Depression among Adolescent Students in a Rural Block of Haryana: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Depression among adolescent is an area of increasing concern worldwide. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression among school going adolescents in government and private schools in a rural area of block Beri of Haryana. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in a sample size of 600 students (300 males and 300 females) studying in class 8th to 12th. A pre designed, pre tested tool SCL 90 R containing 90 items was used to screen depression in these students. Depression is one of the psychiatric morbidity screened by this tool. Cut off point of estimated raw score of 1 was used to label as depression. All the statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 20. Results: The overall prevalence of depression was found to be 39.1% with mild depression to be 33.1% and moderate to severe depression to be 6%. Depression was significantly more among female students (45%) than male students (33.3%). Overall prevalence of depression significantly increased with age. It was found to be 34.3% among 13-14 years age-group, 41% among 15-16 years age-group and 57.1% among 17-19 years age-group. The association of depression with other socio demographic profile like socio economic status, literacy level of mother and father, employment status of mother was found to be non-significant. Conclusion: It is concluded from the present study that more than one – third (39%) of school adolescents suffered from depression. Reasons for such high prevalence of depression need to be determined. At the same time teachers and parents should be made aware of this problem and appropriate counselling of students should be done through regular school-based screening programme.

5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor Subtypes and their Modulators with Therapeutic Potentials

5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) has become one of the most investigated and complex biogenic amines. The main receptors and their subtypes, e.g., 5-HTI (5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HTID, 5-HTIE and 5-HT1F), 5-HT2 (5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C), 5-HT3, 5-HT4, 5-HT5 (5-HT5A, 5-HT5B), 5-HT6 and 5-HT7 have been identified. Specific drugs which are capable of either selectively stimulating or inhibiting these receptor subtypes are being designed. This has generated therapeutic potentials of 5-HT receptor modulators in a variety of disease conditions. Conditions where 5-HT receptor modulators have established their use with distinct efficacy and advantages include migraine, anxiety, psychosis, obesity and cancer therapy-induced vomiting by cytotoxic drugs and radiation. Discovery of 5-HT, its biosynthesis, metabolism, physiological role and the potential of 5-HT receptor modulators in various nervous, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal tract disorders, bone growth and micturition have been discussed in this article

Energy Efficient Clustering Protocols in Cognitive Network for Better CR Performances

Volume 7 Issue 11 (November 201

How effective is tetracaine 4% gel, before a peripherally inserted central catheter, in reducing procedural pain in infants: a randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial [ISRCTN75884221]

BACKGROUND: Procedural pain relief is sub-optimal in infants, especially small and vulnerable ones. Tetracaine gel 4% (Ametop(®), Smith-Nephew) provides pain relief in children and larger infants, but its efficacy in smaller infants and for peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) remains uncertain. The objective of this trial was to assess the safety and efficacy of tetracaine gel on the pain response of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants during insertion of a PICC. METHODS: Medically stable infants greater than or equal to 24 weeks gestation, requiring a non-urgent PICC, were included. Following randomization and double blinding, 1.1 g of tetracaine or placebo was applied to the skin for 30 minutes. The PICC was inserted according to a standard protocol. Pain was assessed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP). A 3-point change in the pain score was considered clinically significant, leading to a sample size of 54 infants, with 90% statistical power. Local skin reactions and immediate adverse cardiorespiratory events were noted. The primary outcome, PIPP score at 1 minute, was analysed using an independent Student's t-test. RESULTS: Fifty-four infants were included, 27 +/- 2 weeks gestation, 916 +/- 292 grams and 6.5 +/- 3.2 days of age. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. The mean PIPP score in the first minute was 10.88 in the treatment group as compared to 11.74 in the placebo group (difference 0.86, 95% CI -1.86, 3.58). Median duration of crying in non-intubated infants was 181 seconds in the tetracaine group compared to 68 seconds in the placebo group (difference -78, 95% CI -539, 117). Local skin erythema was observed transiently in 4 infants (3 in the treatment and 1 in the placebo group). No serious harms were observed. CONCLUSION: Tetracaine 4% when applied for 30 minutes was not beneficial in decreasing procedural pain associated with a PICC in very small infants

