Researchers have found that long term chronic isolation cause the build-up of a chemical in the brain, that increases stress, aggression and fear.

The mice isolated for two weeks showed behavioural changes like, increased aggressiveness towards unfamiliar mice, persistent fear, and hypersensitivity to threatening stimuli.

When encountering a threatening stimulus, mice that have been socially isolated remain frozen in place long after the threat has passed, whereas normal mice stop freezing soon after the threat is removed, the research said.

Although the study was done in mice, it has potential implications for understanding how chronic stress affects humans and has potential applications for treating mental health disorders, said lead author Moriel Zelikowsky, postdoctoral scholar at the California Institute of Technology in the US.

Previous studies have determined that social isolation for two weeks in mice resulted in the upregulation of the signalling molecule neuropeptide, tachykinin 2 (Tac2)/neurokinin B (NkB) -- a short protein molecule.

In the new study, published in the journal Cell, the team found that chronic isolation leads to an increase in Tac2 gene expression and the production of a neuropeptide called neurokinin B (NkB) throughout the brain.

But, administration of a drug that chemically blocks NkB-specific receptors enabled the stressed mice to behave normally, eliminating the negative effects of social isolation.

On the other hand, artificially increasing Tac2 levels and activating the corresponding neurons in normal, animals led them to behave like isolated and stressed, the research showed.

Suppressing the Tac2 gene in certain different brain parts, increased fear behaviours, or aggression accordingly, implying that it must increase in different brain regions to produce the various effects of social isolation, the researchers said.

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A 27-year-old MBBS student committed suicide by jumping off from a high-rise in Thane on Saturday. She was rushed to the hospital, where the doctor declared her dead. The deceased was identified as Dr Shamista Som, daughter of dermatologist Dr Kaberi Som. Police have found a suicide note in which she spoke about the pressure she faced for the preparation of her MD exams.

Shamista was living with her parents on the 12th floor of Glory building in Everest Society at Kolshet. Sources revealed that in 2016, Shamista had completed her MBBS and was preparing for her MD. On Friday night, she had spoken of the stress related to the same with her parents.

Glory building in Everest Society. Pic/Rajesh S. Gupta

"According to the parents, they spoke at length with their daughter and tried to calm her. Afterwards, she told her parents she was going to study," an officer said. Around 5 AM on Saturday, the security guard found her lying in a pool of blood. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.

To mid-day, AV Deshmukh, senior inspector at Koparbaudi police station, said, "We have found a suicide note written by the deceased. The reason behind the suicide seems to be depression. However, we have registered the death as an accident and are inquiring into the case."

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On Tuesday, to mark World Hand Hygiene Day, Hema Malini and Amrita Rao raised awareness about hand hygiene. The two were united for the initiative by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.

"While everyone is wearing face masks and gloves nowadays, they are not at all sensitive about sanitising their hands," said Rao. Proper handwashing with soap is the topmost measure to prevent the spread of the virus.

"It's high time every effort is made to create awareness, educate and remind people that hand hygiene is crucial. It is important to make handwashing a daily habit. Good handwashing with soap can save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention. I would be happy if this effort is able to bring a difference in the lives of many people," Rao added.

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New Delhi: With novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases growing rapidly in India, overburdened doctors, nurses and healthcare personnel at the frontline are facing immense pressure from the society at large. While fighting against the deadly virus, they are continuously facing threats and abuses from the society, affecting their mental health as they battle it out in the ICUs as well as inside the corona patients wards.

According to Sujith, Chief of Nursing Services, Columbia Asia Hospital in Pune, it is disheartening to see that people, for whom the fraternity has been taking so much risk to ensure their health and safety, have failed them.

"This is sad when we watch on television that healthcare workers have been facing threats, attacks and abuses as we work on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic. It has been observed that many of these attacks are allegedly sparked by the fear that healthcare workers are exposing others to the virus. We are really going through a stressful time," Sujith told IANS.

The frontline health workers want a little sympathy and respect as they are working non-stop, without thinking about their own families and lives.

Dr Sachin Nayak working at JP Hospital in Bhopal has been living in his car to prevent passing on the virus to anyone else, including his wife and child. He has stocked up daily use items and books in the car.

"We completely understand public health emergencies are stressful times for people and communities but that doesn't mean we should be at the receiving end," said Sujith.

