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Background: Bio-medical waste (BMW) means any waste, which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in research activities or in the production or testing of biological or in any health camp activities. Proper management of BMW ensures protection of public health and environment against any adverse effect associated with such waste materials. Several studies have reported that health care workers lack adequate level of awareness and right attitude regarding proper BMW management which ultimately reflects as incorrect practice of handling and disposal of bio medical waste. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of healthcare workers regarding bio-medical waste management.Methods: This study was conducted at Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), Arunachal Pradesh, India. Hospital based cross sectional study was conducted and questionnaire were administered to 313 healthcare workers of TRIHMS who consented to participate in the study. A predesigned questionnaire for knowledge, attitude and practice study was used for data collection. Data was analysed using Microsoft Excel and STATA 13.Results: Study results show that the average knowledge score was highest amongst nurses (10±2.6) and least in class IV staffs (7.2±1.9). Amongst all participants laboratory technicians were mostly average or poor on the attitude score. Overall only 23 percent (n=73) of the healthcare workers were found to be performing good BMW management practice.Conclusions: Our study revealed that there is significant variation in knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding biomedical waste management among healthcare workers.

Background: The anganwadi worker (AWW) is the backbone of integrated child development services (ICDS) for delivering the services of the program. Being a key functionary, her level of knowledge regarding various components of ICDS is linked to the ultimate outcome of the ICDS program. Thus, this study was aimed to assess the level of knowledge among AWW regarding services of ICDS.Methods: This was a cross sectional study in which level of knowledge regarding ICDS among anganwadi worker was assessed using structured questionnaire. The primary outcome of the study is the knowledge of AWW about ICDS component services. Descriptive statistics was presented as frequency and percentage for categorical variable. The knowledge of AWW was assessed by knowledge score made under all the themes of the questionnaire and was presented as mean and median score. Analysis was done in STATA version 14.2.Results: Nearly 55% of the respondents were not aware about ICDS services. Whereas majority had knowledge on growth monitoring and immunization respectively, above the median score, only 39% of AWW had knowledge on nutritional supplementation above median score. The variables such as education level and training of AWW showed significant association with the knowledge of ICDS components.Conclusions: There is need for improving knowledge and awareness about various ICDS components and the training quality provided to AWWs.

Background: Physical inactivity has been identified as one of the leading risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Several studies have established the fact that shift working is associated with various non communicable diseases. Studies assessing the knowledge, attitude and practice towards physical activity amongst shift workers is almost non-existence even though it has been established that mediators like knowledge and attitude affect healthy behaviour and adoption of health improving behaviour. Thus this study aims to assess the knowledge-attitude-practice of physical activity among shift workers in Gurugram city which is the centre of various BPO/KPO companies in India.Methods: The present study is an organization based cross sectional study. Interviewer administered questionnaire were used to capture information on physical activity. Information on knowledge and attitude was collected using a piloted and pretested questionnaire. Practice of physical activity was collected using global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ). Descriptive and linear regression analyses were performed using Ms-Excel and STATA (13).Results: Our study found that nearly fifty percent of the study participants were physically inactive and only 18% of the study participants knew recommended minimum weekly intensity of physical activity. Physical activity was found to be significantly associated with overall knowledge score (p

Introduction: Ingredients of Indian cuisine are well known for their antioxidant properties which can help prevent many diseases. The fruits of Dillenia indica and Garcinia penducalata are commonly used by the Assamese speaking population of Assam, India, but their antioxidant properties have not been investigated. Methods: Methanol, petroleum ether and water extracts of the shade dried fruits of Dillenia indica and Garcinia penducalata were obtained and the IC50 values of their DPPH, hydroxyl, oxygen and nitric oxide scavenging activities were estimated along with their reductive ability, vitamin C and total phenolic content. Vitamin C was used as a standard reference for the antioxidant scavenging activities. Result: The IC50 values for DPPH, hydroxyl, oxygen and nitric oxide inhibition of vitamin C were 43.7 ug/ml, 50.44 ug/ml, 61.04 ug/ml and 41.82 ug/ml, respectively while the IC50 value for its reductive ability was 47.17 ug/ml. The IC50 values for the DPPH, hydroxyl, oxygen, nitric oxide and reductive ability of the methanolic extract of Dillenia indica were 31.25 ug/ml, 51.82 ug/ml, 51.44 ug/ml, 39.73 ug/ml and 40.18 ug/ml, respectively. These IC50 values were superior in comparison to its petroleum ether and water extracts. The methanolic extract of Garcinia penducalata had the highest amount of phenolic content and its IC50 values for DPPH, oxygen and nitric oxide scavenging activities were 50.23 ug/ml, 66.06 ug/ml and 63.02 ug/ml, respectively. Conclusion: The higher amount of phenolic content in the methanolic extract of Dillenia indica may contribute to its better in vitro anti oxidant property.

The fruit of D i I lenia indica ha s been an integral part of the A ssamese cuisine and it is claimed that t his fruit can control blood sugar when consumed on a regular basis. A randomized clinical trial w as carried out on 40 patients in Government Ayurvedic Colleg e and Hospital, Guwahati, Assam, India. The study revealed the hypoglycemic activity of Dillenia in dica in type 2 diabetes patients, following standardized approach. The f ruit powder of Dillenia indica used in this trial showed significant hypoglycemic effect (p < 0.001). The result of the clinical trial has been highly encoura ging with the mean blood s ugar both FBS and PPBS of the patients being reduced gradually overtime without any unwanted effect.