In this pilot study an attempt was made to assess the training needs of telemedicine practioners and telemedicine project staff working in the telemedicine units. A pre-validated self administered ‘Telemedicine Training Needs Assessment Tool’ containing 12 items was administered among 92 telemedicine practioners and project staff working in various telemedicine units in India. The responses revealed the mixed expectations with regard to their training in telemedicine. About 28% of the respondents were found to possess high level of competencies, 43% possess moderate level of competencies and 29% possessed low level of competencies with respect to telemedicine and its related activities. The findings of the study suggest that although the respondents of the present study are involved in telemedicine related works three-fourth of them requires formal training in the telemedicine.

INTRODUCTIONTelemedicine is an emerging technology in health sector in India. The success of any new technology depends on many factors including the knowledge and understanding of the concept, skills acquired, attitude towards technology and working environment by the concerned professionals.AIMThe main objective of this study was to assess the awareness, knowledge, attitude and skills of telemedicine among the health professionals working in the teaching hospitals of Puducherry Region of India.MATERIALS AND METHODSA cross-sectional survey was carried out among various healthcare professionals using a proper sampling frame obtained from a list of teaching hospitals located in Puducherry Union Territory, India. A total of 120 teaching faculties and practitioners from the preclinical, para-clinical and clinical departments were taken up for the study. A pre-validated self-administered questionnaire was used for the survey to assess the awareness, knowledge, attitude and skills of telemedicine. The questionnaires were mailed to the respondents and the completed questionnaires were analysed as per the study objectives using descriptive statistics for the quantitative data and content analysis for the qualitative data.RESULTSThe knowledge level of the respondents was found to be good with 41% of the respondents, 35% possess fair knowledge and 24% don't have adequate knowledge of telemedicine. With regard to the attitude towards telemedicine 39% of the respondents possess high attitude, 31% possess moderate attitude and 30% possess low level of attitude. Investigations on the skills of the respondents on telemedicine showed that 19% respondents are highly skilled or experts, 25% are moderately skilled which includes learners or beginners, and 56% are unskilled in handling telemedicine and its related equipments.CONCLUSIONThe findings of the study suggest that although the respondents experience and knowledge are limited in telemedicine technology a fair number of them have positive attitude towards telemedicine. It is the need of the hour to educate and train the teaching faculty, practicing physicians, residents, medical students and other health professionals about telemedicine and issues related to its use.

Myocardial infarction is a major public health concern and the leading cause of death all over the world. A better understanding of the processes involved in myocardial infarction has stimulated the search for biomolecules, which could limit the myocardial injury. We determined the protective activity of L-glutamine on mitochondrial function in isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in rats, an animal model of myocardial infarction in man. Oral pre-treatment with glutamine significantly inhibited the isoprenaline-induced changes in the levels of troponin T and homocysteine in the plasma. It conserved the activities of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes (isocitrate dehydrogenase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase) and respiratory marker enzyme (NADH dehydrogenase) and the level of myocardial ATP content at levels comparable to that of normal controls. It also attenuated isoprenaline-induced oxidative stress in rat mitochondria and preserved the antioxidant defence system at near normal. The results indicate that the cardioprotective effect of glutamine can be correlated directly with its ability to activate the energy status and antioxidant defence system. Keywords: isoprenaline

Oxidative stress is one of the mechanisms with a central role involved in the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction. The protective effect of glutamine on myocardial antioxidant defense system was investigated during isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction, an animal model of myocardial infarction of human beings. Levels of diagnostic marker enzymes in plasma, reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxides and the activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, catalase and superoxide dismutase in heart tissue were determined. Injection of isoprenaline caused significant increases in the levels of diagnostic marker enzymes in plasma and lipid peroxidation in heart tissue. A parallel decline in the levels of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) and GSH and the activities of glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzymes and antiperoxidative enzymes in heart tissue was also observed. Prior oral administration of glutamine significantly prevented isoprenaline-induced adverse effects and maintained myocardial antioxidant status at near normal status. The cardioprotective effect of glutamine is probably related to a strengthening of the myocardial membrane by its membrane stabilizing action, or to a counteraction of free radicals by its antioxidant property, or to its ability to maintain near to normal status the activities of free radical scavenging enzymes and the level of GSH, which protect myocardial membrane against oxidative damage by decreasing lipid peroxidation.

