Exploring Factors of Absenteeism Among Students Attending Community Medicine Department

Background: Frequent absence from classes may lead to improper learning and poor academic performance. Absenteeism can make teaching - learning environment unwelcoming and impacting those also who attend classes regularly. Aims & Objectives: To explore factors responsible for absenteeism among second professional students attending Community Medicine Department and to formulate recommendations to deal with absenteeism. Material and Methods: A Cross sectional study was conducted among 132 second professional medical undergraduate students attending Community Medicine Department in a teaching hospital. A self-designed pre validated questionnaire comprising of various sections related to teaching –learning factors was used to explore factors responsible for student absenteeism. Faculty perception regarding student absenteeism and recommendations formulated to deal with it were recorded separately. Data analysis: Data was entered in MS Excel and Chi Square test was used for analysis. Results: Among 132 study participants, majority of the participants (62.1%) were females who were residing in hostels. Highest percentage of absenteeism (40.1%) was during examination time. Extracurricular activities like sports/gym, browsing net and parties were significantly (p<0.001) associated with absenteeism. Conclusions: Absenteeism can adversely affect academic performance and low attendance can demotivate teachers also to teach with keen interest.

Effectiveness of randomized control trial of mobile phone messages on control of fasting blood glucose in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus in a Northern State of India

Limited availability of randomized control trial warranted the conduct of a present study to demonstrate the effectiveness of mobile phone-based short message services (SMSs) on reduction in mean fasting blood glucose (FBG) in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 955 patients were recruited from primary and secondary health-care facilities and randomized to intervention (479) and control (476) group. Messages were delivered to patients for 12 months tailoring to their recent FBG values. SMS included information to maintain the desired FBG levels and next due date for FBG assessment. Patients were statistically similar for their age, socioeconomic status, smoking, and alcohol use. After the intervention, an average FBG declined from 163.7 to 152.8 mg/dl (P = 0.019) in intervention and from 150.5 to 149.2 mg/dl (P = 0.859) in control group. Adjusted for the baseline FBG, the intervention was found to be significantly effective (odds ratio: 1.7; 95 confidence interval: 1.2–2.6).

A Cross Sectional Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices towards Hepatitis B among Undergraduate Medical Students of a Medical College in rural area.

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most common blood borne viral infection in the world. It is a major potentially life threatening, global health problem. About 6,00,000 people die every year due to the acute or chronic consequences of hepatitis B. Health care workers including medical students are at risk of acquiring the infection while at work. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of hepatitis B infection among Undergraduate (MBBS) medical students of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Kangra at Tanda. Materials and Methods: Knowledge, attitude, and practises towards Hepatitis B was assessed by using a pre validated questionnaire in a cross sectional descriptive study. Mean scores for knowledge, attitudes and practices were calculated using the Epilnfo software version 7. Results: Four hundred fifty questionnaires were distributed among the students.387 responded, a response rate of 86%. Mean age of female students was 21.5 ± 1.59 yrs and mean age for male students was 21.9 ± 1.69 yr. Mean scores for Knowledge, Attitude, and Practises were 15.87 ± 1.57 (Maximum score 19) , 2.00 ± 0.63 (Maximum Score 3) and 4.6 ± 0.97 (Maximum Score 6) respectively. This study also demonstrates some important shortcomings in the knowledge, attitude, and practises of medical students. Conclusion: Results of the study suggest good Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Hepatitis B among the students. Though, overall knowledge and attitude to HBV infection is good, there is a need to develop guidelines to ensure that medical students are not only fully vaccinated against HBV but adequate practice of standard precautions is also adhered to.

Use of social networking sites among medical undergraduates of a medical college in north-west India.

Introduction: Use of Internet for communication has become a very important part of young people's life. Social networking sites are virtual communities that allow users to create a profile and interact with friends. One area of interest in this field is regarding the activities of medical students on social networking sites and how these activities affect their academic performances. Objective: To assess the use of social networking sites and its impact on academic performance among medical undergraduates of a rural medical College. Methodology: It was a cross sectional study conducted over a period of three weeks in December 2013 among undergraduate students of Dr RPGMC Kangra at Tanda. A self-administered questionnaire was used to conduct the study. Data was entered in Microsoft excel sheet and analysed.Result: A total of 150 participants were enrolled of which only 141 agreed to participate. Among these 74 (52%) were males and 68 (48%) females. The mean age of the subjects was 20.2 ± 1.5 years. Majority 123 (87.2 %) used multiple networking sites, 45 % (60/123) had joined communities related to medicine. More than half 52.7 % (65/123) of subjects used these multiple sites to remain connected with their friends.81.7% (49/60) visited medical communities daily and 93.9% (46/49) among them said that these communities has helped increase their knowledge. Average time spent per session was 10-30 minutes among 26.8 % (33/ 123) participants.Conclusion: The results of the study showed that role of social networking sites among undergraduate students pursuing a professional course is important while communicating with friends and people of their own field. It helps them in broadening their knowledge and they feel it has helped them positively in their academic performance.

Effect of available nutrients on yield and quality of pear fruit Bartlett in Kashmir Valley India.

