Effect of internet use on medical students before and after 4g internet service in india: A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Internet is being used extensively throughout the world from last decade. In India internet service has entered into new generation called 4G. Medical students are particularly vulnerable group for problematic internet use on account of the time they spend online. This might have negative effects on their physical, psychological and social health. Hence they are more prone to internet addiction. AIMS: To compare use and effect of internet service among medical students before and after the availability of 4G service. STUDY DESIGN: Institution based cross sectional study. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Predesigned validated questionnaires were provided to the medical students in the year 2014. The questionnaire included demographics, pattern of internet use and Young's internet addiction test. Again in the year 2018 the similar procedure was carried out after introduction of 4G service. The data was collected and compared. Analysis was done using SPSS 25. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics, Chi2 test and Mann-Whitney test was applied. RESULTS: Among 424 medical students 207 students were assessed in the year 2014 and 217 students in 2018.There was a significant change of pattern of use. Also significant increase in number of female users and severity of internet addiction in 2018. The ill effect of internet was on rise after availability of 4G service. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of internet addiction and its ill effect on behavior among medical students was higher after availability of 4G service in same college. So appropriate preventive and interventional strategies need to be developed in professional institutions.

Participatory evaluation guides the development and selection of farmers' preferred rice varieties for salt- and flood-affected coastal deltas of South and Southeast Asia.

Rice is the staple food and provides livelihood for smallholder farmers in the coastal delta regions of South and Southeast Asia. However, its productivity is often low because of several abiotic stresses including high soil salinity and waterlogging during the wet (monsoon) season and high soil and water salinity during the dry season. Development and dissemination of suitable rice varieties tolerant of these multiple stresses encountered in coastal zones are of prime importance for increasing and stabilizing rice productivity, however adoption of new varieties has been slow in this region. Here we implemented participatory varietal selection (PVS) processes to identify and understand smallholder farmers' criteria for selection and adoption of new rice varieties in coastal zones. New breeding lines together with released rice varieties were evaluated in on-station and on-farm trials (researcher-managed) during the wet and dry seasons of 2008-2014 in the Indian Sundarbans region. Significant correlations between preferences of male and female farmers in most trials indicated that both groups have similar criteria for selection of rice varieties. However, farmers' preference criteria were different from researchers' criteria. Grain yield was important, but not the sole reason for variety selection by farmers. Several other factors also governed preferences and were strikingly different when compared across wet and dry seasons. For the wet season, farmers preferred tall (140-170 cm), long duration (160-170 d), lodging resistant and high yielding rice varieties because these traits are required in lowlands where water stagnates in the field for about four months (July to October). For the dry season, farmers' preferences were for high yielding, salt tolerant, early maturing (115-130 d) varieties with long slender grains and good quality for better market value. Pest and disease resistance was important in both seasons but did not rank high. When farmers ranked the two most preferred varieties, the ranking order was sometimes variable between locations and years, but when the top four varieties that consistently ranked high were considered, the variability was low. This indicates that at least 3-4 of the best-performing entries should be considered in succeeding multi-location and multi-year trials, thereby increasing the chances that the most stable varieties are selected. These findings will help improve breeding programs by providing information on critical traits. Selected varieties through PVS are also more likely to be adopted by farmers and will ensure higher and more stable productivity in the salt- and flood-affected coastal deltas of South and Southeast Asia.

Studies on incidence and evaluation of the closed medial patellar desmotomy in lateral recumbency in bovines.

AIM: The present study was conducted to find out the incidence and to evaluate the effectiveness of medial patellar desmotomy (MPD) in lateral recumbency in bovines. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and fifteen clinical cases of upward fixation of the patella in cattle and buffaloes were treated by closed MPD in lateral recumbency. Probable etiologies, symptoms and site of surgery including disease occurrence with respect to species, sex and season were also recorded. RESULTS: In the present study, the highest incidence was reported in bullocks. A high success rate was obtained with the closed method in lateral recumbency. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the bullocks were more prone to upward fixation of patella and symptoms were exaggerated in winter season. Closed method of MPD was more suited in both cattle and buffaloes.

First Report of Wet Rot of Withania somnifera Caused by Choanephora cucurbitarum in India.

