Cell Type-Specific Extracellular Vesicles and Their Impact on Health and Disease.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), a diverse group of cell-derived exocytosed particles, are pivotal in mediating intercellular communication due to their ability to selectively transfer biomolecules to specific cell types. EVs, composed of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, are taken up by cells to affect a variety of signaling cascades. Research in the field has primarily focused on stem cell-derived EVs, with a particular focus on mesenchymal stem cells, for their potential therapeutic benefits. Recently, tissue-specific EVs or cell type-specific extracellular vesicles (CTS-EVs), have garnered attention for their unique biogenesis and molecular composition because they enable highly targeted cell-specific communication. Various studies have outlined the roles that CTS-EVs play in the signaling for physiological function and the maintenance of homeostasis, including immune modulation, tissue regeneration, and organ development. These properties are also exploited for disease propagation, such as in cancer, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, autoimmune conditions, and more. The insights gained from analyzing CTS-EVs in different biological roles not only enhance our understanding of intercellular signaling and disease pathogenesis but also open new avenues for innovative diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for a wide spectrum of medical conditions. This review comprehensively outlines the current understanding of CTS-EV origins, function within normal physiology, and implications in diseased states.

Occupation-related psychological distress among police constables of Udupi taluk, Karnataka: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Police occupational stress is an extensive issue due to number of negative consequences on an individual as well as the police department which is often neglected. This study is the first of its kind in Udupi district. AIM: The present study intended to find out the prevalence of psychological distress among police constable, assess stressors, and the factors influencing it. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted among police constables in police stations of Udupi taluk. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 76 constables participated in the study, who were taken up from seven randomly selected police stations. General health questionnaire and organizational and operational police stress questionnaire were used to assess psychological distress and stressors, respectively. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15. Results were tabulated using frequency distribution and proportions for dichotomous variables and mean with a standard deviation for continuous variables. Chi-square test was performed to find the association between psychological distress and other variables. RESULTS: One-fourth (95% confidence interval: 0.153, 0.347) of the participants reported as having high levels of psychological distress. Years of service and 28 stressful activities were significantly associated with psychological distress. CONCLUSION: Psychological distress among the police constables is of concern; hence some modifications such as sharing work, fixed duty hours, etc., should be done in the police department in order to avoid stress and its adverse effects. Stress management training can be given at regular intervals to improve competitiveness and enhance coping skills.

Perception of stigma toward mental illness in South India.

BACKGROUND: Stigma associated with mental illnesses is one of the principal causes for mentally ill people not receiving adequate mental health care and treatment. The study was conducted to assess the extent of stigma associated with mental illness and knowledge of mental illness among the community. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 445 respondents from Udupi district; the community attitude toward the mentally ill (CAMI) scale was used to assess stigma. The probability proportional to sampling size technique was adopted to select the wards/blocks. Household from blocks/wards were selected using convenience sampling. Self- administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the information. Data was analyzed using the software SPSS version 15. RESULTS: Of the total 445 respondents, the prevalence of stigma toward mentally ill people was 74.61% (95% confidence interval, 0.7057, 0.7866). The prevalence of stigma was high under all the four domains of CAMI scale. High prevalence of stigma was seen among females and people with higher income. CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of stigma toward PWMI was found to be high. The stigma toward PWMI was associated with gender with respect to AU, BE and CMHI. Hence, the study suggests that there is a strong need to eliminate stigma associated with mental illness to improve the mental health status of the region.

Adolescents and Body Image: A Cross Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess proportion of adolescents perceiving their body image as normal and to study association between body shape, self-esteem and body mass index; each with body image perception. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted among pre university college (PUC) students of Udupi taluk. A total of 550 students in the age group of 15-19y were randomly selected from 11 PUC's: four were taken from government and unaided strata respectively and three from aided. The PUC's were selected based on proportional allocation from a total of 48 PUC's. From each PUC a class was randomly chosen as a cluster; all students in the class were included. Body shape questionnaire and Rosenberg self-esteem scale were used to assess body shape concerns and self-esteem respectively. Height and weight was measured and body mass index was calculated. SPSS version 15 has been used for analysis. Results were tabulated using frequency distribution and proportions. Multinomial logistic regression was done. RESULTS: About 38 % of the respondents perceived their body image as normal. Body shape [OR = 0.48,95 % CI: 0.305, 0.76], self-esteem [OR = 6.12,95 % CI: 2.76, 13.9] and body mass index [OR = 4.65,95 % CI: 2.13,10.12] were found to be independently associated with body image perception. CONCLUSIONS: Educational institutes are a major component of adolescent's lives; the identified factors for body image perception should be taken into consideration and appropriate educational efforts to be incorporated into the routine curriculum.

An epidemiological overview of child sexual abuse.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a universal problem with grave life-long outcomes. The estimates vary widely depending on the country under study, the definitions used, the type of CSA studied, the extent of coverage, and quality of data. This study intended to assess the magnitude and the issues related to CSA. We searched databases such as PubMed, Google scholar, web (newspaper reports), and government websites. The relevant data was extracted from these sources for gathering evidence on CSA and secondary data analysis was done. The prevalence of CSA was found to be high in India as well as throughout the world. CSA is an extensive problem and even the lowest prevalence includes a huge number of victims. It also has various adverse effects on the psychological, physical, behavioral, and interpersonal well-being of the victim. Hence, stringent measures should be taken for the prevention and control of this hidden public health issue.