We have investigated the preventive effects of squalene against isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in male albino rats. Supplementation with squalene significantly prevented the isoprenaline-induced adverse changes in the levels of protein and glycoprotein components in plasma and heart tissue of experimental groups of rats. It exerted an antioxidant effect by inhibiting the isoprenaline-induced lipid peroxidation and by maintaining the level of non-enzymatic free radical-scavenger, reduced glutathione at near normalcy. Histopathological observations also confirmed the possible cardioprotective action of squalene by maintaining the normal architecture of the heart tissue. The results of the present investigation demonstrate that supplementation with squalene offers cardioprotection in experimental rats by its antioxidant and membrane- stabilizing properties.

We studied the cardioprotective effect of squalene on isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in male albino rats with respect to changes in the levels of lipid components in plasma and heart tissue. Prior administration of 2% squalene in feed for 45 days significantly reduced the isoprenaline-induced elevation in the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and free fatty acids in plasma and heart tissue of rats following myocardial infarction. It exerted an antilipidemic effect by reducing the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with a parallel rise in the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma of experimental rats. A tendency to prevent the isoprenaline-induced depletion of phospholipids in the myocardium of experimental rats was also observed. In the present study, the pretreatment with squalene significantly counteracted the isoprenaline-induced lipid peroxidation and maintained the rats at near normal status. The results of the present study indicate that the overall cardioprotective effect of squalene is probably related to an inhibition of lipid accumulation by its hypolipidemic properties and/or its antioxidant properties.

We have examined the protective effect of taurine on the myocardial antioxidant defense system in isoprenaline (isoproterenol)-induced myocardial infarction in rats, an animal model of myocardial infarction in man. Levels of diagnostic marker enzymes in plasma, lipid peroxides and reduced glutathione, and the activity of glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzymes and anti-peroxidative enzymes in the heart tissue were determined. Intraperitoneal administration of taurine significantly prevented the isoprenaline-induced increases in the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine phosphokinase in the plasma of rats. Taurine exerted an antioxidant effect against isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction by preventing the accumulation of lipid peroxides and by maintaining the level of reduced glutathione and the activity of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, catalase and superoxide dismutase at near normality. The results indicated that the cardioprotective potential of taurine was probably due to the increase of the activity of the free radical enzymes, or to a counteraction of free radicals by its antioxidant nature, or to a strengthening of myocardial membrane by its membrane stabilizing property.

This study was designed to examine the effects of squalene on tissue antioxidant status in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in male albino rats. Levels of diagnostic marker enzymes [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine phosphokinase (CPK)] in plasma, lipid peroxides, reduced glutathione, and the activities of glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzymes [glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)] and antiperoxidative enzymes [catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] in the heart tissue of experimental groups of rats were determined. The prior administration of squalene at 2% level along with feed for 45 days significantly prevented the isoproterenol-induced elevation in the levels of diagnostic marker enzymes in plasma of experimental rats. Squalene also exerted an antioxidant effect against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction by blocking the induction of lipid peroxidation. A tendency to prevent the isoproterenol-induced alterations in the level of reduced glutathione and in the activities of glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzymes and antiperoxidative enzymes was also observed. The cardioprotective effect of squalene might be ascribable to its antioxidant property and membrane stabilizing action.

A new flavanonol glycoside isolated from the roots of Adansonia digitata has been characterised as 3,7-dihydroxy flavan-4-one-5-O-beta- D-galactopyranosyl (1 --> 4)-beta- D-glucopyranoside on the basis of degradation, spectral and chemical studies.

A new flavone glycoside isolated from the stem of Ixora arborea has been characterized as chrysin 5-O-β- D -xylopyranoside on the basis of spectral data, colour reactions and degradation studies.