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Abstract Background Tobacco smoking issues in developing countries are usually taught non-systematically as and when the topic arose. The World Health Organisation and Global Health Professional Student Survey (GHPSS) have suggested introducing a separate integrated tobacco module into medical school curricula. Our aim was to assess medical students' tobacco smoking habits, their practices towards patients' smoking habits and attitude towards teaching about smoking in medical schools. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out among final year undergraduate medical students in Malaysia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire included items on demographic information, students' current practices about patients' tobacco smoking habits, their perception towards tobacco education in medical schools on a five point Likert scale. Questions about tobacco smoking habits were adapted from GHPSS questionnaire. An 'ever smoker' was defined as one who had smoked during lifetime, even if had tried a few puffs once or twice. 'Current smoker' was defined as those who had smoked tobacco product on one or more days in the preceding month of the survey. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results Overall response rate was 81.6% (922/1130). Median age was 22 years while 50.7% were males and 48.2% were females. The overall prevalence of 'ever smokers' and 'current smokers' was 31.7% and 13.1% respectively. A majority (> 80%) of students asked the patients about their smoking habits during clinical postings/clerkships. Only a third of them did counselling, and assessed the patients' willingness to quit. Majority of the students agreed about doctors' role in tobacco control as being role models, competence in smoking cessation methods, counseling, and the need for training about tobacco cessation in medical schools. About 50% agreed that current curriculum teaches about tobacco smoking but not systematically and should be included as a separate module. Majority of the students indicated that topics about health effects, nicotine addiction and its treatment, counselling, prevention of relapse were important or very important in training about tobacco smoking. Conclusion Medical educators should consider revising medical curricula to improve training about tobacco smoking cessation in medical schools. Our results should be supported by surveys from other medical schools in developing countries of Asia.

An investigation was conducted at Advance Centre for Rainfed Agriculture, Rakh Dhiansar, SKUAST-Jammu during kharif season of 2015. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The nine treatments viz. sole blackgram, sole sesame, blackgram + sesame (1 row of sesame in 2 rows of blackgram) additive series, blackgram + sesame (1:1) replacement series, black + sesame (3:1) replacement series, blackgram + sesame (5:1) replacement series, blackgram + sesame (1:3) replacement series, blackgram + sesame (1:5) replacement series and blackgram + sesame (seed mix) were taken for study. The soil of experimental field was sandy loam in texture, slightly acidic in reaction, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen and medium in available phosphorus and potassium. The experimental results revealed that among the different intercropping systems blackgram + sesame (5:1) replacement series recorded highest blackgram equivalent yield (BEY) 7.01 q ha-1 which was statistically at par with blackgram + sesame (3:1) replacement series, blackgram + sesame (1:1) replacement series and blackgram + sesame (1:1) additive series and significantly higher than other intercropping systems. Also blackgram + sesamum (5:1) row ratio gave highest value of land equivalent ratio, aggressivity, area time equivalent ratio, net returns, B:C ratio, energy output, energy use efficiency, net energy return, energy productivity and energy intensity followed by blackgram + sesame (3:1) replacement series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Guillain–Barre syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy affecting the peripheral nervous system treated with high-dose immunoglobulin, physical therapy, or plasmapheresis. Immunoglobulins are expensive and even plasmapheresis might not be affordable to patients visiting government set-ups.Aims: This study was undertaken to emphasize the efficacy of plasmapheresis in treatment of adult GBS patients and to narrate methods of reducing the economic burden in the treatment of these patients using modified plasmapheresis. Methods: A study was conducted on 12 adult GBS patients at Sir Takhtasinhji General Hospital, Bhavnagar from July 2012 to July 2014. Patients were assessed on a 6-point disability scale. They were treated with plasmapheresis over 10 days with REF627 kit from Haemonetics Corporation Limited on MCS+ machine. Improvement was noted by the change in the disability scale score and expenses of various modes of treatment were also considered. Results: Seventy-five percent showed improvement at the end of the treatment. The cost of modified plasmapheresis was Rs. 8000/cycle, i.e., Rs. 40,000/patient. Conclusion: Plasmapheresis along with proper supportive measures is a more cost-effective efficacious mode of therapy in adult patients of GBS. Further, modified plasmapheresis using REF627 kit and 6% hexastarch as replacement fluid