Intervention on depression and insomnia symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant psychological challenges globally. Evidence has been mounting of greater emotional distress and possible worsening of underlying psychiatric disorders, due to repercussions of COVID-19. In addition, the pandemic has created barriers to access for help, due to social distancing and travel restrictions. Thus, creating a major need for effective interventions that can be accessed safely from home and provide coping tools which can be learned and practiced while in isolation. An App based Yoga of Immortals (YOI) program is one such strategy to help cope with stressful situations. The objective of this study was to investigate if the YOI program can provide significant benefit for depressive and insomnia symptoms. Material and Methods: Participants in this study were asked to complete two brief online but well validated mental health screening tools before intervention. This was followed by a 7-week long YOI intervention. Following the intervention, participants were once again asked to complete the online validated questionnaires. The survey questionnaires included baseline demographic data and validated scales for measuring insomnia severity Insomnia severity Index (ISI) and levels of depression symptoms patient health questionnaire-8, (PHQ-8). All statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science. Results: SY YOI intervention of 7 weeks significantly improved the ISI scores as well as PHQ-8 scores in the study population (P < 0.0001 in all comparisons). Conclusion: YOI intervention is an effective intervention strategy for decreasing insomnia and depression symptoms, even during the pandemic

Analyzing the Prospectives of Innovative Multiple True False Questions in Assessment of Biochemistry for Medical Undergraduates.

Objective: Multiple true false (MTF) questions are a standardized format of assessment. MTF questions test a wide range of knowledge in a short period of time; however reports regarding this method are not so alluring. We attempted to take the MTF assessment method to a higher order by designing an innovative missing link MTF questions (MLMTF). This has an incomplete stem where a linking phrase is missing and has to be filled, following which the students are able to answer the bit statements. Method: The study was conducted among year I MBBS students of Melaka Manipal Medical College. Students were asked to study a topic in biochemistry and were assessed by both regular MTF and MLMTF tests, consecutively one after the other. Care was taken to maintain the standard of questions and to avoid repetition. Students responded to a questionnaire after the tests. Results: Group A (n=35) included students with average scores >75% in previous assessment exams; group B (n=65) with scores between 60-75% and group C (n=21) with scores < 60%. Students of group C (90%) felt that traditional MTF were easier than MLMTF compared to groups B & C (88%; 83%). Group A (100%) preferred MTF because they felt they are more accustomed to it than groups B & C (88%, 90%). Groups A& C (100%) concurred in their views that it was more suited for competitive exams than for regular exams. Conclusion: Students opined that MLMTF questions are a bit more challenging and of a higher order, and that they would prefer the routine MTF for assessment.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Procalcitonin in Tuberculosis Patients.

Aims: Procalcitonin, the prohormone precursor of calcitonin rises in serum response to bacterial infections. Circulating PCT levels decrease when the infection is controlled by the host immune system or antibiotic therapy. The present study was conducted to measure the diagnostic and prognostic utility of procalcitonin in tuberculosis. Methodology: The study group consisted of forty patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and forty normal controls (NC). Blood was collected from NC and PTB (labeled as PTB-0). Patients underwent the 4-drug chemotherapy for 2 months following which blood was collected again (labeled as PTB-2). They were continued into the next 4 months of the 2-drug regimen. Blood was collected thereafter and labeled as PTB-6. All blood samples were semiquantitatively analyzed for procalcitonin. Results: Serum PCT was < 0.5 ng/ml in thirty seven out of forty normal controls and > 2 ng/ml in three. The prohormone level was > 2ng/ml in fifteen and > 10 ng/ml in the rest of the PTB-0 subjects, thus indicating that PCT levels served as a useful marker of infection in PTB patients at diagnosis. After 2 months of intensive treatment the number of patients with PCT levels > 10 ng/ml increased to thirty two in PTB-2. Only 8 patients recorded plasma PCT levels > 2 ng/ml. At the end of 6 months of treatment, PCT values in all patients had decreased to < 2 ng/ml. Conclusion: Serum PCT seemed to show diagnostic and prognostic utility at the end of treatment however, PCT is not specific for tuberculosis alone and may be raised in other lung infections. Future studies with quantitative analysis of PCT in tuberculosis in comparison to other lung infections are needed for better understanding of the role of PCT in PTB.

Influence of alignment of the pyramid on its beneficial effects.

The present study was aimed to find out whether a change in the alignment of the pyramid from the north-south axis causes any variation in the effects produced by it on plasma cortisol levels and markers of oxidative stress in erythrocytes of adult-female Wistar rats. Plasma cortisol and erythrocyte TBARS levels were significantly lower whereas erythrocyte GSH was significantly higher in rats kept in pyramid that was aligned on the four cardinal points--north, east, south and west, as compared to normal control rats. Although there was a significant difference in the plasma cortisol level between normal control group and the group of rats kept in randomly aligned pyramid, there was no significant difference between these two groups for the other parameters. Erythrocyte TBARS levels in the group of rats kept in the randomly aligned pyramid was significantly higher than that in the group kept in the magnetically aligned pyramid. The results suggest that the north-south alignment of the pyramid is crucial for its expected effects.

Enhanced wound contraction and epithelization period in steroid treated rats: role of pyramid environment.

Contribution and role of a pyramid/square box on the wound healing suppressant effect of dexamethasone was studied in rats of either sex using excision wound model to record the wound contraction rate and epithelization period. The results showed enhanced wound contraction rate and decreased epithelization period in the pyramid-exposed rats as compared to controls. Thus, it appears that pyramid environment facilitates the process of wound healing. Also, the wound healing suppressant effects of dexamethasone were significantly reduced.

Effect of housing rats within a pyramid on stress parameters.

The Giza pyramids of Egypt have been the subject of much research. Pyramid models with the same base to height ratio as of the Great Pyramid of Giza, when aligned on a true north-south axis, are believed to generate, transform and transmit energy. Research done with such pyramid models has shown that they induced greater relaxation in human subjects, promoted better wound healing in rats and afforded protection against stress-induced neurodegnerative changes in mice. The present study was done to assess the effects of housing Wistar rats within the pyramid on the status of oxidative damage and antioxidant defense in their erythrocytes and cortisol levels in their plasma. Rats were housed in cages under standard laboratory conditions. Cages were left in the open (normal control), under a wooden pyramid model (experimental rats) or in a cubical box of comparable dimensions (6 hr/day for 14 days). Erythrocyte malondialdehyde and plasma cortisol levels were significantly decreased in rats kept within the pyramid as compared to the normal control and those within the square box. Erythrocyte reduced glutathione levels, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly increased in the rats kept in the pyramid as compared to the other two groups. There was no significant difference in any of the parameters between the normal control and rats kept in the square box. The results showed that exposure of adult female Wistar rats to pyramid environment reduces stress oxidative stress and increases antioxidant defense in them.