Therapeutic role of yoga in hypertension

Systemic hypertension is an established risk factor for coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular accident and control of blood pressure reduces the risk of a major cardiovascular event. Both non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment options are available to treat hypertension. Yoga, recently received more attention as a treatment modality for various lifestyle disorders, even though practiced in India since ancient times. In this review, we are analyzing the role of yoga in the treatment of systemic hypertension.

Effect of Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy (MBAT) on Psychological Distress and Spiritual Wellbeing in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Objectives

Psychological distress and spiritual well-being (SWB) are directly related to the quality of life in cancer patients. Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy (MBAT) integrates mindfulness practices with art therapy and has shown to decrease distress levels and improve SWB in women with breast cancer. The objective of the study was to identify the effects of a 1-week MBAT intervention on psychological distress and SWB in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Materials and Methods

This was a single group, pre-test post-test study carried out in a clinical setting. The psycho-oncology assessment questionnaire, Distress Thermometer (DT) and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-SWB Scale 12 (FACIT-SP12) Version 4 were administered before, post1^st supervised MBAT session and post 1 week of home practice to breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy (n = 30). The MBAT intervention included mindfulness meditation for 15 min and mindful coloring for 30 min daily for 1 week. Data analysis was done using R i386 4.0.3.

Results

The median DT score significantly decreased from pre-session to immediate post-session and pre-session to post 1-week session. The median of meaning, peace, and faith subscales of FACIT SP12 scores along with total FACIT SP12 score significantly increased from pre-session to immediate post-session as well as from pre-session to post 1 week.

Conclusion

One-week MBAT intervention for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy significantly decreased the psychological distress and significantly improved the SWB in terms of meaning, peace, and faith.

Role of Yoga in the Management of Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common male sexual problem. Various non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment options are available currently. The importance of yoga in the management of various sexual dysfunctions is increasingly recognized. In this review, we are analyzing the role of yoga in the management of PE. This paper explores the mechanism of yoga practices in the management of PE and the recommended yoga practice for PE. It also discusses the scientific evidence of yoga practices, such as yoga postures (yogasana), breathing practices (pranayama), lock (bandha), gestures (mudra), relaxation, Aum chanting, yoga nidra and meditation with particular reference the management of PE.

Interrelationship among annual cycles of sex steroids, corticosterone and body condition in Nyctibatrachus humayuni

Synergism between extrinsic and intrinsic factors is crucial for the seasonality of reproduction. Environmental factors such as photoperiod and temperature activate the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis leading to the secretion of steroid hormones that are crucial for reproduction. Sex steroids are not only essential for the maturation of gonads, but also for development of secondary sexual characters in males and reproductive behaviour of both the sexes. In the present study, we quantified the urinary testosterone (UTM) and corticosterone (UCM) metabolites in males and urinary estradiol metabolites (UEM) and UCM in females of Nyctibatrachus humayuni for two consecutive years to determine annual and seasonal variation in the levels of sex steroids, corticosterone and body condition index (BCI). The results show that sex steroids were highest during the breeding season and lowest during the non-breeding season in both the sexes. An increase in UTM and UEM was observed in males and females respectively during the breeding season. Testicular histology showed the presence of all stages of spermatogenesis throughout the year indicating that spermatogenesis is potentially continuous. Ovarian histology showed the presence of vitellogenic follicles only during the breeding season indicating that oogenesis is strictly seasonal. In males, UCM levels were highest during the breeding season, while in females their levels were highest just prior to the breeding season. In males, BCI was highest during the pre-breeding season, declined during the breeding season to increase again during the post-breeding season. In females, BCI was comparable throughout the year. In males, UTM levels were positively correlated with UCM levels but negatively correlated with BCI. Interestingly, UEM, UCM and BCI were not correlated in females. These results indicate that N. humayuni exhibits an associated pattern of reproduction. Quantification of urinary progesterone metabolites (UPM) during the breeding season showed UPM levels were higher in post-spawning females, suggesting the significance of progesterone in ovulation. Further, non-invasive enzyme immunoassay has been successfully standardized in N. humayuni for the quantification of urinary metabolites of steroid hormones.

Does corticosterone mediate predator-induced responses of larval Hylarana indica?

Prey-predator interactions have been studied extensively in terms of morphological and behavioural responses of prey to predation risk using diverse model systems. However, the underlying physiological changes associated with morphological, behavioural or life historical responses have been rarely investigated. Herein, we studied the effect of chronic predation risk on larval growth and metamorphosis of Hylarana indica and the underlying physiological changes in prey tadpoles. In the first experiment, tadpoles were exposed to a caged predator from Gosner stage 25-42 to record growth and metamorphosis. Further, whole body corticosterone (CORT) was measured to determine the physiological changes underlying morphological and life historical responses of these prey tadpoles. Surprisingly, tadpoles experiencing continuous predation risk grew and developed faster and metamorphosed at a larger size. Interestingly, these tadpoles had significantly lower CORT levels. In the second experiment, tadpoles were exposed to predation risk (PR) or PR+CORT from stage 25-42 to determine the role of CORT in mediating predator-induced responses of H. indica. Tadpoles facing continuous predation risk grew and developed faster and metamorphosed at a larger size reinforcing the results of the first experiment. However, when CORT was administered along with predation risk, tadpoles grew and developed slowly leading to delayed metamorphosis. Interestingly, growth and metamorphic traits of tadpoles exposed to PR+CORT were comparable to those of the control group indicating that exogenous CORT nullified the positive effect of predation risk. Apparently, CORT mediates predator-induced morphological responses of H. indica tadpoles by regulating their physiology.

