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Background: Mobile phones have become an essential part of life. It has become an important accessory carried by everybody not only because they make it easy to keep in touch with people but because of the various facilities they offer especially the internet. The charm of mobile phone is more among young generation and the increasing use may result in dependence. Aim was to study the usage pattern and dependence of mobile phones among medical students.Methods: A cross sectional study conducted among 200 medical students and studied the pattern of usage of mobile phones, common problems encountered and its dependence using a questionnaire. Statistical analysis done using chi square test and a p value of <0.05 is taken as significant.Results: In the present study 35% of the students were frequent users that is they used for >30 minutes per day. Female students were talking more to their parents and male students to their friends followed by their lovers. 49 of them never used to attend the call while driving and 58 of them used to stop the vehicle and attend the call. (p=0.002) Mobile phone dependence was also found to be increased which is evident from ringxiety experienced by 68 students (34%) and waking up from sleep to check the mobile for call or message by 62 students(p=0.000). Out of 68 students with ringxiety, 69% were males and 37% were females (p=0.040). 82 participants (41%) commented that life without mobile will be boring and 50 (25%) said that they will feel alone or unsafe (p=0.001).Conclusions: As dependence is increasing with the excessive use of mobile phones, some interventions are required to motivate the youth against it.

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Background: Obesity in pregnancy is of great concern in Kerala. According to the National Family Health Survey-3, Kerala holds second position next to Punjab, with a 34% prevalence of overweight and obesity. Based on consensus guidelines, the BMI categories for Asian Indians have been revised and categorized overweight as a BMI of 23.0 -24.9 kg/m2 and obesity as a BMI >25 kg/m2. This study aims to determine the pregnancy outcome among overweight and obese women and compare the pregnancy outcomes among overweight and obese with normal BMI women. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at Travancore Medical College Kollam Kerala for six months. The revised consensus guidelines for Asian Indians were considered for BMI categorization. Results: 63.9% of pregnant women were either overweight or obese of the total 399 pregnant women. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) were the common antenatal complications significantly associated with overweight and obese women. Preterm labor was also significantly increased in overweight and obese women. Conclusion:Obesity is a rising public health concern in Kerala reflected in pregnancy, with an increase in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Obesity is a modifiable risk factor that health care providers need to address during preconception, antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum periods, thereby preventing obesity complications.

The rapid progress of medical and dental science with the invention of various drugs have benefited the mankind. The proper and correct diagnosis of diseases is the primary necessity before the treatment. The different imaging modality plays an important role in clinical diagnosis, teaching and in the field of research. With advent of modern technology in imaging medical imaging has also greatly influenced. A diagnostic radiograph has become a hotspot in diagnosis and the clinical applications. The technology advancement has greatly influenced the medical imaging in many ways even in the aspect of storage of images. Oral and maxillofacial radiography is the art of recording images of a patient's oral and associated structures. Radiographic examinations play an essential part of dental practice.