Study of insulin resistance and antioxidant vitamin status in prostate cancer patients

The incidence of prostate cancer is 5 per 100000 in southern and eastern Asia. Both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in its etiology. The mitogenic and growth stimulatory effects of Insulin growth factor may be involved in prostate carcinogenesis. To evaluate serum insulin and insulin resistance was passed by HOMA- IR. Prostatic specific antigen passed by immune-enzymatic assay. Vitamins were estimated by high performance liquid chromatography. In our study 30 prostate cancer patients aged 60-80years were taken as cases. 30 normal age matched disease free person were taken as controls in both groups, Insulin resistance and antioxidant vitamin status was studied.  In the present study, the value of HOMA-IR was (P <0.05) is significantly higher compare to controls. Serum vitamin E and vitamin C values for cases was reduced (P <0.05) significantly lower than controls. The development of prostate cancer is a multistep process. Hyperinsulinemia associated with insulin resistance may play a role in pathogenesis of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer cells generate high levels a ROS

A STUDY ON KANDUGHNA TAILA IN FILARIAL LYMPHANGITIS AND ULCERS

The disease Shlipada is very common in Andhra Pradesh Coastal belts. The chronic filarial patients used to suffer from acute periodic episodes. During these acute periodic episodes majority of the filarial patients develop lymphangitis (inflammation of lymphatic vessel), wounds and ulcers in affected legs. Some of the patients develop oozing blisters and pustules. Patients with these acute symptoms suffer from severe pain and tenderness and un-hygiene may lead to secondary bacterial infections. These periodic episodes often end with fibrosis and permanent swelling (Lymphedema). Many Ayurvedic herbal and herbo-mineral drugs were successfully used internally to reduce chronic filarial swelling (lymphedema), but there is an ultimate need to find an external application to reduce the acute symptoms like lymphangitis, wounds and ulcers. Kandughna taila is a Ayurvedic herbal oil prepared from Kandughna Dashaimani (a group of 10 drugs indicated in Itching) of Caraka samhita. This Kandughna taila was selected to study externally on Filarial patients. As a part of PhD study to find the efficacy of drug this oil alone was used in 28 patients in an open clinical trail. Encouraging results were observed during and after 30 days of treatment. Out of 28 cases, 8 (28.8%) got good response, 15 (53.6%) got fair response, 2 (7.1%) got poor response and 3 (10.7%) cases did not show any response. Overall 63.68% relief was found in all acute clinical parameters. Parameter wise 62% of relief in lymphangitis, 56.1% in pain, 62.5% in tenderness, 77.78% relief in wound/ ulcer were found. In statistical analysis based paired t-test relief on acute symptoms like lymphangitis, pain, tenderness, wound were found highly significant (P&lt;0.0001). Statistically overall effect of treatment on acute symptoms was also found highly significant (P&lt;0.0001)

A comparative biochemical study on the non diabetic obese and non obese subjects with cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is now a major public health problem in India and is emerging as a major killer. The non diabetic obese and non obese subjects with cardio vascular disease” were carried out with the objective of studying or investing the (effect) cause of cardiovascular diseases in obese and Non-obese subjects. The level of lipoprotein a of non obese subject showed a significant (P < 0.001) increase than in the obese subject. The level of lipid ratio (total cholesterol / HDL cholesterol) found to be significantly (P < 0.001) high in obese subjects than in non-obese subjects. The present study has been designed to evaluate or investigate the risk of cardiovascular disease due to obesity in both male and female middle age group

Comparative study of effectiveness of computer based knowledge in teaching versus conventional teaching perception in pharmacology among second year MBBS undergraduate medical students at Maharajah’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Andhra Pradesh, India

Background: Medical education has been asserted as one of the most challenging, demanding, and stressful fields of study, as medical students are expected to acquire diverse competencies such as academic, clinical, and interpersonal skills. Pharmacology is rapidly evolving and expanding conquering many diseases in its stride. The survey-based study we aim to grasp the MBBS students’ opinion regarding the teaching practices in pharmacology. Aim was to Study and compare the Effectiveness of Computer Based Teaching Versus Conventional Teaching Perception About Pharmacology Among Second Year MBBS Undergraduate Medical Students.Methods: A comparative study was conducted at Department of Pharmacology, Maharajah’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Nellimarla, Vizianagaram, Andhrapradesh. Two hundred second year MBBS medical students (n = 200) were divided into two groups.Results: In this study results shows P value and statistical significance the two-tailed P value is less than 0.0001 by conventional criteria, this difference is considered to be extremely statistically significant. Confidence interval the mean of Pre-test score minus Post test score equals -3.1900 and 95% confidence interval of this difference from -3.4503 to -2.9297.Conclusions: The importance of pharmacology in clinical decision making is well understood by the majority of students and they aim to act in that behest. Also, we find that computer based learning is a new and important tool coming up in the arsenal of the pharmacology teacher

Fetal malnutrition and adult chronic disease

Since the fetal origins of adult disease hypothesis was put forward, more than 30 studies around the world have indicated low-birth-weight (LBW) infants have a higher incidence of hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance. India ranks second in incidence of LBW among South East Asian countries and is experiencing a transition of disease pattern from communicable disease to non-communicable disease. Whether this could be explained in part by LBW infants who experienced better nutrition at a later age is explored here. An earlier cohort with accurate birth weights was traced and enrolled into the study. A sample of 50 LBW and 78 normal birth weight (NBW) individuals are reported on here. Though the odds ratio (OR) estimates of risk factors for coronary heart disease and diabetes tended to be higher in LBWs who were better nourished at the time of the study, they were not statistically different. Similarly, OR estimates for risk factors tended to be higher in LBWs who put on more weight than the median of NBWs, but they were not significant. Logistic regressions with several variables indicated significant influence of body mass index on systolic (P&lt;0.007) and diastolic (P&lt;0.004) blood pressures. Since the risk associations are weak, more studies are needed to put the hypothesis on a firm footing

