International Physiology

The first step in urine formation is the filtration of large amounts of fluid
through the glomerular capillaries into Bowman’s capsule. It is around 180 liters per day. Most of this filtrate is reabsorbed leaving only about 1 liter of fluid to be excreted each day. Glomerular capillary wall (GCW) or glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) were coined during 1950. The GCW consists of three distinct but closely interacting layers: the fenestrated endothelium, with its glycocalyx; the podocytes, with their interdigitated foot processes and slit diaphragm; and the intervening glomerular basement membrane (GBM). Proteinuria is associated with kidney disease and cardiovascular mortality. It can be categorised as glomerular, tubular and overflow proteinurea.
Keywords: Glomerular capillary wall (GCW); Glomerular filtration barrier (GFB); Proteinuria.

Background: Productivity in agricultural field has remarkably increased
worldwide in this era of green revolution. Agriculture, a very complex
occupation, apart from increasing productivity also brings huge loss to
community in terms of its ill effects on humans, plant and animal life due
to aggressive use of agrochemicals like fertilizers and pesticides. Respiratory diseases among farmers were one of the first-identified occupational hazards associated with agriculture. As farmers cultivating the earth are the most valuable citizens the present study is designed to detect the ill effects of exposure to fertilizers and pesticides on lung function. Aims: Present study was designed to study the effect of pesticides on lung function in pesticide exposed farmers and to compare these lung function parameters in exposed farmers to that of normal controls. Materials and methods: Pulmonary function test was studied in 60 apparently healthy male farmers exposed to pesticides,
and compared with 62 apparently healthy male control subjects. The
pulmonary function test was performed by using an electronic pirometer
and results were compared by Student’s unpaired t test. Results: Results of the present study showed a significant decrease in the mean values and percent predicted value of FVC, FEV1, %FEV1/FVC, PEFR and FEF 25–75% in pesticide exposed farmers compared to normal subjects. Conclusion: Based on results of the present study it may be concluded that pesticide exposed farmers are at increased risk of developing occupationally related pulmonary impairment. There is need for compulsory use of personal protective equipment and measures during pesticide application.
Keywords: Pesticides; Farmers; Pulmonary function.

Background: Stress experienced by Generation Z (Gen Z) undergraduate health professional students could pose a detrimental effect on their demanding professional lives. Health professional students are known to experience various stressors and it affects their health and academic performance. A gender difference is known to exist in the perception of stress experienced by the students. However, it is not clear if this is true in the case of present-day Gen Z tech-savvy students. Hence, the present study was done to assess the intensity of stress perceived by male and female Gen Z undergraduate health
professional students and to evaluate their perception on the role of yoga to overcome it. Materials and methods: Descriptive questionnaire-based study was conducted among the Gen Z undergraduate health professional students of a private health university in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, India. One hundred health professional students were administered with  a pretested and validated academic stress scale questionnaire. Their stress levels and the responses to various stressors by male and female students were tabulated. Also, their perception on the practice of yoga for alleviating stress was documented. Results: Female health professional students are
significantly more stressed compared with their male counterparts. Academic stressors such as worrying, failure in formative assessment examination and unable to follow a study time table were significantly more in female students as compared to male students. Stress-related to non-academic stressors such as lack of concentration due to gadget use and lack of courage to speak in the class lecture were significantly more among female students. A significant number of students perceived that yoga is a useful interventional technique in alleviating stress and should be included in their course curriculum. Conclusion:
There is a female preponderance in the perception of certain academic and non-academic related stressors among Gen Z health professional students. The Gen Z students perceive yoga as a coping strategy to alleviate stress and that it should be incorporated in their course curriculum.
Keywords: Stress; Students; Technology; Yoga.

Aims: To correlate packed cell volume with sevierity of anaemia in adult
females. Setting and Design: A hospital based prospective observational cross sectional 1000 consecutive cases of adult females to evaluate prevalence of spectrum of anaemia who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Considering a confidence level of 95% and confidence interval of 3.1 the number of patients in our study to achieve statistical significance is 999. This was calculated by Survey System http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm#one). Statistical
Analysis Used: Considering a confidence level of 95% and confidence interval of 3.1 the number of patients in our study to achieve statistical significance is 999. This was calculated by Survey System (http://www.surveysystem. com/sscalc.htm#one). Results: Majority of the females (42.44%) were in the age group of 26–35 years followed by 31.9% in the age group of 18–25 years, 19.2% in the age group of 36–45 years, 4.9% in the age group of 46–55 years and 1.6% in the age group of 56–65 year. 410 (41%) females had mild anaemia while 440 (44%) and 150 (15%) females had moderate and severe anaemia.
The mean packed cell volume (PCV) of females with mild anaemia was 29.13 ± 2.14% while the mean PCV of females with moderate and severe anaemia was 24.57 ± 1.86% and 20.35 ± 1.12% respectively. There was significant decrease in packed cell volume (PCV) with increase in severity of anaemia as per ANOVA test (p < 0.05). Conclusion: PCV (packed cell volume) and haemoglobin are considered as haematological indicators for classifying the severity of anaemia. Iron deficiency anemia is increasing in females, specially in reproductive age group of developing countries. The haematological parameters can aid in early recognition of type and cause of anaemia and thereby improve the outcome.

Keywords: Anaemia; Packed cell volume (PCV).