Addressing the inconsistency: sedition and freedom Of speech and expression

British bequeathed numerous laws for Independent India. A lot of them are accepted, a few of them repealed and a few of them controversial. The law of sedition, given in Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code falls in the latter category. The law of sedition has become a weapon at the hands of politicians. Voices of dissent or criticism turn into shouts of hate and anti- nationalist notions. Further, this law continually gives a chance to the government to mimic the colonizing masters. The circumstances during which it was felt that there was a need for such a law do not prevail in the present. It reminds us of the era when Fundamental Rights did not exist in our country. It is observed that there is a constant need for the law to be modified and updated as with changing social and economic changes felt in the society. The anachronistic law of sedition also requires going through the test of relevance in the current times. Today, several attempts have been made by journalists, human rights activists, and even comedians to bring attention to the misuse of such a law and challenge its constitutionality and legitimacy of the same. This paper elaborates on the criticism and problems of the law of sedition in light of various judgments, what has been its impact on the society keeping in mind the changing interpretation of Freedom of Speech and Expression under Article 19(1)(a), status of sedition in England, and an analysis as to do we really require the law of sedition

Objective assessment of progressive increase in bite force post surgical correction of mandibular fractures using Nupai bite scan analyser

Background: Fracture of mandible is a common condition which is increasing in incidence in the trauma centers due to increasing motor vehicles and failure to abide by traffic regulations. Patients undergo surgical open reduction and internal fixation where post-operative occlusion and normal masticatory functions are targeted. Bite force can be taken as a guide of normal masticatory function of an individual which is dependent upon craniomandibular biomechanics. The aim of the study was to analyse bite force measurements post-operatively in patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation for mandible fractures at different sites.Methods: Molar bite force was recorded in 31 post-operative patients who underwent open surgical procedure for fracture mandible in the department of plastic surgery from January 2018 to June 2019 by a pre-scale bite force recorder-Nupai bite force prescale system (FujiTM). Various parameters were recorded pre and post-operatively including age, gender, history, comorbidities, requirement of MMF, site and number of fractures and age of injury. Bite force were compared and improvement of bite force every 2 weeks was noted and analyzed upto 6 weeks postoperatively.Results: Bite force improvement was seen in all types of mandible fractures irrespective of the site and type of fractures over a period of 6 weeks post-operatively. This improvement was however not statistically significant. Decreased time interval form injury to surgery resulted in improved bite force measurements though not statistically significant.Conclusions: Although objective improvement in bite force could be demonstrated but extensive study involving more subjects and more patient variables would have statistical significance

Urinary Exosomal microRNA-451-5p Is a Potential Early Biomarker of Diabetic Nephropathy in Rats

Non-invasive renal signatures can help in serial monitoring of diabetic patients. We tested whether urinary exosomal (UE) microRNA (miR) analysis could non-invasively predict renal pathology in diabetic rats during the course of diabetes. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was induced in male Wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg body weight). Non-diabetic control (CTRL) rats were injected with vehicle. Insulin (INS) treatment (5U/d, s.c.) was provided to 50% of the DM rats. Urine samples were collected at weeks 3, 6, and 9 following injections and UE prepared. An increase in miR-451-5p and miR-16, observed by pilot small RNA sequencing of UE RNA, was confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and selected for further study. Subsets of rats were euthanized after 3, 6, and 9 weeks of diabetes for renal pathology analysis, including determination of the tubulointerstitial fibrotic index (TFI) and glomerulosclerotic index (GI) scores. qPCR showed a substantial rise in miR-451-5p in UE from DM rats during thecourse of diabetes, with a significant rise (median fold change >1000) between 3 and 6 weeks. Moreover, UE miR-451-5p at 6 weeks predicted urine albumin at 9 weeks (r = 0.76). A delayed but significant rise was also observed for miR-16. In contrast, mean urine albumin only increased 21% between 3 and 6 weeks (non-significant rise), and renal TFI and GI were unchanged till 9 weeks. Renal expression of miR-451-5p and miR-16 (at 10 weeks) did not correlate with urine levels, and moreover, was negatively associated with indices of renal pathology (r�-0.70, p = 0.005 for TFI and r�-0.6, p�0.02 for GI). Overall, a relative elevation in renal miR-451-5p and miR-16 in diabetes appeared protective against diabetes- induced kidney fibrosis; while UE miR-451-5p may hold prognostic value as an earlyand sensitive non-invasive indicator of renal diseas

Alcohol use among adolescents in India: a systematic review

Abstract Background Alcohol use is typically established during adolescence and initiation of use at a young age poses risks for short- and long-term health and social outcomes. However, there is limited understanding of the onset, progression and impact of alcohol use among adolescents in India. The aim of this review is to synthesise the evidence about prevalence, patterns and correlates of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders in adolescents from India. Methods Systematic review was conducted using relevant online databases, grey literature and unpublished data/outcomes from subject experts. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed and applied to screening rounds. Titles and abstracts were screened by two independent reviewers for eligibility, and then full texts were assessed for inclusion. Narrative synthesis of the eligible studies was conducted. Results Fifty-five peer-reviewed papers and one report were eligible for inclusion in this review. Prevalence of ever or lifetime alcohol consumption ranged from 3.9% to 69.8%; and prevalence of alcohol consumption at least once in the past year ranged from 10.6% to 32.9%. The mean age for initiation of drinking ranged from 14.4 to 18.3 years. Some correlates associated with alcohol consumption included being male, older age, academic difficulties, parental use of alcohol or tobacco, non-contact sexual abuse and perpetuation of violence. Conclusion The evidence base for alcohol use among adolescents in India needs a deeper exploration. Despite gaps in the evidence base, this synthesis provides a reasonable understanding of alcohol use among adolescents in India and can provide direction to policymakers. </jats:sec

Acceptability and feasibility of assisted telepsychiatry in routine healthcare settings in India: a qualitative study.

Technology-enabled interventions are often recommended to overcome geographical barriers to access and inequitable distribution of mental healthcare workers. The aim of this study was to examine the acceptability and feasibility of an assisted telepsychiatry model implemented in primary care settings in India. In-depth interviews were conducted with patients who received telepsychiatry consultations. Data were collected about domains such as experience with communicating with psychiatrists over a video call and feasibility of accessing services. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Patients recognized that technology enabled them to access treatment and appreciated its contribution to the improvement in their mental health condition. They reported that the telepsychiatry experience was comparable to face-to-face consultations. They had a positive experience of facilitation by counsellors and found treatment delivery in primary care non-stigmatizing. While some adapted easily to the technology platform because of increased access to technology in their daily lives, others struggled to communicate over a screen. For some, availability of care closer to their homes was convenient; for others, even the little travel involved posed a financial burden. In some cases, the internet connectivity was poor and interfered with the video calls. Patients believed that scale could be achieved through adoption of this model by the public sector, collaboration with civil society, enhanced demand generation strategies and leveraging platforms beyond health systems. Assisted telepsychiatry integrated in routine healthcare settings has the potential to make scarce specialist mental health services accessible in low resource settings by overcoming geographical and logistical barriers