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is native to India and commercially cultivated for the production of root withanolides that have anticarcinogenic properties. A disease appeared on plantings of W. somnifera during the 2010 monsoon at the CIMAP and in adjoining areas of northern India. Symptoms first appeared as water-soaked lesions on leaves and stems that progressed to a wet rot. Mature lesions harbored black fructifications of the suspect pathogen. Pathogen isolations were done by placing pieces of infected tissues on potato dextrose agar. A fungus tentatively identified as a Choanephora sp. that produced white aerial mycelia that later turned pale yellow was consistently isolated from infected plant parts. Mycelia were hyaline and nonseptate. Sporangiophores bearing sporangiola were erect, hyaline, unbranched, apically dilated to form a clavate vesicle from which arose dichotomously branched distally clavate secondary vesicles. Sporangiola were indehiscent, ellipsoid, brown to dark brown with distinct longitudinal striations, and measured 12 to 20 × 6 to 12 µm. Sporangia were multispored, spherical, initially white to yellow and pale brown to dark brown at maturity, and measured 40 to 160 µm. Sporangiospores from sporangia were ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, brown to dark brown, indistinctly striate with fine hyaline polar appendages, and measured 16 to 20 × 8 to 12 µm. On the basis of the cultural as well as morphological characteristics and description in the monograph by Kirk (2), the fungus was identified as a Choanephora sp. The identification was also confirmed by IMTECH, Chandigarh, India with Accession No. MTCC-10731. The species was later characterized as Choanephora cucurbitarum (Berk. & Ravenel) Thaxt (GenBank Accession No. AB470642) by using universal primers ITS-1 and ITS-4. Its sequence comprising of 18S rRNA partial, complete ITS 1, 5.8S rRNA, ITS 2, and 28S rRNA partial was submitted to NCBI GenBank with Accession No. JN639861. Pathogenicity of the fungus was established on five healthy plants by artificial inoculation with spray of an aqueous spore suspension containing 106 spores/ml. Plants sprayed with sterile distilled water were used as controls. Both inoculated and control plants were kept in a humidity chamber (96%) for 3 days and thereafter placed in the glasshouse at 28 ± 2°C. Initial symptoms developed in 2 to 3 days while typical disease symptoms appeared on all the inoculated plants after 7 to 10 days. Control plants were free from infection. The reisolation from artificially infected plants again yielded a Choanephora sp., thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. W. somnifera cultivation has been affected by root rot and wilt caused by Fusarium solani and leaf spot caused by Alternaria dianthicola (3). The occurrence of a Choanephora sp. was reported on periwinkle, petunia (1), and Boerhavia diffusa (4). However, to our knowledge, incidence of this pathogen on W. somnifera has not been reported so far. Thus, wet rot of W. somnifera caused by C. cucurbitarum is a new report from India and worldwide. References: (1) G. E. Holcomb. Plant Dis. 87:751, 2003. (2) P. M. Kirk. Mycol. Pap. 152:1, 1984. (3) C. K. Maiti et al. Plant Dis. 91:467, 2007. (4) N. Singh et al. New Dis. Rep. 23:29, 2011.

Death certification in a teaching hospital--a one year review.

Death certification is believed to be very poor and inaccurate in most of the health institutions in India. A hospital based study on assessing the accuracy in completing the medical certificates of cause of death was conducted in Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal during September to December 2007. Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) from the Medical Record Section for the period from 1st January up to 31st December, 2006 were audited for errors committed in completing the certificates. Data extracted using a proforma--age, sex, date of death, causes of death as recorded, department. Major error was observed in 38.3% and minor error was observed in 77.6% of the MCCD. Mechanism of death was listed as the cause of death in 21.9% of the certificates. The most prevalent type of error was the absence of time intervals (65.3%).

Distribution patterns of natural radioactivity and delineation of anomalous radioactive zones using in situ radiation observations in Southern Tamil Nadu, India.

