Aim: This research is an attempt to gauge the effect of stress on job satisfaction, burnout and health that prevails among faculty members of select public and private colleges in Punjab, India. Materials and Methods: The study uses cross-sectional research methods to collect 412 samples by stratified random sampling. It uses scales like the socio-demographic questionnaire (SDQ), Chronic Burden Scale (CBS), Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) to collect data. The data were analyzed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics software, revealing that college teachers are facing the consequences of both occupational and personal stress. Results: The study revealed significant impact of occupational and personal stress on burnout, job satisfaction, and health of college teachers. Conclusion: The result of the study found that organizational environment significantly affects stress level in college teachers. Hence, it is suggested that a humane policy related to higher education is need of the hour to protect interests of teachers which share responsibility of carving out future of the country.

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Background: In the entire world, about 200 million populations are exposed to arsenic poisoning in groundwater. In Bihar, India about 50 million people are drinking arsenic contaminated water. This has caused various health related problems in the population like skin diseases, anemia, bronchitis, gastrointestinal problems, hormonal imbalance and cancer. Materials and Methods: In the present study, a total of 323 water samples were analyzed for the arsenic levels from the entire Simri village of Buxar district of Bihar and a total of 170 blood samples from the same household's subjects were collected for blood arsenic estimation through Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Pinnacle 900T, Perkin Elmer, Singapore). Apart from this the correlation coefficient study between blood arsenic levels, age of the subjects, groundwater arsenic levels and depth of the handpumps were carried out. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed with statistical software (GraphPad Prism 5) and while scattered graphs were plotted through statistical software SPSS- 16.0. Results and Conclusion: The maximum arsenic concentration in the groundwater sample found during the study was 1929μg/L and in blood sample was 664.7μg/L. The study denotes high arsenic concentration in the drinking water of the village Simri with the highest concentration ever reported in this part of India. Furthermore, the blood samples have also been observed with high arsenic concentration in the village population which is also the highest reporting ever done in this area. The ill health of the village population also correlates our study.

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Background: The Internet has become an important tool in day-to-day life. Reading medical data from Internet sources can have a negative impact on the common man. Anxiety due to excess searching for medical information online is known as cyberchondria. Aim: To evaluate the cyberchondria construct among the computer engineering students in Pune (India) using Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS-15). Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among third- and fourth-year computer engineering students. Methods: The study recruited 180 students. A self-administered, English-translated CSS-15 questionnaire was used to collect the data. The responses were based on the Likert scale. Four constructs were scored from 0 to 4 while the mistrust of medical professional construct was scored in reverse order. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics in the form of numbers and percentages were calculated. Results: The survey was completed by 171 (95%) participants, 77 females and 94 males with the mean age of 19.77 ± 1.07 years. All (100%) participants were affected by excessiveness and reassurance construct, 92% by distress, and 75% by compulsion. Only 19% were found to be affected by mistrust of a medical professional. Among all the domains, reassurance was severely affected among 52.04% of the participants. Conclusion: All the computer engineering students were affected by some or the other constructs of cyberchondria. This indicates that the Internet can affect an individual's mental, physical, and social activity by giving a vast amount of information and cause anxiety or distress related to their search.

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Background: Early detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) might prevent active TB development in healthcare workers (HCWs). The aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of LTBI among HCWs exposed to active TB, compare QFT-GIT and TST in the diagnosis of LTBI, and explore possible risk factors of LTBI. Setting and Design: This was a cross-sectional study for a period of 6 months among 153 HCWs in high-risk departments dealing with TB infection – Beni-Suef University Hospital, Egypt. Materials and Methods: HCWs were asked to fill a questionnaire for possible LTBI risk factors, and tuberculin skin test (TST) and serum QuantiFERON test were used for LTBI screening. Statistical Analysis: Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS-18) was used for data analysis; qualitative data were compared using Chi-square test, while associations between risk factors for TB and positive QFT or TST were analyzed by a logistic regression model. Results: LTBI detected by QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Test (QFT-GIT) and by TST was 9.1% and 34.6%, respectively (kappa = 0.028). Logistic regression showed that departments, duration of work, the use of N95 masks, and training in infection control practices were significant predictors for positive QFT-GIT among participants (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Work duration of >10 years, nurse profession, diabetics, and smokers were at increased risk of having LTBI. Increased training programs and implementation of infection control measures TB to reduce the risk of LTBI are recommended.

