Management of Gridhrasi WSR to Sciatica: Ayurveda

Gridhrasi (Sciatica) is one of the severe debilitating syndromes among all the neurological disorders. The main symptoms of Gridhrasi are Ruka (pain), Toda (pricking sensation), Stambha (stiffness) and Muhuspandana (twitching) in the Sphika (Gluteal Region), Kati (Waist), Prishtha (Low Back), Uru (Thigh), Janu (Knee), Jangha (Calf) and Pada (Foot) respectively and Sakthikshepa Nigraha (restricted lifting of the leg). The above mentioned symptoms can be compared with sciatica syndrome which is characterised by severe pain starting from low back region and radiating down towards the foot. This is a common entity encountered in a clinical practice. The review elaborates the general description of disease Gridhrasi w.s.r. to Sciatica. The general principle of treatment and procedures for the management of Gridhrasi/Sciatica according to various Ayurveda classics have been discussed

Ayurvedic Management Of Gridhrasi W.S.R. Sciatica-A Case Study

Gridhrasi is one of the most common disorders of Vata, which closely resembles with sciatica, which is characterized by pain or discomfort associated with sciatic nerve. The prevalence of sciatica varies considerably ranging from 3.8% in the working population to 7.9% in the nonworking population. Contemporary medicine has limitations giving short-term relief in pain or surgical intervention with side effect. Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study was to access the efficacy of Ayurvedic management with shephali patra kwath in Gridhrasi. It is a single case study of a 49‑year‑old woman who was diagnosed with sciatica by an Allopathy doctor who gave her steroids but this had no positive impact on her condition. The condition worsened and she had swelling at her ankle joint. She approached Ayurvedic treatment further where she was given Shephali patra kwath. The treatment was continued for consecutive 30 days.  Symptomatic assessment of patient was carried out after every  8 days and satisfactory outcome was there and overall quality of life of patient was significantly improved

Uterine artery doppler indices may predict intrauterine contraceptive device-related abnormal uterine bleeding

Background: The aim of the study was to assess the role of colour Doppler velocimetry of the uterine arteries as a predictor of intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD)-induced abnormal uterine bleeding.Methods: A prospective study was performed on 120 women (60 without AUB and 60 with AUB) who had copper IUCD inserted as a method of contraception. Detailed history, general and local examination and relevant investigations were done. Pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) of uterine artery measured at 3 months after IUCD insertion.Results: Cut-off levels for PI and RI of uterine arteries were set. PI cut-off level <2.09 with sensitivity of 58.3%, specificity of 61.67% and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.666. RI cut-off level ≤0.83 with sensitivity of 53.33%, specificity of 66.67% and AUC of 0.703. These cut-off levels were associated with abnormal uterine bleeding.Conclusions: Initial measurement of uterine artery Doppler indices (PI and RI) before IUCD insertion could be useful in predicting IUCD-induced abnormal uterine bleeding which is the major cause of method withdrawal during the first year of use and accordingly women could be counseled to consider another method of contraception.

SGBS cells as a model of human adipocyte browning: A comprehensive comparative study with primary human white subcutaneous adipocytes.

The Simpson Golabi Behmel Syndrome (SGBS) pre-adipocyte cell strain is widely considered to be a representative in vitro model of human white pre-adipocytes. A recent study suggested that SGBS adipocytes exhibit an unexpected transient brown phenotype. Here, we comprehensively examined key differences between SGBS adipocytes and primary human white subcutaneous (PHWSC) adipocytes. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction and metabolic pathways were the top two KEGG pathways significantly enriched in SGBS adipocytes, which included positively enriched mitochondrial respiration and oxidation pathways. Compared to PHWSC adipocytes, SGBS adipocytes showed not only greater induction of adipogenic gene expression during differentiation but also increased levels of UCP1 mRNA and protein expression. Functionally, SGBS adipocytes displayed higher ISO-induced basal leak respiration and overall oxygen consumption rate, along with increased triglyceride accumulation and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. In conclusion, we confirmed that SGBS adipocytes, which are considered of white adipose tissue origin can shift towards a brown/beige adipocyte phenotype. These differences indicate SGBS cells may help to identify mechanisms leading to browning, and inform our understanding for the use of SGBS vis-à-vis primary human subcutaneous adipocytes as a human white adipocyte model, guiding the selection of appropriate cell models in future metabolic research

Self Assessment of Dental students’ Perception of Learning Environment in Croatia, India and Nepal