In situ radiation measurements in the beach sectors and adjacent hinterlands and along rivers in the interiors of southern peninsular India were carried out using a portable radiation survey meter. A very high intrinsic anomalous radioactivity >26microGy/h has been observed in the hinterlands within a fresh quarry and weathered boulders in the syenite rock body around Puttetti in the western Kanyakumari district of southern Tamil Nadu. Over the weathered hillocks in the hinterlands adjacent to the coast around Inayam, Kurumpanai and Midalam, the in situ radiation measurements have also exhibited high radioactivity ranging from 4 to 22microGy/h which is significantly higher than the radiation exposure rates (RER) observed along the beach sectors at various locations from Chavara to Tuticorin (1-14microGy/h). The observed radiation levels are presumably the highest concentration in southern India and it is the first time that such a high intrinsic radiogenic source in the hinterlands is reported in southwest coast of India. It is also observed based on the laboratory analysis of samples and in situ radiation data that the rivers/channels in this region contain insignificant level of radioactivity concentration and hence they do not contribute much to the placer deposits on the beaches. The placer deposits associated with significant RER (both in situ observations as well as laboratory estimates from samples) in the beach sectors from Kadiapattanam to Inayam are inferred to be derived through the country rocks/weathered hillocks in the immediate hinterlands.

Analysis of normal electrocardiograms of Jamunapari goats.

In the present study, the normal electrocardiographic (ECG) values in the adult male Jamunapari breed of the goats were described. The mean heart rate in the goats was 127 +/- 3.46 per minute and ranged 107 and 168. The amplitudes and duration of various waveforms of ECG for six standard limb leads (I, II, III, aVL, aVR and aVF) were estimated. The overall P, QRS and T amplitudes (millivolts) were 0.065 +/- 0.01, 0.47 +/- 0.06 and 0.20 +/- 0.014 respectively. The duration (seconds) of these wave forms were 0.042 +/- 0.005, 0.033 +/- 0.002 and 0.10 +/- 0.014, respectively. The P-R interval and R-R intervals ranged between 0.06- 0.14 and 0.40-0.58 respectively. The average Q-T interval was 0.24 +/- 0.01 second, indicating the time for which the caprine ventricle remained depolarized. The corrected QT interval was also calculated which was found to vary from 0.24 to 0.57. The mean frontal plane vectors for the wave forms P, QRS and T wave forms were +49.99 +/- 6.02, +37.34 +/- 4.05 and +52.26 +/- 6.79 degrees respectively.

Aspiration vs nonaspiration technique of cytodiagnosis--a critical evaluation in 160 cases.

The two sampling techniques were studied in 160 randomly selected cases of superficial swellings in various sites of the body. They were sampled by fine needle aspiration (FNA) and by non-aspiration (NA) (a needle without application of aspiration pressure). Cell samples were cytologically assessed and critically evaluated using five objective parameters. Contamination with blood was more in lymphnode, thyroid and liver lesions in aspiration smears than NA smears and values were statistically significant. Similarly when compared for the degree of cellular trauma and cellular degeneration statistically significant better results were obtained by nonaspiration technique for lymphnode lesions. Regarding amount of cellular material obtained by FNA, statistical significant better results were found for breast lesions only. Statistically significant better maintenance of architecture was observed only for thyroid lesions by NA technique. Better average scores were observed by NA technique for lymphnode and thyroid only. Categorizing all the smears obtained by FNA & NA on the basis of their scores according to predetermined criteria, greater number of diagnostically adequate specimens were obtained by FNA than by NA but the number of diagnostically superior specimens obtained by NA technique was found to be more than that by FNA. The difference was found to be statistically significant. However the number of inadequate smears was also more by NA technique than by FNA technique.

Common nitrogen control of caesium uptake, caesium toxicity and ammonium (methylammonium) uptake in the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum.

Studies were carried out to examine the role of ammonium transport activity in the control of caesium uptake and toxicity in Nostoc muscorum. The results showed a definite specific role of the ammonium-repressible/derepressible ammonium transport system of the cyanobacterium in caesium uptake, accumulation and toxicity. Furthermore, the results showed that N. muscorum can acquire resistance against diazotrophically-associated caesium toxicity when supplied with ammonium as a nitrogen source. In addition, alternatively, a mutant strain was Cs-resistant in the absence of any effect on NH(+4)-transport, suggesting that Cs+ resistance may be determined at more than one cellular site.

Mutational analysis of the NH4+-nitrogen controls that regulate ammonium transport activity, heterocyst differentiation, nitrogenase activity and the heterocyst-spacing pattern in the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum.

