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Background: Smartphone usage has become increasingly popular in recent decade. Though it’s of great utility in many aspects, excessive usage among youth has shown increased restlessness, careless lifestyles and greater susceptibility to stress. Aim & Objective: To assess the pattern and purpose of smartphone usage and its dependence among medical students. Methods & Material: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted among 363 MBBS students of 1st, IInd and IIIrd professional year at a government medical college. A 20-item self-administrated questionnaire, focusing on purpose and pattern of use of smart phone and its dependence was filled by all the students. Data was collected, entered and analysed using SPSS Software. Result: Among 363 students, 53% participants were males and rest were females. 80% students were using smartphone for more than 2 years, while 60% were having daily usage of more than 3 hours. Significant association between severity of smartphone dependence and variables like MBBS professional year, daily phone call made and received, daily SMS received, daily WhatsApp message sent and received were observed. Dependence was mild in 8.8% of the students; Moderate in 72.2% while 19% were suffering from severe smartphone dependence. Conclusion: Smart phone dependence is an established and emerging psychological issue which needs attention and intervention. It is of serious concern that all medical students were suffering from smartphone dependence with varying grades of severity. Increased awareness regarding the harmful effects of smartphone addiction is the need of hour.
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Present study was undertaken to study the neurotoxicity of oral acrylamide (ACR) and its amelioration using α-tocopherol, reduced glutathione (GSH) and hot aqueous extract (HAE) of Ocimum sanctum. Forty five male Wistar rats were divided into 12 groups. The study showed a significant reduction in the body weight of the rats fed with ACR in comparison to the other groups while body weight was restored in the rats fed with α-tocopherol and HAE. Neurotoxicity in rats fed with ACR was evident with the results of histopathology and oxidative stress (high MDA and decreased activities of GSH, SOD, GST and CAT in brain). Co-administration of α-tocopherol and HAE lowered these changes however, there was no marked improvement seen in neural damage but improvement was evident in behavioral as well as physiological changes at a marked point. Histopathology of brain in ACR alone fed group showed extensive neural degeneration and massive deposition of fibrin which was substantially decreased and ameliorated with the co-administration of α-tocopherol and HAE. These results support the oxidative stress results as well. Our results suggests that α-tocopherol and HAE can be useful for protecting brain tissue against ACR induced neurotoxicity through minimizing the free radical mediated oxidative stress
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Context: The roles of estrogen and progesterone in human prostate carcinogenesis have been only recently recognized. Aims: This study was conducted to evaluate the expressions of esterone receptor-beta (ER-?), progesterone receptor (PR), and Ki-67 in benign and malignant lesions of the prostate. Settings and Design: The study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital. It was an analytical cross-sectional study. Materials and Methods: We selected a total of 39 cases including 26 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia and 13 cases of adenocarcinoma prostate. The proportion of cases showing expression for ER-?, PR, and Ki-67 was noted for both groups. A difference in immunoexpression between benign and malignant cases was evaluated. Association between receptor expression and Gleason grade was evaluated for malignant cases. Statistical Analysis Used: To compare the difference in expressions of ER-?, PR, and Ki-67 Mann–Whitney U test was used. Association between ER-?, PR, and Ki-67 expression and Gleason grade was analyzed using the Chi-square test. Results: ER-? expression was seen in all benign and malignant cases, whereas the majority of the malignant cases (61.54%) were negative for progesterone expression. Epithelial expressions of ER-? and PR were significantly higher in benign as compared with malignant lesions. Malignant cases showed a significantly higher expression of Ki-67. However, we did not find any association between the expressions of these markers with Gleason grade. Conclusions: The expressions of ER-? and PR were significantly higher in the epithelium in benign cases as compared with malignant cases. Ki-67 expression was significantly higher in the malignant group as compared with the benign group.
