Factors associated with health-related quality of life among Indian women in mining and agriculture

BACKGROUND: Women facing social and economic disadvantage in stressed communities of developing countries are at greater risk due to health problems. This paper investigates the relationships between structural, health and psychosocial predictors among women in mining and agricultural communities. This paper is a report of a study of the predictors of the health-related quality of life among Indian women in mining and agricultural communities. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used. The instruments used are SF-36 Health Survey and Coping Strategy Checklist. ANOVA, MANOVA and GLM were used in the analysis. The study was conducted between January-September 2008 with randomly selected women in a mining (145) and an agricultural community (133) in India. RESULTS: Women in the agricultural community had significantly increased Physical Health, Mental Health and SF36 scores compared with those in the mining community. Years of stay, education and employment were significant predictors among women in the agricultural community. 39% (33%) and 40% (26%) of the variance in Physical and Mental health respectively among women in agricultural and mining communities are predicted by the structural, health and psychosocial variables. CONCLUSION: Perceived health status should be recognised as an important assessment of Physical and Mental Health among women in rural stressed communities. Cognitive, emotional and behavioural coping strategies are significant predictors of health related quality of life. Implications. Nurses should use the SF-36 as a diagnostic tool for assessing health related quality of life among women and discuss coping strategies, so that these can target women’s adaptive behaviour. This should be an essential part of the nursing process for facilitating adaptive process for improved health related quality of life

Effectiveness of Childbirth Education on Nulliparous Women’s Knowledge of Childbirth Preparation, Pregnancy Anxiety and Pregnancy Outcomes

Background: The emerging number of cesarean sections among nulliparous women due to high pregnancy-related anxiety is a major concern of maternity care providers. Childbirth preparations enable women to cope with pregnancy anxiety and enhance pregnancy outcomes. Limited studies evaluated the impact of childbirth educational interventions on pregnancy-specific anxiety and pregnancy outcomes. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of childbirth educational intervention on nulliparous women’s knowledge on childbirth preparation, pregnancy anxiety, and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: A randomized controlled trial approach with a two-group pretest/ posttest design was used among hundred nulliparous third trimester pregnant women. All participants were pretested for their knowledge on childbirth preparation and pregnancy anxiety level using knowledge questionnaire, state trait anxiety inventory, and pregnancy-specific anxiety inventory. The experimental group (n = 50) received three sessions of childbirth education. All participants were post- tested before delivery, and their pregnancy outcomes were noted from labor records. Data were collected from a major maternity hospital in Kerala, India. GLM repeated measures analysis and paired t-test were used for data analysis. Results: The experimental group demonstrated a significantly higher level of knowledge on childbirth preparation (P < 0.001), with high reported mean knowledge scores of (54.30 ± 3.86) childbirth preparation than the control group (31.08 ± 1.96). A lower mean scores of pregnancy-specific anxiety among experimental group (102 ± 4.65) (P < 0.001) compared to control group (139.96 ± 4.9) signifies the relevance of childbirth education in reducing pregnancy-specific anxiety. Significant reductions of caesarean birth (50%) among nulliparous women along with a 12% increase in newborn’s birth weights were the main positive birth outcomes. Conclusions: Childbirth education significantly reduced pregnancy-specific anxiety and the adverse pregnancy outcomes. The emerging number of cesarean sections on maternal request due to childbirth anxiety could be reduced by empowering nulliparous women through childbirth education

Observations Of Chain Aggregates In Florida Cirrus Cloud Anvils On 3 August 2019 During CAPEEX19

