Effects of yoga and physical exercise on cardio-respiratory parameters.

Background: Yoga includes combination of postural exercise (Asanas),Voluntary breathing exercise (pranayam) & relaxation techniques. The comparative study about effects of regular practice of yoga & physical exercise on cardio-respiratory functions and respiratory pressures (MIP,MEP) is very important to better understand it’s effect on health. Method: 200 healthy volunteers (146M-54F) from age group (17 -26)years were included in the study.They were divided in to two groups. Gr A Yoga group(n=100),Gr B Physical exercise group(n=100). Yoga group practiced some yoga exercises including Asanas,Pranayam & relaxation postures daily one hour for 3 months.While Physical exercise group practiced slow walk,calisthenic exercise & stretching exercises daily 1 hour for 3 months. Following parameters were recorded at start & end of the study. Resting cardiovascular parameters including HR,BP,PP,MAP,RPP & DoP were recorded. Pulmonary parameters (FVC,FEV1,FEV1/FVC,PEFR,MVV) were recorded. Apart from this MIP,MEP & 40mmhg endurance test were also recorded .Result: Yoga group shows significant reduction in Heart rate (p<.01),SBP & DBP (p<.05), MAP(p<.01),while exercise group shows only decreasing trend. FVC & FEV1 inreased significantly after yoga training. FEV1/FVC, PEFR & FEF25-75% shows increasing trend in both the groups,but only exercise group shows significantly raised PEFR & FEF25-75%. MVV was significantly improved in yoga group. MIP,MEP were significantly increased after yoga training. Timing of Respiratory Endurance test was also significantly raised(p<.05) in yoga group. Conclusion: 3 moths Yoga training produces a significant improvement in respiratory pressures (MIP,MEP), spirometric values.

Beneficial Effect Associated with Use of Watery and Alcoholic Extract of Garlic as a Supplement in Hyperlipidemic Guniea Pigs.

Background: Garlic is naturally occurring sulphur containing dietary agent belong to Allium family. Members of this family i.e. Garlic, Onions are found to have beneficial effect on atherosclerosis and ischemic heart diseases in both experimental animals and in human beings. Objective: To compare the potency of garlic as antihyperlipidemic and antiplatelet and antithrombotic between its watery and alcoholic extract for their effects. Methods: 25 guinea pigs were fed cholesterol (0.5g/kg body weight) for an initial period of 4 weeks. Cholesterol was then discontinued and the animals were divided into 3 groups. Group-I (n=7) was fed with stock diet and was taken as control. Group-II (n=9) was given 1ml of watery extract and Group-III (n=9) was fed with 1ml of alcoholic extract of garlic with normal diet daily for 4 weeks. The garlic content of both the extract was 2 gm/ml by wt/vol. Fasting blood samples were collected at the end 4 weeks and finally at the end of the study i.e.8 weeks for estimation of serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, LDC-C, HDL-C, VLDL-C,atherogenic index and platelet adhesiveness index. Bleeding time and clotting time were also detected in all the 3 groups.Results: In the present study, the watery and alcoholic extract of garlic shows significant hypolipidemic activity as they reduced significantly serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, LDC-C, VLDL-C and atheriogenic index in hyperlipidemic guinea pigs (p<0.01) compared to control. The significant rise in HDL-C was observed in group II but not in group III animals. On comparison between two extracts, watery extract of garlic was more potent hypolipidemic agent, compared to alcoholic extract. Both extract significantly reduces platelet adhesiveness and bleeding time. But between two extract the watery extract was found more potent anti-thrombotic agent as it showed significant decrease in platelet adhesiveness (P<0.01). BT was significantly increased in group II compared to group I and III. Conclusion: It can be concluded that watery extract of Allium Sativum is more potent hypolipidemic and antiplatelet, and anti-thrombotic agent.

Clinical profile of Group A meningococcal outbreak in Delhi.

