The effect of long term combined yoga practice on the basal metabolic rate of healthy adults

BACKGROUND: Different procedures practiced in yoga have stimulatory or inhibitory effects on the basal metabolic rate when studied acutely. In daily life however, these procedures are usually practiced in combination. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the net change in the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of individuals actively engaging in a combination of yoga practices (asana or yogic postures, meditation and pranayama or breathing exercises) for a minimum period of six months, at a residential yoga education and research center at Bangalore. METHODS: The measured BMR of individuals practicing yoga through a combination of practices was compared with that of control subjects who did not practice yoga but led similar lifestyles. RESULTS: The BMR of the yoga practitioners was significantly lower than that of the non-yoga group, and was lower by about 13 % when adjusted for body weight (P < 0.001). This difference persisted when the groups were stratified by gender; however, the difference in BMR adjusted for body weight was greater in women than men (about 8 and 18% respectively). In addition, the mean BMR of the yoga group was significantly lower than their predicted values, while the mean BMR of non-yoga group was comparable with their predicted values derived from 1985 WHO/FAO/UNU predictive equations. CONCLUSION: This study shows that there is a significantly reduced BMR, probably linked to reduced arousal, with the long term practice of yoga using a combination of stimulatory and inhibitory yogic practices

Impact of district mental health care plans on symptom severity and functioning of patients with priority mental health conditions: the Programme for Improving Mental Health Care (PRIME) cohort protocol

Background: The Programme for Improving Mental Health Care (PRIME) sought to implement mental health care plans (MHCP) for four priority mental disorders (depression, alcohol use disorder, psychosis and epilepsy) into routine primary care in five low- and middle-income country districts. The impact of the MHCPs on disability was evaluated through establishment of priority disorder treatment cohorts. This paper describes the methodology of these PRIME cohorts. Methods: One cohort for each disorder was recruited across some or all five districts: Sodo (Ethiopia), Sehore (India) , Chitwan (Nepal), Dr. Kenneth Kaunda (South Africa) and Kamuli (Uganda), comprising 17 treatment cohorts in total (N = 2182). Participants were adults residing in the districts who were eligible to receive mental health treatment according to primary health care staff, trained by PRIME facilitators as per the district MHCP. Patients who screened positive for depression or AUD and who were not given a diagnosis by their clinicians (N = 709) were also recruited into comparison cohorts in Ethiopia, India, Nepal and South Africa. Caregivers of patients with epilepsy or psychosis were also recruited (N = 953), together with or on behalf of the person with a mental disorder, depending on the district. The target sample size was 200 (depression and AUD), or 150 (psychosis and epilepsy) patients initiating treatment in each recruiting district. Data collection activities were conducted by PRIME research teams. Participants completed follow-up assessments after 3 months (AUD and depression) or 6 months (psychosis and epilepsy), and after 12 months. Primary outcomes were impaired functioning, using the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS), and symptom severity, assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (depression), the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUD), and number of seizures (epilepsy). Discussion: Cohort recruitment was a function of the clinical detection rate by primary health care staff, and did not meet all planned targets. The cross-country methodology reflected the pragmatic nature of the PRIME cohorts: while the heterogeneity in methods of recruitment was a consequence of differences in health systems and MHCPs, the use of the WHODAS as primary outcome measure will allow for comparison of functioning recovery across sites and disorders

Effect of Apthoryama yajna on people and environment

412-416In traditional knowledge base of the Vedas mention that Yajïas have effect on the environment and people. Yajnas of various kinds are elaborated in the four Vedas. Apthoryama yajïa is one such yajïa in the Soma yajïa. A large-scale yajïa Apthoryama yajïa was organized in Thrissur district of Kerala to evaluate the effects on environment, society and humans beings. In the study, following aspects were taken up: attitudinal survey, random event generator (REG) studies, bacterial count in the atmosphere and analysis from the yajïa. Attitudinal survey showed that people came to yajïa for spiritual reason and their life is affected from the spiritual activity. On measuring consciousness fields in the surroundings of yajïa using (REG) has shown a significant change as measured at a distance of 12 m from the place of yajïa. Air borne bacteria counts have shown an increase at 20 m distance as compared to 40 m. The speciation of the bacteria was not done. A study of ash filtrate of yajïa was done using standard stain; the result of the filtrate was negative for bacterial growth and also for antibacterial activity after 6 months

