Sea of Poppies: A Socio Cultural Evolution of Indian Diaspora: A Saga of Struggle

Amitav Ghosh is one of the leading writes of Indian English literature. His novel Sea of Poppies was shortlisted for Man Booker Prize in 2008. The novel is based on historical setting of colonial rule in India and to fulfil its need of supply of opium to china. The novel is a commentary on socio cultural evolution of Indian Diaspora, a saga of struggle by the destitute and wretches of colonial India and the dispassionate account of the India peasantry forced into opium cultivation. It is a novel in relation to disporic sensibility and reconstruction of identity. The majority of the characters of novel show an extra-ordinary ability of coping with situation and the new place. The characters make effort for identity reconstruction or transformation to suit with the new place

Antiulcerogenic effect of Methanolic Root Extract of Berberis lycium Linn by Pylorus ligation and Ethanol induced Ulceration

Background: Gastric ulcer is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal disorders, which affects approximately 5-10% of people during their life. In recent years, abundant work has been carried out on herbal medicine to clarify their potential efficacy in gastric ulcer prevention or management. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antiulcer activity of the methanolic root extract of Berberis lycium in albino rats. Method: The methanolic root extract of Berberis lycium was prepared by hot extraction method. Anti-ulcer activity was evaluated and method employed was pylorus ligation and ethanol induced in albino rats. Preliminary methanolic extract of Berberis lycium was subjected to the acute oral toxicity study according to the OECD guideline no. 425. Animals were divided into four groups of six animals each. The animals of Group I served as normal control (vehicle) which received distilled water. Group II and III received 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of methanolic root extract, respectively. In pylorus ligation induced ulcer model, various parameters were studied viz. gastric volume, pH, total acidity, free acidity, and ulcer index. Ulcer index and percentage inhibition of ulceration was determined for ethanol induced ulcer model. Group IV received Ranitidine at 50 mg/kg was used as the standard drug. Pretreatment of methanol root extract of Berberis lycium showed significant (P˂0.05) decrease in the gastric volume, total acidity and free acidity. However, pH of the gastric juice was significantly increased only at higher dose 500 mg/kg. It showed also significant (P˂0.05) decrease in number of ulcers and ulcer score index in pylorus ligation and ethanol induced ulceration models. Results: The methanol root extract of Berberis lycium showed a significant reduction in the total acidity, free acidity and acid volume. The efficacy of plant extract at high dose was comparable with the standard drug Ranitidine. Conclusion: Our study results support the ethnomedical use of root of Berberis lycium. Keywords: Antiulcer activity, Berberis lycium, Pylorus ligation, Ranitidine, Ulcer Index

Critical Analysis of Karnakshweda with its Modern Aspect

Shalakyatantra, one of the eight branches of Ayurveda deals with diseases above the level of the clavicle, i.e., Urdhwajatru. In that, there are twenty-eight Karnarogas as described by Acharya Sushruta, Yogratnakara, and Bhavprakasha. Karnaksweda is one of the Karnaroga that resembles Karnanada, but there is vitiation of Pittadi doshas with a predominance of Vata in the channels of Karna, leading to the generation of Venughoshavata, i.e., flute-like sound, because of different etiological factors like Dhatu Kshayaa, Ruksha Bhojana, etc. In modern science, tinnitus is described as an unwanted auditory perception of internal origin, usually localised, and rarely heard by others. It can be subjective, when experience is of the individual alone, or, less commonly, objective. It, moreover, acts as a symptom rather than a disease with multifactorial etiology. Karnakshweda can be specifically correlated with cochlear synaptic tinnitus, i.e., tinnitus due to inner ear causes. The majority of cases of tinnitus are subjective; objective tinnitus is far less common. Treatment for Karnaksweda is described as the same as for Karnanada, which includes Vatahar Chikitsa, Snehana, Dhoomapana, Karnapoorana, etc., but there is no specific treatment for Tinnitus in modern science because of idiopathic etiopathogenesis. Ayurveda is a more effective science for the management of diseases like tinnitus

Case Report - Rupture of Left Horn of Bicornuate Uterus at Twenty Weeks of Gestation

Rupture uterus in nulliparous patients is generally associated with mullerian anomalies. A case of 23 years primigravida with 19 weeks gestation presenting with features of rupture is reported here. Ultrasound helped in the diagnosis of left horn of bicornuate uterus. After exploration, right ruptured horn was excised. The incidence, diagnosis and management of such cases is discussed

Rupture of left horn of bicornuate uterus at twenty weeks of gestation

Rupture uterus in nulliparous patients is generally associated with mullerian anomalies. A case of 23 years primigravida with 19 weeks gestation presenting with features of rupture is reported here. Ultrasound helped in the diagnosis of left horn of bicornuate uterus. After exploration, right ruptured horn was excised. The incidence, diagnosis and management of such cases is discussed

Preferences toward digital and non-digital mental health treatment delivery formats: A survey of Indian college students

Digital mental health treatments have the potential to expand access to services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but the uptake of interventions has been limited. Furthermore, the attitudes of those in LMICs toward intervention formats are rarely studied. In this study, Indian college students were asked to rate a variety of treatment delivery formats on three domains: a) perceived helpfulness, b) availability, and c) willingness to try. We found that 95% of individuals were willing to try one-on-one therapy with a professional, 56% were willing to try one-on-one therapy with a lay counselor, participants were less willing to try group interventions than one-on-one interventions, and <50% were willing to try digital self-help interventions. Additionally, there was a strong association between willingness to try and ratings of helpfulness (r=0.61). Ratings were not associated with gender, age, or depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that one barrier limiting the uptake of digital interventions in LMICs is that individuals do not perceive them as helpful. Efforts to disseminate information about non-traditional intervention delivery formats and their benefits are warranted