Assessment of stress and coping mechanisms in the 1st year MBBS students from English and Vernacular medium – An experience from a new All India Institute of Medical Sciences

Background: The stress levels among the 1st year MBBS students are high due to multiple factors. In this setting, an objective assessment of stress and coping strategies among medical students may provide a foundation to adopting specific measures to help them. Aims and Objectives: The specific objectives of the study were to compare stress levels and coping strategies among medical students from different backgrounds and mediums of instructions and to ategorize the stress level of students depending on Class X, XII marks, number of attempts, and annual family income. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight 1st year MBBS students were recruited for the study. Participants were divided into two groups, that is, Group 1 – English medium schools and Group 2 – Hindi medium schools and informed consent was taken. In a preferable time slot, the participants were given two questionnaires (Zung’s SDS and Way of Coping Revised scale) and a table of personal information to fill. Results: There were significantly higher stress scores among English medium students as compared to vernacular medium. There was no correlation between Class 10th and 12th marks with the stress. Proportion of students having high stress had AFI <1 lakh and proportion having low stress had AFI more than 5 lakh. Students having more than 3 attempts in medical qualifying examination had the least stress scores. Conclusion: Stress among medical students was found to more in students from English medium schools due to the urban background of these students. High family income acts a psychological security for the students, hence the low stress among them. Students with more than 3 attempts in qualifying examination were more mature, hence the low stress score among them.

Histopathological study of endometrium in infertility.

A study of 200 cases of primary and secondary infertility was carried out in the department of pathology, Dr. V.M. Medical College, Solapur. Endometrial specimens were evaluated in the light of menstrual history to find out the incidence of various endometrial changes in cases of infertility. All cases underwent endometrial biopsy premenstrually. Haematoxylin and eosin staining was done for dating of endometrium and diagnosis of corpus luteal defect and anovalutory cycles. PAS stain was done in 50 cases of infertility with control of 25 cases to detect the amount of glycogen. Menstrual problems were seen in 38.2% of patients. Anovulatory infertility was present in 28.2% cases. Luteal phase defect was seen in 20% cases. Cystoglandular hyperplasia was seen in 1.7% cases & tuberculous endometritis was present in 2.6% cases. Glycogen deficiency was seen in 30% cases of luteal phase defect.

Lymphatic filariasis in two distinct communities of upper Assam.

Current status of bancroftian filariasis among two distinct communities of Upper Assam was evaluated. High prevalence (10.3% mf rate) in tea workers descendents of tribals migrated from endemic states such as Orissa, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and southern states of India, were recorded. Among non tea workers (indigenous population) significantly low mf rate was found in spite of the fact that both the communities are living in close vicinity and in similar ecological and mosquitogenic conditions. Culex quinquefasciatus was incriminated as vector in the areas of both the communities. A group of recent migrants of Bihar and Bengal living in the locality of non tea worker population were also found microfilaraemic. Significantly lower infection rate in non tea worker population appears to be associated with host susceptibility to the infection. Familial clustering in microfilaraemic subjects noticed in tea workers group also suggests involvement of racial susceptibility to infection.

In vivo effects of a single dose of norepinephrine and epinephrine on tissue respiration of hibernating and non-hibernating species of frogs.

In vivo effects of a single dose of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EP) were studied on the rate of tissue (liver and skeletal muscle) respiration in Rana limnocharis (hibernating Sp.) and Rana cyanophlyctis (non-hibernating Sp.) during winter and summer months after 10 and 30 min, 1, 6, 12 and 24 hr of administration. During winter both NE and EP induced significant increase in the rate of tissues respiration only after 30 min after their administration in both the species and the stimulatory effect lasted up to 6 hr. During summer, however, NE and EP stimulated respiratory rate of tissues comparatively after a shorter lag period (10 to 30 min) in R. limnocharis than that of R. cyanophlyctis (30 min to 6 hr). These findings seem to suggest that NE and EP can stimulate tissue respiration very quickly, and, therefore, might be suitable as emergency hormones for instant/faster stimulation of energy metabolism in amphibians.

Involvement of adrenal hormones in tissue respiration of sub-tropical hibernating and non-hibernating species of frogs.

Effects of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EP), corticosterone and cortisol were studied both in vivo and in vitro on the rate of oxygen consumption of tissues (liver, skeletal muscle and kidney) of sub-tropical Indian frogs Rana limnocharis (a hibernating species) and Rana cyanophlyctis (a non-hibernating species) exposed to natural climatic conditions during winter and summer/rainy seasons. Further, the effects of NE and EP were also studied in vitro in the presence of specific beta- and alpha-adrenergic antagonists (propranolol and prazosin). NE, EP and corticosterone, when administered in vivo or in vitro, significantly stimulated the respiratory rate of the tissues of both the species irrespective of the seasons/temperature. Results suggest that NE, EP and corticosterone are directly involved in regulation of the energy metabolism of both hibernating and non-hibernating species of sub-tropical frogs. The calorigenic action of NE and EP seems to be mediated by both beta- and alpha-adrenergic receptors. However, the temporal involvement of beta- and alpha-adrenergic receptors seems to be tissue-dependent.