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Background and Aims: Silicosis is an occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica. People working in occupations like sandblasting, surface drilling, tunnelling, silica flour milling, ceramic making are predisposed to develop silicosis. Unilateral spontaneous pneumothorax is a pleural complication that can develop in such cases. Our aim is to see the prevalence of bilateral pneumothorax in silicosis in Rajasthan and associated predisposing factors. Methods: Fifty patients of silicosis prospectively reviewed by historical, clinical evaluation, and radiological evidence with increased dyspnea and chest pain in 1 year were included in the study. In all patients, chest X-ray was done immediately. Sputum for acid fast bacilli was done in all cases. Results: Cough and shortness of breath were most common symptoms and present in all cases. All cases were smokers. Chest radiograph revealed reticulonodular density with B/L pneumothorax in all patients. Tube thoracostomy was done in all cases except one in which conservative management was done. Conclusions: Cases with silicosis can develop complications like tuberculosis, lung cancer, progressive massive fibrosis, cor pulmonale, broncholithiasis, or tracheobronchial compression by lymph nodes. Pleural involvement in silicosis is rare. Spontaneous pneumothorax is a pleural complication that can develop in such cases. Usually in silicosis pneumothorax is unilateral. We report here an original article with silicosis who presented with bilateral spontaneous pneumothoraxes occurring simultaneously. The rarity of its clinical presentation in the form of bilateral simultaneous spontaneous pneumothorax combined with the typical clinical and radiological features of silicosis will make us to report this article.

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Aim: This study was conducted to examine the effect(s) of combined exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV) and noise in railway workers. Methods: In this historical cohort study, train drivers with combined exposure to WBV and impermissible noise as the case group (n = 85) and shunters with just exposure to impermissible noise as the control group (n = 30) were recruited. The hearing threshold at the conventional audiometric frequencies was measured in both the groups, and the standard threshold shift (STS) and hearing threshold shift at higher frequencies were calculated. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 using t-test, Chi-square, and paired t-test. Results: There was no significant difference between the groups for age of participants as well as work duration and body mass index. Increased hearing threshold was most frequently observed at 3000, 4000, and 6000 Hz. STS and hearing threshold shift at high frequencies were observed at 6.0% and 3.3%, and 8.2% and 26.7% in train drivers and shunters in the left ear, respectively, but these were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Despite the unauthorized exposure to noise and WBV of train drivers, the STS and hearing threshold shift at higher frequencies were not more prevalent compared with the shunters who were exposed only to impermissible noise levels; hence, no association was found between noise and vibration in this study.

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Background: The present study was aimed to investigate the lung functions and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of garbage collection workers of the urban cities in India. Study Setting: Urban city in India. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study encompassed 110 participants, 55 garbage collection workers in a garbage depot in the urban city of India and 55 age-matched control group volunteering to participate in the study. Assessment of the lung function was done by using computerized spirometry and HRQoL with the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Statistical Analysis: Various statistical measures such as mean, standard deviations (SD), test of significance were utilized to analyze the data. Parametric data were analyzed by unpaired t-test and nonparametric data by Mann-Whitney U test. Results: A statistically significant difference was seen in the lung functions and quality of life in garbage collection workers except for the psychological component of WHOQoL-BREF questionnaire. Conclusion: The study concludes that there is a greater impairment in the lung functions of garbage collection workers as compared to that of normal individuals. Moreover, the quality of life is lower in garbage workers than that of normal individuals considering the physical, social, and environmental aspects.

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We report a 65 year old female patient who had presented with dry cough and shortness of breath for the last 5 years and had also received anti-tubercular therapy but without any benefit. Evaluation revealed the presence of obstructive airway disease with nodular opacities in bilateral lungs. Histopathological examination including electron microscopy was suggestive of domestically acquired pneumoconiosis.A diagnosis of Gujjar lung was made based on history of exposure to wood smoke, characteristic histological and radiological features. Anti-tubercular therapy was stopped and bronchodilators were initiated along with removal from source of exposure to which she showed significant improvement. We also did a systematic review of literature pertaining to Gujjar lung.

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