Procrastination as a Marker of Anxiety Disorder Among College Students: An Institution-Based Cross-Sectional Study From Puducherry, India.

Background and objective Procrastination, which refers to the act of unnecessarily delaying the beginning or completion of an assigned task, is a widespread but often neglected problem among college students. Postponing a task can impair academic performance or lead to stress and poor mental well-being. A knowledge gap exists in understanding the cyclical nature of the relationship between anxiety and procrastination, wherein anxiety leads to procrastination, which in turn exacerbates anxiety. In light of this, we aimed to assess the level of procrastination and anxiety among college students and to correlate the relationship between their procrastination and anxiety status. Methodology A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 347 graduate students from various disciplines at a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry, India. A convenient sampling technique was employed to recruit the participants, and data were collected using the validated Procrastination Assessment Scale for Students (PASS) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Results Our findings showed that about 124 (35.7%) participants reported weekly reading assignments as the most frequently procrastinated task, with a mean score of 3.15 ± 1.02, followed by studying for exams and writing term papers. The most commonly reported reason for procrastination was evaluation anxiety, followed by low self-esteem and perfectionism. A significant number of students (157, 45.2%) had mild anxiety, and 58 (16.7%) students were found to have severe anxiety. A Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.26 (95% CI: 0.16 - 0.36) was observed between the overall procrastination score and HAM-A score, which indicated a weak positive correlation and was statistically significant (p<0.05). Similarly, a weak positive correlation was found between task aversiveness, fear of failure, and anxiety levels. Conclusions Procrastination is positively related to anxiety but the relationship is weak. Understanding and addressing the underlying anxiety or stress can be a key to managing procrastination among college students.

Effect of pre-operative instruction on anxiety among women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy.

Women's health and hysterectomies have a direct bearing on their mental and emotional responses, as their reproductive system gets affected or removed. Abdominal hysterectomy is said to engender more stress and anxiety than other comparable surgeries. Providing pre-operative information on surgery is essential in reducing anxiety before surgery for positive post-operative outcomes. In this quasi-experimental study conducted to evaluate effectiveness of pre-operative instruction on anxiety among women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy for non-malignant conditions in multispecialty hospital, Bangalore, 60 women were selected by purposive sampling method and assigned to experimental and control groups. On day 2 of admission pre-test anxiety was assessed and experimental group was given 45 minutes instructional session whereas control group did not receive pre-operative instruction. Assessment of post-test anxiety was done after 24 hours of surgery. The results showed significant reduction in anxiety (p < 0.001) of women in the experimental group who received pre-operative instruction.

Model of Anti-Mullerian Hormone Over Age to Predict Menopause in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Eumenorrheic Women: A Study on Southern Indian Population.

Introduction Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) is a member of the transforming growth factor ß family and is a marker of ovarian reserve; it is produced by the granulosa cells of developing preantral and early antral ovarian follicles. AMH concentration decreases with increasing age. Its concentration is increased relatively in those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) than eumenorrheic women. Objectives In this research, using a model of AMH over age, the age of menopause is predicted in PCOS and eumenorrheic women. Study design The study subjects were classified into two groups. Group 1 included PCOS subjects. Group 2 included eumenorrheic women. General profiles such as age, BMI, and hormonal parameters such as AMH were measured. Based on the exponential functional dependence of AMH over age, a model was proposed, and the value of exponential constants such as log ßo and ß1 were calculated using least square approximation. An arbitrary value of 0.2 ng/mL for AMH was taken as a cut-off value to predict the age of menopause in both groups. Outcome measures We predicted the age of menopause using a model of AMH over age by the least square approximation technique. Results The age prediction for menopause using the least squares model of AMH over age showed that in group 1 patients with PCOS, menopause is projected to occur at around 54.7 years, while in group 2 with eumenorrheic women, it is expected to happen at approximately 45.2 years. Conclusion Data demonstrates that serum AMH concentration declines over time, and predicting the age of menopause reflects sustained reproductive life span in PCOS subjects.

An Uncommon Case of Brucellar Spondylodiscitis: A Case Report.