Integrated yoga therapy for improving mental health in managers

Background: Managers′ lives have become a never-ending race against time, technology, and targets. This race creates tension, which leads to dissatisfaction and frustration and eventually manifests itself as psychological and physiological stress with mental and emotional drain. This modern lifestyle intensifies the stress leading to "Excessive Tension" and consequent deterioration in "Executive Efficiency." Objective: To assess mental health in managers undergoing yoga-based Self-Management of Excessive Tension (SMET) program. Materials and Methods: 72 managers with 48.75±3.86 years of mean age were participated in this study of single group pre-post design. The General Health Questionnaire data were taken on the first and sixth day of 5 days SMET program. Results: The data analysis showed 68.25% decrease (P<0.001) in somatic symptoms, 66.29% decrease (P<0.001) in anxiety and insomnia, 65.00% decrease (P<0.001) in social dysfunction, 87.08% decrease (P<0.001) in severe depression, and 71.47% decrease (P<0.001) in all medical complaints. Conclusion: These results suggest that participation in a SMET program was associated with improvement in mental health and may have implications for "Executive Efficiency.

Free convection heat transfer between vertical parallel plates

A new mathematical model for the solution of the problem of free convection heat transfer between vertical parallel flat isothermal plates under isothermal boundary conditions, has been presented. The set of boundary layer equations used in the model are transformed to nonlinear coupled differential equations by similarity type variables as obtained by Ostrach for vertical flat plates in an infinite fluid medium. By utilising a parameter ηw* to represent the outer boundary, the governing differential equations are solved numerically for parametric values of Pr = 0.733. 2 and 3, and ηw* = 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, ... and 8.0. The velocity and temperature profiles are presented. Results indicate that ηw* can effectively classify the system into (1) thin layers where conduction predominates, (2) intermediate layers and (3) thick layers whose results can be predicted by the solutions for vertical flat plates in infinite fluid medium. Heat transfer correlations are presented for the 3 categories. Several experimental and analytical results available in the literature agree with the present correlations

A study on bullock carts. Part 1. Engineering analysis of the two-wheel bullock cart design

An engineering analysis of the design of two-wheel bullock carts has been carried out with the aid of a mathematical model. Non-dimensional expressions for the pull and the neck load have been developed. In the first instance, the cart is assumed to be cruising at constant velocity on a terrain with the effective coefficient of rolling friction varying over a wide range (0.001 to 0.5) and the gradient varying between +0.2 to −0.2. Subsequently, the effect of inertia force due to an acceleration parallel to the ground is studied. In the light of this analysis, two modifications to the design of the cart have been proposed and the relative merits of the current designs and the proposed designs are discussed

Laminar film condensation from nonisothermal vertical flat plates

Laminar boundary layer anal. of film condensation on vertical flat plates with a general temp. distribution at the surface is presented. By using a variable temp. boundary condition at the surfaces of the plate, the difficulties encountered in the conventional similarity anal. applied to a general temp. variation case are overcome. Solns. are presented for parametric values of this variable, q0, and the heat transfer results are developed. These results are compared with the isothermal case under 2 types of boundary conditions, namely (i) the power-law surface temp. variation and (ii) the exponential surface temp. variation. Further, comparison with forced and free convection results indicates that the heat-transfer results are influenced to a max. extent by the nonisothermal boundary conditions

Immediate effect of stimulation in comparison to relaxation in healthy volunteers

606-610In this self-control, cross over study carried out over two consecutive days, 43 healthy male volunteers aged 20-45 yrs practiced 20 minutes Kapalbhati and 20 minutes Breath Awareness. Subjects were assessed before and after both practices for State Anxiety, sustained attention (Six Letter Cancellation and Digit Letter Substitution tests), and verbal and spatial memory. After Kapalbhati, scores reduced significantly on State Anxiety, and increased on both sustained attention, and verbal and spatial memory; statistical significance was high on all variables (p<0.001). After Breath Awareness, changes were also significant (p0.05)