Lipoprotein (a) and other lipid sub-fractions are known to be associated in atherosclerosis of the carotid vessels and ischemic stroke. This study was conducted to compare the specificity of variables like lipoprotein (a), HDL and LDL as independent risk factor in determining the severity and outcome of ischemic stroke.METHODS: The data for this study was collected from 50 patients of ischemic stroke who presented to KIMS hospital from June 2012 to 2013. All of who underwent clinical assessment by NIHSS score with relevant investigations, including CT scan brain, lipoprotein (a) and lipid profile.RESULTS: Male patients had higher incidence than females. Female population had higher BMI. Stroke scoring was done using NIHSS scoring;severe cases of stroke remain equal in both the sexes. The conventional risk factors were studied and were associated with severity of stroke but statistically not significant. Various lipid subfractions were studied with respect to severity of stroke and it was found that TC had p value=0.146, HDL-C p value=0.686, LDL-C p value =0.296, VLDL-C p=0.54, TG p=0.721 and Lp (a) p<0.001.Patient with LDL-C>150mg/dl were 2.79 times more likely to have NIHSS score>15 and patients with HDL-C<40mg/dl were 2.23 times more likely to have NIHSS score >15. Low HDL-C was the only lipid abnormality seen in patients with no conventional risk factors. CONCLUSION:Ischemic stroke is associated with lipid abnormalities. Lp (a) which is genetically determined factor and HDL-C were found to be independent risk factors for predicting the outcome of ischemic stroke. Conventional risk factors were found to be less reliable.

Background: Population policies, family planning and welfare programmes undertaken by the Government of India, have led to continuous decrease in the fertility rate but sustainability and target of net reproduction rate 1 is not yet achieved. With increase trend of adopting the permanent method of contraception by eligible couples, the preferences of tubectomy over vasectomy is still remarkable. Hence, the present study is taken up to find Knowledge, Attitude and Practice regarding sterilization and factors influencing it.Methods: A cross-sectional study is conducted in the year 2017 among eligible couples who have completed their family size or pregnant women who came for second confinement to Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre and Shreyas Maternity Home, Hoskote and Shreyas maternity home are included. An institutional ethics committee (IEC) is given on vasectomy, the better method of sterilization and responses are recorded.Results: A total 92.6% couples were aware of permanent family planning methods. Among them only 30.6% couples are aware of vasectomy. There is a significant association between number of children in a family and to undergo sterilization (p=0.02) method. Reason for not choosing vasectomy are unawareness (49.3%) and social stigma (38%) mainly. 11 couples (7.3%) changed their opinion to undergo vasectomy after giving an IEC.Conclusions: Many couples were knowledgeable about tubectomies and opted for it. Only a small number of couples changed their opinion from tubectomy to vasectomy after being given an IEC.

Background: The easy availability of various gadgets with the provision of faster internet at affordable prices has exponentially increased internet usage in the past few years. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of internet addiction and describe its association with disordered eating in medical college students. Methods: This crosssectional study was conducted on 300 medical college students in south India. After obtaining ethical clearance and informed consent, students were given a questionnaire containing sociodemographic variables, Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and Eating Attitudes Test questionnaires (EAT). Descriptive analysis was carried out by mean and standard deviation for quantitative variables, frequency, and proportion for categorical variables. Categorical outcomes were compared between study groups using the chi-square test. Univariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to test the association between the variables. Results: The prevalence of internet addiction was 46.7% in this study. Disordered eating was found to be 12.3% in medical students. Internet addiction was observed to be more in the younger age group. (P <0.001) A significant association was obtained between internet addiction and disordered eating. (P <0.05). Conclusion: Nearly half of the medical students in this study were addicted to the internet, and disordered eating was also high among medical students. A closer look into the aspects like internet addiction and eating disorders is required, as these may silently impact the life and productivity of the budding doctors.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that one in four people or 25% of the population will experience a mental health issue at some point in their lives of which depression and anxiety are the most common issues regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, genetics or their family history. 1 Childhood maltreatment is one of the prominent risk factors that has been found to be associated with the development of mental illness such as depression in the future. Apart from the treatment-related effects on such patients, non-suicidal