Effectiveness of a microteaching workshop designed to improve the teaching performance of post graduate medical students

Background: Microteaching helps in professional development in prospective professional teachers. The objectives of the present study were to know whether such a microteaching training / workshop programme conducted at our setting helped the participants to improve their teaching skills and to know what are changes that can be implemented to make such workshop more effective and useful.Methods: 54 postgraduate students participated in the workshop. It was a three-day workshop programme conducted by medical education unit. At the end of the 3rd day, feedback form was given to participants to know their perception on the effectiveness of the workshop.Results: Hundred percent of the participants felt the workshop was useful. They also felt that feedback given during the session was most useful to improve their teaching skills.Conclusions:Present study shows that postgraduates perceived the workshop to be beneficial to improve their teaching skills and to build their self-confidence. Conducting such workshops at regular interval will definitely benefit them to improve their teaching process.

Evaluation of serum paraoxonase level and dyslipidemia in psoriasis

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disorder that is associated with oxidative stress, altered lipid metabolism and with high risk of cardiovascular events. High density lipoprotein (HDL) bound serum paraoxonase enzyme exhibits anti-atherogenic properties. It protects against the development of coronary heart disease by preventing low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. The aim of our work was to evaluate the serum paraoxonase levels and dyslipidemia in psoriasis.Methods: Present study involved 100 participants of which 50 were diagnosed cases of psoriasis and 50 were age and sex matched healthy controls, who fulfilled inclusion criteria. Serum paraoxonase (PON), and lipid profile were estimated in cases and controls. Lipid profile was estimated by using autoanalyser EM 200 and serum paraoxonase by spectrophotometric method.Results: Patients presented risk changes in lipid profile [(increase in triglycerides (p=0.005), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p=0.009), very low density levels (p=0.002) and a reduction in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p≤0.001)] which were highly significant when compared to controls. Serum paraoxonase levels was decreased in psoriasis patient compared to control which was statistically highly significant (p= 0.001).Conclusions: Present data suggest that psoriasis patients must be considered as a group at risk for cardiovascular disease

Quantitative analysis of chemical constituents in medicinal plant coleus aromaticus extracts

Background: Indian medicinal plants have great potential towards curing many diseases. Medicinal plant Coleus aromaticus is known for its wide medical applications. The main objectives of the study undertaken were to analyze the phytochemicals and compare the concentration present in the dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract with various solvents.Methods: Various extracts of the medicinal plant Coleus aromaticus leaves such as dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein, hydro alcoholic extract, ethanol extract and chloroform extract were prepared and analyzed for various phytochemical concentrations such as Total phenols (Folin-Ciocalteu method), Flavonoids (Aluminum chloride method), total sugars (Dubois method) and Proteins (Bradford’s method). Standard graph for each component was plotted.Results: The protein concentration in dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract is considerably higher (5.8μg/10μl) than hydro alcoholic extract (1.6μg/10μl), ethanol extract (5.2μg/10μl) and chloroform extract (2.8μg/10μl). The other phytochemicals like total phenol, flavonoids and total sugars were low in concentration in the dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract compared to hydro alcoholic extract, ethanol extract and chloroform extract.Conclusions: In this study, the protein concentration in dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract is considerably higher than the same in other solvent extracts. This is the basis for further studies to unfold the antioxidant activity of Coleus aromaticus protein in vitro

Effectiveness of a microteaching workshop designed to improve the teaching performance of post graduate medical students

Background: Microteaching helps in professional development in prospective professional teachers. The objectives of the present study were to know whether such a microteaching training / workshop programme conducted at our setting helped the participants to improve their teaching skills and to know what are changes that can be implemented to make such workshop more effective and useful.Methods: 54 postgraduate students participated in the workshop. It was a three-day workshop programme conducted by medical education unit. At the end of the 3rd day, feedback form was given to participants to know their perception on the effectiveness of the workshop.Results: Hundred percent of the participants felt the workshop was useful. They also felt that feedback given during the session was most useful to improve their teaching skills.Conclusions:Present study shows that postgraduates perceived the workshop to be beneficial to improve their teaching skills and to build their self-confidence. Conducting such workshops at regular interval will definitely benefit them to improve their teaching process.

Evaluation of serum paraoxonase level and dyslipidemia in psoriasis

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disorder that is associated with oxidative stress, altered lipid metabolism and with high risk of cardiovascular events. High density lipoprotein (HDL) bound serum paraoxonase enzyme exhibits anti-atherogenic properties. It protects against the development of coronary heart disease by preventing low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. The aim of our work was to evaluate the serum paraoxonase levels and dyslipidemia in psoriasis.Methods: Present study involved 100 participants of which 50 were diagnosed cases of psoriasis and 50 were age and sex matched healthy controls, who fulfilled inclusion criteria. Serum paraoxonase (PON), and lipid profile were estimated in cases and controls. Lipid profile was estimated by using autoanalyser EM 200 and serum paraoxonase by spectrophotometric method.Results: Patients presented risk changes in lipid profile [(increase in triglycerides (p=0.005), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p=0.009), very low density levels (p=0.002) and a reduction in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p≤0.001)] which were highly significant when compared to controls. Serum paraoxonase levels was decreased in psoriasis patient compared to control which was statistically highly significant (p= 0.001).Conclusions: Present data suggest that psoriasis patients must be considered as a group at risk for cardiovascular disease

Quantitative analysis of chemical constituents in medicinal plant coleus aromaticus extracts

Background: Indian medicinal plants have great potential towards curing many diseases. Medicinal plant Coleus aromaticus is known for its wide medical applications. The main objectives of the study undertaken were to analyze the phytochemicals and compare the concentration present in the dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract with various solvents.Methods: Various extracts of the medicinal plant Coleus aromaticus leaves such as dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein, hydro alcoholic extract, ethanol extract and chloroform extract were prepared and analyzed for various phytochemical concentrations such as Total phenols (Folin-Ciocalteu method), Flavonoids (Aluminum chloride method), total sugars (Dubois method) and Proteins (Bradford’s method). Standard graph for each component was plotted.Results: The protein concentration in dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract is considerably higher (5.8μg/10μl) than hydro alcoholic extract (1.6μg/10μl), ethanol extract (5.2μg/10μl) and chloroform extract (2.8μg/10μl). The other phytochemicals like total phenol, flavonoids and total sugars were low in concentration in the dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract compared to hydro alcoholic extract, ethanol extract and chloroform extract.Conclusions: In this study, the protein concentration in dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract is considerably higher than the same in other solvent extracts. This is the basis for further studies to unfold the antioxidant activity of Coleus aromaticus protein in vitro