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Background: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan -A Cleanliness Campaign was launched all over India in 2014 to sensitize people to work in the direction of making India a clean country. Since youth constitute the future of the nation, their perception is very much important for the nation’s progress. Therefore, the present study was conducted among Indian medical undergraduate (IMUG) students regarding their perception about the current cleanliness drive going on in the country. Aims & Objective: To assess the perception of IMUG students about the cleanliness and innovative cleanliness practices. Study Setting & Design: A cross-sectional qualitative study was carried among IMUG students in a medical college of North India. Material & Methods: Study was conducted during the period of the Swachhata Pakhwara Abhiyan, celebrated all over the country to reinforce the cleanliness drive. IMUG students were invited to describe their perception on the topic “How can I keep My India clean”. Statistical Analysis: -Transcript was prepared and deductive coding was done and perceptions of students were categorized into four broad themes: -1. Behaviour change communication 2. Practicing cleanliness.3Interventions required for cleanliness 4. Legislation required in favour of cleanliness. Results: Majority of IMUG Students expressed that it is the behaviour change Communication and habit of practicing cleanliness everywhere, which will bring the change in cleanliness drive in the country with emphasis on innovative intervention and the role of legislation. Conclusion: -Proper direction and consistent motivation along with sound perception of cleanliness among citizens can contribute in reaching the desired goals of cleanliness.
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Background and Objectives: The South East Asian Region has one of the highest incidences of gender based violence in the world which deprives women from the use of their right and liberty. This study was under taken to explore the causes and consequences of domestic violence against women in Meghanath Gorhanna VDC in Mahottari district of Nepal.Material and Methods: : An explorative quantitative and qualitative research design based study was conducted from September to December 2014 in married female of ward, No. 1, 2 and 4 of Meghanath Gorhanna VDC which is located in Mahottari district of Nepal suffering from domestic violence. Sample size consisted of 20 in each ward and sum of total was 60. In-depth interviews, focused group discussion and observation were tools used for data collection.Results: The result of this study reveals that 40% of victims were between age group 20 to 29 years. Domestic violence was higher among illiterate 20(33%). 12(20%) of the women were victimized due to alcoholism of their husband followed by male honor and patriarchal social values. Similarly, majority of the respondents 47(78.3%) suffered from psychological abuse followed by physical assault. 20(33.3%) women were suffered from physical violence. 10% women were suffered from sexual abuse and harassment. The findings also suggest 23(35%) had mental health problem and 14(23 %) women were suffered from reproductive health problem.Conclusion: The study highlights that various factors such as excessive intake of alcohol, patriarchal system of the society, polygamy, sexual dissatisfaction and dowry contributes for the domestic violence in women. The adverse effects of the violence on women are physical health problem, mental health problem, reproductive health problem, chronic conditions and negative health behavior.
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Background and Objectives: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem with increasing incidence and prevalence. The causes of CKD may be diabetes mellitus, hypertension and polycystic kidney disease. The main objective of this study is to study quality of life of chronic kidney disease stage 5 patients on hemodialysis. Material and Methods: This is a prospective cross sectional study conducted at National Academy of Medical Sciences, B & B Hospital and Blue Cross Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal on 50 CKD stage 5 patients on hemodialysis. Quality of life among hemodialysis patients was studied using Short Form-36. The result was obtained by comparing the patient’s physical, social and mental status at the beginning and conclusion of a 2 month period. The data was analyzed using the software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS for Windows version 16). Results: Out of the total 50 patients on hemodialysis, 32 were male (64%) and 18 were female (36%) with mean and median age of patients of 47.14 ± 16.65 and 48.50 years respectively. Out of eight domains studied, energy level, feeling of happiness with life and thought of full energy on self and worning out of life and tiredness perception was found to be equal on pre and post stage. Physical functioning was found to be decreased. Patients on hemodialysis reported improvements in nearly all aspects of general functioning and psychological well-being. Conclusion: This result demonstrates that there were several changes in Quality of life. Hemodylasis improves the Quality of life however, there was significant decrease in physical functioning, role limitation due to physical ill health, role limitation due to decreased emotional wellbeing, and reduced general health.