Quantifying plastic waste generation in Aizawl city, India: waste management and its impact on human and environmental health.

Plastic wastes in recent years have become a menace owing to population pressure and high demand of various plastic products in daily use. A study was conducted in Aizawl city of northeast India for a period of 3 years to quantify various types of plastic wastes. Our study found that a present plastic consumption of 13.

A comparative study of clinical effects and recovery characteristics of intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion with ketamine versus fentanyl as adjuvants in general anaesthesia.

Background And Aims: Intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion decreases the concurrent anaesthetic and analgesic requirement. However, because of slow onset and offset, it is often used with other drugs. Opioids have a depressant effect on the cardiorespiratory system while ketamine has the opposite pharmacodynamics.

Evaluation of treatment outcome and adverse drug reaction of directly observed treatment (DOT) plus regimen in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients at district tuberculosis centre Rajkot.

Background: The emergence of drug-resistant mycobacteria becomes a significant public health problem globally creating an obstacle to effective tuberculosis (TB) control. Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh DRS survey estimated that the proportion of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is 2.1% (in new TB cases) and 15% (in previously treated cases).

Adverse drug reactions and treatment outcome analysis of DOTS-plus therapy of MDR-TB patients at district tuberculosis centre: A four year retrospective study.

Background: Treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) requires the use of expensive and toxic second-line anti-tubercular drugs which are given for a longer duration. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of second-line antitubercular drugs affect compliance and thereby treatment outcome. We set out to analyze ADRs and treatment outcome of MDR-TB patients receiving directly observed treatments plus therapy.

A comparative study of continuous versus pulsed radiofrequency discectomy for management of low backache: Prospective randomized, double-blind study.

Background: Radiofrequency (RF) is a minimally invasive target-selective technique that has been used with success for many years in the treatment of different pathologies, such as low back pain, trigeminal neuralgia, and others.

Aim: The aim of this study is to compare different mode of RF - continuous RF (CRF) versus pulsed RF (PRF) along with steroid in the management of low back pain of discogenic origin.

Setting And Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind trial.

Emergency Corrective Surgery of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia With Pulmonary Hypertension: Prolonged Use of Dexmedetomidine as a Pharmacologic Adjunct.

Introduction: Underdevelopment of the lung parenchyma associated with abnormal growth of pulmonary vasculature in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia results in pulmonary hypertension which mandates smooth elective mechanical ventilation in postoperative period, for proper alveolar recruitment and oxygenation, allowing lungs to mature enough for its functional anatomy and physiology. Dexmedetomidine is sympatholytic, reduces pulmonary vascular resistance and exerts sedative and analgesic property to achieve stable hemodynamics during elective ventilation. Neonatal experience with dexmedetomidine has been predominately in the form of short term or procedural use as a sedative.

Efficacy of ultrasound-guided mandibular block in predicting safer anesthetic induction.

Background: Mandibular nerve block reverses the trismus caused by pain and muscle spasm, thereby allowing for selection of a safer intubation technique.

Aims: As ultrasonographic imaging has added newer dimensions to clinical anesthesia practice, we utilized this tool in performing mandibular nerve block and evaluated its efficacy in segregating trismus patients on etiological basis, to predict safer anesthetic induction.

Settings And Design: Prospective, randomized controlled, outcome assessor blinded trial.

Postoperative analgesic efficacy of epidural tramadol as adjutant to ropivacaine in adult upper abdominal surgeries.

Background: Postoperative pain control after major abdominal surgery is the prime concern of anesthesiologist. Among various methodologies, epidural analgesia is the most preferred technique because of the excellent quality of analgesia with minimum side-effects.

Aim: The present study was designated to compare postoperative analgesic efficacy and safety of epidural tramadol as adjuvant to ropivacaine (0.

Comparative evaluation of cost effectiveness and recovery profile between propofol and sevoflurane in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Background: Anesthetic agents should be chosen not only on the basis of safety-efficacy profile, but also on the economic aspect. Propofol and sevoflurane are commonly utilized anesthetic agent for general anesthesia.

Aim: The present study was designated to compare cost-effectiveness and recovery profile between propofol and sevoflurane for induction, maintenance or both.

Wound healing potential of flowers extracts of Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz.

Wound healing or repair is the body's natural process of regenerating dermal and epidermal tissue. Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz (Family: Lythraceae) is used traditionally in wound healing by the tribals of Chhattisgarh district. However, there is a paucity of scientific data in support.

Nebulised fentanyl for post-operative pain relief, a prospective double-blind controlled randomised clinical trial.

