Yoga is an effective technique of stress reduction within the medical population: a biochemical study in MBBS students of BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: Medicine is a profession with high-stress prevalence. There are many stress markers but cortisol is one of the commonly used stress marker. Stress begins in the first year of medical carrier and increases with subsequent years of medical education. There is a decrease in overall academic performance and many health-related adverse effects due to stress. In this study, yoga was performed in the first year MBBS students of BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur and the impact of yoga in stress reduction was studied using serum cortisol as stress a marker.Methods: Study groups, yoga and control contained 26 and 27 subjects including male and female MBBS students. Yoga group practiced selected yogic asana, pranayama, and yoga nidra for 3 months. The control group as a stress marker had been kept in touch and allowed to go on their usual activity as before. Morning (8.00 AM to 9.00 AM) serum cortisol level was used as a stress marker in both group, pre and post-study.Results: There was a significant reduction in morning serum cortisol level (stress level) in yoga group (p-value = 0.0271) but there was no significant change in morning serum cortisol level of the control group (p-value = 0.8573).Conclusions: Yoga is an effective stress reduction technique for medical students. Yoga classes should be introduced in the first year of the medical carrier under the supervision of expert physiologists. This may lead to the implantation of a healthy lifestyle in our future healthcare providers. Yogic practice by health care providers may have long term positive impacts on our healthcare system

Evaluation of Antioxidant Capacities and Total Polyphenols in Various Edible Parts of Capparis spinosa L. Collected from Trans-Himalayas

The phytochemical screening, antioxidant capacity, and total polyphenols in the methanolic extract of leaves, flower buds, roots and fruits of Capparis spinosa collected from trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh were assessed in an effort to corroborate its medicinal and culinary potential. Highest DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity were observed in the leaves and least in dried fruit samples, even FRAP assay also illustrated the same trend. IC50 values of DPPH assay was highly correlated with that of ABTS (R2=0.9084) and FRAP assay (R2=0.9771). However, IC50 value of ABTS was reasonably correlated with FRAP assay (R2=0.5838). The highest phenolic and flavonoid content was recorded in the leaf samples (24.78 and 5.69 mg GAE/g DW respectively), whereas it was lowest in the dried fruit samples (4.07 mg quercetin equivalent/g DW and nil, respectively). The total phenolic contents were highly correlated with IC50 value of ABTS (R2=0.9084), DPPH (R2=0.9388) and FRAP value (R2=0.9618). But, total flavonoid contents were highly correlated with ABTS (R2=0.7449), DPPH (R2=0.8791) and FRAP values (R2=0.9588). Thus, this study has validated the medicinal potential of all the edible parts of the C. spinosa

Prevalence and fungal profile of pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients of a tertiary care hospital

Background: Aspergillus is a fungus which may present an array of pulmonary manifestations, depending on the patient’s immunological and physiological state. Although the incidence of pulmonary aspergillosis occurs primarily in immunocompromised patients but the incidence is also rising in immunocompetent individuals, especially in developing countries. Aim: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and predisposing factors of pulmonary aspergillosis along with species identification. Materials and Methods: One hundred and three patients admitted to the Department of Chest and Tuberculosis and in the Department of Medicine from Jan 2012 to Jan 2013 were included in this study. The patients were epitomized on the basis of clinical signs and symptoms, physical examination, chest radiography, CT scans, histopathological examination, bronchoscopy and fungal examination including potassium hydroxide mount, fungal culture of sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage. Species identification was done by colony characteristics, slide culture and Lactophenol Cotton blue mount. Results: Out of the 103 patients, (63 males and 40 females) Aspergillus species has been isolated from 17 (16.5%) males and 07 (6.79%) females. Various predisposing factors of pulmonary aspergillosis have been identified in which pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic smoking and environmental exposure to asbestos, cement its tops the list. Many of the patients had multiple predisposing factors. Aspergillus species were isolated in 24 (23.3%) cases. Aspergillus fumigatus was the predominant species isolated in 13 (54.16%) cases followed by Aspergillus flavus in 07 (29.16%) cases, Aspergillus niger in 03 (12.5 %) and Aspergillus terrus in 1 (4.16%) cases. Conclusion: It is concluded that the prevalence of pulmonary Aspergillosis is quite high in immunocompromised individuals and low in immunocompetent individuals. An adequate and efficient evaluation of the etiological agents has a crucial role in the management of such patients

A Maiorana-McFarland Construction of a GBF on Galois ring

Bent functions shows some vital properties among all combinatorial objects. Its links in combinatorics, cryptography and coding theory attract the scientific community to construct new class of bent functions. Since the entire characterisation of bent functions is still unexplored but several construction on different algebraic structure is in progress. In this paper we proposed a generalized Maiorana-McFarland construction of bent function from Galois ring

Unmasking the elusive: an early gestational age placenta accreta case series to illuminate the path towards avoiding missed diagnosis

Placenta accreta is a condition characterized by the abnormal invasion of the placenta into the uterine wall, leading to torrential hemorrhage. This case series, highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis and early detection of this life-threatening complication. The incidence of this iatrogenic complication is rising due to increased caesarean deliveries. While in advance stages of pregnancy the chances of missing accreta are less but in early pregnancy the diagnosis may be elusive. Timely detection by using imaging modalities like ultrasound both 2D and colour Doppler, provide valuable clues. Misdiagnosis may be fatal, especially in the first trimester. The present case series presents 3 cases where initial diagnosis of missed abortion followed by repeated curettage and gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) was made respectively. The agony of suffering leads the patient to our tertiary care center where the diagnosis of accreta was made. Accurate diagnosis and early detection of placenta accreta are vital to optimize patient outcome. Detecting the nicheand an anteriorly situated low lying placenta with history of previous birth by caesarian section should raise suspicion, and vigilance on the part of treating obstetrician is must

Six senses while considering hydatid cyst as a differential for a swelling at nape of the neck: a case report

While cervical swellings usually are located in anterior midline like thyroglossal cyst, thyroid swellings, or in antero-lateral aspect of neck like cold abscess, branchial cyst, lymphangioma, cervical lymphadenopathy etc. Nape of the neck swelling is even less common with differentials including lipoma, sebaceous cyst, lymphangioma, etc. Hydatid cyst (HC) is often missed as a differential resulting in intraoperative surprises. This case report might change the mind of the readers to keep HC in back of their minds while approaching a case of swelling of the neck. Here we report a case of 15 years’ female who presented with swelling of nape of neck which on evaluation was inclining towards lipoma/epidermal cyst. With an intention for surgical exploration and excision, the patient was taken for operation, where we discovered it to be HC and the same was later confirmed by histopathology as well. Because of its rare presentation the primary diagnosis of HC is often missed out in spite of having sensitive cytology and imaging modalities. Hence, by reporting this case we intend to emphasize six facts a clinician, a radiologist and also a pathologist must consider while keeping primary HC at an unusual site as a differential diagnosis.