Trigger films to teach core competencies of ethics and professionalism to first-year medical and nursing students.

Professionalism and communication were formally introduced in India's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) as part of the five roles of an Indian medical graduate and 10 core competencies in the Bachelor of Science Nursing program. It may be challenging to teach the complexity of clinical medical ethics to undergraduate students at a young age in the absence of direct patient interaction. Trigger films (TFs) are brief (3-10 min) clips that have been used in the West to provoke debate, promote reflection, and assist trainees in dealing with ethical dilemmas.

Development and validation of simulated virtual patients to impart early clinical exposure in endocrine physiology.

In the country presently, preclinical medical students are not routinely exposed to real patients. Thus, when they start clinical postings, they are found to have poor clinical reasoning skills. Simulated virtual patients (SVPs) can improve clinical skills without endangering real patients.

Evaluation of the Auditory Pathway in Traffic Policemen.

Background: Traffic policemen working at heavy traffic junctions are continuously exposed to high level of noise and its health consequences.

Objective: To assess the hearing pathway in traffic policemen by means of brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA), mid-latency response (MLR), and slow vertex response (SVR).

Methods: In this observational comparative study, BERA, MLR, and SVR were tested in 35 male traffic policemen with field posting of more than 3 years.

Is Metformin-Induced Vitamin B12 Deficiency Responsible for Cognitive Decline in Type 2 Diabetes?

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus has its deleterious effects on various aspects of cognition such as memory function, executive function, and information-processing speed. The present study aims to assess cognition in diabetes patients and also tries to find its association with Vitamin B12 deficiency induced by metformin.

Materials And Methods: Thirty diabetics taking metformin and thirty nondiabetic controls were enrolled.

Does chronic exposure to mobile phones affect cognition?

Mobile phones form an integral part of our modern lifestyle. Following the drastic rise in mobile phone use in recent years, it has become important to study its potential public health impact. Amongst the various mobile phone health hazards, the most alarming is the possible effect on the brain.

Functional status of auditory pathways in children with borderline intellectual functioning: evoked potential study.

The present study was undertaken to determine whether impairment of sensory conduction in the auditory pathway is one of the contributory factors of performance in children with borderline intelligence. The study was conducted on children having borderline intelligence (IQ 71-84). The functional integrity of the central auditory pathway was assessed using Auditory Evoked Responses i.

Event-related potentials study in children with borderline intellectual functioning.

Background: Low general cognitive ability is a common cause for learning and academic difficulties. The present study was undertaken to objectively investigate the cognitive functioning of children having borderline intelligence using electrophysiological measures.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted on children having borderline intelligence (IQ: 70-85).

Oxidative status in workers engaged in recycling of plastic: occupational hazard.

Recycling plastic industry is on rise. Plastic waste in environment is a pollutant so recycling of it can save environment and is economical too. However its recycling is associated with harmful effects on workers engaged in it.

Improvement in myocardial function by Terminalia arjuna in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats: possible mechanisms.

Vascular complications are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in diabetic patients. Herbal drugs are increasingly being used in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. The present study was designed to examine the therapeutic potential of Terminalia arjuna bark extract in improving myocardial function in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Terminalia arjuna improves cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The present study was designed to examine the therapeutic potential of Terminalia arjuna bark extract in improving cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar Albino rats. The baroreflex was evaluated by measuring the changes in heart rate with changes in arterial blood pressure induced by bolus injections of phenylephrine (vasoconstrictor) and sodium nitroprusside (vasodilator). T.

Autonomic reactivity to cold pressor test in prehypertensive and hypertensive medical students.

Autonomic reactivity to stress has been hypothesized to be a marker for subsequent neurogenic hypertension. Medical training is highly stressful particularly for those who are beginning their medical education. The present study was undertaken to study the autonomic reactivity to cold pressor test in prehypertensive and hypertensive undergraduate medical students.

Pulmonary functions in plastic factory workers: a preliminary study.

Exposure to long term air pollution in the work environment may result in decreased lung functions and various other health problems. A significant occupational hazard to lung functions is experienced by plastic factory workers. The present study is planned to assess the pulmonary functions of workers in the plastic factory where recycling of pastic material was done.

