Implementation of surface mechanomyography as a novel approach for objective evaluation of phasic muscle stretch reflexes in people with type 2 diabetes.

Introduction: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the most common complication of diabetes producing metabolic disruptions in the peripheral nervous system. Alteration in the predictable nature of tendon reflexes is the most common indicator suggesting the possibility of diabetic neuropathy. Evaluation of tendon reflexes is a part of various clinical scoring systems that assess neuropathy.

Effects of Therapeutic Calf Massage on Cardiac Autonomic Function in Healthy Volunteers-a Pilot Study.

Background: Calf massage is a therapeutic intervention that improves circulation and relieves us from pain & tightness. The calf massage also improves autonomic performance by modulating the vagal tone of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, the current study was intended to determine therapeutic calf massage on cardio autonomic activity in healthy subjects.

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among South Indian pregnant women.

Background: Deficiency of vitamin D is widespread across the globe. Expectant women are one of the most vulnerable groups for vitamin D deficiency (VDD). Even in South India with abundance of sunlight, pregnant women are believed to be at a high risk of this deficiency.

Validation of Internal structure of Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale among Indian Medical Students using factor analysis and the Structural equation Modelling Approach.

Background: The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) is a tool that helps in the assessment of the readiness of the students to pursue Self-Directed Learning (SDL). There are no documented studies on the validation of internal structure of the SDLRS among Indian medical students. Hence, the objective of this study is to validate the internal structure of SDLRS among Indian medical students using factor analysis and the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach.

Impaired pupillary light reflex indices in Orbital Apex Syndrome - A rare case report.

Background: The clinical presentation of reduced pupillary responses in orbital apex syndrome is currently not well understood clinically. The pupillary light reflex (PLR) is determined using dynamic pupillometry.

Case Details: A newly diagnosed 35-year-old diabetic female patient had ocular symptoms including orbital pain and ptosis, but no visual loss.

Meta-analysis of association between il-6-174 g/c polymorphism and female infertility related disorders.

Female infertility continues to increase in prevalence annually and factors causing it need to be researched. As IL-6-174 G/C polymorphism is known to alter the plasma levels of IL-6, abnormal levels of IL-6 found in infertile females could be due to genetic reasons. With the understanding of the importance of IL-6 in reproductive physiology, several individual studies done so far to find the association of this polymorphism with female infertility related disorders were systematically combined for meta-analysis.

Research in occupational heat stress in India: Challenges and opportunities.

Occupational heat stress is a major health burden with several potential negative health and well-being outcomes. It is only in the recent years medical research has addressed this risk factor. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of studies in the area of occupational heat stress and its health impacts.

Validation of PC-based Sound Card with Biopac for Digitalization of ECG Recording in Short-term HRV Analysis.

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is a simple and noninvasive technique capable of assessing autonomic nervous system modulation on heart rate (HR) in healthy as well as disease conditions. The aim of the present study was to compare (validate) the HRV using a temporal series of electrocardiograms (ECG) obtained by simple analog amplifier with PC-based sound card (audacity) and Biopac MP36 module.

Materials And Methods: Based on the inclusion criteria, 120 healthy participants, including 72 males and 48 females, participated in the present study.

Cardiovascular autonomic responses to whole body isotonic exercise in normotensive healthy young adult males with parental history of hypertension.

The objective of this study was to assess blood pressure and autonomic activity during rest and recovery in young adult normotensives offsprings of hypertensives. A total of 49 healthy normotensive males with BMI of 18.5-24.

A simple method of measuring total daily energy expenditure and physical activity level from the heart rate in adult men.

Objective: To evaluate a simple method that uses only a heart rate monitor to predict total energy expenditure (TEE) and physical activity level (PAL) from 24 h heart rate (HR) measurements.

Design: The simple method involved the determination of the physical activity ratio (PAR) from corresponding heart rate ratios (HRR) (ratio of observed to resting HR), from an individualized calibration curve relating activities with known PAR to the HRR. Several curve fits were evaluated for this curve.

Serum nitrate levels as an index of endothelial function in pre-eclamsia and normal pregnancy.

The study was conducted in St. John's Medical College Hospital and Department of Physiology, with the aim of studying the serum nitrate levels in pre-eclampsia and normal pregnancy. The total number of subjects studied in various groups were 159, control (n = 55), first trimester (n = 13), second trimester normal (n = 42), second trimester pre-eclampsia/PET (n = 5), third trimester normal (n = 32), third trimester pre-eclampsia/PET (n = 12).

Intravenously infused 13C-leucine is retained in fasting healthy adult men.

We have proposed a leucine requirement of 40 mg/(kg. d) in adults, based on 24-h direct amino acid balance (24-h DAAB) studies in which leucine intake is calculated as the sum of diet and tracer intake. However, it is possible that the tracer intake that is given during the fasting state in the 24-h studies is oxidized, thereby not contributing to the effective daily leucine intake and thus lowering the intake and, consequently, the requirement estimate.

Daily requirement for and splanchnic uptake of leucine in healthy adult Indians.

Background: The 1985 FAO/WHO/UNU requirement for leucine is too low according to tracer-derived estimates of leucine oxidation and balance in adults from developed regions.

Objective: The leucine requirement in populations in developing countries was assessed with use of the 24-h tracer balance method and on the basis of nitrogen balances.

Design: Twenty healthy Indian men were studied during their consumption for 6 d of 2 L-amino acid diets that supplied either 14 and 30 (n = 10) or 22 and 40 (n = 10) mg leucine x kg(-1) x d(-1) in random order.

The development and validation of a digital peak respiratory pressure monitor and its characteristics in healthy human subjects.

A digital peak respiratory pressure (DPRP) monitor for determining maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) was developed using a pressure transducer and an analog to digital converter. It was calibrated using a mercury manometer. Human studies were conducted in healthy young adults in order to determine within-subject and inter-individual variability, as well as diurnal variations and gender differences in maximal respiratory pressures.

The perceptions of first-year medical students on animal and human experiments in physiology.

This study was conducted to ascertain the attitudes of first year medical students to human and animal experimentation, while undergoing a course in Muscle and Nerve experimental Physiology. At the time of administration of the questionnaire, students had been exposed to both human as well as animal experiments. Approximately 81% of the students preferred human experiments (P < 0.