Pacific Medical (China)

Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) is a common cardiac anomaly often diagnosed incidentally during routine physical exams or echocardiography. Characterized by the displacement of the mitral valve leaf lets into the left atrium. MVP can lead to mitral regurgitation, where blood leaks back ward into the left atrium increasing the volume over load on the heart. While most cases are benign, some patients experience complications such as arrhythmias or endocarditis. The patho physiology involves genetic and environmental factors, affecting the structural integrity of the valve. Diagnosis is primarily made through echocardiography, which allows for visualization of the prolapsing leaflets and assessment of valve function. Management focuses on symptom control with more severe cases requiring surgical intervention to repair or replace the valve. Early detection and regular monitoring are crucial for preventing complications in high-risk individuals.

Psychiatrists in resource-constrained Indian settings face profound ethical dilemmas when progressive mental health legislation conflicts with ground realities. The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 mandates care standards that are often unattainable given family abandonment, inadequate rehabilitation facilities and persistent stigma, particularly in rural areas. Early-career clinicians experience moral distress when choosing between legal compliance and patients’ best interests. This gap between rights-based frameworks and available resources creates systematic moral injury among providers. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive ethics training, peer support mechanisms and coordinated community infrastructure development to protect both clinician well-being and patient outcomes.

Introduction: As staff nurses are less aware about magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 ) management in preeclampsia/eclampsia during pregnancy. Present study was undertaken to appraise the effectiveness of self-instructional module on knowledge regarding MgSO4 management in preeclampsia/eclampsia among staff nurses working in maternity ward. Material and Methods: Quantitative approach and quasi-experimental one group pre-test post-test design were implemented in the study. A total 200 staff nurses were selected by using simple random sampling technique. The instruments used for the study were structured knowledge questionnaire. Results: Study found that post-test mean knowledge score (28.75) regarding magnesium sulfate management in preeclampsia/eclampsia was higher than the pre-test mean knowledge score (13.37). The difference in knowledge score indicated the self-instructional module was effective in increasing the knowledge level of staff nurses regarding magnesium sulfate management in preeclampsia/eclampsia. Socio-demographic variables of the participants like age, professional qualification, years of experience in hospital, working experience in maternity ward, in service education program, and source of information were significantly associated with the pre-test knowledge score. Conclusion: Study recommends strong need for the regular interval in service educational program for the maternity nurses regarding MgSO4 management in preeclampsia/eclampsia.

The competitive entrance examination system in India has led to a concerning mental health crisis among students, especially in coaching centers such as Kota, Rajasthan, where student suicides persist despite greater awareness and policy intervention. This viewpoint paper examines the neurodevelopmental and sociocultural stressors affecting adolescent students in coaching environments, critiques existing policy gaps, and proposes a comprehensive three-tiered prevention framework for integrating mental health support within coaching ecosystems. The framework encompasses universal support mechanisms, targeted early identification protocols, and crisis response systems to reduce psychological distress and promote resilience in high-stakes academic settings. Implementation models distinguish between minimal and ideal components to accommodate diverse resource settings, while maintaining evidence-based prevention principles. The framework addresses stakeholder concerns through culturally adapted interventions that reconceptualize mental health support as integral to educational environments, rather than an ancillary service. For Indian psychiatry, this crisis necessitates expanded professional roles that encompass prevention, consultation, and the development of educational systems beyond traditional clinical treatment. Sustainable solutions require collaborative partnerships between coaching institutions, mental health professionals, families, and policymakers to create environments where academic excellence and psychological well-being are mutually reinforcing rather than competing priorities.

Abstract Background Inflammation is important in worsening brain damage following acute ischemic stroke. Curcumin, the primary active compound in turmeric, is renowned for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties but has limited absorption in the body. Combining curcumin with piperine (from black pepper) can improve its bioavailability. This study aimed to evaluate whether curcumin-piperine supplementation could improve recovery outcomes and reduce inflammation in patients with AIS during the rehabilitation phase. Methods A prospective Case-Control study was conducted between June 2024 and June 2025. A total of 196 stroke patients aged 18–80 years completed the study (94 received curcumin-piperine, 102 received placebo). The intervention group was given one tablet daily for 12 weeks, 500 mg of curcumin and 5 mg of piperine, alongside standard treatment. Stroke severity and recovery were measured via the National Institutes of Health NIH Stroke Scale alongside the modified Rankin scale. Blood samples were analyzed for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. Results Both groups had similar baseline characteristics. The Curcumin-piperine was well tolerated with no reported side effects. In contrast to the group given a placebo, the intervention group displayed greater improvements in neurological function (lower NIHSS and mRS scores) and a significant decrease in hs-CRP levels over a 12-week period. Conclusion Daily supplementation with curcumin-piperine for three months was safe and enhanced recovery while lowering inflammation in patients with ischemic stroke. These findings suggest that curcumin-piperine may be a beneficial adjunct to standard stroke therapy, although larger trials are needed to confirm its long-term effects.

