ABSTRACT
Objective: To improve English language of newly admitted 1st MBBS students from vernacular medium byimplementing English Language Proficiency Program (ELPP).Method: English Language Proficiency Program of 40 hours’ duration was implemented for 38 Gujarativernacular medium students of 1st MBBS. ELPP was delivered by Expert English language teacher. ELPPincludes reading, writing, speaking and grammar. ELPP was evaluated through Pre and Post-test for Englishlanguage component like, reading & comprehension, vocabulary, grammar & written expression. Studentfeedback was also taken at the end of program.Results: English language proficiency programme significantly improved the vocabulary and writtencommunication, however no significant improvement was observed in grammar and reading comprehension.Majority of students rated the course as good to excellent. Large numbers of students felt that the coursewas useful and improved their communication skills.Conclusion: English language course for student of 1st MBBS vernacular medium was received well. Studentalso rated the program as useful for improving their language proficiency and communication skills.
ABSTRACT
Background: To assess the self perception of one's own smile and its influence on their behavior and also their ability to rate different types of smiles from most attractive to least attractive on a visual analogue scale by dental and non dental students. Methods: This study was carried out by using structured questionnaire and booklet of visual analogue scale distributed to 276 students in Taif University that included Dental, Medical and Pharmacy students. Results: Medical (66%), Pharmacy (60%) and dental students (49%) agreed for confidence in their own smile. Observing smiles of others in photographs was significantly higher for dental students 60%, compared to medical 58% and pharmacy 41% students. 56% of both dental and medical students agreed that they recognized the minor defects in their own smile whereas for pharmacy students 40% agreed for the same [p<0.01]. Conclusion: This survey showed that the dental and medical students were able assess their own smile and also other's smile better than pharmacy students. Dental students were able to detect minor defects in smile photographs better than medical and pharmacy students
ABSTRACT
Studies conducted earlier have found that vascular sympathetic reactivity to isometric handgrip exercise is either low or high in adolescents with higher blood pressure (Hypertensives) as compared to adolescents with relatively lower blood pressure (Normotensive). The current study was conducted to determine the correlation of vascular sympathetic reactivity to isometric handgrip exercise with blood pressure in Gujarati Indian adolescents so as to understand the pathogenesis and/consequences of Hypertension in this population. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 651 Gujarati Indian adolescents (285 girls, 366 boys) of age group 13-19 years. Blood pressure was measured by oscillometry and vascular sympathetic reactivity (Percentage rise in Diastolic Blood Pressure, %RDBP) was assessed using isometric handgrip test. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was determined to study the correlation between %RDBP and blood pressure. In both girls and boys, %RDBP showed significant negative correlation with resting SBP, DBP and MAP. The study thus indicates that an inverse association exist between arterial blood pressure and vascular sympathetic reactivity to isometric handgrip exercise in Gujarati Indian adolescents.
ABSTRACT
Recently studies conducted in various parts of the world indicate short sleep duration as a novel risk factor for development of type 2 diabetes. However, ethnic differences exist in the etiopathogenesis of diseases, the current study was undertaken to study the effect of sleep duration on the blood glucose level of Gujarati Indian adolescents. A randomized, non-experimental, cross-sectional study was done on the voluntary participants n=332 Gujarati adolescent boys and girls of age group 13-20 years studying at the schools and colleges in the Anand district. The participants were assessed for their sleep duration, body composition and blood glucose level. The sleep duration was reported by the subjects as the number of hours they slept on most of the nights in a week over the last one-year. The observations of the study were then analyzed after grouping them into: 1) Adequate sleep duration at night, ASDN (≥7 hrs) and 2) Inadequate sleep duration at night, ISDN (<7 hrs) groups. One-way ANOVA and post hoc Tuky-Krammer test were used for finding significant differences (P<0.05) between groups. No significant difference was found in all parameters of body composition and fasting blood glucose level between the ASDN group and ISDN group in both boys and girls. However, gender difference exists in the body composition and blood glucose level. The current study indicates that inadequate sleep duration at night (<7 hrs) does not affect the blood glucose level of the Gujarati Indian adolescents of age group 13-20 years.
ABSTRACT
The current study was conducted to determine how physical activity level and physical fitness affects the blood pressure profile of Gujarati Indian adolescents so as to help in developing preventive strategies for the local population as ethnic differences exist in the aetiopathogenesis of hypertension. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 485 Gujarati Indian adolescent boys and girls of age group 16-19 years. Physical activity level was assessed using Johnson Space Center/NASA Physical Activity Rating Scale and VO2max was used to assess the physical fitness. Body composition was assessed in terms of Body Mass Index, Fat Mass Index and Waist Circumference. Blood Pressure was measured by oscillometry. Oneway ANOVA was used to study if any significant differences (P<0.05) existed in the blood pressure profile between the high, moderate and low physical activity groups. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was determined to assess the relationship between VO2max and blood pressure profile. In girls, physical activity level was not found to have a significant effect on the blood pressure profile. In boys, systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure were found to be significantly higher in Moderate Physical Activity Group as compared to Low Physical Activity Group. PVO2max was found to have a significant negative correlationship with SBP, DBP and MAP in girls and a significant negative correlationship with SBP, PP and MAP in boys. It could thus be concluded that a better physical fitness rather than a higher physical activity level could keep the blood pressure in check in the Gujarati Indian adolescents.
ABSTRACT
Studies have reported that both gender and adiposity influence cardiovascular reactivity amongst adolescents. However, not much is known about the effect of gender on the association of adiposity with cardiovascular reactivity. The current study was conducted to learn how gender affects the association of adiposity with cardiovascular reactivity in the Gujarati Indian adolescents so as to develop preventive strategies for the local population. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 428 (Girls-173, Boys- 255) Gujarati Indian adolescents of age group 16-19 years. Adiposity was assessed in terms of Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Fat Percentage (BF %), Fat Mass (FM), Fat Mass Index (FMI) and Waist Circumference (WC). Percentage Rise in Pulse Rate (%RPR) and Percentage Rise in Diastolic Blood Pressure (%RDBP) during Isometric Handgrip Test were used to assess the cardiovascular reactivity to acute sympathetic stress. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was determined to find the association of adiposity with cardiovascular reactivity. Boys were found to have a significantly larger WC, higher physical fitness and greater %RDBP in comparison to girls while girls had a significantly higher BF% and FMI in comparison to boys. In both boys and girls, BMI, BF%, FMI and WC showed significant positive association with %RDBP with stronger correlationship found in girls. Girls also showed a significant negative correlationship between physical fitness and vascular reactivity. It could thus be concluded that gender affected the association of adiposity with vascular reactivity in Gujarati Indian adolescent such that girls tend to have a larger correlationship between adiposity and vascular reactivity than boys which is most likely due to lower physical fitness.