Cilj: Željela se procijeniti percepcija studenata dentalne medicine iz različitih okolina za učenje u Hrvatskoj, Indiji i Nepalu. Postupci: Istraživanje je provedeno tijekom akademske godine 2016./17. Ukupno je sudjelovalo 849 studenata dentalne medicine – 188 iz Hrvatske, 373 iz Indije i 288 iz Nepala. Oni koji nisu ispunili upitnik nisu uzeti u obzir. Primijenjen je Upitnik za studente dentalne medicine o okolini za učenje (engl. Dental Student Learning Environment Survey – DSLES) koji se sastojao od 55 pitanja svrstanih u 7 kategorija. Njima su se mjerile percepcije fleksibilnosti, interakcija među studentima, emocionalno ozračje, potpora, stečeno iskustvo, organizacija i širina interesa. U statističkoj analizi podataka korišten je Kolmogorov-Smirnovljev test. Kruskal-Wallisova neparametrijska ANOVA također je upotrijebljena u testiranju razlika između zemalja. Post hoc analiza obavljena je s pomoću Ranksovih tablica i medijanskoga testa. Rezultati: Odgovorilo je 26,9 % studenata. Značajne razlike između zemalja nađene su za sve varijable DSLES upitnika (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0,01). Medijanski test također je pokazao značajne razlike za sve varijable DSLES-a (p < 0,01). Kategorije s najvišim srednjim vrijednostima ocjena su interakcije među studentima u Indiji i Nepalu te emocionalno ozračje u Hrvatskoj. Zaključak: Studenti u Hrvatskoj ocijenili su svoj fakultet samo ocjenama odličan i dobar, a njihovi kolege u Indiji i Nepalu bili su kritičniji. Unatoč različitim okolnostima u trima zemljama, fleksibilnost je identificirana kao područje slabosti u svim tim sustavima obrazovanja.Aim: The aim of this study was to assess dental students’ perception of different learning environment in India, Nepal and Croatia. Methods: The study was conducted during a period of academic year 2016/17. A total of 849 dental students participated in the study. There were 188 respondents from Croatia, 373 from India, and 288 from Nepal. Non-responders were not followed up. The Dental Student Learning Environment Survey (DSLES) was used which consisted of 55 items subdivided into seven scales. The scales measured the following perceptions: Flexibility, ‘Student-to-Student Interactions, Emotional Climate, Supportiveness, Meaningful Experience, Organization and Breadth of Interest. Statistical analysis of the data utilised the Kolmogorov Smirnov test. The Kruskal-Wallis “non-parametric ANOVA” was also used to test the differences between the countries. A post hoc analysis was performed using Ranks tables and the Median test. Results: The response rate was 26.9%. Significant differences between the countries were found for all DSLES variables (Kruskal-Wallis, p<0.01). The Median test also showed significant differences between the countries for all DSLES variables (p<0.01). The scales with the highest mean values were ‘Student-to-student interactions’ in India and Nepal, and the ‘Emotional Climate’ in Croatia. Conclusions: Students in Croatia rated their school only with grades excellent and good, while their colleagues in India and Nepal were more critical. Despite the different settings in three countries, ‘Flexibility’ was identified as the area of weakness in all three educational systems

Engineering crops for tolerance against abiotic stress through gene manipulation

Plant genetic engineering took birth in the mid-eighties when, for the first time, plants were successfully engineered for improved virus, herbicide and insect resistance. This sphere has been ever-increasing since then. Abiotic stresses (such as high salt levels, low water availability leading to drought, excess water leading to flooding, high and low temperature regimes, etc.) adversely affect crop plants. The genetic responses of plants to these stresses are complex involving simultaneous expression of a number of genes. Till the early-nineties it was inconceivable that there would be any success in attaining the goal of improving resistance of crop plants to abiotic stresses. Continuing efforts of the stress biologists have resulted in engineering of plants resistant to low temperature, high temperature and excess salinity. A satisfactory progress has also been achieved in the area of generating plants resistant to water stress and flooding. While what has been achieved is impressive, it is still a challenging task to pyramid useful genes for high-level resistance to such stresses. The limiting factor in extension of biotechnology to abiotic stresses is the lack of information on what are the 'useful genes'-genes which would lead to better stress tolerance. We have reviewed how these genes are being searched to enable further development of strategies for stress management in crop plants. This is important because the strategics for coping with the abiotic stresses (and also for several other applications in plant biotechnology) have also come through the research work of scientists working on as diverse organisms as bacteria and fish

Reply to: ‘Browning capabilities of human primary adipose-derived stromal cells compared to SGBS cells’

10.1038/s41598-020-64706-wScientific Reports101963

Queer In AI: A Case Study in Community-Led Participatory AI

We present Queer in AI as a case study for community-led participatory design in AI. We examine how participatory design and intersectional tenets started and shaped this community's programs over the years. We discuss different challenges that emerged in the process, look at ways this organization has fallen short of operationalizing participatory and intersectional principles, and then assess the organization's impact. Queer in AI provides important lessons and insights for practitioners and theorists of participatory methods broadly through its rejection of hierarchy in favor of decentralization, success at building aid and programs by and for the queer community, and effort to change actors and institutions outside of the queer community. Finally, we theorize how communities like Queer in AI contribute to the participatory design in AI more broadly by fostering cultures of participation in AI, welcoming and empowering marginalized participants, critiquing poor or exploitative participatory practices, and bringing participation to institutions outside of individual research projects. Queer in AI's work serves as a case study of grassroots activism and participatory methods within AI, demonstrating the potential of community-led participatory methods and intersectional praxis, while also providing challenges, case studies, and nuanced insights to researchers developing and using participatory methods.Comment: To appear at FAccT 202

Performance characteristics of positive and negative delayed feedback on chaotic dynamics of directly modulated InGaAsP semiconductor lasers

The chaotic dynamics of directly modulated semiconductor lasers with delayed optoelectronic feedback is studied numerically. The effects of positive and negative delayed optoelectronic feedback in producing chaotic outputs from such lasers with nonlinear gain reduction in its optimum value range is investigated using bifurcation diagrams. The results are confirmed by calculating the Lyapunov exponents. A negative delayed optoelectronic feedback configuration is found to be more effective in inducing chaotic dynamics to such systems with nonlinear gain reduction factor in the practical value range.Comment: 18 pages, 16 figures. To appear In Pramana - journal of physic