On Wednesday, a mob tried to stop a medical team from taking a coronavirus-infected man into isolation. They hurled stones at an ambulance that left four injured.

The incident took place in Uttar Pradesh's Nawabpura area. The injured included one doctor and three paramedics. A police vehicle was also damaged.

After the attacks on doctors, the Union Home Ministry said that it is ascertaining cases of violence against healthcare workers engaged in surveillance and quarantine measures.

Health workers on the streets of Mumbai. Pic: Ashish Raje

Savitha Kuttan, CEO of Omnicuris, an online medical education platform, said that operating under severe resource constraints, healthcare workers are bearing the brunt of a hostile external environment.

Healthcare professionals have taken to social media to describe in painful detail the growing stigma they are facing with each passing day.

"From working long, gruelling shifts without adequate protective gear and facing attacks from patients to getting booted out of their homes and feeling afraid for their families, the mental strain our medical professionals are going through is immense. All of them are going through severe anxiety and many are having difficulties sleeping," Kuttan said.

She added that doctors are professionally obligated to take care of their mental health so that they can provide good quality care to their patients.

"Considering the enormity of what they are going through, we cannot expect them to go looking for mental health support. In fact, they should get unlimited access to mental health services during this time of crisis," Kuttan, told IANS.

A recent study, published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry, revealed that front-line medical staff must be prioritised for rapid mental health support.

According to Ekta Soni, Chief Clinical Psychologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi, healthcare workers don't have the luxury of living inside their homes to shield themselves from the coronavirus.

They have to expose themselves to the risk, and some are separating themselves from their families for weeks to avoid transmitting the virus to them.

"Healthcare workers working with COVID-19 patients reported symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and reported distress. The risk of infection, especially if it is asymptomatic, instils fear of spreading the virus to their patients and families," said Soni.

"They're deeply sad for their dying patients, many of whom are slipping away without their loved ones at their side. Many admitted to harbouring darker feelings," she added.

However, some corona warriors are receiving utmost support from their neighbours.

Sharing his own experience, Manoj Goel, Director, Pulmonology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, said: "People are very cooperative in my society and keep asking about my wellbeing through calls and messages".

"My neighbours are putting cards outside my house as a thank you note and consider me a corona warrior. While I am working in the hospital they enquire about my families health and wellbeing and if they need any help in my absence. I am greeted with a smile by our society security guard whenever I leave or enter my society".

According to experts, having an open channel of communication to assess what they are going through is a need of the hour.

Not only will it help them readjust to everything once the situation starts to improve, but also keep them from developing post-traumatic stress.

Governments must borrow to meet their deficits and not impose higher tax burdens when economic activity has ground to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said on Wednesday after the Centre and the Delhi government hiked taxes on petroleum products. New or higher taxes are justified only when the economy is booming, the former finance minister said, dubbing the imposition of taxes as "cruel". Tax burdens on the middle class and the poor is actually taxing distress, he said in a series of tweets.

"Governments should give money to the people in times of distress, not squeeze and take money from the people," Chidambaram said. "We have been pleading for cash transfers from the government to the bottom half of the people/families. Instead governments are doing a reverse transfer of money from the people to the government! Cruel," he said.

New or higher taxes will impoverish families further, Chidambaram asserted. "Governments must borrow to meet their deficits, not impose higher tax burdens when economic activity has ground to a halt," he said. Chidambaram's remarks come after the central government on Tuesday night hiked the excise duty on petrol by a steep Rs 10 per litre and that on diesel by Rs 13 a litre.

Retail prices of petrol and diesel will not be impacted by the tax changes as state-owned oil firms will adjust them against the recent fall in oil prices, industry officials said. Petrol prices in the national capital were hiked by Rs 1.67 a litre and diesel by a steep Rs 7.10 per litre after the Delhi government raised local sales tax or value-added tax (VAT) on the two fuels.

Petrol in Delhi now costs Rs 71.26 a litre as against Rs 69.59 previously, oil industry sources said. Diesel price has been hiked to Rs 69.39 per litre from Rs 62.29. Struggling with low revenues during lockdown, several states have also hiked taxes on alcohol.

