Primary concept of nickel toxicity - an overview.

Toxic metals, including excessive levels of essential metals tend to change biological structures and systems into either reversible or irreversible conformations, leading to the derangement of organ functions or ultimate death. Nickel, a known heavy metal is found at very low levels in the environment. Nickel is available in all soil types and meteorites and also erupts from volcanic emissions. In the environment, nickel is principally bound with oxygen or sulfur and forms oxides or sulfides in earth crust. The vast industrial use of nickel during its production, recycling and disposal has led to widespread environmental pollution. Nickel is discharged into the atmosphere either by nickel mining or by various industrial processes, such as power plants or incinerators, rubber and plastic industries, nickel-cadmium battery industries and electroplating industries. The extensive use of nickel in various industries or its occupational exposure is definitely a matter of serious impact on human health. Heavy metals like nickel can produce free radicals from diatomic molecule through the double step process and generate superoxide anion. Further, these superoxide anions come together with protons and facilitate dismutation to form hydrogen peroxide, which is the most important reason behind the nickel-induced pathophysiological changes in living systems. In this review, we address the acute, subchronic and chronic nickel toxicities in both human and experimental animals. We have also discussed nickel-induced genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, immunotoxicity and toxicity in various other metabolically active tissues. This review specifically highlighted nickel-induced oxidative stress and possible cell signaling mechanisms as well.

Role of yoga in modifying anxiety level in women.

Anxiety leads to derangement in physical and mental health. Anxiety levels are more in full time housewives than working women. There is a need for simple, easy treatment for anxiety to alleviate the burden on health caused by anxiety. Yoga is among the top ten complementary and alternative medicine therapies. Our study aimed to determine the anxiety levels in apparently healthy full time housewives and to study the effects of Yoga on anxiety levels among them. Present study is a comparative interventional study. Study was conducted on 50 apparently healthy full time housewives (20-50 years) who attended one month Yoga camp. Hamilton Anxiety (HAMA) Scale was used to evaluate anxiety levels before and at the end of the yoga camp. Statistical analysis was done by Paired t test using SPSS 9.0. The baseline pulse rate, SBP, DBP were 82.90 ± 4.25 bpm, 124.84 ± 11.022 mm Hg, 85.20 ± 10.81 mm Hg respectively. After four weeks yoga camp there was statistically significant lowering of pulse rate (77.58 ± 3.86 bpm), SBP (117.92 ± 6.76 mm Hg), DBP (78.68 ± 6.62 mm Hg). Before yoga training, percentage distributions of subjects with mild, moderate and severe anxiety were 6%, 18% and 76% respectively. At the end of four week yoga training, percentage distributions of subjects with mild, moderate and severe anxiety were 44.23%, 19.23% and 36.53% respectively. There was highly significant (p = 0.000) difference in the mean values of total score before (33.71 ± 4.90) and after (26.93 ± 4.53) yoga. These results indicate that there was a reduction in the severity of anxiety from severe to moderate and mild indicating decrease in anxiety following yoga. Based on the results of our study, we conclude that regular yogic practices and adapting and implementing the principals and philosophy of yoga in day to day life may decrease the anxiety level.

Effect of yoga on short-term heart rate variability measure as a stress index in subjunior cyclists: a pilot study.

Subjunior athletes experience mental stress due to pressure from the coach, teachers and parents for better performance. Stress, if remains for longer period and not managed appropriately can leads to negative physical, mental and cognitive impact on children. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of integrated yoga module on heart rate variability (HRV) measure as a stress index in subjunior cyclists. Fast furrier transform technique of frequency domain method was used for the analysis of HRV. We have found a significant increase in high frequency (HF) component by 14.64% (P < 0.05) and decrease in the low frequency component (LF) of HRV spectrum by 5.52% (P < 0.05) and a decrease in LF/HF ratio by 19.63% (P < 0.01) in yoga group. In the control group, there was decrease in the HF component and, no significant difference in the LF component of HRV spectrum and LF/HF ratio. The results show that yoga practice decreases sympathetic activity and causes a shift in the autonomic balance towards parasympathetic dominance indicating a reduction in stress. In conclusion, yoga practice helps to reduce stress by optimizing the autonomic functions. So, it is suggested to incorporate yoga module as a regular feature to keep subjunior athletes both mentally and physically fit.