Prospective, randomized double blind comparative study of safety and efficacy of carvedilol versus atenolol in patients of mild to moderate hypertension

Background: Carvedilol is a new cardiovascular compound with the combined pharmacologic properties of nonselective ß-blockade and vasodilation. The Aim of the study was to compare the safety and antihypertensive efficacy of 25mg Carvedilol once daily with 50mg atenolol once daily in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.Methods: This was a single center study conducted in Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada. 80 eligible patients with mild to moderate hypertension were randomized to receive 25mg Carvedilol once daily (40 patients) or 50mg atenolol (40 patients) in a double-blind 12-week treatment phase. At each visit 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, sitting Blood Pressure (BP) and heart rate were measured. The effect on BP reduction within the group is compared by paired “t”test and the effect on reduction of BP between two study groups compared by unpaired “t”test.Results: After 12 weeks of treatment, the mean reduction of SBP (Systolic Blood Pressure) with carvedilol is 22.33±8.31mmHg with no Significant difference (p >0.05) compared to atenolol group mean reduction in SBP of 21.37±10mm Hg. The mean reduction in DBP (Diastolic Blood Pressure) after completion of the study in carvedilol group is 6.75±4.82mm Hg with no Significant difference (p >0.05) compared to atenolol group mean reduction in DBP of 8.55±5.25mm Hg. No significant difference seen in the efficacy parameters of both the drugs. The incidence of adverse effects such as bradycardia, headache, nausea, vomiting, hypotension and rash is less with carvedilol.Conclusions: In patients with mild to moderate hypertension, there was no statistically significant difference between efficacy of carvedilol or atenolol with regard to the degree of reduction in BP or the percentage of patients achieving a response to therapy but carvedilol showed a better safety profile when compared to atenolol

Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular risk?

Background: Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism in humans degraded by the hepatic enzyme, urate oxidase (uricase), to allantoin, which is freely excreted in the urine. However, during the Miocene epoch (20 to 5 million years ago), 2 parallel but distinct mutations occurred in early hominoids that rendered the uricase gene non-functional. Uric acid (UA) is a known endogenous scavenger, which provides a major part of the antioxidant capacity against oxidative and radical injury.Methods: The present study was conducted over a period of one year on outpatients attending the General Medicine Department at Narayana General Hospital, Nellore. The study was included 998 subjects (500 male and 498 female) and authors excluded other complications. Data were analyzed by SPSS software.Results: Serum uric acid of the subjects were measured. The mean and standard deviation were calculated for all the Biochemical parameter. The significance between the groups was determined using Student t-test for equality of means. The two-tailed P value is less than 0.0001, which is statistically significant. Confidence interval: the hypothetical mean is 1.0000 and the actual mean is 6.4600. The difference between these two values is 5.4600. The 95% confidence interval of this difference from 5.3489 to 5.5711. Intermediate values used in calculations; t = 96.4583, df = 999 and standard error of difference p = 0.057.Conclusions: About 53% of the subjects of the study are hyperuricemia, with about 74% of these subjects (or about 39% of the total) diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes mellitus or both, indicating a high CVD risk

Is Dental Treatment Safe in Pregnancy? A Dentist’s Opinion Survey in South India

Background: Oral health of pregnant patients is considered as&nbsp;an essential component of the overall health of the mother and&nbsp;the developing fetus. The aim of this study was to know dentist&nbsp;perspective regarding treatment options in pregnant patients.&nbsp;Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was&nbsp;conducted among dentists of south India by mailing a selfadministered&nbsp;questionnaire to collect data on management&nbsp;choices of the pregnant dental patient related to treatment&nbsp;practices and therapeutic choices of dentists and also theirsociodemographic and practice characteristics.&nbsp;Results: A total of 726 questionnaires was collected. Around&nbsp;28.5% of the participants took radiographs for pregnant&nbsp;patients. Mostly, all the surveyed dentists would extract a&nbsp;non-restorable painful tooth during pregnancy. Around 89.3%&nbsp;prescribe a mouthwash and 37% would perform root planning&nbsp;and periodontal surgery for gingival bleeding and calculus&nbsp;deposits. Majority of the dentists (92.9%) prescribe amoxicillin.&nbsp;By far paracetamol was the most popular analgesic agent (91%).The majority of the dentists (62.3%) would use plain xylocaine&nbsp;Conclusion: There is a clear lack of knowledge about the&nbsp;appropriate management of the pregnant dental patient amongthe surveyed dentists regardless of their sociodemographic and&nbsp;practice characteristics necessitating continuous education on&nbsp;the dental management of pregnant dental patient

Sport and ethno-racial formation: imagined distance in Fiji

Significant research depicts the implications of sport’s role in racial formation located mainly in the ‘Global North’. Yet, there has been less attention afforded to the related role of sport in the ‘Global South’, particularly in divided societies, where the consequences of sports’ influence on ethno-racial relations, are also significant. This study relies on empirical evidence gathered during an in-depth exploration into the role of soccer and rugby in Fijian intergroup relations. Sport is analysed as an arena that not only plays host to ethno-racial groupings but one which is also instrumental in their maintenance and reimagining. In Fiji at least, the organisation and positioning of sport in popular culture and discourse means that it becomes an emblematic sphere, active in the reconfirmation and preservation of ethno-racial division. Through this discussion, this study contributes to sport and racial formation theory, widening the gaze to diverse and divided socio-cultural settings