Central effect of mammalian oxyntomodulin on food intake in non-fasted and fasted chicks

Oxyntomodulin [OXM], a proglucagon-derived peptide, is a well known anorexigenic peptide found in the gut and brain of mammals. The present study was carried out to investigate the central effect of OXM on food intake in non-fasted and fasted Ross broiler chicks. At four weeks of age, a guide cannula was stereotaxically implanted into the right lateral ventricle of each bird. Two experiments were conducted on free-feeding [non-fasted] and 6-h fasted broilers. In each experiment, eight birds were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design. The birds were given an intracerebroventricular [ICV] injection of different doses of mammalian OXM. Intracerebroventricular injection of OXM at doses of 1.5, 3 and 6 nmol significantly [P<0.05] decreased food intake for 3 h post injection in both non-fasted and fasted chicks. It may be concluded that central OXM may exert a suppressive effect on food intake in chicks

[Assessing time between arriving to hospital and administration of streptokinase in patients with acute myocardial infarction in emergency department of Kerman University of medical sciences in 2003-4]

Acute myocardial infarction is one of the major causes of mortality in developing countries such as Iran. One of the most important progresses in acute myocardial infarction is early administration of thrombolytic agents such as streptokinase. This study was performed to determine the time interval from patients' referral to the emergency wards to the introduction of thrombolytic therapy and the factors associated with delay in drug administration. In a period of 8 months, 130 patients with presumed acute myocardial infarction were investigated. In order to determine the causes of delay in streptokinase administration, duration of symptoms onset to drug administration was divided into 4 specified periods and measured in minutes. Results were analyzed using ANOVA and t-test. Findings showed a mean elapsed time of 298 minutes between pain onset and referring to the emergency ward, 73 minutes between patient's arrival and streptokinase administration. Mean time from symptom onset to drug infusion was 370 minutes. There was a delay of 2 hours in drug administration in 18% of patients. The most important causes of delay were long distance and delay of physicians and staff. Considering the findings, increasing people's knowledge about the symptoms of heart problem, providing medical facilities and instruction of medical staff play important role in decreasing delay time in drug administration and increasing streptokinase output