Introduction: Infective spondylodiscitis refers to simultaneous inflammation of vertebrae and disc and usually occurs through hematogenous spread. The most common presentation of brucellosis is febrile illness, but it can rarely present as spondylodiscitis. Rarely, human cases of brucellosis are diagnosed and treated clinically. We describe a case of previously healthy man in his early 70s who presented with symptoms suggestive of spinal tuberculosis, then diagnosed to have brucellarspondylodiscitis. Case Report: A 72-year-old farmer presented to our orthopedic department with a history of chronic lower back pain. Spinal tuberculosis was suspected at a medical facilitynear his residence, based on magnetic resonance imaging consistent with infective spondylodiscitis, and the patient was referred to our hospital for further management. Investigations revealed that the patient had an uncommon diagnosis of Brucellar spondylodiscitis for which he was managed accordingly. Conclusion: Brucellar spondylodiscitis may clinically mimic spinal tuberculosis; hence, it must be considered as a differential diagnosis in a patient presenting with the lower back pain (particularly in the elderly) and signs of a chronic infection. Screening serological testing is vital in early identification and management of spinal brucellosis.

Anti-inflammatory effects of royal poinciana through inhibition of toll-like receptor 4 signaling pathway.

Inflammation is part of the non-specific immune response that occurs in reaction to any type of bodily injury. In some disorders the inflammatory process, which under normal conditions is self-limiting, becomes continuous and chronic inflammatory diseases develop subsequently including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer etc. Barks of Delonix regia is used traditionally in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the therapeutic potential of D. regia ethanol extract and its active constituent ß-Elemene with special interest in inflammation model using standard in vivo anti-inflammatory models: Carrageenan-induced paw edema, Cotton pellet granuloma, and Acetic acid-induced vascular permeability. To explicate the mechanism of action for the possible anti-inflammatory activity, we determined the level of major inflammatory mediators (NO, iNOS, COX-2-dependent prostaglandin E2 or PGE2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1b, IL-6, and IL-12). Additionally, we determined the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), Myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), by mRNA expression in drug treated LPS-induced murine macrophage model. To explore the mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity, we evaluated expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), nuclear factor kappa-B cells (NF-kB), and NF-kB inhibitor alpha (IK-Ba). Furthermore, we determined the acute and sub-acute toxicity of D. regia extract in BALB/c mice. This study established a significant anti-inflammatory activity of D. regia extract and ß-Elemene along with the inhibition of TNF-a, IL-1b, IL-6 and IL-12 expressions. Further, the expression of TLR4, NF-kBp65, MyD88, iNOS and COX-2 molecules were reduced in drug-treated groups, but not in the LPS-stimulated untreated or control groups, Thus, our results collectively indicated that the D. regia extract and ß-Elemene can efficiently inhibit inflammation.

Influenza activity among the paediatric age group in Chennai.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Respiratory viral infections have a major impact on public health. Acute respiratory infections largely caused by viruses, are the most common illnesses experienced by otherwise healthy adults and children. Among the respiratory viruses, influenza viruses are known to cause outbreaks globally. Information on the activity of influenza virus in our country is limited and none from Chennai. The present study was carried out to isolate and identify the influenza virus serotypes causing acute respiratory infection in children attending a tertiary care centre at Chennai. METHODS: During January to December 2002, 240 children with acute respiratory infection attending the out patient clinic of Institute of Child Health were included by convenient sampling. Throat swabs were collected from 4 to 5 cases every week. Isolation of influenza virus was attempted by inoculating the sample in Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cell line. The isolates were typed by haemagglutination inhibition test and confirmed by immunoflourescence assay. RESULTS: Virus isolation was positive in 30 (12.5%) of the 240 samples. Influenza A/H3N2/Panama/ 2000/99 was the predominant serotype isolated accounting for 24 (80%) of the 30 isolates. Influenza B/Sichuan/379/99 was isolated in 4 (13.33%) and a combination of Influenza A/H3N2 and B/Sichuan in 2 (6.6%) of the isolates. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Isolation of influenza A and B viruses indicated a significant activity of these viruses in Chennai. Peak activity was observed during and after the first spell of rain. The predominance of A/H3N2/ Panama is an indication that the Indian scenario is similar to the global picture of influenza activity.