How effective is tetracaine 4% gel, before a venipuncture, in reducing procedural pain in infants: a randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Procedural pain relief is sub-optimal in neonates. Topical tetracaine provides pain relief in children. Evidence of its efficacy and safety in neonates is limited. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of topical tetracaine on the pain response of neonates during a venipuncture. METHODS: Medically stable infants greater than or equal to 24 weeks gestation, requiring a venipuncture, were included. Following randomization and double blinding, 1.1 g of tetracaine or placebo was applied to the skin for 30 minutes. Participants received oral sucrose if they met local eligibility criteria. The venipuncture was performed according to a standard protocol. A medium effect size in the pain score (corresponding to about 2 point difference in the PIPP score) was considered clinically significant, leading to a sample size of 142 infants, with 80% statistical power. Local skin reactions and immediate adverse cardiorespiratory events were noted. The primary outcome, PIPP score at 1 minute, was analysed using an independent Student's t-test. RESULTS: One hundred and forty two infants were included, 33 +/- 4 weeks gestation, 2100 +/- 900 grams and 6 +/- 3 days of age. There was almost no difference in PIPP scores at 1 minute between groups (mean difference -0.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.68 to 1.50; P = . 91). Similarly, there were no differences in PIPP scores during the 2(nd), 3(rd )and 4th minute. Duration of cry did not differ between the groups (median difference, 0; 95% CI, -3 to 0; P = . 84). The majority of infants in both groups received sucrose 24%. Sucrose had a significant effect on the PIPP score, as assessed by an ANOVA model (p = 0.0026). Local skin erythema was observed transiently in 11 infants (7 in the tetracaine and 4 in the placebo group). No serious side effect was observed. CONCLUSION: Tetracaine did not significantly decrease procedural pain in infants undergoing a venipuncture, when used in combination with routine sucrose administration

Fibroset™ and neuromuscular pain: a multicentric, real world, observational, post-marketing surveillance study in Indian patients suffering from neuromuscular pain

Background: Neuromuscular disease (NMD) is a condition due to abnormality or damage to muscles and nerves causing painful symptoms. Symptomatic management involves use of conventional painkillers, but desirable relief is not achieved due to multimodal pathophysiology of disease. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Fibroset™ tablets in subjects with neuromuscular pain. Methods: Subjects with neuromuscular pain, previously unsatisfied with standard therapies, were enrolled. Subjects were advised to take Fibroset™ one tablet BID for 2 weeks with their standard therapy. Efficacy was evaluated on pain, stiffness, swelling, weakness, tenderness, and difficulty in activity of daily living (ADL) as per the visit schedule. Tolerability of therapy was also evaluated. Results: 59 patients were enrolled in study and 46 patients were included in the final analysis. Fibroset™ supplementation significantly reduced all evaluated parameters (p<0.05 vs baseline). The mean pain score from 2.50 to 0.89, while mean stiffness score was reduced to 0.55 from 1.87 at end of study. The mean swelling score was reduced to 0.81 from 2.04, while the mean weakness score was reduced to 0.64 from baseline score of 1.79. The mean tenderness score was reduced from baseline score of 1.90 to 0.65 and the mean ADL score was reduced to 0.63 from baseline score of 2.00. No treatment related side effects were observed. Conclusions: Fibroset™ is a potentially effective and safe therapy for subjects with neuromuscular pain. It can be used to reduce symptoms in patients with unsatisfactory results with conventionally standard care therapy

Isolated Splenic Metastasis from Rectal Carcinoma: A Rare Occurrence

The presence of isolated splenic metastasis in rectal carcinoma is uncommon and usually presents as an asymptomatic mass, noted incidentally on imaging. Splenectomy is usually performed with the goal of curing metastatic disease. It is unclear if adjuvant chemotherapy affords any benefit, and the prognosis is unknown. The case of a young woman is reported, in whom an isolated metastatic lesion in the spleen was discovered 9 months after adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III rectal adenocarcinoma. The patient has remained disease-free for nearly 5 years following splenectomy and chemotherapy. To our knowledge, this is the fourth reported case in the English literature of an isolated splenic metastatic lesion from rectal cancer. We discuss the unique presentation, the importance of post-treatment surveillance, and the implementation of multi-modality treatment strategies in this young patient

