Effect of isolated and combined practice of Yoga and Ayurveda Therapy on pain among Cervical Osteoarthritis Patients

Cervical Osteoarthrities is one of the most common disorder of the cervical spine. It is caused by degenarative changes in the vertebral and intervertebral discs, that occur because of constant improper stress on the cervical spine due to abnormal posture, injury, aging, rheumatoid disease. The medical management options inclued use of analgesics for pain. However due to the adverse effects that they produce it has its own limitations. This study has been designed to evaluate the combined effect of Yoga Therapy and Ayurvedic Medications in Cervical Osteoarthritis. It was a Randomized single blind study conducted in 30 patients attending O.P.D. of S.H.E.S. A.M.C. College Kalaburagi, Karnataka and grouped into three. The first group of subjects received Yoga treatment, the second group received Ayurvedic treatment and the third group received both Yoga and Ayurvedic treatment for eight weeks. The result of the study showed that the combined group of Yoga and Ayurveda treatment (Group C) shows good response compaired to Ayurveda (Group-A) and Yoga (Group-B)

Are Dutch dental students and dental-care providers competent prescribers of drugs?

Dental students and dental-care providers should be able to prescribe drugs safely and effectively. As it is unknown whether this is the case, we assessed and compared the prescribing competence of dental students and dental-care providers in the Netherlands. In 2017, all Dutch final-year dental students and a random sample of all qualified general dental practitioners and dental specialists (oral and maxillofacial surgeons and orthodontists) were invited to complete validated prescribing knowledge-assessment and skills-assessment instruments. The knowledge assessment comprised 40 multiple-choice questions covering important drug topics. The skills assessment comprised three common clinical case scenarios. For the knowledge assessment, the response rates were 26 (20%) dental students, 28 (8%) general dental practitioners, and 19 (19%) dental specialists, and for the skills assessment the response rates were 14 (11%) dental students, eight (2%) general dental practitioners, and eight (8%) dental specialists. Dental specialists had higher knowledge scores (78% correct answers) than either dental practitioners (69% correct answers) or dental students (69% correct answers). A substantial proportion of all three groups made inappropriate treatment choices (35%-49%) and prescribing errors (47%-70%). Although there were some differences, dental students and dental-care providers in the Netherlands lack prescribing competence, which is probably because of poor prescribing education during under- and postgraduate dental training. Educational interventions are urgently needed

Samarium-153-ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonate (EDTMP) therapy in the management of refractory bone pain in a patient with carcinoma prostate and diffuse bone metastasis

Samarium-153-ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonate (samarium-153 EDTMP) is a novel systemic radiopharmaceutical, used for treatment of bone pain due to metastatic disease. We report a patient with carcinoma prostate, diffuse metastatic bone disease with severe back pain that was refractory to analgesics and morphine. He was also found to be anaemic (haemoglobin 8.1 g/dL). Inspite of anaemia and diffuse metastatic bone disease being relative contraindications for the use samarium-153-EDTMP, because of its potential for causing radiation induced myelotoxicity, the patient was treated with this modality and showed a remarkable response in pain control within a few days. He developed mild radiation induced myelotoxicity, which was subsequently managed with blood transfusion and supportive care. The present case highlights the utility of samarium-153 EDTMP therapy in patients with intractable pain due to diffuse metastatic bone disease

A Pilot RCT of an Intervention to Reduce HIV Sexual Risk and Increase Self-acceptance Among MSM in Chennai, India

This is a 2-arm pilot randomized controlled trial (N=96) of a behavioral intervention (4 group and 4 individual sessions) integrating risk reduction counseling with counseling to foster self-acceptance in MSM in India compared to Enhanced Standard of Care (ESOC). Both conditions involved HIV and STI testing and counseling at baseline and 6-months, and assessments of condomless sex at baseline, 3-, and 6-months. A significant condition by time interaction suggested a difference in the rate of change in number of anal sex acts without condoms in the intervention versus ESOC (p<.0001). Post-hoc contrasts suggested that the overall difference was due to intervention-response at 3-months. The incidence of bacterial STIs was 17.5% in the intervention condition and a 28.6% in ESOC. Addressing self-acceptance and related psychosocial concerns in the context sexual risk reduction counseling for MSM in India was feasible and acceptable. Testing the intervention for efficacy is justified

Sexually transmitted infections and sexual practices in injection drug users and their regular sex partners in Chennai, India.

OBJECTIVE: Measuring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and sexual practices in injection drug users (IDUs) and their regular sex partners. GOAL: Informing HIV intervention programs. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. RESULTS: One percent IDUs and 2% of their regular female sex partners were syphilis infected; 40% (84/211) and 38% respectively (81/211) were infected with HSV-2. 30% IDUs and 5% of their female regular sex partners were HIV positive. Serodiscordant results for syphilis and HSV-2 were noticed. Women having first sex at ageor=38 years had seven times the odds of having any non-HIV-STI. CONCLUSION: Reaching out to IDUs and their female regular sex partners with modified STI management guideline and promoting women-controlled safer sex measures are needed harm-reduction measures