Abstract VAJ Yoga (VY) is a multifaceted practice combining Vat Pranayama, Asanas, and Jeevan Dayi Shrestha or Raj Yoga and attributes speed, power, and transcendence, reflecting the practice’s blend of physical and spiritual elements. This study assessed the impact of VAJ-Yoga on depression patients via psychological, electrophysiological, and biochemical markers. We included 612 clinically diagnosed depression patients with a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score ≥ 20 (aged 18–80) visiting a university neuroscience clinic (January 2020-December 2024) and further randomly selected some consenting patients, and guided them to practice VAJ-Yoga sessions (called as VAJ-Yoga group), and some patients did not practice these sessions and acted as a non-VAJ yoga control group. The 12-week VAJ-Yoga sessions included daily 60-minute morning sessions. The treatment plan prescribed for depression remained the same across both groups, and no modifications were made in the same. Baseline and post-VAJ-Yoga session assessments included the psychometric instruments HAM-D and DASS-42 for depression/anxiety/stress, the OHQ scale for well-being, the NHS EQ, the SISRI-24 scales for spiritual quotient, and the WAIS-IV scores for IQ/digit span. We also assessed 16-channel EEG signals (from the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes) and studied the serum serotonin and dopamine concentrations via HPLC, both at Baseline and post-VAJ-Yoga sessions in the VAJ-Yoga group as well as in controls. The VAJ-Yoga group showed significant improvements in HAM-D, DASS-42, OHQ, EQ, and SQ scores after 12 weeks, whereas full-scale EQ & IQ remained the same (although the digit span subtest improved, suggesting enhanced working memory). Alpha and Theta activities in the EEG results increased in the VAJ-Yoga group as compared to baseline values and the control group; moreover, Beta and Delta activities significantly decreased in the VAJ-Yoga group, post-Yoga sessions. Biochemically, post-Yoga session values of the VAJ-Yoga group had significantly elevated serotonin and dopamine levels. Thus, VAJ-Yoga improved neurophysiology, mood, and overall health in depression patients, exhibiting its effective role as an adjunct behavioral therapy for depression.

Abstract There is an urgent need for improved monitoring approaches to rapidly and accurately assess sea cucumber populations at ecologically relevant scales. Timely surveys are critical for informing effective fisheries management and decision-making. Traditional surveys, undertaken via snorkelling, manta tows, or SCUBA, are limited to shallow and accessible areas; however, sea cucumbers inhabit a broad range of depths, including areas beyond safe diving limits and exposed shallow waters inaccessible by boat. To overcome these limitations and increase the rapidity of field collection, we propose the use of remote sensing technologies to survey sea cucumber populations across a range of depths. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of aerial drones and in-water remote operated vehicles (ROVs) for assessing sea cucumber species and abundances across various depth ranges (< 50 m) on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Aerial drone orthomosaics and ROV video footage were compared to more traditional snorkel and SCUBA-based assessments conducted at similar depths. The vast majority of pairwise comparisons between in-water ROV video counts and snorkel or SCUBA assessments found no significant differences in sea cucumber assemblages. Counts from aerial drone-derived orthomosaics, however, were significantly lower, counting approximately half as many sea cucumbers as snorkel counts. This was largely attributed to poor weather during the drone surveys. Remote methods were significantly faster in the field for surveying a given area than traditional methods. Given that towed ROVs can efficiently cover a broader depth range and aerial drones are effective for survey shallow areas under suitable weather conditions, we recommend using a combination of aerial drones and towed ROVs to survey sea cucumbers, with tool selection guided by prevailing weather conditions. This approach offers the advantages of collecting multiple types of data from a single data source, vastly increasing survey efficiency, and providing a historical record for future assessments. The methods have the potential to be used to survey other benthic–associated species.