We present a retrospective analysis of clinical profile of 100 children admitted to a Government hospital at Delhi between April 2005 and December 2006 with group A meningococcal infection. Maximum children presented in late winter and spring.Younger children were less affected (5% children < 1 year). Fever (86%), vomiting (64%) and rash (63%) were the most common presenting symptoms. All children presented within 5 days of onset of symptoms and 52% within 24 hours. 67 % children had meningococcal meningitis; 20% had meningococcemia; and 13% had both. Overall mortality was 17%. Altered sensorium and shock at presentation significantly increased the mortality. All culture positive cases had group A Neisseria meningitides. All meningococcal isolates were sensitive to penicillin/ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, chloramphenicol and erythromycin except, one each resistant to ampicillin and erythromycin.

Epidemic of leptospirosis: an ICU experience.

AIMS: To study the clinical profile and outcome of critically ill patients suffering from leptospirosis with organ dysfunction and correlate mortality with individual risk factors. METHODS: A study of critically ill patients suffering from leptospirosis was carried out in the Medical Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary centre of a metropolitan city between 1st June 2002 and 31st May 2003. All the patients in whom diagnosis was confirmed by ELISA IgM antibody testing underwent thorough clinical examination and necessary biochemical investigations. They received standard antimicrobial therapy and extensive supportive therapy as required. Mortality was correlated with individual risk factors. RESULTS: Out of 834 total admissions in this period, 60 (7.2%) patients suffered from leptospirosis. There were 48 males and 12 females with age ranging from 12 to 60 years, mean age being 40 years. The clinical manifestations varied from fever (58 patients), jaundice (38), subconjunctival haemorrhages (24), to altered sensorium (22). All the patients had evidence of severe sepsis. Forty six patients had multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and 26 required ventilatory support. The total mortality in leptospirosis patients was 52% which was much higher compared to the total MICU mortality (31.4%) in the same period. CONCLUSION: Leptospirosis is an important infection associated with high mortality when associated with organ dysfunction. The poor prognostic factors are preponderance of male sex, alcohol dependence, age group > 50 years, MODS, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), presence of acidosis and need for mechanical ventilation. However, timelyintervention and intensive therapy can save many young lives.

Genetic analysis of Karnal bunt (Neovossia indica) resistance in wheat.

Embryos excised from seeds of six generations (P1, P2, F1, BC1, BC2 and F2) of a cross WH 283 WH 533 were cultured on modified MS medium already inoculated with secondary sporidia of Neovossia indica. Significant variations for callusing response (CR) (54 55-75 55%) were observed among generations but the presence or absence of N. indicia did not affect callusing response. A clear inhibition zone (IZ) was formed around each embryo showing callusing. The diameter of IZ varied significantly among generations and was maximum in the resistant genotype, WH 283 (3 60 cm). Fresh weight and dry weight of calli, initiated from embryo cultured and inoculated with N. indica, varied significantly among generations. Coefficient of infection as well as percentage of infection reflected the overdominance of susceptibility. Generation mean analysis showed that the three parameter model was adequate for diameter of IZ only. Six-parameter model showed that additive (in presence of N. indica), additive and additive dominance (in absence of N. indica) effects were also significant. Complementary type of epistasis for fresh weight of calli and dominance, and dominance dominance effects for dry weight of calli were observed in the presence of N. indica. Magnitude of additive effects was higher for diameter of IZ in three parameter model. Therefore, selection might assist in improving this trait and thus indirectly help in attaining the resistance towards N. indica.

Bilateral adrenalectomy or subdiaphragmatic vagotomy on gastric tissue histamine concentration in albino rats.

Gastric tissue histamine concentration was determined 14 days after mock subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, mock bilateral adrenalectomy and bilateral adrenalectomy in four different groups of animals and the results were compared with those of control rats. The results show that neither of the experimental situations of mock subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and mock bilateral adrenalectomy could bring about any significant change in gastric tissue histamine concentration fourteen days after the respective operations, whereas, following bilateral adrenalectomy, the gastric tissue histamine concentration went up to two and half times the basal level during the same period thus indicating that by removal of adrenal influences there was an increase in synthesis and storage of histamine in the stomach wall.