Background And Aim: Intravenous (IV) route for fentanyl administration is the gold standard for post-operative pain relief, but complications such as respiratory depression, bradycardia and hypotension have limited this route. The aim of this randomised controlled trial was to compare the efficacy of nebulised fentanyl with IV fentanyl for post-operative pain relief after lower abdominal surgery.

Methods: In the post-operative care unit, at the time of first onset of pain (visual analogue scale- VAS score > 4) patients were randomised into three groups and fentanyl was administered either IV 2 μg/kg or by nebulisation of solution containing 3 or 4 μg/kg fentanyl over 8 min in 90 patients divided into three groups of 30 each.

Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activity of ethyl acetate fraction of Rhododendron arboreum Smith flowers in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats and its role in regulating carbohydrate metabolism.

Objective: To explore and identify the most potent antihyperglycemic fraction from the ethanol extract of Rhododendron arboreum (R. arboreum) flowers.

Methods: Normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats were treated with all four fractions of R.

Pharmacological evaluation of hyperin for antihyperglycemic activity and effect on lipid profile in diabetic rats.

Antihyperglycemic potential of hyperin at 25 and 50 mg/kg doses for 30 days to streptozotocin induced diabetic rats has been reported. In oral glucose tolerance test, hyperin treated rats showed a significant reduction in blood glucose level after 120 min. It was found that hyperin exhibited dose dependent and significant antihyperglycemic activity in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats which were nearly similar with standard drug glybenclamide.

Antihyperglycemic activity of Woodfordia fruticosa (Kurz) flowers extracts in glucose metabolism and lipid peroxidation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The ethanolic extract of W. fruticosa flowers (250 and 500 mg/kg) significantly reduced fasting blood glucose level and increased insulin level after 21 days treatment in streptozotocin diabetic rats. The extract also increased catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase activities significantly and reduced lipid peroxidation.

Antihyperglycemic activity, antihyperlipedemic activity, haematological effects and histopathological analysis of Sapindus mukorossi Gaerten fruits in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

Objective: To investigate the antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic properties of hydroalcoholic extract of fruits of Sapindus mukorossi Gaerten and its beneficial effect on haematological parameters with histopathological analysis in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

Methods: Sapindus mukorossi fruits extract (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight) and standard drug glybenclamide (0.5 mg/kg body weight) were administered to diabetic rats.

Hepatoprotective potential of ethanolic extract of Ziziphus oenoplia (L.) Mill roots against antitubercular drugs induced hepatotoxicity in experimental models.

Objective: To evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of ethanolic (50%) extract of Ziziphus oenoplia (L.) Mill (Z. oenoplia) root against isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) induced liver damage in animal models.

Antidiarrheal potential of standardized extract of Rhododendron arboreum Smith flowers in experimental animals.

Objective: To investigate standardized ethyl acetate fraction of Rhododendron arboreum (EFRA) flowers for antidiarrheal activity in experimental animals.

Materials And Methods: A simple sensitive high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method was used for the determination of hyperin in EFRA. The standardized fraction was investigated for castor oil, magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea, measurement of gastrointestinal transit using charcoal and castor oil-induced enteropooling.

Protective effect of ethyl acetate fraction of Rhododendron arboreum flowers against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in experimental models.

Objective: To evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of ethyl acetate fraction of Rhododendron arboreum (Family: Ericaceae) in Wistar rats against carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver damage in preventive and curative models.

Materials And Methods: Fraction at a dose of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg was administered orally once daily for 14 days in CCl(4)-treated groups (II, III, IV, V and VI). The serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (SALP), γ-glutamyltransferase (γ -GT), and bilirubin were estimated along with activities of glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase, hepatic malondialdehyde formation, and glutathione content.

Ultrasonography: a novel approach to central venous cannulation.

Background: Portable ultrasound machines are highly valuable in ICUs, where a patient's condition might not permit shifting the patient to the USG department for imaging. Traditionally central lines are put blindly using anatomical landmarks, which often result in complications such as difficulty in access, misplaced lines, pneumothorax, bleeding from inadvertent arterial punctures, etc. Ultrasonography provides "real time" imaging, i.

Physico-chemical characteristics of river Ami in relation to discharge of paper mill effluent.

The indiscriminate discharge of large volumes of highly putrescible liquid waste from the Sanjai Paper & Chemical Industries Ltd. created serious pollution problem in river Ami near Maghar town area in the district Sant Kabir Nagar of U.P.