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Even after 70 years of Independence, there is a segment of our society which has not freed from Its narrow-minded mentality. It's a segment of male dominating society which consider women inferior to men and make them deprived of the respect they deserve for. Women is the mother of a society and a good society can never be made without respecting women. There are women in society who decide to fight for their rights. ‘Astounding Courage In Distress’ is the story of such a girl Ruhana, who doesn't loose her hope in adverse conditions and fight bravely for her rights and achieve her target. Ruhana becomes a role model for society. Ruhana, born in a poor Muslim family of Pratapgarh, is a lovely daughter of her parents. Her parents want to educate her so that she can be successful in life. Ruhana is also a hardworking girl. The small family is very happy but one day Abbu (Ruhana's father) dies in a accident. A big struggle starts for the family. Poverty has become a nightmare for them. Ruhana gets the news that her school has organized a race with a prize money of Rs 5000. Ruhana registers her name for the race. She hides this from her mother, Shabana because she won't allow Ruhana to participate in race because of board exams. Abhishek is the sport teacher in Ruhana's school and he is training all participants for this race. Abhishek is very hard at rules. He gets impressed by Ruhana’s hardwork and trains her specially. Meanwhile, Bilaal, a distant relative of Ruhana, comes to India from Dubai for watching a Property. Bilaal is sad for the death of his cousin brother and helps his family in this tough time. Ruhana takes Bilaal as father figure. After some time, he goes back to Dubai. Shabana starts working in a shop. She does mistakes and get insulted. Its painful for Ruhana and therefore she gives training to her mother about all products in the shop. This makes Shabana's job very easy. Ruhana takes all responsibilities of family and simultaneously also prepares for race and board exams. Bilaal comes back India and this time he goes with Shabana, Ruhana to watch a girl for marriage. He rejects the girl and Ruhana makes fun of whole incidence. One day, Bilaal is sitting with his friends and they talk about marriage. His friends advise him of marrying Ruhana as they think she loves him that’s why she is coming so close to him. This changes Bilaal’s way of thinking and he keep this proposal in front of Shabana. He also creates problem in Ruhana’s school life. Shabana asks Bilaal to leave them which makes him furious and he decides to take a revenge on them. He also attacks Abhishek in frustration. Shabana and Ruhana forget this all and starts living happily. Ruhana not only comes first in race but also comes top in her board examination. Everything is going good but suddenly something happens which puts a big question on her future, her dreams, her life. An Acid attack which burns not only her body but also her dreams. Her future depends only on her strong determination. Will the double standard hypocrites of society survive the willpower and strong determination talented girl?

A free parenting programme based on EU-funded research has won a 2019 Horizon Impact Award for its success in helping families to avoid child abuse in low-and middle-income countries. Now parents everywhere can access online tips to cope with COVID-19 lockdown life.

Tennis legend Leander Paes, who made a guest appearance on the Education Webinar for Coaches, jointly organised by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), on Monday said it is key to focus on learning new skills during the lockdown period.

The country has been under lockdown for more than a month now to curb the menace of COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is important to focus on learning new skills during the lockdown", Paes said on how to best utilise this time away from tennis action and keep yourself active and mentally fit, as quoted by AITA's official website.

The 18-time Grand Slam champion also spoke on what keeps him going even at the age of 46. "For me, the relationships that I have had through tennis are the things that I cherish the most. "Those relationships over generations are what's special.

Paes recalled old relationships and had very special words for R.K.Khanna and Anil Khanna. "When I started playing tennis, R.K Khanna was the President of the AITA. I would not be who I am today without Khanna because he actually helped me in the Juniors, as a 14 or 15 year-old.

"He helped me get into the ITF Junior team. At that point, my family could not afford all the international coaching. And then after that Anil Khanna who was the President, took over the mantle of support."

Paes also thanked others including Bishwadeep, AITA CEO for having been there over the last two decades in Davis Cup ties that Paes had played, always being there to give support.

Paes signed off from the Webinar with a message to coaches saying, "Greatest joy you can have is to see your students do well at tennis. Use the sport as a vehicle to make them good human beings."

The Webinar, now in its second week, will have a session of "Coaching Young Children and Young People" by Kawaljeet Singh and Miguel Crespo from the International Tennis Federation will join as the guest speaker.

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[Source: Research & Innovation] A free parenting programme based on EU-funded research has won a 2019 Horizon Impact Award for its success in helping families to avoid child abuse in low-and middle-income countries. Now parents everywhere can access online tips to cope with COVID-19 lockdown life.

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