Elongated chain-like aggregates have been observed in cirrus cloud anvils produced by electrified thunderstorms. Cloud chamber experiments have also been able to generate chain aggregates while applying strong electric fields (\u3e 60 kV m-1) to environments with ice crystal concentrations between 3.0 x 106 – 4.0 x 106 m-3 and over a range of temperatures. While it is believed that electric fields are important for chain aggregate formation, exactly where and how the chain aggregation process occurs with thunderstorm is not well understood, which inhibits inclusion in cloud models. Not having chain aggregates in models causes inaccuracies to cloud radiative transfer properties. Furthermore, chain aggregates are important to consider for supersonic flight.To better understand the chain aggregation process, the North Dakota Citation II Research Aircraft sampled convection-induced, cirrus cloud anvils during the 3 August 2019 CapeEx19 field project flight. The aircraft flight’s in-situ observations are analyzed to determine the degree that chain aggregation is occurring within cirrus cloud anvils. While chain aggregation is likely occurring in multiple locations; the in-situ, cirrus anvil observations indicate that the highest concentrations of chain aggregates are close to the storm core and the chain aggregate concentrations decrease away from the storm core. The observed chain aggregates contain individual crystal elements that grow under different temperature regimes and approximately 90 percent of the chain aggregates lack the presence of any rimed ice. Electric field observations indicate stronger electric fields closer to the storm core (on the order of 101 kV m-1), which suggests that the chain aggregates observed near the storm core may have formed within the storm core, likely above regions of high concentrations of supercooled liquid water. However, the relative chain aggregate concentration with respect to non-chain aggregates (RCACN-C) increases away from the storm core (up to a certain distance), which supports the hypothesis that the chain aggregation process is occurring in the cirrus anvil region. However, further away from the storm core the electric fields are low which inhibits the idea that chain aggregation is continuing in the cirrus anvil region. Analysis of additional flights that transect through the convective core would be useful to see if higher concentrations of chain aggregates (rimed and un-rimed) are observed. Analysis of all the CapeEx19 research flights would be useful to determine the variability of chain aggregates away from the convective cores. Moreover, to help understand the chain aggregation process in the cirrus anvil region, additional cloud chamber experiments would be beneficial to test if chain aggregation can occur using electric fields \u3c 60 kV m-1 at temperatures colder than -30 C

Investigation of nano lipid vesicles of methotrexate for anti-rheumatoid activity

Prabhakara Prabhu1, Rakshith Shetty1, Marina Koland1, K Vijayanarayana3, KK Vijayalakshmi2, M Harish Nairy1, GS Nisha11Department of Pharmaceutics, Nitte University, NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Paneer, Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, India; 2Department of Applied Zoology, Mangalore University, Konaje, Mangalore, Karnataka, India; 3Department of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal University, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal, Karnataka, IndiaBackground: The purpose of this study was to formulate and evaluate nano lipid vesicles of methotrexate (MTX) for its anti-rheumatoid activity.Methods: In this study the principle of both active as well as passive targeting using MTX-loaded stealth liposomes as per the magic gun approach was followed. Stealth liposomes of MTX were prepared by thin-film hydration method using a PEGylated phospholipid-like DSPE-MPEG 2000. Similarly, conventional liposomes were prepared using phospholipids like DPPC and DSPC. Conventional liposomes were coated with a hydrophilic biocompatible polymer like chitosan. They were investigated for their physical properties and in vitro release profile. Further, in vivo screening of the formulations for their anti-rheumatoid efficacy was carried out in rats. Rheumatoid arthritis was induced in male Wistar-Lewis rats using complete Freund&amp;rsquo;s adjuvant (1 mg/mL Mycobacterium tuberculosis, heat killed in mineral oil).Results: It was found that chitosan coating of the conventional liposomes increased the physical stability of the liposomal suspension as well as its entrapment efficiency. The size of the unsonicated lipid vesicles was found to be in the range of 8&amp;ndash;10 &amp;micro;m, and the sonicated lipid vesicles in the range of 210&amp;ndash;260 nm, with good polydispersity index. Further, chitosan-coated conventional liposomes and the PEGylated liposomes released the drug for a prolonged period of time, compared to the uncoated conventional liposomes. It was found that there was a significant reduction in edema volume in the rat group administered with the test stealth liposomal formulations and chitosan-coated conventional liposomes (PEGylated and chitosan-coated conventional) compared to that of the control and standard (administered with free MTX) group of rats. PEGylated liposomes showed almost equal efficacy as that of the chitosan-coated conventional liposomes.Conclusion: Lipid nano vesicles of MTX can be administered by intravenous route, whereby the drug selectively reaches the target site with reduced toxicity to other organs.Keywords: methotrexate, stealth liposomes, conventional liposomes, chitosan coating, targeted delivery, anti-rheumatoid efficac