Interrelationship among steroid hormones, energetics and vocalisation in the Bombay night frog (Nyctibatrachus humayuni)

In vertebrates, the increase in plasma androgens and corticosteroids is essential for the expression of reproductive behaviour. In male anurans, the interaction between hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axes plays a pivotal role in calling behaviour and energy mobilisation through the secretion of testosterone and corticosterone respectively. To explain the association among body condition, testosterone, corticosterone and calling behaviour the energetic-hormone-vocalisation (EHV) model has been proposed. The model predicts that with continued participation in chorus activity within and across nights, levels of circulating androgens, corticosterone and vocal effort tend to increase and should be positively correlated in calling males. Consequently, decreasing energy reserves should be inversely correlated with corticosterone level in calling males. Depleted energy reserves lead to the peaking of circulating corticosterone, which suppresses androgen production and calling behaviour. In the present study, we used Nyctibatrachus humayuni with unique reproductive behaviour to test the model by quantifying calling behaviour and urinary metabolites of testosterone and corticosterone. We also computed the body condition index (BCI) to assess the association among energetics, levels of testosterone, corticosterone and calling behaviour. The results show that calling males had higher levels of urinary testosterone metabolites (UTM) than non-calling males indicating the importance of testosterone in controlling the calling behaviour. Surprisingly, urinary corticosterone metabolite (UCM) levels were comparable between calling and non-calling males. Further, calling males had higher body condition estimates than non-calling males. The vocal effort was neither associated with UTM, UCM nor BCI. However, a positive association was observed between UTM and UCM levels in calling males indicating the requirement of higher energy for advertisement. Analysis of UTM and UCM levels throughout the breeding season revealed that breeding basal of UTM was significantly higher than that of UCM. Interestingly, UCM levels were maintained at a lower threshold during the breeding season. These observations are in line with some of the predictions of EHV model.

Improving delivery of preventive health care with the comprehensive annotated reminder tool (CART)

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the effect of the Comprehensive Annotated Reminder Tool (CART) on physician adherence to preventive services recommendations.

STUDY DESIGN

Using a randomized pretest/posttest control group design, we assigned physicians to the CART group or the control group, followed up prospectively, and evaluated for appropriate adherence to guidelines. The 3 age-specific versions of the CART annotated history and physical examination form contained up to 49 preventive services recommendations.

POPULATION

All resident physicians in a large family practice residency program were studied over the course of 1 academic year.

OUTCOMES MEASURED

We performed blinded chart reviews to assess the appropriateness of preventive services ordered by the physicians before the introduction of the CART, during its use, and after its removal. A multiple-choice test completed before and after the use of the CART forms assessed knowledge.

RESULTS

When the CART was used, the appropriateness of physician preventive behavior increased by 21% overall. The appropriateness of history, physical examination, and laboratory interventions increased by 33%. When the CART was removed, physician behavior returned to baseline (P < or = .0025 for 16 of 20 interventions). No significant differences were observed in the control group over time. Knowledge increased over the study period for all physicians (P < or = .005) but did not differ significantly between the treatment and control groups (P = .608).

CONCLUSIONS

Use of the CART significantly improved physician performance in the appropriate delivery of preventive care.

Potency testing of inactivated tissue culture vaccine against Japanese encephalitis using antigen capture ELISA

The potency of vaccines against Japanese encephalitis (JE) is usually determined by a mouse challenge test. In the present study, an antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) was used to screen inactivated tissue culture JE vaccine lots. This test is simple, quick and reliable besides being very sensitive and specific.

Noninvasive acceleration measurements to characterize the pharyngeal phase of swallowing

Swallowing disorder (dysphagia) presents a major problem in the rehabilitation of stroke and head injured patients. In the present investigation, a new technique is developed for noninvasive assessment of the pharyngeal phase of the swallowing mechanism. Acceleration was measured with two ultra-miniature accelerometers placed on the skin over the throat. Simultaneously, the swallow suction pressure was monitored. Swallowing in normal individuals gave rise to a characteristic acceleration pattern which was quite reproducible, and was in phase with the swallow pressure. In dysphagic patients, the acceleration response was either absent or significantly delayed. The accelerometry technique provides a tool for continuing patient assessment and demonstrating the clinical improvements.

A stochastic compartmental model of bone cells

Cellular dynamics play an important role in bone remodelling. The mesenchymal cells, osteoclasts, osteoblasts and osteocytes are the four types of bone cells, which mediate bone remodelling involving bone formation and resorption throughout the human life-span. A stochastic compartmental model of bone cells is formulated in the present analysis assuming these four types of cells to be in four distinct compartments. The cumulant generating function is first derived using the transition parameters for intercompartmental diffusion. Equations for the mean, variance and covariance for the number density of these cells are then derived from the partial differential equation for the cumulant generating function. The simulation results are consistent with previous experimental observations.