No auditory conduction abnormality in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder characterized by lack of sustained attention and hyperactivity. It has been suggested that asymmetrical conduction of the auditory stimulus in the brainstem plays a role in the pathophysiological process of ADHD. In the present study, the functional integrity of the central auditory pathway was assessed using the auditory brainstem response (ABR), mid-latency response (MLR) and slow vertex response (SVR).

Sensory, cognitive and motor assessment of children with poor academic performance: an auditory evoked potential study.

The present study aims to evaluate the auditory sensory process in the brainstem, thalamocortical and cortical areas by using auditory evoked potentials [auditory brainstem response (ABR), mid latency response (MLR) and slow vertex response (SVR)], cognitive functions by P300 and motor response by reaction time in children with poor academic performance. Thirty children between 6-12 years of age were selected as subjects on the basis of poor academic school records. While thirty children with good academic performance served as controls.

Pulmonary function and oxidative stress in workers exposed to styrene in plastic factory: occupational hazards in styrene-exposed plastic factory workers.

Styrene is a volatile organic compound used in factories for synthesis of plastic products. The pneumotoxicity of styrene in experimental animals is known. The aim of the present study was to study the effect of styrene on lung function and oxidative stress in occupationally exposed workers in plastic factory.

Event-related potentials study in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a childhood disorder characterized by lack of sustained attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Children with ADHD have functional impairment occurring at multiple levels. In the present study, cognitive status was assessed using auditory event-related potentials (ERPs).

Birth weight and lung functions in male adolescents.

The aim of this comparative retrospective cohort study was to examine the associations between birth weight and lung function in cohort of 70 adolescent male children aged 12-16 years. The subjects, born in nursing homes located in vicinity of the institution having their complete birth records were traced. They were male children between ages of 12-16 years.

Visual evoked potential study in slow learners.

Slow learners are individuals with low achievement and comparably low IQ scores. It may be a symptom reflecting a larger underlying problem in them. Sensory neural processing of visual information can be one of the contributory factors for their underachievement.

Acute effects of formalin on pulmonary functions in gross anatomy laboratory.

Formaldehyde is a common indoor pollutant with irritant properties. The present study was undertaken in first year medical students to study the acute effects of it on their first exposure in gross anatomy laboratory. Twenty randomly selected subjects aged between 18 to 20 years and non smokers had undergone pulmonary function testing thrice.

Effect of paternal smoking on the pulmonary functions of adolescent males.

Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of paternal smoking on the respiratory function of adolescents.

Study Method: The study group comprised thirty healthy males between the ages of 12-18 years whose fathers were smokers (Group 1). They were compared with age and sex matched thirty active smoker males (Group 2).

Pulmonary functions in petrol pump workers: a preliminary study.

Occupational exposures to petrol/diesel vapors have been shown to affect functioning of different systems of the body. The present study was planned to assess the pulmonary functions in petrol pump workers (filling attendants) who are continuously exposed to petrol/diesel vapors during duty hours. Thirty healthy non-smoker males working in petrol pump for more than one year formed the study group, while thirty healthy non-smoker males from hospital staff served as control group.

Pulmonary functions in air conditioner users.

Air conditioning may affect human health since it has profound effect on our environment, than just lowering temperature. The present study was planned to assess the effect of air conditioners (AC) on pulmonary functions in young healthy non-smoker males. The study group comprised of ten subjects who were using AC's in their cars for at least 1 hr daily since last 6 months.

Differential effects of exogenous estrogen versus a estrogen-progesterone combination on auditory evoked potentials in menopausal women.

The study was undertaken to determine the differential effects of estrogen and progestin on auditory evoked responses in postmenopausal women receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Forty-seven women between 45 and 70 years of age attending menopause and HRT clinic were divided into two groups. Group I included 32 women who attained natural menopause and receiving combined estrogen progestin therapy.

Introducing problem-based learning in physiology in the conventional Indian medical curriculum.

Background: Problem-based learning (PBL) is a widely acclaimed student-centred learning method. However, there are few reports of its use in the traditional lecture-practical-tutorial model of learning. We used PBL for teaching one module of Physiology to first-year medical undergraduate students who had no prior exposure to PBL.