on MCS+ apheresis machine reduces the cost of therapy for poor patients visiting government set-ups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S typhi), a Gram negative bacterium. Rising antimicrobial resistance has been associated with increased severity of illness and related complications. Hence; we planned the present study to assess and compare the efficacy of ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin in treating patients with typhoid fever. Materials & methods: The present study included assessment and comparison of efficacy of ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin in treating patients with typhoid fever. A total of 50 patients diagnosed with typhoid fever were included in the present study. Random division of the patients into two study groups as follows: Patients of group 1 were given ceftriaxone parenterally (2 g/kg/day) once daily for 7 days. Patients of group 2 were given ciprofloxacin orally (500 mg) twice daily for 10 days. Follow-up was done in all the patients after seven and ten days for assessing the results. Patient was considered as cured when found to be free from clinical signs and symptoms. Likewise, the outcome was categorized as good response or no response. Results: Good response to antibiotic therapy was seen in 100 percent of the patients of group 1, whereas it was seen in 84 percent of the patients of group 2. Significant results were obtained while comparing the clinical response among subjects of both the study groups. Conclusion: For treating patients with typhoid, ceftriaxone is a better antibiotic in comparison to ciprofloxacin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tobacco smoking issues in developing countries are usually taught non-systematically as and when the topic arose. The World Health Organisation and Global Health Professional Student Survey (GHPSS) have suggested introducing a separate integrated tobacco module into medical school curricula. Our aim was to assess medical students' tobacco smoking habits, their practices towards patients' smoking habits and attitude towards teaching about smoking in medical schools. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out among final year undergraduate medical students in Malaysia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire included items on demographic information, students' current practices about patients' tobacco smoking habits, their perception towards tobacco education in medical schools on a five point Likert scale. Questions about tobacco smoking habits were adapted from GHPSS questionnaire. An 'ever smoker' was defined as one who had smoked during lifetime, even if had tried a few puffs once or twice. 'Current smoker' was defined as those who had smoked tobacco product on one or more days in the preceding month of the survey. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: Overall response rate was 81.6% (922/1130). Median age was 22 years while 50.7% were males and 48.2% were females. The overall prevalence of 'ever smokers' and 'current smokers' was 31.7% and 13.1% respectively. A majority (> 80%) of students asked the patients about their smoking habits during clinical postings/clerkships. Only a third of them did counselling, and assessed the patients' willingness to quit. Majority of the students agreed about doctors' role in tobacco control as being role models, competence in smoking cessation methods, counseling, and the need for training about tobacco cessation in medical schools. About 50% agreed that current curriculum teaches about tobacco smoking but not systematically and should be included as a separate module. Majority of the students indicated that topics about health effects, nicotine addiction and its treatment, counselling, prevention of relapse were important or very important in training about tobacco smoking. Conclusion: Medical educators should consider revising medical curricula to improve training about tobacco smoking cessation in medical schools. Our results should be supported by surveys from other medical schools in developing countries of Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives The prevalence and incidence of ischemic heart disease virtually ubiquitous among most developed nations and in India. Considerable progress on the health impact of atherosclerosis disease has been made over recent decade and being largest cause of mortality and morbidity in country like India. The study highlights the impact of atherosclesis lesion in population Bhavnagar Gujarat. Method: Study comprise of 300 specimen of heart subjected to autopsy, to grade and to evalue athermanous plaque and myocardial infarction. The atherosclerotic lesions were graded according to American heart association classification. Results: The study show significant atheroma that was grade IV (29.7%), grade V (29%) and grade VI (21.7%). Triple and double vessels involvement was seen in 43.7% and 39.6 % cases respectively. The changes of myocardial infarction were found in 31 cases. Conclusion: The study highlights the impact of atherosclerotic lesions in the population of Bhavnagar,Gujarat.The incidence of atherosclerosis is more in male as compare to female. The study show increase incidence of atherosclerosis in younger people in third decade The evaluation of the study may form baseline for research and forthcoming study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]