Mutational analysis of the genetic determinants mediating NH(4+)-nitrogen regulating effects on NH(4+)-transport activity, heterocyst differentiation, nitrogenase activity and heterocyst pattern formation was carried out in Nostoc muscorum. Evidence suggested the operation of three separate genetic determinants in such nitrogen control; one mediating NH(4+)-repression control on both heterocyst formation and NH(4+)-transport activity, a second (Nif-R) mediating NH(4+)-repression control on nitrogenase synthesis/activity and a third (Pat-R) essential for intercalary heterocyst formation/distribution. Ammonia itself functioned as repressor signal of heterocyst formation and nitrogenase synthesis/activity and the glutamine synthetase enzyme played no role in the repression/derepression control of heterocyst development and functional nitrogenase formation.

Mutational replacement of molybdenum by vanadium in assimilation of N2 or NO3- as nitrogen source in the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum.

Tungsten resistant (Wr) mutants of Het+Nif+Nia+, Het+Nif-Nia+ and Het+Nif+Nia- strains of Nostoc muscorum were isolated with severely defective molybdate transport activity. All such mutants showed vanadium (V)-dependent nitrogenase activity and/or nitrate reductase activity and V-dependent growth on N2-nitrogen and/or NO3(-)-nitrogen and V-dependent NO3(-)-repression of heterocyst formation and nitrogenase activity. None of them grew with molybdenum (Mo) under parallel growth condition. Results strongly suggest the ability of V to replace Mo in N2-assimilation or NO3(-)-assimilation under Mo-deficiency.

Dopaminergic regulation of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone release at the median eminence level: immunocytochemical and physiological evidence in hens.

Theoretically, the most effective inhibitory control of hypophysiotropic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) release might occur through a presynaptic inhibition of LHRH neuronal terminals at the median eminence (ME) level. Since: (a) we have recently reported the existence of synaptic contacts between dopamine- and LHRH-containing processes in the ewe ME, and (b) nutritional deprivation induces an ovulatory failure in both birds and mammals, we have assessed the possibility that the anovulatory state induced by feed withdrawal (FW) in laying hens, might be caused by a dopaminergic inhibition of LHRH release at the ME level. Laying hens at the start (35 weeks old) and end (75 weeks old) of their commercial egg-laying life were killed at 0, 1, 2 and 4 days after FW. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone (P4), in vitro release of LHRH by isolated ME, and LHRH content in ME and preoptic area (POA) were determined by RIA. ME content of dopamine (DA) and its main metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were assessed by LCED. The distribution of LHRH and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-containing processes at the ME level of the hen was determined immunocytochemically. In the hen, LHRH-containing cell bodies are localized in the anterior hypothalamus and medial POA. LHRH-containing axons project toward the ME and infundibulum through the ventral-lateral hypothalamus. TH-containing perikarya are concentrated in the arcuate nucleus and in the adjacent part of the periventricular nucleus, dorsal to the arcuate. TH-containing axons converge toward the ME and descend into the infundibulum. Dense concentrations of TH- and LHRH-containing processes are located in the lateral and mediobasal portions of the external layer of the ME, providing opportunities for synaptic interactions between them. Ovulatory failure and regression of the ovary and reproductive tract occurred 2-3 days after FW at the end, but not at the beginning of the hen's commercial egg-laying life. After FW, hens at the end of their productive life had higher (p less than 0.01) tuberoinfundibular DA turnover, produced less LHRH, and had lower serum LH and P4 than hens undergoing FW at the beginning of their productive life. In addition, in vitro release of HRH from denervated ME tissue of hens undergoing FW at the end of their commercial egg-laying life was higher and was reversed in a dose-dependent fashion by DA, but not by serotonin. Thus, the ovulatory failure associated with FW in laying hens might be caused by a presynaptic inhibition of in vivo LHRH release at the level of ME hypothalamic neuronal terminals.

Evidence for energy-dependent copper efflux as a mechanism of Cu2+ resistance in the cyanobacterium Nostoc calcicola.

