5-chloro-pyrazinamide (5-Cl-PZA) that has been tested under in vitro conditions against M. tuberculosis. The present study was designed with an aim to assess the activity of 5-Cl-PZA, alone and in combination with first-line drugs, against murine tuberculosis. Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5-Cl-PZA in Middlebrook 7H9 broth (neutral pH) and the inhibitory titre of serum from mice that received a 300 mg/kg oral dose of 5-Cl-PZA 30 min before cardiac puncture were determined. To test the tolerability of orally administered 5-Cl-PZA, uninfected mice received doses up to 300 mg/kg for 2 wk. Four weeks after low-dose aerosol infection either with M. tuberculosis or M. bovis, mice were treated 5 days/wk with 5-Cl-PZA, at doses ranging from 37.5 to 150 mg/kg, either alone or in combination with isoniazid and rifampicin. Antimicrobial activity was assessed by colony-forming unit counts in lungs after 4 and 8 wk of treatment. Results: The MIC of 5-Cl-PZA against M. tuberculosis was between 12.5 and 25 μg/ml and the serum inhibitory titre was 1:4. Under the same experimental conditions, the MIC of pyrazinamide was >100 μg/ml and mouse serum had no inhibitory activity after a 300 mg/kg dose; 5-Cl-PZA was well tolerated in uninfected and infected mice up to 300 and 150 mg/kg, respectively. While PZA alone and in combination exhibited its usual antimicrobial activity in mice infected with M. tuberculosis and no activity in mice infected with M. bovis, 5-Cl-PZA exhibited antimicrobial activity neither in mice infected with M. tuberculosis nor in mice infected with M. bovis. Interpretation & conclusion: Our findings showed that 5-Cl-PZA at doses up to 150 mg/kg was not active in chronic murine TB model. Further studies need to be done to understand the mechanism and mode of inactivation in murine model of tuberculosis.

Alginate nanoparticles as antituberculosis drug carriers: formulation development, pharmacokinetics and therapeutic potential.

BACKGROUND: Reduction in the dosing frequency of antituberculosis drugs (ATDs) by applying drug delivery technology has the potential to improve the patient compliance in tuberculosis (TB). Alginate (a natural polymer) based nanoparticulate delivery system was developed for frontline ATDs (rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol). METHODS: Alginate nanoparticles were prepared by the controlled cation induced gelification method and administered orally to mice. The drug levels were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in plasma/tissues. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in M. tuberculosis H37Rv infected mice. RESULTS: High drug encapsulation efficiency was achieved in alginate nanoparticles, ranging from 70%-90%. A single oral dose resulted in therapeutic drug concentrations in the plasma for 7-11 days and in the organs (lungs, liver and spleen) for 15 days. In comparison to free drugs (which were cleared from plasma/organs within 12-24 h), there was a significant enhancement in the relative bioavailability of encapsulated drugs. In TB-infected mice three oral doses of the formulation spaced 15 days apart resulted in complete bacterial clearance from the organs, compared to 45 conventional doses of orally administered free drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Alginate nanoparticles appear to have the potential for intermittent therapy of TB.

Production technology and post harvest processing of medicinal herbs and spices of soeio-economic importance

Medicinal herbs constitute as one of the major group of plants with recognized socio-economic value, which is not only ethnobotanically important but also pharmacologically useful. In the international market, opportunities are emerging day by day for the trade of medicinal plants to fetch foreign exchange for the country. India, China, USA, Canada and Brazil are leading producers in this sector earning billions of dollars from their export products. Luckily, Pakistan is also a biodiversity rich country with natural wealth of useful medicinal plants especially medicinal herbs and spices, not only in the mountainous areas but also in the great plains of the Punjab and Sindh. Inspite of their use in kitchen, they can also be used against various diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart diseases and liver disorders, e.g. hepatitis and AIDS. At present, our local market is unable to fulfil the required demands of the population. Raw material is therefore also imported from China, India, Afghanistan and European countries. Unavailability of proper production technology and suitable area of cultivation, post-harvest processing, market constraints and low economic returns as compared to major cereal crops, are the main problems in cultivation of these herbs and spices. In this paper the authors have reported their experiences about improved cultural practices, production technology and post-harvest processing techniques for the introduction and domestication of medicinal herbs and spices cultivation on large scale. The production technology and post-harvest processing techniques have been mentioned to improve cultivation and domestication of Gul-e-Baboona [Matricaria chamomilla], Coriander [Coriandrum sativum], Pudina [Mentha piperita], Niazbo [Ocimum basilicum], and Kandiari [Silybum marianuni]. Following these practices and proper timing for cultivation, farmers of low land area can earn appreciable income from their land. Moreover, they can grow these herbs and spices in their homes [indoor and outdoor], kitchen gardens, and on marginal lands as single crop, as intercrop and also as rotational crop with other cereal crops