Pear is one of the most important commercial crops grown in the Kashmir valley of India. A study was conducted during 2008 to find out the effect of available nutrients on yield and quality parameters of pear cultivar “Bartlett” which revealed that nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium exhibited significant and positive relationship with fruit length (0.882, 0.856, and 0.482 mm, respectively), diameter (0.869, 0.794 and 0.458 mm, respectively), weight (0.876, 0.825 and 0.439 g, respectively), volume (0.908, 0.806 and 0.404, Cm3 respectively) and yield (0.908, 0.764 and 0.702 kg tree-1, respectively) however, only nitrogen and phosphorus showed similar relationship with total sugars (0.833 and 0.838 % respectively). The calcium indicated significant and negative relationship with fruit diameter (-0.433) and yield (-0.589), while as it showed significant and positive correlation with fruit firmness (0.442) only. The sulphur revealed significant and positive relationship with fruit length (0.440), diameter (0.434), TSS (0.482) and yield (0.729) whereas zinc, copper, iron and manganese exhibited significant and positive relationship with fruit length (0.889, 793, 0.671 and 0.619, respectively), diameter (0.875, 0.807, 0.653 and 0.576, respectively) weight (0.881, 0.784, 0.669 and 0.615, respectively), volume (0.885, 0.832, 0.692 and 0.572, respectively) TSS (0.858, 0.761, 0.735 and 0.609, respectively), total sugars (0.853, 0.890, 0.705 and 0.517, respectively) and yield (0.777, 0.618, 0.789 and 0.701, respectively). It is therefore suggested that nutrients have effect on quality and yield of pear fruits.

Effect of sodium nitroprusside on morphological characters under chilling stress in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

An experiment was conducted with chilling tolerant (IC-424234) and sensitive (PBG-1) chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes to study the effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) – nitric oxide donor applied as foliar spray of 150 and 300 µM concentrations at 45 DAS (vegetative stage), 85 DAS (flowering stage) and 125 DAS (post flowering stage). Both the concentrations of SNP (150 and 300 µM) resulted in significant increase in all the morphological characters viz. plant height, number of leaves plant-1, leaf area plant-1 and leaf area index (LAI) over the control at all the stages, though lower concentration (150 µM) was more effective. Chilling sensitive (CS) genotype PBG-1 responded more effectively to SNP treatment. Electrolyte leakage percentage was effectively reduced by SNP treatments in both the genotypes at low temperature (15 DAA). Chilling sensitive genotype PBG-1 treated with SNP (150 µM) recorded significantly higher yield contributing characters viz. number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, seed yield plant-1(g), pod setting percentage (%), 100 seed weight (g) and yield (kg ha-1) over the chilling tolerant (IC-424234).

Comparative studies on morphological and biochemical characters of chickpea genotypes under chilling stress.

Comparison of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes for morphological and biochemical attributes was done. Morphological characters viz. Plant height, number of branches and number of leaves were recorded highest in chilling tolerant genotypes at early stages of development (30 and 60 DAS) whereas at later stages (90 and 120 DAS) these characters were recorded highest in chilling sensitive genotypes. Pollen viability percentage at 5 and 10oC temperatures were recorded highest in chilling tolerant genotypes as compared to sensitive genotypes. Biochemical characters viz. electrolyte leakage (%), total soluble sugars and total free amino acids were recorded highest in chilling tolerant genotypes as compared to sensitive genotypes.

Marchiafava-Bignami disease.

Marchiafava- Bignami disease is the symmetrical demyelination of the middle portion of the corpus callosum observed in people with chronic alcoholism. We report two male patients who had history of chronic alcoholism, different clinical presentation and MRI findings consistent with the diagnosis of Marchiafava-Bignami disease.

Alkaptonuria and intramedullary calcification.

Alkaptonuria is a rare disorder of metabolism caused by deficiency of homogentisic acid oxidase enzyme and characterized by triad of homogentisic aciduria (dark urine), relentlessly progressive arthritis and ochronosis. We have documented a case with typical features of alkaptonuria along with intramedullary calcification which has not been reported in the literature before.

Direct, residual and direct + residual effects of sulphur in garlic (Allium sativum)-maize (Zea mays) cropping sequence.

Significant positive effects of 30 kg/ha of sulphur as manifested on yield and yield parameters of garlic were further carried over to following maize crop. Garlic bulb and foliage yield (6.3 and 0.8 t/ha respectively) obtained at 30 kg/ha of sulphur dose was significantly higher over without sulphur (3.7 and 0.5 t/ha respectively) as revealed from two years' pooled data. Similarly number of leaves/plant, weight of cloves/5bulbs and weight/100 cloves at the said sulphur dose significantly increased over without sulphur from 10.5 to 11.9, 98.3 to 141.2 g and from 159 to 217 g in respective manner Increase in grain yield of maize (residual effect) and in the economic yield of the whole cropping sequence (Bulb yield of garlic and grain yield of maize) i.e. direct plus residual effect at 30 kg/ha of sulphur dose over without sulphur was from 28.3 to 47.2 and from 71 to 116 q/ha in respective manner i.e. with significant differences. Sulphur use efficiencies (kg yield/kg sulphur) of these crops at 15, 30 and 45 kg/ha over no sulphur were 57, 43 and 32; 53, 63 and 6 and 160, 150 and 67, all in respective order An optimum sulphur dose of 44.3 kg/ha produced increased bulb yield (over no S) worth Rs 34892 over fertilizer cost giving B:C ratio of 31.5:1. Utilization of sulphur added at 15, 30 and 45 kg/ha rates was 24.1, 19.3 and 15.7% by the garlic crop; and 29.6. 24.5 and 9.02% by the following maize crop, thus, adding up to 54.1, 43.8 and 24.9% by the cropping sequence, all in respective order.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy--as a presenting manifestation of AIDS.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is an opportunistic demyelinating disease caused by the ubiquitous, usually non pathogenic JC Polyomavirus. We report a case of PML as a presenting manifestation of AIDS in a forty five year old man on the basis of clinical features and neuroradiology.