Heavy Quark Solitons: Strangeness and Symmetry Breaking

We discuss the generalization of the Callan-Klebanov model to the case of heavy quark baryons. The light flavor group is considered to be $SU(3)$ and the limit of heavy spin symmetry is taken. The presence of the Wess-Zumino-Witten term permits the neat development of a picture , at the collective level, of a light diquark bound to a ``heavy" quark with decoupled spin degree of freedom. The consequences of $SU(3)$ symmetry breaking are discussed in detail. We point out that the $SU(3)$ mass splittings of the heavy baryons essentially measure the ``low energy" physics once more and that the comparison with experiment is satisfactory.Comment: 17 pages, RevTEX. Minor typos corrected and new references adde

Identification of Ideal Locations and Stable High Biomass Sorghum Genotypes in semiarid Tropics

The dearth of proper delineation for energy sorghum cultivation has led to a prerequisite for evaluation and identification of test environments for the newly developed lines. This becomes of vital importance as the biomass yield is highly influenced by genotype and environmental (G × E) interactions. Several agronomic traits were considered to assess the biomass yield and the combined analysis of variance for G (genotype), L (location) and interaction effect of G × L. The variations in the yield caused by the interaction of G × L are very essential to acquire knowledge on the specific adaptation of a genotype. Thus, the multi-location trials conducted across locations and years have helped to identify the stable environments with specific adaptation for biomass sorghum. The presence of close association between the test locations suggested that the same information about the genotypes could be obtained from fewer test environments, and hence the potential to reduce evaluation costs. The two genotypes—IS 13762 and ICSV 25333—have shown stable performance for biomass traits across all the locations, in comparison with CSH 22SS (check). The top ten entries with stable and better performance for fresh biomass yield, dry biomass yield, grain yield and theoretical ethanol yield were ICSV 25333, IS 13762, CSH 22SS, IS 25302, IS 25301, IS 27246, IS 16529, DHBM2, ICSSH 28 and IS 17349

Folate Decorated Dual Drug Loaded Nanoparticle: Role of Curcumin in Enhancing Therapeutic Potential of Nutlin-3a by Reversing Multidrug Resistance

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular tumor in children. Malfunctioning of many signaling pathways regulating cell survival or apoptosis, make the disease more vulnerable. Notably, resistance to chemotherapy mediated by MRP-1, lung-resistance protein (LRP) is the most challenging aspect to treat this disease. Presently, much attention has been given to the recently developed anticancer drug nutlin-3a because of its non-genotoxic nature and potency to activate tumor suppressor protein p53. However, being a substrate of multidrug resistance protein MRP1 and Pgp its application has become limited. Currently, research has step towards reversing Multi drug resistance (MDR) by using curcumin, however its clinical relevance is restricted by plasma instability and poor bioavailability. In the present investigation we tried to encapsulate nutlin-3a and curcumin in PLGA nanoparticle (NPs) surface functionalized with folate to enhance therapeutic potential of nutlin-3a by modulating MDR. We document that curcumin can inhibit the expression of MRP-1 and LRP gene/protein in a concentration dependent manner in Y79 cells. In vitro cellular cytotoxicity, cell cycle analysis and apoptosis studies were done to compare the effectiveness of native drugs (single or combined) and single or dual drug loaded nanoparticles (unconjugated/folate conjugated). The result demonstrated an augmented therapeutic efficacy of targeted dual drug loaded NPs (Fol-Nut-Cur-NPs) over other formulation. Enhanced expression or down regulation of proapoptotic/antiapoptotic proteins respectively and down-regulation of bcl2 and NFκB gene/protein by Fol-Nut-Cur-NPs substantiate the above findings. This is the first investigation exploring the role of curcumin as MDR modulator to enhance the therapeutic potentiality of nutlin-3a, which may opens new direction for targeting cancer with multidrug resistance phenotype