PURPOSE Comprehensive medical care requires direct physician-patient contact, other offi ce-based medical activities, and medical care outside of the offi ce. This study was a systematic investigation of family physician offi ce-based activities outside of the examination room. METHODSIn the summer of 2000, 6 medical students directly observed and recorded the offi ce-based activities of 27 northeastern Ohio community-based family physicians during 1 practice day. A checklist was used to record physician activity every 20 seconds outside of the examination room. Observation excluded medical care provided at other sites. Physicians were also asked to estimate how they spent their time on average and on the observed day. RESULTSThe average offi ce day was 8 hours 8 minutes. On average, 20.1 patients were seen and physicians spent 17.5 minutes per patient in direct contact time. Offi ce-based time outside of the examination room averaged 3 hours 8 minutes or 39% of the offi ce practice day; 61% of that time was spent in activities related to medical care. Charting (32.9 minutes per day) and dictating (23.4 minutes per day) were the most common medical activities. Physicians overestimated the time they spent in direct patient care and medical activities. None of the participating practices had electronic medical records.CONCLUSIONS If offi ce-based, medically related activities were averaged over the number of patients seen in the offi ce that day, the average offi ce visit time per patient would increase by 7 minutes (40%). Care delivery extends beyond direct patient contact. Models of health care delivery need to recognize this component of care.

The exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are natural polymers of carbohydrates and are excreted by some bacteria outside of their cell walls. The microbial EPS have several biotechnological applications viz. cosmetics, textiles, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, paints and petroleum industries. The wide range of applications and bioactive roles of EPS has triggered increased interest for search unusual and novel EPS.The bacteria from marine ecosystem are also known to secrete novel EPSs. In this context, the main objective of this research is isolation, screening of most potent culturable EPS producing halotolerant bacteria with novel EPS characteristics which can be used in uncommon applications related to the environment. All the bacterial isolates were isolated from coastal regions of Gujarat as it contains 1600 km long costal area, with wide microbial diversity and can serve as a source for promising EPS producers. 9 soil samples were collected from various coastal sites viz. Mundra, Jodiya, Dwarka, Somnath, Diu, Bhavnagar, Khambhat, Dumas and Umargam. Total 59 EPS producing bacterial isolates were obtained in Primary Screening. Based on the results of primary screening, potential morphologically diverse 9 isolates were selected for EPS production in liquid medium. The EPS production ranged from 22.3 to 33.5 mg/ml. The isolate VHP 34 gave best EPS production and was identified as Enterobacter cloacae by 16 s rRNA gene sequencing method. The isolate Enterobacter cloacae VHP-34 was able to grow 0-15% NaCl concentration, hence categorized as Moderately Halotolerant.

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Vegetable and fruit waste are produced in huge quantities in the market. These wastes are also nutritionally very rich and, can be a viable option to be used as a substrate for the generation of value-added products. However, there is a need to characterize these wastes before using them as raw materials for the production of any value-added product. In this regard, the present study was taken up to determine the proximate analysis of vegetable and fruit waste. Proximate analysis is a way to determine the distribution of moisture, ash, volatile matter, and fixed carbon when the samples are heated under specified conditions. The discarded vegetable and fruit waste was collected from Kadi municipal vegetable market. The proximate analysis was carried out for 23 waste samples viz, 20 samples were a wet waste of individual fruits and vegetables and 3 samples were of consolidated sundried vegetable and fruit waste. Presented Proximate analysis of vegetable and fruit waste includes the determination of moisture, ash, volatile matter, and fixed carbon via standard test methods. The result revealed that for wet waste moisture content was in the range from 6.56 % to 77.57 %. Percentage of volatile matter was in the range from 8.06% to 86.46 %. Percentage Ash content was in the range from 1.32 % to 20.18 %.Percentage Fixed carbon was in the range from 1.76 % to 28.63 %. The moisture content in sundried consolidated waste was in the range from 5.83 % to 8.86 %. The percentage of the volatile matter was in the range from 62.06 % to 72.33 %. Percentage Ash content was in the range from 11.16 % to 12.83 %. Percentage Fixed carbon was in the range from 8.79 % to 16.27 %.

Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng., commonly known as curry leaf tree is well known in Ayurvedic medicinal system for its varied pharmacological activities like anticancer activity, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, anthelmintic activity, antidiabetic and antimicrobial activity. The leaves of this tree had been commonly used to enhance the flavour in culinary purposes for its specific taste and aroma. It's Stem part is commonly used as datun for oral health care purposes.The secondary metabolites present in the plant are also known for its different pharmacological activities. The present study focuses on preliminary qualitative phytochemical Screening and analysis from the hydroalcoholic extracts of root, stem and leaves part which detected the presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids and tannins in the prepared hydroalcoholic extracts using Soxhlet extraction method.