Industrialization and its Impact on Sweeping the Authority of Traditional Forms in Architecture (Study on human needs)

Abstract: Mankind is currently living in the age of industrialization and development in all its forms and manifestations because of its effects in all everyday life. This is because the technology has left a clear impact on human thoughts in general and architectural thoughts in particular. As the architecture is the embodiment of the thought of society that was produced, so the architecture must also be affected. This can be seen in the transition from the stone building and the limited narrow spaces to New Horizons across time. Thus the obvious diversity of forms, the widening of spaces and their sequencing in unlimited forms. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution At the beginning of the twentieth century, its invasion of the world and its profound influence in various fields and among the architecture has reduced the focus on traditional forms design language and fantasy became more realistic by using computer modeling, its impact on architecture swept through the new forms of industrialization and the folding of cognitive and spatial distances, thus demonstrating uniqueness, creativity and expressing the self-identity and the time features that . It was born, from here the problem of research has arisen, which provides for "inadequate knowledge about the role of industrialization and mass production and its impact on producing Architectural forms that are unique, creative. This corresponds to the changes in human need but in contrary to the classical architecture language that came from. The research follows a series of actions to solve the research problem after the formula of the research hypothesis became as "The process of manufacturing and digital production affects the process of producing architectural forms positively or passively depending on nature, function, and the extent of repetition of the project". The most important conclusions and recommendations that demonstrated the architects quest to take advantage of all the possibilities of industrialization and the short-time production and increase the creative imagination of the designer with regard to architectural design is to create new languages and vocabulary for the architectural formation that is suited to the spirit of the times, and the pattern of existing buildings and installations of all types and functions, and the way they perform these various functions, is changed

A pseudo-randomised clinical trial of in situ gels of fluconazole for the treatment of oropharngeal candidiasis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oropharyngeal candidasis is a common opportunistic infection seen in immunocompromised patients. Fluconazole has a broad spectrum antifungal activity including a wide variety of <it>candida </it>species. Aim of the present investigation was to formulate and find out the relative efficacy of <it>in situ </it>gels of fluconazole.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>The <it>in situ </it>gels were prepared using polymers which exhibited sol-to-gel phase transition due to change in specific physico-chemical parameters, such as ion triggered system using gellan gum (0.5% w/v) along with sodium carboxylmethylcellulose (0.35%w/v). The study design was bicenter, 'pseudo-randomised, single blind trial conducted in Mangalore., India, which includes 15 HIV positive patients, 15 patients with partial or completes dentures, and 15 patients who were treated with (active control) fluconazole tablets 100 mg/day for 14 days. Severity of disease was scored clinically before treatment and at clinical evaluations on day 3, 7, 14, 18, 21, 35, and 42. Semiquantitative microbiological cultures of oral swabs were also obtained on same days.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All patients had mycological documented oropharyngeal candidiasis and were treated with fluconazole (0.5%w/v) <it>in situ </it>gels for 14 days Severity of disease was scored clinically before treatment and at different predetermined time intervals along with semi quantitative culture of oral swabs. The clinical response rate showed 97% cure after 14 days in the treated with <it>in situ </it>gel. In comparison, the control group treated with fluconazole tablets showed 85% improvement in symptoms of oral candidiasis. The patients suffering from HIV infection showed relapse in oral candidiasis at the end of 21 days. The patients having oral candidiasis due to partial or complete dentures showed complete recovery and were free from signs and symptoms of oral candidiasis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The <it>in situ </it>gel formulation of fluconazole was well tolerated with no severe adverse reaction and offers a better alternative to tablet formulation in the treatment of oropharyngeal candidasis.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trails <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN90634047">ISRCTN90634047</a></p