Wild-type Nostoc calcicola carried out oxygenic photosynthesis extremely sensitive to copper. A Cu(2+)-resistant mutant (Cu-R1) of the cyanobacterium grew normally at high concentrations of Cu2+. Its ability to grow under such conditions was found to be due to mutational acquisition of an energy-dependent efficient system of Cu(2+)-efflux, which rendered Cu(2+)-inhibited oxygenic photosynthesis fully reversible.

Evidence for a role of glutamine synthetase in assimilation of amino acids as nitrogen source in the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum.

Methylammonium/ammonium ion, glutamine, glutamate, arginine and proline uptake, and their assimilation as nitrogen sources, was studied in Nostoc muscorum and its glutamine synthetase-deficient mutant. Glutamine served as nitrogen source independent of glutamine synthetase activity. Glutamate was not metabolised as a nitrogen source but still inhibited nitrogenase activity and diazotrophic growth. Glutamine synthetase activity was essential for the assimilation of N2, ammonia, arginine and proline as nitrogen sources but not for the control of their transport, heterocyst formation, and production of ammonia or aminoacid dependent repressor signal for N2-fixing heterocysts. These results also suggest that glutamine synthetase serves as the sole route of ammonia assimilation and glutamine synthesis, and ammonia per se as the repressor signal for N2-fixing heterocysts and methylammonium (ammonium) transport.

Pattern of substance abuse among secondary school students in Trinidad and Tobago

A questionnaire survey of 1,603 secondary school students, aged 14-18 years, was conducted in Trinidad and Tobago in 1988. Prevalence of alcohol use was 84 percent, tobacco 35 percent, marijuana 8 percent and cocaine 2 percent. Alcohol was the substance most consistently used and students' first exposure to drinking alcohol was with family members. Transitions from primary to secondary schools and from junior to senior schools were associated with increased reporting of alcohol use. Significantly more Indo-Trinidadian than Afro-Trinidadian students reported using alcohol frequently. Conversely more Afro-Trinidadian students than Indo-Trinidadians reported using marijuana. The use of alcohol by students was positively correlated to its use by fathers and negatively with religious activities. The use of drugs among students appears to be a growing problem. There is a need for the implementation of culturally relevant educational prevention programmes in schools. (AU)

Relationship of blood markers to disease severity and drug efficacy in rat adjuvant arthritis.

Rat adjuvant arthritis (AA) was used as a model to evaluate several blood markers as possible predictive indicators of drug efficacy. AA was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by the injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into the right hind foot pad. The rats were dosed p.o. from day 18 to day 31 with levamisole (10 mg/kg), indomethacin (1 mg/kg), diclofenac sodium (0.5 & 1 mg/kg), and prinomide (10 & 20 mg/kg). Disease severity was assessed by paw circumference on day 31. The following blood markers were analyzed: hyaluronate by ELISA, prostaglandin E2 by RIA, ESR by micro-dispette, total PMN by Technicon H-1, and albumin by BCG dye. Blood marker correlation (r) to disease severity was: hyaluronate (0.71), prostaglandin E2 (0.58), ESR (0.52), PMN (0.58), and albumin (-0.71). The relative rank order of drug efficacy (indomethacin, diclofenac sodium, and prinomide) did not differ using the change in paw circumference (day 31-day 17) or blood markers. Levamisole exacerbated the disease as measured by all the above parameters. Thus, these blood markers provide additional information for the statistical evaluation of drugs in rat adjuvant arthritis.

Pharmacological modulation of rat monocytes: in vivo effects on Ia expression and interleukin-1 production.

We have shown that during the developing phase of adjuvant disease (AD) in rats the expression of MHC class II (Ia) antigens on blood monocytes (BM) was enhanced. The results of a study in established AD are reported now. Four agents were tested: indomethacin and diclofenac-sodium (1 mg/kg/day); levamisole and prinomide (10 mg/kg/day), administered orally from day 18-31 after induction of AD. We assessed the following BM parameters: Ia expression, interleukin-1 (sIL-1) production, and membrane bound IL-1 (mIL-1). In AD Ia expression was enhanced, no changes occurred in mIL-1 or sIL-1. Indomethacin treatment reduced sIL-1 production, levamisole Ia expression and mIL-1 activity, prinomide all three parameters measured and diclofenac, though clinically effective, none.